Johnny Fantôme

Johnny Fantôme is the main antagonist in The Book of Falling by Rob Pegler.

Fantôme is the founder and leader of the Krasnayaruka Clan, currently the most powerful vampire clan in Roseburg. This effectively makes him the undead kingpin of the entire city, holding some measure of authority over the other three major Clans, not to mention the many sub-clans and gangs affiliated to them. Nonetheless, Johnny is in a state of ongoing turf war with the other bosses, and his position as the city's most powerful vampire is a hotly-disputed one. He rules over the city from his luxurious three-storey penthouse atop the Renfield Building, which he only leaves when absolutely neccessary. He is protected by a dedicated staff of well-trained guards led by his ever-present aides, Kolya and Sasha.

Fantôme is four centuries old - one story gives his precise age as four hundred and three - and is thought to be German by birth (his proper name, used by very few people, is Johannes). He has held his position at the top of Roseburg's undead pecking order for over forty years. It has long been rumoured that he had some help in his rise to power from the fabled Mâchoire—although like Mâchoire himself, this is generally thought to be a myth.

Fantôme is an eccentric figure, known for outlandish tastes in clothing and decor, and a penchant for black humour. He speaks with a strong, if somewhat muddled accent, which he has often been suspected of exaggerating or even faking to further keep the listener off-balance. Behind all the charm and comical affectations, Fantôme is known to be a shrewd and ruthless operator, and a brutal killer.

Weapons of choice: Johnny rarely engages in violence these days, preferring to let others do it for him, though he has been known to mete out brutal "reprimands" to underlings who step out of line. To date, he has not seen carrying a weapon of any kind.

Johnny Fantôme first appears in "Blood Will Out." He has since made appearances in the stories "Agenda" and "Molech and the Filth," and is mentioned in several others.