#and then it loses its vibe bc it just becomes my main playlist and i add every song to it

[causenessus]

in case anyone humors me and wants to try and start to feel out the vibe and ideas of the spoken-of suna smau i am so proud of its playlist the voices are telling me to share it <3 so here it is!!! (i must once again thank eggy for reintroducing me to lowertown and for all their music taste but i will not tag them bc they're sick 😭)

[andromeddog]

pls talk more about your scottish highlander regiment ocs…… they are so enchanting.. i love the officers

anon i hope you are prepared for a lot of rambling under the cut

hello and welcome to my twisted mind.... i'll try to condense the 10k google doc of lore into something passable here. BASICALLY all of these ww1 guys are part of a web of interconnecting stories that intersect and span before/during/after the war. the main group are the four rugby boys who live in Stirling, Scotland and are drawn into the war in 1916 following the military service act...

from left to right we've got connor, james, peter, and johnny! excuse my bad handwriting but here's the jist of their dynamics. they play rugby together before everything goes to shit (peter is captain, james is the star player, johnny is stupidly reckless, and connor keeps getting into fights) a group of good guys, if a bit rowdy. they join up with the 14th Service Battalion of the Argyll & Sutherlands and spend most of the war fighting on the western front!

two old sketches of johnny and peter..... i think these r from like spring 2022? anyway i could go into more detail about their interpersonal issues but it's a lot and i feel like that could b its own post... ultimately connor gets killed taking out a stormtrooper (another oc) and peter loses a leg about a week later. james contracts influenza and gets sent home but eventually recovers, leaving johnny to finish out the war by himself. their group is definitely not the same after the war, and peter & james in particular really struggle with ptsd in the following years.

AND THE OFFICERS. WOO. aka toxic old man yaoi aka Lt Kincaide and Lt Irvine. these two spend like three full decades being catty and hating each other before they end up getting together LOL it goes something like this: kincaide is from a wealthy family, irvine is not, they meet at school and end up going to the same military academy prewar. they rly hate each other from the beginning and would probably just be petty rivals HOWEVER. irvine is sneaking around somewhere he 1000% should not be and catches kincaide in a very compromising position w another man. irvine intends to tattle but kincaide blackmails irvine into keeping quiet- irvine is there solely on scholarship and kincaide has enough social clout to ruin his military career. basically if kincaide goes down he's taking irvine with him.

that sets the stage for a decades long contentious relationship- partially bc they just keep bumping into each other. irvine obessively tries to find ways to end kincaide's career and kincaide loooooves fucking with him. individually they're very competent people- kincaide is an especially beloved officer even if he is a bit of a romantic snob, and irvine is insanely effective if a bit rigid and cold. these guys got issues on top of issues but proximity eventually leads to a healthy rivalry that becomes something like friendship that becomes basically being married. by the end of the war they are staples in each others lives but they dont get together until a decade or so after it's all over... they each take some damage during the war and spend their later years taking care of each other :')

my beloved old men. they are so fucked up. mutsache4mustache <3

there is so much i could say about them individually and the deep lore but im such a horrendous writer. also this is like a quarter of all of their stuff minus about four characters. the ideal format for this story would be a 300 chapter webcomic/graphic novel but i have neither time nor skill nor attention span for such a sprawling story so it'll just be random illustrations and blurbs in the tags. and my google docs. if any of this has interested ppl i've made a rugby boy playlist and an officers playlist bc im insane. you can get the vibes of their stories a lot better.

and uh i think thats a super rough version of these guys. anon i hope you know that i love you and this ask was so delightful to get <3

[simba-bonfamille-lyons]

soooo -- i was going to post this playlist when i closed simba, and have been sitting on it for like many many months, adding to it slowly and curating it. but, i realized, it actually fits the task. at least, i think so, because this playlist is my little love letter to swynlake. or, simba's swynlake--which has been a character in his story from the very beginning. she has been, at times, a cruel mistress, but also a guiding light for simba, something for him to orient his compass to.

though, it is a character in all our stories. we all very much love this little magical town. so, this is dedicated to everyone and to swynlake, the arguably, most important character in the RP.

see below for analysis on all the songs bc i have meditated deeply on all of them.

