Dramatis Personae (is a Pretentious Way to Say Cast of Characters)

Jack looks up from their desk as you open the chapter.

"Oh? Looking for a summary already, are we? Well, it might be a bit early, but I suppose I can oblige you. In fact, I'd be happy to!"

Jack grabs a stack of documents from his drawers and slaps it down on the desk. He takes up the first page and looks it over.

"Just give me a moment to review the character treatments. Then I'll treat you to the characters. I hope you won't mind how I treat them."

In the time it takes you to read this sentence, he is ready to hand you the first page.

___

The Mastress

Name: Robin Shepherd
Age: 25
Height: 5'8''
Gender: Nonbinary (He/she/they by the mood/vibe/day)
Sexuality: Curious
Appearance: Purposefully androgynous, with a wardrobe fit for purpose. Scruffy black hair and eyes of green.
Likes: Lofi Music, Life, True Crime Podcasts, Cozy Games
Dislikes: Missing the Bus, Soda Syrup, Raisins and Dried Apricots (dried fruit sulfite allergy)

The Producers' hand, paw, tentacle, talon, tarsus, horn, shadowy mass, waveform, and thought pattern-picked Shepherd for this flock of contestants was chosen from the herds of Newark, New Jersey. Chosen for their choice to not choose between options A or B, they prefer to B A person who keeps their options open. Something that hopefully translates to their desires for the contestants as they transition from a part of the faceless masses to the Mastress, the face of this season of Harem Hotel. Although they recently graduated from Rutgers, this Scarlet Raider is still currently working at the same old Pizza Parlor whose pies and paychecks got them through most of their studies. Thanks to their first transformation, this pizza cook is now the Supreme, able to serve the sausage or have their own crust stuffed. Delicious.

Transformations
Binary Toggle: Robin has lived their whole life wishing they could appear more masculine or more feminine, yet was restrained by their primitive biology. This transformation grants them an adaptable physique capable of fulfilling those desires at will.
---

You look up at Jack after you finish reading the page. She adjusts the scarf draped across her shoulders as if shivering from your gaze.

"Fascinated by my way with words? I did write the bios in stream of consciousness, so I hope you can follow my flow."

She winks, and hands you several pages at once.

"Here's the lineup of our contestants. Some very curvy curveballs this season. Hope you like them!"

---

Contestant #1

Name: Ipheara Psycha
Age: Starfall Town was released in 2016, and she was already a candidate to mother your children then, so at least 28.
Height: 32 pixels or 6'3" (not counting antennae)
Gender: (Moth)Woman (She/They)
Sexuality: Romanceable by players of any gender
Appearance: Birch white exoskeleton with cute, puffy hair and fluffy antennae. A very Moth-erly figure.
Likes: Mead, Pollen, Stars, Children
Dislikes: Bats, Spiders, Jumpscares
It's Complicated: Flames

With thanks to the Starfall Town Wiki for the assist. Robin has wooed her a few times, but unfortunately, we don't give out VP if the screen cuts to black and a text box says "You spent a long time together." Now, you may be wondering if Ipheara is a video game character that Harem Hotel used its magic to port over onto our platform, or if there exists a dimension in the multiverse where the events depicted in a cozy game Robin played actually occurred. You also might be wondering if this will lead to an existential crisis for our Moth Milf or any worries when she sets tarsi on Earth for the first time and finds out their flowers are awfully small.

Transformation Paths: Mother, Farmer, NPC

___

Contestant #2

Name: Itzel Ramirez
Age: 24 or 79, depending on your opinions about suspended animation
Height: 4'6"
Gender: She/Her
Sexuality: Pansexual
Appearance: Slender tentacles make up the mass of her arms, legs, and hair. Her torso is also fairly slender. Sapphire skin and orange eyes. While wearing her human mask, she has been told she resembles Jenna Ortega.
Likes: Science, Astronomy, Live Concerts
Dislikes: Gambling, lax food hygiene standards, grading undergrad papers

Itzy's Arrival into this world was like many others; crash landing with her parents near the city of Kanasín on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. Okay, probably not that many others. This ET can't phone home because the debt collectors have the line tapped. Thankfully, their Species' masking technology lets an Alien stay ahead of the xenophobes. Seriously, the Men in Black can be real Predators. She would choose to learn from The Faculty of Rutgers-University in Newark, which is where she made Contact with our nonbinary Mastress. Talk about Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The Thing is, all Signs thus far have indicated that the two are just good friends, and breaking out of that zone can be a real Project Hail Mary, especially now that she's a part of a contestant pool that's such a Super 8. I also really liked Galaxy Quest.

