#yeah its lord huron again

[toastofwaterdeep]

Another Durgetash song rec.

I had all and then most of you,

Some and now none of you.

I don't know what I'm supposed to do,

Haunted by the ghost of you.

[danidoesathing]

hey remember that one horror fic i mentioned i was doing like a month or two ago. yeah finished it

[roukabi]

Hee hee! hee hee ho! My grubby furry hands will contaminate everything you love!

(Designs are free to use with credit, if anyone’s interested!)

Exhaustive design notes/trivia/extras are under the cut!

[Image IDs: a series of animal designs for Vide Noir’s characters. Buck Vernon is a sand-colored whitetail deer (how creative) with dented antlers, a brown-and-white striped bandanna, and a guitar slung around his back. Lee Green is a peach-and-cream fox with a white lily above her ear. Frankie Lou is a clouded leopard with a wavy black ‘mane’ of sorts. Jasper and Hontanx are mutts; Jasper is slender and mostly grey with brown dorsal coloring while Hontanx is more boxer-like with short, white fur and grey patches. Johnnie is a german shepherd mix, with half of his face scarred by black-braining, and sports a red bandanna on his leg and a leather World Enders jacket. Moonbeam is a black lop-eared rabbit with lavender undertones, also wearing the World Enders jacket. Alex is a doberman with slicked-back hair, also (also) with a World Enders jacket and much smaller black scar on his cheek. Toby is a very scruffy rufous treepie (don’t ask), mostly tan with a black head and wings with white accents. Finally, Z’Oiseau is a melanistic Bengal tiger, where his stripes are large and take up the majority of his fur. The final image is a lineup of all characters, with heights considered. Each design is still sketchy, and construction lines can be seen. The artist’s signature overlaps each image. End IDs.]

Well, well, well. It appears I’m at the stage of obsession where I make furry designs for the characters. Because I’m always paranoid that I need to explain myself for everything I do, here’s the comprehensive guide to each design. If I’ve done a good enough job, you can tell who’s who pretty easily. 

Buck: Hmm, now how did he end up as a deer, I wonder...? 

Silliness aside, Buck’s antlers actually play a pretty big role in representing his psyche/self-esteem, as they break off in certain scenes until the end, where they become shattered stumps. Jasper breaks + steals one antler when Buck gets black-brained, which I’m sure can be used as a metaphor for something.

He’s also got big ol’ floppy ears. When I make animal designs, I try to mimic the form of someone’s hair via the ears or cheek fur, though, as you’ll soon see with Frankie, that’s not a hard-and-fast rule. You’ll also notice that he wears a bandanna, even though he doesn’t in the film. This is because I felt his design lacked color. And bandannas are cool. And my brain is addled with Hadestown parallels. 

“But Rook!” I hear you say, “If Buck’s a deer, how can he play guitar? And how is he supposed to hold a gun?” Well, the answer to the first question is that he plays with his teeth. Obviously. And the obvious conclusion to the second question is that he doesn’t need artillery when he has a crown of stabby stabby bone.

Lee: Lee is a fox - outwardly desireable and a character of multiple folktales. There’s not much to say about her design otherwise, except for the addition of a lily - referencing ‘Fool For Love’ with “I’m asking Lily to be my bride” as well as ‘La Belle Fleur Sauvage’. Oh yeah, and she’s way too big compared to the other characters in the height chart lmao pretend she’s the average fox size 

Lee fascinates me, and I think I’m the only one who thinks that way lol. It’s revealed at the end that she had Way more agency over her situation than everyone realized. Did she know about Z’Oiseau’s kill count before getting with him? Does she know now? AFWP says that she overcame the Vide Noir addiction, how did that go? Did severing herself from the drug sever connections to Z’Oiseau’s empire? What does she actually think of him? What are her songs like? Is she okay? Does she regret anything? Is she the same Lee who’s known as Lee Avery in the World Ender MV? AAAAAAAAAAAA

Frankie Lou: Picking the animal was easy, designing her was not. Clouded leopards are native to Cambodia, and I wanted Frankie and Z’Oiseau’s designs to complement each other in some way (I’d made Z’Oiseau’s design before I made Frankie’s). So there’s a spotty kitty and a stripey kitty. Clouded leopards are also insanely elusive, which adds to Frankie’s mysterious ghost facade in the film. 

I normally don’t like adding ‘human’ hair to animals, but when I initially made Frankie without her hair, it really felt like something was missing. I like the way it looks now, and her plumed tail ties it together. The spots are not end-all-be-all, and can be simplified for animation.

Jasper and Hontanx: What better to chase after our Arthurian White Stag (Buck) and Teumessian Fox (Lee) than a pair of hunting dogs? Jasper and Hontanx needed to complement each other in the classic “Big Guy, Little Guy” trope, with the ‘little guy’ (Jasper) being tall, slender, and shrewd, while the “big guy” (Hontanx) is muscular and rarely speaks. Their names even follow the Kiki-Bouba effect. 

I thought about making Hontanx fluffier, but the boxer look fits well, too. There’s some patches of longer fur around his neck and shoulders.

Johnnie: Everyone’s favorite little hurricane! Johnnie gives me exciteable puppydog vibes, so I made him a German Shepherd mix (mix, being “something fluffy”). His cheek fur is missing on his black-brained side, and his eye is a little messed up, but here’s what he looks like when he’s a-okay:

Moonbeam: Rabbits are associated with the moon in multiple mythologies, so it’d make sense to make Moonbeam one. I haven’t drawn her in her fortune teller gear, but I think she’s happier to don the World Enders jacket instead. She’s also got some purple undertones for flavor, and they make her stand out as the only design with a cool color pallete. She’s just got that transfemme swag, I suppose.

Alex: For a character who only appears for 2 seconds, Alex seems to have made a permanent impression on Vide Noir fans, including myself. Strong, tall, and effortlessly cool, I wanted him to look like a model World Ender. This mayyyy have resulted in him looking nothing like his younger brother, but maybe one takes more after their father, and the other, their mother. Idk. I have this whole backstory thing with Cobb where the Redmaynes have this godawful father that Cobb helps them... get rid of. Because Cobb is the better dad.

