The Major Players
Checagou is a large city, and there’s a reason it’s being considered as a possible capital for whatever will follow the Federated American Colonies. It’s almost impossible to keep track of everyone who is anyone is a place this big, but for purposes of this setting and game, here’s an attempt to mark the major (and some of the more notable minor) layers in the region.
Politicians
Local
Mayor Martin H. Kennelly: The Mayor of Checagou is a firm member of the Democratic Party machine that’s been running mortal politics for a while. Kennelly is a new mayor, having just taken on the job in April of this year. However, he’s business-minded, a skilled negotiator, and reportedly has little fear of supernaturals. Some say he’s a Minor Talent with protective magics, others think he’s just worked out good deals with anyone who might push him too hard.
City Treasurer Joseph T. Baran: While no one denies that the current mayor is more than a figurehead, most keen observers will say that the power behind the throne is the city treasurer. Baran came into office as the same time as Kennelly, but both he had been the previous treasurer’s assistant and both of them are known to be close friends with Paul Ricca, head of the Checago Mob. Baran stays out of the news and out of photos, but if anyone wants to get anything done officially in the city, they need to eventually get Baran’s approval.
The Margravina Francesca von Kleist: A war hero and one of the most-respected Swordmasters to survive the War of Empires. She’s the official .representative of the Europan Alliance who is now working directly for the Federated American Colonies in a nebulous role. She has referred to herself as a “facilitator” helping the FAC to transition to a country that is independent of Britain, and apparently has bet on Checago being the eventual capital of the next country. The extent of her influence and official standing is uncertain even to those who work closely with her, but she’s been shown to order around federal agents and expects local police to offer her their full cooperation.
Currently the group’s employer. You’ve agreed formally to be one of her troubleshooter teams.
Dawn and Dusk: Aides and bodyguards for the Margravina. “Twin” vampires, although there are many indications that they are not actually related and have just look similar. There is not much known about them except that they are both Europan, and are respected for their skills in combat. They are also intelligent and observant and are sometimes sent out as troubleshooters in their own right.
National/International
Dwight D. Eisenhower: Supreme Commander, Europan Alliance, General, Knight Companion. Eisenhower was the leader of the Europan forces during the Imperial War and often seen as the man most directly responsible for stopping what at first seemed an inexorable tide from the HRE, Prussian, and Ottoman Empires, and then turning them back. An immensely popular figure in Europa, Britian, and the Federated American Colonies, although ironically he technically was born and raised outside of the FAC’s borders. His status as an American and British citizen was settled a decade before the war, but some still bring it up as a potential issue. Currently, he was in line to be the next Lord Chancellor of the FAC, and now is being considered for the position of chief executive of the government that will come after the colonies establish their new constitution. Eisenhower is not known to have Supernatural gifts in any way, although some believe he has at least a Minor Talent.
Prince George Mikhailovich: Colonel in the Russian Army, and the nephew of George Alexandrovich, the current Tsar of Russia. George’s father Michael Alexandrovich is currently the Tsarevitch, the designated heir to the throne. Prince George had renown during the war both as a thoughtful and well-liked commander who often led from the front lines. Prince George is the official Ambassador to the FAC from Russia, who ended up spending an inordinate amount of time in Checagou and making a bit of trouble there. He’s currently been recalled to Russia, but has given every indication he wishes to return to America.
Count Luis Emmanuel Paulo Elizondo: General, and official Ambassador from the Mexican Empire to the FAC. Count Elizondo is seen by many as stiff-necked and proud, but he is known also to looking ahead to the future and being clear-eyed about the current state of his home country. His wife and daughter were recently kidnapped by an old enemy of Elizondo’s and rescued, and now although they live in Checagou they rarely go anywhere without several bodyguards. Count Elizondo is known to be a Supernatural, a werejaguar.
