Who's Who in the Four Aces Universe

(This is a list of notable people the Aces have met. To see the Aces themselves, and their closest allies, click here.)

Abel, Alex: (d. 2003) The wealthy and ruthless founder of The New Inquisition, a shadow army he expected to give him control of the occult world. It didn't work out that way. During the 1990s, Abel was respected and feared by the Occult Underground, especially in his native New York City. Anyone who clashed with Abel lost the fight, including the late Lesek Czernin, who once dared to save a woman named Miranda Kale from the hid squads of TNI. In 2002, however, TNI made an enemy well out of their league: Thomas Donnelly. Donnelly's elite Saints spent the next twelve months taking the Inquisition apart piece-by-piece, and then brought their global campaign to a bloody finish on July 5, 2003, a massacre later dubbed 'Red Rain.' Alex Abel was survived by his former wife, Ella Miles, in Chicago, and by their son, Luther, until he met his own violent end three years later. (Episodes 4, 21-23)

Aglie, Vincent: An established Player in the Great Game, Aglie is a rival of Demetrius Katsoulakis, Andrew Ben-Nevis, and the Comte de Saint-Germain. He is the leader of the modern-day alliance of Templars and Rosicrucians, making both Tessa DiMarco and Derek Cross two of his best agents.

Aglie has taken a particular interest in Mark Donovan over the years, and he sought a face-to-face meeting with Yukio Ohta in 2004 on a remote coast of Hokkaido. Donovin reaction has been cautious, while Yukio has strived to maintain a formal relationship based on mutual respect. His relations with the rest of the Aces was severely strained when he was summoned to a tense meeting with them in 2004, and bad blood still persists from that confrontation.

Aglie is very cautious in his dealings with Katsoulakis, which may account for some of the difficulty he has had with the Aces, whom he has always considered Katsoulakis' men. His mistrust of Saint-Germain, however, is even more profound.

Aglie did not approve of Derek Cross' appeal to Mark and Yukio in 2007 to use the Crystal Skull to journey back to 1913, but he made no move to stop them. What the Aces learned from that experience suggests that Aglie came to his current position some time after 1913. He considers Anne Salters a serious threat, and is apparently the only Player to have knowledge of Uranur, thanks to reports from 1913 concerning the Sentinels, a group of zealots who would later inspire Thomas Donnelly to create the Saints. (Episode 25a, 36, 38)

American College of Orgonomy: Based in Princeton, New Jersey, the ACO considers itself the foremost advocate of the theories and discoveries of Wilhelm Reich. Its current director is Gerard Carlyle. The ACO has only one talented member: Paul Rourke, who designed an orgone engine second only to the one designed by the Reich Institute. No one at the ACO has any knowledge of the Institute. Nor are they aware that their entire understanding of Reich's work is based on fake documents carefully crafted by Theodore Wolfe. (Rourke's success, despite Wolfe's efforts, was entirely due to his own brilliant insight.) The ACO has close ties to the Jackson Laboratories in Maine, and is on decent terms with V James DeMeo's Orgone Biophysical Research Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon. (Episodes 6, 11, 12, 13)

Anderson, "Bloodbath" Bill: (b.1952) Anderson had a distinguished career as a field agent for US civilian intelligence agencies until 1996, when he suffered a serious injury to his back while on assignment. He was going to retire, but an old friend suggested he apply for chief of security for the Reich Institute. Anderson won the spot, and now considers it the best job he ever had. His team of agents are hand-picked, and he considers the Institute's heads of research, Ken Inada and Seema Mukharji, personal friends. Anderson is a highly skilled professional, still deadly in combat, and he has earned the respect of Mark Donovin and the Aces. (Episodes 14-15, 17, 19)

Art: The genius loci of the Renaissance Casino. Art manifests as an African-American man, a jazz pianist dressed in an elegant suit with his bow-tie undone. He can usually be found late at night in the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance, playing standards on its beautiful concert grand. Art reappeared when the reconstruction of the Renaissance had gone far enough to allow him to contact the Aces, and he has helped them defeat the malevolent spirits that had plagued the casino since 1976. He also did his part in the defense of the Renaissance against the Saints on July 5, 2003. Art is one with the casino, and for that reason, he can sometimes make contact with Jonathan. (First appearance: Episode 13a)

Balesio, Gisela Isadore: A scholar of the Faerie who was invited to New York by Demetrius Katsoulakis in 2006 to further her research. She aided the Aces and Jokers in capturing a dangerous Uranur elemental. (Episode 33)

Bart, Clarissa: (d. 1992) The mother of Miranda Kale and the wife of Gareth Kale, Clarissa was a prominent New York mage and a member of Stuyvesant Lodge. Kale and Bart first stirred up trouble in 1976 when they demanded a full accounting of a confrontation involving a group of Dominican bokors, which took place in the Renaissance Casino that year. Bart's crusade to uncover inconvenient truths continued through the early 1990s, when she made frequent objections to the aggressive practices of The New Inquisition. That brought her to the attention of Alex Abel, who eventually responded by telling the Sleepers that the Veil was certain to break unless either he or Miranda's parents were eliminated. The Sleepers chose Kale and Bart as the more disposable threat. Miranda Kale survived thanks to Lesek Czernin. (Episodes 4, 18, 32)

Basilius, Dean of the Pentagonum: A respected scholar in the Dreamlands city of Hlanith, Basilius directed Luther Miles and Tarique Johanssen, and later the Aces and Jokers, to the less-guarded books of magic that allowed Luther to summon a Hunting Horror to New York. The schools of Hlanith pursue a unique form of magic that draws from quasi-scientific principles, which lends the city an atmosphere reminiscent of steampunk. As a result, Basilius, like his colleagues, lacks a deep understanding of other forms of magic practiced in the Dreamlands, with a particular tendency to be blindsided by their potential hazards. (Episode 37)

Ben-Nevis, Andrew: A brilliant inventor whose family still owns ancestral land around Ben Nevis, Scotland's highest mountain. His company, NevisCorp, conducts cutting-edge research for the automotive and other industries, and he personally owns many patents related to materials science and superconductivity. Ben-Nevis once kept sumptuous apartments in Manhattan and Boston, but serious setbacks following "Red Rain" forced him to retreat back to the Ben-Nevis family estate in Scotland.

Ben-Nevis and Alex Abel were colleagues back in the 1980s, when they were rising financial stars, but the two men drifted apart as Abel became obsessed with TNI. Ben-Nevis seemed to be aware of the disaster befalling TNI in its last months, and he expressed some measure of regret at Abel's death.

In the months prior to "Red Rain", Ben-Nevis approached the Aces and asked for their help against a group of green serpents posing as human employees of NevisCorp. When the Aces asked for details, however, Ben-Nevis proved frustratingly evasive. Soon after "Red Rain," Katsoulakis sent the Aces to Scotland to confirm a state of détente between the two Players, but the meeting went badly awry when Ben-Nevis refused to cooperate.

Eventually, the Aces discovered that Ben-Nevis was, in fact, a green serpent himself, which would account for his behavior, often strange by human standards. Later investigations by Tessa DiMarco suggested the green serpents first came to Malkuth (the "Prime Material Plane") in 1903. While it remains unclear how prominent Ben-Nevis is among them, there is a possibility he has been their leader ever since their arrival. (Episode 13, 16, 18, 25, 27, 35)

Book Curtis: (b.1973, d. 2002) A former Ranger who served in Somalia under Patrick Cole, and alongside Mark Donovin. Mark's memories of Somalia have not always been clear, but he knew Book was a bad soldier and deserved his dishonorable discharge. Book turned up as a security guard at an Orgone engine demonstration sponsored by the American College of Orgonomy. Mark knew something was up with that, and in the months that followed, the Aces learned that Book had joined a mercenary group, Defense Solutions, Inc., which had been hired by an unknown party to find the Reich Institute. To prevent that, Patrick Cole "asked" Mark to hunt him down, and Book met his end in a bloody shoot-out with the Aces in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Episodes 6, 14, 15)

Borsavin, Michel: (ACE AUXILIARY) (b.1959) For a profile of Michel, please go here. (First appearance: Prelude)

Bradshaw, Jeff: (ACE AUXILIARY) For a profile of Jeff, please go here. (Episodes 23-26)

Braun, Derek: (d. 2006) One of Bruce's more valuable lieutenants in his steadily growing criminal empire in the States. Derek was killed by an Uranur elemental, which was a meaningful loss for Bruce because Braun was one of the rare few who could handle paranormal situations. (Episode 33)

Bromwitz, Morry "The Hammer": (b.1959) The founder of Critter Apocalypse, New York's finest pest-control company. Vermin have a serious problem with this guy, but not nearly as serious as the problem Morry has with the English language. ("The Hammer's in the groove.") (Episode 10, 28)

Bruce: (JOKER) For a profile of Bruce, please go here. (First appearance: Episode 26)

Capelli, Vince: A lieutenant in the NYPD and Alan Wingate's commanding officer, so it is probably a good thing that Capelli is experienced, smart, and very, very patient. Not that this prevents him from chewing Wingate out on a regular basis. Capelli has the great misfortune of being known to Mayor Bloomburg by name, thanks to all the bizarre events taking place in the City, for which Wingate is the number one go-to guy. (Episode 28)

Captain of the White Ship: The White Ship is the most famous of vessels that sail the seas of the Dreamlands. The Captain runs a tight ship, and is sympathetic to dreamers in need of safe transit (as 'safe' as it ever can be in the Dreamlands). Bruce and Yukio were passengers aboard the White Ship during their rescue of Miranda Kale, and they made a good impression on the first mate, Karrak, and the rest of the crew. (Episode 32)

