#rd denzel

DENZEL QUINCY CROCKER

Birthday: May 13th, 1961

Height: 6′4″ (Not slouching)

Age During Frozen Timestream: 41

Alignment: Chaotic Evil -> Chaotic Neutral

MBTI: INTP (Turbulent)

Love Language: Acts of service

Handedness: Right dominant

Hometown: Dimmsdale - A coastal city in California, USA

Favorite School Subject: Science Lab (Nothing like humiliating kids and laughing when they burn themselves with dangerous chemicals!)

Least Favorite Subject: Gym

Occupation: 4th-5th grade teacher at Dimmsdale Elementary

Had Fairy Godparents: June 3rd, 1971 - March 15th, 1972

Favorite Wish: Anything that helped others back in the day

Bio: Growing up, Denzel Crocker was a creative, intelligent kid with a big heart and a desire to change the world. Having a pair of godparents helped him do just that for nearly a year, until he was forcibly separated from them on March 15th... AKA the worst day of his life (and don’t you forget it).

Denzel never knew his father and was raised by a single mother, with occasional help from her brother Albert and their father. Mostly, though, Denzel was left in the “care” of his cruel babysitter, Vick. After Dimmsdale turned against him on March 15th, Denzel didn’t grow up with many friends. His mother signed him up for the Cream Puff girls, who shunned him a little less than the Squirrely Scouts, but he kept to himself and spent his free time hunting for evidence of FAIRIES!

Four years after Denzel lost his godparents, his mother’s boyfriend (Randy), moved into the Crocker home. Denzel’s half-sister was born shortly after that. Despite his disdain for Randy, Denzel fell instantly in love with Denise. Vick stopped babysitting and Denzel was in charge of himself for the first time. Most of those days were spent hunting FAIRIES in nearby locations of questionable safety with Denise either strapped to his back or waddling close behind.

Denzel was accepted into college early and attended Dimmsdale University; he dated Geraldine Waxelplax and graduated in 1983 with his teaching degree. He spent the next several years hanging around Muckledunk, Ohio (passing through Cincinnati on the way) where he researched Beasts for any connection between them and FAIRIES!

During this time he dated Miss Idaho, completely oblivious to the fact that she was a FAIRY in disguise (See also, Come What May).

Denzel spent a year teaching at New Baltimore Community College before he was replaced for using funds to build a trap for FAIRIES!

By the time he moved back to Dimmsdale, Denise had split and Denzel’s grandfather had moved into his room. Denzel settled in the spare room above the garage and has lived there ever since.

These days, Denzel is an awkward, twitchy, but technologically brilliant man who fails to impress in social situations. He has at least twenty restraining orders to his name and is widely viewed as a lunatic (though not dangerous). He’s a notable character in Come What May and the 130 Prompts. He makes a few appearances in Along the Cherry Lane and assorted one-shots.

Denzel’s witch heritage has been watered down through several generations, but he has retained his ability to hover when excited. Witches take on animal forms after death. In Prompt 92, “You’ll Never Know,” Foop revealed that Denzel became a fluffy white cat who has lived in Foop’s care ever since.

Denzel also appeared (as a cat) at Foop’s school dance in “Approval.”

.

DENISE QUINNA CROCKER

Birthday: September 11th, 1975

Height: 6′3″

Age During Frozen Timestream: 27

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

MBTI: ESTP

Love Language: Physical touch

Handedness: Left dominant

Favorite School Subject: Wildlife biology

Least Favorite Subject: Chemistry

Occupation: Painting; researching

Bio: Denise Crocker is self-employed, which is a fancy way of saying she and her son Kevin live in a woodland cabin and often use flashlights and two layers of sweaters to save on their bills... and they don’t have a car, so they walk to the grocery store every three weeks.

Denise is a painter, but her true passion is hunting for proof that VAMPIRES walk among humans in disguise. The money she does bring in is usually put towards travel... specifically, travel to bat caves. She works a few other jobs on the side, mostly from home, though she has a hard time sticking to anything for long.

Denise was born to an aging but loving mother and a father who left them when she was 8 years old (the same year Denzel moved out). Although 14 years apart, she and her half-brother Denzel have always gotten along and were close for many years. Once Denzel left, her relationship with their mother began to strain. Denise spent a few years as a Cream Puff Girl, but always felt like an outcast around the other kids.

