“My philosophy is that worrying means you suffer twice.”
- Newt Scamander
BASICS
RETIRE INFO:
Newt: Retire
Newsk: Retire
NAME: Newtaran, affectionately called Newt by those who put up with him
GENDER: Male
PRONOUNS: He/him/his
ORIENTATION: Biromantic heterosexual
BIRTHDATE: Early Winter 2738
AGE: 28 as of Late Spring 2767
LOCATION: Semaca Weyr
OCCUPATION: JM Beastcrafter (specialising in studying and recording wild fauna), Wherling
WING: N/A
APPEARANCE
EYES: Hazelnut brown-green and full of shimmery wonder
HAIR: Sandy blond and curly, majestically floppy
HEIGHT AND BUILD: Slim, 5’11, sturdier than he first appears
PLAY-BY: Eddie Redmayne
FULL APPEARANCE:
Lean and wiry, Newt might seem like a little bit of a pushover at first. His movements tend to be quite… dawdly? Fluid? Well, whatever it is- that dreamy, faraway look so common in his gaze also seems to affect his appendages. He doesn’t walk so much as glide, or flounce- but not in an angry way. Just more sort of… oh, now he has to be over there. Okay body, let’s get on that. Wheeee. Wobble wobble. Oh. There we go. Yep. That’s that. It’s graceful in a weird, awkward sort of way. Newt definitely catches the eye- maybe because you’re afraid he’ll fall on you. He steps with purpose- but Faranth knows what purpose that is… Also he’s not drunk. Promise. His very existence is awkwardness.
He dresses well for a man who spends most of his time prowling through undergrowth, searching for monsters and fantastical creatures alike. He likes his overcoat with large pockets, good for stuffing all manner of things into. He likes his brightly coloured scarf, both loose and warming- versatile and adaptable for every climate. His boots- well, without them, where would he be? Scuffed, hardy and repaired more times than he would care to recount. His favourite colour is a deep bottle-green. Gather finery consists of a freshly-cleaned shirt and trousers- he doesn’t really understand the point of dressing up.
With soft, wavy curls of sun-kissed strawberry-blonde, a boyish, youthful face sprinkled with freckles, and hazelnut eyes, Newt could almost be described as ‘angelic’. Almost. His nose looks like it might have suffered a break in the past, and his usual expression swaps between ‘politely smiling’ and ‘perplexed by regular human behaviour’. His shy awkwardness may cause him to wince and frown on many occasions, leaving some to think he is, despite his apparent sweetness, a bit of a jerk.
PERSONALITY
PERSONALITY:
There is no denying it: Newt is a clever man. He is a fastidious learner, a huge bookworm, and entirely too meticulous about facts. Research and writing is his passion, second only to his love for animals and their care. He has a moderate case of wanderlust, which, when combined with his deep-seated and incurable curiosity, has taken him all across Pern in search of rare and elusive creatures. His dream would be to one day record details and illustrations of every species of Pernese fauna, and spreading such information through the Holds, Halls and Weyrs of his world.
At his core, he is incredibly kind and attuned to the feelings of others. He is a bleeding heart, and would gladly give the shirt off his back even in the middle of winter. Unfortunately, he is also terrified of being hurt, and tries to guard his feelings as best as he can. This doesn’t stop him from picking up on the pain of others, and he goes out of his way to help when possible.
Human malice baffles him: that people can be so cruel and uncaring towards others is unfathomable. He has a great sense of nobility, but also a rather innocent streak that might blind him to the worst of humanity. That’s not to say that he isn’t aware- oh no, he realises that bad things happen, and that bad people make them happen… he just doesn’t understand why. Why would anybody want to harm another living thing? He’s not sanctimonious- just… very confused. Especially about the dichotomy of good and evil.
Newt is very much a sweetheart. His kindness might be hard to perceive through his general oddness, but he genuinely does care about everyone. He makes a good teacher, with a patient and open-minded disposition towards those who are unprejudiced and eager to learn. He is more than happy to share his knowledge, too- nothing makes him happier than discussing all the different varieties of tunnel-snake, or the many uses of wherry feathers...
In regards to animals- Newt prefers them over humans for the most part. For as long as he can remember, he has been fully invested in animal welfare and care. He is much more at peace surrounded by wildlife and nature than in the midst of a Hold or Weyr, where the worst of humanity may occasionally be glimpsed. Since creatures are often more straight-forwards in terms of understanding their intentions, Newt is much more trusting around them. He can be quite reserved around people, especially strangers, and may be disinclined to divulge much of his personal self to them.
Conversations and social conventions are a little tricky for Newt to navigate. He knows he has a tendency to annoy people- whether it’s with his upfront manner of questioning their intentions, or because he thinks he knows better than them, or refuses to answer their own questions in turn, or simply because of his natural eccentricities and mannerisms… Regardless, Newt can be a bit awkward in social situations, and definitely takes time to warm up to people. He is a loyal friend once his trust has been earnt, and his desire to assist and protect those he calls friends is quite admirable. Otherwise, for the most part, he is aloof and reserved in general company, awkwardly smiling on the side until he can politely duck away.
