Permissions/HMD/Character Survey
Permissions and character survey for your enlightenment. This post will also serve for HMD. Concrit greatly welcomed.
Threadhopping with this character?: Yes.
Backtagging with this character?: Yes.
Hugging this character?: She would be delighted.
Giving this character a kiss?: If your character is a young man, which in Luceti is about a 60% chance, then by all means.
(Something more intimate?): I would love for Jacky to have romantic encounters. Talk to me about it.
(Relationships?): I can’t see her going very long without one.
Punching this character (provided they can fight back): Really, you want to punch a little girl? Fine, go for it.
(Injury?): Probably. Plot with me.
(Death?): Maaaaybe.
Is there anything you do not want mentioned near this character?: Keep in mind she’s from a historically-accurate 1806 and will be completely baffled by both magic and modern technology. But feel free to enlighten her.
Is there anything you need us to know about interacting with this character?: If Jacky seems like an inconsistent character, that’s on purpose. Becoming other people is what she does. She’ll probably present a different face to every CR.
Anything else, please mention here: An odd note on fourth-walling: Periodically during her travels, Jacky tells her Adventures Thus Far to a friend. The friend duly writes the stories down, and they are subsequently published as the very books Jacky’s canon consists of. She therefore gets quasi-fourth-walled in her own world, by people who have read these books. Depending on where and when your character is from, they might recognize her either as a fictional character or as a real, semi-famous person. Only the former will surprise her.
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is she heavyset, thin, short, rangy? Height: I don’t recall Jacky’s height ever being mentioned, so I assume average. Build: Athletic. At age 15, Jacky has enough feminine attributes to impair the judgment of red-blooded males, but she is not so well-endowed that she can’t still disguise herself as a boy.
2. How old is she? 15. Her birthday is October 2.
3. Describe her posture. Does she carry herself well or does she slouch? Jacky learned proper posture from the straight-laced Mistress Pimm. When the mood strikes her, she can be as erect as any Lady.
4. How is her health? Is she fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities? Jacky is in good shape and is generally healthy. She has suffered a number of injuries, but none of them have caused her lasting harm.
5. How does she move? Is she clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid? Jacky moves how she wants to move. She can glide like a Lady, scramble like a sailor, or lounge around like the indulgent young girl she is.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does she perceive herself in the mirror? Jacky is no knock-out, but she also has no shortage of men willing to seduce or outright rape her. To be fair, many of these men are in the kinds of professions where they don’t see a lot of women, so they’re not too picky. (They do frequently note that she has a skinny butt.) Mirrors are expensive and uncommon in Jacky’s era, so she does not spend a great deal of time looking in them.
7. Describe her complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred? Tanned, with several interesting scars and marks on her face. (See question 10.)
8. Describe her hair: color, texture, style. Ash blonde and wavy. Unruly, except for when Higgins forces her to sit still so he can do something with it.
9. What color are her eyes? Brown.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features? Jacky has one white eyebrow, from a scar underneath. She has blue speckles near her eye, powder burns from leaning over cannons. She has a blue anchor tattooed on her hip. One ear is pierced. She has a stab wound in her thigh and some cigarette burns above her knee.
11. What are her chief tension centers? Not sure.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does she have six of the same outfit? Jacky is one of those rare fictional characters who actually changes her clothes once in a while. Her outfits include: Various Navy costumes (Ship’s Boy whites, Midshipman’s uniform, etc.). Black school dress. Serving girl rig. A riding habit. Burglar costume. A buckskin shirt and skirt. The infamous blue dress she sewed for herself. And others. Also, she occasionally wears no more than her underthings.
13. Do her clothes fit well? Does she seem comfortable in them? Mixed bag. The blue dress, for one, becomes increasingly indecent as Jacky gets older. In general, she prefers clothes that are easier to move in.
14. Does she dress the same on the job as she does in her free time? If not, what are the differences? No - in fact, Jacky changes her clothes depending on what job she’s doing.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando? Shifts and petticoats.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse? Being a book character, Jacky doesn’t have a voice in that sense. I assume she sounds like a teenage girl, but not so feminine that she has to do that silly lowering-your-voice trick to pass as a boy.
