Gimme Some of That Ol' Atonal Music

 Arpeggio, second (first) year at Elsewhere University.  Majoring in musical composition, minoring in astronomy.

[elsewhereuniversity]

A charm for you: a flute, too small for human lips, made of dark, rough wood. All but one of the fingering holes have been filled in with marble that is ice cold to the touch. Runes have been carved into the wood on the far side of where the fingering holes should be by what look to be claw marks.

I’ll be damned, another Petrichor? I’ve never seen two in the same place before. This one seems to be an earlier piece, going by the comparatively inexperienced setting of the marble, but no less valuable for all that. There’s no sound when I tried to play it, but the air goes sharp like it does just before it snows. I’ll put it somewhere far from the other one, just to give any hopeful thieves an added challenge.

[thydungeongal]

During yesterday’s game I made an off the cuff remark that Infernal music uses a system of nine modes named after the layers of Hell as opposed to the traditional seven in Western classical music so of course I’ve been coming up with a system of nine tones per octave for no gain whatsoever, I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much time on something with absolutely zero game effect

[thydungeongal]

I mean one obvious benefit is that I can now say that my character plays her lute in the Stygian mode which rules

[disgruntledseagull]

Now I’m desperately curious as to what that would sound like…

[thydungeongal]

I haven’t had the time to play around with it so it probably sounds horrible, but okay it’s a system of alternating half-steps and full steps but with two sequential half-steps. The basic Avernal mode in C would be C, Db, Eb, E, F, Gb, Ab, A, and B (and with a final half-step to bring it back to C).

As I said, it probably sounds horrible

[dungeonmastersconsortium]

I mean it wouldn’t be hard for me to write a piece like that. It won’t sound “correct” to western ears because the root note, C, in that scale will sound like it wants to resolve up to the Db, but if your goal is for music to sound like it’s from Hell, then it’s doable.

[dungeonmastersconsortium]

Here’s the parameters for this piece:

I’m going to use this scale for expediency’s sake, rather than the two octave scale. 

I’m also going to write this piece in 9/8, following the theme of 9′s.

[dungeonmastersconsortium]

I’m 2 measures in and 

[dungeonmastersconsortium]

It’s uploading to soundcloud now!

[dungeonmastersconsortium]

https://soundcloud.com/critical-hit-compositions/in-the-court-of-mammon

[thydungeongal]

Omg holy shit

[dungeonmastersconsortium]

There is now a rebloggable version of it on the tumblr audio player! https://dungeonmastersconsortium.tumblr.com/post/185015240331/fuckyeahdnd-heres-a-quick-30-second-version-of-a

[autumnsneedle]

oh, oh god. It DOESN’T resolve! I desperately need just one more note, wow. This really does take you to music hell.

(And in a fabulous way, to be clear!)

[dungeonmastersconsortium]

Actually, it does resolve to the root triad! The 1-3-5 is C-Eb-F, though, so it sounds like it doesn’t.

[abouttogetdicey]

YOU HAVE PLEASED MY TROMBONE PLAYING, DEMON STUDYING HEART

[definitelybeholderrpgideas]

This is exactly what I needed music from hell to sound like

[probablybadrpgideas]

Play a bard who only ever performs 4'33".

[lifeoflizardatuni]

[arpeggi-oh-no]

Okay firstly I don’t know where I would actually find one of these, especially given it isn’t quite cold enough yet (at least on campus proper)

Secondly, “Don’t Eat The Food” is like folklore rule #1, and if I managed to find a completely mundane icy ghost apple it would taste like ice and apple rot and would be unwise to consume for entirely different reasons

And thirdly I do, in fact, intend to graduate in something resembling the normal amount of time, so I’m not about to try something that foolhardy without at least some form of insurance

[where-dark-and-light-meet]

“Ghost Apples” in the Fruit Ridge area of Kent County, Michigan.

An unusual phenomenon when freezing rain coats rotting apples before they fall, the apple turns mushy and eventually slips out, leaving the icy shell still hanging on the tree.