When Denise was 15, she began dating a boy named Elliot. At age 16, the pair ran away from home, traveling the country on the train tracks and never looking back. At least, Denise did.

Within a year, Elliot decided to return to Dimmsdale, so he and Denise parted ways. A few weeks later, Denise realized she was pregnant. In a daze, she left the tracks behind and decided to make her life in the first place she stumbled into: Peachville, Idaho. She gave birth to a son named Kevin, though her family never knew until Denise called home to ask if Kevin could live with his grandmother for a summer.

After several years in Peachville, Denise crossed paths with Marvin Oakes: a man she secretly believes to be a VAMPIRE. After stalking befriending him and spending several years getting to know each other, Denise and Marvin fell in love and decided to marry, making Marvin’s daughter (Molly) Kevin’s stepsister. They were married shortly after Season 10.

Personality-wise, Denise is a passionate, flighty, woman with a love for art and architecture. She’s easily distracted and sometimes drops the ball on her parenting duties, but she truly does love her son and wants the best for him. She’s a minor character in Come What May and Along the Cherry Lane.

.

DOLORES-DAY QUINLEY CROCKER

Birthday: October 19th, 1922

Height: 5′1″

Age During Frozen Timestream: 80

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral

MBTI: ENTJ (Turbulent)

Love Language: Quality time

Handedness: Right dominant

Former Occupation: Anything she could find

Bio: Dolores-Day Crocker has never been one to settle. Her interests change by the day and she has a wide variety of skills, but she isn’t very good at any of them. She’s never held a job long, flitting between whatever low-paying positions were available, and her interest in men has been much the same. She never married either father of her children and has been with far more partners than Denzel and Denise know about.

Even when she was steadily dating, she was always seeing one or two men on the side. Her children blame their fathers for walking out of them, completely unaware their mother’s cheating contributed to her relationship problems.

Dolores’s history of cheating can be traced back to the extreme disinterest her own parents showed in her growing up. Raised in a home that placed a lot of attention on self-gratification and very little on intimacy, is it really a surprise that she fell into the same pattern?

The one person Dolores felt close to in the family was her younger brother, Albert; the two grew up in the same house she still lives in now. When they were young, they used to wander town together- especially along the coast. Albert would rummage around for bottles in case one happened to contain a GENIE while Dolores searched the water for evidence of MERMAIDS.

Dolores is a cheerful but extremely restless woman who loves both her children, even if she is chronically disappointed in them both. She can be inattentive one minute, smothering and controlling the next. She longs to see Denzel happily married, even though she’s given up on him bearing children of his own. 

Learning she has a grandson was a delight, and she dotes on Kevin as best as she knows how. After Denise’s marriage to Marvin Oakes brings Molly into the family, Dolores fully embraces her as a granddaughter too.

Mrs. Crocker is a minor character in Come What May and Along the Cherry Lane. She briefly appears in a few 130 Prompts.

Related:

WHAT IS A WITCH?

Officially, a witch is a being with one magical parent and one non-magical one (This excludes nature spirit x mortal combinations since they are known as demigods). Witches themselves are magical beings, and thus can produce more witches. Magic abilities vary between witches according to the race of their magical parent.

As stated above, we will only discuss witches with Fomorian heritage in this post, as we will only see witches with Fomorian heritage in story. 

Fomorian magic is sentient. It thinks, sleeps, has desires, and tries to obtain those desires if given the opportunity. Some people make little distinction between a Fomorian or witch and their magic, believing both to have the same mind- For example, that the user is greedy and constantly takes what it wants, or that the user is essentially a husk, and the magic has taken full control of the former owner’s body.

Magic is most powerful in the Fomorians themselves and is watered down with each successive witch generation. Fomorians vary despite sharing the title Fomorians.

For example, genies obviously wield magic, and always seem to have full control over their powers. However, merfolk don’t seem to have any control over their powers at all; they are simply magical beings who can’t utilize magic, only reap its silent benefits.

CHARACTERISTICS

A magical parent will pass a third sex chromosome onto children they have with a non-magical individual. In humans, this results in magical variations of syndromes very similar to Triple X syndrome for girls (resulting in XXZ sex chromosomes) and Klinefelter syndrome for boys (XYZ sex chromosomes). 

Because of this, witch heritage can only be passed down by the mother, as male witches are always sterile.

