application: disney academy

[vainities]

Mun
Name: Christine
Contact Info: circusofthedamned @ aim | myyahelle @ gmail [dot] com | hufflepuffed @ plurk
Other Characters: N/A



Character
Name: Howl Pendragon (Howell Jenkins)
Appearance: Tall, slender and blue-eyed are about the only constant descriptors that can be used for Howl, as he chooses to enhance and alter his appearance with the use of potions, charms and makeup. Pale and slightly androgynous, his hair is naturally dark, a little too muddy to be called pure black, kept at shoulder-length and often unkempt. He uses magic to recolor his hair and prefers it to be a pale blonde, and while the cut is the same as it would be without charms, it tends to be far neater than it would be otherwise, likely held in place by yet more magic. He is fond of jewelry and wears a number of rings as well as a pair of pendulant emerald earrings and a delicate gold chain around his neck. His clothing is usually quite opulent and he rather likes bright colors and flashy patterns, as seen in his pink-and-purple diamond-patterned jacket. While that is the Howl he prefers to present to the world, he is also able to use magic to assume a number of disguises, changing himself completely in order to move about undetected should he need to.

- Howl with his preferred enchantments in place.
- Howl without enchantments.
- Howl in monster form.

Canon: Howl’s Moving Castle (film)
History: “There’s no point in living if I can’t be beautiful.”
Canon point: Just after parting ways with Sophie on the balcony over the bakery.
Personality: A wizard of great renown (under numerous aliases), much of what is publicly known about Howl is little more than rumor, most of which he seeds himself. The most common story is that the Wizard Howl seeks out beautiful girls, kidnaps them and eats their hearts – this is the story that Sophie’s sister Lettie immediately repeats when Sophie informs her that she’s met Howl. He has gone to great lengths to carefully piece together his reputation. While stories concerning his mastery of magic are absolutely true, the darker tales that paint him as a malicious or unsavory character are entirely fabricated. As he tells Sophie when she asks him about his aliases, he has as many identities as he feels he needs to stay safe, to preserve his freedom, and to protect his privacy.

There are very few people who have the opportunity to meet Howl in person. Those who do find him to be reserved and soft-spoken, a charming young man with nice enough manners and an engaging personality. Though he considers it to be a part of his public persona, it’s not entirely an act – though given his behavior in private and his tendency to throw fits when things don’t go his way, the calm and collected front he maintains in public takes some effort on his part. He manages to avoid dealing with people informally or in one-on-one situations by having Markl, his apprentice, run errands and deliver charms and potions for him a great deal of the time, born out of a combination of preferring solitude as well as the fact that he’s simply lazy. One look at the interior of his house is evidence enough of that; Sophie deemed the place unlivable upon arrival. Considering he kept his bread in the same drawer as his dirty utensils and the bathroom was unrecognizable for all of the suspiciously sparkly grime that had settled over everything, there’s not much point in arguing with her. He considers mundane things like housework to be a waste of his time and energy – though the short version of that is, quite simply, he just doesn’t wanna.

Most notable, of course, is Howl’s vanity. He puts a very high premium on beauty, in himself as well as others, and being dissatisfied with his natural appearance, he’s long been in the practice of enchanting or using potions to change his hair or brighten his eyes or cover any small imperfections he may find. He admits openly to Sophie that he is very shallow; when asked why the Witch of the Wastes is pursuing him, he tells hers that he once found the Witch beautiful, then realized that she wasn’t and ran away, scorning her. Perhaps the most memorable incident linked to his vanity is when Sophie makes the mistake of reorganizing the potions in his bathroom while cleaning, which results in Howl temporarily becoming a red-head (with his hair going on to change shades several times) and launching into a full-fledged fit of hysterics in turn, his tantrum extending well beyond shouting and ending in his slumping down into his seat and forcing himself to decompose or melt via magic, leaving Sophie to drag him up to his room and shake some sense into him. His appearance is important to him, without a doubt. and he often lets himself be ruled by his vanity.

Howl is said to be selfish on several occasions, stated by Madame Suliman, the Witch of the Wastes and even Calcifer. Of course, it shows through quite clearly in his behavior, too. He is selfish about how he spends his time, how little he gives of himself to others and how little thought he spares for other people’s feelings. Suliman herself states that one of the reasons she wishes to strip him of his power is that he is too selfish to be trusted with it, the result of having given his heart away when he was younger, and she expresses that she foresees him allowing himself to be consumed by power just as the Witch of the Wastes allowed her own power to ruin her.

