Sybil Trelawney never got the opportunity to be interviewed for the position of Divination professor. Severus Snape never eavesdropped on the other side of the door in the Hog’s Head, and the Dark Lord was never informed of any prophecy concerning his demise. Harry Potter was never a target, and Peter Pettigrew never Secret Keeper to the Potters. But Peter Pettigrew made other mistakes, just as grave. As the summer of 1979 reached it's end, he lead Albus Dumbledore into a trap, and now the old man rots in Azkaban. The war is over, and the Dark Lord reigns over magical Britain. But the magical community is more divided then ever and war between clans and communities has only just begun. mobile map
Oh, wow, I can’t believe my luck. I wanted to app for Lily here before y’all opened because I had a stroke of brilliance when it came to her and this open ended characterization! Is there anything that needs to stay the same with her or is creative license up to the mun?
Not that I can think of, Anon. You have full creative license! We’re just rounding up our first event, which you can read about here and here. That’ll give you an idea of what the Ashen Phoenix are up to and the direction they’re headed in. It might be a good idea to think about where Lily was during that event–if she took part, and if so, what she saw, or didn’t see. James was working security at the Nott party, but he and Lily did not cross paths. However, if you decide she did go on the mission, if she saw James or overheard something about him is up to you!
Absolutely, Anon! I recognise that this game probably looks a little slow from the outside looking in. All our members have jobs and studies, and the past couple weeks have been pretty hellish, but we’re all here and committed!
QUARTUS BELLUM IS ONCE AGAIN OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS. All applications are reviewed 48 hours after they’re received and we have plenty of exciting characters still available. Check them out here.
For those just accepted...
Please create a new account (or sideblog for members applying for second characters, if preferred) for your character and send me an ask from that account so I can link you to the OOC chat. Once you’ve done that, follow these tracked tags: quartusbellumupdate,quartusbellumaccept,quartusbellumfollow, quartusbellumevent, quartusbellumstarter.
ELVA for the role of JOCASTA AVERY, using the faceclaim AIYSHA HART.
This is an application from the mod, also playing Marcus McKinnon.
Name: Elva
Age: twenties
Pronouns: She/her, they/them
Activity Level: I’m usually online once a day, though often I’m doing background mod stuff or writing replies (though not always finishing and publishing them, I’m a slow writer who gets happily lost in editing and rereads).
Other: I’d like to change the pronouns in Jocasta’s bio from she/her to they/them.
Acknowledgement: I acknowledge that the themes of this game may include triggering elements. I also acknowledge that my character may be harmed, coerced, or even killed (with player’s consent) during paras/events or may cause harm to or kill others during paras/events.
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general ic details
Name: Jocasta Fahima Avery
Age: 24
Ships: I’m happy to explore ships between Jocasta and another character, however this won’t be their main focus by a long shot. They’re a nonbinary pansexual, however they are vastly more likely to pursue a relationship with a women or another queer person before a cishet male. They’re simply more comfortable in these relationships, safer, and more likely to be seen.
Gender/Pronouns: Agender, they/them.
Face Claim: Aiysha Hart.
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bio questions
biography:
You will find no Ministry records of Jocasta Fahima Avery before 1979. They were registered only when the Dark Lord had seized power, ordering all werewolves and vampires to be logged and tracked, including those who had fought alongside him, robbing them of their long-awaited freedom, of their dreams. Jocasta’s mother never married their father, and so they took the name Avery by default, but it means something different to Jocasta, not an indication of purity, members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. The name is tied solely to their mother, which is another way to say it means pride and willfulness, but also a heart free of scorn and a relaxed approach to life. Alathea Avery has ran in the same pack as Jocasta’s father, Majid Ismail, since Jocasta was born. Though the nature of their relationship has shifted over the years, changing form, sometimes shifting back, the pack knows they are life partners; theirs is the kind of family they cannot, nor would they ever wish to, walk away from.
It is not uncommon for werewolves to be abandoned by their former family after their infection. But Jocasta never mourned the relatives they’d never known, those arrogant Averys who cast their mother away; who hated the lycanthropy she’d become infected with so much they couldn’t see the daughter she still was. Jocasta had never felt lonely either, because they’d been raised by their mother’s pack. They had a wealth of family around them, not only including those with whom they shared blood. When Jocasta’s magic made itself known and they desired a wand, it was one of the pack who showed them what they could do without one. When they broke their arm, one of the pack who healed them. Those werewolves were guardians, teachers, trainers, confidants. So when the Dark Lord came to them with promises of legitimacy, Jocasta followed them and their new master without question. That was how it began, but it would not remain so forever.