Mambo Miriam Rey: Currently considered one of the Voundo Queens of New Orleans and the Ambassador from both the Louisiana and Florida colonies. These colonies have formally broken away from the Holy Roman Empire and are now in discussions with the FAC about joining the next version of that country. Miriam is close friends with the Autumn Queen, Aster Beauchamps, and is also known as a powerful shaman.
Law Enforcement
The Federal Investigations Department
Responsible for intercolony (and sometimes extra-national) investigations and crimes. The FID is large and complex and many people think it’s already too large and unwieldy to be as effective as it should be. There are over a dozen supplementary divisions within the FID with their own focuses. The FID’s primary offices are located in the Khan Tower, the largest skyscraper in the world.
The Khan Tower is also where the Margravina von Kleist has set up shop, and she has rented your group offices on the 14th floor.
Magical Investigation Bureau
The FID division devoted to magical crimes. Unlike most law enforcement organizations, the majority of the MIB are themselves supernatural in some way. There is an over-representation of avatars and shifters in this bureau, although many mages—especially veterans of the war—will end up here as well.
Special Agent Angela Torrence: The chief agent of the local Checagou MIB. She reports directly to the Checago Regional Director of the FID. She’s notable for her rapid rise through the ranks; she helped bust two major smuggling operations, a ritual-sweatshop operation, and foiled an assassination attempt against Mayor Kennelly. She’s been trained as an Archer by the Royal American Academy, although there are rumors that she’s a minor talent and not a mage.
Agent Lucas Lowe: Avatar and trained Archer, although he completed training too late to serve in the war. Lowe has only been in Checagou for a short while, but has already participated in three high-profile arrests.
Lucas is Parker’s fraternal twin brother. Most people think he’s Native American, of the Apache tribe, but like his brother he’s actually of Japanese descent.
Checagou Police Force
The third-largest police department in the entire FAC, and currently actively recruiting to put even more cops on the streets, especially veterans of the War. The police have had a long reputation for corruption and cooperation with organized crime, although there was an effort to clean up the ranks during the War, which is one reason the department released so many officers over the past few years.
Chief of Police Gordon Fischer: Sometimes called “Good Boy Gordon,” the architect behind recent efforts to root out corruption. A known Dreamwalker of some skill, Fischer famously broke with the Winter Court that laid claim to his allegiance and has personally fought against Aaron Talescu with no clear winner. Fischer has a fearsome reputation on the streets but has been struggling to maintain stability in the department.
Detective Leon Pojrolski: An effective and hard-headed detective, one of the least supernatural people in the entire city. Pojrolski recently was commended and given the city’s Medal of Valor for foiling a plot to attack a meeting of local and international personages who were conferring about the possibility of Checagou becoming the capital of the FAC’s successor country.
Sgt. Matt Cantrell: A respected officer and beat cop, often works with Detective Pojrolski. Rumor says he’s turned down invitation to become a detective three times. With Pojrolksi, won the Medal of Valor helping to protect VIPs during an attack on a high-level meeting.
- Sgt. Darren O’Malley: Served in an infantry company during the war, winning a Conspicuous Gallantry Medal in Bastagone. Given a citation of merit for recent actions protecting Checagou from the manifestation of the malicious spirit, Uktena. Group Contact.
- Officer Lenny Dowd: Recent recruit who won a merit citation for action during the repelling of the malicious spirit, Uktena. Group Contact.
- Constable Allie Sontag: New shifter (weretigeter) graduate who previously was a security guard at the Royal Academy. Noted bravery in protecting students from an attack by rogue war machines. Known to group.
Royal American Academy of Magic (Vasiliki Amerikaniki Akadimia Mageias), Checagou Campus
Archmage Nicholas Thorvaldsen: The head of the Checagou branch of the Academy, a Grandmaster Shieldbearer, and considered by many to be the one of the three most powerful mages on the North American Continent.
