TEXT: a M 
  d Death 
  
  Introduction ............... 
  Headlines of the 1890’s .... 
  1890 ................... 
  1891 ................... 
  1892 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
  1893 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
  1894 ................... 
  1895 ................... 
  1896 ..... 
  . . . . . .  
  1897.. 
  . . . . . .  
  1898 ................... 
  1899 ................... 
  The Spanish-American War. . 
  Events of the 1890’s. ...... 
  Ghost Dancers. ......... 
  Arctic Exploration .... 
  Railroads ......... 
  The Dreyfus Affair. ... 
  Zionism.. ............. 
  Spiritualism ............ 
  African Colonization ....... 
  Who’s Who on Gothic Earth ... 
  Heirs of Defiance ........... 
  List of Known Qabals. .... 
  La Lumiere ......... 
  Die Wachtern ............ 
  The Lost Kingdom. ......... 
  The Brotherhood of AlchamB . 
  . . .  2 
  . .  . 4  
  ... 6 
  ... 7 
  . . .  8 
  . . .  9 
  . . 10 
  . .11 
  . .12 
  . . 13 
  . . 14 
  . . 15 
  . . 16 
  . . 18 
  . .19 
  . . 19 
  . .20 
  . .22 
  . .23 
  . .23 
  . .24 
  . .26 
  . .54 
  . * 55 
  . .56 
  . .57 
  . .58 
  . .59 
  Nation of Nine. ................. .60 
  The Vistani .................... 
  .61 
  The Fellowship of the Crimson Dawn. . 62 
  The White Legion ............... .63 
  The Six-Fingered Hand ........... .64 
  World Leaders ........ Inside Front Cover 
  of the 1890’s 
  Suggested Creatures. ... Inside Back Cover 
  Calendar of the 1890’s ........... Poster 
  Credits 
  Design 
  Editing 
  Cover Artist 
  Creative Direction 
  Poster Graphic Design 
  Graphics Coordinator 
  Art Coordinator 
  Electronic Prepress 
  Coordinator 
  Typography 
  William W. Connors 
  Anne Brown 
  Robh Ruppel 
  Harold Johnson 
  Dawn Murin 
  Dawn Murin 
  Bruce A. Zamjahn 
  Dave Conant 
  Nancy J. Kerkstra 
  Special Thanks 
  Dr. John Rateliff IV 
  David Gross 
  The Gothic Earth Gazetteer is dedicated to 
  Karen Boomgarden, a beloved friend who 
  puts up with having the office next to mine 
  (almost) without complaint. 
  Interior art courtesy of and used with 
  permission of Dover Publications, Inc 
  TSR, Inc. 
  201 Sheridan Springs Rd. 
  Lake Geneva 
  WI 53147 
  USA. 
  1103XXX1501 . 
  TSR Limited 
  120 Church End 
  Cherry Hinton 
  Cambridge CBI 3LB 
  United Kingdom 
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  81995 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Made in the U.S.A. 
  I 
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  Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. 
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  he first thing every student of 
  journalism learns are the 
  elements that a good 
  newspaper account must 
  include: who, what, when, 
  where, why, and how. In my 
  opinion, the same elements 
  are critical to the creation of 
  an exciting campaign setting. 
  To that end, I am pleased to 
  present a plethora of whos, 
  whats, and whens in this 
  book-The Gothic Earth 
  Gazetteer. 
  The where part of our 
  formula was provided in the 
  Masque of the Red Death 
  boxed set. The Atlas of Gothic 
  Earth section in the Guide to 
  Gothic Earth booklet provides a Dungeon Master 
  with a wealth of information about Gothic Earth’s 
  most famous (and infamous) settings. 
  The hows and whys of a good Masque of the Red 
  Death campaign were provided in that same book. 
  The rules give DMs the needed game mechanics 
  (the hows and whys) to resolve the diverse 
  circumstances that arise during play. 
  The what question is answered in the History of 
  Gothic Earth section, which allows Dungeon Masters 
  to see how the influence of the powers of Darkness 
  shaped human history into what we know as Gothic 
  Earth. 
  Because of the great amount of material required 
  to create a complete portrait of the Masque of the 
  Red Death universe, the who and when sections of 
  the boxed set were cut somewhat short. This isn’t to 
  say that anything vital was left out of Masque of the 
  Red Death, only that I wish more could have been 
  said. Well, thanks to requests from lots of people 
  who bought the Masque boxed set, the 
  determination of its fans inside TSR, and a great deal 
  of begging on my part, I’ve now got my chance. 
  The time has come to answer those last two 
  questions and complete the Gothic Earth puzzle. 
  The Road fihead 
  s its name implies, The Gothic Earth Gazetteer is 
  filled with information about the people and 
  events of the 1890’s. It is organized into several 
  P 
  chapters, each of which offers countless 
  opportunities to make a Masque of the Red Death 
  campaign come to life. 
  Timeline: The first chapter of this book is a 
  detailed listing of the major events of the 1890’s. 
  These headlines can be used as starting points for 
  DMs designing adventures, or as background events 
  to enhance the atmosphere of the role-playing 
  experience. 
  For example, a DM wishing to create an adventure 
  flips through the 1890’s headlines. Two things catch 
  his eye: the massacre of Sioux Indians at Wounded 
  Knee, and the suicide of Vincent Van Gogh. Both 
  events could make excellent adventures. What if the 
  ghosts of Sitting Bull and his followers returned to 
  exact vengeance on the men who slaughtered them? 
  What if Van Gogh didn’t commit suicide, but instead 
  was murdered? 
  Investigating the murder of one of the world’s 
  most famous artists sounds exciting, so the DM 
  researches Van Gogh’s life, the circumstances 
  surrounding his death, and the area in which he 
  lived. Before long, he’s able to call his players 
  together for a Masque of the Red Death game. 
  essays that provides the reader with a detailed look 
  at some of the decade’s most interesting events. The 
  essays included here were chosen for their ability to 
  provide beneficial insight into life on Gothic Earth. 
  An example of the benefit of these essays can be 
  illustrated through the Masque of the Red Death 
  boxed set. The Red Death adventure is set in 
  Bucharest. Had the players finished their previous 
  game in another European city, what better way to 
  get them to Eastern Europe than aboard the Orient 
  Express? 
  Who’s Who: Dungeon Masters and players will 
  probably turn to this section more often than any 
  other part of The Gothic Earth Gazetteer. This 
  collection of brief biographies details many of the 
  most important people in the 1890’s. These can 
  serve either as NPCs or as models for players who 
  wish to use historical personalities as characters. 
  Name dropping can be an excellent way to 
  establish the character of an adventure. PCs who 
  cross the Atlantic on a ship might strike up a 
  conversation with a fellow passenger, only to 
  discover that he is Arthur Conan Doyle. The DM can 
  now use Doyle as the focus of the adventure, as a 
  red herring to distract the players from something 
  else, or simply as a walk-on character who plays no 
  part whatsoever in the horrors to come. 
  Major Events: This chapter is a series of brief 
  ‘Welcome to my house. Come freely. Qo safely; 
  and leave something of tfie ha 
  yw bring!” 
  &ram Stoker 
  Dmcuta 
  
  The Qabals: Fans of Masque of the Red Death all 
  seem to ask for the same thing: more information 
  about the qabals and their mysterious work. Here is 
  their wish fulfilled: profiles of nine secret 
  organizations. These range from the lawful good 
  monster hunters of Die Wachtern to the sinister . 
  minions of the chaotic evil Six-Fingered Hand. You’ll 
  also leam a little about Gothic Earth’s Vistani and a 
  qabal that predates even the Red Death itself. 
  Characters who are qabalists can select a group 
  that matches their alignment. From then on, the DM 
  can use a PC’s qabal as a force to drive adventures. 
  Other qabals may be introduced as enemies, 
  temporary allies, or sudden-death saviors. The list of 
  known qabals included in this chapter gives the DM 
  plenty of organizations to add mystery to a 
  campaign. 
  World Leaders: The inside cover of this book, as 
  you may have already noticed, includes a table 
  listing the major political leaders of the world. This is 
  to allow a DM to easily drop these names into a 
  game, and serves as an excellent starting point for 
  research into events taking place everywhere in the 
  world during the 1890’s. 
  Calendar: The final component in The Gothic 
  Earth Gazetteer is a poster-sized calendar depicting 
  the decade of 1890. Players and DMs can now tell at 
  a glance when the next Friday the 13th will occur or 
  what day of the week Halloween will fall on in any 
  year. 
  M 
  asque of the Red Death was written with a heavy 
  emphasis on historical events, personalities, and 
  places. This is not intended to force every DM to 
  &vest hours in research before each game session. 
  Hopefully, this book will go a long way toward giving 
  DMs a good understanding of what life is like on Gothic 
  Earth. The goal of this setting is to frighten players and 
  spin a good tale of terror. DMs simply need to sound 
  convincing about the 1890’s; if the players believe the 
  DM understands the subtleties of life on Gothic Earth, 
  the game will feel much more real to them. 
  the importance of research while designing an 
  adventure. Certain important facts, such as the 
  names of Jack the Ripper’s victims and the street 
  addresses of his killings, can make the players feel 
  as if their characters are reliving history. With a little 
  luck, they might even leam something. 
  Readers will notice that the vast majority of the 
  events listed on the following pages occur in Europe 
  and North America. This doesn’t mean that nothing 
  else is happening in the world, nor does it mean that 
  I think events in, say, Asia or South America are less 
  important than those listed here. 
  However, as I established in the history section of 
  the Guide to Gothic Earth, the focus of this game is 
  traditional Gothic Horror. Because nearly all stories 
  of this genre are focused on characters in Europe 
  and North America, those places seem best suited to 
  the campaign and thus receive the most attention. 
  I’ve tried to present an objective view of history. 
  Because every reference work has its own bias, this 
  is no easy task. Perhaps the most notable example 
  is the Spanish-American War. Some reference works 
  portray the United States as an imperialistic nation 
  bent on grabbing territory. Others paint a picture of 
  Spain as a barbaric oppressor looking to crush 
  democracy in Cuba and in her other colonies. DMs, 
  as always, are free to put their individual spin on 
  events to best suit their campaigns. 
  dates and names. Again, many reference works 
  disagree. In some cases, variations are minor and 
  probably will not be noticed. In others, the 
  discrepancies are more pronounced. But these 
  differences can be easily dismissed if we remember that 
  while Gothic Earth mirrors our earth, the reflection is 
  not perfect. I look forward to receiving letters correcting 
  my mistakes and informing me of things left out. 
  I hope you enjoy this book and find the material in 
  it as interesting to read as I did to research and write. 
  But this doesn’t mean that DMs should gloss over 
  I’ve also tried to get all of the facts straight, especially 
  William W. Connors 
  
  I 
  -- 
  n the Masque of the Red 
  Death boxed set, an effort was 
  made to show the ease with 
  which historical events from 
  the 1890’s might be 
  researched and used as 
  inspiration for adventures. In 
  this chapter, Dungeon 
  Masters will find a list of the 
  most important (or 
  interesting, at any rate) 
  events from the final decade 
  of the 19th century. 
  These items range from 
  such innocuous events as the 
  creation of Henri Toulouse- 
  Lautrec’s first music hall 
  posters in 1892 to the 
  destruction of the U.S.S. 
  Maine in Havana Harbor and the subsequent 
  outbreak of the Spanish-American War. With a little 
  effort, any of the entries that follow can easily be 
  developed into Masque of the Red Death adventures. 
  Prospective Dungeon Masters should note that 
  these events are organized primarily by geography 
  and partially by chronology (by year). 
  Information Availability 
  9 
  s the name of this chapter implies, the events 
  described within were all worthy of mention by the 
  press of the day. As a result, knowledge of such 
  happenings can be considered common knowledge for 
  the player characters, and specific information can be 
  acquired with minimal effort on their parts. 
  Of course, on Gothic Earth, what the players 
  discover about a situation is not always what is 
  really happening. Government agencies, police, and 
  similar sources of information are notorious for 
  covering up facts that make them look bad, but 
  which might be invaluable to player characters. After 
  ail, why would a constable making his rounds in 
  London tell the press, or some unknown adventurers 
  for that matter, that The Slasher’s latest victim lived 
  long enough to whisper the words “loup-garou?” 
  information is up to the DM. For a particular 
  character who has special access to the press or is 
  a regular reader of newspapers and magazines, the 
  events outlined in this chapter should be 
  considered common knowledge. The details that go 
  along with these headlines, however, may be 
  harder to obtain. This is especially true for military 
  matters or those that arouse superstition. Individual 
  Dungeon Masters will have to make these decisions 
  F 
  The ease with which player characters can obtain 
  I , on a case-by-case basis. 
  Of course, it might be difficult to research certain 
  headlines, either because they are purposely hushed 
  up or are generally being ignored by the press. On 
  the other hand, some topics will be reported in such 
  detail that PCs will have difficulty rooting out the true 
  facts. Their investigations may well turn up 
  conflicting or purely false information. A skillful 
  Dungeon Master will take care to tightly control not 
  only what the player characters learn, but exactly 
  when they learn it. 
  r
  e
  s
   
  in &march 
  hen designing adventures that are dependent 
  on any degree of research, care must be taken 
  to ensure that the recovery of important 
  information is not wholly dependent upon ability or 
  proficiency checks. This advice is offered for two 
  reasons: first, a critical part of an adventure should 
  not rely purely on a die roll, and second, players 
  should be required to role-play at least some portion 
  of their research. 
  The DM must be careful to make research within 
  an adventure both entertaining and realistic. 
  Characters with journalistic or academic 
  backgrounds are usually the ones that players turn 
  to when they need answers. This doesn’t mean that 
  others in the party should be left out, however. 
  Thumbing through a musty old library in the 
  basement of a crumbling mansion is always more 
  exciting when half the party is busy trying to keep a 
  pack of moldering zombies or ghouls off your 
  back-and 
  repeated reports of shotguns and 
  occasional screams of terror can make it difficult to 
  concentrate. 
  Such a scene can even be taken a few steps 
  further. In many cases, attempts to research unusual 
  events can become adventures in themselves. 
  Suppose the PCs are exploring a tomb in Egypt and 
  discover, much to their horror, that the vital scrolls 
  necessary to destroy a rampaging mummy are 
  currently on display at the Royal Museum in London. 
  oxen 
  s 
  j
  .
   
  The Countess Caihhn ( 
  
  '
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  1830 
  North Fmerica 
  Q Sitting Bull (Sioux chief) arrested and killed by 
  U.S. troops in South Dakota. 
  Q Sioux Indians are massacred at the Battle of 
  Wounded Knee. 
  Q Idaho is inducted as the 43rd state; Wyoming is 
  inducted as the 44th state. 
  Q The Forth Railway Bridge is opened, replacing 
  the Brooklyn Bridge as q e  longest span. 
  @ Psychologist William James publishes The 
  Principles of Psychology. 
  Q Photographer Jacob Riis documents the plight 
  of New York City’s poor in How the Other Half 
  Lives. 
  Q Naval officer Alfred Mahan publishes The 
  Influence of Sea Power Upon History. 
  Q Daughters of the American Revolution founded. 
  Q Eleven million acres of Sioux lands in South 
  Dakota (which had been ceded to the U.S. in 
  1889) were opened to settlement by a 
  presidential proclamation. 
  Q National American Woman Suffrage Association 
  formed by the union of two lesser groups. 
  Q Oklahoma Territory established. 
  Q Dependent Pensions Act passed to aid U.S. Civil 
  War veterans and widows. 
  Q United States Congress authorizes the 
  construction of three armored battleships. 
  Q Yosemite National Park founded by act of U.S. 
  Congress. 
  Q U.S. stock market panic follows the failure of 
  Baring Brothers, a London banking house. 
  Q In Baltimore, rubber gloves are used for the fir: 
  time in surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. 
  Q In Chicago, the first entirely steel-framed building 
  opens. 
  Q Led by .345 hitting Dan Brouthers, Boston wins 
  the hard fought championship of the 1890 
  Players’ League. 
  Q In the National League, Brooklyn easily 
  dominates the field to win the championship with 
  a record of 86-43. 
  Europe 
  Q German chancellor Otto von Bismarck is 
  dismissed by Emperor William 11. 
  Q Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh commits 
  suicide. 
  Q Claude Debussy begins composing Suite 
  Bergamasque, including Clair De Lune. 
  Q Hedda Gabler published by Henrik Ibsen. 
  Q The Golden Bough published by Sir James G. 
  Frazer. 
  Q Swiss government introduces social insurance. 
  Q Britain exchanges Heligoland with Germany for 
  Zanzibar and Pemba. 
  Q William II of Germany and Alexander 111 of Russia 
  meet at Narva. 
  Q Accession of Queen Wilhelmina; Luxembourg 
  separates from the Netherlands. 
  Q Emil von Behring announces his discovery of 
  antitoxins. 
  @ First electrical power station in England opens at 
  Deptford. 
  Pkica 
  Q Zanzibar becomes a British protectorate. 
  Q Cecil Rhodes becomes the prime minister of the 
  Cape Colony. 
  Q The British South Africa Company acquires 
  Zimbabwe, beginning conflicts with the Ndebele. 
  Psia 
  Q Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore publishes 
  Manasi or The Mind’s Embodiment. 
  Q First general election in Japan. 
  Other lnbrmation 
  Q Global influenza epidemics break out. 
  
  1830‘s 
  1831 
  _. 
  orth America 
  8 
  @ 
  Q 
  Q 
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  Q 
  Q 
  Q 
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  The ‘American Express Company introduces 
  traveler’s checks. 
  James Naismith devises the game of basketball 
  in Springfield, Mass. 
  Massive emigration from Europe to Canada 
  begins. By 1914, more than 3 million people 
  will arrive. 
  W. L. Judson invents the clothing zipper, 
  although it does not see practical use until 
  1919. 
  U.S. farmers send large quantities of corn to 
  famine-stricken Russia. 
  Nine Circuit Courts of Appeal are created by an 
  act of Congress. 
  Office of Superintendent of Immigration created 
  by an act of Congress. 
  Mob in New Orleans hangs 11 Italian 
  immigrants. 
  The Populist (or Peoples’) Party is founded in 
  Cincinnati. 
  The Empire State Express sets speed record 
  between New York and East Buffalo (436 miles 
  in 7 hours, 6 minutes). 
  900.000 acres of Sauk, Fox, and Potawatomi 
  lands in Oklahoma are opened to settlement by 
  a presidential proclamation. 
  Following the collapse of the Players’ League, 
  the National League becomes baseball’s only 
  credible professional association. 
  The Boston Beaneaters, led by the pitching of 
  Kid Nichols and John Clarkson, win the first of 
  three National League championships. 
  Europe 
  @ French artist Paul Gauguin travels to Tahiti. 
  Q English novelist Thomas Hardy writes Tess 
  of the D’Urbemilles. 
  Q Anglo-Irish author Oscar Wilde publishes The 
  Picture of Dorian Gray. 
  Q Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria, and Italy) is 
  renewed for 12 years. 
  William I1 of Germany visits London. 
  Q Entente between France and Russia. 
  Q Revolutionary Young Turk Movement begins in 
  Geneva. 
  Q Sir Arthur Conan Doyle publishes the first of 
  his Sherlock Holmes stories in The Strand 
  magazine. 
  Q Sir Arthur Conan Doyle publishes The White 
  Company. 
  Rudyard Kipling publishes The Light that Failed. 
  Q Independent Theatre Society founded in London 
  by J. T. Grein. 
  @ Pope Leo XI11 issues Rerum Novarum, a papal 
  encyclical on the conditions of the working 
  man. 
  @ Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec produces his first 
  music hall posters. 
  8 Pan-Germany League founded. 
  Q In Gordon-Cummings v. Lycett (a legal case 
  involving cheating at cards), the Prince of 
  Wales admits that he played baccarat for 
  }high stakes. 
  Sou 4merica 
  Q Sailors from the U.S.S. Baltimore are attacked 
  by locals in Valparaiso while on shore leave, 
  causing strained relations between US. and 
  Chile. 
  Psia 
  @ Eugene Dubois discovers the first homo erectus 
  remains on Java in Indonesia. 
  Q Trans-Siberian railway construction begins. 
  8 Wide-spread famine in Russia. 
  Q Japanese earthquake kills 10,000 people. 
  
  1892 
  North Pmerica 
  8 Writer and political revolutionary Jose Marti 
  founds the Cuban Revolutionary party. 
  @ The San Francisco Examiner begins printing the 
  first newspaper comic strip. 
  @ C. F. Cross and E. J. Bevan discover viscose and 
  manufacture rayon. 
  8 First automatic telephone switchboard patented. 
  8 Major strikes occur among iron and steel 
  workers. 
  @ “Gentleman Jim” Corbett takes heavyweight 
  boxing title from John L. Sullivan. 
  8 Telephone connection between New York and 
  Chicago completed. 
  @ First elevated railroad opens in Chicago. 
  8 Immigration station in New York City transferreu 
  to Ellis Island. 
  8 University of Chicago founded. 
  @ Charles E. Duryea invents the first American 
  automobile when he produces a gasoline 
  powered buggy. 
  @ Three million acres of Cheyenne and Arapaho 
  land are opened for settlement by presidential 
  proclamation. 
  8 Republican National Convention held in 
  Minneapolis. 
  8 Democratic National Convention held in 
  Chicago. 
  8 Prohibition Party National Convention held in 
  Cincinnati. 
  8 Cholera is carried to the United States by 
  steerage passengers on the Hamburg-American 
  Moravia. 
  Q Grover Cleveland becomes President of the 
  United States. 
  @ Construction begins on the Cathedral of St. John 
  the Divine in New York City. 
  Q Boston’s “Heavenly Twins” (Hugh Duffy and 
  Tommy McCarthy) help the Beaneaters claim 
  their second straight National League 
  championship. 
  Q Pitching for Cleveland, Cy Young leads the 
  National League in ERA and compiles a 36-1 1 
  record. 
  Europe 
  8 Impressionist artist Paul Cezanne completes the 
  Card Players. 
  8 French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec paints 
  At the Moulin Rouge. 
  8 Rudolph Diesel invents the Diesel 
  Compression/lgnition Engine. 
  @ Giolitti becomes Primier of Italv. 
  e Gladstone becomes Prime MiGster of England. 
  w 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  Britain and Germany form an agreement 
  regarding the Cameroons. 
  Pan-Slav Conference held at Krakow, Poland. 
  George Bernard Shaw publishes Mrs. Warren’s 
  Profession. 
  Oscar Wilde publishes Lady Windermere’s Fan. 
  Alfred, Lord Tennyson dies. 
  Walt Whitman dies. 
  Lottie Collins introduces Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay in 
  her music hall performance. ‘ 
  Monet begins his series of pictures of the 
  cathedral at Rouen. 
  Psia 
  8 Dmitri lvanovsky discovers viruses. 
  8 Prince Ito becomes Primier of Japan. 
  8 Tchaikovsky introduces The Nutcracker at St. 
  Petersburg. 
  Pacihc Islands 
  Pkica 
  8 First marketing of canned pineapples. 
  8 Tewfik the Khedive of Egypt dies and is 
  succeeded by Abbas 11. 
  8 Cape-Johanisburg Railroad completed. 
  
  I 
  ’83L 
  North America 
  8 
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  8 
  8 
  8 
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  8
   
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
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  8 
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  8 
  Writer and political revolutionary Jose Marti 
  founds the Cuban Revolutionary party. 
  The San Francisco Examiner begins printing the 
  first newspaper comic strip. 
  C. F. Cross and E. J. Bevan discover viscose and 
  manufacture rayon. 
  First automatic telephone switchboard patented. 
  Major strikes occur among iron and steel 
  workers. 
  “Gentleman Jim” Corbett takes heavyweight 
  boxing title from John L. Sullivan. 
  Telephone connection between New York and 
  Chicago completed. 
  First elevated railroad opens in Chicago. 
  Immigration station in New York City transferred 
  to Ellis Island. 
  University of Chicago founded. 
  Charles E. Duryea invents the first American 
  automobile when he produces a gasoline 
  powered buggy. 
  Three million acres of Cheyenne and Arapaho 
  land are opened for settlement by presidential 
  proclamation. 
  Republican National Convention held in 
  Minneapolis. 
  Democratic National Convention held in 
  Chicago. 
  Prohibition Party National Convention held in 
  Cincinnati. 
  Cholera is carried to the United States by 
  steerage passengers on the Hamburg-American 
  Moravia. 
  Grover Cleveland becomes President of the 
  United States. 
  Construction begins on the Cathedral of St. John 
  the Divine in New York City. 
  Boston’s “Heavenly Twins” (Hugh Duffy and 
  Tommy McCarthy) help the Beaneaters claim 
  their second straight National League 
  championship. 
  Pitching for Cleveland, Cy Young leads the 
  National League in ERA and compiles a 36-1 1 
  record. 
  3 In-, .-ssionist artist Paul Cezanne completes the 
  Card Players. 
  8 French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec paints 
  - 
  At the Moulin Rouge. 
  8 Rudolph Diesel invents the Diesel 
  Compression/lgnition Engine. 
  8 Giolitti becomes Primier of Italy. 
  I 
  8 Britain and Germany form an agreement 
  regarding the Cameroons. 
  Q Pan-Slav Conference held at Krakow, Poland. 
  @ George Bernard Shaw publishes Mrs. Warren’s 
  Profession. 
  @ Oscar Wilde publishes Lady Windermere’s Fan. 
  8 Alfred, Lord Tennyson dies. 
  Q Walt Whitman dies. 
  @ Lottie Collins introduces Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay in 
  her music hall performance. ‘ 
  @ Monet begins his series of pictures of the 
  cathedral at Rouen. 
  Asia 
  @ Dmitri lvanovsky discovers viruses. 
  8 Prince Ito becomes Primier of Japan. 
  Tchaikovsky introduces The Nutcracker at St 
  Petersburg. 
  Pacific Islands 
  Pkica 
  @ Tewfik the Khedive of Egypt dies and is 
  succeeded by Abbas 11. 
  8 Cape-Johanisburg Railroad completed. 
  @ First marketing of canned pineapples. 
  6 Gladstone becomes Prime Minister of England. 
  
  1893 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  Q 
  El 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  Q 
  8 
  8 
  th Pmerica 
  leveland is inaugurated as the 24th U.S. 
  president; Hendricks becomes vice president. 
  Stephen Crane writes Maggie: A Girl of the 
  Streets. 
  American artist Louis Comfort Tiffany begins 
  producing art nouveau glassware. 
  Henry Ford constructs his first automobile. 
  World Exposition held in Chicago. 
  In New Orleans, the longest recorded boxing 
  match is held. It lasts 110 rounds (7 hours, 4 
  minutes) between Andy Bowen and Jack Burk. 
  United States in financial panic following the 
  failure of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. 
  Thomas Edison produces the kinetoscope. 
  In Baltimore, Johns Hopkins Medical School 
  opens. 
  Mormon Temple at Salt Lake City, Utah opens. 
  Issue of gold certificates suspended when gold 
  reserves in U.S. Treasury fall below legal 
  minimum of $IOO,OOO,OOO. 
  American Railway Union founded in Chicago. 
  Major stock market crash on June 27th. 
  World’s Parliament of Religions opens in Chicago 
  in conjunction with the World’s Fair. 
  The Cherokee Strip (6,000,000 acres) is opened 
  to settlement. 
  Colorado adopts Women’s Suffrage by popular 
  vote. 
  The Boston Beaneaters, with a team batting 
  average of .290 and over 1,000 runs scored, win 
  their third straight National League 
  Championship. 
  UP 
  3 
  \ rLLr3r Horta’s Tassel House in Brussels initiates 
  the art nouveau architectural style. 
  Frarn, a Norwegian ship, is purposely frozen in 
  the Arctic ice pack by Fridtjof Nansen to test his 
  theory of drifting ice in the polar cap. As the ship 
  drifts, Nansen tries (and fails) to reach the North 
  Pole. 
  Independent Labor Party formed at conference in 
  Bradford, England. 
  Franco-Russian Alliance signed. 
  Trial over Panama Canal corruption held in Paris. 
  Oscar Wilde publishes A Wornan of No 
  Importance. 
  Engelbert Humperdinck publishes his opera 
  Hansel und Gretel. 
  Karl Benz constructs his first automobile. 
  Imperial Institute founded at South Kensington, 
  London. 
  Manchester ship canal constructed in England. 
  8 Corinth Canal opens in Greece. 
  8 Lady Margaret Scott wins the first British Golf 
  Championship. 
  I 
  I I
  I
  ~
   
  Ivory Coast becomes a French colony. 
  Zladstone’s second Irish Home Rule Bill is 
  vetoed by the House of Lords in Britain. 
  8 Natal is granted self-government. 
  8 Starr Jameson crushes revolt against British 
  South Africa Company in Matabele. 
  Q Swaziland annexed by Transvaal. 
  x .  
  'ranee adds Laos to the Union of Indochina. 
  B :iEc Islands 
  - New Zealand grants women the right to vote, 
  becoming the first nation to do so. 
  8 Queen Liliuokalani is ousted in Hawaii and a 
  provisional government is established with the 
  connivance of John Stevens, a U.S. Minister. 
  8 Hawaii proclaimed a US. protectorate by John 
  Stevens at the request of the provisional 
  government. 
  +
  
  1834 
  North Prncrica 
  Q Unrest, rioting, and strikes characterize the year 
  for the United States. All told, some 750,000 
  workers walk off their jobs. 
  Q Field Museum of Natural History opens in Chicago. 
  Q Professor Henry Preserved Smith is convicted of 
  heresy by the Presbyterian General Assembly. 
  Q Henry Demarest publishes Wealth Against 
  Commonwealth, urging government control of 
  monopolies. 
  Q Percival Lowell builds an observatory to study 
  the Martian canals. 
  Q The Baltimore Orioles win the National League 
  championship following a June charge to 
  overtake Boston. 
  Q In the wake of political unrest in Hawaii (see 
  Pacific Islands), the U.S. Senate announces that 
  Hawaii should maintain its own government and 
  that interference by other countries will be seen 
  as an unfriendly act against the U.S. 
  Q Railroad strike in the Western U.S. ordered by the 
  American Railway Union following a strike against 
  the Pullman Car Company in Chicago. U.S. troops 
  are called in to ensure safe shipment of mail. 
  Q Labor Day becomes a national holiday in the 
  United States. 
  @ Carey Act grants 1,000,000 acres of land to 
  each far western state, provided that they 
  undertake irrigation projects. 
  United States institutes income tax of 2% on 
  incomes over $4,000. 
  8 United States signs commercial treaty with 
  Japan. 
  Q Flagstaff Observatory built in Arizona. 
  Q Berliner invents graphaphone disc to replace 
  cylinders. 
  I 
  I 
  I 
  Europe 
  z 
  3ritain establishes a protectorate over Buganda 
  and conquers the rest of Uganda. 
  @ The arrest of Captain Albert Dreyfus spawns a 
  political crisis in France. 
  @ English artist Aubrey Beardsley illustrates Oscar 
  Wilde’s Salome. 
  8 Czech artist Alfons Mucha designs a poster of 
  Sarah Bernhardt. 
  8 English author Rudyard Kipling publishes The 
  Jungle Books. 
  @ Guglielmo Marconi invents the “wireless 
  telegraph.” 
  @ Germany and Russia sign commercial treaty. 
  Prince Hohenlohe becomes Chancellor of 
  Germany. 
  T ‘,ord Rayleigh and William Ramsay discover argon. 
  Q England introduces “Death Duties,” a form of 
  inheritance tax. 
  Q Yersin and Kitasato (working independently) 
  discover the plague bacillus. 
  Psia 
  Q Rebellion in Korea begins the First Sino- 
  Japanese War as Japan and Korea declare war 
  on China. Chinese defeated at Port Arthur. 
  @ Thousands of Armenians are massacred in 
  Turkey. 
  @ Sun Yat-sen begins a movement to end the 
  Manchu dynasty in China. 
  @ United States signs commercial treaty with Japan. 
  @ Swedish explorer Sven Hedin travels throughout 
  Tibet. 
  AFrica 
  Q Starr Jameson completes his occupation of 
  Matabeleland. 
  @ Uganda becomes a British Protectorate. 
  A
  -
   : IS: 
  - 
  I 
  w rrepubk o r  rlawaii proclaimed. 
  @ Following a manifested failure of the local 
  government, Sanford B. Dole is elected president 
  of Hawaii. 
  
