#the whole creatures era captured in the song | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mlpdestinyverse · 5 years

Photo

Destinyverse: The Dazzlings

"You can't turn away. We'll make you want to stay. We will be adored Tell us that you want us We won't be ignored It's time for our reward Now you need us. Come and heed us. Nothing can stop us now!" _________________

I said it once and I'll say it again; I really love the Dazzlings. It's mainly thanks to these lyrics from their song "Welcome to the Show" that I've developed many inspired ideas behind both the Dazzlings and siren species as a whole. First! Let's get into some siren Destinyverse headcanons before jumping into the history of our last three remaining pure-blooded sirens; Adagio, Sonata, and Aria. Summary Under The Cut!

THE SIRENS

In the world that once was, now known as the Pre-Equestrian era, the Ancient Alicorn of Mischief, Lugh, breathed life into beautiful beasts she named the Sirens. Based upon the pearlescent shores of the Isles of Anthemosa, the sirens were magical creatures of song and sea, with vibrant flowing fins, glimmering iridescent scales, and enchanting voices that were unmatched by anyone. An all-female species, the members of the tribe had their own means of magic-based procreation. Each family of sirens lived under a single alpha matriarch who established peace and order. Sirens were also granted a long lifespan of over 500 years.

Proud and exuberant by nature, sirens loved the sound of their own voices and music became a part of their everyday lives. A siren's song was thought to be an extension of who they were and was considered one of the most important aspects a siren saw in others as well as themselves. The sirens saw great meaning - even vulnerability - in sharing their music and being heard; sirens would sing to bond with others, to calm themselves, to comfort their offspring, or even to capture the attention of a potential mate. Sirens would often join together in harmonies for fun. Especially bonded sirens could be consistently in-sync with one another, dancing and harmonizing perfectly.

Each siren came into existence with a single gem that was designed to not only allow them to concentrate magic into their voices, much like a unicorn casting spells with their horn, but also possessed the ability to draw in and store negative energy, converting it into extra magical power for their personal usage. This ability did not often come into play for a species as self-reliant and isolated as the sirens were at the time. However, it gave the sirens a reason to enjoy toying around with their prey, consisting of various species of fish and sea mammals. They would draw out burst after burst of fear, and once bored or satisfied, would use their magical songs to make their prey willing targets before going in for the kill.

The gems of the sirens varied in color. Gems of similar color between sirens usually signified some sort of family relation.

A siren's voice was magically-laced and nothing less than powerful. Intentionally or not, their music, when gracing the ears of creatures less powerful than them, never seemed to fail in placing said creatures in a trance-like and arguably relaxing state. While these effects wore off some time after a song ended, this ability - in addition to their proficiency in charm spells - aided the sirens in their hunts and any battles against threats. But the bigger the target, and the more targets present, the more voices and power they'd need to entrance or have their charm spells take effect

Unfortunately, the voices of the sirens did not fall only on the ears of the local wildlife or their own kind. Seafaring ponies and other traveling creatures of flight would venture into proximity of the sirens' territory and unintentionally hear their captivating voices from afar. In their hypnotized states, the accidental victims would then mindlessly draw closer, only to fall to the waters and drown or cause shipwrecks by crashing into the cliffs and rocks of Anthemosa. The sirens were blamed as a result, accused of purposely luring in innocent sailors and travelers. In the aftermath of such annoying and offensive ill-rumors, the sirens stuck even closer to their isles. From then on they chose to scare off any approaching ships or travelers if it meant keeping their peace intact in the face of such egotism.

The sirens did, however, have an allyship with another tribe. They are currently remembered as the Merponies (not to be confused with the Seaponies of the Hippogriffs), created by and once under the leadership of the Ancient Alicorn of Seas, Léon (also noted in history as "King Leo"). The sirens and merponies often came together to hold peaceful and joyous feasts. It allowed the sirens to happily flourish their voices, a fun and relaxing experience the merponies greatly enjoyed. They would even exchange songs, and while the sirens held their own voices in high regard, they respected and could even appreciate the songs of their allies, even if said songs could not quite compare.

_______________________________________________

The Three Sisters

Adagio was the firstborn child of her family within the Siren tribe. Bright-eyed, strong-willed, and assertive even at her young age, the amber siren had a strong voice and an inner strength that had many fondly believing that she had a chance at becoming a future tribe leader in her own right. Such compliments did not fail to get to Adagio's head, and she took great joy in showing off her grand leadership skills every chance she was given, especially when her tribe leader or mothers were watching.

In the following years (granted, a single siren year can equate to mere months for the average pony), Adagio was given a younger sister in Aria. An outspoken and stubborn child, the violet-colored siren (not-so-secretly) envied the praise Adagio received. She aimed to receive the same respect and attention as her older sister, often following her around and even challenging her to scuffles. Unfortunately for Aria, Adagio's vocal prowess and slightly larger size would always best her. Despite how much she huffed in the aftermath, what was secret was Aria's silent and genuine admiration of her sister's abilities and persona....though she'd rather die before she ever admitted that to her. She'd never hear the end of it.

A bit more unexpectedly came their youngest sister Sonata, a cerulean siren who...while talkative and lively, proved to be tremendously inattentive and "slower" than the average fish. This lead to some teasing from other young sirens, but said teasing always ended up short-lived. Both Adagio and Aria would rush in to scare off the bullies (and almost bite off a bit of fin). Though their younger sister annoyed them more times than not, and having her around was a bit of a drag, even they could recognize Sonata's struggle to fit in. Adagio - giving a stink eye to any judging face that looked at her sister the wrong way - settled on simply having Sonata stay close and tag along with her and Aria from then on. Aria begrudgingly followed her decision, despite how much she and Sonata would squabble over the smallest of things. An irritated growl or a warning nip from Adagio would usually put them back in line.

As young adolescents with full freedom to roam around the isles, Adagio in her cockiness pondered over the idea of her and her sisters experiencing a hunting expedition all by themselves. Because surely, utilizing the bit of energy they had collected during the last hunt they shadowed, she and her sisters could test themselves and prove their capabilities to the older sirens. Yes, Aria could prove herself. Sonata could prove herself. But well, more importantly, Adagio could prove herself far more than she already had. They could even turn it into a game and see who could catch the most fish! It wasn't hard to convince her sisters and have them join her in swimming beyond the reefs, further than they were normally allowed. And Adagio never foresaw the impact that single choice would make.

Relentlessly churning waters, dark skies beyond the surface, and a quickly clouding sea caught the sisters off guard in the middle of their fruitful hunt. Losing their sense of direction and unable to swim to the seemingly storming, thunderous surface, the frightened young sirens quickly took shelter deeper within the ocean, hiding in the first underwater cave they could find. They waited out what appeared to be a catastrophic storm. Unbeknownst to them, a destructive event in pre-Equestrian history, The Cataclysm, had begun.

When nearly a full day had passed and the faintest traces of sunlight once again shone through the waves, the three sisters quickly made their way back home, the hunt forgotten. But upon their return, devastation greeted them. A half-destroyed home, with dead plant matter, collapsed cliffsides, and scorched sands that once shone like pearls in the sunlight. And no sign of any other siren, aside from the charred remains of scales. The sisters frantically searched around the isles to no avail. And with no other leads or any other place to go, they waited. And waited. For years they waited, with the tiniest sliver of hope that even one other siren had escaped the destruction of whatever had occurred. Maybe the others were afraid of returning. Or perhaps the sisters were afraid of leaving.

Prey became hard to come by. Though their meager hunting skills landed them a few small meals, the destruction had chased away or killed off most of the surrounding ecosystem. When food became far too scarce for Adagio and her sisters to thrive, the amber siren had to make a terrible decision. But a necessary decision. After their long, hopeless wait, Adagio coaxed her sisters away from their home. What was once home. With heavy hearts and survival being at the forefront of Adagio's mind, the three swam off to unchartered waters. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Outcasts

Through the years, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata traversed the expansive seas. While they kept an eye out for other sirens, the merponies their tribe once called friends, as well as their own Alicorn Goddess, not a single trace could be found. It was also difficult to seek out answers when other inhabitants of the sea insistently avoided their path. Whether it was lingering fear in the aftermath of the destruction or due to the sirens' reputation of being vicious hunters, nothing brought assurance to the sisters. The seas felt unwelcoming and the tides brought more threatening predators than their level of magic had them prepared for. The young sirens found themselves constantly on the move, as any potential territory was either already inhabited or was far too dangerous for the sirens to settle down in. Besides... nothing compared to the paradise that had once been Anthemosa. Their calls and weak melodies left unanswered, the silent and empty sea was only a reminder of how truly alone they had become.

It was hardest to get Sonata to grasp the gravity of their situation. "Where did everyone go?" she'd ask over and over again. "I want to go home." While frustrated, hearing her sister's genuine confusion and fear stung Adagio deep. Aria's sporadic, angry outbursts towards Sonata - just barely masking her slowly dawning realization and grief - did nothing to ease the sickness in Adagio's stomach. Because while she fought to ignore the prodding in her mind, she knew. It was her fault they hadn't been there when the others fell. And no amount of denial after so many years erased the truth; they were really all that was left of their kind.

They were lost and without purpose. Despite her aggressive leadership and strong front, survivor's guilt consumed Adagio with each passing day. Yet she refused to let her own anguish and hopelessness take her. And as the oldest remaining siren, she wouldn't let the weight of reality take her sisters either. Resilient and determined, Adagio silently planned their next course of action. That's when it came to her: after centuries of their tribe's isolation, maybe it was finally time to leave the seas and integrate their kind with the land dwellers. Why stay put in the silent ocean, already unwanted and forgotten? They had so much culture and history and, most of all, the power and pride of their songs to share.

Adagio, ready for the next leg of their journey and with her head held high, lead her more hesitant sisters onto the shores of Equestria. The curious sights of pastures and towns and land critters overwhelmed them, but the sisters pushed on until they came face-to-face with ponykind. The ponies were a mix of awe-stricken and cautious in their presence. There before them hovered three beautiful yet intimidating creatures, easily towering them in size. With a little time, the sirens' confident demeanors (as well as their relatable sibling banter) drew out curiosity from friendlier folk.

The sisters learned much in the short period of time they spent simply testing the waters: a mysterious storm or entity or force that had been the cause of what they called "The Cataclysm"; the disappearance of the ancient Alicorns; the founding of Equestria, and the peaceful union of the three pony tribes in the past decade. While no amount of information brought the sisters closure to what had transpired, the sirens at the very least felt the promising beginnings of a newfound allyship with the ponies. The very idea of having camaraderie again brought the three a sense of relief and comfort they hadn't felt in the ten years they had wandered alone. And as it turned out, ponies enjoyed songs! Eager to extend themselves and reveal their incredible talents, the sisters offered their heartfelt melodies to their company. As was the natural effect of their voices, the ponies were placed in a relaxed, trance-like state as they blissfully gave Adagio, Sonata, and Aria their full attention. As far as the sisters understood, they were giving an unforgettable, soothing performance deserving of praise. However, those outside of earshot - spectators who recognized the familiar signs they had heard of so long ago of hypnotic voices and doe-eyed stares- went into an absolute frenzy.

The old tales of "ocean beasts with magical voices, coaxing all who listened to their doom" resurfaced at once. And after witnessing it before their very eyes, the villagers turned on the siren sisters. The three were accused of using sinister charms to trick and turn the townsfolk into their next meal. The ponies shouted that their songs were evil, and fearfully grabbed their weapons to chase off the "beasts". Negativity surrounded the sisters, and as designed, all three sirens' gems drew the townsfolk's emotions in. But the spare magical energy did not come with satisfaction or pride. In all their hopeless years, this was never the energy or the mortifying response their longing hearts had wished for. With little time to defend themselves, they were spat at and bombarded with weapons until they were driven out. Though not before being told to leave their land and never return.

Word of the sirens and their "dark magic" spread like wildfire through various towns of eastern Equestria. Rumors of their dangerous intent, rumors that they could very well be the remaining monstrosities of the defeated Father of Monsters, Grogar. No matter where they went, the moment they were recognized, ponies screamed in fear and refused to listen to their voices. Some struggled to cover their ears as they ran away. Others resorted to attacking them on sight in their terror. And some pondered the pretty coins the sirens' glimmering scales could earn them. Adagio, Sonata, and Aria were forced to go into hiding, afraid to even appear in broad daylight less they be threatened or hunted.

The sisters were left humiliated. To have their own voices slandered and rejected was a wounding insult that cut them deeper than anypony could ever understand. With their chances of escaping their isolation dashed, even Adagio was left sickened and whole-heartedly devastated. Sonata angrily questioned how anyone could hate them when all they had done was sing the best songs ponykind would ever hear. It was what they did. It was who they were....right? Aria snarled that they were the worst kind of hypocrite. Glorifying the unity of their own people, then sneering at their attempts to live amongst them? Because their gifts were different and undeserving of their respect? How was that fair? And for the first time, the three sisters were all of the same mind as resentment and animosity took over their thoughts.

Sure, they could have retreated back to the desolate seas and their ruined home. But where was the satisfaction in that? With newfound purpose, Adagio, Sonata, and Aria handled their vengeful hearts as best as three hurt, bitter children could: first, revenge was to be sought. Adagio recalled the stories of newfound peace within Equestria, as well as the negative energy still swirling within their gems. A perfect idea developed within the leader's calculating mind. It started with locating and lingering near both the dragons of the Dragon Lands and the griffons of Griffonstone. Aggressive and distrustful creatures by nature, just as she had overheard, they were a breeding ground for negative energy. Siphoning the energy unnoticed was a challenge, but a worthwhile one as they harnessed just enough for their plan. Next? Turn ponykind against one another

Knowing the strength that came from companionship, the very thing ponykind had refused them, Adagio felt it was only poetic justice to destroy the peace such arrogant creatures had so proudly bragged about. And it worked. Twisting their charm from a spell of compliance to one of bitterness and spite had been effortless when those very emotions were churning within the sisters.

Having never explored the depths of their abilities before, it was surprising, to say the least. A single charm on a town created a constant feedback of negative energy for their magic reserves. Within mere hours, the effect and range of their voices had nearly doubled what it was. Jumping from town to town, creating and absorbing disharmony where they went, the siren's voices only grew stronger. Their notes reached further. And further. And further still. To think the extent of their kind's power was far greater than anything the sisters could have ever imagined. What they were discovering was a potential never before reached by any siren before them. The surge of their growing power was so new, and the sheer child's play of it all exhilarated the three. So why stop? Just how powerful could they get with every new town they conquered?

Adagio realized at the rate they were going, all of Equestria could become their stage. It could become their farmland, with ponykind as their mindless, adoring cattle that they could siphon all the energy they needed to maintain their power and control. They honestly had it coming. If they weren't willing to bask in the magnificence of their voices, then they might as well feed their voices instead. And with their newfound resources, in time...they could attempt to restore their beloved Anthemosa. Power. Respect. Recognition. Rebuilding their beautiful home. This was fair restitution for all of the unjust pain inflicted upon them since the Cataclysm.

