This is my Perma Starter Call. You can like it for a starter. Yay! Here’s some bullet points:
Have you read my rules yet?
Mutuals with be highly favored. I follow with vile-muses.
Please don’t let the selective label intimidate you; the absolute worst thing I’ll do is say “no thank you”. If you’ve got something even remotely similar to things on my wishlist, I’m probably down.
If you are multi-muse or a hub blog, please give me tell me (through whatever channel you choose) the specific character you want the starter for, otherwise I won’t write a starter.
Generally my starters are a paragraph or two in length; please be willing to give a similar effort as me in your response.
Unless asked for a specific verse (and feel free to doso by adding a comment to this post), I will chose the verse I feel most fits your muse.
Want a specific plot? Excellent. This is honestly how I prefer it. Please contact me though whatever channel you prefer if you have something specific in mind for your starter.
HC: Cogsworth almost never swears. The worst he’ll say usually “damn” or “hell”. If you hear him say any swear words beyond that... you better run lol.
My previous 40 question ask game has been picking up notes again, and you know what? I love making up these questions so much that I made more. Because why not.
Have some uncommon questions to help with developing your original characters! Feel free to send in some asks with some numbers–pick an oc, or I’ll pick randomly~
How does your character sleep? Peacefully, fitfully? What position do they sleep in? What is their typical bedding like?
Does your oc have dreams or nightmares? What are they like? Is there a recurring one?
How easy to annoy is your oc? Do they have common pet-peeves or are they stoic in response to everything? What is their reaction if the source doesn’t stop?
How does your oc view housework? Do they absolutely hate it? Do they enjoy having their surroundings neat and tidy or do they not notice?
Your oc has to make something for an art exhibition. What would they make? How terrible is it? Would they enjoy making it?
What is your oc’s vocabulary like? Does it match the way they talk? How would you describe their speech?
How would you describe your oc’s voice? Do they have an accent? Do you have any voice claims for them?
Is your oc more likely to follow instructions exactly, throw them out and figure it out on their own, or make it all up? What are the results like?
Is your oc afraid of touch or do they actively seek it out? Is there a reason for this? What are the exceptions?
How is your oc about medical care? Do they avoid any form of healthcare that they can, do they seek it out over every little scrape? Do they treat their injuries/illness all by themselves?
How competitive is your oc? Is every little task something that they can win, or are they just in competitions for the fun of it? Is there anyone they’re most competitive with?
How skilled at lying is your oc? How frequently do they lie? For what reason? What situations would be the exception?
What is your oc’s immune system like? Are they invincible to illness, or are they compromised completely from the slightest of dirt?
Does your oc do anything “just for the aesthetic”? Or are they completely practical in everything?
If you had to choose a single object to act as a symbol for your oc, what would it be? Why?
If your oc could only eat one thing for the rest of their life (while miraculously not suffering from malnutrition), what would it be? Does this match their favourite food?
How prepared is your oc? Ready for the worst no matter what, or completely lost in every situation? Would they have a medkit when it was needed? Would they have an umbrella if it rains?
How charitable is your oc? Or are they more stingy with their resources and money?
If someone was describing your oc to someone who had never met them, what distinguishing features would they mention? How would one identify your oc in a crowd?
Does your oc have any pleasure that embarrasses them so they keep it secret? Or are they open about all the things they enjoy?
What is your oc’s stamina like? Would they be able to run a marathon, or not run at all? What about walking/another physical activity? How are they with exercise in general?
How long can your oc stay focused on one task before they get bored? Do they constantly have to switch things up or do they hyperfocus? What sort of things is it the opposite for?
What is the most annoying sound to your oc? What’s the most pleasant? Is there any reason?
What smells bring back specific memories to your oc? What are those memories like?
How jumpy or easily spooked is your oc? Do they have a fight or flight reflex to being startled, or are they never startled at all?
How polite is your oc? Do they do everything with the utmost courtesy, or do they completely refuse to say please and thank you?
