#mythology by them was also a banger

[psychoticwillgraham]

the chokehold this song had on me as a teenager….

[rutobuka2]

Hi! Which are your favorite bagginshield fics?

I haven't been reading fic lately, so I might forget a lot of them, but:

my talented friend McManatea didn't write often but every time I think of a "complicated old uncle love" fic that makes my heart twinge I think of hers: Come To My Own Hearthstone

my talented friend Yubi wrote this saga of a fic, and I always talk about it with my friends because I think it's so logical, so fucking cool, and makes me emotional: Azhâr

my talented friend Kitty wrote so many fun AUs, and my favorite series was the Satyr one, obviously: In which the Dwarves are Satyrs, because Reasons but I often also think about the lesbian Selkie one! It's so unique: The Selkie

my talented friend mithrilbikini wrote so many cool rarer pair fics, I know it's not bagginshield, but I often remember this one with Bilbo/Nori: Unexpected (but Not Unwelcome) and also check out their other posts on AO3, they're centered on their professional illustrations. All bangers.

the talented HildyJ first had control of my brain with their amazing Oak and Mistletoe, but I remember reeling with every new setting and fic, and I'm sure you'll find yourself a treasure trove in their bagginshield works!

the talented Margo_Kim still has my ass on lock with their beautiful Homesick, I always remember waiting for the next chapters and the absolute joy the ending was.

the talented Northerntrash always had such an absolute hold on mythology fic, but it's absurd how their modern AUs or canon timing AUs would also kill your ass: For This, Of Seasons

I really need to go back in and read some more! Do you guys have some good recs? :D

[elementalwriter67]

So fun fact about me that you all may not know, but may suspect given my recent reblogs, but I was a Percy Jackson kid growing up. I found the book series in elementary school, fell in love with it and greek mythology in general. The reason I say this is because after having listened to the Epic the Musical (on repeat) I now have a personal headcannon that the Apollo cabin in PJO has it down bad for Epic the Musical and are also listening to it on repeat using the cabin stereo system.

Like it started out small with some of them finding it when the first saga was released and then it snowballed from there until the entire cabin was listening to it by the time the vengeance saga came around. And I can guarantee you that in my headcannon when the Ithaca Saga came out they used the Hermes cabin to get access to wifi so they could watch the livestream premiere. They all cried during it. The Hermes kids had no idea what was going on or why the entire Apollo cabin were having a fucking break down but they were rolling with it.

I also headcannon that since they started listening to it on repeat they have begun singing different songs from the different sagas during campfire night. Some of their offerings at dinner now go to Jorge even though he's not a god but Apollo allows it because he's also started listening to the musical because literally all his kids are obsessed with it and he's got to admit that it's a banger. The Apollo kids have now also started saying things like; "Odysseus would never," when they hear the tea coming from the Aphrodite cabin. They also say "guys that's not very open arms of you."

They've also unanimously created a code phrase that is used both on and off the battlefield and during capture the flag. The code phrase? 600 strike! Which triggers the Apollo cabin like sleeper agents to all close ranks and attack the attacker of who ever called out 600 strike. This has been used in capture the flag before to the utter confusion of both teams but mainly of Percy who was the one it was called on and could not understand why the entirety of the Apollo cabin was now coming at him like he had broken one of their instruments again.

Apollo absolutely, on more than one occasion, come down from olympus while his kids are listening to Epic during the "I can't help but wonder" song just to act out the scene where Odysseus goes "Son, I'm finally home" to have all of his kids there at the time tackle him to the ground. Chiron was concerned when this first happened wondering who pissed who off but after the tenth time that month he's over it and is just letting them do their thing. It's safer that way.

[ghouljams]

do you have any recs for dark romance fics akin to Ceil's "Bird Dog" or Sy's "Cygnet; Plucked"?

is... is Bird Dog a dark romance... I thought it was cute...

"Fear of God" also by @ceilidho is fucking astonishing and I think about it every day. If someone asked me what my favorite cosmic horror was I would point them to this fic because I think Ceil has captured all my favorite parts of cosmic horror and I'm eagerly awaiting the "understanding that brings about true madness" reveal. I am an ant on Ceil's keyboard and one day for a brief moment I will know what a computer is and that knowledge will damn me.

Really anything by ceil is going to be a fucking banger but Fear of God is my favorite, sorry cowboy!price but... I can't resist the unknown entity that's slowly devouring my mind.

"Daughters with Soft Underbellies" by @ilium-ilia (formerly cordeliawhohung) is another that just sticks in my teeth. Truly don't know who I want to kill that preacher more Price or the reader, but somehow that man is going to taste blood. The sort of fic that hooks you in the first paragraph. Every time I see rice I think about that fic and that's saying something because I eat a lot of rice.

"Neighborly" and its companion "The Rear Window" by @391780 is a masterclass in dual perspectives. A sweet love story in one and a perfectly calculated plan/manipulation in the other. Kudos to Early's writing but even in "Neighborly" I was thinking... something ain't right here. It's a really cute love story and also a really horrifying look into how easy it is to stalk someone in these modern times. No notes.

