Post by the Netherlands on Aug 27, 2011 8:54:16 GMT -5
The Character
Country Name: The Netherlands / Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
Human Name: Willem van Gent*
*Because I have a very good reason not to use "Lars van Rijn" and variants. -.- Willem, also called William in English or Wim if you're really close, is named after Willem van Oranje / William of Orange. William of Orange was their leader when the Dutch rebelled against the new king of Spain. Van Gent literally means from Gent, which is a Belgian city nowadays, but back then it belonged to the Netherlands. In the past it was very common to have family names like that. You also had a lot of surnames that were based on familynames, like Janszoon = son of Jan. Obviously he isn't a son from anyone so I went with the other common type. why Gent? I love Gent and it was a pretty important city for the Dutch Republic.
Gender: Male
Appearance:
And his 'informal'wear *snort*
I should stop making fun of him. My grandfather walked around like that.
Personality:
Netherlands is a calm, tolerant but somewhat intimidating man. Almost everyone can live in his country, no matter what gender, nationality, religion, sexual orientation or food tastes. (In 2009, people of 189 different countries lived in Amsterdam, his capital city.) He can't handle crowds of people very well. Fun thing is, the country is rather crowded since it's so small. His calmness is pretty useful in chaotic situations; even when he's afraid, he doesn't show it. Netherlands is also a strategist; he's very logical and is good at quick making up plans. His visual-spatial ability is also very high. Although he is a calm person, he has very little patience. While he's not as impatient as a certain Austrian, he can't stand long, endless discussions. He wants an answer and wants it quick. Netherlands is not really a generous person and hardly a gentleman, but fortunately he knows how to treat a lady.
In the past, Netherlands didn't play by the rules at all (not that any nation did in that age and time). He was quite the rebel, took in everything from others (New Sweden, Gold Coast, Brazil, parts of China) and didn't care about the previous owners. He broke away from Spain and pissed off England with dominating the seas (which resulted in four Anglo-Dutch wars). After World War Two, being dependent on the export business, he wasn't allowed to be so rebellious anymore, otherwise he would lose his trading partners. Besides, he actually liked being this friendly with the other nations; he even befriended his previous enemies.
Netherlands likes to be neutral and doesn't want to be caught up into problems from others, but in the end he'll probably help anyway. All for his own benefit, ofcourse. Although he denies it, he's definitely addicted to smoking. In the Golden Age he smoked marijuana, but he managed to stop with the drugs. Netherlands started smoking again after the invasion of Germany in 1940. He acts very indifferent, but he cares about his own Dutch people, his siblings Belgium and Luxembourg and some other nations; Canada for example, but he's definitely not the only one.
With the legal drugs and prostitutes policy, people might think the Netherlands is drunk, drugged and living in those shady places all the time. Well, he's quite the opposite. He loves a good book or spending evenings sketching a scenery. He doesn't warm up easily, not even with close friends or family, but that doesn't mean he can't open up and talk about his feelings. He just doesn't do it. He's very fond of his privacy and the small distance it creates. The Netherlands just needs his alone time every now and then. He also hates garbage, rubbish and other dirty things. Everything had to be clean. Tidy. He absolutely hates messy gardens - no overview, no control. He wanted them tidy and clear, wanted to have control over it. If there was anything he hated, it was not having control. About anything. He's also an animal friend; especially the cute fluffy ones. Like bunnies. To be honest, it's a soft guy when you look through the height, the sarcastic comments, direct speech, rude - not always intended - behaviour and slightly perverted thoughts about very young women. Don't tell him that, though. He'll murder you.
He's a bit of what (some Japanese wannabe) people would call 'a lolicon'; it's a fetish about young girls and women dressed in the most girliest, frilliest doll-like clothing. He's not that bad though; it's true he loves it when they look like princesses (not queens, ugh no) but he doesn't want them to look like dolls. That just freaks him out. Also do remember that the girls he fancies are usually between 18 - 23. There's a small but big difference between girls and young women. The Netherlands tries not to show this fetish in public. It's a closet one; it exists, but he doesn't want anyone to find out. Even when it's kind of obvious - and of course a few nations would've found out through the years - he'd deny it at all costs.
