Applicaton for realityshifted
Player Name: Bex
Player LJ: musingmuselings
Timezone: MST
Other Characters: Alex Drake (d1), Gwen Cooper (d1)
Character: Irene Adler
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (book canon)
Deviance: d1
Age: 34
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Canon Used: “A Scandal in Bohemia;” The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Appearance: http://www.thesherlockholmesmovie.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Adler-Full.jpg
Psychology: Described in the story as having “the face of the most beautiful of women, and the mind of the most resolute of men,” Irene Adler is nothing if not a woman out of her own time. Hard-headed, stubborn, and extremely clever, Irene is not your typical quiet 19th century maiden. Described as an adventuress , she has had lovers anywhere between kings and common men, travels to her heart’s content, and even dresses as a man when she feels inclined to.
Irene is one of the most iconic women in Holmes canon; even though she only appears in one story, she is extremely recognizable as the woman who out-smarted Sherlock Holmes. She certainly left an impression on him, and he did on her - she has a great deal of respect for Holmes and is just ever so infatuated with him. Her infatuation should not be mistaken as necessarily romantic, however - she sees Holmes as a respectable figure and a formidable opponent, in the most positive of ways. As a matter of fact, she views all men in a similar manner; she prefers to be in the company of those she feels she can view as intellectual equals, and due to the time period she lived, prefers the company of men over women. She would be fascinated and heartened, however, to meet women of the modern era who reflect her own desires and goals.
However, Irene is also extremely aware of her own intelligence and uses that to her advantage. She is not above being manipulative to get her way, and prefers to be in a position of power when she’s able. She is goal-oriented, but not spiteful, so while she will go to great lengths to achieve her wants and needs, she won’t deliberately harm anyone who wasn’t a serious threat. The best example this is her history with the King of Bohemia; while he broke her heart and forsook her for another woman, her threat to reveal their affair and destroy his reputation was never more than just a threat. Irene was more than happy to let the whole thing go in order to pursue a life with her new husband; however, while she had no intention to actually slander the King, she wanted him to always know she had the power to do so if she wanted. In actually, she prefers to gain her power and wants in a quiet manner, although she certainly has the attitude and intelligence to be a threat if so perceived.
Besides her rather manipulative traits, Irene is actually rather friendly and outgoing. Her career in theatre helped her develop a charismatic and likable personality, and while she tends to stay out of the spotlight in her retirement, she certainly does not object to being the center of attention in smaller circles.
There is also the small matter of Irene's perception of friendship, loyalty, and love. Irene doesn't have many friends; more convenient acquaintances. She travels a fair amount and values her independence, although she does like to have a social setting in which to lose herself when she so desires. Irene is loyal, but not to a fault; constantly guarded and constantly needed to be more powerful in any relationship, she rarely finds herself opening up and trusting another person completely. She feels complete trust and loyalty require a certain sacrifice of self that she is not willing to offer. Finally, love... Love is a complex emotion for Irene; ironically, it is so complex because she views it so simply. Irene loves in moments, in situations, but she is incapable of loving through periods of time. She finds herself searching for what she needs to better herself in whatever situation she is in; once she draws what she needs from the situation, she moves on. It is probably a disservice to say that Irene is incapable of love; she most surely feels it as strongly as any other person. She has, however, developed the ability to block out her feelings when she feels they no long service her greater goals. Like loyalty, love requires Irene to give up a part of herself that weakens her control, and she has yet to meet anyone who has made her question that philosophy.
Other Skills/Abilities: She's a (retired) professional opera singer, and she thinks that is one hell of a skill.
Other Weaknesses: She's not a skilled fighter in the physical sense, and could probably be overpowered somewhat easily.
History: Having appeared in only one story, what is canonically known about Irene is much outweighed by the headcanon I have developed for her. According to the story, she was born in New Jersey, 1958. A talented opera singer, Irene spent her younger years performing in opera houses through Europe, mainly Milan and Warsaw. She retired in her late twenties from opera and moved to London.
In the canon, Holmes is approached by the King of Bohemia in March of 1888, who recounts a visit to Warsaw in 1883 in which he met Irene Adler. Eventually the two became lovers, although the relationship did not last. Now engaged to a princess of Scandinavia, the King solicits Holmes to retrieve a cabinet photograph of Irene and the King that she has in her possession. If the photograph were to come to light, the King fears it will damage his reputation and ruin his chances for marriage.