2. How does she normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does she talk easily, or does she hesitate? Easily, loudly, and a lot. Jacky loves to be the center of attention, and is not at all afraid to speak her mind.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics? Jacky’s original dialect is Cheapside English. She has since learned proper British English, and American English. She can change her accent and speech to appear to be from a wide range of places.
4. What language/s does she speak, and with how much fluency? Multiple varieties of English (see previous question). She is also fluent in French.
5. Does she switch languages or dialects in certain situations? Wait five minutes and Jacky will change dialects. She does this on purpose, as part of various disguises, and also involuntarily when she is scared or excited. When she’s really undercover, though, she can maintain a persona for weeks or months.
6. Is she a good impromptu speaker, or does she have to think about her words? Jacky is a performer, able to drum up business and tell entertaining stories at a moment’s notice. She is never short on words.
7. Is she eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change? Eloquent may not be the right word - Jacky can spin a great yarn, but the excitement is mostly in the action, not in the language she uses. She is, however, able to give rousing pep talks to anyone she needs to encourage or inspire.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is she book-smart or street-smart? Street-smart, very literally. Jacky spent much of her childhood as an orphan in the streets of London. She has learned to think on her feet, and to pick up skills, knowledge, friends, and useful objects wherever she finds them. Her formal schooling has been pretty minimal, but she can read and has at least a basic grasp of science and current politics.
2. Does she think on her feet, or does she need time to deliberate? As in the previous question, Jacky tends to make it up as she goes along. She’s also good at long-range plans, able to formulate and enact complex strategies. That is, if she can sit still long enough to come up with them.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is she more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical? In a dangerous situation, Jacky usually makes snap decisions about what course of action is most likely to result in her still being alive the next morning. She then commits fully to making her pseudo-plan happen. She has big dreams, and has already taken steps towards bringing them about.
4. What kind of education has the character had? Jacky must have had some education with her family, because when she landed on the street she was already literate. She had some schooling aboard the Dolphin, with the other Ship’s Boys, and continued it during her short stint as a student at the Lawson Peabody.
5. What are her areas of expertise? What, if anything, is she interested in learning more about? Jacky is very knowledgeable about ships and sailing, but is always learning more. She is also constantly adding to her repertoire of songs, dance steps, stories, and jokes. And, of course, she is always interested in learning anything that might someday get her further in life - or just help that life to be a little longer.
6. Is she an introvert or an extrovert? Extrovert all the way. Jacky delights in being the center of attention.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is she even-tempered or does she have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven? Jacky has pretty extreme mood swings, though that’s largely attributable to her life. One moment she has just completed a trans-Atlantic voyage and is on her way to see her betrothed, the next she finds him kissing another girl. And then she gets arrested by a press-gang. Things like this cause Jacky to constantly be bouncing between joy and misery, pride in her accomplishments and abject fear of imminent death. With occasional bouts of honest repentance for her misguided deeds.
8. How does she respond to new people or situations? Is she suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic? Jacky’s first reaction is to case out the scenario, learning all the important facts. She is then able to commit to a persona and a course of action. She does this quickly, but adjusts her plans as she acquires more information.
9. Is she more likely to act, or to react? Both. Females in Jacky’s time are supposed to be quiet and well-behaved, but she is more likely to take charge and Do Something. Sometimes she acts too quickly, misreading a situation and winding up in even bigger trouble. Other times situations happen to her, and she has no choice but to react on instinct. This is how she acquired one of her least favorite nicknames: Bloody Jack.
10. Which is her default: fight or flight? Jacky is a coward at heart and would always prefer to avoid a fight. But when she or her friends are threatened, she finds courage and attacks the enemy with rocks, swords, or pistols. Sometimes with fatal results.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does she appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks? Jacky enjoys a good joke, and also delights in telling them. Dirty jokes are a favorite, though she usually reserves them for a certain kind of company.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does she deal with them? Not a disorder, but Jacky is prone to having nightmares about all the times she almost died. She sleeps much easier with a bedmate.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined her as a person? The moment when she found Charlie Rooster dead, and decided she needed to get out of the streets. The first time she killed a man who was threatening her friend. The moment when she promised herself to Jaimy.
