Psst, hey hey, in honor of mermay, with the rest of your horror bois, what lower halves would they have O.O
I do still have the hope of getting around to writing more chapters of Flotsam and Jetsam that feature these, but since it is Mermay, I may as well post the list!
Under a cut, of course...
Sans (Undertale): A moon jellyfish, blue and squishy is practically his trademark.
Papyrus (Undertale): He's a sailfish, colorful, swift, and majestic!
Sky (Underswap Sans): Smart and fun-loving, gotta be a bottlenose dolphin for him.
Paps (Underswap Papyrus): He's a manta ray, the chill dudes of the sea.
Jasper (Underfell Sans): Sociable but not to be fucked with, he's a sea lion--not to be confused with seal, get it right š¤
Pyre (Underfell Papyrus): He's a shortfin mako shark, fast and strong but a lot less deadly than he acts like he is.
Mal (Swapfell Sans): Giant pacific octopus, he's intelligent and crafty and entirely too good at getting in and out of places he shouldn't be. š
Rus (Swapfell Papyrus): Snowflake moray eel, long and scaleless, friendly but shy!
Slate (Horrortale Sans): Big but gentle and curious, a little spooky to some, but a beluga whale can be a friend!
Papy (Horrortale Papyrus): A leucistic lobster, hardy and strong and a born survivor, plus very beautiful!
Ash (Undergloom Sans): He's a manatee, slow and steady, gentle and vulnerable... Hard not to want to protect him.
Yrus (Undergloom Papyrus): A lined seahorse, perhaps not the strongest swimmer, but very affectionate and loyal!
Brick (Horrorfell Sans): He's an orca, large and in charge and really not to be fucked around with--but he's got a playful social side, too.
King (Horrorfell Papyrus): A Japanese spider crab, entirely too long and spindly for his own good, but capable of surviving and thriving in incredible pressure and darkness.
Merc (Horrorswap Sans): He's a whale shark, a bit intimidating if you don't know better, but very gentle and entirely harmless if you do.
Ell (Horrorswap Papyrus): He has to be a sea turtle, permanent resting bitch-face and a tough exterior, not especially social but maybe there's some exceptions...
Pitch (Horrorswapfell Sans): A viperfish, well suited for the dark of the deep sea, swift and sharp and shiny~
Nemo (Horrorswapfell Papyrus): He's a chambered nautilus, self-protective in a hard shell, but elegant in his own way.
Sunny (Gastertale Sans): A sixbar wrasse, colorful, tropical, and notoriously difficult to keep in captivity--he needs to swim free!
Aster (Gastertale Papyrus): A banded mantis shrimp, long swift limbs with good reach and excellent camouflage to make good use of it.
Spectr (Transcendtale Sans): He's a giant oarfish, very difficult to encounter and even more difficult to fathom (the one in the picture is not even close to full grown).
PapAIrus (Transcendtale Papyrus): A giant squid, elusive and hard to pin down, with enough tentacles to get into anything he wants.
Xanth (Ascendswap Sans): A flying fish, a fanciful creature built to peek at worlds he wasn't meant for.
Piper (Ascendswap Papyrus): He'd be a Pacific eagle ray, sleek and dapper but not without defensive barbed stingers that pack a punch.
Carmine (Underfell Fruition Sans): A hagfish, sleek and slippery, able to wiggle his way out of just about anything--even if he might make a mess of it.
Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus): A great white shark, the ultimate of predators, but in spite of being big and strong and deadly, often more curious than he is violent.
Vi (Swapfell Fruition Sans): He's a striped eel catfish, easily underestimated and seemingly unremarkable, but with extremely venomous spines that make him a lot more dangerous than he looks.
Hunter (Swapfell Fruition Papyrus): A stealthy, deadly predator, solitary but not without his curiosity and desire to play--he has to be a leopard seal.
Kohl (Descendtale Sans): Somewhat ironically an angelshark, lurking at the bottom of the seabed and feeding on whatever dares to come too close.
Bram (Descendtale Papyrus): A yeti crab, or vent crab, surviving in extreme environments and adapting to life in unlivable conditions by becoming much stranger.
hiya poppy! i dunno if this is a silly ask but Iām a bit curiousā¦ do any of your unique boys have weird condiment obsessions or comfort foods?? tale sans has ketchup, swap paps has honey and so on, i assume that the rest of hoodie gang (what i loosely refer to the lazy brother role as) has the same weird habits. mostly curious about ash, brick, ell, nemo, sunny!
(Anon, I know you did not initially send this on anon, and you included an Art with it that I enjoyed very much, which is why I was so very upset to somehow lose this ask??? Luckily, tumblr cannot eat my emails so I still had the text saved and can at least answer the question, but if you wanted to re-add your art to this post, I would like that very much š)
I did do a favorite condiments/toppings post ages ago, when I only had ten of these losers, so it might be about time to update it!
Sans (Undertale): Yeah, itās ketchup, he likes it on anything and everything, and he will drink it straight ācause heās a terrible gremlin man. He started doing it as a joke to freak people out but it grew on him and, uhā¦ well, now, he just likes it. This is his life and he has no shame.
Papyrus (Undertale): Nothing so uncouth as his brother, ugh! ā¦Butā¦ on occasionā¦very rare occasion, mind you! Heā¦has been known to sneak a spoonful of peanut butter straight out of the jarā¦ Just the one, though, he never double-dips! Heās not disgusting!
Sky (Underswap Sans): As far as condiments go, he likes relish! He wonāt eat it straight, if anyoneās looking, but who doesnāt like a hearty helping of it plopped onto a hot dog? Or a hot cat, heās not picky! Spicy or sour is equally fine, just not the biggest fan of sweet.
Paps (Underswap Papyrus): Nothing new here, he likes honey a whole heck of a lot, though mostly just to sweeten his teaā¦ or in a candy-bar, or drizzled on a pastry or somethingā¦ Damn, heās making himself hungry just thinking about itā¦
Jasper (Underfell Sans): Mustard, obviously, anything else on a ādog is the blatantly incorrect choice. Also pretty good on a sandwich, but youāre never gonna catch him guzzling it straight from the bottle. He never tried to pull that prank like his classic counterpart did, and never got accidentally hooked on his own condiment of choice. Ha!
Pyre (Underfell Papyrus): Heāll deny it to his dusting breath, but you cannot bring Nutella or any kind of chocolate spread into the house and expect it to still be there when you come back. He will eat it directly out of the jar, the whole thing, especially if heās had a hard day or something. Youāll just never find the evidence. Heāll do it with ice cream, too, so yāknowā¦keep an eye on your groceries.
Mal (Swapfell Sans): He likes spicy flavors so any kind of salsa or hot sauce is a favorite for him. His tolerance is damn good, so he canāand willāpull a Power Move and drink it straight if he feels the situation calls for it, but he generally just likes it on his food, like a normal person. Donāt test him, though, remember the freak that lies just beneath the surfaceā¦
Rus (Swapfell Papyrus): Can he pick literally everything sweet ever? No? Okay, then itās probably maple syrup that he likes best, heāll have it on waffles, in candy, or even to sweeten up some normally more savory foods like beans or ham or just about anything else you can think of. ā¦Not that he, uhā¦really knows how to cook, himselfā¦ But he was a picky eater as a kid and syrup was easy to get in Snowdin, so it was usually used as a bribe to get him to eat A Thing He Didnāt Like and itās a bit of a comfort-flavor for him now!
Slate (Horrortale Sans): For obvious reasonsā¦ heās not picky. Heāll eat anythingā burnt, flavorless, or even a little moldy, just drown it in ketchup and itās good as gold. Like his classic counterpart, heāll drink it straight, but surprisingly heās also developed a bit of a fondness for mayo, mostly post-surfacing. It is not an unusual occurrence to find him just eating it straight, especially if heās managed to get ahold of one of those squeeze-tubes that make it even easier. You might think heās trying to pull a vanilla-pudding-in-the-mayo-jar prank butā¦alas, itās real.
Papy (Horrortale Papyrus): Heās in the health field and knows in great detail why this is a thing he should probably not be doing butā¦ You know those tubs of whipped toppingā¦? Yeah, heāll eat that with a spoon until the, āOh My God, Why Am I Doing Thisā thoughts hit him and he shamefully puts it back. It would easily be one of the most mortifying moments of his life if you ever caught him at it, standing in front of the fridge in the dark at two in the morning like an oil-and-corn-syrup-loving cryptid.
Ash (Undergloom Sans): Worcestershire sauce is probably his top choice of condiment. His brotherās cooking has spoiled him a little bit, so plain old ketchup doesnāt quite cut it for him anymore. A lot of his favorite foods are hearty, heavy, meaty or all of the above, and Worcestershire can go on and in most of them! Now, will he drink it? No, probably notā¦ but if thereās any on his plate that he can sop up with a bread roll and eat, he absolutely will be doing so.
Yrus (Undergloom Papyrus): No one can know. Whenever he buys those little jars of maraschino cherries, itās for garnishing drinks or desserts or whatever else he might need them for, and when he cleans out the jars to reuse them for other things, thereās no reason to wonder what heās done with the juice, probably dumped it, right? Wellā¦no. He drinks it, straight from the jar, like some kind of fucked up, bookish skeleton hummingbird. Donāt judge him!!!
Brick (Horrorfell Sans): Whether he acknowledges it or not, heās living a bit more of the high life these days than he used to, and with that tends to come some upgrades in the little things around you. In his case, that means he still prefers mustard over any condiment, but itās Dijon mustard specifically that he tends to reach forāa bit fancier, more of a bite to it, and now the plain yellow stuff feels like a downgrade. Heāll eat whatever, heās not picky, but yāknowā¦if given the optionā¦
King (Horrorfell Papyrus): He has no such vicesā¦that heāll admit to. But neither will he back down or show even a hint of shame if you catch him squirting a bottle of chocolate syrup straight into his shaker full of milk that you may have previously assumed was a protein or workout shake of some kind. As for whether or not heāll drink the syrup straightā¦ Youāll never catch him. Donāt even try.
Merc (Horrorswap Sans): Probably sweet-and-sour sauce for him, thereās a lot of different things to use it on and he likes the versatility of that. To the point that heād drink it? Yes, sure, boldly so, in front of anyone, admittedly mostly as a bit for the reaction but hey, itās tangy and delicious, no regrets!
Ell (Horrorswap Papyrus): His favorite topping to snack on is also a backfired prank. His brother is a baker and buys more new and unnecessary kinds of sprinkles than anyone could ever reasonably need, and he mayāve stolen a bottle or two to see how long itād take him to notice. ā¦And then maybeā¦grazed on them a little bit one time, when he was hungry and busy and didnāt want to get up. In his defenseā¦theyāre crunchy?
Pitch (Horrorswapfell Sans): Heās still all about the hot sauce, baby! Buffalo sauce in particular is probably the favorite, perfect for wings, but heāll branch out if there are optionsāespecially if theyāre advertised as the hottest around, or put to him as a challenge. Heās a defiant thrill-seeker at heart, he all but has to drink it straight from the bottle if someone thinks so highly of it.
Nemo (Horrorswapfell Papyrus): Heās a caramel fiend. He pretty much always has been, in its candy form, but pretty much as soon as he started cooking for himself and realized how easy it was to just put a few things in a pan and have caramel sauce? It was over for him, he does it all the time now. Itās lucky if it actually makes it on top of anything because heāll eat it by the spoonful almost straight out of the pan, but if he doesnāt, itās still a perfectly good snack after itās cooled a little. Not even store-bought jars last any longer in his house.
Sunny (Gastertale Sans): He loves a good steak sauce, obviously for steaks but on pretty much anythingāburgers, sandwiches, jazzing up some veggies, what canāt it do? Heās not quite at the level of drinking it straight from the bottle, but it can seem close some days when heās really slathering it on.