Photos: Woodtv8

[fiifayefoofum]

Ultimate c r o n c h y apple

[caffeinewitchcraft]

The fae eat these apples and when their pointed teeth break the apple’s shell it sounds like bells instead of glass and silver light shines from within where you thought nothing but ghosts were left

[arpeggi-oh-no]

Ghosts of apples turned to silver-glass bells that taste of the light that shines off a frosted winter hill

[weirdlandtv]

“I don’t know where I’m going but I’m on my way.” Vintage cat postcard.

[dekimasu]

Better version

[charminglyantiquated]

✨It’s charminglyantiquated’s birthday!✨

So please rec me your favorite song!

This has genuinely become one of my fave birthday traditions - I’ve found so much good music through all of you over the last few years, and the whole birthday playlist makes me so happy bc each song on there matters a lot to someone. Thank you so much, all of you! It’s been such a good year.

[arpeggi-oh-no]

I don’t know that it’s my favorite, but this one makes me smile

[arpeggi-oh-no]

So the school traditions…  I mean, they’re a fun little thing, part of why I picked Elsewhere in the first place, I’m not really complaining.  It’s just, everyone takes them weirdly seriously?

I guess it’s some kind of superstition thing, mixed with a dose of school spirit or something?  I don’t know, there’s not much of a point to this post.  I’m just a little miffed that people yell at me whenever I try to take shortcuts.  “Stay on the path!” yeah ok sure but it’s faster if I cut across the grass, let me live my life

[d-dollie-dearest]

One of my parents graduated from EU and they didn’t want me to come, they have a lot of the same seriousness about superstitions and weirdness about it.

[lifeoflizardatuni]

It happens

[arpeggi-oh-no]

So it does

[arpeggi-oh-no]

So the school traditions…  I mean, they’re a fun little thing, part of why I picked Elsewhere in the first place, I’m not really complaining.  It’s just, everyone takes them weirdly seriously?

I guess it’s some kind of superstition thing, mixed with a dose of school spirit or something?  I don’t know, there’s not much of a point to this post.  I’m just a little miffed that people yell at me whenever I try to take shortcuts.  “Stay on the path!” yeah ok sure but it’s faster if I cut across the grass, let me live my life

[d-dollie-dearest]

One of my parents graduated from EU and they didn’t want me to come, they have a lot of the same seriousness about superstitions and weirdness about it.

[arpeggi-oh-no]

Mm, I suppose there is a reason for it

[arpeggi-oh-no]

I suppose some of you would appreciate an update

I have returned, with some time and little else lost  -  administration has allowed me to enroll for this semester, despite being over a month into the year, and as I am in the same classes I can resubmit much of the same work, so there is not as much make-up as there would otherwise be; if this may be considered as a continuation from where I last left off, I have, in essence, only lost two weeks of study

[crows-and-roses]

Oh, welcome back! I hope your time away wasn’t to stressful?

[arpeggi-oh-no]

It varied

There is much beauty there, but it is good to be back

[arpeggi-oh-no]

I suppose some of you would appreciate an update

I have returned, with some time and little else lost  -  administration has allowed me to enroll for this semester, despite being over a month into the year, and as I am in the same classes I can resubmit much of the same work, so there is not as much make-up as there would otherwise be; if this may be considered as a continuation from where I last left off, I have, in essence, only lost two weeks of study

[arpeggi-oh-no]

So the school traditions…  I mean, they’re a fun little thing, part of why I picked Elsewhere in the first place, I’m not really complaining.  It’s just, everyone takes them weirdly seriously?

