Personality: Dolores gives off an immediate, motherly vibe to most people who encounter her (a reflection of her canon-self's role as first a tender to the Mother Grub, and later to the abandoned troll grub that would become the Signless). It can be confusing to some, given her apparent young age, but almost every action she undertakes is one meant to shelter or guide, offering understanding and patience to anyone she feels requires it. She has a gentle manner, and if someone has need of a nurturing influence in their life she is very willing to step into that role, supplying reassurance and compassion to those who may not find such things elsewhere. A tactile woman, she gives comfort through unobtrusive physical contact and warm smiles, always ready with a helpful, kind word and is very free with her time, devoting much of it to the people she cares for. It is very possible for people to become irritated with what they might see as her meddling, but she rarely takes such things to heart.
She is a cheerful, personable woman, with a ready wit and a good sense of humour (though she will rarely go so far as to openly mock someone), as well as a sweet temper which inspires trust from those around her. Dolores takes everyone she meets at face value and never, at least outwardly, seems to think poorly of anyone. People have their secrets, as does she, and although they may one day trust her enough to reveal them she doesn’t believe that she has a right to know everything about those she considers to be her friends. Discrimination isn’t something that she looks kindly upon, and anyone displaying it in front of her will no doubt be met with a lecture, whether they want to listen or not. However, she does not hold grudges, advocating forgiveness in almost all situations. She is very difficult to offend, and sees anger as something which, if not properly utilised, does little more than rob a person of time they might be spending doing something more worthwhile (it can be presumed that, in her canon universe, she shared the ideals of equality and forgiveness that Signless advocated, and that as one of his close circle she encouraged him in these ideals).
One of the traits upon which she prides herself is her honesty, which will be complete so long as it is helpful and sincere. She is certainly not above lying, if it will help more than telling the truth will, but in the long run she would prefer to be truthful and not risk damage by keeping someone in the dark for longer than necessary. Even unpleasant, brutal truths need to be known, it’s simply a matter of finding the best way to reveal them. Despite this inclination towards truthfulness, however, she has been lying about her true age since the beginning of her employment at Hogwarts, feeling it necessary in order to not draw any undue suspicion to herself.
Not everything about her is sweetness and sunshine, however. Despite her so often speaking against it, she can be turned to anger if those she loves are threatened. She can hold many people in her heart and will protect them all fiercely, particularly those she views as her family. Being almost twice the age she appears to be certainly doesn’t dim the fire of her temper when it’s roused, and although she will almost invariably feel guilty about her outburst after the fact, she won’t hesitate in the heat of the moment to defend an innocent person from harm. Almost the entire staff, and certainly the entire student body of Hogwarts is subject to this protective instinct, and though some might say she’s overstretching herself, she sees this position as part of her calling in life, a way to redeem herself for the way she failed to save her own son.
She enjoys making gifts for people, even if they don’t realise that they mean that much to her, and Christmases and birthdays will often be met with something handmade from her. Knitting, she thinks, is a good way to pass the time between her duties as a nurse at the school and even if the recipient doesn’t like or appreciate what she’s made, she won’t take offence and will just find another use for it. Dolores also has quite a green thumb, and takes to nurturing plants as well as she nurtures people. As a vampire, she can’t ingest food or drink like a mortal would, but she does enjoy the occasional cup of chamomile tea despite it causing a small amount of discomfort – she’s not willing to fully give up on her humanity, and holds out hope that one day there will be a cure for her condition, or in the very least some way to relieve it to allow her and others like her to live a more normal life.
Her condition - drawn from the very likely fact (displayed in an image of the Rebels) that the Dolorosa became a rainbow drinker later in her life - keeps her from spending mealtimes in the Great Hall, not because she doesn’t eat, but because the sound of hundreds of hearts beating all at once is close to maddening. She is, however, a very social creature and will crave company if left in solitude for too long. The doors of the infirmary or her own quarters are always open to anyone who wishes to spend a bit of time with her, or those who just want to talk.
While her own life and prospects are now limited by her vampirism – something which she knows will become more of an issue as she ages – she wishes most fervently for the success of her family and those she cares for. She isn’t bitter about the way her life has gone, though she would change it if she could, and instead of seeing her lengthened years as a bad thing, she instead wants to use the time she has to help and guide the lives of as many people as she can. Certainly, she doesn’t relish the idea of watching the ones she loves grow up and die while she endures, but that is something she will need to come to terms with, and she knows this.
