Rave about your steampunk characters/personas!

[J. Wilhelm]

So  I guess I used General Bahlmann as a crutch of sorts, for my own personal development.   In that sense Gen. Bahlmann presents a much more intimate picture of myself *snip*

I'm only quoting the last bit because if I quoted all of it, I think it might be longer than my comment!   But I did read your replies fully, and honestly, I'm impressed! The amount of research you must have put into these characters is stunning. Do you know all of this off the top of your head, or do you have a binder full of history and character information tucked away somewhere?

You flatter me! I don't deserve that much!   Considering the start of these mental rumagings took place over a period of 4+ years, I'd say it's all research done peacemeal.

But a lot it I knew since childhood.

Mentioning the movie Cabaret is memory from childhood. I was a little kid in the 1970s and watched a lot of reruns and old American movies on TV.

The Mexican-French history bit I knew from my days in highschool as I was raised in Mexico City. American kids usually don't learn about what happened south of the border during the American Civil War (but they should in my opinion - it was a dangerous period for the United States, and the US was not the biggest power in the world at the time, by any stretch of the imagination).

The American history I knew partly from highschool, but mostly from my college days in San Diego and Austin because I took a few extra courses in history as I went for an American History Minor (it was a heck lot better than Anthropoogy or Literature).

The rest is Anime nerdism and Wikipedia roaming  

[annevpreussen]

So  I guess I used General Bahlmann as a crutch of sorts, for my own personal development.   In that sense Gen. Bahlmann presents a much more intimate picture of myself *snip*

I'm only quoting the last bit because if I quoted all of it, I think it might be longer than my comment!   But I did read your replies fully, and honestly, I'm impressed! The amount of research you must have put into these characters is stunning. Do you know all of this off the top of your head, or do you have a binder full of history and character information tucked away somewhere?

You flatter me! I don't deserve that much!   Considering the start of these mental rumagings took place over a period of 4+ years, I'd say it's all research done peacemeal.

But a lot it I knew since childhood.

Mentioning the movie Cabaret is memory from childhood. I was a little kid in the 1970s and watched a lot of reruns and old American movies on TV.

The Mexican-French history bit I knew from my days in highschool as I was raised in Mexico City. American kids usually don't learn about what happened south of the border during the American Civil War (but they should in my opinion - it was a dangerous period for the United States, and the US was not the biggest power in the world at the time, by any stretch of the imagination).

The American history I knew partly from highschool, but mostly from my college days in San Diego and Austin because I took a few extra courses in history as I went for an American History Minor (it was a heck lot better than Anthropoogy or Literature).

The rest is Anime nerdism and Wikipedia roaming  

I watched Cabaret for the first time in a history class... I don't remember what we were learning about (probably Germany at that time or something) but I remember the film. Everyone else thought it was weird and creepy, but I really liked it and found a way to watch it all gthe way through  And Wikipedia roaming is one of the best ways to spark new ideas, in my opinion!

[J. Wilhelm]

*snip*

I watched Cabaret for the first time in a history class... I don't remember what we were learning about (probably Germany at that time or something) but I remember the film. Everyone else thought it was weird and creepy, but I really liked it and found a way to watch it all gthe way through   And Wikipedia roaming is one of the best ways to spark new ideas, in my opinion!

There's no question it was creepy! Especially the host of the show! it is a "dark historical musical" theatre play based on a novel based on the real life of an American flapper in Berlin in the late 20s/early 30s (don't remember her name). It carried some strong messages, such as homosexuality and the libertine lifestyle of the era, but also a dark message about the rise of Nazi Germany around 1931. And how socialites and libertines alike coped with the rising intolerance.

Her British college student lover (played by Michael York) discovered his own homosexuality in a love triangle with an German socialite with whom Sally Bowles also had an affair at the time. Another German friend of theirs who was secretly  a Jew fell in love with a Jewish woman and they escaped to the US.  

Toward the end the Cabaret host performs a really racist anti-Semitic number which shows how gay people were trying to "fit-in" within the context of the rising Nazi populist ideology - (I wonder if some of that is applicable today.... But we all know how that ended. The gay people were some of the first sent to concentration camps. They show that by having the owner of the club beat up by Brown Shirts toward the end of the movie.

I wouldn't say the play had a pro- LGBQT message either. Cabaret was written by Jewish playwright from New York, if I remember, and he was trying to show the two diametrically opposed "extremes" in Weimar Era Berlin, so  he  had a somewhat distorted view of LGBQT people (this is still in the 1970s though).

