At the end of each "novel", everyone gets an opportunity to write up the blurb for that novel (just like with the novels in the backstories). At the beginning of the next novel, I will choose my favorite and add it to the canonical list of novels. Additionally, I will award bonus Fate Points to the writer of that blurb, and perhaps my second-favorite if I had a hard time choosing.
Since this has just gotten started, I would like to request that everyone hold off on working on it until Tuesday. You will then have a week and a half to come up with your best shot.
This time around, there are two novels ("The Spirit Centurions in... The Nether Menace" and Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas) so a minimum of two fate points will be awarded. Good luck, and have fun!
edited 12th Jun '10 10:23:21 PM by Ironeye
I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.There is a gap between that novel and the next one, so feel free to make one of the normally-allowed changes. Please post when you make such changes, since I keep copies of your characters sheets in case I need to reference them. I'm going to assume you two just made those changes.
Also, it's Tuesday, so it's time to start working on those blurbs.
Edit: I'll always let you guys know whenever you can't do a FP reset and a character sheet adjustment. Otherwise, feel free to post the changes so that I can record them.
edited 15th Jun '10 6:30:44 PM by Ironeye
I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.Character update! I added in the new antagonists from Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas, as well some new characters who will be appearing in future novels. This update took so long that I will be adding the items/concepts bit on Sunday.
Known Enemies of the Century Club
Abin al'Jirayah
Abin al'Jirayah is the pseudonym of a notorious thief. He is known for:- His wide-brimmed, dark purple hat
- His use of a sleeping poison of his own devising, administered via darts from a blow gun
- His scimitar
- His sheer success
- Centurion Connections: Samson (-)
- Past Appearances: Journey for the Jewels of Justinian
Alistair Bentham
Alistair Bentham is the head of Ordo Corvi and Dana's adopted father. A this middle-aged master manipulator is quite principled for someone running an organization of thieves with supernatural preferences: he has a code against killing, is extremely devoted to his adopted son, and values the lives of his subordinates. He is not known to have any supernatural abilities. Bentham was last seen in Chicago at the ruins of the fire that killed Dana's parents, where he temporarily called off the agents chasing Dana.- Centurion Connections: Dana (+)
- Past Appearances: Great Dane McCallister and the Grasp of the Black Talon
The Soviet Agent
The Agent is a mysterious masked Soviet agent who was last seen teamed up with Rocket Red to find the Sword of the Archistrategos in Archangelsk. He spent much of his time coordinating the search and only personally entered the equation to stop Ekk and Anton from helping Millie face Rocket Red. (He was able to hold Ekk, but Anton managed to get through.) The Agent later appeared in Moscow, attempting to hunt down Anton after he escaped from prison.- Centurion Connections: Ekk, Anton (-)
- Past Appearances: Doctor Ekk and the Sword of the Archistrategos, The Midnight Train to Moscow
Egon Bernhardt
Dr. Bernhardt is an unscrupulous biochemist who founded Byberry Mental Hospital in order to get a good supply of test subjects. Sarah eventually escaped his grasp and later returned to retake Byberry, leaving Dr. Bernhardt in a remote cave. In the time since then, Bernhardt was rescued by some of his well-connected friends and was selected as a voting attendee of the 1922 Ziggenheim Symposium. At the Symposium, a Grey Man broke into his room and stole some of his death pills, one of which was later used to kill Dr. Zeram. Due to Grayson's testimony, Bernhardt was allowed to go free, and returned to Germany with his only friend at the Symposium, Dr. Weiss.- Centurion Connections: Sarah, Samson, and Sam (-)
- Past Appearances: The Byberry Assault, The Nether Menace
Der Blitzmann
Der Blitzmann is an insane German scientist who stole Nicola Tesla's tech and used it to build a super-charged suit of armor. It is unknown what his long-term goals are, but is the mean time he has been causing chaos all over the globe. He was last seen commanding a giant robot of his own devising in a failed attack on New York City. (The robot was disabled by the Trio, and its current location is unknown, though it is presumably hidden on a military base somewhere.)- Past Appearances: Sally Slick vs. The Giant Robot
Doctor Methuselah
The seemingly middle-aged Doctor Methuselah is quite possibly the most intelligent person on the planet. He claims to be nearly one thousand years old, and may even be right, given just how exceptional he is in other respects. Among other things, he seems to be able to perform impossible feats by inscribing inscrutable mathematical equations. A known enemy of the Spirit Centurions, the Doctor is searching for the Eternity Equation—a piece of perfect mathematics that would make him truly immortal and give him the power to control time itself. Whether or not the Eternity Equation exists is unknown, but he has tangled with Jet Black, Sally Slick, and other Centurions over clues to finding and understanding it, most recently being stopped from manipulating the time streamIn most countries, Doctor Methuselah is a wanted criminal, leaving him with few...civilized...places to hide. Unfortunately for our main characters, Switzerland is one of them. The grey-clothed, glasses-wearing Doctor arrived at the 1922 Ziggenheim Symposium in his personal ornithopter to enter a paper about the passage of time in a vacuum. At the Symposium, he showed quite a bit of interest in Maxim Komorov's violin performance, imploded a wing of the hotel defending himself from a Grey Man, and observed the Spirit Centurions as they captured Garrison Grayson. He was last seen leaving again in the ornithopter.
