Murder at Christmas - Appendix 2: Characters

These were the characters who played in the game (taken from the character sheets that were sent in and the pictures that, in many cases, they supplied:

Jane Blume

AGE: 19
PLACE OF ORIGIN: London, England
SEX: Female
HEIGHT: 5'8"
WEIGHT: 120
HAIR: Platinum blonde
EYES: Hazel
APPEARANCE: Jane is the essence of this year's edgy style... hair so short that in the back it is nearly non-existent... maybe 25% longer in the front. So short, in fact, that one can see her ears. Her face-- as is the style-- is heavily made-up... lips poisonous red, eyes ringed black with kohl, tiny little nose powdered nearly white... The effect is simply striking, not meant to emulate nature, but instead to be entirely artificial... to look debauched, worldly... That... she manages to achieve by reputation rather better than by appearance. Underneath it all, there is still clearly a beautiful, young girl.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY/ETC:
The youngest of twelve, she ran away with a French photographer when she was quite young, and got her first modelling contract. Rumor has it that she's slept her way into a movie contract, now, and that she'll soon be starring with Tallulah Bankhead and Douglas Fairbanks in a new flick...
SKILLS:
1. Sex
2. Acting (and, consequently... lying, flirting, fainting, etc.)
3. Imagination
DISADVANTAGES:
1. Tactless
2. Flighty
3. Over-active imagination (She is not prone to worrying herself over anything... but she will get off on a tangent, and go along as if something is proven fact when that is not the case.)
EQUIPMENT:
A huge wardrobe of scandalously short dresses, step-ins (but not a corset, petticoat or bra to be found) lots of shoes, several furs, cloche hats... and a trove of Egyptian style jewlery, including several authentic scarabs and faience necklaces... cigarettes (no lighter, the men will see to that)... make-up...etc.

Miles Secord

AGE: 32
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Long Island, New York
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 6'
WEIGHT: 180
HAIR: Blonde
EYES: Blue
APPEARENCE: Very handsome. Always stylishly and expensively dressed. He is known for his rather subdued reactions, and dry humor.

SKILLS:
Knowledge of obscure Indian herbology (including poison of course), combat, and stealth (Both from the war). DISADVANTAGES:
Haunted by memories and flashbacks of the Great War
BACKGROUND:
The heir to a huge estate, Miles has never been hurting for money. Brought up in such a controlled environment, he rebelled and left home to find out who he really was. This, of course led to a very nasty term of service in the Trenches of France, near Ypers. During one assault, he found himself cut off behind enemy lines. No one ever found out how he got back, but he received a hero's welcome. The horrors he saw, and commited, in the war left him changed, even more quiet and reserved than before. Yet he also was stronger than he ever was back in his father's mansion in New York. After the war, he traveled the world, seeing the mountains of India and Nepal, the gardens of Japan, and finally settling to live in Paris for several years. He only returned home upon his father's death. He decided to travel the world once more, before retiring to the mansion he inherited. While in London, he received an invitation to a Christmas affair from Emerson, a fellow he had met in the war. He had meant to look him up in anycase....

Clifford, Viscount Fenwick

AGE: 32
PLACE OF ORIGIN: London, England
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 5'4"
WEIGHT: 140 lbs
HAIR: light brown, short
EYES: olive green
APPEARANCE:
permanent smile, coke-bottle glasses (which enlarge his eyes), short hair, very stylish, dressed in the latest fashions, moustache neatly trimmed and ending in two twirls, smokes French cigarettes with a long cigarette holder
SKILLS:
1) Fashion Design
2) Business Decisions
3) Refined eye for art

DISADVANTAGE:
1) Self-centered
2) Shallow
3) Obnoxious
BACKGROUND/HISTORY/ETC:
The lone, eccentric son of the Earl of Alcester, Clifford, Viscount Fenwick grew up an artistic type, much to the chagrin of Mum and Dad. Cheerful and driven, Clifford took an interest in painting and clothing design early on. Coming up under the tutelage of local design legend Clara Burns, he blossomed. During the war, his horrible eyesight kept him out of the service (or so the story goes). He kept busy working in textile factories and sharpening his skills, and now owns three of his own clothing shops in London. His fashions are highly sought after and expensive. Quick to laugh, Clifford enjoys a good time and loves being the center of attention. His sharp mind often gets overlooked due to his eccentricity, but he is quick to point out anything about a person that he deems "just silly..." as he thinks everyone should follow the latest trends in clothing and art. Anja can often be found in one of his shops, and he adores her. She has several pieces that he has designed just for her.
EQUIPMENT:
Villa outside of London, three clothing shops in London (one with a crash-pad above it), a Spyker C4 motorcar, painting collection