[annevpreussen]

*snip*

I watched Cabaret for the first time in a history class... I don't remember what we were learning about (probably Germany at that time or something) but I remember the film. Everyone else thought it was weird and creepy, but I really liked it and found a way to watch it all gthe way through   And Wikipedia roaming is one of the best ways to spark new ideas, in my opinion!

There's no question it was creepy! Especially the host of the show! it is a "dark historical musical" theatre play based on a novel based on the real life of an American flapper in Berlin in the late 20s/early 30s (don't remember her name). It carried some strong messages, such as homosexuality and the libertine lifestyle of the era, but also a dark message about the rise of Nazi Germany around 1931. And how socialites and libertines alike coped with the rising intolerance.

Her British college student lover (played by Michael York) discovered his own homosexuality in a love triangle with an German socialite with whom Sally Bowles also had an affair at the time. Another German friend of theirs who was secretly  a Jew fell in love with a Jewish woman and they escaped to the US.  

Toward the end the Cabaret host performs a really racist anti-Semitic number which shows how gay people were trying to "fit-in" within the context of the rising Nazi populist ideology - (I wonder if some of that is applicable today.... But we all know how that ended. The gay people were some of the first sent to concentration camps. They show that by having the owner of the club beat up by Brown Shirts toward the end of the movie.

I wouldn't say the play had a pro- LGBQT message either. Cabaret was written by Jewish playwright from New York, if I remember, and he was trying to show the two diametrically opposed "extremes" in Weimar Era Berlin, so  he  had a somewhat distorted view of LGBQT people (this is still in the 1970s though).

The first clip we watched in class was of the Wilkommen song, so the Emcee was the first character we met, and then we watchedd that one clip where the dancers count off, and the emcee is there, and then they act like soldiers. We also watched the If You Could See Her song or whatever it was and yikes......... big yikes. I understand it was to highlight the terrible viewpoints at that time, but it was shocking to say the least.

While the emcee is a creey creep with a weird leery smile and badly parted hair, he's also just so... fun? I don't know if that's the word for it. He's dramatic and showy and extroverted and promises a grand old time, but there's something not quite right under all of it. I like him, but I don't trust him. I'd really like to write a character like that into one of my steampunk stories, but I don't know how I would go about doing it XD

[J. Wilhelm]

If You Could See Her song or whatever it was and yikes......... big yikes. I understand it was to highlight the terrible viewpoints at that time, but it was shocking to say the least.

While the emcee is a creey creep with a weird leery smile and badly parted hair, he's also just so... fun? I don't know if that's the word for it. He's dramatic and showy and extroverted and promises a grand old time, but there's something not quite right under all of it. I like him, but I don't trust him. I'd really like to write a character like that into one of my steampunk stories, but I don't know how I would go about doing it XD

That's why it's important to see the whole movie. The plot carries an evolution in the views of the characters. The "If you could see her as I do" number happened closer toward the end. Initially the acts were not so severe, and there were no military people in the audience. As the story develops, you see increasing numbers of Nazis in the audience.

People are trying to cope with the changes in society, some embracing the changes and others repudiating them and eventually fleeing. At one point during a trip to his country house, the German socialite dismisses the presence of the nazis in a town's political rally in the German countryside as a "fad" of sorts, but that doesn't look so insignificant to the Brit and American (Sally Bowles) or the Jewish girl who is the most frightened.

Later the owner of the club gets clobbered outside the club, and you realize no amount of schmoozing to the Brown Shirts will save you. The "I wish you could see her as I do" number is a pathetic attempt at pretending everything is alright. Those who see the reality flee. I wonder what happened to the MC... probably nothing good on his future. Same for Sally Bowles.

Regarding the MC, he is portrayed as "twisted" and the very last scene of the movie sees his face, grotesquely smiling, reflected in a circus-style mirror with his image all disfigured and people in Nazi uniforms in the audience. That was the punch line.  The allegory and thesis was that "Germany was sick" at the time (according to many reviewers as well, Roger Ebert's analysis), so that's why I say it was not necessarily looking at LGBQT characters in a good light either : the MC is a symbol for Berlin, disjointed and falling apart from it's own extremism.

