Post by Joseph Mitawa on May 30, 2007 19:06:51 GMT -5
Accepted, Sorry about the wait. Trying to figure out how to handle new characters in this time of change.
Gabrielle
Name: D.G.
Other characters on the board: Marquis DuBois
Are you over 13?: Yes I am.
Name: Joseph Mitawa
Aliases:
Sisoka Luta- His Lakota name, which means red robin. The name was supposed to be given to someone youthful and bubbly, which is really ironic considering it’s the exact opposite of his personality. It belonged to his grandfather, and since his grandmother claims he is the spitting image of him, it is his name as well.
Itunkala- which literally translated from Lakota means ‘mouse’. His aunt gave him the nickname when he was a baby because, as she puts it, he squeaked rather than cried when he was upset. Some of his friends back at Rosebud still find it funny to call him that.
Age: 18
Year in Salem: Senior
Gender: Male
Birthday/Sign:December 7/Sagitarius
Birthplace Austin, Texas
Blood Type/Purity: O-/Muggle-Born.
Nationality Though he lives on a Lokata reservation, he is only ½ Sioux. His father, unbeknownst to Joseph, was actually a descendant of the Comanche Indians of Texas.
Family Members: Nannie Mitawa- Mother(?), Jessy Mitawa- Aunt, Jonah Ross- Father (deceased), Anna Little Cloud- Grandmother
Appearance:
[/li][li] Eye Color:[/i] Deep brown rimmed with hazel.
[/li][li] Height and Build:[/i] He is of average height, standing at about 6’0, but can seem much taller when standing straight up. His physic isn’t really much to remark about either, though he wouldn’t be considered lanky or thin.
[/li][li] Regular clothing style:[/i] Joseph really doesn’t have a particular style, just so long as whatever he’s wearing is neat and clean.
[/li][li] Other characteristics:[/i] He has a long gash on back of his neck, one of the souvenirs he received for attempted to climb some small hills with his friends.
[/li][/ul]
Personality:
There is an old saying that the elders at the reservation can always be found reciting to the young; "Respect means listening until everyone has been heard and understood, only then is there a possibility of "Balance and Harmony" the goal of Indian Spirituality." This was almost a law according to Joseph’s grandmother, and she did her best to enforce it on her grandson in hopes it would stick in his mind. It eventually did, and left a bigger impression on his personality than even she could have hoped for.
You see, Joseph is what some people would call annoyingly patient. He’s the type of person that rarely ever gets upset for any reason, making it almost impossible to get a rise out of him. He is extremely open-minded and treats everyone the same, with patience and kindness.
Like his zodiac, Sagittarius, Joseph is generous and just, much like a noble leader. He is also expansive in his thoughts, as well as in his approach. Joseph is forever reaching -- for knowledge, understanding and answers. Knowledge is key to this wizard, since it fuels his broad-minded approach to life. This Sagittarian-born is keenly interested in philosophy and religion, and he finds that these disciplines aid his internal quest. At the end of the day, what Joseph wants most is to know the meaning of life, and if he can accomplish this while feeling free and easy, all the better.
The great strength of Joseph is his philosophical, wide-open and curious nature. This boy seeks both knowledge and truth, and is eager to share his explorations with others. His optimistic and generous spirit makes him a pleasure to be around.
Flip side: Of course, no one can really be patient and calm all the time, and this includes Mr. Mitawa. Though he is very slow to anger, his supply of tolerance can eventually run dry. When this does happen, run for the hills; one would be surprised to find how vindictive and blunt Joseph can be when he’s upset. All of those proverbs and wisdom go right out the window, occasionally leaving him to fall prey to the foot-in-mouth disease.
It's also a good idea to give Joseph lots of room to explore his world. Once he starts to feel hemmed in, he'll become impatient and difficult.
Parents
Jonah Ross: Joseph never really knew his father, but that was because he wasn’t alive long enough for him to remember. Now, everyone has faults, but it seemed as though Jonah had nothing but. He was an obsessive gambler (not even a good one at that) who squandered away all his income on casino visits, an alcoholic whose whole existence revolved around putting others down to make himself feel better, and a con man. He was a very bitter man who thought the world owed him something, and so he took it out on his young wife and child. The abuse ended, however, on one snowy February morning when he died of liver failure. It seemed as though all those trips to the liquor store finally caught up to him.