How flexible is your oc? Can they touch their toes or do they have trouble just sitting down because of how stiff they are?
What is your oc’s typical walking like? Do they speed-walk everywhere, do they take quick short steps or long paces? On their tiptoe, the sides or heels of their feet? How loud are their footsteps?
If your oc was in a video game, what would their idle animation be? (When the player stays still for too long, the animation that plays.)
What topics does your oc know the most about? Are these obvious or would these be surprising to others?
What time of day is your oc most awake? What about most tired? Do they get up at the same time every morning without need of an alarm, or is their sleep schedule all over the place?
What five ingredients would you throw into a cauldron to make a potion based on your oc? How would you cook/mix them? What would the potion do?
Describe your oc’s favourite environment. Urban or rural? Wild or controlled? What’s the climate like?
What would someone blackmail your oc with? Would they be successful in getting what they wanted?
How easily does your oc get attached to things? Does everything have a sentimental value to them, or do they see nothing as more valuable than its practical use? What about with people/animals?
How stubborn is your oc? Are they easily convinced of the opposite opinion, do they not agree but let it happen anyways? Or do they cause conflicts with their inability to budge in their decisions?
How much has your oc traveled? Why is this? Would they like to travel more? Or are they perfectly fine with staying home?
What signs tell that your oc is nervous? Do they fidget, is it in their expression or the way they say things? Or are they very skilled at hiding it?
How superstitious your oc? Do they end up following them ‘just in case’? Or are superstitions incredibly important to your oc? What are some that they believe? What about the ones they don’t?
Are there any habits your oc has picked up from people around them? Do they know where they’re from? Does your oc try to stop themselves from doing it?
hrn, like forte, i’m tempted at this point to give cogsy a young man verse as well. me giving his younger self the 90′s Disney Protagonist Haircut was a mistake because oops, he’s Certified Adorable.
why yes, there would be significantly more angst in that verse. cuz his dad was kinda overbearing :,)
Anon or not - ic or not - go in my inbox and bother my muse! Ask them questions - bring up things they don’t want to acknowledge! Or, just bother them in general! Ask about their relationship with other muses - go nuts!
REASON FOR NAME: He... honestly just seemed like a “Nathaniel” to me.
BIRTHDAY: October 12th, 1745
AGE: 45 (typically)
GENDER: Cis Male
PLACE OF BIRTH: London
PLACES LIVED SINCE: Adam’s Castle
PARENTS’ NAMES, BACKGROUNDS, AND OCCUPATIONS:
Henry Cogsworth (Previous Head of Staff)
Alice Cogsworth (Housekeeper)
NUMBER OF SIBLINGS: Only Child
RELATIONSHIP WITH FAMILY: He is the only living member of his family he knows is still around, though quite probably he has relatives still in England. His memories of his mother are vague because she passed on in his early childhood, although he remembers her fondly. He also remembers his father being less strict when she was still around. Though he loves his father Henry, he can’t deny that his overbearing and judgmental nature while raising him had permanent damage, turning Cogsworth into a very anxious person. Given he’s the only Cogsworth in France, he sometimes feels lonesome, especially when seeing others with their own families.
HAPPIEST MEMORY: Likely the end of the first film. He’s so proud his boy Adam learned to stop being a dick and released his poor staff from having to be furniture for the rest of their immortal lives.
CHILDHOOD TRAUMA: He was unintentionally damaged by his father through intense training, rude comments about his body and strict rules. Cogsworth tends to feel guilty by default and very rarely truly relaxes. Being near constantly high strung, he’s easily thrown into panic and can snap at others with seemingly little reason. He Has Anxiety (tm). He also has lingering discomfort about his size due to his father’s consistent comments on it up until his passing.
CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN: None, and although he’s starting to get older, he would be happy to adopt.
PHYSICAL
HEIGHT: 5′ 4″
WEIGHT: 260 lbs
BUILD: Short (especially for a man) and quite round, making him look cute and soft. He’s actually surprisingly more stocky and physically strong than one might assume beneath that chonk.
