#but they're very different poets with very different styles?

[drowningparty]

Never understood the trend of media like Only Lovers Left Alive saying Kit or Will wrote eachothers plays either, even as a bit. They both have distinct writing styles! Stop pitting two bad bitches against eachother! It negates what makes them and their works uniquely compelling!

[chitra111goddess]

VEDIC ASTROLOGY NOTES ♡

(Can apply to any planet placement)

⚡️Ashwini women always stand out to me with their creativity especially in acting , they rly know to embody the character they're playing to the fullest even irl it may be easier for them to shift thro different identities or alter-egos just for funsies

⚡️There's smtg about purva phalguni women , they're gorgeous but for some reason I noticed they get hate esp from other women like they're called fake or pick-mes or they make up stories hmm

⚡️Purva ashadha women are so inspiring like they're always the ones to be teaching or preaching or saying smtg inspiring/motivational. They're beauties with soul and a mind of their own ! If u know a purva ashadha better take notes 📝

⚡️Magha women love wearing black and something about their looks or style is unconventional/gothy, it suits them

⚡️Uttara-phalguni women are so headstrong bruh and they have this leadership aura about them, they're gonna do what THEY think is right. Like other sun-ruled nakshatras they easily get attention

⚡️Mrigashira women love the push & pull , cat &mouse game, they either attract this dynamic or they create it themselves. There's also smth about Mrigashira and obsession 👀

⚡️Jyestha women embody the wild feminine archetype imo, when evolved theyre truly empowered and have this idgaf energy. people may be threatened by their power or skills. Their voice or the way the speak is commanding and naturally charismatic

⚡️Swati/ardra and their eyes 👁👁 most captivating eyes imo I'm in luv

⚡️Purva bhadrapada women seem to attract or be drawn to men with dark nature or men who carry trauma ? Or they know how to bring that out in a man

⚡️Dhanishta women love dancing and they appear to be friendly or have many acquaintances but very little people they relate to. Popular girlies

⚡️Rohini women feminine energy is undeniable , something about them feels innocent yet erotic. They just give off this juicy fertile vibee lmao💦 unlike jyestha which is more dry (not in a bad way its just different 💀)

⚡️Anuradha women are secretive as hell even if they tell u shit don't think u have them all figured out. there's so much to unpack with them , they're generally intriguing complex characters

⚡️Most bratty nakshatras are mrigashira and chitra lmao

⚡️Revati women are pretty privilege girlies also they're master manipulators 👀 they know how to use their femininity to get what they want

⚡️Pushya women have big MOMMY energy. they seem/look mature. They're either the ones taking care of others or others take care of them

⚡️Uttara bhadrapada women have dualistic nature they're either the sweetest ppl u know or ur worst nightmare depending on who theyre dealing with 💀they're like a mirror projecting and reflecting back ur inner self back at ya (Pisces energy) also don't forget the karmic saturn influence.. u don't wanna mess w them or any other saturn ruled woman

⚡️Viahaka women go through intense ups and downs , starting from their good girl phase then they snap and go wild then they mature/become spiritual

⚡️Chitra women secretly (or not so secretly) enjoy drama , they're either the ones caught up in it or they play the role of the "judge" where they can solve conflicts between others. Somehow they're surrounded by it.

⚡️Don't underestimate krittika women especially when it comes to survival 💀 these women can be dangerous and will stab a bitch if they rly had to (whether its for defending loved ones or them surviving) their symbol is 🔪 after all and taurus/aries gives them that survival instinct

⚡️Ardra women can make great poets/song writers , their creativity and inspiration stems from their own 'tragic' experiences

⚡️Punarvasu women remind me of that quote "home is where the heart is" they always end up coming back to their origins and what they feel in their heart

Lemme know ur thoughts & what I should make next

[verdemoth]

The second of my FLondon PCs, Knoll! For a reintroduction: Knoll's Kind Of a vigilante but it's mostly incidental. They're not much of a fighter, their tools of choice are dyes and written word. And they're not selflessly motivated; their greatest drive is the furthering of their research into the Neathbow, and it is of little concern to them whether the impact of their actions is over-all positive or negative.

They are a very private and self-serving individual, but they're not entirely without care. The most important person in their life is their partner Josef van Eloheim (oc of a friend off-site) who they love very dearly. They're also allies/kind-of-maybe actually friends with Mel, having connected via acquaintanceship with Josef and forming an agreement to trade information to their mutual benefit.

Knoll's a bit more of a static character than Mel, because they're kind of just vibing? They've yet to encounter any serious setbacks that would push them towards a dramatic shift. But they Have grown; they're a little less paranoid about allowing select people to know them, a little more willing to show their care a little more openly and genuinely.

Readmore below has transcripts of the text in this image

Text Transcripts:

In the top right are some quick details. In the style of other Fallen London characters, Knoll's epithet is 'the Ink-Steeped Analyst' or alternatively 'the Saturated Correspondent'. Knoll's pronouns are they/them, they're around 23-25 years old, and they're 6 feet 1 inch tall. Their residence isn't listed, their profession is 'rogue scientist, poet & pamphleteer'. They don't have a 'closest to' faction as they hold few loyalties.

Below this are some notable player attributes. Of the main attributes, Knoll has high Watchful and Persuasive but low Dangerous. Of the quirks, they have high Ruthless, Daring, and Subtle, but low Melancholy, Austere, and Magnanimous.

Paired with the main illustrations are these notes: "Dresses to control perception. Violant to highlight certain features and leave an intended impression. Irrigo to be difficult to comprehend, and fade from the minds of onlookers. Different outfits target different situations. This one s their 'streetwear'."

"Intentionally disorienting use of irrigo embroidery. It's difficult to perceive their actions when you can hardly remember you're looking at someone."

In the top left are these notes about the colours they use: "The main subjects of Knoll's scientific fixation are the impossible colours known collectively as the Neathbow, and the effects these materials produce in humans through exposure. In particular, the following two are their greatest passion, their work which they have and would devote everything to:"

"Irrigo. The unremembered colour. The light of absence. Over time, it soaks into you. (That's a bad thing)"

"Violant. The invasive hue of necessary but troublesome connections. Indelibly lingers in memory. A Correspondent's tool of the trade, in the form of ink."

Paired with the examples of their masks are these notes: "Body language and tilt of mask convey expression (exaggerated in art for clarity). They have various masks styled after various species, each with different patterns of irrigo, violant, or both."

The last notes are by the illustrations of the sigils on their arms: "Knoll's arms are inscribed with six sigils of the esoteric, cosmic language known as the Correspondence. They have no recollection of how or when they acquired these. They figure they were perhaps the slightest bit 'blackout irradiated' at the time."

There are loose translations of possible meanings of the sigils next to each:

"to arrive at a much-awaited conclusion, but long bereft of its circumstance"

"the perfervid reverberances of that which once was quelled and will not be again"

"an awareness that ripples obscure indiscriminately"

"the revelation that uncertainty is itself an answer"

"a process for recasting forms anew from fragmentary glass"

"possibility unbound, at an unresolved cost"

[soracities]

oooh please tell us what writing rules are garbage I would love to hear more

it's not that they're garbage, which isn't what i said, just that they annoy me and even then what annoys me is not the "rules" themselves (because i do believe they can be useful depending on what you're writing) but when some of them are put out as the only way to write something as if storytelling is a one-size fits all approach, as if you can reduce the millenia-long history of literature into a fail-proof formula that will work for all writing across all cultures with no room for experimentation.

i think there are as many ways to tell a story as there are stories and how you tell something and the kind of language you use will vary depending on what language actually means to you as a writer. hemingway and faulkner both famously took digs at each other for their styles (even though i think there was a lot of admiration between them) but they are also two very different writers with two completely different approaches to language and how they use that language to say the things they want to say: neither is inherently better, or more right, than the other--their approaches were just right for them; if faulkner wanted to write using the "older, simpler, better" words hemingway loved, he would have. if james joyce wanted to depict dublin the way dickens depicted london, he would have done so. but they didn't.

someone once posted an excellent breakdown by jeff vandermeer of the different writing styles employed by different authors which i was silly enough not to save at the time, but in it he gives an overview of the structure of their sentences, and how complicated or "rich" the language is, without pitting one style against the other. and to be honest, i think writing advice that encourages you to examine and look at that relationship with language, and what it holds for you (and others) and why, is probably more helpful than blanket statements like "stay away from ambiguity" or "avoid long sentences" because neither of those actually mean anything--a sentence is a vessel but it's also a tool, like a hoghair brush or a palette knife; the value of its impact is not an essence that exists in and of itself, but entirely dependent on how you use it, otherwise all literature would just read the same way.

strict adherence to a particular form or structure within a language does not automatically make for better writing, especially not when so much literature actually consists of, and is built from, works and authors actively rebelling against those same traditional forms and structures (but which is also not to say that those forms and structures are inherently useless, either). you can say that long sentences "risk distraction" or are "ineffective" but then where does that leave someone like laszlo krasznahorkai, whose prose runs on like some kind of breathless, hypnotic incantantion for 20, 30 pages without a single full stop in sight? or a book like solar bones by mike mccormack which is made up of a single sentence going on for 200 pages? i'm not saying long sentences can't be boring or tedious, but in all honesty so can short sentences--so can any writing that follows the "rules" to the letter. if something is poorly written, the "rules" matter very little; if it's well written, they matter even less.