- Centurion Connections: All (0)
- Past Appearances: The Eternity Equation, The Nether Menace
Garrison Grayson
Dr. Grayson is a former archaeologist whose career was plagued by scandals involving smuggling and banditry in the Caribbean after he lost his funding due to some rather silly theories about Atlantean ruins in the Caribbean. The final nail was put in its coffin when he published a paper about the fantastic properties of a crystal he called nethercite—his findings were debunked in a paper by a group of other scientists. He dropped off the radar for a bit, resurfacing in 1920 as a patron of the sciences, particularly geology; this work marked him as a likely candidate for invitation into the Century Club. Grayson not only offered to match the 1922 Ziggenheim Prize, but he also donated quite a bit of money to move the Symposium to a Swiss ski resort. At the '22 Symposium, Grayson used Grey Men to kill Knichte, Gerald, and Zeram as part of his revenge on those who had discredited him. Additionally, he attempted to force his protege, Abram Brown, to a victory by intimidating the scientists at the Symposium, using the Grey Men to kill Dr. Blanc when Blanc refused to vote for Brown. Grayson was defeated by the Century Club and revealed that Brown was a fraud—all part of Grayon's plan to discredit the judgment of the Symposium and complete his revenge. He is currently serving jail time in a Swiss prison.- Aspects: Pawns and Kings
- Centurion Connections: Grayson met Millie back at Oxford during the war due to Dr. Rochester being one of the few people sympathetic towards his Atlantean theories. He attended Dr. Rochester's funeral shortly after his disgrace. Due to their interference in his revenge, the Spirit Centurions are now his enemies.
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Gorilla Khan
Gorilla Khan was Dr. Methuselah's first and most successful attempt at increasing the intelligence of another being. After Methuselah made an entire army of intelligent apes, Khan rebelled against his master, taking his fellow enhanced gorillas and conquering part of Africa. It is unknown why Methuselah let his right-hand ape run off like that, and conjecture in the Century Club is that it's all part of a big plan by Dr. M. Whatever the case may be, Gorilla Khan has certainly made his mark on the world. In addition to becoming the most powerfulLady Victoria Pride
Victoria Pride is Millie's greedy cousin. She believes that she deserves the inheritance the Millie is in line to get, and will do anything to get it for herself. (Really, she'd do almost anything for any sum, but, well, It's Personal in this case.) Millie has two quit noticeable accessories: her car and Mandeep Singh, her laconic manservant.- Centurion Connections: Millie, Sarah, Samson (-)
- Past Appearances: Millie Diamond and the Mysterious Mistress of Memphis!
Rocket Red
Rocket Red is a rocket pack-wearing mercenary with strong ties to the Red Russians. Though she frequently ends up in fights against club members, she's usually just on the job—it's nothing personal...at least on her end. Jet Black has a bit of a rivalry with her (in part due to rumors that she stole his mentor's tech), and Mack Silver isn't too happy that he let himself get seduced by her when she interfered with one of his smuggling runs in Mack Silver and the Sky-Pirates of Araby.Rocket Red also appeared in Doctor Ekk and the Sword of the Archistrategos, working for Agent Morpheus. She briefly faced off against Millie and Anton before they escaped with Ekk. When the Centurions were in Cairo looking for Te-Kas' ring, they encountered Rocket Red in a bar, where she got involved in a bar fight. Exiting the fight prematurely, she was able to sneak aboard the Sparrowhawk and do...apparently nothing. The team fought her as she was leaving, but she was able to escape.
