Gillian Graves
Nov 11, 2018 10:18:49 GMT -8
Post by Gillian Graves on Nov 11, 2018 10:18:49 GMT -8
Gillian Graves
Character Basics
- Age: 47
- Date of Birth: July 22, 1928
- Nickname/Alias: Gill, Professor Graves
- Bloodtype: Halfblood
- Gender: Male
- Orientation: Heterosexual
- School/House/Former house: Ravenclaw
- Wand: Beech, Unicorn Hair, 12.6 inches, pleasantly springy
- Patronus: Dragon
- Boggart: A great claw reaching for him
Appearance
- Face Claim: Nick Brimble
- Appearance: When not wearing his professors robes, Gillian wears a thick shirt and pants, often with heavy boots and leather gloves for working with animals and the like while mitigating the risk of injury. His hair is often unkempt, sometimes even having a twig or leaf stuck in it and his beard grows shaggy and unruly. He is often dusty or dirty, and will usually have animal feed or small creatures hidden in his pockets and robes. Armande, his familiar, is often hiding within his robes when he wears them.
- Notable Markings: Many small scars on his hands and forearms. Large scar from a puncture wound on his left shoulder. Rubrum familiar seal over his heart.
Personality
- Strengths:
Good with animals: Gillian always had a way with animals, and can earn their trust and affection with seemingly little effort.
Cooking: Learned out of necessity while traveling frequently. Gillian can cook just about anything over a campfire.
Patience: Gillian has always been a very calm and patient person, which translates well into teaching and animal rearing alike.
Immense Stamina: Gillian was a hearty lad before making his familiar pact, and since has become even more enduring, he can work hard for long periods, and seems to have an endless supply of energy.
Potions: Gillian has a knack for potion making, as he often had to create salves and other healing mixes while caring for his animals. Additionally, his experience with the outdoors means his knowledge of ingredients is well developed. - Weaknesses:
Bad with people: Gillian often has trouble dealing with complex social situations, and often lacks the grace necessary to navigate social situations with unfamiliar people.
Familiar Pact: In many ways, his pact is a weakness. He always puts the needs of Armande before his own, and spends far too much time pampering his familiar instead of grading school work.
Care of Animals: Gillian cares deeply for all animal life, and becomes angry easily when anyone mistreats animals or abuses their pets. He is quick to come to the defense of any beast, which has gotten him into trouble in the past. - Likes:
Armande: "My little lad here? Wouldn't hurt a fly." "Scree!" "Ooop, he's caught a rat."
Mundane and Magical Beasts: "Can't go wrong with a dog. Good, loyal beasts."
Flame charred meat: "Have yeh ever tasted a steak cooked by dragon flame?" - Dislikes:
People who Mistreat Animals: "You'll have me to answer to if yeh don't drop that stick, right quick!"
People who break oaths or promises: "Can't be trusted, that lot. Always weaslin' their way out of a promise."
Butterbeer: "Ugh, I feel like my teeth are rotting from the smell alone." - Personality: Gillian is a kind man to those who can get close to him. Though many often see him as aloof or difficult to approach, this is often because he does not know how to approach most people. It's often said that Gillian would've been better off if he were a beast himself, as he relates to them more easily, and certainly gets along with them better. Since becoming a professor at Hogwarts, Gillian has begun to think of his students as a "flock" to be tended and cared for, and he tries is best to give advice were he can, and is always willing to help students with their studies, especially if it relates to potions or caring for creatures.
History
- History: During his younger years, Gillian lived with his parents in Taynuilt, Scotland. He spent more time exploring the wilderness than he did anywhere else, and was surprised to find many wild and amazing creatures hiding in the countryside around his town. His father, a wizard himself, began teaching Gillian about magic at a young age, preparing him for a future at Hogwarts, where he had gone to school. Upon his eleventh birthday, Gillian received his letter, and headed off to school as his father had done before him. During his school years he excelled in the Care of Magical Creatures and Potions classes, and eventually graduated, moving on to continue his study of magical beasts.
After graduating Gillian spent much of his life cataloging and studying the creatures that lived within much of Europe and Africa, traveling far and wide to study as much as he could. It was during this time that he met a traveling wizard with an uncommon affinity for magic creatures. This wizard eventually taught Gillian about Familiars, and the magics required to secure one. Being a relatively new and unknown form of magic, Gillian was thrilled to be a part of the study and development of the Familiar Pact. Some time later, while exploring in the Ukraine, Gillian came across a seemingly abandoned dragons nest. While collecting and studying the leavings in the nest, Gillian was set upon by a great Ukrainian Ironbelly, having one of it's talons pierce his shoulder, pinning him to the ground. The dragon waited, clearly intending to feed Gillian to it's young. But when the young dragon approached Gillian, it refused to eat. The great dragon released him in the confusion, and Gillian managed to escape alive. He spent the next several months getting closer to the great dragon and it's young, studying them, and befriended the young dragon.
Gillian eventually tried to perform the Familiar Pact with that young dragon, and upon his success, named it Armande, after his father. Gillian spent the next year living with Armande and it's elder, learning more and more about how to properly care for the beast, before he finally departed, heading for Hogwarts to further his studies. Eventually, Gillian became a professor, teaching the Care of Magical Creatures class, and tending many of the magical creatures at Hogwarts and it's surroundings. He remains there to this day, a valuable member of the teaching staff, and a pioneer in the study of Familiar Pacts.
Person behind the Character
- Chat Box/OOC Name: Dave / Verthian
- How did you find us: Smare's my waifu
- Any Previous Character: N/A
- Role Playing Sample:
Gillian rolled his shoulders, leaning back in his chair. He had been grading papers for 3 hours by this point, growing thoroughly restless as time dragged on. He looked up from his desk, watching the few diligent students completing extra work after class was over. He smiled softly, they were so eager to learn, it was refreshing to see students as excited as he was in his youth. He sighed, recalling time spent gallivanting through the hills around his home town, always a new discovery to be made, and a new beast to befriend. He'd has his share of close encounters, the scars dotting his body were proof enough of that, but over all he looked back with joy in his heart.
Armande lay curled on his desk nearby, chewing on a stick he had found earlier, and Gillian reached out to him, physically, to rub his head, and emotionally. Love, he pushed the emotion into Armande's mind, and felt it pushed back to his, as Armande chittered affectionately, drooling all over his desk. He stood, stretching, and outstretched an arm for Armande to climb to his shoulder, watching the beast scramble up to his perch. He stood before the half dozen students still in class and clapped his hands together, "You've all been working so hard today, so how about a bit of a break, who'd like to learn something about Dragons?" He said, beaming. Armande screeched, belching a small flame and singing some of Gillian's unruly hair. Gillian grinned wide, even as his hair charred and smoked.
