The Heroes - The Villains
Richard "Dickie" Broughton
(Michael T Coleman)
A veteran of the Great War, Dickie (or Little Dickie as he is known to his compatriots, much to his chagrin) has since gone on to become a self-proclaimed, "World Renowned Explorer Extraordinaire!"
Although he is also known to put himself first in many situations, his loyalty to friends and country often overrides this flaw. He is much more concerned with the ends, leaving the details of 'the means' by the wayside.
He has gone through a series of trusted guides, all nicknamed Ungawa in honor of his first guide (may he rest in peace), and also has a penchant for jumping into things, places, and oftimes even the open air without much thought. Dickie may try to avoid most confrontations, but when pushed he is a durable scrapper.
Don't be too quick to ridicule him for his out-of-fashion mutton-chop moustache. Mystifyingly, he is considered a sex symbol the world over. Must be the hat.
Vesper Kingsley
(Bonnie Gordon, Donna Casey, Julie Hoverson, and Evelyn Trester)
Vesper is Egyptian by birth but makes her home in Los Angeles, where she has gained a reputation as the Psychic to the Stars. She regularly travels the world dispensing fortunes and calming the easily frazzled nerves of the rich and famous.
The secret to her success is that she very well does have psychic talent. Depending on her mood, she could read one's mind, make a person see things that aren't there, are take control of them altogether. And she is tough as nails, in spirit if not body.
Kingsley comes from a family brimming with equally remarkable siblings. Prime, the eldest, is a super-scientific genius; Matin, a swashbucklling antiques dealer; her brother, Lauds, works for the Vatican; and Compline is rumored to be an assassin for King Faisal of Iraq.
Rumors abound about Vesper, as well. Her past relationships with Dickie and Randolph chief amongst them. She most recently found her mind transferred into the body of a genetically-superior body created by the Count of Wallachia. Long story.
*Vesper created by Mara Collins
Randolph Moon
(Chris Rickabaugh)
Randolph Moon is a silent movie star forever on the verge of breaking out like his idol, Douglas Fairbanks. Tragically, he also possesses a beautiful singing voice that no one will ever hear.
Moon has years of entertainment experience as the straight guy in touring vaudeville productions throughout the country. He is a quick learner, too, and can immitate a stunt or complex choreography after just seeing it done once. As a result of palling around with the likes of Fairbanks, Moon is considered an expert fencer and gymnast, amongst other things.
Unfortunately, Randolph Moon is obsessed with himself. Though he has had a string of flings throughout Tinseltown, no woman could ever compare to his one true love: Randolph Moon. This often comes across in his acting, exposing him to much ridicule from his peers. Not that he notices.
Mike Sullivan
(Taliesin Jaffe)
Former detective Mike Sullivan has been a hard-working member of the Los Angeles Police Department for over a decade. He is a straight-forward, no nonsense, gruff cop, of Irish descent. Unlike the Unknown, he adheres to the law as much as he can while seeking justice. He still has faith in the ability of law enforcement to right the wrongs of society.
Mike recently suffered a suspension from the department due to his chronic drinking (usually whiskey) and his mishandling of an undercover case. Though he prefers not to speak about the incident in detail, it has been hard to miss the fact that he now shares his apartment with Gatsby, a monkey. His coworkers might think the stress of his work had finally gotten to him if they saw how he dotes over his new ward and engages in one-sided conversations over a round of drinks.
Even in this day of Prohibition, Sullivan can usually be found in his apartment sharing one too many martinis with his new partner.
Gatsby
(Matt Yamashita)
Not much is known about the chimpanzee companion of Officer Sullivan, who refers to his simian compatriot as Gatsby. Like the book.
It would be easy to say Sullivan was crazy if not for Gatsby's habit of dressing like the dead fictional aristocrat and downing martini after martini. He tends to waste his days away relaxing under a cool fan, letting Sullivan tend to his needs.
But when provoked, Gatsby can become extremely violent, using skills honed in his past to rip a man's unmentionables off with his bare hands and is capable of more shocking acts of violence.
He is also smooth with the ladies.
* Gatsby created by Kevin Goldman, with apologies to F. Scott Fitzgerald.
The Unknown
(Matt Yamashita)
In the past few months, an unknown vigilante began making headlines by doing things the police either couldn't or wouldn't.
Kidnappings, organized crime rackets, robbery...the Unknown would descend upon the guilty with cold, brutal vengeance.
Some say he is a former policeman. Others believe him to be the wrathful spirit of the city incarnate. His identity remains hidden under his billowing coat, wide-brimmed hat, and ever-present red mask. What is known is that he is an expert marksman with his twin Colts and a master of the fighting arts. Criminals rarely survive intact, if they survive at all.
