Jonah Breakspear

**Jonah Breakspear** is averse to work and school and has a taste for the pix whorehouses. His parents want him to get his life together — rather than being out all night and asleep all day — so that he can take his rightful place as a true Burguish socialite.

Due to his ineptitude and tyrannical methods in his rule as Chancellor of of the Commonwealth Party, he's been considered to be the worst Chancellor in the Burge's history.

He is eventually killed by the Sparas while attempting to execute Vegnette.

## History

Jonah has never known a hard day’s work in his life. He has grown up on his parents’ fortune and doesn’t plan to change that any time soon. The biggest nuisance in his life is his mother who is constantly pushing him to be more based on the rantings and ravings of a Haruspex who believes he is destined for greatness.

## Biography

### Season one

#### Abducted from the Row

Jonah arrives at the Tetterby Hotel and waves to Fleury and Tourmaline Larou above on the balcony. Madame Moira welcomes him and Tourmaline takes him upstairs, where they have sex. Jonah awakens in the late hours of the night and is attacked and kidnapped.

Jonah sits in an unknown location with a bag over his head and ropes tying his hands and feet together. As it turns out, Jonah was taken by his own mother, unbeknownst to him. Her heels click against the stone floor as she circles her son. Jonah, still unaware that his mother is his own abductor, threatens to have everyone killed.

Jonah is recovered by law officials from the at the old Copley Baths. He then returns home and rushes into his father’s arms, giving him a hug. He then hears his mother’s heals clacking against the floor, identical to those of his abductor. It’s in this moment that Jonah realizes that he was abducted by his mother, who greets him with a hug.

#### Meeting Sophie Longerbane

Absalom and Piety wish to discuss what happened and implement consequences on Jonah. However, it is Piety who seems more determined to grant punishment. She wants him to do away with his childish activities and take hold of the future. Naked and covered with ash, Piety scaled Mount Carpe. On her hands and knees, she climbed to consult the Augurs before she married Absalom. And they told her that he would be a great man and that his son would be greater. Maybe he could be king. Until then, they’ve ordered that Jonah take a respite from the public eye and concentrate on his studies. His hours of tutelage had been doubled.

If Jonah’s to complete his studies, he’ll need tutors in every study. Until then, Master Symes has taken him to Balefire Hall to watch Parliament in action. Sophie Longerbane is taking her father’s place as lead of the Hardtackers until the next election. Sophie wishes to honor both her father and mother’s honor. Her mother’s desert blood was written on her face. Her forefathers fled the chaos of war in the Pharaonic Coast and came to the Burgue, where the color of their skin made them outcasts. But they eventually overcame the prejudices of that time and found a place in the city. Just as it seems that she’s in favor of the fae in the Burgue and Breakspear, she reveals that they can’t simply just welcome the fae into the Burgue. The fae are nothing like them and their differences are more than skin deep. All this unfolds as Jonah watches from above, greatly impressed with her will.

Jonah and Absalom discuss Sophie Longerbane and how she turned the tables on him. Jonah wishes to watch his father in Parliament once more, but there’s no session as Ritter Longerbane’s body is lying in state and his daughter will be receiving condolences from his supporters. Jonah then sneaks off to attend Longerbane’s wake as Sophie receives condolences.

Sophie and her Critch handmaid Jenila request to be alone as the wake comes to an end. Sophie is not as heartbroken over her father’s death as she had led on. In fact, she and Jenila mock those who offered their condolences. Unbeknownst to them, Jonah secretly watches from above. It’s not until they discover his presence that he reveals himself to them. Sophie isn’t at all what he expected. He’s surprised by her affection for Jenila despite her performance at Parliament regarding the Critch in the Burgue. Sophie reveals that was all an act. In fact, she doesn’t even like the word Critch, as it’s a slur.

As her father’s daughter, she would’ve been a fool not to give that performance. Rumor has it is that the reason Sophie’s father had her sequestered away is because she had a difficult birth and came into the world a simpleton. While Sophie’s mom did die in child birth, she is far from a simpleton. She did have a lonely childhood however. No friends, but for the volumes in her library. No amusement, but for the litany of secrets drifting from the room down the hall from hers, where the most important men in the city convene to whisper and plot. Sophie knows that her father didn’t kidnap Jonah, and she knows that he knows as well. They both suspect his mother being the actual culprit. They have much in common and Sophie would rather be friends than foes.

#### A dynasty in the making

Jonah and Sophie have sex in his carriage. She again makes mention of an alliance. She warns Jonah that his father’s regime is waning and it’s his time to see to his future. She explains that politics is the price of moments that could change everything.

