#char: hen clerval

[unmourned]

okay i need to know if the ROs were in an orpheus/eurydice situation, would they look back or make it out without looking?

ahhhhhh GOD this question breaks me

the creature: they have doubts about whether you're behind them, but they are certain that they couldn't handle losing you a second time, so they trudge forward. they almost falter multiple times, almost turning just to see if you're there, if you're within touching distance, but they clench their fists so hard they pop several stitches and keep facing forward. tears are streaming down their face as they walk the seemingly interminable way, but they don't look back. it'll be years until they stop waking up in the night terrified at what would've happened if they faltered.

hen: they're convinced they can do it — haven't you told them so many times how stubborn they are? you get running commentary the entire time, ranging from reminiscing about your childhood adventures together to comments about the current situation. they try to inject some levity into the situation, until they get betrayed by two decades' worth of muscle memory and turn to you to see your reaction to one of their stories. it's instinctual, involuntary — they've spent as long as they remember turning to you like a sunflower to the sun. they break when they realize what they've done, and they'd probably ask to stay with you.

robert: he and grief are very well-acquainted. it's not the first time he has to mourn his beloved and bury their memory in his ribcage, but it's the first time he has the opportunity to bring them back, so he can feel his heart in his throat. he brings his hands up to the ring he wears around his neck and fidgets with it until he makes it out — it reminds him of the price he paid last time. it reminds him how close he came to breaking, and he can't afford to lose you too, in the off-chance you're behind him. when you make it out, he crumples in your arms and won't let you go for a while.

eli: so much of what home is for her is wrapped up in you, so she has to bring you back. she promised your siblings, she promised your father, she can't fail them now, can't fail herself again. she makes it most of the way before perennial doubts come back; what if you're not following? what if you decided not to follow? it wouldn't be the first time she's left behind, why would she think this would be any different? half convinced you were never behind her, she turns back to check and breaks her own heart as she watches you disappear. she doesn't ask to stay — she needs to go back to your family and tell them she failed, she lost you. she'll likely never recover from it, but thinks of her life as penance.

[unmourned]

What ROs from other IFs would your ROs romance?? 👀

i love this question but it genuinely took me two days to answer because i went fully no thoughts head empty about it akjda

tagging everyone because you should check out these great games <3

the creature:

i think marco from @barbwritesstuff's Blood Moon would be a good match! I think Marco has a way of expressing his love that the creature would find very validating (being told they're attractive to him would do A Lot), and the creature's quiet, earnest determination in convincing marco that he's great would be nice

the sage from @parkerlyn's The Nameless would be a great match for the creature! the sage's curiosity about the world and desire to travel and experience things is echoed by the creature, so i think they could definitely keep up with each other! they'd be very devoted to each other and cherish all those new memories together

hen:

i think they'd get along well with b from @milaswriting's Golden! i think they have a lot of things in common and they'd complement each other well in how they express affection. they both also like teasing people they love so it would be a very fun dynamic. hen would love to spoil them, and they'd probably learn to be a bit more open with their emotions from b.

also i love the vibes hen and clem from @northern-passage would have..... chaotic nb4nb with unmatched energy...... in all seriousness, i think they both have an enthusiasm for life and devotion to their partner that would be well-balanced in that relationship. they can also be artsy and make music together...

eli:

hermes from @asphodelgame would be a good matchup for eli! eli would enjoy hermes' playfulness and open affection, and i think learning that she can be responsible while still having fun would do her good! eli also tends to be very affectionate with her partner so it would just be a cuddlefest tbh

J from @lacunafiction's Fernweh Saga! they're both very devoted to their partner, and i think it would do eli some good to see someone who's found something to dedicate themself to, as she's still looking for her calling. on the flip side, eli could help J slow down a bit and take some time for themself ; she'd rope them into soft domestic cooking time hehe

robert:

i think robert and bo-yeon from @beetlebethwrites' You Live And Fern would be great together! Robert really wants to settle down soon and have a few kids of his own, which aligns well with Bo-Yeon's plans for xir future! They're also both dedicated to their chosen field (although Rob's a bit mellower), and thoughtful in their relationships

i also think robert and theo from @thehunt-if would be good together!! they can bond over their tragic history with men i think the two would balance each other out well and have a really sweet, natural relationship going on. robert's good at Verbalizing, and wants nothing more than someone to be unfalteringly there for him also i love theo and he deserves to be happy

rob gets a third match and it's teddy from @valleyofkings-if because i love them and both of them deserve to be happy and robert's patient love would go well with what teddy needs so <3

[unmourned]

I've seen this going around, so what would the characters wear at the MET Gala in a modern!AU?

i'm so glad you asked!! i made little collages to share the Vibes

the creature:

they go for super colorful outfits but with some more traditional cuts; f!creature goes for a big gown, while nb and m!creature go for white suits with dashes of colour. if they go for prints, it's flowers or animals. (they definitely got styled by hen, and might be wearing their designs) ((it's hard to find clothing for eight feet of person!!))

