Hartwell House Draft
Location Overview
Hartwell House is a stately three-story residence in Mayfair, maintained by the Order_of_St_Aelfric as a recovery and convalescent facility, safe house, and residence for Order operatives and recruits. Its brass knocker is polished to a high sheen, iron railings meticulously maintained — a house that presents respectability to the outside world while sheltering those who have seen beyond the veil.
Atmosphere
The warmth of a well-run household — the scent of freshly lit fires, beeswax, and clean linen. The entry hall is grand but restrained, with a sweeping staircase leading to the upper floors and a chandelier casting soft light over the patterned rug. The house is quiet but not lifeless; servants move discreetly, voices murmur in measured tones. This is a place of purpose, discipline, and hidden power.
Key Rooms
Residents’ Bedrooms
Spacious but not overly indulgent, decorated in soft blues and creams with dark wood furnishings. Each room has a canopied bed, a writing desk near the window, a mahogany wardrobe, and a small fireplace. Residents find their wardrobe provided — modest but well-appointed selections in subdued, elegant fabrics suitable for both study and polite society.
The Dining Room
A long polished table seating ten or so residents, set with fine but practical china. Meals are wholesome but not extravagant — roasted game birds, stewed root vegetables, fresh bread, plum tarts, and modest wine. Breakfast is served in a smaller, sunlit room on the ground floor: warm bread and honey, soft-boiled eggs, ham, butter, and strong tea.
The Second-Floor Study
Occupied by Mr_Tobias_Whitmore. The door stands slightly ajar, the scent of tobacco and parchment mingling in the air. Inside, a sea of open books and meticulous notes on occult subjects.
The Drawing Room
Where Miss_Beatrice_Harrow holds court between assignments. A social space for the house’s residents, less formal than the dining room.
The Grand Salon (Training)
Cleared for instruction during the Winter 1813 training montage. Sunlight across parquet floors, chandelier shadows, a pianoforte for dance lessons. Used by Lady_Wilhelmina_Danvers for her ballroom drills.
Residents & Instructors
- Mr_Tobias_Whitmore — Historian & Occult Scholar. Second-floor study.
- Miss_Beatrice_Harrow — Field Investigator & Duellist. Drawing room regular.
- Mr_Alfred_Smythe — Linguist & Cryptologist. Cheerful, absent-minded, impressive pocket watch collection.
- Miss_Dorothea_Bexley — Occultist & Symbologist. Severe, sharp-eyed, speaks rarely but precisely.
- Mr_Benedict_Fairfax — Former Military Officer, Tactical Consultant. Broad-shouldered, scarred, dry humour.
- Lady_Wilhelmina_Danvers — Mistress of Social Etiquette, “The Silver Duchess.” Regal, sharp-tongued, effortlessly commanding.
Staff
- Mrs_Agnes_Rothwell — Housekeeper. Severe but competent, late fifties, sharp brown eyes and iron-grey hair. Runs the house with an efficient and fair hand.
- Miss_Eleanor_Finch — Personal maid, assigned to residents upon arrival. Soft-spoken, observant, about twenty years old.
Daily Life
Breakfast every morning, dinner every evening, tea available throughout the day. When at Ravenwood_House, residents may dine there instead. A copper bath can be prepared upon request; hot water for washing is provided every morning. Clothing is arranged by Mrs. Rothwell; a dressmaker can be engaged for formal occasions.
The house caters to scholars and field agents alike. Conversations are low and purposeful. Residents read while they eat, speak in hushed tones of matters unknown. The day’s work drives the rhythm, but the atmosphere is a refuge rather than a barracks.
Purpose
- Medical recovery and treatment for investigators returning from the field
- Psychological support and debriefing
- Training and preparation for new missions
- Safe lodging and provision for Order operatives and recruits
- Social cover: residents are presented as scholars under the Order’s patronage
Campaign History
- Summer 1813: Marina_Garrick arrived with Lady_Honoria_Lyndhurst after her recruitment in Portsmouth. She was received by Mrs. Rothwell, assigned Miss Finch as her maid, and given a well-appointed bedroom. Over the following days she met Mr. Whitmore and Miss Harrow, dined with the household, and prepared for her first mission to Tarryford.
- Winter 1813 (Training Montage): After The Long Corridor, Lady_Honoria_Lyndhurst recruited the surviving investigators and brought them back to London. The party underwent a structured training programme at Hartwell House over the winter, taught by six instructors. Each instructor offered two skills (Wilhelmina offered three); investigators chose 1d12 in one skill or 1d6 in both. Mr. Horatio Fairborn, the Wentworth sisters’ distant London relative, provided them with a household anchor at Gough Square during this period.
Keeper Notes
- Between-Sessions Location: Hartwell is where investigators recover between operations. It grounds them in a supportive environment before launching into danger.
- Recovery Arc: Investigators who suffer serious trauma or injury in later chapters may return to Hartwell for recovery, creating natural pacing breaks.
- Available NPCs: Whitmore (mentor/research), Harrow (field advice/sparring), Rothwell (domestic management), Finch (personal care). All available if the party returns to England.