Play@YSDC

Any conversations are being moved here about the End of John Company game until the game's official start in mid-November.

Moving character idea...

Idea 1: Dr. Herman Lovell: Dr. Lovell is a young practicing psychiatrist with an interest in the occult. He has a considerable amount of wealth from his family fortunes as well as his practices.

Smug and proud, he believes himself to be above all those he deems intellectually and morally inferior, serving as a stark contrast to the friendly outward appearance that he always puts on.

Idea 2: unnamed official: Cynical and amoral, he recognizes the corruption and the exploitative nature of the company and does not do anything to stop it, in fact often being a the heart of the corruption itself. He will use any method possible to further gain in power.

He is quick in being able to convince others to work with or for him or at least share in his darker world view.

Psychiatry didn't exist yet in 1857, and Psychoanalysis isn't on the Gaslight character sheet. A medical doctor might be a good fit, though.

My character idea is Julia Kaye, a missionary engaged to one of the male PCs. I'll decide which one I'd rather have her be engaged to when I see the other characters. I can't see her falling for the corrupt official.

Here's how Arthur Dodgson is shaping up.

Arthur ran away from home at 12 and found a place with a company of navigation workers, itinerants who labored on canals and roads. At 18 (1836), Arthur went for a soldier and soon was a sapper-private in the Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners.

He was assigned to a survey company until 1849. In 1842, he was ordered to India as a member of the Great Trigonometrical Survey being conducted for the East India Company. He was present when Everest departed for his retirement and served under Waugh for four years. In 1849, Dodgson was promoted to corporal and assigned to the 7th Company at Corfu.

7th Company was sent to the Crimea in 1854 with the British Expeditionary Force during the Russian War. Corporal Dodgson was present at the June 18, 1855 attack on the Redan, serving under Lt. Howard Elphinstone and with Colour-Sergeant Henry MacDonald when they performed the actions that led to their Victoria Crosses. He was one of the men who held the Sap with MacDonald. He was wounded in the side and was one of those brought back to the British Trench by Elphinstone. Fortunately, he recovered from his wound when thousands were dying of wounds and fever (under the personal ministrations of Florence Nightingale).

At the end of hostilities, Dodgson left the Queen’s service as a lance-corporal (acting sergeant) after twenty years. He determined to return to India, having decided that was a place where a man could find a fortune.

Mr. Handy wrote:Psychiatry didn't exist yet in 1857, and Psychoanalysis isn't on the Gaslight character sheet. A medical doctor might be a good fit, though.

My character idea is Julia Kaye, a missionary engaged to one of the male PCs. I'll decide which one I'd rather have her be engaged to when I see the other characters. I can't see her falling for the corrupt official.

If push comes to shove, she could also be the memsahib/fiancee to the District Officer you have been assigned to assist.

Ah, shucks. There goes that idea then.

Corrupt Official:
Name: Alexander K. Lovell.
Description: Greying hair and sharp angled face as if it has been chipped out of marble. He always seems to have a thin smile about his face amongst his many "colleagues" while maintaining an aura of calculated indifference among others.
Personality: Cynical, although he does not consider himself that way. He often sees the worst of humanity and is willing to become a part of corruption himself. He is manipulative, often not worrying about using people as his many "resources." He is, however, very courteous to other people in public, often making rather magnanimous and eccentric gestures that puts people off guard.

He sometimes engages people with intellectual debate, for which he is infamous for being surprisingly honest.

One of the few virtues that he understands is honor. If he makes a promise, he will do all he can to keep it, if only by the word. Betray a promise with him and he will beat you down with all the power he has in his disposal.

He is unafraid to abuse his position of wealth and power if it comes down to it. He has a strange kind of charisma about him, allowing him to easily convince others to work with or for him.

Background: A wealthy gentleman who made his fortunes by investing in opium and saltpeter trade and manufacturing, Alexander did not come to the position that he is by playing things nice. He has many enemies, both in and out of the company that he worked for for so many years, and despite the fact that he has many "allies," those he can call his friens are only a handful of individuals.

He is married to a socialite and has a son who lives in Boston. The rumor goes that the son desired to have nothing to do with both of his parents.

Major Michael's bio from 'The Season of our Discontent'.

Philulhu wrote:Name: Major Douglas Michaels (Rtd).
Profession: Ex-Military (Army)
Age: 53
Date of birth: 11 March 1846... ....

... ... which would make him 11 years old in 1857.... .... bugger!

It wasn't unusual for men/boys to lie about their age to sign up but Michaels was from a longstanding military family and would have a paid-for commission so that seems unlikely. The only explanation I can offer is that he's a vain sod and he was lying about his age at the time of 'TSooD'!

How about a 16 year old ensign, straight off the boat from England?

Who's to say Michaels doesn't have an older brother?

