Briar

Leviathan(Father)

> *"What's the matter? You're making quite a curious face."*
>
>
>
>
>
>

## Storyline

The Listener answers a knock on the door and meets their neighbor in the Hotel Sanguine , one of the permanent residents who's come by to take their measure. He offers to give the Listener a personal tour around the hotel to show to help them get acquainted. The hotel was built in the 20s with such a luxurious, timeless quality that even he is loath to leave. He introduces himself as Briar.

The Listener points out a spot of blood on his collar and he shows only mild surprise, wondering where it came from and commenting he usually keeps his clothes in perfect condition. The Listener appears shocked by his casual attitude and Briar becomes more curious. He comes in to take a closer look and first notices their eyes, commenting he'd love to have them before taking the rest of them in.

He asks what brought them to the hotel but they don't get a chance to answer as he shares his background with them. He's a country boy who didn't fit in with his pacifistic, nature loving family. Instead, he was fascinated by animals, drawn to their simpler, more instinctive natures. He was especially captivated by an animal he had never seen before, terrified but compelled to follow it since watching it hunt had felt like home. This experience led him to realize he was only pretending what his family wanted him to be and that he was meant to be a hunter. He told his family about his true nature but they rejected him, so he fled and eventually found his place at the hotel. The owner took an immediate liking to him and allowed him to "take your desires and make them your art."

The Listener becomes distracted by the straight razor in his pocket and Briar proudly says that it was a gift from the owner. He offers to show it to them over a drink then remembers that they never gave him their name. They can share it with him later over drinks and he tells them to unpack and put on something nice while he goes to soak his shirt in bleach.

Briar finds them after the Listener comes out of the basement theater. He advises them that there's no no need to go down there, a repository of rubbish and useless things, and remembers that he still owes them a drink. He suggests that they take advantage of the dance hall tonight even though it's been closed by his father. Of course, he can't take them out for drinks if they don't know their name and indulges in a little bit of theatrics before he asks for it.

The Listener "plays coy" instead of answering and the fae tells them not to worry. He's been told by his father that they are off limits for his "regular pursuits" but tries to rope them into something else they can do together. It's implied that the Listener says something about wanting to leave and Briar is shocked that they want to leave such a paradise for the lost and forgotten. Still, he knows the first step for getting out of the Hotel Sanguine. He will tell them what it is for a trade: their name.

The Listener refuses but he pushes with more menace in his voice, insinuating that even if they don't give it to him now he will have an eternity to tease it out of them. As Leviathan's son he knows how someone can leave the hotel and bring someone with them. They give in and Briar is creepily gratified by it.

The fae tells them to talk to the first person they met at the hotel and that person will show them the way out with the additional advice to run. The Listener seems to be shocked by the threat because they don't leave just yet. Briar explains that their desire to leave voids the protection of his father and they better take advantage of the head start he's giving them. After another warning they start to run.

## Personality

As a permanent resident and favored guest of the owner, Briar navigates through the hotel with ease and has the leeway to do what he likes. This can be seen by his casual attitude around the Listener, going so far as to arrange a drink date with them without waiting for them to accept. He's a meticulous person who cares about his appearance, keeping bleach around to take care of inconvenient blood that might stain his clothes. Like Achiro, he's very proud to call the hotel his home and praises it as a luxurious establishment.

Briar has a capricious nature probably from being a fae. He easily gets distracted by things that catch his eye and can take over the conversation when he gets invested in something. He finds many things about the Listener fascinating such as their skin and hair but first notices their eyes, seeing a unique spark within them. He even tells them the way out of the hotel, making them potential prey for his bloodthirsty nature.

## Trivia

### Briar

* Achiro was the first staff member he met in the hotel. The clerk invited him in and brought him to the owner, who he greatly admires.
* Cthutt describes him as having red hair and cold eyes that scream of the void, a being less of a man and more of a beast. According to the bartender, Briar is the most dangerous being in the hotel.
* The owner considers Briar to be like a son to him and saw the spark of greatness in him, a fire that deserved to be stoked.
* It's implied that Briar hunts the other hotel guests at night and only those with his father's protection are off limits.

### Fan Theories

* The beast Briar followed in the woods left behind prey that was tended to, the Listener of the Selfish Wolfsegner.
* The beast Briar followed was Aries.

## Audio References

See the **Hotel Sanguine** playlist here.

1. ↑ Inspected by A Nefarious Fae
2. ↑ Yandere Puppeteer Give You A Show
3. ↑ Yandere Fae Tempts You