  1835 
  North America 
  f 
  The Cuban War of Independence begins against 
  Spain; Jose Marti is killed in battle. United States 
  declares neutrality. 
  Q The American Bowling Congress (ABC) is 
  founded. 
  Q First professional football game played in 
  Latrobe, PA. 
  8 First U.S. Open Golf Championship held. 
  @ King C. Gillette invents the safety razor. 
  Q First Church of Christ, Scientist, opens in Boston. 
  Q New York Public Library founded. 
  @ Term “yellow journalism” born in clash between 
  newspaper giants Herst and Pulitzer in New York. 
  Q President Cleveland appoints panel to mediate 
  Britain and Venezuela. 
  Venezuelan boundary as disputed between Great 
  I 
  Q First automobile race held in Chicago; J. F. 
  Duryea wins, covering the 54 mile course at a 
  speed of 7% miles per-hour. 
  8 Rookie pitcher Bill Hoffer finishes 30-7 with a 
  3.21 ERA to helD the Baltimore Orioles win the 
  National League‘ Championship. 
  E I 
  South Prnerica 
  8 Border dispute between Brazil and Argentina -- 
  decided by U.S. President Grover Cleveland in 
  favor of Brazil. 
  Q Von Linde produces a machine for the 
  liquefaction of air. 
  @ Britain’s Peter Latham becomes the world lawn 
  Eur: 
  Q 
  Q 
  8 
  Q 
  Q 
  @ 
  Q 
  8 
  Q 
  @ 
  Q 
  Sir Henry Irving becomes the first British actor to 
  be knighted. 
  Anglo-Irish playwright Oscar Wilde writes The 
  Importance of Being Earnest. 
  The first list of best-selling books is published by 
  The Bookman magazine. 
  Sigmund Freud develops his revolutionary 
  theories of psychoanalysis. 
  Louis and Auguste Lumiere invent motion- 
  picture camera. First public film show held in 
  Paris. 
  Wilhelm Roentgen discovers the Roentgen ray or 
  X-ray. 
  Joseph Thomson discovers the electron. 
  Bulgarian Premier Stefan Stambulov 
  assassinated. 
  Italian forces defeated by Abyssinians at Amba 
  Alagi. 
  H. G. Wells publishes The Time Machine. 
  Sienkiewicz publishes Quo Vadis. 
  London School of Economics and Political 
  Science founded. 
  Construction of Westminster Cathedral begins in 
  London. 
  - 
  tennis champion. 
  Q Oscar Wilde pursues unsuccessful libel action 
  against the Marquis of Queensbury. 
  Q Kiel Canal opens in Germany. 
  PFrica 
  Q The Jameson Raid on the Boer repiiblic of 
  Transvaal increases anti-British hostility. 
  8 British South Africa Company lands to the south 
  of Zambezi become Rhodesia. 
  Asia 
  Q Russian revolutionary Vladimir llyich Lenin is 
  exiled to Siberia. 
  Q Japan defeats China; the Shimonoseki Treaty 
  establishes Korean independence. 
  @ Queen of Korea assassinated with the help of the 
  Japanese. 
  @ Following a massacre of Armenians in Turkey, 
  Sultan Abdul Hamid I1 promises reforms. 
  @ The third volume of Das Kapital by Karl Marx is 
  published (posthumously). 
  8 Konstantin lsiolkovski establishes the principles 
  of rocket propulsion. 
  
  1896 
  North Pmcrica 
  @ Utah becomes the 45th state. 
  Q John Philip Sousa composes The Stars and 
  Stripes Forever. 
  Q Niagara Falls hydroelectric plant opens. 
  @ Led by pitchers Billy Hoffer and George Hemming, 
  first baseman “Dirty” Jack Doyle, and Hughie 
  Jennings, the Baltimore Orioles win the National 
  League Championship for the third straight year. 
  @ Klondike Gold Rush begins. 
  Q Billy Sunday abandons baseball to pursue a 
  Q Robert G. lngersoll gives his controversial lecture 
  Q Yale begins experiments with X-rays. 
  Q Andrew White publishes History of the Warfare of 
  @ U.S. economy bolstered as treasury rises to safe 
  Q Nicaraguan Canal report indicates that the project 
  8 Spanish General Weyler arrives in Cuba and 
  @ Nicaraguan Revolution breaks out. 
  8 United States Marines sent to protect U.S. 
  8 U.S. offers to support Spain in pacification of 
  career as an evangelical preacher. 
  Why I Am an Agnostic. 
  Science with Theology in Christendom. 
  levels for the first time in years. 
  is not economically feasible. 
  begins ruthless suppression of revolutionaries. 
  interests in Nicaragua. 
  Cuban Revolution with goal of achieving Cuban 
  independence. Spain refuses. 
  Music Hall in New York. 
  flight by Samuel P. Langley. 
  Q Edison Vitascope unveiled at Koster & Bial’s 
  Q First successful demonstration of heavier-than-air 
  Q Republican Convention in St. Louis. 
  Q Socialist Labor Convention in New York. 
  Q Democratic Convention in Chicago. 
  8 William McKinley elected 25th President of the 
  United States. 
  Grope 
  @ The first modern Olympic Games are held at 
  Athens, Greece; 13 countries compete. John 
  Connally of the U.S. is crowned as the first 
  Olympic champion in 1,504 years. 
  @ Italian composer Giacomo Puccini writes the 
  opera La Boheme. 
  Q Antoine Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity. 
  Q Ernest Rutherford employs magnetism to detect 
  8 Sir William Ramsay discovers helium. 
  Q Evidence supporting the innocence of Alfred 
  Dreyfus is suppressed in France. 
  @ Establishment of the annual Nobel Prizes for 
  Physics, Physiology & Medicine, Chemistry, 
  electrical waves. 
  I 
  Literature, and Peace. 
  Q Der Judenstaat, the foundation of the Zionist 
  Movement, is published by Theodor Herzl. 
  Q National Portrait Gallery in London relocated to 
  Westminster. 
  Q The Grand Duke, Gilbert and Sullivan’s last comic 
  operetta, is performed in London. 
  Asia 
  Q A tsunami kills 27,000 people in Japan. 
  Q Britain takes control of Malaya. 
  Q Massacres of Armenians occur in Turkey. 
  Q Russia and China sign the Manchuria Convention. 
  @I Tsar Nicholas I1 visits Paris and London. 
  Q Major wheat crop failure in India. 
  Africa 
  Q King Menelik I1 defeats the Italians at Adwa, 
  Q Starr Jameson surrenders at Dornkop. 
  maintaining Ethiopian independence. 
  Military alliance formed between Transvaal and 
  Orange Free State. 
  @I Matabele Revolt in Rhodesia put down by Baden- 
  Powell. 
  Q France annexes Madagascar. 
  @I Kitchener begins his campaign against the Mahdi 
  in the Sudan. 
  firabia 
  @ Nasr-ed-Din, Shah of Persia, is assassinated. 
  
  1837 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  Q 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  - 
  8 
  Q 
  8 
  Q 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  Q 
  8 
  North Emerica 
  hrope 
  Beginning of a decade of prosperity for U.S. 
  economy. 
  McKinley is inaugurated as the 25th U.S. 
  president; Hobart becomes vice president. 
  The first U.S. subway opens in Boston. 
  American comic strip “The Katzenjammer Kids” 
  is begun by Rudolph Dirks. 
  Ronald Ross discovers that mosquitoes are the 
  carriers of malaria. 
  Boston Beaneaters win National League 
  Championship, ending Baltimore’s dynasty. 
  Joseph Conrad publishes The Nigger of the 
  Narcissus. 
  Yerkes Observatory dedicated in Williams Bay. 
  Wisconsin. 
  Thomas C. Chamberlin announces his 
  Planetesimal Hypothesis of the formation 
  of the earth. 
  Grant’s Tomb dedicated on Riverside Drive in 
  New York City. 
  U.S. issues protests to the Spanish 
  government about General Weyler’s 
  conduct in Cuba. 
  Liberal government comes to power in Spain. 
  General Weyler recalled from Cuba. 
  British physician Havelock Ellis begins his 
  Studies in the Psychology of Sex. 
  Austrian artist Gustav Klimt helps to found the 
  Vienna Secession group. 
  French primitive artist Henri Rousseau paints 
  The Sleeping Gypsy. 
  French dramatist Edmond Rostand writes 
  Cyrano de Bergerac. 
  English author Rudyard Kipling publishes 
  Captains Courageous. 
  Ferdinand Braun invents the cathode ray tube. 
  Theodor Herzl begins Zionist movement at a 
  conference in Basel, Switzerland. 
  Queen Victoria celebrates her Diamond Jubilee. 
  Crete and Greece declare unity. 
  Turkey declares war on Greece and is defeated 
  at Thessaly. 
  The Peace of Constantinople ends war between 
  Greece and Turkey. 
  Mathieu Dreyfus discovers that the document 
  I ! 
  that convicted his brother was actually written by 
  Major M. C. Esterhazy. 
  Q H. G. Wells publishes The lnuisible Man. 
  8 Shaw publishes Candida. 
  Q Rodin creates Victor Hugo. 
  8 Tate Gallery opens in London. 
  8 World Exhibition at Brussels. 
  8 Royal Automobile Club founded in London. 
  Psia 
  Q Stanislavsky founds the Moscow Art Theater and 
  begins the method acting technique. 
  8 Russian author Anton Chekhov writes the play 
  Uncle Vanya. 
  Q Ivan Pavlov conducts experiments on 
  conditioned reflexes in animals. 
  8 King of Korea proclaims himself Emperor. 
  Q Germany occupies Kiao-Chow, China. 
  Q Russia occupies Port Arthur. 
  Q Major famine sweeps India. 
  Q Japan protests U.S. annexation of Hawaii. 
  P6ica 
  8 Sultan of Zanzibar abolishes slavery. 
  
  1838 
  North America 
  @ The Spanish-American War (see detailed 
  timeline on next two pages) begins. 
  @ In baseball, Ted Breitenstein (Cincinnati) and 
  Jim Hughes (Baltimore) both throw no-hit 
  games on April 22. 
  @ City of Greater New York officially founded, 
  consolidating Kings and Richmond counties. 
  @ Anti-imperialist League founded at Faneuil Hall 
  in Boston. The group is composed of 
  intellectuals who oppose the war with Spain. 
  @ Hawaii officially becomes a part of the United 
  States. 
  3 Upon the conclusion of the Spanish-American 
  War, Theodore Roosevelt is elected governor 
  of New York. 
  Europe 
  @ Britain obtains a 99-year lease for Hong Kong 
  from the Chinese. 
  @ Spain cedes Puerto Rico, Guam, and the 
  Philippines to the U.S. in the Treaty of Paris. 
  @ Anglo-Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw 
  publishes Arms and the Man. 
  @ H. G. Wells publishes The War of the Worlds. 
  @ Christiaan Eijkman discovers diseases caused 
  by vitamin deficiencies. 
  .@ Marie and Pierre Curie discover radium and 
  polonium. 
  @ Major Esterhazy acquitted in Dreyfus forgery 
  trial. 
  @ Zola publishes open letter to the President of 
  France entitled J’accuse and is imprisoned. 
  @ Colonel Henry admits to forgery of document in 
  the Dreyfus case. 
  @ Empress Elizabeth of Austria murdered by 
  Italian assassin. 
  @ Bismarck publishes Reflections and Memoirs. 
  @ Henry James publishes The Turn of the Screw. 
  @ Oscar Wilde publishes The Ballad ofReadin Gaol. 
  @ Sir William Ramsay discovers the inert gases 
  xenon, krypton, and neon. 
  p =erdinand von Zeppelin builds his first airship. 
  L The Metro (subway) opens in Paris. 
  @ First photographs using artificial light sources 
  are taken. 
  firabia 
  fisia 
  @ William I1 of Germany visits Palestine and Syria. 
  @ The Boxer Uprising begins in China; Empress 
  Tz’u-hsi imprisons the emperor. 
  @ Russia leases Port Arthur from China. 
  @ Britain leases Kowloon from China. 
  @ Japanese bacteriologist Shiga discovers the 
  dysentery bacillus. 
  fibica 
  @ Paul Kruger reelected president in Transvaal. 
  @ Kitchener wins important battles at Atbara River 
  and Omdurman before reaching Fashoda. 
  @ The Fashoda incident, a confrontation between 
  British and French troops, leads to a French 
  withdrawal from the Sudan. 
  
  1833 
  8 
  Q 
  Q 
  Q 
  Q 
  Q 
  Q 
  Q 
  4merican composer Scott Joplin publishes his 
  Maple Leaf Rag. 
  American artist Winslow Homer paints Gulf 
  Stream. 
  U.S. Secretary of State John M. Hay advocates 
  an open door policy for China. 
  Journalist Winston Churchill escapes from 
  Boer captivity. 
  Boll weevil crosses the Rio Grande and 
  begins to spread north through cotton 
  producing states. 
  Wake Island, unclaimed by any power in 
  the aftermath of the Spanish-American 
  war, is claimed by the U.S.S. Benington. 
  Rudyard Kipling’s The White Man’s Burden 
  is published in McClure’s. The London 
  Times publishes it under the title An 
  Address to the United States. 
  U.S. Congress approves the construction of 
  three battleships, three armed cruisers, and 
  six protective cruisers. 
  U.S. Secretary of War Alger resigns amid 
  criticism of his office on July 19. He is replaced 
  Hurricane hammers Puerto Rico, killing 2,000. 
  On Nov. 2 1, U.S. Vice President Garret A. Hobart 
  dies at Paterson, New Jersey. 
  by Elihu Root on August 1. 
  Pfiiea 
  Q The South African War begins between the Boers 
  (Afrikaners) and the British. 
  @ The British under Robert Baden-Powell are 
  ‘y 
  Europe, 
  Q Designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh completes 
  the Glasgow School of Art. 
  Q In France, the Cour de Cassation annuls the 
  Dreyfus judgment and calls for a retrial. 
  . 
  Q Dreyfus is pardoned by presidential decree. 
  Q German Emperor William I1 visits England. 
  Q lbsen publishes When We Dead Awaken. 
  Q James Ward publishes Haturalisrn and 
  Agnosticism. 
  Q Pope Leo XIll’s bull Testem Benevolentia 
  condemns the Americanism of the Paulist 
  founder Isaac Hecker. 
  Q Johann Strauss (b. 1825) dies. 
  Q Rutherford discovers alpha and beta rays. 
  Q First Hauge Conference held. Hauge Permanent 
  Court of Arbitration formed to adjudicate 
  international disputes. 
  besieged by the Boers at Mafeking. 
  Q English composer Edward Elgar writes The 
  Enigma Variations. 
  @ Anglo-Egyptian Sudan Convention held. 
  Q Johannesburg Uitlanders protest to Queen 
  Victoria about actions of the Boers. 
  Q Bloemfontein Conference on Transvaal held. 
  Q Paul Kruger’s ultimatum triggers the war between 
  Britain and the Boers. 
  
  1898 
  The Swinish American War 
  Jarwar? 
  F ‘ ruary 
  2 Batt eship Maine arrives at Havana, Cuba on a 
  friendly visit from Key West. 
  5 Private letter from SeAor Dupuy de L6me, 
  Spanish minister to the US., stolen in Havana, is 
  published by Hearst’s New York Journal. It calls 
  President McKinley a spineless politician. SeAor 
  de L6me is recalled by Spain. 
  Havana Harbor, killing two officers and 258 sailors. 
  orders to make ready for war. In the event of its 
  declaration, he is to move against the Spanish 
  fleet in the Philippines. 
  15 At 9:40 PM, the battleship Maine explodes in 
  25 Commodore George Dewey is given secret 
  vareh 
  9 Congress unanimously approves 50 million 
  dollars for “national defense and each and every 
  purpose connected therewith.” 
  U.S. army is officially mobilized. 
  9 
  17 Senator Redfield Proctor, recently returned from 
  Cuba, delivers speech to Senate detailing 
  conditions there, and stirring pro-war sentiment. 
  19 Battleship Oregon leaves San Francisco for 
  Florida by way of Cape Horn. 
  21 Naval court of inquiry finds that the Maine was 
  destroyed by “external action.” 
  22 Spanish board of inquiry finds that the 
  destruction of the battleship Maine was due to an 
  internal explosion. 
  27 US. Minister Woodford in Madrid receives a 
  dispatch in which Spain is urged to grant 
  amnesty to Cuban rebels until October 1, revoke 
  the reconcentrado order, and accept US. aid in 
  peace negotiations. 
  28 Findings of naval investigation into the 
  destruction of the Maine are made public. 
  29 Woodford delivers the dispatch of March 27 to 
  the Spanish government. 
  30 Spain revokes its reconcentrado order at the 
  request of Minister Woodford. 
  31 Spain proposes arbitration of the Maine affair 
  and formation of a Cuban Parliament. 
  fipril 
  3 Minister Woodford assures McKinley that “if you 
  can still give me time . . . I will get you the peace 
  
  you desire so much.” 
  Consul General Lee is recalled from Cuba to 
  meet with President McKinley. 
  Queen of Spain orders Captain-General Blanco 
  to suspend hostilities in an effort to further peace 
  talks. 
  11 McKinley asks Congress for permission to use 
  force in Cuba “as may be necessary.” 
  19 Congress passes The Teller Amendment, 
  recognizing Cuba and demanding the withdrawal 
  of Spanish forces from the island, and authorizes 
  McKinley to use force if Spain refuses. 
  20 Spanish minister in Washington recalled. 
  21 U.S. Minister Woodford expelled from Spain. 
  22 Nashville captures Spanish merchant ship Buena 
  22 Admiral Sampson leaves Key West to establish 
  23 McKinley calls for 125,000 volunteers to support 
  24 Spain declares war on the U.S. 
  24 Great Britain declares neutrality. 
  24 Commodore Dewey ordered to move against 
  Spanish fleet in Philippines. 
  25 Secretary of State John Sherman resigns. 
  William Day replaces him. 
  25 Congress declares war with Spain to have been 
  in effect since April 21. 
  26 Congress increases army to 60,000 men. 
  27 Dewey’s fleet leaves Mirs Bay, China. 
  27 U.S. fleet bombards forts at Matanzas, Cuba. 
  28 France declares neutrality. 
  29 Admiral Cervera’s fleet leaves Cape Verde. 
  5 
  9 
  Ventura off Key West. 
  blockade of Cuba. 
  the war effort. 
  #“y 
  1 Battle of Manila Bay. Dewey bombards Spanish 
  fleet, destroying 10 ships and killing 381 sailors. 
  U.S. casualties are eight men slightly wounded. 
  2 Dewey’s fleet takes up position at Cavite. 
  6 Theodore Roosevelt is sworn in as Lt. Colonel of 
  1st Regiment of U.S. Volunteer Cavalry (the 
  Rough Riders). 
  11 Dewey promoted to Rear Admiral. 
  12 San Juan bombarded by Admiral Sampson. 
  19 Spanish fleet arrives at Havana under command 
  24 Battleship Oregon arrives at Key West. 
  25 McKinley calls for 75,000 more volunteers. 
  29 Commodore Schley begins blockade of 
  of Admiral Cervera. 
  Cervera’s fleet in Santiago Harbor. 
  June 
  1 Admiral Sampson assumes command of the 
  U.S. blockade fleet. 
  3 Merrirnac scuttled in Santiago Harbor to block 
  exit of Spanish fleet. Maneuver fails. 
  6 U.S. fleet bombards Santiago Harbor. 
  10 623 Marines and 24 officers land at Guantanamo 
  Bay. 
  12 Vice Admiral von Diederichs arrives in Manila 
  . 
  aboard Kaiserin Augusta, joining the three 
  German, two British, one French, and one 
  Japanese warships there. Two other German 
  ships are en route. 
  14 Under the command of General Shafter, 16,887 
  U.S. troops leave Tampa for Cuba. 
  20 Shafter and his troops take up station outside 
  Santiago Harbor. 
  20 Guam seized by U.S.S. Charleston. 
  24 First land battle of the war sees Spanish defeated 
  30 Troops from San Francisco reach Manila Bay. 
  by Wheeler’s troops. 
  Julg 
  1 
  1 
  attle of El Caney sees Spanish blockhouse 
  captured after eight-hour fight. 
  Battle of San Juan Hill. General Hawkins and 
  infantry take San Juan Hill. Colonel Roosevelt 
  and Rough Riders take Kettle Hill and charge up 
  San Juan Hill. U.S. casualties are 11 2 officers 
  and 1,460 men killed, wounded, or missing. 
  3 Battle at Santiago destroys Cervera’s fleet. 
  4 U.S. forces take Wake Island. 
  10 Shafter bombards Santiago. 
  17 Santiago surrenders to General Shafter. U.S. 
  losses in the siege and capture are 260 killed 
  and 1,431 wounded. 
  governor of Santiago. 
  20 Colonel Leonard Wood appointed military 
  25 Gen. Miles begins conquest of Puerto Rico. 
  26 Spain, through France, requests peace. 
  28 Ponce surrenders Puerto Rico. 
  30 McKinley states peace terms. 
  Puqust 
  12 Peace protocol between U.S. and Spain signed. 
  13 Manila occupied by U.S. troops under General 
  Wesley Merritt and Admiral Dewey. 
  16 General Merritt learns of the signing of peace 
  protocol. 
  20 Admiral Sampson parades his fleet up the 
  Hudson River, crowning several days of 
  nationwide celebrations in the U.S. 
  September 
  8 Secretary of War Russel Alger requests a 
  commission to investigate conduct of the war by 
  the War Department. 
  :P 
  I u I reaty of Paris signed, ending Spanish-American 
  War. Spain gives up Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico, 
  and the Philippines in exchange for $20,000,000. 
  
  -- 
  he previous chapter gave a 
  broad overview of the events 
  of the 1890’s. This chapter 
  will give a closer look at some 
  of the more interesting 
  developments. Any of the 
  incidents detailed here could 
  easily form the basis for an 
  individual adventure or, with a 
  little extra work, an ongoing 
  campaign. 
  Even if a Dungeon Master 
  doesn’t wish to base an 
  adventure on any of these 
  current events, these situations 
  can play important roles in 
  scenario design. For example, 
  the spread of spiritualism 
  through the United States and 
  Europe can add a great deal-of flavor if presented as 
  a backdrop against which other events of a campaign 
  are played out. 
  presented here is admittedly biased toward events in 
  the Western World. Again, this is due to the 
  traditions of the gothic genre that Masque of the Red 
  Death is intended to emulate. 
  As in the previous chapter, the information 
  Forbidden Lore 
  ach entry that follows ends with a brief 
  m discussion of the forbidden lore associated with 
  It 
  the topic. This information makes the DMs task 
  of adventure design even easier. Of course, there’s 
  no need for a Dungeon Master to feel bound by the 
  forbidden lore presented in this text. Anyone who 
  has an exciting idea for an adventure ought to feel 
  free to toss out the macabre twists suggested here 
  and replace them with products of his own 
  imagination. After all, the whole point of the game is 
  to have fun. 
  F=-t and Fiction 
  , 
  ,.lese historical essays can also help Dungeon 
  Masters create fictional background 
  I information that feels authentic. For example, 
  from reading the Dreyfus Affair entry, a DM would 
  learn that France (indeed, much of Europe) is 
  polarized over the issue of individual liberties, the 
  power of the state, and the persecution of 
  minorities. A great many prominent people have 
  come out on both sides of the issues comprising 
  the Dreyfus Affair. 
  The background information presented in that 
  essay can be used to establish the mood of the 
  I 
  I 
  populace or government about similar issues. In the 
  example of the Dreyfus Affair, the essay mentions 
  strong anti-Catholic sentiments in France at the 
  time. An adventure in which the characters are 
  called upon to work closely with the French Catholic 
  church, therefore, might be characterized by police 
  harassment and an utter lack of bureaucratic 
  cooperation. 
  , 
  Buildinq a tIistorical Library 
  iy Dungeon Master running a- Masque of the 
  ded Death campaign would be well advised to 
  Lkeep a notebook of important reference 
  haterials. This can be as simple as keeping a file 
  of photocopies of interesting information, photos, 
  artwork, and even advertisements from the 
  period. 
  If the DM has access to a good computer 
  system, the task becomes much easier. A CD- 
  ROM encyclopedia greatly reduces the time 
  required to obtain correct facts and figures in a 
  historical adventure. However, it’s still advisable to 
  keep a file of paper copies to be used as instant 
  handouts. 
  In either case, a personalized reference book such 
  as this serves two purposes. First, it acts as a journal 
  in which details of past adventures can be kept for 
  quick review. Second, it serves as a device to ignite 
  the DMs imagination and continually fuel the 
  generation of new adventure ideas. 
  that most DMs who follow this practice end up 
  with more adventure ideas than they can ever 
  hope to play. Experience has shown that 
  adventures in the Masque of the Red Death 
  campaign setting usually present numerous 
  possibilities for spin-off adventures. By keeping 
  careful files, a DM can be ready for any situation 
  that presents itself. 
  The latter advantage has proven to be so true 
  History, if thoroughly comprehended, furnishes 
  something of the experience which a man would 
  acquire who should be a contemporary of all 
  ages and a fdjaw-citizert af ail peoples. 
  Joseph Roux 
  Meditations of a 
  Parish W i t  ( 1886) 
  
  EVENTS OF THE 1830% 
  Ghost Dancers 
  he roots of the ghost dance can be traced far 
  back in the history of Native American religions. 
  T 
  It seems probable that the ghost dance grew out 
  of an earlier movement that appeared in the Pacific 
  Northwest. 
  movement that became prominent among several of 
  the western tribes during the 1870’s. During the late 
  1880’s and the first half of the 189O’s, it spread to 
  the Plains Indians. 
  visited God, and returned with the message that the 
  dead would soon rejoin the living. When this 
  eventually happened, the world would be transformed 
  into a place of happiness, plentiful game, and freedom 
  for the Native American people. The ghost dancers 
  were counseled to speak only the truth, love their 
  fellow man, and join in the spiritual dances that would 
  hasten the coming of the new age. 
  According to the Native American prophets, the 
  invading Europeans would be destroyed when a great 
  wave of earth would cover the world. In the wake of 
  this, all nonbelievers would be buried forever. The world 
  would be renewed and the wrongs committed against 
  the Native American people would be avenged. 
  These beliefs originated in the year 1870, when 
  the prophet Tavibo began to relate his revelations of 
  a new world to the Paiute people of Nevada. In 1887, 
  the prophet Wovoka is said to have died and later 
  returned to his people with a ritual dance that they 
  could perform to hasten the coming of the revival of 
  their ancestors and the coming of a new world. 
  Wovoka’s teachings spread through the Native 
  American settlements, eventually reaching the 
  plains and acquiring followers among the Arapaho, 
  Northern Cheyenne, and Oglala Sioux. 
  Nowhere were the principles of the ghost dance 
  more readily accepted than among the Sioux tribes at 
  Pine Ridge, North Dakota. The Sioux were embittered 
  from years of hunger, natural disasters, and disease. 
  Their relations with the United States government 
  were poor, and their future looked bleak at best. To 
  them, the promise offered by the ghost dance 
  represented a chance to revive the Sioux nation. 
  in 1890. On December 15, Sitting Bull, Chief of the 
  Sioux, was arrested and killed by US. troops. Two 
  weeks later, on December 29, the Battle of Wounded 
  Knee erupted. During this clash, US. troops under 
  the command of General Nelson A. Miles 
  slaughtered hundreds of Sioux warriors, women, and 
  children. Many of them wore ghost shirts that bore 
  eagle, buffalo, and morning star patterns. It was 
  believed that these would protect them from the 
  In modern use, the term refers to a messianic 
  Prophets of the ghost dancers are said to have died, 
  The ghost dance movement came to a sudden end 
  bullets of the US. troops. 
  With the disaster at Wounded Knee, the ghost 
  dance movement fell apart. While it was still 
  practiced among some tribes until 1895, it would 
  never regain the popularity that it held before the 
  slaughter of the Sioux. 
  Forbidden Lore 
  As far as the general public is concerned, the 
  death of Sitting Bull and his Sioux followers spelled 
  the end of the ghost dancers. Many of the soldiers 
  stationed near the Sioux reservations, as well as 
  visitors to Wounded Knee, tell a different story. 
  While different experts put forth different theories to 
  explain the increasingly unusual accounts that have 
  come to light, the fact that something macabre is 
  occurring cannot be denied. 
  The most common belief is simply that the ghosts of 
  Sitting Bull and his people remain near the area where 
  they were killed. Without a doubt, numerous reports of 
  spectral beings, mysterious sounds, and unexplained 
  deaths can be confirmed near Wounded Knee. Sitting 
  Bull was certainly dedicated to his cause, and if ever 
  there were a man with the passion to sustain himself 
  after death, it was the great Sitting Bull. 
  Still, a number of parapsychologists and 
  metaphysicians who have studied the events 
  following the massacre at Wounded Knee remain 
  unconvinced about Sitting Bull’s potential powers. 
  This is not to say that they do not believe something 
  supernatural is afoot. Rather, they suggest that the 
  mystical powers of the ghost dancers have done 
  more than simply convert them into common 
  apparitions. Several investigators who have studied 
  the area report that mankind faces a new and unique 
  agent of the supernatural. 
  It is impossible to say at this time whether the 
  forces haunting Wounded Knee are aspects of 
  Sitting Bull and his followers-spirits called into 
  existence by the power of their ghost dances-or an 
  unrelated phenomenon whose manifestation at this 
  time and place is utterly unrelated to massacre of 
  the Sioux people. 
  I 
  Trctir Exploration 
  1.- 1890’s are a time of exploration and 
  adventure. Many frontiers are available to men 
  ’P and women of Gothic Earth, but none is as 
  deadly as the Arctic. High atop the world, adventurers 
  race to be the first to reach the North Pole. 
  While Irish monks and Norsemen are reported to 
  have been in lceland and Greenland as far back as 
  the 9th century, the first true surveys of the Arctic 
  can be traced to the 15th and 16th centuries. 
  Explorers of that era hoped to find a route to China. 
  
