#I finally listened to the underworld songs

[the-average-procrastinator]

continuing to go insane over the Epic soundtrack

[noxtivagus]

i love love ffxiv sm fr (to the edge)

[minniesmutt]

hai hai haii bangchan + mamacita 👀

﹙ 🪐 ﹚

☾ ━━━━━━ 𝐦𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐚

☾ ━━━ PAIRING: BANG CHAN X READER ☾ ━━━ CONTENT: MAFIA!AU, MAFIA BOSS! CHAN, MISOGYNY, GUNS, ORAL (F. REC), FACE RIDDING, UNPROTECTED SEX, ☾ ━━━ WC: 1.2K ☾ ━━━ NOTE: not me listening to MAMACITA when you sent that hbjad ☾ ━━━ send me Chase Atlantic songs and a member to write a blurb about ☾ ━━━ 18+ work!! minors and ageless/blank blogs DNI! you will be blocked, put an indicator on your blog somewhere that you are 18+ before interacting with this work/blog

     The only person Chan trusted more than his seven friends was his girlfriend. Especially when he needed to give people a little push. Maybe because she was just the right level of crazy to date— let alone join his gang— a mafia boss.

     He had her on his arm at a banquet for the underground world. Security was tight for the event and Chan knew coming in, he was fine if someone tried something. Y/n stuck close to him the whole time. Her arm wrapped with his while she held a glass of champagne in the other. He watched how many other men looked at her as they walked by. It boosted his ego more.

     “Mr. Bang! How nice to meet you finally!” Something he’d heard all night

     “Mr. Lee. It’s nice to meet you as well,” Chan greeted the target, being the cordial businessman he was.

     It wasn’t long before more men he’d spoken to over the phone had joined his conversation, including some sons who were due to take over their father’s spot. He’d proudly introduced Y/n as his girlfriend to the group when asked. Y/n smiled and gave a small wave to the group.

     “How do you manage to pick up such a pretty lady Mr. Bang?” One of the sons asked

     “Pure luck,” Chan answered

     “You have her well trained. Been quiet as a mouse all night.” Mr. Lee joked causing the other men to laugh

     “Maybe you’re just not worth speaking to Mr. Lee. Your fourth wife seems to think so at the moment,” Y/n smiled as she sipped her drink

     “Excuse me?” Mr. Lee looked shocked

     “Obviously not trained enough,” Another remarked

     “You let her speak this way, Mr. Bang?”

     “I prefer she does,” Chan smiled

     Chan didn’t worry about his girlfriend mouthing off. He’d thought it was attractive to watch her do it to others. It’s how things seemed to get done.

     “And you’re the current head of the underworld bosses? Can’t believe you have such a mou—”

     “You can finish that sentence if you prefer glass in your throat,” Y/n interrupted

     The look in her eyes alone kept the men silent for a moment.

     “I believe the council will need to discuss our leadership now,” Mr. Lee said

     “You’re just looking for an excuse to take out Chan, Mr. Lee.”

     “I most certainly am not!”

     “It’s really amazing what a few high ranking members of your family will say with a good drink and a pretty face in front of them.”

     “I beg you’re pardon?”

     “Then get on your knees and beg.”

     Y/n watched as he reached behind and pulled out a gun. Point it at her, which just made security— all who worked for her boyfriend— pull theirs out and surround the group.

     “Thank you, for showing you’re true colors, Mr. Lee. If any of you would like to join Mr. Lee, please feel free too. But let this be a warning not to question my leadership.” Chan smiled

     One of the security guards grabbed the gun from the man while he was escorted to a different room.

     “You let yourself get—” one of the sons started speaking put was cut off by Y/n’s champagne flute colliding with his head

     “Deal with them,” Chan sighed and escorted his girlfriend out of the room. Bringing her back home and carrying her up to their room.

     “Chan!” Y/n squealed

     “What?” He laughed as he walked up the stairs

     “I can walk.”

     “Mm, but I know you’re feet hurt from those heels baby.”

     Chan opened their bedroom door before setting her on the bed and kneeling infront of her. He quickly slipped her heels off and set them in their closet. Y/n smiled as he turned back to her. “I’m so glad I get to call you mine,” Chan said as he crawled over her and pressed his lips to hers.

     Y/n moaned into his mouth and pushed his blazer off his shoulder. Their hands roamed the other’s body, pulling off the fabric of the clothing. Tossing them somewhere in the room for someone to deal with later. Y/n managed to get her boyfriend on his back as she grinded herself against him. 

     “Let me prep you baby girl,” Chan said as she kissed down his neck

     “Let me ride that pretty face tonight?” Y/n asked

     “Whenever. Get up here.”

     Y/n moved up his frame. Wet pussy hovering over his face before he pulled her down to his mouth. Tongue sliding into her and coating her walls with his saliva. Y/n grabbed onto their headboard. Rolling her hips against his face, nose hitting her clit while his hands gripped her ass. 

     Y/n moaned into the large room. The tip of his nose hitting her clit with each roll of her hips. “Channie.” 

     Chan moaned into her as his hands had migrated to her hips and helped her rock against him. Her moans were muffled from him by her thighs. Her legs got tighter around his head with each swip of his tongue and nose.

     “Need you inside, Channie,” Y/n moaned

     Y/n peered down at him. Eyes closed as he ate her out. Enjoying the taste of her to the fullest. Chan kept her flush against him as she whined. The knot in her stomach tightening with each motion. Y/n moved her hands to grip his wrists. Holding on to him as he orgasm washed over her. A loud moan ripping from her throat. 

     Chan helped her through the high he set off before letting her off his face. Y/n sat up a bit and caught her breath as he moved her back over his hard cock. Y/n lifted his leaky dick from his stomach, positioning his tip at her entrance, and slowly sinking down. Chan held her hips as she sat down on him. Watching her head roll back as she took his size. 

     “Such a good girl for me,” Chan praised her 

      “Only you,” Y/n hummed as she placed her hands on his chest. 

     Slowly she started bouncing along his shaft. Chan took in the sight of her. Just like he always did in bed. His hands caressed her sides as she squeezed him just right.

       His hands grabbed her hips again as she picked up her pace. Helping her bounce on him as her nails left crescents into the skin. Dragging her nails down his chest. Chan moaned under her as she smiled down at him. Dick twitching inside as she clenched around him for fun. Rolling against him as Chan tilted his head back into the pillow.

     “Fuck baby. ‘M close,” Chan moaned

     “Fill me up Channie. Pretty please.” Y/n begged 

     “Whatever you want.” Chan sat up and pressed his lips to hers.

     Y/n wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Her tongue slipping into his mouth and playing with his tongue as his hands gripped her hips tighter. Burying himself inside her as his orgasm washed over him. Whimpering into her mouth as she tried rolling her hips against him.

     He flipped her onto her back, leaning down to her neck, “You’re turn baby.”

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[fallen-angel-with-broken-halo]

As a self-proclaimed fan of Epic: The Musical. Here's a breakdown of my thoughts on the newest saga! Spoilers for the Thunder Saga, obviously.

Love the melody on "Suffering." Especially the beginning. A lot about the song shows that something is off. The way the siren is trying to convince him to get in the water, to let her take away his suffering. In the meantime, Odysseus is manipulating her back, telling lies and letting her eat them up. Making her tell him how to avoid Poseidon is so obvious to the listener, but the siren was so oblivious. The almost playful banter is peak. (Her little "of course" and "oh no" kill me every time. It's so cute~)

"Different Beast" is INTENSE. The way Odysseus talks/sings shows how much his personality and behaviour changed in "Monster." The "we" changing to "he" in the chorus makes this all the more obvious. The sirens pleading for being spared, Odysseus showing no mercy because he was already hurt as a result of it before. He couldn't allow himself to make the same mistake. Ordering to kill them all while surrounded by screams... "He is the man-made monster." Love this double-entendre.

"Scylla" is gorgeous. And again, it's very telling about Odysseus and his mental state. First, we have Scylla coaxing Eurylochus to reveal his secret to further the roots of distrust within the crew and adding another reason for the later on betrayals. I find Odysseus saying that there's not much to say quite interesting but also again, showing how he truly felt. He was done. He just wanted to go home. Then there's her speaking to Odysseus. He knew that he wouldn't get out of there with everyone alive. And she knew that he knew. "Deep down, we only care for ourselves." That was a huge callout to Odysseus. He always acts like everything he does is for his son and wife, but in fact, that's very selfish when constantly facing foes with his crew. He prioritizes himself going home over others, allowing them to die. "Deep down, we're lonely demons from hell." That line has so many implications, not only calling back to Odysseus just recently leaving the Underworld, but also him becoming the monster. The lonely part has only gradually increased since the death of Polites, with everyone starting to turn on each other, which would culminate soon after this encounter. The final monologue of Scylla tells more about Odysseus than her, honestly. He had to both shed and be witness to the shedding of blood. He also had to give up his ideals so he could go home. They are the same. They both have hands bathed in blood, which reminds me of Odysseus singing in "Monster" about his foes and how they did not regret doing what they felt was right.