Runyan arrives to tutor Jonah, though he doesn’t seem the slightest bit interested in his studies. He can tell Runyan needs this job and because of that, Runyan will confirm his attendance to Master Symes and report that Jonah is making splendid progress. He even offers to double whatever it is that Runyan is being paid. Should he refuse, Jonah will have him fired. Runyan calls Jonah’s bluff. He knows Jonah’s type, and he’s been brought in to equip him with a little wisdom. Jonah can either take or leave Runyan’s proposition, but what Runyan won’t do is lie for Jonah. Jonah quickly realizes that Runyan is nothing like his other tutors and decides to take a seat.

Sophie and Jonah arrange another meeting. He can’t stop thinking about her. She’s taken him to the edge of something he can no longer ignore, that being the future. He’d never gave it much thought before meeting her. She tells him that chaos is the great hope of those in the shadows. Chaos for men like Jonah’s father create opportunities for them. Regimes fall, old worlds born, and they decide what rises from the ashes.

Piety confronts Jonah on his secret affair with Sophie Longerbane. Piety advises him to stay away from her. The Longerbanes are dangerous. Piety knew the family since before Jonah was born. Jonah then reveals to his mother that he knows she was the one responsible for his abduction. She tells him it was for his own good, asking that he trust her. Piety begs Jonah to break it off with Sophie because she’s his sister.

Jonah shows up at Sophie Longerbane’s home unannounced. Jonah informs her that they’re siblings, however, Sophie is already very much aware. At the very least, she knew there was a possibility. Despite their relation, she perused Jonah becuase she grew up alone with no one beyond a bitter and distant father. While the world may have boundaries, Sophie argues that they don’t belong to that world. She even suggests that this isn’t the first time incest has occurred in their family tree. It’s how power is born. She then writes Jonah a note. Inside is an offer. Jenila enters the room and tells Jonah that he’s to return to Balefire.

After learning that his father was attacked, Jonah demands to speak with him. Absalom’s voice is weak, but he’s likely to survive. Jonah asks his father if it ever crossed his mind how ill-equipped he is to assume his father’s responsibilities had he not survived. Absalom would let Jonah get away with anything despite everything at stake. It’s as if Absalom never saw Jonah as a true successor. Absalom denies this as Jonah carries his name. However, that’s about all they have in common. Jonah reveals that he knows he is actually Ritter Longerbane’s son. Absalom is shocked, though he admits that he’s had his suspicions. Early on, Longerbane was a rival for Piety’s affections. Nonetheless, Absalom claims Jonah as his own. Not that Jonah cares.

Jonah returns to his father’s room to find that he’s been killed and cut open. When Magister Hood reveals that Piety was the last to see Absalom alive, Jonah orders her capture. With Absalom dead, Jonah is the new Chancellor until the next election.

Jonah, Winetrout, and Hood attend a meeting at Balefire to discuss the Puck that attacked Absalom and his comrades. Afterward, he calls in Runyan, who asks if Piety has been found yet, which she hasn’t. Among her personal belongings, they found a supposed blackmail letter from Aisling Querelle. Runyan reads the letter and surmises that it was written by someone else. Jonah then fires Runyan as his arts and letters tutor and hires him as a special advisor as he'll need his guidance in the dark days to come. Jonah has discovered that Quill, the Puck assassin, is a member of a larger radical organization.

While reading the blackmail note supposedly sent by Aisling Querelle, Jonah notices the handwriting matches that of the note given to him by Sophie. She admits her role in sending the letter. She learned of the rumor from her father, who refused to use the information as ammunition. Jonah threatens to have her arrested, but she argues that he won’t as it’s because of that letter that Jonah is now Chancellor. Her reason for doing this, simply put, "chaos creates opportunity."

Jonah and Sophie walk out side by side and join the Parliament. Jonah states that their city's under siege. Threats from without and within. They stand at the precipice of a great and secret war that he intends to win. Jonah rallies Parliament, claiming they have a common enemy, who they must stand together against as one to prevail. He looks to Sophie and asks that she stand with him, to which she agrees, thus uniting the parties.

## Appearances

### Season one

* Some Dark God Wakes
* Aisling
* The Joining of Unlike Things
* Grieve No More
* Unaccompanied Fae
* The World to Come
* The Gloaming

## References

1. ↑ Season 1, Episode 01: Some Dark God Wakes
2. ↑ Season 1, Episode 02: Aisling
3. ↑ Season 1, Episode 04: The Joining of Unlike Things
4. ↑ Season 1, Episode 05: Grieve No More
5. ↑ Season 1, Episode 06: Unaccompanied Fae
6. ↑ Season 1, Episode 07: The World to Come
7. ↑ Season 1, Episode 08: The Gloaming