  Instead, they discovered the Arctic islands. 
  Foremost among these explorers was Britain’s 
  Martin Frobisher. 
  In later decades, others pressed the frontiers of 
  explored lands further and further north. Among these 
  were the Dutch navigator Willem Barents and Henry 
  Hudson. In 167 1, the German explorer Friedrich 
  Martens wrote a book detailing the landscape and 
  natural history of the arctic that became the standard 
  reference book on the Arctic until William Scoresby, 
  Jr. published his own work in 1820. 
  In Asia, exploration of the Russian Arctic began in 
  the 17th century with the conquest of Siberia. In the 
  18th century, Vitus Bering became the first to sail 
  the strait between North America and Asia that now 
  bears his name. 
  With the dawn of the 19th century, a veritable 
  army of explorers set their sights on the north pole. 
  This began in 181 8 when Sir William Edward Parry 
  and Sir John Ross retraced the path taken by 
  William Baffin in the 17th century. Other adventurers 
  quickly followed suit and the race was on. 
  In 1831, Sir James Ross became the first man to 
  visit the north magnetic pole. 
  In 1847, Sir John Franklin became the first explorer 
  to chart a passage through the Arctic islands of North 
  America. He was unable to travel the proposed route, 
  however, for the passage was choked with ice and 
  unnavigable. Indeed, Franklin’s entire expedition 
  perished when their ship was caught in the ice. Other 
  routes through these islands were located by Sir 
  Robert McClure and Richard Collinson. In both cases, 
  however, the way was blocked with ice. 
  Eurasian Arctic exploration continued in the 19th 
  century as well. In 1878, Adolf Erik Nordenskjold 
  made a successful transit of the long-sought-after 
  Northeast Passage. 
  International conferences on Arctic exploration 
  were held in 1879 and 1880. These led to 
  cooperative meteorological studies and magnetic 
  surveys of the region. In addition, Arctic observation 
  stations were set up by several countries, including 
  the United States, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Great 
  Britain, Germany, and Austria. 
  In 1893, Fridjof Nansen sailed the Fram into the 
  ice pack, where it became entrapped. For three 
  years, he drifted with the polar ice and made 
  observations that set new standards for polar and 
  oceanographic research. In 1895, Nansen left the 
  Fram and traveled northward. While he failed to 
  reach to the pole, he set a new record for northward 
  exploration by reaching 86” 14’ north latitude. 
  Forbidden Lore 
  Perhaps the most unusual information to come back 
  from any of the polar expeditions was brought to 
  light only recently, with the discovery of a journal 
  believed to have been written by Sir John Franklin 
  during his ill-fated 1847 expedition. 
  The generally accepted theory had been that Sir 
  John led a group of men away from their ship, which 
  had become frozen in the ice, in the hope of finding 
  some means by which the ship’s company might be 
  saved. The recent discovery of this journal, if it is 
  indeed authentic, paints a grim picture of the last 
  hours of the Franklin expedition. 
  Canadian meteorological team, Sir John writes of an 
  encounter with a terrible creature. He never 
  describes it clearly, but refers to it on several 
  occasions in terms that lead one to believe it was 
  reptilian in appearance. At one point, he likens the 
  intensity of the creature’s gaze to the glare of bright 
  sun on an endless blanket of snow. 
  It is clear from Sir John’s account that the beast 
  was responsible in some way for the fate of his vessel. 
  Whether the creature somehow lured them into a cul- 
  de-sac from which they could not escape or actually 
  caused the waters around them to freeze is unclear. 
  Is the recently discovered journal an authentic 
  record? No one is certain. Much of the writing is 
  muddled and confused, little more than the 
  ramblings of a man who has all but lost his grip on 
  sanity. Perhaps it is only the account of a madman’s 
  visions, and nothing else. If the journal is in any way 
  accurate, however, does the human race dare to 
  ignore these words of warning? 
  In the log book, which was discovered by a 
  Railroads 
  iheard of a century earlier, the railways of 
  Gothic Earth are an integral part of the world’s 
  ’ xonomy and society in the 1890’s. After the 
  _ _ _ _  -.ition of a rail-guided steam locomotive in 1804 
  by England’s Richard Trevithick, the world never 
  looked back. Steel tracks fanned out across the 
  globe like the strands of a great spider’s web. 
  In 1825, the first commercial railway opened in 
  England. Within only 30 years, rail lines spanned all 
  of North America and Europe. By the 1890’s, steam 
  engines have evolved so far that they can reach 
  speeds of 100 miles per hour. 
  Trans -Siberian (ailroad 
  Construction on what would become the Trans- 
  Siberian Railroad began in the 1880’s. During that 
  decade, a line was laid that stretched from Moscow 
  to Chelyabinsk, a distance of just over 1,000 miles. 
  By 1891, the goal of building a railway that would 
  stretch clear across the continent of Asia had been 
  established. Work began at both ends of the line. 
  The West Siberian sector, which ran from 
  
  Chelyabinsk to the Ob River, was completed in 
  1896. In 1897, the Ussuri section was completed, 
  linking Vladivostok with Khabarovsk, and in 1899, 
  the mid-Siberian sector bridged the gap between the 
  Ob River and Irkutsk. 
  At the close of the 19th century, the Transbaikal 
  section was nearly completed. This link will expand 
  the railway to reach both Lake Baikal and the 
  western border of Manchuria. 
  Transcontinental l(ailway 
  On May 10, 1869, the tracks of the Central 
  Pacific and Union Pacific railroads were joined at 
  Promontory Point, Utah. This historic merger made 
  the transcontinental railway, a dream that had begun 
  in 1845, a reality. 
  The early years of the project were hindered by 
  debates over the routing of the railroad, a matter 
  that was greatly simplified when many southern 
  states attempted to secede from the United States. 
  With the outbreak of the Civil War, Congress pushed 
  through a number of land grants and loans, finally 
  creating a construction race between the Central 
  Pacific and Union Pacific lines. 
  Both sides suffered labor and material shortages. 
  The Central Pacific depended upon Chinese workers 
  and had to import its rails from the east coast. The 
  Union Pacific depended largely upon Irish immigrants 
  or veterans of the Civil War, and had to transport the 
  vast majority of its timber from Wisconsin. In addition, 
  profiteering and other scandals were widespread. 
  By 1883, a number of other railroads had 
  duplicated the efforts of the Central and Union 
  Pacific lines. The Southern Pacific managed to 
  connect New Orleans and Los Angeles; the Santa Fe 
  line bridged Chicago and Southern California (via 
  Albuquerque), and the Northern Pacific linked 
  Duluth and Portland. 
  The Pullman Strike: One of the most important 
  events to affect railroading in the 1890’s was the 
  Pullman strike of 1894. Lasting from May to July, 
  the Pullman strike virtually shut down the railroad 
  lines in the western United States before the federal 
  government stepped in to end it. 
  The roots of the Pullman Strike lie in the Panic of 
  1893. During that economic crisis, the Pullman 
  Palace Car Company of Illinois lowered the wages 
  paid to its workers. However, the company failed to 
  reduce rents or other charges it assessed to those 
  living in the Pullman company town outside of 
  Chicago. On May 1 1, a group of Pullman 
  employees, acting as representatives from the 
  American Railway Union, protested these matters. In 
  response, the company fired them. 
  Union, challenged the powerful Pullman company by 
  Eugene Debs, head of the American Railway 
  calling for a boycott of all Pullman cars. This 
  resulted in a tremendous tie-up of railway traffic 
  throughout the United States. 
  On July 2, Attorney General Richard Olney 
  obtained a court injunction to halt the strike. In his 
  opinion, the strike was having too great an 
  economic impact on the country and it was slowing 
  delivery of the U.S. mail. On July 4, federal troops 
  arrived in Chicago to enforce the injunction. 
  Members of the Railway Union refused to return to 
  work and riots broke out. The troops responded with 
  force, killing several of the rioters. 
  By July 10, the strike had been broken and rail 
  service began to return to normal. In the aftermath, 
  Debs and other union officials were tried, convicted, 
  and jailed for disobeying the federal injunction. 
  Orient Express 
  Perhaps the most famous railway train on Gothic 
  Earth, the Orient Express ran for the first time on June 
  1, 1889. Its route began in Paris, passed through 
  Budapest, Bulgrade, and Sofia, and terminated amid 
  the domed temples of Constantinople. All told, no 
  fewer than 10 railway companies and six national 
  governments monitor the Orient Express to ensure 
  that its journey is uninterrupted. 
  Technically, the Orient Express began operation in 
  1883. Prior to its famous 1889 run, a complete railway 
  journey from Paris to Constantinople was not possible. 
  Instead, the Orient Express left Paris and ran only as 
  far as Giurgevo, a small town on the banks of the 
  Danube at the border of Rumania and Bulgaria. At 
  that point, passengers crossed the river on a ferry and 
  boarded another train that wound across Bulgaria to 
  Vama, on the Black Sea. From Varna, passengers 
  would travel by steamer to the port of Constantinople. 
  The distance traveled by the train is roughly 1,850 
  miles. Using the price for rail transportation given in A 
  Guide to Gothic Earth, we can calculate that a ticket 
  on the Orient Express would cost about $55.00. 
  However, few trains anywhere on Gothic Earth match 
  the elegance with which the Orient Express conveys 
  passengers. Indeed, some individuals feel that the 
  three days required for the train to leave behind the 
  west and arrive in the east is something of a vacation 
  all by itself. As might be expected, this elegance has a 
  price, and in addition, the rail companies and 
  countries involved in operating the Orient Express 
  recognize that their line has no competition. Thus, the 
  actual fee for a ticket on the Orient Express runs 
  $75.00 to $100.00 depending on the level of luxury 
  selected for the journey. 
  Forbidden Lore 
  The rails of the world are alive, if that is the right 
  term, with ghost trains. This is especially true in the 
  I 
  
  I 
  American West. During the days of the race to build 
  the transcontinental railroad, many lives were lost to 
  accidents and mishaps. Not all of these souls rest 
  easily in their graves. 
  pass through carry men and women far away from 
  the relative safety of civilization. As night settles 
  over the mountains of eastern Europe or the 
  badlands of North America, who can say what 
  forgotten, ancient horrors might stalk the speeding 
  engines and hunger for their helpless passengers? 
  Perhaps the most unusual incident involving the 
  world‘s railways involved the Orient Express itself. In 
  the winter of 1892, the train left via the Eastem Railway 
  of France on Wednesday, January 6, precisely on time 
  at 7:30 P.M. That Friday, January 8, the train rolled 
  slowly into Constantinople station at 6:35 P.M., exactly 
  one hour late. The engine’s fire was out, the boiler was 
  cold, and the entire train was empty. No trace of a 
  single passenger was found anywhere. All the freight 
  and baggage was intact, and half-eaten meals waited in 
  the dining car as if passengers had excused themselves 
  for a moment intending to return promptly. No sign of a 
  struggle could be found anywhere. 
  The railway companies and national governments 
  involved quickly hushed up the whole affair after an 
  investigation revealed nothing. No official 
  explanation was ever given for the mishap, and 
  probably none will ever be found. 
  Additionally, the remote places that many railways 
  The Drey Fus 
  n 1894, France was rocked by one of the greatest 
  political scandals ever to hit the Third Republic. 
  I The repercussions of this ordeal were to threaten 
  the government and involve some of the most 
  famous names on Gothic Earth. But in the end, 
  France was a stronger, more cosmopolitan state for 
  the trials and tribulations of Captain Alfred Dreyfus. 
  The Dreyfus affair began in 1894. At that time, 
  Alfred Dreyfus, an Alsatian Jew, was not only a 
  Captain in the French army, but also an officer on 
  the General Staff. When he was charged with 
  passing important papers to the German military, 
  the news sent a shockwave through the nation. 
  Despite a lack of solid evidence, Dreyfus’s court- 
  martial in 1894 resulted in his conviction, largely to 
  satisfy the demands of the military. Following this 
  kangaroo court, Captain Dreyfus was imprisoned on 
  Devil’s Island. 
  Secrets continued to be passed to the Germans 
  even after Dreyfus’s conviction. In time, a major by 
  the name of Ferdinand Esterhazy was implicated in 
  the affair. When Colonel Georges Picquart attempted 
  to reopen the case in 1896, he was promptly 
  dismissed from office. The efforts of Dreyfus’s 
  brother finally brought Esterhazy to trial in 1897, but 
  against all evidence, he was acquitted. 
  In January of 1898, the famous novelist b i l e  Zola 
  published J’accuse, an open letter that attacked the 
  army and brought the entire affair to public attention. 
  The government responded to this by imprisoning 
  Zola. The public, however, was moved by Zola’s 
  skillful pleas, and Dreyfus’s cause was taken up by 
  France’s jews, radicals, socialists, and intellectuals. 
  In 1898, the major document presented as 
  evidence against Dreyfus was proven to be a 
  forgery. Captain Dreyfus was tried again. As before, 
  political pressure led to him being found guilty; he 
  was returned to prison in 1899. 
  Dreyfus Affair had sown among the French people 
  and within the government, pardoned the young man 
  as well as Zola. Both were promptly freed. 
  credibility of the army. In addition, both the 
  monarchists and the Catholic Church, who sought to 
  foster anti-Dreyfus feelings among the public, were 
  publicly humiliated by the matter. 
  The future of France certainly seems to rest in the 
  hands of society’s pro-republic elements. Although 
  the current trends may change, it is not unlikely that 
  this will help to usher in a new age for the Third 
  Republic. Perhaps the France of the 20th century will 
  be a true democracy with a government that enjoys 
  the support of the public. The Dreyfus Affair taught 
  many that France’s society must be a racially and 
  culturally tolerant one, no matter what course the 
  rest of Europe opts to follow. 
  President Loubet, recognizing the dissention that the 
  The wake of this affair cast doubt upon the 
  Forbidden Lore 
  Rumors about the Dreyfus Affair abound in both the 
  press and among the general public. Few rumors, 
  however, even come close to hinting at what some 
  paranormal researchers now suspect. 
  was falsely accused and wrongly convicted, the truth 
  of the matter may be far darker. Investigations of the 
  matter by members of Die Wachtem have led that 
  group to suspect that this incident accidentally 
  uncovered the actions of some shapechanging 
  creature. They claim that such a beast impersonated 
  Dreyfus on several occasions, although the reasons 
  for this masquerade remain unknown. 
  Although the efforts of Die Wachtem’s agents can 
  provide no conclusive evidence of these claims, 
  several suspicious elements surround but do not 
  directly expose the Dreyfus Affair. Some have even 
  speculated that a link exists between this incident and 
  a series of mysterious deaths among the intelligence 
  branch of the French military. It may be that this qabal 
  has stumbled upon information too alarming to be 
  While the general consensus is that Captain Dreyfus 
  
  made public and that Captain Dreyfus has the dubious 
  honor of being used in its coverup. 
  Zionism 
  he father of the modern Zionist movement is 
  Theodor Herzl. His efforts, and those of several 
  T 
  other groups in the 19th century, led to the 
  establishment of defined goals and principles in the 
  quest for a Jewish homeland. 
  The origins of Zionism can be traced back to the 
  Jewish Diaspora-the 
  Babylonian Exile of the 6th 
  century B.C. Both Psalm 137 and the Lamentations of 
  Jeremiah tell of a longing for Zion (or Jerusalem) 
  among the exiles. During that century, the Jews 
  encountered a number of messianic figures who 
  claimed that they would lead them into Zion. Such 
  events continued even through the latter half of the 
  16th century, when Italy’s Nasi family attempted 
  unsuccessfully to establish a Jewish community in 
  Galilee. 
  Prior to the French Revolution, European Jews 
  lacked the mobility and personal freedom needed for 
  the formation of a true Zionist movement. Still, even 
  after this liberation, Europe was marked by Jewish 
  ghettos and anti-Semitism. The 19th century, 
  however, saw an increase in nationalist sentiments 
  among European Jews. People like Yehudau Alkalai, 
  Moses Hess, Zvi Kalischer, David Luzatto, and Leo 
  Pisker campaigned heavily for the principles that 
  would become modern Zionism. Philanthropists such 
  as Edmond de Rothschild and Moses Montefiore 
  contributed heavily to their efforts, even sponsoring 
  programs to support Jews who wished to leave 
  Europe and return to the Middle East. 
  In 1897, Herzl called together the World Zionist 
  Congress at Basel, Switzerland. With the formation 
  of this body, Zionism at last acquired a global 
  political voice. Despite opposition from both the 
  right and left in Jewish culture, the Zionist Congress 
  began to grow in strength. 
  While the future of the Zionist movement was by 
  no means certain, events in France (see The Dreyfus 
  Affair) showed a promising trend toward acceptance 
  and tolerance of Jews in Europe and throughout the 
  world. 
  At the same time, however, anti-Semitic groups 
  continued to thrive in many parts of the world. 
  Indeed, many governments remained adamant in 
  such policies and overtly or covertly encouraged 
  anti-Semitic actions by their citizens. Perhaps the 
  most horrific examples of this were the pogroms in 
  Russia. In an age when tolerance and 
  enlightenment seemed to be taking hold of the 
  human race as never before, the menaces of 
  bigotry and violence remained undaunted in their 
  efforts to cripple progress and reduce the human 
  race to barbarism. 
  Forbidden Lore 
  Like any religious movement, Zionism had its 
  enemies. Anti-Semitic groups were powerful 
  throughout Europe and other countries. The enemies 
  of the Jewish people, however, are worthy of special 
  attention for two reasons. 
  The first is the simple fact that judaism in an 
  ancient faith. According to the Old Testament, 
  Abraham became the father of the Hebrew people 
  some four thousand years ago. The fact that this is 
  roughly the same time that the Red Death was 
  allowed to slip into ancient Egypt has not escaped 
  the notice of the world’s metaphysicians. Many 
  believe that clues about the power of that great evil 
  might be found in the most ancient Jewish writings 
  and religious treasures. Perhaps relics such as the 
  ark of the covenant or the golem hold the secret of 
  the Red Death’s defeat. 
  Whether this is true is impossible to say. The 
  possibility, however, is enough to cause the Red 
  Death to allocate some fraction of its power to the 
  persecution of these people. 
  It is rumored that a number of qabals devote 
  considerable attention to the search for Hebrew 
  treasures, in the hope that their legends will be true. 
  Some seek to harness the power or knowledge of 
  these items for use in the battle against evil, while 
  others wish to destroy them in the service of their 
  dark master. Still others, however, have less clear 
  objectives in mind. What they would do with items 
  such as the ark of the covenant remains to be seen. 
  is that, from the Red Death’s point of view, this surge 
  in hatred is pure opportunity. In many parts of the 
  world, anti-Semitic feelings are easy to stir. The 
  natural distrust that all men feel toward those they 
  perceive as different from themselves can be easily 
  turned into fear and hatred. These, in turn, are the 
  perfect fuel for the fires of violence and the choking 
  fog of ignorance upon which the Red Death prospers. 
  Wherever bigotry is allowed to run unchecked through 
  the shallow minds of the ignorant, the Red Death has 
  already won its battle against good. 
  The second reason to study the rise of anti-Semitism 
  Spiritual ism 
  he basic premise of spiritualism-communication 
  with the dead-is 
  by no means a modern 
  T 
  invention. Indeed, the search for a secure afterlife 
  is what led the ancient Egyptians to discover, practice, 
  and perfect the art of necromancy which allowed the 
  Red Death to slip into the world so many centuries 
  ago. Toward the end of the 19th century, however, a 
  c 
  
  more modern incarnation of these beliefs has swept 
  through the United States and, to a lesser extent, the 
  rest of the western world. 
  The birth of modern spiritualism can be traced 
  directly to a young woman named Margaret Fox. In 
  1848, shortly after moving into a new home near 
  Hydesville, New York, the Fox family began hearing 
  loud cracks and snaps in the dead of night. No 
  obvious source could be found for these 
  manifestations, which always appeared to center 
  around Margaret Fox and her sisters. Eventually, it 
  was concluded that the entity responsible for these 
  spirit rappings was a spectre that the Fox sisters 
  knew as “Mister Splitfoot.” The entity was able to 
  give coded answers to questions posed in the 
  company of the young women. 
  News of this remarkable phenomenon spread 
  quickly. Others soon began to report that they were 
  able to duplicate the powers of the Fox sisters. By 
  the mid- 1850’s, the cities of the United States and 
  Europe were thick with mediums and beliefs in 
  mystical powers. 
  In the wake of the American Civil War (which saw 
  an entire generation destroyed in many parts of the 
  U.S.), the spread of spiritualism was overwhelming. 
  With so many families mourning the losses of the 
  war, it was only natural that they turn for comfort to 
  individuals who claimed to be in contact with 
  departed children and husbands. For a time, the 
  practice of Spiritualism became a part of almost 
  every family’s weekly ritual. 
  Of course, the world was not without its skeptics. 
  Members of the press, as well as law enforcement 
  officials, began to prove that many of the nation’s so- 
  called mediums were nothing more than tricksters. 
  Through sleight of hand, innovative tricks, and various 
  gadgets, they fooled customers into believing that 
  they were genuinely in contact with the afterlife. 
  The lure of spiritualism was not to be defeated. 
  Many mediums leaned upon the public fascination 
  with science to give credibility to their work. They 
  employed many techniques to prevent fraud (or, at 
  least, to give that appearance), and offered “proof” 
  that their experiments were valid. 
  development of spirit photography. Some 
  photographers reported that they had captured the 
  invisible wonders of the spirit world with their cameras. 
  With this “proof‘ of the existence of apparitions, the 
  spiritualist movement continued to grow. In many 
  cases, however, spirit photographers were proven to 
  be only skilled fakers who used double exposures and 
  similar techniques to attain their wondrous results. 
  Belief in the wonders of spiritualism was not limited 
  to the uneducated or other simple folk. Even as more 
  and more proof was assembled to show that the vast 
  An excellent example of this pseudo-science was the 
  majority of mediums were frauds and criminals, the 
  public held fast to their beliefs. Early practitioners of 
  spiritualism included the well-known American 
  journalist Horace Greeley and Arthur Conan Doyle. 
  suffered a fatal blow in the mid- 1880’s when 
  Margaret Fox and her sisters came forth and 
  admitted that they were fakes. They demonstrated to 
  a shocked world that the spirit rappings attributed to 
  the mysterious Mister Splitfoot were nothing more 
  than the snapping of joints in their feet. 
  the notion of spiritualism and all its wonders. The 
  revelation that Margaret Fox and her sisters were 
  frauds did almost nothing to the movement. People 
  had wholly embraced the idea that communication 
  with the dead was not only possible, but widespread. 
  The arrival of the 1890’s did nothing to change 
  this. Average citizens are more than willing to accept 
  the possibility of communication with the spirit 
  world. Most will gladly recount one or two examples 
  from their pasts in which they experienced 
  something of a spiritualist nature. 
  Many people felt that the movement should have 
  The general public, however, had long ago accepted 
  :en Lore 
  vvtiat does all this mean for characters of the 
  spiritualist class? Not a great deal, actually. The idea 
  that a group of people in a darkened room is able to 
  evoke a series of mysterious tappings from beyond 
  the grave is a safe one; no one’s view of the world is 
  likely to be threatened by such an event. A person 
  who claims to have such powers isn’t likely to be 
  denounced as a fake or subjected to persecution for 
  his or her powers. 
  On the other hand, a character who is able to call 
  upon the spirit world to work magic that is nothing 
  short of miraculous will frighten anyone. Indeed, 
  someone who is actually in daily contact with the spirit 
  world is more likely to be denounced as a fake than 
  would a clever prestidigitator. After all, believing that 
  someone can cause a table to float a few inches off 
  the ground is much easier than accepting that the 
  same person can call upon the spirits to whip up a fire 
  storm or to transmute metal to wood. 
  Ironically, those who actually have the gifts they 
  claim are more likely to be denounced and 
  persecuted. For this reason, the vast majority of true 
  spiritualists keep their powers hidden, and contribute 
  little or nothing to the public perception of the field. 
  he 1890’s saw an explosion of European 
  colonization in Africa. The proud heritage of this 
  ‘1 continent, which dates back some 2.5 million 
  years, was swept aside by greedy nations eager to 
  
  control (and exploit) more land than their neighbors. 
  The results were predictable: war, disease, and 
  suffering for the natives, and wealth, slaves, and 
  nationalist pride for the Europeans. 
  While northern Africa, especially Egypt, had been 
  a major factor in Mediterranean and European trade 
  for centuries, the southern regions of that continent 
  remained largely unexplored until the 1400’s. At that 
  time, the Portuguese began to explore Africa’s 
  western coast. They were primarily interested in 
  gold, and thus established trading posts in Gambia 
  and the Gold Coast. In addition to gold, however, 
  they found another treasure: slaves. 
  Portuguese control of Africa lasted throughout the 
  1400’s and 1500’s. In the 1600’s, however, many of 
  their trading posts were given over to the Dutch, who 
  also established Cape Town. 
  With the establishment of European colonies in the 
  New World, the demand for slaves increased 
  dramatically. By the 1800’s, over 10 million slaves had 
  been delivered from Africa to work in the Americas. 
  Some African nations, especially the Ashanti, 
  were able to use the gold and slave trades to make 
  themselves wealthy and powerful. Others, however, 
  were overrun by the European powers and vanished 
  from the face of Gothic Earth. 
  During the 1700’s, European powers began to 
  establish missions in Africa. Before long, large 
  numbers of Africans were converting to Christianity. 
  Sadly, not all of these conversions were voluntary. 
  By the 19th century, however, the first phase of 
  European influence in Africa had passed. The United 
  States and Great Britain outlawed the slave trade in 
  1808, although slavery itself existed in the United 
  States until the end of the Civil War. 
  expanded European interest in Africa itself. With the 
  rest of the world all but fully explored and at least 
  marginally under the sway of European powers, 
  expansionist governments were forced to look 
  elsewhere for new frontiers. As the Ottoman Empire 
  declined, regions of North Africa that had been 
  under Turkish domination since the 1500’s became 
  targets of European opportunism. France acquired 
  Algeria and Tunisia while the British Empire added 
  the jewel of Egypt to its crown. In South Africa, the 
  Dutch began to expand from Cape Town, 
  conquering the native population as they went. 
  caused by Europeans. Throughout the 1700’s and 
  into the 1800’s, religious reformers spread the 
  Muslim faith through western Africa with a series of 
  jihads (holy wars) that left them in control of the 
  majority of the western grasslands. In South Africa, 
  the Zulu armies fought numerous wars against their 
  neighbors, building a vast empire for themselves. 
  The end of the slave trade, however, saw 
  Of course, not all of Africa’s strife at this time was 
  The latter half of the 1890’s saw a sudden rush on 
  the part of European powers to gain land in Africa. 
  Although they resorted to military tactics in some 
  areas, the majority of these controls have been 
  acquired through trade and economic pressure. With 
  the 20th century just around the corner, Africa has 
  been almost totally carved up by Belgium, Great 
  Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. 
  It is worth mentioning that much of the land 
  claimed by the European nations at this time had 
  never been visited by a white man. Large numbers 
  of natives were being ruled by people and 
  governments they had never seen or heard of. Sadly, 
  they were due to learn more than they cared to 
  about their new masters. 
  Forbidden Lore 
  The African continent was, many believe, the 
  birthplace of man. Here, millions of years ago, men 
  descended from the trees, leamed to walk erect, 
  fashioned crude weapons, and, perhaps most important 
  of all, mastered the rudiments of magic. The glorious 
  history of this land cannot be forgotten or, as much as 
  the nations of Europe might try, erased. 
  Centuries ago, in regions now controlled by Great 
  Britain, the science of necromancy evolved. As the 
  ancient Egyptians probed deeper and deeper into 
  the mysteries of death and the possibilities of an 
  afterlife, they set into motion a series of events that 
  would all but destroy the enchanted world they 
  knew. While it would be wrong to say that the 
  concept of evil originated with the pharaohs, it is 
  quite correct to note that it was their mistake that 
  gave the world’s evil not only form and personality, 
  but also the unlimited power of magic. As such, the 
  ancient temples of Egypt are among the most 
  powerful sources of necromancy and evil magic in 
  the world. Adventurers exploring these regions 
  would do well to remember that. 
  same events that brought the Red Death into the world 
  created an enclave of untainted good. Hidden away in 
  the heart of the African jungles is The Lost Empire, a 
  pocket civilization that fled Egypt to escape the evil 
  threat Djoser had brought into the world. Hidden from 
  the rest of the planet, they practice untainted magic 
  and look forward to the day when they can make 
  amends for the mistakes of their ancestors. 
  that the day when they will turn their powers against 
  the world’s evils is not yet here. The increasing 
  violation of Africa by the nations of Europe threatens 
  their cloak of secrecy. If they are discovered, the Red 
  Death will see them as the menace they are. If that 
  happens, all the powers of The Lost Empire will be 
  overwhelmed by the might of this ancient foe. 
  Still, it is vitally important to remember that the 
  The leaders of The Lost Empire recognize, however, 
  
  t can rightly be said that any 
  age or place is defined by the 
  people who live there. The 
  nature of Gothic Earth's folk, 
  their passions and dreams, 
  their triumphs and failures, all 
  come together to make the 
  I 
  world what it is. 
  ' 
  In this chapter, we'll 
  examine the most important 
  people of the 1890's. From 
  Ernst Abbe, the German 
  r 
  optics expert, to French 
  author Emile Zola, the people 
  of Gothic Earth provide a 
  grand overview of all that is 
  good and evil in their world. 
  Some of these people are 
  heroes; others are villains. 
  Many are recognized for their accomplishments, 
  such as Thomas Edison or William Jennings Bryan. 
  A few, such as Winston Churchill and Sigmund 
  Freud, have yet to achieve the greatness for which 
  they will be remembered. 
  section describe the real men and women who 
  lived and labored in the final years of the 19th 
  century. A few fictional characters have been 
  inserted as well-people like Abraham Van Helsing 
  and Sherlock Holmes, whose exploits are so well 
  known that any discussion of the 1890's seems 
  flawed without them. 
  no means exhaustive. To claim otherwise would be 
  absurd. Even if this entire book were devoted to 
  biographies of Gothic Earth's most celebrated 
  individuals, it would remain sadly incomplete. Still, 
  based on the references that appear here, a 
  Dungeon Master can easily add other prestigious 
  personages to this list. 
  For the most part, the entries in this Who's Who 
  While the list that follows is quite extensive, it is by 
  Assumptions 
  lis Who's Who is written from. the perspective of 
  an author in 1899. As such, the accounts 
  1' include mention of events that may not have 
  taken place at certain points in a given campaign. 
  This is particularly true of artists and painters, whose 
  greatest works may still be years away. 
  Dungeon Masters should view these as 
  opportunities to set up adventures involving 
  important historic events; examples are the arctic 
  expeditions of Peary or Nansen, and the 
  oceanographic researches of Murray aboard H.M.S. 
  Challenger. 
  Forbidden Lore 
  hile the majority of the following information is 
  factual, readers must remember that Gothic 
  Earth is not an exact duplicate of our own 
  world. Thus, a number of Forbidden Lore entries 
  have been included along with the biographies. 
  These offer the DM a more macabre and creative 
  view of the events of the day. 
  Players should always question the information 
  they receive, and that includes the forbidden lore 
  included with this chapter. One of the difficulties that 
  adventurers usually encounter in their travels is an 
  inability to gather reliable information. Still, the 
  importance of paying attention to local rumors and 
  gossip cannot be dismissed. After all, many an 
  adventurer has met with an untimely death when he 
  chose to ignore the mysterious stories of supposedly 
  ignorant peasants. Thus, the forbidden lore that 
  follows should be considered springboards for 
  adventure twists and red herrings. 
  