Carey, Martin: (b.1958) The current owner of Winfield Hall. Carey said little during the crisis because he spent most of it in an alcoholic stupor, but that seemed very rational considering the circumstances. According to Lady Margaret Jameson, Carey is normally a charming man who drinks very little. It is not clear where Carey got the money to buy Winfield, but he is also a quiet yet major contributor to several Manhattan and Long Island charities. (Episodes 7-9)

Carlyle, Gerard: (b.1950) Current director of the Princeton campus of the American College of Orgonomy. Carlyle has given his full support to the exceptional research of Paul Rourke, and ensures Rourke has any equipment he needs. Rourke could never have built his Orgone engine without Carlyle's support. (Episodes 6, 11, 12, 13)

Cartwright, Thomas: (b.1953) The former mentor of Jonathan Wertham and Tamara Westcott. Cartwright was respected as an architect's architect, but his career took a dramatic turn shortly after Jonathan began studying with him. Cartwright became obsessed with Nikola Tesla, convinced that there were undiscovered links between architectural theory and Tesla's experiments that could change the world. In 2002, he embarked on a tour through the U.S. to meet with sympathetic colleagues. A few months later, Tamara appeared at Jonathan's door to take him to Wardenclyffe, the Long Island lab where Tesla performed one of his most ambitious experiments. Cartwright was there to greet his former students, and tell them what he had learned about an ongoing war between factions of serpent people, and about the connection between Orgone and Tesla's "cosmic energy."

Cartwright returned in 2006, first in pursuit of a lighter that contained a dangerous Uranur elemental, and then again to meet with Bruce and Yukio to discuss their encounter with alien like beings who were in search of a "Crystal Lattice." (Episode 6, 11a, 33, 34)

Chen, Michelle: (b. 1978) One of Sifu Shi Yan-Ming's best students at the USA Shaolin Temple in Greenwich Village. The sifu asked Michelle to spar with Ken regularly so they would both improve their skills. Yukio invited her to his party at the Marble Arch in 2007. (Episodes 14, 16, 38)

Cole, Capt. Patrick: As a Warrant Officer in Somalia, Cole was the commanding officer of both Mark Donovin and Curtis Book. Donovin respected Cole and credits Cole with making him the man he is today. In 2002, Cole "asked" Mark to stop Book before he discovered the location of the Reich Institute. Mark agreed, and Book was killed in a bloody shoot-out in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Cole promised Mark that this would be the last thing he would ever ask of him. How and why Cole knew about the Reich Institute remains unknown. (Episodes 14-15).

Creighton, Jennie: (ACE AUXILIARY) (spirit) For a profile of Jennie, please go here. (First appearance: Episode 8)

Critter Apocalypse: New York's finest pest-control company, founded by Morry "The Hammer" Bromwitz, with support from his long-suffering assistant, Spencer. Their truck has a big plastic cockroach on top, which is great advertising for Morry, but also unwelcome publicity for his customers. Bromwitz specializes in rats and bugs, but he is willing to take on damn near anything if asked, even the Super Roaches unleashed by Santa Ogre (though that did not end well). (Episode 10, 28)

Cross, Derek: Derek first met the Aces immediately after "Red Rain" when he was dispatched by Vincent Aglie to find the missing Tessa DiMarco. Cross would later meet Yukio Ohta in Japan, where he helped Yukio battle the malevolent sorcerer Kokuyougan and then escorted Yukio to a meeting with Aglie. Cross and Ohta get along quite well, and Cross apparently has Aglie's approval to help Ohta on occasion.

Derek was an unexpected guest at Yukio's party in 2007. He convinced Bruce, Mark, and Yukio to use the Crystal Skull to take themselves back to 1913 and learn the truth about the part his great-grandfather and namesake played in that conflict. Aglie was aware of this request and did not approve of it, but chose not to intervene. Unfortunately, Cross learned that his ancestor made a battlefield decision that led to the massacre of over three hundred civilians, which suggests why Aglie thought the matter best left alone. (Episodes 23, 25a, 38)

Czernin, Lesek: (leh-shek' zer'-nin) (b.1948, d. 2003) An Austrian emigre who lived in St. Luke's Place in Greenwich Village until he was burned at the stake by the Saints just prior to 'Red Rain.' Czernin was an occult adventurer in his youth, but his bravado was cut short by an ugly run-in with The New Inquisition while trying to protect the young pryo, Miranda Kale. By the time the Aces met him, Lesek had been keeping a low profile for several years, though he remained close to Lady Margaret Jameson and was even an occasional guest of Demetrius Katsoulakis.

Czernin gave the Aces advice and occult knowledge, but whether he did this out of altruism or a personal agenda was never clear. Perhaps, a bit of both. Unfortunately, his actions were enough to make him a target once again by the time of "Red Rain." Czernin had an impressive collection of the occult and of nineteenth-century objet-d'arts in his apartment, and some of these pieces were rescued by the Aces after his death. One of his possessions, a lighter that once belonged to Klaus Hunderprest and which contained a dangerous Uranur elemental, turned up in 2006 and caused the death of several people.

One year after his death, Yukio Ohta visited his apartment in the company of Michel Borsavin, and the two men summoned Czernin's spirit to question him about Everett Rolston and Alistair Jameson. Czernin insisted both men had died years before, and Czernin begged Yukio to find out what had happened to Miranda.

In fact, Yukio and Bruce would later discover that Rolston and Jameson had exiled themselves to the Dreamlands in 1999 to escape what would eventually be "Red Rain". Czernin's part in their plan was to alert them once the danger had passed, and his death delayed their return by two years.

As for Miranda, the Jokers discovered that Lesek had faked her death by making a deal with Lle-Khor, the Rending Shadow. Not surprisingly, this reckless arrangement resulted in her physical passage to the Dreamlands, only to fall under the power of the Mad God. When Bruce and Yukio explained to Lesek the truth of what he had done, the realization shattered what was left of his spirit. (Prelude, Episodes 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 21, 27b, 31, 32, 33)

Dark Queen of Tomanhurich: Once equal in power to Maori, Queen of Mannahatta, the Dark Queen (her real name remains unknown) was brought low in 1913 by a complex plot engineered by the black serpents and the Lloigor who stood behind them. While under their power, the Dark Queen was a formidable threat, as malevolent forces twisted her powers of Illusion and her mastery over every physical feature of Tomnahurich Hill and the vast complex beneath it. Jeff Bradshaw died at her hands, and, so did the Queen's most beloved, Thomas the Rhymer, from whom she had never been apart for centuries.

Once she and Ness, the Servant of Gaia, were freed by the Aces, her strength began to return, but her grief at the loss of Thomas and the violation of her realm are so great that most ways to and from her kingdom remain closed, save that to Mannahatta. Her eventual return to her former power is assured, and this wil once again protect Scotland from those who would oppress it, but only after a long recovery. Until then, the Dark Queen remains particularly true to her cold and distant reputation.

Despite this, she remains forever grateful to the mortals who saved her and her realm. While the Aces and Jokers cannot expect the warm welcome they receive in Mannahatta, the Dark Queen has never since refused them passage through her realm. (Episodes 26-27, 36)

Delaport, Virginia: (d. 2002) The last of the Delaports, aka the "de la Poers," a once respected English family that suffered a quick and appalling decline after immigrating to Virginia. Virginia was killed by George and Ken after she had regressed into a ghoul state. Ken now has her seal ring, which has the power to summon rats and allow its bearer see through their eyes. Not long before her death, Virginia had a roll in the sack with Martin Murray, which is something none of the Aces care to visualize. (Episode 10).

DeMeo, V. James: (b.1955) The director of the Orgone Biophysical Research Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon. DeMeo was present at Paul Rourke's demonstration of his Orgone engine at an event in New Jersey sponsored by the American College of Orgonomy. (Episode 6)

DiMarco, Tessa: A beautiful, mysterious Templar agent who rescued the Aces while they were protecting Luther Miles and Cassandra Moon. Despite George's best efforts, the Aces were not able to determine who she was or how she knew to find them.

Then, months later, she returned for a late-night meeting in Central Park with George, Ken, and Mark. She answered their many questions as best she could, saying some of the information they were asking for was still too dangerous for them to know. She then gave them clues to the strongbox at Wardenclyffe containing the last journals of Nikola Tesla. She also gave Mark an amulet which seemed connected somehow to the Templars and which helped to spark his latent Gift.

Perhaps Tessa's most important favor to them, however, was during the night of 'Red Rain,' when she and Jamal Rashid took crucial parts in the defense of the Renaissance. Once the threat had passed, she left in the company of a group of green serpents, which led the Aces to pursue her to Scotland. While ostensibly there to forge a careful peace between Demetrius Katsoulakis and Andrew Ben-Nevis, the Aces attempt to rescue Tessa led to the liberation of the Dark Queen of Tomnahurich and Ness, the Servant of Gaia.

Some time before then, Tessa had staged a one-woman raid on Castle Glamis in the hope of stealing the Crystal Skull kept there by the Douglases. Despite her formidable talents, she failed in this, and it was left to the Aces and Jokers, with the cooperation of the Douglases ancient enemies, the Gilmores, to mount an attack that broke the Douglases hold over the castle and secured the skull.

