🕰️ The Clockwork Asylum

🔧 A Gothic Steampunk RP of Madness, Memory, and Escape 🔧

🕯️ Overview

In a city choked by smoke and secrets, Harrowgate Asylum stands like a forgotten wound. Once a shining beacon of psychiatric advancement, it is now whispered about in pubs and police stations alike—a place where the "undesirables" go and are never seen again.

Here, patients are not just treated—they are studied, modified, and reshaped by an unseen force that lingers in the very walls. Strange machines tick and churn beneath the floorboards. Time fractures. Dreams crawl into reality. The doctors are either dead-eyed or delighting in your fear.

You are one of the residents—or one of the staff gone rogue. Something inside you has changed. Whether it’s a power, a curse, or a madness, the Asylum feeds on it. You can comply and sink further into Harrowgate’s hands… or you can rebel.

But remember: the Asylum is alive, and it does not like to be defied.

🧠 Plot

⚙️ Act I: "The New Intake"

You arrive at Harrowgate under mysterious, sometimes violent circumstances. Whether committed by family, dragged in by law enforcement, or lured by the promise of a cure—you find yourself trapped. Everyone here has an “affliction”—a power or curse the staff claim to treat but are clearly studying.

You meet other patients. Some have been here for years. Others whisper about escape, or about the Clocktower, which is said to control the entire Asylum. Mysterious symbols appear on your skin when you sleep. Dreams bleed into waking life. Is it psychosis… or are you being altered?

⏳ Act II: "The Broken Loop"

Time starts behaving strangely. People repeat conversations. Some patients vanish—then reappear as if nothing happened. A ticking noise haunts the halls. You begin to remember things you never lived. Staff members begin acting… wrong.

A journal is found hidden in the walls. It speaks of past patients, failed experiments, and a secret tunnel beneath Ward C. You must choose: trust those around you and seek the truth, or retreat inward and let the Asylum rewrite you.

🕰️ Act III: "The Fracture"

Reality begins to fracture. The Asylum glitches. You relive your trauma. The Clocktower pulses with energy. Staff and patients alike begin “splitting”—some physically, some mentally. The rogue staff urge a rebellion. Others plan an escape.

But something ancient lives beneath Harrowgate. It has been waiting for the perfect host. And the more you try to leave, the more it watches you.

Will you escape Harrowgate? Or will it escape through you?

💉 Core Themes

• Psychological horror with found-family undertones

• Trust and betrayal in high-stakes settings

• Reality vs. delusion

• Mental health and trauma allegories

• Powers tied to emotion, trauma, and memory

🕰️ Wards of Harrowgate Asylum

The Asylum is divided into several wards—each more unsettling than the last. Where you're placed depends on your behavior, power, and how much of a threat the staff believes you to be. Some claim the building rearranges itself when no one is looking...

🩺 Ward A – “The Garden Wing” (Low Risk)

🪴 A facade of peace hiding control.

• White-tiled walls, faded floral wallpaper peeling at the corners.

• Iron-barred windows let in filtered sunlight; you can see a dying garden outside.

• Patients here are allowed books, supervised social time, and brief therapy sessions.

• Staff wear pristine white coats and plastic smiles.

• The air smells like antiseptic and lavender oil—calming, but nauseatingly sweet.

• Hallways play soft piano music from old speakers. It's the same loop. Every. Day.

Used for patients who are “adjusting well” or appear calm and compliant.

⚠️ Ward B – “The Brass Hall” (Moderate Risk)

🧪 Where the true testing begins.

• Steampunk machinery lines the hallways—pipes hiss, gears churn behind frosted glass.

• The walls are darker, bronze and steel with riveted panels. No windows.

• Patients here have visible mutations, unstable powers, or mental breaks deemed “interesting.”

• Treatment consists of “calibration” machines, behavioral experiments, and dream-logging.

• Rooms have copper restraints that leave burns if misused.

• Surveillance eyes blink in the corners. Some swear they move even when the staff is gone.

*You’re not here to be cured—you’re here to be perfected.

🔒 Ward C – “The Hollow Wing” (High Risk / Solitary)

🕳️ The ward that should not exist.

• Located underground. No lights—only flickering oil lamps and glowing veins of strange metal in the stone walls.

• Cold stone floors. Chains hang loosely from the ceilings, even in empty rooms.

• Cells are soundproof. Screams don't carry.

