Post by Virginia Linnington on Jun 5, 2013 22:02:37 GMT -5
Virginia Penelope Linnington
Out of Character
Alias: Ana
Age: Pi
Gender: Female
RP Experience: Three-ish years?
How Did You Find Us?: Maria, Zach, and Rev brainwashed me
Activity Level: At least every other day
Other Characters: Mia Clifton, Devin Sampat, Bailey Allison (will soon be dropped)
Keyword in Rules: Verified by Ana
RP Sample:Riley was wandering outside, jotting down notes in the tattered notebook he always kept with him. Inside were detailed plans for pranks. An unfortunate sixth year had decided to slip a rather vile potion in his drink. It had left him with raging blisters on his legs and arms. Well, Riley would get revenge as soon as he came up with a new prank... if he came up with one. No matter how hard he concentrated, he just couldn't think of a new prank. Oh, how he hated getting "pranker's block." Sighing, Riley looked up and found himself in front of the West Wall. He sat down and leaned against the wall. Riley chewed on the end of his pencil (he found quills too cumbersome) while gazing out into the distance.
A group of first years were chatting animatedly a few feet away and several other students seemed to be taking advantage of the mild weather. The air was crisp and cool and the sun's rays shone down, warming everything in its path. It was the perfect day to go out for a run. No! You have to finish your plans first. He groaned and buried his head back into his notebook, jotting down random things.
At last, Riley had finally come up with the perfect prank. He scribbled furiously, trying to get it down before the idea escaped him. He was so engrossed in his work that he didn't notice the girl who was jogging towards him. The jingle of bracelets startled him; and he looked up to see a girl, halfway down the wall, with her back to him. She looked kind of familiar, and it took him a while to realize that she was in Spencer too. What's her name, again? It's starts with a 'J' or something... He watched as she threw herself into a cartwheel and continued down the length of the wall.
Riley closed his notebook and slipped it into his pocket. He could come up with the prank later. Right now, he was tired of writing and wanted to have a little fun. Smirking, he sauntered down to the girl and said, "You call that a cartwheel?! That was pathetic! Watch this." He walked away from the wall so that he wouldn't accidentally hit it, and started cartwheeling. He managed a few halfway decent ones before stopping, quite dizzy. Grinning, he stumbled back and said, "Now, that's how you do a cartwheel." It was obvious that his weren't any better than hers, but he continued smiling just to annoy her.
General Information
Full Name: Virginia Penelope Linnington
Gender: Female
Birthday: 22/02/1826
Age: 18 but is technically 187
Camp Experience: About six months
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Claim Status: Yes
Divine Parent: Athena
Looks
Hair: She has blonde, fairly straight hair that hangs a halfway down her chest. Usually, she parts it in the center and wears it up in a bun.
Eyes: Like most children of Athena, her eyes are grey.
Height: 5’1’’
Weight: 100 lbs
Picture: Click
Playby: Dakota Fanning
Dressing Style: After living in modern society for nearly three years, Virginia has managed to adapt her dressing style to match current fashions for the most part. The only exception is that she absolutely insists on covering her legs completely. When she can, she wears long dresses or skirts. Although she knows she can’t wear them, she misses having large, elaborate gowns and her gloves. As for shoes, they must be close-toed. She either goes in ballet flats or if necessary, boots. Although Virginia enjoys wearing nice clothes in bright colors, she has been dressing a bit more plainly lately largely due to the fact that she has had to take over all of Zyna’s former servants’ duties.
General Appearance: With her petite stature and slender frame, Virginia is a wisp of a girl. She looks as if she had stepped out of a faded photograph, as if she were fragile and perhaps not all there. Her pale complexion, blond hair, and grey eyes certainly add to the imagery. An air of strange antiquity surrounds her, betraying her true age. The only thing that contradicts this is the fact that she is all sharp angles. Despite Virginia’s best attempts to carry herself with a dignified air, one receives the impression that she is not truly comfortable, always a bit off balance or awkward.
Although her posture is perfect, Virginia does not appear confident or assertive. She refuses to make eye contact with others, instead choosing to stare down at the ground. Her hands wring anxiously, arms tightly pinned to her sides. When she sits, her ankles are always crossed. When she walks with someone, she is always a half step behind. Subconsciously, Virginia is always trying to take up less space, to disappear.