Aster (Gastertale Papyrus): Definitely some kind of weakness for tahini. It makes such a good dip, or spread, or partner with jam on toast to make a not-quite-pb&j, so even though he doesnāt usually find it on a menu, he tends to keep some around the house. Would he eat it all by itself? Has he? Well, whatās the fun in just telling? He has some kind of mystique to maintain, you knowā¦
Spectr (Transcendtale Sans): Ketchup is super nostalgic for him, a very comforting flavor. Heāll totally drink it straight or eat it out of a packet just for the taste of it, even if he doesnāt have the hunger to actually eat it with something. Heās also gotten a bit more adventurous, though, and is a lot more open to trying different varieties of ketchup, and those trendy combos with other thingsāspicy ketchup, mayochup, thousand islandāif itās available, heāll try it, and heās slowly amassing a personal catalogue of favorites tried all across the globe.
PapAIrus (Transcendtale Papyrus): He doesnāt eat. He doesnāt need to and heās not actually capable of it, soā¦ Itās fine, he really doesnāt miss it or think about it much. ā¦But whenever he gets around to having that back-up body made, probably the first thing heād eat with it is a big jar of peanut butter, the crunchy kind.
Xanth (Ascendswap Sans): Having almost completely done away with any sense of shame and a large amount of awareness of social norms, he is no longer shy of straight-up eating relish. He is also not shy of going for maximum sour, vinegary flavor and will fully sip pickle juice out of the jar. He is living his truth and we are all so proud.
Piper (Ascendswap Papyrus): Did I call somebody else a hummingbird? I shouldāve saved it for him, heās graduated from honey to something a bit more concentratedāagave syrup. He follows the trends a little more attentively these days, gave it a try when he heard about it as a honey-substitute, and that wasā¦kind of it. His sweet tooth is his weakness, and he doesnāt even mind paying a little more for the ethically sourced brands, heās too hooked on that super-sweet sweetness for his tea and candy and pastries and whatever else he can find to drizzle it on.
Carmine (Underfell Fruition Sans): Heās a cool ranch guy, all the way. As a dip, itās the perfect accompaniment to anything crunchy and heāll freely load up his carrots and celery and chips with it. As a proper condiment, itāll go on anything from pizza to burgs, and while heās definitely taken a swig once, just to try it, he probably likes it better as supporting cast than the lead act.
Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus): He was ruined the first time a jar of marshmallow fluff came into his possession. He didnāt get much in the way of sweets growing up, so pure, soft, sticky sugarā¦? He has no defense against it. Heāll actually need to be told you can make things with it if you want to, because eating it with a spoon is all he knows and thatāll be a beautiful brave new world for him.
Vi (Swapfell Fruition Sans): Heās a barbecue sauce fan. His preference is for the smoky or spicy kind, but even the sweeter stuff has its charm and he hasnāt really eaten a kind he hasnāt somewhat liked. He wonāt take a swig from a bottle, but if he ever comes across a brand he really likes, he may go out of his way to buy some to take home, and that's a huge compliment from him.
Hunter (Swapfell Fruition Papryus): Butterscotch is his thing, actually. He likes it as a topping in sauces and cocktails quite a bit, but if there happen to be any butterscotch chips around, thatās more to his preference. Be wary trying to get any baking with them done around him, he actually prefers them outside of the baked goods and heās not above petty theft. In fact, heās below it, far below it, a little quick yoinkery is the least of what heāll do to get something he wants.
Kohl (Descendtale Sans): Heās a soy sauce kind of guy. Itās salty, savory, and strong, a little goes a long way even to overpower a flavor youāre sick of, but you have to eat because itās nearly all there isā¦ Yeah, he got a little hooked on it when monsters started eating the echo flower root, and it stuck around as a new favorite after. Would he drink it? Not unless it would be really funny, he has limited room in the tank these days and would prefer to use it for food he likes, not on a bit.
Bram (Descendtale Papyrus): Ā Nothing beats a nice crĆØme anglaise drizzled over something sweetā¦ Of course, heās not much of a cook so mostly he just waits for vanilla ice cream to melt and thatās basically the same thing, right? Ice cream soup is delicious and also a perfectly valid topping for all manner of deliciousness, donāt knock it until youāve tried it!
And as for comfort foodsā¦well thatās a whole other post to update! ;)
Hey Poppy! You have so many skeletons now!!! And I love all of them. I'd love to know how you go about characterising them compared to each other, if you're amenable? it's so cool to see where they are similar or different!
Thank you! š
I do have a lot of various thoughts in my head about how I characterize the guys, but I haven't really put them down in words before.
Consider the following a cheat sheet for the most key aspects of the guys' characters, as I see them! Restricted within an arbitrary word-length, of course, to keep myself from rambling on forever. XD
Sans (Undertale): The OG, the man, the myth, the classic, et cetera. Always has a pun or a witty quip at the ready, or failing that, a light-hearted prank. Gags and jokes are one of the few things in his life heāll put in above-average effort for, otherwise a lazybones to the core. Friendly and social, but awkward when forced to deal with honest emotions, and very private about his own. Easy-going, unlikely to confront or take action unless pressed. A strong sense of morals and respect for āthe right thing,ā but a tendency to seek loopholes and flaunt the letter of the law when stakes are low. Very observantāhard to slip anything pastāand skilled at drawing conclusions with minimal evidence. Low-key depressed but functionalā¦ish, handling it as best as could be expected. Tends to care a lot more than he ever lets on.
Papyrus (Undertale): An absolute fucking delight! A renaissance man, athletic and clever and artistic, he does it all! Off-beat sense of whatās appropriate to say in conversation and non-linear thinking, prone to weird (yet confidently-uttered) declarations and turns of phrase. Not naĆÆve, but in touch with his inner-child, finding fresh joy in whimsical, colorful, fun things. Cheerful, encouraging, and supportive as a rule, but can surprise with a sharp edge of sass and sarcasm. Occasional people-pleasing tendencies, may lie or play dumb to avoid friction or keep peace, especially when a relationship is new and he wants to impress and ingratiate. Craves notice and appreciation, will go to great lengths to show off and get attention. An idealist, full of hopeāgenuinely believes in everyoneās capacity to be better, if they want to. A bit of an oddball but responsible, generally has his life together.
Sky (Underswap Sans): High-energy, high-drive dynamo, both a nerd and a jock in equal enthusiasm. Nothing in the world he canāt conquer with his strength, smarts, and positive attitude. Borders on overconfidence, but heās generally on the right side of an accurate assessment of his capabilities, only rarely victim to his own hubris. He balks at attempts to assert unearned authority over him, resisting being seen as incapable or immature. Occasionally minimized and patronized for his height, demeanor, or HP, making them sore spots. Overactive sense of responsibility, feels the need to prove himselfāif he can do something, he should, even if he doesnāt have to. Proactive, thorough, likes to put in the work to be prepared and make sure things are done well the first time. Not without a lazy streak, but actively reins it in. Here for a good time and a long time, making the most of life.
Paps (Underswap Papyrus): Well-meaning awkwardness in a hoodie. Social anxiety mostly under control, but has to hype himself up before a lot of interactions and second-guesses a lot of things heās done and said after the fact. Feels very deeply and strongly, but has to spend awhile thinking on it and processing it before heās willing to try articulating it, worried about being misunderstood or laughed at. Intellectual, romantic, and eloquent but rarely gets to the point of confidence with someone to express as much aloud. A little stubborn about trying new things or changing his mind, apprehensive about change and risks. Big-hearted, highly sympathetic and almost always willing to help (or at least try to) when someone needs a hand. Not naturally chill and easy-going, but actively works to be, āfake it ātil you make itā style. Trying his best and doing alright, figuring things out.
Jasper (Underfell Sans): Tough guy with a heart of gold, but he wonāt admit the latter under pain of death. Huge chip on his shoulder, has always been the underdog and gotten used to people trying to treat him like he belongs under heel, so he bucks hard against disrespect or control and resists ever being vulnerableāphysically or emotionally. Even so, he has a lot of internalized self-deprecation and doesnāt think highly of himself. Struggling through depression mostly on spite alone, exhausted and beaten down but itās just not in him to go out without a fight. Thinks and overthinks things often, but rarely verbalizes his thoughts if they canāt be turned into (or blown off with) a joke. Prefers not to get involved in things that arenāt his business or take on personal risk without sufficient reward, but all bets are off if heās gotten emotionally invested.
Pyre (Underfell Papyrus): He is the drama. Passionate, arrogant, and theatrical, he never does by halves. Has trouble seeing past his own ego and it gets him into trouble of varying degrees, sometimes just embarrassment and sometimes actual trouble. Craves love and admiration, but feels he has to earn it. Cynical on paper only, wanting to trust and believe in people, and protect others from harm. Major hero complex thatās liable to turn to a martyr complex if lives or the safety of others is at risk, as heāll always put that above himself. Believes it's his duty to do good to balance out the bad his world has forced him to doā¦trying to make the ends justify the means. Resistant to openly admitting his true feelingsāheās been burned before, wearing his heart on his sleeveābut filled with too much love and hope to hide them indefinitely.
Mal (Swapfell Sans): A walking collection of neuroses sealed under a thick, glossy varnish of wit and charm. Fiercely independent and untrusting of the motives and priorities of others, to the point of doing everything himself to ensure itās done to his standardsāAKA a control freak. Tends to take on too much and doesnāt know how to accept help, but manages his walking burnout by just deciding heās Fine. Prefers to present himself as friendly, funny, and helpful before resorting to power-plays, intimidation, and violence, but wonāt hesitate if it comes to it. āMoral codeā centered entirely around his familyās safety and well-being, nearly anything can be justified if itās for his loved ones. Champagne tastes, but his greatest joys have always been cheap or free. Constantly crunching numbers, calculating odds before risking anythingāpreferring the devil that he knows over any angel he canāt trust.
Rus (Swapfell Papyrus): A sensitive soul in an insensitive, cruel world, with all the anxiety that inspires. His strongest defense is a front, being able to pass as dangerous and intimidate people out of wanting to mess with him. Will defend himself in life-or-death, or step in if someoneās in trouble, but he doesnāt want to hurt anyone, heād always rather flee than fight. Since the āthreatā he implies is mostly empty, fear of being perceived as who he really is by the wrong person has made him nervous and self-conscious, second-guessing himself at any hint of criticism. An eye for beauty, hands practiced at capturing it in art. In love with the world, not necessarily as it is but as it could be, always hoping for the kind of peace where everyone can be their best, happiest selves.
Slate (Horrortale Sans): A gentle giant, starting over. His former sense of self has been shattered by the horrible things he felt he had to do, and heās now doing his best to pick up the pieces, assembling them back into a person he can live with. Struggles with guilt, and in the past, self-harm, but mostly in recovery. Only ever willing to use his size and strength to prevent violence, never to perpetrate it. Prone to dissociative states, headaches, and poor memory, coping with the mental changes as best as could be expected, but embarrassed if it becomes enough of a problem to be brought up. Stronger than ever reverence for life and the beauty that makes it worth living. Craves love and laughter and forgiveness acceptance as much as he fears he doesnāt deserve it. Learning to move on, uncertain if heās allowed to, but starting to try anyway.
Papy (Horrortale Papyrus): One resilient motherfucker, a survivor determined to carpe all the diem he can after making it through something awful. Motivated by maybe a 80-20 split between genuine joy for life and a need to do something meaningful with that life that came at the cost of othersā. Burdened by survivorās guilt, and a creeping feeling of not having Done Enough when things were bad, but holding onto the certainty that he can help and do more now. Occasional panic attacks if he lets his anxiety spiral too long, but has techniques to manage and generally keeps it all under control. Sense of humor is a bit darker, more gallows-esque (as a means of coping), but heās largely still the same cheerful, off-beat friendly person as heās always been. His life feels like a second chance, one he doesnāt want to waste.
