Dominic Newman

Extracts from his file in Chancery Skull of Thanatar, Moonguard

Born: Windsday, Disorderweek, Stormseason, 580 TA to Sir Ludovic and Ginger Newman. His conception the previous spring meant his mother bore the pregnancy throughout the three subjective years of the Timestop. Like most of the children born in the seasons after this calamity, DN seems not to have suffered any effect, positive or negative. However, the final verdict on these individuals will be left to another generation to observe.

Parents: Sir Ludovic Newman was a Selenite soldier who rose from the ranks to become something of a hero as a dashing Moonlord during the Timestop. Unfortunately, he was killed during the Zorak-Zoran siege of Moonguard in the final weeks of the wars and never saw his son. He was charismatic; popular with the people for a time but few remember him now.

Ginger Newman, née Darkly, was a valued graduate of the University and a promising young clerk in Starkenberg House Skull. Proficient in languages and highly intelligent, it is clear DN takes more after her than he does his father. Despite the best medical care the Skull could find, she died during the birth, worn out from carrying her son for a subjective period in excess of three years, much of it a time of famine.

Raising: An orphan from birth with no relatives and almost no inheritance, DN was raised in the Moonguard Municipal Workhouse. This was a hard life and the tendency to underfeed inmates doubtless contributed to DN’s late physical development (see below). As is usual with workhouse children deemed suitably intelligent and especially in view of his parentage, he was nominated for Ducal sponsorship through University and Chancellor Bohemond Plantagenet put the seal to his contract as one of his last acts before his death in 598.

Education: Inducted as a lay member of University Skull Moonday, Deathweek, Earthseason, 598 TA, DN read Modern Languages and Current Affairs. For most of his university career he was an able student, though far from outstanding (see attached reports from tutors). In his third year, he initiated into University Skull Moonday, Deathweek, Darkseason 601 TA. Immediately his exam marks and overall performance rose to place him at the top of his class throughout the fourth year of his degree.

He graduated Godsday, Truthweek, Fireseason 602 with excellent marks in Helionic and Nerthan and good passes in Necropolitan and Current Affairs. His commanding officer in the University Regiment of the Moonguard Militia gave him poorer marks for his military skills (though no worse than many of his classmates) but full marks for physical development.

Subsequent Career: Under the terms of sponsorship, upon graduating DN was required to serve a minimum 7-year term in the service of the Duke of Moonguard. He duly entered Chancery, Bureau of Riverine Affairs, serving as Desk Assistant at the Freetown desk in the Office of Community Development and Commerce. He performed his duties most creditably (see attached reports by Supervisor Carloman Sartak), expanding his grasp of languages and of both Moonguard and Freetown affairs. His ability to relate the latter two proved inestimable to the OCD&C. His promotion to seekerhood, Godsday, Truthweek, Seaseason 603 TA, indicates he was seen as a high-flyer at this time. He chose Thanatar as his subcult; a surprise as his superiors thought he would choose Atyar.

His especial ability to interact with the public brought him to the notice of Skull superiors when it became necessary to send a representative of both Chancery and Moonguard Skull as a forward observer and to liaise with both Thanatari and others during an expedition to Copperhead. DN’s grasp of Nerthan and Necropolitan and his superb ability to mix with commoners made him the obvious choice – coupled with his lack of skull contacts, rendering him politically expendable.

The expedition was an undoubted success and, to everyone’s surprise, DN returned alive (by sea from Copperhead). However, his experiences during the expedition seem to have profoundly disturbed him, both physically and mentally. His full report is attached for perusal but attention should be paid to his treatment by ‘Mad Hetty’, at the time a Luciferan priestess, who insisted he should deliver a baby subsequent to a particularly nasty rape by broo. (An excellent example of the sort of inhumanity the Lightbringers are quick to accuse us of but keep quiet about when practised by their own.) Luciferans in Copperhead appear to have taken a more conventional view of his condition but as ‘Mad Hetty’ is now High Priestess of Hilltown Hospital, DN’s history with her could be a problem. To date he has made no threats or acted as if revenge is on his mind (who could blame him if he did) but care should be taken should their paths cross in future.