The Unknown cannot be found if he doesn't want to be. Should one manage to contact him, it is wise to make it worth his time. No one knows what drives him to do what he does and he does not share his motives, even with the closest person he has to a friend, Officer Sullivan. Though his legend grows, he still remains Unknown.
Henri
(Michael T. Coleman)
Known in France as “The Great Henri.” He has earned this title by not only being Europe’s greatest silent movie star, but also France’s greatest spy. He is a master of disguise and in peak physical condition, able to leap like a human frog or climb walls like a human squirrel. He is the best he is at what he does…and he knows it. Better yet, he insists that you know it too.
If there is anything that he cannot do it is penetrate the overseas film industry. Many of his most successful projects have been ripped off by American studios and remade. He despises anyone from that industry, especially the stars of the pictures…including Randolph Moon.
Dr. Heinrich von Kliegel
(Joseph)
The good doctor hails from Texas and calls himself a super-scientist, inventing devices that go far beyond the norm. Some say his creations should not be physically possible…and yet, there they are.
His quirky nature and high-intellect have earned him many friends, from Henry Ford to past presidents. He is so old he does not remember his exact age anymore. Unfortunately for his companions, and his embarrassed daughter, Andrea, he does remember many long, rambling tales of his past deeds.
Which he will gladly share. Whether you want him to or not.
Andrea von Kliegel
(Donna Casey)
Growing up in Texas as the daughter of a wealthy super-scientist, Andrea found herself caught between two worlds: the upper-class lifestyle of a debutante and the life of her globe-hopping, eccentric father. Dr. von Kliegel regularly makes use of Andrea to record his ideas and assist in his experiments. Her chaotic life has made it hard for this former debutante to settle down with a suitable bachelor.
She is as bright as her father, as cultured as her peers and as tough as a cowboy. It is through no fault of her own, then, that she continuously winds up being kidnapped by crazy people.
Sally Core
(Stephanie Sheh)
Sally Core is a star reporter…for the Los Angeles Star. Full of gumption and sass, Sally Core will do anything to get a story, and remind you of that fact as she’s doing it. Most of her stories end up with her getting in over even her formidable head, so her employer has seen it fit to hire bodyguards to accompany her as she delves into the murky underworld of Los Angeles.
Her dream assignment would be to land an interview with The Unknown himself and finally see the man under the mask. She just has to survive long enough to do it.
Rod Steveson
(Chris Rickabaugh)
Rod has always been a proponent of brawn over brains. At the peak of human physicality, Rod is of course a professional strongman. He has traveled with every circus there is, eventually settling with the internationally diverse “Circus of the Sun,” where he partnered up with the Latverian tumbler, Arat Lingus. Together, they would perform their unusual routine for royalty across the world.
Unfortunately, Rod doesn’t quite know his own strength. He often breaks things without meaning to and has gone through a succession of cute pets, ending in their unintended demise by his hands. He speaks very oddly, shunning the slang of vernacular of the day for his own style of speech.
He is also deathly afraid of rats.
Enebish
(Justina Sexton)
Young Enebish, or Nebby for short, grew up on the plains of Mongolia dressed as a girl. In order to confuse the evil spirits that her people believe will carry away young boys, she has spent most of her young life in such a disguise. She has long wished to explore the world outside her village, but does not wish to anger her poor mother. Instead, she studied many languages in her spare time and dreams...
Once befriended by the world-traveling Little Dickie, however, he/she may soon have no choice in the matter.
Van Owen
(Eric Schreek)
A lowlife criminal from Los Angeles, Van Owen (a.k.a. Sam Jones) feeds information to The Unknown in exchange for not being maimed. When off duty from that, he gets by on random robberies and petty crimes. His biggest heist to date involved working for the international thief, Roland, to kidnap Vesper Kingsley’s brother, Prime, and steal his mysterious super weapon. Needing a scapegoat, however, Roland and his gang turned on him, framing Van Owen for the caper.
Now he is wanted by the League of Nations Police Force…unless The Unknown gets to him first.
Johnny "Strikezone" Simon
(Jordan Byrne)
The Strikezone is captain of The Hollywood Stars baseball club and a gifted hitter. He is able to hit a ball with such accuracy as to knock a man unconscious from hundreds of yards away. Strikezone is a born-leader of ballplayers, speaking largely in hyperbole and baseball slang. During the Mexican invasion, he and his team hid out in their newly built locker rooms, sniping any intruders who strayed too close. Eventually, he helped take down Colonel Fortunado and, later, Strikezone took part in the escape of The Unknown from Alcatraz.