Nannie Mitawa: It would seem as though Nannie was as unfit a parent as her husband, as she didn’t last much longer than he did. Joseph can only remember small bits about his mother, but he did recall her bubbly personality and artistic nature. No, she wasn’t an unfit mother because of she was cruel, but because she was far too immature to care for another living thing, let alone a completely helpless infant. She realized this about three years after her husband died and did the only thing she could; she left young Joseph in the care of her mother and older sister. She found herself trapped and crushed under the pressure of raising a child, and she just couldn’t handle it. Now, almost fifteen years later, no one has heard from her, though they highly doubt she’s dead. No, they all have a feeling she’s still out there, chasing the wind and whatever interest she’s picked up this time.
History:
If one were to journey back eighteen years into the past, they would find that Joseph’s peaceful existence began in a situation that was anything but. Even his birth, a very joyous occasion for anyone, was filled with turmoil and disorder, in the midst of one of his parents infamous fights.
It was the night of December 7, 1980 when Joseph decided he was sick of the scenery in his mother’s womb. The only problem with that was he was almost two months from his due date, and his organs weren’t fully developed yet. It seems as though he was always a curious child, and this time it almost cost him his life.
Nannie was rushed to the hospital when her water broke, her doctor fearful for both of their lives. It wasn’t too long afterwards that Joseph was out and gasping for air, as his lungs couldn’t function on their own yet. It would take the newborn three months before he was safe to leave the hospital, before he was thrown into an even more chaotic situation.
His father was acting worse than ever because of his ‘illness’, and the young babe was often left to himself while his mother was off tending to her dying husband.
The situation only grew worse when he passed, their only source of income (little as it may have been) going with it. For the next three years, Nannie struggled to support both herself and her young son. It eventually occurred to her that her job as a waitress wouldn’t provide her son with the life she knew he deserved and she dropped him off with her sister and mother in Rosebud, a Sioux reservation in South Dakota.
There, he had as normal a childhood as he could have living with his aunt and grandmother. Jessy, his mother’s sister, was much more grounded and strict than her baby sister. She was very hard working, and did the best she could to provide for them both, treating him like her own son. She did have a small soft spot for the boy, however, as his free spirit reminded her a lot of Nannie.
His grandmother did the best she could to install morals and sense into her only grandson. She recited various proverbs and sayings to Joseph almost daily. He himself did the best he could to act responsibly and stay out of trouble; he was, after all, left to be the man of the house at a very young age, and as such had to act like it.
He gained many friend’s in some of the reservation children, some of which he still communicates with today.
Schooling
To say it was a shock to find out that Joseph was a wizard would have been a grave understatement. The small family was stunned to find out the cause of their boy’s strangeness was not just coincidences, but magic. Not the kind that some of the medicine men in Lakota’s history preformed either, but real magic. He was sent away to a small Covent school nearby at the age of twelve, chock full of curiosity and questions.
Herbology: Though he did put much effort in his work, it seemed as though Joseph had absolutely no talent with plants. It was so bad that he was convinced that there was something wrong with him, as every single plant he touched seemed to die shortly afterwards. He refused to participate in planting all of his first year because he was afraid to harm anything else. His professor, Daisy Peakes, took pity on the boy and tutored him privately. He isn’t much better now, but at least he can keep a Mandrake alive for more than a week now.
Grade: P
Wandwork: Fortunately, Joseph proved to be much more efficient with a wand than he was with a plant. He wasn’t the best at curses, and his transfiguration skills were a little shaky, but with a lot of hard work and dedication he fixed most of his flaws. He moved up to expert level by his last year, impressing both his professor and classmates.
Grade: E
Astronomy This proved to be a subject that Joseph was naturally good at, something that he took immense pride in. Because all the subject really demanded was to stay awake. He was very good at remembering names of constellations, so the lessons were a real breeze. Now, he has to work a bit harder in the class, as the course gets more demanding as he goes along.
