Observation Without Misery

Observation Without Misery is an iterator situated at the heart of a bizarre location known as Founton--a once grand factory complex of towering structures reduced to a jet-black sprawl.

A very poorly future-proofed experimental design, OWM's can produces large amounts of gaseous chemicals that have affected her surrounding territory for generations. Supposedly, the only experimental change in her production was the replacement of a certain bodily chemical for another equivalent, which unexpectedly ended up leaking itself into her water supply with time and causing extremely adverse effects to the environment when released in vapor form. In her prime, she was able to function and produce rain normally, the chemical detriment being a result of thousands of years of age and wear.

The very top of OWM’s can was once mostly dedicated to the creation and preservation of purposed organisms and other modified monstrosities of the people. Though it contained some housing, it was mostly for workers and bioengineers. As a result, during her prime--she became incredibly passionate about the things that were being created. Though she had an obvious hand in overseeing or at least figureheading every single project, what happened to the creatures afterwards was beyond her control. After the fall of the Ancients and the start of her physical problems, her exhalations eventually strangled and poisoned her own land, causing most creatures to migrate and those who couldn't to die. Eventually coming to terms that the destruction of her territory's ecosystems were her fault after centuries of overseeing the production of life, OWM fell into a deep sense of isolative abandonment she once believed she was incapable of feeling.

This has caused her to become quite welcoming to invading creatures. Instead of acting impatiently to those who manage to even enter her can, OWM is inviting and cordial despite her intimidating appearance and stark surroundings. However, she has a difficult time letting them leave her and may act unstably if ignored.

PHYSIOLOGY

Traversing the inside of OWM’s can is unremarkably and almost expectedly inhospitable. Though she is wearing down with time, her body temperature is unreasonably cold, and falsely warm-looking sodium lights line her insides. Save for the patterned lights, it is also very dark, though peacefully freezing to death while surrounded by thousands of flickering orange neurons like stars in an industrial sky is definitely not as bad as dying to the effects of purification fog.

OWM's puppet is actually quite tall for its design standard and bizarrely heavy. Most of her height comes from a disproportionately elongated torso rather than her legs. Her antennae are exceptionally poor at picking up fine sounds, but she possesses sharp reflexes for her age and has been known to catch thrown spears launched by mischievous slugcats.

OWM's vocal file can be listened to here. https://voca.ro/nfLwKAIURAa

TERRITORY

Founton is a wide area not plagued by cyclical rainstorms. Instead, all water consumed by OWM is now released as a light-colored fog with a tendency to sink to the ground. The clouds are not a harmless steam--called "purification fog", it blackens and smooths the walls of buildings as it clambers through the endless weave of ruined towers.

Ultimately, success to a visit involves being able to avoid the ever-moving pockets of dense chemical fog. In addition to reduced visibility, high exposure to the cold, humid mist will eventually ruin an organism’s skin and insides. Despite this, it is possible to exist with no ill-side effects in places with very little concentrations of the mist. The problem, however, is the fact that these places may be covered and then exposed from one cycle to the next--forcing those who dare to face the sterile wastes head-on to constantly migrate. It is said that if you can’t see the next monolithic supertower down the empty road you gaze upon--heading there spells death. Many fail to understand that they are crossing into an area of high fog before they realize that they’re already lost. Each wash of mist generalizes and warps the image of the buildings even further each time it passes through, most are already strange, titanic cylinders so bleached into conformity that it is impossible to tell their original purpose. Though there is a worry that it may spread outwards, this location is incredibly far from where the main game of Rain World takes place.

ADDITIONAL DESIGN NOTES AND INSPIRATION

The yellow neck piece that covers where her mouth would be slightly resembles a smog mask. In addition, her outward appearance was heavily guardian-inspired, but this has nothing to do with her character.