this was done with blood, sweat and tears. also sunburn
Well, this is my super tl;dr survey of Austria's character! Feel free to tell me what you think, but be aware that I'm a stubborn fucker and I won't change anything unless you happen to have the best reasoning ever.
Updated as of 2013.
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
He's around 5'9'', maybe. Not particularly tall, not short. He's a little bit toned- he's had to do some training and fighting over the years- but mostly he's kind of slight. Not bony, more like soft. With a little padding from his overindulgences.
2. How old is he?
Old. Since he's basically the only character to have a birthdate, I can say with certainty he's 1036 (as of this date) years old. However, physically, I'd say 25 is pushing it, he has such a young-looking face at times. Mentally, emotionally, whatever...well, he acts like a youngish guy (albeit an old-fashioned one) with the experience of a vastly old being. Like most nations, I guess.
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?
Excellent posture, straight-backed and vaguely regal, but at the same time, he hardly puffs himself up. He's not confrontational with his body language. This does not apply when he's asleep or just waking up...
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
He's...actually quite unfit. He was once in a wheelchair, implying a period of illness or injury, and I think although that healed, it still affects him just slightly. He can't walk fast or exercise too much without getting out of breath and maybe faint. For him to just be that unfit is a bit odd, but lol Hetalia, what can I say. The symptoms remind me almost uncannily of anaemia, but I have no idea what's wrong with him.
He also is dependent on Germany, health-wise. If Germany's economy takes a blow- and Germany gets a little cold- Austria is practically on his deathbed with flu. Can you say co-dependent?
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
He can be tense and irritable and it shows, but generally his movements are quite careful and elegant. He's a good dancer, and his hand movements are delicate. However, he tends to bump into things and drop stuff when he isn't paying attention.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror?
I'll start with his own self-perception- constantly nitpicking his 'flaws'. He's vain enough to care very much about his appearance, but insecure enough that he wears glasses to make himself look interesting, since he considers himself plain. I think he likes his hair though. As far as his actual attractiveness goes, it very much depends on your taste, but personally I think he's outrageously pretty. Hnngh.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Very clear, lacking in scars due to his habit of avoiding combat. He's very pale, both due to being indoorsy and probably relating to the above fragility and illness. He's probably naturally pale anyway, and doesn't tan well; in fact maybe he burns and hates that, hence the indoor lifestyle.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
Dark brown, bordering on black, but clearly brown when it catches the light. It has a violet sort of tinge to it if you look at it right. He keeps it clean and well conditioned, so it's soft, silky and fragrant. Ahh. Naturally, it's longish (for short hair, if that makes sense) and sort of hangs in his face; it's perpetual bed hair if left like that. He styles it so it's swept back. It looks, or is meant to look, carelessly elegant, but he spends ages on it.
9. What color are his eyes?
That ultimate Mary Sue colour, violet. And very pretty they are too. They're on the bluish side of purple. If you can't stand how unrealistic purple eyes are in a moe gag manga about country people, call 'em blue.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
One hair that sticks up and curls, an ahoge or 'idiot hair'. It's more noticable when he's being derpy. It has this odd thing where it looks vaguely heart shaped, at times, but who knows what sets that off...It's Germany. Also, next to his (may I say, quite pouty and delightful) mouth, there's a small dark mole, or beauty mark. That's a little weird too.
11. What are his chief tension centers?
I don't even know what that means, but his mole is definitely an erogenous zone. There's been speculation about Mariazell, the hair, but it seems to just irritate him when that's pulled.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
Like most characters he wears the same or similar things a lot, but that's not important. His clothes are very dressy, but not in a 'sharp and practical suit' kind of way, in a 'cravat, frilly sleeves and tailcoat' kind of way. He'll wear a more modern suit but I think he prefers something more flaboyant, and more old-fashioned. He has a lot of dress shirts, waistcoats, tight breeches (yes) and he wavers on whether he prefers dressy shoes or knee (thigh?) boots. (I prefer the latter but that's neither here nor there.) He's a penny-pincher and repairs things a lot, and makes sure he gets use out of them for as long as possible; because of this, he's very good at sewing and can judge the quality of clothes easily. He's an accessoriser and something of a fashionista, but he keeps that on the down low. Colour wise, a lot of whites, greys, black, browns, deep blues and violets, greens, gold and silver, creams...he's very unlikely to wear anything brightly or warmly coloured, and pastels are out. If he's totally alone and everything's in the wash, you may just catch him in a T- shirt. Maybe.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?
The more casual his clothes, the less comfortable he seems. He carries himself a little stiffly in a modern suit, but mainly he seems very much in his element in his clothes. He has everything tailored so it all fits perfectly and flatters him well, and since he hangs on to things for so long, it's all quite 'lived in' and familiar to him.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
At a meeting, he'll wear a more acceptably modern suit. In his free time, his clothes may be more old-fashioned or more worn, and he'll forgo a suit jacket, but mostly he dresses just as elaborately and primly as he does while
working. If he's alone and napping, however, it's a shirt and underwear. Maybe not even underwear. He's odd.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
See above. In seriousness, he wears boxers...usually.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
Not particularly deep, but not squeakily high, either. His voice is quite clear.
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?
