Fanart of Asterion alongside my interpretation of Greek figure (in other words OC for the VN), Damarchus, preparing for Halloween!
kyogreblue21
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Ok, so I've realized I've have yet to share post-imprisoning Damarchus.
Cley makes him into a big fat wolf. It's supposed to parallel on how Asterion starts in the story as very thin and sickly, slowly shifting into a much more muscular form as you give your affection and care to him. Damarchus, on the other hand, shifts from that muscular build, to a more overweight build. Later on with the story, protagonist would learn that Cley associates with love/happiness with fat, hence its Cley giving his (platonic) affection towards Damarchus.
He's my personal favorite amongst the designs. You'd get to dress him like you can with Asterion. Damarchus hates the entire process throughout.
Have some of the actual anthropomorphic mythicals!! Yeah!!
Anik comes from a family of sailors, all since employed to provide ferry service for the resort, most of who were bold and boisterous. He's known for his hearty laugh, and his iron liver which only Ume can best. He has a great deal of adventure, and wants to explore the nearby lands that dot where the resort lies, never having the opportunity due to his job. He's descended from one of the seals born from Sedna's lost fingers.
Dougie, short for Douglas, is a dog mythical... he doesn't know who, what, or how his legacy is derived from, causing him to feel inferior compared to other staff members, such as Ariadne. He works as the night guard for Mireille's personal museum, making sure nobody steals any of the priceless pieces of the elderly owner's possession. As such, he idolizes the guard dog of Hades, Cerberus, even with the help of Scylla, makes a shrine towards the three-headed beast.
Zolin, a jaguar of Aztec origin, derived from Tezcatlipoca's blessing, who wakes up 500 years in the future and ends up wandering to the island, he's very brash and very rarely hesitates on his thinking. He's also dangerously gullible. Though, he is very empathetic as well. He's very keen on human sacrifice to solve problems that arrive. He's employed onto the resort as a fitness trainer, to keep the guests active, and hopefully to burn off some of the jaguar's own hyperactive energy.
Umetaro's true true form, upon losing the youth-restoring liquor in his system, he'll revert back to how he should actually look at his age and state.
He's an old man oni who can't accept the fact that he's drank away his beauty, or well, what HE considered beautiful, you'd help Ume grow to actually love himself and embrace the changes to his age.
Should probably share all of the mythical character non-charmed forms... one of the biggest things of Minotaur Hotel is the anthromorphism after all.
(Note that this is not Ume's true true form, while this is what he looks an exposed oni, it isn't normally what he should look like at his actual age and state.)
Damarchus' origins:
Damarchus was once known as the boy Delios, born in Arcadia, weak and frail, he was heavily abused by his father and brothers for causing the death of their mother, who died of childbirth. Eventually, one of his sibling gave pity, and had Delios flee from his home. Ending up as a runaway, he spent many nights starving and cold, running across Greece until eventually collapsing on practically the doorstep of Knossos. First discovered by a child Asterion, Delios grew an admiration for the young Asterion's gentleness. Minos initially refuses to take in another child, but after realizing that the boy is the son of Arcadia's champion warrior, he realizes he could mold the boy into Crete's own champion. The next few years, Minos tries and fails to train Delios, and realizes that the boy is more adept to training others, after Delios confesses he was secretly training Ariadne to use a weapon. As with Asterion, Delios' admiration for him slowly grew into love, a feeling Delios had little understanding about.
The festival Lykaia was a savage festival celebrated every four years, where human flesh was to be fed to young men for them to transform into savage wolfs, unfortunately at the time, Lykaia fell under the same time as another festival that was to be celebrated in Crete. Asterion pleads to his father to let him go, Minos ultimately obliging but has Phroneos on his literal tail at all times. Ariadne wants to go herself, but is shut down by her father, unlike Asterion, she does not plead him further, giving up quickly. At the festival, a young Scylla gives the opportunity for Delios to be alone with Asterion to go on a date of sorts. Scylla charms and drags off Phroneos to look at jewelry being sold by vendors. While taking a shortcut to an event being held, Delios and Asterion are corned by a peculiar vendor of food, offering them grilled meat after making remarks about the odd duo, while the skewered meat is initially given to Asterion, Asterion rejects it, calling back to when his sisters had him eat beef without his knowledge, seeing his discomfort, a hungry Delios then offers to take it off his hands, which Asterion agrees to.
Unbeknownst to them, the given skewer was of ritual meat for Lykaia, initially given to a targeted Asterion to turn him into a bloodthirsty beast that will allow the Lycaonite werewolves to bring humanity to their knees.
Delios excuses himself, feeling nauseous from the meat. Asterion is then left alone, noting that Phroneos is not in clear sight, Asterion begins to panic with being alone, things only getting worse when patrons of the festival begin to panic themselves from a "monster" ravaging the festival. Asterion, believing they're all referring to him, hides out of his own fear and shame.