Grade O
History of Magic Unlike most students his age, Joseph actually shows a genuine interest in this subject. His grandmother has always emphasized the need to know one’s past, so he never looked at history as ancient battles that no one cares about now. His professor, Damocles Vablatsky, showed great favoritism to the boy as he was the only one that didn’t bring pillows to his class.
Grade: O
Potions: If one were to walk through Joseph’s old Alchemy lab, they would most likely spot the black spot in the very back of the classroom, as well as the green goo permanently etched into the stone floors. This was one the worst results of Joseph’s dismal potion making abilities that the current residents of the school still like to joke about. His potion’s master, Professor Volkov, quit after that incident, claiming he had never seen such incompetence in Alchemy. Well, at least he finally got the last of the slime out of his hair.
Grade: D
Freshman Year: Needless to say, this was a year of major change for Joseph. Coming from a Minnesota Convent school of about seventy students, it was a very scary to arrive at the huge school that was Salem. He was definitely out of his element, and because of this chose to draw as little attention to himself as he possibly could. Of course, this plan didn’t work too well; it was very hard not to notice a Native American boy with hair like a buffalo’s in a Massachusetts wizarding school. No matter, he mainly kept to himself his first year here.
Sophomore Year: He adjusted much more easily this year, seeing the immense school as an opportunity of freedom rather than a threat. He didn’t try so much to blend in anymore and instead embraced his diversity, simply shrugging off questions from particularly curious classmates. His grades also went up, as he wasn’t so afraid to participate in lessons.
Junior Year While change was something Joseph usually liked, this year seemed to take a change for the worse. This was the year Salem came under attack by the Death Eaters, a group of people Joseph didn’t even know existed in America. It shattered his sense of security within the walls of the school, and made the boy much more cautious of the people he trusted. It seemed as though no one was as safe there as they thought they were.
Likes: There is something Joseph loves above all else, his need for it surpassing even his unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Freedom. It’s like a part of life for him, and living just isn’t the same if it has restrictions attach. This was the downside to life in the reservation; it had too many rules for his liking.
Though his love isn’t as strong, he also loves flying, philosophy, and a good argument.
Dislikes: There isn’t much that Joseph dislikes in particular, but rules would definitely be one of his few aversions. He hates to feel boxed in or trapped, and will fight for his freedom.
Other things he doesn’t particularly care for are ignorance, stereotypes, and
violence of any sort.
Best Subject: Prescience
Special Abilities: His peacemaking skills could be a special ability I guess. He is also an exceptional flyer.
Hopes and Dreams: To make his aunt and grandmother proud. He also dreams of one day reuniting with his mother.
Wand: Oak, 9 ½ inches, Dragon’s Heartstring
Broom: Nimbus 1700
Pet: He does have a Siberian Husky, but that is kept at home with his aunt.
SMART Scores:
Wand Work: E
Alchemy: D
Magizoology: E
Astronomy: O
Word Verification: Spork
Writing Sample:
Joseph was on one of his nightly strolls, a particularly bad case of insomnia overwhelming him. The night was beginning to give way to the rising sun, and he knew he would have to be up and ready for classes in only a few hours.
He continued on his way through the winding corridors, his feet leading the way when his mind drifted to other things. He had long since memorized the halls of the castle and it didn’t take much thought to make his way passed the empty classes, the brisk winds of the early morning whipping through his robes. He loved his midnight walks through the school as well as the powerful sense of liberty he got from them. He usually chose to walk the halls at times when he knew the monitors would be sleeping, but it seemed as though he had forgotten one monitor that enjoyed handing out detentions a bit too much.
Joseph sped up a bit as he heard footsteps following him as he made his was pass the library, thinking up excuses that would get him out of detention this time when he felt a cold hand on his shoulder.
“I was just going to the library to retrieve some notes I need to prepare for tomorrow’s exam” he said, voice completely even and convincing as he stared the monitor dead in the eye.
He usually frowned upon lying to get out of what one deserved, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He refused to scrub another bathroom floor, especially in his last year at the school.
