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Aug. 17th, 2013 12:32 amPlayer Information
Name: Violet
Personal Journal:![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
avioletqueen
IM Service: AIM; avioletqueen
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avioletqueen
Current Characters: N/A
Character Information
Character Name: Sophie/Sovay Kensington
Canon-Point: After breaking up with her fiance and leaving home tobe a highwayman see the world.
Age: 20
Appearance: Sophie is 5'11" and distinctive in her androgynous features. Her facial structure is sharp, and she has dark skin. Her hair is kept cut short, to preserve her style of straddling masculine and feminine characteristics. She's attractive to some degree, and her ability to be incredibly charming helps with that. She's lanky and quite fit, if not toned or extremely muscled, and she doesn't have many curves. Her clothing style is very in-line with what 21st century people might consider "steampunk". She's often a loose tunic, a vest, and pants with a heavy belt, sometimes with the iconic goggles perched on top of her head.
Sophie's PB is Amira Ahmed.
World Information: To prove the dangers of AC electricity and discredit Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison creates an execution device that involves zapping inmates with an AC current. The execution is botched, and the sacrificial criminal is cooked alive by the broken machine. The public loses trust in Edison, and has even more faith in the safety of the AC current.
In this world, Edison is more enraged by this than one could imagine. One night, Tesla is found dead in his laboratory, with all his plans and information missing. But Edison has not anticipated the effect that his failed execution device has on the public. Although he now holds the perfect form of electricity in his grasp, he can't start work on his dream of wiring the world. The country is simply not ready for it. And so, he bides his time.
In the meanwhile, England prospers under the rule of Queen Victoria. The year is 1890, and thanks to Prince Albert's efforts when he was alive, the arts are booming. Inventors are encouraged to produce more and more creative work. As a result, airships are being developed, though they haven't been put into common use yet. Without electricity, steam engines reign, and fashion is taking a turn for the avant-garde. Tight corsets and stiff collars are commonplace, but on the other hand, the idea of aesthetic fashion is coming to life. Aesthetic fashion rejects most stereotypes of clothing and encourages people to wear more beautiful and simplistic clothing in public. For the first time, fashion begins to be regarded as a work of art.
London is slowly becoming more progressive, as middle-class, unmarried women begin to work. However, universal suffrage is still a distant, far-off goal. Family is regarded as more important than anything, and to betray one's family is to be an outcast in society. During all of this, the dirty competition for fame and wealth continues. Status is more important than ever, and society bends to the whim of those in power - at least, in a political sense. Life as a nobleman or woman is all . High class families trod on each other in their haste to climb the social ladder, and places in Court are highly sought after. It is a cutthroat, high-stakes world, perhaps - but it wouldn't be exciting any other way.
History:
The Kensingtons were a relatively new family who seemingly came into the high ranks out of nowhere. But really, it was to be expected. With Papa Kensington's political savvy and Mama Kensington's social know-how, there was no reason for Baby Sophie to be born anywhere other than in the lap of luxury. As Sophie grew, she was immaculately groomed by her parents to be the perfect member of Queen Victoria's court. And of all the qualities of a true politician that she learned over the years, she loved deceit. There was nothing she adored more than disguising herself, perfecting false smiles, and tricking others. She learned early on in life that people would mistake her for a boy depending on the clothes she was wearing and took advantage of the fact. After all, men were far more privileged than women, and being thought of as a colored man was definitely better than being a colored woman.
Sophie and her parents generally had a good relationship as she was growing up. They never tried to put a damper on her inherent talents, and always helped her achieve what she strove to accomplish. They believed in her ability to be independent and strong. Which is why things changed dramatically when her parents announced that they had found a fiance for Sophie. She felt betrayed. Even though her parents assured her that it was just for appearances, the idea of being tied to a man for the rest of her life disgusted her. Really, who would accept her cross-dressing? Would she be expected to change that? Sophie scoffed at the very idea - as if she would ever change for a man.
In a couple weeks, she met the man she was to marry - a simpleton named Andrew. He was devoted to her, and seemed to be completely taken by her looks. To be frank, it was annoying. Sophie hated how he fawned over her and how he catered to her every whim. And so, she started to form a plan as a way to rebel against her parents.
In a few months, articles came in all the big newspapers about a stealthy figure who would stop cars, steal all the precious cargo, and disappear into the night - all without revealing its face. Headlines proclaimed "the Return of the Highwayman", and the public was in a state of caution and worry. The attacks seemed to be completely sporadic, and while no one was ever hurt, there were reports of a handgun being waved around before the Highwayman disappeared.
