Sunburns & Friendships

This secret project doesn't have an official title yet so until then I'm just going to refer to it as Sunbird (It's a nickname Icarus gets from Heracles at the beginning of the story.)

The reason the project is a secret is because I'm trying to maintain motivation! It's sort of a therapy project. My friends just aren't allowed to know about it yet.

This story follows Icarus, a young man who recently managed to escape from a tower in Crete alongside his father Daedalus. After being saved from certain death, Icarus goes on a quest to reunite with his father, rescue a friend left behind and give the Titan God of the Sun a big ol smooch on the lips.

Along the way, Icarus gets swept up in the fates of other famous characters from Greek Mythology. Seeing as he was supposed to die in the fall, him being alive results in A LOT of shenanigans. A few important characters that appear in this story include: Heracles, Medusa, Perseus, Atalanta and THESEUS!! All my homies hate Theseus…

(I know Perseus is technically Heracles's great grandpa but you'll quickly notice I've fucked up the whole timeline for this story lol so they're just half brothers here!)

This started because I've always loved Icarus's myth and I wanted him to live so...also I genuinely just wanted to draw him and Helios making out.

As of right now I'd probably describe it as an adventure/fantasy/historical/found family/ Greek mythology retelling with definite romance that comes a little later lol

CONTENT WARNINGS:

If I post something that requires a content warning, I’ll include one on the individual post but here are some for the general storyline!!

(I’ll add them as I discover them in the plot)

-Strong Language/ Sexual Innuendo

TAGS INCLUDE:

#sunbirdlore for them good lore drops

#sunbirdintros for character introductions

#sunbirdasks for asks

#sunbirdart for posts with art attached

I'll add specific character tags and everything once I have more content posted.

If y'all have any questions, feel free to ask! I'll try to answer any asks with character art if possible because I'd love any excuse to draw these guys <3

It’s Phaethon!!!

I won’t say I’m back and alive but I was thinking about my precious babies and then remembered I never posted this ref! Phaethon comes in way further into the story from the other characters I’ve posted and in the plot he’s just a kid!

His design comes from me trying to make him look like a mix between Helios and Clymene (an Oceanid). He lowkey gives sea monsters baby but like …he’s cute lol

Asterion and Icarus were friends pre-labyrinth as well and would spend most their time running around Minos’s palace together. One of Asterion’s favorite activities was a sunny nap in the fields while Icarus attempted to over-explain his current story!

P.S. I forgot the ancient Greeks didn’t bind books when I drew this but it was cute so let me have this 😔😔

I keep thinking of the potential line,

“The death of my brother was the death of us all”

Because the idea of Androgeus dying and King Minos becoming a man fueled by grief and anger? A full course meal dude. Forks out!

Like imagine a King known for ruling with a just hand hears his favorite son died and just loses his shit. ALSO Androgeus dies in pursuit of the Bull of Marathon which used to be the Cretan Bull…which used to be >:) yea you know!

So like walk with me here:

You’re King Minos having a great time! You have a hot wife, some cool kids, Poseidon is backing you and you’re feeling pretty confident in yourself. You “forget” to sacrifice a sacrificial bull—who hasn’t!?

Now suddenly your wife is pissd at you because she’s giving birth to a half man/half cow, the bull you forgot to sacrifice is destroying your countryside and you’re at a loss for words! You look out the palace window and this buff sad gigachad is suddenly fighting and kidnapping your wife’s bovine ex in your backyard and when you finally think you’re free from the absurdity, you get a letter in the mail that said cow is now harassing other people in Marathon.

But wait! Your firstborn son is cool as hell!

He’s a scholar, a warrior and has a kind heart to match.

Your other kids are still cool but this one is the coolest. He goes:

“Oh Papa 🥺 I’d love to go fight that big ass cow near Athens, papa please”

And you go:

“Of course, my boy! Be safe or I will start a war haha”

So then he goes to fight with this angry frickin cow. Does the cow kill him? No? Maybe? DOES HE KILL THE COW? NO!

