Guest List

Sherlock

Consulting Detective

Sherlock is a renowned private investigator from London with an intellect that borders on the superhuman. Sherlock understands the minds of criminals more than they know themselves. Courteous and considerate to others, Sherlock often puts self-care on the back burner. Sherlock’s flatmate is a physician named Watson, but their relationship has been strained ever since William proposed marriage to Mary Birdwhistle. 

Due to his crime-solving talent, Sherlock has many foes around the world. Over the years, he has learned that it is best to keep your enemies close and never look away or turn your back.

Sherlock has mastered the art of disguise, logical reasoning, and deduction and has a vast knowledge of forensic science. He is a freelance detective for hire who often works for powerful monarchs and governments throughout Europe, aristocrats, and industrialists on hard-to-solve cases. Scotland Yard calls upon Sherlock for help when needed, but many of the detectives do not care for Sherlock's theatrics.

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Suggested attire: Sherlock costume, or a knee-length frock coat, waistcoat, and pants. Deerstalker hat.

 

Watson

Physician

A retired military man now working as a physician and part-time private investigator, William Watson is a good friend to Sherlock. Accustomed to thorough documentation with his medical practice, Watson has taken on the role of the official record keeper for Sherlock’s investigations. This adventure-seeking doctor also serves as a counselor for Sherlock, as he’s the only one who can force reason into Sherlock’s head.

Watson has published many books about Sherlock's cases. To his dismay, Sherlock has become somewhat famous, but now he can charge top dollar for his sought-after services.  Watson dislikes Sherlock's problems with hoarding and disarray, but they have been best friends their entire lives. When Watson and Sherlock get into a disagreement, their friend, Ada Adler, is called upon to mediate.

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Suggested attire: knee-length frock coat, waistcoat, pants. Pocket watch and walking cane are optional props. Bowler hat.

 

Ada Adler

Opera Singer

 Ada Adler was born in London, England, but travels around Europe to perform in the Opera of Windsor. She is a talented singer who has performed for royalty on multiple occasions. A five-time widow, members of high society believe she poisoned her late husbands for their money. Scotland Yard also has Ada Adler on its radar, as many expensive jewels have gone missing after Ada was around them.

Sherlock has a soft spot for Ada, so when he is hired to investigate her, Ada often outfoxes him. Watson has warned Sherlock about Ada's charms, but Sherlock is oblivious to the one woman who can outsmart him. Ada is currently being accused of thievery by the president of France. Émile Loubet. Mr. Loubet hired Sherlock to recover the Vauquelin Chalice, a mid-15th-century goblet of medieval silver and ivory. The president claims it went missing from a glass case in the foyer of his estate after Ada performed for a small dinner party held there. Ada denies all accusations.

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Suggested attire: late Victorian/Edwardian era glamorous dress, wide-brimmed hat with feathers. Lace-up boots.

 

Lord Roderick Blackstone

Illusionist

Lord Blackstone is Sherlock’s intellectual twin but on the dark side of things. Accused of practicing dark magic, founding a cult, and being a murderer, Lord Blackstone has surprisingly made amends with Sherlock and Scotland Yard, as he proved crucial to the capture of the notorious Victor von Vacher – a serial killer who plagued the streets of London and poisoned over twenty young girls. Watson has cautioned Sherlock about trusting Lord Blackstone, but Sherlock claims to have it under control.

Lord Roderick Blackstone has attempted to murder both Sherlock and Watson on numerous occasions. Watson is convinced that Lord Blackstone only gave up Victor because of a plot of revenge, as Victor poisoned his niece. Watson does not believe that Lord Blackstone has any regrets for his past crimes.

Lord and Lady Roderick have five children and live with a full staff of servants at their manor in London. Lord Blackstone is an heir, and Lady Blackstone is an heiress. The Blackstones are one of London's wealthiest (and mysterious) families.

