#this whole song gives me dragon age vibes

[thedragonagebigbang]

Bang Creator Interview: Tumblr: @crabs-with-sticks  |  AO3: CrabsWithSticks

The Collaboration period has begun! In these quiet months before works are due, we want to foster a sense of excitement, camaraderie, and celebration among our participants. To that end, all participants were given the option of a formal interview by our mod, Dema, or an informal “ask-game” survey. We hope you enjoy getting to know our phenomenal creators as much as we have!

Found Family in Crisis!!!!!! How This Local Woman's Life Just Keeps Getting Worse!!!  

Jacs and Dema talk music, tragedy, DMing tabletop games, and OCs who won't follow the damn rules

Dema: Good morning! Happy Saturday. Are you writing today? 

Jacs: I'm hoping to! Though I might be taking a break from my actual project to do some fun oneshots. Give myself a bit of time away from the tragedy of my bang fic and write something happy haha

Dema: That is very fair! Especially with heavier fics. How do you get in the zone to write, regardless of the project? Or does it vary depending on the vibes of your fic?

Jacs: Normally it involves getting nice and cozy under a blanket on the couch with a good cup of tea. I'll sometimes put a playlist on to get into a particular vibe, I've got a bunch of character playlists which can help get into the perspective of whatever oc I'm writing that day.

Dema: I won't get too specific with this question but, if there is one song on your playlist that especially fits your bang fic, what would it be?

Jacs: Hmm, I'd say probably 'Sampson' by Regina Spektor. The song is based on a tragic biblical story and is all about what could have happened if things had worked out differently. If the love had been enough to save them, then they wouldn't have been remembered by history but they would have been happy.

Dema: Oh okay, arrow straight to the heart. I see, I see.

Jacs: Yeah, I'm a known tragedy enjoyer, just rolling around in the sadness like a dog in a puddle. In order to get optimal levels of tragedy you gotta have some happiness first just so that readers can really see that it didn't have to be this way (but they never could have changed it).

Dema: I can't wait to read it! I also love tragedy, and especially in that ratio. Is there a particular one-shot idea you have kicking around, to cleanse the palate?

Jacs: Not sure! Though probably something with my oc Luca Trevelyan with Dorian, though I haven't actually managed to get very far through that particular playthrough yet....I'm a bit of a serial oc creator who then never gets around to actually playing them in the game.

Dema: Do you always make your OCs in game? Even if you don't get around to the playthrough? 

Jacs: Yep! It’s probably my favourite part of Dragon Age, or any CRPG. I really like thinking up characters, with their conflicts and histories. I'm a forever DM in real life, so I'm fairly used to making up characters and then never playing them, although at least with Dragon Age I already know the events of the game they'll be going through, so I have a better idea of their development arcs. I am trying to do a re-playthrough of the whole series before Veilguard comes out, but we'll see how successful that is haha.

Dema: Do you find that DMing has informed the way you structure your stories?

Jacs: I'd say that it probably has. When I DM I'm always keeping a hand on the pulse of all the characters, their emotions and where they're at in their arcs, because my aim is really to tell a good story. So I think it can help me to see things from the big picture as well as a more mechanical perspective. Though sometimes I do need to tell myself to stop looking at the big picture and just focus on what is at hand.

Dema: I'm a bit in awe of DMs. To me it seems like being the conductor of an orchestra, except all your musicians are improvising. Do your characters sometimes feel like players? Or do they tend to stay within the lines?

Jacs: They do end up getting away from me sometimes, or they'll do something that leaves me going 'huh, why did you just make that decision', because I know it's accurate but I'm not entirely sure why. Though sadly there's no actual player to ask...just my brain. I was intending to make quite a whimsical and happy Brosca, but she just keeps doing morally grey things!

Dema: HAHA ah yes, relatable. I find it's such an interesting balance, for me, between wanting everything in the story to feel a bit inevitable (especially in a tragedy!) and embracing the realism of some things just not having a clear explanation, especially character decisions.

Jacs: Yeah for sure! It's great when characters are messy and contradictory, I just wish it wasn't so hard...I had a character at one point who was making a whole bunch of decisions I wasn't expecting or had planned for, and I'd try to think 'ok why is this character doing this?' and all she supplied in return was 'I'm lactose intolerant'...which honestly was a very in character response; just straight up ignoring the question. 

Dema: A character in writing, or a character in a campaign you were DMing?

Jacs: A character I was writing.

Dema: Hahaha, incredible.

Jacs: I sometimes have, I guess little 'conversations' with my characters in my head where I tap into the section of my brain that they live in.

Dema: That's a great strategy! Is that how your characters first come to be?

Jacs: Hmm, I think the conversation part comes a bit later when I have some context for them, either in their history or in the game itself. It starts off as a lot of collaging together different ideas until it makes a full character. Often I start off from a particular theme or emotional angle I'm interested in exploring. So one started off as 'religious trauma', and another from 'idealism in a cruel society' and so on.

Dema: Has that first theme or idea ever come from a really unexpected source? And related to this, do you tend to be primarily inspired by the source material itself? I know that's a big reason so many of us love DA in particular.

Jacs: I think the themes are usually all ideas that I'm already interested in, but it's super fun seeing the way it can connect to the worldbuilding and lore. I think it's really important for characters to have specifics which tie them into the world around them, so thinking about how their family might have lived in the particular part of the world they're from, how they and the people around them either adhere to or go against it, and what impact that would have on their story. It's really fun looking at how a theme can change based on where the character comes from, like a character with conflict based around religious trauma is going to be different if they're human, Dalish or a city elf, and the world will react to them differently because of that.

Dema: Now I simply must ask you if you ever write AU fics.

Jacs: I haven't written many to be honest, though I do have some ideas for some. It can be hard translating a story that is really rooted in the specifics of one particular world and translating that to another. So I'm always really impressed to see when other people do it so well! I often find you can find a good parallel for one aspect of a character, but then you have to try to fit a second aspect or character conflict in and it doesn't fit the new world at all!

Dema: I feel the same!

Jacs: Writing; it's hard man.

Dema: It is! So why do you do it!? And a follow-up question: writing is hard, and you're signed up for a Big Bang! What made you interested? Is it your first one or have you done this before?

Jacs: It's like a wonderful little puzzle; except it can be all wibbly wobbly and just like real life it doesn't always need to make sense- it's lovely just to embrace the humanness of character writing!

So a bit of context, I recently finished postgraduate studies, and realised I didn't have any hobbies! I used to love creative writing of any sort when I was but a young whippersnapper (they say, in their mid 20s), so I decided to embrace the cringe and get back at it. I've never participated in any fandom events, or even written something this long that wasn't academic! But I'm really loving the community around this event and getting to chat to other writers as we all write (and suffer) together!

Dema: In the last minutes, and just for fun: can you come up with a click-bait title for your fic? Without giving anything major away, of course.

Jacs: Maybe something like 'Found Family in Crisis!!!!!! How This Local Woman's Life Just Keeps Getting Worse!!!’  (To quote the venerable Sir Terry Prattchet: And all those exclamation marks, you notice? Five? A sure sign of someone who wears his underpants on his head.)

Dema: Ten out of Ten, would click again. Thank you so much for setting aside this time to chat with me!

Jacs: No worries! I had a great time!

[booksandchainmail]

Lodestar (not a hugo) Finalists 2024

Impressions and loose rankings of the best children's/YA finalists for 2024. Note that I didn't read Promises Stronger than Darkness, since I didn't like the first book or finish the second book in that trilogy

To Shape a Dragon's Breath, by Moniquill Blackgoose. This was one of my favorite books last year and one my nominees for the Lodestar, and having read the other finalists still my top choice. I'm just going to copy my response from this end of year post: This book was so perfectly targeted to me, I'm a sucker for books where people raise dragons. And the worldbuilding! Such an interesting alt-history, and such a fun magic system that is mostly actual chemistry/physics. This is one where I also got really really invested in the side characters, Theod's arc in particular hit me really hard. But it's also great to have a book (not even a super long book!) where I can say things like "I'm interested in the main character's older brother's girlfriends plotline about inventing long-range airships", and have that level of engagement across a wide cast. Also, this book has the perfect title in ways that become clear partway through.

Liberty's Daughter, by Naomi Kritzer. Remember that article about libertarians going to "seastead" on a cruise ship, and how bad it was? This book is dystopian scifi set in a world where they pulled it off. I think it does a good job of a main character whose been raised with libertarian ideals broadening her perpective, and I have to give props to any book that makes the dashing rebel group in a YA dystopia literally the IWW. More books should contain the line "the Wobblies are here". I think it also does a good job of treading a fine line between "why is this kid in danger" while not stripping agency from her: a lot of tension in the later parts of the book comes from responsible adults not wanting Beck in danger, and then because of it infantilizing her and her pushing back to be respected in her home and vocation

Unraveller, by Frances Hardinge. Just finished this the other day, an excellent fantasy novel. I particularly appreciate the push-and-pull between the two POVs, and how this is a teen novel with a male and female protagonist and there is absolutely no romance. Very nice fairy tale/fae vibes, riffing on general feeling rather than adapting a specific story, which is always a trick to pull off. Nettle's backstory in particular feels like she could be a retelling of an existing story, but I'm pretty sure it's original (though pulling inspiration clearly).

The Sinister Booksellers of Bath, by Garth Nix. I read this when it came out, so my memories aren't strong. I remember being disappointed: I don't know if it's just that I'm older, but the newer Garth Nix books have not lived up to his reputation. I like the lead characters, but I didn't have any particular reaction to the books as a whole. I will say I find it amusing that this is sold as YA despite the protagonist being a university student. This could easily be swapped with the one below.

Abeni's Song, by P. Djeli Clark. I think this book is suffering largely from how broad a category the lodestars are. The other nominees I ranked are all books aimed at older teenagers with crossover appeal for adults, whereas this book is middle grade. It's hard for me to judge, because I feel like I would have liked this book if I was the target age! But it's hard to judge a hypothetical "would I have liked this at nine" versus "I like this now". I think the book should have spent more time on the adventure section rather than the living with a witch section, but probably the rest of the series will even that out.

[sliceoflifeshepard]

The Night The World Started Turning

The Night The World Started Turning

Summary: Samantha Preston hasn’t had a great life, there have been troubles. But her world is rocked when a woman named Tara Clarke promises her a night she’ll never forget. 2nd Theme of the 100 Theme Challenge: Love.

Samantha

Tired of running. Tired of chasing dreams that will never be. I have tried love before and its ended with me in cells, or in the mental health hospital because they’ve put me there.

My world stopped turning a long time ago.

I’m tired of being the assassin everybody wants to kill. I just want to be loved and I’ll love in return. I’m tired of being used in a game, like chess. I’m tired of life.

I just want out.

Sometimes I wonder if I should truly disappear, or make it off planet somehow. Everybody talks about Angels and Demons, but I never seem to bump into them. I want to see those heavenly wings and the halo’s so sharp they could behead a man. God, what I’d pay to see that up close.

