High Seas App

[english_dignity]

[Name]: Coffee
[Age]: 25
[Contacts]:
♦ DW: Coffeetailor
♦ AIM: Coffeetailor
♦ Plurk: Coffeeforink
[Timezone]: -8GMT
[Other Characters]: None



[Name]: England, Arthur Kirkland (human)
[Canon]: Hetalia
[Age]: Somewhere around 1600, appears early twenties
[Gender]: Male
[Canon Point]: Modern day (2013).

[History]: History of England (the country)
The character

Condensed to focus on England's history as shown in the manga. For the more detailed history, see the first link.

England's year of 'birth' is unlisted in the manga and since history is a little fuzzy on that detail too, I date him as coming into existence around 400 AD, when Rome withdrew from Britannia Province. The first canon we have for him in the comics is the 11th century, when he's under France's torment care, the then teenage nation often coming around to tease him for his straw-like hair and dull clothing, especially as French fashion was blooming and becoming quite popular in the English courts. When England tries to grow his hair out to be more fashionable, he has to run from the bishop who hated long hair on men and would cut it off parishioners, but England's bad luck resulted in it looking tangled, wild, and as France put it, a golden caterpillar. France offers to cut it for England, first styling it like his own, which of course England refuses, then like a relative of his, to the same result. In the end, England takes a nap while France is working on his hair and when he wakes up it's the exact same as it was before.

In the Hundred Year War, he got his revenge by taking over France's top half until it basically became too expensive to continue fighting the French not long after Joan of Arc's burning. Of course, shortly after they enter the War of the Roses.

In 1588, England defeats the Spanish Armada, having become a pirate even though his leaders were telling the Spanish that they hated pirates too, even though Spain saw them giving medals to some pirates.

In both the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Year Wars, he sides with Austria and then Prussia purely because France had sided with their opponent. In the former case, he declared himself neutral once he'd gotten to fight France and stepped out to focus his attentions on fighting France for America.

Around the same time, France and England had started to colonize the new world (N. America) along with some other countries. They hear from Finland that he's seen a little boy wandering around a day's distance from the nearest village. When he mentions that the little boy walked up to him, they put it together that he's a personification like them and both declare that he will be their little brother, starting another fight between them. England goes out to see little America and declares that America will be his little brother from then on, which America agrees to, saying he should call England big brother. Recalling how badly his older brothers had treated him, he tells America to just call him England.

Before long, France makes his bid, trying to tempt America to be his by offering delicious food, which England just can't compete with. When he gets depressed about it, America walks up to him instead to cheer him up, essentially dumping France. As America's guardian, England realizes he'll have to protect and provide for America, even though war has left him poor, and he does his best to educate him and keep America well dressed even though he can't be there very often with his duties to his own country overseas. America seems to just sprout up into a man while England is gone.

England's world basically comes crashing down when America declares that he's going to be independent, declaring war against England. They face each other in battle, England declaring that America isn't strong enough to stand on his own and that he won't allow him to become independent. America declares that he's no longer England's little brother, but England still can't bring himself to shoot his former colony, even though he has the chance.

There isn't a lot between then and the second world war, brief comics showing the Napoleonic war in which French soldiers fall into an English pit trap, the alliance formed between Prussia, Russia, Austria, and England in 1815, helping Greece free himself from Turkey, the first Olympic games in which France tries to strip him naked in the spirit of the old Olympics, and then his alliance and friendship with Japan. The two bond because they're both loners and recognize commonalities between themselves as island nations. Japan even goes against his boss' wishes for the friendship, his boss wanting to form an alliance with Russia.

The first world war is written mostly following Germany and Italy.

In WWII, England joins up with France, Russia, China and England to fight against the Axis powers. When they capture Italy, he tries to give him some food, only to ship Italy back in a box after England's food makes the food snob cry. When England himself goes to spy in Italy, he gets some tips from one of his own spies there (who was rather obvious about what he was) for how to blend in. So, he gets himself a make-over to be pretty enough, but is quickly caught by Germany because he doesn't respond to pretty girls like an Italian. After escaping, he tries again and once more is caught, this time for ordering ale at a cafe.

On the African front, England was joined by a woefully unprepared America in full uniform, which of course was far too hot until it was adapted to include shorts. America got beat up by Germany a good bit on that front, to be lectured by England on rushing in without preparing.

Some time after the war, France tries to get England to marry him because his country was in economic trouble, going as far as trying to force England to sign the marriage licence, but England turns him down and scribbles all over the attempted signature.

