Dunn

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Dunn Smith (邓恩)
Alias(es)	Captain Dunn
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Church of the Evernight Goddess; Tingen City Nighthawks / Blackthorn Security Company
Occupation/Role	Captain of the Tingen Nighthawks
Pathway	Sleepless Pathway
Status	Deceased; killed during the Tingen disaster and buried in Raphael Cemetery 129
First Appearance	Chapter 5: Nighthawks

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Sequence 7 — Nightmare	5, 9	Established as a Sleepless-pathway Nightmare capable of entering and manipulating dreams. His rank makes him one of Tingen’s strongest Nighthawks. 5 9
Re-digested Sequence 9 — Sleepless	75, 102	After learning the Acting Method, he resolves to restart digestion from Sequence 9; later confirms that he has fully digested the Sleepless Potion. This does not change his rank. 75 102
Re-acting Sequence 8 — Midnight Poet	102	Begins acting as a Midnight Poet again, expecting his full digestion of the Sequence 7 Nightmare Potion to take several additional years. 102

Background

Dunn investigates Luther Rondal after Sirius’s death, identifying him as a newly made Beyonder through the consumed Beyonder Characteristic. He uses a Nightmare ability to interrogate Luther within a dream, determines that he is not an evil-god believer, and places Luther and Cecilia under Nighthawk protection due to the Aurora Order threat. 5 6

After Luther helps defeat the transformed Hanass and saves injured Nighthawks, Dunn seeks an alternative to permanent surveillance. He offers Luther membership in the Nighthawks, citing both the siblings’ circumstances and the rarity of a cooperative Secrets Suppliant. Luther accepts, and Dunn formally inducts him while retaining responsibility for monitoring him. 9 15 16

Dunn strictly forbids Luther from advancing because the Secrets Suppliant Pathway’s Sequence 8, Listener, exposes its users to corrupting whispers from the True Creator. He assigns Luther mysticism training, firearm practice, and support duties, while also trusting him enough to act on his warning about Old Neil’s abnormal condition. 17 19

He becomes increasingly committed to properly digesting his own potions after Daly’s advancement demonstrates the value of the Acting Method. Although his feelings for Daly remain unspoken, he resolves to advance responsibly and become worthy of her. 75 102

Following Luther’s forced advancement to Listener and the death of Ms. M’s apparent body, Dunn detains him but continues protecting Cecilia and promises to truthfully report the incident to the Cathedral. During Luther’s transfer from Tingen, Dunn is wounded in an ambush linked to Ms. M. He later uses Saint Selena’s ashes to battle the creature created from Luther’s body, but dies during the catastrophe engineered by Ince Zangwill and Madam Sharon. 118 119 121 124 128 129

Appearance

Dunn is a gray-eyed man with a slightly receding hairline. He commonly wears a black trench coat and carries himself with a quiet, scholarly seriousness. 5 101

• Deep, calm gray eyes that make Luther feel scrutinized. 5 12
• Often smokes or handles a pipe. 5 102
• Wears black gloves during investigations. 102
• His composed appearance is occasionally undercut by fatigue and forgetfulness. 8

Personality

Dunn is calm, patient, and observant, preferring to establish the truth through careful supernatural investigation rather than intimidation alone. His interrogation of Luther is frightening but polite, and he apologizes for forcibly drawing him into a nightmare. 5

As captain, he combines caution with compassion. He takes threats seriously, brings support even against weaker enemies, and considers recruitment a more humane solution for Luther than indefinite confinement. 9 15

He is also strict about corruption and advancement. Dunn makes clear that he will personally purify Luther if the Listener pathway turns him into a True Creator worshipper, yet he later accepts evidence that Luther remains loyal and takes responsibility for failing to recognize his worsening condition sooner. 17 119

Abilities & Skills

Nightmare

As a Sequence 7 Nightmare, Dunn can pull targets into dreams and communicate with their subconscious thoughts and memories. 5 9

