A Lowly Wretch

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

Walter Ozwyrd

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Day 1 ◈ Time: Dusk/Evening ◈ Weather: Light Rain ◈Location: Harold's Academy, Main Ballroom ◈ Participants: Basically anybody at the ballroom.

---

---

"Roooight, where'd I leave it?

Walter dug through the chest containing his belongings along with other stuff he held onto. Old pipes, nails, sand, all sorts of things were in this disheveled grab-bag of a chest. "Aha!" He exclaimed, producing one of his school books which was a compendium of chemical formulas. Being new to this place he needed to make the most of his time if he was going to get any good deals struck. With the power to turn any liquid into any other liquid he's seen before it made sense to try and find every liquid that's been made. Like a magnetism manipulator carrying metal things it just made plain sense to do.

Top it off with other classes demanding his time and attention as well as his many side projects and this kid was spread thinner than a somatic that can turn into paper. Shuffling the books into his capacious backpack he hooked a spray bottle on his belt and went up to a dorm mirror that was laying around. They were told to dress up for the occasion but truth be told outside of his school uniform his good clothes were but one of the few sets of clothes he actually had. Anytime he wasn't in his school regalia he was in what was ostensibly his finest garments. As such it was hardly surprising that this set was a bit worn. He'd even had to reinforce a seam one month back.

_
"Hmm, let's see: books? Check. Spray bottle? Check. Ink Pen? Check. Spare cups? Check. Folding table? Check. Tips jar? Check. Water refills..." He looked over to a couple large sealed jugs of water, tethered together with fabric that's been fashioned with a makeshift handle as they sat next to his feet. "Check. What else I'm I missing? Hmm." He pondered before remembering a specific quality of this particular ball.

"Right! A mask. Probably ought to get m'self one lest I fail to meet the dress code 'gain." He snapped his fingers in a eureka moment of realization before looking once more through his box of stuff. He had some old rags he could fashion into something. Taking one just long enough to wrap around his head he cut out a couple holes using the sharp edge of his metal ink pen before dipping the cloth into a cup of water he had sat upon a nightstand. Changing the water into ink he dyed the cloth black. All that was left was to let it dry a bit before he threw it on, checking out his handiwork in the mirror.

"Hm, rather roguish, Heheheh." He chuckled, looking out at the manic-haired young gremlin staring back at him with those dark greyish blue eyes of his. The look reminded him more of a raccoon's color patterning than that of a rogue's mask. Perhaps there was some room for overlap in that field but given his overall apparel his look was more the former than the latter.

"Eh, people ain't gonna be shopping for my looks. Drinks sell, don't matter how upscale the venue. I'll just end up selling more champaign and less whiskey is all."

_
With enough self monologuing he picked up his spare jugs of water and set forth, floating out from the windows despite warnings from the staff not to do it. He knew he wasn't supposed to but any rule without a sufficiently discouraging punishment was essentially a suggestion and when it came to suggestions like those Walter would kindly suggest that folks not stick their noses too far in each other's business. Money waited for no-one, especially not busy-bodies.

As he left the dorms he checked out the gutters he had rigged to send the rain water down into his rain barrels he had set up. From the looks of the weather it was going to be a fairly hearty crop. The way he saw it it was like free money raining from the clouds above. Everybody would just let it go to waste on the floor but himself? All that sweet sweet water was all there for the taking. He checked the setup, giving the rain barrel a hearty pat on the wooden rim before continuing on his busy way.

Of course he walked most of the way, flying was just about as sluggish given his equipment weight and took perhaps even more effort than it took to just walk. Using vitesse was exhausting, at least for most things non-liquid related. It was funny, he could change an entire swimming pool into mustard and it'd be not only easier but way faster than moving a barrel of water twenty feet off the ground using his flight.

'Course it seemed everybody and anybody was already there ahead of him, or so it seemed.

"Hello 'erybody! Special occasion so for this evening only drinks are free!" He announced with chipper charm as he squirreled past the many students standing around chatting so he could find a corner of the ballroom to set up in, at least when they were allowed to enter that is.

"I'm happy to take special requests and if you got a sample of a drink you want I can certainly duplicate it for 'ya. Don't forget to tip your friendly serving staff and yours truly."

For others? A time to enjoy the luxuries. For Walter? The grind never quits.

