Character Survey of Doom
Edited 07/03/2010
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy? He's tall and thin. Lean, rather than scrawny.
2. How old is he? 17
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch? He carries himself quite well, and with an air of confidence that is quite unmistakable, unless he deems it more useful to do so otherwise although, admittedly, that is not often.
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities? He isn't unhealthy, but in no way is he the epitome of fitness. As a wizard, he prefers to do things the magical way, rather than exert himself physically. On the other hand, he seems to have been blessed with the right set of genetics that would make him look as if he was more active than he actually is.
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid? Tom is very fluid in the way he moves. He also is a great fan of theatrics, and can be caught up in the histrionics of his gestures. He often moves with purpose and deliberation. He is no way clumsy, but graceful hints at a certain level of femininity that Tom lacks.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror? He is very attractive, and he knows it. Although he's a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to his appearance, he doesn't dwell in front of the mirror, and when he does, his eyes don't often find their reflection. His relationship with the mirror is a professional one.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred? His complexion is pale and clear.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style. His hair is black, and tamed. He uses a charm to keep it in place.
9. What color are his eyes? The Wikia says brown, but the books only say dark.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features? He has long fingers.
11. What are his chief tension centers? His biggest is his neck, which he'll often acknowledge with a strange turn of his head to adjust and attempt to make comfortable. He also holds a bit of tension in his forearms and shoulders, as well as his forehead.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit? Tom is modest in the way he dresses. He is quite fond of his Hogwarts uniform and wizarding robes. He wears neutrals (mostly black and gray), and if not, dark green and rarely we might see a bit of silver. His outfit isn't very varied. He has a couple all-black robes, and one that's green and silver, but the majority of what he wears usually has a tie to a Hogwarts uniform.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them? He's very comfortable in them, and yes, they do fit well.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences? He doesn't have a job, but if he did, yes. He's very conscious of keeping up appearances. His job attire would be a tad more professional than the clothes he wears in his free time.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando? Commando. ;)
He discovered in childhood that no one could tell if he was wearing underwear or not underneath his clothes. It was liberating for him to be free of underwear, as if he was above such a common human thing. To him, it was a physical manifestation of his innate knowing that even if he may look the same on the outside, or have the same name as someone else, on the inside he's different from the people that surround him. He was better. Above them. Above their useless practice of wearing underwear.
He's never worn a pair since.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse? High-pitched and smooth.
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate? He speaks very deliberately. Typically even, and rather easily. Maybe even a tad slow, to get his point across.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics? He, of course, has an English accent. He also does this thing where he pauses right before a word in order to emphasis it. Most of the time I don't note where that is, because the pause isn't very long, but it's most certainly there.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency? English and Parseltongue, both very fluently. One is the language of the country he grew up in, the other is inherited. He has also studied Latin, but the most you'll most likely hear out of him is from his spellwork. And he may have a basic understanding of French, as well as Catalan.
"• Although J. K. Rowling has never quite explained the origins of the name "Voldemort", there are some possible theories. "Mors", or "mortum" is the Latin word for death (which has evolved in many Romance languages as "muerte" or "morte",and the English word "murder" indeed has its origins in the same root word as "mors"). Therefore, while not necessarily true, the possible meaning of the word "Voldemort" may be either "representative of death" or "embassador of death". Another possible etymology is the Proto-Germanic word "evol" (also "yfel", "yfol", "yvol, or "eyvfold", also, the English word "evil" has its roots there), which means "bad" or "evil", though the word "evol" in fact is not a Proto-Germanic word, with the word meaning "bad, evil" having been "ubilaz" instead[16]. The Arabic word "demuhrt" which means "wizard" or more specifically "dark wizard" could also be an inspiration. Another etymology is the Old Russian word "vuldimortdek", which simply means "dark wizard". Yet, the most accurate etymology of Voldemort would be the French expression "vol de mort" which literally means "flight from death" (accurate considering his deepest fear) or "flight of death" (his unique power). The Catalan expression "vol de mort", also means "flight of death" or, since "Vol" may also be from the Latin root "volere" (will or desire), may mean "death wish".
• J. K. Rowling has said in an interview that the T in Voldemort is silent[17]. This may be to the fact that the French word mort, meaning death, has a silent T.
• Voldemort, in Catalan, means "Flight of death", since Vol means flight, de means of, and mort means death."*
It isn't difficult to conclude he has some sort of understanding of what his chosen name - Voldemort - means. So, therefore, he must have some understanding of the language(s) from which it comes.
