#askminotaur

[loominggaia]

Minotaur puberty be like

Minotaurs, age 15:

Minotaurs, age 16:

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[loominggaia]

Dumb question that MAY be NSFW/You haven't even considered it: Do different species' milks taste different? Like, could I tell whether a cup of milk was a minotaur's or a roshava's titty milk? Or would the differences only be noticeable to someone with a keen sense of taste. Also, Chapter 5's out rn. We got Azura this time, oh yea

It's okay, I've also been asked how different peoples' meat tastes, so this question is not unusual to me at all lol. #JustLoomingGaiaThings

I imagine milk would taste different depending on species, because their bodies process nutrients and minerals differently. For example, trolls process vitamin D from foods more efficiently than other peoples, and goblins process plant-based proteins more efficiently, while elves process sugar gracefully and dworfs process fats slowly. I think this would cause the nutrient compositions of their breast milks to be quite different.

Minotaur milk is unique because the nutrients are balanced, making it well-tolerated by all other species. Sirene milk, for example, is extremely high in fat and would be bad for dworfen babies. But dworf and sirene babies can both be raised on minotaur milk with no major consequences.

(I'm loving your fic by the way! Everyone can check it out ---> here <---)

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[loominggaia]

Do trolls have anything akin to cuisine and traditional dishes? Just because you can eat just about anything doesn't mean it has to be presented with no flair. :D I suppose same question for minotaurs. Are there any foods other races go out of their way to try from either of these groups (besides minotaur milk)?

They certainly do! Trolls are in a unique position where they can eat damn near anything without consequence, even foods that are totally raw, filthy, or rotten. But what's even more unique is the fact that they like the taste of nasty, rotten food!

A troll's sense of smell and taste oppose that of most peoples'. By that I mean, smells and tastes that other peoples find pleasant are usually unpleasant to trolls, and vice versa. Taste is subjective, but we can agree that 99% of humans would retch if they put a rotten egg in their mouth. Meanwhile, the average troll can--and will--happily devour it, and enjoy it much more than a fresh egg.

Because of this, trolls have developed many unique dishes that only their species can safely eat. I will warn you, some of the following text is really disgusting. So if you get grossed out easily, consider skipping the rest of the post.

With that said, let's take a look some of these troll-specific dishes from around the world!

Redge: A rotten egg slathered in bitter herbs.

Plopslop: The manure of a herbivorous animal, boiled down into a soup with half-composted vegetables added.

Grrsi: Fresh meat is inoculated with fly eggs, which hatch and partially digest the meat over time. The meat becomes infested with the fat grubs, which are the main attraction of the dish.

Urizluuk: The urine of a male goat, fermented for months in an alcoholic fruit broth. This is a popular drink dating back to ancient times.

Akwi: Raw fish heads, left to dry in the sun until they smell putrid. Sometimes akwi is made with clams or some other sealife instead.

Dukleka: Garlic is force-fed to rats over the course of many days, then rats are fed to a pig-hawk, which has its rear-end sewn shut. The garlicky rats ferment in its GI tract until the bird dies of bloat, then its stomach and intestines are removed and eaten as a delicacy.

Zlub: This is not a meal in itself, but a sauce made from boiled slug slime and rancid onions. It's added to other foods to give it a slimy, repulsive texture that trolls love.

Volzkriz: Animal blubber (traditionally from a walrus or whale) is boiled down into a liquid and then left to cool, forming a hard block of fat. This can be eaten fresh, but it said to taste better the more rancid it gets.

There are lots more, but I'm sure you get the idea...Even ogres, who can tolerate rancid corpses, will be sickened by some of the things on this list. This gives trolls a serious survival advantage over other species.

As for minotaurs, they are a lot less tolerant of rotten foods. However, they can tolerate tough fibers which are undigestible by most peoples. This includes things like raw grass, bark, and woody vegetation. Even trolls struggle to digest these fibers unless they compost them down to a softer form, but minotaurs can eat them fresh, no preparation needed. This is also quite a big survival advantage.

