Boarbristle Characters and Setting Notes (Who's Who)

Boarbristle Characters and Setting Notes Page

At the suggestion of TeratonArm, this page brings together notes about the characters and setting with a word or two from the editor.

Continuity, Using Work from Other Story Branches

You're not bound to writing to a specific continuity or character list except as it has been established in the chapters leading up to the one you're writing. If a separate story branch introduces a character, location, spell, monster, etc., you are not bound to use it in yours, and you can contradict anything established in another branch. You're free to use anything I've written in another branch. I would like to encourage respectful (interesting and consistent-to-character) use of contributors' work, though I will weigh an original author's requests more heavily if there's any question.

Characters by House

Major characters are marked thus: Pernilla Porcinilla. These are either Heads of House or are present on multiple branches.
Characters with their own storyline are marked thus, plus their author: Golondrina Redmoor (Zingiber), and may be linked to their storyline starting chapter.

Draconis

• Pernilla Porcinilla, Housemistress of Draconis, Headmistress of Boarbristle, Mistress of Potions and Alimentation. Revealed in Godwyne Aberdean's storyline to have two extra pairs of nipples below her breasts.
• Barnaby Ffoulkes, Tutor of Draconis. "An officious nonentity." -Anastasia.
• Warden of Draconis. Not yet described.
• Sophronia, Cook. Often pre-empted by the Housemistress whose specialty is food conjuration.
• Godwyne Aberdean (SonOfOsman), first-year, an outstanding athlete in broom polo, or about any sort of maneuver on his flying broom.
• Anastasia Aberdean, upperclasswoman, Godwyne's sister.
• Lilith and Zara. Friends of Anastasia Aberdean. Lilith is a senior member of House Draconis' broom polo team, returning this year. Zara is a diviner.
• Vera Furze. Green-eyed, green-haired, fierce competitor and scholarship student. First-year, from one of Godwyne's branches.
• Mariana Holdspear. Briefly mentioned as the girlfriend of Trevor Harlequin from Beavertail.
• Felice Collier: House Draconis, first-year. A flirtatious and manipulative, beautiful witch with wavy black hair in a ponytail and glasses. (Part of Franziska's storyline).
• Ermintrude Cachalot: Fourth-year. Tall, slouching, broad-browed, bookish, with big round glasses. Led a study group with Morgan and Fay. From Morgan Woodbine's storyline after she joins House Leontes. "But magic is magic, and books are books, and it doesn't much matter what House you're in for that." - Ermintrude, to Morgan.
• Barnabeth ("Bet") Rudge, first-year, from Lex Halladay's storyline. Tall, square-built, laconic. Has a raven called Grip. Grip's original