  Abbe, Ernst (b. 1840): Born in Germany, Abbe 
  graduated from Gottingen University in 186 1 and 
  took a position at Jena University in 1863. Shortly 
  afterward, he began working with Carl Zeiss and 
  helped him to found the Zeiss Optics Company. 
  When Zeiss died in 1888, Abbe took over the firm. 
  He established the Carl Zeiss Foundation to sponsor 
  scientific research and social improvement. In 
  addition to such innovations as the Abbe 
  Refractometer and the apochromatic lens, Abbe 
  made numerous contributions to the science of 
  optics. It would not be an exaggeration to say that 
  he is Gothic Earth’s foremost authority in this field. 
  Alexander 111, Emperor of Russia (b. 1845): A 
  hardline believer in the absolute power of a 
  monarch, Alexander’s first action upon ascending to 
  the throne in 1881 was to renounce the limited 
  constitution established by his father, Alexander II. 
  Not noted as an intellectual, Alexander I11 ruled 
  primarily by instinct. He declared a state of 
  emergency in 1881 which allowed him to 
  circumvent courts and other legislative safeguards. 
  Noted for press censorship and anti-Semitism, 
  Alexander I11 is a blunt ruler interested only in the 
  Russification of his state. 
  Anthony, Susan B. (b. 1820): Perhaps the 
  world’s foremost campaigner for women’s rights, 
  Susan B. Anthony came from a Quaker background. 
  A former teacher, she quit to become the manager 
  of her family farm. During that time, she met 
  Frederick Douglas, William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell 
  Phillips, and other men of similar interests. These 
  encounters persuaded her to become an outspoken 
  reformist. After encountering sexual discrimination 
  while working with the Daughters of Temperance 
  and the American Anti-Slavery Society, she helped 
  found the American Equal Rights Association and 
  the National Woman Suffrage Association. In 1872, 
  she was arrested for attempting to vote. Since 1892, 
  she has been the president of the National American 
  Woman Suffrage Association. 
  Arrhenius, Svante (b. 1859): A talented chemist 
  and physicist, Arrhenius is a proponent of 
  Panspermia. According to this theory, life was 
  brought to the Earth by a meteorite. 
  Beardsley, Aubrey (b. 1872, d. 1898): One of 
  England‘s most talented illustrators, Aubrey Beardsley 
  produced a great quantity of art during his tragically 
  short lifetime. Perhaps his best works were his unique 
  drawings used to illustrate Oscar Wilde’s Salome in 
  1894. Before he was even 20 years old, Beardsley had 
  illustrated a special edition of Sir Thomas Malory’s 
  Morte d’Arthur. He later went on to produce 
  controversial editions of such books as Volpone, 
  Lysistrata, and The Rape of the Lock. In 1894, he 
  became the art editor for The Yellow Boom (an avant- 
  garde magazine) and a regular contributor to The 
  Savoy, both of which were published in London. 
  Becquerel, Antoine Henri (b. 1852): A French 
  physicist, Becquerel (pronounced be-KREL) is best 
  known for his 1896 discovery of radioactivity. As a 
  result, he is considered one of the founders of 
  nuclear physics. Elected to the Academy of 
  Sciences in 1889, he was appointed professor of 
  physics at the Museum of Natural History in 1892 
  and the Ecole Polytechnique in 1895. 
  Bell, Alexander Graham (b. 1847): With the 
  exception of Thomas Edison, Bell is perhaps the 
  most famous inventor on Gothic Earth. Born to a 
  family with a tradition of learning and teaching, Bell 
  was raised on a diet of knowledge. His studies of 
  speech, deafness, anatomy, physiology, and music 
  forged one of the most imaginative and deductive 
  minds in human history. 
  America and became a professor of vocal 
  physiology at Boston University. As his interest in 
  electricity grew, he attempted to craft a harmonic 
  telegraph. These efforts led to his patenting of the 
  telephone In 1876. One year later, he married Mabel 
  Hubbard, who, like his mother, was deaf. 
  Bell also invented a number of other communication 
  devices, including one that transmits speech on waves 
  Born in Scotland, Bell eventually moved to North 
  
  of light. In 1880, he helped found Science magazine 
  and, in 1898, was made president of the National 
  Geographic Society. Since 1895, Bell has turned his 
  attentions more and more to the field of aviation. 
  Besant, Annie Wood (b. 1847): Besant has risen 
  to become an important member of the Theosophist 
  movement, having studied under its leader, Madam 
  Elena Blavatski since 1898. She is also an important 
  political voice in India, where she has resided since 
  1898, and founded the Central Hindu College at 
  Banaras. 
  Bierce, Ambrose (b. 1842): Noted for his cynical 
  wit and haunting tales of horror, death, and warfare, 
  Bierce is often known by the nickname Bitter Bierce. 
  A veteran of the Civil War, Bierce fought for the 
  Union both at Shiloh and Chickamauga and was 
  wounded during the battle of Kennesaw Mountain. 
  Several of his stories, including the popular An 
  Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and Chickarnauga 
  were based on his life in the army. 
  After the war, he headed west and became a regular 
  contributor to the San Francisco News Letter, and later 
  became its editor. In 187 1, he married Mary Ellen Day 
  and subsequently traveled to England where he 
  published The Fiend’s Delight, Dust Panned Out in 
  California, and Cobwebs from an Empty Skull. Upon 
  his return to the United States, he worked for several 
  San Francisco newspapers and published In the Midst 
  of Life, one of his best-known works. In 1896, he 
  moved to Washington, D.C., where he continues to 
  pursue his career as a journalist and pen tales of the 
  supernatural and macabre. 
  Blackwell, Antionette Brown (b. 1825): An 
  outspoken advocate of women’s suffrage and civil 
  rights, Blackwell has fought against bigotry and 
  injustice all her life. She studied religion at Oberlin 
  College, but was not permitted to graduate because 
  her school opposed the ordination of women as 
  ministers. In 1853, she was ordained by the 
  Congregational Church in Wayne County, New York, 
  becoming the first ordained woman minister in the 
  United States. 
  Blackwell, Elizabeth (b. 1821): Born in England, 
  Blackwell came to the United States in 1832. In 
  1849, she graduated from the Geneva College of 
  Medicine in New York, becoming the first woman 
  physician in the United States. In 1857, she and her 
  sister, Emily, opened the Women’s Medical College 
  of the New York Infirmary for Women and Children. 
  She is among the 19th century’s greatest advocates 
  for women’s rights. 
  Blackwood, Algernon (b. 1869): As a writer, 
  Blackwood is best known for his accounts of the 
  occult and the supernatural. Among his best know 
  works are his chronicles recounting the adventures 
  of John Silence, a paranormal investigator. 
  Bly, Nellie (b. 1867): Although her true name was 
  Elizabeth Cochran, the pen name of Nellie Bly is well 
  known throughout the United States. Cochran took 
  her pseudonym from a song by Stephen Foster after 
  she began work for the Pittsburgh Dispatch in 1880. 
  In her writing, she explored such topics as divorce 
  and life in the slums. 
  to gain admittance to an asylum and expose the 
  dreadful conditions within. Her account of this ordeal 
  was published under the title Ten Days in a Mad House 
  by the New York World. Following that, she attempted 
  to duplicate the feat of Jules Veme’s fictional Phileas 
  Fogg, an adventure that she detailed in Nellie Bly’s 
  Book: Around the World in 72 Days (1890). She 
  recently married wealthy businessman Robert 
  Seaman, but still pursues a life of wild adventure. 
  Boas, Franz (b. 1858): In 1881, Boas received a 
  doctorate in physics from the University of Kiel, where 
  his studies also included geography and mathematics. 
  In 1883, he joined a scientific expedition to Baffin 
  Island where he became interested in the culture of the 
  Eskimo people. In 1886, he began fieldwork among 
  the Kwakiutl and other tribes of the Pacific Northwest. 
  In 1896, Boas became the Curator of Ethnology at the 
  American Museum of Natural History in New York, a 
  position that he retains to this day. In addition, he 
  recently ( 1899) became Columbia University’s first 
  Professor of Anthropology, a position that he vows to 
  hold until the day he dies. 
  infamous “folk villain” in the world, Lizzie Borden was 
  a Sunday School teacher living with her father and 
  stepmother in 1892. When they were both murdered 
  by blows from an ax on August 4th of that year, 
  Borden was arrested and charged with the ghastly 
  crime. In 1893, she was tried and acquitted, although 
  a doubting public continues to believe in her guilt. 
  Bryan, William Jennings (b. 1860): A native of 
  Salem, Illinois, Bryan studied law and began a legal 
  practice in that state before moving to Nebraska in 
  1887. In 1890, he was elected to Congress, and in 
  Her fame exploded in 1887 when she faked insanity 
  Borden, Lizzie (b. 1860): Perhaps the most 
  
  1892 he was reelected. A major participant in the battle 
  over “free silver,” he failed to win a third term and lost 
  his congressional seat in 1894. 
  As the U.S. economic trouble grew near the middle 
  of the decade, Bryan reached a wide audience both as 
  a public speaker and editor of the Omaha World 
  Herald. In 1896, the democratic party was split over 
  the issue of free silver, with Bryan on one side and 
  Grover Cleveland on the other. Although nominated 
  for the presidential race, he ultimately lost to 
  Cleveland. Still, defeat has not lessened Bryan’s 
  interest in government, and he remains one of the 
  most respected politicians in the United States. 
  Canary, Martha Jane (b. 1852): Better known as 
  Calamity Jane, Canary was bom in Princeton, 
  Missouri, and orphaned by 1867. In an age in which 
  femininity was considered the highest virtue, Calamity 
  Jane built her reputation as a crack shot who wore 
  men’s clothes and frequented taverns. Stories of her 
  adventures were a staple of the wild west. 
  In the 1870’s, Jane became the companion of Wild 
  Bill Hickok and, in 1891, was briefly married to a 
  cabbie named Clinton Burke. In recent years, she has 
  toured with a number of wild west shows. Although 
  her hard life has certainly taken its toll on the fiery 
  woman, there are few who can match her 
  marksmanship, even as she enters her autumn years. 
  Carnacki (b. 1872): Known only by his last name, 
  this gentleman has brought a vast array of scientific 
  weapons to bear in his war against the horrors of the 
  supernatural. By combining the powers of modem 
  physics and engineering with a broad knowledge of the 
  occult, Camacki has had many successful adventures. 
  Whether his efforts will bring him fame and fortune or 
  only an untimely death remains to be seen. 
  Carnegie, Andrew (b. 1845): Possibly the most 
  famous industrialist in the history of the United States, 
  Camegie was born to a poor family and had little 
  education. He came to the U.S. from his home in 
  Scotland, settling in Allegheny, Penn. in 1848. After a 
  series of jobs, he began work with the Pennsylvania 
  Railroad and introduced the Pullman sleeping car. In 
  1859, he became head of the railroad’s westem 
  division. In 1865, he resigned to form the Keystone 
  Bridge Company, built a steel-rail mill, and bought out 
  the Homestead Steel Works. By 1888, he owned a 
  vast iron and steel complex. He has spent this decade 
  consolidating his holdings and, with the 20th century 
  looming, promises to be one of the most powerful 
  men in the world for a long time to come. 
  a recluse, Cezanne has demonstrated both a skill 
  and a talent that surpass many modem 
  impressionists. He strives, in his own words, to 
  create “something more solid and durable” than his 
  contemporaries. 
  In 1861, he left his home in Aix-en-Provence and 
  moved to Paris, where he became a close friend of 
  the well-known novelist Emile Zola and the 
  impressionist painter Camille Pissaro. Although he 
  displayed his work with the latter in 1874, Cezanne 
  remained outside the mainstream of the 
  impressionist movement. 
  From 1865 to 1870, his work dealt with unusual 
  subjects, often of a violent and fantastic character. 
  Since that time, however, he has rejected the somber 
  colors and heavy paints that marked these works. His 
  close association with Pissaro has greatly influenced 
  his work, although he clearly retains his own sense of 
  shape, style, and lighting, perhaps best exemplified in 
  his 1873 work, House of the Hanged Man. 
  The dawn of the 1890’s brought about another 
  change in Cezanne’s technique, first evident in his 
  series of Card Players (1890-92). While he has 
  began to show an interest in more static subjects of 
  late, the direction his work will take next remains to 
  be seen. 
  Cezanne, Paul (b. 1839): Although something of 
  Challenger, Professor (b. 1857): Noted for his 
  blustering manner and powerful physique, 
  Challenger is an imposing figure, especially among 
  the stoic halls of academia. 
  As a youth, Challenger proved gifted, with a keen 
  mind and a natural athleticism that served him well. 
  He graduated with high honors from the Royal 
  College of Physicians, then went on to study biology 
  and natural history on his own. His physique made 
  him a stellar athlete and gave him the physical 
  stamina required for research in the wilderness. 
  
  private law practice in New York City. Meanwhile, 
  Harrison’s administration pursued an activist agenda 
  that included the passage of the Sherman Silver 
  Purchase Act, the McKinley Tariff, and record-high 
  budgets. Voters who had become accustomed to 
  Cleveland’s style found these reforms excessive and, 
  in 1892, he reclaimed the presidency while leading the 
  Democrats to control both the House and Senate. 
  Cleveland’s second term began with a national crisis 
  as federal gold reserves plummeted and depression 
  swept the country. Responding quickly, he managed 
  the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, but 
  alienated the Free Silver wing. He also resisted 
  expansionist pressures, refusing to support 
  revolutionaries in Cuba and Hawaii. Perhaps his only 
  departure from such conservative foreign policy 
  occurred in 1895, when he issued a belligerent warning 
  to England demanding that it avoid intervening in 
  Venezuela’s boundary disputes. His administration 
  suffered further from the Pullman Strike (see Events of 
  the 1890s) and ongoing economic troubles. When the 
  election of 1896 came, the Democrats nominated 
  William Jennings Bryan for president. 
  Since leaving office, Cleveland has moved to 
  Princeton, New Jersey and resumed his legal 
  practice. He appears to have embraced his role as 
  an elder statesman, and has accepted a position on 
  the board of trustees at Princeton University. 
  Crowley, Aleister Edward (b. 1875): Crowley is 
  among the world’s best-known experts on the occult 
  and the supernatural. His embrace of evil and the dark 
  aspects of spellcasting has made him one of Gothic 
  Earth’s most controversial authors. Most consider him 
  eccentric, a few think he is insane, and a handful see 
  him as a creature of darkness. Crowley’s best known 
  work to date is Songs of the Spirit ( 1898). 
  Curie, Marie (b. 1867): A renowned physicist, 
  Marie Curie is best known for her work with 
  radioactivity and the discovery of radium and 
  polonium in 1898. Born Maria Sklodowska in 
  Warsaw, Poland, she spent many years as a teacher 
  and governess before moving to Paris to study 
  mathematics and physics at the Sorbanne. After 
  receiving her degrees in 1894 and 1895, she met 
  and married the physicist Pierre Curie. The couple 
  has one daughter, Irene, who was born in 1897. 
  Curie, Pierre (b. 1859): One of the best known 
  physicists in France, Curie obtained his doctorate in 
  1896, the same year that he married Marie 
  Sklodowska. Before that time, however, he had 
  distinguished himself for research into the properties 
  of crystals and the discovery of piezoelectricity. He 
  has one daughter, Irene. 
  I 
  Davis, Richard Harding (b. 1864): Davis is one of 
  the most prolific and best-known authors and 
  journalists on Gothic Earth. In his journalistic 
  endeavors, Davis strives for dramatic prose and 
  colorful imagery. His first job as a reporter was with 
  the Philadelphia Recorder, although he later worked 
  for a number of other Philadelphia and New York 
  newspapers. In 1890, he became the managing 
  editor of Harper’s Weekly, a job which he enjoyed 
  because it allowed him to travel around the world in 
  search of good stories and to continue his interests 
  in fiction writing. His first book, an anthology entitled 
  Gallegher and Other Stories was published in 189 1. 
  This was quickly followed by a series of stories 
  about a newsboy-detective compiled in Van Bibber 
  and Others (1892). Davis has earned himself a loyal 
  following, and the world looks forward to his next 
  effort with great anticipation. 
  Scotland, Dewar graduated from the University of 
  Edinburgh and currently serves as a professor both 
  at Cambridge and the Royal Institute of London, 
  posts he has held since the mid-1870’s. In 1891, he 
  discovered a method for producing liquid oxygen in 
  large quantities and, the following year, created the 
  double-walled vacuum bottle or Dewar flask. In 
  1898, he became the first man to liquefy hydrogen. 
  Dix, Dorothy (b. 1870): Dorothy Dix is the pen 
  name of Elizabeth Meriwether, a native of Woodstock, 
  Tennessee. Although she has not yet attained the 
  fame of Nellie Bly, she shows great promise as a 
  journalist, and one can only assume that she has a 
  bright future ahead of her. In 1896, she began her 
  writing career with a column of advice to the lovelorn 
  entitled “Dorothy Dix Talks” in the New Orleans 
  Picayune. She has expressed an interest in crime 
  I 
  Dewar, Sir James (b. 1842): A native of 
  
  WHO’S WH( 
  N GOTHIC EiXRT1Y 
  reporting, but has yet to undertake such endeavors. 
  Doyle, Arthur Conan (b. 1859): Doyle is best 
  known for his work in bringing to light the cases of 
  England’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. 
  A talented author and a skilled physician, he is a 
  close friend of both Holmes and the detective’s 
  companion, Dr. John Watson. Indeed, it is with the 
  latter that he collaborates on the publication of 
  Holmes’s adventures. He is also a great friend of the 
  famous Professor Challenger. On more than one 
  occasion, he has stated his intention to pen an 
  account of one of the professor’s expeditions. 
  Holmes, A Study in Scarlet, appeared in the 1887 
  issue of Beeton’s Christmas Annual. At that time, 
  Doyle was still devoting the majority of his time to 
  the practice of medicine. After 1890, he began 
  writing full time. 
  Doyle also enjoys writing historical novels. Indeed, 
  he considers these works to be far more important 
  than the stories of Holmes’s adventures. To date, his 
  best known efforts in this field are Micah Clarke 
  (1889) and The White Company (1890). 
  Dvorak, Antonin (b. 1841): Dvorak is quite 
  possibly the most admired composer on Gothic 
  Earth. Many say that he is the finest composer of 
  symphonic and chamber music in the 19th 
  century. 
  He traveled to Prague at the age of 16 in order to 
  study the organ and composition. Already an 
  accomplished violinist, he supported himself by 
  teaching music. His fame grew following his 
  composition of Hymnus in 1873, which enjoyed 
  great popularity. With praise from his peers, 
  including Johannes Brahms and Franz Liszt, it was 
  not long before Dvorak was a household name. For 
  a time, Dvorak remained in Germany, becoming a 
  good friend of Brahms. In 1884, however, he began 
  composing and conducting music in England. In 
  1892, he moved to the United States and became 
  director of the New York National Conservatory. 
  Doyle’s first account of the adventures of Sherlock 
  Dvorak’s talent was apparent from an early age. 
  Eastman, George (b. 1854): Perhaps the greatest 
  promoter of photography, Eastman was born in 
  Waterville, New York. His interest in photography led 
  to the creation of photographic plates and, in 1884, 
  flexible film. In 1888, he began to manufacture box 
  cameras as a mass production items intended for 
  amateur photographers. He continues to develop 
  new equipment and to pioneer new techniques in the 
  field of photography. In addition, Eastman is noted 
  for his charitable contributions, particularly to 
  educational institutions, and such revolutionary 
  corporate innovations as an employee profit-sharing 
  program. 
  Edison, Thomas Alva (b. 1847): There can be 
  little debate that Thomas Edison is the most prolific 
  inventor of the 19th century. Although he received 
  only three months of formal education, he was 
  tutored by his mother and became an avid reader. 
  At the age of 12, he took a job selling newspapers 
  and candy on the Grand Trunk Railroad to provide 
  funds for books and laboratory supplies. During this 
  time he first learned telegraphy and, at the age of 
  15, he became manager of a telegraph office. His 
  first inventions, the automatic telegraph receiver 
  and transmitter, were a direct result of this 
  employment. 
  At the age of 2 1, Edison created the stock ticker. 
  With the $40,000 that this earned him, Edison 
  established a shop in Newark, New Jersey where he 
  continued his work. Shortly afterward, he relocated 
  to Menlo Park, N.J. and gave up the manufacturing 
  side of his business to pursue research full time. In 
  1878, he began work on the electric light bulb, 
  which culminated a year later in the creation of a 
  220-volt lamp employing carbonized cotton 
  filaments that glowed for 40 hours. 
  In 1882, he installed the first large-scale central 
  power station on New York City’s Pearl Street. These 
  steam-driven generators created 900 horsepower 
  and provided sufficient electrical current to light 
  7,200 lamps. In 1892, his Edison Electric Light 
  Company (founded in 1878) merged with several 
  other firms to form the General Electric Company, 
  one of the largest manufacturing concerns in the 
  United States. 
  Despite his fame for his discoveries in the field of 
  electricity, the phonograph (patented in 1877) is the 
  discovery of which he is most proud. There is no 
  doubt that the close of the 19th century will see 
  Edison in possession of several hundred patents for 
  a wide range of devices. 
  
