Special Feature Applications

Name: Adam
Character name: Jonathon Grimwise
Feature you are applying for: Hands of Cerrunnos
Application:  Since it is an original ability as opposed to the canon based ones, I will reiterate and amend what I placed in the special features advice thread for the sake of simplicity and ease of reading. Essentially this grants its possessor the ability to not be ‘seen’ as either food or threat by animals; magical and mundane creatures alike tolerate the close proximity of said individual and being vetted by him or her, as if they somehow know that their handler has their welfare foremost in their mind. It would almost certainly work with mundane animals and would work only to a certain extent with magical ones (I.E anyone foolish enough to walk over to a Dragon or Acromantula without giving such creatures the respect they are due and not expect to be attacked, are going to be missing a limb or their lower torso. Innate gifts are one thing, common sense is another). It’s important to note that this isn’t a trainable ability but instead crops up based upon the individuals personality or experiences or, if there is a familial history of dealing with magical creatures, runs through a family bloodline. An interesting quirk of this ability; one has to have the animal’s best interests in mind or the ability will not manifest. It also seems to work better with animals either bred in captivity or have a naturally docile nature. Those who possess this gift have no idea what it is called or if it even exists; it seems to manifest simply as a mixture of natural skill and luck.

With Jonathon being who he is, this ability makes sense for him to possess as the care of creatures both mundane and magical, has been the center-point of his life ever since he started attending Hogwarts as a child. Due to his history and current lifestyle, (which can be seen here and here) his tiny corner of the world revolves around the constant care and understanding of animals and that will never truly change. One could also say that his near obsession filled the void of his forced estrangement with his parents during his years in Hogwarts and that creatures of all kinds have been, and always will be, a major cornerstone of his adult life both personally and professionally.

I feel that the incorporation of this special feature would not only enhance his skill set and knowledge base by allowing him to get up close and personal with creatures that have been commonly dismissed as temperamental and outright hostile in the Wizarding community but also open up more avenues for role-play outside of his usual comfort zone.

Future plots: With two threads currently in progress that revolve around or incorporate the care of Magical creatures, as well as the various offers I have been given by the community to start or participate in threads with those who either share the same interests or need someone of his talents, I feel that this ability will not only help getting the ball rolling, but also open up even more role-play opportunities for an individual of Jonathon’s calibre; any future threads may not revolve around his shop in the strictest sense but will make use of his skill sets (i.e troubles with a rampaging herd, attempting to capture a creature that has been illegally purchased, assisting others in determining just what it was that had just attacked, to simply acting as a guide through the Wylds).  Here is a list of individuals that mentioned an interest in starting threads with this character; Banana Bee, Iron Butterfly, Samm, Bridget, Hanhan, and Katie. The list is by no means complete but I felt that it would be wise to mention a few people who's characters may be involved with mine in the future.
      
RP sample using the feature:

Having been brought in as a special consultant, he traipsed through the halls of St. Mungos with a certain amount of dread Why did it have to be kids, I can handle adults getting hurt when they try something stupid, but kids don’t really know any better. Stopping in front of the Children’s Ward, he waited patiently at the front desk as the Doctor No they are called Healers here, don’t call her a Doctor idiot was informed that he was there as a consultant on the Smithe case.

Appreciating the no nonsense attitude of the Healer as she arrived, he simply took the file that had been presented to him and moved to the offices provided for him. Flipping to the first page, his left hand instinctively reached for his pack of cigarettes They look like simple bite marks, but there are so many that it dismisses a feral pet or rabid animal; rabid animals never travel in packs and there are discrepancies in the marks. The cigarette was already in his lips before he even realized just what it was he had been doing and was regretfully placed back in the pack as he continued to peruse the subject matter “Hmm child’s parents reported him missing for at least three hours before he was found… During a family trip to Wales… Wales…”

Something about that particular snippet in the file grabbed his attention and much like a Blood Hound fresh on the trail, he seemingly ignored the description and images of the injuries as he flipped through the various medical jargon “It’s not here damnit.” Putting the folder under his arm, he stepped out into the hallway “Where are the parents, I need to know where they were in Wales before I can proceed.” Looking at the sputtering Healer-in-Training that had been left to monitor the front desk he just shook his head “I will say this slowly for you so you can understand.” Fighting the urge to pantomime the words with his hands so he would not give offense, he spoke in a deliberately slow voice “I need to see the parents, go get them.” Leaning up against the counter as the attendant scurried off, his right hand was constantly tapping against the polished marble in irritation.

As the parents arrived, a sensible pair dressed in robes that he would never be caught dead in, he had a simple question for them “Where exactly in Wales were you?” No introduction, no words of sympathy, just a single blunt question that drove to the heart of the matter.

Inevitably the husband began to bluster, only to be cut off by his wife’s words “We were taking in the sights at the wizarding portion of Cadair Idris, how does this have anything to do with our son?”

“Everything, there is a reason why the Wizarding community avoids it just before and after Samhain.” Shaking his head at their stupidity, he turned towards his contact “The child encountered the Cŵn Annwn, I need a portkey to the Cadair Idris mountains and I needed it yesterday.” While they weren’t the hounds of legend At least I hope not, I have no predilection to encounter an old God right now, the bite of a Cŵn Annwn was not so much venomous as it was infectious much like the Komodo Dragon in the Muggle world. It required what was essentially an anti-venom, he wasn’t up on the correct terminology as he wasn’t a healer, whose main component was fresh saliva gathered from their maw Trouble is that they are rarely encountered by the main populace except when they are migratory much like they are now, there is very little time left. Waiting for the authorization to go through, he softly cursed under his breath “No time to prepare my gear… I might as well go in naked.” Turning towards the Healer he had been called in by, he gave instruction “I’m not about to tell you your job but the bite marks the child endured are eventually going to fester if they haven’t already, and that infection is going to spread like a snakebite till all life functions cease.” About to comment more on the matter, he was interrupted by the arrival of the portkey “That’s my que.”

Feeling the tell-tale squeezing and vertigo sensation, he thanked any and all Higher Powers that he hadn’t fallen on his arse, before taking in his surroundings “I could see how they would want to come here but why didn’t they open a book first” Shaking his head You’re not here to sight see, attend to the task at hand he simply made his way passed Llyn Mwyngil and up the Minffordd Path. Constantly searching for signs of scat or tracks, he eventually winded his way up along the rim of Craig Cau “This is were they reportedly found the child after the attack, so it stands to reason that…” Pausing in mid-sentence as an eerie howl began to dominate the landscape, he could feel his hackles begin to rise “Well crap.”

For the uneducated, the fact that there was no physical sign of the creatures would have brought some comfort, but Jonathon knew better; they were ambush predators for the most part and if his luck failed, he was going to get ham-stringed and eventually end up being the main course “Okay lets not be too hasty here… I’m not here to hurt any of you but I will put you down in a heartbeat if you try your hand at turning me into Jonathon tartar.” He wasn’t naive or stupid enough to assume they spoke the language, it was the tone one conveyed that was important; by keeping an even voice and using that naturally deep baritone of his, he would hopefully convey that he wasn’t worth the effort And armchair scholars say that we are the apex predator, predator my arse. Watching as what could only be the alpha of the pack emerge a scant ten feet away from him, it was in that split second that he made his decision I need to get a sample but there is no way I’m going to infringe on their personal space… In the end they are Dogs, just not the cute and playful ones… Reaching for one of the stouter branches that had been broken off and strewn across the path, a murmured ‘Engorgio” elongated it to a six foot length “Now let’s all just calm down here beasties…” A crack in the brush to his far right almost made him jump, and if he had it would have been perceived as weakness “I know that they had no right to encroach on your territory and neither do I, but humans make a pretty shoddy food source and that child you attacked is dying.”

Constantly waving the impromptu staff in a slow non-threatening manner on the ground, the brute standing in front of him seemed more intent now on the stick then he did on the wizard at the other end Let’s just hope that the rest of the pack are waiting for some sort of a sign from the alpha first before they decide to jump in and play tug of war with my entrails. Moving the stick closer, he continued using his previous method of speaking “I just need a big strong boy like you to take the stick… That’s it, take the stick.” Bringing it closer and closer, it was a combination of lightning fast reflexes and a healthy dose of fear that caused him to let go just as it was snatched up on the other end. Watching as it was effectively worried into small splinters and chunks on the opposing end, he hoped that he didn’t have to put the animals down “You’re a big strong boy and I’m no match for you… Guess I’ll just find somewhere else to hunt.” Watching as the slobbering beast seemed to huff in satisfaction at asserting its dominance, Jonathon slowly stepped backwards in a show of deference And that’s why people are always getting hurt, they don’t show animals the respect they deserve. Murmuring a soft ‘accio’, the slobbering mess that could have been a rather nice hiking cane sped towards his outreached hand. Not wanting to trespass any further then was necessary upon an already established territory, he simply activated the portkey.

Arriving just outside the doors of St.Mungos, he didn’t bother with social niceties or pleasant conversation as he strode inside with the specimen in his hands and who would blame him? Making his way towards the labs where his contact awaited him, he simply placed the dripping mess onto one of the empty tables “Might want to warn the parents next time to do their research, you can expect my invoice in the next few days.”

[dec]We had a lengthy discussion of this application in admin and have decided to approve this application. However, we do not view anything described in this application as a special ability. As a matter of fact, there seems to be no difference between what this feature allows you to do and what a well-trained non-magical handler could do. Being really good with animals might be a rare gift, but it's not a special ability as far as we are concerned. Generally, things are SF-ed if they can have serious impact on other drivers you thread with. Examples of this would be legillimency or becoming invisible or being a seer. If Jonathon gets on alright with acromantula Mandy doesn't quite feel on the same level especially with the sensible limitations you already added to the feature. In short, approved, not an SF if for any reason want this to be an SF you need to spend more time on explaining how the ability works and what's so unusual about it and less time on the RP sample. We don't need quite as much text to see if something works, but we need to understand the underlying concept.

Cheers, Julie[/dec]

Name: HanHan
Character name: Theophilius Dayton
Feature you are applying for: Precognitive Seer (touch clairvoyant)
Description of the character:
     Personality: Theophilius is very caring and compassionate about everything in his life. He loves adventures and loves anything exciting, fun, and new. He keeps an open mind about life and people. This normally has him make the wrong decision on friends and choices. He feels everybody deserves a chance to prove that they are good, even if they are bad. When he is stressed he bottles it up and hides it with sarcasm. He likes feeling like he is tough even though he really is a squishy little panda bear. He is protective of his family and friends. He will do anything for these people. He is warm and gentle. Theo loves making people feel happy and comfortable. He cares more about other people than himself. He can be very jealous and insecure. This normally messes up any chances of a relationship that he can get. He gets very suspicious of them and thinks they are cheating. Then confronts the person and just makes them think differently of him. Theo feels like he can be better than what he is or even look better and does everything in his power to better himself every day.
     History: In school, Theo was never good at any spells. He did not have a magical bone in his body. When his fifth year came along he was put into Divination and found a talent in that class. He was able to do many of the things in that class. For once he had something that he was good at. This made it easier for school to go faster and made him have a passion. He loves Divination. It was one of the only things he was able to do. He felt like he was a squib even though he does have magic.

He did not discover he was a seer until recently right before the muggle issues. He was visiting his mother in Wales. He handed her a book about bogtails and touched her hand and an image flashed in front of his eyes. It was his mother telling them it was ok with bags in her arms. That was it. Nothing else. He wasn't sure what just happened. He just had a feeling when his mother was telling them that it was ok when it really wasn't. Shortly after that Theo left the house and just didn't know what to tell her. A couple months later his mother left to France and before they left their house in his care she was holding her bags and told him that is was ok. It was just like how his dream was. He was still trying to discover what is going on and why he had the visions. Since his stress went up since his mother went to France he did have any more visions since that incident.

Application:
     Introduction: I was always interested in this Special Feature. I wanted a character based off this Special Feature and how it could affect the life of the character. I made Theophilius around the idea that he never understood why he was never good at magic and why he cared about people so much. I can see him using his gift for good, but he does have the habit of not telling the good from the bad. This special feature will help Theo keep connections and build connections. It will tell him to be careful of the people closer to him and be more aware.  I understand that you cannot just make them see stuff that it involves plots and a lot of time. I will make sure that I get permission from the driver's before I mention the characters but they will be involved in plots with Theo.

These visions that he will get will help him mature. Theo just wants to keep being a kid and adventurous but all the visions he gets he doesn't see himself in and it makes him wonder what his own future is and what lies beyond the visions that he cannot see currently. He already is very insecure about his magical abilities and this would be a gift only he has. This will make himself feel amazing and special. He will actually have something that he can progress and work on. It would be his own little talent. Theo will have to learn to use it for good or bad. He would also have to learn how to control it or even attempt to make it work when he wants it to work.

Theo's gift is involved with touch, so this means that his visions normally comes with he touches skin to skin with a person... only occasionally it involves an object. Person and person contact is what causes his visions and they are normally just flashes of objects or a seen or even words. He does not have a full vision. It could be a flash or a knife and a person he knows, but nothing that shows him what is really going to happen fully. Theophilus will have to use his mind and work through all the signs or just guess at what happens which might even cause even more issues. Theo will just assume something is going to happen and actually be opposite of what he assumed originally.

Future plots: Theo and Artie Bane (Chrissy) are best friends. They have been best friends since school when they started to have a romantic relationship. During Theo's seventh year and Artie's fifth year they were a couple and broke it off when Theo went to school. She had been that one person he wanted to be with. He traveled around the world and she is the only person that keeps his mind on an interest of how she is doing or what is she doing. We are planning to have a plot involving these two and their future. Recently the two begun to see each other more often. She has been helping him relax more and be himself. During this time he has another vision and it is a vision of what her job that she chosen(hit-witch) and he instantly becomes concerned with her life. This causes more issues with the two because he still feels for her but does not want her doing things that will cause her harm or involving someone dying. Theo has to figure out ways to deal with that vision and during this time would have another vision around her that makes him second guess everything. This vision is the future of the two and knows Artie has a future with children in her life and a happy marriage. He is not sure who the father/husband is but wants to do everything in his power to make sure that she does not mess up her happy future. Theo puts her future before his own, even though they are connected in the future together.

There is another plot that I was thinking about doing involving the Daily Prophet. Theo just is discovering that he could see the future of person that he touches. So when he interviews a witch/wizard I would love to have him shake their hands and see their future. He discovers that the story would be useful to the Prophet he would write about it and then wait until it actually happens to get the real scoop faster than everybody else. Basically, Theo will be using his gift to his advantage at work.

Another plot that I would love to do is just Theo consulting other 'known' seers. He would not know what this gift is or even what he should be doing with it. This would bring in his love of Divination and more connections to his life. He would have to learn what to do to control his gift and emotions. He would also learn the good and bad of the gift from that person from their experiences or what they know.
RP sample using the feature:

The sun rose and so did Theophilus Dayton. This man was normally not a morning person but he was going to see her best friend today. They decided that they would spend more time together and today was going to be a day out in the town. The woman he was going to see was the only person that he loved. She was everything to him. He felt that way since they were children and after what happened to his mother she was still the only person that could make him feel like home. Artemis was the only thing that kept him happy for long periods of time or even made him feel good about himself. Most of time Theo felt worthless. He never felt like he was deserving of anybody in his life, but she was one of the people he wished he deserved. Their plans consisted of going out to the lunch and then an art museum. At least she could enjoy the finer things in life like Theophilus. As he dressed he put a grey tee shirt and muggle blue jeans on and just a pair of slip on shoes. Theo never tried to make himself look better than what he is around Artie. She never made a comment on the weird clothes he wore or even if he wore his favorite muggle bands shirts. Maybe it was because they were friends for so long. He was never sure. She was pretty accepting of everything of his but women.

When he was ready he used the floo network to get to the Diagon Alley so that they would meet there. He was not good with many spells so the Floo Network was the easiest way to get around. With a pop and smoke he made it to some random trinket store in Diagon Alley. He was not thinking of this place. His mind was on something else though, so that was probably the reason why the floo powder took him here. The store did have Artemis in the name. A smile formed as he waved to the associate that was working and made his way to the street. He knew where he was going at least and did not take much time to get to the cafe they were meeting at. As soon as Theo seen the woman he was meeting he smiled brightly. "Miss me, Artie Tartie?" He smiled brightly at the woman and went right up behind her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. As soon as he laid his lips on her cheek he was taken somewhere else...

The place he was taken to looked like Knockturn Alley. There were wizards and witches on the street peddling many different objects with dark cloaks and just looked intimating. The area was dark and looked as if there was no moon out tonight. Theo was moving through the area like he was ghost. He could see what was going on but could not speak to anybody. The moment flashed again to another vision. This was in a isolated alley. It was close to some sort of magical watch and jewelry store. A man stood outside the store looking around scared. He was a man about his forties with salt and pepper hair. He had a dark green cloak over his outfit so Theo could not see what he was wearing. Yet his face seemed terrified. In front of him was a woman, she was beautiful but still looked dangerous. As he got closer he realized that woman was Artie. What?! She was holding a knife and instantly he heard a scream and the vision cut out. It was short, but that was enough.

As he snapped back to reality he was standing there in front of Artie like the man was before hand. She did not look dangerous here, but happy and beautiful. Theo instantly moved his arms away from the woman and looked at her deeply. What was this about? He had this happen only once and it was about his mother and was not this long or descriptive. He really did not even want to touch her right now. He was afraid of seeing something else. Theo felt like he was going to puke. "We need to talk." He was more concerned with the vision. He was not sure if it was the man screaming or the woman. He was not sure if she even noticed he disappeared there for a second. She looked as concerned as he did though, so hopefully talking to her brought some answers.


*Thank you Chrissy for letting me mention Artie. <333

[dec]~ approved[/dec]

Name: Bridget
Character name: Parthenia Stremmenos
Feature you are applying for: Precognitive Seer

Description of the character:
Hard to place and even harder to explain, Parthenia is a product of a strange, introverted society, and therefore likes to keep most parts of herself private. She spends a lot of time in her own head, and doesn't really like to branch out much. She's quiet and reserved, and even occasionally unfriendly to people she hasn't met. She keeps her feelings, her thoughts, and her secrets to herself, and she very rarely lets anybody in to see her heart and her inner passions. Used to keeping her private life from many of her peers in fear of rejection, she's horribly secretive, and it takes a lot for her to open up to people, not because she fears getting hurt, but because she's calculated and thinks first and foremost about her own well-being.

Nia is dreamy, thinks a lot, and is always having odd things come out of her mouth. Some people don't really understand the way that her brain works, but she thinks that everything she does and says makes perfect sense. She doesn't really care if people think she's odd, but at the same time, she's completely unaffected by the thoughts and prods of others; She isn't the type to do things for a show either. She's artistic and creative as well, and loves to see the beauty in every day life, even in the simplest of things. An astronomer by trade, she's always got her eyes and her mind in the heavens, and it's definitely evident in her personality. However, at the same time, she's quite dark, and doesn't really exude happy, bright things unless she has a reason to feel that happy.

Sometimes she thinks far too deeply, and sometimes she has too much emotion. Other times, she's as stolid as a stone pillar, and seems emotionless and cold. She has few close friends, and it seems like it's more common for people to like her than for her to like them. When she's comfortable, she's carefree and as loose as a summer breeze. She likes to smile, likes to dance, and loves to enjoy her life. Nia seems like she's always one with nature, loves the night time, and loves to be happy. She's quite traditional in her ways, and she honors most traditions of the Romani people, even though they've rejected her.

She fights committment, and tries her hardest not to get tied down to anything in her life. She doesn't do relationships (or love for that matter, if she can help it), apartment leases, or steady jobs. Often times, she will just get settled in somewhere, and in a moment she'll be gone again. She doesn't seem to have much direction or any long-term or short-term goals. Living day to day seems like the best choice for her in most aspects of her life, and it makes her happy to wonder where she might be in a week, a day, or a year. Wanderlust would be an understatement, and it's all thanks to her family and her upbringing. Traditional schooling was torture for her, and she prefers to learn by living, not by sitting around in a classroom. She was, however, a good student, and tried her hardest to maintain good grades in school. She's really quite intelligent.

It takes a lot to make her feel really sore about anything. Most days she doesn't invest herself enough in anything to get really hurt by anyone. She doesn't really care that she never had a real mother, and she doesn't care about what any boy has ever done to her. She's a free-spirit through and through, indifferent to the choices and actions of others.

Application:
Based on the background I've given her with the Romani's, I think it would be a really great thing, developmentally, for her to have this ability. Although she seems quite self-interested most of the time, and very set in her ways, the ability for her to see the future might enable her to open up to others, or even see a higher purpose in her life. She has severe commitment issues that stem from the way that she was raised, always picking up and moving around, and when she just gets settled, she wants to be on the move again. The way that I picture her, she would be too inexperienced in her clairvoyance to be able to really re-create any perfect situation that caused her to have a vision, and this could very well be because she never lets herself settle down.

Not only would it be good for her future, developmentally, but it would also be quite the nice tie-in for her past. Parthenia was raised by her father in Greece, a Romani muggle. She grew up living in a traveller camp with many other Romani's, and though her witch mother was out of the picture, experienced her fair share of mysticism. The Romani customs incorporate a wide range of spiritual magic, including fortune telling, palmistry, and tarot readings, and so even though she never knew that she was a witch until her letter came, she was still immersed in some type of magic from a young age.

Her father, a "fortune teller" of the fake-sort, would often bring her along for her to help him with his business. He was a good fabricator, and he was popular among other non-travelling muggles in the area they lived. She found that the incense he burned could help bring her to a place where she, herself, was at peace in mind and body, and in some time before her eleventh birthday, she began interrupting her father's readings, telling the clients what she herself thought was going to happen to them. Her father wrote it off as her picking up his old tricks, and although he was proud of her, he never considered it could be any part of her magic that was causing it. At least, not until a client came back and told him that everything that Parthenia had described to her had come true, almost word for word.

Basically, to kind of conclude what I mean, I think that making her a seer will kind of bring her completely together. In my head, she feels like an unfinished puzzle, and with the ability to help others in this way would be very helpful in guiding her into the direction I want her to go. She needs to realize that everything isn't always about her, and this will help her see the pain of others, and experience things she might want to avoid. At the same time, while some visions may be very painful to her, she very well could see them as a growing process, and I think it will help her to fall into her future plots of finally being able to settle in somewhere and allowing herself to accept love and the happiness of others.

Future plots:

Parthenia will find a mentor in Samuel Dickinson, the professor of divination at Hogwarts. She's going to have approached him at the Victory Ball, and he approved and welcomed all of her curiosity and desire to learn. After he becomes ill with the plague that was released at the ball, she gives him a bit to recover rather than hounding him with questions. Since he is now improved in health, he has started talking to her a bit more about her gift. She's going to look at him as a mentor, and will probably try to learn more from him, since I picture her having very little skill, especially when it comes to triggering visions. When she moves to England, she will probably start seeing him more often, since she's very eager to learn from him.

While the initial reason for Parthenia's move to England was to spend more time with her friends, Klara and Anja, she stays in London for a few weeks, checking out Diagon Alley and trying to recreate a vision she has about a man being killed on the sidewalks. Instead, she comes across the man, and follows him to Flourish and Blotts, and then around the store, until he confronts her about it. Through a few strange series of events, the pair click instantly and become friends in a few short hours. Parthenia decides, at this point, that she should stay around him, and begins sleeping at his apartment to monitor him, hoping that, by some good grace, she can prevent him from dying. Not considering the amount of emotion toil she's putting out on the line, she eventually realizes that if she can't stop the vision from happening, she's going to be completely torn in half with guilt and grief. Parthenia will leave him without a word, and go to stay at the Leaky Cauldron. On her way there, she starts feeling a slight hint of Deja Vu, and the vision plays out exactly how she sees it. The men in the pub, Ollivanders, the rain on the bricks. Only, this time she knows exactly where to find him.

