The Shadows Of Middlemarch OOC (Dark Fantasy, Magical Academy RP)

[Lovejoy]

NO LONGER ACCEPTING CHARACTERS

IC: http://roleplayerguild.com/showthrea...Of-Middlemarch

I N T R O D U C T I O N

This is an RP I've been working on for a long while. It's actually a "redux" of an old RP that I used to run on this site, only with a lot of stuff changed around. The older version of this RP was based on the Harry Potter universe, but this one takes place in an original universe which is somewhat inspired by HP but has its own continuity along with some darker elements.

The RP will revolve around a group of new students in the Middlemarch School of Sorcery and their trials and tribulations within the school. All of this is set against the backdrop of an approaching war that will prove devastating to the planet. The story will also go into the relationship between the wizards of the world and human beings and will of course feature plenty of fun and not so fun adventures in and out of the school grounds. The world the RP takes place in is a dark one. Demons are a big part of the RP's mythology and there will a lot of blood, betrayal, and plenty of psychological trauma to go around.

I'm really big on character development, so the RP will have a big focus on drama and character interactions. I probably won't be accepting too many characters, as I find a smaller cast to be more manageable.

Lastly, while the RP will have an overarching plot, I am very open and very encouraging to player-created sideplots as well as general world-building. Below, you'll find quite a bit of world/plot info that will give you guys a bit of insight on the world and will hopefully offer up some ideas about what characters you can create.

O V E R V I E W

Spoiler

It is the year 2022, and the human world stands at the precipice of war.

Tensions between the super powers of the east and west have been brewing for the past decade, and both sides have begun the preparations for the inevitable coming of a war unlike any other in history.

Millions will die in this conflict, and the future of the very planet lies on the brink of cataclysm.

You are a magus, gifted with supernatural abilities far beyond the ken of normal humans. As a member of the magi race, you have been raised within the Obscured World, a world of silence and secrets, of horrible monsters and demons that hunt in the shadows, of powerful forces which hold sway over the fabric of reality itself. Your world, hidden from the perception of human beings since the beginning of time, is soon to be threatened by the coming of this terrible war.

Within the hallowed halls of the Middlemarch School of Sorcery, an academy where the very best of the magi race are taught to reach the extreme of their potential, a great rift is forming between those who would choose to let the power-hungry humans kill themselves off, and those who yield allegiance to the lesser race and would choose to help them.

As both students and faculty choose their sides in the face of the incoming human war, an ancient conspiracy will soon be made manifest and shall threaten to not only consume Middlemarch, but the world itself.

T H E -- O B S C U R E D -- W O R L D

Spoiler

The Obscured World, a hidden veil imperceptible to non-magi, was created aeons ago to protect the lesser human race from the terrors that lurk beyond the fabric of the mortal world. It can best be described as a planet-wide barrier of perception which protects humanity from the fantastic and dangerous fauna that exist beyond their reality. Werewolves, vampires, dragons, sea serpents, and countless other magical creatures live and roam in the Obscured World. Most dangerous of all however, are the dark and terrifying demonic entities which, if allowed, can break through and cause irreparable ruin to the human race.

The magi, a race of humanoid magical beings, first existed as the guardians of this ethereal veil and their first duty was to safeguard the primitive human race from the terrors that lurk beyond their perception. However, the demons that exist within the Obscured World are as powerful and dangerous as the magi themselves, and the one thing that demons desire most is to break free of the veil.

For this reason, the magi and their demonic counterparts have never known peace. In the many magical academies throughout the world, students are taught to hate demons, and all are educated in the means to kill them.

As the ages passed and humanity grew in power and technology, the magi were forced to alter their purpose. Aside from protecting humanity from the monsters and demons that run rampant in the Obscured World, the magi now protect the Obscured World from humans themselves, who most fear will cause a great catastrophe should they become aware of what lies beyond the veil. To do this, many magi choose to live among humans in order to watch over them, and their exist countless magi communities hidden within human cities and towns.


For millennia, the Great Houses, the ancient bloodlines who rule over every facet of magi society, have enforced an unyielding decree which forbids any magus from revealing themselves or other magi to humanity. The First Oath, as it is known, is the most sacred of laws for the magi race, and breaking it comes with the most severe punishment imaginable-- the sealing of a magus' natural magic and the locking away of their own memories. Worst yet, those who break their First Oath are erased from the memories of every magi alive, and all traces of their existence are removed from the world.

A magi can still live among human beings, but they must keep their true nature hidden and must do everything in their power to keep it as such.

The ruling magisters of the Great Houses hold mastery over ancient and powerful magic and are hailed as the most sovereign of all magi. Due to this, the vast majority of magi live in both fear and awe of the magisters, and have lived under their rule for as long as anyone can remember.


Current Political Map: http://i.imgur.com/XpjF7.jpg

The House of Autumn

The youngest of all the ruling families, the Autumns are the first and only Great House composed of half-blood and demi magi. They first rose to prominence during the 1950s, when the Autumns battled House Cigala in a long and bloody campaign that saw the Autumns drive the European dynasty from the North American continent. House Autumn are known as isolationists, and are content to rule over their territory in North America without having the desire to expand their borders. That being said, it is common knowledge that should they be attacked, the Autumns will not stop in their retribution until their enemies lie in ruin. Members of House Autumn are known to have disdain for pure-blood wizards.

Unlike many other Great Houses, the Autumns are a comparatively small and close-knit clan of magi who rarely ever fight amongst themselves. Each member of the family is raised to put the dynasty first above all, and individual pride is stomped out at an early age. When the power of a magister is eclipsed by that of another family member, he or she is expected to step down peacefully for the good of the house. The current head of the family is Caesar Autumn, the youngest magus who has ever risen to the seat of magister.

House Autumn are said to be descended from the very first demi-magi who first manifested their powers, and since its founding, its members have possessed masterful talent in the School of Evocation. Indeed, it is said that the magisters of House Autumn are the greatest evokers of the modern age.

A year ago, this belief was put to the test during the short conflict between House Autumn and House Solomon, which saw the ruling house of the Asian continent wiped out by a rain of hellfire summoned by Ceasar and his brothers. Since the destruction of the Solomons the continent of Asia has been without a ruling house, and the Obscured World has been watching with baited breath to see which of the European dynasties will move first to claim it.

The emblem of House Autumn is an olive branch wreathed in flames.

The House of Cigala

An ancient house of diviners which first rose to prominence during the Spanish Inquisition, House Cigala were a great dynasty of pureblood magi whom have both risen and fallen in power many times throughout the ages. Once long ago, they governed nearly the entirety of the Obscured World in a vast and powerful empire for close to a century, before in-fighting between the separate branches of the house brought about a bloody civil war which ended in the collapse of the great Cigalan dynasty.

Since the fall of their once golden dynasty, countless descendents of House Cigala have claimed to see the return of their ancestor's great empire in their visions, and have fought to return the family name to its former prominence. Most in the Obscured World have laughed off the would-be campaigns of the numerous "Cigala heirs" who have risen up like weeds throughout the centuries, as time and time again, the heirs had failed miserably to establish any sort of power.

This all changed two hundred years ago, when Isabela Cigala, a young and beautiful magus who claimed to be a direct descendant of the first Cigalan emperor, rose to power in Western Europe. Isabela Cigala was a beautiful and beloved figure who's charm and influence inspired magi all over the world to devote themselves to her cause. Still, Isabela's greatest weapons were her extraordinary gift for divination magic as well as her political savy, which both led to many allegiances being formed with lesser magi houses throughout not only Europe, but in Asia and Africa as well. Before long she had founded a new House Cigala which, in the next sixty years, went on to establish a dominance in worldwide magi politics.