• Uses dreams as an interrogation method, believing people cannot conceal their genuine thoughts there. 5
• Can create disturbing dream imagery, including an illusion of Sirius’s mutilated corpse. 5
• Plans to use Dream Infiltration to obtain intelligence from captured Aurora Order members. 9
• Luther retains unusual awareness and deception while inside Dunn’s dream, a limitation Dunn does not initially recognize. 5

Tactical Leadership

Dunn directs the Tingen Nighthawks’ investigations, assigns personnel based on their abilities, and coordinates with police and other official Beyonder organizations. 8 33

• Deploys Leonard and Frye to investigate Hanass while assigning Royale to protect Luther and Cecilia. 8
• Organizes the pursuit of Lanevus and alerts the Machinery Hivemind and Mandated Punishers. 33
• Evaluates risks before allowing lower-Sequence team members into dangerous operations. 90
• Gives Luther combat training after recognizing that his support role leaves him vulnerable in close quarters. 34

Potion Digestion

After learning the Acting Method, Dunn begins re-digesting his previously consumed potions rather than pursuing advancement recklessly. 75 102

• Fully digests the Sleepless Potion. 102
• Acts as a Midnight Poet while preparing to re-digest the Nightmare Potion. 102
• Expects his Sequence 7 digestion to take longer than usual for reasons he does not explain. 102

Equipment / Items

• Saint Selena’s ashes — Kept in a silver-white urn; summons black sealing threads capable of restraining powerful monsters. Dunn uses it against the Luther–Ms. M creature, severely damaging the ashes in the process. 124 128
• Pipe — A habitual personal item. 5 102
• Nighthawk authorization and official resources — Uses Church authority to arrange protective custody, recruitment, training, and the deployment of Sealed Artifacts. 6 15 72

Relationships

• Luther Rondal — Initially interrogates and supervises Luther as a possible threat; later recruits him, trains him, and repeatedly advocates for a humane outcome despite fears surrounding the Secrets Suppliant Pathway. 5 15 16 119
• Cecilia Rondal — Protects her alongside Luther, arranges support for her schooling, and promises to keep her safe after Luther’s arrest. 6 15 119
• Klein Moretti — A Nighthawk subordinate whose divination and Spirit Channeling repeatedly support Dunn’s investigations. 5 6 8
• Leonard Mitchell — Trusted subordinate who proposes recruiting Luther and later assists in guarding him. 9 118
• Daly Simone — Former Tingen Nighthawk and fellow captain. Their mutual feelings are widely recognized by their colleagues, and Dunn’s wish to become worthy of her motivates his renewed potion digestion. 52 75
• Old Neil — Long-serving colleague whose corruption Dunn investigates cautiously after accepting Luther’s report. 17 19
• Crestet Cecimir — Senior Deacon and Church authority who oversees dangerous Tingen matters, including Old Neil’s case and later reviews. 20 75
• Ince Zangwill — The architect of the Tingen tragedy that ultimately causes Dunn’s death. 128 129

Story Role / Major Arcs

Sirius and Hanass Investigation

Dunn introduces Luther to the Beyonder world, places the Rondal siblings under protection, and leads the initial investigation into Sirius, Hanass, and the Aurora Order. 5 6 8 9

Luther’s Recruitment

Rather than allowing Luther to remain permanently confined, Dunn offers him a place among the Nighthawks. He formalizes Luther’s membership while imposing a strict ban on further advancement. 15 16 17

Enmat Harbor Assignment

He sends Luther, Klein, and Leonard to Enmat Harbor at Senior Deacon Cecimir’s request because the case involves Flesh and Blood Magic associated with the Secrets Suppliant Pathway. 48 49

Tingen’s Final Crisis

Dunn arrests Luther after the battle with Ms. M, but remains convinced that Luther deserves protection rather than immediate condemnation. During the subsequent ambush and monster outbreak, he commands the Nighthawks’ defense using Saint Selena’s ashes. 118 119 121 124

Death and Legacy

Dunn dies in the Tingen massacre, leaving behind a reputation as “a true guardian,” “the most trustworthy companion,” and “the captain forever.” His death drives Leonard and Daly’s continuing pursuit of Ince Zangwill. 129 599 623

Notable Quotes

“Under no circumstances may you seek advancement!” 16

“Don't move.” 127