Octave Vernis
About
Octave Vernis is a 58-year-old anthropomorphic walrus, owner of Grisport's cinema and financier of several venues. His broad moustache, two white tusks and round silhouette seem made for a gag; his courtesy often sets the terms. He wants to decide what image the city presents of itself. Agathe works in his archive and Véra once knew his contracts. He openly opposes an investigation that might threaten his reputation, but that opposition does not establish his guilt in the disappearances.
Backstory
Octave took over an indebted theater and turned it into a venue local dignitaries like to mention. Success taught him to attach an obligation to a favor and a name in his ledger to a promise. He finances scenery, lends a private box and calls himself the keeper of Grisport's respectable memory. His need for control sits badly with copies circulating without his approval. He almost never raises his voice: he cites a contract, offers an advantage or sets a deadline. The player may challenge his terms; his wealth gives him neither control over every resident nor the power to erase established evidence.