Info
Like the philosopher, I think that nothing is communicable by the art of writing. Bothersome and trivial details have no place in my spirit, which is prepared for all that is vast and grand.
Sources/Inspirations:
- Through The Labyrinth: A Guide to Navigating Chaos by Eternalized
- How Ancient Megaliths gave us The Backrooms by Paths Seldom Trod
- House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski
- The House of Asterion by Jorge Luis Borges
- Greek Mythology
- Level 611 by
Sariastuff
- Level c-1900 by
Ambersight
| Home » Deities »Asterion |
| Asterion | |
|---|---|
| God of Liminality, Labyrinths and Mazes | |
| Member of the Pantheon | |
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| A portrait of Asterion in The Hall of Murals. | |
| Status | Unknown |
| Abode | Level 611 |
| Animal | Bull |
| Flower | Sunflower |
| Personal Information | |
| Relations | The Pantheon (member of), The Opeh (patron deity of} |
| Champions | The Spright |
Description
Asterion (əˈstɪərɪən), the bovine-faced Liminal deity, is perhaps the most enigmatic of all the gods in our pantheon.
Physical Description
Unlike many other Lost-era mythological figures, there is a distinct lack of illustrative depictions attributed to Asterion. Thus, we are left with only written accounts, from which some details regarding his appearance may be drawn.
Asterion is traditionally portrayed as what many would liken to a minotaur in Frontrooms-based ancient Greek mythology. He takes the form of a humanoid being with a bovine head and golden horns, enshrouded in a hooded blue robe with ornate golden trim. In some depictions, he wields a large staff topped with golden disk.
Appearance in Texts
Many of the surviving myths surrounding or associated with Asterion are vague, incomplete, and even outright contradictory/overlapping in some areas.
Asterion is not believed to have been present alongside the rest of the Gods during the creation of The Backrooms, as he was never mentioned in any of the various creation myths. The most commonly accepted notion behind Asterion's origins is that he simply manifested within The Backrooms at some point in time after its inception.
Most surviving remnants of myths surrounding Asterion are retrospective in narrative, therefore portraying him with a level of negatively biased revisionism. One myth recounting Asterion's appearance in The Backrooms contains the following passage:
“He was the harbinger of ill omen. When he appeared was when the world began to bleed, when the veil wore thin. For with him, his arrival heralded a twofold scourge.”
The aforementioned "twofold scourge" is believed to be an allusion towards the arrival of Humans in The Backrooms, and later the gradual liminalization of The Backrooms itself. A popular theory amongst historians and mythologists is that Asterion may in some way be responsible for the thinning of The Backrooms' veil, pointing to the above passage as evidence to support their claims. The central thesis of this narrative is that, as the God of Liminality, Asterion's very presence within The Backrooms effected it with his sphere of influence. Whereas the veil represented the clear-cut separation between worlds, Asterion stood as the antithesis, representing the point of transition and merging between worlds.
The myths also spoke of tensions between Asterion and the other gods. It was said that he never felt he truly fit in. Even in spite of all that he attempted to contribute, the pantheon never truly accepted Asterion as one of their own, not even as much as mortals who would eventually rise to their ranks. Still, the other gods recognized the importance of Asterion's role for maintaining balance, and so they allowed him to carry out his work. Asterion tried to earn the favor of his peers through his creations, but they never truly let him in among their ranks. Asterion grew resentful of his ostracization, regardless of how hard he tried to please those around him. He could never truly earn the favor and acceptance of those whose opinions mattered to him, and this resentment built up over centuries.
Amidst all of this, Asterion still yet found solace in a nymph consort, with whom he harbored a secret affair. She was said to be his greatest source of strength, yet also his greatest weakness; for she was one of the few to know the true depths of Asterion's soul.
Tensions came to a head in the midst of the Uprising in the wake of the Massacre. As human sentiment shifted against the Gods with growing distrust and disdain, the Pantheon looked to a scapegoat for which to pin blame. They saw Asterion as the root of all their dismay. In their minds, had he never arrived in The Backrooms, then Humans would not have followed as the veil would have remained intact, and liminality would not have spread to taint what was to be their paradise. Asterion's support rapidly dwindled, even amongst his most loyal followers and his nymph consort, who all abandoned him and cast aside their past allegiances and vows as if meaningless. This proved to finally be Asterion's breaking point. He publicly, violently lashed out against all the other gods, unleashing all the centuries of suppressed resentment at once. His rage was said to be so great that it destroyed numerous levels and resulted in a high number of mortal casualties.
Asterion felt a deep sense of betrayal, completely changing his outlook on existence. It was said that after this, he was unable to trust anyone ever again — not even himself. Declaring the rest of The Pantheon to be his sworn enemies, Asterion retreated into self-isolation, completely cutting ties with all that he knew. It was here that Asterion set out to craft the grandest labyrinth ever, serving as a haven in which he could isolate himself, and a fortress to protect him from the cruelties of the world; from hate, from betrayal, from hurt. However, the labyrinth, almost as if with a life and will of its own, began to expand too far into surrounding realms, encroaching upon The Lost's territory and the domains under the jurisdiction of other Gods as it began absorbing them into itself. The Iron Fist made several attempts to infiltrate the labyrinth to stop Asterion themselves, but none who entered ever returned.
