This is the character page index for Vampyr (2018) Citizens of Pembroke, Docks, Whitechapel and West End Districts.
Do note that only the main plot spoilers are marked. If a citizen's social circle change is notable enough, it'll be spoilered too.
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In General
- Aerith and Bob: Perhaps as a way to enforce the One-Steve Limit, most of the citizens have unique names that go from very common like "Joe Peterson" or "Tom Watt" to unusual like "Thoreau Strickland" or "Agamemnon Baker" (and his brother "Pericles").
- Morality Kitchen Sink: The citizens as people go from innocent such as the homeless orphan Rufus Kingsberry, to flawed but sympathetic like Rakesh Chadana who steal from the deads but is otherwise a polite and gentle fellow, to downright evil like Cadogan Bates, the sadistic perverted landlord.
- Video Game Caring Potential: It's possible to show kindness to them buy completing their quests or giving them medications when they are sick.
- Video Game Cruelty Potential: On the other hand, they can be "embraced", which means killing them and feeding on their blood. Note to mention that the aforementioned medications can be given to them with the intent of making their blood healthier to harvest.
Pembroke Hospital Citizens
Gwyneth Branagan
Gwyneth Branagan
Mesmerize Level: 5
Age: 60
A nurse with the longest tenure at the Pembroke and Doctor Tippets's protégé.
- Cool Old Lady: She's witnessed horrors that she's loath to discuss, but she's still one of the more positive persons among the Pembroke staff.
- Hyper-Competent Sidekick: When she's not the Beleaguered Assistant. She has proven herself as competent numerous times – more so than any doctor – but openly admits that if it was not for Dr. Tippets' camaraderie, she would've left the Pembroke years ago.
- Klingon Scientists Get No Respect: Appropriate for the time period. She low-key administers treatment without the overseeing eye of a male doctor, but, at best, nobody takes her seriously and, at worst, criticize and report her. Subverted if you kill Dr. Tippets's however — it causes Dr. Swansea to give Gwyneth a promotion to the position of a head surgeon, just without an official title.Gwyneth: (on the verge of crying, with heavy sarcasm) It took an epidemic and the death of my mentor to show what I'm capable of. How could I be anything but happy!
- Like Brother and Sister: A rare example between elderly people. She and Tippets aren't interested in each other romantically, but they're very close friends nonetheless. If he dies, it leaves her heartbroken and wistful partly because she cannot attend Corcoran's funeral in Birmingham.
- Only Sane Employee: She's the only employee under Edgar's command who doesn't have any skeletons in her closet and she's well aware of this. Well, aside from how she's covered up that Tippets has committed lethal medical malpractice.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: She had covered up Dr. Tippets' – under the influence of drugs – an error that caused a patient's death. Despite her heart's best intentions, it could've easily backfired, as Jonathan can point out.
- Secret-Keeper: She's very much aware of her colleague Dr. Tippets's drug addiction, but opted not to report him due to the ongoing epidemic.
- Sheep in Sheep's Clothing: She's unfailingly polite, refuses to speak ill of her colleagues, and in nurse Hawkins's words, loves to give pep talks. During the “Missing Ingredients” investigation you can find an incriminatory letter in Dr. Strickland and Dr. Ackroyd's office where Ackroyd expresses his concern about Branagan neglecting her professional responsibilities. Interrogating her will reveal that she's merely trying to become a full-time doctor, but her gender isn't letting her. Jonathan can either support her or rebuke her.
Dr. Corcoran Tippets
Dr. Corcoran Tippets
Mesmerize Level: 2
Age: 54
The head surgeon of Pembroke Hospital.
- Can't Kill You, Still Need You: Downplayed. Dr. Reid can express this either literally or figuratively: the only reason Tippets shouldn't be pink-slipped is because The Spanish Flu needs all hands on deck, however shaky they might be.
- Harmful Healing: Misdiagnosed a patient, o.d.ed him, and operated on him twice, causing the latter's death.
- It's All My Fault: If Gwyneth is murdered, Corcoran stoops to blaming himself for it, saying that he should have convinced her to work in a less-exposed hospital.Corcoran: [Gwyneth] was all I used to be, and that part of me died with her.
- Functional Addict: Subverted. Tippets is addicted to stimulants – he needs them to weather the exhaustion and promises to stop once the epidemic is defeated. Jonathan can look into it and confirm that Corcoran's already murdered a patient via anesthetic overdose.
- Karma Houdini: Thanks to Gwyneth's cover-up, he's escaped justice following the medical error. If you keep quiet as well, then he'll retire after the Spanish Flu has ended, move to Cyprus, and take up fishing.
- Like Brother and Sister: A rare example between elderly people. He was never romantically interested in Gwyneth, but if she dies, he'll confess that she was much more than a simple nurse to him.
- Precision F-Strike: His reaction to Jonathan telling him that people are slandering Gwyneth.Corcoran: This kind of protest is nothing but elitist bullshit.
- The Obi-Wannabe: Though by no fault of his own. It's just that Gwyneth is just as competent as him, if not more.
- Took a Level in Kindness: In the past, he was just another man who thought that women shouldn't be permitted to become physicians, but Gwyneth Branagan's heartfelt support eventually made him change his mind.
Pippa Hawkins
Pippa Hawkins
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 36
One of the nurses who works at the hospital. She and Milton Hooks are in a secret romance.
- Action Girl: If Milton is killed – either by your own hand or by collapsing the entire Pembroke area – she'll join the Guard of Priwen. She can be encountered as a rookie in Whitechapel.
- Battleaxe Nurse: She's not reputed to be the nicest nurse in Pembroke and openly wishes for Harriet Jones to just die already and go to Hell.
- Birds of a Feather: She flat out admits that Milton is no saint and not the best man in the world. Then again, she's hardly a perfect woman, so she's not one to criticize.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Downplayed. She's an unexceptional woman working during a monstrous flu epidemic for no other reason than her faith and her dream. However, she is fully prepared to extort a payment from Pembroke's patients in return for a bed.
- Crisis of Faith: Averted. She holds on to her faith despite all the horrors around her.
- Foreshadowing: Reading her sister's letter will mention how Pippa has been considering quitting Pembroke and taking up arms against the infection in a more straightforward fashion for a while now. Talking to Usher in the Temple Church will also yield you this hint.
- Jade-Colored Glasses: Not as much as Milton, but it's there. She once was quite idealistic, but the Spanish Flu epidemic has hit her hard. She even doesn't believe in the Happily Ever After to her story with her lover.
- Hospital Hottie: One of the more attractive women in the hospital.
- Where da White Women At?: Appropriate for the time period, and this worries her.
- White-Collar Crime: Is the mastermind behind a racketeering con: she informs Milton – who's the porter – of which beds are free, and he in turn, “persuades” the victims that they've to pay an admission fee.
Milton Hooks
Milton Hooks
Mesmerize Level: 2
Age: 34
The ambulance driver for the hospital. He and Pippa Hawkins are in a secret romance.
- Cynicism Catalyst: His entire life has been this, according to him, which contributed to his misanthropic outlook.
- Establishing Character Moment: The very first line he utters is enough throw Jonathan into a stupor and really hammer in what kind of person Milton is.Milton: <...> I'm Milton Hooks, the ambulance driver for this shithole of a hospital.Jonathan: (smoothly, but with astonishment in his voice) That's quite a blunt introduction, Mr. Hooks.
- Friend in the Black Market: Justified. In addition to his job as a driver, he also sells guns to civilians and is a potential merchant. His explanation's that he's already been attacked by gang members and demented patients alike while performing his duty. Subverted if Pippa is killed, however; he'll close down his shop and will halt the racket.
- Mistaken for Racist: Assumes Dr. Reid is one when he brings up the picture which proves he's fraternizing with Pippa, a white woman. Jonathan clarifies that he's concerned because it's against regulations for staff members to see one another. This actually causes Milton to give Jonathan a pile of cash as a not-so-subtle bribe to keep it a secret.
- Misanthrope Supreme: Cares exceedingly little for his co-workers – save for Pippa – and patients alike.
- Reckless Gun Usage: Downplayed. While guns aren't misused onscreen, Jonathan can point out how reckless it is to smuggle guns inside a hospital.
- Shotguns Are Just Better: Sells the best double-barreled shotgun in the game which he had received as payment from a soldier.
- Where da White Women At?: Appropriate for the time period, and this worries him.
Dr. Thoreau Strickland
Dr. Thoreau Strickland
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 33
An oddball experimental surgeon who is a great admirer of Dr. Reid.
- Armor-Piercing Question: If Jonathan disposes of both Dr. Ackroyd and Harvey Fiddick, Dr. Strickland greets him by posing one such question; Jonathan doesn't answer until you make him answer by selecting a dialogue prompt. A double whammy if you hadn't spoken to Thoreau before.Thoreau: (if Jonathan talked to him previously) How could this evening be good, Dr. Reid? Is it ice that runs through your veins, that you are so unaffected by tragedy?Thoreau: (if Jonathan didn't talk to him previously) You've been with us for a long time, Dr. Reid… Why are you only talking to me now?
- Ascended Fanboy: Of Dr. Reid's and, on a smaller scale, of Dr. Swansea's. He also wants to be a brilliant medical expert who'd endorse and conduct cutting edge experiments. But he's also terrible.
- Broken Pedestal: Jonathan will become this to him if he continually devalues Thoreau's means and experiments.
- Character Development: Compared to other citizens, Thoreau perhaps undergoes the most startling transformation if his Social Circle is exterminated. If Harvey dies, Strickland will recognize that his petty squabble with Dr. Ackroyd was the cause – it enabled the murderer (you) to get to him. Killing only Ackroyd will make Thoreau botch the surgery and admit that he should've been more cautious, overcoming his Glory Hound tendencies. He doesn't exactly miss Ackroyd, however. If you kill both, that'll make Strickland pretty much reconsider everything he's said and done. Jonathan can either support him or belittle him.
- Damned by Faint Praise: After Jonathan learns what kind of substances Thoreau had ordered for his research, he'll subtly lecture Dr. Strickland by saying his formula would best be used as a placebo after much dilution.