Minotaurs have quite an affinity for fresh grass, and some of them can get quite snobby about it. There are many debates about which type of grass is best for taste and health, and how best to prepare it. Cooked or raw? Some insist that cooking the grass is culinary heresy, and its subtle flavors should be enjoyed in their purest form as nature intended. There are common grasses which are considered "peasant food" and other, rarer species which are enjoyed by royalty.

Grass is a big meme in Etios Nation. Even the Etiosi make fun of themselves for their apparent cultural obsession with grass, and it certainly hasn't gone unnoticed by foreigners. "Go eat some grass" is a common insult hurled towards minotaurs worldwide.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[loominggaia]

darkwingphoenix Sorry, sorry: What I meant by the last one is this: How much damage can be cause by the average ogre/centaur/minotaur when they just go berserk and just start smashing everyone/thing within grabbing range, assuming a normal, say, Evangelite village plaza? Asking for a friend. Me. I'm the friend.

-----

I see! I think it depends heavily on the individual person and the area they're rampaging in.

A raging adult centaur in a small cafe? The whole interior is getting wrecked. Furniture smashed, windows and doors broken, people thrown, the works.

In the middle of a wide open street with no vehicles around? Some windows might get smashed, maybe a stop sign bent, but overall the infrastructure is going to be too tough for them to damage much. An ogre or minotaur might be able to head-bash some cracks in a cement wall.

Overall I'd say "Imagine a horse, bull, or silverback gorilla going nuts" and that's about the level of damage we're talking about.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[loominggaia]

I MUST know more about minotaur milk. How is it made? How is it harvested? Who is buying this? Is it weird to drink it? Can it come from male minotaurs? Is it really good for you? What does it taste like? Is it expensive? Is it the same as cow's milk? Sorry for all the questions I just have to know lmfao.

Don't worry, those are all great questions!

How is it made/harvested?

There are private companies that run minotaur-milking facilities. And no, it's not like some weird porno thing...I imagine it's similar to a blood donation clinic. Eligible minotaurs go in at their leisure, get tested for disease, then get hooked up to a milking device and chill until they're done. They're probably paid depending on the amount of milk produced. Minotaurs naturally over-produce milk and often don't know what to do with it, so earning a few bucks to get rid of it is win/win.

Who is buying this?

The biggest consumers are actually orphaned babies. Minotaur milk is unique because it's a "universal milk", meaning it's well tolerated by all peoples. Even baby gorgons and cecaelia can use it as a food source, despite being non-mammalian species. It is also well tolerated by sick and elderly adults.

Hospitals, orphanages, and nursing homes buy a lot of minotaur milk. But it's also sold in stores and pharmacies to the general public. In some regions it's marketed as a "health drink", and some dishonest companies claim it can do all kinds of things it really can't (like build muscle instantly, increase sex drive, cure diseases, reverse hair loss etc.) In other regions, it's marketed as a protein supplement or just a regular beverage.

Is it weird to drink it?

This really depends on the culture. There are some cultures that wouldn't dare drink this stuff, even if their life depended on it. There are others who don't think twice about it, it's just a normal drink like any other. There are some cultures that consider it weird unless it's for medical purposes. It's highly individual, everyone has their own opinion.

Can it come from male minotaurs?

I guess technically, some male minotaurs may be able to lactate. But this is not the norm, and they wouldn't be able to produce enough to sell. Nor do I think the milking clinics would accept males anyway. Everything on the market comes from females only.

Is it really good for you?

Minotaur milk is very dense in calories and fat. If you're already overweight, it's not something you should consume. But if you're trying to gain weight or recover from an illness, then yes, it's quite helpful. Hospitals give malnourished babies minotaur milk instead of their native species' milk because it fattens them up quickly. It's dense enough to feed even heavyweight species like ogres and centaurs.

Of course, its nutritional value also depends on the health of the minotaur who donated it. Healthier minotaurs produce healthier milk. These clinics will not accept any random crackhead minotaur who stumbles through the door...I imagine there must be some quality assurance in place.

