Specialist Corson[note 1] is a demon who examines and classifies "crosstown ephemera" (pencils, glasswear, home movies, canvas grocery bags). His examinations of several items provided the openings to the Messy Business arc.
He specialises in “the knowing of things hidden, secret and divine both”. He has an aerial form but doesn't like to use it.
He was interrupted — and possibly killed — by persons unknown during examination of file 8553 in the opening to "Messy Business Pt. 4".
Known Examinations
File 8338
A paper flyer for the Citywide Film Festival (cream-coloured, heavy stock, single page, lime green design elements described as “gaudy”, black text); condition: moderate wear (very good); $25 at auction, $40 for urgent buyer; not made in Blough City (imported into the city due to design elements not meeting cultural requirements); suitable for the “unique collector” who views having the object itself as “its own use” rather than the object being useful.
File 8421
Blough City Lot 92-338, a collection of photographic equipment (walnut coloured carry case with shoulder-strap and stainless steel clasp, brown and silver camera, two lenses, a pair of brown and silver binoculars) and additional accessories from some kind of portable darkroom (tiny pots of chemicals, little desk); condition: mixed (camera shows heavy use/damage to leather and metal, but is operational, lenses in mint condition, binoculars in good shape); price: $400 to start, $15-20 incremental bids, $650 up front (minimum), look for buyers with “a penchant for the classics”.
The items were found on a rooftop in the Thicket near where Blake Blossom was found. They are Concern tech and can be used to identify agents, Peels and “business types like us” and so the price should be increased if selling to a “cross-towner”; they could just get rid of it because “sometimes it’s better for rare goods to leave circulation”.[note 2]
File 8504
Examination of the Teardrop Coupe (nice curves, powder blue, cream interior, manual, rough tires, dirt and “unclassified blood” on the undercarriage of the car), which distresses him as he does not have the diagnostic tools to properly examine the car and they will need an expert if they want more details; price $7k according to the blue book, but more likely $5400 with wear and tear.
File 8553
Police evidence lot BB-2019-22 (a little blue box with a bunch of little plastic baggies of miscellaneous items (lighter, forks, knives, keno ticket, unwashed plate from a casino, a bag of scrambled eggs from a casino buffet, a wallet); wallet contains various more things (burnt: ID and validated parking ticket; unburnt: Eat Fresh loyalty card, electric key card for a hotel room not located in Bluff City, where he assumes the other items are from); possibly other burnt things).[note 3]