Early voting for the 2024 Election officially starts tomorrow, October 16, and runs until November 4!
You can find the dates, times, and locations relevant to your specific city/town right HERE.
You can find a sample ballot HERE.
Please please please make sure to research the candidates and measures on the national, state, and even city level, as there are some very important decisions up in the air, and some surprisingly tight races.
The comic that I've been posting about, The Left Path, is a comic that I'm writing. It's set in Rhode Island, specifically Barrington, Bristol County. I do not live in Rhode Island, so I don't know too much about it. I want to here YOUR stories (nothing personal)— folklore, common sayings, places that everyone calls one thing even though it hasn't been that thing for years, etc.
Many help is greatly appreciated!! I'm SOOOO excited to get this thing on the road!
(All character ages are as of the latest chapter, or when they died. All information as of the latest chapter too.)
Navigation: Main and extras | Cloudia's grandparents and maternal extended family | Cloudia's paternal extended family (and Florentin) | Other servants and employees | Antagonists | Scotland Yard and misc.
Physical description: black/dark blue hair, dark blue eyes (with some faint specks of green)
Affiliation: Phantomhive family; Aristocrats of Evil; Miss Peregrine’s School for Fine Ladies (former)
Occupation: Countess of Phantomhive; Watchdog to Queen Victoria
Base of Operations: Phantomhive Manor; Phantomhive townhouse
Favourite Colour: blue
Favourite Flower: lily (particularly white ones)
Favourite Dessert: small cakes, biscuits
What is in her bag? a book (usually Dickens), dagger + sheath, skeleton key, perfume bottle, notebook, pencil, hairpins, pistol, necklace
Random fact(s):
Much to her chagrin, she can neither sing nor draw; she has, however, mastered playing a musical instrument and has exceptionally lovely handwriting.
Cloudia, as her son will be, doesn’t have the best naming sense. (She named Cedric and Newman.) Still, she will be the one who names her children (with some input though).
That’s why, while she possesses acting prowess, she cannot come up with any good fake names. (Like “Lady Varanda” in the “Mistletoes and Misfits” bonus, but that was also a reference to Winx Club.)
Background info: I considered giving her a middle name (after her grandmother Genevieve), but decided against it, as she does not seem to have one in canon. (Otherwise, I guess, she might have been listed with an initial like Cedric.)
First appearance: The Countess, Encounter (Chapter 1)
Occupation: Grim Reaper; Duke of Underwood (disguise only)
Base of Operations: Grim Reaper Dispatch; Underwood Manor
Favourite Colour: cyan
Favourite Flower: bluebell, Sterling Silver Ros
Favourite Dessert: all of them! (even fruitcake)
What is in his bag? sack of sweets (biscuits!), biscuit cutters, destroyed earphones that shouldn’t be here, sometimes a banana (with disastrous results!), loose change, emergency 2nd bag of sweets, mourning hair lockets chain
Random fact(s):
He is rather clever with his hands and learned pottery and basketry; his favourite childhood game was cat’s cradle.
Now that he is the owner of a huge manor by the seaside, he’s been considering redecorating it.
He does not like fairy tales much because they remind him of someone. He cannot stop thinking about them for the same reason.
Background info: I picked “Kristopher” at random (it was the first name that came to my mind) and “Underwood” without much extra thought except that it’s sort of “similar” to “Undertaker.” I later thought that Cloudia might have rather given him “Sowerberry” as a surname because that’s the name of the undertaker in Oliver Twist. Now, I’m happy with my choices because they worked out decently in the end for various reasons.
First appearance: The Reaper, Encounter (Chapter 2)
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Name: Milton Salisbury
Nickname(s): Mil, Milt, Millie, Sonshine, Sonny, Mor
Birthday: June 27, 1823
Age: 24
Physical description: gold-blond hair, hazel eyes (they are a bit more green than brown)
Affiliation: Salisbury family
Occupation: Baron of Salisbury; Director of Salisbury Trading
Base of Operations: Salisbury Villa (former); lives here and there due to his frequent travels but has an apartment somewhere in London too; he owns Salisbury Manor too but does not and has never stayed there
Favourite Colour: loves them all
Favourite Flower: chrysanthemum
Favourite Dessert: apple cake
What is in his bag? tinderbox, shawl, armband, gloves, flask with water, key, pencil, notebook, letter opener
Random fact(s):
Perpetually bored and severely insomniac, he learned various skills to pass his time, but he is too humble to say that he has mastered most of them.
He has a hyphenated surname as his mother was a rich heiress. He does not use it but wishes he could or could, at least, only use his mother’s surname.
