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Reply { Halloween Subspace } --- Quests and character approval
[Q] Winston -- GHOST DOG [READY] [crits pls?]

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staticSLEEPER

Dapper Citizen

PostPosted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:58 pm


WELCOME
A QUEST FOR A GHOST DOG


This thread is a quest for Winston Alabaster
____________________________________________

This is totally open for critique.
And and all you could give me would
be amazing. It's very rough and I'm
horrible at these, so anything to help
make Winston a better character is
appreciated.


NAVIGATION
o1. welcome
o2. enrollment form
03. appearance and refs
04. other/quirks
05. crits
06. reserved
PostPosted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:11 pm


[AMITYVILLE ACADEMY ENROLLMENT FORM]
WINSTON ALABASTER



XXXXXNAME
Winston Alabaster
Cause, while stated multiple times, it's a required category.


XXXXXNICKNAMES
N/A?
(I'm sure someone will think of something,
and he'll still faithfully answer.)


XXXXXGENDER
Male.

XXXXXAGE
16-17-ish by his looks.

XXXXXFACTION/RACE
Ghost // Cwn Anwwfn

XXXXXPERSONALITY
Winston is basically a puppy in a teenager's body. Literally and figuratively. He's excitable, easy to "train" if you have enough candy in your pocket, and loyal to a fault. Now most would think the excitable bit means he's hyperactive or has a poor attention span or runs from one thing to the next rather quickly. They would be wrong. He can actually focus on one thing for an almost embarrassingly long amount of time. (You have given a dog a bone before haven't you?) He's just happy about things very quickly. Tell him it's time for a field trip and he's already thrilled about it before you even finish saying "trip." It's the same with most things. He's easily made happy, and quick to smile. It's almost infectious really. Then again, the sharp dog-teeth he tends to show off with his toothy, honest smiles, can often put people off if they don't catch his tail wagging. Some can find this happy/excited energy grating over time, as he doesn't yet notice when he's over-doing it. On the rare occasions that he does notice he tries to reign himself in, but it's a hard thing to wipe the smile off his face.

One of the biggest flaws of his is that he's basically a doormat if you take the time. Now he isn't completely dog-like. Just because you say "Sit. Good boy!" and the ruffle his ears doesn't mean he's going to do it, or not bite your hands off. Though it is possible to trick him into doing tasks for you with enough of an apparent reward. He'll probably do your homework for you if you say you have "super special awesome" candy and then just give him a handful of colorfully wrapped treats afterward. This is probably just from lacking that ability most people have of being able to tell when people are lying. And also liking candy. If you're telling a lie about something he has no knowledge of, chances are pretty high he'll believe you until he finds out otherwise. You can't trick him into anything, like the sky is purple and rocks are chocolates, but lying about taking his pencil if he didn't actually see you, and other such things that he hasn't seen, or heard about, are easier to fool him with.

Like any dog he is also loyal once he makes friends. He's "wary" enough of strangers not to loan them things or tell his life story, but he isn't unfriendly. He's just testing the water. Make a true friend out of him though and you've got one for life. A good friend too. He'll help you out of a jam, he's always good to talk to, even if he doesn't have answers, doesn't everyone feel better after venting at a giant ghost dog that is more than willing to set his face on your knee like dog's are prone to do in an attempt to make you feel better. On that note, he is also a huger. He isn't about to force anyone into hugs, but he will totally roll over for tummy scritches. (When in ghost-dog form. It would just be strange to get tummy rubs in human form.) He's used to sleeping a large puppy pile in his youth, so it isn't unusual to have him nap with his head in a willing participant's lap.

He isn't territorial, but about the only thing that can get much of a rise out of him is someone touching his things, or going through his stuff without permission. You can totally pick up a pencil to write something down in his room, but don't expect to walk out with that pencil, or just take books off his shelf without asking. He has a bad habit of hiding things he values, much like a dog hides a bone. Only instead of digging a hole to put stuff in, it's more like putting stuff in little boxes in the back of his closet, or hiding money in his shoes.


