From the Pages of the Black Mask (OOC)

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Deacon Faust

Deacon Faust, born in 1900 to the late Dr. Emerson Faust and his wife Emelia. Led the typical life of luxury at his family's estate in Marin County. Was a gifted athlete and indifferent student which along with the Faust fortune enabled him to attend Harvard University. Two months shy of graduating, Deacon's parents were killed when their private plane crashed in the mountains of Northern California. Emotionally devastated he withdrew form college. As the sole heir Deacon inherited a sizable estate. With his new found fortune he traveled the world for the next few years learning many things along the way. He studied mysticism in India and Thailand, martial arts in China and Japan. He sailed with smugglers and pirates in the South China Sea. Fought with and against mercenaries in Mongolia. All the while searching for some meaning in his life. Eventually, as the idle rich often do, he became bored and returned to San Francisco. On his return, he frequented many of the hot night spots and fell in with some of the local ne'er do wells. He has been known to smuggle booze on his yacht for the owners of some of the speak-easies and has been seen with some low-level gangsters. Of course the local papers love this, as they can write about this son of a former society matron slumming with the dregs. Deacon is an altruist in the purest form, frequently opening his home to those less fortunate souls much to the chagrin of his faithful butler, Godfrey.

 

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Jonathan T. Beaumont III

Occupation: Writer at the Gillian-Hearst Publishing House
Age: 23
Appearance: Dashing

Born in Georgia to Cynthia and Jonathan Beaumont II. Moved to New York at the age of 14. Spent 3 years working with his father at the Olden's Shoe Factory, which then went out of business. Unable to find decent work they were evicted from their apartment. His mother and father moved back to Georgia to stay with family, while Jonathan stayed with a group of friends and fond work as a newsie. It was during this time that his love for literature grew and he spent most of his time reading and writing. Pitching his ideas to the local reporters. This of course was the wrong avenue but through some luck a local reporter, Brian Denton, pitched his writing to a friend in the Gillian-Hearst Publishing House. Soon after Jonathan has several short stories about the unexplained published in the Black Mask magazine. He then published three pulp novels about a crime fighter by the name of the "Hidden Mantis" These novels have met with some success and he is currently working on a fourth. He is writing these under the pen name of Nathan Powers.

 

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Ezekial Sawyer

To: Thomas Blaine, Editor of The Public Eye
From: Ezekial Sawyer, Reporter
Date: March 15, 1926
Re: Urgent Danger to all residents; Please publish this immediately...it is of utmost urgency to all! (I know I said that last time, but this is an emergency!)


WEASEL-YOUTH SPOTTED NEAR FAUST ESTATE!!!!
San Francisco-1926

City Residents Beware! A weasel-faced youth was spotted by this reporter's own eyes as it lurked near the Estate of famed San Franciscan Deacon Faust! Upon being silhouetted by my coach lights, the boy scampered down an alley and sought shelter in a nearby modest home. My pursuit led me to the door, which was answered a man claiming to be the creature's father, who unconvincingly argued his case for the boy's normality! As our heated discussion continued, the boy-weasel peered out from his hiding place, looking for the entire world a normal boy! You can imagine my shock and surprise! My surprise was heightened by the physical pummeling given to me by the boy's father, who broke both my nose and my cane, and unceremoniously dumped me in the garbage outside.
I urge all citizens to arm themselves against the upcoming relentless assault of the lycanthrope weasel-boy and his cabal of human minions!

About the Author: Ezekial Sawyer regularly submits articles to The Public Eye, and was published once in November of 1924. His chief concern is the safety of all residents of this fair city and the investigation of all things paranormal.
Sawyer was born on a farm in rural Georgia in 1850 and served in the Confederate army during the Civil War. After the war, he worked as a cobbler, a librarian, a miner, and had a short stint as a paddleboat captain. Sawyer served as a mercenary in several locales and rode up San Juan Hill with Roosevelt's Rough Riders. On several occasions during his life, Sawyer went to sea as a merchant sailor, where his travels led him to Africa, Tahiti, Hawaii, China, and India. It was in these exotic locales that his interest in the supernatural began. Since that time, he has relentlessly acquired vast knowledge of the paranormal in order to safeguard normal folk from the unexplained! Sawyer relocated to San Francisco after a generous grant from the City of Los Angeles, who assures him that all things supernatural have been eradicated from their city by his efforts!