RPW 2009: Letters, England, 1874 — Part 1
By popular request, a new Role-Playing Writing thread, with details still To Be Determined.
Date: August 20, 2009
Categories: RRRs, RPWs, and RPGs
Wednesday, 8 May 2024
Life, the universe, pies, hot-pink bunnies, world domination, and everything
By popular request, a new Role-Playing Writing thread, with details still To Be Determined.
Date: August 20, 2009
Categories: RRRs, RPWs, and RPGs
Yay! Thank you! Now, my First Post with Helpful Rules and Guidelines, in the hopes that it’ll prevent hopeless confusion and the lack of a good storyline:
•Post an original character, complete with backstory and the person to whom en will be writing, be they NPC or character. All characters must be original, and they must fit within the setting of the RPW. No Mary Sues, and no overwhelming supernaturality/magical powers. We can have two or three characters that are ghosts/from alternate universes/clairvoyant/several-thousand-year-old Egyptian cat spirits/etc., but no more than three, ‘K? If magical powers figure into it, they’ll figure into it later.
•Don’t write yet! We should figure out a rough plot, with how the characters will fit together, who the villain should be, are there any prophecies, etc. before starting. We don’t need to predict every plot twist, just make sure everyone fits in somehow.
•If you’re coming in late, read the thread(s) and come up with a character and a way to fit en into the story. If you would prefer, inquire whether you can take over a Non-Player-Character. If there are a million threads of staggering length, just ask for a summary and I’ll try to make it as easy for you as possible.
Though now I think about it, who am I to dictate supernaturality? So disregard that point. Magical powers can get annoying if everyone has them, but I’ll leave that up to the judgment of the other writers.
2- Well, it depends on the genre, I think.
Oh! Right! We need to decide time period! Errata suggested Medieval-ish, RoseQuartz and I are for 19th-century.
And is everyone agreed it’s to be fantasy?
Hmm…a new RPW sounds fun. I don’t know if I’ll be able to participate, but I’ll try.
Personally, I think I know more about medieval times than about the 19th century. No, really. I’ll do either, since it seems like everyone wants the 19th century one, but I think medieval sounds sort of fun. We could put it in a historical setting and everything! *has just read Daughter of Time, as well as being obsessed with Shakespeare, and is itching to write something historical*
Another rule I’d like to propose: If you get tired of your character, and that character is a major character, don’t just kill them off suddenly.
I like a Medieval setting, but mainly because I’m not sure what you mean by 19th century. Can you elaborate a little?
5- Oh no, please not historical! I don’t know anything about history, and I freeze up and can’t write anything. Well actually, I know quite a bit about the 19th century, but other than that, nothing. I’m fine with medieval if that’s what everyone else wants, but not historical accuracy. Also, the trouble with medieval times, is no one knew how to write.
6- I quite agree. But don’t abandon them either, that’s even worse. If you get tired of your character/are banned, please hand your character over to someone else, and they can deal with en.
So: Medieval, 19th century, contemporary, 23rd century, which? Fantasy, science fiction, adventure, historical?
I have a character, but she’ll need to be modified depending on the time period.
Well, I wasn’t thinking historical historical, just set against a historical background. But if you really don’t like the idea, okay.
And yes, we’d have to live with not being totally accurate. It’s just how stuff is–this isn’t supposed to be a novel.
Write more later–I have to go.
7- Well, there are a few different periods. There’s the Regency (o more accurately, the extended Rengency) from the beginning of the century to the 30s. Think Jane Austen, Hornblower, Napoleon, JS&MN.
Then the Victorian period starts, and lasts until the beginning of the 20th century. Think Dickens, Sally Lockhart, Alice’s Adventures, Civil War, potato famine.
You know, novelists do occasionally research the historical periods they write about. It’s not hard to find basic information about most times and places, with Wikipedia and the rest of the Web at your disposal.
8.1- Wait, what do you mean this isn’t supposed to be a novel? It’s called an epistolary novel. I mean, it’s more for fun than anything else, obviously, but it gets compiled and edited like any RRR.
10- That’s such an obvious statement, but at the same time it’s something that never even occurred to me. It’s a weirdness akin to thinking about how the people who read Dickens then were reading about their own time.
9- Victorian seems like it could be a very interesting setting. I’ll vote for that.
All right, I’ll post my character now.
Name: Cecily-Ann Winfair
Age: 17
Looks: Dark brown hair, grey eyes, pink cheeks, a straight nose. She wears a tear-drop-shaped red glass pendant on a long string (a gift from a childhood friend) under dresses of subdued colors.
Personality: She is outwardly demure, patient, modest, and sweet. Inwardly she longs for the unattainable–be it true love or to explore worlds beyond the stars. Sometimes, when these longings are compromised, her inward fire flashes out, but mostly it is damped down and hidden behind embroidery and housekeeping. Because of these conflicting outlooks, she is often inconsistent and unhappy; she covers up her unhappiness but cannot do the same for her inconsistency. When faced with a choice, she usually makes the proper decision, which is limiting, but will make her family happy. Sometimes she makes the decision she really wants to make, but it rarely makes her happy, since she is always remorseful later.
Other: She lives with her parents and her sister (Isabel, 15) in some city. She has an older brother (Horatio, 19), but he has gone off to school. They are not poor–they have plenty to eat and a nice house with two maids–but Horatio’s schooling costs a great deal and they are not able to have new dresses or attend balls as often as the girls would like, to say nothing of the fact that there will be no school for them.
I can modify the “Other” category according to time period, but that’s about the only thing I’ll need to change no matter the period.
OK, so participants, or at least interested parties:
Me–Cecily-Ann (whose name can be changed if we decide to go Medieval)
Fio
Armada
Errata
RoseQuartz
Fireandhemlock (Look, can I just call you Hemlock?)
Time Period:
Medieval: 2
Victorian: 2
19th-century (not specifically Victorian): 1
Genre:
Fantasy: 1
I have to go to work soon, luckily. It’ll get me off this thread for a few hours, at least.
Some shortened versions of my screen name: f+h, f&h, fireh, etc. Your choice.
Factoids: Queen Victoria was born in 1819. She reigned from June 20, 1837 (when her father died) to January 22, 1901 (when she died). So the Victorian Era made up almost two thirds of the 19th century.
16- I know, I know. Victorian is a highly general term. Usually when I think of it, though, it ends in the 70s, and everything after that is “late 1800s” until we get to the turn of the century and the Edwardian era, and then I start referring to things by decade.
Sherlock Holmes (1887), The Mikado (1885), and Jack the Ripper (1888) not Victorian? Well, if you insist…
No, no, no… Those are all Victorian. I just…it’s hard to explain. I sort things by clothing. By that point in time, S corsets were in fashion and skirts had narrowed. I associate S corsets and narrow skirts with the turn of the century and the Edwardian era, so if you say “1890” a fashion plate pops into my head and I think “turn of the century” and then “Edwardian.” But if you say “Sherlock Holmes” I think “Victorian.”
Turn-of-the-century to pre-World-War-1 women’s fashions were very flattering, from what I’ve seen of them. What is your favorite decade for clothes?
Very uncomfortable is more like it… -shudders- Some of them were cool, but whenever I see something like that, I think how miserable I would be if I had to wear, which rather mars my appreciation of it.
Hm, favorite decade… That’s hard. I’m rather fond of Georgian dresses for their simplicity, but they never look as flattering as one feels they ought. I like the 1850s a lot, but again, thinking of wearing that makes my ribs hurt.
I said “not specifically Victorian” because I wasn’t sure if RoseQuartz had in her mind a definite picture of the Georgian era or if she was a bit vaguer than that.
Also, if we do put it in Medieval times, I’ll hardly have to change my name at all. Cecily is apparently a medieval name.
Anyway, to work!
My thoughts:
Victorian sounds fun.
I rather enjoy magical powers, but I can get along easily without them.
I molded my character around the Victorian age, since most people like that idea.
Name: Aella Cathor
Age: 15
Looks: Long dark brown hair, usually loose. Pale. Fairly tall, with brown eyes.
Personality: Somewhat dramatic. Her mother, who, as Aella puts it, has ‘Annoying fantastical leanings’, gave her a very unusual name, but Aella doesn’t mind, as she enjoys being different. She also enjoys long walks in the garden, and writes stories in her spare time.
Other: She’s an only child. Her father works most of the time, and doesn’t talk to her hardly at all. His widowed sister, Ann, lives with them and at some point took charge of the household, as Aella’s mother has little inclination for this.
That alright? Alice, I’m writing to you, right? I’ll have to work that in…
Ooh, this looks interesting. What year is it set in?
We don’t know yet.
Character time!
Name: Natalie Orabel Brytt
Age: 16
Appearance: Shorter than average; curly, black, shoulder-length hair; gray eyes.
Will continue this later, once my headache goes away.
Family: Her father is a brewmaster who has recently made a good deal of money, her mother used to be a domestic servant in a rich household (possibly the Scarborough’s?) before the family became nouveau riche, her brother is five years older than her and works for their father. Father’s name: Oscar; mother’s name: Brianne; brother’s name: Ace.
Personality: She is energetic, extroverted and confident, but she doesn’t have close friends because she is very competitive (even in minor things), dramatic, and has trouble empathizing with others. The friends she does have are mostly male. She occasionally will steal some of her father’s beer and sell it on the streets. She hasn’t gotten caught yet, although it is getting harder now that her mother does not need to work. She wants to be a successful con artist, but if she can’t manage that, she wants to work for her father.
Ok, this is Victorian era, right? Goody!
Name: Isabel (nickname Isa)
Age: 13
Looks: A bit short, and skinny (but insists on being called slender) Ragged, dark brown hair (which is very long) and wild hazel eyes. Pale skin.
Personality: a bit cynical. A bit of a tomboy. Extremely stubborn, she taught herself to read out of old newspapers (?).
Other: is an orphan and never knew her parents. Is basically a street urchin but cleverer than the average urchin. Does not know where she got her name. Usually wears a pair of trousers and a shirt that she had found, and thus commonly mistaken for a boy.
This any good?
Looks good. You should be thinking about who you’ll be writing letters to, once we start. You can invent a NPC to write to, or write to one of us, or an imaginary friend. Whichever. It might be interesting to have a character who writes to herself, actually…
May I join?
I’d love to be Victorian. It’s been my dream forever to be a debutante in either Boston or London, sitting in a great summer mansion reading Jane Eyre and dreaming about true love and picking out fantastically expensive and cool dresses. (Anyone else read Sorcery and Cecelia?)
Name: Lily Scarborough
Age: 18
Looks: Very dark long brown hair done up in all sorts of styles. Brown eyes. Pale skin, but that’s only because she takes great care to keep it away from the sun. Usually dressed in the latest fashions from France. As Victorian ideals of beauty go, she’s about halfway there.
Personality: She’s empty-headed in an oddly clever way. She realized long ago that it would be easier to fit into this world if she didn’t stick her head up and try to make her own way and alienate people. She considered her priorities (knowledge & power vs. love of family and friends) and chose. If necessary, she could probably be quite clever; she just doesn’t try.
Other: She has two older brothers named James and Matt, who are very protective of her. Her family is fantastically rich. Depending on whether this is set in America or England, either her father made it really, really big in the railroad business or he’s the Lord of Scarborough. She has just come out into Victorian society, and is in either Boston or London enjoying the Season and writing letters to her friend Miranda back at either Scalby, a place near Scarborough, or Cambridge, Massachusetts, near Boston.
If we end up doing medieval (though the current motion seems to be for Victorian) I can change it.
This looks really fun. May I join?
Name: Juliette Chanceau (if the story is set in Medieval times, add a “de” before Chanceau).
Age: 17
Physical description: Juliette is tall and slender, with reddish brown hair, green eyes, and fair skin.
Character description: She is very accomplished (she can knit, embroider, dance, be graceful) but she isn’t really concerned with all of that. She loves to read and learn and enjoys raiding the family library in the dead of the night. She has good taste in clothing and fashion. However, she is concerned with what people think of her and worries about it unnecessarily. She also has a temper. If this is Victorian, then she loves to play tennis and go horseback riding, but finds croquet and golf boring.
Life: Her father died when she was a baby and her mother remarried to a much older man. Juliette loves the Catholic Church and is interested in becoming a nun, but her stepfather would rather her marry. She insists that if she marries, it will be someone that she loves, and she highly doubts that she’ll find that special person. She is very self-sufficient.
Medieval or Victorian, I don’t really mind, although I’m leaning slightly more towards Victorian.
19- Great. Can we be…cousins? On the maternal side? it actually works really well. I’m more likely to disclose my romantic side to someone who would understand, as I think Aella would.
23- I love Sorcery and Cecilia! That’s actually where the idea for an RPW came from in the first place.
Also, what standards of beauty? They’re all over the place. Cecily-Ann is an early Victorian standard of beauty.
Hm. So we have:
So we have:
Cecily-Ann Winfair (Aella Cathor)
Aella Cathor (Cecily-Ann)
Natalie Orabel Brytt (?)
Isabel (?)
Lily Scarborough (Miranda (NPC)
Hmm… All teenage girls…
Wait! And Juliette Chanceau (sorry vanillabean).
No problem. Idea: My stepfather is a widower and had a son from his previous marriage. My stepbrother and I aren’t really close, he’s kind of aloof, but he’s very handsome and your characters are quite welcome to fall in love with him if they wish. His name is William Thorpe (Juliette kept her father’s name) and we can all kind of control him or something. Cat’s Eye, can our characters be friends? I’m slightly less rich than you are, but I can help you pick out your dresses and things.
What can we do with six teenage girls? And how can we connect them? Lily’s having her season, so if one other girl could, then we could connect them and that would be cool. Only Cecily-Ann and Juliette are old enough to have their Seasons yet, and they’d be on the young side even then, but we could do it. Vanilla, would you rather, or shall I? I can do it, but then I’d have two connections and you’d have none.
I’ll join in! I can’t make a man (that would be weird for me), so sorry!
Name: Marie Pomeroy
Age: 36
Physical Description: Brown styled (curls on top of the head) hair and brown eyes. Around 5’3”. Wears all the latest fashions of France, and a hat is a must at all times.
Background: Inherited a large fortune from her father when she was in her late teens and used her good looks to persue a modeling career. (if those existed, and they probably did) Her independence and typical high-class haughtyness led her to believe that no man except for a prince was good enough for her. Now, she is still unmarried but actively chases after princes in her letters.
I’ll research some prince for her to write to.
26.1- That wasn’t quite what I meant, but it could be useful anyway. I also have an older brother, but if we’re going to start bringing in every girl’s older brother that could get slightly ridiculous. But like I said, that wasn’t what I meant. I was thinking more along the lines of “what sort of plot can we come up with?” We’ve got five girls from fifteen to eighteen in middle-to-upper-class life, one street urchin, and a French model. We can make up NPC love interests if we want them (and there’s always William Thorpe and Horatio Winfair), but what are we going to do for a plot?
Also, if Kyra’s going to write to a prince, we’re going to have to settle a year or at least a rough time period.
Isa is 13, thank you very much.
I know. She’s not in a middle-to-upper-class sphere of life either though. She goes under the category of “street urchin.”
She could rob one of you — snatch a purse or something. That would be a way to meet.
Oh, that’s a good idea! Who will you rob, f+h (providing you don’t object to robbing anyone)?
Good idea! *evil grin*
Or she could hide in someone’s carriage or behind someone’s skirts after having robbed someone else — stolen an apple from a fruit stand and fled with the owner in hot pursuit, maybe. There are many possibilities.
Ooh, I like that, I do!
True. *headdesk* Never mind that then.
So is this still going to be fantasy, or will it turn into a sort of Jane-Austen-y thing? It has to have some significant plot–but can fantasy even work in this setting? I feel like some people are better suited for it than others. Natalie and Isa, for example, for example, are obviously closer to the streets, whereas Lily (and consequently Juliette) and Marie Pomeroy are basking in society. I get the feeling that Aella lives a sheltered life in some country house with wide gardens and no callers EVER, but I don’t really think I have any evidence to support it. Cecily-Ann is kept inside all day and only comes out for the occasional ball, tea, or turn around the garden when she can’t bear the house anymore.
Also, where is everyone located? If we were sort of close together that would be incredibly useful, since it would take forever and a day for a letter to get across the Atlantic and all the interesting things would be over by the time it reached the recipient. We had this issue with the Empowered RRR, and I think we should come up with a solution BEFORE we star writing. So here’s my proposed solution: Put everyone fairly close together, so the letters get there quicker. Date your letters. Find out where your characters and how far it is from every other character, and allow the proper amount of days go by before replying. Remember, Victorian postal service was pretty slow.
Regardless of the main plot, I have a plan for Cecily. Early in the story, she will become engaged to someone that she doesn’t really care for, because she believes it is best thing to do. She is engaged for most of the story (and possibly even gets married), but while in this unfortunate and unhappy state, she falls madly in love with someone else, who returns her feelings in kind. Therefore, she is in a most awkward position of being in love with someone that she will never be able to marry, whilst being engaged to someone that she doesn’t love. Towards the end, however, her fiancee dies (the manner of his death depends on the plot and genre), and she is free to marry the object of her affections, as soon as a mourning period has been completed.
So what are our connections? We have Aella and Cecily-Ann writing to each other, Lily and Juliette are friends (right?) and presumably both writing to NPCs (it’ll be cool to read, because they can share their opinions of each other with their correspondents). Natalie, Isa, and Marie Pomeroy aren’t connected to anyone yet, but Isa could provide a link to one of them if f+h doesn’t mind, and maybe even be a connecting link between, say, Natalie and Lily (or Juliette/Aella/Cecily or even Marie Pomeroy if she was staying in England/America/wherever this is set). I suppose there’s still time for people to join so more links are possible.
And we still need a plot, and no one is posting any ideas. -taps foot impatiently- And I wish someone male would join this RPW simply to provide a little variety. If he doesn’t want to be fallen in love with, he could just say so.
Okay, at this point I am extremely confuzzled and have no idea how to make/fit in a character. Help?
33- All right, what’s confusing you?
Just make a character. Come up with a name, age, looks, personality, back story… We’ll help you fit en in. If you want, we could probably start with a connection to another character, and you could build your character around this.
A few questions: Name? Age? Wealth? If you’re fairly rich and somewhere between 17 and 20, you could probably have your Season with Lily and Juliette. Or maybe you could be Juliette’s correspondent, or maybe Natalie’s–she needs to be linked in somehow.
I would like to join!
I vote for Victorian era, circa. 1874. I’m flexible about fantasy, but I’m leaning towards having some fantastical occurrences.
My character:
Name: Ophelia Marie Throckmorton.
Age: 16 (-ish. I might tweak it later.)
Appearance: Reddish-brown curls; gray eyes. Tall and slender. Tanned from long walks outdoors.
Personality: Imaginative and kind. Detests conforming and often breaks the bounds of propriety. Very tolerant of other people. Intelligent. Not fond of any of her suitors. Not interested in romance, but thinks dances and the like are fun.
Other: The only child of Leopold and Mary Throckmorton.
Dr. L. Throckmorton is a literature professor at the same [university?] Horatio Winfair attends. Mrs. Throckmorton is mostly a socialite.
Her family has a beautiful, Tudor-style home. The Throckmortons are upper-middle class.Ophelia is a common sight at the [university?] and some of the professors let her attend their lectures. She is friends with several [university?] students.
All names, places, characters, etc. are fictional. Any resemblance to actual people, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.
Alice, is it all right with you that Ophelia and Horatio are linked that way?
I thought that maybe Horatio could tell Ophelia about Cecily-Ann, or the other way ’round. Is Horatio’s school a university?Another way characters can link: Maybe Natalie and Ophelia live nearby.
If those links are okay with Alice and Fio, respectively, then Ophelia will write to Natalie and Cecily-Ann. As the plot goes on, she may start writing to others.
How does that sound?
We do have a lot of those teenage girls.
Plot thoughts: ( )
I think we should avoid prophecies. That might be just me, though.
I also think we should avoid making this into a romance-type story.
Given that we’re all, so far, girls that are not likely to be rushing out to be adventurous, I think that any adventure should be somewhat forced onto us. I was thinking we could get kidnapped, but that would be slightly harder with letters… I don’t know.
I don’t think we should add a limit on how many magic people. Then, we’ll get neophyte types who don’t quite understand, (I don’t see any here, I promise!) making characters with too many powers, and/or making characters that don’t have much to do with the plot line. This somehow connected to something, but I don’t remember what anymore, given that several hours passed between starting this post, and finishing it.
Alice, I think your assessment of Aella is more or less correct. I haven’t thought about it much, but yeah. I have the image that everyone’s in England, but that might be just me. Especially since most of my knowledge of Victorian times comes from a) Jane Austen, or b) my history books. So yeah.
I’m thinking Aella has ‘fallen madly in love’ with a character from one of her stories. (Nowadays, it’d be called a crush. I’m thinking it developed from a slight crush on a neighbor, whom she has seen a few times, but never talked to, and gave a romantic, torturous, history, turning him into a despairing soul.) Anyway, she writes to him, keeping the letters well hidden from everyone. That could be fun. Either that, or one of her story’s characters is her imaginary friend. Haven’t figured it out yet, but one of them. That gives me an excuse to write about things that might happen to Cecily-Ann and Aella.
I have to go, more later.
35- That sounds great! I hadn’t any plans for Horatio’s schooling, so a university is as good as anything else.
I love that you named your character Ophelia. It was actually something I was considering. And I have long wanted to name my future children Horatio and Ophelia.
I might write to Horatio once or twice (we have always been very close, and he’s the only other person besides Aella that Cecily will disclose her true feelings to), and maybe he’s been talking about Ophelia, and decides that we would really like each other.
So… Cecily-Ann writes to her cousin Aella and her brother Horatio, who introduces her to Ophelia, who has been corresponding with Natalie (maybe) because they’re friends. Juliette and Lily are in some fashionable town for the Season, corresponding with NPCs (I think. Who is Juliette writing to?). Isa will encounter someone–perhaps more than one person, in order to create more links. I’m still not sure how Marie-Pomeroy connects, but I’m sure we can come up with something. Vanilla says someone could fall in love with William Thorpe, which would provide another connection, if anyone’s looking for a love interest.
This is fun.
36- I think no one should have any magical powers. Which is not to say it can’t be fantasy, just not the magical-powers kind. Also, if we don’t want it to be a romantic story, I will gladly ditch Cecily-Ann’s fiancee-truelove-death-thing. I might ditch it anyway, as likely to make her too unhappy. I always make my characters miserable and torn because…well, I’m not sure why.
We want to avoid ever getting everyone together in the same place, though we can get several people together. They just have to be able to write to someone still.
Kidnapping of one person might be all right, or even two, and then the others have to find them, but it doesn’t seem like the best idea. Still, how else could we thrust adventure on them?
I’ll write to Juliette, then. How about I’m her stepcousin? Stepfather’s sister’s daughter or something like that.
Name: Andromeda Moore
Age: 15 and 11/12. Sometimes she says she’s sixteen. When she’s really trying to impress someone, she’ll say she’s sixteen and a half.
Appearance: Tight blonde ringlets, large, electric-blue eyes, rosy cheeks, very petite. Hates wearing fancy poofy dresses and ribbons and such, preferring to dress simply and elegantly, because, she says,big skirts get in the way of doing interesting things. If she lets her mother dress her (which isn’t often), she looks like a china doll.
Personality: Even though she looks like a total airhead, she’s very smart. She especially likes math, but she likes learning in general. She also has a surprisingly strong will and will almost never back down. She’s very practical. Although she isn’t a tomboy, she hates the damsel-in-distress image that her name gives.
Life: Her father named her after a Greek myth. He’s a scholar of mythology, and her mother is the obnoxious type who thinks their daughter is exactly like them, and if she isn’t, she’ll make her that way. She has an older brother named Jason (17 and single) and twin sisters (13) named Polyhymnia and Calliope, usually known as Polly and Cally. She prefers to be called Andy, but her mother won’t let anyone call her that because it’s “too masculine.”