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

Made up a relation list for Walter, based largely on about a week's worth of impressions or so. More of a surface impression than anything too deep.

Walter's Relation List

Professors.

Tessa Vellhart

"Lady likes her pink. Not sure what else to make of her though she probably likes her cocktails fruity. We'll have'ta see."

Minerva Weiss

"Never trust someone who pronounces their B's as S's. I'll need to keep outta sight when she's due around."

Jinoquio

"Math and Physics are already hard on their own without the riddles and cryptic dialogue. It'd be easier jus'ta read a math textbook in another language."

George Keldorn

"Guy seems so absorbed with stuffing his head with knowledge it's startin' to leak out. Still, why stick to th' past when the future's always comin' at 'ya?"

Amara Mako

"Guess if your whole power's about swimming makes sense you'd be the swimming teacher. Still, despite what she says there's nothing good lurking in the deep dark depths."

Ivo Featherswallow

"Heheh, Featherswallow. Jokes aside he's pretty alright, seems like he'd be down for a drink."

Magus Babalu

"Got that Psychiccer habit of starin' at you like he's always readin' your thoughts. If this guy's got vices I doubt anyone's found out and lived to tattle."

Vanille Velhast aka Grune

"She's got a chip on her shoulder and a lotta baggage. I'll bet if she started drinkin' she'd either get into a fight or go at the bottle 'till she blacks out."

Patty Grumble

"Nice old lady, likes sharing old war stories over tea it seems."

Caelum Incanowitz

"Like any model skyship enthusiast get them talking about it and they'll talk your ears off and then some. Seems he's turned that into a career."

Jahn-Klaus Lovebourne

"Guy's a sensitive sort. We both love herbology though I doubt for the same reasons."

Lili Bugg

"Definitely on the trajectory to becoming a cait horder. Don't matter how high-minded they approach it, one day you're just gonna walk in on them living with thirty of the critters 'cause they can't just not befriend the whole lot."

Students.

Petyr Nostrade

"Seems like something of a lady's man. After all, who puts that much time into personal grooming and then acts aloof genuinely? That aside he looks the sort that'd be down for a drink just to get away from all that studying."

Anastasia Arslan

"Little miss perfect would likely never be caught dead partying. She'd be too busy trying to solve world hunger or somethin'. With all the folks gunning for Illuminaire in House Harold I doubt she'd ever get anything done though. Tryin' to be the top of the pack makes you the biggest target and I sure as heck don't envy her for it."

Karspaan Mustaven

"Guy only ever takes his drinks on the rocks. Seems like he'll be a regular given his trajectory."

Leah Eusebia Clearwater

"Seems cut from the same cloth as Anastasia. It's a good thing they're separate houses or it'd be yet another rival for house Illuminaire. She puts a lotta weight on her shoulders but 'ya can't lift everything with telekinesis."

Lhoren Faith Ashdale

"Like any Psychiccer it's best you keep your thoughts quiet around her. Can't imagine she leaves her brain channel open though else her headspace might turn into an echo chamber of lewd shouting. The only thing she's gonna hear from my head however is the sound of dollars rubbing together, maybe a drink recipe or two."

Myrion Stevar

"Guy loves his coffee and I love guys who love their coffee. Can appreciate the hustle but like other hearts 'o gold he's trying to carry it all when all it's getting him is a sore back... Or maybe he's compensating for his lacklustre magic? Only time and maybe some chats over a cup will tell."

Raffaella Struna

"Something of a wall-flower. Like any Psychiccer I ain't got a thing to hide so there's no worry. Doubt she'd be down for anything shy of a latte to help keep her from that sleep walkin' she does."

Primrose Greenleigh

"Girl only seems herself out in the gardens. A bit thrown off by the city life but great company in herbology class. I'll bet she knows how to party if you can talk to her right."

Fasha Sumbul

"Ugh. She just oozes 'That Girl' energy. Not only an Illuminaire but just as likely to be creating rumors as well as she'd be circulatin' them. Can't hate the hustle but she combines all the worst tropes about psychiccers without even being one."

Emmelynne 'Melle' Starbuck

"Seems the sort that's been there and back. Not the first and likely not the last of 'em. Probably a regular in the making from my guess."