He's soft spoken, not raising his voice much even when angered and berating someone. He's somewhat monotone when he's sure of himself, and has much more inflection, accompanied by gasps, giggles (seriously, I'm not making that up, see GakuHeta) etc. when he's off his guard in some way. He's a pretty good conversationalist, in general.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
He has a very polite speech pattern in the original Japanese, so it follows that he would speak politely in English or German, or whatever. An Austrian accent is apparently kind of backwater sounding to a German, though they're also said to be musical and pleasant to listen to, depending on who you ask. His dialect is most likely Viennese of a particularly old fashioned, Habsburg-style bent, though it's possible he takes pains to avoid the more supposedly provincial elements. When speaking English his accent is very light, though still noticeable. (When I read my own tags I hear a very proper English accent but that's just me and what I'm familiar with, lmao)
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
German (multiple dialects) and English, fluently; Hungarian, pretty much fluently; Spanish fluently but he's out of practice; French and Italian very well; most of the languages that previously belonged to his empire to some degree or other. (I'd think he'd manage alright with Swedish/Danish/Norwegian, no? Similar to German, hm?)
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
I assume the nations speak 'nation' to each other. He'll speak English in international situations, German amongst other Germanics, and if he's talking to a human it'll be whatever language is easier for them. Among his own people, he sounds less Hochdeutsch and more hickish. I mean, more Austrian. His dialect becomes impenetrable in Vienna.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?
I think he's pretty good at coming up with insults quickly. Classy insults. He chooses his words carefully in most circumstances, but that's become second nature.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
Very eloquent, with a very good vocab and a nice turn of phrase. Until he gets a bit flustered, perhaps.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?
Very clever in terms of education, IQ, and natural sharpness of mind...not so much when it comes to common sense. He's not a complete idiot, but yeah, that's not his strong suit at all.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?
Generally prefers to think things through. That is, if he doesn't brush whatever it is away without a second thought, because he does that. He could come up with something quickly if it was a dire emergency, but that's usually better left to someone else.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
I want to say he's blunt and practical- and it's possible he thinks of himself as such- but generally speaking he's hilariously impractical in his thought processes. He can be logical but I have a feeling he'll go for his instinct first. He can come out with surprisingly intuitive things re: emotional subjects, and he can work through a problem, but if you need cold, hard logic, he'll pass it on to someone else.
4. What kind of education has the character had?
Who knows? It's safe to say that, over a thousand years, as his people have made advances in various fields, he's learnt a lot of different things.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?
He's definitely into the arts. Music first and foremost, but also the visual arts, and literature, poetry, and so forth. He also likes to cook, so he's interested in culinary exploits too. Fashion is, in my opinion, something that would have caught his eye over the years. Dance and performance too, theatre, etc. There will have been periods in time when mathematics and scientific discoveries would have been very interesting to him, but I doubt he ever really took an interest in military advancement; politics, on the other hand, are his specialty, or they were once. Also, psychiatry. Very much so.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert?
Introvert. Indoorsy, driven to solitary pursuits, quiet. He certainly associates with a lot of people, he deals with social situations well and enjoys socialising, but his personality definitely leans more towards the introvert.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
Generally quite even-tempered; quickly annoyed, but quickly placated. I wouldn't call him melancholy, but he's not outwardly cheerful; he's often pretty neutral. He's definitely laid-back and apart from his earlier empire-building, he's not especially driven to do anything except play around with his hobbies. As long as you don't irritate him he has a pleasant temperament and is, despite his somewhat cold or judgemental seeming persona, quite nice to most people.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
Calm, mostly. He has an innate sense of propriety that lets him sort of make the best of things, but if pushed too far he'll probably flip out. New people need to make a good impression, but he's pretty chilled about that; new and unusual scenarios make him nervous sometimes if there's a possibility he'll be left alone to get lost. Often, if something's not to his liking, he'll find someone to nag and whine at. Like Germany.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react?
React. He's too laid-back to start much.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight?
He'll argue and maybe get into a war or five, but strictly speaking he'd prefer to avoid the question altogether. His aversion to physical fighting makes me think flight, but to be honest he does seem to like bitching people out.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
Nothing crude. Sexual innuendo gets a pass if it's, well, classy. A little dark humour is also good, but mainly he appreciates wit. And stealth insults. He doesn't come across as a particularly humorous guy, but catch him in the right mood and he will, amazingly, chuckle quite a bit. He's also very dry and cutting at times. Some things fly right over his head, however, but some of that may be willful misunderstanding.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?
Not that I can tell. It's possible he's a bit of a self-diagnoser, Freud and all that, but there's nothing in particular that he has.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
...he's lived a long time, okay. The foundations of his nation, the major wars he's participated in, especially the most recent. The rise and fall of his empire, his declaration of neutrality, certain partnerships he's entered into, for good or ill.
14. What does he fear?
...I had to think about this. He doesn't exactly fear death/dissolution/etc. all the time, but it would be a frightening prospect if it came up. Mostly he fears the repetition of his past mistakes, which would include losing his autonomy in various ways. If you want to talk about mundane fears, he dislikes insects and so forth, he's slightly paranoid about dirt and germs, and he actually gets kind of scared when he's badly lost. Oh and he has a crippling phobia of sea creatures, but he takes perverse pleasure in eating them at fancy restaurants.
15. What are his hopes or aspirations?
These days, not much. Not in a bad way, he's just quite content as he is, and too old to be very ambitious. He gets nostalgic and yearns for the days of empire sometimes, but he'd never act on that.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?
