BLOODY MARY © Welcome to Acheron Academy.
☏ . . . top of the world, but your world isn't real.

━━━━━━━━━━━━gradum ad tempus ☂☄
INTRODUCING the side characters of Bloody Mary, including the staff body and the mayor & sheriff of Jim Thorpe.

ACHERON ACADEMY © Grimthorn Keep, Ravenwood's Hollow.
☏ . . . i think, therefore, i am, i'm not your friend or anything, damn.

WITHIN ACHERON ACADEMY, EVEN STAFF are subject to a hierarchy. Not as rigidly enforced as that of the student body, since they are adults after all, but there is certainly some degree of tension between different species and between the heads of house. Interestingly, the position of Lythraen within Acheron is more subject to nuance, given the Headmistress herself is a Lythraea. The 'hierarchy' happens to be more about which species gets along with which, rather than Sepharyn and Sylvarys being at the top; the playing field is slightly more levelled in this way. Below will contain information about each extra character (whose relevance may be very minimum or more important, it depends on if they're related to a main cast character, how they relate to the plot etc). In regards to making a relative of one of these characters, pay little heed to anything like ethnicity or species (the latter to an extent), since adoption is always an option, or having them be an aunt, uncle, having their other parent be another species, so on so forth. Not every OC has to be connected to one of these characters, to be clear, it's entirely optional. When it comes to species though, do keep in mind the thoughts of each character on other species/humans, because of course an Aldaran-hating Sepharyn is unlikely to adopt one or have a child with one, for example. Another small thing to note is that those who are extraordinary in some way tend to physically age slower, and live slightly longer (not immortality, unless they're a Vesperis), so most characters look younger than their age suggests. It's not uncommon for students to just refer to professors by their surnames when they aren't around, but usually they will be addressed 'Professor [Surname]' unless specified otherwise. The descriptions below are quite detailed—this is in case anyone chooses to have an OC with a connection to one of them, or for anyone generally interested in the characters. None of it is crucial to read!

𝕷YTHRAEA ✷ ELVIRA ILLYRIA COVINGTON.
she/her, forty one, headmistress.

HEADMISTRESS COVINGTON is, in one word, final. When her name is spoken, whole hallways fall silent, heads turn, and everyone's posture suddenly seems perfect. She's a woman who runs a tight ship—especially because of the fact she's a Lythraea. A woman, for one (Acheron had only known headmasters until she was promoted), and also a species less revered than a Sepharyn or a Sylvarys. Elvira has the ability to transform into a raven (inherited from her mother), which while a respected animal in Lythraen circles, is not what people expect of the Headmistress of Acheron. In their eyes, she ought to be at least a falcon, or a lioness, or even a wolf would do. A raven doesn't quite make you feel protected. But, she worked incredibly hard to get here, and while she might not be someone who's crazy strong physically, she's incredibly intelligent and strategic. It's thanks to her that they've even been able to keep negotiating for the town of Jim Thorpe not to reveal their existence just yet to the public, even if the contract is becoming less and less binding. Headmistress Covington is as persuasive as it gets without using hypnotism. Pragmatic to be sure, not one to veer into emotional territory (a smile from her is a once in a blue moon type of blessing), but she does care deeply for the welfare of her students. In her own way. She's the eldest of three—both of her parents are Lythraen. Her younger sister, and the middle Covington child, also happens to work here as a teacher. They've always had a positive relationship, for the most part. However, Elvira's youngest brother was the product of an affair her father had with a Sylvara, and while Elvira's never cared about her brother being a different species to the rest of the family, him being an illegitimate child created a strain on their relationship. He was never really treated as an equal, essentially an estranged family member, even changing his surname to 'Coven' once he turned 18 and left home. His son, Elvira's nephew (/my OC) attends the school, but she's more focused on doing her job properly than carrying on old family grudges. In terms of her thoughts on each species, while she does understand how the hierarchy works, she doesn't practice it. All students are treated equally by her, though she also does little to punish students who step out of line in this aspect, since rivalry has always been part of Acheron, even since she attended the school as a young girl. Her old House was that of the Wendigo, though she shows no favor to any House in an official capacity, it would be unprofessional. She does have a fondness for her old House nonetheless.

CLASSES/EXTRACURRICULARS: doesn't teach any classes, although will very occasionally cover for professors if she's equipped to teach the subject. Before becoming Headmistress, she taught Ethics and Governance. The only extracurriculars she's nominally involved in are Student Council and the Philosophy Club.

