Post by laborinquena on Jun 3, 2011 15:18:07 GMT
• Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico
Name --- Tierra Flores
Nation --- Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
Aliases --- Isleta, Rica, Puerta, La Isla del Encanto, Borinquen, Borikén
Apparent age --- 17 years old
Actual age --- 515+ years (Christopher Columbus’s landing and naming of the Island in 1493)
Gender --- Female
|-|-The External-|-|
Eye color --- Chocolate Brown
Hair color --- Dark Brown
Height --- 5’1”
Weight --- 105 pounds
Skin tone --- Light Brown/Dark Olive
Defining features --- There is nothing that particularly defines or sets her out, at least physically, other than the length of her hair. When in its usual braid, her hair goes down to the top of her thigh, and that is not exactly the most common thing in Puerto Rico. She usually has a faint smile on her face or a frown, if she is arguing yet again, unless she is doing she is something she enjoys, in which Tierra will be brightly smiling about. She tends to blend in with her people, something she is perfectly content in doing. Tierra has a few scars, not many, especially compared to some of the older nations, but most notably the ones from when her indigenous people were wiped out, the fighting of the European nations over her, and the Spanish-American war.
Additional features --- Tierra has a lithe build, very flexible and slightly gymnast-like, and looks like she’d be absolutely worthless on the battlefield, which is not the case, having had to several times and done fairly well. Most of her muscles come from dancing and sports, though she does work out in order to stay in shape, ever since the Spanish-American War. Her clothes tend to be a bit bright, and are usually dresses, making them impractical for any sort of physical activity other than dancing, which is often what they are worn for. Her height is perfectly average for her nation, though she often feels short compared to everyone else, especially America.
|-|-The Internal-|-|
Personality ---
Tierra is usually a fairly happy person, cheerful, but can get irritated easily. If she doesn’t know the person she’s irritated with, she would do her best to hide it, or to leave, but if she knows them well, like America or Spain… She will rag on you, and it might involve throwing something, too. However, if the nation in question is seriously distressed over something, be it the silliest thing she’s ever heard of, Puerto Rico will bring up all of the patience she has and attempt to take them seriously and not get irritated, though she totally might use it for blackmail later, if it is such material.
She isn’t really a cowardly nation, being fairly brave and totally good with sticking up for herself, but when something scares her (like England), she will either use someone as a shield or beat it. Tierra’s also a bit lazy, hating to have to do work if she doesn’t want to do it, but is easily motivated by promises of her favorite foods, or food in general, as she is a bit of a glutton, though takes care not to let it show. The proto-nation can be a bit of a nerd about her cultural aspects, detesting it when someone says something about her country and gets it wrong, immediately correcting it down to the last technical detail.
When she meets new people, the commonwealth is usually pretty friendly, and will attempt to be even if she is in a bad mood, as she hates taking out her moods on people, other than those closest to her. Tierra is pretty loud and excitable, though she will attempt to tone it down if someone tells her that, and can get worked up over the littlest things. Considering who she hangs out with, she has a pretty good arsenal of insults aimed at someone’s intelligence, not hesitating to fire them off at any opportunity, if someone uses one against her or her friends. The proto-nation doesn’t take insults to her mind seriously, if she gets them back, but will take degradements against her body too hard, later fretting if what the other person said was true.
Tierra is a highly loyal nation, once you have earned her trust, which is a difficult thing to do, as she gives it away rarely. She will defend you to the end, even risking her own health and safety, if you have it, but if she doesn’t really care about you and there is nothing important hanging in the balance… Expect a half-assed effort, at best. She will put forth the bare minimum of effort she has to, unless it comes to something she loves, in which case expect the commonwealth to practice, practice, practice, as she is severely dedicated to something once she sets her mind on it. Along that line, she is also incredibly stubborn, and will continue to defend the stupidest argument the other person may have heard… unless she doesn’t really care about it, in which case she will most likely give up, deeming it not worth the effort. All in all, the proto-nation is cheerful, but very tempermental.
Likes ---
• Dancing / Baile
• Plantains / Plátanos
• Mofongo
• Painting / Pintura
• Jewelry / Joyería
• Bright Colors / Colores Brillantes
• Flowers / Flores
• Frogs / Ranas
• America
• Spain / España
• Don Quixote
• Music / Música
• Dolls / Muñecas
• Swimming / Piscina
• Soccer / Fútbol
Dislikes ---
• England / Inglaterra
• Fighting / Combate
• Netherlands / Países Bajos
• Being called Short or Small / Se llama baja o pequeña
• Horses / Caballos
• French Fries / Papas Fritas
• Football / Fútbol Americano
• Tea / Té
• People not knowing who she is / La gente no sabe quién es
• Not being a country / Al no ser un país
• Fruit Punch Anything / Punch Frutas Todo
• Math / Matemáticas
• Being Ordered Around / Ser ordenado en torno a
• Pop Music, especially Teen Pop / Música Pop, especialmente Pop Adolescentes
• Stupid and Ignorant Tourists / Turistas Estúpidas y Ignorantes
Fears ---
• Becoming a colony/territory/anything of England.
• Never becoming a country or state, simply remaining a Commonwealth for the rest of her life.
• That someone will hurt/destroy America or Spain, the two nations most precious to her.
Lesser known facts ---
• The worst time period in Tierra's life was when Inglaterra gained control of her and her island for several months. It was hell on earth for her.
• Even if she complains about him constantly eating them, she actually enjoys hamburgers, though definitely not as much as America does.
• Tierra really doesn't like wearing pants, capris, or shorts. It isn't that she really loves dresses and skirts, though she does, it's that they're so damn confining. She will only wear them if she has to.
