Established Family Backgrounds Examples

Established Family Background Examples

In this thread you will find example EFBs. While these are by no means the maximum (or bare minimum) of what you must include to be approved, these examples will show you what we are generally looking for with each section of the spine as well as an idea of what kind of information should be included. Hopefully, this will be helpful to you in your EFB writing process. Please remember however that these examples are not acceptable to copy or to be reproduced anywhere outside of Magical Hogwarts without the creator's consent!

EFBs sorted by statuses:

Influential - Emerson Rich - O'Driscoll Upper Middle Class - Daskalov Middle Class - Reavley Lower Middle Class - Mac Suibhne Working Class - Wristwith

Winifred Gwartney

Family line Reavley (see family tree)
Heritage: Pureblood
Location: Northumberland, England
Status: Middle Class
Line of Work: Timepiece makers
History:

Based in Northumberland, the Reavleys come from a long line of timepiece makers and are well-known for their magical pocket watches and grandfather clocks. The Reavleys like to boast of a time when the family was both rich and influential in attempts to boost their social status; however, this family has never been anything more than middle class. The Reavleys have also passed down their very disparaging opinions of muggles and as a general principle, most members of this family do not like (or even tolerate) muggles or muggle intrusion. Their pureblood status has been maintained through the constant effort to marry their children into other pureblood families and marriage to a person of a lesser blood is inconceivable.

Family connections: Gwartney, Matherson
Played family members: Brooklyn Matthews (distant cousin)
Non-played family members: William Reavley (father), Wenda Gwartney (mother)
Available for: Family connections, new characters
[contact: Winifred Gwartney]

Dermod Larkin Morfessa, Cliona Morfessa
         
Family line O'Driscoll
Heritage: Pureblood
Location: Ireland
Status: Rich
Line of Work: Import of rare magical items and live creatures; though they have not worked as such for much of the past century

History:  The O'Driscoll family can trace their history back to late mediaeval times, when they began to make their fortune by the trade of various artifacts and beasts, importing anything from Manticore skin to rare food items, depending on what was needed. They quickly gained a reputation both for discretion and the ability to obtain virtually anything their clients required, no question asked. Their only rule was never to tamper with anything that was likely to cause the death of their customers; though in practise that simply translated as "we don't trade basilisk eggs."

By the time the international statute of secrecy was signed in 1689, the family had a good name across Ireland, particularly when it came to importing live specimens and certain hard-to-obtain items such as Graphorn hide and Demiguise pelts. Despite this, there was the growing belief among the muggle community in Southern Ireland that the use of magic was wrong and even evil, so the O'Driscolls had already begun to withdraw onto their own lands and restrict their contact to other wizarding families. At first they welcomed the new law and the protection it seemed to offer, but when it was officially established three years later they realised they had overlooked the vital fact that their activities would have to be much more cautious from now on.

The situation became still more restricted in 1750 with the introduction of clause 73; which effectively meant that their importation of large, live creatures such as Hippogriffs and Winged horses as pets for rich families was a thing of the past, as they could no longer rely on the ministry turning a blind eye to their trading in exchange for a generous annual donation. As a result, the family withdrew still further, on the surface now only trading in what most wizards would term 'ordinary' goods but in reality continuing their business much as before. The only difference is their less legal activities were now restricted to other pureblood families. By now the O'Driscolls had accumulated a decent fortune, certainly more than anyone suspected, due in part to the fact that they had their house elves growing much of the food they consumed on their own lands and were self-sufficient to a large extent.

Around this time there was a family rift, though a fairly amicable one by all accounts. The second son of that generation had a disagreement with his father when it came to his choice of wife; he wanted to marry for love rather than the girl who had been selected for him. This did not please his father, who like the previous patriarchs of their line had selected partners for his other children based on wealth rather than affection. Thankfully the son's choice was also a pureblooded woman, albeit one almost a decade older than himself, so he was not completely disinherited. However since that time the two lines have drifted apart and have rarely interacted, and although the second O'Driscoll line is middle class rather than rich they can still claim each other as relatives, however distant.

Sometime during the nineteenth century the family decided the time had come to withdraw from the outside world entirely. Their interactions with other wizards had dwindled until they were only trading with the oldest pureblood families, and now they decided to break off the remaining contact altogether, living off their accumulated wealth and their homegrown food supplies, not to mention the livestock that was freely available when hexed in the dead of night from the surrounding countryside. The Fidelius charm was performed, hiding the castle from prying eyes, and in time any knowledge that there had once been any building there at all passed into legend. The charm is still in existence, passed down from father to son to the eldest male member of each generation.

