#gildedintro

name ( s )  :  evangeline  elizabeth  astor  ,  a . k . a .  eva , evie   .   d . o . b .  february  22  ,  1862   .   in  :  new york   .   family  history  :  hails from  england   .    she  speaks  :  english  ,  conversational french   .   religious  beliefs  :  tbd   .   educational  achievements  :  private tutor for primary education , finishing school   .   occupation  :  socialite   .   marital  status  :  not  spoken  for   .   hobbies  :  reading  though  at  times  it  is  used  just  to  seem  preoccupied  and  listen  to  controversy  nearby  ,  theatrics  so  long  as  it  brings  attention  to  her  ,  charity  work  namely  ones  that  benefit  the  astors in  the  eyes  of  others   .   

eye  colour  :  hazel   .   hair  colour  :  golden blonde   .   height  :  5′7″   .   distinguishing  characteristic  :  a smile that rarely reaches her eyes   .   adornments  :  always  kept  up  with  the  latest  fashion  ,  usually  showcasing  wealth  by  the  fabrics  and  and  color  pallet   .

parents  :  mother  named  diana , father  named  richard  deceased   .   siblings  :   montgomery , and  two  older  brothers   .   extended  family  :  grandfather  astor  ,  nephews  and  nieces  the  children  of  montgomery  and  his  wife  caroline  ,  alberta  huangme  the  cousin   .   pets   :   family  has  hunting  dogs   .

inspo  ;    𝘢𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 ( 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 ) , 𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘮 ( 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 ) , 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢 𝘨𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦 ( 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 '04 ) , 𝘭𝘶𝘤𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘢 ( 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢 ) , 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘢 ( 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘯𝘦𝘥 ) , 𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘯𝘦 ( 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘯 )

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝚁𝙴𝚃 , evangeline astor was never the type to be told, ' no ' as a child running around with idilic notions and fanciful dreams. everything she ever wanted was offered up on a silver spoon, fed to her through grander and curated perfection. but there was one — a young man. evangeline found herself day dreaming about him on walks, during family dinners when she hardly pressed her fork to her meal, and all she knew of him was he was seemingly of good standing and had a pleasing face . . . but to him, evangeline was much like the season, a facade, a show, where something unfavorable stirred underneath. so, attention was sparse, but the more he lacked interest, the more she desired to win his affections, even going as far as to tantalize confidential knowledge she overheard, but even such secrets did not keep his attention. within two days time she had spread a vicious rumor of him, ostracizing the family from society and removing them from the very prospect of the four hundred list evangeline's sister-in-law curated. people talk, but as misfortune would have it, the origin of the lie was too put into question when the family refused to remain put out. kept at bay by the protection of montgomery and the astor name secured evangeline's name from every reaching the lips of those who question its validity, for if anyone were to discover the truth . . . it would cast a rather large shadow over the astor name.

𝙷𝙸𝙶𝙷 𝚂𝙾𝙲𝙸𝙴𝚃𝚈 , it's what evangeline knows best, it's all she's ever known, a part of her does worry if it is all she ever will know. the only way she will remain in such stature is to marry another who shares the same recognition as the astor name, with good standing and a favorable disposition towards the astor's family business — the expectation placed on her by her father before his passing.

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 , there was something very of the doll about evangeline astor, raised the youngest with three older brothers and spoiled by each and every one. her mother took every opportunity to manufacture perfection of what she thought her daughter should be and her father, his great expectations fell upon all his children and the future prospects of their business, an an unwitting martyr to an age of excess. ' i want to be great, or nothing! ' unfortunately evangeline never harbored any budding talent that would lead to such a future. she could not paint nearly as well as her cousin. she held no talent for a political eye as montgomery; writing seemed to fail her, never able to lace together the flowery words of a poet in just the right way, despite her penmanship stating otherwise. she could not carry a tune past a hum and impatience found her quickly at the prospect of holding an instrument. but she was great at one thing, doing what she was told by here parents and upon her father's passing and brother's election, evangeline found herself torn between abiding by her father's demands and, for the first time, questioning how much she might have wanted to follow through, make her own decisions — a thought quickly pushed away, never to be reminded of, for now.