After his potentially shattering experiences in Copperhead, he returned to his desk in the Office of Community Development and Commerce, developing a fine grasp of Freetown and Hoedown affairs. However, he developed a notable aversion to fieldwork, complaining his skills are poor and he lacks the aptitude. Nonetheless, he was sent on several expeditions where he performed creditably on station save for a tendency to leave before culmination. Naturally, this has harmed his career but nevertheless he attained Doom Warrior rank Moonday, Deathweek, Seaseason 606 TA.

His new cult rank and promotion to 2^nd Class Clerk rendered him overqualified for his post and he was appointed to Field Operative, based in Freetown but still within the Bureau of Riverine Affairs, where his superb grasp of languages and ability to interact with the public would be put to best use.

As directed, Supervisor Ingrid Lunt immediately gave DN a task demanding extensive fieldwork. DN performed very creditably, though regrettably the outcome of the investigation proved excessively expensive. (See DN’s personal report on Bernard Matthews, Illicit Swanager – his closing comments are sound. Unfortunately, subsequent attempts to interview Matthews have proven unsatisfactory as he now suffers blessed idiocy.)

DN’s most notable achievement since promotion has to be his almost instantaneous fluency in Transylvanian and he is now fluent or better in ten languages other than Atyari and Lunatic. He shares his mother’s gift for tongues.

Then, in Seaseason 606, DN encountered Silversmith’s Circus and the nomadic Klutie coven within, confirming previously vague intelligence concerning the Al-Kluteia conspiracy. Most of the active insurgents were neutralised and a local Broo coven dispersed but at least one major player, ‘Mad Jim Wheeler’ escaped but all dolls were retrieved and the potential security breaches were nullified.

However, in the progress of the Al-Kluteia investigations, DN acquired an artefact, a preserved rabbit’s foot. This artefact, it seems, gave the acquirer profound good luck for an initial period before turning on its owner and cursing him with bad luck.

Before DN could dispose of this artefact, a rogue Chancery Doom-Master, Castiel Stardust, used the powers of the item by proxy to gain a majority holding in a local casino. Stardust’s ultimate intent is as yet unclear. It seems unlikely his only ambition was to finance an immensely lavish lifestyle. It is possible that he intended to use the funds to bankroll the separation of the Freetown Consulate from Chancery, thereby advancing himself to the rank of Doom Lord or even High Priest, though this awaits confirmation until we can summon his shade from Hell. However, thanks to the initiative of Doom-Mistress/Priestess Ingrid Lunt, consular staff were able to neutralise Stardust.

DN, with aid from Chancery and outside agencies, duly destroyed the rabbit’s foot by ritual, Moonday, Deathweek, Dark Season 607.

Thanks to the proceeds of various transactions under the influence of the rabbit’s foot, DN had acquired some considerable cash resources. Much to the surprise of his superiors, he invested this cash in advancing himself to Doom-Master status through two seasons of dexterity training and the 4^th point of Cheeseslice.

But before he could be consecrated, DN was involved in the investigation in to the recent illicit trade in tweeds and other contraband, notably narcotic mushrooms. His ingenious neutralisation of Ardath Thebes enabled the Chancery and Cemetery Skulls to gain intelligence on a widespread network of smugglers that seems to have been set up as a deliberate attempt by the Trolllands to undermine Moonguard’s economy.

Fully qualified, DN was formally consecrated Doom-Master on Moonday, Deathweek, Fireseason, 608.

Religious Devotions: DN’s general religious devotion at University was less than exemplary. He attended Moonday school, as required by University regulations, but studied the Ravings with little diligence, only picking up again in his fourth year. He has made all the right noises at Skull services and as an initiate learned Atyari astonishingly quickly, yet it is the considered opinion of most of his superiors that he shows little true devotion and prefers extra-skull friendships and acquaintances. Despite attempts at discouragement, these continue. We see little threat in them to date and they have proven useful. There has been found no evidence that he has given away either his own situation or general or specific information on the Skull, yet it is difficult to trust such flagrant fraternising with outsiders.