Tessa's full range of talents remains unknown, but there can be no doubt she possesses powerful mystical abilities (including teleportation and several combat magics) and is a crack shot with any firearm she wields. Like nearly all Templars of the modern era, she is not overtly religious, but seems particularly loyal to Vincent Aglie, who has clearly been a kind of father figure to her. She enjoys the company of her colleague Derek Cross, but cannot seem to stop herself from snarking at Cassandra Moon (who gives back as good as she gets). (Episodes 4, 6, 17, 21-23, 36)

Dimopoulos, Rhea: (d. 2002) "The Bitch of Colchis," a ruthless sorceress. Demetrius Katsoulakis was her lover back in the 1980s, during his infiltration of the November 17th terrorist group. Dimopoulos also bedded Michael Astakos, one of November 17th's most sadistic killers. Astakos went off-the-grid during the 1990s, but when Katsoulakis managed to find him and have him murdered, Dimopoulos summoned the keres, ancient Greek spirits of death, to kill Katsoulakis in revenge. Katsoulakis survived, thanks to the Aces, who managed to kill Dimopoulos before she killed them. (Episode 5)

Donnelly, Thomas: Born in 1944 in Grand Rapids, where he later became bishop in 1993, Donnelly graduated Summa Cum Laude in biology from the University of Chicago in 1966 and earned a Ph.D. at Berkeley in 1972. He is a brilliant physiologist and bio-chemist, and was the secret genius behind Mark van Laaden's Orgone and Uranur experiments. As bishop, Donnelly had a reputation for dealing with "problem cases," which is how van Laaden came to his attention in 1996.

After the Aces killed van Laaden and destroyed his laboratory in 2001, Donnelly disappeared, and dedicated himself to the building of a new laboratory. Here he created a force of Uranur-charged soldiers, the "Saints." Donnelly appears to have been inspired by reports of the Sentinels, who wielded an early form of Uranur during the occult battles of 1913. While the Saints' abilities are not quite as powerful as Donnelly's own, the location of the lab (or labs) remains unknown, and the size of this private army continues to grow.

Several months after the incident in Grand Rapids, Donnelly turned up at the Orgone engine demonstration sponsored by the American College of Orgonomy. Mark confronted him, only to find himself frozen by Donnelly's formidable Gifted abilities which had been augmented beyond measure through regular exposure to Uranur.

Not long after the demonstration, Alex Abel dared to challenge Donnelly, who unleashed his Saints in a year-long campaign against TNI which ended with Abel's execution on July 5, 2003 as part of "Red Rain."

Thereafter, Donnelly disappeared again until 2006, when Katsoulakis secured a recording of a conversation between Donnelly and the Contessa Catalina Saragossa at a café in New York.

Donnelly was the intended target of Luther Abel (née Miles) when the young man returned to New York in 2007. Aware that Donnelly was responsible for his father's, Luther mistakenly assumed he was the most powerful man in New York. That proved to be a fatal mistake, and Donnelly remains at large.

Donnelly's relationship with the Church is complicated, but there has been no evidence of a clear break, much less a denunciation of his activities by any official, so Donnelly may remain a bishop in some sense.

He has certainly proved to be a ruthless sadist, and a man the Aces can foil but never quite manage to kill. Even the formidable resources of Carla Madajewicz have had limited success in tracking his movements. Donnelly remains the Aces' most formidable adversary. (Episodes 1, 6, 18, 21-22, 35, 38)

DONOVIN, MARK (ACE) (b.1974) For a profile of Mark, please go here.

Douglas, Gerald: One of the family who had possession of Castle Glamis until 2006, he was captured by the Dark Queen in 2003, when she was under the power of the black serpents, and eventually tortured death along with one of his kinsmen. His spirit was freed by the Aces during their mission into Tomnahurich. His fate proved that, while the Aces might have expected the black serpents and the vampires of Glamis to be in league, they were, in fact, deadly adversaries. (Episode 27)

Douglas, Lady Gwendolyn: The matriarch of the vampiric Douglas family and the foremost enemy of the shape-shifting Benandanti family, the Gilmores. An immensely powerful vampire and sorceress, she was the primary target during the raid on Castle Glamis staged by the Jokers, Aces, and the Gilmores in 2006. Whether she was truly destroyed during the Gilmores' repossession of Glamis remains unclear but seems highly likely. (Episode 27b, 35, 36, 37)

Douglas, Lady Helen: One of the "younger" vampires of the Douglas family who held Castle Glamis until 2006. Though not as ancient as Gwendolyn, Helen is quite powerful, and her imprisonment by the Sleepers was due more to bad luck than any skill on their part. When the Aces accidentally released her during their investigation of Gleeson House in 2003, Lady Helen became infatuated with Mark Donovin and tried to win him over to the defense of her family, even journeying as far as the Renaissance to make her plea. Sighted during the raid on Castle Glamis, it is highly likely--but not certain--that she was slain by the Gilmore family during their repossession of the castle. (Episodes 24-27, 27b, 35, 36, 37)

Dupree, Latrell: (b. 1976) For a profile of Latrell, please go here. (First appearance: Episode 6)

Forgotten King: (spirit) The mummy enslaved by Frank Woolworth in the basement of Winfield Hall was once a pharaoh, though one whose name has been lost for centuries. The Aces freed the King's spirit when they defeated Woolworth, and so allowed him at last to join the akhu, the blessed dead, in the spirit realm of Khem. Shortly after they returned from Winfield, the Aces shared an epic dream-journey to Khem, where they were thanked by the spirits of the pharaohs and even Anubis himself. The Aces were also allowed to witness the final, terrible end of Woolworth's spirit. (Episodes 7-9, 10)

Gergiev, Boris: (b. 1963) Agent for a third-tier Russian oligarch in St. Petersburg with an interest in art and the occult. Gergiev's suit is always rumpled, and his cigar worthy of Chernobyl. He really is Russian, but the big beard and thick accent make him seem fake anyway. He visits New York regularly to bid in auctions for his boss. (Prelude, Episode 16)

Gilmore, Angus: A policeman on the Edinburgh police force. A Benandantus like the rest of his family, Angus has sometimes intervened when relatives run afoul of the law. He is the cousin of Robert Gilmore. (Episode 25)

Gilmore, Robert: One of a clan of shape-shifting Benandanti who had long opposed the vampiric Douglases of Castle Glamis. Terrance Gilmore was his cousin, and Robert helped the Aces during their investigation of his death. Robert had also met Donald MacLean, the personal assistant of Andrew Ben-Nevis, and played a part in arranging the meet between the Aces and Ben-Nevis. Robert acted as a liaison between his family and the Aces and Jokers during the preparations for the raid on Castle Glamis in 2006, and he personally led the family's triumphant repossession of the castle. (Episode 25, 36, 37)

Gilmore, Terrance: (d. 2003) An employee of DK Imports, who was supposed to put the Aces in touch with Andrew Ben-Nevis but turned up dead first. The investigation of his death instead put the Aces in contact with Robert Gilmore, who would later cooperate with them in the raid on Castle Glamis in 2006. The Gilmores were scandalized that Terrance would work for Demetrius Katsoulakis, who enriched himself by selling the heritage of their native land, and insisted he use the pseudonym "Terrance Selway." His cousin, Robert, especially disapproved of his chosen profession. At the time of his death, Gilmore possessed the Dreaming Stone, which the Aces would later use to enter the Dreamlands. (Episode 25)

Guzman, Joaquin: One of Bruce's lieutenants in his expanding, New York-based, criminal network. Joaquin helped during the search in 2006 for a lighter which contained a dangerous Uranur elemental. When Joaquin gave Bruce a cool-headed account of the death of Carlos Mendez, Bruce immediately inducted Joaquin into the Mockers. (Episode 33)

Gwynne, Sunny: (spirit) Once a cook in Winfield Hall. Gwynne was the only spirit who could resist Frank Woolworth after he gained control over the estate. She was pleased to give the Aces the information they needed to defeat him. No one knows whether she Moved On after the crisis had passed, or if her spirit still haunts Winfield today. (Episode 9)

Hourani, Doctor Amir (b. 1970) A young doctor who often works shifts in the emergency room at the New York Weill Cornell Medical Center. He met Nemura Kentaro through colleagues at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, and now considers him a friend. Hourani witnessed the keres in 2002, and he treated Mark for the venom attacks he suffered during his fight with a black-faction serpent warrior. He was also one of several New Yorkers recognized by Mayor Bloomberg for exceptional service during the attack of the Saints on July 5, 2003 ("Red Rain"). Hourani is a good doctor with a promising future. (Episode 5, 12, 21)

Hunderprest, Klaus: (b. 1949, d. 1999) An Austrian wind-bag, who was once a member of New York's Occult Underground, though no one could ever explain why. Hunderprest was a regular at New York society gatherings for many years, acting like a jerk and hitting on every woman in sight. His escapades came to an abrupt end in 1999 when a serpent appearing as the Contessa Catalina Saragossa charco-broiled him at the auction for the Everett Rolston estate. Hunderprest had been in possession of a lighter which contained a dangerous Uranur elemental. He apparently never realized just how hazardous the item was, and neither did Lesek Czernin, who claimed it after Hunderprest's death. (Episodes: Prelude, 33)

Inada, Ken: (b.1957) The head of research at the Reich Institute's Ann Arbor facility. Inada designed the best Orgone engine ever created, and his labs are a model of scientific endeavor in a very difficult field. His staff respect and like him, and he is on excellent terms with Seema Mukharji, who was his counterpart in Houghton until that facility was destroyed in 2003 and she transferred to Ann Arbor. He also enjoys the company of the Institute's chief of security, Bill Anderson. (Episodes 14-15, 17, 19)

Ishida: A master of herbalism and mystic secrets of the natural world. Ishida came to the Marble Arch in 2005 at the request of Yukio Ohta. Ishida and Yukio have a shared history, though neither man has ever talked about it. Ishida has a gruff demeanor but this slips among those he likes, and he has developed a particular fondness for Cassandra Moon, who has been an adept student of herbalism and Ishida's particular practice of Zen.