Walter Ozwyrd

"That's me. I'm me. I look out for me. I only drink socially 'cause I can't afford to lose too many nights to the bottle lest I start slippin'. I'm not competing for spot as top dog but fortunes don't make themselves either."

Sylvia Copeland

"Gotta love someone who can enjoy a good party. Plays up the cait stuff but it's literally her thing so she gets a pass. Might be a bit sensitive under the fun-loving attitude though."

Corrine Marchesi

"I can appreciate a good inventor. A tad absorbed at times but good ideas can get that way. Probably worth getting to know though she'll probably be long gone from the academy by the time I'm even halfway through."

Manny Ryi

"One of the few folks in the same year as me. She seems down to party, though maybe a bit nosy. Still, beats hanging with killjoys anyday."

Taegan Granlock

"Talk about pompous. Only good thing about this clog's that much like most nobles you can probably sell him nearly anything if it's 'Rare' and 'Exclusive', maybe through in a little flattery in there for good measure."

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

If there was a tournament I genuinely don't know what Lhoren's offensive options would be against anyone lol

@Silver Carrot

Maybe she could buy a magitech pneumatic bean-bag cannon and use telepathy to figure out which way they're going to dodge.

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

Walter Ozwyrd

Despite his pinchable cheeks and boyish charms, this first year from the House of Harold has a knack for shady business; he won't hesitate to turn your Ale into liquid gold, so keep a close eye on him — you've been warned.

Walter Ozwyrd

♫

◈ A p p e a r a n c e ◈
Rather short and kinda scrawny this kid's got little to show beneath his fancy jackets and neat medallions. That's not to say he's ugly but most wouldn't call him conventionally attractive.

Just like his personality eccentricity and business run hand-in-hand. He dressed with faux glitz, his jewelry and trinkets being imitations of the genuine articles. His dress suit's not even a name brand, just another piece that's made for look better than it really is.

When he's secluded he tends to dress more practically, work shirts with chemical stains and slacks making up his more casual ware. Much like himself when out and about his outer appearance is mostly a put-on but beneath the fake shell is something much less ostentatious.

◈ "Why stop at turning water into wine?" ◈

◈ N a m e
Walter Ozwyrd.

◈ S p e l l c a s t e r N a m e
Alchemist.

◈ A g e, H e i g h t, a n d W e i g h t
13, 125 cm, 42 kg.

◈ R a c e
Mystic.

◈ G e n d e r
Guy

◈ S e x u a l O r i e n t a t i o n
Asexual

◈ Y e a r
1st.

◈ P e t
None

◈ H o u s e
House of Harold

◈ I l l u m i n a i r e
Nah.

◈ C l a s s e s

◈ Gifts.

◈ Sustained Flight.

◈ Swimming.

◈ Herbology.

◈ Arithmetic and Mathematics.

◈ N/A.

◈ A r e Y o u O n Y o u r H o u s e ' s W a a g a T e a m?
Nah.

◈ "The only bonding I care about is chemical." ◈

◈ P e r s o n a l i t y
Avaricious◈Inventive◈Opportunistic◈Cunning◈Aimless

Is Walter really the greedy plotter that he comes off as? Does the fact he always looks for any opportunity to get rich quick make him a worse person as a result? Has his efforts to put business and scheming before stuff like morals or bonds with his fellow humans made him a disingenuous husk wrought of hollow words and empty feelings?

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

He knows what he wants but perhaps he really doesn't. The allure of wealth and elevation of his station is born in part from his humble origins and the distance he has made between himself and his father. He lived a poor life but when you have magic powers, even ones as innocuous as his, who has the right to tell him he can't be who he wants to be?

Which comes right back around to the question:
"Who do I want to be?"

It's a question he's asked himself often. He desires wealth but aside from investing in ways to make even more money he has no genuine idea what he'd make of it. He makes everything he works on impersonal, claiming it's just business, but he's actually quite passionate about his work. He likes to invent and experiment, coaxing his interests under the guise of being ploys to better serve himself instead of helping others. He gets more joy out of sharing his interests with others than he does simply turning a profit.

Can Walter ever open up to others and form meaningful relations outside of purely business arrangements? Is he perhaps misunderstood in his desires to put himself further from the destitution that once defined his life not so long ago? Shall he ever find a calling which truly speaks to him? A reason to his very existence?

It's the same question as it's always been.