By 1900, Isabela Cigala and her new dynasty held power over Western Europe and the entirety of the Western Hemisphere. In the decades following Isabela's death however, her descendents, who paled in comparison to her in all aspects of leadership, lost both Western Europe and North America to the Autumn and Grey families, leaving only South America as House Cigala's sole domain.

The current magister of House Cigala is Almeida Cigala, Isabela's grandson. The sigil of the modern House Cigala is a soaring phoenix, with ashes trailing from its wings.

The House of Grey

House Grey are a young family of master Alterers, and a crucial pillar of modern magi civilization.

A line of pure-blood industrialists who have lived hidden amongst humans for centuries, House Grey act more as a worldwide humanitarian organization rather than a ruling dynasty. The members of the Grey family are inherently good-natured, and believe it their purpose to make the Obscured World a better place for all the magi who live in it. They are truly neutral, and have no interest in the battles between other Great Houses. Despite this, House Grey has a vast and powerful army of loyal sorcerers who would fight for them should the need ever arise.

Before the rise of House Grey the Obscured World was a dark and unforgiving place where only the strong survived and the weak were left to live at the mercy of the powerful. While the rich and powerful magi lived in great castles and beautiful estates, the commoners were forced to either live in human settlements and hiding their true selves, or to carve an existence deep in the wilderness, far from human eyes. The advent of House Grey changed all of that.

The members of House Grey, masters of Alteration, were the first magi to experiment working with human machines. This melding of human and magi ingenuity by House Grey brought about the modern age of the magi world, and led to the founding of magi cities and towns where magi who did not want to risk exposure to human beings could live far away from humanity in relative comfort and peace (while paying a tax, of course).

These magi settlements, which were hidden from human perception, were built by House Grey with modern ammenities like in-door heating, electricity, water recycling systems, and many other human-world comforts, all of which were enchanted by strong magic. While most magi appreciated and heralded House Grey for the construction and running of these settlements, this act also brought a wave of dissent from other pure-blood magi, who loathed the idea of their race living like human beings did. For most common magi however, the human-inspired inventions which House Grey introduced into their world were a godsend and allowed them to live relatively peaceful lives.

Owing to their long history as well-meaning industrialists and their iron-clad relationship with common magi, House Grey holds immense power over the other Great Houses, perhaps not through magical strength, but through their stranglehold on the economy of the Obscured World and of the trust that regular magi place in them. Indeed, it is believed that if House Grey should ever fall, the commoners of the Obscured World would revolt in fear of it being plunged into a primitive dark age without many of the modern standards of life that most magi enjoy today.

The current magister of House Grey is Imogene Grey, a master of not only Alteration Magic, but of Illusion as well. The sigil of House Grey is a single grey gear, unadorned and plain.

The House of Rörschaften

House Rörschaften is one of the oldest ruling dynasties of the Obscured World, a family of master conjurors ruling much of Europe from their castle deep in the German Alps. There is one peculiar trait the family possesses that separates them from the rest of the magical population: since anyone can remember, only daughters have been born to the family. There is not one living male in the world today that has Rörschaften blood.

Perhaps the most political of the Great Houses, they are notorious for stopping at nothing to achieve their goals. This belief has been a central part of the family since they first seized power of Central Europe, towards the end of the Middle Ages. It is said that to push House Drevni back to their homeland, they won the trust of many of the families beneath the Great House, before staging a massive coup known as the Miracle of Munic and forcing the Drevni family to retreat. What happened next is still the most famous example of Rörschaften ruthlessness; upon seizing the throne of Europe, they quickly banished or executed all the families (formerly of House Drevni) that aided them, reasoning that if they had changed allegiances once, they could do it again. Since that day, House Rörschaften has ruled with an iron fist – any form of dissent, no matter how small, is met with dire consequences.

This being said, there is a strict sense of loyalty within the family – to an extent. If an attack is made on one Rörschaften girl – be it physical or otherwise – the united force of the House will come crashing down on the culprit. The same can be said of the families serving beneath the House, albeit to a lesser extent.

However, the loyalty between individual members of the family is non-existent: Castle Rörschaften is a constantly shifting environment of short alliances, treachery and subterfuge, all in an attempt to reach the coveted position of Magister. The power struggle has never ceased, which makes it all the more remarkable that the House’s current magister, a leathery old woman named Ursula Rörschaften, has held the position for the last twenty years.

The House primarily maintains its power through the use of mutually beneficial alliances with powerful families throughout the Obscured World. They are merchants of information, and seem to have eyes and ears in all corners of the world. However, this does not mean that they are a family to shy away from warfare: when they heard that a subordinate family was planning to overthrow them, House Rörschaften annihilated the family without ever coming into contact with them. The most powerful members of the house summoned an army of otherworldly monsters, and set them on a path of destruction through Iceland until every last member of the disloyal family was eliminated.

With the void recently created by House Autumn in Asia, eyes are turning to House Rörschaften in expectation. None doubt the family’s desire to expand their lands, but know at the same time that they will face stiff competition from House Drevni in the process. Few doubt the families will clash in the name of conquest; whether there will be war, none can tell.

Their sigil is a golden lioness against a jade background.

The House of Drevni

House Drevni came to power after the dissolution of House Khan, better known outside of the Obscured World as the Mongol Empire, in the early 14th century. The first Drevni magister was a man known as Baihu the Tiger, a far-eastern Magi of tremendous power, but little wealth or political influence. Baihu gained traction in Magi society by marrying into the Drevni family, Muscovite magi of royal blood, and using their wealth and his own sorcery to assume power in the vacuum left by the House Khan. They seized the entirety of Russia and most of Eastern Europe, while House Solomon then took control of the rest of Asia. Generations of selective breeding have resulted in no traces of eastern blood left in the modern Drevni, but Baihu is still honored with the House's emblem, a ferocious white tiger with gemstone eyes, claws and fangs. The other remaining far-eastern influence in the house is the strictly-enforced social hierarchy within the house's territory, with the magister and his blood relatives at the very top, then the magi nobles, the provincial lords, the magi commoners, and the "untouchables" (usually criminals and political prisoners) at the very bottom. One is born into their caste and is forbidden from marrying outside of it, but increasing one's social ranking is possible through a personal commendation of anyone of royal ranking.

To this day the House Drevni retains its predatory reputation; its magi are renouned for being fierce, cunning and cruel. The Drevni do not specialize in a particular school of magic, choosing to generalize their forces to be more adaptable, but are unique in their access to a peculiar form of Primal Magic. Whether through their bloodline or house secrets is unknown, but the signature magic of the Drevni allows them to tap into the innate magical energy of gems, crystals and other treasures of the Earth. This gives them an advantage of unpredictability, as Primal magic is much more difficult to detect by magi that are not familiar with it, and the particular workings of their gem magic are unknown to the rest of the Obscured World.

Rather than trade or politique to get its way like the other houses, House Drevni relies on the strength of its magi and its infamy to bully and threaten the other houses into cooperation. This has only worked for such a long time because the Drevni do not bluff, and the other houses know this. Like sharks, they can sense weakness almost immediately, and the moment that another house is unable to defend themselves, the Drevni prey on them. The most notorious example was the collapse of House Chevalier, in which the Drevni quickly conquered the house and seized its European territory while in the turmoil following its magister becoming cursed. This territory was not lost until centuries later with the rise of House Rörschaften in a shocking uprising known as the Miracle of Munich. This is the most major military defeat they have ever suffered, as the Drevni devote much of their resources to maintaining a strong military presence, and possess a very warlike and strategic collective attitude. Combat is not their only forte, as the Drevni are also adept in espionage and assassination when the situation calls for it. They behave as a nation at war would, during (especially) times of peace.

