Wold Newton Universe

The Wold Newton Family is a group of heroic and villainous literary figures that science fiction author Philip José Farmer postulated belonged to the same genetic family. Some of these characters are adventurers, some are detectives, some explorers and scientists, some espionage agents, and some are evil geniuses. In short, a framework tailor made for Steelhead City RP.

Both Fuzzball Ortega and Hotspur O'Toole are fans of this cross-genre concept and some of the stories they tell will feature Wold Newton characters. For instance, in the recent Fusang epic, Biggles, Fu Manchu, Nayland Smith, and Paladin make an appearance, along with a supporting cast of fictional and counterfactual historical characters.

The Wold Newton family originated when a radioactive meteor landed in Wold Newton, England, in the year 1795. The radiation caused a genetic mutation in those present, which endowed many of their descendants with extremely high intelligence and strength, as well as an exceptional capacity and drive to perform good, or, as the case may be, evil deeds.

Many characters from popular VSF and pulp fiction that Philip José Farmer concluded were members of the Wold Newton mutant family are extensively outlined in the books TARZAN ALIVE! and DOC SAVAGE: HIS APOCALYPTIC LIFE. Here are the major ones.

  • Solomon Kane
  • Captain Blood
  • The Scarlet Pimpernel
  • Harry Flashman
  • Sherlock Holmes
  • Professor Moriarty (aka Captain Nemo)
  • Phileas Fogg
  • The Time Traveler
  • Allan Quatermain
  • Tarzan and his son Korak
  • A.J. Raffles
  • Professor Challenger
  • Richard Hannay
  • Bulldog Drummond
  • Fu Manchu
  • Sir Denis Nayland Smith
  • G-8
  • The Shadow
  • Sam Spade
  • Doc Savage
  • Pat Savage
  • Monk Mayfair
  • The Spider
  • Nero Wolfe
  • Mr. Moto
  • The Avenger
  • Philip Marlowe
  • James Bond
  • Lew Archer
  • Travis McGee

The Wold Newton Universe has a popular following and many other characters have been added to the geneology over the years.

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