Though he is not nearly as bad as people often paint him to be, or even as bad as he himself would have people believe, Howl is quite childish in how he deals with his emotions, stunted once again due to his lack of a heart. While being heartless does not completely rob him of the ability to care or show compassions, it has kept him from maturing the way he might have otherwise – when Sophie retrieves his heart to give it back to him at the end of the film, she remarks that it’s quite small and Calcifer agrees with her, informing her that it’s still the heart of a child that has never had the chance to grow. His childishness manifests in different ways, including his being prone to tantrums and overreactions as well as his tastes – his bedroom is as cluttered as any other room in the house, though rather than being dirty it’s packed full with colorful and glittering objects such as masks, jewelry, and expensive-looking toys, including a number of stuffed animals that can be seen on his bed.

He is incredibly over-dramatic, as seen during his fits, though it goes the other way, too. When he’s happy, it tends to be overblown and almost obnoxiously energetic, as we see when he realizes how large the “family” is growing to be and decides to conjure up a moving spell to allow the house to accommodate them all. He switches moods on a moment’s notice and sometimes without impetus, going from reserved and charming to quiet and brooding or from angry hysterics to absolute jubilation without warning.

Though no formal education is ever mentioned (he only ever speaks of studying with his uncle and then later on his own), Howl can still be considered quite studious. Though he is lazy in other areas that don’t interest him as much, being a prodigy when it comes to magic means that he went to great lengths to hone his skill as finely as possible. He appears to be well-read, given the fact that his house is full up with books, scrolls, parchment and the like, and also seems to be quite knowledgeable about the history of not only Ingary, but the world at large. He is clever and perceptive, demonstrated when he noticed that Sophie was hiding something in her pocket when she first came to the castle – that ‘something’ being a message from the Witch of the Wastes, encrypted by magic but meant for his eyes. Though naturally bright, he was not satisfied with the amount of power he was able to obtain through diligence alone, which indicates that once upon a time there were very few limits to what he would do if it meant gaining as much power as possible – the entire reason for his striking a deal with Calcifer when he was a boy in the first place. It’s unclear whether or not his view on what is worth sacrificing for power has changed as of this moment and canon point, but as he matures during the course of the film, we do see him prioritize the people around him over his own selfish desires.

However, as mentioned previously, he is certainly a much better man than he would have people believe. Though he would like people to think the worst of him so that he can keep to himself (when viable) or maintain his freedom and escape responsibility, he is actually quite kind in the event that someone gets close enough to witness it. For example, he treats Markl quite well, to the best of his ability – he encourages and supports the boy’s interest in learning magic and while he does require Markl to run errands for him, Howl makes sure that his apprentice is fed and well-cared for. While Howl is selfish and often moody, he is not uncaring. Even without a heart, his intentions are good, something that Sophie states quite openly while confronting Madame Suliman. She insists that Howl does not deserve to be stripped of his powers, that though he is selfish and childish and often hard to understand, he means well and that his interest in finding a way to bring peace rather than serve in a meaningless war is born of an inherent desire to do good and do what is right.

It is people like Sophie who are able to cut through Howl’s stubborn defenses and get close to him – people who are stubborn themselves, people who are persistent and don’t bat an eye at his whims or tantrums. That kind of resolve not only leaves a strong impression, but it inspires Howl to stand up and find a way to better himself, become more than he is. Even without a heart, though it makes the uphill climb a bit harder, he is not without hope. Inside, Howl is a good man – something that is bound to surprise even him when he finally realizes it.

Powers/Special Abilities: Howl’s magic and all of its uses are very broad, though we often see him using magic for seemingly frivolous or aesthetic reasons, such as altering his own appearance (either by manipulating minute details or taking on another guise completely) or making Sophie’s dress “prettier” by giving it some shine. He is also seen selling people spells that will help their crops grow, as well as love potions, with it being implied that he can make potions of all sorts. One would argue that with his being so proficient in magic, he might use it to keep his house in order, but he probably doesn’t deem it to be worth the energy it would take to do so. However, he is seen using magic to completely rearrange the layout of his house to accommodate the people he’s collected by the end of the film, with Sophie’s room being an exact replica of her room at her family’s hat shop.

Though the extent of his powers aren’t well-defined, his magic is clearly able to be harnessed as a powerful weapon, as indicated by the kingdom’s desire to collect as many wizards as possible to serve on the frontlines. He is also seen dismantling several parts of an airship’s engine with a single wave of his hand in order to slow it down and knock it off-course to prevent an otherwise inevitable air-battle with an enemy ship. It can be assumed that his range of powers goes well beyond the listed incidents, permission willing. Especially powerful spells or use of a number of strong or widespread spells in a short period of time serve to exacerbate the condition brought on by the deal he made with Calcifer as a boy – the exchange of his heart for seemingly limitless power, though it’s not without its toll.

