Opal McKinney
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"One should never presume to know what may lie before them, as life is far often more fickle than that"
Description
Opal McKinney, an imponderable women in her early-thirties, is of Dutch - Irish descent. With her long auburn hair that's often worn in a braid, her bright green eyes and the bridge of her nose spotted with freckles, she is of strong and healthy figure. She astute and diligent but overall cordial and does not particularly stand out. She's soft-spoken, often one in the background, guarded and carefully observing her surroundings taking a wait-and-see approach.
Opal is mostly conflict avoidant and will only draw her weapon unless insuperable. She detests loud and obnoxious Characters, often removing herself from their proverbial aura. It poses for great personal challenges in her line of work, inevitably having an effect on her self-trust and confidence. Distrusting and a little prudent towards strangers, she tends to not allow herself to form deep attachments to people easily and has been notoriously cautious on how to take on life's challenges that are put before her. Her relationship with God is ... a difficult one, as well. Knowing her backstory, one would not be surprised she grew into such a character.
Strict and restrained though she tried to be, she came to find that cautious imprecision has a subjective side. As she found a quiet reverie along her travels, her curiosity and venturesome flame was lit and her more incisive and gentle manners emerged. She shows a calm but indifferent demeanor when you meet her. To whoever decides to stick around she will prove to be surprisingly softhearted and compassionate, one would be hard-pressed to find another women like Opal. Once allowed to her inner circle, she'd go through hellfire and back in allegiance to her friends and loved ones.
Early Life
Born in The Netherlands
Opal's life started easy enough having been born in a seaside region of The Netherlands known as West Frisia. Her mother a Dutch farmers daughter and her father an Irish field worker and ranch hand, the leading language in the household is mainly Dutch. Her Dutch grandparents died young but her Irish grandfather is still around to this day. Then when she was about eight years old the family immigrated; Due to economical effects of wide spread famine and climate effects on food crops, the young parents hope to start a new, healthy life in the Americas. A long and treacherous journey to reach the south-eastern Kansas tall grass prairies near Bronson, Bourbon County, follows.
Not too long after settling the family is able to procure a few extra acres of land and extend the homestead to a small stock-raising ranch. Together with her older brothers Jakob and Cian, Opal works tending to the animals. That is if she wasn't crafting and tinkering in the barn. As a young woman Opal was creative and agreeable. She never strayed beyond boundaries, work-minded and never asked for more than her father had given her. Home-schooled and church going she would often say about herself: "She was raised properly".
Sorrow befalls her family
It was just short of a decade cultivating wealth and prosperity when her mother fell ill to consumption and passed. The grief over the loss caused irreparable damage to her fathers mental health who became irritable, abusive and incapable to set forth upon necessary improvements to the ranch. He fell a slaved to alcohol and was hard to motivate to choose life. It is during this period her brothers teach her more practical skills like metal working, handling fire arms and hunting. As if the devil played with their outlook on the future the cattle industry irrevocably changed and the young McKinney’s needed to work harder than ever before to keep afloat their livelihood.
It proves hard to keep afloat 4 family members so one day a big chunk of their livestock was driven to market. Opal's brothers were just about strong and healthy enough for their first ever drive to the nearest cowtown, however once reaching the market a conflict unfolds. For unknown reasons it escalates quickly and violently, resulting in the death of both her brothers, one of the bandits and a livestock agent. Days after the bandits decide to come to the McKinney homestead wanting to stake claim to the ranch, it’s surrounding lands and the remaining livestock. Her father John isn't amenable to intimidation and refused collaboration. As a response the bandits cause an unstoppable fire, engulfing the homestead, where Opal is barely able to drag her father out. As a result Opal sustains serious burns to her left arm and left upper body. Her father succumbs to his injuries.
Finding a new home
Now just over twenty two years old, Opal is left marooned and without a family or a home. Warily looking behind her back whilst roaming further south, she occupies all kinds of seasonal work and odd jobs and doesn't stay in one place for long. Living off the land hunting and gathering she finds no difficulties to the simple and cut off way of living. In time she learns the rustlers that burned her childhood home down has it out for the McKinney's, and will live in fear of those people eventually catching up to her as well. Her trust in people reaches an all time low and her life becomes a chaotic response to the winds and forces around her. She uses different names while moving, hoping to let her trail run cold. "Rose", "Willow", "Holly".. they all worked well for her. The scars of scorched tissue remind her of the trauma she endured. She spends almost a decade living in a mist, looking back at the past while barely living in the present.