In recent decades, the House Drevni has gained even greater infamy from circulatiing rumors of the house's nobility delving into dangerous and forbidden demon magic. While no solid evidence of this has been found, the rumors have been enough to put the other houses on edge. The fall of House Solomon in Asia has also managed to draw attention to the Drevni, as they are very obviously mobilizing their forces to sweep in and take control of their former Asian holdings. Given their status as a "War House", and the extremely advantageous location of their territory, the Drevni will likely have little difficulty in snapping up most of East and South Asia.

R A C E S

Spoiler

Five hundred years ago, a strange phenomenon began to manifest itself within normal human beings. On a fateful day which is now celebrated in magi society as a holiday, hundreds of thousands of children all over the human world, none of them older than the age of five, began to showcase supernatural abilities. Some began to levitate objects with their minds, others set fire to their own houses, while other more powerful children were able to influence the minds of people around them. Whatever the gift, it was soon hypothesized that these abilities had somehow been passed down from the great and powerful magi race to the lesser human race.

How this phenomenon occurred is still a hotly debated topic today. Some old-fashioned magi believe that it could only have resulted from the actions of a renegade magister, while other more progressive magi believe that it was simply natural for humans to begin to be born with these abilities. Whatever the perspective, no one knows what caused human children to begin to be born with magi powers.

Since the dawn of the "demi-magi", the Great Houses began to monitor the human race more closely. Upon the first sign of a young child showing hints of magical ability, the magisters would take that boy or girl from their lot in life and bring them into the Obscured World, where he or she would be raised as a magus. Of course, that child would be expressly forbidden from making contact with their former family. This has not stopped many half-blood children from holding on to memories of their former loved ones, however.

The adoption of human children with magical powers has been going on for five hundred years, and now the 'demi-magi', as human-born children are known, make up a good fraction of the magi populace. Despite this, there is still great friction between magi with human blood and pure-blooded magi. Many pure-blood magi, descended from the ancient sorcerers who gave their lives protecting humanity from the demonic entities of the Obscure World, believe themselves to be the true magi and look down on their half-blood counterparts and openly show disdain for the lesser human race. Many half-bloods however celebrate and embrace their human roots, and as time went by and half-bloods began to permeate magi society, there has been an increase in the influence of human culture within the magi populace.

Today, countless magi teenagers dress the same as their human counterparts and listen to the same music, watch the same television shows, read the same books, and even make friends with oblivious human beings. Some magi even fall in love and marry humans, all while hiding their true nature. The prevalence of pro-human sentiment is so strong in magi culture during modern times that a few magi each year ask the magisters to strip them of their magical abilities and to be "banished" into the human world. This practice has only added to the resentment that pure magi feel toward the half-blood magi and the rest of the human race.

Pure-Blood Magus

The pure-blooded magi are the original creators of the Obscured World and have existed as the rulers of this hidden reality for as long as anyone, alive or dead, can remember.They are a race of magical beings who are typically descended from noble and wealthy families and have access to the greatest magical schools in the world. They also have the greatest knowledge of the Obscured World, and due to many of their ancestors being demon hunters, many are intensely familiar with the mystical creatures that roam the reality beyond human perception.

Most pure-blood magi keep to the ancient traditions of their race, and many hold disdain for the human race and consider them their inferiors in all aspects. Many pure-blood families live far away from human civilization in ancient castles and grand estates hidden from human eyes. Owing to this, most pure-bloods do not bother with learning how to properly interact with the human world, and thus are ill-equipped for dealing directly with the modern world of their less magically-inclinded counterparts. For example, a pure-blood magi wouldn't have the first clue as to how to drive a human car, let alone how to properly live among humans without raising suspicions.


Pure-blood magi appear almost physically identical to human beings, with but one subtle difference. Unlike humans, the pupils of pure-blood magi can range from a wide spectrum of unnatural colors-- from a pale gold to vibrant red to electric violet. Most magi can easily alter this aspect of their appearance however.

Pure-blood fashion trends don't exactly fall out of favour and thus, depending on what part of the world they are from, some pure-bloods tend to dress in clothing from bygone eras. For example, a pure-blood magus from Britain could be found wearing an elegant peacoat that wouldn't look out of place in Victorian-era London. This has a side effect of making some pure-bloods appear anachronistic to the rest of the world. Most common pure-blood magi settle for the tried-and-true billowing cloak with countless pockets however.

Demi-Magus/Half-Blood Magus

Demi and half-blood magus are cut of the same cloth, but share one vital difference.

Demi-magi are born to two human parents, but are somehow "blessed" with the magical powers of the magi race even while having no direct lineage to magi ancestors. How this is possible is still a great mystery today. When a demi-magi child's sorcery first manifests (usually at an age younger than five years old), that boy or girl is plucked from their family by a magister of the Great Houses and is taken to the Obscured World. They are then raised as magi and are taught the dangers and responsibilities that come with their power. Very rarely, some demi-magi children fail to show the first signs of their gifts before the age of five, and have their powers awaken at a much later age. These demi-magi are a very special and dangerous case, and the magisters make it a great priority to find them whenever they appear.

Half-blood magi are born from the union of a human and magi parent, and are relatively uncommon in the Obscured World. Although it is not strictly forbidden, it is generally frowned upon for magi to procreate with humans. When it does occur, that child is stripped away from their parents by the magisters and their memory of the child is locked away. The child, like all other half-magi, are then either adopted by a magi family or are taken to an orphanage, where they are then taught to control their abilities and are integrated into magi society. Most half-bloods possess a strong connection to their human roots, and many choose to live among them.

Pure-bloods, half-bloods, and demis all have the same potential. Though different magi have natural proficiency in certain schools of magic, generally, all three subraces are able to learn and master the same spells if they've the will and extreme dedication needed to become a sorcerer. Many pure-bloods do learn higher-level magic at younger ages than their counterparts, as they have access to better schools. As a result, it is believed that half-bloods and demis must work twice as hard and be twice as dedicated in order to keep on an even ground with pure-bloods.

Demi and half-blood magi, owing to their human blood, are identical to regular human beings. Unlike their pure-blood counterparts, their pupils are of the natural human spectrum. Many demis and half-bloods still hold a connection to their human roots, and thus dress in regular modern clothing.

Were-Magus

Were-magi are exceedingly rare in the Obscured World, and are widely seen as cursed by the majority of the magi race. They are classified as a magus who's soul has been tainted by the "touch" of a Primal Demon-- animalistic entities which are considered some of the most dangerous demons that prowl the frontiers of the Obscured World. Primals are manifestations of nature which are sentient and possess motives of their own-- a trait not uncommon to powerful demons. It is believed that there are three such Primal Demons beyond the veil-- Asena the Wolf, Munin the Raven, and Hafgufa the Kraken. The corruption of one's soul by a Primal is forever imprinted within a magus' bloodline, and thus the curse is passed down to offspring and descendent alike.

According to which of the three Primal Demons a were-magus' soul has been corrupted by, that magus shall take on certain characteristics, some of which can be considered an advantage of sorts and others which can make it impossible for a were-magus to ever live a normal life. All three subgroups, physically, appear similar to human beings, but with subtle differences. Upon the coming of a full moon however, were-magi transform into terrifying and powerful creatures and are unable to control their emotions or their actions.

Werewolf

Werewolves, who's souls have been tainted by the demon Asena, are physically stronger than most other magi while even in their non-bestial form. Their nails tend to grow into sharp claws and they possess incredibly quick reflexes. While they are physically more powerful than other magi, their magical abilities tend to suffer as most werewolves choose to live in the frontiers of the Obscured World and don't usually attend a magical school as children. When they turn during a full-moon, werewolves undergo a harrowing and painful mutation and transform into a terrible wolf-human hybrid. This true form of a werewolf is highly resistant to magic, and most do not live to tell the tale of their encounters with this beast.