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙸𝙼𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙾𝙽 , how society views evangeline . . . an astor. a spoiled girl with a sharp tongue and pretty face who might seem friendly, but those who have lived in new york long know evangeline is only nice to a select few. the connection to her brother gives her an advantage and the death of her father a few years ago did warrant sympathy. she is either the type who is loved or loathed, indifference is rarely shared in the same breath as her name.

name ( s )  :  anita  saira  dupont  ,  a . k . a .  saira by some , miss dupont   .   d . o . b .  august  5  ,  1862   .   in  :  england   .   family  history  :  hails from  india   .    she  speaks  :  english  ,  hindi   .   religious  beliefs  :  hindu   .   educational  achievements  :  tbd   .   occupation  :  governess  prior in england   .marital  status  :  not  spoken  for   .   hobbies  :  staying  ahead  of  the  trends  and  starting  new  ones  of  her  own , hosting balls , calligraphy writing , roller skating , playing the sursanga   .

eye  colour  :  dark brown   .   hair  colour  :  raven black   .   height  :  5′10″   .   distinguishing  characteristic  :  warm  eyes  and  a  kind  disposition   .   adornments  :  pulling  fashion  from  the  most  renowned  places  in  europe  and  asia  ,  it  influences  not  just  her  wardrobe  but  decor  as  well  and  maybe  some  would  claim  far  too  modern  to  be  considered  for  the  new  york  high  society   .

parents  :  mother  named  samira , father  named  tbd   .   siblings  :   older sister , avi and younger sister   .   extended  family  :  second cousin george  dupont  ,  deceased  and  former  publisher  for  new  york  daily  times   .   pets   :   tbd   .

inspo  ;    𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘢 𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭 ( 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘨𝘦 ) , 𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 ( 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 ) , 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘴 , 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺𝘯 𝘰'𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘭 ( 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘺 ) , 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦 ( 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 ) , 𝘥𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘬𝘦 ( 𝘴𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘣𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘰 ) , 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘴

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝚁𝙴𝚃 , after arriving in new york to a frosty disposition from not just the neighbors, but all the dupont's had crossed in high society, it was clear to anita they needed to do more, much more. in secret she has met with a few attempting to pay their arrival to any future up and coming balls the dupont's might be hosting — nothing would be more embarrassing than an empty party to be seen, but the trust that some had not just taken the money and ran is not a strong one.

𝙷𝙸𝙶𝙷 𝚂𝙾𝙲𝙸𝙴𝚃𝚈 , difficult. in a word, the dupont's have not had the most friendly arrival to new york after the death of their distant relative george dupont. at first, she thought it was due to his career with the new york daily times, but the more she tried, the worse it seems to be.

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 , a family who found their place among the english soil in search of trade opportunities. this was the first, but certainly not the last time the duponts found themselves as the newcomers. traders by occupation it was not a surprise their tastes could be seen as eclectic, always exposed to new treasures from around the world that would fill the home and kitchen. but such an occupation required travel and with a growing family and mouths to feed, anita's father, suddenly became a less frequent face around their home. months at a time he would be gone only to turn around again for another voyage. but the dupont's children's mother never truly was alone, samira was a very beautiful woman prone to attract a parting glance from many a gentleman — but only when travel called away her husband did she seek a promenade with one in particular. alexander flowers, a name that almost suited him ill had it not been for the sweets he'd procure for the children before whisking their mother away for the evening. lasting nearly a decade and not a word was said apart from a few housemaids and the prying eyes of a child through a bronze keyhole. the day a photo was found in the back of a drawer adjacent to a yellowing baby photo of the youngest boy, was the day they learned of their second cousin — wealthy new yorker george dupont who made his fortune as a publisher of the new york daily times, and maybe a few enemies? with their recent arrival in new york upon their late second cousin's death, to bear witness to his last will and testament that entrusts  his life's work and wealth into their hands

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙸𝙼𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙾𝙽 , how society views anita . . . an outcast of newfound wealth. despite her efforts to wear the best things, decorate their home with lavish embellishments, and hire the most renowned chef it is not seen as the standard in new york fashion, but maybe it is time that it should be.

name ( s )  :  jonathan  jack  quinn , a . k . a . mister  quinn  ,  jon  ,  johnny   .   d . o . b .  december  3  ,  1859   .   in  :  chicago  ,  illinois   .   family  history  :  mother's  side  is  irish  and  father's  side  is  english - irish   .    he  speaks  :  english understanding  some  gaelic   .   religious  beliefs  :  roman catholic   .   educational  achievements  :  started apprentiship  with  cadwalader  law  firm  looking  into  trade  union  causes   .   occupation  :  current  law apprenticeship  and secretary for montgomery astor   .   marital  status  :  not  spoken  for   .   hobbies  :  watching  boxing  matches  and  baseball  ,  gambling  and  falling  prey  to  excess  drink  under  copious  stress  in  the  confines  of  his  home   .   