Adagio's goals all became short-lived when an attack on one particular village lead to their downfall. As history recalls, the young unicorn Stygian had managed to escape the sirens' control over his village. To save his fellow villagers, the colt gathered the heroes of ancient Equestria, lead by the legendary wizard Starswirl the Bearded. And ignoring Stygian's suggestion that the sirens could be reasoned with, the Pillars of Old Equestria followed Starswirl's plan and worked together to engage the sirens. Starswirl believed that using his magic to banish them to a world without magic was the only possible solution against such a treacherous threat. Little did he know that his theory would only come to endanger another universe's inhabitants. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rise and Fall of the Dazzlings

Starswirl's magic did not only transfer Adagio, Sonata, and Aria to the universe of humankind. The sisters were transported across time, nearly 900 years into the future. Finding themselves in a world without magic, a world of civilizations and advancements beyond their understanding, the sirens were dumbfounded. They were forced into forms completely unfamiliar to them, small and uncomfortable and worst of all, vulnerable. How were they supposed to protect themselves with barely visible fangs and without their powerful hooves? The only relief they had in their dismaying situation were their three gems, separate from their bodies but intact. It was uncertain just how much of their natural magic had been transferred to their jewels in order to function, but at the very least, Adagio could sense that magic still resided within.

In the following near-century of their lives, the sirens continued to draw in as much negative energy as humanly possible. To get by, their voices had to be strong enough to control others into providing what they needed, whether it be shelter, food, or other necessities and comforts. As a result, Adagio grew crueler, more hardened, and mastered the art of manipulation with her sisters closely following her lead. The sirens quietly sowed seeds of conflict where they could, but there was only so much power they could retrieve when the energy in the human world differed significantly from Equestria's. And who else to blame but the pathetic, insignificant lives of the world's magicless inhabitants.

The rate of drawing in and expending energy left the sisters with just enough magic for their charms to affect a small radius of people for a given period of time. Their magic won them enough favor to gain their basic comforts, but with frequently depleting reserves of magic, they experienced far too many close calls with having their spells break. The moment anyone seemed to catch on to their act, the three would flee town, jumping from one area to the next. Through the years they even had to keep track of the human world's development with music, altering their songs as necessary as not to arouse suspicion from potential prey. Living in the shadows day by day, unnoticed and unappreciated by those around them, there was little hope for their miserable circumstances...until one fateful day when Equestrian magic appeared in Canterlot City.

Knowing full well that targeting Equestrian magic would restore their full power, once more Adagio's mind sparked with excitement and ambition. Understanding the magic's origin or why seven teenage girls possessed its essence didn't even matter at that moment. Once they had all the magic they needed, no longer would they have to bend to the laws of the world. The world would bend to them. They'd live comfortably, freely, and no longer in hiding. Once again their music would reach far and they would be adored for the powerful beings they really were. Never ignored, nor rejected. The world would know their names again. Better yet, with no hope of returning to Equestria, they could simply shape the world itself into the home they wanted. They'd rid it of its broken, suppressive systems and live as they saw fit. Their suffering and patience would finally be rewarded.

But it was not to be. The alumni of Canterlot High remember the tale of Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, and their friends rising up to defeat "The Dazzlings", ending their plans forever with the destruction of their magical gems. As far as they understand, the sirens became "harmless teenaged girls" in the aftermath, never to be seen again. Yet no one knows of the fate of the Dazzlings, or how those great heroes had ruined them.

In their hurry to escape in their defeat, only Adagio had been able to retrieve the shattered remains of her gem. Adagio, Sonata, and Aria lost everything the moment their ability to use magic had been ripped away. Whatever sway they had that granted them temporary shelter, whatever influence that helped keep them fed each day, and the pride of their beautiful singing voices that made them who they were? All gone in but a single night. Homeless and left to fend for themselves in a world they never belonged in, the earth-shattering reality was near numbing for Adagio. For the first time, she was lost. All hope was lost. Unable to sing, they weren't even sirens anymore. She would have been willing to lose anything else. Anything but the remainder of their identities. They had been reduced to nothing, all under her watch and lead.

Aria and Sonata anxiously turned to Adagio for some hope, some sign that they would figure things out as they always did. Because even if their older sister could be harsh and bossy, Adagio always had a plan. She always kept things together and she would always make things work out one way or another. Instead, there were no confident decisions. No snarky quips or half-hearted insults. Adagio moved about aimlessly, aloof and apathetic. It was like her very will had been shattered along with the gem shards she still held close. Her sisters tried to snap her out of it; Sonata listing off her worried questions, Aria tensely yelling anything that could to get a reaction out of her. Adagio remained despondent. And for the first time, while Adagio stayed fixated on her broken gem, Sonata and Aria were forced to act on their own.

Aria hunted down abandoned areas they could use for shelter. Sonata worked on finding or winning over food, which she took far more seriously than Aria would ever expect. Watching her sisters fumble about eventually drew Adagio out of her grief-filled daze. The first time their older sister abruptly left them behind without a word, Aria and Sonata sincerely questioned if Adagio had outright abandoned them. Thankfully Adagio had simply decided to pull her own weight, adding her own provisions to their stockpile. While Adagio had returned to giving curt instructions for their survival, she began heading off alone on her own excursions, unannounced and without any explanations on her plans. Even when questioned, there was very little Adagio was willing to share when it came to what was going through her headspace. And with how little Adagio was speaking in the first place, there was no telling if she was really as 'okay' as she acted.

Due to sheer luck or mercy, and though it took time, Adagio was able to find a means of piecing her broken gem back together. While its power proved weaker than what it once was, it still possessed enough magical essence to draw in negativity and channel spells. There was an immense wave of relief in recovering her singing voice, and in the following years, Adagio swore to never take it for granted. With hard work and the help of a spell or three, Adagio swallowed her pride and was able to land a job at a company. She aggressively worked (and charmed) her way up through the ranks until she became a corporate executive. While she found her work to be exhausting and suffocating, it was the one position that provided her any kind of seat of power in her life. Not only did it pay well, but it allowed her to intimidate her underlings and collect their negativity gradually.

Adagio insisted on being the financial supporter of the family, as long as her sisters continued to provide in their own way. With the amount of free time on her hands, Aria developed an interest in books and eventually found a job at a library. While her favorite part of her work is the peace and silence away from home, she also takes pleasure in telling others to shut up whenever they get too noisy. Sonata...went from job to job without anything really sticking, to put it lightly. So Adagio tasked her with at least keeping their condominium organized and throwing together dinner as long as her recipe didn't risk setting the building on fire. Although there were a few near-incidents, Sonata (somehow) managed.

And as the years went by, that's when Adagio realized...they were aging. For decades the three sirens, with their long life spans, had not once experienced any change to their appearance. But now, the signs of growth, of age lines, were beginning to show. One way or another, their very gems had possessed the magic that had given them their expansive life spans. Perhaps that was always the case. Or perhaps it happened the moment they were physically separated from their jewels. But with their gems shattered, or cracked in Adagio's case, the sirens now faced newfound mortality, a regulated lifespan equal to that of a human's. And in this realization, more horrific thoughts followed.

Adagio, Sonata, and Aria would be forgotten with time, as three average humans who lived simple, meaningless human lives. They'd disappear with little trace of who they truly were. And the siren name would die with them. Their people never existed in this world. The sirens no longer exist in Equestria, either. Their kind's legacy would be left to collect dust, if not erased from history entirely. Adagio realized then that she hadn't just failed her sisters in leading them. She had failed every siren that had come before her, who once thought she'd lead the sirens to a greater future. And that was something her broken pride could not stand for.

In Sonata's and Aria's eyes, Adagio's spontaneous decision to have a child was abrupt and mind-boggling. Adagio - who loathed humans and being "human" more than anyone - was now prepared to have a child with one. Well, sort of. The only tidbit of information Adagio willingly gave them was her plan for artificial conception. Which okay, made far more sense. But even then, they couldn't even begin to understand what had brought on the choice. And Adagio, still intent on keeping her thoughts and weak emotions to herself, decided to keep it that way.

Thus lead to the creation of Forte Fermata, Adagio's half-human, half-siren daughter, and the first small spark of hope Adagio never knew she needed in her life. Adagio left Sonata and Aria to act as Forte's caretakers whenever she became busy with work. It took no time for Sonata to also fall in love with Forte, eager to play with what felt like a new baby sister. Meanwhile, Aria still needed time to really process the fact that Adagio wanted and had a kid, but once they were through Forte's crying-and-diaper-changing years, she decided Forte wasn't all that bad. Better than Adagio's snide attitude and Sonata's stupidity, at least. The sirens are an odd family of tired souls, and maybe not the best at being loving and kind to one another. But they are loyal to each other, and they do their best to make the most of the time they have left.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

EXTRA

While Adagio remains reserved and strict around her sisters, unwilling to show them her weakness again, only Forte has possessed the power to pull down her mother's walls and reveal her true exhaustion and vulnerability. She is the focus of every bit of Adagio's pride and adoration, and in the older siren's eyes, she is everything Adagio is and more.

Adagio, Aria, and Sonata do deeply care about one another. It's why they've stuck together through everything and why no amount of frustration or exasperation has led them to even consider leaving the other two behind. But harsh conditions through the years, along with their pride, made it difficult for them to know just how to express that care. That especially became the case once they lost their ability to sing together and share that special connection as sirens. Secretly, Adagio has reflected on this, silently questioning why Aria and Sonata still follow her after everything she's lead them through. Multiple times she's imagined a day where they'll decide they're better off on their own and will leave. It's a day she's mentally prepared herself for through the years and has contributed to her aloofness. Aria at least manages to catch onto her older sister's thoughts and quells them in her typical indirect, stubborn way.

Aria may step out of line at times to challenge Adagio's leadership and act like she thinks her sister's ideas are dumb. But really, that jealousy she harbored for Adagio when they were kids never quite went away. In reality, if she can't be considered a leader like Adagio (not that Adagio would give her a chance to try), a part of her wants Adagio to at least respect her as a voice worth hearing. She only really makes fun of Adagio when she wants some form of acknowledgment as Adagio's right-hand-woman, consistently one step behind her sister and quick to follow her lead. But she knows Adagio is too full of herself to give her that level of recognition. It's the one thing she truly hates about the older siren.

Sonata may not the brightest, but on rare occasions, she can come up with something genuinely helpful. Such moments honestly impress Adagio and Aria, an example being the cute little crochet pouch necklace she threw together for Forte to freely carry her gem in.

Since the siren sisters were far away from Equestria during the clash of the three pony tribes, they had missed seeing the lost, restless spirits of their siren sisters, mindlessly drawn in by the negativity that once empowered them and continued to do so in death. Equestrian history remembers them as the dreaded Wendigos, now asleep during Equestria's relative era of peace.

______________________________________________________

TLDR: Local homeless and rejected teenaged orphans get their revenge and then try to take over the world twice, only to fail without a speck of closure in sight. This took me so long to write out...this was a case of knowing exactly what I wanted to write, but the words refused to come together the way I needed them to. OTL But I'm soso happy to reveal this story, as well as some pretty big puzzle pieces of Destinyverse lore!! Hope you enjoy. <3 These siren designs of the Dazzlings are based on the designs shown on the "My Little Pony: Legends of Magic" Issue 7 cover! Like dude, they're really pretty...!!

#adagio dazzle #Sonata Dusk #Aria Blaze #Equestria Girls #eqg #mlp #mirrorverse #destinyverse #story

131 notes · View notes

eldritchsurveys · 4 years

Text

873.

5k Survey I

1. Who are you? >> I’m Mordred. 2. What are the 3 most important things everyone should know about you? >> I’m sensory-defensive and post-traumatic, I'm part of a multiple system, and I’m a fictional character. 3. When you aren’t filling out 5,000 question surveys like this one what are you doing? >> Taking way shorter surveys. When I’m not taking surveys at all, I’m posting on tumblr or pillowfort, reading, playing video games, researching video game lore, watching a movie or show, or trying to manage my hellbrain (which is a whole separate task in itself). 4. List your classes in school from the ones you like the most to the ones you like the least (or if you are out of school, think of the classes you did like and didn’t like at the time). >> I do my best not to think about school, the last bit of which was 15 years ago anyway. 5. What is your biggest goal for this year? >> I don’t make goals like that.

6. Where do you want to be in 5 years? >> It’s inconceivable to me to plan ahead that far. Even to think ahead that far seems silly and pointless to my very present-focused (and past-haunted) mind.

7. What stage of life are you in right now? >> Adulthood. Just the general “adulthood” between hectic young adulthood and transitional middle age. 8. Are you more child-like or childish? >> I’m not child-like or childish. I simply understand that the division between “childhood” and “adulthood” isn’t nearly as cut-and-dried as society has organised it for the sake of legality and social interaction, and I also understand that the desire to escape childhood and “childish things” is a conceit of the young, who wish to be seen as grown and independent creatures (which is part of development! it makes perfect sense). By the time you get to your thirties, it really stops mattering. You know you’re an adult. You know that being an adult means you have the freedom to do whatever you want (as far as leisure and play and stuff like that goes, I mean), which means you can sit in your pjs watching cartoons and eating sugar cereal if you like, and no parent can chide you for it, and your peers can fuck off if they don’t like it. (The “adult” part of doing that is knowing to stop after one and a half bowls of said cereal, lmao. It’s all a balance, innit?)