Hopefully the monitor was a bit thicker than he seemed, and would believe Joseph’s feeble excuse.
Gabrielle
Name: D.G.
Other characters on the board: Marquis DuBois
Are you over 13?: Yes I am.
Name: Joseph Mitawa
Aliases:
Sisoka Luta- His Lakota name, which means red robin. The name was supposed to be given to someone youthful and bubbly, which is really ironic considering it’s the exact opposite of his personality. It belonged to his grandfather, and since his grandmother claims he is the spitting image of him, it is his name as well.
Itunkala- which literally translated from Lakota means ‘mouse’. His aunt gave him the nickname when he was a baby because, as she puts it, he squeaked rather than cried when he was upset. Some of his friends back at Rosebud still find it funny to call him that.
Age: 18
Year in Salem: Senior
Gender: Male
Birthday/Sign:December 7/Sagitarius
Birthplace Austin, Texas
Blood Type/Purity: O-/Muggle-Born.
Nationality Though he lives on a Lokata reservation, he is only ½ Sioux. His father, unbeknownst to Joseph, was actually a descendant of the Comanche Indians of Texas.
Family Members: Nannie Mitawa- Mother(?), Jessy Mitawa- Aunt, Jonah Ross- Father (deceased), Anna Little Cloud- Grandmother
Appearance:
- Hair Color and Style:
[/li][li] Eye Color:[/i] Deep brown rimmed with hazel.
[/li][li] Height and Build:[/i] He is of average height, standing at about 6’0, but can seem much taller when standing straight up. His physic isn’t really much to remark about either, though he wouldn’t be considered lanky or thin.
[/li][li] Regular clothing style:[/i] Joseph really doesn’t have a particular style, just so long as whatever he’s wearing is neat and clean.
[/li][li] Other characteristics:[/i] He has a long gash on back of his neck, one of the souvenirs he received for attempted to climb some small hills with his friends.
[/li][/ul]
Personality:
There is an old saying that the elders at the reservation can always be found reciting to the young; "Respect means listening until everyone has been heard and understood, only then is there a possibility of "Balance and Harmony" the goal of Indian Spirituality." This was almost a law according to Joseph’s grandmother, and she did her best to enforce it on her grandson in hopes it would stick in his mind. It eventually did, and left a bigger impression on his personality than even she could have hoped for.
You see, Joseph is what some people would call annoyingly patient. He’s the type of person that rarely ever gets upset for any reason, making it almost impossible to get a rise out of him. He is extremely open-minded and treats everyone the same, with patience and kindness.
Like his zodiac, Sagittarius, Joseph is generous and just, much like a noble leader. He is also expansive in his thoughts, as well as in his approach. Joseph is forever reaching -- for knowledge, understanding and answers. Knowledge is key to this wizard, since it fuels his broad-minded approach to life. This Sagittarian-born is keenly interested in philosophy and religion, and he finds that these disciplines aid his internal quest. At the end of the day, what Joseph wants most is to know the meaning of life, and if he can accomplish this while feeling free and easy, all the better.
The great strength of Joseph is his philosophical, wide-open and curious nature. This boy seeks both knowledge and truth, and is eager to share his explorations with others. His optimistic and generous spirit makes him a pleasure to be around.
Flip side: Of course, no one can really be patient and calm all the time, and this includes Mr. Mitawa. Though he is very slow to anger, his supply of tolerance can eventually run dry. When this does happen, run for the hills; one would be surprised to find how vindictive and blunt Joseph can be when he’s upset. All of those proverbs and wisdom go right out the window, occasionally leaving him to fall prey to the foot-in-mouth disease.
It's also a good idea to give Joseph lots of room to explore his world. Once he starts to feel hemmed in, he'll become impatient and difficult.
Parents
Jonah Ross: Joseph never really knew his father, but that was because he wasn’t alive long enough for him to remember. Now, everyone has faults, but it seemed as though Jonah had nothing but. He was an obsessive gambler (not even a good one at that) who squandered away all his income on casino visits, an alcoholic whose whole existence revolved around putting others down to make himself feel better, and a con man. He was a very bitter man who thought the world owed him something, and so he took it out on his young wife and child. The abuse ended, however, on one snowy February morning when he died of liver failure. It seemed as though all those trips to the liquor store finally caught up to him.
