Irene Adler | Sherlock Holmes (2009) | Application for gargleblasted
OOC:
Name: Kohaku
Timezone: GMT-07:00 Mountain Standard Time (Canada)
Other contact: AIM kohakushuurai
Characters already in the game: Canada maple_syrup_can
IC:
Character name: Irene Adler
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (2009 movie) (Also drawing heavily from her history as chronicled in A.C. Doyle's short story “A Scandal in Bohemia”.)
Timeline: 1891, November 20, (directly after the events in the movie) while fleeing to Paris.
Age: 34 (1 birthday on the Thor)
~*Magical*~ abilities and strengths: Powerful senses of deduction, a penchant to thieve, a talent for disguise, adept with gun, cudgel and knife, and a trained singer. And she can beat Sherlock Holmes, which is a power unto itself.
How would they use their abilities?: She would be amused by the chance to sing freely on the stage again, but would be more inclined to take advantage of the... unique opportunity afforded by the Thor. Flying in to other planets where there are bound to be rich, handsome people to be~ 'liberated' of their peculiar valuables. Perhaps the next random planet that they visit would have a market in which to sell it. Jumping to other stars makes it nearly untraceable. What an opportunity to live in a modern luxury beyond the wildest imaginings of Victorian times!
And, of course, it would be fun to make mischief for Holmes. (Keeping in mind that they can't get away from each other on a spaceship...)
Appearance: As portrayed by Rachel McAdams in the film.
Height of 5'5” (165cm), long brown hair that is often done up stylishly (or for practicality), blue-green eyes, and very lovely.
She is described as “a lovely woman, with a face that a man might die for” by Holmes himself in the singular story she appeared in. Adler is undoubtedly a beauty and femme fatalle, as she was incredibly popular on stage during her time there, a seductress able to draw in the King of Bohemia, every man on her street agreed that she is 'the daintiest thing under a bonnet on this planet', yet she can beat up ruffians and she is of such a face and talent that she could disguise herself to appear as a male youth passing by Holmes in the street. Being able to wear a variety of clothing, including men's, successfully is simple thanks to her upbringing in the theater.
Flowers for me? Why, thank you♥
Yes, I do know what you're thinking.
Background/Personality:
Background:
Irene Adler was born in New Jersey in 1858 (headcanon: March 23). She followed a career in opera as a contralto (the deepest female classical singing voice), performing in La Scala, Milan, Italy, and a term as prima donna in the Imperial Opera of Warsaw, Poland, indicating that she was an extraordinary singer. Adler retired in her late twenties and moved to London. During this time she became a “well-known adventuress”, traveling to a variety of countries. Sometime during this period she presumably came across Holmes, as in the story “A Scandal in Bohemia” she was noted as already having bested him once, earning her the designation “the woman”.
In 1888 Wilhelm Gottsreich Sigismond von Ormstein, Grand Duke of Cassel-Felstein and hereditary King of Bohemia, made an incognito visit to Holmes in London. The King asked the detective to secure a photograph from Adler. The photograph showed the two in an compromising position, and he desired it's recovery before he married to prevent any scandal.
Using his considerable skill for disguise, Holmes traced her movements and learned about her private life and habits. He even happened to be witness at her hurried and minimalist wedding to English lawyer Godfrey Norton. Fearing that Adler would leave suddenly because of the wedding, Holmes then quickly set up a faked incident to cause a diversion that would let him discover where the picture was hidden. Adler treated him, as the supposed victim of a crime outside her home, with spontaneous care and solicitude.
At a crucial moment in Holmes' plan she saw through his disguise, but not before she had revealed what he'd been after - the location of the picture. Due to her observation she was able to prevent Holmes taking the picture at that time, allowing her and her new husband to flee the country before he returned. She left a letter, telling of how she'd outwitted Holmes and assuring the King that the photo was safe with her and would not be used so long as he did nothing against her. Also left was a photo of Adler herself in evening dress, which Holmes requested of the King as payment for bringing the case to an end (if not a satisfactory close).
Soon after this Irene left her husband, citing the reasons of his being “boring, jealous, and he snored”. She was Irene 'Adler' once more.
In 1891 she returned to London under the orders of Moriarty, with a contract to find a man named Reordan and a directive to manipulate Holmes' feelings for her against him in the plot that followed. (What feelings Moriarty expected those to be however... a bit of a mystery seeing as Holmes has a strong reputation as a cold fish.)