Jocasta thought they knew hardship and pain. They thought the anger they bore at the world for being so cruel to their kind was strong enough to inflict it on others without remorse, but they were wrong. The war was a shock for Jocasta, who appeared to grow weaker with every battle, if you believe acting rationally and thinking before you attack is weakness. A day came when Jocasta had simply had enough. They were tired of making themself small so they could avoid bloodshed; bored of always hearing the same arguments. Traitor, scum, abomination; words cast at others as if they possessed a solid definition.
Every day they felt they were seconds from breaking away from their pack. But they waited. Some small part of them hoped they wouldn't have to; that the problem would fix itself. Either they’d change, find the courage to speak even if it claimed their life, or the pack would grow tired of leeching off the Dark Lord's cause. For they weren’t alone in their hesitations. Jocasta saw the way people turned their heads at just the right moment to avoid the worst of the horrors. How they lost sleep or their appetites, eyes and moods darkening.
When the war ended with the Dark Lord victorious, initially, Jocasta was relieved. They could finally contemplate a life outside the closed community they called home, outside of war. Then the purebloods turned their wands on the wolves.
Jocasta found their voice then. They had not waited for this. The werewolves in the Dark Lord's ranks divided. Many, in their anger, sought out Fenrir Greyback, a natural choice for leader given he would put a bull's eye on the back of any wolf who challenged him whom he actually thought stood a chance. Jocasta, though loved well enough as a child of the pack, did not inspire the most war-hardened wolves. Jocasta took in the strays, the stragglers, those who had no community, the recently turned, many of whom were victims of Greyback and other sworn Death Eaters of impure blood. Under the guidance of their mother and father, Jocasta built a new pack, consisting of not only werewolves, but vampires too.
Jocasta finally understood their mother, who hadn’t been cast out so much as walked with her head held high. Never having to look Fenrir Greyback in the face, see those teeth filed to points, nails sharpened into claws… Never having to see other werewolves bow to his brutality… Fighting the way they want to, no compromises unless they decide it... Jocasta may be the source of laughter and mockery in Fenrir Greyback’s camps, but there are advantages to being underestimated. It makes their victories even sweeter. ჻ ჻ ჻ ჻
my character is:
Please Describe a Belief your character has that is wrong. It can be something we, as players, know is wrong (ex. prejudice against werewolves ). Alternatively: How is your character lying to themselves (and how is is it shown externally).
The lie: Jocasta has no regrets about deciding to be like their mother and become a werewolf. Had they remained in the pack, undisturbed by war, being a werewolf would have been nothing more than a slight inconvenience. Jocasta would have endured the monthly pain, but they would have been relatively removed from the shame and stigma that follows the condition, and being a werewolf would have strengthened the bond between them and their community. Life was unfair then, but it was more comfortable than having hope given to them only to be snatched away again. Jocasta possesses a wand now. They have strengthened their magic, walked Diagon Alley like they belong, even stepped inside Hogwarts castle, though only the once and years too late. Jocasta has tasted what life could have been had their and their mother’s choices been different. Jocasta could have had everything they’d ever wanted... if they’d said no, and pleaded their grandparents to take them back. Jocasta didn’t have their mother’s curse, they were clean. Instead, Jocasta chose lycanthropy. They will tell every werewolf they meet--and vampire too--that they have worth, and that they should never let anyone make them feel shame for who and what they are. But does Jocasta practice what they preach? If the werewolf who needs consoling is themself, more often than not the answer is no. But they suck it up. There’s no cure, after all. And whether they were born infected with the curse or not, this is still Jocasta’s fight.
Please Provide a description of either Your Character’s Job (what do they do? how do they feel about it? Do they have any goals or dreams beyond this job) and/or Address the differences between what your character is currently doing and what they would prefer to do?
