Frequently Asked Questions

F.A.Q.
The F.A.Q. has four sections:  Basics, Mechanics, World/Mythology Details, and Round One Information.

PMOCT Basics
What is Project Minotaur?

Project Minotaur is an Original Character Tournament (OCT) that is a little bit your typical OCT, a little bit Sci-fi, a little bit ancient myth, and a little bit of an evolving mystery.  

What is an Original Character Tournament (OCT)?

An OCT is a competition between creators who construct stories using original characters they have invented in a supplied environment.  In any given round, two creators are paired up against one another in a match, and each submits an entry that depicts their character meeting the character of the other creator and "winning" the exchange.  The judges evaluate both entries and decide which creator is the victor.  The victorious creator's entry becomes "What really happened" and the losing entry becomes a "What if" situation.  Winning creators and characters get to continue to the next round and opponent.  As for the losing characters, the neat thing about OCTs is that even if a creator loses their match, that doesn't mean their character's story is over.  Often in OCTs characters will be picked up by other creators later in the competition as part of the developing story, or they will have their own adventures in Spectator Entries that are not judged, but contribute to the ever-evolving tale.

What is a Spectator Entry (SE)?
SEs are made by participants that do not win their round, but wish to keep their character involved in the story.  They pick up where the winning entry left the creator's Original Character (OC) and continue the story from that point.  While OCs are not judged, characters that participate in SEs are much more likely to be used by other creators in future rounds.  If a creator completes an SE and sends a note the Host, RobinRone, their SE will be linked along with the submissions for the round on the main Project Minotaur website.

PMOCT Mechanics
May more than one person enter together as a team, working on the same entry and character?
Yes, limit two people per team.

Can I enter two characters as a team?
Yes.  Please keep supporting characters to a small number.  Large groups can become rapidly unmanageable in an OCT, where you are likely to pick up other people's characters in addition to your own.  Furthermore, each individual character must be characterized as though you were submitting that character alone - that's a lot of extra work, both in auditions and in the rounds, as we will expect you to manage all the characters you include.

Are there requirements on method?  Can I change method in the middle?
ANY medium is accepted, provided that no instructions are required in order to understand the story. Short story, comic, radio show, animation, video, WHATEVER YOU WANT all qualify.  Yes you can change the method whenever you like.  The focus of this tournament is on character depth/development, creativity, and storytelling. As such, the METHOD that story is told with isn't important, only the story itself.

Can only human characters from this universe enter?
You are not limited to humans or this universe.  Contestants will be fetched by the G.O.D.s themselves, who (it is assumed for the sake of creativity) can cross any distance or dimensional border.  Your character can be from a different world or planet if you so desire, and does not have to be human at all.  However, please note that your character is almost guaranteed to become infected with TWBII, which is a powerful mutagen.  Part of your audition will be specifying exactly what that mutation will be, so if your character is already insanely powerful and strange you won't have much room to grow.  Characters with COMPLEX CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT over characters with crazy powers are highly recommended as a starting point in this competition.  The cool powers can come later, but the characters themselves are what will be judged for auditions.

My character already has powers.  Is that okay?
Yes, that's fine.  Just keep in mind that there is a VERY HIGH CHANCE of your character getting infected with TWBII, which is a powerful mutagen.  Give some thought to how this might effect your character's existing abilities.

I want to create my own interpretations of the people living in the city.  Am I allowed to do that?
Yes.

Are the judges of the contest going to be NPC's?
No, although the judges may sometimes supply content as though they are certain characters.

For auditions, can I post an image separate from my character information?
Yes.  Just make sure that you post the image and the text as TWO separate deviations.  Do NOT post the image and then provide the character info in the comments.  Judges do NOT want to see the image first.  Any two-part character reference sheets that fail to meet this requirement will be rejected and will have to re-submit.

Can I keep my mutations a secret and not include them in the character reference sheet?
Yes, provided you:
1)  Provide the details on the mutation in your note to the judges.  You can keep secrets from your friends, but not from your Judges.
2)  At the start of each round, you MUST send information on your mutation to your opponent AND CC the Host, RobinRone, in your note.  If this doesn't happen within the first few days, the Host will have to start bugging you, and you don't want the Host to do that.  It makes her cranky.  Rocks could fall, and fatalities ensue...