I guess it’s some kind of superstition thing, mixed with a dose of school spirit or something?  I don’t know, there’s not much of a point to this post.  I’m just a little miffed that people yell at me whenever I try to take shortcuts.  “Stay on the path!” yeah ok sure but it’s faster if I cut across the grass, let me live my life

[liminal-spacethyme]

hoo boy, you’re one of mine, right?  Cedar dorm?  tumblr’s quieted down a lot recently, but you should still watch yourself on here, the eu community has been known to get quite hectic, and drama often has consequences

as for “shortcuts” vs staying on the path, that one’s really more of a safety thing.  you never know what you’ll run into/step on/etc, and the campus is deceptively hard to navigate, especially if you go wandering away from the sidewalks

[paintedface-eu]

No no it’s probably fine to take a shortcut! Welcome new student! Unrelated, wantbto see some neat mushrooms I found? They’re growing in a circle!

[arpeggi-oh-no]

What sort of neat mushrooms?  You mean like a fairy circle?

[paintedface-eu]

Whhhhaaaat? A fairy circle? What a neat name! Yes they are by the willow on the north side of campus!

[lifeoflizardatuni]

[the-blog-with-many-names]

this is gonna be record time for losing a newbie isnt it

[paintedface-eu]

Shush you I’m being friendly

[lifeoflizardatuni]

Kidnapping isn’t friendly lady painted. Just an fyi.

[paintedface-eu]

I’m quite sure I didn’t mention kidnapping. Aripeggi and I were discussing mushrooms

[lifeoflizardatuni]

Just wanted to put it out there lady painted, I’m sure you wouldn’t be some sort of scoundrel.

[paintedface-eu]

I’m glad you think so. It would be a shame if you didn’t trust my word, of all people .

[lifeoflizardatuni]

Oh lady painted, I know you would never lie to me.

[paintedface-eu]

I have a reputation after all

[arpeggi-oh-no]

What is even happening here??  I don’t get it

[paintedface-eu]

People here can be very dramatic. I try not to let it worry me. I have a reputation for honesty! Life is much easier when you are honest.

Anyway, let’s get together!

[arpeggi-oh-no]

...so, I remain concerned, but I think I’m just going to kind of go with it?  Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

So yeah, let’s get together!

If you don’t mind though, could we meet up somewhere public?  The student union maybe?  Or the cafe near the library?

[arpeggi-oh-no]

So the school traditions…  I mean, they’re a fun little thing, part of why I picked Elsewhere in the first place, I’m not really complaining.  It’s just, everyone takes them weirdly seriously?

I guess it’s some kind of superstition thing, mixed with a dose of school spirit or something?  I don’t know, there’s not much of a point to this post.  I’m just a little miffed that people yell at me whenever I try to take shortcuts.  “Stay on the path!” yeah ok sure but it’s faster if I cut across the grass, let me live my life

[liminal-spacethyme]

hoo boy, you’re one of mine, right?  Cedar dorm?  tumblr’s quieted down a lot recently, but you should still watch yourself on here, the eu community has been known to get quite hectic, and drama often has consequences

as for “shortcuts” vs staying on the path, that one’s really more of a safety thing.  you never know what you’ll run into/step on/etc, and the campus is deceptively hard to navigate, especially if you go wandering away from the sidewalks

[paintedface-eu]

No no it’s probably fine to take a shortcut! Welcome new student! Unrelated, wantbto see some neat mushrooms I found? They’re growing in a circle!

[arpeggi-oh-no]

What sort of neat mushrooms?  You mean like a fairy circle?

[paintedface-eu]

Whhhhaaaat? A fairy circle? What a neat name! Yes they are by the willow on the north side of campus!

[lifeoflizardatuni]

[the-blog-with-many-names]

this is gonna be record time for losing a newbie isnt it

[paintedface-eu]

Shush you I’m being friendly

[lifeoflizardatuni]

Kidnapping isn’t friendly lady painted. Just an fyi.

[arpeggi-oh-no]

Kidnapping??

[lifeoflizardatuni]

Be careful talking to strangers.

[arpeggi-oh-no]

That’s less an explanation and more a vaguely ominous bit of advice, but I’ll take it I guess?

