Posted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 7:14 pm
Sherlock Holmes, aka "The Great Detective"
NG Sleuth
Little is known of Sherlock Holmes' youth, save that he comes from a
background of some wealth and extensive education. Without doubt, however, he is one of the foremost innovators in criminal investigation in the world. His articles on various methods of crime scene investigation, psychology, and other subjects have appeared in journals all over the world. He is based in London, England, where he consults with Scotland Yard's inspectors on a regular basis, and is rarely seen on a case without his associate Doctor John Watson. Holmes' reputation as a keen and
skeptical observer are well known.
For all this, however, Holmes can be extremely whimsical at times. He
maintains a Bohemian lifestyle on Baker Street, is known to have a drug
habit, and performs chemical experiments in his own living quarters. He
disdains some sensational cases as 'uninteresting' and takes on others
that seem trivial. For a man of calculating intellect and cool scientific method he can be dreadfully unpredicable--a quirk that the criminal world views with deep dread.
Holmes is a tall man of lean build with black hair and penetrating grey eyes, and when not in disguise dresses impeccably in black or grey suits of excellent make. He posseses unusual physical strength for one so slim, and alternates between languid lethargy and near-hyperactive tension, depending upon his employment at the time. He is in his early thirties. He can be critical and demanding, but under the right circumstances is also compassionate, even kind. He is a man of unshakeable integrity and dedication to justice.
Forbidden Lore: Although Holmes is represented in his associate's writings as a man disdainful of the supernatural and wholly an acolyte of science, in reality Holmes is perfectly aware of the existence of the monsters of Gothic Earth, and has done more than his share of hunting them. Sherlock Holmes, together with his brother Mycroft and his associate Doctor Watson, belong to a cabal called the Lantern Bearers, a group of intellectuals, mystics, and scientists dedicated to fighting the Red Death. Mycroft's unique position in the British Government enables him to provide his younger brother with much valuable information to aid in the fight, and allows Sherlock Holmes to operate even in the highest levels of society.
Holmes greatest talent--beyond his remarkable intellectual capabilites--is his ability to make the best use of others' potential, and he has built up an extensive network of agents both within the cabal and outside of it. At the moment, he is focused heavily--almost to the point of obesession--with hunting down and defeating Professor Moriarty. He has only recently learned the diabolical mastermind's true nature, and is eager to find any advantage that will allow him to topple such a fiend. His activities have earned him the rakshasha's enmity--for Holmes has proven time and again that he is more than a match for the creature on an intellectual level--and Moriarty is even now seeking the best way to eliminate his nemesis once and for all.
Major John Hamish Watson, M.D.
LG Physician
Known to most as the Great Detective's loyal associate, Doctor John Watson, formerly of Her Majesty's Army, is a man of deep compassion, patience, and sheer nerve. He first met Sherlock Holmes upon his return to England after being discharged from the Army following a serious injury. The two have since become close friends, although Watson's recent marriage has taken him out of the rooms at 221b Baker Street.
In addition to his medical practice, Watson also supplements his income by publishing fictionalized accounts of Sherlock Holmes' exploits through his literary agent, Arthur Conan Doyle. These serve the dual purpose of spreading Holmes' reputation (and therefore his clientele) and also to disguise certain key elements about the detective's methods, motives, and personality.
Watson is a man of medium height and somewhat stocky build. He has sandy hair and wears a mustache, and has kindly dark eyes. He is not as dapper a dresser as Holmes, since his frequent occupation in the surgery and patient consultations result in a somewhat rumpled appearance. Watson is about thirty-five years old.
Sherlock Holmes relies heavily on Watson in his investigations, both as physical and moral backup and as a catalyst. Watson is not a stupid man, by any stretch of the imagination. He is a highly talented medical doctor, whose abilities are held in the highest esteem by Holmes. He does not, however, have Holmes' keenly trained insight into the workings of human nature, and provides something of a whetstone and sounding board for his brilliant and erratic associate's brainstorms.
Forbidden Lore: It was, in fact, Watson who recruited Holmes--and later his brother Mycroft--to the Lantern Bearers, having been recruited himself while in Afghanistan. His membership, together with the Holmes brothers, has proven a great boon to the cabal. Though he is a dedicated healer and a truly compassionate man, John Watson is a fierce warrior in the cause of Light, and he provides a steadying influence for the mercurial Holmes.
Inspector George Lestrade
LG Sleuth
Inspector Lestrade is relatively young for his position in Scotland Yard, but he is known to have achieved his rank through sheer determination and no small amount of investigative talent. He is not the most diplomatic of men, quick of temper and often impatient with others' failings, but there is little doubt about his dedication to justice.
Lestrade is the unofficial liason between the Yard and Sherlock Holmes. The Yard often hires Holmes as a consultant, particularly in bizarre or baffling cases, and are quite proud of the "amateur" detective's success. Lestrade, though a competent detective, is perfectly aware of his own shortcomings, and rarely hesitates to call Holmes in when lives and reputations are on the line. For his part, Holmes often makes sure that Lestrade receives the credit, an arrangement that Lestrade is uncomfortably grateful for.