Nannie Mitawa: It would seem as though Nannie was as unfit a parent as her husband, as she didn’t last much longer than he did. Joseph can only remember small bits about his mother, but he did recall her bubbly personality and artistic nature. No, she wasn’t an unfit mother because of she was cruel, but because she was far too immature to care for another living thing, let alone a completely helpless infant. She realized this about three years after her husband died and did the only thing she could; she left young Joseph in the care of her mother and older sister. She found herself trapped and crushed under the pressure of raising a child, and she just couldn’t handle it. Now, almost fifteen years later, no one has heard from her, though they highly doubt she’s dead. No, they all have a feeling she’s still out there, chasing the wind and whatever interest she’s picked up this time.
History:
If one were to journey back eighteen years into the past, they would find that Joseph’s peaceful existence began in a situation that was anything but. Even his birth, a very joyous occasion for anyone, was filled with turmoil and disorder, in the midst of one of his parents infamous fights.
It was the night of December 7, 1980 when Joseph decided he was sick of the scenery in his mother’s womb. The only problem with that was he was almost two months from his due date, and his organs weren’t fully developed yet. It seems as though he was always a curious child, and this time it almost cost him his life.
Nannie was rushed to the hospital when her water broke, her doctor fearful for both of their lives. It wasn’t too long afterwards that Joseph was out and gasping for air, as his lungs couldn’t function on their own yet. It would take the newborn three months before he was safe to leave the hospital, before he was thrown into an even more chaotic situation.
His father was acting worse than ever because of his ‘illness’, and the young babe was often left to himself while his mother was off tending to her dying husband.
The situation only grew worse when he passed, their only source of income (little as it may have been) going with it. For the next three years, Nannie struggled to support both herself and her young son. It eventually occurred to her that her job as a waitress wouldn’t provide her son with the life she knew he deserved and she dropped him off with her sister and mother in Rosebud, a Sioux reservation in South Dakota.
There, he had as normal a childhood as he could have living with his aunt and grandmother. Jessy, his mother’s sister, was much more grounded and strict than her baby sister. She was very hard working, and did the best she could to provide for them both, treating him like her own son. She did have a small soft spot for the boy, however, as his free spirit reminded her a lot of Nannie.
His grandmother did the best she could to install morals and sense into her only grandson. She recited various proverbs and sayings to Joseph almost daily. He himself did the best he could to act responsibly and stay out of trouble; he was, after all, left to be the man of the house at a very young age, and as such had to act like it.
He gained many friend’s in some of the reservation children, some of which he still communicates with today.
Schooling
To say it was a shock to find out that Joseph was a wizard would have been a grave understatement. The small family was stunned to find out the cause of their boy’s strangeness was not just coincidences, but magic. Not the kind that some of the medicine men in Lakota’s history preformed either, but real magic. He was sent away to a small Covent school nearby at the age of twelve, chock full of curiosity and questions.
Herbology: Though he did put much effort in his work, it seemed as though Joseph had absolutely no talent with plants. It was so bad that he was convinced that there was something wrong with him, as every single plant he touched seemed to die shortly afterwards. He refused to participate in planting all of his first year because he was afraid to harm anything else. His professor, Daisy Peakes, took pity on the boy and tutored him privately. He isn’t much better now, but at least he can keep a Mandrake alive for more than a week now.
Grade: P
Wandwork: Fortunately, Joseph proved to be much more efficient with a wand than he was with a plant. He wasn’t the best at curses, and his transfiguration skills were a little shaky, but with a lot of hard work and dedication he fixed most of his flaws. He moved up to expert level by his last year, impressing both his professor and classmates.
Grade: E
Astronomy This proved to be a subject that Joseph was naturally good at, something that he took immense pride in. Because all the subject really demanded was to stay awake. He was very good at remembering names of constellations, so the lessons were a real breeze. Now, he has to work a bit harder in the class, as the course gets more demanding as he goes along.
