#azrael discworld

[best-character-named-x-poll]

have you done your daily click

[the-shadows-request-candy-corn]

I think if Jean Paul Valley were to read Terry Pratchett's "Small Gods" from the Discworld series it would fix him, actually

[ansatsu-sha]

They looked up at the face of Azrael, outlined against the sky. In fact, it was the sky.

It is hard to fathom the thoughts of a creature so big that, in real space, his length would he measured only in terms of the speed of light.

...

Azrael raised his finger to a face that filled the sky, lit by the faint glow of dying galaxies.

There are a billion Deaths, but they are all aspects of the one Death: Azrael, the Great Attractor, the Death of Universes, the beginning and end of time.

Terry Pratchett / Reaper Man

[nanomooselet]

Guide

Today's smarty-pants literary analysis word: psychopomp.

Think Charon, shinigami, Valkyries, Baron Samedi, or the Archangels Michael, Samael or Azrael. If you're familiar with Discworld, tall bony fellow in black WHO TALKS LIKE THIS; if it's Sandman, eldest sister of the Endless, a pretty young goth woman wearing an Ankh. The term translates from Greek to guide of souls. A liminal figure personifying the transition from life into death, a psychopomp ushers spirits of the dead to... wherever it is they go.

They can be frightening, but they don't have anything to do with the actual moment of death or the destination a spirit reaches. They don't take lives and they don't condemn or save souls. All they do is tidy up the aftermath. Some are reassuring figures, gentle and patient, who delight in life as it flourishes and give what comfort they can to the deceased. For the most part, though, they're implacable and inscrutable - but not cruel.

Vash, I think, knows them well. They've met before, and they'll meet again. He knows to pay the ferryman for safe passage, and how much.

A single coin.

If I ever doubted Vash knew he was headed to his death (or something like it) in July, I think this was the moment those doubts were put to rest.

[thenightling]

Agatha All along episode 7 review

Short review and spoilers within.

First... Patti LuPone was brilliant in this episode as Lilia. That woman deserves an Emmy. I will admit I am NOT a fan of her experiencing time out of order / nonlinear thing. To me it felt like a dementia metaphor and I never liked those in comic book or fantasy stories. Everyone thinks they're being clever about it but really they're not, they're tired and cliche and often feel ham fisted and even out of place. I didn't like it with Martian Manhunter's father in CW's Supergirl (formerly CBS) and I don't like it here. HOWEVER it was so well acted I'll over look the clumsy and tired metaphor that I don't feel belongs in fantasy. Before this episode was released I saw a fan theory floating around that Rio is not really there and just a figment of Agatha's imagination, like Lestat's added scenes in season 2 of Interview with The Vampire. I was going to call out how ridiculous this theory is but decided to wait until my own belief (that she's Death incarnate) was confirmed. That came with this latest episode. One big reason why the theory that Rio isn't really there and / or is only in Agatha's head doesn't work, is the other characters have already interacted with her, sometimes without Agatha there or paying attention. This is why you shouldn't come up with fan theories when multitasking or not really paying attention to what you're watching. If you were surprised that she's Death go back and watch the first episode carefully and pay attention to the language. Also the lyrics about Death are in both versions of The Witches' Road, the Sacred Chant version and the Ballad version. "I hold Death's hand in mine." and "I dance with Death." I can't help but think that the obvious metaphor is the witches' road is a witches' life. And the end is... well, Death. If you (you know who you are) STILL don't think Agatha is of the LGBTQAI+ community and think they're just good friends, YOU belong on the "OMG they were roommates!" meme. Because, honestly, I'm getting deja vu of when I dealt with an Interview with the vampire fan in a Louis themed Yahoo group in the late nineties who insisted Louis is straight... "MY PRINCE CHARMING IS STRAIGHT!!!" (How's that working out for you, honey?) I am slightly disappointed that Patti LuPone hasn't released a solo cover of The Ballad of The Witches' Road song.

I kind of hope that at the end of the mini-series either Agatha or William use their prize to restore the lost members of the coven. That might piss off this version of Death though. I'd gotten a bit too used to sympathetic and kindly versions of Death such as Death of Discworld, The Angel of Death from American Horror Story, Azrael in Lucifer, and Death of The Endless in The Sandman. It was a very well-acted episode but certainly not my favorite. As I said, I don't like the symbolism of the non-linear life experiences. My favorite episode is still episode 4, I'm a sucker for a good song number.

[dilsdelights]

not to be weird but i think people with religious upbringings need to gatekeep good omens because why did i see someone writing meta speculating about death being an angel. hes an angel because hes an angel in the bible. no azrael isnt a discworld reference that is the angel of death (though the name isnt christian in origin). not to sound like an evangelical but can you read the book of revelations for like this at least.

[therecordconnection]

Ranting and Raving: “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” by Blue Öyster Cult

(Warning: The following essay includes a brief discussion regarding the topic of suicide. Reader discretion is advised.)

“What can the harvest hope for, if not for the care of the reaper man?”

These words are spoken by Death in Terry Pratchett’s 1991 novel, Reaper Man, the eleventh entry in his wildly popular Discworld fantasy series. This argument comes as Death is arguing with Azrael, the Death of Universes, about why he needs to care about the humans on the Discworld he is tasked with taking away. If he doesn’t care, then there is only oblivion and there is no comfort to be found in death. It’s wrong to meddle with the natural order of the world, but that doesn’t mean the reaper man shouldn’t be allowed to tend to his harvest with care. Azrael accepts this argument and gives Death his job back on the spot.

One of the main plots of Reaper Man is about Death being fired from his job of, well, being Death, by the Auditors of Reality, who believe Death’s growing interest in how humans conduct themselves is in direct conflict with his duty as the undertaker. He isn’t supposed to care about humans and yet, for some strange reason that even he doesn’t know, he does. Across five novels in the series (Mort, Reaper Man, Soul Music, Hogfather, and Thief of Time, written between 1987-2001), Death (and later on, his granddaughter, Susan Sto Helit) features as struggling with understanding humans and trying to figure out why they are the way that they are. 