Bloodied and dying, Nia finds Benny in the ditch from her vision, and starts screaming for help. She and two men from homes nearby manage to get him to St. Mungos, where he spends the weekend in the hospital recovering from his injuries. Relieved he's not dead, she vows to stay by his side, deciding the worst is over for now, and that she doesn't have much to worry about as far as her heart being broken from grief. Nia will unofficially move in with Benny, who becomes quite attached to her. She will (hopefully) learn to not run from commitments, perhaps acquire a real job, and will have the best friend of her life in Benny.

In school, Nia absolutely despised Absolon Moretti. He was a year above her, horribly cocky, terrible to girls, and she couldn't stand him at all. In her school years, she had a vision which involved her seeing him later on in his life. This will result in her seeking him out when they're graduated, and even though she hated him in school, they might be able to be friends, or at least friendly, at this point. She will also get the opportunity to work with Marine Reinard. She's going to provide her with publicity and hold palm readings/psychic seminars at the museum in Chatoeil, and it will be good for both of them.

In school, Nia was approached occasionally to give palm readings, since it was fairly well known that she was good at them. Twice during her school years, after giving palm readings, she had minor visions about Melusine Musel and Zoé Deveaux. In fact, Zoé was the first person that Nia confided in when she thought that she was able to see the future, and she turned to Zoé somewhat frequently for advice.

Samuel is going to also introduce Parthenia to his relative, Arden Dasher, and they're going to become fairly good friends. They'll help each other with their gift, and then the three of them are going to get together and do little creepy seer pow-wow's and they may do something incredible which we've yet to decide about...

RP sample using the feature:

Her trailer was a mess, covered in dust kicked in from outside off of her father's boots, but Parthenia was seated in the cleanest part of the small home. Surrounded by candles and incense, the young Greek girl was freshly graduated from Beauxbatons, and just returned from a cross-continent adventure all by herself. After saying goodbye to all of her school friends, she had returned home to Greece to say hello to her family for a few days, spent a day with her mom, and then was back off to Italy, Hungary and Germany. The past three months had been exciting and enjoyable, allowing her to spend some time on her own, and just when she got really comfortable in one spot, it was time for her to go again. And now that she was home, back with her father and her Romani family, she thought that maybe it was best to hang around for a bit. Being slightly stationary couldn't hurt anyone, and since she had no serious prospects as far as joining the workforce, she could, perhaps, make a name for herself here instead. Her father had some clients who would probably be delighted to have a reading from his daughter, and perhaps she could scrape up a bit of money so that she could travel to England and visit her friends, Anja and Klara.

However, right now she was solely concerned with a bit of relaxation and meditation. It was an art that she had picked up from a man she was sharing a room in a hostel with in Germany, and even though he didn't speak any language in common with her, they seemed to understand each other quite well. And now she thought of him, alone in her trailer, trying to channel some of the inner peace that he seemed to radiate. Lately, she had felt so incomplete, so anxious. Maybe it was the fact that she was supposed to be back in school by now, and she still wasn't fully accepting of the fact that she was supposed to do something for herself rather than have her day set up in a strict regimen. She couldn't make up her own schedule, so how would she get her life together? She was far better off wandering the country side and doing odd jobs rather than trying to find something steady here. It just seemed much more appealing, even if it wasn't the most responsible choice she was going to make.

She leaned back in the old armchair her father had picked up from Merlin knows where when she was probably in the first few years of her life. Allowing her eyes to flutter closed, she took a deep breath, and then focused on nothing more than her breathing. She stayed this way for what seemed like an eternity, and when she opened her eyes, she was elsewhere...

Rain glistened on the sidewalk, and she was walking forward, even though she knew that she wasn't really. Moving quickly past the open door of a pub, she looked inside and saw four wizards laughing, speaking to each other in British English. It was then that she broke into a run, darting forward, through the crooked alleyways of some brick or cobblestone street. Past the window of a wand shop, Ollivanders, past an ice cream parlor, past a large building that looked much like a bank. She looked around, from side to side, down alleyways and through store windows, but when her eyes laid on the form of a man slumped against the side of a building, she only got close enough to his side to see the unconscious, blood covered side of his face. Her hands fumbled around on his chest, noticing that that, too, was oozing blood. She screamed, the loudest scream that she'd ever heard.

When she opened her eyes again, it felt like her skin was crawling, and so deeply disturbed by what she saw, she curled up into the armchair, unable to stop shaking and wailing into the air of the trailer. Was she here, or was she by the man's side? What was up, and what was down? She'd never had a vision so violent, and she had never been so shaken to her core. Parthenia wrapped her arms around herself, and just as door of the trailer flew open, the candle light blew out beside her. In stormed four men, but all she could see was his face. She shook, her hands rattling around, and when one man picked her up and transported her to the tent of a doctor well trusted by the community, she had already fallen into a troubled slumber.

Name: Bridget
Character name: Parthenia Stremmenos
Feature you are applying for: Precognitive Seer

Description of the character:
Hard to place and even harder to explain, Parthenia is a product of a strange, introverted society, and therefore likes to keep most parts of herself private. She spends a lot of time in her own head, and doesn't really like to branch out much. She's quiet and reserved, and even occasionally unfriendly to people she hasn't met. She keeps her feelings, her thoughts, and her secrets to herself, and she very rarely lets anybody in to see her heart and her inner passions. Used to keeping her private life from many of her peers in fear of rejection, she's horribly secretive, and it takes a lot for her to open up to people, not because she fears getting hurt, but because she's calculated and thinks first and foremost about her own well-being.

Nia is dreamy, thinks a lot, and is always having odd things come out of her mouth. Some people don't really understand the way that her brain works, but she thinks that everything she does and says makes perfect sense. She doesn't really care if people think she's odd, but at the same time, she's completely unaffected by the thoughts and prods of others; She isn't the type to do things for a show either. She's artistic and creative as well, and loves to see the beauty in every day life, even in the simplest of things. An astronomer by trade, she's always got her eyes and her mind in the heavens, and it's definitely evident in her personality. However, at the same time, she's quite dark, and doesn't really exude happy, bright things unless she has a reason to feel that happy.

Sometimes she thinks far too deeply, and sometimes she has too much emotion. Other times, she's as stolid as a stone pillar, and seems emotionless and cold. She has few close friends, and it seems like it's more common for people to like her than for her to like them. When she's comfortable, she's carefree and as loose as a summer breeze. She likes to smile, likes to dance, and loves to enjoy her life. Nia seems like she's always one with nature, loves the night time, and loves to be happy. She's quite traditional in her ways, and she honors most traditions of the Romani people, even though they've rejected her.

She fights committment, and tries her hardest not to get tied down to anything in her life. She doesn't do relationships (or love for that matter, if she can help it), apartment leases, or steady jobs. Often times, she will just get settled in somewhere, and in a moment she'll be gone again. She doesn't seem to have much direction or any long-term or short-term goals. Living day to day seems like the best choice for her in most aspects of her life, and it makes her happy to wonder where she might be in a week, a day, or a year. Wanderlust would be an understatement, and it's all thanks to her family and her upbringing. Traditional schooling was torture for her, and she prefers to learn by living, not by sitting around in a classroom. She was, however, a good student, and tried her hardest to maintain good grades in school. She's really quite intelligent.

It takes a lot to make her feel really sore about anything. Most days she doesn't invest herself enough in anything to get really hurt by anyone. She doesn't really care that she never had a real mother, and she doesn't care about what any boy has ever done to her. She's a free-spirit through and through, indifferent to the choices and actions of others.

Application:
Based on the background I've given her with the Romani's, I think it would be a really great thing, developmentally, for her to have this ability. Although she seems quite self-interested most of the time, and very set in her ways, the ability for her to see the future might enable her to open up to others, or even see a higher purpose in her life. She has severe commitment issues that stem from the way that she was raised, always picking up and moving around, and when she just gets settled, she wants to be on the move again. The way that I picture her, she would be too inexperienced in her clairvoyance to be able to really re-create any perfect situation that caused her to have a vision, and this could very well be because she never lets herself settle down.

Not only would it be good for her future, developmentally, but it would also be quite the nice tie-in for her past. Parthenia was raised by her father in Greece, a Romani muggle. She grew up living in a traveller camp with many other Romani's, and though her witch mother was out of the picture, experienced her fair share of mysticism. The Romani customs incorporate a wide range of spiritual magic, including fortune telling, palmistry, and tarot readings, and so even though she never knew that she was a witch until her letter came, she was still immersed in some type of magic from a young age.

Her father, a "fortune teller" of the fake-sort, would often bring her along for her to help him with his business. He was a good fabricator, and he was popular among other non-travelling muggles in the area they lived. She found that the incense he burned could help bring her to a place where she, herself, was at peace in mind and body, and in some time before her eleventh birthday, she began interrupting her father's readings, telling the clients what she herself thought was going to happen to them. Her father wrote it off as her picking up his old tricks, and although he was proud of her, he never considered it could be any part of her magic that was causing it. At least, not until a client came back and told him that everything that Parthenia had described to her had come true, almost word for word.

Basically, to kind of conclude what I mean, I think that making her a seer will kind of bring her completely together. In my head, she feels like an unfinished puzzle, and with the ability to help others in this way would be very helpful in guiding her into the direction I want her to go. She needs to realize that everything isn't always about her, and this will help her see the pain of others, and experience things she might want to avoid. At the same time, while some visions may be very painful to her, she very well could see them as a growing process, and I think it will help her to fall into her future plots of finally being able to settle in somewhere and allowing herself to accept love and the happiness of others.

Future plots:

Parthenia will find a mentor in Samuel Dickinson, the professor of divination at Hogwarts. She's going to have approached him at the Victory Ball, and he approved and welcomed all of her curiosity and desire to learn. After he becomes ill with the plague that was released at the ball, she gives him a bit to recover rather than hounding him with questions. Since he is now improved in health, he has started talking to her a bit more about her gift. She's going to look at him as a mentor, and will probably try to learn more from him, since I picture her having very little skill, especially when it comes to triggering visions. When she moves to England, she will probably start seeing him more often, since she's very eager to learn from him.

While the initial reason for Parthenia's move to England was to spend more time with her friends, Klara and Anja, she stays in London for a few weeks, checking out Diagon Alley and trying to recreate a vision she has about a man being killed on the sidewalks. Instead, she comes across the man, and follows him to Flourish and Blotts, and then around the store, until he confronts her about it. Through a few strange series of events, the pair click instantly and become friends in a few short hours. Parthenia decides, at this point, that she should stay around him, and begins sleeping at his apartment to monitor him, hoping that, by some good grace, she can prevent him from dying. Not considering the amount of emotion toil she's putting out on the line, she eventually realizes that if she can't stop the vision from happening, she's going to be completely torn in half with guilt and grief. Parthenia will leave him without a word, and go to stay at the Leaky Cauldron. On her way there, she starts feeling a slight hint of Deja Vu, and the vision plays out exactly how she sees it. The men in the pub, Ollivanders, the rain on the bricks. Only, this time she knows exactly where to find him.

Bloodied and dying, Nia finds Benny in the ditch from her vision, and starts screaming for help. She and two men from homes nearby manage to get him to St. Mungos, where he spends the weekend in the hospital recovering from his injuries. Relieved he's not dead, she vows to stay by his side, deciding the worst is over for now, and that she doesn't have much to worry about as far as her heart being broken from grief. Nia will unofficially move in with Benny, who becomes quite attached to her. She will (hopefully) learn to not run from commitments, perhaps acquire a real job, and will have the best friend of her life in Benny.

In school, Nia absolutely despised Absolon Moretti. He was a year above her, horribly cocky, terrible to girls, and she couldn't stand him at all. In her school years, she had a vision which involved her seeing him later on in his life. This will result in her seeking him out when they're graduated, and even though she hated him in school, they might be able to be friends, or at least friendly, at this point. She will also get the opportunity to work with Marine Reinard. She's going to provide her with publicity and hold palm readings/psychic seminars at the museum in Chatoeil, and it will be good for both of them.

In school, Nia was approached occasionally to give palm readings, since it was fairly well known that she was good at them. Twice during her school years, after giving palm readings, she had minor visions about Melusine Musel and Zoé Deveaux. In fact, Zoé was the first person that Nia confided in when she thought that she was able to see the future, and she turned to Zoé somewhat frequently for advice.

Samuel is going to also introduce Parthenia to his relative, Arden Dasher, and they're going to become fairly good friends. They'll help each other with their gift, and then the three of them are going to get together and do little creepy seer pow-wow's and they may do something incredible which we've yet to decide about...

RP sample using the feature:

Her trailer was a mess, covered in dust kicked in from outside off of her father's boots, but Parthenia was seated in the cleanest part of the small home. Surrounded by candles and incense, the young Greek girl was freshly graduated from Beauxbatons, and just returned from a cross-continent adventure all by herself. After saying goodbye to all of her school friends, she had returned home to Greece to say hello to her family for a few days, spent a day with her mom, and then was back off to Italy, Hungary and Germany. The past three months had been exciting and enjoyable, allowing her to spend some time on her own, and just when she got really comfortable in one spot, it was time for her to go again. And now that she was home, back with her father and her Romani family, she thought that maybe it was best to hang around for a bit. Being slightly stationary couldn't hurt anyone, and since she had no serious prospects as far as joining the workforce, she could, perhaps, make a name for herself here instead. Her father had some clients who would probably be delighted to have a reading from his daughter, and perhaps she could scrape up a bit of money so that she could travel to England and visit her friends, Anja and Klara.

However, right now she was solely concerned with a bit of relaxation and meditation. It was an art that she had picked up from a man she was sharing a room in a hostel with in Germany, and even though he didn't speak any language in common with her, they seemed to understand each other quite well. And now she thought of him, alone in her trailer, trying to channel some of the inner peace that he seemed to radiate. Lately, she had felt so incomplete, so anxious. Maybe it was the fact that she was supposed to be back in school by now, and she still wasn't fully accepting of the fact that she was supposed to do something for herself rather than have her day set up in a strict regimen. She couldn't make up her own schedule, so how would she get her life together? She was far better off wandering the country side and doing odd jobs rather than trying to find something steady here. It just seemed much more appealing, even if it wasn't the most responsible choice she was going to make.

She leaned back in the old armchair her father had picked up from Merlin knows where when she was probably in the first few years of her life. Allowing her eyes to flutter closed, she took a deep breath, and then focused on nothing more than her breathing. She stayed this way for what seemed like an eternity, and when she opened her eyes, she was elsewhere...

Rain glistened on the sidewalk, and she was walking forward, even though she knew that she wasn't really. Moving quickly past the open door of a pub, she looked inside and saw four wizards laughing, speaking to each other in British English. It was then that she broke into a run, darting forward, through the crooked alleyways of some brick or cobblestone street. Past the window of a wand shop, Ollivanders, past an ice cream parlor, past a large building that looked much like a bank. She looked around, from side to side, down alleyways and through store windows, but when her eyes laid on the form of a man slumped against the side of a building, she only got close enough to his side to see the unconscious, blood covered side of his face. Her hands fumbled around on his chest, noticing that that, too, was oozing blood. She screamed, the loudest scream that she'd ever heard.

When she opened her eyes again, it felt like her skin was crawling, and so deeply disturbed by what she saw, she curled up into the armchair, unable to stop shaking and wailing into the air of the trailer. Was she here, or was she by the man's side? What was up, and what was down? She'd never had a vision so violent, and she had never been so shaken to her core. Parthenia wrapped her arms around herself, and just as door of the trailer flew open, the candle light blew out beside her. In stormed four men, but all she could see was his face. She shook, her hands rattling around, and when one man picked her up and transported her to the tent of a doctor well trusted by the community, she had already fallen into a troubled slumber.

[jul]approved![/jul]

name: toya
character name: maialen etxegarai
feature you are applying for: 1/2 Siren
description of the character:
Maia is a charmer. She is equipped with a slick since of humor and quick to crack jokes on her self and others. Maia is a hedonist, a lover of pleasure and pleasurable things. She wants to be surrounded by beautiful and shiny new things and chases them in an almost superficial manner, collecting and hoarding baubles. She doesn't believe in 'relationships' in the sense of tying herself down to one person romantically, but has many friendships both platonic and sexual in nature that she cherishes. She is not a selfish friend or lover, in fact she likes to make sure that her partners are happy and well pleased. When she finds something or someone important to her, she will dedicate all of her energy into that object. She is incredibly intelligent. Learning new things excites her.

On the flip side of her charming personality, Maia was born into a society discriminated by other Europeans. As a Roma woman, she's faced outward disdain and outright disrespect. As such, she has learned that one must do everything that she can to survive. If an opportunity to succeed places itself infront of her, she will take it and damn anyone who opposes her. She is vengeful, in combination with being spiteful and wants all involved in WORD HERE her to be destroyed in the most complete way possible. Maia is manipulative, using her voice, body language and looks to con people if not into doing things for her then into ignoring what she's doing. In her opinion, laws are less like rules that need to be followed and more like guidelines. If she doesn't agree with those guidelines, she'll pretend they don't exist and do what she wants to do.

Maia is very self-aware. As a child she was made to who she was was an aberration, that she was a mistake. She learned to hide who she was for the benefit of other people. As she's grown up and matured, the opinions of others have mattered less to her. She is very much herself and she allows no one to change her. If they do, she will swiftly dismiss them from her life.
application:
I've been on MH for a bajillion years, and with all of the dramatic characters that I've had I'd never seen the need to add an SF to any of them. With an assassin, a rock star and a quidditch player, I've had a lot of flash in my line up. I kind of came up with the idea of Maia in a big of an exhausted fugue studying for my finals, and unlike a lot of of delirious ideas, she stuck. She was loud and flamboyant, and wanted to he heard. As I began to write out her sheet, there was something missing. A lot of the reasoning for the thing that she did and the way that she wasn't making sense. As some people know, I've been working on this really hot, really mean Stone Ele that is probably going to take me forever and three years to finish because he wants to be ancient. I was researching some info on him and ran upon the Veela | Siren guide. It began to make sense. So. Yeah.  Here it is.

      History
According to HP canon, Sirens are the warm water ancestors to the cold water Merpeople. The only difference between the two classified beasts are their appearances. Sirens are exceptionally beautiful, complete with an allure comparable to the Veelas. While Sirens have been known by mythology to be half-bird people, stories say that a giant sea serpent saw the Sirens and removed the lower half of their bodies and in desperation to save themselves, the sirens killed nearby dead fish and used their tails for the bottom half of their bodies. To bring this in with previously established MH Siren canon, although Sirens were known to lure their victims from the sea to dash to their deaths upon rocks, the sea is not their primary habitat. Known to live in "meadow starred with flowers", Sirens have the unique ability unlike their cousins to the south to walk upon land, which really helps with that human| siren procreation.

As one of the few Wizarding Roma communities, Maia's people are for the most part sedentary. They have a small village along the coast of Basque that is protected from muggles and wizards alike. The village was founded when Maia's great grandfather Txomin lead the caravan to the coastal area to stay for a few weeks and fish for supplies to last them as they went through the summer. It was during this time, that one of the children swam to deep into the water and was drowning, when a nearby school of siren saved her. When they swam her over to safety, unknowing what to do, Txomin held out a blown glass bauble as a reward. The next thing that he knew was that the bauble was out of his hand and another Siren had a large fish to replace it. This opened up the tradition of his caravan coming to that area many times a year and trading with the Sirens. After the war with Voldemort, tensions were high and every city that the caravan tried to trade in they were run out of. Out of options, they made their way to the coastal area and began to build a permanent settlement. They began to trade more regularly with the sirens, but luckily for them this time, one of the Romani women knew Mermish so they were actively able to communicate with the Sirens. The Romani caravan began to craft charms that protected them from the allure and relationships began to blossom, and Txomin fell in love with one of the Sirens. They had a daughter. That daughter married a Roma man. The son of that marriage, Mikel was caught under the allure of a Siren and from that union came a little redheaded daughter.

     Magic
The most obvious magic that Sirens use are their voices. A coercive and manipulative magic similar to an imperio but stronger, Sirens can beguile, mesmerize, and entrap even the strongest wills within the spells of their voices. They can influence emotions, cause pain and sickness. Unlike Veela, the Sirens' seem to use their powers with their song. Every note, melody and song can be used to control and manipulate. Sirens have an allure that is not an active magic, but a passive one that can make men do strange things to get their attention.

With Maia, most of these attributes will be be muted. As her mother is a full siren, and her father is barely 1/4, She won't be able do some of the things that a full blooded siren can do, but the things she can do will not be as strong. She will have basic Siren-y magic which will be limited to vocalizations that will only work in a consistent basis on the willing, weak-minded and ill. When used on a person of strong will, it will either have no effect or will give that purpose a sense of unease. If the mind is open, Maia may be able to sing someone to sleep, or put them in a trance-like euphoric state. These fugues only last for a few minutes after the song has stopped, allowing Maia to slip to safety. The only thing that will work on an almost 99% accuracy will be her ability to produce an unearthly shriek that causes disorientation and stuns a person. It is like a safety measure so that Maia can escape if she's feeling threatened.

As seen by Fleur in GoF being simply 1/4 Veela and her allure reducing some men to babbling, Maia being 1/2 Siren will have a stronger yet similar affect. It will not be able to be hidden by any force of will. It is a passive constant magic. People respond differently to the allure depending on their personality or their willpower. Fortunately for Maia, her father has learned how to create a charm tied into a jewelry piece that is basically a strong glamour that hides any trace of that allure, giving her the appearance of just a normal human being. Because the Allure is so strong and the charm made out of natural stones and woods, it has to be recreated constantly and can burn out at any given time, causing her Allure to appear suddenly. She can create a more permanent charm for other people that is personally attuned to her that negates the effect of her allure on them. Because one of the main ingredients of the item is a bit of her blood, she has only made a few and only for people she trusts.

Because Maia is still of wizardkin, I feel as if her magic should adapt itself to her Sireness. What that means is that there are some vocalizations that she would have learned to do that are more practical than coercive. Similar to wandless magic, Maia has learned to do basic spells using only her voice. By using short melodies, she will be able to unlock locks not reinforced with magic, a weak spell-canceling incantation, create a small globe of light similar to a lumos spell, and a magic detecting spell that shows if their is active magic on an object or a person, and reveals the type of magic to her in different colours. Each colour has its own meaning that she's learned to decipher and she uses this actively in her career as a curse breaker.

     Limitations
As Maia is partially water beast and partially human, as with all mixed species she is going to have some limitations. She prospers better in tropical humid climates, so when in a dry, arrid climate she has difficulty breathing,  gets light headed and dizzy. She metabolizes liquids faster. What this means is that she gets a stronger affect in a shorter amount of time. If she drinks, she'll get drunk faster. If she consumes a potion, that potion will work faster on her leaving a very limited chance for an antidote in her system. It works the same way with potions, though with Skele-gro especially, it causes more pain because the healing is compacted in a shorter amount of time. She cannot use the floo. As a creature of water, and floo being fire magic, if she were to use the floo, she'd be thrown out of the other end, unconscious and sick. She does have physical characteristics of being a hybrid. On the back of her calves, her lower abdomen, and her lower back there are small patches of of golden scales along her skin. These small areas of skin are physically tougher than her regular skin, but more sensitive to sensation. These scales are prone to dryness and must be moisturized often or it begins to peel quite painfully. Maia can not eat red meat or poultry. Her body doesn't process it correctly, leaving her sick. She eats a diet of fish and vegetables.

future plots: When Maia is sorted, she will be temporarily relocating to London as a curse breaker under contract at Gringotts to help with the influx of work there. She's only been to Great Britain once before, her English is barely conversational but she wants to meet everybody and explore all of the new places while she's there. Being so far from home limits her resources to the tools that suppress her allure so the chances of it going out of control are high.