  Leontes

• Fergus Firetail, Housemaster of Leontes, Master of Conjurations and Dueling. In Golondrina's storyline, shown to have access to the Garden of Delights.
• Tutor of Leontes. Preston Sharper, an older man with quick, jittery movements. Reputed to be a legendary duelist in his youth.
• Warden of Leontes. Barbara Torch, a woman of great stature and appetites in charge of guarding the House and maintaining its magical wards. Dark-skinned and dark-haired. In Morgan's storyline because of Golondrina.
• Assistant Warden of Leontes. Asteria Hornbeam. Morgan's storyline. Catches Morgan using an erotic link with Fay while they test the wards (or) Prevents Morgan from taking advantage of a CHARMed Grace Winterthorn.
• Maurippos is a Centaur wizard who teaches Magical Creatures. See "Staff Outside of Houses" since he works in the Weirding Woods. Treat him as House Leontes for rolls.
• Pyrope, Cook. "Firetail lets her run her kitchen like a queen."
• Golondrina Redmoor (Zingiber), a first-year. Conceals her dragonkin origin. Sponsored by the Housemaster.
• Ishtar Stellaris. Prefect, who helps Golondrina settle in at Leontes in two of Golondrina's storylines. Knows how to cast a magical alarm clock spell.
• Peter Crisp, Andrew Saltire, Marina Madeline, Rebecca Honeybee -- first-years, Golondrina's suitemates. Saltire and Madeline are stout of body and frequent wankers. Crisp and Honeybee are nervous but proud to be at Leontes. Madeline, remarkably, enjoyed her dip in the Chilly Tarn.
• Grace Winterthorn. Dueling opponent of Morgan Woodbine after she changes Houses to Leontes. (or) In the Leontes Common Room, resisting the Phallopods until the renegade Warden casts ORGASM on her. Former Minerval, physically close resemblance to Morgan (tall/slim/black-haired).
• Emily Leopard. Dueling opponent of Fay Applebum after Morgan and Fay transfer to House Leontes. A protegée or pet of Barbara Torch. Similar coloring and physique to the Warden.
• Jason Argo: Former student (transferred out). His name is still a byword for flash, dash, posturing and romantic gesture, a poseur extraordinaire. He had a knack for glamours, illusions, and seemings. Talked Grace Winterthorn into joining Leontes.
• Augustus Sparling (graduate). Usually transformed into a bat, pretending to be Pipistrelle's familiar.
• Rebecca, first-year, a HANGER-ON in Godwyne Aberdean's storyline. When we meet her, she's wearing glasses and has her black hair pulled back in a braid. "Rebecca Honeybee" in Golondrina's storyline.
• Abigail Churn, first-year, also introduced in Godwyne Aberdean's storyline.
• Martin Poker, graduate (Beavertail then Leontes), Abigail Churn's older half-brother.
• Franziska Weber (fyreant), second-year transfer from the Continent. Slim and petite, but fierce. Cares about honor and promises. Already a noted magical duelist.
• Gillian Merigold: Second year, tall and skinny with straight brown hair. A nosy, outgoing girl who is helpful bordering on obsequious. Roommate of Franziska Weber.
• Winnie, Berthold, and Gilbert: First-years. An informal grouping of three first-year that Franziska Weber began socializing with. Winnie is a redheaded girl, Berthold a short and stocky local boy, and Gilbert is black and wears glasses. All are naive and obsessed over sex but not good at getting it and not wanting it from each other.
• Samara Grover: Fourth year. ENEMY of Franziska Weber, for yet-unknown reasons. A curvaceous upperclasswoman of South Asian descent, has a stern, piercing, and emotionally reserved demeanor. Often engages in kinky sex with Patrique. Has influence with the House Leontes warden.
• Patrique Collier: Fourth year. Tall and hook-nosed. An aggressive and shameless pervert, always looking for new experiences. Currently the lover of Samara Grover. Older brother of Felice Collier, Draconis first-year.
• Pomerine Duval, a third-year visiting scholar. Mentioned as Fay's roommate in the storyline where Morgan and Fay change Houses to House Leontes to follow Golondrina. After Morgan and Fay are caught in sapphic fornication without casting a ward, Morgan is assigned to share a room with the Warden and Fay with Mlle Duval.

