#crielle ferch fnwy

[not-poignant]

Birthday Spotlight - Crielle ferch Fnwy

[18 April - Aries]

Crielle ferch Fnwy is the matriarch of the An Fnwy estate, a beautiful, evil Machiavellian supervillain who has been manipulating the Seelie Court and her family for tens of thousands of years, while giving the appearance of being a perfectly loving Seelie fae who only cares about truth and justice.

Mother of Gwyn ap Nudd, and aunt of Efnisien ap Wledig, Crielle is actually only rarely seen in stories, but has an explosive impact regardless, due to the trauma she inflicts or causes others to inflict on our main characters.

‘You’re not mine. You may have stolen from our family legacy, you may have parasitised our reputation, you may have even exploited and ruined the things about our appearance that make us – not you – beautiful. But you are not, you have never been mine. If you felt a short, sharp shock when you came into the world, my darling, it was my hands around your throat while your father tried to pull me off you. ‘Imagine, if you will, my dear, reprehensible thing. Imagine the first time you came back to me after we sent you away to play with Efnisien. Oh you were only twelve or thirteen? What a lovely idea that was. And Efnisien had you for hours. I told him to use knives. He liked them so, and he didn’t think he’d be allowed. So precious. And I heard the distant echo of your screams like a faint, familiar melody all throughout my day. A time when they stopped because he gagged you perhaps? Or your voice gave out? Tsk. He is – was – so crude. But still...effective. And do you remember? Oh, my creature, imagine it... ‘You came home hours later, hours after Efnisien. You were broken and cut and bleeding and so, so ruined. And you stumbled into the house, and there I was waiting for you. Breathless, actually. And you stared at me as though I would – what? – tell you that Efnisien had crossed a line, gone too far? Do you remember what I did?’ ‘You smiled at me,’ Gwyn said, his voice rough and rusty.

Game Theory

Game Theory: Introduced as the manipulative, evil, and cruel mother of the King, Crielle starts off with Cinderella stepmother vibes, until you realise that Gwyn's her only son and she can't stand him, favouring his cousin Efnisien instead. A torturer, abuser, schemer, and conniving Machiavellian figure, she ultimately has been puppeting the Seelie Court for thousands of years, and is the cause of Gwyn attaining, and then losing, his Kingship.

It's safe to say that Crielle has never been the Most Valued Player of any story.

The Court of Five Thrones: While Crielle only has a very brief appearance in this story, her presence is felt throughout. We find out more about her feelings towards Gwyn, through journals he discovers in her house after her murder at Augus' hands.

The Drawn Bead: In a story that explores Gwyn's first love, Crielle is there as a forbidding, tormenting figure, ruling Gwyn's life with an invisible, oppressive kind of terror.

The Curse: The only story which features Crielle's perspective, we see her as a child, a teenager, an adult, and learn about her dangerous proclivities, how her family did and didn't deal with them, and the depth of her love for a select few people, a love that she gave to Gwyn right up until the moment he was born.

Fae Tales – Alternative Perspectives: Crielle is only here briefly, but we see more of her dialogue with Gwyn, and more of Augus' perspective about her.

Underline the Black: Crielle here emerges as a cruel villain to Efnisien, in a flipped/reversed narrative where Gwyn is her beloved child, and Efnisien is nothing more than a neglected science experiment. Efnisien's life is at the mercy of Crielle's whims, and she puts him first in Hillview (an institution) to put him out of sight and out of mind, but as soon as he causes too much trouble for her, she won't hesitate to strike him down.

The Spoils of the Spoiled: In which Crielle even in the human world as a human herself proves that she can be just as evil as ever. Ruler of the household, torturer of Gwyn (and later, we learn, Efnisien), and clearly involved in corruption and organised crime, Crielle lives her best life in this story until Gwyn tries to legally emancipate himself from the family.

Falling Falling Stars: In the follow up to The Spoils of the Spoiled, Efnisien - previously thought of as the beloved and protected 'adopted' child of Crielle's - reveals over time the verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse he suffered at her hands through therapy sessions with Dr Gary. Over time, we realise that no one is safe from her influence.

Crielle is very 'classically' beautiful, with blonde hair that has a slight wave in it, that generally falls down to her shoulders. She has azure eyes, a shade of blue almost never found among humans (even when she's human). She wears only enough make-up to accentuate her eyes and perfect lips, and maintains a very 'natural' effect to her beauty. It looks effortless and perfect enough that many who are experienced with beauty routines know she puts a lot of time into her appearance.