She first revealed her presence to Holmes by leaving her handkerchief by the ringside where he was boxing. Seeing her seemed to distract him, much to her amusement.
She next suddenly appeared in Holmes' very room, chatting idly about bringing foods for him from Syria, Jordan, and the Cyclades. While Holmes panicked and checked his safe (it's clear that her presence made him nervous, again much to her amusement), Adler mused about a file she found with her name on it, with articles on the “theft of Velazquez portrait from the King of Spain”, “missing naval documents leading to the resignation of Bulgarian prime minister” and a “scandalous affair ends engagement of Hapsburg prince to Romanov princess”. Although her name is not mentioned in any of them, Holmes insists that Adler's signature was clear in the events, punctuating the suspicion by drawing up her necklace, asking if it's the maharajah's missing diamond. Adler brushed it off, asking that they not dwell on the past.
As she deduced that he was between jobs, he deduced that she was no longer married. Asking for his help, she presented Holmes with a request to find a missing person named Reordan. Although suspicious and insisting that he would not take her case, Adler believed that he would.
After a scuffle in an alleyway that showed that she could beat up ruffians and take their money with no trouble (that's the Irene Holmes knew!), she joined Moriarty in a cab where he congratulated her on doing the job he hired her for. However, clearly Adler was on edge around this man - no mean feat.
When Holmes came to the hotel Adler was staying at, he shared with her that the person she was looking for had appeared in Lord Black wood's coffin. He admitted his visit to be a 'you're in over your head, Irene' visit, cautioning her that she was the next loose end to be snipped in whatever conspiracy was happening. Although unperturbed at being in danger, she invited him to leave with her. He refused and Adler drugged him, kissed him soundly, and left him handcuffed naked to the bed.
Adler then followed Holmes and Watson to the factory where Blackwood was finishing some device. He caught her and chained her up, offering her as a 'gift' to Holmes. Her mortal peril distracted them while Blackwood made good his escape. Life saved once already that night, she nearly lost it again in the explosion trap triggered by Watson. She escaped from there before the police arrived.
Although intending to leave London immediately by train, Moriarty intercepted her and insisted that her contract remained unfulfilled. He wanted what Reordan was making for Blackwood, and he intended for Adler to continue her job to that end. Otherwise, he threatened, the next dead body would be that of Sherlock Holmes.
Watson and her then found Holmes in the attic above the boxing ring. She offered to assist him, seeing as he was now a wanted man and operating outside the law, which was her “area of expertise”. Holmes unraveled his reasoning of Blackwood's intentions, leading them Parliament. Sending Watson and Adler on ahead, Holmes gathered one more piece of the puzzle and lead them down to the sewers where the final preparations had been made for Blackwood's final act.
There they found a mechanical device set up to poison all of the members of Parliament with cyanide. Adler immediately jumped in to take out the guards surrounding the device, forcing Holmes and Watson to follow. She and Holmes tried to find a way to disable the machine while Watson fought on. Executing the plan to get the poison out as the final seconds ticked away and more enemies appeared, she immediately ran away with the cylinders of cyanide. Holmes took off in pursuit, following her to the top of the Tower Bridge construction.
Although this was meant as a diversion to draw Holmes and Watson away from the machine (so that Moriarty could come and steal the component he truly needed), Adler admitted that she didn't want to run from Holmes any longer and would tell him everything. Before she could start however, Blackwood appeared and pushed her off the bridge, landing her on a platform below.
She awoke later to Holmes putting handcuffs on her. She told him about Moriarty and warned him that he was indeed a match for him, being just as brilliant and infinitely more devious than Holmes. He'd found and exploited Adler's weak spot, after all. Taking the diamond in exchange for the key to the handcuffs, Holmes left her with a kiss to the forehead and an admission that he would indeed miss her.
There ends the movie. Reasonably, Adler would want to leave London and get out from under Moriarty's thumb and the eye of the police. Deciding to flee to Paris for the time being, she has just boarded the train when she is suddenly brought to a whole other mode of transportation all together...
Personality:
According to the King in “A Sandal in Bohemia”, Adler has "the face of the most beautiful of women and the mind of the most resolute of men," and assured Holmes that her word was involate. She is also said by him to have a soul of steel and the bearing of a Queen.
She indeed shows a firm resolution and independence in all she does, and clearly likes being in charge of herself. Being exploited by Moriarty was a very unusual and uncomfortable position for her. As Holmes and Watson noted, the professor had her on edge, which was no mean feat. It is alluded that her 'weak spot' that Moriarty was exploiting was Holmes, for all that the exact nature of their relationship remains vague. They are concerned for each other, yet are rivals of sorts.
