"The respected journalist, Mr Huffam, is writing an article on London's rats. "They have become of matter of public concern," he says, licking his pencil. "What is your expert opinion?""[1]
Mr. Huffam is a distinguished figure in London's journalistic landscape,[2] serving as the editor of The Unexpurgated London Gazette.[3] His office is located in a townhouse between Doubt Street and Veilgarden.[4] His skills as a journalist are so well-regarded that even the Foreign Office occasionally seeks him out for information[5] — an arrangement that has made him acutely aware of their inner workings.[6]
A dedicated journalist, Huffam is relentless in his pursuit of the truth, hunting down the subjects of his stories with determination.[7] However, he also knows his limits[8][9] and when to withhold or redact elements of a story to protect those involved.[10][11] He is known to publish editorials that criticize both the criminal underworld[12] and law enforcement;[13] when not at work, he is a man of moral character who steps in to help during disasters.[14]
Though he takes care to remain neutral in political matters, Mr. Huffam’s true opinions sometimes bleed through in his writing.[15] Huffam is an ardent patron of the arts, such as theater, as long as it is “improving” in nature.[16] He is progressive on some fronts, particularly in advocating for rats to be granted human rights[17] and for the overall betterment of ratkind.[18][19] He respects the Khanate despite his admitted patriotism,[20] but is notably distrustful of scientists[21] and disgusted by Rubbery Men.[22][23] In past mayoral elections, Huffam conducted polls[24] and published periodic results that shaped public discourse.[25]
Mr. Huffam's work extends to major events like Hallowmas, where he investigates confessional rites and seeks insights from those involved.[26] Huffam despises interviewing certain figures, particularly the Jovial Contrarian[27] and those educated in his methods of debate.[28] Nevertheless, he has conducted personal interviews with a staggering variety of individuals (and creatures), including cats, dogs, spiders, rats, fish, weasels, monkeys, bats, tigers, mandrakes, criminals, priests, nuns, judges, mayors, ambassadors... et cetera.[29][30][31]
Huffam also played a key role in uncovering the secrets of the Coilheart Games. When the Sixth Coil was purported to be opening, he called upon Londoners to report any information they had;[32] the sheer volume of leads exceeded his expectations.[33] Once he pieced together the truth behind the Tigers’ plans for the games and the nature of the Sixth Coil, Huffam wrote a damning exposé.[34] He even accompanied the winners of the competition to confront the Wakeful Eye delegation at the The Labyrinth of Tigers.[35] In the aftermath, Huffam was issued an injunction by the Empress and the Banded Prince, but bypassed it by publishing the story as fiction, changing the names and details to evade censorship.[36]
Historical and Cultural Inspirations
Mr Huffam is a direct homage to the renowned Victorian author Charles John Huffam Dickens. While in our world, Dickens passed away in 1870, Fallen London’s Huffam has outlived him by over 30 years and is thus roughly 90 years old.
Dickens embodied a progressive spirit: campaigning for social reform, advocating for better conditions for London’s working class, denouncing child labor, and criticizing the powerful elite. His compassion was exemplified in the Staplehurst rail crash, where he spent three hours tending to the survivors of the accident, offering comfort and aid until rescuers arrived. However, any historical figure is naturally a product of their time; Dickens also expressed sentiments in his writings that modern readers could interpret as racist and xenophobic. Though he never advocated for scientific racism, he harbored a deep antipathy toward non-European peoples and staunchly believed in their assimilation into Western culture. His progressivism was largely domestically focused.
Mr Huffam reflects all of these qualities: progressive in some areas, deeply conservative in others.
References
- ↑ 'Rattus Faber: Threat or Menace?', Fallen London
- ↑ 'Rattus Faber: Threat or Menace?', Fallen London "The respected journalist, Mr Huffam, is writing an article on London's rats. "They have become of matter of public concern," he says, licking his pencil. "What is your expert opinion?""
- ↑ Recall what you know of the coils (Associating), Fallen London "Mr Huffam, editor of the Unexpurgated London Gazette..."
- ↑ Visit the personal offices of Mr Huffam, Fallen London "The ink has started to run on his impromptu business card, but the address is clear. An unassuming townhouse a convenient distance from both Doubt Street and Veilgarden."
- ↑ Off to see a gentleman of the press, Fallen London ""Fearful little unbred oik! I shouldn't have to deal with people like that. Anyway, I have a little something for you. See what Huffam knows about the Dutch. His sources are, alas, often better than ours...""
- ↑ A particularly foreign office, Fallen London ""[…] The Face furnishes diplomats, mediates foreign travel and looks after dignitaries […] The Teeth […] with matters of intelligence and the resolution of diplomatic incidents. […] Let's go upstairs. If you hear a strange noise up there, don't look.""
- ↑ The Season of Stones, Fallen London "[…] Mr Huffam, editor of the Unexpurgated London Gazette[…] spies the Parliamentarian, his eyes narrow. He advances, drawing out a pen and notebook."
- ↑ Attempt to force your way into the Sixth Coil, Fallen London "Alone. Against two dozen tigers. "Don't," say Huffam and the Officiant together."
- ↑ Nominate Mr Huffam in your stead, Fallen London "The old man startles and falls into a fit of coughing. "I think not [...]. I may be a journalist, but I am not an idiot." He pauses. "Although I am certain that you shall […] survive and thrive. I'm banking on you to give me the whole story afterwards.""
