Dot is trying to find her place in the world as a Deaf seamstress. She is precariously balanced between the hearing and Deaf worlds, attempting to manage the wishes of her family to marry a respectable man and her own aspirations.
With a given name as aspirational as “Sterling,” maybe it is no surprise that Kildare clawed his way from his working-class childhood into editor’s chair of a known, if struggling, London weekly. He navigates the Review with a keen mind and sharp eye, and is ruthless about what belongs in the paper and what doesn’t. The owner has insisted upon only truthful reporting, but Sterling knows, too, that the truth isn’t always what sells papers.
Does it even really exist? This thing called ‘love’ she’s heard about through whispers, gossip and novels seems so far fetched and unreachable to her, given all she has seen and experienced. Which, granted, has not been all that much, still, in her limited view, she thinks romance and love are merely delusions one wraps themself in to avoid the cold hard reality that life is simply a series of logical and profitable contracts. Humanity tries to paint themselves compassionate and caring, loving and devoted, giving and nurturing – the bitter truth, however, is that no one really cares about anyone but themselves. And now, more than ever, she knows she needs to look after herself before her uncle does it for her in a way most beneficial to him and without care for her.
Obsession rules in Julian Graves’s life. He thrives on it. He molds his life around it, and when he is without a fixation, he struggles through the constant companion of an aimless inner turmoil.
Treat him well and he will adore you. Treat him badly, bully, tease, or humiliate him, and he will love you, a little too much.
Moira is a well respected member of high society and married to a well-loved and respected man, the Director of the London Opera. How involved she is in that work is up to you. Her background before marrying is up to you. Her age within that range is up to you. What’s important is that she has been pursuing an affair with Giovanni for the last year. The passion as well as the tension and jealousy that is brewing is threatening to spill over and both have a lot to lose if anyone ever finds out.
Moira can’t leave her husband but can’t accept her toy moving on. Giovanni thinks he might be in love but wants to move up in society and can’t if he is entangled in an affair that goes nowhere. Both are using the other, both know better but neither can’t resist the intensity.
Much of Moira and the dynamic with Giovanni is open for discussion since this is going to be an…intimate relationship, we should form it together. The complete dynamics are up for discussion and your input is encouraged.
Lucien, known as Lux among his peers, embodies a captivating blend of charm and recklessness. His ambition drives him to pursue his desires with fervor, yet he often struggles to maintain his composure, teetering on the edge of impulsivity and emotional outbursts. Despite this volatility, he possesses an undeniable talent for captivating a crowd, his silver tongue effortlessly weaving words that could sway even the coldest individuals to his favor. Lux knows how to command attention and inspire loyalty, even as he navigates the tumultuous waters of his own emotions as a young gentleman. The type to know a man, that knows a man, and so on- his connections vary far and wide, from the dirty slums of the east end, to the grand luxury of the upper-class.
Lucien King, playfully referred to as “Lucy” among his siblings, embodies a complex duality. While he is adored in high society for his charm, he grapples with feelings of inadequacy as he constantly finds himself compared to his accomplished eldest brother. The recent passing of their father has intensified his need to prove himself, fueling a quiet frustration that gnaws at him. At the forefront of his aspirations stands The Silver Bullet, a prestigious bar and club he opened just over a year ago in the vibrant east end, even as his father’s health declined. Lucien is fiercely determined to make this establishment thrive, attracting a diverse and eclectic clientele that reflects his vision. However, the challenges of managing such a venture weigh heavily on him, and he is acutely aware that maintaining its success amidst potential troubles is a precarious balancing act.
Barty Redd, a lawful neutral man, lives by his own set of laws that often diverge from the law he is sworn to enforce. He is a corrupt cop if ever there was one, out to make his way in the world. He frequents the pub life by night and gets into trouble by day. Those who know him would say he is a bit of a hot head with a short temper, but he means well. Always looking to meet new acquaintances…
The epitome of a carefree socialite, Oscar enjoys the easy life of a self-proclaimed artist and poet among London’s ton. Born into wealth as the eldest son of an earl, he has long been a fixture in the city’s social circles, where his lack of obligations affords him the freedom to pursue his passions as he sees fit. Always on the lookout for his next intriguing diversion, he has long embraced his image as an entertaining dilettante—not least because it distracts from his more pragmatic existence as the secretive owner of an exclusive male brothel known as Maggie’s Place.
Duke Nyle Reid’s life has been held deep within a fog for a long time; a product of compliance, of distance from his nature as a man, and a repression that buries him within the cold frontier. The premier face of English Lordship, he wears a distant smile in the common eye, but struggles to command the love and loyalty of others. Nyle’s life has long been a tapestry of formless despair, an obligation to duty, and a void of companionship. Perhaps, along the Thames, that will change.
The widow of a struggling member of the gentry and daughter of a baron not much better off, Olivia has known all her life that if she was to be properly supported, she would have to ensure her future herself. While her father squandered their family money, his title still opened doors for her, and now that she is staring down a pitiful annuity following her husband’s death, she has seized the opportunity to become the revamped London Review society reporter. Writing anonymously under the name Lady Tattleton, she has been perfecting a balance of building friendships amongst the nobility whilst projecting an aura of harmlessness so that they confess their deepest secrets. Her columns are the most popular in the paper.