OK! We can trade great thoughts and theories and things. Should we live near each other? What if we decide to go to the university one day for an adventure and explore, and we run into Ophelia?
Alice, don’t worry too much about the romance. I most certainly am not going to try to get married (there’s suitors, yeah, but I”m not taking any of that) and several other girls who don’t seem very romantic.
I just realized that my character has a bit of a split personality. She attends balls and things with Lily and I suppose Cecily too, but by night she’s a student on her own. OK, I have an idea for her. She gets a random proposal from one of the most charming, handsome, and RICH bachelors in the city. Her family and their friends are putting a lot of pressure on her to marry him, and he promises to let her have all the books and freedom that she wants. She still wants to be a nun, but almost marries him, until she finds out that he has a terrible secret, which I will determine later.
Can we just come up with a plot and start writing? I’m bored. Anyone who wants to join but hasn’t yet can just as easily join tomorrow as today.
Date: May 1873 (that OK with everyone? I sort of chose it at random)
Setting: England (except for Marie Pomeroy, but she’s right across the channel).
We have: 7 teenage girls of varying wealth, beauty, and intelligence; 1 street urchin; and 1 French model in pursuit of a prince. Also: an absurd number of older brothers. We do not have: any magical powers; any prophecy; or indeed any sort of jumping-off point. We also lack: much variety in characters; any male characters; much likelihood of acquiring male characters.
I don’t know. I just wish there weren’t quite so many teenage girls. The obvious solution, since I’m the one bothered by it, is to change my character. But I like Cecily, I don’t want to get rid of her in favor of something a little different.
If only we could get a prophecy. It’s ever so cliche and dreadful, but it would be fun. And our characters seem like they would fit right into a fairy tale (besides being Victorian, but whatever). Like…they should turn into swans or something. The next best thing is a prophecy.
40- How do we end up attending balls together? I don’t object, I’m just a little confused.
SFTDP. Oh. I thought we lived in more or less the same area. Since we’re almost all in the same socio-economic class, then wouldn’t we socialize with the same people?
Ah, true. Great.
Well, actually. If you’re in London for the Season, and I’m in London because I live there, then we wouldn’t socialize with the same people. Would we? I suppose we could stretch it a bit, if for example your house might be across the square from mine, and we could be introduced by some mutual friend, maybe someone you met at a ball.
I’ll make some small changes to my character. She is nineteen years old. She is really getting pushed to get married because her youth and beauty is running out or whatever, but she still wants to be a nun. Still friends with everyone. And I think she will have mild synesthesia (I’ve researched it). She keeps it hidden and never tells anyone about it, but if she really doesn’t want to marry then she will pull that card and everyone will think that she’s insane and won’t marry her. It will be in her thoughts occasionally, but you probably won’t hear much about it.
Ideas for plot drama: What if we’re all influenced by some creepy romantic Gothic novel? It could sort of work as a prophecy. One or two of us discover the novel and pass it around. Or, we’re out shopping or doing whatever and this beggar woman keeps yelling stuff at us. No! There’s a secret passageway in one of our houses that leads to a murder scene or something. Or someone discovers the diary of their relative that no one ever speaks about. Or there’s this one guy at the university that we start out liking, but he’s studying alchemy and then he keeps getting weirder and weirder and then something has to give.
Cecily revised, in order that she might be a little less miserable. For my own reference.
Name: Cecily-Ann Winfair
Age: 17
Looks: Dark brown hair, grey eyes, pink cheeks, a straight nose. She wears a tear-drop-shaped red glass pendant on a long string (a gift from a childhood friend and a metaphor for her hidden nature) under simple dresses of subdued colors.
Personality: She is outwardly demure, patient, modest, and sweet. Inwardly, she is disappointed with the society in which she lives and bored of her quiet sweetness, but she cannot bear to hurt people, so she continues to be quietly sweet. A part of her longs for the unattainable. Sometimes, when she is sorely provoked or her dreams are compromised, her inward fire flashes out, but mostly it is damped down and hidden behind embroidery and housekeeping, and when she does reveal it, she is usually stricken with remorse a few minutes later. Because of these conflicting outlooks, she has trouble making any decision. She feels that she should be unselfish and sacrifice her own happiness for that of others, but she doesn’t want to, and she has to go through an inward struggle every time she must make a choice. She is always very pleased when she makes her decision, at least until she sees that other people are disappointed, and then all the pleasure goes out of it. As she grows older, she finds herself making the unselfish decision more often, and growing correspondingly more unhappy. She is fond of balls, but she always builds them up to be so wonderful, that the actual event is anticlimactic.
Other: She lives with her parents and her sister (Isabel, 15) in some city. She has an older brother to whom she is very close (Horatio, 19), but he has gone off to school and she misses him very much. They are not poor–they have plenty to eat and a nice house with two maids–but Horatio’s schooling costs a great deal and they are not able to have new dresses as often as the girls would like, and are obliged to re-trim their few evening dresses every month or to in order to avoid wearing the same thing twice, to say nothing of the fact that there will no school for them.
43- Oh, yes! Brilliant!
Actually, if it would help any with building a plot, I could change Natalie into a male character.
46- I don’t know if it would. It’s fine.
Natalie, complied and slightly revised (she no longer has a brother):
Name: Natalie Orabel Brytt
Age: 16
Appearance: Shorter than average; curly, black, shoulder-length hair; gray eyes.
Family: Her father is a brewmaster who has recently made a good deal of money, her mother used to be a domestic servant in a rich household before the family became nouveau riche. Father’s name: Oscar; mother’s name: Brianne.
Personality: She is energetic, extroverted and confident, but she doesn’t have close friends because she is very competitive (even in minor things), dramatic, and has trouble empathizing with others. The friends she does have are mostly male. She occasionally will steal some of her father’s beer and sell it on the streets. She hasn’t gotten caught yet, although it is getting harder now that her mother does not need to work. She wants to be a successful con artist, but if she can’t manage that, she wants to work for her father.
Other: She is a very skilled liar. She can pass for a boy if need be, but definitely prefers to dress and act like a girl. Most of the letters she writes are either to her closest female friend Ophelia, or to her closest male friend Ace.
Now, if you guys don’t mind me having a second, minor character, I could make Ace into a character instead of just an NPC.
49- I don’t mind. I was kind of pleased with the idea of nine women; it reminded me of Daughters. But I’m perfectly happy to have a boy in the story if you’d like to write it in.
43- Hm… One of us discovers a diary that has instructions on how to get to a secret passage in their ancestral home, which has now been sold, and the information gets passed to the family that bought the ancestral home, and that person goes through the passageway, and finds the alchemical workshop of the young man at the university that we all liked, and boards in that house? Just an idea.
39- “I’m eighteen, but I always admit to twenty at dinner parties.”
-Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Ernest Sorry, your character’s age reminded me of that.
Hm… Thinking back, I like the idea of a bit of Alchemy, though there’s already been a RRR on that, so I’m not sure that should be the main focus… Maybe a group of evil necromancers, or something, that we stumble into? Ooh, what if that’s my father’s job, or something? Or, if we wanted traditional Good vs. Evil, my father, (or somebody else) is the head of a group of good mages, or whatever, that’s against the evil ones. That definitely falls under fantasy, and I can sort of see how we could be drawn into it, without going looking for it. Do you like it?
51- Oh, yes, I do like it! That sounds splendid. And the guy that we liked is one of the necromancers,
I’m going to say that it takes two days for a letter to reach Aella from Cecily, since Aella lives in the country. I assume letters were carried by coaches, and coaches weren’t terribly slow, so… two days is good. I am also going to assume that Juliette and Lily are in London for the season, and I live in London. Also, I think that if Horatio could be at school in Oxford, that would be grand, since they have a University and are not far from London. I don’t know how long it takes for a letter to get from Oxford to London, but whatever. Also, we do need a date. The Season is typically in the winter, so I shall say that it is February 1874.
London, England
February 3, 1874
Dear Aella,
I met a perfectly charming girl last night at the Pearsons’ ball. Her name is Juliette Chanceau, she is nineteen, and she is here for the Season, with Lily Scarborough, the Lord of Scarborough’s daughter! Miss Scarborough is deal less agreeable, though of course very fashionable and admired dreadfully by everyone. Perhaps I am simply a little envious, because she is so very rich and wore such a nice gown, while I had only my made-over blue-grey silk, with hasn’t half the froth and frills that fashionable people wear. Mr Mulling didn’t seem to mind, tho! I am a little sorry that he didn’t. Sometimes I feel that I would wear the dress to three balls in a row if only it would make him prefer someone else.
But I was telling you about Miss Chanceau. She is ever so pleasant, and of course rather fashionable herself, but so much cleverer than most fashionable girls. She knows such a lot on all sorts of odd subjects, and she doesn’t seem at all interested in men, though she danced as much as anyone and I do believe she was the second most sought-after girl at the ball, after Miss Scarborough, of course. (Though I suppose it was a very small ball, now that I come to think of it.) I think you would like her very much, Aella, and I hope that we may become good friends, despite her being so much more fashionable than I.
And how have you been, dear cousin? Have you written any stories lately? Attended any balls? Had any exciting callers? There never was such a house as yours for callers, but I don’t believe I have known any of them to want anything besides to talk to your father.
Well, I must stop writing now, for Miss Chanceau is going to call at four and I still have to write to Horatio. Give my love to Auntie.
Your dear cousin,
Cecily-Ann Winfair
Howzat? That OK by Vanilla and Cat’s Eye?
(I’ve decided that Isa lives in the streets of London and writes to an imaginary friend named Rosa (at least untill she meets someone.) also, who should I run into? I was thinking maybe Juliette, but what are the other Londoner’s opinions? (also, is “Londoner’s” correct?))
Londoners without the apostrophe is correct. The word is plural, not possessive.
[Sorry, I was skimming. Alice’s next comment is correct.]
52.1.1- I think she was talking about possessive… The opinion of the characters that live in London. So it ought to be Londoners’ really.
Should Andromeda live in London, or just outside it, or in the country somewhere? It would probably work best if she lived not too far from London by today’s standards, but far enough that a letter would take a day or so to reach London. That way she could come to visit or something if she needed to.
So she was, and so it ought.
Is it too late for me to scrap Isa? if it isn’t then I would rather use the character below.
Rosalie Mulligan
Age: 12
Looks: Golden-brown hair, same colour eyes, pale, delicate skin. Average height.
Personality: Usually kind and quiet, but sometimes can be a bit prickly or tomboyish. Quite talented, can play piano, embroider, and can *cook* although her *cooking* usually isn’t very good.
Other: She is the only daughter of her father and his second wife, but has an older half-brother as well. Her father and mother run a boarding house, which is also their home. She usually befriends boarders immediately, unless she finds something suspicious about them, in which case she will *spy* on them. Her family are middle-class.
56- Fine by me. Though I wouldn’t say running a boarding house is exactly middle class, but whatever.
Sorry. I wasn’t sure about that either. What class would you say, then? I don’t know very much about the Victorian era, really.
57.1- Well, even if it’s a nice boarding house, you’re probably pretty poor–not necessarily poverty-stricken. You’d have enough to eat and maybe a nice dress or two, certainly. You might have a maid or a cook to help out with the extra work, but I imagine you’ll do your own cooking and cleaning for the most part. But I could be wrong. I don’t know much about class. I do know that you’re definitely not moving in the same sphere as Cecily and Juliette and Aella and them. But that’s about the extent of my knowledge.
Riiiight. Maybe somebody could be boarding in our place?
That would make sense.
Who would it be, then? Or if Fio doesn’t mind, Natalie and Rosa could be related in some way?
That works. Maybe Natalie’s and Rosa’s fathers are brothers?
Sure!
52: Fine by me. Are we allowed to have conversations between characters? Seeing as Lily and I are friends and we spend a lot of time with each other, we can’t just be writing letters to each other. Alice, should we have exchanged addresses so that we can write cordial, acquaintance kind of notes to each other?
59- 1) There’s no point in writing letters to each other if you’re friends and together all the time. You can, however, write to a NPC relating what you said to each other on such-and-such an occasion. 2) Yes.
Seeing as I’ve only posted once and my character is already a part of the proceedings, I figure I’d better hold up my weight a bit.
I think I’ll be empty-headed and arrogant. It’s such fun!
London, England
February 4, 1874
Dearest Miranda,
Well, the Season is continuing brilliantly. I attended a ball two nights ago at the Pearsons’ with my friend Juliette, who I believe I have told you about in earlier letters. Though it was not nearly as large as I would have liked, it was very amusing, as my dance card was full before the evening was a quarter through. I certainly felt the belle!
Speaking of which, have you received the dresses I sent you? As I understand, only Madame Gougeon is selling these latest French fashions. I got you the sea-green silk with lace hem; I hope you enjoy it, as I picked it out with you specifically in mind.
The weather continues wet, so horseback writing is still out of the question. Ah well, what can you expect from a London February?
Hoping this reaches you in the best of health,
Your friend,
Lily
Juliette will occasionally be writing to her elder sister who is happily married and lives outside of London. I’m not sure quite how to do italics, but here goes:
When Juliette returned from morning mass, she decided to write to her sister.
February 4, 1874
My dearest Christiane,
Last night there was a ball at the Pearson’s manor. It was small but ever so much fun. Lily, and consequently I, danced with every single young gentleman in the room. It seems that way at least. You, of course, understand the irony of that. I met a very kind and charming young lady by the name of Cecily-Ann Winfair who is in London for her Season. She has all the requirements of being refined–sweet, charming, demure, but she also seems more intelligent and learned than most. At least, more learned than the ever-obnoxious Delilah Simpson, who thinks that it is her business as to inquire why I have “not managed to catch myself a husband yet.” Lord forgive me, but I don’t think there are any two personalities as incompatible as hers and mine. Irritation aside, I filched another book from the library. It was from a section that Stepfather said was too “advanced” and therefore uninteresting for me. I snuck down there once everyone was asleep and took a book, one that has to do with the rise and fall of Rome. It’s interesting. Complicated, but interesting. I did not completely understand all of the concepts in the last book I read, which was about geometry. I think it would have been much easier if I had some low-quality paper (I did not want to waste good, expensive stationary) and pencils to practice. Stepfather is always suspicious when I ask him for money. He thinks I will use it to buy books or some such. He permits me to buy the most expensive dresses, but not books. Strange, is it not?
My best wishes to Henry and the children, and I hope we can visit you in a few months when the weather lightens. Your loving sister,
Juliette
She signed the letter and put it aside to mail later. What would she wear this afternoon? Last night she had worn a new dress that was nearly as elaborate as Lily’s so as to not look a fool next to her, but she didn’t think that Cecily-Ann would judge her for her clothes. She laid out a simpler, navy blue dress. Her only jewelry would be the small gold cross that she always wore. A quarter before four, she set out for the Winfair’s manor.
62- A couple of things.
1) The letter is the story. All narration outside the letter tends to be ignored–and therein lies the challenge of RPWs.
2) I am not in London for the Season, I live in London. I associate with the same people who come to London for the Season, but when they go home to their country manors for the summer, I return to my house and spend my summer embroidering and staring out the window in the most abject boredom. Nor do I have a manor–I think that’s a more technical term. I just live in a large house. Still, those are easily fixed and trivial details.
Oh right! I forgot the last thing. The ball was the night of the 2nd, so maybe you should date your letter the 3rd? That’s when I said you were calling on my in your letter, too, so that would be about right.
Oh, good, we’re starting! First, may I just express a concern I have? If we pre-write the story too much, I’m worried that we might end up following through with the plan and then get stuck. Maybe we can just have a rule allowing fantastical occurrences. That way we can continue indefinitely.
Vanillabean: To do italics, put an “i” in between brackets. () At the end of what you want italicized, do it again, but this time, put a slash (/) in front of the “i”. Hope that made sense!
Without further ado:
Ivy Place, _____shire, England
February 4, 1874
Miss Cecily-Ann Winfair:
My name is Ophelia Throckmorton. My father is a professor of literature at the same university your brother, Horatio, attends.
Horatio is a friend of mine. Yesterday, we were chatting while waiting for a visiting doctor to begin his lecture. In the course of conversation, he said to me, “You know, Lia, my sister Cecily-Ann would love you!” He gave me your mailing address.
Now that you know why I am writing to you, I shall endeavor to make you want to write back.
Have you heard Danse Macabre ? If so, what did you think of it?
Did you hear about the Women’s Crusade in New York? Do you think alcohol should be outlawed?
Were you affected, as I was, by the sinking of the RMS Atlantic ?
A dear friend of my family was killed, may she rest in peace.
Please write back. If what Horatio has told me of you is true, we have much to talk about.Hopefully,
Opelia ThrockmortonP.S. You may call me Ophelia.
P.S.S. May I call you Cecily-Ann?
P.S.S.S. Your brother and I are not courting, in case you were wondering!
65- OK, we don’t have to follow through with the plan, but in the last RPW, we didn’t pre-write the story at ALL and we got stuck. So I suppose we’ll sort of make things up as we go along and if we don’t use the plan that’s fine but we have it to fall back on.
Also, I just saw something of a problem. The letters will not be able to go in the order that they have been posted always, because sometimes travel etc. would render it impossible for a letter sent from Ivy Place to London on the 4th to be replied to before a letter sent within London on the 5th, even if it was posted and replied to a full day the London letters. So in my Keeper’s edition, I’ll arrange it according to date, not how it looks on the blog.
London, England,
February 7, 1874
Dear Ophelia,
Of course you may call me Cecily-Ann! Or even Cecily, if you like (but do not call me Cessie, that is a privilege reserved solely for my brother). Horatio has written to me about you a great deal and has assured me that you are most unusual and delightful young lady.
And what a lot of questions! But I will endeavor to answer them all.
I have not heard Danse Macabre and consequently do not feel able to give you an opinion on it. I believe it is a rather recent piece? So I daresay I shall hear it sooner or later, probably when it quite out of fashion.
I have heard of the Women’s Crusade, but no details. Please do enlighten me! In answer to your second question, I think it would be utterly pointless to outlaw alcohol, for it is so universal that I cannot help thinking it would only open up doors for smugglers and other such wicked people. I almost must admit, that I am rather fond of champagne upon occasion. What is your opinion on the matter?
The Atlantic was a terrible tragedy. I was ever so horrified when I first heard of it, and I wore black the next day. I lost no friends, and so I cannot pretend that it was as tragic to me as it was to you, but nor can I pretend that I was unaffected.
Pray tell me, how is Horatio? He is so busy, he tells me, and he does not write as often as he once did. I miss him dreadfully. Do give him my love, and remind him that he ought to come and visit once in a while.
Your new friend,
Cecily
February 6th, 1874
My dear cousin Juliette,
How is London? I am sure you’ll be dreadfully busy with balls and such, but perhaps I could come for a visit some day. It’s lovely to have you so much closer to us. Not only is it better for seeing each other (if you wish to, of course), but the post is faster!
Mother has been insufferable lately. She bought me this horrid dress–oh, I wish you could see it, Juliette. You would laugh. It’s an awful bright pink colour that she says is “all the fashion” lately. I think it disgusting, and would much rather have a nice pastel. However, that is not even the worst of it. The thing has nearly a hundred bows on it, all the most impractical white satin. And the worst of it is that Mother actually expects me to ride in it once the weather gets warmer!
But enough about me. How is your Season going? Have you found any time to read lately? You have lovely taste in books, so I am sure you can recommend something interesting for me. I am so dreadfully bored.
Your loving cousin,
Andy (which Mother is not allowing me to call myself, so take care not to let her know!)
OK, this is one of the few stories where I can’t keep the characters and their connections to each other straight. I’m going to keep all the information on my computer, partly for my benefit, but if anyone needs a reference, just ask.
Alice, our visit was cordial at least, right? I was going to respond to the letter in 67 so add or make a note of anything that was wrong/didn’t happen. I shall try italics:
February 8th, 1874
Dear Andy,
Thank you for your letter. Your description of the dress made me laugh out loud, and I had a sudden vision of you trapped in a wedding cake. I hope the real thing isn’t that awful. I do not know where your mother obtained her information, because bright pink is not the height of fashion, nor are thousands of bows and frills. Pink is better for summer and spring, for now go with deep greens and blues. I hope that one day you can come shopping with my friend Lily Scarborough and me. She has excellent taste.
I attended a ball a few nights ago with Lily and met a young lady named Cecily-Ann Winfair. The ball itself was fun, I danced the entire evening, and wore a pretty dress (that new navy blue one that I wrote to you about). I called on Cecily-Ann the next day. I thought that she was in London for her Season, but she actually lives here. Her house is quite elegant. We discussed a whole host of subjects–family (she has a brother Horatio who is at the university), balls, world news (such as the sinking of the R.M.S. Atlantic), some history (I told her about the book about Rome that I was reading), and things in general. She is much cleverer than one would take her for, and much more observant too. I think you would like her. She also served excellent shortbread cookies–you know how fond I am of shortbread. I think it would be grand if you could visit for a while, and we could all spend the day together–you, Lily, Cecily-Ann, and me.
As for books, I recently finished “Great Expectations.” It was published about twenty-years ago by Charles Dickens, who is an extraordinary writer. It was one of the books that Stepfather said was too long and onerous for me to read, so I immediately found a copy and finished it within the week. If you cannot find it, then write to me and I will send you a copy.
I promise never to tell you mother that you call yourself Andy. Best wishes,
Juliette
The italics worked!!
Can you post a list of who all the characters are and who they are going to write to?
((Hm… I’m locating to Norfolk. Seems to be a pleasant place, and not too far from London.
Oh, Alice, what should I call your character? I’m sticking with Cecily, until I hear differently.))
Norfolk, England
February 5, 1874
Dear Cecilly,
You enjoyed the ball, then? I wish there were more around here, but there appears to be a saddening lack of them. ‘Tis regrettable, but at least I am spared worrying about what to wear to them. I do not believe I have anything suitable.
From your description, Juliette would be a charming person to know. Have you seen her since the ball?
I do not think it would matter what you wore, for I have seldom heard of a man being turned off by a dreadful gown, tho he may admire a pretty one. I have scant experience with this, however, so try whatever you like.
I admit I am having trouble thinking of reasons for you to complain. I would not at all object to having an admirer, if merely to stop Aunt’s pestering. She is constantly bemoaning my lack of suitors, and I would by no means discourage one if one came around, although she would doubtless immediately switch to constant rejoicing, which would be hardly more bearable.
I have been very well, although Mother is just recovering from a slight chill. I am much relieved, as I had worried it would turn serious.
I have not finished any stories since your last letter, although one is growing close.
No callers more exciting than usual, though there were several normal ones.
Mother receives your love gratefully, and returns it.
Yours,
Aella C.
Yup. I think I have it all right, but correct me if I don’t and I will add it to my notes. In order of appearance:
1. Alice: Cecily-Ann Winfair (17). Writes to Aella and sometimes her brother Horatio.
2. Errata: Aella Cathor (15). Writes to Cecily-Ann. They are cousins.
3. Fio (aka La Mort): Natalie Brytt (16). Writes to Ophelia and to her closest male friend and brother, Ace.
4. Cat’s Eye: Lily Scarborough (18). Writes to her friend outside this story, Miranda, and to her friend inside the story, Juliette.
5. vanillabean3.141: Juliette Chanceau (17). Writes to her older sister Christiane (outside the story), Lily, and to her cousin Andromeda (Andy). Juliette and Cecily-Ann have become friends so they will probably be writing to each other also.
6. Cello-Playing Mathematician (aka KYRA): Marie Pomeroy (36). Writes to princes, names unknown.
7. Cerulean Pyros: Ophelia Throckmorton (16-ish, she might tweak it later). Writes to Cecily-Ann, knows Cecily-Ann’s brother.