The Contessa
(Justina Sexton)
Hailing from an unknown region of Eastern Europe, this former member of royalty has seen her fortunes vastly diminish since the Great War. The Contessa still has an air of entitlement and is easily bored. Her habit of pulling her ankle Derringer at the slightest provocation is no doubt a result of this. She currently travels with her Kiwi companion, Reason Shipling, and has had past dalliances with Randolph Moon and Little Dickie.
Reason Shipling
(Michael T. Coleman)
Reason is a Kiwi, hailing from New Zealand, where he is part of a new movement called, "Extreme Athleticism." He travels the world seeking thrills by parasailing behind cruise ships, hangliding off cliffs, or "bunjee" jumping off of various structures with his trusted Ockey Straps. An unintentional side hobby seems to be rescuing Randolph Moon from trouble.
Kazuko Fujiwara
(Spenser Coates)
Kazuko is the eldest of the Fujiwara kunoichi of Ibaraki prefecture in Japan, which also includes her daughters, Shinobu and Eriko. Her clan has long fueded with the Isoyama clan and when Dickie Broughton and his friends came to Japan, her family aided them in bringing down General Isoyama. She also imparted wise advice to them, trained Andrea von Kliegel in the family arts, and had a fling with the Aged Dr. von Kliegel as well.
Shinobu Fujiwara
(Justina Sexton)
Shinobu grew up in Toride town in Japan and as a member of the Fujiwara clan is a kunoichi like her mother. She excels in stealth, appearing and disappearing without notice, which is a constant annoyance to her friends. She met strongman Rod Steveson when he and his companions crashed into the Tone River in Toride and aided them in their attack on the Imperial Palace. Rod asked her to come back to America with her and she agreed. After helping fight the Mexican army in Los Angeles,
Shinobu and Rod started their own wrestling enterprise incorporating her talents with those of the Mexican luchadores they encountered.
The League of Nations Police Force
An early attempt at a combined international police agency, the League Police Force is still a secret organization. Not because they wish to be; they just haven't been very good at promoting themselves. Led by Special Agent Duponce in France, the League has various members from Italy, Scotland, and even the U.S., strangely enough. Each agent is equipped with an amazing Police Badge built by Prime Kingsley which functions as a long-range communicator, flashlight, and in some cases a small grenade.
Mr. H
(Matthew Mercer)
H is the epitome of All-American, full of confidence and swagger. During the Great War, H fought alongside Dickie Broughton and the two became fast friends. It was Broughton who began referring to him as simply 'H,' declaring his actual last name to be too complicated to bother committing to memory. Mr. H in turn coined the 'Little Dickie' moniker that Broughton has long despised.
‘H’ was last seen on a reconnaissance mission aboard an Allied dirigible in the skies above Belgium. The only survivor of the mission was Dickie, who spent a few months afterwards recuperating in the hospital and received a medal for his efforts. To this day, Dickie prefers not to discuss what happened that night aboard the spy blimp.
Jacob Butler
(Michael T. Coleman)
In Hollywood, a psychic is a rare and valuable commodity. And so it is that Jacob Butler has carved a small fortune out of this niche. Daring to call himself the "Psychic to the Stars," he has drawn the ire of his nearest competitor, Vesper Kingsley.
Kingsley has vowed to expose Butler for the charlatan he is, once she can prove him to be a fake. In the meantime, Hollywood elites have been taken to his larger than life personality and extravagant parties in his Hollywood Hills mansion. He can often be found carousing with celebrities in their homes or on studio backlots with his amazonian mistress, Dita Manhauer.
Mssr. Fuquore
(Jordan Byrne)
Fuquore is the leader of the French Mafia, a revolutionary group that is more annoying than actually dangerous. Disgusted with the way his country has gone since the Revolution, he and his private army of equally inept nationalists yearn to destroy the upper class and return power in France to the peasants and workers.
Despite his intentions, Fuquore appears to be equally obsessed with his own unfounded greatness. Somehow, though, he has managed to gather together others who share his vision, including the world-famous entertainer (and rival to Josephine Baker), Mistinguet. The League of Nations Police Force is aware of his activities, but do not devote too much time and resources to such an outrageously silly organization.
The Captain
(Jordan Byrne)
The Captain refers to himself simply as “No One,” his real name having died with his former life and family. All that is known is that he is of Indian descent and commands a vast army of fanatic followers, willing to give their lives for him. They travel aboard his mighty airship, The Daedalus, which can disguise its presence above a man-made cloud and is capable of traversing the planet in just a few days.
