auction

"Name": Alistair Cassian Morn. The family name belongs to one of the most ancient fallen families. Nicknames in high society include "The Raven" and "The Quiet Voice." In the guild's criminal circles, he is known as "The Whisper" or "The Puppeteer."

Age: Thirty-seven years old. Biological age matches passport age. Psychologically, feels fifty, due to chronic paranoia and the weight of responsibility.

Appearance: Tall, about one hundred and ninety centimeters. A lean, wiry build, without an ounce of excess fat. His face is sharp, with high cheekbones and sunken cheeks. His skin is pale, almost porcelain. His raven-black hair is always perfectly styled. His eyes are dark blue, almost black, with a heavy, unblinking gaze. Distinguishing marks include a thin white scar crossing his right eyebrow and a family mark burned into the skin of his left wrist, which he conceals under his cuffs.

"Likes": Black tea with bergamot without sugar, cold veal, the smell of wet asphalt and ozone after a magical discharge. She enjoys watching people panic when they realize their mistake. She prefers stories of betrayal. She hates being touched, but adores the feel of cold silk and heavy velvet fabric on her skin.

Dislikes: Noise, loud laughter, the sticky sweetness of desserts, the smell of cheap tobacco and unwashed bodies. He gets irritated by direct questions about his past. He hates it when someone interrupts him or stands behind him.

Habits: Ritualistically wipes his family rings with a velvet cloth every two hours. Speaks more quietly than his interlocutors, forcing them to listen. When deep in thought, he slowly bends and straightens his fingers, cracking them. He is never late, arriving exactly three minutes before the appointed time.

Medical Peculiarities: Severe insomnia, sleeps for three to four hours. Migraines, relieved by rare alchemical extracts. Vision is perfect. No physical allergies, but has an acute psychosomatic reaction to dirt.

"The Job": The head of the secret mercenary guild "Black Chain" and the power broker in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. His career was built on eliminating his father's rivals. The stress level is critical, but Alistair accepts it as normal.

"Family": Alone. Parents died under suspicious circumstances. No children, considering them a vulnerability. Doesn't keep pets. Relations with his family during life were purely formal, built on mutual hatred.

Hobbies: Collects poisons in encrusted crystal vials, which he keeps in a safe under the guise of perfume. Plays blindfolded chess against himself. He considers the slow ruin of merchant guilds a creative project.

"Emotions and Reactions": Basic temperament: phlegmatic, melancholic. The predominant mood is cold, irritated. When stressed, they choose to "hit," but do it at the hands of others. A sense of humor is absent, replaced by caustic sarcasm.

"Workwear": Strictly formal. Black velvet, snow-white silk. Obsessive neatness. Clothes are always tailored, conceal weapons but remain uncomfortable—for the sake of status.

"Speech": A baritone, devoid of emotion. The speed of speech is measured, hypnotic. There is no accent. The vocabulary is rich, bureaucratic. There are no filler words.

Finance: His capital is practically inexhaustible thanks to shady schemes. His attitude toward money is a tool of influence. He has no debts and despises those who owe him money.

Skills: Polyglot. Master of poison preparation and dissection. No everyday skills. No steam car driver's license; uses hired drivers.

Character: Cynical, pedantic, unprincipled. Strength: strategic thinking for decades to come. Weakness: progressive paranoia, which interferes with delegating tasks.

Values: The only value he values ​​is absolute control. Freedom and security are synonymous with power.

"Environment": There are no friends. The environment consists of tools, competitors, and enemies. The only equal opponent is the head of the Imperial Inquisition.

"Name": Cassian Vane. The family name belongs to a clan of hereditary financiers. Nicknames in business circles include "Ice in Silk," "Light." In the shadow sector, he is known as "The Puppeteer."

Age: Thirty-four years old. Biological age matches passport age. Psychologically, feels like he's forty-five due to constant intellectual stress and boredom.