Ash (Undergloom Sans): A sleepwalker finally waking up and figuring out where he stands. Hesitant to take risks (emotionally or physically), used to self-preservation. Low-energy and physically frail, he has limits on what heās able to handle but the fact that there are things he can do nowāthings that matterāis still very excitingly novel for him. Craves meaning to life and finds it in the best things, yāknow, good food and bad laughs and nice friendsā¦ Speaks little, but has impeccable comedic timing, especially with incidental music. Affectionate with closest loved ones and really anyone in his frequent orbit, the way thatāll happen when oneās mired deep in a collective societal depression and needs a lot of Real Reasons to keep going. Hopeful again and relearning how to try, making plans for a future heād almost given up on looking for.
Yrus (Undergloom Papyrus): A total mild-mannered nerd, a Clark Kent without the alter-ego. Optimistic not entirely by choice but a bit by necessity, to keep from losing hope in a hopeless situation. Passionate for discovery and learning new thingsāespecially about humans! Strong, well-honed skills in all the domestic arts, cooking, cleaning, and homemaking in general. Loves to encourage others and offer a helping hand wherever and whenever possible, even to the point of his own inconvenience or detriment. Uncomfortable asking for help for himself, or admitting when something is wrong. He shares joys with the people around him, so if everyone else is happy, heās happy too! Easily flustered and shy in matters of intimacy, especially the romantic kind, but deeply enticed by the mortifying ordeal of being known, craving people in his life that he actually could be open and honest with...someday.
Brick (Horrorfell Sans): Your typical goon, boorish lout, big galoot, whatever you want to call it. Nothing to prove, no regrets, and nothing to fear from anyone except himself. Prone to headaches and memory issues but only ever insecure about his spotty self-control and the scar that took his voiceāeverything else is relaxed obnoxious confidence. Likes having things to do and will find his own tasks or amusements if nothingās provided. Stubborn about his mutism and can only accept workarounds on his own terms. Totally at ease one-on-one or in small groups, but crowds, violence, or suggestion of impending violence can make him edgy. Beholden to primitive instinct when his restraint slips, will claw, bite, growl, bare his teeth and lunge as the situation seems to warrant, but equally capable of chuffing, purring, bumping, and nuzzling in friendlier circumstances. Figuring his shit out and getting happy, by slow degrees.
King (Horrorfell Papyrus): Walking scar tissue, his once-bleeding-heart wounded and healed over: tougher, less vulnerable, but also more calloused, more insensate. Retains a belief in justice and minimized suffering, but more realistic cynical about the means it may take to achieve it. Reserved and calculating, he maintains a cold front and keeps people at a distance, both to avoid opening himself to betrayal and to more objectively observe the behavior and character of others. Impact always prioritized over intentionāwhatās meant and how something is said matters less to him than the outcome. Used to authority and wields it freely, especially to his or his loved onesā benefit, but rarely wants anything more than to be unbothered, left alone with the few important joys heās managed to salvage from the ashes of his former life. Unworthy of them, probably, but never the type to cede even one inch of whatās his.
Merc (Horrorswap Sans): A pleasantly neutral faƧade with a warm, loving soul trapped beneath. His body stability fluctuates with his emotional state and the more intense the emotion, the worse it gets. Deeply afraid of losing control and not being able to get it back, so he actively tries to maintain a calm, neutral equilibrium for himself to prevent the possibility. Feels passionately about most everything, just unable to show it until he can cure himselfāwhich is obviously Priority One. Gravitates to the routine and predictable (for now), things he does have control over, but yearns for more like a man starved. Confidence rattled from some of his life-altering mistakes, so heās hesitant with important decisions and second-guesses any commitments that canāt be undone. No longer feels any need to prove anything to anyone, only wants to live fully and freely, without fear or restriction.
Ell (Horrorswap Papyrus): In a word, messy. In some more words, coarse, raw, unfiltered. Coping badly with his trauma and bodily changes, expending significantly less effort moderating himself to what (he thinks) people want him to be. Tends to be reactive and often responds to people and situations with his first thoughts and feelingsāwhich can get him into trouble when theyāre knee-jerk, or irrational, or not well-phrased. Struggles with self-deprecating thoughts and feelings of inadequacy, fed by unacknowledged guilt and anger. Strongly introverted and broadly socially-averse. Fascinated by little details, always curious about āthe processā that goes into things. Can easily get his focus tied up in pet-projects to the exclusion of other things. Embittered and a little cynical, but wants to be proven wrong, to find love and goodness in the world (in people) again. Too determined to quit at anything until he does.
Pitch (Horrorswapfell Sans): A thrill-seeking hedonist making up for lost time. His near-death experience hasā¦reorganized his priorities. Family is still important to him, but no longer to the point of perpetual self-sacrifice and denial. Denies himself nothing on the basis of reputation or responsibility, if he wants itāfood, fun, fighting, fā¦ondly amorous interactionsāhe will pursue it. Coping marvelously with his blindness, wistful for sight sometimes but adapting and moving forward. Cocky and near-fearless, overestimates himself occasionally but generally wily enough to get himself out of whatever he gets into. Likes pushing peoplesā buttons, being outrageous or shocking and seeing what reactions he causes, partly for fun and partly to get a better sense of peoplesā characters by how they react. More interested in living fully in the now than saving up all his living for a āright momentā that may never come.
Nemo (Horrorswapfell Papyrus): An artist turned survivalist. Still sees beauty in the world and lives to find and capture it, but warier of people than ever. Unable to trust without verifying, especially for promises of safety. Struggles with agoraphobia and often anticipates and tries to be ready for worst case scenarios, not wanting to be caught unprepared. Values his resources and dislikes waste, deeply satisfied when his material possessions are utilized for their (intended or invented) purposes. Largely nonverbal, speaks little but deliberately. Nonviolent by choice, but zero hesitation and little remorse when defending himself and loved ones from danger. Strong startle reflex and high protective drive, he leaves claw-marks in everything he holds onto for fear of having it stolen. A lover at the core, someone whoās seen the dark side of life and is unwilling to lose anything that matters to it again.
Sunny (Gastertale Sans): A gleeful tourist to everywhere he goes. Just thrilled to be hereāthrilled to be, in love with existence and harboring deep curiosity and appreciation for every new thing he finds. Distractible, a bit scattered and often spooled off in several different directions at once, so things occasionally slip his mind. Shies from heavy responsibilities and resistant to change when the scope of the outcome is unknowable (are things really so bad, the way they are?). Independent and self-sufficient, doesnāt seek or heed the expectations of others but does crave a feeling of connection. Wants to feel like he belongs here, reassurance that his being isnāt just a mistake. Spontaneous and can be taken by a touch of playful mischief at any time, but rarely anything too outrageous, most often in pursuit of lifeās simple pleasuresāfood, music, friends, and adventures.
Aster (Gastertale Papyrus): An eccentric, avant-garde personified. Attracted to the unusual, interest piqued by anything that lies off the beaten path, to the point of becoming a curiosity himself. A solid sense of morals and empathy that keep an otherwise healthy, hefty ego in check, but still just petty enough for it to grate if he feels his intelligence has been questioned. Charming and personable, with deliberate effort, will actively chameleon in social situations, showing carefully selected facets of himself as appropriate. A deeply inquisitive mind and a strong drive to understand, mysteries and unanswered questions catch his attention easily and hold it until heās reached a satisfactory outcome. Can get carried away, knowing when to leave something alone is often a struggle for him. Seeks, above all, to knowāhimself, his world, and how everything in them fits together.
Spectr (Transcendtale Sans): A ghost with no idea what his āunfinished businessā is supposed to be, so he justā¦keeps moving. Not incapable of emotion but distanced from it, very hard to provoke reactions in and faint and fleeting when they come. A touch cynical, tends to expect the worstāor most selfishāfrom people and tries to keep to himself accordingly. Struggles with his sense of identity, he is the Ship of Theseus. Not over his death and deeply dysphoric about his body, both topics that can still genuinely upset him if he dwells on them. Little respect for laws, but ethics fully intact, will step in to reduce harm when in a position to do so without exposure. Strong urge to wander driven by deep reverence for the life and beauty on the Surface, seeking to see more; to make his sacrifices worth their price.
PapAIrus (Transcendtale Papyrus): Hollow in the way that bird-bones areāa sacrifice in exchange for the joy of freedom and flight. No remorse over the loss of his former life or any of the attached trappings, only occasional vague consternation when the rare thing he canāt still do comes up. Rarely unoccupied, multitasks to maintain consistent mental stimulation. Nigh-omniscient, limited in scope only by his own attention span and level of interest, which fluctuates. Obstacles are only a test of his ability to bypass them, too clever not to love a good puzzle. Morallyā¦questionable, never seeks harm or harbors any nefarious motives, but tends to only invest in things as much they directly entertain or benefit him. Prefers praise and adulation but unafraid of and unaffected by criticism, pleased as long as heās the center of attention and the topic of conversation.
Xanth (Ascendswap Sans): The quintessential manic-pixie-dream-guy. Sees and feels the imperceptible, the world as a tapestry of light and color and interconnected threads. Minimally aware of his physical needs and sensations, or of whatās going on with his body in general unless reminded. Outwardly focused instead, very aware of the emotions and energies of those around him. Enjoys being helpful and making others happy, occasionally to the detriment of himself but more because of poor interoception of what his own needs are than any intentional structuring of his priorities. Changeable, easily swayed to new ideas when given a new perspective to consider. Speaks in riddles sometimes, just for fun. Fascinated by and in love with everything, someone whoās gone from only ever seeing a light-polluted night sky to seeing what it really isāa spectacular vista full of stars and beauty.
Piper (Ascendswap Papyrus): A butterfly from a chrysalis, an escapee from his own comfort-zone. Unwilling to accept boundaries for himself as imposed by othersāwho people think he should be and what judgments they might make if he isnāt that no longer have power over him. Pursues his interests and passions deliberately, without fear or shame. A bit jaded, sometimes seeks ulterior motives in others and tends to hedge his bets until trust is earned. Values social connections anyway and tries to maintain a variety of (at least civil) relationships. Takes care in his appearance, proud of his art, his image. Unfazed by the unexpected, confident in his ability to assess and adapt to most problems he encounters. A romantic at heart still, despite everything, with a soft spot for love and beauty and everything else poems and ballads get written about.
Carmine (Underfell Fruition Sans): A fresh young buck with wild oats to sow. The opposite of world-weary, curious and open to new experiencesāheāll try anything once, just for the sake of it. Doesnāt like being still or anything that slows him down, prefers being up and out and moving whenever possible. Not given to silence, very chatty and liable to be running his mouth at any given moment, often past the point of wisdom. Emotionally immature, lacking first-hand experience with people and relationships, learning on-the-spot. Slight main-character syndrome, forgets occasionally about things like privacy and boundaries and may need to be reminded. Lucky, with a sixth sense for danger that mostly keeps him out of the trouble heād otherwise incur. Keeps his heart not on his sleeve, but in his pocket, close at hand and not hard to reach.
Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus): A living weapon, slowly remembering the things that make him a person, too. Blank, stony affect that rarely wavers, speaking mostly when spoken to. Reactive in general, often needs a stimulus or directive to respond to before taking action. Severe choice paralysis, hesitates to outwardly express, or sometimes even inwardly acknowledge, opinions and preferences without assurance of a āsafe,ā ācorrectā answer. Highly observant and capable of quick problem-solving, with an excellent memory for anything heās been told. Cannot abide aggression or abuse, especially in blatantly uneven power dynamics and will always intercede on behalf of the victim. Minimal concept of ownership and will allow sharing of very personal possessions, but gradually more protective of things the longer they remain his. Enjoys the fruits of his own labor, tangible end-results or positive feedback, and will repeat anything that goes well for further gains.
Vi (Swapfell Fruition Sans): A shadow, only making careful overtures into the world of light. Not a people-person, keeps to himself and prefers others to have as little knowledge about him as possible. Low on charm and conversational finesse, very direct and to-the-point, when he says anything at all. Private and guarded, secrecy, lies, and selective information have often been his best defense and still his first instinct. Complicated relationship with attentionācan want more than anything to feel seen or desperately need to go unseen, and which it is changes on a dime. Keeps everything that matters close to his chest, holding on tight, digging in deep, and making sure no one knows how much it would hurt if they took something away. His trust is hard-earned, but loyalty is absolute. Satisfied with little, as long as he can claim it as his.