Jocasta may make the final decisions in the Alliance, but their job is manifold. There are mouths to feed and bodies to clothe. That means produce to grow, meat to hunt, meals to cook, laundry to wash. Everyone chips in, and Jocasta means everyone, themself included. Leading the Radical Alliance is a full time obligation. Jocasta’s schedule doesn’t allow for a normal job, not that they’ve ever desired one, nor has the opportunity ever been available to them on account of their “disease”. Finding the resources to keep this group alive and in fighting condition takes time and money. Jocasta puts every waking minute into the Alliance. The rest? Jocasta has friends in unexpected places. Thanks to their agent in high-up places, this rebellion is financed by the Ministry of Magic, in other words, pure society, including the family who wanted nothing to do with their mother.
ooc questions
Writing Sample:
Jocasta felt the moon at their back. Silver light bled through the bare branches above their head, pooling at their feet. Jocasta felt it in their bones too, like their skeleton was made of metal and the moon was a great magnet, pulling them out of shape. With the full moon three days away, the farm was lively, all hands on deck making the necessary preparations. Here in the forest there were no sounds but the crack of a fox’s paw on a twig, or the soft rustle of the wind. Jocasta rolled back their head, closing their eyes against the bitter cold, and drank in the quiet. They had to enjoy these moments when they came.
It had been a month since Marlene McKinnon had met with her brother. Jocasta almost felt bad for taking the night away from them. They were family, and they both claimed they would be together were it not for the war. They were fooling themselves if they thought it was that simple. Jocasta had been a Death Eater once. They had scratched the mark with their claws so it no longer looked like a skull and snake, but they still felt the summons. Jocasta would wear that scar forever. That boy may have Marlene convinced, but never Jocasta. That didn’t matter though, because he was a fountain of information and tonight Jocasta had need of him.
The air cracked, and there was Marcus, stumbling and catching his shoulder on the trunk of a thick tree. And it was Marcus. Jocasta was close enough to being the wolf that they recognised his scent. It was fear, sleep deprivation, coffee and something else Jocasta could never quite pinpoint. An underlying reek that made their hair stand no end, reminding them of that final dreadful year in those thick black cloaks and that silver mask, dragging prisoners from their hovels into mansions that boasted luxury and wealth.
Jocasta folded their arms, waiting as surprise twisted into fear on his face and he raised his wand sharply. Good. This boy still loved his sister, still feared for her. There was hope in that. And another weapon for Jocasta’s armoury.
“Where’s Marlene?” he said, more demand than question.
Jocasta observed him, face set with worry. What thoughts were running through his mind? Jocasta would pay a pretty price to know. Were it not for Marlene being in the Alliance, Jocasta wouldn’t entertain this child who swore he was a soldier. There was something dangerous about a young wix who thought they deserved more than they’d earned.
“If she’s hurt and you’re not telling me--”
Jocasta rolled their eyes. “Oh, quiet. Marlene is enjoying the warmth of the bonfire. I’ll take you to her myself, if you promise to keep a low profile and not excite the others.” Everyone could use a good reunion now and again. “But first, I have a couple questions for you and I’d like to do it in the privacy of these trees. Is that alright, Marcus?”
Marcus’ brow furrowed. Not in confusion--he had expected this, braced for it. There was a magical art called legilimency, where you could dive into another person’s mind and leaf through their thoughts like pages of a book. Jocasta swore they’d never use it, not merely because it gave them horrific headaches, but because it was wrong. It was how Voldemort had operated, was it not? A true leader didn’t need to strip you down to your soul to determine whether they ought to trust you. Such an abhorrent practise only pointed to weakness.
“Fine.”
“The party to celebrate the Nott wizard’s promotion. Did you attend?”
“I work in Wizengamot Admin.”
Jocasta narrowed their eyes.
“Yes, I attended.”
“I’ve received word that the Ashen Phoenix infiltrated the party and scorched their symbol on nearly ten of our top priority targets.” It was impressive. Jocasta might have been jealous if their goal hadn’t been so fruitless. “If you were there, you’ll be able to tell me. Are the rumours true?”
Marcus dropped his eyes to the ground. His tongue moved in his mouths but his lips were locked shut. When they finally opened he said, “They were there, but I don’t think they were responsible for the attack. At least not... The person I knew, she would never...” His voice became too soft for them to make out the words. “Jocasta.” His wand was at his side and he took a step forward. “Let me see my sister. Please. I’ll answer your questions, just...” He raked his fingers through his hair.
He’s not a soldier here. This is where he comes to break.
And wasn’t that what Jocasta wanted? Though a soldier themself, and little else, they wanted more for those whom had built this alliance. They wanted a home for them, and if that dream was ever to come true, it must include people like Marcus.
He was Marlene’s brother, but Jocasta’s resolve wavered as if he were their own. They unfolded their arms; held out their hand. Marcus placed his wand in their care, but his hand lingered there, reluctant to relinquish that which was his--as important to him as his hand itself. Jocasta swallowed. “Same rules as always, Marcus. I will return it when you leave, but you wear his mark. You are in his service still. It’s just a precaution. I cannot have you summoning him here and wrecking their lives all over again.” Nor could Jocasta let Marcus walk into camp carrying a wand when so many of their kind had never been granted that right. To some in this alliance, he would be a walking insult.
