Thread: The Dying Light
Name: Jane Bardsley
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Age: 24
Height: 5’5’’
Weight: 126
Appearance: As her sisters tend to call her, Plain Jane is the name that fits her perfectly. There’s nothing overly grotesque or beautiful about her, and she's often simply looked at as just...there. Her hair is a dark brown, straight and thin while reaching to just the top of the mid of her back, however, it’s always kept pinned up into a bun unless she sleeps. Albeit, quite a messy one. Her skin is fair, but slightly tanned (or sunburned) along her cheeks, neck, and lower arms where she works out in the sun. Her eyes are sharp, and often squinting in suspiciousness, having mastered quite a piercing gaze with the dark green under dark eyebrows. Her lips are full in a ruby red, possibly the only attractive feature about her. But her usual frown hinders whatever beauty it might posses.
Jane’s clothing is simple and common as she sews all of her and her family’s attire, making it wearable for harder work in the elements. Most of it is wool, though some of it is linen, and consists of neutral colored dresses, a swayed apron, buckled shoes, and a white handkerchief either tied about her shoulders or, if she’s working, around her head to keep her hair out of her way. At all times, along with the rest of her family, she carries a dagger dangling at the side of her hip...just in case.
Personality: On the outside, Jane is often perceived as cold, angry, and cautious to anyone who gets near her family. But to those who know her, and know of her life, she is a much different person. Her heart is with the few she’s closest to, increasingly protective, nurturing, and selfless, always putting them first before herself. To her son she’s gentle and loving; to her sisters she’s courageous and strong, feeling as though she needs to be because they all depend on her. If she feels any deep pain or weakness, she refuses to show it, and will hold her head high against those who try to make her act otherwise. She’s not afraid to stand up to others, but only if the need absolutely calls for it. If not? Then she remains quiet and keeps to herself. She’s wary and extremely distrusting, but not fidgety or paranoid. Simply keeps a watchful eye on everything around her.
Background: Jane was born and raised for the first several years of her life in the Bulwark with her loving father, dramatic mother, and two sisters—Oldwyn, two years younger, and Scarlet, seven years younger. Life was neither pleasant nor terrible, the girls spending most of their time with their mother who was often flighty and distant with them, close to the numerous others who called after her; but it just made those few times in their father’s presence all the more enjoyable. Unfortunately, when Jane was ten, her father died from the Mist-cursed during his watch around the perimeter. It was a tough time, mostly to Jane who was the eldest and had been the closest to their father. Almost immediately though she took on the position of protective parent, watching after her sisters where her mother failed.
Her nurturing nature was especially so during the time a man came into their mother’s life only six months after the death of her father. Because of her mother’s desperate need for dependency, they married and moved to his home in the Keyes Settlement where Jane tried hard to accept this change in hopes she’d be gaining another father where she had lost her beloved one. But it wasn’t that way. At all. Although he was decently fatherly outside in public and around others, he was incredibly loving…in private. Inappropriately so. It was terrifying for Jane, but even more so to think about telling someone. She took his affection in silent for a year until she came to find he was turning his attention over to Oldwyn as well.
For years the two girls clung to each other in the face of their tormenter, Oldwyn almost accepting of it as something that needed to happen, and Jane forcing herself to go on as though nothing was happening. And that’s exactly how it looked in their household. While their stepfather portrayed the perfect picture of a husband and father to a widow and her three daughters, their mother seemed to diminish. Jane suspected it was partially because she knew the secrets going on behind their closed doors, and because she had sunk into depression since the death of their father. She was constantly complaining of illness, and began taking mysterious medications on a religious basis. It only made things worse. Her body turned frail, her mind sickly, and she was entirely oblivious to reality.
That put all the more strain on Jane who had practically been raising her sisters herself, and was now not only taking care of her mother, but the rest of the household—gardening, cleaning, cooking, etc. Then when she was sixteen, she found out she was with child. Unable to hide it, she first went to her stepfather who outright denied fathering the child, too afraid to man up to what he was responsible for and not wanting others to look down on him. So, she went to her mother, and told her exactly what had been going on and how long it had been going on for. The older woman went into a fit of rage, disbelieving, and claiming her daughter was a lying, dirty harlot. Unable to gain any support, Jane decided to go through it on her own, planning to keep the child.
At seventeen she gave birth to her son, whom she named Julius, and while he was a constant reminder of the shame she had undergone with her stepfather and continued to be so with the harsh stares and whispers of the other settlers, he had given her a new reason to go on. And so she did, working harder for not only her sisters now, but her newborn son, taking all of them under her wing. A couple months later, it all changed. One day when she was in the field, hoeing to plant some seeds, Oldwyn frantically ran out of the house saying that their stepfather was turning his uncontrollable lust on little Scarlet. Terrified, Jane ran to her sister’s rescue, and in a furious state after having been tortured by the man for years, not wanting him to turn his wrath on their innocent sister, she beat him to death before he could get to her.
The body was buried, but only hidden for a few days before it was found, and the immediate suspect? Jane. Rumors were running abound that she had fallen in love with her stepfather, but when he wouldn’t be with her, became pregnant with another man’s child in hopes he’d take her in. When he refused, and continued to do so, she viciously killed him. All untrue, of course, except for the very last part. After several months of undergoing accusations, and desperate to maintain her innocence, her mother became too insane to go on and hung herself. At that, it was then speculated the older woman had killed her husband in jealousy, and then after being overwrought with guilt, ended her own life.
Though it didn’t entirely stop the judging and hatred spewed at Jane, she continued on in strength and went back to focusing on what she had been. Taking care of her sisters and her son. They moved back to the Bulwark where news of her past was less known, and started their own life there. For seven years Jane had taken care of her family, and is still doing so with little regard to society and the threat of the Mist-cursed.