Planning ahead for all sorts of eventualities is only prudent, yet she often shows spontaneity. For example, she preemptively tainted bottled wine with drugs then resealed the cap in order to waylay Holmes, yet she also quickly jumped into action to take out the guards around Blackwood's machine while Holmes and Watson wished to plan.
Although a desire to live richly and have a high-class lifestyle is very important to her, it is difficult to say that greed is her highest motivation. Indeed, based on (or depending how one reads) the story “Scandal in Bohemia”, Adler was defending her honour by keeping the photograph, rather than having a ransom in mind, for she felt the King had wronged her. However greed is a motivation, as Holmes knows her well enough to ask how much she got for her wedding ring. Why keep something with tainted sentimental value when one can make a pretty penny off of it?
For all that she does not shy at using her sensuality to advantage, (getting completely unwrapped in front of Holmes, anyone?) she does seem to have morals about it. Although she has put herself in many situations where it would have been easy to ramp up to using sex to get what she wanted, there is no evidence of her having done so. She is content to use it as a tease, an incitement, something to put the man off-balance, then move on with other plans of attack, like having a photo secretly taken or drugging the wine.
Adler most enjoys adventures, and she would say that the goods that she picks up from her travels are mere 'souvenirs'. (Never mind that it's a huge diamond.) They can also allow her to live the lifestyle she enjoys. She is also a great opportunist, able to take advantage of events as they unfold or lie aside a plan to act on the fly.
[Wiki info for Irene Adler and A Scandal in Bohemia.]
Have you read up on how the game works?:Yes! FlamingFerret (a what-now? Ferret is good for fur coats...) Earning Money: earn via missions, beg, borrow, or steal. (And you can bet Adler may be making some money by rather unscrupulous means~)
1st person sample:
To my dear fellow residents of the Thor...
[The video shows the face of a lady that any man would certainly find lovely to behold. Her full rosy lips quirk up into a smile at the address, still getting used to the very idea of being on a ship among the sea of stars, let alone the fact that she can address so many people at once with ease. Why, this made Edison's proposal for electric trains look simplistic, and the telegram like stone carvings.]
Being extensively traveled myself, I must say I'm eager for this new adventure. [That is, now that she's been convinced it's not all a hallucination or dream. ]
Might anyone be willing to tell me of some note-worthy, rewarding experiences you've had already?
My name is Irene Adler. I do look forward to making your acquaintance. [A coy smile is given, possibly lending more meaning to that simple statement.]
3rd person sample:
Between one step and the next, Irene Adler had gone from the train platform in London to a scene that at first she thought to be the height of delusion. High walls and incredibly smooth floors that were made of some unusual material. Creatures of all impossible sorts that surrounded her, but thankfully seemed un-hostile. Forms asking the most bizarre questions that had to be filled out perfectly.
Now she walked those smooth floors with a straight back and even stride, not allowing any discomfort to show, the product of years of training as an actress and a lady. Although she had been shown how to use the 'Guide', she did not trust it for the moment and instead walked the ship, making her own observations. The heels of her boots made a strange sound. The air was peculiar. The ...mechanical device she held in one hand made her hair stand on end in the wake of what Moriarty had been after. Was this how the world would change because of machines? At least, she consoled herself, she was beyond the reach of the professor, which was what she wanted most at the moment. So long as all this was not a hallucination - someone drugging her before she could leave London...
But it seemed that she had been in this dream for far too long for that to be true.
Having subtlely followed a human (or at least human-looking?) couple who had headed towards the 'stowaway apartments', she paused at the threshold, taking in the sight of so many completely identical doors. How would she find the one she was assigned to? Turning to inspect the closest one, she noted that not only was the room number prominently displayed, but the occupant's names! Was that not a breach of common-sense privacy?
Interested, she walked the hallway, glancing at the names. Many were of a distinctly oriental sound, but almost as many sounded thoroughly foreign. And then, eight doors in, she read a name that made her fully stop and smile indulgently.
'Sherlock Holmes.'
Was this not a dream indeed, that would land her once again next to that man? Wishing to see for herself, she knocked politely upon the door. It may be impertinent of her to so quickly reveal her honest presence to the detective, but in this overwhelmingly fantastic context she would certainly be thankful for a familiar face.