all that said, telling people to "avoid long sentences" is not inherently a bad thing because i think the core of it is wanting to ensure your writing remains clear, which is a fair point--but it's an issue, to me at least, when it turns into one of those dictums or pronouncements that actively narrows the potential range language can actually have. clarity is not always about length, or whether or not you cull all of your run-on lines--mihail sebastian drew a very nice distinction in one of his novels when he said "[is] there’s a single way of being clear? A notary can be clear, or a poet, but they don’t seem to me the same thing". a long sentence can be clear, but its clarity exists on different terms to a sentence that is five words long, because its relationship to its content is different. and at the end of the day, that relationship is really what it's about for me and it's distinct to each work and its author.

writers use the language and form they use that best allows them to say what they want to say. no one in their right mind is going to dismiss zadie smith for not writing like angela carter or angela carter for not writing like hemingway or hemingway for not writing like beckett or beckett for not writing like mallarmé. robert frost and sara teasdale were no more correct than the beatniks were. i love pared down, beautifully concise prose, but i also adore books that relish in language and all the various, multi-coloured layers of it, books that eschew (traditional) plot and books that question their own form and the reality of that form, and books that tell a story as straightforwardly as possible.

to be honest i think one of the most formative things i came across, years ago now, was this piece by gary provost, which really sums up the whole notion of "writing rules" for me:

this is not about do's or dont's. it even breaks the first writing rule i learnt in school ("never begin a sentence with 'And'"). but what it does is center an intimate understanding of language, where it can go and how it can get there, and what you want that to do. that's where it's at for me!

[infinialtairs]

~ Rayman and Casper in each different scenarios ~ (and...art styles I suppose)

I honestly took it overboard with amount effort I put into this even though it was suppose to be small...the pattern I swear.

But I do like how these turned out pretty much so task successfully failed?

[ ☀️ More below If you're interested in my rambles and separate images 🦊]

So...onto my rambles 2.0:

Rayman (pre-Ramon) and Casper (Non Canon Compliant)

They're sort of THE ONES I focus on a lot...even if it would never HAPPEN in any sorts of way, not even possible for them to interact, left alone...dating. But ey! more fun huh? If they DO happen to interact, it is mostly one sided hatered (from Casper's at least), Rayman only really starts dislike Casper when Casper ""tries"" flirting with him as mock and joke, finding itself annoying and stupid. But eventually liking each other and understanding each perspective's...even if Casper doesn't get Rayman's much still.

2. Ramon and Casper ( Neutral )

This is probably follows the flow of Captain Laserhawk series the most? or at least, it does. I actually been hyperfixate on that concept of them - both in lowest points in their lives but Casper letting Ramon (along with Bullfrog and Dolph) to crash over in small shitty apartment because despite hating Ramon (Rayman before) for his whole life essentially. Casper does sees Ramon in.. new light because Ramon opened his eyes and saw the real true colors of Eden. Now, I don't think they would necessary date? not saying it's impossible but considering their both positions...Ramon NEEDS TIME and HELP and THERAPY badly. (same goes to Dolph, Bullfrog and even Casper even if he will deny.)

3. Rayman? (Fakeman) and Casper ( Toxic )

This also follows mostly the canon of Captain Laserhawk series but INSTEAD of meeting Ramon by mere accident...Fakeman and Casper both meeting up in bar, Fakeman might know something of Casper MORE than he leads onto.. (I won't go in depth of what just yet but it is working in progress...) SO Fakeman purposely tries to flirt with Casper, even when Casper pushes off Fakeman with some jokes, it did get the best of him... They ARE NOT in healthy "relationship" (it's toxic for a reason). Fakeman is only USING Casper for his gains...

4. Rayman and Casper ( Eden's Cutie Restaurant AU )

in other words, completely very fluff and soft core of them where Rayman as waitress having BIG BIG crush on Casper and Casper as more of poet and writer in general, KNOWS Rayman likes him...in some way. the "Will they get together or not?" question lurks over them... I actually don't have a lot to say about this. They just exist if they didn't had traumas.

Separate images without texts:

RAMBLED ONCE AGAIN ABOUT CASPER AND RAYMAN CUZ THEY'RE KEEP BEING IN MY HEAD ARRGHH!!!!

if you have read this far or just wanted see the pics, thank you for your time, solider /pos 🫡💜

[writerfae]

Okay! Here's the promised ask! (Idk if I'll get to everyone's parents, so sorry for everyone who gets left out)

Now, I don't know if you meant writing for them before they had kids, so this will probably be a mix

Starting off with Ranva and Milan, of course! (Their's will probably be the longest because... yeah)

Milan seeing Ranva for the first time and he's jaw drops, because look at her!

I think hearing about the time when Milan helps Ranva get away from the fae realm would be really interesting (plus baby Henry 🥺)

Ranva having the exact opposite problem of Henry, as in he had to adjust to the fae realm and her to the human realm (the parallels of these two kill me every day)

I'm actually really interested in the time before Aiden was born (as in they're already in the human realm, but he's not born yet), because we never hear about it

(or rarely)

Fenna and Cyrus

Ngl I keep thinking about modern au them, because cute baker Fenna is top tear!

Also, that thing you mentioned about Fenna holding Cyrus after their son died

Also, them just bickering 🥺

Hela's parents

I don't think I know a lot about her dad (or if I do, I forgot again)

And her mom looking for her, and her being mischievous is adorable ❤️

Now... I know very, very little about Maya's mom... so... sorry❤️

And meanwhile I want to come up with something fluffly for my guys but I've got nothing...

But listen 👏 (I think I made a post like this actually, but I was listening to the song again, so:)

Bendegúz: The soldier

Ákos: The poet

Endre: The king

Adél: The one who's singing

(Yes, I love going on rants about songs and my ocs. When I go on a rant about an Odette song that will be... well, you know what she's like🤣 there'll be emotions( but her playlist is one of the best)

Also, can you imagine Endre holding up Ákos to your ocs lion king style 🤣

Thanks, that’s so nice of you ^^

My initial thought was to write fluff for them as couples (with no kids) but since I have no actual plans for this god knows when I’ll even get around to do this I’m open for everything!

Milan was completely star struck when he met Ranva. Ranva’s sister noticed it first and told her. They were both giggling like crazy stealing glances at him stealing glances at Ranva xD and at one point he gathered his courage and really formally introduced himself, with hand-kiss and all.

To be honest, Ranva’s sister, her teacher and her maid were the ones who had the most part in arranging her and Milan’s “escape”. More interesting is probably the time before that (their secret meetings, Ranva telling Milan about Henry and about wanting to leave with them) and after (Milan helping her adjust, helping her with Henry, refusing to hunt for people who talked bad about his wife).

The way Henry’s story is mirroring his mother’s (but reverse) is one of my favorite things about the two. Also how different yet similar their way of freedom looks like!

When Aiden was born, Ranva already spent six years in the human realm. In the time till his birth a lot of her adjusting and dealing with missing home happened. Her learning some customs she had to adopt. Her making friends with Holly. Her, Milan and Henry being a happy little family despite some sullen grumbles from other villagers.

I wouldn’t really know what to tell you about it though, if you don’t have specific questions…

Fenna is already adorable, but baker Fenna from the modern au is even more so! Her and young Cyrus meeting in France is so cute too. I like thinking about younger them lately, even in canon. Not that they’d play any role significant enough for me to think about them, but I do and I adore them xD

The thing is that Fenna loves Cyrus. She remembers the man he used to be and she still sees that man in him, deep down. She’s hoping to one day get him back out. He might never be the same like he was before they lost Thorin, but she holds on to him because she knows deep down he’s still a good man. Flawed, but good. And she loves and believes in him still, though she doesn’t approve of the way he handles his relationship to their kids.

Halea’s parents’ names are Arian and Sofia. They are actually least developed, so I can’t tell you much about them. Except for that Sofia is originally from the Oak court, where her mother was one of the queen’s ladies. And Arian is head of the House of Hummingbirds, who married her and took her to the Willow court with him.

It’s funny how you know little about Maya’s mother, yet she’s the first parent beside Milan and Ranva that actually got a backstory xD

Gwen is a witch. She and her family before her, like many witches, were follower of the old ways. Which is what you call people in the human world that still believe in the old religion (the goddesses, the existence of fae and magic…) and follow old customs.

She grew up living with her grandmother and mother in their little cottage by the forest. She learned the old ways and her craft from them. Now she couldn’t do real magic, since humans are incapable of it, but she knew old rituals and little “spells” and knew how to make potions and (lucky) charms and she knew lots about herbs.

She and Maya lived from what Gwen sold on the big market in their hometown. Things like wool, eggs and goat milk and woven baskets. Dried herbs, balms and medicine. But also charms, potions and other stuff for the more “superstitious” people. Ranva was one of her customers, too.

Gwen was never interested in marriage. But she did want a child. Which is why she wished for Maya!

Oh yeah I remember you mentioning that! I think it fits your characters very well (both the song and the positions you applied to them like who’s the king and who’s the poet…)

Music can be a very good way to get close to our characters! I like doing that a lot too!

[y-rhywbeth2]

Lore: Music

Link: Disclaimer regarding D&D "canon" & Index [tldr: D&D lore is a giant conflicting mess. Larian's lore is also a conflicting mess. There's a lot of lore; I don't know everything. You learn to take what you want and leave the rest]

Useful for bards and priests, one assumes. I had to look up so many songs I'd never heard of to have a clue what half the comparisons were...

