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ladyandthewalrus · 1 year

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IDV Characters and Their Birthplaces

A reasonable number of people seem to have liked my previous chart of IDV characters and their social classes/income levels, so I thought I’d whip up another charting where the characters were born.

This chart operates on a combination of canon information and reasonable speculation including historical precedent and additional info from characters’ birthday art and the real people they are based on. It is not meant to crap on headcanons in any way, just chart the likely makeup of the cast as written (also! The United Kingdom and especially England and Scotland have lots of immigrant populations from across the world, but especially other parts of Europe, Asia and Africa).

Feel free to consult the list of everyone’s class backgrounds here, keeping in mind that we are taking for granted travel across the Atlantic was out of reach for members of the lower class and we are assuming that while IDV does have fantastical elements, given the heavy focus on class differences, money (and the need/desire for it) and the desperation created by poverty in many characters’ backstories, it is taking into consideration how expensive it would be for characters to get around. So we see more characters from North America and continental Europe who are from middle and upper classes make it to the manor, with a few exceptions like, Helena.

Also important is that on a grand scale, a lot of the events in IDV intertwine extremely closely. It is a small world full of fuckery, bad science, and occultism that seems to mostly be happening centered in one area, with Oletus Manor, Lakeside, White Sand Street Asylum, the Arms Factory, and Scared Heart Hospital all located within the bounds of one unnamed county/shire in England. Baron DeRoss definitely has an extensive information network that spans continents, but plenty of the characters in the story are locally sourced, as it were.

Let’s get going!

Born in England:

♡Margaretha/Natalie/Natasha: Likely born in England. She was raised in Lakeside Village, which is a stone’s throw from Oletus Manor based on this map from one of the art books. Although here referred to as LakeView, I think it is very fair to assume the name was changed in translation or slightly altered, but is meant to be understood as the same place, as many important in-game locations are in close proximity to each other and the water from Lakeside has unusual properties used in experiments by various parties at other lore-significant locations. Her uncle’s family is poor, so she was probably not born far from Lakeside. In terms of her ethnic background, her deductions mention her family eating borscht, so they probably hail from Eastern Europe originally. Her uncle’s surname, Hayward is English, and her adopted surname Zelle is Dutch and German.

♡Freddy: Freddy was present at Emma/Lisa’s first birthday party, suggesting a long friendship with Leo and having lived in the unnamed shire/town a long time too. He also makes several classist and xenophobic comments throughout the diaries of his manor group and is noted by the experimenters in his recent birthday letter to buy into Victorian England’s stratified class system and contempt for the poor. The Riley surname originates specifically from Yorkshire and Lancashire in England.

♡Memory/ Alice: Born in England to a noble father. Although the accents of the characters as portrayed by voice actors in English are really inconsistent, with the English Emma having an American accent, it is worth noting that both Memory’s narration in the Season 19, Essence 1 trailer, Alice’s words to Orpheus in Time of Reunion, and the off-screen voice of her mother in-game during Time of Reunion all make use of upper-class English accents. The surname DeRoss is an anglicized version of a Dutch surname.

♡Emily/Lydia: Emily is partially based on the English serial killer of infants, Amelia Dyer. She also worked early in her career at several locations on the map attached above, making it likely she was born somewhere not too far away. Her family is middle class, meaning she could reasonably be from anywhere in the United Kingdom as members of the middle class could move around within adjoining countries with relative ease. The surnames Jones and Dyer are both English.

♡Robbie: As an orphan taken to what became White Sand Asylum, he would have been from the surrounding area. His surname White is either English, Scottish, or Irish in origin.

♡Emma/Lisa+Leo: Leo’s ill-fated factory was located in the town directly by Oletus Manor. Given the timeline of events, with him burning the factory down when Emma was 10-11, Emma at least was probably born in this English town. The Beck surname is common in English and Slavic-speaking countries, and Woods is an English surname.

♡William: he is based off the real life Englishman William Ellis who is credited, perhaps erroneously, with creating Rugby, which did at least originate in England in 1845. The surname Ellis is Welsh and English.

♡Kreacher: as an impoverished orphan, Kreacher would not have traveled much, and there is almost no way he was born somewhere other than the contagious United Kingdom in terms of logistics. His surname Pierson is also English.

♡Tracy: If her father Mark’s clock shop being included/ referenced in the Chinatown map is anything to go off of, Tracy was probably born in England, as many major cities in the United Kingdom have Chinatowns but most are in England. Her surname, Reznik is Czech.

♡Grace: She's a foundling that washed into Lakeside, so must have originated in the surrounding area to an extent. Her surname is unknown, both in terms of her birth and adoptive parents.

♡Kurt: Explicitly stated to have been born in Yorkshire, England. Frank is a German surname.

Born in Scotland:

♡Norton: Campbell is one of the most common surnames in Scotland, originating in the borderlands between England and Scotland. Two interesting things of note about the name 1) it means crooked-mouth, and Norton’s official art features him with a half-smile, half-frown, and 2) Clan Campbell is, to this day, not well thought of and considered to be full of violent backstabbers, which is also apt seeing as he is willing to resort to violence and trickery to get ahead in life. Norton’s skin Stray Poet/Troubadour also has him sporting the Clan Campbell Tartan (thank you @tallemy in the IDV lore discord for pointing that out). His birthday art from 2022 also features a map of the Scottish Highlands, and Scotland is known to be rich in mineral wealth, and thus, mining operations.

♡Percy: based on the character of Victor Frankenstein, who while Swiss in the novel, was based on the real-life Scottish scientists Andrew Ure and James Lind. For Percy to be getting corpses from Andrew, who is snatching them from an United Kingdom cemetery, it’s reasonable to think he is in the United Kingdom too, and he is a colleague of Burke, who is has been woking in England for decades..

Born in Wales:

♡Eli: His deductions and letters mention the character of Brooke Rose, a mistranslation of the name Blodeuwedd, a famous character from Welsh mythology, which tends to be fairly obscure. His surname, Clark, is generic and found throughout the United Kingdom.

Born in Ireland:

♡Keigan: The Clerk is partially based on the unpopular Irish judge and politician William Keogh. Again, although the accents employed in video materials are inconsistent, she clearly has an Irish accent in her English character trailer. Her surname Keogh is Irish through and through.

Born somewhere in the United Kingdom or British Isles:

♡Martha: Or at least “Martha” is passing herself off as the British Martha. The ideal of the “angel in the house” and Victorian womanhood Martha Behamfil fought against is inexorably tied to British class and gender values. Behamfil is likely a bastardization of Beham, which is an English surname by way of the Normans.

♡Fiona: Very little is known about Fiona’s background, but her given name is Celtic. The surname Gilman is also English with Norman origins.

♡Melly: She stared as a domestic servant at a manor, likely somewhere in the United Kingdom. As such, she was probably born in the United Kingdom, as the pitifully low wages of housemaids would make international travel legitimately impossible. Her surname before marriage, Ndlovu, suggests her father’s family hails from South Africa or Zimbabwe.

♡ Ann: she comes from a wealthy family that falls within the geographical range of influence of the cat cult. Her family own pastoral land where sheep graze, and sheep are in many ways the stereotypical livestock of the United Kingdom. Her surname is not known.

♡Bane: if he's working as a gamekeeper, he’s likely from the area around Oletus and knows the land well. Perez is a Spanish surname extremely common in the United States and Mexico, but also sometimes in Peru and even France.

♡Mike: A circus foundling and adoptee, he was probably locally sourced by Bernard. Morton is an English and Scottish surname.

♡Emil: Another character who would not have ranged far due to his extreme poverty, who was found near White Sand Asylum in a delirious state. His family surname is unknown, and the name Emil itself is popular broadly across continental Europe, and offers no clues.

