Terry Button

OOC Info
Username/Nickname: Sharpiefan/Sharpie
How did you find out about StC? I fell down a rabbit hole and ended up here!
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Character Info:
Canon/Original: Original
First Name(s): Terence
Surname: Button
Nicknames: Terry
Age: 12
Sex: Male
Place of Birth: London
Occupation: Ship's Boy, Third Class (those under 16 who are not going to be midshipmen)
Family: None
Description: Terry has brown eyes and blond hair which is usually hidden under a woollen hat to stop it getting in his eyes. He wears the same sort of trousers and checked shirt as the adult sailors, with a blue jacket in colder weather – or cooler latitudes. He is usually barefoot, as he has been all his life. On the very few occasions that he wears shoes, they are light, soft-soled things unlike those that the Marines wear, but they still feel uncomfortable because he isn't used to wearing shoes. He is naturally slender, and two years of having three square meals a day means that he has nearly lost the unnatural thinness that goes with a poor irregular diet, which was all he knew before was sent to sea.

He doesn't mind the hard work that comes with being in the Navy, although he is quick to drop it if something more exciting seems to be going on. He is always willing to join in with pranks and general mischief, being fairly outspoken among the other boys, though he is more of a follower than a leader. He gets nervous around those in authority, especially if he thinks he might be in trouble for something, and this shows as clumsiness or mumbled speech.

Strengths and Weaknesses:
~ He's still growing and often gets overlooked simply because he's a boy – his thoughts and opinions don't matter to the men
~ He's physically weaker than the men around him
~ He's nervous around those in authority, which can lead to attacks of clumsiness
~ He's curious about things, which can get him in trouble
~ He has a good head for heights
~ He is quick and nimble and quick-witted
~ He is good-humoured and willing to help others
Background: Until two years ago, Terry's home was London, where he had spent his childhood (if it could be called that) in a foundling home. Once he reached the age of ten, or thereabouts, he found himself being escorted to a brick building which, he was informed, was Jonas Hanway's Marine Society, which had been set up to give boys such as himself a worthwhile career in His Majesty's Royal Navy.

He wasn't sure he liked the sound of that, having never seen the sea. He hadn't, in fact, been allowed to leave the forbidding grounds of the foundling home before now. His details were written down in a big black book before the man from the foundling home left him alone to contemplate the new life he was about to embark on.

It was only about a week or two later when Terry, along with a number of other boys, began the longest journey of his life so far, to Portsmouth. Each boy clutched a canvas bag that contained more material wealth than they had ever seen before: three shirts, two pairs of trousers, a waistcoat, a jacket, a pair of shoes, a knitted hat and two or three pairs of stockings. The men escorting them had warned the boys not to let the bags out of their sight until they arrived, and Terry ended up sitting on his for the entire three-day journey.

On arriving in Portsmouth, Terry was dumbstruck by the sight of the ships alongside. He quickly overcame his awe when he was taken aboard a smaller ship, which was still much larger than he was used to, with masts that seemed to touch the clouds. He was glad to find that he wasn't starting out on this adventure alone but would be accompanied by Jacky Fisher, who he had got to know slightly on the journey down from London.

He quickly overcame his initial fear of heights and threw himself into doing what was asked of him, thinking that it was a much finer life than living in London. Although he is still young, he has the potential to become a good topman when he grows a bit older, especially if he can overcome his nerves around officers and those in authority.

Anything Else: PB:
Writing Sample/Past Roleplay: Terry nodded. "Only, don't look down, whatever you do," he said feelingly, belatedly adding, "sir." He grinned again. "Look, sir, if you ain't sure what to look at, just look at the cordage - the rope - of the shrouds. It'll stop you lookin' down. An', well, sir, lookin' at the air ain't no help at all."

He glanced across at Fingers, trying to think of something else that might help. If this middy was like some he'd met, he'd take it out on them later for seeing him at such a disadvantage.
Code: Staff edit

That must be a wicked rabbit hole. Accepted!