board77

So, having pondered things over and over here are my basic choices :

I would like to keep the time-frame as I have settled it in the first OOC post: first years on the 19th century, and for some unexplained and unexplainable reason, I would like to choose 1803.

I intent to start the story during the storm in which the ship will sink. So far, I think of writing Nigel and Moira whose bios I have posted earlier in this thread, another character whose bio is ready bit not yet typed, a Prussian named Heinrich von Ramseyer, and the non written characters that will be necessary in the first posts.

My idea is that the numbers of survivors should turn around 20 – a number important enough to give the community an actual chance of surviving in the wild, yet small enough to remember the names of the different persons. Once you tell me the name and basic biographical facts about your character, I will start a list with the names of survivors, inhabitants of the island. Several characters in the list will not be written by someone in fact, which can also allow if someone wants to join on the road to pick up one of the names and write out the character furthermore.

Several aspects I have been thinking about:

Natives: yes, there could be some. Maybe not on the same island, but on the neighbour island, form which they would come a few weeks or days after the sinking of the ship. Maybe not right in the start, IMHO it would be interesting to give the settlers a clear start first, during which they try to handle things on their own.

Material: If you think your character will own or carry something with him, it must have come from the ship with him/her. Eventually a part of the survivors could come with a part of the wreckage – which would give a first shelter for the settlers, and help out with the urgent food question for the first few days – it would also allow them to have a minimum of weapons for hunting or building houses, which might be useful.

Fauna and Flora: I don’t intend to take a degree in biology to write this… anything that seems logical can go – so no potatoes growing on the island, but I will not fret over the question which species of fish can be captured. Peeg – may I ask you for questions concerning the southern hemisphere if necessary?

Bios: no need to be as precise as me! I like to make characters detailed… but the details can grow in the story…. Age, name, profession and reason to go to Australia are enough for me. If you want to write a character close to your real self, or looking like your real self, fine for me. Some children might be among the survivors…. Survivors can be of different countries of origin: why should only the English emigrate to Australia?

Convicts: yes please!!! If not, I’ll invent one myself before starting

Historical background: not really much to say: those people will strand on a lost island and be cut from the world…. So basic knowledge of 19th century will of course do – in other words, they won’t have mobile phones, the women will not wear mini-skirts…. And of course none of them will have ever heard of sun-protection cream. But they do know that the earth is round, are not all necessarily monarchists… Just common human sense, no historical details.
Other questions….

Like why I have waited so long? Sorry, this site has kept me busy in many ways, but I have reached the point where I miss writing physically. If I want b77 to work, the only way is to make it work – here we go.

When can you expect an opening post? Before the week is over – and yes that is a promise. And it might not be my only RP post of the week…..

Must I repeat the basic RP rules, like no netspeak, not killing another writer’s character etc?

Nin I'm with ya all the way! of course you can ask me about anything you like, but i won't pretend to be an expert in southern hemisphere flora and fauna. I just know the basic stuff any Aussie would know

I really liked the idea of playing myself....i think i'll do just that, but add a little twist to my story. Maybe i'll be a criminal....

Basic Aussie stuff is more than I know.....



typing frantically in another window.....

I know the difference between a Kangeroo and a bandicoot, but I am confused on which end of a crocodile is dangerous

Nin, when you are plotting, can I make a brief sugestion. It is my understanding that when ships carrying convicts travelled, the convicts were kept seperate from the paying passengers.

May I suggest that the two groups do not know each other at all, maybe not even visually. May make it intersting, especially with the odd first mate who may be an escaped convict

i'd say convicts were kept in locked up cells ( remember the room Leonardo was locked in on Titanic?)

i am still very interestd inw riting a widow/mother fom a middle class (maybe wealthy)with a teen daughter and young son. Maybe also throw in a convict in the mix. I just liked the idea of the daughter getting way to ínterested'in a convict then any normal person would.

shall go read up on the 19th century

And I still don't know what to do with myself.

1803...which part of the year?

*gets out history books to find something to grab on to*

1803- sense and sensibility style right? maybe we need a small reference list on the first page with important dates, clothing style etc.

just a thought

No, 1803 was a bit of a mixed year.

England declared war on France in favor of the Maltese, and Napoleon was getting ready to be declared Emperor.

In America the Louis and Clarke experdition were headed out into the wilds, and Louisiana was purchased by Jefferson.

