Grisaille

A Kingdom Hearts fan project Hello! I'm Peony-Pearl; she/her, late 30s, aro/ace, enjoying creating a fanfic out of nostalgic media through the story of Kingdom Hearts; I hope you enjoy your time here!

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I had originally hoped to do more during my vacation but everything went from purging the basement to rearranging my room for my new desk so I can start practicing Clip Studio Paint to my cat getting very very sick. Good news is he's doing much better, unfortunately vacation is now over lol but time goes on! I have some rough draft pics I'm hoping to finish and post soon

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I'm hoping to have some more art/character bios to post this week! I'm on vacation for my birthday (today wheee) but first a good bit of house purging/cleaning needs done (I moved here just over a year ago with my sis and we both work full time and going through all the moved stuff in the basement is still ongoing)

If you've followed this blog thank you so much!!! Also, my ask box is open for anyone curious about Grisaille!!

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I have to finish more character refs but here's a couple pieces with Nimue and Merlock, my favorite enemies turned cohorts :3

The top pic was actually done for KHOC-week 2025 (It's posted on my main blog @peony-pearl)! The bottom pic is more recent and shows off the new outfit Merlock will get early in the story (I'm still working out how the outfit looks lmao)

The keyblade Nimue has in the first picture is not the one I've mentioned, Suncatcher! It's a different one that shows up later ^^

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3 more characters showing up in Grisaille are Sylvia, Peg and Pistol!

Sylvia is the royal astronomer, and the first to approach King Mickey about the stars disappearing. She and Goofy are currently engaged, and she and Max have a good relationship.

Peg is still feeling the sting of shame from Pete's banishment nearly a decade ago. Mortified by her husband's antics and furious at becoming a single mother, she pushed PJ hard into becoming a good productive member of society, placing a lot of the family name onto him when she isn't butting heads with her daughter, Pistol, or helping take care of her grandchildren.

Pistol, now 16 (she is about 9 years younger than PJ in this fic), only has good memories of her father, Pete, and often butts heads with her mother and brother about his legacy and banishment. She's determined to prove she's not a baby anymore and often rubs people the wrong way (intentionally). She isn't able to pester her brother as much anymore because his wife (Beret Girl, named Liv in Grisaille) doesn't put up with it, especially with hers and PJ's young twins around.

Pistol, furious that her brother receives a summons from Yen Sid instead of her, stows away on the train to the tower.

[gummi-ships]

Kingdom Hearts 4 trailer from the June 9, 2026 Nintendo Direct Corresponding official Twitter post here

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oh shoot happy KH4 news day everyone

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After King Mickey sets out on his quest to investigate the stars disappearing, Yen Sid sends a summon for several young capable warriors and scholars to help on the sidelines as Goofy and Donald travel with the new Key Bearer. (Ages are approximately 25 years for everyone)

Max, the second in command of the Royal Guard after his father, is chosen for his warrior capabilities. Unlike his father however he fights with a sword and is an athletic and aggressive fighter. Unfortunately, the pressure he feels to have his own identity away from his father while also honoring his position and family has been chipping away at him, and his decisions can become erratic under stress. He's been hoping to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Roxanne, but fears have been holding him back.

Roxanne is a Scholar of Light, studying under the likes of the King and Queen themselves, receiving books and scrolls from Yen Sid about the delicate balance of Light and Darkness and the history of Keyblades, and has even received letters from Merlin about other Cornerstones of Light. Patient but no-nonsense, Roxanne is confident in her path to eventually become similar to what Yen Sid is, a Sentry among the stars to help keep watch over the worlds. She is often able to help quell Max's worries, but their arguments have been a bit too noticeable lately.

Stacey, Roxanne's longtime bestie and roommate, is a student learning magic under Donald's tutelage. She has become quite adept at her craft and has even begun taking on odd jobs around the castle keeping things enchanted when Donald is busy supporting the King. Faithful and playful, Stacey is always reliable and is a pillar of support and knowledge, but can lose her focus when too excited or overwhelmed.