Alex is the last of this bunch to be a canine, which I’m sure you’re all glad to hear. I don’t know why there are so many dogs. They just have that rugged look to them that suits the World Ender/Bounty Hunter style. Well, these ones do, anyway. Not Lee.

Toby: Toby was by far the most aggravating to design, and it’s pretty apparent in the final result. I mean, have you heard of a rufous treepie? 

I had no idea what I wanted Toby to be, but I wasn’t about to draw another canine. As Z’Oiseau’s nephew, he’d be associated with birds by default, so I started thinking about the kind of bird Toby could fit - it’d have to be territorial, annoying, and/or aggressive.

 Like... blue jays?

 While blue is not a color I’d associate with Toby, for whatever reason, I was getting somewhere. Blue jays are a part of the family Corvidae. Corvidae has birds that are black. Blackbird = Z’Oiseau! See? There’s a connection! 

I scrolled down through Wikipedia’s corvid list until I came across the Rufous Treepie, a bird not only described as ‘opportunistic’, but ironically has a symbiotic relationship with local deer populations... It’s also large enough to get stabbed by an antler from a certain less-willing-to-cooperate deer. 

So that’s what I went with. Toby’s meant to look more like a fledgling, given the scruffiness. I took some creative liberties with facial markings, but like. Who cares. 

“But Rook,” you say, “If Toby’s a bird, and Z’Oiseau isn’t, how are they related?” Well, the obvious conclusion to come to here is that you should stop asking questions.

Z’Oiseau: It’s Zazo time! With a name like 'bird’, you’d expect him to be a bird. But I figured that making him a big cat would play very well into the irony of his name and would present him as a real threat. After all, you didn’t find Tobey very scary, did you? And who names a bird “bird”? 

Because Z’Oiseau’s original name, Zozo, is Euskara, a language spoken in the Pyrenees, that was my first place to look for animals. Nothing jumped out to me, though, so I moved on to looking up big cat species and hoping for the best. Then an idea came to me - what about a tiger, but with reversed stripes? It’d fit the reasoning behind the “blackbird” name, and he’d be the most powerful big cat out there. To my surprise, melanistic tigers do exist, and they’re really cool. I picked the Bengal tiger of India for Z’Oiseau, as most of the ‘black tigers’ have been spotted there. 

Z’Oiseau’s stripes can be simplified for animation or what-have-you. Or you can draw every individual stripe as presented in the photo, I’m not gonna stop you.

Well, that’s that! Might make Tubbs Tarbell and Cobb Avery later. For now, as a reward for making it this far, here’s some silly scribbles + shitposting:

[ur-friendly-neighborhood-simp]

when lord huron said "now the darkness got a hold on me / i have seen what the darkness does / say goodbye to who i was" and "and when i die i want her lying by my side / in my grave / id give it all to love that girl, oh" and "youve been gone for a long long time / youve been in the wind, youve been in my mind / you are the purest soul ive ever known in my life" and "you know where you can find me again / ill be waiting here till the stars fall out of the sky / when you left i was far too young / to know youre worth more than the moon and the sun / you are still alive when i look to the sky at night / i would wait for a thousand years / i would sit right here by the lake, my dear / you just let me know when youre coming home / and ill wait for you" and "i have been trying to find her, wanna give what ive got / she lit a fire and now, shes in my every thought" and "ill search the world until theres no place left to go / and if she leaves it, i will follow, yeah, i will follow" and "i been running a long, long time / trying to flee that life / but i cant seem to leave it behind" and "oh, i sing all day and i love you through the night" and "i am ready to follow you / even though i dont know where" and "cause i know i dont wanna stay here forever / its time to be movin on" and "i had all and then most of you / some and now none of you / take me back to the night we met" i felt it in my soul

[mortalfollies]

9 Favourite Albums - Choose 9 & then tag 9 people! Or you can do nine singles or EPs, whatever lol.

Tagging @cactus-bag @catsafari25 @labyrinthal @sleeeepy-demon @retourne-toi-eurydice @belladonnafey @scorpius-rising @cry4judas @atuans @nicey-sandokan @evyes no obligations feel free 2 ignore

Albums listed (and me rambling) under the cut

TIME - ELO: my mum's favourite album that i first Properly listened to when i was 13. it's just the best sci-fi concept album ever....i love you jeff!!

13 Tales of Love & Revenge - The Pierces: sexy indie duo, most known for the song Secret, which isn't even in the top 5 of the best songs of the album. a treasure from when i was 11, and just figuring out i like girls.

Greatest Hits - The Eagles: again, my mum's interests becoming my own. it was really hard to pick between this and Long Road Out of Eden, but ultimately the greatest hits r that for a reason.

Laurel Hell - Mitski: my fave mitski album, heat lightning is underappreciated!!! and yeah just. its about solitude. recognition but not in the way you wanted or expected. emotional rollercoaster. im not eloquent enough to describe it and mitski does it better in under 2 minutes anyway.

Strange Trails - Lord Huron: again another hard toss between this and long lost but st wins out purely bc the transitions rule, and meet me in the woods + the yawning grave make me crazyyyy. so happy i got to hear those live in jan. lord huron is like what if a cowboy was also a ghost. thats the only way i can describe it.

Electra Heart - Marina and the Diamonds: i am not immune to music i heard at 12 years old. shame she's never made anything as good as this again.

Are We Having Fun Yet? - Black/Colin Vearncombe: another one of mum's. She found this guy when someone at Sanity was playing the album over the store speakers. loved it ever since, and introduced it to me. wistful ballads, jazzy touches, a little bit sexy.

Coyote Stories - The Crane Wives: this was a 2016-18 discovery maybe? i just know i was in school. im into folk indie i cant help it.

Wasteland, Baby! - Hozier: shout out to afro-elf for posting about movement n the whole ep, which is what spurred me to actually try this dude's music. and now i love him. but wasteland baby is immaculate: no skips, he roars in some songs and is as gentle as drizzle in others.