In Reaper Man, with Death out of a job and forced to grapple with the fact that he is now mortal and living on borrowed time, he finds himself working on the farm of Miss. Renata Flitworth (because he finds that his skills with a scythe translate well to farming). He takes on a new identity as good old Bill Door, learning how to help her tend to and bring in the harvest, as well as learn about complex human emotions such as anxiety (the ticking of clocks suddenly bothers him), fear (what happens when even Death must face the end?), and the human compulsion and tendency to meddle with the affairs of the natural order when they find it unfair (a little girl gets trapped in a fire and Death initially shrugs it off and argues meddling is against the rules... only to be told that’s rubbish by Miss. Flitworth). The climax of the book features Death/Bill Door having to face the New Death, a tyrant who wears a crown and sees himself as a ruler of the dead, rather than Discworld Death viewing his job as a necessary task. Pratchett’s Death doesn’t kill you, he’s simply your escort to the Great Beyond when your time is up. In Discworld, Death is like a garbage person collecting your garbage each week or an Uber driver taking you to your new destination when it’s time to go. His anger at the New Death viewing the job like a king of something pisses him off greatly, to the point that when he defeats the New Death, his only words are, “No crown. Only the harvest.”

What does any of this have to do with Blue Öyster Cult? Quite a lot, actually. Pratchett very clearly loved “Don’t Fear the Reaper” and thought their views on death held a great deal of weight. The song is referenced in Discworld as being the Death/Sto Helit family mantra: Non Temetis Messor, which translates to “Have no timidity concerning He who gathers the harvest.” But if you find that’s too much of a mouthful for you, you could always try this version on for size:

“Don’t Fear the Reaper.”

For the uninitiated, Blue Öyster Cult are still to this day a massively underrated rock band in my eyes. They are just a fantastic, hard rocking band known for great, melodic, in-your-face guitar jams, strange fantasy and science-fiction infused lyrics, and just being a bunch of good ol’ boys from Long Island, NY who wrote catchy as hell songs highlighting some of history’s scariest creatures, such as Godzilla and Joan Crawford. They’re known for those songs, along with the classic rock radio staples “Cities on Flame (With Rock n’ Roll),” and “Burnin’ For You,” but it’s “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” that has thrived and lived the longest and healthiest life. Horror movies and television still love using it to this day (Halloween (1978), Scream, the television series Supernatural, to name a few appearances), Stephen King quoted it in his novel The Stand, although he quoted it wrong. (Ooo... Sorry, Stephen! We were looking for, “Come on, baby, don’t fear the reaper”, not “Come on, Mary, don’t fear the reaper.” Who’s Mary, Steve?) 

But I would be remiss to leave my cowbell players behind by not mentioning that a ton of people probably still think of that one very famous SNL skit whenever they hear this song. I’m willing to bet that if your parents didn’t teach you about Blue Öyster Cult, or you didn’t find them on your own musical travels, that sketch most likely did the job. But I ask that you put a pin in that cowbell for now. Understand that I DO have a fever, but we can’t talk about that cowbell just yet.

In the wake of my father’s very unexpected passing back in November (which I wrote about during the Ranting and Raving post on the Beatles’ “Free As a Bird”) I was looking for any healthy distraction or thing to try and help me cope and either forget or ease the pain that comes with losing a parent. So, naturally, I decided that reading Terry Pratchett’s novels starring Death was the best idea. Through the charm and wit of his novels, they’ve helped greatly with keeping me going, Reaper Man especially. Never before Reaper Man have I read any book that made death and the people left to remember someone who has been lost sound more lovely:

“In the Ramtop village where they dance the real Morris dance, for example, they believe that no one is finally dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away—until the clock he wound up winds down, until the wine she made has finished its ferment, until the crop they planted is harvested. The span of someone’s life, they say, is only the core of their actual existence."

Pratchett’s views of death, as well as his version of the grim reaper, are the most optimistic portrayals I’ve ever seen. If Death truly exists to take us to the other side, I can only hope Pratchett’s version of him is the one we get. Since reading Discworld for the first time, it’s gotten me to think about my other favorite version of the reaper man: Blue Öyster Cult’s portrayal of him in “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper.”

The seventies had no shortage of hit songs about the topic of death and these range from the great (“Seasons of the Sun” by Terry Jacks, “Candle in the Wind” by Elton John, “The Great Gig in the Sky” by Pink Floyd) to the nihilistic (“Dust in the Wind” by Kansas) to the ones about animals and objects dying (“Shannon,” a song about a dead dog, by Henry Gross and “The Wreck of the Edumund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot) to the downright horrible (“American Pie” by Don McLean, an absolutely dogshit song that I fucking despise). Of all the songs written on the topic of death during the decade, B.Ö.C. easily ended up writing the song about facing death and mortality with grace, to the point where I’d be willing to argue that we never need another song written about the topic ever again. What the Cult managed to capture in 1976 is nothing short of pure genius. A once-in-a-lifetime song that you’re lucky if you ever get close to writing once. It’s a song that could be used to explain to the aliens what classic rock is, it’s that fucking good. I’ve heard this song on the radio, in public, in television and movies, probably over three-hundred times at this point in my life and I’m still not sick of this song yet. I’m sure there are people who have lived longer than me that are tired of it and I’m sure the cowbell jokes get really annoying for some fans, but this shit still hits real hard and I still think those jokes are funny. 

However, in order to really talk about this song, we need to highlight its writer, guitarist/vocalist Donald Roeser, better known by his stage name “Buck Dharma” (which is how he’ll be referred from here on out).

Buck Dharma, a name he chose when the band, in its infancy, initially kicked around the idea of everybody being known by a science fiction pseudonym. The band members very quickly thought this idea was stupid, but Buck didn’t and rolled with it. Besides being the Cult’s explosive lead guitar player and occasional lead vocalist, he also has the distinction of being the guy who wrote their two major Top 40 hits, “Burnin’ For You” in 1981, and “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper.” If you want to pick a “main attraction” when it comes to the band, Buck is it. Outstanding guitarist, really melodic writer who knows how to find a great hook, and a pretty decent singer as far as seventies rock bands go. He’s got a good number of strengths that he brings to the table and they all show up wonderfully on this song.