9. What is the last thing you said out loud? >> I don’t remember. 10. What song comes closest to how you feel about your life right now? >> I don’t think there’s any song that can capture that. Or, maybe there is, but I don’t know about it. 11. Have you ever taken martial arts classes? >> No. I’ve been interested, but frankly, I can’t afford anything like that. 12. Does your life tend to get better or worse or does it just stay the same? >> There is no set trajectory, like that. Life has high points and low points, and the majority of it is really spent somewhere in the middle. It’s just that we focus on the high points and the low points most often (and when the low points are particularly low, they often end up defining our entire existence, even when we’re in the middle or even at high points). 13. Does time really heal all wounds? >> It’s not time that does it. Time just always happens to pass while the healing is being done, so we figure it’s the most common denominator. It takes work to heal, not just passively sitting around waiting for it to happen. 14. How do you handle a rainy day? >> I bring an umbrella, if I have to go out. Usually I don’t, so I just... do what I would do normally? 15. Which is worse…losing your luggage or having to sort out tangled holiday lights? >> Obviously losing your luggage... 16. How is your relationship with your parents? Will you miss them when they are gone? >> We have no relationship. There will be nothing to miss. 17. Do you tend to be aware of what is going on around you? >> Yeah. Especially since I’m prone to hypervigilance. 18. What is the truest thing that you know? >> The truest thing that I know is that I don’t know shit, and neither does anyone else. We’re all just elaborately guessing about shit, and interpreting reality the best way we can. Which is great, really. The fact that we keep trying to understand shit is cool. Just... “the map is not the territory” kind of applies to a lot of the stuff we think we know. ...Or not, right? After all, what do I know? :p 19. What did you want to be when you grew up? >> I just wanted to be free. 20. Have you ever been given a second chance? >> Probably. 21. Are you more of a giver or a taker? >> I’m a fair amount of both, being, you know, a person. 22. Do you make your decisions with an open heart/mind? >> I make my decisions the best way I know how. Whatever that means. 23. What is the most physically painful thing that has ever happened to you? >> Menstrual cramps. 24. What is the most emotionally painful thing that has ever happened to you? >> Yeah, right, like I’m going to be able to rank that. 25. Who have you hugged today? >> No one. 26. Who has done something today to show they care about you? >> --- 27. Do you have a lot to learn? >> Of course. I don’t necessarily have to learn all of it, but it sure is out there. 28. If you could learn how to do three things just by wishing and not by working what would they be? >> I don’t think that would be of any benefit to me. As much as I balk at taking those long uphill journeys to skillfulness, I feel like those journeys are beneficial and aid one’s growth. I’d rather not just snap my fingers and have a djinni grant me abilities like that. 29. Which do you remember the longest: what other people say, what other people do or how other people make you feel? >> How what other people do and say makes me feel. 30. What are the key ingredients to having a good relationship? >> Meh. 31. What 3 things do you want to do before you die? >> I don’t have a list like this. 32. What three things would you want to die to avoid doing? >> I think I would rather die than be incarcerated. So I’d take the death penalty if I could avoid a life imprisonment sentence... 33. Is there a cause you believe in more than any other cause? >> Not particularly. 34. What does each decade make you think of? The 1920’s: Prohibition. Wait, was that the 20s or the 30s? 30’s: World War II. 40’s: The rest of WWII. 50’s: I just think of... all the propaganda images from that era. You know, all the... domestic Whiteness... also, weird foods like meat aspic. 60’s: Hippies and Woodstock. 70’s: The Vietnam War (and the protests). 80’s: Hair metal. 90’s: Grunge and weird television/movies. 2000 : Well, I was an adult for most of this decade, and more or less aware of the world, so I don’t have a succinct “concept” of the aughts the way I have for decades that I didn’t live through, that I only have historical knowledge of. 2010’s: ^

35. Which decade do you feel the most special connection to and why? >> I feel an emotional connection to the spirit of the nineties. I don’t feel like trying to organise my words to explain why, I feel like that would take a lot of energy right now and I still have fifteen questions to go. 36. What is your favorite oldie/classic rock song? >> I don’t have one particular favourite. 37. What country do you live in and who is the leader of that country? >> United States. Donald Trump is president, weirdly enough. If you could say any sentence to the current leader of your country what would it be? >> I’d rather not, thanks. 38. What’s your favorite TV channel to watch in the middle of the night? >> I don’t watch television in the middle of the night... 39. What Disney villain are you the most like and why? >> That’s a great question, but the thing about Disney villains is that I don’t relate to them as much as I just love watching them do what they do. Like, my favourite is Judge Frollo, but I don’t think it’s because I have anything in common with him. Or, hell, maybe I would burn down an entire city because I don’t know how to handle the fact that I really want to bone this superbly hot chick. (My actual favourite villain is Catholic Guilt.) 40. Have you ever been a girl scout/boy scout? >> Briefly. 41. If you were traveling to another continent would you rather fly or take a boat? >> I would rather fly. I feel like boat travel would take a particularly long time and I’m not into that. 42. Why is the sky blue during the day and black at night? >> Oh, you know. Science. (I’m not Google.) 43. What does your name mean? >> I’m not sure anyone really knows what “Mordred” means. 44. Would you rather explore the depths of the ocean or outer space? >> Outer space. 45. What is the first word that comes to mind when you see the word: Air: Astrology. Meat: Beef. Different: Strokes. Pink: Panther. Deserve: Entitlement. White: Power, unfortunately. Been reading about too many fucking Nazis lately. Elvis: Pelvis. Magic: Mountain. Heart: Head. Clash: Punk. Pulp: Fiction.

46. If you could meet any person in the world who is dead who would you want it to be? >> I don’t care about this. 47. What if you could meet anyone who is alive? >> I still don’t care. 48. Is there a movie that you love so much you could watch it everyday? >> Of course not. I did watch Event Horizon every day for like a month, but I was in the psych ward at the time. What the fuck else would I have done anyway? 49. You are going to be stuck alone in an elevator for a week. What do you bring to do? >> What do I bring to do?! That’s definitely the least of my concerns with a hypothetical like this. I can’t fucking survive in an elevator for a week, dude. 50. Have you ever saved someone’s life or had your life saved? >> Doubtful.

#surveys #survey #5000 question survey

1 note · View note

mainstreettalk · 5 years

Text

My Top 5 Disneyland Attractions

Disneyland is home to many fun attractions and rides for guests of all walks of life. When you go to Disneyland, one of the hardest decisions to make during your trip is choosing which attractions to visit first and which attractions you’ll have to skip on. So, here are the attractions that I personally deem are the top 5 attractions that every guest should experience at least once during their trip.

5. Mickey and the Magical Map

Image by D23

It’s important to note that though many guests go to Disneyland to enjoy the rides and food, the live shows really should not be skipped out on. Mickey and the Magical Map is a musical live theatre show located at Fantasyland Theatre near the back of Disneyland park. This show features the titular icon of the Walt Disney Company, Mickey Mouse, but also incorporates some of Disney’s most popular characters, including Rapunzel, Mulan, Stitch, and many others. I could go on and on about how much I love this show, but there are a few distinct characteristics that make this one stand out above the rest. The fact that so many of Disney’s most recognized ballads and anthems are performed by live actors and singers really makes you feel like you’re immersed in Disney canon. The dancers have incredibly creative routines and perform them flawlessly. The show uses a visually stunning blend of live characters and set pieces as well as a digital background that’s really able to capture the magic that Walt Disney had originally intended for all guests of his park to experience. This show runs only about 20 minutes long and it’s a great place to just sit down, relax, and keep yourself entertained. Personally, I think this is the best live show at the park, even topping the live Frozen show at the Hyperion Theater in DCA. Mickey and the Magical Map is definitely worth your short amount of time to go visit and watch and it will really help round out your whole Disney experience.

4. Storybook Land Canal Boats

Image by Disney

The next attraction on this list is one of the original 13 attractions that debuted on July 17, 1955 when Walt Disney first opened the gates to Disneyland park. The Storybook Land Canal Boats take the guests through a calm, narrated boat ride on a river that winds through various detailed dioramas of iconic buildings, scenes, and sets from Disney films. Some of my personal favorites are Pinnochio’s village, the sultan’s palace from Aladdin, and a London-set park from Peter Pan. Though the ride starts with the boats entering Monstro the whale’s mouth, it’s all smooth sailing from then on. It’s sad to see that many of the original 13 rides that Walt himself had a hand in creating- including these canal boats- have lost their popularity to the newer, flashier rides at the park. However, this is a ride that guests shouldn’t sweep under the rug just because it isn’t thrilling; the lines are usually short and move fast and the ride itself is a substantial length, so there’s no worries about you or your children getting antsy waiting in line. This attraction is especially a must-ride for couples- there is a beautiful fairy-light adorned overhang that the boats pass through that is notably stunning when it gets darker outside, and the overall ambiance of the ride itself is very romantic. The Storybook Land Canal Boats is honestly my favorite ride when I just want to sit, rest my feet, and enjoy that nostalgic old-timey Disney feeling you get when you ride classics like these.

3. The Haunted Mansion

Image by Disney

Now we’re finally getting to the E-Ticket attractions. The Haunted Mansion is a celebrated fan favorite attraction at Disneyland, and this is reflected by its often extensive wait times. The thing that makes this attraction- and the next 2 picks- so fun to ride is the level of in-depth immersiveness that the theming of the ride gives to the guests. The exterior facade of this ride is quite possibly the best themed facade in the entire park. It just fits perfectly in the land that it’s in (New Orleans Square) and the antebellum-style of the mansion accurately emulates the large manors of the old South. When guests are taken in, they are immediately thrown into the story of the Mansion before the ride even begins. The guests are placed into what is known as the “stretch room,” where the walls of the room, by an optical illusion (I’ll talk about this in a future post), look to stretch up vertically to show the morbid demises of the portraits hung up on the walls. While this is happening, the prologue of the story is presented by the Ghost Host, who reveals that he himself is the spirit of a corpse that is hanging from the ceiling of the room. It should be noted that the Ghost Host’s voice is done by Paul Frees, a voice actor that is legendary for lending his voice to other Disney attractions like Pirates of the Caribbean, and Adventure Thru Inner Space. After the stretch room, guests are ushered down the hallway that has portraits hung up on the walls that look to be changing or following them. The ride itself includes some of the best of Disney Imagineering, and each scene makes great use of Disney’s animatronics system as well as hybrid-projections. One of the most famous Disneyland characters, the Hat Box Ghost, is from this ride. The Haunted Mansion is a prime example of how perfect theming, memorable characters, and an invigorating story can truly immerse the guests in the fantasy world that it has created. This attraction would be higher up on this list if not for the fact the next two rides are not just my favorite attractions at Disneyland, but are likely my two favorite rides ever.

2. Splash Mountain

Image by Disney

Ever since it debuted in 1989, Splash Mountain has been one of the most popular E-Ticket attractions at the park. Splash Mountain takes the guests on a log-flume ride through “The Laughing Place” and the woods where the Br‘er animals live. The story is based off of the controversial live action Disney film Song of the South (again, I’ll go over the controversy in a future article), and the charming woodland creatures are some of the most entertaining animatronics at the park. The joke, they dance, they sing, and the light-hearted tone of the characters really balances with the scarier, darker part of the ride (The Laughing Place), as well as the large drop down the waterfall. Speaking of the drop, I believe this drop is the biggest drop at Disneyland (not counting DCA) at a height of 52.5 feet, a 45-47 degree angle, and up to 40 miles per hour. Personally, Splash Mountain is far and away my favorite “mountain” at the park, beating out Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and the Matterhorn. This is objectively the most physically thrilling attraction at Disneyland. Funny personal story about the Splash Mountain ride- I hadn’t ridden this attraction until about a year or two ago since, before that, I was too young/scared to get in line. However, I unknowingly already cherished a part of the ride from a young age- the “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” scene during the Disneyland Railroad was my favorite scene during the train ride and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was actually a scene from Splash Mountain. Disclaimer- this ride will get you wet. I tend to enjoy this attraction the most in the middle of a particularly hot day, and I try to avoid it at night or on colder mornings.

1. Pirates of the Caribbean

Image by Disney

For my number one, absolute top favorite pick of the attractions at Disneyland, the Pirates of the Caribbean ride was a no-brainer for me. Pirates of the Caribbean is often the first ride I’ll run to as soon as I enter the park, and the last one I’ll visit before I leave. There are not enough words to say all the good things that I want to say about this attraction. Aside from being an iconic, classic attraction at Disneyland, PotC features some of the most impressive and quality animatronics to ever come out of Disney Imagineers. It has one of the largest collections of advanced animatronics at any given theme park and has beautifully designed set pieces. The guests are taken on a boat ride through a Louisiana bayou, passing by an old man on his banjo, before being dropped down a waterfall and transported back in time to an era where pirates openly ruled the high seas. The attention to detail in every single scene of this attraction is what truly makes it, in my opinion, the most immersive ride at Disneyland. The guest is truly made to feel as if they are experiencing the battles of the pirates on Isla Tesoro. From the moment you step foot onto the cobblestone pathways of the queue, you instantly feel the connection to the adventure that you’re about to embark on with the characters. The song “Yo Ho (A Pirate’s Life for Me)” plays every now and then during the attraction and, like “It’s a Small World,” it’s a catchy tune that guests will find themselves whistling as they spend the rest of their day at the park. Another thing to note about this attraction is the immediate wave of smell the guests notice when they walk into the building. The famously dubbed “pirate water” scent is one that was so popular that it is one of the things that guests remember about the ride, if nothing else. It truly makes the guest feel as if they are sailing the seas with the crew (although technically, the smell of the pirate water is actually the cleansing chemical Disney puts in their water attractions called bromine). A great thing about the PotC ride is that the ride vehicles are constantly moving and seat approximately 20 guests (5 rows of 4) and sends through about 3,400 guests per hour. This means that the line is consistently moving so you and your young ones will never get too antsy. Though it seems as if I’ve exhausted this attraction of all it could offer, there’s actually one more notable feature about this attraction that makes it stand out from the rest- built right into the attraction is the Blue Bayou restaurant, which is one of the best dining options at the park (and very expensive at that). Though this isn’t a necessity by any means, it is just another unique characteristic of this attraction that makes me love it so much. Though I’m always sad when my day ends at the park, I’m comforted by the fact that I can end the day right by riding Pirates one more time and then, if it’s early enough, grab a snack from the Mint Julep Bar right beside it.

So there you go guys, my top 5 Disneyland attractions of all time. Let me know if you agree, disagree, or if you just want to talk about anything Disney parks related with me!

*Revised 2 Oct 2019

#disney #disneyland #wdw #anaheim #california #theme park #universal #walt disney #adventureland #new orleans square #pirates of the caribbean #potc #pirates #splash mountain #haunted mansion #mickey #mickey mouse #mainstreettalk #disnerd

9 notes · View notes

gorillazgal86 · 4 years

Text

Spotify Shuffle

I’ve got a good bottle of wine in me and gonna throw my “Liked Songs” playlist on shuffle and share some tunes! Feel free to use/reblog or better yet, tell me what songs you like, I’m always on the hunt!

1. Real Peach - Henry Jamison: This is on constant repeat at the moment, hell of a good beat. I’m gonna need to check out more of this artist. And we’re coming back to the demon-killing work of love, my God, illuminate.

2. Lonely Eyes - Chris Young: I think the husband sent this one my way. From the little bit I’ve seen, they’re the perfect shade of green, next time they come my way, Heaven help me, make 'em stay.

3. Tune Out - The Format: This is pure 2003, bombing around Kansas in my friend’s Pontiac Thunderbird, probably stoned. I’ll tap the break while you tap the window, while you crack the window, the smell of smoke is making my lungs explode.

4. Necklace of the Wrens - The Gloaming: Oh my goodness these guys do some amazing traditional (and yet modern) Irish music. D'éirigh siad – is thuirling, Arís ar m'ucht, Ormsa bhí muince clúimh, Sa mhóinéar fliuch

5. Humble and Kind - Tim McGraw: I do love a country tune, this one is just so sweet. Know the difference between sleeping with someone and sleeping with someone you love, I love you ain’t no pick up line, so always stay humble and kind.

6. Lovefood - The Cardigans: Like many girls of a particular age, Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio was influential. And as much as I loved the film, the soundtrack was even more incredible. Lyrics are ropey as hell, but this is a bop. Love me love me, say that you love me. Leave me leave me, just say that you need me. I can't care 'bout anything but you.

7. The Hills - The Weekend, Eminem Remix: I love the word play and double entendre in this and Eminem’s contribution here just elevates that really awful booty call vibe. I let you see my dark side, but like a mic check, you got one too.

8. Only Love - Ben Howard: Just pure softness. Good writing tune, not too distracting. Darling you're with me, always around me. Only love, only love. Darling I feel you, under my body. Only Love, only love.

9. Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap: I remember a particularly delightful make out sesh with husband (then boyfriend) to behind a sofa to this song. Fucking bliss. Sinking, feeling. Spin me around again and rub my eyes. This can't be happening.