Here I Am - Bryan Adams

Here I am, this is me / I come into this world so wild and free / Here I am, so young and strong / Right here in the place where I belong

Felt right to start this with Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, which is a movie all about home. Protecting it, caring for it, etc. It is a meditation on colonization, environmental conservation, nature, exploitation, and rebellion. Which feels very fitting, as those are the stories many of us take on in the undertones of our characters. And something that Swynlake deals with on a semi-regular basis. Especially since this is Swynlake from Simba's perspective, it also speaks to having been born right here in Swynlake, which is not a thing many people can claim. <3

Gold - The Lone Bellow

It's in my blood, it's in the water / It's calling me still / I could leave, I know I oughta / But there's gold in them hills

There is so many songs about small towns: loving small towns, hating small towns, wanting to leave small towns, returning to small towns...I can think of like five right off the top of my head. (Fast Car, anyone?) But I love this song because it talks about the tug-of-war that one feels to their hometown. Which is something Simba feels. He knows he'll always settle in Swynlake, but he wants to have a life outside of it. The line that really sold me on this song is in the title--so it's kind of the whole concept of the song: "there's gold in them hills." Maybe this is just a simple small town to some, but to others, it is so, so special and it calls to you. <3

BIGGER - Beyonce

Forgiveness is key because we're fightin' something way bigger / You'll never lose, we are winners / I'll be the roots, you be the tree / Pass on the fruit that was given to me / Legacy, ah, we're part of something way bigger

It also felt very appropriate to include a song from Beyonce's Lion King concept album. (Which is nothing but straight bangers and you should listen to it.) But, since Simba's story (and the Lion King) is heavily tied up in Swynlake, I thought this would be a good song to include. Since it is all about legacies and being bigger than yourself. Which is something all of our characters are in Swynlake. Everyone is the main character! Swynlake helps them shine. <3

An Act of Kindness - Bastille

Kindness / Is what you showed to me / It holds me 'till I ache / Overflow and start to break / Oh I, got a feeling this will shake me down / Oh, I'm kind of hoping this will turn me round / And now it follows me every day

This is moving in to phase two of the playlist, which is how Swynlake treats its residents. This song, of course, is about all the little acts of kindness that can turn things around for someone. Very Jean Valjean in the beginning of Les Mis vibes. Lots of people come to Swynlake seeking some sort of salvation or shelter and they are met with the (mostly) wonderful citizens of Swynlake who become their friends and family and help them grow. <3

Heaven Go Easy on Me - The Head and the Heart

It's damn good to have met you / I hope that you stay / We're well on our way

I think this one says very similar things to the last song. It is about going through life and the people you meet, and the things that life throws at you. (In this metaphor, Swynlake is heaven, and you are asking her to go easy on you lmao.)

Pay No Rent - Delta Rae

When my time comes, think of the living / Be good to your neighbor, and ask for forgiveness / I won't be there to share in the struggle / Can't get much deeper with axes and shovels / And if I don't see ya, know that I loved ya / I won't pay no rent / For the land that I'm under / I won't feel any pain / I won't know any hunger

This song is one of those ones that I feel deep down in my soul and it just makes me want to WEEP. It is about dying, of course, but also the things you leave behind and how peaceful things are. The first time I heard it, it also reminded me of this Arabic proverb that I love: "Come live in my heart and pay no rent." Which, even though Delta Rae is a Christian band...I wonder if there is a similar saying/they got inspiration from it anyway. IDK -- I just love this idea of Swynlake taking care of you, even after you've passed on...

Watch Over Us - The Lone Bellow

I don't need no crown / I don't need no glory / You've had your life / But that ain't my story / Sometimes I'm up / Sometimes I'm down / Sometimes I'm almost / Leveled to the ground / But my baby's sleeping / Sleeping in peace / So watch over us

...Which leads perfectly into my next song. I have always loved this song because it has a very...ancestor vibe. (Even though The Lone Bellow is also a Christian band. (Listen, sometimes the Christian folk music just be hitting and I like to appropriate it.) It is a little bit of a sadder song (the back half definitely are more sad because I am thinking about Simba leaving this place that he loves so much...)

Take Off Your Shoes - Delta Rae

Did you ever wonder / What's underneath / Ghosts in every floorboard / That'll touch your feet / When we lose the past / The future's nothing new / When you come to my house / Take off your shoes

This song is actually the first one that I put on the playlist, because it just immediately said "Swynlake" to me when it first came out. (Yeah, I originally added it in Dec of 2022, I told you, I've had this playlist for a long ass time. It's been making me weep all this time.) Anyway, I wanted to add a song that was kind of ooky-spooky, because a playlist about Swynlake wouldn't be complete without a little bit of foreboding, because as loving as Swynlake is, we all know she is also a cruel mistress.

