Name: JT
Character name: @Lorelei Faulkner Feature you are applying for: Obscurial Shadow
Application: Obscurials in America: Possible ContextWhile hinted in the original books through Dumbledore's sister, Ariana, Obscurials have been fleshed out in greater detail in Fantastic Beasts. Ariana's condition was rare, and indeed the instances of a magical child becoming an Obscurus is highly improbable. Even in the United States, what we know so far hints that Obscurials were considered eliminated long before Seraphina Picquery's tenure as MACUSA President.
In my perspective, with the United States' extremely large population and dense metropolitan areas, MACUSA would have been extremely proactive in identifying Obscurials to prevent the potential damage they could do and their risk of exposing the magical community. However, there are pockets of communities that have often been ignored or forgotten by society at large. It is in these place where muggleborn children are especially vulnerable to forming an Obscurus. From Rowling's perspective, even if we ignore references to religious conservatism that's unique to the country, the no-maj of the United States have always been more wary, even antagonistic, to any signs of magic compared to other muggle populations around the globe. Worse, they are much more likely to believe that magic exists than to ignore it.
During the period of Lorelei's birth, a perfect storm of circumstances may have contributed to forming Obscurials. The Cold War and the Red Scare was building, and suspicions toward neighbours, friends, and even family ran high. There would have been great pressure to conform, to hide and suppress anything that hinted of seeming abnormal, for fear of being labelled as an ally of 'the enemy.' Worse, many towns that relied on coal, manufacturing, and other labour industries were finding that the economy could no longer sustain those jobs. As these fields were shifted overseas, the country focused on skilled labour and the service industries. As a result, many communities fell into hard times, falling into poverty, left behind as the country focused its energies to its cities.
The Appalachian region was one one of the hardest hit during these changes, especially in the small, home-rule cities in Kentucky. Theses cities generally consisted of just about fifty families, and were forced to consolidate resources with neighbouring towns to fund schools and public services. Fairly remote and a great distance from the nearest metro area, these communities were trapped after the collapse of coal mines. High unemployment, limited education opportunities, a lack of competitive service-industry skills, and an increasing dependence on painkillers prevented many from escaping a difficult life. In addition, many of these communities still hewed strictly to American notion that success was made independently, with limited help from the government.
For the American magical community, MACUSA's strict enforcement of non-fraternization with no-maj was a blessing in multiple ways. As muggleborns were often the result of a latent magical gene, due to a squib or magical relative far in their family tree, this probably limited the number of muggleborns, lowering the risk of a magical child being born from parents who would be antagonistic to magic. However, Scourers who escaped MACUSA's hunt for them may have integrated into no-maj communities, starting family lines that were non-magical, but held onto believing its existence and getting rid of it.
Feature to CharacterLorelei would be a muggleborn witch whose lot in life was borne from all these factors coalescing. Born from an extremely poor family, in a town of limited means and opportunity, she is representative of those forgotten by society. If she had been a no-maj, perhaps she would have suffered silently, with the rest of the world going about, business-as-usual. But as her magic awakened, Lorelei's circumstances were made worse. Perhaps if she had some advocate, or some encouragement, she could have been a regular witch. But as she tried to suppress her magic, it in turn formed into an Obscurus, exploding as a dangerous parasitic entity whenever she could no longer bottle everything in.
Obscurials often died around their tenth year, unable to control or suppress the magic seeking to be released. MACUSA may have intervened long before children ever reached this stage, providing counselling to those young enough to be rehabilitated, or containing those deemed too far gone. For Obscurials identified so late, they did not have the luxury of time that counselling needs to be effective. The most one could do was palliative, to ease their suffering before their Obscurus took every ounce of their magic and life force. For Lorelei, she was near the age when most Obscurials would have perished, and she was already losing control.
How she managed to survive with her magic becoming a parasitic entity is similar to how some people can somewhat withstand a Dementor's presence while others succumb to them. At the core of Lorelei's personality is her innate belief in the goodness of the world. Despite the neglect and abuse from her parents, particularly her mother, Lori has never blamed the world for her ills. She has always internalised her circumstances as her fault, but she has always held onto the idea that if she tried harder, behaved better, changed herself, her family might grow to love her. While full of self-loathing, Lori had never harboured thoughts about ending her life, or wishing she could disappear. Rather, she believed she could change for the better and rid herself of the shadows. The desire to be a daughter her parents could cherish---or a girl that the other schoolkids could accept---kept Lori going. It wasn't necessarily a happy outlook, nor a healthy one. Indeed, her wish for outward approval meant she seeing current herself as inferior, unworthy, and undeserving. Still, it was a faint hope in her bleak life. It was this core optimism that her Obscurus could not fully consume, similar to a Dementor being held back and even driven away by a focused, happy memory. Instead, it made her resilient, strong enough to live despite being drained by her Obscurus, protecting her life force.
