#these lyrics really suited them so i figured i'd make a set of them with this song <3

[chiropteracupola]

Leviathan groom, please?

this (this being the tattoos-and-superstition story I've spoken about a few times before) is probably one of my favorite Hornblower fics, to the point where I've been working backward and forward on it for over a year as I try and fail to get it to be Just Perfect. trying to find the balance of exposition to explain the fantasy worldbuilding and actual plot has been very tricky with this one, especially as I haven't quite figured out just how either of those things works yet.

so right now, even though I like a lot of the current stuff I've written, I'm probably going to start over from the bones up, patching in the bits I liked from the first version as I go.

[SCRAPING SOUND AS A BIG CURTAIN IS DRAWN BACK]

basically, the structure that I have so far is 'too much exposition' -> [BIG HOLE] -> 'Bush wandering around in the snow' -> [SPOOKY DESCRIPTION I'VE NOT COME UP WITH YET] -> 'Bush having a long talk with a creepy thing' -> 'slapdash ending that's a little too goofy'

so the main points that need to get worked on are going to be streamlining the magic system and integrating the function behind it into the actual story (probably through some kind of opening Sailing Scenes), redesigning the creepy thing to fit better with the tone of the story overall, and of course, ironing the plot until it's nice and smooth.

I've had some difficulty managing stories with a larger cast in the past, and I think I'd like to push myself with this one and try harder to make the settings feel populated and living, which I think will be more compatible with the eventual redesign of the antagonist. I do think a face-stealing shapeshifter still meshes very nicely with Hornblower's Issues™️, but doesn't really work with the rest of the setting that I'm devising here. so it's back to the drawing board on the creepy thing, and I'm going to do a little research for inspiration before I settle on anything this time. rather than the face-stealer, I think a more standard Endless Barrow Party to get lost in/feel deeply uncomfortable at/charge boldly into on an ill-advised rescue mission will suit the two of them better.

and I'll probably have to pick a new title, as changing up the fairy-folk rules will mean that I lose the double meaning that made this particular one work so well. (it was always meant to be ambiguous whether it referred to Hornblower himself or to the face-stealer, since they're both hanging out somewhere in the middle of the sliding scale between husband and sea monster.) while it'll be a little said to break up my Boreas-lyrics tradition for Hornblower writing, I've been trying to switch to a snappier and more memorable titling system for some time anyway.

and if you're still here after reading all that, how about a scrap of the Exposition Brick that probably won't be coming back in the rewrite:

Entering the navy young had many its disadvantages, but one solid point in its favor was getting the ink-workings on you. They worked the best when they were drawn in as early as possible, it was said, and Bush had had his since he was barely eleven.

With so many ways a boy could die aboard ship, there was at least one surely preventable, if the right precautions were taken. The right knot in the right place, and they’d be tied down tight to the mortal world as well as human art could make them. There were other charms of much the same theory, hold-fast and love-stay-true and safe-at-sea, all with their own mark and their own meaning, but the faith men put in those, though strong, wasn’t nearly so hardy. Bush had seen nearly every other form of ink-workings fail at one time or another, but never these two, the sort given to the youngest and most likely to be stolen away.

He’d even heard the discussions among the hands, the boastful tales of a man claiming he’d nearly been spirited off as a lad, and would have been, too, if not for the marks on the backs of his hands. Sadder stories as well, for as he passed by on his rounds, he’d noted whispers of someone’s sister’s son stolen away, nephews and cousins and brothers gone under the hills never to be seen again. Why don’t they just put the protections on them proper-like, one man would say, and the other would shake his head, and mutter that such people couldn’t be reasoned with.

Whether it was that the ink-workings simply didn’t work on shore, or that the minds of those dwelling on land couldn’t wrap around a too-permanent way to keep their children safe, it still was that those on land went without the marks. Bush wasn’t sure quite why, nor did he himself understand exactly how the tattoos on the backs of his hands kept him safe. He was a plain sailor, not an artist or a witch, and he was content to trust rather than to make an attempt at unpicking the workings of the art.