Delios, now transformed into a giant wolf begins tearing through the crowd. Ariadne hears this from the palace, and immediately goes to find Asterion, Scylla, and Delios. Ariadne runs off and Minos quickly follows after her. Ariadne, sifting through the crowd, finds Scylla tending to a wounded Phroneos, Scylla and Phroneos do not know where Asterion and Delios are though. The wolf Delios then corners the three, before he can strike, Minos steps in and saves them. Ariadne then notices Delios' birthmark amongst the fur, and deduces the wolf's true identity. Ariadne implores Delios to stop for Asterion's sake, Delios overwhelmed with bloodthirst, is quickly overtaken for his feelings of Asterion, and snaps back into a placid feral state. Delios, with barely any consciousness left, knows Asterion cannot see him in this state, and flees off into the Cretan wilds.
Finding Asterion hidden away in a stall, sobbing to himself, Ariadne is disgusted at her father, claiming none of this would've if he just let her go, and explodes on him after returning to the palace, which ultimately leads to the princess accidentally persecuting Asterion at fault alongside Minos.
Asterion through all of this, was unaware of his friend's Delios' fate, something he never gets to learn up to his death in the Labyrinth.
Now, these two characters are quite important to the later plot, the latter being an integral character to the festival incident I've been talking about.
"CLEY", THE UNWILLING
Species: Human
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Homoromantic
A career criminal whose obviously lying about his real name, he's a snarky asshole that lives to steal. Initially sneaking onto the resort to steal a painting from Mireille's personal museum. He accidentally crossing paths with a lamenting Ariadne, causing him first stumbles into the mythical world. Be aware that mostly everything he says to you at first will be lies, and you won't be able to do much about him until this second character arrives to the resort. Despite being avoidant of them, he always ends up caught in homoerotic situations. The wolf fang pendant is his only real possession, it contains a picture of a teenage Cley happily smiling enxt to a small infant.
Cley's text pattern is a houndstooth pattern
Cley is supposed to act as the human who does not take the fact that mythical creatures and gods live amongst as peacefully as Greta & Ismael or either protagonist have. Clearly distancing himself from interactions from any mythicals at first.
DAMARCHUS, THE PUGILIST
Species: Lycaonite werewolf
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Homosexual Heteroromantic
Damarchus' text pattern features triangles arranged in the style of a wolf's open maw, showing their teeth.
A real-life boxer from Ancient Greece, thought to have been a werewolf, not much else is known about this fierce-faced man's origins.
Alright so actually, I've decided to rework Ariadne's role in the story!!
Ariadne is no longer a traumatized minotaur-human hybrid in the beginning, she's a full-on somewhat reformed minotaur from the start. Much like Asterion, she's the caretaker of the resort and works directly under Mirielle. Instead of taking the role of master as the protagonist, you take the role of a coworker who works alongside Ariadne. Ariadne does not initially introduce herself as Ariadne, rather going by a false identity, much like how Asterion is with the guests in MH. Though she seems more... frantic about hiding her identity? The first half of the story revolves around finding what the heck is your coworker's deal, and her true identity, as it shifts into delving into the past to learn Ariadne's perspective of the legendary tale.
MATHIEU, THE ARTIST
Species: Gryphon
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Bisexual
Born Matthew Walker, one of the younger children of the Walker family, he's used to dealing with so many people at a time. He's a fine artist who specializes in photography, and wishes to show the world the beauty of truth. He doesn't interact with his family much these days . Hm and his brother, Luke, are especially strained, Luke hates how uptight and posh Mathieu has gotten with his rebranding, and especially with how he prioritize his "pretty little pictures" more than his family. Mathieu has a habit of rambling in fluent French, especially when irritated, where most of it will consist of sophisticated cussing. Mathieu is the main choice of this game's Classy Route, acting as an analogue to Kota.
UMETARO, THE REVELER
Species: Oni
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Gay
The son of an oni lady and a human noble, his beauty is practically transcendent. Though unusual with such an effeminate character as a love interest, isn't it? Umetaro is flirtatious, and is always is some of merry mood. He's never seen without a drink in their hand. They're a former flame of Kota, who ultimately left Ume for a multitude of reasons, clinginess, unfaithful, and has a crippling reliance on alcohol (... also because he was kind of an attempt of a rebound to Onsen). While they may act trendy and upbeat, his true attitude is curmudgeonly, like an old man failing to keep up with the times. He hates any mentions of him seeming to age, or seem old. This come to a point where you discover that the petite prettyboy you first meet isn't even supposed to be how he actually looks anymore. His drinking gourd was a gift from someone who helped him out of his worst time. Mathieu is the main choice of this game's Rowdy Route, acting as an analogue to Luke.