Grandmagister Nolan Baristan: Head Clockmaker at the Academy, and considered by some to be second in power only to Archmage Thorvaldsen. Was noted as one of the only mages of his caliber who conscientiously did not serve in the British Empire’s military during the war. He consulted with various Clockmakers who were in the service, but refused to fight and was nearly imprisoned for his principles. He has written many articles and essays about the dangers not only of industrialized warfare, but of teaching techne, the magic of devices, as opposed to teaching science and technology. The differences between these things are not well-known, which he says is part of the problem.
Magister Simon Empedocies: Clockmaker, primarily teaching Enchanting and Machine Arcana. Served with distinction during the war, and is known to get into heated debates with Grandmagister Baristan about the war and the “need” for improved devices of war and whether such items can lead to more peace.
Known to the group as the chief mage working for the Checagou Outfit, and runs the Shop that provides Outfit soldiers with items that help them keep up with their supernatural rivals. Married to the vampire Ludovica Cavelli Empedocies.
Magister Vivian Laramour: Noted Shieldbearer, protege of Archmage Thorvaldsen, and head of the department of Metaphysics and Metaphysical History. Laramour served with distinction during the war, winning the Victoria Cross during the Battle of the Bulge. After recovering from her wounds, she was assigned as personal bodyguard to General Dwight D. Eisenhower. On her return home, she refused to teach battle magics and instead focused on metaphyical philosophy.
- Barry Armitage: Clockmaker student. Scholarship student, on track to graduate summa cum laude. Known to group, owes you a favor.
- Joe Medira: Clockmaker student. Known to group.
Supernatural or Underworld Organizations
Not every city has such large and orgranized groups of supernaturals, but Checagou has enough of each kind that not only do supernaturals gather in groups but they can even easily divide themselves among archetype. There are crossovers, of course: for example, each supernatural organization has a few avatars, minor talents, and mages.
These organizations can have official and legal fronts (even the Checagou Outfit has its legal cover, the Old Neighborhood Italian American Club) which take part in civic functions. Despite their civic participation, most of these groups consider themselves not really beholden to the laws of ordinary, non-magical people. In that sense, they are all underworld or criminal groups. However, some receive a lot more attention from law enforcement than others.
The Checagou Outfit (The Mob)
Considered by some the “normal person’s” criminal organization, as opposed to the vampire, shifter, and dreamwalker groups, it should be noted that the Mob has always been pragmatic about recruiting and using supernaturals whenever possible. However, the Outfit also makes ample use of machines and weapons. They have especially been heavy on recruiting military veterans after the end of the war, especially those who were trained in the use of firearms. The Outfit often likes to portray itself as the underdog organization, but the FID believes that there are more members and more criminal activity influenced by the Mob than anyone else in the city.
Paul Ricca: Nicknamed “the Waiter” by Al Capone himself, and kept the name. Was one Capone’s closest allies and his hand-picked successor. Ricca is known as a ruthless and intelligent boss, and while he had been primarily a smuggler and fixer, he was known to have a respectable body count back in the day. There’s a rumor that he’s a Minor Talent with some sort of fortune-telling ability. At the very least, he’s hard to fool and is often one step ahead of the Feds and the police.
Signore Morte: An underworld legend, a hitter from Cuba who worked in Florida, New York, and Philadelphia before being drafted as an Archer during the War. Considered the top sniper in the Europan Alliance’s forces, barely edging out Finnish sniper Simo Haya with 551 confirmed kills. (Haya claims at least another 150 unofficial kills, but some say Morte similarly has at least 200 more unofficial kills.) Morte came to Checagou after the war and has been Ricca’s personal bodyguard since then.
Court of Seasons
Checagou is home to one of the largest, most-organized enclaves of Dreamwalkers the Midwest region. There are as many dreamwalkers and actual fae in Checagou as can be found in almost the entire middle of the North American Continent. The Court of Seasons technically rules over the entire region, although there are territorial disputes about allegiances across the Mississippi River and farther south than the Mason-Dixon line.
The Court of Seasons is often considered the “most respectable” of these groups in Checagou, and they often organize and host high society functions from art shows to weekend-long debaucheries at their building, the High Woods Condo, which is one of the oldest and most distinctive skyscrapers along the Miracle Mile. They rarely involve themselves with the sort of street crimes and violent incidents that draw most law enforcement attention.