  Freud, Sigmund (b. 1856): Recent techniques in 
  the study of mental illness and the workings of the 
  human mind promise great advances. There is 
  perhaps no name more demanding of recognition in 
  these blossoming fields than that of Sigmund Freud. 
  Born in Freiberg, Moravia, Freud moved to Vienna at 
  a young age and he resides there to this day. 
  Freud‘s parents encouraged their obviously gifted 
  son and taught him the values of analytical thought 
  and skepticism. By the age of 8, Freud was well versed 
  in the works of Shakespeare and the classics which 
  formed the foundation of European literature. Opting to 
  pursue a career in medicine, Freud was guided by 
  such noted figures as Emst von Brucke and Theodor 
  Meynert. Among his earliest works were investigations 
  of infantile cerebral paralysis and aphasia. 
  In 1886, Freud married Martha Bemays and, in 
  order to support his wife, turned away from research 
  in order to pursue a more traditional medical 
  practice. His interest in neurology was sparked by 
  Josef Breuer’s use of hypnosis and a friendship with 
  Jean Martin Charcot. In 1895, he and Breuer 
  published Studies in Hysteria, a book that is 
  generally regarded as the foundation of a new field 
  known as psychoanalysis. Freud’s belief that 
  sexuality played a great role in many psychological 
  disorders distanced him from Breuer eventually, but 
  the former was by then so well established as to be 
  able to continue on his own. 
  In 1896, Freud’s father died. This, in conjunction 
  with Breuer’s disassociation, proved a traumatic 
  experience for the young man. Enlisting the aid of 
  his close friend Wilhelm Fliess, Freud began to 
  pursue an extensive program of self analysis at this 
  time. Eventually, Freud regained his confidence and 
  became even more adamant than before about the 
  path his researches must take. 
  At the time of this writing, the brilliant Dr. Freud is 
  beginning research into the field of dreams and their 
  meanings. He promises a major publication on the 
  subject in the near future, one that many believe will 
  be as important a work as his Studies in Hysteria. 
  Overton, Pennsylvania, Frick became a millionaire 
  as the head of a company that supplied coke to the 
  mills of the rapidly expanding steel empire of 
  Frick, Henry Clay (b. 1849): Born in West 
  
  1 
  Andrew Carnegie. His relationship with Carnegie led 
  the magnate to make Frick the chairman of his steel 
  company in 1889. In 1892, while attempting to 
  break a strike that had halted production in the mills, 
  Frick was stabbed and shot by Alexander Berkman, 
  an anarchist bent on destroying Carnegie. Frick 
  recovered, and continues in the employ of Mr. 
  Carnegie to this day. As a philanthropist, Frick is 
  second only to Carnegie in his gifts to the charities, 
  schools, and institutions of the Pittsburgh area. 
  Gauguin, Paul (b. 1848): Since the beginning of 
  his career in the 1870’s, Gauguin has proven himself 
  to be one of the most remarkable postimpressionist 
  painters in the world. His work is marked by colors 
  and compositions that will no doubt influence 
  painters for decades to come. 
  Born in France, Gauguin spent four years of his 
  childhood in Peru. This experience had a profound 
  effect upon him, influencing him throughout his life. 
  In 1865, he joined the merchant navy and made 
  several long sea voyages, all of which further 
  broadened his character. Although interested in 
  painting since childhood, Gauguin did not express a 
  serious interest in the medium prior to his meeting of 
  Camille Pissarro in 1875. This, combined with the 
  financial crash of 1882, which left him unemployed, 
  prodded the artist to look at his work as something 
  more than a hobby. 
  Prior to the middle of the 1880’s, Gauguin’s work 
  brought him neither financial nor critical success. 
  Abandoning his wife and family, the artist returned 
  to France (he had moved to Copenhagen in 1884), 
  accompanied only by his son Clovis. This marked 
  an important period in his career, for he began to 
  work with ceramics and sculpture as well as paint. In 
  1888, he painted Vision After The Sermon, a work 
  that defined him as an artist of great perception. 
  After spending a few months in the company of 
  Vincent Van Gogh in 1888, Gauguin continued to 
  develop his style, which he called synthetism 
  because it combined elements of mystery and 
  suggestiveness not unlike those found in symbolic 
  literature. 
  In 189 1, Gauguin left France for Tahiti, where he 
  began to paint the great beauty of that tropical land. 
  His works there reflected the cycle of birth, life, and 
  death. Although he returned to France from 1893 to 
  1895, he found himself drawn back to Tahiti, where 
  I 
  he resides to this day. After completing what he 
  considered his last testament, Where Do We Come 
  From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?, the 
  artist attempted to take his own life in 1898. 
  Gilbert, William Schwenk (b. 1836): Best known 
  for his partnership with Arthur Sullivan, William Gilbert 
  ranks among Gothic Earth’s most talented writers and 
  composers. His operettas are noted for their satirical 
  wit, clever plots, comical characters, and entertaining 
  music. The first Gilbert and Sullivan musical, Thespis 
  ( 187 1 ), was not very successful; neither was their 
  1875 production of Trial by Jury, although this 
  unusual operetta did attract the attention of certain 
  critics. Finally, in 1877, they released The Sorcerer, 
  their first publicly acclaimed work. 
  With the release of HMS Pinafore in 1878 and The 
  Pirates offenzance in 1879, the pair became famous 
  throughout Europe and the United States. During the 
  1880’s, Gilbert and Sullivan produced numerous plays 
  and delighted audiences throughout the western 
  world. By 1890, the pair had produced Patience 
  ( 1881 ) , Iolanthe ( 1882), Princess Ida ( 1884), Mikado 
  (1885), Ruddigore (1887), The Yeomen of the Guard 
  ( 1888), and The Gondoliers ( 1889). 
  Following a quarrel between the famous pair in 
  1890, they ceased working together until 1893. After 
  their reunion, however, their works lacked the charm 
  and originality they once had. Because of this, their 
  Utopia Limited ( 1893) and The Grand Duke ( 1896) 
  were not well received. 
  Gorky, Maksim (b. 1868): One of Russia’s up- 
  and-coming writers and political activists, Maksim 
  Gorky is the pseudonym of Aleksei Maksimovich. 
  Gorky was born to an impoverished middle-class 
  family in Nizhni-Novgorod. His father died when he 
  was five and he was then sent to live with his 
  maternal grandmother. Shortly after, at the age of 
  eight, Gorky was sent to work. This began a difficult 
  period in his life which ended with him becoming a 
  vagabond and undertaking a life that included many 
  odd jobs and numerous adventures. During this 
  time, he met the rebellious, freedom-loving tramps 
  who would inspire his later works. Indeed, the stories 
  he wrote about these times, including Makar Chudra 
  in 1892 and Chelkash in 1895, ended his time as a 
  transient. 
  As the 19th century draws to a close, Gorky has 
  begun to reject the antisocial nihilism of the hobo, 
  although he remains strongly drawn to the 
  independence that they represent. It is unclear what 
  the future holds for Gorky, but it seems certain that 
  he will be a literary force to be reckoned with well 
  into the 20th century. 
  Grace, William Russell (b. 1832): A native of 
  Ireland, Grace ran away from home at a young age 
  and took to the sea. Eventually, he made his way to 
  
  Peru and opened a shipping company with his brother. 
  In 1865, this growing firm became W. R. Grace 
  & Company. While his company prospered, Grace 
  was elected mayor of New York City in 1880 and 
  again in 1884, becoming the first Roman Catholic 
  to hold the office. By the middle of the 1890’s, W. 
  R. Grace & Company had come to dominate 
  shipping between the United States and Latin 
  America. Efforts on behalf of the government of 
  Peru allowed the company to acquire huge 
  mineral, land, and rail concessions there, further 
  adding to Grace’s wealth. 
  I 
  Hale, George Ellery (b. 1868): A skilled 
  astronomer, Hale is noted for his observations of the 
  sun, including the discovery of the magnetic fields of 
  sunspots, and his invention of the spectroheliograph. 
  He convinced millionaire Charles T. Yerkes to 
  finance an observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, 
  which opened in 1897. 
  Hardy, Thomas (b. 1840): A native of Upper 
  Bockhampton, Dorset, Harding is one of the most 
  widely read novelists in the western world. His 
  father was a skilled craftsman and a master 
  mason, and his mother was an intellectual woman 
  with a great love for literature that she passed on 
  to her son. Although he had no formal education 
  after the age of 16, Hardy’s love of the Latin 
  classics and the English Bible both eventually 
  played an important role in his writing. 
  In 1862, Hardy traveled to London and became 
  familiar with the concepts put forward by Charles 
  Darwin in his recently published Origin of the 
  Species. This brought about a crisis of faith for the 
  young man, which eventually led to his loss of 
  orthodox religious beliefs. He also discovered the 
  poetry of Robert Browning and Algernon Charles 
  Swinburne at this time, trying his own hand 
  unsuccessfully at that style of writing for a time. 
  Upon his return to Bockhampton in 1867, he began 
  to write fiction. 
  in quality. His first published work was Desperate 
  Remedies (1871), which most describe as 
  melodramatic. His subsequent social comedies, 
  like The Hand ofEthelberta (1876), or attempts at 
  class consciousness, such as Laodicean ( 1881 ), 
  were generally seen as inconsequential and trite. 
  When he writes of the rural settings in which he 
  was raised and employs a more classical form, as 
  in Far from the Maddening Crowd ( 1874), his 
  writing is passionate and tragic. 
  Hardy’s best work centers on the mythical 
  countryside of Wessex and the timeless Egdon 
  Heath, which plays a role in all his major writings. 
  Perhaps the best example of this is The Return of the 
  Natiue, published in 1879, which tells the tragic 
  story of Eustacia Vye. His later works build upon the 
  techniques he established in these works, resulting 
  in such classics as The Mayor of Casterbridge 
  (1886), Tess of the D’Urberuilles (1891), and Jude 
  the Obscure ( 1895). The examinations of sexuality 
  and marriage that he presented in the latter two 
  works caused a great outcry throughout Europe and 
  the United States. Indeed, as the century closes, this 
  response has made Hardy foreswear the novel and 
  return to the writing of poetry. Whether he will be 
  successful in this new venture, only time will tell. 
  Harker, Jonathan (b. 1870): Harker was born 
  and educated in London. Although not an 
  outstanding student, he proved hardworking and 
  determined; he received his degree and was 
  promptly accepted as an apprentice for Edgegate 
  & Waterson (the well-known shipping firm) as a 
  solicitor’s clerk. Shortly thereafter, he was offered 
  a position in the offices of Peter Hawkins in Exeter. 
  Hawkins saw the drive in Harker’s personality and 
  encouraged him to take his Solicitor’s examination 
  as soon as possible. In 1889, he did so; upon 
  learning of his success, Harker was promoted to a 
  junior partner in the firm. 
  business trip to Transylvania. While on the 
  continent, he was stricken with a violent brain fever 
  and spent many months in a sanitorium before 
  recovering and returning to England. 
  Upon his homecoming, Harker learned of the 
  death of Peter Hawkins. He discovered that the 
  whole of their business was now his and that Mr. 
  Hawkins had left him a considerable sum of 
  money. Harker continued to pursue his business 
  and legal interests, and has amassed considerable 
  Critics generally agree that his works are uneven 
  Soon afterward, Harker undertook a routine 
  
  wealth and quite a reputation for himself. 
  Women’s Suffrage in Great Britain. She often helps 
  with her husband’s business, having a keen mind for 
  figures as well as being an excellent typist. The 
  couple has one son, Quincy, who was bom in 1890. 
  His wife, Mina, is active in the campaign for 
  changes such as the popular election of senators, a 
  graduated income tax, and the power of unions. 
  Hearst’s friends and enemies alike recognize that he 
  is rapidly becoming a political juggernaut whose 
  power will undoubtedly continue well into the 20th 
  century and, perhaps, for generations to come. 
  Hearst, William Randolph (b. 1863): As the 
  publisher of several newspapers across the United 
  States, Hearst is undoubtedly one of the most 
  powerful men in America. His father, a mining 
  magnate and U.S. senator, purchased the San 
  Francisco Examiner in 1880. After William Hearst 
  was expelled from Harvard, he became the editor of 
  his father’s paper. By hiring a skilled staff and 
  employing the sensationalist techniques that were to 
  become known as “yellow journalism,” he soon 
  challenged the long established San Francisco 
  Chronicle for readership. By 1893, the Examiner 
  surpassed the Chronicle’s readership to become the 
  most widely read newspaper in San Francisco. 
  In 1895, Hearst moved to New York City and 
  purchased the Morning Journal. A bitter competition 
  between the Journal and Joseph Pulitzer’s New York 
  World quickly followed. It was during this feud that 
  Hearst’s style of opinionated, melodramatic reporting 
  came to be called “yellow journalism.” In order to 
  keep up with Hearst, Pulitzer began to emulate his 
  rival. The pinnacle of the battle between Hearst and 
  Pulitzer came in their coverage of the Spanish- 
  American War. (It was even said that Hearst was 
  responsible for starting the war in order to 
  manufacture headlines.) During coverage of the war, 
  Hearst continued with his trademark style of reporting, 
  while Pulitzer began to back away from it and return to 
  a more even-handed journalistic approach. 
  Hearst continues to build a chain of newspapers 
  with the express goal of creating a journalistic 
  empire. He is an advocate of progressive political 
  Holmes, Mycroft (b. 1865): Older brother of 
  London’s famous consulting detective, Mycroft 
  Holmes is a fixture at the prestigious Diogenese 
  Club. Like his more famous brother, Mycroft is 
  possessed of a flawless memory and an almost 
  inhuman analytical ability. On more than one 
  occasion, the younger Holmes has remarked that 
  Mycroft is his intellectual superior. Even if that is 
  true, however, Mycroft Holmes is not possessed of 
  the drive that his brother exhibits. As such, he has 
  no desire to seek out the mysteries that allow his 
  brother to earn his living. 
  Holmes’s intelligence has won him a position of 
  some importance in the government, although the 
  details of this employ are a matter of great secrecy. 
  Holmes, Sherlock (b. 1867): Amid the ranks of 
  Gothic Earth’s criminals, there is no name more 
  feared or respected than that of Mr. Sherlock 
  Holmes. It is said that there is no greater detective in 
  the world. 
  Holmes has studied at a number of prestigious 
  schools, but has never completed any formal 
  education program or received a degree of any sort. 
  He is a masterful chemist, a talented criminologist, 
  and possesses a good grasp of the physical and social 
  sciences. These skills, combined with his brilliant 
  analytical mind and almost perfect memory, enable 
  him to solve virtually any mystery put before him. 
  Despite his abrupt and often caustic manner, 
  Holmes has forged strong friendships with Dr. John 
  Watson and the noted writer Arthur Conan Doyle. 
  During his investigations, he frequently relies upon 
  the former for medical advice. Doyle and Watson 
  have collaborated in the chronicling of Holmes’s 
  adventures, beginning in 1887 with A Study in 
  Scarlet. Other notable exploits in the life of the 
  detective can be found in The Ad----tures of 
  
  Sherlock Holmes ( 189 1 ) and The Memoirs of 
  Sherlock Holmes (1 893). 
  The last of these volumes carries an account of 
  Holmes’s death near the falls of Reichenbach ( 1892) 
  at the hands of his archnemesis, Professor Moriarty. 
  Some consolation can be taken from the fact that 
  Holmes appears to have brought an end to the life of 
  that great villain at the same time. 
  revealed that Holmes did not actually die at 
  Reichenbach. Rather, he allowed the world to believe 
  he was dead so that he might more easily continue 
  his investigations into what remained of Moriarty’s 
  criminal network. Only when his work was complete 
  did he reveal to the world that he was alive. 
  Houdini, Harry (b. 1874): Originally named 
  Ehrich Weiss, Houdini adopted his current stage 
  name in honor of the french stage magician Robert- 
  Houdin. Although he claims to have been born in 
  Appleton, Wisconsin, much evidence exists to 
  support the belief that he hails from Budapest. 
  Houdini began his career as a professional 
  magician in 1891 and is currently building a great 
  reputation for himself. His greatest talent appears to 
  be as an escape artist, and it is for this that he will 
  most probably be remembered. 
  Several years later, however, in 1897, it was 
  Humperdmck, Engelbert (b. 1854): This noted 
  German composer has won many awards and has 
  received much critical acclaim. He is best known for 
  his recent opera, H2insel and Gretel(l893). As a 
  young man, he studied under such noted musicians as 
  Ferdinand Hiller, Joseph Rheinberger, and Franz 
  Lachner before traveling throughout Europe from 
  1879 to 188 1. He has worked with Richard Wagner 
  and, in addition to his skill at composition, has shown 
  himself to be a talented journalist through his musical 
  reviews in the FrankF_lrter Zeitung. Humperdinck’s 
  work is often based on fairy tales and shows the great 
  influence that Wagner has had in his art. 
  Irving, Sir Henry (b. 1838): Bom John Henry 
  Brodribb, Henry Irving has been one of the best-loved 
  actors and directors on Gothic Earth almost since the 
  day he first appeared on stage in 1856. Originally 
  from Somerset, he was educated for a career in 
  business and spent some time as a London clerk 
  before beginning to tour with a small theater group. In 
  187 1, he played the role of Mathian in Lewis’s 7he 
  Bells at London’s Lyceum Theatre, earning critical 
  acclaim and renown. In 1878, he took over the 
  management of the Lyceum and ushered in a new age 
  for London theater. Among his most respected 
  performances were Hamlet (1874), Shylock (1878), 
  Twelfth Night ( 1884), Tennyson’s The Cup ( 188 1 ) 
  and Becket ( 1893), and Cymbeline ( 1896). He was 
  knighted in 1895, becoming the first actor so honored. 
  In addition to his acting and directing success, 
  Irving contributed many innovations to theatrical art, 
  including the increased use of stage lighting and the 
  darkening of the theater during performances. 
  Oddly, Irving’s performance in the lead role of 
  Macbeth in 1889 was not well received, and he 
  seems to be having difficulty recovering from that 
  outing. Perhaps his career will soon draw to a close. 
  Even if that is the case, he can certainly look back 
  on a productive and brilliant career. 
  James, Henry (b. 1843): Henry James grew up in a 
  wealthy family with four siblings and a generally 
  nurturing environment. His parents traveled throughout 
  Europe and North America, seldom settling in one 
  place for very long. In this way, young Henry was 
  exposed to many cultures and had a chance to study 
  numerous languages. When the American Civil War 
  erupted, James was excused from service due to a 
  back injury. As he watched his country battle itself, he 
  became a detached observer of the world’s political and 
  social environment. At the age of 21, he published his 
  first two works, both anonymously. These were 
  followed by numerous reviews and short pieces of 
  
  fiction, all of which were eagerly accepted by the 
  magazines of the day. Eventually, he published his first 
  two books in 1875 and 1876. 
  With the success of those works, James traveled to 
  Paris where he would live for many years. During this 
  time, he published The American (1 877) and became 
  good friends with authors like Guy de Maupassant and 
  Emile Zola. In 1876, he moved to London, which he 
  called “the great grey Babylon” and met Alfred, Lord 
  Tennyson, Robert Browning, and many other noted 
  English authors. His early years in London saw the 
  publication of Daisy Miller (1878) and the beginning 
  of his masterpiece, Portrait of a Lady ( 188 1 ) . Since 
  that time, James has published numerous short 
  stories and a trio of novels. While these have been 
  generally well received, his efforts to write popular 
  drama have not gone as well. 
  Despite this, James’s future as a writer seems 
  bright. Even if he never becomes a successful 
  playwright, his pen will no doubt continue to 
  produce gripping short stories and thought- 
  provoking novels, all of which are certain to make 
  him one of the brightest stars in the literary heavens. 
  Jameson, Sir Leander Starr (b. 1853): Jameson 
  immigrated to South Africa from his native England in 
  1878. He soon became a close friend of Cecil Rhodes 
  and, in 1891, was appointed the Colonial 
  Administrator of Mashonaland. In December of 1895, 
  he led a raid in the Transvaal area of South Africa in 
  an attempt to link up with the Uitlanders. Jameson’s 
  entire force was captured and Cecil Rhodes, then 
  Prime Minister of the Cape Colony, was forced to 
  resign because of his part in the action. There can be 
  little doubt that this aborted raid was one of the major 
  causes of the Boer War, which began in 1899 and 
  shows no sign of coming to a quick end. 
  For his part, Jameson will meet the coming of the 
  20th century from his prison cell, but seems certain 
  to have all the friends and contacts he needs to 
  return to a position of power in South Africa as soon 
  as he is released. 
  Jekyll, Dr. Henry (b. 1857): Amid the medical 
  circles of London, no man is more beloved than 
  Henry Jekyll. In addition to his reputation as a 
  physician and chemist, his hours of volunteer work 
  respect of his peers and patients alike. 
  Recently, Dr. Jekyll has been devoting a great 
  deal of time and attention to his experiments in 
  chemistry. He has been very secretive about the 
  nature of this work, however, and the medical 
  community can only speculate about its nature. 
  with the poor and suffering have won him the 
  Kipling, Rudyard (b. 1865): There can be little 
  doubt that Kipling’s most recognized works have 
  been for children. His recent The Jungle Book 
  (1 894) and The Second Jungle Book ( 1895) have 
  delighted readers around the world. To classify him 
  strictly as an author of juvenile fiction, however, is to 
  do this learned and talented man a great disservice. 
  Kipling was born in Bombay and was educated in 
  England. Much of this unhappy period in his life was 
  described in the short story Baa, Baa, Blacksheep 
  (1888). Upon his return to India in 1882, he found 
  work as a journalist, but made his way back to 
  England in 1889. Here, he quickly fell in with the 
  rest of literary society and published the 
  semiautobiographical The Light that Failed in 1890. 
  Kipling’s other writings continue to reflect both his 
  own life and the culture of India. The middle of the 
  1890’s found him visiting the United States, a 
  voyage that spawned his 1897 work Captains 
  Courageous. In addition to short stories and novels, 
  he has proven himself to be a skilled journalist and 
  poet, as demonstrated by Barrack-Room Ballads 
  ( 1892) and The Seven Seas (1 896). 
  Kitchener, Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl (b. 
  1850): As the Commander-in-Chief of Britain’s 
  Egyptian army, Kitchener has proven himself to 
  be both a skilled soldier and a clever diplomat. 
  First commissioned by the Royal Engineers in 
  187 1, he was attached to the Egyptian army in 
  1883 and became its Commander-in-Chief nine 
  years later. 
  His efforts against the Mahdists in the Sudan, and 
  especially his victory at the Battle of Omdurman in 
  1898, won him the respect of allies and enemies 
  alike. His peaceful resolution of the Fashoda Incident 
  that same year may well have averted an all-out war 
  between England and France. With the outbreak of 
  the South African (Boer) War, Kitchener was 
  
  assigned as Chief of Staff to Frederick Sleigh 
  Roberts. There is almost certainly no finer military 
  man in the world today. 
  Kruger, Paul (b. 1825): Kruger has been 
  President of South Africa’s Boer Republic since 
  1883, but this is only the latest of many posts held 
  by this tough, resourceful man. As a child in the 
  Cape Colony, Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger 
  and his family moved north with the Great Treks 
  ( 1835, 1840) and helped to settle the Transvaal 
  region. Kruger grew into a severe Calvinist. 
  in 1863. In 1877, when Britain annexed the region, 
  Kruger accepted a post in the new government, only 
  to be released from service within a year. Following 
  the region’s brief battle for independence ( 1880-8 1 ), 
  Kruger became president of the republic. 
  Transvaal area has led to a number of changes in 
  the political structure of that state. Perhaps the most 
  important of these is an influx of European 
  immigrants seeking work in themines. Dubbing 
  them Uitlanders (foreigners), he has refused to grant 
  them any political rights. It was this which resulted in 
  Starr Jameson’s unofficial raid in 1895. Although 
  these intruders, who were members of the British 
  military, were halted and captured, their actions 
  He became Commandant-General of the Transvaal 
  In recent years, the discovery of gold in the 
  enraged Kruger. This, more than any other action, 
  resulted in the 1899 invasion of Natal and the Cape . 
  Colony that signaled the start of the Boer War. 
  Leo XIII, Pope (b. 1810): Born Gioacchino 
  Vincenzo Pecci, Leo XI11 became the leader of the 
  Catholic Church in 1878. He grew up in Carpineto, 
  Italy without knowing want, but after his ordination 
  (1837), this changed. As a member of the church’s 
  administrative service, he was appointed governor of 
  Benevento ( 1838), governor of Perugia ( 184 1 ), and 
  nuncio to Brussels (1843). As a result of these 
  duties and the numerous diplomatic missions that he 
  undertook throughout Europe, he became aware of 
  the lower class and the suffering that such people 
  often endured. Since his election as pope in 1878, 
  Leo Xlll has proven himself to be possessed of both 
  a keen mind and a compassionate heart. 
  Among the first actions undertaken by Leo XI11 
  was the reversal of many of the conservative policies 
  established by his predecessor, Pius IX. This resulted 
  
  IWMO’S WH 
  IN GOTHIC E-ARTM 
  in the restoration of good relations between the 
  vatican and Germany with the ending of the 
  Kulturkampf stalema, and improved ties with Great 
  Britain, Russia, and Japan. In 1898, he further 
  expanded the influence of the church by establishing 
  an apostolic delegation to Washington, D.C. 
  His attempts to ease tensions with France and 
  Italy were not as successful. Italy refused to restore 
  papal sovereignty over Rome, something the church 
  desperately desired. He was also unable to persuade 
  church leaders in France to support the Third 
  Republic, a failure that has resulted in a great 
  increase in anti-Catholic sentiments of both the 
  French government and citizenry. 
  pontificate have involved his efforts regarding social 
  issues. On May 15, 1891, he issued his encyclical 
  Rerum Novarum, which addressed the condition of 
  workers in an increasingly industrialized world. It 
  established guidelines for church policy and 
  emphasized the duties of both employers and 
  workers. Among the most important elements of the 
  encyclical were support for collective bargaining, fair 
  wages, and the respect of private property. 
  Leo’s belief in education for the masses led him to 
  open the Vatican archives to all scholars. Further, he 
  made great strides in reconciling the traditional 
  elements of the church with the rapidly expanding 
  elements of scientific progress. By embracing 
  modern research and technological advancements, 
  he has done much to bring the church out of the 
  Middle Ages and into the 19th century. 
  world may be short, Leo XllI will certainly be 
  remembered as a man of compassion and 
  intelligence. His influence on the policies of the 
  Catholic Church and its relationship with the rest of 
  the world will be felt for decades to come. 
  The most important aspects of Leo XIll’s 
  Although his health is failing and his time on this 
  Lowell, Percival (b. 1855): One of the foremost 
  astronomers on Gothic Earth, Lowell is best known for 
  his study of the Martian canals and his belief that life 
  exists on that distant world. In addition to his interest 
  in astronomy, Lowell is a skilled businessman, 
  diplomat, author, and student of the Orient. In 1894, 
  he founded Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. 
  Mach, Ernst (b. 1838): As both a philosopher and 
  a scientist, Ernst Mach’s work has played a major 
  role in the reconfiguring of research techniques and 
  the acceptance of past beliefs. Mach is best known 
  for his assertion which he calls “a realistic 
  positivistic philosophy that is based upon the actual 
  physiology of sensations.” He is an expert in many 
  fields and has published masterful works involving 
  studies of heat and mechanics as well as 
  comparisons of physics and metaphysics. In 1887, 
  he conducted a series of airflow experiments that 
  resulted in his discovery of the speed of sound. 
  and stubborn. He is adamant in his refusal to accept 
  any statement without some manner of empirical 
  verification. He has even gone so far as to challenge 
  Newton’s model of absolute space and time. Mach 
  dismisses the idea of “ether,” which some of his 
  contemporaries see as an elemental aspect of 
  physics. As both a thinker and skeptic, Emst Mach 
  is without equal. 
  Machen, Arthur (b. 1863): Machen, an author of 
  Welsh descent, is an up-and-coming writer who has 
  chosen to focus his attention on the occult and 
  supernatural. His 1894 novel, The Great God Pan, 
  caused quite a stir when it was published. 
  Marconi became greatly interested in the rapidly 
  evolving study of electricity. When he learned of 
  Heinrich Hertz’s experiments with electromagnetic 
  waves, Marconi became convinced that it must be 
  possible to use them for the transmission of 
  information. He envisioned a type of telegraph that 
  used no wires. 
  Marconi began his research in 1894 by repeating a 
  number of Hertz’s experiments. He made 
  modifications and employed improved equipment that 
  led to his discovery of wireless telegraphy. He offered 
  his new invention to the Italian government, but they 
  had no interest in it. In 1896, he patented the new 
  device in London and found financial backing to 
  continue his research. By 1897, Marconi had formed 
  his Wireless Telegraph Company and continued to 
  improve upon his invention. While many express 
  doubt that this invention will ever have any practical 
  application, others insist that future generations will 
  depend upon wireless telegraphy. 
  Mach is considered by his peers to be both brilliant 
  Marconi, Guglielmo (b. 1874): As a young man, 
  
  McKinley, William (b. 1843): First elected to 
  congress in 1876, William McKinley has proven to 
  be one of the most influential politicians in American 
  history. His swift resolution of the Spanish-American 
  War enabled him to elevate the sagging prestige of 
  the presidency and showed the world that the United 
  States intended to be a global power. 
  A native of Ohio, McKinley was the youngest of 
  seven children. After briefly attending Allegheny 
  College, he enlisted in the 23rd Ohio Volunteers and 
  served in the Civil War. He saw combat at Antietam 
  and in the Shenandoah Valley, and eventually left 
  the service with the brevet rank of Major. In 1867, he 
  was admitted to the bar and opened a law office in 
  Canton, Ohio. Two years later, he became a 
  prosecuting attorney. 
  The couple had two children, both of whom died 
  tragically at very young ages (in 1873 and 1875). 
  The trauma of this loss was so great as to ruin Ida’s 
  health, making her an invalid. A devoted husband, 
  McKinley cared for her faithfully until she recovered. 
  The patience and compassion that this experience 
  engendered in him has proven to be a great asset in 
  his political career. 
  McKinley has been a fixture in Washington. During 
  his time as a member of the House of 
  Representatives, McKinley fought for protective 
  legislation and high tariffs. Such controls, McKinley 
  argued, would protect U.S. jobs and help all sectors 
  of the American economy. Throughout his career, 
  McKinley has been able to maintain the backing of 
  labor and gain the support of wage earners. His 
  philosophy in matters of international trade are 
  evident in the McKinley Tariff of 1890, which the 
  Representative lobbied for while serving as chairman 
  of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. 
  Although he lost his seat in the House in the 
  Democratic sweep of 1890, McKinley would not 
  leave politics. During his absence from Washington, 
  he served as governor of Ohio and used his political 
  skills to campaign for other Republican candidates. 
  In 1896, McKinley easily won the nomination as 
  the Republican candidate for the office of President. 
  With Cleveland businessman Mark Hanna running 
  his campaign, McKinley fought a masterful battle 
  against the Democratic contender, William Jennings 
  Bryan. Much of the election centered on McKinley’s 
  support for the gold standard and Bryan’s free-silver 
  platform. McKinley’s history of economic 
  protectionism and high tariffs, combined with his 
  campaign focus on social harmony and economic 
  reconstruction, were well received by a country that 
  was only starting to recover from the economic 
  chaos that marked the middle of the decade. 
  McKinley married Ida Saxton in January of 187 1. 
  From his first election to Congress in 1876, 
  McKinley’s close friendship with Hanna was and is a 
  subject of much debate across the country. While the 
  President scoffs at suggestions that he is nothing more 
  than Hanna’s puppet, speculation to the contrary is 
  widespread among McKinley’s political enemies. 
  Once he was inaugurated president, McKinley found 
  himself facing more than just the domestic issues that 
  had won him his office. From the day he was elected, 
  McKinley was forced to confront the issue of Spanish 
  military efforts in Cuba. The increasingly brutal 
  oppression of Cuban nationals by Spain was seen as 
  barbaric and cruel by most Americans. Political 
  pressure calling for an independent Cuba failed, and 
  the President referred the matter to Congress. 
  Following the destruction of the battleship Maine in 
  Havana Harbor, the United States declared itself to be 
  at war with Spain on April 25, 1898. 
  The war, which is detailed elsewhere in this book, 
  was brief and one-sided. When it was over, however, 
  the United States had proven itself to be a world 
  power. For McKinley, this meant the resolution of 
  many decisions regarding the fate of Cuba, Puerto 
  Rico, and the Philippine Islands, all of which had 
  been ceded to the United States as a result of the 
  war. At the same time, however, McKinley continued 
  to face the issue of Hawaiian independence. 
  While no one can claim to know the future, it 
  seems certain that McKinley’s presidency will go 
  down in history as a turning point for the United 
  States. With the 20th century looming before him, 
  America’s 25th president must lead his nation, 
  which is just over a century old, against European 
  and Asian powers that have existed for over a 
  thousand years. 
  Mesmer, Professor Anna (b. 1865): There can be 
  no doubt that Professor Mesmer is the world’s 
  greatest authority on the powers of the mind. While 
  many have accused her of falsifying test results, no 
  
