Creating a character
In order to create a character on Penwick.net, you must take the following steps:
- Create a new thread in this forum with the title being your character's first name, last name, and year.
- A member of staff will review it and contact you to let you know if your application is approved, rejected, or needs revision.
- You must only have 1 post in your thread. You may have more once you are approved.
- You may only have 1 character (for now).
- Basic information
- Physical description
- Personality description
- Backstory
- First Instance of Accidental Magic
Avatar
Each account's avatar (profile picture) is a visual representation of your character.
We do not have a faceclaim list, so your avatar may be the same as that of another user.
The following rules apply to avatars:
- Your avatar must reasonably match the written description of your character. If you describe your character as having black hair but your avatar shows blonde hair, you should either update your avatar or your written description to match. The only exception to this are characters who have abilities that allow them to change their appearance, such as a metamorphmagus.
- Your avatar must be age-appropriate. Eleven-year-olds should not have beards and do not look like adult fashion models.
- A picture of a cat, dog, or some other meme is not a picture of your character. Your avatar must be an accurate visual representation of your character.
- The avatar must clearly show the character's face.
- A lewd image.
- An image of a canon character or actor from the Harry Potter universe.
- Be a selfie or someone you know personally.
- Be a picture of a murdered or missing person.
Basic Information
- Date of birth (remember, they would need to be 11 years old when starting their first year on September 1st)
- Nationality (can differ from residence, but must be explained in the backstory)
- Residence (you must reside within the UK or Ireland to attend Penwick)
- Blood status (Muggle-born, Half-blood, Wizard-born, or Pureblood)
- Year (you may apply for a 1st or 5th year character)
- Origin
- Aptitudes
- House (only an option to self-sort during the alpha)
Physical Description
What does your character look like? This description should match whatever avatar you've chosen, but this is the place to expand on that image.
Remember that your character is human, so they must have human traits.
Curses giving scars or inhuman characteristics are only options available to those with the "Storyteller" role.
If your character grew up in a magical household, scarring would be very rare, as magical medicine prevents scars.
Personality Description
What is your character like? Describe their hobbies, quirks, behaviours, etc.
Backstory
Describe your character's life before Penwick, as well as what they've been up to since joining if you are applying for a 5th year.
If you write that your character or their family are renowned, known, or famous, you may not force other characters to say that they know of you.
Remember to keep your blood status in mind as you write. Magic and electricity don't function well together, so purebloods would not be playing video games as kids.
This is also where you should describe why you chose your character's Origin. If they are a werewolf, when were they bitten? If they are a seer, do they know this yet? If your character is grounded, how do they feel about attending Penwick?
Your backstory may NOT:
- Be obviously abusive
- Say that your character had no guardian and they were completely on their own
- Include being in an orphanage (they no longer exist in the UK, instead utilizing a foster care system)
- Claim that your character is a serial killer, dark lord, established assassin, or anything of the like
- Say your student is currently homeless, they must have some place to go back to
- Be connected to a canon character in the Harry Potter universe (this includes parents being Death Eaters)
- Be a pre-existing character from any franchise OR depict a real person
First Instance of Accidental Magic
In order to be accepted to Penwick, your character must have at least one instance of accidental magic before the age of 11. Describe what happened, as well as the age your character did this.
While your character may have multiple instances of this, we only want to hear about their first.
Accidental magic is unintentional and can happen for one of three reasons:
- It just happens at random with no reason
- In response to danger as an act of self-preservation
- As a result of strong emotion.
Some examples of accidental magic are setting a hat on fire when angry, falling from a great height with no injuries, or randomly sneezing bubbles.