- Centurion Connections: Ekk, Anton, and Millie (-)
- Past Appearances: Mack Silver and the Sky-Pirates of Araby, Doctor Ekk and the Sword of the Archistrategos, Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas
The Children of the Night
The Children of the Night are a group of black-cloaked cultists who are trying to discover the secrets of Atlantis in order to prepare for the time of nightmares...whatever that is.Te-Kas
The Affably Evil Wicked Cultured Te-Kas is the leader of the Children of the Night. Te-Kas first appeared as Tausret's cloaked adviser during her attempt to release the power of Ha'Tat, though he was later revealed to be her master. He was last seen in a secret opulent underground apartment in Baghdad, where he keeps Max Gentle as his "guest". He has promised to release Max (well-compensated) once Max helps him find the secrets of Atlantis...and he has told Millie that she'll be able to speed up her fiance's release if she helps the Children of the Night reach their goals.- Centurion Connections: Millie
- Past Appearances: Millie Diamond and the Mysterious Mistress of Memphis!, Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas
Tausret, High Priestess of Ha'Tet
Tausret was the high priestess of the cult that captured Millie when she went to Memphis to investigate Max's disappearance. Thinking that Millie was Ha'Tet reincarnated, Tausret attempted to release her mysterious powers, but was thwarted Millie's quick thinking and the muscles of Sarah and Samson. She fled to Cairo with her adviser (later revealed to actually be her master, Te-Kas), where his ring was stolen. Tausret remained behind to search for the ring, later agreeing to lead the Centurions to Te-Kas when she discovered that they had retrieved it. Once in Baghdad, Tauret arranged for a meeting between Millie and Te-Kas, threatening anyone who harmed her goddess with death. Tausret was last seen in Te-Kas' underground quarters.- Centurion Connections: Thinks Millie is a goddess in human form; everyone else except Dana and Ekk (-)
- Past Appearances: Millie Diamond and the Mysterious Mistress of Memphis!, Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas
The Weaver
The Weaver is a masked cultist of some standing in the Children of the Night. He lead the teams that captured Max Gentle and stole the research notes being kept by Dr. De Faria. It is unknown how highly the Weaver ranks in the organization.- Centurion Connections: All except Dana (-)
- Past Appearances:Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas
The Society of Gemsetters
This mysterious Arabic organization attempts to get its hands on all jewels of any note, particularly those rumored to have magical properties. Their last known targets were Justinian's crown and Te-Kas' ring, but their agents failed in both cases. Samson and Abin are both known targets of the organization.Al-Sayyid Ifrit
Ifrit is an agent of the Society of Gemsetters who is known for his powers of intimidation. This imposing man typically goes shirtless, displaying his impressive physique. Until the Centurions interfered, he was Abdul-Aziz's "handler" in Cairo, though he also assisted the Gemsetters in Istanbul in their attempt to open the Door of Belisarius. He was last seen unconscious in a bar in Cairo, but he presumably came to in time to notify his superiors of the Centurions' trip to Baghdad, given the surprise that awaited them there.- Centurion Connections: All except Ekk (-)
- Past Appearances: Journey for the Jewels of Justinian, Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas
The Pelican Man
The Pelican Man (name currently unknown) led the bird-man attack on the Sparrowhawk outside of Baghdad. He is known to keep explosives in his pouch.- Centurion Connections: All except Dana (-)
- Past Appearances: Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas
Current Centurions
Ivan Petrovich Ekk
You all know about Dr. Ekk's backstory, so I'll be brief. Dr. Ekk stayed in London with Professor De Faria when everyone else went to Cairo in Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas.- Past Appearances: Great Dane McCallister and the Grasp of the Black Talon, Doctor Ekk and the Sword of the Archistrategos, The Descent of the Sparrowhawk, The Nether Menace, Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas
The Trio (not an official name)
The three most prominent Centurions are Jet Black, Sally Slick, and Mack Silver, due to their frequent team-ups, constant heroics, and tragic love triangle. Simply put, everybody loves this three. They were last seen defending NYC from an attack by Der Blitzmann's giant robot in Sally Slick vs. The Giant Robot.Jet Black
Jackson "Jet" Black is the jetpack hero that Lance wanted to be.In terms of character relationships, Jet is the Unlucky Childhood Friend to Sally Slick and has a rivalry with Rocket Red that is tied to the (likely true) rumors that her rocket pack is based on tech she stole from his mentor. Additionally, he has dedicated himself to stopping Doctor Methuselah ever since their first meeting in The Eternity Equation.
