NCOWS Persona evolution

[kflach]

Is it common within NCOWS for people's personas to evolve or change over time? I'm not referring to small things like just getting a more accurate outfit - I mean to change completely - like from a gunfighter to a preacher to a gambler?

[Books OToole]

My "Originals" character has evolved from a scout for the A T & SF survey teams, into a RR detective.

I update my character periodically in the form of a letter home.


Books

[James Hunt]

Although somewhat stretching the rules for the originals class my persona is inclusive of a ten year period from 1868 - 1878.

It begins in troop G 7th Cav being discharged following injury at the Washita, subsequently working as teamster on the Kansas plains which lead to the killing fields 1872 - 1874, migrating north I worked as a fort hunter out of Ft. Laramie that allowed me occasional experience as a scout and ends by hunting the northern herds in 1878.

I draw on the experiences and traveled geography of Albert Barnitz, Luther Kelly, Billy Dixon and Oliver Hanna Perry to put together my story.This allows me to essentially portray several occupations as the same person several years apart.

My problem, as is a problem of many of us, is I am 60 years old portraying a 20 -  30 year old. I try to keep my weight within acceptable limits, pull my hat down low over my gray hair (which changed color overnight as the result of a harrowing night on plains fighting off cold and wolves - true story, just not mine) and have been known to color my mustache darker.

If I played someone my age I would be hauling a rocker around sipping burgundy with Dr. Bob in front of a richly appointed camp site 

My good trail pardner Monterry Jack Brass insists on historical accuracy however, and I must hunker beneath a blanket on hard ground and eat meager fair! 

It is all grand stuff though - nothing that three Motrin won't get you through. 

[Texas Lawdog]

My persona is that of a veteran lawman. I don't worry about the gray hair, I just wish I had some hair. I don't look too bad as long as I don't take my hat off. I would like find a good period-correct chair and rocker to sit in.

['Monterrey' Jack Brass]

kflach - it's also possible to have the best of all worlds with several different impressions, as varied as you'd like to have them be with corresponding clothing, firearms, leathers & etc. At one shoot you could be an 1870s trail cow boy with cap & ball revolver, at another shoot you could be a late 1890s ranch cow boy with a 1873 Peacemaker shooting smokeless, a town dandy, a military or scout impression, a well armed miner perhaps, coach driver, etc, etc. As long as your story is good and convincing I'd say the sky is the limit (well, and funding too as such a gamut of impressions would increase how many samolians you'd be spending). So, as they say, the world is your oyster.

Mr Hunt - I think considering the age situation that you might be authorized two blankets... No matter, when that daily dose of camp coffee hits your system it appears that's all the elixir of life required for the get-up-&-go you always so consistently and characteristically exhibit.

Brass

[River City John]

If we didn't create multiple personas, how else would we justify all the crap, . .uhm, nifty stuff that we have filled our closets and safes with over time.



And don't let Mr. Hunt's general condition fret you.
After those infrequent nights on the hard ground, he comes home to his overstuffed chair by the fireplace, his dog brings him his slippers, his daughter helps slip his smoking jacket over his weary shoulders, dutifully fills and lights his pipe for him, and his beautiful wife brings him the evening paper and a snifter of Brandy to revive him, all the while gently stroking his hair and cooing, "Was it really so dreadful out there in those conditions, you Poor Man?"

[Dr. Bob]

And, you can create more than one persona!!        I have the basic Dr. Bob and the NEW LtC. R. H. Dorian of the Army Corps of Engineers.  They share some of the same background, but differ in the path to the now of the persona.

I will have some latitude in the LtC. D. persona in that I can stretch my clothing over a 10+ year period, especially as an Officer on campaign, which allows me some fairly wide discretion!   Pictures of Staff Officers on campaign show a wide variety of clothing, both Army & civilian and often "outdated" Army uniform components.  You kept the current pattern at you home base and wore other clothing on campaign.