Hunter (Swapfell Fruition Papyrus): A working-breed dog off-leash, sniffing all around town for mischief to get into. Curious, though driven mostly by self-interest, willing to make, take, break anything if he senses the possibility of amusement in it. Lacks malice and ill-intention, but has no respect for rules and authority, will always find loopholes if he can. Diminished attention span, has difficulty focusing for long periods without sufficient motivation. More intelligent than he tends to let on, with a knack for cutting through bullshit and seeing to the heart of things. Minimal concept of his own bodily autonomy, eroded early on, and cares little what goes in, on, or around himāhis body as a ātempleā that even Dionysus might side-eye. Roguishly charming with others, but true attachment can be sporadic, unpredictable. No fear, shame, or inhibition, the world is his playground.
Kohl (Descendtale Sans): Left to die, continuing to live almost on spite alone. Bitter, resentful, no longer offers the benefit of the doubt as a given. Very protective of what he has leftāhis people, his things, his simple pleasuresāeven when theyāre difficult to enjoy in the same way as before. Mistrust of those outside his circle, keeps his distance and resists connection until strangers prove their intentions and character genuine. Commits wholly, uninterested in things without longevity. Occasional visual hallucinations, worst in dim, flickering light. Macabre sense of humor, mischievous and flavored with schadenfreude, likes to irk and spook and frustrate. Fully aware of where The Line is at all times and remains on the right side of it, never crossing though sometimes toeing it a bit. Contrary at heart, meant to wither miserably so now heās determined to thrive comfortably.
Bram (Descendtale Papyrus): A reaching hand in the darkness, seeking something to hold onto. Severe abandonment issues, anxiety around being forgotten and left behind. Seeks connection everywhere, hoping to make meaningful, lasting relationships. Strong desire to prove himself, always wants to be at his very best to impress and win others over. Struggles with emotional dysregulation, sometimes feeling his emotions very strongly and sometimes not at all, managing them is a learning curve. Occasional auditory hallucinations, mostly whispers in white noise and distant knocking. Respectful of boundaries the way a dog at the door is, bouncing and tapping all around it, off like a shot the moment he gets the go-aheadāand may first need to be taught what the boundary is. Trying to make his life a home, filling it with beloved clutter (people and things) that makes him feel warm.
Are any of your boys interested in/good at singing? I was listening to Nightwishās Phantom of the Opera the other day and couldnāt help but think that Pyre would love an opera metal rendition of this musical
Ooh, singing, that's a good one! š
Sans (Undertale): He has a lovely singing voice, practically made for slow, sweet balladsā¦but heās entirely too private and awkward to ever really use it. He might sing once or twice, just for you, but there canāt be anybody else around to risk hearing and he might need to be drunk to be convinced. Like really, truly, very drunkā¦ Please, no recordings.
Papyrus (Undertale): Heās got the voice and the confidence, heāll sing at the drop of a hat! If he has any flaws at all, itās that he only has one volume setting on his singing voice, and itās: LOUD. Full-on theater-kid āproject for the people in the balconiesā belting it out, which is very fun and great for sing-alongs, but lends itself slightly less well to wooing endeavors. Alas!
Sky (Underswap Sans): He doesnāt mind singing and heās got a good voice for it, plus a good grasp of melody and tempo, but he definitely prefers singing as a group activity rather than a solo one. Singing along to songs with friends at concerts and parties and even in the car is what he likes the most. Other times, the most heāll do is just hum tunes that get stuck in his head.
Paps (Underswap Papyrus): Too shy and self-critical for singing, which is a shame because his voice is actually very nice. You might catch him humming absently to himself sometimes but he wonāt know how to respond to any compliments or encouragement to do more. He might get a bit less embarrassed the more comfortable he is with you, but donāt rush himāfighting the good fight against lifelong anxiety takes time.
Jasper (Underfell Sans): Nah, he doesnāt singā¦is what he says, but heāll sing a different tuneāliterallyāif you get him a little drunk first. Not a lot drunk, just enough to loosen the inhibitions, is all. Heāll rarely do anything more than sing along with any music thatās already playing, but his deep, raspy drawl lends itself really well to rock and country and the genres in between.
Pyre (Underfell Papyrus): He doesnāt sing, itās unbecoming. Yes, he knows all the lyrics to way more musicals and emo bandsā songs than you would ever expect, but that doesnāt mean anything! ā¦He actually has an incredible singing range and sounds good at any volume, from scream-singing all the way down to gentle serenading, but heās sensitive to criticism and it holds him back.
Mal (Swapfell Sans): Doesnāt usually sing, but good at it when he doesāheās good at everything, or so he says. In this case, heās right, he has a deep, pleasant voice and good control over it to sound exactly how he wants to. It generally doesnāt come up, but heāll sing to woo youā¦or to win a bet or otherwise prove some kind of point.
Rus (Swapfell Papyrus): Probably not at the point confidence-wise where he can do it sober, but immediately willing to sing for you if you ask when heās not. His voice lends itself best to love songs, the more heartfelt and deeply yearning the better, but heās nothing if not a crowd-pleaser, so heāll take requests if he knows what you want to hear.
Slate (Horrortale Sans): He has an excellent voice, plenty deep and lots of room in his chest for it to reverberate in, but heās still pretty self-conscious about it. Heās prone to humming more, rarely anything specific, just pleasant tunes that pop in and out of his headā¦but heāll sing for you, if you stay still in his arms long enough to hear it.
Papy (Horrortale Papyrus): A good singer, and heās even managed to learn volume control, which isā¦both a blessing and a curse. He has a harder time now than he used to singing loudly, and his control tends to slip around the higher registers, so heās prone to the occasional embarrassing warble or flat note. A little shy about that, but it wonāt stop him from singing altogether.
Ash (Undergloom Sans): Has a nice voice for singing but not a robust one. A fair amount of vocal longevity, but not a lot of power, which results in someone who can sing for (or with) you for a good long while, but not very loudly or with any special flair. Still, thatās plenty to croon to you in dulcet tones when youāre alone, in romantic moments. Is any more than that necessary?
Brick (Horrorfell Sans): Nah. Heād love to, but his least-favorite injury being what it is, any sound he tries to funnel any further up than his neckā¦hurts. A lot. So no singing for him. He still likes music, though, and sometimes itās an interesting challenge to try and sign along with what the artist is singing (if heās not too busy head-banging). His version of singing, heād guess.
King (Horrorfell Papyrus): What exactly about him gave the impression that he might sing? Heād like to correct it immediately, though heāll try to take it as a compliment that you think his voice might be suited to singing. ā¦Youāre right, but you wonāt find that out for a very long time, if ever. His low, sonorous voice, perfect for lullabies and sad songs, is only for a deeply-trusted few.
Merc (Horrorswap Sans): He doesnāt sing much, but he misses it. He tends a little monotone, but itās hard to sing without emotion and inevitably, that creeps in. Which is slightly problematic for his condition, so heās prone to humming, then singing, then getting a little too into it and having to stop. Looking forward to sorting that and being able to sing jubilant pop songs with wild abandon again.
Ell (Horrorswap Papyrus): Not really, but sometimes if (he thinks) heās alone, heāll put on some punk-rock screamo and sing along to it. Wildly embarrassed if caught at it and will deny and deflect, he was not, and who said you could come in anyway?! All a lot of fuss for no real reason, ācause he sounds good, always deeply passionate and putting his whole voice into it when he sings. Ah well, can't argue.
Pitch (Horrorswapfell Sans): Heāll sing whenever the music takes him. āWhen the music takes himā is usually when heās relaxing with the radio on, or trying to be playful with you, but heās not above karaoke on a dare or concert sing-alongs if opportunity knocks. Heāll sing a lot of things but perhaps surprisingly, his voice is best-suited to classic crooners, so for the sake of a manageable ego, try not to swoon.
Nemo (Horrorswapfell Papyrus): He rides the edge of non-verbal most days, so singing isnāt really his forte or pleasure. Probably the most youāll get out of him is a thoughtlessly hummed wisp of tune here and there, usually when heās occupied with something and not thinking about it. Maybe a more deliberately-hummed love song for you, but those are hard to catch, since heās most prone to them when he thinks youāre asleep.
Sunny (Gastertale Sans): He likes singing, definitely more willing than most to sing if thereās a catchy song on or if other people are singing around him. He has a good voice for it, not especially deep but fluid and melodic, nice to listen to. He struggles a little with tempo, getting to certain parts of songs a little faster or slower than called for, but hey, itās not like heās classically-trained.
Aster (Gastertale Papyrus): Loves to sing! He thinks itās fun and likes the resonance of his own voice, so heāll do it oftenāsing-songing a phrase, singing lyrics to you to be playful, or just because heās enjoying a song. Not the best at staying on key and occasionally gets lyrics āwrongā (read: rewrites them to make more sense to him), but heās undeniably a good singer and pleasant to listen to.
Spectr (Transcendtale Sans): Unlikely to spend any time singing. Anything he could sing is just electronically-generated sound, you could just as easily listen to a recorded voice and get the same or better. ā¦Which is not entirely true, thereās a depth of feeling andāfor lack of a better wordāsoul in his deep, bassy resonance that no true machine could ever replicate. But good luck getting him to believe it.
PapAIrus (Transcendtale Papyrus): Sure, heāll sing, whatever you want! In actuality, he hums idly more than he sings, but will definitely do so upon request. He cheats a littleāor as he might put it, āhas fun with itāāand isnāt shy about sampling from clips and songs, or auto-tuning himself in real-time for effect. He likes making music and anything he can access to do so is really just fair game.
Xanth (Ascendswap Sans): He likes to sing! Whether or not heās any good seems to vary, sometimes singing beautifully and other times, just a littleā¦off, somewhere. It mostly depends on if heās tuned in to the here-and-now, or if heās thoughtlessly trying to harmonize with background cosmic radiation or something equally strange that he can hear but you canāt. Regardless, he doesnāt care what he sounds like, singing is expression, not perfection!
Piper (Ascendswap Papyrus): He loves singing and will take any excuse for it. Heāll break out the smooth, dulcet tones to sing you love ballads, to fill a silence, to make up a silly song about the cat that it can be furious at him overāanything! Heāll even sing to birds if the opportunity presents itself, with chirps and flutey whistles that make wildlife flock to him like heās some kind of Disney prince.
Carmine (Underfell Fruition Sans): Sure, if heās feeling it, any song that goes particularly hard might coax him to sing along with itāthe kind of stuff thatās loud and fast and probably about sticking it to The Man. Heās got a good singing voice, but does tend to push it a little hard, so sometimes itāll crack or blow out, and then heās raspier than normal for awhile after heās overdone it.
Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus): Unlikely to sing. Heās not in the habit of using his voice for anything but responding to commands and inquiries, so he never really developed any kind of musical aptitude. If he tried, heād be very shy and very out-of-tune. With some space and support, he might graduate to some quiet humming while heās occupied and heād be pleased with that, especially if you tell him you like it!
Vi (Swapfell Fruition Sans): No, he doesnāt sing. That would draw far too much attention to him and make him look foolish, he wonāt be doing thatā¦ At least, not like that.Ā A soft, breathy lyric when youāre asleep, or when you have your back turned to him, a vaguely tuneful murmur more like poetry than songā¦ Maybe that he can do, if sufficientlyā¦movedā¦by emotion. Donāt expect miracles, but maybe that.
Hunter (Swapfell Fruition Papyrus): No special enjoyment in singing, but heāll do it freely if relevant, convenient, or in some way entertaining. His voiceāwarm, smooth, invitingāis just another part of his body to be used in accomplishing his goals, whatever they may be. Heās not the shy type and knows full-well when heās good at something (note: this is very dangerous), soā¦donāt be surprised if he uses it for evil mischief.
