( application | penance )

[arhivista]

OOC Info
Name: Kerry
Age: 30
Contact: pm
Current Characters:

IC Info

Name: Zelda Schiff
Canon: The Magicians
Age: Appears 30s, actually way older
Appearance: link
Canon Point: 513 Fillory and Further
Background: link

Little is known of Zelda's life before she meets the students of Brakebills who cause not only chaos but also help to save the world. Multiple times. Her mother was a hedge witch (someone with magical talent but no formal training) who died when Zelda was 10. From here it's unknown whether she was taken in or lived on the streets, though at some point in the intervening years she ended up getting into drugs and spending a few years in the Etheric Realm (which requires taking drugs to access). Zelda, slowly straightening herself out (hating herself less), was kicked out of the Etheric Realm, living on the streets before being found Everett Rowe, a Librarian who would later become her mentor. After finding her and saving her he took her to the Neitherlands, a place where time passes very slowly, keeping her safe, training her and later employing her as a Librarian in the Library.

Zelda has been an employee of the Library of the Neitherlands for years, how long is unknown though considering that time passes slower in the Neitherlands than on Earth it has an impact. She worked hard, becoming a trusted member of the Order of the Library of the Neitherlands, working her way up to Head Librarian status where she remained until 2018. Zelda truly believed in the Library, in preserving the knowledge stored of many worlds and protecting those worlds by the portals (fountains) that travelled between worlds including to Earth and Fillory. After Martin Chatwin became power-hungry and dangerous, Zelda permanently froze all of the fountains to prevent access between the worlds, to prevent him.

Somewhere along the way Zelda also had a daughter, Harriet, who she raised in the Neitherlands. Though Zelda had always wanted to keep Harriet safe, possessing knowledge of the future and the dangers to come gained from the books within the Library, Harriet was never truly happy there, bored of simply reading about other worlds in the Library and wanting to explore them herself. Eventually, after many years, Zelda allowed Harriet to study at Brakebills Academy (a school for Magicians), even though that meant that being on Earth would cause her to age normally. Her daughter's happiness was more important however, so Zelda let her explore her own life rather than solely working for the Library as she had been. Though Harriet returned to visit her mother their relationship became strained, with Harriet sharing knowledge and magic to those outside of the Academy (and making questionable friends), an act that Zelda was afraid could cause some of the danger that she knew would come. Harriet disagreed with this and walked away from the Library, continuing her life outside of the Neitherlands, not seeing her mother again until crossing into it in 2018 to help Alice, Quentin and the gang with their mission.

Zelda would run into Quentin and the gang many times over the recent years, mostly through Penny, a traveller who first met Zelda when he accidentally found the Library when needing to hide in the Neitherlands, someone that she would later recruit to the Library in exchange for helping him with magic. Though that was something that wouldn't last forever, not after he broke into the Poison Room, ended up poisoned and died.

Whilst Zelda truly believes in the Library and in what she does, keeping the world safe from dangerous knowledge, Zelda became wary of what was happening after two things occurred: magic was lost from the world and her daughter "died". After magic was turned off due to a god being killed, the Library was thrown into chaos, with the Order doing exactly what it could to keep running, to obtain magic and to continue with their ideals. Whilst the way that they operated was not the kindest those were not decisions that Zelda herself made and she trusted her superiors, if naively. It was only after her daughter was lost into the mirror realm, presumed dead, that Zelda started to waver from her beliefs, troubled by her grief.

Magic did eventually return to the world, with the Library taking charge of its dispensement, however there were problems: magic was limited, hedge witches were being hurt and something more dangerous was loose. Again. Though it was the Library that was behind the attacks on the hedge witches (her boss secretly doing so), Zelda was actively against hunting rogue hedge witches down due to the fact that her mother had been a hedge witch, finding it disturbing that her mentor would have done such a thing. Whilst Quentin and co were initially at odds with the Library, particularly with Alice wanted by them, Zelda struck a deal with them for their help -- protect them, give them something in order to obtain Alice's help in saving her daughter from the mirror realm. They were successful, with Harriet and Zelda starting to repair their relationship, and Zelda remained (slightly) in contact with the group, helping them uncover information on her mentor and realising for herself that what they were telling her was true, helping them to stop him (and the monster on the loose).

After what her mentor had done the Library was left without anyone to run it, though despite being Head Librarian Zelda realised that this wasn't a job she could do any longer. Although she remained affiliated with the Library, she attempted to recruit Alice Quinn (one of Quentin's friends) to run the Library in her place, knowing of her love for knowledge. With magic once again threatened, the gang turned again to the Library to attempt to try and find the information that they needed. With Alice in the Library, she was saved by Zelda after barbarians attempted to steal the Books of Everyone. Though the two attempted to flee, Zelda trying to convince Alice to leave, they tried to protect the Library despite it being futile. Eventually, knowing that the books couldn't be saved, that she would die if she remained there, Zelda faced off with the invaders, burning everything in the Library to protect the knowledge, being pulled out just in time by Alice. Despite the books being lost, Zelda confessed that she had read the books that they needed and had the knowledge to help their problem, freely offering it to protect magic.