"Peristalsis" by @eowynstwin is another dark romance, but please mind the warnings. Madi writes passive suicidal ideation so well, it's such a familiar mode of thinking that I remember exactly what makes it so dangerous. The selkie mythology that they weave into the story is really wonderful and it's clear that Madi has both a love for the setting and a love for the myths they're drawing from. The sort of fic that makes me hungry for every update. There's also something deeply... wrong with Soap that just seeps into the story and makes it *chef's kiss* delicious.

"Strict Machine" by @syoddeye which I'm sure you're read if you've read Cygnet, but bears repeating. Wonderfully dismal in the way it approaches the future. Absolutely terrifying in the way that Smart House didn't have the balls to be. The ending... yeah... The Warren too, you should read The Warren too.

I also would like to pitch my own cult au, it's just getting started but that's a romance that's going to get dark very fast and I'm excited to start working through the meat of the cult. If you like true crime you probably will like "The Church of the Broken God." or you'll be yelling at the screen begging reader not to go into that basement, either way it's a good time.

[monamipencil]

⋆˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆ my 2024 tumblr wrapped !

i was tagged by @hannieween in her post. this is such a good idea and thanks for tagging me v!

this was one hell of a year lol. and i've also written a lot this year though i lost some passion along the way. but i'm thankful for everyone who reads my work and leaves their thoughts or even just reblogs them. tysm!!

★ most popular and longest fic !

⟢ debauched — 2,472 notes and 4.5k+ words; ofc, it's the step bro fic. as the title suggests, it is absolute debauchery.

★ personal favorite !

⟢ venus in furs — honestly, one of my best works (tho it's pwp), and she deserved better 😔

★ first fic !

⟢ pussy drunk! wonwoo — it's from my prev blog! and also one of my most popular works lol.

★ last fic !

⟢ by his side — this jeonghan drabble i wrote for the secret santa event!

★ best reads !

in front of me — one, two by @wonustars

i fear i'll never read a better wonwoo fic than this. genuinely one of the best fics on this website and it's written by my lovely gf. pls check out her works!!

calendar killer by @miabebe

i love me a good thriller fic. and with joshua? fuck yes. when i tell you, i did not expect that ending at all. it will forever live in my heart. check out this banger by mia for a spooky read!

the curse by @hannieween

nothing more exciting than demon hunter jeonghan and a forbidden love trope. the angst hits in this one and i genuinely love it with all my heart. v also has other amazing works!!

liar, liar ! — one, two by @sanakiras

yes, i know. i read too many thriller fics. but this mingyu fic had me in such a chokehold. i did not expect this ending either and god do i love it so much. check out her works!

getting even by @gyuhao5

this was the catalyst for my seungkwan spiral and the bane of my existence. there are simply not enough seungkwan fics on here and mar rly satiated my need for this man. check it out!

pomegranates by @idyllic-ghost

where do i even begin? man, oh man, i love angst fics and for wonwoo? yes please. the forbidden love element was so good too and i loved the metaphors. this fic is for you if you like wonwoo and historical au.

troublemaker by @whipped-for-kpop-fics

i love gang aus with seungcheol. just 15k of goodness here. i have memorised this fic to the point, i can randomly quote anywhere, everywhere. and i have never laughed so much while reading a fic. chee is one of a kind truly.

heartbreak hotel by @saythenametotheworld

this broke my fucking heart. i read the first three installments and they were so fucking good. the characters had actual depth and were beautifully crafted. i love this so much, check it out!

camp seventeen by @miabebe

my most fav series on this platform. another fic i will quote randomly bcuz it was that good. it's ot13? and the first chapter is named dildo of dionysus? you got me sold. mia is an absolute genius and also evil for this. check out her works if you like greek mythology!

bend and break by @whipped-for-kpop-fics

i apologise for the tags chee but how can i miss out the seungcheol fic. man, sub seungcheol really does it for me. and i just loved their rivalry at the beginning. and i also love chee 😌

lowlifes by @milfgyuu

yes, i love seungcheol gang aus. thanks for asking. this was a banger and my god, the way i blushed and giggled while reading this story. i absolutely loved it!

dark @whipped-for-kpop-fics

i am so sorry for the tags, i just love you ok? now back to chee love train. this fic shocked me in such a way that i couldn't stop thinking about it. this was absolutely genius and i love monster fics. when i tell you, chee is one of the best writers in caratblr.

withering for you by @joonsytip

the bane of my existence. i started annotating because of this fic. enemies to lovers with cheol is my fav. and the way i randomly remember "welcome to hell, my wife" and start giggling is out of my control. sam should do control damage for this fic.

couple's therapy by @muntitled

this got me tweaking and twirling my hair. im a whore for lee jihoon through and through. mean dom! jihoon will be death of me. i read it on my prev blog and haven't stopped thinking about this since.

summary !

my most recurring members were — seungcheol (13 works), mingyu (13 works) and wonwoo (11 works) !

total works posted — 78 !

total words written — 82,476 !

i'm honestly surprised by this lol. and ofc, i wrote the most for these three. and im rly excited to post just as much next year and compare my progress! and we'll be starting off strong next year with when strawberries bloom. i hope you guys look forward to it! again, i'd like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout this year. i love you all <33

tags !