"Who do I want to be?"

◈ H i s t o r y
Walter and his brother Hector were born to a humble family of Endless Ocean fishermen. Their funds weren't flush but they could afford to live, even if both of their parents had to work to keep the household afloat, both metaphorically and literally speaking. These peaceful times came to an end however when his mother was bitten in two by a sea dragon.

This event was hard for the young brothers. Walter took this event hard, perhaps harder than even his brother. Something about watching her remains get sealed into the seaglass coffin and cast down into the depths stuck to him like a damp blanket of malaise. It changed him in a way which was never truly clear. Only one thing was clear: It was a Mere de Reves he'd never forget.

Their family struggled long as their father was forced to pick up the work that their mother's absence left for him. While their father was absent nearly all hours of the day they both took up the chores and upkeep of the house. It was here Walter got his experience in cooking, preparing meals for the whole family for several long years.

It was not too long ago that his powers started to manifest. As per the mandate this meant he was required to leave home to go to Harold's Academy For The Magically Inclined. This was no issue for Walter as he saw this as the perfect chance to escape the poverty trap that was his home and make his fortune abroad. With a hearty wave he departed, never turning back as he cast off to live his new life and make a new start for himself.

◈ R e p u t a t i o n
If there were ever the sort of guy you'd see scalping tickets just outside the school theater that'd be him in a nutshell. Despite his rather dedicated efforts towards studying he rarely gets along with the teacher staff due to his crooked moral compass.

Much more than that isn't really set in stone as he is in his first year. Plenty of time to make impressions, for better or for worse.

◈ G o a l s
So far his only stated goal is to amass wealth until he no longer has to work a day in his life. He's not spared much thought beyond that.

◈ R e l a t i o n s
Zardo Ozwyrd - Father
Walter's relationship has suffered a fair amount of strain from the years of separation as result of their impoverishment. What little time they spend together is rarely cherished as stress tugs at every member of their household. Be it mechanically eating before slumping off to bed or offering the stray nod or grunt of acknowledgement when passing the days where he had the energy to openly display affection towards his sons had faded.

Hector Ozwyrd - Brother
Before their mother died they were a pretty solid team, rarely ever seen too far apart. After she died however a rift formed between them. While Hector had taken the more stoic route, opting to stick it through and make it work Walter could never sympathize. They did their work yes but Hector took to it with a sense of duty while Walter only worked to help ensure they could keep living day to day. Neither of them enjoyed it but Hector would shoulder the burden as the proverbial Atlas of their household. It was because of this that when Walter took to leaving home with such aplomb that what could be considered an argument broke out between them, a very rare situation given Hector's demeanor. They've yet to mend this gulf that's grown between them.

◈ "Care for a drink?" ◈

◈ M y s t i c C l a s s i f i c a t i o n
Elementalist

◈ G i f t
Fluid Transmutation

◈ M y s t i c C o d e
Walter's power is the ability to transform any liquid he sees into any other liquid known to him. The moment his eyesight makes contact with water he can freely transform it into any other liquid that he'd seen directly. From water to acid to molten iron if he's seen something in a liquid state then it becomes a part of his repertoire, allowing him to bestow all of it's features onto any liquid of his choice within sight. The only limit to how long or how many liquids he can store is his memory. If he's seen a liquid and is able to remember it then he can consciously turn other liquids into it with a mere thought.

◈ L i m i t a t i o n s a n d W e a k n e s s e s
The first limitation to this power is that he can only transform liquids he has direct line of sight of. If he cannot see a liquid then he cannot alter it, such as the blood in human bodies. He cannot alter liquids by looking at an artificial image or facsimile of it either. The liquid he is changing must be physically within his sight.

The second limitation to this power is that much like how he can only alter liquids that are directly in his sight he can only memorize the liquids he has seen directly. If he hears about or sees a picture of a liquid he's never encountered then he would not be able to turn other liquids into it until he's seen the genuine substance directly.

The third limitation is the relationship between volume and vitesse. While his power offers a substantially high rate of exchange for the amount of vitesse he expends simply due to how specialized it's effect is it is not limitless and can exhaust him if he transmutes too much liquid before he's able to recover. This is not easy as he's quite capable of exchanging a large lakes worth of fluid with another before he's too exhausted to continue. While fairly substantial there's no chance of him converting the whole Endless Ocean into oil or whatever else strikes his fancy.

