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Topics - Lobelius Taberford

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Elsewhere Accepted / Lobelius Ivening Taberford
« on: 02/01/2014 at 13:31 »

E L S E W H E R E   A D U L T

CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character Name: Lobelius Ivening Taberford
Gender: Male
Age: 43 years strong (and amazingly supple!)
April 18th, 1897 (Aries)


Education: 
1915 - Graduate of Hogwarts, Hufflepuff House
1918 - Diplomate of the Applied Arts of Herbological Study
              Valedictorian of his graduating class
              Honors in Herbs and Proficient in Potions
              Completed with 1 semester abroad in Morocco
1924 - 6 month Field Study in the Amazon Jungle
1932 - 1 year sabbatical in Tibet studying meditation


Residence:
45 Milburn St
Kirkcudbright, Scotland

Family Estate outside Thornhill towards Dumfries, Southwest Scotland


Occupation:
Herbalist

Do you plan to have a connection to a particular existing place (for example: the Ministry, Shrieking Shack) or to take over an existing shop in need of new management?
Lobelius feels a connection to all things, spiritual, physical, visual... but occupation-wise not as of yet.

Requested Magic Levels:
  • Charms: 7
  • Divination: 6
  • Transfiguration: 9
  • Summoning: 10
Do you wish to be approved as a group with any other characters? If so who and for what IC reason?
Unfortunately not applicable.  Give Lobes time, he'll make his own friends!

Please list any other characters you already have at the site:
Leanderaskos, scruffy-haired Hufflepuff

Biography: (300 words minimum.)
August 1935
That was the last of the boxes removed from the fireplace. Though they had been delivered by Floo, somehow one of the corners had gotten singed. Lobelius made sure to avoid the corner as he easily picked up the weighty box to move it into the room. The label on the top read in neat script ‘Sitting Room’. Excellent. Not too far to go, then.

Placing it next to its fellows, the blue-eyed wizard exhaled deeply- it was not a sigh, however, merely a precursor to an even deeper inhale. Now it was time to unpack and get settled. Digging in was always the best part.

Moving into a new place was nothing new to Lobelius. He knew he’d traveled around far too much for his mother’s tastes. But he had made sure to write and communicate through other means as was available. He knew she would be glad his stay in Scotland was now to be for some time. As he had collected the understanding of herbs and the magical elements of nature, he had also been considering the benefits of planting roots of his own. All the same, he wouldn’t have traded any of his experiences the last twenty years for the world. Well, perhaps that one time he’d tried that bowl of goat liver stew, that he probably could have done without.  Low in fat, but as it turns out, also low in digestibility.

Taking a step back and stretching, he looked over the space that was now his in his own Scotland. There was something about the light here, or perhaps the air, that was unlike anywhere else. It felt like home.

A smile widened on his face and he began opening boxes. It was like opening pieces and memories of himself.

Furniture settled invitingly and the light slipping into afternoon, Lobelius filled the last of his bookcases. Perhaps a flick of the wand might have been faster, but there were some things best done by hand. If he had learned anything in his time in Tibet, it was that process was often just as important as product.

Though he’d left the kitchen largely packed outside of his tea pot, the sitting room was now mostly settled. A lone box remained. Kicknacks, odd ends, the things that made a place his own.

Cup of tea steaming coziness in his hand, Lobelius took a meditative sip before setting the cup on its saucer and placing it on a serviceable side table. With his foot he shifted the potted polypody his sister had given him as he’d left. The note she'd attached still there. Whatever they said about elder siblings being unpleasant had never met the eldest Taberford heir. Sweet in temper and sharp as a tack, the two siblings had nothing but affection and admiration between them. The plant’s ferned leaves, brushed is neighboring flitterbloom, whose flickering vines reached out in tentative acknowledgment. Again, he smiled. It was important that his house plants all got along. It was better energy for the house. 

