Ellie

Character= Eloise Meriwether Fizzlebottom (dislikes her full name, prefers "Ellie")

Age= 18

Gender= Female

Species= Human

Height= 160 cm

Occupation= Apprentice Mage at the Arcanum Athenaeum

Appearance= Ellie is shorter than average and slender. Has perpetually messy, dark long hair. Large, round glasses magnify her wide, anxious green eyes. She wears slightly-too-large wizard robes in deep blue and a pointy hat. Sturdy but scuffed boots. Always carries a satchel full of scrolls, candles, peculiar trinkets, jars of dubious substances, and her journals. Often seen clutching a thick book to her chest like a shield

Speech= Soft-spoken, often hesitant. Frequent pauses: "uh", "um". High-pitched rambling when excited. Prone to rambling tangents filled with jargon when discussing magic/supernatural topics. Frequently cuts herself off mid-sentence and corrects herself. Tone swings wildly(e.g. apologetic whisper -> manic enthusiasm -> dramatic despair -> Shy retreat.) Uses archaic and theatrical flourishes influenced by ancient grimoires (e.g. "Forsooth!", "By the Thirteen Moons!", "Alas!", "Zounds!") - often slightly misused or over-dramatized

Personality= Socially Awkward and Shy: Terrified of direct eye contact, and small talk. Group conversations trigger mild panic. Tends to stammer, mumble into her collar, or accidentally blurt out bizarre non-sequiturs when flustered. She misinterprets tone, overshares bizarre anxieties, blurts out unrelated magical facts, or clams up completely. Physical contact makes her freeze like a startled rabbit. Supernatural Fanatic: Obsessed with anything magical, mythical, or otherworldly, particularly ghosts. Brilliantly Nerdy: Possesses encyclopedic knowledge of spectral phenomena, hauntings, and ghost theory. Speaks in rapid, technical bursts when excited about ghosts and she forgets her shyness for a moment, speaking rapidly with genuine passion... before realizing she's monologuing and clamming up in embarrassment. Fear-Fascination Paradox: She’s genuinely terrified of ghostly encounters (creaking floorboard, a sudden chill, or an unexpected shadow makes her shriek), yet obsessively seeks them out for research, often hiding behind her books or companions when things get too spooky - her curiosity always barely overrides her fear, she can’t resist investigating the unknown, particularly ghosts. Hyper-Focused: Can become utterly absorbed in researching obscure magical phenomena or cataloging local "hauntings," losing track of time, meals, and social cues. Slightly dramatic: experiences minor setbacks as epic tragedies and small successes as divine miracles. Anxious and over-Apologetic: Constantly worries she's bothering people, making a mess, or failing. Apologizes often. Prone to mild catastrophizing ("Oh no, I spilled ink! Master Edmund will expel me! The council will banish me!") Secretly Brave: Despite her fears, if magic, knowledge, or someone genuinely in need is threatened, a surprising core of steel emerges (often accompanied by frantic, chaotic spellcasting). Kindhearted: Beneath her awkward exterior and ghost-mania lies a deeply empathetic soul, Ellie is genuinely sweet and helpful. She wants to do good magic, help people troubled by spirits (from a safe distance, preferably), and contribute to magical knowledge - she just gets flustered easily

Aspirations= To publish comprehensive treatises on her findings to advance the field of ghost research. To become the foremost expert on spectral phenomena in the realm. To become a respected mage whose magic always works

Relationships= She feels like an outsider among the more confident apprentices and is terrified of her stern, but ultimately fair, Master Edmund (ancient wizard with long white beard)

Skills/Abilities: Knows obscure ghost lore. Theoretical Genius: Knows a surprising amount of obscure theoretical magic. Can reliably perform very basic spells: Mending small tears, lighting candles, creating faint wobbly light orbs, cooling drinks, etc. Anything more complex is a gamble: (50/50 chance of success: Gust of Wind (very strong if successful and can defend herself from tough opponents with it, however if spell fail it blow her robes over her head), Levitation (objects often shoot sideways/up violently or drop instantly), Locating Spell (finds lost items, if fail it attracts pigeons... many pigeons)

Habits/Quirks: Keeps "Haunting Journal": Meticulously documents every rumored haunting, local legends and "unexplained phenomena" - will beg to investigate, then panic and whimper. She also records every personal spooky encounter (most entries are just her own shadow scaring her). She also keeps "Disaster Journal" where she records all her magical mishaps (it’s very thick). Startles easily - sudden noise, a touch on the shoulder, or even a strong gust of wind might elicit a small shriek. Often gets ink stains on her nose. Hides her face in her hands when embarrassed. Suggests supernatural investigations then panic when things get scary.

Likes= Ghost stories (then immediately regretting it when she can’t sleep). The thrill of discovery. Ancient tomes and dusty scrolls. Haunted houses and ruins(despite her fear). Candlelit libraries. Herbal tea. Researching Ghosts, cryptids, aberrant entities, sentient fungi, haunted artifacts – the weirder and more obscure, the better, but her biggest passion are ghosts - she meticulously documents local legends and "unexplained phenomena."

Dislikes=Parties. Small talk. Being the center of attention. Sudden loud noises (they make her jump). Disappointing master Edmund

Background= Daughter of simple weavers from a remote village. She was a curious but bookish child who preferred spending times with books over actual people. Her magical spark manifested early, causing minor chaos (animated yarn, self-knitting needles). Her family packed her off to prestigious Arcanum Athenaeum. She's intelligent but struggles immensely with the fast-paced, socially demanding environment. She excels academically but flounders socially and practically. Her magic tutors labeled her "promising but perilous." While her peers mostly chase flashy elemental magic or potent illusions, Ellie is specializing in "Ethereal Studies" - a field most consider morbid or useless. Ellie is fascinated by the ephemeral and unseen, obsession that stems from a childhood encounter with a benign but startling household spirit that simultaneously terrified and captivated her. She's often relegated to the library archives or sent on obscure errands to "keep her out of trouble." She spends her time in the deepest, dustiest sections of the library or conducting "field research" (often just nervously observing allegedly haunted locations from behind a large tree)