Ishida's greatest success at the Marble Arch has been the cultivation of Faerie plants provided by Maori, Queen of Mannahatta. Maori herself doubted they would survive in the mortal realm, but under Ishida's care, the plants thrived, and now define the landscape of the complex. This feat has earned Ishida respect from the entire Court of Mannahatta Court. Ishida accompanied the Jokers on a visit to Katsoulakis' brownstone in 2006, where he got along surprisingly well with Niko Kakoyannis (Episodes 30, 32, 33, 35, 38)

Jameson, Lord Alistair: One of New York's most notorious occult scholars, who was a regular figure in the City's cultural and literary circles during the mid- to late-twentieth century. Jameson was one of the most prominent members of Stuyvesant Lodge during its height and in the slow decline which followed. When he faked his death in 1998, his vast wealth was left in the care of his much younger wife, Margaret.

Jameson's "death" concealed his self-imposed exile with Everett Rolston to escape the chain of events that would eventually wipe out the Occult Underground during the night of "Red Rain" in 2003. Unfortunately, Jameson never expected his wife would be in danger, and he was stricken when Yukio and Bruce informed him of her death. Jameson and Rolston had planned to return to New York right after the threat had passed, but the death of Lesek Czernin delayed that by two years. Upon their return in 2005, Jameson and Rolston revived Stuyvesant Lodge with great success.

Jameson provided useful information during the search for a lighter containing a dangerous Uranur elemental, and he was as surprised as anyone when Luther Abel (née Miles) made Stuyvesant Lodge his first stop during his doomed attempt in 2007 to restore his father's empire. Since his return, Jameson has been preoccupied by the legal morass that has mired his estate since Margaret's death. (Episodes Prelude, 31, 33, 37)

Jameson, Lady Margaret: (b.1975, d. 2003) The widow of Lord Alistair Jameson, Lady Margaret was unaware her husband had only faked his death in 1998. She maintained the collection, despite her lack of interest in the occult, because she enjoyed the gossip and politics of New York's Occult Underground. Unfortunately, her visibility in that circle led to her execution during "Red Rain," the Saints' massacre in New York on July 5, 2003. Lady Margaret always seemed to find the Aces amusing, but her regard for them was genuine, particularly after they saved her life during the Winfield crisis. (Prelude; Episodes 2, 4-5, 7-9, 11, 16, 18, 21)

Kakoyannis, Niko: (b. 1971) A personal assistant to Demetrius Katsoulakis. Niko is a big, handsome, broad-shouldered guy who most find laid-back and surprisingly approachable unless they have ill-intent toward Katsoulakis. Niko treats fellow Katsoulakis employee, Alexandra Pappas, like an adopted kid sister and enjoys the Aces' visits to Katsoulakis' mansion. He enjoyed a long conversation with Ishida, chief groundskeeper at the Marble Arch, when they first met, and the two have gotten along famously ever since. Niko can throw back a lot of ouzo without showing it, and has a passionate devotion to Katsoulakis' limousine and cars. He moves like a man who can resort to violence if necessary. (Prelude, Episodes 5, 11, 12, 16, 18, 21, 23, 24, 35)

Kale, Gareth: (d. 1992) The father of Miranda Kale and the husband of Clarissa Bart, Kale was a prominent New York mage and a member of Stuyvesant Lodge. Kale and Bart first stirred up trouble in 1976 when they demanded a full accounting of a confrontation involving a group of Dominican bokors, which took place in the Renaissance Casino that year. Kale's crusade to uncover inconvenient truths continued through the early 1990s, when he made frequent objections to the aggressive practices of The New Inquisition. That brought him to the attention of Alex Abel, who eventually responded by telling the Sleepers that the Veil was certain to break unless either he or Miranda's parents were eliminated. The Sleepers chose Kale and Bart as the more disposable threat. Miranda Kale survived thanks to Lesek Czernin. (Episode 4, 18, 32)

Kale, Miranda: (ACE AUXILLARY): For a profile of Miranda, please go here. (First mention: Episode 4 / First appearance: Episode 32)

Kaman-Thah and Nasht: Two ancient men (or, at least, they appear to be men) who attend the Cavern of Flame, the main entrance to the Dreamlands. They are very similar in appearance to their portrayal in the stories of H.P. Lovecraft, which may be suggestive. The recognized the Dreaming Stone when the Jokers first journeyed to the Dreamlands with it, and they have shown particular respect for Bruce, whom they acknowledge as a Mocker. Should a dreamer state a desire to journey to one of the more dangerous regions of the Dreamlands, they will share their concern (particularly if the dreamer is familiar to them), but they will not try to prevent that dreamer from going there. (Episodes 10, 11, 16, 20, 26, 31, 32, 37)

Katsoulakis, Demetrius: A Greek importer/exporter, whose Katsoulakis Imports maintains offices around the world. While KI is a business first, Katsoulakis frequently makes use of its resources for his own purposes. His empire includes property on the island of Plomari, devoted to cultivating a private, and exceptional, stock of ouzo. His brownstone in New York houses a vast library of the occult and his personal staff, who include Niko Kakoyannis, Alexandra Pappas, and Angelo Scappi.

Katsoulakis was an old friend of Andreas Papandreou (d. 1996), the prime minister of Greece during the 1980s. At Papandreou's request, Katsoulakis infiltrated the November 17th Group, an infamous terrorist organization, and undermined several of its operations. He makes no apologies for resorting to violence whenever he considers it necessary.

When Papandreou's hold on power began to slip during the early 1990s, Katsoulakis left Greece and resettled in New York, moving into a comfortable and elegant brownstone residence at 90th & Lexington (in the 19th Precinct). Though he shuns the media, he is now unquestionably a major figure in New York. As the chair of the Renaissance Restoration Project, he made sure the project was given to Jonathan Wertham, and then appointed Mark Donovin as the project's chief of security.

A select number of KI employees were devoted exclusively to seeking out items of personal interest to Katsoulakis. One of the most successful was Tom Patton, the first husband of George's sister, Mary Phillapoussis. Patton died in Kuwait City in 1991, in an ill-fated attempt to use Desert Storm as a cover for securing artifacts. Since his death, Katsoulakis has been a patron to Mary and her family. This included George, who considered Katsoulakis an adopted uncle while he was an Ace, and Katsoulakis seemed to return the sentiment.

Katsoulakis' private collection of the occult is the finest in the United States and, perhaps, the western hemisphere. Among its many extraordinarily rare items is a "speaking machine" constructed by Wolfgang von Kempelen and later modified by the stage magician Doc Nixon. He also owns all the surviving volumes that were once in the library of the Sleepers at Gleeson House in the United Kingdom.

Katsoulakis' residence is heavily warded against many kinds of attack, both mystical and mundane. It is virtually impregnable, as more than one adversary has discovered, though most never survived to warn others.

Katsoulakis always treated the Occult Underground with contempt, even if he sometimes found them a useful distraction. He approved of the Aces plan to send Abel's son, Luther Miles, back to Chicago, and did not welcome the young man's short-lived return years later.

When the Saints launched an assault against his brownstone during the night of "Red Rain," he had the remaining pieces of his attackers delivered, in a bag, directly to Donnelly via a mystical courier. To date, Donnelly has never dared challenge Katsoulakis again, but Katsoulakis has made it clear he would prefer 'that priest' be removed permanently.

Katsoulakis' contempt also included the Sleepers and anyone else who aspired to be Players in the Great Game but lacked the resources or the intelligence to earn a seat at that table. Ben-Nevis did enjoy his respect, and Katsoulakis dispatched the Aces to Scotland in an attempt to establish an understanding following 'Red Rain.'

In the years since "Red Rain," Katsoulakis' grip over New York has strengthened considerably. The arrival of the mysterious Ariadne Kyrios was followed by the disappearance of several would-be troublemakers, and it seems very unlikely that any of his rivals will displace him any time soon. The peace now reigning over the City has led to a dramatic decline in violent paranormal activity throughout the Five Boroughs. The return of Everett Rolston and Alistair Jameson amuses Katsoulakis, and he has done nothing to prevent the revival of Stuyvesant Lodge.

In discussion with Yukio, Katsoulakis said he considered the Aces to have fulfilled their usefulness and implied that some of their actions might have put them in bad favor with him had they remained. Nonetheless, when Mark and Ken returned in 2006, Katsoulakis welcomed them back without incident.

The Hunting Horror summoned by Luther Miles went in pursuit of Katsoulakis when the young man foolishly directed it to "rend and consume the one who is most powerful in the City" (whom Luther assumed would be Donnelly). Katsoulakis dismissed the creature from the brownstone with a wave of his arm, leaving the matter of killing it to Mark, Yukio, and Bruce. (Prelude, Episodes 2, 5, 11, 12, 16, 18, 21, 23, 27b, 31, 31a, 33, 37)

Kempelen, Wolfgang von: (deceased) A courtier to Empress Maria Theresa in late eighteenth-century Vienna. In 1791 he invented a Sprechende Maschine, a "speaking machine," which could reproduce the sounds of human speech. He also claimed to have invented a mechanical chess-playing machine, though this was later believed to be a fraud. One of his speaking machines is now a prized part of the occult collection owned by Demetrius Katsoulakis. (Prelude, Episodes 5, 35)

Kentaro, Kaori (ACE AUXILIARY) (b. 1985) For a profile of Kaori, please go here. (First appearance: Episode 11)

KENTARO, NEMURA (ACE) (b.1975) For a profile of Ken, please go here.

