Silas N'Kwane

Proprietor of Ju-Ju House.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

A skeletally thin, wizened old African-American man, with skin the texture of a walnut. He only has a fringe of thin, white hair and is missing many teeth. When serving in the shop, he wears a bright red shuka (a traditional Maasai blanket, worn wrapped around the body) and sandals to meet the expectations of customers, but puts on a suit, tie, and hat when heading out on business.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

• Link: name written on the back of a business card for Emerson Imports (Carlyle Papers America #5).
• Link: Arthur Emerson recognizes N’Kwane’s name, identifying him as the manager of Ju-Ju House (Emerson Imports, page 138).
• Link: directed to as an expert on African ephemera by Mordecai Lemming (Meeting Dr. Lemming, page 136).
• Link: both Hilton and Millie Adams know that N’Kwane works at Ju-Ju House (What Millie Adams Knows and Meeting Hilton Adams, pages 147 and 151 respectively).

N’Kwane is spry for his age, as well as clever and perceptive—though long insane from associating with the Bloody Tongue, who convinced him to join with them after their arrival from Kenya as M’Weru’s escort. He will never reveal cult secrets, and actually knows little beyond the existence of the chakota. He will fight if he must, preferring to attack from the rear
Roleplaying hooks: if the investigators cause trouble at Ju-Ju House, N’Kwane is happy to play the part of the helpless old man, staggering out into the street and yelling for help, shouting that there are robbers and murderers in his shop.

Social

Mannerisms

Has a cackling laugh when something amuses him; this may be an innocent joke or the sight of an enemy being consumed by the chakota. He is cowardly by nature and will snivel and beg for his life if threatened with physical violence, all the while looking for the first opportunity to flee and get help or stab his enemy in the back.

Character Location

Ju-Ju House

Current Location

Harlem

Age

73

Gender

Man