His Lordship, the Right Honourable Viscount Christian de Redcliffe

[thotht...@nc.rr.com]

I'm still doing research and working on his first journal entry but I
thought I'd share what I'm thinking so far. All details subject to
change in the final draft. I'm happy to talk to folks about possible
ties between my character and their's.

* Christian Canning was born the sixth, and youngest, child of
Stratford Canning (the previous Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe) and
Eliza Charlotte Canning. Stratford himself was the youngest of five
children. The family has a distinguished record of service. Stratford
was an accomplished diplomat. He helped negotiate the Treaty of
Bucharest between the Ottomans and the Russians in 1812, helped
negotiate Switzerland's neutrality in world affairs, negotiated a
treaty with the Russians about the border between Russian and British
North America, was ambassador in Constantinople, and was appointed
ambassador to Russia but didn't take the office because Nicholas the
First refused to see him. Christian was appointed to the peerage
(given his title) in 1852 and was made a Knight of the Garter in 1869.
He died in 1880.

* Christian's uncle, Charles Fox Canning, died during the battle of
Waterloo. He was the aid de camp of the Duke of Wellington. His second
cousin, George Canning, was Prime Minister for a brief time in 1827
(he died in office and his tenure was the shortest of any Prime
Minister in history). Benjamin Disraeli, who is probably Prime
Minister at the time the game opens, was inspired by George's
political attitudes towards nationalism.

Steve, all the above is from history. The one difference, of course,
is that Christian was never born in reality. Stratford outlived all
his children and his peerage went extinct upon his death. In the game
world, Christian was born and survived his father and, so, inherited
the title.

* As Viscount, Christian owns a nice holding of land on the outskirts
of Redcliffe, a division of the city of Bristol. Currently, his mother
manages both the estates and family business. She waits impatiently
for her son to get married and stop his foolish wanderings.

* Growing up, Christian was well educated and obviously intelligent.
He was also incredibly pretty, something that got him into trouble at
first (other boys tend not to like pretty boys) and then later in
different ways (pretty girls often DO like pretty boys, even if their
boyfriends of the time don't). At the age of sixteen he entered
military service, taking a position in the 11th (Prince Albert's Own)
Hussairs. He spent a few years there but saw no action. During that
time the 'Cherry Pickers' (the nickname of the Prince's Own) were
stationed at home. After he left the service of the Prince's Own,
Christian spent a year traveling with a friend. During this time, he
developed his hedonistic philosophy.

* Christian parted ways with his friend and kept traveling. During one
of these adventures, he assisted an operative of Her Majesties Secret
Service. Since that time he has taken on the occasional mission,
though he is not an official operative but a trusted freelancer... and
someone they can deny if he is caught.

* Fencing is about the only military skill Christian took to. He is a
poor marksman and only an average rider.

* Christian, of course, loves women, and has no problem seducing
someone else's wife. In his opinion, a woman deserves as much
happiness as her husband, who is very likely having his own affair.
His love for women, however, goes beyond mere sex. He believes in
protecting and enabling them as well. He has been known to sleep with
a woman, then challenge her husband to a duel to protect her honor
against cruel insult and physical attack.

* Christian's most trusted friend, and one of the few women in his
life he has not slept with, is a Japanese maiden named Michiko.
Michiko is the daughter of a Japanese diplomat who came to the United
Kingdom to study the country's military and education systems.
Christian and Michiko were friends growing up and they kept in touch
through infrequent letters (made infrequent by the distance) when she
returned to Japan. As of the start of the game she's just returned to
England. There, disguised as a boy named Jaiken, she attends
university.

* Christian is a member of the Reform Club of London. As such, he
knows Phileas Fogg and often has dinner with Fogg and his wife, Aouda
when he is home. He has great respect for Fogg and Aouda is one of the
few women he would never even consider seducing.

[Kathy Ewan]

cool story so far. did you get my letter regarding knowing my character? still working on her name though. she will be russian though

"thotht...@nc.rr.com" <thotht...@nc.rr.com> wrote:

---

Got a little couch potato?
Check out fun summer activities for kids.

[Kathy Ewan]

some interesting things I found about russia. they really didn't have sur names till about 10 years after the date our game is set in.

Kathy Ewan <kath...@yahoo.com> wrote:

summer activities for kids.

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[Kathy Ewan]

Anastasiya Irina Russokov
age 21
height: 5'7"
weight: slim 115lbs
hair: brunnett with reddish highlights, long slight wave, worn mid shoulder lenght but usually in an up sweep
eyes: hazel, with green and gold flecks
skintone: fair complected

courage=great
exchequer=great
education=good
marksman=good
charisma=good
Fencing=poor
tinker=poor
everything else at average

youngest of 4 siblings only girl.