Musical education in the Realms (plus what the core Colleges (Lore and Valor) translate to in the Realms (where they aren't called that))

Musical vocabulary

Instruments

Music itself, including: operatic, 'symphonic'-ish, renaissance-style, hymns, 70s folk bands, and 70s rock music. [Popular music | Hymns | Opera | Demihuman traditions] (we got music that sounds like Leonard Cohen, Sinéad O'Connor, 70s folk music, 50s folk music, ELO, Genesis...)

Education

The majority of trained musicians, including bards, start off being apprenticed to accomplished bards willing to tutor, and some seek out Bardic Colleges. The exact focus, quality and curriculum varies by the institution.

To be admitted one must have some experience performing, and be able to pass an audition. They will perform before one of the master bards of the college, as well as one 'invisible' listener they're unaware of. Both masters must agree that the candidate is worth teaching or not for admission, if they don't agree further auditions will follow until they do agree on a verdict.

'Low-order' colleges generally concentrate on mastery of pitch, timbre and nuance. Students are taught to sing scales and perfectly duplicate overheard notes and tunes with their voice, as well as memorizing a set of tunes on a range of instruments to familiarise themselves with different keys and methods. The crafting and repair of one form of instrument is also part of the training.

'High-order' colleges offer a wider range of instruments and repertoire, teaching the history behind the music and lyrics, as well as some language tutoring - not necessarily to speak the language, but to be able to sing such songs perfectly.

New students to any college will be taught the basics in classes at first, but very soon will be passed onto a tutor for one-on-one tutoring.

Pretty much all official colleges in the Realms would make you a College of Lore bard in core DnD terms.

What is called The College of Valor does not actually involve colleges, and is found amongst warrior cultures like Orcs or the Illuskan Northmen, Uthgardt and Reghed: skalds - warrior poets, lorekeepers and clan storytellers.

The most prestigious colleges are the College of Fochlucan in Silverymoon, an ancient bardic tradition which I assume from the name is supposed to be from Ffolk tradition (the Moonshaes). This college has close ties to the Harpers, though most members will stress that their mission and activities are separate to avoid being targeted by the Harpers' enemies.

The College of the Herald is also found in Silverymoon and was founded by a Harper in 922 DR to preserve history. The college maintains a strict neutrality towards the conflicts of the world, and its focus is on preservation of history, folklore and legend over music.

The College of New Olamn, once Ollamh, another ancient bardic tradition, is in Waterdeep, established in 1366 by wealthy patrons of the arts.

On a less formal level, priests of Milil are charged with spreading music and teaching as many as possible to play and sing, and followers of EIlistraee are to 'nurture beauty, music, the craft of making musical instruments, and song wherever they find it.'

Vernacular

'Minstrelsy' is a term for live music, not including hymns and holy music. Recorded music does exist, though mostly in the form of spells that exist to capture and play the song back on command. People like to use them for study, meditation, fun, etc. If you don't have access to magic, due to cost or general mistrust of the stuff, the Gondians have invented music boxes. You can also get those jewellery boxes with the spinning dancer that play music when they open.

A 'song' is monophonic performance or piece, consisting pof a single vocalist with no instrumental accompaniment.

'Allsong' is the term for polyphonic pieces; covering vocals with instrumental accompaniment, multiple singers such as choirs, and orchestras.

'Newclang' is recent music that starts playing with or breaking conventions. May be viewed as a brilliant invention or modern pop garbage, depending on your tastes.

'song-cycles': 'extended stories told by ballads being sung in a particular sequence. Most of these are 'later inventions,' concocted by a minstrel or bard stringing together their personal favourites (or tunes that they could perform well, and that were popular with paying audiences) into a story of sorts, and then knitting them together with altered lyrics, additional linking songs, and sometimes short spoken-word orations, into the tale of one hero's life, or a romance, or the reign of a villainous king, or the saga of a fearsome dragon or other predatory monster (and its eventual defeat).'

If the performance is 'wordless' then there are no sung lyrics. There might be vocalisations along with the music, but as per the name, no words.

The concept of sorting music into genres apparently hasn't much occurred to anybody yet; music is music in most people's eyes. Historical music trends are named after popular artists of the time. Still you have lammuer (slow waltzes), whirls (reels) and tonsets (courtly formal dances).

There is no standard agreed upon scale that is used by the whole of the Realms.

-

Instruments

The instruments most frequently seen in the hands of common minstrels are lutes and harps. Bells, clapping or stamping one's feet, rhythm sticks and a small wooden pipe akin to a penny whistle serve as accompaniment, and for major percussion instruments you have hand drums and 'great drums' (kettle drums).

Ocarinas, kazoos and mouth harps are pretty common.

Yarting: An acoustic guitar, basically, with origins in Amn and Calimshan, but variations exist everywhere.

Songhorn: Recorders

Straele: A violin-like instrument, shaped a bit like a metronome and played cradled in one arm (preferably while sitting).

Great staele: Cellos and basses

Drone: A large, stationary double-reed instrument with a bladder and several mouthpieces, played by multiple musicians and sounding either like the drones of a bagpipe or an organ or synthesizer.

Jassaran: a crude 'keyboard-and-wires' instrument invented in Sembia that sounds something like a harpsichord.

Artang: A dulcimer, though artangs are only plucked or bowed.)

Shawm: A gnomish instrument that's something like an oboe or bassoon in form. There's also a bellows powered variant.

Zulkoon: A Thayan pump organ. Pipe organs also exist.

Tantan: tambourines. Popular with halflings.

Longhorns: flutes

'Birdpipes' or Shalm: pan pipes. Most popular with Lliirans and elves, particularly copper and green elves.

Tocken: carved oval bells set to hang so that they can be lightly struck. Instruments such as this are found in subterranean cultures (Dwarves and goblins, mostly). The sound echoes through the structures.

Glaur: Basically a trumpet (more specifically it sounds like a renaissance instrument called a serpent), shaped something between a cornucopia and a saxophone.

Gloon: Much like a glaur, but lacking in valves and it produces a markedly mournful sound.

'Whistlecanes' or thelarr: The bane of parents. Basically just a cut reed you can whistle with. People like to give them to children, who do as children do and proceed to give everybody ear aches from badly played instruments.

-

Music

With a note that a lot of the following kind of applies to the Sword Caoast, Heartlands, Cormyr, Dalelands and etc. Different regions of Faerûn have different music. The kind of Thayan music you'd hear in alehouses in East Faerûn, for example, apparently sounds like this. (Songs with such tunes are called 'thaeraeden,' or 'life laments', and the lyrics are often melancholy questions and challenges. Usually break up songs and unrequited love, the usual.)

So, switching out more modern instruments like drumkits and electric guitars, this is the kind of music you'd apparently expect to hear from minstrels, street and tavern performers and etc. This is basically turning on the radio:

Popular ballads and songs sound something like:

These: X, X, X, X,

Stuff like Leonard Cohen. X

1970s folk music, like Steeleye Span and Maddie Prior. Like the Prickle Eye Bush X, X.

Tongue-in-cheek songs like the Irish Ballad are popular with the working class. I feel like that one specifically would be popular with drow and Bhaalspawn, personally.

'Easy listening' being played in the background while you're passing the evening at a tavern sounds like standard Renaissance fare like Packington's Pound and My Thing is My Own.

Dance music would sound something like this: X

The kind of music you're likely to hear at an upper class party is going to be bringing in musicians and possibly orchestras and dancing. Stuff like this: X, X, X, X,

Orchestral music doesn't utilise strings very much, and prefers to use vocalisation in its place. You generally get more stuff like this.

-

The Opera

Inasfar as I can tell, the opera is exactly what you expect.

The most famous/popular operas include:

'the War of Three Castles:' Featuring a bunch of kings throwing their sons and daughters off to lead armies against each other. Disaster strikes, two princes and a princess are trapped in a tomb in the Underdark and a love triangle ensues. The princess decides fuck that nonsense, she will have both or neither but she's not having this drama, and they work out a polyamorous relationship, and agree that they will go home and have a 'marriage of three crowns' where they all marry each other, even if their fathers may try to stop them or execute them for it. Then they get back up there, discover that their fathers have been killed turning the entire region into a war torn region. They recover what is left, and they get married and unite their kingdoms in peace and like happily ever after.

'Alvaericknar:' The lovable rogue archetype who shares his name with the title bites off more than he can chew trying to rob a lich - who kills him. But he's prepared for that, and due to ensuring that the lich killed him in a spot that would set of several enchantments he manages to come back as undead, and proceeds to continue his hijinks. 'As an undead, he goes right on being a swindling, fun-loving rascal, only now he doesn’t need food or drink or shelter.'

'Downdragon Harr': An evil sorceress turns a princess into a dragon, uses magic to disguise herself as the princess, murders the king and takes over the kingdom. Her first decree is to have every dragon in the kingdom slain (all dragons are played by bassi profundi). A knight with a magic sword wounds the princess in her dragon form, and the enchantment on the blade breaks the spell on her. They fall in love via duet, and then go to the most ancient wyrm in the land (the titular Harr), wake him from his centuries long slumber and use him as their steed to fly off and challenge the sorceress. 'She sees their approach and uses mighty sorcery, that drains the life from most of her courtiers and all of her guards, to slay the dragon as it dives down on the castle—but in death, it slays her, crashing into the castle and crushing her to pulp under its great bulk as it slides to a (dead) stop. (It sings in death, and so does the queen from somewhere under it.) The princess and the knight begin their happy rule, and wedded bliss, atop the carcass of the great dragon.'