Madame Anna Maria Escuskiovna

AGE: Early 60's
PLACE OF ORIGIN: actually Bristol, though she claims to be Russian SEX: Female
HEIGHT: 5' 5"
WEIGHT: Wispy
HAIR: Iron grey, usually done up in a braided crown
EYES: Pale blue
APPEARANCE: A thin, faded maiden lady; tends to dress in pale blues, greys, lavenders, or combinations of these. Always wearing something trailing and diaphanous, whether it's an evening gown with a train, a filmy scarf, or whatever, and lots of ring bracelets that jangle whenever she moves her hands.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY/ETC:
Madame Escuskiovna is a spiritualistic medium, dedicated to the promulgation of Higher Wisdom through Contact with the Spirit World. She actually got her start in Bristol, but soon found that no one had any respect for a medium from Bristol, so (sometime after the Russian Revolution) she decided that her spiritual self was Russian, acquired a "control" by the name of Grigori, and became Madame Escuskiovna. She has been invited to the Christmas party by Anja Ericsson, who is convinced that any building so venerable as Little Staughton Hall must have ghosts, and who thinks that a séance to contact these spirits would be a perfect scream (no pun intended) as a party game.
SKILLS:
Madame Escuskiovna is really an awesome spiritualistic medium, and at the same time perfectly (not to say painfully) sincere about her calling. Madame Escuskiovna is very skilled at is more or less autosuggestion, coupled with a trick memory and a fine, vivid imagination. (IOW, she may not actually be contacting the spirit world, but she does such a d***ed fine imitation of it that she even has herself fooled.)
Madame Escuskiovna is very skilled at herbal medicine; she knows a lot of herbal recipes and how to prepare them for the proper effect.
Madame Escuskiovna also plays the piano well. She goes in mostly for Russian composers, naturally!
DISADVANTAGE: Apart from the normal physical disadvantages of a lady of "a certain age," Madame Escuskiovna has an unfortunate weakness for card playing. She can rarely resist the lure of the "history of the four kings," and whether or not she is psychic in other ways, she has no aptitude whatsoever for actually winning at cards. She herself believes that the spirits guide her play; if so, spirits are abysmal at cards, too.
EQUIPMENT: Ouija board (the pencil type, not the letter-pointing type -- it's more fun to play around with handwritings), crystal ball, deck of Tarot cards, stack of piano music, a good stock of standard herbal teas (mostly for her own use, though she's very generous and will gladly share).

Major Stephen Dessard

AGE: early thirties
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Cape Town, South Africa (originally London)
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 5'10"
WEIGHT: 170 lbs
HAIR: Dark, worn short. He also wears a trim moustache.
EYES: Hazel
APPEARANCE: Stephen Dessard is a lean, but well-built man, every inch the model of a dashing soldier. His features are handsome, but not necessaily pleasant, reminding one almost of a predator. He bears a scar on his left cheek. His skin is tanned, presumably from time spent on safari on the Dark Continent. He is very well-dressed for a colonial.
SKILLS: Well-traveled, Gunplay, Finance/Investments
DISADVANTAGE: Greed. He obtained his military rank through service and was always jealous of those who were promoted before him due to old money connections. He is not above "evening the score" by getting the wealthy to invest in risky ventures that are unlikely to turn a profit.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY/ETC:
Stephen Dessard earned his rank fighting the Jerries in the Great War. He is well-thought of among his military cohorts with a reputation as a brave man in the face of danger. After an honorable discharge, Stephen spent the last few years as a safari guide in Africa. Rumor has it he came into some money from a venture involving a diamond mine. He knows Ericksson through a mutual acquaintance that accompanied Dessard on safari. .
EQUIPMENT: Clothing, Pipe and tobacco, pipe cleaners, .32 derringer, several well-tailored suits

Reginald Staughton

SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 5'9"
WEIGHT: 165#
HAIR: Brown
EYES: Brown
APPEARANCE: Reginald is a thin man with pleasant, almost boyish features. His mother's looks are more apparent in him than his father's. His clothing is not always cleanly pressed and his hair is usually just under being well groomed, though he is far from slovenly. He wears suits that are one size too large for him and he generally has a pleasant smile on his face.
SKILLS: primary - leadership, secondary - finance, tertiary - pistol shooting
DISADVANTAGE: During the War Reginald was shot in the right shoulder. He now only has limited movement in it and his right hand is partially paralyzed.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY/ETC: Reginald is the nephew of Lady Staughton. As he grew up his family was very close to Lord and Lady Staughton because his father was Lady Staughton's youngest brother. There were whispers around society that Reginald's father had lies to the seedier side of London but no proof was ever brought forward. He traveled around Britain and the isles for a short while before war broke out. To bring honor to his family Reginald became an officer in the army and fought bravely. His men sent letters to his mother about how they were grateful that Reginald had sound judgment and kept them alive in the trenches. Since the War, Reginald has not been seen or heard. And this morning he arrived on his aunt's doorstop for the first time since the War started. Rumor is that he was with Lady Staughton's son during those years in the War and afterward . . .
EQUIPMENT: Pocket watch, pen and small pad, bill fold and large sum of American currency, very small address book with various names and numbers.