#em writes stuff #I need a casual hornblower tag #disclaimer that I said I would Talk About my fics! which is a promise that this technically does fulfill! #thank you for sending me the sort of ask that I can so easily use for rubber duck debugging a story! #hope the look behind the curtain was not too incomprehensible - this one has been bouncing around in my head for too long for sense #and also my tendency to Categorize Cryptids and Creatures has (I think) caused me to invent some terms again #for the full visual experience you should also note that the curtain is in fact a shark-patterned shower curtain.

[izayoichan]

7 until 14 and 17 until 23 for Makoto :3 (if that is alright ❤️)

7. If your OC could meet any historical or past figure, whether in the real world or in their own canon lore, who would it be and why? Makoto: I'd like to meet and talk with our Midgardormr before everything went to crap in his world, see what they thought of back then.

8. If your OC were to live in some other time period, which era would they be best suited for? Makoto: Time period? Eh.. Maybe before the first calamity, see how the world really was back then, before it was sundered and we with it.

9. If your OC were to imagine their idyllic life (realistically or otherwise) what would it be like? Makoto: Honestly, I guess it would be much like it is now. I like my work, as much as it worries Issy, and I like where we live and the fact that we manage to have a life together, while still keeping to what we like separately as well. That is pretty idyllic to me.

10. What piece of moody poetry or novel quote best encompasses your character? Makoto: I do not do poetry or novels. (Players note: “You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world, old man, but you do have some say in who hurts you.” John Greene)

11. Who is your muse’s muse? (What or whom inspires/drives them?) Makoto: Do people really think they need that? Why is not what you want enough? (Players note: Issy, sorry Mako, but you can say what you want!)

Will take it under the line, as this again will get long!

12. What is their character theme song and why? If it has lyrics, which line best fits them? Makoto: Really, are these actually things people have? Do they make them up? (Overriding message, this one.)

13. Is your character bilingual or multilingual? Which language are they most comfortable in or prefer using? How did they come to learn them? Makoto: I speak Old Auri and the common language of our world. (He is only a Viera thanks to a small incident with Fantasia and healing potions mixed up)

14. Do they have an accent? How do they or others think of it? Makoto: I do not.

17. What sort of role do they take on in relationships, either familial, romantic or platonic. i.e. are they a defender, protector, nurturer, etc? Makoto: Defender, Protector mostly, it's my job after all. (Player: He is actually romantic, and nurturing as well when you just get passed the blunt cold part..)

18. What is one thing that they only let those closest to them see? Makoto: Nothing. (Player note: His softer side, the one that cares and smiles)

19. How would their life be different if they had never met their partner? Makoto: I wouldn't be a ehm.. Viera, also I probably would not be as good at my job as I currently am. Ah well, other than that I do not see it differ much.

20. What was the moment at which they knew they were in love, or was it a slow buildup? Makoto: .... (player note: It was a slow buildup, and he realized it when he was suddenly looking forwards to coming home, then disappointed when she was not there)

21. What was it about their significant other that made them fall in love with them? Was it a single eye-opening experience or many gestures over time? Makoto: Really.. they expect one to answer this kinda stuff? (Player note: It was the many small things, over time. Like her care for his health, the attention to smaller things, trying to teach him to read, stuff like that)

22. What is some advice or guidance they received that had a big impact on their lives or outlook? Was it a positive or negative impact? Makoto: To let what happens happen, and just do the best from it. I guess it was a positive impact, it allowed me to fight my way back.

23. What sort of routines, rituals or rules do they have or set for themselves? Makoto: What kinda question is this? Is it like kissing Issy goodbye and put on my armor kinda thing (player note: Yep, that's just what it is!)