Minerval

• Oscar Whiplash, Housemaster of Minerval, Master of Divination. ("Whiptail", where it appears, is a careless bit of familiarity). Formerly Tutor under Iris Amethystine. "Our self-hate is a whisper from manifestation...we must master ourselves or we shall defeat ourselves."
• Fiammetta Hawk, Tutor of Minerval. Has bright red hair.
• Euryale, Wardress of Minerval. "Monstrous", similar to Miss Wormwood the Nurse. Robed and veiled, known to be snake-haired. Rumored to have a gaze that paralyzes, stupefies, or petrifies.
• Rackman, Cook. "Nobody much cares for anything other than that it's food. Nary a thank-you."
• Aurelia Sterling, Enchantments mistress. From Eric Mothwing-Marshall's storyline, appointed his tutor after his wild talent manifests in class. A tall, slim woman with straight blond hair in a ponytail, wearing round-lensed blue glasses framing a sharp face with a warm, yet wry smile. Enchanted rings on both hands and a sapphire necklace. Miss Hemstitch from Beavertail wonders why a witch of Ms. Sterling's talents isn't more ambitious; perhaps she enjoys having a "pet" student every term.
• Iris Amethystine, former Housemistress of Minerval and Headmistress of Boarbristle. Less political and more academic than her successor Pernilla Porcinilla. No longer at Boarbristle. Her former chambers, library, and laboratory were repurposed as first-year dormitory space for House Minerval. From Morgan's storyline, where Golondrina leaves Leontes, angering Warden Torch. Also in Fay's storyline where Fay and Morgan have joined Beavertail, Headmistress Amethystine transferred Tess from Minerval to Beavertail.
• Pipistrelle Clawson (Zingiber), third-year, prefect, keeps her transformed lover Augustus in the form of a familiar called Fledermaus. Morgan's ENEMY to start. Looks a lot like Morgan. Pip: "I don't know what to say about people when I like them. Especially girls." Pip (to Morgan, whose toe is in her sex): "Oh, there, Woodbine, you're useful as well as decorative!"
• Fay, a third-year, blonde, moon-faced and softly curved. Morgan's roommate, FRIEND and lover. One of Morgan's storylines reveals Fay's family name as "Applebum", perhaps a corruption of "Apfelbaum". "We're most of us, witches, our own creations." - Fay's comment on Bertha Beeblossom's breasts, but occurs in other chapters. "Embrace your inner spite monster, that's me." - on herself. In one storyline, having followed Morgan and Golondrina, we find Fay newly in Beavertail (Zingiber).
• Morgan Woodbine (Zingiber), a third-year, tall and thin with long flyaway black hair, from a country witch family. Fay's roommate, FRIEND and lover. Appears first in Golondrina's storyline. Fay and Morgan have matching fingernail decorations on the small finger of each left hand, an apple wreathed in woodbine. One of Morgan's storylines leads her and Fay to transfer to House Leontes to follow Golondrina.
• Alexander Halladay (HolidayLocke). Entering as a first-year, after circumstances **** a year's delay. A legacy admission from a family known for generations for strength in illusion and transmutation magics, Lex worries about holding up the family reputation. Lex has an average stature, an ear-length dark coppery red pixie cut, slender shoulders, supple thighs, and a particularly curvy butt. Personally charming in voice, habit, and appearance, Lex is comfortable with his androgynous beauty and pleased when it's appreciated.

Beavertail

• Bertha Beeblossom, Housemistress of Beavertail, Mistress of Scrolls. Renowned for her large breasts, displayed to advantage by her deep décolletage and possible magical enhancement. A voluptuous figure with a head of frizzy grey hair. Some students outside of Beavertail refer to her by the nickname "Mistress Melonboobs." "Everywhere she GOES, she's PRECEDED by her TWO BEST AMBASSADORS." - Headmistress Pernilla Porcinilla. "She presents herself as the ideal magical mum. ... Many of us Beavertails have exceedingly vivid, usually erotic dreams of her. Particularly her boobs." - Prefect Sandevin.
• Warden of Beavertail, Jeremy Burl. Appears as Eric Mothwing-Marshall's goal supervisor. A gruff, muscular figure with hairless, wrinkled skin grey-brown like weathered wood, bearing a staff rather than a wand. Sandevin describes the Warden. "he's sort of a loony about checking all the House wards for Beavertail every day."
• Tutor of Beavertail, Mistress Hemstitch, described as "a senior witch in the House robes of brown trimmed with gold".
• Cook. Fancies herself a sexual instructress of junior students. "All cheery smile and dough-soft face." Has a personal charm related to sexuality. "When I'm hungry for a tumble and so are you, I smell like your favorite food." Fay and Morgan speculate on Cook:
  • [Fay] "I wonder if she's really the secret Wardress or something, and Jeremy Burl is a blind for her."
  • [Morgan] "Or whether Cook's just a total beast of sex and does all the new Beavertails to extract their youthful essence."
  • [Fay] "That might not even be a joke."
• Eric Mothwing-Marshall (TeratonArm). First-year. Wild talent that sometimes manifests by stripping off others' clothes.
• Sandevin. Prefect. Has a sparse blond beard. From Eric Mothwing-Marshall's storyline.
• Nadia. First-year, from a large magical family. Wearing oversized hand-me-downs on the ferry. Classmate, new friend, and practice partner. One branch gives her full name as Nadia Corby, with an older sister Sabrina. From Eric Mothwing-Marshall's storyline.
• Susan Quaffle. Second-year. Prefect. Tall, with a great mane of dull brassy hair. Sloppy kisser. "She has an incredible bed-head, her dishwater-blonde waves twisting in every direction, including out and up." "Susan isn't actually empty-headed, but she's a bit dull." - Tess Lectura, to Fay.
• Peregrine Poesy (Zingiber), a first-year. Intersex, with rapid gender cycling triggered by sleep or sex.
• Fauna Aspen. A "forest-girl" with hooves and short horns. In Fay's storyline, Fauna is a local: "I hung around Turnbuckle copying the Boarbristle students. I started getting magic to actually work and the Witch decided I should go get some proper training before I killed someone by accident." In Peregrine's storyline, she's from away: "I'm from south," Fauna says. "I don't know these woods at all."
• Tess Lectura (Zingiber). Her story starts at the end of first or beginning of second year, after a Minerval to Beavertail transfer. First written in Morgan and Fay's storyline after their transfer following Golondrina, as a third or fourth-year student, ex-Minerval. Flair for transformative magic. Carrot-orange hair, soft curves, big glasses that transform into a finger ring before a session of serious face mashing. Carries a torch for Fay, the one who got away while they were Minervals. As a first-year, the Librarian's pet girl. Never purged of House Minerval's secrets, and still has MIND MELD as a Sex Move. Knows a lot of House Beavertail's secrets as a result. "You can call me a prying bitch if you want, Fay. I won't take it wrong. I am a prying bitch."
• Blake. Challenged Peregrine to a duel after being embarrassed by a wave of sexual energy. Brought up in Turnbuckle. Pointed Morgan and Fay to Granny Threadneedle.
• Trevor Harlequin. Absent this term after he and his girlfriend exchanged genders and she got him pregnant.
• Nan, student, a redhaired witch performing forbidden summonings for power and **** on Susan Quaffle.
• Bruno, Latrice, and Cynthia, students. Nan's assistants in the erotic ritual, each with their own wish.
• Bombus "Buzz" Beeblossom, hardship transfer via the Housemistress. His mother is Bertha Beeblossom. From Tess Lectura's storyline.

