FULL NAME: Anthony Henry De Witt
NICKNAMES: Early socialization on the pitch conditioned him to respond to De Witt or punny variations. Otherwise, primarily goes by Tony.
AGE/DOB: Eighteen. September 14th, 2002 [Virgo]
YEAR: Senior
BLOOD STATUS: Halfblood with 1/8 Giant lineage
GENDER/PRONOUNS: Male, He/Him
SEXUALITY: Predominately heterosexual
HOMETOWN: Grew up in aptly named Blands, North Carolina on an unplottable piece of land along Jordan Lake. Boarded at Merrymount Academy—a private Ilvermorny Quodpot feeder school akin to muggle prep schools like Milton & St. Mark's—6th through 8th grade.
APPEARANCE: HEIGHT: 6'10"
BUILD: Brickhouse
PB: Jimmy TatroINSPO: Pinboards/Moodboards
What would others say is their most prominent personality trait — what's the first thing people notice about them?Tony De Witt is a Big Man on Campus in every sense of the phrase: physically imposing, gregarious, popular, and well-connected. His big personality takes up even more space than his giant body. He enters every room with a smile and a cheerful
greeting for the masses, designed to unify as much as garner attention. Sociable and spirited, it's important to Tony that everyone has a good time when he's around. At parties, he'll be the first to offer you a drink and he can always be counted on to start chants at pep rallies.
While his communication style appeals most to other extroverts, he isn't a typical cliquey jock. He pays equal attention to the wallflowers and the cheerleaders. Big Man isn't just about his height—Tony really does know everyone and everything going on at Peckenpaugh. Because he asks and actively listens. And once he learns something about someone, he doesn't forget. Tony has an exceptional memory for faces, names, and personal details. It's easy to feel like your among close friends when Tony is around because he knows so much about you and has a way of getting people talking. His interest in the drama at your nephew's preschool graduation ceremony may not necessarily be genuine but he's an empathetic listener and excels at facilitating conversation. To Tony, there's nothing worse than sitting in silence.
How would this character describe themself? What do they think are their best and worst qualities?Tony considers himself to be hardworking, though he recognizes that he doesn't always work hard on the 'right' things. He has a good heart and the impulse to take care of others, so much of his 'work' revolves around making sure the people around him are happy (or, at least, happier because of him than they were without him). He is routinely distracted by the sidequests of life and tends to overcommit himself by picking up other's slack. He often creates more work for himself by inventing tasks that nobody asked him to tackle but are, nonetheless, important to Tony. ("Sorry, I didn't do my homework because I was hosting a dance-a-thon to raise money to throw a 'Sorry About Your Breakup Party' for my bro. Crucial, time-sensitive, you understand. Anyway, stay classy, Ms. Min. See you at the game.")
Unfortunately, once Tony has stuck his finger in a pie, it's critical that the pie turn out just perfect. It has his thumbprint on it now, after all. If he gets it in his head that something is meant to be a certain way, it can be difficult to change his mind. His mother has described him as fussy, but Tony prefers detail-oriented. He has a bad habit of taking on too much and then working himself into an anxious frenzy about the minutiae. In these fevered moments, Tony is his most cutting. While generally goodnatured and affable, it would not be out of character for him to shout at a DJ playing a shitty setlist or have a minor meltdown about the
ratio being off.
What drives them to action? Doing good? Getting rich? Receiving praise?Although Tony would resent being described as praise hungry, he is primarily motivated by positive attention. He doesn't stack up good deeds as bargaining chips—his desire to help others is sincere—but he would certainly
prefer if he received credit. He doesn't need to be the CENTER of attention but if he isn't getting enough he'll start to shrivel up like Tinker Bell. Mostly, he fears being forgotten or left behind. Much of his life revolves around making lasting memories: broomsports cements him firmly in the collective conscience of his peers, AV Club and Print Club allow him to push his voice even further with the added benefit of permanent documentation, and the parties he throws are designed to 'go down in history.'