Newt shows tireless dedication to his cause and Craft, determined to succeed no matter what. His energy seems unfailing- where others might choose leisure or play or courting, Newt has his head buried in books or following tracks into the neighbouring wilds. His enthusiasm for his tasks is almost bewildering- incessant and persistent both, Newt will not be deterred. He may seem easy-going on the outside, but his drive and dedication will see any duty fulfilled.
Emotionally fragile, he prefers to keep his cards close to his chest. Though he will lay down his life to protect his friends, he is not especially good at expressing complex feelings, though he can communicate them with words if not with his face or tone. Newt is afraid of having his feelings, and therefore himself, exploited by others- a result of a being hurt in the past. He prefers not to actively pursue romance, and may be slow to realise when he is nursing a crush for someone.
HISTORY
FAMILY:
- Father: Rolaran {2710 - Master Beasthealer}
- Mother: Satheyra {2715 - JM Beastcrafter}
- Brother: Theseus {2736}
BIRTHPLACE: Lemos Hold
HISTORY:
Newt was the second-born of two brothers, two Turns younger than Theseus. Whilst his mother doted upon him, his father always favoured Theseus. There was no bad blood between the lads; whilst growing up, Newtaran was always fond him, and had nothing but respect for his parents and their selfless dedication to the Beastcraft. His mother was a runner-breeder of great renown, and his father was a talented and highly sought after Beasthealer.
During his childhood, he befriended a rather curious and lonely girl by the name of Leta. She enjoyed watching his parents’ runners- becoming friends seemed almost naturally given. Newt was happy, because he had experienced some difficulty in making and keeping friends, but Leta was very different to the rest of the Holdbrats. Sensitive, funny, and a little bit daring. He was young, but most certainly struck by the clamours of puppy love.
What happened a few Turns into their friendship scarred him: on a dare, Leta had told him to open the gate to the runners and set them loose on the Hold proper. He had thought himself up to the measure of calming them, of controlling them- he’d watched his mother manage them with ease, he’d seen his father soothe even the angriest creature… how hard could it be? Leta laughed with glee as the runners ran amok in the Hold courtyard; but Newt was crestfallen, seeing only the destruction in their wake. Things came to a head when another child, only a few Turns younger than Newt, fell, knocked over by the lead stallion, and was almost trampled to death.
It brought shame upon him and his family, and his punishment was severe. He did not name Leta in the crime, and he was the only one to be disciplined. His friendship with the young girl fell apart then, leaving him emotionally hurting and torn. Punishment, he could handle. But isolation? Loneliness? And not understanding why they had done it… why Leta had pushed him into it, and why she had laughed… that hurt more. He didn’t understand her at all. He thought he knew her.
But the Turns passed by, and Newt’s shame slowly became a distant memory in the minds of his peers. The young boy was inspired by his parents’ enthusiasm and energy for the Beastcraft, and he chose to pursue it when he turned twelve. Despite his attempts at being friendly towards the other apprentices, Newt could not stop being awkward and a little socially inept. His masters were pleased with his dedication and progress, seeing potential beyond his past mistakes and eccentricity. He walked the tables at seventeen.
As a Journeyman, he requested the opportunity to be posted elsewhere. He was told there was a position for a runner-trainer at Crom, which he willingly took. Though the work was good, it did not offer the intellectual fulfilment Newt craved. So he took on a side-project, beginning with a detailed study of whers. He kept detailed measurements and illustrations, in the hopes of discovering where mutations had come from. During this time, he was also presented with multiple opportunities to bond to newly-born whers- but the wherlets found handlers in other people, and his palm remained blade-free.
His side-project drew the eye of a more illustrious- and also eccentric- Master Beastcraft, who commissioned him with the task of making more details studies of the rest of Pernese fauna, starting with dragons. He hoped that the origins of the mutations would be elucidated, but despite Newt’s numerous Turns at Telgar Weyr, there seemed to be no logical explanation for the appearance of garnets and other strange and unique dragon colours.
Newt also took the time to document different variations of tunnelsnakes, detailing how climate and available prey changed their physiology. In fact, the more of Pern he explored, the more he found to study and write about. It was during this time that he came across a fair of firelizards and their clutch, and bonded to the last flitt to hatch- a small and cold-prone green that he named Pickett.
His numerous scratchings and drawings might have made an interesting read amongst the more record-driven Beastcrafters (and harpers), but preserving them on hides (and carrying them around on his adventures) became problematic. Newt returned to the major Beasthall at Keroon, and showed his work to his Master.
After some consultation with his master, Newt elected to be sent south to Semaca, to continue his work in more uncharted areas. He promised to send reports and updates of his research as regularly as he could, despite the distance between the two continents. Though he has been at the Weyr for about a Turn now, the political unrest surrounding the Weyrs and the danger involved in trekking through the unexplored and probably-hostile jungles of the south have slowed his progress. He still records clutches and hatchings dutifully, and presents himself as a possible bondmate to whers- but his main focus is his study.