- Ditzy Genius: Uses highly dangerous-to-administer drugs (e.g. opium) in his experiments on the terminally ill. Jonathan will very rightfully call him out on that.
- Foreshadowing: If you ask Thoreau to tell you about himself, he'll offhandedly remark on how he has always respected and looked up to Dr. Swansea. Thoreau, more or less, is a miniature version of Swansea.
- Glory Hound: Is a prideful man who doesn't live down failure easily. He's also not above stooping to underhanded means of attaining success and promotion.
- Harmful Healing: Should Jonathan dispose of Dr. Ackroyd, Dr. Strickland will lead the operation on Harvey Fiddick... and readily amputate his arm completely after it becomes infected.
- The Rival: His foil, Dr. Ackroyd, and he can't stand one another.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Killing Dr. Ackroyd and then Harvey Fiddick will cause Dr. Strickland to become borderline crude and vile to everyone, including Jonathan. This is further exaggerated if Jonathan had not spoken to him prior Embracing the other two men. Granted, if you select the appropriate responses, he will cool off and acknowledge that he cannot use Dr. Reid as a scapegoat for his anger. Compliment him, and Thoreau will subvert this trope, becoming nice and polite to you once more.
Dr. Waverley Ackroyd
Dr. Waverley Ackroyd
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 37
An overly conservative doctor and surgeon with a bad attitude.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Downplayed. No one particularly likes him, and he frequently files letters of complaint against other staff members, but he's a splendid surgeon nonetheless. He's also one of the few characters who knows that Jonathan and Dr. Swansea cannot be trusted. And then it becomes clear that Dr. Ackroyd is absolutely right about all the other staff members deserving to be fired (with the exception of Nurse Branagan, who's only fault is to be too competent for a woman in 1918).
- Good Old Ways: He believes in these regarding medicine so most players will assume he's unqualified as a doctor. In fact, he's absolutely right since Dr. Strickland has let his pride blind him and Dr. Swansea is a different bag of worms entirely.
- Everyone Has Standards: Despite his undisguised rivalry with Strickland, Ackroyd admits that he'd never resort to crooked methods in order to compromise his colleague.
- Foreshadowing: Should Jonathan Embrace Harvey, Ackroyd will curtly inform him that he can see Jonathan and Dr. Swansea act squirrelly as if they have something to hide. He is positive that one day, they'll be forced to provide answers.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Puts down medical advances, acts snide to Dr. Reid, and treats his fellow doctors with contempt. Then you realize Dr. Swansea had awakened a primordial vampire deity, Dr. Strickland is a wannabe who hungers for glory and acknowledgment, Dr. Tippets does drugs and had killed a man, Gwyneth covered Dr. Tippets' mistakkes, Pippa as well as Milton are in a illicit relationship and extort patients, Rakesh is robbing the dead, and Reid is a vampire with free reign to do as he wills. He may not have all the facts but he's right to be suspicious.
- Hidden Heart of Gold: Dr. Ackroyd may be unpleasant and old-fashioned, but should Strickland die, he will begrudgingly admit that he's going to miss his onetime rival's youthful vigor – even if he still cannot forgive Thoreau's gambling with patients' lives. He also says that the promotion he got because of Thoreau's passing doesn't sit well with him.
- Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Ackroyd expresses distrust of Jonathan immediately, stating that he doesn't trust Jonathan's true motives behind his research's advancements...which is an argument that can also easily apply to the justifications the player come up for themselves for Embracing the game's citizens.
- The Rival: His foil, Dr. Strickland, and he can't stand one another.
- Token Good Teammate: Played with. He may be rude, but he is the only member of the staff who hasn't performed some egregious violation that would make them worthy of being fired.
- Took a Level in Kindness: Downplayed. He grows melancholic following Strickland's death and more tolerant of Jonathan on the whole, but he remains as curt as ever.
Rakesh Chadana
Rakesh Chadana
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 44
A former doctor from India who is now Pembroke's undertaker. He runs a small pawnshop where anyone can barter and exchange.
- Affably Evil: He's a grave robber, unrepentant, and quite cheerful about it. Even if Jonathan straight-out threatens him, Rakesh won't stop being neighborly.
- Back-Alley Doctor: Justified. He had meant to join infantry for the WW1, but an administrative error guaranteed that he'd be deployed as a field surgeon instead. Dr. Reid is suitably horrified by this but Rakesh reassured him that he actually did about as good – statistically – as any other trained doctor would in the situation.
- Gallows Humor: Chooses to joke about death during a decimating epidemic.
- Not Afraid to Die: He's made peace with his mortality a long time ago and has a few pearls of wisdom to share.Rakesh: <...> I don't fear death for I won't see it. What troubles me is the pain my death will inflict to those I know.Jonathan: You're a wise man, Mr. Chadana.Rakesh: No, Dr. Reid. I am a foolish man. But I like to think otherwise.
- Pet the Dog: His idle chatter points how he's planning for the corpse of the man he just robbed to be buried in the same mass grave as his wife.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Connections!: Dr. Swansea shops at his "pawnshop" for goods.
- Robbing the Dead: He steals money and valuables off the cadavers in the morgue, reasoning that these people don't need them anymore.
- We Are as Mayflies: Has the belief that all life is short and must be cherished because of it.
- Who Wants to Live Forever?: Discussed. Should Jonathan talk about immortality with him, Rakesh will express how he finds the concept of true immortality horrifying rather than enticing.
Clay Cox
Clay Cox
Mesmerize Level: 1
Age: 30
A man that Jonathan encounters as the first potential victim he can feed on. He’s the leader of the Wet Boot Boys.
- Asshole Victim: He's presented to the player as a scumbag who murders an innocent in cold blood right in front of Jonathan. Other than making Pembroke Hospital district slightly more unhealthy, nobody will miss him – even his wife, when you meet her in the Docks, will concede that she has saved herself the headache.
- Awful Wedded Life: His relationship with his wife is this – she's already left him for another man despite not divorcing him. Still, they do share a peculiar (very peculiar) moment or two. If you kill Edwina, Clay will fondly recall and reminisce about his estranged wife... up until Jonathan mentions that she had been cheating on him all this time.Clay: (pensively) Edwina was a tough bitch. I'm sure she died how she lived; with no regrets. My wife always did what she wanted.
Jonathan: (somewhat smugly) So you knew she had an affair while you were away?
Clay: What?! Don't fucking talk to me like that. I don't want to have to show you my mean side. - Card-Carrying Villain: He's a violent scoundrel that profiteers off of others and doesn't regret his decisions. Even his own minions back in the East End Docks abhor him.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Dr. Reid's gift of free medicine and him returning his good luck charm genuinely unnerves him. Ironically, he can end up being right if the player is only healing him to ensure that they will get the maximum experience boost from Embracing him.
- Hate Sink: There are very few people in the game as revolting as he, and he is completely unrepentant about his awfulness.
- It's All About Me: Cox is clearly incapable of caring for anybody but himself and he proves it every day. When the hospital is attacked by McCullum's men, he first thinks that they might've been a rival gang sent to collect him.
- Lousy Lovers Are Losers: According to Edwina, he's a subpar lover, which is part of why they had a Awful Wedded Life.
- Serial Rapist: He had assaulted Sabrina* and makes vulgar remarks regarding Pembroke nurses.
- Tyrant Takes the Helm: Replaced Archer Woodbead* as the leader of the Wet Boot Boys. Archer wasn't a saint either, for sure, but Cox is murderous, churlish and surly by his very nature.
Thelma Howcroft
Thelma Howcroft
Mesmerize Level: 2
Age: 32
A patient at Pembroke Hospital who suffered a mental breakdown and now believes herself to be a vampire.
- Actually Not a Vampire: Just a mentally-disturbed woman. She once saw a real vampire feeding to heal himself; due to her already present Cotard's delusion, this experience convinced her that she's a vampire and needs blood to sustain her decaying body.
- The Cuckoolander Was Right: Thelma's investigation has it turn out that despite her other delusions, vampire hunters (of the Guard of Priwen) really are spying on her.
- Dramatic Irony: Like many others, Thelma cannot make out the vampire in Jonathan, but she comes quite close if you kill Thomas.
- Drama Queen: Thelma definitely has a flair for melodrama – noticeable immediately.Thelma: <...> To me, you are all nothing but dust blown by the winds of eternity.Jonathan: (dumbfounded) I beg your pardon?Thelma: What are you begging for, mortal? My clemency? Well, tonight, maybe, I'm inclined to mercy. You'll never forget the night you met Thelma Howcroft!
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl: And she’s this to Thomas Elwood. Her bizarre behavior and raw sexuality make him feel much better about his wretched, purposeless life.
- The Mentally Disturbed: According to the hospital file, she has Cotard's delusion
, a mental syndrome that makes her believe she is rotting from the inside. Nevertheless, she herself thinks she's merely a little on the cloudcuckoolander side. - The Patient Has Left the Building: Happens against her will if the Guard of Priwen kidnap her.
- Raven Hair, Ivory Skin: Has messy black hair, a pallid complexion, and is regarded as drop-dead gorgeous by Thomas.
- Right for the Wrong Reasons: When the Guard of Priwen attack the hospital she's the only one who correctly realizes what's going on as well as the only citizen at Pembroke with any meaningful additional dialogue regarding the attack. She's still thoroughly delusional, though.
- The Scapegoat: She's this to the Guard of Priwen and Lady Ashbury. Priwen are right about a vampire making the hospital its playground, but erroneously pin it upon Thelma. They're so overtaken by this harsh zeal that should Jonathan kill Thomas without wiping out a nearby Priwen outpost, they'll abduct Thelma and butcher her if you don't step in.
Thomas Elwood
Thomas Elwood
Mesmerize Level: 1
Age: 28
A veteran with horrible facial scars and one of the more despondent patients of Pembroke.
- Desperately Craves Affection: Is willing to roleplay with Thelma Hawcroft and even allow her to bite him to drink his blood because he feels that no one will accept him for his scars (and backstory).
- Disappeared Dad: He's too ashamed to see his children and chooses to stay at Pembroke, leaving his sister Agatha to take care of them.