What does it taste like?

Probably very neutral? Nobody is drinking it for the taste, I'll tell you that. It's consumed mainly for its health benefits, real or perceived.

Is it expensive?

It can be cheap or expensive, depending on many factors. Current supply and demand, shipping distance, the company distributing it, the store selling it, etc.

Is it the same as cow's milk?

No, I think it's quite different. Cow's milk is poorly tolerated by many people across all species. Meanwhile, even the lactose-intolerant can drink minotaur's milk without problems. Cow's milk probably tastes better though!

That concludes the lesson. Congratulations, you are now a qualified Minotaur Mommy Milker(tm)! Here is your totally real and legit certificate:

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[loominggaia]

Heya. Although they aren’t my favorite of Gaia’s peoples (That would be the Fauns and Ogres) I do think Minotaurs are quite underrated as a species. Do you have any interesting facts or trivia for them?

Sure!

Minotaurs have very thick skulls that require a lot of calcium to develop properly. As children, they obtain the most calcium from their mother's milk. As adults they mainly get it from vegetables, bonemeal, and dairy products. Minotaurs who were malnourished as children often have small, oddly shaped, or asymmetrical horns in adulthood.

Minotaurs are prone to neck and back problems due to their excessively heavy skulls. Races with larger horns are even more at risk, like those with Hookskull and Stoneshaker ancestry.

Many people believe minotaurs have 4 stomachs, but this is false. They actually have one stomach with four separate chambers. This allows them to digest tough fibers like grass.

They have the shortest lifespans of all gaians at just 50-60 years.

Technically they are stronger than centaurs in terms of raw upper body strength. However, they can't get the speed/momentum that centaurs can, so it often appears that they are weaker.

All minotaurs can touch their nose with their tongue.

Some minotaurs have long manes that resemble hair and beards.

A minotaur toddler is as strong as an adult human male.

Their manes and fur both gray with age.

That's all I can think of at the moment!

[loominggaia]

Do other peoples besides centaurs use special or unique furniture that humans don't?

Yes! A lot of this depends on region too. For instance, in some regions people use chairs, and in others they prefer to sit on cushions or just the ground. In some regions people use eating utensils, and in others they use their hands to eat. So the following isn't true globally, just in some places.

With that said...

All heavyweight species require heavyweight-rated furniture. Stuff like tables, chairs, bed frames, and so on are made of tougher materials to withstand the extra weight of these species. Of course these furniture pieces are much larger too.

Chairs made for ogres have a gap for their tails to poke through. More often, these chairs don't have a back at all, so they're more like stools.

Dishes and utensils are bigger and burlier to accommodate heavyweight species. These things have to survive the heavyweights' great strength and crushing jaws. Normal forks and spoons just bend like paperclips, and normal glass dishes break too easily. Heavyweights typically use dishes made of wood, metal, or stone.

Trolls have massive hands, so there are a variety of troll-specific objects like tools and dishes with fatter handles.

Heavyweights' objects in general are bigger. For example, a watering can meant for middleweight species might hold one or two gallons of water. But heavyweights are strong enough to hold much more, so their watering can would seem ridiculously large to a human.

Ogres and trolls don't typically use mattresses, and if they do, they're just hay or animal pelts spread on the floor. This is because their skin is so rough that they tear through fabrics quickly. If an ogre lays on your couch, I'm sorry to say your upholstery is not long for this world...

Minotaur dwellings have tall, keyhole-shaped doorways to accommodate large horns. (Fauns also have doors like this, but smaller)

Gnomes repurpose objects meant for larger species all the time. A spool of thread, for instance, might make a nice end table for a gnome. A child's dollhouse can even be converted into a real house in some cases!

Many gnomes find this tacky and don't wish to use hand-me-down trash from other species. Instead, they make their own furniture out of natural materials around them. They braid fur and hair of larger creatures into ropes or weave it into tapestries. Since they're so small, gnomes are capable of extremely fine detail work. No one makes finer jewelry or dollhouse furniture than they do. "Crafted by gnomes" is an attractive selling point for some objects.