Transformation Paths: Star Citizen, Parasite, Weird Science

---

Contestant #3

Name: Zoe Moretti
Age: 21
Height: 5'2"
Gender: Female (She/her)
Sexuality: Heterosexual
Appearance: Long brown hair and blue eyes. Prefers casual/sporty clothes. Has a septum piercing.
Likes: Robin, Skateboarding, Pizza, Pop Punk/Rock Music
Dislikes: Bugs, Noisy Aunts, Flirty DineDash Drivers

Zoe Francesca Moretti was born in Newark, New Jersey on July 1st, 2005 to Grace and Antonio Moretti. Although she did well in her schooling, she chose not to attend college, as she plans to make a living helping run her family's pizza parlor. This also allows her to focus on her passions, like skateboarding and content creation. She runs multiple social media pages focused on her athletic endeavors, culture, and commentary, but has not yet found a significant audience. She met Robin when they applied for a job at the restaurant. After working together for a while, she developed an infatuation with the Mastress, but hasn't been able to express her feelings. With many traditional views on romance, courtship, and monogamy, she may struggle in an environment like Harem Hotel, but we're sure her heart is in the right place.

Transformation Paths: Skater Girl, Pizza, Romantic

---

Contestant #4

Name: Beverly "Nugget" Perdue
Age: 18 (approximately 3.86 in Beaver years)
Length: 4'10"
Gender: Female (She/her) (Be/aver)
Sexuality: Straight as a well-chiseled stick
Appearance: Long unkempt black fur that doesn't cover nearly enough of her body considering her environment. Blue eyes tragically missing the nictitating membranes advantageous for semi-aquatic species. Very slender frame due to malnourishment. Distinct lack of tail.
Likes: Swimming, Water lilies, Cattails, Salmon, Trout, Grooming Time, the April 1972 issue of Cosmopolitan.
Dislikes: Trees, Termites, Ticks, Geese, Loud Noises, Assassins

Perdue Farms is established in 1920 in Salisbury, Maryland as a small table-egg business. Then a lot of other stuff happens. Then, in May of 1990, Universal Pictures purchases the film rights to the as yet unreleased novel, Jurassic Park. In October of that year, Michael Crichton releases the book, which is met with wide critical acclaim and commercial success. In February of 1991, Perdue Farms files a trademark application for a Tyrannosaurus Rex-shaped chicken nugget. This application lapses due to lacking a follow-up use case prior to 1993. In June of 1993, Dino Nuggets are first served at the New York Museum of Natural History's food court, coinciding with the release of the film version of Jurassic Park. Further promotions lead to the explosion in demand for dinosaur-shaped foodstuffs. It is interesting to think that if Perdue had started selling their idea more quickly, they would have a monopoly on the dino-shaped food market instead of sharing it with a wide swath of competitors. Even Yummy Dino Buddies got a piece of the prehistoric pie...

Oh, this was supposed to be a bio about Beverly, wasn't it? Well, at 6 years old, the heiress to the Perdue Family fortune was the target of an assassination attempt. But dire moments gave way to Dire rodents, who saved the young girl. Chirp chirp chip chiiiirp chirp chirp chi chiiiiiiiiiiirp.

Transformation Paths: Heiress, Cold Case, Feral

===

Contestant #5

Name: Nyx Experia
Age: 25
Height: 6'4"
Gender: Trans Female (She/her)
Sexuality: Lesbian (attracted to women and nonbinary people)
Position: Top Domme
Appearance: Tall and muscular. Long black hair worn in a high and very tight ponytail that reaches her mid-back, with teal highlights. Light brown, almost amber eyes. Toned abs, defined arms, widish hips, strong legs, big gock.
Likes: Cute Girls, Working Out, Action Movies (particularly the Assassin: Agent 74 franchise)
Dislikes: Looking too masculine, makeup, erectile dysfunction, being forced to wear skirts, her parents, religion, boredom, misidentification

Bouncer's Bars: The Tale of Nyx Experia. Nyx works as a bouncer, a knight at the gates in the night gatekeeping the nightclub to ward off the unworthy. A bouncer is the bar between the bar and the barred barring access to the bar if you've been barred from the bar. But Nyx is a Professional, protective of the property. Protecting the people from themselves if they're too young for this privilege. Preventing the pests that would infest the premises. Partial to a peek at the pleasure seekers coming to pursue the promise of cumming or coming undone. But Nyx is a Bouncer, and when she gets off the clock she'd love to get off her rocks by bouncing a beauty on her girthy gock with her hands entwined in her silken locks. But Nyx is Bouncer, she keeps pests out of the club. She doesn't want to see a moth in her bar. She'll fight the mechanism of delivery even if the sin occurred at the factory. No time for apology. Better safe than sorry. Set aside her concern and sleep til nocturne then return to Nocturne to earn a living and yearn for living. A place to rest comfortably. Rest well, Bouncer... hmm, I might need to veto that tf if it wins, wouldn't want to bounce her.

Transformation Paths: Amazonian, Nightlife, Assassin

---

Contestant #6

Name: Leanne Powell
Age: Somewhere between 24-26
Height: Average is fine, she's not reaching for more than that
Gender: Female (She/her)
Sexuality: DTF
Appearance: Short, messy blonde hair and blue eyes. Lean but athletic build. Prefers comfy and casual clothes.
Likes: Casual Sex with men, Casual Sex with women, Casual Sex with other people
Dislikes: Commitment, Effort, Coming up with a third thing to dislike

The manic pixie girl who wants to dream on your couch, if it's available. Or if you'd like to have a little fun, that works too. No pressure. She likes the look of you, is all. Ya'll can Netflix and chill as long as you can be chill about it later. Where's she from? I'm assuming a womb of some description. She lives in Newark now. She lives for a living and seems to always land on her feet. Or her knees. Or her back. It's all the same depending on how you look at it. If this Harem Hotel thing doesn't work out, do you think she could crash at your place for a while? It shouldn't be an issue, but it's always best to keep her options open. What was your name again? She'll be sure to remember it, Babe. Mind if she borrows that hoodie? No need to wash it first. It's already warm. Nice.