“Ready?” They slipped his wand into the inner pocket of their coat, then held their hand out to Marcus. Despite the chill in the air turning them both into dragons, condensation leaving their nostrils in white plumes, his palms were sweaty. What did this boy have to hide? “Three.” Marcus’ grip tightened painfully. “Two... One.” The dark trees twisted, and Jocasta’s stomach with it. They landed with a thud. Two steps forward and they passed through the farm’s wards, the house glowing with light and life across the field ahead of them.
Exploration:
Jocasta’s past as a Death Eater. They have many regrets and no excuses. I'm interested in exploring past connections, friendships they made in the DEs and what form they take now that Jocasta isn’t recognised as one of them anymore; muggleborns they will have wronged. Have all Death Eaters cast them aside as easily as the Dark Lord did? Can people look past their history as a Death Eater and see their potential to be something better? Jocasta will tell you it’s all in the past, but when many of the alliance were fighting with the DEs alongside them, when they were raised by an Avery, in a pack that ran with Fenrir Greyback, those politics are a bigger part of who Jocasta is than they realise. They don’t understand why the Unforgiveables bear such a name. If not careful, they treat torture lightly--it’s common enough, after all. Jocasta is still learning how to lead, how to be a person others want to follow, how to be a friend. Having lived a fairly closed life, they’re still learning about people, which gives them an interesting perspective.
Ashen Phoenix. I would like Jocasta to have a history with Severus Snape. They’ve both been tangled up with the DEs, and Severus would be a good source for the Wolfsbane Potion which Jocasta will be needing in large quantities. Furthermore, I would like Jocasta to extend an invitation to the Ashen Phoenix to join the Radical Alliance. Jocasta wants equal rights for werewolves and vampires, and that means working with purebloods, halfbloods, and muggleborns alike. Alone, they are only capable of so much. Together, they might stand a chance. It would be an attack from both sides. This may be Jocasta’s long-term goal, but they haven’t considered the reality of such an arrangement. In this imagined future, they see themself as the leader, which is sure to make any dealings with the Ashen Phoenix rocky at best.
Jocasta is a soldier through and through. They’ve been fighting this war all their adult years. Before Voldemort, they were fighting another kind of war, that of a repressed people, forced to live under the Ministry’s strict and discriminatory monitoring or live a secret, hidden life, never connecting with anyone who wasn’t like yourself, a life coloured with fear and distrust. Jocasta doesn’t know how to be anything but a soldier, but they’re not just building an army. They have lofty ambitions of building a family. They care for those they take into their fold, only they don’t always know how to show it. They are hardened by war, but driven by a desire for acceptance and care. In Jocasta, they are opposites. Can they win the war this way? Jocasta will try. But what happens when this fails?
Needless to say, I want to explore the werewolf/vampire side of this game. It’s why the Radical Alliance exists. I want to see the One Army undermined, so that characters from different groups collide more frequently, and one way to do this is to play the dauntless werewolf Jocasta Avery. I want Jocasta to play the politician, confronting Dumbledore about the fact he might have let one werewolf into his walls, but that’s hardly enough. I want them to demand the laws be changed, appealing fairly to the correct authorities, going through all the right channels, then using less savoury tactics when fairness fails, tactics learned as a Death Eater. For this is war and Jocasta did fight dirty once, and arguably still does.
KARLI for the role of DORCAS MEADOWS, using the faceclaim CHRISTIAN SERRATOS.
You’ve really thought about what’s missing from this roleplay and created a unique perspective and set of experiences in Dorcas. Characterisation is strong in this app, and I can’t wait to see the friction unfold between Dorcas and other characters!
ooc details
Name: Karli
Age: 27
Pronouns: She/Her
Activity Level: Same as now. Tues/Wed doesn’t allow for posting, but I should be able to split my time between James and Dorcas evenly.
Other: Nothing!
Acknowledgement: I acknowledge that the themes of this game may include triggering elements. I also acknowledge that my character may be harmed, coerced, or even killed (with player’s consent) during paras/events or may cause harm to or kill others during paras/events.
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general ic details
Name: Dorcas Elaine Meadowes
Age: 26; born October 13th, 1954 (Dorcas was an early birthday, so she turned 12 very early during her first year, making her in the same year at school as Narcissa Malfoy)
Ships: Dorcas/Chemistry. Literally have no preference and there probably won’t be much opportunity for shipping, anyway. Dorcas is bisexual, something she doesn’t think much about given her upbringing in the Wizarding World, so she also wants chemistry for any sort of shipping.
