The irrepressible second son to Austro-Hungary’s ruling family, Max has long dodged the worst of his family and government’s machinations and expectations purely by the good luck of [i]not[/i] being his (crown prince) brother. As archduke he still has expectations aplenty, and he has more or less met those expectations. He has no intentions of ever ruling himself, and has made no secret of it, though he has never abdicated his position. The many previous efforts to arrange a dynastic marriage have all been flat-out denied, which has resulted in his most recent trip to London – ostensibly in the hope of finding a vaguely suitable wife, but realistically to put a few thousand miles between himself and his suffocating familial expectations.
Nellie Jones
Nellie Jones likes to think of herself as the greatest actress that was to ever dance across the stages of Drury Lane, Marylebone Theatre and the Old Vic, – she’s also the greatest fuck of London! Alas, whatever goes up must come down, and with her reputation straddling the line of titillating and downright scandalous she dares to run out of time to correct all that was lost. Still, at least she’s having fun.
Jesús de Torres y Pineda
With a long and rich history that stretches from Catalonia to England, Jesús has long since anchored himself among the many of London itself, embedded in the city of Troy’s lost Giant descendents, Jesús is an esteemed and celebrated Professor of History at the London College University where he imparts wisdom, advice and easy relationships. Though his personal life is somewhat questionable due to an illegitimate child and the curious rumour that it’s mother had been of Islamic origin, England hopes to adopt him as their own.
Felicité Findley
Felicité Findley is an aspiring artist (and sometimes, stunner licked upon the canvas) who hopes to find her own path to life through living beneath her older sister and her inherited house. With her sister having succumbed with grief for the sudden death of her sailor husband, Felicité ventured to London from Oxford in order to act as confidante and well meaning aid. But, as always, the life to adulthood is never quite so simple, and as the future begins to dawn on this aspiring young woman, Felicité worries that all she has worked toward has been done for nothing.
Emma Edevane
The Edevane Family is one full of secrets, turmoil and, quite ironically, love. Not from the father, nay, but a caring mother and insufferable siblings. And Emma, our dear Emma, is child number three, a lady that in the eyes of society is everything she is supposed to be. That is, until you meet what lies underneath a well-secured wall. Being raised with two older brothers, and no girls around to play, Emma has become quite the tomboy and, unfortunately, the always desired friend, and never a marriage prospect. However, even though her eyes might get caught in beauty, her heart is never easily won.
Ciel Fitzroy
A lot has changed from Ciel’s position as a Dowager Baroness in London earlier this year. Married to the Duke of Grafton, whom she was always so very close with, Ciel emerges into the new year as a new image of herself. If only marriage could make her so happy, and if only the decision had not been made in the hope of saving herself from a threat to her life! Though one must wonder why such a prestigious man would take her as a second wife at all.
Aoife O’Kelly
As a member of the Greenstreet Gang, Aoife is the feral child of Dublin’s grime. Without a home, a proper family and even friends she is known for threatening anyone who comes her way (but sometimes, she is known for selling caresses for food or coin). With her future survival depending on the long relationship between herself and the Gang, its safe to say that Aoife is in trouble.
Archibald Seymour
Archibald Seymour, the Duke of Somerset, is a dark and dangerous man to all who oppose him. Whether it be the men who dare to risk the chances of Archibald’s racing horse or the ones who chase the girl he, himself, was after – you should run. Dressed as a man who should know better, Archibald’s techniques range from rumour to bruised knuckles. You can find him in the Theater, or perhaps in those hedonistic haunts of a time gone by. Or maybe, just maybe, you’ll find him at the commons listening in on laws that his late father would’ve once opposed.
Luc Wynn
Youngest son of a Welsh baron, Luc was always destined to be one of three things: A military man, an academic, or a priest. With his compassionate nature and personal desire to see all wrongs righted, and a true devotion to the words of Christ, there was only one real option for him. Having spent the last five years as an ordained curate in the East End, his newest promotion to assistant to the Bishop of London has given him a bit of culture shock. Back among the well-to-do of the city, cognizant of his status as protégé to an important man, Luc is doing his best to serve his family, the Church, and God.
Skye McDaniels
Skye is driven, sharp, and uncompromising, shaped by a harsh childhood in Dublin and a rough start in London. Raised without the safety net of a solid family, she learned quickly that the world wasn’t kind to those without power. By sixteen, she’d started making her place in London’s underbelly, first as a worker and eventually as a savvy businesswoman. Now the owner of The Moth & Lantern, Skye has turned her brothel into more than just a means of survival — it’s a stepping stone to bigger things. She values loyalty above all, especially from those closest to her, like her brother Eoin, though their relationship is complex. Skye doesn’t leave room for weakness or sentimentality; everything she does is calculated, and she’s determined to climb higher in the world, no matter the cost.