- Past Appearances: The Eternity Equation, Mack Silver and the Sky-Pirates of Araby, Sally Slick vs. The Giant Robot
Sally Slick
Sally Slick is the scrappy mechanic of the Trio, as well as their gadget gal and designated driver. Think of her as a pre-WWII version of Rosie the Riveter, only smarter and more badass.Sally has a major crush on Mack Silver, but he just sees her as one of the guys. Jet Black is her best friend, and she is always there to rescue him when he needs it.
- Past Appearances: The Eternity Equation, Sally Slick vs. The Giant Robot
Mack Silver
Mack Silver is a former Great War pilot who is the black sheep of his rich family. In the time since the war, he has been pretty everywhere there is to go...and has a girlfriend in each of those places. Though he flies the protoype for the China Clipper (named Lucy), his main contribution to the Trio is his network of contacts all over the globe. As far as combat goes, he's almost a liability when compared to his two companions, though he's no slouch with his fists.Mack has no clue that Sally has a crush on him, and he doesn't even think of her in that way. Among his other hook-ups, he has been seduced by Rocket Red.
- Past Appearances: Mack Silver and the Sky-Pirates of Araby, Sally Slick vs. The Giant Robot
Allies of the Centurions
Dr. Rodrigo Jardim De Faria
Dr. De Faria is a professor of linguistics at Kings College London and was a friend of Charles Rochester before Dr. Rochester was killed while leaving De Faria's Great War victory party. In the time since then, he has become one of Millie's closest friends. In Millie Diamond and the Mysterious Mistress of Memphis!, he was given the mysterious note left by the cultists who took Max in hopes of translating it, and finally made progress in Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas. When returning to his office to retrieve some notes he thought would help with the translation, he caught the Children of the Night in a robbery. In the time since then, he's been trying to translate more using the notes that Millie and her friends were able to retrieve.- Centurion Connections: Millie (+), everyone else except Dana (0)
- Past Appearances: Millie Diamond and the Mysterious Mistress of Memphis!, Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas
Dr. Maximilian Gentle
The rather nerdy Max Gentle is Dr. Rochester's former grad student, specializing in the occult, and Millie's fiance. He was kidnapped by the Children of the Night on the day before his wedding, and has been kept as a guest of Te-Kas ever since. Max is set to be released and compensated by Te-Kas once he helps the Children discover the secrets of Atlantis, but he's managed to slip Millie some information that will allow her to get there first.- Centurion Connections: Millie (+)
- Past Appearances: Millie Diamond and the Mysterious Mistress of Memphis!, Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas
Rhys Hibberton
Dr. Hibberton is the inventor of the Synthetic Harmonizer...or he will be once he manages to finish his prototype. Not a serious contender for the 1922 Ziggenheim Prize, he spent most of his time at the Symposium trailing behind his best friend, Dr. Gerald, apologizing for the outgoing man's behavior. The death of Gerald at the Symposium hit Hibberton hard, and it's unclear whether or not he will be able to finish his work.- Aspects: Doormat, Embarrassed About Michael
- Centurion Connections: All (+, except Dana)
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Nicola Tesla
The brilliant Dr. Tesla attended the 1922 Ziggenheim Symposium to vote—his research getting stolen by Der Blitzmann set his work back considerably and put him in a position where he was unable to enter. The celibate Dr. Tesla is quite popular with the ladies, much to his frustration. Dr. Tesla is notably sexist...against men, and has a special hate for jewelry. Rumors put him working on a secret weapon in Britain these days.- Centurion Connections: Dr. Tesla has been following Anton's work and was pleased to meet him in person.