Sophie, in a meanwhile, was having fun. By day, she stayed with Andrew, giving him gifts and soothing his worry over the attacks. By night, she stole, delighting more in the thrill of the situation than the goods she got. She decided on the name Sovay for her alter-ego, scratching it onto the bark of a tree to give the authorities something else to puzzle over. Soon, it was time to implement her original plan.
Andrew had left the city to visit his parents in the countryside. On the way back, he was stopped by the mysterious Highwayman Sovay, who demanded all his gold. The fool handed over all he had, begging for his life the whole time. Sovay then grabbed at his hand, asking for the ring on his middle finger and pressing her gun to his forehead to get the point across. The ring was one of the gifts that Sophie had given him weeks ago.
To Sovay's surprise, Andrew's backbone - or what little was there - finally appeared. Though he stuttered through it, he gave her a staunch refusal, ready to give his life to preserve his love for Sophie. She backed down, disappearing as she had always done. This time, though, she was planning something - her reveal. The next morning, Sophie met Andrew in one of the few gardens left in the city. She told him that she was the Highwayman who had stopped him the previous night, and returned his precious cargo to him, ending her reveal with a flippant comment: "if you had given me that ring, I'd have pulled the trigger and shot you dead".
Now that Andrew had finally proved himself somehow, there wasn't really a point to Sophie continuing her charade. Reluctantly accepting that he had passed her test, Sophie remained at home, preparing for the married life that was quickly approaching. As time passed on, however, Andrew was no longer as enthusiastic about marrying Sophie - and to be honest, Sophie was missing the thrill of the Highwayman life. Sovay had disappeared mysteriously, and the city was almost settling into a state of contentment. In a serious conversation, Sophie and Andrew decided to part ways. Once this was agreed upon, Sophie approached her parents.
Naturally, they were shocked. Sophie was their cherished, well-bred daughter. Having her come out of nowhere to proclaim that she wouldn't every marry - well, it was unexpected, but that was undoubtedly Sophie's style. They reacted angrily, promising her that if she didn't go through with the marriage, she'd be disowned. Not that Sophie had a problem with that - it wasn't like any Highwayman would have to be a respected member in society. After a heated argument and a few broken plates, Sophie stormed out. In the dead of the night, she left home with nothing more than a sack of clothes and some money. She never looked back.
It's been six months since then. The Kensington family has fallen as quickly as it climbed up the ranks, thanks to the shame that Sophie brought to her family. She's not been seen since that fateful day, hopping quickly from city to city in England. She's been considering making the move to Europe, but for now, she's content to spend her days in cheap hotels and spend her nights as Sovay.
Personality: Sophie is confident - perhaps overconfident. She truly believes that she can do anything, and so, only ever does what she wants to do. It's very difficult to force her to do things she dislikes - most of the time, she'll shift the duties onto someone else, promising repayment at a later time. The idea of equality is very important to Sophie in that way - she'll never do anything without getting something in return, and likewise, she considers repaying others very important, and hates to be indebted to anyone. Some of this stems from her fear of others using her, as she never wants to be put into a bad spot just because she owes someone something. She doesn't often feel the need to prove herself, per se. If people don't believe in her abilities, she isn't particularly bothered. In her mind, it's not worth the wasted time to correct them.
Sophie is also very relaxed. She doesn't really get stressed over much, and she almost appears lazy in the way that she's never too concerned about something. Of course, there are things she loves (say, dressing up as a boy and terrorizing innocent people without really harming them), but they're not exactly things that she can be publicly excited about without giving up her secret. As a result, she seems like a very neutral person, as she doesn't often express either interest or dislike for anything. Sophie isn't very used to failure, and because of this, is mildly surprised when things don't go her own way. While she's hardly ever particularly disappointed in herself, she does work to ensure that her whims always get carried out on her own terms. She enjoys struggling to get what she wants - again, going back to her need for equal repayment. She doesn't like simply being given what she wants without her having to argue for it, at the very least. Sophie loves coming up with elaborate plans, just to see if she can pull them off.