There are just some songs that you listen to for the first time and you just know you’re listening to something that was thoroughly stamped as a hit before it was even released. You listen to a band’s Greatest Hits CD and you hear that one song that stands out against the rest, the one that couldn’t define them any better. That’s what “(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” is to this band. Just a fantastic song from start to finish. As soon as you hear those opening notes, you’re just like, “Oh yeah... that’s that real shit. The stuff that the streets have been f i e n d i n g for.” In an interview with Youtube channel BANGERTV, band manager/producer Sandy Pearlman credits the song’s success to the fact the guitar chords being “magic chords,” and they absolutely are. You hear that opening guitar part once and you’ll hum it for the rest of the day. It grabs you immediately and leads you so smoothly into the rest of the song when the rest of the band kicks in and the song starts going. This all happens within ten seconds! The band wastes no time and we’re all better for it. You can hear those opening chords throughout the song and they never become bothersome. You play those opening bars just once in a Guitar Center and everybody knows what you just did. That’s how good it is.

Pearlman also revealed in that interview that when the demo was brought in, some of the guys in the band thought it was “too much of a pop song” for B.Ö.C., but Pearlman rejected that notion and claimed it was a hit. 

You’d have to be an idiot not to hear that this song has it all and then some.

Beyond those central chords, the vocal melody and harmonies between the band members is exquisite. Buck’s voice was the right choice to lead this song. He has the softest and most calming voice out of everyone in the band and it really helps sell the lyrics, which as we’ve established are all about acceptance of the inevitability of death and welcoming it with open arms. Dharma sings the song almost like a monk who’s trying to impart arcane wisdom upon you.

The way the band harmonizes on the “All our times have come / Here but now they're gone” is just so eulogistic and beautiful in its delivery. What follows is just pure rock poetry:

Seasons don't fear the reaper Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain We can be like they are

It’s sublime. It’s fantastic. It’s another agreeable adjective. Not since the spoken word segment of Pink Floyd’s “The Great Gig in the Sky” had there been such a succinct piece of wisdom on how to face the inevitable. It’s simple eloquence, but eloquence all the same. If you choose to hear this song from the perspective of the reaper himself (which is how I tend to hear it) then it only makes the chorus of the song all the sweeter:

Come on, baby (don't fear the reaper) Baby, take my hand (don't fear the reaper) We'll be able to fly (don't fear the reaper) Baby, I'm your man

Buck’s delivery is so warm and enticing that nobody could fear the reaper when he sounds like that. Buck’s reaper sounds the way Pratchett’s reaper man sounds: kind, benevolent, the voice of someone who cares about you. If there is comfort to be found in death then we can only hope the one that leads us to the Great Beyond sounds like this. The phrases “Take my hand” and “We’ll be able to fly” paint getting a call from Death and dying as the next great adventure (which is exactly how Death describes being made mortal in Reaper Man: "It will be a great adventure ... I should like to learn for myself. I shall have experiences. At last."

In a 2019 interview with Songfacts, Dharma spoke about the inspiration for the song’s lyrics, which were inspired by his own struggles with having to face mortality at an early-ish age:

It was sort of inspired by a personal health scare - I thought I was going to maybe not live that long. I had been diagnosed with a heart condition, and your mind starts running away with you - especially when you're young-ish. So, that's why I wrote the story. It's imagining you can survive death in terms of your spirit. Your spirit will prevail.

The delivery of the song is what makes it one of the band’s best. That kindness and that warmth, from both the music and the vocals. Both work in tandem with each other to offer a way to face death without the panic of wondering when it will happen and, more importantly, where we go after we die. Contrast the original with the Goo Goo Dolls awful version of it from 1987. There are great punk renditions of classic rock songs, but this sure as hell ain’t one of them. Everything that makes the song great is absent in it. For starters, it’s played way too fast, while the Cult settle in on a very good and precise groove (more on that in a moment). Second, those gentle and calming guitar chords that set the foundation for the entire song are replaced with this ugly repetitive thrashing that has no rhyme or reason. Finally, Johnny Rzeznik’s absolutely horrid vocal delivery removes any kindness from the song’s lyrics and just makes them grossly sarcastic and mean-spirited. In short, it sucks, but it does provide a good argument for what makes the song work so well.

Let’s step back and talk about the overall tempo of the song, because that’s a key ingredient to this song’s success. This is the kind of song that has to be played at just the right speed or the whole thing is fucked. Play it too slow and the listener/audience gets bored. Play it too fast and nobody knows what the hell is going on anymore and the whole thing gears up for a trainwreck. If only there was something that was helping this song keep perfect time!

It’s finally time to talk about the most important instrument on this song: that cowbell.

"I'm telling ya, fellas, you're gonna want that cowbell on the track." These words are spoken by Christopher Walken, playing the band’s completely fictional producer, Bruce Dickinson (in reality, the song, and all of the Agents of Fortune album, was produced collectively between Sandy Pearlman, Murray Krugman, and David Lucas). I should also point out that the band did NOT have a dedicated cowbell player and the identity of which person in the Cult’s team played it is still up for debate. The liner notes for the album don’t properly credit it and who exactly played it depends upon what article you find talking about it. This Washington Post article from 2005 claims Albert Bouchard did it (makes sense, he was the drummer after all). This Financial Times article from 2021 also claims Bouchard did it. But wait! There’s this one from 2009, which claimed Eric Bloom was the cowbell player. Then there was this one from 2011 that claimed co-producer David Lucas did it. I mean, at the end of the day it really doesn’t matter who did it (especially since Dharma has said that none of them exactly remember who did it), because all you have to do is just smack a bell in time with the music. If Will Ferrell can do it on a sketch comedy bit, so can any of us. 