Crielle is asexual, sex repulsed, and aromantic.

Crielle is common fae, and while she's affected by the curse that Olphix cast upon the family, I like to think she'd still be pretty awful.

Born into a family in which some members are predisposed to sociopathic behaviour, Crielle was one of the worst and was not encouraged by her parents to be the way she is. Many people assume that she was abused into her evilness, but she wasn't.

To me, the concept or alienness of someone who is as evil as Crielle simply because she was 'born that way' is very fascinating to me.

Incredibly intelligent and perceptive, her few weaknesses are around the (few) people she loves and the way she will indulge them, as well as anything that threatens her reputation.

In Game Theory, when we finally realise that she is at the centre of Gwyn's devotion, standing there watching his humiliation, reacting in disgust to being called 'Mama' in a moment of vulnerability from her own son.

In Falling Falling Stars, Efnisien calls Crielle, and it becomes quickly clear that she holds no love in her heart for Efnisien when she calls him a 'ghost' and reminds him that ghosts are very easy to kill, making it clear she still wants him dead, and only inertia/disinterest is keeping her from following through because she'd already killed him once.

Always really fucking evil and irredeemable.

Frankly dies a lot.

Always a bit of a mad chemist. In Fae Tales she is a literal chemist and inventor of many different poisons. This has carried over even in to her human incarnations where in the Spoils universe she uses her knowledge of science to cultivate, create, or acquire poisons and viruses and bacteria to insert into Gwyn's food. And carries even more strongly into the Underline universe, where she runs one of the most successful synthetic hormone companies in Australia.

Visibly stunning.

Cares a great deal about reputation.

Usually loves Efnisien. Underline is the first series that has flipped the narrative so that Gwyn is beloved and Efnisien is loathed.

Kind of disdains her husband, who has no power over her.

Crielle is a real figure in Welsh mythology, though she was never meant to be an evil figure. Nor is she Gwyn's mother in the mythology. A sign of just how intensely I've bastardised everything for my own purposes.

She is good friends with the Ratcatcher of Hameln.

I wanted Crielle to be an example of how you can't expect that someone perfectly beautiful is a good person. I also really wanted to write a woman villain. I felt like a lot of woman villains at the time that I was seeing or reading were often written as petty or just in ways that made them somehow 'weak.' The appeal of Crielle is that she's an extremely effective villain and the only thing that stops her is her death (with the exception of Falling Falling Stars).

Despite how awful she is, I really love her! I'd write her more, but she's too strong and powerful lmao and she ruins my character's lives too much.

Crielle's colours for me have always been cream, yellow, white and blue. It's hard to imagine her wearing anything else.

‘How perfectly disgusting,’ Crielle purred. ‘A little worm has learned how to use the phone. I thought I had a caterpillar once, that would turn into the most beautiful butterfly, but it turns out the only thing my sister’s loins are good for, are despicable little worms.’ ‘D-Do you hate me now?’ Efnisien whispered. Crielle laughed lightly. ‘Oh, oh, my darling, I don’t hate you.’ A moment of hope, strong and bright, a sudden dawn inside of him. ‘I feel nothing for you. As far as I recall, I killed my nephew, and you are nothing more than a ghost.’

Falling Falling Stars

[not-poignant]

Omg this is gorgeous! I love the style too :D

@not-poignant

Crielle in colored pencil. Got new ink pens and decided to test them on her. I loathe them. They smear. Its her fault. Lets blame her.

[spyroforlife]

You know what since I’m thinking about Fae Tales now, I think it’s time... for me to match them to Troubled Birds! There’s a lot of characters so apologies if I leave out anyone you like, but I’m gonna try to do a good number of them. I’ll start with a few and put the rest under a cut because I’m sure this’ll be long. Here we go!

Gwyn ap Nudd:

Augus Each Uisge:

Ash Glashtyn:

Gulvi Dubna Vajat:

Julvia Dubna Vajat:

Fenwrel:

The Raven Prince:

Albion:

Ondine:

Crielle ferch Fnwy:

Efnisien ap Wledig (canon):

Mosk Manytrees:

Eran Iliakambar:

Davix:

Olphix:

Efinisien ap Wledig (Falling Falling Stars):

Arden Mercury:

[burningbrokenantlers]

I dream of stars in the firmament, and then an explosion of light so bright I am blinded. Is it just the best of you? Am I rendered insensate by your brilliance? I suppose I can forgive that, starchild.

someone compared my writing to @not-poignant‘s oldest works and i went and. read the entirety of game theory and the court of five thrones in. six days. i’m so tired but it was so worth it. anyway, have one of the absolute. worst (aka best) parts of the books, along with a glowing recommendation and a birthday present to myself

[not-poignant]

Ohhhh, I love this, the way her eyebrows are a little arched, the way she's looking a little down at the same time, that little quirk to her lips. And you gave her such a classic beauty as well, this is so great!

