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Registered111 — UNDERTALE AU: Haleward - The Human
#chara #undertale #haleward #dont_ask_about_the_comments #chara_undertale #undertale_au #its_much_more_stupid_than_interesting
Published: 2016-12-15 20:11:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 1552; Favourites: 38; Downloads: 6
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* (Hey, it's you!)* (... Isn't it?)
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Comments: 12
This looks interesting, can you tell me more about this AU?
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Friend, I can absolutely tell you more about this AU. The only question is how much you want to hear about it, honestly. Like many of my projects, I could conceivably never shut up about it once I get started. XP
I guess the safe start to it is to just go over who is in what roles and what that leads to:
Chara is the protagonist, of course, the eighth and last human to come to the Underground.
Asriel was still the Prince, child of Asgore and Toriel, who crossed the Barrier and was mortally wounded at the hands of humans... But rather than "reincarnating" into Flowey, he wound up as Chara's "partner" once they finally arrived in the Underground, the ghostly narrator in their head.
Frisk was the first human to come to the Underground, and became the best friend and semi-adopted sibling of Asriel. They eventually attempted suicide by ingesting buttercups -- without telling Asriel, involving him in the act, or with any other intent for Asriel but a wish that he'd take their SOUL once they passed -- and died. They are the ones who were eventually "reincarnated" into a flower that had been doped with Determination. A withered Echo Flower, specifically, who took the name "Aster" once they started abusing their ability to SAVE, LOAD, and RESET.
As it happens, I actually have a short story about this AU's Frisk and Asriel on this account, if you're interested: registered111.deviantart.com/a…
Asgore was King of the Monsters, who, after the deaths of his children, did intend to take the SOULs of any human who fell into the Underground... But he was stopped by Toriel before he could begin. After that, consumed by grief and guilt, his family broken and his marriage in tatters, he left New Home to become caretaker of the Ruins, feeling he was unfit to remain King and needing to atone for almost giving into his despair and rage.
Toriel is Queen of the Monsters, who took the throne alone after Asgore left. She intended to, if not adopt again, provide shelter and take responsibility for any human that might come to the Underground. But twisted circumstances beyond her control led to every single human who came to the Underground to eventually try to kill her... And her own responsibility for her people led to her putting them all down herself. She became consumed by grief and guilt herself, trapped by her circumstances and responsibilities. Her last attempt at making amends and trying to create a new future for Monsters and Humans several years before Chara's arrival -- sponsoring the creation of the CORE and the Determination experiments -- ended in such disaster and tragedy that it convinced her to give up entirely. She secluded herself within New Home, waiting for the eight and last human to finally, inevitably arrive at her throne, so she can finally be done with everything. Papyrus and Alphys are her only confidants, these days.
Papyrus is the older brother to Sans and twin brother sort of to Gaster. He was the last Captain of the Royal Guard before it's dissolution, and he lead the charge in encouraging Queen Toriel to sponsor the creation of the CORE and the establishment of the DT experiments. The tragedy of those events' end resulted in him losing his left eye, and half his left arm and leg while defending his Queen, which, on top of other circumstances, led to his honorable discharge and early retirement, settling down in Old Snowdin with Sans. He is very active in his retirement, always happily busy with volunteer work across all the Underground. He remains absolutely unbreakable in his cheer and faith in the fundamental goodness of all peoples, even if his confidence in himself is far more compromised than it once was. And he will always, always grant MERCY to those who need it most.
Sans is the younger brother to Papyrus and Gaster, and de facto leader of the Snowdin teens. He is an insecure but adamant young skeleton who is constantly concerned over his image, especially in trying very hard to look like he's cool, collected, in control, and doesn't constantly get worked up and stressed out over appearing this way and living up to all the expectations that seem to be on him. He loves Papyrus without question -- though he was always more distant to Gaster, and vice verse -- but he can't help but notice what a gigantic shadow his older brother's cast over him. Really does give a damn about everything even if he tries his best not to seem like it. Depressed, but not fatalistic.
Dr. Gaster was the former Royal Scientist, who created the CORE and was the lead researcher of the DT experiments. He was and is seen as the last great hope Monsters had for freedom from the Underground -- a driven genius who would make manifest all the most wild hopes and dreams of the people. The public record says he was slain in the disaster that marked those experiments' end, a loss that still quakes the Underground, seen by many as a tragedy on the same level as the deaths of Asriel and Frisk so long ago. The truth is that his own hidden side of those experiments took a far darker turn and with far different ambitions than anyone knew, until it was too late -- and that while he may be gone, he is far from dead.
Dr. Alphys is the current Royal Scientist, formerly chief assistant to Dr. Gaster, "boss" of Hotland and the CORE, and effective second-in-command and de facto leader of the Underground with Queen Toriel constantly secluded in her castle. She has carefully crafted a supremely confident and fiery, "villainously heroic mad scientist" public image that mostly successfully conceals her incredibly deep self-doubt and loathing, all for the sake of not failing Toriel again, as she would see it. She plays many roles in the society of the Underground, trying to cheer on the hopes of monsters with a manufactured rumor that she intends to capture the next human to fall into the Underground in order to reignite and complete Gaster's heralded work, while truly intending to capture them so as to both keep them safe if she can -- and to keep them away from Toriel, by any means necessary. Totally in love with Toriel. Totally friends with Papyrus. Totally despises Gaster.
