How Azazel was designed [+ minor gui update notice]

Hello, Awiola here with some design fun facts no one asked for ✨

Before we proceed, though, I'd like to point out the game gui was changed a bit to make the experience more enjoyable and Azazel's figure visible as due to time constraints, there wasn't an occasion to take care of them during the jam. And now onto the main part:

Due to real life stuff I learned the jam is happening two days before it started so unlike Annur, Azazel's design didn't have a lot of time for potential and better changes and remains fairly simple. As simple as a goat humanoid could be, at least.

The base goal was to make a generally sexy creature, thus we remained with humanoids so as not to exclude non monster fuckers; wider reach and all that. I think it's pretty easy to tell but as the designer I'm pretty biased... considering it's a mini sequel of sorts, both the designs are analogous and use inspirations taken from more or less identical sources. Let's take a look at them:

You might know Azazel as a demon, place, ritual or sacrificial goat. The actual meaning of the word is unclear so it was translated with different meanings in mind but as I've never really tried Biblical studies and such, I won't go into details. Either way the association with goats is here (though, to be frank, the design was prepared before I knew the chara's name, hehe). Considering the climate and greek influences in My Angel(...), I went with a satyr like existence, to be precise sa'ir but don't kill me if t got it wrong, plz orz (Funnily enough  Annur kind of resembles shedim even though at first I took inspirations from biblically accurate angels). The goat used as a model was a female nubian ibex (does that mean it's not actually sa'ir? As Azazel isn't based on a male goat...) as I was told to make the demon androgynous but feminine. Also shorter horns are easier to draw so there's that. You probably also noticed the unusual ears - these were taken from syrian goats (no idea what they're called in latin, syriae ibex, capra syriana?). I actually planned to use them as a more general inspiration but one look at their faces and I went with ears only. 

You can't see it due to the pose but Azazel has a moloch horridus tattoo on their left side, slightly visible in the front and going over the ribs which was added simply because I couldn't resist ✨ I mean, it's a moloch, actual moloch, how could I not add it? The connection is so obvious. I could've used a different pose, alas... If we ever see the charas again, you'll see the tattoo then. 

Now for the mask. Technically it's more of an central/west european thing from later ages but MC is a modern person and we needed a non mutilating way to show there's some kind of punishment besides the obvious loss of bird like features. The mask used was a typical punishment on honour and is actually a kind of flute mask, thus the holes you could see on its beak. It also kind of prevents the person using it from eating but I don't think mythological creatures had to eat anyway ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Due to the nature of the punishment, the mask was supposed to look stupid, and it does but isn't as fugly as my initial design. Its look was based on vultures, thus the 'fur' that's a part of it. And front facing vultures look kind of nice and being the scavengers they are, kind of signify that no, Azazel isn't that majestic angel anymore.

The next element is that chain metal stuff on their shoulders. Now I don't know the exact english name but it's probably something along the lines of stones of dishonour. The name sounds pretty straightforward, doesn't it? They were typically held by a metal hoop on the neck, sometimes also the back as the typical stone weighted around 5-15kg and oftentimes there was more than one. I've gotten rid of the stones as we decided on using a mask but the hoops remain so it doesn't look so empty with no shirt and all. 

Azazel looks a bit poor, being underweight, ribs out and only in some kind of animal skin loincloth. To be honest I thought of adding some maenad attributes since they're a feminine character but decided against it as it might've ended a bit too busy for what was intended.

All in all it's kind of funny how such a simple design could fit so many references, haha. And that's it from me.