[thescrapwitch]

I don't know if you listen to any Lord Huron, but I was checking out some of their songs a couple weeks ago and discovered one of their most popular ones, Meet Me In the Woods. And I *immediately* thought of Those That Remain (your AU of Eldritch Horror!Maglor series).

You might already know the song, but I mean, just look at these lyrics!

"I took a little journey to the unknown And I've come back changed, I can feel it in my bones I f***ed with forces that our eyes can't see Now the darkness got a hold on me Oh, the darkness got a hold on me

How long baby have I been away? Oh, it feels like ages, though you say it's only days There ain't language for the things I've seen, yeah And the truth is stranger than my own worst dreams The truth is stranger than all my dreams Oh, the darkness got a hold on me

I have seen what the darkness does Say goodbye to who I was I ain't never been away so long Don't look back, them days are gone Follow me into the endless night I can bring your fears to life Show me yours and I'll show you mine Meet me in the woods tonight"

This 100% reminds me of Daeron in that fic. And also Maglor, lowkey. "I took a little journey to the unknown, and I've come back changed" and "I f***ed with forces that our eyes can't see" / "there ain't language for the things I've seen, and the truth is stranger than my own worst dreams"—this all sounds so much like Daeron and Maglor's experiences. However, this song feels very woodsy, which is of course what Daeron's eldritch-ness is based in, so I'm naturally thinking of this more from his perspective than Maglor's. And then "Don't look back, them days are gone" makes me think of Daeron wanting to ignore his past and what happened to him. And "I can bring your fears to life, show me yours and I'll show you mine, meet me in the woods tonight" makes me think of Daeron and Maglor realizing the eldritch horror the other has turned into and attacking each other at first (and then again when Lindir was out on an errand), but then starting to become at peace with each other and understand each other. Also, the song has a slightly...mystical? Ethereal? quality that feels very right for this kind of story.

I didn't mean for this ask to get so long, but I wanted to share the lyrics and also why I thought of Daeron and Maglor in your AU!

Thank you! I have not heard of that band/song before but those lyrics are PERFECT for that AU (especially for Daeron). I will check it out!

(I have not forgotten about that story, the next chapter's just been on the back burner while I worked on all my event fics. But its half written and I have such an evil author idea for it I can't wait to inflict it upon you all)

Thank you for the song rec! I love that series so much so it always makes me so happy when people want to talk about it :)

[koskela-knights]

I’m trying to make my own AW2 playlist of chapter ending songs—do you have any recommendations? Feel like we’re similarly obsessed with the spiral…

Thnx for your question! And well yeah I might be a bit obsessed with the spiral/loops and its endless possibilities & scenarios that could've been 👀

Besides the official ending songs the game already provides, there are some other songs that give me general AW/AW2 vibes or specific feels for certain characters! I've been pondering about songs to share for a while, so this is a great opportunity! Thnx again for the ask!

Also feel free to share your own songs in my inbox if you feel like it :D

It's gonna be a long post so buckle up 😅

This is the moment to share my love for Lord Huron, specifically their Strange Trails album but also Vide Noir one.

Strange Trails is, to me, an album about being lost and cursed and it's about love. Honestly, I don't think The Night We Met is a good representative about the entire album.

Meet Me In The Woods

This entire song just screams Alan Wake to me.

I took a little journey to the unknown, And I come back changed. I can feel it in my bones. I fucked with forces that our eyes can't see. Now the darkness got a hold on me.

(...)

How long, baby, have I been away? Oh, it feels like ages though you say it's only days. There ain't language for the things I've seen. And the truth is stranger than my own worst dreams.

(...)

I have seen what the darkness does. Said goodbye to who I was. I ain't never been away so long. Don't look back them days are gone. Follow me into the endless night. I can bring your fears to life. Show me yours and I'll show you mine. Meet me in the woods tonight.

Like, how can you read those lyrics and not think about our boy Alan.

2. Way Out There

Drifting in a land time forgot If you think that I've changed, you know me not I belong bodily to the earth I'm just wearing old bones from those that came first I been unraveling since my birth

Those lyrics and partially the song in general remind me of Alan in the Dark Place trying to escape. How many loops has he been through? (Thus in this context, kind of wearing 'old bones from those who came first, aka older iterations of Alan himself) Also, the theremin they use is so fitting and it's an instrument often used in horror movies so <3

3. Vide Noir (both album itself & song)

Where can you go when it’s all in your head? These are the last words that I ever said Where can you go when it’s all in your head? These are the last words that I ever said

Tbh, this album also gives off major Control vibes with its themes and songs about the Astral plane & the black void. Many other songs on the album talk about the main character getting lost and drifting in-between time/space and living/dying

4. War by Poets of the Fall

You might be familiar with the song already and its music video 👀

I like how all the Poets were involved in the video as Taken (have you seen BTS shots of Olli with a fake beard?!!) Anyways, the song makes me think of how Alan has to remember that there are people out there who want to help him. That there are people out there fighting against the Darkness, even if he is mainly unaware and might even feel he doesn't deserve external help. It also reflects Alice being Alan's bright light in the darkness, and the reason he wants to keep fighting to get back to her.

In a similar vein, Lust For Life (also PoTF haha) this song could also be seen through an Alan/Alice lens, the shared shoebox mechanic and Alice trying to help/guide Alan back to the real world.

What is lost may be found Safe and sound

5. Hello Cabaret by PoTF

Now this song is maybe one of my faves of the Ghostlight album. Relistening to my fave lyrics of the song, it reminds me of the Koskelas and Ilmo specifically.

For when you come calling Dancing on my grave For all my choices made Judging me for how I played The hand you dealt me Stains the blood that flows

(...)

Of all I once did love but lost Nothing comes without a cost The wise fool said that's just the way it goes

(...)

Most will never comprehend Till' they're in the very predicament

To me, Ilmo at the end of the game is heartbroken and dead inside now that his other/better half is gone. The 'you' in question here might as well be the player or Scratch/Alan and he feels judged by the narrative of his previous actions. He's made decisions and sacrifices and used the Cult as a palpable 'villain' for the greater good. Something many probably didn't/wouldn't understand unless they were in his shoes.