Regency comes in slightly later in the economic boom following the Napoleonic wars, so Sense and Sensability is later (published 1811). Also doubt very much that the clippers that regency finery would have been the norm. Most settlers to the Antipodes would be petty criminals, mostly young men caught stealing bread rather than hardened criminals.

For really posh clothing, ie what the people who put the travellers on the ship for stealing bread would wear see.
here

For general info on settleing Oz see here

or

This one

Fab! thanks Din dear with all the different time periods i get in history class i get slightly confused

shall continue writing Bio tonight

Din

Okay... I'm having a good day and slightly overenthousiastic...

I must admit that by pure lazyness I looked up most of my info about Australia in French .

Anyway, I like the idea that the convicts and the other passengers are in separate parts of the ship. Maybe the passengers who are saved will be in life-boats, whereas the convicts were not supposed to be saved and get stranded with a part of the wreckage - so they would hold tools and some other interesting goods for the community.

Pondering and typing Heinrich.

And another bio:

Heinrich von Ramseyer

Born in 1783 in a small village in the Eastern part of Prussia, Heinrich is the second son of a local « junker » (nobleman) – the one who would not inherit the domain. His mother died young, and he has grown up in a very cold environnement. His father sends him to a military school at the age of eight and he has since then, hardly ever seen his family.

Less wealthy than most of his comerades, Heinrich becomes quickly popular in his school, because of his excellent fighting skills and his easiness with learning. Especially in his teen-age years, when his good looks start to show, he uses his popularity to solve some money problems – and to avoid to go home in the Prussian atmosphere of his father house.

He spends the summer 1798 with a friend in their countryside residence, and there gets introduced “to the mysteries of live” by the bored mother of his friend. Heinrich realises then for the first time, that he can easily seduce women and obtain almost everything he wants from them.

Two years later, he discovers his other passion: cards… First he wins, he is quick with his hands, has a vivid intelligence and observes others well. Nevertheless, he starts to accumulate debts, and not all can be paid by his mistresses. Turning back to his father, he meets nothing but incomprehension. Challenged in duel by the director of his academy, whose wife has been his lover too, Heinrich is desperate.

He steals then the cash of his academy and heads for Hamburg- the first ship will do. His intent was America, but he would go anywhere.

Statistics:

Age: 20

Skills: Army trained weapon fight

Looks: extremely good-looking – black curly hair, cut short, bright blue eyes, skin a nit olive, tall, well-built… and he knows it.

Character: he does not care for others if they are not of use for him. His English is dreadful.

I like that guy.

I think I know who I'm going to play, but I need to work it all out first. It will be a woman...and despite what Din said about playing out of gender, playing women is horribly difficult for me. Oh, I don't claim to play men well- but at least I know what to do with a man. I'm barely a woman in real life...I just haven't a clue what to do with all that feminity....

here's what i have for now. a bit vague but history will come as i write.

Metamorphoses

Maria Dirby, a 30 year old mother with two children. Married young she was frustrated from an early age, held back by duties and controlling heavily gambling husband who served as a corporal* in the army. After his death he left her nothing but shame, debts and disgrace. Hearing news of ship leaving shore she decided to take the plunge and start over ,anew, in a new place far away from the people that know about who she was, her debts and her troubles. Her metamorphoses.

Louisa Dirby, a 13 year old golden haired girl. She’s enthralled by the lure of independence, adventure and exploration of new territory. Maybe this is the chance she needs to wrestle free from the silk corset laces her mother forces her into. Her metamorphoses

James Dirby, the youngest boy and easily scared of his sister’s tactics. Feels safest around his mother but she hasn’t really got the energy to spend time with him so he ends up being the daughter’s burden who shamelessly ditches him where ever she can. He wants to be brave soldier on day like his daddy on the painting. Will he have his metamophoses

* need to do more research on army ranks and pay checks.

Ok, I'm finally coming here to put something up If anyone sees inconsistencies, please let me know... I've only done a bit of research so far.