eye  colour  :  blue - grey   .   hair  colour  :  dark brown   .   height  :  6′0″   .   distinguishing  characteristic  :  a  scar  by  his  left  cheek and down the outside of his right hand   .

parents  :  mother  named  eilis quinn , father  named  jack sweeney , step - father  named  clyde drake   .   siblings  :   two    half    siblings    he    hardly    knows   .   extended  family  :    mother's  side  back  in  ireland  he  has  twelve  cousins  ,  and  four  uncles  ,  his  father's  side  has  one  aunt   .   pets   :   none  apart  from  a  stray  dog  he'll  feed  on  occasion   .

inspo  ;    𝘫𝘢𝘺 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 ( 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘴𝘣𝘺 ) , 𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 ( 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘮𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 ) , 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯 ( 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴 ) , 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦 ( 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘰𝘯 )

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝚁𝙴𝚃 , it was kept tucked away in the breast pocket of his coat and other times under a loose floorboard, a small leather bound black notebook which contained every name of every person the dormer family had made some unsavory dealing with and he's been debating on sharing some of those findings if his debt cannot be remedied but it'll cost him. integrity isn't so easily gained and there are a few other names he's gathered from working under politician montgomerey astor.

𝙷𝙸𝙶𝙷 𝚂𝙾𝙲𝙸𝙴𝚃𝚈 , the cadwalader law firm is one of the oldest in new york, and therefore came with a sense of security and protection. trust. he wants to convey the exact same ideal but it's not so easy. everyone jonathan has ever crossed paths with in new york had been seen as an opportunity, especially those of higher status — that's what this is, a chance to make his way in the world away from the shadows of his past.

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝚈 , this is what love was like, or so jonathan had assumed — fighting. constant yelling and shouting that would burn the cheeks crimson with metaphorical steam coming out the ears. over nothing and over everything, but it often came in the form of his father stumbling through the door, slurred speech and empty pockets. chicago was not the place promised, the american dream nothing more than lies standing on the back of a crumbling marriage. it was divorce that caused his mother to return to her home country, the very scandal attached to her name far too much for her to bear, the quinn curse, she'd claim. no quinn could keep a marriage. jonathan had asked about it once, ' generational ' she'd claim, someone in the family long ago wronged the wrong person. and his father? he remained. the drunk on the corner. perhaps the embodiment of the quinn curse jonathan concluded after three weeks of staying with his father. somehow england was worse, it's where his mother met clyde drake. a pompous man who had everything jonathan's father did not, money in his pocket and not a drop of alcohol on his breath. and his father was dead, his mother claimed. an alleged widow who married this mister drake, a man who despised jonathan, even more so once he had two children of his own. he made sure jonnathan knew, when every penny was stripped from his inheritance, or what little one his mother had secured for him. new york wasn't much better, a far cry from the promises, a perfectly packaged lie with a shiny red ribbon, but the only place he could secure an education cheaper than europe offered. maybe not cheap enough when the coins in his pocket didn't even stir up a melodious jingle they were so few — but a dormer's offer, the next allure. the last of his coins tossed among the poker chips and golden pocket watch. luck of the irish, surely he'd claim but the quinn's were cursed and as he watched greedy hands stretch across the table collecting all that was left, someone took pity. the late mister dormer who slipped him the left behind pocket watch and a deal. wealth came in the form of compromised morals and a promise that this connection with law and politicians would pay off for the dormer family but did that deal die with the late mister dormer?

𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙸𝙼𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙾𝙽 , how society views jonathan . . . he wishes to be as every lawyer had been viewed in the past and future. never seen as the most earnest people, but holding an esteemed profession none the less. jonathan has always leaned on his charismatic nature to fight the natural inclination people have around a questionable deal or dodgy situation and he's currently seen as the young man with an ill-fitting suit jacket following around politician montgomerey pastor. some have a lesser view, hanging around the dormers gambling and walking around late at night.