- Facial Horror: Just look at him – however, the war is not to blame here. During his leave, he went to a brothel in Rouen, had some fun, and fell asleep without realizing a fire had started. The girl got out without waking him up. Now, Thomas bears the scars of that meeting and cannot get rid of the Survivor Guilt.
- One-Steve Limit: Averted as he shares his first name with Tom Watts, the barkeep of the Docks.
- Star-Crossed Lovers: Of the unrequited flavor. Despite having children, Thomas isn't willing to part with Thelma's company – loving her for her madness.
- Tragic Monster: If Thelma is killed, he will be reported missing the next night and can be found in the Old Morgue, now a hulking, savage Vulp.
- Voluntary Vampire Victim: Sort of. Not like Thelma is an actual vampire or anything, but Thomas plays along with her delusion and lets her taste his blood. This gets either Played for Drama or Played for Laughs (depends) if Jonathan Turns Swansea – talking to Thomas the next night will make him divulge that he could feel Edgar sniffing his neck in the same manner as Thelma. He also mentions just how utterly terrified he was when Edgar left without a word.
Harvey Fiddick
Harvey Fiddick
Mesmerize Level: 1
Age: 42
A carpenter who broke his arm and just wants to get it fixed.
- Cluster F-Bomb: If his arm is amputated, he understandably greets Jonathan by spewing one.
- Hope Spot: If Dr. Strickland dies, Dr. Ackroyd will mend Harvey's arm, making the man happy and content. If Jonathan Embraces Ackroyd as well, it results in serious wound infection and the arm will be cut off to save his life (in other words, there was no doctor around to treat the infection).
- The Mourning After: His wife died in one of the first zeppelin raids, and he occasionally bemoans this fact and talks about how his wife was better with the kids than he is.
- Only Sane Man: Harvey is arguably the most normal patient at the hospital and really just wants his arm treated.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: Pretty much comes with being a footsoldier in WW1.
- Struggling Single Father: His beloved wife is dead, he has two children, and he's the only one who can support them. The hospital is too overwhelmed with the Flu to help him, his kids aren't old enough to work, and there's no one to watch his children while he's away. The family is actually quite impoverished, too.
Mortimer Goswick
Mortimer Goswick
Mesmerize Level: 2
Age: 23
A traumatized young man with severe throat injury.
- Bungled Suicide: The reason he's in the hospital.
- Death Seeker: He's at a point where life is meaningless and wants to die. If Jonathan feeds off of him, his last thoughts show dying is not all it's cracked up to be.
- Nonetheless, he does realize that there may be something to life, if his mother is murdered. He succumbed to depression a long time ago, but he establishes that he won't try to take his own life again. He doesn't want to cause the people around him any more pain – the same pain he felt when he saw his mother's corpse.
- My Beloved Smother: Is annoyed by his mother's concern more than anything else.
Beatrice Goswick
Beatrice Goswick
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 45
Mortimer's doting mother.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Is a devoted mother and teacher in addition to being rude as well as demanding. Justified as she was extorted by Pippa and Milton on her way in.
- My Beloved Smother: She's overly controlling and dominating to her adult son. Played with as the reason is she's worried he'll try to kill himself again.
- Rich Bitch: A mild case of it but she spends her time teaching women to be ambitious as well as career minded while also dotes on her son.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: Got herself a private room by bribing Pippa and Milton. Except, it wasn't so much bribery but extortion. She did want one, though.
Newton Blight
Newton Blight
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 31
A veteran from the war, he is searching for his friend Oswald who mysteriously went missing.
- Gayngst: Downplayed. If you figure out that he is in love with his friend Oswald, he will admit it but he says he is ashamed of saying it in public.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: He and Oswald suffered severe trauma during their time in the war. Newton brought Oswald to the Pembroke in hopes of getting help for their respective psychological problems.
- Tragic Monster: If Oswald dies, Newton will go missing and the next time you find him, you'll discover he became a Sewer Beast.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: He developed musophobia (fear of rats) after he became trapped in a hole for two days and rats begin chewing on his face while he was unable to do anything.
Oswald Thatcher
Oswald Thatcher
Mesmerize Level:1
Age: 33
Newton's friend and lover.
- Afraid of Doctors: Downplayed. He gets twitchy around doctors mostly due to having “seen enough butchers in white coats to last [him] a lifetime”, but seeing as Jonathan had risked his life to save him, Oswald allows him to stick around.
- Distressed Dude: He is trapped in the sewers and must be rescued from ravenous Skals.
- Hidden in Plain Sight: Should Jonathan inquire about his claustrophobia, Oswald will confront him with a puzzle: Jonathan has to guess what caused Oswald's claustrophobia. While this may cross into a Moon Logic Puzzle (as you are given two arbitrary responses of Survivor's Guilt, Freudian Excuse, and a less-arbitrary “you were buried”), should you choose correctly, Jonathan will point out that Oswald “expressed joy at seeing the sky again” after he was rescued. Oswald is appropriately impressed.Oswald: Jeez. You're good, doc. You're really good.
- Ironic Name: A gay man with anti-establishment tendencies shares a name with the two most famous right-wing Britons of the 20th century: Oswald Mosley and Margaret Thatcher.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: Like many veterans of World War 1.
- Sir Swears-a-Lot: He's quite a tendency to use bad language – more so than the rest of the cast. Even the gift he had given Newton (a war medal) has a crudely etched “Fuck The War” on it.
- Straight Gay: Unlike Newton, Oswald has accepted his homosexuality and sees nothing wrong with it.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: He developed severe claustrophobia after being buried alive for a week during his time in the war.
The Docks Citizens
Tom Watts
Tom Watts
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 46
A former Wet Boot Boy that has turned over a new leaf and now upkeeps the Turquoise Turtle pub in the Docks.
- The Bartender: Runs one of the only places that's still open, and it serves as neutral ground amidst the gangs and militia.
- Heel–Face Turn: Formerly a henchman for the Wet Boot Boys, he turned over a new leaf in jail and opened the Turquoise Turtle. During these troubled nights, he offers a place of sanctuary out of a legitimate love of the neighborhood.
- Morality Pet: For no less than two vampires; William Bishop and Sean Hampton.
- One-Steve Limit: Averted, his name is a diminutive of "Thomas" and there is another character named Thomas Elwood.
- Secret-Keeper: Knows Hampton was abandoned as a child as well as molested by a priest.
- We Used to Be Friends: With William Bishop before he became an alcoholic, then a Skal.
- Will They or Won't They?: He and Sabrina are in love, but neither is aware of the other's feelings.
Sabrina Cavendish
Sabrina Cavendish
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 30
A waitress at the Turquoise Turtle.
- Ambiguously Brown: She has this reputation in-universe. She's actually biracial Indian and Caucasian.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Faced lifelong racism due to her mixed ancestry and was molested by a customer at one point prior to the game.
- Defiant to the End: If you Embrace her, she goes down cursing you.
- Everyone Can See It: Customers make rude jokes about her and Tom.
- Mistaken for Racist: Assumes this is why Jonathan is asking questions about her. He's actually just naturally curious or eyeing her up for a meal.
- Perpetual Frowner: The customers call her "Sad Brina". She doesn't like that.
- Properly Paranoid: In the past, she was assaulted by Clay Cox and no longer feels safe in the area. Which is, of course, full of vampires and criminals.
- Rape as Backstory: Was molested by Clay Cox once. Tom Watts taught her some fighting techniques and how to use a gun.
- Took a Level in Badass: Tom trained her to fight and use a gun. Occasionally, she contemplates hunting down the guy who attacked her.
- Will They or Won't They?: She and Tom are in love with each other, but Tom isn't aware of her feelings, and they're both a bit reluctant, thanks to the jokes people already make about them.
William Bishop
William Bishop
The very first Skal you face who was trying to feed on Sean Hampton.
- The Alcoholic: Tom describes him as a heavy drinker, and the boat Tom told you to check out in case he's sleeping in it is full of liquor bottles (...and a bloody corpse). He might have been something of a Functional Addict though, since Tom never took issue with the guy until Bishop acted violently on the same night you first came into the bar (because he was turned into a Skal).
- Enemy Rising Behind: Rises behind Jonathan while the latter is speaking to Sean Hampton. Lady Ashbury comes to the rescue.
- Not Quite Dead: After you defeat him, he comes back rising behind you in a cut scene but gets impaled by Elisabeth Ashbury before he can do any more damage.
- Starter Villain: The first boss of the game.
Dyson Delaney
Dyson Delaney
Mesmerize Level: 1
Age: 34
The town drunk who spends morning til night drunk in the Turquoise Turtle.
- Actual Pacifist: On some level he still believes in social change but ever since his bombing denies violence as a means to that end. Not that it matters given that he's also given up on trying to change things himself.
- The Alcoholic: Numbs himself with drink over the state of the world and his guilt.
- The Atoner: Subverted as there's nothing he feels he can do to make up for what he's done.
- Bomb Throwing Anarchist: Literally. He was a terrorist who became a drunk after killing two innocents with a bomb.
- My God, What Have I Done?: He killed an innocent couple with one of his bombs by accident.
- Walking Spoiler: Not at all to the overarching plot, but any depth to his character besides depressed alcoholic is only contextualized by his past as an anarchist revolutionary.
Seymour Fishburn
Seymour Fishburn
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 28
A thuggish man who wanders the Docks and lives with his mother.
- Ax-Crazy: Is a mass murderer and barely registers that what he's doing is wrong.
- Even Bad Men Love Their Mamas: He's a burden on his mother but still loves her. His investigation (searching for a necklace he bought for her as a gift that he's lost) has him express genuine thankfulness for his mother and being quite upset with himself for having lost the gift.
- Even Evil Can Be Loved: Deconstructed as Stella loves her son unconditionally, and him being a monster greatly troubles her conscience.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Is prone to killing people who annoy him.
- Hate Sink: There is almost nothing redeemable about him (his love of his mother is about it, and he appears to be intensely jealous about Stella giving Rufus attention to help taint that) and if he's killed, almost everyone he knows has their life improve.
- Lack of Empathy: Doesn't seem to care about the fact he's a homicidal lunatic.