♡Violetta: a circus foundling, based on a German performer, Violetta Wagner but probably abandoned somewhere in the United Kingdom unless the Hullabaloo and her prior employer/foster father/owner Max had international reach. The actual historical Violetta had living relatives and traveled with them.

♡Aesop: His given name is Greek (and honestly a very unique choice on the part of his mum). His Once skin previously including the Italian word for shame/disgrace, vergogna, is probably a reference to him going to an elite academy in that timeline, as many upper-class British boy’s schools included Latin, Italian, Greek etc in their curriculums. His letters to his teammates during his manor game are impeccably written, suggesting English is his first language. The surname of his foster father, Carl, is German, but the surnames of his birth parents are unknown.

♡Andrew: Scottish Andrew theory here, and more broadly, Laz/Luz/Lutz Cemetery is within train ride distance from Oletus Manor, making it in England, Scotland or Wales. Given his childhood landlord is buried in that cemetery, he has to have been born in one of these countries too. His German surname, Kreiss, makes plenty of sense, as Germans are one of the largest ethnic groups in the United Kingdom.

♡Orpheus: His parents were park rangers/ groundskeepers employed by the English DeRoss family. We do no know his given name and surname, as Orpheus is a nickname/alias.

♡Ada: Ada and her father are based on the German doctor and scientist Franz Mesmer. It is highly likely Ada was born in England, given her father practiced there, and she came across Emil begging on the street when they were both children in the vicinity of the unarmed town so discussed in this post. The surname Mesmer is German.

♡Murro: A circus foundling and adoptee, he was probably locally sourced by Bernard. Morton is an English and Scottish surname.

♡Luca: 100% ethnically Serbian, based on his being heavily based on Nikola Tesla, and his favorite dish, ajvar, coming from the Balkans. Active in the United Kingdom during his time working with Alva, who in turn knew his father as a young man, since the cat cult is linked to the events around the manor, Lakeside, and Golden Cave, all of which are in England. His surname, which is translated as Balsa but probably meant to be Balzer or Balzac, is Austrian.

♡Weepy/Joker: another circus foundling. He has no known surname and no proper first name either.

♡Alva: based on Thomas Alva Edison, an American with Dutch heritage. Alva and Herman, and then Luca, were working on their invention somewhere in the United Kingdom given that the cat cult got their hands so easily on Alva’s corpse. Lorenz is a German, Dutch and Spanish surname.

♡Will Brothers: orphans and circus foundlings. Their surname is German, and they don't possess given first names.

♡Luchino: fluent enough in English to conduct lectures at a college in England, and able to get to the manor by train. The surname Diruse is a nonsense name like Behamfil, but is probably a corruption of DeRossi, which, like his given name, is Italian. It is a given thing in IDV that to be Italian is to be cursed by a supernatural entity.

♡Burke: I think I’ve heard speculation that Burke is based on the Canadian architect Edmund Burke, but there aren’t many definitive pieces of evidence pointing to this besides the name Burke and a connection with architecture; the connection is a lot weaker than with other characters inspires by real people. Lapadura is allegedly (?) Sicilian, but a very rare surname.

♡Victor: His family seems to have been poor based on his dialogue in the Autumn Letter event. His favorite dish (and Luchino’s too) is Steak Diane, which was invented in London anachronistically in the 1930s. Grantz is a German surname

♡Edgar: One of the few characters I can only tentatively guess about, falling into this category simply because so many of the characters are British. One of the artists Edgar is based on, Edouard Manet, was French. The surname Valden is apparently Russian, though very rare. Perhaps, perhaps, he is indeed French, and as none of the other participants of his game (José, Vera, Kevin, and Patricia) are British, they’d all be outsiders, in a sense.

♡Lucky: he is just some poor guy dressed like a 90′s kids sitcom character. I don't know. Also probably from Britain because almost everyone is.

♡BonBon: honorary inclusion. He is whatever his dad Burke is. A little Sicilian-British robot?

♡Galatea: Galatea is partially based on Camille Claudel, who was French, but she was likely born in Britain. She and her family are in the same social circles as the British Baron DeRoss, and she is mentioned to be considering traveling to Florence and Paris, which would be viable given her family’s wealth and not worthy of note if she did live in France already.

Born in Belgium:

♡Servais: Based on the real magician Servais LeRoy, who did spend a good part of his career in Britain. LeRoy is a surname specifically from northern France.

Born in Spain:

♡José Baden: He has a surpassingly common Spanish name and his favorite food is Paella. His family’s shipping activities saw them sailing frequently through the Mediterranean Sea. The surname Baden has Danish origins.

Born in Germany:

♡Jack: IDV’s version of Jack is heavily based on one of the candidates for Jack the Ripper’s identity, the artist Walter Sickert, who was born in Germany but grew up in England from the age of 8 onwards. Sickert is a fairly uncommon German surname.

Born in Austria:

♡Frederick: A HUGE number of composers and musicians were active in Austria, and specifically Vienna, in the 19th century. Frederick is mentioned in his deceptions as departing from Vienna for Paris, making it likely he and his family lived there, given his father was a famous musician. Many of them were from Polish or Hungarian families. Kreiberg appears to be German, as there’s a very similar German surname Kreisberg.

♡Marie Antoinette/Maria Antonia/Mary: This applies more to the historical Marie, as canon material suggests Hunter Mary is a woman experiencing delusions of being Marie Antoinette. Although Queen of France, she was born in Austria and lived there for the first 14 years of her life.

Born in France:

♡Joseph: fled France with his family. Joseph is confirmed to be largely based on the French inventor Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, who even had a brother named Claude. Desauliners is a French surname that is much more common in Canada than France.

♡Vera/Chloe: Vera hails from the French town of Grasse, a hotspot in the perfume industry. Nair is apparently (?) a Scottish surname, of all things.

♡Philippe: he is based on Philippe Curtis, a surgeon and wax artist. In his debut trailer, the map projected behind his sister shows his voyage beginning in what is either Eastern France or the Western edge of Switzerland. Surname unknown.

Born in Italy:

♡Antonio: he is based on the Italian violinist Niccolò Paganini. A celebrity musician would be internationally mobile and welcome at courts across Europe. His 2022 letter speaks of his lover, Andrea, who also has an Italian given name. His actual surname is unknown, as he is never referred to as Paganini in canon materials.

Born in Czechoslovakia/ The Czech Republic:

♡Annie: her mother was a British socialite, and her father a Czech painter. Her favoring of unconventional traditional dress despite being part of the upper class indicates she feels closer to her Czech, rather than British heritage, and as such likely grew up in proximity to other ethnically Czech people, as I doubt she would have access to that side of her culture as much had she grown up in the United Kingdom. Her 2022 birthday letter also lists her inheritance from her mother in British pounds, which would be odd to do when writing to someone who was also in Britain, as it could be assumed that was the currency in question. Her favorite food is Czech sausage. Lester is an English, not Czech surname, and it’s possible Annie identifies by her mother’s maiden name as a fuck you to her dreadful father.

Born in the United States:

♡Helena Adams: Based on the American activist and scholar Helen Keller. Her international travel was likely facilitated by Sullivan, as her family is not wealthy. The Adams surname is Scottish and English.

♡Patricia: abandoned as a baby in New Orleans, Patricia was technically born at sea and could count as being from Haiti as much as the United States. She is very loosely inspired by Voodoo practitioner and herbalist Marie Laveau, who was of French, Black and Native American heritage. The surname she shares with her adoptive mother, Dorval, is French.

♡Kevin: his friend childhood Angelica was a member of the Great Sioux Nation, who since the 19th century have lived for the most part in the Midwestern states of North and South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and Nebraska. His Spanish surname indicates Spanish and possibly Mexican heritage as well, given many cowboys and farmers were mestizo.