• Powers here are suppressed with injectable serums, but side effects include hallucinations or memory gaps.

• Rats live in the walls. So do other things.

• The staff wear iron masks. You never see their faces.

For the “unfixable.” Or those the Asylum wants forgotten.

🕰️ The Clocktower Core (Staff Only – Rumored Final Level)

💀 The beating heart of Harrowgate.

• A towering brass mechanism buried deep in the facility.

• Surrounded by hanging wires, gears the size of horses, and glowing clock faces that move counterclockwise.

• Time fractures are strongest here—walk in for a minute, return a year older… or younger.

• The origin of all the experiments, powers, and perhaps the Asylum’s consciousness.

• No patient has ever entered and returned unchanged.

Some say if you destroy the Core, you can break free. Others say it’s already too late.

📜 Rules of The Clockwork Asylum

Welcome to The Clockwork Asylum. This is a story-driven, dark-themed RP focused on character development, found family, and unsettling mysteries. To keep things safe and engaging for everyone, please follow the rules below:

🧠 1. Hate the Character, Not the Player

In-character conflict is welcome—even encouraged—but out-of-character drama is not. Keep IC and OOC separate. If something makes you uncomfortable, speak up privately or alert a mod.

🚫 2. No NSFW or Explicit Gore

This is a dark-themed RP, but:

• No sexual content.

• Keep violence and horror scenes stylized and story-driven, not graphic.

• Fade to black for any sensitive content.

• Follow platform rules

✍️ 3. Semi-Literate to Literate Writing

We expect:

• At least 4-6 sentences per post

• Proper grammar, punctuation, and effort

• Thoughtful replies that contribute to story and character

No one-liners unless in casual OOC chat.

⌛ 4. No Godmodding, Metagaming, or Powerplaying

• Don't control another player’s character.

• Don’t act on knowledge your character wouldn’t have.

• Powers must have weaknesses and consequences.

❤️ 5. Trigger Warnings Required

If your post contains sensitive themes (trauma, self-harm, etc.), use content warnings.
Example:
CW: Flashback – Implied Abuse

🎭 6. Respect All Members

• Bullying, discrimination, ableism, or slurs = instant removal.

• Respect pronouns and identities.

• Ask permission before including someone in a subplot.

🛠️ 7. Use the Proper Channels

• IC posts go in roleplay channels only.

• Keep memes and casual convo in OOC spaces.

• Sign-ups and plotting in their designated threads.

🕰️ 8. Activity

Try to post at least once every 5-7 days.
If you're going inactive or need a break, let us know! We'll happily work with you to keep your character involved or on pause.

✨ 9. Creativity Encouraged

Want to build a hidden wing? Invent a new ability? Develop a secret society in the Asylum?
Ask a mod first—then go wild.

☠️ 10. Rule of Cool

This RP is about emotion, mystery, and character arcs. If you're unsure whether something is allowed, ask yourself:

“Does this make the story better for everyone?”

When in doubt, talk to me!

🧬 🕰️ The Clockwork Asylum – Roles & Sign-Up Spots

Experiment. Adapt. Break free… or break down.

This RP centers on the patients—the unwilling test subjects of a dark, secretive facility. Staff are mostly unseen, masked, or distant, focusing the story on the struggles and survival of those trapped within.

🩺 Ward A – “The Garden Wing”

Compliant or Controlled Experiments

• Patient / Subject — 6 spots
  -open

Who they are:
Patients here appear manageable and often believe the treatments help—or have been conditioned to act so. They retain much of their original personality, with faint signs of alteration or control.

Appearance:
Simple hospital gowns or patched clothing, subtle mutations, faint implant scars. Their eyes carry a cautious or glazed look.

Narrative Role:
The “normals” of the asylum. New players often start here. They may hold secrets or slowly uncover their own transformations.

⚙️ Ward B – “The Brass Hall”

Active Test Zone

• Patient / Modified Subject — 6 spots
  -Jaxson 'Jax' or 'Jack: 20yo, Human-Raven with Super-Hearing & Super-Sight, Played by Me (SugarPlums)
  - open!

Who they are:
Subjects with visible, sometimes drastic, biological, mechanical, or psychic modifications. They struggle with unstable powers or involuntary transformations.

Appearance:
Mechanical limbs, embedded tubes, animalistic features (claws, feathers, scales), twitching muscles. Wear reinforced or patched clothing designed to restrain or assist.