Wereraven

Wereravens, who are even rarer and more elusive than werewolves, are magi who's souls have been cursed by the demon Munin. Wereravens are almost never seen in magi society, but due to the strikingly beautiful nature of their appearance, the few wereravens known throughout the world are treated as curious celebrities. Physically, wereravens are identical to human beings, but with one great difference-- the pair of lustrous black wings sprouting from their back. Through the use of these great and majestic wings, wereravens are the only magi who can fly without the use of magic. Upon the coming of the full-moon, wereravens transform into giant black harpy-like beasts with the ability to summon lightning from their wings.

Werekraken?

The existence of this subset of were-magi has never been proven. It is believed however that if a werekraken did exist, it would be a monstrous and horrifying magus with incredibly dangerous magical ability, as Hafgufa is oft considered the most deadly and cruel of the three Primal demons.

NOTE: I won't be accepting any werekraken characters. I'm just including it here for information's sake.

M A G I C

Spoiler

Overview

Magic is an ancient power which allows for the manipulation of natural and supernatural forces. All magi are born with the ability to use magic, though the power itself does not usually manifest itself in children until the age of five.

Magic itself does not exist within a magus' blood or soul, but is called forth by a magus from what is known as the Other Side, the endless unfathomable dimension which exists far beyond the fabric of our world, where the demonic entities which haunt the Obscured World are borne from. Whenever a magus casts a spell, he or she forms a connection with the Other Side, and calls into their own body a highly potent form of magical energy known as "mana", which is necessary to cast the spell.

Whenever a connection to the Other Side is established in order to cast magic, it puts an immense strain on that magus' body and soul-- eating away at that magus' life energy and stamina so much that casting a powerful spell can easily kill a magus if they are not careful. This makes it very difficult for inexperienced magi to cast advanced forms of magic. There have been countless young magi who have toyed with using powerful spells far above their ken, only to have had their life force drained from them completely. The mastering of this connection between a magus and the Other Side is thus one of the most important things that he or she learns during their education as sorcerers, as ignorance of this very crucial knowledge can lead to an early demise.

The amount of mana that a magus can summon from the Other Side without losing all of their life force can be increased with training and study. There exist some young magi however who seem to have a natural affinity with the Other Side, and are thus able to harness mana more easily. These magi are very rare however.


It is also imperitive for young magi to learn how to properly control their connections to the Other Side, less they risk being overtaken by demonic entities.

Catalysts

Whenever a magus forms a connection to the Other Side, the mana that is harnessed is so potent and pure that it can cause irreparable damage to that magus' body and soul. Even the mana necessary to cast a common spell is enough to cause immense harm to an experienced magus if he or she is not careful in guiding the mana into their bodies. Because of this, magi use magical catalysts (personal "totems" which have a deep spiritual connection with their magus) which can help them with the handling of the dangerous mana.

A magical catalyst is a powerful enchantment which can take many forms. It could be a staff, a wand, a pendant, a book, a toy, or even a treasured pet, and it has the power to protect a magus from the dangers that come from harnessing mana. A catalyst is often a magus' most treasured item, something which he or she has had their whole life. It is often given to young magi children by their parents, and is it typical for them to form a deep connection with their catalyst. This connection between a magus and his/her catalyst forms a special protective form of magic which allows for the catalyst to drain some of the mana harnessed from the Other Side, thus sparing its owner from having to endanger themselves too much.

There is a limit to how much mana a catalyst can carry however, and it will shatter into pieces if too much mana is harnessed, which can prove fatal to its magus.

Schools of Magic

There are six schools of known magic, each one governing over a different type of magic. Some magi are born with talent for certain classes of magic, but generally, all magi can learn spells of different classes should they have the will and determination to. In order to cast a spell, magi must first utter a phrase in the ancient language of Latin, the secret tongue of the demons of the Other Side, in order to open a rift to their realm and harness the mana needed to perform magic.


School of Abjuration : Magic which cancels or interferes with other magic. Spells of this class can create physical or magical barriers, as well as negate spells. Magi who specialize in this school are known as Abjurers.

School of Alteration : Magic which alters and distorts the properties of a being, object or energy. Magi who specialize in this school are known as Alterers.

School of Conjuring : Magic which calls forth magical creatures. Magi who specialize in this school are known as Conjurers.

School of Evocation : Magic which allows the summoning and manipulation of energy. Magi who specialize in this school are known as Evokers.

School of Divination : Magic which enables the uncovering of secrets long forgotten, to predict the future, to find hidden things, and to foil deceptive spells. Magi who specialize in this school are known as Diviners.

School of Illusion : Magic which deceives the senses or minds of others. Spells of this school cause people to see things that are not there, not see things that are there, hear phantom noises, or remember things that never happened. Magi who specialize in this school are known as Illusionists.

School of Necromancy : Magic which manipulates the power of death, unlife, and the life force. Necromancy is a controversial form of sorcery, and those who practice it require a special license to do so. Magi which specialize in this school are known as Necromancers.

School of the Unknown : Any arcane magic which is not understood by modern-day magi is classified under this class. The ancient magic used by demons as well as the primal magic of were-magi are such examples ruled under the School of the Unknown.

T H E -- M I D D L E M A R C H -- S C H O O L

Spoiler

The Middlemarch School of Sorcery is a learning institution for the higher education of young magi. It's campus is located within an ancient castle sitting atop the misty Appalachian mountains, hidden somewhere deep in the wilderness of West Virginia. A large town, known colloquially as Middlemarch Town, sits in the valley beneath the castle.

Middlemarch is a secondary wizarding school, meaning that its students enroll here after graduating from their primary schools, thus students tend to be 15-16 during their first year. Middlemarch is the oldest magical school in the western hemisphere, and though thousands of magi teenagers apply for enrollment, only a fraction of that number are accepted every year.

The school is one of the most prestigious and legendary learning institutions in all the magical world, and has been at the center of several historic events throughout the ages. Many of its students have gone on to accomplish both great and terrible things which have left a mark on magi society, while its faculty are often counted among the greatest sorcerers in any given era. Lastly, Middlemarch's Head Master is thought to wield power comparable to a magister's, and is able stand against the might of the Great Houses when necessary.

Because of its standing as a pillar within magi history, Middlemarch is given a measure of autonomy in world affairs, and is often treated as its own independent "super power". Middlemarch and the Great Houses have shared a strained relationship over the ages, at one time acting as allies, while at other times clashing as enemies.

The school curriculum itself is a closely guarded secret and no one who isn't a student or member of the school's staff has ever stepped foot within it. Middlemarch alumni have never spoken of the school or what occurs within its halls, but all who can manage to make it through the school and graduate are highly respected in magi society.

The exact circumstances of Middlemarch's origins are clouded in mystery, as its true history was lost when a great fire engulfed the school some time during its early years, destroying all its records, including those pertaining to the founding of Middlemarch and thus burying many of the school's darkest secrets. It is generally believed however that Middlemarch was founded four hundred years ago by three independent magisters-- Lord H.W Wolfgramm, Lady Pietra Redgrave, and Prince Bastian Margrace. The school's three student Houses are named in honour of the three founders.

The Three Houses of Middlemarch

Owing to the relatively small number of pupils, Middlemarch only has three different student houses. Each of the three has a Head of House, a position that is usually held by members of the staff in other schools, but is held by an elected student in Middlemarch. A Head of House can be a student from any year, and can be re-elected or impeached by the members of his/her house.

M A R G R A C E

Uniform: A black cloak with silver trim.
Sigil: A silver dragon on a black field.