♡Demi: Demi’s birthday materials include a ferry ticket for a vessel traveling from New York, suggesting she lives in the United States. In terms of gameplay, she doesn't give drinks to underage characters due to strict censorship, but as a lore explanation, it would make sense that (although anachronistic by a good few decades) a European would not have any problem with giving someone under the age of 21 alcohol, but an American character may be stricter about drinking age. The surname Bourbon is French.

Born in India:

♡Ganji: explicitly confirmed to have been born in India. The Gupta surname comes from Northern India.

Born in Nepal:

♡Naib: again, explicitly confirmed. The great question is how a mercenary from the Himalayas wound up in England carrying out assassinations. We only know him by his alias, and have no idea what his given and family names might be.

Born in China:

♡ Shiyi/Yao: the daughter of a Chinese noble. Given that Shiyi came to Oletus to find her partner, Si, I also wonder how Si wound up involved in the dealings of an English manor in the first place and how the pair came to Baron DeRoss’ attention given the vast distance. The Xiao surname is ancient, originating between 770 to 476 BC, and is very common today in China.

♡ Bi’an + Wujiu: based on Heibai Wuchang, Chinese folk deities. Their in-game lore has them as two former government officers. Fan is a very common surname in China and Vietnam, and Xie ie even more common.

Born in Japan:

♡Michiko: Born in Japan, and moved to England with Miles Donnelly. His surname is Irish, but given that Michiko’s corpse was disposed of by the Female Dancer’s uncle Eugene Hayward at Lakeside, she must have lived nearby with Miles.

🌙🌙They Came from Space 🌙🌙

♡Yidhra: an Outer God, a being in the Lovecraftian mythos defined as originating from outside our solar system. She has been on earth a long, long time, however.

♡Hastur: a Great Old One, a deity that is based on Earth but, according to his original lore, has been active on other plantets, as the work he is most closely associated with, the King in Yellow, features mentions of the city Carcosa, an extraterrestrial location associated with Hastur.

TLDR: almost everything is happening in one little area! Almost all of these people got rained on a lot and are serious about tea time. I regret using the heart symbol as a bullet point because truly there are some characters on this list I would not piss on if they were on fire, but I value aesthetic consistency and there are a few individuals on this list I would cook a four-course meal for (It’s Andrew. I want to feed him. I want him to eat a lot and then take a really quality nap). I hope all my links work. Thank you for taking the time to read this far. ♡♡♡

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anouatblog · 1 year

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Ouat alignment chart bc yeah

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summersnow82 · 7 months

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Sins of the Past - Part 4

Fanfiction_Once Upon a Time

Fictober 2023_Prompt 7: “Do you recognize this?”

Fictober 2023_Prompt 18: “We can’t do this on our own.”

Summary: A continuation of Sins of the Past. Part 4.

Author’s Note: Sorry it took me so long, y’all. Doubling up because I’m behind.

...

“Emma!” Ruby fell against the bedroom door, hammering her fists hard at the wood.

“Move!” David commanded, running at the door with his full force. He bounced off the wood, flying backwards, and hit the wall behind him.

“David!” Mary Margaret knelt by his side, checking for injuries. The look on his face was a stunned panic.

“Magic,” he said quietly, looking from her to the door.

“Dark magic,” Leroy acknowledged gravely, his natural frown deepening.

“We can’t do this on our own,” Ruby said, turning to face them. “We’re going to need help.”

“Blue?” Mary Margaret offered, still holding her dazed husband.

“I’ll go.” Ruby took off for the front door.

“I’ll get the dwarfs,” Leroy added, following the brunette at a slower pace.

“Oh, Archie,” Marco said quietly, clutching his hat in his hands. “Please, please hold on, my friend.”

….

Emma looked around the room she was in. It felt vaguely familiar, but she couldn’t place it. The room was dark, cramped with four twin beds, and the smell of urine was palpable. “They catch you trying to run again?” A voice devoid of emotion came from one of the beds, and a boy rolled over to stare at her. His hair was greasy, his clothes ill-fitting and stained, and his eyes were dull. “Might as well give it up, Swan. You’re never getting out of here.”

Emma’s brow furrowed. There was something she was supposed to remember, like a tickle at the back of her brain. It felt important, but what?

“She’ll never learn,” another voice added from the doorway. An older girl with the same dull look in her eyes stood there in similar dingy clothes. “No one cares about you. No one’s coming for you.” She strode across the room, towering over Emma. “You’re worthless,” the girl sneered. “Just. Like. Us.”

The girl moved past her to another bed and flopped down. Emma turned to look at the doorway, and caught sight of her reflection. Young, maybe thirteen. She felt so much older. She looked like she’d been in a fight – a dark bruise was forming on cheek.

“Might want to make yourself scarce,” the girl said, rolling over to face the wall. “There’s more of that when Queenie gets home.”

The itching at the back of her mind intensified. What….?

“Queenie,” Emma repeated, reaching up to touch her cheek. “Home.” She winced at the touch. “But this isn’t home,” she murmured, turning around to examine the room further.

The boy snorted. “’Course not, but it’s better than the streets.” He paused, then added, “But barely.”

…..

The wagon moved along at a brisk pace, and Jiminy rushed to keep up. He knew if he couldn’t match the pace his parents would force him to ride in the back, and it felt too much like a cage for his comfort.

“That was fun, wasn’t it, son?” Martin’s voice called from the front of the wagon. Jiminy wondered how long he could wait before he replied.

“Oh, don’t pressure the boy, Martin,” Mryna said. “He’s still learning the trade. Don’t worry, son. We’ll make an excellent thief out of you yet.”

Jiminy felt his heart sink, and his pace grew slower. “You’re absolutely right, Mother! Oh! And one more thing – happy seventh birthday, son.”

Seven? But he was twelve, wasn’t he? Or was it… something felt off, like a dream he couldn’t quite hold onto. There was something nudging his mind, whispering in a voice he couldn’t quite hear. The wagon continued on ahead, and Jiminy stopped for a moment staring at his hands. So small and agile. They’d already taught him how to pick a lock and lift a purse. What else was there?

“Yes siree,” Myrna sang. “We have a lifetime to perfect our art. C’mon, Jiminy, catch up. We aren’t quite done yet.”

A hopeless feeling began to settle into his young heart, one he didn’t quite understand. A lifetime. He had a lifetime of this misery, and no way to escape. He wanted to cry, but when he looked up he saw how far away the wagon was, and kicked up his legs in a sprint to catch up.

….

Blue took in the destruction of Archie’s home as she stepped inside. Marco had busied himself by sweeping up the glass, and trying to straighten up a bit. It gave his hands to do, and preoccupied his mind from what might be going on behind the bedroom door.

The magically locked bedroom door.

Blue walked slowly, carefully through each room. Her eyes were scanning the house for something, but she said nothing as she went. The others gave her a wide berth as she moved, her fingers trailing over bits of furniture, books spines, pictures on the wall. She opened cabinets in the kitchen, pulled out drawers, but continued walking in silence. She walked by the trashcan near the back door, stopped, turned, and walked back. She stood there for a moment, silently staring at the trashcan before triggering the foot pedal. She inhaled sharply before reaching in with both hands. Marco’s hands fluttered to his heart as Blue pulled out two dolls – a man and a woman of crude fashioning – and placed them on the counter.

“Do you recognize this?” She asked, never taking her eyes off the dolls.

Marco nodded, horrified. “My parents,” he whispered. His voice broke, and he took a minute to gather himself. “Jiminy made a deal with Rumplestiltskin so he could escape his parents. They switched the vials. He didn’t mean for this to happen.” He looked around the room, his eyes pleading with the others. “He has grieved about it for so long. Why would he have them?” He asked Blue.

“Was he trying to bring them back?” Mary Margaret asked, and Blue shook her head. Her eyes never left the dolls in front of her.

