#or i guess col

[valfromonline]

Isewyn Hood

Paragon of the Hand and Saint of the Firmament

Born and raised at sea, the waters were where Isewyn thought she would run out her days. And it would have been true, if not for her unusual affinity for craft.

It is unclear precisely whence it stems, but her Echo manifests in the realm of artifice. In her hands is the art of creation laid bare.

Twice as efficient again as the most experienced shipboard carpenter, and capable of effecting conventionally impossible repairs with scraps, she retired to shore at a mere twenty summers to see where this talent could lead.

Another twenty years, a thousand weapons, and one restored Ishgard later, she's established herself as one of the finest multidisciplinary crafters in Eorzea - and a prized feather in the Lominsan Admiralty's cap.

[otsanda]

So @sayuri-of-the-valley and I were talking about the music in Good Omens 2 and particularly the similarities and differences in the music that happens 'Before the Beginning' (that's the song title) and at The Kiss (that's not the song title) and I have accidentally developed Theories and had Thoughts, so I’m gonna share them in case anyone else wants to weigh in.

First of all, the general musical structure is similar. They are both dramatic moments that start quietly, grow to a powerful crescendo at the Big Moment, and then resolve more quietly again, but with subtle changes that make them feel very different. Without actually going through and checking it, they sound to be at roughly the same tempo (around 140 BPM) and comparable time signatures.

Now, I'm treating these two dramatic moments and the surrounding music as two songs, although in the soundtrack the music surrounding The Kiss is actually divided into two songs itself: I Forgive You and Don't Bother, so that's. Fine. I'm normal about that. I'm sure dividing that in half doesn't Mean Anything at all. I'm NORMAL about it!!! Ah... anyways.

The instrumentation for both Before the Beginning and The Kiss is also very similar. Both songs start with orchestral winds and strings and add a powerful choral part (on the same pure round vowel sound, no less!) on the big crescendo. Both add orchestral chimes (bells) for that epic religious feel. Both the nebula creation and the kiss were a revelation. Something like a religious experience.

And then both songs resolve featuring wind and strings again, among other instruments. The "after" part of both songs also features more pitched percussion (harp, maybe a celesta, glockenspiel, possibly a dulcimer or some other fun, ethereal pitched percussion in Before the Beginning, but interestingly a piano in Don't Bother). Ouch. That hurts.

Now, to me: the piano is possibly representing the nightingale, Crowley and Aziraphale's love of Earth and humanity, whereas the glockenspiel and etc. may be more representative of heaven. Just a guess. I would have to do more careful listening for a more solid theory.

I don’t have perfect pitch so it’s hard to tell without getting out my instruments or transcribing the piece, but I’m willing to bet ‘I Forgive You’ is in the relative minor key to Before the Beginning’s mostly major key (I *think* ‘Before the Beginning’ might be mostly in the key of C major and ‘I Forgive You’ in A minor, but I could be wrong). Regardless, the former is major and the latter is more minor, but otherwise a lot of the chord structures, especially at the big moment, sound very similar.

More on instrumentation: ‘Before the Beginning’ uses more (ethereal?) flutes in the wind sections and The Kiss uses more reed-based, (earthy?) winds like clarinet, bassoon, oboe, etc. Different feel, but the same kind of structure. Both moments heavily feature a big string section for the nice full orchestral sound.

Before the Beginning has a lot going on musically before the crescendo and it intentionally feels kind of chaotic and unformed bc each instrument family is doing something a little different, building anticipation, etc. and then at the big crescendo, they all come together. Very powerful. Then after the crescendo, we get a subtle, playful reprise/variation of the Good Omens Main Theme. The strings and the winds are no longer entirely together at this point. They’re sort of playing off one another, leaving space. Having a conversation.

By comparison, in ‘I Forgive You’ the wind/strings start off playing together, in a sad version of unison before the crescendo (they both knew the conversation they were having wasn’t going to end well but they fundamentally *understand* one another now; they’ve been talking for millions of years). And AFTER the crescendo of The Kiss, the song ‘Don’t Bother’ DROPS the majority of the string section and gives the melody to a solo violin (alone!!!!). Even worse (better) the strings and the woodwinds and pitched percussion are no longer playing together. This time, they aren’t even having a conversation. They’re musically doing a separate lines. It feels extremely lonely (because it is). The violin is very exposed. The piano is very exposed. Even the chorus sounds exposed (smaller group of singers?). This ALSO includes a reprise/variation on the main GO theme, but instead of being playful it’s extremely sad (as though you didn't notice). The rest of the orchestra is still there, providing background, but it's not the same.