How sensitive are they?It's not easy to rile Tony and he doesn't often find himself at the center of petty squabbles. An optimist by nature, he has an easy time giving people the benefit of the doubt and assumes most teasing is good-spirited. He takes criticism well. Too well, in fact. When it comes to his own life, he is agreeable when given advice but can be dismissive of the complexity of a problem, tending to think that things will just sort themselves out. He's much more likely to give serious thought to other people's problems. A great advisor but flippant advisee.
He isn't sensitive to personal slights but he
is deeply honor driven, specifically when it comes to sports. Cheating, shady playing, and unnecessary rough play will get a rise out of Tony. He has a history of getting aggressive with dirty players and has a reputation as being an
Enforcer.
How does this character handle group project assignments in class?Tony is The Great Delegator. He takes the reins immediately, assigns himself as the much dreaded 'presenter,' and divides the rest of the work up in a way that plays to his group members' strengths and somehow leaves him with almost none. So far, he hasn't caught much flack for this tactic and, in fact, most of the time people appreciate having a project hype man.
This strategy is crucial to Tony's tenuous success in school. He is perpetually falling behind in class due to his extracurricular commitments.
How likely is this character to dab?Excessively.
FUN FACTS:• Lurks around Dr. Quirke. Earnestly seeking counseling.
• Would literally jump in front of a charging erumpent for Ms. Dorkins.
• Has horrific taste in
music.• Never kissed someone he wasn't dating. Miss him with that Kissing Game shit.
• Enneagram Type: The Achiever
•
Things Acquired In Game: Mystery Potion
LANGUAGES: English - Fluent. Standard North American Giant - Limited Conversational. Proper Sylvan - Current area of study.
HOBBIES: Consuming and producing sports media, keeping meticulous records of muggle and magical sport stats, pulling pranks on other houses, being spirited, starting chants, asking his teachers personal questions, hiking, hosting champagne brunches
SKILLS:
★★★★★ SPORTS: Tony is naturally athletic but has also spent a lot of his life training both formally and informally, particularly in broomsports. He is talented in a wide range of magical and muggle recreation. He is borderline obsessive in his committment to sports media, waking up early to listen to even the most obscure matches, and is an impressive sports analyst. If you're a gambling man, you might want to sidle up to Tony.
★★★★☆ LEADERSHIP: Optimistic, confident, communicative, and calm under pressure: Tony meets all the criteria of a great leader. He commands attention with his booming voice and knows exactly what to do with it. He has a natural instinct for when to inspire, support, delegate, or take charge. Everything from group projects to friendly outings seem to run more smoothly with Tony at the helm.
★★★★☆ ANIMALS: They really like him. Bit of a Francis of Assisi thing going on.
★★★★☆ PARTY PLANNING: Even if Pocket weren't around, the students of Peckenpaugh would not go ragerless. Tony loves to plan parties and will step in to host a bash at even the slightest indication of need. He enjoys hosting everything from keggers to champagne brunches. Pinterest decorations aren't really his thing, so maybe don't hire him for your baby shower, but he excells at A) getting the word out and B) checking in to make sure everyone is having a good time.
☆☆☆☆☆ DRINKING GAMES: He is literally larger than Lebron James. He does not get drunk. Why is he so bad??? Too strong for flip cup. His hands are too big for tiny quidpong balls. Can not chug to save his life.
FAMILY:MOM: Brenda Deverill Butts | Cryptolinguist. Interpreter |
DAD: Tomas "Big Tom" De Witt | Giant liaison for BoMB |
EX-STEPDAD: Joe Deverill | Cryptozoologist |
EX-STEPSISTER: Felicity Deverill | Wildgulch Junior |
BACKGROUND:Tomas (Big Tom) and Brenda clearly hadn't thought things through when they decided to have a baby. Both worked long hours, traveled often, and cherished their independence. It seemed to come as a surprise to the both of them that
someone was going to have to look after their progeny. To make matters worse, after a difficult birth, Tom and Brenda brought home a difficult baby. Tony was a handful, literally and figuratively, from the get-go. He cried incessantly when left alone and was nigh impossible to contain—climbing, walking, and destructing freakishly early. Tom only made it a year before he took a job on the opposite side of the globe from his young son and his partnership with Brenda dissolved soon after.