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Suggested attire: velvet or faux leather (real if you have it), knee-length long coat with a thick collar. Hair slicked back.

 

Devon Ferguson

Banker

 Devon Ferguson is a banker at the new Barclays Bank in London, England. Surrounded by leather-bound ledgers stamped in gold with pages filled with copperplate writing, Devon spends days taking care of his customer’s bank accounts.  Scotland Yard has recently received reports that Devon might be smuggling rare artifacts from Bulgaria and using the bank vaults to store them until the drop-off is over. Devon denies the accusations and calls it an outrageous scandal.

Devon has a secret affiliation with Lord Blackstone and has been seen leaving the Blackstone estate on multiple occasions. Sherlock and Watson are convinced that Devon has an evil side and the bank president has hired them to investigate Devon. However, Sherlock and Watson have been spread thin lately, as the amount of crime in London has skyrocketed.

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Suggested attire: double-breasted waistcoat over a white button-up. Matching pants, tie. Top hat.

 

Mary Birdwhistle

Nurse

 Mary Birdwhistle met Watson at the Baker Street Hospital, where both of them are employed. Mary refuses to speak about her past and claims to be the last survivor of her family. Watson recently proposed marriage to her, and she accepted. Sherlock is apprehensive about their wedding, which is scheduled for six months. Sherlock warned Watson that Mary might not be who she claims to be – a nurse from Luton, England.  Sherlock is usually right about people, so Dr. Watson should be careful.

Mary moved to London from Luton only seven months ago. With no family or friends to speak of, she made a fresh start in the big city. Mary does what she can to drive a wedge between Sherlock and Watson, for she knows that Sherlock will be her demise if he ever figures out her dark past.  Mary was the final victim of London's notorious serial killer, Victor von Vacher, but was saved by Sherlock at the last minute - thanks to information provided by Lord Blackstone. Mary has thanked Lord Blackstone for saving her, but not Sherlock. 

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Suggested attire: late Victorian/Edwardian era nursing uniform. White-collared dress, floor length. Nursing hat.

 

Ellie Berrycloth

Schoolteacher

In recent years, Queen Victoria made schools free for children. Ellie teaches students up to ten years old arithmetic, writing, and reading. She has up to eighty pupils on her roster and runs a strict regimen in the classroom. Ellie is intolerant of nonsense. Ellie has become good friends with Mary Birdwhistle ever since she moved to London seven months ago.

Ellie Berrycloth and Theodosia Culpepper used to be friends until Mary Birdwhistle moved to town. Now, they cannot stand to be around each other for a minute. 

Ellie Berrycloth and Lady Blackstone have quarreled a bit because the Blackstones refused to send their children to the Aldersgate School of London, where Ellie teaches.

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Suggested attire: late Victorian/Edwardian era conservative dress, wide-brimmed hat. Lace-up boots. English nanny costume.

 

Theodosia Culpepper

Nurse

  Theodosia Culpepper is a nurse at Baker Street Hospital and a friend of Mary Birdwhistle. She is not a fan of Watson and has encouraged Mary to stay far away from the doctor—to no avail. Theodosia is a gossip and loves to stir up trouble. She doesn’t care for Ellie Berrycloth. Maybe she is the jealous type and doesn’t want Mary to have other friends.

Theodosia has been nicknamed the Angel of Mercy, for many of her patients who were suffering seemed to die before their time by unexplained causes.  The only similarity between these hundred or so patients is that Nurse Culpepper was the last to see them. The hospital administrator hired Sherlock to investigate this case, but due to the amount of crime in the city of London, this case hasn't taken precedence. 

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Suggested attire: a late Victorian/Edwardian-era nursing uniform, a white collared dress, floor length, and a nursing hat.

 

Victoria Villain

Laundry Maid

Victoria Villain is a laundry maid at Baker Street Hospital. This sweet, kindhearted, and loving housekeeper is an advocate for prisoners and believes the conditions of London jails and prisons, including the prison at the Tower of London, should undergo reform. Having two brothers serving life sentences, she knows what prison life is like.