Cabaret looks at 1930s Berlin as a twisted place, in at atmosphere where society is becoming increaingky polarized and going into dangerous levels of polarization. Something is going to happen and the smart ones leave Berlin, except Sally Bowles, who stays in Berlin. I took the time to read the contemporary (1972)movie critics'reviews when I saw the movie. After the initial shock of reading the anti LGBQT views in the reviews (from the likes of Ebert, no less), I realized that in 1972, the LGBQT community was nowhere in the same place that it is now, basically enjoying support from the greater community.

There is a lot of room for "Twisted dark characters" in Steampunk, and certainly a circus like setting helps. The road sideshow concept easily translates to a cabaret setting in Dieselpunk.

[annevpreussen]

There is a lot of room for "Twisted dark characters" in Steampunk, and certainly a circus like setting helps. The road sideshow concept easily translates to a cabaret setting in Dieselpunk.

I ended up watching the rest of the film after seeing the snippets in class (I really liked it and now I want Michael York to narrate everything for me because his voice is noice) and yeah, it was a really good movie that focused on a time many people ignore, the rise of Nazi Germany before the war.

I really want a twisted dark character to write, but I feel like I'd either go overboard and have it come out dumb (like the new Jared Leto Joker *shudder*) or have my super extra lawful good nature come out and make the character nicer than I wanted. I had a short story with a washed-up, kinda pitiful but also gross con man with my SP characters, but it was less about him and more about establishing how my one guy is a machine geek who gets distracted by pretty cogwheels and crashes into walls.

[von Corax]

Not so much raving about my persona, as raving by him - I just recalled the existence of this post in an older iteration of Nephele's Names thread:

Here you go:

Captain Rex Varrius Norwood
= Darwin Praetorius von Corax

Norwood! That meddlesome prat — constantly prying into my affairs, pumping my acquaintances for information, snooping around the Institute grounds and trying to spy on my research (does he honestly believe he can hide in the shadows in that uniform?) and claiming it's all in the interest of "Public Safety!" Hah — I've confronted the neighbours, and they swear they hardly notice the explosions! I know he and his entire Department are really working for his Uncle Paxton Aerocrow, the old weasel. Deny me the right to call myself "Doctor?" You and your tiny-minded toadies on the Academy's Ethics Oversight Committee! Call my Doctoral Thesis Project "scientifically unsound" and "morally indefensible?" Nonsense — it was revolutionary! But nooo — one tiny miscalculation on a single experiment, and the man makes it his life's mission to destroy, discredit or outright steal my ideas! (And honestly, Paxton, nobody ever liked your wife's dog, even when it had just the one head...)

As ever, I remain
Your humble servant,
Prof. Darwin Prætorius von Corax

[annevpreussen]

 Darwin Prætorius von Corax... what a lovely name! Nephele really is good at coming up with interesting names and titles for people! I had this one long before I joined Brass Goggles, though XD

[von Corax]

Actually, "Darwin Prætorius von Corax" is of my own devising.

My RL surname derives from the Norman French word for "raven;" for many years I have used some variation on the raven's Linnaean name Corvus corax whenever an alias was required. When I joined Brass Goggles, however, I wanted something a little more pretentious, in keeping with the spirit of Steampunk, and so chose to add the "von."

Later, when I made the rank of "Officer," I decided my alter-ego needed a full name. (I had already acquired a tendency to slip into and out of character without really intending to do so.) For whatever reason, I decided to (approximately) retain my RL initials of DPC; I chose "Darwin" as a science reference, and simply liked the pretentiousness of Prætorius. The significance of the actual meaning of Prætorius is entirely coincidental.

The Leverkusen Institute of Paleocybernetics predates my discovery of Steampunk by several years, but the association seemed obvious.

[bicyclebuilder]

For me, the character of "Travelling Photographer" is an improvement, exaggeration and/or caricature of myself.
I'm a hobby-photographer and I love to travel (although I don't always have the funds to travel or buy new camera equipment.)
I haven't made a physical character before, so for me, the best way to create one is by looking at myself.
Taking my real life person as a template to point out the trades, story line and attire of my fictional character.
With this, I have a nice base to start expanding and altering.

For instance, as a hobby photographer I usually have a small backpack with lenses, camera's and trypod.
My character has the same, but in larger proportions.
Instead of a DSLR camera, my character has a big field camera with bulky trypod.
I work as a draftsman at a plumbing company. My character's actual job an architect.
For one, easier to explain but also giving it a reason to travel and to take pictures.
Traveling to see other buildings and taking pictures of them for future reference.

