Ernst Falkner

Overview

Dr. Ernst Falkner is a 52-year-old geologist and natural philosopher at the Naturhistorisches Institut who serves as an Order contact and intelligence source. He is not formally a member of the Order of St. Aelfric but is sympathetic to their mission and has provided significant assistance to the London chapter in the past.

Falkner has personal motivation for opposing the Brotherhood: his daughter, Margarethe, disappeared three years ago. He suspects — but cannot prove — that she was taken by Herzfeld.

Physical Description

A distinguished older gentleman with grey hair and beard, tired eyes that suggest years of worry. He dresses in academic robes and carries the bearing of a tenured scholar. He walks with a slight limp from an old injury. His appearance is professorial and trustworthy, but his eyes betray profound concern.

Statistics

Skills

• Science (Geology) 85%
• Science (Natural Philosophy) 75%
• Library Use 70%
• History 65%
• Occult 45%
• Psychology 55%
• German (Native) 90%
• French 75%
• Italian 60%
• English 50%

What Falkner Knows

About Herzfeld:

• He is dangerous; his theories are brilliant but disturbingly amoral
• The University’s sealed anatomical theatre was reopened 2–3 years ago under Herzfeld’s direction
• Herzfeld claims “acoustic research” but his actual work is unknown
• The pattern of missing musicians in Vienna coincides with the reopening of the theatre

About Margarethe:

• His daughter, age 28, was a promising soprano three years ago
• She was selected for a “special conservatory program” supervised by Herzfeld
• She disappeared after attending a private audition
• Official reports list her as “missing”; the police show no interest in investigation
• Falkner suspects Herzfeld took her

About the Brotherhood:

• He suspects but cannot prove that a cult operates under Herzfeld’s leadership
• He knows the University basement contains sealed spaces with restricted access
• He suspects Trautmannsdorff’s involvement (financial backer of dubious causes)
• He has heard rumors of disappearances among visiting musicians

Code Phrase: “The librarian of Saint-Just” — the authentication phrase established in Lyon.

Daily Patterns

How Falkner Can Help

Initial Contact: The investigators can locate Falkner through Order contacts or through discovery of his name in the intelligence from Lyon. His presence at the Naturhistorisches Institut is publicly known.

Information Provision: Falkner can provide:

• Historical information about the sealed anatomical theatre
• Background on Herzfeld’s theories and reputation
• Details about Margarethe’s disappearance
• Names of other disappeared musicians
• Warnings about Herzfeld’s influence in University politics

Practical Assistance:

• Scholar credentials for accessing restricted University areas
• Maps of the University complex
• Information about maintenance routines and security patterns
• Introduction to staff members who might cooperate
• Lodging advice (suggesting safe houses)

Emotional Connection: The investigators can appeal to Falkner’s desperation to find or avenge his daughter. This is a powerful motivator that can drive him toward risks he might otherwise avoid.

Vulnerabilities

Obsession with Margarethe: Falkner’s primary vulnerability is his desperate need to know what happened to his daughter. Information about her fate (if obtained) can be used as leverage to manipulate him.

Age and Health: At 52, Falkner is not young. Prolonged stress or physical danger could impact his health. He is not a combatant and cannot be relied upon in violence.

Caution: Falkner will be cautious about revealing too much information without confirmation that the investigators are genuine Order operatives. The code phrase establishes authentication, but he will still observe the investigators carefully.

Interactions with PCs

Initial Meeting

Falkner will be guarded but courteous. Once the code phrase is mentioned, he will become more open but will still be careful about how much he reveals. He will ask questions about the London operation and Danvers/Savarin to verify the investigators’ legitimacy.

If Convinced of Party’s Legitimacy

Falkner will become a valuable ally and information source. He will provide significant assistance, though he will prefer to work through intermediaries when possible (he cannot afford to be visibly compromised).

If Margarethe’s Fate Is Discovered

If the party learns what happened to Margarethe (especially if she is still conscious as part of the Engine), Falkner will experience profound emotional crisis. He may:

• Break down completely
• Become obsessed with rescue or vengeance
• Take dangerous personal risks
• Demand the party help him reach his daughter

Session Appearances

Falkner should be encountered early (Session 7–8) as a source of intelligence and practical assistance. He becomes emotionally central if Margarethe’s fate is confirmed. By Session 9–10, he might be involved in planning sabotage or rescue operations.

Final Notes

Falkner represents the personal cost of the Aeternum Choir’s operations — the destroyed families, the missing persons, the grieving relatives. His presence in the campaign humanizes the victims and provides emotional stakes beyond abstract moral horror.

[!info] Keeper Only If Margarethe is still somehow recoverable (her brain function preserved, her consciousness intact), Falkner’s emotional arc becomes central to the campaign’s climax. The decision about whether and how to “rescue” her — and whether rescue is mercy or cruelty — becomes a profound moral question for both Falkner and the party.

Relationships

• Enemy of Albin Herzfeld — Knows Herzfeld is dangerous; suspects University involvement
• Father of Margarethe Falkner — His daughter disappeared three years ago; possibly part of Engine
• Contact of Order of St Aelfric — Not a member, but sympathetic to Order's mission