My character speaks a different language.  Is this going to be a problem?  How will they communicate??
In order to minimize this issue, the Yarn Ball has been equipped with hardware/software (read -- Plot Device) that will act as an all-purpose translator.  As long as your character has the Yarn Ball, they will be able to understand any language.  The Yarn Ball will automatically translate the words and broadcast them through the speaker.  It can translate digital information as well, displaying it through a micro-holo-projector, but it cannot "read" signs and translate them for you.

Do I have to show my character becoming infected in my audition?
No.  In fact, the audition guidelines specifically state you should NOT show any infection occurring.  Please do not submit already infected characters, or show your character being infected.  For more information, see the Audition Guidelines at:  projectminotauroct.deviantart.…

Is swearing/gore/violence/etc okay?
Yes.

World and Mythology Details

Do gods in other cultures exist?
In this universe, gods from ALL cultures are active.  The exception being "The One God" of any monotheistic religion or any religion that only has philosophies instead of deities.  As such, you may pull from any pantheon.  HOWEVER, since gods started being bound in Knossoss, the gods of other cultures have all gone into hiding and will NOT risk entering the Labyrinth.  Please also note that the G.O.D.s in Project Minotaur have all been limited to prevent characters and story-telling from becoming over-powered.  There is a reason for this.  Over-powered plots are boring, and over-powered entries will not be favored for selection.

Can you provide more information about the gods in this world?  Are their powers dependent on belief?  Are they omnipotent?
Gods in this world are much the same as gods in normal legend.  They do not depend on belief to exist.  They simply are.  Most gods in myth are not all-powerful beings.  They are powerful, yes, but not all-powerful.  Although they may fight amongst themselves in the heavens, generally they act through proxies for events in the world itself.  They are not omnipotent or omniscient and can be harmed or mislead.  At the moment, the majority of the gods are in hiding because they do not know how beings such as themselves could become controlled and reduced by a human.  No matter how powerful, most of the world's gods are not willing to boldly leap into a danger that is completely unknown and will result in a fate worse than death.  

What makes the G.O.D. units different than normal gods?
G.O.D.s (Graphical Operating Databases) are beings with divine qualities (such as immortality and unusual powers) but not divine wills.  Their wills are bound to Minos.  HOW they are bound will be revealed during the course of the Tournament, but this binding is connected to a unique object for each G.O.D. which they have on them at all times.  All of these objects have a computer component, and the gods have taken on elements of their binding objects.  In a lot of ways, the G.O.D.s are like sentient computer programs.  They are powerful, and have unique personalities, but they each have specific purposes and operate according to their design.  Doing this to a god is like attempting to pour a waterfall into a bucket; a lot of things don't end up in the bucket.  Their minds have become warped in the process, and the majority of them have forgotten who and what they are, with only vestigial memories and instincts.  They do not know they are gods.  They do not know they are powerful.  All they know is that they serve Minos and, by extension, the Labyrinth according to their specific duties.

Can the G.O.D.s make something out of nothing?  How powerful are they?
G.O.D. units can create things out of nothing IF that is connected to their role in the labyrinth.  For example, Demeter could magic you up an ice cream.  Hestia could not, but she COULD magically make repairs on a building.  Keep in mind that G.O.D.s are NOT your friends, nor are they bound to you.  They may like you, be friendly with you, but they are ruled by Minos' will.  More on this will be posted after auditions are complete.

How much does the rest of the world know about TWB, Knossos, and the Labyrinth?
People in the rest of the world know about TWB.  They view Minos as a hero who saved the world from a devastating plague by a noble self-sacrifice.  The military encampment that surrounds the upper portion of the city keeps people from entering Knossos and possibly becoming contaminated.  The technologies sold from the city are all sterilized before leaving the city.  

People do NOT know about the Labyrinth, OR about the number of people that survived the plague.  From above, the city looks almost entirely abandoned.  Most people assume that nearly everyone in the city died.  That is not the case.  There is a reasonably sizable population of Knossos that now lives beneath it.  Not everybody underground is a scientist, either.  Many of them are normal citizens forced to live there.  Granted, the Labyrinth is essentially a paradise, but it's a paradise you're not allowed to leave.