Victoria was secretly involved in her jailed siblings' crimes, but they took all of the blame and proclaimed her innocence during their trials. They were accused of many crimes, including ritualistic slayings of two women, robbery of many homes in London, and grave robbing. At the time of their arrest by the Metropolitan police (thanks to Sherlock), her brothers were affiliated with Lord Blackstone - a presumed cult leader and dark magician. Nobody can prove that Victoria works for Lord Blackstone, but this should not be ruled out, given her past.

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Suggested attire: late Victorian/Edwardian era dress (nothing too fancy), wide-brimmed hat. Lace-up boots. Or a traditional maid costume.

 

Grace Edevane

Cook

 Grace Edevane is a cook for Spencer Primrose, a London aristocrat. She snoops on conversations between her employer and his upper-class dinner guests. Grace knows all the high-society gossip in the city and is currently blackmailing many people she has dirt on due to her eavesdropping endeavors.

Grace recently made a grave mistake by attempting to blackmail a German aristocrat, the Duke of Brunswick. She has dodged multiple attempts on her life and has hired Sherlock to broker a deal with the duke to save her life. Sherlock took the case but hasn't had the time to travel to Germany to meet with her foe. Grace is worried that she will be murdered by the time Sherlock can help her. 

Suggested attire: a late Victorian/Edwardian-era housekeeping/servant uniform, a bonnet-style chef hat, and lace-up boots.

 

Harland Gastrell

Train Conductor

Harland Gastrell is a conductor at the City & South London Railway – the first underground railway in the world.  Harland helped design the tube-style railway that was the first to use electric traction. The railway has six stations and runs for over five kilometers, passing under the River Thames.  Some say that Harland is a wicked mastermind who works as a conductor to hide his criminal activities and transport illegal things around London. With a genius-level intellect that nearly rivals that of Sherlock, Harland has excellent skills of deduction.

Harland Gastrell is often seen visiting Blackstone Castle, which is how the rumors began of Harland living a double life on both sides of the law. Anyone associated with Lord Blackstone is presumed to be a member of his cult of criminals. 

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Suggested attire: vintage train conductor costume, real or fake handlebar mustache, and a pocketwatch as an optional prop.

 

Oscar Bregdan

Rat Catcher

Known as the Slayer of Plagues, Oscar is a rat catcher who keeps the streets of London free of vermin. A brave soul who will go where no others wish to go, Oscar uses his loyal companions (three dogs and a ferret) to help find the rats who have invaded the city. Many say that Oscar raises the rats who roam the streets to keep his job with the city.

Oscar earns a meager salary from the city of London and has occasionally been in trouble for stealing food from street vendors. Given the value of what Oscar does for the city, the Metropolitan Police take it easy on the chap. However, Oscar has started an underground gambling ring where he takes bets on his daily catch of rats to race. If this is true, Oscar might lose his good standing with the police department. 

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Suggested attire: a vintage Victorian/Edwardian topcoat, waistcoat, breeches with a huge leather sash decorated with rats, and a top hat. (Look up ‘Her Majesty’s rat catcher’ for inspiration.)

 

Lottie Urwin

Poet

 Lottie Urwin is a famous author of beloved poems but has published her works under a pen name, Norman Browning. She keeps her identity a secret so that her bound collections of poetry will continue to sell out on the shelves, for she believes if she published as a woman, she wouldn't keep her fan base. 

Lottie was a victim of Lord Blackstone two years ago when she was abducted from her home and taken to a hidden temple inside of a cave outside of the city. Sherlock saved Lottie in his own peril, as that was one of the times that Lord Blackstone nearly took Sherlock's life. However, both escaped, and Lord Blackstone was put on trial for his crimes. However, he was found not guilty, as his numerous cult members testified that Lottie was a willing participant in the ceremony. The judge who set him free was never seen again. Many believe Lord Blackstone paid him off. 