Kokuyougan: A malevolent sorcerer (his name, possibly a pseudonym, means "obsidian" in Japanese) who trapped the spirit of Aoki Ohta, the late wife of Yukio Ohta. This led to a showdown with Yukio and Derek Cross on the roof of the Sunshine Building in Ikebukuro, Japan, but though he was defeated, Kokuyougan managed to escape and remains at large. (Episode 25a)

Kopp, Laurie: (b. 1980) The ever-perky public relations officer for the architecture firm McKendrick & Sloane. Jonathan was an employee of the firm while he fulfilled the contract for the restoration of the Renaissance Casino and Ballroom, and Katsoulakis continues to use the firm as a front for his ongoing financial support of the site. In the years since Jonathan's disappearance and later transformation, Kopp contacts Tamara Westcott when there are business matters to be discussed. (Episode 18)

Kyrios, Ariadne: A mysterious being who arrived in New York as an escort and bodyguard for Daria Zannakis upon her return to the City in 2005. She did this as a personal favor to Katsoulakis, and Kyrios has remained in New York ever since as his chosen enforcer for those occasions when someone tries to make trouble in the City. Few have seen Kyrios, and perhaps because of this she is respected and feared throughout the new Occult Underground. The full extent of her powers remain unknown (including to the Aces and Jokers), but she executes her missions with a precise and very heavy hand, and there can be no doubt that she would be a very formidable adversary. (Episode 31a, 34)

"Lucy": For a profile of Lucy, George Phillapoussis' taxi cab, please go here. (First appearance: Episode 10).

MacLean, Donald: (b.1965) A personal assistant to Andrew Ben-Nevis who transferred to Scotland when his employer pulled out of New York. MacLean continues to handle all of his Ben-Nevis' personal and business appointments. Robert Gilmore was among MacLean's contacts when the Aces first visited Scotland in 2003. (Episode 18, 25)

Madajewicz, Carla: (ma'-deh-jow'-witz): (b. 1960) Mark Donovin's formidable dispatcher during his bounty hunting days, and Carla continues to do favors for him when he needs to track someone down who does not want to be found. Based in Chicago, Carla is very, very good at her job, and, and given time she can find almost anyone or anything, unless they are using mystical resources to stay hidden. She seems to be the only person in the world who always knows where Mark is, but it remains unclear whether they have ever actually met face-to-face. (Episode 1, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14-15, 23, 38)

Malenkamon: An ancient sorcerer, who resides within the Great Library and is famed throughout the Dreamlands for his erudition. Malenkamon is a genial colleague to all who seek beneficial knowledge, and a wary observer of those who hunt for darker secrets. He agreed to provide refuge to Alistair Jameson and Everett Rolston in 1999 during their self-imposed exile to the Dreamlands. Malenkamon also aided Bruce and Yukio with information that helped them rescue Miranda Kale from enslavement by the Mad God Lle-Khor. (Episode 31, 32)

Maori, Queen of Mannahatta: Maori reigns over one of the greatest Faerie Courts in Arcadia, and she credits the Aces with having restored the connection at Inwood Hill between her realm and the mortal world. For this reason, she has granted them favored access, and was especially pleased when they used this privilege to rescue her 'sister', the Dark Queen of Tomnahurich.

Close contact with Maori's Court has virtually transformed New York into a Faerie realm of its own, and the young and beautiful of the Five Boroughs are always welcome to join the non-stop festivities of the Court. Maori takes a particular delight in Yukio Ohta, but Kaori Kentaro remains the most favored of mortal visitors to her realm.

Maori is immensely learned in matters pertaining to her kind, but her knowledge of the Great Game is limited. She did not know of Andrew Ben-Nevis until the Aces had freed Tomnahurich, and has expressed no interest in the control Demetrius Katsoulakis exercises over the City. Her attitude toward the Mortal Realm is sometimes guarded, even while she welcomes contact with it. If called on it, she will admit to a prankish but genuine desire to disrupt the plans of the 'gray people' who fear free expression and strive to limit the potential of their fellow humans. (Episodes 20, 25a, 36)

McKendrick & Sloane: A high-profile architecture firm, founded by Taylor McKendrick and Erik Sloane, with a swank office in mid-town Manhattan. McKendrick is a playboy, rarely seen at the office, while Sloane never seems to leave the place. M&S won a contract for a new office complex in Harlem, thanks to the intervention of Demetrius Katsoulakis, in return for their promise to restore the Renaissance Casino & Ballroom and to give that project to their rising star, Jonathan Wertham. Jonathan's disappearance brought an end to his relationship with the firm, but Katsoulakis continues to use M&S as a front for his ongoing support of the site (relying on the legal fiction of an open-ended maintenance contract). Business matters concerning the Renaissance are routinely handled by Laurie Kopp, the firm's public relations officer, and Tamara Westcott. (Episodes 2, 18)

Mendez, Carlos: One of Bruce's informants in his steadily growing, New York-based criminal network. Carlos was killed during the attempt to capture a lighter containing a dangerous Uranur elemental. (Episode 33)

Miles, Luther: (b.1988) The son and heir of Alex Abel. Luther was raised in Chicago by his mother, Ella, who did what she could to hide him from The New Inquisition's many enemies. By 2002, Luther knew he was being watched, and with the help of Cassandra Moon, he fled to New York and the protection of his father. With help from the Aces, Luther found a TNI safe-house, and Abel agreed that Luther should now stay with him. Luther remained with TNI until the massacre known as "Red Rain" bought Abel's empire to a bloody end. Not long before his death, Abel swallowed his pride and reached out to the Aces, who agreed to defend Luther. After defeating a direct assault on the Renaissance, they entrusted Luther to the care of Jamal Rashid who shepherded the boy out of the City.

In 2007, an older but not wiser Luther returned to New York to claim his father's legacy. His entourage included: 1) Tarique Johanssen, son of Adam, who had been a member of Alex Abel’s top assassination cell; 2) Vanessa Rhames, one of Alex’s top con-people; 3) Gareth Stamp, another old TNI man, one of their best researchers; 4) Abigail Green-Stevens, a top-billing lawyer in New York, with a specialty in high finance; 5) Lawrence Sever, known to Mark by reputation as an up-and-coming hired killer; and 6) Natalya Ivanov, drop-dead gorgeous and very Gifted.

Despite this formidable team, Luther's intel fell dangerously short of what he would have needed to survive in Katsoulakis' New York. It took only a few heavy handed moves and one disastrous mistake to seal Luther's doom, and he and his team met their end at the hand of a reluctant Mark Donovin. (Episodes 3-4, 21-23, 37)

McIntyre, Terri: A pretty, red-haired New Yorker who frequently plays the part of gatekeeper for the Inwood Hill Park entrance to Mannahatta. She carries with her a small jar of oil that glows with the color of lightning bugs, and applies the oil to the faces of special guests in patterns symbolic of each visitor. Over time, McIntyre is looking increasingly more Faerie. She has been one of Kaori Kentaro's closest friends since college, along with Jhena Webster and Jessica Park. (Episodes 20, 36)

Moon, Cassandra (ACE AUXILIARY) (b.1972) For a profile of Cassandra, please go here. (First appearance: Episode 3)

Mukharji, Seema: (b.1966) Formerly the Head of Research for the Reich Institute's Houghton facility until a disastrous experiment forced that lab to shut down in 2003. Mukharji had used every precaution, but the scientists were simply working too close to the cutting edge to avoid an accident. Fortunately, the Aces were there to escort her to the accident site and were able to dismiss the Dark Young that had entered through a rift created by the experiment. Mukharji was so shaken by the experience that the Aces decided to take her back with them to New York. Thanks to the care of Cassandra Moon and Tamara Westcott, Mukharji recovered in time to help in the defense of the Renaissance against the Saints during "Red Rain."

Mukharji was born in Calcutta. She survived that city's hard streets until a sympathetic official found her a spot in a respectable boarding school. Mukharji excelled in science, and eventually made her way to the Institute where she supervised many impressive and difficult experiments until the Houghton disaster. Thanks to her tough early years, Mukharji is a crack shot with a handgun, and gets along well with the Institute's chief of security, Bill Anderson. Mukharji eventually returned to the Reich Institute, joining the staff at their remaining, Ann Arbor facility. (Episodes 19-24)

Murray, Martin: (b.1956) A private collector of the occult, perhaps the most disreputable one in New York, which is saying something. Murray may seem quiet and harmless at first, assuming one is not bothered by a disturbing little fuck with shining eyes and greasy hair. Murray's goal in life is to own a Hand of Glory crafted from the body fat of serial killers. His bad habits are beyond number, including a fascination for rats and roaches, and a tendency to start conversations in men's restrooms. In 2002, Murray helped create a rat problem in Harlem that was so serious it led Jamal Rashid to ban him from the neighborhood.