8. RoseQuartz: Andromeda Moore (Andy)(15 11/12). Cousin of Juliette, writes to Juliette.
9. Fireandhemlock1996: Rosalie Mulligan (12). No correspondents yet.
Also, Rosa and Natalie are cousins (?).
Yeah.
68- Oh yes, that sounds about right.
71- I also write to Ophelia. And I don’t think Ace is Natalie’s brother anymore. Other than that, looks good.
I’ll write to Aella later.
((All right, I’m starting. I’m going to be writing to Victoria’s second son, Alfred.)) ((Also, Marie lives in London, but has a second house in France.))
Paris, France
February 10, 1874
Your Royal Highness, Prince Albert, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Kent and Earl of Ulster,
I am honored to be able to write to you. Your many titles deem you a man worthy of every woman’s admiration. I apologise for being unable to attend any of the balls that have been held in your Honorable Mother’s honor, as I have been attending to family matters here. My dear mother is unfortunately in ill health, and I must be with her. I will be sure to be back in London by the end of the Season.
I know I am being a bit brash, but do you mind if I ask you a question? I would love to try to understand what it is like to be such a hansome man. What, pray tell, is royal life like?
Humbly yours,
Ms. Marie Pomeroy
((Brash, indeed, to have written Alfred such a letter 18 days after his wedding. I do hope Miss or Mlle. Pomeroy (the title “Ms.” being unknown in Victorian times) came to her senses and tore it up without posting it.))
For some reason, I’m finding it hilarious that Robert went and looked up the wedding date of Prince Albert.
Not Albert: she meant Albert’s younger brother, Alfred. In February 1874, Albert had been married for almost 11 years and had six children.
The question is, if Cello-Playing Mathematician went to the trouble of looking up all of Alfred’s titles, why didn’t she find out his marriage date, too?
Why didn’t Wikipedia mention Albert? That’s weird. Wait…Albert=Edward. How bizarre.
ANYWAY, she could be chasing after Prince Arthur, who is admittedly at this time only 23, but hey, he’s a prince, and he doesn’t marry until ’79.
Yes, though as king he went by Edward, his family knew him as “Bertie.”
Arthur would be suitable. A dashing young colonel — why not? He didn’t just lounge around palaces, however. Marie would be smarter to ask him what army life is like.
I know that he has just been married, but I’m assuming that in this fictional Victorian universe that he hasn’t.
London, England,
February 7, 1874
Dear Aella,
I have never explained about Mr Mulling before, though I believe you met him last September, when you came to visit us. I didn’t like to admit it to myself, but I believe that he is rather dreadfully in love with me. It’s only become worse lately; he dances with hardly anyone else at the balls, and calls once a week at the very least. I live in constant dread that he is going to propose to me; it certainly can’t be long now and I don’t know what I shall say. I try not to encourage him, but it is so difficult to be cold when he is so attentive and kind, and I have contented myself with dressing as plainly as possible and never dancing with him more than once in an evening. And now you shall say, “Why Cecily, what is wrong with him?” and I can’t answer properly, because there isn’t anything wrong with him. He’s everything that a gentleman ought to be: kind, polite, charming, handsome. He is not as clever as some men but I can hardly complain, as I am not as clever as some girls either. He is also fearfully rich and quite young. I haven’t the slightest idea why I am not in love with him, and even less of an idea why he chases after me, and not the half-dozen other young ladies who are in love with him, but both facts are true and both are horrible to contemplate. I would not mind him as a brother or a friend (couldn’t he be in love with Isabel? But I suppose she is too young), but I cannot think of spending the rest of my days with him. He hasn’t any imagination, and he is not clever, and I am not in love with him. That is all I can say against him, and that hardly seems like sufficient reason to cause all the misery refusing his proposal will provoke. Mother shall be disappointed because I have been foolish, and Isabel angry because if I am married and rich perhaps she can have nicer gowns with the money that would have gone to mine (she speaks of it often), and Mr Mulling will be crushed for the obvious reason, and all the sadness and despair and anger I have caused will make me as miserable as Mother and Isabel put together (I cannot say that I will be as unhappy as Mr Mulling, for I have heard that unrequited love is a very dreadful thing).
So now you know as much as myself, and the only other person who knows my side of the story is Horatio, and I would be much obliged if you would not tell Auntie or indeed anyone, about Mr Mulling. I am sure she will know soon enough, for Mr Mulling’s proposal cannot be far off, if he means to propose at all, and no matter the outcome, Mother will surely write an appallingly long letter describing her joy (or outrage, depending on my decision).
My own troubles aside, I think that it is horribly unfair of your Aunt to think that you should have suitors yet. You’re fifteen, for goodness’ sake! If it is remarkable that I should have a suitor, at seventeen (much less such an ardent one), it is nearly unthinkable for you. Really! It is not as though she has ever married. (Only do not tell her I said so, for it is a very wicked thing to say and I am sorry I have said it.) You must come to London sometime, tho; I will take you to a ball. You shall wear your rose-coloured dress that you have told me all about, and I will put up your hair and lend you my pearl necklace, and I daresay all the gentlemen shall fall at your feet and you shall go home with enough suitors to please even your aunt.
Juliette visited me on the third and we had such interesting conversations! She is very fond of reading and spent hours discussing the work of Charles Dickens and Shakespeare.
Now I must run, and perhaps I can catch up with the postman, who has just come and left a letter from a Miss Throckmorten, whom Horatio has mentioned several times.
Yours,
Cecily-Ann
Whew! Long letter!
Questions concerning the plot: We’re still going with the stumbling onto evil necromancers? It sounds like a good idea.
Alice, have you scrapped your whole Cecily-Ann marrying/almost marrying someone, falling in love with someone else, and then your husband/betrothed dies plot?
I also had a side story idea for my character (see post 40). Well, the handsome rich evil guy that I had in mind (Richard Candleburson) could be one of the necromancers, and that is what convinces Juliette to not marry him. Ugh, he is going to be such a foul character…
75- I’m not sure what’s going to happen with regard to Cecily’s marriage/betrothal/love. I suppose I’ll sort of work it out as it goes along, but at the moment I am definitely leaning towards her accepting Mr Mulling’s proposal simply for drama’s sake. Whether she breaks off the engagement or he dies, and whether or not she falls in love with someone else, is yet to be determined, but I do know that she’ll never marry him, or at least if she does he’ll definitely have to die. Of course, she could also refuse, and he in his heartbreak could turn evil and want revenge, but that’s not very like his character, which is really nice but kind of boring. He could also continue to love her and come to her aid in a tight spot, possibly dying for her and possibly just rescuing her, but he could just as easily do that if she accepted, and her acceptance will of course make everything worse for her, so that’s almost definitely what she’ll do.
75- Sure. I’d like to know if my father is evil, so when I stumble upon the secret passageway from his study, I know whether it gives me the creeps, or merely confuses me. Or should I figure that out?
Also, I’ve decided Aella lives in a lovely house/manor on the ocean. There’s plenty of that in Norfolk.
Oh, and I think I’m scrapping Aella’s fictitious love. I think I might go with the imaginary best friend from one of her books, because I have an interesting plot twist idea that I don’t have time to explain now.
Norfolk, England
February 9, 1879
Dear Cecilly
Never fear, your secret is safe with me. I’ve kept enough of my own, though company is scarce enough out here that I’ve few people to keep them from. Mother, of course, but she so rarely pries that it’s hardly a challenge keeping them from her.
I imagine the heart is not at all rational, at least not in whom it decides to fall in love with. Not that I have any experience.
Well, Aunt is rather old fashioned. She believes that the sooner I’m married, the better. I don’t think she really believes I should marry before I’m properly old enough, but I’m not sure when she thinks ‘properly old enough’ is—I’m legally allowed to marry at 12!
It doesn’t matter much, though. She is bearable, although I do wish she would talk of something else while I am doing needlework with her. It is so tiresome. But I need not worry you with my complaints.
Coming to London sound delightful. I shall begin work on Aunt at once; she generally takes some time to persuade. I only hope she shall not wish to come, for I shudder at the mere thought. (Which is rather unkind of me. I shall strive to repress such thoughts in the future.) I had not thought my rose dress fancy enough for a ball, but perhaps with my hair done up properly, by someone who actually knows the fashions, (Aunt’s idea of ‘doing my hair’ is plaits. Plaits!) it would suffice. It is certainly the best of my dresses, and I doubt any will openly scorn it.
It would be heavenly to have someone to talk of literature to. Mother reads enough, but it’s always faeries and elves, brownies and leprechauns, never more serious works. She would dig up her prize lilies if a rainbow landed in them!
I hope you’re doing well? Mother is doing much better. I hope she will be well enough to go for a dip in the sea soon, but I shan’t suggest it to her, for fear she’ll do it too soon, and suffer a relapse. I’ve sorely missed sea bathing though.
Aunt’s calling me, heaven knows what for.
Sincerely,
Aella C.
Let’s have Aella and Andy come to London and have a shopping trip with Cecily-Ann, Juliette, and Lily! We can discover something about the plot, if anyone wishes, or just shop.
I am enjoying the idea of the carefree, rich Victorian debutante life more than I had hitherto realized.
And I’m using words like “hitherto”. This is fun.
((I only just realized that the HTML on that got badly messed up. The words at the beginning and end of the unitalacized section are meant to be unitalicized. The rest is not.
((That last letter was fraught with errors. (hah, I’m using archaic language too) I just realized that Aella was unlikely to be going sea bathing in February, even if her mother was in the best of health. Insert “‘Tis February, of course, so I suppose Mother’s health would be the least of my concerns if we were to go bathing.” after the ‘sorely missed’.))
-taps foot impatiently- Come on, where is everyone?
77.1- Hm, it’s difficult when we get a lot of people together in one place. We would have to agree on exactly what happened so that we could write about it to people. But that sounds fun.
Also, where are Natalie and Rosalie?
London, England,
February 11, 1874
Dearest Aella,
I have great news. My mother has written to your Aunt and asked if you may come to London for a week or two. Your Aunt has written back (we received the letter yesterday) and said you may! You shall arrive in time for Lady Aubrey’s ball on the eighteenth, so you must bring your rose-colored gown and of course all your other nicest ones. What fun we will have! You shall meet Juliette and Miss Scarborough and I daresay Mr Mulling as well. We shall have to tell people that you seventeen, because it would be perfectly scandalous for a fifteen-year-old to appear at a ball, but I think you are tall enough and dressed properly could pass for older than myself! And perhaps you will even attract an admirer or two to satisfy your Aunt!
Yours in excitement,
Cecily-Ann
Ok, some more details about Rosa’s family that I’ve decided on, she has a stepbrother and a stepsister, both older of course, and a younger brother. From oldest to youngest, their names are Michael, Anne, Rosa (yeah..), and Andrew.
Dear Cousin Natalie,
How are you? I wish I could say we were well but that is not quite true. Mother is quite ill and I am afraid it is worse than the others will tell me and the little one*. Anne says hello and would write to you but is too busy doing her chores and taking care of Mother’s business as well. Anne also wishes to know if Aunt could spare you for a little while to help take care of all the new boarders that have come in for the Season, as that would be such a great help to us. I’m sure you will like the boarders, especially one very nice lady in for the Season. Please let us know if Aunt will let you come as soon as possible!
Your cousin,
Rosa Mulligan.
Also, Fio, I realized that if Natalie and Rosa’s fathers are brothers, then they would have the same last name, wouldn’t they? And I can’t get the italics to work, sorry.
Date? Please do put a date on it, it saves a great deal of misery later in the story, trust me.
*headdesk* I’ll be back in about 2.5 hours. Hopefully, I’ll think of something then.
79- Might I suggest that you run a hotel instead of a lodging house? I feel that the sort of people coming to London for the Season are more likely to stay in a hotel than a lodging house (providing they don’t already have town houses, which most high society people do). And you can still live in a hotel, it’s just a little fancier.
Ok, I can do that!
Oh and to do italics press shift and comma, then i, then shift and period. Then write whatever you want to write, and when you end the italics, do the same thing, only put a / before the i.
73.1.2 (Cello-Playing Mathematician): Wait, we’re in a parallel universe?
75 (Vanillabean): If you want to, go ahead. The only problem is that I’m not very inspired by that idea, so maybe we should move Candleburson away from the university, so that I’m not key to that part of the plot.
80 (Fio): Don’t fret! Maybe this will help:
Ivy Place, ____shire, England
February 8, 1874
Dear Natalie,
How are you? Is the family buisness still doing well? Has that irritating customer been leaving you alone? I certainly hope so. The last thing you need is a customer who thinks you’re Marie Antoinette!
Things here have been busy. Mother is planning a dinner party for the tenth and Regina* is quite tired of her changing the menu! Regina’s worried that the current menu will be too much for her to cook by herself. I offered to help, but Mother asked, “How will you cook and dine at the same time?” and put an end to the discussion.
In addition, Mother’s already starting to plan my coming-out party, even though it’s not until October!
Father’s trip has been extended, so he will not be returning home from London until the ninth. I miss him.
Horatio and Will and Theo and I have been continuing with our secret escapades. We still haven’t found any hidden tunnels or rooms yet, but I remain hopeful.
Did I tell you about the stable groom and the carriage driver? If not, read on. If I have, skip this bit. The driver quit, because Regina wouldn’t court him. The groom was fired, because I discovered he had sticky fingers. (I caught him trying to sell Mother’s favourite brooch, Father’s pocket-watch, my locket, and Regina’s rolling pin to a peddler!)
We had to find replacements and the search was most interesting. (I listened to my parents’ interviews from that secret cubbyhole you and I found next to the study. Don’t tell!) They finally hired twin brothers named Bartholomew and Nathaniel. Bartholomew is the driver and Nathaniel is the groom.
Bartholomew is ten minutes older. The brothers are very funny and quite nice.
Yesterday, they tricked me into thinking Bartholomew was Nathaniel, and the other way ’round! You’d like them, Natalie. They’re almost as good pranksters as you are!Your old friend,
Ophelia
*Regina is the Throckmorton’s cook. She has worked for them for years and is very close to Ophelia.
N.B. Ophelia interacts with her family’s employees more than was typical at that time.
Well, it IS fictional, and we are toying with the idea of an evil sorcerer… right? Plus, it’s a lot easier on me if he’s not already married.
83- Hm, so the necromancers should just be a part of a greater plot?
83, and others, for that matter. Don’t worry about Mr. Candleburson–he’s kind of like Mr. Mulligan, except much nastier. In the end he will be part of the necromancers, but he won’t be around the university that much. Read on…
February 9, 1874
Dearest Christiane,
I am rather upset as I write to you this evening. Earlier today we had a caller by the name of Mr. Richard Candleburson. Do you remember him? He is an old friend of Stepfather’s. He never visited much when you were still here, but he says that he will be in London for a few months. He is quite old–a few years past forty, but he isn’t entirely bad looking and he still has all his teeth. No, dear sister, the reason I am upset was his conduct towards me. It was not lewd in any obvious way, but he just kept staring at me and it made me feel very uncomfortable. He also has hands that are like spiders–he touches everything, like our books, our vases, figurines, everything! He even examined the cross I always wear, which was quite improper but Stepfather said nothing. When I escaped I scrubbed the necklace with soap. In all other aspects he is perfect, namely, he has a great fortune. But there is something wicked in his eyes that unsettles me.
Dearest sister, you are always patient when I ramble on. I’m sorry to bother you, but I felt like I needed to tell someone. I need not fear him or any other suitor, I’ve decided to be a Benedictine nun, and that is the end of that. If it isn’t, well, never mind.
I hope you and the rest of the family are well.
God bless,
-Juliette
February 8, 1874
Dear Andy,
We had the most insufferable visitor today! His name is Mr. Candleburson, and I hope you never meet him. If you did you would wish to play a good prank on him, perhaps involving mud. Lord forgive me, that was wicked. Aside from that, nothing of great consequence has happened, but I hope you can visit soon! Lady Aubrey is giving a ball on the eighteenth, so it would be wonderful if you could come. Maybe you could meet a nice gentleman? And I say that in jest!
God bless,
-Juliette
85- Mulling. Mulligan is Rosa’s last name.
Sorry! I’ll remember that from now on.
Ok, time to start writing.
February 10, 1874
Dear Ophelia,
I am so glad to have received a letter from you! Yes, the business is going well, but there seem to be more and more annoying customers every day. They are all being so demanding this year.
You let me know everything about your coming-out party! It will be so exciting, I’m sure. And it is unfortunate, what happened with the groom and the driver. I hope those new boys, Bartholomew and Nathaniel, are much more respectable.
I must come visit you soon; it has been ever so long since we last saw each other. It will also be wonderful to see these boys who you say are almost as clever as I am.
Quite sincerely,
Natalie
I hope this is okay for my first attempt at Victorian writing.
Can Natalie reply to Rosa’s letter, perhaps?
Yes.
[insert date here]
Dearest Cousin,
I am quite well, and I am sorry to hear that you and Aunt are not. Mother says that I can visit you next week. I am looking forward to seeing you and all the rest of the family, and I am so glad that I will be able to help out.
Your loving cousin,
Natalie
Seeing as Lily and I are supposedly friends, we ought to write to each other…
February 11th, 1874
Dear Lily,
I am so excited for Lady Aubrey’s ball! It will be wonderful to see everyone, and I am hoping that my cousin can come too. I have made the acquaintance of a Miss Cecily-Ann Winfair, who is a really sweet and charming girl. I recall that you may have met her, but you were claimed by some gentleman and didn’t have the time to have a conversation with her. I have a scheme for us to go shopping, and by us I mean Cecily-Ann, my cousin Andromeda, you, and me. It would be such a pleasure! I do not need any dresses or jewelry, but I do like to go along and help everyone else.
There is also another matter that I need to speak to you about, and I am sure you have experience in the matter. How does one get rid of a suitor that one really doesn’t like? It is too long to be explained in a letter, and besides, I haven’t seen you since the third of this month, at the last ball! If you could call on me soon I would be much obliged, because this is a rather grave matter to me. I go to Rosary every day at three and arrive home at around four of the afternoon, but you can call any other time besides that.
God Bless,
-Juliette
Dearest Christiane,
I will keep you posted concerning Mr. Candleburson, as you requested in your reply. ((Just pretend, everyone.)) He has not visited, which is a relief. Stepfather was in a particularly foul mood today; I think he was reviewing the accounts. You know, sister, he has been gambling more and more lately, and he comes back later and later, often drunk. I can only imagine what they do at his club, and I do not really want to know. Mother does not admonish him for it anymore. She has become very weak and frail, passing days in her room. Perhaps if she went to stay with you, she might revive slightly. The air outside of London is better than the smoke we breathe here, is it not? That might do her good. I think she worries about Stepfather, and that contributes to her ill health. I await my eighteenth birthday, when I will be old enough to begin entering the convent.
God Bless,
-Juliette
Oooh, I just had an idea. Her birthday is March fifteenth, btw.
May I join? I was thinking my character could be a boarder where Rosalie lives.
Name: Isabelle Martineau
Age: 13
Appearance: Black hair, pale skin.
Personality: Quiet, shy, intelligent.
History: Comes from Paris. She came to the boarding house to go to a school closer to where her father works, and where her older brother goes to college. Her family is middle class, and she lived with her mother, ill aunt, two younger siblings, and her older sister.
Writes to: Her brother, for now. If I could write to someone else, that would be great.
Is that okay?
Oh wait, now it’s a hotel, but do you think a hotel/boarding house is possible?
I would think that’s possible.
February 12th, 1874
Dear Adrien,
I have arrived at the boarding house. The house is a splendid place, in comparison to our crowded home, and I have settled in well. It is also a hotel, so guests are constantly changing. There is a nice girl my age who is the owner’s daughter, but with school starting in two day, I will not see her much. Maybe I will write a note to her.
How are you, and how is Father? I trust your schoolwork is going well. Mother told me before I left that the ship Father inspected reached India! Have you heard from Mother? I felt a bit guilty leaving her and Gabrielle alone with Patrick, Monique, and Aunt Yvette.
Your sister,
Isabelle
I was thinking Rosalie and Isabelle could correspond with notes to each other. Would that work?
Yeah.
Dear Cousin,
I am glad you are well, and that Aunt is letting you visit us. There is a girl staying with us about my age, although I suppose as she is going to some school we will not cross paths much. She seems quite friendly, so we may be friends yet tho. You would like her from what I can tell so far.
Sincerely,
Rosalie
I just did some research on the Victorian Era for thinking about how to get rid of Mr Mulling, and came up with a really great idea: the secret languages the Victorians used! I refer, of course, to the language of flowers and suchlike. Has anyone else heard of how they would present bouquets and odd things called tussie mussies to each other to send romantic messages? And they could also do it in calling cards, and the placement of a postage stamp could do it too, and the wax seals on an envelope, and handkerchiefs, and the way the ladies twirled their fans, and how they held their parasols!
Perhaps we could use this as a plot point? If our characters’ letters begin to be read by the villains, they could develop and expand these weird languages so that they could send messages! So far, all one could really do would be to say “I hope this works. It’s not safe to write any more. Good luck.” Which is really it.
February 13, 1874
Dear Juliette,
I was pleased to receive your letter, as I was to receive your sentiments on Lady Aubrey’s ball. Indeed, I believe it will be a stunning event.
I love your idea of shopping with your cousin and Cecily-Ann Winfair! I believe I do recall having spoken to the girl at the Pearsons’ ball, and going on some sort of excursion with her and your no doubt delightful cousin Andromeda sounds like a wonderful idea. I have been simply aching for a shopping trip, and have not seen you for more than a week, so this is a perfect way for both of us to enjoy the Season.
As to your other question, I am simply aching with curiosity. How would one get rid of a suitor one doesn’t really like?
As you correctly guessed, I do have some small experience in this matter. I will not, of course, mention names, but a gentleman of my acquaintance was overbearing, arrogant, and had far too high an opinion of his own company. However, no matter how I hinted at him that I did not enjoy his company, tried to avoid him whenever possible, and, on one occasion, even left a room when he entered, he simply did not understand it was possible for me not to want to see him. Indeed, over the period in which he was courting me, I had a strong urge to empty a bucket of water over his head and shout, “Go away!”
Thankfully, I managed to resolve the matter before my self-control broke. When the gentleman called on me one day, I made it clear in the parlor that although his sentiments were appreciated, his company was not. (I fear I was not nearly as kind as I should have been in telling him so, but he did not attempt to pursue me any longer, so my assertion must have got the job done.)
Happy St. Valentine’s Day, Juliette, and I hope to see you soon!
Yours,
Lily Scarborough
February 15
Dear Lily,
Thank you so much for your visit and advice. Mr. Candleburson’s behavior has not improved. We had a small party last night, with him and another couple in attendance. It was a wretched evening, absolutely wretched. He tried to dance with me as many times as possible, and I was forced to oblige him with Stepfather watching. The lady that came talked quite a lot and was slightly rude too, but one thing she said startled me, and made me remember that Mr. Candleburson is twice a widower. His first wife was only a few years younger than he when they married, but she was a proud, nagging, grasping sort and he was about to divorce her when she died of a severe fever. He remarried another much younger girl and she died suddenly also. Strange, is it not? Finally, I managed to deter him when I told him that it was Saint’s feast day and I was going to evening Mass, which I did. I know it was rude to leave the company but I don’t think that anyone really cared. Mother wasn’t there, or else she would have lent some grace and elegance to the evening. I have only one more month until my birthday, and I can be free of this situation.
As for Lady Aubrey’s ball, I simply cannot contain my excitement. I am going to wear my green gown with my pearl and topaz jewelry. Will you wear your red dress? It’s new, the height of fashion, and it will make you look simply stunning. Really, there would be no girl prettier than you in the room. I hope Miss Winfair can come too. It would do her good to go out. She seems so pale and melancholy sometimes, and it worries me. Well, you know me, Lily, I never become ill and don’t tire as quickly as most people, so maybe my judgment is clouded by that.