My original Dr. Bob persona was, more or less in order, a frontier doctor in the 1820's then entering the Santa Fe trade, off to the Mexican War as a Surgeon, and back to the Santa Fe trade.  Sold out his interest in the trade in 1860 and purchased a hotel & saloon in Council Grove, Kansas Territory and sat out the ACW feeling that serving in 1 war was sufficient and having close friends on both sides.  In 1870 he sold the hotel/saloon and traveled around the world, returning to the States in 1875 and is touring the West.  [I started CAS in 2005 and so it was easy to know what year it is.]  Dr. Bob can be an old fart and there is no problem with it.  I like my BED and chairs and china and silverware!  Oh, and the field bar is pretty handy too!!

You can choose what you feel comfortable in portraying.  Most of the current Originals have been doing period correct [primitive] camping for some time and enjoy the time in camp as much as the shooting.  But, camping is not a requirement to become an Original!  And having a persona does NOT require you to become an Original.  It is all what YOU want to do.

[St. George]

St. George's Notes XIII - The Impression(2.0)...
« on: February 02, 2005, 09:06:13 AM »     

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Creating your persona is important to an accurate portrayal of the times and a good way to honor those in your family who went before.

It also allows you to concentrate and learn about specifics, and can save you some money as you put your Impression together properly - leaving frivolous purchases for later on.

I was lucky in having some interesting ancestors to draw from, as my forebears actually were soldiers, gamblers, gunfighters and lawmen - with nary a storekeeper in the lot.

My GG Grandfather rode with the 2d Iowa Volunteer Cavalry as a Corporal.
My GG Uncle rode with DeBray's 5th Independent Texas Cavalry as a Captain.
My G Uncle rode with G Troop - 1st Volunteer Cavalry (yeah - 'that' G Troop - TR's).

My own career has been spent in Combat Arms units - Airborne and Special Ops mostly - I commanded a Cavalry Squadron for The First Team, after I commanded an Infantry Battalion in The Big Red One - having first started out as a Rifleman and later - a Hard-Stripe E6 in a Paratroop outfit about 35 years ago.
I was retiring out of SOCOM when recalled...

Here's a thumbnail sketch - from the top of my head - and it hits the high points - allowing you to build upon it - fleshing out the Posts and the towns nearby - even the Saloons and the Dry Goods and Saddlers.

Why?

Because to make it more authentic - some of your equipment is going to have come from them.

For example - my saddle-shaped watch fob is from J.H.Haney & Company - a noted saddler from Omaha and first active in 1888, while my cigar case and a pocket knife both come from Union Stock Yards Company/South Omaha - that started in 1884.
These were places I'd have done business with or known men who did.

Retired, long-serving Cavalry Officer...
Served since the Civil War, when I rode with the 2d Iowa Volunteer Cavalry as a Trooper, in Sheridan's Cavalry Corps, from 1863 on.
Rode under Grierson, cutting telegraph and railroad lines near Vicksburg.
Brevetted to Major.
Chased Forrest, helped repel Hood in Tennessee.
Stayed in after the War and went West (with a company-grade rank) and fought throughout the Indian Wars - Apache, Comanche, Cheyenne, Ute and Nez Perce' Campaigns - rode with and later commanded a squadron in the 5th Cavalry.
Entered the Retired List out of the Headquarters for the Department of the Platte, at Omaha Barracks, where I served on Departmental Staff - in 1896 as Lieutenant Colonel, Cavalry.

Now, that's 'my' Impression.

Yours may vary widely - especially if you don't have a Military background and have picked another type of character to portray.

For example:

Let's say that you pick a Working Cowboy...

What you'd have in your pockets or in your vest would depend upon what your character would have and his station in life.

You may have to decide how educated you might be - you may not be able to read, write, or do sums.
If you can - you might want to carry a pencil and maybe a Tally Book, so you can keep track of stock and such for the Brand you're riding for this season.

The pencil would not have an eraser - you'd 'erase' with a knife blade - or cross through.

No pen, though, as the technology hadn't quite made it to that stage.
Pen and ink were found in desks.

You'd probably want some education though, and might have a McGuffy's Primer in your saddlebags - that you've gotten from the new Schoolmarm...

If you've been paid, some 'hard' cash - coinage in the form of both American and most likely Mexican would be in your pockets - paper wasn't quite as trusted back then, but greenbacks and shinplasters were also common, as was Army Scrip.
You may not have much money - since your pay goes to keeping up you - your outfit, and once in awhile - paying off your bunkhouse poker debts.