It was something he had noticed when he'd gotten his first Fanged Geranium while at Hogwarts, that it bit people less after he'd placed it next to his planter of flowering Germander. It had probably been seeing a better example for its snippy neighbor. His dormmates hadn't been so convinced. This thought had only cemented in his studies after Hogwarts and in this dissertation work with Mandrakes.

Fond memories and formative years.  Even now, every sip of black tea he drank took him back to the late nights studying, pouring over notes and devising mnemonics. He ran a thumb over a scar on his third finger where he’d been bitten by a cobra lily. His lab partner has laughed quite a bit at that one. He chuckled now at the memory as he unrolled the certificate he’d earned at the completion of those three years of dedicated study and postgraduate practice. The parchment still felt fresh to his touch and the embossed letters and formal script  were as crisp as the day they were bestowed. Amazing how even seventeen years could be traversed in a blink of an eye.  He wished he’d taken more photos.

His stay in Tibet, however, had more than made up as far as pictures were concerned. From his year sabbatical, he’d gotten snaps of the monks, the temple, the hills and mountains the surrounded them. In one particularly inspiring photograph, wisps of cloud rolled over the mountains, catching the rising sun as they flooded the valley. Being at the temple, it had been easy to feel the breath of the mountains, and to really see the world as a living thing in its entirety. Several weeks he had spent just learning again how to breathe the thin, refreshing air, let the vibrations of the winds and the mediation chants ennervate his lungs and grow his inner positive energy. Now he felt more in tune with the magic and the pulse of his body.  He had gotten more in tune with his chanting voice as well. What a truly worthwhile trip!

The photos he placed on the side table next to the set of arm chairs in front of the fireplace.  They we memories still close to his heart, like so many other moments he treasured.  The scroll of his favorite chant however he placed over the doorway like a blessing, much life the one that graced the modest foyer of the family estate near Thornhill.   Though he'd just left it only this morning, being back had awoken a deeper longing for home than even he realized he'd had.  But with his sister confined for the remainder of her delicate situation, having a home of his own seemed expedient. At least he was still back in Scotland. It wasn't quote lonely, afterall he always had himself and the opportunity for more friends he just hadn't met, but the new house would need time to feel really lived in.  He ought to host a dinner party. 

After his own, more palatable recipe for goat liver stew, and perhaps a braving cabbage and chickpea slaw he'd grown quote fond of, they could all take tea in this very room, perhaps admire the rug he'd purchased in the out of the way shop in Morocco.  Either way, he would have plenty of stories of travel to share in exchange for those of home and friends and family.

Perhaps he ought to unpack the kitchen next.


Roleplay: 
You come across one of these posts on the site. Please select one & reply as your character:
Option Two -
The snow had been falling steadily all morning and it didn't look like it was going to stop any time soon. Joshua Campbell scrunched his face up in a frown as he lifted his gaze to look to the sky. Snow. It really was quite a bother.

And it certainly didn't make it better that Diagon Alley seemed to be getting more and more crowded. Joshua sighed and pointed his wand at the large box that was currently placed on the doorstep of his shop. He had to get going. He had an order to deliver.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" The elderly man muttered and watched the box hover in the air for a moment. Honestly, did St. Mungo's really need that much tinsel? And with glitter of all things? He sighed again. If it hadn't been for the rather convincing stamp on the order, he would have been likely to believe it had been a prank by one of those orphaned rascals living up there. 

Oh well, there was no point in waiting. Joshua deftly stirred the box down the doorstep and out onto the street, carefully levitating it above the heads of the crowd.

"Coming through! Coming through!" His voice sounded over the chatter of the crowd. "Keep out! Move ahead! Go on!" This was going way too slow. People were in the way and walking like they had all day! He huffed. Luckily the road was down hill.

"Coming through! Coming th--- arrrgh!" Joshua let out a loud shout as his feet suddenly slipped in the snow and sent him, the box, and several long strands of tinsel tumbling into the person who had been walking in front of him.

"For Merlin's sake!" Joshua muttered angrily as he hurried to his feet again, red and gold tinsel now decorating his black coat. "I am so sorry! This blasted snow!" He looked apologetic at the person he had crashed into.

