Steve Rotwell

Steve Rotwell, grandson of Tom Rotwell, was the Chairman of the Rotwell Agency. He considered Penelope Fittes his rival.

## Biography

The Chelsea Outbreak (Book 3) in London caused public concern and doubt over the ability of the government and the psychical agencies in handling and containing ghosts. To promote the agencies to the discontented public, Steve Rotwell suggested a parade. However, during the carnival, a terrorist attack disrupted the celebration. One of the weapons used was a ghost-bomb that releases ghosts when exploded. The agencies of Fittes, Rotwell, and Lockwood jumped into action and foiled the terrorists and the assassination attempt on Penelope Fittes. The result was a surge on the agencies' popularity.

Steve Rotwell was revealed (Book 4) to be the mastermind behind the attacks. His plan was to raise his agency by orchestrating the attack. If the assassination on Penelope had succeeded, he would have eliminated his arch-rival and his agency would stand atop. If the assassination failed, Steve's "heroic" action at the carnival would still propel his and his agency's reputations.

He lead experiments of making a gate and crossing to the Other Side at Chelsea, London, and Aldbury Castle village. His experiments inadvertently caused the Chelsea Outbreak (Book 3) in London followed by the Aldbury Castle Outbreak and "Creeping Shadow" event (Book 4) in Hampshire. Him personally travelling to the Other Side was not stated.

The missing Skull (currently in the possession of the Rotwell Agency) and Anthony Lockwood's suspicions on Rotwell lead Lockwood and Co. to investigate the Aldbury Castle Outbreak. And, eventually the team infiltrated the Rotwell Facility at that village. The youths would uncover and piece together the truths behind the terrorist attack in London during the carnival and the truths behind the cause of the outbreaks at Chelsea and Aldbury Castle.

A fight erupted at the Rotwell Facility between Lockwood and Co. versus Steve Rotwell and his men. Lucy Carlyle chanced an opening to sneak attack Steve Rotwell who was so close to defeating Anthony Lockwood. Lucy kicked the behind of Steve which thrust the man onto the gate, his arm was caught inside the gateway. Without protective gear, chill and ghosts quickly took a hold of Steve and pulled the man to his death. The Rotwell Facility was burned down that night, including the gate, caused by George Cubbins's wildly thrown magnesium fires.

The Rotwell Agency's involvement with the terrorist attack was linked by DEPRAC due to the ghost-bombs and other weapons stacked in the remains of the facility. Its involvement with the two recent ghost outbreaks was however kept secret yet by Lockwood and Co. for reasons that: they lacked evidence to prove an unimaginable existence of a portal to the other side; and, that they broke a number of laws that night.

## Characteristics

### Appearance

Steve Rotwell is a large and strangely handsome middle-aged man; wide at the shoulders, yet gradually tapering down to his feet. He has unusual green eyes and fair, slightly graying hair.

### Personality

Unlike Penelope Fittes, Steve Rotwell comes across as cold and slightly arrogant. He has a clear understanding of power and suggests a carnival of all psychic agencies to distract Londoners from a massive outbreak in Chelsea, explaining his idea with the words "cakes and carvivals". During the attack on said carnival, he is one of the only three adults on the float to react, brutally stabbing one of the assailants through the back with his sword.
As a matter of fact he is described by one of his former employees, Holly Munro, as a "disgusting", "violent" and "ambitious" man who mistreats his staff.

### Abilities

He was potent with a sword. His sword, complementing his size, was thick and wide; larger than a rapier.

## Notes

* Chelsea, London is a real place. Hampshire is a real county in England, but Aldbury Castle village is fictional (see England map).
* Penelope Fittes understood that Steve was opening spirit gates, for she knew well the side effects of spirit gates. She was dubious that morning she interrupted the breakfast of Lockwood and Co. when asked them to forget what they had discovered at the Rotwell Facility in Aldbury Castle.
* Steve Rotwell's could be knowledgeable on the cause of the Problem and the travels of Marissa Fittes and Tom Rotwell.  And that he aims to gain whatever there was to gain in crossing a gate.

## References

1. ↑ *The Hollow Boy*, V: Dark Hearts, Ch. 21
2. ↑ *The Creeping Shadow*, **VI: An Unexpected Visitor**, Ch. 29: *""Now , I don’t know precisely what it is you saw or heard," Ms. Fittes said, "but I would advise you to cast it from your minds. Poor Steve Rotwell was...""*
3. ↑ *The Empty Grave*, **III: A Body in the Street**, Ch. 12: *""...And those capes were mostly made of feathers. It’ s safe to say that Rotwell was playing catch-up, but I’ll tell you someone who isn’t." "Marissa?" "Precisely...""*