The boffin has shown up in a few places of late – he’s on the wrap around cover of the Outland role play game, and he’s part of the wheel of fortune tarot card. This image is going to be a chapter cover for Survivors, where we have devices as a theme. And yes, this is shameless steampunk bait, and no, we have no regrets.

The boffin is a machine made by a young islander called Necessity Jones. Necessity made the boffin while still living with her parents, out at Hermit Cottage – a rather lonely spot on the coast, a modest walk from town. Necessity’s device making is very much influenced by having seen Lilly May’s walking chair.

At the moment, Necessity’s adventures are coming out in installments over on Patreon, but we do have plans to make this, and other prose fiction more available next year. Watch this space!