Miss Clara Mulchop

AGE: A Lady never tells PLACE OF ORIGIN: Britain SEX: Female HEIGHT: 5'6 WEIGHT: 117 HAIR: red EYES: big, round, blue APPEARANCE: Stylish, attractive. Wears her crimped hair back in a neat little chignon. She's obviously well into her 40's. Pleasant, sociable. BACKGROUND/HISTORY/ETC: Emerson's new secretary. A native of London.
SKILLS: Investigation, Secretarial DISADVANTAGE: Not as young as she used to be. EQUIPMENT: Gun, clothes, make-up..nothing spectacular.

Brandon Franklin Lawrence, M.D.

AGE: 36
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Monmouth, Wales
SEX: Male
HEIGHT: 6'
WEIGHT: 12 1/2 stone (175 lb.)
HAIR: Pale blond, very straight, parted on right
EYES: Pale blue
APPEARANCE: Slim, rather vague expression, moderately attractive, slight air of the aristocracy.
BACKGROUND/HISTORY/ETC: Only son of a once-prosperous family, now fallen on hard times. Served in the War, never quite the same afterwards. Currently a somewhat fashionable general practitioner in Hyde Park.
SKILLS:
1. Rifle
2. Medicine
3. Cards
DISADVANTAGE: (Secret)
EQUIPMENT: Medical kit, hunting rifle, Austin 7 car, flat in London.

Hermione Smithson

AGE: 24
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Boston, Mass.
SEX: Female
HEIGHT: 5' 5"
WEIGHT: 135
HAIR: Brown
EYES: Brown
APPEARANCE: She appears a bit mousy, shy, wears glasses, no make up, her clothes are from last season. BACKGROUND/HISTORY/ETC: Hermione is a librarian from Boston. She has recently became the president of the American branch of Anja's fan club. This is her first trip out of the country.
SKILLS: photographic memory, she can walk unerringly to the right book in the library, Speed reading, and is an excellent dancer.

DISADVANTAGE: she is blind as a bat without her glasses, can not handle alcohol in the least
EQUIPMENT: a magnifying glass, pen and paper, umbrella, and sensible shoes

Davyd Smyth

AGE: 25
PLACE OF ORIGIN: British
SEX: Male.
HEIGHT: 5'10"
WEIGHT: Medium build
HAIR: Very dark, slick
EYES: Dark, vacant
APPEARANCE: Pretty spooky, by most accounts. Symon tends to look through people when talking to them, and always gives the impression that his mind is somewhere else.
BACKGROUND/HISTORY/ETC: Left home shortly after the death of his father in order to take a stretch in the trenches. He returned a completely different man, having totally changed from the irresponsible little Casanova that left. After learning of the get-together at the Hall, he called in a few favours and blagued an invitation.

SKILLS: Has a gift for names and dates. And odds...
DISADVANTAGE: Not terribly charismatic.
EQUIPMENT: Enough cigarettes to sink a frigate, a horde of matches, some playing cards and business cards. Oh, and a towel and some shower gel...

Jason Welles, Village Constable

Age: 38
Origin: A Local Boy
Sex: Male
Ht: 5'7"
Hair: Black, greying, balding, cut short
Eyes: beady, black and suspicious
App: scruffy at the best of times: scar on forehead pulls left eyebrow into a permanent kink
Background:
Grew up in the village: went to the trenches, got cracked on the skull by a Hun, and got sent home. Deferential to the nobs and has a few manners, but keeps asking pesky questions. Likes to drink a bit too much. Surprisingly good shot (we won't mention his poaching days, then or now), and knows his turf. Knows how to act a bit dumb or even daft sometimes, claiming 'old head wound' in case anyone gets huffy, and apologises a lot for 'bothering you fine people'. Looking forward to a quiet rest of his life.....snort.... More clever than he seems, but it's misdirection he banks on. Listens to people and is friendly and civil, unless he thinks he's got a LawBreaker on his hands. Then he's just civil.