basic  statistics  :

full  name  : agnes josephine seymour

nicknames  or  aliases  : she was once tenderly called 'aggie' by her father, who is now too old and too scorned to remember her

age  : thirty - five

date  of  birth  : 7 january 1852

position  : lady seymour, daughter of the duke of somerset

parents  : father : edward adolphus seymour, 12th duke of somerset (b. 1804) prev. m. susan margaret seymour, duchess of somerset (b. 1808 d. 1850) mother : jane georgiana seymour, duchess of somerset (b. 1824 d. 1859)

siblings  : lady margaret helen seymour (elder half-sister, b. 1831 d. 1850) angus ferdinand seymour, earl of st. maur (twin brother, b. 1852) margery beatrice paulet (née seymour), marchioness of winchester (younger sister, b. 1854) lord edward percy seymour (younger brother, b. 1856) eleanor guendolen kearley (née seymour), viscountess devonport (younger sister, b. 1859)

marital  status  : betrothed to alistair arundel

sexuality  : homosexual

the  secret  :

he was not the one to discover them, but the duke of somerset could picture the scene. his most favored daughter entangled in lavender sheets, exposed milky skin reddened not with shame but pleasure. he now saw that agnes had played him for a fool. she'd dodged suitors for years, all in the name of the love of a woman. what's worse, he'd been blinded by his favor for her and allowed it. her lover's family threatened to cry scandal; the lady's advantageous engagement now seemed precarious. somerset scrambled to find the nearest man in need of a wife, and offered agnes alongside a thousand pounds. and while alistair arundel was not a british peer, as a rather wealthy member of the gentry it was appropriate enough to not stir too much suspicion. the family's venture to new york city sweetened the deal all the more. had the cost of his intact reputation been worth it? he could not say.

thoughts  on  high  society  :

agnes had once reveled in society. the season delighted her with its parties and its drama— she'd happily participate in the former, but never the latter. she delighted in fashion, and wielded her feminine wiles to leave many cards opponents with empty pockets. but such a world was gone now. new york society came with a new hierarchy, one she hadn't been born into, one she hadn't had centuries of ancestors' shoulders to stand upon. she is determined, however, to rise from the ashes. even if that means gritting her teeth and dragging her lead-filled feet down the aisle.

introduction (tw: death //// tldr: gay nepo baby!):

"i am the descendant of edward seymour, first duke of somerset and brother to jane seymour, queen of england, lord protector for his nephew, king edward vi. are you familiar with him— no?" agnes's eyes rolled over them once, unsurprised at their ignorance. "all you need to know is that he reveled in power and influence; and just as quickly do the mighty rise do they fall." the apple does not fall far from the ancestral tree, she thought grimly. "i will not bore you with accounts of my upbringing, as it is nearly identical to my peers. nor do you need to know the logic behind grape scissors or the science of calling cards. the bright spots of my childhood were perhaps my father teaching me to play cards at an age at which i should not have been playing cards...emptying my brother's pocket of sweets at said game of cards...learning to ride horses...and perhaps any time i was with all of my siblings." "you see, the duke and his second wife, my mother, were quite...prolific. let's see: my twin brother and i are the oldest. agnus is the earl of st. maur, and my father's heir." for the first time in this conversation, her voice falters. "then there is margery, now the marchioness of winchester. then edward, who last year was married to the daughter of the 2nd baron methuen. and last, my most dearest, is eleanor, now the newly minted viscountess devonport. you'll notice that all of my siblings are in marriages so advantageous and respectable it is almost vulgar." she almost makes a remark upon her own upcoming nuptials, but as soon as her mouth opens it shuts once more. "shortly before my debut in society, i traveled to the continent with the dowager duchess of northumberland. i and the daughter of a welsh earl were to accompany her travels, and expand our knowledge of art history, architecture, fashion...essentially all of the things well-bred ladies ought to be an expert in. she became my best friend in that short year," agnes said, her breath choking on her memory. she would not allow her countenance to betray her... "a bond made over greek poets, french philosophers, italian wine and dealing with the duchess' snoring is quite an unbreakable one." ...and yet her eyes trembled with longing. "we, of course, kept in touch after. but her father adores the country while i was practically raised in london, so we only ever saw each other during the season." she omitted how in between she'd practically exhausted nearly all of sappho's known fragments in her letters, and sealed each missive with a lavender sprig. "in the years that transpired after my coming out, i was miraculously able to avoid immediate marriage," she continues nonchalantly, taking a sip of her whiskey. she nearly chokes on it at the sound of the scandalized gasp that escapes her counterpart. "indeed, i hold quite controversial opinions about many things, but especially marriage. i cannot elaborate now, for while this is america, i must retain some sense of propriety. admittedly, i also have the privilege of my status in addition to my beautiful — docile — younger sisters who are more than willing to go to the altar and what's more, there's no relentless mama spending her life trying to force me down the aisle. my papa also once believed that no man was a match for me." "but you are now engaged to alastair arundel, are you not?" "an astute observation." she glances across the room at her intended. agnes was sure that she was as perplexing to him as he was to her. while untitled, the arundel's vast wealth rivaled that of any aristocrat. it was rumored that royal norwegian blood flowed through their veins, but officially, they were but landed gentry. he was not unattractive — strictly objectively speaking — and he seemed well-mannered. why had he not yet married? she did not know. she did, however, know this: he would have his secrets, and so would she.