What I’d pay to have them take me away from here.

I want a dog, a life where I have a family...but here I am, drowning my sorrows in some bar in the middle of Nottingham. The night is still young but I can hear screaming in my head. And I’m not quite sure who the screaming belongs to. Is it myself or my victims haunting my ass?

I’ve been here in Nottingham for about a week. I used to work for the god damn President of The USA. But here? I’m a nobody. And I like it that way. The only people who know who I am, are government figures that have better things to worry about than trying to live through another depressing day and trying to avoid death at any cost.

The bar is full of lively young women, looking for a good time. Chatting amongst themselves and showing off some jewellery they get for cheap or passing around shots like they’re the holy grail. Some men are serving others; the chatter almost as loud as the music and its drowning all other thoughts out.

I’m drinking a lemonade. Alcohol is just full of regrets and I don’t want to wake up tomorrow with anymore of them in my bed; tired of sleeping in a hazy mess and bloody sheets and not being too sure of whose blood is who. The lemonade is refreshing. Slow sips, to savour.

A song comes on in the bar – Tragedy by Steps. Gotta say, I love this song. It gives club vibes and its fun and -

The heat is rising in the club and its wrapping its arms around my shoulders; suffocating me. Trying to breathe, I drag my head to look to my left, towards the door.

“Are you alright, my love?” A gentle hand touches me and its amazing; like a burst of ice, a shield blasting back the heat like a knight protecting a damsel in distress.

I turn to my right and my heart stops. I check to see if I’m still breathing, but my eyes never leave this person’s face. They are beautiful.

Shivers run down my spine and I turn my entire body to face her. She is a siren and I am her victim.

In the blinding halo of the lights above, this woman is like an Angel...or rather, is she the Demon I've been holding out for?

Long curly black hair to her hips, with tints of a mossy dark green thanks to the light and matching ivy green lipstick. This woman is rocking this look. Her clothes are matching too; a black tank top with green shorts made of denim. And she’s got tattoos. She must look around my age, around thirty but her tattoos are incredible. Big dragons swirl up her thighs in bursts of all the colours of the rainbow and -

Oh god. I’m staring.

I hear her begin to laugh and her whole body shakes. She orders a rum and coke from the bar and pulls up a chair beside me. I’m getting colder. The whole room seems to be getting colder, but how can one woman be doing that?

“I’m Tara Clarke. Its nice to meet you, darling. You come here often?.” Her voice is bubbly.

She seems sober. For how much longer, I can not answer.

“Samantha. Samantha Preston.” I stumble over my own name, the screaming in my head slowly beginning to fade. Like magic. She’s doing something to me.

She is most definitely doing something to me.

The bartender slides the rum and coke her way and she offers me the coke, whilst she takes the rum. I down the lemonade, an urge to finish it washing over me.

“Thirsty?” She teases. “You look like you haven’t had anyone care about you in a long while.”

I put the lemonade glass on the table, looking at her again with a sense of curiosity.

“What are you?” I ask; something within me is telling me Tara is not human.

“I’m whatever you need me to be.” Tara smirks and sits down, one leg crossed over the other.

“What are you?” I ask again, more urgently.

“How about you fuck around and find out?”

We end up talking for a while, as if we’re old friends reuniting from time apart. It became easier somehow, to talk about my problems to someone who genuinely wanted to listen without shoving drugs down my throat.

It becomes easier when you’re just nicer. When you’re beautiful. When you’re genuine.

I had felt weird the entire night, like I had been called here for a reason. And now the world seems to be turning again; I can feel it beneath my feet,

We get up to dance, the earth spins, my own feet spinning as we dance to the songs that come on and we melt and move around the other girls at the bar.

“Tara.” Her name falls off my lips like a shock to my system and she draws me in closer, her hands around my waist.

“Yes, Samantha?” She whispers in my ear, nibbling as she pulls away.

“If God has sent you to me, then who am I to decline?” I gasp, everything and everyone disappearing.

All that is in my vision is her. Me and her and nobody else but the music to play with. I can’t remember what I’ve drank. Time has passed in a blink of an eye and yet, I don’t want this to end.

Is this what its like to fall in love? How do you know it won’t hurt when you fall? Will you be able to get back up again?

Whoever this woman is...I want her. I want to take a chance on her, for a brighter future.

“I can show you a night, a future that you’ve been dreaming of. If you’ll let me.” Tara holds out a hand to me

I nod, eagerly taking it. Only a fool rushes in, and a fool I will gladly be. For one ounce of happiness, one slice of cake that can provide the love that I want.

“Now. Since when have you ever believed in God?” Tara teases and laughs as my eyes widen.

She knows who I am because who wouldn’t….she knows me because she’s a demon.

And she was sent to save my soul.

We run away, into the night.

[becauseimanicequeen]

RANDOM THOUGHTS: Big Dragon ep. 5 (rewatch)

(These are my random thoughts from my rewatch on the 29th-30th of March 2024)

Since my rewatches may contain spoilers, I’m putting my random thoughts after the “Read More” link.

I’m excited to see more of the confrontation between Yai and Mangkorn. And then I’m hoping for more moments with Big. I want Mangkorn jealous because I feel like it’s about time he turns straightforward rather than just provoking Yai and giving him mixed signals.

When Mangkorn told Cherry he already has someone, he means Yai, right? Because he and Hong are just childhood friends. All of us know they’re not actually getting married. Mangkorn means this more as in someone else already has his interest (possibly his heart) and I’m pretty sure it’s Yai (considering his reaction when Yai shows up). Mangkorn looks like he was caught cheating by his boyfriend. So, if he’s feeling that way for Yai, why not just clear it up? No, Mangkorn turns confrontational instead (granted, after Yai punches him, but still).

Btw, that moment in the pouring rain with ”Dancing with the Devil” playing is my kind of vibe. It’s tense, melancholic, and filled with complicated feelings. It’s beautiful.

And then Mangkorn uses the video as leverage to have sex with Yai again. And they do so without having cleared anything. They’re both such a mess. And I love them.

That red light surrounding them… Yai is completely in Mangkorn’s world now.

I understand why so many BLs are using the pushing-up-against-glass moments in their sex scenes. There’s something vulnerable and raw about them (especially if they’re pushing up against windows for the whole world outside to see), not to mention the potential for dimly lit silhouette shots that I, personally, find beautiful.

You can say what you want about why they were having sex in the first place (like I just did above). However, looking at just the scene… It was beautifully lit, the shots were great, the song matched so well with the whole scene, and the roughness and desperation in the acting matched the characters really well.

Once again, Yai is wearing Mangkorn’s color (red) and Mangkorn is in darker colors (which are Yai’s usual shades). 

It’s annoying how cute they are while they still haven’t cleared up any of the shit. I mean, sure, actions speak louder than words to some. I can definitely back that up. So I’m sure some think Mangkorn has shown his feelings for Yai at this point. However, it’s a lot more powerful when those actions are backed up by words, or when the actions mirror the words. He needs to say something, not just use sex as a way to communicate his feelings. And, especially not use the leverage he’s got (the video) to keep Yai close to him.

Side note: I’m someone who is in contact with my intuition a lot and I’m pretty good at reading between the lines (especially in real life), so I can easily understand what people mean without being told. However, I still want people to pluck up the courage to tell it to me straight. Otherwise, it’s like they’re begging me to purposefully misinterpret them, and if that’s what they want, then that’s what they’ll get. I mean, as a girl, I was conditioned to be the “good girl” from an early age, so I aim to please and can purposefully misinterpret them for fun all day long. Because getting people what they ask for, especially when they don’t actually want it, is my favorite way to please others. But, I digress…

At least they’re communicating a bit now. But they still haven’t cleared things up about Hong… I mean, sure, Mangkorn said she was just a junior of his, not his girlfriend. But there’s more to it than that (we’ve seen it). Just be honest. Even if that means the end of both of you for the moment.

Mangkorn’s surprised look during that snack scene… He’s got it just as bad for Yai as Yai does for Mangkorn. Why doesn’t Mangkorn just admit it? Out loud. So Yai will hear it too.

The reason I’m pushing for Mangkorn to speak up is because the misunderstandings at this point revolve around him rather than Yai. The video situation and the Cherry situation have been cleared up. But there’s still Hong. The misunderstanding about Hong will keep pestering them until Mangkorn speaks up. At least if he’s honest, no matter how Yai is going to react (I remember how he did react), they can go their separate ways for a while to solve their own shit and then get a fresh start together.

Pong and Park showing up with aprons over their suits and doing those weird poses at the gate is too funny. They’re so weird. I love them to bits.

Yai is back wearing his dark green again. Is it time for him to snap out of the spell Mangkorn has on him?

Yep, seeing that photo of Mangkorn and Hong. The spell is broken. I feel so bad for Yai because he keeps misinterpreting situations and no one is helping him stop (Mangkorn, I’m looking at you).

Nadear is so fucking pretty.

The way Mangkorn is half panicking when Yai asks him about Hong…

That scene… There’s so much to unpack here. But one thing that stood out to me was the double standard. Mangkorn said that if he’d told Yai the truth, he would’ve lost Yai, which he didn’t want. I don’t know if Mangkorn realizes what he’s actually saying there, but he basically admits to being selfish and not caring about Yai’s feelings or his right to choose.  Then, moments later, he accuses Yai of not caring about his feelings and calls Yai selfish (which, in some cases, I can understand since Mangkorn is under pressure from his family and it might be too much for him to be under pressure from Yai as well). So, in a way, they’re basically the same. The only difference is that Yai doesn’t deny it, he recognizes that they’re both the problem.

Another thing that stands out to me is that Mangkorn basically wants Yai to read between the lines. When Mangkorn admits that he didn’t tell Yai the truth because he was afraid of losing him, it acts as a confession of Mangkorn’s feelings for Yai. That’s the message he wants Yai to get. Mangkorn is clearly in a difficult situation because of his family, so it’s understandable that he might not be able to be straightforward about his feelings (as in actually speaking up about them). On the other hand, by keeping it from Yai, Mangkorn is also taking away Yai’s right to choose whether or not he’s okay being with someone who just admitted he has to marry someone else after graduation. Yai’s right to choose should (ideally) be respected, just like everyone else’s right to choose. But Mangkorn wanted to take that choice away from Yai by not telling him the truth (out of his selfishness).

Honestly, they should go their separate ways until they’ve cleared up their own shit.

Of course Nine shows up when Yai is drowning his sorrows.

Fuck, the way Yai’s speech made me cry (and I’m not even a crier). He just melted my stone-cold heart.

Wait, was that a photo of the three of them (Yai, Mangkorn, and Hong) together as kids? Or was it Yai, his sister, and Nine?

Oh, it was Nine’s bar. It’s obvious he would be there, then.

There’s Jet again. All I see is Top from DFF. I just can’t unsee it…

Oh, look at Yai. He’s willingly wearing Mangkorn’s color (red) now. Poor baby is so in love and heartbroken.

So, Yai is scared of worms. But we all know he loves the one-eyed snake.