- Serial Killer: Turns out to murder anyone who pisses him off and dumps them in a sewer outlet.
- The Sociopath: Seymour gets mad at people and kills them. He doesn't even sound sadistic and claims to not particularly enjoy murdering - doing it just calms his anger for a time.
Stella Fishburn
Stella Fishburn
Mesmerize Level: 2
Age: 58
The mother of Seymour Fishburn.
- Good Parents: Deconstructed as she can't inform on her son despite knowing of his crimes.
- Played straight with her relationship to Rufus Kingsberry.
- Hope Spot: Has one when she assumes Doctor Reid might be able to get her son institutionalized. Reid, sadly, informs her that her son might be deranged but he's not criminally insane.
- Mama Didn't Raise No Criminal: Averted. She's aware her son is a monster but can't bring herself to turn him in.
- Properly Paranoid: She's unwilling to let strangers in during the plague. Jonathan has to mesmerize her to get past her door.
- Replacement Goldfish: Has begun treating Rufus Kingsberry as one for her son despite him still being alive. Seymour is not happy about this. If Seymour dies she'll adopt him more officially.
Rufus Kingsberry
Rufus Kingsberry
Mesmerize Level: 2
Age: 18
A young orphan with a pet rat.
- Happily Adopted: If Seymour dies, he moves in with Stella.
- Malicious Slander: Victim of this, some sadistic soul nicknamed this child "Rufus the Curse" for having miraculously survived the bomb that took his parents life. It's so bad he barely talks to anyone anymore.
- Orphan's Ordeal: Is living on the street thanks to his parents being killed by Dyson Delaney. Gets even worse if Jonathan were to kill Stella, not only does he lose her, but Seymour starts harassing him and even kills Rufus' pet rat Jack.
- Replacement Goldfish: Hinted at being one to Stella Fishburn for her son.
- Surrogate Soliloquy: Jonathan can catch a brief one about his woes with Jack the rat, by using bloodsense to spy on him.
Enid Gillingham
Enid Gillingham
Mesmerize Level: 1
Age: 70
An elderly dock resident who lost her son to the gang war of the Docks.
- Scatterbrained Senior: Her mind is failing due to either Alzheimer's or dementia; she loses track of conversations just a few sentences in, mistakes Jonathan for Dr. Tippets, and mistakes Martin Nightingale for her son, Jack.
- Mercy Kill: Embracing her causes her to be able to clearly recall her son, Jack, and all her happy memories of her life for the first time in years and she is actually quite grateful to be killed.Enid: "Jack, my son, he got killed. I remember, I remember all my life. Oh, the joy. The love. What a life. Thank you."
- Tragic Keepsake: Her son's watch can be returned to her.
Martin Nightingale
Martin Nightingale
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 20
A wannabe-shopkeeper in the West Docks.
- Friend in the Black Market: Another one of the ones Reid makes, though he's no friend.
- Hate Sink: Taking advantage of an old lady with either Alzheimer's or Dementia? Yeah, you're going to Hell. When you eavesdrop on him and Enid to discover this for certain, he mocks her as "old bat" just to make sure you abhor him.
- Replacement Goldfish: Takes advantage of Ms. Gillingham's loneliness for her lost son.
Booth Digby
Booth Digby
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 34
A gangster who works for Edwina Cox. He's also her lover.
- Affably Evil: Claims to be protecting the docks and the people from the chaos in the streets. Actually believes it even if there's not much he can do about influenza.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Is deeply in love with Edwina Cox.
- Friendly Neighborhood Gangster: Fancies himself one of these. Reid is having none of it.
- Pet the Dog: Shrugs off Reid's insults due to the fact he's a veteran.
- Reformed Criminal: Digby secretly wants out of the criminal life before it puts him in the ground. If Jonathan kills Edwina Cox, Digby will get a straight job working the docks instead of trying to run the Wet Boot Boys himself.
- Sex God: Edwina and he have a great sex life they're very open about, and she talks a lot about how Booth is a much more satisfying lover than her husband.
Edwina Cox
Edwina Cox
Mesmerize Level: 5
Age: 37
Clay Cox's estranged wife. She took his place as leader of the Wet Boot Boys following his absence.
- Affably Evil: Uses her position to try to protect the area during the flu and vampire epidemic.
- Card-Carrying Villain: Unlike Digby, who quite sensibly is very evasive about what he does for a living when you talk to him, Edwina has no problem telling you as soon as you meet her that she's the leader of the Wet Boot Boys and can have you killed if you annoy her.
- Friendly Neighborhood Gangster: Played with. She's a ruthless criminal but still a (tiny, tiny) bit friendlier than her husband.
- Friend in the Black Market: She is a gang leader that can sell weapons and ammo to Jonathan, so she is this trope by default.
- Hypocrite: Downplayed. Its hinted that she'd kill Booth if he cheated on her, despite the fact she is still married to Clay, though to be fair they are estranged and it's not like he is someone deserving of any sympathy.
- The Queenpin: Took over her husband's place as The Leader Wet Boot Boys gang.
Ichabod Throgmorton
Ichabod Throgmorton
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 36
A self-styled vampire hunter unaffiliated with the Priwen Guard or Brotherhood of Saint Paul's Stole.
- Cowardly Lion: Is assumed to be a fraud by Jonathan Reid but almost did kill a vampire once. He let it go.
- Everybody Has Standards: He's a self-proclaimed vampire hunter, but he dislikes the Guard of Priwen. They are effective, but too militaristic for his taste.
- Fake Ultimate Hero: He believes vampires are threatening the city and claims to be a vampire hunter dealing with them. He's half-right.
- Dramatic Irony: He completely fails to recognize Reid is a vampire.
- I Work Alone: He refuses to partner up in his hunt for vampires, which is why he hasn't joined with the Guard of Priwen. Priwen, for their part, think he's a fool and tell their recruits to just ignore him.
- Large Ham: One of the biggest in the game.
- Van Helsing Hate Crimes: Averted. He spared the only vampire he's ever met because it was one of Old Bridget's Skals.
- Wrong Genre Savvy: Believes he's the heroic star of a vampire hunter story.
Rodney Grader
Rodney Grader
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 34
A man hiding in the sewers from the Wet Boot Boys.
- Accidental Murder: He didn't mean to kill the man he did and feels immense guilt over it.
- Distressed Dude: He hid in the sewers to escape from his enemies.
- The Faceless: Downplayed, he wears a sanitary mask that hides the lower half of his face and is never seen without.
- Irony: He's terrified of a local gang but the hideout he's made is literally a few dozen feet away from a colony of hungry vampires. Jonathan makes it very clear to Rodney he's going to have a bad time if he stays in the sewers.
Giselle Paxton
Giselle Paxton
Mesmerize Level: 2
Age: 29
A woman living at Sean Hampton's shelter and sister of Lottie Paxton.
- The Alcoholic: Is drinking heavily due to losing her position.
- And Then John Was a Zombie: Becomes a Guard Of Priwen if Sean Hampton is spared.
- Asshole Victim: How the Guard of Priwen viewed robbing her.
- The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry: She has a serious issue with her sister despite the fact they're both dedicated to helping others.
- Horrible Judge of Character: Picks a fight with Jonathan Reid due to the fact she assumes he's an Upper-Class Twit and misses he was, at least while alive, a saintly doctor who helped others for free.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Is a dedicated class warrior and bitter but that's because she's been kicked out of the trade union which provided her livelihood.
- Pet the Dog: If you recover the trade union's money stolen from her, she'll donate it to Mrs Gillingham rather than give it back.
- Soapbox Sadie: Is a trade unionist during the height of the early 20th century's class struggles. Or she was until she was kicked out.
Lottie Paxton
Lottie Paxton
Mesmerize Level: 2
Age: 24
A woman living at Sean Hampton's shelter and sister of Giselle Paxton.
- And Then John Was a Zombie: Becomes a Skal if Sean Hampton is spared.
- The Glorious War of Sisterly Rivalry: Hates her sister for being a bitter drunk and constantly harassing her for her charitable deeds.
- The Pollyanna: She's a friendly optimist in contrast to her sister the bitter and cynical class warrior.
- White Sheep: She is following Sean Hampton's example and helping the poor as her primary goal in life.
Archer Woodbead
Archer Woodbead
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 61
The retired former leader of the Wet Boot Boys, currently searching for his missing son.
- Distressed Dude: Jonathan first encounters Archer being attacked by skals.
- Neighborhood-Friendly Gangsters: In Archer's day, the Wet Boot Boys defended the poor.
- Retired Badass: Was once the boss of the Wet Boot Boys.
Whitechapel Citizens
Darius Petrescu
Darius Petrescu
Voiced By: David Acton
Mesmerize Level: 2
Age: 63
An old Communist activist from Romania that runs a print shop and helps chase off anyone investigating Nurse Crane's illegal dispensary.
- Chummy Commies: Played With. He works to help the Whitechapel's district and is a staunch Communist. He is also something of a Grumpy Old Man towards Jonathan, but considering the circumstances and others doing what they must to survive, he can't be blamed.
- Dirty Old Man: Subverted. He is obviously attracted to Camellia, but when Jonathan asks if he is in love with her, he denies it stating the age difference between them is too great. Maybe if he was younger, who knows...
- Odd Friendship: Potentially develops one with Jonathan Reid despite he's a Romanian communist and Jonathan Reid is a rich upper class British doctor. He's especially confused if he finds Jonathan wandering around giving people like him medicine.
Camellia
Camellia
Mesmerize Level: 5
Age: 19
A mute florist who is a complete mystery to Whitechapel's citizens.
- Cute Mute: She's quite beautiful, and doesn't speak a word.
- Head-Turning Beauty: Richard Nithercott is completely smitten with her, and Darius Petrescu likely would have proposed to her if he was younger.
- The Immune: She's the only human character in the game other than the district Pillars who never becomes sick no matter what.
- Innocent Flower Girl: A lovely young woman that sells flowers. She can also die tragically if Jonathan decides to feed on her.
- Meaningful Name: A florist named after a flower.