One last tiny fact; he's left handed.
Weapon: Just a hand gun. He never felt comfortable with guns; he liked swords better, but his skills got rusty to say the least, so he sticked with a gun. He also uses his scarf for occassional strangling and choking activities.
Likes:
- Scenery and flowers, especially tulips
- Literature and paintings
- Little animals like bunnies
- The sea
- Smoking
- Young women (too young, for him at least)
- The Golden Age
- Food as stamp pot, vla and oliebollen
- Money
- Complaining about the weather
- Simplicity
Dislikes:
- Being dependent from others
- Being told what to do
- Long, endless discussions
- Crowds
- Strangers in general
- The sea
- Heavy rain
- Turkey's claim of being the tulip country
- Heights (and therefore, mountains as well)
Strengths:
- Strategist;
He's very logical and is good at quick making up plans. His visual-spatial ability is also very high.
- Calmth;
When others are panicking, Netherlands stays calm, even in the most horrible situations. Doesn't mean he isn't scared at that very moment. However.. there are times he can snap. Everyone has a limit.
- Tolerant;
He's pretty easy-going. It doesn't matter how you look like, where you're from or what you're having for dinner, he accepts it.
- Trader;
Since the Middle Ages, Netherlands was a trading country. He practically lives from it. Per example, he bought very cheap grain from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and sold it for a much higher price. Guess what? He's done this all the time, all over the world. Nowadays, he's practically trading partners with everyone.
- Creativity;
You can't deny this one. The Dutch literature is quite old and well-known (at least in the international culture business) and the painters are famous. Hmm, names? Rembrandt van Rijn, Vincent van Gogh, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer...Dutch writers...Joost van den Vondel, Jacob Cats,
Weaknesses:
- Bad Mental Orientation;
He gets lost very easily. He thought Australia was still New Guinea. He also tried to reach Asia via a northern route, but he failed miserably; the crew stranded on a iceberg.
- Addicted;
Although Netherlands doesn't want to admit it, he's definitely addicted to smoking. In the Golden Age he smoked marijuana, and unfortunately, can’t quit with the stuff. However, he knows his responsibilities and tries to keep the use at a minimum. He still smokes a lot of cigarettes a day.
- Neurotic;
Mwah. Just a bit. Everything has to be tidy. Everything has to be closed, from doors to cupboards. His books has to be arranged alphabetically. Neurotic? Mwah. Barely noticable.
- Blunt;
He’s down to earth, direct and at times very rude, sometimes not even meaning to.
- Impatient;
While he's not as impatient as a certain Austrian, he can't stand long, endless discussions. He wants a solution and preferable in less than five minutes.
- Indifferent;
He doesn't care. At least...that's what he tells others.
Sample Post:
(This is from a historical thread with a Norway. They're currently at Denmark's house. Netherlands is there because he has to sign a document which grants him unlimited access to the waters of the Baltic Sea. Norway's there because he was in the Kalmar union.)
Huh? Was it that uncommon to say thank you to someone who helped you a lot, even when it was in quite an unorthodox way? He stared at the smaller man, puzzled. He didn't understand. Why did he expect an invasion of war of all things? Sure, he had raided his country, but he also learnt a lot from Norway. He learnt him how to fight; for his own and for his people. He had triggered his sense of adventure and gave him hope in a time not everything went that well. Then how on earth could he possibly attack the man who helped him, even more when that same man was noticeably weakened now? "You're stupid for expecting such a thing," he answered. He was rather disappointed in Norway.
He nodded. It was true; they were given so much more time. It would be a waste indeed to just stick to what was already known to them. Wasn't it exciting to discover new land, new people, new cultures? The world was big.. and so different. Everyone had their own style of living and everything was beautiful and inspiring in it's own way. "You're right. I wonder how big the world is and wonder how long it'll take to find land if we sail in western direction. I wish I could find out already…" He would. As soon as he was his own boss.