That he's quite a...promiscuous person, although I daresay he doesn't mind certain people knowing that. That he's sometimes very lazy and disheveled, that he has fears or nostalgia at all, that he actually likes people he claims to hate. That he has emotions, even, he keeps them under wraps quite a bit.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
Germania is the closest thing he has to a parent. When he was little, he loved, disliked and slightly feared his Vati; Germania has been shown to care about and watch over all his children, but perhaps is not the best at showing familial affection, and Roddy was a sensitive child. As he grew older he was hot-blooded, impetuous and and Rome-like, which put him in daddy's bad books. As an adult, long past all that, he holds a little resentment for Germania, and the two antagonise each other, but deep down, he's his father(-figure) and he would prefer that they got on better. He refers to him as 'Grandfather' to his face but 'father' when talking about him. It's way too strange to call him Dad to his face these days, so he puts a bit of distance between them. I don't know when he would have started using grandfather, blame Himaruya for the inconsistency because otherwise I'd just use father, lol.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
No, none, technically. Germany refers to Austria as 'something like a big brother'.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
...this is a difficult question since they're nations, but I'll cover the Germanics here. Germany, he likes. They seem to disagree, a lot, but they're close, and Austria is actually fond of Germany. Germany in turn seems to like Austria but is very often exasperated by him. Prussia, on the other hand, could be said to be more of a love-hate type relative. They don't get on at all and have a long history of war and petty squabbles, but if one is in serious trouble, the other seems to worry. With Switzerland, it is Very Complex. tl;dr edition; they were very close as children, drifted apart, care very much for each other but will deny it until the cows come home. Austria is a bit better about admitting it than Swiss. Liechtenstein and Austria have a much more cordial relationship; he more or less raised her and she's the only child of his house that he considers to have turned out well. He gets on well with Bavaria, less so with other Germans, but it's not too bad.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them?
That would be Spain, Hungary, the Italies and in a more distant sense, Benelux and possibly the Nordics. Spain is his ex-husband, with whom he had a rather intense relationship, and they remain close and friendly. The Italies are like kids that come by at Christmas; North is happy to be there, South is a brat but sort of kind of cares about his pseudo-relatives, just a bit. Hungary is part of his family by integration, having been his wife for some time but his companion, in various ways, for many years prior; they are close friends now, but their relationship beyond that is in the past. Ties between them were strong but they live separate lives now and coexist amiably as neighbours.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
It depends on how you look at it; Germany or Hungary are contenders. Switzerland formerly and Spain at one point.
6. Does he have other close friends?
Pretty much Hungary, Germany, Bavaria, Spain and Prussia for a given definition of 'friend'. France...eh. He gets on well with North Italy and especially Liechtenstein but he feels old next to them. Next to Germany, too, for that matter.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?
I wouldn't think he cares about the impression he makes on people (beyond his appearance, anyway) enough to worry about making friends, these days, and he doesn't need to do it for political reasons either, so it's a non-issue.
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends?
Family. But they're the same thing in his case.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?
Haaaah. ...Canonically sort of single, in my muse's case, in (basically) an open relationship. He's at least twice married and divorced. It's complicated, and I wish we had more details, but he's the marrying type, put it that way.
10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
Kind...of...yes. It was, er, complicated for a while, but right now aside of one-nighters, he only has eyes for wild_kuken. By which I mean they regularly enjoy each others' company- genuinely enjoy, not (only) a euphemism- which for them is like true love or something.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?
Oh, lord. He had a baby crush on Switzerland, but his first intense attraction to someone was Spain, though it didn't come until a while after marriage. Lately, he's into whoever catches his eye...
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner?
...I don't think he does. He's been with some vastly different people. Looks-wise, he has types, but in general, anything goes. I expect he appreciates elegance and class, and he likes someone who can beat up his enemies, but they aren't hard and fast requirements. In practice, he goes for people almost entirely unlike himself...
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
He sort of had children in the sense that he took care of the Italies and the HRE, and Liechtenstein at some point. He had no idea what he was doing, plus he was pretty young, so he was a jerk and not very fatherly at all, more like a mean big brother, at least in Italy's case. Spain was more responsible for Romano. He got along okay with HRE since he was Austria's principle concern at the time, and he was quite fond of Liechtenstein. These days he gets along with his former 'kids', though he's not especially close to Romano. He also has another kiddo to look out for, Kugelmugel. He's much better equipped to handle it now, and Kugelmugel takes after him a lot. He's still not a doting daddy, but eh. Closeenough.png.
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies?
In ye olde days of war and empires, you were either a) married to him, or b) at war with him. So, yes. But that sort of thing has become so last century. Prussia is the only one who really hangs on to it, and since Austria's neutral, he doesn't go around making enemies now. He's got a bit of a fractious history with France, though.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?
Bisexual. A 3, I suppose. He has tastes and preferences for what he likes in women and men, but he doesn't care at all which one you are. The topics of gender fluidity and pansexuality don't really occur to him, but such things would be unlikely to be an obstacle. He's not really a man's man, and is comfortable in the company of women, but he doesn't have much in the way of preference even just for friends.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?
He's...well, he enjoys it, a lot, but he's somewhat laissez-faire about it. He could go without for a while without complaining, he doesn't think too much about it, but he won't really turn it down. He has a surprisingly casual attitude to it, overall. But yeah, there's a reason for the username, and all that. He can be flustered by frank sexual talk unless he's in what I like to call Freud mode, which is where he becomes an armchair psychologist of the highest order and will bluntly tell you you suffer from frotteurism.
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
Turn-offs include things like base and crude behaviour, kinks that are too far out of his comfort zone, things like that. He's into light to moderate BDSM, maybe dressing up and costumes, roleplay, maybe a little bit of denial and begging and master-servant- but which side he plays depends on his mood. He's generally just fluffy and quite enthusiastic in bed, without any real need for kink, but he likes it rough when the mood strikes. For a non-sexual bedroom habit, he naps and sleeps in a lot, and does so with no underwear. All over the house.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type?
He's actually a Scorpio like myself. Apart from introversion, aloofness and some more headcanon-ish things like loyalty, intensity and sexuality, he doesn't really scream 'Scorpio' to me. There's an element of pride and irritability about him that fits, though.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?