But man, for a musical idea that was more or less added at the eleventh hour, that cowbell sure has become beloved, hasn’t it?

It’s actually present throughout the entire song, it just gets buried in the mix after about fifteen seconds. In that interview with Sandy Pearlman, he explains that everybody noticed the cowbell so much due to the compression that came with the song being played on radio. The compression caused the cowbell to be pushed to the front of the mix and make it sound like it’s a more key component than it really is. If the genesis of that SNL skit began anywhere, it was probably due to that more than anything. On modern hardware, it gets buried so fast that you only really hear it at two different points (at the beginning of the song and at the start of the second half). 

"I'm telling ya, fellas, you're gonna want that cowbell on the track." Bruce Dickinson is absolutely right, because beyond the jokes, it does serve a genuine purpose in the song: it keeps time and it sounds like the ticking of a clock, which would be an important thing for Death to keep track of. That constant cowbell ticking away like a clock also adds an anxiety to the song, a subtle reminder that the clock of life is ticking away for all of us. Nothing else in the song provides that sense of looming dread that’s attached with fear of death, so you notice its inclusion immediately. All it’s doing is its job. It’s ticking and keeping time, but musically, it sticks out like a sore thumb in the song. It absolutely sounds like an overdub added at the last second after the song was already recorded and done. And yet, it’s a bit strange to hear the song without it, isn’t it? Live versions of the song don’t have that cowbell and honestly, in a live setting you don’t miss it too much, but you do make note of its absence. I imagine many fans add the sound in their own heads while listening to it, almost like how we all know we’re going to die someday and even if it isn’t in the forefront of our brains at all times, we can still hear the ticking if we really concentrate.

We’ve covered the first lines of the song and the overall vibe and delivery of the chorus, now might be a good time to cover the second verse. 

The second verse is the part of the song most people think about and discuss when the cowbell jokes are all said and done. The verse in full is this:

Valentine is done Here but now they're gone Romeo and Juliet Are together in eternity (Romeo and Juliet) 40,000 men and women everyday (like Romeo and Juliet) 40,000 men and women everyday (redefine happiness) Another 40,000 coming everyday (we can be like they are)

Have you ever heard someone say, “Did you know ‘(Don’t Fear) the Reaper’ by Blue Öyster Cult is actually about joint suicide??? Crazy how people really don’t notice that!” First, I fully understand why people come to that conclusion. I used to think the exact same thing until I really started listening to the song again. I also understand that people say that because it gives the song some added mystique and it’s a much more “rock and roll” story if you say that the band managed to sneak a song about joint suicide onto the unsuspecting masses and nobody was the wiser until the song was already a hit. When Buck Dharma was asked what the most misinterpreted song the band made in that Songfacts interview, his answer was, “It could be "(Don't Fear) The Reaper." It's not about suicide, although people kind of get that from the Romeo and Juliet reference.”

I don’t blame people for thinking that, considering Romeo and Juliet are the most famous couple that committed joint suicide (even though they really only did it because of Shakespeare’s sick joke of having one of them think the other is really dead and deciding to follow them to the afterlife). It also doesn’t help that the next line right after the literary reference is “40,000 men and women everyday.” You’d be completely forgiven for thinking Buck was citing a statistic on suicide. However, even if he was citing a stat, he would’ve been wrong in 1976 anyway and the number would unfortunately be way too low and wrong now. In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, Buck explained why he chose that number: “The line “40,000 men and women every day” was my wild guess about how many people in the world die daily. I didn’t research it – and it turned out that I was about 100,000 out. But I just needed a number I could sing.” 

I find that misunderstanding and Buck’s answer to be way more funny and lighthearted than thinking it’s a song about joint suicide. I also think that listening to the song through that interpretation ruins what the song has previously established and is going for, which is a loving and inviting version of meeting the reaper. 

I admit that there is the line, “Came the last night of sadness / And it was clear she couldn't go on,” which I could see as a reference to someone wanting to take their own life. But, the preceding lines are “Love of two is one / Here but now they're gone,” which I think contextually paints more of a picture of a widow being unable to carry on without their romantic partner rather than just somebody who no longer wishes to live. Reading the lines as a widow who wishes to leave this world and be reunited with her partner in the next one fits more in line with the beginning lines of the song:

Then the door was open and the wind appeared The candles blew and then disappeared The curtains flew and then he appeared Saying don't be afraid Come on, baby (and she had no fear) And she ran to him (then they started to fly) They looked backward and said goodbye (she had become like they are) She had taken his hand (she had become like they are) Come on, baby (don't fear the reaper)

These lines beautifully paint that classic gothic imagery of Death visiting someone in the night and taking them away. There’s no darkness, no evil, no despair. No part of this is terrifying and Death leads her to the next stage with a loving and guiding hand. To die in comfort. To die without fear. Who could ask for a better way to go? I can’t say for sure whether Pratchett’s Death was inspired by this song or not, but there are clear parallels between the caring and nurturing depiction of Death in this song and the lovable and caring version of Death that exists in the Discworld novels. Both works seek to present Death as both an undertaker and a caretaker, a kind escort to the next plateau. We all must face death, whether we want to or not, so doesn’t it help to comfort the mind and the soul just a little to imagine that the anthropomorphic personification of death is someone who cares about us? Who wants to ensure that we reach the other side in one piece?

Sonically, I think the song achieves this with that middle part of the song that begins at the 2:30 mark. When the song stops, Buck plays a riff that leads into a completely different song. Then the band just goes off the rails real quick into this wild and terrifying ride. Buck solos, the band explodes and you’re just assaulted for about a minute before the song returns to its original groove. The main riff returns, the band locks into that groove again and the band continues the song as if that brief detour didn’t happen. If music tells a story beyond the lyrics, that detour is the band using sound to highlight the anxiety and horror about having to face death and the reaper leading you through it to the other side. You have to listen to that wild middle part to get to the rest of the song. If you interpret Buck’s guitar as “the reaper,” then it’s leading you through the darkness and the muck until you both reach the other side. It’s simply fantastic musical storytelling and the Cult were always clever with stuff like that, more clever than they were ever given credit for. 