A very happy, albeit belated, St. Valentine’s day to you. God Bless,
-Juliette
About these alchemers: what if some of us (Lily, me, possibly Andy and Cecily-Ann?) meet the one that we like at the ball? Those who aren’t going to the ball but haunt the university, maybe you meet him at the university? Just an idea.
February 14, 1874
Dear Adrien,
I have started school, and it is going well. Everyone seems very bright and happy. The professors are strict, but they are agreeable to students who have gotten good grades in the past, or those who are new students. None of the students have attempted disobedience, and I certainly hope none will.
The hotel owner’s daughter’s name is Rosalie. I hope to write her a note soon, or perhaps meet her in the halls.
I’m glad to hear college is going well. Mother wrote a letter to me, so I will write back to her soon.
Your sister,
Isabelle
FINE, I’ll write to Horatio. Since no one else is writing to me. -sniff-
London, England,
February 14, 1874
Dear Horatio,
You have not written in such a long time, I begin to be worried. Are you well? But of course you are well, you always are. I suppose your studies take up much of your time, and I am glad you are applying yourself to them at last–if indeed you are.
I wish that you could come and visit, Horatio! Aella is coming down from Norfolk in time for Lady Aubrey’s ball on the 17th and I am sure she would be ever so pleased to see you, to say nothing of my own pleasure or that of our parents and sister (though the latter is rather angry at you, I am afraid, and has failed to enlighten me as to the reason). I am sure the university can spare you for a few days. I really do long to talk face-to-face, and I there is Juliette whom I would like to introduce to you, and Lily Scarborough if you care to meet her (she is not very pleasant but is ever so fashionable and rich).
Mr. Mulling has called twice since I last wrote to you. I am not at all sure what I ought to do. I did try to be hospitable without seeming too warm, but the second visit he hardly touched his tea or said a word, and just sat there staring at me the whole time, and I was quite at a loss for conversation. Mother says his behavior was not very gentlemanly, but she supposed he couldn’t help himself and Isabel said that he was obviously very much in love with me and I should soon by rich and married, and then everyone cross-examined me in a most uncomfortable manner. I don’t believe I can refuse him if he proposes, for everyone thinks I am fond of him and am impatient for his proposal when really I am undecided and anxious. They all think that I don’t like to speak of it because I am shy and in love, but in truth it makes me most unhappy. It is odd how little everyone else knows about me, truly. I think about this sometimes and am dreadfully ashamed of my deceit.
But in better news, Father and Mother have allowed me to get a new gown for the ball! It is simply lovely. I can’t wear dark colors because of my complexion and hair, and I wanted to wear white, but Isabel said with her usual lack of tact that I was so pale lately it would make me look like a ghost and of course she is right–I have not been as well as I could wish and am horribly pale. I can’t wear pink, because Aella is wearing her rose gown and we would look so dreadfully matching. And so I have picked a beautiful lavender and it is trimmed with velvet ribbon–black, which is quite all right in small quantities. I am quite thrilled already.
Happy Saint Valentine’s day, dear brother!
Your loving sister,
Cecily-Ann Winfair
P.S. Do tell Ophelia that I am impatient for her reply!
Dear Miss Martineau,
I am Rosalie Mulligan, altho my friends call me Rosa. I am twelve years of age. I hope that perhaps we may become friends. You may reply if you wish and put it on your breakfast tray, as I serve the mornings.
Yours respectfully,
Rosalie Mulligan
Dear Miss Mulligan,
I certainly hope that we become friends too.
I am thirteen years of age and am here to go to school, for it is much easier for my family with a few people gone, and my mother wishes for me that I continue my studies in a place better than Paris. My brother, Adrien goes to college in a nearby city, and my father inspects boats in a shipyard. I write to my family often, but I don’t have many friends.
Sincerely,
Isabelle Martineau
Dear Isabelle,
may I call you that? Please do call me Rosa. My father is a schoolteacher and he teaches my siblings and I in the evenings. My cousin shall be visiting soon. You would like her I am sure!
Yours truly,
Rosa
Dear Rosa,
Yes, of course you may call me that. The large schools are enjoyable, but the teachers are strict.
What is your cousin like? I have cousins, but they are older than me, the youngest being seventeen.
Sincerely,
Isabelle
Dear Isabelle,
my cousin Natalie is 16 and quite fun. She will be visiting very soon, perhaps this next week.
Yours truly,
Rosa
Dear Natalie,
I look forward to your visit. I am getting very worried about Mother as she does not appear to be recovering, in fact she is getting worse it seems.
Yours truly,
Rosa
Sorry I haven’t posted!
Ivy Place, ____shire, England
February 14, 1874
Dear Cecily-Ann,
I am very sorry for my delay in replying to you.
Yes, Danse Macabre is quite new. However, it has not been received well. A student at the university heard it while on holiday and brought back sheet music. When they played it at a recent concert, I’m afraid many audience members were unsettled by the eerie tones. I, for one, enjoyed it. It sent the most delicious shivers down my spine!
As for the Woman’s Crusade, apparently a group of women in New York had a march to protest alcoholism. I agree with you that banning alcohol would only encourage unsavory characters. Perhaps I am biased, though, for a dear friend’s father is a brewmaster.
Horatio seems fine, but I will tell you (since he may not), that he is having some difficulty with one of his professors. Unfortunately, the man was greatly embarrassed when Horatio pointed out a slight mistake on a quiz the students took. This would not have been a great problem, for Horatio was very polite about it, but a visiting expert witnessed the event. I’m afraid the expert laughed. The professor has berated your brother several times for “embarrassing him in front of the scientific community”.
Do you enjoy books? I’m very much engrossed in a whimsical book called Alice’s Adventures Underground . Have you read it?
Your new friend,
Ophelia
Fio’s turn!
Ivy Place, ____shire, England
February 14, 1874
Dear Natalie,
I’m glad the business is doing well. Dreadfully sorry about the irritating customers, though. Ah, well. I know you’re capable of getting rid of them, should it come to that!
I look forward to you meeting the new boys, too! It should be quite a riot.
Your friend,
Ophelia
I’m about to leave on vacation, but when I come back, I’d like to kick-start the plot. (If that’s all right with you all, of course.) We’ve been sitting around/gossiping/going to dances for a bit too long, I think…
I’ll be back Sunday.
Since school’s starting, I’m going to quit. Alice, please erase my one post from your compilation.
Um, just to be specific, what is the plot, anyway? I heard something about evil necromancers, or alchemists, or a guy at a university we might meet at a ball, or not, and something about a betrothal… In short, I’m confused. What exactly are we doing?
99- All right.
100- No idea. Well, a few ideas. You’ve mentioned them. We’ll sort of just see how things work out… By the by, who’s still around?
I am.
101- I am. I’ll post something after I’m finished with school, I promise. Sorry I vanished before, but it fortunately coincides fairly well with Aella traveling to London.
101: I’m still here and interested.
I am working on a post, but I probably won’t get it done today. Sorry!
101- I am. Just kind of spacey right now.
Still here.
Okay, I’m going to write a letter about Lady Aubrey’s ball and that’s where we meet the first necromancer. I’m going to do a serious bit of PPing, so add/edit/disregard as needed. People who live in the country/outside London, were you there?
February 18, 1874
Dearest Christiane,
I am rather tired as a write this, for I spent an absolutely delightful, albeit very late, evening last night. Lady Aubrey held a grand ball at her mansion, which was quite large and extraordinarily beautiful. Everything was white marble, velvet, and crystal illuminated by thousands of candles. There must have been hundreds and hundreds of people there, all dressed so beautifully. I wore my favorite cerulean dress, and Lily was absolutely stunning in her new red dress. I saw one young gentleman turn to stare at her and walk right into a pillar. I nearly laughed out loud. The music was excellent, and that was one of my favorite parts of the evening (you know why). We met Miss Winfair there, and she looked exceedingly lovely in a lavender gown trimmed with black. There was a certain Mr. Mulling hovering about her elbow, and though she seemed to want to be free of his company she couldn’t tell him to leave. Lily couldn’t bear him, and I think he sensed this, because after a while he disappeared. I danced a few times, but really no one struck my fancy (then again, I wasn’t expecting anyone to). Mr. Candleburson was NOT, I repeat NOT there, to my delight. I detest the way he looks, no leers, at me, so to be free of him for an evening was wonderful. I spent some time with the excellent Admiral Wiggins and his wife. They were good friends of Father’s, you remember, and he is my godfather. He always inquires as to how I am doing and slips me books on the sly. They were wondering how Mother was, and I told them frankly that she was not well. They are going to spend some time in their country house to get away from the city in a few months, and they invited her to come with them. I believe that will do Mother good, and I will see to future arrangements. Finally, I was taking a turn about the room with Lily and Cecily when William introduced us to an acquaintance of his named George Heathrow. He is rather handsome in a dark way, and was very charming. He is particularly interested in science and is nearly fanatical about his studies. His skin had that pale look about it that one gets when one doesn’t get enough sun. As we were walking, he was telling us about how he and his fellow students were on the brink of “extraordinary discoveries” and “revolutionary new ideas,” although I think he may be boasting a bit (who wouldn’t, with Lily there?). It also turns out that Mr. Candleburson is his benefactor, and George spoke most highly of him. Altogether, it was a most satisfactory evening, and I wish that you could be there.
God Bless,
-Juliette
Where did everyone go?
107- I’m still here. I just haven’t written in a while. Not sure why. I wrote a letter in my head, but I forgot what it was going to say.
Oh thank heavens! I was starting to think that my letter scared everyone away or something. Is it an acceptable start?
109- Yes indeed.
Currently busy with plans for my own Bleak House… I thought Casting would be the hardest part, but now I’m inclined to lean towards Costuming…
I’m currently busy with Flogging Molly concerts/baseball games/cross-country meets/amazing amounts of homework that’s very hard to procrastinate on/being heckled at rallies because I’m a freshman/existential dread/religious uncertainty. Will write a new letter soon.
I, like everyone else, have been overwhelmed with beginning of school, and have very little free time, and so, haven’t written on this one. I also find it takes a longer chunk of time to write a letter then to write a RPG entry, so I have a harder time doing it the minutes I do have on the computer. I’ll try to write something later.
Hello? Fio? SilverLeopard? I’ll repost my latest letters.
Dear Isabelle,
my cousin Natalie is 16 and quite fun. She will be visiting very soon, perhaps this next week.
Yours truly,
Rosa
Dear Natalie,
I look forward to your visit. I am getting very worried about Mother as she does not appear to be recovering, in fact she is getting worse it seems.
Yours truly,
Rosa
February 21st, 1874
Dear Gabrielle,
I am doing well here. I have made friends with the owner of the boarding house’s daughter. Her name is Rosalie, and soon, her cousin Natalie will visit. Natalie is 16 years of age, and Rosa is a year younger than me.
School is going well. I find the teachers a bit strict, but many of the students are acceptable people.
I have heard of strange happenings in London, but do not tell, for it would not do for Mother to be afraid. I hope that I will learn more of these events. As you know, I like to know about these different things.
Your sister,
Isabelle
Dear Rosa,
I’m excited about Natalie coming! I’m sure that we’ll have some fun together.
Have you heard about strange events in London? At school, there are rumors, but I’ve heard almost nothing.
Yours truly,
Isabelle
Is that an okay start? And where is the boarding house/hotel?
[Off-topic chatter here retrozapped to maintain continuity.]
Silver Leopard–were you going to elaborate, or just trying to start the plot? If you were going to elaborate, then ignore past this part. What if the strange events were that someone at the university was arrested (quietly and in the middle of the night, so as to not arouse suspicion) but of course news came out and people started spinning their tales and eventually the common belief is that they were invoking the devil or whatever? *Phew!* But naturally, like all rumors, it will die down, but not before our heroines get wind of it.
116- The University isn’t in London…
((Where is it? I thought it was in London…is it Oxford? Oh dear. But if the university isn’t in London where we are, then where are we going to discover the necromancers’ secret lair? Unless they have one in London?))
I think I was going to discover that my father was one of them/working hard against them, last I remember. If that’s all right, I don’t want to do too much myself. By the way, I promise I’m working on a letter, I’m just not getting very far. Caking writer’s block.
((Hello? Where is everyone?))
((Mostly here. *sigh* I’m just not inspired by this anymore. I was having fun doing it, but something happened, and I’m not anymore. I’ll try REALLY HARD to get something done before Wednesday, and I’ll continue right now.))
HI!
London, England
February 18, 1874
Dearest Mother,
I had such a lovely time at the ball last night! Cecilly put up my hair, and it looked simply delightful. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to pass as seventeen, but there weren’t any problems, and the entire ball passed like a dream. It made me wish balls were much more frequent at home, even more then I had.
I hope you are well over your cold? Is Father doing well? Give my love to him and Aunt.
I have had the most beautiful time here, though I miss the sea. Many thanks for reminding me to bring a shell, as a little bit of the sea, though it is also much admired by those who have never been to the sea, or at least never seen such shells.
I must wrap up now, Cecilly calls. I shall write again as soon as I can.
Your Loving Daughter,
Aella C.
((Once I got going, it certainly went quickly! Much faster than I expected.))
Where is the university?
FINE! I’ll write something. Where is everyone?
February 19, 1874,
Dearest Christiane,
I must send Mother to live with you. Her health is failing, and the smoky air of this city cannot be good for her. I hope that she will regain some health with you, and it would certainly delight her to be with her grandchildren. I’m sorry for the lack of notice, but I hope you will understand.
Father is becoming more foul tempered every passing day. William visited for two days, and they had such an argument at the end of his stay that the rafters shook. I don’t think William will be visiting anytime soon.
Mr. Candleburson is also dining with us nearly every other day. He has an acrid smell about him, and it isn’t chimney smoke.
I must admit, I am rather bored at home when Stepfather isn’t at home, and fearful when he is. Books can only take me away for a certain amount of time (and I must hide them at any rate. Stepfather barely tolerates me reading the Holy Bible.) I take solace in visiting Cecily and Lily. Oh! I nearly forgot to mention~Cecily’s cousin Aella attended the ball with us. She is very kind, and the four of us visited the day after the ball. I think you would like her.
It is raining as I send this. God Bless,
~Juliette
Alice? Fio? Did you see post 96?
117.1 and 121 (Vanillabean): The University has no name. We’re keeping it generic. It is in ___shire, near Ophelia’s home, two days by post from London. I’m not very interested in the necromancers plot, so you may want to add a non-playing character near the University.
I don’t know. We haven’t really done anything explicitly connected with necromancers… Maybe they’re a group of assassins/necromancers? Something? Would that be better? We’re having a hard time with the plot here…
Please reply to this!
((Errata, you just reminded me of something. I had had an idea–what if one of the necromancers is an official in the palace, and he and his necromancer friends have a plot to assassinate the King/Queen/big important royal person. I was going to write a letter about the trial of someone connected with the evil official guy. I’ll give it a try–you can all ignore this if you disagree on the plot. Also, do the students of the university live in dorms or can they live in a house on their own? I may be leaving London soon (plot twist for my character planned ), so I may be staying with my sister, who lives _shire, too, like Ophelia.))
February 25, 1874
Thank you for your reply. I will send Mother to you tomorrow morning, along with her maid. I was disgusted to note that Stepfather seemed pleased to hear that she is going, but it is better for her.
I have been hearing very, very strange rumors. I am not sure how long they will take to reach you from London–but gossip travels faster than the post. Supposedly, someone from the palace was arrested yesterday morning for conspiring to kill the (insert king/queen/random important person here) with poison! Tiny vials were found in his chambers, along with a dagger, so is the story. There was going to be a trial this afternoon, but in the morning the prison guards found him dead in his cell. The entire city is in an uproar–I obtained this from the footman, who heard it from the maid, who heard it from the fishwives, who heard it from someone else. Only God Himself knows what really happened. Cecily and I discussed it at length today. She is looking quietly miserable, and I wonder what may be the matter. Mr. Candleburson and Stepfather closeted themselves in Stepfather’s study today, and I could not her what they were discussing, but I have a strong feeling that it was the plot and the man’s mysterious death. I am sorry to sound like such a gossip, but I found this very interesting.
God Bless,
-Juliette
P.S. Mr. Candleburson has a residence in _shire, so (I sound so uncharitable!) do try to stay away from him.
((Also, the man who was murdered accidentally stumbled upon the necromancer’s plot and collected the evidence against them, but the poison and dagger were found in his room so he was accused. When a necromancer found that the stuff was missing, he immediately suspected the good guy and alerted the guards. However, he knew that the good guy would tell the truth in the trial the next day, so he slipped poison into his food. I hope that makes sense!))
OK, I need to take things one at a time because I have a headache. First, Cerulean Pyros doesn’t like the necromancer idea, and so we should a) move them away from the University and b) think of something else, not wholly unconnected, which will allow Cerulean Pyros to be more involved. Second… second I think I should catch up on my letters.
February 18, 1974,
Dear Ophelia,
I too am sorry I haven’t written in such a time. My dear cousin Aella is visiting, and I have been showing her the sights of London and taking her shopping, as much as either of us can afford. Last night I attended a ball of a most satisfactory kind–the more so because Lily Scarborough managed to frighten away my suitor, the amiable Mr Mullings. And would you believe it! But Lady Aubry, being the fashionable lady she is, had the orchestra play Danse Macabre! It caused such a sensation. It was an interesting piece, and Aella loved it. It didn’t frighten me, but it put me in such a gloomy mood that I found it difficult to act cheerful for the rest of the ball.
I am sorry to hear about Horatio. It seems precisely the sort of thing he would do, and I suppose by now he has worked himself up to be very angry at the professor, and nothing good will come of it. Do try to keep him from doing anything rash, please.
I am very fond of books indeed. I believe I read Alice’s Adventures some years ago. It was an odd little book, but quite delightful.
Now I must go; for Mother is calling me to tea.
Your friend,
Cecily-Ann
125 (Alice): Thank you! (Sorry about your headache.)
As far as a sub-plot for me goes, I’ve been tempted from the beginning to have Ivy Place be haunted. (All right, I know it’s cliche, but I can’t resist!) I’ll come up with a ghost and incorporate en into my letters soon.
Ivy Place, ___shire, England
February 20, 1874,
Dear Cecily,
Oh, I am glad you got to hear Danse Macabre !
Mr. Mullings? Is he tall and fair-haired? I believe I may have met him. If it is the same gentleman, please do not mention my name. I gave him rather a shock by riding up on a bicycle…that is not the whole of it, but the rest is a bit scandalous…very few people know this part of the story: I was wearing trousers. I won’t tell you who they belonged to, as I’m sure you can guess.
Horatio is a tad bitter about the whole business with the professor, but I’m sure he realizes that he can only make things worse by doing some of the things he suggested. Come to think of it, maybe he doesn’t. Oh, dear. I will let you know what happens.
Do enjoy your cousin’s visit. Have you been by the British Museum yet?
Your friend,
Ophelia
P.S. Truth be told, if Horatio does anything drastic, it would serve the man right. He once told my father that I might have been worth knowing, “If only she were a boy”!
((Having a ghost sounds good!))
((Juliette’s rebellion, w00t.))
((I’ve decided her birthday is February 22nd))
February 22, 1874
Dearest sister, I hope you are sitting down. I am writing from the home of Admiral Wiggins and his wife, who deserve a high seat in Heaven. It is near midnight.
As you know, today is my birthday, and it has been one of the most wretched days of my life. All through the morning, Stepfather seemed to have forgotten, and I was not displeased, but he did not permit me to see any of my friends. He called me down for dinner, where Mr. Candleburson and the other couple were sitting. We ate, and then Stepfather told me that I was to marry Mr. Candleburson. I simply said, “no,” and I think he may have nearly had an apoplexy. The lady fainted, and so everyone’s attention was on her and I vanished up to my room. After all the guests left, Stepfather was too furious to say anything but, “I will deal with you in the morning.” I started making arrangements then. I am sending nearly all my dresses to our cousin Andromeda, and I sadly cannot take all the books that I wanted. I packed a small trunk, but before I left I went into Stepfather’s study. His desk is covered in bills–bills for liquor, especially. There were also notes of card debts. Of course, if I married Mr. Candleburson if Mr. Candleburson married me, then Stepfather would receive enough money to pay off all these debts and incur new ones. I have never felt more objectified and used than in that instant, sister, and I was filled with disgust. Wrapping myself in my favorite black cloak and taking my trunk, I hired a coach to take me to the Admiral’s house. I told him and his wife about what happened, and they let me stay with them. No doubt, Stepfather will began a rabid search for me all throughout London, possibly beginning with them. I will go to the Mother Superior tomorrow morning. I must be humble and honest with you, sister, I may need your help in the coming months. You can send letters to the Admiral’s residence.
God Bless,
-Juliette
127 (Vanillabean): Huzzah for Juliet!
Ivy Place, ___shire, England
February 25, 1874
Dear Cecily-Ann,
You may wish to sit down prior to reading this.
Two nights ago, something frightening happened. The university students were having sleigh races, for we had had a heavy snowfall. Horatio and his friend, Theo, invited me to join their sleigh, so I got permission to do so.
Our sleigh was in front towards the end and it did seem that we would win, but as we turned a sharp corner, we saw–too late–a fallen tree. When Theo pulled the reigns, the horses started. I’m not quite sure what happened, but before I knew it, the sleigh was tipping over. Horatio fell out and part of the sleigh caught his leg. He said he was alright, but when he stood up he cried out in pain. Theo and a professor took him to a doctor and the races were canceled.
Yesterday morning, I heard that Horatio’s leg was broken, but he’ll mend. He asked me to tell you that “It doesn’t hurt as much as when I fell off the porch.”In other news, something rather peculiar happened last night. I had closed my windows to keep out the chill, but close to midnight, I awoke to find them open. So I closed them and went back to bed, but it happened again! I mentioned it to our cook, Regina, and the color drained out of her face. She told me not to worry, but muttered something about bogles and banshees and crossed herself when she thought I wasn’t looking. I don’t believe in ghosts, but something is odd about the whole business. What do you think?
Your friend,
Ophelia
February 27th, 1874
Dear Adrien,
Gabrielle has responded to my letter. I did not say it was you who had told about what was happening in London. Gabrielle wrote that Aunt Yvette is doing much better, and that Monique and Patrick are doing well in school.
Soon, a cousin of a friend of mine will come. I hope that I will have some time to spend with them.
Have you heard more about what is going on in London?
Your sister,
Isabelle
((Hello Alice and everyone else. We need to get this thread moving again!!!!!))
((I was just thinking about this thread… I don’t remember what, though. I’ll post again soon. Once I’ve written a letter. I believe I will be unexpectedly called home from London, earlier than I thought.))
London, England
February 25, 1874
Dear Father,
I received your last post, and am now in a state of some confusion. I understand the letter itself, and preparations are being made even as I write for my departure, but the motive behind the letter was… I cannot describe how it seemed. Scattered would not be out of place. It contradicted itself in three places, for one thing. I can only suppose you were quite disturbed when you wrote it, but I saw no reason for the disturbance in the letter.
I shall set off tomorrow, and arrive the twenty-eighth, if all goes well. This letter shall, in all probability, reach you scarcely before then, but you have told me never to hesitate to put my thoughts on paper, if I could be sure they would not be used against me. I see no way that these thoughts could be, so I send this regardless of other considerations.
Yours,
Aella C.
Ivy Place, ___shire, England
February 28, 1874
Dear Cecily-Ann,
Please disregard my previously stated opinion on ghosts. Having seen an incorporeal being tends to change one’s thoughts on such matters.
I suppose I had better explain. Last night (rather, this morning, given the time), I awoke from a dream. I happened to be staring at one of my windows (which was closed and locked) when it opened of itself !
I was half asleep at the time and so my only thought was that I had better close it. When I rose to do so, I saw a tall, young man trying to open my locked desk drawer. That woke me up fully!
Oddly, I didn’t feel frightened, just annoyed. So I asked him what on earth he was doing and he looked up at me. Without moving at all, he just sort of…melted away. I’ve no doubt in my mind that he is not among the living.I didn’t get a very good look at him, but I think he had hair that was messy and dark, probably black.