Of course it would end with Mangkorn seeing Yai and Nine together. I feel bad for him. But I’m also loving it. I love the heartbreak because I know the reunion will be all the sweeter.

This was another great episode, I really liked it. Misunderstandings, complicated feelings, the heartbreak… I loved it. Can’t wait to see how they’re going to resolve the situation (because my crappy memory can’t recall). Also, I’m eagerly awaiting that scene where Mangkorn goes down on Yai in bed (but I can’t remember when that will show up).

[rain-harmonia]

Give us a basic rundown on your OCs, who they are, what their favorite colors are, and if you have a song you associate with them :3

I’m a chronic oc maker so I will keep the list short by only talking about the ones that people might encounter in WoW! (US - Wyrmrest Accord, say hi if you see me!!)

• Zhuklesh: He’s a dracthyr evoker who combats the difficulties of his creation and abandonment by Neltharion with the joyous whimsies of life. Though not a Dark Talon (and overall claiming neutrality), he tends to stick with the Horde over the Alliance because he enjoys the vibes that the Horde brings to the table. He’s curious, fierce, and proud. Finding his favorite color was an absolute delight to him, and he’s settled on an enjoyment of bright and gentle pinks such as the shades found streaking the sky at dawn. I didn’t have a song readied to associate with him but I’m making the snap decision to assign To The Sky by Owl City.

• Vildryc: A primal dragon from the ages of Galakrond and the War of the Scaleborn, he was meant to be elevated with the power of an Incarnate after Vyranoth was sealed in the Vault. However, he failed the ritual and was consumed by the ice, thought dead and left forgotten for thousands of years. When the Dragon Isles were awakened and flooded with mortal explorers, Vildryc was unintentionally freed from his icy prison. Now he’s trying to adjust to modern Azeroth while still seeking a way to carry on the war that is so fresh in his memory, unwilling to forgive the Aspects. If asked about his favorite color, he’d answer that it’s a vibrant violet. As for songs, I’ll go with either Frequency or Back To The Earth, both by Starset.

• Ael’thein Mirthheart / “Eyes”: Ael’thein is a blood elf who was aligned with the Illidari on Outland, where he worked in the Den of Mortal Delights. After surviving the raid on the Black Temple, he fled back to Quel’Thalas where he grew in popularity as a courtesan. Enough popularity that the magisters began sticking their noses into his business to ensure his minor levels of influence could be used to maintain Silvermoon’s peace and order. Ael’thein grew resentful and took a “vacation” that spiraled into landing him among the Blacktalon. Now he adopts the code name and title “Eyes of the Black Prince”, returning to Silvermoon to use his status to spy for Wrathion. Just to keep him up to date on important happenings, of course. His favorite color is very typical for a blood elf, being the bolder shades of red. I don’t have any songs picked out for him yet.

• Caedmus: My very sad old man. A draenei who lived long enough ago to remember fleeing Argus, he spent the following thousands of years growing angry with the constant fleeing of his people. Draenor was a home that he’d hoped would become permanent. Obviously that didn’t work out, and his rage finally exploded when the Exodar crashed, killing his wife, and he learned it was sabotage. Despite being heavily injured, he went to confront the blood elves responsible and promptly got slaughtered. Years later, he found himself waking in Acherus, no memories of his previous life present. Being a death knight has been a very unfun time for him and after gaining his free will, he’s taken to wandering Azeroth, a shell of his living self. He’ll claim not to have a favorite color, that it’s not something he’s put much thought into. There are many songs (a whole playlist even) for him but I am choosing It’s All So Incredibly Loud by Glass Animals.

• Zolduri: Once a troll of the Gurubashi and now vaguely of the Darkspear, she was the high priestess of Hir’eek long ago when Hakkar and the Atal’ai were rising to power. For speaking out against Hakkar and preparing to leave with the Darkspear, she got jumped one night and sacrificed to Hakkar. Later, she was raised as a zombie by the Atal’ai. She spent several centuries enslaved to their will until she was able to break free. Her faith in Hir’eek remains as strong as ever and she has taken to coping with the shame she feels at her undead state by devoting everything that she is and does to her loa. Recently, she’s also taken to watching over the Darkspear from afar, lending them aid under cover of night and always fleeing before she can be seen. Her favorite color is the sort of greens that you’d find standing in a forest and staring at leaves filtering sunlight. She doesn’t have any songs associated with her yet.

• Nythoren Moonweaver: He’s a night elf who grew up as a caretaker of Elune-favored spiders and a temple healer. The second invasion of the Burning Legion ripped his life out from under him and ultimately resulted in his encountering Illidan, training as a demon hunter, and discovering being transgender. He elected to consume an aranasi for his ritual, clinging to his love of spiders. Afterwards, he served Illidan primarily as a strategist and as a trainer of basic first aid skills for the Illidari. In the current age, with the Legion defeated and Illidan gone, he’s taken up a hobby of spider breeding, half returning to his old life as a caretaker of the creatures. His favorite color is orange, especially in its softer or faded shades. I have no songs chosen for Nythoren yet.

• Leoranaku / “Leo”: They’re one of my newest, so this is going to be short. A Netherwing dragon who came with their flight to Azeroth, they’re determined to find a way to bring more of Outland’s creatures to the safety of Azeroth as their former home crumbles away. To this end, they travel Azeroth in search of environments that might be able to well-support Outland life. They’re quite taken with the forsaken, and assume the visage of one. Much less taken with orcs, having been a beast of the Illidari’s fel orcs in the past. Leo’s favorite color is just about any shade of blue imaginable. I currently don’t have any songs for them either.

[acircusfullofdemons]

ask game by @/maddgical-boy [link]. didn't answer some bc I either didn't feel like it or didn't have an answer.

how long have you been daydreaming for? (bonus if you can remember: what was your first daydream scenario/paracosm?)

Ever since I was a little kid. My teachers would always make a note along the lines of “good student, but daydreams way too much”. My memory is dogshit so I can only fathom what 6yo Luka was daydreaming about.

if your paracosm had a popular fandom, what do you think it'd be like?

Well. 2/3 of my main paracosms are technically fictparacosms, so I don’t have to imagine. But overall, a nightmare. I would probably get canceled for cursing out a fan lbr 💀

do you have any paracosms that aren't huge, but that you fall back on when The Time Is Right™️?

Yes! Crystalized Dragons & Life After Death are both paracosms that don’t have much, but I get fixated on them every so often and it’s a fun time. 

WOULD YOU RATHER: have your daydreams projected onto a screen attached to your head at all times OR be entirely unable to daydream ever again for the rest of your life?

😳 how big is this screen ... cuz unless it’s phone size/easily coverable, yeah no just erase the daydreams from my brain.

how did you come up with your paras' names? did they come to you randomly or did you spend hours researching name websites?

Some are random/based on vibes, but I like to give their names meaning depending on what happens to them. And there are others whose name is a pun, because they aren’t tormented enough 😂

do you do extensive worldbuilding for your paracosms? if you do, what are some of your favorite elements?

yes … that is. nearly all i do, like 90% of my daydreaming is just lore shit ngl. there’s a lot of things I like about worldbuilding, but I guess the magic systems are my favorite since I think about them the most. 

if your paras found out you were their creator, how would they react?

Not well, I’d imagine! I’ve put them through … a lot of shit. So. I think they’d take turns cursing me out and trying to kill me.

if you have a self insert/paraself, how similar are they to you?

Technically Calypso is a self insert, he was originally supposed to be one but then I thought he was better as an OC. I kind of still consider him one though, ngl. Anyway, he’s nothing like me at all! 

Vincent, on the other hand, is much more similar to me. I’m not gonna state how, because yknow. Personal shit. But they’re more in line with being a self insert/paraself. 

is there any time of the day where you can't/don't daydream?

… not really?? I guess during work, but unless it’s really busy (which it rarely is unless it’s the holidays) then yeah, I basically daydream all the time. Well, not like 24/7, I take breaks and get daydream blocks. And it’s not like I’m doing full daydreams either, most of it is just running on in the background, like a tv show. 

are your daydreams linear and structured, or do you jump all over the place?

A mix of both! There’s a set story, but I jump around in said story. 

what's a song you've been daydreaming to lately, and what's your favorite moment in said daydream?

My Alcoholic Friends by The Dresden Dolls. My favorite moment is during the lyrics “Should I choose a noble occupation? / If I did I'd only show up late and sick / And they would stare at me with hatred / Plus my only natural talent's wasted on my alcoholic friends” because the whole song reminds me of Salem but especially that part and by god are they a mess. That part in particular is them once again comparing themselves to Norman, wondering if she’d be better off getting a “normal job” like he has, but knowing that ultimately she’s not built for that life like Norman is. 

do your paras age with you, or are their ages static? does it feel weird to be older than a para you were previously the same age as?

I used to have them age with me, but it fucked with the paracosm timeline a little bit so now I think they’re more “static”, though they still age in-paracosm. bc of timeline shit.

if you had the opportunity to leave this world and live in your paracosm forever, would you? why or why not?

Yes. I mean, ideally I’d be one of my paras, but sure I guess if I’m just me that works too. Why? Have you seen the fucking world lately. Anyway like always I’d choose to live in Phantasmagoria, even though I’d get killed within the hour.

(if you have multiple) which paracosm of yours is most grounded in reality? which is most fantastical?

Most fantastical is probably just Eternal Labyrinth as a whole. I don’t really focus a whole lot on realism in my daydreams — fantasy bitch through & through — but I guess my current MaaC AU “This Life is Mine” can be considered the most “grounded”, even though it’s a superhero thing.

do you move a lot when daydreaming, and if so, in what ways?

I pace, run around a little bit. Go crazy go stupid etc. But I try to mostly stay still by sitting or laying down so I don’t seem Weird. 

have you ever wanted to make a piece of media of your paracosm (comic, animation, visual novel, novel, tv show, etc.)? what are elements that would be apart of it?

Oh absolutely! I truly believe a lot of my ‘cosms would work well as VNs, but I’ve also imagined some as animated shows. 

when you actively want to start daydreaming, what is your mind's process? do you tune back in like it's a tv show? flip through imaginary files? let it come naturally?

I kinda tune back in with a mini “previously on”, otherwise it just comes naturally since they’re usually in the background of my mind.

do you ever daydream about yourself (not a self insert, just you)?

No. I used to, but it just felt weird. 

what para would you absolutely hate in real life?

Oh…a LOT of them, probably. They are dumbasses, serial killers, and just terrible people after all.

when you experience a daydream block or crash, what are things you do to try and fix it? (or ways you cope. lmao i get it)

I try to consume new media to try and get some inspo or whatever. Most of the time I end up rewatching the same shit over and over again bc I got that flavor of brain that makes getting into new media hard for some reason. 

for fictparacosms, do your daydreams affect how you perceive the media and/or the fandom?

Kind of. I don’t really engage with fandoms that much anymore, and yeah my fictparacosms tend to be why. They’re usually AUs so I already feel…insecure, I guess, sharing them. And I haven’t had good experiences with fandom in the past, either.