@vitaminkyeom @miabebe @wonustars @tomodachiii @shinysobi

@whipped-for-kpop-fics (im so sorry for the multiple tags hdbcfkharbik) @cxffecoupx @c-oupsie

[boofindoopin]

ugh everything is ow

BREIF MENTIONS OF SA

Fun fact about me! I adore Epic the musical! I, uh, definitely do not adore PJO. I obviously don’t care if someone likes PJO, like, I had my phase too. But, I do need people to know WHY I dislike one Greek mythology retelling and dislike the other.

____________________________________________

I, personally, don’t even consider PJO/HOO, TOA Greek mythology retellings that they market themselves as. I consider them stories loosely based of Greek mythology. When I say LOOSELY I mean it. Many, many, many creative liberties were taken with that series.

I would consider Epic: The Musical a greek myth retelling. Yes, it takes creative liberties, but, not to the extent PJO does. You can tell Epic is telling the story of the Odyssey and Odysseus throughout the whole soundtrack, a stark contrast to PJO where you have to sit there and say to yourself “was this part of the myth, or something Rick Riordan made up?”

Neither are accurate sources of Greek mythology, obviously. Retellings shouldn’t me where you get your info from, kids. I’ve read the Odyssey and can personally tell you that Epic isn’t always accurate to the source material, and it cuts out a lot of things, (Ex. You know, the SA….)

Even though Epic cuts out some things, it is still a lovely retelling, even though the things they cut do bother me sometimes, I can get over it. Also, the fandom is mostly amazing. All of them are so so talented. The songs are banger too, No Longer You and Hold Them Down are actually so amazing.

____________________________________________

I don’t enjoy PJO for two big reasons: The fandom, and the actual books

“But Marcella!” You cry, clutching your pearls. “The PJO fandom is comprised mainly of children!”

Yes, I was one of those children many years ago. Now that we are all grown up, there are also adults in the fandom. I honestly think sometimes they are almost as bad as Disney adults. Sometimes I question if they even know what the Iliad is. I can’t be in a fandom where no one knows their Greek mythology. There are few things that bring me joy in this life. Those things are: Thanatos, Greek myths, carbs, coffee, Ares, Aphrodite, books, and on the rare occasion my friends and family. Let me have my myths please.

The books, along with butchering Greek mythology to the point I don’t even think it can be called a retelling, it also has some questionable shit. The whole thing about the fucking NAZIS, ARE WE FORGETTING ABOUT THAT? WTF WAS THAT? Also y’know, giving poor Nico every possible controversial character trait and aspect, so you could kill him off of it got too much hate. (I know your tricks, Rick, I’m a writer too)

Also, in a book where children have goodly parents and worship the Greek gods, you could have researched Hellenic polytheism just a little bit. Like, it isn’t that hard. Please bro.

————————————————————————

Anyways, point is, I’m not saying you can’t like PJO, and you can’t dislike Epic. Like whatever the frackadoodle you want. I just wanted you guys to know I have my reasons for being a hater.

[limbel]

𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐜 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ꗥ❀

for week one of #sapphicnaturalreads here is a list of some of my favorite sapphicnatural fics ever that you should absolutely read asap. most of them are short one-shots. ordered by wordcount .

--𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡

the saint patron of dirt under your fingernails by sonorousangels (anna/mary, 544, T) -- there's a house in lawrence kansas, and inside a woman named mary, and outside anna is watching her. incredibly poetic and atmospheric

the righteous woman (and the fallen angel) by anonymous (anna/jo, 947, G) -- what if. what if 4x01 lazarus rising but with jo dying and anna raising her from hell. this fic is the perfect example of why i will forever die on the hill of short fic

lonely for words unspoken by dirtybackroad (ellen/mary, 959, T) -- mary visits ellen before going home to her husband and kids after a hunt. they drink and they talk. there are things they can never have, some they can

lost and found by @roublardise (bela/meg, 1.4k, T) -- bela becomes a demon but her vessels are all wrong. meg is there to help her find the right one. also works perfectly as a demon!bela study

faith undone by @supersapphical (anna/layla, 9k, E) -- layla is slowly but inexorably dying, that is until one angel comes to answer her prayers. truly a staple of sapphicnatural fics. top-tier characterization for both anna and layla, lovely prose, it will change your life .

--𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐨/𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲

hunter's daughter by dirtybackroad (mary, 264, G) -- very short and interesting exploration of kid!mary, what it means to be the daughter of a hunter, what it means to be a girl. some really banger lines if you ask me

without mythologies by bellatemple (anna, 3.5k, T) -- really fascinating anna study with some anna/ruby between the lines. it deals with her life as a person and as an angel while reflecting on her relationship with humanity. really good interactions between the characters

remember that summer? by halfweeze (dean&eileen, 3.5k, G) -- not sapphic but it's hands down one of the best eileen characterization i've ever read. explores her and dean's past during stanford!era. very delicate and thoughtful hoh!natural content

jo daily by @mrcowboydeanwinchester (jo, 37k, T) -- a beautiful exploration of jo's life as told through her blog entries from '05. the sapphicnatural fic that completely changed the trajectory of my life. did i mention there's also some jo/cassie .

--𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫 :^)

fil rose (jo, 1.3k, M) -- four stills from various moments of jo's life, connected by a thread

you need to be careful (eileen, 1.3k, M) -- when you're twenty on a hunt but you pick up a scent and everything changes. jo&eileen meet during a case

sea life, kansas city (mary, 1.1k, T) -- a 29-year-old mother confession to her 37-year-old-son. not sapphic per se, but i wrote it as a sort of mary study on motherhood so i guess it fits here

[wolfythewitch]

I dont know if you've seen/read it already but the roman poet Ovid wrote "The Heroids", which is a bunch of letters lovers from the mythology wrote for the other. The very first letter is from Penelope to Ulysses/Odysseus on how she misses her husband after the war endend and there are some banger lines there

The other letters are also cool

OUHHHHH THAT SOUNDS COOL

I am sad about them I might check that out

[apollosgiftofprophecy]

Besides the Illiad and the Odyssey, what other (literature? media? idk) could I read/consume to learn more about Greek mythology/Ancient Greek culture. I use theoi.com to look up specific things, but I want to get into reading the actual sources. Like I see so many excerpts or cool facts people post, and how you incorporate a lot of lesser known Greek mythology things (like your recent fic with Koios), I feel so ignorant in comparison! So please enlighten me!!

(Also I wouldn’t mind if a lot of your recs had Apollo featured in it, he’s my fav!)

heya!!!!

besides the Iliad and odyssey, I highly recommend the Homeric hymns! A lot of the gods are featured in them, especially Apollo! :D also the Theogony and Works and Days by Hesiod! Those four are the foundational texts of Greek mythology and intrinsic to learning about it <3 (I own all four :3 I am still on the Iliad though because I have been busy 😭 rip Alder)

Pseudo Apollodorus’s Bibliotheca is another good read! It compiles the majority of the known mythological world into one book! (I also have this one ;) used it for my Marsyas research :D)

after that, I also suggest Euripedes’s plays, as well as *checks spelling* Aeschylus’s!

Aeschylus’s plays are all compiled into The Oresteia, and Apollo is a prominent figure in it!

But I would also suggest reading Euripedes’s The Trojan Women with it, because Cassandra features in both and I, personally, am a sucker for her and Apollo’s tragedy ✊😔 (I also have the Oresteia hehe!)

Euripides has other good stuff too! Medea is a BANGER of a play from what I hear, and Hecuba, Alcestis, Electra, and all his other works can really help understand Greek culture by reading between the lines :3 (I do not have any of these rip)

there are so many other texts and fragments too, though! But I think these are a good springboard for diving into Greek mythology :3

I also recommend looking into Greek philosophy for understanding Ancient Greek culture. The Delphic Maxims are a good place to start, and I actually reblogged a post here with all of them listed…should be able to search ‘Delphic maxims’ to find it (hopefully, if tumblr isn’t weird).

anywho, this has been your Getting Started With Greek Mythology packet by Alder! :D

[lulu-spooks]

I’ve been trying to get into Hozier lately, and seeing as you seem to be the resident expert on him, what songs would you recommend starting with?

(I know his more popular ones obviously, like Take me to church, Too sweet, and Nobody’s soldier, but I want to know about some of his secret bangers)

EEEEEEEE!!!! You’re in for a treat!

And thank you for the acknowledgment of resident expert, I have 10 years experience in hozier listening and I don’t play about it.

So the thing about hozier is that I truly believe he has a no skip discography on all of his solo works. And pretty much all of his collabs are also bangers (with the possible exception of tell it to my heart. Don’t start there)

Ok so from his first album I want to highlight a few tracks, Jackie and Wilson, from Eden, work song, like real people do, and to be alone. They are all sonically very similar (as are most of the tracks on the first album) but they all sound totally different. The instrumentation stays the same for most of the tracks but I am literally incapable of mixing them up. They all have unique sounds while still remaining cohesive in the context of the album. Expect great guitar and vocals, very little to no synths, funky beats (including some fairly cool time signatures). Excellent lyrics, definitely worth reading along. Especially cherry wine which at first glance sounds like the most beautiful love song but if you read along you’ll see how violent it is.

Wasteland baby is the second album. Standout tracks for me are Nina cried power, dinner and diatribes, would that I, shrike, be, and the title track wasteland baby. This one is definitely the sexiest album. Expect much more exploration into bluesy tunes and sound effects, the beats are getting even funkier, the lyrics are catastrophic and feature a lot of references to Greek mythology. This is the kind of album that you sit at the end of the world and listen to while everything falls apart. Wasteland baby the song epitomises this. It’s the conflict between standing up and fighting the broken systems that oppress people vs the need to give up and wash your hands of everything. Admitting we tried our best and it wasn’t enough. At least I have you. The deluxe tracks for this one are some of his best work on this project so check out why would you be loved, nfwmb and moments silence too.

