#ro: astorian/astoria

[tenebrous-if]

Astorian/Astoria du Aerilon is the Crown Heir to the Aerilon Throne.

Age: 26

Character Traits: Charming, headstrong, assertive, loyal, and intelligent.

Appearance

Eye Color: Gray

Hair Color: Raven Black

Skin Color: Tan

Hair Type/Length: Astorian keeps his hair just beneath his ears, and Astoria keeps hers to just above her shoulders. They have a slightly wavy hair texture.

Height: 6’5” // 195.58 cm

Body Type: Toned

Romance Tropes: Childhood Sweethearts or Rivals to Lovers, Second Chance Romance, Royalty Romance, and (possibly) Unrequited (to Requited) Love.

William/Wilhelmina du Arvandor is a Paladin within the Holy Order.

Age: 23

Character Traits: Loyal, faithful, gentle, stubborn, and adventurous.

Appearance

Eye Color: Dark Blue

Hair Color: Dark Brown (with highlights of gold and dark auburn)

Skin Color: Light Brown

Hair Type/Length: William keeps his hair cut short, falling to just across his forehead, and Wilhelmina keeps hers short as well, with the bangs falling across her cheek. They have a curly hair texture.

Height: 5’8” // 172.72 cm

Body Type: Muscular/Athletic

Romance Tropes: Strangers to Friends to Lovers, Bodyguard Romance, Sunshine Romance, and Soft Love.

Gabriel/Gabrielle Adair is a High Mage from the Aetherian Institute of Magic tasked with overseeing your tutoring.

Age: 29

Character Traits: Passive, intelligent, diplomatic, caring, and perceptive.

Appearance

Eye Color: Amber

Hair Color: White

Skin Color: Golden Brown

Hair Type/Length: Gabriel keeps his hair to just above his shoulders, and Gabrielle keeps hers to just above her shoulder blades. They have a curly hair texture.

Height: 5’4” // 162.56 cm

Body Type: Slender

Romance Tropes: Tutor Romance, Slow Burn, Dark Past, and Scandal.

Ilyran/Ilyria Caelestis is known simply as The Forsaken One, once revered as the High Priest/Priestess of the Holy Order.

Age: Unknown

Character Traits: Cunning, charming, ambitious, assertive, and analytical.

Appearance

Eye Color: Emerald Green Obsidian Black

Hair Color: Light Blonde Tarnished Gold

Skin Color: Fair

Hair Type/Length: Ilyran keeps his hair to his shoulders, and Ilyria keeps hers to her mid-back. They have a wavy hair texture.

Height: 6’1” // 185.42 cm

Body Type: Lean

Romance Tropes: Forbidden Love, Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, and Slow Burn.

[midnightsun-if]

Can you give us a more detailed description of the Untited IF ROs? Only if you have one for them.

Astorian/Astoria: Black hair, that has an almost iridescent quality similar to that of a raven’s wing, falls to just beneath Astorian’s ears and just a bit over Astoria’s shoulders. A tanned complexion, that has a warm undertone, bringing out the brightness of their gray eyes. They have a toned physique from years of training.

William/Wilhelmina: Dark brown hair, with subtle highlights of auburn and gold, is cut short— while still retaining the strands natural curls. Light brown skin, that’s dotted by a few scars, brings out the brilliance of their blue gaze. They have a muscular/athletic physique from their time within the Holy Order training to be where they are now.

Gabriel/Gabrielle: White hair, that’s reminiscent of freshly fallen snow, brings out the golden-brown of their complexion, falling to Gabriel’s shoulders and just over Gabrielle’s shoulder blades. Amber eyes, that sparkle underneath any light, are filled with a boundless sense of keen intellect. They have a slender, almost wiry, physique that hums with the power hidden beneath the surface.

Ilyran/Ilyria: Hair the color of the finest spun gold, or liquid sunlight, falls to Ilyran’s shoulders and to Ilyria’s mid-back. The fairness of their complexion offsetting the almost luminous quality of their green eyes. They have a lean build. Of course, that’s what the Old Texts the cult has depicts them appearing to be— most of it mere speculation… It’s been quite some time since they have actually appeared that way.

[tenebrous-if]

If they were in a Eurydice and Orpheus situation, who would look back and who wouldn't? Why did they make that choice?

Astorian/Astoria: For added angst they’d look back just as they’re about to cross the finish line, it’d be an innate thing that they wouldn’t be able to fight. They’d just want to make sure you were there, that you were truly safe, and end up losing you because of it… It’d destroy them; especially since they know it’s their own fault.

William/Wilhelmina: Has extreme faith in the deal and the one that’s offered it to you— maybe naively so, but they wouldn’t look back. Wouldn’t be able to handle it if they were the reason you wouldn’t be able to come back… Wouldn’t even have the impulse to do so, they’d just keep walking forward; dutifully and faithfully.