“(Don’t Fear) the Reaper” is one of Blue Öyster Cult’s best songs. It’s admittedly easy to just write it off as an overrated and overplayed it due to the popularity it’s enjoyed, but that popularity is warranted because they captured something about facing death and inevitable demise on that track that no other band in the seventies seemed to be able to match. It’s the defining song about death from the seventies and it deserves every accolade it’s ever received.

When Pratchett’s Death is giving his appeal to Azrael and asking for his job back towards the end of Reaper Man, his argument to the Death of Universes is this:

All things that are, are ours. But we must care. For if we do not care, we do not exist. If we do not exist, then there is nothing but blind oblivion. And even oblivion must end someday. Lord, will you grant me just a little time? For the proper balance of things. To return what was given. For the sake of prisoners and the flight of birds. 

Buck and Blue Öyster Cult also strongly believed that we should have a Death that cares about us. None of us know for certain where we’re going once we’re gone (though a lot of people have developed interesting theories and ideas regarding where we go) but we do know that it’s incredibly difficult to come to terms with and move past the loss of loved ones. We carry that weight with us and even if we have a belief about where they’ve gone to, we wish they were here with us instead. Saying goodbye to our loved ones when they die is one of the toughest emotional battles, but they are battles we have to fight. No matter where our loved ones go after they die, I’m sure we can all agree that we hope there was somebody there to extend a hand, be kind, and lead them to that next place. Why? Well, because...

What can the harvest hope for, if not for the care of the reaper man?

[grifalinas]

I write Azrael the way I do because I firmly believe that, had Good Omens gotten more books, he would have developed the same way Death did

[windsweptinred]

OK, so building that multiversal chaos sandwich so I may ship Death of the Endless and Susan Sto Helit.

So first major hurdle... Make two Deaths exist in the same universal plane. OK. So we have Death of the Endless, Thanatos.... The anthropomorphic personification of Death, who IS birth and death. Who carries the souls of the Dead into the afterlife.

Now Pratchett's Death is described as a servant of The Old High One known as Azrael, the Death of Universes and ruler of all deaths. OK he works for Death of the Endless, like a Lucienne to Dream. A reaper responsible for the literal act of Death. He is the Grim Reaper, who severs the living from life at their allocated time with scythe or sword. Save he could be responsible for Earth rather then the Discworld. If he needs a separate name, well there's always Bill Door 😅. He still rides Binky, he still loves kitties and let's totally bring Quoth the Raven over to be a friend for Matthew.

From then on, everything can proceed as normal. He can still adopt Ysabell, she still marries Mortimer and along comes Susan. Just like the books she's inherited her 'Grandfather's' gifts, but prefers to live as a human as a nanny or school teacher (Make her be one of Hob's teacher friends for the giggles). Now all that's needed is the meet cute with Grandads boss lady.

Death gets her very own BAMF Goth Mary Poppins, to be the deathling grump to her sunshine. Who truly gets her and her responsibilities. A lady love to call her own. 🖤

Well, that's that universal sandwich made... Now to feast!!

[morporkian-cryptid]

Hello c: Hyperfixation asks for Discworld please! 💕 and 🎥

tell us about one of your favorite characters and why you like them! 

HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF ANKH COMMANDER OF THE ANKH MORPORK CITY WATCH BLACKBOARD MONITOR SIR SAMUEL MOTHERFUCKING VIMES EVERYONE. That man is THE BEST. I could go on about how Vimes once arrested a dragon, two armies, and the Patrician, but we all know those stories.  What I love about this character is the things I’ve learned from him. His common wisdom, his way to put into words ideas that I’ve had but had never been able to express, to explain the life of the common people so simply and yet so justly, to say what he means without beating around the bush, and above all, his utter, unwavering loyalty to his morals and beliefs.

Y’all. Please read the Watch novels. I promise you, you’ll come out a different person.

Also, second favorite and in a very close tie to Vimes, is Lord Havelock Vetinari, Patrician of Ankh-Morpork. I don’t think I need to explain that one. Y’all know I have a type. (And I mean a type of favourite characters, nothing else, thank you very much)

And third is Moist von Lipwig because he’s a brat and he’s hilarious.

do you have any favorite scenes from your hyperfixation?

What? You can’t make me choose just one!! Huuuh... Maybe Vimes and Vetinari’s conversation in the graveyard at the end of Night Watch? Or Death talking to Azrael in... I think it was Reaper Man. The “Do you believe in angels” scene in Going Postal. Just all of Vetinari’s interviews with either Vimes or Lipwig. I could read a whole book that’s just interviews between Vimes and Vetinari. Vimes showing off the Summoning Dark mark to the dwarves in Raising Steam. Vimes taking a bath in a hot spring while some werewolves are trying to eat him in The Fifth Elephant. The whole “This is not my cow” scene in Thud. Also the Low Queen’s coming out but I don’t remember which book that was in. Dorfl’s speech at the end of Feet of Clay. The Monstrous Regiment facing the Ankh-Morporkian delegation in their cell in (you guessed it) Monstrous Regiment. Vimes facing the Klatchian and Morporkian generals in Jingo just before Vetinari arrives and crashes the party. Also, all of Death’s scenes. He makes any scene better. And basically all of Night Watch.

I mean come on, there’s forty books, you can’t expect me to choose just one scene.

[noirandchocolate]

THE OLD HIGH ONES.  Only very obliquely referred to in the Discworld religions.  Such piecemeal references as have been discovered suggest that there are eight 'entities' that oversee the universe, although 'oversee' is far too strong a word.  There is no single word that really does explain their role, which seems to be to observe in a dynamic way, in order for the observed events to be able to happen.  It might be simpler to say that the universe exists because they believe in it.  They are not gods--from their point of view, gods are only a slightly more troublesome version of human beings.  They are far about the Auditors of Reality, who are their executive arm.  The names of seven of them, if they have names, have not been revealed.  The eighth is Azrael.

