#stmdevelopment

PART 1: THE BASICS

What is your full name?

“Ira B. Vaisman. That’s Vaisman with a V. No, Ira without H. And the B stands for Benjamin, and that’s with a-, no, not with a Y! Give here, let me write it down for you.”

Where and when were you born?

“In the 70′s, or maybe 80′s, and somewhere here, in England, maybe. Yeah, no need to squint, I’m as good of a fellow Englishman as the next guy, whether you want it or not. Why? Do I look Scottish to you?”

Manchester, 1979.

Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)

“Adults. Uh, my dad was a man, my mother was a woman, they were blessed with eyes and noses, and surprisingly enough, they could speak and work and cook, yeah.”

Yosef Vaisman, the son of a Manc clockmaker and a Manc clockmaker himself, with a tall and round body. And Rebekha Vaisman, née Perl, the daughter of a silk merchant and a merchant of love herself, with a delicate and dark-skinned body. Warm and loving, giving and selfless. A little weird, a little bit funny, occasionally very loud and always full of terrible jokes. Above all, proud. 

Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?

“Oh, yeah! Plenty! Have you ever been down to the harbour where they sell fresh fish? Ever seen the merchants press down on a fish ass and push out a couple of fish eggs? That’s basically how my siblings and I came to be. Grew up in one of those water plants, thirty to fifty of us, all looking like me, too. Honestly, I’m not even sure you’re talking to Ira right now. I might be David.” 

Lilach, two years younger and the toughest little creature you could possibly imagine. She should’ve died three times in her childhood, but she survived each time, and each time her cry grew louder and stronger. Now it was as though nothing could ever knock her over.

Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.

“You ever been to St Maur? Ever met the St Maurs? Ever seen St Maur Castle? Yeah. St Maur. St Maur, St Maur, St Maur, that’s my whole life! Where I live and with whom. Big ass castle, many people, much wow. Not the biggest fan of my employers, so sometimes I stomp my feet real hard when I wake up in the morning; they sleep on the floor underneath mine, and I like to think it gives them nightmares. I guess you could say the people I actually live with are my colleagues, but truly, we’re more than that, we all feel like a big, happy family. Like back at home in my water plant with my fish siblings.”

What is your occupation?

“Footman. Thus the livery, buddy.” 

Write a bit about your physical appearance. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.

“Sexy, handsome, hot, irresistible, uh-... Magnetic, hard to resist, good-looking-, ah, kinda let myself down with that last one. Rather anti-climatic, wasn’t it? Anyway. I’m 1.86 in meters, bit more in the shoes they make us wear. No, seriously, look, they got heels! Ridiculous, isn’t it? It’s like they want me to hit my head on the door frame... Ah, yeah, my hair doesn’t make me look much smaller, I guess, true. Good amount of floof I’ve got going on here, quite proud of it, if I may say so myself. It’s, as you can see, brown and kinky, that’s because my mother was a black moor fish. My eyes are brown too. Lame, you think? That’s where you’d be wrong! Because’s it’s a sexy brown. 

What else. Style of dress? You mean outside of this wretched livery? I only own one other suit. It’s brown as well. ... Camouflage.

Uh, I got plenty of scars, yeah, it’s hard to get through training without running into all sorts of mishaps. Here, that’s a burn from a tea kettle; this on my forearm, that’s a bottle that broke and I cut myself on; here on my eyebrow I got something of a crack from when another goldfish pal punched me with his fin, erm-... Well I got some other scars underneath all those clothes. I could tell you, but we got a rendez-vous later on, right? Wouldn’t want to spoiler you.

And no to the tattoos. I do want to get buried by my family’s side, you know. ... In the no-tattoo-section of the Aquarium.”

To which social class do you belong?

“Working, obviously.”

Born into the lower middle class.

Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?

“Here, I want to show you something. Let me just take this coat off, there, now roll this sleeve up, here, okay. Now look at this. Hm-hm! Look at those flexing muscles, oh yeah! Does that look like the bulging sexiness of a sick man to you?” 

Blindness. Not yet, not soon, but eventually. One day. One day it would all go dark. And if he didn’t make it that long, then because a bright flashing light had seized his brain and extinguished it once and for all.

Are you right- or left-handed?

“Depends for which type of activity. For you I might just be both.”

Left.

What does your voice sound like?

“Sexy. Uh, I don’t know. Deep. Bit rough, but I guess I’m making it sound like that. Not everyone’s allowed to witness the beauty of my sweet melodic lullaby voice. You gotta pay for that.”

What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?