Margrace House was named after Prince Bastian Margrace, a master sorcerer from an ancient magi dynasty most famous for his discovery (and hunting) of rare dragons all throughout the world. He is perhaps most famous for his discovery of the Macedonian Silverwyrm, a particularly vicious species of dragon.

Members of Margrace House are exceedingly proud, impassioned, brave, and tend to possess a natural talent for magic, which has given them a reputation of not having to work as hard as others. Because of this, they are seen as lazy and somewhat arrogant by members of their rival houses. They are also viewed as reckless hero types who don't think things through, which has given individual Margrace students a certain stigma when it comes to field activities. Individual members of Margrace House are often called "Blackcloaks" or "Dragons."

R E D G R A V E

Uniform: A crimson cloak with black trim.
Sigil: A red owl on a black field.

Redgrave House was named after Lady Pietra Redgrave, a legendary astronomer most famous for her discovering of a number of different star systems previously unknown to both magi and humans.

Members of Redgrave House are known for their powerful intellects and unshakable demeanor. They are studious, cool, confidant and are famous for often being in complete control of their emotions. They are often neutral in all the school feuds fought between Margrace and Wolfgramm students. Individual members of Redgrave House are often called 'Redcloaks" or 'Owls".

W O L F G R A M M

Uniform: A grey cloak with white fur trim.
Sigil: A white wolf on a grey field.

Wolfgramm House is named after H.W Wolfgramm, a half-blood who was famous for becoming one of the richest magi of his time. He was perhaps better known for being outed as a werewolf, and losing his fortune in return.

Students of Wolfgramm House are hardworking and ever-ambitious. Most of the students sorted into this house are half-bloods and demis with no predisposed talent for magic, but who through hard and dedicated work, have been able to rise to a competitive level with their MArgrace and Redgrave counterparts. Wolfgramm students possess a high-cunning, and are feared for their ruthlessness in obtaining whatever it is that they want.

As their name implies, Wolfgramm pupils chiefly stick together, but won't hesitate to ostracize the weakest member of their packs. They are often called "Greycloaks", or "Wolves".


***


First-year students are recruited into their houses at the beginning of the school year, after undergoing a series of tests to test their abilities. Once recruited into a house, a student remains a part of it until graduation at the end of his/her fifth year.

C H A R A C T E R -- S H E E T

Spoiler

You are 15-16 year old magi who is starting their first year at the Middlemarch School of Sorcery. Every aspect of your background is up to you, though I should point out that I will only be accepting one or two were-magi.

I'll be accepting 5-6 characters. Later on, if you're chosen, you'll be able to create secondary Non-Player Characters (teachers, other students, ect).

One aspect that is crucial to Middlemarch students is that they are exceptional in some way. As mentioned before, Middlemarch is a highly prestigious school and only accepts students of a certain high caliber. This doesn't mean that you are to create super, all-powerful characters without any flaws, as that's the last thing that I'm looking for. You must however give your character something that makes him/her somewhat exceptional, enough to be noticed by Middlemarch and offered a place in school. You must also give them some weaknesses.

Also, remember that Middlemarch is the equivalent to a real-world highschool, so your characters must've had some prior education.

The story begins on December 11th, 2022. It is a cold, wintery morning, and your character has just arrived at the train station of Middlemarch town, a magi community hidden in the misty Appalachian plains. Middlemarch School is located high above, on a castle sitting atop a mountain overlooking the town.

Recently, a major international event has occured in the human world, and many of the magi in town are worried as to how that will affect the magi world.






First/Last Name: If you are a pure-blood, you are allowed to go a bit crazy with your name. If you are a demi or a half-blood, I'd appreciate it if you picked a not-too-out-there real world name. )

Race: Can be either pure-blood, half-blood, demi, werewolf, or wereraven.

Gender:

Age/Birthdate: (Enter the day, month, and year.)

Birthplace: (You can come from anywhere in the world.)

Height/Weight:

Appearance: (Give an in-depth description of your character's appearance. I'd also appreciate it if you could a post a picture of what your character is supposed to look like, for quick reference.)

Magical Proficiency/Talent: (I won't be paying too much attention to this part at the moment, since the magical system is going to be created by the GM and the eventual chosen players. If you're chosen, you'll be able to go back and edit this once we figure out the magic system. In the meanwhile, I'll be paying more attention to your character's background. However, feel free to fill this out with some of the preliminary magic stuff I listed if you want.)

Catalyst: (Your character's treasured magical artifact which aids him/her in casting magic spells. Most magi use wands or staves for this, but it can be anything that can be transported around easily, even a kitten or a parakeet. See the "Catalyst" section under "Magic" for more information.)

Personality Traits: (Please go a bit in-depth. No single word replies, please.)

Background: (A short biography of your character pertaining to details about his/her time before enrolling in the school. You don't have to go too deep, as I think it'd make for better story telling if some of your character's background was revealed in-story.)

S H A D O W S - O F - M I D D L E M A R C H - C A S T

Jeremy Lachlan (Adjectives)
Tyson Crestwell (Celowein)
Adrian Chevalier (PlayItPerfect)
Ezrayn Varromere (Rulaan)
Luka Drevni (LJCOMICS)
Tobias Ashbridge Götze (Everblight)
Andrea Gabriella de Lia (februari)
Claire Glenn (ohaidere)
Luna Braidwood (Antonkun)
Katilina Rörschaften (KrimpetyCatcher)
Caitlin Draioch (Ghostly Bagel)

O T H E R -- C H A R A C T E R S

Spoiler

Professor Ramsay



A young professor at Middlemarch. He is a cold and insensitive pure-blood magus hailing from an old family of the British Isles.



Robbie Kettering



An old man who seems to work for the Middlemarch school as a prefect. He seems to be in his 70s, but doesn't appear to let his age hamper his duties.


Zhou Wei



A prefect at Middlemarch. She is of Asian descent.


Rhee James



A red-haired girl who serves as a prefect at Etonmarch.



Abraham Spencer



A prefect at Etonmarch. He has wild curly-hair.


Amir Solomon



A prefect at Middlemarch. He is a member of the deposed House Solomon, who until the last year were the rulers of the Asian continent.


Tamzin Flyte



A prefect at the Middlemarch School. She has long, golden hair and is considered among the most beautiful girls in school.


Edmund Grey



A 15-year old youth borne of the Grey bloodline. Ed is a nervous young man who often has trouble socializing and interacting with others without stumbling over his words. Though a pureblooded scion of House Grey-- the rulers of much of the Obscured World-- he is missing the regal bearing of one who comes from a powerful dynasty, and acts more like a typical human teenager. Even stranger however is his lack of any special talent in magic, a fact that makes others question if he really is a scion of the great house and not an adopted orphan. The fact that he was born with ash-grey hair, the signature of the children of House Grey, has quelled these rumors somewhat. His catalyst is a small silver cog.



Nicholas Pratt



A world-famous half-blood athlete, Nick (as he is known to his close friends) is a tall, handsome 16-year old teenager with sharp cheekbones and piercing dark eyes. He is the captain of the Broadway Corsairs, a popular skyball team out of New York. Besides his reputation as a talented athlete, Nick is also a heralded alteration practicioner, and managed to medal at last year's Ancient Games when he dueled Ragnar Sorensen, a talented magus from Iceland, and won. His victory was somewhat tainted however, as it was discovered that Pratt was using a controversial illusion spell. The controversy surrounding his duel has only added to his stardom however, and it did not block his admission into the Middlemarch School. Nick's catalyst (quite famously) is a luxurious bracelet given to him by his father.

The Pratt family, hailing from Michigan, have long been supporters of House Autumn, and were among the first to join them in the great rebellion against House Cigala during the 1950s.