6. Chasing Echoes by PoTF

It's a fun coincidence that in AW2 you have literal Echoes to chase huh.

Is this a role or disguise seeking mercy in creation? Just another device or truly a time when we will rise? Oh one and all, to the occasion And bridge the gap to see the other side?

The more on-the-nose/literal meaning aside, I think this song can be read as another one about Alan trying to escape the DP/spiral upwards toward ascension. Again, there's a 'you' in this song that could be interpreted as Alice who is a light inside Alan's darkness.

7. Brother by Lord Huron

How long have I known you, brother? Hundreds of lives, thousands of years How many miles have we wandered Under the sky, chasing our fear? Considering the spiral and the historical background of the Koskelas and their (indirect) ties to the Huotaris, they might as well known each other/been brothers for longer than what we see in-game. Some kind of trouble is coming Don't know when, don't know what I will stand by you, brother 'Til the daylight comes or I'm dead and gone

(...)

I know we can't stop what's coming But I will try, oh how I'll try Will you fight with me, brother One last time, one last fight

We know Ilmo got visited by the Dark Presence and has had nightmares about killing Jaakko. Luckily, he rose above that (as far as we know) but I think the dread and fear of losing Jaakko keeps lingering just underneath the surface. Personally, I enjoy the thought of people sometimes remembering the previous loop/spiral and that those affected/remembering would try anything to keep the loop from repeating.

8. You Belong To Me by Cat Pierce

If you're a fan of Alan/Scratch, this song has that obsessive/possessive vibe to it that seems to be a dialogue/mix between them.

I've heard allegations 'bout your reputation I'll show you my shadows if you show yours Let's get it right dear, give a good fight dear We'll keep it all up behind closed doors

(...)

I must confess to you, I want to possess you Feels like we're dreaming, we're tripping and reeling Just say that you belong to me I could get lost in the feelings we're feeling Just say that you belong to me

[snakeoilpictures]

3 different pictures in one to bring forth the Cowboy. Both RDR2 and Lord Huron have changed my life, and what better idea than to give them the honor they deserve.

I expected a fun cowboy game out of RDR2. I didn't expect to fall so wholeheartedly in love.

I loved "Not Dead Yet" By Lord Huron. I didn't expect them to open with it live and for it to forever hold a very memorable place in my heart.

Whether its Arthur, John, Dutch or anyone behind the mask.. well..

"All messed up with nowhere to go I stare at myself in the mirror alone It's hard to make friends when you're half in the grave But I ain't dead yet And I've got something to say Oh-ohh, yeah

You got holes in your clothes Booze on your breath You look like hell And you smell like death Oh-ohh

There's a stranger in my eyes again I swear to God I don't know him You're tired of me I'm tired of you So turn around and leave it to myself Oh-ohh, yeah

You got holes in your clothes And booze on your breath You look like hell And you smell like death Oh-ohh

I've been out way too long Heading right for the edge If she asks about me Tell her I'm not dead yet"

[strdstd]

Post a playlist of 5 songs associated with your character ;

The World Ender - Lord Huron : "I had a name, but they took it from me, I was the man that I wanted to be, I had a place to lay my head, But they burned it to the ground, and the sky turned red, I had a life and a place in the world, I had a sweet-talking wife and a beautiful girl, I know I'm never gonna see 'em again, Gonna tear the world up 'til I have my revenge."

Hell's Comin' With Me - Poor Man's Poison : "I am the righteous hand of God, and I am the devil that you forgot, and I told you one day you will see that I'll be back, I guarantee, and that hell's coming, hell's coming, hell, hell's coming with me, and it is well, with my soul, you line your pockets full of money that you steal from the poor, and on your way down the hill you hear me ringing that bell, and I say, hell's coming with me."

God's Gonna Cut You Down - Johnny Cash : "Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand, workin' in the dark against your fellow man, but as sure as God made black and white, what's down in the dark will be brought to the light, you can run on for a long time, run on for a long time, run on for a long time, sooner or later God'll cut you down, sooner or later God'll cut you down."

This Is Where I Belong - Bryan Adams/Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron OST : "I hear the wind across the plain, a sound so strong that calls my name, it's wild like the river, it's warm like the sun, yeah, it's here, this is where I belong, under the starry skies where eagles have flown, this place is paradise, it's the place I call home, the moon on the mountains, the whisper through the trees, the waves on the water, let nothing come between this and me."

Sinking Man - Of Monsters & Men : "Cold, dark sea, wrapping its arms around me, pulling me down to the deep, all eyes on me, I push you away, although I wish you could stay, ao many words left unsaid, but I'm all out of breath."

tagged by: @belovedblossoms tagging: Feel free to steal from me~

[sheyffer]

Today marks the first anniversary of my Detentionaire fic Let the Future Tell the Truth, following Finnwich's life from the very beginnings of MWF to a hypothetical season five - at a final (almost) 130k words, it explores the backstories of everyone caught up in this conspiracy and discusses a lot of questions the show never got to answer, so if that sounds like something up your alley, definitely check it out!

To celebrate, I thought I'd share some songs that have accompanied me while writing the fic, songs that really fit the characters or certain points in the story (and always hit me in the feels because of it). Spoilers ahead!

Ghosts in the Water (Arrows to Athens)

There's no room for martyrs There's not any time for us to doubt But the grey makes it harder Burning to see but we won't close our eyes now 'Cause this is a fight to break the silence These are the lies we've made To try to hold ourselves up now The pull of the tide is always quiet But this is a fight to take one more breath before we drown

To start this off, have one of many songs that are just wonderful MWF vibes in general :')

Ship in Port (Radical Face)

You said the ship in port is the safer one But it's not the reason it was made So forgive me if I wander off And forgive me more if I just stay

Going somewhat chronologically, here's song one of two that always hit me in the feels for Maxwell and Lo, for their beautiful confrontation in chapter four.