He sleeps only four hours a day in two-hour stretches. (He cannot sleep longer because of his nightmares.) Wentworth also has to persuade him to sleep at all.
Background info: I regret a bit giving him “Salisbury” as a surname because “Earl of Salisbury” and “Marquess of Salisbury” are actual titles.
First appearance: The Countess, Scary (Chapter 5)
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Name: Kamden Sainteclare (born Kamden Emyr Llywelyn-Bonham)
Nickname(s): Kam, Kammie, Bookstore Boy; he also goes by Emyr Bonham on occasion
Birthday: April 5, 1830
Age: 18
Physical description: messy black hair, dark blue eyes (although he looks just like a male version of Cloudia, his eyes lack the specks of green)
Affiliation: Cloudia Phantomhive; Weston College (former)
Occupation: Bookseller
Base of Operations: Sainteclare Bookstore
Favourite Colour: yellow
Favourite Flower: passionflower, begonia
Favourite Dessert: Charlotte russe
What is in his bag? book (usually a handbook), handkerchief, pocket knife, all the scary medical tools (why though), a sack of bonbons, first-aid kit (how does it even fit???)
Random fact(s):
Cloudia’s opposite in almost every way, he can sing and draw, though he seldom draws and only ever hums to himself while working; on the other hand, his handwriting is awful.
He had many crushes throughout his life but has never acted on them and never kissed anyone either yet. He’s set to have a terrible first kiss with someone he likes.
Kamden was in Weston College’s Blue House. Barrington was a bit disappointed that he could not get into Green House. He was also someone’s fag at Weston.
Background info:
He is based on the “astrological twins” concept mentioned in Erich Kästner’s Lisa and Lottie (Das doppelte Lottchen).
His surname was picked as a “opposite” to “Phantomhive,” and taken from Melancholia St. Clair from Skulduggery Pleasant. (The same applies to his birth surname “Bonham,” though I got that one from Behind the Name.)
His adopted parents’ names (Phyllis and Frederick) are taken from a Skulduggery Pleasant fanfic I wrote a long time ago (they were the fake names I gave to two canon characters). His biological parents’ names (Linette and Edmund) come from The Infernal Devices. Linette Herondale in that series is Welsh, as was Kamden’s mother.
Kamden’s birth surname was “Glendower-Bunker” (“Glyndwr-Bunker”) for a while before I changed it. I thought giving someone the surname “Glendower” was just too much, but “Llywelyn” is also a regal name.
First appearance: The Lady, Bonding (Chapter 12); The Countess, Restless (Chapter 15; present)
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Name: Alfred Newman
Nickname(s): Al, Alfie
Birthday: 1818
Age: 30
Physical description: dark blond hair, light blue eyes, very tall and broad-shouldered
Affiliation: Phantomhive family; Miss Peregrine’s School for Fine Ladies (former)
Occupation: Butler
Base of Operations: Phantomhive Manor; Phantomhive townhouse
Favourite Colour: green
Favourite Flower: camellia
Favourite Dessert: blancmange (especially with berries!)
What is in his bag? bag with bird food, hair ribbon, dagger + sheath, pocket watch, muff pistol, light read for breaks (Gamiani; his fondness for such literature stems from sentimentality)
Random fact(s):
Aficionado of romance novels; used to live in an abandoned part of a mysterious all-girls school after fleeing from a workhouse.
He does not know how he ended up at the workhouse or what his real name and background are.
Because he lived in hiding for years, he learned to move around very quietly despite his large physique.
Background info: He was originally called Albert; his name was changed to avoid an overlap with Prince Albert’s. He was instead named after Alfred Pennyworth (though he still overlaps name-wise with a member of the BRF: one of Victoria and Albert’s children, Prince Alfred).
First appearance: The Countess, Fearsome (Chapter 4; in italics text); The Countess, Frightening (Chapter 6)
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Name: Lisa Greene
Nickname(s): Li (only one person is allowed to call her that though)
Birthday: January 13, 1829
Age: 19
Physical description: light brown hair, dark green eyes
Affiliation: Phantomhive family
Occupation: Maid
Base of Operations: Phantomhive Manor; Phantomhive townhouse
Favourite Colour: grey
Favourite Flower: anemone
Favourite Dessert: bread and butter pudding
What is in her bag? sack of herbs (sewn by Newman!), toy soldier, poison-laced hairpins (of course, usually wrapped in a cloth!), roll-up sewing kit, deck of playing cards
Random fact(s):
Besides squeezing Thomas’ money out of his pockets at their weekly game nights, she loves to sew by a window on a lazy rainy day.