Religious in a token way; Catholic. He goes to mass every now and then, he possibly makes the odd confession and rolls his eyes heavenward once in a while, and he wears a cross. I think the cross is more like a talisman of habit nowadays, and he's not really a 'believer', even if atheism or agnosticism are all but impossible in Hetalia's universe.That said, the Habsburgs were devout to varying degrees and the Holy Roman Empire was 'Holy' for a reason. It's sort of like he accepts God and related things as fact but his personality doesn't lend itself to much interest beyond that. Certain things are important for the sake of tradition or appearances, though.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
I have no idea. He has Principles, and Ideas of What Constitutes Proper Behaviour, and Opinions on Gentlemanly Conduct. But he probably makes all that up at random when it suits him. He disapproves of uncouth, disrespectful, needlessly violent and abusive behaviour and he abhors the kind of thug that goes around blatantly victimising or intimidating people. (He prefers to exercise subtle intimidation, you see.) He'll cheat at warfare but he'll play cards fairly.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
Indifferent. He condemns what he dislikes and considers unsavoury. He doesn't care, otherwise. It's not tolerance so much as a shrug; 'well, whatever makes you happy, even if you're probably wrong'. (Because everyone is wrong most of the time, in his books. Except for him.)
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?
He hates a lot of things. Modern music, teenagers, squid, France. He's a crotchety old git. I'm not partial to bringing real-life offensive subjects into this already delicate concept of playing a country, so prejudices simply don't come up much. Countries all tend to squabble and hate each other personally. Picking on humans seems unsporting.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
He's pretty well off as a nation right now, but he's so, so very cheap. He still manages to live in luxury, somehow.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
...Immortal semi-metaphorical construct? He used to be an empire, now he's just a pleasant, wealthy neutral nation. He's always noted as aristocratic, so even though his status has changed, his attitude hasn't.
3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others?
In a house that represents the nation of Austria. Somehow. It's pretty much a mansion, but it's threadbare in some parts. He has a housekeeper and other staff part time. He lives alone, except for Kugelmugel who has his own 'house', which is really more like a room in Austria's garden. He entertains often and spends time at other peoples' houses, but he's very attached to his place.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?
As little as possible. But basically fancy food, instruments and care for them, personal luxuries and going out. And presents for some people. Sometimes. Rarely.
5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else?
He doesn't, he does as little work as he can. And it's not really a living as such, it's just what he is. In human terms it's a bit like a cushy government position where he has paperwork and such to do at times. He's not one for odd jobs, but he'll perform as a concert pianist or as part of an orchestra, or write music for singers. For the royalties.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time?
Sleeping, eating, baking, music, theatre, watching terrible soap operas and then lying about it. Sex. Composing? Sewing...playing with his cat. (He's a cat person.)
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
He drinks, like kirsch and wine and stuff. He will get soused if left alone with a bottle because, relative to other Germanics (that's an important detail here) he can't really hold his drink. He eats extremely well because he's quite the chef, and he fusses over presentation and the right fork. His table manners are impeccable and he prefers sweet things. Even though he's a good cook, he likes to eat out; however, he only does that if someone else is paying, or he has a tab at the restaurant. (He's been running up tabs for hundreds of years at some places.)
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Purple. Blurple, really.
2. Smell? Something flowery and perfumey, but also chocolate and the smell of baking.
3. Time of day? Early afternoon, i.e. naptime.
4. Season? Autumn.
5. Book? ...Venus im Pelz, by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, god bless him.
6. Music? Oh my, classical. Especially Mozart and Chopin.
7. Place? Living room couch. Alternatively the town of Fucking. Alternatively alternatively, the Vienna State Opera.
8. Substance? ...silk? Velvet?
9. Plant? Roses and violets. And bindweed, which is pretty, smothering and ridiculously hard to get rid of.
10. Animal? Cats!
Thank you for your time! ♥
Updated as of 2013.
Body and Appearance
1. Describe the character's height and build. Is he heavyset, thin, short, rangy?
He's around 5'9'', maybe. Not particularly tall, not short. He's a little bit toned- he's had to do some training and fighting over the years- but mostly he's kind of slight. Not bony, more like soft. With a little padding from his overindulgences.
2. How old is he?
Old. Since he's basically the only character to have a birthdate, I can say with certainty he's 1036 (as of this date) years old. However, physically, I'd say 25 is pushing it, he has such a young-looking face at times. Mentally, emotionally, whatever...well, he acts like a youngish guy (albeit an old-fashioned one) with the experience of a vastly old being. Like most nations, I guess.
3. Describe his posture. Does he carry himself well or does he slouch?
Excellent posture, straight-backed and vaguely regal, but at the same time, he hardly puffs himself up. He's not confrontational with his body language. This does not apply when he's asleep or just waking up...
4. How is his health? Is he fit or out of shape? Any illnesses or conditions? Any physical disabilities?
He's...actually quite unfit. He was once in a wheelchair, implying a period of illness or injury, and I think although that healed, it still affects him just slightly. He can't walk fast or exercise too much without getting out of breath and maybe faint. For him to just be that unfit is a bit odd, but lol Hetalia, what can I say. The symptoms remind me almost uncannily of anaemia, but I have no idea what's wrong with him.
He also is dependent on Germany, health-wise. If Germany's economy takes a blow- and Germany gets a little cold- Austria is practically on his deathbed with flu. Can you say co-dependent?
5. How does he move? Is he clumsy, graceful, tense, fluid?
He can be tense and irritable and it shows, but generally his movements are quite careful and elegant. He's a good dancer, and his hand movements are delicate. However, he tends to bump into things and drop stuff when he isn't paying attention.