“What has been done cannot be undone. Archie knew that from our time in the Enchanted Forest. These seem,” she waved a hand over one, then drew it back quickly as if it stung. “They’d been tampered with, manipulated somehow.” She cocked her head to the side, frowning. “It’s dark magic, which normally means Gold or Regina, but…,” she paused, leaning in and sniffing. “There’s something else here.” She stepped back, straightening her back. “It will take some time for me to figure it out.”

“Our daughter is trapped in that room,” David cried, thrusting a hand at the door.

Blue looked up, her jaw set. “Your daughter is the savior of this town. If anyone can stop or break what’s happening in that room it will be her.” She paused, her features softening. “We must have faith Emma and Archie are strong enough to persevere.”

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kazoosandfannypacks · 11 months

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"Open to Interpretation" by kazoosandfannypacks

Chapter 13/16: Rain on Your Parade Pairing: CaptainSwan Rating: General Word Count: (1.8K/24K) Summary: Emma Swan is appalled at works by modern artist Killian Jones- until a handsome stranger convinces her otherwise- and after introducing himself as the artist in question, he invites her out on a date. As their relationship develops, they find that they might not be as different from each other as originally thought. Chapter Summary: Killian introduces Emma to many of his relatives and family friends. They later share a quiet moment together, which is awkwardly interrupted. Tags: au, fluff, captain swan, modern au Author's notes: for my next trick, I will cram the most random assortment of ouat cameos imaginable into this chapter /hj Taglist: @zahara @kmomof4 @jonesfandomfanatic @booksteaandtoomuchtv @jrob64 @tiganasummertree @anmylica @teamhook @undercaffinatednightmare @gingerchangeling @lonelyspectator @caught-in-the-filter @ultraluckycatnd @cs-rylie @pirateprincessofpizza @lfh1226-linda @pawshapedheart [if you'd like to be added to or removed from this list, hmu in my dms or askbox!]

Also on Ao3!

Emma'd slept better that night than she usually did in new places, and when she made her way to the kitchen that morning, she was greeted by a kiss on the cheek and a "good morning, love" from Killian, as well as a pancake breakfast with him and his family. Afterwards they dove into last minute party preparations like decorations and getting the food ready, with his parents insisting Emma was a guest and didn't need to help, and Emma insisting that it was no big deal and she wasn't about to sit around and do nothing, and Brennan mumbling something about how if that's the case then opposites very clearly attract, as Killian had made a living off of doing just that.

Once the rest of the guests started to trickle in, Emma then began to mingle with them, Killian introducing her to many of his relatives, former teachers, and family friends. A lot of them seemed somewhat insufferable in their own way, but there were a few kinder people among them. Most of these ones, Emma made it her goal to remember- she'd always been pretty good with names and faces, so it wasn't too hard.

One of the first guests in attendance was "Granny" Lucas, a kindly widow who lived down the street. She apparently treated the neighborhood kids like her own grandkids, Killian mentioning how she'd let the kids play in her yard with trees to climb and dogs to run around with whenever they wanted. He mentioned as well how she'd bake them cookies and knit them scarves and blankets. To this day, from what Emma heard, Granny's backyard was the center of town for the neighborhood kids.

They spent quite a while talking with Uncle Nemo, who gave Killian more than his fair share of teasing about the "lovely young lady friend" he'd brought with him that day, and though he seemed a bit embarrassed by his remarks, Killian still looked fondly upon his uncle. They talked for a bit about Uncle Nemo's contracting company, Nautilus Home Improvements, and how excited Liam was to soon begin his apprenticeship there. Nemo also seemed very proud of Killian's art career, saying he'd be certain to head down to the Nolan Blanchard to see his art himself at some point.

Killian introduced Emma as well to his step-aunts, Ruel, Bell, and Astrid. Aunt Astrid brought a somewhat familiar face with her, her boyfriend Leroy. Emma quickly recognized him as the lead from the jazz band that'd played at the museum's benefit dinner, and realized that it was the family connection that had landed him that gig.

Perhaps the most memorable person Emma met was Killian's cousin, Rogers. Killian had told Emma in advance that people always said they looked alike, though Rogers was a few older and neither of the two could see the resemblance. However, when Emma met him, she marveled at the powers that be, and how they'd been gracious enough to grant such perfect looks to two fortunate people. Rogers did look a little bit older than Killian, though he attributed the gray streaks in his hair to the stress of being a single parent, but aside from that, they looked so similar it was almost uncanny. Emma was secretly a little glad when he left early to take his daughter to dance class, because his mere presence was, admittedly, a little confusing. Even afterward, Emma almost felt it easier to pretend he was just a weird dream that never happened, as it made things a lot less confusing for herself and everyone involved.

Sometime later, Liam introduced them both to a friend of his, a sweet young lady named Paige. Based on the side-glances and smiles Killian was giving Liam as they talked, Emma could tell that she was more than just a "friend" of Liam's- and if not, he was clearly hoping it'd head in that direction. She seemed impressed to meet a semi-famous artist, and when she mentioned having a great appreciation for the arts, Killian offered to give a personal tour of the museum should she ever come down that way, then not-so-subtly hinted that Liam was heading in that direction sometime soon and they might even consider going together. This, of course, was met by blushing and stuttering on both of the teens' parts, but neither of them seemed entirely upset by this suggestion.

"I don't see why you said this weekend would be unbearable," Emma whispered to Killian when they'd found themselves alone in the kitchen, savoring a moment together before joining the rest of the guests back outside, "it's not so bad so far."

"That's because you're here, Swan," Killian replied, "how could I be miserable with you by my side?"

Emma could feel her cheeks turn red and looked down at her shoes, wondering how Killian always knew exactly what to say to fluster her so much.

"Besides," Killian said, leaning against a kitchen counter, "my father is less critical of me when there's others around. Can't have anyone see how disappointed he is in me, now, can he?" "I'm sure he's not disappointed in you," Emma said, despite having heard quite a few statements otherwise from him in the brief time they'd spent together that morning, "and Liam and your step mom seem alright." "They're great people," Killian whispered, "but I never really knew them as family. I'm just beginning to connect with Liam, and you probably know my step mom about as well as I do by now."

"Then maybe get to know them," Emma suggested.

"It's harder than you'd think, love," Killian said, "the only thing we really share in common is my dad, and some days I wish we didn't."

Emma rubbed his shoulder to comfort him.

"Somedays I almost wonder if it'd be easier if I didn't have a family at all," he said.

"It's not," Emma replied, so quickly she hadn't realized she was saying it until she'd already said it.

"Great going, Emma," she thought, "what a way to comfort him- reminding him his life is so much better than yours and that he should just suck it up and deal with it? Is that what I just did? Maybe he won't notice."

But the look on his face made it evident that he knew her response was borne of personal experience.

"I'm so sorry," she said, "I didn't mean to…"

She was interrupted by his arms wrapping around her, cradling her in an unexpected hug.

"Here I am, complaining about my family," he whispered, "and you don't even have- gosh, Swan. I'm so sorry."

"It's alright," Emma said, shifting in his arms so she could return his embrace, "just because your pain is different from mine doesn't mean it doesn't still suck."

They looked up at each other, each reading something in each other's eyes, something that transcended words.

"Apology accepted, love," Killian said.

Emma smiled, so lost in him she forgot where she was- and so did he. They started to lean closer to each other, already holding each other tightly and trying very hard to remember why their lips weren't already back together– though they were already moving in that direction.

They were soon reminded why, however, by Killian's dad's voice.

"Killian James Jones!" Brennan said, in a tone equal parts shocked, appalled, and disappointed.

Killian and Emma quickly snapped back to reality, letting go of each other and stepping a few feet away from each other.

"Oh, uh," Killian said, "uh, hey, dad? Can I, uh, help you?"