Incidentally, I'm going to be playtesting a game at Metatopia called John Company at the Metatopia convention in Morristown, New Jersey the weekend after next. The players are all part of the EIC trying to help the company succeed while jockeying for position and personal profit. It sounds like it might be similar to Republic of Rome. I'm not sure whether or not I'll be able to talk about it afterwards, as it's possible we'll have to sign NDAs.

Ah, you mean Granville?

Philulhu wrote:Name: Major Douglas Michaels (Rtd).

Major Michaels is a member of, and frequent visitor to, the East India Club. He meets his younger brother, Rupert, for lunch at the club every Friday at lunchtime. He meets his older brother, Granville, for supper at the St. James Club every second Wednesday.

Granville Fortesque Michaels, ensign in the British Army. Seventeen years old, fresh out of some military academy or some-such. First time away from England?

Philulhu wrote:fresh out of some military academy or some-such

Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, if he's in the British Army.

If he's in John Company's forces, it would be Addiscombe Military Academy.

His father was in the army, so Granville will follow suit, so it will be Woolwich for him.

I had the idea to play a retired businessman who had and sold a small trading firm after the first Opium War. He has remained in India and while not opulently wealthily by European standards enjoys a his status in India. His main motivation for staying in (and for initially coming to) India is an affinity for the exotic. Despite any formal training he considers himself an amateur naturalist, having become well read in retirement, and having planned several (small) surveys in the surrounding countryside. Lepidopterology is his budding passion, he believes he has found a new variety of Morphinae and has started (and now for sometime neglected to finish) a monograph describing it.

What do you think? Suggestions/comments?

Seon wrote:Ah, shucks. There goes that idea then.

Corrupt Official:
Name: Alexander K. Lovell.
<snip>
He is married to a socialite and has a son who lives in Boston. The rumor goes that the son desired to have nothing to do with both of his parents.

Seon, since the East India Company is English, just curious as to why the son is living in Boston, unless you meant Boston, England?

Otherwise, it looks fine. I think I can find an appropriate office for him within the company, and since John Company also controlled the English opium trade (and made a fair penny from it) this makes sense.

Gaffer wrote:Here's how Arthur Dodgson is shaping up.
<snip>
At the end of hostilities, Dodgson left the Queen’s service as a lance-corporal (acting sergeant) after twenty years. He determined to return to India, having decided that was a place where a man could find a fortune.

Sounds good to me Gaffer.
He certainly sounds like he is blazing the trail Peachey and and Danny will be following later on...

Philulhu wrote:Ah, you mean Granville?

Philulhu wrote:Name: Major Douglas Michaels (Rtd).

Major Michaels is a member of, and frequent visitor to, the East India Club. He meets his younger brother, Rupert, for lunch at the club every Friday at lunchtime. He meets his older brother, Granville, for supper at the St. James Club every second Wednesday.

Granville Fortesque Michaels, ensign in the British Army. Seventeen years old, fresh out of some military academy or some-such. First time away from England?

Phil, sounds good to me...and with an experienced Sergeant in the group, being assigned to the party as the Company's military liaison will make perfect sense.

Collector wrote:I had the idea to play a retired businessman who had and sold a small trading firm after the first Opium War. He has remained in India and while not opulently wealthily by European standards enjoys a his status in India. His main motivation for staying in (and for initially coming to) India is an affinity for the exotic. Despite any formal training he considers himself an amateur naturalist, having become well read in retirement, and having planned several (small) surveys in the surrounding countryside. Lepidopterology is his budding passion, he believes he has found a new variety of Morphinae and has started (and now for sometime neglected to finish) a monograph describing it.

What do you think? Suggestions/comments?

Collector, this works fine with me.
Perhaps your family trading firm couldn't compete with the larger Hong Kong based opium and trading companies such as Jardine, Matheson and Co., Dent and Co. and Russell and Co. Instead, they moved their operations back to India, hoping to carve out a larger chunk with the aid of the East India Company.

Hong Kong companies to give you some background info...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jardine,_M ... nd_Company
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dent_%26_Co.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hongs

His son went to live in Boston after he decided to sever most ties from his family.

It's probably something sneer-worthy in the upper circle of the British Social Life.

Lammomedes wrote:

Philulhu wrote:Ah, you mean Granville?

Granville Fortesque Michaels, ensign in the British Army. Seventeen years old, fresh out of some military academy or some-such. First time away from England?

Phil, sounds good to me...and with an experienced Sergeant in the group, being assigned to the party as the Company's military liaison will make perfect sense.

Royal Military Academy at Woolwich would suggest training to join the Royal Corps of Engineers?

Apparently, or Artillery.

However, the Royal Military College at Sandhurst opened its doors at West Street in Marlow in 1802 for training infantry and cavalry officers.

Either infantry or engineers will do for me. Whatever best fits with the storyline.