NATIONALITY: French (formerly English)
DISABILITIES: A vaguely defined anxiety disorder of some sort which he is not diagnosed nor treated for. On and off depressive episodes, though he is good at hiding those.
COMPLEXION: Average paleness for a white guy.
FACE SHAPE: Has a naturally round face even if he weren’t fat.
DISTINGUISHING FACIAL FEATURES: Somewhat close-set eyes, puggish nose, and of course that ‘stache.
HAIR COLOR: Black, though certain lights can reflect more of a dark brown color, with just a light speckling of grey hairs (or salt-and-pepper depending on verse). Though, more often than not, he shaves his head. Not bald; shaven.
EYE COLOR: Dark brown-red, nearly black. Though occasionally I make the artistic choice to reflect a crimson color when murder mode is activated-- I leave it up to interpretation if his eyes literally look red or not.
GLASSES/CONTACTS: Sees well enough, though he may sometimes need lenses to read fine print.
STYLE OF DRESS: Dignified, monochrome usually, but still rather fashionable. Cogsworth isn’t usually the sort for gaudiness, preferring a more subtle spin on the “fancy” look of the French aristocrat. Due to being a little uncomfortable with his size, he doesn’t like to draw attention to himself. His favorite colors to wear tend to be darker; browns, burgundy, blues or even black sometimes. Though, typically spurred on by the likes of Forte, he does like to occasionally be showy-- usually his choice for more elaborate wear is a champagne in color.
HEALTH: He’s obese but doesn’t suffer very much in terms of health complications, clocking in (heh) with pretty typical vitals. He does, though, have untreated anxiety and that wears on him.
GROOMING: Straight up obsessive and not healthy. Extremely fussy about tidiness of himself and of everyone and everything around him. Will 1000% pick tiny hairs and fuzzes off your clothes while lightly reprimanding you.
JEWELRY, TATTOOS, PIERCINGS: Aside from the extremely fancy pocket watch he keeps on him when working (family heirloom), he doesn’t wear much jewelry.
ACCENT: Still somehow British despite living in France for decades.
LEVEL OF EDUCATION: Some formal education in childhood, although the bulk of his education was done by his father directly in preparation for his future career as a butler.
LEVEL OF SELF ESTEEM: Cogsworth suffers from some insane imposter syndrome due to how his father trained him. He has a veneer of being a snob, occasionally going so hard as to come off as a bit of a pompous ass, but his conceitedness is only skin deep. The reason he’s so easily pushed around, even though he’s the highest ranking person in the castle aside from Adam, is because he lacks confidence that he’s actually doing a good job. His willingness to back down feeds into itself as the other servants listen to him less and less, making him even more unsure of his own authority.
TALENTS: Well organized and observant, which both serve him well in his duties. He’s also an emotionally aware person, when he wants to be, able to get a decent read of what others are feeling without them saying anything. As much as he likes to claim otherwise (see: lie), he actually is musically inclined. He keeps his ability in hand to hand combat and his familiarity with guns to himself, wanting to upkeep his image as an unassuming butler and knowledge that he absolutely can and will defend the castle competently a total secret to those who have no business knowing.
SHORTCOMINGS: He is bossy, snobbish and occasionally quite mean, but a pushover if given exposed to a moderate amount of pressure: especially if it’s from his friends. He’s also prone to making promises he cannot (or, worse, doesn’t intend to) keep to temporarily keep the heat off him.
STYLE OF SPEECH: He speaks politely for the most part, outside of instances where he’s bickering. His cadence is proper, stuffy even, and typically high energy to the point of being jumpy. He has a very mild stutter if made overly nervous and tends to scoff or make small noises to himself.
ARTISTIC/MATHEMATICAL: Mathematical, with quite a real talent in arranging schedules and logistics. He claims he hasn’t an artistic bone in his body, but that isn’t true; he’s actually got a decent ear for music and eye for design. Given he idolizes artists, he feigns complete ignorance because he doesn’t want to embarrass himself with shortcomings should he attempt to show his talents.
