15 April, 1895: Introduction?
I promised to do this, right?
My name is.. Do I really need to say? Well, it’s a diary, almost no secrets. Jane Doe. No jokes, it’s a real name. But well, it’s funny since I conceal it anyway. Bohemian thing, you know. I call myself Mother of Pigeons; people do, too. No one cares about your real name when you’re a person of art. (((OOC: Remember Jane Doe from Shikkoku no Sharnoth ~What a beautiful world~? It’s a story about a sunless London, too. Funny.)))
I’m a “golden mean” in everything - not in a good way.
I came to the Neath from Wales to seek fame, glory and rich life. My father was a merchant, mother - a second-rate actress. So I was a proper middle-class woman, I guess. We were rather wealthy. But after Dad’s death things have gone bad - Mom didn’t earn much, and we weren’t used to save money. We sold our house and moved to the tiny rooms in another neighborhood. Of course, our reputation suffered. Mom was in deep depression, later she fell ill. I was really angry at God, but still could think rationally and make decicions. Maybe I just didn’t really love my parents.
I heard about Fallen London in the Neath. I heard it has.. opportunities. To become a rich, famous and respectable in short time, even being a disgraced middle-class girl like me. And also it has delicious mysteries and secrets - about the whole world. When Mom died, I promised myself to became so famous they’ll hear about me at the Surface - as an artist or as someone more serious, like a scholar. And so I went underNEATH. In my first days I just tried to steal things - and was imprisoned. I learned my lesson (although I still need to steal sometimes, huh - an important aspect of life in the Neath) and decided to escape to Veilgarden and begin my fabulous Cinderella tale from there.
Well, that’s the past; nothing of interest. For now I am known as a respectable author and a lady well-connected with Bohemian, Society the Court and even Hell. I’m pleased, but this is only the beginning. I didn't expect myself to fall in love with atmosphere and mysteries of the Neath so quickly and deeply. The Bazaar and her Masters, the Judgements and the Liberation of Night, the Zee, the Hell, Rubbery Men and Tomb-Colonists, the Elder Continent, the Fallen Cities, the Parabola... so much to explore, so much inspiration. I'm even involved in the Great Game now, gladly helping the Cheesemonger - and I was never interested in politics!
I can’t say much about my personality. Maybe because I still don’t even know myself much. Some people call me daring and magnanimous, others - subtle and ruthless. A human soul is full of contradictions, you know. Especially an artist’s soul. I can act as anyone if necessary. One thing I know for sure - I am too curious. It’s bad here, in the Neath, to be curious. On the other hand, you can’t die here permanently - and everything else can be fixed.
Appearance. I’m of average build, not skinny and not that really womanly-curvy. I have middle-length reddish-brown hair, a slightly tanned skin and green eyes - more viric than apocyan, they say. A lot of tiny birthmarks over the face (or are they freckles?) which I love and don’t want to conceal with powder.
When talking about appearance, portraits come in handy. I can introduce mine.
Look: a not that old, but rather damaged portrait from times when I was a mere minor poet from Veilgarden. Dowdy, isn’t it? Not that I had better clothes those times.
And this is the last portrait of mine, by a really fashionable Court artist. I got a lot of profit from silk-trade and writing books, so lately I spoiled myself with buying rather luxurious clothes. Lace gloves, spider-silk slippers and a magnificent gown. I could never have something like these things on the Surface.
Now you have a vague impression what kind of person I am. Not that you need it. Will someone even read it? I hope not.
(((OOC: The portraits are made in FeliceMelancholie’s Haunted Portrait Creator. Thanks the author for the amazing work, it’s one of my favourite avatar creators now.)))