Frozen Pines (Lord Huron)

I am ready to follow you even though I don't know where I will wait in the night until you decide to take me there 'Cause I know I don't wanna stay here forever, it's time to be moving on I don't wanna be the only one living when all of my friends are gone

And song two of two! This one's for when Maxwell sets out to find Lo again.

Secret of Life (Lord Huron)

What you crossed was a line at the edge of the void And you can't crawl back without making a choice But then something escaped when you opened the gate You cheated death and sealed your fate

Speaking of Lord Huron, have one of the absolute best songs for MWFP overall :')

Promiseland (Mika)

One person's lie is just another man's truth We kept on running from the devil, but the devil was you Every time I see the light, I'm falling deeper in debt If I've never seen the good, how can it come to an end?

I've linked this one in the fic itself before, but yeah, it really is just one of the most perfect Kan songs out there.

Birth of Serpents (The Mountain Goats)

Crawl through the tunnel and follow, follow the light northwest See that young man who dwells inside his body like an uninvited guest See the tunnel twist, clutch your birthright in your fist Let the camera do its dirty work down there in the dark Sink low, rise high Bring back some blurry pictures to remember all your darker moments by

Title-wise and with some of the lyrics, this one obviously makes for another wonderful song for Kan, but at the same time, I really do like it for Luke. Both of them also have a bit of a connection to cameras, so it really works well with the lyrics.

False Prophecy (Abney Park)

I reached from darkness, I saw the day And now I'm awake And in my darkness I found a way To transcend my fate I took a step toward the light of day

One of my all time favorite Ištaran songs.

On the Faultline (Sonata Arctica)

Here I stand and look at my life Barren, cold, and incomplete Mirror smiles at me with a teary disdain Pointing out the faults in me Memories of holidays with you Will rain on me from time to time We have the road within ourselves To countless paradises When there is a tunnel there's a light The thought is causing tremors On the faultline between you and I

And another, this time about his relationship with Emesh (and also one of my favorite songs of all time in general).

Gossip (Måneskin)

Sip the gossip, drink 'til you choke Sip the gossip, burn down your throat You're not iconic, you are just like them all Don't act like you don't know

This one could just be Coral Grove's theme song tbh - and fun fact, I do have an abandoned PMV storyboard with it lying around :') It's also very reminiscent of the way Wendell calls out Maxwell in parts of the fic.

Privately Owned Spiral Galaxy (Crywank)

This song is super hard to quote lines from, but just know that it's perfect for Art after his diagnosis and him starting out with his cloning scheme :3

Loki (The Mechanisms)

Flashes like camera bulbs fire in my brain Is this truly me, am I going insane? In faint bloody flashes I watch people die And if that was me, then who am I? Oohhh, you can't erase me Oohhh, you can't unmake me

And this is Art realizing how messed up his clones are becoming... poor guy :')

The Loneliest (Måneskin)

'Cause I don't even care about the time I've got left here The only thing I know now is that I wanna spend it With you, with you, nobody else here Tonight is gonna be the loneliest

Alright, last Art song for now. Speaking of his complicated legacy... you already know this one, it's what heavily influenced a certain Maxwell/Art scene - good stuff.

When I Say Go (caseJackal)

I drown you out when I say so Tear down the walls when I say go I’ll holler lies, to save the show They’ll fall in line when I say go Can’t drown me out when I say so Tear down the walls when I say go All hollow lies, like every show You fall in line when I say go Run for your lives I’m already in control

Switching from Art to Fateous, here's one for the very end of the fic, and for him and his eventual plan. Fateous used to be one of my least favorite characters, but honestly, writing about him during the fic has made me appreciate him quite a bit (though he's still far from a morally decent person ofc).

One Last Song (Lord of the Lost)

If I could sing one last song before the world ends If I could sing one last song to say goodbye If I could sing one last song to all my children If I could sing one last song before we die If I could sing one last song to my parents If I could sing one last song with all my friends If I could sing one last song to everyone I've hurt And beg their forgiveness before this life ends I'd give everything I have, say all the things I left unsaid If I could sing one last song, I'll make it a good one

Starting off the heartbreaking Maxwell songs, have this absolute gem (especially the acoustic version I linked). Messes me up every time :')

Still Feel It (caseJackal)

So is it right to be so sure we've Already seen the worst? Should we try to act so worthy Of this thing we never got to work? Are we cursed, do we deserve it? Not just those of us who never learned? It's not the end of the world If we're still here to feel it hurt

Heartbreaking Maxwell song #2. If I had to pick one song to be the theme song for the entire fic, this would be it - everything about it just fits perfectly, from the lyrics to the music itself that sounds like him playing it on his organ at Coral Grove. Although there is one more song that really captures the essence of the story, and that's the one I'll end on:

Stellarcide (caseJackal)

(No matter) if our planets align (No matter) if we die or survive this (No matter) when our stars collide You still light me up like stellarcide When you and I mix

There's hardly a better song to describe the beautifully complex relationship Maxwell and Ištaran have :') It's definitely one of my favorite things I got to explore over the course of the fic.

Bonus: Some fun songs from other tv shows

Tez Says (Victor & Valentino)

Now heed my words, listen to my diction The truth is often stranger than fiction You can't trust them and they don't trust you But believe in me 'cause I believe in you More than a smoking mirror I make the real feel realer I speak and it manifests 'Cause I'm simply the best

One thing Tez has over Finnwich is his very own official song... love this guy, as short as his appearance in the fic was.

Nothing Left to Lose (Tangled: The Series)

Yes, it's true, my path is dark, but I see where it ends My rivals will fall as my power ascends Despise me, that's fine I'm taking what's mine even so Not like you You lost your nerve, you lost the game But you and I, we're not the same I'm not lost, this fate was mine to choose So I chose to lose my doubts and lose my chains Lose each weakness that remains Now that I have nothing left to lose

This scene was a massive influence for the Kan/Maxwell conversation in the later parts of the fic, although I had known that one would happen long before this song came out. Makes it all the more exciting!