By the early twentieth century the remaining members of the original O'Driscoll line were basically living off past wealth, while the family itself had dwindled to half a dozen living descendents. For the previous couple of generations their complete withdrawal from the outside world had resulted in the intermarriage of various cousins, with the result that by the 1920's the only remaining family member of childbearing age was twenty-four year old Riona. Either chance or fate led Aidan Morfessa to be searching the, as he thought, deserted land surrounding the hidden castle where he was quickly drawn in and seduced by none-too subtle magical means. The line could continue, albeit under another name.

Family connections: Morfessa, O'Driscoll
Played Family members: Rhiannon Morfessa; Ivana Karkaroff (daughters/nieces)
Non-played family members: Tegan Mascen (deceased) Riona O'Driscoll (deceased), Aidan Morfessa (deceased)
Available for: possibly new connections
[contact: Dermod Morfessa]

Jonathan Emerson, Katherine Emerson

Family line Emerson
Heritage: Pureblood
Location: Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire, England
Status: Influential
Line of Work: Ministry officials and advisors

History: The Emersons are an old family, able to trace their lineage back to a man named Emar, a Saxon wizard who came from mainland Europe. He had spent his life as mediator among the early Germanic tribes, before traveling to the English Isles to retire in peace. He met a druidess named Brighid, who he’d later marry and have sons. His children would continue his legacy as an advisor to both muggle and wizard communities, using both wand and words to achieve cooperation and peace. Because the magical world had not formally ceded from their muggle brethren, the Emersons took advantage of lending magical assistance to muggle chiefs in exchange for favors or gold, and using their earning to funnel them into magical pockets in order to establish connections and alliances. Their skills as advisers were highly sought after, especially since territorial disputes, clan wars, and other issues were all too common then. While their payment was modest, the sons of Emar exchanged material wealth for key positions and connections. However, their long history has allowed the Emersons to call in enough favors to receive gifts in the forms of valuable plots of land and sizable hoards in precious metals. Thus, by the time of the Norman conquest centuries later, the Emersons had already been established as a large family of politicians, the main branch long settled in Durham, and smaller branches heading off in other parts of Europe as consuls. While their reputation was built with their deals with treaties and laws, their wealth was founded on independent pursuits, often through Muggle enterprises. As the centuries progressed, the Emersons gradually moved further south in England, setting up a manor house in Great Shelford to be nearer to the University of Cambridge and nearer to the London area.

The Emersons had long been a very liberal family and their reputation, for better or worse, was built upon their openness to new ideas. They supported the equality of beasts and beings and were extremely accepting of half-bloods, squibs, muggles, muggle-borns, and so called "half-breeds" more than their more staunch pureblood counterparts. They figured an open relationship meant more opportunities, and also more wealth for exchange. The Emersons chucked the prestigious image of their pureblood heritage for popular appeal, actively establishing themselves as relating to the plight of the common magical folk; that stance bolstered their influence by gaining support of the lower classes and those who would be seen as having "dirty blood." While other families disowned members who did not follow pureblood ideals, the Emersons were the opposite: they severed family ties with anyone who did not believe in equality.

As the centuries went on, the Emersons remained steadfast in their liberal agendas and their active role in helping less privileged communities. They concerned themselves with the growth of the magical community as a whole. They used their connections to hold several seats in the early wizarding councils, wizengamots, and what would later be the Ministry of Magic. The Emersons developed a reputation for being accessible and sympathetic, using their platform to voice the concerns of the populace. Again, the family continually put itself at odds with purebloods who preferred to maintain the status quo. Their liberal policies, while creating powerful enemies, also proved to be a powerful protection. So while not really popular among those who hold traditional pureblood supremacy, they have made strong friendships among those with “impure” blood, which to them is a more desirable position because of their numbers. In the social context, the Emersons keep a minimal presence in the upper strata, attending a few social parties here and there, choosing to exert the bulk of their influence within law making policies, especially when it comes to business deals or social rights.