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations? No. If he's able to speak Parseltongue with another, more often than not that conversation will be fully Parseltongue.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words? He's a relatively good impromptu speaker, but that doesn't mean he doesn't think about his words. Every word that passes his lips is deliberate, but more often than not he takes a moment or two to pause and think about what he wants to say.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change? He's quite eloquent. The only time he's been at a loss for words was when someone tactlessly and blatantly made their romantic interest in him obvious. And when he's exceedingly angry, he expresses himself through curses and hexes rather than words, and has a tendency to repeat himself and shout.
*Tom Riddle - Harry Potter Wiki
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart? He's very intelligent, and both book-smart and street-smart, though more of the former.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate? He's able to do both, but more often than not he takes the time to deliberate. He often has a plan or scheme of some sort floating about his head.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical? Logical, but idealistic. His goals are often very ambitious, but he has the patience and intellect to take the appropriate steps to achieve those goals.
4. What kind of education has the character had? Five and a half years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about? Magic, more notably the Dark Arts. Both of which he is also very interested in learning more about.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert? Introvert.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven? He angers easily, though his mood swings are often contained by his well-kept façade. He believes self-pity is a waste of time, and he replaces his sadness with anger. He isn't cheerful, as he really hasn't tasted true happiness before. He is very driven.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic? Suspicious, although it doesn't show.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react? Act.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight? Fight.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks? He has a dry sense of humor, and often appreciates sarcasm when it's directed at someone other than him. That said, he is able to laugh at himself at times. He isn't the most... inclined to humor.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them? JKR has expressed a belief in which hypothetically, if psychologists were to strip Voldemort of his powers and psychoanalyze him, they would find him to be a psychopath.
"Currently, there are no diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for psychopathy. Labeling a person as a psychopath involves forensic measurement, using a diagnostic tool such as the Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R). The PCL-R is widely considered the "gold standard" for assessing psychopathy. Psychopathy is most strongly correlated with DSM-IV antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), and the ICD-10 antisocial personality disorder and dissocial personality disorder (DPD). However, the PCL-R criteria for identifying a psychopath are stricter than the diagnostic criteria for ASPD or DPD; psychopaths represent a subset of those with ASPD, and psychopaths' traits are more severe.[29]
...
PCL-R items
The following findings are for research purposes only, and are not used in clinical diagnosis. These items cover the affective, interpersonal, and behavioral features. Each item is rated on a score from zero to two. The sum total determines the extent of a person's psychopathy.[29]
Factor 1
Aggressive narcissism
1. Glibness/superficial charm
2. Grandiose sense of self-worth
3. Pathological lying
4. Cunning/manipulative
5. Lack of remorse or guilt
6. Emotionally shallow
7. Callous/lack of empathy
8. Failure to accept responsibility for own actions
Factor 2
Socially deviant lifestyle
1. Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom
2. Parasitic lifestyle
3. Poor behavioral control
4. Promiscuous sexual behavior
5. Lack of realistic, long-term goals
6. Impulsiveness
7. Irresponsibility
8. Juvenile delinquency
9. Early behavioral problems
10. Revocation of conditional release
Traits not correlated with either factor
1. Many short-term marital relationships
2. Criminal versatility"*
As you can see, Tom has nearly all of Factor 1 (agressive narcissism), while little of Factor 2 (socially deviant lifestyle), does not have many short-term relationships marital or no, but indeed has criminal versatility. From that, we can conclude Tom is a sort of half psychopath, but of course he has not been diagnosed as such in canon or in play.
He also has a sort of control issue and a certain need for cleanliness, which may be an inkling to OCD, but it is not strong enough for him to be any sort of diagnosable.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person? The trophies he had collected at the orphanage each represent a moment that has defined Tom. They represent each act of terror he's inflicted upon fellow children, and although he doesn't have them anymore, they mark the beginning of his lust for power over others, and just how he was going to go about getting it.
Arriving at Hogwarts is another. Or, perhaps, the scene with Dumbledore beforehand tied in with his trip to Diagon Alley, and since then his arrival at the school. This is where he learns of his magic and finds a home. It doesn't take long for him to build a reputation of a charismatic and gifted student.
