Lancaster Dodd

Living… at the center of a philosophy that verges on a cult. With his all-encompassing movement known as “The Cause,” Dodd has accrued hundreds of followers who look up to him like a god. Through a procedure he refers to as “processing,” he interviews people and hearkens them back to supposed earlier lives, helping them transcend space and time and finding their true nature. Dodd is a family man who likes to surround himself with people he can trust, though when the deceptive Freddie Quell sneaks aboard his boat, Dodd can’t help but feel an immediate connection with the enigmatic sailor. He has a deep love for his family and for Freddie, whom he quickly begins to trust like a brother – even if he doesn’t really know who Freddie is, and possibly never will.

Profession… religious leader, of sorts. Or as Dodd puts it, “I am a writer, a doctor, a nuclear physicist, and a theoretical philosopher. But above all I am a man, a hopelessly inquisitive man.” 

Interests… his new work, “The Split Saber,” and the “potions” that Freddie creates for him with alcohol, paint thinner, and who knows what else.

Relationship Status… married. His wife Peggy is very supportive and often influences Dodd when it comes to making important decisions about whom they surround themselves with. They also live and travel with their children, Elizabeth and Val.

Challenge… transcending this reality, and converting the world. Dodd spends too much time defending himself against nay-sayers and nonbelievers. He invites newcomers to try his methods and see for themselves, but he doesn’t respond very well to criticism, often losing his patience and engaging in all-out yelling battles.

Personality… self-absorbed, intellectual, and protective. He hides his writing in a secluded safe, and carries a rifle when he goes to uncover it. He is paranoid, and quick to defend himself when he feels he’s being questioned or attacked. Todd maintains the air of a intellectual or spiritual healer, but question him and his belief system and he will unleash a torrent of personal insults at a fever pitch. There is a tempest of rage brewing beneath his combed-over veneer, and it only makes him all the more terrifying.