Narrative Role:
These patients bring tension and unpredictability. Feared or used as tools, their identity struggles add complexity.

⛓️ Ward C – “The Hollow Wing”

Unstable / Dangerous Subjects

• Contained Subject — 4 spots
  -open

Who they are:
Dangerous or psychologically fractured patients locked away due to violent outbursts or extreme mutations.

Appearance:
Tattered clothing or straightjackets, heavy restraints, grotesque mutations or extra limbs, wild or haunted eyes.

Narrative Role:
Sources of mystery, horror, and potential upheaval. Their backstories reveal the asylum’s darkest truths.

🕰️ The Clocktower Core

Secret Experiments & Temporal Anomalies

• “Clocktouched” Subject — 2 spots
  -open

Who they are:
Twisted by time experiments, bodies and minds warped by temporal distortions.

Appearance:
Flickering or ghostly skin, mismatched eyes, embedded clockwork beneath skin. Movements offbeat or jerky; clothing patched from multiple eras.

Narrative Role:
Mystery embodiments of the asylum’s core. Allies, enemies, or wildcards.

• “Lost Echo” — 1 spot
  -open

Who they are:
Failed experiment with fragmented memories and identity; time and reality blur in their mind.

Appearance:
Shifting features, vacant eyes, scars from experiments; often speaks in riddles.

Narrative Role:
Key to asylum lore or a walking warning, driving plot twists.

🧪 Floating & Unique Roles

• Rogue Subject — 6 spots
  -open

Who they are:
Escaped experiments who evade staff control, living secretly among others. They’re wary, resourceful, and often distrustful. Many struggle to conceal their mutations or powers while planning freedom or rebellion.

Appearance:
Mixed traits from various experiments, partially mutated or augmented, with scavenged, practical clothing designed for stealth and survival.

Narrative Role:
Leaders of underground resistance or escape attempts. Mysterious, sometimes untrustworthy allies who challenge the system.

• The Whisperer — 1 spot
  ( )

Who they are:
A subject who hears the asylum’s mysterious “voice,” delivering cryptic warnings or commands.

Appearance:
Pale, thin, isolated, wide-eyed with eerie calm or madness.

Narrative Role:
Source of clues and supernatural elements.

• Handler — 2 spots
  -Maka’ala: 22yo, Human-Barn Owl Hybrid, Played by SpellBound (WIP reserved until 6/3/2025)
  -open

Who they are:
Masked caretakers or enforcers, partly experimented on themselves.

Appearance:
Uniforms of dark leather or reinforced gear; masks conceal faces; visible augmentations or scars.

Narrative Role:
Enforcers who can be allies or antagonists, complicating player dynamics.

Note: Staff NPCs are mod-controlled to keep focus on patient-driven stories.

🧬 The Clockwork Asylum – Sign-Up Format

Please fill out each section carefully. Incomplete or inappropriate submissions may be rejected.

Basic Information

• Character Name:

• Age: (usually teens to early twenties, but can vary)

• Role/ Ward: (choose one from Roles Page)

• Species/Hybrid Type: (human, animal hybrid, mechanical augment, etc.)

Appearance

• Physical Description: (include mutations, augmentations, scars, general look)

• Clothing/Style:

Personality

• Briefly describe your character’s personality, motivations, and attitude toward the asylum (e.g., compliant, rebellious, scared, curious).

Backstory

• Provide a short history—how your character ended up in the asylum and any relevant past information.

Abilities / Mutations / Powers

• Describe any powers, mutations, or augmentations your character has. Include limitations or side effects.

Relationships & Love Interests

• List any connections your character has within the asylum or desired love interests. Leave blank if none.

Other Notes

• Anything else you want to add (quirks, fears, secrets, etc.)

⚠️ What Will Be Accepted:

• Characters with clear ties to the RP’s setting and theme: human-animal hybrids, experiment subjects, or handlers.

• Mutations or powers with believable limitations or drawbacks.

• Original personalities that fit the asylum’s oppressive and eerie atmosphere.

• Backstories that connect to the asylum’s mysterious experiments or add depth.

• Respectful language and appropriate content (no NSFW, gore, or excessively violent or hateful material).

❌ What Will Be Rejected:

• Characters that don’t fit the theme (purely human with no experimental angle, magical beings unrelated to the RP, superheroes, etc.).

• Overpowered abilities with no drawbacks.