14. What does she fear? Being arrested, which will probably lead to being killed. Or just flat-out being killed.
15. What are her hopes or aspirations? Jacky dreams of establishing a merchant fleet, which will sail under the name of Faber Shipping Worldwide. She already has a lawyer, some money, a few crew members, and occasionally one or more ships. She also continues to hold out hope that Jaimy Fletcher still loves her, and will marry her one day.
16. What is something she doesn't want anyone to find out about her? In most cases, her true identity. Few people know that her real name is Mary.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with her parents. Jacky’s parents died when she was seven. Not much is said about them.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like? A younger sister, Penny, who also died. It is implied that they were close.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom she is close? Are there ones she can't stand? Jacky only has one known living relative: her maternal grandfather. She meets him coincidentally in book three. He now oversees her Home for Little Wanderers.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom she considers part of her family? What are her relationships with them? Amy Trevelyne, a close friend from the Lawson Peabody. Higgins, her loyal servant and right-hand man. Liam Delaney, her sea-dad from the Dolphin. Hugh the Grand, another orphan from the Rooster Charlie gang, whom Jacky meets again in book four.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet? Jacky is deeply indebted to Charlie Rooster, who took her into his gang when she found herself cast onto the streets as a young girl. He shared his food with her, taught her the facts of life, and ultimately gave her his last possessions when he was killed by a rival gang.
6. Does she have other close friends? A number of other girls from the Lawson Peabody, both students and serving girls. Various sailors, including her first mate Jim Tanner, the roguish Joseph Jared, and her Brothers from the Dolphin. Liam’s son and daughter, Padraic and Mairead. Amy’s brother, Randall.
7. Does she make friends easily, or does she have trouble getting along with people? It can go either way. Jacky is friendly and outgoing, but her stubbornness, tendency to be overbearing, and failure to conform to normal female behavior can cause people to dislike her.
8. Which does she consider more important: family or friends? Since she has no family, the answer has to be friends.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has she been married more than once? Betrothed.
10. Is she currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse? Jacky is promised to Jaimy Fletcher. That hasn’t stopped her from having entanglements with Randall Trevelyne, Robin Raeburne, Padraic Delaney, and any other eligible male who crosses her path.
11. Who was her first crush? Who is her latest? Jacky was in love with Jaimy before she even admitted to him that she was a girl. Everyone else pales in comparison.
12. What does she look for in a romantic partner? ... Male attributes? She doesn’t seem very picky.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does she relate to them? If no, does she want any? Jacky is only fifteen, but would like to someday have a brood of little children.
14. Does she have any rivals or enemies? The pirate LeFievre. Any Marine or Navy sailor, as there is a warrant out for her arrest. The sailor Bliffil, because he hates her. Clarissa Worthington Howe, a fellow student from the Lawson Peabody with whom Jacky has engaged in battles of wits and fists.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does she fall on the Kinsey scale? Straight. Energetically so.
16. How does she feel about sex? How important is it to her? Jacky is certainly open to the idea, although she hasn’t quite crossed that line yet. She wants her first time to be with someone she cares about - if not with Jaimy, then at least not with a licentious old ship captain.
17. What are her turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits? In order: Young men with nice butts. Old dirty sailors who ogle her. Changing her mind at the last minute.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does she fit type? Libra. ... Not very well, I think.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in her life? Consider the following points:
A. Jacky prays regularly for herself and for her friends.
B. Growing up, she was not welcome in her local church.
C. Her local church was St. Paul’s Cathedral, and she was often there to steal from the charity box.
D. Who needed charity more than a gang of destitute orphans?
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it? Jacky believes strongly in punishing the wicked and rewarding the righteous. She makes it her mission to be the mechanism by which these punishments and rewards happen. Of course, she tends to punish crooks by stealing from them, so... maybe her code of ethics compromises itself.
4. How does she regard beliefs that differ from hers? Is she tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent? Morally and politically, Jacky tends to stick to her guns. She’s right, and everyone else is wrong.