     Erika Trickett
Erika Trickett is a Curse Breaker and Treasure hunter. While on a dig in Egypt, Erika and Maia will be getting trapped in an Ancient Egyptian tomb. Without a visible way out, and longer able to leave the way they originally planned, they will have to use ingenuity and every talent that they possess to escape.

     Elaine Morgan
When Maia moves to the UK, after a chance meeting, Elaine and Maia will bond over their mutual hatred of the Ministry. After awhile, they will join forces to take over the world and plot the sabotage and the downfall of the Ministry of Magic.

     Gerard Martell | Niko Ramsey
Gerard has been her closest friend since Beauxbatons. As a combination of best friend, sometimes lover, and protector, where Gerard is, Maia would usually be right behind holding his hand, but the UK was never a place that she could follow. Not only has she now been forced to come to London, she'll be by herself. Her first priority will be to find Gerard. As the only non-Traveler to have the amulet that protects him from her direct allure, he will be the only one able to save her when it goes mad in a crowd of people.

     Mateusz Dąbrowski
Mat and Maia have had a rather tempestuous relationship. Ever since he shunned her for a blond girl while she was trying to get an autograph for one of the kids in the caravan, he has become the least favorite player on her favorite team. Every time he comes into town, she is in the front row heckling him, sometimes even with her allure on display, trying to tease him. With his last relationship with a half siren turning out horribly, when they meet face to face in a more private setting, they will clash spectacularly once he finds out what she is. 

     Morrison Thorne
As a foreigner and completely unable to use the Floo Network, one of her first stops will be to the Ministry of Magic Portkey office. With her grasp of English not good enough to communicate with the majority of the office, it is only until Morrison rescues her by people one of the only fluent French speaking person there. With the specificity of the locations of the round trip portkeys, and the special made map, not only do they share interests, but they will start connecting once they found that outside of their professional careers, they both dabble in the illegal.


rp sample using the feature:
This had been a bad idea. This idea had bad written across it in blood red in, lit in lights and with fireworks. Maia's freckled hand pressed the hat closer to her head as she hurried down the narrow hallway. Luckily genetics had proven her friend in this situation, and her 5'2" height allowed her to walk comfortably down the hallway into the tomb. Why was she in a tomb in Egypt? It was ...or it'd had been a simple surveying job. She'd check the ancient wards, make sure they weren't active so that the group of freelance treasure hunters could do the job. It was something she'd did so many times before. Shouldn't have been an issue. Other than the fact that she hated Egypt, and she couldn't stop coughing. Dry weather. She hated it.

Anyways, she'd just finished doing the main room and had been distracted by beauty. God, she'd been beautiful. That gold hair shone out of the corner of her eyes, and from then Maia had been distracted. The other woman had been distracted as well, bending over something and examining it, giving Maia the most glorious view. So when the siren had gone off forewarning of an incoming sandstorm, neither woman heard it because they'd moved further and further into the tomb working silently. Maia would examine and disable any active curses, and the woman would examine the room while Maia scouted ahead. It was a silent peaceful team, and as much as she wanted to break it, there was something disrespectful about speaking in the home of the dead.

When Maia first realized that the chatter of the explorers behind her was gone, she was struck by the overwhelming silence. There was no chatter, no crude laughter from the men following them. Rising slowly, Maia grasped her skirts and back from whence they came. She could see the sand, whipping around and she sighed. As she was about to speak to her companion and let her know what was going on she heard a click. The sound was so deafening in the silence, and when a stone slabs began to slide down and closed them in the tomb, it was like an omen. A stupid, horrible, now they were trapped in a tomb omen.

As she turned, she began to whistle. A series of low melodic notes left her lips and slowly everything in the room began to glow. Some of the items were white, which was safe. Those were passive spells. Some were green which were active but benign spells. What concerned her was the poisonous red glow coming from the impressed section of the ground. A brown knapsack sat on the square earth. She cleared her throat, trying to get the other woman's attention like the slamming of the doors wasn't enough. She began to speak, before stopping abruptly as she realized that she'd said everything in Calo. Sighing, she ran her hand over her face. She hated English.

"Your bag closed the door. Don't move. It will make us..." Her hands moved in a circular motion trying to find the word. "It...will make us stuck? Is that the word? We cannot go that way..."

name: toya
character name: maialen etxegarai
feature you are applying for: 1/2 Siren
description of the character:
Maia is a charmer. She is equipped with a slick since of humor and quick to crack jokes on her self and others. Maia is a hedonist, a lover of pleasure and pleasurable things. She wants to be surrounded by beautiful and shiny new things and chases them in an almost superficial manner, collecting and hoarding baubles. She doesn't believe in 'relationships' in the sense of tying herself down to one person romantically, but has many friendships both platonic and sexual in nature that she cherishes. She is not a selfish friend or lover, in fact she likes to make sure that her partners are happy and well pleased. When she finds something or someone important to her, she will dedicate all of her energy into that object. She is incredibly intelligent. Learning new things excites her.

On the flip side of her charming personality, Maia was born into a society discriminated by other Europeans. As a Roma woman, she's faced outward disdain and outright disrespect. As such, she has learned that one must do everything that she can to survive. If an opportunity to succeed places itself infront of her, she will take it and damn anyone who opposes her. She is vengeful, in combination with being spiteful and wants all involved in WORD HERE her to be destroyed in the most complete way possible. Maia is manipulative, using her voice, body language and looks to con people if not into doing things for her then into ignoring what she's doing. In her opinion, laws are less like rules that need to be followed and more like guidelines. If she doesn't agree with those guidelines, she'll pretend they don't exist and do what she wants to do.

Maia is very self-aware. As a child she was made to who she was was an aberration, that she was a mistake. She learned to hide who she was for the benefit of other people. As she's grown up and matured, the opinions of others have mattered less to her. She is very much herself and she allows no one to change her. If they do, she will swiftly dismiss them from her life.
application:
I've been on MH for a bajillion years, and with all of the dramatic characters that I've had I'd never seen the need to add an SF to any of them. With an assassin, a rock star and a quidditch player, I've had a lot of flash in my line up. I kind of came up with the idea of Maia in a big of an exhausted fugue studying for my finals, and unlike a lot of of delirious ideas, she stuck. She was loud and flamboyant, and wanted to he heard. As I began to write out her sheet, there was something missing. A lot of the reasoning for the thing that she did and the way that she wasn't making sense. As some people know, I've been working on this really hot, really mean Stone Ele that is probably going to take me forever and three years to finish because he wants to be ancient. I was researching some info on him and ran upon the Veela | Siren guide. It began to make sense. So. Yeah.  Here it is.

      History
According to HP canon, Sirens are the warm water ancestors to the cold water Merpeople. The only difference between the two classified beasts are their appearances. Sirens are exceptionally beautiful, complete with an allure comparable to the Veelas. While Sirens have been known by mythology to be half-bird people, stories say that a giant sea serpent saw the Sirens and removed the lower half of their bodies and in desperation to save themselves, the sirens killed nearby dead fish and used their tails for the bottom half of their bodies. To bring this in with previously established MH Siren canon, although Sirens were known to lure their victims from the sea to dash to their deaths upon rocks, the sea is not their primary habitat. Known to live in "meadow starred with flowers", Sirens have the unique ability unlike their cousins to the south to walk upon land, which really helps with that human| siren procreation.

As one of the few Wizarding Roma communities, Maia's people are for the most part sedentary. They have a small village along the coast of Basque that is protected from muggles and wizards alike. The village was founded when Maia's great grandfather Txomin lead the caravan to the coastal area to stay for a few weeks and fish for supplies to last them as they went through the summer. It was during this time, that one of the children swam to deep into the water and was drowning, when a nearby school of siren saved her. When they swam her over to safety, unknowing what to do, Txomin held out a blown glass bauble as a reward. The next thing that he knew was that the bauble was out of his hand and another Siren had a large fish to replace it. This opened up the tradition of his caravan coming to that area many times a year and trading with the Sirens. After the war with Voldemort, tensions were high and every city that the caravan tried to trade in they were run out of. Out of options, they made their way to the coastal area and began to build a permanent settlement. They began to trade more regularly with the sirens, but luckily for them this time, one of the Romani women knew Mermish so they were actively able to communicate with the Sirens. The Romani caravan began to craft charms that protected them from the allure and relationships began to blossom, and Txomin fell in love with one of the Sirens. They had a daughter. That daughter married a Roma man. The son of that marriage, Mikel was caught under the allure of a Siren and from that union came a little redheaded daughter.

     Magic
The most obvious magic that Sirens use are their voices. A coercive and manipulative magic similar to an imperio but stronger, Sirens can beguile, mesmerize, and entrap even the strongest wills within the spells of their voices. They can influence emotions, cause pain and sickness. Unlike Veela, the Sirens' seem to use their powers with their song. Every note, melody and song can be used to control and manipulate. Sirens have an allure that is not an active magic, but a passive one that can make men do strange things to get their attention.

With Maia, most of these attributes will be be muted. As her mother is a full siren, and her father is barely 1/4, She won't be able do some of the things that a full blooded siren can do, but the things she can do will not be as strong. She will have basic Siren-y magic which will be limited to vocalizations that will only work in a consistent basis on the willing, weak-minded and ill. When used on a person of strong will, it will either have no effect or will give that purpose a sense of unease. If the mind is open, Maia may be able to sing someone to sleep, or put them in a trance-like euphoric state. These fugues only last for a few minutes after the song has stopped, allowing Maia to slip to safety. The only thing that will work on an almost 99% accuracy will be her ability to produce an unearthly shriek that causes disorientation and stuns a person. It is like a safety measure so that Maia can escape if she's feeling threatened.

As seen by Fleur in GoF being simply 1/4 Veela and her allure reducing some men to babbling, Maia being 1/2 Siren will have a stronger yet similar affect. It will not be able to be hidden by any force of will. It is a passive constant magic. People respond differently to the allure depending on their personality or their willpower. Fortunately for Maia, her father has learned how to create a charm tied into a jewelry piece that is basically a strong glamour that hides any trace of that allure, giving her the appearance of just a normal human being. Because the Allure is so strong and the charm made out of natural stones and woods, it has to be recreated constantly and can burn out at any given time, causing her Allure to appear suddenly. She can create a more permanent charm for other people that is personally attuned to her that negates the effect of her allure on them. Because one of the main ingredients of the item is a bit of her blood, she has only made a few and only for people she trusts.

Because Maia is still of wizardkin, I feel as if her magic should adapt itself to her Sireness. What that means is that there are some vocalizations that she would have learned to do that are more practical than coercive. Similar to wandless magic, Maia has learned to do basic spells using only her voice. By using short melodies, she will be able to unlock locks not reinforced with magic, a weak spell-canceling incantation, create a small globe of light similar to a lumos spell, and a magic detecting spell that shows if their is active magic on an object or a person, and reveals the type of magic to her in different colours. Each colour has its own meaning that she's learned to decipher and she uses this actively in her career as a curse breaker.

     Limitations
As Maia is partially water beast and partially human, as with all mixed species she is going to have some limitations. She prospers better in tropical humid climates, so when in a dry, arrid climate she has difficulty breathing,  gets light headed and dizzy. She metabolizes liquids faster. What this means is that she gets a stronger affect in a shorter amount of time. If she drinks, she'll get drunk faster. If she consumes a potion, that potion will work faster on her leaving a very limited chance for an antidote in her system. It works the same way with potions, though with Skele-gro especially, it causes more pain because the healing is compacted in a shorter amount of time. She cannot use the floo. As a creature of water, and floo being fire magic, if she were to use the floo, she'd be thrown out of the other end, unconscious and sick. She does have physical characteristics of being a hybrid. On the back of her calves, her lower abdomen, and her lower back there are small patches of of golden scales along her skin. These small areas of skin are physically tougher than her regular skin, but more sensitive to sensation. These scales are prone to dryness and must be moisturized often or it begins to peel quite painfully. Maia can not eat red meat or poultry. Her body doesn't process it correctly, leaving her sick. She eats a diet of fish and vegetables.

future plots: When Maia is sorted, she will be temporarily relocating to London as a curse breaker under contract at Gringotts to help with the influx of work there. She's only been to Great Britain once before, her English is barely conversational but she wants to meet everybody and explore all of the new places while she's there. Being so far from home limits her resources to the tools that suppress her allure so the chances of it going out of control are high.

     Erika Trickett
Erika Trickett is a Curse Breaker and Treasure hunter. While on a dig in Egypt, Erika and Maia will be getting trapped in an Ancient Egyptian tomb. Without a visible way out, and longer able to leave the way they originally planned, they will have to use ingenuity and every talent that they possess to escape.

     Elaine Morgan
When Maia moves to the UK, after a chance meeting, Elaine and Maia will bond over their mutual hatred of the Ministry. After awhile, they will join forces to take over the world and plot the sabotage and the downfall of the Ministry of Magic.

     Gerard Martell | Niko Ramsey
Gerard has been her closest friend since Beauxbatons. As a combination of best friend, sometimes lover, and protector, where Gerard is, Maia would usually be right behind holding his hand, but the UK was never a place that she could follow. Not only has she now been forced to come to London, she'll be by herself. Her first priority will be to find Gerard. As the only non-Traveler to have the amulet that protects him from her direct allure, he will be the only one able to save her when it goes mad in a crowd of people.

     Mateusz Dąbrowski
Mat and Maia have had a rather tempestuous relationship. Ever since he shunned her for a blond girl while she was trying to get an autograph for one of the kids in the caravan, he has become the least favorite player on her favorite team. Every time he comes into town, she is in the front row heckling him, sometimes even with her allure on display, trying to tease him. With his last relationship with a half siren turning out horribly, when they meet face to face in a more private setting, they will clash spectacularly once he finds out what she is. 

     Morrison Thorne
As a foreigner and completely unable to use the Floo Network, one of her first stops will be to the Ministry of Magic Portkey office. With her grasp of English not good enough to communicate with the majority of the office, it is only until Morrison rescues her by people one of the only fluent French speaking person there. With the specificity of the locations of the round trip portkeys, and the special made map, not only do they share interests, but they will start connecting once they found that outside of their professional careers, they both dabble in the illegal.


rp sample using the feature:
This had been a bad idea. This idea had bad written across it in blood red in, lit in lights and with fireworks. Maia's freckled hand pressed the hat closer to her head as she hurried down the narrow hallway. Luckily genetics had proven her friend in this situation, and her 5'2" height allowed her to walk comfortably down the hallway into the tomb. Why was she in a tomb in Egypt? It was ...or it'd had been a simple surveying job. She'd check the ancient wards, make sure they weren't active so that the group of freelance treasure hunters could do the job. It was something she'd did so many times before. Shouldn't have been an issue. Other than the fact that she hated Egypt, and she couldn't stop coughing. Dry weather. She hated it.

Anyways, she'd just finished doing the main room and had been distracted by beauty. God, she'd been beautiful. That gold hair shone out of the corner of her eyes, and from then Maia had been distracted. The other woman had been distracted as well, bending over something and examining it, giving Maia the most glorious view. So when the siren had gone off forewarning of an incoming sandstorm, neither woman heard it because they'd moved further and further into the tomb working silently. Maia would examine and disable any active curses, and the woman would examine the room while Maia scouted ahead. It was a silent peaceful team, and as much as she wanted to break it, there was something disrespectful about speaking in the home of the dead.

When Maia first realized that the chatter of the explorers behind her was gone, she was struck by the overwhelming silence. There was no chatter, no crude laughter from the men following them. Rising slowly, Maia grasped her skirts and back from whence they came. She could see the sand, whipping around and she sighed. As she was about to speak to her companion and let her know what was going on she heard a click. The sound was so deafening in the silence, and when a stone slabs began to slide down and closed them in the tomb, it was like an omen. A stupid, horrible, now they were trapped in a tomb omen.

As she turned, she began to whistle. A series of low melodic notes left her lips and slowly everything in the room began to glow. Some of the items were white, which was safe. Those were passive spells. Some were green which were active but benign spells. What concerned her was the poisonous red glow coming from the impressed section of the ground. A brown knapsack sat on the square earth. She cleared her throat, trying to get the other woman's attention like the slamming of the doors wasn't enough. She began to speak, before stopping abruptly as she realized that she'd said everything in Calo. Sighing, she ran her hand over her face. She hated English.

"Your bag closed the door. Don't move. It will make us..." Her hands moved in a circular motion trying to find the word. "It...will make us stuck? Is that the word? We cannot go that way..."

[sav]~ Approved!

Name: Juliet
Character name: Conall Regan
Feature you are applying for: Unregistered Animagus ~ Canis Lupus

“A man might befriend a wolf, even break a wolf,
but no man could truly tame a wolf.”

conall and animagi

When I originally created Conall I never once thought about giving him a Special Feature. However, as I started to play him out more IC I began to realize that he really embodies the essence of the rugged wolf. Which amuses me as his name means strong wolf. Which is a name I hadn't picked because he is an adoption from Toya. At first the wolf was just going to be his patronus, as I always like to think of what animal my characters embodies to accurately portray their patronus during battles, or whenever the need arises in threads. However, as I continued to play him I realized that he actually even acts like the wolf in the way he interacts around others. So this is why the concept of making him an animagus came about.

The reason why I went for a wolf and not it's cousin the dog, is because dogs do not display the characteristically sharp intelligence and aggression that wolves do. They are more emotional creatures and sensitive to the feelings of others, causing them to play a more subdued role. Dogs love to please, where Conall can be ruthless and would rather not please others just so they can be happy. He doesn't care if others hate him and will never beg to get someone's opinion of him change. He puts himself first before others, especially those he is indifferent to, and often doesn't show any concern towards them. With a few exceptions. While he does remain loyal to friends and family and understands the chain of command, Conall is more stronger and aggressive and will not submit to those if he thinks he is right. Which is why a wolf animagus is a better fit for him.

You're probably wondering...why a wolf animagus special feature and not a werewolf special feature. Well the answer to me was pretty simple. One must be bitten to become a Werewolf, it is an affliction that one doesn't want. Where being an animagus is a learned skill that the wizard must practice at in order to be successful. If Conall were to be bitten, his whole personality would change. Whereas if he is an wolf animagus, his personality would stay exactly the same and it would be truer to character. None of his history would have to be reworked, as I plan for his interest and practice sessions to all happen IC. In fact I have already begun putting his interest in reading up on animagus into his threads. Even if he isn't approved, it is just a subtle thing that he could read for entertainment rather then learning.

While Transfiguration isn't listed as Conall's best subject in his sheet, he is very good at wand work and therefore he would have the skills to perform a transformation. He's ambitious enough and determined to achieve such a difficult task, and I have always seen him having high marks in Transfiguration as a result. With the help of the current Transfiguration Professor, Conall will be working hard at studying and performing the spells necessary to complete his transformation. I plan for him to have a lot of half transformations before he successfully transforms near the end of his final school year. As it would make more sense IC for him to take almost a full school term to be successful, given that his stronger point is Potions. With the help of the Professor, and maybe a friend or two along the way, combined with his ambition and desire he will be successful at becoming an animagus.

the wolf

The majestic gray wolf--a skillful predator, nurturing family member; is the perfect representation of Conall. It is also the most widely distributed of all land mammals, and while it would be uncommon for a muggle or wizard to run into a gray wolf if they were out in the urban area, many often mistake a wolf for a husk. Especially if the wolf has blue eyes, as it's not a common color for them. While it'll be more difficult for him to hide his form in the city, Conall will only be using it when he's doing illegal things. As I plan for him to be a Dark Wizard. Like Conall, the wolf has never had a neutral relationship with humanity (in his case his peers). The wolf has either been hated, despised, and persecuted or revered, respected, and protected. This goes well into what is happening to Conall with other played characters, has some hate or despise him while others respect and protect him. The wolf is hatred and fear, which has fueled the elimination of the creatures. These false generalizations are also true with Conall, as some might often hate him because of what he says or does. Not that no one wants to eliminate him (although maybe one or two do xD). In reality, the wolf and Conall are elusive creatures who keep to themselves. I have often described Conall as brooding, quietly thinking to himself as he makes his move.

The wolf, like Conall, is a loyal creature that is strong and aggressive when those they love are in danger. He sticks up for his friends and family, protecting them at whatever costs. Family, like a wolf in a pack, comes first to Conall. He loves them and greets them with affection, whether it be by physical affection or a friendly greeting. Like in a pack, Conall knows his place and won't speak out to those that are "above" him. Having a nonviolent nature, Conall doesn't believe fighting is the answer. However, like a wolf, Conall will become aggressive under certain circumstances. Such as protecting his family and friends that are close to him, and when coming across someone who he feels is threatening what is rightfully his. As he'll fight for what he believes in and he'll defend himself and others. It's the only fight he won't back down from, as he feels protecting those he cares about is the right thing to do. When others are fighting, Conall will be the one to pull the aggressor off the attacker in order to stop the fight from continuing.

The wolf is an expressive creature, using body language and emotional expressions to communicate to others. While a wolf may growl, Conall will glare (and sometimes he does growl in frustration) and raise his voice at someone if he is angry. He only shows signs of aggression towards other when it's necessary. When he loves someone he will show them affection through hugs, kisses, or cuddling up with them. Much like an wolf does by licking or nuzzling up to their mate. The wolf's strongest personality trait is its capacity for making emotional attachments to other individuals. Conall is the same way, as he becomes passionate about those he cares about. He will protect them to the ends of the Earth if necessary, no matter what it takes. This loyalty he has towards his friends and family also fits into the wolf's personality, as they stay true to their pack till death. Often times Conall views his friends the same way, they are his "pack" and he will never leave them.

Like Conall, wolves are intensely ambitious and never shy from hard work. This reflects in his personality by the House he was sorted in, as Conall is ambitious in getting what he wants. Once he sets his mind to it, he will never divert from his goal until he has obtained it. However, he will know when to step back when the going gets too tough. Much like a wolf will when the fight is too much for them to go at it alone. Even though Conall shows indifference towards people, he does show love and affection to those he knows and cares about. He'll cuddle up with his girl friends on the couch, give his guy friends brotherly hugs, and show his softer side to them. He hates being alone, and would rather surround himself by others than live a life of solitude. The last personality trait that the wolf and Conall share is their strong communication instincts. Conall feels that it is important to talk about things in a relationship or with other people. He is quiet when he feels there is no need to talk, and he will give his thoughts when he feels it is important.

Distinctive Marking

A mature wolf's eyes are often amber, brown, or gold, but also commonly come in hues of brown, gray, yellow, and green - Conall retains his striking blue eyes while in wolf form. This is the only distinctive mark as a true wolf will never have blue eyes. This also can help in his disguise as some could mistake him for a large Husky type dog instead of a Gray Wolf.

The first and most important plot is one that I have with Bridget's character Bronte Barrett-Awning . Bronte will be Conall's teacher and guide him through the process of becoming an Animagus. While she didn't become one personally, she knows where and how to point him in the right direction. This one on one private studying is one of the main reasons that Conall will be successful at transforming into his Animagus form. Once Conall gets closer to transforming, he's going to pretend he has lost interest and inform Bronte, as she will be encouraging him to register where he would rather go by undetected even by the Ministry. Without Bronte, or any Transfiguration Professor to help him, Conall would be unable to transform as he's more adept at Potions. Which is why I feel that this plot of the teacher helping the student is the most vital.