[annevpreussen]

Actually, "Darwin Prætorius von Corax" is of my own devising.

My RL surname derives from the Norman French word for "raven;" for many years I have used some variation on the raven's Linnaean name Corvus corax whenever an alias was required. When I joined Brass Goggles, however, I wanted something a little more pretentious, in keeping with the spirit of Steampunk, and so chose to add the "von."

Later, when I made the rank of "Officer," I decided my alter-ego needed a full name. (I had already acquired a tendency to slip into and out of character without really intending to do so.) For whatever reason, I decided to (approximately) retain my RL initials of DPC; I chose "Darwin" as a science reference, and simply liked the pretentiousness of Prætorius. The significance of the actual meaning of Prætorius is entirely coincidental.

The Leverkusen Institute of Paleocybernetics predates my discovery of Steampunk by several years, but the association seemed obvious.

It's a very good name! I love when people give their steampunk personas names that have some sort of meaning to them. And I'm right there with you with the pretentious names-- I go by Annemarie von Preussen, haha

For me, the character of "Travelling Photographer" is an improvement, exaggeration and/or caricature of myself.
I'm a hobby-photographer and I love to travel (although I don't always have the funds to travel or buy new camera equipment.)
I haven't made a physical character before, so for me, the best way to create one is by looking at myself.
Taking my real life person as a template to point out the trades, story line and attire of my fictional character.
With this, I have a nice base to start expanding and altering.

For instance, as a hobby photographer I usually have a small backpack with lenses, camera's and trypod.
My character has the same, but in larger proportions.
Instead of a DSLR camera, my character has a big field camera with bulky trypod.
I work as a draftsman at a plumbing company. My character's actual job an architect.
For one, easier to explain but also giving it a reason to travel and to take pictures.
Traveling to see other buildings and taking pictures of them for future reference.

I've noticed that a lot of people base their steampunk characters on versions of themselves; I know I have! I think it's a good choice to portray a character with similar interests as your real-life self, because this way you never have to worry about not knowing what you're talking about! If someone asks you about photography in character, you won't be in a position where you'll have to scramble to come up with something. I feel like most of us with airship-flying characters who have never flown one in real life (if only we all could, though!) have been in that situation at one time or another  

[J. Wilhelm]

I just found out something I simply did not know (even though I'm a history buff, I'm not an expert on Texas history). This information may be relevant perhaps or at least usable in my character's background, especially for Admiral Wilhem;

The Battle of Nueces / The Nueces Massacre

The first waves of migration of Germans to Texas happened around 1836 upon the declaration of Independence of Texas from Mexico and continued through the Republic of Texas period past it's annexation to the United States in 1845. It so happens that by 1860 there were approximately 60 000 German migrants dispersed across the state, but the largest concentration settled in an area known as the Hill Country, around the City of Austin, where I live.

The exact dimensions of Hill Country are not concrete, but historian Robert Shook describes it as mostly existing in a "geographic triangle" between San Antonio, Seguin, and New Braunfels in South-Central Texas.[10] Germans settled so heavily in this area, that the counties of Gillespie,[11] Kerr, Kendall, Medina, and Bexar comprised a "German Belt"

.

These Germans among other Europeans, like Czech and Hungarians are part of a group of immigrants known as Achtundvierziger or Forty-Eighters.

What is not talked about very often, is that prior to the Civil War, most first generation German migrants favoured the Union and opposed secession from the United States. According to this article in Wiki,  "A vocal minority of Germans was actively antagonistic to the institution of slavery. These antagonistic Germans included liberal and republican-minded Germans. Along with Texans of Mexican descent, these two groups tended to oppose secession from the United States."

There is an entire chapter of the Forty Eighters in Wiki. I believed I had touched on that some time before but had not focused on their views regarding secession and slavery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forty-Eighters

According to another history source, the German communities wre highly educated and separated themselves ideologically from other Texan communities (see link below):

The town of Sisterdale (named for its Twin Sisters, two steep hills that sit side by side) was at the core of the local movement, a prime example of what was known as a "Latin" community, along with Comfort and Fredericksburg. A Latin community was one where its residents consider themselves the elite intelligentia, steeped in education and the arts.