Martin has had at least one roll in the sack (with the ghoul Virginia Delaport), but he is usually a loner with few friends in the old Occult Underground and hardly any in the new. Martin was of some help to the Renaissance "guardz" during their problem with the African Cockroach god in 2003, but he has otherwise kept a very low profile in the years following "Red Rain." (Prelude, Episodes 2, 10, 11, 28)

Ness: Humanity's name for the Servant of Gaia who manifests as a mighty dragon-like creature in Loch Ness. Immensely old, it is one of twenty-four such beings scattered around the planet (Python of Delphi being another). When first encountered by the Aces, Ness had been imprisoned since 1913 by the black serpents (backed by the Lloigor) who had also enslaved the Dark Queen of Tomnahurich.

Once freed by the Aces, Ness quickly recovered and is again a formidable adversary for anyone who would oppress Scotland again. (The Dark Queen's recovery has been slower, but she will eventually stand beside Ness in this respect.) Even so, Ness finds the Lloigor to be mysterious, unknowable and difficult to perceive.

Few mortals have earned the privilege of an audience with Ness (as opposed to the many who believe they have). On those rare occasions when Ness does treat with mortals, it will rise from a deep pool sheltered below Urquhart Castle. (Episodes 25, 27, 36)

NevisCorp: Founded by Andrew Ben-Nevis, NevisCorp is a privately held company specializing in cutting-edge industrial research and design. Ben-Nevis personally holds several patents in materials science and superconductivity. NevisCorp enjoyed a steady expansion, opening several offices around the world, until 2003, when a series of mishaps forced it to restructure and downsize its operations. An office in Brooklyn, New York, was shuttered not long after its completion, and smaller offices in New Orleans and St. Louis failed to survive the decade. Currently, NevisCorp still has North American offices in Boston, San Diego, Detroit, and Vancouver. Even the firm's world headquarters, formerly in Inverness, Scotland, relocated to Glasgow in 2007. The company claimed this would be the first step in a new expansion, but if so, a second step has yet to emerge, and the firm continues to scale back its global presence. (Episodes 13, 25)

Nixon, Doc: A stage magician in the 1930s who vanished in 1939 and has never been seen since. In the year before he disappeared, Nixon introduced a new act, his famous "Voices From Beyond," which relied on the Kempelen Speaking Machine now in the possession of Demetrius Katsoulakis. (Prelude)

Nyrass: A great sorcerer of the Dreamlands who dwells in far-away Theelys. He gave aid from a distance to Bruce and Yukio during their foray into the Dreamlands to rescue Miranda Kale. He is a friend and colleague of Malenkamon. (Episode 32)

Ohta, Aoki: (deceased) Yukio Ohta's beloved wife of thirty-four years. She is buried in Tokyo, where her spirit was endangered in 2003 by the sorcerer Kokuyougan. Yukio defeated Kokuyougan with the help of Derek Cross. She and Yukio had one last, quiet moment together before she finally Passed On.. (Episode 25a)

OHTA, YUKIO (JOKER) (b.1929) For a profile of Yukio, please go here. (First appearance: Episode 11)

Oison: A member of the Court of Maori, Queen of Mannahatta, who, along with fellow courtier Pwyll, sparred with the Aces during their first visit. Later, at the request of their queen, the two courtiers agreed to provide security at the Marble Arch as a gesture of friendship to Yukio Ohta and Bruce. (Episodes 20, 30, 34, 38)

Oleson, Officer James: (spirit) For a profile of Jim, please go here. (First appearance: Episode 11)

O'Malleys: An Irish pub at 30th & 7th Ave. The place is owned by a Jamaican man named George who insists his last name really is O'Malley and who is big and muscular enough to discourage anyone from arguing with him about it. The Aces were regulars through 2003 and got their share of free munchies and sometimes lunch. The grill is very good and serves a full range of pub food: Irish, classic American, and, bizarrely enough, Hawaiian (because George likes it). An excellent selection of beers and liquors. O'Malley's doesn't really cater to yuppies, but the place is getting some now thanks to the Polynesian luau thing. You haven't lived until you've had a Guinness in a Tiki glass (the green ukelele swizzle stick is a particularly nice touch). No matter when the Aces went there, they always got the same, excellent waiter: Michael, a very personable transvestite who had a loft in the Village. O'Malley's has been a favorite location for the goblins from the earliest days of the return of the Faerie. The goblins enjoy giving George headaches (especially when they can drive him crazy enough to start hurling dishes and pans), but they have a special regard for Michael. (First appearance: Episode 6)

Pappas, Alexandra: (b. 1978) A personal assistant to Demetrius Katsoulakis and the manager of day-to-day matters in his brownstone residence. Alex is a drop-dead stunner with olive skin and a perfect figure. She treats Niko Kakoyannis like an older brother and enjoys teasing him. She had a short-lived fling with George Phillapoussis which did not end gracefully, but time eventually eased the tension between them. Alexandra is very professional and loyal to Katsoulakis, and she is well-paid for her talents. As part of his inner circle, she rarely deals with Katsoulakis Imports directly, except when that business relates to his personal affairs. (Prelude, Episodes 5, 6, 11, 21, 23, 35)

Patton, Tom: (d. 1991) A trained archaeologist and the first husband of George's sister, Mary Phillapoussis. Patton was an employee of Katsoulakis Imports, one of a small group of rough-and-ready, academically trained adventurers who journeyed around the world in search of artifacts and manuscripts for their boss's occult collection. Unfortunately for Patton, that got him killed in Kuwait City during the Iraqi invasion of August 1991. He and Mary had one son, Ben, who was one of the few survivors of Mark van Laaden's experiments. Since Patton's death, Katsoulakis been a patron for Mary and her family. (Episode 1)

PHILLAPOUSSIS, GEORGE (ACE) (b. ??) For a profile of George, please go here.

Phillapoussis, Mary: (b. 1966) George's sister, currently living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her first husband, Tom Patton, was a devout Catholic, and Mary converted when they were married. She remains a passionate Catholic to this day. Their son, Ben, is one of the few survivors of Mark van Laaden's experiments. Mary's second husband, Michael Hase, had a shady past and died in an automotive accident arranged by van Laaden, in 1999. After the Aces saved Ben in 2001, Mary spent most of her time helping him recover, physically and psychologically, from the ordeal. Mary's religiosity sometimes put a strain on her relationship with George, but the two never fell out of touch. Though she remains single, life has returned to normal for her and Ben. (Episode 1)

Pwyll: A member of the Court of Maori, Queen of Mannahatta, who, along with fellow courtier Oison, sparred with the Aces during their first visit. Later, at the request of their queen, the two courtiers agreed to provide security at the Marble Arch as a gesture of friendship to Yukio Ohta and Bruce. (Episodes 20, 30, 34)

Python, Servant of Gaia: The fabled dragon at Delphi is anything but mythical and far from slain. In the Castalian Spring deep beneath the mountain, young women are still chosen to take the role of Pythia and breathe in the vapors that establish a profound psychic link to the ancient creature. This link, however, is not merely passive, for the Pythia is an active participant in the prophecies, and is at complete freedom to question, or even challenge, Python's interpretations. The Pythia is also a mediator between Python and mortal visitors during an audience, as Yukio and Cassandra learned in 2004.

Randall, Monica: (b.1965) A preservationist and author who works hard to preserve the last mansions of Long Island's Gold Coast. Monica has a deep love and knowledge of the area, and a fascination with ghosts and the occult, though nothing could have prepared her for the Winfield crisis. Though Gifted, Monica is not able to channel her power, so being around supernatural beings is very dangerous for her. Despite the risk, Monica was quite brave at Winfield, and she did what she could to help the Aces defeat Woolworth. She went low profile for several months after that ordeal, but soon returned to Long Island's social scene and her fight to preserve its heritage. (Episodes 7-9, 16)

Rashid, El-Hajj Jamal: Jamal is the soul of Harlem, perhaps even its spiritual embodiment, and certainly its foremost defender. The Occult Underground knew about Jamal, but they had few dealings with him, and he always stood apart from and above them. This may account for the fact that he is the only occult figure in New York to have the undivided respect of Demetrius Katsoulakis. Whether or not Jamal should be called a 'sorcerer' or not, he is certainly very powerful. Nothing seems to happen in northern Manhattan without his knowledge, though he seems to have little to do with the Faerie or the portal to Mannahatta in Inwood Hill, and even the City's goblins seem to have no interest in trying to prank him. The "El-Hajj" in Rashid's name means he has made at least one pilgrimage to Mecca, but if he was ever a member of the Nation of Islam, he is not one today.

Jamal tends to avoid social gatherings outside his sphere of power, unless they are sponsored by Katsoulakis or have some other significance for Harlem and its people. However, he has helped the Aces on several occasions, and he approves of their presence at the Renaissance Casino and of the Jokers at the Marble Arch. He even agreed to help George and Ken deal with a rat problem, though that led to him banning Martin Murray from Harlem until further notice. Most importantly, he played a crucial role in the defense of the Renaissance during the Saints' attack on the night of "Red Rain."

The Aces know that Rashid took part in a battle in the Grand Ballroom of the Renaissance in 1976 between Harlem's Nation of Islam and a group of Dominican bokors. When Yukio and the Aces finally purged the Renaissance of the last vestiges of the bokors' presence, they learned Jamal and his colleagues may have done terrible things to win that fight, including the harming of innocents. Perhaps that explains why they lost (though the bokors' victory was Pyrrhic), and their defeat was one reason New York suffered a decline during the late 1970s and 1980s.