The second large plot I have is with Dylan's character Lorin Odell. While this plot mainly focuses on if Lorin gets her Animagus feature approved, Dylan and I have discussed the possibility of other plot ideas if she doesn't get her feature.

I will first talk about the plots on whether Lorin is approved. Dylan plans for Lorin to already be successful in her transformation as a cat when Conall even gets to his half transformations. While Conall is studying in the library he will be stuck in one of his partial transformations. This one in particular will be a wolf tail still sticking out, so he tries to hide it by putting himself in the dark corner of the library. There, kitty Lorin will find the tail and start playing with it. At this time Conall has no idea that Lorin is a cat, and the cat is her, and he tries to kick the cat away and is aggravated nothing works. Not even snarling. Eventually he'll give up and let the cat start hanging around him.

This will cause Lorin to start hanging around Conall more in her cat form. Especially once she stalks him. Another plot is one that pertains to cat Lorin laying next to Conall in the boys dorm, and when he wakes up it's Lorin not a cat. Which surprises him. Eventually Conall will figure out that Lorin is a cat, as the cat is only around when his good friend isn't, and Lorin seems to know things about him that she shouldn't know. So he decides to start studying the cat and will capture her one day, forcing her to shift back. Thus learning that the cat is Lorin and Lorin is an Animagus.

One of the most fundamental relationships Conall has is with his best mate Cabhan Daley. They are like brothers more so than friends, and so Conall feels a very strong tie to the younger boy. With everything that has been going on with Cab lately, Conall feels like he has to closely watch his best mate. Which is another reason he has taken an interest in Animagus, to protect those he feels needs it. Of course he doesn't know what his Animagus form will be, but he doesn't believe it'll be something small and puny. When he finds out he is a wolf, it makes him that much determined to protect his friends. When he finally transforms fully, Conall will be keeping an eye on Cabhan since the two live next to each other. Since in my head I see Conall finally mastering the transformation near the end of the year of this school term, the plot with Cab won't start until Summer playtime. Conall will save Cabhan from his parents, who had sent someone to kill him because of his sexuality. Of course Conall won't kill the person, but he will scare him off and still keep an watchful eye for Cab. This is where his best mates finds out about Conall being an Animagus, as the blue eyes will give him away. So in a way Conall makes himself become Cabhan personal attack/guard dog, as he won't stop watching out for his friend until he feels Cab is safe.

The last major plot for Conall is with Lowri's character Angharad Hughes, who is a Werewolf. Both Conall and Angharad are seventh years, and so they know of each other. Once Conall has transformed, but is still working on maintaing his form for long periods of times, he will practice being a wolf in the Forbidden Forest. It is there during a full moon (which he doesn't think nothing of at the time) he sees a Werewolf running around. Against his better judgement, he follows said Werewolf to figure out if he knows the person. But Angharad discovers him as he's still new to his animal form and feels awkward in it still, and begins to fight him. The full blown wolf fight becomes quite serious, given that wolves are territorial both of their animal instincts kick in, and they both end up with injuries that aren't fatal but serious enough to cause harm. They don't realize they had fought each other until they run across one another at school, and put two and two together when they see the wounds. Lowri and I plan to play out their suspicions with one another and figure out who the other one is. Which can lead to them both being friendly with each other or be enemies.

This plot I feel is the most interesting, as so many different possibilities could result from it. Plus the fact that it's Werewolf vs Animagus in both wolf forms. The interactions would be intense and quite important IC to Conall, as it'll help him realize more about the wolf side of him.

I have also discussed plot ideas with Bridget and her character Tess Gorman, which involves partial transformation mishaps where Tess discovers what Conall is working on becoming because she sees either a fluffy tail or wolf ears. However, he might tell her that he gave up in order to keep his Animagus form a secret. As he wants to be an unregistered Animagus. This could change IC and I don't want to plan too much out on it as it all depends on how things unfold. Another person I've discussed a plot idea with is Sioban and her character Eloise Tessier, who is also an Animagus. Sometime in the future Eloise and Conall will have a run in while in their Animagus form. Given that Eloise is a bunny, Conall will immediately test out his wolf sense and start chasing the bunny. Not even realizing that the bunny is an Animagus. Of course he doesn't want to eat the bunny...but during the chase they will both find out that the other is an Animagus. This is because per Canon Animagus can communicate with other animals and gather information.

I have also talked to Toya who plays Conall's brother Murphy Regan. Once she is done making Murphy he will be working a nighttime job at Hogwarts as a Mediwizard. Because Conall is still practicing transforming, he'll be stuck in some half transformations quite a few times, and so he'll need his brother to fix him. This will allow Murphy and Conall to have a closer bond, as they actually get along instead of having a strained relationship. Which is important for Conall's character development further down the road, as he'll need his brother to help him get through some things.

There are also many other opportunities for more plots down the road should Conall's SF be approved.

It was time.

Slipping out of his bed and putting on his robes, Conall quietly walked out of his dorm room and towards the Common Room entrance. Pausing at the door that housed the sixth year boys, the young man thought about waking Cabhan up to show him....no. He must do this alone. He had worked so hard to get to this moment that to fail in front of his best friend would hurt his pride. Even if Cab had seen him at his worst. Putting his callous hand on the door, Conall moved off towards the grounds of Hogwarts. For months he had been practicing transforming into his Animagus form. He still wasn't sure what it was...some type of dog? Maybe a wolf or fox? It was difficult to tell when he only got a tail, ears, or fangs at one time. But soon he would know, because Conall was sure this time he would fully transform into whatever animal he is.

Stepping out onto the grounds, Conall looked up briefly at the midnight sky. It was clear, and the stars were dotted across the horizon with a half moon the brightest light of the night. For a moment he stood there looking up, brooding over everything that has happened in his final year at Hogwarts. There were a lot of ups and downs, and at one point he almost lost his life and lost his best friend. Yet everything came together in the end. Now he was about to embark on his last journey to empowering himself with the skills necessary to live outside of Hogwarts.

The ability to conceal and transform himself.

That was the ultimate goal when he took up his Animagus studies, as he needed...no wanted so desperately to be able to move about without anyone knowing it was him. Taking a deep breath, Conall put his sights onto the Forbidden Forest as he moved ahead. It was the one place he found he could practice without others bothering him. Stepping into the forest, Conall took off his robes and cracked his knuckles. His mind worked on everything he had been working on, the spells and the steps he needed to take to make this successful. Closing his eyes, Conall breathed in deeply before he began.

Bones cracked and his head bent down in agony before he sprang his head up and fangs replaced human teeth. A loud growl escaped his lips as his arms reached out to the side as far as they could go. His nails became claws, his hands large paws, and he fell onto his knees as fur grew over his body. The pain finally subsided when he stood on all fours at a large four feet tall. His head tilted back as he let out a spine-tingling howl. The sound echoed across the forest, and Conall heard an Owl hoot in response some five feet away. He could smell the decaying body of some small creature...rabbit maybe. He wasn't sure as he was overwhelmed with all of these heightened senses. It was hard to pick out a certain smell or sound from another, but a few things he could point out easily.

Stepping forward with his new feet, Conall awkwardly moved through the forest in his new form. It was strange to be this low to the ground and walking on all fours. He had guessed he had transformed into a wolf, but he wanted to know for sure. So he headed towards the Great Lake, his pace picking up a bit as he became a bit more familiar in this new animal body. Finally reaching the lake, Conall looked into the calm waters and saw a large grey wolf with his striking blue eyes staring right back at him. Licking his nose with his long wolf tongue, he let out a wolfish grin as his tongue hanged out of his maw.

He was a wolf...just like his namesake.

Name: Juliet
Character name: Conall Regan
Feature you are applying for: Unregistered Animagus ~ Canis Lupus

“A man might befriend a wolf, even break a wolf,
but no man could truly tame a wolf.”

conall and animagi

When I originally created Conall I never once thought about giving him a Special Feature. However, as I started to play him out more IC I began to realize that he really embodies the essence of the rugged wolf. Which amuses me as his name means strong wolf. Which is a name I hadn't picked because he is an adoption from Toya. At first the wolf was just going to be his patronus, as I always like to think of what animal my characters embodies to accurately portray their patronus during battles, or whenever the need arises in threads. However, as I continued to play him I realized that he actually even acts like the wolf in the way he interacts around others. So this is why the concept of making him an animagus came about.

The reason why I went for a wolf and not it's cousin the dog, is because dogs do not display the characteristically sharp intelligence and aggression that wolves do. They are more emotional creatures and sensitive to the feelings of others, causing them to play a more subdued role. Dogs love to please, where Conall can be ruthless and would rather not please others just so they can be happy. He doesn't care if others hate him and will never beg to get someone's opinion of him change. He puts himself first before others, especially those he is indifferent to, and often doesn't show any concern towards them. With a few exceptions. While he does remain loyal to friends and family and understands the chain of command, Conall is more stronger and aggressive and will not submit to those if he thinks he is right. Which is why a wolf animagus is a better fit for him.

You're probably wondering...why a wolf animagus special feature and not a werewolf special feature. Well the answer to me was pretty simple. One must be bitten to become a Werewolf, it is an affliction that one doesn't want. Where being an animagus is a learned skill that the wizard must practice at in order to be successful. If Conall were to be bitten, his whole personality would change. Whereas if he is an wolf animagus, his personality would stay exactly the same and it would be truer to character. None of his history would have to be reworked, as I plan for his interest and practice sessions to all happen IC. In fact I have already begun putting his interest in reading up on animagus into his threads. Even if he isn't approved, it is just a subtle thing that he could read for entertainment rather then learning.

While Transfiguration isn't listed as Conall's best subject in his sheet, he is very good at wand work and therefore he would have the skills to perform a transformation. He's ambitious enough and determined to achieve such a difficult task, and I have always seen him having high marks in Transfiguration as a result. With the help of the current Transfiguration Professor, Conall will be working hard at studying and performing the spells necessary to complete his transformation. I plan for him to have a lot of half transformations before he successfully transforms near the end of his final school year. As it would make more sense IC for him to take almost a full school term to be successful, given that his stronger point is Potions. With the help of the Professor, and maybe a friend or two along the way, combined with his ambition and desire he will be successful at becoming an animagus.

the wolf

The majestic gray wolf--a skillful predator, nurturing family member; is the perfect representation of Conall. It is also the most widely distributed of all land mammals, and while it would be uncommon for a muggle or wizard to run into a gray wolf if they were out in the urban area, many often mistake a wolf for a husk. Especially if the wolf has blue eyes, as it's not a common color for them. While it'll be more difficult for him to hide his form in the city, Conall will only be using it when he's doing illegal things. As I plan for him to be a Dark Wizard. Like Conall, the wolf has never had a neutral relationship with humanity (in his case his peers). The wolf has either been hated, despised, and persecuted or revered, respected, and protected. This goes well into what is happening to Conall with other played characters, has some hate or despise him while others respect and protect him. The wolf is hatred and fear, which has fueled the elimination of the creatures. These false generalizations are also true with Conall, as some might often hate him because of what he says or does. Not that no one wants to eliminate him (although maybe one or two do xD). In reality, the wolf and Conall are elusive creatures who keep to themselves. I have often described Conall as brooding, quietly thinking to himself as he makes his move.

The wolf, like Conall, is a loyal creature that is strong and aggressive when those they love are in danger. He sticks up for his friends and family, protecting them at whatever costs. Family, like a wolf in a pack, comes first to Conall. He loves them and greets them with affection, whether it be by physical affection or a friendly greeting. Like in a pack, Conall knows his place and won't speak out to those that are "above" him. Having a nonviolent nature, Conall doesn't believe fighting is the answer. However, like a wolf, Conall will become aggressive under certain circumstances. Such as protecting his family and friends that are close to him, and when coming across someone who he feels is threatening what is rightfully his. As he'll fight for what he believes in and he'll defend himself and others. It's the only fight he won't back down from, as he feels protecting those he cares about is the right thing to do. When others are fighting, Conall will be the one to pull the aggressor off the attacker in order to stop the fight from continuing.

The wolf is an expressive creature, using body language and emotional expressions to communicate to others. While a wolf may growl, Conall will glare (and sometimes he does growl in frustration) and raise his voice at someone if he is angry. He only shows signs of aggression towards other when it's necessary. When he loves someone he will show them affection through hugs, kisses, or cuddling up with them. Much like an wolf does by licking or nuzzling up to their mate. The wolf's strongest personality trait is its capacity for making emotional attachments to other individuals. Conall is the same way, as he becomes passionate about those he cares about. He will protect them to the ends of the Earth if necessary, no matter what it takes. This loyalty he has towards his friends and family also fits into the wolf's personality, as they stay true to their pack till death. Often times Conall views his friends the same way, they are his "pack" and he will never leave them.

Like Conall, wolves are intensely ambitious and never shy from hard work. This reflects in his personality by the House he was sorted in, as Conall is ambitious in getting what he wants. Once he sets his mind to it, he will never divert from his goal until he has obtained it. However, he will know when to step back when the going gets too tough. Much like a wolf will when the fight is too much for them to go at it alone. Even though Conall shows indifference towards people, he does show love and affection to those he knows and cares about. He'll cuddle up with his girl friends on the couch, give his guy friends brotherly hugs, and show his softer side to them. He hates being alone, and would rather surround himself by others than live a life of solitude. The last personality trait that the wolf and Conall share is their strong communication instincts. Conall feels that it is important to talk about things in a relationship or with other people. He is quiet when he feels there is no need to talk, and he will give his thoughts when he feels it is important.

Distinctive Marking

A mature wolf's eyes are often amber, brown, or gold, but also commonly come in hues of brown, gray, yellow, and green - Conall retains his striking blue eyes while in wolf form. This is the only distinctive mark as a true wolf will never have blue eyes. This also can help in his disguise as some could mistake him for a large Husky type dog instead of a Gray Wolf.

The first and most important plot is one that I have with Bridget's character Bronte Barrett-Awning . Bronte will be Conall's teacher and guide him through the process of becoming an Animagus. While she didn't become one personally, she knows where and how to point him in the right direction. This one on one private studying is one of the main reasons that Conall will be successful at transforming into his Animagus form. Once Conall gets closer to transforming, he's going to pretend he has lost interest and inform Bronte, as she will be encouraging him to register where he would rather go by undetected even by the Ministry. Without Bronte, or any Transfiguration Professor to help him, Conall would be unable to transform as he's more adept at Potions. Which is why I feel that this plot of the teacher helping the student is the most vital.

The second large plot I have is with Dylan's character Lorin Odell. While this plot mainly focuses on if Lorin gets her Animagus feature approved, Dylan and I have discussed the possibility of other plot ideas if she doesn't get her feature.

I will first talk about the plots on whether Lorin is approved. Dylan plans for Lorin to already be successful in her transformation as a cat when Conall even gets to his half transformations. While Conall is studying in the library he will be stuck in one of his partial transformations. This one in particular will be a wolf tail still sticking out, so he tries to hide it by putting himself in the dark corner of the library. There, kitty Lorin will find the tail and start playing with it. At this time Conall has no idea that Lorin is a cat, and the cat is her, and he tries to kick the cat away and is aggravated nothing works. Not even snarling. Eventually he'll give up and let the cat start hanging around him.

This will cause Lorin to start hanging around Conall more in her cat form. Especially once she stalks him. Another plot is one that pertains to cat Lorin laying next to Conall in the boys dorm, and when he wakes up it's Lorin not a cat. Which surprises him. Eventually Conall will figure out that Lorin is a cat, as the cat is only around when his good friend isn't, and Lorin seems to know things about him that she shouldn't know. So he decides to start studying the cat and will capture her one day, forcing her to shift back. Thus learning that the cat is Lorin and Lorin is an Animagus.

One of the most fundamental relationships Conall has is with his best mate Cabhan Daley. They are like brothers more so than friends, and so Conall feels a very strong tie to the younger boy. With everything that has been going on with Cab lately, Conall feels like he has to closely watch his best mate. Which is another reason he has taken an interest in Animagus, to protect those he feels needs it. Of course he doesn't know what his Animagus form will be, but he doesn't believe it'll be something small and puny. When he finds out he is a wolf, it makes him that much determined to protect his friends. When he finally transforms fully, Conall will be keeping an eye on Cabhan since the two live next to each other. Since in my head I see Conall finally mastering the transformation near the end of the year of this school term, the plot with Cab won't start until Summer playtime. Conall will save Cabhan from his parents, who had sent someone to kill him because of his sexuality. Of course Conall won't kill the person, but he will scare him off and still keep an watchful eye for Cab. This is where his best mates finds out about Conall being an Animagus, as the blue eyes will give him away. So in a way Conall makes himself become Cabhan personal attack/guard dog, as he won't stop watching out for his friend until he feels Cab is safe.

The last major plot for Conall is with Lowri's character Angharad Hughes, who is a Werewolf. Both Conall and Angharad are seventh years, and so they know of each other. Once Conall has transformed, but is still working on maintaing his form for long periods of times, he will practice being a wolf in the Forbidden Forest. It is there during a full moon (which he doesn't think nothing of at the time) he sees a Werewolf running around. Against his better judgement, he follows said Werewolf to figure out if he knows the person. But Angharad discovers him as he's still new to his animal form and feels awkward in it still, and begins to fight him. The full blown wolf fight becomes quite serious, given that wolves are territorial both of their animal instincts kick in, and they both end up with injuries that aren't fatal but serious enough to cause harm. They don't realize they had fought each other until they run across one another at school, and put two and two together when they see the wounds. Lowri and I plan to play out their suspicions with one another and figure out who the other one is. Which can lead to them both being friendly with each other or be enemies.

This plot I feel is the most interesting, as so many different possibilities could result from it. Plus the fact that it's Werewolf vs Animagus in both wolf forms. The interactions would be intense and quite important IC to Conall, as it'll help him realize more about the wolf side of him.

I have also discussed plot ideas with Bridget and her character Tess Gorman, which involves partial transformation mishaps where Tess discovers what Conall is working on becoming because she sees either a fluffy tail or wolf ears. However, he might tell her that he gave up in order to keep his Animagus form a secret. As he wants to be an unregistered Animagus. This could change IC and I don't want to plan too much out on it as it all depends on how things unfold. Another person I've discussed a plot idea with is Sioban and her character Eloise Tessier, who is also an Animagus. Sometime in the future Eloise and Conall will have a run in while in their Animagus form. Given that Eloise is a bunny, Conall will immediately test out his wolf sense and start chasing the bunny. Not even realizing that the bunny is an Animagus. Of course he doesn't want to eat the bunny...but during the chase they will both find out that the other is an Animagus. This is because per Canon Animagus can communicate with other animals and gather information.

I have also talked to Toya who plays Conall's brother Murphy Regan. Once she is done making Murphy he will be working a nighttime job at Hogwarts as a Mediwizard. Because Conall is still practicing transforming, he'll be stuck in some half transformations quite a few times, and so he'll need his brother to fix him. This will allow Murphy and Conall to have a closer bond, as they actually get along instead of having a strained relationship. Which is important for Conall's character development further down the road, as he'll need his brother to help him get through some things.

There are also many other opportunities for more plots down the road should Conall's SF be approved.

It was time.

Slipping out of his bed and putting on his robes, Conall quietly walked out of his dorm room and towards the Common Room entrance. Pausing at the door that housed the sixth year boys, the young man thought about waking Cabhan up to show him....no. He must do this alone. He had worked so hard to get to this moment that to fail in front of his best friend would hurt his pride. Even if Cab had seen him at his worst. Putting his callous hand on the door, Conall moved off towards the grounds of Hogwarts. For months he had been practicing transforming into his Animagus form. He still wasn't sure what it was...some type of dog? Maybe a wolf or fox? It was difficult to tell when he only got a tail, ears, or fangs at one time. But soon he would know, because Conall was sure this time he would fully transform into whatever animal he is.

Stepping out onto the grounds, Conall looked up briefly at the midnight sky. It was clear, and the stars were dotted across the horizon with a half moon the brightest light of the night. For a moment he stood there looking up, brooding over everything that has happened in his final year at Hogwarts. There were a lot of ups and downs, and at one point he almost lost his life and lost his best friend. Yet everything came together in the end. Now he was about to embark on his last journey to empowering himself with the skills necessary to live outside of Hogwarts.

The ability to conceal and transform himself.

That was the ultimate goal when he took up his Animagus studies, as he needed...no wanted so desperately to be able to move about without anyone knowing it was him. Taking a deep breath, Conall put his sights onto the Forbidden Forest as he moved ahead. It was the one place he found he could practice without others bothering him. Stepping into the forest, Conall took off his robes and cracked his knuckles. His mind worked on everything he had been working on, the spells and the steps he needed to take to make this successful. Closing his eyes, Conall breathed in deeply before he began.

Bones cracked and his head bent down in agony before he sprang his head up and fangs replaced human teeth. A loud growl escaped his lips as his arms reached out to the side as far as they could go. His nails became claws, his hands large paws, and he fell onto his knees as fur grew over his body. The pain finally subsided when he stood on all fours at a large four feet tall. His head tilted back as he let out a spine-tingling howl. The sound echoed across the forest, and Conall heard an Owl hoot in response some five feet away. He could smell the decaying body of some small creature...rabbit maybe. He wasn't sure as he was overwhelmed with all of these heightened senses. It was hard to pick out a certain smell or sound from another, but a few things he could point out easily.

Stepping forward with his new feet, Conall awkwardly moved through the forest in his new form. It was strange to be this low to the ground and walking on all fours. He had guessed he had transformed into a wolf, but he wanted to know for sure. So he headed towards the Great Lake, his pace picking up a bit as he became a bit more familiar in this new animal body. Finally reaching the lake, Conall looked into the calm waters and saw a large grey wolf with his striking blue eyes staring right back at him. Licking his nose with his long wolf tongue, he let out a wolfish grin as his tongue hanged out of his maw.

He was a wolf...just like his namesake.

[carys]Approved, please update your sheet accordingly![/carys]

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation, and it looks like I’m the queen.
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside,
Couldn’t keep it in; Heaven knows I tried.

Name: Dylan
Character Name: Lorin Odell
Feature You Are Applying For: Unregistered Animagus | Burmese Cat

Don’t let them in, don’t let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know
Well, now they know.

The first time I imagined Lorin as an animagus was while I was in the process of writing her sheet. From the very start, Lorin seemed the type of person who was ambitious in the pursuit of knowledge and skill, and the ability to transform completely is, in many ways, the apex of this sort of endeavor. This being said, I often found myself describing Lorin as “cat-like,” from her eyes to the way she moved, before ever even considering this feature for her. She moved with a sort of mischievous grace, commanded attention, and demanded consistent affection from a wide variety of people. I chose to ignore this while writing her sheet, and flesh her out. I wanted to get a feel for playing her before I even put serious thought until applying for this feature.

After playing her for several months, however, I seem very excited at being able to play this character in this way. As she is still in the process of learning her feature, I will be able to enjoy playing all aspects of her transformation. I will be able to play through her successes and failures, her challenges and her strengths. I believe that, all of these together, will allow for me to achieve new levels of character development. Also, some of the future plots that I have worked out for her will profoundly affect her character in the future. As described later in this application, being an unregistered—rather than registered—animagus is Lorin’s first step towards becoming the dark witch she was always destined to become. It is the beginning of the time she breaks away from her family’s expectations that she had never been able to meet, and begins her pathway towards becoming her own person.

I sincerely hope you enjoy this application, and I look forward to the possibility of enjoying this new outlet for creativity and creation.