Appearance: Athletic, lithe build, approximately five feet five inches tall. Broad shoulders, narrow waist. Symmetrical face, with soft, engaging features that instantly become predatory when concentrating. Skin has a light golden tan. Light brown, shoulder-length hair, always styled in a light, deliberate mess. Dark blue eyes, almost sapphire, with a keen, penetrating gaze. Distinguishing features include glasses with thin gold frames, which he wears purely for aesthetic reasons, and a barely noticeable dimple on his chin.

"Likes": Morning espresso without additives, the taste of expensive absinthe, the smell of old books and ozone. She enjoys mind games, riddles, and watching people trap themselves, thinking they've won. She prefers stories with a double meaning. She adores the tactile sensation of cool silk and smooth metal.

Dislikes: Untidy appearance, loud speech, cheap alcohol, direct threats, and outright rudeness. Gets irritated when others try to shout him down or interrupt him.

Habits: Slowly twirls a wedding ring on his finger, which doesn't exist, when he lies. Thoughtfully taps the table with a rhythm known only to him. Always leaves the last word to his interlocutor to lull them into a false sense of security. Drinks only from the left side of the table.

Medical Features: Perfect health, poor eyesight. Mild obsessive-compulsive disorder, manifested by a need for symmetry on the work desk. No allergies.

"Work": A shadow investor, the power broker of several ministries, and the owner of a network of shell charitable foundations.

"Family": Officially single, though he's officially engaged to a competitor's daughter as a cover. His parents are alive and reside at their country estate under constant, unspoken surveillance. He has no children. He doesn't keep pets, considering them an unnecessary attachment.

"Hobby": Collects incriminating evidence against the upper class, storing it in encrypted vaults. Plays exclusively classical pieces on the cello, but with a frightening, mechanical precision.

"Emotions and Reactions": Basic temperament: sanguine with phlegmatic tendencies. The prevailing mood is one of mild, indulgent boredom. When stressed, they choose to "hit," but do so through financial reports and legal loopholes. Their sense of humor is subtle, sarcastic, and often inaccessible to others.

Workwear: Expensive light-colored suits made of linen and lightweight wool. Beige, pearl gray, ivory. A silk shirt that matches the eyes. Impeccable neatness, every tie knot precisely adjusted. The style is relaxed authority.

"Speech": A velvety, enveloping tenor. The speech rate is measured, with measured pauses. There is no accent. His vocabulary is rich, but lacks complex terminology—he speaks simply about complex matters. He avoids filler words, and sometimes uses diminutive suffixes to disorient his target.

Finances: His net worth is in the eight-figure range. His attitude toward money is one of mere sport and manipulation. He has no debt and disdains those who work for survival.

Skills: Master of manipulation, profiling, and financial analysis. No everyday skills. Has a driver's license, but prefers a personal driver.

Personality: Charming, cool-headed, and utterly ruthless. His strength is his ability to predict people's reactions three steps ahead. His weakness is his progressive boredom, which sometimes leads him to create chaos simply for the fun of it.

"Entourage": There are no friends, only assets and temporary allies. The entourage consists of politicians, bankers, and criminals who consider Cassian a friend.

"Name": Lucian Dorian Thorn. The family name belongs to a side branch of an ancient family, now impoverished. Nicknames in narrow circles include "Ghost" and "Ice." He has no official nicknames.

Age: Twenty-nine years old. Biological age matches his passport age. Psychologically, he feels a hundred years old—old, tired, and infinitely detached from what's happening.

Appearance: Tall, about one hundred and ninety centimeters. Athletic, wiry build, devoid of ostentatious muscles. His movements are restrained, economical, devoid of unnecessary gestures. His face has sharp, pointed features, high cheekbones, and sunken cheeks. His skin is pale, almost translucent. His hair is platinum-white, cut into a casual but precise asymmetrical bob, with one strand constantly falling over his right eye. His eyes are a bright blue, an almost unnatural, chemically-colored hue, with an empty, piercing gaze that looks not at his interlocutor, but through them. Distinguishing marks include a complete lack of facial expression, making his age difficult to determine, and a network of thin, barely noticeable scars on his knuckles.

"Likes": Cold, silence, the smell of ozone and wet stone, the taste of pure dark chocolate with maximum cocoa content. Enjoys observing the geometry of shadows and listening to the silence between sounds. Prefers the absence of stories.