6. How attractive is this character physically? How does he perceive himself in the mirror?
I'll start with his own self-perception- constantly nitpicking his 'flaws'. He's vain enough to care very much about his appearance, but insecure enough that he wears glasses to make himself look interesting, since he considers himself plain. I think he likes his hair though. As far as his actual attractiveness goes, it very much depends on your taste, but personally I think he's outrageously pretty. Hnngh.
7. Describe his complexion. Dark, light, clear, scarred?
Very clear, lacking in scars due to his habit of avoiding combat. He's very pale, both due to being indoorsy and probably relating to the above fragility and illness. He's probably naturally pale anyway, and doesn't tan well; in fact maybe he burns and hates that, hence the indoor lifestyle.
8. Describe his hair: color, texture, style.
Dark brown, bordering on black, but clearly brown when it catches the light. It has a violet sort of tinge to it if you look at it right. He keeps it clean and well conditioned, so it's soft, silky and fragrant. Ahh. Naturally, it's longish (for short hair, if that makes sense) and sort of hangs in his face; it's perpetual bed hair if left like that. He styles it so it's swept back. It looks, or is meant to look, carelessly elegant, but he spends ages on it.
9. What color are his eyes?
That ultimate Mary Sue colour, violet. And very pretty they are too. They're on the bluish side of purple. If you can't stand how unrealistic purple eyes are in a moe gag manga about country people, call 'em blue.
10. Does the character have any other noteworthy features?
One hair that sticks up and curls, an ahoge or 'idiot hair'. It's more noticable when he's being derpy. It has this odd thing where it looks vaguely heart shaped, at times, but who knows what sets that off...It's Germany. Also, next to his (may I say, quite pouty and delightful) mouth, there's a small dark mole, or beauty mark. That's a little weird too.
11. What are his chief tension centers?
I don't even know what that means, but his mole is definitely an erogenous zone. There's been speculation about Mariazell, the hair, but it seems to just irritate him when that's pulled.
12. What is the character's wardrobe like? Casual, dressy, utilitarian? Bright colors, pastels, neutrals? Is it varied, or does he have six of the same suit?
Like most characters he wears the same or similar things a lot, but that's not important. His clothes are very dressy, but not in a 'sharp and practical suit' kind of way, in a 'cravat, frilly sleeves and tailcoat' kind of way. He'll wear a more modern suit but I think he prefers something more flaboyant, and more old-fashioned. He has a lot of dress shirts, waistcoats, tight breeches (yes) and he wavers on whether he prefers dressy shoes or knee (thigh?) boots. (I prefer the latter but that's neither here nor there.) He's a penny-pincher and repairs things a lot, and makes sure he gets use out of them for as long as possible; because of this, he's very good at sewing and can judge the quality of clothes easily. He's an accessoriser and something of a fashionista, but he keeps that on the down low. Colour wise, a lot of whites, greys, black, browns, deep blues and violets, greens, gold and silver, creams...he's very unlikely to wear anything brightly or warmly coloured, and pastels are out. If he's totally alone and everything's in the wash, you may just catch him in a T- shirt. Maybe.
13. Do his clothes fit well? Does he seem comfortable in them?
The more casual his clothes, the less comfortable he seems. He carries himself a little stiffly in a modern suit, but mainly he seems very much in his element in his clothes. He has everything tailored so it all fits perfectly and flatters him well, and since he hangs on to things for so long, it's all quite 'lived in' and familiar to him.
14. Does he dress the same on the job as he does in his free time? If not, what are the differences?
At a meeting, he'll wear a more acceptably modern suit. In his free time, his clothes may be more old-fashioned or more worn, and he'll forgo a suit jacket, but mostly he dresses just as elaborately and primly as he does while
working. If he's alone and napping, however, it's a shirt and underwear. Maybe not even underwear. He's odd.
15. You knew it was coming: Boxers, briefs or commando?
See above. In seriousness, he wears boxers...usually.
Speech
1. What does this character's voice sound like? High-pitched, deep, hoarse?
Not particularly deep, but not squeakily high, either. His voice is quite clear.
2. How does he normally speak? Loud, soft, fast, evenly? Does he talk easily, or does he hesitate?
He's soft spoken, not raising his voice much even when angered and berating someone. He's somewhat monotone when he's sure of himself, and has much more inflection, accompanied by gasps, giggles (seriously, I'm not making that up, see GakuHeta) etc. when he's off his guard in some way. He's a pretty good conversationalist, in general.
3. Does the character have a distinct accent or dialect? Any individual quirks of pronunciation? Any, like, you know, verbal tics?
He has a very polite speech pattern in the original Japanese, so it follows that he would speak politely in English or German, or whatever. An Austrian accent is apparently kind of backwater sounding to a German, though they're also said to be musical and pleasant to listen to, depending on who you ask. His dialect is most likely Viennese of a particularly old fashioned, Habsburg-style bent, though it's possible he takes pains to avoid the more supposedly provincial elements. When speaking English his accent is very light, though still noticeable. (When I read my own tags I hear a very proper English accent but that's just me and what I'm familiar with, lmao)
4. What language/s does he speak, and with how much fluency?
German (multiple dialects) and English, fluently; Hungarian, pretty much fluently; Spanish fluently but he's out of practice; French and Italian very well; most of the languages that previously belonged to his empire to some degree or other. (I'd think he'd manage alright with Swedish/Danish/Norwegian, no? Similar to German, hm?)
5. Does he switch languages or dialects in certain situations?
I assume the nations speak 'nation' to each other. He'll speak English in international situations, German amongst other Germanics, and if he's talking to a human it'll be whatever language is easier for them. Among his own people, he sounds less Hochdeutsch and more hickish. I mean, more Austrian. His dialect becomes impenetrable in Vienna.