As for his gift's weakness in large part it's a niche effect which requires imagination to really deploy effectively. It's offensive potential is hampered by his lack of ability to control the movement of liquids directly, instead requiring tools in order to convey liquids in various manners. This gift's utility is where it ultimately shines, allowing great flexibility while still requiring preparation and clever planning to utilize effectively either defensively or offensively.

Addendum: The process for transmutation preserves mass but not necessarily volume. A liquid that is light when transmuted into a liquid that is denser will lose volume as it's overall mass is condensed.

In addition while the rate of transmutation is quick this process can be either sped up or slowed down to modify the rate of vitesse he expends. He can conserve vitesse by slowing down the rate of transmutation or expend more vitesse to accelerate it even faster. While this rarely plays a factor in regards to smaller bodies of liquid when it comes to larger masses conservation of vitesse starts playing a larger role.

Walter's Relation List

Professors.

Tessa Vellhart

"Lady likes her pink. Not sure what else to make of her though she probably likes her cocktails fruity. We'll have'ta see."

Minerva Weiss

"Never trust someone who pronounces their B's as S's. I'll need to keep outta sight when she's due around."

Jinoquio

"Math and Physics are already hard on their own without the riddles and cryptic dialogue. It'd be easier jus'ta read a math textbook in another language."

George Keldorn

"Guy seems so absorbed with stuffing his head with knowledge it's startin' to leak out. Still, why stick to th' past when the future's always comin' at 'ya?"

Amara Mako

"Guess if your whole power's about swimming makes sense you'd be the swimming teacher. Still, despite what she says there's nothing good lurking in the deep dark depths."

Ivo Featherswallow

"Heheh, Featherswallow. Jokes aside he's pretty alright, seems like he'd be down for a drink."

Magus Babalu

"Got that Psychiccer habit of starin' at you like he's always readin' your thoughts. If this guy's got vices I doubt anyone's found out and lived to tattle."

Vanille Velhast aka Grune

"She's got a chip on her shoulder and a lotta baggage. I'll bet if she started drinkin' she'd either get into a fight or go at the bottle 'till she blacks out."

Patty Grumble

"Nice old lady, likes sharing old war stories over tea it seems."

Caelum Incanowitz

"Like any model skyship enthusiast get them talking about it and they'll talk your ears off and then some. Seems he's turned that into a career."

Jahn-Klaus Lovebourne

"Guy's a sensitive sort. We both love herbology though I doubt for the same reasons."

Lili Bugg

"Definitely on the trajectory to becoming a cait horder. Don't matter how high-minded they approach it, one day you're just gonna walk in on them living with thirty of the critters 'cause they can't just not befriend the whole lot."

Students.

Petyr Nostrade

"Seems like something of a lady's man. After all, who puts that much time into personal grooming and then acts aloof genuinely? That aside he looks the sort that'd be down for a drink just to get away from all that studying."

Anastasia Arslan

"Little miss perfect would likely never be caught dead partying. She'd be too busy trying to solve world hunger or somethin'. With all the folks gunning for Illuminaire in House Harold I doubt she'd ever get anything done though. Tryin' to be the top of the pack makes you the biggest target and I sure as heck don't envy her for it."

Karspaan Mustaven

"Guy only ever takes his drinks on the rocks. Seems like he'll be a regular given his trajectory."

Leah Eusebia Clearwater

"Seems cut from the same cloth as Anastasia. It's a good thing they're separate houses or it'd be yet another rival for house Illuminaire. She puts a lotta weight on her shoulders but 'ya can't lift everything with telekinesis."

Lhoren Faith Ashdale

"Like any Psychiccer it's best you keep your thoughts quiet around her. Can't imagine she leaves her brain channel open though else her headspace might turn into an echo chamber of lewd shouting. The only thing she's gonna hear from my head however is the sound of dollars rubbing together, maybe a drink recipe or two."

Myrion Stevar

"Guy loves his coffee and I love guys who love their coffee. Can appreciate the hustle but like other hearts 'o gold he's trying to carry it all when all it's getting him is a sore back... Or maybe he's compensating for his lacklustre magic? Only time and maybe some chats over a cup will tell."

