Note: The character below is a supporting role in the drama, "Ill Met By Gaslight". Jump here for the earlier version of the character in "Shadows By Moonlight"

Lord Roger Avebury is a government agent working (possibly) directly for Queen Victoria? (she is, at least, aware of his assignment, whether or not she's given it directly, and she refers to him by his first name). He leads the group Department M, ostensibly a unit of the Metropolitan Police Special Branch?. Avebury has undefined misgivings regarding the task he's been assigned.

Avebury has worked previously for Her Majesty's Government. Five years ago he returned from India under a cloud, after an "unfortunate incident," not yet revealed to the viewers.

Avebury has an office at "Old" Scotland Yard, which is being largely vacated by the Metropolitan Police for their new headquarters on the Embankment.

He may be an old friend of Lady Eugenia Prentice, aunt to Lillian Salisbury.

Roger Avebury

Casting Notes: "We're talking Dylan McDermott here - a bit older, ruggedly handsome, good range of emotions. Former gentleman adventurer for the Queen."

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Ill Met By Gaslight

Note: The following is the character, Roger Avebury, as he was written up for the failed pilot "Shadows By Moonlight." While some particulars seem the same, until it is actually shown in the show, the viewers should not assume any of this information to be canonical.

The Character

Player Name

Dave Hill

Protagonist Name

Lord Roger Avebury

Concept

Former confidential agent of Her Majesty's Government in India, now gentleman adventurer.

Story Arc

Issue

Wants to atone for his failure (to his duty, to his men) in India. (Something Horrible Happened whilst there, five years ago, involving the sort of supernatural things he and his team were charged to investigate. He took the blame assigned him without question, was cashiered, and returned to England under a cloud. He now remains aloof, but still interested in such matters, and overly-protective of his new "team."

Screen Presence

(2) - 2 - 1 - 3 - 1 - 2

Personal Set

His private apartments attached to the St Thomas Club, a private club for those who deal with the supernatural ("You have seen and believed, Thomas -- how blessed are those who have not seen and who believe.") His apartments are nice, comfortable, reasonably furnished, and serve as a place where his few mementos are stored. But they are not so wealthy as his former status would have indicated. Lord Roger has come down in the world ...

Nemesis

Augustine, Lord Blackmoor. Blackmoor has risen rapidly in British politics over the last five years, coming from a minor position in the the British colonial service to a powerful place in Parliament. How did he get ahead so swiftly? And why does he hate Avebury so. He was, after all, the man who ordered Avebury and his old team to their doomed adventure. ...

Traits

Edges

• Mystic disciplines from the Far East. Anything from bits of martial arts to philosophical tidbits to actual magical stuff as the plot demands.
• Former agent of Her Majesty's Government. Think James Bond with a tweed cape and sword cane. Connections to the government, heroic abilities, mysteroius past missions, whatever we need.

Connections

• Lady Sally Avebury?, his sister. A bit younger than he, blonde and fancy-free, the perky aristocrat socialite sort. When Roger returned from India, he was disowned by his father. Sally inherited the estate when Father died two years ago. They have a good relationship, and she's as supportive of him as he allows.
• Admiral Danforth Whitehaven?, friend and mentor from India, now head of Her Majesty's Office of Extraordinary Affairs. Provides official connections for Roger, and continues to try to reconcile him with HM government.
• Lady Nuala Bel Darien?, a lady of the Fae Court, and a distant (so far as Roger knows) cousin of King Oberon?. Roger's occasional girlfriend/lover.

Fan Mail

Stay tuned!

Casting notes

"We want someone with that square-jawed mature air to him -- an older sort (30 or so), but with enough sex appeal to pull in the younger women. Ioun, Colin, maybe, someone of that sort. A younger Dylan or Val, if we could find one. Romantic leading man, but sort of a dry wit to him, but capable of that tormented drama bit."

Shadows By Moonlight