Chairs meant for roshava have four arm rests instead of two.

Sirenes don't really use furniture underwater, but they do use it on the shore, and of course it must be made out of waterproof materials. You won't see sirenes sitting on cotton upholstery, which holds water and gets moldy. Instead, they prefer cushions and fabrics woven from water-repellent fibers like grasses and seaweed. This goes for cecaelia as well.

You'll never find stairs in a gorgon house because this species doesn't have legs. For the record, gorgons can climb stairs, but it's awkward and not exactly safe for them. Instead, they prefer smooth ramps and elevators. Wheelchair-accessible infrastructure doubles as gorgon-accessible!

Of course, all furniture meant for dworfs is shorter than it is for other species.

That's all I can think of at the moment!

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

[loominggaia]

I’m a bit curious on why Minotaurs are the shortest lived of the Gaian’s now? Fauns ofc have a weak immune system and Centaurs have a ludicrously complex body, but how come the Minotaurs live so short?

Good question! The natural lifespan of a minotaur is only 50-60 years. They reach adolescence at 10 and full physical maturity at 16. They are considered elders at just 40 years old.

As you can see, minotaurs seem to age quite rapidly compared to humans and most other peoples. This is a trend with heavyweight peoples in general. Heavier peoples on Looming Gaia--trolls, ogres, minotaurs, and centaurs--mature faster and have shorter lifespans than lightweight and middleweight species overall.

Researchers believe the sheer weight of minotaurs (and other heavyweights) takes a toll on their bodies and causes them to "break down" faster. Their muscles, bones, and organs have more strain to deal with and wear out quickly. They are immensely strong and tough species, but a shorter lifespan is the price they pay for it.

Since their bodies wear down faster, they must mature faster to compensate. So, they live hard and die young.

Minotaurs have a unique feature that other heavyweights don't: their heads are disproportionately heavy. This is due to the density of their skulls and horns, which can withstand devastating forces. Lugging these massive heads around for 40 years takes a toll on a minotaur's neck and spine in particular. Once the spine gives out, mobility is greatly reduced, and this sedentism is what sends most minotaurs to their graves by the time 50 rolls around.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[loominggaia]

So Minotaurs can actually eat grass!? Does that mean Minotaurs have multiple stomachs/ stomach chambers like cattle and other ungulates have?

Yep! Centaurs have two stomachs and cecaelia have three. Many people believe that minotaurs have multiple stomachs as well, but they don't. They actually have one stomach with multiple chambers within it, and these special chambers allow them to digest really tough fibers that most other species can't.

Even centaurs and cecaelia, with their multiple separate stomachs, can't digest these fibers like minotaurs can.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[loominggaia]

Can minotaurs stick there tongues in there noses like cows

Anon in my inbox, asking the real questions. The important questions.

I had a good laugh thinking about this. I'm going to say yes they can! A lot of animals lick their nostrils or eyes, which seems gross to us but it does serve a purpose in nature.

I think because minotaurs have hands, they wouldn't need to clean their noses with their tongues. But because the shape of their face is identical to a bovine's, they have the same range of movement and they could if they wanted to.

I imagine it's the type of thing minotaur children do because they don't know any better, or slobby adult minotaurs who were not taught proper manners. But most civilized minotaurs would look down on this behavior.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

[loominggaia]

Have you developed any Etios subcultures?

Just a few so far!

Freebillies - Satyrs who wish to return to a more traditional way of life. They reject the concept of civilization and instead live “free” nomadic lives. Etio Nation is one of the very few Great Kingdoms that not only allows satyrs to live this way, but actively encourages it by designating special nature preserves for these individuals. These preserves are essentially lawless zones where satyrs can do whatever they want. But as a tradeoff, these satyrs must revoke their Etiosi citizenship and lose all benefits that entails, including access to hospitals, welfare, police protection, schooling, etc.