I’ve no clue what he wanted from my drawer. I keep in there only my journals, my correspondence, notebooks, sketches, and the like. I have unlocked the drawer and hope to see him come back. Please do wish me luck!
Your possibly haunted friend,
Ophelia
Norfolk, England
February 28, 1874
Dear Cecily,
I am writing to assure you I have arrived home safely. I had no difficulties during my journey, and everything went smoothly, just as you had arranged. Again, I apologize for my abrupt leave, but I had little choice in the matter.
An odd thing happened when I reached home. As you know, Father called me home from London due to something very urgent, which he could not share in the letter. However, when I reached home, I found Father absent! I asked Mother about it, but she had not known that Father was calling me home, and could think of no reason she knew of for him to do so. It was all most mysterious. Mother says Father is supposed to be back in a few days, so I suppose I shall discover more then.
Another odd thing; I found, while unpacking, a map of the manor on my bed. It was certainly not there when I left, and I cannot think how it has gotten there. I do not remember ever seeing such a map before, and I doubt it was left by a servant!
Mother is very well, as am I, and glad to see me back. I believe Aunt is too, but she will not show it, so I cannot be certain. I began missing you even before I reached home, but I suppose I shall feel able to go on properly soon.
Your Curious Cousin,
Aella C.
Hello? Fellow RPW participants?
Ivy Place, ___shire, England
March 2, 1874
Dear Cecily-Ann,
No luck yet! The ghost has not returned. I have not, however, given up hope.
In other news, I must tell you about what happened last night at a dinner I attended.
We went to the home of Lady and Sir Wertherbaum, who have recently moved house to the area. Of the actual dinner, the less said, the better. I was seated between a sour heiress and a rather dim young man who seemed to think I was the greatest thing since the steam engine, for he would not cease talking to me.After dinner, however, we were ushered into a sort of music room where a stage had be set up.
A dramatic man whom I had glimpsed at dinner proceeded to preform “astonishing” feats of “magic”–in truth, nothing that could not be explained by a good physics text. (They were rather entertaining, though.)But, then he brought his young assistant (a young girl clad in some sort of exotic filmy get-up) onto the stage and had her recline on a couch while he muttered some sort of incantation. And she rose straight up into the air! And another aide ran a hoop over her to show that there were no supports.
When the guests were to go into a parlor, I peeked behind the curtain. I saw the cleverest device. There was a support, but the shape of it permitted the aide to maneuver the hoop around it. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I almost got caught, but not quite.
It would seem that Lady Wertherbaum is a great believer in the supernatural. I was so tempted to tell her it was a sham, but I resisted.
What has been going on in London?
Your friend,
Ophelia
((Hello. We seem to be the only people here. *sigh*
I’ll go post a notice on the Paleo thread, since it’ll stay longer, and on the monthly random thread too.
We could also follow everybody that’s supposed to be here and isn’t around with pies and links, or linkified pies, until they return. Although there are some people that I haven’t seen in awhile. But I shall go make a list of everyone.))
((Mkay. I think this is everyone.
Alice
Fio
Fireh
Koppar
Cat’s Eye
Vanillabean
C-PM
RoseQuartz
Errata
Cerulean
Alice was gone for a while, but I’ve seen her several times recently. Fio, I haven’t seen. Fireh, I’m not sure about. Koppar generally only posts rarely. Cat’s Eye, I’m not sure of either, but I’m pretty sure I’ve seen her recently. Vanillabean I’m certain was on recently. C-PM I don’t know. RoseQuartz… Saw her fairly recently.
You probably know at least as much as me, of course. I always seem to end up giving too much. Whatever.
Anyway, I can’t really write a letter right now, since I’d rather have a bit more between coming home and my next plot twist.))
((And me. Since I’m on a bunch of various RPGs and such, I sometimes forget. I’ll try writing a letter.))
((How did I miss you? Sorry! I went through the thread, looking for everybody, and I don’t know what happened!))
March 4, 1874
Dear Adrien,
How are you? I am feeling well, and school is going fine. I recently took a trip to London with some school friends, and I saw the strangest thing.
I was walking along the streets a bit behind the other girls, and I noticed a man with unruly black hair a few paces behind us. I sped up, and ignored him, but he just walked faster, eventually keeping pace with me for a few seconds. Then he moved into an alcove near the door of the building, and melted into the shadows. It was as if he vanished, for when I looked where he had disappeared, and inside the shop, I did not see him. Is this what you have been hearing about?
Your sister,
Isabelle
Errata: Hello, there!
I haven’t seen Fio, Koppar, or Fireh for a bit.
Cello-Playing Mathematician left the thread, so we won’t be seeing her here. (See post number 99.)
SilverLeopard and everyone else: If you would like to spot Ophelia’s ghost, then there are some things that you should know about him: He is Xerxes Ewing, a Welsh graduate of the university. He was a poet and artist who worked at a telegraph office in order to pay bills. He died young and suddenly, with a number of things that need settling.
(He is also a figment of my imagination. I don’t know of any person, living, deceased, or anywhere in between, named Xerxes Ewing.)
((I would love to join, but I need a summary first. *coughAlicecough*))
((Is it too late in the story to join? I’ll read the whole thread if need be, but this seems to be my bag.))
((Hi, LittleBasementKitten and Agrrrfishi! No, it’s not too late to join, and I’ll happily provide a summary. I can’t provide all details, so you are encouraged to read the thread, but I’ll try to provide what you need to get started.
Letters, England, 1874 Summary:
The Basics: This is RPW, or Role-Play-Writing, which means that the characters in the story write letters to each other. All the action takes place in, and is related through, these letters.
This particular RPW takes place in England in 1874 (currently March, but that will change.)
The Current Characters:
Cecily-Ann Winfair, age 17, controlled by Alice, for profile see post 14, revised post 44.
Aella Cathor, age 15, controlled by Errata, for profile see post 19.
Natalie Orabel Brytt, age 16, controlled by Fio, for profile see post 21, revised post 48.
Lily Scarborough, age 18, controlled by Cat’s Eye, for profile see post 23.
Juliette Chanceau, age 17, controlled by Vanillabean3.141, for profile see post 24.
Ophelia Throckmorton, age 16, controlled by Cerulean Pyros, for profile see post 35.
Rosalie Mulligan, age 12, controlled by fireandhemlock1996, for profile see post 56.
Isabelle Martineau, age 13, controlled by SilverLeopard, for profile see post 89.
A few Non-Player Characters, such as Cecily-Ann’s brother Horatio.
Major Events in The plot:
As the eldest characters (Cecily-Ann, Lily, and Juliette) begin their courting Season, the three meet.
Horatio, Cecily’s older brother, puts her in touch with his friend Ophelia, the daughter of one of his university professors, and they begin a correspondence.
Cecily-Ann confesses to her cousin Aella that she does not love her primary suitor, Mr. Mulling.
Juliette attracts the unwelcome attentions of the odious Mr. Richard Candleburson.
Ophelia’s mother begins to plan her coming-out party, which will take place in October.
Isabelle moves into the boarding house Rosalie’s family owns, and the two strike up a friendship.
A man attempts to assassinate the royal couple, but dies before interrogation can take place. (Though it is not yet known, this event is related to a ring of necromancers.)
Aella visits Cecily-Ann in London.
Ophelia informs Cecily-Ann that Horatio has found himself in trouble with a professor, causing the pair to worry that Horatio will take revenge.
Juliette refuses to wed Mr. Candleburson and flees to her godfather’s house, with the intent to join a nearby nunnery.
Ophelia begins seeing a ghost, who is haunting her.
Aella’s father disappears.
Advice for getting started:
Step 1) Make a character. Please describe, including name, age, appearance, personality, and important information concerning family, background, and other useful tidbits. The current characters are all female, but males are welcome.
Step 2) Decide who you would like to write to. Notify that person. Agree upon a relationship to share (relatives, friends, have a mutual friend, etc.)
Step 3) Begin writing!
When it comes to historical accuracy, you are on your own, but accuracy is appreciated.))
((Thanks, CP!!
Name: Vertiline Halcyon
Age: 15
Appearance: Black hair in a low ponytail, gray-green eyes, wears soft colors all the time
Personality: Kind of shy, writes a lot but doesn’t talk much.
Life: Her mother (25) is a maid in the Scarborough’s, so they’re pretty well off. Her father (40) is a veteran from the Bleeding Kansas war, and has lost most of his legs.
Maybe she could write to Lily Scarborough?))
((Thanks so much!
Name: Samantha Waverly
Age: 17
Appearance: White-blonde hair, steely blue-grey eyes, and a slim, flat figure. She enjoys wearing dresses that are perhaps a bit risqué her upbringing, usually in darker shades of color. Is always seen with a ribbon or two in her shoulder-length hair.
Personality: Very outgoing and friendly, the life of the various balls and parties that she so enjoys attending. She makes friends as often as she can.
Background: At the age of 10, Samantha and her mother were taken in by Lord Wertherbaum. Her mother had previously played the role of a traveling psychic on the streets of London after they were abandoned by Samantha’s birth father, trying to earn a living for herself and her daughter before she met Wertherbaum and began courting him. The two adults married soon after and Samantha became Wertherbaum’s stepdaughter. She has hardly any friends, despite the fact that she attends so many social events, because other than special occasions she rarely leaves the house. She is now 17 and expected to find a husband. Samantha despises courting, but will do anything to be free and have a life of her own, even marry someone despicable.
Hey, Cerulean Pyros, I was thinking that maybe Samantha and Ophelia could have met at Wertherbaum’s party and begin writing to each other? Would that work for you?))
((You’re both very welcome!
LittleBasementKitten: I like your character’s name! She sounds very interesting, but I have two questions: 1) If she is 15, how can her mother be 25? Did you mean to say 35? Or is she a step-mother? 2) If living in Lily’s house, how can she write to Lily? These aren’t necessarily problems, I’m just confused.
Agrrrfishi: Oh, I like! Sure, let’s write to each other! I was rather hoping the Wertherbaums would make a return appearance.))
((1. Yes, it would make more sense if her mother was 35. Okay!
2. They don’t live in Lily’s house, the mom is just a maid there.
The name: I searched “names from the Victorian Era,” and I really liked that one. :D))
((145- Great! I’ll start now! ))
March 3, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dear Miss Ophelia Throckmorton,
I do hope you remember me, I made your acquaintance last night at my stepfather’s rather large dinner party. I hope you do not mind terribly that I am contacting you, but you seemed rather nice and I do enjoy the company of nice people, they are quite difficult to find these days.
The main reason why I am writing to you was because I recalled that you have a particular interest in the supernatural. I, too, share this interest! I secretly study the magical art, that is, when my mother is not lurking over my shoulder. I would have told you this in person, if it had not been for the annoyingly close watch kept on me by the various servants that my stepfather insists upon keeping trained on my every movement. There is never any freedom here, I regret to say. At my old home in Surrey, I was a tad freer than I am here in London. There was more open area for a young girl to grow. But now that I am of courting age, my mother and stepfather moved out to London so that I might find a suitable husband. There are no engaging men here. I daresay they are all too stuffy and boring to notice the discomfort of their suffocating demeanors. None of this matters to my mother; she insists that I charm them so that i may marry a wealthy man. Have you had any experience in the matter of courting?
At any rate, I would be delighted to entertain your company at the mansion at any time. Perhaps we could even hold a secret séance in the orchard! I do believe there is the ghost of the former caretaker lurking around the grounds, because that particular corner of the house is terribly spooky.
Hoping that you are well,
Miss Samantha Waverly
((I was thinking that, since Cat’s Eye said Lily was “clever in an empty-headed way,” Vertiline could write to her because her mother came home especially tired, and Vertiline could ask why. And then they would become pen pals and the like. Sound good?))
Is it too late for me to join? I only just recently stumbled across this thread and it sounds fascinating! I love history! Please say yes?
((Nope! New people are jumping in now.
By the way, if you’re new to RPG’s and such, please post in double parentheses when you’re not writing part of the story! Thanks!))
((By nope, I meant it’s not too late and you should join. ))
((Okay, I’m going to start!))
March 4, 1874
Dear Ms. or Mr. Scarborough,
Hello. My name is Vertiline Halcyon. My mother, Constance Halcyon, recently came home with a splitting headache, and was too tired to say “hello” to me. This letter is to inquire why, for she has never come how this haggard before. On a different note, how are you enjoying my mother’s new plum pudding? I find it to be a bit too sweet, don’t you?
Best regards,
Vertiline Halcyon
((Cat’s Eye, could Lily find the letter on a dresser or something? That would be great. Thank you!))
((@agrrrfishi: Oops. Sorry about the double parentheses thing. I’ve been on one other RPG (the Demigod one, which is dying) and I know to double parenthesize, but I forgot. Sorry!
@everyone else: I’ll start by making a character profile, which I’ll post later. Is there anyone I could know/be related to? Maybe my character could be a friend of SilverLeopard’s character from her old school, who moves to England and starts writing to her old friend? Just an idea. Would that be OK? Incidentally my real name is Isabelle. Spelt that way, too.))
((My character’s father could be a friend of your characters father from the war, since Cat’s Eye hasn’t been active very much!))
((By Cat’s Eye do you mean SilverLeopard? Anyway, that’s fine, but I was thinking of making my character French, have lived in France, whatever, and then return to England and…yeah, so it makes more sense if my character was from Isabelle’s old school (boy, that’s weird to type) just to enhance the character background. And also to explain why she suddenly turns up in the middle of..something because she has just come from France. (By she I mean my character. I have yet to choose a name from my shortlist of about five.) And our character’s fathers could be friends also, so I have more people to interact with. I have sort of an idea of how this can be related to the background. Including the reason why my character moves to England. You’ll definitely be one of my correspondents.))
((No, I meant Cat’s Eye. I was originally going to write to her character, Lily, but CE hasn’t been especially active lately, I could write to you.))
((ADVICE APPRECIATED…FOR NAME CHOOSING…I HAS CHOKLIT…
Character Info – parts may be incomplete. You have been warned.
Name: (First name is a very close tie between Frances, Laetitia and Noemie. Or maybe even Antoinette/Adrienne. Help? One of these will be her first name and one of these will be her middle name. Advice would be greatly appreciated. I have choklit. *waves choklit temptingly*) Last name is Lefèvre, probably.
Age: 14/15 (Frances/Laetitia/Noemie/Antoinette/Adrienne was a year above Isabelle at her old school, but they were close friends.)
Appearance: Soft, light honey-brown hair; grey eyes; fair complexion; average height; slim.
Personality: Friendly, bubbly person who can meet people easily – is socially adept. Is usually quite confident in talking to others.
Other: Bilingual – English and French
Background: Father was friends with LBK’s character’s father (Vertiline’s father) in the war. After the war, F/L/N/A/A’s father moved to France, got rich, got married, had one daughter (my character). The family has lived in France ever since, but recently Father wants to move back to England to retire. They move into a mansion quite near to Lily Scarborough’s, though nowhere near as grand.
Correspondents possible for character:
Vertiline (LBK) who she meets as they live quite near-ish.
Isabelle (SL) who is her old friend from her former school in France.
Lily (CE) who is also rich, and who lives quite near-ish (and her various friends? Maybe..)
Anything I missed? If not, here goes…))
((Laetitia Andrienne. That sounds so cakin’ awesome.))
Laetitia Adrienne? Hmm…I’m pretty sure her first name will be Laetitia but all that remains is the question of her middle name. I know, I know, it’s not really that important, but still. So it’s either going to be: Laetitia Adrienne, Laetitia Frances (<3 both these names), Laetitia Noemie or Laetitia Antoinette. The last two don't really fit together for me, so it's either Laetitia Adrienne or Laetitia Frances. I've also decided that her last name will be Moreau.
So: Laetitia Frances or Laetitia Adrienne?
Again: Laetitia Andrienne. That sounds so cakin’ awesome.
OK, Laetitia Adrienne. It’s Adrienne, by the way, not Andrienne.
A revival of one of my favorite threads going on, and I’ve missed it!
Well, I’m here now.
By the way, double parenthesize are not necessary, similar to an RRR. The italics show what is in the story and what isn’t, so there’s no need for further distinguishing.
Also, I’d like more corespondents for my character, since she’s currently all alone in her little corner, writing to somebody who can’t write back, and passing time before I introduce my next plot twist. Perhaps one of your characters could visit friends/relations in Norfolk, or something? Or I could have other ties to my character?
I made the mistake of isolating myself, off away from the rest of the people, with not many ways for communicating with the rest of the world. Then I was unexpectedly called home, cutting off any other chances of meeting somebody new. So now that Alice is gone, I’m cut off.
Anyway. Writing a letter soon, but I think I’ll post this before it gets too long.
I could write to you, Errata! maybe Samantha and her family moved from Norfolk to London, and the two of our characters were friends from there?
REVIVE! REVIVE! REVIVE!
I’ll repost my character info (is that allowed?) just so it’s easier, because I’ve changed/decided on a few things since I last posted.
Character Info-
Name: Laetitia Adrienne Moreau
Age: 15 (Laetitia was a year above Isabelle at her old school, but they were close friends.)
Appearance: Light honey-brown hair; grey eyes; fair complexion; average height; slim.
Personality: Friendly, bubbly person who can meet people easily – is socially adept. Is usually quite confident in talking to others.
Other: bilingual – can speak/write both English and French
Background: Laetitia’s father was friends with LBK’s character’s father (Vertiline’s father) in the war. After the war, Laetitia’s father moved to Paris, got rich, got married, had one daughter (Laetitia). The family has lived in France (where she was born) ever since, but recently Laetitia’s father wanted to move back to England to retire. They move into a mansion quite near to Lily Scarborough’s, though nowhere near as grand. Laetitia gets to go to many balls, other events etc. etc. since her father knows many people and their family is quite well-known.
Correspondents possible for character:
-Vertiline (LBK) who she meets as they live quite near-ish.
-Isabelle (SL) who is her old friend from her former school in France.
-Lily (CE) who is also rich, and who lives quite near-ish (and her various friends
-Possibly a few non-player-characters who she could write to, if necessary
-Anyone else who wants to – it should be easy enough to make up some connection/reason as to why they would be writing.
March the 6th, 1874
Dearest Isabelle,
We have arrived in England! Father has decided to retire and leave Paris; we came by boat yesterday across the Channel and moved immediately into our new house. It’s quite an idyllic mansion, in the countryside – I find the English countryside to be much prettier than the crowded streets of Paris. Of course, I have not yet visited London. A few of Father’s friends live nearby (one of them a Lord, can you believe?) and apparently several of them have daughters that would be around my age – I do hope I will meet some of them sometime. We have settled in well, the move was not too much of a hassle, though Mother was fraught with worry, as usual (as you well know!) but that is to be expected. What of you? I hope everything is going well for you and your family. How fare the studies of Adrien? He is attending university at ___, is he not?Perhaps one day we shall come to stay in your dear boarding-house that you have told me so much about, and I shall see you again! I’ve missed you dreadfully ever since you left France. I have already asked Father to arrange with yours to see if you can come up to our house during the holidays! It would be most delightful if you could come: if I don’t meet any of the daughters Father mentioned, the holidays will be awfully boring.
Hoping you are well, and in good health,
Your friend, who is missing you terribly,
Laetitia Adrienne
Was that all right? NB: People usually address her as Laetitia, not Laetitia Adrienne, but that is how she prefers to sign her letters – with both her first name and middle name. However any letters addressed to Laetitia would usually begin Dear Laetitia, instead of Dear Laetitia Adrienne.
Okay, Selenium, I’ll start writing to you.
March 4, 1874
Dear Laetitia,
Hello, my name is Vertiline. I believe our fathers were friends with each other. My father remembered that your father had a child about my age when he lived in Paris. So, he gave me your address. I haven’t much more to say.
Kindest Regards,
Vertiline
March the 7th, 1874
Dear Vertiline,
I believe my father did mention that there were other girls in the neighbourhood – I’m delighted to make your acquaintance. My family and I just moved – yesterday, incidentally – to this shire from Paris, and I would be glad to have a friend nearby. I do have a friend from my old school who lives in England, but she is rather far away, I’m afraid. Do you live up at the Scarborough mansion, or somewhere near it? Father may have mentioned something regarding Lord Scarborough – he and Father are old friends, I suppose. Perhaps I could persuade Mother to invite you ’round for tea someday – I’d be thrilled to get to know you further.
Yours truly,
Laetitia Adrienne
March 10th, 1874
Dear Laetitia,
Thank you for writing me back. Sadly, I am not privileged enough to live in Lord Scarborough’s mansion–though I do think it looks fabulous. We live in a small cottage on the property, though. They have a wonderful garden, with plenty of spices for Mother. She has me get them, as I am smaller and quicker than she. The gardeners are ever so nice, though, and look the other way if they spot me. Tea would be lovely, thank you.
Kindest Regards,
Vertiline
March the 12th, 1874
Dear Vertiline,
It does look fabulous, doesn’t it, their mansion? We drove past it when we first moved in, and since then I have been on several walks with Mother in the area, in which we have passed close by to their property. The mansion is absolutely enormous, and the architecture is exquisite. I hear they own many of the houses around here as well as their own property. You are right, their garden is wonderful – simply massive and one of the most beautiful around, I should think. Of course they’re rich enough to have several gardeners to tend to their gardens – we only have one, Mr Johnson, and we’re not doing too badly ourselves, financially. I’m so glad you can come ’round for tea sometime, I was afraid you might be too busy helping your mother around the house. I have asked Mother and she suggests next Thursday after noon, at around 3 o’ clock, if you can spare the time then. We could perhaps take a brief walk in the park afterwards if you would like. I anticipate your quick reply, and hope you can make that time for tea. You do know where our house is? If not, I shall write you our address in my next letter.
Yours faithfully,
Laetitia Adrienne
This is fun!
March 14th, 1874
Dear Laetitia,
I do not know your address. Mother doesn’t let me off the Scarborough’s property much. She says ladies need to learn how to keep house, not to have frivolous adventures. But I disagree. I will ask mother if I can take a walk with you. On another note, have you heard of the new ladies-pants? I think they are called bloomers. Mother dislikes them and won’t let me get a pair. She thinks Amelia Bloomer is, what was the words she used? Oh yes, she said, “If brains were gunpowder, she wouldn’t be able to blow those–those–things into a proper skirt.” Do you have some? I want terribly to try them.
Kindest regards,
Vertiline
You know
Ivy Place, ____shire, England
March 5, 1874
Dear Miss Waverly (Might I call you Samantha?),
Yes, I do remember you. We were seated rather far from each other, so we were unable to converse, correct?
I would be quite glad to call upon you. Thank you for the kind invitation. I have not the slightest idea how a seance works, though. If they really do call up ghosts, than I would not want one to get attached to me—I already have a ghost lurking about my home. I have seen him twice now, once about a week ago, and once just an hour ago. The first time, he tried to get into my desk drawer; the second, he was simply sitting on my fireplace’s mantelpiece. He seems well-disposed towards me, if somewhat melancholy.
As for courting, I have little experience concerning such matters. My coming-out party will be in October, but already I am required to behave as a young woman, instead of a girl, so that I do not scare off all the men ahead of time. Why any of them would want to marry me, I have no idea. I have an unfortunate tendency to inadvertently scandalize polite society.
Take, for just one example, the time the splendidly eligible Mr. Mulling of London came to call. He arrived half an hour ahead of time (shockingly bad manners), causing him to see me, on a bicycle, dressed in some ofHora male friend’s old clothes, without a hat, my hair loose, laughing impolitely loud, withHoratsaid male friend running along behind me, whooping “All right, Ophelia!” Not surprisingly, he never came to call again. I regret it not a bit, for it was so exhilarating! I fear you will shun me for this confession, but at least we’re starting out honestly.Most other suitors are boring, too old, do not respect me, make me uncomfortable, or are just not fellows that I want to spend the rest of my life with. If this does not eventually change, I shall have to do something improper and dramatic, like run off to London and become a divinely popular star of the Covent Garden stage. My friend Horatio would help me, I know. He’s the only man I know who knows Ophelia, and not The-Soon-To-Be-Eligible-Daughter-Of-The-Throckmortons.