Boarbristle Staff Outside of Houses

• Dorothy, the red-haired, half-giant porter who never wears clothes below her waist. A flash-forward ending from Fay's point of view sees Dorothy as a full witch, a graduate of Beavertail, now Boarbristle's Mistress of Grounds and married to a retired Master Elbegast.
• Miss Wormwood, the Nurse, a pale, tall, wire-thin but strong woman who has a Medusa-head of venomous green snakes instead of hair. She provides magical immunizations via snakebite injection into a student's bare buttocks. She collects semen, tears, and blood as potion ingredients.
• Leila Garama: A visiting scholar from the Mother Desert with an interest in potions and healing, who has worked with Headmistress Porcinilla and Granny Threadneedle in the past, who is re-visiting Boarbristle as Miss Wormwood's assistant. A lamia or snake-centaur with the features of a Sahara horned viper. Her horns have been blunted and her fangs pulled. Kind, thoughtful, curious, and also sad.
• Mrs. Travers: Professor of Conjuration. Teaches a class of 2nd years. In her 50s, cheerful and lax in discipline. Lost both hands in a magical accident and has enchanted clockwork prosthetics made of silver. (From Franziska's storyline).
• Professor Codseye: A somewhat doddering fellow, an instructor of transformations and inattentive chaperone to a group visit to Turnbuckle. (From Franziska's storyline).
• Miss Caldwell: Librarian. A hawk-nosed, bespectacled blonde woman in her 30s in a meticulously pristine and pressed set of jet black robes. Reputed to be stern and severe about library discipline. (From Franziska's storyline). Per Morgan Woodbine: "She's a blonde-maned, fierce, hawk-nosed pill who rules the Library with an iron wand, brooking no mischief or socializing." Tess Lectura, as a first-year, was reputed as Miss Caldwell's pet.
• The Master of Devices, Master Elbegast, is a squarely built man of short stature, a thick beard curling from his heavy-featured, wrinkled face. (Godwyne Aberdean's storyline with Abigail Churn). Can repair wands. Made some special commission for Anastasia Aberdean.
• Master Maurippos, a centaur wizard, working in the Weirding Woods. Nadia (from Eric's storyline) is auditioning with him to join his Magical Creatures class. Treat Maurippos as if in House Leontes.

