Sandy Owsley

[sandyowsley]

GENERAL

NAME: Sandford Kendall Owsley
NICKNAMES: Sandy
AGE/DOB: Seventeen/July 1st (Cancer)
BLOOD STATUS: Pureblood
GENDER/PRONOUNS: Male & He/Him
SEXUALITY: Heterosexual
HOMETOWN: Nacken Island, Washington

Nacken Island is a magically-hidden island in an archipelago known as the San Juan Islands. Claimed by the magical community decades ago, the island is scenic, almost entirely free from modern influence, and largely populated by magical families with wealth and history. It's also said to be home to a fossegrim that will, with the proper coaxing, play beautiful music on his harp or teach aspiring musicians. Sandy has never seen this, but he definitely believes it.

Because the island is small and remote, most children attend school at Lake Union Preparatory in Seattle. This is where Sandy went before transferring to Gooseberry Alternative High School.

CONCEPT: Optimistic animist and helpful busybody out to heal the world.

PHYSICAL

APPEARANCE: Sandy's look is clean-cut and casually preppy. He never allows his black hair to grow past a neat buzz, he's always clean-shaven, and he has a bright, easy, charismatic smile. His clothes are simple but expensive and well-tailored; slim jeans and trainers paired with fitted t-shirts or polos or button-ups under athletic jackets or hoodies. Nothing exceptional here! While his clothing is generally modern, there is one anachronistic aspect that stands out: he has a pocket watch. A family heirloom, the trinket is old and classically designed. It's also charmed: the first time it's opened, it's a watch. The second time it's opened it's a compass. The third time it's opened it's a magnifying glass. It's also waterproof. He's very fond of this item and usually wears it, especially for Outdoor Education/Outdoor Exploration.

When in his uniform, Sandy looks a bit more like the wealthy pureblood boy he is. He wears the blazer and the tie and all the rest with effortless ease and always looks just about perfect in the ensemble.

HEIGHT: 5'8"

PB: Keith Powers

PERSONALITY

LIKES: The water. Swimming. Diving. Boating. Holding his breath longer than you. Nature. Exploring. Balance. Healthy Living (food! exercise! habits!). Giving advice. Getting advice (...sometimes). Taking care of people. Spicy food. Challenges. Direction. Working with his hands. Flying. Bunnies. Reading. Self-Improvement. Early morning.

DISLIKES: Negativity. Bad Energy. Indecision. Big cities. Crowds. Stagnation. Letting people down. Leading people astray. Processed foods. The concept of perfection. When the lake freezes. Whiskey (ask Eileen).

PERSONALITY:

Despite having experienced his fair share of hardships in life, Sandy is a remarkably upbeat and optimistic fellow. This primarily stems from a feeling of spiritual connection with the world around him and a naive sense that the universe will inevitably balance everything out. So what could go wrong? This doesn't mean that he doesn't have a sense of consequences or morality or anything like that but just that he can (and does) believe that things will generally end up all right in the end. As a result, he rarely lets the little things get to him and he tends to be a friendly, easygoing guy to most people he encounters.

Just because the universe is looking out for everyone, though, that doesn't mean that everything's going to be a walk in the park! Sandy knows this. He's a determined and resilient boy that's willing to work hard to improve himself and accomplish his goals. He might not always like it (forcing himself to hit the books is a constant struggle), but he knows that it's important just the same. He's adaptable when faced with failure, always able to pull himself up and try again when things don't go his way, and he encourages others to do the same. As far as he's concerned, there's no shame in failure and it's not like there are things people just can't do, right? Right.

Sandy is willing to work just as hard for others as he is for himself too. He's an uncommonly supportive and encouraging friend, eager to help those close to him accomplish their goals and do what's best for themselves. He tends to act as a caretaker, always looking out for the interests of others, and he's at his happiest when he can make them happy. He likes to cook for his friends, he likes to help his friends, and he's often willing to go along with things just for the sake of his friends. This is actually how he's discovered several of his current hobbies and clubs and he puts meaning into such serendipity.

Unfortunately, Sandy's optimistic certainties and helpful nature can also lead him to be pushy. While he doesn't always think that he knows best, when he does he'll put all of his energy into steering another person onto the 'correct' course and he's always interested in what's going on with other people, especially his friends. He means well but this can be frustrating or, worse, come across as condescending. He doesn't mean to but that doesn't always matter. Regardless, convincing him not to do this is a challenge because he feels obligated to take care of others and it's a difficult habit to break.