- Mysterious Waif: Nobody really knows where she came from and she most certainly isn't native from Whitechapel. Even if Jonathan drains her, he is unable to figure out where she came from her memories.
- Nice Girl: According to those who know her. It's telling that her dying thoughts are a lament for all the good she could have done.
- No-Sell: Jonathan's Compelling Voice is completely useless against Camellia since, as a mute, she can't be compelled to tell him her secrets.
- Only Known By Her Nickname: No one knows her real name, so they call her "Camellia" after her favourite flower.
- Plucky Girl: Darius Petrescu notes her bravery, saying that if she'd been around when he was younger, they'd've won the revolution.
- Riddle for the Ages: What her real name and background are remain a mystery no matter what you do.
- Statuesque Stunner: She's quite tall and frequently noted to be quite attractive.
- The Voiceless: She can't speak at all due to being born a mute. You can hear her voice when you kill her.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Though she is unable to vocalize, her dying thoughts express this if Jonathan kills her:Camellia: Oh, cruel thief. I had so many things to give to this world. You stole all my tears and all my joys to come.
Cristina Popa
Cristina Popa
Voiced By: Rebecca Gethings
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 23
A Romanian immigrant that works as a prostitute in Whitechapel.
- All Love Is Unrequited: Embracing her after Embracing Clayton will have her last words admit that she could have loved Clayton "...if we had had more time. If we had been less selfish."
- Broken Bird: Life in England has been very hard for her, enduring cold and hunger and being forced to sell her body on the streets. When Jonathan tells her that she is at risk of catching the plague or spreading it for others, she states that she doesn't care so long as she still has enough money for a meal.
- Chastity Dagger: While she is not chaste nor is ever seen using it, she drops a knife after being killed. Considering her line of work, it makes sense she would be armed for self-defense (unfortunately it didn't do her any good).
- Disposable Sex Worker: If Jonathan decides to feast on her blood.
- Does Not Like Men: Her situation forcing into prostitution has unsurprisingly embittered her toward men. It's not for nothing she suspects Jonathan's proposing Sexual Extortion when he gives her medicine.
- Hooker with a Heart of Gold: Though very cynical and jaded by her job, uses her money to support herself and her brother. She also praises Nurse Crane's effort to help the population of Whitechapel.
- Married to the Job: She is so focused on accruing money to support herself and bring her brother over to England that she stole Clayton's wallet after they slept together. Of course, prostitution is not the most lucrative of occupations to make the reason for this preoccupation obvious, but nonetheless the theft is naturally a difficulty for their relationship.
- Sexual Extortion: If Jonathan gives her medicine, she initially suspects him to attempt this, to his horror.
Loretta Swanborough
Loretta Swanborough
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 30
A snake-oil saleswoman who sells her tonic to the people of Whitechapel during the plague.
- Brother–Sister Team: Loretta sells the Swanborough cordial, her brother Mason makes it. The death of either will quickly mess things up for them - Mason's death will cause Loretta to accidentally blind herself in an attempt to make the Swanborough cordial. Similarly, she's no less bitter about it than Mason was.
- Everyone Has Standards: Loretta might be a phony hack, but she warns Jonathan to stay away from Cadogan Bates for preying on the migrants.
- Hypocrite: She accuses Nurse Crane's dispensary of being a scam even though Loretta herself sells a fake miracle cure to the people of Whitechapel.
- It's All My Fault: Loretta still blames herself for her brother's blindness, as she knocked him over and he was blinded from hitting his head by the fall. She steadfastly works with him and sells the Swanborough cordial in part because of this.
- Laser-Guided Karma: After accidentally blinding her brother and selling a worthless tonic to the people of London, her brother's death will quickly cause her to get blinded in an attempt to to create the tonic herself, rendering her blind and almost helpless.
- Pet the Dog: For all of the fact she's a charlatan, her money is used to provide for her blind brother. She also claims to be interested in continuing her brother's work after his death rather than plain greed, but her attempt to create the Swanborough cordial quickly blinds her from the chemical vapors.
- Snake Oil Salesman: She sells a tonic that supposedly cures the Spanish flu effortlessly. Jonathan can snark about its effectiveness.
Mason Swanborough
Mason Swanborough
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 30
Loretta's younger brother. He was a skilled chemist before an accident blinded him.
- And Then John Was a Zombie: Without Loretta, because you Embraced her, he becomes a skal.
- Brother–Sister Team: His sister Loretta sells the Swanborough cordial, and Mason makes it. The death of either will quickly mess this up for them - Loretta's death will cause Mason to be unable to provide for himself and get turned into a skal.
- Foreshadowing: Idle dialogue from him has him express a certain gladness that he can't see what's happening in present-day London from how bad it sounds. After curing him of blindness, he makes good on that expression by deciding he'd rather blind himself again than look at it more.
- Inspirationally Disadvantaged: Inverted - he continues to practice chemistry despite being blind...by synthesizing the complete snake oil that is the Swanborough cordial which Loretta sells. He does this only because chemistry is his passion and he bitterly thinks the cordial being bunk is a good revenge upon the world since he's now seen as useless due to being blind.
- Offscreen Moment of Awesome: The formula for the blindness cure you give him has the optic nerve of a Skal as its key ingredient. So somehow this blind dude was able to obtain a Skal's eye for himself.
- Reed Richards Is Useless: Completing Mason's investigation causes a legitimate cure for blindness to be created which works on Mason...and that's about it. He blinds himself again soon after seeing the horrible state London's in and nothing further happens despite how groundbreakingly useful and valuable that cure could be.
- Snake Oil Salesman: The Swanborough cordial that Loretta sells? That was actually Mason's idea. He enjoys being able to practice chemistry still and is good with cheating everyone who buys the stuff because he's bitter at himself being considered blind and useless.
- Status Quo Is God: Completing his investigation will cause a cure for his blindness to get created, but Mason blinds himself the next day because he can't stand looking at the current state of London.
Father Tobias Whitaker
Father Tobias Whitaker
Mesmerize Level: 5
Age: 45
A priest who constantly preaches about the impending end of the world in front of Whitechapel's main church.
- Ambiguous Situation: He seems to know a lot more about what's really going on than he lets on but comes off as psychotic to Jonathan because of his allusions (and may actually be Ax-Crazy).
- Anti-Intellectualism: He looks down on scientists and when Jonathan introduces himself as one, he states he "must be more lost than he expected".
- Apocalypse Cult: Outright believes that London must be cleansed with fire so it can be saved from the plague, and it's implied he is crazy enough to kill himself along with everyone else because "God will know His own".
- Blue-and-Orange Morality: His shock at being told Samuel was grave robbing implies he may still have a semblance of Christian morals left in him...but we're not quite sure how he rationalizes that with burning sick people alive.
- Cassandra Truth: Amidst his apocalyptic ramblings he mentions that the Red Queen has arisen and is causing the plague. Jonathan dismisses this as him being insane, but guess who turns out to be the Big Bad.
- The Extremist Was Right: For all his insane ramblings, he is the first character to foreshadow the Red Queen's existence before she is revealed, and he is correct about the plague being engineered by her to punish mankind.
- Hiding Behind Religion: Jonathan accuses him of using religion and the threat of the infection to justify his murderous tendencies.
- Hate Sink: His every word drips condescension and he preaches violence and ignorance. Also he's lighting sick people on fire!
- Kill It with Fire: His M.O., as well as what he thinks should be done to the city in response to the infection.
- Moral Myopia: Despite his burning the plague-stricken, he is initially distressed to Jonathan tell him that Samuel was grave robbing, though he recovers soon to remain stalwart on his good opinion of Samuel.
- Pet the Dog: Legitimately mourns his partner Samuel, should Jonathan bring him news of his death, and pays Jonathan for his trouble, stating that Samuel would have done the same had their positions been reversed. If you tell him Samuel was grave robbing, Whitaker is also (surprisingly) initially shocked by this news which is probably more respect for other people than one would expect out of him.
- Serial Killer: Seeks out sick people that he deems "sinful" in infected areas, douses them in kerosene, and immolates them.
Vicar Joseph Larabee
Vicar Joseph Larabee
Mesmerize Level: Unknown
The vicar of Whitechapel's St. Mary's church.
- Morton's Fork: He is the only civilian whose death is completely scripted and there is nothing you can do about it. During Mary's boss fight, she will feed on him to regain some of her health, or you can prevent it... By feeding on the Vicar yourself, which pragmatically is the more beneficial option since it prevents Mary's boss fight from dragging out even longer. It is possible to save him by killing Mary before she can drain him (though you have to be insanely over-leveled to pull it off), but he still completely disappears from the game afterward.
- The Rival: To Father Whitaker, though Larabee decides to pay no attention to his antics.
Cadogan Bates
Cadogan Bates
Mesmerize Level: 1
Age: 45
A slumlord that preys on the district's immigrants by renting them squalid flats.
- Asshole Victim: One of the people which no one will miss and everyone will be glad of being dead.
- Evil Debt Collector: He personally collects his tenants' rents which is how he finds himself in need of rescuing when one of his flats is overrun by Skals. He also may talk to him about having heard of the "Colossus" and pondering if he should ask for him, so he's also considering employing someone to threaten and commit violence to collect his rent.
- Hate Sink: He was seemingly created to seriously test the patience of any player aiming for a "Not Even Once" run, especially since his Mesmerize Level of 1 means he can be Embraced as soon as Jonathan meets him, regardless of story progression. It's probably not a coincidence Jonathan sounds like he's barely concealing his fury when he says goodbye to Bates.
- Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Bates is the kind of guy who admits extorting his tenants to Jonathan's face, yet admires Nurse Crane doing the best she can to help Whitechapel's district. Except it's not out of respect for her good work and sacrifice, but because the more people she can save, means more money to line his pockets.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: While he is technically not a villain (i.e., his only implication in the plot is an optional rescue mission where he is the victim, he is just a civilian citizen and killing him will have negative consequences), Bates rants about immigrants all the time and is a misogynist that sexually exploits female tenants. His moral failings will truly test a player's commitment to a "Not Even Once" playthrough.
- Sexual Extortion: He offers female tenants another way to pay their bills than money.