connections  :

old money adversaries / new money allies : any newcomer that threatens the delicate ecosystem of new york high society is bound to garner attention, both positive and negative. agnes herself is acquainted with longstanding families, their daughters having been unceremoniously thrown at her brother last season. she's unsure of how they'll react to her fall from grace, the details however obscured. but it's from the newcomers that she finds inspiration, her ambitions renewed.

infatuation : agnes still has not yet moved on from her first love, but she can't deny that someone has caught her eye. usually bold in her actions, her scandalous past has made her timid. very much so_hot_you're_hurting_my_feelings_ by_caroline_polachek.mp3

fellow londoners : hailing from an influential family, agnes knows positively everyone in london town. her opinions of them? likely less than sunny, but who knows?

full name: benedict michael whitmore nicknames or aliases: ben, b, will also answer to whitmore age: thirty date  of  birth: 18th june occupation: second son of the whitmore family parents: mr whitmore & mrs whitmore siblings: charles whitmore, cordelia whitmore, marital status: single sexuality: pansexual, demiromantic

the secret: -

there's very little benedict would not do for both his family and his business and while on the whole his methods are above board, there have been occasions he's dabbled in more underhand methods. he is not opposed to using the threat of ruin if he believes he can get away with it.

thoughts on high society: -

generally as an opportunity. there's always someone new to meet and someone to convert into an investor in the family business. on the whole he likes it enough as long as people appeal to his ego enough ( but when he views himself as godlike no one could ever be reverent enough in his presence for him to be truly satisfied ) and he like to amuse himself with the fun that can be had with new acquaintances.

personality: -

traits: materialistic, creative, intelligent, passionate, ruthless, persistent, amicable, competative, engaging, manipulative, outgoing, vain, selfish, unpredictable. generous. zodiac:  gemini sun, aries moon & leo sun - creates an exciting balance of intellect, action, and passion. charming and outgoing personality which attracts others towards. not afraid to take risks and are always open to new opportunities. can think on your feet and are confident in your abilities. however, you may need to work on controlling your emotions and not being too impulsive. your intellect and wit make you excellent at communicating and the leo rising sign adds a touch of glamour and showmanship, making you a charismatic and magnetic personality -you tend to be the life of the party. however, you may struggle with committing. you have natural leadership qualities, and your confidence makes others look up to you. your charisma and creative energy make you a force to be reckoned with. however, you may need to work on not being too self-centered and learn to be humble. moral alignment: chaotic neutral temperament: choleric

headcanons: -

tl;dr - he grew up privileged and intelligent, always thinking that he was the smartest person in the room whether or not it was true. while there is some truth in him being something of a brilliant inventor, benedict needs no confirmation of his skill to believe it. so confident he is in his own skills that he often forgets that he is not the only one in the world blessed with talents. the life he enjoys is a comfortable one but he's never learnt how to stop craving more. everything won't be enough for him but he's determined to reach for it anyway just in case.

to be finished

connections: -

true friends - while his confidence can sometimes turn people away, his general good nature and love of fun pulls others closer. he is generous with his time and his money when it comes to the people he feels like truly see and understand him.

friends of convenience - he likes to surround himself with people who reflect well on him, whether or not they actually get along or just don't mind existing around each other.

rivals - his overconfidence probably puts off as many people as it wins over. these could be people who only want a playful rivarly or it could be people who genuinely dislike him and want to see him fail.

past flings - benedict rarely gets actually attached but it's relatively easy to get entangled with him temporarily. he'll see there being no bad blood but there's options for a range of feelings from the people he briefly romanced.

potential investors - he wants the family business to succeed and for that they need backing. he will happily go on the charm offensive with anyone who he thinks will be worth his time.

basic statistics :

full name : efemena dormer.

nicknames or aliases : effie.

age : twenty - seven.

date of birth : may 12th 1859.

occupation : businesswoman.

parents : mr. dormer (d. 1886) + mrs. dormer (d. 1874).

siblings : two older brothers, one younger sister.