It's very hard for others to satisfy Sophie. She holds everyone to a high standard, and doesn't allow people to come helter-skelter into her life. However, she does pretend to be close to people in general, just because it's easier to hold power over others when they're under the impression that they're friends. While she doesn't often feel the need to assert her standing over others, she takes comfort in being better than others and knowing she could possibly manipulate them if she wanted to. Years of being bred in a highly competitive world has taught her to not find solace in anything other than standing at the top. On the other hand, though, she does like prying into other people's lives. After all, hard, existential questions are more interesting than asking about favorites or talking about the weather. And Sophie is a firm believer of only doing interesting things.
When it comes to rebellion, Sophie is an expert. She goes against many norms in her world, and enjoys doing so. To her, there's nothing more fun. While she isn't a very loud person, her actions speak volumes, and she often takes ridiculous risks just because it's not something expected of her. She's fearless, to a certain degree, though some might see it as foolhardiness. Her overconfidence can lead to her making mistakes, or overestimating what she can get away with. At the very core of her personality, Sophie enjoys being confusing. She thrives on tricking people into believing something other than the truth, and she is very good at deceiving others by talking in circles.
Sophie is bad at being honest. She has a hard time connecting with people genuinely, and she struggles to communicate what she really feels, which can lead to her bottling things up. Her temper is not sharp, but rather soft and long-lasting. While she doesn't quite hold grudges, as long as she's angry at someone, she'll make their life hell. Sophie tends to cry more when she's frustrated than when she's sad. She deals with the latter more by having fun to cheer herself up, rather than wallowing in her grief. She's definitely got an odd sense of humor, but she appreciates both sarcastic wit and stupid puns.
In summary, a lot of who Sophie is has been shaped by her upbringing. However, she does have a rebellious streak that's often shown in the risks she takes. At the end of the day, she loves deceit and disguises, and has trouble with being honest with anyone, including herself.
Abilities/Powers: Sophie does not have any magical powers! However, she is an accurate marksman and very good at disguises. While she's not overly good at manipulation, she's good at deception - or at least, talking in circles to hide things.
Items: An empty gun with no ammunition, a compass, and a gold pocketwatch. She arrives while cross-dressed, so she has a conspicuous lack of feminine clothes.
Samples
Number One.
Number Two.
Note
I apologize about the confusion! I was using that voicetest to see how Sophie felt about referring to herself as "he". However, it didn't really work, so I'm only going to be using feminine pronouns for her. If you'd like, I can write another voicetest thread for her with feminine pronouns?
Name: Violet
Personal Journal:
avioletqueen IM Service: AIM; avioletqueen
Plurk Name:
Current Characters: N/A
Character Information
Character Name: Sophie/Sovay Kensington
Canon-Point: After breaking up with her fiance and leaving home to
Age: 20
Appearance: Sophie is 5'11" and distinctive in her androgynous features. Her facial structure is sharp, and she has dark skin. Her hair is kept cut short, to preserve her style of straddling masculine and feminine characteristics. She's attractive to some degree, and her ability to be incredibly charming helps with that. She's lanky and quite fit, if not toned or extremely muscled, and she doesn't have many curves. Her clothing style is very in-line with what 21st century people might consider "steampunk". She's often a loose tunic, a vest, and pants with a heavy belt, sometimes with the iconic goggles perched on top of her head.
Sophie's PB is Amira Ahmed.
World Information: To prove the dangers of AC electricity and discredit Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison creates an execution device that involves zapping inmates with an AC current. The execution is botched, and the sacrificial criminal is cooked alive by the broken machine. The public loses trust in Edison, and has even more faith in the safety of the AC current.
In this world, Edison is more enraged by this than one could imagine. One night, Tesla is found dead in his laboratory, with all his plans and information missing. But Edison has not anticipated the effect that his failed execution device has on the public. Although he now holds the perfect form of electricity in his grasp, he can't start work on his dream of wiring the world. The country is simply not ready for it. And so, he bides his time.
In the meanwhile, England prospers under the rule of Queen Victoria. The year is 1890, and thanks to Prince Albert's efforts when he was alive, the arts are booming. Inventors are encouraged to produce more and more creative work. As a result, airships are being developed, though they haven't been put into common use yet. Without electricity, steam engines reign, and fashion is taking a turn for the avant-garde. Tight corsets and stiff collars are commonplace, but on the other hand, the idea of aesthetic fashion is coming to life. Aesthetic fashion rejects most stereotypes of clothing and encourages people to wear more beautiful and simplistic clothing in public. For the first time, fashion begins to be regarded as a work of art.