10. Born Slippy - Underworld: This is my Edinburgh song. When I left to move to NI, this was playing on my headphones as I left Waverley Station (obviously pretending I was Renton at the end of Trainspotting) and it was an end of an era. You had chemicals boy, I've grown so close to you. Boy and you just groan boy. She said comeover comeover. She smiled at you boy.

More tunes under the cut!

11. Would that I - Hozier: Another absolutely perfect writing song. Love that pick up in the middle (does beat drop apply with Hozier? Let’s pretend it does.) Sitting soft in this purest snow. Fell in love with the fire long ago

12. Maps for the Getaway - Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness: I wanted this to be my first dance at my wedding. The lyrics are just everything my relationship with my other half and the battles we went through. Not to mention the driving beat, kinda 80s vibe and sense of hope and it’s just real life. I adore this song. Following the outline of your face, I can see your breath move in the dark. Through all the autopilot years, the tears of joy, the face of fear. Now that we're not hiding, somehow you're still riding in my car

13. The Snake - Eric Church: This is a Crowley song for me (when he’s feeling sassy of course). It’s swampy and atmospheric and deserves a good set of speakers to listen to it. Y'know we were the original sin. And I bet you my rattle against your copper, that the bitch takes the apple again.

14. Love Triangle - Raelynn: Oh man, this song perfectly captures what it was like growing up with divorced parents. Absolutely heart breaking. And some mommas and daddies ran outta love in ninety-four. And some mommas and daddies don't even talk no more. And some mommas and daddies let their heart strings tear and tangle.And some of us get stuck and some of us grow up in a love triangle.

15. 80′s Mercedes - Maren Morris: This is THE driving song. Sun shining windows rolled down and belting this song out is life restoration. Absolute fucking bop. Feel like a hard-to-get starlet when I'm driving, turning every head, hell I ain't even trying. Got them Ray-Ban shades pretty in pink.

16. Love Me Like You Do - Ellie Goulding: Not a fan of Ellie Goulding, not at all interested in Fifty Shades of Grey, but I love this song. I just wanna don a ballgown and waltz all over the show. My head spinning around, I can't see clear no more. What are you waiting for?

17. Hold Me Up - Live: This song in Zac and Miri Make a Porno was just absolutely perfect and it elevated that whole movie in my opinion. Sweet, soft and rocking. Perfection. Hey, I'm in love, I'll take you up again. Your eyes have too many colours and I can only try

18. Give Me One Reason - Tracy Chapman: That guitar intro and Tracy Chapman’s amazing, deep vocals are so soulful. Cannot help but tap my toes, preach it Tracy! I don't want no one to squeeze me, they might take away my life. I just want someone to hold me and rock me through the night

19. It Had to be You - Frank Sinatra: This was the actual first dance at my wedding. We learned a foxtrot to do it justice (our dance teacher was delighted to not have another Ed Sheeran song). Actual fairy tale material. With all your faults, I love you still. It had to be you, wonderful you. It had to be you.

20. Shelter from the Storm - Bob Dylan: Dylan is a big part of my household, couldn’t even pick a real favourite if asked, depends. But as this one popped up, love the simple tune and lyrics, but as you’d expect, infused with poetry and a lovely tune. I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form. Come in, she said, I'll give ya shelter from the storm.

#music meme #spotify shuffle #gorillazgal rambles #I adore music #can't play #can't sing #listen real good

1 note · View note

charbax · 5 years

Text

The Long Hunt Behind

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Paladins: Champions Of The Realm (Video Game) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Ash/Tyra (Paladins) Characters: Ash (Paladins), Tyra (Paladins) Additional Tags: viktor is mentioned lol, dense lesbians: the fic, Mutual Pining, fun fact: the gesture in this fic is the ASL for lesbian lmao, every mission becomes a date when ur with ur date lmao, Hunting, First Kiss, Special interest talking, (the special interest is hunting), pre-game, Pre-War, sentinels era, Awkwardness, Feelings Realization Summary:

Over the past year or so, Tyra's crush on Ash has slowly but surely been building up slowly, accumulating to a Magistrate mission of just the two of them to the edge of civilisation. It would be the perfect oppurtunity to profess her love to Ash...if Ash had been picking up the signs. Sadly, it seems that she's only interested in being friends with Tyra, but at least Tyra can spend some time with her long time crush. Although, those feelings were not as unreturned as she assumed.

(Commission for @lumenizampel!)

Click here for AO3 link

word count: 1793

The thing is, Tyra’s used to being the forward one – there’s a small sense of satisfaction when a girl Tyra’s chatting up shyly brushes some hair behind an ear. Though, she hasn’t been flirting anyone else for the previous year or so, just the one, seemingly oblivious, self-titled ‘War Machine’. It wasn’t for the lack of trying, that’s for sure.

She’s done the song and dance: asking out for drinks, trying to get to know Ash better when they had some time together (whether in the barracks or the mess hall or in the presence of others), and laying on as many moves as she could without coming off as creepy.

(A memorable exchange between her and Viktor as it followed:

“You even tried the-?” Viktor held his right hand in an ‘L’ shape, palm facing his chin.

Tyra nodded destitutely.

“...maybe she was raised away from society? How did she not recognise that?”)

But so far, it was met with nothing but polite confusion. It wasn’t Ash’s sign of outright denial, which Tyra would know by the narrowing of her eyes and her twisted scowl. Rather, it was acknowledged with knitted brow, then the moment would pass like it never happened. And as Tyra had mentioned before, this had been going on for the previous year without very little changing, and she doesn’t think its going to change now, when there’s a mission that sends them to the fringes of civilisation with only the two of them.

Normally it would be the Sentinals sent on missions like this, but this had called for a hunter’s touch, for the creature was skittish and more prone to escape capture if there were more than two people at a time. And Ash proved a fearsome powerhouse in case the creature wasn’t skittish at all. Some of the more popular rumours speculated that Ash was more machine than human. Those rumours were also very fond of painting Ash as driven, bossy, and angry.

Although, she seemed content to follow Tyra’s orders the moment they walked deeper into the forest. Hell, even before that she was was more or less sharing the decision-making with Tyra. Tyra’s worked with the War Machine, and she was indeed a ‘War Machine’ (hah) on the battlefield, so this development was slightly weird, but not altogether unwelcome. Besides, it gave Tyra an excuse to keep glancing at Ash’s profile when she wasn’t looking.

“So uh,” Tyra started, because she has no sense of self social preservation. “Nice day for a day, huh?”

Immediately, Tyra wants to kick herself. A nice day for a day? Who the hell says that? People who like to stick their foot into their mouths apparently, which now includes Tyra. But all Ash does is grunt. “Been nice for the last few days too.”

At least Ash was making conversation now. So Tyra fell back onto one of the things she knew well – hunting. “It’s good. It will be easier to track the creature without the rains or winds blowing away any of their tracks.”

Ash looked around. “Dunno. I see a whole lotta nothing from here.”

“There’s signs all around us, clear as anything.” Tyra pointed at where the bush parted. “Something bigger than your average boar came through here. If it was one, then the tusks would’ve left marks on the lower portion of the tree trunks. But look.” Her finger followed the tree to the upper parts. “Scratches. Broken branches. Around Gorlock height too. Even if they’re nasty when angered, Gorlocks are slow creatures when travelling. This one’s most likely a loner looking for a herd to integrate into.”

“Just the one?”

“If there were more, there wouldn’t be much of a village left.”

Ash shook her head, her words brusque, but her tone genuine. “How do you see all of that in this place?”

Compliment or not, Tyra ducked her head in embarrassment, hoping the flush in her cheeks didn’t show too starkly against her face paint. “I just do. Practice. It’s nothing really. Anyway, we’re on the right track. The Gorlock might’ve been resting for a few days already. The window of opportunity narrows.”

“Lead the way Tyra.”

But instead of continuing following the tracks like she was meant to, Tyra paused. “I want to...clear up something, first.”

Ash frowned at her, leaning on her canon. “Is it about the monster?”

“No?”

“…did I make you upset? Was it something I said?”

“What? No! Why would you think that?”

“Dunno. That’s the only reason I can think of.” Ash said, averting her gaze, uncharacteristically passive. A normal Ash would’ve brushed off the question, or even simply answered it with brute honesty, and Tyra was struck by the sudden realisation that Ash was...nervous. Nervous about what? The hunt? Being alone on a mission with Tyra?

“It’s not that either.” Tyra started. “But I thought we should clear the air before we continue. Dissonance in hunting groups can mean the difference between successfully bagging the creature and not returning at all.”

(Viktor would be so proud of her right now, going on about keeping the peace in the pack. She could see his grin even now, in her mind's eye.)

“Sure.”

Tyra took a deep breath. “What are we?”

“Two soldiers on a mission.” Ash answered bluntly, on par.

“Not only that. What do you see in me?”

Silence filled the forest. Even the birds seemed to have stopped in response, as if holding their breath in anticipation as well. Tyra forced her head higher when Ash gazed at her, expression unreadable. Not angry, not mad, just difficult to parse. Ash bit her lower lip in thought. Tyra couldn’t but be drawn to the flash of white teeth. She forced her gaze back up when Ash finally spoke.

“We’re...I don’t have any quarrels with you. I think we get along well. I think you’re nice to me.”

Tyra heart fell. Maybe she had been mistaken this entire time – it wouldn’t be implausible, no, especially with Tyra’s brash view. Maybe she really had been reading too much every time they hung out.

“No-one’s really that nice to me before. It’s good to have a friend.”

And there it was, the f-word (which was not as fun as her other, more favoured f-word). Friend was fine, however. A little of Ash company in a non-romantic sense was just as good, and it was better than none at all. She’ll cherish whatever time they have together, because it was not just anyone, it was Ash-

“Even if that’s all you want me to be.”

Tyra stared at Ash, blinking. Those were not the words of a friend, and they definitely not the words of a soldier strengthened by the bonds made in war. “...are you saying...you thought I was just friendly this entire time? I was hitting on you!”

Ash glanced sharply at her. “Wait. So all that stuff – talking, getting drinks with me, going on missions together – was because you were interested?”

“Yeah, I even did the thing! Y’know, the...hand sign thing.”

“Does that mean anything?”

Oh. Well, at least that explained why Ash didn’t do anything but smile confusedly at Tyra when she did it.

Tyra continued. “That’s not important. What is important is that yes, I was hitting on you because I wanted to be more than friends, but I thought you weren’t interested.”

Now there was definitely a blush on Ash’s face, rivalling the deep red of her dyed hair. “Not many people want to hang out with me in the first place.”

Some of Tyra’s incredulity eased out of her at that admission. That made sense, she guessed, if she had been trying to make moves on someone who never knew those moves existed in the first place. But talking seemed to work faster than all those months of posturing, so Tyra laid a hand on Ash’s shoulder and said, “Well. I’d like to. Maybe over drinks if this hunt goes well.”

(Nailed it.)

“I’d...like that.” Ash answered stiffly. But she wasn’t shaking off the hand, or even grabbing it and using it as leverage to throw Tyra over her shoulder. Small steps, Trya reminded herself. After all, they went from ‘co-worker who I like and get along with but absolutely would like to get to know better’ to ‘I guess we are dating’.

Then Ash’s face shifted into business again. “But we should probably focus on the mission first.” She moved and Tyra’s hand fell from her shoulder – not unkindly, just out of necessity, which Tyra understood. Right. The whole reason why they were here, in the middle of the forest. Tyra readied her rifle again just as Ash picked up her cannon, and the hunter smiled a wild grin at Ash.

“I also have a bit of a tradition; a kiss from a beautiful maiden before a hunt to bring luck.” She tapped her cheek for emphasis.

Judging by the combined glare and return of Ash’s blush, that line was cheesy enough to work. But all bravado disappeared as Ash moved closer. She hurriedly stammered out, “But that’s just a tradition, you don’t have to...”

Ash’s lips silenced the rest of Tyra’s sentence. It was less of a kiss and more of a gentle mash of Ash’s mouth on her own, but it still sent a thrill straight to her stomach. Surprisingly, it was a lot more...more than any kiss she’s ever had in the past. Even if it’s only their lips touching, which Tyra rectified by guiding Ash’s hand onto her own hip, while laying a hand on Ash’s shoulder. Yeah, much better.

Tyra’s lips were still tingling when they parted. “There. For luck.” Ash said. Or Tyra thought she said. She was too busy admiring the honeyed brown of Ash’s eyes, the immaculate precision of her eyeliner. She never had simply been close enough to Ash’s face to see the details until now.

And then Ash was already moving ahead, head bowed slightly, all shy again. But the difference now was that Ash’s dyed hair could hide the rising blush that had spread to the very tip of her ears.

It struck Tyra then, that she knew the difference between an angry storming off Ash, and one who was simply trying to drive away the last of her embarrassment through sheer will alone. Though to be fair, Tyra reflected as she traced her lips with a finger, Ash wasn’t the only one.

So she laughed and called out, “Do you even know where you’re going?” as she jogged after Ash. “The gorlock is in the other direction!”

She normally didn’t take partners hunting on the first date, but she’ll make an exception.

#ashra #Paladins: Champions of the Realm #pcotr #paladins champions of the realm #lumenizampel #ash ( paladins )#tyra ( paladins )#mentioned:#viktor ( paladins )#charwriting

20 notes · View notes

electronicdelusionstarlight · 5 years

Text

Elder Scrolls Legends: Isle of Madness DLC: plot and lore summary for those who don't have the time or the will to play it

All Elder Scrolls legends stories have are framed as stories told by Kellen, a traveling moth priest, and Nagh, his furry boyfriend (?), who really like to hear the man talk, in their long and perilous journeys across Tamriel to better pass the time.

Kellen, who has always till now narrated stories he saw on the scrolls he carries around, stories about the shezarine Forgotten Hero, this time decides to tell a different kind of story, one he remembers from a old journal he found long ago.

As of now, we have no knowledge of when exactly any of this happening. However, since they treat the Return to Clockwork City DLC, which is happening right during the Skyrim Dragon War, as old history, we can assume this is happening way late in the 4th era, perhaps even the 5th.

Anyway, Kellen decides to tell us the story of a new "hero."

Talym Rend. He was a spy for the empire, stationed in Morrowind, and the journal was his. He narrates of how his son, Nevos, had been struck by a terrible madness, and how no healer, no temple priest, not even the ashlanders could heal the boy. He so decides to venture into the shivering isles, home of Sheogorath, corner of the house of troubles, and petition for him to heal his son.

We don't know when specifically this is also happening either. Morrowind isn't a smoking ruin, and the tribunal temple is still the local religion, so it's not the 4th era. The existence of a united empire deploying troops in both Morrowind and High Rock might make us assume this is happening during the 3rd era, before the events of Morrowind, but after the warp in the west? The details are confused.

Anyway, Talym finds a strange door in Morrowind, and by passing it he reaches the fringes of Sheogorath Realm.

There, we meet our first supporting character.

Cyriel is a sneaky little shit. She distracts Talym with the prospect of some sick weapon, and warns him about the incoming fight with the gate keeper, only to steal his gold purse one second later by going "Can't Help Being a Gemini Shadow."

Talym so ventures into the fringe, and finds a garden of swords, growing from the ground, and among them, a axe specifically grown to kill the gate keeper.

He uses it to kill the mountain of a flesh atronach, only for cyriel to come out of the bushes to thank him for all the work he's done for her, and walking onto the gates of madness.

