<span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Rowena Bleakmore Ashwin</strong></span><br/><div class="floatleft">(http://i52.tinypic.com/10zvjuc.jpg)</div><br/>She is a daughter of aristocracy and wealth her mother died during childbirth but passed on much of her gift and persona to her new born daughter, her father is a eccentric member of the upper classes and is as famous at times as he is notorious, an explorer and expeditionary he is an enigmatic man who was instilled a quest for understanding and knowledge in his daughter. He has always encouraged her gifts but she has taken to hiding them and instead presenting them to the world as an interesting curiosity, stagecraft clever tricks and art. Her Mother's sister who has taken it upon herself to straighten out Rowena's life and bring her a way from her Father's influence, now seeks to make her into a more respectable woman and have her hide her gift from the world. Rowena is happy to hide her gift and rarely allows people to know the truth of her ability and works, although she has acquired some measure of fame under her stage name "Countess Bleakmore" performing as a spiritualist at her own theatres and tea rooms. Rowena also performs other parlour tricks and creates them from scratch or captures the spirits in photography, despite her open mind and keen interest in mystery and the obscure Rowena is quick to debunk and question things. She only performs in her true capacity for those who know her secret and her fathers friends.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong>Rowena's Estate</strong></span><br/><br/>Rowena is a ridiculously wealthy woman in most part due to her family's generations of affluence and trade, she has her own means of support however having invested her money wisely and built up her own projects of income, ones suitable to a lady of course.  Rowena owns the Victoria theatre and tea rooms which she has established as place of finery and entertainment. She lives with her aunt at the Bleakmore estate just outside of London. Rowena owns several other properties herself but has yet to move into any of them as a permanent residence.<br/><br/><div align="center">(http://i56.tinypic.com/14xpegg.jpg)</div><br/><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 12pt;">Family, Allies &amp; Connections</span><br/><br/>Family of note-</strong><br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://i52.tinypic.com/dbmm3s.jpg)</div><br/>Earl George Edmund Ashwin the III<br/><br/>The Eldest of the Ashwin family and father of Rowena, George Edmund Ashwin the III is a ridiculously wealthy man with many connections and interests.  He is rarely in the country but when he is he rarely has time for others his life seams a constant buzz of activity, he is a well renowned archaeologist scholar, explorer, expeditionary and dabbling scientist although some of his work and theories are considered bizarre.  He is infamous as he is famous for his work many consider him eccentric and dangerous some of his ideas and beliefs seam unthinkable to many Victorians, his acceptance of other cultures and interest in dubious subjects and religions also tends to surprise many.  He is held is high esteem however and tolerated for his good work and support of the empire,  few realise that he has many friends and is heavily involved in the secretive orders of the age.  He is reluctant to let Rowena out of his grasp still having wishes for her and plans for her future, he begrudgingly has allowed her to leave his side but keeps track of her activities and life in secret via the aide of associates.<br/><br/>Countess Rowena Elward Bleakmore (Deceased)<br/><br/>Rowena's mother who died in childbirth, her father gave her mothers name in honour of his lost love and wife.  Rowena Bleakmore was quite a well renowned woman in her own right although she was always usually associated with her husband, known for her talents as a medium and rumoured to have assisted in his many expeditions and finds.  It is said that her husband refused to accept his wife's passing and that he tried to contact her through other mediums and even had his daughter try when she came of age.<br/><br/>Maude Elward Bleakmore<br/><div class="floatright">(http://i52.tinypic.com/dzfogk.jpg)</div>Rowena's mothers sister and her aunt, Maude is a widowed woman and caretaker of the Bleakmore estate, she has several son's and daughters all with lives of there own Maude has taken now to watching over her sisters daughter. Maude does not believe in the gifts that her sister or Rowena claims to have possessed and wishes for Rowena to settle down and draw away from her fathers influence. Maude is unaware of the theory that Rowena's father holds as to the reason of his wife's death and the reasons that he has not encouraged his daughter in marriage, Maude is however aware of his dealings with questionable characters and societies and she is more and more starting to suspect his character and sanity.<br/><br/><strong>Contacts-<br/></strong><br/>Edward Charles Bleakmore -Bishop of Rochester<br/><br/>Edward is a cousin of Rowena and the second son of Maude, he is the Bishop of Rochester and a devout member of the Church of England. He keeps in regular contact with Rowena and they regularly meet and discuss topics, Rowena makes regular donations to the church and the orphanage that was set up by Edward in his family's name.<br/><br/>Lord Harry Bertram Ashwin<br/><br/>The youngest of the Ashwin brothers, Harry is a politician and business man who has come to be responsible for most of the financial and legal affairs of both the Ashwin and Bleakmore estates. He   regularly welcomes Rowena into his own home and makes sure she is invited to many of the social events of the year.<br/><br/>Wilfred Fewer Browne<br/><br/>Wilfred is a crackpot scholar with an interest in the occult and anything mythological a teacher and eccentric within the halls of London's schools and universities.<br/><br/><strong>Allies-</strong><br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(http://i53.tinypic.com/24eatlz.jpg)</div><br/>Barnabas Gates<br/><br/>Barnabas terrible accident is unknown to many and few figure it polite to ask as to the nature of his disfigurement, the fact he has the recognition of both the Bleakmore and Ashwin name is enough for most.  Barnabas is heavily involved and indebted to Rowena's father whom he owes his life.  Now his former life is in shatters and he hides his face from a society in which he once held promise and acts on the interests of Rowena's father.  Barnabas former life was served in the military and later as a member of Rowena's father's expeditions and staff.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><strong>Hired Personal Staff-</strong><br/><br/>Rose McMullock  “Lady's Maid”  (<em>annual wage of £30</em>)<br/>(http://i56.tinypic.com/296dhqv.jpg)<br/>Rose earned her position and higher pay grade for her skill with needle work and dressmaking, she finds working for Rowena rather unusual at times.<br/><br/><br/>Woolf Linahan Bannam “Chef” (<em>annual wage of £50</em>)<br/>(http://i55.tinypic.com/2i0ztjn.jpg)<br/>Rowena maintains the permanent services of her own personal and professional cook who oversees and prepares her meals, his duties also include the preparation and planning of any event and food for special occasions.<br/><br/>Thaddeus Conroy Beck  “Footman” (<em>annual wage of £45</em>)<br/>(http://i51.tinypic.com/2l9h6pv.jpg)<br/>Rowena's personal footman a man of eloquence and grace the perfect gentleman.