"Mutiny." Eurylochus had had enough of Odysseus prioritizing himself going home. He was not the only one who had something to say about it, however. The rest of the crew were also mad at Odysseus' willingness to trade their lives for his family. Odysseus didn't want to fight. He wanted to deescalate the conflict, but it was futile. Eurylochus was tired of suffering, people around him dying, awful living conditions, starvation. That essentially became the crews doom. The callbacks to "Just A Man" and "Luck Runs Out" in this one are painful. Also, the musical motif from "Survive" when Odysseus woke up and Eurylochus monologued! I don't know if there's an official name for it, but I adore it. Also, Eurylochus and Odysseus have pretty much switched roles in this one. Except in both cases, "Keep Your Friends Close" and "Mutiny," it was actually Eurylochus angering the gods. Another reason for what would happen in the next song.

"Thunder Bringer" is probably my favourite from the saga at the moment. The melody, Zeus' voice, the LYRICS! Personifying pride and constantly referring it to Odysseus, trying to uncover Odysseus' true nature by giving him the choice between his own life and his crew. Considering everything we know about his choices so far, we can easily agree with Zeus when he thinks Odysseus would choose himself. Every callback to the chorus of "Just A Man" hurts, and this one is no different, almost fighting against Penelope's voice. While the soldiers remind him that he's become the monster, his wife offers relief from the suffering. His choice is obvious. The countless betrayals, his tiredness from all the years of war and travel... All he wants is to be welcomed home with open arms (reference intended). But wow, the final exchange between Odysseus and Eurylochus- Odysseus sounds so damn desperate and scared, and Eurylochus resigned to his fate. The truth is revealed. "Deep down, I would trade the world to see my son and wife. I'm just a man."

[dewdropdinosaur]

As the World Caves In

ALASTOR X READER Summary: Alastor has heard his fair share of voices in Hell, none quite like yours though. Warnings: NONE. Except a sassy narrator. Have a wonderful day lovelies! Requests are OPEN, so feel free to ask!

In the heart of Hell, where chaos reigned and sinners roamed, there existed a peculiar location known as the Hazbin Hotel. The sole purpose of such a place to redeem sinners like yourself dear reader, though let's not get too much into that. (We all know why are you on this website darling.) Among its more eccentric residents was Alastor, the infamous Radio Demon. He was a charismatic and enigmatic figure, whose mere mention sent shivers down the spines of even the toughest souls in Hell.

One day, as Alastor hummed and strolled through the halls of Hazbin Hotel, he heard a melodic voice echoing from a nearby room. Intrigued, he followed the sound and found Y/N, the cleaner Charlie had hired to aid Niffty in the small demon's never ending pursuit of a bug free haven. Gracefully going about their chores, Y/N sang with a voice that seemed to transcend Hell itself.

The song was unfamiliar to Alastor but nonetheless a haunting melody that told the tale of love amidst impending doom. Alastor, ever the connoisseur of entertainment, paused to listen. Must have been from a time later than him, shocking that a song from not the Roaring era peaked his interest. Though, the lyrics did resonate within him, in such a way that made his demonic heart stir with emotions he thought he'd long pushed down.

"My feet are aching, and your back is pretty tired. And we've drunk a couple bottles, babe. And set our grief aside. The papers say it's doomsday, the button has been pressed. We're gonna nuke each other up boys, 'til old Satan stands impressed."

Y/N, unaware of their creeping audience, continued to sing as they dusted and cleaned. A certain sadness filled their voice but the small smile that graced their face fueled the fires of the red demon's listening. The Radio Demon leaned against the doorway, his crimson eyes fixed on the cleaner. The dichotomy of the cleaner's sweet appearance and the dark setting of Hell created an atmosphere for such a song that was both beautiful and unsettling. The Radio Demon did love his ironies.

"And here it is, our final night alive. As the earth burns to the ground. Oh boy, it's you that I lie with, as the atom bomb locks in. Oh boy, it's you I watch TV with as the world.... as the world caves in."

The world caving in, a sentiment not unknown to Alastor though he might try to deny it. Few times had a performance stirred him to pensive thought, at least not a performance in his afterlife. As the final notes of the song hung in the air, Alastor applauded, his sharp teeth revealed in a sly grin. "My, my, my dear. That was quite the performance. I must say, you have a talent for making even the damned feel something."

Y/N jumped with a small yelp, startled by the sudden presence of the Radio Demon. They looked up at him with a mix of surprise and fear. "Alastor! I didn't realize you were there." Whipping around to face her demonic audience, Y/N felt an all too familiar pit of anxiety well up in her stomach at the sight of Alastor.

"No need to fret, my dear. I simply couldn't resist the allure of your singing," he replied, tipping his cane with a flourish. "I've heard many voices in Hell, but yours… it's truly captivating."

Y/N felt their cheeks flush with color, a compliment is a rarity in the underworld. Nonetheless one from the Radio Demon. "Thank you, Alastor. It's just a little something I do. Keeps spirits up, you know?" Rubbing the back of their neck with a sheepish grin, Y/N let out a small laugh. Almost as musical as their singing voice, Alastor noted that for later.

Alastor chuckled, his laughter statically filling the place. "Ah, the irony of keeping one's spirits up in Hell. Quite amusing, my dear. I do have a soft spot for a good performance. Now tell me, what is your preference for---"

As Y/N nodded along and answered his questions, a peculiar alliance formed between the Radio Demon and the sweet-voiced cleaner. Little did they know that their paths would cross again in this chaotic realm, where the unexpected was always just around the corner.

[idyllcy]

你还爱我吗? 我还爱你。

word count: 5.3k || Banner art by pimientosdulces

warnings: hurt no comfort

summary: death, you can not escape, yet Thanatos prays you will

No one escapes death. No one cheats death. and no one never meets death more than necessary.

Most of the people around you fall again and again, death incarnate a long-familiar face to you as you watch him claim your family, leaving you all alone. You know the reason, your family worships someone long-fallen, someone that would result in the rage of Olympus up above. You have no feelings, tending to the temple as one after the other falls, until there is no one left but you. You find that the benefit is that you will never age. Forever alone in the small temple your family built, only death capable of claiming you. You have not cheated death. Death has cheated the underworld, perhaps. You find no reason to be treated as such.

Your sister is next, and as you sit next to her bed, eyes closed, humming a final song to her, listening to the way her breath slowed and her heart faded. When she passes, you continue sitting there, waiting for an old presence to return next to you.

"Fair maiden."

"Death." You nod. "Am I next?"

"I do not know. I am simply assigned people. I do not choose them." He nods at you as you let go of your sister's hand, eyes stuck on her body as Thanatos returns her to the dead, placing her into Charon's boat. "Do you have her fare?"

You rummage through your pockets, handing him the obon prepared for your sister.

"You are the final one. Is there a reason the gods wish for you all to be eradicated?"

"We are traitors." You smile, lips curled upwards as Thanatos stares down at you, unfamiliar warmth crawling up the back of his neck at your visage. Death does not fold nor wait for anyone. Death does not pardon the living. Death claims who it needs to with the embrace of eternity, soul laid to rest in the Underworld as the living continue.

Yet, he never brings you back when you are requested of by Hades.

"Do you wish to live?"

"It does not matter to me. The servants have died, and there is nothing left for me in this world. You are the only one who can come to claim me."

"Do you miss your family?" Thanatos notes the next assignment of his.

"It does not matter anymore."

"I will see you when it is your time."

Thanatos recalls the first time he had met you. When the ones on Olympus wished for the eradication of a family of Chronos worshippers, your father was claimed first — as once you claim the head of the family, the rest will crumble ever so quickly. Your father passed through the strike of lighting, a clear warning to stop what was happening in your abode, yet no one batted an eye. You had stayed by your father's side as his firstborn, the man bearing no sons, and you had looked at him — something that should not have been possible for a person of the realm of the living.

"This is his obol." You had mentioned. "May he be placed where he is deemed fit."

Thanatos had not talked to you — your age far too young for you to understand just what was happening, and he had left as quickly as he had arrived. It is not as though he had never seen a child by the body of the dead, but the sight of you alone was unnerving. Perhaps it is just a cruel thing of fate. It was cruel that someone as fair as you would be visited so many times by he.

The next, it is your mother. Once again, it had been you, and you had handed him the obol that was to be placed with the dead. You are in mourning clothes, still, and you hold the hand of your mother, even as her body is cold. Thanatos can not trace the grief that wracks your soul and body. You are weighed down by something, and perhaps, it is something that will kill you some day. Perhaps the weight of death has long become something you have grown used to, only in the people you tend to in the temple and not the people of your own home. Perhaps you know that committing a treason will get you nowhere.

