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Alfred is a bibliomancer and the publisher of Jaxon Hall's pamphlet On the Merits of Unnaturalness. He lives in Grub Street.
Biography[]
History[]
Alfred and Jaxon go back a very long way. Alfred is the only psycho-scout in London, as he put the others out of business. "Psycho" is short for psychographer. Most of his clients are mediums. Jaxon brought him his pamphlet, On the Merits of Unnaturalness, which Alfred worked to get published by the Spiritus Club.
Alfred was married to an amaurotic named Floy. It was his first, but short-lived love. She died very young. Alfred is still trying to find her in the æther to ask her what happened, but she never seems to hear.
The Mime Order[]
Nick Nygård introduces Paige Mahoney to Alfred. Later, Alfred runs into Paige at a coffeeshop. While they are there, Frank Weaver announces Paige as public enemy number one in Scion. Without questioning her, Alfred whisks her out of the shop. He tells her that her only option to stay safe is to go back to Jaxon. He leads her to the intersection of I-4 and I-5 so she can get to Seven Dials.
Alfred helps Paige publish her penny dreadful, The Rephaite Revelation. After Paige brings him the rough draft, Alfred tells her that it's rare to see literature openly talk about Scion's corruption. "It does something to challenge their authority, implying that their minds are weak enough to be controlled by outside forces."[1]
Immediately upon discovering the edits and changes made to The Rephaite Revelation, Paige calls Alfred. He tells her that Felix Coombs called right before it went to print and made the changes.
The Mask Falling[]
Paige discovers that the Rag and Bone Man is actually Alfred. Alfred "introduces" himself to Paige as Alfred Hayhurst Rackham, founding member of the gray market. Paige then recalls how Alfred had plucked Jaxon from a garret and shown his words to the citadel. Alfred had profited from the bloodshed On the Merits had left in its wake. Alfred had "stitched a monster into being." Alfred had known Jaxon since before Jaxon had been taken to Sheol I. Paige realizes that it was Alfred who edited The Rephaite Revelation to make it glorify the Sargas. He confirms this. Jaxon has carved up Alfred for attempting to kill Paige before the scrimmage. He had told him not touch her again after he sold her to the gray market as the Rag and Bone Man. Jaxon has left a wreath of flowers on Alfred's chest for Paige. Paige puts Alfred out of his misery by killing him.
Physical Description[]
Alfred is fifty-seven and a large man with a sallow complexion. He has a neat, dark beard shot through with gray that grows out from below his large nose. He wears a pince-nez. He has gnarled fingers, but his large hands are warm. He has a small chin. Alfred speaks with an accent that is distinctly upper class, oddly so, as if he should have been born in the monarch days. He has a drooping face and is apple-cheeked. His downturned, damp eyes are gunmetal blue, and beneath them hang two swollen pouches of skin. Alfred still wears his spousal ring. It's a thick gold band with no adornments.
Personality[]
Alfred is slightly crazy, but seems caring. Paige can see why he and Jaxon get along so well because they are both off the cot. He enjoys smoking his pipe and drinking coffee. He's very hardworking, often working eighteen hours a day. He is incredibly talented as a bibliomancer, claiming he can read anything and just sense if it's going to sell. To Nick's knowledge he has never been wrong. He believes that voyants should stop fighting each other and work together to fight the Inquisitor. However, he helped contribute to the voyant fighting by publishing Jaxon's On the Merits. He's jolly and thinks reading is a miracle. He appears harmless, just a man with a passion for good literature and a quaint little office. Jaxon calls him shrewd and someone with a keen sense of good judgment. Alfred calls himself a gambler.
Appearances[]
- The Bone Season (mentioned only)
- The Mime Order
- The Mask Falling