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Ian Cook
Ian Cook is the young head of Cook Enterprises, a Scottish company that seems to have a hand in every major new commercial technology. Cook is known for a few things:- His philanthropic tendencies, which have earned him a position in the Century Club
- The extensive collection of ancient artifacts stored on board his luxurious zeppelin
- His refusal to use his profit from Cook Enterprises for anything other than the philanthropy, collecting artifacts, and maintaining his zeppelin; despite being one of the richest men in the world, he has nothing to show of it besides his airship and the relics aboard
- His stunning rise from a middle-class family
- His romance of the scandalous performer known only as Lilith
- Centurion Connections: Cook has presumably met Millie before. Any of the others may have met him at a Century Club event.
Rikhard Fisk
Rikhard Fisk is Ian Cook's adviser and constant companion. This Finnish lawyer was moderately well-known in his home country before being hired by Cook, but his defense of Cook in an IP lawsuit has made him a minor celebrity. Despite many generous offers, Fisk no longer takes any cases not related to Cook Enterprises, and spends most of his time serving as legal council to either the company or its founder.Abdul-Aziz
Abdul-Aziz ibn Talib Aaqil al-Misri is a half-Coptic pickpocket living in Cairo. Though not officially a member of the Society of Gemsetters, he was a de facto agent under the control of Ifrit. When Te-Kas and Tausret were in Cairo, Abdul-Aziz stole Te-Kas' ring and tried to sell it without Tausret or Ifrit discovering his intentions. Unfortunately for him, Ifrit had caught word of the pickpocket going around the Gemsetters and confiscated the ring from him. The Centurions were able to convince him to lead them to the bar where Ifrit hung out. Upon seeing Millie verbally spar with Rocket Red, Abdul-Aziz punched the mercenary, starting a bar fight that included Ifrit. As the Centurions left after winning the fight, they suggested that Abdul-Aziz go into hiding in order to avoid Ifrit's wrath.- Centurion Connections: Millie (+), everyone else except Dana and Ekk (0)
- Past Appearances: Millie Diamond and the Ring of Te-Kas
The Chicago Gangs (included primarily because Jack would have heard of, if not already met, all of these people)
The gangs of Chicago started to rise in power as a result of Prohibition. These days, they're all involved in the bootlegging business.The North Side Gang
The North Side Gang is the largest gang on the north side of Chicago and outlying suburbs. Many of the North-Siders, particularly those in leadership positions, are Irish, effectively making their gang the "Irish" gang.Dion O'Banion
Dion O'Banion is the infamous leader of the North Side Gang. "Dion" is actually a nickname used in the papers (and thus the name Millie and most of the others know him by); his actual name, Charles Dean O'Banion, is what he is known by within the organized crime circles in Chicago (and hence the name Jack knows him by).“Bugs” Moran
"Bugs" Moran is one of O'Banion's lieutenants and a founder of the North Side Gang, and is the man who popularized drive-by shootings. Even his friends thing he's a big unhinged, a trait that got him his nickname. Bugs is one of Jack's primary suspects in the murder of John Courrier.Hymie Weiss
Hymie Weiss is O'Banion's right-hand man and the third and final founder of the North Side Mob. He is notable for being the only Polish-American in a high position in one of the Chicago gangs.John Duffy
John Duffy is a hired gun who takes enough jobs from O'Banion that he's considered a North Side Mob hanger-on. He was run out of Philly when Sarah and her brother took over the city.- Centurion Connections: Sarah (-)
Vincent Drucci
Vincent Drucci was a childhood friend of O'Banion who was approached to join the North Side Gang shortly after it was formed. These days, he's one of the gang's enforcers. He served with Anton in the Navy during the Great War, where the two got into some conflict due to Drucci's sharp temper.- Centurion Connections: Anton (-)
The South Side Gang
The South Side Gang is the rival to the North Side Gang, controlling exactly which part of Chicago you would expect. It is known as the "Italian" gang because of the significant Italian presence, particularly in the gang leadership, and its connections to the Five Families of New York City—the power behind the Mafia.Johnny Torrio
"Big Johnny" Torrio is the current leader of the South Side Gang, having taken over after the founder, "Big Jim" Colosimo, was murdered. After his ascension, he moved the emphasis of the gang from brothels to bootlegging, absorbing many of the minor south side gangs in the process. Originally having risen to power in New York before being invited to Chicago by James Colosimo, he brought some of his New York allies with him, including the Capone brothers.Al Capone
