it's very funny that both Lark and I made Fallen London characters based off of his main multiversal OC but they ended up being very different people

Rafael is, fundamentally, a Good Boy. he's cunning and charismatic, but everything he does is based in sincerity. he doesn't simply see the best in everyone - he sees the worst parts of them, too, and cares about them anyway. he is also unfailingly patient and polite, even to people who probably don't deserve it, even if it sometimes takes significant effort on his part.

Claude (Lark's character), meanwhile:

• an older Midnighter who left the Great Game despite the fact that No One Leaves The Great Game
• has this enviable aura of Detached Chill even when being pursued by assassins
• you can tell he was suave once - now it's mostly Tired Sass
• has forgotten more crimes than most people will commit
• his secret sauce is Soul-Numbing Apathy Towards His Own Existence

Claude, to a former coworker: "Oh dear, have we met before? I seem to have forgotten. The hazards of my old occupation, you see."
Claude: "Don't worry, I'm sure I'll remember you eventually. If you were important."
Former coworker, who is currently aiming a gun at him: "I see you haven't forgotten your charming sense of humor."

(he's totally lying) (his old coworker knows this and Claude knows they know this)

every so often when I write Rafael trying to be Diplomatic the words "ROLL FOR MITHRIDACY" pops into my brain

the thing about Rafael is that he is just always, always, always so so so polite to everyone and everything. and this takes So much work on his part

he is Constantly aware that he is upon a giant chessboard at all times and that a moment of lost self-control, or even just indelicacy, can have so many Consequences. and given that he periodically hangs out with spies, nobles, and Fingerkings, among others, this way of thinking is not totally unwarranted.

but it's so automatic at this point that it's hard for him to drop. and compounding this is the fact that he is very empathetic and very good at understanding other people's points of view and does sincerely want to be polite where possible

just referred to Rafael as "chesspilled" and now I want to wash my brain out with a firehose

I love my guys so much. they're so not what The Media thinks guys should be

I can only aspire to be as happy in madness as the good doctor is