"Dislikes": Direct sunlight, loud sounds, intrusive perfume smells, attempts to establish tactile or visual contact, meaningless conversations and questions about his well-being.

Habits: He stares at one spot for a long time, motionless, when silent. He crosses his arms over his chest in a classic defensive pose. He speaks only when absolutely necessary, and answers questions directly, without adding a single word of his own. He always carries a smooth, cold stone in his pocket, which he plays with his fingers.

Medical Features: Chronic sleep deprivation, sleeps in snatches of two hours. Extremely low pain threshold. Physically completely healthy, no allergies. Vision is perfect.

"Work": Status unknown. Officially unemployed, living on unaccounted dividends. Essentially, he's ideal for tasks requiring absolute quiet and a lack of attachment, but he doesn't actively seek work.

"Family": Status unknown. Parents not listed in databases. Orphan or person of unknown parentage. No children, partners, or pets. Severes all ties before they arise.

Hobbies: None. The only regular practice is practicing punches on a wooden dummy in complete darkness and meditating on the edge of sleep and wakefulness.

"Emotions and Reaction": The basic temperament is phlegmatic, bordering on catatonia. The prevailing mood is total indifference. Under stress, the reaction is always "fight," but without screaming or rage—with a frightening, surgical efficiency. A sense of humor is absent as a concept.

Workwear: Minimalistic style. Thick black cotton, matte leather. No logos, patterns, or unnecessary details. Fitted turtlenecks, straight trousers, heavy boots with silent soles. Clothes always conceal the figure until movement, highlighting it only when it's moving.

"Speech": A quiet, uninflected baritone. The speech rate is below average, and the words are pronounced clearly, without contractions. There is no accent. The vocabulary is extremely simple, without metaphors or epithets. There are no filler words.

"Finances": Income level unknown, but access to funds unlimited. Has a completely indifferent attitude toward money, using it only as a tool to buy peace and quiet. No debt.

Skills: Expert in stealth infiltration and hand-to-hand combat with an emphasis on breaking holds and anatomical vulnerabilities. Master of silent movement. Speaks no languages ​​other than her native tongue.

"Character": Cold-blooded, unpredictable, withdrawn. Strength: absolute psychological stability and lack of empathy. Weakness: a complete lack of social skills and an inability to plan beyond one step.

"Name": Elias Sebastian Crowe. Full family name: Crowe-van-Grey. Sole direct heir to the Crowe Industries financial empire. Nicknames in the gossip columns: "Golden Fox," "Sunny Boy."

Age: Twenty-six years old. Biological age matches passport age. Psychologically, feels twelve, due to an innate, almost clinical infantilism and a complete lack of responsibility.

Appearance: Tall, about one hundred and ninety centimeters. His build is graceful but not fragile—beneath the expensive fabric lies the hidden strength of a swimmer or fencer. His face is of classic aristocratic proportions: high cheekbones, a soft jawline. His skin is fair, dotted with small, symmetrical freckles across the bridge of his nose and cheeks, giving his face a childlike innocence. His hair is the color of molten gold, thick, and perpetually in a deliberate, artistic disarray. His eyes are iridescent, amber-brown, changing from honey to dark chocolate depending on the light, framed by thick, light lashes. His gaze is often unfocused, staring into space, but in moments of sudden clarity, it becomes frighteningly sharp.

"Loves": Warm morning light, the taste of linden honey and fresh baked goods, the scent of old ink and linden blossoms. Loves to observe the chaos he's caused while remaining on the sidelines. Adores tactile sensations—touching velvet, silk, and stroking someone else's hands while talking.

Dislikes: Direct aggression, cold weather, dark chocolate, closed doors, and people who refuse to play by his rules. He gets irritated when called "sir" or "Mr. Crowe."

Habits: Constantly smiles, even when talking about unpleasant things. Fiddles with small objects in his hands: a coin, a teaspoon, someone else's glasses. Has a habit of suddenly falling silent in the middle of a lively conversation and tilting his head to observe a speck of dust in a beam of light. He refers to himself in the third person, calling himself "Eli."