Technically, there is one court for each season, and the seasonal monarch hold sway over the entire organization during that time of the year. However, it is widely known that the Winter Court has the most members, money, and political influence, and also are on good terms with the vampires’ Society in Shadow. That means even in the height of the summer months, the Summer Queen would be wise to tread carefully around the Winter Queen.
Lilliana Everbloom, the Spring Queen: One of the youngest monarchs, and an actual fae. She is known to be smart and ambitious, but in the past year had some sort of encounter with the Winter Queen that taught her to be more cautious.
Persephone is one of Lilliana’s ladies-in-waiting and best friends.
Gerald Brightton, the Spring Prince: A dreamwalker, the son of the previous Spring Queen. Gerald is not married to Lilliana, and neither one appears interested in changing that situation. He is technically her cousin, and is rumored to be a “committed bachelor” who has little to no interest in female companionship. Gerald was challenged by the Autumn Knight to a duel and lost so badly that he’s refused to pick up a weapon since then.
Sir Malcolm Wildrose, the Spring Knight (“Knight of Flowers”): A fae of unknown age; it’s believed he inspired more than one Romance-era painting of noble knights, such as Sir Galahad. Malcolm is not quite as noble as his image: he’s been known to fight in more than one war, and is considered a cunning and deadly warrior in almost any circumstance. Even though he is a fae and not a dreamwalker, he has a remarkable talent for staying manifested in the physical world longer than expected, and seems to be an expert in dealing with assaults from iron. All of the other knights of the Seasonal Court respect him, and to everyone’s surprise, the Winter Knight is one of Malcolm’s best friends.
- It’s known to the group that Sir Malcolm is one of Persephone’s roommates and lovers.
- Lady Cassia Foxglove: another lady-in-waiting for the Spring Queen. Is another one of Persephone’s lovers, although there are those in the courts who will use euphemisms to refer to them.
Zinnia Sarrel, the Summer Queen: According to legend, Zinnia was not a supernatural of any kind, but her husband proved powerful enough to make her into a Dreamwalker. The true story is, as always, more complicated, and King Emmond will insist she made her Bargain on her own merits, not due to anything he did. Zinnia’s magical power may be open to debate, but she is a cunning politician and a sharp businesswoman. In the time since she’s officially been queen, her court’s fortunes have improved notably.
Emmond Sarrel, the Summer King: A dreamwalker, and considered one of the more powerful dreamwalkers in the region. He has been the Summer King since 1900, and has not notably aged since that time. Has served as a Chicago alderman from the extremely wealthy and powerful 43rd Ward along the North Lakefront for nearly half of his rule, holding onto his political position, his businesses, and his role as Summer King through a combination of wit, ruthlessness, and skill in combat. He’s widely considered one of the key figures in the negotiations for Checagou to be the capital of the FAC successor country.
Sir Eloise Greenhand, the Summer Knight (“Knight of the Day”): The newest of the court knights, Eloise is neither fae nor a dreamwalker. She’s a mage, rumored to be of the Watcher order, who impressed King Emmond during the War of Empires.
Aster Beauchamps, the Autumn Queen: Once a noted jazz singer who moved to Checagou from the Louisiana territory that still technically belongs to Francia, Queen Aster is seen as a social climber. She married her king before the War and and since slowly taken more power from him until she is now clearly the decision maker of her court. She stands out in part because she is a person of color, a fact that many dreamwalkers and other high society mavens gossip about.
Augustus Rosenwald, the Autumn King: A dreamwalker, and of the potential inheritors of the massive Sears & Roebuck corporation. Augustus has great ambitions but took decades to see them come to fruition. He managed to win the favor of High Queen Mab, but no one knows exactly how far that favor extends. He also is aging like a mortal man, and some wonder how much longer he will remain as king, especially as his wife’s influence rises.