- Ungrateful Bastard: If his obvious racism from saving him wasn't enough for you, he continues to display his unpleasantness by saying you shouldn't be hoping for a reward when Jonathan first greets him after having saved him by asking if he recalls Jonathan saving him.
Benjamin Palmer
Benjamin Palmer
Mesmerize Level: 1
Age: 34
A homeless veteran who is constantly feuding with his son Albert.
- Abusive Parents: The first thing Jonathan sees upon entering Whitechapel is Benjamin attempting to shoot Albert in the face for stealing his drugs. Benjamin misses, but even he doesn't know if he actually meant to fire.
- The Alcoholic: Is constantly drunk, no doubt affected by him being haunted from his service in World War I. He sobers up if Albert dies to embark on a crusade against the Wet Boot Boys, whom he thinks killed him.
- Papa Wolf: Despite being a single man who just yesterday was constantly sloshed, Albert being Embraced will cause him to sober up and openly oppose the Wet Boot Boys.
- Parents as People: He tests this trope to its limits considering you first meet him narrowly failing to shoot his own son, but his demons of alcoholism and PTSD strain their relationship to put it mildly. In his own words if you give him the Wet Boot Boys' recruiter's note "I love my Albert, sir, believe me. It's just that...well, I'm an arsehole I suppose." He makes good on his love of Albert if Albert is Embraced - mistaking the Wet Boot Boys as the cause for Albert's death, he publicly warns against the Wet Boot Boys and defaces their signs.
- It's Personal: Embracing Albert causes him to sober up and begin a personal crusade against the Wet Boot Boys, believing they caused his death.
- Shellshocked Veteran: He has PTSD from World War I.
Albert Palmer
Albert Palmer
Mesmerize Level: 1
Age: 18
A young man who is trying to join the Wet Boot Boys.
- Freudian Excuse: Growing up on the streets with an abusive drunk of a father made Albert into a rather nasty person.
- Jerkass: He's abrasive to Jonathan for no reason. He's also stealing his father's medicine to sell so he can prove himself to the Wet Boot Boys.
- Miles Gloriosus: Despite his eagerness to join a gang and willingness to claim he killed his own father if Benjamin was Embraced, Embracing Albert will lead to some rather childish last words in Jonathan's head, either begging that he'll be good if Benjamin was not killed or petulantly saying he's had it and hates "you all".
- Self-Made Orphan: Invoked. If Jonathan kills Benjamin, Albert takes credit for the deed to impress the Wet Boot Boys.
Barrett Lewis
Barrett Lewis
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 43
A merchant who is constantly bullied by Joe Peterson.
- Asshole Victim: He's in debt to the Wet Boot Boys and frequently harassed by Joe Peterson. While that might make him seem sympathetic, interacting with him just makes him less and less likeable as outlined under Jerkass below.
- Bait-and-Switch Compassion: While probably-initial conversation topics with Barrett implies he's willing to consider Harry his own son to some degree, talking to him about Harry's health will reveal he's not that sympathetic to Harry and in fact thinks Harry to need to "grow some balls" over his situation. And he will not care for Harry after Joe's death.
- Jerkass: Constantly rails against immigrants. Despite knowing that Harry might be his son and telling Jonathan that he thinks that he might have been a good father, he abandons Harry if Joe is killed.
- Pet the Dog: Never forgot Harry's birthday, and made sure to give him lots of books. Considering he may be his father, that's not surprising.
- We Used to Be Friends: With Joe. Some friend, eh?
Joe Peterson
Joe Peterson
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 44
A retired boxer known as "Colossus Joe". He is now running a racketeering operation for the Wet Boot Boys.
- Abusive Parents: Jonathan can eavesdrop on him seemingly threatening to hit Harry for criticizing his criminal actions, though he stops short when Harry asks, "What? You're going to beat me too?".
- It's Personal: He focuses his racketeering scheme on Barrett because Barrett slept with his wife.
- The Lost Lenore: The death of his wife set him on a downward spiral that ended his boxing career. Barrett described him as having seemingly trying to take any possible excuse to pick a fight with people around him.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Can happen if Jonathan Embraces Harry. This leads to Joe joining the Priwens to avenge him.
- Parents as People: Despite being just about abusive toward his son, he still cares for Harry and really did went into criminal work for the purpose of providing for his son while he can't get any other kind of work. This is even while he probably has a pretty good head on how Barrett Lewis is likely the real paternal father of Harry...especially since Barrett will actually not try to take over caring for Harry if Joe is Embraced.
- Punch-Clock Villain: He's only working for the Wet Boot Boys so he can provide for Harry.
- Reformed, but Rejected: He tried to leave his criminal job for legitimate work, but no one will hire him now that he has a criminal reputation.
- Slowly Slipping Into Evil: The longer he works for criminals, the more his chances at finding an honest job fade away.
- We Used to Be Friends: With Barrett...they aren't anymore probably because he suspects Barrett had an affair with his wife.
Harry Peterson
Harry Peterson
Mesmerize Level: 1
Age: 18
Joe's sickly son.
- Driven to Suicide: He'll attempt suicide if Jonathan kills Joe.
- Emo Teen: Is constantly complaining about how meaningless life is. He'll attempt suicide if Joe is killed.
- It's All My Fault: Since Joe is racketeering to provide for Harry, Harry will say himself that Whitechapel wouldn't fear "Colossus Joe" if Harry was never born.
- Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe: Barrett was having an affair with Joe's wife around the time she got pregnant with Harry. Since paternity tests haven't been invented yet, there's no way to know for certain who the father is, though the resemblance between Harry and Barrett (and lack of resemblance between him and Joe) is quite striking. It's implied that Joe knows that Harry isn't his biological son, but loves him anyway.
Clayton Darby
Clayton Darby
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 35
A reporter investigating the conditions in Whitechapel.
- All Love Is Unrequited: Only if you Embrace Clayton will he admit to himself he loved Cristina and thus should have told her.
- Dogged Nice Guy: He's in love with Christina, who has feelings for him, but won't admit it to herself.
- Intrepid Reporter: Admits that with the war going on, no one really wants to hear about the epidemic in London. But he refuses to not investigate. He's had to run from fevered mobs a few times.
Richard Nithercott
Richard Nithercott
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 29
A poet trying to get Darius Petrescu to publish his work.
- Despair Event Horizon: His dying thoughts show him lamenting this just before dying, as he would not live to publish any of his works.
- Loving a Shadow: He's in love with Camellia despite not knowing anything about her. He even admits to this in his dialogue, saying that the enigma he's built of her is most likely more interesting than boring reality.
- Nightmare Fetishist: Inspired by the real grim and gritty parts of the city.
- Starving Artist: Averted. His parents are paying for his food, clothes, rent etc. He'd love more than anything to repay them with a published book, but so far, no dice.
Hsiao Shun
Hsiao Shun
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 38
A widow that Jonathan can rescue from Skals.
- Commonality Connection: What gets her to accept her husband's death and try to move on is when Jonathan explains that he feels responsible for not being able to save his sister.
- Damsel in Distress: Is first met being attacked by Skals.
- Her Heart Will Go On: Jonathan can help her overcome her grief and she'll find new purpose in her life by giving food and medicine to Whitechapel's poor.
- It's All My Fault: She feels that she should've seen how serious her husband's illness was before he died.
West End Citizens
Emelyne Reid
Emelyne Maria Reid
Mesmerize Level: 1
Age: 65
A retired artist and Jonathan and Mary's elderly mother.
- Boss Banter: Emelyne will, naturally, mock you during her fight and so will her shadow clones. While Shadow!Mary reuses her earlier boss fight taunts, Shadow!Jonathan essentially chews the real Jonathan out. Considering what you had to Embrace your family's loyal butler just to get into this fight, the doppelganger has a point.
- Casting a Shadow: As a Skal, she can summon shadow duplicates of her children to fight.
- Cloudcuckoolander: It's not clear what kind of person Emelyne was prior Aubrey leaving England, but right now she's this due to her Ambiguous Disorder. It's a serious case too, as she's compelled to leave the manor every night...during a decimating outbreak. Subverted if she becomes a Skal; she's oddly lucid then.
- I See Dead People: Subverted. This is what she thinks she's seeing. But no, they're not ghosts; they're vampires.
- I Want Grandkids: She used to be like this towards her children in the past, which is made even sadder when Mary mentions that her own child died out of the flu during Jonathan's absence.
- Matricide: She can potentially be on the receiving end of this trope from both of her children. Mary can kill her prior to her boss fight if Jonathan made too many victims, and if she survives, he can kill her later on if the player decides it.
- Mercy Kill: If Jonathan opts to kill her, her social circle entry notes he couldn't bear to see his mother slowly deteriorate and so he "gave her rest".
- Mirror Boss: Shadow!Jonathan fights just like you, down to using other Ekon abilities.
- Optional Boss: Emelyne is perhaps the most notorious Social Circle miniboss and she's also hard to run into on an average playthrough. First, she needs to survive the encounter with Mary and then Jonathan must kill the Reid butler, Avery. This results in Emelyne leaving the house in the middle of the night and becoming a Skal. She can then be fought inside the ransacked Reid mansion.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Downplayed and Discussed. Only her daughter and grandson are truly dead, leaving Jonathan as the only living child (as alive as he can appear, that is). Emelyne will also discuss this trope with him.
- Right for the Wrong Reasons: She is 100% correct in assuming that Jonathan is already dead when he's talking to her, but she believes that he's an old-fashioned ghost that only she can see instead of a vampire.
- Scatterbrained Senior: Due to her advanced age and the horrible trauma her family endured, she can no longer tell the living from the dead and talks to herself a lot. Though being mesmerized by Mary probably didn't help.
- Summon Bigger Fish: Skal!Emelyne will summon shadow clones of her children during her boss fight, and these shadows are tougher and stronger than Emelyne herself.
- Triple Boss: Emelyne with her shadow clones are this since the clones do not dissipate until you kill them or Emelyne.
- Unusually Uninteresting Sight: When you first speak to her upon entering the West End, Emelyne seems to be remarkably unphased by her dead son showing up out of nowhere and saying hi. After speaking with her for a few minutes it becomes clear she thinks Jonathan is a ghost.