One suspects dragons do not care overmuch for this opera.

-

Hymns:

Religious music is typically plainchant, a form of music that usually consists purely of vocals (typically a solitary singer). There is no set rhythm, as the song consists of singing prayers and religious verse. Sometimes there's the occasional accompaniment from a instrument, such as an organ, or a slow heavy drum beat, in the case of Banite hymns.

They can be more complex: polyphonic hymns involve 'two or more singers or instrumentalists playing independent melodic lines at the same time.'

The hymns of most faiths sound most akin to Gregorian chanting. At its softest and most elaborate, you get something that sounds something like a simplified Enya song.

-

Elves

Ah yes, the mysterious and magic melodies of the Tel'Quessir...

Which apparently sound a lot like, say, Don't Bring Me Down, Land of Confusion, Domino Medley, Mr Blue Sky...

They also have your Enya and Loreena McKennit type stuff.

Replace the guitar with a harp, maybe throw in a flute, that's elven music. It's rock. Elven instruments are the only instruments thus far capable of sustain. The effects on the vocals can be replicated by elves, who have a strange quirk with their vocal chords where they can produce two notes/sounds at once, distorting their voice in a way that's similar. Some have a genetic quirk that allows them to sort of say 'two things at once.' Generally elves prefer softer singing voices.

Elven musical performances feature galadrae - three dimensional illusions depicting scenes to go along with the song, not dissimilar to what one might see at a modern concert. Generally the theme is the history/story behind the piece.

Common elven folk songs are apparently these: Laeryn's Lament My Love Green And Growing Blood of My Sisters The Moondapple Stag Knights On The Ride Thorn Of Rose Winterwillow [an instrumental] Greenhallow Mantle Stone Fall, Tree Rise The Lady Laughing

-

Dwarves

Dwarves like drums and metallic percussion for their music, and vocals tend to be plainsong.

Large clanholds with volcanic vents may build giant complex pipe organs.

'...usually dwarves play piano-like personal instruments (strings hit with hammers; hitting things with hammers is the dwarven way). Most such dwarf instruments look more like an accordion (small portable keyboard) and have metal strings.'

-

Gnomes

Gnomes like drones and oboes (or shawms, I guess). Traditionally, history and lore has been an oral tradition kept by women, so it wouldn't surprise me if some lorekeepers sing it.

-

Halflings

Halflings are apparently known for their comic, and usually bawdy, operas, which are popular with gnomes and dwarves. Titles include 'Ravalar’s Roister In The Cloister; Yeomen, Bowmen, and The Taming Maiden; The Seven Drunken Swordswingers Of Silverymoon; The Haunted Bedpan; The Laughing Statue Of Beltragar; and The Night Six In-Use Beds Fell Into The Castle Moat.'

Outside of that their music overlaps a lot with human music trends.

-

Orcs and goblins

Heavy drumbeats, gongs, warhorns and rhythmic shouting/chanting.

-

Dragonborn

Nothing outside of BG3 that I see, so I'd go with what the game says: throat singing.

[canmom]

booksbooksbooks{1} - clones, parrots, and high stakes poetry

one of the things I wanna do in the wake of worldcon is read more sff books and write about them. in that spirit, going to try and catch up on writing about some books, starting with...

Clone, Priya Sarukkai Chabria

This is a book that is maybe decently well known in India, but I'm not sure it's caught a lot of attention in the West. Which is a shame, because it's an absolute banger of a book.

It's tricky to know where to begin with Clone. You could approach it as a dystopian science fiction story, in which a clone in a hypocritical and cruel society stops taking her memory-suppressing drugs and starts channeling the past life of a controversial poet. Or, you could view that as a frame story and the real substance as something more like a short story anthology: a long slice through history from unlikely angles, coloured in shades of cruelty and religion. Of course, it's both those things.

Clone has been cooking for a while, it seems; an older version was published way back in 2009 as Generation Fourteen. I'm not sure the differences between that version and the version I read.

The story follows Clone 14/54/G, mostly just referred to by the title Clone by characters. She belongs to a society calling itself the Global Community, rigidly stratified and populated by various engineered posthumans: the abundant Clones, the dumb and violent Superior Zombies, the poetic Firehearts and so on. Almost all of them are essentially disposable slaves to the ultra-privileged Originals, from whom each generation of Clones is derived.

As such, the book is full of interesting contortions of language used to dress up this cruel, repressive society in a positive light. Capital letters ('The Drug', 'The Celebrations') and euphemisms abound. Clones aren't killed, they are 'withdrawn' after their 'actuality' runs out - there is another different word for each other category of being. Their lives are heavily regimented, both work and what passes for free time. It's always ready to proffer an explanation for a certain practice: here's why it's a good thing the flamethrowers use regular napalm. Make sure to thank the person punishing you.

Of all the various species of posthuman we encounter, besides the clone, the ones the story most seems to enjoy writing are the Fireharts - all named after elements of poetry like 'Quatrain' and 'Stanza', they are mercurial, energetic bug creatures who exist to obey a poetic function (and of course they're hooked on drugs and as controlled as every other element of the society). The rest of the society seems to view them with an attitude of mild exasperation, but as strange as the Firehearts are to our protagonist, they are some of the only genuine connections she's able to form across the book. But they are very much captive creatures: whatever liberal ideology they espouse, they are no more separate from this dystopia than the clones.

So, the inciting incident: 14/54/G, our eponymous Clone, ends up 'mutating', starting with dreams of past times - glimpses of the stories that will be told in full later in the book. Many of these stories are from the perspective of animals: a dog thought to have divination powers in the service of a prehistoric warlord at the foot of the Himalayas; a devoutly religious fish with a condescending attitude swimming in the Ganges flood waters; a lesbian parrot deeply infatuated with its owner one of the wives of a monarch Khan-Sahib (a title used in British India, though I am not sure of the time period of this story). Others are humans in mostly dire situations: a soldier awaiting execution, a low-ranking acolyte of a hidden Buddhist monastery complex; a mother of a boy killed in battle for the sake of Emperor Ashoka.

These stories - eventually dubbed 'the Visitations' - vary impressively in tone and style. What is the unifying theme? The blurb declares 'compassion and memory in the midst of all that is grotesque', and that's not a terrible start, but I think it leaves out a lot. Many of the characters in the stories are defined by devotion, often to people who do not reciprocate it, or view them as toys at best. The parrot's story is equally the story of 'My Love', life in the court, the affair she has - and also of casual, indifferent cruelty, such as when the parrot's tongue is peeled to make her sing prettier on Khan-Sahib's suggestion. (I assume this is an actual historical practice...)

Sarukkai Chabria has a fantastic command of narrative voice, which works extremely well when she's sketching the contours of living through all these different partial perspectives. I am reminded, strongly, of the different stories in Rachel Pollack's novel Unquenchable Fire, and what Pollack had to say about suffering and ecstasy. The story of Dhammapada, the 'flying monk', is a great example of how the stories immerse you in the worldviews of each character: full of earnest passion, we can read a bit between the lines to learn a bit about the harshness of the monastery and the power structures within it, but at the same time it's difficult not to be pulled in to share that same fascination with life. The arrogant fish, who believes it has solely seen through the illusion and understood the world and casts disdain on its fellow fish, is another fantastically entertaining character.

As good as these stories are, the dystopian setting is also a pretty fascinating creation. It's a society defined by weird calcified hypocrisies. Anyone is free to access information, but doing so may call suspicion down on you, which could be lethal. 'Free-Time' is ritualised and timed down to the minute. It assigns her a cyborg dog to monitor her, but the dog is so affected by the ambient violence of the gladitorial games that it tears itself to pieces; the Clone is helpless to stop this but still punished, a recurring pattern. It's a well observed depiction of the caprice of such a system of power.

The final arc of Clone sees 14/54/G imprisoned in luxurious but harshly controlled circumstances as various factions within the Global Community try to pry out the final poem of her original, the subversive poet 'Aa-aa'. She's caught up in a somewhat convoluted power game: 'Leader', an Original who turns out to be related to Aa-aa, wishes to take this opportunity to stage a rebellion; all, however, hinges on the Clone sufficiently recreating the life of Aa-aa to be able to conjure up her final words.

As with all affairs of the "Global Community", their approach is haphazard, almost cargo-cult attitude towards the way humans work. As soon as they give up on one approach, like putting her in Aa-aa's quarters and trying to get her to roleplay as the Original, they switch to another, like drugging her. At one point our protagonist is taken on a trip to see the horrible conditions at a factory that had a severe effect on Aa-aa, but there's a Guide Clone and a Superior Zombie along for the ride to make sure she reacts in the proper way. The tension builds and builds, as our protagonist desperately struggles to think of something to say to demonstrate her usefulness, or support the rebellion, and somehow survive.

