TFS Q&A Session (Patreon)

Question: "We know about MC's Mom's side of the family, but, are we going to learn anything about their Father's side? I'm curious because not only does it seem MC's Father took MC's Mother's last name, but MC's Father and his family is never mentioned (or hardly mentioned in the case of the Father himself). If this is too spoilery then a simple "yes" or "no" or "it's up to headcanon" works for an answer too if you like. Thank you."

Answer:

I absolutely adore this question! 😊

You're correct that this can tread into spoilery territory, but it's also a well-spotted detail about how Book One might suggest that the father took the MC's Mother's last name since the MC has the same last name as [Grandfather_Name] [Surname]. The naming convention is unique to Fernweh. It could also imply that the MC was expected to take the Mother's name over the Father's rather than him (the Father) necessarily changing his last name. This isn't actually based on gender, rather it's based on a few different statuses/expectations within the town itself.

(On the other hand, the 'Verner' name comes from Mr. Verner.)

It's implied largely by omission along with emphasis on the TFS Mother that the MC's father was an outsider to the town; this is a canon fact. He wasn't Fernweh born and bred. This comes up in the TFS prequel, which focuses on the TFS Mother, Lois (Ms. Verner), the Verners, and others. I've mostly kept it under wraps because Book Two is my main focus since it aligns better with the overall timeline of events. You are free to headcanon different backgrounds for him/his family.

I will be touching on some canon facts about the TFS parents' dispositions, which we can already see within Book One. Those memories and references will deepen. They were once a loving family, so we will be exploring some of those past moments.