London is slowly becoming more progressive, as middle-class, unmarried women begin to work. However, universal suffrage is still a distant, far-off goal. Family is regarded as more important than anything, and to betray one's family is to be an outcast in society. During all of this, the dirty competition for fame and wealth continues. Status is more important than ever, and society bends to the whim of those in power - at least, in a political sense. Life as a nobleman or woman is all . High class families trod on each other in their haste to climb the social ladder, and places in Court are highly sought after. It is a cutthroat, high-stakes world, perhaps - but it wouldn't be exciting any other way.
History:
The Kensingtons were a relatively new family who seemingly came into the high ranks out of nowhere. But really, it was to be expected. With Papa Kensington's political savvy and Mama Kensington's social know-how, there was no reason for Baby Sophie to be born anywhere other than in the lap of luxury. As Sophie grew, she was immaculately groomed by her parents to be the perfect member of Queen Victoria's court. And of all the qualities of a true politician that she learned over the years, she loved deceit. There was nothing she adored more than disguising herself, perfecting false smiles, and tricking others. She learned early on in life that people would mistake her for a boy depending on the clothes she was wearing and took advantage of the fact. After all, men were far more privileged than women, and being thought of as a colored man was definitely better than being a colored woman.
Sophie and her parents generally had a good relationship as she was growing up. They never tried to put a damper on her inherent talents, and always helped her achieve what she strove to accomplish. They believed in her ability to be independent and strong. Which is why things changed dramatically when her parents announced that they had found a fiance for Sophie. She felt betrayed. Even though her parents assured her that it was just for appearances, the idea of being tied to a man for the rest of her life disgusted her. Really, who would accept her cross-dressing? Would she be expected to change that? Sophie scoffed at the very idea - as if she would ever change for a man.
In a couple weeks, she met the man she was to marry - a simpleton named Andrew. He was devoted to her, and seemed to be completely taken by her looks. To be frank, it was annoying. Sophie hated how he fawned over her and how he catered to her every whim. And so, she started to form a plan as a way to rebel against her parents.
In a few months, articles came in all the big newspapers about a stealthy figure who would stop cars, steal all the precious cargo, and disappear into the night - all without revealing its face. Headlines proclaimed "the Return of the Highwayman", and the public was in a state of caution and worry. The attacks seemed to be completely sporadic, and while no one was ever hurt, there were reports of a handgun being waved around before the Highwayman disappeared.
Sophie, in a meanwhile, was having fun. By day, she stayed with Andrew, giving him gifts and soothing his worry over the attacks. By night, she stole, delighting more in the thrill of the situation than the goods she got. She decided on the name Sovay for her alter-ego, scratching it onto the bark of a tree to give the authorities something else to puzzle over. Soon, it was time to implement her original plan.
Andrew had left the city to visit his parents in the countryside. On the way back, he was stopped by the mysterious Highwayman Sovay, who demanded all his gold. The fool handed over all he had, begging for his life the whole time. Sovay then grabbed at his hand, asking for the ring on his middle finger and pressing her gun to his forehead to get the point across. The ring was one of the gifts that Sophie had given him weeks ago.
To Sovay's surprise, Andrew's backbone - or what little was there - finally appeared. Though he stuttered through it, he gave her a staunch refusal, ready to give his life to preserve his love for Sophie. She backed down, disappearing as she had always done. This time, though, she was planning something - her reveal. The next morning, Sophie met Andrew in one of the few gardens left in the city. She told him that she was the Highwayman who had stopped him the previous night, and returned his precious cargo to him, ending her reveal with a flippant comment: "if you had given me that ring, I'd have pulled the trigger and shot you dead".
Now that Andrew had finally proved himself somehow, there wasn't really a point to Sophie continuing her charade. Reluctantly accepting that he had passed her test, Sophie remained at home, preparing for the married life that was quickly approaching. As time passed on, however, Andrew was no longer as enthusiastic about marrying Sophie - and to be honest, Sophie was missing the thrill of the Highwayman life. Sovay had disappeared mysteriously, and the city was almost settling into a state of contentment. In a serious conversation, Sophie and Andrew decided to part ways. Once this was agreed upon, Sophie approached her parents.
Naturally, they were shocked. Sophie was their cherished, well-bred daughter. Having her come out of nowhere to proclaim that she wouldn't every marry - well, it was unexpected, but that was undoubtedly Sophie's style. They reacted angrily, promising her that if she didn't go through with the marriage, she'd be disowned. Not that Sophie had a problem with that - it wasn't like any Highwayman would have to be a respected member in society. After a heated argument and a few broken plates, Sophie stormed out. In the dead of the night, she left home with nothing more than a sack of clothes and some money. She never looked back.