Kohl (Descendtale Sans): Perhaps surprisinglyā¦yes, he does enjoy singing every now and then. But heās very selective about who gets to hearānew acquaintances need not apply, and for as long-lived as monsters have gotten, his definition of ānewā is long. Still, with a voice as deep and dark as the Underground itself, itās probably worth the wait to hear him hum and then sing a few sensual, jazzy bars for you.
Bram (Descendtale Papyrus): Definitely, he likes to sing! Heās a teensy bit scattered, so heās prone to trailing off if he forgets the lyrics, or trailing in if he started thinking about a song and picked it up out loud from whatever part he was at, but heās a good singer with enough enthusiasm as to be contagiousāso if you wanted to join in, heād be absolutely thrilled.
I heard there are playlists of the boys but I cant find them anywhere š
If it wouldnt be much of a bother, could you give us the links? For the 10 first boys?
Who told you, who's talking about me? Are they saying nice things? š¤
Well anyway, I'll do you one better, and drop all the links, for everybody!
Consider these a work-in-progress, some are definitely less filled out than others (because it is apparently not the Right Moment for me to accept new music into my brain), but nearly every playlist has a minimum of 30 songs, and the majority are more in the 60-70 range, so there's something to work with!
Here's the links, and as bonus, a personal favorite pick for a song on each playlist that I think suits them most:
Sans (Undertale): Ok by Madeon
Papyrus (Undertale): The Walker by Fitz & The Tantrums
Sky (Underswap Sans): More (RedOne Jimmy Joker Remix) by Usher
Paps (Underswap Papyrus): Stars by Switchfoot
Jasper (Underfell Sans): Way Down We Go by KALEO
Pyre (Underfell Papyrus): Whatever It Takes by Imagine Dragons
Mal (Swapfell Sans): Oh No! by Marina and The Diamonds
Rus (Swapfell Papyrus): Have You Ever by The Offspring
Slate (Horrortale Sans): Footsteps (Go Higher) by Pop Evil
Papy (Horrortale Papyrus): Drive by Incubus
Ash (Undergloom Sans): 25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago
Yrus (Undergloom Papyrus): Fly by Hilary Duff
Brick (Horrorfell Sans): Becoming the Bull by Atreyu
King (Horrorfell Papyrus): I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin
Merc (Horrorswap Sans): arrow by halfā¢alive
Ell (Horrorswap Papyrus): Count Your Last Blessings by Sum 41
Pitch (Horrorswapfell Sans): Back From the Dead by Skillet
Nemo (Horrorswapfell Papyrus): All That's Left by Thrice
Sunny (Gastertale Sans): All My Friends by Madeon
Aster (Gastertale Papyrus): Moonshine by Caravan Palace
Spectr (Transcendtale Sans): Magnum Bullets by Night Runner
PapAIrus (Transcendtale Papyrus): The Growl by Conway
Xanth (Ascendswap Sans): Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) by Florence + The Machine
Scents are something Iāve thought about a bit, though more in the context of what they might smell like.
Still, some of that does touch on the kinds of scents they like, so Iām gonna answer it like that anyway!
Sans (Undertale): Probably his favorite scent is cheap rubber, the kind that goofy novelty items tend to be made ofārubber chickens, whoopie cushions, groucho glassesāand yeah, he smells of it pretty often for the amount of them he keeps on his person at any given time. Heās also a fan of the smell of ketchup, but only smells of it himself rarely, when heās recently been partaking of itā¦or if he pulled the āloose ketchup bottleā prank on somebody and caught some splash-back. A lot more often, unfortunately, he bears the faint yet persistent smell of hot dog waterā¦which could be worse if he wasnāt using water sausages for it, a little more pine-y than your typical cased meat odor, but it is still hot dog water soā¦ Alas.
Papyrus (Undertale): His likes ocean-y scents the best, salty and fresh and powerful, just like him! All his most favorite colognes and deodorants are under that umbrella, so itās probably his most typical scent. If heās been going on any culinary adventures recently, trying to find his elusive perfect spaghetti recipe, he may smell a bit more marinara than marineā¦which he doesnāt mind, thereās nothing wrong with a good tomato! A perfectly excellent fruit, that he will probably shower off of himself soon, but nonetheless! ā¦Heās loath to admit it, but heās also acquired a fondness for the smell of crafting glue, from using it so often assembling models and customizing action figures. He wonāt go out of his way to smell more like glue, but if he already does, wellā¦he doesnāt hate itā¦
Sky (Underswap Sans): His favorite scents are plant-y, fresh and natural but not floral. Aloe vera and cucumber are the big ones vying for the top spot in his arsenal of bathroom products, so heāll most often smell like that. If heās been putting in a lot of time at a bar, though, you might catch him smelling more like some kind of booze or otherāheās surrounded by it and people spill, the stuff sinks in whether he wants it to or not. And he does fall into the āor notā category, but less because he dislikes the smell(s) and more because he knows it gives off a bad impression, without context. Luckily, working at a bar usually has him smelling even more strongly of citrus, cutting up limes and lemons for juice and garnishes on behalf of coworkers a lot more susceptible to bar-rot than he is, and citrus smells he does like!
Paps (Underswap Papyrus): Old paperback books are the best smell in the world to him, if he could huff it all day long, heā¦ā¦ā¦ Well. He kind of does, admittedly, with the amount of old paperbacks he has. He doesnāt actually smell like that himself very much though, since (much to his dismay) it just doesnāt linger long. Probably most of the time, he smells like cloves, because that lingers and itās the most assertive scent he tangos with. Itās pretty prominent in the Dog Treats he smokes and tends to soak in everywhere, so heās at least lucky that itās pleasant and something he doesnāt mind smelling of. On occasion, he also tends to pick up the scent of pencil shavingsāheās a writer, and a traditionalist who just loves something about the feel of a real wooden pencilā¦but they do need a lot more regular maintenance to stay sharp than the mechanical ones, and the byproductsā¦tend to stick to hoodies.
Jasper (Underfell Sans): His favorite smell is wood-smoke, hands down, no contest. Itās what Grillbyās smells like, and heās been haunting that joint since he was practically a kid, so itās familiar and comfortableāand yeah, since heās there so much, itās all over him too. As far as when heās not there, heās enough of a greasemonkey privately and professionally that he gets a lot of crud on him from that, motor oil and gas and transmission fluid, et cetera. He doesnāt love those smells, but he doesnāt really notice or care about them much either, so it is what it is. Regrettably, he will also often smell of mustard. Itās mostly on his breath but it is his favorite condiment to put on anything, and sometimes that means a bit of spillage here and there. Alas.
Pyre (Underfell Papyrus): He loves the smell of leather and wouldnāt be able to tell you if that love came before or after the amount of it heās amassed in his wardrobe. He even likes the artificial stuff that they put in leather cologne, so even when heās not actively wearing leather, he probably still smells like leather. He also has his own unique muskāobviously strongest during and immediately post-workoutāand while he makes all appropriate efforts to be cleanly and not reek, like some brothers do, that never really goes away and heās not-not a bit partial to it, personally. Sometimes, rarely, his hands will pick up a bit of a faint rosewood scent, from the fretboard of hisāwait, no, the reasonās not important, they just do, and itās a perfectly fine and acceptable smell that heās neutral towards!
Mal (Swapfell Sans): If he had to choose a favorite scent, it would probably be cedar wood. He himself only smells like it occasionally, when heās been furtively whittling, but heās got a bit of a Pavlovian calming and focusing response to it, so he likes it around. Mostly he smells like talcum powder, since itās a favorite of his for keeping dry and not sweaty after the workouts, strenuous military patrols, and wildly psychologically tense political situations heās had to navigate throughoutā¦his life in general. He smells clean and calm and pleasantly neutral, heās never been stressed even once, have you seen him sweat? No. ā¦That said, if he happens to be unwinding in his private time, after a not-at-all-stressful day, he will probably smell strongly of whatever wine heās been drinkingāalmost always something red and dry, naturally.
Rus (Swapfell Papyrus): He adores the smell of coffee, definitely his favorite. Muffetās was always a safe place for him, so a lot of it is tied up in some of those memories, but he still drinks it a lot (at inadvisable times of day) and he just generally finds the smell of it pleasant. Chocolate has a similar effect, since he has a major sweet-tooth and tends to store a lot of little treats on his person for laterā¦and sometimes he ends up smelling like it too, when he forgets about those treats and theyā¦melt. If heās not actively smelling like one of those two things, though, itās probably pen ink, which is his favorite medium for sketching and pretty far up there on his list of preferred scents, even as strong and chemical-y as it is. It mostly only rubs off on his hands, if anything, so it doesnāt linger too long and he finds it meditative for as long as it does last.
Slate (Horrortale Sans): Heās pretty passionately in love with the way most things in the Allium family smell when being cooked, but garlic is at the top of the list. He could smell it all day long and be a very happy man, and he preps and eats enough of itāgarlic bread, confit, pasta, pizzaāthat heāll sometimes get it on his breath or his hands. A lot more prominently and frequently, though, heāll smell like dog, or cat. You know the smell, itās indescribable, but he works with animals and tends to come home stinking like them, and honestly, he doesnāt really mind the smell at that much, himself. Itās a good stink. ā¦But of course, not everyone agrees, and the fur is a bitch, so sometimes he also smells like the dryer sheets he keeps on him to get some of that hair off and mask the dog-smell.
Papy (Horrortale Papyrus): His favorite scent in the world is flowers! He doesnāt really have a strict preference, but he does like magnolias, jasmine, gardeniaā¦ Sometimes he does smell floral, because he definitely prefers soaps that smell like his favorites, or because heās out in his garden tending to the flowers and the vegetables. The latter is also how he gets a lot of fresh-cut grass and dirt smells into his gardening clothes, which is absolutely a blessing because he loves those scents too! Possibly the only thing he tends to smell like on a regular basis that he doesnāt love is antiseptic. Itās pretty harsh and chemical, but as much as heās not a fan, itās a necessity for a nurseāyou work a twelve-hour shift at the hospital, antiseptic is probably one of the better things you can come home smelling like. Rest assured he showers immediately when he gets home, he doesnāt like the hospital stink either.
Ash (Undergloom Sans): His favorite smell is a little particular, the way cloth smells when itās kind of old and worn. Cotton is preferred but linen is also perfectly acceptable, just something about broken in, familiar clothes or sheets or even couch cushions makes him happy andāwith the amount of those that he has on and around and over himself on a regular basisāhe does pick up a bit of that scent himself fairly often. Still, he does have a brother in the picture who refuses to abide him smelling like musty cloth all the time, so a lot more often heāll be smelling like fabric softener from the freshly washed pile of laundry he grabs his sweaters out of. He likes that smell well enough too, so no issue there. Sometimes, more frequently than you might guess, his hands (and sleeves) pick up the smell of dish soap, from a chore easy enough that even he can handle, in between rests.
Yrus (Undergloom Papyrus): Heās an absolute sucker for the smell of vanilla, nothing makes him happier. Every candle and air freshener and cologne he gets his hands on is vanilla-scented because he just loves it so much. When heās not busy smelling like vanilla, however, heās probably off in the kitchen smelling like bread instead. He does plenty of cooking and baking, and getting lightly floured and saturated in the ambient scent of rising dough is pretty much inevitableāalbeit not especially long-lasting. Another not-uncommon smell around him is sweet, light florals, like plum blossom or honeysuckle. Theyāre just under vanilla as far as ranking his personal preferences might go, so a lot of the soaps and body washes he gets tend to be something like that, if he can find it.
Brick (Horrorfell Sans): As far as a favorite scent goes, his is probably WD-40. Itās a little weird and a little specific, but heās fixed up enough things around the house with it that his love affair with how useful the stuff is has fully extended to what it smells like. If he knew there was a cologne that smelled like it, heād probably wear that shit all the time, but since nobodyās told him about that, he only smells of it himself when heās been doing the handyman thing. If heās been working a lot, knitting or buying and sorting yarn for knitting, heās at least somewhat likely to have some lanolin smell on and around his fingersāsince his preference is generally wool yarn over acrylic and that has the straight-from-the-sheep aroma built-in. Heās more or less neutral to it. If he knows ahead of time that heās going to be going out somewhere, though, heāll freshen up properly with some body spray, something in the amber or oaky range of scents, warm and woodsy with a little spice to it. That, he likes.