You know who does? Some young upstart name Theseus from Troezen of all places!! Fuck you Poseidon!

Now your son is dead, murdered probably, someone’s cooler son is out there having a party to celebrate and you’re stuck with your less cool kids— ONE OF WHICH WAS THE BABY OF THE COW! WHAT!?

There’s no way man isn’t just writhing in self-loathing tho because if he had just killed the bull when he should’ve none of this would be happening 😩😩

But homeboy never backs down, never says “I was wrong” he doubles down on his misery and anger! Let’s Go To War!! Sacrifice the children of Athens, Lock up my monstrous step-son(?), SOMEONE GET ME A COFFEE!!!!!

I’m just saying like, I can see how it all went to hell in a hand basket lol

🦋ASTERION🦋

Asterion, The Minotaur, Bull of Minos & Forgotten Prince of Crete! Asterion is a terrifying half-bull half-man who inhabits the labyrinth of Crete. He is feared by the Athenian people because of all of the people eating but I promise he’s actually…just a silly guy? Don’t worry I’ll make it angsty.

Asterion is the son of Pasiphae (Queen of Crete) and Poseidon’s sacrificial bull. After King Minos failed to sacrifice the bull given to him as a gift, Poseidon cursed Pasiphae and y’know Daedalus got involved and…let’s just say—not a great way to be brought into the world!

Asterion was raised in Minos’ palace for the first 12 years of his life before being trapped in the labyrinth. His life in the palace was spent mostly in the company of his mother and his best friend, Icarus. Asterion also had several siblings including Androgeus, Phaedra and Ariadne. The king would eventually request Daedalus to construct the labyrinth with the intention of trapping Asterion inside.

Asterion continued to live in the palace during the construction, eating mostly meat and suffering from an unruly appetite . Eventually his half-brother Androgeus would be killed in Athens. Minos, in anger, would demand tribute and after trapping Asterion inside the labyrinth, he would make it tradition to send Athenian youths inside to die— thus feeding the monster and also exacting his own revenge. Daedalus and his young son, Icarus, would also be trapped in a high tower above the labyrinth at this time, in an effort from Minos to stop Daedalus from spreading the secrets of the maze.

(I know the labyrinth is traditionally under the palace but I’m going to exercise my right of fuckery and change that lol so the labyrinth is kind of outside and Icarus’s tower is in the center!)

Icarus and Asterion continue to grow up together. Icarus always sneaks out of the tower window by tying himself with blankets and rope to talk with Asterion at night. Daedalus knows about it and does his best to stop him but usually fails or wakes up to him already out the window. Asterion is always threatening to eat Icarus as a joke but he always threatens to eat Daedalus as a promise. He hates him…the rage he feels for being brought into the world is unbridled.

When Icarus and Daedalus escape the labyrinth, Icarus promises to return for his friend and free him from his prison. Icarus and Asterion have plans to go run away to the countryside and live in peace but unfortunately Asterion will have to die for the plot so…that won’t be happening. SORRYYYYY!!

Asterion is all around a pretty moody guy but he finds Icarus entertaining and Icarus will insist that he’s super friendly and great company. Asterion believes Icarus’s positivity is infectious and he can’t help but feel a little better when they talk.

Fun Fact: Icarus will randomly give Asterion random trinkets and gifts (usually stuff he steals from his father’s supply deliveries from Minos— the king sends them food and building supplies under the order that Daedalus still invent things for him while imprisoned). Icarus has given Asterion a lot of seeds over the years and in the center of the labyrinth, Asterion has a silly lil garden where he grows them!!