Organizations Outside Boarbristle

• The Outside Warders. A magical investigation and enforcement group. Leontes Warden Barbara Torch was formerly a member and left in disgrace.
• The Red-Headed League. Sponsors of Tess Lectura who helped her enter Boarbristle Academy.
• "The Beguines". A cooperative household of mostly elder witches who hosted Tess before Boarbristle.

Other Characters

• Selina Lune, an enchantress and rival to Fergus Firetail. Connected to the moon, sleep, and dreams. Silver hair, purple eyes, purple robe, magical staff. Seen in Golondrina's storyline in the Garden of Delights (below). Treat her as if she is in House Minerval for the sake of ENCOUNTERs.
• Saralinda, an Outside Warder, formerly Barbara Torch's lover, then her penitential keeper. Saralinda is mute from magical injury and speaks through an owl familiar.
• Betsy Larch, a village witch, former classmate of Bertha Beeblossom. In Peregrine's story, referred Fauna Aspen. She plays favorites. - Fauna.

Creatures

• Phallopods, or Cockwalkers. In one of Morgan's storylines, the Assistant Warden of Leontes introduces Morgan to these ambulatory living dildoes. They sometimes run in packs in the Weirding Woods, looking for young flesh to penetrate -- preferably the female sex, but they're flexible.
• Centaurs. In the Weirding Woods, mentioned in one of Morgan's storylines in connection with Leontes' Warden and Assistant Warden. Praxilla is a rebellious young centauress who shows up in Eric Mothwing-Marshall's story, making trouble for Master Maurippos.

Settings

The Chilly Tarn

Most students approach Boarbristle by boat across the Chilly Tarn. There's a hazing tradition where upper class students cause the first-years to wade, swim, or be thrown in the Tarn. Besides its bone-chilling cold, it also dissolves nearly all clothing, leaving hazed first-years icy cold and naked or nearly so.

Boarbristle Academy

Kitchen

• A shared facility with common stores, used for preparatory cooking or for an all-Houses gathering. Seen early in Golondrina's storyline.

  Laundry and Baths

• A shared facility by the main kitchen. The baths may be quiet overnight. (Seen in Morgan and Fay's storyline when transferring from Minerval to Beavertail).

  Porter's Cottage

• A converted carriage house or some such, furnished with oversized bed, chair, table, etc. for the half-giant porter Dorothy. Seen in Golondrina's storyline.

  Ladies' Necessary Room

• High-handedly used by Headmistress Porcinilla for a lesson in Concupiscence.

Boarbristle Academic Houses

Each of these contains a dining hall, lounge, dormitory rooms, study areas, offices for the Head, Tutor, and Warden, baths for masters and staff and for scholars, magical practice rooms, and storage areas. A House's decor and living arrangements follow a theme suggestive of the House's values and practices.

House Draconis

• We haven't seen much of House Draconis' interior, but probably lots of gold, silver, and grandiose display.

House Leontes

• Displays of art lean toward boastful and self-congratulatory, sport, competition, and trophies.

House Minerval

• Spartan in decoration and comforts, cold, lots of stone. Subtle gargoyles and jokes in the corners. Sheela-na-gig or Baubo figures spreading their labia alongside big-balled priapic demons and figures of any gender spreading their buttocks.

House Beavertail

• Lots of wax-polished wood interiors and natural light. Shared baths for all House members.
• The creche. See "Boarbristle Bastards".

The Fifth House

• Mostly standing but partly ruined.
• Disused and vacant, this former academic house is off-limits to students and most staff (Warders and Dorothy the Porter may enter). From Golondrina's storyline as a Leontes student with housemates Marina, Rebecca, Andrew and Peter.

Corporal Punishment by House

In the tradition of the Public Schools of Britain, Boarbristle Academy sanctions corporal punishment as disciplinary practice, generally by caning a scholar's bared buttocks while bent over a punishment horse, a sturdy padded piece of furniture with a barrel shaped body and handles for the subject to hold or be tied to during a caning.