COZ, THE LABORER
Species: Medici lion
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Gay
A huge man with a meek disposition, he initially works at the resort as a courier, doing menial heavy work around the place. He gets the opportunity to run a small more casual restaurant on the resort, after Mireille finally realizes that the personal chef they have on the island struggles with making meals that aren't anything less than lavish. He strongly wishes to become bold like the rest of his kind, while there's nothing wrong with being a gentle giant, he's pretty more like a welcome mat people constantly walk all over. He struggles with asthma, something he became diagnosed with after a near-fatal car accident.
(Finally finished the example art for some of the characters, this is the first half of the major cast members, aside from two others)
ARIADNE, THE PRINCESS
Species: Minotaur
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Bisexual (Note, Ariadne is not a love interest)
Once the human sister of Asterion, after a culmination of different events, she had begun the transformation to a minotaur in the form much like her brother. When she was young, she was the kindest person to Asterion, but it slowly waned as her father supposedly gave more freedom to him than her, while she didn't outright hate him, she was frustrated. After Asterion's death and failing to plead to her father after the beginning of her transformation, she ultimately took Asterion's place in the original labyrinth. The mental solitude, and torture for millennia has caused traumatic memory loss to the point she doesn't even remember her own name. After being taken in by the resort's owner, Mireille, she becomes overwhelmed with basic interaction and is scared of most people. Alder is an exception, due to his resemblance to Asterion.
Her text pattern is the same pattern featured on Asterion's neckerchief, a pattern he mentions is one he has not seen in a while. The pattern itself could resemble a tangled string, calling back to Ariadne's ball of string being used as a path across the labyrinth.
ALDER, THE MAVERICK
Species: Human
Gender: Male
Sexuality: Pansexual
The son of esteemed individuals, he felt constantly overshadowed by his prodigious twin brother, having not much talent to his own name. He works as a sort of guru, personally scouted by Mireille, for the resort, mostly for keeping Ariadne's well-being in check, with his knowledge of yoga, tai chi, and other mindful exercise. While he may seem like a laid back bohemian at first glance, he's a very competent individual when it comes to business... though, not the best. He's currently learning how to play the guitar, something Ariadne apparently enjoys listening to.
Alder's text pattern is the pattern splayed across his yoga pants, it's a simple boho pattern. Though it features a square-shape, much like Asterion's.
SCYLLA OF MEGARA, THE INFLUENCER
Species: Human, but transforms into an heron when exposed to most liquids
Gender: Female
Sexuality: Straight (Much like Ariadne, she is not a love interest)
Once a princess of the Greek kingdom Megara, and childhood friend of Ariadne. Referred to as just Scylla most of the time, she's noted to be very peppy and has a lovable personality, this is supported with her huge social media following, calling her fans her "Megheads". She's hired early onto the resort's staff as the resort's social media manager and personal influencer. While the island resort lacks the charm nullification abilities of the hotel, even with a passport, Scylla's anthro bird form can be seen by anyone. She has a whole dilf thing going on, having stemmed from Minos protecting her during the festival incident. The purple streak in her hair is the lock of hair that granted her distant father, Nisus, invicibility. Scylla hates being confused for the more notable sea monster, Scylla.
Scylla's text pattern is a pattern that can be read as either plumage of a bird, or the v-shape of a seabird flying in the distance.
(The next post will actually detail some of the dateable men!!)
I do have some response for that actually:
- Before Asterion, Ariadne was the black sheep of the family, too sensitive and frail to play with brothers, and too clumsy and goofy to her sisters. But her parents loved her and noticed how lonely she felt.
- The Cretan Bull (Asterion's father), was a gift from Poseidon for Minos' right to rule, demanding to be sacrificed. Not wanting another child on his hands, Minos gifts the bull to Ariadne as a companion for her loneliness from her siblings.
- The gods are bitter on how a child matters more than the will of a god. Poseidon, knowing turning Minos' beloved daughter into a monster will only send him into a rage towards the gods, he instead targets the secretly straining relationship of Minos and Pasiphae.
-When Pasiphae is cursed with affection towards the bull, he instead blames himself rather than the gods for his actions.
-Still focused on Pasiphae's state, Minos is at first unaware of the dangerous incidents keeps trying to put Ariadne in harm's way, as others blame these accidents on Asterion's clumsiness around her, or just his "cursed" state, Minos slowly realize that its her herself causing this incidents.
-Minos begins to shelter Ariadne away from the outside world, but not Asterion, causing a unrealized jealousy to form inside Ariadne.
-After a incident at a festival, which had put Asterion's life in danger, causes Ariadne to snap at her father, and had calls Asterion a danger to others and himself.
