🦇 DREAD & DECADENCE: A Gothic Character Guide

Because not all ghosts haunt — some just brood dramatically by candlelight.

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🩸 The Cursed Countess / Baron in Black

Vibe: Dramatic. Doomed. Dresses like grief is a fashion statement.
Costume (from your closet):
Long black coat or cape, velvet gloves, lace or ruffled collar, silver jewelry.
Easy to buy: Faux antique ring, goblet, or prop dagger.
Props: Wine glass (definitely blood), black veil, candleholder.
Quirks & How to Act:

• Speak in sighs and riddles.

• Flinch at sunlight.

• Treat every sentence like it’s your last words before the curse strikes again.
  Sayings:

 

“My wealth could not buy me peace… only better tailoring.”
“Don’t mistake this pallor for weakness—it’s just centuries of ennui.”

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🕯️ The Gothic Heiress / Tormented Bride

Vibe: Equal parts heartbreak and haute couture.
Costume (from your closet):
Lace gown or vintage dress, sheer shawl, gloves, pearls, and mascara-streaked tears.
Easy to buy: Lace gloves, veil, fake black rose.
Props: Handkerchief (monogrammed with tragedy), broken locket.
Quirks & How to Act:

• Clutch your chest at random.

• Speak as if your heart is permanently breaking—but aesthetically.

• Mention “my beloved” constantly and never clarify who that is.
  Sayings:

 

“He promised eternity, but all I got was this veil.”
“Till death do us part? Overachiever.”

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🪶 The Mad Poet / Disgraced Novelist

Vibe: Tortured genius, allergic to happiness.
Costume (from your closet):
Disheveled suit or poet’s blouse, scarf, messy hair, ink stains optional.
Easy to buy: Feather quill, notebook, fake bottle of absinthe.
Props: Journal of dark verse, candle stub, flask.
Quirks & How to Act:

• Stare into the void mid-sentence.

• Sigh “no one understands my art” frequently.

• Flirt like you’re confessing a sin.
  Sayings:

 

“Every line I write bleeds.”
“My publisher betrayed me… right before the critics did.”

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🎻 The Phantom Musician / Silent Composer

Vibe: Haunted virtuoso. Communicates mostly in brooding gestures.
Costume (from your closet):
Black turtleneck, flowing cape or scarf, gloves, pale face makeup.
Easy to buy: Toy violin, sheet music, mask.
Props: Baton, earplugs, or music box.
Quirks & How to Act:

• Hum eerie tunes under your breath.

• Conduct imaginary orchestras.

• “Hear” music that no one else does.
  Sayings:

 

“Every note I write… summons something.”
“Silence is the loudest scream.”

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☠️ The Morbid Medium / Séance Host

Vibe: Overly confident psychic who might actually be possessed.
Costume (from your closet):
Flowy blouse, shawl, rings on every finger, dramatic eyeliner.
Easy to buy: Crystal ball, tarot deck, candle.
Props: Ouija board, spirit bell, incense stick.
Quirks & How to Act:

• Interrupt conversations to say “they’re here.”

• Roll your eyes back dramatically during “visions.”

• Tell everyone they have “dark energy.”
  Sayings:

 

“The spirits whisper… mostly gossip.”
“I’m sensing betrayal… and bad breath.”

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⚰️ The Gravekeeper / Undertaker / Crypt Curator

Vibe: Practical, grimly funny, knows everyone — because they buried them.
Costume (from your closet):
Dark work jacket, gloves, flat cap, muddy boots.
Easy to buy: Lantern, spade, name tag that says “Mourning Shift.”
Props: Fake shovel, pocket watch, list of “clients.”
Quirks & How to Act:

• Tell terrible puns about death.

• Eat snacks at inappropriate times.

• Be unbothered by ghosts.
  Sayings:

 

“Business is dead, as usual.”
“Six feet under, but make it cozy.”

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🧛 The Reclusive Vampire / Charming Ghoul

Vibe: Smooth, seductive, and chronically nocturnal.
Costume (from your closet):
Dark suit or long coat, pale makeup, fangs, red accent.
Easy to buy: Cape, fake blood, fangs.
Props: Goblet, pocket mirror (you won’t need it), black umbrella.
Quirks & How to Act:

• Compliment people’s “veins.”

• Hiss at garlic bread.

• Refuse to sit unless it’s on a throne.
  Sayings:

 

“I never bite on the first date.”
“You look positively… alive tonight.”

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👻 The Abandoned Ward / Forgotten Orphan

Vibe: Sweet, eerie, and possibly undead.
Costume (from your closet):
Old-fashioned nightgown or oversized coat, pale makeup, tangled hair.
Easy to buy: Teddy bear, candle, “missing child” tag.
Props: Broken doll, letter addressed to “Mother.”
Quirks & How to Act:

• Speak in whispers.

• Wander off suddenly and reappear behind people.

