Character Name: Godric Gryffindor
"Godric" is an Anglo-Saxon name that combines "God" with "rule", often taken to mean "power of God" or "God's rule". His surname is an obvious reference to the mythological griffin, half eagle and half lion. The "dor" may sound like the French "d'or" or "of gold" or the Greek "dora" for "gift" or the old English "dor" for "gate". "Of gold" would tie into the colours he eventually chose for his namesake house.
Gender: Male
Age: Late 30s
Universe: Harry Potter series
Canon or Original: Canon, with original embellishment where necessary.

Appearance: Godric is built like a fortress. He towers at 190cm (approximately 6'3"), standing more solidly than most foundations. His swordsman posture often makes him seem even taller. His broad build is a combination of muscle and fat, layered for strength and protection. There is nothing narrow about Godric; even in simple clothes, he seems to dominate wherever he stands. His penchant for dueling has honed his body and also resulted in many scars. He doesn't pay much heed to his own appearance, beyond basically looking "presentable", and many of these scars tell the tales of battles he is proud to have participated in.

He has a square jaw hidden by dense beard of medium length and a neatly-trimmed moustache that seems to flow seamlessly into the beard. His broad nose is somewhat flat and often takes on a flush (along with his cheeks) when he drinks. His brown eyes always seem to be up to mischief. Godric's wavy hair falls somewhere between auburn and light brown, the light sometimes reflecting reddish highlights and sometimes not. It is cut somewhat haphazardly at chin length and curls about his face like a mane. He never pulls it back, even for the most serious battles.

Godric cares nothing for fashion. He wears whatever is most convenient, and he mends his own clothing rather than purchasing new garb on a regular basis. He often wears earth tones, but doesn't actually have a preference for his attire. He does like hats, although generally others find his preferences ugly. He is particularly fond of a pointed, broad-brimmed brown hat that has definitely seen better days. He is often seen clad in his well-worn armor, especially when engaging in battles. His sword is always with him, no matter what the occasion. It is his only accessory.

Personality: Loud, bold, brave, and clever—Godric is all of these things, and more. He talks too loudly, his booming voice and laughter often echoing from wherever he speaks. He likes amplification in nearly all things: More fighting! More wine! More laughter! More challenges! Others can find his overall attitude overpowering, unable to always make sure that they can even be heard over his roar. He doesn't seem to have a setting other than "full speed ahead", always barreling off on some test of bravery. Courage is something the man has in spades—he has never met an obstacle that he shied away from. Godric is not impeded by fear. He does not allow it to rule him; he meets it head-on at every turn, an endless struggle between opposing forces. In truth, he fears many things, but he remembers those who have been slaves to their fear, and fights on because he will not succumb to it.

Godric believes very strongly in protecting others. He places little value on his own well-being or safety, constantly risking himself often in a way that seems reckless. However, Godric is not reckless. He calculates and estimates always, before he makes a move, and if the risk seems too great and the payoff too little, he acts otherwise. His tolerance for risk is simply much higher than most other people. Godric believes in his own abilities, not in an egotistical way, but based on what has been tested and measured by him. He cannot let others, who may not have his own skills and experience, be left unguarded merely for that reason. Godric believes it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak. He also is unwilling to back down unless there is absolutely no other option—the battle isn't won until it is finished. This is true not only for physical combat, but for other exercises in life as well.

The man may be brash and overwhelming, and he may seem to reach for his sword or his wand at the drop of a hat, but he is not a buffoon. The brawn possesses a brain as well. Godric has a natural intelligence and an eye for not only detail, but also the grand scheme. He likes creative solutions that break rules—in general, he likes to break rules. Godric is not convinced the way things have been established means that it should stay that way. He thinks that while some degree of order prevents utter turmoil, too much order doesn't bring much value, in general. He frequently uses this in battle, often acting outside the norms and sometimes "cheating" as long as he can still do this honorably.

Although generally even-tempered, Godric has a fiery spirit that can be horrifying when incited to rage. His tolerance for jokes and tricks is quite high. He is unlikely to "fly off the handle" or lash out at someone with no previous reason. He likes to give others the benefit of the doubt, often more than a single time. Testing Godric to determine his breaking point is unwise: when his anger builds, it often explodes. His fury could defeat an entire goblin army. It pushes his behaviours over the barrier of reckless, heightening his ability to react and dulling any pain or concern that might hinder him. When he calms, he often regrets the actions he has committed in a state so blinded by his own emotions. When Godric is mulling over something or otherwise unhappy, he seems to smoulder like a dying fire. It is wise, at these times, not to build this to a blaze.