As for me, I love books, knowledge, and daydreaming, and loathe gelatin, tight shoes, and bustles. Who decided that it was attractive to be able to carry a tea service upon one’s derriere?
Your shocking new friend,
Ophelia
Cheese whiz, this thread’s reviving and I’m missing it? LBK, perdoname mucho for not responding to Vertiline’s letter! (Ninja name, by the way.)
March 11,1874
Dear Ms. Halcyon,
Please pardon me for the shockingly late reply to your letter; it has been a lifetime since I last cast a glance around my own room, so busy am I. But I’m sure I’m boring you with prattle about myself. You asked about your mother, Constance, and her unnatural haggardness on her return to your home a few days from your writing. I regret to inform you that her tired state is a mystery to me. Perhaps the kitchen was busy, though it has not seemed to be lately. I do adore mysteries, don’t you? (And on the subject of your mother’s plum pudding, it is just a bit too sweet. What is your favorite dessert?)
Best wishes,
Lily Scarborough
March the 16th, 1874
Dear Vertiline,
It is quite unfortunate that you aren’t let off the Scarborough property much; is your mother all right with tea for Thursday though? You may assure her that afternoon tea at the Moreau’s will not be a frivolous adventure (though I can promise nothing of the walk – perhaps it might be best not to mention that part to her). Our house is quite near to the Scarborough’s, about five minutes of walking time. If you leave from the front gate of the property, you walk straight until you reach the sign that welcomes travellers to the village. At the sign, you must turn right and continue along the hedge that borders the field. Our house is the third you will come to, but it is situated at the other end of the field and you must walk quite a long ways after turning right there as the houses around here are spaced rather far apart. To answer your question: yes, I have heard of bloomers, and I think them terribly unfashionable and unattractive. I do not actually own a pair at home, regrettably, but perhaps you will be able to try them elsewhere. Of course, you may wear them whenever you want, and I shall not mind, but I would prefer it if I stuck to dresses, myself.
Yours most sincerely,
Laetitia Adrienne
Dear Miss Scarborough,
My name is Laetitia Adrienne Moreau. I believe our fathers are acquaintances; does yours remember anything of my father, Sir Francis Moreau? If my mind remembers correctly, they knew each other after the war, but then my father moved to France and we have lived there ever since. Just recently Father has decided to retire and we have moved back to England; our mansion is just a few miles down the road from yours, as I believe Father turned to Lord Scarborough for advice in choosing a house to live in. I have already met a few girls around here, but I would greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to write to me as well, even if only occasionally. Father did recommend for me to ‘go around and make friends’, and so this is my best attempt at following his advice. I hope you will take notice of this letter and perhaps become friends, as our fathers did know each other.
Yours truly,
Laetitia Adrienne (but you may call me Laetitia)
P.S. May I call you Lily?
162-It’s okay that you didn’t respond right away. Thanks for the compliment, I think it’s, uh, “ninja” too!
March 13th, 1874
Dear Ms. Scarborough,
Yes, mysteries are simply fabulous, like your home. It must be fab, living in such a delightful mansion like that. Oh, and I am not bored at all by “prattle,” I am more of a listener than a talker, so prattle away. My favorite dessert is bread and butter pudding. It’s simply delightful after a long day of boring hand sewing and knitting. I shall have to send you the recipe.
Kindest regards,
Vertiline
I know it doesn’t really matter, but the title ‘Ms.’ didn’t exist in Victorian times (see post 73.1). If we’re trying to be as historically accurate as possible, well, then..yeah. Other than that it doesn’t really matter and I’m just being picky.
Nor would anyone describe anything as “fab” for almost another 90 years.
Sorry, I was running out of adjectives. *gives choklit*
March 7, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dear Ophelia,
It is perfectly all right for you to call me Samantha! I would prefer it, actually, formalities are such a bother to everyday conversation.
Séances are actually become quite the popular activity in underground London society. To perform one, you simply take a seat around a spirit board and place two of your fingers on the accompanying planchette (a small, arrow-like device that moves freely around the board) and the spirit spells out a particular message on the board for you to read. It’s quite a pile of utter rubbish, but terribly fun to perform and awfully spooky. It’s especially enjoyable when multiple people partake! Your ghost sounds simply fascinating! Do you know of his true human identity thus far? We could conduct a séance to determine it!
And I agree with you fully upon the matter of courting. It is most unfortunate of my parents, who seem to believe, for some odd reason, that I want to become engaged to a rather boring older man who expects me to be perfectly cultured, an obliging girl who desires only to be a housemaid and thus totally obedient. They don’t seem to understand that I adore the young, caring type, that age discourages me, and that I want to love freely instead of being restricted by rank or monetary possession. I would never consider shunning you for being yourself, I might add. I must admit that I have never ridden a bicycle, but it sounds like a delightful time!
The only suitor I have ever liked was a secret admirer when I was much younger, about fourteen years old. He was, I admit, handsome, charming, and hopelessly devoted to me, as I was to him. I had little money, however, but he still held every intent upon making me a bride. But, whence his parents discovered our relationship, they immediately dispatched him to an academy of the militia in a faraway country. As it is, I have heard absolutely no news of him. He does not write me, and I do not know as to where he has been sen over the past years. Generally, I pull away from other suitors because it causes me immense pain to think that I might lose any one of them in the same way.
I do hope it was not too forward of me to tell you all these things! You must think me to be quite the chatterbox. At any rate, I do hope that your coming-out party will go swimmingly. I am sure you will make quite the social butterfly.
Hoping for a reply,
Samantha Waverly
agrrrfishi, would it be all right if I wrote to you? I think more correspondences are in need for Laetitia.
March the 17th, 1874
Dear Miss Waverly,
Perhaps I had better introduce myself first, as I do not know how well you will take to receiving a letter from an almost complete stranger. My name is Laetitia Adrienne Moreau (but you may call me Laetitia), and our family has just recently moved to England from Paris. My father, Sir Francis Moreau, was in London for a few days recently and I believe that is when he met with your stepfather, Lord Wetherbaum? The topic of family may have sprung up in conversation at one point as Father came back from London with your name and address, and bid me write to you, thinking that we would bond well. I hope we do so, as there is not too much age difference (I think Father said you were 17? I am 15 years of age myself, 16 in May). I anticipate your reply, and trust to God that we will become fast friends.
Yours most truly,
Laetitia Adrienne
P.S. Might I address you as Samantha? I hope you will not think me terribly informal. ~L.M.
March 17th, 1874
Dear Laetitia,
I am enjoying myself here in England, and everything is well with Adrien. My family back in Paris also fares well, and Aunt Yvette is feeling much better. My studies continue at the nearby school, and I am glad to say I’m doing quite well. Unfortunately, though, some strange things have been happening.
Recently, on the train I took one day to visit Adrien, I saw a strange man with tangled black hair. I had seen him once before that, on the streets of London, and I think it is quite possible that he could be some kind of spirit. On that day in London he was trailing me, but in the second incidence, he was following a poor man. I was puzzled by this, partly because I had seen the spectre again, and partly because the poor man leading the spirit held his head high. When I talked to Adrien about it, he said he had an idea of what was going on, but wouldn’t tell me. I haven’t seen the man nor the spirit for weeks now, though, so I assume they are gone.
On another note, I would be most delighted to see you sometime! It would be wonderful for you to come here to the boarding house, and I could introduce you to Rosa, one of my friends here. I am missing you terribly.
Your friend,
Isabelle
I’m thinking that the poor man could be one of the necromancers. Any other ideas?
Hi, Silver Leopard. I already have plans for the development of my character’s ghost. I mentioned some of them in post #139. He has absolutely nothing to do with the necromancers. I don’t really mind you, or anyone else, seeing him, but please understand and respect that he is my character; he is haunting Ophelia. I specifically created him for Ophelia to unravel his mystery. You do have really good ideas, so if you want to work with a ghost, perhaps you should create one for you to be haunted by. (He’s my ghost! Mine! Yes, I’m being rather possessive. I don’t want to hurt your feelings, or scorn what you have done, or crush your creativity. I just want the freedom to be creative with my own…creation.)
Okay. Disregard 168, then.
Ivy Place, ___shire, England
March 8, 1874
Dear Samantha,
No, I do not know who Dearly Departed is yet. Though curious, I am not sure that I should make efforts to find out. He seems so shy. I think that he will tell me such things when he is ready to trust me.
I do believe my parents want me to marry someone I like. They liked each other when they were wed; I am certain that they now love each other. Fortunately, they also want me to be involved with the selection. I can already rule out many young men who I have been told are “fine catches”. It seems that my opinion of a fine catch differs greatly from that of the rest of society. Of course, I differ from the rest of society, so that is not surprising.
I am so sad to hear of your sweetheart. I do pray that you will be reunited some day, or if that is not meant to be, that you will find someone you care for in the same way.
A social butterfly? I? Well, perhaps. One never knows.
About bicycles: they are wonderful. I own one, a fine velocipede model with rubber tires, not one of those impossibly high-wheeled penny-farthings. You are welcome to try it. Be certain to wear something practical–it is possible to ride in long skirts, with practice, but the less material, the better. I am told that something similar, with three wheels, is safer and more practical for ladies, but I have no interest in pursuing such a contraption. Mine gets me where I need to go splendidly. (Of course, one could argue that I could simply use a carriage or ride a horse, but what fun would that be?)
Well, I am off to the woods. The trees are starting to bud; I want to hunt for flowers that might peeking out of the ground. Spring is almost upon us!
Regards,
Ophelia
March the 19th, 1874
Dear Isabelle,
I really shall have to persuade Father to let me go down to London and to visit you one day. Glad to hear that your studies are faring well. About the strange man, yes, I suppose it is possible that he is some sort of spirit; but it is also quite possible that he isn’t, and the fact that you glimpsed him two times happened to be a coincidence. Perhaps he only appeared to be following the poor man, it is quite probable you know that they were simply walking in the same direction. Anyway, you mentioned that you haven’t seen him for several weeks now, so perhaps he really is gone. If I were you, I wouldn’t bother myself with this man too much – what are the chances that he really is a spectre, really? At any rate, it would be fantastic if I could stay in your boarding house some day. Or possibly we could see about having you come up one day to stay in our mansion a couple days, at the week-end maybe. I shall have to talk to my parents about the arrangements, and hopefully we will be able to see each other again soon.
Your friend, who is also missing you terribly,
Laetitia Adrienne
((Whoah! There are people writing on this thread! I’m absolutely not being sarcastic, I’m genuinely surprised.))
((On a different note, Juliette is currently hiding out at her godfather’s house. Her father will pretend that she is sick for a while and then dies (and no one sees the body at the funeral, of course) because it’s the tidiest thing to do and she was going to embarrass the family anyway. Can a letter she sends to her sister get mixed up in the mail and sent to someone?))
Does anyone else think that the fact that I’m half-British influences the way I write/style in which I write in? My friends, whenever they read my writing, seem to think that my stories sound ‘so English’ even if it’s supposed to be set in a country other than the UK. I was just wondering if there was any noticeable difference on here, for example, a (half) British person writing as compared to an American/[insert nationality here] writing.
March 10, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dear Laetitia,
Of course, it is quite all right for you to call me Samantha! I am not so formal as my parents, forward as they may seem.
How do I find you? Surely a young girl about your age his much to do in preparation for the spring season! I myself have had a fervent desire to “tidy up”, at term that my handmaid Eliza so endearingly overuses at about this turn of the season. But Father has hired a bevy of servants since our move to the London countryside, and so there are no more opportunities for me to labor, however much I would like to help.
Father is going to be holding a rather large ball in celebration of my 18th birthday in a few weeks or so. I suppose I had better begin to make accomodations ready for overnight guests. Surely a young woman such as yourself enjoys dances immensely, I presume?
I anxiously await your next letter!
Sincerely,
Samantha Waverly
———————————————————————————————–
March 10, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dearest Ophelia,
I trust your flower-gathering went well? It is perfectly lovely weather outside. I myself wish for nothing more than to go out into the forest to gather lilac stems, for the vast bushes around the property are in bloom, but Father and Mother keep me indoors, calling it ‘perfectly impractical’ to imagine such behavior.
Father has announced that he is planning a ball for my eighteenth birthday. I do hope you can attend, as far as I have knowledge it is in two weeks and will be very grand. I absolutely love parties! I do understand that it may be quite a journey for you to travel from Ivy Place all the way to the Wertherbaum Mansion, but I sincerely hope you can attend!
Hoping that I find you well,
Samantha Waverly
Ivy Place, __shire, England
March 12, 1874
Dear Samantha,
I found a number of blooms, but lacked the heart to pick them, for they had not opened fully.
I would be thrilled to attend your ball! I believe it will be possible.
Have you ever heard of the river that runs through the university and some nearby towns on its way to the sea? Many of the students keep boats and use it for inexpensive transport. Horatio–I believe I have mentioned him to you–is one of these students and today he invited me to take a short row. This is not the first time we have done that, but today, for the first time, it went badly. You see, I fell out. I shall spare you the details, but I moved too suddenly, too close to the edge. I am a decent swimmer, but of course I was not wearing suitable clothing to be taking a swim, so I had to be pulled out. I was laughing, but poor Horatio got a scolding from my father (not because I fell in, but because he had not asked Father’s permission to have me in the boat). Still, it is not so bad. Horatio still has permission to spend time with me. Also, while in the water, I lost a hat that I dislike wearing, though it is the height of fashion.
Oh…Mrs.Tuttlefinch has come to call. I must go and be cordial.
Your friend,
Ophelia
March the 14th, 1874 (Looks like I’ve gone back in time!…see post 167…)
Dear Samantha,
I do have a few things I need to prepare, especially since spring is coming so soon, but Father says I do not need to have my official Season yet as I only turn 16 in May. Perhaps next year I shall stay in London for my Season, but for now, I am still 15 and living here. Here, as it were, has been in an extreme state of messiness ever since the moved, and from time to time I assist the servants in the unpacking and dismantling of our many boxes, and of course I prefer to arrange my own belongings in my rooms.
Assuredly, I enjoy dances and balls very much, though I have not attended one in a long time, the last one being held in France. It shall be interesting to see how English balls differ from French ones, or if they don’t at all! I have asked Father and he says that he shall be needing to go down to London in a few weeks time anyway, and it would be quite possible for me to go with him and attend your ball in the meanwhile. [I am invited…right?] I would be delighted to attend, and congratulations on (almost) reaching that desirable age!
Yours most sincerely,
Laetitia Adrienne
((Yes, Laetitia’s invited! :D))
OK, thanks! I wasn’t sure…that part wasn’t very clear in your letter, but I took a risk and assumed that she was anyway. Laetitia’ll be going, anyway.
I’m sorry! And yay.
Cake, I wrote out a post and then my computer did something and I lost it. At least I didn’t also lose the letter I’m writing. *knocks on wood*
Anyway, recreating it…
Aggie, I would love to be Samantha’s friend. Thinking about that brought up the problem that I was just in London, but left without, apparently, writing to or calling on Samantha. Which doesn’t really work. Or if we started after I got home, there would be the question of why the letters to you were omitted earlier, but I am now shown writing to you.
I think I might actually decide that I didn’t go home from London after all. Nothing good comes from it, except for a plot twist. But that same plot twist will work just as well later.
And so, I stay. Posts 132 & 134, therefore, are currently out, to be put back in later, when I do get called home.
Besides, I had a reason I was being called home, but then I realized my reason didn’t apply, so…
Also, vanillabean, that sounds great! If it’s okay with you, I’m sure Aella would be glad to correspond with Juliette.
London, England
March 7, 1874
Dear Mother,
I apologize for my most shameful neglect of you. I am well, and somewhat distracted. I have been having such a splendid time that I am afraid writing any letters went clean out of my head. It has been weeks since I last wrote to you. I felt most shameful when I was reminded, and sat down almost instantly.
I plan to write much more often henceforth. If more than three days passes without a letter from me, I beg of you to write and remind me.
I have, as was intimated above, been having the best of times. London has so many thousands of items to interest you, so many acquaintances to make.
I shall write again within the next three days, detailing what I have been doing.
Yours,
Aella C.
_________________________________
London, England
March 7, 1874
Dear Samantha
I find it amazing to realize I have not written to you in some weeks. I am very sorry for my forgetfulness, and I beg that you will forgive me. I came to London nearly three weeks ago, and have not written to inform you yet. I have thought of you many times, but never in places where it was at all acceptable to write a letter. When I first heard I was to come, I thought of you, but it was soon lost in the bustle of packing. Then again while I was on the road, more than once. I have not forgotten you now I am here, either. Every boring party, while I am sitting listening to a highly respectable, perfectly intolerable gentleman or lady ramble on about something I care nothing for, I tell myself I will write to you as soon as I get home. But when I get home, I have forgotten, no matter how hard I told myself to remember. It is quite shocking.
Nevertheless, I am writing to you now. I pray that you will forgive me, and write back soon with a time when we can meet.
Yours,
Aella C.
Sounds great! Next time I get the chance I’ll write back to all of you guys. This is our musical’s premiere weekend, so when i get time I’ll work on it!
Also, can everyone send news of Samantha’s ball to their correspondents? I plan to invite everyone and then have something plot-twisty happen there
Is it all right if Laetitia invites Isabelle and Vertiline? That way more people attend and more are involved in your plot-twistiness. So, when you reply to my letter, maybe you can say that you also want me to write to some other people to invite them as well, so that I have a reason for inviting them and not just because I wanted to, because that would be rude.
Sounds good!
March the 15th, 1874
Dear Isabelle,
Do you remember that I was going to ask Father if you could come up to stay with us for a few days? Well, he has done a most wonderful thing and written to your parents asking just that, without me even knowing, and if you do not already know I am sure you will be most delighted to hear that your parents have accepted the offer! Father will be travelling in London at the start of the Easter holidays, and it has been arranged that he will accompany you back here, where we can spend the rest of the holidays together! The countryside around here is lovely, and we shall be able to go on many walks through the village and surrounding hills. On the second-last day of your break, we can travel together back to London. I have been invited to a ball there, by a Miss Samantha Waverly – have you heard of her? – and she has asked me to invite a few more people to make the atmosphere on the night more enjoyable. Will you be able to come? It won’t matter too much if you do not know anyone, as I barely know Samantha herself and probably none of her other friends or correspondents. I do hope you say yes.
I await your prompt reply, and until we meet again,
Yours most truly,
Laetitia Adrienne
SFTDP, but no one is posting on here! Single-handedly trying to revive a thread is hard work. Help me out here, people!
March the 15th, 1874
Dear Vertiline,
Do you enjoy dancing? I hope you do, as I have been asked by a Miss Samantha Waverly, of London, to a ball coming up in a few weeks time, at the end of our Easter holidays; she also asked me to invite whomsoever I pleased, providing they would be interesting company for the ball she is holding. I do hope that you will agree to this, and if you are interested, we shall travel down to London on the second-last day of the holidays, with my friend Isabelle Martineau, to attend the ball together.
Yours truly,
Laetitia Adrienne
P.S. I have not yet received a reply from you of my previous letter. Did you ever get it? ~L.M.
March 17th, 1874
Dear Laetitia,
Yes, I adore dancing. I suppose dresses and skirts are good for something after all. I would love to accompany you to the ball. Perhaps we shall meet a few gentlemen, no?
Kindest regards,
Vertiline
P.S. No, I did not receive a letter prior to this one. Perhaps it was lost in the mail? ~V.
What post was this “other letter” you speak of?
Post 163, I believe. I’m not sure.
Hmm, okay.
March the 18th, 1874
Dear Vertiline,
That is wonderful to hear. Isabelle will be arriving at the start of the Easter holidays to stay with us, and it would be quite possible for us to walk to your cottage to visit a few times. Then perhaps we can arrange further how we will all travel down to London together. We shall be leaving on the second-last day of the holidays, as I have already mentioned, and will probably return on the day before school starts again. The arrangements have yet to be worked out.
Yours truly,
Laetitia Adrienne
P.S. You did not receive my letter? That is curious. Perhaps it was, indeed, lost in the mail. If I have the time, I shall re-write what I wanted to say, or perhaps I can walk down to the village post-office to check what has happened. ~L.M.
Dear Everyone,
How do I create a character on this thread? I would appreciate some help from everyone. I never usually go very far in RPGs, but they’re still fun. Can someone summarize the story so far?
Yours truly,
???
When you say you never usually go very far in RPGs, what does that mean…? It wouldn’t really help the story/plotline very much if there were to be a character that suddenly appeared and then disappeared later on.
I would advise you to read the whole thread as well as post 142 and the post below (which is an updated version of 142).
Also, using italics and writing in letter form is restricted, on this thread, to letters written by characters that fit with the story. If it is not your character writing a letter, and simply you, please do not use italics and do not write in letter form, as it can be confusing at times.
Here’s an updated version of Cerulean Pyros’ helpful post (142):
Letters, England, 1874 Summary:
The Basics: This is RPW, or Role-Play-Writing, which means that the characters in the story write letters to each other. All the action takes place in, and is related through, these letters.
This particular RPW takes place in England in 1874 (currently March, but that will change.)
The Current Characters:
Cecily-Ann Winfair, age 17, controlled by Alice, for profile see post 14, revised post 44.
Aella Cathor, age 15, controlled by Errata, for profile see post 19.
Natalie Orabel Brytt, age 16, controlled by Fio, for profile see post 21, revised post 48.
Lily Scarborough, age 18, controlled by Cat’s Eye, for profile see post 23.
Juliette Chanceau, age 17, controlled by Vanillabean3.141, for profile see post 24.
Ophelia Throckmorton, age 16, controlled by Cerulean Pyros, for profile see post 35.
Rosalie Mulligan, age 12, controlled by fireandhemlock1996, for profile see post 56.
Isabelle Martineau, age 13, controlled by SilverLeopard, for profile see post 89.
Vertiline Halcyon, age 15, controlled by LittleBasementKitten, for profile see post 143.
Samantha Waverly, age 17, controlled by agrrrfishi, for profile see post 144.
Laetitia Adrienne Moreau, age 15, controlled by Selenium the Quafflebird, for profile see post 154.
A few Non-Player Characters, such as Cecily-Ann’s brother Horatio.
Major Events in The plot:
As the eldest characters (Cecily-Ann, Lily, and Juliette) begin their courting Season, the three meet.
Horatio, Cecily’s older brother, puts her in touch with his friend Ophelia, the daughter of one of his university professors, and they begin a correspondence.
Cecily-Ann confesses to her cousin Aella that she does not love her primary suitor, Mr. Mulling.
Juliette attracts the unwelcome attentions of the odious Mr. Richard Candleburson.
Ophelia’s mother begins to plan her coming-out party, which will take place in October.
Isabelle moves into the boarding house Rosalie’s family owns, and the two strike up a friendship.
A man attempts to assassinate the royal couple, but dies before interrogation can take place. (Though it is not yet known, this event is related to a ring of necromancers.)
Aella visits Cecily-Ann in London.
Ophelia informs Cecily-Ann that Horatio has found himself in trouble with a professor, causing the pair to worry that Horatio will take revenge.
Juliette refuses to wed Mr. Candleburson and flees to her godfather’s house, with the intent to join a nearby nunnery.
Ophelia begins seeing a ghost, who is haunting her.
Aella’s father disappears.
Vertiline starts writing to Lily.
Laetitia moves to England from France and starts writing to various people.
Samantha invites/is in the process of inviting several people, I believe, to a ball that will be held at around the end of the Easter holidays for those who have school.
Advice for getting started:
1) Make a character. Please describe, including name, age, appearance, personality, and important information concerning family, background, and other useful tidbits. The current characters are all female, but males are welcome.