With the media it’s based off of, it’s typically something I got hyperfixated on, which means my daydreams are an outlet for that lol. Once the hyperxitation is over the paracosm tends to fade a little bit or disappear entirely (which is why I don’t typically talk about my fictparacosms — they’re so short lived). Still, when it’s active, there comes a point where I stop engaging with the media altogether in favor of the fictparacom. I might watch some clips here and there, but that’s about it I think.

if you ever write down things about your daydreams (truly anything at all — notes, dialogues, descriptions, etc), share a random snippet with no context.

I try to. I was a lot…better(?) at writing down my daydreams — and just writing in general, I guess — when I was younger. idk. I know I should document my daydreams more often, it’s just…hard.

if your paras had madd/daydreamed immersively, what would they daydream about?

Reverie does have MaDD! She daydreamed about having a daughter, though thinking of her daydreams is weird to me. I will say, Rev is the goddess of daydreams & imagination, and made her para daughter, Lucid/Lucinda real, making her the goddess of lucid dreams. idk thats kinda all I know.

I’m sure some of my paras would have MaDD, especially those in AM or have interacted with Arcaynis in some way. Oh, Jervis has MaDD! He has two paracosms: an aiw one, and one about magicians. I don’t really like putting my paras on the daydream spectrum, it feels weird to me lol like breaking the fourth wall in a way. Even if, realistically, a few would indeed be MaDDers/IDDers. 

if you have tried to make your paras in character makers (picrew, meiker, etc), what is an aspect of your para that these makers never/rarely have?

An option for both horns and wings! Usually it’s either or (if an option at all). And the option to make the eyes different colors, or change the whites of the eyes. 

are your daydreams clear in your mind's eye?

Depends on my energy level, but generally speaking, yes. 

if you have multiple paracosms, what would it be like if they had a crossover?

Chaos. Pure, unadulterated chaos. My most fleshed out crossover AU is actually an apocalypse au, if that tells you anything. Granted, none of my paras caused the apocalypse, but still. Why can y'all only interact in an apocalypse goddamn.

[calowlmitygoddess]

Ill fill the writing meme because i love talking about myself lmao

1. What font do you write in? Do you actually care or is that just the default setting? Standart arial, and don't care, tought i tried the comic sans trick a few times

2. If you had to give up your keyboard and write your stories exclusively by hand, could you do it? If you already write everything by hand, a) are you a wizard and b) pen or pencil? Probably not, my handwriting is terrible, actually unreadable to anyone but myself. Ive used to write on papper back in highschool when i had to write basicly everyday, now i havent touched a pen in ages.

3. What is your writing ritual and why is it cursed? No standart ritual aside from needing music, anything else distracts me. The two songs i listened the most while writing is Respite on the Spitafields by ghost and Sacred Worlds by Blind Guardian

4. What’s a word that makes you go absolutely feral? Can't think of any rn :^

5. Do you have any writing superstitions? What are they and why are they 100% true? I dont think i have any

6. What is your darkest fear about writing? That it all will be meaningless/no one will read what i do

7. What is your deepest joy about writing? Doing Something TM the whole, creation aspect

8. If you had to write an entire story without either action or dialogue, which would you choose and how would it go? No dialogue, just write a piece of someone going trought their day, ive wrote a small exercise a while back that fit this.

9. Do you believe in ghosts? This isn’t about writing I just wanna know No. Unless i hear a Noise TM then they are very real

10. Has a piece of writing ever “haunted” you? Has your own writing haunted you? What does that mean to you? All my unfinished things haunt me daily. So much promise and so far nothing real. I had to write a thing to help let go of their ghosts

11. Do you believe in the old advice to “kill your darlings?” Are you a ruthless darling assassin? What happens to the darlings you murder? Do you have a darling graveyard? Do you grieve? Only when it fits the narrative. I dont like killing characters whitout a major reason, usually thematic, otherwise it feels cheap.

12. If a genie offered you three writing wishes, what would they be? Btw if you wish for more wishes the genie turns all your current WIPs into Lorem Ipsum, I don’t make the rules. Have the skill needed to make my Big Project reality, Have it reach some form of Good greater recognition/popularity, the last one i would keep for later.

13. What is a subject matter that is incredibly difficult for you write about? What is easy? Hard topics in general, big issues, relationships in any realistic way.

Literally just characters vibing, introspection, Over the top stuff.

14. Do you lend your books to people? Are people scared to borrow books from you? Do you know exactly where all your “lost” books are and which specific friend from school you haven’t seen in twelve years still possesses them? Will you ever get them back? No one ever asked for a book to me but id have no problem doing so. Im the one people shouldnt ever lend any books because i am very careless and would likely end up dropping coffee or something accidentally on it

15. Do you write in the margins of your books? Dog-ear your pages? Read in the bath? Why or why not? Do you judge people who do these things? Can we still be friends? I dont write in margins, but i did dog eared books in the past, and i use the jacket(?) of the book to mark my pages.

16. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever used as a bookmark? fuckenn... i dont remember tbh, again i use the jacket.

17. Talk to me about the minutiae of your current WIP. Tell me about the lore, the history, the detail, the things that won’t make it in the text. I have a post with a bunch of lore about the dragon species, i cant find it tought. But they are mammals that lay eggs, have no gender, their society mostly resemble that of bees, they have no currency, and the watsonian reason the main character goes by gendered terms despite not having one is because she thinks the words sound nice

18. Choose a passage from your writing. Tell me about the backstory of this moment. How you came up with it, how it changed from start to end. Spicy addition: Questioner provides the passage. I dont think theres any passages that have interesting enough backstories.

19. Tell me a story about your writing journey. When did you start? Why did you start? Were there bumps along the way? Where are you now and where are you going? My dream since childhood was to write a book, ive always liked to tell stories, read and such, i would dictate stories that my mom would write down before i learnt how to do so. But then i got really into drawing and started to foucus more on that, and ended up shifting the foucus from writing text to comic making since every artist with ocs does that. I also changed foucus on projects faster than light, so i would write 2 chapters and give up the next day, or change the entire story the next week and such.

I stuck with comics as my goal for like the past 6 years, and only early this year i came to the conclusion that i really hate the comic making part of making comics, and that i like writting much better. Im very rusty+ the fact im not as avid reader as i used to, and the quality is not really good, but im having fun.

20. If a witch offered you the choice between eternal happiness with your one true love and the ability to finally finish, perfect, and publish your dearest, darlingest, most precious WIP in exactly the way you've always imagined it — which would you choose? You can’t have both sorry, life’s a bitch

Wip, finish the wip, thats all i wanted since i was 10, what even is the point of this question.

21. Could you ever quit writing? Do you ever wish you could? Why or why not? I just started writting 'seriously' so i dont want to quit just yet. Also i have a massive undeserved ego, i dont think even the most discouraging,awful negative review could make me quit doing it.

22. How organized are you with your writing? Describe to me your organization method, if it exists. What tools do you use? Notebooks? Binders? Apps? The Cloud? I have one google doc, with outline+ chapters as i write them, i used to have different docs for lore/outline/chapters but its easier this wau

23. Describe the physical environment in which you write. Be as detailed as possible. Tell me what’s around you as you work. Paint me a picture.

In the inn i stay during the week and my actual room in my house are essentially the same place, Is my room, its messy and damp but its confy enough. My table is turned to the small window and during the morning the sun hist right in my face. The table is equally messy, with cups and glasses over it, pappers stained with coffee and tea cover its surface. My one company, a small succulent that rests near the window, and a carved small owl that i need to constantly clean because its constantly molding due to the dampness.

24. How much prep work do you put into your stories? What does that look like for you? Do you enjoy this part or do you just want to get on with it? Idk what kind of prep work you would do. I just sit and write mate.

25. What is a weird, hyper-specific detail you know about one of your characters that is completely irrelevant to the story? Godamn i cant think of any rn. Most of my Extremely well developed characters are from my BIg Story, but it literally doesnt exist anywhere outside my head yet, so idk what is and isnt relevant to it. For my current wip is a little harder since the characters are like less than a year old. idk...Orick looks like a cat person, i think he would like to own a cat.

26. How do you get into your character’s head? How do you get out? Do you ever regret going in there in the first place? I go "what would a person in this situation with this background do" and try my best to guess.

27. Who is the most stressful character you’ve ever written? Why? Any character thats like a stategist or planner, because its hard to make them look smart without making it look like bullshit or predicting the future

28. Who is the most delightful character you’ve ever written? Why? Meira. Her narration came very easy to me, guilt ridden but still professional and calm, also Big Gay.

29. Where do you draw your inspiration? What do you do when the inspiration well runs dry? I was never a very original kid, im a vampire that sucks the soul out of other things to fuel my own. My current Wip main characters are based out of HK characters they resemble nothing of. Im always on the prowl for new media to steal from be inspired by

30. Talk to me about the role dreams play in your writing life. Have you ever used material from your dreams in your writing? Have you ever written in a dream? Did you remember it when you woke up?

Sort of. I've dreamed with plots before, and i usually do my best to remember, but while at the moment i wake up feeling like that was the best idea in the world, after a while when i think about it again, its just sort of nonsense

31. Write a short love letter to your readers.

Literally Thank you to anyone who ever gave me the time of day. Im still a little haunted by those i dissapointed by never fininishing stuff but the fact that yall liked enough to make me feel guilty for giving up is also good in a way <3

32. What is a line from a poem/novel/fanfic etc that you return to from time and time again? How did you find it? What does it mean to you?

'sometimes a dream is enough' - the last line from one of my favourite books. In context it drives me insane, it makes me rabid. But out of context its just neat

33. Do you practice any other art besides writing? Does that art ever tie into your writing, or is it entirely separate? Im a Drawer! also tried sculpting in the past. And YES, my current dream is to have an illustrated novel.

34. Thoughts on the Oxford comma, Go: No idea what an oxford comma is and at this point im too afraid to ask

35. What’s your favorite writing rule to smash into smithereens? POV character being the protagonist, i just found it such a neat concept. Also the protagonist needing to be a Good Moral Character.

36. They say to Write What You Know. Setting aside for a moment the fact that this is terrible advice...what do you Know? Dinossaurs, i wanna write a story about dinossaurs one day...

37. If you were to be remembered only by the words you’ve put on the page, what would future historians think of you? Gay. Also very into dragons

38. What is something about your writing process YOU think is Really Weird? If you are comfortable, please share. If you’re not comfortable, what do you think cats say about us? I dont have any Weird habits i think? I can only imagine some kind of complain about how their current food sucks.

39. What keeps you writing when you feel like giving up? Not to be dark in the funny meme but giving up would literally remove one of the things that give my life some form of meaning

40. Please share a poem with me, I need it.

idk how to write poems sorry

[laughterbynight]

Le Comfort Tags

this is going to be long

these tags are brought to you by @burntotears

Comfort Movie(s): 2005 Pride & Prejudice, Jurassic Park, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, and Under the Tuscan Sun. Can't remember how well some of those aged...