Name: Jane Bardsley
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Age: 24
Height: 5’5’’
Weight: 126
Appearance: As her sisters tend to call her, Plain Jane is the name that fits her perfectly. There’s nothing overly grotesque or beautiful about her, and she's often simply looked at as just...there. Her hair is a dark brown, straight and thin while reaching to just the top of the mid of her back, however, it’s always kept pinned up into a bun unless she sleeps. Albeit, quite a messy one. Her skin is fair, but slightly tanned (or sunburned) along her cheeks, neck, and lower arms where she works out in the sun. Her eyes are sharp, and often squinting in suspiciousness, having mastered quite a piercing gaze with the dark green under dark eyebrows. Her lips are full in a ruby red, possibly the only attractive feature about her. But her usual frown hinders whatever beauty it might posses.
Jane’s clothing is simple and common as she sews all of her and her family’s attire, making it wearable for harder work in the elements. Most of it is wool, though some of it is linen, and consists of neutral colored dresses, a swayed apron, buckled shoes, and a white handkerchief either tied about her shoulders or, if she’s working, around her head to keep her hair out of her way. At all times, along with the rest of her family, she carries a dagger dangling at the side of her hip...just in case.
Personality: On the outside, Jane is often perceived as cold, angry, and cautious to anyone who gets near her family. But to those who know her, and know of her life, she is a much different person. Her heart is with the few she’s closest to, increasingly protective, nurturing, and selfless, always putting them first before herself. To her son she’s gentle and loving; to her sisters she’s courageous and strong, feeling as though she needs to be because they all depend on her. If she feels any deep pain or weakness, she refuses to show it, and will hold her head high against those who try to make her act otherwise. She’s not afraid to stand up to others, but only if the need absolutely calls for it. If not? Then she remains quiet and keeps to herself. She’s wary and extremely distrusting, but not fidgety or paranoid. Simply keeps a watchful eye on everything around her.
Background: Jane was born and raised for the first several years of her life in the Bulwark with her loving father, dramatic mother, and two sisters—Oldwyn, two years younger, and Scarlet, seven years younger. Life was neither pleasant nor terrible, the girls spending most of their time with their mother who was often flighty and distant with them, close to the numerous others who called after her; but it just made those few times in their father’s presence all the more enjoyable. Unfortunately, when Jane was ten, her father died from the Mist-cursed during his watch around the perimeter. It was a tough time, mostly to Jane who was the eldest and had been the closest to their father. Almost immediately though she took on the position of protective parent, watching after her sisters where her mother failed.
Her nurturing nature was especially so during the time a man came into their mother’s life only six months after the death of her father. Because of her mother’s desperate need for dependency, they married and moved to his home in the Keyes Settlement where Jane tried hard to accept this change in hopes she’d be gaining another father where she had lost her beloved one. But it wasn’t that way. At all. Although he was decently fatherly outside in public and around others, he was incredibly loving…in private. Inappropriately so. It was terrifying for Jane, but even more so to think about telling someone. She took his affection in silent for a year until she came to find he was turning his attention over to Oldwyn as well.
For years the two girls clung to each other in the face of their tormenter, Oldwyn almost accepting of it as something that needed to happen, and Jane forcing herself to go on as though nothing was happening. And that’s exactly how it looked in their household. While their stepfather portrayed the perfect picture of a husband and father to a widow and her three daughters, their mother seemed to diminish. Jane suspected it was partially because she knew the secrets going on behind their closed doors, and because she had sunk into depression since the death of their father. She was constantly complaining of illness, and began taking mysterious medications on a religious basis. It only made things worse. Her body turned frail, her mind sickly, and she was entirely oblivious to reality.
That put all the more strain on Jane who had practically been raising her sisters herself, and was now not only taking care of her mother, but the rest of the household—gardening, cleaning, cooking, etc. Then when she was sixteen, she found out she was with child. Unable to hide it, she first went to her stepfather who outright denied fathering the child, too afraid to man up to what he was responsible for and not wanting others to look down on him. So, she went to her mother, and told her exactly what had been going on and how long it had been going on for. The older woman went into a fit of rage, disbelieving, and claiming her daughter was a lying, dirty harlot. Unable to gain any support, Jane decided to go through it on her own, planning to keep the child.
At seventeen she gave birth to her son, whom she named Julius, and while he was a constant reminder of the shame she had undergone with her stepfather and continued to be so with the harsh stares and whispers of the other settlers, he had given her a new reason to go on. And so she did, working harder for not only her sisters now, but her newborn son, taking all of them under her wing. A couple months later, it all changed. One day when she was in the field, hoeing to plant some seeds, Oldwyn frantically ran out of the house saying that their stepfather was turning his uncontrollable lust on little Scarlet. Terrified, Jane ran to her sister’s rescue, and in a furious state after having been tortured by the man for years, not wanting him to turn his wrath on their innocent sister, she beat him to death before he could get to her.
The body was buried, but only hidden for a few days before it was found, and the immediate suspect? Jane. Rumors were running abound that she had fallen in love with her stepfather, but when he wouldn’t be with her, became pregnant with another man’s child in hopes he’d take her in. When he refused, and continued to do so, she viciously killed him. All untrue, of course, except for the very last part. After several months of undergoing accusations, and desperate to maintain her innocence, her mother became too insane to go on and hung herself. At that, it was then speculated the older woman had killed her husband in jealousy, and then after being overwrought with guilt, ended her own life.
Though it didn’t entirely stop the judging and hatred spewed at Jane, she continued on in strength and went back to focusing on what she had been. Taking care of her sisters and her son. They moved back to the Bulwark where news of her past was less known, and started their own life there. For seven years Jane had taken care of her family, and is still doing so with little regard to society and the threat of the Mist-cursed.
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