Learning of his ancestry. This is where the hatred he holds for his father began, as well as contempt for his mother - after all, she was weak enough to let herself die, despite being a witch - and where he learns of a way to let out that anger: The Chamber of Secrets.
His decision to make a new name for himself.
Opening the Chamber of Secrets, which was quite a bit of fun for him.
His visit to Little Hangleton, the murder of his father, and the creation of his first horcrux.
The decision to make himself seven horcruxes.
And THIS because I want to keep a record of it somewhere.
14. What does he fear? Death is the highest on the fear list, and with Dumbledore comes his cautious side. (Although this does not necessarily hold true to a certain younger ghostly_bird.)
15. What are his hopes or aspirations? He wants the world to not only acknowledge that he's the most powerful wizard alive, but to bend to his will. And, of course, to live forever.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him? His array of secrets: his blood status, his parents, his murders, his horcruxes.
*Wikipedia's page on psychopathy
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents. His mother is dead, and he deems her weak. He harbors a huge grudge against his father for being a Muggle and leaving him to the orphanage, and in killing his father, Tom has enacted his revenge.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like? No.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand? No, although he doesn't much care for Morfin Gaunt.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them? No.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet? Tom does not have a best friend.
6. Does he have other close friends? Back at Hogwarts? Yes, Avery, Nott, Mulciber, and Lestrange, who we've never gotten canon first names for, along with whoever else is involved with Tom's gang of Slytherins. At TDR? Not particularly, as he doesn't know the Death Eaters very well.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people? He gets along well enough with people, but he does not typically "make friends" unless he has a use for them. He's sort of an elitist bastard when it comes to those he calls "friends".
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends? Family. Salazar Slytherin is someone he looks up to, and those he deems unworthy who are related to him are dead.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once? Single, and not looking.
10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse? No.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest? He has yet to have a first crush.
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner? If he was looking for a romantic partner, I'd say: power, intelligence, wit, magical talent, physical beauty, proper respect, cunning, ambition, tack, taste, high social standing, among other things. Tom has high standards.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any? No, and no.
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies? Yes.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale? I've said asexual or X in the past, but I'm willing to play around with the idea of him having a sexual orientation after all. I would probably place him around 4 or 5, as he's the type of character to believe in the superiority of his own gender, and not the type to lower himself to be sexually active with someone he deems unworthy.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him? He doesn't mind it, but currently, it holds no importance to him, so he doesn't give it any thought. (I'm also considering the idea of virginity holding certain magical properties. If that's the case, Tom is a virgin. If it isn't the case, it's likely Tom is still a virgin.)
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits? Tom isn't a sexual person. Because of this, I haven't figured the answers out quite yet (which means neither has he). I think he would enjoy physically dominating someone he deems to be a worthy partner, and therefore establish a certain position of power over them. He doesn't have much experience in this category, so stay tuned for edits.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type? "CAPRICORN
(December 22 - January 19)
the Quinotaur (half goat, half mermaid/merman). Cardinal, earth, yin - planetary ruler: Saturn. Keywords: "I USE"
Capricorn is the tenth sign of the zodiac and governs the bones, joints, and knees. Positive traits include pragmatism, maturity, patience, determination, awareness, a strong work ethic, realism, discipline, money management, the willingness to overcome hard luck, leadership, initiative, opportunism, prudence, and cunning. Negative traits include pessimism, melancholy, emotional coldness, manipulation, obsession with work and ambitions to the detriment of personal development, remoteness, and materialistic snobbery.
Slytherin
The traits emphasized here will be ambition, determination, discipline, and pragmatism. You can't make that castle in the sky if you don't build a solid foundation under it, and Capricorns excel at building foundations. (Actually, they excel at planning the foundations and directing others to do the grunt labour. It's not that they're afraid to get their hands dirty, but large work usually requires delegation and a staff, and Capricorns are managers more often than not.) While not flamboyant or showy about it, Capricorns still tend to be obsessive overachievers, a common trait in House Slytherin. Too, wizards born under the sign of Capricorn are good at being discreet, secretive, and diplomatic; whereas the Libra's diplomacy is based on charm and a desire for harmony, the Capricorn's diplomacy is based on the knowledge that being on good terms with people is extremely useful in getting one's way or finding out sensitive information. These also are traits commonly associated with House Slytherin. They might not be sexy traits, but they're very handy."*
This does a very well job describing Tom, so I'd say that he fits it quite well.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life? As there isn't any religion in the Wizarding World, I'm going to make a jump and say that he believes strongly in Divination. Other than that, he isn't spiritual or religious, and they hold little importance in his life. As for Divination, since his Legilimency lets him know when someone is lying, he can tell fakes from the real deal. Thus, he holds the real deal that much higher in importance.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it? Hah, no.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent? Intolerant and indifferent, depending on who's beliefs they are.
