We do a ton of research for every Society of Curiosities mystery game that we create. Often times that research is just for backstory, aesthetic and accuracy so we can make our game feel as immersive as possible. Most facts don’t make it into the game, but we’ve come across so many that we want to share!
Fun History Fact #1: Tesla was born during a Lightning storm!
Tesla was born in Croatia in 1856, during what he claimed was a lightning storm. This seems far fetched – but it checks out with both PBS and The Smithsonian. Supposedly the midwife said, “He will be a child of the storm,” and his mother countered, “No, of the light.”
Other Tesla fun facts:
- He spoke eight languages
- He held over 300 patents
- Claimed that he created a “super weapon” that would end all wars
- His dad wanted him to become a priest
- Was accused of cheating because he solved math problems so quickly
In case you’re wondering, no, we aren’t currently researching Tesla for our Society of Curiosities game, but sometimes we get sidetracked on our research and this was a fun diversion.
Fact #2: The Word Stereotype comes from Printing
The word Stereotype has its origins in printing. A stereotype was a metal plate cast from a paper mache or plaster mold. It allowed prints to be made more quickly because they only had to set one plate.
𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝗙𝘂𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝘁: The word cliche also comes from printing. Its origins are French, clicher, ‘to click’, is an onomatopoeia of the sound of the stereotype print.
One can infer how they came from printing beginning with mass production to their current meanings.
Wondering why we’re researching printing? You’ll have to wait until our new game launches!
Fun Fact 3: There is a chest with over 2,600 undelivered letters from the 18th century!
The chest of undelivered letters is called the Brienne Chest.
In the 17th and 18th century, the recipient would pay for the delivery of their letter. When the address was wrong, a letter was rejected or the recipient no longer at the residence, the postmaster would often burn the letter. Luckily for us, Postmaster and postmistress Simon and Marie de Brienne collected these letters in hopes of collecting delivery fees, thus amassing a stunning collection of around 2,600 unopened letters between 1689 and 1706.
This is the stuff of fiction! But it’s real! Hope you enjoyed our fun history – we sure love digging up these facts in our research for our game. If you haven’t yet tried Society of Curiosities Solve a mystery game, check us out!