Big Tom continued to exert a fair amount of control of Tony's life, even from afar, but Brenda needed help with the day to day realities of raising a (giant) baby. Honestly, just getting him in and out of the crib was enough to deplete her energy reserves. Although Brenda denies it, her quick courtship and marriage to her colleague, Joe Deverill, probably had more to do with his paternal qualities than any real love connection. (Or maybe she was just trying to shake her maiden name ASAP.)
The
arrangement marriage worked out well for Joe, too. He had a young daughter of his own who he felt would benefit from a nuclear family. So along came Felicity.
With Brenda often out of town for work, Joe primarily raised the kids for the next few years. But then he too returned to work and an 8-year-old Tony and a 7-year-old Felicity were told to look out for each other, not get killed, and stay out of trouble. They only got top marks on the middle directive.
Step-siblings with different personalities, Tony and Felicity had a
duty not to get along. But given their circumstance, they had no choice but to do everything together. One would begrudgingly ask the other if they wanted to do an activity, the other would begrudgingly agree to it, and then hours later they'd return to their respective rooms muddy, exhausted, and happy.
Over time, their mutual dislike transformed into something more performative than real, although neither has really admitted a fondness for the other. They seem to enjoy the passion with which they annoy each other. Every agreement has to be undercut (e.g. They bond over their love of broom sports, but they vehemently disagree on who's the best professional team).
The lack of parental supervision during Tony's formative years had a profound and obvious effect on him. His elementary school teachers noted that he seemed anxious to impress adults and that his attention-seeking behaviors were borderline disruptive. The one thing that seemed to consistently garner him the kind of positive notice that he craved was his size and athleticism, so he threw himself into sports despite his more academic interests.
At home, when he could, Joe nurtured Tony's interests in animals and the environment. Tony enjoyed going on nature walks and babbling on about the flora and fauna he spotted. But his step-father's gentle encouragement could never compete with his real father's LOUD, insistent support of Tony's broomsports aptitude. Big Tom would swoop in on the odd weekend and gush over his young son's Quodpot prowess.
It was Big Tom's idea to send Tony (and by default, Felicity, as well) to Merrymount Academy in Quincy, Massachusetts. That's where Big Tom had attended middle school, after all. The elite, preparatory school was expensive but he was willing to pay (for both children, if he had to) if it meant Tony would have a secured spot at Ilvermorny and, subsequently, a much better shot at a national Quodpot championship.
Tony was young enough not to fully understand the parental politicking that landed him at Merrymount and he was just happy to be somewhere a little less isolated. He was a popular, caricaturesque celebrity at Merrymount—known for silly, habitual catchphrases and his aggression on the pitch. Plus, he could easily purchase beer without an ID by the time he was in the eighth grade.
But Merrymount didn't live up to its feeder school promise. Tony was denied entry to Ilvermorny, citing overcrowding. Joe stepped in and suggested his own alma mater, Peckenpaugh. As Tony's regional school, he was
obviously going to get in but he lets his step-dad think he had something to do with his acceptance anyway.
Peckenpaugh has served Tony well over the last three years. As planned, he earned positions on both the Varsity Quodpot and Quidditch teams. And he's had the opportunity to explore some of the interests he brushed under the rug during his middle school years. Elflock Falls feels like his home on Jordan Lake, minus the boredom. He has a fierce loyalty to the school and the love he shows the school has been shown to him in return. He has established close relationships with his teachers, his teammates, and the Elflock community around him and he's looking forward to finding out how much mischief he can get away with during his Senior year.
