Hellfire Club

PHASE 1

Hellfire Club
Portrayed by Various
Known Aliases:	New York Inner Circle - White and Black Courts; London Inner Circle - Red and Blue Courts
Affiliations:	Independent

Socked By:	Various
Introduction:	Hellfire

Then came a generation that wasn't content to rest on their wealth and settle for parties and perversions - though they didn't exactly forego those aspects either. This was to be a generation with broader horizons; a generation with an altogether bolder view of the future.

The Hellfire Club is a social club located in London and New York City, catering to high society. The Club is seen as a decadent exercise in anachronistic excess, its lavish galas and parties often hiding the true aims of those who comprise its Inner Circle.

First Appearance

New York Hellfire Club: June 22, 2003

London Hellfire Club: Song of Isaac, Key of Solomon

Details

The Hellfire Club is a social club catering to members of the social and financial elite. The Hellfire Club also has a governing body colloquially known as the Inner Circle, taking the formal names of chess pieces and separated into a White Court and Black Court. These Courts tend to oppose each other in business and social matters in a Machiavellian competition for power, in manners both subtle and overt. The London Club began as a secret cabal, an offshoot of John Dee's Invisible College, sometime in the sixteenth century. The New York and London branches are interconnected in many ways, but their leadership is independent and where the New York Inner Circle focusses on mutant powers, the London Inner Circle focuses on magic.

Membership in the Hellfire Club tends to be hereditary, with only those deemed worthy by the Inner Circle admitted into full membership. Members of the Inner Circle tend to reach those spots either by selection (Kings and Queens choosing their Court) or by subterfuge and deception (Pete Wisdom usurping the position of White King).

Often the machinations of the Inner Circle pit the resources of the entire Hellfire Club towards a certain goal, which has brought them into conflict with the X-Men on more than one occasion.

New York Hellfire Club

Black Court

Black Queen - Belladonna Boudreaux-LeBeau	Black Queen Held by energy vampire and witch, Selene until she was taken down by Pete Wisdom and magically imprisoned at the bottom of Jamaica Bay. In 2006, a mentally disturbed Jean Grey was set up as a potential new Black Queen, but unsettled by the amount of power she had amassed in a short time, Shaw collaborated with the X-Men to have her removed. In April 2010, Shaw brokered a deal with the White Court, supporting his choice of new Black Queen, Belladonna, in favour of Selene's permanent removal. PB: Angelina Jolie
Black King - Sebastian Shaw	Black King A powerful industrialist, Sebastian Shaw is a dangerous and cunning opponent. His mutant status is a tightly-kept secret and while he has often been pitched against the X-Men, he has on occasion used them as a means to an end. Currently, Shaw is reeling from the loss of significant financial and covert power following Pete Wisdom's infiltration and subsequent decimation of the Inner Circle's assets. PB: Jason Isaacs
Black Rook - Harry Leland	Black Rook An esteemed Manhattan businessman, Harry Leland is also a member of the Hellfire Club's Inner Circle, serving as their Black Rook. After years of watching as Shaw chose ambition over decency, and avarice beyond even the levels encouraged by the Hellfire Club, Leland doubted his friend's position to lead Hellfire and began to plot the downfall of Sebastian Shaw, playing off of Pete Wisdom's usurping of the White King position in a subtle backstabbing that crippled Shaw financially, with the Black King remaining none the wiser. Having achieved a measure of secret revenge against Shaw, Leland has been assisting his friend in the rebuilding of his company; although now as a full partner with a controlling interest in Shaw Industries. A heart attack in 2007 has significantly weakened his position. PB: Sydney Greenstreet
Black Knight - vacant	Traditionally a younger member's role, the Knight is the protector and protegee of the Queen. This position has been held (briefly) by Amanda Sefton and more recently by John Lense before his death.

Others

Jason Wyngarde - minor level member of the Black Court; Wyngarde is a master broker and manipulater for the Black Court, disguised behind a thousand faces to present the wishes of the Court and break those who cross them. His unique powers of illusion keep him entirely off the scope of the White Court, who believe that Wyngarde is nothing more than a minor member of the Black Court; a sort of priviliaged 'chum' of Shaw's.

Scarlett - seen often in the company of Wyngade, this red-headed woman has attracted the attention of Emma Frost, but little is known about who she is and what she does.

Adrienne Frost: Sister to Emma, Adrienne has recently been accepted into the Black Court as a move against the White Queen. In reality, she is there to gather information using her psychometric powers, both for the White Court and for the FBI. Wyngarde has already shown her exactly what the cost of power entails and continues to watch her.

Astrid Bloom - telepath used by Wyngarde to trap Adrienne in a Reading during Santayana Effect.

White Court

White Queen - Emma Frost	White Queen Having secured her place in the Inner Circle through her family connections, Emma rose to the position of White Queen by the use of both her intellect and her telepathy. She is now rebuilding the White Court, taking advantage of the chaos wrecked by Pete Wisdom.
White King - vacant	The position of White King has been vacant for some time. In 2005 it was filled by Pete Wisdom as part of a plot to depose the Black Queen, and he resigned the position as soon as that end was achieved.
White Bishop - vacant	Previously held by Shinobi Shaw and then Manuel de la Rocha, the position of Bishop is one of diplomacy and cunning, centring around the Court's business interests and the gathering of information.
White Knight - Doug Ramsey	White Knight Traditionally a younger member's role, the Knight is the protector and protegee of the Queen. Before Doug was appointed by Emma, this position was held by Manuel.

London Hellfire Club

Blue Court

Blue Queen -
Blue King -
Blue Rook -
Blue Knight -

Red Court

Red Queen -
Red King -
Red Rook - Jane Hampshire	Red Rook Daughter of Sir James Ransom Hampshire, British engineer and mechanical designer, Jane has multiple degrees and knows multiple languages, and holds enough power in the Red Court to act as their right hand in many affairs. PB: Chloe Annett
Red Knight -

Former Members

Selene - Black Queen	Black Queen Energy vampire and witch, Selene was Black Queen until she was taken down by Pete Wisdom and magically imprisoned at the bottom of Jamaica Bay. She escaped briefly, but was killed by Belladonna as part of her taking on the Black Queen role.
Jane Grey - Black Queen	File:Jane.jpg Black Queen II In 2006, a mentally disturbed Jean Grey was set up as a potential new Black Queen, but unsettled by the amount of power she had amassed in a short time, Shaw collaborated with the X-Men to have her removed.
Amanda Sefton - Black Knight	Black Knight As the result of a deal with Selene to address her magical addiction, Amanda Sefton agreed to a year's service as Selene's Knight. She changed her mind at the induction ceremony and barely escaped with her life.
John Lense - Black Knight	File:Lense.jpg Black Knight II Made Knight by Shaw, John Lense was a survivor of the Mistra program who struggled after the program was forcibly dismantled. He blamed Nathan Dayspring for the loss of meaning in his life and it was this blame that eventually led to his death.
Pete Wisdom - White King	White King In 2005 the position of White King was filled by Pete Wisdom as part of a plot to depose the Black Queen, and he resigned the position as soon as that end was achieved.
Shinobi Shaw - White Bishop	File:Shinobi.jpg White Bishop Invited to the position of White Bishop as a snub to his father, the Black King, Shinobi filled the position until 2004.
Manuel de la Rocha - White Knight and White Bishop II	File:Manuel.jpg White Knight and White Bishop II Previously Emma's Knight, Manuel reluctantly accepted the role of Bishop after the injury that rendered him lame in one hip. Like all things he attempted, he focussed on it with ruthless determination, until an abduction attempt of his sister apparently by elements in the Black Court caused him to relocate to Spain.