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them? His hatred for Muggles is because of his time spent in the orphanage, and his father. His hatred for Muggleborns, however, is rather irrational. He has said that they steal magic from purebloods, and shuns them with his Slytherin cohorts. Although, this may very well be a front for his minions friends, a reflection of their beliefs in order to make them more compliant. Not to mention, they are an easy scapegoat.
*Harry Potter Astrology
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt? Poor, but in the Room that hardly matters.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him? Prior to TDR, he had a relatively high social status among the students at Hogwarts because of his prowess with and without a wand, but that took time to build.
3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others? He lives in the Slytherin dorms at Hogwarts, although since arriving in the Room, he's adopted a side room as his own. His space is very clean and pristine. He does not share.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on? Books and magical items he takes an interest in, although he is much more inclined to steal than to buy.
5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else? At the moment, he's a student. He is very good at being a student, and he enjoys it.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time? Reading, learning, wand waving, plotting and scheming.
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods? No alcohol for him, thanks, unless you want to see quite a few people Crucio'd for speaking to him wrong. He is prone to skipping meals, and doesn't know how to cook very much. He doesn't particularly enjoy eating with other people, and often does so on his own.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Black, gray, dark green.
2. Smell? Death.
3. Time of day? Early morning.
4. Season? Winter.
5. Book? Magick Moste Evile and, of course, Secrets of the Darkest Art.
6. Music? Those old, dark Latin pieces that foretell doom and destruction. They're very fitting, and I think if he ever bothered to listen to them and could over the fact that it's technically Muggle music (or we can just assume there are Wizarding pieces with the same sound, like In Noctem), he would like them.
7. Place? The Chamber of Secrets, Riddle Manor, Hogwarts in general.
8. Substance? Poison?
9. Plant? Venus fly trap.
10. Animal? Snake.
END
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Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy? He's tall and thin. Lean, rather than scrawny.
2. How old is he? 17
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch? He carries himself quite well, and with an air of confidence that is quite unmistakable, unless he deems it more useful to do so otherwise although, admittedly, that is not often.
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities? He isn't unhealthy, but in no way is he the epitome of fitness. As a wizard, he prefers to do things the magical way, rather than exert himself physically. On the other hand, he seems to have been blessed with the right set of genetics that would make him look as if he was more active than he actually is.
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid? Tom is very fluid in the way he moves. He also is a great fan of theatrics, and can be caught up in the histrionics of his gestures. He often moves with purpose and deliberation. He is no way clumsy, but graceful hints at a certain level of femininity that Tom lacks.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror? He is very attractive, and he knows it. Although he's a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to his appearance, he doesn't dwell in front of the mirror, and when he does, his eyes don't often find their reflection. His relationship with the mirror is a professional one.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred? His complexion is pale and clear.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style. His hair is black, and tamed. He uses a charm to keep it in place.
9. What color are his eyes? The Wikia says brown, but the books only say dark.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features? He has long fingers.
11. What are his chief tension centers? His biggest is his neck, which he'll often acknowledge with a strange turn of his head to adjust and attempt to make comfortable. He also holds a bit of tension in his forearms and shoulders, as well as his forehead.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit? Tom is modest in the way he dresses. He is quite fond of his Hogwarts uniform and wizarding robes. He wears neutrals (mostly black and gray), and if not, dark green and rarely we might see a bit of silver. His outfit isn't very varied. He has a couple all-black robes, and one that's green and silver, but the majority of what he wears usually has a tie to a Hogwarts uniform.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them? He's very comfortable in them, and yes, they do fit well.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences? He doesn't have a job, but if he did, yes. He's very conscious of keeping up appearances. His job attire would be a tad more professional than the clothes he wears in his free time.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando? Commando. ;)
He discovered in childhood that no one could tell if he was wearing underwear or not underneath his clothes. It was liberating for him to be free of underwear, as if he was above such a common human thing. To him, it was a physical manifestation of his innate knowing that even if he may look the same on the outside, or have the same name as someone else, on the inside he's different from the people that surround him. He was better. Above them. Above their useless practice of wearing underwear.