Sir Nicol Shadefall, the Autumn Knight (“The Harvest Knight”): A dreamwalker and veteran of the Imperial War, Sir Nicol is a grim and forbidding man. He was known to function as a spy and assassin during the war–the revealing of this fact was a ploy by Prince Gerald Brightton in an attempt to discredit him. Instead, the Autumn Queen spun it to their advantage, but just barely. Sir Nicol challenged the Summer Prince to a duel and some say would have killed him if Sir Malcolm had not intervened.
Viola Emintrude, the Winter Queen: A true fae, related in some way to High Queen Mab, and is herself possibly the most powerful fae in the region. She arrived in Checagou more than a century ago, nearly the same time as the vampire leader Constance Winter, and they are known to have been lovers in the past and are certainly close friends even now. Queen Viola is often seen as the ruler of the Court of Seasons year-round.
Patrick Reese, the Winter King: A dreamwalker who almost never speaks in public. Although Patrick is considered a beautiful man, it’s well-known that he’s not that bright. He is, however, one of the inheritors of the Wrigley family fortune and the fourth-richest man in Checagou.
Sir David Allister, the Winter Knight (“The Knight of Frost”): A dreamwalker and the oldest Knight still in service to the Seasonal Courts. Allister is rumored to be considering retirement. He is known to have once fought Aaron Talescu to a standstill more than a decade ago.
Little Fusang
The region of Fusang, which is centralized around the walled city of Danzhou, occupies much of the area around the Bay of Hui Shen in the middle of the American West Coast. Fusang is home to perhaps a million or more people of Chinese descent, with smaller populations of Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese heritage. The Fusang region within the walls is so full that many people have emigrated from it to settle other parts of America, including several rail cities such as Salt Lake or Denver, and especially Checagou. Some have said hyperbolically that half of the city of Checagou was built by workers from Fusang, the other half built by Irish immigrants.
For decades, the majority of the Fusang immigrant community was near the lake shore but after the Tong Wars of the early 1900s, in which several organized crime groups had public battles, the immigrants were encouraged to move and at times actively ejected from their homes and forced south. More than one organization has stepped in to “guarantee there will not be a return to the Tongs,” such as the Moy Family Association or the On Leong Merchants Association. These family associations purchased many buildings in the Armour Square area which rapidly became known at Little Fusang. Currently nearly half of the city’s three thousand Fusang immigrants, who are primarily of Chinese, Japanese, or Korean heritage, live in Little Fusang.
Jim Moy: Head of the Moy Family Association, a businessman who owns laundries, restaurants, and an import/export business. Many people refer to Mr. Moy as a kind, generous, and friendly gentleman who is loved by everyone. There are rumors, though, that Moy had been treated as a pawn during the Tong Wars and instead turned the tables on three different Tongs. Moy outmaneuvered Tong leaders, survived at least three assassination attempts, and worked with the Federal Investigations Department to dismantle the Tongs. It is believed that Moy and his family inherited most of the money and territory once controlled by the Tongs, although there is little to no evidence to tie him to overt criminal activity. Moy is secretive and little-seen, but it’s known that his three sons are all decorated veterans and at least one of them, Phillip Moy, is a skilled martial artist and Avatar.
Dian Mu Jiang: A musician and socialite, called by the society papers as the “most beautiful woman in Little Fusang.” Is considered quite popular in high society. Is some kind of supernatural, although it is uncertain whether she’s a Dreamwalker or Avatar.
Hua Wang: Works for the Moy Family Association as a peacekeeper, helping deal with Little Fusang’s internal matters so outsiders don’t have to get involved. Worked with the group before, but not necessarily trustworthy.
Zhang Jin: Als known as the “New Weapon.” A supernatural assassin experimented on by James Lowe, Parker’s father. Has the ability to temporarily disrupt magic, but may be able to permanently damage or remove the magical Bargain which powers most of industrialized magic and makes every Supernatural possible. His powers are not stable, and they were responsible for the death of the vampire Baldyr Torvald and may lead to the death of Ludovica.