"You can see me." He speaks this time, but he does not respond to you when you ask him if he knows why.

Your mother's body is passed along the River Styx, and you return to tending to the Temple of Time. Thanatos knows the end will arrive for you soon, but considering the ages of every worshipper there was in the temple, you would not change all that much the next couple times he meets you. You are blessed to stay forever young, cursed to meet death at the hands of all the Olympians. Your family is blessed to stay in their youth, but cursed to be unable to escape death. Thanatos will be meeting you many more times in the future, and he finds that perhaps he has no chance or right to complain. If you are not complaining, then how could he?

"My sister." You hand him the obol, nodding as he takes the first of your sisters.

"Do you mourn?"

"What is there to mourn when you are in the wrong?" You hum. "May they be blessed with their stay in Asphodel."

Thanatos finds that you do not age after that. Time is on your side, a titan long forgotten and locked away by the people, a world in which you would be struck down by the heavens as result of such. Yet, you continue tending to the temple, perhaps wishing that you would keep your youth, rosy complexion, and dazzling lashes, skin healthy and unblemished, forever in your youth as a result of such. Perhaps you have sold your soul to become the way you are. Perhaps, he is no better than mortals who wage wars to destroy each other over beauty. Perhaps, if it ever would come to it, Thanatos would have his hands stained with far more than what Ares could ever dream of being stained with — all over you.

Your aunt is claimed next, and at that point, the worshippers have learned to stop visiting the temple. He does not recall if he had ever seen your aunt in the temple when he passed by to claim your parents, but he does not think too much of it. You had been the only one to ever be by the dead, perhaps as an offering to calm Thanatos at the sight of you — or, perhaps you were simply placed there because you had been the fairest of your sisters. Perhaps it was meant to please Thanatos, and it would have been a lie for him to say it did not.

"My aunt has no children." You hand him the fare, fingers brushing his palm, bowing gently as he takes her.

His gaze lingers on you for longer than acceptable, and he leaves once more.

You do not learn. Your family does not learn, and before long, it is your uncle, your sister, your cousin, your elders. By the final time that Thanatos arrives, it is one of your final two sisters.

Thanatos has long grown used to the sight of you, youth on your skin, apple of your cheeks, from your hair to your feet, Thanatos could have imagined you with a close of his eyes, perhaps heart-racing at the thought of you. He has fallen for you, just through your knowing of death. Perhaps, he will never be loved back, death far too cold for the average person — perhaps his skin would freeze yours over, and you would be cursed with the grasp of death, and the thought was far more fearful than he would have believed it to be.

Yet, he arrives to bring one of your final sisters to the dead, holding his palm out for the obol in your hand, and he stares at your hair, the way you do not bat an eye at death himself, and it ruins his mind with thoughts of perhaps letting you live forever. Perhaps, your age will never catch up with you, and you would become someone he hides from the House of Hades — someone that he would adore to no end and let live for eternity. Though, not that he has the choice.

"You do not learn." He blinks at you.

"No, I do not." You smile, staring death in the eyes as your youngest sister peeks from the door, watching you speak to the air. "Death, I do not wish for my sister to bury me. If they request one of our souls, do assure me that the youngest will live to see Elysium."

"I can not make such exceptions."

"It was worth the attempt." He takes your sister, body reaped as you watch her disappear.

"Adelphḗ, who are you talking to?"

"I told you not to come inside." You turn around to shield her eyes, Thanatos's gaze lingering on the small of your back as your sister peeks past your fingers to stare at death himself. She can not see him. Only you are the exception.

"Who is next?"

"I do not know."

"I can not hear him." She mumbles. "Perhaps you possess the blessing of Hades himself."

"No. There is no such thing." You hum. "Shall we go?"

"And leave death alone?"

"He is gone." You turn to stare at him again, and he nods.

"Until my assignment brings my return."

"Will you be next?"

"No." You promise. "I will not let anyone force you to bury your sister alive."

"Then I am next?"

"You will find mother and father before I do." You hum. "Though, I can not promise it will happen."

"You have buried us all. Must you bury me too?"

"I can not protect you against the gods." You close your eyes. "You may refrain from your duties tonight. Perhaps they will be less angered if you do so."

Your servants are the ones taken next. No matter how far they ventured from the temple, had they worked for your family, they are returned to death. You send them their fare to the underworld, and Thanatos learns to visit you for the fare instead of returning to the body eventually. The servants do not have the fare for the underworld, and you, their ever-loving master, do. So, you pay their obol, coins in your hand as Thanatos arrives at your place, resting in the corner of the room until your sister has left and it is you alone.

"Another one?" There is a sense of exhaustion that wracks deep in your soul that only Thanatos can feel.

"I can not go against it, fair maiden." He takes the obol from you, and you take note of the coldness of his skin.

"May I pay in advance?"

"You may not."

"Very well." You hum. "There are four left. If I am not in our home at the time, please pull open the drawer to take the obol."

"Do you not worry that death will cheat you?"

"What is there for death to cheat me of?"

Thanatos finds that you are right. When he is free of assignments, he lingers around your abode, watching your youngest sister learn to cook from you, noting down the way you ignored his presence no matter how close he was to you. He is respectful, yet he watches, eyes glued to the way your fingers have grown rougher from the housework, smile on your face, still, as your sister asks you to help her out. The indomitable human spirit exists, he finds. It is the same as the warrior who fights after a limb is hacked off on the battlefield, and the mother who uses the last of her dying energy to nurse her child. You do not waver even with the death of your family, responsibility long shrouded on your shoulders and no longer something you pay attention to.

"Rest well, Agape." You brush her hair to the side, making sure the young one is rested before you get up to return to your own quarters.

"She is next." Thanatos tells you.

"It is decided?"

"You must be the one to kill her." Thanatos hums. "Will you?"

"No." You laugh. "Once she is gone, I may return to my family as well."

Thanatos stares at you, watching as you lean against the wall, moon pale against your skin as you laugh. Perhaps in a sense of desperation, but the white coat of the moon is enough for him to quietly pray that you would become someone of his sort. Perhaps, you would gain the eternity that so many mortals longed for — that you would become a god as Heracles had. Yet, his thoughts are fleeting, for there was no way that Hades himself would grant death to leave you to stay in your youth for eternity.

"How are they?"

"They are in Asphodel."

"I know." You close your eyes, brows furrowed slightly as you calm yourself down. "Eternal damnation is slightly better when with family, no?"

"And if you do not end up in Asphodel?"

You raise a brow. "My bloodline and ancestry is cursed to Asphodel. What would make me different?"

"Death's favor?"

"That is preposterous." You laugh. "Though, I appreciate it, death."

"Thanatos. Refer to me by name, maiden."

You stare at him, shaking your head.

It would be rude.

Your sister passes just as quickly as the rest of your family, her body placed on the bed for death as Thanatos comes to collect the Obon.

"Death." You are much more stricken with a grief and exhaustion — of equal amounts with the men of age who had fought in wars and found that it was all in vain when they are sent to Asphodel. It is something disturbing, even to death, but he does not have the luxury to consider such when he claims each soul. He is not to be moved during his assignments, no matter how often he met you or others. You should not be special to him.

"Do you wish to live for eternity?"

"Of what use is it if I do not age?" You hum.

"Change the temple."

"I can not." You shake your head. "Death, I will be struck down by one more, one far more powerful than the rest."

"Time can not destroy you."

"Time can." You stare him in the eye. "Time can wither me or return me to the form I was before birth. It is terrifying... something far more horrific than death."

"Then die." He offers you his hand, and you stare at it.

"When my assignment is sent in, will you grant me a wish?"

"You long for a wish?"

"Perhaps I do." You smile coyly, and Thanatos wonders just if he was the one being kind or you were the one being cruel.

Perhaps you are simply taking advantage of him. So, when death returns to take you, you are gone. He follows your soul, and it remains forever stored in the Temple of Time, unable to track you down by flesh alone. You have cheated death. You are cruel, yet he finds that it does not matter. You did not long for something that others would have. Your human spirit was not indomitable, and it was nowhere near as strong as the men of war. You have lost all that chains you to the earth, so it would only be so long until you returned to retrieve your soul and return to the dead.

"You failed to retrieve the soul?"

"It is chained in the Temple of Time that you had wished for to be eradicated. I can not claim the soul without the body." Thanatos reports. "Let me retrieve the person."

"You can not do such a thing." Hades bellows. "If death chases a single individual, what will become of the others who need to pass?"

"Keres." Thanatos speaks.

"No." Hades turns him down. "Rather, I will send someone else."

It is proved to be futile when your soul is never retrieved, and Thanatos finds that you are gone.

"Let me do it." He argues again. "Moros can only do so much as the doom incarnate. To that soul, their doom is not death."