XXXXXWHY DID THEY ENROLL AT THE ACADEMY
Winston enrolled mostly to make his mother proud. Being the runt of his litter he wasn't exactly the "most skilled" at haunting the English countryside. Or at least that's the nice way of putting it. So he was shipped to Halloween in order to learn to use his fear, and to be a better ghost dog.

XXXXXFEAR
FRIGHT HOWL
----Usually used while in true-ghost-dog form, but he can manage it in human form if he really needs too. Using FEAR Winston lets out a not-quite-deafening but equally bone-chilling howl. The howl usually frightens his targets, or surrounding targets ((Almost like an "area of effect" spell, but not as useful if it isn't really aimed at anyone in particular)) into a brief paralysis. It's good for stunning a target to get in a good rush attack, or to make a hasty retreat.
----In Pokemon terms, it causes the target to "flinch" for a turn, letting Winston get in a quick, but usually not very effective attack, or for him to make a clean escape.
----At his current level of control that paralysis doesn't last too long, and the victims aren't completely immobilized. They could still roll out of the way of an attack should they chose. It does prevent them from launching a full counter-attack though while the skill is in effect. Should it break while Winston is getting in close, they could easily catch him off guard.

staticSLEEPER

Dapper Citizen


staticSLEEPER

Dapper Citizen

PostPosted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:17 pm


User Image - Blocked by "Display Image" Settings. Click to show.
[PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION]
FABULOUS BOOTS INCLUDED



XXXXXHAIR COLOUR/STYLE
White and smokey. Literally. Hair is often in motion and floating off into whispy smoke. Kept short and unevenly cut. Hair on the back of his neck and on his ears is actually stable, and pretty soft thanks to good hygiene. His tail is mostly made of white or pale gray smoke, so it's hard to actually "touch it" to get a feel for length of hair or actual length of the tail bone.

XXXXXSKIN COLOUR
While his skin is literally WHITE, this doesn't mean he is albino or "dead." He blushes red, some areas where blood is close to the skin (portions of the face, various "adult" regions, sometimes his elbows and knees, often his knuckles or fingertips, are still slightly pink

XXXXXCLOTHING STYLE/COLOURS
Stylish and rather fabulous. Usually with layers, always with a vest and pointed-toe boots.Likes to accessorize with necklaces, collars, rings, etc. Enjoys large scarves and heavy coats in winter. Never wears hats or eye-wear simply due to it annoying him. Likes large belt buckles and most pants tend to be ripped up in various ways simply due to use, not as a fashion statement. Likes dark, rich colors. Blacks and dark grays or also worn, but he would prefer rich browns, reds, some golds, etc.

XXXXXEXTRA
His "true form" is that of a large white hound with red tipped ears, much like any other of his kind. He is actually based on an "Irish Deerhound" as far as base looks and size go. Despite this though, his ears are actually pointed, much like they are in human form. This is simply a birth abnormality, not anyone cropping his ears. Despite being classified as a ghost and with parts of him missing off, he is actually pretty solid were you to run into him or try and pet him. He isn't the warmest body ever, but he does give off enough heat to warrant a cuddle in cold weather. One would speculate the misting is simply his specific breed of Cwn Anwwn's way of blending into the foggy British moors

XXXXXREFERENCES
WINTER REFERENCE
GHOST DOG
PostPosted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:19 pm


OTHER and QUIRKS]
ODD THINGS WITHOUT CATEGORY



XXXXXEXTRA THINGS
❖ Being from the UK, he has a thick accent, specifically a British one. Someone schooled in dialect could easily place him in the northern English countryside.

❖ If someone happens to have a "laser pointer" and half a thought, they could actually keep him amused for some time. As ridiculous as it sounds, he will attempt to chase the little red dot up a wall or around a room.

❖ Tends to "nest" in his bedding. As in piling all his blankets and pillows together into a heap and sleeping in it. This is simply to replicate the feeling of sleeping in a heap, as he did when he was a small child.

