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Gretchen, the Garden Slug

Hailing from the forest countryside, this country slug is one tough bug with her slime burst counters and hard hitting attacks.

Full Name: Gretchen Handel
Series: Rivals of Aether (Fanon Contest Entry)
Debut: Rivals of Aether Steam Workshop [PC] (Dec 7th, 2023)

In the Aetherian Forest, lies a small garden village called the Mushstool Acres. Named for the many oddly big mushrooms grown there, the village mainly compose of slugs and snails. Their village is rich with agriculture with many small farmlands and garden making up most of the village. The villagers are a humble bunch, most are merchants and farmers dedicating their lives to help grow food for their homes. Despite being isolated by the wall, the villagers do want to expand their business around the world of Aether. With the help of the Wall Runners, they went through a special pathway in the Wall that only they can use and prevent trespassers from going in or out.

The village has generally good relationships with the Treetop Dwellers and Wall Runners, and outside of the forest had recently made a good pact with the people from Merchant Port. This is due to Orcane helping the Mushstool Acres people from a forest fire once, and the Mushstool residents has since then return their gratitude by making a statue of Orcane in his honor. Since then, the two towns had a rich trading business between the two.

Our story begins with a slug gardener named Gretchen. Growing up as a farmer and gardener since childhood, she left her parents' home after they retired and started her own little fruit selling business on her new property. She worked hard on her farm, maintaining its health and using her slime to ward off intruders. Despite enjoying her nature-laden village, she yearns to see what life is like beyond the wall. It's why she became a traveling merchant, joining with her fellow farmers in many expeditions to venture out into the world.

One day, a terrible famine and drought plagued the village. The villagers experience a food shortage crisis. If the people cannot grow their food, they won't last for the winter. Seeing this situation is dire, Gretchen knows the hero who has saved her people before and decides to set off to find Orcane as well as finding food to help save her home. As she journeys throughout the world of Aether however, conflict has erupted between many nations and she would soon discover that her search will not be as simple as she would believe.

Gretchen is a slow slug that makes up for it with extremely great endurance and hard hitting attacks. Unlike most heavyweights, her main ability allows her to turn her normal combo fodder weakness into a deadly risky game of chicken with a nasty counterattack once the conditions are right. With all of these traits together, she can handle even the toughest of situations. Nothing is too great for this country farm slug.






Gretchen's main ability is her slime burst. She has a slime meter that builds up whenever she deals damage or gets hit. If she gets hit or uses her Down Special when the meter is full, she releases tons of slime that deals hefty damage and knockback. Her meter can operate as a pseudo combo breaker/comeback mechanic as well as building up for a finishing move. Be wary however, her meter also acts as fuel for her special moves! If she runs out, her moves will greatly weaken in power and she will lose a few good options, especially since some are very essential for recovering. The meter also depletes over time so you may need to be aggressive if you need to build up and maintain slime.

Gretchen has passive soft armor, letting her tank through weaker moves without flinching. Stronger attacks and high knockback moves will break through however. The value is 6 if you are wondering.




Neutral Special - Slime Spreadshot
Shoots three slime balls in a spreadshot pattern and goes over in an arc. Does weak damage and knockback but the coverage makes it useful to stuff foes from getting close to you. If she has no fuel, she'll be unable to spit out balls. Costs very little slime.

Forward Special - Slug Sled
Rams forward by propelling slime underneath her. Makes her invincible at startup and can break projectiles. If she has no slime, her distance will cover very little ground along with a weak attack and no invincibility. Costs a decent amount of slime.

Up Special - Slime Rocket
Flies diagonally forward with her slime encasing her, rising high into the air. Protects her body which makes it useful to power through attacks. If she has no fuel, covers very little air and has no protection. Costs around a near half of slime, be cautious!

Down Special - Strong Slug Shrug/Slime Burst Release
This move changes depending on if her slime meter is full or not. If not full yet, she performs a slow armored invincible move that gets her foes off of her, making it a good countermove. Also her only move that doesn't cost any slime fuel.

If her meter is full, she instead releases a deadly slime burst, covering her body and dealing heavy damage and knockback to anyone attacking or close to her. This however, will empty your meter, making you vulnerable again so use it wisely.

Up Strong: Watermelon Toss
A two-part move. Gretchen plucks up a watermelon and tosses it forwards with the melon rolling on the ground. Very slow on startup and laggy overall but the attack and watermelon itself deals hefty damage and knockback. Don't throw this move out carelessly as foes can easily punish you by parrying the melon right back at you, breaking it or attacking you while the attack plays.

Character preview art, overall art, coding and sprites made by me.

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Afterwords

Though not my first workshop character, it is my first Rivals OC and I wanted to try out on this contest despite joining Workshop recently. Give this slug a go and enjoy!



Also if my character wins, please give her a soft-spoken country southern valley accent.