Captain:
Augustus 'Gus' Starr (b. March 27, 1963; Houston, Texas). Retired USN Captain of the
USS Bonhomme Richard, former USN SEAL officer.
First Mate:
Brandon McBride (b. 1957, Beaumont, TX). Former Chief Warrant Officer from USCG (served 1976-2006).
Chief Steward:
Jean-Michel Alexandre, Kessler's right-hand-man, been with him since 1986. A stern, dangerous-looking Haitian who seems more bodyguard than domestic servant. Served in the French Foreign Legion for some time in the 70s and 80s.
Executive Secretary:
Mary Marchant. For all intents and purposes, Ms. Marchant is in charge of anything she wants to be. While she makes no attempt to dictate
what to do to her employer, as such decisions are usually an imprecise and arbitrary matter anyway, Ms. Marchant sees that anything which is needed is done, generally in such an efficient and organised manner that Kessler rarely has to think about his billions of dollars in holdings and investments, as Ms. Marchant is quite capable of dealing with his hordes of lawyers, accountants and other professionals on his behalf. Mr. Marchant is a regal woman in middle age, with an authoritative and confident manner rescued from brusqueness by a slight Texas lilt in her accent. As far as anyone knows, she has been with Kessler since she was young and he trusts her implicitly with anything and everything.
Chief Engineer:
Teryn Gilbert.
Chef:
Eugenia "Aunty Genie" Seraphine. Dominiquais (
Commonwealth of Domincia)
obeah woman, who is equally capable at whipping up callaloo and curative elixirs. In her fifties, has worked for Kessler since she was a girl and treats him with fond familiarity mixed with an exasperating tendency to exaggerate his frailty and protect his health, whether he likes it or not.
First Steward:
Ramon Alejo Reyes Jr.; retired Chief Culinary Specialist (CS7/E-7) from the US Navy who served two Presidents in the White House, between 2004-2012. Born in Manila with US citizenship (his father was a former USN steward as well), now in his early forties. Eagerly snapped up by a recruiter for Kessler when he retired from his Navy career in 2012. Unflappable, efficient, professional and unobtrusive at all times, Reyes is almost inhumanly good at his job and is reputed to be pulling in a salary only marginally lower than the Captain, which nearly all the crew agree he is well worth, as his organisational ability and uncanny attention to detail make keeping up billionaire standards of living aboard the
Penemue that much easier. Reyes is a devout Roman Catholic and a genuinely kind man.
Head of Security:
Guillaume Armant (b. 1965, Paris, France). Former Gendarmerie officer who was in the
GSPR between 1995-2007 and worked as a security consultant between 2007-2012.
Bosun:
Clifford 'Cliff' Payne (b. 1965, San Antonio). USCG (1985-2005), retired as MCPO (E-9).
Engineer:
Carlos Camacho.
Medical officer:
Dr. Dao Van Sang.
Librarian:
Alfred L. Lapointe (b. September 14, 1965, DRC/Congo), an English and History graduate of UT Austin. Expert on Shakespearean dramaturgy, John Dee and the occult underground of Elizabethan London. Looks like Ernest Thomas.
Armourer:
George 'Baz' Bannerman (b. September 12, 1962, Durban, South Africa). Former 22 SAS (1982-1992), son of Edward 'Ned' Bannerman, former head of Kessler's personal security.
Sous chef:
Cosimo LaRocca (b. 1986, New Orleans). Classically trained chef, who might walk into a head chef position on any luxury yacht or even have an excellent chance at re-starting his promising restaurant career, but owes Kessler an unspecified debt. Considers Aunty Genie an amateur in culinary matters and resents her authority, but must admit that she is a gifted amateur. Is also terrified of her and therefore complains to the crew and guests, never to her face.
Crew chef:
Dale Johnson (b. 1975; Houston, TX). Former SEAL who lost both legs. Not a
haute cuisine chef, but a good fry cook and excellent barbecue man. Main duties are perimeter security, allowed in the kitchen only on sufferance by Aunty Genie. Mostly cooks for the night shift or when an away team needs a meal at odd hours.
Senior Deck Crew:
Cord 'Boats' McCall (b. March 18, 1978; Port Aransa, TX). US Navy from 2002-2011, retired as E-7, Chief Boatswain's Mate (BMC). McCall grew up the son of a charter captain for saltwater fishing and worked on his boat since he was old enough to splice a line. He's capable, stoic and unflappable. If he has hobbies or interests, other than the sea, weather, naval yarns and ensuring that
Penemue is run absolutely flawlessly, he has managed to conceal such weaknesses adroitly from everyone.
Nurse:
Astrid Andersson. Kessler's private nurse. Indecently young and devastatingly attractive, which must
surely be wasted on the old reprobate. Aunty Genie keeps trying to convince Kessler to replace her with one of her many nieces or cousins from back home, who'd not only take better care of his health, but would also be much better for the state of his immortal soul, being well-brought up girls who'd never
dream of flirting so shamelessly with a man of his advanced age.
Janitor:
Lazaro Calderon (b. 1956; Miami, FL).
Interior Crew:
Ophelia Agnes Goddard (b. 1998, Domincia). Niece of Aunty Genie. Trusted with cleaning alchemical gear.
Deck hands (4):
Names needed. Might double as security, in which case they'll be recruited from the Coast Guard, Navy or another branch of the military where operators might learn boating, small unit tactics, waterborne assault, etc.
Interior crew (3):
Names needed. Will almost certainly also handle personal security.
Aside from the interior and deck crew members I haven't named, I'm also missing several characters for roles I know I need, but haven't fleshed out.
There are two technical types who are not marine engineers. One is responsible for all communication and sensor hardware and the other is the sysadmin aboard.
I had thought that the sysadmin was a young genius whose lack of social graces was excused because he could somehow find ways to keep computers working (some of the time) despite the interference from ritual magicians and various supernatural phenomena.
No idea about the communication and sensor tech, except that he probably has a more conventional background, is a little older and a lot more professional.