Laboratory of the Unexplainable

The **Laboratory of the Unexplainable** is a location in *The Demon's Light* that debuted in the episode "Ceasefire." It is operated and inhabited by the Devlin family. The focus of the laboratory is on the demons, angels, and Xeren's soul.

## Appearance

### Laboratory of the Unexplainable

The laboratory is a large, single-building complex. The grounds are surrounded by stone masonry and wrought iron fencing, with a main gate for entrance. The building's exterior is a whitish-gray with blue accents here and there. The pathways are checkered white and blue and lined with luminescent railing. The laboratory is notably shaped like a parallelogram, built into the side of a hill. The windows are patterned and identical on both lengthwise sides. The laboratory has two floors and a rooftop workspace. The building is lit up at night.

The colors of the building are reminiscent of the Silivian flag.

* Main building:
	+ The **garage** is connected to the first floor. It is where Richard Devlin's station wagon is housed. Inside, there are cabinets full of automotive repair tools, spare tires, and a car jack. The roof of the garage is a green roof where grasses are planted.
	+ The **first floor** is partially subterranean. It consists of the main research areas (the "laboratory") and offices. The interior is rather clinical.
		- The **bullpen** is the main area for digital and official work. There are many desks each with a computer where employees can work.
		- There is a long **hallway** that connects the garage and the front door to the main research area.
		- The **main research area** is where most hands-on work occurs.
		- **Richard's office** oversees most of the research area, with the exception of Steven Devlin's office, the bathroom, and the employee break area. It is furnished with a large desk, computer, filing cabinet, and potted plants. It is windowed so Richard can watch the employees.
		- There is a **staircase** in the middle of the research area that leads to the second floor.
		- **Steven's office** is located within the farthest corner of the research area. It is situated directly next to the **bathroom**. Richard gifted the space to Steven for his eighteenth birthday.
	+ The **second floor** is the residential living quarters of the Devlin family. Melissa Devlin's bedroom, Steven's bedroom, and the living room is on the north side of the floor, while Richard's bedroom, the kitchen, the exercise room, and the bathroom are located on the south side. Each of the bedrooms has a small television. The walls are notoriously thin.
		- The **exercise room** has a weight rack and a treadmill. It is across from a **hallway** that leads from the front door. The hallway has a shoe and coat rack, as well as a large framed photo of the Devlin family taken in 316 TP surrounded by smaller family photos.
		- The wallpapered **kitchen** is complete with a dining table for eight people. Notably, it has a coffee maker. It is across from the living room.
		- The **living room** has an entertainment system, two couches, a recliner, and a few coffee tables. It is where Atticus Anoethite and Marshall Rooke temporarily stay in "Saccharine."
		- **Melissa's bedroom** is a lived-in room with colorful fabric choices and shelves of gymnastics trophies. It was left mostly untouched since the disappearance of Melissa.
		- **Richard's bedroom** is a neatly decorated room with a unifying theme. It is kept clean and the room itself is uncrowded and anodyne. Along the walls are many photos of him and Binita together. The room is next to the **upstairs bathroom**.
		- **Steven's bedroom** contains a desk cluttered with research papers and a small lamp.
	+ The **roof** is home to the observatory. It is decorated with Silivian flags, solar panels, and a rooftop garden. It can be accessed by a wall-mounted ladder.
		- There is a **rooftop astral observatory**, where there is a small telescope primarily used for a limited-range observation of the behavior and appearance of Xeren's soul.
* Grounds:
	+ **Front yard**:
		- Prominently featured is the **Binita Navani Memory Garden**. Found there are long rows of her favorite flower, the orange calendula, surrounding a flattering statue of the woman smiling and holding a clipboard.
		- There is small **employee parking lot**. Each employee is assigned their own spot based on seniority.
		- The **path** leading to the to the front door of the first floor is lined with octagonal columns and marble architecture.
	+ **Back yard**:
		- On the east side of the building, there are a few pine trees surrounding a **decorative fountain** that shoots water in the daytime.
		- There is a **Observation Pool of the Unexplainable** in-ground, next to the **outdoor employee break tables** and the **Greenhouse of the Unexplainable**.

### Nikaea Observatory and Weather Station

The **Nikaea Observatory and Weather Station**, or simply the **Nikaea Observatory**, is a large observatory found a few blocks away from the laboratory. Also owned by Richard, the observatory serves as the most important location on Euclid for observing Xeren's soul, as it is directly in the soul's path of revolution. The observatory is used mostly for collecting data and monitoring variables.

The building is "T"-shaped and relatively modern. Its colors mirror that of the laboratory.

* Interior:
	+ The building has has three **telescopes**, with one at each point of the "T." Each of the telescopes has a **dome** to protect it from the elements.
		- On one wing on the observatory, a **telescope** is used for monitoring the soul's effects on the weather of Euclid. The other **telescope** is used for secondary purposes.
		- Found at the bottom of the "T," the largest of the **telescopes** is used for directly monitoring Xeren's soul.
	+ A small-scale **museum** at the entrance of the observatory exhibits an array of artifacts relating to Xeren's soul.
		- A **pendulum** used for displaying the rotation of Euclid is on display. A similar device is found in the research station.
		- Several **models** of Xeren's soul are on display.
		- Along the walls are **murals** that tell the history of Euclid and the portal.
	+ At each point of the "T" is a **research station** used for transmitting information between the observatory and laboratory for further analysis. There are several computers and instruments at each one.

## Background

The Laboratory of the Unexplainable is a former warehouse bought and renovated by Richard Devlin in 289 TP. Richard petitioned to the government of Silivia — presenting a comprehensive plan for a laboratory investigating the effects of the portal from Eden, specializing in demons, angels, and Xeren's soul — asking for startup funding for the operation in return for monthly commissioned reports. The project quickly grew and began to receive continuous funding.

In 295 TP, Richard bought an old weather monitoring station with hopes of further studying Xeren's soul. Renovations were completed the following year and it became known as the Nikaea Observatory.

While the land and building is owned by Richard Devlin, the government of Silivia pays salaries and for utilities (water, mostly) to keep the operation running. Richard pays for small things out-of-pocket and he appeals to the government for larger purchases.

The laboratory is often associated and works closely with Alchemilia Corporation, the government of Silivia, and local universities and hospitals.

## Employees

### Current

* Richard Devlin (owner and chief researcher of Xeren's soul)
* Beth Darwin (lead documentarian of Xeren's soul)
* Lewis Johnson (lead researcher of theology in regards to Xeren's soul)

### Former

* Binita Devlin † (lead researcher of geology in regards to effects of the portal)
* Steven Devlin † (lead researcher and analyst)

## Appearances

* Season One
	+ "Ceasefire"
	+ "Hide & Seek
	+ "The Hounds"
	+ "Reunion" (mentioned)
	+ "Saccharine"
	+ "Primo Victoria"
	+ "Don't Fear the Reaper" (mentioned)
* Season Two
	+ "Roaming King" (mentioned)
	+ "Marked Map" (mentioned)
	+ "Loyalty"
* Tales
	+ "Her and I"
	+ "Providence" (mentioned)

## Trivia

* The design of Nikaea Observatory is heavily inspired by the real-world Griffith Observatory, Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, Quito Astronomical Observatory, and the Yerkes Observatory.
* The Nikaea Observatory is named after Nicaea, the birthplace of Hipparchus, one of the most important astronomers and mathematicians in history.