Al Capone is Johnny Torrio's right hand man and is rumored to be behind the murder of James Colosimo. He originally came to Chicago to avoid murder charges due to his actions in New York while working for Frankie Yale. He met Jack while working as a bartender at the Four Deuces brothel, where Jack first got his hands on the mysterious statue. Due to scars on the left side of his face, he is called "Scarface" by his North Side rivals, a name that has caught on in the press.- Centurion Connections: Jack
- Past Appearances: Jack Courrier and the Curious Statue
Frank Capone
Al's brother Frank has been his partner ever since their arrival in Chicago. Frank is far more ruthless than his brother, preferring murder to negotiation, but he has managed to keep a respectable reputation outside of criminal circles—something his brother has been unable to do. He met Jack while visiting his brother at the Four Deuces.- Centurion Connections: Jack
- Past Appearances: Jack Courrier and the Curious Statue
Frank Nitti
Before Al Capone arrived in Chicago, Frank Nitti worked for Dean O'Banion as a jewelry thief, fence, and liquor smuggler. In the time since then, he has changed sides, earning the ire of his former employer. At the moment, he primarily serves as Capone's bodyguard, but his leadership skills have been noticed...Jake Guzik
Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik is the financial and legal adviser to Al Capone, and one of Capone's few true friends because Guzik tipped Capone off about a hit attempt despite not being associated with the South Side Gang. He's the principle bag-man of the South Side Gang, paying off councilmen and police chiefs on a regular basis.Frankie Yale
Technically not part of the South Side Gang, Frankie Yale is one of its major allies. Before the Capones moved to Chicago, they served under Yale in NYC. An friend of Johnny Torrio, Yale was in Chicago when Big Jim Colosimo was murdered, and is one of the prime suspects.The Terrible Gennas
The six Genna brothers are a team of bootleggers who control the Little Italy neighborhood of Chicago, and who are allies of Johnny Torrio and Al Capone. By hiring other residents of the neighborhood to manage household stills for them, they have managed to produce far more liquor than Little Italy can consume, and have started selling it in other neighborhoods. Their rotgut is so cheap to make that they can sell it at half the price of their competitors, most notably Dean O'Banion. The bootlegging truce negotiated by Johnny Torrio restricted the Gennas to Little Italy, but with Torrio unlikely to take action against his allies, there is talk in the North Side Gang of teaching the brothers a lesson...Other Characters
Florin Albu
The elderly Dr. Albu is a Romanian geologist with a grandfatherly manner who doesn't seem to be entirely aware of what's going on around him. This former member of the 1922 Ziggenheim Council is also rumored to have gypsy connections. He sleeps like a log. Dr. Albu was last seen on a train to Romania.- Centurion Connections: Ekk (+), Samson (-, if he ends up remembering, anyway...)
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Jong-Su Baek
Dr. Baek is a short Korean physicist whose selection for the Ziggenheim Council was quite controversial. Unique among the 1922 Council, he was actually just happy to be a part of the whole event. Dr. Baek was last seen on a boat to Korea.- Centurion Connections: Samson (0)
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Savio Bianchi
Dr. Bianchi is an Italian physicist who was on the 1922 Ziggenheim Council and whose work was the basis for Dr. Hibberton's work on the Synthetic Harmonizer. Such is the power of the Bianchi that he makes straight men question their sexuality. Dr. Bianchi was last seen on a train to Rome.- Centurion Connections: Samson (-)
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Abram Brown
Dr. Brown was a rising star in the worlds of biology and geology due to his discoveries involving the biological construction of seashells. As Dr. Grayson's young protege, he got quite a bit of advertising at the 1922 Ziggenheim Symposium. The day of the voting, he was revealed as Grayson's patsy—he had done very little of the work that he had submitted to the Council for consideration. Brown was last seen in Switzerland awaiting to testify against Grayson as part of a plea bargain.- Aspects: Paranoid, Dumber Than He Looks
- Centurion Connections: All (0, except Dana)
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Willem De Witt
Dr. De Witt is a stocky Dutch marine biologist on the 1922 Ziggenheim Council who claimed that Dr. Gerald intentionally and maliciously downplayed De Witt's contributions to Gerald's work with dolphins. He was last seen traveling with Rox to Chicago.- Centurion Connections: Samson (-); Anton, Millie, and Sam (0)
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Oswallt Gwyn
Dr. Gwyn was a nerdy Welsh neurologist who somehow managed to hate the other 1922 Ziggenheim Council members more than they hated each other. He made the funeral arrangements for the scientists who died at the 1922 Symposium and was last seen returning to London.- Centurion Connections: Samson (-), Ekk (0)
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Maxim Petrovich Komorov