Unreal unearth. This one is my favourite and my being has been altered by this album in ways I can’t even describe. Every song is a grade A hit. It’s actually my favourite album of all time I think. Honestly everything on this one is worth listening to but at some point once you’ve listened to all of the tracks individually, I cannot reccomend enough that you sit down and listen to the whole thing in order. No pauses. The whole thing with this album is that it’s a journey into the underworld inspired by Dante’s inferno. Each song occupies a different circle of hell and discusses topics surrounding the cardinal sins that are punished in each circle. It’s worth searching uk which sings belong in which circle. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s a concept album but it uses the story as a great jumping point for exploring moral, political and religious topics that are not discussed in the original cantos. This album is a masterpiece and I could literally write about it for hours but my thumbs are already falling off so I’ll keep it quick. Standout tracks are Francesca, first time, eat your young, abstract psychopomp, who we are, unknown nth, all things end, first light, de selby part 1 and butchered tongue. If you want the more explicitly political tracks choose eat your young and butchered tongue and READ ALONG. I could write fucking essays just on eat your young. This album was also written in the context of covid 19 and the lockdown and songs like all things end really make a heartbreaking but uplifting anthem for this period in time. The general sound of the album is very different to the two preceding albums. Expect much more manipulation of vocals and distortion of instruments. Expect more instruments. Expect full orchestra and stripped back guitar. Expect drums that sound like thunder and lightning. And for gods sake read along with this one. Cuz it’s fucking fantastic lyric writing and a lot of it can be missed in his pronunciation. When Andrew learns to annunciate it is OVER for us all.

Extended songs from unreal unearth are numerous and you’ve said you’ve heard nobodies soldier (also very political) and too sweet. I’d also recommend wildflower and barley for a soft lockdown summer feeling tinged with hopelessness, empire now as an anthem for Irish liberation and how much it was fucking worth it despite the troubles that followed and that you are for the most year inducing love song also within the context if lockdown. Just see “that I’d be anyway that you are” which will I’m sure soon be written on my body in tattoo ink. Through the flood acts as the introduction to the full album experience, hymn to Virgil is the last one.

Anyway have fun I tried not to write a fucking essay but I did. For unreal unearth in particular I have read no less than 5 books to examine source materials for his lyricism. I also learned a fuck ton about production to understand how he gets the sounds he does in his music. All to say this guys music is my whole life. And it can be hard to tone it down. If it all sounds confusing I’m sorry I’ve been writing this for like 40 minutes and I just did a full day in the recording studio and my brain is fried and my fingers are dead and I need to sleep, where I will probably listen to ‘to someone from a warm climate’ to sleep. Bye :P

[qoldenskies]

Sacrifice (this edges on character death; it's not permanent and implied instead of described, but i get it if you don't want it):

Donnie wakes up in the captivity of a cult who thinks that sacrificing a someone tainted with empyrean will awaken a god they worship. From his viewpoint, his family saves him moments from death--only, when they return home, he learns that wasn't always the case. His family remembers at least three months' worth of failed attempts at rescuing him, with second chances only bought by looping back the day through the power granted by his death (turns out the cult wasnt entirely bullshitting about their god)

THIS IS SUCH A COOL PROMPT WOAH i do love myself a time loop and there r so many implications here .... however im getting an Ideaaaa.... it might be more interesting if it was less the idea of him being "tainted" by empyrean and more the idea of him being a subject of it as an act of reverence based on him being so biologically close to it while other yokai are descendants of those first changed by it.

and it might make sense if this was post movie too, so one of them was captured for this because of all the attention brought to them because of it,,, because mikey's ninpo is so powerful im already thinking of donnie giving himself up to avoid mikey being the one caught in the crossfire because it creates wonderful beautiful B team angst and i can NEVER RESIST. so the sacrifice prompt has two meanings because he also sacrificed himself

like something about how canary continuity is this insane unfair punishment for donnie making a mistake out of childish selfishness and insecurity while this prompt would be him nearly dying because he DID THE RIGHT THING .... oough

im already super into the concept but id need to figure out an ending for it because one isnt coming to me (might make more sense for it to be donnie pov? make it a bit of a reveal for him to learn about it).... but this shit is banger dawg i am already falling for the concept (might be worth looking into japanese mythology as an idea for the deity theyre trying to summon? a call for the input of people smarter than me if anyone's got something fitting, there's always the option to leave it more ambiguous as well)

[progamer27]

EPIC: The Musical - Character Growth

I like it when characters aren't one-dimensional, especially main characters.

Sure, it's fine and fun to have characters who are solely evil or solely good from time to time.

But I vastly prefer characters that go thru some sort of development - that takes its time -, and then come out changed by the experience.

Enter: Odysseus and Athena (and also Eurylychous)

I think it's pretty safe to say that, at least at the start of the musical, a lot of people didn't like Athena and Eurylychous too much - and were quick to label them as, at the very least, "villain-adjecent".

But now that we have had 6 out of 8 Sagas released, we can understand them better. And same for Odysseus.