Sandy is a patient and forgiving person but he's got limits. While he can be frustrated or disappointed or hurt just like anyone else, he typically forgives mistakes or misjudgments readily. Even those that end up causing him a lot of trouble. Choices made with the knowledge that another person will be hurt by them, though? That's another story. He resents people that go out of their way to hurt others, people that disregard their responsibilities, and people who constantly put themselves first. This is a defining part of his relationship with his parents and it left a mark. He may come around eventually but it's more difficult for him to cope with.

Because Sandy is generally such a positive person, when he finally hits the end of his rope or he has to deal with more dire situations, he has difficulty. He doesn't know what to do or how to bounce back, so his recovery from significant trauma is likely to be slow. Luckily, he slept through the worst of things last year.

An aspiring healer, Sandy is very focused on health and concerns himself with the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of well-being. He's very aware of the right foods to eat, the right exercises and activities to do, the right stress-relief techniques, and all the rest. He believes that this is just as important as magical healing and can improve the quality of life a great deal. Because he feels such a close connection with the natural world, he also subscribes to some interesting beliefs about it. Specifically that everything has a soul or an energy and that these energies can have positive or negative impacts on people. It's all about balance! He rarely subjects others to lessons about this but he isn't above urging a friend to carry around a piece of carnelian when they need a pick-me-up because it will stimulate their inner star. He's entirely earnest about this and has an extensive collection of tokens and knick knacks with good energy.

SKILLS

LANGUAGES SPOKEN: Just English.

PATRONUS: Dolphin. Sandy can't currently cast a full Patronus.

SKILLS:

Swimming & Boating: Sandy grew up on an island and always spent a lot of time in the water. He swims like a fish and can hold his breath for a ridiculously long time. He's also familiar with maintaining, preparing, and operating all sorts of watercrafts, though he's probably most familiar with kayaks (because they're so common back home). Like any good sailor, he's good with rope knots and knows all necessities of water safety.

Healing & Health: Sandy has been focused on learning about healing and general health for a while now. Being in pre-healer studies, he's learned the basics of charms, potions, and the other tools of the trade and he's able to keep his cool when they need to be put into practice. He's got a good bedside manner. In addition to that, he's also got a strong grasp on the fundamentals of healthy living. Let him tell you how much sleep you should get, how much water you should drink, how much of this vitamin or that vitamin you need, how to properly condition your body or increase your workout regimen, and any other number of things to keep that body fit! He's the personal trainer nobody asked for.

Athleticism: Sandy is focused on health and knows how important staying active is! While swimming is his favorite exercise, that's not always an option and mixing things up is good anyway. Sometimes he runs or lifts weights, but he also practices Taekwondo, which he learned through a club at his previous school. He doesn't have any interest in using it to fight, though. Generally speaking, he's got good agility and stamina but he's not the strongest guy in the room.

While he also plays Quidditch, he's merely good and not as impressive as other members of his team. He's a senior on reserve for a reason.

Cooking: Sandy can cook! Given his vegetarian diet and dedication to healthy living, his menus might not initially impress but the food he makes can always be counted on to be tasty, fresh, and well-spiced. Maybe over-spiced. He's got a high tolerance.

Wilderness Survival: Sandy has been in both Outdoor Education and Outdoor Exploration since coming to Gooseberry, so he's picked up quite a bit of knowledge by now! He could set up a camp and start a fire with his eyes closed, he's good at navigating wooded areas with or without a compass, he can identify animal tracks, and all the rest. He's not a survivalist or a woodsman or anything, but he does pretty well out there!

Basic Handicrafts: Sandy isn't an artist but he's always been good with his hands and he's been living with Ennis and Yancey long enough to pick a few things up. His participation in the new Crafting Club has helped as well. He can handle basic knitting and crochet, macrame, sculpting, and whittling.

HISTORY

FAMILY MEMBERS:

♦ Boyce Owsley - Father - Pureblood - MACUSA (Director of the Department of No-Maj Misinformation): Boyce is an ambitious man that cares about family...but tends to put work first. He takes his responsibilities seriously and often stays away from home for weeks at a time, consumed by this urgent incident or that urgent incident. When he's home, he expects discipline (yes sir, no sir, etc.) but he also wants to spend time with his children. He is particularly fond of being out on the boats. His failure support Vera more directly when she started to get sick has put an uncomfortable distance between him and Sandy over the last few years, though.

♦ Leta Owsley - Mother - Pureblood - MACUSA (State Representative): Like her husband, Leta is ambitious and focused on her career. She's most well-known as a conservationist concerned with preserving natural and magical resources alike. She's a quiet, reserved woman but shared her love of nature with her children. Obviously, this stuck with Sandy. Like Boyce, though, her discomfort and lack of willingness to put family before work with Vera has put some strain on their relationship.