It's been six months since then. The Kensington family has fallen as quickly as it climbed up the ranks, thanks to the shame that Sophie brought to her family. She's not been seen since that fateful day, hopping quickly from city to city in England. She's been considering making the move to Europe, but for now, she's content to spend her days in cheap hotels and spend her nights as Sovay.
Personality: Sophie is confident - perhaps overconfident. She truly believes that she can do anything, and so, only ever does what she wants to do. It's very difficult to force her to do things she dislikes - most of the time, she'll shift the duties onto someone else, promising repayment at a later time. The idea of equality is very important to Sophie in that way - she'll never do anything without getting something in return, and likewise, she considers repaying others very important, and hates to be indebted to anyone. Some of this stems from her fear of others using her, as she never wants to be put into a bad spot just because she owes someone something. She doesn't often feel the need to prove herself, per se. If people don't believe in her abilities, she isn't particularly bothered. In her mind, it's not worth the wasted time to correct them.
Sophie is also very relaxed. She doesn't really get stressed over much, and she almost appears lazy in the way that she's never too concerned about something. Of course, there are things she loves (say, dressing up as a boy and terrorizing innocent people without really harming them), but they're not exactly things that she can be publicly excited about without giving up her secret. As a result, she seems like a very neutral person, as she doesn't often express either interest or dislike for anything. Sophie isn't very used to failure, and because of this, is mildly surprised when things don't go her own way. While she's hardly ever particularly disappointed in herself, she does work to ensure that her whims always get carried out on her own terms. She enjoys struggling to get what she wants - again, going back to her need for equal repayment. She doesn't like simply being given what she wants without her having to argue for it, at the very least. Sophie loves coming up with elaborate plans, just to see if she can pull them off.
It's very hard for others to satisfy Sophie. She holds everyone to a high standard, and doesn't allow people to come helter-skelter into her life. However, she does pretend to be close to people in general, just because it's easier to hold power over others when they're under the impression that they're friends. While she doesn't often feel the need to assert her standing over others, she takes comfort in being better than others and knowing she could possibly manipulate them if she wanted to. Years of being bred in a highly competitive world has taught her to not find solace in anything other than standing at the top. On the other hand, though, she does like prying into other people's lives. After all, hard, existential questions are more interesting than asking about favorites or talking about the weather. And Sophie is a firm believer of only doing interesting things.
When it comes to rebellion, Sophie is an expert. She goes against many norms in her world, and enjoys doing so. To her, there's nothing more fun. While she isn't a very loud person, her actions speak volumes, and she often takes ridiculous risks just because it's not something expected of her. She's fearless, to a certain degree, though some might see it as foolhardiness. Her overconfidence can lead to her making mistakes, or overestimating what she can get away with. At the very core of her personality, Sophie enjoys being confusing. She thrives on tricking people into believing something other than the truth, and she is very good at deceiving others by talking in circles.
Sophie is bad at being honest. She has a hard time connecting with people genuinely, and she struggles to communicate what she really feels, which can lead to her bottling things up. Her temper is not sharp, but rather soft and long-lasting. While she doesn't quite hold grudges, as long as she's angry at someone, she'll make their life hell. Sophie tends to cry more when she's frustrated than when she's sad. She deals with the latter more by having fun to cheer herself up, rather than wallowing in her grief. She's definitely got an odd sense of humor, but she appreciates both sarcastic wit and stupid puns.
In summary, a lot of who Sophie is has been shaped by her upbringing. However, she does have a rebellious streak that's often shown in the risks she takes. At the end of the day, she loves deceit and disguises, and has trouble with being honest with anyone, including herself.
Abilities/Powers: Sophie does not have any magical powers! However, she is an accurate marksman and very good at disguises. While she's not overly good at manipulation, she's good at deception - or at least, talking in circles to hide things.
Items: An empty gun with no ammunition, a compass, and a gold pocketwatch. She arrives while cross-dressed, so she has a conspicuous lack of feminine clothes.
Samples
Number One.
Number Two.
Note
I apologize about the confusion! I was using that voicetest to see how Sophie felt about referring to herself as "he". However, it didn't really work, so I'm only going to be using feminine pronouns for her. If you'd like, I can write another voicetest thread for her with feminine pronouns?