marital status : unmarried.

sexuality : greysexual.

the secret :

on the outside, effie is perfectly poised, distant from all that may tarnish her family's name - - and perhaps eager to escape its shadow - - but, truly, she is nothing if not ambitious to make the dormers rise further and she can only see that happening by her hand. while she is not looking to dethrone or rob her brothers' of their role within the family, she wants one of her own, and has been working with the books and most documents of the family's business for a few years now.

thoughts on high society :

she was raised within it, even if at times the dormers have been treated as outsiders and words were whispered about them. effie does not exactly care for it, but she is ever eager to keep carving a role for herself and her family, careless of whom she may have to please or hurt to keep her family on the inside.

headcanons :

tw: terminal illness.

by the time efemena was born, the dormer riches were already done. as a child, she'd hear the embellished story told by her mother as she sat upon the matriarch's lap — father had made some money, inherited through a distant uncle and made it grow with proper investments.  a success story, much like the one of astors and whoever came with the mayflower and prospered. 

the truth was not far from it, but efemena would never truly understand why their story was less palatable than any of these families' who did not have noses turned their way. if anything, she thought the dormer's story was much more interesting — truer in the sense that they had grown their wealth and they kept it, and she did not turn her head away from the hypocrisy that was that it was not only them that grew rich with their investments.

of course, her interest in the family business was not entirely encouraged. instead, it was mother and father's insistence that she would pull herself from it as much as she could — she would attend the best finishing schools, remove any tarnish of accent picked up from father's, dress better than any of her colleagues and only pick the best company. it was not something she minded, you see. she enjoyed looking good and acclimating herself with the right people.

but she also enjoyed sneaking into father's office and looking over old books with names and sums, write them down for herself; when father was away, she would not rest until one of her brothers took her to the cassinos, hidden in the cover of the night, so she may become familiar with the family business. still, it would take her years to be acknowledged by the patriarch; it would take her many tears (false and true), begging, tantrums and, finally, mr. dormer's ailing wealth for her to receive a seat at the table (which, by then, had been her father's sickbed). 

full name: isla alexandra sinclair nicknames or aliases: will only answer to isla or the correct form of address age: twenty-eight date  of  birth: 29th august occupation: landed gentry ( daughter of a viscount ) parents: alexander sinclair & elspeth sinclair née arundel siblings: campbell sinclair extended family: the arundels ( maternal cousins ) marital status: engaged ( secretly ) sexuality: demisexual

the secret: -

isla usually always puts logic over emotion, rarely letting her heart guide her in anyway. she remained neutral on the idea of marriage, happy to content herself to an amicable match if they could at least achieve something together. what she didn't count on was falling in love and she finally set aside reason long enough to enter into a secret understanding. the pair are engaged but things have cooled slightly since she'd briefly though she'd fallen pregnant. it was enough to bring her back down to earth and begin to reconsider things.

thoughts  on  high  society: -

society is something of a double edged sword for her. on the one hand she thinks she'd be stupid not to see the benefit of it and despite finding it boring at times, she'd never be one to sever her ties from it entirely. she enjoys being influential in some way and the security it gives her. isla knows she is good enough at playing the perfect lady that she doesn't find it a struggle, just dislikes how monotonous it can be when she'd rather have a challenge or be left to her own devices. new york provides her with a sense of escape, new dynamics able to form without the spectres of her estranged father and brother to hang over her.

personality: -

traits: haughty, astute, cautious, quick-witted, ambivalent, condescending, thorough, strategic, sceptical, observant, judgemental, loyal, dependable, guarded, impartial. zodiac: virgo moon, taurus sun, capricon rising - individuals display a personality that is practical, disciplined, and focused. they are methodical in their approach to life and are always striving to improve themselves and their surroundings. hardworking, reliable, and dedicated to achieving their goals, they have high standards for themselves and others, which can make them appear critical or demanding. however, they genuinely want the best for themselves and those around them. they also have an appreciation for beauty and art, which manifests in their love for the finer things in life. enjoy living comfortably and appreciate a stable, predictable routine. when it comes to emotions, individuals with this combination can be reserved and slow to express themselves. however, they are still highly sensitive and can be deeply affected by emotional situations. moral alignment: lawful neutral temperament: melancholic

headcanons: -

tl;dr - isla grew up with a disinterested viscount father and a resentful brother, never fully accepted by the men in her family. while her mother was warm there was only so much she could do to reduce the chill felt in the sinclair home. her mother's side of the family, the arundels, always welcomed her and so she finally found those close family ties that she had been denied. loyalty to them runs strong and she will always do her best for them, using intellect to try to do whatever might be beneficial for them.