"I was going to let you know we're about to cut the cake and raise a toast," his dad said, condescension building in his voice, "but I can see you've still found some excuse to let your little brother down and bail on him yet again. Had I known bringing your friend along would be so much of a distraction, I never would've invited her."

"I'm sorry," Emma said, her cheeks red for a different reason than usual, "I was, uh, upset about a family thing, and Killian was comforting me."

"And do you still need to be 'comforted?'" he asked, "or is my son free to rejoin with the rest of his family?"

"I'm good now," Emma said, needing comfort now more than ever, ashamed at embarrassing Killian in front of his father.

"Then feel free to join us, but remember," Brennan said, "Killian can do just fine at disappointing us on his own; he doesn't need some pretty blonde distraction to help him out with that."

"Yes, sir," Emma nodded, wanting to melt into her shoes and disappear.

"I would appreciate if you'd show Emma a little more respect than that," Killian said, interrupting her shame to defend her.

Emma and Brennan both looked at Killian, a little confused, though Brennan's confusion was tinted with disdain, and Emma's was tinted with awe.

"What was that?" Brennan asked.

"I don't mind that you don't respect me," Killian said, "I've gotten over the fact that no matter what I do, I'm always just the family disappointment. I'm okay with that. But I'd at least expect you to treat Emma with a little more dignity than that, seeing as it's not a high standard anyways. You can treat me like dirt all you want, but I draw the line at you treating Emma like that."

The awe on Emma's face didn't fade as she watched him defend her. He'd been shrinking back in front of his father so much that to see Killian stand up to him for her was impressive, remarkable- and attractive.

But the disdain on his dad's face didn't fade either.

"And I'll draw the line at you disrespecting me," Brennan said, "I thought I raised you to respect your parents, and not to be so rude to your host."

"I'd hardly say you raised me at all," Killian said, "seeing as I was raised to care about others."

Before the argument could get any more heated, Fiona walked in.

"Oh, there you guys are," she smiled, unaware of what had just been going on, "everyone's waiting outside."

"It'd be rude to keep them waiting," Brennan said.

As they followed his parents outside, Killian and Emma walked next to each other, though not quite close enough to be touching, not even on accident.

"I'm sorry," Killian whispered.

"Sorry?" Emma asked, "I was about to thank you for defending me."

"I wouldn't've needed to defend you if I hadn't brought you here in the first place," Killian said, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, babe," Emma said, "and I do appreciate you sticking up for me."

"All in a day's work, love," he said.

And despite how things had just gone so sour, Emma couldn't help but think to herself that, if him protecting her like that was all in a day's work, she wanted to spend every day she could by his side.

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blairwld · 4 months

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#bro remember when leroy told th charmings to handle emma and help them #and then they didn't asjfhjdk #love leroy calling them out on their shit #and also love the writers saying 'the dwarfs did it' to avoid giving explanations #ouat rewatch #i am rambling

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askgrumpy · 2 months

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have you heard about henry?

It's just real sad it took a kid nearly dyin' to make us see what was right in front of our faces. We owe the kid and Emma a boatload of thanks.

#Anonymous #answered.#ouat grumpy #ouat grumpy rp #ouat rp #ouat rpg #ask grumpy #ouat leroy #ouat leroy rp #location : storybrooke #S1 Ep22 #henry mills.#emma swan.#asktheswan #askhenryxmills #( i'm not sure i like this response )

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cornergasoutofcontext · 2 years

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Emma: Well, not completely naked. We’re tastefully covered up. I mean, by a fence, or a door.

Helen: I’m gonna be in a canoe.

#corner gas #corner gas gif #s5e02 #spin cycle #emma leroy #helen jensen

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capturingdisney · 2 years

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Once Upon a Time caps per episode: 1.21 - An Apple Red as Blood

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fumikomiyasaki · 2 years

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can i give your muse a platonic hug and kiss on the forehead, if they're ok with it? i pat their head gently and tell them, "you did your best today, i'm very proud of you. it's time to take care of yourself now, tomorrow has it's own struggles." thank you!

That is sweet and all but given you didn't chose a specific muse... let me just pick some and their reactions to that.

Show my muse Affection

He quickly turned red and turned away lightly after receiving that kiss on his forehead.

“S-shut up before anyone listens to this... I appreciate it but I have a reputation to keep.”

Emma smiled after receiving a hug and hearing those words.

“I think I needed those words... especially after all that happened in the business... thank you.”

She blushed but also lightly teared up with a smile.

“Thank you... thank you so much... It feels good to have this praise and support.”

He just had his usual smirk and lightly nodded.

“I know but its good to hear it acknowledged. Don’t worry I will keep this work up.”

________________________________________________________

#twisted wonderland oc #twst oc #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland ocs #twst #disney twst #twistedwonderland #twistedwonderlandoc #twst ocs #twisted wonderland fanschool #leroy violet #emma yuki #carol ann #Flynn Deradelle

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ladyandthewalrus · 2 years

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Social Class and Income Levels of IDV Characters

I’m back again with a long, intensive IDV post, this time regarding the quality of life most of Identity V’s characters would likely have led before coming to the manor. This list is not definitive and is based on a little guesswork in some areas, and also doesn’t include every single character, as I couldn’t find relevant information for every career, but I think provides an interesting look at character backgrounds, the sorts of resources they would have access to, and what life was like in the 1890s.

This post assumes that the vast majority of the characters live in the United Kingdom and that most of them were born there. As discussed in an earlier theory post, Oletus Manor is 100% in England and the DeRoss Couple and their daughter were English aristocrats. It also refers to fairly readily available information that can be found in various characters’ deduction systems, seasonal events, background and official videos, and birthday letters.

Lots- and I mean LOTS- of info below.

First, a few notes about the class system in the late Victorian United Kingdom:

- Class was highly stratified, and moving up the social ladder was extremely difficult.

- Class was not necessarily just tied to income. Upbringing, family background, etc were just as large a determinant, which is why you might have an impoverished aristocrat with tons of property but no income who would still be welcome in elite social circles, whereas an up-and coming business owner bringing in £3,000/year would be shunned. Class was who got invited over to dinner; class was whether or not you’d been educated, and if you had to work with your hands.

The Upper Class/Aristocracy/Nobility:

- The top of the class system under the royal family (boo). Men might hold political positions, but members of this class would not have careers, as such. These characters likely have a passive income from investments or land owned and generational wealth. hey own one or more homes and employ extensive live-in household staff, including maids, butlers, drivers, cooks, gardeners etc.They can travel widely and partake of various entertainments, having time to cultivate talents in the arts.

Mary: She is, or believes herself to be (??), Marie Antoinette, an Austrian princess and the Queen of France. Antoinette was infamous for her lavish lifestyle and voracious appetite for fashion.

Joseph: He is referred to as a Count, but French nobility does not actually use that exact title. It’s possible he is a Comte, which is the equivalent of an Earl/Count in England. Either way, this is a middle of the ranking noble title. In the 2021 Christmas Event, he mentions his family owning several manors, so the Desaulniers family has, or had, a considerable amount of property.

An interesting thing that makes me wonder if his family’s wealth is depleted is that he consistently dresses in extremely outdated clothing, but I believe that speaks more to his sentimental obsession with the past than anything else.

Chloe/Vera: The real Vera had the capital to open a store front to sell Chloe’s perfumes. There is no mention of either daughter working prior to this, and the family employs several maids. Presumably, Chloe’s perfumes were a good money maker, as the 1890s marked the “Golden Era” of perfume production and sales. It is unusual, but not impossible, that an upper-class woman would own a business.

Melly: A successful social climber who began as a maid before marrying her employer, who owned a manor. She is well educated, to the extent she has been invited to lecture at a college or university.