Godric is ruled by his honor. He has a strong moral sense that guides his life, but does not act in absolutes. He does not kill with abandon, but he does not believe that killing is entirely wrong. He seeks to live in harmony with others, but does not follow rules merely because they are rules. He makes most of his decisions based on an evolving and internal value structure, partially following his heart and partially tempered by the rationale of his mind. He allows himself the berth to make poor decisions, but does not require himself to be bound to those decisions in the future. When he discovers that he is wrong, he will admit full fault—but if he deeply believes that he is right, he will not surrender just to keep the peace.

He seeks to lay a path for those who will come after him, something that will create a better world for all those who inhabit this one. He dreams of establishing a legacy that will outlast him. Godric knows that his now-strong body will someday fail and rot away. He wants to leave a mark on the future, something that will be there for centuries after his death, something that inspires courage in others, so they can fight on.

Any Unique Abilities/Skills:
• Dueling - Magic or muscle, Godric has been well-honed in many forms of combat. He is a well-rounded combatant who has proven his skill time and time again. He also enjoys chess, which he takes to be yet another duel.
• Transfiguration - Godric has a knack for changing things. He often demonstrates interesting choices when casting these spells—even when they are less-than-successful, it is usually quite entertaining.

History: No one would have imagined greatness for young Godric Gryffindor. A middle child in a fairly sizeable family of English wizards, the place now known as Godric's Hollow was too unimportant at the time to even bear a name, known instead only by it's location to a nearby town. As a child, he did not stand out among his siblings. His sisters and brothers seemed more talented and more noteworthy. At the time, this rural part of southwestern England rarely saw much of interest.

Still, it was not idyllic—the people starved or prospered depending on the fickle weather, diseases frequently struck down villagers at a moment's notice, and the will of powerful lords could vacillate between benevolent and harsh. The Gryffindor people lived in mixed society, Muggle and wizard side-by-side with only half knowing the truth of it. Witch hunting never reached a fever pitch in this area, the people too focused on their daily struggles to pay much heed to claims of wizardry... but that did not mean that the Gryffindor family did not need to be careful. Like a few of their neighbors, they guarded their heritage and honed their abilities in secret.

The Gryffindor line had a long history of wizard ability, some of which had resulted in financial gain and renown even among the unknowing Muggle public, but the branch of the family that Godric descended from were simpler people. In Muggle society, his mother provided services as an herbalist and his father was a sexton—ringing bells, digging graves, and performing other similar tasks at the local church. Among wizards, his mother's skill as a potion maker and analyst is generally well-regarded, although she is far from the best in her field. His father assisted other wizards with staying unnoticed among non-magical society—his connections to the greater Gryffindor family provided many with safe cover.

With general wizard schooling not yet established, it was the younger years that could sometimes prove most dangerous. Boys and girls awakening to their inherited abilities needed to learn control and guidance from their elders. Godric saw these dangers firsthand when the older brother closest in age to himself set an accidental fire that destroyed their cottage, killing their youngest sister, who was trapped inside when the building collapsed. Incidents like this were not at all uncommon. After a loss that shook his family so deeply, as he grew older Godric began to wonder if such a thing was really alright to accept as a matter of course. Perhaps something could be done to prevent these issues. This said nothing of incidents where young wizards accidentally exposed their powers to unsuspecting Muggles, condemning themselves to be tried as witches, often with fatal repercussions.

This happened to Godric's own family when he was still a teenager. One of his younger brothers, training with his eldest sister while in a nearby village staying with a relative caring for a newborn, caused a disturbance that impacted a nearby merchant family. Due to tension that already existed between the two houses related to a marriage proposal that his 19-year-old sister had turned down, she was instead pinned with the crime of witchcraft. His family tried in vain to prove her innocence, despite the great risk they put themselves to, but the finger-pointing merchant had a greater voice in the village community. She was condemned to death and burned at the stake as her family watched in horror. It was the first time Godric had actually seen this atrocity, and it was the impetus that set him out to seek glory. Her accuser was the first Muggle man he challenged to a duel, and his first sword victory the sweetest he knew.

Too restless and filled with confused anger to stay at home, now with narrowed eyes upset by his unexpected win against a powerful man, Godric set out on a journey that would define his life. He sought other wizards and other warriors, mixing among both sets despite disapproval and against the recommendations of his wizard peers. Godric took it upon himself to intervene in conflicts that others felt were none of his business—but when he saw wrongdoing occurring, he could not turn a blind eye. He gained notoriety as he continued, a mix of jealousy and admiration. He gained riches as well, along his journey, although he cared not for metals or jewels.