He's never worn a pair since.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse? High-pitched and smooth.
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate? He speaks very deliberately. Typically even, and rather easily. Maybe even a tad slow, to get his point across.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics? He, of course, has an English accent. He also does this thing where he pauses right before a word in order to emphasis it. Most of the time I don't note where that is, because the pause isn't very long, but it's most certainly there.
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency? English and Parseltongue, both very fluently. One is the language of the country he grew up in, the other is inherited. He has also studied Latin, but the most you'll most likely hear out of him is from his spellwork. And he may have a basic understanding of French, as well as Catalan.
"• Although J. K. Rowling has never quite explained the origins of the name "Voldemort", there are some possible theories. "Mors", or "mortum" is the Latin word for death (which has evolved in many Romance languages as "muerte" or "morte",and the English word "murder" indeed has its origins in the same root word as "mors"). Therefore, while not necessarily true, the possible meaning of the word "Voldemort" may be either "representative of death" or "embassador of death". Another possible etymology is the Proto-Germanic word "evol" (also "yfel", "yfol", "yvol, or "eyvfold", also, the English word "evil" has its roots there), which means "bad" or "evil", though the word "evol" in fact is not a Proto-Germanic word, with the word meaning "bad, evil" having been "ubilaz" instead[16]. The Arabic word "demuhrt" which means "wizard" or more specifically "dark wizard" could also be an inspiration. Another etymology is the Old Russian word "vuldimortdek", which simply means "dark wizard". Yet, the most accurate etymology of Voldemort would be the French expression "vol de mort" which literally means "flight from death" (accurate considering his deepest fear) or "flight of death" (his unique power). The Catalan expression "vol de mort", also means "flight of death" or, since "Vol" may also be from the Latin root "volere" (will or desire), may mean "death wish".
• J. K. Rowling has said in an interview that the T in Voldemort is silent[17]. This may be to the fact that the French word mort, meaning death, has a silent T.
• Voldemort, in Catalan, means "Flight of death", since Vol means flight, de means of, and mort means death."*
It isn't difficult to conclude he has some sort of understanding of what his chosen name - Voldemort - means. So, therefore, he must have some understanding of the language(s) from which it comes.
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations? No. If he's able to speak Parseltongue with another, more often than not that conversation will be fully Parseltongue.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words? He's a relatively good impromptu speaker, but that doesn't mean he doesn't think about his words. Every word that passes his lips is deliberate, but more often than not he takes a moment or two to pause and think about what he wants to say.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change? He's quite eloquent. The only time he's been at a loss for words was when someone tactlessly and blatantly made their romantic interest in him obvious. And when he's exceedingly angry, he expresses himself through curses and hexes rather than words, and has a tendency to repeat himself and shout.
*Tom Riddle - Harry Potter Wiki
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart? He's very intelligent, and both book-smart and street-smart, though more of the former.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate? He's able to do both, but more often than not he takes the time to deliberate. He often has a plan or scheme of some sort floating about his head.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical? Logical, but idealistic. His goals are often very ambitious, but he has the patience and intellect to take the appropriate steps to achieve those goals.
4. What kind of education has the character had? Five and a half years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about? Magic, more notably the Dark Arts. Both of which he is also very interested in learning more about.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert? Introvert.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven? He angers easily, though his mood swings are often contained by his well-kept façade. He believes self-pity is a waste of time, and he replaces his sadness with anger. He isn't cheerful, as he really hasn't tasted true happiness before. He is very driven.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic? Suspicious, although it doesn't show.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react? Act.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight? Fight.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks? He has a dry sense of humor, and often appreciates sarcasm when it's directed at someone other than him. That said, he is able to laugh at himself at times. He isn't the most... inclined to humor.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them? JKR has expressed a belief in which hypothetically, if psychologists were to strip Voldemort of his powers and psychoanalyze him, they would find him to be a psychopath.
"Currently, there are no diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders for psychopathy. Labeling a person as a psychopath involves forensic measurement, using a diagnostic tool such as the Hare Psychopathy Checklist (PCL-R). The PCL-R is widely considered the "gold standard" for assessing psychopathy. Psychopathy is most strongly correlated with DSM-IV antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), and the ICD-10 antisocial personality disorder and dissocial personality disorder (DPD). However, the PCL-R criteria for identifying a psychopath are stricter than the diagnostic criteria for ASPD or DPD; psychopaths represent a subset of those with ASPD, and psychopaths' traits are more severe.[29]
...
