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This really is a pretty creepy speako! But that's what's so great about it, including the fact that the owner doesn't even look human. This gloom is the perfect antidote to the poison of this material world!

Graham Specter, 1932 Summer: Man in the Killer


The Jane Doe is a large speakeasy located underneath a New York cemetery.

Due to its location, 'vampiric atmosphere', and interior design (decorated with "frightening ornaments befitting a mausoleum"), few people frequent the establishment. The owner-cum-bartender does not seem concerned with attracting customers and is similarly intimidating; he dresses in black, and his face is covered in scars. He keeps a shotgun and a gigantic hand axe on prominent display behind the bar so as to discourage robbers.

Most of the patrons who drink at the bar are likely newcomers, since their expressions often imply, "I picked the wrong speako to drink in today." The rest of the clientele look as terrifying as the owner, or worse.

Notable Events[]

1932[]

In January, Lebreau Fermet Viralesque contacts an actor and informs him that he is a playwright in the midst of writing a script. Needing outside help, he would like the actor to ad-lib a certain scene with another actor, whom Fermet has already contacted. Essentially, the two will be given a premise and have to ad-lib a realistic conversation based off it. The actor agrees to play the role of a Daily Days reporter, and contacts the other 'actor' to request an interview with him. The 'actor'—Upham—accepts.

The actor and Upham meet at an unknown location (perhaps the speakeasy) and Upham (who believes this to be a real interview with a real reporter) relates the story of how he boarded the Flying Pussyfoot with his fellow Lemures with the intention of hijacking the train. Their conversation ends with Upham explaining how he was caught and tied by some delinquents, all the while unaware that Fermet is eavesdropping from a nearby table.

Upham and the actor reconvene at Jane Doe the next day, and Upham continues his story from where he left off while Fermet continues eavesdropping as before. First, Upham recounts his betrayal of the would be traitor-Lemur Nader Schasschule to Goose Perkins, and how he has personally witnessed Huey Laforet regenerate. Digression over, he returns to the Flying Pussyfoot and this time speaks of his encounter with two immortals aboard the train: Elmer C. Albatross, who had freed Upham and forgave him for threatening him at knifepoint: and Fermet, who stabbed Upham and was revealed as immortal when Upham stabbed him back.

Elmer had introduced Fermet to Upham by name but refused to do the reverse, and conversed with the other immortal before making to push him off the train. Fermet had tried to drag Elmer down with him, but Upham pulled Elmer to safety in the nick of time.

Upham concludes the interview with a harrowing interpretation of Fermet's personality, and leaves the premises shortly thereafter. Ten minutes pass before the actor addresses Fermet; the two proceed to talk about the actor's performance. When they prepare to depart and the actor asks for Fermet's name, Fermet lies and introduces himself as Victor Talbot.

That August, Graham Specter and his gang, Shaft, and Elmer visit Jane Doe for drinks and conversation. There, Graham laughingly compliments the speakeasy for its creepiness and its owner for his appearance. He finds the gloominess a "perfect antidote to the poison of this material world" and praises the speakeasy's booze (despite knowing that the booze they gave him they purposefully distilled to a thousandth of its original strength). Not long after, he is delighted when his idol Laz Smith enters the bar and asks for his usual drink.

Later in the month, reporter Carl Dignis visits 'Jane Doe' intending to talk to Graham and his gang once more. (While they speak at a speakeasy earlier in the novel, but it is unclear whether the speakeasy was Jane Doe). Upon entering the speakeasy, he finds Graham ranting at Shaft and Smith and his new apprentice Mark Wilmens sitting in a corner nearby. Once Smith leaves his seat, Carl invites Mark to visit him at the Daily Days should he tire of his current situation.

Known Clientele[]

Trivia[]

  • The term 'Jane Doe' is a common name used for unidentified female corpses. The male counterpart is 'John Doe'.
  • The speakeasy has appeared twice in the main light novel series so far, featuring in 1931 Another Junk Railroad: Special Express and 1932 Summer: Man in the Killer. It is introduced with the same background paragraphs in both novels.
  • Laz Smith appears to be a regular or semi-regular customer at the speakeasy, since the bartender knows his usual drink (a cocktail). His August visit is the first time he has visited the speakeasy in over half a year, as he spent that time recovering in the hospital.
  • Jane Doe's future as an establishment post-Prohibition has yet to be revealed.
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