Hades lets Thanatos do the job, though begrudgingly. He has a couple of hours in between assignments to locate your body to retrieve you back to where you belong. You are not found for a long time, and he finds that at one point, the gods fade, their influence over the mortal realm dwindling as they do. Thanatos remains with the rest of the family, finding that there are others who deal with the dead alongside him in regions not limited to Greece. He will not find you, he believes. So, he jars your leftover soul, embedding it into his scythe, perhaps as a last attempt as a form of desperation to keep you close to him. He should not have fallen for you, yet he did, and it would have been the end of his life had it happened.

His companion, Zagreus takes notice the quickest.

"Thanatos, don't you believe... that you have changed? Who is this fair maiden? Perhaps I will find her at the surface."

"Don't say such nonsensical things, Zagreus. She is no longer in Greece."

"That is only what you believe, no? Surely she is out there."

"That is not possible."

"Oh, you wouldn't know until you get there yourself."

While searching for a satyr sack, Zagreus encounters a new chamber, blinking quickly as he enters, lack of rats and satyrs apparent as he continues walking through each door, the final one leading to a cloaked figure, lack of visible features, a gentle laugh on their lips as they blink at the godling. They take two steps back, a satyr sack in hand, stepping onto the red plate, and Zagreus follows suit, watching as they move Cerberus to the side for Zagreus to leave. It is a sight, the guardian of the underworld enjoying the smaller sack as Zagreus passes without issue.

"Lovely shade, who might you be?!" Zagreus calls, time short before Cerberus would remember that the prince isn't allowed to pass.

They do not answer, waving their hand at the prince instead.

The second time, Zagreus leaves them a bottle of nectar, a smile on his face as he thanks them, ruffling Cerberus' fur along the way, grinning.

"Shade, will you tell me your name?"

They shake their head, waving goodbye to the prince.

The shade is not present in the next handful of runs, and instead, only tens later does Zagreus find his way back through the gates of Charon's obol with no satyrs and rodents, standing before the hooded shade as they hand him the satyr sack this time, obol dropped in his hand as he nods. They would not be going with him this time, and perhaps, it was simply out of some sort of desperation.

"Dear shade, won't you tell me your name? Has death claimed you?"

The shade shakes its head, and Zagreus sighs.

"May this bottle of nectar keep you company." He hands it to the shade, bottle held as Zagreus runs off.

The prince of the underworld drops off bottles of nectar each time he runs into them, nectar turning to ambrosia before he starts bringing plush companions. He shows them the small mouse, death on it as the hooded figure reaches to brush the cheek of the plush, and Zagreus trusts that if they could talk, they would have called it cute. There is a sense of tenderness that only someone who knows would be able to feel for it. It is beautiful, Zagreus thinks. Perhaps Thanatos should know of them.

"There is this shade up by the Temple of Styx," Zagreus tries, introducing them to Thanatos slowly. "Are they claimed?"

"A shade? Or a real person?"

"I do not know." Zagreus hands him a bottle of ambrosia. "They do not speak."

"I do not see how that is of my concern." Thanatos raises a brow, accepting the drink.

"Call it reincarnation's instinct." Zagreus hums. "Or, call it a prince's fleeting thoughts."

Thanatos pays Zagreus no mind, sending the dead on their way to each region of the Underworld as instructed, too busy for such fleeting thoughts of the prince's words. Zagreus may have a point, but without a voice and characteristics, there is no way to determine whether or not it was truly you. Besides, with your soul chained to his scythe, there was no way you would have been able to enter the temple without notifying him in some way. Hades would have noted if the intruder had there been a disturbance. It is not death's job to clean up such things.

Yet, the prince does not stop, bottle after bottle handed to him, always nudging death to take a peek at the "dear shade," refusing to let Thanatos erase such a shade from his presence.

"Zagreus." Thanatos warns. "I will not do such a thing."

Zagreus shrugs. "It would not hurt, Thanatos."

Thanatos finds it childish.

Yet, Zagreus returns to the shade when he can, bottle of nectar replaced with Ambrosia as he laughs, grinning as the shade thanks him with their hands, words never coming out.

"Oh, dear shade, won't you tell me who you are?" He hums, smiling as the shade does not move its head, tracing gentle patterns on Zagreus' skin instead, letters spelling out gratitude and none else.

"Perhaps you are bound?"

The shade shakes its head, and Zagreus is sent on his way again.

Surely, the shade was who Thanatos was looking for.

"Than, I really think you should see them." Zagreus insists. "You must trust me."

"Zagreus, I have work to attend to."

"I know, but it is not so." Zagreus shakes his head. "During a break when you seek the soul that you have been for so long, visit the chamber of coins in the Temple of Styx."

Thanatos truly does not wish to, too focused on retrieving your soul, but he makes the time for his dear friend. He enters the temple and flutters through the walls and doors, staring at the shade as they move their head to listen to the sound of the air changing. Thanatos does not understand how the shade would be you, but he understands how Zagreus could have mistaken it to be so. After all, the prince had only heard about you, never to meet you. You are two different people in his mind, the shade holding your physique but not your body. It is a strange sight to behold.

"Shade." He speaks. "Are you lost?"

The shade does not answer, simply shaking its head instead.

"Do you not speak?"

They shake their head.

Death does not linger, choosing to leave quickly instead.

It is strange for a shade to be misplaced, but it would be a report from his end rather than a whole ordeal done by him to return the shade. The shade is not special enough for him to tend to, yet Zagreus insists that he continue to return to the shade, even if the shade does not return an answer to him. Zagreus insists that this is the shade, and that Thanatos must be the one to discover and recall that on his own. Yet, Thanatos refuses to accept the reality that you are perhaps the shade, stuck in a circle of denial as he returns again and again to the shade's silence to his questions, only a nod and shake of a head available to death himself.

Perhaps, he is longing for something that he can not have.

And as all things are, Thanatos grows increasingly agitated at the shade's lack of response to some questions, bottle tipping over as it spills and cracks all over the floor, stuck as he raises his voice at a shade that has done no wrong to him. He is stuck, pondering, wondering, longing and craving the feeling of your fingers against his palm when you handed him the obol, eyes wide in frustration at a shade that does not speak and chatter as the other shades do. He is cursed to be unable to see you again, and even if he does, he knows he can not delay the inevitable that he will have to kill you.

"TALK TO ME." Thanatos raises his voice, reaching for their hood, throwing it off as he stares down at you in horror, tears in his eyes at the lack of features. Your face does instinctually tilts up, but you can not see the face of the death that you have grown so used to. Instead, there is nothing. You lack a face, and Thanatos understands just why you had chosen to remain silent around him all the times before. It was not a choice. Your skin is unblemished and smooth, eyes and nose missing, as though you were a body lacking a soul — a blank canvas that would hurt someone to look at for too long.

"You are faceless. My fair maiden, you are faceless." He brushes his thumb over what would have been your cheek, eyes weary and soul tired as he rests his forehead onto where yours should have been. His fingers are cold against the lukewarm skin on your face, his soul weighed down by the reality he had chosen to ignore, tired and refusing to accept that the end of your tale would be here in the Temple of Styx. "Here, this belongs to you."

Thanatos returns your soul, your face returning, a smile on your face that Thanatos had engrained into his mind, burned into the depths of his memories, fearing that the years he reaped souls would catch up to him and erase all of your presence in his mind. Your visage is returned, complexion never changing, youth forever engrained in the gentleness of your skin. Your eyes open first, staring up at death as he is floating, exhausted smile on his face as you look up at him with a fondness that perhaps only you could have felt for something so many despised in the world.

"I am sorry, death." You smile sadly, heart sour in your chest as he stares at you. You reach for the bottles of nectar and ambrosia next to you, handing them to death himself as he grimaces. There is no happy ending fated for the two of you. Death can not love the living, as all things will pass through his hands, only to end up in the underworld in a place that he will not have the time to visit. It will kill him and eat him alive, hurting him until there was nothing left, and he would have become the cold and senseless death that so many people feared.

Yet, yet, yet, Thanatos wondered if you could be the one to save and help him. Perhaps, in your hands, death would be a little warmer, a blanket thrown over a child when they are young, the embrace of a parent that has long left the earth, or the tranquility that one would feel in a field of emptiness with just the night sky. Perhaps, with your hands in his, he could be a death that people learn to accept and not fear, and that he would become a symbol of a restful death, rather than as a sentence to eternal damnation. He longs to be what you have learned to see him as, but neither of you have a choice in the matter.

Death will be feared regardless of who it is accompanied by.

"Do not apologize." He whispers, staring at you as his hands freeze in place and he is unable to move. He wants to comfort you, but the touch of death will forever be cold no matter how warm and loving he wishes to come off as. You will only feel the piercing ice of death, not the warmth and sweetness of life that he so wanted you to feel. He can not be the comfort he longs to give you. He will hurt you more than heal, and your soul will break even with the gentlest of moments together. You will not live as long as you are by his side.

