#air.

Meet INGRID PELLETIER. They are of UNKNOWN age and origin. Ingrid embodies the star, STERRENNACHT. They use she/her pronouns. Their faceclaim is LILY COLLINS.

Sterrennacht reminds me of hair ribbons, grease and dirt caked beneath trimmed fingernails, an emergency bag packed next to the door (just in case), the inherent trauma of being a first-born daughter, an elaborate tea collection, peterpan collars and mary janes, anachronisms, the sting of a lost childhood, clothes carefully chosen to hide scars, please and thank yous, and always knowing where the nearest exit is.

BIOGRAPHY

Before we begin, it would be negligent of me not to warn you about the misfortunes that follow the Pelletier family. While many in the magical world are lucky to have childhoods filled with joy, a stable household, and shoes not worn through from running, that is not the case here. I urge you to turn back now, lest you be plagued with the recap of the Pelletier siblings’ lives.

It wasn’t always spent constantly looking over their shoulders. On the contrary, the circumstances of their birth are rather extraordinary. First came Ingrid, then her brother, and a few years down the line they were completed with another sister. The Pelletier parents were a well-off family, in a well-off time and place that has long since been forgotten by their children. They still remember their parents faces and their father’s laugh lines and their mother’s contagious laugh, but small details like their ages and hometown were lost along the way.

While all of the children were bright, polite, and pleasant to look at, each possessed their own unique interests in addition to their star mark. For Ingrid, this was in the fomr of an inquisitive mind that worked by breaking down the things around her to their most basic structures. She was, and remains, an inventory, focused on what she can contribute to make people’s day-to-day lives (and, by extension, their overall lives) easier.

Some time in her early adolescence, by a serendipitous (a word which here means lucky without intending to be) turn of events, Ingrid and her siblings were down at the beach when their lives went up in smoke. Up In Smoke is usually a metaphor referring to a disaster, but in this case it is both metaphorical and literal. A long-time family acquaintance met the children at the beach to inform them their their family home had caught fire with their parents still inside. In an instant, the Pelletier children became the Pelletier orphans, setting off a chain of events that none could have ever wanted.

They founds themselves in the custody of a man who claimed to be a distant relative, though none of the children had ever met him before. He had no intention of raising the children, and instead put them to work and only provided them with the bare minimum to survive. Through researching and digging behind his back, the Pelletiers discovered that he was biding time until he could collect their large family inheritance, something he planned to ensure by ultimately marrying Ingrid. They managed to thwart his plan but before the man could be locked up, he escaped, and the children were shuffled to a new home.

This too proved to be a tragic home. The man who was after their inheritance was a master of glamour spells, effectively making himself invisible to most adults. He followed them from home to home, a new disguise every time and leaving the Pelletiers’ latest caregivers in body bags. The details are far too grizzly to go into, and won’t do anything but make you want to settle down with a cup of calming oolong tea while reading a story much happier than this one (might I recommend Curious George?) Eventually, the Pelletier children were framed for crimes they did not commit and went on the run altogether. With no adults to protect them and their magic just coming to fruition, they only had each other and their own resilience to depend on.

Their series of unfortunate events had them traveling far and wide (through questionable academies, half-completed hospitals, travelling carnivals, and even to icy summits) and meeting many people along the way, both friend and foe. Eventually, their final encounter with the man landed them on an island, where he succumbed to death by a combination of a very fungal disaster and a wound from a harpoon gun.

One would think that with their nemesis gone, it would be nothing but clear skies ahead for the Pelletiers. And in a way, it was. In the time they spent escaping his clutches, Ingrid had turned old enough to receive their inheritance and their family was able to form some semblance of sanity. All is well that ends well, yes?

No. For while the Pelletier children were finally safe and financially secure, they had still spent many of their years not knowing if they would life to see the next day. Ingrid in particular, being the oldest, has utilized her skill set to continue protecting her younger siblings long after their biggest tormentor has died. Her learned suspiciousness coexists with the kindness taught to her by her parents, and the two often go toe-to-toe in her brain.

When a child learns a lack of trust at an early age, it often persists. Ingrid was somewhere inbetween, young enough to cling mistrust yet old enough to process her trauma as an outlier. Rationally knowing this, her choice to move their family to Polaris was born out of a want to reclaim their own lives. Not as the Pelletier orphans, three children who had dealt with danger after danger. But as the Pelletier siblings, each resilient and good and strong in their own merit, capable of moving forward.

Rather or not Ingrid has actually begun to move forward is up for debate.