Transformation Paths: Couch Surfer, Hedonist, Scatterbrain

___

First, press play

Contestant #7

Name: Ulyssa Maria Abbot
Age: 2.2107 × 10³² jiffies, as of the time of this writing, if you ask Harrison, and want an exact response
Height: 6.99152542373 copies of the first edition collection of Leo Tolstoy's seminal novel War and Peace
Gender: Eh? Gender? Agender (She/her)
Appearance: About 25 trillion cells blowing past you on a microscooter. You catch the flash of hair so blonde you might call it white, but completely miss the eyes, baby blue with pink accents and oddly shaped pupils, so you don't get the chance to contemplate that. She's around a corner before you can finish muttering "cool outfit." Lucky we included a pic.
Likes: Psychadelic Rock, Coffee, Cosmetics
Dislikes: Showboats, Liars, Delayed Orders

Ulyssa was born with stars in her eyes, and the universe seemed to take that personally. Mother was a Classics Professor, studying the past. She's past tense now, a Classic case of taken way too soon. What a catastrophe. Father was a grifter, looking for fast money, but slowed down to a stop when he lost his other half. He lives on like a strange quark. They're estranged now, not in touch but not quite strangers. Sadly common strangeness. Baby Brother Aeneas came along three years after, and when Ulyssa moved out at 18, Baby Brother Aeneas came along three years after. He is attending college, perhaps following in Mom's footsteps. Ulyssa works multiple jobs, slinging bean juice and delivering food fast. Looking for that fast money, lest her family have to fast. She tries to avoid thinking about that. One such Dash introduced her to the Mastress, they connected quickly but are still on the periphery of each other's orbit. Maybe now, there will be time for Robin to truly explore those stars in her eyes.

Transformation Paths: Classical Roots, Doors of Perception, Freelancer

Cut the music. Record scratch sound effect.

---

Contestant #8

Name: Eleana Rosovich
Age: 800+
Height: 5'6''
Gender: Female (Though she has tried them all) (She/her)
Sexuality: Exploratory
Appearance: She looks like a small Russian woman with black hair streaked with grey on the edge of retirement. She has looked that way for the past 30 years.
Likes: Different Cultures, Different Schools of Thought, Astral Projection, a Good Tea
Dislikes: Bullies, People of Closed Mind, Overly Sour Stuff

A long time ago, contestant 8 tripped over a root and discovered ∞. Thus began a journey across time, space, dimensions, and probably a few other things we haven't thought of. By fate or chance, it turns out the last contestant introduced once worked as a Substitute in the Mastress' first grade classroom, and her advice had a fundamental effect on the course of the Mastress' life. She was also as powerful as a multitude of junior producers and could have probably gone after a Senior Partner or two, ending our fun and consigning our universe to the fate of edgy sword boy and that one season that featured a full cast of black holes. Bit of a Mary Sue, innit...

Don't mind me, might be a bit bitter that someone recognized me without me being able to return the favor. Experience is the greatest teacher, and we couldn't seal that away with some fancy trinkets and a few intravenous leylines. So this Granny Smith might end up being the apple of the Mastress' eye, and the collective Sense of Security for the cast as a whole. Unless I was just playing a part for the cameras? We'll have to see.

Transformation Paths: Eldritch Being, Substitute Teacher, Magick User

---

"Well, there you go. I hope you enjoyed the..."

Jack stops themself at your look.

"What? Something missing? Oh, you're wondering where the Host's Bio is. You'd like a summary of yours truly?"

You hold their gaze firmly, committed to seeing this through.

"Funny, I thought we were already familiar, but no mind. Allow me to indulge you, since..."

You Don't Know Jack?

Name: Jack
Age: Less
Height: Unfathomable
Occupation: Of All Trades
Gen...

I know you're in a hurry
to jump to your conclusions,
but might I take a moment
to offer some confusions.

Call me Ambiguous
I'm not big on lines in the sand.
Call me Abidextrous
I can sleight you with either hand.

I have many names, wear many faces
That's why they call me the Host.
If you think you know, which way I'm going
Then baby, you're toast.

But don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you
Just want to show you outside.
Your comfort zone, it might not protect you
This might be a bumpy ride.

I'm Mr. E
I'm Miss Direction
I'll make you green with Enby
I am your reflection

In a funhouse mirror, I'll stretch and twist you
Til you can't see the ground.
I'll connect your mind, right to your mouth
Let out your truest sound.

If a Pro is just a Con, that isn't caught yet
Then viewer, I'm all upsides.
So enjoy the show, and start speculating
Who will take home the prize?

Polls remain open through September 30th
https://chyoa.com/chapter/Transformation-Poll-1.1903187