Reached New Sheoth, however...

And so Talym is out to seek glory to amuse the mad god.

First, he meets once again Cyriel. The cheeky bugger has gotten herself trapped in a trap and is now trying to extort Talym's help via deception and false humility, all of this at the No-Rats Camp, a giant camp whose owner, the eponymous Nervous Giant, is terrified by Rats and Skeevers. Talym manages to make him run away and saves Cyriel, asking for his purse back, only for Cyriel to vanish in the shrubbery once again.

Second, he meets the second supporting cast member of his adventure.

The Orc Bard Luzrah gro-Shar, a gentle soul, who incidentally has the menu theme stuck in her head due to a magical cave filled with colored grumites. You help her finish her song, and she warmly salutes him.

And then, he meets the most peculiar of men (man?).

A man with a split personality, Tavyar (Rayvat?) who believes one is constantly following the other with ill intent. Talym makes them notice that they are apparently the same person, only for the 2 to get enraged and attack together... as one?

Killed the knight (or was it the mage?), Talym is approached by Haskill, who tells him that Lord Sheogorath is most pleased with him, and will receive him now.

Talym, reluctantly, accepts.

And so it begins. The mad god has also managed to conscript Cyriel and Luzrah in the mission, Sheogorath promising one riches, the other bodily harm if they don't comply, and the unfortunate Threesome is now forced to do the mad god bidding.

First, they must instill the fear of the dead to a Khajiit bandit lord, who lord Sheogorath calls a slur while he's at it, who has killed many a hero before like the Hero of Dawn and the Red Avenger, and is now afraid of no enemy, especially the dead ones.

Talym, who at first tries to spook the Khajiit with some smoke and mirrors, is in the end gifted by Haskill with a powerful amulet, that can capture weakened ghosts to later unleash on unsuspecting victims.

The bandit lord is left, fleeing into the night, haunted by the ghosts of those he had killed.

Second, a Dunmer Baron in Morrowind, owner of several Kwama Egg Mines, and sworn enemy of a rich Betty Netch Herder. The trio must convince the man, who has always had everything handled to him on a silver platter in life due to his noble and rich birth, that he is more than a simple mortal, is to boost his ego to comical proportions.

Talym so disguised himself as a prophet, and calls the baron "the Prince of the Prophecy, whose words always come true." He so asks the Baron to make three statement, three wishes, and see how they will hold true.

The first, is asking for his Kwama to lay golden eggs, a task easily fulfilled by Luzrah (" Didn't I tell you guys other than a hard I'm also a superb painter?").

The second, is for his rival's bull netches, the most gentlest of creatures, to rampage on his farm, another task easily fulfilled by simply harming the farm's betty netches in front of the bulls.

And third, for a snowstorm to start despite it being Morrowind in the middle of a particularly hot summer, which is another task fulfilled by hijacking a local telvanni mushroom tower and using it as a catalyst for a overpowered blizzard spell.

After the 3 portents are fulfilled, the baron, mad with power, decides to use his newfound "powers" to smite down his rival in a duel, and, once done so, he decides that he is capable of flight, launching himself from a Cliffside before anyone, let alone a horrified Luzrah, who unroll then was having a blast at the Baron looking silly and believing such obvious bull, can stop him.

The baron falls to his death, and Lurzah leaves the party, disgusted with watch she and the others have done.

Now, more somber, the zany adventures they seemed to have till now come to an end...

Starts the second part of this story.

Talym and Cyriel reach the border between High Rock and Skyrim. A rogue Reachmen Clan, the Doomfang Clan, is trying to breach the mountains and establish a small colony in northern high rock, so to keep trade between the 2 provinces on a choke hold.

The empire has sent one of their best generals and spies, General Porcia, Talym old friend and superior during his time as a imperial spy, and his next and last target in order to save his son.

The situation is dire, but Talym would do anything to save his son, even betray a old friend...

So, he intercepts and kills one of her spy couriers, so to tamper with its informations, so to Plant false ones and make her doubt her ability as a spy master...

Only to discover the unthinkable.

The reachmen had perfected a weapon, terrible in its design. A poisonous gas, with no antidote, deathly and pervasive, soon to be unleashed on the imperial garrison, the Breton contingent, stationed there and lead by Porcia.

Cyriel is horrified. She says they must warn the imperial at once, that no one is worth the life of an entire army...

Only For Talym to rebuke her with force. He would sacrifice anyone, even 100 armies to save his son.

Cyriel is disgusted. She leaves, stops, gets his unopened satchel filled with gold, and throws it on the ground at his feet. And then she's gone.

Talym can't stop now, he only has 24 hours left to complete his task, and he's getting desperate. He decides to plant false evidence that a sacred flower growing in a nearby grow, sacred to Lady Mara, can be extracted and used as a counter cloud to the poison, knowing full well that it will most likely do nothing of the sorts and will doom them all to a slow death by gassing.

But, due to the death of the courier, the Reachmen have gotten more alert, and manage to capture Porcia. Talym is so forced to save his old friend, only to later lead her to her doom.

They go together to the sacred grove, where Porcia, believing the flowers to be their only hope, and that the priestess were going to die anyway once the reachmen decided to attack them to prevent the flower from being harvested (something that was never going to happen), orders her men to kill them and take the flowers with force, committing a massacre of pacifist Mara priests trying to resist the imperials as they took their sacred flowers.

The trap is set, the weight of her actions already resting heavy on her mind, Porcia orders a attack against the reachmen stronghold, knowing full well such a enclosed space would be perfect for the deployment of the gas. So, she orders all her men to converge in a narrow passage, and, once the poison cloud is released, she orders to release the sacred flower counter cloud...

And then...

The two gasses have a terrible reaction with each other.

Fire is unleashed on Reahcman and Breton alike, the entirety of the Doomfang Clan, warrior, men, but also women and children living in the stronghold, and an entire imperial legion destroyed and eradicated in a single night, explosions disfiguring and killing and maiming soldiers for life, or kill those lucky enough to get killed. Porcia, miraculously unscathed, perhaps a punishment, or a mercy by lady Mara herself, witnessing her actions and her consequences, becoming more from that day onward, in fear her words might one day again cause such terrible fate, such senseless deaths, for nothing, and thinking it was her fault, hers and her faulty informations.

When it was all Talym's fault instead.

The war criminal, because we can't have a elder scrolls legends story mode without the main character being a bloody war criminal, returns home, the conquering hero, ecstatic to finally see his some again, whole and-

But his son is gone.

And only a tomb lays in his place. A tomb Talym himself built over a year ago.

He doesn't understand. How did that happen? Sheogorath must have tricked him somehow, so Talym returns to the isles, his mind getting more and more deranged as time passes and the weight of his actions start making itself clear, all with actions and horrors for nothing, the man slipping more and more into insanity as he forgets who he is, as he sees normal trees coming to life, and mudcrabs talking and trying to sell him their wares, and strange... colored grumites... singing... the menu theme song?

Lurzah is back, during Talym darkest hour, for the friend that helped her with her own song, despite everything he has done.

She wakes him from his delirium, and tells him that the only way for him to heal, is to face his past, maybe with the help of a ancient orc song, so powerful that it can send you in a trance and let you fight your darkest self.

But that's not enough. He must learn the truth, he must find Sheogorath and demand answers. So Lurzah tells him or a mighty warrior, someone Sheo himself was afraid of, trapped in a ancient cell in cavern at the fringes of insanity... or perhaps sanity?

So, they enter the cell, and free its prisoner, who was no other than...

Haskill's evil brother?

Dyus, keeper of the records of Jyggalag, the prince of order, the last thing of Jyggalag left in the isles, for not even Sheogorath could bring himself to kill his last link to his past.

Well, his second to last.

For the sword of Jyggalag is somewhere to be found, and, by using it against Sheogorath, he too will be faced with the memories of what he has done, of what he was, and, perhaps, will be compelled so to tell Talym the truth about what happen to his son.

Talym finds the sword, and returns to New Sheoth, bidding one last farewell to Lurzah, who tells him there are no ill feelings between them, and who probably decided to go search for where the hell Cyrial has gotten herself into to get her out of trouble, thus starting a epic Orsimer/Bosmer bard/thief lesbian love story to span the ages.

(Or maybe not, this one can dream).

Talym reaches Sheogorath, amazed that the man is still standing after his ordeal, and that he has managed to find the sword of order of all weapons. Talym directs his sword against Sheogorath, and demands an explanation.

Which Sheogorath, in all fairness, does give.

Via mind fucking flashbacks of course, but big still count as a explanation:

Back then, when Talym was still a imperial spy under porcia, the Black Worm Cult murdered his "partner" (Never mentioned if romantic or work partner. Since we see no spouse to speak of I'm assuming they killed the guy husband and spy partner and Nevos is adopted), so he decides to infiltrate the black worm cult himself to dismantle it from within, despite Porcia insists that he should take a break and spend more time with his son.

Alas, tragedy strikes. The cult discovers what his going on, and puts Talym in front of a terrible test.

Prove his worthiness to the cause...

Via the trial of ruthlessness.

This is by far the most chilling fucking scene and match in the history of this fucking game.

Whatever you do, you cannot save your son.

The spell in your hand, blood sacrament, is a damaging spell, and both creatures are ready to attack. There are 3 ways to kill your son.

Even if you pass, one of the two cultists will assume you failed the test, and comment on what a shame it was, only to then have the creature attack the boy by itself.

Memories come back like a flood. He had asked Sheogorath to forget the terrible action he had to commit, to kill his own beloved son, only for him to manipulate his memories so he could come back to him, years later, and do his dark bidding again.

Sheogorath and if he wants to do it all over again, and let him make him forget all of his pain and misery rather than have to face it for the rest of his miserable life.

But Talym has learned his lesson now. He must not run away from pain, but must healthily deal with his loss rather than strike bargains with mad gods. He has learned to live with the truth and his past, no matter the pain.

He then asks if Sheogorath if he can say the same for himself.

Talym strikes him with the sword of order one, two, three times, each strike making memories of his past as the prince of order flood in Sheogorath's mind, the mad god first disgusted by his last self, later scared, and in the end defeated, begging Talym to stop, to take away the memories with him and return home, something Talym agrees only after having the mad god swear to not harm or retaliate on neither him or on Cyrial and Luzrah again, who were probably having wild lesbian sex in Lurzah's colored music cave as all of this was happening and Sheogorath started making rain flaming cheese from the skies as he pleaded for Talym to go the fuck away from him.

And so the story end. Talym returns to his empty home to deal with his grief, alone, and leave us a warning: "no matter what devil might try to bargain with you, memories and grief are important to us, and we should never give them away, no matter how painful they might seem."

The story ends, and we return to out travelers from the start, with Nagh obligatory sarcastic closing statement: "Jeez, man, Naagh is beginning to think you only know angsty stories, it's the 3rd time you made this one cry with one," as a city appears on the horizon.

#sheogorath #elder scrolls #elder scrolls legends #shivering isles #tes lore #jyggalag #haskill #oblivion #morrowind

32 notes · View notes

enz-fan · 5 years

Photo

A track listing and description of the Enz of an Era compilation LP, released in 1982:

“Mushroom Records are proud to present “ENZ OF AN ERA”, the definitive Split Enz album that captures the very best of the band over their ten year history. The following is a track by track analysis:-

SIDE ONE -

HISTORY NEVER REPEATS (NEIL FINN) - CORROBOREE LP

There is an inbuilt irony in this track because it followed the huge success of True Colours. Neil had already repeated himself by writing two strong follow ups to ‘I Got You’, ‘One Step Ahead’ and this track. This one leaped up the charts all the way to #4 in three weeks. In a way, it sumps up the Split Enz philosophy about never repeating themselves, which “ENZ OF AN ERA” illustrates superby and it is therefore a fitting opening track.

MY MISTAKE (TIM FINN/EDDIE RAYNER) - DIZRYTHMIA LP

This was the first track recorded with Neil and Nigel and it came after the Enz shattering 1977 American tour where Tim, Eddie and Noel were left holding the fort after founding members Phil Judd and Mike Chunn decided to call it quits... that was their mistake! Produced by Geoff Emerick who had worked with the boys’ idols, The Beatles and he regaled them with anecdotes during the session... tales of McCartney’s bleeding fingers after 8 hour bass sessions. Neil was 18 years old and had never been kissed before, he had also never played an electric guitar, he did both on this session. This track pre-dated the ska revival by 3 years.

I GOT YOU (NEIL FINN) - TRUE COLOURS LP

“Shall we ask Neil to join?” “Nah, he’d be hopeless, he’s too young.” “He might have potential.” Two years and 8 weeks at #1 later plus sales exceeding 125,000, the boy wonder saved the Enz from extinction. Thanks Neil.

LATE LAST NIGHT (PHIL JUDD) - SECOND THOUGHTS LP

Split Enz have always had a vaudeville-music hall aspect to their music, this song with it’s twenties lilt captures this mood. This was the first song they ever did a film clip for. It was specifically recorded to come up with a single to spare Michael Gudkinski any more sleepless nights. In typical Enz fashion the hooks were lines and sinkers.

POOR BOY (TIM FINN) - TRUE COLOURS LP

A perennial song which stands up strongly against other Enz classics. Although never released as a single it was a hit nevertheless. This song was the first where a new writing technique was used. The whole band were instrumental in fleshing out Tim’s basic idea... one of Tim’s personal favourites, perhaps for this reason.

DIRTY CREATURE (TIM & NEIL FINN, NIGEL GRIGGS) - TIME AND TIDE LP

Everyone has demons with which they wrestle, Tim’s reared it’s ugly head in the weeks prior to recording Time and Tide, he decapitated it with this song. Noel Crombie’s first album on drums, his wonderful, spontaneous rhythms are the key to this song’s success. When first heard on radio this song was not instantly recognisable as Split Enz proving yet again the boys versatility.

I SEE RED (TIM FINN) - FRENZY LP

1978, a make or break year, everyone on the dole, London, depressing, cold, angry, frustrated... enter one David Tickle, 18 year old whizz kid, recorded at Startling Studios where Lennon lived for 5 years was obviously influenced by British punk, amphetamine music, but is nevertheless a true and honest statement of Split Enz huge frustration and mega annoyance. Has gone on to become an Enz classic, live and in the discos.

SIDE TWO -

SIX MONTHS IN A LEAKY BOAT (TIM FINN) - TIME AND TIDE LP

The biggest Enz single since “I Got You”, with sales of 50,000, a certified gold single. Split Enz have always maintained that melody is their forte and memorable tunes will win the day. The day was well and truly won when this haunting song hit the airwaves and screamed up to #2 all over the country. Charlene’s tenacies hold on the #1 spot prevented it going all the way. A durable song because of it’s universal appeal to all ages, from hipsters to spinsters, from headbangers to old sailors!

ONE STEP AHEAD (NEIL FINN) - CORROBOREE LP

Neil’s follow up to ‘I Got You’, much biting of nails in a Birmingham disco when Nathan Brenner announced to the band that it was steady at #65 on the Kent Report, however, 5 weeks later the song burst into the top 5 and came close to being a gold single. It created much interest because of the difference in style and proved beyond doubt Neil’s talent and versatility.