Eurylychous: In the Odyssey, he is a minor character whose only role is to be a plot device (killing and eating Helios's cattle). In EPIC, Eurylychous is shown as someone more focused on the crew than anything else. Brash and Hot-headed, he is the opposite of Odysseus.

So, why is he interesting? Because we SEE (or HEAR) how he grows from just; a soldier whose first instinct is to murder (Lotus Eaters) or flee (After blinding Polypheamus), to a desperate man who wants to get back home as fast as possible - even if it means leaving his comrades behind (Circe), to a man who needs to confess his guilt (Scylla, as a follow up to Keep Your Friends Close and Puppeteer), to someone who's desperate and has given up entirely (Mutiny and Thunder Bringer).

In conclusion: Eury isn't a villain, but Just a Man. He made mistakes and was abrasive, but so would many people in his place.

ATHENA: In Greek Mythology, Athena is one of the most Hubris-Filled (Prideful) Goddesses out there. In EPIC, she is much of the same... at the Start.

Because Remember, prior to the Wisdom Saga, we only really saw/heard Athena 3 times. And in those 3 times, we get presented with who she is at the moment; A Goddess who views Odysseus as a "project/creation" (Warrior of the Mind and Remember Them), and as the less rose-tinted Goddess who lost her friend because of the circumstances (My Goodbye).

Now, at this point in time, most people would simply label Athena as a "typical greek goddess" - that is to say, a deity who doesn't really view humans as equal to her, and who lacks Humanity.

....until she meets Telemachus.

Then, the characterization... matures; she becomes less closed-off (We'll Be Fine), admits that she was pushing too hard (Little Wolf), realizes that what she did to Ody was HORRIBLE - and, if I may interject, she will probably be a bit shocked/traumatized at seeing Ody trying to kill himself (Love in Paradise), and finally as someone who realized they STILL CARE for their friend, and that tried to do everything to save them (God Games)

In Short: Athena went from being an unlikable cold goddess - one who refused to comprehend human emotions -, to being much more "human".

(And please, if you are a fanfic writer, try to write a story where Athena just... realizes how shitty her life was, and how badly she treated others, and let her have an home with the Itachan Family. She needs her friends, and she probably needs to express her emotions in an healtier way)

ODYSSEUS:....

....

....

What is there to say? The musical is ABOUT HIM, and about how the line between man and monster (good and evil) is incredibly thin... but also about how you CAN come back from the brink, how you can "Become Yourself" again.

In the Odyssey - even if the story is a banger -, I didn't get the impression that Odysseus changed too much. Sure, he may have some trauma and suicidial thoughts, but he didn't do a 180°, then another one, and finally got a better understanding of life. He was still just... Odysseus, the King of Itacha and Father of Telemachus. Odysseus, the Silver-Tounged Liar. Odysseus the sacker of cities.

In Epic....

...Well, I think you know where I'm going with this..

In Conclusion: The EPIC versions of the characters feel like Actual Characters - almost actual humans - who make mistakes and aren't wholly "pure villainy" or "goodie two-shoes".

Sure, we have example of both of these things (Goodie = Polites, Penelope, Astynax; Villains = Poseidon, Polyphemus, Scylla, Zeus, The Suitors), as well as some morally-grey ones (Dark Grey/Leaning toward Evil = Calypso; Light Gray/Leaning towards Good= Circee, Aeolus, Tiresias)

But i think that I've said enough.

[volosdarling]

i just wanna say we've only been moots for a week but i literally love ur ship w volo its so banger bro. I NEED VOLINO LORE!!!! PLEASEEE TELL ME ABOUT THEMM ☺️☺️☺️☺️ (ALSO. i think our pla self inserts would be friends... both silly transmasc guys with broken glasses....) I HOPE U HAVE AN AWESOME DAY volo loves u sm. i heard him talking abt u 😼😼

OMG HIIII YES I LOVE HAVING PLA MUTUALS + MAKING OUR SONAS FRIENDS WOULD BE SOO FUNN~!! ABSOLUTELY!! :-D AND THANK YOU SM FOR THE COMPLIMENT!!

AS FOR THE LORE, IM IN THE MIDDLE OF CHANGING IT A LITTLE BIT BUT I CAN SHARE WHAT I HAVE SO FAR!

OK DO YOU KNOW WHAT ACTION REPLAY IS? LIKE THE GAME CHEATING DEVICE THAT YOU CAN USE ON DS GAMES TO WALK THROUGH WALLS IN POKEMON GAMES OR GET RARE EVENT ITEMS AND STUFF? IM BASICALLY LIKE.. THE PROTAG WHO THOSE CHEATS ARE BEING APPLIED TO, BUT I DONT REALLY UNDERSTAND WHATS HAPPENING TO ME AT ALL. SO I GET THESE DIZZY SPELLS WHERE I FALL INTO THE VOID & AM DELIVERED RARE ITEMS I NEVER ORDERED (INCLUDING THE AZURE FLUTE) AND DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THEM...

ANYWAY ONE DAY THAT DIZZY SPELL/WALK THRU WALLS HACK LEADS TO ME FALLING THRU A SPACE-TIME DISTORTION, WHERE I END UP IN HISUI, AND VOLO FINDS ME AND TAKES ME TO COGITA WHERE I CAN RECOVER FROM THAT.

