Mortimer Blake is the indomitably cheery sawbones of Harley Street — a studied man from the upper-middle class with lofty moral conditioning and a manner of conduct that might just fall a bit short of his convictions. After a stint as a field surgeon and years of charitable work in London’s hospitals and in the poor districts, he is trying to get wealthy and steady and decent. Unfortunately, his true desires lend themselves to none of those goals. Will he figure it out or fall from grace and end up mired in scandal?
Tess Newman
Suddenly the Housekeeper of an upper-class London home in a period of unmatched upheaval, Tess Newman is determined to draw on her practical nature to see her way through. What she does not know is that yet more tragedy lays upon the horizon, which will test her fortitude to its extremes.
Johnny Brown
Johnny Brown has recently been promoted to become the Head Gardener of Somerset House, for though the House itself has very little garden to tend to, there are manicured lawns stretched out against the Thames fringed by seasonal blooms and scents — alongside a large greenhouse that sports rare flowers given by travelling dignitaries. All in all, Johnny spends most of his time around the House in order to keep an eye on those in his care and those treasured persons in his life. But isn’t there more to life than work?
Daniel Wheeling-Hare
Born last of three brothers, Daniel never expected–or wanted–to inherit the family title. He identified himself as a musician first, as the son of a peer at a distant second. Tragedy, however, has a way of adjusting all sorts of perspectives, and Daniel has recently become the fourth Viscount Briarewe, with a manor estate and a London townhouse and a pair of siblings more inclined to view him as an entertaining uncle than an appropriate guardian. As if matters weren’t grave enough, he’s also gradually and inevitably losing his eyesight, and everything hinges on his ability to keep that fact a secret for as long as possible.
Ulysses Laughton
An artist, a Casanova and a little bit of an escape artist. Ulysses is bold and outspoken, an individual always on the prowl for his next subject, his muse. He prioritizes his art over most of his relationships and is downright fanatical when it comes to subjects or people that manage to catch his fancy. People know a great deal about him, but does anyone know him really? His secrets are abundant, though they hide quite easily behind an easy smile and a brilliant demeanor. Ulysses is enigmatic, though it is almost as if he had appeared from nowhere. With no family, and only some very close friends, Ulysses’ background is shrouded in mystery and, if one was to delve in further, full of fire as well. Rumors surround Ulysses and he wears them proudly, like a badge of honor. He is charismatic, he is inflammatory and his goal is to explore the world until eventually, he is lit ablaze, where he then wants to go out in glory.
Erastus Radclyffe III
Erastus is a young man brimming with jest, optimism, and a seemingly endless supply of irritating ideas. As his father’s only son, all expectations and prospects rest squarely on his shoulders. Yet, rarely does Rast meet these obligations without adding his own twist—always according to his own will and often to his own benefit. For do not be deceived by his good humor; beneath it lies a sharper mind than he lets on, one that is both keen and perceptive.
Eoin McDaniels
Eoin McDaniels is a chronic fuck-up; now in his 30s, he has spent the better part of a decade in an on-and-off love affair with opium—this vice at least made him a menace primarily to himself. That is changing. The Dublin-born man is, despite his addiction, still strong as an ox and has recently joined the ranks of the Greenstreet Gang. It is not far-fetched to worry that the backing of the gang will prompt him to unleash his destructive potential on the neighbourhood, instead of directing it inwards.
Lottie Payne
Site Canon Character
House Mother, Madame
60s · Female
FC: Catherine O’Hara
Mother to Ambrose Wilkes, leader of the Black Powder Gang, Lottie has not only survived the brutal affections of her former pimp and a career as a prostitute, but thrived. While she’s not officially part of the Black Powder Gang, it’s well known that she advises her son from time to time. She also acts as the house mother and madame of the Gun, protecting her girls and her son’s interests at the same time.
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.