The ending when it comes is quite abrupt, and I feel like this is the only part (aside from biological quibbles) where I felt like I didn't quite get it anymore. Spoilers, then:

Unable to divine what Aa-aa was going to say, the Clone ends up making an appeal to common humanity in front of all of the Originals at The Celebrations. It felt like an odd moment to me, because the entire book up to that point seemed to be demolishing the idea that anyone has ever given a shit about common humanity. To be fair, the words don't seem to have much effect on anyone else either: the Clone manages to escape with her life in the chaos of the palace drama within a few pages, but there is little sign that her words will have much effect beyond the immediate disruption.

So what's it all about? We have this unsparing cross-section through all types of human cruelty; we've seen all sorts of people contemplating the nature of existence through religion and interpersonal devotion; in the present we've seen a privileged intellectual become aware of the horrors of her society and minutely observed the hypocritical ways she reacts, which have become calcified into a ritual designed to extract one final missing piece of information from a disposable being. For all the strange turns her life takes, the Clone almost never has any power; she's tossed around on the wake of events that preceded her. But the forces acting on her are in their own way painfully ignorant and stupid.

We can read parallels to all sorts of societies. Given the very specifically Indian references in this book, we could think of British India, or equally the modern fascism of Modi's government - but I think it would be too reductive to read it as being about just one specific political regime when it takes this especially broad view.

I feel like part of the reason the Clone's statement feels like it falls short is that there is no way to sum up everything we've seen. It's too broad and too full of contradictions. Individual stories have overt themes: the arrogance of the intellectual fish, the freedom of political power to be capricious in the mother's address to Emperor Ashoka, and so on and so on - and many of these ideas have reflection in the present-day story. But any attempt to just turn them all into one pithy statement feels doomed to be pat.

Perhaps it is because I finished the game around the same time, but I am kind of reminded of the stories of NieR Reincarnation, which takes a similar anthology approach to the follies and tragedies of human history. In that case, the preservation of the archive taken as a whole is the subject of the story; here the stories all belong to one person's body of work, and we are witnessing a mad effort to try to find where they all point, with the futility of this project all concentrated on our Clone.

I kind of wonder what ending could have worked better than 'I am human, I claim my birthright' as the Clone's final statement - after spending the whole story dismantling the construct of the human, inviting us to inhabit animals and clones and so on, it feels off to reaffirm 'we are all human' as the basis of a path out. And, to be fair it's not quite her final statement - she goes away carrying memories of those who died, contemplating the 'cocoons' of memories, carrying a child (biological), and contemplating perhaps one day continuing to write down the Visitations. The final words of the story return to the death-witnessing dog Trichaisma, as Trichaisma's owner, the warlord Vrikama, finally dies. It ends in a dog's prayer. That's pretty cool!

I don't know that I have a final definitive reading of all that happens in Clone. That's exactly what makes it compelling! It's a book that doesn't pull its punches and is content to face ambiguity. That's good shit.

So, I was well impressed with Clone. I definitely feel like I'd love to see more recognition of this book in Western SFF fandom (I don't wanna say English-language, because it seems like a lot of the newspapers that covered it are in English). I feel like I'm only scratching the surface here, and I lack the cultural background to appreciate some of the historical or religious allusions, which I'd love to see elaborated on!

I definitely wanna read more Indian SFF! Next on the docket on that front is Kaiyeki by Vaishnavi Patel. Hopefully it will take me fewer months to get around to writing about this one ^^'

[oh-my-damn]

I am having thoughts regarding the different types of women out there

My thoughts are completely biased since they are based on the differences between my own and my roommates favorite Taylor Swift songs

Based on that very small study I have come to the obvious conclusion that there are basically two types of women out there (this is based on literal nothing other than vibes)

It's The Bolter girls vs The Prophecy girls

Let me show you the differences:

The Bolter girls are girls who tend to run away from love or run away from close relationships in general.

Some of their favorite bangers include (in no particular order):

The Bolter, champagne problems, closure, Dear Reader, The Manuscript, my tears ricochet, illicit affairs, Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?, The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived, I Can Do It With a Broken Heart, The Tortured Poets Department, peace, happiness, Coney Island, exile, Fresh Out the Slammer, Clara Bow, Should've Said No, Fifteen, Bad Blood, The Moment I Knew, I Know Places, Now That We Dont Talk, I Did Something Bad, Death by a Thousand Cuts, False God, the 1, this is me trying, the last great american dynasty, seven, ivy, epiphany, gold rush, 'tis the damn season, long story short, Lavender Haze, Anti-Hero, Midnight Rain, Karma.

As for The Prophecy girls, they are the type of girls who, while they can still be reserved and distant like The Bolter girls, are secretly hoping and searching for love. They're lovergirls, inherently, even if they don't always show it.

Here are some of their fave bangers (in no particular order):

The Prophecy, So Long, London, loml, Guilty as Sin?, imgonnagetyouback, How Did It End?, The Alchemy, Peter, The Albatross, I Look in Peoples Windows, Cassandra, But Daddy I Love Him, betty, cardigan, august, If This Was a Movie, White Horse, Safe & Sound, Red, mirrorball, I Knew You Were Trouble, Style, Wildest Dreams, This Love, All You Had To Do Was Stay, How You Get the Girl, Is It Over Now?, Don't Blame Me, Delicate, Gorgeous, Dress, End Game, King of My Heart, Lover, willow, marjorie, dorothea, right where you left me, tolerate it, Maroon, Question...?, Bejeweled, Labyrinth, Glitch.

Common denominators (among others):

The Black Dog, Down Bad, I Hate It Here, mad woman, All Too Well (10 min version), Clean, New Years Day, The Archer, The Man, the lakes, You're On Your Own, Kid, Vigilante Shit, Mastermind, Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus, Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince, Cruel Summer.

Anyway, once again, this is an entirely biased study based on two people so it's absolutely inaccurate. But still fun!

[raayllum]

I saw @jelzorz's post about Sorpeli the other day, and was wondering what are some of your HC's about them?

Previous HCs here <3 and some more as a bonus

Once they're married / Opeli has stepped down as High Cleric, Soren likes to braid her long hair now that she doesn't have to keep it down

During Soren's pining phase in which Opeli quietly but firmly rebuffs him (largely before he makes his Serious Feelings known because he's hoping she'll catch the hint), Soren writes a lot of angsty, lovelorn poetry. You could almost call it the tortured poet's department—[gets shot]

Opeli helping him shave his beard down before he decides to keep it

Already talked about him calling her "Eli" but I think she'd call him dear as her primary term of endearment (although Captain is often very fond, too)

They don't fight a lot as a couple — most of the time when they're miffed it's some back and forth bickering, quiet glares, and some cold shoulders before talking it out after a day or two and later, after only a few hours. However, their differing parenting styles cause the most chafing and learning curve for them. They figure it out

The two biggest fights they have that isn't about early childhood rearing is 1) about him wanting to be with her when she tries to break things off out of fear/reservation because of their Everything, and 2) during the breakup interim period, probably, because Soren goes full into "my job is to die in Ezran's place if necessary" and Opeli can't entirely justify that

Opeli teasing him but also very much liking it when he gets his first white/gray streak of hair. On that note: their relationship causing Soren to have a healthier view of aging and getting older, so he's not bothered or panicking either.

Soren still using the nicknames "Lady Bossyface" and "Lord Breadsandwich" to make their kids laugh (Opeli just smiles and rolls her eyes)

Soren doesn't talk about it much, but he absolutely gets nightmares. Opeli is always a comforting presence whether he wakes her or not, and Soren likes to burrow in and be the small spoon despite being actually bigger than her.

The fellow crownguard tease Soren a fair bit (goodnaturedly) about him liking Opeli for the few that are close enough to tell, and notice his distinct change in attitude once the two start their trysts and later their actual relationship. Castle gossip was quietly wilding

[sunshinemoonrx]

since you've taught me so much already. top 5 characters from historical literature (i love the guys i've heard about so far)

Helllll yeah. Okay so a lot of these are gonna be "all right here's a pretty famous guy but did you know he was originally different and weird!" Folklore time let's goooooo

Honourable mention: All of Medieval Welsh Lit

This is a catch-all I'm using to stop all 5 of these entries from being this because I gotta cover places like Turkey and Ireland. There's still a couple dw. But there's so many more like Rhiannon, world's most magical snarky part-time ponygirl; Macsen Wledic, who everyone wants to be their ancestor, or wait this is a reflection of the historical would-be Roman emperor Magnus Maximus; Mabon ap Modron, world's specialest boy who does fuck all Oh Wait this is an ancient deity who was syncretised with Apollo? Neat! Okay actual entries Go

5. Robin Hood

This is a prime case of "in the original version..." I'm actually a big fan of the earliest medieval Robin Hood ballads we have, they're very fun bouncy little adventures and the middle English is just comprehensible enough that I can alternate between reading the original text and the translation. Did you know that it took a couple centuries for Robin to be turned into an exiled lord (to make him more palatable to a noble audience when they started making plays about him, he originated in songs and performances at country fairs), and he was a commoner fucking with the king before then? And that despite how much a "modern twist" it seems, Marian (who might have started as an unrelated character with her own adventures) beating him in a fight actually pre-dates the nobleman thing!