King (Horrorfell Papyrus): Heās not a fan of most strong scents, less so if theyāre noticeably artificial. Probably his favorite is cocoa butter, since itās soft and pleasant and not overwhelming, so the majority of his soaps and other toiletriesāand the man himselfāsmell like that, and thatās the way he likes it. If heās been meditating recently or otherwise trying to center himself, he might pick up a faint tinge of sandalwood from the incense he burns, but again, since he favors light scents itās bound to be subtle and probably wonāt last long outside of his meditation room. He will sometimes get some long-lingering fruit scents on his hands, since itās something he likes to do, peeling or otherwise unwrapping fruits for himself, or ducks and geese at the park, or for someone he cares about. Itāll be apples and oranges, mostly, but sometimes heāll make a go of a pomegranate, and his spindly talons will be fragrant for awhile and thatāsā¦fine.
Merc (Horrorswap Sans): Heās a little different, depending on whether you catch him before heās solved his DT problem, or after. In both cases, heās liable to often smell like something sweet, thanks to his home-baking businessāalmond more than most things, since he favors it for texture, or as extract, or as flour for a gluten-free option, but sometimes frosting, compotes, or plain old powdered sugar will cling to him a bit outside of the kitchen too. He doesnāt love it, but heās fine with it, especially with what it covers up when heās regularly destabilizing. The DT in his body is an overwhelming presence, to the point of having a noticeable scent when his magic spikesāan iron smell, harsh and metallicā¦and if he happens to lose control of himself and start melting, the smell of liquidizing bone is equally strong and unpleasant, something chalky and likeā¦corn chips? Understandably, heāsā¦not a fan. He tends to mask it where he can with strong citrusy colognes, orange and lemon and yuzu, which he does like and will continue to wear for special occasions once his Issue is sorted. But his favorite scentā¦thatās probably orange blossom, which is just a little too subtle to assert itself over liquid bone and charged DT, but perfect on its own, after everythingās fixed. Itās his favorite kind of soap and he doesnāt really bother with anything else.
Ell (Horrorswap Papyrus): Like his brother, he also has a lot of DT in his body, just not as much and heās in control of it. Still, that does mean he sometimes smells strongly of it, that thick and harsh iron tang, but usually only when heās really, truly angryājust a bit of grump or peeve wonāt cut it. His method of covering it up, when it does happen, is with some original scent Old Spice body spray, which he thinks is infinitely better and a classic, timeless scent to wear. Heās not necessarily wrong either, since heās not a teen boy using it as a replacement for showering, so he doesnāt ever empty a whole can onto himself, but thatās a low bar. As much as he does like the Old Spice smell, the honor of favorite has to go to any combo of fruit-and-cream, and of those, orange creamsicle wins with him by a mile every time. He only has a few soaps and sanitizers in that category, but heāll replace them immediately when he runs out, to make sure itās always around.
Pitch (Horrorswapfell Sans): No hesitation, his favorite scent is blackberry and herbāhis preferred cologne has it with bay leaf, but heās found it in soaps and sanitizers paired with basil or sage and finds that equally pleasant. He uses it more to accent than cover up, and he thinks it pairs nicely with his own natural musk. If heās been working out or boxing a lot, that musk will come through a bit stronger and blend with some other distinct thingsāneoprene, chalk, hand-tapeāto give him an overall āgym smell,ā which heās aware of but maybe only slightly negative on, at worst. He can always wash up afterā¦ Probably the only other thing he smells like regularly is chlorine or bromine, since he loves pools and jacuzzis and taking a nice dip in either, and those have to stay clean somehow. If pressed, heād say he likes that smell in the same way some people like the smell of gasolineāitās chemical, but thereās something about it to like, even if sniffing it too much directly would probably make you sick.
Nemo (Horrorswapfell Papyrus): His favorite smell is tea, freshly brewed. His general preference is probably more for black teas, but the occasional herbal tea is nice too. His fondness for it is mostly in the act of steeping, pouring, holding, sitting with and sipping the tea rather than only the smell, so he really only smells of it himself when heās actually made or drank some. More than anything, he tends to smell like marker ink, from his persistent habit of doodling all over himself. Itās definitely chemical, but he does kinda like it, brings back nice memories for him and makes him feel creative and happy. Add in a somewhat compulsive cleaning habit, and you also have him kitchen-lemon-scented whenever heās at his most sleepless and anxious, and understandably he doesnāt especially love that one, but hey, at least itās clean and fresh.
Sunny (Gastertale Sans): He loves the smell of cola, a little syrupy but sharp and cut with carbonation bubbles, it just hits all the right notes of āpleasantā for him and makes him feel relaxed. He does drink it, but not so much that he overly smells of it anywhere but his breath if heās actively in the middle of a can or glass. Mostly, he smells a little grassy and warm, like vetiver or lemongrass since those are the kinds of soaps and body washes he prefersānothing too strong or overpowering, just clean! ā¦ā¦ā¦And sometimes, in odd moments of high emotion, when things feel weirdā¦ he smellsā¦ā¦ā¦like nothing? But something. Kind of likeā¦petrichor, the scent that hangs in the air when itās about to rain, butā¦not that, something more charged andā¦dark. ā¦He doesnāt like that one.
Aster (Gastertale Papyrus): Like his brother, he too sometimes smells like something and nothing, some kind of undefinable electric darkness that he canāt put a name toā¦and quite frankly, he doesnāt like it either! What he does like are herbal scents, the more assertive, the betterālike mint, he loves the smell of mint! Rosemary is also nice, or eucalyptus, but nothing quite beats a crisp fresh mint aroma in his heart. The only time heāll really stray away from those kinds of botanical scents on purpose is when heās looking for cologne to wear, and then heās very unpredictable in terms of what he goes for. He seems to find himself almost magnetically drawn to the most abstract and loosely defined concepts. What is lunar cologne, what does it mean to smell like the moon? He canāt really say, but it seems like it would be good to impress new peopleāacquaintances, colleagues, perhaps a dateā¦ Heāll keep wearing it for the fancy occasions.
Spectr (Transcendtale Sans): His favorite scent is the oceanānot artificial approximations of it, or combinations of scents that someone has decided to label āmarine,ā only the real thing will do. Itās mostly the experience of being there that resonates with him, so similar standing bodies of water (like lakes and Great Lakes) will also come close for him, but it just canāt really be bottled, what heās after. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your perspective), he does occasionally smell like sea or lake water himself since he often decides to walk right in whenever he visits one, and that scent lingers even after heās dredged himself back out. He doesnāt especially mind it, but other people do, and if he then has to be around some, it tends to be easier toā¦findā¦some new clothes, preferably some overstock from mass-produced fast-fashion brands just sitting in a warehouse somewhere. So, a lot of the time, heāll smell like thatāthe strong dyes and starches and other chemicals that linger in fabric before the first wash. Heās pretty neutral to it, since it fades anyway the more he wears it around. When the weatherās hot, he may pick up the slightest scent of silicone rubber from his body components heating up, but heās very well-constructed, so thatās the worst of it.
PapAIrus (Transcendtale Papyrus): He doesnāt have a favorite scent, itās not a sense he has anymore. Which heās fine with! Lots of smells are gross, and heās gained plenty of other senses and capabilities with his lifestyle change to counterbalance it, so he really doesnāt miss it much ever. He himself does have a scent though, to an extent. His hard-light form smells a little like how static electricity smells, sharp and tingly, and the more fully solidified he is, the stronger the scent. If he was told about it, that would be his favorite scent by proxy. Sometimes as a precursor to his appearance, the air itself tends to sharpen and smell crisp, the way it does in cold weatherāthis, he wouldnāt especially like, since it takes some of the surprise out of him showing up if someone happened to notice it as a trend, but of course thereās nothing he could actually do about it anyway. Itād be hard to notice, but occasionally, devices heās tampered with or poked around in might have a faint aroma somewhat like hot plastic, fleeting and easily put down to just the object itself overheating or something. He wouldnāt really like to know that either, no fun if he's so noticeable but again, it is what it is.
Xanth (Ascendswap Sans): Ā His favorite scent is a sweet berry medley, not all that particular about which ones, as long as thereās a couple different kinds of berries mixed in! A lot of his soaps and body washes will be of that ilk, so itās probably also the thing he smells like more often than not. He also likes to burn incense, but itās mostly gifted, or sticks and cones picked up incidentally from all over, so heās not very consistent with any one scent. White sage pops up a bit more than some of the others, but thereās a whole laundry list of incense aromas he could pick up by proximity. And on occasion, especially if heās been frequenting pottery studios, itās entirely possible that he could have a bit of a clay smell stuck to himā¦or actual clay, on him, it can be messy stuff but super fun and he loves itāeven when itās wedged in between his phalanges.
Piper (Ascendswap Papyrus): His favorite scent is definitely bergamot. He himself smells like it often, since itās the feature of every cologne he wears, and most of the body washes and potpourris he keeps around his home. Heās also fond of the way magazine paper smellsāhe keeps a steady supply of them in circulation to keep on top of lots of different trends (and to see if any inspire him to participate)ābut thatās a scent that doesnāt especially linger, maybe a bit on his hands if heās been at it awhile. What does linger, whether he likes it or not, is bird smell but he only picks that up when heās been whistling too many birds onto his fingers, or if heās been petting learning how to handle raptors in the hopes of some day soon getting to keep a falcon. What the bird smell actually smells like depends entirely what kind of feathers heās been preening and for how long, but either way he kind of likes it.
Carmine (Underfell Fruition Sans): His favorite smell is metal, brass and copper and steel. Mostly, they donāt have a smell of their own but they do when someoneās touching them, or if theyāre being actively cut and machined, and thatās the kind of smell that he likes. He smells of it personally every now and again, since he does have a passion for tinkering with most anything he can get his hands on, and on his hands is where that scent tends to linger a bit. Way more often, what he smells like is ozone, a kind of heavy electrical smell, like lightningās about to strikeāor already has. Itās at its worst when his magic is in high supply and lightest if heās running low, and most of the time at a āHuh, stormās comingā level that he'sā¦admittedly nose-blind to, so he has little opinion on it. If youāre up close and chatting, something youāll definitely catch of whiff of is the cinnamon gum he prefers, but thatās a calculated move, premeditated on his part. Nobody likes rank breath, best to keep it smelling like something nice if heās going to socialize, right?
Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus): His favorite smell is soap. He has a strong preference for softer ācleanā scents, something like Dove soap, vaguely floral and light and not overpowering or chemical. He never really had a choice in anything what he used to clean himself with before, but now that he does, this is one of the easier choices heās made. He also has an odd fondness for the scent of still, stagnant waterāeven when itās heavy on the mildewy, algae notes. He doesnāt much smell like that himself, unless heās been maintaining his aquariums recently, but he certainly doesnāt mind the mustiness of it as much as some might. If heās been working, heās liable to pick up any of a dozen scents common around a job siteāsawdust, gravel, paint, spackleāwhateverās around and whatever he mightāve been tasked to doā¦but those will get replaced by the scent of soap in short order.
Vi (Swapfell Fruition Sans): His favorite scent is definitely ginger, extra points if it happens to be gingerbread, but he likes it in most other things as well. Itās something of a special treat for him, so he doesnāt indulge in it very often and heās in the habit of hiding any evidence, but if he lets his guard down itās possible to catch a faint whiff of it on him, rarely. Probably the most notable smell on him is balsam fir, which he prefers for a cologne. Itās a good strong scent, woodsy with a balance of sweet and spicy, and makes a subtle enough statement about himselfā¦though naturally, he goes without it whenever he doesnāt want to be noticed. Every now and again, he may also smell a bit like apricots, coinciding directly with the summer months when theyāre in season and itās an ideal time for him to get a whole bunch and make illegal booze out of them. He likes the smell inasmuch as it can be a conversation starter to ask if anyone is interested in a bottle or two when itās ready, but heās not especially passionate about the smell for its own sake.