Is there a specific year that this takes place, or can we make that up?
It's in a futuristic (slightly) and alternate dimension.  The year is essentially irrelevant, as this world did not develop the same way ours did, although the technology available is similar.  However, if we have to pick one...eh, how about 2012?  If it's good enough for the end of the Mayan calendar, it's good enough for me...

What was Knossos like before TWB?
Knossos is based after the original city of that name, located in Crete.  More information can be found on Knossos and Crete in these wiki articles:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knossos
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crete
…;

Knossos (in the legend) was a massive city that acted both as an administrative center and a religious center.  It wielded an impressive navy and military force capable  of ensuring that 14 sacrifices were given from nearby Athens every nine years.  It was a port city and supported a bustling economy, with all the craftsmen, artists, and cultural exchange that goes hand-in-hand with the movement of goods.  

The main difference is that in this universe, the palace was represented by the Minos Corporation's skyscraper and manufacturing facilities.  It was not the only business in the city by any means, but it was the most famous, powerful, and successful.  It was involved in a variety of high-tech industries, and if they didn't own a lab in the city, then that lab certainly had done work for them.  Another difference is that in this world Crete is separate from Greece and is its own country, of which Knossos was the capital.  Although Minos was NOT the ruler of the government of Crete, he certainly had aspirations in that direction.  Becoming Mayor was the first step to building up his political career.  Crete has its own military, which was significantly enhanced by Minos Corporation's contributions to National Defense R&D.  This position still exists, which is part of why the military force that enforces the quarantine of Knossos typically cooperates with any of Minos' requests.   

What does Knossos look like now?  Can people from the outside get into it?
The city suffered a Tsunami right before the outbreak, so there was incredible damage done to it, particularly near the shore.  The panic that followed resulted in looting and further destruction.  Buildings farther into the city, such as Minos Corp.'s skyscraper, were not significantly damaged.  No repairs were made, so the city has continued to fall into disrepair in the past five years (in which the 1.5% of the population that survived began living in the Labyrinth underground) so the city is both ruined and abandoned.  Only the Minos Corp sky-scraper still shows some sign of life, including lights in the top floor.  People cannot enter the Knossos ruins, as the quarantine is still enforced by the military forces of Crete, the nation that Knossos is a part of.  Anyone seen attempting to enter or exit the city will be warned once and then shot.  This includes attempts to enter by land, air, or sea.

Will there be a police force in the Labyrinth? Is there a secret police or surveillance system?
Artemis has a large force of water nymphs that all look like her, except their hair is blue.  They act as the police force.  There is also a K-9 unit, consisting of dogs strong enough to take down a lion.  Athene's spider-cams number in the hundreds of thousands and move all over the city, monitoring it.  She's bound to report any insubordinate activities by a citizen of the Labyrinth.  See Athene's G.O.D. sheet for more information. 

Also are regular citizens allowed to carry firearms or is it strictly forbidden?
It's not so much forbidden as you can't find them anywhere.

Would the city be something like a police state or it's just monitored daily?
It's monitored, but to say it's a police state is a little extreme.  It's a little part socialist (basic necessities provided for everyone without charge) a little bit free-market capitalism (no taxes, no government control of businesses) and a little bit martial law (no jury of peers, law is clear and punishments quick, entrance/exit of city controlled).  Over all, people are not unhappy there.  The population does not need to steal or fight to survive.  Basic necessities are taken care of.  If someone does commit a crime (anything that infringes on the health and stated rights of the citizenry) it is almost always caught by a spider-cam and dealt with immediately.  The city is a very safe place to be, and most are content living there.  It is NOT a corrupt or abusive government.  It's essentially an exemplary monarchy.  The biggest issue of contention is that nobody is free to leave.  You have to stay, because you COULD be a carrier of TWB, which could devastate the world.

Any random beatings from the nymph police?
No.  In the most emphatic terms, no.  The police under Artemis are professional to a fault, and strong enough to make beating someone completely unnecessary.  Again, this is NOT a corrupt system.  They are not swayed by the things a corrupt police force would be.  They are not susceptible to greed, fear, or bigotry.  They simply enforce the law strictly and exactly, to the letter.