Throughout her entire life, Virginia has been taught that one of the most important things she can be as a woman is beautiful. As a result, she puts considerable effort into making herself look nice. Even on her worst days, Virginia makes sure she looks presentable. Although she is concerned with her outfit and general visage, her focus are her hands. She has always felt that her hands are the best part of her. Long, tapering fingers are a testament to her skill in sewing and embroidery. Despite all the work she has taken on for Zyna, Virginia makes sure her hands are uncalloused and in fair condition.
What Makes Them Them
Personality Description: Virginia is first and foremost a survivor although she doesn't think of herself as one. She believes herself to be much too spineless, too weak, too dependent on others. However, that doesn't change the fact that she's always had a knack for working her way out of tricky situations. From birth, she's been raised to be resilient.
Her cleverness and ability to learn quickly has always contributed to her ability to survive. She is quite "book smart" and can always be found studying up on one subject or other with an extraordinary amount of focus. Virginia can also be "street smart," however, she often has trouble putting her knowledge to use especially if she is forced to interact with others. Having been taught to stay in the shadows, Virginia is very good at remaining unnoticeable while observing her surroundings. As a result, she manages to pick up on things others would miss.
Virginia has always been shy, never truly comfortable at parties and other social situations. Despite having been taught the art of making small talk, she tries to avoid actually doing it. She has never been good at making friends as she never quite knows what to say. This problem has only magnified ever since she came to America. She much prefers listening to talking. Virginia is also quite averse to conflict and quick to submit when dealing with personal conflicts.
She has always been a follower, never a leader, and she is completely comfortable with this role. For the most part, Virginia actually likes being told what to do; it gives her a sense of purpose. She's never one to refuse a request from a loved one. In fact, she'll do just about anything for those who are close to her. Virginia is loyal to a fault and is always quick to defend her loved ones. Part of this stems from her inferiority complex. She is always seeking ways to prove herself worthy as a handmaiden, daughter, friend, etc.
Despite her ability to adapt to change, Virginia has never truly liked it. She clings to her old memories, ways, and ideas. She grows very disdainful in the face of many aspects of modern society and is quite fond of making snide remarks about how corrupt modern times are. Virginia romanticizes the past and always seems to be caught in a fit of nostalgia.
Likes: courtesy, routine, dresses, rainy days, embroidery, books (especially 19th century lit), piano music, most modern technology, candles, freshly sharpened pencils, sunrises, blank sheets of paper, satin ribbons, rosemary
Dislikes: being forced to make small talk, mechanical pencils, oversleeping, most of the Camp's rules, people touching her stuff, most aspects of modern society, messy desks, tangled/knotted threads, thimbles with closed tops, seafood, containers filled to the brim, nosy people
Fears:
- Arachnids of all types-- the standard Athena fear
- Public speaking-- It doesn't even have to be a particularly large audience. Speaking to groups of people that number more than five or so will leave Virginia anxious and stuttering.
- Being alone/abandoned-- Despite being a major introvert, Virginia is terrified of stuck in the 21st century completely and utterly alone.
- Automobiles- They fascinate her, but she's had too many close calls.
- Disappointing her loved ones-- It doesn't help that she has an inferiority complex.
- Her future-- Virginia doesn't want to spend the rest of her life at Camp, but she is essentially trapped there seeing as how she has no documentation and a very limited knowledge of the modern world.
Secrets:
- She hates Zeus for destroying her life.
- She hates Athena for abandoning her.
- At the same time, she wants to make Athena proud.
- Her entire past is a secret.
- She subscribes to many old (and discriminatory) beliefs. Seeing as how they are looked down upon in modern society, Virginia tries to keep them to herself, but if one talks long enough with her, s/he'll find out.
