Guffingford/OOC Acknowledgements
I don't think the Guffingford article would be completely without a few OOC acknowledgements. First of all, the landscape in Guffingford - as well as its people are a brutal combination of the pioneers of the American West, and the Afrikaners in South Africa prior to the Boer Wars. Many of my characters bear names that might sound totally different than the persons I based them on, but here I'll present the similarities. Because I'm not a great fan of randomly ripping real life people and putting them down as my own - or Guffingfordian for that matter, this is my own personal (delicate choice). Most of these men are from the American West, with my own touch added to them.
Wild West Guffingford
Loosely based on the American/German explorer and scout Al Sieber. The name's both have the same 'ring' to it, and both first names are shortened. Ed being Edmund and Al being Alfred, FYI. While Al Sieber wasn't a racist, he did treat Indians respectless, same as Ed but in his case they were ex-slaves. The friendship between Ed Rappen and Xaviero Guerra is taken from Wyatt Earp's friendship with Doc Holliday. The photo used for Ed Rappen is Black Bart, a Californian bandit.
One of my favorites. Based on the Mexican legend Pancho Villa, who led a similar life, except Xaviero never served in the army, because I didn't find him the type to do so. Both Xaviero and Pancho are of Spanish decent, and lived during the same time. Xaviero was killed two years earlier than Pancho, who was murdered in 1923. Pancho Villa's photo is used for Xaviero Guerra.
Based on something special in American history: the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. While the Blastersnatch shooting happened more than 30 years later, the setting is quite similar. Though in the O.K Corral no leader died and only 3 were killed by law enforcement, the police started shooting in both The Blastersnatch and the O.K. Corral.
Guffingford's equal of the South African city of Pretoria. Not much to say about it, except the place used to be a native campsite and has been 'taken' by the whites who settled there.
While Jan van Riebeeck discovered Africa, Arnoldus supposedly discovered Guffingford. The same picture for the discoverer has been used, and the discovery of Guffingford happened around the same time the Dutch colonized the Cape.
The Gulden
- Thaler Images
The old coins I put up as "Hanseatic Thalers" are thalers, but not Hanseatic. The bearded guy was Sigismund of Danzig, 16XX. The other's from Transylvania, unknown ruler. At least to me.
- Gold Ducat
The golden ducat is also a Sigismund ducat, minted in 1616.
- Denominations
The banknote and coin denominations are a combination of the pre-WW2 Romanian lei and the pre-WW1 Russian roubles.
- Gulden
The Gulden used to be the Dutch currency until the Euro replaced in 2002. Going further back in history, the Gulden used to be a German and Austrian currency.