“Ah, see, I got into a bad habit of using Christian exclamations, or whatever you’d call those. Don’t know when that happened. I was really good at not using any of that ‘Christ!’ and ‘Bloody hell!’ stuff, but it kind of just really fucks. You can really spit it when you’re upset, all those consonants and shit. Good stuff, yeah. So now I overuse it. I don’t know, maybe I’ll go to France next and start saying stuff like ‘Sacré Bleu!’ Though that’s Christian, too, isn’t it?”

What do you have in your pockets?

“Why don’t you reach in and find out for yourself?”

Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?

“I’m a footman, Sir. If I had anything that could possibly annoy my employer through repetition, I’d get sacked.”

What is your full name?

“Leah Josephine Forester- a solid biblical name.”

Where and when were you born?

“I was born minutes before Ebenezer on the eighteenth of March, at Fairford House. I’d read once that the older twin always ends up looking after the younger, but I don’t think that’s true. We look out for each other, I’d say.”

Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)

“You know them, don’t you? My father is a doctor- if you’re looking for him, you can often find him at the hospital or his office. You can find my mother at St. Mary’s, if you’re looking for her. It’s nice to have parents that are so predictable.”  

Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?

“I certainly do. Zachariah is the eldest. He’s responsible, reliable, kind. Then there’s myself and my brother Ebenezer, but you can call him Benny. He’s everything I’m not- so funny, so warm, so easy to like. Samuel is our younger brother. I don’t think there’s anything he doesn’t know. And then you will have heard about what happened to our youngest sister, but it’s not my place to discuss. She needs space.”

Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.

“I live at Fairford House, with my family and our household. I love Fairford, but not enough to stay forever, if I may be frank. I’ve never had a yearning to leave St. Maur like my brothers, but I would someday like to have a home of my own, where I don’t have to sneak about and hide. But that could have more to do with the circumstances rather than the location itself.”

What is your occupation?

“What a question! It’s not for women of my social class to have occupations- I suppose the occupation of woman of my social class is enough to handle. And even in private, I do not consider myself to be an author by trade- it feels both like a title I haven’t earned and one I do not want, as writing to me is so much more essential than I would ever consider an occupation to be. Writing is a privilege- not a mere job.”  

Write a bit about your physical appearance. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.

“It’s all right in front of you, there’s no surprises here. I’m about 165 centimeters, of medium build. My features can tell you I come from the East, as can the darkness of my hair and eyes. When you aren’t especially beautiful, you develop a very strange relationship to your appearance. I have very little conception of the way I look, as it’s never remarked upon and seems fairly unimportant to others. I suppose there must be something of my face that makes eyes glaze past it, makes people look through me instead of at me. There are worse ways to look.”

To which social class do you belong?

“The dreadful middle- wealthy enough to be forced to care for your family’s reputation, yet not wealthy enough to not care for your family’s coffers.” 

Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?

“I am entirely a physical weakness. I can neither run, nor jump, nor lift heavy things. But I’ve always been remarkably hale and healthy.”

Are you right- or left-handed?

“I believe I was meant to be left-handed, but have been writing with my right ever since I can remember. I don’t recall being offered a choice.”

What does your voice sound like?

“Soft, but not in the way women sing lullabies to their children. Soft in the way of a bird wishing to warn another of a predator, but who cannot seem to produce any noise other than a melodic chirp.”

What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?

“I’m not sure I speak enough to use any phrases ‘frequently’, unfortunately.”

What do you have in your pockets?

“About three fountain pens- at any moment one of them will explode and I’ll have ink all over my skirt. Several crumpled pieces of paper with sentences that seemed fresh when I wrote them, but cliched reading them now.”

Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?

What is your full name? 

Samuel Forester, some may call me Sam or Sammy, but it is mostly Samuel.

Where and when were you born? 

At my house, naturally, as you’d expect from the family of the town’s doctor. Oh! And April 11th. Yes. Sorry. 

Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.) 

My father is Doctor Forester, who you probably know. He likes to help people, as you would assume, and hope for. Mother? She is a very pious woman, always at church on Sundays. I’m sure Father Valentin is probably sick of her by now. 

Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like? 

I do! Well, there’s Zach- Zachariah. He has an incredible brain, and amazing knowledge. Very good at problem solving and brain picking, and a great doctor. Ebenezer, Benny, is probably one of the funniest people you’d encounter. I don’t recall having one dull conversation with him in my 23 years on this earth. Then there’s Leah, whom I adore. Books are her passion, and I can relate. She is so kind, and understanding, it is irritating how good she is (I joke, of course, I don’t think Leah possesses the skill to irritate), then of course, my younger sister, she was a ray of sunshine up until recently. Understandably so, if I may be honest. She is having a rough time.

Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people. 

Still at home, with the rest of my family. My room is quite humble, and there’s a little windowsill on which you can sit. One of my favourite things to do is to sit there during dusk and read the latest book I have purchased.

What is your occupation? 