Like a River Runs - Bleachers

When I fall asleep I can see your face / What I lost in you I will not replace / And I could run away, I could let them down / But I will remember your light

This is another one of those kind of more ooky-spooky Swynlake songs. Or, at least, that's how it feels to me. I think this song speaks to the amount of tragic backstories ™️that are in Swynlake. Everyone who is haunted ~~ by their pasts but comes to Swynlake to finally outrun those ghosts. <3

Laughter Lines - Bastille

I'll see you in the future when we're older / And we are full of stories to be told. / Cross my heart and hope to die, / I'll see you with your laughter lines.

I think this song is in nice conversation with the last song. It is also the song I thought about deleting several times, because I feel like it is the most "predictable" to be on this list. BUT -- I just couldn't because it feels overdone and predictable for a reason. This song makes me want to stab myself in the heart!!!! This is the beginning of the end "act" of the playlist: which is Simba talking about how Swynlake will always be where he comes back to. He is leaving, yes, but not forever. <3

Home - Dotan

The sound of the wind is whispering in your head / Can you feel it coming back? / Through the warmth, through the cold, keep running till we're there / We're coming home now, we're coming home now

Another song that kind of borders onto "ooky-spooky" vibes. It is almost haunting in its chorus. It is another song, of course, of returning home. Back to the place that you have left but which is still tangled up inside of you and you can't let it go.

Everywhere, Everything - Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams

Drive slowly, I know every route in this county / Maybe that ain't such a bad thing / I'll tell you where not to speed / It's been a long year and all of our book's pages dog-eared / We write out the ends on our palms, dear / Then forget to read

We didn't know that the sun was collapsing / 'Til the seas rose and the buildings came crashing / We cried, "Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh" /Everywhere, everything / I wanna love you 'til we're food for the worms to eat / 'Til our fingers decompose / Keep my hand in yours

The first time I heard this song, it made me cry. Maybe I was feeling particularly homesick that day but again: this song speaks to that young person in you who has a place that you spent most of your childhood. Where you know all the streets and all the haunts. And now that you're older, you appreciate that place for what it made of you and you want to show it to the people you love. <3

I Will Always Return - Bryan Adams

I've seen every sunset / And with all that I've learned / It's to you I will always, always return...

And I'm a crying disaster. Thank you for coming to my Ted talk.

[vamplifyingdotjpg]

please tell me ALL about your ocs!!! 💕

I am Crying thank u so much thank u for Finally asking abt my ocs I have so many of them and I love them all so much so I’ll just sum up my few main ones and favorites (buckle up and also this whole story takes place in london as of now bc I’m uncreative):

Beckett (full name Beckett James Montgomery) is a happy little man who’s full of love and also a lot of chronic illnesses and other conditions. He just has really rough luck but he’s still pretty content with things. He’s working hard to overcome his shyness to set boundaries with others and he’s becoming a lot more confident in himself!! Of course losing a large portion of your childhood to illness and injury is pretty traumatic but he has a really solid support system. He loves his friends and is also very passionate about horticulture. And some other facts abt Beckett:

his favorite colour is pink (which is why his hair is pink throughout his teens and into his 20s but it’s naturally a mousy brown!)

he’s big gay

he’s a manlet (5'6")

he goes on to open up a plant nursery

he plays piano

his entire life is like 1/8th of a plan and 7/8ths of a prayer

Cherry Nova Griffin is a cool girl who’s super smart and just the raddest ever. She’s the older sister friend despite being the baby of her family bc she really really cares abt her friends and wants the best for them. She’s no square so she’s not gonna harsh anyone’s vibe but she is very sensible so u won’t go fucking yourself up on her watch bc she’s your voice of reason. This doesn’t mean she doesn’t partake in her friends foolishness, she just makes sure the foolishness goes smoothly. She’s super smart and very interested in science. She’s also pretty much always dressed to the nines (heavily influenced by her sister Azalea who’s a fashion icon). And some more facts abt Cherry:

her favorite colour is purple

her and elfie are the co-Just Dance™ wii champions of their friend group

she comes out as a lesbian in her 20s because that Internalized Home Of Phobia Tho

she’s 5 foot nothing she’s Small (she looks nothing like her two tall, rake thin older siblings)

her and Beckett are childhood friends, meeting when Beckett joined her class at school when they were both 7 or so

she’s always trying to prove herself to others but she has enough people around her that know how cool she is

