Who's Who in the Annabelle Universe? Christopher

CHRISTOPHER

No picture at this time. Hopefully that will change someday.

Physical characteristics:
Christopher is tall with long black hair. He wears elegant clothing but it's worn lose, as if he has lost the desire to keep up appearances.

Personality:
His countenance is one of regret, self loathing and a general resignation to his fate.  He keeps himself amused by talking with his victims before he kills them or manipulating anyone who interests him into spending time at his side, telling him stories about their past. He has a great deal of pent up frustration against Vanessa Kimball, Reginald Worthing and the Rakes. He has no love for his subjects, the Destitute.

Known History:
Christopher was of royal birth. His last name was lost in history and it's doubtful even he remembers it. At one point in his life he was a young nobleman. He'd run through the farms and towns of England with other young nobles, causing mischief and spoiling lives along with his best friend, Reginald Worthing. Once he met noblewoman Vanessa Kimball everything changed. She turned Christopher into a vampire along with the other noblemen and called them the Rakes. She did it so she wouldn't be alone.

For many years the Rakes ran through London and the surrounding countryside.  They'd make sport of killing and terrorized anyone they wanted. One night Christopher decided to feast in Whitechaple, one of the more poorer sections of London. He found a lady of ill repute and used her for a meal. Unfortunately he bit her three times, unaware of the Three Bite Rule. He left her for dead but she transformed and in turn fed on some of the homeless of London.  Instead of turning into regular vampires, the homeless vampires became shadowy creatures with no sustenance.

Once Lady Vanessa found out, she exiled Christopher to a warehouse where he would rule the many new vampires, now called the Destitute. It became his job to make sure these shadowy creatures didn't give away the existence of vampires in London. Christopher accepted his penance and ruled the Destitute with a bitter heart. He discovered soon after his exile that his former best friend, Reginald Worthing , told Vanessa about Christopher's mistake. The lady of the evening, known as Abigail, met Reginald, told him what happened and the two of them ran away for America to start new lives.

Christopher had a cat named Azmodel. It's actually a male vampire whom turned into a cat. Christopher mesmerized Azmodel into thinking he is a cat. Azmodel stayed with Christopher for many years until he decided to follow Annabelle Foresight.

Who's Who in the Annabelle Universe? The Rakes

THE RAKES

No picture at this time. Hopefully that will change someday.


Known History:
After the vampire lord known as Dominic Pratchet courted and turned noble Vanessa Kimball, he left her in charge of his London safe house. After her devilish suggestion for some company, he allowed her to turn some of the more wickedly inclined around her into vampires.

At the time she kept in her company several bored young noblemen. The found sport in tormenting the poor and following their own corrupt pursuits. Vanessa saw the evil potential in these men so she turned them. They became loyal to her and found a whole new dark world of mischief. They'd attend her parties, like the annual Predator Ball, and find great joy in hunting and tormenting those they deemed less than themselves. Originally their where eight Rakes.

Membership:

Reginald Worthing (Exiled. King and founder of Bloody Buccaneers.)

Christopher (Exiled. In charge of the shadowy Destitute.)

Nigel
Richard
Ian
Ryan (turned Molly O’ Connell and the children of the Palmer Orphanage.)

Torrance

Terrance

Research quote from my knowledgeable friend Author Ian Watson:

A rake was a young man of nobility or upper middle class who used his status to take advantage of unsuspecting women. He promised to marry a woman only to sleep with her, thus ruining the woman's reputation.

In fact at this time the real rakes were notorious for doing pretty much the same thing! There's a description in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" about one such incident (which was said to have originally caused the haunting Sherlock Holmes investigated a hundred and fifty years later), where the young noblemen of the manor rode down one night on a lonely farm to carry off the farmer's pretty daughter for their sport.

My Thoughts:

I see the Rakes as a sort of Lost Boys, running around causing mischief and discord. They answer to Vanessa and make her exclusive gentlemen’s club their home.