Thank you so much for asking for him! He is not my most typical story character, he as you can see is much more blunt, and until you get under his skin, its good luck with getting answers, so I answer for him much to his annoyance

(Issy that he keeps speaking of belongs to @drisseheart)

#oc development #makato nagae #ffxiv #ffxiv screenshots #male viera

[vyvesvi]

2022 music recap (2/3?)

concepts:

this was a good year for good concepts, and i hope it improves even more next year! onlyoneof's "be" series really held it down, with the standout in my opinion going to yoojung's begin. this sounds extremely dumb but the song and the music video are at peak conceptual, thematic, tonal, sonic and lyrical harmony. like the song and mv are explicitly about beginnings, yes, but something about the song also sounds like the start of something new. they're insane for that oml. i am once again asking everyone to watch the be series start to finish once the last installment drops on january 4th. i won't be mad if you mute beat i promise but the mv is still nice.

i feel like i've been raving about lexie liu's album, the happy star, and it's rollout too much but. please watch fortuna and magician (tw death, tw flashing though, be careful!!). i can't fully explain what i liked beyond the story, but i just think the whole thing is really well done. i especially love how the ganma mv is her cleaning up one of the sets from fortuna/magician. it could just be because i love this album dearly but i even love the 3.14159 mv thats just her walking around in interesting sets (kind of a fake one shot style). idk. it makes sense to me.

love dive is my favorite gg mv of the year! i won't spend too much more time on it but yeah. it's impeccable, and i liked the vibe of the teasers too. I hope they bring that energy again for their first album, that's the quality that i'd expect for what's shaping up to be the next huge gg.

albums:

i need to post this and run away tbh, it's to the point where i'm not even fully sure that i agree with myself. i don't have the time/energy/patience/will to go through each album one by one but i would strongly recommend all of the selected songs that i put on the righthand side :)

debuts (in order by rank):

generation was a perfect debut we love to see it! a friend and i were talking about what makes the music video unique despite containing pretty conventional themes and we decided that it felt a bit more true to the "female gaze," which was great to see. i'm so excited to see where they go :)

i don't love ador as a company (that gaslighty statement is still sooooo crazy to me) so i don't really like talking about new jeans very much despite enjoying their music. i'm not sure who paid everyone to say that hype boy is their best song when attention is right there. the girls who get it get it! very solid debut mini. i hope ador is more careful with their concept in the future- ditto seems like a good start. i will be keeping an eye out for them moving forward!

tan dududu - somehow the last hope for men??? it's toooo good even if the bsides are pretty weak. dudududu isnt really a song you listen to and get hooked in my opinion, but it's an instant classic that'll never get old (in part because it takes a lot of inspiration from more classic american (read: black) rnb sounds). this group also has an older average age, which i love to see. their most recent mini, walking on the moon, was also very good, it gives got7/full8loom to me. my two wishes for them are 1.) to define their sound better and 2.) better album art.

fifty fifty's higher was like a sleeper agent and i found myself enjoying it more than anticipated at each listen. i LOVE their main vocal's tone. i need them to never ever ever do a song like log in ever ever again.

i was so impressed with yena! i wasnt an izone stan but i watched her debut on a whim and it really got me (it didn't hurt that her concept felt like the culmination of my "kpop-punk" predictions nearly two years ago at this point). her whole album is incredibly solid, and yueha did a fantastic job figuring out a unique concept that suits her. while i wasn't a fan of smartphone, i will definitely checking out her music!

throwbacks:

i won't say much here, even though it should technically be the biggest section. pado and eat my love (2021) were two of my biggest songs this year, they actually fit right in with new jeans and fifty fifty in my opinion. this year was the year i finally opened my eyes to taemin- i've always liked him, but for a few months in there criminal and advice were on repeatt. i also love the thirsty instrumental!

wayv...what to say about wayv. i'm truly hoping for the best from them but they worry me sometimes. i don't really trust their company to continue to pour into them unfortunately. but hey, at least i still have moonwalk! moonwalk is one of my favorite bg songs of all time and it's likely to stay that way for awhile :)

up next: playlists that defined my year!

