Past, Present, Personality
West Virginia was one of two states formed by the turbulance of the Civil War. Her older sister Virginia joined the confederacy, but West Virginia didn't like the idea and had been wanting to be independent from her sister for a long time, so she seceded from her sister and became her own state.
Because of her German and Scots-Irish heritage, she gets along quite well with her cousins Germany, Scotland, and Ireland. Although, because her sister is quite overbearing, she doesn't like her very much and tends to stay away from her. The two of them are estranged from each other.
Her harsh, extensive winters have made her no stranger to General Winter.
She's rebellious, but goes about her rebellion in a quiet way.
She is talkactive.
Unfortunately, she is one of the poorest states due to her isolation. However, she is also one of the United States leading producers of coal. This is a source of great pride for her.
She enjoys four-wheeling through the mud, fishing (for eels or otherwise), hunting, hiking, and spelunking. Although, she is active in all of these things, she still has a bit of weight problem caused by her inability to afford better quality food. When she cooks, her German heritage really shines through as she enjoys sausage gravy, fried potatoes, and other such dishes derrived from German cuisine
Her water quality is exceptional. She also enjoys drinking moonshine and Mountain Dew, perhaps a bit too much. She can hold almost as much liquor as Russia. Almost. She hides her drinking from America, who does not approve.
She takes massive offense to the words (when directed at her) "redneck", "cannibal", and "inbred" because of untrue negative stereotypes spread by her half-sister California in those popular horror movies and "redneck reality" TV shows.
When she believes in something she is willing to defend that belief with all of her might and will. Despite being small, she is quite the fighter and isn't above fighting dirty. She's also a very hard worker.
Her birthday is April 20, 1863 (though that is debatable, since she actually got her first governer 60 days later, which would then make her an actual state. Or one could take the date that her state constitution was begun in 1862.).
Her isolation has caused her to go a bit insane. It also makes her very hard to contact, which is why she nearly always shows up to meetings late.
Her favorite color is green.
West Virginia is the southern-most northern state. Therefore, she has a unique accent which has led to some comical confusion. Her favorite incident was with UK and her attempt to explain that a "hollow" is not a Harry Potter reference when used at her house. In fact, a "hollow" (West Virginians pronounce it 'holler' or 'holla') is basically a tiny community of people living back in the boonies (to live in the 'boonies' means to live far away from the main road).
She adores mixing chemicals. After WWII, when she could no longer import chemicals from Germany, her great interest in the chemical industry was born. Ever since, she has been sort of like a mad scientist, which sometimes creeps out the rest of the States. Often, she will end up making something explode or light fire to something for no reason other than to entertain herself. Her nickname, given by America, is "Maddie Pyro".
She can also be a bit spooky, especially when telling her favorite ghost stories. She loves going on ghost hunts and will offer to give personal ghost tours to the other States and nations of the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.
Appearance, Landmark-body parts, and human name
Her full human name is Emily Madison Jones, but goes by Maddie or Madison or by her nickname Maddie Pyro. (Emily is a name of German origin meaning industrious or eager, which derrives from her eagerly industrial period. Madison is the most popular name in West Virginia. Jones due to her relationship with America, her adopted "father".)
The top of her head represents her highest point, Spruce Knob. The ridge of her collarbone is Seneca Rocks.
She stands at 5 feet and 1/2 an inch tall. Her hair is short, dark brown and curly with two ahoges. One represents her northern panhandle and sticks straight up in a way similiar to America's, the other one on the right is thicker and is basically similar to N.Italy's curl, but not as curly and more of a fishhook shape, this represents her eastern panhandle (her right ahoge is the E-zone, honhonhonhon). She has green eyes.
Her regular outfit consists of camo cargo pants. She uses the pockets to carry her pocket knife and whistle (she whittled it out of a deer horn), as well as her ever-present bottle of Mt.Dew (or moonshine in an empty Mt.Dew bottle). Her iron belt buckle is enameled with her state flag. The belt buckle was gift from Missouri when she came to his party (St.Louis World's Fair). Her shirt is navy blue with gold lettering stating her motto "Mountaineers Are Always Free".
She is never seen without her pet cardinal Boone perched on her shoulder.