Anya Alnikova

Born 1788 in the poor Arctic Circle village of Mezen (What is now northern/northwestern Russia), along the River Mezen, near the river mouth at the White Sea (the largest town is to the SW--Archangel), this orphan is acclimated to blistering cold and frigid winds that howl through the huts of her village. She knows nothing of family, except for the other orphans who ran through her town; she has no memory of her parents. For several years, the war that involved her homeland and France was only a distant murmur, but in 1802, her best friend, Peter Verbitskov, convinced her to cut her long, raven hair, and to join him as a soldier. Their unit, while moving to the battlefields, was ambushed by bandits. Anya and Peter escaped and fled to Britain, along the way hearing about opportunities that awaited them. However, even worse poverty awaited them and they were forced to steal in order to eat. Anya continued her masquerade as a boy, for the slums they lived in were dangerous for women. It was easy for her to act in this manner, for she had always run wild, never wearing dresses or using fine manners. Her world is one of roughness and of survival only. However, with age she grows more lovely and her rough edges are being smoothed over (at least physically). Her days of pretending to be a boy are nearing an end.

While in London, Anya and Peter stole their daily bread, and it was at a portly baker's shop that the crafty duo was finally caught. They were sentenced to be sent to Australia for all of their misdemeanors, with Anya charged under the name of Alexei. This is her name on the ship's registry of criminals and it is what Peter calls her.

Age: 15

Appearance: Large, intense olivine eyes and short, cropped black wavy hair. 5'2", very thin, and is dressed as a boy

Skills: thievery, quickness, cunning, conning....as she learns about feminine wiles, she will use these to her advantage as well. She survives well in most environments and is easily adaptable. However, she has never been in a very warm climate before. Some training with the Russian army.

Peter Verbitskov

Not as much is known about Peter's past... he arrived in the small village of Anya's birth when he was 12. He was born in 1784 and is the "brains of the operation." If the two get into trouble, it's usually due to one of his plans going wrong, but so rarely do his plans go wrong that Anya listens to everything he has to say. He is rather quiet, unlike his rambunctious and gregarious, though cautious, co-hort.

Age: 19

Appearance: Blue eyes, long blonde hair pulled back. 5'8", thin but gaining muscle rapidly

Skills: thievery, cunning, conning, intelligence, can create a shelter out of odds and ends (how he and Anya took shelter when they left the ambush). Some training with the Russian army





By the way, Anya and Peter do not speak English very well... and they loathe Frenchmen. Since I don't know Russian (other than some swearing...and I don't know how to spell them, just know pronounciation ), I'll probably just write everything in English, but let you guys know if they are speaking their native tongue or are speaking in English.

Everything and everybody sounds great so far - and as promised before the end of the week, a little bit of fodder....

I will add all those who give me a confirmation of their participation in the first post, just with writers and characters name.

I'm going for a convict, but still need to work on an idea. He may not be the friendliest type, though. So beware!


(Think Sawyer from "Lost")

Ok, I finally came up with a character. I don't have a complete bio yet, but he's one of the sailors on the ship. Name of Thomas. About 5 foot seven inches, dirty blond hair (long, of course, worn tied back)...and I imagine this fellow doesn't really have a history, at least not one which would be significant to him. Born a blacksmith's son in the country, went to sea after running away from the town due to accusations from the butcher's daughter and her swelling belly. Usually worked with the sails, helped out the ships carpenter because of his upbringing. This is his fourth voyage to Australia.

Here are a few links I've found in my research:

Clothing in the 18th Century (which would help the less fashionable... by 1803, these fashions would no longer be "in" with the fashionable)

In 1785 a new process was patented. The copperplate was made into a cylinder (15 to 17 inches in diameter), and it was used as roller so that the printing was continuous. The use of rollers made it very easy to print designs, stripes, and tiny dots. At first roller printing was one color, like the copperplates from which it developed. But soon the rollers were using several colors at the same time. New and brighter dyes were developed in the early 1800s, and after 1814 a green was available that ended the two-step process.