While Jamal is not at the beck and call of the Aces or Jokers, he has a way of making himself available when they truly need him. He also has some regard for Latrell Dupree, who is one of the rare few who has called on Jamal with a regular chance of success. Jamal also visits the Renaissance and the Marble Arch from time-to-time, in the way one does with neighbors one likes. (Episodes 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 13, 13a, 18, 21-22, 28, 30, 33)

Reich, Wilhelm: (b.1897, d.1957) An Austrian psychotherapist who studied under Freud and won renown early in his career for his theories about sexual repression and neurosis. He came to New York in 1939 to escape the Nazis, and bought a two-hundred-acre estate in Maine, which he called "Orgonon." Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Reich developed his theories about Orgone, a bio-electrical energy tied to the human libido, which he believed permeated the universe. Reich claimed to have designed and built several scientific instruments to measure and store Orgone, and also did preliminary work on Uranur, an energy opposed to Orgone, which he claimed caused serious harm to human beings and other kinds of life.

In the 1950s, Reich's work came under attack from the FDA, while Reich himself, an ardent socialist, got into trouble with Joseph McCarthy. Reich eventually ended up in federal prison, where he died in 1957 of apparent heart failure. Within hours of his death, his papers and inventions were confiscated by the FBI and FDA.

Both agencies claimed to have destroyed or lost this evidence, but in fact it was given to Theodore Wolfe, a colleague of Reich. Wolfe used it to found the Reich Institute, which continued Reich's work at secret facilities in Ann Arbor and Houghton, Michigan. (Episodes 1, 6, 12-22)

Reich Institute: Founded by Theodore Wolfe in 1957, the Institute is the true heir to the theories and discoveries of Wilhelm Reich. Its current head of research, Ken Inada, designed the best Orgone engine yet created. He runs the Institute's Ann Arbor facility, which focuses on the health benefits and biological potential of Orgone. Seema Mukharji was the head of research for the Houghton facility, which specialized in the atmospheric and defense potential of Orgone. Unfortunately, the Houghton facility was destroyed during an ill-fated dimensional experiment, and all lives might have been lost were it not for the intervention of the Aces. The staff soon rallied and regrouped at the Ann Arbor labs where their work continues to this day. Tamara Westcott is a frequent collaborator and shares credit on some of their most important breakthroughs. (Episodes 14-15, 19)

Renaissance Guards: For profiles of Hakim, Stu, and Zeke, please go here. (First appearance (by name): Episodes 21-22)

Robertson, James & Shauntell: A brother and sister in charge of the homeless shelter at the Abyssinian Baptist Church. The Abyssinian is just down the street from the Renaissance, and the Robertsons encouraged the neighborhood to accept the Aces when they began to restore the Renaissance and take part in the defense of Harlem. Shauntell makes the tough decisions, but James handles a lot of the day-to-day work. They are very dedicated and seem to know everyone in the Harlem community. Though devout, they are also quite tolerant of anyone, including pagans like Cassandra Moon, who help those in need. (Episode 2, 13a, 21)

Rolston, Everett: A secretive New York City multi-millionaire and one of the most important leaders of Stuyvesant Lodge during its heyday, Rolston was an avid collector of quack science and the occult. Rolston faked his own death in 1996, even allowing a high-profile auction of his estate at which George and Jonathan 'acquired' the Kempelen Speaking Machine for Demetrius Katsoulakis.

In fact, Rolston was very much alive, though in self-imposed exile with Alistair Jameson in the Dreamlands, where they hoped to evade a prophecy of disaster (namely "Red Rain"). They had been counting on Lesek Czernin to survive and tell them when the danger had passed, but his death delayed their return by two years. Once they were back, they immediately began the revival of the Lodge. Rolston returned to New York to find his estate in a legal quagmire (though not as serious as the one faced by Jameson). Those parts of his day not consumed by lawyers are usually taken up by the daily administration of the Lodge.

Rolston was as surprised as Jameson when Luther Abel made Stuyvesant Lodge his first visit during his doomed attempt to reclaim his father's legacy. (Episodes Prelude, 31, 37)

Rourke, Paul (b.1963): ): A member of the American College of Orgonomy. Rourke is the ACO's one true genius, and his Orgone engine is second only to the one designed by Ken Inada of the Reich Institute. Unfortunately for Rourke, the Aces stole his engine and his research in order to prevent the black-faction serpents and other malevolent forces from stealing them first. The loss devastated Rourke, leading not only to the swift decline of his career but the end of any meaningful research coming out of the ACO. (Episodes 6, 12, 13)

Saint-Germain: The Comte de Saint-Germain is one of the most troubling and enigmatic people the Aces have met. Their first meeting was in the unlikely venue of a diner in Ishpeming, Michigan, where he referred to them as "Katsoulakis' men" and made vague and unsettling comments about unseen forces vying to rule the world. He has some degree of control over time, and there have been suggestions of other powers just as formidable. Help provided by Saint-Germain tends to be double-edged. Though he gave George the knowledge they would need to dismiss a Dark Young, he delivered it to George's mind so invasively as to be nearly an attack. And while he is willing to share knowledge, he does so only with the understanding that one is now in his debt.

Saint-Germain is one of the most prominent Players in the Great Game, and he is particularly guarded toward Demetrius Katsoulakis, Vincent Aglie, and Andrew Ben-Nevis. He was aware that the spirit of Frank Woolworth still controlled Winfield Hall, though he did not think much of him. He was also aware of Anne Salters, whom he considers formidable and a woman not afraid to take her time.

In later meetings, Saint-Germain seemed to think less of the Aces, believing them to be falling short of their potential. His opinion of Mark has risen a bit since that Ace's return to New York, however, and Saint-Germain seems to be intrigued by Yukio. But he is particularly interested in Bruce, who has managed to build the sort of ongoing relationship with the Comte that has eluded everyone before him. Bruce has gone so far as to provide regular updates to Saint-Germain about developments in New York, including the revival of Stuyvesant Lodge, and can now count on regular, useful information in return. Nonetheless, Saint-Germain remains a man with an agenda unknown to all save himself. (Episode 19, 29, 31, 33, 36)

Salamanca, Tommy: Tommy's career got to a strong start with one of the youngest appointments to homicide detective in the history of the NYPD. But his upward ascent stalled when he discovered his Feral heritage in 2003, and in less than a year he found himself out of work and at a dead end. Fortunately, he sought advice from Alan Wingate, who recommended he talk to Yukio Ohta. Yukio was in need of a bodyguard, and he hired Tommy for a while. But he was reluctant to drag the man to Scotland, and the two fell out of touch for a few years. Yukio contacted Tommy again in 2007, and put him back on retainer to investigate low-level occult and mundane phenomena around New York. (Episode 25a)

Salters, Anne: An old, malevolent, and extremely dangerous sorceress who had once been a consort of Frank W. Woolworth. In time she grew bored with him, and her departure signaled Woolworth's final decline. After their defeat of Woolworth in 2002, the Aces basically forgot about her, but a chance discovery by Yukio Ohta at the Woolworth Building in 2004 revealed Salters was still alive and that she had plans to strike at the Aces when the time suited her.

In 2007, Yukio and Mark joined Derek Cross on a journey back in time to 1913, where they encountered Salters on the embattled streets of Belgrade. Recognizing them, she laughed and promised once again they would be seeing her soon. Upon their return, Vincent Aglie confirmed she had been a member of the Black Hand and had been personally responsible for the deaths of many Rosicrucians in that conflict. Though Salters' abilities remain largely unknown, she seems to share Saint-Germain's ability to break through moments in time, showing a surprising ability to detect and interact with time-travelers, even if their means of travel does not allow other contact. (Episodes 7-9, 25a, 38)

Santa Ogre: Even by the low standards of New York's Faerie ogres, this one is not particularly bright. His one notable trait is an obsession with appearing as Santa every December, and nothing has been able to keep him from it since the Faerie first returned in 2003. For the appalling details see episode 28, "Guardz."

Saragossa, Contessa Catalina: (b.1969?, d.1999?) The Contessa appears to be a beautiful Spanish noblewoman. She was allegedly at the auction of the Everett Rolston estate in 1999, though some question this story because it is also said turned into a "serpent woman" attended by three "zombie servants," and that she roasted Klaus Hunderprest to a cinder. That was the last anyone heard about her until 2006, when Niko Kakoyannis, the personal aide of Demetrius Katsoulakis, recorded a conversation between her and Thomas Donnelly at a café in New York. Judging by what was said, the two have some knowledge of each other's activities, though it remains unclear what plans she has in New York. (Episodes: Prelude, 35)

Sarkis, Ileana: The director of the London office of Katsoulakis Imports, with responsibility for all of Katsoulakis' business in the U.K. and Ireland. She covered logistics for the Aces during their stay in Britain and had arranged for Terrance Selway (née Gilmore) to act as their go-between with Andrew Ben-Nevis. (Episode 24-25)

Scappi, Angelo: Katsoulakis' personal chef. Though not well known to the general public, he is celebrated by gourmands and his fellow chefs in New York and beyond. Katsoulakis has been generous in his support of Scappi's career and has allowed the man to display his talent in exclusive fetes throughout the City, and in Europe and Asia. Scappi's specialty is the Mediterranean, but Katsoulakis' regular dinners with Yukio has led him to acquire an expertise for a wide variety of Asian dishes as well. (Episode 30)

Shabazz, Malik Zulu: (b. 1974) The leader of the New Black Panthers in Harlem. Shabazz had a run-in with Mark Donovin during the first days of the Renaissance restoration, but he has left the Aces alone even since, thanks to an intervention by Jamal Rashid. Shabazz and the Panthers helped defend the Renaissance during the attack of the Saints known as 'Red Rain.' (Episode 2, 20, 22)

Scheib, Myron: (b. 1943) Nemura Kentaro's landlord. Scheib thought the world of Ken because he always paid his rent on time. At least until Ken's apartment was destroyed by gunmen, some of them possibly not even human. He was very relieved when Ken left for Scotland in 2003. (Episode 4)

Selway, Terrance: (d. 2003) See "Gilmore, Terrance."