Comfort Food (s): (okay so for about 9 months I had long covid before we had vaccines, which means, weirdly, my body developed allergies to a lot of foods I could tolerate previously. Old faves have *)

Cheese, big glass of Milk*, Pizza*, Tortellini Alfredo*, Miso Soup, Diet Coke*, Oat Milk Ice Cream, Teriyaki Salmon, Petit Fours*, Pastry Cream*.

Comfort Clothing: A very oversized T Shirt and nothing else or baggy pants and a velvet crop top. Very specific but it's my favorite thing to wear when I'm being cozy. I do like big sweaters but if I get overheated the feeling is ruined immediately.

Comfort Song(s): I apologize in advance but there's no way to make this short. Daydreaming means I'm always switching between a line up of songs that transport my brain to other places or set off specific feelings. Some probably don't sound comfortable per se but the familiarity is what gets me. A few have been my go-to escapism songs for well over a decade. And of course the line up is always in flux. Also, like, fanfic mood music is a must yo.

BZY-The Earth Laughs In Flowers Jean Dawson - Pirate Radio The 1975 - Happiness Great Heart - Johnny Clegg & Savuka the verve - bittersweet symphony Deco - bittersweet symphony New Radicals - You Get What You Give Tracy Chapman - Crossroads Temple of the Dog(aka soundgarden and pearl jam) - Hunger Strike ODESZA - Line Of Sight Steve Conte - Call Me Call Me The Midnight - We Move Forward Savage Garden - I Want You Stewart Copeland (yes from the police) - Misty Bog (spyro the dragon) Angels & Airwaves - The Adventure Broke for Free - A Beautiful Life Cressida- 6am (Kyau & Albert Remix) Niklas Harding & Arcane- Ice Beach Michael Cassette - Wateresque Nitrous Oxide - North Pole Fire Flowerz - Sugar

Technically you could probably put any intro and outro from the og toonami line up on this list. I stg it's like getting smacked in the face with nostalgia to hear anything from that time.

*if a song is like 8 minutes jump ahead 2. That usually gets you past the warm up.

Comfort Book(s): The Birth of the Firebringer, Vol 1. of the Sailor Moon manga, Pride and Prejudice (specifically the audio version by the sleepy bookshelf) which is also on spotify, and probably ACOMAF (the rest can rot but I still love that ONE book.)

Comfort Game(s): Spyro the Dragon (I know this game too well), Tomba 1 & 2, Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon DS Cute, Dewprism/Threads of Fate.

Comfort Streamers:

Tbh although I check in with a handful of streamers from time to time Ray is probably who I watch the most. Quick wit, sarcasm, and snark are my favorite things, so Ray is my go-to. (yes, that Ray. He escaped RT a long time ago. It's a whole thing that's been talked about by him. He's a safe one, don't worry.)

RayNarvaezJr.

dude plays pretty much anything and everything but if I had to rec somewhere to start go with either pokemon or stardew if you want chill vibes, or watch his plays of any of the resident evil or yakuza games for fuckery.

Comfort Youtube Channels:

I'm adding this because I use a few when I'm overwhelmed and need something familiar or gentle to watch. Separate from gaming stuff.

Kennie JD - Bad movies and a beat playlist (kennie is just hysterical anyway but omg these reviews. The Twilight ones in particular get me every time.

Anti-Chef - Watch Jamie attempt to cook through Julia Child's cookbooks. It's very charming and you're always rooting for him. He's very real about the process which is nice.

Dominic Noble - Lost in Adaptation. Exactly what it sounds like. Books vs Film and TV but he's also not an ass about it so it's a pleasant experience.

nigiricco - Bento videos like every three days it's wild but imo soothing to watch.

Sophia Phan - Movie Commentaries. She's adorable.

Imamu room - MORE BENTO

Joconde's baking - Really soothing baking videos imo as long as you don't mind the sound of it. Like almost asmr if that helps.

Chocolate Cacao - The master of baking chocolate I stg

José - Video essays and damn good retrospectives including scrubs, that 70s show, boy meets world, the golden girls, cheers, the fresh prince etc.

The Movie Budz - More great film commentary

PBS Idea Channel - Okay so this channel has been dead for 6 years now but it's STILL full of amazing videos that I have yet to see matched in their depth and scope. Plus it's nearly all pop culture which keeps it fun an accessible. If you aren't familiar with PBSID I highly suggest sifting through the archive. There are videos on everything from The Pokemon War Theory to How Does Night Vale Confront Us With the Unknown?

Hbomberguy - The dude with the Pathologic video. His other stuff is really good too.

Folding Ideas - Video essays and commentary plus some really good deep dives into other subjects like NFTs, Flat Earthers, and the Ralph Bakshi Lord of the Rings uh adaptation?

Primitive Technology - Okay, you know those videos YT recs where it looks like two guys built a hotel out of bamboo or something but it's clearly fake? This is the guy they're mimicking.

Peaceful Cuisine - Mostly vegan and/or gluten free cooking. Most videos have an asmr version and a version with soft music playing.

Was all of that necessary? Probably not. I am now tired. To think I trimmed down what I was going to add.

Tagging folks but like everyone feel free to do it, and no you don't have to do all the categories I did. I added the youtube videos and went kinda wild with music.

Going by my activity page again otherwise this will be too long

@loveayeti @corpsefluid @deviess @metaphysicaltelephone @cobaltbluepub @kerrykhat @doommsatic @isixdream @aetheling @thesoilofblackpepper @blue-shale @thematurescholar @ghost-proof @pixiereadsb00ks @dreaminginspacecowboy @truculentbantam @tfisathoughtfulnickelbakeryfire Zuloo Idk why I can't tag you but I see your ass on my activity page so consider yourself tagged.

[clatoera]

I’d love to hear the clato long live lyrics if you still do that based In yesterdays post

Okay so probably the entire 5:17 of the song could apply to them but if we wanna get ✨ specific ✨ I kid i kid ok

To start off this is a VERY VERY SPECIFIC Era okay this VERY MUCH gives like..Teenagers towards the end of training with the games coming up fantasizing about winning/those very last nights before like the games you know. okay lets hope I dont write out the whole fucking song lets goooo I think i'll use purple for speak now ok cool

I think theres the Very obvious

"..and they read off our names, the night you danced like you knew our lives would never be the same. You held your head like a hero on a history book page, it was the end of a decade, but the start of an age."

Like tell me that doesn't give like.. day of volunteering. End of a lifetime of training, new chapter where only one survives and goes on to win etc. Like it makes sense I can picture it SO clearly. Does this make sense to literally anyone else???

"when they gave us our trophies and we held up for town"

once AGAIN does it not give imagining winning?? returning to 2?? Like???

Of COURSE

"Long live all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you, I was screaming 'long live that look on your face' and bring on the pretenders, we will be remembered."

DO i even need to EXPLAIN? do i NEED to explain Because it feels self explanatory. It's giving realizing this is the end and only one is coming out??? Ready to go in the games reminiscing on the life they lived because only one is coming out and this is the END this is the LAST few days they will be together but they're the best tributes District 2 has had in years and of COURSE the victor wont let the other be forgotten. Haha ouchie!

"May these memories break our fall. Will you take a moment, promise me this. That you'll stand by me forever, but if god forbid fate should step in and force us into a goodbye..."

I mean..Come on. COME ON. Going in knowing only one is coming out but planning to fight together until the end and be the final two sort of vibe. It's a "we'll be together until the very end" vibe. Paired with the rest of the line of

"...If you have children some day, when they point to the pictures, please tell them my name. Tell them how the crowds went wile, tell them how I hope they shine."

Like?? Expecting the other to win and go on and carry on and not let them be forgotten in the lives they will carry on without the other?? wishing the best??? Remember me and tell your kids about me because I was your partner and I was in those games with you and I went through that with you and I want nothing for the best for them because they are yours and you lived and got to be happy. And if it couldnt me be it had to you.

You know what I mean?? Does that make sense because it makes PERFECT sense to me.

I could keep going but I mean literally every lyric in this song does this to me I legit cry when I hear it im listening to it now and borderline crying.

Thank you thank you💜💜💜

[wizardrps]

Wanted: RP Partner(s)

Howdy! So long story short, I am once again getting back into roleplaying, and so I thought I'd make this silly little side blog to try and find some people to roleplay with! Soooo let's get on with it!!!

About me:

My name is Jessie, I'm nonbinary, and my pronouns are they/he! I'm a current college student, so I tend to get very busy out of nowhere. My style is what you'd call advanced literate/novella. I write only in 3rd person. I also have a habit of writing a lot. I have been writing and roleplaying for 10 whole years (I have a lot of stories about my rp history. It's kind of embarrassing lol).

As a little disclaimer regarding my response timing: like I mentioned, I'm currently in my undergrad and my schedule can be hectic. Some days, I'm not busy at all and that means I'm free to respond whenever. However, some days I'm super busy and cannot respond. I try my hardest to be as open and communicative with my roleplay partners as possible. That being said, I do not expect a response immediately after I respond. Take as much time as you need! I know that you have a life outside of roleplaying just as much as I do.

Preferences for Roleplay Partners:

I am over 18, so I am... a little uncomfortable with roleplaying certain themes and topics with people who are underaged. Under no circumstances will I roleplay NSFW with a minor. Please, for the love of all things that are good, do not lie about your age just so you can roleplay NSFW with me. I was 14 at some point too and got upset when adults wouldn't roleplay with me either, but trust me when I say it has nothing to do with your maturity or you as a person. It is for both of our safety and well-being.

As for the topic of NSFW, no porn-without-plots. I don't mind nsfw, but I really don't like it to be the bulk of a roleplay. It gets boring really quick for me.

Please be literate! I'm definitely not an amazing writer and don't expect you to be one either. I'm not a stickler for grammar or stuff like that, but literacy is important to me.

Last but not least, someone who is willing to talk OOC! The most fun I've ever had with roleplays was when I've roleplayed with people who have talked to me OOC. Whether it's about the roleplay or anything about your life, talk to me!!! We don't have to be best friends, but I like to think of roleplaying as a good way to make some really cool friends that I can basically work on a story with :) There's no obligation to always be talking to me, but talking from time to time is nice.

The fun stuff!!! What I'm looking for:

Fandom or OC! I lean towards OC, but if there's a fandom we both enjoy that I can comfortably write a character from, then let's do it! My main genres of interest are: high/dark fantasy, modern fantasy, horror/psychological thriller, pretty much any historical fiction especially if it is medieval or takes place in the last 200 years, some sci-fi, or anything that gives Life is Strange vibes. I'm down for realistic fiction settings, but I usually prefer the other stuff.

Ships. As a queer person, I prefer lgbt relationship dynamics. I'm comfortable with straight ships, but they're just not what I'm used to. Most of my OCs are guys, but I have gals, nonbinary, and trans people also thrown into the mix of my endless batch of OCs. Also, platonic ships are welcomed!