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Suggested attire: vintage Victorian/Edwardian era glamorous dress, wide-brimmed hat. Lace-up boots.

 

Rowena Beechworth

Governess

 Rowena Beechworth is a governess for the Blackstone family. She teaches and trains Lord and Lady Blackstone’s five children in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Rowena lives at Blackstone Castle, but some have said she might be a prisoner or possibly a member of Lord Blackstone’s cult.

Rowena never leaves the manor unless escorted by the Blackstones' butler or driver. She hardly speaks to anyone and keeps her head down while in public. However, the Blackstone children appear to be thriving because of her teachings, as they are well-spoken and well-read. 

 

Suggested attire: Edwardian era glamorous dress, wide-brimmed hat. Lace-up boots.

 

Fanny Forge

Telephone Operator

  Fanny Forge works daily at the National Telephone Company, connecting cords to circuits at the switchboard. She has a soothing, calm voice and is a dependable, hard worker. Fanny follows a strict schedule and never strays off course. She is the final heir of a wealthy Scottish family. One day, she will inherit the estate and be able to retire.

Fanny admits to eavesdropping on conversations while at work. She is the holder of the secrets of the big names in London. Unlike Grace Edevane, she isn't known to use the information she unveils to blackmail people. However, she does spread gossip on occasion. 

Suggested attire: vintage Victorian/Edwardian style blouse.  Asymmetrical Steampunk/Victorian/

Edwardian floor-length skirt and lace-up boots.

 

Franklin Wraith

Detective

 Inspector Wraith is a hardnosed sleuth from Scotland Yard. Franklin is often at odds with Sherlock but realizes he’s necessary for the more complex investigations in the city. This detective is determined but has insufficient deduction skills when the facts are staring back at his face. When Inspector Wraith is stumped, he reluctantly calls for Sherlock.

Sherlock loves to taunt Detective Wraith, and their banter amuses Watson. Because Sherlock realizes Franklin needs him, he takes liberties and pushes the detective to his limits. Alas, Sherlock always comes through for Franklin, so he endures having to work with him. Always avoiding the spotlight, Sherlock avoids taking credit for solving the cases - which is a bonus for Franklin. 

Suggested attire: Victorian/Edwardian Metropolitan police uniform.

 

Charles Chattoway

Editor

Charles Chattoway is the editor for The Daily Graphic, a daily newspaper in London, England. The widely distributed publication includes news events, notable personalities, illustrations, and poems. Charles is the primary news source in London but is also a notorious blackmailer who pays footmen, housekeepers, and other servants to do dirty laundry on his victims. It is best to stay off of Charles’ radar.

Charles will take bribes for positive features in his publication and send blackmail when he has a potentially negative story about someone. He has double-crossed nearly everyone in town, but with the number of readers that subscribe to the newspaper, there isn't much his victims can do if they get on his bad side.

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Suggested attire: Victorian/Edwardian double-breasted waistcoat over a white button-up. Matching pants, tie. Top hat.

 

Rufus Kenward

Chimney Sweep

With knees and elbows continually scraped raw from climbing through narrow chimneys, Rufus Kenward is the town’s most popular chimney sweep. Rumors are lurking that Rufus has a part-time position as a grave robber working to provide the medical school with cadavers. Rufus denies all accusations regarding the resurrections but admits to selling leeches to the school. Where there is smoke, there is fire.

Rufus often has dark circles underneath his eyes, which indicate a lack of sleep. He also has been seen by neighbors coming in after three p.m., but he only cleans chimneys during the day. Something suspicious is going on with Rufus, but only time will tell.

Suggested attire: Victorian/Edwardian era chimney sweep costume. A button-up shirt, necktie, vest, and sweeper are optional props. Newsboy cap.  A few black smudges on your face (optional).

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