Being left alone in the woods at a young age, Lori had grown to appreciate the stark beauty of the Appalachian wilderness, and she believes this natural beauty is a manifestation of 'goodness.' Even when parts of the region were destroyed by the formation of mines and logging companies, only to be abandoned when the economy tanked, Lorelei could appreciate the small moments of beauty: dandelions dancing in the wind, a vista of the rolling hills. Even the mine shafts were like scars that gave the mountains a story, something that was part of its history, but didn't define it. She extended that view to herself. She considered herself a bad girl, and why her parents beat her and neglected her. But since they didn't abandon her in the middle of the woods, she felt there was some part of her that could be saved.
Still, no matter how resilient a child was, as she grew, so did the Obscurus. By the time she was eight, no amount of optimism could hold back an ever-growing magical parasite. After her latest Obscurial episode, Lorelei may have died, had she not been found by Hester.
Saving her required drastic magical intervention, dangerous magic that many wizards would be hesitant to perform. For MACUSA, the risk of using such measures, which often bordered on Dark Magic, was not worth the trouble. But luckily, Lorelei was found by Hester Park, a pragmatic witch whose views of right and wrong were often grey. She sympathised with those who were dealt a terrible hand at life, and sought to give Lorelei a wildcard. Working with Sampson Irons, an expert in Obscurials, they would have had the experience and the gumption to perform the dangerous magic needed to save Lori.
Ilvermorny's education is comprehensive, attuned to the diversity of wizards and witches that enter its halls. Magic in the Americas could often be done with the use of wands, channelled into crafts that were more elemental in nature. Sampson and Hester, both highly skilled in these elemental magicks, would have performed a complicated spell to contain Lorelei's Obscurus.
Forming Obscurial Shadows:An Obscurus was essentially a witch's magical ability, transformed into a parasitic entity that feeds on its host. It and the witch are paradoxically the same and different. It is the part of a witch that she denied, wishing to have never existed. Formed from her suppressed emotions, an Obscurus is sentient, acting on those thoughts and feelings that a witch locked deep within herself. While it is ultimately a destructive force, an Obscurus is also a protective entity. Often, an Obscurial is taken over by her Obscurus when she feels powerless and threatened, causing her magic to lash out and attack. As Lori grew, so did the Obscurus, feeding on her until it took over, leeching her magic and vitality. Without the intervention that occurred for Lorelei, the Obscurus would have continued to drain her energy until both were consumed and annihilated.
To prevent that from happening, the Obscurus needs to be contained. In Lorelei's case, this involves an arcane seal involving Shadow and Oath magicks. The seal is essentially a contract, binding the Obscurus into the witch's shadow. This prevents the Obscurus from becoming corporeal, unable to physically damage its surroundings or harm people. The Oath magic involved is a ritual binding on Lorelei to 'do no harm,' essentially sealing the majority of her magic away. This would have reduced the power of her Obscurus, enough for it to be contained. The magicks of the Americas are famous for its binding and warding, though often channelled through artefacts and fetishes. In this manner, the binding fetish would have to be especially guarded to prevent someone from undoing the seal or using it to control the individual who is bound to it. The danger of it being potentially taken and having someone possessing an Obscurial was not something Hester or Sampson were willing to take. Instead, the fetish used was Lorelei's own shadow. In this case, it would always be in Lori's possession.
However, the seal also means the parasitic entity has been preserved. Whereas other witches, if given time and support, can accept their magic and eventually rid themselves of their Obscurus, Lorelei is forever bound to hers until her last moment. This means that Lori, despite being mostly at peace and happy with her life, can never fully get rid of the dark thoughts and feelings that originally formed her Obscurus. Like many witches who have survived years of trauma, Lori can never fully erase what she had gone through, and simply lives her life as best she can.
As an Obscurial Shadow is essentially a witch's magical force, containing it into her shadow means there is often very little magic inside of her. This severely impacts her ability to perform most types of spells, especially those requiring the use of wands or charming objects. Additionally, the Obscurial Shadow is still parasitic and sentient, still leeching magic and energy from its host. This means Lorelei's life span has been considerably shortened. Whereas many magical folk can easily live past a hundred, Lorelei probably will not live past her 60s.
However, in Lori's point of view, considering that she would not have lived past her 8th birthday without Sampson and Hester's magical intervention, she sees her lifespan as having been extended rather than diminished. The extra time she was given would be enough for the years of therapy she needed to address and move past her traumatic childhood.
Living with An Obscurial Shadow:Like many girls that would later form House Irons, Lorelei required a long time for her emotional recovery. While she never entertained the idea of ending her life, Lorelei had a terrible view of herself. She wanted to be better, which in her mind was being anyone other than who she was. She hated her magic, and while Hester may have been saddened at taking away a young witch's magical potential, Lori saw it as a blessing.