Oldest brother: Grigori Illya Russokov age 30 engaged to an english woman (will get that name for you)

Stephen (Stepan) Nicholas(Nikolai) Russokov. age 25 rather a playboy handsome man about town has adopted all english things. has englisized most of his name to the heated arguements with Father.

Aleksandr (nickname Sasha) Mikhail Russoko  age 23 the closest to Anna in age. The one who encourages her manish ways and adventerous lifestyle. Is the one who has actually taught her to shoot and swim.

Father

Sergei Viktor Russokov age 65 but still rather handsome and full of vigor for his age. A rather imposing man of 6' with the dark russian good looks. The temples of his hair only just now going grey.

Took the name of Russokov upon moving to England.

Mother

Yekaterina Nataliya Russokova  deceased. Died two years after moving to England when Anna was 12 years

 

Sergei was a wealthy man in Russia but a bit of an adventurer. He could never really stand still if there was a really good adventure to go off on. His wife Yekaterina was also like that, adventurous and daring. They made a good pair. He was also ahead of his time in his views on education and children. He believed that his children should be well educated this included his only daughter, Anastasiya. Well educated himself, he spared no expense on the best tutors for his children. One of the men that Sergei cullivated a friendship with was Mikhail Lomonosov, Russia's first eminent scientist and scholar. He fought briefly in the first two years of the seven years war, 1857-1859. It was shortly after his return from his last campaign that he decided to move the entire family to England. During one of his earlier travels he had met the historian and novelist, Jules Vern, who was chronicalling the life of Phineas Fogg. Vern and Sergei had become fast friends and it was at Vern's insistance that he move to England.

This suited Sergei very well as, being the visionary he was, had seen the writing on the wall for the Russian aristocracy. Therefore in the summer of 1859 he moved his entire family to Norwich just north of London. Sergei bought a manor house and set  up a bank account with his considerable fortune. He placed funds into trust funds for each of his children that they would come into upon their 21st birthdays. Sergei also continued to carry out his view of educating his children and made sure they either were going to best schools or had the best tutors. He also did not forget the social graces, insisting that they also be studied in maners, art and dancing. All the social graces that were needed to be a part of the British Aristocracy.

Things were going well for him and his family, when tragdey struck 4 years after they moved to England. Yekaterina took ill while on one of their yearly trips to Afrika and had to return home. She did not survive the illness and died a few weeks after returning. It hit Sergei hard and for several weeks he shut himself up in his rooms and refused to speak to his children. Of the children the hardest hit was Anna, who was now 12. Finally, after a few weeks, Sergei came out of his funk and began to devote his time to his children, studies, friends and adventures.

Deprived of her only female influence, Anna, began to adopt more boyish ways. Due to Sergei's view that his children be strong, self-reliant and able to take care of themselves in tough situations did not attempt to stop this. Sasha, her closest brother also encouraged his daring sister. In fact it became a game with them to dare each other to do something that was outlandish. Even her older brothers took a hand in teaching their younger sister how to handle herself while on one of Father's adventures.

 

At the time of the move from St. Petersburg, Russia to England, Anatasiya (Anna or Tasha) was 8 years. She was already a daring child, due primarily to her brother, Aleksandr or Sasha who would dare her to do whatever he or their older brothers did. Therefore, by this age she could actually sit a horse pretty well, ride a camel(learned when the family had went to Cairo for a trek along the Nile and Sahara). She could already read and speak Latin. After settling in Norwich, her father had hired a tutor to teach the children English and about the British way of life. This began her introduction to the social graces that she would need later.

While at home, both parents loved to entertain and would host dinner and garden parties throughout the year with two rather spectular parties a year. One was a christmas party and the other was Spring Masque. The smaller dinner parties were graced by emiment men and women of the time. Jules Vern and Phenias Fogg along with Mikhail Lomonosov were usually in attendance. Other noted explorer's, writers, thinkers of the time were also invited. Along with having the thinkers, movers and shakers of the time actually in her home, her Father and Mother both had books. It was in this intelluctual climate that Anna grew up.

The death of her when she was 12 hit her hard. It also hit her father very hard. For a few weeks she did not have his comfort. It had not helped any that during this time Stepan decided to Anglecize all but his last name so he became Stephan Nicholas Russokov. At first there were some arguements but with their Father sunk into a deep melencholy they did not last long and it was soon forgotten. Each of the children dealt with the loss in their own way. For Anna it was reading. She threw herself into her studies, reading, writing and taking long rides through the country side.

when their father finally came out of his melecholy life returned to as near normal as it could be. He continued to go on adventures, sometimes taking the children, sometimes not. He would bring back interesting finds and place them in his home. The studies continued with each of the children learning, English, Latin, French besides their native Russian. Grigori and Father could also speak and read Arabic and Greek. Sergei insisted that each of his children learn how to use a firearm. One never knew when a rogue elephant or mad water buffalo would charge you. By the time Anna was 16 she was an accomplished marksman able to outshoot even Gregori. She was also an accomplished rider able to ride the fiestiest of horses, elephants, camels and mules. She could also hold her own in intellegent  dicussions.