"Not only was their cultured life evident in public gatherings, it was also practiced in the homes despite the hard labor of everyday life. Every farm had a library of some sort," Siemerling wrote. He said most German residents were abolitionists who "went so far as to set in motion agitation against slavery," declaring it "an evil" at a German convention in 1854. However, "an uncomfortable feeling of uncertainty started creeping on all who opposed slavery; like the feeling preceding a thunderstorm of the worst kind."

The problem is that most Texans of British descent found the attitude of the German migrants to be an affront to the interests of the Southern States; in particular, German opposition to slavery led to an animosity between the Anglo and German Texans in the 1850s. The problems peaked when Confederate officials began to see the German population as an internal threat. According to Wiki "several reports in the beginning of 1862 even alleged that German communities celebrated Union victories. The state government also feared German-run local militias."

This little tidbit of information is very interesting, because it feeds directly into the origins and attitude of Johannes Wilhelm. If you remember, Wilhelm is a Bavarian migrant who came as a child shortly after Texas Independence. His desire to stay on the Union side after graduation from Westpoint, simply makes more sense if Wilhelm was biased against the Confederacy.

Now his attitudes toward the Confederate States are fully justified from a historical perspective.

As history goes, several Forty-Eighters organized the "Union Loyal League," a controversial group which some historians say was created to defend the Hill Country from Native incursions, while other historians align their analysis with Confederate's suspicions that they were an armed militia supporting the anti-secession movement. According to a second source (link below), a third possibility is that they Forty Eighters had armed themselves to defend against harassment by groups of vigilantes known as "Hanging Men" or Hangebund, who terrorized and committed atrocities against the German communities.

http://wkcurrent.com/myth-fate-clash-around-tegeners-role-in-unionist-movement-p1616-71.htm

During the time of the loyalists' protests, there were militant groups called hanging bands, or "Hangebund" — Confederates and sympathizers who terrorized German Freethinkers and "48-ers," and were charged with numerous atrocities. The two latter groups were loosely tied, but did not necessarily share all the same beliefs. However, they were both hunted for their Unionists leanings.

At the very least, Confederates saw that Germans resisted the draft into military service, and in 1862 when the Confederate Conscription Act was passed, that opposition turned into open insurrection.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nueces_massacre

As a result, General Hamilton Bee dispatched Captain James Duff, a Scottish immigrant, to Gillespie County, and in May of 1862, Captain Duff imposed martial law. While in Gillespie County, Captain Duff arrested and executed two Germans, which prompted a group of Germans in the Union Loyal League to leave Texas, being led Frederick "Fritz" Teneger. Teneger's plan was to exit Texas by crossing the border into Mexico, and then to make their way to Union-controlled New Orleans.

Frederick "Fritz" Teneger, leader of the Union Loyal League during the Nueces Massacre

Upon finding about Teneger's party, Captain Duff dispatched a interception force of 96 men led by Lieutenant Colin McRae, in August 3, 1862. After six days, the German Texans were found in a small prairie along the Nueces River. At 1:00 a.m. in the morning of August 10, the McRae's force closed into the German's camp., but two Germans wandering from the camp encountered the force and alerted the the rest of the camp. After which a fight ensued. It is estimated that 23 to 28 Germans fled the battle scene reducing the camp to 2/3 of its fighting force. The German force was dissipated in battle, leaving about 30 dead, and 20 wounded versus only two casualties on the Confederate side.

According to the second historical source, while Fritz Teneger, the leader of the German party was badly wounded at the Battle of the Nueces, he survived, came home briefly, and then fled to Mexico.  A couple of years later he returned from Mexico to find his wife had given birth to a daughter of his and had re-married twice, thinking that her husband had died. Teneger had a contentious divorce from his wife and county legal documents revealed some of Teneger's history.

This history could prove to be very handy when devising some sort of background for Wilhelm. Both Bahlmann and Wilhelm would potentially have to face having family in peril, with Wilhelm leaving parents behind enemy lines, or worse, having to deal with the death of a parent in the Nueces massacre, while he was away in the military academy. That could have been more than enough to push a young Wilhelm to side with the Union, vowing revenge against the Confederates.

Bahlmann on the other hand would face having parents left in Mexico, and a female lover as well, after the start of the Global War, technically on the same side of the enemy lines, and thus provide a common goal for both of the heroes in "The Valkyrie and the Eagle."

The story writes itself  

Cheers,
J. Wilhelm.