While exceptions can occur, these traits tend to be associated with witches:

MALES

- Taller than average for their age

- Reduced testosterone production leading to less facial and body hair, and the development of more feminine physical traits (Breast enlargement, wider hips, etc.)

- Highly youthful and energetic even as they age

- Sterility

- “Witch’s hips” (Pelvic bones similar to snake vertebrae)

- Increased risk of health problems

- Much more likely to have black or blond hair than female witches (Sex-linked coloration, like male orange cats)

- Frequently stereotyped as being overactive, annoying, and not too smart

.

FEMALES

- Shorter than average for their age

- Hands may appear more crooked / gnarled (Think stereotypical witch)

- More reserved and less energetic than male witches

- Early signs of wrinkles and graying hair

- “Witch’s hips” (Pelvic bones similar to snake vertebrae)

- Reduced risk of health problems

- Much more likely to have brown or red hair than male witches (Sex-linked - coloration, like female calico cats)

- Frequently stereotyped as being clever, creative, and not too social

Witchhood is a separate concept from the actual Triple X and Klinefelter syndromes; many of the characteristics overlap, but those syndromes are real and witchhood is entirely a fanmade concept.

THE COLOR ORANGE

Except where merfolk are concerned, orange coloration is rare in the magical world. Finding a naturally orange magic user is like finding a shiny Pokémon. They don’t have any extra special powers. They just look a bit different, and those who are in the know might stop and stare. 

If two orange Fairies or genies had a kid, and you would more likely than not get a baby who would be classified as either yellow or red. It’s not much more likely to breed an orange than it would be to breed two shiny Pokémon and expect another shiny.

As rare as natural orange coloration is in the Fairy and Fomorian populations, it’s even rarer among witches.

TRIBES

In Cloudlands AU, there are seven snake-like magical races, each one tied to one of the seven elements. Because of this, the Fomorians are sometimes called the eelementals.

A true Fomorian appears humanoid from the waist up and snake-like from the waist down in their natural state. Powerful magic allows them to alter their forms temporarily, so they can mimic the reproductive system of another creature (such as an alien or human), and successfully reproduce. 

The seven tribes are as follows:

Succubi - The Love Tribe. Considered very beautiful, although their hands are birds’ claws and their lower halves flow as though made of silky cloth. Basically temptresses akin to sirens. Males are usually known as incubi, but are still considered part of the same race.

Witches of Succubus descent are highly empathetic and in tune with others, and can even read the thoughts of those they bond with, even from far away.

They have an affinity with snowy weather.

The stereotype is that they’re all flirty and highly promiscuous.

.

Genies - The Fire Tribe. The only wish-granters of the lot, and famous for being imprisoned in lamps that only non-magical creatures can release them from. Their lower halves are made of smoke.

Witches of Genie descent have the ability to rapidly create, alter, and destroy matter even on a large scale.

They have an affinity with clear, bright, sunny weather.

The stereotype is that they’re all cunning and claustrophobic.

.

Merfolk - The Water Tribe. This goes without saying. They dwell in oceans across many planets and their lower halves mimic those of fish. People in the magical world debate on whether Marrow are classified as Merfolk.

Witches of Merfolk descent have far-reaching senses that grant them extra awareness of their surroundings from a distance.

They have an affinity with rainy weather.

The stereotype is that they’re all narcissistic and grudge-holding.

.

Pressyne - The Sky Tribe. Technically, “Pressyne” is the name for the wife of King Elynas and the mother of Melusine, a woman of myth whose legs became a snake-like tail every Saturday. In my works, Pressyne are a whole species for worldbuilding purposes. Their tails resemble various types of clouds.

Witches of Pressyne descent have the ability to float.

They have an affinity with stormy weather, particularly when lightning is involved.

The stereotype is that they’re all flighty and ungrounded in reality.

.

Milesians - The Soil Tribe. Their lower halves are made of dirt, rock, sand, and/or clay. Material can vary depending on the planet they reside on.

Witches of Milesian descent have the ability to melt into the background, often becoming entirely invisible.

They have an affinity with hot, dry weather.

The stereotype is that they’re all stubborn and not very sociable.

.

Djanggawul - The Breath Tribe. Life-giving spirits of Australian folklore. Their lower halves appear to be rainbow ribbons.

Witches of Djanggawul descent have powerful dreams, and can even tune into the dreams of others nearby.

They have an affinity with cool, cloudy, fresh weather.

The stereotype is that they’re all overly polite and charitable.

.

