Nicknames: Frank, usually.
Birthdate: 5th September, 1854
Current Age: 37 years
Gender: Male
Occupation: Wizarding Naturalist & Explorer
Reputation: 8
A notable eccentric, more accustomed to travelling the world than British society. A slight whiff of alcoholism and substance abuse about him.Residence: Staying with the Rosewoods at the Sanditon.
Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff
Wand:
10 1/2”, chestnut and dragon heartstring, flexible. (New wand, bought on his return to the country.)
Blood Status: Halfblood
Social Class: Upper
Family:
Francis Rosewood Sr. | Father | 1808 - 1873
Marianne Rosewood née ____ | Mother | 1816 - 1884
Edmund Rosewood | Brother | 1842 - 1891
-- Chastity Rosewood nee ____ | Sister-in-law | 1848
-- Harmony ___ nee Rosewood | Niece | 1868
-- Trinity ___ nee Rosewood | Niece | 1870
-- Amity Rosewood | Niece | 1873
Cedric Rosewood | Brother | 1847 - 1852
Henry Rosewood | Brother | 1849 - 1849
Appearance: At a mere quarter of an inch over 5’6” and average in build, Frank cuts a fairly unassuming figure. He has thick brown hair, wide blue-green eyes and a default expression that looks mostly bemused, and in general has a friendly, approachable, sprightly air about him that he doesn’t necessarily always enjoy. When he was a boy, he smiled more – the wide and toothy kind, a little bit goofy – but those honest smiles come more rarely now. He holds himself more upright now than he used to, with an assuredly straight posture; but that belies the fact that he is nonetheless quite clumsy, almost like he is ever-surprised to be in his own skin. Frank has not cared about gentlemanly fashion in a great many years: in his youth he was always, inevitably, muddy within minutes the moment he ever stepped out of doors and, left alone on his travels, he has happily worn the same clothes for days on end, and indeed let his hair and beard grow out without care. Still, perhaps out of some regard for society, one of the first things he did before returning to Britain this year was to revert to a neater-shaven look, and is now more presentable and clean-cut than he has been in years. He owns spectacles for reading, but misplaces them more often than not. He is right handed.
History:
1854 | Francis Sr. and Marianne Rosewood have a healthy first son in 1842, but their troubles begin after that. Their second son, Cedric, dies of an illness aged five, and their next son dies in his cot, days after his birth. Edmund seems likely to remain their only heir and child – until Francis Jr. who comes as a late surprise. Or an unexpected blessing; though prematurely born, he is healthy and happy and hearty from the start.
1854 - 1865 | With only a much older brother to look up to, and Edmund already off at Hogwarts during the year, Frank grows up fully aware he is, in status, the spare – but his parents dote on him just the same, and his mother is intensely protective. Despite – or perhaps because of? – her attempts to coddle him and keep him close by, Frank develops a keen curiosity and sense of wonder. So there are more scraped knees and near-misses throughout his childhood than his parents or the governess would like, but on the whole he makes it through just fine.
1866 | Frank is delighted to finally get to Hogwarts, even if Edmund is long graduated already; he’s heard all about it, anyway. The Sorting Hat deliberates Ravenclaw for a long time for him, and he has imagined Gryffindor, but in the end Frank finds himself in Hufflepuff.
1867 | Edmund gets married.
1868 | Frank’s favourite classes are Potions and Herbology, but in third year, he adds Care of Magical Creatures, and also becomes an uncle.
1870 | Edmund and Chastity have another daughter.
1871 | In May, Frank gets excellent OWL results. Starting his sixth year in September, he takes Alchemy, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Herbology and Potions for his NEWTs.
1873 | Frank graduates this year with outstanding grades; Edmund and Chastity have a third daughter, Amity; and their father, Francis Sr., dies in a horrific splinching accident. Things in the family feel a little different now: Edmund steps into the role as heir more fully, inheriting the bulk of the family’s assets and undertaking the management of these finances as well. Frank, with a healthy allowance but little expectation of more, has planned to take a couple years on tour before settling down to some sort of a career – his mother wants him to be a healer – but Marianne, in mourning and as protective as ever, begs him not to leave just yet. Instead, Frank stays at home and apprentices with a respected Herbologist.
1876 | After three years of dutiful learning, Frank is bored of Britain, and finds a different wizarding naturalist to accompany on an expedition to a far-flung archipelago off South America to study exotic species.
1878 - 1889 | Two and a half years there and, rather than return home, Frank hops straight onto another outgoing study, and spends the next decade studying a variety of plants and animal species, particularly focusing on their properties and uses in potion-making. In this period, he spends time exploring Ecuador, Brazil and Mexico, and then travels through Asia, with extended periods in China, India and several islands in the Pacific. In 1884, his mother becomes ill with the laughing plague. Frank has asked her whether she wants him to come home – and he seriously considers it – but she assures him he should stay away, that wizarding Britain is all but in quarantine anyway. So Frank doesn’t, and the next letter he gets is one that she died and he has already missed the funeral.
1890 | So he keeps travelling instead. Frank next winds up in South Africa, and while he travels around the African continent in the next year he encounters a variety of magical species, including venomous boomslang snakes and the alihotsy tree. In letters from Edmund, he hears about his brother’s extensive investment in the Sanditon resort with a couple of old friends. It sounds quaint, and he’s happy that his brother is doing well, but he doesn’t plan to visit anytime soon; not when he’s busy doing his own thing.
1891 | While he has been out in the wilds and largely inaccessible, an agent of his family’s solicitor in Britain has nonetheless caught wind of his whereabouts, and when Frank finally stops in at the port of Mombasa, Kenya, is it to the news that his brother Edmund died at the end of September, in some fiendish storm at the seaside resort. Which means he is the remaining Rosewood heir. The agent explains that he must return in person to sort out his brother’s affairs and to see out the execution of his will. The family fortune is his to do with what he will, see – at least, once they’re sure he’s still alive. So, for the first time in fifteen years, Frank returns to Britain. That said, Frank has no interest in being the next Rosewood heir – or, at least, no intention of staying and settling down. He has his own plans, thank you.
Personality: Frank was always jovial, loyal, and kind-hearted, intellectual and inquisitive, even from boyhood. Energetic, adventurous and hard-working, though perhaps a little impatient by nature, he was easily obsessed with certain things whilst neglecting wholly to care about others. Talkative, but eccentric. Interested in people and new experiences. Relaxed. Perhaps seems a little more scattered now than he once was. Sometimes a little odd or brisk in manner. Has never been particularly interested in marriage or a sedentary society life, and is usually obtuse when it comes to flirting, though he has had occasional romances here and there.
Other:
— Has published some field journals, articles, and illustrated volumes of exotic magical plant, fungi and animal species, with a particular specialism in those with venomous properties or other varied uses in potion-making. His name and his work on growing and harvesting some of these ingredients is decently known now amongst herbologists, potioneers and apothecaries.
— His suitcases and drawers are filled with labelled jars and vials of exotic ingredients and samples, etc. Best not to touch anything.
— Has always had horribly messy handwriting, a nearly illegible scribble.
— Can often be found with a drink in hand, if not sipping from a hip-flask.
— Has picked up a smattering of languages from his travels from most of the places he has visited, and a little Mermish to boot.
Sample Roleplay Post:
Age: 26