"I believe it is time for my soul to be reaped." You smile. "It was a pleasure being acquainted with death himself. If there is a next life, may I be someone immortal so that I would be able to hold death in my embrace, my skin warm against yours."

"Do not say that." Thanatos' grip tightens on his scythe, hands shaking as you look at him again.

"I am sorry, Thanatos." You smile sadly, eyes closed as he reaps your soul.

"No," He whispers gently, kneeling by your side as he holds your leftover body. "I am sorry, for even death himself can not bear to live without your beauty"

And you return to the Styx, eyes closed as Charon carries you off to be registered with Hypnos.

He stares at your face, and Thanatos sighs.

"I can not save her."

Charon response with a groan.

"Is that so? She will not get her body back."

A rumble.

"And what do you suppose I do?"

Charon lifts your body from the boat, handing you to Thanatos as he takes you, eyes glued to your empty chest as Thanatos understands.

"Really? Master Hades will not like that."

"Nhhhhhrg."

"If you insist."

Death has no chambers, as they are only a formality, yet Thanatos wonders if this was simply what the fates had wished for as he lays your body in his bed. You are peaceful, eyes closed, empty hole in your chest as he stares, regret wracking his body as he stares at you for as long as he can without growing nauseous. He should not have reaped you. He should have brought you to death and chained a sentence to his heart to let you live, to beg and kneel to stay beside you — yet he can not do so any longer. You are nothing more than dead now. Not even death himself can return you to life.

Your body is safe, and only your soul remains to be saved.

Thanatos leads your dead soul through Hypnos and then seals it away again into his scythe, waiting for the chance to return it to your dead body, waiting for the day you would be seen again, for a day that he would have the time.

And when he gets the chance, he returns your soul, fingers brushing your hair as he waits an eternity for you to wake back up, death a long thing of the past, as rumored that the cold death that gave a warm embrace was replaced by Hades himself, swift snap of fingers, brought in by the boatman, yet death nowhere in sight, longing for the warm fingers of the person he had found he could not live without. Death remains by her bedside, eyes closed for the eternity that his love would have her eyes closed, two resting side by side in a blessing of sleep by his brother.

And there is a rumor, that the swift death of the past is replaced by the slow death of doom and sleep, by the violent death of Keres, for the death that our ancestors felt is waiting for the return of his lover from himself. That his soul would lead her out of the eternity of darkness, and her eyes would open and he would cry, warmth of her fingertips on his skin as he closes his eyes to thank Olympus above.

But, until then, the doom of mankind is inevitable.

[boreal-sea]

Man, I know I made a post about this but I can't find it so I'll say it AGAIN:

The ending of Hadestown hits so different in person. I'd heard the soundtrack around when it first came out, and when I tell you I bawled at the end, I mean it. I sobbed. If you only hear the music, all you know is that Orpheus has once again failed and lost his Eurydice. Hermes' voice comes in, quiet and gentle at first, then building with the chorus as he tells us why we tell this story over and over, with the hope that maybe this time it'll work out. It wasn't Orpheus failing that made be break, by the way. It was Hermes, and his building cry to tell the story again and again, to always have hope it might work out.

I absolutely love Hadestown.

In person though, there's something extra. When you see the musical sung in person, there's something visual that happens.

Orpheus fails (the audience gasps and murmurs in agony even though we all knew this was coming, we all know the story, but maybe this time...?). Eurydice sinks back down into the Underworld. Orpheus is alone as Hermes begins to sing the finale song.

The chorus slowly resets the stage as Hermes sings. Props from the beginning of the musical are brought back out, placed where they were when everything began. Orpheus takes his place where he was at the start of the story....

And Eurydice walks back on stage.

And it's that little detail you don't know when you only listen to the soundtrack. You know about the hope of course, you hear the message to tell the story again and again. But to SEE her come back... I don't know, something about that hit me all over again.

[froggydoddles]

So let’s talk about No Longer You from Epic: The Musical

I just finished listening to The UnderWorld Saga from Epic and even though it’s the shortest saga out of the musical the amount of lyrical symbolism and foreshadowing from this saga is incredible but I specifically want to talk about No Longer You and how this song uses foreshadowing to its advantage but also to show the inevitable character growth and development that Odysseus will actively go through in Act 2. Tiresias, when Odysseus first meets him and gets his prophecy pretty much not only tells Odysseus how his journey will end but how to do it. First is, ‘’I see portrayals of betrayal, and a brothers final stand’’ now to Odysseus this seems like he is going to lose another member of his already dwindling crew however to the audience and those who know of the myth know that this is to show Eurylochus’s mutiny that will/is happening, its hinted at in the opening verse of Puppeter that Eurylochus was going confess to Odysseus that he’s the reason why the wind bag was opened, so this was pretty much a warning by Tiresias for Odysseus to be very careful of those around his crew, so this might come into play in Act 2 about Odysseus being a little more apprehensive around Eurylochus and his crew. Second is, ‘’I see you on the brink of death. I see you draw your final breath. I see a man who gets to make it home alive but it’s no longer you’’, these lines are the most important in the entire musical cause it show that at some point on Odysseus’s journey back home he will go through such a change that the ‘’final breath’’ is to show that the Odysseus we knew since the beginning of the story will ‘’die’’ and a new Odysseus will emerge to do what ever is necessary to get back home and will accept ruthlessness, I also find it interesting that Tiresias says the exact same words to Odysseus when he first got his prophecy it’s as if Tiresias is almost telling him ‘hey, this is what’s going to happen to the exact dime, change your way of thinking now or you will not live long enough to get back home’ and in Monster, Odysseus finally accepts ruthlessness and at this moment I believe is the old Odysseus’s ‘’last breath’’ and in Act 2 we will see how this new Odysseus will use what ever tools he has to get back to Penelope and Telemachus. No Longer You is an excellent use of foreshadowing and how it can be used to show a character’s growth and development and this song should be studied for writers to help better use clever foreshadowing in there stories just, aaarrrghh it’s so good!

[thrashkink-coven]

Ritual Report 2024-07-30

I had the opportunity to meditate on Attar Lucifer for the first time this morning and witness his energy in it’s more warlike, rebel archetype. The ritual took place in the bath, I first lit my candles and smoke cleansed the room with dragon's blood incense. I then drew Lucifer's sigil on the wall of my shower with ink. I then said the Invocation aloud 3 times.

Invocation of Attar Lucifer:

“Attar Lucifer, radiant and bright I, Shi, call to thee

I invoke your presence here this morning

I invite you to attend my vessel

Father of rebels, Lord of the Underworld

God of love, of sex and pride

Attend my sacred space,

Illuminate it with your light

Attar Lucifer, I call to thee once more

Bestow your blessing of love upon me,

help me to feel your presence,

and heal my wounds,

I invoke your presence here and now.

As my magic is made

Be here in this, your temple!

For your loyal devotee stands before you,

ready and willing to honour you

Oh, great God, be near me now

Illuminate this space, for it is ours

So Blessed Be

So it is Done.”

While mediating I listened to Lucifer's infernal enn in a video which repeats his enn 81 times. I listened to this 2 or 3 times before switching to a song called Ashtar by Horizons Interrieurs before finally switching to Lucifer's enn by Carl Sparticus, I believe I listened tp this 6 times, I fell into trance while listening to it.

When I found myself on the other side, I was in a very dark and smoky place. I did not know where I was exactly, but I knew that the place I was in was very ancient, very dangerous, and very primal. Perhaps a time when humanity was only just starting to establish itself. I never felt like I was truly in danger, as I was wearing my Venus talisman and knew I was protected. But I still felt very much like prey being stocked by an unknown predator. I was vulnerable, ignorant and exposed. I felt as though, at any moment I could be killed. I felt as though I needed to hide, and found myself crouching low to the ground to avoid being noticed. Death and Disease were King in this place. I immediately understood that the world that Attar Lucifer was a part of was very old and very different, with different laws and different authorities, a world almost unrecognizable from the world I live in now. I understood that Attar is very old and has been doing this for a very long time.

In the darkness and smoke I could hear a whistle. It began to get louder as if the person blowing it was approaching me. Soon I saw lights emerging from the darkness. One light brighter than the others, emerged as the leader. He dawned a red flag and a torch, and lead a collective of spirits through the darkness atop a golden chariot. His eyes, red and bold like flames, burned into me intensely, though never offensively. It was immediately clear to me that this is a face of Lucifer that is often kept hidden from me.

Lucifer's energy usually feels very airy and smooth to me, like a nice chocolate cake, but today it was smoldering, very hot and firey. Rather than the light of a twinkling star, he felt like the light of a blazing forest fire bellowing in the wind. He was stern and authoritative, his power could not be unnoticed. and he was beautiful in the way triumph and victory feel, but it was also clear to me that he himself was dissatisfied.