When she eventually reaches the state of New Alexandria luck starts to turn her way as she finds a home with a gentle and kind widowed man named Foster Cunnings. He's a town constable and a carpenter by trade and much older than her, but she is comfortable at the thought of his experience and particular patience towards her. He shows her the way to discipline, fortitude and confidence. And trust. He doesn't lie to her or cheat her into doing more work than the reward demands. He teaches her the intricacies to carpentry. A few years with him in a small town pass by but the spark never grows into a flame, as he is consumed by grief still and her love for him unfortunately stays unrequited.
Present Life
At first she did not take permanent residence at either Foster's house nor anywhere else, as she has only recently mastered control over her fear of being trapped inside it. Ever since in 1897 she loses Foster, the only person she trusts to support her, she will for the longest time feel an encampment with clear starry skies to sleep in is the safest place to be. A couple of years by while she manages to renovate the run down ranch house in Tumbleweed. Soon after she'll make a tough decision by selling off the property and moving into a St. Denis apartment. In Spring 1902 she finds herself employed by the Department of Prisons. During this time living in the city she doesn't get out much and will mainly keep to her occupational duties and occasionally venturing out to hunt. She lives a private life and close to one and a half year nothing much changes besides solidifying some friendships with colleagues, losing others, and dealing with an infection.
One would call it self-destructive behaviour and one would not be wrong. It is only until the Summer of 1903 she didn't give much thought to ever getting romantically involved again, not showing anyone much of her character, but that changes as she meets Levi Faraday: A dutiful young man she feels she can relate to in many ways. Their easy and uncomplicated relationship help her strive for a more outgoing way of being and slowly overcoming the most recent preceding relationship, both fresh and scarred over. She finds support and self-confidence again. She'll focus on studying medical practises and how to secure her future at the prison. Soon they'll move to a place outside of the city and get married on the 27th of September, 1903. Opal will cautiously start believing in a future with appreciation for her person.
Until winter arrives they'll find themselves mainly occupied by both their jobs. Occupations full of risk, and ones they need to step away from when they decide to plan for a family. It proves to be a tough decision but one that needs to be made, when in December 1903 they set off to travel to San Antonio Texas - back to Levi's parental home - for an undetermined time.
Affiliations
- Senior Watchman & Parole Officer employed by the Department of Prisons
Over a few years she's cultivated some serious relationships but most of the people she had considered close engagements would follow their own paths. She lost two dear friends and a couple leave the state for a better future elsewhere. It leaves her with a severe lack of trust and motivation to invest in new friendships, but lately she has been opening up more and trying. Colleagues, city dwelling folk and whoever she runs into these days will she will meet with an opened hand.
Quotes
“A proper dinner is one of potatoes.”
"I would do anything for cherries."
"I've heard all the excuses for bad behaviour. None of them good ones."
Trivia
Habits & Quirks
She will get nauseous from butter and other fatty products.
Suffers from migraines.
She's a bird lover so is often distracted by every bird she sees (and hears);
.. If she finds one dead she'll taxidermy it.
She is introverted and does not easily take lead in conversations.
Can appear uninterested and detached in big groups.
Notable items
A plain single-action Cattleman revolver, an heirloom of her father's.
Document of land deed to the family homestead.
A diamond engagement ring & silver wedding band.
A chocolate daisy broach.
Used to wear a ring made from a US coin. - Now stowed.
Used to wear a wooden hand carved bear on a necklace, made and gifted by Foster. - Now stowed.
Hopes & fears
Open to build durable relationships but initially held back due to trust issues.
Lawful good and values commitment, fairness and respect for authority above all else.
Intolerant and averse to opioids.
Anxious around fire and urges people to practice caution around them.
Loves & Hates
Hunts for bears as game of choice.
Her dog Chaps.
Crafting and tinkering (taxidermy, jewellery), carpentry.
Likes a good glass of Irish Whiskey but isn't much of a drinker.
Her favorite meals are shepherd's pie, tomato soup and anything with berries or cherries.
Her favorite colour by far is green, beside dark blue, pink and maroon red.Opal Faraday
Information
Status:
Alive - Active
Gender:
Female
Age:
Early thirties
Height:
5'11" (+- 181 cm)
Weight:
148 lbs (67 kg)
Birthdate:
26th February
Birthplace:
West Frisia, The Netherlands
Nationality:
Dutch, Irish - American
Marital Status:
Married to Levi Faraday
Relatives:
None in New Alexandria
Occupation:
Sr. Watchman
Aliases:
Opal Megan McKinney, "Meg", Juanita Alvarez
Faction Affiliations:
Dep. of Prisons