And finally, here's a song for @pewcat2 in particular, I know how much you like the character this is (tangentially) about :3

To everyone who's read all of this, thanks for all your support with the fic! I hope you enjoyed this little journey into some of the stuff that inspired it, although this really is just a bit of a best of. I have plenty more songs I associate with the fic and Detentionaire overall, but this post is long enough already :') Either way, see you at the next fic!

[wolfriver777]

dissecting my mdzs playlist

It is very small cause I don't go out of my way to find songs to associate with characters they come to me while I'm chilling. I have a bit to say and like also lyrics to force ya'll to read.

Things to Do - Alex G. I associate this song largely with Lan Xichen and post canon in particular. This lyric in particular drives me insane /pos "The calculator will make the same mistakes Yeah, I see it in its face" The lyrics in gen I think just really hit the spot for Lan Xichen.

I Wait for You - Alex G. Wangxian!!! More specifically Lan Wangji, it's just so them i encourage you to look at the lyrics, but of course the classic chorus "It's nothing new I wait for you" and the beginning " Selling pills to the girls when they cross the block I told him he should quit that sketchy scene He said, "Nothing compares to the fever dream" ughughugh *explodes*

Lacy - Olivia Rodrigo. Jiang cheng and Wei Wuxian yes easily chengxian too me cause of how kinda homoerotic the song is if you ask me. I wish I could just copy and paste all the lyrics here cause the whole song fits them so fucking well!!! I think the 2nd verse just hits the chengxian vibes the most "Smart sexy Lacy, I'm losing it lately I feel your compliments like bullets on skin Dazzling starlet, Bardot reincarnate Well, aren't you the greatest thing to ever exist?" The 2nd chorus also hits so hard but theres one more i want to add that just hits harder than the chorus, the final verse is just *chef's kiss* "Lacy, oh, Lacy, it's like you're out to get me You poison every little thing that I do Lacy, oh, Lacy, I just loathe you lately And I despise my jealous eyes and how hard they fell for you Yeah, I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you" It's about the envy and its delicious

Can't Catch Me Now - Olivia Rodrigo. Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian, yes my brain also reads this with a chengxian vibe. I love the idea that through out those 13 years that Wei Wuxian's memory bitterly haunted Jiang Cheng, there's something awful about the idea of Jiang Cheng having an intense freak out because well, Wei Wuxian is gone, he's dead. " Bet you thought I'd never do it Thought it'd go over my head I bet you figured I'd pass with the winter Be somethin' easy to forget Oh, you think I'm gone 'cause I left" This verse in particular itches my brain just right and then of course the chorus as well drives me insane, when i tell you, you can imagine Jiang Cheng so breaking down to this song and it drives me insane But I'm in the trees, "I'm in the breeze My footsteps on the ground You'll see my face in every place But you can't catch me now Through wading grass, the months will pass You'll feel it all around I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere"

The Night We Met - Lord Huron. Lan Wangji, wangxian if you will. Honestly I shouldn't copy and paste another whole damn song, BUT this damn line "I had all and then most of you Some and now none of you" I'm just gonna explode again, yall should totally listen to the whole song or like read all the lyrics cause god fucking damn.

Wait for It - Hamilton musical. Jiang Cheng, Once again fellasI shoudn't copy and paste a whole 'nother song but fuuuuuck, admittedly I had forgotten how Jiang Cheng this song is until I'm listening to it to write this. "When they died they left no instructions Just a legacy to protect" look at me and tell me that doesn't have the vibes of the fall of Lotus Pier! Also the damn chorus god that just fits the vibe of of mdzs as a whole in my brain "Death doesn't discriminate Between the sinners and the saints It takes and it takes and it takes And we keep living anyway"... Mdzs is so just, there's a lot of grey area to me but god. I seriously cant post the whole damn lyrics but towards the end it get's very Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian and just ugh im going insane.

Night Shift - Lucy Dacus. Jiang Cheng, chengxian. Let me just copy and paste the whole lyrics again. This verse in particular "Am I a masochist, resisting urges to punch you in the teeth Call you a bitch and leave? Why did I come here? To sit and watch you stare at your feet? What was the plan? Absolve your guilt and shake hands?" and this one " Now bite your tongue, it's too dangerous to fall so young Take back what you said Can't lose what you never had" and of course the final verses(?) " You got a 9 to 5, so I'll take the night shift And I'll never see you again if I can help it In five years I hope the songs feel like covers Dedicated to new lovers" The way this verse is just repeated and builds up in sound and just yall, I'm screaming and crying just thinking about the vibes in my head that I just cant word! The whole "never seeing you again if I can help it" what if I was evil y'all?

True Blue - boygenius. Wei Wuxian. God I honestly don't know at this point what lyric made me pin point this as a song for him. It just definitely feels it can be about him you know. "When you don't know who you are, you fuck around and find out When you called me from the train, water freezing in your eyes You were happy and I wasn't surprised" Wei Wuxian always figures it out, god just yeah and the chorus about how it feels good to be known and you cant hide from them like you hide from yourself? uuuuh Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng! and "You've never done me wrong Except for that one time that we don't talk about Because it doesn't matter anymore Who won the fight? I don't know, we're not keeping score" I am so evil about them god, And Wei Wuxian's love being tried and just waaaaah im gonna explode

Stay Down - boygenius. Wei Wuxian. When I tel you there's a verse that is so Wei Wuxian and it make's me so damn evil, The song as a whole fits him so well but this verse is just so him especially post sunshot campaign me thinks. " So, would you teach me? I'm the villain, aren't I? Aren't I the one constantly repenting for a difficult mind? Push me down into the water like a sinner Hold me under and I'll never come up again" God try and tell me that it doesn't suit him, go on. I just sdlfhlskxfjlksdfj

Afraid of Heights - boygenius. Lan Xichen and Jin Guangyao. Xiyao. Thought this had vibes, friend said that it fits xiyao, I agree. the reverse of risking and not risking just sorta fit. I personally imagine the lyrics being from Lan Xichen's perspective. I think the last two verses in particular really hit but its really the last one that make's make think of them " You called me a crybaby But you're the one who got teary Telling me what you believe How we're stuck in entropy How it hurts to hope Oh, it hurts to hope for more Oh, it hurts to hope the future Will be better than before"

[patakhaaguddii]

today is the day when it all started ~

So it's been a year of me falling crazily in love with him. I already used to like him but last year, today 25/01/2023 when I saw him it was him for me from then.