MAKES DECISIONS ON EMOTION OR LOGIC: Given the choice, Cogsworth would take the path of least resistance: the path of tradition and following rules, which he views as logical and safe. But, given all his close friends are a bit more daring than he, he’s often tugged along the path of “silly emotions” getting the better of his head.
LIFE PHILOSOPHY: He may be persnickety, but he’s very altruistic. Stressful as it is, he’s happy to be a servant. He thinks he lives to improve the lives of other people.
RELIGIOUS STANCE: He believes in a god and an afterlife. If pressed, Cogsworth would likely call himself a Christian, but refuse to give any specific denomination. As well, given his relationship to Forte, a man with a painful past with the church, to even call himself a Christian is a bit uncomfortable for Cogsworth
CAUTIOUS/DARING: Cautious without a doubt. He may have his brave moments when absolutely needed, but rash action is always his last resort.
EXTROVERT/INTROVERT: Extrovert. Secretly nervous to be judged, but loves people.
LEVEL OF COMFORT WITH TECHNOLOGY: He’ll figure out what he has to in order to do his job.
RELATIONSHIPS
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Verse dependent, though typically in some kind of relationship with Forte.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Gay, gay, homosexual, gay. Exclusively attracted to men.
PAST RELATIONSHIPS: Forte was his first relationship and his by far longest lasting. Although, during the ten years of enchantment, when they were separated, Cogsworth did try to get involved with a small handful of other men, including Lumiere, but it didn’t go much beyond a few dates for any of them.
PRIMARY REASON FOR BEING BROKEN UP WITH: Unable or unwilling to spend enough time with his partner in leu of work commitments. Repeatedly breaking his promises.
PRIMARY REASON FOR BREAKING UP WITH PEOPLE: To avoid particularly difficult conversations about his mental state. He feels he’s supposed to be the one to comfort his partner if they’re sad, rather than the opposite. He’d rather cut it off than let on that sometimes he’s in some extremely dark places.
LEVEL OF SEXUAL EXPERIENCE: Cogsworth is nowhere remotely as innocent as his adorable appearance lets on. Man is a daddy with a capital “D”. He’s proper at work, but a freak in bed.
STORY OF LOSS OF VIRGINITY: Cogsworth lost his virginity at age 22 to Forte in the rose garden. Not only is it a prominent memory for him for that reason, but it solidified in his mind that he was gay after years of suspecting it. He even said, as the two were cuddling after, “Alright. I am definitely gay.” and it’s become a bit of a joke for the pair since.
MOST COMFORTABLE AROUND WHO: Cogsworth feels a particular closeness with Lumiere, Mrs. Potts and Forte, but all for differing reasons. As to who he would trust in his most vulnerable moments, it’s Lumiere.
OLDEST FRIEND: Lumiere was his friend almost since day one of moving into the castle and, though he likes to push Cogsworth’s buttons, has been his rock for decades behind closed doors. Lumiere is the only one to know of Cogsworth’s depression; not even Mrs. Potts or Forte are aware.
HOW DO THEY THINK OTHERS PERCEIVE THEM: They see every flaw. Every tiny slip in his speech. His gross fat body. His nerves. Oh god his nerves. They’re going to call him out, he knows it.
HOW DO OTHERS ACTUALLY PERCEIVE THEM: He’s a bit overbearing and fussy, but he really does care about everyone.
VOCATION
PROFESSION: Head Butler/Head of Household (or Beekeeper if in a verse where he’s retired from the castle)
PAST / CURRENT OCCUPATION(S): Manservant, acted as Regent in Adam’s stead until he was old enough to rule.
PASSIONS: Art and music, beekeeping
ATTITUDE TOWARDS CURRENT JOB: It’s a headache and a half, but he castle would go to pieces without him.