Which brings us to his monster form – a double-edged sword, as it is seen to be both a useful ability and a curse. He is able to take on a black-feathered, bird-like form that allows him to take to the skies and scout areas that might otherwise be out of reach or reach a certain destination in a hurry. He is also seen transforming when unleashing particularly powerful magic (as when he and Sophie escape Suliman when Howl has been summoned to court), with each transformation being slightly more monstrous than the last and showing fewer distinctive human features. Regaining his human form is a slow and painful process, and it’s implied that because he lacks a heart, it will become permanent sooner than later unless he finds a way to keep himself from being overtaken by power and selfishness – other wizards who have agreed to serve in the war have met that very fate, allowing themselves to be consumed by power and thus dooming themselves to life as mindless beasts. There is one more drawback to the extent of Howl’s power, perhaps far greater even than becoming a monster. Due to the nature of his contract with Calcifer, Howl is incredibly powerful as long as Calcifer lives, but if the fire demon’s flame goes out, Howl dies with him – and vice versa. Should anything happen to Howl, Calcifer will come to harm as well.

Last but not least is Howl’s castle itself. Though he has not brought it to the island with him (he has left it situated a few miles outside Paris), he has adjusted the magic portals within so that the castle’s door can be made to lead to one of four places: a shop front in Traverse Town, a similar shop front in Paris, his room at the academy, or his childhood home – a portal that he allows none to step through but him.

Inventory: One large red steamer trunk with gold trim, with the inside divided into two parts. The left side is full of expensive-looking clothing (some charmed to have some shimmer to it, some not) as well as a small wooden box containing some of his jewelry and toiletries. The right side holds a number of spellbooks, scrolls, carefully-packed glass vials (some of which are filled with potions of varying colors), several quills and a few knick-knacks that resemble children’s toys, including a stuffed cow and a stuffed octopus, though he’ll go through the effort of hiding them if anyone looks in and tries to get a glimpse.

Greatest Fear: Loss of freedom. Though it has several different facets, such as his fear of being powerless or fear of being found insignificant, it all boils down to his fear of being caged or tethered, physically or otherwise, something he admits to Sophie while recovering from one of his temper-tantrums, telling her “I’m so scared, I can’t stand it.” His power, dear to him as it is, is important to him largely because it is what allows him to be free and come and go as he will, something that is directly threatened when the kingdom seeks to draft all wizards to serve in the ongoing war.

How is your character appropriate for this game? Because he’s a Disney princess. For as frivolous as Howl can be on the surface, the setting he comes from is a dark one, full of nightmarish monsters and very real consequences when it comes to things such as abuse of magic. Though he goes to great lengths to keep himself hidden away from conflict, the truth is that there’s no avoiding it, something he’s very aware of. In canon, he pays very close attention to the ongoing war and the toll it takes on both countries involved, as well as the monsters it creates by pushing the wizards in service to their limits. While he is selfish in nature, there is a sense of responsibility and a small glimmer of altruism that he has never been able to escape, something that will drive him to take an interest in the Black Mist and its effects as he did with the war.

Rooming request section: Hoover Hall, 401.

Year/Position: Freshman, college level. He may show an interest in teaching lower-level classes later on, inspiration and emotional maturity willing.

AU Specific Section
AU history: Almost exactly the same as his canon history. Howl hails from rural East Evangeline, where he studied magic with his uncle and then on his own in the cottage his uncle gifted him with when he was a boy. He still offered his heart up to the fire demon Calcifer in exchange for power, and thus still grew up the same way he did in canon: selfish, immature, conceited and largely antisocial.

Largely self-taught in all subjects, as an adult he went on to do business in various cities across the world, selling charms, potions, glamours and other spells to anyone willing to part with their money for a little magic. Though known for coming and going as he pleases with only the constant creaking of his ‘castle’ to herald his arrival when he approaches a town, he favored Traverse Town and Paris above other places and did steady business in both towns, with his magic door granting him easy access to each of them.