Each House has an official discipline horse. House Minerval keeps theirs always ready in the Headmaster's office. Leontes and Draconis keep theirs in the Tutor's office, and Beavertail's is in a closet off the Warden's office.

Flagellation for sexual gratification or for bringing visionary states are frequently practiced at Boarbristle, with Minerval best known. At Leontes, possibly framed as an endurance test; at Draconis, a test of resolute will.

Village of Turnbuckle

A place for going to have fun when you're not at Boarbristle.

• Mr. Stainton: A shopkeeper, a graduate of Boarbristle in some earlier year. (From Franziska's storyline).
• Granny Threadneedle: A diviner, who's hexed the area round her cottage to make it hard to disturb her. (Morgan's storyline). More than one storyline concludes with Morgan as her successor.
• Hedgie's: (Morgan's storyline) - a place to park your flying broom, amongst other things. Takes good care of Boarbristle students.
• The Cider House: A drinking establishment where Fay got sick last year (Morgan's storyline).

Weirding Woods

Forbidden to students. Rumored to have monstrous inhabitants.

• Centaurs. Wild, lusty, apt to kidnap witches of a female persuasion. From Morgan's storyline, in Leontes, Testing the Wards.
• Maurippos (or Master Maurippos), a centaur wizard, is an instructor for Boarbristle seen in the Eric/Nadia storyline.
• Praxilla the centauress is a young troublemaker and knows some magic, possibly as a student of Maurippos. One of Fay's endings describes Praxilla as Housemistress of Leontes.
• Love Grass. An aphrodisiac and tactile sensory enhancer found seasonally in the Weirding Woods. From the Eric/Nadia/Praxilla storyline.

The Garden of Delights

A magical garden worked on by multiple generations of wizards, each adding a little piece to this garden for lovers, dreamers, lazybones, and admirers of creative magical work. Not easy for students to enter unless they have a FAVOR from the Headmaster of Leontes or another advanced wizard with the privilege of visiting.

In one of Golondrina's storylines, she meets Selina Lune in the Garden of Delights.

Other Notions

Boarbristle Bastards

In a school chock-full of young witches and wizards, where raising libido is an important part of magical practice, there arises a significant frequency of accidental pregnancy -- significant enough that it occurs basically every term, or at least every year.

Fay (Minerval, above) reports that her father was begotten by her grandfather upon his Potions mistress, perhaps under the influence of a love potion. She also claims that Housemistress Bertha Beeblossom (Beavertail, above) is a Boarbristle Bastard, and that House Beavertail is the most significant producer of such children.

Aurelia Sterling credits Bertha Beeblossom with herself being the most prolific producer of Boarbristle-born babies: "She's birthed two and a set of twins since I've been at Boarbristle. Doesn't seem to slow her down at all. First two, each fathered by a wizard who visited for a term. Rumor is that at least one of those was a love potion mishap. As to the twins, she came back in the autumn after an exchange term with them ready to pop. Though she hasn't carried any for a few years, since she took over as Beavertail's Housemistress." Buzz Beeblossom (see House Beavertail) may be one of these, or he may be older than Aurelia Sterling's list.

The Nursery / The Crêche

Part of House Beavertail. Perhaps surprise babies are more frequent than every term. From Morgan's story after joining Beavertail. Susan Quaffle: "We take care of the little bundles from, um." Sandevin: "All the Houses' happy little accidents." Fauna: "Some of them are happy."

Mabsday Eve

An occasion for a harvest festival / party, dedicated to Queen Mab and partly having the theme of "lovers' dreams." See, e.g., Wikipedia, including Mercutio's speech from Romeo and Juliet: Queen Mab.

Night Sacks

Morgan and Fay take these to Turnbuckle to prepare to stay overnight. Although they are normally used as a magically miniaturized overnight bag, they can also be transformed into a small tent to shelter out-of-doors. Pip has one handy when she's part of the first-years' meeting group, and uses it as an instant "space blanket" to warm up a new scholar suffering badly from chill after the Chilly Tarn.

Witch Sign

An elaboration of gestural magic without raising power, used as sign language. A scholar might use this to convey an indiscreet message to another about a peer or superior without speaking words aloud, for at Boarbristle, "The walls have ears" may be more than a metaphor.