4. Battal Gazi

The absolute lad. A pulp adventure style hero from medieval Turkish epics sourced from the Byzantine frontier. There's a real cowboy adventure vibe to these. And they got made into a series of campy adventure films in the 50s! And he defeated one HUNDRED Romans with EACH swing of his sword and EVERYONE clapped (for real I'm pretty sure he kills Charlemagne in one of these)

3. Taliesin

The secret main character of medieval Welsh literature and poetry! An actual historical poet of the 6th century who became so famous that later medieval writers would write legends about him having magic bardic powers, write poems in his voice...which makes it hard to figure out what he actually wrote! But what can be sorta confidently attributed to him mostly consists of praise poetry for the north-British king Urien Rheged, which is...maybe a little romantic? He always ends them with

"And until I fail in old age,

in the sore necessity of death,

May I not be smiling,

If I praise not Urien."

Which is nice. Urien is the sneaky other subject of this--he's also a really interesting guy halfway between history and legend, subject of a whole bunch more poetry and hegemon of his while region. His son, Owain, possibly fought in the famous battle of the Gododdin, was written as the leader of hundreds of giant magical ravens, and finally got absorbed into continental Arthurian legend as 'Yvain'

2. Cai the Fair

Speaking of Arthur! I'm a big fan of the original version based in Welsh folklore, a wandering warrior prior to his transformation into a chivalric king. Similarly, some of his knights started as companions of the original version, and my favourite is the counterpart of Sir Kay. In later and mainstream Arthuriana he's the jackass who exists to get clowned on to show how cool Lancelot or whoever is, but this is actually because he started off as Arthur's best guy, so in anime rival tradition, showing him up is an easy way to establish your cool new OC. The original Cai can grow giant, has both heat and cold powers, can survive underwater for weeks...he slays all kind of giants, fights a giant cat, and then he does one giant slaying in a slightly sneaky way and Arthur (who is sometimes called a "frivolous bard") sings a mean song about him and he swears never to help him again. Oops!

He's also a bit gay with it--he's often paired with Bedwyr (source of Sir Bedivere), they love questing together and swear by each other, Cai was heartbroken when he died...

1. Cú Chulainn

The BOY. My GUY

The central hero of most of the Ulster cycle, you may know him from Fate. But the Fate version is less weird and less anime than the medieval version!! This Cú is a weird little trans-coded twink with three-coloured hair, seven-coloured eyes, a bunch of named special moves and an epic duel to the death with his boyfriend.

He's such a fucked up little guy! He's the perfect product and also the perfect victim of the glory-obsessed warrior culture he exists in, he's driven to destroy himself and everyone around him by a constant terror of not being the best at all times, he's so...arrrrrgh. he's the guy!! He's an extremely bad person to be clear. I love him. Sometimes he gets so worked up into a warrior's frenzy he generates a flaming aura that can melt snow and has to be dunked in cold water to chill out! I have like three writing projects in the works that are basically "Cú Chulainn for lesbians". Highest honour I can bestow

[vanessalocke]

France's birthday makes him a cancer and he is SUCH a typical cancer - a moody, sensitive, emotional, passionate, caretaker, hopeless romantic drama queen

I have a different opinion than you:

Before I say anything below, I should note that I am no longer involved with Zodiac. The following is just a repeat of what I wrote many years ago when trying to analyze the character of France. In the present, I'm very reluctant to use the Zodiac to analyze real people, but since Francis is a fictional character, it's somehow okay.

Like this, if we use the language of the Zodiac, the perspective about France is often divided into two types: Libra or Pisces (Just like the view about England is often divided into two types: Scorpio and Cancer). I see that France has characteristics of both signs, and depending on each person's perspective, each person can see which sign France is stronger in.

The reason I think France has strong Pisces energy is because he is a sensitive person, easy to confide in, easy to sympathize with (Pisces' nature is to "dissolve") => he used to work as a radio announcer.

From the "watery" nature, the chaotic and unprincipled nature of Pisces, we can see it reflected in the "disorganization and discipline" of the French language, but at the same time, the French language is considered "the purest language" and all UN documents have a French version. Not to mention the writers, poets and ideas produced in this country may reflect the "sensitivity" and "oldness" of Pisces as the last zodiac sign in the cycle 12 palaces.

Next comes the mystery. A Zodiac blog named Quybaba once said that the sea has a lot of fish, until we catch a fish, we will not know what fish it is - it could be just a small fish or it could also be a shark => Pisces are the "hidden" elements under such water. They are often the type of people who "distract" others with jokes or their "bewilderment and uselessness" but actually have their own thoughts and many have very sharp minds. I think this is quite true for France.

Not to mention Pisces is a sign famous for easily falling into something, including depression and alcoholism, and as you know, France is the boss of deep and the boss of alcoholism 🙄. This trait is rare in Libra, because they are famous for their balance (with low level energy it would be "superficial"). France, I think his things are usually pushed to one end or the other of the pole, not in the middle like Libras.

Most likely France is a Libra rising. Rising is the cover and also the type of energy used to deal with social relationships. Up to now, any country that relies on France has been asked for a fee or forced to "pay" something in return, but rarely has the hidden intention of long-term soft power tightening like other countries. And yes, France is quite good at communication.

In addition, I also have headcanon France with South Node Leo. This is my headcanon just for fun, because his style is an outstanding style (eg military uniform, colorful behavior and appearance), "this stage is mine", and his behavior sometimes gives the feeling of "In heaven (above the sky), in the world (under the sky), I am the one and only" ("Thiên thượng thiên hạ, duy ngã độc tôn"). That's why I think his flirty appearance is the influence of Leo South Node and Libra Rising, but because it's Leo South Node and Libra Rising, it's a "shell" and not really an "inner part". Actually, I don't think he's really that flirty (or, slutty, haha). But actually, I don't think he's really that slutty. Because real fvckboys (if you've ever met them), you'll see that they're masters of psychological manipulation, not show off like peacocks like France. Because when fvckboys cheat on girls, they never act like they're such flashy guys 😩. Not to mention South Node Leo is the type of person who likes the feeling of "unrequited love", "being caught up in love" and does not like "being in a real relationship". To be precise, this is a bunch of lithromantics: they like someone until that person likes them back and they run away. And this fits very well with France's "distracting" and "showing off one thing but being another" personality. I talked about this before in my headcanon post about Francis's lithromantic.

So yes, France is exactly a moody, sensitive, emotional, passionate, caretaker, hopeless romantic drama queen, but somehow I have a feeling that he is a combination of Pisces, Leo and Libra (which is also a very dramatic combination). Instead, I feel like England is Cancer (and Scorpio and Aries).

[rachthepoet]

Satellite Analysis

There's always one song from an artist's release that their following chooses to adopt as their own, and Satellite quickly became the said embraced, and it's not hard to puzzle together why that is. Musically, it's atmospheric and pleasing to the ears, and the shifts in intensity offer stompin' dance breaks. It's impossible to not shimmy your shoulders when listening — believe me, I've tried. Distinct from the danceability, though, is a tenderness so dear that it flies under the radar. And maybe not so separated, as the production and music even aid it when listened closely.

As a song, it delves into the complexities of a relationship where communication and connection seem to be drifting apart. Painting a picture of someone trying to reach out to another, for they're no longer in each others' lives. It's a longing for dialogue and reconnection as the emotional distance is ever highlighted through extended metaphor. It takes the simplistic human desire and nature for companionship and dips it into an intoxicating otherworldly basis.

Here's a deep dive into Harry Styles' Satellite, from a poet.

Satellite, A Metaphor 🛰️

Felt like Augustus Waters typing that just now. Anywho. The song orbits around an extended metaphor, with a symbol strong enough to stand alone at the heart. The Satellite. And understanding it all thoroughly is the key to understanding this piece in all its wonder.

First, let's talk about the symbol itself. A satellite is, by dictionary definition, an artificial body placed in orbit around the earth, moon, or another planet to collect information or for communication. In this scenario, the satellite is an extension of the speaker as the speaker has become much like the satellite itself. Got it? And I feel like it's relevant to mention how the relationship between a satellite and the object it is orbiting is often a give-and-take dynamic. The satellite will send signals to the object and the object keeps the satellite connected. And, when there's a disconnection — a break in the two's casual communication — there's a need for recalibration — seeking that connection with the other person again.

Now, time for the grandiose metaphor at play. The feeling being portrayed is one of being stuck in perpetual orbit — close yet distant, constantly revolving around the person they care about without being able to connect. A distinct emotional distance carries on through the whole song, and there's not a clear resolution — which is something I actually prefer, for that's not how things truly are. Sometimes one is just stuck in perpetual orbit. He utilizes the celestial to explore themes of longing, unrequited dynamics, and the struggle to maintain connection when life pulls people in different directions. But, even in this melancholia, there's a balance with an added sense of hopefulness, for he remains present and waiting.

Lyric Pull Apart

[VERSE 1] You got a new life Am I bothering you? Do you wanna talk? We share the last line Then we drink the wall 'til we wanna talk

In the very first line, You got a new life, which straight away addresses that a significant shift has taken place. The receiver's day-to-day schedule differs from what it used to be, and, as I find he likes to do within his writing, this can be taken literally and metaphorically. In the literal sense, they are busier, have more activities or responsibilities than previously, etcetera. Yet, metaphorically, the receiver's perspective on things has changed significantly since the last time the two were close (emotionally, physically, or both).

Then, from the second line onward, he's already tip-toeing around the desire to start a conversation, spark a connection, and initiate this recalibration. Yet, due to his insecurities, there's an underlying fear of being a bother to them — unsure if they share the same desire for rectification — but still asks if they can speak.