Raffaella Struna

"Something of a wall-flower. Like any Psychiccer I ain't got a thing to hide so there's no worry. Doubt she'd be down for anything shy of a latte to help keep her from that sleep walkin' she does."

Primrose Greenleigh

"Girl only seems herself out in the gardens. A bit thrown off by the city life but great company in herbology class. I'll bet she knows how to party if you can talk to her right."

Fasha Sumbul

"Ugh. She just oozes 'That Girl' energy. Not only an Illuminaire but just as likely to be creating rumors as well as she'd be circulatin' them. Can't hate the hustle but she combines all the worst tropes about psychiccers without even being one."

Emmelynne 'Melle' Starbuck

"Seems the sort that's been there and back. Not the first and likely not the last of 'em. Probably a regular in the making from my guess."

Walter Ozwyrd

"That's me. I'm me. I look out for me. I only drink socially 'cause I can't afford to lose too many nights to the bottle lest I start slippin'. I'm not competing for spot as top dog but fortunes don't make themselves either."

Sylvia Copeland

"Gotta love someone who can enjoy a good party. Plays up the cait stuff but it's literally her thing so she gets a pass. Might be a bit sensitive under the fun-loving attitude though."

Corrine Marchesi

"I can appreciate a good inventor. A tad absorbed at times but good ideas can get that way. Probably worth getting to know though she'll probably be long gone from the academy by the time I'm even halfway through."

Manny Ryi

"One of the few folks in the same year as me. She seems down to party, though maybe a bit nosy. Still, beats hanging with killjoys anyday."

Taegan Granlock

"Talk about pompous. Only good thing about this clog's that much like most nobles you can probably sell him nearly anything if it's 'Rare' and 'Exclusive', maybe through in a little flattery in there for good measure."

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

<Snipped quote by McKennaJ71>

I asked Aeolian about how she makes these very difficult decisions on who to choose. She kindly showed me the selection process.

Selection Process

First Spin result: (LOL)

@Ti

If it really were RNG based I'd never make the cut. My luck stat was a dump stat.

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

Looking forward to the 'morrow to see who else makes the roster in this exciting new story.

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

I've edited Walter's weaknesses in line with Ti's suggestions to help further balance his overwhelmingly massive power so he doesn't completely overshadow the other students.

...

I jest of course. It's just an alteration to help flesh out the gift further.

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

I have returned with a cs! Hopefully he meets the muster of an approvable character.

Walter Ozwyrd

♫

◈ A p p e a r a n c e ◈
Rather short and kinda scrawny this kid's got little to show beneath his fancy jackets and neat medallions. That's not to say he's ugly but most wouldn't call him conventionally attractive.

Just like his personality eccentricity and business run hand-in-hand. He dressed with faux glitz, his jewelry and trinkets being imitations of the genuine articles. His dress suit's not even a name brand, just another piece that's made for look better than it really is.

When he's secluded he tends to dress more practically, work shirts with chemical stains and slacks making up his more casual ware. Much like himself when out and about his outer appearance is mostly a put-on but beneath the fake shell is something much less ostentatious.

◈ "Why stop at turning water into wine?" ◈

◈ N a m e
Walter Ozwyrd.

◈ S p e l l c a s t e r N a m e
Alchemist.

◈ A g e, H e i g h t, a n d W e i g h t
13, 125 cm, 42 kg.

◈ R a c e
Mystic.

◈ G e n d e r
Guy

◈ S e x u a l O r i e n t a t i o n
Asexual

◈ Y e a r
1st.

◈ P e t
None

◈ H o u s e
House of Harold

◈ I l l u m i n a i r e
Nah.

◈ C l a s s e s

◈ Gifts.

◈ Sustained Flight.

◈ Swimming.

◈ Herbology.

◈ Arithmetic and Mathematics.

◈ N/A.

◈ A r e Y o u O n Y o u r H o u s e ' s W a a g a T e a m?
Nah.

◈ "The only bonding I care about is chemical." ◈

◈ P e r s o n a l i t y
Avaricious◈Inventive◈Opportunistic◈Cunning◈Aimless

Is Walter really the greedy plotter that he comes off as? Does the fact he always looks for any opportunity to get rich quick make him a worse person as a result? Has his efforts to put business and scheming before stuff like morals or bonds with his fellow humans made him a disingenuous husk wrought of hollow words and empty feelings?

