Walter Blackstone
In Improbability Squad, Brad's magician...
Walter Blackstone, Walt to his friends, is a handsome fellow with a quick wit, radiant charm, melodic voice, and a devastating smile. He is 38 years old and is somewhat taller than average with a thin build. His thin angular face sports a well-manicured handlebar moustache which he plays with as he speaks or when deep in thought. He is an excellent public speaker and thrives in the spot light. His choice in clothing is expensive and leans toward the flamboyant, while staying tasteful if not dapper. He never leaves home without a dress coat, top hat, and walking cane and always seems to be in the presence of other people.
His valet, Reginald Witherspoon, never strays too far away and seems to always be prepared and informed of Walter’s needs and obligations. Reginald is at times very blunt and abrupt with Walter. Many people find it odd and unnerving, but to those close to them they can see the mutual respect and admiration shared for each other.
Walt's Enemy is Anthony Sutton, a previous friend and fellow associate who became jealous at my growing relationship with Tesla. Anthony quit his employment with Tesla vowing to prove that he is the better man and not just some fluke accident and abomination, which he claim my character is. He is deeply religious and believes that Walt's electrical powers have to be due to some kind of pact with the Satan or one of his minions. At first he organized protests at shows, but this seemed to only to feed Walt's reputation and increase ticket sales. This infuriated him, and possibly unhinged him psychologically, now it is his life’s work and mission to see to my humiliation, downfall, and perhaps the loss of my life.
Background
Walter Blackstone became enamored at an early age of life with show magic after seeing his first stage magic performance by John Henry Anderson, known as the Great Wizard of the North, in the New Strand Theatre in London on a family trip. A few years later, after seeing a show performed by Nicola Tesla which involved the harnessing of electrical powers in fantastic ways, he knew he had found his calling and soon sought out and obtained an apprentice position with Mr. Tesla.
After a few years, Walter’s duties moved from simple assistance to setting up and sometimes running Tesla’s numerous experiments. It was during one of those experiments in which Walter’s life changed forever when he mistakenly selected the wrong box from Nicola’s office. The box was unlike any other Walter had seen before, it carried an air of uncertainty about it which Walter could only describe later as an aura of energy. As he connected it to the experiment of the day, the energy from the box leaped out into Walter rendering him unconscious and in a coma like state.
After two weeks Walter recovered from the coma. The box that Walter had inadvertently connected was spent and lifeless, Tesla explained during Walter’s recovery, that he did not know where the box, which seemed to cause the accident, originated only that it seemed to have a mysterious almost magic like properties. Sometime later, while setting up another experiment for Tesla the unthinkable happened, a bolt of pure electricity leaped from his hands finding its way into the electrical apparatus nearby. As time progressed his ability continued to manifest itself with wild unpredictable outcomes, but over time and with the mentorship of Nicola Tesla he was able to learn to control and even harness his ability allowing him to change its shape and vary it amplitude.
Now, years later, Walter travels the country as “Blackstone the Magnificent” a magician of great renown who entertains and mesmerizes his audience with his charm, wit, and melodic voice while performing mesmerizing stunts with electrical energy. His show has provided wealth, status, renown, and the means to look for other magical devices. It is here during one of Walter’s many shows that he crossed paths with Lady Vanderbilt. Over time his orbit slowly became drawn into hers and his goals become shaped by her vision. Walter has decided to take some time off from the demanding life of the show performer to help Lady Vanderbilt more closely.