Mr. Komorov is an accomplished Red Russian violinist who was invited to the 1922 Ziggenheim Symposium due to his work involving the harmonics of violin strings. He obviously didn't have much of a chance at the Prize. After dinner on the first night of the Symposium, he gave a very moving violin performance that attracted Dr. Methuselah's interest.- Aspects: Prideful Prodigy
- Centurion Connections: Komorov recognized Ekk on sight even though Ekk didn't know him. Anton and Ekk (-)
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Lilith
The performer known only as Lilith is an acrobat know for her scandalous outfits an on-stage behavior. She recently rose to international prominence due to her romance with Ian Cook.Roger Rox
Dr. Rox is a geologist who was in contention for the 1922 Ziggenheim Prize due to his insanely extensive catalogue of the minerals of planet Earth. In 1918, Rox had a falling-out with Grayson over Rox's criticism of the other man's work in a paper coauthored with Drs. Zeram, Gerald, and Knichte. In early 1921, Rox's plans to go to the center of the Earth got him ostracized by his former friends. Grayson's Grey Men attempted to murder Rox at the 1922 Ziggenheim Symposium, by Rox survived due to the intervention of the Spirit Centurions. He was last seen en route to Chicago with Willem De Witt, a friend of his.- Aspects: Insane Enthusiasm
- Centurion Connections: Milly (+), All others (0, except Dana)
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Simon Weis
Dr. Weis is a a tall German biochemist who was on the 1922 Ziggenheim Council. He has ties of some kind to Dr. Bernhardt. Weis was last seen returning to Germany with Bernhardt after the Symposium.- Centurion Connections: Simon and Sarah (-)
- Past Appearances: The Nether Menace
Deceased Characters
Arnaud Blanc
The effeminate Dr. Blanc was a member of the 1922 Ziggenheim Council. The French chemist claimed that Dr. Knichte was a fraud because it was so incomprehensible. Blanc was the de facto spokesperson of the Council. He was thrown off a balcony during the Ziggenheim Symposium by a Grey Man because he refused to vote for Abram Brown.- Appearances: The Nether Menace
Michael Gerald
Dr. Gerald was a marine biologist who has also had some renown in the field of geology. He was one of a quartet of scientists who wrote a critique of Garrison Grayon's nethercite paper back in 1918. In 1921, he wrote a book about dolphin communication, particularly that of a pod of unusually intelligent dolphins out in the Caribbean—it is this work for which he was being considered at the 1922 Ziggenheim Symposium. His work was based on that of Dr. De Witt, though whether or not Gerald gave De Witt proper credit was never addressed by Gerald. Gerald spent most of the Symposium bouncing from conversation to conversation to tease other scientists about how they have no chance against his "talking dolphins", with his loyal friend, Rhys Hibberton, trailing behind apologizing for his rude behavior. Despite his lack of tact, Dr. Gerald was an upbeat man who seemed to think of the Centurions as his friends. Though Gerald had a bit of a rivalry with Grayson over their shared influence in getting the Symposium moved to the ski lodge and their shared tendency to try to come off well to other people, the two men never openly quarreled. Gerald's throat was slit by a Grey Man as part of Grayson's revenge on those who had discredited him.- Aspects: Thinks He's Funny
- Appearances: The Nether Menace
Humbaar Knichte
Dr. Knichte was a geological chemist who was considered to have the best chance at beating out Zeram at the 1922 Ziggenheim Symposium, at least before he disappeared. His work was so advanced and incomprehensible that most of the other scientists were either upset or impressed...and somewhat dismissive because of how little he understood about everyone else's work. This mild-mannered man was uncomfortable in crowds and spent most of his time at the Symposium hanging out by himself. Garrison Grayson confessed to sending a Grey Man to throw Knichte out of a window in revenge for Knichte coauthoring the 1918 paper that had discredited Grayson.- Aspects: At Home In the Lab
- Appearances: The Nether Menace
Friedrich Zeram
In late 1921, Dr. Zeram got in the papers due to his study of the effects of magnetism on human physiology, with the potential of making a neuro-map of the brain. The front-runner for the Ziggenheim Prize in 1922 (the first time he was up for a major award), Zeram disliked anyone who wouldn't flatter his ego. Garrison Grayson, in particular, earned a bit of his ire. Zeram was killed by one of Grayson's Grey Men using one of Bernhardt's freezing pills as part of Grayson's revenge on the people who had ruined his career.- Appearances: The Nether Menace
edited 18th Jun '10 3:58:31 PM by Ironeye
I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.Indeed, but there are 21 new entries and 6 revised entries for you all to enjoy. I'm thinking that given the sheer length of this thing, it might be better to put future updates on my contributor page (posting in the thread to notify you guys, of course).