Roleplay Response:
Sometimes there was nothing like the bustle of the city to raise one's own energy.  Everyone with errands and appointments and visits to be made.  A slow day would be a sad day in Diagon Alley.

But that was not the day Lobelius found it this particularly frosty morning.  Though the winds nipped at noses, wizards and witches still found plenty to coax out of doors and into streets and shops.  He himself had just paid visit to his favorite herb shop in the district to select the ingredients for a new brew he had been concocting, meant to help clear the mind and also soothe worn throats. Perfect for the mediation course he planned to begin.

A neat but tightly bundled parcel tucked under his arm, Lobelius made his way up one of the Alley's many twisted streets, careful of the ice patches still unbroken by foot traffic.  Had his hands not been full, he might have stopped and helped melt some of it but he couldn't set his packages on the ground in car the dried herbs might get damp and become ruined.  But he wouldn't have to be dodging ice for long, soon he would be at the Floo station and then in his sitting room ready to brew.

Just as he turned with a smile to say hello to an acquainted shopkeep,  when he became suddenly showered in holiday tinsel. The bemusedly puzzled look that turned towards the sky was brief as he was soon collided with the tinsel's apparent source.  Reflexes sprung an arm to help the boy remain upright should his foorting still be unsteady.

"Merlin, what a special way to spread cheer this season! Very creative! A parade of one? How festive!" Lobelius smiled in obvious approval.

When the boy apologized, Lobelius chuckled, "Yes, the streets are quite covered, I was just thinking if only I could help remove some of it on my way to the Floo, but my hands being full, you see--" However, his hands were somehow now empty, as if in the tinsel his parcel had disappeared. It hadn't, of course, merely dropped.

Seeing this, Lobelius merely exclaimed, "Oh!" and flicked his wand to retrieve it.

But it was too late, the bottom looked well on its way to being soggy. 

"Well it seems both our packages have gone asunder! Would you like any help collecting yours before I head back to Preservus Herbulus? I'll be needing yo replace my stores, and this way I can ask Madame Jenkins how she keeps her derigible plums in such order, which I plum forgot!"


OTHER
How did you find us? With the power of hopes and dreams.

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Archived Applications / Lobelius Taberford - Herbology
« on: 08/12/2013 at 00:47 »


CHARACTER INFORMATION
Character name: Lobelius Ivening Taberford

Previous and/or Current Character(s) if applicable: Leander Laskos

Character age:
43 years strong (and amazingly supple!)
April 18th, 1897 (Aries)

Character education:
1915 - Graduate of Hogwarts, Hufflepuff House
1918 - Diplomate of the Applied Arts of Herbological Study
              Valedictorian of his graduating class
              Honors in Herbs and Proficient in Potions
              Completed with 1 semester abroad in Morocco
1924 - 6 month Field Study in the Amazon Jungle
1932 - 1 year sabbatical in Tibet studying meditation


Strength and weaknesses (details please):
No one is perfect, but objectively, Lobelius comes pretty close. Driven, determined, and dedicated with a high ethical code, Lobelius does not give in easily and accomplishes what he sets his mind to do. Though he has a high standard for himself and does hope to encourage the best in everyone, Lobelius appreciates everyone efforts and sees them for their best self.

He’s always quite honest with his feelings, but generally those he acts on are only those which are positive. He’ll readily give you his opinion if you ask it, even if all he has to say is that you’re a terrible person.

The strength of his pulse could rival a hippogriff’s. Because of all the running. He does a lot. Also badminton.

In general, his spirit is indomitable. Even after disappointment, Lobelius always believes in ‘better next time!’ Complete failure he is unused to, and therefore if it should happen (he does not remember the last time he really failed something) it might come as a shock. Whether it would threaten to debilitate his spirit remains to be seen.
As if in conjunction with his loftier goals, sometimes others may find Lobelius a little aloof. In general, he is aware of social boundaries and proper behavior, but occasionally his enthusiasm will take him a little too far.