WAND: Vinewood, 16", Selkie hair, Hard.
FAMILIAR: Golden greek tortoise named Ahab.
CAREER GOALS: Tony's biggest goal in life is to become the president of a fraternity. He expects to spend some time playing Quodpot, at least semi-professionally, but has quiet political aspirations. He doesn't know this but he would make a great ambassador.
PART-TIME JOB: Nah, son. No time for that.
CLASSES: Tony enjoys the socialization that school provides and he is an active, helpful participant in all of his classes. He does best in subjects that are discussion-based and he is a strong, eloquent writer. If he had more time in the day, he would be a much better student but extra-curricular (sanctioned and unsanctioned) tend to take precedence over coursework. He will only study in groups and rushes through his homework.
Charms | Tony respects Ms. Gunzenhauser, appreciates her dedication to Peckenpaugh, and responds well to her conversational teaching style. He finds language roots and kinesthetic motions easy to memorize, so he generally performs well in Charms.
Potions | Slow down, Mr. B! Tony regularly gets tricked into a false sense of security by Mr. Berzelius' laidback demeanor and misses crucial instruction. He never really knows what's going on but, typically, he can get someone to fill him in and help him scrape by. It's a low priority class for him (homework wise) but he is engaged during class time.
Transfigurations | Oh, Ms. Min. Tony is sorry. Your class is boring and he doesn't have time for all that homework. He's been caught copying other students' problem sets more than once.
C&M (H) | A family full of cryptonaturalists gave Tony a bit of a leg up in this class. He's genuinely interested in the material and gives it more attention than his core classes. (A quick tip: Tony's the guy to pick for any C&M group project—field research is his specialty and he's always happy to take the lead on presenting).
History of Magic (H) | Ms. Dorkins is Tony's favorite teacher and he's been known to derail her lectures with genuine questions about her personal life. He cares a lot about the subject matter and always listens raptly like he's being told the best bedtime story ever. Close reading and critical thinking skills come pretty easily to him but he almost never gets through all his assigned readings. He'll have a lot of insightful things to say about the first third of the material though!
Current Events | Hi, Ms. Dorkins! This is Tony's favorite class and he has a bad habit of dominating the conversation.
Non-Human Languages | Again, Tony had a slight head start in this subject. He came to Peckenpaugh with the ability to speak SNAG conversationally, if a bit haltingly. It would have been smart of him to choose SNAG as his area of study! He chose Sylvan instead and, well, we shall see how that final paper goes.
Outdoor Magic Tony spends 90% of his time in this class trying to figure out if Mr. Youngblood likes him or not.
EXTRA-CURRICULARS: Quodpot | Kestrel |
Quidditch | Beater |
Student Council | Co-Mothgarden Rep | A good ol' fashion tie led to Tony and
Trudy acting as Mothgarden representatives in tandem. Tony saw absolutely no problem with sharing the position and Trudy would rather die than concede the position, so they're stuck together. Tony is obvlious to Trudy's resentment and thinks they make a great team.
Print & Yearbook |
AV Club |
Adventure Club |
Film Club |
SORTING?: Going into his sorting, Tony knew he would be ignoring the Sorting Hall's suggestion. Hunched and uncomfortable, he proceeded down the path quickly and answered each question on first instinct. As expected, the Wildgulch door lit up—having picked up on Tony's driven nature and obvious impatience to reach his set goal—but he ignored it and turned to Mothgarden.
You see, Mothgarden's Quidditch team had graduated both Beaters the year before, leaving two open roster spots. His best chance of getting on a broom sports team as a freshman meant committing to life in the Spring House. He came to his sorting prepared to make that commitment, even showing up in his best
Mothgarden themed digs. Tony ducked through the Spring door and has been a loyal Mothgardener ever since.
NAME: Colleen
EMAIL: See Player Contact Page
CDJ: ~optimistprime [at] IJ
OTHER CONTACT: Dropbox me
TIMEZONE: PST
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