𝕾YLVARUS ✷ NICOLAI ATTICUS CORVUS.
he/him, forty five deputy headmaster.

DEPUTY HEADMASTER CORVUS is described by some to be a sadistic and stern individual, but that's only half correct. He's cold and sardonic, true enough, but he's really not a terrible teacher, even if he scares the living daylights out of the first years when he broods around in the hallways. Nicolai is a shut-in who runs purely on caffeine, but he might be the hardest working of all the staff body alongside Elvira. There's a reason he's the Deputy Headmaster, after all. He's quite trigger happy when it comes to handing out detentions to students and is very strict when it comes to discipline, but the student body has largely warmed up to him since last year when he saved a student from a shed fire (a 'prank' from some of the 'ordinary' kids who attend the local Jim Thorpe school), hospitalizing him for a week in the aftermath, though he still refused praise of any kind for the act. Nicolai grew up rough on the streets, an orphan who would never know who his birth parents are, adopted by a human couple when he was 8. They accepted him even when they came to learn of the existence of extraordinary creatures. Even so, they're the exception in his attitude to humans, because he's also grown up witnessing extreme cruelty from other humans. For that reason, he's pretty rigidly in favor of the hierarchy, though he's not one to go out of his way to treat other species differently. He might let the occasional cold comment slip about how Rivenor and Aldaran have more to prove, though. Nicolai has an odd rivalry with Professor Covington, the sister of Headmistress Covington, likely springing from both of their mutual dislike of each other's species and clashing personalities. Then again, one student claims to have seen them kissing in the storeroom, both recent divorcees, so who really knows. Nicolai's wife of 10 years had divorced him a decade ago, citing his excessive commitment to his work and failure to tend to her emotional needs. When he attended Acheron, he was scouted by the House of the Chupacabra, accepting their offer even though he was also made an offer by that of the Kitsune and Wendigo, valuing pure unadulterated competition over the studious atmosphere of Wendigo or the elegance of Kitsune.

CLASSES/EXTRACURRICULARS: teaches Ethics and Governance and Dark Arts and Artefacts, and is in charge of the Haunted Artefact Collective, Paranormal Investigation Team (alongside Professor Solana) and Student Yearbook Committee.

𝖁ESPERA ✷ EUDORA SABINE DELUNE.
she/her, one hundred, chair of the board of governors.

MADAME DELUNE is one of the oldest, and therefore most experienced, individuals involved in the functioning of Acheron. She's been immortalized at 25, as a Vespera, and certainly has a formidable reputation amongst both students and staff. She leaves a lasting impression on anyone she comes across, and one of the student-favorite rumors is that one time many years ago, a professor had been talking to his students about a woman that he had fallen madly in love with after a single interaction. The students had curiously asked him who it was, and all he had replied was 'The woman', which had been enough for some of the students to catch on. Everyone knows Eudora—she knows the Academy better than anyone else. She's known to be rather a mysterious figure, despite being around for so long, most people know very little about her, other than that she's elegant and has the impression of being completely untouchable. The DeLune family are an old money Vesperis household name, wealthy, powerful individuals rich enough to never need to work a day in their lives unless they desire to. The youngest of four, she has earned her portrait in the family hall without doubt. Her previous House was that of the Kitsune, one of the few Vesperis scouted (although, not completely shocking with her being a DeLune, who are some of Kitsune's most famous alumni). Rumor dictates she chooses one student from Kitsune each year to personally mentor, though little is known about this mentorship other than by her ex-students.

CLASSES/EXTRACURRICULARS: teaches Hemomancy and Blood Magic, not typical for someone on the Board of Governors, but the only Vesperis professor retired last year, so she took over for the one specialized class. She isn't in charge of any extracurriculars, but is in charge of organizing the termly labyrinth tournaments. Something akin to the Triwizard Tournament, but not identical.

𝕽IVENOR ✷ OPHELIA LILITH VOSS.
she/they, thirty seven, school counselor.