  one has ever proven her to be dishonest. 
  nearly her entire life. In 1887, she graduated from 
  Vienna’s prestigious Langmann University of 
  Physiology and Psychology, taking top honors in her 
  class. Shortly afterward, she moved to Switzerland, 
  purchased a large estate some 20 miles south of 
  Berne, and opened a private research center. In the 
  years since, the Franz Mesmer Institute for the Study 
  of Psychic Phenomenon has shocked the scientific 
  world with claims of amazing discoveries and 
  mysterious occurrences. Mesmer has been denounced 
  as a fraud by the majority of the scientific community. 
  In 1890, Mesmer closed the Mesmer Institute and 
  vanished from the public eye. Recently, reports have 
  come from both South America and the Far East 
  that she is on the verge of a great discovery and will 
  soon present the world with overwhelming proof of 
  her past claims. 
  Mesmer was born in Austria, where she has lived 
  Monet, Claude Oscar (b. 1840): Regarded by 
  many as the father of impressionism, Monet’s 
  special talent is recording the transient elements of a 
  scene. He considers the capture of lighting and 
  atmosphere to be central to his artwork. 
  As a boy, Monet was fascinated by the constantly 
  changing world around him. From his home on the 
  northem coast of France, he saw the interactions of 
  sky and sea, the seasonal variations of the 
  landscape, and the effects of winter and summer on 
  the people of his native Le Havre. 
  In 1855, Monet moved to Paris and attended the 
  Academie Suisse, where he met Camille Pissaro. 
  Although his studies where interrupted by military 
  service, he eventually enrolled in the studio of 
  Charles Gleyre, where he became friends with 
  Pierre Renoir, Frederic Bazille, and Alfred Sisley. 
  His work with Renoir brought him to the attention of 
  the art world, and he began to emerge as a leading 
  figure in outdoor impressionism. Throughout the 
  second half of the 187O’s, Monet worked almost 
  exclusively with subjects that were oddly lighted, 
  such as a sparkling river, or on painting a single 
  subject from numerous angles. 
  endured poverty until the 1880’s. With the onset of 
  that decade, however, his paintings began to draw 
  higher prices and his standard of living rose 
  correspondingly. By 1890, the artist had built a fine 
  home for himself in Giverney. 
  Over the last few years, he has returned to his 
  practice of painting a single subject from various 
  angles. Many of his most recent works have also 
  focused on the lily pond that he built beside his home. 
  Monet’s fascination with light and transience is 
  matched only by the public’s fascination with his work. 
  Murray, Sir John (b. 1841): Born in Cobourg, 
  Ontario, Sir John has had a major influence on the 
  study of marine geology. In many circles, he is 
  credited with creating a new branch of science 
  generally referred to as oceanography. The basis of 
  this new science is the 52-volume treatise he 
  compiled while sailing the world’s oceans aboard 
  H.M.S. Challenger. 
  came to the attention of C. Wyville Thomson, 
  scientific director of the British Naval Expedition 
  aboard the Challenger. For the next three and a half 
  years, he served as Thomson’s assistant, devoting 
  most of his attention to sea bottom sediments. 
  Following Thomson’s death in 1882, Murray 
  continued on with this work alone. Although financial 
  difficulties placed the project in jeopardy several 
  times, the last of his 52 reports was published in 1895. 
  The conclusion of this work has not slackened 
  Murray’s interest in the oceans. As he is possessed 
  of an almost inexhaustible wealth, it seems certain 
  that it will be only a matter of time before he 
  undertakes his next expedition. 
  Despite his growing recognition as an artist, Monet 
  Murray’s career effectively began in 1872 when he 
  Nansen, Fridtjof (b. 1861): Of the many 
  explorers hoping to win the race to the North Pole, 
  few are better known or more respected than 
  Norwegian-born Fridtjof Nansen. His reputation is 
  well deserved, as he undertook his first expedition to 
  the Arctic while still a student at Christiania 
  University (1882). He later sought to prove that the 
  interior of Greenland was ice-covered, something he 
  accomplished by skiing across the peninsula from 
  east to west in 1888. 
  Nansen also theorized that a major ocean current 
  
  flowed under the ice cap from Siberia. In order to 
  prove this, he constructed the Fram, a vessel designed 
  to survive a long period frozen in ice. In September of 
  1893, he intentionally imbedded the Fram in the ice 
  pack, where it began to drift. Nansen then left the ship 
  behind and went on to lead an expedition (using skis, 
  kayaks, and dog sleds) to reach the North Pole. The 
  expedition failed, however, and Nansen’s team 
  returned to Norway. Within a month of his arrival, the 
  Fram also reached Norway, proving the existence of 
  Nansen’s Siberian current. 
  As the 19th century draws to a close and the race 
  for the North Pole continues, one cannot help but 
  imagine that Fridjof Nansen will be among the most 
  ardent contenders. 
  Olds, Ransom Eli (b. 1864): Born in Geneva, 
  Ohio, Ransom Olds has been fascinated by 
  machines and engines his entire life. In recent 
  years, he has begun to turn his attention toward 
  the invention of a self-propelled carriage or 
  automobile. 
  powered carriages in his father’s garage. 
  Developments of this technology resulted in a 
  four-wheeled steam car that he sold to a 
  manufacturer in India in 1893. Three years later, 
  in 1896, he built a gasoline powered vehicle. This 
  led to the opening of the Olds Motor Works in 
  -Detroit, Michigan in 1899. Olds has promised to 
  place an affordable machine powered carriage on 
  the market shortly, and predicts great success for 
  his firm. 
  In 1886, Olds began experimenting with steam 
  Peary, Robert Edwin (b. 1856): Robert Peary is, 
  without a doubt, the greatest of America’s Arctic 
  explorers. Prior to receiving a commission as a civil 
  engineer for the United States Navy, he worked as a 
  surveyor and draftsman for the Coast and Geodetic 
  Survey. Upon reading published accounts of 
  expeditions to Greenland, however, the young man 
  became fascinated with what he considered to be 
  mankind’s most majestic frontier. In 1886, he and 
  Matthew Henson led a sledge expedition deep into 
  the interior of Greenland. He followed this in 1891 
  and 1892 by exploring and mapping the northem 
  coasts of that frozen realm. 
  In 1893, he undertook his third and most daring 
  voyage. It was his hope to travel all the way to the 
  North Pole. Fate decreed otherwise, however, and 
  Peary was forced to temporarily abandon his quest. 
  As both the decade and the century draw to a 
  close, the world waits to hear the results of Peary’s 
  fourth trek. In 1898, he again set out to reach the 
  pole. Will he become the first man to traverse the ice 
  pack and stand atop the world? Only time will tell. 
  Pissaro, Camille (b. 1830): Born on St. Thomas 
  in the Virgin Islands, Camille Pissaro currently 
  resides in France. He is a talented painter, having 
  helped to define the impressionist style. Pissaro’s 
  work is marked by his fondness for calm, rural 
  scenes and his short, patchy brush strokes. He 
  places more emphasis on form than do most other 
  impressionist painters. 
  It is interesting to note that Pissaro may well be 
  remembered more for those he influenced than for 
  his work. Among the artists who list Pissaro as a 
  mentor are Paul Cezanne, Paul Gauguin, and the 
  recently deceased Vincent Van Gogh. 
  Proust, Marcel (b. 1871): Considered by many to 
  be morbid and painfully self-centered, Marcel Proust 
  is possessed of a keen mind and a unique literary 
  style. With the refinement that time will no doubt 
  bring to his pen, it seems likely that he will prove 
  himself to be a writer of some consequence in the 
  decades to come. 
  Proust was the son of a Roman Catholic father and 
  a Jewish mother. While the diversity that this 
  provided served to broaden his outlook on the world, 
  it alienated him from other children. His own 
  extremely sensitive nature only made matters worse, 
  and these factors, combined with his generally poor 
  health, served to make him reclusive. 
  These difficulties only sharpened his mind, 
  i 
  
  however, and he went on to master both law and 
  political science in addition to furthering his beloved 
  study of literature. Proust used his keen wit and 
  sophisticated tastes to mingle with the elite of Paris, 
  seeing around him a world of people who would 
  soon find their way into his writing. 
  a collection of short stories, poems, and vignettes. 
  Within the pages of this often cutting work, he 
  examined the snobbish elements of Paris’s 
  aristocracy with various themes. 
  himself from his contemporaries by announcing his 
  support of Captain Dreyfus in the much publicized 
  Dreyfus Affair (detailed elsewhere in this book). Proust 
  found himself a victim of the anti-Semitic sentiments 
  that marked France’s upper class. It is a tribute to his 
  strength of character that he dares to express his true 
  beliefs even though they place him at great personal 
  risk. How this pride and determination will affect his 
  future career remains to be seen. 
  Pulitzer, Joseph (b. 1847): Although born in 
  Mako, Hungary, Joseph Pulitzer has established 
  himself as one of the most important Americans of 
  our time. Along with William Randolf Hearst, Pulitzer 
  has defined the future of journalism in the United 
  States. 
  After receiving a classical education in Budapest, 
  Pulitzer emigrated to the United States at the age of 17. 
  He became a U.S. citizen by serving in the Union Army 
  during the Civil War. After the war ended, he traveled 
  to St. Louis and took a position with the Watliche Post, 
  a German-language newspaper. His talent and hard 
  work won him great popularity, and he was elected to 
  the state legislature in 1869. His political interests 
  reached beyond the borders of Missouri, causing him 
  to become active first in the Liberal Republican 
  movement, and later in the Democratic party. 
  In 1878, Pulitzer saw a bright future for the 
  newspaper industry and bought the St. Louis 
  Dispatch and the evening Post. Merging the two 
  papers, he founded the Post-Dispatch. His aggressive 
  news coverage and fiery editorials, augmented by a 
  sensationalist writing style, boosted circulation. By 
  1883, Pulitzer’s success with the Post-Dispatch had 
  established him as one of the nation’s leading 
  journalists. 
  and used the same techniques with it that he had 
  pioneered in Missouri. In addition, he added 
  coverage of sports, women’s fashions, and a 
  collection of comics and cartoons. Pulitzer’s success 
  with the World brought him into fierce competition 
  with William Randolf Hearst, publisher of the New 
  York Journal. Their battle for circulation culminated 
  in their sensationalist coverage of the Spanish- 
  In 1896, Proust published Les Plaisirs et Les Jours, 
  Shortly after this, however, the young man alienated 
  In 1883, Pulitzer purchased the New York World 
  American War and resulted in the coining of the 
  term “yellow journalism.” 
  Pulitzer’s health has begun to fail. None can argue 
  the fact that he has made himself a legend in the 
  world of journalism, however. Even if he were to 
  die today, his name would be remembered for 
  centuries to come. 
  As the last months of the decade loom, 
  Ramsay, Sir William (b. 1852): At the dawn of 
  the 1890’s, William Ramsay was not an especially 
  well-known chemist. As the close of the century 
  nears, however, he has earned himself a place in 
  the annals of science for his discovery of inert 
  gases. The road to his discovery began in 1894 
  when Ramsay learned that nitrogen created 
  through chemical reactions was always lighter 
  than nitrogen extracted from the atmosphere. 
  After a few months of research, Ramsay 
  discovered that atmospheric nitrogen was tainted 
  with another gas, which he named argon. 
  Additional research resulted in the discovery of 
  terrestrial helium, an element which had been 
  thought to exist only on the sun. 
  In 1895, Ramsay began working with Morris W. 
  Travers as he continued his search for other inert 
  gases. This partnership resulted in the discoveries of 
  neon, xenon, and krypton. 
  Ramsay and Travers continue their work in this 
  field and claim to be on the verge of isolating 
  additional elements. Considering their past 
  successes, there is no reason to doubt their 
  promises. 
  Roentgen, Wilhelm Conrad (b. 1845): Like so 
  many men and women whose names will be 
  forever enshrined in Gothic Earth’s history books, 
  Roentgen’s path to fame began almost accidentally 
  in 1895. Already one of Germany’s better known 
  physicists, Roentgen observed that he could cause 
  barium platinocyanide crystals to glow whenever 
  he activated a cathode ray tube. Further 
  investigation showed that this effect could not be 
  blocked by anything short of a thick metal sheet. 
  Roentgen deduced that this was the result of a 
  previously unknown form of radiation which he 
  dubbed X-rays. Roentgen continues to work with 
  his X-rays, and only the future will reveal what 
  fantastic uses this newly discovered form of 
  radiation might have. 
  
  Roosevelt, Theodore (b. 1858): Roosevelt was 
  born to a wealthy family in New York City. Because 
  he was not a healthy child, his father drove him to 
  strengthen his asthmatic body, adhere to a stern 
  Christian moral code, and explore the limits of his 
  intellect. His determination and courage led him to 
  graduate from Harvard in 1880. 
  Shortly after his graduation, Roosevelt married 
  Alice H. Lee, a young Massachusetts girl. In 1884, 
  both his wife and his mother were fated to die 
  within hours of each other, leaving him 
  emotionally devastated. Some three years later, 
  the young man married a woman named Edith 
  Kermit Carow, but he never stopped feeling the 
  loss of his first bride. 
  The 1880’s saw Roosevelt drawn in two directions. 
  He had discovered an interest in politics, gaining a 
  reputation as an independent-minded Republican. At 
  the same time, however, he began to explore his 
  considerable talents as a writer. 
  On the political front, Roosevelt served three 
  terms in the New York Assembly (1882-1884). 
  During this time, he fought for civil service reforms, 
  supported issues important to the working man, and 
  worked to reform the New York City government. 
  Although he often went against the Republican party 
  line in these matters, he did support James G. 
  Blaine in his bid to defeat Grover Cleveland for the 
  presidency in 1884. 
  Following his political efforts in New York, 
  Roosevelt moved to the Dakota Territory and lived 
  as a rancher for two years. He found himself 
  drawn back to the political arena, however, and 
  returned to New York in 1886. He failed in a bid to 
  become mayor of New York, finishing last in a 
  three-way race. 
  as his political endeavors during this time. His 
  interests ran to biographical and historical works, 
  including a biography of Thomas Hart Benton 
  ( 1886), Gouverneur Morris ( 1888), and the first two 
  volumes of an outstanding series entitled Winning of 
  the West. His interest in the latter subject was so 
  great that he added two additional books to the 
  collection in 1896. 
  The next decade saw Roosevelt’s political career 
  take precedence as he fought for reform and 
  justice on every front. In 1889, President Benjamin 
  Harrison appointed him a civil service 
  commissioner. During his tenure in this post, he 
  managed to reduce the influence of political 
  connections and increase the importance of merit 
  and skill in the workplace. In 1895, he resigned 
  this post and became president of New York City’s 
  Board of Police Commissioners. Here, he proved 
  himself an important part of William L. Strong’s 
  reform-minded administration. 
  Two years later, he returned to Washington and 
  became Assistant Secretary of the Navy under 
  President McKinley. A devout nationalist and 
  expansionist, he saw that Spain’s handling of the 
  Cuban revolution would almost certainly draw the 
  United States into a war with that European power. 
  Because of this, he spent most of his time working 
  to ready the military for the coming conflict. When 
  the Spanish-American War broke out in 1898, his 
  efforts paid off. 
  and led them into battle in Cuba. He saw 
  considerable action there, proving himself in 
  skirmishes time and time again. He returned to the 
  United States with the rank of Colonel and found that 
  the bravery of his regiment was honored by the 
  nation. 
  Returning to politics, Roosevelt parlayed his 
  sudden fame into the Governorship of New York. 
  Here, he was careful to avoid making enemies of the 
  conservative factions of his party while managing to 
  work for the reforms he desired. His efforts so 
  impressed Thomas “Boss” Platt, the influential head 
  of the New York State Republican party, that Platt 
  and his political machine have recently begun to 
  position Roosevelt as a potential presidential or vice- 
  presidential candidate in the upcoming 1900 
  elections. Considering the current sentiments of the 
  nation, it seems likely that Platt’s efforts will succeed 
  and Roosevelt will find himself returning to 
  Washington before long. 
  Roosevelt’s writing efforts were easily as inspired 
  For his part, Roosevelt organized the Rough Riders 
  
  Shaw, George Bernard (b. 1856): As a 
  playwright, essayist, and novelist, George Bernard 
  Shaw has proven himself to be a man of remarkable 
  ability. He combines his keen insight, sharp wit, and 
  often pessimistic outlook to produce works that 
  examine the world’s culture and the character of its 
  citizens. 
  Shaw’s childhood was marked by the unusual 
  circumstances of his birth. Although he claims to be 
  the son of his mother’s husband, others assert that 
  his true father was Vandeleur Lee, his mother’s 
  music teacher. 
  In 1876, Shaw moved to London with his mother. 
  He depended upon her to support him while he 
  began his writing career. Over the next few years he 
  wrote several novels, among them The Irrational 
  Knot (1879), Loveamong the Artists (1881), Cashel 
  Byron’s Profession (1882), and An Unsocial Socialist 
  (1884). All of these appeared in London’s various 
  socialist periodicals. None of these works, however, 
  were especially well received. 
  The next phase of Shaw’s career began with his 
  first play, Widowers’ Houses, which he began in 
  1885. Although this piece was not to be performed 
  until several years later (1892), Shaw followed it 
  with The Philanderer and ME. Warren’s Profession in 
  1893, and A m  and the Man, Candida, and You 
  Never Can Tell in 1896. These six works were 
  published under the title Plays Pleasant and 
  Unpleasant in 1890. 
  As the decade comes to a close, Shaw’s work 
  remains barely recognized. Still, much in his work 
  promises future greatness, and it may be that this 
  young man will soon write himself a place in the 
  history of English literature. 
  of marches in the United States at an all-time high, 
  John Philip Sousa has won fans throughout the 
  nation. His 1896 effort, “Stars and Stripes Forever,” 
  promises to be an American standard. 
  Sousa’s love of marches can be traced to his 
  enlistment as an apprentice to the United States 
  Marine Band at the age of 13. When he turned 18, 
  Sousa left the Marines and played violin in a number 
  of orchestras. During this time, he gained valuable 
  experience as a conductor. In 1880, he returned to 
  the Marine Band as its conductor and took up the 
  composer’s pen. 
  Sousa, John Philip (b. 1854): With the popularity 
  
  His first publicly acclaimed effort was “The 
  Gladiator” in 1886. He later composed his 
  “Washington Post March,” which swept the nation 
  and resulted in a new ballroom dance craze known 
  as the two-step. In 1892, Sousa left the Marine Band 
  again to form his own musical company which 
  promptly began touring the United States. 
  As the end of the decade draws near, Sousa’s 
  band is far and away the most popular musical 
  troupe in the country. He has already announced 
  plans to tour Europe in 1900, and it seems certain 
  that his energetic music will soon become a global 
  phenomenon. 
  children, Bram Stoker was born in Dublin, Ireland. 
  An unidentified illness threatened to kill him before 
  he reached adulthood, and although he survived, he 
  was bedridden until the age of seven. 
  Upon defeating his illness, he proved himself a 
  gifted athlete. As a student at Trinity College, he 
  proved to be a fine soccer player and ran the 
  marathon. He graduated with a degree in 
  mathematics and, although he longed to write, 
  embarked upon a civil service career. Stoker’s first 
  book, a very dry work entitled Duties of Clerks of 
  Petty Sessions in Ireland, was written at this time, 
  although it would not be published until 1879. 
  During his time in civil service, Stoker continued 
  to write. His early works included The Crystal Cup 
  (1872) and The Chain of Destiny (1875). His 
  reviews and essays appeared in several newspapers, 
  although he was seldom paid for these articles. 
  In 1878, Stoker was offered a job at the Lyceum 
  Theatre in London by his friend Henry Irving. Stoker 
  accepted the position, eager to see London and 
  work with Irving, whom he had admired during their 
  time together at Trinity College. While working at the 
  Lyceum, Stoker wrote Under the Sunset (1 882) and 
  his first novel, The Snake’s Pass (1890). 
  Stoker, Bram (b. 1847): The third of seven 
  Strauss, Richard (b. 1864): Among Germany’s 
  musicians, few are as gifted and show as much 
  promise as young Richard Strauss. Of course, one 
  might expect little else from the son of Franz 
  Strauss, one of the greatest horn players in 
  European history. 
  Strauss displayed his great talent at an early age, 
  mastering the piano before his 5th birthday. At the 
  age of 6, he was composing his own music. By the 
  age of 1 1, he was experimenting with innovative 
  musical techniques. His debut as a conductor, in 
  1884, was made without the benefit of a rehearsal, 
  and led to his appointment as Hans von Bulow’s 
  assistant with the Meiningen Court Orchestra. After 
  only a month in this position, von Bulow placed the 
  group wholly under Strauss’s direction. 
  In 1886, Strauss moved on to become a third 
  conductor at the Munich Opera and an assistant at 
  the 1889 and 1891 Bayreuth Festivals. As the 
  second conductor at Weimar, Strauss thrilled the 
  music world with the performance of Don Juan in 
  1888. His operatic debut came in 1894 with his 
  Wagnerian Guntrarn. That autumn, he became Court 
  Conductor of the Munich Opera. 
  At the same time, he married soprano Pauline de 
  Ahna. His wife urged him to continue composing, 
  and he responded by writing Till Eulenspiegel 
  (1895), Thus SpolceZarathustra (1896), Don 
  Quixote (1897), and A Hero’s Life (1898). 
  spread worldwide. Both as a conductor and a 
  composer, he will certainly leave his mark on the 
  future of opera and orchestral music. 
  Sullivan, Arthur Seymore (b. 1842): A skilled 
  composer, Arthur Sullivan was a student at the 
  London Royal Academy. Although he is best known 
  for his collaborative efforts with William Gilbert, 
  Sullivan has proven himself a prolific artist in his 
  own right. Among his best known early works were 
  Cox and Box and The Contrabandista in 1867, both 
  written with F. C. Bumand. (For details on his later 
  work, consult the entry for William Gilbert.) 
  Sullivan was knighted in 1883 and always felt 
  pressured to turn his talents to more serious works. 
  During a dispute with Gilbert that lasted from 1890 
  to 1893, he produced the grand opera Iuanhoe 
  (1891) in an attempt to satisfy these demands. 
  Sunday, William Ashley (b. 1862): As an 
  outfielder for the Chicago White Stockings (1 883- 
  87), the Pittsburgh Alleghenies (1888-go), and 
  Philadelphia Athletics ( 1890), Billy Sunday 
  appeared in exactly 500 games and managed a 
  career batting average of .248. Throughout this 
  time, he was known as The Evangelist, a nickname 
  that proved more than appropriate when he left 
  baseball to become a minister in the Presbyterian 
  I 
  Already a legend in Germany, Strauss’s fame has 
  
  Church. He has become one of the best known 
  revivalists in the country, using high-pressure 
  techniques and flamboyant acrobatics to attract 
  followers for his faith. 
  I 
  Tesla, Nikola (b. 1856): Nikola Tesla was born in 
  Smiljan, Austria-Hungary, in 1856. He studied 
  engineering in Graz and received his degree from the 
  University of Prague. He eventually left his native 
  land, moving first to France and then, in 1884, to the 
  United States. 
  Nikola Tesla became fascinated with electricity at 
  a young age. While still a student, he designed an 
  alternating current induction motor that did not rely 
  upon on a commutator. Tesla’s device employed a 
  series of coils arranged so that they produced a 
  rapidly rotating magnetic field when energized with 
  alternating current. 
  Tesla patented this device in 1888, presenting it to 
  the world just as other pioneers of electricity were 
  beginning to recognize the need for such a device. He 
  promptly sold the gadget to George Westinghouse, 
  who began making commercial use of it. 
  In the study of high-voltage electricity, Tesla is 
  almost without peer. He has created numerous 
  devices that have revolutionized modern 
  engineering. Among these are the Testa coil, a 
  highly efficient system of arc lighting, a method of 
  wireless transmission of high amperage electrical 
  energy, and a high-potential magnifying transmitter. 
  I 
  I 
  Tolstoi, Count Leo (b. 1828): Tolstoi was born at 
  Yasnaya Polyana near Moscow and, at the age of 9, 
  became an orphan. From that time forward, he was 
  raised by aunts and uncles, although he remained at 
  Yasnaya Polyana. He was educated at the University 
  of Kazan and settled in Moscow shortly after he left 
  school in 1847. 
  Half a decade later, Tolstoi joined the army and 
  fought in the Caucasus. He saw combat in the 
  defense of Sevastopol; his Childhood (1852), Youth 
  ( 1857), and Seuastopol Sketches ( 1855-56) quickly 
  established him as a literary power. In these early 
  works, one can already see the brutally realistic 
  depiction of life and warfare that would mark his 
  later writing. 
  In 1856, Tolstoi left the military. He traveled 
  throughout Europe, but eventually returned to the 
  estate where he had been born. There, he 
  established a school for peasant children that 
  incorporated education techniques and advances 
  years ahead of their time. 
  Tolstoi was married in 1862, and the following 
  year published The Cossacks. Throughout this period 
  and in the years that followed, Tolstoi’s writing 
  showed a great degree of dissatisfaction with himself 
  as well as his frustration in the lack of meaning in his 
  life. Both of these factors culminate in his Confession 
  (1879) and Memoirs ofa Madman (1884). 
  The crafting of these pieces allowed Tolstoi to forge 
  a personal doctrine that called for the renunciation of 
  wealth, a solid program of physical work, and the 
  refusal to accept traditional social responsibilities 
  such as military service and other governmental 
  requirements. Tolstoi’s philosophy found much 
  support among the generally dissatisfied Russian 
  people. Indeed, his estate at Yasnaya Polyana 
  became a place of pilgrimage, and Tolstoi was 
  revered throughout Russia. Tolstoi’s wife did not 
  share his views, however, and their marriage suffered 
  terribly as the writer’s fame and following grew. 
  The first of Tolstoi’s greatest masterpieces, War and 
  Peace, was written between 1865 and 1869. This 
  landmark work follows the lives of three characters 
  against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. While 
  many critics objected to the book’s lack of plot, 
  rambling historical reflections, and extensive discussion 
  of the author’s own philosophy, Tolstoi felt that these 
  aspects only served to define the book as art. 
  his other great triumph. In the story of Anna, who 
  abandons wealth and status to be with her lover, 
  Tolstoi weaves an intricate tapestry of plots and 
  contrasts. Although it differs greatly from War and 
  Peace, Anna Karenina also serves to paint a 
  sweeping picture of Russian life and the anguish in 
  the author’s soul. 
  Of late, Tolstoi has renounced the practice of 
  writing fiction. He has focused his efforts on the 
  From 1875 to 1877, Tolstoi wrote Anna Karenina, 
  
  refinement of his own philosophy through such 
  works as What is Art? (1897), in which he 
  renounced much of his earlier work. Other books 
  from the latter third of his life, such as The Death of 
  Ivan llych (1 895) and Master and Man ( 1886) focus 
  heavily on death and the depravity of life. His other 
  recent works, The Devil (1 889), The Kreutzer Sonata 
  ( 1890), Father Sergius ( 1898), and Resurrection 
  (1899), have shown a return to his earlier style, and 
  explore the myriad conflicts and continual emotional 
  turmoil of their author. 
  Toscanini, Arturo (b. 1867): The later years of 
  the 19th century have blessed Gothic Earth with an 
  abundance of artists, musicians, and writers. Even 
  when compared to the most talented of these, 
  however, Italy’s Arturo Toscanini still seems 
  destined for greatness. 
  Toscanini graduated with honors from the 
  conservatory in Parma and promptly secured a 
  position as a cellist with an opera company bound for 
  a tour of South America. While in Rio, the conductor 
  of the company walked out and Toscanini stepped in 
  to lead Verdi’s Aida without the aid of a score. This 
  incident is just one example of the ability he has 
  demonstrated not only in musical talent, but also in 
  overcoming his nearly crippling nearsightedness with 
  an almost photographic memory. 
  orchestra through the premieres of Leoncavallo’s 
  Pagliacci in 1892 and Puccini’s La Boheme in 1896. 
  As the decade ends, he finds himself in a 
  comfortable position as chief conductor at La Scala, 
  Milan. What other remarkable talents this young 
  man will display in the next century are, of course. 
  unknown. 
  Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri Marie Raymond de (b. 
  1864): Recognized as one of the leaders of the 
  postimpressionist movement, Toulouse-Lautrec has 
  laid the groundwork for what many are calling art 
  nouveau. His work is sometimes bitter, but always 
  clever in its depiction of Paris’s gaudy nightlife as 
  well as its more sinister elements. 
  Much of Toulouse-Lautrec’s interest in mankind’s 
  less respectable elements can be traced to the 
  isolation he felt as a child. Although he was born to a 
  wealthy family, his health was bad and his legs, 
  injured in his childhood, were stunted and frail. 
  Growing up a cripple resulted in his fascination with 
  art, one of the few fields open to him after his injuries. 
  He began to study art in the early 1880’s, working 
  first with Leon Bonnat in 1882, then with Fernand 
  Cormon in 1883. His studies brought him into 
  contact with such great artists as Vincent van Gogh, 
  and made him a master of the impressionist style. 
  Later in the decade, he found himself strongly 
  influenced by the work of Japanese artists and the 
  Upon his return to Italy, Toscanini led his 
  style of Edgar Degas. 
  As the 1890’s opened, Toulouse-Lautrec became 
  a fixture in the nightclubs and dance halls of 
  Montmartre. Here, amid a sordid world of prostitutes, 
  gamblers, and alcoholics, he found new subjects for 
  his work. His attempts to capture their passions and 
  the garish atmosphere of these haunts is clearly 
  seen in At the Moulin Rouge (1892) and La Goulue 
  at the Moulin Rouge (1892). His unique work 
  quickly found its way onto posters advertising the 
  area’s night spots. A careful examination of the 
  linear, uncluttered style employed in these works 
  show very clearly the influence of Japanese art. 
  In recent years, Toulouse-Lautrec’s excessive 
  drinking has greatly impacted his always-fragile 
  health. As the decade draws to a close, he is seldom 
  seen in public, and now works mostly from memory, 
  without attempting to seek out models. It seems 
  likely that this great artist, whose life has been a 
  mixture of both success and suffering, is nearing his 
  end. 
  Twain, Mark (b. 1835): Probably no better-known 
  pseudonym exists on Gothic Earth than that of Mark 
  Twain, the appellation used by Samuel Langhorne 
  Clemens. Noted for his keen satire, charming wit, 
  and down-home approach to storytelling, Twain has 
  become a favorite not only in the United States, but 
  throughout the world. 
  Born in Florida, Missouri, Twain was raised on the 
  banks of the Mississippi River in Hannibal. He began 
  writing in 1847, shortly after the death of his father. 
  He worked as a printer’s apprentice for a short time, 
  but later joined the staff of the Hannibal Journal, 
  which his brother Orion owned. During this time, he 
  refined his own skills while being exposed to the 
  frontier humor of writers such as George W. Harris. 
  From 1853 to 1857, Twain traveled throughout the 
  Northeastern United States working as both a printer 
  and a correspondent to his brother’s newspaper. 
  In 1857, Twain visited New Orleans and learned to 
  pilot a steamboat. He enjoyed this work immensely 
  and remained a pilot until the outbreak of the Civil 
  War shut down all traffic on the Mississippi. It was 
  this work that served as the background for his Old 
  Times on the Mississippi ( 1875) and the expanded 
  Life on the Mississippi (1883). 
  In 1861, Orion Clemens was appointed Territorial 
  Secretary, and Twain traveled with his brother to 
  Carson City, Nevada. He tried his hand at gold and 
  silver mining but was unsuccessful, so he returned to 
  writing as a correspondent for the Virginia City 
  Territorial Enterprise. 
  a number of pseudonyms, most often signing his 
  work simply as “Josh.” In that year, however, he 
  adopted the name Mark Twain, borrowed from the 
  Prior to 1863, Samuel Clemens had written under 
  
