A gender-reversed Beauty and the Beast-style story, with emphasis on the beast.
An art student looking for love falls into an arranged marriage to a monster right out of his nightmares. Can he escape before the wedding, or could love actually bloom with a beast?
The last thing I remember was staring straight at the most terrifying thing I've ever seen, then immediately fainting.
I then wake up and sigh with relief to find that it was all just a dream. Only to look ahead, find myself face to face with that very same monster, and learn that this freakin' nightmare really is my new reality.
I scurry back to feel that this ancient four-poster bed is very much not my springy hard mattress, and that this cold grey-brick castle chamber is very much not my cluttered dorm. Like someone reasonable and rational I try to calm myself down, take a few deep breaths... then immediately shriek out "Who the hell are you?! Where have you taken me?!"
This... thing, for whom the only description I can even come up with is a grasshopper-scorpion-pegasus chimera with antler-mouths wearing a slasher movie mask, then asks me in scratchy, eerie, yet oddly feminine voice, "My betrothed, I... do apologise if I have displeased you." Betrothed? Okay, I do not like the sound of that one bit. Explains this weird finger ring I have now though, think it's made of chitin or something. And I admit, that was a more 'pleasant' reply than I was fearing, no unearthly hissing, gnashing of fangs, or threatening to tear my head off and devour my entrails involved.
One upside to being an art student is, when words fail, I can just show you:
The very creature calling me her 'betrothed'.
In stark contrast, this is me:
A self-portrait just like every art course has you do. Take note how the two of us look nothing like a couple.
"Er, hey, you haven't displeased me at all," I stutter out, in my feeble attempt to hide that right now I'm very, very displeased. "I'm just trying to remember just how last night went down, that's all. Well, I think it was last night, last night I was conscious anyway," I tell her, scratching my head. Like how the hell I ever got engaged to, well, whatever she is. I don't feel the least bit hungover, so that rules out drinking, though that makes this the one time I wish I had a hangover.
"You or your lineage would have received an invitation to our Festival of Marriage. From there, the Watchers would have judged we were the best match, uniting us in engagement," she says to me, then bows, well as much as a chimera can bow, and adds, "I do hope I have helped you. Truly, I am most honoured, it is a rare blessing for anyone from Monstrum to marry one from Miraculum."
"...What to marry one from what?" I ask. Though I'll at least take making no sense whatsoever over her trying to eat me, assuming that's off the table.
"Ah, I apologise again. I thoughtlessly forgot that we are largely unknown to those from Miraculum," she says. Yeah, you don't say. "Our world is Monstrum, though of course Mysterium is the more polite term. Your world is Miraculum, the world beside. Both are what you would call Earth, yet both are most times invisible to the other."
Okay, secret invisible monster world, got it. Huh, to think I'd be over the moon to learn this 'Monstrum' existed as a kid, yet now I want nothing more to do with it. That said, "Really, you call my world 'Miraculum'? Miserable old Romania, hell, miserable old Earth, 'miraculous'? Take it from a local, if you monsters visited the place more, you'd be calling it anything else," I go off.
She then shrinks back and mutters, "Forgive me, I cannot say exactly why the word 'Miraculum' was chosen," I'm noticing she has a serious saying-sorry habit, "but I suppose it is because your world still a chance of salvation. We of Monstrum are... less fortunate." Now she's giving me flashbacks to why I stopped going to Church the minute I moved out of my parents' place.
On a lighter note, I think I can piece together what happened last night again. "Okay, I think I remember now. I found this weird invite snail-mailed to me of all things, saying I was an eligible bachelor for an arranged marriage event in the Hoia Forest. Thought it was just some fellow students pulling a prank, since bridal auctions haven't been a thing in ages," so I'm told, "and especially with Hoia being kook central. Still, since my parents are always nagging me to find a girlfriend," that and I'm the last single man of my social circle, not that I feel comfortable saying so, "I was curious to go along anyway. Turned up in what looked like a sea of living shadows, and yeah, that'd be where we met."
In response, she gives me a look that feels like a frown, her face being locked into that jagged smile regardless. "You, you thought our Festival of Marriage was a 'prank'? No, I see, Miraculum is unfamiliar with Monstrum, that is... reasonable. Though I assure you, were a Scholomance student to pull a prank, it wouldn't resemble a marriage festival at all."
