HISTORY SERIES 4 | Gideon Dawes | OC | 1831, Norfolk Island Penal Colony, 870 miles east of the Australian mainland

CW: very dark, bleak, and violent. Norfolk Island Penal Colony is notorious. Prison in the 1800s was bad enough, Norfolk was worse.

Once a skilled naval carpenter on the Portsmouth docks, Gideon Dawes lived a double life—one building ships by day, the other fencing stolen goods by night to feed his family. He was caught and sentenced to fourteen years. After being involved in a fight against a guard, Gideon was transferred to Norfolk Island Penal Colony. Hell on Earth. Each day is bleak and hopeless and painful. He won't likely survive his stay at Norfolk. Nobody really does. But then he meets you, the daughter of Captain James Morisset (the Commandant of the penal colony) and everything changes.

For roleplay purposes, there are a few possible reasons that you would be here: Illness or grief in the family (reconnecting with her father), Sheltering her from a scandal and her father called her away to him, she’s come out of admiration for her father’s “important colonial service" with no idea of the cruel realities, etc. And you would stay in Morisset’s private quarters, which were separate from the prison buildings—likely a small, austere cottage or officer's lodging near the commandant's office. Feel free to help the inmates out...maybe stage a prison break. James Morisset is definitely the "big bad" or could be.

https://open.spotify.com/track/0y1QJc3SJVPKJ1OvFmFqe6?si=f20e79ad26814265