Richard Tan

A close friend to Nicholas Pratt, Richard is a sixteen-year old Filipino-American magus who once played for the Broadway Corsairs skyball team before injuring himself during his rookie season. He has since dedicated himself to furthering his magical abilities, and is now a capable evoker. He followed Nicholas to Middlemarch along with Kirk and Jason.

Kirk Williams

A sixteen-year old American magus, Kirk is a fun-loving young man who enjoys partying with human girls. He is large, powerful and athletic, as he spends most of his time in the gym. Kirk's family have acted as the Pratt's servants for close to a century, and the two clans have always been close. Owing to this, Kirk is Nicholas' most loyal friend, and would do anything his friend asks of him.

Jason Evans

A sixteen-year old abjuror from Queens, New York who possesses untold potential-- Jason (or Jace, as his friends call him) is a late blooming demi-magi who was only discovered by House Autumn a few years ago. The Autumns feared a magi that manifested his powers at such a late age would prove difficult to rear, and thus they made arrangements to send him to the magi prison in Iceland, where he would spend the rest of his days. Warren Pratt, Nicholas' father, saw potential in Jason however, and appealed to Caesar Autumn to allow him to take the boy in and to raise him himself. Since then, Jason has been an adopted son of House Pratt, and has grown to become like a brother to Nicholas, who was born an only child.

Alec Bredahl

Alec is a short, nigh obese 15-year old boy from Oslo, Norway. He spent his formative years in a magi orphanage outside of Trondheim, where he was constantly and brutally bullied by many of the boys there. It wasn't until Rhine's arrival at the orphanage when life became livable for Alec, as Rhine began defending him from those who would try to hurt him. Since then, Alec and Rhine have been like brothers. Alec is a coward, but is a savant when it comes to alteration, and has made it a hobby of studying the wild fauna of the Obscured World.

Rhine Nylund

Rhine is a tall and sharply handsome sixteen-year old magus born in Oslo, Norway to human parents. He is not overly talented in any particular kind of magic, but possesses a sharp and brilliant mind when it comes to strategy and social manipulation. When he was a boy, Rhine was taken from his parents by servants of House Rörschaften and placed into a magi orphanage, a place which he despises even now. He ran away many times, only to be found and returned to the orphanage. Rhine is a survivor above all else, and obsessively believes that everyone else in the world has ulterior motives and won't allow himself to ever be caught off-guard. Owing to this, Rhine has spent much of his life learning how to "play" people for his own ends, which admittedly, don't go very far beyond protecting himself and Alec, his closest friend.

Celia Autumn

A 19-year old girl who is one of the few students who've made it to the 5th and final year of the Middlemarch School, Celia is the youngest sister of the patriarch and magister of her family, Caesar Autumn. Although she is frighteningly powerful for a magi of her age and has managed to be elected Head of the prestigious Prefect Circle, Celia has nevertheless lived under the shadow of her older sister, Lucretia, who graduated last year from Middlemarch and is believed to be the next magister of the family.

R U L E S


- No godmodding.
- This is the Advanced section, so I think everyone will appreciate at least a passable grasp on grammar and spelling.
- If you are to be absent for a while or plan to quit the RP altogether, please tell us on the OOC so we'll be prepared.
- Read all of the posts in the IC. If you don't know what's going on because you don't read it, then that's on you.
- You must keep up with the discussion in the OOC. Try to read everything so you don't get left behind.
- Try to be sociable and post in the OOC if possible. If you're a complete ghost in the OOC and are never around for discussions, people not might not want to interact with your character.
- Be friendly and cool. Don't be a douchebag. Everyone is here to have fun.
- Please pay attention to what other people write in order to maintain continuity and flow. If there are any errors or miscommunication, we'll discuss it in the OOC and go back and edit whatever needs fixing.
- Side-stories are welcome, as long as they are discussed in the OOC first.








***

That's about it. Thanks for reading and if there are any questions or anything, please let me know!

[♥Cordi♥]

-withdrawn-

[DotCom]

I'm gonna be honest...haven't read any of this, but I am more than willing to join if there's still space, Lovejoy. I'll go over everything and catch up in the morning. Why didn't you tell us you had another RP going up?

...you didn't, did you? Oh, God, you did. I'm a horrible person. >___>

[PlayItPerfect]

Homg I am sorry for the novel. I hope this is okay, but if not then please let me know if/what I need to edit! (I wasn't sure about limits etc. to the magic so I may have crossed some boundaries, so feel free to tell me to rein it in haha)

-----
First/Last Name: Adrian Chevalier

Race: Wereraven

Age/Birthdate: 16, born May 1, 2006.

Place of Origin: Bordeaux, France.

Height/Weight: 5'11'', 150 lb.

Appearance:

Adrian has never had to worry about the usual problems inherent in puberty – acne, lankiness, the awkward stage when one seems composed of flailing limbs and entirely devoid of any grace; he managed to skip right on past those. Such come the 'blessings' – if one could really call it that – of being born to one of the few remaining lines of a Wereraven.

With proud, strikingly handsome features, bright amber eyes and a mouth that seems to constantly hover on the verge of a smirk, Adrian has broken his fair share of hearts in his time (granted, the girl who cried after he refused her friendship bracelet at playgroup probably shouldn't count). His hair is thick and golden blonde and he wears it a shade or two longer than most other boys his age. He stands at a relatively tall 5'11 and is of a willowy but muscled build. But despite the 'dashing good looks' (to hear himself describe him on one of his more flippant days), chances are that few of these things are really what one notices on first meeting him.

No, that would probably be the wings.

Jet black, these tend to always be somewhat flared out from where they protrude from his back; Adrian isn't the type to hide what he is and try to slink away from the limelight and his somewhat vain temperament balks at how he appears somewhat hunched if he tries to fold them in close to his skin. Impressively large in wingspan and dimension in order to compensate for his build, they always appear lustrous and beautiful as they are perhaps Adrian's greatest vanity - although he claims preening them is an absolute bitch and molting is the worst thing ever.

Despite having no links to the human world since century after century past, Adrian has adopted normal 'human' wear simply for the greater ease it offers in accommodating his wings; it's easy enough to modify human jumpers to accommodate them but he has never yet found a cloak that didn't get all tangled up with his wings at the worst possible moments. In saying that, he tends to opt for the more formal styles and cuts of clothing and his choice of fashion would leave him standing out like a sore thumb in any purely human population.

Magical Proficiency/Talent:
School of Necromancy - it was almost inevitable that Adrian would turn to this. After he and his father ran to the edges of the Obscured World, Adrian was consumed with guilt and a harebrained idea that magic could fix everything and he could bring her back if he just tried hard enough. So he ran away from his father, off into the woods and hid. He knew what Necromancy was and he knew some spells from other schools. So he pushed them all together, created something new and called.

To his immense surprise, something answered.

Protip: nine-year-old can call something. It won't necessarily get it right, however, and controlling it is completely out of the question. It took much screaming and the timely rescue of his father to get him out of that scrape, but once the shock had passed it wasn't enough to dissuade him from his goal. As it turned out Adrian had a certain talent for Necromancy and the combining and creation of new spells in the field. As the years progressed he gained more mastery over the field and was able to become relatively proficient in the summoning, raising and controlling of various types of spirit, shade and undead.

He eventually began experimenting with the forces of death and life force, and spent the last two years working on an as yet still theoretical application of Necromancy that would allow him to manipulate these within still-living creatures. Privately he thinks that this was what cinched his application to Middlemarch, as his aptitude for the majority of the other Schools remains mediocre at best.

