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 King
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.
Estelle King
Estelle has her brothers completely wrapped around her little finger, delighting in the chaos they create, especially when it comes to her impulsive twin, Lucien. With a confident flair and a clever wit, she navigates her world with the ease of being the one and only to have been spoiled by their father, basking in the knowledge that she can do no wrong in his eyes. This adoration has only fueled her ambitions, as she sets her sights on a grand career in the arts—be it singing, dancing, or playing music. After all, with a name that means “Star,” it’s only fitting that she shines brightly in whatever endeavor she chooses.
An extrovert at heart, Estelle possesses a playful deviousness that adds a touch of mischief to her charm, making her the life of any gathering. Her brother Darius, in particular, finds himself at most ease around her out of his siblings, and the two share a bond that is both teasing and supportive. Estelle has been raised by governesses her whole life, but that’s never stopped her from asking and learning about the woman her mother had been, and perhaps that’s what sparked her passion from an early age.
Sebastián King
Sebastián, affectionately known as Bash to his friends and family, embodies the essence of a young gentleman. An artist at heart, he always carries a notebook and pen tucked beneath his coat, ready for whenever the muse may strike. His kindness is both his greatest virtue and his most significant flaw; it often veers into naiveté. With an upbeat attitude, Bash eagerly pursues new experiences and adventures, though his enthusiasm sometimes leads him to stumble over the very steps he overlooked along the way.
Despite being the youngest of four, he wasn’t given as much pampering as one would expect. Instead, his childhood was spent shuffling from one governess to another, along with his older twins, Lucien and Estelle. From a young age, Bash had carried guilt for a crime he didn’t commit: his mother’s death. And through the years, that nagging feeling only festered against his father’s stoicism, and his eldest brother’s, Darius, apparent avoidance. But all this is about to change with the passing of his father and his brother’s arrival home to claim the title of a baron.
Jeremiah Cohen
Jeremiah Cohen doesn’t owe anyone an explanation for who he is or why he does what he does. Born to Polish-Lithuanian Jewish immigrants in Whitechapel, he grew up in the narrow, crowded tenements of Wentworth Street where Yiddish and cockney mixed in the streets, and survival was its own kind of trade. His father, a tailor, spent his life bent over a workbench, always believing things would get easier. His mother knew better—she was the one who six mouths fed, who understood that waiting for fairness was a fool’s game. Jeremiah learned fast that if you weren’t strong enough, you had to be useful; and if you weren’t either, you were nothing. By the time he was a teenager, he had carved out his own space in Whitechapel’s economy, running messages, handling deliveries, and keeping the wrong people from pushing in where they weren’t wanted. He never planned on making a living with his fists, but by the time he was working the door of The Gilded Cage, he had stopped pretending that knowing how to fight wasn’t an asset. That was where he crossed paths with Skye McDaniels, and where, in 1873, they spilled blood together for the first time. But when she left the Cage in 1878, he stayed behind. He had his own work, his own space. Nevertheless, when she came back in 1883 and asked if he wanted a job, he didn’t hesitate.
Now, he keeps The Moth & Lantern in order—running security, managing business, handling the things that don’t make it onto the books. He keeps Skye from going under and her twin, Eoin, from getting himself killed too soon, and he doesn’t pretend there’s a moral dilemma in that. He’s never been interested in making himself easy to understand, and whatever holds him here, it’s his choice.
Jack Fisher
For his entire life, Jack has lived to the order of others. Born to a modest daily who were fortunate enough to leave their son in the company of an actual house estate, Jack has only really ever known Somerset House and its surrounding boundaries. Having begun as a footman, like the House Steward himself, Jack has glittering ambition to inherit the position by the time Mr Brown retires, though it is to be said that he lacks the certain dedication to the daily itself, despite the fact that they have housed and cared for Jack more than his own parents had been. Recently, he has been eager to put himself first where he can, which led him into a precarious situation with a member of the Cleveland St Brothel place by the Thames — a miscalculation that led him to use what leverage he had to bargain a place for the new housekeeper, Ms Hill. Still, this won’t be the end of him, will it?
Mary Ann Hill
There isn’t much that Ms Hill can’t do, hasn’t seen or won’t try. Having experienced London from the inside out (though she won’t talk about her time in the Work Houses), Mary Ann has schemed and borrowed to get to where she has come to! How did she find herself as the Housekeeper at Somerset House? Why! It’s simple! She got the job after blackmailing the head butler of course, though some would say that she has not the experience to front the head of house or rival the dedication of Mr Brown, Ms Hill has paid her way and now finally has the chance to live the life she has long since deserved.
George Brown
A man who has long since taken pride in his work, George Brown, is known for the careful hand deployed among his staff and the continued loyalty to the Seymour family. Having started his life as a footman, Mr Brown has worked himself up to the very top of the hierarchy, leaving each and every member of the household to resort to him for advice, wisdom and orders. Long has he had very few to answer to, or so, that was till the appearance and employment of the new housekeeper — cast to sudden competition and rivalry, Mr Brown must remain resilient and dedicated to his work, or else will fail.
Fitzwilliam de Montmorency
With a mother who died in the birthing bed and an indifferent father, Fitzwilliam was raised primarily by nannies and the gentling influence of his older half-sister. Warm, charming and self-confident, he stepped easily into the role of Viscount upon his father’s death, despite being only eighteen at the time, although he relies almost entirely upon others to manage his affairs. He is known to be flirtatious and reckless with the reputations of himself and others, but recommends himself through his fierce loyalty to his family, and particular protectiveness of his sister.
Elton Ellis IV
Despite having been prepared to become Baron Seaford his entire life, two years after his father’s death, Elton is still uncertain how he is meant to play the part. Part of him always imagined his father — Sturdy, harsh, and recklessly abusive — would live forever. Faced now with being the head of the family and all that entails, he struggles daily with the plain fact of his responsibilities and spends too much time out on the town drinking and carousing with friends and his uncle.