❖ Does actually have a couple brothers and sister, but they don't keep proper contact considering he lives in Halloween (once accepted obviously) and they still haunt the British countryside. Winston is actually the "runt" of his family. So going to the Academy is more of a way for him to learn the ways of haunting without pushy older siblings pushing him around.

❖ It isn't unusual to find him taking a nap in his dorm in his dog-form. ((This is just me assuming that residents of Halloween who take on human-forms for classes, can revert to true forms for comforts sake when not attending them. I'll totally remove that if it break canon rules or something.))


XXXXXHISTORY
This isn't a "required" section if the application form is anything to go by, so I'm leaving it alone. But if anyone asks, I figure I might as well keep a section for it.

XXXXXABOUT RACE
Quote:
C::

- CWN ANNWFN::
xxxxxCommon Desc: Also known as Gabriel Hounds, these hounds of the Welsh Underworld travel in packs. They chase the scents of wrongdoers, and hunt them into the ground until they can run no more, imitating what they did to their innocent victims. Their howls can be heard over miles and are often used as warnings. In the human world they appear as white, red-eared spectral hounds, in Halloween they retain some dog-like features, ears, tail, and the whites of their eyes are often gray to black. Often their hair or tails are "smoky" and fade in and out, like most ghosts.
xxxxxNatural Ability:
xxxxxxxxxxSoul Scent: Gabriel Hounds can naturally tell a person apart via the scent of their "soul," meaning they can even track down spirits without a physical body.

Yes, yes I am aware that "Cwn Anwn" are a breed of mini-pets. And yes "Cwn Anwwfn" is also a correct spelling. It is Celtic if I'm not mistaken. My information comes straight from a properly sighted and professionally published "monster encyclopedia" that I picked up a couple years ago. I have just added a bit and speculated on a natural ability that I think fits in order to make it work. I'm also classifying him as "ghost" since both Barghests and Hellhounds are in that category. If this is at all contrary to TiH's canon, let me know.


XXXXXWINSTON'S PETS
User Image - Blocked by "Display Image" Settings. Click to show.
❖ Fido is Winston's first pet. He actually found him when he first moved to Halloween. He couldn't shake the little guy so he just decided to make him an official pet.
User Image - Blocked by "Display Image" Settings. Click to show.
❖ Shuck, named after the infamous "Old Shuck" or "Black Shuck" of East Anglia, is a new addition to his little pack of doggies, but she (yes, she) is easily his favorite, mostly due to her tendency to sleep with him at night. He doubts this will continue when she grows.

staticSLEEPER

Dapper Citizen


staticSLEEPER

Dapper Citizen

PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:19 am


[CRITIQUE]
CRIT AND SUGGESTIONS GIVEN AND ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS


XXXXXChobi_Chocobo
❖ How does he interact in large groups of students? Is he the life of the party or does he prefer to follow a group? Does he take studying seriously? How far could some one push his naivety?

❖ Winston enjoys large groups, there's more to see and hear, but he usually isn't the one leading the conversations. To put it simply, he isn't alpha dog, not currently anyway. With growth he could grow more confident. He does take his studying very seriously. While his grades aren't perfect, but he tries really hard. It's pretty easy to draw out a lie with him. The only way he's going to not believe you is if he finds out otherwise from a more reliable source. I don't have an example, but it's far easy to manipulate opinions than facts.
PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 12:20 am


[RESERVED]
"IN CASE OF EMERGENCY BREAK POST"


XXXXXRESERVED
I might need this spot later.
So imma takes it.

staticSLEEPER

Dapper Citizen


Chobi_Chocobo

Distinct Lunatic

PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 7:04 pm


Everything looks great! He seems like a nice positive character that would be fun to play with.

I don't really have anything I really can think of to nit pick so Im just gonna leave a few questions.

How does he interact in large groups of students? Is he the life of the party or does he prefer to follow a group?

Does he take studying seriously?