Today was the day of the beginning of my fairy tale world or should say my strawberry duniya.

From that day till today or for beyond its just him for me. Tho things are not so good between us now but I'll always be grateful to God for bringing us together.

My favorite picture of us from that night.

And this audio, this always reminds me of this night and I still long for that night because it's all just now have become for a dream to me so yeah like take me back to the night we met ♡

(And I hope things will get better soon and we will be together again :))

[casscreative]

heritage for the future: joestar family playlist

well, after over a year of finding songs befitting of it, my joestar family playlist is finally done!

link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5yRo0PqxBYLi61gbmiTDJi?si=1e4ce89ba2ae48bd&pt=18d228e171ae74a5d7466d9901416257

tracklist and a short explanation for my picks are under the cut

1. Made In Heaven by Queen

this song talks about fate and accepting destiny on one’s shoulders even if it hurts. this is very poignant for the joestar family

2. Noble Aim by Sleeping At Last

this song is talking about a family and the struggles they face in a non-narrative fashoin, and how their facing of said struggles is noble since they do it out of love for the family. this motivation also makes it easier to swallow the hurts they experience. again, very joestar core

3. Heirloom by Sleeping At Last

this song is again about a family, more about the generational trauma and legacy stains this time. it’s becoming less majestic and more sad

4. Moth’s Wings by Passion Pit

this song is about dealing with death (of a friend) which every joestar faced. also the “you’re just like your father, buried deep under the water” is just so so so poignant

5. Battle Cry by The Family Crest

this song is about the struggle of having will in a, at best, indifferent universe and at worst, a fateful universe that therefore actively fights against you re the free will thing. and how you dont want to lose the ones you love to such a universe wihout at least trying to fight back

6. Meet Me in the Woods by Lord Huron

this song is very fluffed up in poetry but i believe it’s about undergoing trauma which again, very joestar core. the woods mentioned specifically is inciting events of big t trauma. also the implication of this trauma occuring while on an adventure/journey/trip...yeah

7. Slow & Steady by Sleeping At Last

i see this song as a continuation of noble aim. it’s acknowledging how hard and tiring it is and there’s nothing really noble about it. it also talks about continuing to try with will vs fate which again, is very joestar

8. Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas

mooore generational trauma specifically i think it’s talking about Realizing “ohmy family is a little fucked up a bit actually” which is a moment i think all the joestars had in their lives. so. but also despite that fucked-up-ness that you can’t do anything about, there is a lot of love. this only complicates things. it’s a continuation of made in heaven

9. Caesar by The Oh Hellos

talking about fate specifically in a religious sense. since almost all the joestars can be paralleled with jesus (to Me) i think this song fits therefore

10. Resolve. by Sleeping At Last

part three of the noble aim-slow & steady-and now resolve trio. everything hurts so bad and the legacy of this family kills its youngest members (or tries to)

11. Wolves of the Revolution by The Arcadian Wild

big allegory for fighitng against fate. very joestar core esp after the realizations in carry on wayward son and resolve

12. Buy the Stars by MARINA

me when star imagery. anyway it kinda to me is foreshadowing that like, pucci and what he represents will not be able to pin down the family (“i’m not yours to keep”) and also just about the joestars trying to stay true to themselves

13. Bad Blood by Sleeping At Last

continuation of heirloom. it is definitely not noble or majestic anymore it jsut hurts

14. Human by Of Monsters and Men

more star imagery and also joestars are at their wits end. they are only human. lol

15. In Our Bedroom After the War by Stars

joestars WIN despite their crippling mental health GOODNIGHT! specifically this is about my reading of the ireneverse or if you like of the eoh storymode ending. just. them being happy and safe. the war is over. fuck off

[nottheweirdest]

Hey! Same anon as the other day who recommended sleeping at last and others. Im so glad you enjoyed some of my song recs, it made me happy to read your reply to each song! Saw you wanted more so I'm here to do just that xD

I forewarn i bring more angsty sad songs, its all i know with these guys lol. I'll start off with what i picture as least to most

Congratulations - Blue October (Song is all about unrequited/missed love and having to move on from ever having that relationship filled with regret, applies to either haha)

Ghost in the Night - The Satellite Station (makes me think of sonic or shadow being free and scared to lose that and take the leap to the other)

Turning Pages - Sleeping At Last

The Scientist - Coldplay (total love song i like to think of shadow overthinking and just how fast life/love can come at you and to hold onto what you have and cherish it. Ps watch music vid)

The Night We Met - Lord Huron (ive said it before and i must again lol, i just love the angst potential from shadow outliving sonic, or something happening that their relationship ends and just loving with the regret. This hits that spot xD)

Amen - Amber Run (pure angst. One remains witbout the other. This song always makes me feels for multiple reasons)

Hope you enjoy these again! I have so much fun listening through music to find ones to send your way lately :3

Ahhh I'm so excited to go through this list!!! Also, sorry about the slow response! Last week was my last crazy week at work (in theory) for the next 8 weeks so I am gonna be able to be around more! Honestly, I listen to a lot of angsty music lol especially a lot of angsty folk type music. I actually recognize most of these songs! hahaha we're share a musical braincell I think. I haven't listened to Congratulations in a while, probably 10 years or something. It's funny when you hear music you used to enjoy and sing along too without fully understanding the lyrics, or understanding what the song is about. This is a great Sonadow break up song, or just in general I guess!🥺

Ooof Ghost in the Night was a definitely add to my liked songs. That's good stuff, absolutely my cup of tea and very similar to things I listen to. New music yay!! I could see this for Shadow especially, dealing with his PTSD. 🥺 Poor buddy. He needs a hug.