Physical description:
Witches over the years have found a lot to admire in Lobelius. Who could resist noticing the tall, active  physique of an athlete, the perpetually ready smile of sales wizard, and thick lashes framing blue-grey eyes? Though the smile may crinkle a few lines at the corner of his eyes, a high intake of vitamin A and regular use of flaxseed oil and witch hazel to maintain a glowing, soft, and youthful complexion. He has a great cream for that. He’ll share the recipe, if you’d like!

Personality:
Yes, there is a potion for Lobelius’ kind of happiness. But that’s not to say he needs it.
An endlessly enthusiastic whirlwind of positivity, Lobelius may come off as a joke to some, but he is very serious-- just with a smile! He really is that happy. About everything.

Literally.

Over the course of his young adulthood, Lobelius became an increasing devotee to whole, holistic health-- mind, body, spirit, and magic. It is that philosophy that is ingrained in every routine run, swallowed supplement,  and murmured meditation.  Encouragement and enthusiasm are the hallmarks of his interactions with not only the world around him but the people as well. When not inviting others to joining him for his light morning marathon or the a cup of an oddly foggy brew, Lobelius is alway ready to offer sincerely grandiloquent congratulations and animated recognition for every effort (or even appearance of effort). Though his accomplishments tend be taken to a certain extreme, in others, Lobelius earnestly believes there is no achievement too small to be acknowledged.

He sees potential in everybody, everyday.

Hopes and dreams. Why are you teaching at Hogwarts?:
Why am I seeking a position here at Hogwarts? Because Hogwarts is a good school, with good people, and surrounding myself with good, positive energy is one of the secrets to my health and uncannily youthful appearance.

I have always enjoyed helping others. I believe that by helping others, the one you really help-- is yourself. And them. It's win, win!

As professor, I believe positive thinking, encouragement, and a thoroughly whitened smile are the three tools I bring to this prestigious scholastic institution. Hogwarts has the crucial commission in guiding and informing our wizarding youth to become responsible, robust, and slightly older youth. This is a responsibility I readily adopt and relish the opportunity to put into practice!

 I also possess exquisitely neat penmanship. Legibility is a keystone to the learning curve-- the prestigious arch that buttresses the foundations of this exemplary school!


Biography:
A letter written to his Head of House
Dear Professor,

Thank you for seven fantastic years of educational guidance! I've learned so much! Your tutelage, wealth of knowledge, and reprimanding looks have been invaluable! It is astounding how fast seven years go! But I could spend seven more years, and seven years after that just to enjoy office hours and Hogwarts. But that sounds silly. Perhaps only another seven then.

Who am I kidding? Eight.

And! In order to convey my appreciation for all the knowledge you've imparted, I've inclosed a particuarly favorite tea of mine. I particularly recommend the linden, clove, and valerian blend.  It's for relaxation! I drink three cups every morning when I find myself too excited to begin the day! Incidentally, that is every day!

Isn't there nothing so magical as a cup of tea, Professor?

Of course that's not true! I've learned lots of magical things while here at Hogwarts! I was speaking merely metaphorically, I'm sure you'd guessed!

But tea is still pretty phenomenal, though.

Speaking of learning, remember that lesson you gave in the Forbidden Forest? Still fascinating! Though, I enjoyed all your lessons, of course, Professor. In fact, I thiknk I still have my essay from that class! It was a very good essay-- you said it yourself, when I asked you that one time during office hours. Do you remember?

Let me know if you'd ever like any more recommendations on tea!

Gratitude and regards,

Lobelius I. Taberford

P.S.  The essay was on centaurs. I'll send you a second copy.

--

A letter home from Morocco
I am learning so much abroad! Did you know that in Morocco they wear a robes called kaftans? I have thirteen pairs. If you send me your sizes I can have a few delivered by post!

It is also quite warm here. I have to hydrate, a lot. Good thing tea is very popular here! And so many varieties! Here are some of the ones I try to drink regularly:
wormwood, sage, pau d’arco -- bitter- but beneficial!
mistletoe, oakmoss, elecampane, rue -- absolutely awful, but still  made my mouth feel like airplanes!
mullein, calendula, comfrey -- my intestinal tract is completely cleansed!
mint tea -- fascinating!