PCL-R items
The following findings are for research purposes only, and are not used in clinical diagnosis. These items cover the affective, interpersonal, and behavioral features. Each item is rated on a score from zero to two. The sum total determines the extent of a person's psychopathy.[29]
Factor 1
Aggressive narcissism
1. Glibness/superficial charm
2. Grandiose sense of self-worth
3. Pathological lying
4. Cunning/manipulative
5. Lack of remorse or guilt
6. Emotionally shallow
7. Callous/lack of empathy
8. Failure to accept responsibility for own actions
Factor 2
Socially deviant lifestyle
1. Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom
2. Parasitic lifestyle
3. Poor behavioral control
4. Promiscuous sexual behavior
5. Lack of realistic, long-term goals
6. Impulsiveness
7. Irresponsibility
8. Juvenile delinquency
9. Early behavioral problems
10. Revocation of conditional release
Traits not correlated with either factor
1. Many short-term marital relationships
2. Criminal versatility"*
As you can see, Tom has nearly all of Factor 1 (agressive narcissism), while little of Factor 2 (socially deviant lifestyle), does not have many short-term relationships marital or no, but indeed has criminal versatility. From that, we can conclude Tom is a sort of half psychopath, but of course he has not been diagnosed as such in canon or in play.
He also has a sort of control issue and a certain need for cleanliness, which may be an inkling to OCD, but it is not strong enough for him to be any sort of diagnosable.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person? The trophies he had collected at the orphanage each represent a moment that has defined Tom. They represent each act of terror he's inflicted upon fellow children, and although he doesn't have them anymore, they mark the beginning of his lust for power over others, and just how he was going to go about getting it.
Arriving at Hogwarts is another. Or, perhaps, the scene with Dumbledore beforehand tied in with his trip to Diagon Alley, and since then his arrival at the school. This is where he learns of his magic and finds a home. It doesn't take long for him to build a reputation of a charismatic and gifted student.
Learning of his ancestry. This is where the hatred he holds for his father began, as well as contempt for his mother - after all, she was weak enough to let herself die, despite being a witch - and where he learns of a way to let out that anger: The Chamber of Secrets.
His decision to make a new name for himself.
Opening the Chamber of Secrets, which was quite a bit of fun for him.
His visit to Little Hangleton, the murder of his father, and the creation of his first horcrux.
The decision to make himself seven horcruxes.
And THIS because I want to keep a record of it somewhere.
14. What does he fear? Death is the highest on the fear list, and with Dumbledore comes his cautious side. (Although this does not necessarily hold true to a certain younger ghostly_bird.)
15. What are his hopes or aspirations? He wants the world to not only acknowledge that he's the most powerful wizard alive, but to bend to his will. And, of course, to live forever.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him? His array of secrets: his blood status, his parents, his murders, his horcruxes.
*Wikipedia's page on psychopathy
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents. His mother is dead, and he deems her weak. He harbors a huge grudge against his father for being a Muggle and leaving him to the orphanage, and in killing his father, Tom has enacted his revenge.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like? No.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand? No, although he doesn't much care for Morfin Gaunt.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them? No.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet? Tom does not have a best friend.
6. Does he have other close friends? Back at Hogwarts? Yes, Avery, Nott, Mulciber, and Lestrange, who we've never gotten canon first names for, along with whoever else is involved with Tom's gang of Slytherins. At TDR? Not particularly, as he doesn't know the Death Eaters very well.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people? He gets along well enough with people, but he does not typically "make friends" unless he has a use for them. He's sort of an elitist bastard when it comes to those he calls "friends".
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends? Family. Salazar Slytherin is someone he looks up to, and those he deems unworthy who are related to him are dead.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once? Single, and not looking.
10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse? No.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest? He has yet to have a first crush.
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner? If he was looking for a romantic partner, I'd say: power, intelligence, wit, magical talent, physical beauty, proper respect, cunning, ambition, tack, taste, high social standing, among other things. Tom has high standards.
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any? No, and no.