ATTITUDE TOWARDS CURRENT COWORKERS/BOSSES/EMPLOYEES: They don’t listen to him nearly enough, but he loves them and they’re his family.
SALARY: *is too lazy to actually look that up*
SECRETS
LIFE GOALS: Make a positive impact and retire to a quiet place with a hot artist husband.
DREAMS: uuuh, ditto above?
GREATEST FEARS: Failing those he cares about, witnessing someone he’s close to passing, his past catching up with him
MOST ASHAMED OF: The blood on his hands from his time in the French military.
COMPULSIONS: Pacing, wild gestures with his hands, scoffing out loud, cleaning, stress eating, smoking
OBSESSIONS: Keeping things (people included) tidy, his head butler work
SECRET HOBBIES: Loves bees. Fond of swimming. Also sometimes he lets himself touch a piano.
SECRET SKILLS: Anything art related he wants to keep secret (even from his artist boyfriend... especially from his artist boyfriend)
CRIMES COMMITTED: Uh, murder. Make that murders. And not just during his military career. Ever wonder why Adam has no in-name guards on staff? Yeah, several his servants are capable of fucked of shit when necessary, including Cogsworth.
WHAT THEY MOST WANT TO CHANGE ABOUT THEIR CURRENT LIFE: Nothing major tbh; he just wishes more people listened to him.
WHAT DO THEY MOST WANT TO CHANGE ABOUT THEIR PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: As much as he still gets pangs of internalized fatphobia, Forte thought him he is worthy of love just as he is. Cogsworth would not his appearance.
DETAILS
DAILY ROUTINE: Cogsworth has an insane schedule of 10+ hour days, weekends usually too, of basically herding cats. He’s high strung for a reason. But he does take time during dinner to relax; usually when everyone else is served, he takes a dish of leftovers for himself as he monitors the kitchen staff cleaning up for the night. It’s been his way of winding down to prepare for the last few hours of work, which mostly involve him being alone, making rounds around the castle or at his desk writing records.
NIGHT OWL OR EARLY BIRD: Night owl. He typically works into the night, returning to his quarters around midnight.
LIGHT OR HEAVY SLEEPER: Heavy sleeper... or pretends to be just to get some peace.
FAVORITE FOOD: Fond of dense sweet things, such as mousse and pudding. Likes salty meats, sautéed vegetables and basically any dish with butter as a prominent ingredient. He also quite likes plain fruit (especially apples, grapes and figs) and, secretly, might nab a piece or two from a bowl intended primarily for decoration.
LEAST FAVORITE FOOD: Actually dislikes seafood. The smell drives him nuts. Calamari in particular prompts an immediate heave response. He wants to live by the sea primarily for aesthetic purposes.
FAVORITE MOVIES: lol, it’s 1770-whatever.
LEAST FAVORITE MOVIES: “ “
FAVORITE MUSIC: His tastes are eclectic and he’s very open minded. He’s a big fan of Forte’s depressing tunes actually.
LEAST FAVORITE MUSIC: Doesn’t really dislike much, given his time spent with Forte and all his music history lectures.
COFFEE OR TEA: Secretly a coffee hoe; don’t tell Mrs. Potts.
CRUNCHY OR SMOOTH PEANUT BUTTER: Seems like a smooth guy to me.
LEFTY OR RIGHTY: Right-handed.
FAVORITE COLOR: Red.
CUSSER: Tries not to. He’ll use “hell” and “damn” occasionally in frustration, but is very rarely more vulgar than that.
SMOKER/DRINKER/DRUG USER: Definitely a drinker, definitely buzzed 80% of parties, but not dependent (unlike el husbando ha ha). He smokes a pipe sometimes when extremely stressed, but tried to avoid the impulse due to his father having died of complications due to his smoking habit. Will once on a blue moon take magic mushrooms to help his anxiety.
BIGGEST REGRET: He wishes he could have told someone just how dark his mind sometimes goes.
PETS: Keeps a colony or two of bees during retirement.