Let it go, let it go
Can’t hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door

the feature;

Lorin is a highly intelligent and studious girl. This is one of the fundamental aspects of her character design, and something I would love to be able to explore with this feature. She accumulates knowledge on a wide variety of things, and takes joy in knowing. This being said, Lorin finds that knowledge is power if, and only if, one makes use of the things they know. She spends much of her time studying new and interesting magics, a lot of this on her own time. She does, of course, put incredible effort into her studies, and I can’t imagine that she performs poorly in any of her subjects, even those she is not naturally gifted in. She puts an effort towards mastery into everything she does, including subjects that are not taught at Hogwarts.

The ability to shift into an animal is the very pinnacle of Transfiguration, one of Lorin’s best and favorite subjects. It is her belief that to reach this goal would be to open the door to the highest level of transfiguration. Due to this, Lorin would feel, in many ways, as though her handle on the subject was incomplete without allowing herself the opportunity to rise to this new challenge and occasion. Unlike many features, the ability to become an animagus is a learned skill. It is not something someone was born into, and therefore could be achieved by anyone with either the patience and determination to succeed in it, or a natural gift. Lorin has both of these things, and a desire to use both to reach success.

On top of the academic reasons she would seek to become an animagus, there are practical reasons as well. As someone who prides herself on her stealth and cunning, there is no better way to become undetected than to completely change from one form to another. The ability to hide is thereby magnified, anonymity is magnified, and so is her privacy. More than anything, to Lorin, the skill would offer her an ability to keep a secret advantage in her back pocket, so to speak. 

Regardless of her form, as Lorin would not be aware of it when she began her process towards transformation, Lorin also believes that the animal instincts will make her sharper in human form and teach her more on how to control herself, both physically and emotionally. This process would be an incredible discipline for her. A hard worker already, and someone who does not shy away from great effort or concentration, Lorin appreciate things that would be considered a challenge for her. Becoming an animagus may be a temporary goal, but Lorin sees it merely as a door to a new world of new potentials for personal growth.


the form;

Cats are curious, playful, intelligent creatures, notorious for their mischief and command of attention. They hold themselves with a natural grace, and allow none to master them. They are queens of their castles, they are intelligent, resourceful, and inventive. All of these are traits that Lorin shares, and all of them are reasons why her animagus form is a cat. Lorin has delicate, graceful, and subtle mannerisms, but grows quite impatient and petulant when her desires are ignored. She wants affection and attention on her terms and is not afraid of telling others when she is displeased. Lorin is demanding and pushy, and loves to be pampered. In fact, her greatest goal in life is to find some sort of luxury and comfort. She wants to be well fed and doted on. She wants a warm lap to sit in and a dedicated hand to pet her in accordance to her desires.

Additionally, cats are independent. While they crave and love affection, they do not like to be tied down to one place. Rather, they follow their own will, get into their own trouble, and expect others to take care of the problems they create. This is true for Lorin as well. She cannot abide a friend or partner who is too needy, and often shuns commitment. She does not like to feel as though her hand is forced and lashes out in those situations. In fact, it’s quite difficult for Lorin to commit to anything, and she can be rather finicky. Cats are often the same way, challenging expectations and being contrary for the sake of it. She changes her mind like the wind and expects others to catch up with her new feelings.

Specifically, Lorin is a Burmese cat. The Burmese breed is known for being especially intelligent and energetic, as well as craving for constant affection and new information and experiences. This is, perhaps, a perfect fit for Lorin. She is constantly seeking to gather more knowledge she can use to her advantage. Burmese cats also love to show off, and that is something Lorin does every day. She is a performer, and she desires attention, approval, envy, and admiration from others. She likes being the center of the world to every person she comes across and often makes plays for men she has no desire for, just to make them desire her.

It has been said that female Burmese cats are “the very definition of queenliness,” and I believe this is a ideal fit for Lorin. Graceful, intelligent, and mischievous. Hungry for power and attention. This is exactly who Lorin is.

Credit for Burmese breed information goes to this lovely website

distinguishing characteristics;

Lorin’s cat form, in many ways, mirrors her human form. Her thick coat is sable, a dark brown color identical to that of her hair. Likewise, her cat form is a bit chubby, as Lorin’s figure is a bit on the larger side. Finally, though Burmese cats traditionally have yellow eyes, Lorin retains her bright green eyes in cat form.

Also, in human form, Lorin has one ring she does not take off. This ring, a small silver-band that she wears on her left ring finger, was a gift from her brother, Theoren, when both he and Lorin were very young. She uses this ring as her anchor to him when he is not around. It is a symbol of their fraternal bond and of her love for him. In her cat form, where her left ring finger would be, there is a lighter patch of fur that seems to make an unnaturally perfect band along that ‘finger’ and nowhere else.

It’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all
It’s time to see what I can do to test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me,
I’m free.

In all actuality, I would not need to change much of Lorin’s history to account for this feature, as she will have not yet had her first transformation IC before approval of this application. Her sheet already shows her to be a hardworking, studious girl, who spends much of her time doing private study not necessarily related to the courses she is studying. She is a quick-learning girl who understands new concepts easily, and therefore does not need to study much to pass her classes. Lorin does not simply seek to pass, however, She seeks to excel.  She learns, not for the approval of professors, but for the mastery of material. Another topic conquered is another tool in her arsenal. Her sheet already shows her as a girl who puts a lot of effort into her private study.

However, Lorin does not intend to become a registered animagus. She does not want others to know of her gift, and must be tactful of the questions she asks and the help she seeks. Lorin is both able and willing to study this feature in private. If she sought help, she would be willing to ask not just professors, but also scholars. She would consult many books and utilize many of the resources available to her.

Lorin will have been studying this feature intently for a little more than two years before her first transformation. As it is, doubtlessly, something risky, Lorin would want to know as much as possible. Lorin is a planner, and her behavior towards her transformation would be nothing less than spectacular planning. She does not underestimate the importance of this milestone, and would not rush into it half-mast. I have already mentioned her interest in the topic of animagi in several of her IC posts, and would likely continue to post about her planning prior to her first IC transformation.

Lisa is also applying for Rosaline Bane, Lorin’s best friend, to be an animagus. As far as Lisa and I have currently discussed, Rose will also be an unregistered animagus. If Rose’s application is approved, Lorin will likely use Rose as her primary resource for her own information. She will happily learn beside her, and suck in the second-hand trained guidance. In this way, Rose would be Lorin’s mentor for her study. If this application is approved, I will add these study sessions into Lorin’s history as well. However, after a time, Lorin will distance herself from Rosaline's guidance to further keep her secret. Even one person knowing the truth is too many for her. She would pretend to stop studying with Rose, and never tell the other girl how far along she was in her own study, either.

On a similar note, I have also spoken with Fee about working out connections between Lorin and Brooklyn Matthews, who will also be applying to be an unregistered animagus. Brooklyn, though not currently approved for a special feature, was previously approved as an unregistered animagus. During DH playtime, Brooklyn was publically outed and forced to go on the run to avoid the legal complication regarding her exposure. However, Brooklyn was able to deny these allegations at the end of the war, when it came to light that her accuser was a Death Eater. Lorin, who would have been studying to become an animagus since approximately HBP playtime, would have followed this story closely and been highly interested in the outcome. Looking to further her own understanding of the subject, Fee and I discussed that Lorin would begin writing to Brooklyn about her ability during the year after DH. Lorin would ask about how she did it, how she learned, why she chose to remain unregistered, as well as how she managed to escape Azkaban for her crimes.

Through these letters, Lorin would be able to receive trained guidance directly, though anonymously, through a fellow unregistered animagus. Brooklyn, like Rose, would be a mentor for her, and the anonymity of their method of communication would allow Lorin to ask much more direct questions than she would be able to ask those who knew her in person, as Lorin does not want to incriminate herself.

These letters with Brooklyn will be a strong driving force in enabling Lorin to reach towards the darkness of becoming an unregistered animagus. I believe that Brooklyn would likely be the first example of an unregistered animagus that Lorin would ever have the opportunity to become sympathetic for. Textbook examples of unregistered animagi, from her prior experience, were always followed with details of the crimes and punishment. Seeing a young, intelligent woman achieve this gift and avert capture would certainly help Lorin realize what a viable option this would be for her, and why she might actually prefer to keep others in the dark about this skill.

Of course, I don’t want my application to rely on the approval of subsequent applications. Even without Rosaline and Brooklyn’s guidance, Lorin would still have the determination and skill necessary to collect the information required to achieve these goals. That is something I would make a point to mention in her history when I finish her update, as I want to make this feature realistically attainable. This would, by no means, be an easy feat. It would be over two years of dedicated study, concentration, and effort. This is something I would make a point to mention in her updated history.

Let it go, let it go
And I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone

I plan to allow Lorin to experience her first transformation IC, which I consider to be the most interesting of her future plots. She has been working and studying to reach this point for a considerable deal of time prior to her first transformation, but with the achievement of becoming an animagi, there are a bunch of new and interesting opportunities to explore. The first transformation is not the end, it is the beginning of a new series of challenges for Lorin to face. The process of adjusting to a new body, new through processes, new instincts—all of these will be interesting plots for Lorin, and will affect her, even in threads where she is not transformed.

Though Lorin is trying to carry the burden on this feature on her own shoulders, to hide the fact that she is unregistered, I believe that after her first transformation the questions she had would overwhelm her. It is one thing to study something in a book and come to know a textbook definition of an event. It is quite another to be in that position, and I believe that the unknown aspects of this new life will be overwhelming and terrifying to her. For this reason, I believe that Lorin would seek help, as much as she can, from someone she believes would know better than she. By sixth year, students have already learned about animagi in their transfiguration classes, which will give Lorin the perfect opportunity to ask questions of their temporary Transfiguration professor Bronte Barrett-Awning. Through Lorin’s vague questions, she will get some of the guidance she desires, and also build a working friendship with this professor.

In addition, Lorin will continue seeking guidance from her friend and mentor, Brooklyn Matthews, via their anonymous letters. However, once Lorin has achieved her gift, the guidance she will need will progress beyond what could be realistically attained through just writing. Eventually, Lorin and Brooklyn will meet on even ground, without fear of being outed by the other, as neither could tell the other’s secret without also incriminating themselves. Additionally, not believing that she will ever meet Brooklyn in person, Lorin would have already spoken much more candidly and further at length than she would have with anyone else. This will allow the two girls to become good friends, trust each other, and begin to grow together. This will be in contrast to Lorin's other friend and confidant, Rosaline Bane.

Regardless of whether or not Lisa’s application for Rose is approved, Lorin would take measures to keep Rose from discovering her secret. Lorin and Rose have a tumultuous relationship, often bickering back and forth and often growing jealous and spiteful towards one another. However, Rose knows Lorin better than many others. Rose can tell when she’s lying, and will ultimately discover Lorin’s secret. Already a dark witch, Rose will be a confidant of sorts for her, and further help her on the path to darkness, including the creation of a future alias. Despite this outcome, the struggle and fear Lorin experiences during this discovery will profoundly affect her, and make it even more vital that she prevent others from finding out her secret.

The process of Lorin discovering herself and her limits as a cat would not go without hiccups, as well. I’ve spoken with many drivers, including Jenny and Juliet about the potential for Lorin to be caught in sticky situations.

One of these situations involves Lorin, in cat form, being taken into the boy’s dorm by her good friend, Conall Regan. Lorin feels comfortable in Conall’s presence, and while receiving affection from him, which would undoubtedly be magnified because of her form, allows herself to fall asleep next to him. Unable to control her magic and transformation fully, Lorin wakes in the middle of the night next to him, completely nude, and he wakes to find Lorin, naked, next to him in bed. Opportunities such as this will require much tact, cunning, and quick-thinking from Lorin, all of which will be both fun and interesting to write. The added challenge of being unable to expose her secret leaves a lot of opportunities for drama to unfold around her.

With Conall’s recently approved special feature, the opportunities for their development together becomes much more diverse. In the beginning of Lorin’s transformations, she will have no idea that Conall was even studying to achieve the feature, and assume that he knows nothing about it. This will allow her to be much more careless in his presence than she should be. She often underestimates Conall’s intelligence and overestimates his emotional responses. She believes Conall is too stupid to figure her secret out, believes he knows none of the signs that could help a trained animagus distinguish between animals and animagi, and will seek to exploit his stupidity and ignorance for her own amusement, and for the purpose of becoming more comfortable as a cat. Like she does for most others, Lorin sees Conall as an object or a game. He is her favorite toy, and she will likely disregard good judgment in favor of amusing herself and getting to know her limits at his expense.

However, this will quickly come to an end the day Lorin catches him partially transformed. Learning that he is in the process of becoming an animagi will cause Lorin to reevaluate herself and her actions towards him. Despite this, as they say, curiosity killed the cat. Eager to understand more of Conall’s ability, eager to see more of what he knows and be able to more effectively evaluate his knowledge and the risks of being around him, she will continue to seek him out, continue to spy, until the day comes that he catches her.

Unknown to Lorin, Conall will have been growing suspicious of her for weeks,  wondering where she came from, who she was, and why she was hanging around. Why she seemed so much more intelligent than normal cats, why she moved differently, sounded differently. When he captures her, he will use the same spell on her that was used to force Peter Pettigrew to come out of his animagus form at last. From this, Conall will learn that Lorin is an animagus as well, and this will allow them the chance to learn from each other, as well as stay close.

In conjunction with the non-feature related plotlines Juliet and I have planned for Lorin and Conall, this will be something that would make it all but impossible for the two of them to fully part ways. They will need each other, and fear that the other may give their secret. Staying together will allow them to build even stronger trust between them,  and even more powerful affection. Also, Lorin will be able to help Conall in the same way Rosaline and Brooklyn had helped her. She will be able to pass the torch on to Conall, and assist him with mastering his own transformations.

Additionally, her form has its own complications. As a cat, Lorin seeks  comfort, devotion, and affection from others. This is true in human form, but is magnified while in cat form. I believe that she will seek someone to take care of her, and this will likely blur some emotional lines between her and the people who help her out. A plot Jenny and I have talked about involves her character Finn McKenzie. Finn, who hates Slytherins completely, sees kitty Lorin caught in a situation, trapped and injured, and helps her out of it. He takes care of her some and nurses her injury, and this causes a profound emotional change for Lorin. Lorin, who has never paid mind to him before, now finds that she craves his attention and friendship, even in human form. This will be interesting in several ways, but especially considering the hard-wired house bias that Finn has against her.

This feature will also be important to Lorin’s future character development in many other ways. I have always intended for Lorin to become a dark witch. From a family of very light wizards, with a hatred of Voldemort supporters and injustice, with her family ties to the Order of the Phoenix—Lorin has never considered herself a dark witch. In fact, she is very proud of her family for putting dark wizards away and cleaning up the street. However, as she grows into a young woman, she finds that she hates and resents her family considerably more. Due to her alternate parentage, unknown to her, the traits that she carries and even her physical appearance are dramatically different from the rest of her family. Even in youth, when she did nothing but try to do the right thing, her mischief, flexible morals, and lies made her a black sheep amongst her family, and the unspoken biased against Slytherin students and graduates did not help her feel more welcome. She has always felt trapped in Theoren’s shadow. She has always felt that she was a villain when compared to his shining heroism, and the older she gets, and the more horrible deeds she does, the more she rejects this world she feels excluded from.

Slowly, Lorin has been growing more bitter, more resentful, more vengeful. She’s began to dabble in darkness, from her few, curious ventures into Knockturn ally, to her profound hatred of some of the girls she knows and the revenge schemes she plans against them. Being unregistered would really be her first true step towards darkness. It would be a secret and a lie that carried a true price, and I believe she would be ashamed of it, take pride in it, and cherish the anonymity of it all simultaneously. This will be a moral issue for her, but something she still feels compelled to do. When one gets a significant advantage, such as the ability to transform into an animal, Lorin feels like it is almost sinful to disclose that advantage. However, due to her family’s long line of involvement in law enforcement, she knows that the consequences of being discovered are very severe, and the morals her parents had tried to instill in her—of honesty and integrity, among others—are in conflict with the selfishness of her actions. It forces her to make a choice, and, while this will not be the first time that Lorin has chosen herself over what was right, it will be a permanent reminder that she is beyond help. It will incite a feeling within Lorin that she is above the law.

Here I stand, and here I’ll stay.
Let the storm rage on.

She had cleared her afternoon.

It had been months, no, years of vigorous study and interest. It had been struggles and attempts, bloody fists and salty tears—but Lorin was so close to reaching her potential that she could taste success on the tip of her tongue. Her partial transformations had come closer and closer together as of late, lasting longer and longer. She was getting close to her goal. On the theoretical side, Lorin knew she was ready. There was always more to learn, of course, but the transformation was only the beginning of her growth and she kept that in the front of her mind. Her studies weren’t what was holding her back. Instead, it was the fear, the uncertainty, the insecurity, that plagued her. She couldn’t be uptight. She had to let herself go, give herself to the animal within and give all of herself.

For Lorin, this had always been a challenging concept. So afraid of losing control, of being wrong, or being pushed away—Lorin kept her heart and soul under lock and key, hoarding it for herself and never sharing it with others. There were few who she even let have a peek of what laid within her iron chest. To open up was to risk, not just failure, but destruction. Even happy thoughts and memories turned to ash inside her mouth, even the purest good was tainted by the fear that it would never last.

This inability to have faith in any good, in herself, or in others, had already affected her magical growth and left her entirely unable to produce a patronus. She had no happy memory strong enough to fight off pure darkness. Even the memories of her white knight, her brother, were tainted with the knowledge and fear that he’d stop being hers before her days were done. Sooner than later, too.

To transform, though, she had to release herself from her self-imposed chains and open her heart wide. She knew this was good for her, she knew the good the skill would bring and the emotional discipline that came with it, but the mental block was tiring. She didn’t want to learn to feel. She didn’t want to remember the inadequacy she’d spent her whole life internalizing. She didn’t want to remember the rejection or the emptiness. It was easier to keep Pandora’s box shut tight. She’d rather live in hell with no hope than to have that constant struggle in the back of her mind telling her things could be okay. Things would never be okay. She would always suffer. They would always leave.

Lorin took a deep breath in and blew some anxiety out as she exhaled. She wouldn’t be playing this game today, she wouldn’t fall victim to this cycle again. She repeated the motion. She was strong. She was intelligent, and she could do this. This was for her. This was her success and her achievement. This had nothing to do with faith with anyone but herself, and she knew she was capable and she knew she was ready. She took in a deep breath and tried again.

She could feel the transformation starting. It always began outside, from her fingers and toes and ears, and worked inwards towards her chest. She was certain that when it reached her heart, she would transform completely. Until today, she had never had the courage to feel it. She had stopped when it reached her shoulders, afraid. Power was always frightening, and that was why it took a worthy person to yield it.

As the tingling began to creep up her back, she released, trembling. No, she would try again, and again, and again. She would try until she got it right. She could do this. She was ready. She was strong. Like pulling off a bandage, she needed to leap in. Slow and steady would never make it. It offered her too much of a chance to change her mind. No, quickly. Jump in. Jump in.

Let go, Lorin; she urged.

Suddenly, the transformation jolted through her in a way it never had before. Like fire coursing through her veins, she could feel it tingle. She felt the mystical light pouring from her eyes and the tips of her fingers, numbing her from the pain she was certain she would have been experiencing. Had her eyes been open, she would have seen her bones shifting, her entire body’s construction and form changing. Instead, her eyes were shut tight, and she rode the magic through until the tingling stopped. She was afraid to open her eyes.

After a moment, she peeked, looking straight into the mirror she had set up for this, and she was taken aback by her own reflection, simply not ready for the surreal moment of seeing herself as an animal. She was a cat. She had seen the claws, even the ears as part of her partial transformation, but seeing herself  completely transformed was still different. She was beautiful. Her dark brown coat was the same color as her hair, and her eyes were a bright, feline green.

After looking herself over for a few moments, it hit her, finally. She had done it. She had succeeded. Though, this didn’t feel at all like the end. No, she had so much work left to do.

The snow glows white on the mountain tonight not a footprint to be seen
A kingdom of isolation, and it looks like I’m the queen.
The wind is howling like this swirling storm inside,
Couldn’t keep it in; Heaven knows I tried.

Name: Dylan
Character Name: Lorin Odell
Feature You Are Applying For: Unregistered Animagus | Burmese Cat

Don’t let them in, don’t let them see
Be the good girl you always have to be
Conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know
Well, now they know.

The first time I imagined Lorin as an animagus was while I was in the process of writing her sheet. From the very start, Lorin seemed the type of person who was ambitious in the pursuit of knowledge and skill, and the ability to transform completely is, in many ways, the apex of this sort of endeavor. This being said, I often found myself describing Lorin as “cat-like,” from her eyes to the way she moved, before ever even considering this feature for her. She moved with a sort of mischievous grace, commanded attention, and demanded consistent affection from a wide variety of people. I chose to ignore this while writing her sheet, and flesh her out. I wanted to get a feel for playing her before I even put serious thought until applying for this feature.

After playing her for several months, however, I seem very excited at being able to play this character in this way. As she is still in the process of learning her feature, I will be able to enjoy playing all aspects of her transformation. I will be able to play through her successes and failures, her challenges and her strengths. I believe that, all of these together, will allow for me to achieve new levels of character development. Also, some of the future plots that I have worked out for her will profoundly affect her character in the future. As described later in this application, being an unregistered—rather than registered—animagus is Lorin’s first step towards becoming the dark witch she was always destined to become. It is the beginning of the time she breaks away from her family’s expectations that she had never been able to meet, and begins her pathway towards becoming her own person.

I sincerely hope you enjoy this application, and I look forward to the possibility of enjoying this new outlet for creativity and creation.

Let it go, let it go
Can’t hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door

the feature;

Lorin is a highly intelligent and studious girl. This is one of the fundamental aspects of her character design, and something I would love to be able to explore with this feature. She accumulates knowledge on a wide variety of things, and takes joy in knowing. This being said, Lorin finds that knowledge is power if, and only if, one makes use of the things they know. She spends much of her time studying new and interesting magics, a lot of this on her own time. She does, of course, put incredible effort into her studies, and I can’t imagine that she performs poorly in any of her subjects, even those she is not naturally gifted in. She puts an effort towards mastery into everything she does, including subjects that are not taught at Hogwarts.

The ability to shift into an animal is the very pinnacle of Transfiguration, one of Lorin’s best and favorite subjects. It is her belief that to reach this goal would be to open the door to the highest level of transfiguration. Due to this, Lorin would feel, in many ways, as though her handle on the subject was incomplete without allowing herself the opportunity to rise to this new challenge and occasion. Unlike many features, the ability to become an animagus is a learned skill. It is not something someone was born into, and therefore could be achieved by anyone with either the patience and determination to succeed in it, or a natural gift. Lorin has both of these things, and a desire to use both to reach success.

On top of the academic reasons she would seek to become an animagus, there are practical reasons as well. As someone who prides herself on her stealth and cunning, there is no better way to become undetected than to completely change from one form to another. The ability to hide is thereby magnified, anonymity is magnified, and so is her privacy. More than anything, to Lorin, the skill would offer her an ability to keep a secret advantage in her back pocket, so to speak. 

Regardless of her form, as Lorin would not be aware of it when she began her process towards transformation, Lorin also believes that the animal instincts will make her sharper in human form and teach her more on how to control herself, both physically and emotionally. This process would be an incredible discipline for her. A hard worker already, and someone who does not shy away from great effort or concentration, Lorin appreciate things that would be considered a challenge for her. Becoming an animagus may be a temporary goal, but Lorin sees it merely as a door to a new world of new potentials for personal growth.


the form;

Cats are curious, playful, intelligent creatures, notorious for their mischief and command of attention. They hold themselves with a natural grace, and allow none to master them. They are queens of their castles, they are intelligent, resourceful, and inventive. All of these are traits that Lorin shares, and all of them are reasons why her animagus form is a cat. Lorin has delicate, graceful, and subtle mannerisms, but grows quite impatient and petulant when her desires are ignored. She wants affection and attention on her terms and is not afraid of telling others when she is displeased. Lorin is demanding and pushy, and loves to be pampered. In fact, her greatest goal in life is to find some sort of luxury and comfort. She wants to be well fed and doted on. She wants a warm lap to sit in and a dedicated hand to pet her in accordance to her desires.