Dolores has command over herself, inasmuch as she doesn’t feel the need to tear out the throat of every being with a pulse that comes near her. Thanks to a potion that she takes to sate her thirst – though it doesn’t remove the need for blood – it is perfectly safe for her to hug people, and be around them in general. One of the things she fears most, far above her vampirism being exposed to the parents of the students she tends to, is that she will one day lose control and hurt somebody, resulting in her losing her loved ones and everything she has worked so hard to gain (as the Dolorosa sadly did, when Signless was captured and their group disbanded, either sold into slavery or disappearing into obscurity).
Canon OC || The Dolorosa (Dolores Maryam) || Homestuck || Reserve
She is a cheerful, personable woman, with a ready wit and a good sense of humour (though she will rarely go so far as to openly mock someone), as well as a sweet temper which inspires trust from those around her. Dolores takes everyone she meets at face value and never, at least outwardly, seems to think poorly of anyone. People have their secrets, as does she, and although they may one day trust her enough to reveal them she doesn’t believe that she has a right to know everything about those she considers to be her friends. Discrimination isn’t something that she looks kindly upon, and anyone displaying it in front of her will no doubt be met with a lecture, whether they want to listen or not. However, she does not hold grudges, advocating forgiveness in almost all situations. She is very difficult to offend, and sees anger as something which, if not properly utilised, does little more than rob a person of time they might be spending doing something more worthwhile (it can be presumed that, in her canon universe, she shared the ideals of equality and forgiveness that Signless advocated, and that as one of his close circle she encouraged him in these ideals).
One of the traits upon which she prides herself is her honesty, which will be complete so long as it is helpful and sincere. She is certainly not above lying, if it will help more than telling the truth will, but in the long run she would prefer to be truthful and not risk damage by keeping someone in the dark for longer than necessary. Even unpleasant, brutal truths need to be known, it’s simply a matter of finding the best way to reveal them. Despite this inclination towards truthfulness, however, she has been lying about her true age since the beginning of her employment at Hogwarts, feeling it necessary in order to not draw any undue suspicion to herself.
Not everything about her is sweetness and sunshine, however. Despite her so often speaking against it, she can be turned to anger if those she loves are threatened. She can hold many people in her heart and will protect them all fiercely, particularly those she views as her family. Being almost twice the age she appears to be certainly doesn’t dim the fire of her temper when it’s roused, and although she will almost invariably feel guilty about her outburst after the fact, she won’t hesitate in the heat of the moment to defend an innocent person from harm. Almost the entire staff, and certainly the entire student body of Hogwarts is subject to this protective instinct, and though some might say she’s overstretching herself, she sees this position as part of her calling in life, a way to redeem herself for the way she failed to save her own son.
She enjoys making gifts for people, even if they don’t realise that they mean that much to her, and Christmases and birthdays will often be met with something handmade from her. Knitting, she thinks, is a good way to pass the time between her duties as a nurse at the school and even if the recipient doesn’t like or appreciate what she’s made, she won’t take offence and will just find another use for it. Dolores also has quite a green thumb, and takes to nurturing plants as well as she nurtures people. As a vampire, she can’t ingest food or drink like a mortal would, but she does enjoy the occasional cup of chamomile tea despite it causing a small amount of discomfort – she’s not willing to fully give up on her humanity, and holds out hope that one day there will be a cure for her condition, or in the very least some way to relieve it to allow her and others like her to live a more normal life.
Her condition - drawn from the very likely fact (displayed in an image of the Rebels) that the Dolorosa became a rainbow drinker later in her life - keeps her from spending mealtimes in the Great Hall, not because she doesn’t eat, but because the sound of hundreds of hearts beating all at once is close to maddening. She is, however, a very social creature and will crave company if left in solitude for too long. The doors of the infirmary or her own quarters are always open to anyone who wishes to spend a bit of time with her, or those who just want to talk.
While her own life and prospects are now limited by her vampirism – something which she knows will become more of an issue as she ages – she wishes most fervently for the success of her family and those she cares for. She isn’t bitter about the way her life has gone, though she would change it if she could, and instead of seeing her lengthened years as a bad thing, she instead wants to use the time she has to help and guide the lives of as many people as she can. Certainly, she doesn’t relish the idea of watching the ones she loves grow up and die while she endures, but that is something she will need to come to terms with, and she knows this.
Dolores has command over herself, inasmuch as she doesn’t feel the need to tear out the throat of every being with a pulse that comes near her. Thanks to a potion that she takes to sate her thirst – though it doesn’t remove the need for blood – it is perfectly safe for her to hug people, and be around them in general. One of the things she fears most, far above her vampirism being exposed to the parents of the students she tends to, is that she will one day lose control and hurt somebody, resulting in her losing her loved ones and everything she has worked so hard to gain (as the Dolorosa sadly did, when Signless was captured and their group disbanded, either sold into slavery or disappearing into obscurity).