Issues in communication are present consistently in his catalog of pieces, whether in relationship to the self or within relationships. I find this essential to explore, the patterns in someone's work and the evolution. Each time it has been referenced in the past, the representation surfaced in two ways: (i) a general resistance to communicate/refusing to take the blame for issues sprawled in front of him; (ii) waiting for a conversation to begin without doing anything himself to initiate it. But, things are different now. And this is a common theme across the "Harry's House" album, where lots of his old themes are present but have evolved to something more reflective and mature. Now, he's initiating, inviting the person to connect with him after time estranged. Stepping over that fear and continuing to try. Do you wanna talk? Because I really want to! I do!

The last two lines, We share the last line / Then we drink the wall 'til we wanna talk, are where, admittedly, I got a bit muddled at first. I concluded that we're in the midst of another literal and metaphorical situation, where it can be taken both ways with upheld substance, much like the nature of the first line. Literally, also known as prominent drug/alcohol references, it would make sense. There's this pre-determined need to not be sober when reopening communication, perhaps to be more honest and open to the more difficult things that could come. They need to remove some of the tension built up. In this case, drinking the wall leads to a wine rack. The other option is spinning yourself into the more abstract, with Then we drink the wall 'til we wanna talk being another variation on breaking down the walls. Walls and tension have been built up, and they need to evaporate it sip by sip.

Also, an additional sentiment is that We share the last line could be referring to the line preceding inside this very song. The line that comes before that ending couplet is: Am I bothering you? Do you wanna talk? And I love the idea of referencing a song inside said song. Feels like a lite version of a matryoshka doll. Anyway. Since "we" is used here, there can be an assumed sense of mutuality where both wish to communicate (another difference and progression from themes in previous albums, interesting to note). So, they share the last line, Do you wanna talk?, as that's the initiation for said communication.

[PRE-CHORUS] I go 'round and 'round Satellite

This is where that grandiose metaphor comes in. The speaker compares himself to a satellite going around and around a planet, which in turn is someone he considers his world or a big center of gravity to his life, even after their connection has broken. The purpose of the artificial satellite is communication, but it's kept at a perfect distance from the body around which it orbits — the receiver needs their space, so he's quite literally giving them space. Even in the metaphors residing in space, you have to smile at wordplay.

Additionally, the phrasing I go 'round and 'round represents the satellite's orbit pattern, but I theorize there's a second connotation alluding to repetitiveness. He spins 'round and 'round over and over, letting himself be known, but the other person won't open the door. And it wouldn't be the first time in "Harry's House" that there was a cyclical ideation, soon to be seen in the song Boyfriends that follows directly after.

[CHORUS] Spinnin' out, waitin' for ya to pull me in I can see you're lonely down there Don't you know that I am right here? Spinnin' out, waitin' for ya to pull me in I can see you're lonely down there Don't you know that I am right here?

He's spinning out in orbit and waits, Waitin' for ya to pull me in, and that's all he can do. All that can be done is to circle around the person and quietly observe them. And one of these observations that he makes is that the person is lonely, I can see you're lonely down there. There are many conclusions one can come to to fathom the reasoning behind this, but, to remain within the context of the song -- he believes they're lonely in terms of them being left alone to think about their thoughts, thoughts they previously shared with him in moments of emotional intimacy. The said emotional intimacy he's orbiting around, trying to recalibrate and bring back connection. He desperately wants to be a part of these conversations again. Even deeper, the isolated down there phrasing could be a play on the common saying of someone feeling down, which can contribute to an emotional shutout, which then, further, contributes to the disconnection.

Don't you know that I am right here? is the core question of the piece. The speaker has made it clear that this orbiting is done with his own will, but there's also frustration, wondering how long he can go on in this cyclical desperation to reconnect. There's melancholy and desperation as he observes the other meticulously, and sees they're lonely. But he's always been there, and they either don't realize or refuse to. Therefore, it leads him to a moment of pondering, wondering: Don't you know that I'm here for you? To communicate and help you through? I can see you're lonely down there, but I'm here with open arms, so you don't have to be anymore. I'm waiting for your green light to eliminate this tense space between us.

And that leads perfectly to the double meaning of Spinnin' out: the more colloquial meaning is another way to express that someone is panicking, which could be an emotion surfaced because of this distance and space between. Then, if one wants to dive deeper, you bring in the following Waitin' for ya to pull me in, which can have an accompanying meaning of gravity to tie in with the celestial theme — he's waiting for them to take him by the hand, both metaphorically and literally, and show reciprocation in the desire for reconnection.

[VERSE 2] I'm in a L.A. mood I don't wanna talk to you She said, "Give me a day or two"

The second verse and the first are opposites, and that's interesting. And, in my guesses, there are two separate readings possible, and depends on perspective. Whether you read it from the speaker's mouth or the receiver's.

Starting with the latter, this second verse is a response. And it shouldn't be lost how the length is shorter and more brief. When considering this being from the receiver to the speaker, it comes off as dismissive. A shutdown of the hand of the speaker's reaching out, as the receiver quickly asks for more space and time, Give me a day or two, with a brief explanation, I'm in a L.A. mood, while sneaking in the real intention in this stalling, I don't wanna talk to you. Though he's constantly open to reconnection, the other is not.

Now, if there's no perspective change, the speaker's reverting back to old habits in reaction to frustration. A prime example of the reaction to the action, or in this case nonaction, is how he regresses back to his struggle with communication and says in the most obvious manner: I don't wanna talk to you. It's a bit jarring after the song thus far shows a desire, almost desperation, for communication. But there's some more reasoning, and it lies in the line before, I'm in a L.A. mood. He's using the phrase to embody the professional and work mood and mindset, and how one usually compartmentalizes work and private life. I'm shoving it into the back of my mind for now, which could also provoke a bad mood as well. Followed then with She said, "Give me a day or two", maybe either bringing in the other perspective briefly or just an encouragement to keep himself focused for another day or two. A bit of a sloppy interpretation, but one nonetheless, and I hope it all made sense as I tried to verbalize it.

[PRE-CHORUS AND CHORUS REPETITION]

[BRIDGE] Right here, right here Spinnin' out, waitin' for ya I'm here, right here Wishin' I could be there for ya Be there for ya Be there for ya, for ya For ya Be there for ya

The beloved bridge, and very much well-loved by myself, as well. What began as an easy, swaying, otherworldly melody has now built up to an explosion of emotions expressed. The frustration amplifies, as he keeps being turned away again and again. As the speaker waits for them to see him and listen, the receiver doesn't seem to be able to reciprocate. Though his care for them remains genuine and prominent, the impatience courses vigorously. All his frustration builds up from the first verse and progresses through the piece, leading up to right now, the bridge we all love, as he lets it all out. He yells. He cries louder. He's right there.

This is the visual I get in my hand. A ghostly figure of the speaker in front of the receiver, with his hand on their shoulders, but they're unable to feel his touch. But he's trying to shake them, and trying to make them see again and again that he's right here. I'm here, right here sounds comforting, like he's trying to give solace to his other. I'm here. You're not alone, you don't need to be lonely. Then, he continues on to say Wishin' I could be there for ya which illustrates the emotional distance and physical distance simultaneously, as he cries out that extra mile about how he just wishes so deeply he could be there for them.

Satellite is grounding your partner while floating in their gravity, waiting for them to pull you in and let you be there for them. It makes me think of long nights, at the end of summer, when you lay outside on a picnic blanket and finally bear your soul out to someone under the stars to the soundtracks of the season. The music makes you feel like you’re floating into another place and time. It’s like a cacophony, the musicality of the song reflecting Harry’s exasperation. Whirring guitars, sun-dappled synths, and even cymbals bloom all over the song, and it all sticks with you for a long time.

dedicated to this anon and this anon <3

Thank you for reading, you’re absolutely incredible!��If there are any songs you’d like me to make an analysis of, please send your request to my inbox! along with any questions or insights you might have yourself!

[inspofromancientworld]

Legendary Creatures: Cyclopes

Cyclopes (Κύκλωπες, Kýklōpes, 'circle-eyes' or 'round-eyes') come from the Greek and then Roman mythology. Hesiod wrote in the Theogany (composed around 730-700 BCE as an Epic dialect [in the style of the Iliad and Odyssey] and one of the most important primary sources on ancient Greek cosmogony) that there are three brothers, Brontes, Steropes, and Arges (thunder, lightning, and bright), the sons of Uranus and Gaia and creators of Zeus' thunder bolts. In Homer's Odyssey, they're uncouth shepherds, siblings of Polyphemus, sons of Poseidon and Thoosa, a sea nymph. Alternately, they built the so-called Cyclopean walls ta Mycenae, Tiryns, and Argos.

By Cornelis Cort (Holland, Hoorn, 1533-1578) - Image: http://collections.lacma.org/sites/default/files/remote_images/piction/ma-31895983-O3.jpgGallery: http://collections.lacma.org/node/170882 archive copy at the Wayback Machine, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27330672

In Hesiod's writing, the three Cyclopes are the brothers of the Titans and the Hundred-Handers. They have a single eye in the middle of their foreheads. They helped Zeus in his takeover of the Greek succession myths after their father Uranus had imprisoned them. When Zeus freed them, they agreed to help him by creating his weapon, making it so that Zeus could stand against Cronus and the Titans. Apollodorus, a mythographor of the first or second CE, they also created Poseidon's trident and Hades' cap of invisibility, which also aided in the defeat of the Titans. In the Catalogue of Women, the author, presumably Hesiod, writes that the presumably immortal Cyclopes were killed by Apollo in revenge for Apollo's son Asclepius being killed by Zeus' thunderbolts. They also became the assistants to Hephaestus, creating the weapons of Apollow and Artemis. And though they have 'very violent hearts', great size, and strength, they only served the gods dutifully.

