[Other FULL] Railways: A Journey to the Edge of the World. [T]

Appearance and Attire:
Jane's dark skin, while not unheard of, marks her as an outsider in many local towns. Some people are wary of her for this reason alone, while others find her exotic. Her black hair is carefully pulled back into a ponytail so that it did not get in the way, as it is wont to do when it is loose and wild. Her eyes are an almost disconcerting blue, standing out against her skin. While she is slightly short sighted from hours of delicate needlework in poor lighting, she cannot even afford the doctor's visit that might confirm this, let alone afford the corrective lenses that would alleviate her problem.

She has a rather small stature from a lifetime of unsteady diet but she moves with a type of precision and forethought that lend weight to her presence. Various small scars adorn her body, but the most visible one is a pale line cut diagonally across the palm of her left hand.

For the train ride, Jane wore her most modest garment, one she had altered herself, hoping to avoid unwanted trouble. It is a pale green gown with a subtle flower pattern, which opened at the front to reveal creamy brown linen petticoat underneath. The sleeves of the gown stops at her elbow, from which long white ruffles draped. The neckline is relatively modest and emphasises elegance of form over enhancing the figure.

Hometown:
Gossland Gulch; a town of crime and squalor. Its constant rain and fog is as bleak as the people who live there, and the muddy surroundings did nothing to improve their standard of life. The lawless nature of the town gives rise to shifting power hierarchies and an oppressive sense of danger. Those that did not steal were stolen from, and those that were stolen from starved.

Personality:
Generally speaking, Jane is quite pleasant to talk to. She is a good listener and very amenable to different points of view although she offers little by way of interesting insights in return and as a result some people see her as dull or dim-witted. Her impersonal conversations are a way for her to distance herself from others. She is perceptive and empathetic by nature but has recently found herself feeling apathetic towards life; most days she has little energy and forgets to eat.

Jane does not see herself as having any particular talents other than, perhaps, the ability to weather out bad luck. She doesn't really believe that she could accomplish anything meaningful with her life. She often makes flippant self-deprecating comments and is easily impressed, although her constant self-perceived failure contributes to her recent numbness. In spite of what she may think, she has plenty of redeeming qualities, although they may not be immediately apparent.

In tight situations, Jane always seems to remain reasonable and never gets flustered or rises to a bait. While she is not one for taking charge or making plans, she has been known to diffuse tense situations and calm others down in times of crisis. She dislikes disruptive or antagonistic behaviour and is not afraid of stepping in to keep the peace or resolve situations as quickly as possible.

Jane also has strong maternal instincts. She tends to take care of those younger or more vulnerable than her without even realising it, whether it be fussing over their clothes or simply checking in on those that she cares about. Taking care of others also helps her take care of herself and raises her spirits.

Strengths:
Calm - Radiating calm and control, she is a very dependable person at all times and can act as a rock to those more prone to panic. Her demeanor can also help others regain their equilibrium in certain situations.

Maternal - She can't help but to take care of others. Given enough time and friendship, she will treat anyone like a concerned mother hen. The benefits go both ways, as she takes better care of herself and feels livelier when she has somebody else to look out for.

Peace keeper - Whenever conflicts arise that cannot be ignored, Jane will rise up to keep the peace, either by resolving the dispute or diffusing the situation by calming parties down or trying to limit their contact altogether.

Weaknesses:
Depressed - For the past four years, she has been feeling constantly tired and numb. She can find little to no motivation to actively do anything and is constantly weighed down by feelings of worthlessness and guilt.

Distant - Although Jane acts approachable and pleasant, she keeps herself emotionally distant and overly polite. She will not reveal any personal information about herself or her emotional state if she can help it.

Low self-esteem - Her lack of belief in her own abilities leads to underachievement, or simply not attempting something that she may have otherwise been able to do. When comparing herself to others, she always eventually feels unworthy of their time.

The Reason Why:
Her life was bleak; a veil of hopelessness had draped over her. Her friends had all eventually left her, and she was barely making enough money for rent, let alone food. She was close to the end of her rope, when she caught wind of a rumour about a fantastical train ride. Free board and free food sounded too good to be true, not even mentioning all the other claims about riches and adventure. Apparently there were risks as well, but it wasn't like she had anything to lose anymore.

And anything, anything was better than being stuck in Gossland Gulch, dying a slow death and barely even noticing.