MATINEE IDYLL (PHIL JUDD, TIM FINN) - SECOND THOUGHTS LP

This was written in early 1973 and as such belongs to that first batch of songs which spawned the original Split Enz. The lyrics are strangely prophetic - “It’s not all first nights at all, the whole thing reeks of cheap strip-tease” ... “It’s not all bouquets and white crayon” show that even then Phil and Tim were not naive about the realities of show business. It’s been a great decade but it does pay now and then to go back to where it all started... Two 20 year old callow youths writing songs from the heart in Auckland. This song features the mandolin which was a distinctive sound for the Enz in those days, pre-dating the folk revival by 10 years.

ANOTHER GREAT DIVIDE (EDDIE RAYNER, TIM FINN, ROBERT GILLIES, PHIL JUDD) - S

The Chrysalis contract was looking dicey, 2 albums and minimal sales, so..... into the studios to create yet another hit single! Upon hearing the result, one Chrysalis executive was heard to mutter, “it would make a good album”. The song came from a jam in a dingy warehouse in downtown London and was the first song to use Malcolm Green on drums. Produced by Phil Manzanera who had just finished producing the Second Thoughts album, Tim remembers seeing Bryan Ferry during the session and when he asked him “What do you think of this punk thing?” Tim replied, “Probably the same as you,” and Bryan said “good”..... another great divide.

BOLD AS BRASS (TIM FINN & ROBERT GILLIES) - DIZRYTHMIA LP

Robert Gillies only lyric, Neil Finn’s only falsetto harmony. A positive, uplifting song which charms us with it’s goofy yet positive stance.

I HOPE I NEVER (TIM FINN) - TRUE COLOURS LP

Another recognised Split Enz classic, probably one of Tim’s finest songs. A russian film director was heard to say it reminded him of his homeland, a drunken bushranger was seen to shed tears when he first heard it, a 14 year old girl from Monee Ponds said it made her think of her mother’s funeral, and a 30 year old transvestite from Kings Cross said unrpintable things. Which all goes to show that this is a song for everybody.

GIVE IT A WHIRL (TIM AND NEIL FINN) FRENZY LP

Tim and Neil’s first official collaboration, another song which rejoices in the positive spirit, notable for the use of Hugh Padgham as tape operator who later went on to produce Time and Tide.

#splitenz #enzofanera #1982

3 notes · View notes

doomedandstoned · 5 years

Text

London’s Old Horn Tooth Conjures Crushing Riffs in Stunning New Record

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

I'm constantly on the lookout for good doom. You know, a band that really does it right, slow and steady, dankly downtuned, with a good understanding of long-form composition and devotion it takes to make a good potboiler.

OLD HORN TOOTH strikes me as such a band.

I discovered them quite by accident (I don't remember how, though my bet is on George Kellamis aka MrDoom) and within short order was in contact with the band about premiering the London trio's debut, 'From The Ghost Grey Depths' (2019).

Old Horn Tooth, the brainchild of Chris Jones (guitar, vox), Ollie Isaac (bass), and Mark Davidson (drums, fx), are so new they don't yet have an entry in the Encyclopaedia Metallum (yet). Formed in 2018, the band just recorded this impressive debut in March of this year at The Cro’s Nest Studio with producer Sam Thredder, who really captures the wicked depths of doom right.

Art by Andy Paciorek

From The Ghost Grey Depths could be taken as one monster track, divided into four movements. Certainly it is presented to us that way. This only reinforces my impression of the band when I thought to myself, "You know, these guys are like the Tool of doom." By that, I don't mean that they dabble in progressive metal, just that they truly get the medium of doom and are quite savvy in unfurling a song slowly without making it feel tedious or disjointed and, most importantly, making us feel immersed in the journey with them. I know, surely that title has already been reserved for the likes of Reverend Bizarre, Lord Vicar, or Elder, but give them half a chance and Old Horn Tooth will snatch it right up themselves.

Death is rising! From the ghost grey depths Burning inside With torture and madness.

The record opens with "She Is Risen," which I envisioned as an ode to some ancient goddess of Greek, Anglo-Saxon, or Celtic lore -- a competing Christ story, perhaps. Without spoiling the interview that follows, it turns out I'm not far from the truth. The band does indeed draw upon age-old archetypes, just from the vantage point of contemporary life. Should there ever be a Wellian future such as is described in the latter chapters of The Time Machine, perhaps this era will hand down myths and legends of its own -- only closer to reality than a post-apocalyptic generation will have ever dreamed possible. All that to say that "She Is Risen" speaks to the mad-making system of dog-eat-dog we all buy into -- wittingly or not. We've all met power-hungry creatures who will stop at nothing to succeed. Will we become one of them?

Your mind starts to wander You're falling away Into a pit of eternal decay.

"Follow The Demon" bears a certain kinship to Cough's "What Have I Become", not only in its forlorn character, but in the feeling the lyrics project of being tangled up in cords and knots of one's own (un)doing. It's my favorite of the record, if for no other reason that it's is eminently singable.

Evil waits by river sides By wild run streams and shallow tides. For weaker souls than you or I I've known about it all of my life.

Next comes the band's namesake track, the one that initially exposed me to the Old Horn Tooth sound. As you might expect, it's a lumbering, ground-shaking mammoth of a number that makes a great bedfellow with your favorite Slomatics, Conan, and Electric Wizard records. Keep your eyes on these lads, for they may soon be joining their company in your shorthand reference to "heavy." The lyrics describe the helpless feeling of being absorbed by another person's life -- you know, one of those energy-sapping, soul-sucking psychic vampire types -- and becoming worse for it.

The "Griefcase"

It was a bold choice indeed to present the record's final track, "Grief," as a noise composition that kicks off with the sounds of a train and finds itself fading in and out of consciousness, swallowed up in dreamy reverb that feels like a trip within a trip.

Call this an EP if you want, as it's all of four tracks, but the overall run-time (around 40 minutes) is most certainly worthy of being christened an LP. From The Ghost Grey Depths by Old Horn Tooth cuts loose this weekend on June 29th and will receive a cassette tape release (pre-order here). In the meanwhile, you can hear it all from side to side right here, right now, on our bitchin' lil blog!

Give ear...

From The Ghost Grey Depths by Old Horn Tooth

A Chat with Old Horn Tooth

How'd Old Horn Tooth become a thing?

The original concept of the band was to create something so heavy it would shake the walls when we played live. There’s nothing better than being at a doom show when the whole room is reverberating with bass heavy fuzz -- that’s how Old Horn Tooth came about, a love of being pummeled at live shows. Play low, and slow was the brief.

What are some of the themes you explore in 'From The Ghost Grey Depths?

The lyrical themes are based on everyday issues, then related to a story, sometimes these stories are traditional folktales, sometimes just made up horror stories. In “She Is Risen,” the issue was born from a hatred of overly pushy career people. Those people that feel the need to constantly shove themselves to the front of the queue, regardless of the consequences or the feelings of others. They always seem to be angry at the fact they aren’t at the top, that they aren’t number one. They are creatures in the cave, rising up from the depths, out from under their stone to force people to worship at their feet. Life isn’t a competition!

At different times through life almost all people have succumbed to procrastination and “Follow The Demon” is that feeling, escalating exponentially, taking on the form of a journey into death. Following the demon of procrastination leads nowhere except laziness and to spiritual apathy. The lyrics are a kind of warning as to how that could end up. Drifting through life, your soul gradually leaking from your from your body as you decay into nothingness.

"Old Horn Tooth" is about those poisonous people you end up getting into a relationship with. Most of us can relate to a toxic relationship at some point in our lives, be it our own or one encountered through friends and family. Sometimes it feels like you’re trapped, drowning, and unable to escape the weeds that have grown around you. Based on an old English folk tale, Jenny Greenteeth, about a woman who at first glance appears beautiful. She’s alluring and tempts her victims into the water then after a time reveals her true identity, that of an old crone. Wrapping her prey in the river weeds dragging them to their death.

The final track “Grief” we saw as an implosion of the super-heavy that comes before it -- kind of like a black hole swallowing the EP in a vortex of filth. It was created in the studio during the recording process. Almost every sound you hear in the final track is found somewhere within the previous three tracks, whether in an introduction, or subtly underneath a more relaxed moment of music.

Follow The Band

Get Their Music

#D&S Debuts #Old Horn Tooth #London #England #UK #Doom #Sludge #Metal #HeavyBest18 #D&S Interviews #D&S Reviews #Doomed & Stoned

1 note · View note

majingojira · 5 years

Text

Monsters of the 20th Century

I had this odd notion. A (brief) analysis of the origin of various supernatural creatures, as I wondered what ‘new’ monsters/supernatural beings had been created in the 20th century (roughly). I’ve completed some of the research, and I’d like to share it with you all. I’m also gonna tag @tyrantisterror because he is one of the more knowledgable people about monsters I know about on tumblr and I’m sure he can correct me a bunch in this!

1. Frankenstein - 1817 - The oldest literary monster and outgrowth of the concept of the Homunculus and Golem as an artificial being. So pervasive is its reach, western ideas of Tulpa are tainted by it (every time you read about a tulpa ‘going out of control’, that is the influence of Frankenstein).

2. Dinosaurs - The Dragons of the age of science entered pop culture in 1854 at the latest with the opening of the Crystal Palace Park. Other prehistoric animals had captured people’s imagination before, and they didn’t start to enter fiction until 1864 (”Journey to the Center of the Earth”) and a short story by C. J. Cutliffe Hyne had an ancient crocodilian in his story “The Lizard” (1898). Ann early Lost World style adventure, “A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder” by James De Mille in 1888 has the first true dinosaurs in them. There, Antarctica has a warm spot where prehistoric monsters and a death cult lurk. In 1901, Frank Mackenzie Savile’s “Beyond the Great South Wall” had a Carnivorous Brontosaurs worshiped by Mayan remnants. “Panic in Paris” by Jules Lermina had dinosaurs attack a city, but it was published first in France so few saw it. Finally, we have Conan Doyle in 1912 with “The Lost World” which solidified dinosaurs as a thing in fiction.

3. The Evolved Man/Mutants - After “The Origin of Species” is published, it wasn’t long until Evolved Men or Mutants started showing up in fiction. “The Coming Race” and (1871), “The Great Romance” (1881). They are generally big-headed and often have ESP of some sort. In “Media: A Tale of the Future” (1891), they can control electricity too. It wasn’t until 1928 (”The Metal Man” by Jack Williamson) that Radiation was thrown in as a cause for Mutation. Cosmic Rays would follow in “The Man Who Evolved” by Edmond Hamilton (1931). After that, we have “Gladiator” by Philip Gordon Wylie (1930) where we have an engineered “Evolved Man”, and “Odd John” by Olaf Stapeldon which grants us the term “Homo superior” followed by “Slan” by A.E. van Vogt which has Evolved Humans as a persecuted minority. And with that, everything that makes the X-Men what they are is collected.

3. Man-Eating Tree - First reported in 1874, the idea of man-eating plants grew since then to encompase many monsters, but started as Folklore about ‘Darkest Africa” (Madagascar) in the New York World. They’d print anything back then.

4. Hyde - While it is tempting to link him to Freudian Psychology, Freud did not publish his work regarding things like the Id until much later (he didn’t even coin “Psychoanalysis” until 1896). What is springs from, I currently cannot say without more research.

4. Robot - Though there were automata since the days of the Greeks (Talos), the first Robot in modern fiction is from “The Future Eve” by Auguste Villiers de I’lsle Adam (1886). THough the term Robot is not invented until 1920 with “Rossum’s Universal Robots.” They definitely offshoot from Frankenstein, but with a more mechanical bent.

5. The Grey Alien - The modern idea of an Alien has it’s first antecedents in the 1800s. Specifically with the essay “Man of the Year 1,000,000″ by H. G. Wells (1892-1893). He speculates what humans will evolve into, and basically invites the Gray by accident. It wouldn’t achieve it’s alien attachments until much later.

6. Morlocks - With the Evolved Man, there is also the ‘Devolved Man’. That is what the Morlocks are. They are, as the name implies, tied to Well’s “The Time Machine” (1895), and the word has become a catch-all for subterranean monster-men, be they Mole People, CHUDs, or straight up Demons (’GvsE’).

7. The Martians & Their War Machines - The First Alien Invader, and the first Mecha can be traced to “War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells, 1897. Not much more to say as far as I’m aware.

8. The Mummy - The 1800s saw an Egyptian craze in England, leading to some really nasty habits (google “Mummy Powder” if you need ipecac). 1827 saw “The Mummy!: Or, a Tale of the Twenty-Second Century” which is more a bit of futurism with an ancient protagonist. Though “Lost in the Pyramid” (1868) by Louisa May Alcott predates it, it is overshadowed by Conan Doyle’s horror story “Lot No. 249″ (1892) which has the classically animated mummy going out and killing people under control of another. The former is a “Curse” story rather than a monster.

9. Cordyceps - Everyone these days knows the Cordyceps fungus as a great source for making zombies, and I’m lumping that fungus in with these other monsters because, well, fungus’ that take over humans is a monster of the 20th century. Best known for Toho’s film adaptation “Matango” (1963), it is inspired by a short story from 1907 by William Hope Hodgson called “The Voice in the Night”. There, the poor victim doesn’t realize they’ve completely become a fungus monster, acting as a warning for those near the island.

10. Aerofauna - Conan Doyle strikes again with “The Horror of the Heights” (1912). A pretty tight little horror story of a whole ecosystem high above our heads in the clouds. Many a sky tentacle owes its existence to this one.

11. Lich - Possibly derived from Kosechi the Deathless of Russian folklore, the idea of undead sorcerers became a staple of the works of Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, and Clark Ashton Smyth, dating back to 1929. Though Gary Gigax coined the idea together for D&D and based it on Gardner Fox’s “The Sword of the Sorcerer (1969)

12. Bigfoot and The Loch Ness Monster - I lump these cryptids together, because (thanks to a ton of research by Daren Naish, Daniel Loxton, Donald R. Prothero, and others) we can trace them back to the same source: King Kong (1933). The idea of prehistoric animals being out in the world in hidden places goes back to Conan Doyle’s “Lost World” (1912), but Kong made it widely popular. And between the giant ape and the Brontosaurus attack (and the timing of sightings picking up), we can blame Kong for this.

13. The Great Old Ones - Lovecraft’s primary contribution to fiction first appear in “The Call of Cthulhu” (1926) and expand upon from here. As near as I can tell, he made a LOT of monsters. These include “Ancient Aliens” & Shoggoths (1936 - “At the Mountains of Madness”), Gillmen (1931 - ”The Shadow over Innsmouth”), & The Colour Out of Space (1927). 14. The Thing - The Ultimate Shapeshifter. It first appears in 1938′s “Who Goes There” by John W. Campbell, Jr. Though Campbell's square-jawed heroes literally tear the Thing to bits, it reached its zenith of horror in adaptation. I can think of no earlier shapeshifting humanoids of such variety at an earlier time, or of such fecundity.