His extra-skull activities might best be summed up in his peculiar attachment to Demosthenes. Having qualified soon after achieving seekerhood, he also initiated into Demosthenes. This would not have been possible had he followed usual cult practice and restricted his close acquaintances to skull members and he was forced to drop his membership of Demosthenes soon after leaving University a year later after a series of confrontations within Chancery. However, his current duties in Freetown have allowed him to rejoin. He has passed this move off as a necessary ‘cover’.

All current observations indicate his extra-skull devotion is indeed a ‘cover’ and to gain access to certain cheap magics but he will have to be watched; despite his lack of attention as a youth, DN’s devotion to Selene seems profound, going beyond a mere ‘cover’, though this is something that is hard to question given the theocratic environment of Moonguard.

Notes: Despite his early promise, DN in recent years seemed content to eschew advancement in an attempt to insulate himself from internal politics. However, with his recent pro-active pursual of the rank of Doom-Master, successfully concluded Fireseason just gone, and his ingenious solution to dealing with Ardath Thebes, DN has proven that he has ambition coupled with an original mind and must still be regarded as a potential high-flyer.

However there are certain caveats to promoting DN to fast track management duties: firstly, Ingrid Lunt worries that he remains squeamish over ultimate sanctions; secondly, he has confessed to having recently acquired Chaos features; thirdly, his almost complete lack of political connections within and outside of the cult beyond the staff of the Freetown Consulate.

DN’s disposal of two assassins in operation ‘Shuttlebut’ was accomplished with aplomb and discretion – the bodies have yet to be found. More importantly, he exhibited true ruthlessness as well as initiative and nerve in dealing with Ardath Thebes. Reading through DN’s recent reports, his apparent squeamishness could be read, as he claims, purely as a devotion to ‘best practice’ in dealing with the public. I realise that I go against the established prejudices of many of my colleagues but I am inclined to take him at face value on this.

Then there is the matter of his Chaos features: this is potentially a serious matter, all too often we have seen previously sound individuals driven to extremes by the revels of Chaos within their systems. On the other hand, DN has yet to show any such instability and his new-found ability to alter his appearance could be a great asset. Obviously he will need to be watched, in particular for irrational behaviour, especially if he actively pursues more Chaos features, but my view is to regard this issue as a positive.

Finally, his lack of political connections: frankly this too is an asset, at need making him expendable. Of course without better connections he cannot function at high level and should be shifted to the fast-track, within skull.

But now he is a Doom-Master he cannot avoid involvement in internal politics. The mere element of Time will ultimately promote him to Doom Lord and if he is not motivated to acquire the requisite political skills he simply won’t survive.

However, I sense in DN a determination, a resolve to better himself for the good of the greater weal. We cynics tend to laugh in the face of such fervour but it has its uses. Ultimately, it can be manipulated, but this needs to be done with subtlety. This fervour, coupled with his lack of anti-social geases, means that he is prime material for high placement in a purely civilian role – perhaps a role usually given to non-Thanatari?

Obviously DN is over-qualified for his current post but ultimately we have many options in the management of his future career. It has been suggested that the Freetown Consulate be elevated to full Skull status. On the whole I am against this for several reasons, but in DN’s case he simply is not ready to be a Doom Lord.

His chaotic abilities with regard to fluid appearance, together with his facility with languages, suggest outstanding suitability for infiltration missions and this file is being copied to Starkenberg House Skull.

But my own view is that DN’s abilities might best be employed in a public-facing role. In fact I suspect he would be most effective with just such a role. I would suggest initial employment in low-medium level diplomatic missions. His language skills would be useful with regard to almost any of Moonguard’s neighbours: Sunbury, Transylvania or the Trolllands. He also has a fine grasp of current affairs and, most importantly, economics.

With the current rumblings of discontent from Trollcastle, he could prove a valuable asset there and I can think of nowhere else where he might receive training in political skills.