# Anecdote 1 — A Unique Vermillion: Tyrian Purple and Partnership with Thomas

> The origin story of Rafayel's partnership with Thomas: Thomas attempts to compete at a charity exhibition, is so outclassed by Rafayel's command of colour that he abandons painting and retrains as a business manager. Rafayel's philosophy of handmade vs mass-produced pigment is established — including the three-day process to extract Tyrian purple from thousands of conch shells.

- Branch: Anecdote
- In-universe: Pre-2048 Earth
- Released: Anecdote 1
- Characters: Rafayel
- Locations: Linkon City
- Page: https://ladsarchive.com/events/rafayel-anecdote-1-vermillion/

## Description

Anecdote 1 explores the origins of Rafayel's working partnership with Thomas (owner of Flux Arts). Thomas was originally a painter himself who attempted to compete with Rafayel at a charity exhibition, only to find himself comprehensively outclassed on every metric — most devastatingly, on colour. Enchanted by Rafayel's command of hue, Thomas gave up painting and learned business instead, eventually becoming Rafayel's art manager. The anecdote also establishes Rafayel's pigment philosophy: the Lemurian eye can distinguish around 300 million colours, which is why he finds mass-produced paint inadequate. He spends days extracting unique pigments by hand — Tyrian purple from thousands of conch shells ground over three days. The same biological trait underwrites the hallucinogenic potency of his red Lemurian-blood-soaked coral pigment.

## Related events

- [Anecdote 2 — Addictive Pain: 'Illusion' Sensation; Sutherland Intel; University Lectureship](https://ladsarchive.com/events/rafayel-anecdote-2-addictive-pain/)
- [Main Story Under Deepspace 1 — First Meeting; Red Flammula](https://ladsarchive.com/events/rafayel-main-ch1-first-meeting/)