The Burgundian Netherlands smiled gratefully; he knew he would be independent once, too, but it was nice to hear it from someone else as well. "I'm not planning to be a colony for long." Maybe he wasn't strong enough to rebel now - now wasn't the time either - but he would in a few centuries or so…
"Yes, I do, but they weren't really my parents." It was Roma who discovered him, a few years Before Christ. A few centuries after that, Germania took him under his wing. He knew how they 'took' human relationships but it was only in an emotional sense and not literal. They couldn't be truly brothers and sisters, because they weren't born, were they? Didn't they just appear? He got the first part of Norway's explanation, but the second part seriously baffled him. How could they give birth them self? Like plants? Disturbed by that idea, he decided not to question the other nation any more.
"Yes, I understand…I think. You're just not their biological father. Nations surely couldn't have biological parents.."
He almost jumped from his chair when they heard someone slamming the front door. That Dane was loud as ever, wasn't he? And then people dared to compare him with the loud Nordic nation - not only Norway made the comparison between him and Denmark. He was a lot quieter and actually knew how to appreciate the silence every now and then. Before he knew it, Noorwegen was already out of the room, clearly not wanting to see his companion. A few minutes later the Dane showed up, grinning brightly. He didn't question where Norway was, though; the Low Countries found that weird, but didn't say anything. After all, it was not his business.
They quickly finished the formalities and the treaty of Copenhagen was signed, which gave him unlimited access to the waters of the Baltic Sea. He'd been offered a drink but he excused himself; he'd been here far too long and the atmosphere was not really…comfortable, to say the least. He left without saying Iceland or Norway goodbye.
---
The damn English bastard. He was always opposing his plans, always being the last damn thick wall, preventing his plans from succeeding.
He'd gotten independent at last; after the Spanish invasion of the Netherlands his people were fed up with the rules of Spain. Spain's previous king was much more tolerant than Philip the Second. The Burgundian - or rather, the Spanish Netherlands - became interest in a new form of Christianity; protestantism. Philip the Second didn't tolerate this new religion, called his people heretics and went even more harsh on the Dutch. In 1568 they went at war; the outcome was successful, although it took them eighty years.
Spain was not the only country he'd encountered; Portugal was blocking him from times to times and England was there all the time. He had found Spitsbergen while looking for an alternative route to India, he'd found Indonesia. The Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie was founded in 1602, to keep his people together - sometimes they were competing with their own people instead with the Portuguese, English and Spanish people. Thanks to this company, he had a monopoly for trading between Europe and Asia for a long time. He'd owned Formosa - recently lost her - had a monopoly on trading with Japan. There was New Netherlands in America - where New Amsterdam could be found.
He discovered Australia by accident; he actually wanted to explore New Guinea, but his geographical senses still lacked. Later he also found Tasmania, New Zealand and Tonga.
It literally was a Golden Age. Not only his economy was fairing excellent, also his culture made a large step forward. Some of his people were extremely talented as painters and the Dutch Republic was quite skilled as well. Dutch literature was also taking a more prominent place in European literature. All was good, except for two tiny little things; there were nations out there incredibly jealous of him.
Also.. there was a great distance between the Dutch Republic and his sister, the now so-called Spanish Netherlands. He still regretted the day he had to leave her behind, but it had been her own choice.
He was getting more powerful and powerful and England decided he should be tamed; this was why he was facing England for the second time, in the second Anglo-Dutch war. It was about the sea; when wasn't it? They were always quarreling about the sea. The Dutch republic stood in the harbor of Rotterdam, watching his fleet. England would never win this war.
---
The weather clearly didn't cooperate; the canvas sails of his ships were ripped, the sea was rude as ever. The Dutch Republic remembered the words of the former viking. "What have I ever done to you, sea?" he shouted angrily and fairly desperate. Did he take too much from the sea? Did he use her too much? But no, he knew that wasn't the case. Was God trying to punish him or something? Fairly ashamed because of his shout from earlier, he went to the steersman. "I take over for now." A few hours later, the sea went quiet, but their ships were too damaged to go back. However, the Dutch Republic knew they were close to the first country he'd ever visited by ship; Norway. He actually already could see some land at the horizon. He had no idea if he was welcome, but there was nothing to lose, was there?
Did you read the rules?:
★ Rose
★ Tomatoes
★ Freedom
★ Eyebrows
★ Maple
★ Knife
The Player
Name: Leonie / Leo / ... just call me whatever you want. :3
Timezone: GMT + 1