• Ask creepy questions like, “Have you seen my family?”
  Sayings:

 

“They said I’d never leave the orphanage. They were right.”
“I remember… before the fire.”

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🔮 The Alchemist / Occultist / Scholar of Forbidden Knowledge

Vibe: Brilliant and cursed by their own curiosity.
Costume (from your closet):
Long coat or robe, goggles, vest, and gloves.
Easy to buy: Beakers, glass bottles, fake potion labels.
Props: Notebook labeled “Do Not Read,” vial of “essence.”
Quirks & How to Act:

• Smell your concoctions like fine wine.

• Speak in cryptic formulas.

• Treat knowledge like contraband.
  Sayings:

 

“Some truths were never meant to be learned.”
“I’ve created life before. It didn’t end well.”

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💍 The Ghost Bride / Phantom Groom

Vibe: Eternal romantic tragedy wrapped in chiffon and regret.
Costume (from your closet):
Tattered wedding attire, veil, white gloves, smeared makeup.
Easy to buy: Faux ring, lace veil, bouquet of dead flowers.
Props: Ring box, candle, love letter.
Quirks & How to Act:

• Appear behind people dramatically.

• Sigh “I do…” at random.

• Talk like you’re waiting for someone centuries late.
  Sayings:

 

“The vows were forever. He was not.”
“It wasn’t cold feet—it was the grave.”

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🖼️ The Decaying Noble / Portrait-Come-to-Life

Vibe: Once-beautiful, now a bit… flakey. Literally.
Costume (from your closet):
Regal suit or gown, powdered face, cracks drawn with eyeliner.
Easy to buy: Old frame (stand in it for drama), pearls, gloves.
Props: Hand mirror, cobwebs, vintage fan.
Quirks & How to Act:

• Move stiffly, like oil paint drying.

• Refer to yourself in the third person.

• Panic when anyone says “touch-up.”
  Sayings:

 

“I was beautiful once… I still am, in dim lighting.”
“The canvas remembers everything.”

 

🎸 The Chaotic Punk

Vibe: Rebellious, loud, allergic to authority, and fueled by eyeliner and attitude.
Costume (from your closet): Ripped jeans, band tee, plaid skirt, fishnets, combat boots, leather jacket.
Easy to buy: Spiked accessories, faux piercings, studded wristbands, neon hair spray.
Props: Chain necklace, air guitar, cardboard amp, safety pins (decorative only), energy drink.
Quirks & How to Act:
Glare at anyone who seems too cheerful. Speak in dry sarcasm. Stomp around like the world is your personal stage. Air-guitar aggressively during normal conversations. Flick your hair dramatically, even if it doesn’t move. Treat every object like it has wronged you personally.
Sayings:
“Conformity? Couldn’t be me.”
“I was punk before you even knew what angst was.”
“Yeah, I made this outfit myself. It shows.”

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🪆 The Creepy Doll / Doll Collector

Vibe: Sweet on the outside, unsettling on the inside, with a delicate smile that feels like a warning.
Costume (from your closet): Ruffled dress or pinafore, knee socks, Mary Janes, bow headband; for the collector, cardigan, long skirt, tidy blouse.
Easy to buy: Lace gloves, porcelain doll, cracked-doll mask, giant hair bows.
Props: Teacup, old baby doll, tiny brush, lace parasol, suitcase labeled “FRAGILE.”
Quirks & How to Act:
Move in stiff, jerky motions. Tilt your head abruptly. Blink too slowly or not at all. Whisper secrets to your doll and nod as if it replied. For the collector, introduce each doll by name and personality as if they are alive. Smile politely while saying deeply concerning things.
Sayings:
“She doesn’t like strangers… she bites.”
“Oh, don’t worry. They only move at night.”
“They’ve been so lonely since the last incident.”

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📹 The Melancholy Videographer

Vibe: Artsy, haunted, and always filming your downfall.
Costume (from your closet):
Dark turtleneck, long coat, camera or phone on tripod.
Easy to buy: Camera, film reel, “director” clapper.
Props: Flashlight, camera strap, gloomy playlist.
Quirks & How to Act:

• Record everything silently.

• Whisper commentary like a tragic narrator.

• Turn every moment into an “aesthetic.”
  Sayings:

 

“Smile. Tragedy tests well with audiences.”
“Every frame is a eulogy.”

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🧥 WHAT YOU MIGHT ALREADY OWN

• Black coat, cape, or veil

• Gloves, lace, and layers

• Candles, goblets, or lanterns

• Pearls or silver jewelry

• Boots or heels

• Hair teased or pinned loosely

• Smudged eyeliner = instant gothic

🕯️ HOW TO ACT

• Slow, dramatic movements.

• Speak like every word has emotional gravity.

• Look distant — like you’ve seen the afterlife and weren’t impressed.

• Laugh softly when someone panics.

• If accused of murder, whisper: “Wouldn’t it be poetic if I had?