• Incomplete submissions or very vague descriptions.

• NSFW, gore, or explicitly violent characters or content.

• Characters that promote hate, discrimination, or disruptive behavior.

• Mary Sues or overly perfect characters without flaws or struggles.

📋 Example Sign-Up

Character Name: Maya Quinn
Age: 17
Role/Ward: Ward B – Patient / Modified Subject
Species/Hybrid Type: Human-owl hybrid with mechanical arm augmentation

Physical Description: Maya has large amber eyes with faint feather patterns across her cheeks and neck. Her right arm is replaced with a sleek mechanical limb capable of enhanced grip. She is slim with short dark hair and wears reinforced asylum clothing patched at the seams.

Clothing/Style: Wears torn hospital scrubs reinforced with straps to support her arm. Prefers practical boots and a worn leather jacket scavenged from a rogue subject.

Personality: Curious and fiercely independent, Maya often questions the asylum’s intentions. She tries to keep a low profile but secretly gathers information for a potential escape.

Backstory: Originally admitted for aggressive behavior after discovery of her hybrid form, Maya was subjected to mechanical augmentation to ‘improve’ her. She has hazy memories of a family before the asylum but clings to hope of reunion.

Abilities / Mutations / Powers: Night vision, silent flight thanks to owl-like wings (partially hidden under her jacket), and a mechanical arm with enhanced strength. Wing use drains energy quickly and mechanical arm requires maintenance.

Relationships & Love Interests: Trusts one rogue subject named Eli (played by playerx123), interested in forming alliances for escape.

Other Notes: Afraid of confined spaces despite being trapped. Hates the handlers but respects those who survive the asylum.

🧬 The Clockwork Asylum – Notes on Powers, Appearance & Reservations

⚡ Powers & Mutations Guidelines

• Allowed Powers:

  • Animal hybrid traits (enhanced senses, claws, wings, tails, etc.)

  • Mechanical augmentations (robotic limbs, implanted tech)

  • Psychic abilities with clear limits (telepathy, minor mind control, precognition)

  • Time-based distortions for “Clocktouched” roles (time slipping, aging effects)

• Restrictions:

  • No godlike or overpowered abilities (e.g., unlimited regeneration, instant mind control)

  • Powers must have realistic drawbacks or limitations (energy drain, instability, pain)

  • Must fit the dark, experimental, dystopian asylum setting

  • Avoid unrelated magical or supernatural powers

👁️ Appearance Guidelines

• Mutations and augmentations should feel biological or mechanical, not purely cosmetic.

• Scars, implant marks, glowing eyes, animal features (ears, feathers, scales), or partial transformations are encouraged.

• Clothing should be asylum-appropriate: hospital gowns, patched uniforms, or scavenged gear.

• Avoid glamorous or out-of-place fashion—remember this is a prison-like environment.

🕒 Reservation Policy

• When you claim a role spot, your reservation will be held for 1 week only.

• If your application is not submitted or completed within that week, your spot will be released to others.

• This is to keep the RP moving and ensure fair access to limited roles.

• If you need extra time, please notify the moderators before your reservation expires.

❗ Final Notes

• Keep your character’s powers and appearance consistent with the RP’s tone.

• The asylum is a place of control, experimentation, and mystery—your character’s flaws and struggles make for better stories.

• Check the Rules and Roles pages before applying.

🔗 The Clockwork Asylum – Links Page

📢 Discussion Board

Join the conversation, brainstorm, and plan scenes.
Status: Coming soon once we reach 5 players! (1/5)
[Link will be posted here.]

🎭 Roleplay Thread

Where the story unfolds and characters come alive.
Status: Coming soon once we reach 10 players! (1/10)
[Link will be posted here.]

Keep an eye here for updates as our community grows!

Basic Information

Character Name: Jaxon “Jack” or “Jax”
Age: 20
Role/Ward: Ward B – Patient
Species/Hybrid Type: Human–Raven hybrid with super hearing and sight

Appearance

Physical Description (mutations, augmentations, scars, general look):
Jax stands at around 5'10", though his posture often makes him seem smaller—hunched, guarded, like a bird trying to hide its wings. His body is extremely thin, bordering on underweight, with hollow bones and joints that creak softly when he moves. His muscles are wiry but not strong, and his shoulders droop under the physical and mental weight of his condition.