INCLINATION

Sterrennacht cares not for what element a witch users, but rather what they are able to do with that magic. Its been known to gift scholars and innovators; the magical historian who proposed the name did so believing that Van Gogh himself had once been gifted with it. Sterrennacht gives it users the ability to see limitless possibilities around them, breaking things down to the bare bones and recongifuring them. They are often highly skilled in transfiguration but physical mechanics also come naturally to them. They do tend to struggle with more abstract forms of magic, such as Charms and offensive magic. In addition, Sterrennachts often get stuck with a bad case of tunnel vision, and can hyper-fixate on one task longer than necessary.

CONNECTIONS

Younger Siblings: Ingrid’s younger (by a small number of years) brother and her baby sister. They had a close relationship during their childhood and depended on each other all throughout their misfortunes, and Ingrid will do whatever she needs to protect them. However they view her is entirely UTP!!! While Ingrid is based on Violet Baudelaire and I would love her siblings to be reminiscent of Klaus and Sunny, itheir personalities and interests are also entirely UTP!!! Just let me love them!!

Survivors Stick Together: Another person (or group!!! lbr this is implying the Quagmire Triplets!!!) who the Pelletiers met a few times over the course of their lives, including some dire situations. There’s a particular bond that exists between people who experience difficult situations together, and while they may not have had constant contact prior to remeeting at Polaris, Ingrid considers this person (or family) an extension of her own.

idk this bio took entirely too long and my brain is hungry i’ll edit this with a third one later but i’m posting it anyway

Meet LEVITICUS “Levi” TERZAMINA. They are TWO THOUSAND and TWENTY years old and hail from COLCHESTER, ENGLAND. Levi embodies the star, HERSCHEL’S GARNET. They use he/him pronouns. Their faceclaim is JAMES MCAVOY.

Herschel’s Garnet reminds me of rain covered sidewalks, jars filled with brightly colored pebbles, the tragedy of growing up, birthday cake flavored everything, diving into open waters, double takes, found families, a hilarious lack of pop culture knowledge, #SaveTheTurtles, a monochromatic wardrobe, endless FroYo toppings, footsteps running along a wooden dock, seashells as decoration, and finding your voice.

BIOGRAPHY

You know who probably wasn’t born on 25 December, 0 A.D.? Jesus Christ. It was December, in Israel, and the shepherds were out in the fields; who’s going to believe that? But you know who was born at that time, on that day — not in Israel, but one could only get so close to being the Son of God or the collective minds of the populace would shatter — in England?

Levi ( or at least, that’s what he’s calling himself these days. ) And in his opinion, that’s just as good of a reason to celebrate, because he’s watching his sponsor slowly die out and waiting to discover what happens when your star becomes a black hole. He’s never seen anyone sponsored by a black hole before — doesn’t even know if it’s possible, if his magic will disappear, or if he’ll just blink out of existence as fast as you blink in when you’re born.

Yes, in fact, he does remember Boudicca and the siege. He’ll tell you pointedly, as a result of this, that most of Colchester Castle is not as Roman as he’s heard it claimed. After all, it was mostly destroyed.

Man is a disaster, but he’s picky about his history, even as he’s having his mid life crisis. Don’t judge him.

That’s the shitty thing about death: you never get that answer, because no one who has fully died can tell you. Maybe he’ll ask a necromancer or something.

But anyway, meet Leviticus “Levi” Terzamina: #1 proponent of “the year 0 is made up, and I know because I was born in it,” volunteer at Celathers museum who’s constantly trying to convince his bosses of the merits of a Drunk History tour, and Fairly Ancient British Man who is — if you can work out where terza mina came from, because of its origins — like many others tied to the most chaotic family on Earth.

If it sounds like he’s a man who’s permanently stuck in his mid-life crisis and trying to enjoy it like he could die any second ( having once compared himself to the Doctor when he introduced ‘dude’ to the medieval populace several centuries early ) well, that’s because he is. And maybe he’s a little less okay than he says he is but that’s fine, it’s all cool ( it’s not. He’s not feeling cool about it. )

He’s just trying to achieve everything he could possibly achieve before he bows out, but not knowing when that’s going to be, it manifests in sort of a rush. This is part of his 'getting an official magical education’ bucket-list goal, but it’s a lot more work and a lot more time than Levi was bargaining for.

Apparently the Ursas don’t think doing passably at graduating in a year is a good enough way to skate, and apparently he should be more mature than that.

Like he hasn’t heard that before.

( That, and he’s trying to find the fucker who scared the shit out of him. He’s heard rumours. )

INCLINATION

Herschel’s Garnet Star is entering its twilight years, and so it seeks out a sponsor that reflects that, purely because the life force of its sponsors is tied to that of the star; in exchange for this price, one is reminded of the phrase ‘jack of all trades, master of none, but better than a master of one,’ as they have been known to do moderately well at anything they attempt, regardless of previous experience or lack of it. It is, however — as only the star’s chosen will understand — hilariously ironic that they are also in fact a master of one, even if they are passable at everything else: they’re magnetically, infuriatingly likeable. They have a brilliant and blazing aura that seems to mean that in spite of themselves, those around them can’t help but like them, as though they’re drawn in, for better or for worse.