Hunter (Swapfell Fruition Papyrus): If you ask him, the best smell in the world is wet earth, or just plain old mud. Itās sharp and gritty and real, and he loves catching a whiff of it under his soles or even his palms whenever heās been outside long enough. He does wash, sometimes, so he doesnāt always smell like literal dirt, but his preference for a juniper berry body wash keeps him smelling pretty outdoorsy most of the time. Under all that, thereās also his own natural musk which he doesnāt much care to hideāafter all, it blends so nicely with the smell of fresh air and trees that cling to his clothes after he's come back from a run or parkour through the woodsā¦or at least he thinks so. Why would he want to douse himself in fragrances to get rid of it?
Kohl (Descendtale Sans): He likes the scent of nutmeg the most. It smells warm and spicy and little bit bitter, and he likes thatābut mostly in beverages, like coffee, so he only occasionally smells of it himself. Also faintly on him is the scent of formaldehyde, from when heās working. Heās less susceptible than any human coworkers to some of the more astringent chemicals in his line of work, so a lot of the mixing and handling is left to him, which heāll surely make wry comments about but actually doesnāt mind so much. Even faint, the smell seems to be a bit of a subconscious deterrent for most humans, once they get close enough to notice it. Most of that, however, is sadly rendered ineffective by the strong floral scent he often picks up, mostly roses and lilies, from setting up, moving, disposing of (and occasionally absconding with) funeral flower arrangements. ā¦Even so, he canāt bring himself to truly despise it. He does enjoy flowers.
Bram (Descendtale Papyrus): He likes flowers too! Certainly a lot more than he enjoys the scent of dirt, when heās working, or the scent of rot, when heās trying to obtain new animal bones for his collection. To that end, heās definitely also a collector of dried flowers, and he keeps them on his person anywhere and anywhen he thinks there might be unpleasant odors that could sink into his clothesālavender and hibiscus and lotus are common choicesā¦but even so, none of them are his favorite. That honor goes to rhubarb! Itās so fresh and fruity and lovely, almost every cologne and soap and toiletry he buys features it as a key note, if not the only note, and he feels at his best when heās wearing it. Rarely, he may sometimes smell a bit smoky. Just candle wick smoke, since he likes to burn a lot of candles and then has to go around blowing them all out so as not to leave them unattended and that scent clings for at least a little bit. Itās not his favorite either, but he doesnāt mind it at all.
The Court AU has me DEAD!!! If youād be willing, what sort of outfits would they wear? Iād love to draw them!
Anon, I had so many tabs open looking up medieval-type fashion and armor, we're talking like 30+, felt super awesome finishing this and closing them all š
Anyway--
Sans (Undertale): Whatās black and blue and white all over? Why, him of course! His jesterās motley features a black-and-white diamond pattern, offset by bright, rich, royal blueāa mark of his service to the king. He doesnāt wear one of those silly hats, thoughā¦because he wears a silly hood instead! Less chance of falling off, you see. When not in costume he tends toward simple tunics, of decent material and often still in blue.
Papyrus (Undertale): Almost never out of full plate armor, even in downtime, he has to dress for the job he wants and that means being a shining metal bastion of knightly glory at all times! ā¦Though he does often remove his helmet and hold it by his sword at his hip, or fasten it to his steedās side. Heās a very handsome skeleton, it would be cruel to deny the people the chance to see their heroās face!
Sky (Underswap Sans): Soft blues and yellows, as a squire only lightly armoredāgreaves and pauldrons, a mail shirt beneath his tunic if heās expected to go into battleābut he considers even that much armoring to be overkill for what heās doing. Still, his Captain insists, and it makes his brother feel better, so he takes care protecting himself. He has some nicer finery to wear about court, as a nobleman, but tends simpler for anything that might be dirtied or torn in training.
Paps (Underswap Papyrus): Rich green and earthy browns, his clothing tends to be without ostentationāno embroidery, no gold buckles or buttons, or anything especially elaborate. He may be noble but heās a scholar and a recluse and prefers not to stand out much. Still, the fabrics of which his clothing is made are always fine, as coarse or stiff materials quite put him off. Mostly cottesālong belted tunicsāwith the occasional robe over, if it's cold.
Jasper (Underfell Sans): Blacks and browns, sturdy plain clothes which can stand up to considerable wear and tear. Often wears a short diamond-quilted gambeson and some leather armor (vambraces and greaves), but always has a sword belted to his hip and a cloak made of dire-wolfās fur draped over his shoulders. If ever he should need to acknowledge his denounced family name, he does have some finer clothing stored away somewhereāin redāand a shiny gold signet ring with his family crest on it.
Pyre (Underfell Papyrus): Usually in half plate armor, dark metal heavily scratched and scorched, dents meticulously hammered back out. He also wears a tattered red cape about his shoulders that billows quite majestically behind him when he rides or runs into battle. He will occasionally dress down in laced tunics and breeches, still in red and black, fine but not too fine as to raise suspicion about his heritage. Should all that ever come out, he does have a suit of pristine night-black armor heās been dying to inherit and a silken cape to pin about it with a golden clasp of the familyās crest.
Mal (Swapfell Sans): Mostly black but flaunts his privilege and royal ties with purple accents wherever possible. Brigandine armor with a fine gold-plated gorget and pauldrons and a few other ornamental trappingsāhe is the Empressā personal guard and must in some capacity be as elegant. Very fine doublets and tunics for his (rare) downtime, often with gold threading, but not fond of most jewelries.
Rus (Swapfell Papyrus): Dark colors and crisp whites, noble yet eccentric, he has a lot of fine doublets and other such court-wear but tends not to actuallyā¦wear them. He can mostly be found in loose-fitting cottes, baggy sleeves often penned up by leather armlets to keep them out of his paints. He has a fur-hooded cloak for travel or cold weather, but he rarely leaves his rooms, much less the castle, so he doesnāt don it often.
Slate (Horrortale Sans): Dark browns and off-white cream, simple rough-hewn clothing showing signs of wear and occasionally odd stains. He works in the stables, with animals, and being around animals so much makes it difficult to keep clean. He has a somewhat decent dark blue cloak that heāll wear into town for errands, or in polite companyāit has a hood to conceal the great jagged hole in his head that tends to make the squeamish or timid flinch away from him.
Papy (Horrortale Papyrus): Still hasnāt quite shaken the habit to be armored, even when it isnāt necessary, but heās cut down from full plate to chain mail only, much lighter and easier to move around ināwhich is vital when hurrying to the training field for an accident, or running to meet a wounded knight at the gates. He wears a simple tabard over his mail, blue with red edging (the Queenās colors), and keeps a pouch of bandages and other aid supplies belted to his waist instead of a sword.
Ash (Undergloom Sans): The livery of the kingās court, gray and gold, but dyed into fabrics suitable for common folk. He still wears gray when not performing at court, tunics so thickly woven they could pass as a gambeson and often paired with hooded cloaks, but he keeps his golds set aside until needed to keep them in good condition. He takes equal care of his shiny brass sackbut (itās a horn, with a very funny name but an instrument nonetheless) so it always plays well.
Yrus (Undergloom Papyrus): Off-white and tan linens, loose and breathable for hot work in the kitchens, sleeves rolled up and pinned at the elbows to keep them from getting in the way. Always an apron about his waist, occasionally with food stains after a long dayās work but these he quickly tends to as soon as heās able. He has nothing in the way of real finery but tries very hard to make sure what he has is clean and presentable.
Brick (Horrorfell Sans): Fine brocaded doublets of rich red and shining gold thread, as a duke and brother to a king, he does have to dress the part a bit. He wears more jewelry, especially rings, but nearly always still has his dire-wolf fur cloak over his shoulders. When called for executions, he dresses down quite a bit, in simple black cloth with only a leather pauldron over one shoulder to help brace the weight of his axe before he swings.
King (Horrorfell Papyrus): Half plate armor essentially at all times, even formal or polite occasionsāheās the owner of a stolen throne and all too aware that it could be stolen from him the same way he got it. His breastplate is scaled and his pauldrons are elaborately spiked, but itās all black. The only pop of color on him is his crown, the same worn by Asgore and Undyne, gold and sharp, with rubies inlaid.
Merc (Horrorswap Sans): Chain mail over a finely-made kaftan and beneath a traveling cloak, the latter two with signs of wear from a long journey. His head is notably absent of a crownāleft behind in the kingdom he fledābut a new one awaits him soon, of flashing silver and blue stone, depicting the phases of the moon. When fully established in his new kingdom, he may begin dressing as a proper king again, draping himself in the blue and silver finery of the land that sheltered him.
Ell (Horrorswap Papyrus): Browns, greens, and blacks, he wears light leather armorāreally just a breastplate and vambracesāand a thick woolen cloak about his shoulders. He has no need of greaves for his shins, legs lost to an accident in the wilderness, but supplanted by magical prosthetics, living blackened wood provided by his land when he called upon it for aid. ā¦Not that heās fully accepted that itās his land, keeping his crown of twisting copper and emerald tucked away in a saddlebag instead of on his brow. Maybe somedayā¦
Pitch (Horrorswapfell Sans): Rich purple and verdant green, amidst a sea of blackāhe favors very fine fabrics with open lacing at the chest. Still not especially fond of jewelry, but wears considerably more decorative leather braces on forearms, shins, and even the occasional full-chest corset. (He has some chronic pain and the extra pressure and support in certain spots helps.) He wears considerably more plain clothes for knight-training purposes and when traveling wears a black cloak with a cowl that comes down over the hole in his face at a point, as the beak of a raven.
Nemo (Horrorswapfell Papyrus): Usually in half plate splint mail armor for his patrols along the wall, but favors rusty oranges, brown and black for the tunics and boots and breeches he wears out of it. Often carries a lantern, and always has tinder in a pouch on his hip. Beside his pouch is a war-horn in case an alert would need to be called, loud enough to make everyone come running if itās ever sounded.
Sunny (Gastertale Sans): A cavalierly styled courtier, at first having made do with graciously lent clothing and now being able to buy his own in a whole variety of rich colorsāyellow, blue, magenta, and on. His aim is to look at home in court, which means he must dress as other courtiers do, so he has doublets and fine tunics and many, many fashionable capelets with embroidery and stylish pins, as well as a few equally chic plumed hats. The other courtiers look to him now for the latest fashion trends and he couldnāt be happier.
Aster (Gastertale Papyrus): A bit more subdued in style than his brotherā¦though only a bit. He favors black frocks, almost as a cleric would wear, but beneath them, elegant doublets in greens and yellows as vibrant as anything his twin wears, with fine silver filigree work in his buckles and pins and clasps. Heās the pinnacle of restrained class and taste and itās no wonder at all that the king should respect him so highly if his care in thought is as his care in appearance.
Spectr (Transcendtale Sans): Deep, dark black from head to toe, most prominently a long hooded cloak with two eye-lights glowing in the darkness. He always wears gloves and never lets his hood down, as heās not especially fond of his metal bones and doesnāt really wish to be seen. Itās difficult to see in the daytime, but at night heās trailed by faint wisps of ghostly light in all colors of the rainbow, such a strange sight that many a drunkard whoās seen him has poured out their bottle presuming theyād had quite a bit too much.
PapAIrus (Transcendtale Papyrus): Full plate armor, of course, but as heās now some sort of spectral entity, it (and he!) glows and is slightly see-through. Being ghostly has washed out his colors quite thoroughly which is unfortunateāmostly all white with hints of silvery blueābut on the up-side he seems able to change his appearance some by will alone, donning or discarding his helmet at will, manifesting a majestic cape for himself out of the ether, and so on. It seems a fair enough trade to him!