Gabriel/Gabrielle: Would be very skeptical about the deal in the first place— honestly probably asking so many probing questions that the deity might rescind the offer entirely. It’s truly a toss up if they’d look back or not… They’d have to steel themself completely before starting the trek back or they would end up doing so… As they would wish to know that they’re not being tricked, that they’re not being made a fool of, and that they’re not potentially bringing something back that’s only wearing your face.

Ilyran/Ilyria: It’s cute that any deity believes they wouldn’t tear the world apart to get you back, that they won’t lay siege to the underworld in order for your safe return. The one and only deal that would be struck is for you to be given back to them without any sort of game and in return? They won’t tear every being they come across limb from limb. They’ve already waged a war against one god, they’re not afraid to do it to another.

[tenebrous-if]

How would the ROs react if MC prepared a little surprise date for them on their birthday? handmade snacks, cleared their schedule, prepared the gift they wanted for them...

Astorian/Astoria: Spending a day away from court, within the woods, with you by their side? The Divine's Blessing must have shone heavily onto them for that to occur. They'd be beyond grateful that you were willing to do something like that for them -- already planning what they could do for your birthday in return -- but, for that moment in time, they'd simply enjoy spending time with you. Something that they refuse to take for granted again.

William/Wilhelmina: Within the Holy Order birthdays aren't truly celebrated, as part of giving up the bonds that tie initiates to their old life, though there is a celebration for the day that said initiate is fully recognized as a member of the Order. Wil would be so touched that the MC took the time to even learn their birthday and then went out of your way to plan something special for them. Of course, they don't need anything special, they don't need anything except for you by their side.

Gabriel/Gabrielle: How they celebrate their birthday isn't all that different from how they spend their free days, if I'm being honest. A quiet day indoors, simply relaxing in the peace of silence, as the sun falls beneath the horizon and the moon takes its place within the sky. Wherein, only then, they'd emerge to look at the majesty of what the night sky offers to all those that take a moment to look up at its marvelous beauty. (They'd be touched that the MC would be willing to go out of your way in order to spend time with them/do the things that they enjoy doing.)

Ilyran/Ilyria: They don't particularly enjoy their birthday, don't truly see the point in continuously celebrating it. Though that potentially has to do with how old they are now -- birthdays tend to get rather boring/dull after that period of time. For you, however? If you made the effort of trying to celebrate it with them? They wouldn't let their distaste for the day show. Would begrudgingly happily do all of the things that you had planned. If you were anyone else, they would have told you to get lost long ago... Of course, you have always been a special case for them.

[tenebrous-if]

Does A regret those flings when the MC comes back?

I don’t think so. It was way for them to feel something, and I don’t think they’d necessarily regret taking the steps in what they hoped would be the path of healing for them. Though there would be a darker emotion (like shame) twisting in their gut all the same, that’d only surface during the quietest moments of the night. When they’re alone, the only company being their thoughts.

They would regret if the MC learned about them from someone else, however.

[tenebrous-if]

Does A ever thinks about their future if mc hadn't been kidnapped during the time before mc was found? Are there days that are harder for them to keep the thoughts of mc from influencing them?

Of course. I feel like that’s par for the course for anyone that’s in such a situation.

A has a variety of thoughts on the matter for both routes.

Childhood Sweethearts:

Would you both have finally gotten your shit together?

Would you have actually reciprocated their feelings?

Would you have been married by now?

Would you have children?

What would married life have been like?

Would you both be happy?

Rivals:

Would you have become actual friends? The pettiness of the past fading away?

Would things have shifted if you hadn’t of been forced into the arrangement?

Could it have been possible that it was love all along? Hiding in plain sight?

Just various things that they— at the time— believe they’ll never get the answers to, but A also has that with a lot of other things in their life too. What if their mother were still alive? Would their father be different now?

[tenebrous-if]

Did anyone in both kingdoms royal court recommend Kalyn marry A after MC disappeared ? If so how did both parties respond to the suggestion ?

Yes. It was something that was broached after the third year of the MCs disappearance. Before Kalyn met their current lover and after A had started to take on the mantle of what it truly meant to be the Crown Heir— that sometimes what was best for their country wasn’t what was best for them.

A understood the suggestion, but they were firmly against it. They became icy, more so than they typically are when in court, and made it known it’s not something they’d even ponder. King Daemon accepted this and didn’t even bother trying to advocate for the idea.