There are different types of freebillies, some more dedicated to the feral lifestyle than others. The most radical of them refuse to interact with townsfolk or set foot in permanent structures at all, while the less dedicated freebillies might camp in the woods and rely on civilization for supplies.

Freebillies are stereotyped as rowdy, hedonistic, and sexually aggressive by outsiders. Females are sometimes called “freenannies”. While this subculture is largely dominated by satyrs, other species may occasionally be accepted into the group; particularly nymphs and fauns.

Horners - Also disparagingly known as “horny boys”, this subculture is exclusive to horned gaians: satyrs, fauns, and minotaurs. They are vain males who are obsessed with their own horns, particularly their size. For horners, bigger is always better. They often decorate their horns with paint, jewelry, and intricate carvings to make them stand out. A cracked or chipped horn is emotionally devastating to these men.

While female horners are rare, so-called “ivory queens” are common. These are women who lust after horners and fawn over their majestic horns. Ivory queens may or may not be horned species themselves, but horners always are.

Friends of Fae - This is an Etiosi political movement that fights for fae equality. They want Etiosi's leadership to let go of the past and welcome fae across the border. Some even call for the border to be erased altogether, and the reunification of Etios Nation and Matuzu Kingdom. While this is a rather small fringe group, its members can be quite loud and disruptive while trying to get their point across. They are stereotyped as aimless people with nothing better to do but fight for a pipe dream.

That’s all I have for now, but there may be more in the future as I develop Etios Nation’s culture further.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[loominggaia]

Imagine a guy with a minotaur fetish working at the milking facility lmfao

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[loominggaia]

Great idea! Gorgon poison would be effective against them. It has a temporary paralyzing effect.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

How common are Gorgon slaves in Evangeline? What are they used for?

You’d think because gorgons have no legs, they wouldn’t be as useful to slaveowners as other species. It’s true they can’t jump, but gorgons can actually move pretty damn fast and they’re quite a bit stronger than humans.

Evangelites tend to favor elven and goblin slaves because they’re weaker than humans, and therefore not as dangerous if they rebel. But sometimes you need heavy lifting done and a minotaur or centaur slave is just overkill. Gorgons fill that niche pretty well, especially considering they have very high resistance to disease, so a large number of them can be packed in tight, abysmal living quarters without fear of starting a pandemic.

[loominggaia]

So polygamy is the norm in Etios. What are these poly relationships and marriages like and the typical Etios family structure? And what are the beauty standards of etios as well for men and women?

Polygamy is common in Etios Nation, mostly among minotaurs due to their traditional culture in that region. Monogamy is still a thing, but the majority of Etiosi minotaurs are polygamists.

Most often you will see a male with a bunch of wives, usually 2-3 for poor men, 4-6 for middle class men, and 6+ for rich men. More rarely you might find a female with a bunch of husbands, or even same-sex arrangements.

Here is how Etiosi law works regarding marriage: when a couple gets married, one of them must be legally registered as the "head of household". This person becomes financially responsible for their spouse and children. If they do not pay their bills or provide adequate support for their spouse/child, the law will get involved and they can be fined, jailed, or their marriage can be nullified.

The head of household is allowed to marry as many spouses as they can reasonably support. They must pay a tax every year for each spouse they have. In return, they get benefits like ownership of property/assets and a bank account, among other things. Meanwhile their spouses cannot legally own property or have bank accounts, so long as they are married to a head of household. To get these things, they must register as a head of household themselves. A head of household cannot marry another one--there can only be one head per household.

Let's say an Etiosi man is designated the head of household and he has 4 wives. If he dies, gets too sick to manage things, or he just doesn't want the responsibility anymore, he can legally transfer his head status to one of his wives. Now all of his property and assets, including his bank account, belong to that wife. She now acts as power of attorney for him and his other wives.

If he dies and none of his wives accept the head status, the whole marriage will be nullified. All 4 wives are now considered single again.

Now let's say one of these wives buys herself a house. She is unmarried, so her status defaults to head of household. But if she gets married again and her husband takes the role as head, then the house she bought now legally belongs to him. This also means he is responsible for paying it off if it isn't paid off already.