[Cora Courcelle]

After some consideration (and a little research to confirm some facts and dates), I share with you a few details and backstory for my character; to be honest they are probably not very original but it was great fun to do, so sit back and enjoy as I introduce you to Cora Courcelle .....

Cora is definitely part me, although much more adventurous and likely to be in dangerous situations - she might say she wants a quiet life but really she is ready for any adventure that life throws at her but, modestly, she prefers not to talk about them too much.
She is married to archaeologist Professor Charles Courcelle and has accompanied him on expeditions to find the hidden city of Zinj (believed to be a potential site of King Solomon's mines) as well as the ill-fated 'Atlantis' expedition, where they were two of the few survivors.  On that occasion Cora's skill at tarot reading and knowledge of the spirit world helped expedite their escape.  She also has an unofficial position in Her Majesty's government, undertaking various secret missions at the behest of Mr Mycroft Holmes.  At present she is engaged in something
to do with the Great German Colonial Question, but she is unable to reveal exactly what, (national security you know).
When not engaged in this or archaeological explorations with her husband, she is a member of several charitable and fundraising societies whose aim is to alleviate  the suffering of those less fortunate persons and she can be relied on for practical advice and assistance in all situations.
She loves beautiful things and spends rather too much time and money on clothes and jewellery!

Cora's world is very similar to that of the Victorian world we are familiar with; however there are some differences, as the Victoria who is on the throne is the granddaughter of George IV, not his great niece, and had a much more relaxed upbringing, especially when her mother, Charlotte, became queen in 1830.  With this Victoria on the throne, women professionals are by no means uncommon and marriage does not mean the automatic end of a career.  Although there is still a long way to go before they reach the equality we have today, women do have considerably more independence if they wish it (Cora does!).
Technology is, of course, steam-powered with passenger submarines as well as sumptuous steamships and, following the discovery of cavorite, airships and dirigibles cruise the skies above.  Steam-powered cars are commonplace even if they haven't yet replaced the horse.  Much of these advances are owed to the patronage of the Queens husband, King Albert who continues to show great interest in all inventions.  It was a fortunate day when he recovered from the typhoid which almost killed him in 1861.

It's an exciting time to be alive, with England a major power and her colonies thriving around the globe.  Intrigue and adventure abound and Cora's life is never dull in the golden age of this Victorian England.

[annevpreussen]

*very large snip*

The story writes itself  

Cheers,
J. Wilhelm.

Admiral Wilhelm, if you ever do end up writing this story, I will be first in line to read it! I think it's wonderful how you work snippets of history into your characters' lives, and it's wonderful that you share those snippets with us!

*another large snip mostly because I'm sure there's a way to tag users to denote that I am talking to that person,  but I don't know what that is so I'll just use the quote feature*

Intrigue and adventure abound and Cora's life is never dull in the golden age of this Victorian England.

Oh! Cora seems the kind of character that I would not only love to read or hear about but also dream of meeting. She seems like so much fun! I'd love to hear more about her adventures searching for lost cities with her husband or on secret missions for the Queen. And I too spend too much money on clothes and jewelry

[Cora Courcelle]

Oh! Cora seems the kind of character that I would not only love to read or hear about but also dream of meeting. She seems like so much fun! I'd love to hear more about her adventures searching for lost cities with her husband or on secret missions for the Queen. And I too spend too much money on clothes and jewelry

She has her adventures when I'm air-dreaming, so they don't get written down  , perhaps I ought to take notes at the very least ...

[annevpreussen]

Oh! Cora seems the kind of character that I would not only love to read or hear about but also dream of meeting. She seems like so much fun! I'd love to hear more about her adventures searching for lost cities with her husband or on secret missions for the Queen. And I too spend too much money on clothes and jewelry

She has her adventures when I'm air-dreaming, so they don't get written down  , perhaps I ought to take notes at the very least ...

I think that's a very good idea; if for no other reason than to help keep track of the marvelous things she's done!

[Cora Courcelle]

I think that's a very good idea; if for no other reason than to help keep track of the marvelous things she's done!

Well I have bought a notebook ....

[annevpreussen]

I think that's a very good idea; if for no other reason than to help keep track of the marvelous things she's done!

Well I have bought a notebook ....

Perfect! I hope you have a wonderful time filling it with stories of Cora's adventures 

[Caledonian]

I hestitated for a long time before deciding to leave one of my characters here. Mainly because this one is furry trash.