Drawing of @not-poignant ‘s Crielle. She’s such a powerful villain; I love how we reach new levels of terrible with her like every chapter of Falling Falling Stars and she’s not even physically there anymore.

[nialoke]

So I wrote a thing... *runs away to hide under a rock*

[f-imaginings]

Doodle in class of Augus vs Crielle.

[the-fluff-overlord]

Crielle Ferch Fnwy iiinside and out. Welp, as my tired brain construes it at the very least!

All in all, she’s this beautifully complex character by not-poignant (thank youuu for the precious info on the scar :D) whom I’m nonetheless glad to have seen die (case in point : the blood is not hers, heh, tis dee bluhd ov dee innocent!)

[not-poignant]

I love the title so much, also the playlist link is here for people who want it! :D God, No Children is such a great song.

Mothersbane

A playlist of songs I think describe Gwyn and Crielle’s relationship

Baby, I’m Yours // Arctic Monkeys

Basically Gwyn pissing off Crielle by saying I’ll always be tied to you whether you like it or not.

No Children // The Mountain Goats

“You are coming down with me, hand in unloveable hand” Crielle accepting that she’s going to die but she will ruin Gwyn along with her death.

Too Late To Say Goodbye // Cage the Elephant

“Oh my precious ember burning, my sweet glowing light” Crielle not realizing the truth of Gwyn’s powers and still has adoration for him in the womb, but then shit happens and she hates him now so yeah.

There Isn’t Any God // Rusty Cage

“Then I close my eyes and just remember this song” (song = existence of Gwyn) I feel like she’d sing this as a lullaby in a human AU just to scare Gwyn. Or she just doesn’t believe there is a god who is looking out for her because she had Gwyn.

Rather Die // Barns Courtney

Gwyn perservering through the abuse and times of war he was forced to go through due to his parents.

Curses // The Crane Wives

“Lay my curses all to rest, make a mercy out of me” Crielle planting the seeds that lead up to that One Betrayal™️ with the mind reader (I’m trying not spoil y’all if you haven’t read it yet but it’s a doozy lmao). She thinks Gwyn’s death will be a mercy to herself and to others.

Tongues and Teeth // The Crane Waves

“And I know that you mean so well, But I am not a vessel for your good intents” Crielle understanding that Gwyn just wants her love and approval, but completely ignores it for her own sake.

If y’all have any other songs that you think would be good to add to the playlist, please add them in the replies or tags and I’ll give them a listen!!! This is on Spotify under “Mothersbane”.(also I have more fae tales playlists I haven’t published, this is just the most recent one I have worked on)

[kazechama]

Poigdom Week Day 1 - Hunt

Words: 346

Summary: Crielle shows Gwyn in no uncertain terms that she wants him dead.

Notes: The inspiration for this came to me while reading a paper about funeral traditions like covering mirrors during mourning/funerals. [I really should be working on that damn article, not writing ficlets.]

I hope you like it.

AO3 [X]

Gwyn sat through the ceremony barely noticing what was happening or who was speaking. This was a disaster. This was never supposed to happen- Efnisien, hated as he may have been, was still a family member. It forced Gwyn to stay through the whole of this farce. The room felt dark, Gwyn's only focus was the coffin where Efnisien would have laid. Gwyn had the fortitude of his duties as king, he would not have to keep watch over Efnisien. He was here for the family gathering and he would have to be here for the final act.

~weeks later~

This time the room was really dark, candles illuminating the coffin. No decoration was on the walls, everything had been removed for the occasion. A sickness overcame Gwyn. His stomach was empty, he could not muster enough appetite to eat during the last days. Yet everything was so much, he wanted to throw up. After the service, his mother stayed next to Efnisien's coffin until everyone except Gwyn left the room. Her grief was deep. Crielle always wished Efnisien was hers, not this twisted creature of a son.

"Gwyn."