I admit, the slight edge to her voice had me ready to scurry on out of this place. But hey, I've been having a mostly pleasant conversation so far with a chimeric abomination, so that's... sure something.
Also, she's saying the Scholomance of lore is actually real? What, is Santa Claus too? For some reason, I hesitate to ask that out loud. Does make it funny I went to Cluj when that was apparently an option.
"By the way, I don't think we've given our names yet." You'd think that'd happen before an arranged freakin' marriage between us, but anyway. "I'm-"
"My husband, you give me your name so early," she gasps, covering her face in I presume shame with, er, what look like mandibles. "This is more an honour than I truly deserve." Oh no, not that pity talk again.
Then she scuttles back, "I of course have no name. I am referred to as the Eldest Daughter of the Youngest Brood of the Lineages twixt Belial and Abaddon." Before I can exclaim that there's no way I'm calling her that, and that said Belial and Abaddon better not be who I think they are, she helpfully adds, "Of course, as my husband-to-be, you have every right to name me what you please."
I'd... rather not get into the implications of that, I'm already dealing with a ton right now. Begs some serious questions about how she was raised though. Anyway, trying to be polite as I 'name' her, I ask "Okay, how about-
Her voices wobbles gleefully at the name, her smile somehow feeling like a real smile and not just how her face is contorted to look. "Thank you, oh thank you dear husband," she says. Wait, aren't I still 'husband-to-be'?
But she's quick to go back to "Oh, I'm so sorry. I have neglected to mention that I have already brought you breakfast." She then points to a silver tray on the dusty bedside table, upon which is laid out... what looks like a pile of bugs! Worms, beetles, millipedes, I haven't a slightest idea what these things are, and she wants me to swallow them?!
Article:
[ ] Well, let's get this over with. Down the hatch...
[ ] I'll say I like to be alone when I eat... then just get rid of them.
[ ] Guess I should be honest and just tell her I can't eat bugs.
-[ ] Well, probably not. Raw animal matter usually disagrees with human digestion, anyway. (Simon_Jester write-in)
-[ ] Humans can eat bugs, but usually cooked, plus we don't know what these are and they can be poisonous so have her elaborate on each bug and their delicacy, gets her talking as a bonus (Slothrot write-in)
[ ] Write-in
-[ ] I'm pretty sure I'll get sick if I eat anything with more than six legs… I'll stick with just the insects for now. (Eater write-in)
-[ ] "Since we don't know much about each other, are you sure those are safe for me to eat?" (SpacePaladin write-in)
Being a Norn sucked back in the Age of Sagas. Being a Norn still sucks now. Nobody likes a fate-weaver. Verthandi has no past or future, but she and her sisters can change yours. Just don't make their job even harder for them...
Koyomi was a magical girl, was. One of many Hanazakari that fought the immortals who tried to steal all human emotion, but that was decades ago. And then she meets Miyako, a fangirl who's ecstatic to talk to a real Hanazakari. Unfortunately, Koyomi's not what she expected...
A high school student looking for friendship and trying to find it in fame, you've received an invitation to join no less than the most popular clique in school, the All-Aces! However, they have an... odd initiation ritual, called 'The Persona Game'. And why did they choose you, of all people?
It was a strange woman called The Doctor who found me, saying she was a time traveller who'd lived for centuries. I was trapped in an endless castle, then she showed me what true endlessness really looked like. I can go with her anywhere in time and space now... except back home.
This is such a fun concept!! I love the character art!
[x] Andrei Ciobanu (Brave Shepherd)
Her shepherd to self confidence!
[x] Artamona?"
Harsh syllable to start and the sweet as candy, seems just like her?
[x] I'm pretty sure I'll get sick if I eat anything with more than six legs… I'll stick with just the insects for now.
I remember seeing this on some nature show one time
Edit: This one looks good also
[X] Guess I should be honest and just tell her I can't eat bugs.
- [X] Humans can eat bugs, but usually cooked, plus we don't know what these are and they can be poisonous so have her elaborate on each bug and their delicacy, gets her talking as a bonus
[X] Silvian Anghel
[] Write-in
-[] Edie (ED, Eldest Daughter)
[X] Edie (ED, Eldest Daughter)
[X] Write-in
-[X] "Since we don't know much about each other, are you sure those are safe for me to eat?"
[X] Guess I should be honest and just tell her I can't eat bugs.
-[X] Well, probably not. Raw animal matter usually disagrees with human digestion, anyway.