Getting married might sound like a raw deal for the spouses of a head, but there are actually many legal benefits to doing so. Married Etiosi citizens are entitled to free childcare, food bank access, retirement benefits, special medical care, and even financial help in some situations. They get preferential treatment over unmarried folks in all federal business.

Being unmarried in this kingdom actually kind of sucks. If you’re single, the government pretty much doesn’t give a fuck about you. Etiosi society expects you to live off your parents' support until you get married, then you live off your spouse's support (or support them, if you are the head of household). It's an extremely family-oriented culture. You're going to have a very bad time in this kingdom if you don't get along with your immediate relatives.

As for beauty standards, I really can't say much on that because it differs wildly depending on region, species, and culture. There are many smaller cultures operating within Etios's borders, and each of them have their own opinions about what is considered beautiful.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

[loominggaia]

Given minotaurs' difficulty with vocally communicating with other races, do minotaurs have a sign language for this reason? Or any sign language in Looming Gaia in general?

Good question! There is a standardized form of sign language on Looming Gaia developed by the World Athenaeum. It's used globally, so much like the oral language of Universa, it transcends all cultures.

However, not many people are well-versed in this sign language enough to speak it fluently. It's used mostly as a tool for the deaf. So in general, minotaurs don't bother to learn it because most people won't understand it anyway.

The thing about minotaurs is, most of what they say is communicated through body language. Say they make one sound, but that sound could mean 20 completely different things depending on the position of their body/how they move when they make it. Other minotaurs pick up these cues easily, but other species tend to miss them. The visually impaired especially have a hard time with this.

If the average human, for example, spends enough time around minotaurs, they'll eventually pick up on these subtle cues and maybe even imitate them, consciously or subconsciously.

In areas with high minotaur populations (like Etios Nation), the general public has usually had enough interaction with minotaurs that they've subconsciously picked up their social cues, at least for the most part, and can understand them well enough.

But people who haven't had a lot of interaction with this species are going to be totally lost at first. Minotaurs can speak Universa for the record, it's just that the shape of their mouths gives them a very strong, garbled-sounding accent that's hard for some people to understand. But again, if you're used to hearing this accent, you won't struggle as much.

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

[loominggaia]

Troll anon here. Glad to see my joke post exploding. As an addition how would one go about seducing Gnomes, minotaurs and gorgons? Also with all this info about species attraction, would it be possible to see an article detailing this? If it’s not to much to ask?

So you're responsible for all this chaos! Just kidding...you guys reminded me that Valentine's Day is coming up, so this is actually a great time for these sorts of questions.

I don't know that I'll give this subject its own article, but I can add some little notes about courtship to each species' main article. I'll just throw it in the trivia section or something.

If you're interested in learning more about courtship, romance, and sexuality on Looming Gaia, there's quite a bit of info under the Ask-Sexuality tag! Also try the Ask-LGBT tag for similar stuff.

I can add some tidbits about gnomes, minotaurs and gorgons here real quick though. The following info uses VERY broad generalizations, but you get the idea.

GNOMES

Female gnomes seek males who are hard-working, proactive, and competent at outdoor tasks. Watching a man skillfully chop wood or build something really gets them in the mood, much moreso than what he looks like. Female gnomes are focused on skills and passion much more than appearance. Clumsiness, incompetence, and laziness just turns them off.

Male gnomes are a little more visual, but it's not a female's conventional beauty that draws their eye. They're specifically attracted to wide hips and big breasts because these are indicators that a female will have an easier time bearing and feeding children. They're not into females who appear thin or athletic. It's plump, soft women who catch their attention, but their attraction doesn't end at visuals. Personality is very important to male gnomes. They seek females with maternal qualities, who are caring and nurturing above all else. Behaving in a way that's soft, tender, and generous is the way to a male gnome's heart. Traits like aggression and selfishness are just nasty to them.