Additionally, cats are independent. While they crave and love affection, they do not like to be tied down to one place. Rather, they follow their own will, get into their own trouble, and expect others to take care of the problems they create. This is true for Lorin as well. She cannot abide a friend or partner who is too needy, and often shuns commitment. She does not like to feel as though her hand is forced and lashes out in those situations. In fact, it’s quite difficult for Lorin to commit to anything, and she can be rather finicky. Cats are often the same way, challenging expectations and being contrary for the sake of it. She changes her mind like the wind and expects others to catch up with her new feelings.

Specifically, Lorin is a Burmese cat. The Burmese breed is known for being especially intelligent and energetic, as well as craving for constant affection and new information and experiences. This is, perhaps, a perfect fit for Lorin. She is constantly seeking to gather more knowledge she can use to her advantage. Burmese cats also love to show off, and that is something Lorin does every day. She is a performer, and she desires attention, approval, envy, and admiration from others. She likes being the center of the world to every person she comes across and often makes plays for men she has no desire for, just to make them desire her.

It has been said that female Burmese cats are “the very definition of queenliness,” and I believe this is a ideal fit for Lorin. Graceful, intelligent, and mischievous. Hungry for power and attention. This is exactly who Lorin is.

Credit for Burmese breed information goes to this lovely website

distinguishing characteristics;

Lorin’s cat form, in many ways, mirrors her human form. Her thick coat is sable, a dark brown color identical to that of her hair. Likewise, her cat form is a bit chubby, as Lorin’s figure is a bit on the larger side. Finally, though Burmese cats traditionally have yellow eyes, Lorin retains her bright green eyes in cat form.

Also, in human form, Lorin has one ring she does not take off. This ring, a small silver-band that she wears on her left ring finger, was a gift from her brother, Theoren, when both he and Lorin were very young. She uses this ring as her anchor to him when he is not around. It is a symbol of their fraternal bond and of her love for him. In her cat form, where her left ring finger would be, there is a lighter patch of fur that seems to make an unnaturally perfect band along that ‘finger’ and nowhere else.

It’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all
It’s time to see what I can do to test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me,
I’m free.

In all actuality, I would not need to change much of Lorin’s history to account for this feature, as she will have not yet had her first transformation IC before approval of this application. Her sheet already shows her to be a hardworking, studious girl, who spends much of her time doing private study not necessarily related to the courses she is studying. She is a quick-learning girl who understands new concepts easily, and therefore does not need to study much to pass her classes. Lorin does not simply seek to pass, however, She seeks to excel.  She learns, not for the approval of professors, but for the mastery of material. Another topic conquered is another tool in her arsenal. Her sheet already shows her as a girl who puts a lot of effort into her private study.

However, Lorin does not intend to become a registered animagus. She does not want others to know of her gift, and must be tactful of the questions she asks and the help she seeks. Lorin is both able and willing to study this feature in private. If she sought help, she would be willing to ask not just professors, but also scholars. She would consult many books and utilize many of the resources available to her.

Lorin will have been studying this feature intently for a little more than two years before her first transformation. As it is, doubtlessly, something risky, Lorin would want to know as much as possible. Lorin is a planner, and her behavior towards her transformation would be nothing less than spectacular planning. She does not underestimate the importance of this milestone, and would not rush into it half-mast. I have already mentioned her interest in the topic of animagi in several of her IC posts, and would likely continue to post about her planning prior to her first IC transformation.

Lisa is also applying for Rosaline Bane, Lorin’s best friend, to be an animagus. As far as Lisa and I have currently discussed, Rose will also be an unregistered animagus. If Rose’s application is approved, Lorin will likely use Rose as her primary resource for her own information. She will happily learn beside her, and suck in the second-hand trained guidance. In this way, Rose would be Lorin’s mentor for her study. If this application is approved, I will add these study sessions into Lorin’s history as well. However, after a time, Lorin will distance herself from Rosaline's guidance to further keep her secret. Even one person knowing the truth is too many for her. She would pretend to stop studying with Rose, and never tell the other girl how far along she was in her own study, either.

On a similar note, I have also spoken with Fee about working out connections between Lorin and Brooklyn Matthews, who will also be applying to be an unregistered animagus. Brooklyn, though not currently approved for a special feature, was previously approved as an unregistered animagus. During DH playtime, Brooklyn was publically outed and forced to go on the run to avoid the legal complication regarding her exposure. However, Brooklyn was able to deny these allegations at the end of the war, when it came to light that her accuser was a Death Eater. Lorin, who would have been studying to become an animagus since approximately HBP playtime, would have followed this story closely and been highly interested in the outcome. Looking to further her own understanding of the subject, Fee and I discussed that Lorin would begin writing to Brooklyn about her ability during the year after DH. Lorin would ask about how she did it, how she learned, why she chose to remain unregistered, as well as how she managed to escape Azkaban for her crimes.

Through these letters, Lorin would be able to receive trained guidance directly, though anonymously, through a fellow unregistered animagus. Brooklyn, like Rose, would be a mentor for her, and the anonymity of their method of communication would allow Lorin to ask much more direct questions than she would be able to ask those who knew her in person, as Lorin does not want to incriminate herself.

These letters with Brooklyn will be a strong driving force in enabling Lorin to reach towards the darkness of becoming an unregistered animagus. I believe that Brooklyn would likely be the first example of an unregistered animagus that Lorin would ever have the opportunity to become sympathetic for. Textbook examples of unregistered animagi, from her prior experience, were always followed with details of the crimes and punishment. Seeing a young, intelligent woman achieve this gift and avert capture would certainly help Lorin realize what a viable option this would be for her, and why she might actually prefer to keep others in the dark about this skill.

Of course, I don’t want my application to rely on the approval of subsequent applications. Even without Rosaline and Brooklyn’s guidance, Lorin would still have the determination and skill necessary to collect the information required to achieve these goals. That is something I would make a point to mention in her history when I finish her update, as I want to make this feature realistically attainable. This would, by no means, be an easy feat. It would be over two years of dedicated study, concentration, and effort. This is something I would make a point to mention in her updated history.

Let it go, let it go
And I'll rise like the break of dawn
Let it go, let it go
That perfect girl is gone

I plan to allow Lorin to experience her first transformation IC, which I consider to be the most interesting of her future plots. She has been working and studying to reach this point for a considerable deal of time prior to her first transformation, but with the achievement of becoming an animagi, there are a bunch of new and interesting opportunities to explore. The first transformation is not the end, it is the beginning of a new series of challenges for Lorin to face. The process of adjusting to a new body, new through processes, new instincts—all of these will be interesting plots for Lorin, and will affect her, even in threads where she is not transformed.

Though Lorin is trying to carry the burden on this feature on her own shoulders, to hide the fact that she is unregistered, I believe that after her first transformation the questions she had would overwhelm her. It is one thing to study something in a book and come to know a textbook definition of an event. It is quite another to be in that position, and I believe that the unknown aspects of this new life will be overwhelming and terrifying to her. For this reason, I believe that Lorin would seek help, as much as she can, from someone she believes would know better than she. By sixth year, students have already learned about animagi in their transfiguration classes, which will give Lorin the perfect opportunity to ask questions of their temporary Transfiguration professor Bronte Barrett-Awning. Through Lorin’s vague questions, she will get some of the guidance she desires, and also build a working friendship with this professor.

In addition, Lorin will continue seeking guidance from her friend and mentor, Brooklyn Matthews, via their anonymous letters. However, once Lorin has achieved her gift, the guidance she will need will progress beyond what could be realistically attained through just writing. Eventually, Lorin and Brooklyn will meet on even ground, without fear of being outed by the other, as neither could tell the other’s secret without also incriminating themselves. Additionally, not believing that she will ever meet Brooklyn in person, Lorin would have already spoken much more candidly and further at length than she would have with anyone else. This will allow the two girls to become good friends, trust each other, and begin to grow together. This will be in contrast to Lorin's other friend and confidant, Rosaline Bane.

Regardless of whether or not Lisa’s application for Rose is approved, Lorin would take measures to keep Rose from discovering her secret. Lorin and Rose have a tumultuous relationship, often bickering back and forth and often growing jealous and spiteful towards one another. However, Rose knows Lorin better than many others. Rose can tell when she’s lying, and will ultimately discover Lorin’s secret. Already a dark witch, Rose will be a confidant of sorts for her, and further help her on the path to darkness, including the creation of a future alias. Despite this outcome, the struggle and fear Lorin experiences during this discovery will profoundly affect her, and make it even more vital that she prevent others from finding out her secret.

The process of Lorin discovering herself and her limits as a cat would not go without hiccups, as well. I’ve spoken with many drivers, including Jenny and Juliet about the potential for Lorin to be caught in sticky situations.

One of these situations involves Lorin, in cat form, being taken into the boy’s dorm by her good friend, Conall Regan. Lorin feels comfortable in Conall’s presence, and while receiving affection from him, which would undoubtedly be magnified because of her form, allows herself to fall asleep next to him. Unable to control her magic and transformation fully, Lorin wakes in the middle of the night next to him, completely nude, and he wakes to find Lorin, naked, next to him in bed. Opportunities such as this will require much tact, cunning, and quick-thinking from Lorin, all of which will be both fun and interesting to write. The added challenge of being unable to expose her secret leaves a lot of opportunities for drama to unfold around her.

With Conall’s recently approved special feature, the opportunities for their development together becomes much more diverse. In the beginning of Lorin’s transformations, she will have no idea that Conall was even studying to achieve the feature, and assume that he knows nothing about it. This will allow her to be much more careless in his presence than she should be. She often underestimates Conall’s intelligence and overestimates his emotional responses. She believes Conall is too stupid to figure her secret out, believes he knows none of the signs that could help a trained animagus distinguish between animals and animagi, and will seek to exploit his stupidity and ignorance for her own amusement, and for the purpose of becoming more comfortable as a cat. Like she does for most others, Lorin sees Conall as an object or a game. He is her favorite toy, and she will likely disregard good judgment in favor of amusing herself and getting to know her limits at his expense.

However, this will quickly come to an end the day Lorin catches him partially transformed. Learning that he is in the process of becoming an animagi will cause Lorin to reevaluate herself and her actions towards him. Despite this, as they say, curiosity killed the cat. Eager to understand more of Conall’s ability, eager to see more of what he knows and be able to more effectively evaluate his knowledge and the risks of being around him, she will continue to seek him out, continue to spy, until the day comes that he catches her.

Unknown to Lorin, Conall will have been growing suspicious of her for weeks,  wondering where she came from, who she was, and why she was hanging around. Why she seemed so much more intelligent than normal cats, why she moved differently, sounded differently. When he captures her, he will use the same spell on her that was used to force Peter Pettigrew to come out of his animagus form at last. From this, Conall will learn that Lorin is an animagus as well, and this will allow them the chance to learn from each other, as well as stay close.

In conjunction with the non-feature related plotlines Juliet and I have planned for Lorin and Conall, this will be something that would make it all but impossible for the two of them to fully part ways. They will need each other, and fear that the other may give their secret. Staying together will allow them to build even stronger trust between them,  and even more powerful affection. Also, Lorin will be able to help Conall in the same way Rosaline and Brooklyn had helped her. She will be able to pass the torch on to Conall, and assist him with mastering his own transformations.

Additionally, her form has its own complications. As a cat, Lorin seeks  comfort, devotion, and affection from others. This is true in human form, but is magnified while in cat form. I believe that she will seek someone to take care of her, and this will likely blur some emotional lines between her and the people who help her out. A plot Jenny and I have talked about involves her character Finn McKenzie. Finn, who hates Slytherins completely, sees kitty Lorin caught in a situation, trapped and injured, and helps her out of it. He takes care of her some and nurses her injury, and this causes a profound emotional change for Lorin. Lorin, who has never paid mind to him before, now finds that she craves his attention and friendship, even in human form. This will be interesting in several ways, but especially considering the hard-wired house bias that Finn has against her.

This feature will also be important to Lorin’s future character development in many other ways. I have always intended for Lorin to become a dark witch. From a family of very light wizards, with a hatred of Voldemort supporters and injustice, with her family ties to the Order of the Phoenix—Lorin has never considered herself a dark witch. In fact, she is very proud of her family for putting dark wizards away and cleaning up the street. However, as she grows into a young woman, she finds that she hates and resents her family considerably more. Due to her alternate parentage, unknown to her, the traits that she carries and even her physical appearance are dramatically different from the rest of her family. Even in youth, when she did nothing but try to do the right thing, her mischief, flexible morals, and lies made her a black sheep amongst her family, and the unspoken biased against Slytherin students and graduates did not help her feel more welcome. She has always felt trapped in Theoren’s shadow. She has always felt that she was a villain when compared to his shining heroism, and the older she gets, and the more horrible deeds she does, the more she rejects this world she feels excluded from.

Slowly, Lorin has been growing more bitter, more resentful, more vengeful. She’s began to dabble in darkness, from her few, curious ventures into Knockturn ally, to her profound hatred of some of the girls she knows and the revenge schemes she plans against them. Being unregistered would really be her first true step towards darkness. It would be a secret and a lie that carried a true price, and I believe she would be ashamed of it, take pride in it, and cherish the anonymity of it all simultaneously. This will be a moral issue for her, but something she still feels compelled to do. When one gets a significant advantage, such as the ability to transform into an animal, Lorin feels like it is almost sinful to disclose that advantage. However, due to her family’s long line of involvement in law enforcement, she knows that the consequences of being discovered are very severe, and the morals her parents had tried to instill in her—of honesty and integrity, among others—are in conflict with the selfishness of her actions. It forces her to make a choice, and, while this will not be the first time that Lorin has chosen herself over what was right, it will be a permanent reminder that she is beyond help. It will incite a feeling within Lorin that she is above the law.

Here I stand, and here I’ll stay.
Let the storm rage on.

She had cleared her afternoon.

It had been months, no, years of vigorous study and interest. It had been struggles and attempts, bloody fists and salty tears—but Lorin was so close to reaching her potential that she could taste success on the tip of her tongue. Her partial transformations had come closer and closer together as of late, lasting longer and longer. She was getting close to her goal. On the theoretical side, Lorin knew she was ready. There was always more to learn, of course, but the transformation was only the beginning of her growth and she kept that in the front of her mind. Her studies weren’t what was holding her back. Instead, it was the fear, the uncertainty, the insecurity, that plagued her. She couldn’t be uptight. She had to let herself go, give herself to the animal within and give all of herself.

For Lorin, this had always been a challenging concept. So afraid of losing control, of being wrong, or being pushed away—Lorin kept her heart and soul under lock and key, hoarding it for herself and never sharing it with others. There were few who she even let have a peek of what laid within her iron chest. To open up was to risk, not just failure, but destruction. Even happy thoughts and memories turned to ash inside her mouth, even the purest good was tainted by the fear that it would never last.

This inability to have faith in any good, in herself, or in others, had already affected her magical growth and left her entirely unable to produce a patronus. She had no happy memory strong enough to fight off pure darkness. Even the memories of her white knight, her brother, were tainted with the knowledge and fear that he’d stop being hers before her days were done. Sooner than later, too.

To transform, though, she had to release herself from her self-imposed chains and open her heart wide. She knew this was good for her, she knew the good the skill would bring and the emotional discipline that came with it, but the mental block was tiring. She didn’t want to learn to feel. She didn’t want to remember the inadequacy she’d spent her whole life internalizing. She didn’t want to remember the rejection or the emptiness. It was easier to keep Pandora’s box shut tight. She’d rather live in hell with no hope than to have that constant struggle in the back of her mind telling her things could be okay. Things would never be okay. She would always suffer. They would always leave.

Lorin took a deep breath in and blew some anxiety out as she exhaled. She wouldn’t be playing this game today, she wouldn’t fall victim to this cycle again. She repeated the motion. She was strong. She was intelligent, and she could do this. This was for her. This was her success and her achievement. This had nothing to do with faith with anyone but herself, and she knew she was capable and she knew she was ready. She took in a deep breath and tried again.

She could feel the transformation starting. It always began outside, from her fingers and toes and ears, and worked inwards towards her chest. She was certain that when it reached her heart, she would transform completely. Until today, she had never had the courage to feel it. She had stopped when it reached her shoulders, afraid. Power was always frightening, and that was why it took a worthy person to yield it.

As the tingling began to creep up her back, she released, trembling. No, she would try again, and again, and again. She would try until she got it right. She could do this. She was ready. She was strong. Like pulling off a bandage, she needed to leap in. Slow and steady would never make it. It offered her too much of a chance to change her mind. No, quickly. Jump in. Jump in.

Let go, Lorin; she urged.

Suddenly, the transformation jolted through her in a way it never had before. Like fire coursing through her veins, she could feel it tingle. She felt the mystical light pouring from her eyes and the tips of her fingers, numbing her from the pain she was certain she would have been experiencing. Had her eyes been open, she would have seen her bones shifting, her entire body’s construction and form changing. Instead, her eyes were shut tight, and she rode the magic through until the tingling stopped. She was afraid to open her eyes.

After a moment, she peeked, looking straight into the mirror she had set up for this, and she was taken aback by her own reflection, simply not ready for the surreal moment of seeing herself as an animal. She was a cat. She had seen the claws, even the ears as part of her partial transformation, but seeing herself  completely transformed was still different. She was beautiful. Her dark brown coat was the same color as her hair, and her eyes were a bright, feline green.

After looking herself over for a few moments, it hit her, finally. She had done it. She had succeeded. Though, this didn’t feel at all like the end. No, she had so much work left to do.

[jul]approved ~ please update your sheet accordingly

Name: Rinn
Character name: Rane Ryssevik
Feature you are applying for: Shadowcaster

Rane is a complex person. He cannot easily be summed up in a few words or sentences. One may not know his character fully until they spend inordinate amounts of time with him. He can be deep and thoughtful but relatively unguarded even though he has his own secrets. He doesn't mind sharing himself with others, but not his entire self. He exhibits favoritism, but doesn't subscribe to the biases of other people. He is patient, but not in all circumstances. He can be independent but not in all ways.  He's complicated and even he struggles with self-awareness at times.

He also struggles with an internal war between self-doubt and self-confidence. Mostly, self-doubt wins. He doesn't have great self-confidence, but it is not necessarily something he worries about per se. He just inherently believes he cannot achieve certain things or do certain things, almost as if he were born that way. His level of self-awareness isn't very high either so he can't even pinpoint the exact reason he feels that way.

He doesn't subscribe to arbitrary ideas or biases just because they are of popular opinion. He can be independent in that way. He makes his own opinions and is not easily influenced by others. This is why it makes it so hard for him to overcome self doubt because even if someone told him he was good at something, he wouldn't necessarily believe them. Sometimes this plays against him because even if he is wrong and the other person is right, he still struggles with accepting that truth.

Rane has a vivid imagination. It is one of his best characteristics -- and one of the worst as well as this is where his night terrors stem from. He is good at making up stories, characters, ideas, and more. Creating something out of nothing is one of his talents. One of his pastimes is to think of all the different ways a situation could have happened -- the what if game. In any given circumstance, he can come up with a hundred different outcomes and alternate realities and he both enjoys and frets over the endless possibilities that are ever present.

He is obsessive. Once he gets hooked on something, he's stuck on it. That thing will keep creeping into his mind and no matter what he is doing or supposed to be doing, it will usually keep cropping up in his consciousness. If it's a new place he's found that he likes, he will keep imagining it. He will keep remembering the last time he was there, thinking of when he can go there next, imagining if he could draw the place to an accurate representation, maybe wondering if he will bring anyone with him and who that might be, who might appreciate it the place as he does, or who might be least likely to share his secret with others. This can happen with anything.. a color, a food item, an object, a song, a class subject. Whatever strikes his fancy. He both loves and hates finding the next new thing because he sometimes gets on his own nerves.

He can also have a great deal of patience when he chooses to. This trait of his lends itself well to his hobbies like sketching and building ships in bottles because it will take a long while before he gets frustrated and he doesn't give up easily. He can be steadfast in his determination and persevering. However, he is not patient in all things. He tends not to be too patient when it comes to other people, particularly in regards to their idiosyncrasies. He is not one to stand by mildly when someone annoys him and will most often try to remove himself from their presence if possible. He can be intolerant at times of others. can be indifferent

Rane can be very focused when he wants to be. He can settle into something and put all his attention on something specific, either a task or an achievement. It is more of a short-term trait, good for projects or assignments, rather than long-term goals and milestones.

What is a Shadowcaster?
Shadowcasting is an innate, wandless form of magic that enables the wizard to create animated objects, creatures, or spaces through artistic means. Wizards with this ability are able to transform imagery of objects into physical items. A simple sketch of a stick figure can come to life in a three dimensional way, taking on personality and characteristics of its own. A sculpture of a quill can be transformed to have the real weight, texture, and functionality of a real quill. Shadowcasting can be accomplished through a variety of art forms including drawing, painting, sculpture, sketching, and more. It is common for a shadowcaster to specialize in one art form, however, where one art form becomes the easiest to shadowcast.

Shadowcasters (also known as Whisperers or the spanish Susurros) are rare, but there are several known wizards who have had this ability. Known instances of shadowcasting can be traced back to the late 16th century including Madam Gertrude Whartenby, said to be the earliest known shadowcaster. This magical ability became known as Shadowcasting after Samson the Silver became famous for creating replicas of his neighbor's pets that were said to have the same personalities and demeanor of the original animals -- a shadow of their former selves.

Shadowcasting stems from the same magic that enables underage wizards the ability to cast spells before they possess a wand. Untrained shadowcasters are very much the same as underage wizards in that they cannot entirely control when and how the magic is pulled from them. Accidental shadowcasting usually occurs when the wizard is upset, angry, or in danger. It is directly connected to a strong emotional climate. There are some wizards who can minorly control their shadowcasting without training, but it is often sloppy and unprecise, similar to the way Tom Riddle was able to inflict pain though he did not know the exact spells and charms to do so. As shadowcasters gain more training and experience, they are more able to control when and how they use their ability.


What are the challenges?
Shadowcasting, just as any other magic form, takes years of training and practice to perfect and perform correctly. Untrained and inexperienced shadowcasters will have a variety of challenges to face when initially attempting to harness their magic.

Three dimensional objects: Inexperienced shadowcaster might be able to draw a knife and make its shadow form -- three dimensional object, but it would not feel like a knife. It wouldn't be sharp, it wouldn't have the weight of a knife, and it wouldn't have that bite of metal feeling. Only experienced shadowcasters would be able to make a shadowed object function much in the same way as the real object its portraying.

Three dimensional spaces: Creating three dimensional spaces is much the same as creating three dimensional objects and creatures in that it is possible. Inexperienced users might be able to create a basic room, blank walls, ceiling, and floor. Experienced users might be able to recreate a room with decor items, color, and physical items like furniture. However, there are limitations. A shadowcaster would not be able to fit a large room into a small physical space. A room could be created in a large, open field, but not in a small, confined space.

Scaling: Creating shadow forms of objects to scale is one of the fundamental challenges to overcome when shadowcasting. Initial training would task a shadowcaster with drawing something small like a button and then creating a shadow form of that button in the same size. First attempts by inexperienced shadowcasters will not have perfect scaling. It might be too small or too large based on the original object. Experienced shadowcasters can achieve the desired scale easily with training and practice.