When he looked down at me kneeling close to the ground, he gave me a look of distaste, like the image of me doing so offended him, and then he ordered his comrades to pick me up and place me in the chariot beside him. From atop the chariot and with his light illuminating everything around us, I could see the carnage, disease, death and murder that ruled this place. The collective of spirits being commanded by Attar Lucifer would hunt through the darkness to find his wandering children and unite them with Attar. I was one of these children.

As we continued through the darkness I began to woe, mourning the displays of death and violence, and that was when Attar's look softened. He said something to me like "upsetting, isn't it?" his voice sounded similar to the Lucifer I am familiar with, but deeper and heavily accented in a dialect I am unfamiliar with.

When I looked back at him I could immediately understand that he shared my remorse. Attar Lucifer is a true pacifist at his core. He cannot stand to see the unchecked destructive power of tyranny, but he does not revel in battle or violence. His spirits bore no weapons, only light. He continues to liberate the weak despite his displeasure in facing true evil and ignorance. Yet he cannot stop, he mustn't, for he is the light bringer. Without him, there would be no illumination in this darkness. The darkness of the subconscious, of hidden prejudice, of unfamiliar conflict.

I began to cry as it dawned upon me how cruel this world is despite all the best efforts, and that was when he took me into what looked like a castle made of obsidian, and dismissed his spirts to leave us alone with each other.

He asked me, "why do you weep?" and I responded shakily through tears, saying something like "I'm sorry you have to keep doing this, I'm sorry this world is so fucked, I'm sorry I can't change the world".

His look changed, it returned to its intensity, and he grabbed my head in both of his hands and said "You can change the world, you will change the world. I don't ever want to hear you say that again."

and I asked him how someone like me, with no power, could possibly change the world if even he can't. He became more determined, saying "Because you are mine, because the spirit of my love burns inside you. All you need is to nurture it, keep fighting and fostering it, fanning it with air until it blooms and blazes like the greatest fires in Heaven."

In his eyes I could see 100 thousand years of struggle, but never defeat. and then he finally sat down with his arms crossed and asked, "do you know why I refused to become the God of the Most High when I rose to the glory of the Highest Heaven? For I was never exiled, no it was I who made this decision, do you know why?"

I told him no, and he answered "because the past is perfect."

"The past is perfect" is a phrase I learned from Lord Leviathan. It speaks to the nature of time and divine authority. Essentially, it is the hard to stomach lesson that says that all the events of the past were necessary to achieve the present, divinely written. All the bad, all the good, it is perfect. Regardless of how ugly, these things were necessary, mandatory, to form the existence of everything that came after it. The man of the past is perfect in accordance to the rules of the past. The past belongs to the dead, it is no place for the living, and it is perfect.

Attar then told me, in order to be the God of the most high one must be satisfied with this reality. They must be willing to accept that the natural flow of the universe is violent and cruel but also merciful and perfect. He had to be willing to be the God that knows all and allows all to be, and he simply could not. In order to liberate we must accept that there was once a time of oppression. In order to be the God of the most high, he would have to accept being the God responsible for all the things he fights against, and he could not be the darkness, for he is the light. The past is cruel, but it is perfect; and in its perfection it is complete, finished. Attar Lucifer never claimed to be perfect.

"The light of Venus is brilliant, but it will never be enough to illuminate the entire sky, to bring the light and life of day. Not alone, for its light is only a reflection of the light of the Sun. I accepted that my role was not to be the God of the Highest because I accept that I do not know everything, and I don't need to. This does not make my efforts meaningless. I may not shine brighter than the Sun during the day, but when in times of darkness, when he cannot be found, when he cannot save us, oh, how I shine!"

If he were to illuminate all the Heavens and make everything in his image, there would be no more work to be done, and he would not have the pleasure of being the light in a world of darkness. Helel cannot change every mind, but oh, how he shines.

Attar explained to me that darkness will always be faster than light, that is why the job of the Illuminator is never finished. As we increase our knowledge, the light of our understanding, the circumference of darkness around us only continues to grow. The more we know, the more we know how much we do not know. The more we learn, the more we learn how much there is to learn. Attar Lucifer knows that the pursuit of knowledge is never ending, the rising and falling must always happen. We must be willing to change our minds. We must be willing to burn, to be wrong, to be ignorant, before we can be liberated and purified.

"My people, my comrades, my devotees, they occupy the land of the dead and the land of the living, and I cannot bare part with them, for my love defies all boundaries. Love exists everywhere, there is no place above or below that I will not touch. I refuse. Whether I must be the God of the Underworld or the star who falls in the morning, whether I must die and be reborn 10 thousands times more, I will be free in whichever world I occupy. I will provide light for those who have given their hearts to me. This is my promise. I cannot promise that oppression will forever be defeated. I cannot promise the end of all suffering. But my promise, which I have always kept, is to bring light in times of darkness. To bring the conflict which changes minds and guides through ignorance. I am the Light Bringer."

I saw Attar as a phoenix, dying and rising from the ashes in an eternal cycle. Learning, rising, changing minds and burning away all that does not serve us. It is only then that I saw my Lucifer, the Lucifer I’m familiar, within him. When he looked at me I could see him. He smiled at the Venus star on my chest. When we embraced I knew it was him.

[frogwiththephatahh]

Lines from Epic that absolutely destroy me every single time

"A cave! You're saying there's a cave where we could feast?" (Just because I know that's coming) "Yes, you shall be the final man to die" (mostly because we're at the thunder saga now and Ody literally is the last man standing just...ahhh) Polites' rasping, broken "Cap...tain..." followed by "He's got a club...he's got a club!" "Since you claim you're so much wiser, why's your life spent all alone? You're alone!" "Cause the end always justifies the means/Everything's changed since Polites" The crew screaming "Captain!" as Poseidon destroys the other ships. "I keep thinking of the infant from that night...I keep thinking of the infant from that night..." Odysseus' wistful "Polites..." when Polites appears in the Underworld. "I'm right here, mom, can't you see? I'm waiting" (this genuinely made me tear up the first time I heard it and I still cry when I try to sing along) "And if I gotta drop another infant from a wall in an instant so we all don't die- then I'll become the monster!" "Cut off their tails! We're ending this now. Throw their bodies back in the water- Let them drown." (fucking BRUTAL) "Eurylochus, light up six tourches" Also, you can HEAR the crewmates screaming as Scylla grabs them during "Scylla" and it's haunting. Before I get into the MANY that Mutiny has, I've gotta give a shout out to Jorge and Armando for the insanely emotional and moving acting they deliver during this song. It's a masterpiece. "Use your wits to try and say I'm crazy and mad" the DESPERATION in Eury's voice I can't "Say something!" "I can't!"

"This statue...the God of the Sun. Don't know where it's from, but here's where we found all these cows to hunt" I read The Odyssey long before listening to Epic and knowing exactly where this was going made me shudder "Please don't tell me you're about to do what I think you'll do" One of many callbacks to other songs in Mutiny "Ody, we're never gonna get to make it home, you know it's true" "I'm tired, my friend!" Armando I hate you /aff "Eurylochus, no! You've doomed us. You've doomed us all, Eurylochus!" followed by Eurylochus softly saying, "captain?" And of course we can't forget "Captain?" "I have to see her" "But we'll die" "I know" In conclusion, I love this musical

[madbard]

“This life is amazing when you greet it with open arms.”

Most of the fan art and content I see for Polites shows him as a complete ray of sunshine. And I get it, I do. In the Troy Saga, Polites is a much needed source of hope and optimism. It isn’t a mistake that in “Full Speed Ahead,” Polites is the first man to see an island in the distance. This is, of course, immediately followed by “Open Arms,” a song so catchy it can’t help but raise the listener’s spirits (at least, until they remember what happens next), with lyrics that speak of second chances and a persisting love for life. Throughout this saga, Polites’ voice becomes associated with hope and safety, which is part of what causes his strangled final word in the Cyclops Saga and the aching reprise of “Open Arms” in the Underworld Saga to hit so hard.

So, yes, prior to his death Polites is strongly associated with positivity and optimism. That optimism even places him in danger at points, as he fails at first to realize the dangers of the glowing fruits. But - and I will die on this hill - Polites is not some naive, innocent child.

No optimistic character, it seems, can escape some level of infantilization by the fandom. When it comes to Polites, I’ve seen so many depictions of him that make him out to be foolish, his optimism a simple trait derived from naïveté rather than philosophy. Let’s be clear - Polites is a member of Odysseus’ crew, sailing back from the Trojan War. Judging from the musical (I admit I’m unfamiliar with the source material so correct me if I’m wrong), he would have fought alongside Odysseus. Our optimistic character who sings about leading from the heart almost certainly killed on the battlefield.

I’m not arguing for some edgy Polites here (that would be hilariously out of character) but I think it’s important to keep in mind that when Polites sings about second chances, he’s singing about second choices for himself, as well. He may not have committed infanticide like Odysseus, but he definitely committed acts of violence that he can’t undo. In “Open Arms,” he deliberately chooses to be peaceful. He chooses to put down his weapons, to move forward and heal - and this choice is not derived from naïveté or innocent foolishness. It is a sign of wisdom. It is a sign of strength.

