Xavier Hellestromme

Known aliases: X, Henry Storm, Heinrich Sturm

Xavier Hellestromme (June 21, 1888 - 1939, legally declared) is the only son of Darius Hellestromme and an unknown Apache woman. Xavier was born physically disabled and in poor health; he suffered a number of ailments, mostly respiratory, throughout his childhood. His first three years of life were marked by three surgeries to correct a deformation in his right leg, which he later referred to as “the mark of Hephaestus” and claimed was his initial inspiration to become a sorcerer.

As a result of his prolonged illnesses, he spent most of his time alone with books. At the age of six Xavier was sent by his father to live with friends in New England. He proved a remarkable student and qualified for early admission to Harvard University. He studied history and went on to Harvard Law school where he graduated at the top of his class. Awarded a two years scholarship to study abroad, Xavier enrolled at the University of Berlin, where he soon met members of the German occult world.

When his father disappeared in 1900, Xavier inherited a crippled but once successful mining company. With the aid and investment of his German friends, the young man was able to quickly rebuild the Hellestromme business. By the start of the Great War, Hellestromme Industries was one of the top industrial corporations in the world.

Due to his close ties to German government, Hellstromme was investigated by the US government during the war and found guilty of violating several laws. After paying considerable fines, Hellestromme sold his European interests and renamed his company New Mexico Engineering Research Industries (NMERI). He shifted the company focus to ore extraction and refining.

Xavier never ceased his lifelong study of the occult. It is believed he was inducted to at least one magical order prior to the 20th century, and he may have been instrumental in the founding and organization of the Thule. His involvement with the latter group came to an end after the Great War.

During the 1920s Hellestromme was particularly active in the magical orders of Los Angeles. He had purchased property outside Los Angeles years earlier and in 1919 moved onto a large ranch near Muroc, California. This ranch was destroyed in 1926 at the onset of the Fire Magic Wars.

Xavier has never been photographed and was rarely seen after 1923. The last bit of verifiable evidence of his life is a NMERI stock dividend sales invoice he signed and filed with the New Mexico government in 1932. In 1939 the company had Hellestromme declared legally dead, declared bankruptcy, and sold all company assets to Calvin Alden.

Marcus Kane was a scientist and inventor employed by Hellestromme Industries and the subsequent NMERI enterprise. Kane was attempting to develop a device which would allow travel to another time or plane. Kane's original laboratory was located at Griffith Air Field. After the destruction of his prototype device, Kane developed a larger version at Hellestromme's remote Muroc compound. The device was thought to be non-functional and was likely destroyed in the 1926 fire.

Hellestromme met Ramsey Parsons in 1923, but the two are not known to have formed any friendship or other relationship.

See also

• The Tibet Incident. Secret Promethean Foundation report concerning the ultimate fate of Xavier Hellestromme.