I’ve included samples of each.

Rode a camel last week. Amazing creature!. It licked my hair! Picture is enclosed.

Hope you are all doing well! Try the teas!

Lobelius

--

An Introduction to his graduating thesis
Mandrake Meditation: The Power of Inner Peace in Application to the Care and Culture of a Particularly Particular Plant.

How the meditative chanting and moderated aeration of soil can soothe and supplement a growing mandrake plant. Three key developmental stages where the meditative application can be most beneficial:
1. Just before repotting, the efficacy of practice in order to prevent those effects which make the cultivation of mandrake roots incidentally hazardous.
2. To be used in combination with regular aerations of the soil as the plant nears and enters adolescence in order to produce a less fussy specimen.
3. When preparing the specimen for harvesting, by now the practice ought to be dogmatic in soothing the plant and if successfully done, thereby make the plant easier to remove with less incidence of death, and increased likelihood of merely madness or coma.

--

A partial draft of his Valedictorian Speech
Standing here in front of you all, I’m honored. Each wizard (and witch!) here are all so talented. And most of all, great! I would like to acknowledge that thanks to all of you and our fantastic faculty, that I made it here on this podium. It wasall of your hard work which helped to fuel my hard work, fueled by all of that holistic herbal energy into academic application and achievement! Now that’s what I call a super perpetuating brew! Am I right?

I’d like us to take the wizard’s (or witch’s!) hand next to you and all together congratulate the graduating class and all our esteemed fellow colleagues as we pro-’seed’ after our graduation I offer the following advice: Always hedge your bets. When in doubt return to your roots. And don’t let any bumps in the road you may encounter soil your day. And remember there is always another season.

--

A Entry from his Sabbatical Journal
At first I had hard time getting past my robes. Orange can be quite an invigorating color! Very spiritual here. Great energy. Not so great for clearing one’s mind, it turns out.

After five hours I finally found my breath. I didn’t even knew I’d lost it!

My body has felt so stiff yet so limber, all at the same time!

Inspiring! Or should I say, 'respiring'?



SAMPLE ROLEPLAY
Roleplay Response:

Lobelius smiled brightly. Being back on Hogwarts ground was a lot like coming home. He'd had a lot of homes since his graduation, several in far reaches of the world. But Scotland would always be his true home. His Nirvana manifest on earth.


He had just been about to go into the new fascinating method of coaxing the most pus from bubotubers, when the Lake began to stir. Stopping mid breath, he looked in the direction of the swirling waters. The anticipation of its source adding to his already heightened excitement levels. He ought to have drank more tea.

Perhaps he'd have to invite the Headmistress to a cup or two after their walk of the grounds. He always kept a few packets in his pocket, just in case.

Ah, the squid. A terrifying beast, to be sure! Perhaps there was something it was allergic to, growing in the Lake. He'd have to scour the murky waters if he got the opportunity.

Making the Lake into a tea crossed his mind, but he reconsidered when he thought of the merpeople. Also it might just clear out his tea store. Nearly.

When the Headmistress offered his assistance, he cocked his head with an eager smile and stepped closer towards the edge of the water. Another great tentacle rose from the water and splattered another arch of water on the muddy ground. Straightening his sleeves, his grin only widened.

"Well, we could try something I've learned in Tibet, as I told you I was there for over a year, learning the most fascinating things! In addition to proper posture while sitting for hours, and breathing techniques, I've also memorized a selection of chants that can help clear blockages of both body and mind! Shall I try?"

"Of course, this works better as a choir--" he looked inquisitively at the Headmistress and her deputy, "Either of you don't happen to know the Metta Sutta, do you?"

"No?" He smiled still, and inhaling, directed his attention the fussing squid who was disturbing the otherwise placid lake. He would return it to peace shortly. Or rather, sooner than later, at least. The chant cycle could last around two hours if done properly.

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