Fandoms:

If you are looking to roleplay a fandom, here's what I'm currently into/what I'm willing to roleplay! A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones, the Witcher(show, books up to a certain point I left off at lol), the Elder Scrolls, Dragon Age (all 3 games), Hannibal, and Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit (movies and books I guess?)

No/no's:

Things that will get you immediately blocked if you try to pull include: non-con, incest, s/a, children in any sexual context, or any fetishes that have to do with bodily fluids.

Things that are iffy/icks: romanticization of mental illness (i.e. if you haven't done the research to be able to correctly pull of an interpretation of a character with ASPD, don't do it), abusive relationships, and dub-con.

Disclaimer: these are things that I am not okay writing into detail about. For example, if your character has a past of being abused, I am okay with having the subject touched upon. However, I am not comfortable writing an abusive relationship where my OC is abusive towards yours, or vice versa. Please just be respectful and speak to me OOC prior to bringing up any of these subjects.

Anyhoodles, that's about it! Sorry this post is long and drawn out. If you're interested in roleplaying, please interact with this post via comment or like, or message me! My main means of roleplaying is through discord. My discord tag is WizardLizard#2018. Please bare in mind that I get busy (and last time I made one of these posts I got absolutely swamped with responses and got overwhelmed), so it might take me a little while to get back to you! No matter what I will respond, though!

[lightningandfireinmybones]

Okay besties!!! I love the vibe we have going in here. Might I also throw in my two cents because regarding the whole Rhaegar / Lyanna thing, I have some thoughts as well?

So... I think that no matter how you slice it, it could never and would never have worked out. Not only was Lyanna a child (older than say Dany when she was sold to Drogo yet still a child) but also Rhaegar never treated her as an equal.

I find it very hard to believe that the She- wolf, Lyanna Stark herself, the Knight of the Laughing Tree, the girl that was so head strong that Ned is reminded of her when seeing Arya train with Syrio, the same girl that so earnestly and gently was moved by Rhaegar's sad songs at Harenhall, that she would be on board with fulfilling some grand prophesy.

Because the good version of events is that Rhaegar was forthcoming about the prophecy. He was the Heir, he was slowly and under the table making moves to remove Aerys from the throne and since his youth he was conceived that he could recreate the three heads of the dragon. (being born during a horrific accident that leaves almost everyone dead and was maybe caused by your grandfather in an attempt to revive dragons will mess you up I guess)

So when Elia could no longer safely give him that third child he looked elsewhere.

The bad version, and one that I am mote inclined to believe is that Rhaegar didn't tell Lyanna of the prophecy. He was sent to find the Knight of the Laughing Tree, he found her in the God's Eye and that's how the mess started. Lyanna was already infatuated with him (iirc the grand feast had been the night before and that's when she'd heard him sing)

In addition to that, he was the Prince and the Heir. You don't have to be Cersei to get blinded by that.

The whole dynamic was completely off. Rhaegar knew what he was doing. He knew the consequences and that's why he took her and kept her at the tower of Joy, otherwise he'd just have a bastard, or keep her as a paramour. But he knew how outrageous something like that would be.

He had an opportunity to "give" Lyanna back and he didn't.

Instead he started a war that ended with the brutal rape and murder of Elia and his already existing babies and poor teenage Lyanna all alone in Dorne.

Idk what Elia knew or though or didn't think but i believe that GRRM means for us to be very suspicious of R+L.

Besides throughout his book despite insisting upon the very young age of his characters (mainly girls) when being introduced to sexual situations the narrative always condemns them. For more thoughts on this let me suggest this video

ht tps: //youtu . be/QnYa0zSDl7o by Hill's Alive. It's her thoughts on this exact topic and I thing she makes some valid points.

Targaryen men and their prophecies and their ease to cast away their living children in favour of more future kids. The only thing that can bring the fall of the house of the dragon is the delusion of some of their Kings istg.

In the end no matter what one's thoughts on the R+L thing is (All opinions are valid and respected 🖤🖤 let's allow room for everyone) we can all joyfully be united under our hatred and rage over Aegon being Jon's name in the show. Rhaegar already had an Aegon! He was going for a Visenya!!! D&D kind of forgot about that i guess.

(besides aegon is so basic couldn't they do sth sexier? Side eye)

bestie you just do not miss

because whether you believe rhaegar to be a master manipulator (i am somewhat inclined towards that,,, growing up as the crown prince knowing you will probably have to usurp your father,,, you're not unaware of the moves you have to make) or not, there is something inherently unsettling about the way he approaches lyanna

his tragic background also indicates he had to grow up faster, should be mature enough to know exactly what he was doing!! (also that art piece released recently from the calendar i think with rhaegar and lyanna on the cover,,, the vibes are haunting which is very interesting to me)

and i think it's just like a man like rhaegar to think he is this savior and be determined to fulfill a prophecy that actually has far-reaching horrific implications on everyone around him with zero regards for the consequences (especially to the women,,, his wife is raped and murdered, his daughter is murdered, lyanna is left to die alone in childbirth, his mother is alone on dragonstone giving birth to his sister in terrifying conditions)

THAT VIDEO DOES NOT MISS, i think at the very least thinking critically about how and why it's presented like that is important

and all opinions and interpretations and shipping are respected in this house bc fandom and media is a very safe place to explore ideas and kinks and fantasies and i am a staunch supporter of rights and wrongs both being fun and important while also being aware there are implications and critical thinking to do at the same time

for real, i think a consistent theme is the hubris of men (particularly targ men: daemon, aemond, maegor, aegon I, etc) being their inevitable downfall LIKE WE GET IT YOU'RE HOT AND SPECIAL BUT PLS HAVE SOME NUANCE AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS

and i feel connected in this chilis tonight over rage for how D&D just gave up on any critical thinking about some of the more difficult concepts in the end, i know it's hard to give any targaryen a better name than aegon but sweaties i can think of at least 4 off the top of my head:')

EXACTLY HE NEEDED A WARRIOR PLS

(also this is just my pure want thing here is that if he's trying to recreate the 3 heads of the dragon, the third head should be a hot warrior woman,,, jon snow eat rocks give me a dark magic queen instead)

[elvhenaan]

∞

There's blood on your liesDisguise opened wideThere is nowhere for you to hideThe hunter's moon is shining

running with the wolves - aurora

put a “∞” in my ask box and I’ll shuffle my itunes and give you my favorite lyric from the song that comes up.

[gi-nathlam-hi]

piggybacking off of my last post, I’m just having Thoughts, but I also fully understand the backlash against how the writers have said over and over that they want to carry on Tolkien’s legacy and further his work, staying true to his work, when they have made so many changes already and also when Tolkien himself made it very clear that he didn’t approve of his work being adapted to film.

But guess what? Jackson’s trilogy did it.

And also, when the writers say that, I don’t think they really mean Tolkien’s legacy, as in the legacy of the man himself, but I think they mean the legacy of Tolkien’s work. Which is SO much bigger than the professor. 

And that legacy, in my opinion, is a fantasy world and narrative that is built around light and hope, around the good and the beautiful things in the world, around saying, unironically, that friendship and love can save the world.

And right now after having so many years of grimdark fantasy fiction (which in my opinion is not aging well at all), it’s really refreshing to have positive, hopeful fantasy be in a mainstream show again. Like, for me the legacy of Tolkien’s work is his themes. And I know we’re only a few episodes in but they already seem to understand the themes of Tolkien’s work: of friendship, and family, and love, and light, and good against evil. I’m honestly so tired of the edgelord gray morality and grimdark fiction. I don’t think the theme of the good and the just prevailing over the evil and the unjust is childish. I’m really over the edgelord anti hero stuff right now. Give me something full of light and hope and friendship, even if it’s not the best scripted show in the world, it IS stuffed full of friendship and love, and the desire for light to prevail over darkness.

And to me that’s Tolkien’s work, y’know? That’s his legacy. He gave us a grown-up fairytale that is real and sincere and full of hope. And full of heroism: of characters who do the right thing not because they believe they will win, but often in the face of overwhelming odds and inevitable defeat. But still they do the good and the right and the noble thing. Maedhros goes to treat with Morgoth. Earendil slams Vingilote into a giant dragon and sinks half of Beleriand. Fingon rescues Maedhros even if it means cutting off a hand to do it. Finrod gets into a song battle with Sauron and loses, but boy what an epic battle! Maglor raises two children who he’s responsible for orphaning, and grows to cherish them. Aragorn stops running and takes up his responsibility, his birthright. Arwen and Luthien choose love and doom. Elrond chooses to endure, to stay, to guide, to help, to preserve--- even when he has lost so much. He chooses to be kind. Celembrimbor takes the secret of the Three to his grave under unimaginable torture because he believes that there is a chance they might prevail. Theoden and Eomer and Eowyn and the whole company of Rohan ride ‘for death’, Aragorn runs a suicide mission to help Frodo. Frodo carries the ring. Frodo carries the ring. Frodo carries the ring. Maedhros & Fingon and Frodo & Sam find each other in the dark by singing.

That’s Tolkien’s legacy for me. And to be honest I get those vibes from the show so far. Granted, we’re not even close to even being done with the season yet. But so far it’s full of that very specific Tolkien light, and I love that about it. 

[chispas-and-broken-bindings]

Lmao 🤣 I know to which post you are replying about them being besties . That scene always gave me more ominous vibes than actually something that would ignite friendship . Also the title of " Usurper's Dog " isn't something @ry@ is going to take lightly .

Ha! I actually didn't have any particular post in mind. The Dany/Arya friendship is just something that I see float around the fandom from time to time and it drives me absolutely bonkers (not fanon. feel free to explore all your platonic dreams with these two in fanon. Go wild. You do you.)

If we are talking canon though, I can't think of a single character that has more anti-Targ foreshadowing in their chapters than Arya (even Jon comes in second place). I actually started pasting bits of Arya's chapters into a word document awhile ago, because I couldn't believe how much GRRM uses her POV to detail the horrors of fire and burning...it's almost comical how heavy-handed he is with it.

And yet...

After I saw this ask in my inbox, I looked at the Arya Stark tag and immediately found a post about Dany and Arya being best friends.

So.

Here we are:

A Storm of Swords - Arya I

Later they passed through a burned village, threading their way carefully between the shells of blackened hovels and past the bones of a dozen dead men hanging from a row of apple trees. When Hot Pie saw them he began to pray, a thin whispered plea for the Mother's mercy, repeated over and over. Arya looked up at the fleshless dead in their wet rotting clothes and said her own prayer. Ser Gregor, it went, Dunsen, Polliver, Raff the Sweetling. The Tickler and the Hound. Ser Ilyn, Ser Meryn, King Joffrey, Queen Cersei. She ended it with valar morghulis, touched Jaqen's coin where it nestled under her belt, and then reached up and plucked an apple from among the dead men as she rode beneath them. It was mushy and overripe, but she ate it worms and all.

That was the day without a dawn. Slowly the sky lightened around them, but they never saw the sun. Black turned to grey, and colors crept timidly back into the world. The soldier pines were dressed in somber greens, the broadleafs in russets and faded golds already beginning to brown.