hen:

usually goes for utter show-stoppers; think rihanna, billy porter, zendaya, cardi b, janelle monae. innovative cuts, bold colours, questionable theme compliance. sometimes they want to go with a nod to their japanese heritage so they wear a susohiki-inspired garnment. sometimes makes their own outfits. if they and the creature are together, they're going to match.

eli:

always tries to have a nod to her haitian roots, so if she's not wearing karabela-inspired fashion, she's at least wearing a haitian designer (the dress on the right is by haitian designer verona!). she likes floral or nature-inspired dresses (and is likely to have real flowers in her dress)

robert:

Just A Dude In A Suit. he doesn't like to be overly showy, so he just goes for a nicely-cut suit with some interesting detail, be it embroidery, dye, materials, or anything. definitely got nudged in the Less Boring Suit direction by his sister. most colorful thing he wears is probably a pin made by one of his niblings

[unmourned]

character profile: hen clerval

full name: Hen Clerval

age: 27

birthday: August 4th

gender: non-binary; they/them pronouns

sexuality: bisexual

height: 5′9″ 

relationship with v: childhood best friend

personality: highly ambitious, optimistic and extroverted. hen needs to always have something going on, otherwise they feel like they’re wasting time. they feel energized when spending time with people, and are a highly social person. very opinionated and dislikes someone treating others unfairly. 

skills: talented musician, and make most of their own clothes. enjoy working with their hands and learning new skills. they also have a natural business acumen, and their father would like for them to take over the family business later.  

spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/23VpN8QUIvRLHKZbMGyqkN?si=de614d842149462b

pinterest board: https://pin.it/5YFF1om

[unmourned]

🤢 Hen

absolutely terrible at removing their makeup before going to bed, so they've perfected that 2nd day raccoon eye look

the type of person to ghost people on social media while they're posting pics on instagram

awful sense of direction. they'd do better if they picked random directions instead of trying to find their way

[unmourned]

Idk if you've gotten this yet, but what would be the RO's reaction to the worm text?

omg the worm ask,,,,,, finally,,,,

the creature:

hen:

robert:

eli:

[unmourned]

Oc emoji asks: 🌟 GLOWING STAR - what do they think about when they look at the night sky? is there someone they want to star gaze with?

for any character you want

🌟 GLOWING STAR - what do they think about when they look at the night sky? is there someone they want to star gaze with?

the creature: they think the night sky is amazing, especially when there's meteor showers or you can see the planets with the naked eye. they find it reassuring to think about how big the universe is and that they're only a small part of something bigger (they don't often feel small). they'd like to stargaze with any of their friends, and they'd love rob's explanations about stars

hen: they think the sky is pretty but it's not something they've put a lot of thought into. for them it's a lot more something they'll enjoy in the moment; eg after a party while they're taking a walk in the gardens or if the person they're with wants to go stargazing. most likely to plan a stargazing picnic for everyone because it's more fun for them to see their friends have fun than just look at the stars.

robert: he likes thinking how it's the same night sky across the world, so even when he's far away from home and his loved ones, they're still under the same stars. he loves learning more about how different peoples interpret the constellations, and the stories they have surrounding them. he loves sharing this with people he's close to; he especially likes to take his niblings out on warm summer nights and teach them about the stars.

eli: she has a somewhat more utilitarian approach to observing the night sky; while she does think it's beautiful, she also uses it to tell the time and find her way. she likes learning more about wayfinding using the stars. she likes hot summer nights watching the stars with the frankenstein siblings and the people working in the mansion

[unmourned]

a belated birthday doodle for hen!

i don't have a fave character, but hen's aesthetic is definitely my fave one!

[unmourned]

what would the ROs want/need/dread most from life rn?

oooo

want/need/dread to hear

The Creature:

It's ok to want things. / You can trust yourself. / They're wrong about you.

Hen:

You can have your own interests. / People love you for you. / It's all a mask.

Robert:

Your mother would be proud. / Do you really know what you're looking for? / He died because of you.

Eli:

I appreciate everything you do to help. / You don't need to earn love. / They're happier without you.

[unmourned]

Hi, sorry for just dropping in your submission page, but I wanted to share with you some of the sketches I made because of your book! I think you can guess who my favorite character is already (*￣︶￣*)

[unmourned]

Could we please get 46 (What’s one thing that would shut them up?) for everyone? Love all 4 ROs too much to pick!! 🖤

aaaa thank you for the question! 💕

Ooooo see there's different ways of shutting them up, depending on if you wanna be nice or not 👀

Gonna go with the nice way for this ask because I'm feeling soft. So this would just completely stop the ROs in their tracks regardless of what they're doing 💕

The Creature: tell them they're beautiful or give them a little kiss..... maybe just a little knuckle smooch....