It was during this time that she met one of Gregori's college mates, Sherlock Holmes. The young man excited Anna and she had a giant crush on him. She enjoyed talking to him about anything. However nothing ever came of the relationship other than a friendship.

She also scandlized British aristocracy by being able to swim. But that ability was necessary when one was treking around Afrika or boating up the Amazon. She also discovered that the typical dress of ladies at the time was impractical on these journies. It was to the great shock of her Father that she adopted a manner of dress on adventures that was less than lady like. She had taken one of his old military uniforms and had it tailored to fit her. She had the trousers widen in the leg a bit so that they did not form fit her legs. The shirt had its own female touches with the addition of lace at the sleeves and throat. The Jacket was fitted to her female form. This outfit was more suited to the often difficult conditions they would find themselves in on Father's adventures.  yes she did have her dresses, several in fact. These she would wear at parties, dinner or other places when necessary.

At the age of 18 when they were home for one of their brief respites, Anna met the very dashing Sir Henry Norcroft(fake). He was 3 years her senior and a bit of a rake. She attended several dinner parties with him and eventually ended up loosing her virginity to him. Her family does not know this. The affair lasted for only a few months and ended rather badly when, after cancelling a dinner engagement with Anna, she saw him at dinner with another young lady that same night. Her Russian temperment got the better of her and she proceeded to throw a glass of wine in his face at the resturant before walking out. About 4 weeks later she met His Lordship, the Right Honourable Viscount Christian de Redcliffe at a garden party given by one of her lady friends. As she was coming off the rather disasterous affair with Henry Norcroft she was ripe for another affair and the dashing, charming, handsome Christian de Redcliffe fit the bill. The affair was passionate, intense and lasted for only a few months ending just after her 19th birthday. But while it lasted it was fun. He was as daring as she was and rather intelligent. They had some grand adventures together in the few brief months they were together. Though it ended, they ended as fast friends and are still in touch by letter with each to this day.

 

 

 

 

nothing much happens between the time she ends the affair with Christian and the story begins. that is what is going to be in her journal. If you need to know briefly she is on the Orient express heading to Constantisnople to look for her missing father. that will be in her journel and i will have a copy for you when we game on tuesday

"thotht...@nc.rr.com" <thotht...@nc.rr.com> wrote:

---

Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect. Join Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us.

[Kathy Ewan]

steve I think i may have left my sunglasses at your place. Can you check please?

 

kathy

"thotht...@nc.rr.com" <thotht...@nc.rr.com> wrote:

---

Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!
Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games.

[Stephen Scholz]

Yeah we got them. Can you wait until Tuesday?

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[READ CAREFULLY. By reading this message you agree, on behalf of your employer, to release me from all obligations and waivers arising from any and all NON-NEGOTIATED agreements, licenses, terms-of-service, shrinkwrap, clickwrap, browsewrap, confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-compete and acceptable use policies ("BOGUS AGREEMENTS") that I have entered into with your employer, its partners, licensors, agents and assigns, in perpetuity, without prejudice to my ongoing rights and privileges. You further represent that you have the authority to release me from any BOGUS AGREEMENTS on behalf of your employer.]

[Templetroll]

Yup, that will be great! Thanks!

John

--- Stephen Scholz <rogues...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Yeah we got them. Can you wait until Tuesday?
>
> On 8/24/07, Kathy Ewan <kath...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > steve I think i may have left my sunglasses at
> your place. Can you check
> > please?
> >
> > kathy
> >

> > *"thotht...@nc.rr.com"

> > ------------------------------

> > Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha!
> > Play Monopoly Here and
>

Now<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48223/*http://get.games.yahoo.com/proddesc?gamekey=monopolyherenow>(it's

> updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games
> > >
> >
>
>
> --
> [READ CAREFULLY. By reading this message you agree,
> on behalf of your
> employer, to release me from all obligations and
> waivers arising from any
> and all NON-NEGOTIATED agreements, licenses,
> terms-of-service, shrinkwrap,
> clickwrap, browsewrap, confidentiality,
> non-disclosure, non-compete and
> acceptable use policies ("BOGUS AGREEMENTS") that I
> have entered into with
> your employer, its partners, licensors, agents and
> assigns, in perpetuity,
> without prejudice to my ongoing rights and
> privileges. You further represent
> that you have the authority to release me from any
> BOGUS AGREEMENTS on
> behalf of your employer.]
>
>
>
>

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