It was a barely audible whisper, yet his head snapped up. His mother never called him by his name. When he turned around, Crielle was staring hard and presenting him something in her outstretched hand. A pocket mirror reflecting Gwyn's face. When satisfied that her message was received, she closed the mirror and went away not giving a another glance to either Gwyn or the mirror. Trust his mother to make death threats with style. All the decoration in this room had been removed for a reason. It was believed whoever saw their reflection during a funeral service would perish in a similar way. Crielle did not believe Gwyn's lie. She somehow new it was Gwyn's fault and she wanted to punish him. This was her way to announce the hunt for Gwyn's head. Making her goal so obvious was part of the punishment. Gwyn would know and expect something from Crielle without knowing what will come.

Summary:

Crielle shows Gwyn in no uncertain terms that she wants him dead.

[not-poignant]

Hey there!

I just wanted to say I re read UTB and it's inspiring and so so so very good! It's a rollercoaster ride and I get so excited every time I see an update come through in my emails :)

I wanted to ask a question about Gwyn. I had a good scroll and couldn't see that it was asked before but it might already have been asked, so I am sorry if this is a repeat and feel free to ignore it if it is!

What would have happened if Gwyn wasn't born a Peak Alpha? Would Crielle have seen it as some kind of failing that a Peak Alpha lineage hadnt been achieved?

I also had a question about Efnisien and Crielle.

Would there ever be a scenario where Crielle would have raised Efnisien as a "high society Omega" (which I can imagine would have been its own level of hell) if she didn't go down the experimentation path or would he have been disposed of?

Thank you for all your writing!

So, in a way if Gwyn hadn't been born a peak alpha...if he wouldn't have been killed, he would have had an upbringing that echoed all his other abusive upbringings with Crielle.

I've been asked for like 10 years 'what would happen if Crielle loved her son / got the son she always wanted' - and so Underline the Black is the answer to that. We get a villain. So if you want the opposite of that, it's all my other stories about Gwyn, y'know? He gets abused, he gets tortured, he gets dismissed, he gets beat on, he gets tormented, he meets Augus (or Ash, or both of them) etc. etc.

Crielle loving Gwyn is the answer to the original question: What would happen if Crielle ended up loving her son? What if he'd been born the way she wanted him to be born?

The question you're asking is in a weird way, answered in every single fic before that. The fics that led to that question being asked in the first place. :D You can read the original Fae Tales series if you want to know what happens if Gwyn hadn't been born Seelie a peak alpha

Would there ever be a scenario where Crielle would have raised Efnisien as a "high society Omega" (which I can imagine would have been its own level of hell) if she didn't go down the experimentation path or would he have been disposed of?

For me, no. For other people sure!

But for me...not without completely remaking Crielle's character. It's pretty fundamental to her to be kind of an intensely intelligent and malevolent scientist in the background of her caring about high society.

Ultimately Efnisien got to live because she saw a use for him. If she didn't see a use for him, I can't imagine why she'd want to raise him as a high society omega, honestly. That takes effort and money, and she's consolidated enough in her power, finances and legacy that she doesn't feel the need to create a cash cow to sell off to create a connection to another family.

I think he would be disposed of. I honestly think she will still try to dispose of him. Efnisien being wrong about this in Underline the Black is like...the right thing to be worried about. She's not done with him. And the ultimate end-game for her is getting rid of him now that he's lose his use to her.

[crielle-ferch-fnwy]

Sometimes I get a bit sentimental, as I remember my dear Efnisien. He was like the son I never had, and a really good boy. I wish he was still among us.

[not-poignant]

Hiya Pia,

Do you think Flitmouse ever created clothing for Crielle? Or do you think Crielle’s omega prejudice would’ve stopped her? I am intrigued by the idea that one day Flitmouse remembers interacting with her or her staff, and how that moment would inform his perception of Efnisien. All the love to you!

Crielle would never knowingly let clothing made by an omega touch her body. She thought it was valid to torture an omega for years and recommended he be murdered to a complete stranger, that's not someone who will then be like 'oh yes I will drop thousands of dollars on haute couture made by an omega.'

And Flitmouse would have no way of knowing she was Efnisien's aunt. He still doesn't know! I actually have no idea when he'll find out, but I doubt it will be during Underline the Black. Knowing someone's family is abusive =/= knowing the names or identities of those people!