Background:
Like everyone else in her town, her family was poorer than dirt. Her father left for the mines further west when she was very young, seeking fortune to send back to his family. The money never came, and to this day Jane had no idea if he simply forgot about them, found no fortune, or simply died. Her mother was a barmaid in a tavern in town, protecting herself with a snake's tongue and generous servings of beer. It was in this tavern that Jane spent much of her childhood; collecting dirty dishes and sweeping floors and rolling drunkards over for coin.

It was also here that she first witnessed those infamous "ladies of the night" in action; low cut dresses and coquettish smiles leading men to the rooms upstairs that were always reserved for them. In the morning coins would be exchanged over the bar as hung over men staggered onto the street, pouches empty. She learned it was not uncommon for her mother or one of the other barmaids to slip an extra little concoction into a man's drink beforehand, so that he would fall asleep and not remember anything upon waking up.

It was not a bad childhood, all things considered. She got scraps from the kitchen and leftovers from the table, and she always had shelter over her head. The "ladies", many of them having been thieves or simple seamstresses before, taught her how to mend clothes or how to distract a John into being pickpocketed without them ever noticing.

She was thirteen when her mother fell ill.

The tavern, fearing it would be responsible for her mother's funeral costs or of caring for her if her mother passed, cast them onto the streets. They begged, and stole, and eventually, when she was not quite fourteen, her mother died.

She tried to mend people's clothes for them to earn money, the way some of the ladies taught her. Unfortunately, not many people trusted an orphaned beggar with their belongings, and of the few who did, even fewer ended up paying her for her efforts. She was no longer young enough to be an effective beggar, and her own deteriorating health made pickpocketing more and more of a challenge. At fifteen, she finally ended up selling herself in the streets.

The money she made was comparatively ludicrous.

Eventually she was hired as a seamstress in a small establishment that was also part brothel. Prostitution became a supplementary income, rather than the bone of her earnings.

And then, four years before she heard of a train ride promising riches and adventure, she fell pregnant and decided to keep the baby.

Eight months after that, she wasn't pregnant anymore.

But she wasn't a mother, either.

Personal Effects:
Her sewing kit and another, less modest, garment, as well as all her worldly savings all reside in a small bag she brought along with her just in case.

Other:
Due to a lack of education, Jane is illiterate. Also, there is a tiny grave marked by a small, blank stone somewhere in the Gulch's cemetery...

RP Sample:


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Appearance and Attire:
Isaac is a tall, fairly well built well built individual standing at about 6"1 (185cm) and weighing in at a modest 186.4 pounds (84 kg). He only knows his exact weight because of the scale in his office. Originally of a larger build, Isaac has lost much of his excess weight because of his poor diet and more active lifestyle, leaving his limbs thin and lanky, yet having a strong more defined core than before. Despite being outside and active, Isaac has not tanned in the slightest keeping his complexion peachy, but without blemishes outside of the occasional cut. He does have a few scars on his chest from old wounds.

The years of have taken some toll on his appearance, as his medium length reddish brown hair looks as if a mop fell atop his head. Too lazy to comb or style it, Isaac allows the wind to do what it will. Luckily, Isaac's hair generally lays in a presentable fashion. Peering through a few loose strands of hair are a pair green eyes devoid of emotion or concern. His nose is fairly thin and not pronounced, proportional to his thin cheeks and longer face. He looks and feels youthful, though the aura he gives off is of a man that is well beyond his years.

Dressing well to remind himself of his more noble origins, Isaac wears a dark blue collared shirt, with the top few bottoms undone. Over the shirt, Isaac favors a black vest. He neglects to wear any sort of jacket over it, feeling it would become too comfortable and a hinderance. Instead as if he expects to get down and dirty, Isaac rolls up his sleeves regularly. He wears blacks pants that match his vest, held up by a black leather belt with a silver buckle. On his right hand, he wears a black glove, covering up some old wounds from some drunken street fights while his left wrist is home to his old sports watch. As per an Isaac tradition it is rare to see him without a cigarette in his mouth.

Oh and he frequently will take his shirt off for no reason. Probably explains the lack of a jacket. Makes it easier you know?

Hometown:
Bloomgarden. Town of trade, flowers, and noblest of the nobles.