Bobby has lived with Yen Sid for several years now, learning under the sorcerer and being his new apprentice now that Mickey is King. Bobby takes care of the tower, brings Yen Sid and the Good Fairies tea and will also cook and clean in exchange for magical knowledge and tutelage. He has had no real goals, however, and spends his time rather aimlessly, completely content with his lackadaisical life out in the middle of nowhere with access to Twilight Town via the train. His aimless life, however, is uprooted when Yen Sid tells him he is needed to help protect the worlds, but Bobby is unfazed by the call to action, ready for a 'nice road trip' with his old pals.

PJ is part of the summoned too but he will be featured on his family portrait!

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Introducing Nimue! One of several original characters in Grisaille, but only she and one other will be active players in the plot.

Nimue is a Feline from an ancestral line of Keyblade Masters that doesn't originate from MoM or the Foretellers. Her father, Ambrosius, passed when she was just a child. He was out on a mission when he disappeared, and it's surmised Maleficent had something to do with his passing. Nimue worked tirelessly throughout her childhood to inherit and be chosen by Ambrosius' Keyblade, Suncatcher, which was the first Keyblade created by her great ancestor, Felicity. Nimue was the sole master of her homeworld, also called Felicity, by the age of 18.

Nimue is a fighter, able to hold her own in hand-to-hand combat even without her Keyblade, but lacks magic prowess. She rarely leaves for missions without several bangles and charms enchanted by her mother, Isolde, for extra protection.

One day, while protecting a nearby world from Maleficent, Nimue is tossed into a gateway that takes her to Fantasia, otherwise known as Symphony of Sorcery. It's there she meets a Keyblade master and skilled sorcerer named Yen Sid, who tells her she's far from home. He helps her return to Felicity and during the trek they become smitten with each other, eventually leading to a relationship, and then engagement.

However, on the eve of their wedding, tragedy struck as Darkness enveloped Felicity, and Nimue was lost to the Darkness - but there was something else happening than just Felicity's destruction: Nimue and Yen Sid had an argument that destroyed the very foundation of their relationship.

Thirty years have passed, and Yen Sid has carried silent grief and remorse as he continued his path and eventually retired the mantle of Keyblade Master.

All while Nimue has stewed in the Realm of Darkness for those three decades, still in the gown she was going to wear to her wedding rehearsal, fighting off hordes of Heartless, mired in her darkest thoughts and anguish of failure, rejection, and anger.

Just as the worlds face a new crisis and a new Keyblade Bearer is to be chosen by the light, Nimue is found by Merlock (and Pete), with whom she has an old, longstanding enemyship. However, as both are in a situation they don't want to be in, they strike up a pact: Work together to watch each others' backs and take out Yen Sid so Nimue can have her revenge and Merlock can attain more power.

They strike out just as the crew of Max, PJ, Roxanne, Stacey and Bobby begin their own journey to support Goofy and Donald and the new Key Bearer from behind the scenes, giving the young heroes their first real taste of danger beyond the safety of their kingdom.

Yet Nimue has not forgotten all of her virtues. She and Merlock will clash when it comes to her 'being soft' on those most innocent and diverting plans to help when needed - but to those allied with Yen Sid she is enemy #1.

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Welcome to the tumblr for my Kingdom Hearts fan project, Grisaille!

Grisaille is a story set around a fallen keyblade master, Nimue, and her quest to take revenge on her ex-fiance, Yen Sid. After being trapped in the Realm of Darkness for 30 years, she makes a pact with the equally shamed sorcerer, Merlock, to work together to find Yen Sid and bring him down. All the while Sora is beginning his journey and Yen Sid has called upon the talents and bravery of Max, PJ, Roxanne, Stacey and Bobby to act as damage control to help the new key bearer (and Donald and Goofy) along in his quest to save the worlds.

Grisaille is meant to have a tone similar to the KH games and many characters from late 80s and early 90s animation show up! (I'm a huge fan of Gargoyles so expect a LOT of influence from that show). Grisaille follows KH's storyline and timeline but is more of a 'behind the scenes' plot that focuses on themes of balance between light and dark, the cycle of revenge, light being misused, and villains experiencing love and friendship but not quite becoming 'good'.

The first story's rough draft is still being worked on, and I'm hoping to start making an animatic for the prologue soon!

This tumblr will be home to character/scene art!