5. What prejudices does she hold? Are they irrational or does she have a good reason for them? Jacky is a remarkably unprejudiced person. She is vehemently opposed to slavery and mistreatment of Indians, and has no particular bias against people from other parts of the UK.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is she rich, poor, comfortable, in debt? It varies. Currently, Jacky possesses three ships, employs several crew members, and has a certain amount of money under the care of her lawyer - so, she is relatively rich.
2. What is her social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected her? Fugitive. Her previous statuses have included orphan, student, serving girl, and various ranks in the Navy, but right now she is on the run from the law. Jacky takes these changes in stride, always remaining eminently herself.
3. Where does she live? House, apartment, trailer? Is her home her castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does she share it with others? Currently, in the captain’s cabin of her flatboat, the Belle of the Golden West. Jacky has never stayed long in one place, and none of her residences were exactly what a normal person would consider a home. But that’s fine with her - her aspiration is to travel the world, and it’s hard to do that if you never leave your house.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does she spend her money on? Lately, a lot of Jacky’s money has gone towards provisions for her ship. She’s rarely in a position to spend money just on herself.
5. What does she do for a living? Is she good at it? Does she enjoy it, or would she rather be doing something else? Aside from plying the seas as a privateer or merchant trader, Jacky can make money by singing and dancing in bars. She loves it, and the patrons seem to enjoy it too.
6. What are her interests or hobbies? How does she spend her free time? Having adventures, telling stories about her adventures, playing music, and getting into trouble. She never has free time, since she is always busy enacting one scheme or another.
7. What are her eating habits? Does she skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods? Fast and messy. Jacky is protective of her food and doesn’t usually bother with table manners. She eats what she can, when she can. She doesn’t have a problem with alcohol, though she has sworn never again to partake of hard liquor.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is her favorite:
1. Color? Blue seems to be a favorite.
2. Smell? The ocean.
3. Time of day? A warm, sunny afternoon.
4. Season? Spring.
5. Book? Jacky doesn’t come across a lot of books in her travels.
6. Music? Folk tunes.
7. Place? On a ship.
8. Substance? Tincture of opium.
9. Plant? ... Some kind of flower?
10. Animal? She recently had a pet pig.
END
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Threadhopping with this character?: Yes.
Backtagging with this character?: Yes.
Hugging this character?: She would be delighted.
Giving this character a kiss?: If your character is a young man, which in Luceti is about a 60% chance, then by all means.
(Something more intimate?): I would love for Jacky to have romantic encounters. Talk to me about it.
(Relationships?): I can’t see her going very long without one.
Punching this character (provided they can fight back): Really, you want to punch a little girl? Fine, go for it.
(Injury?): Probably. Plot with me.
(Death?): Maaaaybe.
Is there anything you do not want mentioned near this character?: Keep in mind she’s from a historically-accurate 1806 and will be completely baffled by both magic and modern technology. But feel free to enlighten her.
Is there anything you need us to know about interacting with this character?: If Jacky seems like an inconsistent character, that’s on purpose. Becoming other people is what she does. She’ll probably present a different face to every CR.
Anything else, please mention here: An odd note on fourth-walling: Periodically during her travels, Jacky tells her Adventures Thus Far to a friend. The friend duly writes the stories down, and they are subsequently published as the very books Jacky’s canon consists of. She therefore gets quasi-fourth-walled in her own world, by people who have read these books. Depending on where and when your character is from, they might recognize her either as a fictional character or as a real, semi-famous person. Only the former will surprise her.
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is she heavyset, thin, short, rangy? Height: I don’t recall Jacky’s height ever being mentioned, so I assume average. Build: Athletic. At age 15, Jacky has enough feminine attributes to impair the judgment of red-blooded males, but she is not so well-endowed that she can’t still disguise herself as a boy.
2. How old is she? 15. Her birthday is October 2.
3. Describe her posture. Does she carry herself well or does she slouch? Jacky learned proper posture from the straight-laced Mistress Pimm. When the mood strikes her, she can be as erect as any Lady.
4. How is her health? Is she fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities? Jacky is in good shape and is generally healthy. She has suffered a number of injuries, but none of them have caused her lasting harm.