♦ Vera Owsley - Grandmother - Pureblood - Former Homemaker: Vera has lived on Nacken Island all her life, where she maintained a home, raised several children, and (supposedly) became a master musician under the tutelage of the island's fossegrim (either way, she plays a mean harp!). Always a warm and maternal woman, she played a large role in raising Sandy and his siblings when they were younger. Over the last handful of years, though, her health has declined considerably. She's now a resident in an assisted living facility.

♦ Sylvia Owsley - Sister - Pureblood - MACUSA Intern: Very much her father's daughter, Sylvia is a serious-minded and dedicated witch-in-training for the MACUSA. She was always the most forceful and headstrong of the Owsley siblings and Sandy spent much of his young life following happily in her shadow. He still looks up to her despite their differing personalities and outlooks.

♦ Sterling Owsley - Brother - Pureblood - Student (Azurcrest): Little bro!

HISTORY:

Sandford Kendall Owsley was the second child born to a pair of wealthy pureblood parents working for the MACUSA, one as a Director of the Department of No-Maj Misinformation (his father) and the other as the Washington State Representative (his mother). While Sandy and his siblings were important to Boyce and Leta Owsley and both dedicated as much time to them as they could when they were home, they often weren't home and raising the children fell largely to their grandmother, Vera, who lived with them. A loving and energetic woman, she ensured that Sandy's childhood was occupied with time swimming and boating in the surrounding ocean, exploring the natural beauty of the island, listening to music (often her own), reading stories, and generally enjoying being a kid.

When Sandy was five, he started attending Lake Union Preparatory in Seattle. He would go to school through the Floo Network in the morning, attend classes, and then return home in the evening to his siblings and grandmother. More often than not his parents weren't there but the family was close and mostly happy regardless. Always an active child, Sandy took much more pleasure in his after-school activities than his schoolwork and, as he got older, he participated in all sorts of clubs that let him get moving or explore the great outdoors or both. He became particularly invested to Quidditch, partially because being in the air was almost as good as being in the water and partially because his older sister Sylvia (who he followed around frequently during his younger years) had also taken a shine to Quidditch. Though she was always better than he was. This mundane schedule was occasionally interrupted by the obligations that came with being the children of wealthy pureblood parents with government jobs, specifically high society social engagements or public appearances, but otherwise their lives were quite unexceptional.

As Sandy got older, though, his grandmother's health began to deteriorate. Diagnosed with an uncommon chronic illness that was known by healers but had no permanent cure, she began to struggle with fatigue, nausea, and pain on a regular basis. While it was not bad enough that Vera could no longer look after Sylvia, Sandford, and Sterling, it undeniably changed things. The children had to do more for themselves and some of the closeness between them faded as each reacted differently to their changing situation. While their parents claimed they would come home more often and be more involved, both for the children's sake and Vera's, neither followed through and it put a strain on the family.

Of all the members in his family, only Sandy proved to have the right temperament to take Vera's condition in stride. While seeing her struggle was difficult for him, even early on, he understood that she needed someone to be there. He continued to spend time with her and to help her around the house (though the majority of the work was done by house elves and by a live-in assistant that was hired). He brought her things (flowers, pretty beach stones, books, etc.) and talked with her and read with her. He even picked up some cursory knowledge of healing from the live-in assistant, with whom he'd developed a kinship, and from books he got at school. This was the beginning of his personal interest in healing and in health in general, including some of his more unconventional beliefs because he read everything he could get his hands on. And sometimes those things seemed to help too. Despite this care, though, Vera's condition worsened over time.

When Sandy was fourteen, the decision was made to put Vera in an assisted living facility where she could receive more professional care to help manage her condition. While Vera took this in stride, Sandy was initially inconsolable, particularly when his parents announced that he and his brother Sterling would be attending boarding school. Without their grandmother, after all, they would have no stable guardian. Eventually, with his grandmother's help, Sandy was able to see the silver linings to this unwanted change and he went to Gooseberry Alternative High School with as open a mind as he could.

As it turned out, Gooseberry was a good fit for Sandy with its beautiful natural surroundings, progressive outlook, and unique student body. He took to it immediately. While he wrote his grandmother and his younger brother (who was too young to attend Gooseberry and so went to another school instead), he also immersed himself in campus life, befriending his Ribbonfin roommates, joining clubs, trying out for the Quidditch team (though he didn't make it and woudn't until his senior year), and participating in his classes. He even got a girlfriend as a sophomore, Eileen Coffin, though the feisty fox dumped him later in that same year. While his junior year was somewhat more chaotic, marked by the same mysteries and strangeness that everyone endured last year, his time at Gooseberry has been important to him and he returned to the school for his senior year with his younger brother in tow.

