This is gonna be a long one bois and gois. So! Let’s start with a name and explanation of why he’s called this.
Callanhaw Gawain R. Ozpin
Callanhaw - Callahan (Bright-Headed w/ associations to green) + Lunhaw(Green in Cebuano)
Gawain - This one comes from Callanhaw’s allusion, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
Roscoe - Means deer wood, but also sounds similar to Rose
So right off the bat, I need to explain a lot. In-show Ozpin is actually meant to be asian, and I’ve decided he’s my flavour of Asian now mixed with [Ambiguous European Heritage]! That’s where the Lunhaw comes from, Cebuano is one of the many languages from the Philippines that I have blood of.
Now I also mentioned his allusion to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. You might be thinking "Isn’t Ozpin meant to be the Wizard of Oz?" and yes! He is! But that’s Oz. Callanhaw on the other hand was much different. Also it’s my AU so fuck you!
Sir Gawain was a character who kept secrets but was still a kind and noble knight. I recommend watching a video about it or actually reading it yourself. All you need to know is the green knight said anyone who would hurt him with his own axe could take it if only they agree he will deal a blow the same amount. Gawain cut off the Green Knight’a head with said axe and would eventually be haunted by that choice but live with the help of the Queen. He would be honest until the very last decision he made wherein he kept something secret from the King. That dishonesty was what got him hurt. Gross simplification, but you get the gist.
Callanhaw was much like Gawain. A knight (a crusader even, hence the cross he wears) and wanted to do good. He wanted to help others like people in story books. He believed himself to eventually be destined to something great.
He was like Ozma in that sense. That’s where the like-minded soul came in to play.
When he got to Beacon, he was teamed up as team TOXG (Toxic) with Theodore, Ozpin, Xanthe, and Glynda. He was partnered with Glynda, but closest to Theodore. The group all got very much along, Glynda and Xanthe acted as Callanhaw and Theodore’s anchors of reason, keeping them out of trouble they would always get in. One time they even returned to the two testing Callanhaw’s weapon on Theodore because "I can take it!"
When the previous Headmaster of Beacon died, it was Callanhaw who was called next. It was he who ventured up into that tower, wandering into that office, all to pick up his cane. It felt correct in his hands, similar to his weapon, but different. The martial art he knew [Arnis] could still be applied to it with a few modificafions.
It felt good. It felt like… destiny.
It felt like a knight’s call to a greater purpose, and he embraced it entirely.
He kept it a secret for a while, hidden from his entire team — All except Glynda, who had found him the night he climbed the tower. She swore to stay by his side, after all, so she promised to keep it a secret as well until he was ready.
Through a lie, Callanhaw would hurt himself. Through a lie, Theodore watched as his closest friend lose himself and change as everyone began calling his dear friend Cal by his last name, Ozpin. He didn’t question that at first — It was natural people called him that because Beacon had used the O from it to name team TOXG. It wasn’t unusual. What was actually unusual was how calm Callanhaw was becoming, how calculated, how cautious. No longer was he an adventurous boy who created his weapon for travels and trespassing, but he was a man of wisdom. Wisdom Callanhaw did not have. Wisdom Theodore did not recognise, because it never belonged to Cal in the first place.
Callanhaw accepted Oz because he felt it was greater than he could ever become on his own, and Theodore lamented that.
Eventually, Ozpin brought team TOXG as the first current Inner Circle members, and Theodore had to learn then what was hidden for so long.
Then next it was Qrow, then Leonardo, then James, then Winter.
The rest you already know.
:]
For his OG weapons Callanhaw originally named his Wander & Wonder but eventually changed the latter to Sonder because people couldn’t tell which was which, but he knew. Theodore knew too.
His weapons are actually Escrima sticks which he practices Arnis with. They also act double as swiss army knives and turn into a bolt cutter once combined. Theodore has a scar from testing the corkscrew on it.
After turning into Ozpin and entirely relying on the cane instead of Wonder & Sonder, Callanhaw gave his weapon to Theodore for safekeeping.
Also last bit of information is about his tattoos! Those are all real Filipino tattoos and here are my inspiration photos with their meanings!
I will state that specifically the compass stuff is in reference to him being an adventurer, the sun reference is aboht the god of light, the snake is a loose reference to the ouroboros and reincarnation, people holding hands is in reference to Ozma’s goal and all reincarnations, and lastly the hourglass is in reference to Oz’s whole time clocktower thing.