Ambitions:
- To somehow make it back to the 1840s
- If she never succeeds in going back in time, she wishes to find out what happened to her parents
- To find out what her true parentage is. She is already fairly certain that she is not related to the Wilkinsons, but she has no idea what to do with this suspicion
Powers: Skilled in the arts, very intelligent
Family and History
Personal History: Phillip Linnington was a student at the University of Oxford when he first met Athena. The goddess had spent much of her time at Oxford those days seeing as how aside from the construction of the Erie Canal, current affairs in America were quite peaceful and a bit dull. Concealed in the Mist, Athena enjoyed whiling away her days in various universities around the world, Oxford in particular. It was there on a lazy afternoon that Phillip discovered her in one of the numerous libraries.
It was hard to say who was more shocked. After quick banter, Athena learned that Phillip was a clear-sighted mortal, while he realized that no, his eyes were not deceiving him, and yes, apparently there were women who understood complex engineering principles. Despite his annoyingly prejudiced attitude towards women, Athena was impressed with his sharp wit. The two slowly grew close, meeting at the library every other day or so for lengthy conversations.
A few months after their initial meeting, Athena started experiencing awful migraines. She had to leave. Without giving any indication as to what was happening, the goddess just stopped showing up to the library. At first, Phillip figured that she had just forgotten to meet him. Or perhaps she was sick and could not see him for a few weeks. However, months started dragging by with nary a sign from his love. Despite previous warnings from Athena, Phillip started questioning those around him. Had they seen a beautiful woman with gleaming grey eyes who often spent her days in the corner of the library? Of course, the answer was always no.
Finally, Phillip gave up looking. Nearly nine months had passed when he suddenly contracted typhoid fever. A few days later, on a dreary late February day in 1826, he died.
Athena was immediately wrought with panic for on that day, the child was born. Athena chose the name Virginia as it was a fairly common English name, and although the girl would never know her true past, Athena wanted her to keep a part of it. For the same reason, she opted to give the child her father’s last name. The middle name Penelope was chosen to both honor Athena’s favorite hero’s wife and to pay tribute to the countless discussions that she had had with Phillip over ancient Greek literature, particularly The Odyssey.
Over the next few days, the goddess began a frenzied search, trying to find a suitable home for her daughter. She did not wish to just dump the child in some orphanage. A girl would get nowhere in life if she started out in anywhere but the upper class. And a demigod girl would need more protection. Although monsters were quite rare in England, they occasionally presented themselves, preying on foolish demigods who had thought they could escape the horrors of Tartarus permanently.
Finally, Athena settled on Lady Eleanor and Lord James Wilkinson, a noble couple in a tiny kingdom tucked away in the corner of Europe. Eleanor was a daughter of Apollo who would know how to protect and raise a demigod. The two desperately wished for a child and were extremely grateful when Athena approached them. By manipulating the Mist, Athena helped the couple convince other members of the nobility that the child was their niece. They told everyone that Eleanor had had a brother who, along with his wife, died in a terrible accident, leaving Virginia behind.
Under the instruction of Athena, Eleanor encouraged Virginia to pursue the arts instead of more academic endeavors. There was already enough suspicion surrounding their adoption of their “niece.” Although it pained Athena, she understood that a girl who was both highly intelligent and highly talented in the arts would attract even more attention. Besides, the goddess was fairly sure her child would be able to pick up on academic subjects easily later in life. For now, Eleanor would have to focus on cultivating the child’s artistic side. Virginia needed to be raised as a proper lady.
Deeply immersed in court life, Virginia grew up as any noble woman would. Her daily activities usually consisted of lessons on manners, riding, music, and other appropriate pursuits. Her adoptive parents only gave her enough of an education to ensure that she was literate. It soon became apparent that Virginia harbored a talent for embroidery. She could stitch the most intricately beautiful patterns, and despite her general clumsiness, it seemed as if her fingers could do no wrong. They flew deftly as she worked for hours on piece after piece, the repetitive motions soothing her. It was one of the few activities in which Virginia could focus for a long period of time.
As she grew older, Athena continued to provide guidance to Eleanor. The two knew that the princess, Lydia, was just a couple of years older and would soon need a companion. Allowing Virginia to become Lydia’s lady-in-waiting would provide Virginia with an even better future. Thus, they constantly encouraged Virginia to interact with the princess during parties and other social gatherings. Despite being painfully shy, Virginia managed to become acquainted with Lydia. It wasn’t too difficult; after all, they were often the only children of the same age at the social events.
