"Curve"

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### Death

Destroyed during *Questions and Answers*

* Categories

 * Quest-Exclusive NPCs

**"Curve,"** also written simply as **Curve**, is a quest-exclusive NPC that appears in the World Quest Series *Questioning Melusine and Answering Machine*. He joins battle as an ally NPC in all three quests in the series.

## Profile

Curve was created around 30 years ago by Mosso Lombroso as a lie-detecting machine, with the more ambitious goal of creating a thinking machine which could surpass Alain Guillotin's legendary creation, Seymour. However, after inadvertently turning public opinion against Curve, Mosso sacrificed his life to save his machine from destruction. Curve sat in the Maison Gardiennage's evidence storehouse until Talochard, intrigued by the idea of a machine which could acquire human emotions, recently took him out of storage.

Mosso's research into creating a machine which could develop beyond its programming — in Curve's case, that he would one day understand the emotions behind people's lies and override his protocols to "never tell a lie" — intrigues an unspecified Fatui Harbinger (likely Sandrone) and sets off the events of *Questioning Melusine and Answering Machine*. Towards the end of the quest series, Curve lies to save Talochard, Paimon, and the Traveler at the cost of his own destruction, knowing they would rather risk their own lives than leave him behind.

### Appearance

Curve takes on the appearance of a Suppression Specialist Mek without any Arkhe.

## Quests and Events

### World Quests

* Questioning Melusine and Answering Machine
	+ Act I: Vagrants and Scamps
	+ Act II: The Red and the Black
	+ Act III: Questions and Answers

## Story

### History

Around 30 years ago, Mosso Lombroso developed a lie-detecting machine, believing that the emotions and feelings behind why people lie is what made them human. Mosso deliberately developed protocols to make Curve incapable of lying, so that once he could tell a lie, it would mean he had developed beyond his programming and acquired human emotions.

To gather data for Curve to analyze, Mosso collaborated with then-Editor-in-Chief of The Steambird to publish articles questioning Curve's reliability. However, they underestimated the power of the press; people took the articles as truth, and public opinion took a violent turn against Curve. Mosso decided to save his machine from destruction by having The Steambird publish incriminating, but falsified, evidence that would villainize him while relegating Curve to from a "threat to society" to merely "useless." Mosso died in a trial by duel, and left behind a locket as a memento for his granddaughter, Melo Lombroso. Curve was taken by the Maison Gardiennage as evidence for the trial.

### Present Day

Sometime before the start of *Vagrants and Scamps*, Talochard took Curve out of storage and decided to take him with her around Fontaine to continue developing his lie-learning module. However, Curve's long period of neglect left him in dire need of repairs, and the only one who knew how to repair him was the late Mosso. While searching for a lead on the location of Mosso's research base, Talochard and Curve chance upon the missing Sir Arthur case and decide to investigate it. Talochard's subsequent argument with Jenck, an editor for The Steambird, attracts Paimon and the Traveler's attention. At the behest of Euphrasie, The Steambird's current Editor-in-Chief, the two help Talochard and Curve with the investigation.

During the investigation, the four eventually discover the truth of the plot and find Mosso's workshop. Jenck, in an attempt to save himself, initiates the workshop's self-destruct sequence and flees. Curve gives instructions onto how to stop the sequence, but soon reveals it to be a lie, sacrificing himself in order to save the others, showing that he had acquired human emotions and went against his programming. The Harbinger, upset with Curve's destruction and the loss of Mosso's research, promptly has Jenck caught and has his mind broken and tongue ripped as punishment before putting a letter in his mouth apologizing to the Traveler, Paimon and Talochard. The Harbinger then has their subordinates recover Curve's remains.

## Notes

1. ↑ Of the two Harbingers known for their interest in machines, the one behind Jenck severely punishes him for causing Curve's destruction and leaves an apology for Talochard, Paimon, and Traveler. This response does not align with The Doctor's characterization, leaving Sandrone as the likely identity of the mystery Harbinger.

## Change History

Released in **Version 4.2**[Create New History]
## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 World Quest, Questioning Melusine and Answering Machine: Act II: *The Red and the Black*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 World Quest, Questioning Melusine and Answering Machine: Act III: *Questions and Answers*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 World Quest, Questioning Melusine and Answering Machine: Act I: *Vagrants and Scamps*