After helping the gang with the convergence, Zelda (along with Harriet) began working on rebuilding the Library and even (with Harriet's persuasion) opened it up to hedges after they had been saved from a darker fate, grateful to Zelda and wanting to do something to help. Though she had a task her knowledge was needed again after the gang needed to obtain the Seed in order to be able to (again) save the world. Against her typical nature, Zelda provided them with information that helped them be able to conduct a heist to steal it from the Couple. Although they managed to rescue the Seed that was not the only threat in play, with Martin Chatwin (the Beast) having found a way back from the dead. With the group split in two, Zelda helped them to fend off Martin, buying the group time whilst she cast the permafrost spell to once again seal all of the portals. After Martin realised what she had done he killed her, something that Zelda had gone into the confrontation knowing would happen. Because after all, for a Librarian death is merely a transfer to another branch, something she expected and accepted, able to continue her work in the Underworld.

CRAU:

Personality:

Zelda is a headstrong woman, though whilst she has strong beliefs and can be particularly stubborn she isn't loud or vocal about it. Zelda is someone who knows her own mind and strength, someone that has taken a long path to crafting who she is and is very careful about that. Her stubbornness comes in an unwillingness to relent or submit when she firmly believes that she is right, whether that is with her daughter or someone affiliated with the Library. Even when she is firm in her manner she has a softer tone to her speech, calm and collected but with an edge that tells you that she won't give in.

Her calmness also leaves her very level headed. Zelda isn't particularly emotional, at least not publicly so. Zelda keeps her stronger emotions for when she's alone, such as her grief over losing Harriet or many of the decisions in her past. Whilst Zelda is typically calm and level headed, she doesn't have the best poker face, with her feelings sitting in her expression. Typically, this extends to when she's confused, disturbed or perplexed by something, though she's also very happy to verbally elaborate on those feelings when asked. Something more privately emotional would be brushed off. In terms of her calm demeanour, some of it can be seen as being particularly closed off, particularly in regards to her feelings or who she is as a person (incredibly private) but some of this is from wanting to be relaxed, from not being stressed by her surroundings and typically enjoying life. Considering her troubling beginnings in life she's worked a long way to be as zen as she is.

Zelda also prefers things to be calmer in her environment, preferring things to be ordered and a little linear rather than chaotic. As a Librarian, Zelda has strict beliefs over the protection of knowledge and information and refuses to be flexible on that even for her daughter, someone that does enjoy a little more chaos and flexibility in her life, that lives rather than experiences things secondhand as Zelda does. When Penny and the group come to the Library, Zelda is very quick and firm in laying down the ground rules for their presence there, just as quick to banish them away the second someone steps a toe out of line.

Whilst Zelda is firm in her beliefs she is also not above being able to admit when she's wrong. She is not someone that is particularly prideful, is quite humble about herself and what she is able to do (knowledge-wise and magic-wise), someone still in awe of the world around her despite how long she's lived in it. Zelda is someone that has spent her life in search of knowledge, reading and practising, learning all that she can. Knowledge is the one thing that Zelda has complete faith and pride in, something that cannot lie or deceive (perhaps also showing a lack of trust in most people). As such, Zelda puts knowledge above most other things in life.

As well as being protective over knowledge, Zelda is protective over the people around her. She doesn't take just anyone under her wing but if you do capture her attention in some way you have a good mentor figure by your side, someone that can not only impart wise words of wisdom but would be willing to help out when you're in trouble. Zelda is someone that is quite caring and has a desire to help even if she herself can be a little misunderstood or judged because of where she works. One key thing that gets Zelda to help with a cause is knowing that it will do good, that it will help or protect people, that it is the right thing to do. She has a good heart really, though has sadly been manipulated into a worse position for the majority of her life.

Whilst Zelda is kind and curious she is also a little out of touch with life. After having lived the majority of her life in the Library, a realm where time moves very slowly, it means that she is far older than she actually appears, and thus born in a very different world to what exists today. Aside from how old she is, due to the fact that she has spent most of her life alone (either in the Library, living on the streets after being orphaned or... elsewhere), Zelda has been relatively isolated with only books and the wonderful stories that she's read as her company. As such, around other people whilst she is kind it can be more difficult for her to relate to them, let her guard down or to establish a good relationship. After leaving the Library when she discovered that her mentor had betrayed and manipulated her, Kady attempted to convince Zelda to help her with something, though not having spent any extended time on Earth for a very long time meant that Zelda felt as if she wouldn't be very helpful to Kady, likely anxious at the prospect of it, a world so different from the peace and calm that she knew.