2) Decide who you would like to write to. Notify that person. Agree upon a relationship to share (relatives, friends, have a mutual friend, etc.) Make sure that your character can fit into the story in some way.
3) Begin writing!
When it comes to historical accuracy, you are on your own, but accuracy is appreciated. For example, you shouldn’t use slang that arose after the 19th century, and instead of the title Ms. use Miss or Mlle.
I hope this helps!
~SQ
Dear Samantha,
My mother says to write to you, even though I have no idea who you are. She tells me that you are holding a ball, and that I am invited as I am a member of your family.
It seems, however, that your family counts the most distant relations possible in their ranks! I am, I believe, your mother’s cousin’s grandfather’s wife’s best friend’s sister’s son. I had never heard of you until my mother informed me of the ball.
I will be attending, of course. I have been told the date, and I will be sure to come then. Please describe yourself to me in your reply, since I have never met you.
Yours truly,
Nathaniel
REVIVE! REVIVE! REVIVE! REVIVE! Dear me, where has everyone gone? There’s not really much I can do right now…I’ve written all my letters. I’m just waiting for a RESPONSE now *coughcougheverybodycoughcough* Be nice. I have cookies.
(( Gee whiz, I have so many correspondents now! Better get on that!))
March 24, 1874
Kopeck Lodgings
London, England
Dearest Ophelia,
I do apologize for the delay in my reply. Father decided to take Mother and I for a short outing which become a long stroll, and we were shortly caught in a great storm. We have had to survive in this rather dingy town house until the storm lets up, and I look an absolute fright, having not comber my hair or bathed since I entered from the muck and rain.
I have not heard of the river, but I do hope you are all right. Did you catch cold from your adventure? I love the water, but alas, my parents consider it improper to go bathing outside of our property. I do wish I had friends here to sneak about with and perform shenanigans beneath the noses of my parents. I feel so cooped up in this hovel, it is quite unbearable.
Have you a great amount of freedom in Ivy Place?
Sincerely,
Samantha
——————————————————————————————
March 25, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dear Laetitia,
Of course, I would be simply delighted if you would attend the ball! It is set to take place upon the fifth of April. Have any of your correspondents replied to my request? I would encourage you to give me their names, so that i might send them formal invitations as well.
I assure you, English balls are perfectly lovely. They become the most gossiped-about events of the year in this particular area.
Are French balls quite enjoyable? I admit begrudgingly that I have never left England, but it sounds like a splendid time!
———————————————————————————————
March 25, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dear Sir Nathaniel,
A distant relation, to be sure, for I have never heard your name. But nevertheless, it is a pleasure to hear from you and I do sincerely hope you can attend!
My name is Samantha Marienne Waverly, and I am quite tall and well formed. I have white-blond hair and bluish grey eyes. I enjoy high fashion very much, and hair ribbons are my guilty pleasure.
And yourself?
Sincerely,
Samantha
——————————————————————————————
March 25, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
My Dear Aella,
How I have missed you! Of course, it is perfectly fine that you have had other things happening to you recently. By the same token, I myself have thought of you often, but sadly neglect to pick up my quill and scrawl you something. I miss you terribly being cooped up in this place. You must come over quite soon so that we might have a chat and catch up.
By the by, would you be able to attend the ball celebrating my eighteenth birthday? We are holding it upon the fifth of April, and it would be simply lovely if you might attend!
Anxiously waiting news of you,
Samantha
March the 27th, 1874
Dear Samantha,
It is settled then, I shall attend your ball on the fifth of April. I have invited my friends Isabelle and Vertiline, and I have heard back from Vertiline but not as of yet Isabelle. Their names are Isabelle Martineau and Vertiline Halycon, and I am sure that they both would be delighted to attend your ball. French balls are quite wonderful, yes, but I still do not know how they compare to English ones. Perhaps your ball will enlighten me! I am looking forward to it and I hope that all the arrangements work out so we will be able to travel down to London in time.
Yours truly,
Laetitia Adrienne
I don’t mean to sound impatient, but where is everyone?
I’m here.
Oh good. I’m not alone here then, I guess.
(( I’ve been seeing your posts but I don’t know much about what this thread is like… *scrolls to top* Okay, so it’s a role playing game with letters? In England in 1874? Cool. Can I join? *joins anyway* ))
Okay then, my character will be Elizabeth Chaucet.
I will be sixteen years old.
I live at Belcoeur Manor, in the —–shire, not far from the rest of you.
Um…the rest is as follows. Let me know, Selenium, if I’m screwing up anything.
Dear Ophelia,
I wonder if you remember your dear friend Elizabeth Chaucet. We used to have such fun together when our fathers still owned the law firm together. Then your father inherited a large fortune from a close friend, and your family moved to the —–shire. As I recall, it was nine years ago that your family relocated. Your absence was the beginning of my mother’s prolonged efforts to make me into a proper society lady. I attempt to behave well, but I am known to let slip a thoughtless comment from time to time! And you, I remember you were quite the bother to your nurse. How she hated it when we played together! We were always making mischief, tying all the clean sheets together or fencing with the silverware. I am sure your behavior improved once you were away from my negative influences!
I suppose you are wondering why I am finally contacting you after the aforementioned nine years. I shall reveal it to you. You see, one of my dear friends, Lydia, whom I met at Laura Woodhurst’s grand ball when I was fifteen, is acquainted with another fine lady by the name of Samantha Waverly. She is forever bringing back stories about the outrageous things that Samantha says, it is quite amusing! When Lydia visited Belcoeur three days ago, she happened to mention that Samantha had brought her to a gathering where Lydia had met a charming and singularly handsome young lady by the name of Ophelia. I inquired where this Ophelia lived, and she uncovered the name of your town. I recognized you and made some comment about it. However, the next thing Lydia informed me of was that there was some rumors about your fancies!–Pardon me, I am sure that these are merely half-truths, but it seems that your neighbors think you are in contact with the spirit world and that the dead speak with you at night.
Oh, Ophelia, pray deny this is true. When we were children you would often speak of witches, goblins, and phantoms. I would always tell you to put these fantasies out of your mind–it is unnatural, Ophelia, and I beg you to contact a physician if you are truly seeing apparitions. I ask you, dearly beloved, as an old friend, please tell me you do not see–ghosts, or something of the sort. I would be devastated to see you dragged down to the level of heathen séance leaders or fortune tellers.
I shall give this letter to Lydia, to pass on to you. My address is as follows. Please, my dear Ophelia, reply to this missive soon.
Yes, you can join. It’s too late to say no anyway! (I’m joking. Of course you can join!) That was pretty good, in terms of getting started and establishing a background that relates to another character.
However, we shall have to see how Cerulean Pyros feels about this new character lecturing her character on witches, goblins and phantoms. The whole ‘Ophelia is experimenting with seances’ thing might be part of the plot. That being said, however, this could also be turned into a part of it: a desperate childhood friend watches helplessly as Ophelia sinks deeper and deeper into the ‘heathen’ level.
Anyway, if agrrrfishi (Samantha) agrees, you are probably invited to the ball on April 15th that she is holding at Wetherbaum Mansion, London. That might give you the chance to meet more characters, so you don’t have to devise a background connection for every single person you want to write to.
Also, start your letters with the date, as this makes things easier to keep track of, and gives the person who is replying to you a timeframe in which they can work with. And end with:
Sincerely/Yours truly/Regards/something of the sort,
Elizabeth.
I hope that helped!
Oh. Some of them didn’t have a date so I wasn’t sure…? And I was thinking that Elizabeth could be part of the plot but I will wait to see what Cerulean Pyros thinks. Thanks!
Hi. I would be happy to correspond with Princess_Magnolia. However, I do indeed have issues with the “witches, goblins, and phantoms” bit. I never intended, and do not intend, for Ophelia to be trying to contact the spirit world and worse. Her ghost, you may recall, comes to her, out of loneliness and curiosity–she does not seek him out. I would be extremely uncomfortable with Ophelia going “heathen” as you said and raising the dead and so forth. That is not at all my style, and I have been trying to steer clear of the sub-plot involving evil necromancers that some of the others are talking about. For my character, I’ve been going for a ghost story, not high-society-girl-goes-seriously-bad.
Oh, and Ophelia’s father is an English literature professor, not a lawyer.
All that said, I’m excited by the idea of a childhood friend getting into further adventures with Ophelia!
Might we discuss the backstory and connection of our characters some before going further, please? I have a very clear picture of Ophelia, which I intend to reveal myself over time, and some of your impressions are in direct conflict with mine. I would like to know your thoughts on your character. Thank you!
Well, Elizabeth is not too clear on the exact nature of the ghosts. She’s kind of making presumptions here. Here’s some backstory:
Elizabeth and Ophelia grew up together from when they were babies. They were best friends and intended never to part, but soon her father’s best friend – who had no family – left him a large fortune. The father decided to purchase a larger estate in a town ten miles away, and since Ophelia and Elizabeth were too young to correspond, they lost touch with each other. More later. Have to leave.
Forgot to update.
Anyway, Elizabeth received a fine education from her rich parents, learning many skills and becoming accomplished. She came out at fifteen and since has led a very active, if slightly boring, social life. Her parents are now seeking a husband for her, but Elizabeth is not certain if she wants to marry yet. And…that’s it.
Heeheehee, I got here on the random thread clicker…I am hereby leaving MuseBlog. Goodnight.
*10 lb of choklit*
March 27th, 1874
Dear Laetitea,
I’m delighted that I will be able to come, and am very excited that I’ll see you so soon. Of course, I’ll go with you to the ball, though I’ve never been to one here in England. Have you made any friends or acquaintances where you are, for I’d be delighted to meet some more people here in this country.
Adrien is visiting Mother in Paris at Easter, and I’ll be sure to write to you about the news he brings. Father, unfortunately, cannot have a break at Easter time, for he, along with his assistant, are putting the final touches on a small boat for one of his customers. I haven’t seen him since I got here (i miss him dreadfully), and have only heard from him in his letters to me, and those from Mother.
Looking forward to seeing you,
Isabelle
March the 28th, 1874
Dear Isabelle,
That’s wonderful that you are able to join me for the ball! I have also invited another friend of mine who lives near by, whom I have just met. Her name is Vertiline Halycon, and she has written that she would be interested in attending, but I have yet to write to her with the details of the arrangements for next week. I am sure that you will also meet many new acquaintances of around our age at the ball itself, as shall I, hopefully.
Father will be travelling down to London tomorrow, the 29th, and he shall return on the 1st or 2nd of April. I am thinking that on the day he leaves, he goes around to your residence and accompanies you back here, so we have almost five days together before we need to go to London for the ball. Does that sound all right? During your stay we may be able to travel down to the Scarborough property and visit Vertiline, and quite possibly Lily herself.
I hope that Adrien and the rest of your family are all well, and I would be delighted for any news of him in Paris. I also trust that your father’s business goes well. If there is nothing else to say, then I shall see you at Easter, in four or five days!
Yours most truly,
Laetitia Adrienne
And her name is spelt Laetitia, not Laetitea, by the way. It was probably a typo, though. But just, you know, for reference.
Ivy Place, __shire, England
March 26, 1874
Dear Samantha,
Oh, dear! I do hope that you have reached home safely and are now dry and warm again. Are you quite alright?
No, I fortunately avoided illness from my venture.
I do not know my relative degree of freedom, but I do have far more of it than many girls my age. This is partly because I am an only child, and my parents wished me to have a fine education and have some opportunities which I would otherwise have lacked. Also, from the ages of eight to fifteen, I had a splendid tutor-governess who gave me quite a lot of freedom. However, she moved to the seacoast to wed her sweetheart. Still, the knowledge I gained under her supervision has been most helpful in having other adventures.
Did you hear that the American president’s daughter was married in the White House on the twenty-first? There was quite a spread on it in one of the publications that reaches my home.
Regards,
Ophelia
March the 27th, 2974
Dear Vertiline,
Have you confirmed with your mother yet as to whether you will be allowed to travel to London with us? We shall probably visit the Scarborough property several times during Isabelle’s stay, and if necessary, we can arrange further then. I do hope you can come, as I think the ball will be a wonderful occasion.
Yours truly,
Laetitia Adrienne
SFTDP but 2974 is supposed to be 1874. Typing at 6 am doesn’t do me much good.
Hello?? *pokes repeatedly*
Okay, life has gotten complicated enough that I don’t think I can RP this any more. Either remove my letters from the Archive or, Plan II, have Lily Mysteriously Disappear! (She can turn up dead later, or something.)
Sorry about this, I’ve just been too busy… and you people move so fast!
OK, how’s this: Lily doesn’t turn up to Samantha’s ball, which she has been invited to (I presume), and which she had previously shown her enthusiasm over. Perhaps you could write one last post as Lily to Samantha depicting Lily as being very excited for the ball, and promising that she most definitely will not miss it, etc. etc. Or I could do that for you if you want. Anyway, after she doesn’t turn up at Samantha’s ball, everyone begins a nation-wide (Fine, not nation-wide) hunt for her, eventually finding her dead, which in some way…..connects to the necromancers thingy!
Dear Miss Waverly,
I was most pleased to receive an invitation to your ball very soon! I will most certainly be there– indeed, I would not miss it for the world! I am sure it will be the height of the season, and I do hope that you have invited the most fantastic of people. I already have chosen my dress– it is new, from France, and I am tremendously excited for you and the rest of the guests to see it. This shall be the most fantastic of balls! Nothing shall stop me from attending!
Yours truly,
Lily Scarborough
March 29th, 1874
Dear Laetitia,
My mother thinks that a ball is a wonderful idea. She thinks it will help me become more lady-like. That is very unlikely, though.
Kindest Regards,
Vertiline
March the 30th, 1874
Dear Vertiline,
That is wonderful to hear, that your mother agrees to the ball. I was afraid that she would not be accommodating to the idea of three girls travelling to London together, however, this seems not to be a problem. Isabelle shall arrive in a few days and perhaps we will come down to see you then. I hear that Lily Scarborough is also going to be attending the ball; that should be interesting, should it not?
I do not think that Samantha would mind too much if you are not lady-like enough, as from what I hear she is not too Lily Scarborough-ish herself.
I am looking forward to meeting with you sometime next week when Isabelle arrives, and hope you will reply soon.
Yours most truly,
Laetitia Adrienne
Cerulean, could you reply to Elizabeth if it’s not too much trouble? …Thanks…
((Oh, I’m so sorry I forgot! I will write back to her. However, I’ve been thinking about it, and I decided that I can’t reasonably combine your ideas and mine for Ophelia’s past, present, and future. No offense intended, but I’d rather go with my own thoughts for her. So, would you be willing for Elizabeth to be the one to have moved?))
Sure. If you don’t mind, could you have Ophelia reassure her that she is not getting into that situation, and then Elizabeth could realize that she misunderstood? I actually was intending for her to be misunderstanding the situation a little…through the various distortions of the story, and all. Let’s just make them friends again for now, and then we’ll see what happens after that, is that okay?
197.1.1 (Princess Magnolia): Thank you! Sure, I’ll do that.
Ivy Place, ___shire, England
March 28, 1874
Dear Elizabeth,
Oh, Elizabeth! You cannot imagine how pleased I am to hear from you after all this time. I had just returned from making a most unpleasant call and seeing your name on the envelope brightened me up considerably.
I doubt that my behavior has improved, though. If anything, it may have gotten worse–or perhaps it is just that my recklessness causes more tongues to waggle now that I am older.
I believe I remember Lydia. I am surprised that I made an impression on her, but I am glad, since it caused you to hear of me.
I do not understand what on earth caused the rumors you speak of to circulate, unless some mean-spirited individual is trying to do something hurtful to me or my family. You are very concerned, I see. Do not fret. I am in fine mental health and I assure you that I am not “in contact with the spirit world.” I will say, because I do not wish to lie, that I think there is at least one ghost at our home. That is not at all surprising to me, the house being so old. I have done nothing to even encourage this ghost and I certainly am not responsible for his visiting this world. I have no interest in seances or anything of the sort.
I fear you may shun me for saying that I have seen a ghost, but surely I am not the only one you know who has!
I recall speaking of the things you mentioned, but only in conjunction with fairy tales. Perhaps I did not think to make their fictional nature clear at the time–I am told I had a tendency to do that when I was younger. I apologize for any misunderstandings.
On another subject altogether, is your life going well? Would you be able and willing to come to my home sometime soon so that we might take tea together?
Fond regards,
Ophelia
March the 29th, 1874
Dear Isabelle,
I am writing this in a rush, and my handwriting may not be its best as I just had to tell you that Father has left for London! He travelled down to the station about an hour ago, and will be staying in London for a few days until you are on your school holidays. I do not know if this letter shall you reach you before Father does, but one can but hope, and as soon as I have finished hastily scribbling, I shall persuade Mother to let me cycle down to the village to post this letter to you!
Yours,
Laetitia Adrienne
Belcouer Manor, —–shire, England
31 March, 1874
Dearest Ophelia,
Your latest missive has comforted me greatly. I must say that I am quite relieved to discover that the rumors that I have heard are entirely untrue. Tea at your home seems like a pleasant scheme, I shall be most pleased to view your house. I am sure it is lovely. I have no engagements on the sixth of April, is that a convenient time for you? I look forward to our reacquaintance –
Yours truly, &c.
Elizabeth Chaucet
To Elizabeth (Princess_Magnolia.)
Ivy Place, ___shire, England
April 2, 1874
Dear Elizabeth,
Ah, I am glad. The sixth of April is quite excellent timing. I shall see you then. Please come at three of the clock–in the afternoon, of course!
The roses are in bloom, so the house looks lovely. The gardener, Mr. Whistlethwaite, is very excited, because a certain variety he planted a few years ago has finally bloomed. The name escapes me, but it is a beautiful colour: exactly that of a ripe peach. I am glad you shall see it.
A most curious thing has occurred: yesterday morning, just as university classes were getting out for luncheon, a terrible shriek ripped through the air. It was soon realized that the sound came from–this is extraordinary–a peacock. Nobody knows how it got here, or whom should be contacted about it, but I’m sure inquiries are being made. The bird is of brilliant colour and not very shy. It will not let people touch it, but one can get fairly close. I do hope it remains for a bit.
Looking forward to seeing you,
Ophelia
To Samantha (Agrrrfishi.)
Ivy Place,
April 2, 1874,
Dear Samantha,
Oh, what a lovely ball that was your family gave the other evening! Holding it in the garden was a novel and splendid thought. The lanterns looked ethereal, the musicians were very talented, and the food was divine. Where did you get your dress? It was very pretty; I do hope it was comfortable. Who was that lady with the pearls in her hair? She looked very familiar, but I failed to place her, even after having a brief conversation.
I was delighted to see you yesterday, admiring our avian visitor. The peacock is extraordinary, is it not? To whom do you think it belongs and how do you imagine it got here? The story I have made up is rather long, involving intrepid explorers and India and the Royal Zoological Society. It also involves a boat trip up the Ganges and a missionary’s daughter. It is the stuff of penny dreadfuls, but I rather hope that I am not too far off. If it turns out to simply be a joke or a lost, if somewhat unusual, pet, I shall be bitterly disappointed.
I slipped into the kitchen this morning and Regina and I made scones while she told me about a ship that wrecked near her home when she was a little girl. I am rather intrigued now. She said that all this happened in Jamaica. Regina’s parents are Irish and apparently they have a sugar-cane farm there. I knew none of this, though we are close, so now I am wondering about the lives of other people whom I do not know so well. My mind is going off in such odd directions that perhaps I had better write them down and maybe become a novelist. Under a false name, of course. How does Theodore Weston Enderby sound?
Fond regards,
Ophelia
Belcouer Manor, —-shire, England
5 April, 1874
Dear Ophelia,
Wonderful! Our plans are set. I am looking forward greatly to our reconaissance. That is quite amusing about the peacock, I should like to see it. As you may remember, I love exotic animals. I have nearly persuaded Father to begin a small collection of exotic creatures in our garden. I hope he will succumb to this idea soon! I would so like to be able to admire these lovely beasts all day! Seeing them in books is not quite the same–
I must dash off now, the maid is calling me, I must get dressed for the Hatfields’ ball tonight–
I am, sincerely yours, &c.
Elizabeth Chaucet
April 5th, 1874
Dear Rosa,
My first actual letter to you! I have been having a wonderful time with Laetitia, and have made numerous acquaintances. Are you enjoying your holiday? I certainly hope so.
The ball at Miss Samantha Waverly’s house is coming up, and I am a bit nervous, though very excited. I have the most wonderful dress, sky blue and satiny. I am looking forward to the occasion, and will provide you with details. I have never been to an English ball, though I have been to the occasional French one.
Oh, how I will miss England when I leave to go back to France! I am struck with how much I have grown to like this country in my few months here. Maybe I will end up staying here forever.
Yours truly,
Isabelle
April the 5th, 1874
Dear Vertiline,
Isabelle has arrived! She came yesterday from London and is now with me here. We are thinking of coming to visit you the day after tomorrow, would that be all right?
Yours sincerely,
Laetitia Adrienne
(( So Cerulean Pyros, the last time I wrote to Ophelia was on the 5th, so by the time you reply the get-together would have taken place already, right? ))
((agrrrfishi, when were you planning on having the ball? I know it was early April, but did you have an exact date in mind? I’m thinking after the ball I can write to someone who didn’t attend and explain what happened, thereby showing the details of the ball, including the disappearance of Lily.))
((Dear everyone, especially Agrrrfishi: I’m confused. Samantha’s ball was originally supposed to be on the twenty-fourth of March. Then, when we forgot about it, it was pushed to a few days later. Therefore, I mentioned it in my last post. Now the ball’s in early April. Has it occurred, and if so, when? Has it not yet occurred, and if that is the case, when will it?
205 (Princess_Magnolia): Yep.))
Ivy Place, ___shire, England
April 7, 1874
Dear Elizabeth,
I am so glad we were able to convene yesterday! Does Ivy Place match your memories? Do I?
The peacock remains, although I last saw it when you did. I am told that several zoos have been written to about the bird. I find it rather odd that if someone lost it, he or she has made no effective effort to find it–at least in this area. One would think that news would have reached the proper personages by now. I wonder how far it is able to fly? Perhaps it came here of its own accord.
I am very excited right now. Do you remember my dear Aunt Theodosia who lives in Penzance? She is coming to visit us for a few weeks later this month. She wrote me and we have made plans to go to London at least one of the days she is here. Would you care to come along?
There is a fellow nearby, a young man studying law, who has made a transportation device unlike anything I would have ever dreamed up. The contraption only has one wheel–indeed, this wheel is the main part of the structure–and the seat is positioned inside it. He managed to make it such that the seat moves so that the passenger does not roll with the wheel. The machine works brilliantly, until it falls over.
Oh! It seems that Nathaniel is going on an errand near the post office right now. I shall send this along with him.
Regards,
Ophelia
(( HA. Muse reference, I believe, with the one-wheeled thing? Brilliant.
Also, I have a question about the peacock. Did you just stick it in there randomly, or is it part of the plot? I’m a bit confused about it. ))
I’m confused as well. I had originally thought that the ball was to be in early April, that’s why Isabelle’s visit is at the beginning of April so at the end of her stay they can all go back to London together for the ball. I don’t know about whether it has occurred or not, perhaps agrrrfishi should write a letter to everyone with details of the event, sort of like a formal invitation.
Agrrrfishi! Could you click on this post in the recent comments bar, please? Much appreciated.
208 (Selenium the Quafflebird): In post #173 (March 10th, 1874), Samantha said that a ball would be held for her eighteenth birthday “in two weeks’ time”. That puts the ball on (or around) the twenty-fourth of March. The twenty-fourth came and went without a ball, so it was pushed ahead a few days. That’s why I mentioned it in post #201 (April 2, 1874), as having been “the other evening”. The next I knew of it was in post #203 (April 5, 1874) by SilverLeopard/Isabelle as being “in a few days”. Sooo. I think Agrrrfishi should decide whether the ball has already occurred or will be occurring soon, and when. Aggie? Aggie! Help!