Kalyn… Kalyn blew up and it took a long time for people to calm them down (people meaning Isadora and Elarin; as Nyra and Leonidas worked to fix the entire situation on the political level). They were vehemently against the idea— partially because they aren’t some stand-in for the MC, they’re not spare parts to be used when the MC isn’t available, and because they feel like it’s wrong on so many levels (especially with the childhood sweethearts route).

[tenebrous-if]

ok but now I am just imagining Astorian/Astoria with like a huge terrarium in their office/room and whenever someone asks whats it for they are like "its for my worm, MC" like its the most normal thing in the world

There are only a handful of nobles within the court that A actually enjoys talking to— doesn’t feel like rolling their eyes and/or facepalming when hearing them speak— so you can bet that after only a few questions they’d start getting testy. They’re a lot better at hiding their discontent then when they were younger, but it still sometimes gets the best of them.

Would definitely, with a deadpan voice and stare, look at the person asking: “Didn’t you know? Having a pet worm is becoming quite the highlight within higher circles. I’m surprised that someone of your standing hasn’t heard of it.” They cock their head, a smile threatening to make an appearance. “Peculiar, isn’t it?”

*cue a bunch of the nobles within the Aerilon court suddenly getting pet worms once word gets out

[tenebrous-if]

Want to ask the classic "would you still love me if I was a worm" with the ROs please :D

Astorian/Astoria: Pursing their lips, they simply observe you from their semi-relaxed position next to the hearth, the delicate glow from the fire casting half their face into shadow, obscuring most of their expression from you. “You’d be a worm,” they reiterate, stretching long legs with a soft hum. “I don’t know if I’d love you, MC, not in the sense that I would when you’re human, but I’d make sure you were well taken care of.” Gray eyes glint sharply within golden light. “I’ve already lost you once, I don’t wish to have it happen again.”

William/Wilhelmina: “A worm?” They tilt their head, curls falling across their forehead. It only takes them a moment to fully register the question, and then come up with an answer, but, by the brightening of their grin, you can instantly tell it’s a positive response. “Of course! I’d make you a little spot in my room and protect you from all kinds of creatures that’d try to eat you.”

Gabriel/Gabrielle: Amber eyes narrow in concentration, an expression falling across their face like you had just asked them to describe a complex equation in great detail. “W—” They clear their throat, steepling their fingers on their desk. “Would I be aware that you’re this aforementioned worm, MC?” A frown furrows their delicate brow. “If not, I don’t believe I understand why this question was posed to begin with. Are you of the assumption that I’m attracted to invertebrates?”

Ilyran/Ilyria: An amused chuckle rumbles deep from their chest, obsidian eyes shimmering like untouched glass against the ambient lighting of the room. “A worm, you say?” Sharp canines make a fleeting appearance, an almost feral smile causing them to look more predatory than normal. “I suppose I’d still love you, but only due to the fact that the one that cursed you so would rectify their error and change you back. Or be at risk of dying an excruciatingly bloody death.” They step closer, the darkness around them growing with intensity. “Of course,” they purr. “They’d die either way, but I’d at least not have to make a mess of myself if they decide to cooperate.”

[tenebrous-if]

I noticed your linking these in the overall post for them so I thought I’d continue with the trend. Do you have reference pics for the ROs hair color too?

Just thought it’d make it easier for everyone to have links back to references when perusing it 😄

Astorian/Astoria:

William/Wilhelmina:

Gabriel/Gabrielle:

Ilyran/Ilyria (Then and Now**):

**The now should be a bit more gold but you get the general premise.

[tenebrous-if]

hello hello! thanks for putting your idea out in the world! looking forward to seeing where it goes!

so, i had a question. You said the Swan Princess inspired the A romance. If it isn't a spoiler, could you share any other media that inspired the other ships? Songs, books, etc. Thanks!

These choices don’t have to do with just the romance with the MC — more so their character in general and how that’ll translate into said romance.

Astorian/Astoria:

Song (Character) — Don’t Fail Me Now

Song (Romance) — Ships in the Night || Dancing With Your Ghost

Character(s) — Derek (Swan Princess), Jon Snow (GoT), Katniss Everdeen (Hunger Games), and Eddard Stark (GoT).

William/Wilhelmina:

Song (Character) — That’s The Way It Is

Song (Romance) — Armor || Can You Hold Me

Character(s) — Alistair (DA:O), Cullen (DA:I), Teresa Lisbon (The Mentalist), and Jorah Mormont (GoT).

Gabriel/Gabrielle:

Song (Character) — Calls Me Home

Song (Romance) — Would You Still Love Me || The Words

Character(s) — Maura Isles (Rizzoli & Isles), Leliana (DA:O), Patrick Jane (The Mentalist), Donna Beneviento (RE:V), and Jack Sparrow (PotC).