6. Is he a good impromptu speaker, or does he have to think about his words?
I think he's pretty good at coming up with insults quickly. Classy insults. He chooses his words carefully in most circumstances, but that's become second nature.
7. Is he eloquent or inarticulate? Under what circumstances might this change?
Very eloquent, with a very good vocab and a nice turn of phrase. Until he gets a bit flustered, perhaps.
Mental and Emotional
1. How intelligent is this character? Is he book-smart or street-smart?
Very clever in terms of education, IQ, and natural sharpness of mind...not so much when it comes to common sense. He's not a complete idiot, but yeah, that's not his strong suit at all.
2. Does he think on his feet, or does he need time to deliberate?
Generally prefers to think things through. That is, if he doesn't brush whatever it is away without a second thought, because he does that. He could come up with something quickly if it was a dire emergency, but that's usually better left to someone else.
3. Describe the character's thought process. Is he more logical, or more intuitive? Idealistic or practical?
I want to say he's blunt and practical- and it's possible he thinks of himself as such- but generally speaking he's hilariously impractical in his thought processes. He can be logical but I have a feeling he'll go for his instinct first. He can come out with surprisingly intuitive things re: emotional subjects, and he can work through a problem, but if you need cold, hard logic, he'll pass it on to someone else.
4. What kind of education has the character had?
Who knows? It's safe to say that, over a thousand years, as his people have made advances in various fields, he's learnt a lot of different things.
5. What are his areas of expertise? What, if anything, is he interested in learning more about?
He's definitely into the arts. Music first and foremost, but also the visual arts, and literature, poetry, and so forth. He also likes to cook, so he's interested in culinary exploits too. Fashion is, in my opinion, something that would have caught his eye over the years. Dance and performance too, theatre, etc. There will have been periods in time when mathematics and scientific discoveries would have been very interesting to him, but I doubt he ever really took an interest in military advancement; politics, on the other hand, are his specialty, or they were once. Also, psychiatry. Very much so.
6. Is he an introvert or an extrovert?
Introvert. Indoorsy, driven to solitary pursuits, quiet. He certainly associates with a lot of people, he deals with social situations well and enjoys socialising, but his personality definitely leans more towards the introvert.
7. Describe the character's temperament. Is he even-tempered or does he have mood swings? Cheerful or melancholy? Laid-back or driven?
Generally quite even-tempered; quickly annoyed, but quickly placated. I wouldn't call him melancholy, but he's not outwardly cheerful; he's often pretty neutral. He's definitely laid-back and apart from his earlier empire-building, he's not especially driven to do anything except play around with his hobbies. As long as you don't irritate him he has a pleasant temperament and is, despite his somewhat cold or judgemental seeming persona, quite nice to most people.
8. How does he respond to new people or situations? Is he suspicious, relaxed, timid, enthusiastic?
Calm, mostly. He has an innate sense of propriety that lets him sort of make the best of things, but if pushed too far he'll probably flip out. New people need to make a good impression, but he's pretty chilled about that; new and unusual scenarios make him nervous sometimes if there's a possibility he'll be left alone to get lost. Often, if something's not to his liking, he'll find someone to nag and whine at. Like Germany.
9. Is he more likely to act, or to react?
React. He's too laid-back to start much.
10. Which is his default: fight or flight?
He'll argue and maybe get into a war or five, but strictly speaking he'd prefer to avoid the question altogether. His aversion to physical fighting makes me think flight, but to be honest he does seem to like bitching people out.
11. Describe the character's sense of humor. Does he appreciate jokes? Puns? Gallows humor? Bathroom humor? Pranks?
Nothing crude. Sexual innuendo gets a pass if it's, well, classy. A little dark humour is also good, but mainly he appreciates wit. And stealth insults. He doesn't come across as a particularly humorous guy, but catch him in the right mood and he will, amazingly, chuckle quite a bit. He's also very dry and cutting at times. Some things fly right over his head, however, but some of that may be willful misunderstanding.
12. Does the character have any diagnosable mental disorders? If yes, how does he deal with them?
Not that I can tell. It's possible he's a bit of a self-diagnoser, Freud and all that, but there's nothing in particular that he has.
13. What moments in this character's life have defined him as a person?
...he's lived a long time, okay. The foundations of his nation, the major wars he's participated in, especially the most recent. The rise and fall of his empire, his declaration of neutrality, certain partnerships he's entered into, for good or ill.
14. What does he fear?
...I had to think about this. He doesn't exactly fear death/dissolution/etc. all the time, but it would be a frightening prospect if it came up. Mostly he fears the repetition of his past mistakes, which would include losing his autonomy in various ways. If you want to talk about mundane fears, he dislikes insects and so forth, he's slightly paranoid about dirt and germs, and he actually gets kind of scared when he's badly lost. Oh and he has a crippling phobia of sea creatures, but he takes perverse pleasure in eating them at fancy restaurants.
15. What are his hopes or aspirations?
These days, not much. Not in a bad way, he's just quite content as he is, and too old to be very ambitious. He gets nostalgic and yearns for the days of empire sometimes, but he'd never act on that.
16. What is something he doesn't want anyone to find out about him?
That he's quite a...promiscuous person, although I daresay he doesn't mind certain people knowing that. That he's sometimes very lazy and disheveled, that he has fears or nostalgia at all, that he actually likes people he claims to hate. That he has emotions, even, he keeps them under wraps quite a bit.