Gender/Pronouns: Cis-female. She/Her
Face Claim: Top choice: Christian Serratos. Other ideas: Adria Arjona or Tristan Mays
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bio questions
Please note, while this game is “canon” up until the start of the Wizarding War it does not stay canon and it’s quite divergent at the start of the game.
biography:
The Meadowes family is important. That was something her grandmother used to say during the very few times Dorcas saw her growing up. They used to be pureblood. They used to follow a proper line. Up until Dorcas’ father had to ruin it by marrying her mother. They’d all assumed he’d just been going through a phase - like young wizards often did - but when Allard Meadowes married Lara Hughes of all people, everyone talked. It wasn’t as though the Meadowes’ were really pureblood society, but they were pureblood and everyone wanted to keep the bloodlines clean. They weren’t targeted for their misdeeds, however, and for the most part, Dorcas’ childhood was an easy one.
She’d gone to Hogwarts, made friends in her house of Ravenclaw and other houses, and excelled at charms work. Always a fan of the game, she joined the chess club. During her fifth year, Dorcas was awarded prefect. It would’ve been a bigger feat had it not just be her and two other girls in her dormitory with her, but she was still happy for the accomplishment. Even if it forced her to spend more time with some rather unpleasant people.
She joined the Order after Hogwarts. Dumbledore had made the secret society during the very first years of the war and, when she’d been approached to join and fight with them, her answer had not been immediate. I have to think about it, she’d said. After all… they were in a war and fighting the bad guys (were there any? were they all?) meant a more likely death than just ducking her head and surviving with her blood status of halfblood. But Dumbledore had insisted that her skill with a wand and her position at St. Mungos as a healer trainee would be beneficial to the cause.
Ironically, it was her parents who inadvertently pushed her to join. Voldemort was gaining power and Allard and Lara believed they weren’t safe in Britain any longer. They’d fled the country, begging for their daughter to join them. Cowards! she thought (and perhaps had said). She hadn’t understood the danger then. While her parents boarded a muggle plane, Dorcas shook Dumbledore’s hand and hasn’t spoken to her family since.
The Order didn’t become her life. Just part of it. She had a job outside of missions. Within a few years, she’d become a full-fledged healer at St. Mungos, specializing in traumatic and emergency spell damage. More than once, she’d needed to steal supplies from the hospital for the Order or do a quick-fix on someone who’d gotten injured on a mission. Dumbledore was right - she was valuable. But that didn’t mean she was ready to give up her entire identity to the war. She saw what that did to people like Lily Evans and James Potter and their gang. The group had joined up years after her, wide eyed and ready to save the world.
They didn’t understand that war meant death like she did. Hadn’t she had to call it on too many friends - too many battlefront patients - that just couldn’t be fixed? War meant blood on her fingers and desperately trying to put together lost bits of flesh. War meant lost sight and limbs. It meant leaving people behind simply because they couldn’t last for more than a few minutes. She may not have given everything to the Order, but that didn’t stop her from understanding more than the newcomers who thought they could save the damn world and only discovered that war tears apart even the most tight knit group of people.
Still, she couldn’t feel satisfied when, as it turned out, she was right. Dumbledore went down and she didn’t join Potter’s little revenge mission. It’s suicide, she’d warned, but he’d gone anyway because hadn’t he always thought he knew it all? And now he’s gone - probably dead, Dorcas has always maintained he is dead - and his girlfriend is bleary-eyed and old. His friends are scattered and insane. One of them is high up in the One Army. That’s what war does. She knows it.
Maybe the Ashen Phoenix (not the Order anymore, now they’re split between groups) doesn’t agreed with the fact that she hasn’t claimed herself as one of them. Maybe they roll their eyes at her willingness to stay in a world that their enemy runs. Maybe they believe she’s the coward for not thinking like a damn Gryffindor and running into a losing battle as though the past has taught her nothing.
But she’s the one who brings the information. She’s the one who will fix up a Death Eater’s arm while they let it slip that their reinforcements on the north side of Diagon Alley are weak. She’s the one who continues to steal supplies and sneak out to heal an Radical Alliance or Ashen Phoenix member. They’d die without her. They could never set foot in a hospital.
So what if she’s pretending to have never been in the Order? If the One Army never discovered it before, it’s doubtful they will now, as long as she keeps her cool and plays her cards right. She’s one of the only people keeping the two groups connected to the real world and she’ll endure their eye rolls and mumbled insults if it means winning the war.