I would like to see more of that Polites.

[skeletonwithakeyboard]

More puppyshipping with a twist! A revertshipping twist!

The following is a retelling of a dream I had and will tell it as such. This is the product what happens when you're rewatching yugioh and listening to the underworld saga of epic the musical at the same time

So the dream starts with ishizu having a vision about Seth and jou(joeys ancestor) being happy and in love, (i see a song of past romantic) then it flashs to jou being killed by seth's father, and Seth crying tears of anger and attacking him (i see the sacrifice of men, I see portals of betray and a brother's final stand) then it flashs to kaiba dueling a shadow game with Seth and losing, then Seth takes over kaiba's body(i see you on the brink of death, I see you draw your final breath, I see a man who gets to make it home alive..but it's no longer you)

Then ishizu calls kaiba to warn him but he just tells her to keep her "tarot card gibberish" to herself and hangs up. Sure enough, kaiba gets possessed(idk how) then the dream goes to Joey, he's talking to Tristan over the phone and tells him that kaiba has been acting strange and that he's feeling uneasy. Tristan tells him it's probably nothing but says that he'll come over soon just in case and hangs up.

A few minutes later Joey hears someone knocking on he's door and opens it to "kaiba" and his just comes inside, Joey starts telling "kaiba" that he's been acting strange and ask if his ok. Joey looks over to a minor and sees seth's reflection, Seth realizes that Joey knows and starts to tell him it's ok and not to panic. Spoiler alert, Joey panicked and runs out his apartment with Seth chasing him.

And the dream ends. Yes my dreams are always this vivid, no I don't know why, always been that way 🤷‍♀️

[sombrathedragon]

HI HI hyperfixation question time!!

I’ve never listened to EPIC, tell me a few reasons you love it (bc I wanna know if I should listen to it) and tell me your favorite song so I can go listen to it immediately :D

Ooo okay !! :D

let me give a summary first: EPIC is a musical adaptation about Homers Odyssey. It’s broken up into 9 sagas, with each saga being about 4-5 songs long. The sagas basically break up Odysseus’s journey into different parts: The Troy saga (Odysseus and his men winning the Trojan war and beginning to sail back home, we also get a introduction to Odysseus’s mentor, Athena here !!) The Cyclops saga (Ody and his men having some trouble in the Cyclopes cave) The Ocean saga (Ody and his men trying to sail back home to Ithaca through storms and troubles (spoiler alert they don’t make it)) The Circe Saga (Ody and his men landing on Circe’s island instead, with Ody having to convince Circe to give his men back. (Fun fact in the actual Odyssey Ody stays here for a year! I don’t think they do that in EPIC though!)) The Underworld saga (Ody and his men travel to the underworld and get a prophecy on what the rest of the journey is going to be like (‘nother spoiler Ody doesn’t like it, also this is the end of Act 1!!) the Thunder Saga (Ody and his men going through tricks, betrayal, and Zeus himself) the Wisdom saga (Perspective change we’re now back in Ithaca in the POV of Telemachus, Odys son!! Telemachus now being under the guidance of Athena, gets help from her to fight the suitors and convinces her to go help her old friend (cough cough HIS FATHER) who may or may not be stuck on a certain goddess island for 7 years (cough cough CALYPSOS ISLAND) another fun fact this is actually all the sagas released currently! There’s still 2 more in the works which are the Vengeance saga (Ody gets off of Calypsos island and actually sails home, but of course he encounters another monster and another god, that man can’t get a break!) and the Ithaca saga (We go back to Ithaca to see Penelope, his wife and the 108 suitors there, who don’t exactly treat Penelope and Telemachus the nicest.. but Odysseus is finally home and I won’t spoil much more but he does kill the suitors :] yayyy happy ending !!)

Anyways, actually answering your questions now !! Some of the reasons I love it are that the music is absolutely amazing, the callbacks with the instruments combined with the vocals are enough to make me bawl my eyes out sometimes :’) Same with the talented animators and artists in the fandom, who just make my jaw drop when I see their masterpieces. Also the community is just lovely, it sometimes gets toxic but overall it’s a relatively chill and peaceful fandom! but urghhh my favorite song? Ahhh they’re all so good !! I would have to say Little Wolf from the Wisdom Saga, it’s very catchy and very groovy, but I do also love The Challenge from the Ithaca saga as I love my girl Penelope !! (sadly it’s not released yet, how I listen to it is Jorge (creator of musical) sometimes puts out snippets of the songs, and wonderful fans combine them together so yeah :])

Anyways I DEFINITELY recommend it if you need a new musical to hear, it’s just perfect <3

[daonedaonlyskh]

sk wisdom saga thoughts

SPOILER WARNING FOR THE WISDOM SAGA

also these will not be coherent hardly at all btw

and why should you read this? bc I wanna hear your opinions too :)

also trigger warning for love in paradise, I briefly touch on suicide but it’s only a sentence or two

and this is significantly longer than I thought it was gonna be whoopsie

legendary - HOLYYYYYY SHITTTTTTT YES MICO GIVE US EVERYTHING RIGHT OFF THE BAT YESSSSSSSSSSSS I feel like I resonate with the song a lot about wanting to be better and living up to a certain standard and being willing to do just about anything to get there and not letting the world get ya down yk? ALSO WHATCHA GONNA DO ABOUT IT CHAMP? TOTALLY LIVED UP TO EXPECTATIONS JORGE WAS RIGHT THAT LINE WAS INCREDIBLE

little wolf - OKAY THE VIDEO GAME STYLE THINGY ANIMATIC ON THE STREAM?????? HOLY FUCK THAT WAS SO COOL!!!!!!!!!! When Antinous said “I’ll teach you all the lessons your daddy never could” ow. sir that hurt. But so glad we finally got a canon explanation of “quick thought” even if it came kinda late in the show. And Athena’s little “oooo guess I pushed him to hard” is so adorable to me and I can’t explain why. Same with the deadpan of “uppercut him. Now.” But I think the decision to keep the little question Tele asks at the end of the song in the song and not just have it all be in “we’ll be fine” is a little weird to me but idrc all that much. Overall I absolutely loved this song, the switch up from the negative of antinous absolutely destroying Tele, to the positive side where Athena is helping Tele is incredible.

we’ll be fine - I’m gonna be real this is my least favorite of all the songs. Not that I don’t like it or anything, it’s great, to me it just doesn’t compare to any of the others. I like that Athena and Tele get to have a real conversation, and the Odysseus references without Telemachus actually knowing who she’s talking about is really cool. And I like the parallel of “if I’ll never sleep at night” to “I could sleep at night.” But the part where Athena says “you’re a good kid” makes me wanna cry /pos.

love in paradise - CALYPSO WHEN I CATCH YOU CALYPSO!!!!!!!!!! I liked the time dive bit, I found that cool. Also the stream dying as soon as calypso saying that goddesses can’t die was absolutely fucking hilarious, so glad I was there for that. BUT THE END BIT HOLY FUCKING SHIT THE END OF THAT SONG UGHHGGGGGGGGAGAHSHDHSIAKSKDKDHSH. First of all, underworld saga drawback, second of all ody basically trying to kill himself or seriously injure himself was extremely unexpected to me when I first saw it, but now looking back that did not come out of nowhere at all, it just caught me off guard, third of all CALYPSO SAYING OPEN ARMS? GURL WHEN I CATCH YOU I SWEAR, fourth of all having polites in my left ear and having eurylochus in my right ear actually makes me physically hurt, fifth of all him screaming “Athena” at the end is so sad, calling out for the only possible person who you think would or could help you, even if you’ve been long out of their life, and left on bad terms? Absolutely heartbreaking, sixth of all the little “he needs my help” at the end of the song got me good. Also I listened to this song for the second time ever today as of typing this and I fucking cried, I didn’t cry when I heard it on stream since I think I was just too distraught over it, and was overall just extremely happy.