George Lestrade is a short, wiry man with sharp features, unruly brown hair, and constantly moving dark eyes. He is a careful dresser, buying the best clothes he can afford on his meagre salary, but when in the midst of a case often forgets to maintain a neat appearance. He can be hot-tempered and impulsive, but he is also a practical man and usually knows when he's in over his head. Lestrade is in his late twenties.
Forbidden Lore: Very few people know that George Lestrade is, in fact, a clairvoyant. His talent is erratic at best, and frequently leaves him victim to dreadful headaches or other physical ailments. He dares not make it known to his superiors at Scotland Yard, for fear he will be thought mad. Frightened by his visions' growing frequency and intensity, Lestrade finally turned to Sherlock Holmes for help, trusting that his friend would give him good advice. Holmes, who had already marked Lestrade as a potential cabal recruit, put him into contact with an adept of his acquaintance, and Lestrade had slowly been gaining a measure of control over his abilities. Both investigators have now benefited from this talent, as Lestrade can sometimes see things even Holmes cannot.
Mary Watson
NG Medium
Mary Morstan met Doctor Watson during the dreadful events later known in Watson's memoirs as "The Sign of Four." The pair quickly formed a deep affection for one another and have now been married for about two years.
Mrs. Watson is not a woman with classically beautiful features or flawless complexion. However, her blue eyes are large and compelling and very intense. She is in her late twenties. Her dainty figure and unassuming countenance, however, conceal a soul of steel.
Forbidden Lore: Mary Watson is a powerful medium, and a member of the same cabal as Watson and the Holmes brothers. It was Mary who approached Holmes about the Sign of Four case--not as a frightened, endangered young woman (as the 'official' story states) but as a concerned cabal member hunting out a dark conspiracy. The treasure being sought so ardently by the Scholto brothers and others was in fact a sinister artifact of great power, known as the Eye of Kali. Mary's own father had disappeared some ten years earlier while seeking the same jewel, intending to destroy it. After much difficulty, his ghost at last contacted Mary, and charged her with the same task. Unfortunately, although her father's murderers were brought to justice the artifact vanished once more, leaving Mary's quest unfinished. She still seeks information concerning the artifact's whereabouts, using her talents as a medium and Sherlock Holmes' network of agents. So far she has met with little success.
There you have it. I may do a write-up later for Mary Russel, though she would of course have to appear in a campaign set much later than the 1890s, since I don't believe she was born until 1899 or 1900. (For those unfamiliar with Russel, she is a magnificent creation of Laurie R. King who became a retired Holmes' protegee and later his wife.)[/i]
NG Sleuth
Little is known of Sherlock Holmes' youth, save that he comes from a
background of some wealth and extensive education. Without doubt, however, he is one of the foremost innovators in criminal investigation in the world. His articles on various methods of crime scene investigation, psychology, and other subjects have appeared in journals all over the world. He is based in London, England, where he consults with Scotland Yard's inspectors on a regular basis, and is rarely seen on a case without his associate Doctor John Watson. Holmes' reputation as a keen and
skeptical observer are well known.
For all this, however, Holmes can be extremely whimsical at times. He
maintains a Bohemian lifestyle on Baker Street, is known to have a drug
habit, and performs chemical experiments in his own living quarters. He
disdains some sensational cases as 'uninteresting' and takes on others
that seem trivial. For a man of calculating intellect and cool scientific method he can be dreadfully unpredicable--a quirk that the criminal world views with deep dread.
Holmes is a tall man of lean build with black hair and penetrating grey eyes, and when not in disguise dresses impeccably in black or grey suits of excellent make. He posseses unusual physical strength for one so slim, and alternates between languid lethargy and near-hyperactive tension, depending upon his employment at the time. He is in his early thirties. He can be critical and demanding, but under the right circumstances is also compassionate, even kind. He is a man of unshakeable integrity and dedication to justice.
Forbidden Lore: Although Holmes is represented in his associate's writings as a man disdainful of the supernatural and wholly an acolyte of science, in reality Holmes is perfectly aware of the existence of the monsters of Gothic Earth, and has done more than his share of hunting them. Sherlock Holmes, together with his brother Mycroft and his associate Doctor Watson, belong to a cabal called the Lantern Bearers, a group of intellectuals, mystics, and scientists dedicated to fighting the Red Death. Mycroft's unique position in the British Government enables him to provide his younger brother with much valuable information to aid in the fight, and allows Sherlock Holmes to operate even in the highest levels of society.
Holmes greatest talent--beyond his remarkable intellectual capabilites--is his ability to make the best use of others' potential, and he has built up an extensive network of agents both within the cabal and outside of it. At the moment, he is focused heavily--almost to the point of obesession--with hunting down and defeating Professor Moriarty. He has only recently learned the diabolical mastermind's true nature, and is eager to find any advantage that will allow him to topple such a fiend. His activities have earned him the rakshasha's enmity--for Holmes has proven time and again that he is more than a match for the creature on an intellectual level--and Moriarty is even now seeking the best way to eliminate his nemesis once and for all.
Major John Hamish Watson, M.D.