In the right circumstances, Zelda can also be particularly fierce. Some of this stems from her protective and nurturing nature, some of it from the fact that she isn't as meek as the appearance she gives off. Whilst Zelda physically holds herself in a dainty manner, polite and proper in speech, this serves to allow others to underestimate her gifts and who she is, letting herself be overlooked and unnoticed, preferring to hide in the background. Whilst this serves her well, when Zelda feels strongly about something she breaks that appearance, showing that she is powerful and intimidating in her own right. After knowledge was threatened to be used for ill-means, with the Books of Everyone in danger, rather than let those books be taken and used Zelda decided to burn them all for everybody's protection from that knowledge, rather snarkily retorting that she hoped the villains could speed read seconds before she set them alight with a rapid spell. Zelda was also more than willing to stand her ground against Martin Chatwin, not blinking in fear at him despite his power and knowing that facing him would mean her death, that although she intended to delay him that he was more than capable of still killing her despite her own talents. Zelda can see the bigger picture of something and would never put herself before it.

Weaknesses/Temptations:

Zelda is a massive book nerd. Whilst knowledge alone wouldn't be able to pull her in a specific direction, if it was knowledge that was needed (such as for being able to save someone or solve a situation) it could pull her off the path. Zelda is also very protective of knowledge, such as setting fire to the Library to prevent the knowledge from being stolen and used for ill purposes.

Zelda can also be caught up by wanting to do the right thing or what she believes is the right thing. Her ideals are very important to her and if Zelda believes (or is swayed to believe) that something is right she will firmly hold to it, even if actually what she's doing is awful (as most of her Library work kind of has been). Whilst she is strong of mind she's not unable to be manipulated to working for the wrong side.

Her daughter, Harriet, is also a big thing for her. Whether this is Harriet being physically present or the idea of her threatened, Zelda would go to bat for her. Her daughter is the most precious thing to her and she would not allow her to be harmed and could be swayed to save her.

Sins:

01. complicit in the restrictions of magical power
02. complicit in the murder of others ( hedge witches, librarians, penny )
03. complicit in her daughter being trapped in the mirror realm
04. substance abuse ( drugs )
05. theft
06. breaking and entering
07. manipulation
08. destruction of property
09. arson
10. lying
11. betrayal
12. plotting against others
13. letting down the people she cares about ( especially harriet )
14. purposely hiding helpful information
15. having sex out of wedlock
16. wilful endangerment of self
17. hubris

Powers/Abilities:

MAGICIAN. Zelda is a natural magic user, someone that is highly skilled both by her many years of study and her formal training by the Order of the Library of the Neitherlands. As such, Zelda is a Master Magician, though she very rarely uses (or shows off) her gifts, with others instead underestimating her skill. Whilst her discipline is never explained, due to being a Master Magician (and well-read from her time within the Library), Zelda possesses a great deal of knowledge, spells and talent. Her magic is strong and she is able to affect much more than the average magician, for example being able to burn every book in a section of the Library with one spell or permanently freezing every fountain (portal) to prevent their use.

Spells in their world are cast by making tuts -- specific hand or finger gestures that can range from the simple to the complex depending on the complexity of the spell. For Master Magician's this requires much less effort than an ordinary Magician, where another Magician may require cooperative magic to have enough power Master Magicians can power the spell alone. Whilst highly powerful, she is not the most powerful being to exist (gods and those gifted with god-power are more powerful) and she is still susceptible to the effects of magic and spells being cast upon her, or things that would dampen or prevent her from being able to cast.

As Zelda isn't very showy about her magic, reserved in character and trust, she wouldn't be using her magic in ordinary situations in-game. Anything potentially game-breaking will fail (such as creating a portal) and ordinary spells could also potentially fail (specific circumstances are required to cast -- the moon, timing, emotions, anything can throw it off), something that whilst it wouldn't happen in canon (due to her mastery in craft) can happen in game because hijinks are fun. There'll also be a permissions post for her magic and nothing will be done to another character without prior discussion.

SPEED READING. Part of being a master magician and librarian is being able to speed read -- magically. Zelda's able to consume the contents of a book by literally flicking through the book, parsing the text incredibly quickly. She also has a fantastic memory for being able to store the information that she's read (and she's read a LOT of books).

LANGUAGES. All magicians learn a myriad of languages for needing to cast and translate spells and texts. With the sheer number of books that Zelda has read and her knowledge from her decades within the library, Zelda knows an ungodly number of languages. It's unstated what they are but you can count on her obscure librarian knowledge. She is also fluent in American Sign Language due to her daughter, Harriet, being deaf.

Items:

-- her librarian key
-- her pipe

SAMPLES

Network: link
Log: link