The Captain rails against the Western colonial powers for their subjugation of poorer countries. In order make the peoples of the world truly equal, The Captain plans to destroy the wealthy and bring them to the level of the poorer nations. He does no hesitate to use his advanced technology, from rocket-powered soldiers to massive heliochoppers, towards that end.
The Count of Wallachia
(Jordan Byrne)
The descendant of royalty in the Romanian region known as Wallachia, the Count passed himself off as a vampire to keep the populace in check. In a complicated scheme to prove his right as ruler of Wallachia (and the taxes he could collect as a result), he kidnapped Beverly Wawrla's brother, Daniel, to verify his family sigil. Unfortunately, this brought him into contact with Little Dickie, et al.
The Count's true nature was uncovered: he was actually a brilliant geneticist who had created human/wolf hybrids and monstrous brides, and was nursing a long-time rivalry with Adonis Stavros. He also possessed the same psychic gifts as Vesper Kingsley. After being inadvertently captured by one of Stavros's automatons, he wound up on Hydro Base One where he was possessed by Vesper Kingsley until he built her a new body.
Rasputin
(Donald Marshall)
Yes, that Rasputin. Still crazy, still obsessed with sex, and still alive.
Long thought dead at the hands of Soviet assassins, the mad monk has survived thanks to the miraculous healing arts of the Mongolian priests and through his stubborn refusal to be killed. The source of the priests’ arts comes from an artifact found in an ancient tomb by Rasputin during his flight from Russia…and someday when he escapes from their temple, he will return to that tomb to claim more wondrous mystical treasures for himself.
General Isoyama
(Matt Yamashita)
Leader of the Japanese Imperial Army of Manchuria, the general has the ear of the Emperor and his family. Through his efforts, Japan has continued their aggression through Asia, insisting that they are reclaiming the Holy Land. The General will do whatever he must to ensure that nothing interferes with Japan’s destiny.
Even if that means killing the Emperor himself.
Barnabus
(Taliesin Jaffe)
A descendent of the pirates of the infamous Barbary Coast, Captain Barnabus has long held a grudge against America for the eradication of his ancestors by President Jefferson…200 years ago. Gathering together a crew of eager mercenaries, Barnabus has taken up the old traditions of piracy, or privateering as he calls it. Sounds more professional.
Too bad he picked Randolph and Gatsby’s ship to commandeer.
Daisy
(Spenser Coates)
Daisy was Gatsby's female companion and lover when he was still owned by the Tittoni family. Like Gatsby, she is a heavy drinker and partier. Unlike Gatsby, she can't hold her liquor and turns quite nasty when drunk. She felt betrayed when Gatsby escaped years ago and assisted in holding him prisoner when he was recaptured by Frankie Tittoni. In the end, her love for Gatsby prevailed and she aided him in his next escape.
Frankie and Gertrude Tittoni
(Jordan Byrne and Joseph)
Frankie Tittoni is a small time mob boss from New York who thinks big. He is certain that the future of organized crime lies in Science and towards that end he enlists the use of a number of cutting edge devices in his business. His wife stays at home in their Westchester County mansion, where she lives a fantasy life of tea parties and keeps exotic pets. She was the original owner of Gatsby before he escaped her clutches. She captured him and Randolph Moon years later, subjecting them both to her twisted fantasy world until both managed to subdue her and Frankie to escape. They have since vowed revenge on both heroes.
Mad Myrtle Maddigan
(Joseph)
A former arch-villain of The Unknown, usually threatening to destroy the city of Los Angeles unless paid a hefty ransom. And usually defeated by The Unknown. Myrtle has fallen on hard time recently, ever since The Unknown killed his last few surviving henchmen. Alone and homeless (his lair also a casualty of his nemesis), Myrtle lives int he back alleys of downtown Los Angeles with a group of pet rats he considers his new minions. But someday, he shall rise again...and all shall remember his name with fear!
Fortunado
(Nathan G. Johnson)
Fortunado's grandfather was routed by American armed forces during the Mexican-American War and fled back to Mexico, leaving behind vast treasures, hidden in the tar pits of Los Angeles. Years later, Fortunado, a colonel in the Mexican Army, secretly led a group of soldiers into Los Angeles and positioned them into key occupations in the city. At his signal, they rose up and captured L.A. Though he told his men it was to reclaim the city for Mexico, it was in fact a ruse to gain access to the tar pits and its treasures. Defeated in his attempt, he now resides in the military prison known as Alcatraz.