OPHELIA VOSS is one of two staff members at Acheron who are actually referred to by their first name. They're a very dreamy personality, whimsical and animated, but in an entrancing as opposed to energetic way. She's responsible for the welfare of students, often advertising her services and making sure everyone knows that they're there for support. They were someone who had to prove they deserved to attend the school when they were younger, and so she's able to relate to all manners of students, and doesn't discriminate in any way. She had been born to a family of middle class Rivenor, but even then, naturally got teased at the Academy for not being an 'easy target'. Ophelia was always seen as the odd one, comparable to Luna Lovegood. In school, Celestine Lovelace, the current Head of Caladrius was her best friend—twelve years ago, they got married, the only married couple to both work at Acheron. They are often seen distracting Celestine from her work, but the students don't mind and most are big supporters of the individuals affectionately dubbed the mothers of the student body. Ophelia was previously in the House of the Caladrius, but doesn't treat any students differently, regardless of species, House, class, so on so forth.

CLASSES/EXTRACURRICULARS: teaches Enchantments and Curses, definitely not her role as a school counselor, but the Academy urgently needed to fill the position after the odd disappearance of the previous professor. In charge of the Astronomy Society, often taken by the students who see her, as a therapeutic activity.

𝕾YLVARA ✷ MARISELA DIAMANTA SOLANA.
she/her, thirty eight, head of chupacabra.

PROFESSOR SOLANA might be one of the more dangerous professors at Acheron, cutthroat in every sense of the word. She looks beautiful and charming at a glance—and she is both of those things—but she's also the person who will cuss you out in Spanish if you lose Chupacabra points or behave disrespectfully. Everyone in her House loves her though, since she's known to be very lenient about the school rules with them and does show genuine care for their well-being. Marisela is known to be a flirt amongst other staff, but in that same interaction she'll suddenly behave like they're the biggest annoyance in the world, so she frequently entertains the student on-lookers. Her and Deputy Headmaster Corvus are best friends, both Sylvarys and Chupacabra alumni (the other Houses claim he helps her get her students ahead in competitions, but no one can really prove that, and cheating is technically encouraged during Acheron competitions). Marisela grew up in a prominent Sylvarys family from Spain, though much of their esteem was lost in the migration. She's the middle child of five brothers, often underestimated by her parents as their only daughter, any kind of sexism is something she will never tolerate. She doesn't care so much about species, House matters more to her.

CLASSES/EXTRACURRICULARS: teaches Hypnotic Speech and Duelling 101, in charge of the Paranormal Investigation Team (alongside Headmaster Corvus), Fencing and the Foreign Languages Club.

𝕬LDARUS ✷ CAIN DRAGO LOVETT.
he/him, forty one, head of wendigo.

PROFESSOR LOVETT is a highly respected individual, even referred to as a prodigy, one of the most talented Aldaran of the ages. He's impossible to hate, truly, he's too kind of a spirit. Not to be confused with weak or even vulnerable, because he's also a stoic personality, but he has a lot of love for people. He's level-headed, sensible, certainly the most responsible of the staff and often that 'trusted adult' that students choose to go to. Cain is sociable too, although his presence is not loud, it is simply there. He's proficient in telekinesis, and while he was looked down on for being an Aldarus when he attended the Academy, he's now so revered that most students dare not disrespect him. He's musically inclined, someone who could easily be a professional conductor if he hadn't followed his passion for teaching. Cain is shockingly knowledgeable in the Dark Arts for someone who doesn't teach it, though he remains an advocate against its revival... While he's kind, that's not to be confused with lenient, he sets high standards for his students. He grew up in a family of Aldaran who weren't particularly well-off, but allegedly had a largely normal childhood. As you'd expect, he's an alumnus of the House of the Wendigo.

CLASSES/EXTRACURRICULARS: teaches History of Supernaturals and Gothic Literature, in charge of the Film Club, Debate Society, Gothic Literature Discussion Group and Choir.

𝕾EPHARA ✷ CELESTINE GALATEA LOVELACE.
she/her, thirty eight, head of caladrius.

PROFESSOR LOVELACE (who is often mixed up with 'Lovett' by first years), is someone who like the other Heads of House, embodies hers in every sense. She's extremely kind and forgiving, although people often underestimate her by stereotyping her as ditzy or unassuming. There is strength in restraint and patience, and while she might not be as fiery a personality as other staff members, Celestine is not weak. She might not use physical violence, or even cruel words, but she's more intelligent than people give her credit for, and she feels just as anyone else does. She just happens to choose kindness. Celestine is always there to lend a hand to anyone who needs assistance, and is a graceful presence befitting of a Sephara. She seems to love everything and everyone, but anyone can tell that she loves Ophelia most of all. She grew up in a family that was not incredibly wealthy, but they were happy and comfortable. She doesn't adhere to the hierarchy, nor to House rivalry, but that doesn't mean she doesn't encourage her students to do well. She just doesn't think they need to compare themselves. Celestine and Professor Yuna famously clash because of the fact the former turned down the House of the Kitsune and accepted the offer to join the House of the Caladrius, but it's not passionate hatred, just one-sided disdain, really.