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

He knows what he wants but perhaps he really doesn't. The allure of wealth and elevation of his station is born in part from his humble origins and the distance he has made between himself and his father. He lived a poor life but when you have magic powers, even ones as innocuous as his, who has the right to tell him he can't be who he wants to be?

Which comes right back around to the question:
"Who do I want to be?"

It's a question he's asked himself often. He desires wealth but aside from investing in ways to make even more money he has no genuine idea what he'd make of it. He makes everything he works on impersonal, claiming it's just business, but he's actually quite passionate about his work. He likes to invent and experiment, coaxing his interests under the guise of being ploys to better serve himself instead of helping others. He gets more joy out of sharing his interests with others than he does simply turning a profit.

Can Walter ever open up to others and form meaningful relations outside of purely business arrangements? Is he perhaps misunderstood in his desires to put himself further from the destitution that once defined his life not so long ago? Shall he ever find a calling which truly speaks to him? A reason to his very existence?

It's the same question as it's always been.

"Who do I want to be?"

◈ H i s t o r y
Walter and his brother Hector were born to a humble family of Endless Ocean fishermen. Their funds weren't flush but they could afford to live, even if both of their parents had to work to keep the household afloat, both metaphorically and literally speaking. These peaceful times came to an end however when his mother was bitten in two by a sea dragon.

This event was hard for the young brothers. Walter took this event hard, perhaps harder than even his brother. Something about watching her remains get sealed into the seaglass coffin and cast down into the depths stuck to him like a damp blanket of malaise. It changed him in a way which was never truly clear. Only one thing was clear: It was a Mere de Reves he'd never forget.

Their family struggled long as their father was forced to pick up the work that their mother's absence left for him. While their father was absent nearly all hours of the day they both took up the chores and upkeep of the house. It was here Walter got his experience in cooking, preparing meals for the whole family for several long years.

It was not too long ago that his powers started to manifest. As per the mandate this meant he was required to leave home to go to Harold's Academy For The Magically Inclined. This was no issue for Walter as he saw this as the perfect chance to escape the poverty trap that was his home and make his fortune abroad. With a hearty wave he departed, never turning back as he cast off to live his new life and make a new start for himself.

◈ R e p u t a t i o n
If there were ever the sort of guy you'd see scalping tickets just outside the school theater that'd be him in a nutshell. Despite his rather dedicated efforts towards studying he rarely gets along with the teacher staff due to his crooked moral compass.

Much more than that isn't really set in stone as he is in his first year. Plenty of time to make impressions, for better or for worse.

◈ G o a l s
So far his only stated goal is to amass wealth until he no longer has to work a day in his life. He's not spared much thought beyond that.

◈ R e l a t i o n s
Zardo Ozwyrd - Father
Walter's relationship has suffered a fair amount of strain from the years of separation as result of their impoverishment. What little time they spend together is rarely cherished as stress tugs at every member of their household. Be it mechanically eating before slumping off to bed or offering the stray nod or grunt of acknowledgement when passing the days where he had the energy to openly display affection towards his sons had faded.

Hector Ozwyrd - Brother
Before their mother died they were a pretty solid team, rarely ever seen too far apart. After she died however a rift formed between them. While Hector had taken the more stoic route, opting to stick it through and make it work Walter could never sympathize. They did their work yes but Hector took to it with a sense of duty while Walter only worked to help ensure they could keep living day to day. Neither of them enjoyed it but Hector would shoulder the burden as the proverbial Atlas of their household. It was because of this that when Walter took to leaving home with such aplomb that what could be considered an argument broke out between them, a very rare situation given Hector's demeanor. They've yet to mend this gulf that's grown between them.

◈ "Care for a drink?" ◈

◈ M y s t i c C l a s s i f i c a t i o n
Elementalist

◈ G i f t
Fluid Transmutation

◈ M y s t i c C o d e
Walter's power is the ability to transform any liquid he sees into any other liquid known to him. The moment his eyesight makes contact with water he can freely transform it into any other liquid that he'd seen directly. From water to acid to molten iron if he's seen something in a liquid state then it becomes a part of his repertoire, allowing him to bestow all of it's features onto any liquid of his choice within sight. The only limit to how long or how many liquids he can store is his memory. If he's seen a liquid and is able to remember it then he can consciously turn other liquids into it with a mere thought.