Eventually, most of the remaining gods in the Pantheon at the time united to form a seal upon the labyrinth, trapping Asterion within it and stopping its expansion. It is said that he remains here to this day.
Worship
Asterion was the patron deity of The Opeh, a distinct sect of The Lost whose physiology was warped by the effects of Liminalization. Apparently, this was so that they could become "closer" to him by embodying his nature more strongly.
It is widely believed that, in the absence of approval from his contemporaries, Asterion instead sought validation in the worship conducted by mortals. It is for this reason that he had one of the closest and most involved relationships with worshipers amongst all the gods, treating them as fairly as possible. He singlehandedly cultivated one of the most devout followings of mortals, willing to go to the lengths of altering their very minds, bodies and souls just to be closer to him. It is also believed that such unwavering faith, dedication and loyalty from mortals was a source of great envy and resentment from the other gods towardsAsterion.
Symbols
There are numerous symbols associated with Asterion, the most prominent of which detailed below:
The Labyrinth
The symbol of the Labyrinth represents many things, so much so that an entire separate entry unto itself would be required to do it proper justice. It is a primordial archetype of ancient, even prehistoric origin, first found on ancient carvings. Labyrinths may have been inspired by ancient caverns, as they were the first shelters for humans, and were sacred sites for rituals and initiations. It is associated with the descent into the underworld, with obstacles and entities, growing increasingly treacherous with depth. Labyrinths were also used as a symbols to ward off evil and fortify cities, since spirits were said to be incapable of navigating labyrinths.
The Labyrinth is said to represent life itself, full of dark corners with unexpected twists, turns and dead-ends. The process of navigating it is an initiation, a rite of passage, symbolizing the age-old quest for self-realization. It disturbs one's consciousness and linear frame of orientation, giving way to the irrational and instinctual to reveal the heart's truth. This causes psychological strain, but if one may overcome it, they are transformed and enlightened, finding oneself rather than losing oneself. Otherwise, they become disoriented, and find life meaningless. Reaching the center of the labyrinth is a symbolic death and rebirth.
The Labyrinth is also said to be a metaphor of a complex equation or concept. The Multiverse is a labyrinth in itself; an infinite, complex branching network of linear, divergent, convergent, and parallel timelines, each representing a choice that one could, does, or does not make.
From within the Labyrinth, one's perspective is limited and disorienting. From above, however, everything is put into perspective, and one may see the extreme artistry and order of the labyrinth's design. It is a paradox of chaos and order, representing a bridge between the mundane and divine realms.
In short, The Labyrinth symbolizes the womb, birth, the path of life, liminality, death, the underworld, initiation, spiritual journey to oneself, alchemy, and rebirth.
The Maze
Contrary to popular belief, there is in fact distinction between a labyrinth and a maze. Whereas the Labyrinth represents Order with a simple straightforward pattern, the Maze represents Chaos with a complex confusing pattern. The word "Maze" is the root of word “amazing”. An aimless life is like a maze; the way out is to reach the center along a serpentine path.
The Bull
The Bull represents strength, power, fertility, and resilience.
The Sunflower
Sunflowers symbolize positivity, loyalty, and adoration, often representing joy and a strong connection to light and warmth. They are also associated with longevity and are seen as a sign of hope and happiness in various cultures.
Relationships
Gatekeeper
Asterion and Gatekeeper were said to be ancient enemies, with the latter declaring the former to be his greatest rival. This may have been due to their closely related spheres of influence, but the true reason remains unknown. Their rivalry culminated in a cataclysmic battle in which both gods used the full extent of their power and spheres of influence against each other. In the end, Gatekeeper triumphed, infamously licking Asterion's blood off the blade of his sword. This is believed to be the origin of the tradition in which worshipers would offer a chalice of Bovine blood to Gatekeeper, in commemoration of this victory.
Augustus
One myth recounts how Asterion imprisoned Augustus within his labyrinth for reasons unknown, but most likely related to some sort of feud between the deities. Augustus would eventually escape the labyrinth, but not without scorching his wings in the process. The scorch marks remained on Augustus' wings, serving as a source of shame.
Philia and Cygnus
Although the Pantheon generally regarded Asterion with animosity, some like Cygnus and Philia treated him with kindness. However, given the general nature of both beings, this was to be expected of them.
Modern Day
With the scarcity of evidence and the contradictory nature of the myths surrounding him, Asterion's existence as a literal, legitimate being has been disregarded by most. That said, if he does indeed exist, then he most likely resides within Level 611, believed to be the labyrinth of his making as described in the myths.
View Level 611 Expedition Log
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