Avery Cork
Avery Cork
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 65
A butler in service to the Reids.
- Brutal Honesty: Believes that Jonathan could've done much more for Emelyne, and that it could've helped her sanity.
- Due to the Dead: His only request for Jonathan: If the Spanish Flu should take him, he wishes for a proper burial, not being dumped in some mass grave.
- The Jeeves: Always polite and formal, and is unfailingly loyal to the Reid family.
- Old Retainer: Reid offers him his freedom but Avery says the Reids are his only family.
- Undying Loyalty: Should Jonathan ask if he's ever considered leaving, Avery insists that he would never so long as he continues to live.
Charlotte Ashbury
Charlotte Ashbury
Mesmerize Level: 5
Age: 27
Elisabeth's adopted daughter. She is a suffragette that campaigns for equal rights between genders.
- Does Not Like Men: Gives off this vibe if her journal entries are to be believed. Initially, Charlotte assumed Jonathan had approached her to scold her if her reaction to his curiosity is any indication, but she promptly warms up to him when he explains he's not a misogynist.
- Dramatic Irony: Her mother is a carrier of the Blood of Hate. If Charlotte was turned into a vampire by her like she wanted, she'd be a mindless killer.
- Emergency Transformation: Discussed when Charlotte admits being willing to invoke this trope to become a vampire by either catching the plague or throwing herself under a carriage so her mother can save her life by turning her. It would have horrifying consequences.
- Et Tu, Brute?: A posthumously Downplayed example. She has this reaction after Jonathan tells her that her best (and deceased) friend had tried to become a vampire without her.
- Gene Hunting: Defied. When asked about her biological parents, Charlotte says she couldn't care less who they are or were.
- Happily Adopted: She grew up in an orphanage and was adopted by Lady Ashbury when she was 10 and raised like her own daughter. She only found out the truth about her mother's nature when she was 16.
- Immortality Seeker: The reason why she so desperately wants to become a vampire: she wants to change the world, and for that she needs more time. Ironically, this makes her similar to Aloysius Dawson – the man she loathes.
- Raised by the Supernatural: Her adopted mother is a centuries-old vampire.
- Sassy Black Woman: She's a dark-skinned Spirited Young Lady and a suffragette to boot.
- Secret-Keeper: To her mother, obviously and to Jonathan, since she can pretty much tell he is a vampire by just looking at him.
- The Tease: Towards Jonathan for a bit when she tries to seduce him so maybe he can turn her. Jonathan can either call her out, say he is interested but that would be a bad idea, or state he could simply have his way with her, drain her and leave her body in a dark alley. The last option freaks her out until he says he is joking.
- Vampire Vannabe: It's revealed she expresses the interest of becoming a vampire herself in order to better fight for her political causes. Understandably, her mother has forbidden her from pursuing this wish, but she still secretly hopes for it.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Her final thoughts should Jonathan feed on her:Charlotte: Pray my mother never finds my killer, betrayer!
Carolyn Price
Carolyn Price
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 39
A previous patient of Jonathan's before he was called to the war. She runs a humble store in the West End.
- Abusive Parents: She's one of them. She's dependent on how good it feels to take care of her daughter and be needed—and will do anything to maintain this feeling, even if it means injuring her daughter so she can nurse her back to health from it.
- Believing Their Own Lies: She seems to have genuinely fooled herself into thinking that the "accidents" her daughter has suffered is genuine bad luck or clumsiness from her daughter or herself. Even Jonathan's Compelling Voice being used to force her to directly answer his pointed questions over her abuse will have her only react with shock or offense, indicating just how delusional she is over the matter of her daughter.
- Gaslighting: Her guise of care after she hurts Carol causes both Carol and herself to believe that Carol is merely repeatedly unfortunate and clumsy rather than being abused. The Hint system will confirm that, even with Jonathan asking and declaring otherwise, Carolyn truly believes that she is doing nothing wrong and is simply a loving mother, and that Carol corroborates that assessment while thinking herself as being stupid and clumsy enough to need Carolyn.
- Hate Sink: She's a mother abusing her daughter out of frustration and so she can get attention and positive feedback for "caring" for her and being "such a good mother". And since this kind of abuse is practically unheard of in this era, no one realizes it and it would be hard to convince others she's even guilty. (and so, have you considered...Embracing her?)
- It's All About Me: If you kill her, her only lament is that no one will cry for her. Nothing about her daughter being alone in the world—no, all she cares about is having other people's sympathy.
- My Beloved Smother: Deeply loves her daughter, but laments having spoiled her too much and making her unable to stand for herself. The trope takes a much, much darker turn when it's revealed she is abusing her.
- Mummies at the Dinner Table: If Jonathan were to kill Carol but not her, she leaves her daughter's body in the basement standing vigil over it periodically.
- Never My Fault: Is appalled and disgusted Jonathan would even imply she is committing the abuse she is definitely actually doing!
- Why Did You Make Me Hit You?: She clearly has no reason other than her own frustrations but has been doing this to Carol so long the poor girl herself seems to believe it.
Carol Price
Carol Price
Mesmerize Level: 2
Age: 20
Carolyn's daughter, who helps out around the shop.
- Abusive Parents: Is abused by her mother. If Carol's statement that she's been clumsy since she's been very young is indicative of how long she's abused, then the poor woman has been hurt and gaslit by Carolyn for over a decade even while she was a little girl.
- The Klutz: She is apparently very clumsy, and is often injured through frequent accidents. Then it's revealed she's actually being abused by her mother, averting this trope.
- Naïve Everygirl: Is sweet, innocent, and acts like a preteen rather than an adult woman. However, this is of course all due to the abuse and Gaslighting she's received for years from her mother.
- Sorry I Fell on Your Fist: Has a depressingly persistent case of this, she sincerely believes it is all her fault. She tries so hard to avoid "being clumsy".
- Uncanny Valley Girl: The moment you talk to her, you'll understand what she seems somewhat... off. Turns out she's been gaslit by her abusive mother.
Clarence Crossley
Clarence Crossley
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 32
Jonathan's old friend from before the war. He somehow learned about vampire existence and is trying to do something about it.
- Butt-Monkey: Clarence is treated as the West End's joke because of his ranting about vampires, his wife doesn't respect him and is revealed to be planning to get rid of him and even Jonathan can call him an idiot (though to be fair, not without case since Clarence figured out vampires do exist, but can't even identify the person he is asking help to is a vampire himself).
- Cassandra Truth: He is aware of the vampire presence in London and tries to warn people to do something about it, but is dismissed as a lunatic.
- Chekhov's Gunman: He wrote several of the in-game collectibles you can find in the overworld, but he's never properly introduced until Chapter 4.
- Dramatic Irony: At one point, he considered giving a lecture on the vampires' threat at the Finsbury theatre. Little does he know that the theatre houses an enraged Ichor.
- Impoverished Patrician: On his way to this as he is spending all of his family's savings to print anti-vampire leaflets. He embraces this trope if Venus dies.
- Love Martyr: Blames himself for his wife planning to murder him, and is only saddened that his current path has driven her to such extremes rather than saying, you know, he'll divorce or separate from the woman who's been trying to murder him.
- No-Sell: If you kill Venus, Clarence becomes the only non-Pillar citizens whom you cannot heal no matter how hard you try. Because he realizes it was you, and he will not stand for it.
- Unwitting Muggle Friend: He's Jonathan's closest friend but doesn't realize he's undead. Still, this gets Subverted and Played for Drama if his wife is killed: by the time Jonathan pays him a visit, Clarence will have figured out that he's the murderer and a vampire. Mayhem ensues.
- Shell-Shocked Veteran: Downplayed; his wife assumes he's this and he naturally did not find his war experiences pleasant anyway, but it wasn't the brutality of World War I's battlefields that dominates his thoughts now - it was the vampire officer that he noticed draining a soldier dry that really affected him.
- The Worm Guy: Kind of. He's not a scientist, but for a civilian citizen of simple background, Clarence has accumulated an impressive store of knowledge on all the pro-vampire (the Brotherhood of Saint Paul's Stole) and anti-vampire (Guard of Priwen) organizations as well as vampiric powers/abilities. And he turns out to be quite correct on all fronts.
Venus Crossley
Venus Crossley
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 26
Clarence's wife.
- The Atoner: If Clarence is murdered, you'd completed his investigation, and the general situation in the West End is not good, then Venus will join the Guard of Priwen. While patrolling the North Docks, she berates herself for not believing him.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: She's fond of Jonathan and offers her sincere condolences to him, but eavesdropping on her will reveal that she's had enough of Clarence's tomfoolery and plans to poison him. If Clarence dies, she straight-up admits wanting to kill him, but someone had beaten her to the punch.
- Bullying a Dragon: Potentially. Venus is very distinctly not afraid of Jonathan, instead choosing to antagonize him. Justified as she's known Jonathan for years – he was the teary-eyed best man at her wedding – and that kind of impression is hard to shake off.
- Meaningful Name: Seeing as she shares her name with the goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality, you'd be right to assume she's more than she's letting on.
- Pet the Dog: Monstrous as she is, she will tell Jonathan that she checks in on Emelyn during the day if she is still around.
- Rich Bitch: Turns out to be more interested in her family's reputation than her husband's life. Though, in all honesty, she can come across as justified. She only decided to kill Clarence off after he had returned to London and started squandering every penny on a pursuit she doesn't understand. As Clarence is the only breadwinner in this case, she is justly afraid for her future.
- Smug Snake: If Jonathan realizes she's killing Clarence and if he, horrified, calls her out on this, her answer will drip with venom.Venus: What are you going to do? Report me to the police?
- Tampering with Food and Drink: How she's poisoning Clarence.
Louise Teasdale
Louise Teasdale
Mesmerize Level: 3
Age: 22
A waitress that went missing and her father died searching for her.
- Abhorrent Admirer: Her Ekon admirer in question. Though she admits not being necessarily opposed to being gifted with immortality, she'd never accept becoming a vampire's Sex Slave.
- Armor-Piercing Question: A light-hearted variant when she curiously asks Jonathan if "vampires can even fuck", leaving him completely stumped.
- Broken Bird: Was almost turned into a vampire bride and grieves for her father's death as seen with her sobbing a few times in West End, especially considering the circumstances of their last time together.
- Damsel in Distress: She is being held captive by some Ekon, requiring Jonathan to save her.
- Heroic Wannabe: Louise expresses interest in joining the Guard of Priwen after her father was murdered by an Ekon that kidnapped her. Alternatively, if you helped vampire hunter Ichabod Throgmorton put his posters up all over the Docks she'll express interest in becoming his apprentice.
- I Have Your Wife: Being the "proverbial" wife of this trope, since her father was a Guardsman himself and a vampire kidnapped her to lure him out.
- I Have You Now, My Pretty: Her Ekon captor plans on keeping her as a Sex Slave.
- Papa Wolf: Her father attempted this, being correct in thinking that she was abducted, and was even willing to go down into the sewers to find her. Unfortunately however he was killed by a vampire, probably Louise's captor, leaving behind a letter begging for whoever that found it to help his daughter.
- Parting-Words Regret: In a way, yes. She had a violent fight with her father where he slapped her and she kicked him in the groin, and she fled the house as a result leading to her attracting the wrong sort of attention. She laments by the manner they interacted for the last time.
Usher Talltree
Usher Talltree
Mesmerize Level: 5
Age: 45 (?)
The Primate of the Brotherhood of St. Paul Stole and Edgar Swansea's superior who lives discreetly in the West End.
- Ambiguously Human: Usher looks and ages like a normal mortal, but knows an uncomfortable great deal about Jonathan, can flawlessly divine his fate, uncover other Londoners' most intimate secrets and shrugs off Jonathan's Mesmerize attempts. Jonathan himself harbors a suspicion that he might belong to some rare and exotic vampire subspecies. And so do the Guard of Priwen. Even Myrddin Wyatt seems to refer to Talltree as a "dreadful power" when Jonathan speculates that vampire Swansea may attempt to overthrow him.
- But Not Too Foreign: He's clearly a Sikh – he states so in his notes – but the unconventional name and the ties to England are there.
- Foreseeing My Death: Averted. Despite his impressive divining magics, Usher will not be able to foresee his own death by Jonathan's hand. Jonathan even smugly lampshades it later.
- Foreshadowing: Will tell you which of the Multiple Endings you're going to get if you stay on your path.
- Fortune Teller: His more or less occupation-slash-cover.
- Good Pays Better: If you go the entire game without feeding on anyone, Usher will be thrilled and even gift you with a unique serum that regenerates your Blood. Though, you can still get this serum off his corpse if you kill him.
- Heroic Neutral: Observes and assists the vampires who are willing to cooperate with him, but should a frenzied one threaten London he will not be as mild-mannered or patient. The only reason Usher doesn't oppose Jonathan – if he's become a murderer – is that he knows what will happen should the Red Queen wake up.
- Impartial Purpose-Driven Faction: The leader of one, however the impartial bit is a subject that warrants wider debate – the organization is ancient, has its own ceremonies and secret traditions, and its members know how to harness faith. Myrddin will straight-out tell Jonathan that if he indeed regards the Brothers of the Stole as a cluster of laid-back scholars, then he's a fool.
- Interface Spoiler: His biography lists an odd “?” near his age, further hinting that he may not be human.
- Non-Action Snarker: Like Edgar, he doesn't do much beyond sit in his burrow and use his powers to reveal the fates of others, but he can be rather smug nonetheless.Usher: [The cards have] told me of your unquenchable thirst for blood. Be wary, I've heard such a rich diet can be bad for the heart.
- No-Sell: Usher's final dialogue branch reveals he was previously only playing along with Jonathan's Compelling Voice and he doesn't in fact have to answer any questions he does not want to as one of the "privileges" of being the Brotherhood's Primate. However, once Jonathan has fully upgraded his Mesmerise level he is able to Embrace Usher so he is not completely immune to a vampire's powers.
- Parting-Words Regret: Inverted. If Jonathan drains him, his dying thoughts would echo the regret of not putting a Ban on him sooner.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: Despite vehemently denying Jonathan's claim of being a vampire, Usher's proof is only that he's aging and thus not immortal. Not once does he call himself a human, instead preferring the term "fellow mortals" when grouping himself with humans.
- Tarot Troubles: Reads the Tarot in his spare time and can do the same for Jonathan for the modest price of one-hundred-fifty shillings.
- These Are Things Man Was Not Meant to Know:Usher: I do ask one thing, though. Do not read [my notebook], Jonathan. Some secrets are not meant to be revealed, even to immortals.
Kimura Tadao
Kimura Tadao
Mesmerize Level: 4
Age: 48
A landlord and amateur astronomer that has been kidnapped by an Ekon.
- The Atoner: After Jonathan rescues him, Kimura resolves to be a better landlord and father. He also decides to join the Guard of Priwen to help other victims of vampires. Fortunately, he doesn't join during the game.
- Disappeared Dad: He is estranged from his wife and son, having never seen them in years. However, his narrow brush with death has made reconsider this.
- Distressed Dude: Jonathan first meets him being held captive by an Ekon seeking to sacrifice him to the Red Queen.
Calhoun Russel
Calhoun Russel
Mesmerize Level: 5
Age: 45
A rich hedonist who is known as the "London's Lone Gourmet."
- The Hedonist: Seems to think of nothing more than finding the next fascinating meal. He also seems to be running his shop at night entirely because it may tickle his fancies in meeting someone interesting rather than any other reason considering he's wealthy.
- Hidden Depths: Despite his hedonism, he is quite progressive for a wealthy early 20th century Englishman. For instance, he's arranged for his vast fortune to be donated to charity upon his death.
- High-Class Glass: Wears a monocle and is the epitome of an English gentleman.
- Patriotic Fervor: Has admirable confidence in the King.Calhoun: This is London, England! We will prevail! And if a bomb must fall on my shop, then I'll be there to hear it falling!
- Understatement: Played for Drama. Even amidst the catastrophe that is the epidemic, Calhoun is (un)consciously downplaying the effect it has on London's citizenry, preferring to place his trust in the government. This enrages Jonathan.
- Upper-Class Twit: Subverted - while his hedonistic epicurean tendencies combined with absolute naivety of the topic of the Great War going on gives one this impression, he actually wasn't born rich and obtained his fortune from being a food critic, so he likely has some competency in writing. He's also running a shop, though since he's certainly rich, how well he runs the shop is probably completely unimportant to him and it sounds like he's only running it so that it might allow him to meet interesting characters.
Carina Billow
Carina Billow
Mesmerize Level: 2
Age: 28
A strange woman lurking in the alleyway behind the Ascalon Club.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: Lady Ashbury's ex-husband mesmerized her to eat rats for his own amusement. There's nothing Jonathan can do to free her beyond killing her.
- Enslaved Tongue: Interrogate Carina long enough and Jacob will take over and curtly tell Jonathan to mind his own business.
- He Knows Too Much: Why Jacob brainwashed Carina in the first place; she was an enthusiastic suffragette who had the nerve to inquire about the Ascalon Club.
- Horror Hunger: Carina is well aware that eating rats is disgusting, but Jacob's mesmerism forces her to want to do so anyway as if it's the secret to immortality.
- Immortality Seeker: She eats live rats because she thinks doing so will make her immortal. She knows that this is a lie, but she has no choice because of her brainwashing.
- Mark of the Supernatural: Has mismatched eyes which reveal that something isn't right about her.
- Mercy Kill: Once Jonathan figures out what is really going on with Carina, she'll ask him to kill her. She's one of the few characters who is happy to be Embraced.
- People Puppets: Jacob has hijacked Carina's body and is forcing her to eat rats for his own sick amusement.
- The Worf Effect: Playing with. The fact Carina is possessed by Jacob – as we never see a vampire use Mesmerism to completely dominate a mortal from a distance – reveals that he's as nefarious as he is powerful.
Charles Jerome Albright
Charles Jerome Albright
Mesmerize Level: 5
Age: 40
A detective investigating murderers who are using the Spanish Flu to cover up their crimes.
- Ignored Epiphany: He's investigating the vampire murders across London and is a very smart and methodical detective, having correctly surmised most of the facts behind what's going on, but is unable to make the leap in logic required to realize the murders are the work of vampires.
- My Greatest Failure: He once sent an innocent man to the gallows and has been trying to atone ever since.
Pericles and Agamemnon Baker
Pericles and Agamemnon Baker
Mesmerize Level(s): 4
Age: 42
Two eccentric twins who are seeking to leave London.
- Came Back Strong: Killing one twin turns the remaining one into a powerful enemy, literally. Agamemnon is a literal example of becoming a powerful Skal with the ability to summon a double. Pericles, on the other hand, joins Guard of Priwen, and has an extremely high rate of fire with flaming crossbow bolts.
- Cloudcuckoolander: Both twins are highly eccentric and respond to even the most mundane questions with philosophical musings.
- Expy: Subverted, but their story has a clear homage to Waiting for Godot, with shades of Lewis Caroll.
- Polar Opposite Twins: Downplayed - Pericles looks haggard and speaks pessimistically of the world while Agamemnon looks more proper and extols about hope. They both say that their current desire to leave London is about the only thing they've ever agreed on. However, them being opposite is not constant and other times they're alike, what with the likelihood of the player seeing them sit on the same bench with matching poses or listening to the one adopt the same attitude as the other in their eavesdropping conversation.
- Theme Twin Naming: They are both named after ancient Greek rulers.
- Repeat Cut: Downplayed from eavesdropping on them, which has Pericles get up and pace while making statements on their situation while Agamemnon replies back, after which Pericles sits down but Agamemnon gets up and seems to repeat what Pericles did with a similar sentiment to what Pericles' said (though Agamemnon uses different words) while Pericles replies back to him as well.
- Strong Family Resemblance: The two twins are clearly of the identical sort. The main distinctions between them visually is different clothing and postures - Pericles has a more haggard bearing with messier hair and slouches forward while Agamemnon stands up straight with his hair fully slicked back.
- The Unreveal: Their final hint literally states them to be "a complete Mystery".