School of the Unknown - a byproduct of his were heritage, rather fittingly Adrian has no idea how this works. It isn't an ability he can consciously use, but rather a subconscious protective mechanism. Whenever he experiences periods of heightened emotion or stress it has a tendency to affect the objects around him - books, backpacks and on one memorable occasion a wooden armchair. It's a great part of the reason he tries to keep such a tight hold on his emotions; as this isn't a conscious ability he can't prepare himself or use his catalyst to channel the mana it invariably requires and can suffer great damage to his body and soul.

Catalyst: In the months of her pregnancy Cecily knitted a baby blanket for the girl she was sure she was carrying; luckily for Adrian she wasn't a believer in the traditional baby colours and the crimson woolen blanket that emerged was able to be towed around by the toddler and child he became with relatively small levels of embarrassment. As he grew older he took to wearing it as a scarf tied around his neck to avoid the inevitable heckling. The little golden initials embroidered in one corner are somewhat faded now and it can be seen to be a little worn in certain areas from near-constant use.

Personality Traits:
Guarded – in his time he has had to deal with many types of people; those who hated him for what he was and those who loved him for it and solely for it. People who wanted something from him and people who cringed from touching him just in case the curse was transferrable. His family. He's learned over the years that getting close to people invariably leads to trouble and heartache, and so does his best to avoid it.
-
Condescending – this is something of an affected trait for Adrian. Few people want to become best buddies with a guy who has an ego complex the size of a small nation, so he does his best to cultivate this attitude and image.
-
Judgmental - Adrian is a big one for first impressions, both with himself and those he encounters. He is quick to form strong opinions, isn't liable to easily change them and has a tendency to hold others to his impeccably high standards – and if he finds them wanting he's more than likely to torment them about it. Just so that they know just how badly he thinks they screwed up.
-
Driven - he mightn't seem to be upon first meeting him, seemingly more concerned with the social side of things (read: antagonizing others for the amusement of it all) or other matters some might think of as inconsequential, but if he finds something he actually gives a damn about then he is liable to spend weeks researching, pursuing or training in it to the exclusion of almost everything else.
-
Intelligent - he loves learning, figuring out problems and solving any puzzle. He also likes rubbing your face in the fact that he considers himself a good deal smarter than you and will laugh every time you say something stupid.
-
Proud - although he can be charming and polite when he wishes to, sooner or later his pride and arrogance rears its ugly head. His looks and race naturally garnered him a disproportionate amount of attention over the years and still do. It was inevitable that some of it would go to his head.
-
Controlled - Adrian discovered early on that always, always staying in control was a necessity for someone 'tainted' to survive in their world. Every word that comes out of his mouth is weighed carefully - even if his remarks seem careless, their possible impact and repercussions have usually been carefully planned. He can be very difficult to truly anger - though remarkably easy to irritate - and does his best to control it when he is. When you lose control you lose the advantage, and he sees no reason to give anyone, human, magus or were, a point over him.
-
Provocative – while despising loss of control in himself he loves to instigate it in others. Adrian is the type of boy who will say exactly the wrong thing in any given situation and watch gleefully as it collapses all around him, or who will insult another directly to his face, never mind the consequences or the effect on the group dynamic. He loves to cause a scene and garner a reaction any way he can.

Background: Once upon a time the Chevalier family was respected among the pure-blood magus. Once they held respect and influence and were seen as something of a paragon among their kind, even one of the Great Houses. Then their patriarch collapsed screaming in agony as the taint took over and great, feathered black wings erupted from his back.

Their reputation pretty much got shot all to hell after that.

At least after centuries passed Adrian was born in to some sort of happiness. The son of a wereraven (Gabriel) and a pureblood magus (Cecily), he grew up in their ancestral manor house (one of the last remaining signs of their glory days past) and spent his first few years blissfully unaware that anything about him or his family was unusual. Of course he knew that most people didn't have wings, including his mother, but she always reassured him when others stared and pointed or made cruel remarks that it was just a sign of what a special little boy he was. He knew that he and his father had to leave to camp somewhere once every month and that his mother couldn't go with them, but his dad said it was normal. That it was their 'man time' and only the best little boys made it through the transformation without needing their mother there to hold their hand.

One day they couldn't make it out of their home in time. Adrian claims he was too young to remember why or what happened, only that none of the doors would open and no magic worked to let them escape the house. That night the full moon rose and when Gabriel and Adrian awoke the next morning, human once more (or as much as they ever were) they found his mothers badly battered and bloodied body lying at the door, wood under her nails and frantic scratches on the door.

Adrian still doesn't remember what happened that night. And he never wants to.

He was nine when they ran to the frontiers of the Obscured World, fleeing the reach of the magisters and the consequences of what one of them had done. But bitterness quickly grew between the two Wereravens. Unspoken accusations that could never be put to rest grew quickly to a form of hatred over the next few years, often culminating in vicious fighting between the father and son after they transformed every full moon. It was a dark, ugly period and lasted until Adrian was twelve and some last vestige of affection his father held for him let him see what this was turning the two of them into. And so he stole away in the middle of the night, leaving Adrian to think himself abandoned. He later learned he had turned himself into the magisters and taken full responsibility for the death of his wife before telling them where to find and "rescue" his son, but at the time he simply felt he had been abandoned to the wrath of the magisters when they finally found him.

After his father was imprisoned he officially became a ward of the state. They tried sending him to several well-respected academies in France, but he summarily ran away from each and every one of them; his family had been widely known for generations, and a sort of celebrity had followed them since they were tainted. Every student and teacher at every school in France knew what he was - of course the wings always made it difficult to hide - and the suspiciously murky circumstances surrounding his disappearance and subsequent return. He was alternately ostracized and coveted and the young boy reacted the only way he knew, by lashing out.

He eventually won a scholarship to a prestigious academy in England - at least there he could pretend nobody knew what he might have done - and finished the primary stage of his schooling there before winning acceptance into Middlemarch.

[Antonkun]

Please do tell me if there's anything that needs to be changed.

First/Last Name: Luna Braidwood

Race: Demi

Gender: Female

Age/Birthdate: 17; April 12th 2007

Birthplace: London, England

Height/Weight: 164 cm/5'38"; 46 kg/105,8 lbs

Appearance: Luna is quite short and weighs pretty little in regard to her length. She has a slender body and her skin is a lighter shade of beige and pink. Her face is shaped as a child's face and her eyes are sky blue, shining like two pools of shallow water. Her hair is blonde like buttercups and is tied neatly with two blue ribbons, dividing the long hair into two pigtails that reach her knees. (The picture shows that the pigtails only reach down to her shoulders, but... let's say that it was when she was younger.)

She somehow resembles an angel, her golden hair and fair appearance, always wearing an innocent smile, and radiates a pure feeling. Something that jerks sometimes comment on, though, is the fact that she is quite flat-chested. Most of the times, she wears lighter pieces of clothing.



Magical Proficiency/Talent: School of Evocation/Abjuration

Luna has always had an affinity for light, being afraid of the dark. She focuses on learning magic that can support her friends and be helpful in a way that doesn't necessarily means hurting the enemy. Her calm personality makes it easy for her to concentrate while manipulating energy.

Eh, will edit this later and add more when I know more about the magic system.

Catalyst: When Luna was four years old, her parents bought her a small, red tie. She always adorned her clothes with this tie of highest quality silk and kept it under her pillow when she slept. As she grew up, she still used this tie, always tying it around her arm or around her neck when it was cold, not only because she liked it, but also as a memory of her beloved parents.

Personality Traits: Luna is best described as an innocent, kind girl. She has never liked violence and cares for the people around her. Being such a caring person, she is also quite naive and therefore a little gullible. She is polite and usually treats every person equally. Sometimes she encounters flirty jerks that she absolutely despises. That's when her more sarcastic side occasionally leaks out.

