Character Profiles
Harlan Falk
Falk is a former specialist hostage negotiator, now working exclusively with monsters and other paranormal entities. Equally at home drafting treaties between warring faerie clans as he is settling a zombie siege, Falk has quickly gained respect among both paranormals and the humans whose lives they affect.
Falk is largely impartial, seeking to close cases to the mutual benefit of all opposing sides. However, he has one unbreakable rule – you don’t shoot the messenger. Anyone, human or paranormal, who deals in bad faith with Falk can expect things to go very badly for them.
William, “The Hellbilly”
A seven-foot demon with a beer-gut and a vicious temper, William has served for many years as imaginary friend and protector to a boy named Steven Grace. Steven is beginning to outgrow him now, but William accepts this as natural. Steven has developed a full back-story for William in his mind over the time they’ve known one another – to the effect that William was literally cast out of Hell itself for simply being too bad-ass. William will do anything to protect “his boy”.
Mr. Paper, Mr. Scissor and Mr. Stone
Imaginary friends once belonging to Alex Grace, older brother to Steven. On the verge of being outgrown and ceasing to exist, the trio rebelled and took the boy hostage. Things turned bad for them when Harlan Falk attempted to resolve the situation, culminating in Alex’s death. Paper and Stone vanished immediately, but Scissor himself was able to survive, since Alex’s younger brother still believed in him.
Lawrence Wicker
Former protégé of Harlan Falk and strict rationalist, Wicker’s greatest ambition is to be his old mentor’s equal. That Falk has gone into such a dramatic decline since his final case is a source of great discomfort to Wicker and, when a new situation emerges with similar characteristics to the one that pushed Falk over the edge, Wicker attempts to convince him to come out of retirement. Wicker hopes that, in helping to close this case, Falk will not only save Steven Grace but will also be able to make peace with his own past.
Eugene
An adventurous but somewhat timid nature-spirit, Eugene is known as a capricious trickster. To strike a bargain with him is to place yourself at his mercy but, as with all paranormals, there are rules that strictly govern his behaviour. When confronted by William, he quickly smells opportunity.
Vicky
An extradimensional refugee, Vicky gave up an eye for the power of foresight in a deal brokered by Harlan Falk. She is resentful of the arrangement, which places her in permanent residence at an underworld nightclub, so when Falk returns with the prospect of a renegotiated contract, she is prepared to hear him out.