Hot Pie opened his mouth and closed it. He did not fall off his horse. The rain began again a short time later. They still had not seen so much as a glimpse of the sun. It was growing colder, and pale white mists were threading between the pines and blowing across the bare burned fields.

A Storm of Swords - Arya III

That night they sheltered in a burned, abandoned village.

A Storm of Swords - Arya IV

The next night they found shelter beneath the scorched shell of a sept, in a burned village called Sallydance. Only shards remained of its windows of leaded glass, and the aged septon who greeted them said the looters had even made off with the Mother's costly robes, the Crone's gilded lantern, and the silver crown the Father had worn. "They hacked the Maiden's breasts off too, though those were only wood," he told them. "And the eyes, the eyes were jet and lapis and mother-of-pearl, they pried them out with their knives. May the Mother have mercy on them all."

A Storm of Swords Arya VI

"Please," Sandor Clegane rasped, cradling his arm. "I'm burned. Help me. Someone. Help me." He was crying. "Please."

Arya looked at him in astonishment. He's crying like a little baby, she thought.

Clegane tried to stand, but as he moved a piece of burned flesh sloughed right off his arm, and his knees went out from under him. Tom caught him by his good arm and held him up.

His arm, Arya thought, and his face. But he was the Hound. He deserved to burn in a fiery hell. The knife felt heavy in her hand. She gripped it tighter. "You killed Mycah," she said once more, daring him to deny it. "Tell them. You did. You did."

"I did." His whole face twisted. "I rode him down and cut him in half, and laughed. I watched them beat your sister bloody too, watched them cut your father's head off."

Lem grabbed her wrist and twisted, wrenching the dagger away. She kicked at him, but he would not give it back. "You go to hell, Hound," she screamed at Sandor Clegane in helpless empty-handed rage. "You just go to hell!"

(Okay, so she's not exactly sympathetic to the Hound's plight here, but still...another reference to burning, and a pretty graphic one at that)

A Storm of Swords - Arya VII

Jack-Be-Lucky, Harwin, and Merrit o' Moontown braved the burning septry to search for captives. They emerged from the smoke and flames a few moments later with eight brown brothers, one so weak that Merrit had to carry him across a shoulder.

The septry soon collapsed in a roar of smoke and flame, its walls no longer able to support the weight of its heavy slate roof. The eight brown brothers watched with resignation. They were all that remained, explained the eldest, who wore a small iron hammer on a thong about his neck to signify his devotion to the Smith. "Before the war we were four-and-forty, and this was a prosperous place. We had a dozen milk cows and a bull, a hundred beehives, a vineyard and an apple arbor. But when the lions came through they took all our wine and milk and honey, slaughtered the cows, and put our vineyard to the torch.

A Storm of Swords - Arya XI

"Dead," he shouted back at her. "Do you think they'd slaughter his men and leave him alive?" He turned his head back toward the camp. "Look. Look, damn you."

The camp had become a battlefield. No, a butcher's den. The flames from the feasting tents reached halfway up the sky. Some of the barracks tents were burning too, and half a hundred silk pavilions. Everywhere swords were singing. And now the rains weep o'er his hall, with not a soul to hear. She saw two knights ride down a running man. A wooden barrel came crashing onto one of the burning tents and burst apart, and the flames leapt twice as high. A catapult, she knew. The castle was flinging oil or pitch or something.

"Come with me." Sandor Clegane reached down a hand. "We have to get away from here, and now." Stranger tossed his head impatiently, his nostrils flaring at the scent of blood. The song was done. There was only one solitary drum, its slow monotonous beats echoing across the river like the pounding of some monstrous heart. The black sky wept, the river grumbled, men cursed and died. Arya had mud in her teeth and her face was wet. Rain. It's only rain. That's all it is. "We're here," she shouted. Her voice sounded thin and scared, a little girl's voice. "Robb's just in the castle, and my mother. The gate's even open." There were no more Freys riding out. I came so far. "We have to go get my mother."

(heart: broken)

Look, there is a lot to say about fire and about rain in Arya's chapters, particularly in A Storm of Swords. I don't have the energy for it, so I'm just dumping quotes. Draw your own conclusions.

This collection is by no means exhaustive, and I'm sure there is someone more dedicated than I am, who has written something about this symbolism. (If anyone has it, send me a link).

All I'm saying is that GRRM isn't throwing all this devastation by fire and blood into Arya's chapters as positive foreshadowing for how she'll feel when a certain conqueror cross the Narrow Sea with her dragons.

[curious-minx]

Notable 2020 Video Game Soundtracks That Can Be Enjoyed As Standalone Experiences

Video Game Music is gaining recognition, with many soundtracks receiving vinyl pressings, orchestral concert reviews, and an increasing presence on music streaming platforms such as bandcamp and Spotify. We’re also witnessing the uprise of indie video game development teams where games are being made by the sort of passionate type of game designer that takes soundtracks seriously.  Soundtracks by small teams of developers such as Celeste, Undertale, Disco Elysium, Hollow Knight, RuneScape, and Lisa: The Joyful are titles with soundtracks that easily stand up against the likes of bigger budget productions made by reliable sources of video game music like Square-Enix and Nintendo.

2020 is no exception in terms of having one of the biggest budget soundtracks around with Final Fantasy 7 Remake, which builds upon a legacy of industry-standard-creating soundtrack work. Taken as a whole, Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s soundtrack is clocking in at over 8 and half hours of music. The soundtrack has three composers with the Beethoven of video game music, Nobuo Uematsu, most notably coming out of retirement to get the job done.  Here are some other amazing 2020 video game soundtracks more conducive for standalone background listening:

TETRIS EFFECT by HYDELIC 

Genres: EDM, Ambient Pop and straight up Ambient 

Describing this album makes me feel like I’m some sort of burnt out fanciful raver, head permanently lodged in the clouds. The level of giddy technicolor enthusiasm rivals that of Icelandic Sigur Ros frontman Jonsi, but if he wanted to keep his post-rock firmly planted in the outdoor music festival on Mars territory. Despite the album’s notable two hours runtime, each and every song feels like its own uniquely crafted composition, no repetitive motifs or nostalgia-baiting.

There is unfortunately still a Tetris movie in some sort of shaggy state of development in Hollywood right now. The movie is being billed as a dull biopic about the creator of the Tetris game. Whereas listening to Tetris Effect you imagine a Tetris movie directed by someone more fitting like the Wakowskis. Tetris Effect’s opening song “Connected (Yours Forever)” is a bonafide vocal pop song, like a more sugary CVRCHES-style cooing of the lyrics:

“I’m Yours Forever

There is No End in Sights For Us,

Nothing Can Measure the Kind of Strength Inside Our Hearts,

It’s all connected we’re all together in this life, don’t you forget it

We’re all connected in this”

Try your best not to imagine a cast of Hollywood’s most beautiful plucky orphan mutant misfit youths using the power of Tetris to heal a broken and dying planet!

Notable Track: Next Chapter

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HADES by DARREN KORB

Genres: Progressive Metal, Folktronica, Folk Metal, Dimotika, Greek Folk Music

Darren Korb has become one of the most notable video game composers of the past decade. Korb, an integral member of the Supergiant family, continues to outdo himself with each and every soundtrack. Bastion and Transistor originally found Korb creating a niche for himself with downtempo folk-infused electronic soundscapes and even some vocal pop with collaborator Ashley Barrett. Hades is an altogether different beast for Korb, who much like the developers of Hades, have found themselves at the height of their powers.

Korb also contributes vocals on this album, and I can say without hesitation that these are some of the nicest vocals I’ve ever heard from a video game music designer, because video game musicians are bonafide musicians.The album clocks in at two and half hours and separate from its game is still an absolute thrill ride.

Notable Track: In The Blood

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DEFECTIVE HOLIDAY by MECHATOK

 Genres: Ambient Trance, Balearic Beat, Progressive Electronic, Nature Recordings, Spoken Word, New Age

One glance at the album artwork is all it took for me to know that I must listen to this album. Defective Holiday is an indie walking simulator that is explicit about its intentions: a lightly interactive one hour experience. This soundtrack clocks in at only 31 minutes and it is purely the most conventional album in terms of length.

Last week in late November, Mechatok announced a collaboration with one of the leading zoomer Swedish cloud rap mavericks Bladee, the cofounder of the Drain Gang. Last month gives a pretty clear picture of what kind of circles Mechatok is floating in on. Highly online gonzo vaporwave maestro James Ferraro is another apparent influence on this soundtrack, especially regarding the way the sinister mundane dialogue is woven into the soundscape. There’s one particular track on the Defective Holiday OST, “Rescue Shot Buibo”, that is adorned with standard trap-style drum fills that give the album a shot of energy before wandering back off into the haze. This soundtrack and video game is all about the pure vibe and aesthetic nature that are currently trending in these extremely stressful times.  In a time where all of our holidays were defective from the very start, I think the casual walking simulator will remain a genre high in demand. I have a feeling we’re going to hear a lot more from this empathetic young German.

Notable Track: Valley

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Last of Us II by Gustavo Santaolalla, Mac Quayle (and Ashley Johnson)

Genres: Ambient, Cinematic Classical, Dark Ambient, Spanish Folk Music 

L

The Last Of Us is a horror game where the music itself is arguably playing a critical character role, which can only be expected billing two titans of audio visual soundtracks. Of course Academy Award winner Santaolalla knows his way around a soundtrack. Wielding a resume of astonishing versatility in various TV and film projects, he might have found his higher calling in not only video games but in the horror music canon. Last of Us is an extremely emotional series, and with the wrong soundtrack, the experience could become insufferably bleak. The occasional  splashes of color and light are what make this soundtrack so unsettling and eerie. Not since Silent Hill 2’s Akira Yamaoka has there been such an effective standalone horror video game soundtrack experience. No wonder Gustavo Santaolalla is one of the only video game composers integral enough to the game to warrant a cameo banjo-playing character model based off of him.

As if having one major composer from prestigious TV and movies wasn’t enough, Mac Quayle, composer of the whole Mr. Robot series, contrasts against Santaolalla’s acoustic contributions. The soundtrack itself is sequenced in a way that switches between the two composers. “The Cycle of Violence” composed by Quayle, a track that more than lives up to its name, is immediately followed by Santaolalla’s somber “Reclaimed Memories.” This dance between violence and heart is what the Last of Us excels at as a franchise, and that is why this soundtrack is an effective stand-alone experience.

The only disappointing part of the soundtrack is that Ashley Johnson, voice actor of Ellie’ three songs, is not included in the game’s official tracklist. Ellie’s “Take On Me” a-ha and “Future Days” Pearl Jam covers have made a little history by being the most powerful songs sung by a video game character. When Ellie sings and plays on her guitar they aren’t some little Easter egg idling moments to provide levity for this heavy revenge horror story. These songs are used to make some of the strongest character development choices made by a video game character seen in recent years. Ellie is joining a small club of singing video game characters alongside Parapa the Rapper and  maybe the cast of obscure Atlus title Rhapsody: Musical Adventure.