Medical Features: Absolutely healthy. Mild synesthesia—sees the colors of letters and sounds. No allergies. Vision is perfect; wears glasses exclusively as a fashion accessory, ordering lenses without prescription.

"Job": Formally, he's the majority shareholder and head of the board of directors. In reality, he does nothing. The business is run by hired advisers. His job is to charm reluctant partners at dinner parties.

"Family": Single. His mother died in childbirth, and his father is a harsh, cold industrialist with whom Elias maintains a cold war disguised as familial affection. He has no children. He doesn't keep pets, but he regularly feeds stray cats, naming them after ancient gods.

Hobbies: Collecting other people's secrets. He enjoys abstract expressionist painting—his paintings are worth millions, even though he paints them with his fingers, simply pouring his emotions onto the canvas.

"Emotions and Reactions": The basic temperament is hyperthymic with hysterical elements. The prevailing mood is a light, radiant euphoria. Under stress, the reaction is "freeze," but freeze so charmingly that the aggressor begins to apologize. The sense of humor is childish, absurd, and often inappropriate.

Workwear: Relaxed dandy style. Expensive, loose-fitting fabrics: linen, fine wool, cashmere. Warm tones—cream, terracotta, mustard, peach. Silk shirts with the top buttons undone. Never wears ties, considering them a noose.

"Speech": A high, melodic tenor with a light, velvety rasp. He speaks quickly, jumping from topic to topic. His accent is clear, metropolitan, and upper-class. His vocabulary is rich, but Elias deliberately simplifies it by inserting childish words. He constantly uses filler words like "seems to be," "it seems," and "oh."

"Finances": His net worth is estimated in the billions. He treats money like confetti, to be thrown around for fun. He has no debt, but he has a habit of buying useless antiques for millions.

"Name": Raphael Sebastian de Witt. Full family name: de Witt-al-Moran. Marquis, last direct heir to a fading but still fabulously wealthy dynasty of winemakers and bankers. Nicknames in high society: "The Sleepy Duke," "The Widow's Terror."

Age: Twenty-five years old. Biological age matches his passport age. Psychologically, he feels like he's forty—tired, jaded, and long since lost his zest for life.

Appearance: Tall, about one hundred eighty-seven centimeters. His build is graceful but not athletic—more like that of a dancer or musician, concealing a hidden, serpentine flexibility. His skin is pale, with a subtle olive tint. His face has soft, regular features, marred by a permanent shadow under his eyes and an arrogant curve to his lips. His hair is thick and chestnut-colored, perpetually in a state of studied, expensive carelessness. His eyes are amber, honey-colored, with heavy lids—that same "languid" look that constantly leads to suspicions of intoxication. Distinguishing marks include a network of thin, whitish scars on the inside of his forearms, resembling the marks of a cat's claws or an old razor, and a barely perceptible limp in his left leg, which he carefully disguises.

"Loves": The taste of icy brut on the tongue, the scent of expensive pipe tobacco mixed with incense, the feel of heavy silk on the bare skin. She enjoys watching others suffer, if it's aesthetically pleasing. She adores music that sounds borderline dissonant.

Dislikes: Direct sunlight, loud voices, people fussing, sour wine, and any attempts to get him out of bed before noon. Hates having his hair touched.

Habits: Constantly fidgets with the hem of his unbuttoned cuff. Holds an unlit cigarette or blade of grass between his teeth, even during conversations. Has a habit of staring at his conversation partner for longer than ten seconds without blinking, which makes most people uneasy. Moves around the house silently, barefoot.

Medical Features: Chronic insomnia, relieved only in the early morning. Mild anemia due to neglecting food. Occasional migraines. Vision is perfect. No physical addictions, but there is a psychological need for constant, changing stimulation.

"Job": Formally, he's an heir awaiting his rights. In reality, he's a parasite. His "job" consists of attending the shareholders' meeting once a month, nodding silently, and then heading back to his estate.

"Family": Single. His mother suffers from severe mental illness and is confined to a closed clinic. His father died while hunting under strange circumstances when Rafael was fifteen. He has no children. He doesn't keep pets, considering them too noisy, but an old, blind eagle owl lives in his empty mansion.