War has always been like a game of chess, after all. Sometimes, you just have to sacrifice that pawn. Check mate.
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my character is:
Please Provide the Following
How is your character lying to themselves (and how is is it shown externally).
Dorcas doesn’t really have a ton of friends - nor does she try to create very many positive connections. Before Dumbledore was taken to Azkaban, she’d spent some time with various Order members, but they’ve all scattered now. Some are dead - too many died in her arms - some have joined one of the two resistance groups. Some have fled the country or into muggle society. There also isn’t a lot of time to hang out with any of them, even if she could find them. Many of the members she does still keep in contact with hate her, anyway. They find her not as dedicated, not as willing to die, not as certain. But just because she hasn’t been caught doesn’t mean she’s not committed to the cause.
In fact, that’s where she’s been lying to herself. Dorcas maintains that the war isn’t her entire life, but it’s very clearly becoming that. She does not date because she doesn’t think she can trust anyone to keep her secrets. She doesn’t sit around with the other healers at lunch - or else they just might form a connection. She thinks in a series of how to get what she needs and when the next drop will be. She wears a necklace that heats up whenever she’s needed for the Ashen Phoenix. She’ll go to Death Eaters’ houses to heal someone if it means keeping her cover.
She’s not exactly a spy, but she’s close. She gave up her friends, her family, and even her career, in a way, for the Ashen Phoenix. If she thinks she hasn’t given her life to this war, she’s kidding herself. She’s going to be discovered and she will die for it. It’s only a matter of time.
Please Provide a description of your character’s job
Dorcas works during the day (with a few night shift mixed it) at St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, mostly on the Fourth Floor in Spell Damage. Her primary work is to heal the trauma-afflicted emergency patients. If someone were to come in with a traumatic injury, Dorcas would be a responder to that case. She will then do follow up with those particular patients until their eventual release. If they are deemed too severe to be released and need long-term care, she would refer them to the appropriate ward. She rarely works within the Janus Thickey Ward, though they are located on the same floor.
Her other job is unofficial healer of the Ashen Pheonix and, sometimes but less frequently, the Radical Alliance. She has a necklace (as pointed out above) that will let her know she’s needed and, if she holds onto it and Apparates, she’ll be directed to the correct location (think DA coins). She will also steal supplies, food, and anything else the groups may need, but can’t always provide everything on their lists. As a healer, she hears a lot of information as well, which she passes along to the leaders she meets with. Not everyone in these groups know of her role within their troops.
She also will sometimes be called to work on Death Eater injuries. With her grandmother’s place in society once upon a time, she is trusted in their houses, though not exactly welcomed warmly.
ooc questions
Writing Sample:
(I am using Lily Evans for this sample, with the permission of the player)
Evans was late. It wasn’t the first time one of the Ashen Phoenix members had stood Dorcas up for a while. Dorcas couldn’t exactly blame them - after all, they were on the run and anything could’ve happened - but she did blame them, anyway. She’d felt the necklace and Apparated to the meeting point as soon as possible. If she could do it and manage not to get caught, then why couldn’t they do it? They had less to do than her, didn’t they? She had to live her life as though she wasn’t a rebel - they were known rebels. They had no other jobs outside their cause. Her life - and honestly, their lives, though they tended to forget that - depended on the fact that she did have other things to do.
Finally, she heard Lily approach and wasted no time. Wands went up from both the women’s extended hands. “What did you point out on the ground at our last meeting?” Dorcas asked Lily, a confirmation that this was the redhead she’d been looking for. Lily Evans may have died since the last time they’d met and Dorcas did not want to meet the Death Eater who had stolen her hair if that had happened.
Lily’s face flushed even paler and Dorcas had no idea why. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “A carcass of a stag.” Lily seemed to recover quickly and neither woman put their wands down. “And what did you say to me after?”
Dorcas thought that was a good, suitable question for this sort of exchange. It had been a dramatic encounter. “I’d told you that nothing must’ve been safe from the war. And you looked like you were ready to hex me after.”
They lowered their wands. Dorcas was all business. She pulled a smaller bag from the large one she carried with her sometimes and threw it to Lily, who caught it. “The supplies you asked for, though I couldn’t steal any dittany. Don’t look at me like that, there’s a short supply at Mungo’s and they’d know. I’ll bring some next time. There’s a shipment due Friday and no one will notice a few vials gone after they count ‘em.”