The Biggest Decision (the song after Don't Bother) has a lot more of those ethereally coded instruments again. Harp, pitched percussion. Full string section. Angelic chorus. Aziraphale is making the hardest/worst decision to return to heaven.

And to round it out, once we get to "The End?" we are back to piano. Our duo is separated. Now in place of the solo violin we have solo cello and piano. Gutting. We get notes of the ethereal celesta (I think). The piano keeps us grounded, but cello is a big focus. We also get more of that haunting chorus and violin runs. And then we end with solo piano playing the same 5-note run three times. Alone. After every other instrument has dropped out. Very lonely.

Just for fun, (and to end on a slightly more positive note), I went back and listened to the ox rib music as well, which was surprisingly consistent with some of my theories from up above and also not on the soundtrack so although I'm sure it has a name, I certainly don't know it.

In the ox rib section, there are more instruments before the first big moment (when Aziraphale tries the food) that are going back and forth. Again it sounds to me like they’re having a conversation… tempting and being tempted. Winds and strings (strings are tremoloing like at the kiss for that sweet, sweet tension), but also brass instruments. We have some more ethereal sounding pitched percussion, especially *before* he tries the food but afterwards it... switches to piano! Like I said: Earth!!!

The choir is on a different vowel altogether for this part (more aggressive and ominous, a taller Ah instead of a round Oh/Aw like the first two musical moments). The choir is also much more rhythmic. Again, increasing tension. And, of course, after he tries the food the music supports the tension of the scene by gradually building, getting louder and bigger after the key moment has already passed. It's super interesting that Aziraphale trying the food is actually quite quiet, but the music grows quickly afterwards. Sort of the inverse of how the other two scenes play out musically! Fascinating!!

Anyways, let me know what you think I got wrong and what I missed and if I thought something was a celesta when it was actually a glockenspiel or something. I am thrilled and devastated by this incredible music.

[braisedhoney]

say hello to the first Official Canon Characters aboard the HIVE o7 (joking, but they are legit ocs which is kinda weird to say 👀)

random lore + some extra tidbits below the cut

OKAY this is all pretty loose bc i don't wanna get top restrictive with it, the vagueness is half the fun. but here's what i got:

in the “HIVE canon”, sector heads/ranking officers (which for now is just leander and COL ig until i eventually cave and make more lmao) are specifically given custom uniforms and number prefixes instead of the CR[insert number here] format.

the “M” in front of leander’s stands for medbay. COL didn’t pick one so it’s just his name lol.

crewmates can wear any accessories they want as long as the base uniform stays the same (bee arm patches, grey, etc). all crewmate numbers gotta start with CR to be canon, but that doesn't apply to shitpost comics or like. general vibes

(there’s a reason the crew uniforms are grey. it’s the same reason leander made the captain’s gloves. )

the ship shuffles itself! it's not random all of the time, sometimes you open a door and end up in the room you were heading to like a shortcut, but other times you can open a random door and end up in the kitchen, or the training hall, etc etc. i just think an eldritch abomination ship is funny.

weirdly enough though it doesn’t do this in crisis situations. guess it’s only fun if the pranks are harmless ;;

if you get lost, call the captain (ello! o7) or COLONY over comms. they can generally get you wherever you need to go bc COLONY is directly connected to the ship and the captain’s able to make [INQUIRIES], which let us pass freely.

it’s kind of hard to tell if leander has a similar ability. the running theory is no, but he never seems confused?? when he enters a room?? so either he has one or he really just rolls with the punches. both are equally possible tbh.

in actual lore these two were probably some of if not the first few people to be recruited. obvs that’s a retcon now but shhh.

random characters from fandoms still get dragged into our shenanigans. at the end of the day this is all just for fun, and that’s one of the best parts, so hell yeah i’m keeping it.

[themundanedumpling]

so does anyone know why the magic stone glowed when it was brought near fake wad in the previous episode

[seiwas]

conversations on love #3 (gojo x reader) lil snippet sneakpeak!

Print photos aren’t as important anymore when cloud storage spaces are just as–if not more–accessible, but Gojo is admittedly sentimental despite every front he puts up to hide it. 

He’s kept every single gift you’ve given him and camouflaged it as decoration in his office, and the family drawing 10-year-old Tsumiki made is still folded between the pages of a self-help book Yaga gave him when he first decided to teach. 