Cnemida - The Leaves Tribe. There isn’t an “actual” mythological creature known as a Cnemid. Cnemidophorus is the genus with several asexually-reproducing lizards in it. The Cnemida have lizard-like arms, though the scales can vary from being shoulder-down, elbow-down, or wrist-down depending on the individual. They tend to have grassy, flowery lower halves.

Witches of Cnemid descent tend to be highly spiritual, connecting strongly with nature and animals.

They have an affinity with warm, humid weather.

The stereotype is that they’re all judgmental and ultra-vegan.

CLASSIFICATIONS

Along with being descended from a certain Fomorian tribe, witches differ in the way they express their powers, bringing us to three classifications:

Commensalistic-Class (C-Class) - Witches with magic that can be actively manipulated by its host without much struggle. Most prominent in early-generation witches, since this is how raw Fomorian magic works. The host benefits in this relationship; the magic does not.

Mutualistic-Class (M-Class) - Witches with magic that activates of its own will to manipulate its surroundings, usually to benefit its host (Ex: Host is falling to their death, magic kicks in and helps them survive in one way or another). Most prominent after a few generations. Fomorian magic is so powerful that it seems to have a mind of its own. Both host and magic benefit in this relationship.

Parasitic-Class (P-Class) - Witches with magic that is parasitic and will eventually take control of the body of its host. Most prominent in witches far removed from the original Fomorian ancestor. If you can’t handle all that Fomorian magic, then all that Fomorian magic will handle you. The magic benefits in this relationship; the host does not.

These classifications are not described in my works in detail as they are not particularly relevant to what I write, but a few characters who are in the know occasionally toss around this vocabulary.

KNOWN WITCHES

Alden Bitterroot and the Crocker Family - The Crockers are Pressyne-descended and belong to the Sky tribe. Denzel is an M-Class witch whose powers result in his flailing and floating tics; he can’t control himself there. Kevin is a C-Class witch; his powers are polite and don’t like to bother him... but they don’t really help him, either. 

These powers, being sentient, have their own sleeping schedule. When both Kevin and his powers are awake, he can see “living memories” of people, objects, and animals in places where stinky magic has built up. If his powers are awake while he’s asleep, he might dream about past events he’s never witnessed.

Denzel doesn’t have this ability, as he got the floating. Kevin can jump, but not float; he gets the memory-viewing power instead. Mrs. Crocker can sense the emotions of her loved ones even from afar. Kevin’s mom can move at incredible speeds.

.

Happy Peppy Gary - Gary is Genie-descended and belongs to the Fire Tribe. He is an M-Class witch; he has moderate control over his powers. His powers can get restless at times, but normally he’s able to keep them in line. However, they become very excited around music and tend to cause trouble while in that state- during the song “Get Flappy” from the Musical, he created multiple clones of himself. That’s one of his witch powers.

Gary is the only orange witch documented in fae history, which makes him a (small) celebrity in the cloudlands. He is six generations removed from his genie ancestor, which means his magic is more powerful than Elmer’s and most of the Crockers’. More difficult to control, too. Because of his Genie heritage, Gary also has the ability to temporarily transfer his powers to someone he exchanges body fluids with. In Pink and Gray, H.P. and Sanderson are constantly pushing him to kiss Betty for this reason.

.

Elmer - Elmer is Genie-descended and belongs to the Fire Tribe too. He is a P-Class witch; his magic is parasitic and has taken the form of Bob the boil. The older he gets, the more Elmer wrestles for control of his body with the sentient magic he’s suppressing. All the magic in Elmer’s family is rather primal by nature with little on their minds except overtaking their hosts and living however they please.

Side note - the boils appear due to magical build-up and stress. Elmer’s mom is the witch and she spread magic - i.e. the boil - to her husband by being regularly intimate with him. If she stopped for a long time, his boil would fade because he’s not a magical being and can’t sustain it.

Elmer’s boil appeared at a young age due to stress as he tried and failed to catch Timmy’s attention. That’s my explanation for why he didn’t have it in “It’s a Wishful Life” when Timmy wished he’d never been born (even though I don’t consider that episode canon anyway).

Elmer’s powers are fairly dangerous since Bob actively plots world domination. Elmer has a plot arc in the ‘fic Along the Cherry Lane that focuses on his struggle with Bob as the years go by.

.

Some relatives of the above characters are also witches, but these are our only notable witch characters.