Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Fairy Tale Spotlight: Make Your Own Satyr

Before I begin this spotlight, I want to start by pointing out that, for the last few weeks, I have been doing two Fairy Tale Spotlights a week. They generally get posted on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Lots of really awesome stuff in these blogs. I know because I wrote them! And with that, let's begin!

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Why make your own Satyr? Why not? Satyrs don't have to be the hedonistic creatures that they were in ancient mythology. But they could be just as well. They can be good or they can be villains. Today, I am going to help you make your own satyr which will fit right there into your imagination. You can do something with him or you can just let him sit there and get bored. Whatever you like!

The first thing you need to figure out is how much man and how much goat. A lot of the early statues and paintings show the satyr to have the torso of a man with a beard. Everything below is like the rear of a horse but with a small tail. But you can choose what you like. He could be simply an anthropomorphic goat with the oddly bent legs of an animal. Then again, he could have a man torso with floppy goat ears. What about a boy? He could look like a boy with goat ears and the cute, furry torso. Horns? He may have horns too! Long ones or curly ones, it doesn't really matter.

This is the part where you simply decide what your satyr is going to look like. You don't have to go by any rules. The basics are simply that he be part human and part goat. How much or how little is up to you. The only real standard is that the bottom half generally ends in hooves.

Does your satyr like to play music? He may not. Not all satyrs in history played musical instruments. But if he does, what instrument is it? Traditionally, it is a set of pipes. However, it can be really anything you like. What abut a violin? A fiddle? I had one friend who went so far as to make him a DJ at a club. I'm not joking! If you don't want him to be musically inclined, don't worry. It's allowed.

So you got his looks down and you gave him an instrument he can play (maybe). Where is he right now? Is he in ancient Greece? Rome? Modern day? Your own world? Try to imagine the place he would be skipping around. It is not necessary that he stays there, but it is always good to have a starting place to help you visualize him. My friend with the DJ satyr had him in modern day and even dressed him in baggy clothing. I thought that was pretty clever! The sky is the limit with this one.

You need to give him a name. Single syllable names are much preferred but they can also be 2 or 3-syllable names. NO MORE! Try to come up with something simple that rolls right off of the tongue. Remember that satyrs are usually musical creatures. Their name needs to sound as pleasant as the music they perform. If this ends up being a bit too hard for you, try visiting this site right here: http://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/satyr-faun-names.php#.WqgT4G3wbIU

Try to pick a simple one! Not everything the site suggests is very easy to pronounce.

The last and likely the most important part is to choose a personality for your satyr. His personality is based upon what is important to him. In this case, we have three traits to go by. They are as follows:

1. Nature
2. Control
3. Lust

You can only pick one of these so I'll break them down for you.

1. Nature
These are the more free spirited and playful sorts of satyrs. You may wish to give them the title of "faun" if you wish. They skip around outside and play music. They are extremely friendly and nice to everyone they meet without being pushy. If your satyr is a sexually open character, as they usually tend to be in lore, they will be very flirty and open to it, but will allow the other to make the decision whether or not to proceed. The nature-loving satyr simply wants to be apart of nature and live among it as the other animals do. They are peaceful and friendly through and through.

2. Control
Some satyrs are more opportunistic. They want to rise up and control their destinies. Marsya of Ancient Greek lore was like that. He was trying to make a name for himself (although it did not work out for him AT ALL!) A satyr seeking control will try to rise up in rank in whatever society he is. He could get into politics or join contests. The ultimate goal is to have power over others. If your satyr is a sexual active creature, he may attempt to own other people for those reasons. Nevertheless, he shall be a charming personality, not out right villainous on the surface. He will scheme his way to great heights by using his own clout to get there.

3. Lust
This represents the most selfish of all the types of satyrs. They literally live life for pleasure. They do so without anyone's interest in mind. Typically a villain, they will use others for their own pleasure and drop them when they grow bored. These satyrs are usually impoverished. They can even be the slaves of others. This is because they are not really opportunists. They are simply trying to seek pleasure in the easiest way possible--with as little work as necessary. These satyrs are extremely flirtatious and can be known to force themselves on others without consent.