CLASSES/EXTRACURRICULARS: teaches Herbology and Potions and Prophecy and Divination, in charge of the Gardening Club, Occult Studies Society and the Crochet Group.

𝕷YTHRAEA ✷ DELANCY COLETTE COVINGTON.
she/her, thirty nine, head of amarok.

PROFESSOR COVINGTON is, above all else, a personality. She's blunt, she's principled, she's diligent. You can trust her not to sugarcoat things, she's truthful to a fault and sees no value in dancing around a point. Delancy values certain traits, grit being the main one, and has no patience for those who whine too much or who are slackers. She has quite the temper, and will go off the rails if someone is annoying her (Deputy Headmaster Coven being the main culprit). She's incredibly athletic, her Lythraea form being a wolf, though calling her a werewolf is the fastest way to detention. She's competitive but she's principled, she doesn't cheat, and looks down on stepping on other people to get ahead. Unlike her older sister, she does hold a grudge against Sylvarys (it was especially hurtful to her since she idolized her father before she was old enough to know about the affair), and can be pretty demeaning to her half-brother and her nephew because of it, even if very deep down she has some care for them. They still share blood, after all. She doesn't believe in species hierarchy, just believes that everyone should prove themselves regardless of species, though she does very much engage in House in-fighting. If what Celestine and Yuna have is one-sided and insignificant, the rivalry between Delancy and Yuna is explosive. Delancy is Amarok alumna, of course.

CLASSES/EXTRACURRICULARS: teaches Lycanthropic Studies and Mythical Beasts Studies, in charge of the Community Service Club (also known by the students as 'detention'), Eldritch Beasts Club, Rowing and Rugby.

𝕾EPHARA ✷ RYU YUNA.
she/her, forty two, head of kitsune.

PROFESSOR YUNA, who insists on being called by her first name along with 'Professor' and not her family name since the former is more 'elegant' sounding, is a classic example of everything both right and wrong with the House of the Kitsune. Some describe her as psychotic, but she simply believes that people are too slow to process the reasons for her actions. She's as elegant and sophisticated as she is competitive, willing to threaten anyone who gets in the way of her keeping the House of the Kitsune at the 'top' (even if they so rarely come first). There's no such thing as an inherently bad action, in her view. As long as you do it gracefully, of course. Okay, maybe some things, but very few—even murder has its justifications. Yuna is from one of the wealthiest families in Korea (of course, most of the world has no idea they are Sepharyn), and is used to a certain standard of luxury. She's cunning, she's charismatic, and she most definitely believes that Sepharyn and Sylvarys are simply better than the rest. Most students are convinced she must have committed multiple felonies by now, but no one does anything about it. Some people are simply above punishment. To her credit though, she would never compromise the safety of students (other professors is another matter, save for Marisela Solana, both of their Houses having an alliance). She might be mildly deranged, but she does genuinely love her students and gets them out of punishment at any cost. She remains attached to her old House.

CLASSES/EXTRACURRICULARS: teaches Form and Deportment and Contracting 101, in charge of the Art Club, Cryptology Club, Photography Club, Chess Club and Theatre.

𝕬LDARUS ✷ CAESAR ARSENIO DEL RÍO.
he/him, forty four, head of security.

CAESAR DEL RÍO, known by the students simply as 'Caesar', is incredibly beloved by all of Acheron. He's basically Gomez Addams, as his appearance would suggest, it's hard not to love him. He's always enthusiastic, always willing to assist any student in a prank or an experiment. Explosives going off in class or dangerous mishaps are often with his assistance involved, ironically, given the fact he's the Head of Security. However, no one can ever say that Caesar hasn't fortified the school against intruders, because he has. Far more casualties would have happened without him around, and he doesn't hesitate to beat the shit out of anyone who messes with 'his kids' (which includes his actual kids, as well as the students of Acheron). He has a very morbid sense of humor, but despite the eccentricities, is sophisticated and always well-dressed. His ability being incredibly enhanced senses (night vision, enhanced hearing etc.) makes it impossible to escape him if you've compromised Acheron security, so most daren't try, especially because his methods of punishment can be unconventional. Caesar is known to be very family-oriented, taking any opportunity to talk about his wife or his children. He grew up in a family just as macabre and dark as him, a very wealthy and extravagant family who encouraged him to explore his strange interests. Back when he attended Acheron, he had been a member of the House of the Amarok. He doesn't discriminate based on species, nor House, though he does have a lot of House pride.