Edgar: Edgar does not paint to generate income. His family was able to afford a long-term art tutor for him, and he is not interested in the prize money offered by the manor because his family’s wealth is more than sufficient. He is squarely in the aristocrat category, and enjoyed a lifestyle most of the other characters could only have dreamed of, at least in a fiscal sense.

Galatea: Another individual who pursued art as a passion or hobby rather than actual trade.This would simply not be realistic for anyone outside the upper classes.

Memory/Alice DeRoss: Her father possessed the title of Baron. Her mother is depicted in TOR with an upper-class English accent. Her parents own Oletus manor, which they were able to purchase, and employ two known servants (Burke and Bane). Running such a large estate would require an army of maids, cooks, gardeners, etc, who are not directly mentioned but implied.

Keigan: In her background video, we see her family in very formal dress at a large, lavishly set dinner table. Her brother holds the position of judge at a major court, which brought with it a great deal of respect and import. The average clerk made very little money, but it’s implied she is acting as his unofficial assistant/helper due to sisterly obligation, and does not want for money.

Jack: a bit of conjecture, but Jack at least played at being an artist, and takes on the role of a gentleman. It does not appear he needed to work to support himself.

Annie: Her father is a painter of some note, and her mother was a noted society beauty who left her a considerable inheritance that her father and fiancé conspired to get their hands on.

Luca: A fallen aristocrat with a mother of noble birth. His interests include piano, books, and experiments, all of which point to a privileged upbringing. Only someone with resources could run experiments and futz about with specialized equipment, which is why so many scientists from past eras came from upper class or even noble backgrounds. His father, Herman, blew through their fortune, and after Luca’s incident with Alva, he would not be a socially accepted individual.

The “Educated” Middle Class:

-Individuals or households with an income up to around £1000/ year. The wives do not have to work, but see to the home (oversee staff) and partake in social obligations, plan parties, and help educate the children in the arts. Daughters may become teachers or governesses if they don’t marry or prior to marriage, or in wealthier families, not work at all. They own their home and have live-in staff, such a cook and maids. ( see model yearly budget for a man making £700/year here.) Vacations, domestic and abroad, and high-end entertainments are accessible. They have some time for hobbies, and probably play a musical instrument if also from a culturally upper-middle class family, such as a piano, violin, harpsichord, etc. Guitars, flutes etc would not be counted here, as they are more “common” instruments. These individuals might move in some of the same social circles as the aristocracy.

Emily: A well established Doctor working in a city hospital could expect to make up to £1000/ year, putting them at the upper end of the middle class. However, an independent Doctor would make much less, and in rural areas, would often be paid in food or services. Given Emily’s difficulties keeping her clinic open, she lingers in the border between being a member of the middle class “culturally”— we know she came from a middle class family and is educated— but she struggles with money and lacks for stability like some of the folks in the lower middle and many in the working classes. Despite a low income, her education would mean she’d be welcome in polite society.

Freddy: A top-payed Lawyer could make £1,200/ year, but Freddy is a bit of a failure. His actual financial status cannot be determined, but he is, like Emily, culturally middle class due to his education and white-collar job.

Aesop: Aesop Carl? relatively loaded, actually. The Victorian era was great for the funeral industry. The elaborate rituals surrounding mourning meant that those in adjacent careers were always busy, and it was fashionable to send off a loved one in great style. The lower classes imitated the lavish funerals of the wealthy, often bankrupting themselves in the process, because it was considered shameful to be unable to lay someone to rest properly, and reputation and respectability were of vital importance in the Victorian United Kingdom.

As with today, there was an outcry about the funerary industry driving up prices and taking advantage of grieving people to line their pockets even more.A nice funeral, modest but respectable, cost about £11, and embalming services were an additional £10. A funeral with all the bells and whistles would fall at £21. A skilled Embalmer is capable of tending to several corpses in a day. Even if Aesop and Jerry only handled 50 corpses a year, they’d be making £500. A modern mortician handles about 150 bodies a year, so that’s a cool £1500/year for them. This would mean a nice house with a garden, a maid, and a cook at the very least, presuming Jerry risked having staff around that could possibly catch him on his bullshit. (Though I guess he could just kill them too and replace them with someone who didn’t know better. Fucking Jerry). At least even if he was emotionally starved and groomed into becoming a murderer, he was still eating well, could have nice clothes, and take vacations?

Another downside though is that then as is often true now, people did not want to socialize with someone who worked closely with dead bodies, and funeral industry workers were often ostracized, making his position here a little tenuous.

His mother’s family appears to have been upper or middle class, as suggested by Aesop’s dance emote, in which he performs a pirouette. Ballet was an upper-class entertainment, and formal dance training would not be accessible to children of poorer families, and I doubt Jerry was enrolling him in a lot of extracurriculars, meaning he must have learned while still in his mother’s care.

Jose: A First Officer could make around £900/ year. His family was employed by the Queen, and once had a stellar reputation. Although sailors worked with their hands, a high-ranked officer on a ship was seen as fairly respectable.

Orpheus: Some conjecture here. Orpheus is, like Melly, someone who successfully moved up the social ladder, first being adopted by the aristocratic DeRoss couple and then making a name for himself as a novelist. His Survivor version is well-dressed in neat white clothes that would require maintenance and be antithetical to manual work that would dirty them.

Luchino: As a professor, he is educated and respectable, even if his methods are unconventional and his manner of dress hardly appropriate for the classroom.

Alva: He was a student together with Luca’s father, Herman, at an institute of higher education, meaning he is most likely from a family who could afford the expense of educating him.

EDIT: @ivy0309 pointed out that in the Mandarin version of Alva’s first deduction, the language states he comes from an impoverished place, meaning he was probably granted a scholarship and is another case of a successful social climber.

Ann: Ann’s deductions mention she wore exquisite and ornate mourning clothes after the deaths of her parents, suggesting her family had the money for funerals with pomp. She is also left land and at least two houses after her father’s passing.

Manually Laboring Middle Class:

Income wise these careers are middle class, being able to net £1000/year, but there was a difference between enjoying a good quality of life and being socially accepted. Iif you worked with your hands, no matter how skilled you were, you were still a laborer and seen as lacking in culture.

Tracy: A clockmaker made up to £400/year, which jumped to £840/ year if they also worked on watches as well. Her father, Mark, would have netted them enough money to fall into the working middle class, and this is before Tracy’s mechanical genius became evident. If Tracy’s life had gone differently, it is possible she could have become what was known as a Master Mechanic, a skilled worker who could earn £1000/ year, guaranteeing a high standard of living.

Demi: As a Barmaid alone, Demi would make about £150/ year, which would be difficult to survive on; however, she and her brother own their establishment. Their bar could make about £1000/ year, giving them a comfortable life in terms of amenities, but Barmaids were not respected and often suspected of being easy; many young women in major cities who worked in shops and restaurants took up sex work to supplement their meager incomes.

Leo: At one point appears to have owned two factories, both his initial textile factory and the doomed arms factory.

More or Less Stable Working Class

Emma: A gardener would make, at a maximum, £400/ year, and a young gardener like Emma would certainly not be able to earn that much. In her previous life as Lisa Beck before Leo made a bad investment, she was likely very comfortable, as Leo did own a presumably successful textile factory. She may be especially nostalgic for her childhood with her father because her situation changed drastically very rapidly, going from living in a pleasant environment with two parents, plenty of toys, good food and clothes/household with a steady income, to being placed in a Victorian orphanage and eventually becoming a manual laborer.

Helena: She wishes to attend college, but cannot afford to do so. We aren't exactly sure what her father does for work, but he is likely in the working class, as many middle class families could reasonably afford to educate at least one of their children, and Helena is, to our knowledge, an only child. They seem to have enough money to provide her with certain accommodations, like spectacles and her cane, though these may have been gifts from Sullivan.