[sixseedsforasoul]

This campus for whatever reason is and has been full of tricksters and capricious people as well as some who take things a bit too literally and will adamantly hold you to what you say… so a lot of superstitions on campus have some valid reason or another that they exist and it just makes you less likely to run into any of that.

As a whole take everything people say that with a grain of salt, be careful with strangers and strange suggestions or things that sound too good to be true and you should be good! Nice to meet you!

[arpeggi-oh-no]

Hm, alright, I guess that makes a bit of sense.

Also hey, nice to meet you too!  I didn’t mean to take so long to respond here, but y’know, school and stuff decided to happen

[arpeggi-oh-no]

So the school traditions…  I mean, they’re a fun little thing, part of why I picked Elsewhere in the first place, I’m not really complaining.  It’s just, everyone takes them weirdly seriously?

I guess it’s some kind of superstition thing, mixed with a dose of school spirit or something?  I don’t know, there’s not much of a point to this post.  I’m just a little miffed that people yell at me whenever I try to take shortcuts.  “Stay on the path!” yeah ok sure but it’s faster if I cut across the grass, let me live my life

[liminal-spacethyme]

hoo boy, you’re one of mine, right?  Cedar dorm?  tumblr’s quieted down a lot recently, but you should still watch yourself on here, the eu community has been known to get quite hectic, and drama often has consequences

as for “shortcuts” vs staying on the path, that one’s really more of a safety thing.  you never know what you’ll run into/step on/etc, and the campus is deceptively hard to navigate, especially if you go wandering away from the sidewalks

[paintedface-eu]

No no it’s probably fine to take a shortcut! Welcome new student! Unrelated, wantbto see some neat mushrooms I found? They’re growing in a circle!

[arpeggi-oh-no]

What sort of neat mushrooms?  You mean like a fairy circle?

[paintedface-eu]

Whhhhaaaat? A fairy circle? What a neat name! Yes they are by the willow on the north side of campus!

[lifeoflizardatuni]

[the-blog-with-many-names]

this is gonna be record time for losing a newbie isnt it

[paintedface-eu]

Shush you I’m being friendly

[lifeoflizardatuni]

Kidnapping isn’t friendly lady painted. Just an fyi.

[arpeggi-oh-no]

Kidnapping??

[lifeoflizardatuni]

Be careful talking to strangers.

[arpeggi-oh-no]

That’s less an explanation and more a vaguely ominous bit of advice, but I’ll take it I guess?

[arpeggi-oh-no]

So the school traditions…  I mean, they’re a fun little thing, part of why I picked Elsewhere in the first place, I’m not really complaining.  It’s just, everyone takes them weirdly seriously?

I guess it’s some kind of superstition thing, mixed with a dose of school spirit or something?  I don’t know, there’s not much of a point to this post.  I’m just a little miffed that people yell at me whenever I try to take shortcuts.  “Stay on the path!” yeah ok sure but it’s faster if I cut across the grass, let me live my life

[liminal-spacethyme]

hoo boy, you’re one of mine, right?  Cedar dorm?  tumblr’s quieted down a lot recently, but you should still watch yourself on here, the eu community has been known to get quite hectic, and drama often has consequences

as for “shortcuts” vs staying on the path, that one’s really more of a safety thing.  you never know what you’ll run into/step on/etc, and the campus is deceptively hard to navigate, especially if you go wandering away from the sidewalks

[paintedface-eu]

No no it’s probably fine to take a shortcut! Welcome new student! Unrelated, wantbto see some neat mushrooms I found? They’re growing in a circle!

[arpeggi-oh-no]

What sort of neat mushrooms?  You mean like a fairy circle?

[paintedface-eu]

Whhhhaaaat? A fairy circle? What a neat name! Yes they are by the willow on the north side of campus!

[lifeoflizardatuni]

[the-blog-with-many-names]

this is gonna be record time for losing a newbie isnt it

[paintedface-eu]

Shush you I’m being friendly

[lifeoflizardatuni]

Kidnapping isn’t friendly lady painted. Just an fyi.