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies? Yes.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale? I've said asexual or X in the past, but I'm willing to play around with the idea of him having a sexual orientation after all. I would probably place him around 4 or 5, as he's the type of character to believe in the superiority of his own gender, and not the type to lower himself to be sexually active with someone he deems unworthy.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him? He doesn't mind it, but currently, it holds no importance to him, so he doesn't give it any thought. (I'm also considering the idea of virginity holding certain magical properties. If that's the case, Tom is a virgin. If it isn't the case, it's likely Tom is still a virgin.)
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits? Tom isn't a sexual person. Because of this, I haven't figured the answers out quite yet (which means neither has he). I think he would enjoy physically dominating someone he deems to be a worthy partner, and therefore establish a certain position of power over them. He doesn't have much experience in this category, so stay tuned for edits.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type? "CAPRICORN
(December 22 - January 19)
the Quinotaur (half goat, half mermaid/merman). Cardinal, earth, yin - planetary ruler: Saturn. Keywords: "I USE"
Capricorn is the tenth sign of the zodiac and governs the bones, joints, and knees. Positive traits include pragmatism, maturity, patience, determination, awareness, a strong work ethic, realism, discipline, money management, the willingness to overcome hard luck, leadership, initiative, opportunism, prudence, and cunning. Negative traits include pessimism, melancholy, emotional coldness, manipulation, obsession with work and ambitions to the detriment of personal development, remoteness, and materialistic snobbery.
Slytherin
The traits emphasized here will be ambition, determination, discipline, and pragmatism. You can't make that castle in the sky if you don't build a solid foundation under it, and Capricorns excel at building foundations. (Actually, they excel at planning the foundations and directing others to do the grunt labour. It's not that they're afraid to get their hands dirty, but large work usually requires delegation and a staff, and Capricorns are managers more often than not.) While not flamboyant or showy about it, Capricorns still tend to be obsessive overachievers, a common trait in House Slytherin. Too, wizards born under the sign of Capricorn are good at being discreet, secretive, and diplomatic; whereas the Libra's diplomacy is based on charm and a desire for harmony, the Capricorn's diplomacy is based on the knowledge that being on good terms with people is extremely useful in getting one's way or finding out sensitive information. These also are traits commonly associated with House Slytherin. They might not be sexy traits, but they're very handy."*
This does a very well job describing Tom, so I'd say that he fits it quite well.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life? As there isn't any religion in the Wizarding World, I'm going to make a jump and say that he believes strongly in Divination. Other than that, he isn't spiritual or religious, and they hold little importance in his life. As for Divination, since his Legilimency lets him know when someone is lying, he can tell fakes from the real deal. Thus, he holds the real deal that much higher in importance.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it? Hah, no.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent? Intolerant and indifferent, depending on who's beliefs they are.
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them? His hatred for Muggles is because of his time spent in the orphanage, and his father. His hatred for Muggleborns, however, is rather irrational. He has said that they steal magic from purebloods, and shuns them with his Slytherin cohorts. Although, this may very well be a front for his minions friends, a reflection of their beliefs in order to make them more compliant. Not to mention, they are an easy scapegoat.
*Harry Potter Astrology
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt? Poor, but in the Room that hardly matters.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him? Prior to TDR, he had a relatively high social status among the students at Hogwarts because of his prowess with and without a wand, but that took time to build.
3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others? He lives in the Slytherin dorms at Hogwarts, although since arriving in the Room, he's adopted a side room as his own. His space is very clean and pristine. He does not share.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on? Books and magical items he takes an interest in, although he is much more inclined to steal than to buy.
5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else? At the moment, he's a student. He is very good at being a student, and he enjoys it.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time? Reading, learning, wand waving, plotting and scheming.
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods? No alcohol for him, thanks, unless you want to see quite a few people Crucio'd for speaking to him wrong. He is prone to skipping meals, and doesn't know how to cook very much. He doesn't particularly enjoy eating with other people, and often does so on his own.
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Black, gray, dark green.
2. Smell? Death.
3. Time of day? Early morning.
4. Season? Winter.
5. Book? Magick Moste Evile and, of course, Secrets of the Darkest Art.
6. Music? Those old, dark Latin pieces that foretell doom and destruction. They're very fitting, and I think if he ever bothered to listen to them and could over the fact that it's technically Muggle music (or we can just assume there are Wizarding pieces with the same sound, like In Noctem), he would like them.
7. Place? The Chamber of Secrets, Riddle Manor, Hogwarts in general.
8. Substance? Poison?
9. Plant? Venus fly trap.
10. Animal? Snake.
END
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