Personality:
Isaac was something of a paragon, but has become something of a renegade since he began traveling. Shedding his principles of peace and cooperation, Isaac lost much of the optimism and naive idealism he once had replacing the void with harsh realism and bitter spite. Isaac always assumes the worst will happen, and sees the worst in people acting under the assumption that everyone is as self interested as himself. He deals with people harshly and bluntly, near avoiding the truth by being overly honest. He's critical, judging, and unforgiving. Second chances are a novelty, as Isaac believes history is always repeating and experience is the best teacher. That being said, Isaac learns from his mistakes and is willing to change himself for the better, always striving to become a better person. This however sometimes bites him in the rear as Isaac dwells on his past mistakes, delving into bouts of depression. The fact his hindsight is always 20/20 can make Isaac beat himself up a bit too hard for his own good.

His lessons have not made him a completely depressed, hopeless individual and instead have crafted Isaac into a mature, generally responsible and most importantly a crafty and intelligent individual. He approaches things with a carefully modeled plan in order achieve guaranteed success, hating failure more than anything. He understands risk and experimentation and is willing to try things to see if they will work better than others, though Isaac can be conservative, relying on past experience. He understands his role in the world as well, not going out of expected social norms unless necessary. He is a responsible adult, who understands the importance of his work and does what is expected of him, only breaking the law when necessary or if the mood fits him. Isaac is very much in control of his emotions, rarely getting angry or bothered by most things which is only further fueled by the fact that he is generally aloof and detached. He has been accused as being "unsympathetic" and "uncaring" by his patients, but Isaac likes to thing that he actually aids him in his work as he can allow logic and dedication lead him to the solution. This detached aspect has ruined whatever social skills Isaac once had. He is more socially awkward than most due to his blunt honesty and generally lack of concern of others. He never shies away from expressing himself. To had more fuel to the fire, Isaac generally looks down to people, believing everyone is an idiot.

As if Isaac was not detestable enough already, Isaac has his fair share of bad habits. Isaac smokes habitually, filling his clinics or rooms with blinding smoke. When receiving complaints, he promptly tells him off and on occasion gives his patients cigarette burns. This is a product of Isaac's arrogance and abrasive getting the best of him coupling with Isaac's general dislike of people.

Despite all this, Isaac has a good heart. He is willing to help people and strives to do the right thing if only because it is his duty. He is slow to trust people, but can be a faithful friend if he can bear someone's presence long enough. Capable of social activity, Isaac enjoys intelligent conversation and giving advice, even though it is of pragmatic kind. And most importantly deep down, Isaac has not completely given up on his old aspirations, still hoping for a peaceful world free of strife.

Strengths:

Intelligent
As to be expected considering his career education, Isaac is exceptionally intelligent. Years and years of studying in the medical field, he has developed a field of knowledge, ranging from everything a doctor would be expected to know and more. He has a solid grasp on the nuances of the human body, its diseases, treatments and herblism, deriving most of his treatments from natural sources. Furthermore, Isaac has expanded his sphere of study to some degree of literature, mathematics and other sciences including psychology. Let's just say, that Isaac is incredibly knowledge for his age and that probably explains his negative opinion on just about everyone else.

Diligent
One reason for Isaac's great intelligence is fantastic diligence and work ethic. Isaac abhors failure. Undoubtedly a side effect of the high expectations set upon as a youth, Isaac drives to succeed in any realm of interest pushing himself to his limits (and to great heights if one is being positive). Therefore, Isaac is very committed to his craft and any sort of setback is devastating to him.

Pragmatic/Realistic
That being said, Isaac understands that failure does happen and is often logical and realistic when it occurs. Isaac believes that a logical decision is a better one and prides himself on being fair and practical with his choices in life. He does not set his expectations high with blinding optimism, nor does he expect the worst with baseless pessimism. Instead he finds a middle ground, balancing both into a blend of sensibility and practically.

Weaknesses:

Poor Health Habits
In a twisted tale of irony, Isaac has terrible health practices concerning his self. He is one tier removed from being a chain smoker, claims to be a social drinker but hinges upon being a binge drinker, and has a poor diet with only a superb metabolism keeping him fit. It is this quality that makes Isaac something of a hypocrite which irritates the occasional patient.

Very Self Interested
Isaac is somewhat selfish in the way he carries something, prioritizing his own needs above others. With this being said, he understands his duty as a doctor and will help those in need, however this is not without guaranteeing his own desires have also been met in some capacity. Most of Isaac's interests are materialistic, valuing money and possessions greatly. More abstract concepts elude Isaac in importance seeing little value in the figurative.