What are the limitations?
There are certain hard limits to shadowcasting. Shadowcasters cannot 'write' the outcome of events or people's futures. Drawing someone's death would be ineffective as well as morbid. Shadowcasters cannot travel through time or space. Shadow forms of new spaces is possible, but creating alternate universes is not.

Fatigue: Because the magic required for shadowcasting is pulled from the wizard unconsciously, performing this sort of magic can be very exhausting. It can lead to bouts of dehydration, hunger, low blood sugar, and deficiencies of vitamin C.

Duration: There are limits on how long shadow forms can last. For the untrained shadowcaster, it is a very brief amount of time before the shadow form fades, dissipating like smoke taken by the wind. For someone with more experience, forms will last longer but this takes more energy from the wizard when the charm is initially cast.

Specialization: Shadowcasters cannot create shadow forms with every medium of art. Usually each shadowcaster will specialize in a certain art form and only be able to create shadow forms from that medium. Whether that be sculpting, sketching, painting, metal working, etc.

Nourishment: Shadowcasting is not an effective way to replicate food. Food can't be conjured from nothing as demonstrated in canon. Even if an experienced shadowcaster attempted to make a shadow form of an apple, for example, it may look like an apple, have the correct weight and feel, but it would have no nutritional value or taste.


Why do I want this feature for Rane?
Creating an original special feature has always been an ambition of mine, an urge that has been lurking in my mind for the past five years. However, I've always been waiting for the right idea, the right opportunity, and the right character for which to apply. When this character popped into my mind there was something elusive about him that I couldn't pin down and soon that developed into a SF all on its own as this specific idea for this feature coalesced.

Because this is an innate and rare ability, a period of self-discovery will be needed. Shadowcasters develop their skills at various ages as it varies from person to person. I plan to have his ability developing slowly within the past year or so. Unexplained, odd events will have been occurring on and off for the past few months, leading into a good opportunity for me to play out him struggling with the comprehension and awareness of this ability.

One of the ideas that initially struck me was the thought that he has been having night terrors, dreams so horrible where he imagines monsters and creatures lurking in the dark are about to attack him. As a way of self-therapy, Rane has taken to drawing and sketching the monsters he sees in his nightmares, hoping that that outlet will release them from his dreams. However, the fear he has during his night terrors would call to life these monsters he has drawn and thus gives an added edge of reality to the imagined fear of monsters under the bed.

The self-discovery phase alone will lead to a lot of different opportunities in which to explore not only his character, but also his development and the boundaries of his ability. Fear and confusion will be emotions I can draw on throughout his initial posts. Seeking help and information will be one of the first steps for him in his development with his ability.

I have spoken with Toya (Liesel Schmidt), Monica (Rane's' cousin Annelie Ryssevik and a new WIP), Fee (Nora Svendsen, Vitaliy Malenkov), and Sioban (Aniel Kowalczykówna) and they have graciously volunteered their characters to plot with Rane about discovering the truth about his ability. Aniel, as the Klyk student librarian, will be a huge asset to him as she might be more approachable than say a professor. Asking Aniel (who is Polish) for help will also lead to additional character development for him due to the fact that he is very biased toward Scandinavians and he would much rather ask someone of a similar ethnicity for help rather than someone who is not.

The second phase will be honing his ability. Learning to control the magic, focusing on achieving specific goals, and fully understanding the scope of his abilities will require a lot of time and practice. I've discussed with Fee the possibility of Rane reaching out to Pasha Krinov as shadowcasting shares some similarities and principles with Illusions. 

The third phase will be actively using his ability in various circumstances. It will take some time in character to fully get to this phase, but there will be a lot of creative freedom for me to find as many ways as possible to play this out in threads and incorporate it into his daily interactions. Some ideas include how he would use the ability to woo a girl. Perhaps he would try to create a bouquet of flowers or her favorite animal which would somehow turn out wrong and cause hilarity to fix. He could experiment with trying to create a shadow form of a weapon and testing the function and effectiveness of it. If he were in danger, it'd be interesting and a challenge for me as a roleplayer to figure out if he would rely on this ability and if so, what would he create to help himself out of danger.

In the dark of his dorm, a boy twisted and turned in his sleep, a sheen of sweat on his brow. Rane Ryssevik was in the middle of a fearsome nightmare, trapped and tortured. These nightmares weren't unusual for him, but tonight seemed worse than usual. If that was even possible. Maybe every night seemed worse than the last because he just wanted these night terrors to end. He dreamed of yellowed eyes glowing out from the dark at him, bared teeth, pointed and sharp gleaming. Teeth that could easily rip into the flesh of his arms, his hands as he fought off the attacked. He dreamed of shadows in the distance as he tried to run but couldn't. But the shadows kept coming closer. The creature with the yellowed eyes and gleaming teeth must have stepped into a pool of light because he could see the creatures limbs were all bone with only tendrils of muscle and tendons. No skin.

The creature stalked closer and he tried to get away but then he realized there were thick vines wrapping themselves around his feet, his calves, his legs. Panic seized him as the creature came closer and he realized the monstrous creature was licking its teeth. It was hungry. The monster stalked closer and Rane pulled at the vines on his legs to try and get free only to realize there were several more of the creatures, all equally menacing and terrifying, creeping up behind him.

They were so close and terror pressed close to him as if it were underneath his skin. All he could see was the yellowed eyes and the bared teeth and the shadows of the creatures who were ---

Rane woke up, sitting up in bed with the shock that had pulled him from his nightmare. For a few horrifying seconds, he couldn't breathe. He didn't know where he was as the feeling of the creatures from his nightmare still stuck with him and he glanced around, looking for them. Only to realize he was in his dorm. Safe. His roommates were still sleeping and the sound of one of them snoring was vaguely reassuring.

Still, he was shaken. He should be used to it by now, but he wasn't. He couldn't shake these nightmares and frankly he was afraid of what the nightmares meant. He sat in his bed, his sheets and blankets twisted like his heart and half off the bed. His hands were trembling. Rane knew that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep right away and so instead reached to his bedside table for a journal and a quill he kept there. His fingers knew the motion before his mind caught up and soon he was sketching a picture of the monster that had visited him in his dreams. He wasn't sure why but sketching usually helped lure him back towards the shores of sleep.

By the time he was finished, he was a little frightened by how similar it was to the monster of his dreams. The familiar sound of quill against parchment had soothed him a little and he hoped now he would be able to fall back asleep. He pushed his journal back onto his beside table and folded his arm beneath his head as he rested on his side. It was a long while but sooner than he expected that he found himself drifting into sleep once more.

~ ~ ~

A scraping sound woke him a few hours later and Rane, who had been once again been drawn into another nightmare, woke up once again, sweat shining on his forehead. He experienced deja vu with the disorientation, the prickling fear, the paranoia before he realized he really was awake this time. He took a few deep shuddering breaths as he tried to calm his racing heart and quell the last grasps of fear.

Then another scrape sounded and he flinched, his blue eyes trying to find the source of the noise in the dark. It sounded like it came from the end of his bed and Rane strained to see what it was. A pet? One of his roommates returning from a midnight restroom visit? And then he stopped breathing altogether. Yellowed eyes and a hint of gleaming bared teeth stared back at him from the foot of his bed. He gasped and hastily scooted back until he hit the wood of his headboard. He was awake. He knew he was awake and yet his nightmares were still here. He clutched his wand in one hand and tried to convince himself that he wasn't crazy.

Name: Lisa
Character name: Rosaline Bane
Feature you are applying for: Unregistered Animagus -- Turkish Angora
Application:

In truth, upon initially writing Rosaline's sheet, I had considered applying for her to be an animagus. However, I thought that it would be better to play her as a normal character for a while to get a better "feel" for her personality and other factors, and to see if such a feature would still apply once I did so. I had always had some sort of a cat in mind for her animal form, and it was simply a matter of finding the right breed.

I believe that the Turkish Angora is a suitable breed, and Rosaline has much in common with them in particular. More of this will be explained later on in the application. It's taken me a while to sort everything out in my head, but having had her for a while now, I thought it was high time to finally give this a go.


Appearance: The Turkish Angora's coat is long and can be a variety of different colors, but in Rosaline's case it would be black. They are a medium sized feline, and the torso is long and slender, as is the neck, which coincides with Rosaline's own body type. They are very graceful cats, with a fine bone structure and firm muscularity. Overall balance, grace and fineness of bone are more important than actual size in Turkish Angoras, and Rosaline is quite graceful with a fine bone structure. The head is small to medium-sized and tapers toward the chin; eyes are almond-shaped and brown to match Rosaline's.

As for Rosaline's distinguishing mark, aside from having an unusual eye color for such a breed, it would be a small, triangular patch of white fur on the left side her lower back. This correlates with a small birthmark found on the girl in her human form.


Personality: The Turkish Angora is an elegant breed. They are intelligent, and devoted to their humans. Their intelligence enables them, among other things, to devise ways of opening doors, cabinets and drawers that you would never expect of a cat. Rosaline, as well, is highly intelligent and devoted to her family and inner circle of friends.

Angoras will "supervise" the household, and generally tolerate other companion animals as long as those pets recognize who really "rules the roost." They are also very playful and athletic, which also relates to Rosaline and her love of Quidditch. This particular breed, at times, can be somewhat aloof - especially with strangers. Angoras, and Rosaline as well, may look beautiful and sophisticated, but underneath that elegant exterior they are tricksters with a wicked sense of humor. This breed is also quiet despite their semi-feral ancestry.


History: Rosaline is highly skilled in Transfiguration, and it is by far one of her favorite classes. I could see her first becoming interested in the subject in her third year, when the subject of animagi is first brought up in a classroom setting, and later doing some research in the library on her own time. Curious to learn more, she would ask for permission to enter the Restricted Section of the library in order to do further study.

Spending every bit of her free time that she could manage on the study of the subject, Rosaline would have attempted a transformation after about two years-- unsuccessfully, at first. Using the abandoned girls' bathroom on the second floor, she would have merely managed a few partial transformations to begin with: growing cat ears the first time, and ears and a tail the second, and so on and so forth. However, after several attempts, she would have made at least one full transformation after these two years of study. She would be frustrated that it would not be an easy thing to repeat, but, never one to give up, she would have continued to practice and continue to return to her textbooks for guidance.

Only in her seventh year would a full transformation become easier to repeat. While in her animal form, she would spend a great deal of time with her own cat, Francis, in order to study feline movement and behavior to make it easier for her to fit in with the creatures. Towards the end of her seventh year, she would have progressed to an extent, but would obviously still be working on perfecting her ability.

With said ability, some of her senses have heightened. Her ability to see at night has improved a great deal. However, her diurnal vision is a bit lacking. Her hearing and sense of smell have also increased; the latter causing her to be a bit more finicky about what she eats and the former causing even more of an aversion to loud noises than she had had previously. Her reflexes are beginning to show some improvement as well.


Future plots: When Rosaline turned seventeen and was first considered an adult in the wizarding world, she would go to greater lengths to keep her ability a secret: particularly due to the fact that she is an unregistered animagus. Of course, she would be reluctant to tell anyone, outside of some members of her family and her inner circle of friends [namely Lorin Odell], about her ability. As far as Dylan and I have discussed, Rosaline would mentor Lorin Odell in her pursuit to become an animagus as well.

The main plot that I have is in connection with Lorin's special feature application to also become a cat animagus. Once Rosaline has the ability to perform total transformations, she will begin to assist Lorin in her study. If their applications are both approved, I plan to add their "study sessions" into Rose's history. This is just one stepping stone on Lorin's path to the dark arts, and Rose would have every intention of "holding her hand," so to speak, during this, more metaphorical, transformation. She would even go so far as to create an alias for her friend, and intends to keep both of their secrets safe at all costs.

Sunshine Girl and I have discussed Conall Regan also knowing about her ability. As Conall is one of the people who Rose trusts most [she did let him be her first kiss, after all], we believe that it would make sense for him to find out. He would discover her ability, and she would help him with developing his. As he studies with Bronte, he would also write to Rosaline to ask for advice and "hints." Conall would credit Rosaline with his own interest in becoming an animagus.

Also, becoming an animagus would help with Rosaline's illicit business practices. On top of her legitimate career as a potioneer, she sells illegal potions on the side. When situations become tense and she could potentially have to flee, being able to turn into a domesticated animal such as a cat could be her salvation.

RP sample using the feature:

Rosaline absolutely abhorred rain, and particularly when she was caught off-guard by it. She quickened her gait, abhorring the feeling of the wet cobblestone against her paws. Paws? Yes. Paws. While under normal circumstances, Rosaline was an attractive young human female, tonight she had the appearance of an elegant, black Turkish Angora feline. She was, in fact, an animagus.

It was an exceptionally useful ability. For example, tonight she had managed to gain some invaluable intelligence on the residence of one auror who was currently investigating her family. Barnabas Bloodworth. He was a halfblood, so clearly his own blood was not worth much. And he was quite dull, it would seem. He had stumbled back to his home at a hotel in Diagon Alley; drunk off of the copious amounts of firewhiskey that he had consumed at the Leaky Cauldron. He was so intoxicated that he had not even noticed the black cat following him. In the morning, she was to give this information to her grandfather, and the matter would hopefully be settled. Banes did not tolerate nosy types, and particularly halfbloods who did not know their place. At times, she really thought that it was a pity that Voldemort had not won.

At other times, of course, she was glad for it. She had her mother back, more or less, without fear that the Dark Lord would call for her and she be taken away forever; lost beyond the veil. Now, of course, she was no longer living with her mother. She hadn't been for quite some time now. However, she still saw her, as well as her own siblings, in Hogsmeade as often as she could manage.

Eager to be out of the rain, Rose soon found herself beside the wrought-iron fence that separated her yard from her neighbor's, and promptly jumped it; landing safely in her garden. That was truly one of the most useful things about being a cat: grace. That that she was particularly lacking in that department, even in human form. It was still improved in her feline form, nevertheless.

Once Rosaline's form was blocked from prying eyes, she safely transformed back into her true self. Her clothes were as soaked as her fur had been, and she was quick to unlock the various security spells that she had placed on her home in her absence. Opening the door, she strode into her home and then shut the door again before stripping off her drenched clothes and heading for the bathroom. She hated rain, but she loved a good soak in a warm bath. Nim would take care of the mess.

Name: Lisa
Character name: Rosaline Bane
Feature you are applying for: Unregistered Animagus -- Turkish Angora
Application:

In truth, upon initially writing Rosaline's sheet, I had considered applying for her to be an animagus. However, I thought that it would be better to play her as a normal character for a while to get a better "feel" for her personality and other factors, and to see if such a feature would still apply once I did so. I had always had some sort of a cat in mind for her animal form, and it was simply a matter of finding the right breed.

I believe that the Turkish Angora is a suitable breed, and Rosaline has much in common with them in particular. More of this will be explained later on in the application. It's taken me a while to sort everything out in my head, but having had her for a while now, I thought it was high time to finally give this a go.


Appearance: The Turkish Angora's coat is long and can be a variety of different colors, but in Rosaline's case it would be black. They are a medium sized feline, and the torso is long and slender, as is the neck, which coincides with Rosaline's own body type. They are very graceful cats, with a fine bone structure and firm muscularity. Overall balance, grace and fineness of bone are more important than actual size in Turkish Angoras, and Rosaline is quite graceful with a fine bone structure. The head is small to medium-sized and tapers toward the chin; eyes are almond-shaped and brown to match Rosaline's.

As for Rosaline's distinguishing mark, aside from having an unusual eye color for such a breed, it would be a small, triangular patch of white fur on the left side her lower back. This correlates with a small birthmark found on the girl in her human form.


Personality: The Turkish Angora is an elegant breed. They are intelligent, and devoted to their humans. Their intelligence enables them, among other things, to devise ways of opening doors, cabinets and drawers that you would never expect of a cat. Rosaline, as well, is highly intelligent and devoted to her family and inner circle of friends.

Angoras will "supervise" the household, and generally tolerate other companion animals as long as those pets recognize who really "rules the roost." They are also very playful and athletic, which also relates to Rosaline and her love of Quidditch. This particular breed, at times, can be somewhat aloof - especially with strangers. Angoras, and Rosaline as well, may look beautiful and sophisticated, but underneath that elegant exterior they are tricksters with a wicked sense of humor. This breed is also quiet despite their semi-feral ancestry.


History: Rosaline is highly skilled in Transfiguration, and it is by far one of her favorite classes. I could see her first becoming interested in the subject in her third year, when the subject of animagi is first brought up in a classroom setting, and later doing some research in the library on her own time. Curious to learn more, she would ask for permission to enter the Restricted Section of the library in order to do further study.

Spending every bit of her free time that she could manage on the study of the subject, Rosaline would have attempted a transformation after about two years-- unsuccessfully, at first. Using the abandoned girls' bathroom on the second floor, she would have merely managed a few partial transformations to begin with: growing cat ears the first time, and ears and a tail the second, and so on and so forth. However, after several attempts, she would have made at least one full transformation after these two years of study. She would be frustrated that it would not be an easy thing to repeat, but, never one to give up, she would have continued to practice and continue to return to her textbooks for guidance.

Only in her seventh year would a full transformation become easier to repeat. While in her animal form, she would spend a great deal of time with her own cat, Francis, in order to study feline movement and behavior to make it easier for her to fit in with the creatures. Towards the end of her seventh year, she would have progressed to an extent, but would obviously still be working on perfecting her ability.

With said ability, some of her senses have heightened. Her ability to see at night has improved a great deal. However, her diurnal vision is a bit lacking. Her hearing and sense of smell have also increased; the latter causing her to be a bit more finicky about what she eats and the former causing even more of an aversion to loud noises than she had had previously. Her reflexes are beginning to show some improvement as well.


Future plots: When Rosaline turned seventeen and was first considered an adult in the wizarding world, she would go to greater lengths to keep her ability a secret: particularly due to the fact that she is an unregistered animagus. Of course, she would be reluctant to tell anyone, outside of some members of her family and her inner circle of friends [namely Lorin Odell], about her ability. As far as Dylan and I have discussed, Rosaline would mentor Lorin Odell in her pursuit to become an animagus as well.

The main plot that I have is in connection with Lorin's special feature application to also become a cat animagus. Once Rosaline has the ability to perform total transformations, she will begin to assist Lorin in her study. If their applications are both approved, I plan to add their "study sessions" into Rose's history. This is just one stepping stone on Lorin's path to the dark arts, and Rose would have every intention of "holding her hand," so to speak, during this, more metaphorical, transformation. She would even go so far as to create an alias for her friend, and intends to keep both of their secrets safe at all costs.

Sunshine Girl and I have discussed Conall Regan also knowing about her ability. As Conall is one of the people who Rose trusts most [she did let him be her first kiss, after all], we believe that it would make sense for him to find out. He would discover her ability, and she would help him with developing his. As he studies with Bronte, he would also write to Rosaline to ask for advice and "hints." Conall would credit Rosaline with his own interest in becoming an animagus.

Also, becoming an animagus would help with Rosaline's illicit business practices. On top of her legitimate career as a potioneer, she sells illegal potions on the side. When situations become tense and she could potentially have to flee, being able to turn into a domesticated animal such as a cat could be her salvation.

RP sample using the feature:

Rosaline absolutely abhorred rain, and particularly when she was caught off-guard by it. She quickened her gait, abhorring the feeling of the wet cobblestone against her paws. Paws? Yes. Paws. While under normal circumstances, Rosaline was an attractive young human female, tonight she had the appearance of an elegant, black Turkish Angora feline. She was, in fact, an animagus.

It was an exceptionally useful ability. For example, tonight she had managed to gain some invaluable intelligence on the residence of one auror who was currently investigating her family. Barnabas Bloodworth. He was a halfblood, so clearly his own blood was not worth much. And he was quite dull, it would seem. He had stumbled back to his home at a hotel in Diagon Alley; drunk off of the copious amounts of firewhiskey that he had consumed at the Leaky Cauldron. He was so intoxicated that he had not even noticed the black cat following him. In the morning, she was to give this information to her grandfather, and the matter would hopefully be settled. Banes did not tolerate nosy types, and particularly halfbloods who did not know their place. At times, she really thought that it was a pity that Voldemort had not won.

At other times, of course, she was glad for it. She had her mother back, more or less, without fear that the Dark Lord would call for her and she be taken away forever; lost beyond the veil. Now, of course, she was no longer living with her mother. She hadn't been for quite some time now. However, she still saw her, as well as her own siblings, in Hogsmeade as often as she could manage.

Eager to be out of the rain, Rose soon found herself beside the wrought-iron fence that separated her yard from her neighbor's, and promptly jumped it; landing safely in her garden. That was truly one of the most useful things about being a cat: grace. That that she was particularly lacking in that department, even in human form. It was still improved in her feline form, nevertheless.

Once Rosaline's form was blocked from prying eyes, she safely transformed back into her true self. Her clothes were as soaked as her fur had been, and she was quick to unlock the various security spells that she had placed on her home in her absence. Opening the door, she strode into her home and then shut the door again before stripping off her drenched clothes and heading for the bathroom. She hated rain, but she loved a good soak in a warm bath. Nim would take care of the mess.

[jen]approved - please edit the sheet accordingly.

Name: Rinn
Character name: Rane Ryssevik
Feature you are applying for: Shadowcaster

Rane is a complex person. He cannot easily be summed up in a few words or sentences. One may not know his character fully until they spend inordinate amounts of time with him. He can be deep and thoughtful but relatively unguarded even though he has his own secrets. He doesn't mind sharing himself with others, but not his entire self. He exhibits favoritism, but doesn't subscribe to the biases of other people. He is patient, but not in all circumstances. He can be independent but not in all ways.  He's complicated and even he struggles with self-awareness at times.

He also struggles with an internal war between self-doubt and self-confidence. Mostly, self-doubt wins. He doesn't have great self-confidence, but it is not necessarily something he worries about per se. He just inherently believes he cannot achieve certain things or do certain things, almost as if he were born that way. His level of self-awareness isn't very high either so he can't even pinpoint the exact reason he feels that way.

He doesn't subscribe to arbitrary ideas or biases just because they are of popular opinion. He can be independent in that way. He makes his own opinions and is not easily influenced by others. This is why it makes it so hard for him to overcome self doubt because even if someone told him he was good at something, he wouldn't necessarily believe them. Sometimes this plays against him because even if he is wrong and the other person is right, he still struggles with accepting that truth.

Rane has a vivid imagination. It is one of his best characteristics -- and one of the worst as well as this is where his night terrors stem from. He is good at making up stories, characters, ideas, and more. Creating something out of nothing is one of his talents. One of his pastimes is to think of all the different ways a situation could have happened -- the what if game. In any given circumstance, he can come up with a hundred different outcomes and alternate realities and he both enjoys and frets over the endless possibilities that are ever present.

He is obsessive. Once he gets hooked on something, he's stuck on it. That thing will keep creeping into his mind and no matter what he is doing or supposed to be doing, it will usually keep cropping up in his consciousness. If it's a new place he's found that he likes, he will keep imagining it. He will keep remembering the last time he was there, thinking of when he can go there next, imagining if he could draw the place to an accurate representation, maybe wondering if he will bring anyone with him and who that might be, who might appreciate it the place as he does, or who might be least likely to share his secret with others. This can happen with anything.. a color, a food item, an object, a song, a class subject. Whatever strikes his fancy. He both loves and hates finding the next new thing because he sometimes gets on his own nerves.