I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me.HA. I just thought of an awesome use for my Winner of The Ziggenheim Symposium aspect!
*anton picks up phone and dials*
"Hello, Tesla? Zis is Anton, I vould like to talk to you about a cannon..."
edited 19th Jun '10 12:28:19 PM by Lanceleoghauni
"Coffee! Coffeecoffeecoffee! Coffee! Not as strong as Meth-amphetamine, but it lets you keep your teeth!"Here's another fun idea that came up in Vent chat, similar to the book blurb contest (seriously, no one's taking a crack at that?) but without the pressure of competition.
You know how adventure books usually have a teaser excerpt on the fly leaf or the frontispiece or somewhere else right near the beginning? We should all write one for our character's opening novel. It's a good way to hint at specific events in the backstory while still leaving room for big reveals down the line.
Sound good?
No, for character creation we wrote the blurb on the back of the book. This would be a short excerpt of the actual text of the book. It's the difference between the narrator of a movie trailer and one of the clips in the trailer.
EDIT: In fact, let me show you what I mean:
"Do not be distressed, my mistress," said the priestess as a bevy of robed cultists closed in around Millie. "You will feel much more at ease once we perform the ritual to restore your divine memory."
"Victoria, please!" Millie pled with her cousin, squirming against the grasp of the cultists as they tied her hands behind her. "You know I'm not this Ha'tet of theirs! Tell them!"
"Why, Millie," Lady Victoria sniffed, examining the blade of her rapier. "Who am I to second-guess their highly trained oracles?" She fixed her steely eyes upon the horrified Centurion. "Especially after I was the one who tipped them off. Mandeep! Put the other two in the car. We're going for a nice drive to the pyramids."
The last thing Millie saw before the black hood enshrouded her head was the burly Indian manservant dragging Samson and Sarah away...
edited 20th Jun '10 8:48:03 PM by Karalora
Languishing in prison for the last 12 days Anton Korvanatz was still no closer to escaping. They'd made sure his cell was completely grounded, and taken away his beloved arc welder. They knew who they were dealing with.
The Transport would be arriving any day from Petrograd, where he'd be locked in a lab far more secure than this Cell. Footsteps again. He was the only one in this wing of the prison. so it must be for him.
Maybe they'd torture him again.
a soft grunt, a muffled groan. and the guard outside his bars slid to the ground. The weak light from the dying bulbs faintly silhouetted the man at the door, his commissariat uniform in impeccable condition, which only added to Anton's Surprise when he heard in perfect American English:
"You about sick of this place yet Anton?"
"J-Jack? Vat are you doing here?"
"Let's just say that your buddies on the street felt it appropriate that the US Government Know you're stuck in this hellhole, and It's in our best interests to keep your abilities out of the Red's Hands. Now Come on, another patrol will be coming by soon, I've got Some Muscle waiting outside."
edited 20th Jun '10 9:49:07 PM by Lanceleoghauni
"Coffee! Coffeecoffeecoffee! Coffee! Not as strong as Meth-amphetamine, but it lets you keep your teeth!"

Hmmm...it seems a little dry. Needs more adjectives. Pulp writers love them some adjectives!
edited 12th Jun '10 10:05:45 PM by Karalora