Relationships
1. Describe this character's relationship with his parents.
Germania is the closest thing he has to a parent. When he was little, he loved, disliked and slightly feared his Vati; Germania has been shown to care about and watch over all his children, but perhaps is not the best at showing familial affection, and Roddy was a sensitive child. As he grew older he was hot-blooded, impetuous and and Rome-like, which put him in daddy's bad books. As an adult, long past all that, he holds a little resentment for Germania, and the two antagonise each other, but deep down, he's his father(-figure) and he would prefer that they got on better. He refers to him as 'Grandfather' to his face but 'father' when talking about him. It's way too strange to call him Dad to his face these days, so he puts a bit of distance between them. I don't know when he would have started using grandfather, blame Himaruya for the inconsistency because otherwise I'd just use father, lol.
2. Does the character have any siblings? What is/was their relationship like?
No, none, technically. Germany refers to Austria as 'something like a big brother'.
3. Are there other blood relatives to whom he is close? Are there ones he can't stand?
...this is a difficult question since they're nations, but I'll cover the Germanics here. Germany, he likes. They seem to disagree, a lot, but they're close, and Austria is actually fond of Germany. Germany in turn seems to like Austria but is very often exasperated by him. Prussia, on the other hand, could be said to be more of a love-hate type relative. They don't get on at all and have a long history of war and petty squabbles, but if one is in serious trouble, the other seems to worry. With Switzerland, it is Very Complex. tl;dr edition; they were very close as children, drifted apart, care very much for each other but will deny it until the cows come home. Austria is a bit better about admitting it than Swiss. Liechtenstein and Austria have a much more cordial relationship; he more or less raised her and she's the only child of his house that he considers to have turned out well. He gets on well with Bavaria, less so with other Germans, but it's not too bad.
4. Are there other, unrelated people whom he considers part of his family? What are his relationships with them?
That would be Spain, Hungary, the Italies and in a more distant sense, Benelux and possibly the Nordics. Spain is his ex-husband, with whom he had a rather intense relationship, and they remain close and friendly. The Italies are like kids that come by at Christmas; North is happy to be there, South is a brat but sort of kind of cares about his pseudo-relatives, just a bit. Hungary is part of his family by integration, having been his wife for some time but his companion, in various ways, for many years prior; they are close friends now, but their relationship beyond that is in the past. Ties between them were strong but they live separate lives now and coexist amiably as neighbours.
5. Who is/was the character's best friend? How did they meet?
It depends on how you look at it; Germany or Hungary are contenders. Switzerland formerly and Spain at one point.
6. Does he have other close friends?
Pretty much Hungary, Germany, Bavaria, Spain and Prussia for a given definition of 'friend'. France...eh. He gets on well with North Italy and especially Liechtenstein but he feels old next to them. Next to Germany, too, for that matter.
7. Does he make friends easily, or does he have trouble getting along with people?
I wouldn't think he cares about the impression he makes on people (beyond his appearance, anyway) enough to worry about making friends, these days, and he doesn't need to do it for political reasons either, so it's a non-issue.
8. Which does he consider more important: family or friends?
Family. But they're the same thing in his case.
9. Is the character single, married, divorced, widowed? Has he been married more than once?
Haaaah. ...Canonically sort of single, in my muse's case, in (basically) an open relationship. He's at least twice married and divorced. It's complicated, and I wish we had more details, but he's the marrying type, put it that way.
10. Is he currently in a romantic relationship with someone other than a spouse?
Kind...of...yes. It was, er, complicated for a while, but right now aside of one-nighters, he only has eyes for wild_kuken. By which I mean they regularly enjoy each others' company- genuinely enjoy, not (only) a euphemism- which for them is like true love or something.
11. Who was his first crush? Who is his latest?
Oh, lord. He had a baby crush on Switzerland, but his first intense attraction to someone was Spain, though it didn't come until a while after marriage. Lately, he's into whoever catches his eye...
12. What does he look for in a romantic partner?
...I don't think he does. He's been with some vastly different people. Looks-wise, he has types, but in general, anything goes. I expect he appreciates elegance and class, and he likes someone who can beat up his enemies, but they aren't hard and fast requirements. In practice, he goes for people almost entirely unlike himself...
13. Does the character have children? Grandchildren? If yes, how does he relate to them? If no, does he want any?
He sort of had children in the sense that he took care of the Italies and the HRE, and Liechtenstein at some point. He had no idea what he was doing, plus he was pretty young, so he was a jerk and not very fatherly at all, more like a mean big brother, at least in Italy's case. Spain was more responsible for Romano. He got along okay with HRE since he was Austria's principle concern at the time, and he was quite fond of Liechtenstein. These days he gets along with his former 'kids', though he's not especially close to Romano. He also has another kiddo to look out for, Kugelmugel. He's much better equipped to handle it now, and Kugelmugel takes after him a lot. He's still not a doting daddy, but eh. Closeenough.png.
14. Does he have any rivals or enemies?
In ye olde days of war and empires, you were either a) married to him, or b) at war with him. So, yes. But that sort of thing has become so last century. Prussia is the only one who really hangs on to it, and since Austria's neutral, he doesn't go around making enemies now. He's got a bit of a fractious history with France, though.
15. What is the character's sexual orientation? Where does he fall on the Kinsey scale?
Bisexual. A 3, I suppose. He has tastes and preferences for what he likes in women and men, but he doesn't care at all which one you are. The topics of gender fluidity and pansexuality don't really occur to him, but such things would be unlikely to be an obstacle. He's not really a man's man, and is comfortable in the company of women, but he doesn't have much in the way of preference even just for friends.
16. How does he feel about sex? How important is it to him?
He's...well, he enjoys it, a lot, but he's somewhat laissez-faire about it. He could go without for a while without complaining, he doesn't think too much about it, but he won't really turn it down. He has a surprisingly casual attitude to it, overall. But yeah, there's a reason for the username, and all that. He can be flustered by frank sexual talk unless he's in what I like to call Freud mode, which is where he becomes an armchair psychologist of the highest order and will bluntly tell you you suffer from frotteurism.