[not-poignant]

For the character ask game! 2. Favorite canon thing about this character? for The Glashtyn 12. What's a headcanon you have for this character? For Mikkel (He's one of my favorite characters of yours btw. I still think about him a lot) 24. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in? For Crielle

2. Favorite canon thing about this character? - The Glashtyn

That his sadism and cruelty are so joyful, and that he really is in his element when he's being an absolute bastard of a waterhorse. He's way more jocular about his sadism than Augus is!

12. What's a headcanon you have for this character? - Mikkel

Oh Mikkel, I love him so much.

The headcanon I have for this character is simply that he was comforted by his decision to sacrifice himself in The Court of Five Thrones. There was no option for him where he could have had a happy ending in that world, he came on board already doomed, and he's always behaved as though he's known it.

And so to me, even though this could never be made explicit because he couldn't say in the story, his choice to be a true hero right at the end gave him a hope he'd never been able to find for himself in the past. I still wish he hadn't died, and it made me realise I don't really like writing character deaths for beloved characters that are permanent, but I do take heart in knowing he never would have allowed any other option, and he made his choice freely, and that in that moment, it was a positive choice for him.

4. If you could put this character in any other media, be it a book, a movie, anything, what would you put them in? - Crielle

I feel like I want to save everyone from Crielle

*cackles evilly*

Oh who am I kidding, lol, she's a great villain.

I don't know what else I'd put her in though, because I don't really think this way. My brain doesn't go 'what would happen if I put this character in this universe.' That's why... I can't actually answer these questions most of the time when people ask me even about inserting my characters into other universes that I created.

Idk where Crielle really belongs. I mean I'd put her in a book, in anime, in movies, etc. I don't know which ones though, and she obviously wouldn't suit all genres or styles of story. I wish there were more characters like her in the world, but I don't know where to put her! Only that I wish there were more Crielle-type characters in the world.

~

From the character meme!

[not-poignant]

Game Theory Vol 1 Edits - Chapter 4 - Threat

We have a new chapter title, as Desperation was split so that Gwyn can have a brand new encounter with Crielle and Efnisien together (and I think perhaps the first one we ever see).

In Threat, there's over 2400 words of completely new dialogue between our favourite toxic family, Crielle, Gwyn and Efnisien.

Here's an example of it:

‘It’s hard to even credit how peaceful the Seelie Court be without your meddling,’ Gwyn said idly. He wasn’t surprised to hear she’d been involved. It wasn’t the first time, it wouldn’t be the last. ‘The Seelie are righteous, noble creatures,’ Crielle said, ‘all that is good and wonderful in the world, but we do so hate to be bored, and woe be upon us, we have a boring King. It is not your fault, my darling, You have such a thin Inner Court, and Albion and Ondine are so often away, for neither of them are even land fae. If you’d only consider appointing a larger coterie? Perhaps someone in charge of social gatherings. You’ve not held a Summer Court in so long. It must seem only a temporary, fleeting thing to you, but our lives are long, and we do need our entertainment. Even if you were to hold a ball…or some sort of public spectacle. Even an execution, we have a villain right here within the walls of our very Court, and everyone would gather to see the each uisge brought low and then beheaded.’ ‘I cannot fault your creativity,’ Gwyn said. ‘Cracks me up, cousin,’ Efnisien said, eyes locked and deadly, ‘how you’ll slaughter anyone you want in a war but get all soft and squishy the moment you’re outside of one. Look, all your family is really trying to do is help you. Won’t you trust us?’ ‘Efnisien is right, Gwyn, won’t you trust us at all?’ Crielle said, in a soft, sorrowful appeal. ‘We are only trying to advise you.’ ‘I’ve learnt very well from my family not to trust anyone at all,’ Gwyn said. ‘It was perhaps the most valuable lesson I learned.’ Efnisien laughed.

These edits will not go into the AO3 version, but only the published version. They can be read early if you're in the Gary+Efnisien tier (or higher) on Patreon or Ream, complete with a full changelog so you can see exactly what's changing!

Game Theory Edits @ Patreon

Game Theory Edits @ Ream

If you're on that tier, you also get access to Constellations as well. :D

[not-poignant]

Hello! I was laughing so hard when I was reading april's schedule post. Learnt that I and Crielle were born at the same day and I feel like now I have a new joke-funny excuse with friends who read your stories as well. Thank you XD

Oh anon you are so so superior to Crielle. You can be like 'I share a birthday with Crielle and we had to duel about it because there could only be one and it was me.'

I'd fully support that headcanon :D