5. How does she move? Is she clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid? Jacky moves how she wants to move. She can glide like a Lady, scramble like a sailor, or lounge around like the indulgent young girl she is.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does she perceive herself in the mirror? Jacky is no knock-out, but she also has no shortage of men willing to seduce or outright rape her. To be fair, many of these men are in the kinds of professions where they don’t see a lot of women, so they’re not too picky. (They do frequently note that she has a skinny butt.) Mirrors are expensive and uncommon in Jacky’s era, so she does not spend a great deal of time looking in them.
7. Describe her complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred? Tanned, with several interesting scars and marks on her face. (See question 10.)
8. Describe her hair: color, texture, style. Ash blonde and wavy. Unruly, except for when Higgins forces her to sit still so he can do something with it.
9. What color are her eyes? Brown.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features? Jacky has one white eyebrow, from a scar underneath. She has blue speckles near her eye, powder burns from leaning over cannons. She has a blue anchor tattooed on her hip. One ear is pierced. She has a stab wound in her thigh and some cigarette burns above her knee.
11. What are her chief tension centers? Not sure.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does she have six of the same outfit? Jacky is one of those rare fictional characters who actually changes her clothes once in a while. Her outfits include: Various Navy costumes (Ship’s Boy whites, Midshipman’s uniform, etc.). Black school dress. Serving girl rig. A riding habit. Burglar costume. A buckskin shirt and skirt. The infamous blue dress she sewed for herself. And others. Also, she occasionally wears no more than her underthings.
13. Do her clothes fit well? Does she seem comfortable in them? Mixed bag. The blue dress, for one, becomes increasingly indecent as Jacky gets older. In general, she prefers clothes that are easier to move in.
14. Does she dress the same on the job as she does in her free time? If not, what are the differences? No - in fact, Jacky changes her clothes depending on what job she’s doing.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando? Shifts and petticoats.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse? Being a book character, Jacky doesn’t have a voice in that sense. I assume she sounds like a teenage girl, but not so feminine that she has to do that silly lowering-your-voice trick to pass as a boy.
2. How does she normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does she talk easily, or does she hesitate? Easily, loudly, and a lot. Jacky loves to be the center of attention, and is not at all afraid to speak her mind.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics? Jacky’s original dialect is Cheapside English. She has since learned proper British English, and American English. She can change her accent and speech to appear to be from a wide range of places.
4. What language/s does she speak, and with how much fluency? Multiple varieties of English (see previous question). She is also fluent in French.
5. Does she switch languages or dialects in certain situations? Wait five minutes and Jacky will change dialects. She does this on purpose, as part of various disguises, and also involuntarily when she is scared or excited. When she’s really undercover, though, she can maintain a persona for weeks or months.
6. Is she a good impromptu speaker, or does she have to think about her words? Jacky is a performer, able to drum up business and tell entertaining stories at a moment’s notice. She is never short on words.
7. Is she eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change? Eloquent may not be the right word - Jacky can spin a great yarn, but the excitement is mostly in the action, not in the language she uses. She is, however, able to give rousing pep talks to anyone she needs to encourage or inspire.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is she book-smart or street-smart? Street-smart, very literally. Jacky spent much of her childhood as an orphan in the streets of London. She has learned to think on her feet, and to pick up skills, knowledge, friends, and useful objects wherever she finds them. Her formal schooling has been pretty minimal, but she can read and has at least a basic grasp of science and current politics.
2. Does she think on her feet, or does she need time to deliberate? As in the previous question, Jacky tends to make it up as she goes along. She’s also good at long-range plans, able to formulate and enact complex strategies. That is, if she can sit still long enough to come up with them.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is she more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical? In a dangerous situation, Jacky usually makes snap decisions about what course of action is most likely to result in her still being alive the next morning. She then commits fully to making her pseudo-plan happen. She has big dreams, and has already taken steps towards bringing them about.
4. What kind of education has the character had? Jacky must have had some education with her family, because when she landed on the street she was already literate. She had some schooling aboard the Dolphin, with the other Ship’s Boys, and continued it during her short stint as a student at the Lawson Peabody.