When every moment is experienced so vividly, seen through a muddle of infinite energies, there are those he wishes could stay still—ones that take up space to remind him: ‘this is real, it happened, and because of it your life is irrevocably changed’.

For the longest time, Gojo has kept a photo hidden, locked away in the drawer by his bedside as if keeping it there means the memory will stay guarded forever—untouched, unspoiled, unruined.

It becomes clearer to him then, by the look in your eyes and remembrance soft-spoken, that what good is a photo unseen? 

What good is a love unwitnessed?

[lesmisscraper]

The more details of the Thenardiers. Volume 2, Book 3, Chapter 2.

Clips from <Il cuore di Cosette>.

[randomingoftherandomness]

Legit spent the last two days binging through Century of Love and boy-o did I love that experience. I was overdue a good hyperfixation anyways and this is a good one to have.

[bookwyrminspiration]

lady trent memoirs were literally so right for putting pictures. put more pictures in fantasy books they’re so fun and useful for those of us who can’t picture shit

[edupiii]

me as of right now

i told myself that as a treat, ill buy myself the dog N plushie as a reward for finishing my first year of university. i live by the little treat system and i mcfucking deserve it

[veldian]

ok yknow what i might as well post these too

au i made up a while ago where these guys are witchlings in school . not the same age/time period as luz and the gang; just wanted to imagine them being somewhat normal and doing witch kid things. i know the split tracks don't make a whole lot of sense now but im just here to have fun

[ackee]

finally edited a toyhouse theme enough for my ocs. i hate bootstrap so much y'all

[vallasochrasy]

probably unpopular opinion but i honestly couldnt care less for gay tarzan guy yadda yadda il fratellino fa le battutine omofobe sui ricchioni con nonchalance yadda yadda nessuno sa che lui è gay yadda yadda lasciamo sto paese per BERLINO (lol) yadda yadda papi del bf ammazza il bf perché, surprisingly, è omofobo

[deadliist]

azzy started out with heroic intentions, once upon a time. while azzy missed out on inheriting the magic of his mother, his twin brother did not. aiden was fairly powerful, too, and wanted to use his abilities to help people. for several months, he kept his vigilante activities a secret even from azzy, but his brother eventually caught on and followed him out one night. unable to shake azzy, aiden agreed to let him help, although he was clearly dubious about azzy's ability, as a human, to do so. lucky for the both of them, azzy proved himself to be both very stubborn and very capable. he was clever. a problem-solver. adaptable. always looking for new solutions and ways to help aiden out. and for a year, they were both successful in their goals. and then aiden died. azzy tried to keep it up after he did, kept trying to do good things because he knew aiden would want him to, but he was quickly growing bitter. angry. depressed. people began to annoy him. their thanks weren't enough. it became stressful having people constantly reach out for help. slowly he started to fall in with the crowd he had always fought against, instead. for a long time, he was in limbo. trying to take care of himself and scrape by in any way he could. and then col found him. col saw him for exactly what he was: bitter, angry, and lost. but he also saw his potential, and because of that offered him a job in the hounds - a chance to redeem his once-heroic nature, as col put it. to do some more good. from there, azzy climbed the ranks in record time, cementing his place as second in command. he's still bitter, don't get it wrong (in fact, one might say that he's even more bitter, now, after losing hound after hound to the very beings he hunts), but now he has something to take all that bitterness and anger out on.

[demigodofhoolemere]

After loving Star Wars for many years now I have only just today learned about Fake Wedge. I managed to go completely unaware that this was a thing and I’m baffled by its existence.

[newkittypoom]

nüwa said "you think im a joke????"

also i hope they dont continue dragging out the "I CANT POSSIBLY LIKE HIM, A MAN!!!!" plot bruh literally aged for 100 years like a regular person. this great-great-grandpa lived through the societal changes. i think it doesnt make sense to write him off as unaccepting of queerness just because he came from the 1920s as if straight people from the 20s cant be kind and accepting of queers.

its ridiculous that they are playing this out for so long as if straight people who loved the queer people in their lives didnt exist back then. maybe he wasnt queer back then. didnt think about it. but if someone he loved was queer, i dont think he wouldve spouted such idiotic homophobic shit. if any of the shrine caretaker kids had turned out queer, i dont think san would've reacted so poorly

or maybe i just wish the character was a better man than the writer actually made them

[seiwas]

📑 what fic/s of yours is/are your personal favourite/s and why?

feel free to reblog / comment / say it in the tags and even share links if you want! 🤭