She straightened up. “But that’s not the news of the day. Alexander Nott is having a party next weekend to commensurate his getting elected to the Wizengamot. Word on the street is that they’ve hired someone to plan it and there will be wix servants there, not house elves. Figured you might want to do something with that. Though I doubt you’ll tell me what.”
Lily seemed like she didn’t want to deal with Dorcas’ shit. “You know why we - “
Dorcas interrupted her. “I know. I’m not stupid. That’s really all. And you kept me waiting for fifteen minutes, so I have to get back. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be off.” Lily gave her the list of things the rebellion needed and Dorcas started to make plans on how to get everything even before she turned. “And Lily? Don’t get killed. Those boys you’ve got under your wing would go crazy without you and I don’t fancy watching Sirius Black get his bits ripped off.”
With that, she Apparated away. They may have not been friends, but Dorcas didn’t want to see any of them die. Hadn’t she seen enough of that?
Exploration:
1) So I had this crazy idea while coming up with plotlines for Dorcas. She’s a healer, right? And she’s been healing _werewolves_ pretty regularly. In the woods, on the run, there’s not a lot of room for sterilization or proper forms of decontamination. So, perhaps throughout the rp, some contamination does happen. Think Bill Weasley, only without the scars. Dorcas isn’t a werewolf, nor will she ever be (unless she’s gets bitten, something I’m not against if it needed to happen for plot’s sake!) but cross-contamination might create a new sort of problem. Will she have symptoms? What will they be? They could be anything from as simple as Bill’s rare meat eating to something much more dark (the latter would be more interesting, though bring me all the rare steaks too!) That would be something I’m eager to explore.
2) The most promising thing about Dorcas is that she’s so inner-connected to all the groups. I won’t have any trouble fitting her in with any of the people, though she obviously doesn’t know about the Silent Daggers. I’d like to see her navigate on how they connect. She won’t be able to tell the Ashen Phoenix everything she hears or else it’ll be pretty obvious to the Death Eaters that someone is giving away all their secrets and it would be pretty easy to pinpoint Dorcas if suddenly the rebels know about something only she and a few others know. I don’t think she’s exactly confided in through the Death Eaters, but people let things slip, especially if they’re a bit wobbly on healing potion. But the bigger, more widely known things? She’ll definitely be able to give that to the Ashen Phoenix and/or the Radical Alliance. I was thinking as well… it might be really interesting if she was the one to tell them about this party at Nott’s house. She’s not in attendance, but she knows about it – why not explain to her fellows that it would be the perfect place to infiltrate? (This scene is played out in my para sample, with the approval of Lily’s player, but can definitely be changed if the idea of Dorcas telling the Ashen Phoenix is not an option.)
3) Dorcas will need to actually heal the enemy, which I’m sure many of her comrades will not be happy with. She’s not on the run – she’s got a comfy job at St. Mungo’s. She’s never been discovered and doesn’t have any plans to get discovered. I could see a lot of hospitality between her and the former members of the Order of the Phoenix. They once worked together, but she didn’t have to go live in the woods and travel around all the time. Many of them might see her unwillingness to stand up against the Death Eaters publicly as a sign of low devotion to the cause. A lot of them are Gryffindors, after all, and Gryffindors tend to lack subtly. They might not understand that her position is being played very carefully and she’s actually doing more for them than immediately obvious. Also, some of the Ashen Phoenix or the Radical Alliance might not even know she’s helping. She can’t meet with all of them – the more people who know of her allegiance, the more likely it is to get out. So what would happen if she were to see one of those people who don’t know? What about the people who do? I imagine there’s tension no matter what is happening.
This is a reminder about our rules on activity. Players must post either one para response or two mini-para responses each week to meet the minimum activity level. Messages have been sent to all players who haven’t met the minimum requirements, so members, if you’re aware you haven’t posted in a while, please check your messages now!* To those whom I’ve messaged, if I don’t hear from you within 48 hours, unfortunately your character will be reopened.
*If we’ve already discussed a hiatus, please disregard this warning.
This application will be reviewed on Dec 2nd at 8pm GMT. Anyone wishing to apply for this character has until then to finish and submit their application, or risk missing out. Thanks!
This application will be reviewed on Dec 2nd at 8pm GMT. Anyone wishing to apply for this character has until then to finish and submit their application, or risk missing out. Thanks!
