A mysterious man, Griffin, arrives at the local inn of the English
village of Iping, West Sussex, during a snowstorm. The stranger wears a
long-sleeved, thick coat and gloves; his face is hidden entirely by
bandages except for a fake pink nose; and he wears a wide-brimmed hat.
He is excessively reclusive, irascible, and unfriendly. He demands to be
left alone and spends most of his time in his rooms working with a set
of chemicals and laboratory apparatus, only venturing out at night.