The Union Pacific Railroad has its goal and these people are here to ensure that these goals will be achieved, whether they be important men and women leading this hell on wheels, or specialized employees, hired to supervise the work or ensure security. However, as in any large company, there will be some rotten apples in this barrel.
CULLEN BOHANNON (34)
Introducing Cullen Bohannon would be like bringing gunpowder to Hell on Wheels. Cullen is a gunslinger, a war veteran (he fought on the side of the South) and he is employed by Durant as chief of security (he replaced the Swede, who tried to kill him in the past). Many who have met him say that he is the best gunslinger that ever was. Cullen is trying to keep this whole bloody lot of a town in check, sort out the problems with Indians and make some money. And maybe… maybe also get the heart of Lily Bell. The role of Cullen is suitable for a responsible experienced player who doesn’t mind a strong emphasis on solving problems, a significant romantic relationship and several personal plots. Please note, that this character can be more scripted (it is possible that he will know about some things beforehand).
CORNELIA DARLING (48) – ROLE FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE GAME
The wife of an important senator who comes in place of her husband to take care of matters concerning the railroad with the company management. Cornelia comes from a good family that owned a substantial number of slaves before the war. She is very strongly racist and she still treats her black servant Sam as her property. She has the air of an aristocrat; she is used to commanding and manipulating people around her. She is fascinated by the unconventional and exciting surroundings of the railroad town which are in sharp contrast to everything she’s ever experienced. A character of higher class who is rather unpleasant to everyone around her and engages in backstage intrigues in her favour. The player will take the role of Kate Warne in the second half of the game.
HANNAH DURANT (49)
The wife of Thomas Durant who came to help him after he was injured. Because her husband is weakened by the need to take morphine to ease his pain, Hannah takes care of a number of matters regarding the construction management for him. She doesn’t like Lily Bell very much, because she suspects she had an affair with her husband. The arrival of Cornelia Darling didn’t make her happy either – both ladies express a great deal of courtesy towards one another in public, but the hidden tension between them is apparent. Hannah is a character for a very expressive and capable player who isn’t afraid of scheming and intrigues. Apart from railroad management, she also deals with strong personal conflicts.
JACK CASEMENT (37)
Jack, called “General”, is a retired Union colonel and a scrupulous, tough (even cruel towards falseness) man who tries to be as just as possible and always make the right decisions. But life often brings one into situations when no decision is right and that is when his scrupulousness fails him. His inability to choose the lesser evil even made him refuse a post in politics. His brother Danny helps him with administrative issues and everyday matters. He comes to Durantown to take up the post of chief engineer after the late Greenvill Dodge, who hanged himself. His wife Francis, who he loves more than anything, came with him to Durantown. A character with a strong “gamist” plot which is in the centre of the game. He also has a very strong personal plot and an opportunity to play a romantic relationship.
FRANCIS JENNINGS CASEMENT (26)
Francis is the daughter of a distinguished politician who has been interested in books since her youth and who studied to become and advocate. Her father taught her to be interested in the rights of the oppressed (blacks, as well as women rights). Francis is a God-fearing, married woman who is in love, and she comes to Durantown with her husband, planning to provide support for him in the difficult task he has before him. Rather than a woman adhering to traditional principles of male superiority, she is, despite her pleasant and peaceful nature, an equal partner in any discussion; which unsettles many men. The character has a romantic plot and she will also be interested in the problems with blacks, Indians, or a slightly different approach to female submission, from her then unconventional point of view.
LILY BELL (29)
Lily Bell, called the Fair-Haired Maiden of the West for her beauty, is a character who has been travelling along Hell on Wheels for the last two years and in that time lost her husband and learned everything there is to know about being a land surveyor. In present she works as a deputy land surveyor under Christopher Darmody. According to rumours, she had a falling out with Durant and she’s been interested in Cullen Bohannon. Anyway, Lily doesn’t have anywhere to go (her only friends are here in Durantown) and so she’s thinking about settling down here. The character of Lily Bell is more focused on internal playing, but she will also get to some intrigues and solving the general situation of the railway. She has a significant romantic relationship, which is essential to her story, so the character is not ideal for players not willing to play it out.
THOMAS C. DURANT (52)
Thomas C. Durant is a key character of Hell on Wheels and the one who leads the whole mess. He is mostly interested in getting more power, money and fame, he’s very well able to make things go his way when it comes to that, and he does not cringe from any nasty business. However, that does not mean that he does not have a conscience. On the contrary. He is an idealist, believing that progress is to great benefit of America. A short time ago he was wounded and his responsibilities have been partially assumed by his wife. Despite he suffers from pain, he stays in Durantown, because the railroad construction race is getting to its big finish, and he wants to supervise it personally. We’d like to point out that the role of Thomas Durant is a half-NPC, meant for an experienced, communicative player who doesn’t mind a scripted role and is willing to know a lot of things and developments beforehand, consult with the organizers often and in part also lead the story (sometimes even because of the organizers’ input). However, he too has his own personal game and he will be very busy with interacting with other players.