17. What are his turn-ons? Turn-offs? Weird bedroom habits?
Turn-offs include things like base and crude behaviour, kinks that are too far out of his comfort zone, things like that. He's into light to moderate BDSM, maybe dressing up and costumes, roleplay, maybe a little bit of denial and begging and master-servant- but which side he plays depends on his mood. He's generally just fluffy and quite enthusiastic in bed, without any real need for kink, but he likes it rough when the mood strikes. For a non-sexual bedroom habit, he naps and sleeps in a lot, and does so with no underwear. All over the house.
Beliefs
1. Do you know your character's astrological (zodiac of choice) sign? How well does he fit type?
He's actually a Scorpio like myself. Apart from introversion, aloofness and some more headcanon-ish things like loyalty, intensity and sexuality, he doesn't really scream 'Scorpio' to me. There's an element of pride and irritability about him that fits, though.
2. Is this character religious, spiritual, both, or neither? How important are these elements in his life?
Religious in a token way; Catholic. He goes to mass every now and then, he possibly makes the odd confession and rolls his eyes heavenward once in a while, and he wears a cross. I think the cross is more like a talisman of habit nowadays, and he's not really a 'believer', even if atheism or agnosticism are all but impossible in Hetalia's universe.That said, the Habsburgs were devout to varying degrees and the Holy Roman Empire was 'Holy' for a reason. It's sort of like he accepts God and related things as fact but his personality doesn't lend itself to much interest beyond that. Certain things are important for the sake of tradition or appearances, though.
3. Does this character have a personal code of morals or ethics? If so, how did that begin? What would it take to compromise it?
I have no idea. He has Principles, and Ideas of What Constitutes Proper Behaviour, and Opinions on Gentlemanly Conduct. But he probably makes all that up at random when it suits him. He disapproves of uncouth, disrespectful, needlessly violent and abusive behaviour and he abhors the kind of thug that goes around blatantly victimising or intimidating people. (He prefers to exercise subtle intimidation, you see.) He'll cheat at warfare but he'll play cards fairly.
4. How does he regard beliefs that differ from his? Is he tolerant, intolerant, curious, indifferent?
Indifferent. He condemns what he dislikes and considers unsavoury. He doesn't care, otherwise. It's not tolerance so much as a shrug; 'well, whatever makes you happy, even if you're probably wrong'. (Because everyone is wrong most of the time, in his books. Except for him.)
5. What prejudices does he hold? Are they irrational or does he have a good reason for them?
He hates a lot of things. Modern music, teenagers, squid, France. He's a crotchety old git. I'm not partial to bringing real-life offensive subjects into this already delicate concept of playing a country, so prejudices simply don't come up much. Countries all tend to squabble and hate each other personally. Picking on humans seems unsporting.
Daily Life
1. What is the character's financial situation? Is he rich, poor, comfortable, in debt?
He's pretty well off as a nation right now, but he's so, so very cheap. He still manages to live in luxury, somehow.
2. What is his social status? Has this changed over time, and if so, how has the change affected him?
...Immortal semi-metaphorical construct? He used to be an empire, now he's just a pleasant, wealthy neutral nation. He's always noted as aristocratic, so even though his status has changed, his attitude hasn't.
3. Where does he live? House, apartment, trailer? Is his home his castle or just a place to crash? What condition is it in? Does he share it with others?
In a house that represents the nation of Austria. Somehow. It's pretty much a mansion, but it's threadbare in some parts. He has a housekeeper and other staff part time. He lives alone, except for Kugelmugel who has his own 'house', which is really more like a room in Austria's garden. He entertains often and spends time at other peoples' houses, but he's very attached to his place.
4. Besides the basic necessities, what does he spend his money on?
As little as possible. But basically fancy food, instruments and care for them, personal luxuries and going out. And presents for some people. Sometimes. Rarely.
5. What does he do for a living? Is he good at it? Does he enjoy it, or would he rather be doing something else?
He doesn't, he does as little work as he can. And it's not really a living as such, it's just what he is. In human terms it's a bit like a cushy government position where he has paperwork and such to do at times. He's not one for odd jobs, but he'll perform as a concert pianist or as part of an orchestra, or write music for singers. For the royalties.
6. What are his interests or hobbies? How does he spend his free time?
Sleeping, eating, baking, music, theatre, watching terrible soap operas and then lying about it. Sex. Composing? Sewing...playing with his cat. (He's a cat person.)
7. What are his eating habits? Does he skip meals, eat out, drink alcohol, avoid certain foods?
He drinks, like kirsch and wine and stuff. He will get soused if left alone with a bottle because, relative to other Germanics (that's an important detail here) he can't really hold his drink. He eats extremely well because he's quite the chef, and he fusses over presentation and the right fork. His table manners are impeccable and he prefers sweet things. Even though he's a good cook, he likes to eat out; however, he only does that if someone else is paying, or he has a tab at the restaurant. (He's been running up tabs for hundreds of years at some places.)
Associations
Which of the following do you associate with the character, or which is his favorite:
1. Color? Purple. Blurple, really.
2. Smell? Something flowery and perfumey, but also chocolate and the smell of baking.
3. Time of day? Early afternoon, i.e. naptime.
4. Season? Autumn.
5. Book? ...Venus im Pelz, by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, god bless him.
6. Music? Oh my, classical. Especially Mozart and Chopin.
7. Place? Living room couch. Alternatively the town of Fucking. Alternatively alternatively, the Vienna State Opera.
8. Substance? ...silk? Velvet?
9. Plant? Roses and violets. And bindweed, which is pretty, smothering and ridiculously hard to get rid of.
10. Animal? Cats!
Thank you for your time! ♥