tw for miscarriage/infertility

the marriage between alexander sinclair, a viscount, and elspeth arundel was not a happy one but the pair managed a functional relationship. the viscount was cold to all, clinical and cutthroat but successul in retaining the wealth that he come with the inheritance of his title. they had a son quickly after their married, campbell, but struggled with fertility for years after. elspeth suffered miscarriages before eventually having isla.

alexander was not impressed by a daughter, the reason that he'd kept trying being that he'd wanted a 'spare'. he was disinterested in his daughter aside from the fact that he might be able to secure a connection with a match for her when she was older. elspeth, however, was thrilled after years of heartbreak, finding comfort in her children while she got none from her husband.

but where her father simply seemed apathetic towards her, campbell was outright resentful. for eight years he had had the undivided attention of his parents and while isla was no competition for their father's focus let alone affection, elspeth doted on her. her mother treated both children with equal care and love but to a son unused to sharing it seemed as though his mother's attention had been diminished by isla.

as much as she might be loathed to ever admit it she was still her father's daughter. his intelligence and calculating manner was something she seemed to have inherited. their similarities went unnoticed by most, however, with only her mother noticing and deciding that isla should spend more time with her cousins lest her lonliness drive her towards a cruel nature.

the arundels provided her with the warmth and welcome that she had been denied and she quickly became attached to them. reluctant to leave and always begging to return. her mother indulged the relationship as much as possible, taking frequent trips to see her brother with isla.

a close relationship meant that when she was finally introduced to society her cousin, alastair, was happy to begin to include her in family business. finally feeling valued, isla thrived in the environment using the skills her mother had instilled in her to be the perfect lady and win people over whilst still being impartial enough to give shrewd advice.

there was a brief spell where her father took an interest in her, seeing what she had been capable of but while he opened the door slightly to her being included campbell slammed it shut. after that she firmly distanced herself from the sinclairs aside from writing to her mother.

on the surface all is well with her family, her father and brother would never risk the scandal or whispers that knowledge of the dysfunction would bring so isla enjoys a healthy allowance as long as she brings no shame to their name. it's this that she used to help her cousins wherever she can and enjoy freedom away from her father.

connections: -

friends - while isla does prefer to keep a small, close circle those that she does include would be seen as almost family to her. she would probably have to see them as equals in some way but there's a variety of ways this could be accomplished!

pen pals - isla likes to be well connected!! they could be connected through her father somehow or anyone who might have been to the UK.

fellow aesthetes - she's a bit of an enjoyer of art and architecture though it's probably not something she offers particularly readily. but anyone who might share those views with her and lead to her talking about something she genuinely enjoys.

suitors ( past or present! ) - wealthy and titled, isla would be a valuable match for anyone and it's likely that a fair few have tried, unsuccessfully. whether it be due to isla's own disinterest or perhaps her father not deeming the match good enough, there's likely been a few spurned. there's an option for the dynamic to have turned positive though! perhaps a friendship developed or some mutual respect or perhaps they just avoid each other and pretend it never happened.

basic   statistics   :

full   name   :  montgomery  astor

nicknames   or   aliases   :  '  monty  '  to  those  close  to  him

age   :  thirty-seven

date   of   birth   :  may  21st

occupation   :  new  york  city  senator  ,  president  of  astor  holdings

parents   :  mr.  richard  astor  (  deceased  )  &  mrs.  diana  astor

siblings   :  mister  astor  ,  mister  astor  ,  miss  evangeline  astor

marital   status   :  married  to  caroline  astor  nee  chatterjee 

children  :  william   astor   (   aged   8   ),   archibald   astor   (   aged   6   ),   cornelius   astor   (   aged   4   )   and   caroline   victoria   diane   astor  (   aged   2  )  ,  illegitimate  child  (   aged  4   )

sexuality   :  heterosexual  +  heteroromantic

the   secret   :