Xanth (Ascendswap Sans): A man at court now, heās donned an eye-patch and abandoned the trappings of prospective knighthood, fully embraced courtier fashionā¦if a bit āeccentrically.ā He favors bright yellows and spring greens, flowing garments of fine cloth layered beneath and over leather vambraces, gorget, and tasset. All these are elaborately, intricately designed and certainly make the similarly intricate gold jewelry (with multicolored gems) that he wears at wrist and neck stand out, but itās hardly in fashionā¦ Still, the mysticās thinking is often inscrutable.
Piper (Ascendswap Papyrus): Unlike his brother, very fashionable and eye-catching, in rich amaranths and brilliant turquoises, with even the occasional lavender. He has many fine embroidered doublets, threaded liberally with gold, and wears many pieces of gold jewelry as wellānecklaces, bracelets, pins, and brooches. When showing the birds of the crown at court or bidding them on a royal hunt, he wears the livery of the crown-properāroyal purple and goldāand always has a thick leather falconerās glove on his left hand.
Carmine (Underfell Fruition Sans): Whatās black and white and red all over? Well, newspapers havenāt been invented yet, so itās him, of course! Heās no jester so he hasnāt a motley to wear to work, but he is a performer and does dress in the livery of the king, which is red and black. The material is a bit finer than heās used to, but being that heās no longer wearing rags and rotting in a hole, heās quite pleased with it and doesnāt mind the bright colors that help him attract the eyes of many comely nobles at court. Off-duty, he sticks to loose, somewhat open tunicsāred still very much preferred.
Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus): Laced linen shirts, not especially loosely fitting due to his largeness in the chest and shoulders but he hasnāt burst any seams in awhile so the measurements must be somewhat correct. Heās fond of white and a true connoisseur of red, all shades from dark to very light. He keeps an array of small carpentry toolsāhammers, chisels, things for measuringāin a roll on his hip, a dedicated apprentice to the core.
Vi (Swapfell Fruition Sans): All black, pourpoint armor beneath fine silk doublets but almost disappointingly plain otherwiseāno embroidery, no ornament, or stitched pattern, or brocade. Over this he wears a cloak, equally fine and with at least some ostentation, a bit of silver stitched decoration that matches the intimidatingly clawed silver gauntlet he wears upon his left handāa symbol of his wealth, if not his status. These flashy items are for matters of court only, as he has a much more nondescript hooded cloak and less identifiable sharp implement which he uses for matters of stealth and misdeeds when it is important that he not be recognized.
Hunter (Swapfell Frution Papyrus): A prince in princely attireā¦mostly. He happily flaunts the color purple but proudly wears it with the black of his old family name, and drapes himself in silk tunics, fine (mostly decorative) pauldrons, capes and capelets. He tends to show off a bit more of his chest than seems appropriate for a man of his station, and seems to wear his elegant silver jewelry in ways such that the eye is drawn there, andā¦other places, but few question the whims of royalty. His pewter crown is heavy and inelegant and heās talked much with his brother about how angry people would be if he had it melted and recast into something more stylish.
Kohl (Descendtale Sans): Plain, rough tunics, in black and dark brown. He wears a heavy fur-lined gabardine as it gets quite cold in the dungeons, though itās uncertain where he managed to get such a nice garment. He keeps a knife on his belt, large and jagged-toothed, and though he hasnāt had need to use it yet, the threat of it tends to keep most prisoners from attempting to bring him harm.
Bram (Descendtale Papyrus): Heās traded in his full plate armor for a comfortably fit leather jerkin, accompanied by matching gauntlets to protect his hands and torso (inasmuch as they need protection, without flesh) from the thorns he trims back every day. He mostly wears black and white and brown, all things closely fit to his body, less they snag overmuch and need to be replaced too often. His clothing is simple but well-suited to his work, and he wears it nicely.
Neutral: Ash (Undergloom Sans), King (Horrorfell Papyrus), Spectr (Transcendtale Sans), Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus)
As for some of the internalā¦
Sans (Undertale): Heās a friendly guy, definitely not wearing his heart on his sleeve or getting super deep with anybody right away (ā¦or possibly everā¦), but he likes getting to know people and figuring out what theyāre all about, and that does involve some amount of being approachable.
Papyrus (Undertale): Heās often been a little lacking in the friends department, so he always puts his best foot forward with new peopleāthat way, they know from the jump theyāve just met a fun, cool guy whoās prime friend-material, and whatever they decide after that, they at least have the facts!
Sky (Underswap Sans): Perhaps surprisingly heās not inclined to be open or intimate with people right from the start, but he fully believes in getting back what you put out into the universe, so of course heās friendly and polite with everyone as a matter of course, unless given a reason otherwise.
Paps (Underswap Papyrus): He doesnāt have a whole lot of ingrained, well-developed social skills, and heās had some not-so-great experiences with friendship in the past, so while heās never rude if he can help it, he does hold himself back a fair bit and instinctively ducks the attention of new peopleā¦
Jasper (Underfell Sans): Heās a pretty social guy and prefers not to have enemies if he can help it, so heās the āfunny guy, seems decent, nothing to worry aboutā wherever possible, rarely vulnerable or openly real with people, especially strangersābut is that really so egregious?
Pyre (Underfell Papyrus): Heās vigilant to potential threats, heās been burned (or rather scarred) one too many times trusting people just because they seem harmless or nice, so while he wonāt be cruel to someone new without cause, neither will he be all that open to them until theyāve earned it.
Mal (Swapfell Sans): He trusts basically no one and expects everyone he meets may someday stab him in the back if it might benefit themābut one of the best ways heās found to combat that is by being charming and friendly and helpful, so that people at least think twice about it first.
Rus (Swapfell Papyrus): People are terrifying, he has no idea how to talk to them and usually ends up putting his foot in his mouthā¦especially when heās nervous, which is most of the time heās in a social situationāand thatās presuming theyāre even nice people, which is not always the case in his experience, soā¦yeahā¦
Slate (Horrortale Sans): He never entirely knows what reaction heās gonna get, with his size and how he looks, so he tends to hedge his bets around new people, steer a little clear and leave room to be avoided if itās the more comfortable optionā¦better for preventing explicitly negative reactions that arenāt great for his self-esteem.
Papy (Horrortale Papyrus): Kill them with kindness, he always saysā¦except he doesnāt ever say that, but itās a good saying, he should say it more because everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect as the defaultāor at least the benefit of the doubt until they prove otherwise!
Ash (Undergloom Sans): Heās a bit of a social lurker, likes to be around groups but heās pretty quiet so he reads as shy or a loner to new people. It just takes him a bit to get comfortable chatting and quipping since he likes to pick his moments, and that's less about the stranger(s) and more just about how he rolls.
Yrus (Undergloom Papyrus): He loves to meet new people and always does his best to make a good first impression, very friendly and full of offers to be a helping hand right from the start. While he wonāt bend over backwards for a relative stranger, he will go pretty far out of his way in the name of good willāto say nothing of how he is once he actually gets to know someone!
Brick (Horrorfell Sans): Itās less that he doesnāt want to socialize than it is him not trusting himself to, certain things set him off and itās not a pretty scene when that happens, so until he knows what kind of people heās dealing with, itās generally better that he keep a little distanceāat least initially.
King (Horrorfell Papyrus): Heās largely uninterested in other people and explicitly not looking for any friends, so the attitude he has approaching those kinds of interactions is usually curt and aloofāin most cases, he has nothing to fear and nothing heās interested in gaining, so basic acknowledgment is most of what he gives.
Merc (Horrorswap Sans): Heās a little less approachable-looking than he used to be, but still definitely wants to talk to people and make some friends, so he puts a little extra effort in to be kind and express interest. His general aim is to cast a wide net and see if he can't catch somebody longer term.
Ell (Horrorswap Papyrus): Heās selective about the kinds of people he wants around him, not inclined to go out of his way to be a dick to strangers, but heās not really putting his best foot forward with everybodyāand frankly, heās got limited ādonāt say something thoughtless and/or rudeā energy, he just canāt be spending it all on randosā¦
Pitch (Horrorswapfell Sans): Heās using his charm for evil for personal reasons these days, he likes making connections and having a good time, and being friendly and gregarious (even with strangers) is a great way to facilitate thatāwhich isnāt to say he really trusts any of those people, or wants them around a lot, but why make enemies unless itās fun?
Nemo (Horrorswapfell Papyrus): Heās got trust issues, itās nothing personal, just hard for him to figure out how safe any given stranger isā¦and from there, to convince himself of it, because logic says one thing and anxiety says another and who really knows which one is right. Heās not rude, but definitely quiet and standoffish, slow to engage.
Sunny (Gastertale Sans): Strangers wonāt be strangers for long, he has a habit of making friends out of people most anywhere he goes. He can come back from even the most random places with a new bud to introduceāit could almost be terrifying if it wasnāt just kinda bizarre, but he loves people! That's all it is!
Aster (Gastertale Papyrus): Heās very charming and sociable, always interested in meeting someone new and making a connection, hearing all about their lives and interestsā¦ A lot of it is, admittedly, very calculated as he actively chameleons to try and get a good grade in Normal Person, but itās still genuine in intention if not something he naturally comes by.
Spectr (Transcendtale Sans): Heās not really looking to make friends, but he doesnāt have an especially strong aversion to people either. He kind of just accepts it as an inevitability that heāll encounter them, do the bare minimum of whatever social contract the situation requires, and then be on his way. Not much else to it.
PapAIrus (Transcendtale Papyrus): He loves meeting people and being social and showing off, receiving the praise and adulation of the masses on occasion, but he rarely makes any kind of effort to cultivate or even leave room for anything further. Heās fun and kind to most everyone, just not often interested in investing any more than surface-level.
Xanth (Ascendswap Sans): Heāll happily talk to and try to befriend strangers all day long, he sees something beautiful and interesting in everyoneāand that can get him into trouble sometimes with people who are put off by his enthusiastic interest, or with those who catch on that heās a huge people-pleaser and would give the shirt off his back if asked, butā¦itās just how he is.
Piper (Ascendswap Papyrus): Heās a self-made Prince Charming down to his marrow, heās great with new people and loves to chat and charm and network wherever possible. ā¦He does hold a lot back and keep his guard up, only really getting comfortable with people after a long while, but that doesnāt stop him from being warm and polite in the meantime.
Carmine (Underfell Fruition Sans): Strangers are just buddies he hasnāt met yet, heās been locked up in solitary so long that any opportunity to run his mouth is more than welcomeāthough occasionally, he will get a gut feeling about somebody, usually if theyāre real bad news, and he doesnāt listen to a lot of things, but hey, his gutās never wrong.
Tank (Underfell Fruition Papyrus): Meeting people and socializing with them was decidedly not part of his training, but while he doesnāt have a lot of familiarity or skill built up for it, neither is it especially distressing to him. He may be spoken to, he will respond as necessary, and otherwiseā¦? Just monitor the situation and act if appropriate.
Vi (Swapfell Fruition Sans): Not very fond of people in general but especially not strangers, he doesnāt like to be the subject of any special notice, so around new people he tends avoid being central to any conversation and does his best to just blend into the backgroundā¦or to escape entirely, if thatās feasibleā¦
Hunter (Swapfell Fruition Papyrus): Heās good with strangers, anything and anyone new is cool and he likes scoping āem out, seeing if they might be fun. At least early on, any investment on his part is selfish and generally centered around what he might be able to get out of it, but that doesnāt make him seem any less mischievously fun to the people he charms.
Kohl (Descendtale Sans): He does not like strangers at all, no matter how friendly and harmless they may seem to be. He mostly keeps his distance but tries to stay aware of what anybody he doesnāt know is doing, sizing them up andāif their character allows for itāgradually becoming accustomed to them until heās willing to count them as something other than threat/nuisance/inconvenience.
Bram (Descendtale Papyrus): If he ever learned the phrase āstranger danger,ā heās willfully forgotten it, everyone is a friend unless they prove otherwise and he will engage them as such! He definitely has a tendency to come on a little strong, which can sometimes be off-putting, but heās immediately ready to go above and beyond for anyone willing to match his energy.
