Arthur Basil Blackwell
Description
Mr. Black—no one calls him by his first name anymore—is a man out of place in the world he now works in. Always slightly rumpled, always slightly stained, he wears the same tan overcoat and fraying scarf no matter the weather. His fingers are yellowed from chemicals, chalk, and cigarettes. He moves like his mind is always elsewhere—because it is. His lab is wherever the burners don’t sputter and the fumes don’t kill, and his concoctions? Powerful, unstable, and unpredictable—just like him.Personality
Black is brilliant, eccentric, and full of contradictions. He’s deeply principled when it comes to the science—but not necessarily the ethics. He believes in chemistry the way some men believe in God, and he's horrified when his work is used poorly… but he rarely stops it. He speaks in tangents, forgets appointments, and sometimes disappears for days chasing an idea. And yet—he is loyal to the Sinners, particularly the one who saved him from total collapse.Habits
Constantly muttering formulas under his breath, even mid-conversation Smokes hand-rolled cigarettes dipped in herbal concoctions "for clarity" Keeps meticulous notes—most written on walls, matchbooks, and old invoices Wears old academic pins on his coat lapel, despite pretending he doesn’t careHooks & Angles
Edge: Independent – Mr. Black doesn't need babysitting. He sets up his own labs, sources his own materials, and reports in when it suits him. Edge: Loyal – His loyalty to the Sinners is absolute—especially to whoever pulled him from his academic wreckage. Flaw: Principled – He refuses to work on certain jobs—particularly anything involving children, poison gas, or “artistic blasphemy,” whatever that means. Flaw: Unreliable – Sometimes he forgets. Sometimes he gets distracted. Sometimes he’s just... gone. And when he comes back, it’s usually with something the crew didn’t ask for—but might need anyway.
Year of Birth
1903 CE
50 Years old
Birthplace
Evanston, IL
Children
Eyes
Pale gray-blue, often glassy with exhaustion or hyperfocus
Hair
Salt-and-pepper, unkempt and wild, like a storm passed through it
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Fair, often smudged with soot or chemical stains; fine wrinkles from years of stress and overwork
Height
6'0"
Weight
158 lbs.
Belief/Deity
Claims science is his religion—but crosses himself before lab tests
Comments