15. The Amazons - The Amazons do indeed come from Ancient Greece, but it was a way for the Greeks to rag on Women. It wasn’t until later that women co-opted the image of the Amazons as a source of empowerment, and that was codified in 1942 with one character: Wonder Woman. She helped spark the Amazons further into the culture, or at least, Amazon women who have superpowers (as they did in those early stories). From there, we get a more recent direct descendant that was part of the reason I started this list: Slayers from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

16. The Hobbit - Though ideas of ‘Wee Folk” are part of worldwide Folklore, Tolkien took them out of the realm of Faerie, and made them... idyllic middle-class Englishmen with his 1937 book of the same name. With the Lord of the Rings following in 1954-1955. His works also gave us other monsters and supernatural beings: Orcs, Ents, & Balrogs.

17. Gremlins - An Evolution of the wee folk once again, this time adapted for the mechanical era and of a more malicious bent. It became slang in the 1920s, with the earliest print source being from 1929. They were popularized by Roald Dahl in”The Gremlins” (1942). Later they were used to vex Bugs Bunny (1943′s “Falling Hare”), and then they got their own movies in the 1980s. The rest is history.

18. Triffids - There are a LOT of fictional plants out there, and a lot of carnivorous ones, but the Triffids were the first to be extremely active in their pursuit of prey. From 1952′s “Day of the Triffids” by John Wyndham, the story is a keen example of the ‘Cozy Apocalypse’ common in British Fiction, sort of like the whole ‘schoolboys on a desert island make well of it’ thing that “Lord of the Flies” railed against. This paved the way for everything from Audrey II to Biollante.

19. Kaiju - 1954. You know what this is. Between Primordial Gods and Modern Technology, the Kaiju are born. The difference between a Kaiju and a Giant Monster is a complex nuanced one, sort of like what makes film noir. But, in general, if the story has Anti-War, Anti-Nationalist, and/or Anti-Corporate Greed leanings, it’s probably a Kaiju movie. If not, then it probably isn’t.

20. The Body Snatchers - Another horror of 1954 from the novel “The Body Snatchers” (1955), which includes aspects that the movie “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” did not. Like that the Duplicates only last 5 years and basically exist to wipe out sentient beings with each planet they infest. Clearly drawing from the idea of the Doppelganger, these Pod People have evolved into a new form.

21. The Blob - That 1958 movie has one catchy theme song. The whole thing was inspired by an instance of “Star Jelly” in Pennsylvania, circa 1950. It was tempting to shift this under the Shoggoth, but I think they are distinct enough.

22. Gargoyles - Longtime architectural embellishments, they did not become their own “Being” until 1971 with “The Living Gargoyle” published in Nightmare #6. The TV Movie “Gargoyles” came soon after in 1972, firmly establishing the monster. Though it was likely perfected in the TV Series “Gargoyles” (1994).

23. D&D - From 1973 Through 1977, D&D was formulated and many of its key monsters were invented. Partly as mechanics ways to screw with players and keep things lively. This brought us Rust Monsters (1973), Mindflayer (1974), Beholder (1975), and the Gelatinous Cube (1977).

24. The Xenomorph - Parasitoid breeding is applied to humans to wonderfully horrible effect in the 1979 film “Alien”. It became iconic as soon as it appeared.

25. Slasher - The first slasher film is often considered to be ‘Psycho’ (though the Universal Mummy films beyond the first prototype the formula). The idea of an undead revenant coming back to kill rather randomly started in the film “The Fog” (1980), but was codified by Jason Voorhees in either 1984 or 1986. I am no expert on this one, though, so I am not fully certain.

26. The Dream Killer - Freddy Krueger first appeared as a killer in dreams in 1981, but there were other dream killers before him. They could only kill with extreme fear, though. Freddy got physical! I think. Again, more research is needed.

27. Chupacabras - This is another cryptid inspired by a movie. In this case, “Species” (1995). No, really. This is what it comes from. I know a lot of these are really short down the line, but the research for this one is thorough and concise!

28. Slender Man - The Boogieman for the Internet Age. An icon of Creepypastas and emblem of them.

Needs More Research: The Crow/Heroic Longer-Term Revenants, Immortals as a “Group” (might go to Gulliver's Travels, but I’m trying to track Highlander here) are also on the list, but they are proving extremely difficult to research, so I thought I’d post what I have at the moment. Shinigami might also be on the list since they are syncretic adoption of the Grim Reaper into something more.

6 notes · View notes

harrydebuts · 6 years

Text

thoughts as the hs1 era comes to a close

i really thought i wouldn’t get emotional at the end of tour ha ha what a joke it takes very little to make me nostalgic and sentimental especially when it comes to harold. it’s surreal that this is the last show of his first solo tour because the anticipation for all of this is still so clearly etched into my mind!! from the first news of an $80M record deal to every little rumor floating around to the first teaser to the release of sign of the times. listening to the song not knowing what to expect at all and the song somehow feeling so right yet different and personal, making all the wait worth it. to the impatience, the buildup to release day and hearing kiwi, carolina, sweet creature performed live for the very first time. to harry embracing flared pants, colorful suits... to listening to the entire album when it came out. to quickly picking favorites, then listening again and picking new favorites. all the small shows!! the troubadour, him performing with stevie nicks. to the pink sparkly pants. to the tour documentary and getting to learn a little bit about CHASM. to mitchrry!!! to the scramble of getting tour tickets. to the first tour show in san francisco, and through the rest. from the first pride flag to all the ones fans brought today. to hearing girl crush and jalboyh and iicf and wmyb and stockholm syndrome, to hearing medicine and anna and still the one. to all the excitement i felt even when i was watching a grainy shaky livestream, to the utter shock when he was 15 ft away from me during my concert. to every concert snapshot he posted, every little glimpse we got of his view, his perspective of all of this.

this got so much longer than i was intending but i don’t know how else to capture what this entire process has meant to me. so many things in our lives have changed since the beginning -- i moved away to college, had so many new First Experiences -- but this album, the tour, and harry have all been constant escapes, constant sources for light and love and wonder throughout all of it. i love the music and the songs make me feel instantly at ease regardless of circumstance, and even more than that the concerts make me feel like a PART of the entire Harry Styles phenomenon. i feel connected somehow, maybe bc of the hours i’ve invested into thinking/blogging/viewing all of it l o l, and the tour ending feels like a whole little era in my life coming to a close and it is all very nostalgic and !!!!!!!!!! but i am so so so proud of everything we have seen harry do and all the fans who have felt more comfortable in themselves as a result of it, my heart is full of love

#holo #racontour #hslot #this was so extra im SORRY #harry styles #mine

3 notes · View notes

crowndanced · 6 years

Photo

○ *:･ﾟ✧

EXCAVATED FROM THE LIBRARY OF THE GOBLIN KING.

( DO NOT REBLOG. )

----- His Royal Highness, then Prince Jareth Vangard Robert Henry Kinglseigh, was born to King Jored Lyons Richard Dominick Kingsleigh and Queen Lillyith Anne Marie Eliza Kingsleigh-Boran in the early years of King Jored’s fae rule over the Goblin Kingdom. Years and years ago, Jareth’s great-great-great grandfather, King Roland Joseph Midas Griant Kingsleigh, had overthrown the tyrannical goblin king and taken over the kingdom himself, ushering in the first fae goblin king. The Goblins had no reason to resist their new rulers, they quite favoured the better living conditions that came with the new king, as well as the security system that was magically established around the city and its surrounding areas. The Labyrinth wasn’t always the labyrinth is is recognized as today. Though throughout the years, the faes had taken likings to mazes as the general way to get into the Goblin City, but each ruler had something different to add to it. King Jored had used a giant dome with a mirrored maze, thus very few runners made it to the castle in his era, which was a prosperous time for the Goblin species. It was something hard to top after his first born son, Jareth, officially became Prince of the Goblins.

Prince Jareth was a free spirited boy; he only wished he hadn’t been born to be the next King of the Goblins- he found himself sometimes wishing his father could stay in rule, and he go live with the humans in the Aboveground, which was a realm without magic that fascinated him to no end. But a Prince has a duty to his people ( or Goblins, in this case ) and so Jareth never got many a chance to sneak away from his royal tutors and parents. Then his sister was born. His parents had taken a liking to their son’s name, so they named their daughter a variation of his name- Jareica. Despite the similar names, the parents had no favour over either of their children, and loved them both equally. Jareth loved his sister too, even if she was a baby and could be rather annoying at times. After the young princess was six months old, she was snatched from under the noses of the Goblin Royals. King Jored sent the Goblin Army out far and wide to search for his lost daughter, while Jareth stayed behind with his mother, Lillyith, as a solace for each other. Even though they were both sad with the loss of the other child, here is when Jareth’s talent for singing and dancing begun to bloom- for he had inherited it from his mother, who had quite the voice and moves herself. To distract her, he would sing nonsense songs and dance around with her, making it a tradition in the Goblin City. Years pass, and the Princess was still missing. Jareth is now sixteen years old in appearance, and is soon to be crowned Goblin King. His father had decided to step down from rule to take care of his ailing mother. As a gift to the young prince, his parents finally let him do what he had always so wished- go to the Aboveground for thirteen hours, a full day in Underground time. And Jareth loved it. The only problem was, he couldn’t understand why most humans were so cruel and immature, nothing like what he had learned from his studies. When he returned, his father said that was the purpose of their kingdom- to teach humans the value of maturity. Jareth understood, but he still had no desire to sit on a throne all day and abduct children to teach humans about becoming more mature- they could learn that on their own, couldn’t they? However, one runner finally bested his father’s mirror maze, thus causing the coronation to happen sooner than planned- and Jareth was king. Weeks after he was crowned king, Jareth heard a commotion outside the castle, seeing the guards chase what appeared to be a runner into the entrance of his father’s mirror maze. And so, he shifted into an owl and followed them, seeing as it was a king’s duty to see what was going on, and how to punish the perpetrator, should they have committed a crime. He had heard the army shouting about the thief stealing one of Jareth’s magic crystals, which only made him pursue the little person faster. What goblin or fae creature would do that? Did they not know of the reprocussions, should they be caught? Eventually, he was ahead of the army, and managed to corner the thief at a dead end. As he shifted to his true form, the person dropped to the ground and raised their gaze to him- and his blue-brown eyes met violet-silver ones, with crow wing tattoos on the side of them. It was his long lost sister. After taking her back to the castle that night, he announced it to the whole kingdom, and sent a letter to his parents about finding their daughter. A celebration was then held for a week in honor of the Princess’s return- but she would not speak about what had happened to her for a long while, until her father finally coaxed it out of her. She had been captured by necromancers, who had planned to sacrifice her- save for another of their group had already captured a human child, so instead they raised her to be a thief, and were debating about using her for ransom as well. Jareth, using his new power, sent the Goblin Army out in search of this group of necromancers, as well as laid a bounty on their heads- but they have yet to be found. His sister was then schooled to be a princess as soon as she could be, and her true personality began to shine through the nervous shell she had encased herself in- loud, carefree, sarcastic, and friendly. She reminded him of himself, as she got older- taking interest in the Aboveground and not wishing to sit on the throne one day as the Goblin Queen. He even gave her a nickname, as she took a liking to one of his more popular nonsense songs- ‘Dance Magic Dance’, it was called, and as she danced, that’s what the Goblins- and her brother- started calling her. ‘Magic.’ When Jareth appeared twenty, that’s when he first saw her- Sarah. Jareth had only been watching the Aboveground from one of his many crystals, as different humans appeared and disappeared in the glass surface, all possible candidates to be a runner. When Sarah’s image had first appeared in his crystal, there was something about her that made him want to bring her down here. He was enraptured by her green eyes that shone in delight whenever she was right about something. That was the biggest thing. But over time, he grew to like more and more things about her. Magic told him it was called ‘love.’ Would his parents be happy that their son, a purebred bird fae, had fallen in 'love' with a human girl? Absolutely not. Did he fall in ‘love‘ anyways? Indeed he did. And that’s when he decided to send Sarah the little book she would act out, in order for her to fall in love with him as well ( after all, he made suer that it was himself who was described in the book ). And it was also at this time that Jareth decided to reshape the mirror maze of his father’s creation into his own personalized area. Magically, the dome lowered, the mirrors became stone, or brick, or leafy hedges, or trees, until it was a twisting and winding maze, with high walls and lookouts, each area secured by ever changing passageways, hidden traps called oubliettes, and lots of glitter. Finally deciding on a name for his creation, and the book, he dubbed it the name it is fondly known as today- The Labyrinth. And so he sent the book out to the human girl he had his eyes on, hoping one day she would appear in the Labyrinth, so he could see her in his true form- he only ever snuck Aboveground to see her as an owl. Magic endlessly teased him about his ‘crush’ on Sarah, but even if she was annoying about it, he had learned to ignore it, focusing on the hope that Sarah would appear in the Underground. To distract himself, however, he threw himself into his royal duties in the hope of keeping himself focused on running a kingdom and not a human girl, so his parents didn’t suspect. A few years later, the words were spoken. “I wish the goblins would come and take you away… right now.” And Jareth found himself seeing Sarah for the first time in his true form. There was a problem with this though- his parents had found out about his interest in the human girl ( to this day he still has no idea as to how ) and instilled a fail safe in that little book of his. The spell-turned-speech that made her the Champion of the Labyrinth. “Through dangers untold,” said she, as he pleaded with her to ’fear him, love him,’ and ‘do as he said’, “and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City, to take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours,” she went on, turning down his final offer of her dreams, “and my kingdom is as great.” “You have no power over me.” The words rang in Jareth’s ears as he dramatically fell, a crystal tossed into the air, and shifted into an owl, flying out the window of her house. Her brother Toby was returned, and the next thing he saw was his Sarah, holding a celebration with many a member of his kingdom- he was tempted to send all of them to The Bog of Eternal Stench, or an oubliette, or worse, but her joyous smile stopped him from doing so. He could just wait a little more.

NOTES ABOUT THIS CANON:

This is only a very brief summary of Jareth’s life up to canon events, and when I get the time, the more detailed version of his life up to canon events will go on his blog bio.

The apostrophes around the word love when talking about Sarah means the word is used loosely- very loosely. As indicated by canon events and outside views, he was merely infatuated by her with his own view of love, having never been in love romantically before. The closest comparison would have to be someone being infatuated with a celebrity.

There is an opportunity to have threads with Prince Jareth during his time Aboveground, however they will not have icons used. Chances are, if you want to establish a relationship where your muse befriended Jareth on his day Aboveground, he will regard your muse as an old friend if you want to have a thread with king Jareth. Still, tread lightly.

Magic is not an rp-able character on this blog, and neither are Jareth’s parents, Jored and LIllyith. They are all my OCs, who will only be mentioned on this blog. I have been developing this canon for years, so please don’t use it.

More is to come.

#i mostly copy/pasted this from my old devian.tart so like!! some of it may change and progress #reblog this and youre going to the bog of eternal stench.#labyrinth canon tag.#○ *:･ﾟ✧ | im crying about david bowie again. ( ooc. )

2 notes · View notes

anotherescsite · 3 years

Text

THE ALBANIANS 2021

Festivali i Këngës 59 is the first national final out of the gates in Albania which has been a tradition for a little while. There was a time in the early 2010s were the Ukraine tried to muscle in on the honour, but the Albanians have stayed strong to continue with the tradition. The semi finals begin December 21 and the final is on December 23.

RTSH have decided to hold their national final outside in the winter evening air. I expect everyone will be performing in a puffer jacket, a beanie and mittens and no scantily dressed women and bare chested men. The national final splits the list of 26 songs (there may be a withdrawal - keep reading) into two semi finals to with the top 10 each going to the final for the right to represent the country at Eurovision 2021 in Rotterdam. As usual, the songs are in native language. They have the ability to request a language change after they win the Festival.

I am listening to them for the first time without any bias towards any of them of the preferences of others. I’ve only heard of one of these performers that I can recall. They are in alphabetic order for no particular reason and have listened to studio versions.

Agim Poshka – “Vendi im” (“My place”) The music is very pleasant to listen to; it is like the music to accompany a hymn. Agim’s voice is a little lackluster and it drones on which is a shame because the musical accompaniment is very nice.

Anxhela Peristeri – “Karma” This begins with a loud opening and then scales back to a ballad which I found unusual. Anxhela has a decent voice and at half way it picks up an Oriental beat and some pace. It doesn’t reach its potential though, and I’m somewhat disappointed. Her name translates to ‘Angela Pigeon’ which i found amusing.

Devis Xherahu – “Peng” (“Hostage”) A lovely Spanish guitar and Devis vocals are appropriately mournful and suitable. It picks up the pace and I like it alot. May not set the scoreboard alight. Decent entry.

Durim Morina (Mirud) – “Nëse vdes” (“If I die”) An attractive ethnic entry with the addition of electric sounds. I like the vibe and mood of the song; it has some challenging vocal moments that make it sound like an anthem, but not so.

Enxhi Nasufi – “Njësoj” (“Same”) Upbeat number and Enxhi has pleasant vocals. It seems a bit dated like a mid 90s number. It’s okay as songs go.

Era Rusi – “Zjarri im” (“My fire”) A very different sound which sounds almost modern indigenous. Very exciting sound and I’m eager to see the stage production for the song. It does morph into a different creature for the chorus, but still interesting as a whole.

Erik Lloshi – “Jo” (“Not”) A quiet ballad song that suits Erik’s voice. Drum beat adds some drama, but it could be forgotten without a decent performance.

Evi Reçi -“Tjerr” (“Spin”) It is an interesting soundtrack to the song but I don’t know where it is heading. Sometimes sultry, sometimes country, sometimes traditional making it a very awkward song.

Fatos Shabani – “Ty” (“You”) I like the way the acoustic guitar works with his voice and the strings. He wrote it and it seems very personal. It works, but it won’t set the world alight.

Festina Mejzini – “Kush je ti dashuri” (“Who are you love”) There are some nuances to this song that make it special, but I’m not sure there are enough to sustain the interest of the audience. Festina seems to have a nice voice, but I’m not too taken by it.

Florent Abrashi – “Vajzë” (“Girl”) Florent took part in FIK 54; and doesn’t have the power seen back then. This is a sweet ballad, it is restrained and it’s very safe. I’m really disappointed.

Franc Koruni – “E morën botën” (“They took the world”) Franc brings some class to the show. It is a studio version which is a little restricted by has scope to be much more interesting live. Franc has a voice that could go down well, or fall flat.

Giliola Haveriku – “E lirë” (“Free”) Ballad with predominant piano, well placed percussion, touches of electronica and soaring notes. This could do very well if performed and styled well.

Gjergj Kaçinari -“Më jep jetë” (“It gives me life”) It begins with spoke singing which I don’t like. While the music is dramatic, but I’m really not taken by the style of it or the singing of the song.

Inis Neziri – “Pendesë” (“Penance”) A power ballad which has the classic Albanian anthem punch to it. This will work very well with an orchestra and Inis has a very nice voice to carry it.

Kamela Islamaj – “Ajo vajza” (“That girl”) A piano ballad which seems like elevator music. Not a powerful song or much interest for me. It seems very washed out and dated.

Klevis Bega (Kastro Ziso) – “Vallja e jetës” (“The dance of life”) Thankfully, a non ballad. The music is great and the beat was louder and faster. It could perform very well on a stage with the right back up. Could be a bit to repetitive.

Klinti Çollaku – “Do t’ja dal” (“I will do it”) I’m sorry to say it, but this sounds like a filler. It’s a bit quiet and there is a unpleasant droning electric organ. It changes to a more grungy electric guitar sound, but it changes back quickly. Klinti does some vocal aerobic near the end; not saving the song though.

Manjola Nallbani – “Ora e jetës” (“The hour of life”) has disappeared from Youtube and the link to the song on the RTSH gives an error. Expect it will be withdrawn or replaced.

Orgesa Zaimi – “Valixhja e kujtimeve” (“Suitcase of Memories”) Albanian jazz. Not a bad thing if you can pull it off. Orgesa’s vocals suit the song, but I’m not a fan of the style.

Rosela Gjylbegu – “Vashëzo” An interesting song that has a curious sound and vocal combination. It seems like a Oriental-Albanian fusion which is really lovely to listen to. Looking forward to this live.

Sardi Strugaj – “Kam me t’ba me kajt” (“I’ll make you cry”) Mournful opening and creepy opening and I was expecting a bit of an explosion of sound which didn’t come. The songs music is quite dramatic to add tension to the song, but it overshadows and overwhelms the singing. Shame.

Stefan Marena – “Meteor” This could be better live; I think they were trying to get a sound that hasn’t been captured in the song. Quite a conventional song that I don’t think is special, but with the right sound it may be a surprise.

Viktor Tahiraj – “Nënë” (“Mother”) I’m not a fan of songs about their Mummy, so this is at a disadvantage already. And a gentleman of this age should know better. The song is decent actually; the sound is good contemporary number. Viktor’s voice less so.

Wendi Mancaku – “Si ajo” (“Like Her”) Quiet number that is well written to highlight the pleasant voice of the vocalist. It’s tempo is slow and can be mistaken for a boring song, but it is far from it. There is a sensual velvety sound to the song. I like it.

Xhesika Polo – “Më mbron” (“It protects me”) Xhesika has a very rich voice and this is another song that has been written to take advantage of the singer’s talent. It is a very well written ballad that seem like a journey in a song. This could be a dark horse depending on the live performance.

CONCLUSION

The Albanian Festivali i Këngës always brings forward new music that is different to what has been heard before and has it’s own flavour. It is a good selection of songs for a national final with few songs that don’t interest me.

I can’t pick a favourite of the lot. If i was going to name a winner, I’d say “Pendesë” more than anything else. It has all the makings of the usual Albanian entry. I would welcome a win for E lirë, Më mbron, Vashezo or Nëse vdes.

#esc #eurovision #rotterdam #2021 #the netherlands #albania #festivali i kenges

0 notes

changachino-blog · 4 years

Text

28 february 2018

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45392/ulysses

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45364/the-lotos-eaters

Ulysses and the Lotus Eaters: A Dichotomy Between Life and Living

In two poems, Lord Alfred Tennyson depicts two outlooks of life: the Romanticist view in “The Song of the Lotus Eaters”, and the Victorian ideals in “Ulysses”. More specifically, their views regarding a pause, a lull, in living are in stark contrast with each other. Using imagery, repetition, and simile, Tennyson proves the virtue of the Victorian ideals of his era using both perspectives.

The Lotus eaters and Ulysses are both set in stagnance. The island upon which the Lotus Eaters lay is representative of their sloth, even the air that they breathe is “languid...swoon[ing]”, in a state of perpetual afternoon. This builds on the image of stagnance, with the afternoon representing the transitional state of travel that the Lotus Eaters were mired in; between sun and moon, Troy and home. Afternoon on a tropic island brings to mind stifling heat, adding on to the day’s sun and toil that would wear on these mariners. However, the mariners rejoiced upon this piece of sand, “they sang, ‘Our island home is far beyond the wave...”, celebrating their freedom from weary travel. Using a repeating rhyme scheme at the end of the first choric verse, with the words “deep, creep, weep, and sleep”, he pulls the reader into some sort of a loop, resembling the loop, the trance, the travelers are bound in.

On the contrary, Ulysses has been filled with a dread for his life, as an “idle king, / By this still hearth, among these barren crags…”. Using the words idle, still, and barren, Tennyson establishes the king’s existential malaise within the first two lines of his poem. Ulysses’ life no longer has much of a purpose, after peaking many years before, “Far on the ringing plains of Troy”. This begs the question of whether life is worth living after a definitive peak. Ulysses answers with a resounding YES, exclaiming “How dull it is.../ to rust unburnish’d, not to shine in use!”. Stagnancy is death to Ulysses, a dishonorable degradation, a sword not dulled by use, but by its scabbard, betrayed by the respite of his home.

The Lotus Eaters expose the flawed nature of the Romantics, the dreamers and consumers too occupied by the “watch[ing] (of) the crisping ripples on the beach” to advance, to trailblaze, and return home in a wash of glory. They try to rationalize their sloth, preemptively alienating themselves to their homes, wives, children and slaves, figuring that “...all hath suffer’d change..”, but that is a lazy alternative to the truth Tennyson presents through Ulysses. Ulysses has a fervor for life, a chance at another adventure and expanding the self. Tennyson shows us the difference between merely living and having a life, and while the Lotus Eaters indulge themselves in material comforts and absorbing the nature around them, Ulysses delights in burning a legacy in the annals of history, in spite of all of he has already accomplished. Tennyson urges us to expand our horizons, both internally and externally, to fight for another peak in life.

***

11 June 2020

Two years later, this essay is helping fend off the evils that come with stagnancy. As long as one is breathing, one has potential, and it’s a waste of energy and life to live a day in which you don’t try to get better at something.

A paraphrased quote from my AP English Literature teacher at the time, Ryan Miller:

“If you’re on your phone, you’re basically asleep.”

This really redefined the way I view the information age, because it really is a perfect analogy for my experience with content aggregators and sleep. Dreams flit through my mind in little flashes, and only some truly carry any feeling that carries through to the morning, and therefore any memories I have of those dreams are unreliable. In a very similar way, content aggregators (in my case, mainly reddit) flood my eyes with a veritable onslaught of information. Most of the time, I don’t remember what I don’t save to my account or device.

What even is the worth of information without any ability to recollect it?

I typically want to use reddit to distract myself and find fun content that I can share with my friends, but in many cases it seems to become a timesink that gives me loads of impressions, and headlines, and little easily consumable nuggets of information, like well-made gifs, or innovative infographics, which are all tailored to my tastes. It’s a buffet of knowledge, but the problem is simple: you can’t eat like you’re at a buffet for your whole life.

Just like food, information needs proper digestion, reflection, to truly permeate into your memory and become a part of yourself that you can rely on for the rest of your life. In every minute of everyday, we have the opportunity to learn about what is happening to people all around the world, all around our nation, and all around our community. Social media is designed to be addictive, and it works, because it is a very human tendency to want to learn more about the world and connect to more people.

Our brains are not designed to operate on this level of social involvement.

Let’s talk about dunbar’s number.

“According to the theory, the tightest circle has just five people – loved ones. That’s followed by successive layers of 15 (good friends), 50 (friends), 150 (meaningful contacts), 500 (acquaintances) and 1500 (people you can recognise). People migrate in and out of these layers, but the idea is that space has to be carved out for any new entrants.” -linked article

The idea of a hard limit to mental capacity is not novel, and it explains a lot of how the information age has adversely affected the mental health of millions of people. Being a “good citizen” in the age of the internet entails many tiers of communication and information processing as a result of globalization and the current ease of communication:

At the most personal tier would be your loved ones, your immediate family, your closest friends. With distance, the pressure to stay connected is kind of immense, given that it’s so easy to do so, but when life gets busy, people get overwhelmed and need time to charge. Our connectivity adds an unnecessary level of guilt in mild cases of estrangement. As a contrast, my mother’s relationships with her closest friends are built over years, and they personally check in month to month.

The importance of this tier is on par with that of the next, but I think that there is a lot of tacit pressure to catch up with older family members and record their wisdom. The whole point of family and reproduction is to make each generation better, but if this knowledge isn’t captured, it slips away with each death.

The next most personal tier would be your involvement in your community, whether it’s through your protests, sports, college friends/clubs, local charities, or churches. These are your tribes, and as social creatures, we tend to become a blend of whoever we surround ourselves with. The information age already pressures us to be as connected as possible, and I find myself straining to maintain involved in my current communities as I try my best to stay connected with my loved ones.

As I mature more, I’m becoming more aware of my responsibility to get involved with community legislation, and local government. I guess this would fall between community involvement and legislative participation.

As we start to zoom out, the next tier would be our involvement in state legislature, voting on bills and representatives in our counties and states. This is where my citizenship fails, I consider myself a patriot but I haven’t prioritized my right to a vote as a citizen in a democratic republic.

Performing as a national citizen in the United States is also fraught with disappointment and disillusionment in your voice, and bipartisanship has led to rampant tribalism and polarization. Conversations about the administration, especially across people of opposite parties, are rarely nuanced and productive. Mass media on both sides tends to twist words and fails to truly inform. Fear-mongering has always made more money, and gets more awareness, so spreading a more negative depiction of the world is how many media outlets have found their success.

Learning more about international human rights issues, climate justice, and staying informed about our world and affairs is another burden on the mind

I find humor in the irony of privileged internet users reading about unprivileged people’s plights and hurting in sympathy for them, to no net good in the world. The adage that ignorance is bliss is based in reality

We get more and more jaded as we learn about how the world really doesn’t make sense, and as we learn more about how bad humans can be and have been to each other.

Six tiers of investing yourself, your mental faculties, your resources, and your time fall beyond your actual person.

So much of our presence and identity is invested outside of us, that it’s easy to be overwhelmed and forget to love and nurture ourselves. Every piece of trash information that we have to process stands as an obstacle in our path to a better self. Striking the balance between awareness of the world and mental health has been such a complicated task that we all have to juggle. While a quarantine during the information has posed serious implications for mental health, I’m jazzed about the ramifications of this quarantine.

For many people whose lives have been uprooted and tossed around by this pandemic, this is a time of introspection, discovery, and a re-evaluation of what we want to live for. The potential for the my generation is staggering.

As a contrast, I truly felt like I was mired in a time of stagnancy during my depressive spells for the past few months. I felt like I was wasting my valuable time as a young adult, and the added guilt became a positive feedback loop that glued me to my bed for far too long. Writing out and processing my thoughts about what has led to these depressive spells gives me more answers and insights, and I’m excited that this is the first of many essays that seek to alleviate my headspace and free my mind for greater pursuits.

To link my two essays together, here is the main theme I would like to impart to whoever wants to carve their own hope for their future:

A quote from Tennyson’s poem Ulysses:

“How dull it is to pause, to make an end, To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use!”

It’s far too easy for me to grow comfortable in a non-growth-centered way of life, and it’s up to me to leverage the privilege that I have: a loving, financially secure family that feeds me. I must take ownership of my life and make the most of what has been given to me. I owe it to my parents, the universe, and the people I love to lead a life of growth.

“Stagnancy is death to Ulysses, a dishonorable degradation: a sword not dulled by use, but by its scabbard, betrayed by the respite of his home.”

#alfred lord tennyson #ulysses #the lotos eaters #ap lit #information age

0 notes