Terry Pratchett and Stephen Briggs, “Turtle Recall: The Discworld Companion So Far” (For reference if you don’t know, Azrael is basically the Death of Universes and the keeper of the ‘Ultimate Clock’ from which all time issues.  I did not know that he was an Old High One--particularly since the concept itself is barely ever mentioned in the books at all--but it only makes sense!)

[absolxguardian]

Presumably Good Omens Death would hold more sway here (and it feels like something he would do). Unlike Disc Death, Good Omens Death is consistently described as tall by those who don't know his identity. And because the new Death in Reaper Man is also described as taller than Bill Door, it seems like the height of a Death directly corelates with how much of an asshole they are.

what would happen if you were too tall for the invisibility cloak though?

i bet hagrid used it one halloween to dress up as the headless horseman and scare some kids

[melodyalanaroster]

Days: Alana’s Side

The day Nathaniel left was hard for Alana. She knew he would be safe and that the Paladins would take care of things... But she didn’t want him to leave. She wanted him to stay with her. She had gone to the War Room to begin watching over the Purification when JARVIS messaged her. “Lady Melody, you have a visitor.” it said. She took no time in getting to Death’s Domain to see Severina standing before her. “MELS!” Severina cheered as she hugged her. “Rini! I’m guessing Sam called you.” Alana sighed. “Yeah, but only because YOU’RE too stubborn to do it yourself. So, I’m staying with you until this is over!” Severina replied. Alana smiled. “Thank’s Sam.” she thought. 

★

The following day was a busy one. She had to meet with Officer Eric and notify him of Nathaniel’s involvement with the R.D.R. It didn’t take long for him to get the gist of what had been going on. He attempted to interrogate her, but she shot him down at every turn. “I am not one of your criminals, officer. If you value your way of life, you’d do your best to keep that in mind when speaking to me.” she stated. Of course, he apologized, but it was too late. She stood up, and looked at him with conviction. “I’m gonna make this as simple as possible. All you need to know about Nathaniel Jacott and his Cartel Case is that he is under MY protection, and the Cartel is being eliminated. ANYONE who gets in my way will suffer and die.” Her voice was solemn, and the right lens of her glasses activated, turning black with the blue pupil. As she left the Police Station, Severina waited for her in the lobby. “Come on Rini.” Alana growled. Severina raised an eyebrow. “That must have gone well.” She sighed, sarcastically as she began following her friend. Alana sighed as she walked in the direction of the Black Tower. “The sooner I get out of this fucking armor and into something I can be lazy in, the better.”

★

The following school day, Alana desperately wanted to skip class, but Severina had other plans. “Melody Alana Roster, you are not skipping class! I won’t allow it!” Severina demanded. “But Rini! I, literally, don’t have to go to any of my classes.... I can just finish out if I so choose...” Alana whined. “No! You’re so close to actively finishing! You’re GOING to class today!” Severina commanded. “FINE!” Alana huffed.

When they got to the Art Building, Severina kept gasping in awe at the beauty of the facility. “Hey Alana!” a voice called from the auditorium door. “Chani! You’re here early.” Alana remarked. “I could say the same thing about you.” Chani smiled. Alana made quick work of introducing Severina to Chani. “It’s so nice to meet Mels’ newest friend!” Severina beamed. “Alana has said nothing but good things about you, and I can see she was right.” Chani commented. “Alright guys, we’re here early because I’ve gotta tell Zaidi about Rini’s presence in his classes while she’s here. I’m sure Melody is in there with him, so we’ll have to deal with that...” Alana sighed. “I don’t know what’s up between you and Melody, but seriously... Is it that bad?” Chani inquired. Severina looked at Alana. “Just to make sure, this is that same Melody that you and Sam knew in High School, right?” Severina asked. “YUP.” Alana replied. “I know what’s up. Heck, Sam is still proud of what happened.” Severina sighed as they began walking into the auditorium.

“I’ll save our seats.” Chani said as she found a set of three seats and sat down. Severina and Alana walked to the front of the auditorium and stood near Rayan and Melody. “Just as I thought, the little parasite is glued to his side.” Alana thought. “Well, well, well... It’s not every day you appear early to class.” Melody smirked. Alana turned to Rayan. “Good morning, Zaidi. This is my best friend, Severina Mekina. During her time in town, she will be joining me in class.” Alana greeted and introduced. Rayan turned to Severina. “It’s a pleasure to meet you miss Mekina.” He smiled. “The pleasure is mine.” Severina blushed. “Rini, we both know that Melody’s reputation precedes her.” Alana snickered. Severina turned to Melody. “Yes it does. Both Mels and Sam have told me quite a bit about you. It’s nice to make your acquaintance.” Severina did her best to hide her amusement as she went to shake Melody’s hand. “Hopefully all good.” Melody clenched her teeth. “Well, that depends on your definition of good.” Severina winked.

★

It didn’t take long for a day to come where Castiel and Priya got a hold of Alana. “Can we talk?” Castiel asked as he grabbed Alana’s arm. Severina gasped and stepped back. “It’s okay, Rini. I was expecting this.” Alana announced as she looked at Severina. She turned to Castiel and Priya. “Let’s go somewhere private. It would serve no one well if we did this in the park.” She stated.