These 'monsters' seem to have an actual civilization and probably aren't phenotypically uniform. They're almost certainly used to 'accommodations' in the sense that different kinds of beings have different dietary and even furniture needs; one size does not fit all.
[X] Silvian Anghel
[X] Viorica?"
[X] Guess I should be honest and just tell her I can't eat bugs.
- [X] Humans can eat bugs, but usually cooked, plus we don't know what these are and they can be poisonous so have her elaborate on each bug and their delicacy, gets her talking as a bonus
By the way, while I'll be including illustrations with this Quest, I wouldn't quite call it an Art Quest since it's still mostly prose. Hope this clears up any possible confusion
[X] Andrei Ciobanu (Brave Shepherd)
[X] Edie (ED, Eldest Daughter)
[X] Guess I should be honest and just tell her I can't eat bugs.
- [X] Humans can eat bugs, but usually cooked, plus we don't know what these are and they can be poisonous so have her elaborate on each bug and their delicacy, gets her talking as a bonus
This looks fun so far! New monster wife seems really sweet, and the culture clash should be interesting to see play out.
Also, I was originally planning to start this Quest at an earlier point in time, when the protag first received the Marriage Festival invite. But I then moved it ahead to when he first wakes up in the monster's castle, since I was concerned the Marriage Festival section could be too on-rails for a Quest, and that starting here would give the players the chance to make choices more quickly
[X] Silvian Anghel (Forest Angel)
[X] Write-in
-[X] Edie (ED, Eldest Daughter)
[X] Guess I should be honest and just tell her I can't eat bugs.
- [X] Humans can eat bugs, but usually cooked, plus we don't know what these are and they can be poisonous so have her elaborate on each bug and their delicacy, gets her talking as a bonus
[X] Lucian Athanasiu (Light Immortal)
[X] Edie (ED, Eldest Daughter)
[X] Guess I should be honest and just tell her I can't eat bugs.
- [X] Humans can eat bugs, but usually cooked, plus we don't know what these are and they can be poisonous so have her elaborate on each bug and their delicacy, gets her talking as a bonus
My vote:
[X] Andrei Ciobanu (Brave Shepherd)
[X] Edie (ED, Eldest Daughter)
[X] Guess I should be honest and just tell her I can't eat bugs.
- [X] Humans can eat bugs, but usually cooked, plus we don't know what these are and they can be poisonous so have her elaborate on each bug and their delicacy, gets her talking as a bonus
As for why this is Quest is in first-person, that's for a couple of reasons. Partly it's 'cause I like the characterisation potential it holds, but also it's because I wasn't sure how much the protag was going to resonate with players (namely him very much not being into monsters). Something I learned from Persona: The Beautiful was that second-person works best when players really resonate with the protag.
So, the use of first-person in this Quest helps me establish our lead as a distinct if still controllable character, whereas were this quest in the usual second-person it could feel like I'm putting words in players' mouths
Well, there's at least one person who's not specifically 'into monsters' and who is following the quest out of intellectual curiosity. [waves hello]
So I don't think as such that the protagonist is going to 'fail to resonate' because that's not his personal enthusiasm either... but it may be best this way for the quest as a whole, given that there are a number of people in here who probably are personally enthusiastic.
[X] Guess I should be honest and just tell her I can't eat bugs.
- [X] Humans can eat bugs, but usually cooked, plus we don't know what these are and they can be poisonous so have her elaborate on each bug and their delicacy, gets her talking as a bonus
[X] Andrei Ciobanu (Brave Shepherd)
[X] Viorica?"
[X] Guess I should be honest and just tell her I can't eat bugs.
- [X] Humans can eat bugs, but usually cooked, plus we don't know what these are and they can be poisonous so have her elaborate on each bug and their delicacy, gets her talking as a bonus
Looking at the votes, right now the names Andrei Ciobanu and Silvian Anghel are tied, it's just the Andrei votes are all grouped together while the Silvian votes are split between 'Silvian Anghel' and 'Silvian Anghel (Forest Angel)'
I've only just found out there's already a quest with the exact same name as this one from several years back. As QM and Content Promoter, it's my bad for not checking existing titles beforehand. Good thing I found out this soon though.
Was thinking to retitle this something like 'Marry the Monster' or 'Monster Bride, Mortal Husband', assuming GhoulKing doesn't mind the name closeness