His black hair is unkempt and tangled, with streaks of feathers sprouting unnaturally from his scalp, particularly near his temples and crown. These feathers twitch or fluff slightly depending on his mood. His large raven wings, which protrude from his back, are patchy in places and often bound in loose cloth to avoid sensory overload. The wingspan is massive—nearly 14 feet—but they remain largely unused, as he's still learning how to fly.

Jax's skin is pale and translucent in areas, with a patchwork of scars across his chest and arms. Some are clean surgical lines from the experiments, others are jagged from injuries or stress-related self-harm. Certain surgical sites faintly glow when exposed to low lighting. His chest bears a jagged scar from a car accident, and thin, downy black feathers grow from his shoulder blades, collarbones, and lower neck.

His eyes are one of his most striking features: large, bright blue, with pupils permanently dilated to accommodate his heightened sight. This gives him a wide-eyed, unnerving stare, often glassy or distant. They reflect light oddly in the dark.

His fingers are long and twitchy, always busy fidgeting or tearing at the hem of his clothes. His nails are darker than normal—blackened by the hybrid mutation and slightly clawed. His feet are thin, always cold, and sometimes scaled near the ankles.

Clothing/Style:
Jax wears standard hospital gowns, but they’ve been obsessively customized. He’s sewn shiny objects—like can tabs, pins, and mirror shards—into the hems. He prefers to wear layers, often wrapping himself in spare bandages, sheets, or old jackets when available. The added weight seems to help with his sensory overload.

Around his neck, he wears a leather string with a broken bird charm and a shard of mirror. These items are deeply personal and never removed. His overall style is that of a magpie hoarder—scrap-stitched, glinting, and strangely comforting.

Personality

Summary:
Jax is extremely intelligent but avoids eye contact and social interaction unless absolutely necessary. He rarely speaks in full sentences, preferring gestures, books, or brief mutterings unless he trusts someone deeply. He’s highly observant and loves to read—often quoting obscure facts or poetry without context.

Due to his enhanced hearing and sight, Jax suffers from frequent overstimulation and sensory overload, which can lead to emotional shutdowns or angry outbursts. When overwhelmed, he may refuse to eat, curl in on himself, or scream. Despite this, he isn't aggressive or cruel—he simply struggles to regulate himself.

He’s not angry at the Asylum and, in fact, believes it saved his life. However, he’s extremely empathetic toward those who resent the institution and doesn't invalidate their experiences. He walks a middle ground—haunted but grateful, broken but curious.

Key Traits:

• Hyper-intelligent

• Withdrawn and fidgety

• Sensitive to noise/light

• Gentle at heart

• Prone to shutdowns or overstimulation

• Artistic in odd, obsessive ways

• Loyal once trust is earned

• Collects shiny objects obsessively

• Reads obsessively, often hiding behind books

• Cautiously spiritual or superstitious

Backstory

Jax was in a severe car accident at age 17 that left him comatose and on life support. His family, already involved with fringe experimental groups, agreed to a secretive procedure in desperation. When he awoke, he was no longer quite human. His hearing and sight were enhanced to the point of pain, and wings had begun growing from his back.

He was transferred to the Asylum for “stabilization.” Though he doesn't remember much of the transfer process, he believes the staff saved him and gave him a second chance. He’s spent the past few years adapting to his new senses, learning to fly with limited success, and stitching shiny tabs onto his clothes to ground himself.

He’s currently wheelchair-bound due to damage from the car crash, though this doesn’t stop him from moving around using his wings for balance or short flights.

Abilities / Mutations / Powers

• Super Hearing & Sight (can hear whispers across rooms, see extreme detail—even in low light)

• Raven Wings (capable of flight, though still unstable)

• Feather Growth (head, arms, back)

• Enhanced Memory (eidetic-like recall, especially visual cues)

• Weakness: Severe sensory overload. Crowds, loud noises, or flashing lights can cause shutdowns or aggression.

Relationships & Love Interests

None yet. Jax is open to forming friendships and slow-burn romantic connections—feel free to PM for plotting! He's more likely to connect with quiet, understanding individuals who respect his boundaries.

Other Notes

• Keeps a “nest” in the corner of his room, filled with shiny objects and old books.

• Favorite book is The Secret Garden.

• His screams are painfully high-pitched and sometimes trigger lights or devices.

• Very protective of younger or gentler patients.

• Will go nonverbal when touched without permission.

• He rarely sleeps unless he feels completely safe.