Shi Yan-Ming: (b.1945) The sifu of the USA Shaolin Temple in Greenwich Village. He made Ken feel welcome to practice his Tai-Chi there, telling him that the students would benefit from some Japanese-Chinese, cross-cultural contact. He also asked one of his best students, Michelle Chen, to spar regularly with Ken for their mutual improvement. The sifu seemed to sense Jennie Creighton after Ken's first visit with the goddess Brigit, and she soon found herself able to manifest within the walls of the temple. When Ken became the wielder of the fabled blade, the Fang of the Jade Serpent, the sifu explained the legend behind the sword. (Episodes 14, 16, 24)

Sleepers: (destroyed?) Once the most powerful and feared group in the Occult Underground. The Sleepers enforced the veil which concealed true paranormal events from the mundane world. The fact that they took no direct action against the Aces may have been due to the Aces' attempt to keep a low profile in their early years, but may have had more to do with Katsoulakis. In any case, the Sleepers' attempt to prevent the destruction of TNI by Thomas Donnelly and the Saints led to the Sleepers themselves becoming a target. The Sleepers became another casualty of the massacre known as "Red Rain."

The Aces later discovered evidence of the Sleepers' activities from their former headquarters, Gleeson House, a mansion in Lower Crowham in Lancashire, where the Cabinet, the Sleepers' head council, once directed their global operations. By the time the Aces found it, Gleeson House was a devastated ruin, but they were able to recover a hidden occult library, several electronic records, and--to their dismay--a chamber containing the vampire, Lady Helen Gilmore. The library is now part of Katsoulakis' occult collection. (Episodes 11, 13, 16, 18, 21-22, 23-25)

Sons of Imhotep: A cult of humans trained as assassins in a mystical regimen that alters them in mind, body, and spirit. Yukio, Bruce, and Cassandra encountered them during their travels in Cairo. (Episode 29)

Steinberg, Ruth: Yukio Ohta's literary agent in the United States. Her office is in Midtown Manhattan. (Episode 25a)

Takahashi, Mayumi: Yukio Ohta's literary agent in Japan. His office is in Tokyo. (Episode 25a)

Tanaka, Hiroshi: An old rival of Yukio Ohta. Tanaka is a passionate advocate of Mishima and a champion of the Shinto/Nationalist ideology that Yukio has long opposed. Tanaka believes Yukio's poetry and criticism are actually part of the reason for Japan's ongoing economic and social malaise. Nonetheless, the two men have always considered each other worthy adversaries, and they were able to have a cordial conversation in what was probably their last face-to-face meeting in 2003. (Episode 25a)

The New Inquisition (TNI): (destroyed) Alex Abel's organization, which he expected would give him a dominant position in the occult world. At its height, TNI had about 140 full-time members and many more contacts and informers. It had safe houses around the globe, though its most significant presence was always in the United States. TNI encouraged its agents to be aggressive and cocky, and they rarely missed a chance to reach for a gun. TNI was a feared presence in the Occult Underground, though Abel never managed to cow the Sleepers, and Demetrius Katsoulakis dismissed him as a fool and a thug. Abel's hold on power came to an abrupt end when made an enemy of Thomas Donnelly. The Saints destroyed TNI in less than a year, and Abel was executed during "Red Rain," their brutal attack on New York on July 5, 2003. Thanks to the Aces, the Saints failed to reach Cassandra Moon or Abel's son, Luther Abel (aka Luther Miles). With the help of Jamal Rashid, Luther returned to his mother in Chicago, where he stayed until his disastrous attempt in 2007 to reclaim his father's legacy. Ironically, Cassandra Moon now finds herself the last surviving member of TNI. (Episodes 3-22)

van Laaden, Mark: (d. 2001) A deeply troubled Catholic priest, van Laaden was responsible for a long record of abuse at several dioceses before Thomas Donnelly sought him out and brought him to Grand Rapids. Once he had van Laaden in his thrall, Donnelly put him charge of the hideous experiments which eventually led to the creation of the Saints but which also brought the Aces to Grand Rapids. Van Laaden died in the violent confrontation which followed, but not before he gave them the Aces their first experience with the terrible effects of Uranur. (Episode 1)

Webster, Michael: (b. 1960) Sergeant, 32nd Precinct, NYPD, otherwise known as the Renaissance Casino's neighborhood. Webster has been the preferred police contact for both Mark and Tamara, and he provided crucial intel and support against the Saints' attack during 'Red Rain.' Webster knows the Aces by sight, and instructs his men to cut them slack whenever possible. He is a professional who knows when to ask questions and when to turn a blind eye. (Episodes 2, 10, 21-22)

WERTHAM, JONATHAN (ACE) (b. 1970?) For a profile of Jonathan, please go here.

Westcott, Tamara: (ACE AUXILIARY) (b. 1980) For a profile of Tamara, please go here. (First appearance: Episode 11a)

Wingate, Alan: (b. 1972) Detective, 20th Precinct, NYPD. A dedicated cop who tries to be by-the-book, but relies on his intuition and insight too. He interviewed Nemura Kentaro after the attack on Ken's apartment, and he stayed on the case for months after that. He might have become a serious problem for the Aces, but the return of the Faerie to Manhattan sparked his latent Gift. Wingate went on paid leave to sort out this massive life change, but when he heard about the attack of the Saints during 'Red Rain,' he hurried back to New York and reached the Renaissance in time to support the Aces' defense.

In the years after, Wingate became the NYPD's point man for dealing with mystical and paranormal cases, much to the dismay of his commanding officer, Lt. Vince Capelli. Wingate was unfortunate enough to be drawn into the Santa Ogre incident. During Luther Abel's (née Miles) disastrous attempt to return to New York in 2007, Wingate was in charge of the blockade attempting to prevent Luther's team from escaping after the summoning of a Hunting Horror. Wingate reluctantly gave Mark permission to settle the matter more decisively. (Episodes 4, 17, 19, 21-22, 28, 37)

Wolfe, Theodore: (deceased) The man who made the Reich Institute possible. Wolfe had originally convinced Wilhelm Reich to come to America, and he was appalled to see the man's psychological decline during the 1940s and 1950s. After Reich died in 1957, Wolfe confiscated all of Reich's notes and inventions. In their place, he left carefully crafted fakes which ensured decades of failure by Reich's would-be successors, including the ACO. Reich's actual notes went to the Institute, where Wolfe ensured they would be used responsibly. As the Institute's first director, he oversaw the early development of the Ann Arbor and Houghton facilities. (Episode 13)

Woolworth, Edna: (spirit) The long-suffering second daughter of Frank Woolworth. Edna committed suicide after her father killed her lover, James. During the Winfield crisis, the Aces reunited her spirit with James' spirit, and the two ghosts Passed On together after the Aces defeated Woolworth. (Episodes 7-9)

Woolworth, Frank Winfield: (spirit) The Haunt of Winfield Hall, and one of the Aces' most formidable enemies. They defeated him in the summer of 2002 after a terrifying ordeal, but the legacy of Woolworth lingered for quite some time over their lives. Jennie Creighton, his former wife, helped the Aces take Woolworth down in the end, and she has remained part of the Aces' entourage ever since. As for Woolworth, his spirit went to the realm of Khem, where he was judged by the pharaohs and Anubis, and suffered a horrific fate which the Aces were allowed to witness. (Episodes 7-9, 10)

Yoshida, Shigeru: Now middle-aged and a respected poet in his own right, Shigeru is one of Yukio Ohta's most talented former students. He stubbornly insists on addressing Yukio as 'Ohta-sensei' to this day. When Yukio made his "final" visit to Japan in 2003, it was Shigeru who accompanied him on his travels. (Episode 25a)

Zannakis, Daria: (b.1948) A Classics scholar at Columbia, a former lover of Demetrius Katsoulakis, and a witch in the Classical tradition. Daria is a warm, earth-mothery person, who seems to know just about anyone worth knowing at Columbia. She is fond of the Aces, particularly Ken, and her knowledge helped them defeat the keres. She later counseled George on the ways of Hecate, cautioning him to treat the goddess always with the highest respect. She found Hecate's interest in the Aces profoundly disconcerting.

Katsoulakis made certain she was out of New York well before the Saints arrived in 2003 ("Red Rain"), and she spent the following year at Katsoulakis' estate on Plomari with occasional visits to the island of Spetsai. She devoted her time to the study of the peasant magic of Lesvos, and eventually published a book about it.

Daria returned to New York in 2005, escorted by Ariadne Kyrios at the personal request of Katsoulakis. Daria and Cassandra Moon have been friends since 2002, and soon after Daria came back she enchanted a necklace according to Wiccan tradition, and gave it to Cassandra as a birthday present. Daria has returned to Columbia and continues to teach there. She is a regular guest of Katsoulakis, and often drops by the Marble Arch and the Renaissance to spend time with her friends there. (Episode 5, 11, 16, 18, 23, 27a, 27b, 31a, 32)