Once you have chosen one of these three traits, you should have a good idea what your satyrs will look like and act like. From there, you should be able to come up with the rest. And this brings us to the final portion of this blog: The Assignment.

In the comment section below, I would like you to write as much about your satyr as you can. Describe him entirely based on the sections of this blog. Also remember to mention which of the three traits that was important to him. Those are very big in defining who he will inevitably become. Before I end this blog, here is a look at my own personal satyr that I have used in some of my books:

Name: Zekky (Diminutive version of the name Zek)
Appearance: He looks like a boy with goat ears and the lower half is completely animal-like with a little tail and hooves.
Instrument:A set of pipes with the power to rearrange landscapes as he plays them.
Setting: My own fictional world of Carnetheria.
Personality Trait: Nature
Further Exposition: Zekky was tossed out of his home of Fata Morgana by the one-and-only Pan for being too chaotic. He was also memory wiped as a result. He is extremely friendly to everyone and has a cute innocence about him. Zekky is really open to all possibilities and enjoys making friends on their terms. He lives for love and creation and can fall into a deep depression if such things are taken away from him. He is open sexually but only if someone approaches him. Although his friendly behavior can sometimes seem like flirting, he may not actually know he is doing it.

Let me know what you come up with!

Thank you for reading my blog. I hope you will try out the assignment in the comment section below! You can also email me at tkwadeauthor@gmail.com. Thanks!



13 comments:

  1. Name: Troq (Short for Troqaz)
    Appearance: Stout and wide body, with a small bit of a gut on a goat's torso
    Instrument:Tympanum (Hand Drum)
    Setting: Ancient Greece
    Personality Trait: Lust
    Further Exposition: Troqaz has always loved wine, song, and pleasure, but mostly wine. More often than not, he can usually be seen being tossed out of a party, usually for absconding with and/or drinking every vase of wine he can get his hands on. Often, he will find a way to work himself into a band or travelling group of performers, usually one needing someone skilled with the tympanum, though his true motivations are usually centered around the after parties.

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    1. I do love the idea of a satyr with a drum. Very cute! It's funny how he tries to sneak into bands in order to indulge himself. Ultimately a loser who just keeps on trying. I love it!

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  2. Name: Boon Orpheopolous

    Appearance: Short stature with curly blond locks down to his shoulders. Arms and torso are covered in fur, but his belly and chest are bare. That fur is white. Horns are mid length with a slight inward curl.

    Instrument: French Horn

    Setting: Currently residing in an old cathedral in Wales

    Personality Trait: Control

    Further Exposition: Left his home in Greece after a troubled life of having to defend himself with what he had from assailants and plunderers of his home town to obtain strong weapons, magical relics, and learn arcane arts to gather power and assure he and who or whatever he cares about stays safe from harm. One such relic he saw almost swallowed him alive before his eyes before his search for magical relics ended in a fearful halt. Instead, he sought solely magecraft and spied on magicians in order to learn things. Through having spied on one magical entity who calls himself "The Mender," he became a devout follower of this creature who promised to teach him what he could for a price yet unknown, but not insisted upon for whatever reasons "The Mender" won't disclose. Now having found a secure place under a mysterious and powerful being's wing, he seeks, now, to open up to his more lighthearted side, which he hasn't had the chance to do for a century. He didn't take up the French Horn until he met "The Mender" and heard one during a Christmas Festival. The two both dearly enjoy the stalwart bass of the instrument and the serene spirit of the holidays. As for sexual things, Boon's laid with several patrons he had spied upon and offered his body as an apology towards the beginning when caught. This turned to him selling himself for learning spells there for a while, but that was a short lived service thanks to his latent desire to enjoy his life away from studying and hunting for power. They grew so strong, that the sex stopped being about the price of knowledge and more about filling the void of actual fun in his life. There were advances made on "The Mender," but these thoughts were quelled when he tried the old trick of selling his tail for magic to a man that strikes fear into his heart if "The Mender" so much as touched him after the initiation. The man he followed to power could bottle him like a fine wine if he didn't enjoy his company as much as he does, so the idea of laying with "The Mender" is out of the question. Though still figuring himself out as a person, he's quite the proactive little dude despite how cowardly he can be when confronted. Loves to sightsee and travel with his favorite places having been England, Sweden, Germany, and Italy. Living on the move following "The Mender's" mission towards a new roost has net Boon secondhand experience to several cultures. If he hadn't have picked up the French Horn, he'd be an Oud player.

