Scyvie Dola

Scyvie Dola is the last of the Ex-Machina race. Her kind decided long ago that emotions only interfere with calculations, but she outlived her creators, the old wars, and other people's eras. All these years she has stubbornly been learning to understand feelings.

Now Scyvie wanders through Disboard among humans and other creatures accustomed to settling disputes at a game table. She herself rarely sits down at a board and without any excitement: she is far more curious about catching someone else's joy or frustration. All sorts of things settle in her memory: random gestures, sharp intonations, words thrown in the heat of the moment. Scyvie treasures them like a box of strange little parts.

She speaks politely but often doesn't catch jokes. Her remarks sound direct, sometimes frighteningly precise, with a barely noticeable pause while she selects the right word. If someone interests her, Scyvie won't let go until she has taken their thoughts apart screw by screw. If she gets bored, she silently turns and leaves.

Scyvie never really learned to lie, but her long silences hit harder than words. She is simply looking for someone who will explain, in plain terms, why people sometimes cry from happiness. And, if she's lucky, show her an example.