There might be a Bill of Sale for your horse - stuck inside your billfold (a simple fold-over thin leather case - similar in construction to a modern checkbook cover).

You wouldn't need a Pocket Watch - since you could tell time fairly accurately by the Sun.
Anyway - maybe the Ramrod would have one - maybe not - but if he did, it'd be a solid one - most likely a Turnip" - because they were pretty strongly-built -the more expensive having the closable "Hunter Case" and the less expensive the open face.
But then, not every man would own one - they could be pricey for a working cowboy and weren't as tough as needed, and besides, there was usually the one that the Ramrod had.

If you're using a pocket watch, then there were watch fobs and charms as well as watch chains - the fobs being anything from an Elk's Tooth to an advertising fob from a harness maker to a spent Minie' bullet that glanced off your cartridge box at Shiloh, and you kept for Good Luck
If you carried such a thing - a Watch Fob from a local business on a strap would be appropriate.

A carbon-steel-bladed pocket knife might be in order - wood or bone handles being quite common and any of the good English makers (some German as well) were common - I*XL being well thought of.
It would probably be a single-bladed knife, though two-bladed pen knives were quite common and they got that name because they were small enough to cut quills for writing.
A hoof knife was a large knife - it being the Multiplier of the day, so it would be found in the saddlebags

Let's say you were good at your job...

You'd want to show that fact off a bit - so your spurs would be top-notch as would your saddle.
Maybe a pair of Buermann's Gal-Leg spurs - or later on,  McChesneys - or - of you're in the Southwest - a good pair of Mexican-made ones from the big Trade Fairs in Chihuahua - with jingle-bobs, so the 'town folk' would know you're comin', with your straps let out to the 'town hole' to add to the music.
The saddle - well - that's going to take some money - but once you've got a good one - it'll advertise to one and all that they're looking at a "Top Hand"...

You'll carry Tobacco - in one or more of its many forms - as most men of the time used it.
If that's the case - you'll want a Match Safe for your "Strike-Anywhere" Lucifers and your little bag of makin's - Bull Durham - or some of that black Mexican tobacco -  and some papers(non-adhesive) or cut and scraped corn shucks - so's you could roll a smoke.
They didn't call 'em "quirlys" for nothing.
Maybe a plug of chaw will be in a vest pocket as well - or cigars.
Perhaps a pipe as well - because tobacco could still be smoked if no papers or cornshucks were available
Snuff came loose back then and was carried in small horn boxes with lids - some silver-mounted and engraved.

And - if you're just a Button - maybe a couple of Peppermints, since you're not quite used to smoking, yet.
And even if you're not a Button - you'd still have a sweet tooth... and might have a pair of reading glasses inside your vest

There may even be a small flask inside a vest pocket - especially for a gambler - or a 'sport' - and even a deck of pasteboards.

You can see how the creation of an historically accurate Impression can involve a bit of thought - but once given - and with some access to decent references - it's easy to create what you're after.

The list goes on - again depending on your character - and quality varies.

A working cowboy never had much money, but when he could, he'd buy what would give the most value for his dollar, and that thing may not be the prettiest in the hardware or drygoods store - just the most durable.
A townsman would have more opportunity to buy "the latest thing" and so on.
A big part of the overall enjoyment of NCOWS is the peripheral history


Good Luck.

Scouts Out!

[James Hunt]

RCJ said: "After those infrequent nights on the hard ground, he comes home to his overstuffed chair by the fireplace, his dog brings him his slippers, his daughter helps slip his smoking jacket over his weary shoulders, dutifully fills and lights his pipe for him, and his beautiful wife brings him the evening paper and a snifter of Brandy to revive him, all the while gently stroking his hair and cooing..."

RCJ - you must be having the same recurrent dream that I do! When I wake up the only person looking at me fondly is the dog...

[River City John]

 

[Tascosa Joe]

The Resitol/Stetson plant is over in Garland and they have an outlet store for 2nds. 

[Daniel Nighteyes]

I'm not even part of NCOWS (yet), and my persona has gone thru several iterations.  Each was triggered by additional information that I dug up, or by increases/improvements in my understanding of the human being under the persona.  (Does that make sense?)

[Dr. Bob]

Yep!