Abrasive
Isaac is very sarcastic, sardonic and abrasive in his interactions with others. He often views other as beneath them, not due to his higher social standing but rather assuming that others are foolish or idiotic. Often times, in comparison to himself, he is correct. When he is wrong, he pretends such things are non-existent, continuing to treat others are lower until they prove their worth. Oh, and he is terribly sarcastic. That doesn't help.


The Reason Why:
In short, money. As a fairly young doctor, Isaac is not very established in his practice, nor does he have the most steady flow of income. While he serves a private doctor to a few reliable clients, Isaac is also a businessman and needs to spend money to earn more. So the promise of money offers stability as well as a means to satisfy his own self interest. It may not be the best of reasons, but it is Isaac's guiding principle.

Background:
Isaac was born as the second son and raised in the town of Bloomgarden to a newly anointed noble family, the Shearer family. One of the younger noble families, Isaac's parents were skilled and deft merchants, further expanding the Shearer economic empire with shrewd knowledge of mercantilism. Strongly concerned social mobility and presence, Isaac was pushed at young age to obtain the most effective education and the most prestigious professions. As the second son, Isaac was not as pushed as his elder brother, Mathew, yet Isaac took the "tough love" in stride, constantly pushing himself. Isaac, in due time, became arguably the smarter of the two, yet his interests did not fall in line with the Shearer tradition of merchants and traders, drifting more towards the medical field. His parents, initially displeased, eventually supported Isaac's newly founded ambitions. Giving him the most support they could offer, Isaac was given the permission to attend a medical school in the southern town of Holsteim.

Holsteim is a fairly large town, not too unlike Bloomgarden, making Isaac's transition to the new location at the age of 19 relatively smooth. Calling a small room onto of the local tavern his home for the next several years, Isaac kept to himself and his studies. He rarely left the confines of his room unless it was necessary, taking diligence to a whole new level. However, it was around this time, that his bitterness, self interest and poor habits took hold. Holsteim was not as pristine or idealistic as Bloomgarden, with an underpinning of crime, corruption and depravity that he had never quite experienced in his hometown. Isaac was forced to adapt in the occasional separation from his isolation. Donning an indifference to others to maintain a visage that warded off unwanted solicitors, Isaac's visage seeped into his core. It was only by serving his own interests that he was able to maneuver through the darker social climate of Holsteim.

However, it was not all darkness and selfishness in Holsteim. For most of his time, he maintained a stable and enjoyable relationship with a fellow medical student. It was supportive, and for a time made Isaac forget about the pitiful state the world was in. Pushing each other to achieve, helping each other on tests and taking the occasional trip out of the city, Isaac, for a moment, was considering making the commitment true. However, days before Isaac was going to propose, his long-time girlfriend decided to end the relationship, claiming that she was intending to leave the country with a childhood friend of hers. Heartbroken, Isaac rushed his final year of medical school, graduated early and moved back to Bloomgarden.

At Bloomgarden, Isaac continued to live his parents with his elder brother progressively becoming the head of the household. Isaac took on a number of clients, mostly operating as a private, visiting doctor to start his own business on his own, refusing the charity of his family. Many of his clients were of influence, including the Tobba family being among his most loyal customers. Isaac, however, was never considered the most popular doctor despite his skill as his bitterness and matter of fact personality putting off many clients. However, he achieved some stability.

News of this Ironwood Express passed through the grapevine as Isaac was shopping for supplies. Seeing the promise of riches before his eyes and the capability to make his practice worldwide, Isaac immediately jumped on the opportunity, seeing no reason to not considering how being the lonely second son would not exactly be the best way to go out when it was all said and done.

Personal Effects:
Isaac, in a pale attempt to be noble, carries a cane with him in most cases despite not need any assistance in his movement. This cane also carries a small rapier in it, acting as a cane sword effectively. Isaac's skills are not great with the blade, but capable enough to fend off an untrained foe.

Isaac also carries a doctor bag into most situations carrying the most essential and basic equipment, but this is to be expected.

Other:
Isaac doesn't like shirts very much. So he will randomly take off his shirt, with very little regard for societal acceptance of this eccentric behavior.

Also, I have two proposed themes for Isaac to (re) read this SU with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t755JKqKt0Y or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvqtWjN7lOI

Why? I like this grunge-y music lately.

Or you could pick this theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHkKJfcBXcw
It's my personal favorite too.

RP Sample:
Here's a link to a decent post from Digimon: http://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=8688338&postcount=5​