Happy Halloween!
Odd things you ask, but an odd story as well.
1) Male, older, well-educated, well-travelled, European, fit.
2) old, dark, probably Victorian
3) dark
4) burnt rusted orange - not bright, but deeper and richer than sepia, but aged
5) Voldemort's serpant, Slytherin and the Maltese Falcon - Sorry I've been reading Harry Potter.
Thanks for the answers, Hermit. I'm trying to get a picture of what came across via subtext. The format of the story doesn't allow for a lot of setting or personal description, so I tried to imply things about the setting via phrasing and word choice.
The reason for the color and weather questions is that I was trying to disassociate the time period when you read the story from the time in the setting itself. The responses I've gotten from various people all involve cold, dark weather and colors that can be associated with fall and/or with old movies and serials (red, burnt orange, dark brown, black, sepia)--even though nothing like that was explicitly described in the story. Descriptions of the protagonist and his study likewise parallel yours (although you're the first to peg him as actually being European, as opposed to European-educated). I couldn't have asked for a better result.
Oops. I meant to fill out the form, really I did
1) Male, fairly well-to-do, single, middle-aged, scholarly
2) Cluttered, somewhat antique. I'd gather there's plenty of half-finished projects lying around, as well as plenty of books.
3) Cloudy and threatening rain, perhaps slightly foggy.
4) Burnt orange/maroon.
5) There was a sense of intrigue that developed into anxiety. The latter half positively reeks of witchcraft and the occult. I don't read very far into stories, sorry