By Napoleon Vier, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1353019

Homer's Odyssey (about 700 BCE) has the Cyclopes being man-eating giants who live in a distant land. They are very different to Hesiod's Cyclopes, being violent and living in the world of men rather than that of the gods. They also are shepherds with no understanding of agriculture or building rather than highly skilled smiths. According to the Roman poet Virgil, Homer's Cyclopes are siblings to Hesiod's Cyclopes.

By MM - Own work (some correction on sky), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=735525

The Cyclopean masonry walls on Mycenae, Tiryns, and Argos are made of large limestone boulders that fit together roughly yet had very little clearance between the stones and without mortar. This skill with the walls leans these Cyclopes of Hesiod rather than those of Homer despite living among humans as well as being used to explain the origin of the large walls on these islands. The mythic story is used to explain how the walls were built about 1300 BCE by people of the late fifth and early fourth-century BCE.

[soracities]

hey mim! i don't have really any poetry books at my house but ive been wanting to get a few. do you have any suggestions or ideas for what i should get? i don't have that much to spend so it'll only be a few books, and because it's a few im wondering if you have any favorites or anything you consider essential to have. asking because you have really excellent taste and i personally mostly read indivual poems (by usually really never the same author) rather than any sort of collections or whatever.

hello anon 🌹

I think if you can tell me which of the poems you've read that you've loved the most I can help a bit more but otherwise, if you are prone to reading individual poems more so than a single collection, then a poetry anthology is a v good thing to have at hand! Ones I've really enjoyed are A Book of Luminous Things: An International Anthology of Poetry (ed by Czeslaw Milosz whom I love), The Ecco Anthology of International Poetry (ed. Ilya Kaminsky whom I also adore) and Staying Alive: Unreal Poems for Unreal Times--the latter is part of a trilogy which includes Being Alive and Staying Human, as well as a fourth volume which brings together different poems from the three books, and might be a good way to experience the trilogy if you're on a budget!

Otherwise I don't have essentials, only ones that have really spoken to me--this may be different for you so I would def recommend testing the waters a little by finding some poems from the following poets online--I've probably posted a fair amount of them on my blog, too, I think--and see how you feel about them. In any case, some collections I've really enjoyed were: What the Living Do by Marie Howe, Sonnets and Elegies by Rilke, The Half-Finished Heaven by Tomas Tranströmer, Poppies in July by Sujata Bhatt, Devotions / Felicity by Mary Oliver, Bright Dead Things by Ada Limón, View with a Grain of Sand by Wislawa Szymborska, Concerning the Book That is the Body of the Beloved by Gregory Orr, Tell me / What is This Thing Called Love by Kim Addonzio, Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky, A Tree Within / A Tale of Two Gardens by Octavio Paz, Almond Blossoms and Beyond / Memory for Forgetfulness: August, Beirut, 1982 (Mahmoud Darwish), Selected Poems by Paul Eluard

Also, and I don't know where you are in the world or how much books will usually cost there so this will depend on availability etc, but I do think a good idea for when you're trying to find books on a budget (and which is what I did at the start and STILL do), if it's something feasible for you, is to try and locate any secondhand booksellers near you and spend some time browsing the poetry section if they have one. Take your time with them, leaf through a few, or read a handful of the poems and see what speaks to you (it's also a good way of stumbling across something you may not otherwise have discovered).

I rarely, if ever, order my books off am*z*n but I'm also lucky enough to live in a place with very good access to secondhand / independent booksellers so I know this isn't always feasible for everyone. But if you are ordering your books online, and if their selections fall within your budget, I highly recommend world of books or better world books -- again, I don't know where you live or how shipping / delivery costs would work out for you but they're a very good place for secondhand (and new) literature at a lower price if you don't have access to those in person. I hope some of this helps, but again, please feel free to come back and tell me what some of your most loved poems are or if there are uniting themes / styles in the poems you enjoy most! I hope this helps in any case and best of luck, anon 💗

[fictionadventurer]

I’ve loved following along with your NaPoWriMo poems! Any advice or tips for someone who’s thinking about trying out writing her own poetry?

I am so glad you've asked this question, because one of my main emotions during National Poetry Writing Month was anger at all the people who made poetry seem like this agonizing endeavor that only the most intelligent and soulful should undertake. As I got going, I found that it was fun. It was easy (or at least a fun challenge). It stretched my brain in new ways, and let me express things in a new creative format. I think everyone should get the chance to experience that, and I want to encourage everyone to try.

So here's my:

Guide to Writing Poetry For Absolute Beginners

Read a poetry anthology: One that collects works from multiple different poets across lots of different time periods. Ideally, one meant to introduce children to poetry, because children are going to want poems that are enjoyable, understandable and fairly straightforward--which is much easier for a beginner to imitate. Reading A Child's Anthology of Poetry was what first made me think poetry was something I not only wanted to do, but I could do. Reading a lot of different poets made me learn which styles I liked and didn't like, and gave me examples to keep in mind when I decided to write my own poetry--for example, I kept Sara Teasdale's poetry and this A.E. Housman poem in mind a lot during the month, because I found I liked short, rhyming poems that talked about nature with fairly straightforward language.

Don't be afraid: Poetry should not be intimidating. Ignore the books that say it's an agonizing endeavor. Poetry is putting words on a page, and then rearranging them to say what you want to say in a cooler way. That's it. Don't make it more complicated than it has to be. You don't need to scrape out the innermost depths of your soul--you can just tell people about something you saw, maybe share a thought about it. It can be simple. It can be fun. It's fine.

Do not try to write good poetry: This is the most important rule. Staple it to your forehead. Write it on the wall. As an absolute beginner, a lot of what you write is going to be bad poetry--and that's great! It means you're creating poetry! Which is much better than not creating poetry! Worrying about whether your poetry is "good" or "bad" is the easiest way to destroy your enjoyment and keep you from writing poetry. I cannot tell you how many times during April I looked at my poetry and thought in dismay, "Wow, this is really bad compared to other poetry," and then remembered, "Good thing I'm not trying to write good poetry!" and happily continued writing. If you just keep writing, whether it's good or bad, you're going to wind up with a lot more poetry--and have a lot more fun doing it--than you would if you'd let yourself worry about quality, and writing more poetry is a great way to get better at writing poetry.

Use prompts: I found that the prompts for National Poetry Writing Month were a great source of inspiration, giving me guidance when the idea of poetry was so new and intimidating that I didn't know where to begin. Not every prompt is going to inspire you, but the ones that do can be a great way to stretch your imagination. Having a community was also great--seeing other people respond to the same prompts made the idea of filling those prompts less intimidating--but I recognize that's not easy to arrange outside of National Poetry Writing Month.

Short is good: Short poems take less time to write. They make you focus on one or two things you really want to say or images you really want to use. They're easy to structure--set-up an image or an idea, resolve with a thought about it, and then you're done. You can write longer poems if you have an idea that requires it, but keeping your poems short is a great way to get a sense of accomplishment very quickly.

Play with rhyme and meter: Because it's fun and I like it. Because it makes you think about the sound of the words you use and encourages you to think about word choice and word arrangement. Because it can make a poem feel more structured and complete. Because the rhyme or meter you choose can help you figure out how to structure your idea. You don't have to use it for every poem, but I find that using it can make it easier to turn an idea into a poem, because it forces you to pare down your ideas to fit the structure.

Use poetic forms: For many of the same reasons I encourage you to try rhyme and meter. A poetic form can help give your ideas structure. It turns poetry into a fun crossword-style game. There are a lot of short, familiar poetry forms to start out with--I began with a limerick and a haiku--but there are tons of possibilities. When I needed inspiration for a poem, I often looked through this list--when I found a form that looked intriguing and doable, I'd try it out. Often, a certain form will suggest certain topics that would work well in that format, so this method can help with brainstorming, too.

Don't be afraid to branch out: It's fun to use rhyme and meter, keep things short, and use established poetry forms, but if you come up with ideas that don't do any of that, go for it! Especially after you've written a few poems--you've learned what you like and don't like, what works and doesn't work for you, so you can use your knowledge to branch out and try something new.

Observe your surroundings: It's a great way to get images and thoughts to inspire new poems, especially once you have a few under your belt and learn what kind of ideas lend themselves well to poetry.

Have a deadline: I found that having a poem-a-day goal helped me to write much more than I would have otherwise. I couldn't tinker with a poem forever--I had to post it by the end of the day and then move on. One day, I'll have to learn how to revise poetry, but that's a goal for when I'm not an Absolute Beginner. For now, finishing poems is the more useful goal.

Remember, all of this is advice from an Absolute Beginner who has been writing poetry for barely over a month. There's a lot I don't know, and I'm just sharing what worked for me. But as an Absolute Beginner, I feel I'm qualified to tell other Absolute Beginners that the endeavor of beginning to write poetry is absolutely worth it.