207.1 (Princess_Magnolia): Yes, indeed! Good catch.
I’m not sure what you mean about the peacock being part of the plot. I stuck it in randomly in my letters in post #201. Given that it’s been talked about, and will be again, then yes, it’s part of the plot right now. I have no idea whether or not it will be important in the long run.
Hm, I think I’ll make it a voodoo witch doctor in disguise or something.
Just kidding. But I think it should be important to the plot. I’ll try to think of something.
A peacock voodoo witch doctor? :shock:/ How did you come up with that?
I was thinking that it belonged to a circus troupe or something… *Ponders* Or, that it had been stolen from a zoo…
I’ll probably go with the thievery, or an eccentric collector (or theft by an eccentric collector), but I’m open to suggestions.
I like the theft by an eccentric collecter idea. ( I just spelled “collector with an E. Fail. ) Okay, and here’s my reply to your latest letter.
April 10, 1874
Dear Ophelia,
It was lovely to see you again. You are certainly the picture of good health, and I am glad to see it is so. Your garden is absolutely beautiful. I should love to capture it with watercolor sometime. The lilies are especially nice. (( Sorry if this isn’t accurate. ))
Thank you for the invitation to London. I would be very glad to accompany you there. I also have a close acquaintance there, a Mr. Wilson. I have not seen him since a long time. Would you be so accommodating as to call on him with me, for a mere quarter of an hour, perhaps?
That wheeled contraption sounds interesting, though fearful. I am sure I shall never try anything of the sort.
Springtime has come to Belcouer Manor. I love to watch the butterflies. Do not you wish that sometimes people had wings?
I am, most sincerely yours, &c.
Elizabeth Chaucet
Oh. For some reason I thought it was at the beginning of April…but I guess it’s up to Aggie. I think Lily’s going to be discovered missing at the time, so it’s important to know if it’s happened or not. Then we can all write to other people explaining what happened.
Agrrfishi? If you are reading this…when did the ball happen/when is it supposed to happen? Thanks.
Oh, gee! I’m so, so sorry everyone!
I was planning to have the ball have passed once we had begun writing our letters again, since a ball can’t really ‘occur’ through letters, unless of course we were passing notes. I think it would be best just to say that the ball already happened, and refer in later letters as though it already did happen.
Did anybody have any ideas as to something controversial happening at the ball?
Lily Scarborough goes missing, since Cat’s Eye doesn’t think it’s possible to RP Lily any more.
I’m really sorry, but I just haven’t been feeling excited about this RP recently. I’ll try to get back in, but I can’t promise I’ll succeed too well.
When I have time over the weekend I’ll try to post a letter with information about the ball and Lily going missing. Do you want her to turn up dead?
London, England
April 7, 1874
Dear Samantha,
I am so thankful you invited me to the ball. It was delightful to see you again, after so long, and the ball was simply marvelous.
I do hope Miss Lilly Scarborough is well, though. It was strange that she was not there, particularly after you mentioned she was so excited about the ball. I was at first inclined to attribute it to a severe cold, but with all the gossip flying around, I cannot tell what to believe now. It seems almost likely that she was kidnapped, especially when writing by candlelight, as I am now.
Cecilly asks me to tell you how very thankful she was included in the invitation to the ball, though you had no prior connection to her at all. She says it was a splendid ball, and she greatly enjoyed it.
I must wrap up now, it is getting late and I still must write to Mother.
Sincerely,
Aella C.
___________
London, England
April 7, 1874
Dear Mother,
I am sorry, my recent letters have been alarmingly short, though I believe I have not missed a single one, one every three days. But they cannot have been very interesting, and I do hope to make amends for this now.
I told you, I believe, about the ball Samantha Waverly invited Cecilly and me to? I forgot to ask, you do remember Samantha, do you not? She lived near us for many years, and was my dear friend most of that time.
Her ball was marvelous. I met some extremely interesting young ladies there, and of course it was delightful to see Samantha again, after so long. One young lady, Lilly Scarborough, was not, however, there, though Samantha informed me that the very same young lady had written just a few days before to tell Samantha of her acceptance of the invitation, and her extreme desire to come. I’m somewhat worried now, though still inclined to simply assume she had a bad cold.
You’d think she’d write another letter if she could not come, and as far as I know, Samantha has received nothing of the sort.
Well, I’m sure the mystery will resolve itself in time. For now, I must go. We are all well here, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, and I hope the same can be said for you, Father, and Aunt.
Your loving daughter,
Aella C.
Oh, I forgot to mention; Since just about all of the characters were at the ball, I thought it a good place to find more correspondence. Anybody interested in writing to me?
Yeah. I’m new on this thread, so would it be okay if you turned out to be a prior acquaintance of mine?
April 8th, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dearest Aella,
I am so very pleased that both you and Cecilly enjoyed the ball! It was an immense pleasure having both of you in attendance, and to see you both again after such a long while.
I am, however, extremely worried about Miss Scarborough. I received no news of her staying home, and believe that she may be in trouble. One of my maids claims that she saw a darkly clad figure skulking about the grounds near the beginning of the ball. I do hope that Lilly was not hurt or even…dare I say, abducted… on the grounds, or anywhere for that matter. I do believe I shall write a letter to her home, and if she has not returned safely I will request that my stepfather conduct an immediate search of the grounds and the nearby area. Perhaps I shall even do this immediately. I am worried sick.
At any rate, I do hope I find you well.
Fond regards,
Samantha
———————————————————————————————–
April 8, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dear Ophelia,
I am so very pleased that you enjoyed the ball! Indeed, the garden looked very lovely, I was immensely pleased with the way in which the
decorator set the scene. I am also quite happy that you liked my gown! My stepfather purchased the satin and silk from a Russian trade who just happened to be traveling about Wales pulling a buggy simply filled with piled upon piles of rare jewels and elegant fabric. In any respectable situation i am sure that my father would not have purchased goods from such an unsavory character, but the color was simply exquisite and I am immensely glad that he did. Your dress was simply lovely as well, from where did you purchase it? Surely there is not such a magnificent seamstress in England that could make so lovely a dress as yours.
The women with the pearls in her hair was a one Madame Louise Rochette of Port de Cherbourg, France. She has lived around London for quite a while now, however. I do believe that she once visited Ivy Place. She praises it so highly, I do suppose your home must have flawless architecture for she never compliments anyplace else so fervently.
I also believe that your writing novels would be a splendid idea! You have such an active imagination that it would be quite a shame not to put it to use. I must admit, I giggled when I read your pen name. It seems perfect, and I am quite envious that I did not suggest it myself! I do declare, you should write about the peacock. Your story seems as though it would be a marvelous source of entertainment for, to be truthful, I do not know myself from whence it came.
On a side note, I believe that I am becoming infatuated with one of our footmen. The male species is a strange one, and i am constantly falling in and out of ‘love’ with people I have scarcely met. It is exceptionally obnoxious, especially for those who are subjects of my incessant and bumbling chatter. Why must men be so alluring, and yet so mysterious?
By the by, do you happen to know where Miss Lilly Scarborough might be? I invited her to my ball and, having not seen her there, I am worried that she may have gotten lost or be in some sort of danger. Did you happen to see or meet someone like her?
Hoping you are well,
Samantha
212 (Agrrrfishi): It’s all right!
215.1 (Errata): I’ll write you, if you’d like! Aella is cousin to both Cecily-Ann and Horatio, correct? Given that Ophelia knows Horatio and corresponds with Cecily-Ann, I’ll probably bring them up from time-to-time.
To Princess_Magnolia/Elizabeth:
Ivy Place, __shire, England
April 12, 1874
Dear Elizabeth,
I also adore the garden. You are certainly welcome to paint it.
Oh, I am glad you shall be coming to London! It is possible that others may join the party. I shall keep you up-to-date. I know of no reason that you would be unable to visit your friend. I shall likely be wanting to call upon a friend of mine, Miss Cecily-Ann Winfair, while we are there.
The contraption is…unpredictable, to say the least. I do not believe I shall be trying it either. If it were easier to control, well, that would be a different matter.
I certainly do wish I had wings. It would be so convenient and thrilling. I wonder–would bird-like wings or butterfly-like wings be better? What do you think?
Your friend,
Ophelia
To Agrrrfishi/Samantha:
Ivy Place, __shire, England
April 11, 1874
Dear Samantha,
Might you be willing to share the name of your enviable decorator? Oh, the Russian trader sounds fascinating! I have written him down in a notebook I have begun for the purpose of inventing characters. If I cannot actually have an adventure and meet him, I shall do so vicariously. As for my dress–well, quite honestly, it came from a tiny shop on the corner of Fish Road and Blue Boar Street. Truly! Look for a sign shaped like a thistle. The young lady who owns it is fine enough to have a successful shop in London, I think, but I suppose she needs to get established first.
Madame Rochette? The name seems incredibly familiar. Ah! I have it! She came to my cousin Cassandra’s wedding three years ago–the reception was at Ivy Place, because it is an old family home. I think she knew the groom’s family.
I shall inform you when Theodore Weston Enderby has “his” first novel published. It is in the works. It does involve the peacock. The Russian trader may be in it, or he may have to wait for a second book. It will depend upon how plausible his appearance would be.
Good luck with the footman. I have no idea why men are the way they are. I suspect that they may wonder the same things about us.
I think I may have met Lily Scarborough before, and I have heard her name, but I do not actually know her. I have not a clue about her location. I do hope she is alright. Have you written to her family about it?
Your friend,
Ophelia
P.S. My Aunt Theodosia, my friend Elizabeth Chaucet, and I shall be going to London–probably by rail–for a day later this month. Might you like to join us? We will probably call upon a friend of Elizabeth’s, call upon a friend of mine, do some shopping and sight-seeing, and have lunch somewhere. We have not picked a date yet, but please let me know your intention soon.
April 13, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dear Ophelia,
I should be quite pleased to accompany you and your acquaintances to London! Father is delighted with the idea. I believe he fancies that I might give you a tour of the mansion. Perhaps if there is time left over we may be able to do just that! I would delight in showing you about London, however. It is a perfectly marvelous place for sightseeing. I also do believe I met Elizabeth at my ball? You both seemed quite close, so I am delighted to be able to further get to know her.
The decorator is, in fact, an estranged nephew from my mother’s side. His name is Harland Waverly, and owns his own independent flower shop downriver. I am perfectly sure he would be pleased to make a trip to Ivy Place– if you like, I should to write him a letter and send him to you at once.
I shall await ‘his’ first book with great anticipation! It seems it would be a perfectly lovely thing to read on a rainy day when I cannot go out to the edge of the forest, or down into town to buy sewing material. Dear me, I need to get out more.
As to the matter of Lily, I have written her family a letter in hopes that they have her safe and sound at their home. I have also asked father to inform the police of her disappearance. I would look for her myself if mother were not so picky about my health. A rather strange chill has come over the land, and she wishes me not to travel outside for a few days lest I catch my death of cold. This makes me all the more worried about Lily.
Maybe she ran off and boarded a ship to America…I have heard of many young men and women doing such these days, although i have not the faintest idea why she would wish to leave England. My, this is a dilemma.
I do believe I shall visit that dress shop as soon as I can call a carriage. After all, Mother and Father are out to tea, so what they don’t know can’t possibly hurt them.
Cheerio!
Quite sincerely,
Samantha
(( Correct me if this is wrong, I’m going to jump in on the Lily story. ))
Dear Ophelia,
Samantha Waverly’s ball was capital, was it not? I wish I could have spoken to you for more than a few moments; my attention was chiefly occupied by Sir William Fairweather. He is quite disagreeable, but I could not find a way to break away from the conversation in a civil manner. I should much rather have spoken to someone else. However, I did find a way to dance a few dances with the charming Samuel Darling. Did you hear of the mysterious disappearance of Lily Scarborough? You must have, I believe everyone who attended the ball is quite worried. Indeed, I read this in the newspaper this morning:
YOUNG LADY MISSING IN THE —–SHIRE
After the ball held at the home of the Waverlys, it was discovered that a young woman by the name of Lily Scarborough has gone missing. Many of her friends were made suspicious after she had made no appearance at the gathering. However, it has been revealed that Miss Scarborough left her family home in a carriage one hour before the ball began, in order not to be late. The elder Scarboroughs appear to have believed that Miss Scarborough had been invited to stay over-night by Miss Samantha Waverly. This was discovered not to be the case when a police report was filed by Mr. Waverly. Detectives are currently searching for Lily Scarborough. Anyone with information pertaining to the disappearance should write to this newspaper or report it to their local police station.
It is odd, is it not? I wonder what could have happened to her. Perhaps I shall go and call for her around the Waverly residence. Until then, I am sure that the rumors will become wilder and wilder and we shall not know what to believe. I am praying that Miss Scarborough is safe.
Yours, most sincerely, &c.
Elizabeth Chaucet
What is going to happen to Miss Scarborough? Is she going to be found dead? Or perhaps something less dramatic?
Well, as Cat’s Eye can’t RP her, I think she should be dead. Anyone else?
I agree, that would certainly help create an interesting plotline. We could try to solve the mystery of who did it!
((220 (Selenium the Quafflebird): Well, though I’m reluctant to have that happen to anybody’s character, I know that Cat’s Eye has decided that she needs to leave this role-play. So, I’m okay with it if Cat’s Eye is.))
218 (Agrrrfishi):
Ivy Place, __shire, England
April 15, 1874
Dear Samantha,
Oh, splendid! We shall have a lovely time, I am sure. I, for one, would appreciate your expertise on London. My trips there have not left with me a usable mental map of the city, nor even all the names of all the places I have been. I would not surprised if you had met Elizabeth. She and I are childhood friends, recently re-acquainted.
We do not require your talented cousin’s services straightaway, but I have written his name down for future reference. Thank you for that information!
I am also concerned about Miss Scarborough. I have asked a few trusted individuals if they know her. None did, but all promised to make some inquiries and keep an eye out. Many of them have plenty of freedom to do some looking, so I hope at least one of them has success. I have also written off some inquiries. I just received one reply, from the local police department. I shall not copy it out, for it was rather insulting, suggesting all manner of reasons she might not have been seen. As though none of them had occurred to me already! You do not think she eloped, do you?
How did your outing go? Did you find the shop with success?
Your friend,
Ophelia
219 (Princess_Magnolia):
Ivy Place, __shire, England
April 15, 1874
Dear Samantha,
Oh, yes, the ball was wonderful! I shall avoid Sir Fairweather. Young Mr. Darling is very nice, I agree! I am glad you enjoyed his company.
Miss Waverly, by the way, will be joining us on our trip to London! She is very knowledgeable about the city, having lived there for part of her childhood. I am glad of that. Aunt Theodosia says that she herself knows the city well, but if called upon to provide specific information, she is uncertain that she will be helpful. I am hopeless at navigating the place. All I really know is how to read a map and follow directions, but that lets people know that one is a visitor, which makes it easier for them to take advantage of one.
I certainly did hear of Miss Scarborough’s disappearance. Thank you for the newspaper clipping. I hope it brings in helpful information, although I do note that it referred to Mr. Wertherbaum as Mr.Waverly! It is an understandable error, though. Have you heard anything new?
Your friend,
Ophelia
(( Wait, I’m confused. What’s Samantha’s father’s name? And yes, my character does know Samantha. I’ll reply to your letter later, when I’m not too lazy. ))
((Her stepfather is Lord Wertherbaum [see post 144], but her real last name is Waverly, which is the one she uses.))
Got it, thanks, and nice avatar.
((Why thank you ^.^ ))
((I’ll have some clues leading up to her demise. How did we want her to die? *feels weird for asking*
I also have a picture I drew of Samantha in her ball gown, I’ll send it in soon.))
April 17, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dear Ophelia,
I found the shop quite quickly, in fact! The seamstress is a perfectly lovely young woman, and she has set right to making me a gown with a lovely lavender silk that Mother had hidden away in the pantry and gave to me as a birthday present.
But I can hardly concentrate on the dress now. So much has happened at the mansion recently that I have been aching to tell someone. The police have been searching the grounds and the forest nearby for days now, but have still found nary a trace of Miss Lily. We did, however, find something that may belong to her. A sniffer dog discovered a small scrap of cloth that appears to have come from the hem of a dress. The officers brought the Scarborough family down to the mansion yesterday to identify if it came from Lily’s dress. They look simply dreadful, unkempt and worried sick. I feel absolutely awful. Our whole family also feels as though it is under a rather enormous spyglass. We have all become suspects to crime, because now they believe we should be searching for a body instead of Lily herself. I wonder who could have hurt her, if anyone? I must keep hoping that she has run away, or eloped, and has not found herself in any sort of trouble. I fear that this will never end.
I do hope the letter you received from the police was not quite so insulting! I should be properly embarrassed. Thank you so very much for all that you have done.
I do wish I could be with you at Ivy Place. Are the flowers blooming there? Our are poking their heads out of the ground, but nowadays, it is raining constantly and seems as though the sun will never break through the clouds.
Hoping for your next letter,
Samantha
((Picture sent! Do the GAPAs still check the @musefanpage email address? I seem to recall that you had a Gmail but I can’t remember what it was…))
agrrrfishi: Yes, we check the musefanpage.com e-mail address and various variants of it. The new e-mail address for pictures is thegapas at gmail.com, but we’ll still get it if you send it the other way.
The only likely-sounding e-mail address that we don’t check very often is webmaster at musefanpage.com, which attracts incredible quantities of spam.
In response to whether Lily should die: Yay! Plot twists!
I was never going to get much characterization done on her anyway, and what with life I haven’t had time to check this RPW, so kill her off in any way you feel like.
April 18, 1874
Belcouer Manor
—–shire, England
Dear Ophelia,
I am glad to hear that Miss Waverly will be accompanying us on the trip. She is a delightful girl and I am pleased to have the prospect of spending time with her. In fact, I must write her a thank-you note for her ball, as soon as I finish writing to you. I am shamefully late, I know.
Yesterday I spent some time searching the woods around Wertherbaum Mansion for Lily Scarborough. The police were there, and many neighbors were also participating in the search. I found nothing, but by the end of the day, a small scrap of her dress had been found. I overheard a police man say that they no longer expect to find Miss Scarborough alive. I pray it is not so. What a horrifying prospect – I can scarcely think of it. Dear God, let Lily be alive.
Now you shall think me silly, but I have shaken myself into fright – I must take leave from this letter,
Yours most sincerely, &c.,
Elizabeth Chaucet
April 18, 1874
Belcouer Manor
—-shire, England
Dear Samantha,
Thank you ever so for a delightful evening. I had a lovely time, the memory of which has not been eclipsed by the recent tragedy. Please do not listen to any nasty rumors that may be circling about you and your family. Only the truly low will believe them. I offer my condolences and prayers.
I am, yours truly, &c.
Elizabeth Chaucet
Samantha’s ball gown (from Agrrrfishi):
222 (Agrrrfishi):
Ivy Place, __shire, England
April 19, 1874
Dear Samantha,
I am glad you found it easily! She is a lovely young woman.
I do not see how any suspicion could be cast upon your family! That is illogical, I think. I do hope that a body is not, in fact, what must be found. I have great sympathy for the Scarboroughs.
Some rather interesting things have happened here, by the way. Two police officers stopped by Ivy Place late yesterday afternoon and asked to look around a bit, saying that they were following a lead. They found, in the woods behind the laundry, a still-shiny locket with a photo inside it. They took it to ask the Scarboroughs to identify, as none of our household recognized it. If it belonged to Lily, that means she ended up further from her home–and yours–than I had expected.
I fear my own efforts have not been adequate, but I hope they are at least a bit helpful.
Ivy Place is in partial bloom. It is really quite beautiful. I have been given permission to invite you to stay here for a few days, to escape those who are scrutinizing your family. Would you like to come?
Awaiting your reply,
Ophelia
223 (Cat’s Eye): *Laughs* All right, then!
224 (Princess_Magnolia):
Ivy Place, __shire, England
April 20, 1874
Dear Elizabeth,
I hope we shall have fun on our trip. I fear that a dark shadow will cast over it if Lily’s disappearance is not resolved by then.
The police searched here, too. They found a locket that probably belongs to Lily–I think it does.
You are not silly at all. I have the same fears. I am terribly frightened. At this point, I doubt that she purposefully left. Yet, who would wish her ill and why? What has happened to her? These questions must be resolved soon, or we shall live in this fearful madness indefinitely. Nobody trusts each other fully anymore and gossip and rumors abound. Oh, it is awful. I keep expecting to hear that someone I know has been accused. The Wertherbaums and Samantha have already fallen under suspicion, which is ridiculous. Is your family safe?
With worry,
Ophelia
225 (Rebecca Lasley): Oooh, pretty!
April the 21st, 1874
Dear Vertiline,
I know you have already returned to _____shire, but I shall keep you informed of what is happening here. You were here, were you not, when the discovered Miss Lily Scarborough to be missing? The heiress has not be found and everyone is desperately searching. I myself have taken part in several searches of the house and grounds. The policemen are working very hard and are asking every single person at the ball when we last saw her. For my part, I last saw her in the ballroom, dancing with an unknown gentleman, before hurriedly leaving the room to go into the garden. I do not know if this shall help the police or not, but they have bade me to ask you when you last saw her.
I hope all is well with your family, and if you see them, give all my love to my parents.
Sincerely,
Laetitia Adrienne
Wait wait wait, confused. I thought she just didn’t show up to the ball? Nevermind, I guess.
April 19, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dear Elizabeth,
I am so very pleased that you enjoyed the ball, and glad that the terrible disappearance of Miss Lily has not dimmed your happy memories. I also thank you so much for your sympathies, and my family thanks you. For now we can only hope for the best, that Lily might show up alive.
I do hope the situation has not deeply affected your life. Have there been searches nearby your house?
Sincerely,
Samantha
April 21, 1874
Wertherbaum Mansion
London, England
Dear Ophelia,
Thank you so very much for your generous offer. I am sure Father would be quite pleased with the idea of me spending a few days away from home. Things are moving very quickly here. There has been less commotion around our home, for I see that the clues are leading them elsewhere…to you, in fact!
That locket is an amazing discovery! I wonder, could Lily have run in your direction? It seems an awfully long way to go on foot, especially in a gown. Maybe she was trying to escape someone…a pursuer? This is very interesting. Perhaps on my trip to ivy Place we could do some further investigation!
I cannot thank you enough. It has been raining here for three days in a row, and I have been trapped indoors, watching the rain fall for equally as much time. Father says that he will call a carriage for me as soon as is possible. Indeed, he and mother are planning to take a small outing to my aunt’s home while things are so busy here.
I shall see you when I arrive, hopefully in a day or two. I do hope I find you well. Have you had any further findings at your home?
Very sincerely,
Samantha
((PEOPLE COME BACK!!!
344 comments…maybe we could have a new thread? P*ease?))
((*lays a lily on the grave of this thread*
Here’s the rest of Juliette’s story:
Her father would put a lot of pressure on her to marry Mr. Candleburson, and she would almost do it until she finds out something terrible about him (probably that he belongs to a secret society that is responsible for all the awfulness that was going to happen in this story but never did). After discovering this, she would run away to a convent but there her father and Mr. Candleburson would track her down, and in the struggle that followed, accidentally kill her. Her father would go to prison but Mr. Candleburson would get out of it (since he was a witness only) but unfortunately what she had found out would die with her. The only thing the nuns would find was a half-begun letter to Andy in which she was about to explain everything but was interrupted by her father before she got the chance to finish.
I kind of wanted closure–I hate leaving a story unfinished and I hate even more starting a project with other people and then leaving it to die. Or I cannot prevent its death, I’ll complete my part in its life. So there you have it.))
I’m glad you posted here –not only because I was interested in your character, but because it caused me to have fun giggling at my fourteen-year-old self. Did you know that there was a second installment of this game?