#vyvesvi's year #onlyoneof #lexie liu #ive #tripleS #fifty fifty #t.a.n #tan #choi yena #song recs

[paigemoonlma32]

Blue - Track 8

Before attending the lesson for the Heathers rehearsal, I checked up on Lucy's schedule which made me aware that she wanted to learn the harmonies for ‘Blue’. Spending Monday and Tuesday nights listening to the soundtrack of Heathers whilst learning the lyrics pushed me in the direction of being one step ahead. Soprano’s harmony is actually being sung by Heather Mc within the Broadway backing track. Because of that, it was really beneficial for home rehearsal. Learning the lyrics for ‘Blue’ was also simple. This is because the majority of the song is a recall, or singing along withKurt and Ram. For example, the first part we sing is “oh no oh no no no”. We are singing this because Veronica has just asked both of the Heathers to open the car door and this is what they reply with.

During vocal rehearsals for this number, one of the vocal groups was struggling to retain their harmonies. A faster approach than graphic notation was linking the harmonies to nursery rhymes. This became an idea after a cast member pointed out a section of the harmony had sounded like “do-re-mi” from The sound of Music. Having this technique in addition to others could be beneficial for learning more vocals within the future.

In other performances of ‘Blue’, the song is usually only performed with Kurt and Ram doing a duet, alongside the backing singers, Heather Duke and Mc. Having the ensemble in this number will help keep the energy high, alongside keeping the audience engaged. By telling a story to the audience they will be entranced by the performance, leading them to enjoy the show more. Having the ensemble in this number will also make it more comical for the audience. If they have seen the show before, they will only be expecting the four usual characters on stage. Although this is true for our performance, it changes once we reach the dialogue. When we sing ‘oh no oh no no no’, the ensemble are popping their heads out of their wings, hinting at a ‘no’ expression by moving our index finger from side to side. After doing this three times, we then stay off stage for approximately two counts of eight, before later entering the stage to start more choreography. The movements within this dance are related to the words which makes it more comedic. For example, as we walk on the stage, we stop to sing ‘and a fancy colour’. Whilst singing this we pretend to pull at a dicky bow and move it side to side. However, the ensemble are in this number to support Kurt and Ram within their song. Therefore it is important to not withdraw the focus from them, but to instead support them by ensuring their number draws attention.

While doing research on ‘Blue’, I found information about the lyrics which helped me to understand how the number refers to the sexual innuendos within the song. When Kurt and Ram sing this section referring to their ‘balls’, they say “They'll wear a suit and tie, And a fancy collar! They'll sing a lullaby, La la la la la!” (Heathers: The Musical Cast - Blue Lyrics | AZLyrics.com, 2020). I found two different meanings behind these lyrics, both of which could be true or simply a coincidence. Samantha Stubbs added, “Kurt and Ram know that girls usually like a guy who can be devoted and classy, as well as fit in with her family.”. This statement explains why they talk about changing from their jock uniform into a fancy suit to impress Veronica’s parents. Continuing with her statement she states “The lullaby part implies that, if Veronica gets pregnant, they’ll step in as father figures for the baby” (Stubbs, 2018). As an audience we know that Kurt and Ram would not be in the best position to step up to become a father. However, this shows just how desperate they are to get intimate with Veronica. Another comment about the number stated “in ‘Our love is God’, Ram turns up wearing a tie, possibly as a joking call back to this line” (Azrael, 2019). Because I have not yet seen the live performance, and haven’t been able to find any video footage of either the jocks in a suit, I am unable to express my opinion. However if either of the jocks are seen wearing a suit after 'Blue', I would consider it to be a connection to the lyrics. Alongside this, i'd also see it as them going the extra mile for Veronica so that they can prove themselves.