Kevin: the lifestyle itself would be rough, but he could make around $480/year (sorry for the currency change, but he lived and worked in the USA, and England did not have cowboys).

Bane: A game keeper often had a relatively low income and would by that definition actually fall into the below category, but housing was almost always provided to men who held this job, taking a stressor off his plate. Steady employment/staying at a position for several years was also common, providing general stability.

Working Class and Extremely Poor:

-Families or households often struggling to scrape by on under or around £300/ year, sometimes with individuals making as little as £25/ year. A frugal family at the top end of this budget would overlap with lower middle class and would be able to employ a maid, putting appearances first and sacrificing other luxuries. There is less money for entertainment, and almost all of the income goes to food and housing. Little or no savings. The vast majority of the population falls in this category because things never change, with only 7.7% of workers making £340 or above, and 42.9% £192 or under.

Norton: Coal miners earned around £260/ year. Norton was looking for gold and gems, but it’s safe to assume his standard of living would have been about the same as a coal minder. Compared to some jobs, this wage may have seemed decent, but mining was brutal and incredibly dangerous. Miners typically lived in housing camps operated by mine owners, and had to buy their daily essentials from in-camp stores and commissaries.

Victor: I had to conjecture a little here, but senior postal service employees were making around £200-300/ year, and newer employees a starting annual wage of £90 so we can guess Victor falls around here as well. We also do not know about his family’s class background.

Andrew: Andrew probably wishes he really was a Train Conductor. In that job, he could have made £900/ year, granting him membership the middle class. Being a Grave Keeper or Grave Digger was an awful job, physically demanding and badly compensated. Cemeteries often stank of rotting bodies, and Grave Diggers had a low social standing because they worked so closely with corpses. I could not find concrete information about how much he would have made, but it would definitely fall below the £300/year mark that is the ceiling for entry into the lower middle class, given that the other Survivors with physical/ unskilled labor jobs seem to peak at the £200ish range.

Worth noting though not necessarily tied to class is the common misconception that Andrew is illiterate, which he certainly isn’t. His dedications include a diary entry he wrote in which he tries to justify to himself his bodysnatching activities, and he also received letters from Percy’s assistant. He might have a little trouble with small print due to his bad eyesight, but he can absolutely read and write. Most people, even the poorer classes, were at least somewhat literate in this period in the United Kingdom.

Outsiders/I Have No Idea

-These are characters with either extremely vague and mysterious pasts or who have extremely unconventional professions.

Patricia: A Voodoo practitioner, it is unclear if she performs the work of a Voodoo priestess, which could be lucrative. Marie Laveau, on whom she is allegedly loosely based, was very financial successful, but to be honest, I think the IDV writers have a very shaky grasp on actual Voodoo practices and beliefs (as do most folks probably who have no idea that a lot of practitioners are also Catholic. It's a syncretic religion so yes, Patricia’s nun costume actually makes some sense.)

Fiona: It is openly stated she comes from an unknown class. There aren’t really historical precedents I could find in my research for occultists of her stripe earning an income, as there’s no indication she goes around giving exhibitions or overseeing seaances. Many Victorians dabbled in the arcane as a hobby, but those who were able to fully devote themselves to their studies tended to come from very comfortable backgrounds, such as Helena Blavatsky and Aleister Crowley.

Kreacher: He is a thief. Nothing else to say.

Eli: Another character with an ambiguous background. We have little information about his family life, but he is considered in his write-up by the organizers of the manor games to be unemployed.

EDIT: @ivy0309 informed me Eli is listed as coming from a middle class background in the official setting book.

Ganji: He is likely extremely poor. I could not find anywhere what a professional athlete might have been paid, but we do at least know he cannot afford travel home to India.

William: He is presumably from a middle class family, given that he attended university. As with Andrew above, I have a seen of lot people claiming William is less intelligent/educated than he is, when he’s actually at least one of the most educated characters in the game. He may have made a poor decision drinking the poisoned wine and come off as a muscle head, but he is far from a himbo. I don’t know what his current social class could be considered, as professional athletes in the Victorian era were not the same was they are now, but William does appear based on his clothes to be a rugby player more or less full time?

Performers/Entertainers

-This is another tricky group to get a handle on, because the role of the entertainer in society meant that one could be exalted and idolized while also not being welcome in polite society. I cannot speak to actual income amounts for these characters, but can provide a few general notes of interest. Also worth noting is that a top-billed musician like Antonio would be treated very differently than the Hullabaloo performers, who were certainly seen as impolite and indecent.

Margaretha/Natalie: Female performers were often characterized as promiscuous and sexually available, and therefore sneered at. Margie is wearing the costume of an exotic dancer (for those who may not be aware, this doesn't meant actually foreign or exotic, it explicitly means a dance intended to arouse or excite). She is not doing well fiscally after Sergei’s death, and is implied by the description of her animal tamer costume to dance/busk for tips.

Her uncle and aunt who raised her lived in Lakeside, and Natalie is described as wearing a cheap cotton dress in a photograph of her living under their care. Her background then would likely fall under manually laboring/working class.

Mike: Mike is one of the circus’ most popular performers, so he makes more than Margaretha, but that's all I can guess.

Joker: He is less popular than Mike and Sergei, but is allowed his own tent because either he has enough status in the Hullabaloo or nobody wants to room with him.

Violetta: Her family abandoned her, and she was seen as an asset by Max. Likely has little to no money of her own.

Servais: He at least considers himself middle class and respectable, and his dress does suggest he is financially solvent.

Antonio: A musician welcomed at court who played for upper-class audiences. Antonio was raised to be a money-maker by a stern father and did receive royal patronage, but based on his personality traits I am willing to bet he has poor money management skills. His real-life inspiration, Niccolo Paganini, died in debt.

Murro: Treated as a possession by Bernard and then living on the run, it's hard to imagine he had any way of earning money after fleeing the circus, nor the necessary knowledge to exist within society.

Willis Brothers: I believe their situation would be similar to Violetta’s. Disabled sideshow performers could occasionally have quite lucrative careers, but this was rare.

This is far from comprehensive, but thank you so much for taking the time to read this far! If you have any questions or wish to discuss anything here, please feel free to talk to me!

A great resource for approximating the income ranges used above is this database, this is invaluable for looking at things like average wages, housing costs, price of goods in different countries (mostly the US, UK, and Western Europe) across decades and eras.

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twstinginthewind · 2 years

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Jokers General Opinion about the Evolnation students (Peko Emma and Greg, maybe also shade who is greg)

Punchs opinions on Carol and Leroy

Nanas opinion on Mellow

Joker usually gets along really well with fellow musicians, so this trio is a great bunch for her to befriend. She thinks Peko is a lot of fun! She's really enjoying the messages that they've been sending back and forth to each other, and they've been getting along really well. Joker's a little jealous that Peko gets to focus more on her music than she has opportunity to, but then again, she also doesn't think she'd be able to handle an idol's schedule like the Evolnation students do.

Joker is impressed by Emma - she thinks she's so cool and sophisticated, and really admires her work ethic. She just hopes that when Emma visits Heartslabyul, that Riddle allows her to opt out of the standard afternoon black tea, because she wouldn't want to offend her!

She's intrigued by Gregory. He's really good-looking, and seems like he knows how to have a good time. That trickster nature of his really appeals to her sense of fun! She is extremely curious about that gemstone he's got on his chest.... is that jewelry? Did he glue that on?? Wild. And that other gal wears one, too; she looks a little like him, doesn't she? Joker bets she's his sister! She'll have to ask him about Shade sometime. Maybe the three of them can hang out!

Not gonna lie; Punch may have a burgeoning crush on the Ramshackle upperclassman. He's been having fun swapping book recommendations with her, and they meet up for games occasionally too. He's not sure whether she'd feel the same towards him, though, especially since he's a little younger than she is, and two years makes a big difference at their age. Punch is fond of her caring nature, though, and thinks her eyes are the loveliest green.