But

Let me introduce you.

Art by kidchameleon

Name:Dalzell Caledon Wynde-shierre (thank you people of brass goggles coming up with that last name)
Species: anthromorphic blackface sheep

Oh my what do i tell about him.

Dalzell is the character i made when i decided to make a "fursona". I'm not sure how much of a sona he is by now, though, he might be just a character with all the alterations i made.

Dalzell is mainly an art character, showing up in quirky comics or being portrayed togethee with my friends characters. I have tossed him in a roleplay here and there but i feel like he doesn't have a worked out enough backstory and personality.

Generally a regal kind of character, likes to be well groomed. Spends hours a day having his hooves polished.
Enjoys times with friends, a drink or fun time in general. Likes striking awesome poses with the claymore he has for....display purposes, strictly.

Obviously isn't from our world. Not sure where he /is/ from, however.

The friends he has, or at least has been depicted with, are very varied. This includes an irish punker snow leopard, a colourguard loving otter, a wizard chocobo and a dimention traveling fox.

...I'm not sure what else to tell. Questions welcome

[Kensington Locke]

Professor Kensington Locke sounded fancy enough, which being a bit of an inside joke.  Kensington is a company that makes computer cable locks (for those little holes on the side of your laptop...)  Add an E on the end and it's a bit like John Locke.

I've imagined him in an alternate timeline, Republic of Texas never joined the Union or the Confederacy later.    He served in the Air Cavalry previously, now he's a professor at UT-Austin where he focuses on Adjacent Dimensional Dynamics.  aka parallel realities.  This sets him up to be a little Indiana Jones ala Star Gate.

With that, when I go out to SP events, etc, I can explain away any inconsistencies as carry-overs from other timelines, etc.

My current outfit is a leather top hat embossed with gears (no add-ons), a brown long tailed waist coat (ala air ship). 
A bandoleer with pouches and chemicals (for powering an AD shift). 
an open faced holster strapped to his thigh with a LaMat Aetheric Propulsor Revolver
a gentleman's walking stick
no goggles
striped trousers
creme dress shirt w/ SP cufflinks (shirt even has period square collar)
blue cravat with genuine 1800s pearl tie pin
oxfords

Basically part gentleman, part gunslinger.

I'm looking to get a dress waistcoat and something like a morning coat for "dining" garb.  I feel like instead of inventing another character, I really just need to flesh out alternate wardrobe for fine-dining date night with the wife, vs. full-on adventurer explorer at a convention vs. some other situation I haven't thought of yet...

[Elderdryas]

Though not the wealthiest, or the fanciest, or the best known, Absolom Ezra Parsons is well respected in the circles of businessmen in London. Though he hails from Squire's Mount, Hampstead, on the edge of London, he prides himself on his knowledge of the inner city. His pride and joy, the Falcon Post, delivers most anything anywhere, with almost no boilers involved. Working from his comfortable home on Lyon Street, he almost never has any reason to go out, and he rarely even goes outside, as he has a serf to take care of his massive falcon roost. Absalom lives with his sister, who cooks and provides for him. His study is cold in the winter, for he spends most of his time flying to explore the Antarctic ruins, or to visit his associates throughout England. He stages performances of Calliope in the guise of a merchant named Elderdryas, for above all things, he is self-conscious, and worries what others will think of him, even close ones, like his sister

[annevpreussen]

I am very guilty of neglecting this thread... but on the upside, I got to come back and meet all these new, wonderful steampunk characters!

*snip snap*

Generally a regal kind of character, likes to be well groomed. Spends hours a day having his hooves polished.
Enjoys times with friends, a drink or fun time in general. Likes striking awesome poses with the claymore he has for....display purposes, strictly.

Obviously isn't from our world. Not sure where he /is/ from, however.

The friends he has, or at least has been depicted with, are very varied. This includes an irish punker snow leopard, a colourguard loving otter, a wizard chocobo and a dimention traveling fox.

...I'm not sure what else to tell. Questions welcome

I'm happy you decided to introduce him to us! I love Dalzell and his character design (but I might be a wee bit biased because I think sheep are the absolute bomb  ). As to where he's from, perhaps there's an alternate universe somewhere with steam as the leading power source peopled by animals instead of humans? And magic, of course! Also, I love the art! It's really wonderful! I love his sheepish expression please feel free to literally shoot me for that but I couldn't resist

Professor Kensington Locke sounded fancy enough, which being a bit of an inside joke.  Kensington is a company that makes computer cable locks (for those little holes on the side of your laptop...)  Add an E on the end and it's a bit like John Locke.