Ilyran/Ilyria:

Song (Character) — Icarus

Song (Romance) — Fire on Fire || Run Like A River

Character(s) — Mother Miranda (RE:V), Daenerys Targaryen (GoT), (bits of) Cersei Lannister (GoT), Morrigan (DA:O), Lexa (The 100).

[tenebrous-if]

How has A been able to fend off the marriage prospects/proposal, since the king kept pushing for it? A very self-indulgent "what if", what if A childhood (sweetheart) got married just before MC was found (few days/months)? What would A feel, do, etc? Would they even want to see MC?

A mixture of sheer stubbornness, their father being lenient (all that’s waning by the day), using the MC as a reason (different context for both paths), and because A always manages to wrangle themself out of sticky situations due to their little sister helping them out. Daemon has only recently truly started pushing for them to begin looking at said offers— he’s been nudging until now.

I think A would definitely wish to see the MC, but if they had actually accepted another proposal before the MC had been found? It’d definitely be a difficult situation all around as it wouldn’t have been a spur of the moment acceptance; A would have spent time with said person, got to know them, and would have come to care for them (whether it’s love or not is another question). It’s also been a decade since they had last seen you— they’re a different person now, as you undoubtedly are too, and believing otherwise would be foolish.

It’d just be a complex issue that wouldn’t have a simple solution— even if they desperately wanted one.

[tenebrous-if]

Maybe this is a spoiler but did A ever try to find/rescue MC? Like join the Aetherians if there was at sort of search attempt involved?

They’ve joined some searches in the past, but Daemon forbid them from actively putting themself into danger— A is the Heir to Aerilon, they can’t take unnecessary risks for someone that might already be dead. However harsh that may sound, Daemon wasn’t about to lose his child on a possible goose chase.

To counteract that, Daemon sent Aerilon’s best trackers to aid Aetheria and would let A join in on searches depending on the parameters of it and if they had trusted individuals watching over them.

[tenebrous-if]

Ooh so MC will have to "fight" A's new hoping-to-be-spouses to win A's hand? In a more serious note, is the the promise of marriage between the two royal families still in place (like did they agree to keep the engagement until/if MC came back, within a reasonable time frame)? Has anyone of the family and A, thought/accepted that MC was gone and not coming back during the years?

😂, that’d be amusing to see.

The promise is no longer in place, no. If it were other noble families wouldn’t even have the gumption to send in proposals due to the possibility of offending Aetheria or King Daemon himself. It was kept for a single year after the fact, but as more time wore on Daemon had to think pragmatically and do what’s best for his kingdom.

The late Queen Evelina believed, even on her death bed, that the MC would one day return and she told A— if on the childhood sweethearts route— to not give up hope as true love always found its way back.

King Daemon, on the other hand, believed you to be dead the longer it took to find you. He felt sympathy for Aetheria, of course, and let A grieve in their own way before he began pushing proposals their way once more; just because it happened doesn’t mean his child suddenly stopped being the heir to his country, and that his people no longer needed a strong leader to guide them.

Leia was too young to really have an opinion on it, but she hoped that some kind of answer would come— even if said answer was in the form of your body being discovered. At least then her best friend and sibling could grieve with the full knowledge of what they’re grieving for.

A has always been stuck in the middle. They hope, will always hope, for the best possible outcome, that you’re alive somewhere, but it’s become harder and harder to trust that hope as the years wore on and it fades into a mere ember at times… But said hope has never left them, even their darkest of hours.

[tenebrous-if]

Are Elarin and Kalyn engaged at all ? And is there anyone specific who is dead set on trying to marry A ?

Elarin has been so focused on his studies, getting acclimated to more royal duties, and various other things, that he hasn’t entertained the notion of marriage— until recently, that is. As he’s finally starting to actively take a part in looking for his betrothed.

Kalyn, on the other hand, has been in a stagnated relationship with a noble from Eseyra, a tropical island nation, but they haven’t fully committed to it because they can’t stomach leaving Aetheria— both because of their family and because they can’t imagine not being there when you come back.

There are quite a number of suitors that have been more persistent to gain A’s favor and, hopefully, their hand. You’ll meet two of said suitors within the game.

[tenebrous-if]

Heey!! Who are the big spoons and who are the little spoons out of the ROs?

Astorian/Astoria: Doesn’t truly care all that much, but prefers to be the big spoon if asked.

William/Wilhelmina: Little spoon, they like to be held/cradled.

Gabriel/Gabrielle: Doesn’t really enjoy cuddling, as they like the freedom of being able to move their limbs… So, neither? If the MC really needed it though they’d be flexible (but it wouldn’t be for a long time).

Ilyran/Ilyria: Knife. They don’t tend to cuddle, not really, but they’re definitely a big spoon without question or argument.