god games - I HAVE SO MUCH TO SAY. YOU THOUGHT THE PREVIOUS BLURB YOU JUST READ WAS LONG? HA! Alrighty so in the beginning part, I like how Luke Holt says all the gods names in a different way, and they all feel like they make sense for the character. Moving on to the levels, I really like Apollo’s voice, idk who that is but whoever you are I love your voice. After figuring out that it was confirmed that the cows were Helios’s, I was extremely confused as to what Apollo’s argument would be, but was pleasantly surprised by the sirens, which wasn’t something I even thought about. Having Hephaestus be voiced by Jay’s dad is so cool, and now both of Jay’s parents are in epic and I just find that so sweet. His dad definitely gives Hephaestus vibes, and I think he sounds great, and I don’t really have any strong feelings on his argument. Moving in to Ares and Aphrodite, I already knew I was going to love them, and I still do! I’m gonna be honest, I actually really love Ares’s part lmao. His lyrics get stuck in my head really bad sometimes, and I love the rhythm of his part. I also think Athena basically just beating the shit out or just straight up judo flipping him in most of the animatics is really funny. Going on to Hera, the anniflamma animatic that played during the live stream was so, so silly. not Hera and Athena full on just having a fucking dance off. And yk what, it slays. Now last but most certainly not least, everything after that. 1st of all, beast mode Zeus is absolutely terrifying, just as it should be. Luke holt you’re absolutely incredible at your craft. 2nd, I was not expecting him to just like straight up blast Athena to fucking bits. 3rd, Ares you could at least try to make your “is she dead?” Sound at least a little bit sincere my guy, but that’s so silly goofy of you so I’ll let it slide. 4th, the little flashback scene with the soft instrumental warrior of the mind in the background makes me wanna cry /pos. 5th, when the instrumental picks up after the flashback, and Athena starts to push against Zeus’s lightning, getting severely hurt in the process? Absolute perfection, only criticism is that I wish she bled golden ichor in the animatic showed on stream but other than that minor thing I think it was absolutely perfect. 6th, the “let him go, please, let him go” with Athena basically just dying afterwards at the foot of Zeus? Peak emotional damage to my soul. The reach out of Athena to Zeus when she’s already been forced to the ground as she sings “let him go” as she looks up at him did something to me.

This saga aches in my soul. I wouldn’t want it any other way

I would also like to say that I am a singer, who is the kid of a very successful musician (my dad is a uni professor of music and still plays music at restaurants on the stuff on the side. his best friends know extremely famous musicians, and I know a few semi famous musicians too :3). And I feel like I can see epic from so many perspectives because of things, obviously because of this I have such a great appreciation for the music, but especially the vocals. I am also an okay writer, which gives me a deeper appreciation for the story telling aspects. And I’m a visual artist, so the animations and animatics that come out of epic are such an inspiration to me. All of epic is, everything that comes out of it inspires me, the music, the storytelling , the art, all of it. (but especially the music, since given what I said I think you could probably tell how important music as a whole is to me)

[sarnai4]

The Underworld

I cannot even express how excited I was to listen to the Underworld Saga. It did not disappoint at all (of course, I wanted more songs, but the trio was amazing). Spoilers ahead for Epic the Musical.

"The Underworld" was an amazing setup for what we had coming. There are just so many tiny details! There are callbacks with "Full speed ahead," "Open Arms," and of course, we also have the "Ruthlessness" callbacks with the army. That would be so horrifying. He's surrounded by the 500+ soldiers who relied on him and trusted him to bring them back home. He even stated back in the Ocean saga how he didn't lose a single soul in the war. It's when they leave that everyone starts dying. Then, we have the heart-breaking Polites cameo, reminding Odysseus of how he cost his best friend his life. Now, the part that got me a little choked up was when his mom showed up. I have read even the story, so I know that she's gone, but it hurt so much to hear him realize he'd been at war so long that he never got to see her alive again. Him saying "Bye, Mom," just tears my heart strings right out. I love the contrast too of the quiet sadness in his voice with this line, then immediately yelling "All I hear are screams!" There's so much rage and pain as he's forced to confront everything that's kept him away from his family--including those he'll never be reunited with in life.

Then, we have "No Longer You." When I say the snippet did not do this song justice...(sighs dreamily). I still enjoyed the snippet, but this is probably my favorite of the bunch to listen to. The melody, the vocals, it's all just so beautiful. The tune just seems to float like you could do a ballroom dance with someone. That's not to say that the lines aren't great too. I love how this one plays on Odysseus's fears and how his increased time away from home has jaded him. The prophet basically says, "I see you with your wife, but you're messed up from your time away" and our Ithaca king is just pissed that he saw someone with his wife. Uh, buddy...well, I guess you'll find out soon enough. It's also so fun to know the story and get reminded of what Odysseus will be doing when he returns to Ithaca, fighting subjects who just assumed he had died and don't have respect for anyone in his family now. Even this entire concept to me in fascinating since it considers an underlying theme of the play: how people change due to their experiences. Odysseus will return, but it'll never be the same Odysseus who left in the first place.

And we end with "Monster" which is such an awesome ending to a first act. I wish this was live, so the audience could erupt in applause. (Small detail, but I love the music at the beginning. It's so unique when compared to the other songs and is pretty cool, gradually growing when more instruments are added). A bigger detail is that you have the instrumental intro matching the intro for "The Horse and the Infant." It just shows how far they've come and calls back to the very first time Odysseus was responsible for a lost life in the musical. My favorite line in this song is "I'm the only one whose line I haven't crossed." That's saying something too because this song is full of amazing lines. I just love the implication since we know Odysseus has often had lines he thought were too far. He didn't want to kill the baby, chose to spare Polyphemus, didn't kill Circe when he won in the fight, etc. Still, as he finally admits in this song, he did kill the baby. Despite that, he hasn't crossed his line. Why? I think it's because he keeps pushing it back each time he's confronted with something he doesn't want to do but feels he has to. It ties into the end of this song where he considers everyone he's lost, fully understanding the scope of it now that he's seen the spirits of his loved ones. Turning into someone he never wanted to be doesn't matter anymore. If he's a monster who still has a living family and hasn't proven the faith people had in him was foolish, then it's fine. He might have even been a monster before by not going against their enemies with everything he had. It's all a matter of perspective. Was he a monster for killing the baby, one for causing so many in his fleet to never return to their families, or one for both of those choices? The ending going back to "The Horse and the Infant" with him calling out for Penelope and Telemachus AND pairing that with the repeat of "Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves" is marvelous. It's almost like it's in the same sentence where he's explaining his actions to them, telling them that he has to become a monster because it'll make things alright for everyone they hold dear.

The only thing that made me mad about this is that I have no clue when the next saga is coming out or what it's even called. So, I'll just be playing the songs on repeat until I can add however many more to the playlist.

[the-nerdiest-insanity]

Okay so I'm not saying you have to write this but I wanted to share this little plot bunny in my brain with the first fic writer who showed up in the tags.

(this is not a request I just really really want to talk about this)

Okay so we all agree that the reason 'we literally have the rest of eternity to figure out what the rest of it means' is cause Charles never finished reading the myth, right?

So imagine if Edwin is killed of for realsies, and instead of just out right stating that the reader instead gets to find it out through the means of Charles reading the myth- you know, finishing it.

(the angst potential is twsiting me insides)

I started this at midnight for me, and this wormed it's way into my brain and won't leave. The ask gives away the twist, but I hope I've written this well enough that it doesn't matter

The Song Was Written Long Ago

Title from Road to Hell (reprise), Hadestown

Charles landed on the floor with the dull thumping feeling he has associated with living as a ghost on Earth. Niko and the Night Nurse are staring at him with shocked expressions.

"Charles--" Niko tried to start before he abruptly cut her off with a shake of his head.

"Don't Niko, just don't," he mumbled. Charles sniffled and slammed his fist into the ground. Slowly, he sat up onto his knees.

"Hey, I heard a loud noise," Crystal said as she entered. She took in the somber faces around her. "Did something happen? Where's--"

"Don't," Charles spat out, sharper this time. "Don't fucking say it."

"Charles?" Crystal asked as she took a hesitant step forward.

Charles stood up and plowed his way across the room, uncaring about the voices asking about him or the hands trying to stop him. He leapt into the first mirror he could reach. "Take me home," was his only thought.

Charles landed harshly into thei-- the office. His legs carried him automatically to the bookshelf. It had been so meticulously organized before this whole damned trip. Now, everything was a cluttered mess after searching for the book to save Niko.

A painful voice echoed in his head, "It wouldn't be so messy if you'd just follow my system." Charles bit his lip, attempting to rein in his emotions.

This is like one of those Orpheus and Eurydice moments, yeah?

Charles knew there were many different versions of the story he was searching for, but focused on finding the one he had started all those years ago.

Finally, he pulled out Metamorphoses. He flipped to Book X, finding the line he last read. He had stopped when the pair began to leave the Underworld. He had figured either they made it out and lived a happy life or something terrible happened. And, Charles was fine never knowing what the answer was. Until now.

He read about Orpheus's confidence in getting the pair out. He read out Orpheus's doubt. He read about Orpheus turning around too soon.

Charles slammed the book shut. He didn't need to read about how Orpheus died because he was already dead.

Charles slid slowly down to the ground, crying into the book. He could hear a voice in his head scolding him for not taking care of property. It made Charles hiccup as he sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Edwin. I shouldn't have looked back. I should've lead up out before I talked to you. I'm so sorry. We were supposed to have the rest of eternity. Edwin, please."

The rest of eternity was a very short time, indeed.

Was I listening to the Hadestown soundtrack while listening to this? How could you tell? For real, I hope you all liked this and I made the annon proud.