Still, what was left of Lori's magic needed to be mastered and controlled. Shadow magic was an arcane branch, rarely practised until wizards and witches entered Ilvermorny, and only when they began taking the elective. Lorelei needed to learn it immediately, including the mental and emotional fortitude necessary for the craft. Otherwise, her shadow would be constantly out of control, ruled by the sentience of her Obscurus rather than herself.
To start, Lorelei's recovery required being her placed in a bright room where no shadows could form. Without the fear of her shadow raging and causing trouble, Lori could focus on herself. While it appeared like she was put in solitary confinement, Lorelei considered the bright room as her safe space, free from the shadows that long plagued her. In this room, she learned the true nature and history of witches. She learned from Sampson and Hester that magic, while potentially dark and dangerous as her mother taught her, was also capable of producing beauty and goodness.
As she gained better control of her shadow, including the overpowering emotions that fed the Obscurus, Lorelei has been able to 'tame' her shadow. She has grown like witches who have been able to channel the emotions caused by their traumatic past into healthier avenues of expression. Through years of support from House Irons and Ilvermorny, Lorelei learned to accept herself as a person of worth. Her increasing self-confidence, combined with her inherent optimism, keep her grounded and unable to be overtaken by her Obscurus. Instead, she has been able to commune with it, and over the years the two have developed a slightly more symbiotic relationship. While the Obscurus continues to leech away Lori's life force, it posses no danger of taking her life in the near future. The sentience of the Obscurus also remains, which recognises that Lori is no longer in danger. Instead of being a menacing, antagonistic entity, it has slowly become more cooperative, acting more mischievous and even playful than malevolent. Lorelei is also able to draw magic back from her Obscurus in order to perform some limited wandwork.
Traits and LimitationsPossessing an Obscurial shadow, Lorelei's life in uniquely situated. She cannot perform wand spells more complicated than what most third years master. However, her latent ability had always been great, now just channelled to very specialised fields. With most of her magic sealed into her shadow, she represents the pinnacle of this branch of magic, all of its benefits and its pitfalls. She can naturally perform Shadow Magic with ease, including the ability to slip and out of shadows. This is how Lorelei tends to travel outside of the the Floo network or a portkey, as she doe not have the ability to Apparate.
In addition, Lorelei's shadow often acts on its own, like an unruly pet. Over the years, she and her Obscurus have developed a much more symbiotic relationship. Her shadow will often act instinctively to protect her when it senses danger or her distress. In normal situations, her shadow is more playful, changing shapes and wanting to play hide-and-seek. Unlike most Shadow Magic practitioners, Lorelei's own shadow can leave her in great distances, as it is essentially a part of herself. Despite it being a parasitic entity, her Obscurial Shadow is instinctively protective of Lorelei, and may act out on its own if it senses its host is being threatened. While unable to violently attack as it could during Lori's childhood, it can still cause harm through manipulation of Shadow Magic.
Future plots: ClassesLori's SF would play an integral role in all of her lessons as a professor. Her Obscurus functions like most shadow summons, demonstrating the need for skill and control when dealing with shadow manipulation. She often uses it to show what happens if a witch loses control of a summons, as well as what one can achieve when having achieved mastery. As an Obscurus may be considered in the realm of Dark Magic or Dark Creatures due to its inherently malignant nature, Lorelei teaches Shadow Magic in recognition of its use in both benevolent and Dark Arts.
Ernest FranklinErnest is one of the few professors currently teaching who had taught Lorelei back during her Ilvermorny years. Due to Lorelei's unique case, professors would have been given advanced notice of her condition to monitor her and ensure she poses no danger to herself nor other students. Ernie's kind nature made him one of Lori's emotional pillars during her time in school. Despite being dreadfully poor in his classes, helped her earn passing grades through extra assignments. His support also extended to inviting her to holidays with his family. This has allowed Lorelei to experience what loving households are like, which has helped tremendously with her emotional growth. Later, when Lori first began teaching at Ilvermorny, Ernie acted as her mentor, helping her adjust to her new role. Due to her limited wandskills, Ernie assists her from time to time by preparing the necessary charms in her classroom so she can conduct particular lessons. The two remain on close in both professional and personal terms. The emotional support Ernie provides has helped, and continues to help, Lori maintain the mental stability needed to keep her Obscurial Shadow in check.
Sampson IronsAs the person mainly responsible for Lori's recovery, Lorelei is deeply indebted to his efforts saving her. Their interactions will often reference her state of being, how well she's managing her Obscurus, as well has his coven. Sampson is an authority figure on Obscurials, so their threads can be used to further develop MH-lore about it. Based on own Special Feature (pending), the two gain intimate knowledge on the emotions, thoughts, and magic that bring an Obcurus to parasitic sentience, in hopes of using that knowledge to identify young witches who are vulnerable to forming one.