With this background on cottons and linen, following is a list of several other fabrics popular in the 19th century:
Alamade--thin, light, and glossy silk
Banyan--cotton textile
Barleycorn--checked fabric
Barragon--a cotton Fustian with a short nap, coarse and quite durable; inexpensive for working class use
Bay--a long napped thin woolen, nearly a serge, often coarse and frizzed on one side: used on coats and capes
Broadcloth--fine, smooth cloth made of cotton, wool, or silk woven on a wide loom, thus the name
Brocade--silk fabric with raised pattern of figures in colors
Calico--any cotton cloth, solid or printed
Calimanco--glossy woolen cloth, ribbed or plain; used for curtains, linings, coats, shirts
Cambric--fine French linen, medium weight; used for shirts, dresses, good chemises
Camlet--a coarse yet some were smooth) blend of silks, hairs, & woolens; used in petticoats, capes, cloaks, heavy aprons, and winter bodices
Canvas--heavy, coarse cloth; used as a utility cloth, for stiffening collars, covering stays, or made into bags, breeches, and leggings
Chintz--Calico with colored pattern, painted or printed, sometimes glazed
Corduroy--stout corded cotton, twilled
Crape--thin silk gauze, crimped, nearly transparent; used in coifs, scarves, hat trim and mourning garb
Crocus--cheap coarse bag cloth, open weave, dull colors; used by the very poor and slaves to make clothing
Damask--silk cloth with reversed pattern on the back
Denim--a serge; later colored twilled cotton
Dimity--fine ribbed cotton Fustian
Dowlas--a cheaper, coarse weave of linen; used by the poor class
Drab--thick woolen cloth, yellowish color
Duffield--coarse wool flannel
Duffles--coarse woolen cloth
Everlasting--hard-wearing woolens resembling serge
Fearnough--thick cloth with pile
Ferrit--narrow silk ribbon; also cotton tape
Frieze--medium weight coarse napped woolen cloth; used for linings
Fustian--cloth of linen warp and cotton weft, worsted, different weights and colors; used for petticoats, waistcoats, breeches, winter shirts, suits, and window curtains
Gauze--very thin silk
Gingham--cotton fabric of dyed yarn woven into stripes or checks
Hessians--coarse cloth of hemp and jute
Holland linen--Dutch linen of high quality, yet poorer mislabeled linens were passed off by merchants and traders as such. Holland Linen became a generic name; used for waistcoats, chemises aprons, shirts, summer bodices and petticoats
Jaconet--soft muslin
Kersey--coarse cloth of wool, usually ribbed with cotton wrap
Lawn--very fine linen
Linsey-woolsey--coarse cloth of mixed linen and wool, usually home woven; used for coats, vests, skirts, capes, and many other items
Muslin--fine cotton cloth of plain weave, various weights; used for shirts, shifts, suits, curtains, jackets, waistcoats, bodices, linings, and many other items
Moleskin--much like a Fustian, a cotton cloth with a short nap, inexpensive with a wide usage; used for linings and skirts
Nankeen--hard-wearing cotton cloth of plain weave originally sold at Nanking, China. A yellow variety of cotton, originally worn by upper class with cheaper imitations available to middle and lower classes; used for waistcoats and breeches
Nicannee--rough, dull, homespun calico, usually striped and used for slave clothing
Osnaburg--unbleached linen of German origin, rough, coarse to touch, durable; used for working class utility clothing, breeches, aprons, shirts, jackets, etc.
Pellise--soft woven lightweight broadcloth, very durable
Poplin--lightweight weave of cotton; used for dresses, shirts, and petticoats (skirts)
Ratteen--a thick twill woven wool cloth, often a coarse weave with high and low nap; used for coats, capes, wraps, breeches, winter shirts and skirts
Satin--silk with a glazed surface
Saxone--inexpensive weave of linen & silk threads, used for skirts, shirts, and dresses
Serge--twilled worsted fabric (usually wool), durable, inexpensive, widely used by all; used in coat liners, shirts, capes, aprons
Shagreen--silk used for linings
Shalloon--slight woolen stuff
Stuff or Worsted Stuff--lightweight cloth made of long-staple, combed wool yarn, plain or twilled, smoother than many other types of wool
Swankin (also called Stammel)--closely woven flannel made from wool, inexpensive; used for shifts and petticoats, usually in a red or brick color
Taffeta--fine smooth silk with gloss
Thunder-and-Lightning--wool serge
Ticklengburg--coarse linen
Tissue--woven cloth of gold or silver silk thread
Velvet--the pile thick and close
Vermillion--cotton cloth dyed scarlet (have also heard that this is any scarlet cloth)
Virginia Cloth--domestically produced linen/cotton blend; used for servant's wear; linen osnaburg was used to clothe plantation slaves.

Just as today, fabrics 200 years ago were associated with different levels of economic and social status. Silk brocades and velvets were easily recognizable as upper class fabrics. The upper classes did not confine themselves to only silks and woolens. The higher up the socio-economic ladder, the greater was (and is) the freedom of choice.

The above passage, as well as other fascinating details about fashion changes through the late 1700's to mid-1800's (probably more than that, but I ignored the rest ) come from:

Fashion Details

i have a post at the ready Nin rather like it myself but it needs a few touches.

be patient

I ma not ony patient, but I apologise for not having posted in here.... Great links, Ture!!!!!

I have to run to school now...