-Pasiphae has secretly been regaining mental fortitude with aide from Athena, and with Athena's manipulation, coerces Minos to make the Labyrinth
-Minos sends Asterion to the labyrinth, Asterion, heartbroken, believes this was the choice of Ariadne, Ariadne doesn't understand, and tries to make Minos stop, but Minos' stands by the words she said to him in the festival .
-Dionysus appears to Theseus after the labyrinth, claiming her hand in marriage, Theseus agrees, revealing he had no feelings towards Ariadne anyway.
-After being abandoned, being left with only the memento of her brother's labrys to protect herself, throws her crown into the ocean in a rage.
-The crown is retrieved by Dionysus who appears in a glamourous entrance
-Dionysus offers her wine, which Ariadne accepts, still bitter over
-Ariadne vents to Dionysus, and eventually blacks out drunk.
-As Dionysus prepares to take her to Crete to propose the marriage to Minos, Athena appears.
-Extremely pissed that Dionysus has soiled the suffering planned for Ariande, eternal loneliness to parallel how she felt as a child.
-Dionysus wants to marry Ariadne, but Athena refuses.
-Athena concocts a new plan, taking the crown Dionysus had, and draws out a nymph who had been following Dionysus this whole time, Psalacantha, a nymph enamored with him.
-She enchants the crown so when Psalacantha wears it, she assumes Ariadne's form
-During some point, Ariadne wounds herself in the labyrinth, and killing Asterion. She hugs his corpse in grief, and accidentally has some of his blood enter her uncared wound.
-Since the blood was still relatively fresh from Asteiron's death, after drinking so much of the wine Dionysus offered, the blood triggers its regenerative properties, and had begun to transform Ariadne into a minotaur.
-Ariadne eventually wakes up on the island and sees her new minotaur form, and begins to panic.
-Her bovine cries attract a nereid, charmed by her new looks, though Ariadne is oblivious with her current situation.
-The nereid gladly accepts Ariadne's desire to return home to Crete.
-Upon returning, the palace is currently celebrating the marriage between Dionysus and Ariadne-Psalacantha .
-Extremely shocked over Dionysus betrayal.
-As Ariadne explains her case to her father, Psalacantha uses Ariadne's looks to manipulate Minos, on how the danger of the imposter, an into sending Ariadne to the labyrinth.
-Now truly realizing how Asterion felt, struggling with her new form, her contained rage finally boils over, and in a last ditch effort, attacks Psalacantha with the labrys.
-Dionysus swoops in to protect her, and is permanently scarred by the labrys due to the blood of Asterion.
-Ariadne instantly regrets, as she also realizes the difference between Asterion and her is that she couldn't be merciful, Minos seizes Ariadne and has her sent to the empty labyrinth.
-The skull was a remnant of Asterion's first original body left behind in the labyrinth after Theseus killed him.
-She does take Asterion's place in the labyrinth's torture after wounding Dionysus with the labrys
-The resort owner was a small child back when Jean-Marie ran the hotel, she and her father were forced alongside everyone else by Clement, and eventually returned to the hotel as an adult.
-The woman seeing Asterion's state, is appalled, and wants to do something to help him.
-Even after confronting Argos, he states that without the deed, she can't do squat.
-Though, Argos, does make an offer, if she's so willing to watch over a minotaur, he offers her the ability to become Ariadne's master instead.
-She leaves the hotel with Argos to meet Ariadne, hoping to one day return to save Asterion and to mend the great strain between two siblings.
Ariadne, the human sister of Asterion. Having only mentions in the actual VN, she's the supposed reason for Asterion's original imprisonment. But there are some mysteries with her, what caused Ariadne to want Asterion be sent away in in the first place? Why was she abandoned by Theseus? Did she really marry Dionysus?
...What if just like Asterion, the stories have lied about her too?
I'm setting up this hypothetical what-if to explore her fate after the tales.
The story is set on the island of Dia, an island off the coast of Naxos, where the main setting, a lustrous resort, the Corona resides. After losing their balance off a ferry, the protagonist wakes up on the shore, and is soon quickly greeted into joining the resort's staff, humanoid monsters, such as a bumbling security and a strict four-star chef, a surprisingly laid back human yoga teacher by the name of Alder, and the resort owner, an aristocratic woman of French origin and appreciator of the fine arts, once a resident of a certain hotel long ago. But the most mysterious resident has to be that minotaur you only catch rare glimpses of. Her name is Ariadne, her appearance shifting between human and bull, she's a clearly troubled individual who hides away deep in the mysterious labyrinth depths of the resort, clutching onto the skull of her bovine brother.
Minotaur Resort would focus of the topics of escapism, family, and redemption... and also, hot anthropomorphic men, that too.
(I plan to add more about the characters and looks with later posts)