Now, Leroy, he just doesn't trust. Something about that fella just rubs him the wrong way, and he can't figure out just why. He feels like Leroy's hiding something. Punch would like to approach him about the devices that he builds, since he makes similar things, but he finds Leroy really hard to approach. It would be nice if they could bond over something, maybe an anime night or what have you, but Punch hasn't seen any evidence that Leroy would be into that....

Nana has only been able to approach Mellow in her cat form; when she's in her more human shape, he can barely get a sentence out of his mouth. She thinks that's kind of hilarious, but at the same time, it's hard for her to hold a conversation when all she can say in cat form is "meow"! She does see that he tries so hard to make himself better, and wishes he'd give himself more credit for that. You can't become a success if you don't believe in the things you do, after all.

But she does wonder why he turned so pale and ran off that one time she was eating beef jerky in class....

#THIS WAS FUN!#i personally love leroy and hope punch warms up to him soon #everyone is so good I can hardly stand it #i'm gonna have Jo learn metal songs on accordion so she can party w emma and gregory too #twisted wonderland oc #joker carder #punch carder #nana katzen #friend's ocs #friend's fandorms

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summersnow82 · 2 years

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Sins of the Past - Part 3

Fanfiction _ Once Upon a Time

Fictober 2022/ Prompt #10: “It’s my name on the line.”

Summary: Regina’s plans are moving right along. Our Storybrooke heroes race to help Archie.

Author’s Note: I really loved Archie and Regina’s relationship in the series. Did I entertain the Regal Cricket fandom? Absolutely. But if we’re going with canon characters, Red is a healthier, happier option, in my opinion. Humor me as I dabble.

…….

Regina was practically giddy; her plan was working just as she knew it would. All of Storybrooke’s heroes were twisted with concern over their dear, sweet cricket. From what she’d heard Dr. Hopper had made quite the spectacle in front of the lovely Belle. The good mayor knew Gold would be hearing all about it later on. Perhaps he’d be at war with his decision, but Regina couldn’t be bothered with his waffling morality. She had bigger plans in place.

She carefully descended the steps into her crypt, heading straight for the back wall. She’d spent so much time down here she could locate each item with her eyes closed. She gathered each item, lining them up on a ornate table in the center of the room. As she worked, her mind drifted to the good doctor, and the time they spent together before Emma Swan came to Storybrooke.

In the Enchanted Forest, Archie Hopper was a cricket, a conscious, a nuisance, something she could easily swat away or crush with her foot. Here in Storybrooke, though, he was a friendly face, a willing ear, and, with enough liquor and encouragement, a very attentive lover.

In the beginning, Regina thought she’d received everything she ever wanted, but after enough time had passed she soon grew bored. Long before her desire for a child she opted to test boundaries and relationships – just to see what she could get away with in this new world.

Dr. Archibald Hopper had been an intriguing character she soon found herself wanting to deconstruct. Handsome in a buttoned-up sort of way, Regina found the college professor look oddly appealing. He frequented the Rabbit Hole enough for her to notice, typically drinking alone while casting nervous glances in Ruby’s direction.

It hadn’t been hard to get him tipsy; he’d welcomed the company and the conversation, and of course, Regina was no novice when it came to seduction. A brush of the hand here, a hand on the knee there, and dear Dr. Hopper was flushed with arousal. She’d smothered his morality with smoldering kisses and trailing hands until he was trembling beneath her from want.

She’d lured him back to his office each time, making sure the blinds were open just enough where they could be seen. A drunk Leroy saw them once, starting the rumor, and putting a stain on sweet Archie’s reputation. Most of the town didn’t believe it, but the rumor was there as Regina intended.

“It’s my name on the line,” he’d stressed to her the next day in her office. The look of betrayal Archie gave her had done little to Regina’s mood, and the doctor, seeing she wasn’t concerned with his name or reputation, had slunk away with his tail between his legs. Regina grinned at the memory.

Poor Dr. Hopper. He was so lonely, so desperate for affection and respect, and she’d used him for her own enjoyment. It had been a delightful surprise to know the walking conscious knew exactly what to do with her, and unlike some of the men she’d tempted in Storybrooke, Dr. Hopper liked to take his time. In hindsight, perhaps Regina could have utilized his… abilities more often. But his damned moral code was draining.

“There we are,” she murmured, placing the last item on the table. “Now, let’s see how the savior handles this little disaster.”

……………..

“Archie! Archie!” Emma pounded on the doctor’s front door, Ruby and Mary Margaret flanking her. David, Marco, and Leroy were at the back trying to find a way in.

“Archie, please, open the door,” Mary Margaret called.

Ruby sniffed the air. “We’ve got to get inside now,” she said, tone urgent. “Can you get us in?”

Emma cast an insulted look over her shoulder before dropping to her knees. “Of course I can get us in,” she replied, starting to pick the lock. She didn’t voice her concern about what they might find when they were inside.

The door swung open, revealing a darkened house. The smell of alcohol was overwhelming, and as Emma took a tentative step inside she heard glass crunch under her boots. “Archie?” She called, hesitating before she flicked the hall light on. Mary Margaret gasped as the light displayed the full destruction of the house. Furniture was tipped over, books torn and scattered, and glass covered most of floor. “Archie?” Emma called again, moving further into the house with Mary Margaret and Ruby close by.

She heard a crunch in front of her and looked up to see David coming through a back window. “Anything?” He asked, and Emma shook her head. He went to unlock the back door for Marco and Leroy, while Emma continued through the house. Archie’s house wasn’t large – a three bedroom, two bath with a front room serving as a library, a kitchen, and a small laundry room. The space was utilized well, and between the six of them they were able to rule out every room but one: Archie’s bedroom.

The house was now bathed in light, and the trail of disaster had gone from room to room. “Do you think he did this?” Leroy asked softly, lifting his eyes under darkened brows.

“I smell alcohol, and blood, and…,” Ruby trailed off, a look of panic crossing her face as she moved to Archie’s bedroom door. “Archie? Archie, it’s Ruby. I’m coming in, okay? Don’t shoot.” David and Mary Margaret shot each other a concerned look while Marco ran a trembling hand over his face. Ruby slowly turned the door knob, surprised it wasn’t locked, and let the door swing open gently. “Archie,” she called into the darkened bedroom, reaching her hand inside to turn on the light.

“Don’t.” His strangled voice made her freeze. “I don’t want you to see me like this. Please.”

“Archie, it’s Emma.” Emma slid past Ruby, ignoring the crunch of broken glass as she stepped into the dark bedroom. “We came to make sure you were all right.”

A broken laugh from the corner of the room. Archie’s typical raspy voice sounded raw and drained as he began to speak. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

“What is, Archie?” Emma held up a hand to keep the others at bay while she slowly crept closer.

“I’m the town psychiatrist, and you’ve come to see if I’m all right.” His laugh turned to a sob, and Emma froze. In all the time she’d known Archie she’d never heard him sound so… hopeless. “Please leave. Please. I’m begging you.”

“I can’t do that, Archie, and I think you know that. How could I look Henry in the eye again?”

“I wasn’t talking to you.” His voice was so soft Emma almost didn’t hear him.

“Emma, get out of there now,” Ruby said so firmly Emma actually took a step back.

“Please, don’t hurt her,” Archie cried, his voice breaking with tears.

“Archie?”

“Emma, now!” Ruby cried, reaching out for the blonde. Emma whirled on her heel, a rush of panic racing through her as she felt what Ruby had been trying to warn her about.

“Emma!”

Emma Swan was glued to the spot, paralyzed with fear as she watched in horror as the bedroom door swung shut, and the darkness swallowed her whole.

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