I HAVE A GLITCHY AZURE FLUTE THAT I CANT SEEM TO LOSE (I KEEP THIS HIDDEN AT FIRST AS I DONT KNOW HOW TO PLAY IT BUT IT SEEMS MYSTICAL), AS WELL AS INCREDIBLY GOOD LUCK WITH SHINIES AND CATCHING POKEMON, PLUS MY KNOWLEDGE OF TECH/POKEMON THAT STEMS FROM BEING A DWEEB FROM THE FUTURE, SO VOLO THINKS THAT I AM AN ANGEL SENT TO HIM FROM ABOVE @_@ OF COURSE THIS LEADS TO RELIGIOUS FANATICISM AND A DESIRE TO KEEP ME AWAY FROM THE HEROES AND STUFF, BUT ILL POST ABOUT THAT ONCE MY HEAD IS MORE CLEAR ABOUT THE LORE. WE BOTH REALLY LOVE MYTHOLOGY THOUGH SO WE BOND OVER THAT AND BECOME CLOSE QUICKLY <3

ANYWAY THATS WHAT I GOT SO FAR IN A BROAD SENSE! IDK HOW IT TIES IN WITH REI'S ADVENTURES, BUT I DONT THINK IM REPLACING HIM IN THE STORY AS THE HERO WHO QUELLS THE NOBLE POKEMON SO ITS WEIRD xD THX FOR SENDING ME AN ASK I LOVE YAPPINGGG

[pinksilvace]

what is this funny circus thing you keep posting about. it has captivated me

RUBS MY HANDS TOGETHER IN A VERY EXCITED MANNER LIKE A FLY WHO HAS DISCOVERED STRAWBERRIES

Cirque du Soleil ("circus of the sun") is a Montreal-based company that's been producing animal-less circus shows since 1984 (you may recall a joke about this from Madagascar 3 lol). Most follow a very basic plot of "[character] gets isekai'd for approximately 1h38m then goes home" but it's honestly so much more fun to make up stories one one's own imho. They're also usually composed in Grommelot, an invented language that's usually a mix of multiple languages and gibberish - i.e., it's not supposed to be understood.

A little-known fact about me is that I grew up watching recordings of these shows (because ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE HAS A PROSHOT 🙏) and love them to bits. I've seen Alegria (pre-revival), Kooza, and Kurios live as well.

The official CdS youtube channel has been uploading tons of compilations since 2020. This year, to celebrate the company's 40th anniversary, they've also been releasing a bunch of abridged versions of their shows, which you can view on youtube here.

I'm going to yammer on about my 3 favorites under the cut now :))))

1: Varekai

oghhghgh my gosh I love this show. so much. absolutely devastated it's not touring anymore :(. If they ever bring it back then I NEED to see it. You understand

This has one of the more plotty premises: rather than falling to the sea and dying, it begins with Icarus falling into a strange land and healing through the power of... love? Communal support? It doesn't really matter because the MUSIC and the STAGING and the COSTUMES oh my GOD the COSTUMES. It's such a bright and fun time with good vibes all around and I cannot recommend it enough. Bonus for Greek mythology references. Did I mention the COSTUMES

2: Quidam (2 and 3 are interchangeable for me, depends on my mood)

CdS claims that this show isn't about much. This is a lie. I could write SO MANY ESSAYS on the symbolism in Quidam and all the different interpretations people have about it. Its soundtrack is also an absolute banger that I love listening to on my own time.

The only thing to be aware of before going into Quidam is that it's a bit of a downer. I think it's the most somber of any CdS show I know of.

3: Alegria (original)

Possibly the most well-known CdS show. No joke, I think I've been watching this proshot for my entire life. I think I saw this proshot before I ever saw a cartoon.

Another great soundtrack - I like the original 1994 recording the best. Francesca Gagnon is ICONIC as the singer in white.

This is one of the few non-isekai shows out there; it depicts a kingdon that has just lost its king and shows a brewing tension between the "old birds" in the aristocracy and the young upstarts who hope for structural change.

Mystère may have been the show that solidified the CdS format, but Alegria is so ridiculously well-known and unforgettable that it's always struck me as the cirque show. It makes for a great entry point.

[starry-teacup]

Because of some cool art you made I want to dip my toe into the Mechanisms.

where do I find the story?

So I don't know how much you know about them, but the basics are:

The Mechanisms is a band in which each member has a persona. They are a crew of immortal space pirates, roaming the galaxy in search of violence, fun, and stories to tell. Each persona character can be referred to as a mechanism, as in a member of the crew, but they each also have a mechanism, a clockwork prosthetic of some sort that was installed after they each had their own tragic story and made them immortal.

When they find a good, long, juicy tragedy, they turn it into an album. They also have two anthology albums, with some songs connecting to the wider stories and some completely independent of them, and a couple containing mechanisms lore. Their last album is from the live show of their final performance.