Hen: tell them you love them......... or show that you remember small details about something they said or did... (I recommend the first one)

Eli: tell her you're proud of who she's become, or take care of her horse when she can't

Robert: tell him he'd make a great dad, or refer to him as your family

[unmourned]

some RO changes ✨

Hello all!! Hope you’re happy and healthy today!

As I’ve been writing more of the story and getting to know the characters better, I’ve decided to change them up a little bit. There are two big changes: 

Hen is locked as NB now and uses they/them pronouns 💕

Elizabeth now becomes Eli, gender-selectable or trans woman (still deciding!). Also, to prevent drama later, I’m stating now that gender selectable Eli would be AMAB regardless of the gender you pick for them; in other words, F!Eli is a trans woman 💕

I’ll be going back through the blog tomorrow and updating both the tags and my answers to questions to reflect this!

[unmourned]

hen's little portrait and updated playlist 💕

[unmourned]

Soft facts about the Ros + mc?

ah soft facts, my favourite :3

it's a bit harder for the mc since you'll have quite a bit of agency on how they act once they've moved out to ingolstadt, but have some pre-university soft facts, as a treat

V:

They're a great older sibling, and were especially great with their siblings when they were toddlers; it was a common sight to see V walking around the house with a toddler trotting around on chubby legs. This is why all three of their siblings really look up to them.

They loved to read and were that child who would sneak into the library to keep reading by candlelight. On more than one occasion, their parents or a servant found them fast asleep in the reading chair, a book still in their lap.

When they were a child, they loved to hang around the kitchen to watch and talk with the cook, or in the gardens to talk with the gardener. They didn't pick much up, but they were always genuinely curious and nice.

The Creature:

They love to keep a diary, and, before they were comfortable with writing, they would doodle things they saw during their day. They're quite good at drawing lifelike animals.

They love colorful things; bright clothes, pretty birds, colorful books, cheery paintings, etc. That's partly why their favourite season is spring; everything becomes so colorful after the boring colors of winter.

They have a bit of a sweet tooth; give them fruits, honey or some pastries and they'll be quite happy. Later on, they would enjoy to have their own little garden to tend to where they can plant berry bushes and apple trees to grow their own fruit.

Hen:

They're quite a talented musician, since their parents thought nurturing artistic abilities was important. They can play the violin, the fortepiano and the clarinet.

Since they love dressing up, they've gotten quite good at sewing and making their own clothes, and love to make clothes for their friends and family!

They're great at remembering things about people and using them for good; mention once that your mother's birthday is on September 3rd, and they'll send a bouquet of flowers over every year. Say you like a specific author, and you'll get their entire bibliography for Christmas.

Robert:

He's a great cook, and he's also a great person to cook for, since he's always super appreciative and encouraging, regardless of how the food tastes.

He absolutely adores his sister and her family, and is a very doting uncle who makes sure to bring her children little trinkets from wherever he visits.

He's quite good at braiding hair, and can do some pretty fancy updos, as he loved to do his sister's hair when they were children. Nowadays, he mostly does his sister's children hair.

Eli:

She loves to take care of her horse, Willow, who's easily the most spoiled horse in the Frankenstein stables. She makes sure to visit her often to sneak her carrots, and likes to braid flowers into her mane.

She loves to paint! Her favourite thing to paint is just nature landscapes, but she's pretty good at painting people too and has painted all the Frankenstein siblings.

She's a great teacher because she's patient and genuinely enjoys helping people understand things. Whether it's teaching someone to read, cook, or ride a horse, you couldn't ask for a better teacher.

[unmourned]

what would the ROs (modern!au) insta feeds look like

i loved this question hehe

creature:

arbitrarily named them sage bc i wanted a cute insta handle.

private account, mostly posts what catches their eye so it's a lot of colorful landscapes, flowers, and anything yellow. occasionally share their drawings too. enjoys following travel, art and pet instagram accounts

hen:

instagram influencer, unexplicably. what do they influence? why? no one knows.

poorly curated feed that's a mixture of family pictures, thirst traps, and aesthetic-y couple pictures that are just Vague enough bc they don't trust 2.1mil people like that, only posts like 3x a year because they just throw everything in stories.

eli:

while making this i realized i accidentally made eli a horse girl. her insta is just her travelling; a Lot of pictures of willow, her horse; and sometimes her paintings

should probably get sponsored by airlines and outdoors gear companies

robert:

had initially created instagram at his sister's insistence, and gained followers because he posts Delicious Food, Amazing Landscapes, and Cute Babies. and because people thirst

documents his niblings' lives as much as he can, will sometimes host insta lives to share recipes because apparently People Like That?

all pictures come from unsplash!

[unmourned]

PLEaSE im begging you please do one of those height comparison charts of all the ROs i want to see how tall everyone is compared to our beloved 8ft Creature

is the creature just two elizabeths stacked in a trenchcoat??? who knows!