◈ L i m i t a t i o n s a n d W e a k n e s s e s
The first limitation to this power is that he can only transform liquids he has direct line of sight of. If he cannot see a liquid then he cannot alter it, such as the blood in human bodies. He cannot alter liquids by looking at an artificial image or facsimile of it either. The liquid he is changing must be physically within his sight.

The second limitation to this power is that much like how he can only alter liquids that are directly in his sight he can only memorize the liquids he has seen directly. If he hears about or sees a picture of a liquid he's never encountered then he would not be able to turn other liquids into it until he's seen the genuine substance directly.

The third limitation is the relationship between volume and vitesse. While his power offers a substantially high rate of exchange for the amount of vitesse he expends simply due to how specialized it's effect is it is not limitless and can exhaust him if he transmutes too much liquid before he's able to recover. This is not easy as he's quite capable of exchanging a large lakes worth of fluid with another before he's too exhausted to continue. While fairly substantial there's no chance of him converting the whole Endless Ocean into oil or whatever else strikes his fancy.

As for his gift's weakness in large part it's a niche effect which requires imagination to really deploy effectively. It's offensive potential is hampered by his lack of ability to control the movement of liquids directly, instead requiring tools in order to convey liquids in various manners. This gift's utility is where it ultimately shines, allowing great flexibility while still requiring preparation and clever planning to utilize effectively either defensively or offensively.

Addendum: The process for transmutation preserves mass but not necessarily volume. A liquid that is light when transmuted into a liquid that is denser will lose volume as it's overall mass is condensed.

In addition while the rate of transmutation is quick this process can be either sped up or slowed down to modify the rate of vitesse he expends. He can conserve vitesse by slowing down the rate of transmutation or expend more vitesse to accelerate it even faster. While this rarely plays a factor in regards to smaller bodies of liquid when it comes to larger masses conservation of vitesse starts playing a larger role.

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

Aeolian's Announcement

<Snipped quote by Frettzo>

Aeolain

Hi! Regarding Gifts, this is more like X-men than harry potter, so if you choose a healing gift, you will only be able to heal people and nothing else. There is combat in this roleplay, but that's only supplementary to the character interactions, narrative, and plots. As such, not every character's gift has to be combat-focused and that's okay. They can contribute in many other ways. There is no base magical prowess or sprawling magic system like in Harry Potter, aside from flight, which everyone has by default. I want the characters to work together like the X-men and overcome adversities without the freebies/dues ex machinas that a world like Harry Potter gives their characters to get out of really tough, nonsensical situations. LOL

Edit: And yes, students sometimes have access to items that are powered by your Vitesse, to help supplementarily, but its not a free for all kind of thing. Your gift is your main bread and butter in most situations

Hope that answers your question :)

---

Aeolain

Hi Everyone:

Please note that any new interest to join the RP must be made by EOD tomorrow to be considered for inclusion. That's Monday, June 26, Eastern Time.

Those applications at the latest, must be submitted by Thursday EOD ET, as myself and Mirandae will have already started reviewing submissions on Monday.

Thank you! :) Cheers!

@Aeolian

Ah, in that case I shall make it known that I am working on a CS currently. I shall attempt to have it posted by the earliest.

The Hourglass Order

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What words they had traded she shared not with the others, not yet at least. Wu Long had a plan and it seemed it was now set in motion. For now however she needed to keep those in her charge alive for the time being.

_

When the cold crept over them it didn't take a genius to put two and two together.

"It seems the hidden are being followed and the followers are also followed." Her eyes glanced conspiratorially over to the rest of the students still together.

"Those of us who are knowledgeable in moving unnoticed should follow the one who follows the followers, with stealth of course. The rest of us will follow you few, distantly but not so much so that we are unable to help should the ones we follow catch you following."

She glanced back and forth across the rest of the crew to see what they made of this plan. It wasn't a safe choice but she gathered it was extremely unlikely for these ones to opt for the safer choice here.

Even still, this far along into the brewing dispute of global powers over this territory the time for proactivity was nigh. If they didn't act now they would be acted upon instead.

Caution favors the strong and they were anything but.

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Involved - @dragonpiece,@Force and Fury,@YummyYummy,@pantothenic,@McKennaJ71,@Ti.