  steamboat leadsman’s call that indicated that the 
  water ahead was two fathoms deep, and thus safe 
  for the passage of the vessel. 
  By 1864, Twain made his way to San Francisco. 
  Known as the “Wild Humorist of the Pacific Slope,” 
  he began to achieve national recognition with “The 
  Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.” 
  Following a brief junket to Hawaii in 1866, Twain 
  began his career as a lecturer. 
  In 1869, Twain published The Innocents Abroad, a 
  compilation of the articles he had written for the San 
  Francisco Alta California. These stories were 
  originally written a year earlier when Twain toured 
  the Mediterranean region and the Holy Land. This 
  work was so well received that it brought him to 
  public attention in Europe as well as in the United 
  States. 
  Twain married Olivia Langdon in 1870. After 
  serving as editor and part owner of the Buffalo 
  Express, he took up residence in Hartford, 
  Connecticut in 187 1. This marked his last efforts as 
  a journalist, for Twain had now decided to devote 
  himself wholly to fiction and serious literature. His 
  work from this time included Roughing It ( 1872), 
  The Gilded Age (1873), Sketches, New and Old 
  ( 1875), and his classic Tom Sawyer ( 1875). 
  In 1878 he left the United States for a tour of 
  Europe. This voyage inspired him to write A Tramp 
  Abroad (1880) and his first historical novel, The 
  Prince and the Pauper (1882). The rest of the 
  decade saw the publication of A Connecticut Yankee 
  in King Arthur’s Court and The Adventures of 
  Huckleberry Finn. 
  After completing The American Claimant, Twain 
  found himself mired in a complex series of financial 
  problems. These prompted him to move to Europe 
  in 1891; in doing so, he deprived the citizens of the 
  young United States of the one author most people 
  identified with. Twain’s money problems intensified 
  following the failure of the Paige typesetting 
  machine, which he had invested in heavily. In the 
  end, he was forced to declare bankruptcy. 
  this period, which is generally considered to be of a 
  lesser quality than his earlier efforts. These pieces 
  include The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson (1894), 
  Tom Sawyer Abroad (1 894), Personal Recollections 
  of Joan ofArc (1896), and Tom Sawyer, Detective 
  (1896). 
  In an attempt to recover from his dire financial 
  condition, Twain embarked upon a global lecture 
  tour in 1895. He recounted his travels in Following 
  the Equator ( 1897). Between the success of his 
  writing and the public support of his tour, Twain’s 
  finances improved quickly. 
  The year 1896 brought about the death of his 
  The stress in Twain’s life is reflected in his work of 
  daughter, however, and this event soured his 
  success. The devastating effect this had on Twain is 
  obvious in the pessimistic tones of The Man Who 
  Corrupted Hadleyburg. Whether Twain will ever 
  recover from the sorrow of his tragic loss is 
  impossible to say, but it seems that the 20th century 
  will see only a shadowy reflection of the man who 
  was once America’s greatest humorist. 
  Van Helsing, Prof. Abraham (b. 1837): Little is 
  known about the early life of Abraham Van 
  Helsing. Whether he has intentionally hidden these 
  details or this secrecy is merely the result of his 
  naturally quiet nature cannot be said for certain. 
  From the moment Van Helsing entered the 
  University of Amsterdam at the age of 15, 
  however, he somehow made it clear that he woulu 
  not be an ordinary man. 
  educated man on the planet. If this is an 
  exaggeration, it is only a slight one. He has 
  accumulated doctorates in the fields of medicine, 
  literature, philosophy, history, and theology, and 
  possesses lesser degrees in half a dozen other fields. 
  His knowledge of metaphysics is second to none, 
  and his deductive ability has been compared to that 
  of London’s Sherlock Holmes. 
  Van Helsing has been described as having an 
  absolutely open mind, willing to believe any claim if 
  sufficient proof can be put forth to support it. In a 
  less gifted man, this might be a weakness, but in 
  Van Helsing, it is perhaps his greatest strength. 
  Van Helsing has been described as the most 
  
  Verne, Jules (b. 1828): Born in Nantes, Veme 
  studied law in Paris but decided against a life in the 
  courts. Instead, he became a writer, beginning his 
  career with the very popular five Weeks in a Balloon 
  (1 863). He followed this success with A Journey to 
  the Center of the Earth ( 1864), Fmm the Earth to the 
  Moon (1865), Around the Moon (1870), Twenty 
  Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870), and 
  Around the World in Eighty Days (1873). 
  Verne’s books are all the more exciting for their 
  realistic tone and the details that the author imparts 
  through his knowledge of a variety of fields. His 
  familiarity with geology, for example, plays a major 
  role in A Journey to the Center of the Earth. 
  books about important events of the past. Perhaps the 
  most famous of these is his account of the Civil War in 
  the United States: North Against South (1887). 
  Along with England’s H. G. Wells, Veme is 
  considered the founder of a new literary genre known 
  as science fiction. The fact that Verne and Wells have 
  no great love for each other has prevented the two of 
  them from collaborating on any projects to date. One 
  can only assume, however, that such an endeavor 
  would be stunning in scope and content. 
  As a devoted historian, Verne has written a number of 
  Washington, Booker Taliaferro (b. 1856): 
  Following the American Civil War, which finally 
  brought an end to slavery in the United States, 
  Booker T. Washington rose to prominence as a 
  black leader and spokesman for education. 
  Despised by the bigoted and narrow-minded factions 
  of American culture, he has become a hero to those 
  who support equality and civil rights. 
  As a child, Washington was forced to work in coal 
  mines and managed to attend school only three 
  months a year. Despite these disadvantages, he 
  managed to graduate from the Hampton Institute in 
  1875. In 1881, he was appointed the first president of 
  Tuskegee University, an Alabama trade school for 
  blacks. Tuskegee was founded with a single teacher, 50 
  pupils, and state funding of only $2,000 per year. 
  Washington’s masterful administration of the university 
  brought the school to unimagined heights. Tuskegee 
  now looks ahead to the 20th century with 1,500 
  students receiving training in 37 different industries. 
  Washington’s philosophy on matters of civil rights 
  has brought him into conflict with other black leaders, 
  especially W. E. B. Du Bois. It is his belief that blacks 
  must educate themselves and build up their economic 
  strength in the United States before they can fully 
  overcome the horrible injustices of the past. He 
  believes that any man, black or white, is only as good 
  as his education and moral integrity. When he publicly 
  explained his views and beliefs at the Atlanta 
  Exposition of 1895, he gained the support of many 
  powerful members of white society. Now, before the 
  close of the decade, Washington finds himself advising 
  presidents and being consulted by many 
  philanthropists seeking to use their wealth for the 
  betterment of blacks in the United States. 
  footsteps of France’s Jules Veme, England’s H. G. 
  Wells has defined a new genre in literature. Known 
  as science fiction, it combines elements of adventure 
  stories, speculation about future scientific 
  developments, and liberal doses of social allegory. In 
  addition, Wells has shown himself to be a man of 
  exceptional perception in matters of social 
  importance, theology, and political science. 
  neither wealthy nor poor, and little is unusual about his 
  early life. At the age of 14 he left school, but later 
  received a scholarship to the Normal School of Science 
  where he studied under Thomas Henry Huxley. He 
  graduated in 1890 with a degree in biology. 
  Dr. Moreau and The Time Machine in 1896, and The 
  Invisible Man in 1897. The horrific events detailed in 
  these books, which were based on little-publicized 
  true stories, soured Wells on such works. His future 
  projects, he assures the world, will be wholly 
  fictional in nature. 
  Wells, Herbert George (b. 1866): Following in the 
  Wells was born in Bromley, Kent. His family was 
  During the next decade, he published The Island of 
  
  Wilde, Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills (b. 1854): 
  A master of aphorism blessed with a cunning wit, 
  Ireland’s Oscar Wilde has lived a life full of drama, 
  passion, and scandal. 
  Born in Dublin, Wilde was destined from birth to 
  follow in the footsteps of his parents, both of whom 
  were writers. Clearly a gifted child, he took an early 
  interest in poetry and classical literature. He 
  attended Trinity College in Dublin from 187 1 to 
  1874, where he was awarded the Berkeley Gold 
  Medal for Greek. From 1874 to 1878, he studied at 
  Magdalen College in Oxford and received the highly 
  respected Newdigate Prize for his poem “Ravenna.” 
  Although Wilde’s poetry received some literary 
  attention during the early 1880’s, his flamboyant 
  character had already made him a public figure. 
  Indeed, he was so well known by that time that 
  many believed Gilbert and Sullivan’s satirical light 
  opera Patience (1881) was based on Wilde and his 
  unusual lifestyle. 
  By the end of the decade, Wilde had graduated 
  from poetry to essays. His The Truth of Masks, The 
  Decay of Lying, and The Portrait of Mr. W. H. clearly 
  show an evolution in his literary powers. He 
  expanded his horizons even further with the 
  publication in 1890 of his only novel, The Picture of 
  Dorian Gray. The next year saw him return to social 
  commentary and essays with The Critic as an Artist 
  and The Soul of Man under Socialism. Later in the 
  1890’s Wilde became a playwright, demonstrating 
  his great talents with Lady Windermere’s Fan 
  ( 1892), A Woman of No Importance ( 1893), The 
  Importance of Being Earnest (1895), and Salome 
  (1 893). The last of these works was written in 
  French and translated into his native English in 
  1894. In 1896, it was produced in Paris, having been 
  banned from the English stage. 
  aristocratic dandy to new heights. He has modeled 
  his philosophy after those of Baudelaire and Barbey 
  d’Aurevilly. Pithy phrases such as clothes make the 
  man, beauty is truth, and manners before morals 
  describe his lifestyle. 
  Wilde’s hedonistic existence suffered a great blow 
  when the Marquess of Queensberry made public the 
  writer’s debauchery and sensualist ways. Wilde sued 
  for libel, but lost when the highly publicized case 
  came to court. Following the resolution of that case, 
  the government prosecuted him for what it termed 
  “indecent acts,” and he was sentenced to two years 
  of hard labor. During his time in prison, he wrote his 
  Ballad of Reading Gaol, which was published upon 
  his release in 1898. 
  William 11, Emperor of Germany (b. 1859): William 
  II ascended to the throne in 1888, following the brief 
  reign of his aged and dying father, Frederick Ill. From 
  Oscar Wilde has raised the character of the 
  the moment he came to power, William made it clear 
  that he was going to break from the liberal traditions 
  of his parents and model his reign after that of his 
  grandfather, William 1. Although he is, by all accounts, 
  an intelligent man, William I1 is noted for his inability 
  to concentrate and his restless nature. He despises 
  England and has always been antagonistic in his 
  dealings with Queen Victoria, despite the fact that she 
  is his maternal grandmother. 
  Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, over the matter of 
  social welfare measures. Although the two generally 
  agreed on a course of action, William sought to use 
  the matter as a political tool against a rising Social 
  Democratic party in Germany. In 1890, his dispute 
  with Bismarck resulted in the latter’s dismissal. 
  William used this change in government to expand 
  his own power. 
  After Bismarck’s departure, unrest among 
  landowners and complaints from industrialists 
  caused his advisers to recommend reforms in the 
  monarchy. William refused to hear of such things, 
  however, being a firm believer in his own absolute 
  power. While others wanted a government more 
  responsive to the needs of the people, William 
  refused to agree to any reform that might tum even 
  a fraction of his power over to a parliament. 
  William’s foreign policy has been no more 
  comforting than his domestic one. His reign has been 
  marked by increasingly warlike speeches filled with 
  strident nationalism and calls for German colonial 
  expansion. His approval of Admiral Alfred von 
  Tirpitz’s request for the construction of a large battle 
  fleet has alarmed all of Europe. His attitude toward 
  England led him to support the Boers in South Africa. 
  In 1896, an encouraging telegram that he sent to 
  South African President Paul Kruger was made public, 
  further enraging Victoria’s England. Another failure in 
  foreign relations was borne from his treatment of 
  Bismarck. When he dismissed his Chancellor, he 
  abandoned the close ties that Bismarck had formed 
  with Russia. Matters grew even worse when William’s 
  tactless behavior and nationalist rhetoric offended his 
  cousin, Emperor Nicholas 11. 
  Early in his reign, William clashed with his 
  
  Yeats, William Butler (b. 1865): Born in Dublin, 
  Yeats grew up with a deep love of Irish history and 
  folklore. As an adult, he channelled this love into a 
  growing revival of Ireland’s literary heritage. 
  The most concrete example of his effort can be 
  found in the Irish Literary Theatre. Organized with 
  the help of Lady Gregory and Edward Martyn, the 
  theatre opened in 1898 with a performance of The 
  Countess Cathleen. 
  Much of Yeats’s writing was influenced by his 
  unrequited love for the beautiful Maud Gonne, an 
  Irish nationalist leader. His fascination with her 
  began in 1889 and prompted him to write The 
  Wanderings of Oisin and the poignantly erotic The 
  Wind Among the Reeds. 
  In addition to his nationalist sentiments and his 
  love for Maud Gonne, Yeats has shown a great 
  interest in the occult. In 1887 he founded the Dublin 
  Hermetic Society and joined London’s dark and 
  mysterious Society of the Crimson Dawn. 
  Young, Denton True (b. ????): Cy (short for 
  cyclone) Young made his major league debut on 
  August 8, 189 1. Pitching for the Cleveland Spiders, 
  he threw a three-hitter and struck out the famous 
  Cap Anson twice. Since then, Cy Young has proven 
  himself to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. 
  Even Young’s pitching wasn’t able to lift his team 
  out of last place in 1899, however, when the Spiders 
  managed a dreadful 20 wins and 134 losses. Despite 
  being trapped on a bad team, Young averaged 27 
  wins and a 3.05 ERA for the decade. Fans in 
  Cleveland can rest assured that baseball hasn’t 
  heard the last of Cy Young. z 
  Zola, Emile (b. 1840): With the possible 
  exception of Mark Twain, no writer in the world is 
  more tied to his native land than France’s Emile 
  Zola. As the world’s greatest proponent of 
  Naturalism, his novels have shocked Gothic Earth 
  with their stark, often graphic portraits of working- 
  class life. 
  Zola began his career as a writer in the 1860’s. 
  With the publication of Therese Raquin in 1867, his 
  work began to find public and literary acceptance. 
  After the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, he began 
  working on The Rougon-Macquart, a series of novels 
  that would eventually total 20 volumes. In this 
  series, Zola depicts what he terms “the natural and 
  social history of a family in the Second Empire.” 
  Each of these novels focuses on a member of the 
  Rougon-Macquart family and examines a different 
  profession, trade, or social class. For example, The 
  Belly of Paris (1 873) paints a vivid picture of Paris’s 
  central markets, and The Grog Shop (1877) 
  examines the frightening effect of alcoholism on 
  France’s working class. Other books in the series 
  include Nana ( 1880), a lurid study of vice and 
  prostitution that caused a scandal when it was 
  published, Germinal (1885), a study of the harsh 
  working conditions and bitter lives of miners, and 
  The Crash (1892), which tells of France’s defeat by 
  Germany in 1870. 
  Zola often puts forth the belief that an author 
  must employ the scientific method when practicing 
  his craft. As he explains it, a writer must take 
  characters with distinctive personalities, place 
  them in contrasting situations, and then observe 
  the results as if he were conducting an experiment 
  in a laboratory. To that end, Zola’s work has a 
  marked documentary-style that, in the eyes of 
  some critics, weakens his characters. Whether or 
  not that is the case, Zola’s writing more than 
  makes up for this deficiency with its vivid imagery 
  and dramatic tension. Zola has published several 
  volumes defining his literary philosophy, foremost 
  of which are The Experimental Novel (1880), The 
  Naturalist Novelists (1881), and Naturalism in the 
  Theater (1881). 
  Time and time again, Zola has proven himself to 
  be more than just a literary figure publicizing 
  political and social ideas that often place him in 
  conflict with the French government. Perhaps the 
  best example of this was his open letter, J’accuse 
  (1 898), which won a new trial for the imprisoned 
  French army officer, Alfred Dreyfus. After the 
  publication of J’accuse, Zola was charged with libel 
  by the French government and forced to flee to 
  England to avoid a jail sentence. One year later, 
  after the close of the Dreyfus Affair, he returned to 
  France as a popular hero for his opposition to the 
  government. 
  . 
  
  his chapter will examine nine 
  of those most mysterious of 
  groups, the qabals. 
  Born like phoenixes from 
  the ashes of the first such 
  order, the Defiance, modern 
  qabals shroud themselves in 
  guard their secrets as 
  jealously as a mother watches 
  over her newborn child. Even 
  those who count themselves 
  as members of such societies 
  seldom know more than a few 
  of their fellow conspirators. 
  While all such orders have 
  much in common, centuries 
  of secrecy and distrust have 
  made each group unique. The 
  , 
  mystery and deception. They 
  information contained in this chapter is not 
  something that the average player character could 
  learn. Even an adept qabalist, who benefits from the 
  magical secrets passed down through the ages by 
  the members of these orders, is unlikely to know 
  more about his group than necessary to for his role. 
  Common ~~~~~d 
  y their very nature, the many qabals of Gothic 
  Earth all have some elements in common. 
  Before we examine the individual orders, let’s 
  pause for an overview of their similarities. 
  The Threat of Death 
  The most important of these generalities are the 
  lengths that a qabal will go to in order to keep its 
  secrets. None of these groups, whether working for 
  good or evil, is above killing anyone who knows too 
  much or who has betrayed their trust. 
  The difference between a good qabal, like La 
  Lumiere, and an evil one, such as The Six-Fingered 
  Hand, is that the former will generally dispose of 
  enemies as quickly and mercifully as possible. The 
  latter is likely to revel in the death of an adversary and 
  might commonly use torture as a means of execution. 
  Even in this case, however, the line can blur. 
  There is nothing more important to a qabal than the 
  secrets it guards. These are considered by far the 
  most valuable properties of the order. If a lawful 
  good group like Die Wachtern feels that an enemy 
  knows things important to its existence, torture or 
  other unpleasant forms of coercion, as distasteful as 
  they are, might be employed. 
  L,acy 
  Each of these orders has a long history attached to 
  it. Even recently founded groups, such as La 
  Lumiere, can trace their ancestry back through 
  earlier organizations and, almost without exception, 
  back to The Defiance itself. 
  Over the centuries, however, many of the qabals 
  have been corrupted. Some have tumed away from 
  the original goal of the Defiancethe destruction of 
  the Red Death-and 
  instead have become obsessed 
  with personal power. Others have even embraced 
  the evil of the Red Death itself. 
  While this derivation is almost universal, it is not 
  absolute. Scattered instances exist of groups that 
  developed independently of the Defiance’s legacy. 
  Two examples of such groups are the Crimson 
  Dawn, which is the newest of the qabals described in 
  this section, and The Lost Empire, which is actually 
  the oldest known qabal. 
  wcture 
  Kecognizing the great need for secrecy in their work, 
  all qabals take steps to protect the identities of their 
  members. The most obvious evidence of this is the 
  cellular way in which almost all of these mysterious 
  orders structure themselves. 
  A typical qabal is formed of countless cells, often 
  given code names of some sort. Each cell is 
  composed of five to ten members. All the people in 
  one cell usually know each other and recognize the 
  leadership of a single individual. 
  The leaders of these cells, in turn, also form the 
  membership of other cells. Again, such groups will 
  contain five to ten people, all of whom are the 
  leaders of their own cells. The members of this 
  group will recognize a single leader who is also a 
  member of another cell composed of persons like 
  himself. The advantage of this structure is that no 
  individual can betray the entire organization if he is 
  captured and interrogated. 
  This system is not perfect, of course. The leader of 
  a cell could betray all the members in his own group 
  as well as his higher level peers. Still, such an 
  occurrence is rare, and the threat of a major security 
  breach is usually minor. 
  The precise nature of a cell structure varies from 
  qabal to qabal, but all of these secret societies employ 
  some variation on this theme in order to protect the 
  group as a whole and the members as individuals. 
  
  (ecoqnition 
  ecause of the cellular structure of the qabals, 
  any member will know only a few of his 
  B 
  compatriots. While this has advantages, it also 
  has drawbacks. One of the most important of these 
  is that members have difficulty spotting potential 
  allies or identifying themselves to other members. In 
  order to make that process easier, all qabals have a 
  special symbol or item that its members carry at all 
  times. In addition, secret phrases and code words 
  are commonly established for specific meetings. The 
  details of each qabal’s method of recognition will be 
  discussed in the entries that follow. 
  Dedication 
  very qabal, regardless of whether it works for 
  good or evil, is composed of highly motivated 
  E 
  individuals. In every case, all members of the 
  organization feel that they are doing what is best for 
  the human race. Of course, an outside observer may 
  disagree, but those within a qabal tend to see 
  themselves as heroes who are working hard to bring 
  about a future that is best for everyone. 
  In some cases, this belief may seem impossible to 
  justify. After all, the members of the chaotic evil 
  Hand believe that the Red Death is an outgrowth of 
  human society and culture. Only by eliminating the 
  latter (i.e., destroying the human race) can the 
  former be eliminated. This philosophy certainly has 
  its disadvantages. 
  Most people who are aware of the Hand see its 
  members as dangerous lunatics and psychotics, for 
  obvious reasons. It is difficult to argue with their 
  ultimate goal of eliminating the Red Death and the 
  evil that it stands for, but it can be hard to justify the 
  extreme solution that they propose. 
  Suspicion 
  he various qabals of Gothic Earth have lived 
  under codes of strict secrecy for so long that they 
  T 
  have become extremely paranoid. The very fact 
  that a qabal exists may be its most closely guarded 
  secret. This is especially true in the case of a group 
  like The Lost Empire, which has successfully hidden 
  itself away in the heart of the African jungles for thirty 
  centuries. It is possible that even the Red Death itself 
  is unaware of the existence of those dedicated folk. 
  Because of this paranoia, encounters between two 
  qabals are seldom resolved peacefully. Both sides 
  are likely to believe that anything learned about their 
  group by another order will be exploited in the 
  future. Because of this, security breeches are always 
  plugged quickly, and suspected traitors are silenced 
  as soon as they are found. In every case, a qabal will 
  err on the side of caution in matters of security. 
  Qabal Name (general alignment) 
  Alliance of Kahn Shi’air, The (NE) 
  Alliance, The (NG) 
  Army of Set the Undying, The (LE) 
  Betrothed, The (CG) 
  Black Flame, The (CE) 
  Brotherhood of Alchamae, The (LN) 
  Brotherhood of the Azure Robes, The (LN) 
  Circle of Five, The (CE) 
  Circle of Seven, The (LE) 
  Circle of Thirteen, The (LE) 
  Circle, The (NG) 
  Community of Thoth, The (LN) 
  Defiance, The (LG) 
  Divine Madness, The (CN) 
  Eleusinian Consortium, The (CG) 
  Enlightenment, The (CG) 
  Eye, The (NE) 
  Fearsome Army of Madrid, The (NE) 
  Fellowship of the Crimson Dawn, The (NE) 
  Followers of the One, The (CN) 
  Followers of the Way, The (N) 
  Fraternity of the Tattered Scroll, The (CN) 
  Hermetic Order of Maejik, The (NE) 
  Hermetic Order of the Radiant Crescent, The (CN) 
  lnteriad, The (N) 
  Just and Mighty Order of Kahl, The (CE) 
  Keepers of the Left, The (LN) 
  Knights of Mars the Terrible, The (CN) 
  Lost Kingdom, The (NG) 
  Nation of Nine, The (N) 
  Order of the Crimson Chalice, The (LG) 
  Order of the Endless Night, The (CE) 
  Phoenix, The (CG) 
  Pilgrims of Radiant Dawn, The (LG) 
  Pride. The (LG) 
  PRIME  LE^ 
  ‘ 
  Sisterhood, The (CG) 
  Six-Fingered Hand, The (CE) 
  Society of Keepers, The (LG) 
  Stone, The (NG) 
  Students of the Reborn Truth, The (N) 
  Seven, The (?) 
  Sword That Has Been Drawn, The (LG) 
  Those Who Have Seen (LN) 
  Transected Circle, The (LE) 
  Undying Flame, The (LN) 
  Unseen Hand, The (LN) 
  Vistani, The (CN) 
  Watchers, The (LG) 
  White Legion, The (LE) 
  World Spiritual League, The (N) 
  Zemlak’s Children (NE) 
  Note One: Not all of these orders are currently active. Indeed, many 
  are believed to be defunct as of this writing. 
  Note Two: The names of many of these groups have been translated 
  into English for inclusion on this list. For example, The Watchers is 
  properly known as Die Wachtern, and The Enlightened as La Lurniere. 
  
  Organized in France over a century ago, La Lumiere 
  is a group dedicated to the belief that learning and 
  culture are mankind’s best hopes for a bright future. 
  They see the human mind as the greatest resource 
  in man’s unending search for freedom and world 
  peace. 
  Because of its efforts to spread fear and ignorance 
  among the human race, the Red Death occasionally 
  finds its children battling the forces of La Lumiere. 
  Lumiere, it is best known by its English appellations: 
  The Enlightened or The Enlightenment. 
  Although the actual name of this order is La 
  T 
  sXmbol 
  e symbol of La Lumiere is a white candle set in a 
  silver holder. All members of the group carry this 
  device at all times. For many, this symbol may be in 
  the form of a ring, pendant, or other type of jewelry. 
  Others might opt to have the symbol of the order 
  fashioned as a tattoo which they can reveal when 
  identifying themselves to other members. 
  Membership 
  The members of La Lumiere seek to support those 
  who wish to expand the frontiers of the arts, 
  sciences, and other areas of learning. To the leaders 
  of this order, there can be no future in which human 
  compassion and artistic expression do not share 
  equally with scientific advances and progress. 
  While La Lumiere counts among its number a 
  great many of the world’s best known artists and 
  scientists, the requirements for membership are 
  quite strict. Those who would be considered for 
  membership must be of the highest intelligence 
  and have a deep belief in the rights of the 
  individual over the laws of society. Further, the 
  members of this order must be persons of culture 
  and refinement. 
  anarchistic, for members place individual freedom of 
  expression and the pursuit of science above all other 
  things. They respect no national borders and see all 
  the world’s people as belonging to a single, great 
  community. World unity, they insist, will bring about 
  the dawn of a new age in which the sufferings of 
  mankind will be ended. 
  The members of La Lumiere are generally opposed 
  to the use of violence in the attainment of the group’s 
  goals. Of course, some situations demand that they 
  abandon this ethical code, but they never resort to 
  force without due consideration of alternatives. 
  There are those who would call this group 
  I ne roots of La Lumiere can be traced back to the 
  early 1700’s and an inspired Frenchman named 
  Andre Lescot. Although only a minor official in the 
  government of the time, he was able to subtly 
  redirect funds and sponsor the programs that would 
  eventually transform the ancestral palace of the 
  nobility known as the Louvre into the greatest 
  museum on the face of Gothic Earth. 
  He also made certain that his vision of the 
  future would be passed on to future generations 
  through the creation of a qabal whose 
  headquarters was to be in a concealed complex 
  built beneath the Place Du Carrousel at the heart 
  of that great museum. 
  Evidence exists to indicate that other members of 
  Lescot’s parents had been involved in a qabal with a 
  similar purpose. Their mysterious deaths in 17 19 
  and the apparent disappearance of that group 
  indicates that Lescot may have pursued his goal as 
  a memorial to his parents. 
  