MINOTAURS

Female minotaurs are attracted to two main things: strong muscles and strong scent. They seek large males with big, showy muscles. Males with thicker necks, bigger horns, and broader shoulders get the most attention. Females also like to see signs of bravery, such as scars, tattoos, piercings, and other painful body modifications. Aggressive behavior is actually attractive to female minotaurs, as long as its not directed towards them or their children. Males can impress them by challenging and winning brawls with other males. This is seen as an act of asserting dominance. Displaying timidness, cowardice, or weakness is no way to win a female minotaur's affection. They also don't care for a male who stinks of piss and dirty ass, but they'll go crazy for one with a strong natural musk to his sweat. Minotaurs have a keen sense of smell, and females are especially attuned to body odors. They can tell a lot about a man's habits, diet, and personality just by getting a whiff of his armpit, so if you're trying to woo one, maybe skip on the deodorant.

Meanwhile, male minotaurs...well, if you have big boobs, you're already half-way there. They're pretty simple-minded in that way. And if you're not a minotaur yourself, don't lose hope! Your breasts don't have to be as big as a female minotaurs', they just have to be big in relation to your own body size to get a male's attention. The shape of them doesn't even matter. Female minotaurs often pierce their nipples and wear heavy jewelry to stretch out their breasts and make them appear longer to attract males, and you know what? It works. Aside from that, they also appreciate a sleek, well-groomed coat (or hair). Signs of fleas or mange really turn them off because if you can't even keep yourself groomed, you're not going to groom his children either, and male minotaurs take a lot of pride in the health of their offspring. They seek females who clearly love and care for themselves, and who have the physical "assets" to keep their babies nice and fat.

GORGONS

Traditionally, female gorgons seek two males: an alpha male to impregnate her and a "ziqit" to help her raise the alpha's children. This is because gorgons lay many eggs at once, and trying to raise 3-4 kids at a time is considered too much for just one parent to handle. What the female seeks in her alpha mate is very different from what she's looking for in the ziqit. There's a level of sexual attraction towards the alpha, but not necessarily towards the ziqit, so let's start with what kind of alpha will get her attention.

A healthy mix of braun and brains will get a male gorgon far with the ladies. He should be sharp of mind and toned of muscle. Every male gorgon is equipped with a retractable, venomous barb at the end of their tails. Female gorgons appreciate a big, long, hard...barb, of course. Short little barbs just don't impress them. Male gorgons also tend to have longer spike ridges along their heads than females, and females prefer bigger, longer spikes as well. A flashy pattern on his scales doesn't hurt, but if he has dull markings, he can make up for it by applying oil to his scales daily so they gleam in the light.

Female gorgons actually don't care about their alpha mate's personality much. Even if he's a bit of an asshole, they're willing to look past it because he's mostly there to put food on the table and babies in the nest. He doesn't spend a lot of time with her beyond having sex.

For the ziqit, however, personality is everything. Females don't care how he looks, he just has to prove that he's loyal, subservient, and attentive to the needs of her and her children. She should not have to babysit the babysitter. She wants a ziqit who understands what needs to be done around the house and does it without prompting, who is patient, clever, and competent enough to raise her children into productive members of society.

Female gorgons have a natural repulsion towards being dominated in any way. Their species is matriarchal by nature, so if you're a non-gorgon trying to attract one, your best bet is to treat her like a queen and make it clear that you're her loyal servant. In return, she will happily feed you, house you, and shower you with her affection.

Things aren't as complex for male gorgons. They naturally lean into letting a female choose them and going with the flow from there. But if she doesn't tickle his fancy, he can certainly refuse her, and he just might if she seems lazy, whiny, or incompetent. Personality is a big deal for male gorgons. Looks don't go far with them, but a strong, confident character does. They're attracted to women who take charge and can clearly fend for themselves if need be. They want to rest easy knowing their wives will be okay while they're out fetching bread for the table, and not worry about her making stupid decisions or getting herself injured or killed. Acting clingy or helpless repels males of this species, they can't stand a "damsel in distress".

I think that's about it for now!

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost