#have you even looked at a hurdy gurdy

[redflagshipwriter]

Hot Ghouls in your area ch 3 progress

(500wordish)

Un-fucking-believable that some guy named Danny was the ghost king of this iconic goth horror castle, and yet he had to believe it was the truth. Jason freely gawked at the architecture as they made their way into the main hall. They entered at an upper level and immediately began to work their way down.

Jason privately related the space to where musicians would have been playing in an actual historical castle. Were there ghost musicians? Could he hear the greatest pop hits of 1482? Did anyone have a hurdy-gurdy?

Jason cleared his throat. Danny glanced back at the slight sound.

…Now that the guy was looking at him, it seemed like a bit of an insensitive question. He managed to pull back to less assholish phrasing at least. “Do you know any ghost musicians?”

His original question was gonna be “do ghosts have music?” Wow. Jason chided himself. Might as well ask ‘hey do your people have culture?’

Of course the answer was a nod. “Yeah, I know one.” Danny snorted and floated a little higher. “She's terrible, man, nightmare of a person.”

“...But the music is good?” Jason ventured.

Danny scoffed. “It's derivative,” he said fearlessly.

Jason looked up and around for any roaming creatives who might get offended. None of them descended. “... Castle is empty, then?” He asked. Casually. Like a guy who wasn't marking every potential exit away from the guy he'd been…

‘Was I human trafficked?’ Jason blinked. Holy shit. ‘Sure, Danny doesn't seem to want me, but that's literally what those cultists were doing… They gifted me to him last minute. Like a mall candle.’

Wild. He made a mental mark for his Bat trauma bingo sheet. He wasn't sure if they had a square for that, but exchanges for comparable trauma were sometimes negotiable.

It belatedly occurred to him that he was offended. “This is a dumb situation to be in by accident,” Jason said aloud. He huffed and folded his arms. “Those nerds didn't even pick me, you know? It's not that I was the super special perfect victim, I was just the guy who knocked on the door.”

He felt more aggrieved by the end. Where was the drama? The respect? The class, even. Hadn't he razzle dazzled enough to be specifically targeted by the criminal underbelly?

Danny put a cold hand on his shoulder. “I'm sorry, you deserve someone to recognize your unique potential as a victim,” he empathized. “You're not just some interchangeable sacrifice.”

Jason shook him off. “No touchy,” he warned. He lifted a finger in threat. Belatedly he remembered how unbothered Danny had been by his guns. Shit. He put the finger down. “I’ve got a big personal space bubble,” he said lamely. No threats. He couldn't back ‘em up here.

#red hot ghouls #dc x dp #dead on main #wip

[ectafoole]

Sweet Scarring

The following is a fanfiction of a fanfiction, an imagined conversation between a character from @autumnbrambleagain's Proselytize serial story and an NPC from the game. It's not canon or even fanfic-canon but contains spoilers both for Autumn's fic and also Caves of Qud.

"Hold, Child of Man."

Annaface felt her heart lurch, most likely visibly, upon hearing the words and accent. The soft lilt of Oudin's aristocratic mein degraded with distance from the heart of the Putus, but this speaker learned to speak somewhere not far from that shriveled heart. That voice radiated an authority installed in her from birth that chilled her putatively-pure blood.

She turned to see who it was, and that just made her heart lurch worse.

It had been a long time since she saw a Murmur, and the sharp edge of the memory had not been dulled with time. Of the places she might have expected to find a remnant of her past, why here in—what had Tiyu-Yutep called it? An anarchist collective?

The costume was recognizable at once. Where the Murmurs of her past wore a coat of rags and garbage, this one draped themself in pieces of metal and synthetic fabric. They wore a mask made not of bone and leather, but of broken scraps of gentling mask. Even stranger, they were armed to the teeth: her optical scanners picked up the hidden outline of an ontological anchor, a crysteel sword, a pair of hand rails. Penetrating radar glowing where eyes should be in a partially-collapsed head.

So Templar, but so not.

The stranger noticed Annaface's hesitation. For a moment they stopped turning the crank of their instrument, cutting off a drone that she hadn't quite realized she'd been hearing. They reached down to the fullerite shield that leaned against a palladium strut and turned it so she could see the front, its conspicuous lack of the dread Holy Rhombus.

"We are of a kind," they said, still in that deceptively soft aristocratic accent. Or was it deceptive? Could that be actual gentleness in the kind of voice that never carried it? "Come sit, if you have the moment to spare a fellow Pariah. I shall play you a tune."

"I've never seen an instrument like that," she said, gradually convincing her body to divert its course toward this avatar of bad memories.

"The hurdy-gurdy," said the murmur, turning the crank on the instrument once again. "It originated in the far North eons ago. I used to carry an oud, but I didn't care for the memories it evoked."

"Yet you wear the Murmur's kit," Annaface said, screaming internally at her own candidness.

"Trenchant." The stranger paused for a moment, though the rich molasses groaning of their instrument continued. "I didn't wish to… reclaim the oud."

"You're. You're Une, aren't you? I've heard of you."

"I am Une," replied Une, "though I am given to understand that the Sons and Daughters do not refer to me as such."

"The squires know your name. We would call you The Wretch in front of our superiors, but there were stories. I'm not sure I believed you really dressed yourself as a Murmur. I… lost a friend to that festival."

The drone stopped for a moment, and Une turned to look at her dead-on with those blue-glowing eyes. It occurred to her that this stranger could probably see almost as well as she could. They could probably count her implants. They could probably count her TEETH.

"So it's true," said Une softly. "There are outposts that execute their murmurs. I still have work to do, clearly."

Annaface shivered. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?" Une resumed turning the wheel-fiddle's crank.

"Kinslaying," she said. "You sound so confident, so certain. Is it so easy for you as it sounds?"

"You fear becoming a monster," they surmised.

Sighing, Annaface turned her eyes away from the lumpy slope of Une's deformed skull. "You make it sound easy."

"For me, it was," replied Une, keying out a mournful tune over the steady drone of a continuous note. "But I was born a wretch. When you are born a wretch, becoming a monster is not so daunting. I'm not afraid to be a monster, I am afraid to be the 'human' my family revered. Ere I slew them."

She shuddered. "You make it sound like a privilege."

"It is," they said. "I do not envy you the task of learning to destroy the tyrants of your past. My path to monstrousness was prescribed for me, but you must find your own alone."

"Well," Annaface said softly, "not… alone."

She nodded, and the voice of Une's instrument rose over the din of her thoughts.

"Let your tired heart rest, Annaface Probelle," said Une, "and I will play you a tune of sweet scarring. A tune for who we are today. Would this please you?"

#caves of qud #fanfic fanfic #autumnbramble

[kagedbird]

Cicero Loves You, Listener! TESSDE AU - Dark Brotherhood route

~ [First] ~ [Next] ~ [Prev] ~

Something had gone wrong while we were up on the cliff.

I hadn’t been able to put my finger on it. It felt like we were being watched. I was certain the others could feel it to, with the way Inigo’s tail whipped up a storm, ears flicked back tightly against his skull; Lucien nervously kept checking over his shoulder, waiting for something to pop out; Kaidan scanning the horizon line repeatedly for anyone in the close vicinity or far distance.

I couldn’t hold back my own shivers of discomfort as we slowed our pace, feeling very much like we were being corralled to something.

We were not too far from Falkreath, in Reachmen territory. Normally, according to my boys, this usually spelt disaster. But I’d managed to make friends with many of the tribes in the area, and they’d given us clear passage by warning others that we weren’t to be harmed.

They really enjoyed my hurdy gurdy songs I’d shared the first time.

Due to this safety net, however, I knew it wasn’t them stalking us like prey. Shepherded closer and closer to the edge of a cliffside, my hands felt clammy while holding the grip of Kaidan’s bow, and I felt as taut as the bowstring along my entire body.

I just wished something would happen, so we could get it over with all ready!

Suspense was my most despised form of horror. Not knowing when the other shoe would drop raised my anxiety levels too high; pulse skyrocketing in my veins. Sahloknir and Mirmulnir could hardly contain Nahagliiv with the amount of turmoil coiling through me, try as I might to douse it with vague hope.

My heart was palpitating and squeezing too tightly. My mouth felt like cotton had taken over to live on my tongue, and I felt sweat trickle down the base of my arms. I was sure to have an anxiety attack before long if this kept up.

Inigo whipped around, bow drawn, a snarl on his face as we all turned to see what had caught his attention.

But there was nothing in the area behind us.

I whipped my head back around— equal parts sure it had been a diversion, as well as thinking I had heard something this time— only to find nothing yet again. Sequestered between two boulders that hugged the edge of the cliff precariously, we all waited, as still as our breathing, for anything to happen.

…And waited.

…

…And waited still.

Despite nothing happening, none of us were willing to look away and untense to let our guards drop. We’d been through too much for that. We knew better— even Lucien, who I could tell was struggling to keep still.

I swallowed thickly again, trying to hear anything beyond the beating of my blood in my ears. We were on our way back to Whiterun, and all I wanted to do was to fall into Bren’s arms and rest with my family. I wanted to go home and cook for them and not think about being the Dragonborn for five minutes. Not have to think about the Gods that pestered me endlessly about saving the world.

I wanted a break. Not to break.

Kaidan shuffled in place, the sound of his gloves creaking from his grip sounding like blaring sirens in the stillness. Lucien’s breathing was tight, fire alight along his fingers and palms. And though no longer drawn fully to conserve energy, Inigo was still poised and at the ready to shoot anything that remotely popped up out of the blue.

I could feel my magicka swirling just under the surface of my skin, aching to be let out and released, but I couldn’t. Not yet. I couldn’t draw eyes to us just because of this tension. It would only give whatever was out there a hidden third party to kill us all the easier.

I was growing weary with every passing minute though. Why wait this long? Why drag it out? Were they even there anymore?

The temptation to call out grew more and more, but I could hear my sister berating me for outing myself to an enemy and risking my team. So I continued biting my tongue and kept my eyes peeled—

There. A shadow had moved behind the boulder on the right, I had seen it. I silently nudged Inigo and Kaidan, as they were closest to me, and nodded towards that boulder. They nodded back, eyes sharp, as I slowly moved to Lucien’s side to warn him as well.

What I hadn’t anticipated was the sudden and sharp whistle from a fired arrow racing towards me, catching me in the shoulder in mere moments.

All hell broke loose. Kaidan and Inigo immediately went on the hunt, shouting out war cries as they raced after the perceived threat, while Lucien caught me as I fell into his arms. I stumbled, knees hitting the dirt and small rocks painfully; my hand reaching up to the arrow that was surely sunk into my muscle.

Another whistle, I couldn’t think, I just shoved Lucien down, watching as the next arrow shuddered into the dirt behind us.

“RUN!” I screamed past the stranglehold on my throat, getting up as fast as I possibly could and dragged Lucien up with me.

“Where?!” He yelped back, stumbling upright and hurried off as I pushed him.

“Anywhere! Serpentine! Just run!” I croaked. Anxiety was clawing at my insides— I couldn’t think.

Another arrow just barely missed Lucien’s foot as he dodged left, leaving him yelping again. I turned to the direction the arrows were firing from, but saw nothing but open spaces.

Wait—

Along the ground of the cliffside, there were specific pocket markings, as if the dirt had been turned over. Risking the spare moments between an archer’s reload time, I could see that the motions continued in a semi-circle from one boulder to the other.

Exactly covering the section only I remained standing on.

My pupils were dilated as time slowed down. In his haste, Lucien’s feet ripped up the dirt from behind him, loose as it was, sending trickles of it throughout the air.

Another arrow just missed him, sending him skating further beyond the line.

A trap.

I went to run— I needed to get out of here— but another arrow stopped me in my tracks as it pierced my thigh. I screamed in pain, falling forward into the dirt, and felt it shudder under the force of my weight.

I howled in agony as I broke the arrow in my thigh, digging the arrowhead further into my skin; barely seeing past the blinding white pain of Lucien attempting to run back to me. He was stopped by dozens of arrows flying his way, keeping him trapped. Kaidan and Inigo were nowhere to be seen from my position. I couldn’t hear much past the tinnitus ringing in my head.

I was being targeted. By what? Or whom?

It didn’t matter. I needed to—!

The ground shook horrifically, just as predicted, and I turned my head to see the dirt collapsing behind me over the edge. I grabbed fistfuls of grass and dirt, desperately clawing my way across as best I could.

Lucien was braving through the storm of arrows, diving headfirst along the ground to reach out to me—

My fingertips grazed his—

He gasped in pain as his body retracted from being shot in the side again and again; eyes peering widely into my own.

And I let out a terrified scream as my body plummeted down, down, down below.

#skyrim #tesblr #TESSDE AU #Dark Brotherhood #tes oc #Kaidan Skyrim #Lucien Skyrim #Inigo Skyrim #Allora #Dragonborn oc #Starting off strong!!! >:3c

[briarcrawford]

Hobby List For Your Medieval-Inspired Character

Over and over again I come across people saying that people in the past never had time for any hobbies. It does not matter if it is as early as the Victorian era, or as far back as the iron-age, the remark is always the same; “they only had time to think about survival.”

Well, as someone who was once a wilderness survival instructor(trained on a military base through cadets), I have thoughts on that. During training, you do learn the basics. You learn about how to start a fire, build a shelter, and, of course, how to find food and water. As well as that, however, is camp crafts.

When your camp is all set up, there are moments of pause. You have to wait for your water to filter, and you have to avoid going near your snares to keep from scaring anything off. The sun will go down soon or you are waiting for the weather to pass, and it happens: you have free time, and it’s dangerous.

Sitting alone, lost in the woods with nothing to do, you might start thinking about how hopeless things are, and how much you miss your family. So, the answer is keeping busy any way you can, which is what are called “camp crafts.” There are practical things you can do, like improving your sleeping situation or building more signals for if a plane flies over, but there are also just silly things you do just because it gives you a flash of joy.

When I was doing my survival instructor exam (five days in the forest alone) I made myself a garden complete with a silly little fence that was so small it was clearly just for looks. During that same exam, someone built themselves a wooden bench that looked like a couch.

The point is, that if a person struggling to survive in the forest can find moments of free time, people in the past certainly did too. For example, people in the past were more weather dependant than we are now. If it is winter, you can not tend to your crops. If there is a thunderstorm, you might not let your sheep out in the pasture. If it is night, you can’t simply flick the outside lights on.

So, perhaps because of all this, according to this article, the average American works more hours than a medieval peasant did.

“…—records from 13th century England show many families only worked 150 days a year on their land.” From this article by the Daily Mail

So, yes, there were days off work. In fact, some peasants even had naps.

What point am I getting at? Yes, people in the past had free time, so of course they had hobbies! In fact, some of the games we play today — such as backgammon, dice, cards, checkers, and chess — all have incredibly long histories.

“To be good at cards requires more skill than dice but less than chess, both of which were well established by the 14th century when card-playing came to Europe (from Egypt perhaps, or the Middle East),” the Economist‘s “Prospero” blog reports. People from all classes would play cards…—” From this article by Smithsonian Magazine

Now then, all my reasonings out of the way, here is a list of hobbies in case you need any ideas. Please note that not all of these may be the correct historical terms, but i hope they still give you a good starting point.

Playing an instrument (Example: Hurdy Gurdy)

Acting in village plays

Watching plays

Listening to music

Singing

Carving wood

Sculpting

Embroidery

Horseback riding

Hunting (Royals/Nobels Only. Example Here)

Painting

Puppeteering (Example Here)

Watching soldiers train

Training

Gambling

Drinking

Flirting

Board Games (Examples: Chess, Tables/Backgammon, Nine Men’s Morris)

Stealing

Story telling

Song writing

Poetry

Playing sports (Example: Shinty)

Fighting

Dancing (Example Here)

Swimming

Exploring

Falconry (For Royals. Example Here)

Making/Flying Kites

Shopping

Doll Making

Knitting

Sewing

Horseshoes (Throwing horseshoes at a target)

Archery Contest

Watching Jousting

Have more ideas? Let me know!

#writingfantasy #fantasywriter #fantasy #Characters #writing tip #writing help #writing tips #writing advice #fantasy writer #writing fantasy #write #writer #writing #writers of tumblr #writeblr #CharacterJobs #WorldbuildingOther

[howlingday]

good night I come to ask after a while, then a jaune x winter but it is before they are something.the situation? jaune finds winter drunk either because she really drank and is a lightweight or because she was hit by a semblance that left her in a drunken state after the adrenaline rush of combat and while jaune takes her to the infirmary or something, winter turns out Being the type to let go of her feelings while drunk and start talking about how she likes one of Weiss's friends (Jaune) but doesn't know how to say it because of everything that's going on and so on.Bonus points, if right when Jaune meets Weiss and Winter says that she is in love with Jaune before falling asleep and Weiss gives Jaune a death stare.mida y Weiss le da a Jaune una mirada de muerte.

Winter was a legendary Atlas huntress and a specialist in her own league. Her grades at the academy were secknd to none, and she was a terrifying opponent who dominated any foe who dared to make her their enemy. No one risked their life associating with her unless absolute vital. There had even been those who reported they would rather fight a full-size Manticore, or even a Megoliath alone than challenge Ironwood's best fighter.

That said, the description "lonely at the top" was an uncomfortably apt description of Winter's position. She sought assistance with the only person who could understand, her own mother, who herself was a prodigy. Sadly, the answer she recieved was one she should have avoided.

"It is difficult to think of your intimidating appearance, or of anything at all, when you have other thoughts muddling their presence."

So, when the day was done and all work was complete, Winter would retire to her private stateroom, and open a glass of Greaser's Oil, a hard, golden liquor popular in Northern Vale. Especially with mechanics who spend their days working on bullheads, and meeting impossible tasks pressed on by the unreasonable bureaucracy.

Or was it their spurning lovers? It was hard to tell this deep in her drinking.

There was a knock at her door. She waved it off.

It returned again, and she turned herself over, making her sit in an uncomfortable position in her chair.

The knocking continued and Winter had enough. She pushed herself to her feet, where she stumbled. The cold, hard floor made her groan, but her aura protected her and healed her.

The door knocked once more, flaring an anger inside Winter. She pushed herself to her hands and knees and crawled to the door. Once there, she clambered to the door and stood straight. She fumbled with the lock and opened the door.

"What?" She growled. They didn't look like anyone from Atlas, Mantle, or even Bulwark. The light in the hall blinded her, but she could tell it was someone very wide. Someone very fat.

"Uh, are you okay, Specialist Schnee?"

"I'm fffffine!" She shouted waving a hand, almost throwing herself with it. "I am happy and hearty and healthy and hairy and horny and hurdy and gurdy and... and..."

A fire rose to her throat, and she threw up onto the visitor's shoes. They stepped away, and she followed. However, she slipped on the bile and fell. The fat thing held onto her with meaty fingers, and her world spun.

"We need to get you to a hospital."

"I'm fine!" She shouted. "I just had a drink. That's all."

"Specialist Schnee, you're hot."

Oh god, they were flirting with her. She was attractive, it was true, but she refused to hold a drunken one-night-stand that left her trapped like her mother, with a Winter of her own. It was best to let them down gently, using choice words that made it clearly that she was flattered, but not interested.

"Fuck off!"

"I really think you should get to a hospital."

"I said, fuck off!" She stumbled to her feet and swung a fist at her unwanted suitor. But her footing was off and she fell to the floor.

Everything went dark.

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

Everything was dark.

Winter awoke to a room with a window to her side. The moon casted a light on the dark shadow next to her. It was the fat thing again, she was sure. She groaned, feeling the effect of her hangover kicking in.

"You're awake." The fat thing said, putting something in their pocket. A scroll, perhaps. "How are you feeling?"

"Fuck off." She groaned.

They chuckled. "Do you drink like this a lot?"

"What do you care?" She asked. "It's not like you can help me."

"I can try." They replied. "I know Weiss would."

"Weiss..." Winter sighed. "If she knew..." She shook her head. "Please don't tell her."

"I... I can't lie to her if she asks."

"Then don't let her ask." She answered. "Deflect the question to one of her friends."

"I don't think that would help."

"If you explain to them beforehand, it will." She frowned. "Except one of her friends, don't tell him."

"Who is he?" They asked.

"Why so eager?" She asked in return. "Are you also a suitor for one of Weiss' friends?"

"Uh, n-no, I don't think so."

"Hm..." She sighed. "Perhaps it couldn't hurt." She shifted as she prepared to describe him.

They fat one was silent.

"His name is Jaune." She began. "My sister wrote him as a bumbling fool who barely made it into Beacon. When I observed his match at the Vytal Festival, I cannot say her views were unfounded. I paid him no mind for the months that followed.

"But then he returned into my view after he managed to infiltrate Atlas on a stolen bullhead. Since then, he has proven himself as a capable huntsman. Kind, caring, strong, and that hair." She sighed. "He truly has grown into the perfect specimen." She growled with her next words. "Nowhere the cur like you, you fat, overbearing nuisance of a shape. If Jaune were here, he'd-"

"Mr. Arc?" Winter's eyes widened as she turned to the door, where an older woman stood holding a clipboard. "Just a reminder that visiting hours will be over in about fifteen minutes.

"Of course." The fat thing replied. "Thank you, Jewel."

The nurse, or doctor, or whoever that was, left, leaving Winter alone with who she realized is Jaune Arc, the man whom she just revealed she held a crush on.

"Ah, you see, that is..."

"Don't worry about it." Jaune chuckled. "Your secrets are safe with me."

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

"You've been speaking with my sister a lot more as of late." Weiss said.

"Well, there's a lot to discuss." Jaune replied. "There's Atlas, and Mantle, and the mines."

"Yes, and she seems... different somehow." Weiss put a finger to her chin. "As if her personality has reverted to something much less professional. Before she left for Atlas."

"I hadn't noticed." Jaune shrugged. "She seems the same as she always was." He looked to Winter, who was signing documents. "Maybe a bit more relaxed."

"Did you sleep with my sister?" Jaune whirled to meet the icy gaze of Weiss, his own eyes widened with shock and fear.

"What?!" Jaune balked. "Why would you ask that?!"

"It's a yes or no question, Jaune. Did you have relations with my sister?"

"N-No," Jaune gulped, "we- I have never had sex before. I-I don't know about Winter, but we are definitely not having sex with each other."

Suddenly, a motion in the corners of their eyes caught their attention. They both turned to see Winter giving a small wave, before a small kiss with a smile. On instinct, Jaune caught and waved his fist back.

Weiss' icy glare went sub-polar as she honed in on Arc.

#rwby #winter schnee #jaune arc #weiss schnee #winter knight

[spotsupstuff]

whoa thank you so much for the explainantion, i wasn't sure where to find the intro post so that was perfect. Also I didn't realise that the artist Fish in a Birdcage was from ireland, what great info ee :)

Without knowing very much (so absolutely feel free to ignore if it doesn't suit ya), perhaps if playing an instrument is ever something he gets to do, he could play a fiddle or even a banjo lol, will look forward to learning about this guy and other characters in his universe (i also have no idea what an iterator is so, learning curve) thanks again :]

of course! i'm glad to explain the stuff

OOOOOOOOOOGHHHHRHHG... FISH ON A BANJO,,, i'll have you politely know that i adore that idea a lot. assigning characters instruments and such is one of my favorite things to do! Fish already has hurdy-gurdy assigned to his name (those apparently may have evolved from fiddles, huh, neat!), but oh i would Not mind puttin a banjo into his hands

oh! are you new to this fandom? i'd very much recommend looking into the game Rain World either by buying it, watching a playthru or going straight to the lore videos on youtube yourself! these guys are all ocs of mine based off of that, so it might be nice to get to know the canon lore from which ive built them!

#Spot says stuff #rw #personally am a big fan of variety in fandoms and people developing their own opinions on stuff so i!! encourage you to look into the og- #-material. there's quite a few lore video essays on utube at this point i'm sure. and then the wiki is there too for specifically the lore #i can Hear how much fish would be yapping after playin the banjo for a bit... #ive played on like. a fake out banjo (6 strings guitar tuning) for a few hours once n STARS my left shoulder was killin me afterwards

[sbsbbshdj]

I picked up the idea of headcanons from one of my readers, so I'll do the same (if she doesn't mind, of course @mudefrau )

I will modernize a little and write small heads for those characters that I can talk about

Moomitroll

13 y.о

-wears a jumpsuit that Moomin-mama sewed for him

- He is two years younger than Snufkin,but believes that he is the same age as him (Snufkin never told him his age)

-often in free time helps with Moomin-mum's flowers - waters, removes bugs, etc.

Snufkin

15 y.o

old -the most dissimilar child of a mymble-mam, he doesn't even look much like

a Joxter

-a good relationship with a Joxter, although they haven't seen each other since that meeting (when parents and Fredrikson arrived to Moomin Valley)

- breaks his horns, but because they quickly grow back, he doesn't he notices this, and Snus leaves the broken-off ones in the place where his tent stood

-sometimes he forgets that he has friends (mumitroll, sniff, little My) because in every hike he meets new ones, but at the same time he always returns to them and really values them.

-in truth, he considers the Mymble more "mom" than the Mymble-mom, because in childhood she took more care of him and took care of him.

-Too-ticky taught him to fish, and he was even in love with her for a while, but he was refused (you understand she is a lesbian)

The Snork Maiden

13 y.o

-she is called the sun because of the color of her fur

- she pierced her ear together with the Mymble and began to wear paired bracelets, and then persuaded the Snork to buy necklaces

- often braids the scruff of the neck

-loves to dress up and dress up others (only for her sake the Snork wears a sweater)

The Mymble

27 y.o

-loves to wear rings (this addiction was passed on to her by joxter, who does not mind wearing gold)

-the firstborn of the mymble-mam

-older than all his girlfriends (except, of course, Too-Ticky)

-up to 15 years old read by syllables

-sometimes succumbs to aggression, but the outbursts of emotions pass quickly

-specially made pockets in dresses to wear a little My there

-plays the double bass but not often, because such an instrument is not very easy to carry (so it gets dusty in the basement)

Too-Ticky

27 y.o

- most likely she is a foreigner (like Thingumy and Bob) because of this she has an accent

-she plays not only the hurdy-gurdy, but also a musical personality

- as a child, she was an invisible child, but she solved this problem with age, because of this she helps other invisible

-hibernates from summer to mid-autumn

- she doesn't have such a house, she's like a snufkin, so she dug herself a hole and keeps all her things there

Little My

17 y.o

- she looks very much like a young Mymble-mam, but she's still not a favorite child.

- horns grow faster than she does

- The Mymble changed her children's dresses for her

-does not really like to listen to the chatter of the Mymble, but at the same time learns something new, for example, she remembered the name of the father of the Mymble and reminds her sister about this name because she often forgets

Joxter

40 y.o

-heterochromia from the father

- he has both an ordinary mustache and a cat

's mustache - there is a tail that was cut off for him

-wears rings on both hands, although he does not betray any special value to this

-bad relationship with Too-Ticky, considers her too "un-feminine"

- the only one with whom he has kept in touch is Muddler, they are still good friends and spend time together

#moomins #moominvalley #the moomins #moomin #moomitroll #mymble daughter #the mymble #little my #mymble jr #too ticky #the joxter #joxter #the snufkin #snufkin #snusmumriken #snorkmyden #snorkfröken

[empty-blog-for-lurking]

Kuron lance and allura for the headcanon thing(if that's not too many lol)

Kuron-

Headcanon A: realistic

After that time on the ice planet he started keeping extra water pouches and snacks with him at all times

He does not like the smell of burning meat

Headcanon B: while it may not be realistic it is hilarious

He enjoyed being a paladin in monsters and mana so much he was planning to cosplay his character when he got back home :)

Also pretty decent at cooking and uses it to make fun of Shiro

Headcanon C: heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friends

He had even picked up some cloth he could use for cosplay, it got blown up with the castle since no one thought to pick it up with him being yknow

Headcanon D: unrealistic, but I will disregard canon about it because I reject canon reality and substitute my own.

CLASSIC LIT NERD!KURON FOR THE WIN!!!!

Lance-

Headcanon A: realistic

Knows a Guy™ for everything, like even the most random and specific ass situations he just Knows someone who can get them out.

Also big fan of point and click puzzle games, and is getting pretty good at it too

Headcanon B: while it may not be realistic it is hilarious

His grandma taught him how to shoot as well as other things like administrating first aid, carjacking, how to read and write in code, impersonation, 5 different language etc. When asked why she just said "for the future" and didnt elaborate

Lance and Hunk once pretended to be toxic-couple-fighting-in-public-and-making-a-scene as a distraction for Galra long enough for the others to complete the mission

Headcanon C: heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friends

Because of the entire died-but-revived and altean marks thingy he will either end up dying slowly or has extended life and is going to outlive almost all of his friends and loved ones :)

Headcanon D: unrealistic, but I will disregard canon about it because I reject canon reality and substitute my own.

I have said this before but i'll say it again cause this is my favourite hc. I do not care what canon or fanon says but Lance is bi with shittiest taste in men. It's alright my boy, i perceive you, i know you have kissed men and i know they all fucking sucked.

Lance went on spy missions while the entire time Lotor was staying in castle and Keith was gone

Allura-

Headcanon A: realistic

She really doesnt like healing pods, or going to sleep and first thing she does after waking up is check the date and time

Also she would have loved glitter bath bombs

Headcanon B: while it may not be realistic it is hilarious

She loves building pillow forts. Lance and Hunk showed her how to make one and that is now her go to stress relief

Also she knows how to play an altean equivalent of a hurdy gurdy but like can only play altean equivalent of Wonderwall

Headcanon C: heart-crushing and awful, but fun to inflict on friends

As a little kid she used to look upto Zarkon and Honerva. You know how little kids have these adult figures (not parents) they really wanted to impress? That was Zarkon and Honerva

As a kid she was much more interested in Diplomacy and altean martial arts than in alchemy despite being naturally gifted with it because she thought the lessons were too boring. She regretted than when she woke up 10000 years later

Headcanon D: unrealistic, but I will disregard canon about it because I reject canon reality and substitute my own.

She was researching on altean alchemy even before Lotor showed up to feel a bit closer to her culture

Technically she can pilot any lion because of her bond with them i do not care what canon says

#thanks for the ask! #Also this made realize how weird it is that Allura didnt recognize Honerva #Like she personally knew Zarkon how come she didnt recognize Haggar?? #Throw this into the pile of another plot hole lmao #empty answers #ask meme

[a-couple-of-notes]

modernity, music, and jean jackets in willow 2022

I know the anachronistic elements of willow 2022 have been extremely controversial, for both bad-faith and good-faith reasons. I completely get why. this analysis isn’t meant to tell people they’re wrong or even change their minds; I just want to articulate why I liked these choices, so I can better understand my own thoughts on the matter. so: I liked the modern music. I liked the jean jackets. why?

there are a couple of factors here that probably helped: I didn’t know any of the songs beforehand, except “good vibrations” vaguely. I also generally don’t mind anachronistic costuming; it isn’t something that takes me out of the experience. but I also admired how intentional the show was with these elements - and it was intentional, beyond just wanting some banging rock songs in the credits and some fashion for the chosen ones.

let's discuss.

musical intention

alright, I’m going to say some stuff that might sound like stating the obvious, but it’s important to acknowledge: the ending credit songs are all directly responding to, and furthering, the events of the episode/the characters’ emotions/the meta-story. whether it’s successful, unsuccessful, or so blunt it makes you cringe is up to you, but the intention is there.

“guess who’s back” by BEGINNERS and night panda ends the first episode. the gist of the song - “heard you missed me/say hello/been on the run...guess who’s back” - refers directly to elora, who has been revealed after 16 years by willow. it’s also about the return of willow as a story/universe - the franchise is back. finally, it’s the show telling you that there will be firmly modern elements like this, whether you like it or not.

“hurdy-gurdy man” by sir jude (originally by donovan) ends the second episode. the slow build-up in the first verse mirrors the growth of the eckleberry bush, with the chorus hitting as the plant begins to shoot up in earnest. the lyrics of the song reference a traveling minstrel singing love songs - “it was then when a hurdy-gurdy man / came singing songs of love” - much like graydon the bard, whose belief in elora caused her to grow the eckleberry bush in the first place.

“enter sandman” by rina sawayama (originally by metallica) ends the third episode. it’s a driving rock/metal song all about nightmares and something wrong lurking in the dark; obviously, this is nockmaar (but also the darkness and sin lurking within graydon). the tone of the song orients us toward the heart-pounding danger of the castle, the exciting next step of the quest, instead of the sorrow and anxiety of graydon’s wound. this helps give momentum and energy to an otherwise death-and-despair-filled episode, and is also, tacitly, a promise that we don’t have to mourn for graydon (yet). the drums mix with the storm and thunder around the castle and it’s very cool.

“black hole sun” by SWANN (originally by soundgarden) ends the fourth episode, and it’s a pretty direct reference to all the badness happening in the immemorial city - “in disguises no one knows/hides the face/lies the snake,” “boiling heat, summer stench/’neath the black, the sky looks dead.” there’s also a cool foreshadowing here of how kit eventually saves airk, by “call[ing] [his] name through the cream.”

surprise! “time for some mayhem” by arre! arre! opens the fifth episode, and - okay, they’re chaotic, they’re fighting, this is just fun. but also, it’s structural. we ended the fourth episode, the midpoint of the series, with airk wandering the immemorial city: dramatic, sad, ominous. the musical cue helps reset us to our wacky main party and indicates on a macro-level that we’re beginning a new half of the series. on a micro-level, this episode will also be about surprising reversals - mainly the bonereavers turning out to be great partiers, but also how kit and jade’s princess/knight dynamic keeps flipping, how the adventurous brownies end up as satisfied homemakers, and how a tossed willow reveals his fear of mediocrity. so of course the wildwood would turn the musical structure upside-down, too. 

“crimson and clover” by the pom-pom squad (originally by tommy james and the shondells) plays during the fifth episode during boorman's kiss with scorpia. it’s a love song meant for all three couples: boorman/scorpia, graydon/elora, and jade/kit. it’s another way the episode messes with the structure of the music, possibly alluding to the desire all the characters have to come back to the wildwood when the journey is over. this is the happy ending they want.

“good vibrations” by the beach boys ends the sixth episode, over airk meeting the crone for the first time. I’d argue that this is the song choice meant intentionally to be dissonant; its bouncy tune and claims of “good vibrations” don’t feel right because, well, it’s the crone. but the lyrics are as direct as ever, setting up airk’s instant attraction to the crone - “I love the colorful clothes she wears/and the way the sunlight plays upon her hair.”

“for the glory” by kin palo plays during the seventh episode, during the training montage. and, okay, it’s probably my favorite musical cue - not for any deep reason as to its placement, it’s just a baller song. I mean, this is just classic 80s montage - you need a rocking song behind it, both for tone and to convey the condensed passage of time! the driving drums and lyrics about going beyond your limits represent how the characters are progressing in magic and swordfighting, pushing themselves to new heights. I also love how the song ends abruptly on the beginning of the sexy swordfight, the sound of kit’s block cutting it off on “all for the glory,” as if to say, “hmm, well, not all for the glory - there’s some flirty ulterior motives, too.”

“I’m a wanted man” by royal deluxe plays at the end of the second episode, cementing airk as an opponent for kit and elora (if the short hair didn’t tip you off). the lyrics are all about an untrustworthy criminal with blood on their hands - “I would kill again to keep from doing time/you should never ever trust my kind” - reflecting how the characters must understand airk at this point, as someone they can’t trust and will try to kill them. the bridge of the song has the speaker contemplating whether they can change if someone asks them - which possibly connects to airk’s recovery at the end - but that’s buried deep in the credits, so I don’t think that counts.

“I’m on fire” by soccer mommy (originally by bruce springsteen) plays during the fake wedding in the eighth episode. what the force already covered this in their podcast episode, but basically, it’s used to denote how the crone wants to regress and infantilize elora - “hey, little girl, is your daddy home?” it’s also a song about desire and how only the person the speaker is singing to can quench it, reflecting the crone’s desire for elora’s power and also, in the case of the line “I’ve got a bad desire” over elora looking at her friends, elora’s desire for graydon.

“money for nothing” by dire straits plays at the end of episode eight, and - alright, so I think this was mostly chosen for the cool buildup and how the chords could come in right on the fire breath. it’s a song about resentment, how the speaker sees musicians on MTV getting “money for nothing” and “chicks for free” while the speaker has to do physical labor, like installing microwave ovens and moving TVs. if it does have lyrical meaning, it’s either referring to graydon or the wyrm. although graydon did make his love confession freely, without expectation of elora loving him back, the song could point to some buried resentment toward airk - or at least the wyrm goading him about whether he does. also, graydon is literally in dire straits.

so the songs are chosen to reflect the characters, story, and meta-story, and often very unsubtly so, which fits with willow’s approach to storytelling - it’s very direct. I also want to mention that five of the eleven songs featured are female covers of originally male songs (hurdy-gurdy man, enter sandman, black hole sun, crimson and clover, and i’m on fire), with - as far as I can tell - eight of the eleven songs featuring female vocalists (those plus guess who’s back, time for some mayhem, and for the glory). this is very much in line with the way the show centers women, and I like it.

finally, I want to talk a little about how the credits songs help dictate the pace. many of the complaints surrounding the music are about how it breaks immersion, and that’s valid; it’s a change in style, even if the lyrics/tone of the songs are meant to drive everything forward. I do think there’s a reason they did it this way, though, and that is: willow is meant to be consumed week-to-week, chapter by chapter. it’s not meant to binged straight through, which means the credits songs actually have three jobs: 1) be a satisfying break point, 2) continue the emotional/character throughlines, and 3) set the tone for the next episode. there is a certain amount of immersion-breaking because...well, we’re taking a break. and while we take a break, we’re going to cement what we just saw and tease what’s coming next.

this is why, for example, we go into “enter the sandman” after episode 3 instead of a musical sting related to graydon: the episode needs to break instead of feeling completely unresolved, and the next episode, while having graydon angst, is really about everyone facing the darkness in the castle. so the ending song properly centers the castle, instead of being sad or coy about graydon's wound and creating untrue expectations.

again, whether this works for you or not is your experience - I personally liked having something that felt integrated with the story I just saw but also allowed the events to resolve a little. it let me know that the creators weren't just dangling cliffhangers at me for no reason, that every chapter was an intentional part. and it helped me watch week-to-week without growing frustrated at the incomplete story. 

the jean jackets (or, an overall appreciation for kit’s costuming)

okay, so that’s the music. now about the jean jackets. (again, I want to reiterate that if you didn’t like the costuming, that’s okay! not trying to change your mind, just trying to work out why it worked for me and why the creators may have made these choices). like the music and the dialogue, the costuming is trying to blend the modern with classic high fantasy - and the looseness of cheesy ‘80s fantasy shows gives them a lot of bandwidth. from an accuracy perspective, I completely understand why it doesn’t work for some people, if it’s too immersion-breaking. but from a character perspective - how costumes reflect personality and growth - I like it. for example:

kit starts out in full, dark armor (she’s cynical and emotionally guarded) with a cape (she’s self-important and arrogant). 

she sheds the cape in episode 3, when her inflated view of herself has been thoroughly broken. in nockmaar, she’s wearing an open leather jacket (still guarded and abrasive, but opening up).

and she sheds the jacket at the wildwood party for one dark blue layer with an open neck (her true, bare state, ready to be honest, which she is under the truth plum.) kit keeps this costume for the rest of the series as she keeps being open (to elora, messily, in episode 6, and then to jade and elora in episode 7). 

she gets the jean jacket in episode 7 as they start riding across the shattered sea, and again when kit and elora go off the cliff. it mirrors elora’s own jean jacket (they’re mirrors of each other, tied together), and, with its cut-off sleeves, also mirrors the outline of the cuirass kit receives in episode 8.

and with the kymerian armor in episode 8, kit comes full-circle back to armor, except this time she’s earned it - it’s shiny and gold instead of dark, reflecting her belief in the person she’s sworn to protect.

okay, but why do I like it?

you can analyze intention all you want, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to liking. for example, I just analyzed the kymerian armor, but I’m actually neutral on how it looks. (I know, I know - I like the modern music and I’m not in love with kit’s armor, what kind of willow fan am I?) the actual reason I like the music and the jean jackets is very simple: I liked seeing how modernity could be integrated with a classic high fantasy tale. for me, it worked.

maybe it’s just that I haven’t been watching the right shows, but it’s always seemed to me that modernity and classic high fantasy were too frequently mutually exclusive. oh, sure, you could have rock music and quippy heroes, but it would be in a story that was endlessly ironic, relentlessly running from its own genre. the modern elements would be there to show how outdated the classic fantasy genre was, how these new heroes were different and wouldn’t be like those old-school dudes. on the other hand, yeah, you could have a wholly classic fantasy tale, but it would be totally divorced from the modern world, scored with western orchestral in medieval times, as if saying that, to have a mythical, classic story like this, it would always have to be set away from us, with older, grander figures. both of these set-ups can and have worked. 

but willow is the one of the few shows that, for me, struck a balance. because instead of treating the anachronism of these elements as their only characteristic, they used them as a genuine part of the show. modern music? cool, and we’re going to choose ones that lyrically cement character and help set up the pace/tone of the narrative as a whole. jean jackets? fun, and that’s a costuming choice that we’ll use like all other costumes, to reflect character growth. the modernity isn’t a joke. willow’s modernity just as earnest and honest as the rest of the show, like its centering of women, like its many POC characters, like its queerness. and it made me feel welcome.

#willow 2022 #willow spoilers #willow meta #kit tanthalos #elora danan #graydon hastur #the crone #airk tanthalos

[staticymaticyyourlifeisatravesty]

So I've been seeing that OC asks thing that's been floating around by @yvesdot and decided to take a crack at it with Miriam, so fair warning, this will be a long post.

1: Doesn't really sleep with stuffed animals but absolutely would if given one. Miriam is incredibly fond of soft fluffy objects so I imagine she'd love to have one.

2: She should be able to take care of one, she's half dryad after all. Which is ironic considering she's half vampire. Has been known to be very fond of cats and pigeons, still very miffed that pigeons are considered dirty. Also could take care of a child, though she'd be a strict mother.

3: Miriam doesn't have a currently have a love interest aside from a joke ship, however she was with Carmilla (different from gonzo my version is more based on the book that predates Dracula) and she'd probably say "She's beautiful with the way her eyes can appear to be the colour of soil to the brightest of rubies. She is a soul like no other, sweeter than the sweetest strawberry and yet can be more vicious than the sharpest thorn. I gladly fight in her stead, wetting my blade with blood in her name."

4: Yes, yes she does. The only reason I don't put her in red more often is because otherwise she can look a bit too much like Alucard. Thankfully she's not as allergic to colour as he is lmao

5: If the situation demands it or she gets frustrated enough, the genes to be dramatic has been passed down. She will mostly give ones meant to kick men into gear due her history as a general, or she'll make a speech about the uselessness of fighting for nothing, a hollow thing in her eyes.

6: Person she always takes advice no matter what? Hmm, does it count if it was a dead man? Alive it would probably be Irons whom she trusts despite being older than him, dead the man who mentored her. As for person she never takes advice from no matter what would probably be Arthur or the pope, my gal hates the church with a passion.

7: In three words? Morally grey, wrathful, determined. For her, she'd describe herself as Godless, unnatural, and a bastard.

8: She likes puzzles, they're entertaining to her, loves the ones that you have to put together to make different shapes. A fan of mysteries as well.

9: empathizes with books, specifically the burned ones because it reminds her of herself and how humans try to get rid of her as well.

10: Probably when she was 212 because she'd have been with Carmilla at the time, who made her feel like a person and not an abomination of God.

11: Save, this woman only really uses money for bribes or when she needs to legally buy something like property.

12: Enjoys romance because she can dream for a little bit that she's normal and doesn't have to be careful with whom she interacts with

13: From her mother? How to make tea from Garlic flowers; from her father? To learn to be more okay with feeding and learn how to use her more vampiric abilities more effectively and efficiently.

14: Yes, this woman's guilty pleasure is garlic, she is also allergic to garlic. Fortunately it's the flowers she really has to worry about, and the garlic just gives her mild food poisoning.

15: Probably social functions that are just there to flaunt wealth and nothing more. Also thinks hunting for the sport of it is also a waste of time (and wasteful in general).

16: Honestly? She'd probably indulge a little in a fine dress, because she does like pretty dresses, but mostly would wear pants and more soft fabrics yet pretty fabrics with a lot of beading.

17: Yes, she is fond of them

18: tongue, all the way, might even playfully nip or get a fang "accidentally" caught on a lip.

19: Will study before tests, will wing it with interviews.

20: hurdy-gurdy, loves it to bits.

21: honestly? Betraying her, or otherwise being dishonest over a long period of time. Might just straight up eat her partner if they're abusive.

22: loves pet names, will default to ones from other Ukrainian or Romanian, usually the latter. Most used would be iubițel or iubi. Has been known to give nicknames to specific people, like Integra she might call Ursuleț or little bear.

23: Novelty, though she thinks she wishes for Stability, what she actually wants is to not have to worry about fighting or bloodshed for at least a century.

24: Honesty

25: Possibility, this woman might have grown tired of bloodshed, but she's not opposed to taking beneficial opportunities when she sees them.

26: A mix of both, admires talent, but admires effort more, for effort will turn into talent with enough time.

27: Vengeance all the way, this woman killed a man's entire family one by one before killing because he killed her lover, and before that was a killer of those who killed werewolves when she found them, sometimes going so far to kill members of the church. Definitely has a blood price sort of mentality.

28: She is the fixer upper, or she'd make them worse, no in between

29: Has a tendency to dream of the church or to dream of finding Carmilla's dead body or her mentor and his pack dead.

30: Probably raise Carmilla back from the dead just for a night, but knows better than to subject her beloved to that.

#enjoy my rambles #hellsing #hellsing oc #hellsing ultimate #Miriam is a mess #though the apple does not fall far from the tree #she wasn't meant to be so self loathing at first #but than I remembered she has truama from the church and was burned with holy water #there's a reason she hates the church #I love her though #can't believe I used to be scared of her being a mary sue because she's Alucard's daughter #she has her struggles #despite being over three hundred years old #than again she's also emotionally 25 #long post

[absolutely-esme]

Dungeons and Dragons seems like something I would enjoy if I found a group to play with that didn't mind a newbie stumbling around until she got her footing.

My understanding is that it's basically a collaborative story telling game where most of the players control one character and another is the narrator.

I really should at least learn enough to find out if the character that's been living in my head rent free would work.

I'm imagining a bard who plays either a kalimba, bongos, or a hurdy gurdy. She's highly empathetic and her charisma largely manifests as genuine interest in other people's lives and experiences.

She's also vicious and petty when called for and will spend a good chunk of a campaign gathering information about the big bad so that she can craft an extremely personalized "reasons you suck" speech to use vicious mockery with while facing him. This vindictiveness is at least partially fueled by empathy for the people that the big bad has hurt.

Also, if a teammate asks what she's doing when she's writing details down in her notebook, she will give them a big smile and chipperly explain her plans to absolutely ruin the big bad's will to live. May or May not be swinging her legs (if seated) or bouncing like an excited five year old.

She's asexual and her go to response when someone gets pissy about her not being the easy lay they expected a bard to be is to cast vicious mockery and say "look, even a bard needs to have standards."

#dnd #asexual #character idea

[apocalypticdemon]

for the shades of red asks - ❤️

crimson: if you could have only one photo or poster on your wall, what would it be?

strawberry: what album would you love to have on vinyl?

mahogany: what is your favourite musical instrument, in terms of sound?

oooooooo thank you!

Crimson: I actually know this one for certain, because I have it. It's the first print I ever bought for myself: The Silent King, by Vonnart. I got it professionally framed when I was still living at home and it is one of the few pieces of art I actually have in my bedroom. The rest of the art is in other rooms of my apartment. It looks like this:

Strawberry: ooh, this was a tough one. I think I have to go with Stay on These Roads by a-ha. I love that album (though Scoundrel Days was a very close second in their discography). I have the few other albums I'd like on vinyl, except for one that only got a single run and I didn't find out about it until like 4 years later lol. I would also take literally any album by Rammstein. love their music (i am so bad at picking singular albums, i'm so sorry, but i think a-ha wins. wanted to mention the others, though)

Mahogany: oh lord. oh there are so many beautiful ones. I definitely should pick a common orchestral instrument (like the ones i play, even...), but truly, my favorite is the hurdy-gurdy. The name sounds so silly in English (in German it's "Leierkasten," which sounds so much better...) (I only know this bc Schubert has a song-cycle called Winterreise, and the final movement is called "Der Leiermann." it sounds so much sillier in English) It's a gorgeous medieval-era instrument, and I'm a huge sucker for music from antiquity. If it's played right, it's just absolutely gorgeous. I've attached one of my favorite videos of it being played here, just to hear what it sounds like.

#lord above i'm so. rambly. i'm so sorry again. but i have Many thoughts and feelings about things apparently #thank you! this was fun #I FUCKING FORGOT ABOUT HAMMERED DULCIMER. GOD. AUGH #it's fine hurdy-gurdy is still my favorite but i knew there was a contender i was forgetting.

[thegaypatron]

Commissioning Music

So what does it mean to commission music, as opposed to making it? It helps to think of me as a Patron of the Arts--thus, The Gay Patron.

I've hated how little fun LGBT-centric music exists in the genres I enjoy most; those genres can be summarized as, "anything you might hear at a Renaissance Fair".

Every song starts with an idea--or, really, two ideas: one for the content of the lyrics, and one for the type of instrumental.

Let's take my upcoming release, Who we Are and Who We Love, for example. I hired a lyricist, Travis Myles, who I found in an LGBT Professionals group on social media. He had written religious content in the past, which was appealing because I wanted the song to make references to Christian hostility.

I provided a short creative brief, "I'm looking for an LGBT march to war against Christianity. Something uplifting, as a rallying cry. Not in the march genre, but a march to war such as in these sample songs. I don't want Christianity named overtly; show, don't tell. And include as much of the rainbow as you can, with the same show, don't tell, style."

We went through a few rounds of revision. Some were structural, "the tone focuses too much on us being victims; we're too passive in our story. Turn it around: make these slights against us become our weapons. Have us do so actively. Rally us."

Others were much smaller, like, "I like the concept you have here, but that word makes it very America-centric. Here are some ideas for making it more universal."

When it was finished, I had lyrics that met my specifications, but still showcased the writer's personal style. That was important to me; even though I'm commissioning this music, I'm not looking for something that's perfect as I'd write it, otherwise, why wouldn't I just learn to write it myself? It's as much about our community as it is about my tastes.

Next, I went to the musician. I exclusively hire Ruben Monteiro, via Fiverr. Why? He specializes in hurdy gurdy, and has a wide range of specialty instruments that he plays at a high level of skill. I can get bagpipes, an oud, even a riqq through him. And every single time, he tries to understand my goal--and he nails it very quickly!

I provide a short brief to him. For this upcoming song, it was to the effect of, "I'm looking for a march to war similar to these samples. I specifically want it to be uplifting, not at all somber. Hurdy gurdy as the lead, and I really want to include the riqq again, but I'm open to your recommendation about the other instruments."

He starts with a digital composition and a warning that the real version will sound better. 🤣 This time, though, he realized the lyrics were a bit long: 6.5 minutes vs the usual 4, and he felt it didn't showcase the powerful chorus enough. He recommended cutting 2 verses.

Those verses had some great lyrics, so I opted to trim it myself. Instead of cutting them, I pulled out the lines that I thought were less powerful, and re-combined the ones that remained in a way that made sense.

This allowed me to remove the equivalent of 2 verses, but keep the meaning. And of course the lyricist was sent the new version! (Side note: I absolutely do not take a writing credit in my commissions. Even after a significant structural change like that.)

Once the chorus repetitions were added, the song remained 6.5 minutes. And after hearing the first draft, I realized it would sound even better with some harmony. I identified where I'd like it, and Ruben hired another singer to fill in those parts.

The final song is absolutely incredible, and I'm really excited to share it soon! The distributor is out of office until tomorrow, then it takes about a week to process on Spotify and other platforms. When it's ready, I hope you enjoy it!

#lgbt music #folk music #music #spotify #hurdy gurdy #lgbt pride

[song-of-the-sunrise]

Kemvis Frulaz Ask and Answered

Age: 10 sweeps (A bit into 21 human years)

Gender: Kemvis prefers he/him or they/them. He’s not very sure about what gender he considers himself. Just what everyone else including himself thinks… Queer. So Genderqueer.

Physical Traits: An olive blooded troll, he’s got a mutation that has lead to him having grown a large, bushy tail in the same fashion as his custodian. Kemvis has firm muscles built for taking down large lusii to feed not only himself but also his large wolf-like companion. Kemvis has many small scars that he’s received from general carekeeping, hunting, and woodworking. But his prominent scarring comes from those spread across his back and two punctures through his left shoulder. Some of them are just from the struggles of fighting lusii prey. The older and bigger ones are from a large fight he and his custodian had with a large stag-like lusus when they were trying to claim a new home. The stag attempted to gore Kemvis before Wisen (Kemvis’s lusus) managed to get their fangs around the stag’s neck. They stand at 6 feet when they aren’t trying to make themselves less imposing.

Bad Habits: If it’s not obvious to everyone in the room, Kemvis has dismal levels of self esteem. This stems from long years of seclusion and his want to not intimidate people. Afterwards it’s from the fortune of meeting Shantz to the misfortune of getting acquainted with Stri’ya that Kemvis is stuck in a cycle of understanding he has self worth (thank you Shantz) to not feeling worthy of any worth (‘Thanks’ for that Stri’ya -_-)

What’s something that always makes them smile: Music and close friends. Kemvis has a knack for stringed instruments from all around. Their once prized piece was a hurdy gurdy that is currently being held hostage by Oh I Wonder Who. But when they play, whether alone or in the presence of friends, it’s the thing that he will take pride and peace in.

Have they ever had their heart broken: Yes, unfortunately that happens when you spend a few sweeps being used as a personal plaything to someone who never cared or ever will. Kemvis has a very big heart and tries to find or hope for the best in everyone. But sadly that does not apply to all.

Have they ever killed somebody: Yes, once. When the original cave that he and Wisen were living in was under attack by another troll. This troll wasn’t looking for a new home, just some mindless killing. Kemvis felt no choice but to defend himself with the end ultimately coming to the intruder. Kemvis was very upset by the whole attack, and without a troll to quell a now rampaging lusus, they had no choice but to flee the scene. Kemvis will only attack if provoked, but will do everything in his power not to kill again.

Do they have any regrets: Between killing the one troll and getting involved with Stri’ya, there’s not really much else.

What do they fear the most: Between being abandoned and forgotten or feeling like a rampaging monster… It’s hard for him to decide.

What is the most valuable thing in their possession: If they were to regain possession of their hurdy gurdy, it would be that. But for now it’s their string collection, the centerpiece being a morin khuur and a tambourine they got as a 12th perigee gift.

Do they prefer to sleep alone: Not really. They actually really enjoy cuddling as both the big spoon or also the little spoon. Usually Wisen and Kemvis will curl up together if it’s particularly cold and if Wisen is feeling up to touch.

Would they take the chance to be immortal: If Kemvis felt that he would be able to do good with his inability to die, then yes he would take it.

Are they a competitive person, even for fun: Kemvis will always say that he’s not. But he actually really is. He loves pushing past his own limits and getting the thrill of victory at the end.

Do they know they are loved: He know’s that there are people and friends who love him, but he tends to get so lost in self doubts that he can forget that sometimes… he just needs that occasional reminder.

Are they a good liar: No… no… that boy can’t lie to save his own life.

#kemvis frulaz #homestuck oc #homestuck fantroll #homestuck #hom3stuck #fantroll #shantz #stri'ya #song-of-the-sunrise #fox screaming

[tambourineophelia]

I was tagged to answer 17 questions by the trifecta of hotness and sweetness that are @nxposure @venomouslilith and @jules-van-h, so I had not choice but to oblige ♥

Nickname: My family nickname is Mine, but I really only like to be called that by very close friends and family.

Sign: libra sun, libra moon, cancer rising. (explains a lot, doesn't it?)

Height: 158cm.

Last thing I googled: checked some spelling, but before that I googled when the university's secretary is open because I need to figure out some paperwork.

Song stuck in my head: for obvious, heartbreaking reasons, I have been haunted by Songbird by Fleetwood Mac for the past couple of days. The sun will be shining for you, Christine ♥

Number of followers: okay, so take this with a grain of salt, because I have been on tumblr and THIS BLOG for over a decade and I guess about 4/5 of these are not even active, but it's slowly creeping towards 6k.

Amount of sleep: Around seven hours! Went to a show with a friend yesterday, and sleeping next to someone, I never sleep too well.

Lucky number: 12, 6 as well, and more extendedly all numbers divideable by 6.

Wearing: Boring it's-really-cold outfit of jeans, black turtleneck, black cashmere jumper. But it's really cold and I am not going anywhere. And because I am a fashion bitch I added a vintage belt I inherited from my aunt, so now I look vaguely rock'n'roll at least.

Movies/books that summarize me: I always feel a little awkward replying to those because I feel not worthy haha, but Just Kids by Patti Smith really, really shaped me as a person. Could add more but it feels self-centered. Ask away if you want x

Favourite song: There is no answer to this question, but lately i have been pretty obsessed with this song: Irrenhaus by Keimzeit

Favourite instrument: oh so many. I have been taking piano lessons as a kid, so I have a soft spot for it, but usually I love instruments that add detail to songs and make them irresistible. For me that's banjo, accordion, electric organ (!!), harmonica, sithar (!!), hurdy-gurdy etc. I just love music, man, hahaha

Asthetic: many, many things but my main inspiration is like... rock'n'roll fortune teller with a hint of la dolce vita glam. Make of that what you will. Mainly patterns in rich, deep colours, velvet, silk, pearls, embroidery, 19th/20th century chic.

Favourite author: Another impossible question. Patti Smith, of course, she has all my heart. German language classics such as Hermann Hesse, Erich Kästner and Kurt Tucholsky. And additionally I am obsessed with Ali Smith. But I read lots and lots, so there's always more.

Favourite animal noise: Hard as well! I feel so blessed to be in the presence of any wild animal that I love them all. One of the most incredible things I was fortunate enough to experience was hearing the breathing sounds of humpback whales when they surface. It's such a deep and calming noise, it's like hearing the earth herself, it went straight to my soul.

And of course birdsong. Nothing can touch that, it's literally the most beautiful thing ♥

Random: yesterday at above mentioned show I went to (it was Kraftklub by the way) I had -so- much fun jumping around, normally I don't like jumping at shows because my coordination is pretty bad but it was so nice to let all energy out? Now my back hurts, because I am an old woman hahaha, but it was so lovely.

(Little addition: the video I linked for Kraftklub was partly filmed at an actual street gig they played in my home town and I was there! You can't see me in the video though, but it was lots of fun.)

Thank you for tagging me babes ♥ love you all very much.

I would like to tag @krysten-knitter @bump-into-things @depoteka@brucespringsteen and @rain-falls-up but no pressure! x

#tag game #thank youuuuuuuu #answered #(i love how my answers on these always get longer and longer haha)

[msmercury84]

Bill Meets Babe Heffron

*Author's Note: The information and dialogue concerning Bill meeting Babe came from the book written by Guarnere and Heffron. The story about Babe getting prepared to jump into Holland came from a video of Heffron on YouTube.*

***********************************************************************

During the early Autumn of 1944, Easy Company received newly trained paratroopers to replace their fellow brothers in arms who were either killed in action or sent home due to being wounded.

The men of Easy were still in Aldebourne. A red haired replacement from South Philadelphia, Edward "Babe" Heffron met with Captain Winters. The Captain told Heffron that he was assigning him to the Second Platoon and that the Sergeant in charge, Bill Guarnere, was also from Philadelphia.

The first time Babe and Bill met, Guarnere told him he knew where he was from. When Heffron asked him how he knew he was from South Philadephia Bill grinned and told him,

"You're doin' the South Philly shuffle, walkin' side to side like a duck. It's that goddamned hurdy gurdy (he pronounced the words as "hoidy goidy") walk."

Babe later recounted the story of meeting the man who would become his best friend:

"I walked into the barracks and threw my bags down, and Bill Guarnere said, 'You from Philly?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'What part?' I said,'South.' "

Heffron found out that Guarnere lived at 17th and McKean. Babe told Bill that he lived at 2nd and Wilbur. He later said,

"We lived so close we could walk to each other's houses." Their birthdays were eighteen days apart, with Guarnere being born on April 28, 1923 and Heffron being born on May 16, 1923.

Bill made Babe a machine gunner. Heffron later said,

"The gun was bigger than I was." When Babe was training at Fort Eustis, he taught machine gunning to officers in officer candidate school. Guarnere sent Heffron to Joe Toye's squad.

Babe, and undoubtedly the other replacements learned that they couldn't immediately become "one of the guys." The Toccoa men had been together longer, plus they were combat veterans. By the time the replacements arrived, the Toccoa men had served in Normandy for five weeks.

Accoding to Heffron, the Toccoa men,

"didn't want to be sent into combat with any damn replacements. Some people say it was easy to get in with them, but I can tell you that it wasn't easy. The Toccoa vets were not overly friendly, and they made you feel like you weren't worth getting to know."

Eventually, Babe was accepted into the group. Chuck Grant gave Heffron the nickname of "Jigger" because he "called everything a jigger."

Heffron said of his friend,

"Wild Bill was tough on everybody, strict, didn't take no guff. You did what he said or else. He'd say,

'You want to make it home? Then do it right. If you want to die, don't listen.' He was just trying to get us home." Babe didn't fraternize with other NCOs, not wanting to be seen as "a brown noser." He knew that Guarnere was looking out for him and the men became friends.

They would occasionally make trips to London to hit a few pubs. Bill and Heffron favored a pub called the Windsor Dive. There was always a fight going on between the Airborne, other Americans, the British and some Canadians.

Babe would talk about the fighting, saying,

"Somebody would say something like, 'What comes out of the sky?' And one of his buddies would say, 'Birdshit and paratroopers,' and then it would start. We'd all go after them."

Sometimes Leigh would go to the London. pubs with Guarnere and Heffron. Spencer struck up a friendship with Babe. He was invited to dinner at the house Spencer shared with Melissa when he and Bill first became friends.

One evening at The Blue Boar, while Babe, George Luz, Buck Compton and Joe Toye played darts, Bill and Leigh were having supper and a few drinks.

Guarnere excused himself to go to the Men's Room. On his way back to the table he shared with Leigh, a man from Charlie Company Bill knew as an acquaintance remarked,

"Buddy, you got it made. You live with a beautiful girl who cooks for you and you probably don't even have to pay for the food she fixes." Bill scowled, pushing the other paratrooper against the wall with one hand and holding him there as he said,

"Keep your goddamned mouth shut about me an' my baby, ya got that? It ain't none o' your business what we do." The Charlie Company man quickly apologized and did his best to stay out of Guarnere's way for the rest of the evening.

Leigh noticed that Bill seemed irritated about something. He told her that he had a run-in with a guy "wit' a real fresh mouth." When Spencer asked him what the man said, Guarnere started to tell her,

"He said that I 'had it made livin' wit' a beautiful girl.' That's the truth, he was right about that." Spencer grinned at Bill's remark. He continued,

"Then, that chump said I probably didn't even pay for the food ya fixed for me." Guarnere paused and thought about what he just said. He told her,

"Goddamn! He's right. From now on, Baby, I'm chippin' in on the groceries. All this time, I've been takin' advantage o' you." Spencer told him,

"Honey, that's not true. You aren't taking advantage of me at all. The food doesn't cost that much and I'm making more than enough money to buy a little extra food. You've had a standing invitation in any home I've occupied since we met. Bill replied,

"Baby, no arguin', my mind is made up. It's not right for me to keep doin' this. You're gettin' some money for my share o' the food." Spencer reluctantly accepted his offer, realizing that Guarnere wouldn't change his mind.

Guarnere excused himself from the table again, telling Leigh,

"I'm gonna go over there an' talk wit' some o' those replacements. I won't be gone long, Baby" He kissed her before walking over to a table where some of the replacements were seated with Babe. Bill sat at the table, asking the men,

"Did Heffron tell ya about Doris? No? Let me educate ya. We were getting' ready to go inta the first frog (French) town we never jumped into.

All at once, Heffron stops dead in his tracks. Bingada, bangada, boomada, everybody bangin' inta each other. Heffron's just starin' up at the nose on the plane, because on it is painted this beautiful pin up, written underneath, 'Darling Doris.'

Doris just happens to be the name of the skirt who, just that day, sent Babe one o' them letters." Guarnere turned to ask Webster,

"Web, what do ya call them letters the broads send?" Webster replied,

"A dear John letter." Bill gestured toward 'Web' with his thumb, saying,

"That's it, A Dear Babe letter." The replacements, Bill and Buck laughed before Guarnere resumed his story. He continued,

"Anyway, lucky for Babe, Patton overruled our jump. In other words, Babe don't have to worry about gettin' into Ol' Doris again." Guarnere ended his story with a brief laugh.

When the time came for Operation Market Garden, the men were getting prepared for the jump. Someone told Babe to "go see Guarnere" in order to get the proper amount of ammunition and anything else required for jumping into Holland.

Heffron later recalled,

"A guy comes up to Bill with extra grenades, asking,

'What do I do with these, Sarge?" Guarnere answered,

'Give 'em to Heffron.' Babe clipped the grenades onto his uniform jacket. He continued his story, saying,

"Pretty soon, another guy comes up with extra rounds of ammo. Without even lookin' up, he says,

'Give 'em to Heffron.' I draped the ammo over my shoulders. Then two more guys come up and ask Bill what they should do with extra grenades and ammo. So he says,

'Give 'em to Heffron.' I was gettin' tired of this, so I went to talk to Bill. I told him, 'It ain't right givin' me all of this extra stuff. Guarnere stops and tells me,

'You may not know this, but we're gettin' ready to jump into Holland. I don't want ya to end up in goddamned Spain!'" Bill was poking fun at Heffron being smaller than most of the men. Babe would always tell of his reply to Guarnere whenever he told this story,

"Makes sense to me. I was just as bad as he was."

In time, Heffron and Guarnere could finish each other's sentences. If someone asked Bill if he was hungry, for example, Babe would reply,

"No, we're not hungry."

The friends also picked up each other's sayings. A favorite saying of Babe's, when someone asked him if he wanted something to eat, he would reply,

"No, I'm not hungry, I just ate a peanut." Guarnere would say,

"No, I'm not hungry, I just ate an olive." Heffron often said,

"I wish I'd never taught him to say that."

The men were friends for 65 years. In later years, when Babe was hospitalized nearly one year, Bill would visit him every day. Heffron returned the favor when Guarnere was hospitalized following a heart attack.

A radio talk show host once stated that interviewing Bill and Babe was "comedic gold." Heffron would be the straight man to Guarnere's jokes or stories.

They made several trips to Europe and the Netherlands, visiting the graves of their friends who were killed in combat and seeing where they fought during the war.

When "Band of Brothers" was being filmed in the United Kingdom, HBO flew the men to London. A chauffeur driven limousine was at Bill's and Babe's beck and call, 24 hours a day.

The network covered all of their expenses. The duo racked up a liquor bill of £6,000. Both men went off of their medications so they could drink with their brothers in arms and their fans. They drank men under the table who were decades younger, but they never appeared drunk and they behaved like gentlemen.

Bill and Babe promised each other that upon the death of one of them, the survivor would "go out an' get stinkin' drunk." Heffron died of colon cancer on December 1, 2013. Guarnere was there to say goodbye to his friend. Bill died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm on March 8, 2014.

The city of Philadelphia commissioned two statues portraying Bill and Babe in their younger days. Heffron's ashes are enclosed within his statue. Guarnere was also depicted in his later years in an amazingly detailed statue that stands in the Delaware County Veterans Memorial park.

@wontyoutakeitback @ethereal-jumpwings @cagzzz107 @lizziebitch33 @stinkyrat09 @lenabob @celie-voss @f1-and-shiz

@breadsprinkles @havaneselover08 @bookfansworld

#Youtube