5. What are her areas of expertise? What, if anything, is she interested in learning more about? Jacky is very knowledgeable about ships and sailing, but is always learning more. She is also constantly adding to her repertoire of songs, dance steps, stories, and jokes. And, of course, she is always interested in learning anything that might someday get her further in life - or just help that life to be a little longer.
6. Is she an introvert or an extrovert? Extrovert all the way. Jacky delights in being the center of attention.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is she even-tempered or does she have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven? Jacky has pretty extreme mood swings, though that’s largely attributable to her life. One moment she has just completed a trans-Atlantic voyage and is on her way to see her betrothed, the next she finds him kissing another girl. And then she gets arrested by a press-gang. Things like this cause Jacky to constantly be bouncing between joy and misery, pride in her accomplishments and abject fear of imminent death. With occasional bouts of honest repentance for her misguided deeds.
8. How does she respond to new people or situations? Is she suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic? Jacky’s first reaction is to case out the scenario, learning all the important facts. She is then able to commit to a persona and a course of action. She does this quickly, but adjusts her plans as she acquires more information.
9. Is she more likely to act, or to react? Both. Females in Jacky’s time are supposed to be quiet and well-behaved, but she is more likely to take charge and Do Something. Sometimes she acts too quickly, misreading a situation and winding up in even bigger trouble. Other times situations happen to her, and she has no choice but to react on instinct. This is how she acquired one of her least favorite nicknames: Bloody Jack.
10. Which is her default: fight or flight? Jacky is a coward at heart and would always prefer to avoid a fight. But when she or her friends are threatened, she finds courage and attacks the enemy with rocks, swords, or pistols. Sometimes with fatal results.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does she appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks? Jacky enjoys a good joke, and also delights in telling them. Dirty jokes are a favorite, though she usually reserves them for a certain kind of company.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does she deal with them? Not a disorder, but Jacky is prone to having nightmares about all the times she almost died. She sleeps much easier with a bedmate.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined her as a person? The moment when she found Charlie Rooster dead, and decided she needed to get out of the streets. The first time she killed a man who was threatening her friend. The moment when she promised herself to Jaimy.
14. What does she fear? Being arrested, which will probably lead to being killed. Or just flat-out being killed.
15. What are her hopes or aspirations? Jacky dreams of establishing a merchant fleet, which will sail under the name of Faber Shipping Worldwide. She already has a lawyer, some money, a few crew members, and occasionally one or more ships. She also continues to hold out hope that Jaimy Fletcher still loves her, and will marry her one day.
16. What is something she doesn't want anyone to find out about her? In most cases, her true identity. Few people know that her real name is Mary.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with her parents. Jacky’s parents died when she was seven. Not much is said about them.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like? A younger sister, Penny, who also died. It is implied that they were close.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom she is close? Are there ones she can't stand? Jacky only has one known living relative: her maternal grandfather. She meets him coincidentally in book three. He now oversees her Home for Little Wanderers.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom she considers part of her family? What are her relationships with them? Amy Trevelyne, a close friend from the Lawson Peabody. Higgins, her loyal servant and right-hand man. Liam Delaney, her sea-dad from the Dolphin. Hugh the Grand, another orphan from the Rooster Charlie gang, whom Jacky meets again in book four.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet? Jacky is deeply indebted to Charlie Rooster, who took her into his gang when she found herself cast onto the streets as a young girl. He shared his food with her, taught her the facts of life, and ultimately gave her his last possessions when he was killed by a rival gang.
6. Does she have other close friends? A number of other girls from the Lawson Peabody, both students and serving girls. Various sailors, including her first mate Jim Tanner, the roguish Joseph Jared, and her Brothers from the Dolphin. Liam’s son and daughter, Padraic and Mairead. Amy’s brother, Randall.
7. Does she make friends easily, or does she have trouble getting along with people? It can go either way. Jacky is friendly and outgoing, but her stubbornness, tendency to be overbearing, and failure to conform to normal female behavior can cause people to dislike her.
8. Which does she consider more important: family or friends? Since she has no family, the answer has to be friends.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has she been married more than once? Betrothed.