The Emersons continue to be active players in the Department of Magical Law, with several senior members holding a post in the Wizengamot and the International Confederation of Wizards. The Emersons have family members scattered around western Europe, and their network allows the main family in England to stay up to date with international affairs, which also influence the legislation and reforms they lobby. They also make it a point to make magical law comprehensible to the general community, often giving interviews, conferences, and town meetings so that the lay wizard understands the rights and privileges he wields. The Emersons are also very smart when it comes to putting money into the right pockets. The Emersons often give considerable donations to public services such as St. Mungo's, as well as establishing a start-up fund for small magical entrepreneurs. From time to time they have even served as administrators for St. Mungo and Hogwarts' Board of Governors. While done out of charity, the Emersons know how such acts boost their public image, which they can use to rally popular support for laws that they put out. To finance their political agendas, the Emerson make use of their knowledge and connections of the Muggle world. Unlike most of the magical community, the Emersons are very aware and knowledgeable about Muggle affairs, and their openness to Muggle ways has paid nicely for them. They have invested their modest fortunes into bullish capitalism, reaping very large dividends. While muggle wars and depressions have made the Emerson vaults much shakier than other rich families, the current time has proved to be a very profitable one.


Family connections: Akers » Cowell » Regan
Played family members:: Jonathan Emerson, Katherine Emerson, Etain Regan (cousin), Aeric Regan (cousin), Allie Akers (cousin)
Non-played family members:: Jonathan Wellesley Emerson, Sr., Lorelei Stuart-Emerson
Available for: New characters, new connections, adoptions of NPCs, etc.
[contact: Jonathan Emerson]

[edited 22 October 2010: Changed Direct/Indirect family members to Played/Nonplayed]

Ruari Regan

Family line Mac Suibhne
Heritage: Pureblood
Location: County Wicklow, Ireland
Status: Lower Middle Class
Line of Work: Perfumers, organic chemists
History: The Mac Suibhne family have been creating magical perfumes for just under a century. Based in the mid-east region of Ireland, the headquarters of the family are fairly small. Mainly, the family make the perfume oil concentrate and sell that onto other companies who specialise in perfumery and cosmetics.  The family often receive a brief from a client that outlines the specifics for the perfume required. The family then sets about sourcing the aromatic ingredients and mixing them together until they feel they have reached the sought after scent.  The Mac Suibhne family are also organic chemists. They collect the flowers and magical plants and extract the oils from them. They also research and document how the plant oils react to skin and how well they mix together with other oils.

The family are kept fairly busy by a number of competitors in Eastern Europe, such as the Krylov family. The Mac Suibhne family likes to keep a close eye on what that family does and tries hard to make sure that their products are competitively priced.

Family connections: Regan
Played family members: Ruari Regan, Aeric Regan, Etain Regan, Ciara Regan, Dominic Regan
Non-played family members: Tomas Regan, Eimhear Regan, Clooney Regan, Aideen Mac Suibhne, Donald Mac Suibhne, Alannah Green [nee; Mac Suibhne], Jeffery Green, Orla Green, Bartley Green, Michael Regan, Reginald Regan, Jeremiah Regan, Ashton Regan, Davin Regan
Available for: New connections, adoptions of NPC characters
[contact: Ruari Regan]

Rumjana Kalishnikova, Desislava Daskalova

Family Line Daskalov (see family tree)
Heritage: Halfblood
Location: Dobrich, Bulgaria
Status: Upper Middle Class
Line of Work: Healers & Potion Brewers
History:

The Daskalovs of Dobrich, Bulgaria have long been known as the town healers. Generations ago, if a wizard or witch had a question regarding medicines, healing spells, or restorative potions, a Daskalov was surely the one to ask. Today, they own a very successful healing clinic along with a potions brewing business, specializing in healing potions. In the past ten years, the Daskalovs have also expanded their potions repertoire to offer love potions, household cleaning potions, and other useful potions.

The Daskalovs are a proud family and expect their children to join the family business. No exceptions. Similar to the Kalishnikovs, this family has also been halfblooded for many generations, but still encourage their children into relationships with other purebloods or halfbloods. They take great pride in their Bulgarian heritage and parents often try to play matchmaker for their children with other wizarding families in Dobrich. Coincidentally, many of their matchmaking schemes have actually led to marriages.

Family connections: Kalishnikov
Played family members: Desislava Daskalova (Rumjana's cousin)
Non-played family members: Deyan Daskalov
Available for: Family connections, new characters, adoption of NPCs
[contact: Rumjana Kalishnikova]

Rikki Fowley

Wristwith
Heritage: Pureblood
Location: England
Status: Working Class
Line of Work: Various
History: --

Family connections: Fowley
Played family members: Rikki Fowley
Non-played family members: Alison Fowley [NPC], Jennifer Fowley [NPC], Olivia Fowley [NPC]
Available for: Connections and adoptions
[contact: Sarah Hirst ]