He can also have a great deal of patience when he chooses to. This trait of his lends itself well to his hobbies like sketching and building ships in bottles because it will take a long while before he gets frustrated and he doesn't give up easily. He can be steadfast in his determination and persevering. However, he is not patient in all things. He tends not to be too patient when it comes to other people, particularly in regards to their idiosyncrasies. He is not one to stand by mildly when someone annoys him and will most often try to remove himself from their presence if possible. He can be intolerant at times of others. can be indifferent

Rane can be very focused when he wants to be. He can settle into something and put all his attention on something specific, either a task or an achievement. It is more of a short-term trait, good for projects or assignments, rather than long-term goals and milestones.

What is a Shadowcaster?
Shadowcasting is an innate, wandless form of magic that enables the wizard to create animated objects, creatures, or spaces through artistic means. Wizards with this ability are able to transform imagery of objects into physical items. A simple sketch of a stick figure can come to life in a three dimensional way, taking on personality and characteristics of its own. A sculpture of a quill can be transformed to have the real weight, texture, and functionality of a real quill. Shadowcasting can be accomplished through a variety of art forms including drawing, painting, sculpture, sketching, and more. It is common for a shadowcaster to specialize in one art form, however, where one art form becomes the easiest to shadowcast.

Shadowcasters (also known as Whisperers or the spanish Susurros) are rare, but there are several known wizards who have had this ability. Known instances of shadowcasting can be traced back to the late 16th century including Madam Gertrude Whartenby, said to be the earliest known shadowcaster. This magical ability became known as Shadowcasting after Samson the Silver became famous for creating replicas of his neighbor's pets that were said to have the same personalities and demeanor of the original animals -- a shadow of their former selves.

Shadowcasting stems from the same magic that enables underage wizards the ability to cast spells before they possess a wand. Untrained shadowcasters are very much the same as underage wizards in that they cannot entirely control when and how the magic is pulled from them. Accidental shadowcasting usually occurs when the wizard is upset, angry, or in danger. It is directly connected to a strong emotional climate. There are some wizards who can minorly control their shadowcasting without training, but it is often sloppy and unprecise, similar to the way Tom Riddle was able to inflict pain though he did not know the exact spells and charms to do so. As shadowcasters gain more training and experience, they are more able to control when and how they use their ability.


What are the challenges?
Shadowcasting, just as any other magic form, takes years of training and practice to perfect and perform correctly. Untrained and inexperienced shadowcasters will have a variety of challenges to face when initially attempting to harness their magic.

Three dimensional objects: Inexperienced shadowcaster might be able to draw a knife and make its shadow form -- three dimensional object, but it would not feel like a knife. It wouldn't be sharp, it wouldn't have the weight of a knife, and it wouldn't have that bite of metal feeling. Only experienced shadowcasters would be able to make a shadowed object function much in the same way as the real object its portraying.

Three dimensional spaces: Creating three dimensional spaces is much the same as creating three dimensional objects and creatures in that it is possible. Inexperienced users might be able to create a basic room, blank walls, ceiling, and floor. Experienced users might be able to recreate a room with decor items, color, and physical items like furniture. However, there are limitations. A shadowcaster would not be able to fit a large room into a small physical space. A room could be created in a large, open field, but not in a small, confined space.

Scaling: Creating shadow forms of objects to scale is one of the fundamental challenges to overcome when shadowcasting. Initial training would task a shadowcaster with drawing something small like a button and then creating a shadow form of that button in the same size. First attempts by inexperienced shadowcasters will not have perfect scaling. It might be too small or too large based on the original object. Experienced shadowcasters can achieve the desired scale easily with training and practice.

It is possible to create large objects, but there are a multitude of difficulties associated with it. One cannot defy the laws of physics. A shadowcaster cannot create a big room inside of a small room. One must have the physical space to create it first. If one was in an open field, that shadowcaster could hypothetically create a shadow form of a house. The drawing could be small, fit on a normal sized piece of paper, but it would be up to the shadowcaster to scale up the house correctly. This takes an inordinate amount of skill to control. One would have to imagine the exact dimensions, not just 'big' but precise measurements such as '15 feet, 6 inches'. The shadowcaster has to be spatially aware.


What are the limitations?
There are certain hard limits to shadowcasting. Shadowcasters cannot 'write' the outcome of events or people's futures. Drawing someone's death would be ineffective as well as morbid. Shadowcasters cannot travel through time or space. Shadow forms of new spaces is possible, but creating alternate universes is not.

Fatigue: Because the magic required for shadowcasting is pulled from the wizard unconsciously, performing this sort of magic can be very exhausting. It can lead to bouts of dehydration, hunger, low blood sugar, and deficiencies of vitamin C.

Duration: There are limits on how long shadow forms can last. For the untrained shadowcaster, it is a very brief amount of time before the shadow form fades, dissipating like smoke taken by the wind. For someone with more experience, forms will last longer but this takes more energy from the wizard when the charm is initially cast.

Inanimate objects will always last longer than animated beings or creatures because they require less magic and less energy to create and maintain. Duration of existence depends on each shadowcaster's skill and ability. Beginners may only have their shadow forms last for a few minutes while advanced shadowcasters may be able to make their shadow forms last for hours, and with a tremendous amount of skill: a couple of days. The longer the creation, the more physically draining it is on the wizard. Shadow forms are not permanent replacements to real objects, only a shadow of that object.

Specialization: Shadowcasters cannot create shadow forms with every medium of art. Usually each shadowcaster will specialize in a certain art form and only be able to create shadow forms from that medium. Whether that be sculpting, sketching, painting, metal working, etc.

Nourishment: Shadowcasting is not an effective way to replicate food. Food can't be conjured from nothing as demonstrated in canon. Even if an experienced shadowcaster attempted to make a shadow form of an apple, for example, it may look like an apple, have the correct weight and feel, but it would have no nutritional value or taste.

Sentience: Having a shadow form function in the exact way as the real object in real life takes training, practice, and skill. Drawing a sentient being such as a dementor and having it have the same soul-sucking qualities would be extremely difficult and currently beyond comprehension of a shadowcaster's skill. One might be able to replicate the way dementors fly and hover and look, but it would be difficult to replicate the cold, unhappy feeling they inspire in others; if at all possible. Creating shadow forms of other people is something beyond the scope of possibility for shadowcasters. There are no known instances in history of a shadowcaster being this advanced to create such shadow forms, but several have theorized on the subject.


Why do I want this feature for Rane?
Creating an original special feature has always been an ambition of mine, an urge that has been lurking in my mind for the past five years. However, I've always been waiting for the right idea, the right opportunity, and the right character for which to apply. When this character popped into my mind there was something elusive about him that I couldn't pin down and soon that developed into a SF all on its own as this specific idea for this feature coalesced.

Because this is an innate and rare ability, a period of self-discovery will be needed. Shadowcasters develop their skills at various ages as it varies from person to person. I plan to have his ability developing slowly within the past year or so. Unexplained, odd events will have been occurring on and off for the past few months, leading into a good opportunity for me to play out him struggling with the comprehension and awareness of this ability.

One of the ideas that initially struck me was the thought that he has been having night terrors, dreams so horrible where he imagines monsters and creatures lurking in the dark are about to attack him. As a way of self-therapy, Rane has taken to drawing and sketching the monsters he sees in his nightmares, hoping that that outlet will release them from his dreams. However, the fear he has during his night terrors would call to life these monsters he has drawn and thus gives an added edge of reality to the imagined fear of monsters under the bed.

The self-discovery phase alone will lead to a lot of different opportunities in which to explore not only his character, but also his development and the boundaries of his ability. Fear and confusion will be emotions I can draw on throughout his initial posts. Seeking help and information will be one of the first steps for him in his development with his ability.

I have spoken with Toya (Liesel Schmidt), Monica (Rane's' cousin Annelie Ryssevik and a new WIP), Sailor Pluto (Nora Svendsen, Vitaliy Malenkov), and Angry Panda (Aniel Kowalczykówna) and they have graciously volunteered their characters to plot with Rane about discovering the truth about his ability. Aniel, as the Klyk student librarian, will be a huge asset to him as she might be more approachable than say a professor. Asking Aniel (who is Polish) for help will also lead to additional character development for him due to the fact that he is very biased toward Scandinavians and he would much rather ask someone of a similar ethnicity for help rather than someone who is not.

The second phase will be honing his ability. Learning to control the magic, focusing on achieving specific goals, and fully understanding the scope of his abilities will require a lot of time and practice. I've discussed with Sailor Pluto the possibility of Rane reaching out to Pasha Krinov as shadowcasting shares some similarities and principles with Illusions. 

The third phase will be actively using his ability in various circumstances. It will take some time in character to fully get to this phase, but there will be a lot of creative freedom for me to find as many ways as possible to play this out in threads and incorporate it into his daily interactions. Some ideas include how he would use the ability to woo a girl. Perhaps he would try to create a bouquet of flowers or her favorite animal which would somehow turn out wrong and cause hilarity to fix. He could experiment with trying to create a shadow form of a weapon and testing the function and effectiveness of it. If he were in danger, it'd be interesting and a challenge for me as a roleplayer to figure out if he would rely on this ability and if so, what would he create to help himself out of danger.

In the dark of his dorm, a boy twisted and turned in his sleep, a sheen of sweat on his brow. Rane Ryssevik was in the middle of a fearsome nightmare, trapped and tortured. These nightmares weren't unusual for him, but tonight seemed worse than usual. If that was even possible. Maybe every night seemed worse than the last because he just wanted these night terrors to end. He dreamed of yellowed eyes glowing out from the dark at him, bared teeth, pointed and sharp gleaming. Teeth that could easily rip into the flesh of his arms, his hands as he fought off the attacked. He dreamed of shadows in the distance as he tried to run but couldn't. But the shadows kept coming closer. The creature with the yellowed eyes and gleaming teeth must have stepped into a pool of light because he could see the creatures limbs were all bone with only tendrils of muscle and tendons. No skin.

The creature stalked closer and he tried to get away but then he realized there were thick vines wrapping themselves around his feet, his calves, his legs. Panic seized him as the creature came closer and he realized the monstrous creature was licking its teeth. It was hungry. The monster stalked closer and Rane pulled at the vines on his legs to try and get free only to realize there were several more of the creatures, all equally menacing and terrifying, creeping up behind him.

They were so close and terror pressed close to him as if it were underneath his skin. All he could see was the yellowed eyes and the bared teeth and the shadows of the creatures who were ---

Rane woke up, sitting up in bed with the shock that had pulled him from his nightmare. For a few horrifying seconds, he couldn't breathe. He didn't know where he was as the feeling of the creatures from his nightmare still stuck with him and he glanced around, looking for them. Only to realize he was in his dorm. Safe. His roommates were still sleeping and the sound of one of them snoring was vaguely reassuring.

Still, he was shaken. He should be used to it by now, but he wasn't. He couldn't shake these nightmares and frankly he was afraid of what the nightmares meant. He sat in his bed, his sheets and blankets twisted like his heart and half off the bed. His hands were trembling. Rane knew that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep right away and so instead reached to his bedside table for a journal and a quill he kept there. His fingers knew the motion before his mind caught up and soon he was sketching a picture of the monster that had visited him in his dreams. He wasn't sure why but sketching usually helped lure him back towards the shores of sleep.

By the time he was finished, he was a little frightened by how similar it was to the monster of his dreams. The familiar sound of quill against parchment had soothed him a little and he hoped now he would be able to fall back asleep. He pushed his journal back onto his beside table and folded his arm beneath his head as he rested on his side. It was a long while but sooner than he expected that he found himself drifting into sleep once more.

~ ~ ~

A scraping sound woke him a few hours later and Rane, who had been once again been drawn into another nightmare, woke up once again, sweat shining on his forehead. He experienced deja vu with the disorientation, the prickling fear, the paranoia before he realized he really was awake this time. He took a few deep shuddering breaths as he tried to calm his racing heart and quell the last grasps of fear.

Then another scrape sounded and he flinched, his blue eyes trying to find the source of the noise in the dark. It sounded like it came from the end of his bed and Rane strained to see what it was. A pet? One of his roommates returning from a midnight restroom visit? And then he stopped breathing altogether. Yellowed eyes and a hint of gleaming bared teeth stared back at him from the foot of his bed. He gasped and hastily scooted back until he hit the wood of his headboard. He was awake. He knew he was awake and yet his nightmares were still here. He clutched his wand in one hand and tried to convince himself that he wasn't crazy.

[jen] ~ approved!

Name: Hanhan
Character name: Olivia Welks
Feature you are applying for: Werewolf

The Animal Lover:

Olivia Welks loves everything to do with magical creatures. Those beasts is one of her favorite things in the magical world. She will not harm a living creature or even interrupt their natural habitat. Basically, Olivia is a hippie. Since Hogwarts she is drawn to adventures and the dangers of the forest, never considering the risks. Olivia is brave and never super cautious. She tries to help everybody without thinking of the bad effects of doing so. She thinks everybody has a good part to their body. It is naive, but she just does not ever want to think someone is truly bad. Olivia does go hunting animals alone, which leaves her wide open to attacks or anything else that could happen. Olivia does this only because she feels if she brings someone along they will scare the other animals away. This just leaves her in a dangerous situation.

The Wolf:

Animals was always something that intrigued Olivia. She worked with the ministry with the dragons and with the werewolf registry unit. She knows her beasts and loves to study them. This normally brought her to visit undisclosed areas to try to find the animals that did not want to be found. Olivia was on a regular adventure in the Grizedale Forests in North West England in January. It was cold and pretty desolated in the forest that time of the year. Many of the normal animals were not even in sight. She was searching for wild Bowtruckles. The forests were very dark and Olivia was not paying attention to the time or what day it was. With her luck it was a full moon and clear outside, close to dark. The woman's only mission was to find the Bowtruckles so that she would have another lesson plan for the students and something else new that she could enjoy. As the afternoon continued into dark, Olivia did not pay attention. The bowtruckles were extremely hard to spot and now since it was turning dark it was nearly impossible. Almost giving up she was ready to leave and she heard a snap. She did not know what it was but thinking it was a bowtruckle she continued forward in the dark with her wand illuminated. That is when she saw two yellow eyes peering at her. She heard a snarl. Most of the time beasts were gentle, but she thought maybe it was a wild wolf. Her first instinct was to make a loud sound and scare it away. That caused the beast to move even closer. That is when she got the first view of the animal. It took a step closer and howled. It was deep and felt like it shook all the trees around her. When it moved into the full moonlight it was a deep gray color with hair sticking out everywhere. It's yellow eyes pierced straight into her. Olivia was in pure shock that she was just in front of a creature that she was studying for half of her career. The last time she ever seen one of these was when she was in the ministry, but she had other people with her. She was never alone...

The creature stared at her confused. The first thing she thought she would have to do was distract it. Olivia picked up her wand and swished it, speaking some words softly under her breath not to scare the creature anymore. She did not want to hurt it but she wanted it to look another way. As the bag came toward her she flicked it the other way and the bag full of her equipment hit a tree behind the creature. It looked the way the bag went and Olivia quickly took off in the other direction. She had no clue where to go, but she had to get out of there. She heard the animal behind her, but she had to either hide or keep running. Running would not last long. She was already feeling tired. Olivia was out of breath already and wanted to stop, even the thought of stopping made her pause slightly which caused the creature to catch up. Something caught her ankle and the first thought in her mind was her son. She had to keep going for him. The pain was immense. It burnt. The animal then began to drag her. She was not going to die. Using the first spell that she could think of which was Incendio. The flames that came out hit a bush close to the beast. It did not stop it from dragging her. Olivia felt like her ankle was going to fall out. Finally she managed to shoot out another spell before she felt to weak to do anything. This one was Incarcerous, which tied the beast up with ropes. She did not hurt it but stopped it. It was already attempting to wriggle free and Olivia was not sure how much longer she had before she felt like passing out. The first thing she did was close her eyes and focused as much energy as possible and she ended up apparate out of the woods. She ended up in the next magical town over close to a inn. The woman who found her was surprised to say the least. The ended up taking her to a private practice where she received care from Kit Emberton.  They applied powered silver and dittany which sealed up her wound on the ankle, thus turning her into the creature she studied for this many years. Olivia decided to keep a secret to only the people close to her, fearing she might lose her job or family.

She-wolf:

When you turn, it is the blood and the saliva that makes the damage. Many muggles do that survive the attack. The victims after the attack gain a taste of red meat and wolf tendencies. They itch and scratch like a wolf. They basically have wolf traits. Olivia would gain these traits after her mauling. Olivia is technically part magical, so she would be able to survive the attack. Every full moon she will go through a horrible transformation and would have to seclude herself from her family, friends, and even students. Many werewolves attack themselves out of frustration when they do have other humans to attack or other animals to keep it company. The wolfsbane potion does that stop the transformation, just keeps their mind during the event. If a werewolf does not take the potion, their mind is a complete blank and will not recall anything that happened that night. They could kill their own family and not recall any of the event.

This would change Olivia's view point on everything. She will be more protective of her family after the event and fear for them even more. Olivia is already fearful of her muggleborn status, but being a werewolf is even more discrimination. They get treated completely different than other magical folk, only because they were attacked. The attack is already going to be hard on her but knowing that she could hurt any one of her family members without having a clue of doing it would effect her the most. Olivia would feel like she always should seclude herself. Society already makes it hard for them to obtain jobs. Since 1998,  Kingsley Shacklebolt has opened up less discrimination. She would still have to register in the Beast Division.

Olivia's personality would not change a lot. She would still be a hippie and animal lover, just a more cautious form of it. Olivia will be second guessing everything before even attempting it. She will be more fearful for everything around her. She will be a big worry wart.

When she is transformed, Olivia looks like any other werewolf. She has the extended limbs and walks on all fours. Her fur is a reddish brown color, to match her natural auburn hair. She actually has a tan body in her form and her hair is slightly longer and fuzzy forgot throughout her body. Oliva's eyes are still a bright green eyes. Days before transformation Olivia has her senses enhanced, which shows her its near. She usually feels more energy during this time and has troubles trying to sleep. After the event she is very sick. Her body is achy and some bruises or random scratches are among her body. She is sick for a couple days after the event.

The Damage:

The physical damage from the bite will be noticeable for Olivia, but her combat boot could easily hide it. The bite was located on her ankle. Many of the skin was torn, but will heal nicely. She will have a scar there for the rest of her life. Werewolves premature age, so Olivia will do this in return. She will just gain a few grey streaks, but she will try to hide it with magical spells if it works. During his transformations she could harm herself or be harmed by anti-werewolf associates. Olivia would have scars from those attacks, eventually. Currently she will only have her bandaged bite mark.

Hopefully I get to start this in the next month's playtime, but I am currently going to roleplay the hospital time out with Kit Emberton(Gage), Gregoire Cartier(Samm), and Geri Trickett(Sunshine Girl). This will be the after care and what to expect after the attack. Geri stays by her side the whole time and takes care of her afterward. He is supportive of the whole deal. Kit will do the beast healing. Greg will be her close friend that is supportive. Olivia needs as much support as possible and will have to have a few people that keep her secret close.

Olivia's main plot is her dealing with what exactly happened. She will fear losing her job and having her son shun her. Letting her son know what happened is going to be hard thing to do. Olivia will fear him not accepting his mother of what she is. This woman will fear she will hurt him one of these days if she does not keep safe. Olivia will also fear losing her job. They are more open to werewolves in the work force, but Olivia will fear that because she will need to take a few days off a month to lock herself away and come back sickly that it would worry her students. She does not want to do that to them. Olivia would be taking a month off after the attack to recoup and dread her first pain change.

Another plot involves Conall Regan(Sunshine Girl) and Olivia. Olivia would escape from her shack during the change and run into a wolf. She would be intrigued and end up accompanying him while he runs around, but he smells human. Olivia and Conall both discover that they are wolves, two different forms and keep each other secret. They create a wolf bond. Olivia gains someone new that will help her keep her secret.

Because of the attack, Geri Trickett(Sunshine Girl) will become closer to Olivia and protective. He will start helping make wolfsbane and locking Olivia up when she needs it. Geri will be Olivia's shoulder when she needs it. This will open her up more for a relationship with the Trickett baker and a future with someone... even though the whole time she will fear hurting him and fear losing him.

This will open up Olivia for more plots and chances to role-play with other people. She could have many opportunities with other werewolves or even with animagus people. She will have to go through a lot, but she will have many friends that will bring her closer and will help her when she needs it. This will make Olivia even more stronger than what she is.

It was that time of the month for Olivia Welks. The classes were ending and she was taking a momentary leave from the students and her normal job. Since her attack in Northern England everything was a little harder. Grey was still not speaking to her, which shocked Olivia. His disappointment came from his mother being alone in the woods, which caused the attack. Olivia just was no prepared and was comfortable with studying creatures like she normally did, which caused damage throughout her life. Olivia managed to keep her job as long as she kept her illness a secret. Every few days of a month she would go on a leave, saying she was searching for a new animal for the lesson or working on a section of her book, and she would continue on into the Forbinned Forest past her shack and past anywhere that students could simply think of. There was located a tiny little shed. There she would take the wolfsbane potion and lock herself up. It was the only way to keep everybody safe. That is all she really cared. Safety. Nobody will get hurt thanks to her.

Olivia prepared water and a few other snacks for wait. The chocolate frogs were the best part. She did manage to get some cupcakes from her favorite bakery in Hogsmeade. Olivia only be at the shack for the night and walk back to her hut in the morning and do the same over and over again until the full moon was away.

The walk through the Forbinned Forest was nice during the day. She knew she had to walk about a mile or two into the deep forest to get to her little shed. Since the attack her senses were enhanced much more when it was closer to a full moon. During that time she would not need her glasses as much and she could smell the water or other animals even if they were five hundred feet away. The enhancements helped her with not getting lost in the Forest. She knew where the shed was thanks to its musky, dusty smell. She hated that smell now since she was stuck there over night. The wolfsbane potion helped her keep her mind during the transformation. The first time she drank that liquid she hated it. It was stuck in her throat and couldn't even go past. It tasted like you were swallowing iron. Olivia was dreading drinking the liquid, but she needed to so nobody would get hurt. As she got closer to the shed, she noticed it was already close to sunset. Olivia paid more attention to those times now since she turned. She felt like it was easier to time herself so she did not spend much time in the shed.

As she opened the shed's padlock she set her bag inside, along with the key. The locks inside worked just as fine as the outside locks, but Olivia set a key up inside a stump just in case. She had a few people that were helping that could lock the outsides if she forgot to take the wolfsbane potion. Olivia was pretty set on her list for things to do. Once she was in the shed, she locked the door and shoved the key under a floor board close to the door. The only reason why she did that was because she was not sure how much of this shed she could destroy. The only thing she could see safe was under the floor. Olivia reached into the bag that had the cupcakes pulling out a small silver flask. That had the wolfsbane potion. As she screwed off the top, Olivia made a funny face and plugged her nose. She swallowed the liquid. It felt like it was burning, but she had to bear it. Finishing it off it was now time to wait. When it got closer Olivia would chain up her ankle with another key. This one she would leave in a different area than the other key. The only reason why she did this was for even more protection. This woman was not even sure how strong she was in the form. She was taking every precaution she could.

The moon was finally coming up, Olivia ate about three cupcakes as she waited. As soon as the moon came Olivia felt it. Her whole body felt tingly and then a burning sensation came. The sensation was to much. Olivia cried out as she put her hands in her face. Her legs begun to extend and so did her arms. Olivia felt like all of her bones in her body were breaking. They were deforming and changing to the new form. Olivia's face then stared to change. Her mouth and nose started to come out more, into a snout. The ears started to point out. The pain was so much that Olivia was not even crying anymore, she was more focused on trying to keep good thoughts in her mind. The pain was to much to bear, finally Olivia passed out while the transformation continued. As the transformation ended the only thing left was a reddish-brown werewolf with its leg chained to a wall of the shed, whimpering while it slept.