Well… um.. I would like to say I’m a doctor, although I’m not yet one, like my father or like Zachariah. Maybe one day. Maybe sooner than we think..

Write a bit about your physical appearance. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks. 

Well, I am of average height, very slim (according to my mother, probably too slim). I am of East Asian descent, my hair and eyes are brown, and my hair can get a little shaggy and unruly if I don’t take care of it, or early in the morning. I do not have any tattoos, but I have some vague scars on my knees from falling and scraping them often as a child.

To which social class do you belong? 

Middle class, although some might say upper-middle.

Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses? 

I do not! In fact, I try to keep as healthy as I can.

Are you right- or left-handed? 

Right handed, although I have tried writing with my left quite often. It doesn’t look as horrendous as it did when I started practicing with it, so I’m proud of that.

What does your voice sound like? 

Speaking in music terms, Baritone, I suppose? Not too high, but definitely not low. I would say it’s a nice to listen to voice.

What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently? 

Well, you tell me. I don’t usually spend my time analysing my own speech, although I probably should, considering how I tend to ramble at times. Sorry about that, by the way.

What do you have in your pockets?

Not a lot, some pieces of paper from various encounters, about things I needed to remember. I mostly keep everything in my bag, where I have at least one book, and my notebook and a pen.

Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics? 

What is your full name?

“Zachariah *indeterminant mumbling that sounds something like the hopeful doctor’s first name* Forester. Named after the prophet, and my father, naturally.”

Where and when were you born?

“At home, delivered by a friend of my father. Apparently they had to lock the door to keep him from entering during the labour. Mother says it was because he was just too keen to meet me, but if I know father it’s because he’s never liked being a bystander to someone else’s pain.”

Who are/were your parents? (Know their names, occupations, personalities, etc.)

“Doctor Forester is, as his title would suggest, a physician, an occupation I followed him into. My Mother, Mrs Forester, is an avid supporter of the church. She is also on the board for the St Maur Lighthouse society. Aside from this, we own some land with tenant farmers that must be upkept.”

Do you have any siblings? What are/were they like?

“Indeed I do, four in fact. I am the eldest. Then came Ebenezer and Leah, twins, though they couldn’t be more dissimilar from each other in temperament. Trying to keep Benny in one place is a sport in itself, whereas you could leave Leah in the morning and come back in the evening to find her in the exact same spot. Then there is Samuel, he has Benny’s eagerness and Leah’s brain, people think him a bit soft, but in some respects he can be very stubborn. And finally there is *indistinct mumbling of a girls name*. She is sweet, slightly spoiled as one might expect from the baby of the family, but the biggest heart you’ll ever meet.”

Where do you live now, and with whom? Describe the place and the person/people.

“I live in Fairford House with the rest of my family. We each have our own rooms to do with as we please. Though it is not the largest house in St Maur. One more set of twins and we might have had to install a bunk bed somewhere. It is a bright house, lots of windows, lots of light. And full of fond memories. That is one of the beauties of getting to live in the house you grew up in, seeing your past everywhere you turn. We have a charming music room, though I believe Leah has gradually been leaving her overspill of books in there, turning it almost into a second library. We have a few servants, though nothing lavish.”

What is your occupation?

“As previously stated, I am a Doctor. We have a small office here in St Maur, but our work can take us as far afield as Norrington.”

Write a bit about your physical appearance. You might want to consider factors such as: height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, and any tattoos, scars, or distinguishing marks.

I am 6′2″, and a respectable 13 stone. Our family is of East Asian descent which means I have black hair and dark brown eyes. I dress like any respectable gentleman, though I do not follow the fashions too closely. The clothes I wear for work are more practical than those I wear for leisure, and nothing a stain wouldn’t come out of. Certainly no tattoos. I am, for the most part, unblemished.”

To which social class do you belong?

“Middle class, though perhaps the upper half of it.”

Do you have any allergies, diseases, or other physical weaknesses?

“No, I keep myself quite healthy thank you very much.”

Are you right- or left-handed?

“Right, naturally”

What does your voice sound like?

“I like to think it is a tolerable voice. Soothing when it needs to be, commanding when command is called for. Though perhaps this is a question best asked to someone who has listened to me. I’ve heard our voices sound quite different to other people. Something about the resonance and the placement of our ear canals.”

What words and/or phrases do you use very frequently?

“I’m sure I haven’t studied to speech patterns nearly enough to answer this with any intricacy. Good day, how do you do, farewell, please, thank you. These are some common phrases everyone uses, no?”

What do you have in your pockets?

“You’re not going to shake me down are you? No. Alright. My pocket watch, belonged to a grandfather I believe. My cigarette case and matches. A notebook and pencil. I prefer to a pencil to a pen, they don’t have the nasty habit of leaking through to your shirt.”

Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics?