the Book
John Rumford:
Protagonist of the story, a United States Marine discharged when he interrupts a memorial service to prevent a woman from participating. Unable to succeed as a farmer due to extensive government regulation, he finds a role after helping some friends in Boston with a scheme to evict undesirable residents from their tenement housing, founding the Christian Marines who all chip in to pay him a full-time wage to fight for tradition and Christian values. Continues to lead through the war of secession and many years, eventually becomes a trainer for the Order of St. Louis.- Defiant Stone Throw: Interrupting the remembrance ceremony rather than let a woman say "Iwo Jima." To Rumford, no woman fought at Iwo, so no woman has the right to say the name.
- Informed Ability: Repeatedly hailed as the greatest soldier of the age, and even once as "the new Moltke." Rumford does no fighting whatsoever and barely any directing, preferring to come up with broad goals his subordinates carry out.
- Make an Example of Them: Many of his most dramatic victories. Rumford is also of the belief that hanging thieves early leads to less crime overall.
- Mildly Military: Has nothing but contempt for military bureaucracy, logistics, most officers, anything more high tech than a tank from WWII, or even uniforms. His ideal army is comprised largely of militia types.
- Non-Action Guy: For a story supposedly about fourth generation war, the nominal hero is almost always as far away and as safe from any danger as possible. He never sees combat in his entire life.
- Politically Incorrect Hero: At his best Rumford is willing to tolerate the existence of gay people so long as they stay in the closet. But even before he converted to Retroculturism, and all the racism, anti-intellectualism, and religious bigotry that comes with it, he was a raging sexist who was drummed out of the Marines for ruining a memorial ceremony because women participating offended his very being.
William Kraft:
Rumford's mentor, chief advisor and eventual Governor of Maine and leader of Victoria, in a "first among equals" sense. Introduces Rumford to Retroculture, his dress, mannerisms, furniture and way of life are ripped straight from an idealized world of 1950s sitcoms, except when he wears his uniform. Considers himself Prussian, and loyal to the House of Hoenzollern. It is unclear what his day job was before the governorship, but he is amazingly well-informed on events both global and local.- Berserk Button: Do not call him fat, or disrespect his Kaiser.
- Egopolis: Averted, as after his death the people of Victoria wish to rename the city of Augusta after him, but the motion fails as several of his close family and friends point out that this is the last sort of tribute he would want.
- Fan Nickname: Kaiser Billy.
- The Generalissimo: Begins his term as governor with a massacre of intellectuals he disapproves of, and commonly wears his Prussian uniform around the office.
- Good Is Old-Fashioned: And old-fashioned is good. Considers the drive for progress and improvement as inherently bad, or at least suspect.
- Good Old Ways: Firmly believes that nothing has really improved in the last sixty to ninety years, and television and computers have been a net minus.
- Gratuitous German: But of course.
- Kaiser Reich: Self-appointed Oberst note of the Prussian army, owns a complete uniform, speaks Gratuitous German and considers the descendant of the Kaiser his liege. On one occasion, he has a victory feast delayed to August Fourth, the day Prussia invaded Belgium in WWI.
- Supporting Leader: To Rumford, always.
- Tin Pot Dictator: Can certainly be seen this way.
- War Hawk: Kraft is eager to lend military aid to anyone and everyone with compatible values, and argues fiercely that Azania must be destroyed despite posing little direct threat.