Undyne is a young officer in the Royal Constabulary that replaced the Royal Guard, nervous, high-strung, but exceedingly determined and driven. She has ambitions to refine and reform the RC in general, as well as rehabilitate her dilapidated home of Waterfall in particular. She is totally committed to the betterment of Monsterkind and to her oath to her government and Queen, but also aware that her own loftier ideals conflict with the worn-down realities of the Underground. Finds the given mission of the RC to capture any human who fell and bring them before the Queen just to lead to what would likely be the death of one or the other -- to no benefit to the Underground in either case -- to be especially onerous hypocrisy. Sees herself as a student of and, hopefully, a successor to Papyrus, whom she idolizes, as well as whatever Alphys is plotting. Childhood friends with Alphys and Sans. Still bearing a torch for a childhood crush on a ghost.
Mettaton Hapstablook is a ghost who didn't become a pop idol TV/movie star media mogul robot, but instead leads a more quiet but still outgoing life mostly in Waterfall, with frequent visits to other parts of the Underground, including the Ruins. Still maintains the family snail farm as a day job, even if Alphys is basically his only customer. Happily and actively engaged in theater, as well as a bit of singing. Misses his cousin, but doesn't let him get it down, usually. Only occasionally fabulously dramatic.
Napstablook Acousma is a "rogue" "robot" "created" by Dr. Alphys who became an underground DJ and music creator known throughout the... Underground. Their work, scene, and demeanor aims at cultivating an air of civilized rebellion and progressive bent in monster society, with a touch of conspiracy. This is mostly all fabrication -- they knew Dr. Alphys since her childhood, and followed her work. When the disaster of the DT experiments elevated Alphys to the position of Royal Scientist, they took the opportunity to become her assistant, seeing a chance to make a change in their own life, especially in pursuing their own ambitions, as well as transitioning into a physical body. Those ambitions ultimately differ from and extend beyond Alphys' own plans... And especially with Chara's arrival in the Underground, they chafe badly at the conflict and constraints.
And this was the short version. I mean what I say when I could talk waaaay more about this than all this. XP Oh yeah, and while some of this is out of date, there's also this if you want some designs to go along with all these descriptions.
Hope that wasn't all too much in one fat post. XP Thanks for being interested enough to ask, too! This was a lot to type, but it's fun to talk about this project still, haha.
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By the way, what does the name of this AU refer to?
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Oh yeah, that. Well, see, I was trying to think of what to call this thing because "my swap AU" is not... y'know, a good or marketable name, obviously. I strained myself to think of anything descriptive and catchy I could for this whole project... And then I noticed that, in a lot of the ways, the character designs and the themes of the story touch a lot on physical and mental health. More characters than not had some sort of injury or malady as a part of their visual design and backstory. Papyrus is missing an eye, and half an arm and leg, Alphys is also missing an eye and hand, [it's not depicted in any drawing in this gallery but] Toriel is missing most of one of her ears, Frisk has an arm that was broken and never properly set and a knee that's just generally worn in disrepair, and even the flower they reincarnated into was withered and discolored. That sort of thing was a recurring trend in the character designs... And much of the themes of the story were about characters having to confront their own damages and trauma, address them, and start to live more healthily in general.
I hadn't intended any of that at that point, at least not in the sense of having a theme I was deliberately aiming for. It just kinda happened because it made sense.
That being the case, it seemed like the perfect theme to lean into, and to base the name on. "Haleward" is just a flowery way to say "towards haleness and health" that worked well enough as a catchy, memorable, and curious name for the project, at least in my book. And indeed, you're not the first person to ask what the hell it actually means, so, I guess that's something. X P
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Ok, got it, thanks for all the info!
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Some little dorky jackass prolly'. it was Asriel, lol
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HAHA, or Carlos from the magic school bus!
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I like how you drew chara here. And your colouring is pretty fantastic as well. The hand seems a little stiff but other then that i like the picture and i like the au idea!
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Thank you very much! I like how this sort of... pseudo... faux, whatever else "marker" style coloring came out too. It seems like a good enough fit for character design and coloration tests, at least, while still being a little stylish on its own.
I agree with their hand being pretty stiff too -- I'm just not very good with hands, frankly. I've come a long way since I've started doodling Undertale stuff, but, I figure have about ten thousand more bad hands to go before I'm consistent at them. The typical artist thing.
In any case, happy that you liked them and the concept of their story and stuff! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know. c:
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Your welcome! And it is a very fitting choice.
And we all keep learning. Best tip i can give you is to maybe break down your hands into basic shapes. It helps me and even placing my own hand (depending on which hand) into the position i need to draw.
And again your welcome! Its a unique au i haven't seen and its really fitting for undertale. 
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