As the door to Castiel’s apartment closed behind them, Alana immediately sat down on the couch. “I know full well what this is about.” She stated. “Tell us everything.” Priya requested as she and Castiel stood before her. “Mels, are you sure you want them to know?” Severina asked as she sat down next to Alana. “Amber and Nathaniel have gone “missing”, there are rumors floating around that R.D.R members are killing drug dealers, you have come into town and refuse to leave my side, and I am not the least bit worried. Anyone with any remote form of intuition would be able to tell that something is up. I’m just surprised that they didn’t come to me sooner.” Alana acknowledged. She turned to Priya and Castiel. “Firstly, why didn’t you come to me about this the other day when I first introduced you two to Severina?” She asked. Castiel and Priya turned to each other and remained speechless. “Well then.... Now, let’s get to business.” She began. Castiel and Priya remained quiet as she explained what had transpired over the past week. “THAT IDIOT!” Castiel hissed. “So, now, you’re cleaning up his mess.” Priya stated. “You could say that.” Alana replied. “But, why?” Priya asked. “My one true goal in this world is to live happily and freely with Nathaniel. I brought shame and pain to Azrael when she got in my way... Do you think I’m above doing that to anyone else who presents themselves to be an obstacle?” Alana looked at Priya very seriously, the right lens of her glasses becoming dark. “But Alana, their blood is on your hands...” Priya began. “No, it’s not. The Red Death was waiting on my word to authorize a process that we were already planning on performing. The point of that was to get Nathaniel out of the line of fire. I did. So now the process has begun.” Alana clarified. “But, you’re not directly involved.” Castiel pondered. “The Paladins are extremely loyal to me, and most of the Cartel haven’t realized that Nathaniel’s Girlfriend happens to be the Grim Reaper.... So, a certain part of my role in this is to draw them out. As of today, at least three members of the Cartel have tried to assassinate me... However, the Paladins black bagged them before they could get to me. I will be directly involved when the Kingpin’s time to die comes.” Alana leaned back and let her lens clear as she spoke. Severina looked at Alana, shocked. “Wait, when were these assassination attempts?” She asked. “Whenever we went down those alleyways the past few days. I did that on purpose. I knew they’d come after me and that I could protect you... So, I didn’t tell you. It was a part of the strategy that Derek, the Paladins, and I came up with that day I had to go into the War Room. The Red Death expressed concern that if I had told you from the beginning, you would have given the plan away... So, I was ordered not to tell you.” Alana conceded. “Oh...” Severina looked down. Alana put her hand on Severina’s shoulder. “Look, we all know I hate keeping things from you and Viktor... But when the Red Death orders me to do something, I will do it. He’s earned my loyalty.” She sighed. “Then, why are you telling me, now?” Severina asked. “I have a strong feeling that Purification will be over soon... If not within the next week or two... So, I don’t feel bad for breaking protocol this time.” Alana replied. “What do you mean you “will be directly involved when the Kingpin’s time do die comes”?” Priya asked. Alana raised an eyebrow. “It is my job as the Judge to present the Kingpin with the knowledge of their crimes... The Paladins, Executioners and Crown Jewels to pay witness to as the Jury.... And Derek to act as the Executioner and end their life. No matter the criminal organization, we have a certain amount of decorum when it comes to ending a Kingpin. It’s like Death himself showing up to reap wizards in Discworld, rather than sending one of his minions. It’s one of the many things that has earned us respect within the realms of the underworld.”

After more explanations, Alana and Severina left Castiel’s apartment. “Do you think they’ve lost respect for you after that?” Severina asked. “They might have... But Castiel and Priya have no reason to completely shut me out after this. Castiel has known for about a year what lengths I’m willing to go to to obtain my ultimate goal. Priya understands that, while I may keep things from her, I will never lie to those I keep closest to me. She is well aware of the fact that she and Castiel fall into my inner circle. While she doesn’t like my actions, she will respect my decisions, simply because she knows what I’ve become, and understands that I have had to perform much more difficult acts.” Alana explained as they began walking. “So, what do you want to do now?” Severina asked. “I’d really like to play some Kingdom Hearts Three...” Alana sighed as they began walking back to the tower.

★ 

One day arrived that became quite peculiar. “Hey, Mels?” “Yes, Rini?” “We need to go to the Business District. Apparently my father wants to have a meeting with Viktor, his father and me.” “Am I invited to this soiree? I know how your father feels about me.” “Yes, Mels. I want you there.” Severina’s eyes looked desperate. “Alright.” Alana sighed.

“Would you like a drink, Melody?” Achille Mekina asked as he and Alana stood alone in the meeting room of one of the city’s lesser skyscrapers. Alana looked over Achille’s shoulder and noticed something odd. “No thanks. I’m not thirsty.” She replied as Achille made drinks for the other members of their party. Alana could tell which drinks were meant for Viktor and his father, took a vial out of her pocket and made quick work of pouring its contents into one of the drinks. “Crap, I don’t have enough for all of them.” She thought as the door opened and Severina, Viktor and his father entered the room. “Sorry to leave you two alone like that, Viktor and I had something to discuss before we could all meet.” Severina announced. Edgard Chevalier looked at Alana, his eyes filling with remorse. Alana gave Edgard a dark look that said “Whatever you want to say, I don’t wish to hear it.”. “It’s fine. It was simply quiet.” Alana did her best to fake a smile. Achille began handing everyone drinks. “I’m glad to see us all in the same room again. It’s been tough here with Edgard in the hospital and Viktor traveling.” He smiled. “Melody, did you get my messages?” Viktor quietly asked Alana as he stood next to her. “Yes. I’m aware of the situation. Don’t worry, it will be resolved today. I promise.” Alana quickly whispered.

“A toast! To Edgard’s restored health!” Achille smiled as everyone raised their glasses. Alana drew a flask from her jacket and raised it. Achille began watching Edgard and Viktor, sharply as they began to drink. “Oh, dear!” Alana slightly yelped as she tripped and fell into Viktor, causing his drink to spill. “Melody!” Viktor cried as he caught her. “Mels! Are you alright?” Severina asked, concerned. “Yes, I’m fine. My legs tried to give out on me. I’m still not sleeping well these days.” Alana explained as she looked at Viktor and Severina weakly. Achille looked at Alana, one of his eyebrows raised. “Perhaps you should have stayed home and rested today.” He suggested. Alana put her hand on the table for support and looked at Achille. “Don’t be daft, Viktor and Severina want me here, so I am.” She stated.