Grade O
History of Magic Unlike most students his age, Joseph actually shows a genuine interest in this subject. His grandmother has always emphasized the need to know one’s past, so he never looked at history as ancient battles that no one cares about now. His professor, Damocles Vablatsky, showed great favoritism to the boy as he was the only one that didn’t bring pillows to his class.
Grade: O
Potions: If one were to walk through Joseph’s old Alchemy lab, they would most likely spot the black spot in the very back of the classroom, as well as the green goo permanently etched into the stone floors. This was one the worst results of Joseph’s dismal potion making abilities that the current residents of the school still like to joke about. His potion’s master, Professor Volkov, quit after that incident, claiming he had never seen such incompetence in Alchemy. Well, at least he finally got the last of the slime out of his hair.
Grade: D
Freshman Year: Needless to say, this was a year of major change for Joseph. Coming from a Minnesota Convent school of about seventy students, it was a very scary to arrive at the huge school that was Salem. He was definitely out of his element, and because of this chose to draw as little attention to himself as he possibly could. Of course, this plan didn’t work too well; it was very hard not to notice a Native American boy with hair like a buffalo’s in a Massachusetts wizarding school. No matter, he mainly kept to himself his first year here.
Sophomore Year: He adjusted much more easily this year, seeing the immense school as an opportunity of freedom rather than a threat. He didn’t try so much to blend in anymore and instead embraced his diversity, simply shrugging off questions from particularly curious classmates. His grades also went up, as he wasn’t so afraid to participate in lessons.
Junior Year While change was something Joseph usually liked, this year seemed to take a change for the worse. This was the year Salem came under attack by the Death Eaters, a group of people Joseph didn’t even know existed in America. It shattered his sense of security within the walls of the school, and made the boy much more cautious of the people he trusted. It seemed as though no one was as safe there as they thought they were.
Likes: There is something Joseph loves above all else, his need for it surpassing even his unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Freedom. It’s like a part of life for him, and living just isn’t the same if it has restrictions attach. This was the downside to life in the reservation; it had too many rules for his liking.
Though his love isn’t as strong, he also loves flying, philosophy, and a good argument.
Dislikes: There isn’t much that Joseph dislikes in particular, but rules would definitely be one of his few aversions. He hates to feel boxed in or trapped, and will fight for his freedom.
Other things he doesn’t particularly care for are ignorance, stereotypes, and
violence of any sort.
Best Subject: Prescience
Special Abilities: His peacemaking skills could be a special ability I guess. He is also an exceptional flyer.
Hopes and Dreams: To make his aunt and grandmother proud. He also dreams of one day reuniting with his mother.
Wand: Oak, 9 ½ inches, Dragon’s Heartstring
Broom: Nimbus 1700
Pet: He does have a Siberian Husky, but that is kept at home with his aunt.
SMART Scores:
Wand Work: E
Alchemy: D
Magizoology: E
Astronomy: O
Word Verification: Spork
Writing Sample:
Joseph was on one of his nightly strolls, a particularly bad case of insomnia overwhelming him. The night was beginning to give way to the rising sun, and he knew he would have to be up and ready for classes in only a few hours.
He continued on his way through the winding corridors, his feet leading the way when his mind drifted to other things. He had long since memorized the halls of the castle and it didn’t take much thought to make his way passed the empty classes, the brisk winds of the early morning whipping through his robes. He loved his midnight walks through the school as well as the powerful sense of liberty he got from them. He usually chose to walk the halls at times when he knew the monitors would be sleeping, but it seemed as though he had forgotten one monitor that enjoyed handing out detentions a bit too much.
Joseph sped up a bit as he heard footsteps following him as he made his was pass the library, thinking up excuses that would get him out of detention this time when he felt a cold hand on his shoulder.
“I was just going to the library to retrieve some notes I need to prepare for tomorrow’s exam” he said, voice completely even and convincing as he stared the monitor dead in the eye.
He usually frowned upon lying to get out of what one deserved, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He refused to scrub another bathroom floor, especially in his last year at the school.
Hopefully the monitor was a bit thicker than he seemed, and would believe Joseph’s feeble excuse.