Iron WitchesSeveral drivers are planning to create students who make up the current coven of House Irons. As a professor and the first Iron Witch, Lorelei acts as their mentor during the school term. She also interacts with those staying in House Irons during the summer term, as she helps with its daily operations after the school year ends.
- Axel's Shimmer Vega: Shimmer came into House Irons when Lori was still helping the coven full time. As an Obscurial, Lorelei also had to struggle with maintaining control, knowing the dangerous consequences when she lost it. Shimmer is a young woman who also struggles with maintaining control, often flying into a rage when she feels things are not going the way she desires them to. Their personalities are very different, but Lori would understand when Shimmer enters one of her rages, and accept her despite all her faults, as both have an unspoken understanding of each other's past. As House Irons tutors witches in elementary subjects before Ilvermorny, Lorelei would have taught Shimmer subjects in English, History, as well as Shadow Magic. Because of their contrasting personalities, their relationship is complicated. Lorelei is aware of Shimmer's tendency to take advantage of others and to make choices that put herself first. Still, she continues to mentor Shimmer in hopes that she can learn to make choices that put others first.
- Ashton's Alyson Graves: Lorelei would have been living in the coven and teaching students there just before she was hired at Ilvermorny, and like Shimmer, has taught Aly a few subjects like writing, history, and shadow magic. Lorelei isn't precognitive, but as an Obscurial, she knew the things she dreamed was actually her Obscurus taking over at night. She connects with Aly about how it feels when things they 'dream' are actually real. Like with Shimmer, Lori acts as a mentor once Aly began studying at Ilvermorny. She checks in and discusses Aly's dreams, acting as a counsel and as a supportive figure.
RP sample using the feature:
The warm glow of candlelight flickered in the room. That was a fact. Whether it gave a comforting—even romantic—atmosphere, or an ominous one dealt in the realm of opinions. Lorelei's feelings felt strongly in the latter camp. She didn't like the long lines of shadows that danced upon the pillars and walls. It felt like walking into a vampire's lair, rather than a classroom. Indeed, without desks or chairs, just a high ceilinged room with various candlelit floor lamps, it seemed better set for a gothic film than an academic lesson. Worse, the classroom was her own. Lori could never reconcile how her greatest magical strength gave her the worst anxiety. She wished she'd been a different type of witch, one who was great with a wand or some other craft where she could teach in beautiful open spaces and plenty of light. But that dealt in the realm of fantasy.
Lorelei reprimanded herself for such thoughts. There was no point in wishing to be different. She was who she was. All she could hope was to be the best version of herself, and to be comfortable with that. She focused on the facts, and shifting her opinions to one that felt more optimistic. The long shadows meant it was easier to cast magic of an already difficult craft. Her students would need all the help they could get this lesson.
But then again, even if she dealt with just the facts, it was the absolute truth that she was anxious. Feelings have to be recognised, Lori told herself. Don't push it away. Accept it, and let it go.
She breathed deeply, but didn't dare close her eyes. Calm, but constantly alert, Lorelei noted that one particular candelabra cast an odd shadow. It was longer than it naturally should be, and even in the curve of the ceiling, the way it warped to look like a cat was unnatural. Lorelei looked down, realising her own shadow was missing.
'Come on now,' she spoke softly. 'Behave yourself. There's no point frightening the children.' She looked back at the candelabra, noting its arms now cast just four tendrils on the wall. She looked at the opposite side of the room, scanning until she spotted an nondescript area of darkness in the far corner. Without looking away, Lori shook her head and reached out to a small shadow next to her, cast by a single lamp. Her arm disappeared into the thin void, only to appear across the room like some floating appendage. Quickly, she snatched at something, which just looked like air, before she pulled her arm back until she appeared whole again. 'We'll have time to play later,' she said calmly, seemingly to no one.
At first, it seemed Lori pulled out absolutely nothing, but her gaze was not on her outstretched arm, but to the nearby shadow. It flickered and warped, until a darker mass spread and began to fill onto the wall behind her, mimicking her silhouette, forming her shadow as it normally should.
'Thank you for listening. Now let's greet our new group of kids this year and give them a fun little hour, shall we?' Lorelei dropped her arm and took a cautious step forward, watching her shadow follow along, with no abnormal shifts or disappearance. She walked to the door, opening it to greet her newest pupils.
'Welcome,' she said in her usual breathy voice, barely above a whisper. 'Do place your things in that corner, and stand by a lamp. We'll get started momentarily.'
[mer]pending ~ Please check your PMs[/mer]