Suddenly, the doors burst open. “Achille Mekina, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Edgard and Viktor Chevalier, fraud, money laundering, and tax evasion!” The head officer accused. Following the officers came Severina’s mother. “Verity! What’s all this?!” Achille demanded. “There’s an entire file of your transgressions! Not to mention the disgraceful amount of security footage of you poisoning Viktor and Edgard!” Verity Mekina proclaimed. “This is preposterous! How could you obtain any of that?!” Achille questioned. Alana began to laugh. “I guess you shouldn’t have left your computer in such a vulnerable position.” She sneered. Achille looked at her, rage and shock flooding his face. “This is no surprise considering Viktor’s and Edgard’s ailments have only shown up in recent years! Hell, you were the one who convinced Edgard to not pay Viktor’s ransom!” Verity exclaimed. Severina looked at her father. “YOU DID WHAT?!” She yelled. “Granted, it worked out in the end... All things considered.” Alana remarked. “That’s when my father became desperate. He knew something was wrong. He knew he needed Melody’s help... But when he went to you for advice, you’re the one who influenced him to slander the Roster family!” Viktor scolded. Alana looked at Edgard, annoyed. “That still doesn’t excuse him for everything he did.” She stated. “I honestly wish you were having an affair, that wouldn’t be as embarrassing as this! But, on the bright side, I get to divorce you anyway.” Verity retorted. “You’ll be left penniless! You need me! You and Severina do!” Achille seethed. “Excuse me? You really think I’ll be penniless? I suppose that’s the greatest thing about you committing your crimes... You’ve ignored me for the most part and I’ve managed to get myself in a position where, not only will Severina and I be taken care of, but I got myself a lawyer who is only too happy to financially bitch slap you back to the stone age. Your name will be dragged through the mud, your title and fortune stripped from you, and Severina and I will be revered as the women who managed to survive you. You attempted to keep us in servitude when Cosima died and you separated us from our other friends... But that didn’t stop us! We have our careers, our friends, and now, we’ll have our freedom!” Verity’s voice tried to waver, but she did her best to keep it steady. The police officers grabbed Achille and put his hands behind his back. He did his best to fight back before his eyes fell on Alana. “It’s best if you don’t. I’ve authorized them to use maximum force and prejudice if you do.” She smirked. Achille’s eyes widened as shock flooded him even more. “I should have ended your family when I had the chance!” He yelled. “You’re going away for a long time.” The arresting officer announced as he cuffed Achille and took him away.

Edgard looked at the remaining people in the room. “I’m gonna take my leave. Now that that’s all sorted, I think it’s time I actually begin repenting for all that I’ve done. Starting with providing Melody and her family with the distance they require.” He sighed as he walked out. Verity turned to Alana. “Thank you Melody. We couldn’t have done this without you.” She smiled. “No problem. I’m just glad you didn’t request this to be a R.D.R issue...” Alana sighed. “I would never do that. Achille and Edgard may want your organization’s favor, but I side with your family on that matter.” Verity’s face became a bit serious. Alana looked down. “Azrael shattered you so that she could build you back up to fit her design. If it weren’t for the Red Death, you’d be a shell of what you once were.” Viktor stated. “The family still wants to exact their wrath upon Azrael for what she’s done... But, these days, she’s been attempting to distance herself from me as best she can.” Alana sighed. “She’s not allowed to do that... Isn’t she?” Severina inquired. “Ever since that incident where I fainted, fell from a telephone pole, and Nathaniel pulled a switchblade on her to protect me... She’s left me to answer to the Red Death. I’m still a crown jewel, but she’s finally got the hint that her meddling isn’t necessary or desired.” Alana explained. Verity looked at Alana and sighed. “Come on kids. Let’s get out of here.”

★

Days continued to pass. Viktor left the city with his father to aid Verity in ensuring that Achille got what he deserved. Severina maintained her position at Alana’s side, and Alana continued to watch the War Room. It had become mundane. Each day, she posted to social media to ensure that Nathaniel would know that she was okay, without talking to him directly. It was obvious to everyone that she wanted to be with him... That her desire for everything to be over and done with had begun to reach a critical mass. She did her best to hide it, but as the days went on, she began to check the War Room more. “She’s tired of waiting.” Severina commented. “I know, but we’re still rooting out the Cartel.” Derek sighed. “When will you be ready to end the Kingpin?” Severina asked. “From the looks of it, soon. Maybe within the next week, if we’re lucky.” Derek replied. Severina sighed. “I truly hope you are lucky. Because, I don’t know how much longer Mels can wait.”

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

This is a bit of what Alana does during her separation from Nathaniel during “Purification”.

This actually covers several things I’ve wanted to cover in separate blurbs... But, it felt best to put them all in one....

As the manga never states Viktor’s and Severina’s mothers’ names, I went ahead and named them myself... Viktor’s mother’s name being Cosima Chevalier and Severina’s mother’s name being Verity Mekina.

Credit for Nathaniel’s jacket goes to @rowenna-887

Credit for Severina’s base, top and skirt goes to FNAFfanart67 on DeviantArt

[neil-gaiman]

Hi Neil! (wow this feels weird) I've been re-reading good omens (so excited, while also reading reaper man, and I was wondering if Death in good omens is the same Death as in discworld, bc at the end of reaper man Death goes to Azrael, while in good omens death is also refered to as Azrael. Both do speak in capitals and seem similar, but I was wondering if they are the same Death, or if they're different interpetations of the same role? (sorry for my english, not my first language, it's hard ^^)

The Death of Good Omens is his own Death. Not to be confused with any other Deaths.

[wufflesvetinari]

the only problem with the princess tutu tattoo idea (princess tattu?) is that it makes me think about all of the discworld quotes that would also be good tattoos, and makes me think about how it would be pretty sweet to have “LORD, WILL YOU GRANT ME JUST A LITTLE TIME?” from Death’s prayer/speech to azrael

[grifalinas]

I headcanon that there's a DeathCon every quarter million years or so, where all the various Deaths of the multiverse meet to catch up. Death of the Endless and Azrael both run a lot of panels. Death of the Discworld is the only one who ever attempts cosplay but he does it every time

He cosplays as the various Deaths. He’s very good at it.