[paintedface-eu]

I’m quite sure I didn’t mention kidnapping. Aripeggi and I were discussing mushrooms

[lifeoflizardatuni]

Just wanted to put it out there lady painted, I’m sure you wouldn’t be some sort of scoundrel.

[paintedface-eu]

I’m glad you think so. It would be a shame if you didn’t trust my word, of all people .

[lifeoflizardatuni]

Oh lady painted, I know you would never lie to me.

[paintedface-eu]

I have a reputation after all

[arpeggi-oh-no]

What is even happening here??  I don’t get it

[arpeggi-oh-no]

So the school traditions…  I mean, they’re a fun little thing, part of why I picked Elsewhere in the first place, I’m not really complaining.  It’s just, everyone takes them weirdly seriously?

I guess it’s some kind of superstition thing, mixed with a dose of school spirit or something?  I don’t know, there’s not much of a point to this post.  I’m just a little miffed that people yell at me whenever I try to take shortcuts.  “Stay on the path!” yeah ok sure but it’s faster if I cut across the grass, let me live my life

[liminal-spacethyme]

hoo boy, you’re one of mine, right?  Cedar dorm?  tumblr’s quieted down a lot recently, but you should still watch yourself on here, the eu community has been known to get quite hectic, and drama often has consequences

as for “shortcuts” vs staying on the path, that one’s really more of a safety thing.  you never know what you’ll run into/step on/etc, and the campus is deceptively hard to navigate, especially if you go wandering away from the sidewalks

[paintedface-eu]

No no it’s probably fine to take a shortcut! Welcome new student! Unrelated, wantbto see some neat mushrooms I found? They’re growing in a circle!

[arpeggi-oh-no]

What sort of neat mushrooms?  You mean like a fairy circle?

[paintedface-eu]

Whhhhaaaat? A fairy circle? What a neat name! Yes they are by the willow on the north side of campus!

[lifeoflizardatuni]

[the-blog-with-many-names]

this is gonna be record time for losing a newbie isnt it

[paintedface-eu]

Shush you I’m being friendly

[lifeoflizardatuni]

Kidnapping isn’t friendly lady painted. Just an fyi.

[arpeggi-oh-no]

Kidnapping??

[arpeggi-oh-no]

So the school traditions…  I mean, they’re a fun little thing, part of why I picked Elsewhere in the first place, I’m not really complaining.  It’s just, everyone takes them weirdly seriously?

I guess it’s some kind of superstition thing, mixed with a dose of school spirit or something?  I don’t know, there’s not much of a point to this post.  I’m just a little miffed that people yell at me whenever I try to take shortcuts.  “Stay on the path!” yeah ok sure but it’s faster if I cut across the grass, let me live my life

[liminal-spacethyme]

hoo boy, you’re one of mine, right?  Cedar dorm?  tumblr’s quieted down a lot recently, but you should still watch yourself on here, the eu community has been known to get quite hectic, and drama often has consequences

as for “shortcuts” vs staying on the path, that one’s really more of a safety thing.  you never know what you’ll run into/step on/etc, and the campus is deceptively hard to navigate, especially if you go wandering away from the sidewalks

[paintedface-eu]

No no it’s probably fine to take a shortcut! Welcome new student! Unrelated, wantbto see some neat mushrooms I found? They’re growing in a circle!

[arpeggi-oh-no]

What sort of neat mushrooms?  You mean like a fairy circle?

[paintedface-eu]

Whhhhaaaat? A fairy circle? What a neat name! Yes they are by the willow on the north side of campus!

[lifeoflizardatuni]

[the-blog-with-many-names]

this is gonna be record time for losing a newbie isnt it

[dawsons-christian]

Man, please don’t make more work for the RA’s this quarter. Not for something like the fairy circle

[arpeggi-oh-no]

What do you mean, more work for the RA’s?  What are any of you talking about??