Even as he sent it home, intending to help his family in his absence, they were dealing with their own issues. As the years passed, more of his own siblings died as victims of witch hunts. Another brother, more reckless and impulsive than Godric, attempted to take up fighting like his older brother and died at the wand of another, more experienced wizard. It was a fight that the younger should never have picked, and it pained Godric to hear of such a tragic and preventable end. He began to consider reforms to dueling, and again thought of the need for better training for wizard children, to set them on a clear path as wizard adults.

Through his travels Godric met Salazar Slytherin, and in this unlikely match he found a friend. United with an ally and considering how the prevalence of witch hunts seemed to be spreading, Godric found himself once again thinking of education. Some isolated place, where young wizards could safely experiment without putting themselves in great danger. Somewhere with specialists of all kinds. Somewhere that could serve generations upon generations... if only he could find others to join him in this endeavor...

Other Noteworthy Facts:
• Sword of Gryffindor - This massive silver blade embedded with rubies would be a two-handed sword for most men, but Godric is able to wield it with one or two. (He prefers two-handed, as it gives him better control and greater force.) His name is engraved just below the hilt. It was crafted for him by the King of Goblins, Ragnuk the First, who did such fine work that the master silversmith attempted to rescind his commission and claimed that Godric had stolen the blade. When he sent his goblins to steal it back, Godric bewitched them and returned them with a warning—any further attempts of theft against Godric and he would use this blade against their kingdom. The sword is always at Godric's side.
• Family consisted of: Father, Gyffard; Mother, Mercy; Eldest brother, +6 years from Godric's age, Grefin (burned as a witch, age 42); Eldest sister, +4 years from Godric's age, Imedia (burned as a witch, age 19); Elder brother, +2 years from Godric's age, Ganelon; Younger sister, -1 year from Godric's age, Sewenna; Younger brother, -2 years from Godric's age, Godichal (burned as a witch, age 31); Younger brother, -4 years from Godric's age, Goeuuin (died in combat, age 23); Youngest sister, -6 years from Godric's age, Quenburge (died age 4, accidental fire); Youngest brother, -7 years from Godric's age, Grimbaldus
• Extremely close friends with Salazar Slytherin. Godric intervened on the other man's behalf, intimidating Muggles who were attempting to prey on Salazar, increasing the threat that the man would be forced to reveal himself as a Wizard. Godric diffused the situation with his massive stature and the warning of a non-magical duel. Salazar hasn't been able to get the big buffoon to leave him alone since that moment he thanked the interloper. Now he's stuck with Godric.

Universe Specific Information:
• Wizards, man, wizards!
• There are two classes of people: wizards, with magical abilities, and Muggles, "normal humans". (Also sometimes there are Squibs, "normal humans" who are related to enough wizards that they should have had magical abilities... but they don't.)

Storyline Specific Information:

[Advanced] The Four Founders:

RP Sample: "Oh!" the massive man exclaimed, the tone of his booming voice gleeful. "'Tis a fine hat! I'll take it!"

He didn't seem to hear the groans and protests of his assembled companions. The stated "fine hat" looked a miserable sight. It enjoyed a seat it didn't seem to deserve on a shelf of new goods. The leather (was it leather?) or canvas (could it be canvas?) could certainly not be unused. It bore many stains, several uneasily difficult to determine the possible source of. The shape of the hat may have once been fine—a wide enough brim and a peaked tip—but it seemed to have been run over by a carriage or trampled upon by horses. The brim wobbled unevenly about the crown, and the pointed top was crinkled and smashed.

Yet Godric lifted it with his broad hands and proudly settled it atop his fiery locks. Somehow it looked even worse being worn.

The look on his face as he turned towards the others was expectant of praise and compliments. He deserved neither, although he managed to be totally unaware of this. His new purchase—far too expensive for what he had received—seemed like a blight on the collective eyes of wizard-kind. Already others in the shop were turning towards the group, their unease and distaste at the hideous thing evident in their crinkled noses and murmurs. He remained blind and deaf to all of it, basking in the enjoyment of something new that amused him.

Was it possible that he didn't see the ugliness of the thing? With Godric it was so hard to tell. He was unlikely to leave his fancy of it now, regardless of the opinions of his companions which he now sought. The giant grinned down at the group, wondering who would be the first to speak on his new adornment.

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Lovely profile, dear <3 Amazing job, as always!

Approved!