  Die Wiiehtern 
  fi Lawhl Good Qabal 
  Die Wachtem, a group whose name translates into 
  English as The Watchers or The Watchmen, is an 
  old and well-established qabal. Currently 
  headquartered in Amsterdam, this organization has 
  dedicated itself to the elimination of the Red Death’s 
  minions wherever it finds them. Of all the secret 
  societies that have grown from the ruins of The 
  Defiance, none have proven a dauntless spirit better 
  than Die Wachtern. 
  sX“bol 
  T e vigilance of Die Wachtern is symbolized by a 
  monocle with a rim of silver suspended from a fine, 
  silver chain. As with most qabals, the leadership of 
  Die Wachtern demands that all members carry such 
  an item at all times. 
  Membership 
  While the original members of this group were 
  required to be knights, Die Wachtern’s modern 
  standards are far less severe. Applicants are 
  required to be individuals of “exceptional character” 
  and must swear a holy oath to support the qabal and 
  its goals. 
  Although the group acts globally, the vast majority 
  of Die Wachtern’s members are recruited in Europe 
  and the United States. Additionally, the order relies 
  very heavily on Judeo-Christian dogma for its codes 
  of conduct. With this in mind, it should be no 
  surprise that most of Die Wachtem’s members are 
  deeply religious people who see their work as a holy 
  labor. 
  History 
  Originally founded near Leipzig during the First 
  Crusade (c. A.D. 1 loo), Die Wachtern was begun by 
  a small group of knights who had just returned from 
  the Holy Land. 
  During their time in the middle east, these warriors 
  apparently stumbled upon the remains of an 
  underground complex that had served as a cache of 
  knowledge and supplies for a handful of men and 
  women fleeing from the destruction of the great 
  Library at Alexandria. Their find brought them into 
  contact with the minions of the Red Death and 
  nearly cost them their lives. When they returned 
  home to Europe, they swore holy vows to dedicate 
  their lives to the destruction of the Red Death’s 
  minions. 
  For nearly 500 years after its inception, Die 
  Wachtern was headquartered in a secret location 
  somewhere south of Leipzig. During that time, the 
  members of the order were required to be “knights of 
  exceptional character who might swear to almighty 
  God that they would henceforth devote their lives to 
  this most holy of wars.” 
  In the early 1600’s, however, an unknown 
  catastrophe befell the order and it was all but 
  destroyed. All of the order’s records, a vast arcane 
  library with files dating back to the original Defiance 
  itself, were lost. The battle against the Red Death 
  has had few setbacks as terrible as this one. 
  A handful of the surviving members made their 
  way to Amsterdam and reestablished the order. 
  They took great care to cover their tracks and 
  managed to escape whatever struck down the 
  original order. 
  In the centuries that have passed since those dark 
  days, the members of Die Wachtem have once again 
  assembled a wealth of knowledge about the occult 
  and the actions of the Red Death’s creatures. Thanks 
  to the speed of modern communications (i.e., the 
  telegraph), agents of this qabal have relatively quick 
  access to information that might be of vital 
  importance when confronting the evils of the world. 
  
  c-
  - 
  The Lost I$ncjdom 
  fi Neutral Good Qabal 
  While some scholars of forbidden lore argue that 
  the Lost Kingdom is the oldest of all qabals, 
  predating even the Defiance by several centuries, 
  others insist that the group no longer exists. 
  Indeed, some say that it was never founded at all 
  and that it exists only in the minds of wishful 
  thinkers. Those who argue for its existence have 
  only the vaguest of reports to support their 
  theories. Still, these accounts tell the story of a 
  most remarkable group. 
  Symbol 
  As one might expect, the symbol of the Lost 
  Kingdom is the life-giving ankh that was heavily 
  revered by the ancient Egyptians. Every individual 
  who lives in the secluded valley that is home to the 
  Lost Kingdom wears such a symbol at all times as a 
  sign of devotion to the gods of Egypt. When the Lost 
  Kingdom sends its agents out into the world, these 
  golden pendants are used to identify members to 
  their associates. 
  Members 
  Like the Vistani, the members of the Lost Kingdom 
  are a race unto themselves. Their maintenance of an 
  isolated gene pool for the last few millennia has 
  resulted in them retaining features and traits that 
  were long ago lost to the rest of Egyptian culture. 
  Unlike the gypsies of eastern Europe, however, 
  the Lost Kingdom does allow outsiders to join its 
  ranks, although this is certainly a rare occurrence. 
  One example was the Scottish explorer David 
  Livingstone. Many people have speculated that he 
  spent considerable time within the Lost Kingdom 
  while exploring Africa. Although he never admitted 
  to this, even when asked on his death bed, it seems 
  certain that he had contact with the Lost Kingdom 
  while exploring the Dark Continent. 
  expanded upon by the citizens of The Lost 
  Kingdom. While they will not dabble in the art of 
  necromancy, they are the masters of all other 
  schools. Because of various protective and 
  concealing spells that were woven over their city 
  before the Red Death’s arrival, wizardry and 
  mysticism still may be practiced safely there. Fully 
  aware of the peril that normally comes with the 
  practice of the arcane arts, however, they seldom 
  employ these powers outside of their valley. 
  Many secrets of magic have been preserved and 
  I 
  ory 
  The Lost Kingdom is said to have been formed by 
  Sadett (pronounced SAH-det), a disciple of the 
  ancient Egyptian wizard Imhotep. When she saw the 
  direction that her master’s researches were 
  heading-researches 
  that would eventually call into 
  existence the Red Death and corrupt the world 
  forever-she fled Egypt with a devoted band of 
  adepts and mystics. 
  Sadett and her followers traveled to the heart of 
  the African jungle and founded a new nation there. 
  By hiding their city in an almost inaccessible valley, 
  it was their intent to live apart from the rest of the 
  human race. For roughly 4,000 years, they have 
  done so, even keeping the existence of their 
  civilization secret. In order to remain informed about 
  mankind‘s progress and the spread of Imhotep’s 
  corruption, the Lost Kingdom frequently sends 
  agents into the outside world. 
  
  Perhaps the most unusual of the known qabals, The 
  Brotherhood of Alchemae embraces the purity of 
  science above all other things. Members deny the 
  value of culture, the arts, human emotion, the 
  concept of mercy, or anything else that “serves to 
  cloud the mind and fog the process of reason.” 
  The Brotherhood frequently encounters agents of 
  the Red Death while investigating reports of unusual 
  phenomena. Attempts by this qabal to master the 
  art (or science, as they see it) of magic have 
  brought clashes with the forces of both light and 
  darkness. 
  slmbl 
  T e mark of The Brotherhood is the mortar and 
  pestle that has long been associated with both the 
  pursuit of science and the quasi-arcane art of 
  alchemy. Members of the qabal are not required to 
  carry such items with them, but’an image or icon of 
  such a device is always used to identify a member 
  as a Brother. 
  Members 
  The Brotherhood recruits members based on their 
  past scientific endeavors. Only after a person has 
  made an important discovery of some sort will he be 
  contacted and investigated for suitability. Obviously, 
  these requirements for membership lead to an order 
  composed of highly intelligent men and women. 
  The devotion that members show toward their 
  research, as well as science in general, tends to 
  distance them from the rest of the human race. The 
  codes of the Brotherhood take a dim view of 
  compassion, mercy, and the like. These elements of 
  human personality are assumed to make an 
  individual weak. Devout adherents of the code do 
  everything in their power to cleanse themselves of 
  such character flaws. 
  Histox 
  Like 
  New England, the Brotherhood of AIchemre is 
  believed to be descended from the Stone. When that 
  order, which is believed to have been founded by the 
  ancient wizard Merlin, was destroyed near the start 
  of the First Crusade, many of its members formed 
  new qabals and attempted to carry on their work. 
  The first known appearance of the Brotherhood in 
  its current state is recorded in the early 1200’s in 
  Persia. Records of the time indicate the existence of 
  a mysterious group that sought to understand the 
  nature of light and to harness the mystical properties 
  that it was believed to possess. The great advances 
  e Circle, an almost defunct qabal based in 
  made in these fields at that time and in that region of 
  the world are probably due largely to the actions of 
  this qabal. 
  In the centuries since, many of mankind’s greatest 
  scientific achievements can be traced directly to the 
  efforts of this group. It is believed, for example, that 
  Alessandro Volta, who invented the battery, was a 
  member of the Brotherhood. Other important 
  followers of the Code of Alchemae are believed to 
  include Joseph Priestley, John Dalton, Henry 
  Frankenstein, and Dmitri Mendeleev. 
  Alchemae has been headquartered in London. 
  Although it was originally based somewhere in 
  Arabia, the society relocated in the 18th century. 
  The exact reason for this change is unknown. 
  For the last century or so, The Brotherhood of 
  
  fi True Neutral Qabal 
  The Nation of Nine is a loose affiliation of many 
  smaller groups, each arguably a qabal in its own 
  right. This group seeks to preserve the natural world 
  and halt the expansion of a technological civilization. 
  They often conflict with the minions of the Red 
  Death, for the creatures that call it master are 
  perhaps some of the greatest affronts to nature that 
  they are ever likely to find. 
  Symbol 
  Each of the nine groups that make up the Nation 
  has its own symbol. The Children of the Raven 
  (composed almost wholly of Native Americans) 
  use the eagle feather to identify members. Not all 
  members recognize the symbols of other groups in 
  the Nation; depending on an individual’s rank and 
  length of service, he may recognize only his own 
  symbol or even all the symbols of the other 
  groups. 
  at the highest levels. When lesser agents must 
  identify themselves to members of another order, 
  they do so with the symbol of the target group rather 
  ’5an their own symbol. 
  The majori P y of people who belong to one of the nine 
  Nembershi 
  qabals that make up the Nation are not of European 
  descent. As mentioned earlier, one of the sects 
  comprising this group is predominantly Native 
  American. Another, known as The Pride, is based 
  somewhere on the west coast of Africa and is made 
  up almost exclusively of that continent’s indigenous 
  people. At least two other groups are known to exist 
  in the Orient, while the island of Madagascar and the 
  jungles of India are thought to have member groups 
  as well. 
  The most valuable members of the Nation are the 
  many shamans who make up the leadership of each 
  qabal. An emphasis is placed on mystics in these 
  orders, though adepts are not uncommon. 
  Contact between the various sects is rare, except 
  isto 
  uesplre Its name, there is no reason to believe that 
  the Nation of the Nine is not composed of ten, 
  twelve, or even more groups. Because of the loose 
  nature of this alliance, change is the rule rather than 
  the exception. 
  The earliest appearance of a group that is believed 
  to be a part of this qabal is traced to the year 1589. 
  At that time, bizarre stories began spreading among 
  the European slave traders who were raiding the 
  people of Africa’s west coast. Reports began 
  circulating that a number of African tribes were 
  being aided by white men who armed them and 
  helped them to resistthe slavers. Word spread that 
  an organization known as Libertad (Liberty) had 
  vowed to see the slave trade halted and the people 
  of Africa protected from European contamination. 
  Their failure is one of history’s most tragic defeats. 
  Despite their differences, the various groups that 
  have united to form the Nation of Nine have many 
  things in common. Foremost among these is a belief 
  that European-style civilization is poisonous to the 
  human spirit. Only by embracing nature, they say, 
  can mankind be free of the evils that have spread 
  throughout the world. 
  existence of the Red Death see it not as an invader 
  from another realm, but rather as a by-product of 
  civilization. Had mankind’s progress as a 
  technological animal been halted after the arrival of 
  the Red Death, the world would have been spared 
  the centuries of suffering that it has endured since. 
  Members of these orders who recognize the 
  
  The Vistani 
  fi Chaotic Neutral Qabal 
  Although not a qabal in the strictest sense of the 
  word, these mysterious gypsies can certainly be 
  thought of as a secret society. The Vistani seem to 
  have prophetic abilities and similar supernatural 
  talents but do not appear to attract the attention of 
  the Red Death when they employ them. Exactly how 
  they circumvent that most terrible of evils is a 
  mystery to even the most knowledgeable 
  metaphysicians. 
  Symbol 
  Unlike traditional qabals, the Vistani employ no 
  overt manner of identification. They seem to have 
  the innate ability to recognize their own kind at a 
  glance. Imposters, therefore, are instantly detected 
  and driven out or destroyed. 
  This is not to say that the Vistani never employ 
  special symbols or banners, only that they do not 
  depend upon such mundane things to establish the 
  credibility of another. The Vistani of Gothic Earth are 
  divided into no fewer than two dozen tribes, each of 
  which has some symbology that is important to 
  them. 
  For example, the largest Vistani tribe, which lives 
  in the great horseshoe of the Carpathian Alps, 
  travels and camps under the banner of the Raven's 
  Eye. They insist that this helps the women of the 
  tribe to capture the keen sight of those dark birds 
  and use it for their own ends. 
  Members 
  Although the Vistani sometimes employ agents 
  recruited from the outside world, these people are 
  not considered the equals of the gypsies in any way. 
  They are simply hirelings who are assigned a 
  specific task and paid for their services. No one ever 
  becomes a Vistana; they are a race to themselves. 
  As mentioned, the gypsies of Gothic Earth seem 
  to be blessed with prophetic abilities unhampered 
  by the taint of the Red Death. The majority of these 
  powers, however, are found among the women of 
  the race. Indeed, it is said that no Vistani girl is 
  without some form of supernatural prescience, and 
  that no Vistani woman is not a mistress of 
  prophecy. While this seems to be an exaggeration, 
  it is closer to the truth than most people would like 
  to believe. 
  History 
  . 
  The outside world knows almost nothing about the 
  origins of the Vistani or their place in the universe. 
  Much of what is known can scarcely be counted as 
  more than speculation and rumor. Some of the most 
  reliable information about these people was obtained 
  A 
  A 
  by Jonathan Harker, a member of Die Wachtern, 
  during his prolonged encounter with that most vile of 
  creatures, Dracula. 
  When Harker managed his escape from the 
  vampire's castle, he was aided in reaching the 
  outside world via the Raven's Eye. Much of what 
  transpired at that time was lost to his memory due to 
  the horrors he had suffered. Later, he recalled the 
  details of his escape through a hypnotic trance 
  induced by the famed Abraham Van Helsing. 
  Harker apparently spent nearly a week in the 
  company of the Vistani. During that time, he 
  concluded that they were hindering some of the 
  Count's efforts while aiding others. He deduced that 
  they had an agenda all their own and felt little fear of 
  the dreadful creature with whom they were dealing. 
  Whatever this plan of the Vistani might be, they 
  pursue it for their own reasons. Whether it promises 
  good or evil for the world in general, none can say. 
  He that would know what shall be 
  must first ecansickr whet hath been. 
  "Ihmas Fdw,'fiO. 
  GnOmot@ (1732) 
  
  The Fellowship OF the Crimson Dawn 
  fi Fleut1-4 Evil Qabal 
  Founded in 1887, the Fellowship of the Crimson 
  Dawn is perhaps the youngest qabal on Gothic 
  Earth. The earliest members formed the group to 
  discover whether or not magic actually existed and, 
  if it did, to what ends it might be employed. 
  These individuals devoted much effort to the 
  research of ancient philosophies and the practice 
  of arcane rituals. Almost by accident, they found 
  that the world was indeed blessed (or cursed) with 
  a magical aura that they could manipulate. What 
  they didn’t realize until much later was the price for 
  their meddling in things they didn’t fully 
  understand. 
  SplOl 
  T e Fellowship of the Crimson Dawn employs a 
  thirteen-pointed starburst as the symbol of their 
  order. All members carry such an item, usually in 
  the form of a ring or amulet, at all times. 
  rdmbepship 
  The original members of the Fellowship numbered 
  nine. Since that time, the order has grown to include 
  some fifty to sixty persons. Counted among these 
  are many authors, philosophers, and artisans. 
  in the Crimson Dawn began as a lark. The idea of 
  trying one’s hand at magic had a certain appeal, 
  especially when they seemed certain that nothing 
  would ever come of it. 
  Had any of the original nine realized that the 
  spells they would be working were not only 
  effective, but also certain to draw the attention of 
  the greatest of all evils, the group never would 
  have been born. Having begun in ignorance of the 
  peril that faced them, the members of the Crimson 
  Dawn were quickly corrupted and claimed by the 
  Red Death. 
  One of the greatest dangers in dealing with the 
  Fellowship is its leadership. While the wisdom of 
  those nine persons can certainly be doubted, their 
  intelligence is beyond scrutiny. In addition, they are 
  without exception men and women of power and 
  prestige. 
  dead. Those who control the group today may be 
  dopplegangers or other creatures. Whatever the 
  case, the members of the Crimson Dawn are now 
  little more than puppets of the greatest of evils. 
  For many, including the original nine, membership 
  Of course, it is possible that the original nine are 
  Historyl 
  The Fe lowship of the Crimson Dawn was founded in 
  1887 with the stated purpose of determining whether 
  magic was real. For those familiar with the eternal 
  war against the Red Death, such a question is not 
  only foolish, but dangerous. 
  members of the fellowship had become obsessed 
  with their research into the arcane. They sought 
  out the darkest knowledge and desired to 
  manipulate forces and powers far beyond their 
  control. Thinking themselves the most wise and 
  clever men and women on Gothic Earth, they 
  quickly proved themselves to be the most foolish 
  and blind. 
  By the year 1890, the Fellowship of the Crimson 
  dawn was a society of the doomed. Infused with 
  magic and evil, they became tools of a power they 
  didn’t understand. Their fascination with the arcane 
  has made them easy converts to the sinister service 
  of the Red Death, and it is doubtful that any force on 
  Gothic Earth can redeem them. 
  In less than three years, the original nine 
  62 
  
  epion 
  The White L 
  fi Lawk 
  vi1 Qabe 
  The White Legion is a group that believes in the 
  superiority of European civilization. All the problems 
  of the modern world, they claim, are based upon the 
  contamination of western culture by the “lesser 
  nations of man.” 
  It is easy to mistakenly assume that the White 
  Legion favors the elimination of so-called “lesser 
  races.” This is actually untrue. The official goals of 
  the group are isolationist, not genocidal. This does 
  not mean, however, that individual cells and 
  members do not have more extreme viewpoints. 
  the minions of the Red Death while attempting to 
  stamp out “cultural contamination.” While they 
  sometimes battle evil creatures, their motivations 
  and methods make them no better than the evils 
  they destroy. 
  The White Legion often comes into contact with 
  pt+ 
  eetings of the White Legion occur only in 
  seclusion. At such times, all attendees wear hooded 
  white robes. Beneath these, their faces are painted 
  to resemble skulls. Each wears a hangman’s noose 
  around his neck. As might be expected, a skull 
  within a noose is the sign of this order. 
  Members 
  The White Legion is composed of bitter people who 
  seek to blame the failings of the world on persons 
  other than themselves. They deny any shortcomings 
  in their own lives, continually finding villains, real or 
  imagined, behind every mishap. Scholars have 
  accurately characterized the White Legion as one of 
  the world’s most xenophobic orders. 
  Histocx, 
  The 
  Black Death (1348, to be precise). It grew out of an 
  earlier order known as The European Society. The 
  exact goals and traditions of that order are lost, but 
  the group is believed to have been an important 
  player in the Crusades. It is almost certain that the 
  libraries of this qabal have information that would 
  clear up much of the mystery surrounding their 
  lineage, but they are obviously unwilling to share it. 
  Following the formation of The White Legion in 
  London, the group gained support throughout much 
  of Europe. In the wake of the Black Death’s arrival 
  from the east, their belief that European Man should 
  isolate himself from the world was well received. 
  The coming of the Renaissance brought the 
  expansion of the group almost to a halt, but did 
  nothing to diminish its existing membership. The 
  idea of a global culture from which all might benefit 
  ite Legion began during the days of the 
  was repugnant to the White Legion, but their efforts 
  to halt the Renaissance were poorly organized and 
  too short-sighted to have a lasting impact. 
  Membership in the order declined at the start of 
  the 16th century. Throughout the 17th and 18th 
  centuries, the White Legion was largely ineffectual, 
  especially since it opposed the otherwise popular 
  notions of importing slaves from Africa and the 
  establishment of colonies in the New World. These 
  objections had nothing to do with the idea of helping 
  the African or Native American peoples; the White 
  Legion’s only interest was the protection of 
  European culture from outside influences. 
  The 19th century has seen a marked increase in 
  the membership of the White Legion. The leadership 
  of the group seems better skilled than ever before, 
  and the individuals who compose it are as dedicated 
  to their cause as ever. 
  
  The Six - Finqcred Hand 
  8 Chaotic Evil Qabal 
  Perhaps the most terrible of all the secret societies 
  on Gothic Earth is the ancient order of the Six- 
  Fingered Hand. Like many qabals, it traces its 
  ancestry back to The Defiance. Undeniably evil, the 
  Six-Fingered Hand acknowledges the same goal that 
  inspired The Defiance: the ultimate destruction of 
  the Red Death. Atthough it is difficult to find fault 
  with this goal, the means by which they attempt to 
  accomplish it is another matter. 
  absolutely that the Red Death is an integral part of 
  Gothic Earth. The only way to be rid of the former, 
  they insist, is to destroy the latter. 
  Members of the Six-Fingered Hand believe 
  of this sinister qabal is an open hand with 
  the fingers slightly spread. What makes this glyph 
  disturbing, however, is that every finger has an extra 
  joint, and that the hand has two thumbs, one on 
  each side of the palm. Occasionally, an image of 
  Gothic Earth is placed in the palm of the hand as if it 
  were about to be gripped. It is unknown whether 
  such a hand belongs to a real creature, or whether it 
  is simply a bizarre image. 
  Members of this qabal are routinely scarred with a 
  diagonal slash across the palm of the left hand. 
  When identifying themselves, members hold their 
  left hand up and open to display this mark of loyalty. 
  Members 
  The followers of the Hand are a dangerous group. 
  They seem to be evenly divided between crazed 
  geniuses and brutal thugs, with a few mad adepts 
  tossed in for good measure. 
  No one who seeks out the Hand and attempts to 
  join is ever accepted as a member. Such individuals 
  are tortured for information about how they located 
  the qabal, then killed to plug a potential leak. 
  Instead, if the leaders of the Hand spot a potential 
  member, they seek him out and attempt to recruit 
  him. Those who refuse are eliminated to prevent a 
  possible threat to security. 
  History 
  The Six-Fingered Hand can trace its origins back to 
  the collapse of the Defiance. A great deal of reliable 
  evidence exists to prove that a half-dozen of the 
  Defiance’s most conservative members fled across 
  the Mediterranean Sea to Rome, where the group 
  has been based since. 
  hindered the efforts of the Red Death is difficult to 
  say. Certainly, the members of the Hand have 
  brought about much suffering, but they have also 
  Whether the actions of this qabal have helped or 
  swept whole breeds of supernatural horrors out of 
  existence. 
  Perhaps the most infamous action of the group 
  occurred in 1883. Reports had come to the order of 
  a portal that had opened to some mysterious 
  netherworld. Agents were sent to investigate and 
  take whatever action they might deem appropriate. 
  These agents decided that they might be able to 
  force a collapse of the portal and trigger the 
  annihilation of Gothic Earth. They succeeded in the 
  former, but failed in the latter. Even in failure, 
  however, the agents of the Hand wrought great 
  destruction. The effects of the explosion they 
  triggered not only destroyed the island of Krakatoa, 
  but affected the global ecology for years afterward. 
  The Stars are setting 
  and the Caravan, 
  Stsrts for the Dawn of Nothirtg 
  4, 
  mahe haste! 
  Omar Khayysm 
  Rubaiyiit (1 lth - 12th Century) 
  64 
  
  World Leaders oFthe 1830's 
  Nation 
  Years in power 
  1867- 
  Nation 
  Austria-Hungary (Emperor) 
  Francis Joseph 
  Great Britain (Prime Minister) 
  Marquess of Salisbury 
  1886-1 892 
  894 
  895 
  William E. Gladstone 
  1892- 
  Earl of Rosebery 
  1894- 
  Marquess of Salisbury 
  1895- 
  Italy (Monarch) 
  Humbert I 
  Japan (Emperor) 
  Mutsuhito (Meiji Tenno) 
  Japan (Prime Minister) 
  Ito Hirobumi 
  Mexico (President) 
  Belgium (Monarch) 
  Leopold II 
  1865- 
  Brazil (President) 
  Manuel Deodoro de Fonesco 
  Floriano Peixoto 
  Prudente Jose de Moraes Barros 
  Manuel Ferraz de Campos Salles 
  1889-1 89 1 
  189 1-1 894 
  1894-1898 
  1898- 
  1878- 
  1867- 
  Canada (Prime Minister) 
  Baron Stanley of Preston 
  (Frederick Stanley) 
  Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair 
  (John Gordon) 
  Earl of Minto 
  1888-1893 
  1885- 
  1893-1898 
  Porfirio Diaz 
  1887- 
  1898- 
  Norway and Sweden (Monarch) 
  Oscar II 
  1872- 
  (Gilbert Elliot-Murray Xynynmond) 
  Chile (President) 
  Jose Manuel Balmaceda 
  1886-1 89 1 
  Jorge Montt 
  1891- 
  Portugal (Monarch) 
  Carlos I 
  1889- 
  Russia (Emperor) 
  Alexander III 
  Nicholas I1 
  China (Emperor) 
  Kuang Hsu 
  1875- 
  188 1-1 BY4 
  1894- 
  France (President) 
  Marie Frangois Sadi Camot 
  Jean Paul Pierre Casimir-Perier 
  1887-1 894 
  1894-1 895 
  Frangois Felix Faure 
  1895-1 899 
  Emile Loubet 
  1899- 
  Spain (Monarch) 
  Alfonso XI11 
  1886- 
  Turkish Empire (Sultan) 
  Abdul Hamid II 
  1876- 
  Germany and Prussia (Monarch) 
  William I1 
  1888- 
  United States of America (President) 
  Benjamin Harrison 
  1889-1 893 
  Grover Cleveland 
  1893-1 897 
  William McKinley 
  1897- 
  Great Britain (Monarch) 
  Victoria 
  1837- 
  
  Suqqestd Creatures For 
  Campaiqns 
  psque oFthe (HI Death 
  Note: This table does not include common creatures like bats, rats, or spiders; only exceptional creatures have been listed. Crea- 
  tures from the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM 
  RAVENLOFT 
  appendix have not been listed as most of these are deemed acceptable. Creatures 
  in italics may not be suitable for all campaigns; DMs should use their own judgment. 
  I/(onstrous Mand 
  Monstrous Compendium f i n n d  
  Monstrous Compendium 
  Argos 
  Volume One 
  Dark Sun Pppendix 
  Baatezu 
  Banshee 
  Broken One 
  Brownie 
  Crawling Claw 
  Crypt Thing 
  Deepspa wn 
  Doppleganger 
  Feyr 
  Gargoyle 
  Ghost 
  Ghoul 
  Golem, Any 
  Hag 
  Haunt 
  Heucuva 
  Homonculous 
  Invisible Stalker 
  Jackalwere 
  Leprechaun 
  Lich 
  Living Wall 
  Lycanthrope, Any 
  Mist, Crimson Death 
  Mist, Vampiric 
  Morkoth 
  Mummy 
  Mummy, Greater 
  Naga, Spirit or Dark 
  Nightmare 
  Phantom 
  Poltergeist 
  Rakshasa 
  Revenant 
  Shadow 
  Skeleton, Any 
  Skeleton, Giant 
  Skeleton, Warrior 
  Spectre 
  Tanar’ri 
  Vampire, Any 
  Wight 
  Will o’wisp 
  Wolfwere 
  Wraith 
  Yeti 
  Yugoloth, Any 
  Zombie, Any 
  Imp 
  Baneguard 
  Blazing Bones 
  Carrionette 
  Crypt Servant 
  Dread 
  Flames kull 
  Gibbering Mouther 
  Golem, Any 
  Helmed Horror 
  Lich, Psionic 
  Lycanthrope, Any 
  Naga, Bone 
  Plant, Vampire Moss 
  Shadeling 
  Spectral Wizard 
  Tree, Dark 
  Tree, Death’s Head 
  Tuyewera 
  Undead Lake Monster 
  Wolf, Any 
  Wraith, Shimmering 
  Monstrous Compendium 
  Mystara Pppendix 
  Agarat 
  Baldandar 
  Bhut 
  Brain Collector 
  Crone of Chaos 
  Darkhood 
  Ghostly Horde 
  Golem, Any (except Drolem) 
  Gray Philosopher 
  Lycanthrope, Any 
  Manikin 
  Nightshade, Any 
  Plasm 
  Sacrol 
  Spectral Death 
  Spectral Hound 
  Spirit, All 
  Statue, Living, All 
  Topi 
  Vampire, Velya 
  Wyrd 
  Zombie, Lightning 
  Imp, Any 
  Dhaot 
  Golem, All 
  Kaisharga 
  Krag 
  Kragling 
  Meorty 
  Raaig 
  Racked Spirit 
  Stalking Horror 
  Undead 
  Wraith, Athasian 
  Zombie, Thinking 
  Monstrous Compendium 
  Planescape Pppendix 
  Baatezu, Any 
  Imp, Any 
  Night Hag 
  Nightmare 
  Shadow Fiend 
  Tanar’ri, Any 
  Yugoloth, Any 
  Monstrous Compendium 
  Planescape Pppendix I1 
  Ghostlight 
  Simpathetic 
  Tanar’ri, Any 
  Yugoloth, Canoloth 
  
  Campaign Expansion 
  -/ 
  1, . 
  by William W. Connors 
  Ultimate 1890's Soupeeboo@ 
  The Gothic Earth Gazetteer is a complete guide to the people and events that shaped the 
  1890's. An indispensable reference for any Masque of the Red Death campaign, it contains 
  a wealth of information including: 
  -E- Qabals: A look at nine of Gothic Earth's mysterious qabals, including Van Helsing's Die 
  Wachtern and the mysterious Order of the Crimson Dawn. 
  -E- Headline News: A year-by-year account of the major events that made headlines around 
  the world. For the creative Dungeon Master, each one is a potential adventure. 
  -E- who's who: From A (German optics expert Ernst Abbe) to Z (France's controversial 
  author Emile Zola), this collection of biographies brings the people of the 1890's to life. 
  +- 1830's Calendar: A full-color, poster-sized calendar detailing all ten years of the most horrific 
  decade in the history of Gothic Earth. 
  +- Forbidden hore: Revelations that unveil the macabre truth behind the people and events of 
  the decade. 
  +- Major Forces: Brief essays on the growth of spiritualism in the U.S. and Europe, the Native 
  American Ghost Dancers, and other important elements of life on Gothic Earth. 
  Scc World headers: An at-a-glance reference table outlining who wields power. 
  LL. 
  TSR. Inc. 
  20 1,'Sheridan Springs Rd. 
  Lake Geneva 
  WI 53147 
  U.S.A. 
  TSR Ltd. 
  120 Church End 
  I 
  Cherry Hinton 
  Cambridge CB1 3LB 
  United Kingdom 
  Sug. Retail 
  $9.95 us 
  $11.95 CAN 
  f5.99 UK 
  ADVANCED 
  DUNGEONS 
  6 DRAGONS 
  and RAVENLOFT are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. 
  The TSR logo is a trademark owned by TSR, Inc. 
  81995 TSR, Inc. AU Rights Reserved. Made in the U.S.A. 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/D20 system/D20 Modern/[Accessory] [9498] The Gothic Earth Gazetter.pdf