◉ The Keeper: Little is known of the man called the Keeper other than his mission of storing dangerous items in a facility called the Gallery. Both his home and headquarters, the Gallery’s location is secret even to his guests and employees. Using unparalleled eldritch and scientific skills he has made it accessible through hundreds of thousands of doors worldwide with the use of special keys. Though he bears the face of a plain-looking forty year old, the Keeper is a scholar with untold lifetimes of wisdom and experience. Gentle but quirky, he abhors violence but does understand the occasional need for it, often hiring bodyguards talented in the ways of combat.
◉ Mortimer “Mort” Lester: The spirits of the afterworld know him as Death – or one of many messengers of Death, at least. They see him roll up in his Bentley Continental dressed to the nines whistling a happy tune and they know that everything’s going to be all right. To the living he is known as Mortimer Lester. A cheerful seventy-something with a compassionate heart and a welcoming smile. Mort collects those souls who have trouble finding their way and escorts them to the afterworld. He is known to be a being of significant power but that does not stop him from being mild and hospitable. He’s always got an open door and a cup of tea for anyone who needs him.
◉ Gloria Corbyn-Clarke: Gloria is a proud British woman more than a century old. She is one of the Keeper’s many employees but working for him is far from her only occupation. She uses her considerable skills and power to help people plagued by preternatural threats. Though she is as deadly as they come she is not taken to random violence. Experience has taught her to attempt other avenues of solution before resolving to fight.
◉ Beatrice Fremont: Known as the Queen of Whores, Beatrice Fremont is a madam and a business woman. In addition to employing more than a hundred courtesans she owns several exotic dance clubs and adult boutiques. While definitely a criminal Beatrice is seen by many as a lesser evil. She protects her employees ardently and directs them to be safe. A client who harms one of her subordinates will quickly find themselves in a very bad situation and, depending on the severity of their sins, may not be seen again. Beatrice is wealthy, beautiful, strong-willed, and intelligent. A force to be reckoned with.
◉ The Venator: The Venator is not so much a person as it is a position. Centuries ago when America was a simple collection of colonies under British rule, a small Virginia town named Judea found itself beset by supernatural dangers. Over three generations a group of slaves called the Congregation combined their dark and secret Crafts to imbue seven men with power enough to face these perils. They offered their services in exchange for milder treatment and greater privileges. Thus was born the Covenant, the agreement between the city elders and the Congregation. The warriors were called Venators and they carried the power in their blood. When one of them died the Congregation would use their knowledge to awaken the power in the blood of one of their children. Due to fear, prejudice and various political pressures, the number of Venators has varied over the years. For centuries the Covenant only allowed for one. This man would be given his own division within the police department answerable only to the Congregation and the mayor. But with changing times more Venators are called to the sacred duty.
◉ The Traveler: Much like the Venator the Traveler is more a title than a name. Unlike the Venator there can only ever be one at a time. The first Traveler lived more than six hundred years ago. Using Crafts and practices unknown to all but her she constructed the Ambitus – a device that could detect locations where the partition between dimensions was thin and open doors to other realms. What’s more she designed it in such a way so that only her female descendants could use it. These women would venture to worlds beyond imagination and have adventures beyond reckoning. Sometimes their foremothers would die before being able to pass on their knowledge, but the Ambitus always found its way into the right hands. And the woman would often find herself whisked away to some far-off plane and forced to learn in the heart of some shocking escapade. Being women, they have no family name to bind them. They’ve been Liddles and Gales and Darlings. In modern times the Traveler is Kaitlyn Wallace, a troubled young woman who was led to the Ambitus just as she was putting her life back together.
◉ Patches: Upon seeing him saunter down the street with his shopping cart and filthy rags, many dismiss the old man as a vagrant. But those who are wise know better than to disregard him so easily. Patches has his thumb on the pulse of the streets and alleys. The city has no secrets from him. Anything discussed in boardrooms, promised beneath sheets, or confessed in the dark will make it to his ears eventually. Named for the hodge-podge of patches sewn haphazardly onto his jacket to keep it intact, no one knows where he comes from or how he came to make his home in alleys and under bridges. They do know that he does not consider himself homeless and he politely rejects all kindness that would take him off his beloved streets. Patches is genial, helpful and strangely generous but he is to be approached cautiously. For no one person is more important than the city and one never knows when he might deem a sacrifice necessary.
◉ Clara Ultreras: The burden of empathy is heavy on Clara who possesses the power to heal with a touch. This power, called the Healing Heart, appears randomly in the women of her family going back to the time of the Aztecs. But these women, despite their endless compassion, do not lead good lives. The world exacts a heavy toll from people with this power. Many of them are enslaved or murdered. As such, she keeps her abilities a closely guarded secret. But her tender heart will not allow her to let her power go unused. Clara works as a nurse, healing little by little and doling out secret mercies wherever she can.
◉ Persephone Vargas: It happens from time to time that a decedent refuses to venture forward or does not know how. When this happens they linger, meander or haunt. And Persephone can see them when they do. Raised by Beatrice Fremont and mentored by Mort Lester, Persephone discovered her powers at a young age. She has since used them to right wrongs, unravel mysteries and provide comfort to those who have passed and their loved ones. Persephone is a woman of many talents but among her greatest gifts is the ability to make exceptional use of otherwise banal skills.
◉ Thelma Vandermark: Thelma is a woman of simple pleasures. She likes frozen burritos, wine coolers and menthol cigarettes. One would never know to look at her that she is an arcane scholar with two master’s degrees. She owns an occult supply shop called Summerland and is the first stop for anyone who needs a bit of advice on theurgical matters. With more than six decades of experience she’s got the expertise to spare but Thelma is not one to mince words. Not only will her counsel be gruffly straightforward, but it comes with her biting judgment.