I've imagined him in an alternate timeline, Republic of Texas never joined the Union or the Confederacy later.    He served in the Air Cavalry previously, now he's a professor at UT-Austin where he focuses on Adjacent Dimensional Dynamics.  aka parallel realities.  This sets him up to be a little Indiana Jones ala Star Gate.

*snip*

Basically part gentleman, part gunslinger.

Professor Locke sounds impressive indeed in spite (or perhaps because of!) his cheeky name origins. Has he found any parallel realities? Perhaps one with a certain Scottish sheep? 

And by the way, gentlemen gunslingers are the best kind of gentlemen and the best kind of gunslingers.

Though not the wealthiest, or the fanciest, or the best known, Absolom Ezra Parsons is well respected in the circles of businessmen in London. Though he hails from Squire's Mount, Hampstead, on the edge of London, he prides himself on his knowledge of the inner city. His pride and joy, the Falcon Post, delivers most anything anywhere, with almost no boilers involved. Working from his comfortable home on Lyon Street, he almost never has any reason to go out, and he rarely even goes outside, as he has a serf to take care of his massive falcon roost. Absalom lives with his sister, who cooks and provides for him. His study is cold in the winter, for he spends most of his time flying to explore the Antarctic ruins, or to visit his associates throughout England. He stages performances of Calliope in the guise of a merchant named Elderdryas, for above all things, he is self-conscious, and worries what others will think of him, even close ones, like his sister

I'm trying to think of a coherant and well-worded reply as is the custom here but I can't because I'm literally freaking out that I live in a world where someone has created a steampunk falconmaster/explorer/musician and I'm just really happy about that.

This is why I love talking to people about their characters so much. It's amazing to see the unique, wonderful personas people simply draw up out of their minds and bring to life.

[Caledonian]

I am very guilty of neglecting this thread... but on the upside, I got to come back and meet all these new, wonderful steampunk characters!

*snip snap*

Generally a regal kind of character, likes to be well groomed. Spends hours a day having his hooves polished.
Enjoys times with friends, a drink or fun time in general. Likes striking awesome poses with the claymore he has for....display purposes, strictly.

Obviously isn't from our world. Not sure where he /is/ from, however.

The friends he has, or at least has been depicted with, are very varied. This includes an irish punker snow leopard, a colourguard loving otter, a wizard chocobo and a dimention traveling fox.

...I'm not sure what else to tell. Questions welcome

I'm happy you decided to introduce him to us! I love Dalzell and his character design (but I might be a wee bit biased because I think sheep are the absolute bomb  ). As to where he's from, perhaps there's an alternate universe somewhere with steam as the leading power source peopled by animals instead of humans? And magic, of course! Also, I love the art! It's really wonderful! I love his sheepish expression please feel free to literally shoot me for that but I couldn't resist

thank you! dalzell's design varies a little sometimes. the colour of his kilt is inconsistent and he sometimes does and sometimes doesn't have facial markings. if he does they resemble a mustach, but i often forget to draw them, and artists i get art from forget them as well I guess xD
here is some art for illustration:

Spoiler: ShowHide

(by stonebandid)
(by me)
(by antumbra)
(by aygee)

spoilered because huge.

as for the world he lives in, it's surely peopled by animals, and always have been. Dalzell has claimed to be "a descendant of the sheep clans of skye" in roleplay scenarios, but that's as far as i have thought about it, honestly

[Kensington Locke]

I have not met any sheep people (sheeple?) in my travels.

To your other question, alas, adjacent dimensional travel is largely limited to geosynchronous travel.  Meaning, if one starts in Texas, one would arrive in an adjacent version of Texas.  The alignment and timing must be precise.  As the earth is spinning, orbiting the sun and in motion around the galactic center, if you attempted to arrive in a different place, that would very likely be in space as wherever you wanted to go isn't there anymore.

We're pretty sure that's what happened, as other exploratory teams were unable to setup the equipment to make the return.

[von Corax]

here is some art for illustration:

Spoiler: ShowHide

(by stonebandid)
(by me)
(by antumbra)
(by aygee)

spoilered because huge.

Not seeing them here. Image links from Facebook tend not to work very well on BG..