I love Rita Skeeter. She’s so dogged, and brazen, taking grains of truth and distorting it into a story that will excite the public. It’s a powerful weapon that can be used to sow destruction and chaos. To what end depends on who she wields that weapon for. Is she undermining the Dark Lord and his new laws? Keeping the memory of those who have disappeared alive? Using her career to blow through doorways that fugitives are barred from entering? Or does she serve the Dark Lord, and if so, why? For money, fame? Out of fear? It all depends on how you wish to play it, so I’ll consider it from a few angles.
Rita the Ashen Phoenix Sympathiser or simply hungry for a story?
Someone ought to write an expose on Albus Dumbledore and it should be her. The world is dying to know who this man is, so dangerous the Dark Lord keeps him under lock and key in Azkaban rather than have him executed. What makes Dumbledore so valuable? So feared by the Dark Lord? If Rita were to pursue this goal, she may find herself gaining access to Azkaban. Is she working with the Ashen Phoenix? Maybe Rita is purely ambitious. Maybe the war has her afraid and willing to put aside her work if it means saving innocent lives. This leads me to…
Horcrux Hunter:
Rita is a master researcher. Maybe she’s already looked into Voldemort and Dumbledore’s past. What discoveries might she have made along the way? Rita would make a great connection for Regulus, who knows the existence and location of at least one horcrux.
Reporter on the One Army, or practically a member herself?
Someone who sticks her nose into the most elite of gatherings, who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty for a story. Does Rita do more than report? Maybe she’s creating stories herself, putting all the pieces in place, then watching as the drama unfolds, hitting the world with the perfect headlines the following morning.
Rita, silenced and burning to write:
Had Rita known how much being a Silent Dagger might stem her creativity, she’d never have joined. Oh, who is she kidding. Of course she would have, because being a Silent Dagger isn’t like being a Death Eater. All the access, without the ugly brand tarnishing her body. The Dark Lord never favoured gossip, which places Rita in his bad books. She was out of work and desperate for a story when the Malfoys came to her. What Rita can write about is now up to Narcissa and Lucius, but boy does she have a lot of leads.
My advice would be to keep Rita as untethered as possible, so she can move freely between the four groups. It would be lovely if she followed her own independent drive, rather than religious zeal or gratitude. All this will make connections easier in the long run.
Do the Death Eaters know that Snape's with the Ashen Phoenix?
Severus Snape is a known traitor, who has gone underground. Death Eaters know he’s no longer loyal to the Dark Lord. When summoned, Severus Snape is missing from DE meetings. As such, he’s a known fugitive, just as any muggleborn or known bloodtraitor would be. However, the finer details are up to applicants. Maybe Severus has been sighted among Ashen Phoenix during their missions, or perhaps he was caught trying to contact or locate them prior to his disappearance from the Death Eaters. That’s up to you!
Death Eaters don’t necessarily know where Severus Snape is, or the specifics of his betrayal, but he has left that life behind. That’s not to say he will have ceased connections with everyone in the DEs though. The plot of this roleplay is shaped by what characters are currently taken, so when planning future events, I’ll make sure everyone has the potential to interact with the full cast, to the best of my ability. I hope that helps!
Can I get some prompts for Lucius please? And what do you think about a young Keanu Reeves for his face claim? If not, would Tom Austen be too old?
Lucius’ role in the Silent Daggers. Show us Lucius’ charm and persuasiveness. Alternatively, show us the flipside; how does Lucius deal with those who displease him? He’s a leader now, he and Narcissa both. Does he struggle with the role? Show us his weaknesses, and the friction in his life now that he’s playing this dangerous game.
A moment in Lucius past that shaped him into the person he is today. Something Lucius can’t get over. A lesson learned the hard way, or a happy memory that Lucius is forever trying to get back to. The para is a good place to show us what is driving your chosen character and how it influences their actions.
Which brings me to Draco. Has becoming a father altered Lucius’ perspective of war? Give us a glimpse into Lucius’ private life. Is he afraid, or does he merely want to secure even more wealth and power for his son?
Or perhaps you could explore his married life, and the political implications it’s taken since Narcissa turned. Narcissa is a vampire in this game, and while that may be secret, it’s a secret she and Lucius share. What are Lucius’ feelings and beliefs regarding vampires, and how does this impact their marriage? Maybe it doesn’t impact it at all. Maybe this secret has brought affection into their lives.
As for faceclaims, my advice is to apply with three or so faceclaims that are your personal favourites for the character your applying for, and we’ll take it from there!
It is indeed! It’s been a little quiet here lately, due to the holidays, but we’re all active and getting ready to round up our first event. That means even more exciting things on the horizon, including new bios! I’ll be posting more about that soon.