CLASSES/EXTRACURRICULARS: teaches Elemental Manipulation, mostly because he was originally a professor before pursuing security. In charge of Falconry, Archery and Dance.

𝕳UMAN ✷ GILDEROY CARLOS HAYES.
he/him, thirty nine, mayor of jim thorpe.

MAYOR HAYES is a complicated individual, one people have trouble really deciphering from the outside looking in. His reputation is important to him, being mayor is important to him—as the only living child of his parents, he feels an immense need to prove himself. To the public, he presents a very cheerful front, the fake smiles, the politician's laugh, the empty promises. Then behind closed doors, he smokes, he drinks, he finds less-than-healthy ways to cope with the mounting pressure. Accusations of being fake and two-faced have followed him all his life, but what do people really expect him to do? Gilderoy has always been a puppet, a man born to a wealthy family who notoriously ran crime rings to acquire their wealth, expected to hold a position of power when he grew up. His life was never truly his own. Even his marriage was not his choice, one practically forced on him, married to a woman who has nothing but criticisms on every aspect of him. Is Gilderoy a little immoral? Probably. He's been raised to think that corruption is the only way to stay at the top, and he has this bitterness within him that's been there for decades. It's not in most families, where your older brother of four years is murdered when you're 25. Killed by a vampire, or 'Vesperus', so they say, whatever the difference is. Of course, to anyone outside of Jim Thorpe, it was an 'unprecedented stabbing'. Even so, Gilderoy's better than many in his position. He doesn't hate supernaturals. He just doesn't understand them. And he's always been hurting, losing his older brother, Anthony. There's possibly a small part of him that fears them, even if as mayor, he has to sidestep that in order to do his job, negotiating with the Headmistress and ensuring there isn't all-out animosity between the two sides. It's a tough position to be in. Now that he's under the microscope with people disappearing, the burden has only gotten heavier. The only person he can count on is Sheriff Reid, really.

𝕳UMAN ✷ GRAHAM CORMAC REID.
he/him, forty three, sheriff of jim thorpe.

SHERIFF REID is an individual who is cynical and discerning in every sense. He's pessimistic, he acts like everyone else is a nuisance, a waste of his time. With a few exceptions. He's hard-working to be sure, often sleep-deprived, though whether that's the insomnia or the working past hours is up in the air. Graham never airs any kind of vulnerability, instead opting to bury himself in his work, thinking it's the only thing that keeps the world from crumbling. He might just be the sheriff of a small town now, but he used to be an agent for SWAT, before quitting to focus on family after what happened to his wife. Years of dealing with the worst kinds of criminals and the underbelly of society have left him with a hardened view of human nature. If humans are bad as it is, 'humans' with heightened abilities are worse. He's seen enough betrayal and darkness to consider hope a naïve notion, something he lets others cling to while he does the real work. But despite the gruff demeanor, he's far from apathetic; he cares, deeply, and it's this caring that keeps him chained to the job. He might have quit SWAT, but there's a reason he had pursued the career in the first place. Graham often uses sarcasm and biting humor as a shield, deflecting any attempt to dig into his personal life. Or his secrets. He has a rather intense skepticism for Acheron, only added to by the fact that his best friend and partner agent Anthony Hayes was murdered by one of them. The Sheriff doesn't despise supernaturals, but he's extra suspicious of them. He's become a sort of replacement older brother figure to Mayor Hayes, although he disproves of his corruption, even if there's little he can do about it. Little he would do about it, rather, since he understands the man too much to be completely impartial. Still, when people start to go missing, there's only so much he can tolerate. The source of it must be Acheron, and he's going to find it or die trying. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE
If anyone does decide to have their OC be related to one of these characters, do drop me a message <3 either in my Discord DMs or under here. Just so I can explain if there's anything else you should know about them that has been purposefully kept off this page, and so I can let you know if someone else is also making an OC linked to that character. Form will be out later today!