Notable Track: Unbroken

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Persona 5 Royal Straight Flush Edition by Shoji Meguro 

Genre: Acid Jazz, Alternative Rock, Alternative Metal, Lounge, Jazz-Funk 

This is one of those soundtracks that, much like Nobuo Uematsu’s work in Final Fantasy, is really the heart and soul of the entire Persona franchise (and his work in the adjacent Shin Megami Tensei universe is equally as noteworthy). Persona 5 Royal finds Meguro making his most complete, funky, and otherworldly opus that sounds like no one else in the biz.

You will find many people online scouring message boards, subreddits, bandcamp features, and Yahoo Answers looking for more music like Persona 5. Outside of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater, how many other games are packed to the brim with truly foxy songs!? Persona 5 could not predict how badly the title “Throw Away Your Mask” would age, despite the game being more than ahead of its time with the majority of NPCs wearing PPE. Be a good Joker, put on your mask and keep chasing Meguro’s acid jazz-infused dragon through many more semesters to come.

Notable Track: I Imagine

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Streets of Rage 4 by Olivier Deriviere & Various

Genres: Electro House, Nu Jazz, Synth Funk, Acid House 

Composer Olivier Deriviere is a living definition of a video game soundtrack journeyman. He has a career stretching back to the early 2000s working on notable big budget titles like the divisive 2008 Atari fifth Alone in the Dark installment and Remember Me, an unsung buried gem from the PS3/360 era Capcom title. Remember Me is where Deriviere’s electronic leanings started becoming especially prominent in his sound. On the Streets of Rage 4 soundtrack Deriviere has completely come into his own element, developing a whole new sense of campy playfulness.

Electronic French House music can be a divisive genre. For every Daft Punk commercial success there is a band that ruffles feathers like Justice. I sense a strong presence of late departed French House titan Philippe Zdar of Cassius as well. If you’d played this soundtrack for me out of context, I would have guessed an obscure voguing tape from the 80s or a really talented mysterious DJ set. Instead, this is a sequel to a classic beat em up franchise that left a portion of players disappointed by the game’s four hour playtime. The soundtrack is over an hour and fifty minutes long of high octane House music bliss. Much like the Tetris Effect soundtrack, it is truly impressive how much depth these tracks have when they could have easily been nostalgic recycled beats. Sometimes a game’s soundtrack can offer more post game enjoyment than an actual game.

Notable Track: Chill Or Don’t

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Hylics 2 by Chuck Salamone & Mason Lindroth 

Genres: Experimental Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Hypagogic Pop, Stoner Rock, Jazz-Rock

A soundtrack that comes closest to capturing the experience of hearing the Earthbound or Katamari Damacy soundtracks for the first time. The Hylic indie RPG series is a wonderful and strange beast that is ready to frolic and show its playful side. Hylics is a part of a recent uprising of indie games being developed on the RPG Maker software. 2020 year has left us all with variations of the same stressed out adjectives: Weird. Messed Up. Surreal.

Why not listen to an album from a game that is the perfect embodiment of that surreal mantra? Step away from your computer, draw a bath, and put this album on. Thank me later!

Notable  track: Xeno Arcadia

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Ultrakill: Infinite Hyperdeath (Act I Soundtrack) by Heaven Pierce Her aka game developer Arsi “Hakita” Patala 

Genres: Drum and Bass, Industrial Metal, Ambient, Progressive Metal, Acidcore 

Nothing says “modern indie game development” more than a game built completely from the ground up by one person. Ultrakill’s developer “Hakita” is one of those kindly folkloric DIY figures that make video games such an extensive art form. The game is a painstaking gloriously bloody ode to Dooms of yesteryear but with plenty of its own fine tuned style. The perfect soundtrack for when you’re painting your personal Hell a darker shade of gore, but also would really like to kick your ass into shape if you need an adrenaline boost to your Quarantine blues.

Notable Track: Panic Betrayer 

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Risk of Rain 2 by Chris Christodoulou

Genres: Progressive Rock, Space Rock, Space Ambient,  Post-Rock

Something about the country of Greece brings the best kind of futurism out of the country’s composers. Christodoulou’s Risk of Rain 2 soundtrack is no Bladerunner knock off. This soundtrack for the colorful sci-fi indie rougelike is punchier and less nocturnal than your typical synth-heavy sci-fi soundtrack. Risk of Rain is one of the more successful Kickstarter series around and has the best quality an indie game can have: it feels like a labor of love on all fronts. There’s no reason a rougelike like Rain of Ruin or Hades needs a soundtrack this good, but Christodoulou casts a spell with his electronic-driven prog rock that makes you want to keep respawning. A huge missed opportunity if Christodoulou does not get to soundtrack an earnest sci-fi action-adventure for even big screens. Oh! This soundtrack also features some spoken word segments from Werner Herzog; what more do you need to know?

Notable Track: The Rain Formerly Known As Purple

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Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus by Guillaume David

A big debut project from an up-and-coming composer Guillaume David. Prior to the making of this soundtrack, David was a video game voice actor who worked on a Resident Evil Devil May Cry crossover voicing the character of “Hunk.” Warhammer 40K might become a franchise that more people will care about solely based on the quality of this installment’s soundtrack. When you see the title Warhammer 40,000, what sort of sounds come to mind? If you guessed “Neo gothic cyber Gregorian chants that seamlessly melds the ancient and futuristic”, you would be correct. A turn-based action game could possibly fall into dull territory, but with a visual identity as strong as Warhammer 40K  melded with a suitable musical atmosphere, the action and world becomes irresistible. This soundtrack is a brisk 56 minutes and the other soundtrack on this list with a more conventional runtime. Not a second is wasted on this dynamic and fantastical soundtrack. Prior to hearing this soundtrack I had no intention of ever looking into playing a game based off of something as convoluted as Warhammer 40K, but now I very much want to know what these robot priests are about. That’s the magic of a quality soundtrack.

Notable track: Millenial Rage

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Honorable Mentions:

Happy Listening! 

[coffee-and-cake]

Toothcup Kids

(Good god I finally did it after forgetting about it twice I finally finished them)

Note: this is mostly just how they were found/adopted with some tid bits of personality

Destin - Human son - oldest (found at about 2 months old)

Destin was found as an a baby abandoned in a forest in the middle of winter. He was deemed a “hiccup” and left on a small island to die. But luckily toothless had heard his cries when flying over the island so him and hiccup were able to warm him up and get back to berk to feed him.

He is found in the middle of the “race to the edge” series (hiccup is 17 - 18)

Age 0 - 9 he is a sweet boy with a thirst for knowledge but has slight trauma of dragon hunters and dragons (remember the team has felt with many a violent dragons and he’s there for a good bit of it). When he’s 10 he starts to distance himself from Toothless specifically and gravitates to his mom (hiccup). At one point he tells hiccup that he refuses to see a dragon as his father. (More to come cause I don’t wanna spoil all of my ideas 😉)

Looks: (Note: every characters look is when they are still children not adults)

Hair: black and curly, bangs cover his eyes

Eyes: green

Body: very small and slim with pale skin but is noticeable tall for his age.

(NOTE: I actually wanna do a rewrite of the 3rd movie and these kids are from my rewrite ideas that I have yet to post much less write down)

Vali - Dragon son - 2nd child (egg found a week after 2nd movie, hatched a few months before 3rd movie)

A young female night fury is found dying in the forest of Berk with an egg in her paws. She acts violently towards the Vikings who only wanna help so they send in toothless to calm her down. She lets the Vikings help her and it’s soon realized that with her injuries might not survive the night. With knowledge in mind she warns Toothless and Hiccup about Grimmel and her trapped people. She mentions that her mate was killed and after she is gone her hatchling won’t have anymore family. Hiccup vows to protect her child as if it were his own as well as toothless and seeing their passion and willingness to help her and possibly save her people she passes away peacefully over night know her child is in safe claws. (Happens not long after the 2nd movie)

When the egg does hatch he has green eyes like toothless but has more of mother(dragon) looks. I actually don’t want to give too much away with this one because he is going to be the more mysterious kind of sibling and a lot of what I have for him cannot be just written down in just a few words but I will say that when he was in his juvenile years he was very much a coward and he hates himself for that when something really bad happens

Looks:

Eyes: dark green

Body: (I tried my best cause all the dragon children are night fury’s)

- he is pretty big for his age and is suspected to be bigger then toothless once of age. (A chubby boi)

- The spikes on his head and legs are noticeable longer as well.

- Underbelly is more of a dark gray

Mista - Dragon daughter - 3rd child (egg found and hatched at grimmels old base after the third movie)

You can find the little story that I made about how they found her egg here

She is surprisingly the most human of all her siblings and hopes to one day be chief of Berk. When she hatched she had already started to be kind of controlling especially to her younger brothers and whenever her mom and dad, hiccup and toothless, would leave for a certain amount of time she would always ask “I’m in charge right remember you said that you put me in charge”

But when it eventually becomes time for her to become a leader it has to be after the worst moment in Berks’ history and she has to make very hard and important decisions.

Looks:

Eyes: gold

Body:

- Mista almost matches Vali in size but is more slender and her muscles being more defined.

- Eye flaps are larger and more pointed

- Her scales are a very dark navy blue

Troy - Dragon son - 4th child (born the same day as his sister but on New Berk)

This boy was born on the same day as his as his older sister a few later hours except he is born on New Berk. Him and Mista are the only ones that are related by blood. he is the wild child of the five siblings and is always looking for trouble but one day he bites off more than he can chew and now has to face the consequences of his actions

*chuckles darkly*

Looks:

Eyes: Gold

Body:

- Is the smallest of the dragon siblings with not much muscle. But he is the fastest of the siblings.

- Scales are a dark forest green under belly is more and dorsal fins are more grayish give him a mossy cobblestone look (Mossy boy)

- Smaller and rounder ear flaps

- Grey freckles scattered across his snout

Axel - Human son - 5th child (found in Grimmels village at 1 year old a few weeks after the birth of the 3rd and 4th child)

Even though he is a whole year older than Mista and Troy he is still considered the youngest due to dragons maturing way faster than a normal human as well as because he was found before them as well so they deemed him the youngest

This boy grows up to be very laid-back he tends to be the more draconic of the siblings be it on the lazier side he loves spending time with his dad toothless and he loves to draw with his mom Hiccup he loves his siblings but they can be a bit overprotective and sometimes controlling but really he just wants to vibe in a field of flowers and sing songs.

But when the time comes for him to be serious he doesn’t hold back and always helps pull his family through the toughest of times

Looks

Hair:

- very light blonde

- Likes it kept long so he can braid it

Eyes: sky blue

Body:

- Axel is small like how Destin was and was also deemed a “Hiccup” but was never left to die.

- He has a small scar on his right cheek that was there before he was adopted by Hiccup.

- Ears are somewhat pointer giving him an elvish look