Lisa generally dislikes and mistrusts all boys and men. She only likes/tolerates three: Newman, Kamden, and someone else but that one is dead.
She likes borrowing Newman’s romance books. It horrifies him a bit, but he still lends them to her.
Background info:
Lisa was set to be a talented pianist, but I forgot about that aspect early on. Maybe this will find its way back into the story one day?
I wished I had made her a bit older. (But not too old, as I wanted her to be close-ish in age to Cloudia.)
First appearance: The Countess, Celebrating (Chapter 7)
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Name: Cecelia Williams
Nickname(s): prefers to be called by her full first name
Birthday: August 24, 1817
Age: 30
Physical description: wavy honey-blonde hair, dark brown eyes; she has a rather “angelic” appearance; since her husband Michael’s death, she only wears black clothes
Affiliation: Williams family; Aristocrats of Evil
Occupation: Dowager Marchioness of Williams; Aristocrat of Evil
Base of Operations: Williams guest house (by the Williams townhouse)
Favourite Colour: violet
Favourite Flower: heliotrope, centaury
Favourite Dessert: soda bread pudding
What is in her bag? fan, handkerchief, a few letters and notes, sleeping draught, purse, smelling salt, little booklet with a pressed flower
Random fact(s):
Generally, she dislikes every form of physical exertion, but, when she was younger, she enjoyed walking through fields for hours whenever her father wanted something from her.
Her mother died not long after giving birth to her. Her father began considering remarrying a few years later; however, Cecelia shooed everyone away, and he eventually gave up.
Michael liked spending a lot of time outdoors, and for the few years they were married, Cecelia did as well. Michael’s clumsiness and unluckiness often resulted in some minor disasters which sometimes rendered him injured and forced them back indoors anyway.
Background info:
I wished I had given her and Michael either a better surname or a proper title. “Marquess/Marchioness of Williams” just seems oddly casual.
I considered making her a fat character but scrapped the idea because it did not work with her backstory. (I also wanted to avoid the “of course, the character that doesn’t like exercising/moving is fat”-thing.)
First appearance: The Countess, Captured (Chapter 16)
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Name: Barrington Weaselton
Nickname(s): Barry
Birthday: March 31, 1804
Age: 44
Physical description: greying brown hair, light green eyes; has a moustache
Affiliation: Weaselton family; Aristocrats of Evil; Order of the Garter (former); Weston College (former)
Occupation: Aristocrat of Evil; Head of the British Knights (former); Prefect of Green Lion (former)
Base of Operations: Weaselton Manor (his mother is still alive and lives there; Barrington owns the place, but seldom stays over; he has another manor house elsewhere)
Favourite Colour: blue
Favourite Flower: edelweiss
Favourite Dessert: tarts (particularly lemon)
What is in his bag? sword, ring on a string, metal box with candy, kaleidoscope, paintbrush, comb
Random fact(s):
His middle name is quite embarrassingly “Arnfried” as his mother is German (he does not speak German though).
Simon’s mother Genevieve set up a “playdate” between Simon and Barrington after Simon beat Barrington in a fencing tournament. While Barrington’s mother Wilhelmine agreed to the get-together, she later regretted her decision because she thought Simon was too much trouble. (And he and Barrington did get into a lot of trouble, even before Simon became Watchdog.)
Barrington and Samantha were an oddly matched couple as they are complete opposites. (They did, however, have a very happy marriage.)
Background info:
He was named after two villainous characters (Barrington Whelk from The Raven Boys and the Duke of Weselton) simply because I liked the names.
Barrington is a secretive character, and one I haven’t fully cracked yet.
First appearance: The Lady, First Training (Chapter 10); The Countess, Captured (Chapter 16; present)
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Name: Oscar Livingstone
Nickname(s): don’t even think about it (though that did not stop Trudy’s best friend)
Birthday: December 24, 1798
Age: 49
Physical description: greying black/grey hair, pale blue eyes; has a beard
Affiliation: Livingstone family; Aristocrats of Evil; Scotland Yard (former)
Base of Operations: Livingstone Manor (former); his officially sanctioned house
Favourite Colour: gold, blue
Favourite Flower: rose
Favourite Dessert: cranachan, honey cake
What is in his bag? pistol, dagger, knife, piece of wood, flask of water, a book (usually Paradise Lost)
Random fact(s):
He does not mind if someone keeps him company when he is reading; he only wishes for silence.
It is a Livingstone family tradition that the first son is given his father’s name as his middle name. His grandparents wanted Oscar to have his legal father’s name as his middle name (Ranald) because of that, but his mother protested. Oscar ended up without a middle name as a result.
Oscar used to have auburn hair as a child, but it darkened to black as he grew older.