10. Is she currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse? Jacky is promised to Jaimy Fletcher. That hasn’t stopped her from having entanglements with Randall Trevelyne, Robin Raeburne, Padraic Delaney, and any other eligible male who crosses her path.
11. Who was her first crush? Who is her latest? Jacky was in love with Jaimy before she even admitted to him that she was a girl. Everyone else pales in comparison.
12. What does she look for in a romantic partner? ... Male attributes? She doesn’t seem very picky.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does she relate to them? If no, does she want any? Jacky is only fifteen, but would like to someday have a brood of little children.
14. Does she have any rivals or enemies? The pirate LeFievre. Any Marine or Navy sailor, as there is a warrant out for her arrest. The sailor Bliffil, because he hates her. Clarissa Worthington Howe, a fellow student from the Lawson Peabody with whom Jacky has engaged in battles of wits and fists.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does she fall on the Kinsey scale? Straight. Energetically so.
16. How does she feel about sex? How important is it to her? Jacky is certainly open to the idea, although she hasn’t quite crossed that line yet. She wants her first time to be with someone she cares about - if not with Jaimy, then at least not with a licentious old ship captain.
17. What are her turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits? In order: Young men with nice butts. Old dirty sailors who ogle her. Changing her mind at the last minute.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does she fit type? Libra. ... Not very well, I think.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in her life? Consider the following points:
A. Jacky prays regularly for herself and for her friends.
B. Growing up, she was not welcome in her local church.
C. Her local church was St. Paul’s Cathedral, and she was often there to steal from the charity box.
D. Who needed charity more than a gang of destitute orphans?
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it? Jacky believes strongly in punishing the wicked and rewarding the righteous. She makes it her mission to be the mechanism by which these punishments and rewards happen. Of course, she tends to punish crooks by stealing from them, so... maybe her code of ethics compromises itself.
4. How does she regard beliefs that differ from hers? Is she tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent? Morally and politically, Jacky tends to stick to her guns. She’s right, and everyone else is wrong.
5. What prejudices does she hold? Are they irrational or does she have a good reason for them? Jacky is a remarkably unprejudiced person. She is vehemently opposed to slavery and mistreatment of Indians, and has no particular bias against people from other parts of the UK.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is she rich, poor, comfortable, in debt? It varies. Currently, Jacky possesses three ships, employs several crew members, and has a certain amount of money under the care of her lawyer - so, she is relatively rich.
2. What is her social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected her? Fugitive. Her previous statuses have included orphan, student, serving girl, and various ranks in the Navy, but right now she is on the run from the law. Jacky takes these changes in stride, always remaining eminently herself.
3. Where does she live? House, apartment, trailer? Is her home her castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does she share it with others? Currently, in the captain’s cabin of her flatboat, the Belle of the Golden West. Jacky has never stayed long in one place, and none of her residences were exactly what a normal person would consider a home. But that’s fine with her - her aspiration is to travel the world, and it’s hard to do that if you never leave your house.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does she spend her money on? Lately, a lot of Jacky’s money has gone towards provisions for her ship. She’s rarely in a position to spend money just on herself.
5. What does she do for a living? Is she good at it? Does she enjoy it, or would she rather be doing something else? Aside from plying the seas as a privateer or merchant trader, Jacky can make money by singing and dancing in bars. She loves it, and the patrons seem to enjoy it too.
6. What are her interests or hobbies? How does she spend her free time? Having adventures, telling stories about her adventures, playing music, and getting into trouble. She never has free time, since she is always busy enacting one scheme or another.
7. What are her eating habits? Does she skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods? Fast and messy. Jacky is protective of her food and doesn’t usually bother with table manners. She eats what she can, when she can. She doesn’t have a problem with alcohol, though she has sworn never again to partake of hard liquor.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is her favorite:
1. Color? Blue seems to be a favorite.
2. Smell? The ocean.
3. Time of day? A warm, sunny afternoon.
4. Season? Spring.
5. Book? Jacky doesn’t come across a lot of books in her travels.
6. Music? Folk tunes.
7. Place? On a ship.
8. Substance? Tincture of opium.
9. Plant? ... Some kind of flower?
10. Animal? She recently had a pet pig.
END
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