- ↑ Turn in the Veteran Privy Councillor's Confession, Fallen London "Scandal can touch all in Fallen London, but some are too powerful to be unseated by it. Were this confession to become public, it is not the Councillor who would suffer most. It seems Huffam agrees. There is not a breath of it in the next Gazette..."
- ↑ Turn in the Jovial Contrarian's Confession, Fallen London "The Contrarian is hardly the only member of Society with a less-than-illustrious past. Huffam has maintained their privacy; he'll protect the Contrarian too."
- ↑ Turn in the Cheery Man's Confession, Fallen London "Mr Huffam has published many tirades against the criminals who feel they run parts of London."
- ↑ Have a Legal Document drawn up, Fallen London "Mr Huffam tells his readers that the law is an ass."
- ↑ Get yourself to safety, Fallen London "You see Mr Huffam, dust all over his waistcoat, helping an old dame leap across a splintering chasm in the third-tier seating."
- ↑ Turn in Sinning Jenny's Confession, Fallen London "Mr Huffam is always neutral in political matters. This does not mean he does not have Views."
- ↑ Turn in the Kashmiri Princess' Confession, Fallen London "Mr Huffam is a notorious patron of the arts he deems to be 'improving'."
- ↑ The best form of defence, Fallen London "'Certain […] presses are under the impression that rats deserve the rights of humans, and that we should accept with open arms any foreigner who swaggers off a ship at Wolfstack...'"
- ↑ Arrange an interview with your Scuttering Scoundrels, Fallen London "The Gazette article is curious: Mr Huffam advocates for the formation of a Ratty Regiment. […]"
- ↑ Arrange an interview with your Scuttering Palace Guard, Fallen London "The Gazette article is fulsome with praise […] Why, it opines, do more rats not follow their noble example?"
- ↑ Report the disclosures of the Tortoise Clan, Fallen London "Patriotism aside, I always found the Khanate admirable."
- ↑ F.F. Gebrandt (Poll 5), Fallen London "Mr Huffam is silent for a long moment. Then, "She's certainly the most obvious choice. But […]" He shakes his head. "Scientists. I can't bring myself to trust them. Those who mix work with business? Even more suspicious.""
- ↑ The Tentacled Entrepreneur (Poll 3), Fallen London "It is unclear whether the Pollster is laughing at your choice, or the image that you presented to him[…] I'm looking forward to telling Mr Huffam that. He'll hate it." He thrusts out a bottle. "Don't let him know I said that, please!""
- ↑ The Tentacled Entrepreneur (Poll 5), Fallen London "You'd trust a Rubbery Man to make you a drink? Have you seen what they eat and drink? […] His face has turned an unusual pink. […] Huffam's distress extends, perhaps, to more than just the Rubbery Man's tea-habits."
- ↑ A Pollster Approaches!, Fallen London "Mr Huffam's legion of pollsters […] race through London, harrying honest passers-by with Election-related questions. […] "Hello! Just a simple question […] Which candidate would you most like to go for a drink down the Medusa's Head with?""
- ↑ Read the dailies, Fallen London "This year, Mr Huffam is polling the public not on their voting intentions but on more personal matters regarding the Election. Pollsters patrol London, looking to acquire views for Mr Huffam to express in his pages."
- ↑ The Hallowmas Edition, Fallen London "Mr Huffam, editor of the Unexpurgated London Gazette, has dusted off his old notebook to interview Hallowmas revellers. He's planning a special seasonal supplement. Surely he'd be honoured to interview someone of your calibre!"
- ↑ Arrange an interview with the Ambassador to Arbor (Yourself), Fallen London "Mr Huffam lets out a long sigh. "I had managed to forget how much I hate this," he says as the Contrarian makes a case for and against greater involvement in Arbor's affairs."
- ↑ Arrange an interview about your Debating Lessons, Fallen London ""A rather nice day, isn't it?" Mr Huffam begins the interview. […] You ask him to qualify what he means by 'nice' and 'rather' and 'day' and 'it'. Mr Huffam slumps into a seat with an expression of harassed horror."
- ↑ The Unexpurgated Gazette: Hallowmas Edition of 1894, Fallen London
- ↑ The Unexpurgated Gazette: Hallowmas Edition of 1895, Fallen London
- ↑ The Unexpurgated Gazette: Hallowmas Edition of 1896, Fallen London
- ↑ Examine the card, Fallen London "'INFORMATION WANTED: What's in the SIXTH COIL?' Good MONEY Paid for SOLID & PUBLISHABLE Leads! Report EXCLUSIVELY to the Offices of the GAZETTE.'"
- ↑ Discuss your recent scramble for leads, Fallen London ""When I said 'do your worst'," says Huffam, "this isn't quite what I imagined. […] I believe in a free and vigorous press, and you were quite terrifyingly vigorous.""
- ↑ Read the front page (Good Graces), Fallen London "'The Gazette can report this morning, after an extraordinary effort of international journalism, the truth of the Labyrinth's oft-touted Sixth Coil.' [...] The Sixth Coil does not contain treasures, but [...] A union of enemies, royal tiger and serpent-of-the-glass [...] It requires sacrifice. And so [...] tributes are offered to the glass: the victors of the Coilheart Games."
- ↑ Conclude the front page story, Fallen London ""Let's see them refute this," he cries. He is almost skipping as he leads his unlikely international investigation [...] towards the Labyrinth of Tigers."
- ↑ Mr Huffam's unpublished exposé, Fallen London "The Banded Prince and the Traitor Empress may have placed an injunction upon the Gazette, but you doubt Huffam will rest there. There's more than one way to break a story."
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