Background info:
Very early on, Oscar was set to be 70 years old, a former police commissioner, and missing a few fingers.
I considered Charles Rowan’s military career while settling on Oscar’s.
Oscar was named after Oscar from Sesame Street (whose German name translates to “Oscar from the Trash Can.”)
First appearance: The Countess, Captured (Chapter 16)
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Name: Trudy Ashdown
Nickname(s): /; she was known socially as “Trudy Livingstone” though she never legally took Oscar’s surname
Birthday: /
Age: /
Physical description: she had the appearance of a true “English rose”
Affiliation: Livingstone family; Ashdown family
Occupation: Lady
Base of Operations: Livingstone Manor
Favourite Colour: red, orange
Favourite Flower: rose
Favourite Dessert: apple cake, strawberry cake
What is in her bag? /
Random fact(s):
While Oscar is inwardly very restless and outwardly quiet, Trudy was inwardly very calm and outwardly lively.
She liked disguising herself and introducing herself by false names. (In part to conceal her relationship with Oscar.) For that reason, Barrington does not realise he met Trudy; he knew her by another name and was unaware that she was Oscar’s wife.
Trudy and her best friend instantly became friends upon their first encounter. Many thought they would get married, but they never had any romantic interest in each other.
Background info: /
First appearance: Mentioned only (first: The Countess, Clockmaker – Part 4; Chapter 24)
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Name: Simon Phantomhive
Nickname(s): Si, Sissi
Birthday: August 15, 1804
Age: 29 (at time of death; April 10, 1834)
Physical description: messy/unruly black/dark blue hair, emerald green eyes
Affiliation: Phantomhive family; Aristocrats of Evil; Weston College (former)
Occupation: Earl of Phantomhive; Watchdog to King George IV and King William IV (1823-1834)
Base of Operations: Phantomhive Manor; Phantomhive townhouse
Favourite Colour: storm grey, sea green
Favourite Flower: forget-me-not
Favourite Dessert: had no sweet tooth
What is in his bag? notebook, pen, paintbrush, more pens, pencils, random papers, old bread, a diary that wasn’t his, cat treats, his dagger
Random fact(s):
Simon was close to his uncle, the Marquis. The Marquis was never fond of Simon’s father Percival, so Simon was his favourite Phantomhive.
He was the fag of Sapphire Owl’s prefect, but never succeeded him as dormitory leader. (He made sure that his upperclassman would drop him as his fag when he became prefect to prevent becoming prefect himself. Barrington wondered why Simon didn’t just decline to be the dorm leader when it was time.)
He had the tendency not to carry around any umbrellas, even if it was very clear it would rain, or when it was raining. (And they do live in England too.) It frustrated both his mother and Barrington. (Penelope was taken aback by that bad habit, but Simon did always carry an umbrella with him when she was around.)
Background info:
He was named after Simon Harley-Dickinson from The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place (he is the love interest of the protagonist Penelope Lumley after whom Penelope was named).
Simon is an artist because of Simon from The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. (Simon Harley-Dickinson is also an artsy character, but he’s a playwright, not a painter.)
I wished I had written him better in “Festivity and Fear”; I hope I can rectify this one day.
First appearance: Three Times Christmas (Part 1): Festivity and Fear
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Name: Penelope Phantomhive (née Houghton)
Nickname(s): Penny, Lopey
Birthday: October 10, 1810
Age: 37
Physical description: long blonde hair, dark blue eyes; she looks just like a blonde version of her daughter and has a cowlick like her future granddaughter
Occupation: Dowager Countess of Phantomhive; Actress/opera singer (former)
Base of Operations: Phantomhive Manor (she has not left it since Cloudia became the Watchdog)
Favourite Colour: silver, blue
Favourite Flower: yellow carnation
Favourite Dessert: biscuits
What is in her bag? She doesn’t leave the house; why does she need a bag?
Random fact(s):
She was very close to her father before he passed away when she was a child. On the other hand, she has a very strained relationship with her mother, and by extension with her sisters too.
Penelope was friends with Trudy. (Unlike Barrington, Penelope knew about Trudy.) They hoped their children would become friends too.
Animals like her, and she likes animals. She currently does not keep any pets though and also did not have any growing up.
Background info:
She was named after Penelope Lumley, the protagonist from The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place.
Her parents’ names (Hortense and Edward) were taken from that series too; they are the names of her namesake’s employer’s parents. Unlike Hortense Houghton, Hortense Ashton is a nice person though, and Edward Ashton decidedly is not, whereas Edward Houghton was.
First appearance: The Lady, Invited (Chapter 11); has not appeared in the present yet