Societas in Umbra (“The Society in Shadow,” “The Wine Mob”)
The vampires of Checagou are officially organized as a social club that offers membership at the exclusive nightclub, Wonderland. Each vampire, regardless of personal goals or ambitions, is required to attend at least one or two meetings with the club leadership per year. These meetings lay out individual permissions for feeding areas, rules about about creating Scions (new vampires), responsibilities within the club, and tithing. Any vampire found in the city who does not tithe to the leaders will either move elsewhere or disappear from sight and never be talked about again.
The current leadership is held by Constance Winter, but she often has Joseph Siggenauk and Corran McKellan with her during formal meetings and treats them as peers.
Despite the assumption that all vampires are members of the Society in Shadow, there are other supernaturals who are known members.
Janelle Ashland: One of Constance Winter’s close assistants and keeper of her schedule. A young socialite as well.
Janelle is friendly with Persephone, although she has no Contact or Relationship levels with her at this time, after Persephone caused trouble by pretending to be Winter.
Nate Darkcloud: One of the Crow’s Scions, member of the Ojibwe tribe. Mostly works as a scout and investigator, but has some facility in combat when required. Has been friendly and helpful to the group a couple of times, and seems to genuinely like speaking with Parker.
Ludovica Cavelli Empedocies: Born in Naples, Italia in the mid-19th century, fought in three wars (including the Imperial War) and was considered one of the more influential vampires who seemed to keep personal distance and independence from Constance Winter. Was recently a victim of a magical attack that means she’s physically about 90 years old. She’s married to Magister Simon Empedocies.
Corran McKellan: A newcomer to Checagou, with a generally mysterious background. McKellan arrived during the midst of the War and helped Winter overcome a challenge to her rule, personally killing five would-be assassins. McKellan has an Irish accent and claims to have emigrated “the long way around.” He is known to share tall-tales, including journeys through Africa, India, Siberia, Mongolia Japan, and the Western parts of America. Has lately been acting as one of Constance Winter’s enforcers.
Joseph Siggenauk: Called “the Crow,” Siggenauk is older than the founding of Checagou. He was a member of the Ojibwe tribe living in the region when Europan traders first came to the area, and has been part of the city’s history ever since. It’s unknown how powerful Siggenauk is personally, but everyone, from the shifters to the Court of Seasons, show him respect. He may also be the richest person in the city; it’s believed that he secretly owns at least half of the property in the region. He attends meetings with the vampire establishment, but Siggenauk has his own agenda and rarely shows interest in what the society does.
The Crow has said that the he personally owes the group a favor for their work in stopping Uktena.
Heinrich Messer: Financier from Prussia, who immigrated to the city two decades before the war. Was in a relationship with Baldyr Torvald, who might have been the oldest vampire in the region before his death. Messer was a suspect in Torvald’s death, and was arrested on unrelated charges of weapons deals with enemies of the British Empire. Has recently been released from custody.
Constance Winter: The head of the Society in Shadow, and claims to be as old as Joseph Siggenauk. Winter came to the Checagou region in the middle of the 19th century and helped guide its social and arts scene since then. Is a patron of the arts, helped found the Art Institute, and is rumored to have created several works of art herself under various pseudonyms. She owns the Wonderland Club, among others. Winter’s combat prowess is unknown, but she’s been one of the undisputed leader of the most deadly and cutthroat Supernatural organization in Checagou, and it’s certain she’s been challenged for her position more than once. The current rumor is that no one who sees Winter fight is allowed to survive to tell the story.
Winter has been friendly to Persephone in the past, but currently has placed her on “probation” after Persephone impersonated her. While solving the mystery of how Torvald died has earned Persephone a reprieve, she knows better than to assume all is forgiven s easily.