How far could some one push his naivety?
PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 7:47 pm


Thank you Chobi~

Answered the questions, or at least I hope I answered them well enough, in the crit section = u =

staticSLEEPER

Dapper Citizen


medigel

Anxious Spirit

PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 1:58 pm


Awwwwww~ *is a sucker for puppy personalities* Though I will say the image I was building in my head was different than the reference - thus, my bias shows through. 8D; Though that ref is awesome!

You say that once Winston makes friends with someone, he's utterly loyal and willing to help out in jams. Let's say there's a fight going on with said friend and someone else who is clearly antagonistic: if Winston was nearby, would he leap to their defense? How would he handle opponents who are larger/more imposing than him? If these were answered already in the profile, my bad! I try to read it over several times before putting in a crit. XD;

If this helped any, I'd love a crit back for Winona in my sig~
PostPosted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:36 pm


Hurrrr

Probably should have checked this sooner. > u >;
I never actually thought of him in an antagonistic situation. I suppose I should keep to the very dog-like demeanor I've already given him and say that yes, he would step in. A guard-dog does still growl at anybody no matter how large they happen to be after all. I'm assuming if things got physical though he would probably make a hasty retreat with the friend he'd been helping in the first place. Wouldn't know though. Still iffy on if his bark is worse than his bite. I didn't really think I'd need to find out since, of what I'm aware, the only fighting in the school are the ones held in classes in the gym. :c

I'll have to work on this.

staticSLEEPER

Dapper Citizen


staticSLEEPER

Dapper Citizen

PostPosted: Sun Dec 26, 2010 7:25 pm


Winston has been updated. Mostly fixing a few typos, though there are probably hundreds I've still missed, and added in his pets and another image ref. Also about to add in a ref for his appearance as a ghost dog, and a bit more information on that.

New image is what he wore during the section of the Holiday Event I participated in before eventually giving up on. ((I'm a failure at keeping up with such quickly moving threads. Or even ones without posting orders.))
PostPosted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 6:02 am


I absolutely adore Winston (I like the name in respects to the whole British factor as well). He sounds very puppyish and I've fallen in love with him, my dog also use to chase such things as a laser pointer, however more often than not it was the light that reflected off a watch at the right angel. I'd like Winston to form a relationship with Harriet (my quest found in my signature), in the future.

Just my opinion on this, characters like Winston, who are usually classed as a push over and would rather turn away from a conflict, I'd imagine would still take certain aspects of it to heart even if they never addressed them (whether the harm was directed at himself or a good friend), generally meaning he'd probably lay things to one side and try and ignore them, the bottling up sort of syndrome. So of course after a long time it'd come to head, in which cause his bite would be worst than his bite. However I'd image that would take a lot of persistent bully as being puppyish in nature he'd forgive easily, wanting to see the brighter things in life. Just an idea.

But as you say, he'd probably liking retreat from confrontation. However lets complicate things and say his friend was rather confrontational and liked to stand up for their beliefs but being outnumbered had felt let down by Winston when he'd not backed them up. How would Winston feel about letting down a friend, would he try and make it up to them? Apologise, rethink the importance of standing up for yourself... in essence I want to know besides Winston's puppyish nature when in more serious situations would be 'grow' up a little? I believe he's a rather sensitive character and carefree at the same time and would this effect his puppyish naive take on life if tarnished?

I love his references/physical description, (His dog form is truly wonderful). However I was also building a different human form imagine of him; your reference of him looks very mature in contrast with his personality. However being English kind of excludes this as I'd image him to be slightly eccentric like us anyway and dress in a more classic/adult manner, so what I'm saying is I really do love his appearance.

Hope this has been helpful in some form or another and I'd love some critique for my own quest character. (Link can be found in my signature)

junglerunner


staticSLEEPER

Dapper Citizen

PostPosted: Mon Dec 27, 2010 8:23 pm


As far as the appearance refs go, I simply can't draw young characters. The ref I've drawn in actuality is probably closer to his young twenties than his mid-teens. I'm horrible at drawing young people. I'll reply to the rest of that crit later, but I've been worrying about that ref part for a while and figured I should address that.
Reply
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