Turning Page is a fantastic song, this is definitely one I've got on my list already. High five for mutually enjoyed music! The Scientist is another one I am very familiar with. This was one of my angsty go to songs as a teen. It's such a haunting song and one of my favorite Coldplay songs ever. 💖 You're right on the music video too. All the feels....

Lord Huron is amazing, and so is this song. Definitely got all the angst factor. 💔 I went to a wedding once where the bride and groom danced to Ends of the Earth and I think it's a good Sonadow match too 💗

I listen to Amber Run a lot too (I told you you totally have my vibe figured out lol) and yeah... this song for our poor Immortal Shadow. 😭 I loved this recs so much! Never hesitate to send more over if you run across any. I love this stuff 😁

[the-catmans-offical-2]

I hope you know that when i read that I fucking started stimming so hard I had to take a walk, I'm honored to be called that too?? Holy shit??? (I need to check out more of scarwasright 's content, this reminded me as well! You both can share the title, extra silly.)

And yeah! You got exactly what I was thinking, and I came to the same conclusion by listening to Pale White Horse for an hour straight tbh lol, it's a good song and I'm glad to have shared it!

I listen to a few Lord Huron songs, but I haven't listened to this one tbh. I'm listening to it now.

When the Night is Over reminds me of Scar and Lust too, the tune specifically??

The instruments play in a way that is somber and slow but holds a strong, steady beat throughout it - the (I think it's whistling) also fits it really well; And the music just, idk how to explain it but it makes me think of the more somber aspects of Scar and Lust's dynamic. Despite the tune being steady it can convey a sense of unsure-ness to me, like with the occasional sound of the music adding in instruments and then taking them away again as though deciding "nevermind", only to add it at the more ending part of the song - which FURTHERMORE makes me think of how they both were at the end when it came to their shared paths and how they portrayed it if that makes sense, as after all the instruments are added back in, as it reaches its loudest point in a sense, it then dies down and quiets. It's not abrupt or anything. It's calm, like acceptance to me.

I would be able to truly say this if I listened to it like, over the course of three hours on loop. I'm on listen 6 as we speak, because i keep re-reading this post for anything i should add, so I'm definitely liking this song and I see your vision as well. Very fitting, I love it. I'm gonna obsess over this song for a week now. :) Also I dunno enough about music to say if my words are actually right when it comes to the instruments, this is just the vibes I get from the song on my own.

I'll let you know if I find any other songs, I often am looking for songs to equate to fma 03 characters and whatnot.

Hii! I wanted to ask your opinion on smth since you're like, the Scar acc on here.

I keep listening to Pale White Horse by The Oh Hellos and I keep thinking of Scar and Lust when it comes to the song. If you've listened to the song, do you think similarly?

I dunno, I've been thinking about it for the past hour while I've been working lmao

Hey! I'm honoured to be considered the Scar acc from the Wrath acc 🤝 (tho tbh scarwasright should absolutely wear that crown)

I Gave "Pile White Horse" a listen, and wow! Yeah, I absolutely see what you're picking up here. These lyrics especially fit Scar and Lust beautifully:

Heed the sirens, take shelter, my lover Flee the fire that devours But the sight held me fixed Like a bayonet against my throat Neither plague or famine tempered my courage Nor did raids make me cower

And the final set of lyrics scream "Amestrian genocide of Ishbal" + Scar and Lust being unable to shake the sense of recognition of someone they once knew, their shared past:

It was the raging storm Of a foreign war And a face I'd seen before

The lilting voice of the singer and the deeper thrum of the backing choir lends this track such a tender, sombre presence to the heartbreaking lyrics. Perfect for Scar and Lust!

A song I also feel works for them, imho, is "When the Night is Over" by Lord Huron. Particularly:

Now the trail has gone cold I don't know where else to go And my time, I fear, is nearly over [...] When the night is done, you'll vanish in the sun Will I hold you when the night is over?

And the outro, as the music swells and the vocalist laments:

I hear the river say your name By the stars above, I know we were in love I hear the river say your name I have only 'til the night is over

This song hurts my feelings without fail, every single time.

Thanks for giving me another song to torment my ScarLust brain with (fully positive)! If you, or anyone else, has any other songs that fit these two (or their individual characters), I'm down for suggestions!

[aturnoftheearth]

If ur bored. Could you assign on lord huron song each to a few spn characters >_<

omg yeah!!! okay going off themes alone and not vibes:

sam - the balancer’s eye FOR SURE. will he ever be forgiven for the crime of his life? he was born right into nothing, under a very bad sign!! will it haunt him til the day he dies????

dean - twenty long years. he made a life out of chasing a ghost, twenty years takes its toll. also he literally got along for a while but it took everything he had :/

cas - i already have an amv for it but what do it mean!! all of the joys he’s known, the ways he’s grown, the loves he’s shown his heart to!! the whole song is like. that’s cas.

jack - okay again cheating with the amv but. the ghost on the shore. a tale that began on the night of his birth will be done in a turn of the earth !!! he’ll die if he must, let his bones turn to dust…. he was ready to die for the world….. also the general song just sounds so soft and bittersweet and ends with “im going away for a long time” and . yeah.

eileen - hear me out. way out there. it feels like- very eileen pre-canon?? before we meet her?? she’s been running through life and cruising towards death etc. also she lit a fire but it’s me @ her <33

claire - frozen pines. so in the lord huron lore there’s like- this pov of a girl searching for her parents and. yeah. i think it’s apt. she wonders where they are, she calls their names into the dark :( also “on the night you disappeared, oh, if i had seen you clear // but the strange light in the sky was shining right into my eyes // there was no one else in sight, just the endless frozen pines // but i wonder how they know, cause they don't die if they don't grow” hello.

mary - i lied. i think this one is pretty self explanatory but like. they were tears of joy her chains were finally broken. told him she could never live without his love but she lied!! good.

kevin - dead man’s hand. he deserved SO much better oh my god. he will roam forever haunting the desert !!! there ain’t no prayers in the afterlife !!!! WAS HE UNFORGIVEN OR JUST TIRED OF LIVIN A LIFE THAT NEVER FELT LIKE HIS???