Societas Versipellis (“The Society of Change” or “Moon Mob”)
As with the vampires, most shifters in the city are assumed to be part of the Changing Society, or at least pay their respects during the yearly Great Hunt. The shifters usually break themselves into crews (or “packs,” among the werewolves), and often but not always further separate themselves according to the animals they shift into. There are at least as many werewolves as any other kind of shifter in the city, and a surprising number of werebirds (mostly wereravens and werehawks). While the shifters are more relaxed about membership and rules than the vampire, the core of the group are ruthless about claiming and protecting their territory, and have had some quite bloody conflicts with other supernaturals, the Mob, and the Tongs during the Tong Wars.
Giuseppe “Joey Roman” Canis: The head of The Society of Change and the oldest werewolf in the city. He has held power at least since 1900, and most recently defended his position from an upstart challenger last year. He is an ally of the Summer King Emmond Sarrel, and considers Joseph Siggenauk, the Crow, a close friend. There are rumors that Roman is looking to officially name his successor soon so that he can retire.
Eliza and Esther: The sisters who apparently run the largest single swarm of wererats in the city. They keep to themselves as much as possible, but also know better than try to fight the people in charge of the Changing Society. They are hard to tell apart, but Eliza is the one who talks more often and tends to fight directly, and Esther is the one who does more sneaking.
They both seem friendly with Parker, in part because they all appear to have the same appreciation for privacy and quiet.
Art Makwa: Makwa is a lawyer by training, but primarily works as a private detective and fixer for the shifter organization. His father was Ojibwe and his mother was White, and he’s had to deal with prejudice from both sides of his family. An impressively large man, Makwa is also a werebear and considered one of the three of four most deadly fighters among all the shifters in the city.
Aaron Talescu: The consigliere of the shifter organization, the effective right-hand man and second-in-command. Talescu is in his early 60s and a veteran soldier, and returned to service in the first few years of the Imperial War until he was nearly killed in battle and sent back home. He’s considered the most dangerous warrior among the shifters, and possibly the most dangerous fighter among all supernaturals in the city. Talescu might become the next leader of the shifters, but some wonder if he wants that position or wishes to continue to be the power behind the throne.
Individuals of Note for the Group
- Jack Longstrider: Once a famous individual, a Grandmagister Realmwalker who among other things helped construct the Wellspring at the High Woods Condo and the wards and openings to spirit realms at the Academy. In a strange ritual experiment, lost his mind nearly twenty-five years ago. Regained it through the use of another complex and dangerous ritual that, among other things, involved reawakening the ancient goddess Sekhmet. Is somewhat responsible for infusing the group members with the energy of alternate versions of themselves, which in part seems to given them some sort of mark of destiny.
- Dr. James Lowe: Parker and Lucas’ father, a Mage who is known for bending the “rules” of magic and trying to create “superior” kinds of supernatural beings. Was responsible for finding and twisting Zhang Jin’s gift, turning him into a weapon that could hardly control his own abilities. Also was trying to create several enhanced soldiers for Fusang, but when the truth of his experiments came out, was ostracized and attacked. His wife Hiyori Saito, the Lowe boys’ mother, died during these attacks, the Lowes left their home/prison, and other experiments such a Zhang Jin escaped. Dr. Lowe was last spotted trying to set up shop in the rail city of Denver, but had to leave when agents from Fusang came too close.
- Nelly and Chrissy: Young orphans (they think they’re about 11 and 12 years old respectively) and until recently, homeless girls encountered by the group while they were trying to track down Zhang Jin. They were attempting to steal crystals and valuables from an energy-generation station that was holding a powerful and dangerous lightning demon. Chrissy, it turns out, is a Mage who has just barely discovered her abilities. Nelly is an accomplished thief on her own and mean with a shin kick and stiletto. They do not talk about their childhoods, but they say they have been together forever and might be sisters. Chrissy was recently rescued from the Children of Uktena who were planning to turn her into a horned serpent. She was sent to Eliza and Eshter for short-term protection. The sisters since tracked down Nelly and have made sure the girls are a the moment residents of one of the Sexton Family child homes that are a definite step up from the typical orphanage.