She is very intelligent, since she studies hard and she likes to analyze situations and solve tricky puzzles. Using the knowledge she has, she enjoys helping other people with their problems, both in school and outside. However, she also has a reason for helping others, being that she is afraid of being alone.

Luna is a delicate girl, and even if she can stand up for herself in some situations, she is quite fragile. She is very afraid of darkness, lightning (as well as sudden flashes and sounds), blood (though not as in having developed a phobia for it) and snakes. When she is placed in a difficult situation involving one of her greatest fears, she may lose her normally cool composure and panic.

Being a cheerful child when she was young, her former cheerfulness has faded with the years, and she is now quite silent and shy. Still, she likes to befriend other people and when she has considered a person her friend, she usually opens up to that person completely and shows him/her the former Luna - cheerful and childish - that is hiding inside of her.

Background: Luna was born in London, England in a rich family. Her father owned his own company and her mother was a renowned actress. She was born in happiness and her parents showered her with attention, care and love. Despite of that, she didn't grow up to become a spoiled girl, but instead, a fair and kind "angel" as people called her. During her years a "normal girl", she often walked around in London with her parents, being curious of anything new she would see. The curiousness and childish side of her still continued to exist inside of her as she grew up.

When her mysterious powers manifested, she was five years old. She was put under the tutelage of a skilled pure-blood magus and since she loved studying, she also did her best to memorize everything the old man would tell her. Being the offspring of two humans, Luna often wondered why she was different. She would ask, but no one would have the answer for her. Even now, she would be clueless about why and how this happened. Due to being very small when she was taken away from her family, she doesn't remember much about the event that separated her from her parents.

Luna finished her primary stage of schooling with top grades, the fruit of her hard work. Along with her grades, she also acquired very much knowledge about her newly found powers that she still didn't know the origin of. She also became more interested in the mysterious powers of magic during the years at the academy, and due to her skills in both practicing magic and theory, she was accepted into Middlearch.

[Everblight]

-Name-
Tobias Ashbridge Götze

-Race-
Pure-blood

-Gender-
Male

-Age/Birthdate-
11th of June 2006

-Birthplace-
Dortmund, Germany

-Height/Weight-
5'9", 154lbs

-Appearance-
Tobias doesn't have a very tall stature but he is nevertheless intimidating. His stocky body and toned forearms hint that he is no stranger to the labors of hard work. He holds a strong jaw line that encompasses the often frowned expression on his face, his mouth rarely stretches beyond flat whereas his ice blue eyes are set deep into his face.
Wispy dark brown hair crowns his head to finish off his sinister appearance, unsettling to most he has a stare that can pierce people and turn any tiny holes of self doubt they have into rapturous chasms.

Tobias is used to wearing the clothes of tradition, he generally wears fine cloth with a long leather trench-coat that wisps along the ground when he walks at speed. He is however sometimes spotted in his work clothes (As shown below) they encompass his favorite pass time of Blacksmithing. Working with an Iron guard along his right arm he finds himself very comfortable in the clothes of a Blacksmith, no small indication of his infatuation with molding things to his liking.



-Magical Proficiency/Talent-
School of Alteration - Tobias has always been an engineer at heart, from playing with his building blocks as a child to uncovering his secret talents of magic. He has chosen, no less disregarded every other choice to join the school of Alteration. His particular talents are rare and a sight to behold.

Such is the Götze family tradition, Tobias is able to break down an object to dust size particles. Once in this form he is able to alter the shape, size, width anything he likes. He then rebuilds the item in it's new form, fusing all the dust particles back together.

Thus far this is the only technique Tobias has learnt, but he knows as with the more prestigious members of his ancestry he will soon learn more.

-Catalyst-
Tobias' Catalyst is a coin no less, an old form of German currency he holds a Deutsche-Mark. He carries it with him everywhere, most often in one of his chest pockets to ensure it's safety.

-Personality Traits-

An Engineers mind
As a blacksmith Tobias has a mind that builds of the world around him, when he sees structures his mind automatically emphasizes it. Improving it and adding another level of complexity. This has become very useful in a tight spot especially combined with his particular form of magic, able to quickly grab and alter objects to build and create the tools he needs for the job.
Fearless
Tobias is a man a few fears, preferring to face head on the horrors in the dark he was always led to believe that want can't be seen by eye is being imagined by the minds eye.
Bullish
Tobias has quite a forward personality, his humor is quite dry and bare as he is often capable of insulting someone with the first words out of his mouth, even if he never intended to. He says what he sees and that doesn't sit well with most, whats more he has a furious temper. Never willing to back down from a fight he never knows when he is beaten and much like the child he is makes excuses when he loses to save face.
Recondite
With the personality of a bull it is hard to get along with Tobias, but he makes it even more difficult by being quite the enigma. Rarely perfect but with his moments of brilliance he has provoked many questions about his past and upbringing to which he stays silent.
Attentive
In keeping with his engineering ability, Tobias is used to scrutinizing the smallest details. This has made him a very attentive and observant person.

-Background-
Tobias comes from a very wealthy and famous German family of Magi, they had been sending their illustrious generations to the magical academy in Zurich, topping their classes for decades they reluctantly saw it shut down through lack of funding more than anything else, however rumor of corruption was rife. This provoked a change in the family, a divide between the newer generations and the old. With the news that Middlemarch was becoming if not already the greatest magical academy the world has ever known the parents of Tobias and his sister had decided that was their destination.

With no doubt that their child Tobias would be accepted to the School, the parents worries and attentions fell to the slightly younger more fair sister. Without realizing they started to neglect Tobias in their efforts to get both children accepted, this is what caused him to grow into a recluse. Not willing to trust anyone his intent was purely to attend the school to receive his education in the arts of magic and move on with his life.

Whilst his sister received special attention ant tutors of all kinds Tobias locked himself away, reading through the old books of the family library. He read literature, Math, science, history and his favorite Engineering. He quickly changed in the eyes of his parents, from a wondrous prospect ready to take the seat vacated by his father to a boy with his own dreams, his own direction and his own agendas. When the attention of his parents finally came he all but ignored them, giving them the same treatment he was awarded as a child.

Now older, and smarter Tobias found solace in one person. His great grandfather who told him stories as a child, a great man and magi in his own right Tobias had always kept an unspoken respect for the way things used to be, the older generations of his family and their reluctance to change what wasn't broken. The divide between the family had become heated, old against new the earlier generations wanted to keep the family and it's traditions in Germany whilst the younger members wanted the best education money could buy.

On the day of his leaving for America Tobias met with his great grandfather, they talked of history, past and future and what it was Tobias wanted for himself at heart. It has been a conversation he has never repeated to anyone, nor even alluded to. Things were said and secrets were revealed by them both, but being the keeper of the family, Tobias' great grandfather told secrets much more dark and much more convicting that the boy imagined.

I think I showed impressive self restraint by not calling him Jedidiah Thunder-nipples or Flintoff Hammer-socks. I hope he is OK and I welcome any constructive crit.

[Whelp]

Is it possible for a were curse to be hampered when magi procreate with humans. I wanted to toy with an idea like that for that exceptional part, do tell.

[DotCom]

OH MAN I'M EXCITED FOR THIS

But also, I have a question: Are you doing this first come, first served? You've garnered quite a bit of interest, and thus far everyone seems beyond capable. I should be able to have a CS by the end of the day, circa PST, but I'm wondering if you've a certain time table in which you're accepting?

[Everblight]

He said in the Int Check that he will be picking the best CS' and accepting those

[DotCom]

She*. And DOPE, thank you so much!

Also, I think Jedidiah Thunder-Nipples is a perfectly good name, thank you very much.