Themes: culture shock, breaking family, conflicting dreams, savior complex
The Patterson family moved from a nice and safe place into Revachol for reasons incomprehensible to the locals. Whatever the cause, they obviously weren’t prepared for the reality of La Cage, and the prospect of staying here for a few more years seems extremely daunting right now.
Cal wasn’t initially on board with Alex’s plan to move to La Cage. They knew that it would probably mean giving up on their dream of acting and having to find a new place in the order of things. But now, when the Pattersons are here, Cal sees it as an opportunity. The desolation of La Cage shocked Cal, but it also awoke an unexpected wave of empathy and new opportunities. However, the other citizens and Cal's new artistic collaborators aren’t the only ones in need of steering to the right path. While Cal and Alex were occupied with settling into their new apartment, their sweet angel Zenna already managed to get themselves involved in more than one problem.
Everybody who lives in La Cage is mostly poor and desperate. The families and professionals living in Apartment Blocks are the ones who really try to keep some semblance of normality in their lives. The Block A is the wealthier one - it consists of people that are sure to have food even next week but are not entirely sure if they can get medical care in times of need. All while enjoying the luxury of reliable electricity and mostly repaired windows. The people living here have at least some "power" due to their jobs, but almost everybody is afraid that their little slice of paradise will be taken from them by relocation to a different flat.
An honorable, traditional artistic collective in La Cage, the Theatrical Taxidermy Society has been stuffing animals and delivering pithy social commentary for a long time. Some find the collections of birds with little hats and cloaks or Comrade Meerkat with their little lantern of progress a strange thing to find in the alcoves on their way to work, but the denizens of La Cage are now used to the sight. They know which windowsill to look on if they want some gossip told through stuffed mice. They marvel at the battles of old illustrated by the mangled taxidermy parrots. And they all turn up for the annual Great Taxidermy Expo, which always delivers a nuanced portrayal of the current affairs plaguing the neighbourhood in their main play - and a brand new specimen to boot!
In the darkest of places, people often seek solace in the Innocences. Order of Dolores Dei the Merciful offers a shelter or helping hand to those seeking it, trying their best to cater to the poorest with their charity work. They are apolitical and oppose violence, but their lot is hard and thorny. Most people visit the masses just for the sense of belonging and social aspect, some of the members are true believers, very few are of pure hearts and others just see it as a way to feel better about themselves. Can a real change be made for the people in need, or is it destined to be drowned out by idiots who want to give out pamphlets about Dolores Dei and chess tournaments?