LG Physician
Known to most as the Great Detective's loyal associate, Doctor John Watson, formerly of Her Majesty's Army, is a man of deep compassion, patience, and sheer nerve. He first met Sherlock Holmes upon his return to England after being discharged from the Army following a serious injury. The two have since become close friends, although Watson's recent marriage has taken him out of the rooms at 221b Baker Street.
In addition to his medical practice, Watson also supplements his income by publishing fictionalized accounts of Sherlock Holmes' exploits through his literary agent, Arthur Conan Doyle. These serve the dual purpose of spreading Holmes' reputation (and therefore his clientele) and also to disguise certain key elements about the detective's methods, motives, and personality.
Watson is a man of medium height and somewhat stocky build. He has sandy hair and wears a mustache, and has kindly dark eyes. He is not as dapper a dresser as Holmes, since his frequent occupation in the surgery and patient consultations result in a somewhat rumpled appearance. Watson is about thirty-five years old.
Sherlock Holmes relies heavily on Watson in his investigations, both as physical and moral backup and as a catalyst. Watson is not a stupid man, by any stretch of the imagination. He is a highly talented medical doctor, whose abilities are held in the highest esteem by Holmes. He does not, however, have Holmes' keenly trained insight into the workings of human nature, and provides something of a whetstone and sounding board for his brilliant and erratic associate's brainstorms.
Forbidden Lore: It was, in fact, Watson who recruited Holmes--and later his brother Mycroft--to the Lantern Bearers, having been recruited himself while in Afghanistan. His membership, together with the Holmes brothers, has proven a great boon to the cabal. Though he is a dedicated healer and a truly compassionate man, John Watson is a fierce warrior in the cause of Light, and he provides a steadying influence for the mercurial Holmes.
Inspector George Lestrade
LG Sleuth
Inspector Lestrade is relatively young for his position in Scotland Yard, but he is known to have achieved his rank through sheer determination and no small amount of investigative talent. He is not the most diplomatic of men, quick of temper and often impatient with others' failings, but there is little doubt about his dedication to justice.
Lestrade is the unofficial liason between the Yard and Sherlock Holmes. The Yard often hires Holmes as a consultant, particularly in bizarre or baffling cases, and are quite proud of the "amateur" detective's success. Lestrade, though a competent detective, is perfectly aware of his own shortcomings, and rarely hesitates to call Holmes in when lives and reputations are on the line. For his part, Holmes often makes sure that Lestrade receives the credit, an arrangement that Lestrade is uncomfortably grateful for.
George Lestrade is a short, wiry man with sharp features, unruly brown hair, and constantly moving dark eyes. He is a careful dresser, buying the best clothes he can afford on his meagre salary, but when in the midst of a case often forgets to maintain a neat appearance. He can be hot-tempered and impulsive, but he is also a practical man and usually knows when he's in over his head. Lestrade is in his late twenties.
Forbidden Lore: Very few people know that George Lestrade is, in fact, a clairvoyant. His talent is erratic at best, and frequently leaves him victim to dreadful headaches or other physical ailments. He dares not make it known to his superiors at Scotland Yard, for fear he will be thought mad. Frightened by his visions' growing frequency and intensity, Lestrade finally turned to Sherlock Holmes for help, trusting that his friend would give him good advice. Holmes, who had already marked Lestrade as a potential cabal recruit, put him into contact with an adept of his acquaintance, and Lestrade had slowly been gaining a measure of control over his abilities. Both investigators have now benefited from this talent, as Lestrade can sometimes see things even Holmes cannot.
Mary Watson
NG Medium
Mary Morstan met Doctor Watson during the dreadful events later known in Watson's memoirs as "The Sign of Four." The pair quickly formed a deep affection for one another and have now been married for about two years.
Mrs. Watson is not a woman with classically beautiful features or flawless complexion. However, her blue eyes are large and compelling and very intense. She is in her late twenties. Her dainty figure and unassuming countenance, however, conceal a soul of steel.
Forbidden Lore: Mary Watson is a powerful medium, and a member of the same cabal as Watson and the Holmes brothers. It was Mary who approached Holmes about the Sign of Four case--not as a frightened, endangered young woman (as the 'official' story states) but as a concerned cabal member hunting out a dark conspiracy. The treasure being sought so ardently by the Scholto brothers and others was in fact a sinister artifact of great power, known as the Eye of Kali. Mary's own father had disappeared some ten years earlier while seeking the same jewel, intending to destroy it. After much difficulty, his ghost at last contacted Mary, and charged her with the same task. Unfortunately, although her father's murderers were brought to justice the artifact vanished once more, leaving Mary's quest unfinished. She still seeks information concerning the artifact's whereabouts, using her talents as a medium and Sherlock Holmes' network of agents. So far she has met with little success.
There you have it. I may do a write-up later for Mary Russel, though she would of course have to appear in a campaign set much later than the 1890s, since I don't believe she was born until 1899 or 1900. (For those unfamiliar with Russel, she is a magnificent creation of Laurie R. King who became a retired Holmes' protegee and later his wife.)[/i]