  In this article we study abstract and embedded invariants of reduced curve germs via topological techniques. One of the most important numerical analytic invariants of an abstract curve is its delta invariant. Our primary goal is to develop delta invariant formulae for curves embedded in rational singularities in terms of embedded data. The topological machinery not only produces formulae, but it also creates deep connections with the theory of (analytical and topological) multivariable Poincar\'e series. 
The delta invariant of curves on rational surfaces II: Poincar\'e series   and topological aspects