Is the city slowly dying because the people aren't reproducing, or is it growing faster before?
It's a city of 200,000 people.  That's about the size of the 100th largest city in the US.  The citizens enjoy possibly the greatest quality of life of any place in the world, even if they ARE underground.  Now, let's clarify something.  The city of KNOSSOS is dead.  The ruins of Knossos, formerly a city of 20 MILLION, are on the surface directly above the Labyrinth and quarantined from the rest of the world.  This quarantine is enforced by a large military force that monitors the area.  So Knossos is dead, but the Labyrinth is thriving.

Let me make a scenario.  A small gang mugs someone.  What would happen to them?
They would commit the crime.  Once.  The crime would be monitored via spider-cam.  An emergency team would be sent out by Athene for the person mugged, and further spider-cams deployed to track those who committed the crime until Artemis' forces tracked them down.  The criminals would be imprisoned in Hades' prison immediately, their crime evaluated, and their sentence made all within the prison system.

How many spider-cams are there?  There are hundreds of thousands of spider-cams, outnumbering the human population.  They are EVERYWHERE.  Like ants.  On the streets, in your homes, and where you work.  People have gotten so used to them being there that they usually don't even notice when they're there.  Those that do are usually the same ones that resent not having the freedom to leave.  People may have incredible security, but it's at the price of privacy.

What else can you tell us about TWBII?
TWBII can be spread in its original form (a chemically stabilized format) in a variety of ways.  It can be absorbed through the skin by contact with it in a liquid, solid, or gaseous form.  It can be injected.  It can be inhaled.  Once in the system mutation begins immediately on a cell level even if nothing visibly occurs externally.  TWBII is difficult to spread once a person is infected, and can only occur through blood-to-blood contact.  More information on TWBII and TWB can be found at projectminotauroct.deviantart.… in the Supporting information Gallery.  See link in comments below.

Is TWB still active?
No.  TWB died out with 98.5% of the original Knossos city.  The people of the Labyrinth either escaped infection or are immune.  TWB began to mutate as it spread and was eventually contained, studied, altered, and stabilized by one of Minos' labs.  This finalized strain is what is known as TWBII.

There's no sun here.  How do people live without light?
There's a large crystalline structure at the very top of the cave that produces light that appears identical to sunlight.  It also fades in and out in time with the actual light on the surface.  You can just barely see the tip of it in the overall image here:  projectminotauroct.deviantart.…;

It also provides the power to the city, via the huge cable that runs down from it to the central tower at the middle island.

Round One Information
How can I communicate with my Patron G.O.D.?
Despite not having a microphone on the Yarn Ball, your G.O.D. can still sense when you want to interact with them.  Simply saying their name while holding the device will enable them to know you want to talk with them.  They can appear instantly at your location.

If I lose or damage my Yarn Ball, what happens?
You will no longer be able to use it to open locks, download a system's documents, or summon your G.O.D..  Your G.O.D. might still attempt to help you, but they will be under no obligation to do so, and Minos' commands will now override any influence you previously had.  If you lose your Yarn Ball and it is taken up by someone else, control of the G.O.D. will go to them.

So can I use the Yarn Ball to escape?  Will people try to pursue or stop me if I do?
Yes, you can use the Yarn Ball to escape, if that is the option you wish to pursue.  Both Hades and Artemis will attempt to stop you (unless Artemis is your Patron) as well as many of their staff.  Just because you can unlock your cell, or the doors to Persephone's Hospital, or the doors within the Phrodomes, doesn't mean that the people running those locations will want to let you walk on out.

How much can I alter the appearance of the environment, characters, and/or G.O.D. units?
Generally, only the outside of buildings will be provided to you, and usually only the rough shapes at that.  The interiors are entirely up to you, and the exteriors can be fleshed out as long as they remain somewhat recognizable.  

Character designs are a little harder to tweak.  Most of the G.O.D.s no longer have the ability to change their shape (part of the binding) although some can get around this better than others.  Dionysus, for example, is capable of creating illusions.  Athene can choose what the hologram looks like when projecting herself.  Hephaestus could download himself to a different robot.  Aphrodite can change her appearance more than most of them, to suit the desires of the person she's with.  Pan, being still a full god, can shape-shift to almost anything he wants, but will always retain a small indication of his "true" self.

Most of the human characters should remain the same unless there's a good reason for them to change drastically.  As always, use your best judgment.