Elfie Pepper (or Elfie Kiyoko Takemago-Pepper) is a fun, spritely Irish girl (her mom and biological father are Japanese but she was born in Ireland and raised there by her mom and now-stepdad). She’s super funny and very much the life of the party like she will always get u to chuckle. She can make any situation better just by being there bc she’s hilarious and rad. Her girlfriend is a super butch buff athlete but Elfie’s more often than not found eating lucky charms straight out of the box on her couch. She does like to skateboard tho and she’s pretty darn good at it. She’s the friend who makes all the playlists for driving/partying/chilling bc her music taste is universally liked (without her everyone would be fighting to play their own tunes she’s the peacemaker). Basically everyone likes Elfie. Now for The Facts:

she’s probably the rowdiest of the bunch. she’s like permanently cranked up to 100

Elfie is Big Lesbian

she’s a decent base player

her mom wanted to name her Kiyoko but let her hippie boyfriend pick the name Elfie for her

she moved to England when she was 12 and joined Beckett and Cherry’s squad then

She’s like 5'3" their whole squad is Tiny

Eleanor Lucille Atwin is the only one tall one in their squad. She’s 5'11" and the definite mom friend of Elfie, Cherry, and Beckett. She’s always got snacks and extra sweaters and pain medication and makeup wipes on her. She’s patient and caring and will have your back no matter what. You could indefinitely count on her in a crisis. Eleanor is also trans and has really been through it and still sometimes struggles with loving herself (not to mention dealing with transphobia) but she receives endless love and support from her friends. She’s good at painting and is always lookin super pretty. And some Eleanor facts:

she’s 20

she was born in Yukon, Canada

she joined the main group when she was 15

she’s prefers painting with watercolours

she marries her high school sweetheart (a ginger soccer/football player who’s like the only cishet guy involved in this story)

she goes on to become an interior designer bc she’s got rly good taste

Kimmo Alric Seppänen (23) is kind of a bitch, but he’s been through a Lot so it’s kind of expected. He had a really rough childhood where he was neglected severely by his parents before he was taken out of their house and placed with his adoptive parents who treated him super well and loved him a lot. He struggled a lot with fitting in and became really edgy in high school where he started dating Fredrik on and off. Then after school he had problems with addiction and did a lot of unhealthy shit but he eventually sorted it out. Now he’s living with Fredrik in London and they play in a band together (he still smokes like a pack a day). Kimmo is grumpy, and prone to lashing out, but he’s also a talented musician, wise beyond his years, and very dryly funny. He’s hard to get through to, but oddly lovable when you get to know him. And some Kimmo facts:

he was born and raised in Jyväskylä, Finland

he’s a killer guitarist and an adequate singer

he has a total of 12 piercings, most of which he got in his teens

he was diagnosed with Klinefelter’s syndrome in his early teens

he uses he/they pronouns and hes bi

his nose is crooked as shit from being broken several times

Fredrik Jeremiias Harmaajärvi is beefy and dumb. He’s the second oldest of 4 brothers. He’s like a big stupid golden retriever: cute and overall friendly, but kinda air-headed. He drinks too much (though he has captain america-level alcohol tolerance) and doesn’t notice many emotional cues from others, especially his emotionally unstable boyfriend Kimmo. When he was 21, he formed a band with some friends and Kimmo (his then ex-boyfriend whom he had newly reunited with). Kimmo and Fredrik moved to London after the band lost its two original members. Fredrik is easygoing and fun, but he has literally no brain cells. Some facts:

he’s a killer singer and an adequate guitar player

He’s also from Jyväskylä

His whole family is absolutely disgustingly beautiful (to his kinda ugly bfs dismay)

pure, unconcentrated himbo

His band is primarily punk/garage rock but Fredrik loves pop music

he’s also pretty into fitness and maintaining his image so he frequently goes to the gym (this is why he’s a big muscly Viking man)

Phoenix Delphinus Griffin is Cherry’s oldest sibling and he’s also a gem and a treasure. He’s a professional dancer and dance instructor. He’s 6'5" and all lanky, wirey muscle. He’s a laid-back, sociable guy who easily builds relationships with others. He acts super chill on the outside but he does struggle with pretty bad anxiety. He’s very fit and health conscious and is always up early to go to the gym or go for a run or drink a smoothie or whatever healthy people do. He has a number of large friend groups and is probably the most “popular” of all my ocs. And some facts abt him:

Phoenix has a phobia of drowning and is very uncomfortable with swimming in large bodies of water

he prefers contemporary ballet, but he’s trained in classical ballet and tap as well

he was once in a local production of cats the musical (he played macavity and plato due to his height and lack of singing required for the roles) and his friends won’t let him live it down

he’s bi

he dated the bassist in kimmo and fredrik’s band for a few months

he’s just a way friendly dude everyone loves him

I seriously needed motivation to make a post like this of all of them so thank u again!!!!!!!!