Finally, the king and queen called for a handmaiden for Lydia, and at the urging of Athena, Eleanor and James offered Virginia. She was immediately chosen. From then on, she spent much of her time with Lydia, providing the princess with companionship while completing personal tasks. The two grew extremely close as their personalities complemented each others; Virginia was a follower while Lydia was a leader. She soon became unwaveringly loyal to Lydia, doing nearly anything that was asked of her.
As she entered her later teens, Eleanor and James began searching for a suitable husband for Virginia. Meanwhile, Lydia’s parents began their own search. While Virginia’s parents were fairly unsuccessful, Lydia’s almost immediately found an appropriate suitor, Prince Charles Anima. Suddenly, Virginia found herself with an abundance of free time. Lydia now spent time with Charles, and Virginia became slightly jealous that her best friend was occupied with someone else. Athena immediately seized the opportunity, instructing James to finally give Virginia a proper education. Under his instruction, she progressed rapidly. However, she was instructed to keep the lessons a secret. Virginia did not find this difficult to do as she had been raised to fade away into the background and only appear if she was needed like any other proper lady.
Just as Lydia was about to be wed, Zeus decided to spirit her away to 21st century America. The queen had greatly offended the god, and he had finally come for his revenge. The only issue was that Zeus needed someone to accompany his daughter. Virginia was the obvious choice seeing as how she was Lydia’s handmaiden and a daughter of Athena. If anyone could help his daughter adapt to modern life, it would be her. Athena attempted to protest on behalf of the Wilkinsons, but even she could not sway the king of gods. Besides, she understood that the 1800s was no place for a woman.
Shortly after Virginia arrived in the US, Athena appeared to her, claiming her, and briefly explained what had happened. That was the last time Virginia saw Athena. After spending years trying to help Eleanor and James raise Virginia, Athena decided it was about time her daughter be put to the test and prove her worth.
Meanwhile, the Wilkinsons only received a brief note from Athena, informing them that Zeus had sent their daughter to a better place, one where she would be able to achieve more than they could ever hope for. The goddess never visited them again, and the couple never learned what had happened to Virginia.
Naturally, Virginia was both terrified and overwhelmed by modern life. Not only did she have to look after herself, but she also had to take care of Zyna (Lydia had decided to rename herself). Thankfully, Zeus had given his daughter much more information than Athena had, and the two were able to navigate through modern life, albeit a bit clumsily. Through a bit of reading and a lot of careful observation, Virginia was able to adapt very quickly as she reluctantly took on her role as a teenager in 21st century society.
The two demigods soon found Camp, and assimilation took place even more quickly. However, Virginia resented nearly every aspect of modern times. After having old-fashioned values so deeply ingrained inside of her, it was extremely difficult for her to adopt more modern ones. The culture was laughable and practically non-existent as far as Virginia was concerned. There was nothing remotely refined about America. The only thing that interested her was the technology. Everywhere she looked, something always caught her eye, piquing her curiosity.
Perhaps worst of all was the overwhelming fear that threatened to paralyze Virginia at times. Her parents were not here. All of the court officials and other nobles were not here. Even Athena refused to appear to her. The only person she had was Zyna, who seemed to take to modern life. If she lost Zyna, she would lose everything that tied her back to her old world. In an attempt to quell the fear that Zyna would abandon her, Virginia sought to make herself needed. (Sidenote: Congrats for making it this far! Only one more paragraph to go!) She took on menial tasks that the lower servants used to do, such as polishing Zyna’s boots. She did everything in her power to make sure the former princess would keep her around.
With her 21st birthday looming in the distance, Virginia has begun trying to figure out her next move. Surrounded by unfamiliar options, she has come to accept that contrary to what Athena might have thought, her future will be anything but easy.
Mortal Parent: Phillip Linnington (dead)
Other Family: Eleanor Wilkinson (adoptive mother, dead); James Wilkinson (adoptive father, dead); Zyna Anima (mistress, practically family at this point)
And Finally...
I, Ana, have made this entirely up. I did not rip somebody else’s application from any site, and have followed the rules accordingly.
And…? Oui.