Asterion is my darlingest boy and he will get absolutely murked by Theseus 🥲💛,,,r.i.p. my bovine prince,,,

Also can you imagine your childhood friend being in love with your immortal grandpa? I just thought about that lmao crazy stuff

P.S. I know he looks super clean on this reference but that’s for ease of viewing, this man’s fur is probably caked in unfathomable amounts of blood. He’s pretty but like definitely eats people so…

(I’m about to start a new character ref lol If there’s any Greek myth characters y’all want to see me draw let me know! If they’re important characters to the story, they might already have designs lol)

Have a silly laughing Icarus w/ long hair as a gift lol

I will find you again 😩🤧💕

(Hi guys, I’m stuck in D&D brainrot and have to pay taxes by sending my DM a bunch of art of our characters’ future children. Unfortunately those characters have absolutely nothing to do w/ Greek Mythology lol so gimme like 3 days and I’ll probably slingshot back over here lmao)

Pls enjoy these Theseus post-it doodles lol featuring Icarus and Pirithous

🌊THESEUS🌊

Theseus is known as the greatest hero Athens has ever had. He fights for his people, is a loveable and courageous prince and never ever does anything just for glory's sake! He also doesn’t kidnap girls and doesn’t abandon women on islands. Theseus…may be perceived as more heroic than he is in reality.

Theseus is the son of COUGH Poseidon COUGH COUGH King Aegeus of Athens and Aethra of Troezen. In other words, Theseus believes he’s the mortal son of Aegeus and is super annoying about how strong and cool he is for not being a demigod. He’s going to be so mad when those paternity results come in the mail…

Theseus was raised by his mother in Troezen until he was 18 years old. During his youth he was trained in combat by the locals of his village and became skilled in swordplay. When Theseus reached adulthood, his mother directed him to move a large boulder that was probably just sitting inconspicuously outside their house. Under this rock was the sword and shield of Aegeus (as well as a really old musty pair of sandals). Aethra then told Theseus to travel to Athens to meet his father. Theseus has a lot of adventures that happen before the beginning of the story, including: His seven labours, sailing with the Argonauts, hunting the Calydonian Boar and getting his ass stuck to a rock in the underworld.

Theseus and Icarus meet during Heracles’s 12th labour to fetch Cerberus. Heracles asks Icarus to go along for “strategic reasons” but really he just loves his lil Sunbird! Theseus and his homeboy, Pirithous, are trapped in the underworld and Heracles manages to free Theseus only. Shenanigans take place and then they go back to Athens and then they go to Crete and then,,,

Theseus is a big fan of Heracles and sees him as the peak of heroism. This is funny because Heracles hardly remembers him from their time sailing on the Argo and later on in the story he’s ready to kill him on sight so– never meet your heroes, I guess.

Fate is a main theme in this story and Theseus plays a large role in it. While Icarus being alive allows him to influence other people’s lives, potentially changing their fates in small or big ways— Theseus is the opposite. Throughout the story, his actions often course correct the fate of others and lead the myths to play themselves out as expected! I’ll go into further detail on this in a later post.

Fun Fact: Theseus’s hair is naturally kind of flat and wet looking. He assumes it’s because his hair doesn’t like the humidity of living near the ocean but it’s actually just his weird demigod trait. He styles it in the morning. He’s also an excellent swimmer! Lastly, despite it being his father’s patron animal, horses don’t like him very much…

((I promise I don’t actually hate Theseus, he’s just one of the antagonists and he hurts Icarus’s feelings so I have beef. (I love him so much, my little unapologetic asswipe <33))

🐍MEDUSA🐍

Medusa (a.k.a Medu by Icarus and Perseus) is a ex-Athenian Priestess and has the wit to prove it. Medusa has a sharp tongue and an even sharper knife and I can promise-- she isn't afraid to use either of them. Medusa has a penchant for chaos and shenanigans, making her and Icarus an uncontrollable duo.

Medu grew up in Athens and was raised to be a priestess of Athena from a young age. Her family was prominent in Athens for supplying women and men to serve the temples and held notable power within Athenian society.

Medusa began serving as a priestess at the age of 15 and served for a total of four years. She was cast into exile after having a midnight tryst with Poseidon within the walls of the temple. After a confrontation with Zeus, Poseidon and Athena she was cursed and forced to flee the city.