Holmes disguises himself and gains access to Irene's lodgings, whereupon he is able to figure out where the photograph is hidden by faking a fire. Upon his return the next day, he is swept up in a chain of events which results in Holmes, in disguise, bearing the only witness to the marriage of Irene Adler and lawyer Godfrey Norton. When Holmes returns to Irene's lodgings to recover the painting, he finds instead a letter penned to him from Irene, stating that she had known he was on her tail. Having suspected the man she had taken in before the fire could be Holmes, Irene had disguised herself as a man and followed him home, having substantiated her suspicion by wishing Mr. Holmes a good night. Deciding it was in their best interest to flee London, Irene and Godfrey married and left; although Irene assures Holmes that the King should have no fear about her exposing their affair, she admits to keeping the photograph in her possession in order to stay any actions he may take in the future. Relieved that Irene's word is an honest one, the King moves on, and Holmes asks only for Irene's photograph in lieu of payment for the case.
That is the whole of her canon, although I have expanded her life in my own headcanon when it comes to surrounding events. Irene grew up in New Jersey, trained in singing from a young age. Raised solely by her father after her mother's early death, he instilled in Irene the importance of intelligence and made sure she was well schooled in matters not only important to women, but to men as well. She would often disguise herself as a man in order to attend events where women were not welcome, and it helped serve her to better develop an understanding of current events as well as give her a better idea of social imbalances between men and women.
Irene left New Jersey to pursue her career in opera, and enjoyed her life in the theatre. Not long after her father's death, Irene chose to retire and instead pursue a life of adventure and exploration, living off her retirement, inheritance, and the small sums she would make singing when she was not traveling. She met Godfrey Norton while living in London, and found herself yearning for the safety and security that marriage offered. That, and she had never met a man who seemed to love her precisely for who she was, rather than who she pretended to be.
The marriage did not last long, however. Restless, Irene began to yearn for her single days, having no idea of the effect her minute encounter with Sherlock Holmes had on her. In 1891, after the news of Holmes' death reached her villa in Spain, Irene made the decision to leave her husband and return to London. She felt the world had lost one of the most worthwhile people she had ever known of, and having weighed herself down with marriage and domestic bliss seemed, to Irene, a discredit to all Holmes had stood for.
Settling back in London, Irene fell back into her old life of travel, adventure, and some singing here and there. It was during this transition that she spotted an unfamiliar shop and wandered inside.
Canon Point: 1892 - a few years after the events of a Scandal in Bohemia and a year after Holmes’ supposed death.
Reality Description: Irene resides in a traditional Victorian England. There is not much that differs historically than the existence of Sherlock Holmes, and with it the crimes and cases he spent his life solving. The great detective, however, is believed dead (and will be believed to be for the next couple years), but with his death had rid London's streets of crime lord Professor Moriarty. For his efforts, he is still revered as a hero in many of the circles Irene is involved in, and the London streets now carry an air of safety that did not exist during Moriarty's reign.
She lives an upper class life style and rents lodgings in London. She still lives what is considered a quiet life, rarely leaving her house unless she is singing in a concert, something she still does for enjoyment and to maintain a small income. She will sometimes attend small gatherings or invite acquaintances over for tea, and often attends the theatre and music halls alone or with companions. Although based in London, she still travels to other parts of the world when possible, usually alone.
First Person Sample:
[It is probably not a surprise to some that Irene Adler has, upon her arrival at the Plane, found herself in the Theatre.
Of course, while it may not be a surprise to some, it does surprise Irene.]
Is anyone here?
[Not exactly the timid type, Irene is going to do her best to make her arrival known. She speaks with a notably American accent, although some of her pronunciations reflect she has spent a fair amount of time in England. She examines her surroundings. .. Which she regrets doing, now that she's noticed one of the Wallmasters crawling across the back of the seats.]
Surely I have gone mad. I have spent much of my life in the theatre and never have I seen something so... revolting or offensive or... absurd as this. Whatever prank this is, I assure you, whomever is listening, I find it neither endearing or entertaining that you have abducted me against my will.
[Being as she is, Irene actually approaches the disembodies hand, staring down at it with disgust and - whether she'd admit it or not - fascination.]
I do insist that you direct me immediately to whomever your devilish puppeteer may be. I am due at a very important engagement tonight in London and I can assure you that those who await me will worry drastically for my safety if I am not to appear.
[The hand suddenly pops forward towards Irene, and she squeaks in unladylike surprise, backing away fast enough to watch it tumble to the floor. It bolts towards her and grasps for her skirt, and she stamps at it helplessly with her foot, shouting as she kicks it away.]
Get away you... you vermin!
Third Person Writing Sample: This is a log from the last game I played Irene in:
http://community.livejournal.com/crowdedhour/99587.html
Did you read the rules? Yes