CONNECTIONS

Settle: This person is joined at the hip to Levi, and they’re the balance to his madness, trying to get him to do every task on his bucket list thoroughly and well — lest he regret it. He insists he won’t regardless, but they just know Levi better than Levi knows Levi.

Filling the role of Esther Hughes' Makeshift Therapy Group.

Meet DELPHINE ANWAR. They are of UNKNOWN age and origin. Delphine embodies CAFFAU’S STAR. They use she/her pronouns. Their faceclaim is EMERAUDE TOUBIA.

CAFFAU’S STAR reminds me of mirrorballs, rewriting the stars, the rush of adrenaline, the feeling of flying or falling, but then falling with style, glittery costumes, a debt that remains unpaid, only coming alive in a performance, still on that trapeze, gasping for control.

BIOGRAPHY

one. an object in motion will stay in motion.

She cannot remember before the troupe. They’re not a circus, they’re a troupe. All she knows about her life before is her name, which she’s changed many times in order to be whatever act she portrayed. At first it was juggling, and she could dizzyingly throw and catch anything in the air of numeric proportions: balls, clubs, knives, flaming torches. Not once did she falter, not once did she drop anything she was juggling. Back then, she was just a warm up act, getting the crowd primed for the real show.

It was without a doubt her beauty that had her promoted to a more serious and attention-grabbing act. Delphine knew how to command a stage, how to make the audience immediately fall in love with her. She was a vision, her long legs and torso, her dark hair swaying in the breeze. The trapeze was the only place for her-- flying and static. When she flew, there was no better feeling in her life. When the trapeze was static, she felt like a swan, able to soar and stretch and do whatever she pleased to put on a show.

two. force is equal to mass times acceleration

The first time that Delphine realized that her powers were being taken away from her was when she was asked to do a particularly tricky combination using a rope hung from a suspended beam in a barn. It was after-hours, she was among locals in the town they’d traveled to, and they wanted a repeat performance from the golden girl. She was supposed to do a series of tricks-- tucks, a drop, whatever she wanted, just to show off. She’d never attempted this outside of the act before, but what could be different?

People who saw the accident would blame it on the rope not being tied tightly enough, or that they saw Delphine’s ankle slip, or that it was some gale-force wind, a freak of nature. Delphine was out of the troupe for months healing her various injuries-- a concussion, a sprained ankle, bumps and bruises.

She spent years trying to figure out why she had suddenly failed. The next time she performed, after she’d been healed up, she was like magic. Clockwork. The nerves didn’t get to her.

It was only through Delphine and Verity’s combined influences that they figured out the Master was muting their magic, reserving their energy until they were onstage and ready to perform. And it was only through Delphine and Verity’s combined influences that he perished.

three. what goes up must come down.

Delphine has found a home at Polaris, even though she’s acutely aware of the people she’s left behind in the troupe. She doesn’t know who has taken it over or if those horrible conditions are still in place, but she does know that she’s protected by the Ursas.

Delphine is very wary of people who have magic blocking abilities, and often will stay away from them. She doesn’t think it’s within anyone’s right to take away someone else’s magic from them, or to control someone else in that way.

Delphine is not the best student. She can be unfocused at times, and she’d much rather put her magic into action than learn about it in the theoretical.

INCLINATION

Named for the famed astronomer Elizabeth Caffau, Caffau’s Star sponsors those who are particularly gifted with air magics. Their specialty lies in gravity and physics-altering stunts, from changing their own weightlessness to friction and acceleration. Some Caffau’s Star witches have been known to charm their way through life, either through elaborate glamour spells or excellent casting abilities. The current Caffau’s Star is very adept at gravity magic, but struggles to control it when her emotions get ahead of her. 

CONNECTIONS

The Ringmaster: A father-type figure who helped Delphine and Verity escape from the troupe. Delphine has been trying her hardest to find this man and also take him to Polaris, to keep him out of the troupe owner’s clutches.

The Sibling: Delphine and her sibling did a duo act for a long time-- her on the trapeze, them on the tightrope. The sibling may have left Delphine in the troupe, may have just escaped, or may currently be in the troupe that happens to swing by Castle Hills. Obviously, Delphine would help them escape and enroll them in Polaris. Emeraude is tricky to match ethnicity-wise, so this could be a half-sibling! FC should be half Mexican and/or half Middle Eastern. (Samuel Larsen, Summer Bishil, and Wentworth Miller could work if we tweak the parentage a little!)

The Almost Lover: This person traveled far and wide following the troupe, became somewhat obsessed with Delphine. Looking for an ego trip, Delphine would occasionally throw them a bone, but it’ll be a very awkward reunion.