trigger  warning  :  infidelity   montgomery's  debonair  cassanova  reputation  is  widely  known  all  across  the  city  .  that  was  why  his  marriage  to  caroline  Chatterjee  came  as  a  shock  to  most  of  new  york  high  society  .  some  had  even  placed  bets  that  they  would  soon  break  up  due  to  montgomery's  true  nature  .  montgomery  defied  his  family  and  married  the  then  miss  chatterjee  despite  her  not  being  the  most  ideal  match  given  her  family  background  .  ten  years  later  ,  the  couple  remains  still  deeply  in  love  .  this  ,  however  ,  was  not  the  case  all  the  time  .  as  the  eldest  astor  ,  it  was  expected  of  him  to  continue  his  family's  legacy  of  running  for  public  office  .   it  was  no  surprise  when  montgomery  ran  for  governor  of  new  york  ,  having  the  backing  of  his  family  and  their  money  .  along  the  campaign  trail  ,  in  the  absence  of  his  wife  ,  he  found  himself  in  a  brief  involvement  with  a  campaign  volunteer  .  2  months  after  his  victory  was  announced  ,  he  found  out  that  she  was  pregnant  with  his  child  .  having  just  began  his  political  career  ,  montgomery  could  not  afford  to  have  a  scandal  .  the  woman  agreed  to  keep  quiet  after  the  newly-minted  governor  offered  her  monthly  child  support   ⸻  an  amount  that  would  keep  her  and  the  child  quite  comfortable  . 

thoughts   on   high   society   :

montgomery  only  participates  in  the  events  because  he  has  to  otherwise  he  would  be  home  smoking  his  cigars  or  on  his  family's  vineyard  in  california  with  his  wife  and  children  .  he  understand  the  importance  of  making  an  appearance  if  he  wanted  support  from  these  people  . 

timeline  : 

1850  :  birth  of  montgomery  astor  ,  eldest  son  of  richard  and  diana  astor 

1868  : montgomery  enters  king's  college  to  study  law

1871  :  graduated  law  school  and  started  his  apprenticeship 

1874  :  finished  apprenticeship  and  worked  for  his  father  under  the  astor  holdings

1877  :  married  caroline  chatterjee 

1879  : birth  of  william  astor 

1880  :  ran  and  elected  as  new  york  city  governor 

1881  :   birth  of  archibald  astor  ,  birth  of  illigemate  child

1883  :  birth  of  cornelius  astor 

1884  :  re-elected  as  new  york  city  governor

1885  :  birth  of  caroline  victoria  diane  astor 

1886  :  elected  as  new  york  city  senator 

1887  :  PRESENT

headcanons   :

a  joke  among  the  circles  of  new  york's  high  society  was  that  the  astors  owned  more  than  half  of  the  city  .  one  would  say  it  was  exaggerated  however  there  is  some  weight  to  those  words  .  when  hugh  astor  ,  an  ambitious  aristocrat  from  england  ,  moved  to  new  york  ,  he  immediately  saw  the  city's  potential  .  currently  ,  the  astors  own  multiple  hotels  and  properties  all  across  the  city  and  in  close  by  states  .  they  had  also  invested  in  other  businesses  that  boosted  their  family's  influence  and  wealth . 

from  the  moment  montgomery  was  born  ,  his  father  and  grandfather  already  had  plans  for  him  which  was  to  step  into  politics  .  montgomery  knew  nothing  else  but  to  be  his  family's  golden  boy  .  he  got  accepted  into  king's  college  and  studied  law  before  working  for  his  father  briefly  .  in  that  time  he  built  his  connections  ,  preparing  to  run  for  governor  . 

 his  father  was  supposed  to  run  for  senator  however  fell  ill  and  montgomery  took  his  place  .  before  the  campaign  started  ,  richard  astor  succumbed  to  his  illness  and  passed  .  as  a  revered  member  of  society  ,  new  york  city  mourned  with  the  astors  .  as  sad  as  it  sounded  but  his  passing  aided  montgomery's  campaign  ,  ultimately  winning  the  senator  seat . 

nobody  knows  about  his  illegitimate  child  but  a  handful  of  people  which  included  his  direct  family  ,  wife  ,  and  lawyers  .  as  a  newly-elected  senator  ,  he  needed  to  make  sure  his  reputation  was  untarnished  as  this  secret  could  ruin  his  entire  career  . 

character  influences  :  fitzgerald  grant  iii  ,  logan  huntzberger  ,  chuck  bass  ,  aaron  burr  ,  jackson  avery 

connections   :

his  investors  for  his  family's  business  or  supporter  as  a  senator 

friends  (  childhood,  college,  business)  ,  cigar  buddies  ,  and  the  likes

those  who  don't  like  him  or  the  astors 

those  who  need  favors  from  him 

business  partners 

exes  (  in  his  youth  and  before  getting  married  )