With general peace on the Western European/American front, the G8 continue to hold meetings and squabble between themselves. Sealand, a sea fort built by England, tries to get recognized as an independent country but no one pays him much attention. England catches him trying to sneak into a meeting disguised as Canada. Hong Kong is returned to China's control, China accusing England of turning him into a delinquent like him. England continues to speak to ghosts and fairies.

[Personality]:
For the most part, England seems to do his best to personify the very British concept of keeping up appearances. The face he most often shows to others is that of a cynical, cold, and somewhat bitter man who can't quite let go of his nostalgia for the past. He still tries to correct America's behavior to make him into a gentleman, calls France out for being indecent, enjoys tea and embroidery. Of course, those who know him best would argue the description of gentleman, because he also will curse like a sailor, regularly fights with France (verbally and physically), gets royally drunk, dresses like a punk when he goes out for fun, and is easily depressed when left alone (or called friendless by France).

England is someone who very much has trouble letting go of the past, from his childhood rivalry with France to his glory days as a pirate and empire, the pain of the American Revolution, and the British music boom in the sixties. Though oddly enough he has apparently forgiven Germany and the other Axis members for WWII, as he shows respect to Germany and strikes up a friendship with Japan. (His relationship with Italy never really changes.) Because of America's rejection of him as a brother when he became independent, mention of independence makes him physically ill even in modern times despite his efforts to be the gentleman and accept it, even gifting the Liberty Bell and a second one for America's two hundredth birthday party. When England is drunk, he often curses America for leaving him, showing that he's still rather heartbroken about it even two centuries later.

He also has a bad case of being both proud and envious of others, starting when he's still pretty young and France constantly shows off his fashions and makes fun of England for dressing blandly and having short, coarse hair when the French fashion (popular in England among the nobles) was to have flamboyant clothes and long, silky hair. He even tried to grow his out, to unfortunate results. Of course, when France offered to fix it for him, first trying out his own hair style and then that of one of his relatives, the cut ended up being exactly what England had had before. He's very determined not to copy anyone else while trying to become 'cool' and stylish himself. Unfortunately it rarely turns out in his favor.

It might be a combination of those things that's responsible for his rather harsh temper, which of course is most often directed at France and America as the constant sources of aggravation in his life. His list of triggers ranged from America using American English, which he sees as a bastardization of the British English he gave him, to France's existence and Sealand's attempts to sneak into meetings of the G8 nations as Canada. Little things like being called old, lame, unfashionable serve to make him twitch too, but nothing like having his cooking insulted. Which, considering it's even made Italy cry in the past, is understandable.

But even with that temper, he's secretly something of a romantic. Perhaps partly sourced from his constant nostalgia, he likes the gentler things in life. England does needlepoint, gardening, and enjoys reading (presumably English classics). And while he rails against those who have wronged him, he still manages to forgive them (case and point, America) and tries to make amends. For example, he gives America a new version of the Liberty Bell (the first being an earlier gift from him) for his two hundredth birthday even though the very subject of independence makes him physically ill.

But for all of the traits that can make him look somewhat villainous, he's good-hearted and wants people to like him even though he pretends to be happy to do things all by himself. As an island nation with a somewhat bad relationship with his brothers, he's always been isolated and that leaves him very lonely. It doesn't help that France has a habit of mocking him as friendless when he comes over to visit Europe. And as a former empire, with underlings all over the world who have since left his power, he feels that isolation especially strongly.

[Abilities / Strengths & Weaknesses]: England has magic and can cast curses, though he often has bad luck with it. He's able to transform into 'Britannia Angel' (basically himself in toga with wings and a halo) to easily cast spells. As a personification of his country, when his lands and people are attacked, he's injured by proxy. His greatest strengths would have to be his practicality and his caring, where-as his weaknesses lie in his foul temper, his easily triggered depression, and his bad luck.

[Limited Powers]: Since his luck with magic isn't always the best in canon, I think just turning up how often that screws up will do the job. And obviously attempting to summon the devil won't summon Russia.

[Other Important Facts]: I would like flying mint bunny to come as his familiar, though many people cannot see him in canon. Those with magic or who have experienced enough of it might be able to.
He'll be using the humans names of countries he is close to, and the country names for others.

[Samples]:
♦ Thread: Sample A
Sample B

♦ Post:
There are four things I need. Information about this island and the quest that the poem on the fountain suggests, a ship, crew to man it, preferably people who are at the very least familiar with taking orders if not those with sea experience, and a good cup of tea. Perhaps with something a little stronger in it. While I cannot say I was looking forward the day of meetings I had scheduled, this was not the diversion I had in mind.

Kidnapped and left on a god forsaken Spanish island? The only way this could be worse would be if it were French.

I think it best we start with where I can find the tea and spirits before we move onto further information.