All of these albums stand on their own, and there is no particular order you need to listen to them in. They each contain characters and places from classic stories, putting unique sci-fi spins on them all and following queer narratives. I'd say bury your gays, but honestly, it's more like bury your gays and the entire planet they lived on, along with everything they ever held dear.

here's a summary of each, stolen from the mechs blurbs themselves:

Once Upon a Time (In Space)-

This tale tells of those embroiled in the rebellion against the tyrant of New Constantinople, Old King Cole. It tells of the love of Cinders for her captured Rose, of the treatment of Rose at the hands of Cole's genetic scientists, and of the bold but savage leadership of the rebel General Snow. And it tells of the final fates of all of these.

fairy tale but make it a rebellion. their first album, contains many of their most popular songs. solid. not personally one of my favorites, but the one I'm most likely to be listening to a song from on any given day. our boy jack and pump shanty are excellent.

High Noon Over Camelot-

A tale of hope and despair aboard the Fort Galfridian, long lost to the outside world, where the chaos of centuries of solitude has been brought in check at last by the guns of the Pendragon Gang. But the visions of the mad prophet Galahad, and the schemes of the Pendragons' lieutenants Mordred and Gawain, threaten to cast the station back into anarchy. And all the while, the Sun grows hotter...

arthurian legend has just become a space westerner in which everyone rides motorcycles and a fiery death threatens them all. haven't listened to it yet, but I've heard great things. Blood and Whiskey is a banger, and Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere are in a polycule, something I didn't know I needed until I heard it suggested.

Ulysses Dies At Dawn-

Ulysses Dies at Dawn. That's the word on the street, at any rate, if you talk to anyone who saw what went down at Calypso's Bar the other night. Who is behind the thuggish band known as the Suits - Heracles, Ariadne and the others? What is Ulysses's secret? And what is hidden within the security of the Vault?

I'm going to be completely honest with you. I think this is no-contest their best album. It's greek mythology in noir film style, with heavy usage of blues and rock. I don't even like blues, but I love each and every song. This one is also a little easier to follow than the others. I'd recommend starting here.

The Bifrost Incident-

The Bifrost Incident. Any schoolchild could tell you about it. The fall of the old order; two hundred years of Asgardian hubris come together in a single epoch-defining event. The maiden voyage of a train through the stars, vanished without a trace...

Remember how I think the last one was the best one? Well, this is still my favorite. Norse mythology framed as a mystery on a train, with a twist completely out of left field that leaves you reeling. Thus, it is probably the most difficult to follow, or at least, it was for me. The art you liked-which wasn't mine, unfortunately, credit to the artists is on the post if you want to check those blogs out-featured variations of the narrator from this album. let's just say I'm. not so normal about them.

well. ANYWAYS. this was...probably longer than what you wanted. Or than what I should have given. I don't get asks a lot and an excuse to talk about the mechanisms is always something I am willing to abuse.

If you do end up listening to any of their music, please tell me what you think! I'd love to hear it, and it's always nice to talk about them with someone else :)

[forgthetheaterkid]

Hi I was wondering if you could suggest me some musicals

I have watched

heathers

Hamilton

Am currently watching newsies

listened to dear Evan hansen and the lightning theif and six and beetlejuice

*gasp* You’re asking me about my theories? I’VE WAITED YEARS FOR SOMEONE TO ASK ME ABOUT MY THEORIES!!! (She-ra reference)

But yes I’d love too! Here’s a list! (Warning: you can tell how much I enjoy Greek mythology)

Hadestown

Follows the myth of Orpheus & Eurydice and Hades & Persephone

Jazz, Blues and folk type music

My all time favorite ❤️ (it’s honestly such a good show)

Epic the musical

An adaption of Homer’s Odyssey

It incorporates anime and video games elements

Its currently being released in “sagas” and 7 out of 9 are out now!

Honestly If you want more information about it, send me more asks! I’d be happy to talk about it more

Legally Blonde

A movie to musical adaptation DONE RIGHT

Suchhh a feel good show

Follows Elle Woods, a presumably “dumb” blonde who goes to Harvard to get her boyfriend back

Feminist

Again such a banger musical

The Outsiders

Based on the book of the same name

A brand new musical that won Best Musical this year!

Follows Ponyboy in Tulsa 1967

WILL make you cry

It brings so many emotions and the cast is FANTASTIC

If you have more questions I HIGHLY recommend you talk to my bestest moot @sondheim-girly since The Outsiders is their jam

Be More Chill

Follow Jeremy, a Highschool loser, as he finds a pill called a SQUIP which makes him cool

Has one of my favorite songs of all time Micheal In the Bathroom

This musical isn’t my favorite favorite but based on what you’ve listened to, it’s worth checking out!

Mean Girls

NOT THE MOVIE MUSICAL

Cady, a new girl, and her run in with The Plastics

Big band music

Really enjoyable!

In the Heights

By Lin Manuel Miranda

Follows Usnavi in New York as his city changes (this is a really bad summary)

Has that LMM charm

Banger after Banger songs

SpongeBob The Musical

It’s spongebob

Lmk if you listen to any of these and enjoyed them!! I can also give you more if you want!