SCHOOL

YEAR: Senior (Grade 12)
HOUSE: Ribbonfin
SORTING: Even-keeled, patient, helpful, and a constant seeker of balance within his own little piece of the universe, Sandy was a natural fit for Ribbonfin. There really wasn't much to discuss. The other emblems put up a halfhearted argument before letting him get his gills.
WAND: Willow, White River Monster Spine core, 10", Flexible
FAMILIAR: Mimi! A fluffy, cuddly, very mellow bunny. What more could Sandy ask for, really?



CLASSES:
✦Core: Charms - Herbology - History of Magic - Outdoor Education - Potions
✦Electives: Magical Rudiments
✦Advanced: Pre-Healer Studies

ADVANCED STUDY: Pre-Healer Studies

Sandy began to focus on healing after his grandmother became ill, leading him to step into a caretaker role and giving him a strong motivation to learn all he could. While he knows this class will focus on basic injuries and the fundamentals of healing (and that's great!), he's ultimately more interested in chronic and degenerative conditions and improving the quality of life for people that live with them. But. One step at a time, right?

For Sandy, healing is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice and he takes it very seriously. Even if some people likely roll their eyes at his less conventional beliefs about spiritual balance and connectivity with nature. At least he's good at the other stuff too?

SENIOR PROJECT: Sandy has been working on a spell that uses the same foundations as the memory extraction spell. Rather than removing a memory, though, the adjusted spell is meant to remove pain associated with an injury. The idea behind this is to replace the need for potions that temporarily reduce pain but can have other side effects and also to allow the healer to monitor what the pain would be like for the patient by observing the physical manifestation of the pain. The primary difference between the spells is that one is dealing with something that is in the past and the other is dealing with something that's current and ongoing, meaning that there's still a connection between the patient and the extracted experiences.

This project is...definitely beyond him. He may have to reach out to collaborate or hope that the fundamentals of his research are worth a passing grade. Aimed a little too high there, bud.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: Sandy isn't particularly bright but he is hard-working and that allows him to be a good student just the same. He's more adept with practical, hands-on magic than he is with magical theory and tends to excel in classes where a certain amount of trial-and-error or feeling his way through the material is possible. In general, he's a solid B-student, never at the top or the bottom of any class, but he does particularly well in Pre-Healer Studies and Potions (where he tends to get low As). In previous years, he struggled with Transfiguration but he was able to drop it this year and pick up Pre-Healer Studies instead.

A social, motivated person, Sandy also does well in group settings and works well with other students.

EXTRACURRICULARS:
Boating: President. Sandford was raised on an island and grew up boating, fishing, and swimming. He adores the water and swims like a fish, is adept with all sorts of watercrafts and a ridiculously talented tier of knots, and knows water safety like the back of his hand. Because the water around his home island is typically around 50° (cold!!), he also knows several charms to alter the water temperature in a limited area or to help the body adapt to swimming in cold water. After all, what else is magic for? So it's not uncommon to see him out swimming when the water is still far too cold to be comfortable.

Crafting: Before coming to Gooseberry, Sandy hadn't had any experience with crafts but he's always been good with his hands and he's picked up a few things living with Ennis and Yancey. He's not the best at this but that's fine since he's just here for fun!

LARP: Another interest picked up through proximity to his (nerdy) roommates, Sandford mostly just attends LARP to spend some time with his Ribbonfriends! He's an easygoing and enthusiastic club member, but his characters are fairly predictable. Someone make him stop being a pirate.

Outdoor Exploration: Sandy adores the great outdoors; he finds hiking and exploring invigorating, he finds the natural world beautiful and feels a spiritual connection to it, and he enjoys the challenge of 'roughing it'. So, obviously, Outdoor Exploration is the best. When on trips, he always keeps his eyes open for plants, rocks, and other tokens that (he claims) having healing properties or a friendly aura. Don't worry about it.

Quidditch (Reserve): Despite playing Quidditch off-and-on for a long time, Sandy isn't a great Quidditch player. He is a great flyer, though, and he likes being in the air almost as much as he likes being in the water. He's very maneuverable and quick on a broom, making him most adept for Seeker or Chaser.

OOC

NAME: Katie
EMAIL: ollinsong@gmail.com
CDJ: ollinsong
OTHER PREFERRED CONTACT: N/A
TIME ZONE: CST