He received the invitation to attend the academy shortly before meeting Sophie Hatter while fleeing from Madame Suliman’s golem henchmen. Though its contents interested him, his attentions were elsewhere at the time being, trying to dodge both the Witch of the Wastes’ pursuit of him as well as Madame Suliman and the King of Ingary’s attempts to draft him into their army (along with any other wizard they could get their hands on). It wasn’t until after he said goodbye to Sophie that he gave it a second look and weighed his options. While he prized his freedom, going to the academy would put him out of Suliman’s reach as well as that of the Witch of the Wastes, excusing him from military service under the guise of gaining a formal education befitting a wizard of his reputation as well as providing him with an opportunity to sate his curiosity about the encroaching Black Mist.

Of course, when he chose to accept it, he didn’t realize that he was allowing himself to be recruited to another fight entirely – though this cause is one he will fight for willingly, intent on getting to the root of the Black Mist and the threat it presents.

How has it affected them? As very little concerning Howl’s history has changed, he remains largely unaffected, though attending school will force him to become more social than he is generally known for and therefore he has the potential to mature faster and in a different way than he does in canon, where Sophie is responsible for shaking him and inspiring him to be less selfish. Just as he was concerned about the war and its effects in canon, he is interested in the workings and effects of the Black Mist instead and has a quiet interest in finding out what might be done about it.



Writing
First Person Sample
[Though technology of this ilk is rather new to him, Howl has always been a quick study, and it only takes a handful of minutes for him to puzzle out the device in his hands. He’s smiling when the screen comes to life, gingerly tapping it with his index finger. Remarkable, really. If such things must be used, he’s glad they seem to be at least cleverly designed.]

There. I believe that’s right.

[Had it taken him much longer to figure it out, he might have been a bit huffier, but as it stands, he’s simply tickled by this means of communication and eager to crack it open and see what sort of magic bits and pieces might be working away on the inside.]

While I generally choose not to address people quite so openly, seeing as these devices are meant for our use I thought I might as well give it a go.

[His smile warms slightly, genuine but with the definite air of someone who may be selling something. Well. Just because he’s here doesn’t mean he has to close down the business. He’s without his apprentice, but he can still manage on his own, can’t he? It’s not like Markl really does much aside from run errands, and seeing as Howl is the one with the magic? He’s of the opinion that any potential customers can come to him, if they so desire.]

As we’re to be here for quite some time, I thought I would offer my services to the student body at large. The Wizard Pendragon, at your service. Should any of you require magical aid of any kind, it will be yours – for a price.

Those willing to part with a bit of coin will have fame, love and prosperity at their fingertips, though it is worth noting by students and staff alike that none of my charms or potions will be made available for something so crass as cheating. Should you wish to attract the attention of a comely classmate, however, I may be of assistance – payment is required up front.

[That smile hitches just a bit higher on one side before he lowers his head, almost as if he’s exiting with a bow.]

I hope to hear from you soon.

[Especially if the transactions in question are short and sweet. People. His privacy is at a premium, but needs must be met, and apprentice or no, he has a reputation to uphold.]

Third Person Sample
Bent over his books at his desk, it occurred to him that he may have very well traded the threat of one cage for the promise of another quite without realizing it.

He had told himself several times now that it was better. Coming here offered him opportunities that would otherwise have been unattainable. A chance to properly research the Black Mist, a way to find answers he had been grasping for since he’d learned of its existence, caught somewhere between a desire to do something and what boiled down to mere morbid curiosity.

On a far more mundane level, it was a chance to earn the academic standing that many seemed to expect from a wizard of his renown, though truth be told he remained of the opinion that he had been no worse-off for a lack of formal higher education and that simply because he had not spent as many years in a classroom as some others may have did not mean was not bright or well-read. Quite the opposite, considering the lessons he and his uncle had devised had not only covered an extensive amount of normal reading, but all of the history, language and application that went hand-in-hand with the practice of magic as a whole.

It had been a colorful curriculum, to say the least. Never dull.

What this place offered was a far sight better than where he may have found himself otherwise. He had reminded himself of this more times than he could count, though on occasions such as this, he second-guessed. Was this really better than being drafted may have been? It had to be. He was almost positive that rather than employ him in the field, Suliman wished to punish him for surpassing her, strip him of his powers and leave him without a way to preserve the way of life he had come to hold so dear. That would have been unacceptable.

No, this was undoubtedly better. This was so much more than some mindless war being fought over a single missing prince. Being tethered to one place was an adjustment, it made him itch when all he longed to do was ask Calcifer to take the castle clear across the world to see what they could see, but what he had unknowingly signed up for… that, perhaps, was worth it. This cause, though he still knew so little about it, carried a great deal of weight. It was something worth fighting for. Important.

For that, perhaps he could deny his whims for the time being. Surely not forever, but perhaps long enough to get answers. To do something worth doing.