Goals ---
• To become her own country someday, or, at the very minimum a state, as she feels she is stuck in limbo, just as a Commonwealth.
• To be recognized by the rest of the world, as many times, even if they fought for control of her in the past, the other nations don't know who she is.
• To get America to call soccer by its proper name.
|-|-The Past-|-|
History ---
• Pre-1493 AD: Young Tierra taken care of by indigenous Tainos.
• 1493 AD: Named "San Juan Bautista" by Christopher Columbus, becomes a
• 1511 AD: Tierra attempts to break away from Spain, only about seven, and is completely crushed.
• 1528 AD: France attacks Puerto Rico, burning and sacking all of the first settlements but one before Spain forced him and his men out.
• 1585-1604 AD: Anglo-Spanish War; In 1595, England attempts invasion, but is unsuccessful and sets San Juan on fire. In 1598, England captured Puerto Rico and held Tierra for a few months before he was forced to leave, sick.
• 1625 AD: Netherlands attempts to take the now nine-year-old nation, but is repelled viciously and doesn't consider it again.
• 1702 AD: England attempts to invade Puerto Rico, but is defeated.
• 1765 AD: Spain teaches eleven-year-old Tierra how to fight, forming a Puerto Rican militia.
• 1777 AD: America is allowed usage of Puerto Rico's ports, the first time the two have met.
• 1779 AD: Puerto Rico, along with other Spanish colonies, distracts England by capturing Pensacola.
• 1797-1802 AD: Repeated attempts by England to take Puerto Rico, but all are unsuccessful.
• 1812 AD: Puerto Ricans were granted conditional citizenship of the Spanish Empire.
• 1815 AD: Foreigners immigrate to Puerto Rico; Tierra once more becomes a colony.
• 1835 AD: Slave Trade is abolished in the Spanish Colonies.
• 1860 AD: Tierra revolts against Spain, attempting to gain independence, but the teenager is easily defeated.
• 1897 AD: She attempts to revolt once more, but Spain finds out before she actually does it, and she is once more easily defeated.
• 1898 AD: Spanish-America War; Tierra is ceded to America as his colony.
• 1900 AD: The Foraker Act is drafted, giving Puerto Rico her own government.
• 1908 AD: Tierra fires the first shot the United States fired in the war, shooting a cannon at an armed German war ship when it refused to stop.
• 1917 AD: The Jones Act makes Tierra a territory, giving her people partial citizenship.
• 1929 AD: The Great Depression begins.
• 1937 AD: The "Ponce Massacre" occurs, leaving 20 people dead and over 100 wounded.
• 1948 AD: It is made illegal to display the Puerto Rican flag, sing a patriotic song, talk of independence and to fight for the freedom of the island.
• 1952 AD: Tierra is established as a Commonwealth, and the Puerto Rican flag can be legally displayed once more.
• 1968 AD: Pro-statehood governor elected, attempts to campaign for Puerto Rico to be made the 51st State.
• 1969 AD-Present: Tierra remains a territory of America, though her unclear political status continues.
|-|-The Style-|-|
Roleplay example ---
British Capture of Puerto Rico
1598
San Juan, Puerto Rico
He was gone. Inglattera was gone and Tierra was the happiest she had ever been in her entire life. The Empire had tried to capture her many times, as had other European countries, but Antonio was always there to repel them, to defeat them soundly and send them away, even if she got a little damage. Pero… Pero… This time he hadn’t been here, and Inglaterra had come with his ships, with his men, and had taken over, the soldiers Antonio left not being enough to stop them. At first, Tierra had not been too worried, as the isleta had been certain that her colonizer would be back to send the bastardo away, and then life could carry on as usual.
Pero entonces… The young colony had been horrified to find out that every single tale that España had told her about the other nation had been true! He was the worst sort of Empire imaginable, punishing her for her behaviors by forcing her to eat that horrifying, disgusting food, and he wouldn’t even let her havePlátanos! And he had taught her English, refusing to acknowledge her if she did speak Español, which led to very limited conversations. Worst of all, he had made her wear this things called stockings underneath her dress! Medias! This had easily been the worst time ever, and now she knew what Antonio was talking about when he spoke of el Diablo.
But then, he got sick… Oh, Gracias a Dios, he had gotten sick, and been forced to return. It was the best regalo she could’ve been given, and Tierra hoped that she would never, ever, see that demonio again. The nine-year-old proto-nation hugged her arms to herself, shivering, as she sat on the steps of her home, waiting impatiently in the slightly brisk morning air for her colonizer to arrive. Normally, she would’ve been at the docks as soon as someone had said they saw his buque, but for now, the colony didn’t want to stray too far from safety, feeling as if she stepped too far away, Inglaterra would pop out of nowhere, dragging her to more English lessons, or worse, to breakfast. Just the thought of it made the little girl shiver more violently.
And then, her salvador appeared around the corner, walking up the path to her house, that idiota smile on his face, reassuring her that everything was alright. For a moment, the colony sat there, frozen, barely able to believe that he was really here, and halfway thinking that she was still sleeping, and would wake back up to her nightmare, but no, it was real, and he was here.
With a start, Tierra took off running, tackling the much taller nation in a large hug. ”E-España Boss!” she stammered, relieved and beginning to cry. ”Estoy tan contenta de que estés de vuelta!”* Gracias a Dios, her nightmare was over. Inglaterra Idiota.
*I’m so glad you’re back!
|-|-The Player-|-|
Username --- LaBorinquena
Age --- 16 years old
Time zone --- GMT-5 Eastern