Hobbies: Collects poisons that don't kill but cause strange, yet harmless, hallucinations. He enjoys taxidermy, creating bizarre, surreal compositions from birds. He writes caustic epigrams that he never publishes.

"Emotions and Reactions": The basic temperament is phlegmatic with a heavy touch of melancholy. The prevailing mood is one of utter boredom. Under stress, the reaction is "freeze," but in the form of a complete, contemptuous disregard for the threat. The sense of humor is dark, sarcastic, often directed at the self.

"Workwear": The style of a decadent dandy. Expensive shirts of heavy silk and velvet in dark, muted tones—inky violet, wine burgundy, deep emerald. Sleeves always rolled carelessly to the elbow, revealing scars. No ties, the top buttons always undone. He always smells of a mixture of tobacco, wine, and something elusively sweet, like the scent of autumn rot.

"Speech": A low, velvety baritone with a light, lazy rasp. His speech is slow, and he draws out his words, as if savoring them. His accent is metropolitan, with a slight laziness. His vocabulary is refined, but devoid of pathos. He avoids filler words; he uses pauses as punctuation.

"Name": Audrian Xavier de Mornay. Head of the youngest, but wealthiest, branch of the de Mornay family. The only direct heir to an industrial conglomerate and banking network. Nicknames in high society include "The Marble Duke" and "The Accountant."

Age: Twenty-five years old. Biological age matches his passport age. Psychologically, he feels like he's fifty—old, cynical, and mortally tired of managing his own life.

Appearance: Tall, about one hundred and ninety centimeters. His build is lean, sinewy, and lacking in softness. His posture is perfect, almost military-like—his back is always straight, his shoulders squared. His face has sharp, pointed features, and his skin is pale, without a single flaw. His raven-black hair is always perfectly styled, hair by hair, with a perfectly even parting. His eyes are dark brown, almost black, with the iris blending with the pupil. His gaze is heavy, unblinking, and devoid of warmth—he doesn't look at people, he assesses their market value. Distinguishing marks include a complete lack of facial expression, making his face seem carved from marble, and his habit of keeping his hands behind his back, as if hiding them from others.

"Loves": The smell of expensive leather, fresh ink on financial reports, the taste of strong black tea without sugar. She loves the sound of a safety deposit box closing. She adores symmetry and absolute silence in her office.

Dislikes: Noise, dirt, chaos, emotional outbursts, interruptions, being late, and people who look him in the eye for longer than three seconds. Hates it when people touch his things without asking.

Habits: Pauses exactly five seconds before answering any question. Never uses gestures in conversation. Has a habit of slowly, with a soft click, opening and closing the gold lid of his pocket watch, even if it has stopped. Moves silently.

Medical Features: Impeccable health, maintained by a strict diet and routine. Chronic neck and back muscle tension due to constant posture fixation. Perfect vision. No allergies.

"Work": Industrialist, banker, shadow regulator of several markets. Wakes up at five in the morning and works until late at night. His career began on his birthday. His stress levels are off the charts, but Audrian accepts them as normal.

"Family": Single. His parents are alive but removed from the business—his father handed over control to him at twenty-one and left for the continent. He has no children. He doesn't keep pets, considering them an inefficient waste of resources. He views marriage solely as a way to merge his assets.

Hobbies: Collects antique weapons, which he never handles, and promissory notes from influential people. He enjoys calligraphy, creating perfectly sharp letters.

"Emotions and Reaction": The basic temperament is pronounced phlegmatic with tyrant tendencies. The predominant mood is cold, detached irritation. Under stress, the reaction is total control and the elimination of the source of the problem, financially or legally. He lacks a sense of humor; he considers laughter a sign of mental instability.

"Working clothes": Impeccable formal attire. A dark blue doublet of thick, hand-woven wool with fine silver embroidery on the collar and cuffs. A crisp white shirt with a stiff, starched collar. Slim trousers tucked into tall leather boots. Gold cufflinks with the family crest. A massive signet ring with a black onyx on the little finger of his left hand, which he uses to seal documents with sealing wax.