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    1. ALSO, he's got a light, yet wide Y-shaped scar originating from his right pectoral that trails out. Forgot something. ^^;

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    2. Also, ALSO, that top one's me :x

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    3. Wonderfully elaborate and well designed satyr! You put a lot of love into it! This Satyr displays a lot more personality than is commonly given. Satyrs are known to be pretty binary. This is not a complaint. He made good use of the Control personality trait, and I like what you did there.

      Another thing I want to mention to the benefit of my other readers is how this participator's brainstorming led to the creation of other characters. Creation tends to lead to multiple paths, and when taken, they expand outside of the original idea or intention. Jay's assignment here is a good example of what makes humans so wonderful.

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  3. His name is PRANCE and his instrument is the fiddle. He lives in the modern day. He has a goatee and a shaggy head of hair. He has small horns under the mop of hair. His upper body is the hairy and muscular chest and arms of a man. His legs are that of a goat. He is endowed like a horse. He is the henchman of a rich and influential sorcerer. His era is the modern day and he is hidden in the mansion of his master... where he is "blessed" to indulge with guests. He plays his fiddle for his master's pleasure.

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    1. Very good, but you missed out on mentioning his personality trait. Not to worry! I can do it for you. It is clear that his trait falls under Lust. This was clear when you mentioned that he was a henchman with no clear interest in moving beyond that form of employment.

      The idea of a Satyr playing a fiddle is very fun! I am sure that adds a lot to his charm. And I am sure there are many visitors who would like to spend some time with him, for whatever reason.

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  4. Name: Dardaem
    Appearance: Tall and muscular, looks rough around the edges. He has ram-like horns that accentuate his stubborn personality. (I did a character sketch here )
    Instrument: A set of dual pipe flutes that interlock, they also come apart to become his weapons. They are rumored to have been forged by Hephaestus himself and are said to be unbreakable.
    Setting: Modern
    Personality Trait: Control
    Further Exposition: Dardaem has spent his whole life fighting his own nature in an attempt to forge his own destiny. He is resentful of the "gods" and the cruel games they play at the expense of humanity. Dardaem spent most of his life as a drifter, he has always had a fascination with humans and absolutely will put himself in harms way to protect any stranger that otherwise would become a victim of an injustice. He prefers big cities as they are easy to hide in and loves to watch humanity vicariously. Many urban legends have started as a result of his actions.

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    1. You made up for Jay's submission by adding a picture. This is far and above what I asked for. Great job! So this is very much a super hero variety of a satyr. It just goes to show you that the imagination has no limits! I love this character and am very pleased to actually be able to look at him.

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  5. If we can enjoy our own holidays, knowing their origins, then there is nothing wrong with the enjoyment of fantastic creatures. Evil doesn't make anything, so it doesn't have any say over what is done. Those who imagine better will always make things better.

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    1. You didn't make a satyr. O.o This wasn't a comment blog, it was an assignment blog. Fail.

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    2. Just to get this out there, this person informed me through a third party that he has a strong distaste for satyrs. This mostly gets him off the hook, but probably would have preferred him to either say so or not post at all. Not sure why people play these sorts of games. Either way, that's what happened.

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