After fleeing, Medusa met the two immortal gorgons Stheno and Euryale. They took her in as a sister, taught her weaponry and she eventually began living comfortably with them. Medusa became close with the Graeae as well as she continued to exist on the outskirts of society. Medusa became a wild child, even amongst her sisters. She has been in exile for three years when Icarus and Perseus roll up to kill her during the story. (Spoiler alert: They don’t!)

I plan to draw their meeting in a separate post because it's honestly really embarrassing for Perseus...

Medusa is cursed to have snakes for hair and to turn those who make eye contact with her to stone. Throughout the story-- she wears a veil in public so people can't see her eyes. Those that look at her face will feel compelled to meet her eye so it's easiest if she just covers her entire face. Icarus and Perseus aren't affected by the curse for individual reasons (I'll also explain how curses work later on) so she gets to take the veil off when the three of them are alone. If someone asks about the veil or her odd complexion she will make up a random lie as to why she must wear them.

Medusa isn't a huge fan of the gods, as one might expect. She thinks they're a bunch of womanizing liars. She's not in support of Icarus wanting to smooch the sun and she blames Helios for Icarus's scars. Nevertheless, Medu is happy to have some friends her age who want to take her on their weird adventures so she's along for the ride and will kill you if you touch her boys.

Y’all haven’t unlocked Helios’s design yet but I made another silly animatic so you get to see his “I’m pretending to be a human man to flirt with my tragic little twink” form <33

Please enjoy Medu and Perseus losing it in the background!!

And feel free to check out my blog!!

Just a silly lil animatic I did of Icarus and Perseus <33

⚔️PERSEUS⚔️

Perseus a.k.a. Local Golden Retriever of Seriphos is a spot of sunshine with no choice but to go on a deadly mission to get Medusa’s head because King Polydectes can’t keep it in his chiton. Perseus is that guy you’d grab one beer with and he’d pay for your cab home.

Perseus is a son of Zeus and half-brother to Heracles! (They meet in the story, pls excuse my timeline nonsense I know Perseus is technically his great grandpa lmaoo) They’ll meet later on in the story.

Perseus has been raised by his mother, Danae and his not-step-dad Dictys on the island of Seriphos. Danae and Dictys run a seafood restaurant that’s loved throughout the Cyclades! Despite Danae and Dictys not being officially married, Dictys refers to Perseus as his son and Perseus calls Dictys his Dad so…

Perseus was also taught combat but Dictys and the armor he wears throughout the comic is given to him by Dictys when he’s sent off.

Icarus and Perseus meet after Heracles drops Icarus off on Seriphos to ask around about his dad. Perseus is boy-failing at fishing and Icarus gives him a hand! Both boyos are open books and they become quick friends.

Perseus is a mama’s boy tricked into a hero’s quest and he is not excited about it. Icarus joins him on his quest for Medusa’s head and let’s just say… it doesn’t go as planned.

Fun Fact: Perseus cries golden tears! His pupils, hair and the inside palette of his mouth are also gold in color. Demi-gods usually have physical characteristics of their god parent, especially if said god took a different form when… yknow…

🦁HERACLES🦁

Heracles is a sad man on the path to divine redemption. His sadness manifests in a lot of unchecked anger and he should be talking to a therapist about it but instead his cousin is sending him on a bunch of deadly quests to prove to Hera that he’s actually an okay dude.

Hera hates his ass. He’s her least favorite of Zeus’s affair children (there will be a lot in this story) and she will stop at nothing to ruin his life.

Heracles has a soft spot for children and his dead wife and probably just wants someone to listen to him instead of ordering him to go fetch some cows. He can’t have that for story purposes though so…

Anyway he’s just a man who will stop at nothing to complete his quests and comes at everyone around him with a “move your ass or get left mindset” —especially in the early story. He just finds Icarus entertaining at first but very quickly decides that Icarus is precious and anyone who hurts him will die.

Fun Fact: He nicknames Icarus “Sunbird” because he mistakes him for a bird from afar before getting closer and going “oh darn that’s a human plummeting to their death and my morals dictate I should save them 🙄🙄💛”

He’s just silly like that.