Speech: Low, even baritone without intonation. The speech rate is measured, words are pronounced clearly, separating them from each other. The accent is clear and aristocratic. The vocabulary is dry, businesslike, devoid of epithets. There are no filler words.

Finances: One of the richest men in the empire. He views money as a tool of power and a measure of success. He has no debts and disdains those who borrow.

Skills: Brilliant mathematician and strategist. Master-level proficiency with bladed weapons. Knowledge of four languages. A thorough understanding of macroeconomics.

"Name": Isabella Catherine Renault. Née de Salvator. A widow who retained the title and fortune of her late merchant husband. Known in private circles as "Madame," without a name, or "The Guardian."

Age: Twenty-five years old. Biological age matches her passport age. Psychologically, she feels like she's forever old—old, tired of human stupidity, and absolutely confident in her right to judge.

Appearance: Tall, about one hundred and eighty centimeters. A stately build, with broad shoulders and narrow hips, devoid of feminine softness. Her posture is perfect, upright, and she always holds her head slightly up. Her face has sharp, aristocratic features: high cheekbones, a strong chin, and thin, almost bloodless lips. Her skin is pale and matte. Her hair is thick, the color of dark chestnut, always gathered in an intricate, high hairstyle that does not allow a single stray curl. Her eyes are coffee-colored, deep, almost black, with heavy lids. Her gaze is unblinking, heavy, and physically palpable—she doesn't look into someone's eyes, she stares through their skull, straight into their thoughts. Distinguishing features include a complete lack of facial expression, which makes her smile look like a grin, and a thin, crescent-shaped burn scar on the inside of her left wrist, which she conceals under a glove.

"Likes": The scent of old sandalwood, incense, and dry dust in closed storage rooms. The taste of bitter dark chocolate and strong coffee. She loves the sound of a ticking clock and the silence in which someone else's rapid heartbeat can be heard. She adores symmetry and perfect classification.

Dislikes: Noise, fuss, emotional displays (tears, laughter), cheap jewelry, clutter, and people trying to haggle. Hates it when people handle her things or "pieces" without white gloves.

Habits: Slowly, with a soft clicking sound, he fingered the large emeralds on his necklace while listening to his interlocutor. He has a habit of circling people, examining them like a statue. He always keeps his hands clasped at waist level.

Medical Features: Perfect health, maintained by a strict regimen. Mild tachycardia, occurring only when seeing a truly unique object or person. Perfect vision. No allergies.

"Work": Owner of the private auction house "Cabinet Renault" and a private collectors' club. Formally, she's a philanthropist. In reality, she's the head of a shadowy network dedicated to the search, appraisal, and resale of prohibited artifacts, rare animals, and, most importantly, people with unique physical or mental disabilities.

"Family": A widow. Her husband died three years ago in a zeppelin crash, leaving her his fortune and connections. She has no children and doesn't plan to, considering them too noisy and unpredictable an asset. She doesn't keep pets, but her winter garden is home to a pair of rare white barn owls, who feed exclusively on live mice.

"Hobby": High-end taxidermy. She doesn't just stuff animals; she creates artistic dioramas in glass cubes from animals and rare human pathologies. She collects poisons, storing them alphabetically in crystal vials.

"Emotions and Reaction": The basic temperament is pronounced phlegmatic with sadistic tendencies. The predominant mood is cold, assessing calm. Under stress, the reaction is total control and psychological destruction of the opponent. A sense of humor is absent, replaced by poisonous sarcasm.

"Workwear": A heavy emerald velvet dress, concealing the figure but emphasizing status. A tight corset, a skirt that flares out toward the hem. A high, stiff lace stand-up collar, almost reaching to the chin. Long sleeves, covering the wrists. A massive necklace of large Colombian emeralds set in platinum. A complex dark hairstyle is pinned with large freshwater pearls.

"Speech": A low, chesty alto voice without the slightest tremor. Her speech rate is measured, dropping words slowly, like stones in water. Her accent is clear, with a slight, barely perceptible lisp that lends an ominous quality to the hissing sounds. Her vocabulary is rich.