An Unconventional request

[lynxd80]

To those whom play in the "Fata Fabulae 3.5 Campaign: Please read no further...

Spoiler

Show

That being said, my players are closing in on hitting the tenth level in my campaign and , storywise, this will intiate a MAJOR twist in the story! My players are very much into visual and musical selections being present in game and (virtually) everything that the players have been fighting for and almost every person that has rescued them or been rescued by them is going to die, the villians are going to defeat them, and they will all be scattered to far reaches of the world from one another to allow for the players to evaluate their chars and then rebuild if they wish to continue on with them at level 10.

So, then... what I'd like to ask is if anyone knows any song (Instrumental or vocal tracks) that they would suggest for this most tragic of events. I will add that they are all going to be betrayed by a leader and the Party's traveling NPC's Brother whom has been playing everyone from the begining, especially his brother. No suggestions are wrong ones! I plan to look at them all!

Thanks!

~Lynx D.

[(Un)Inspired]

Maybe something like this?

So much passion.

So much sorrow.

Those poor boys really were lost.

[Lurkmoar]

Spoiler

Show

Dead Can Dance- The Host of the Seraphim works pretty well.

And to end on an upbeat note:

Spoiler

Show

Xenogears-Flight for when they decide, okay, let's go beat the bad guy down into paste. Or Two Steps From Hell-Heart of Courage

That said... give them a chance at some sort of victory. If you know your group can roll with it, that's okay but if not...

[lynxd80]

Spoiler

Show

They'll be going into the "Game Changer" from a Victory. Still, they will have a minor win as they will escape certain death to be scattered and then reassembled.

~Lynx D.

[Demidos]

On a classical bent, Dance of the Knights (Prokofiev)

[Senshi Akai]

Unluckily, I am at work, so most of my soundtracks are not available here. However, I will try to suggest some, and you can look then up, okay?

Just a reminder: My taste varies wildly between classical music and movies/games soundtracks. Just hope it will be useful.

For tragic/sad moments:

Spoiler

Show

Music Name	Source	Composer
Ashes	Halo Reach	Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori
Kyrie For The Madaglene	The Da Vinci Code	Hans Zimmer
Wounded	How To Train Your Dragon	John Powell
Loss of A Leader	Gears of War 3	Steve Jabonskly
Tsung Horn	Avatar: The Last Airbender	Jeremy Zuckerman

For unpleasant surprises/thriller moments:

Spoiler

Show

Music Name	Source	Composer
Immanence	Death Note	Yoshihisa Hirano and Hideki Taniuchi
Approaching Tsunami	Shadows and Nightmares Album	Two Steps From Hell
Taboo	Full Metal Alchemist	Michiru Oshima
Spider Riders	LOTR: Battle For Middle Earth II	Jamie Christopher
Awakening the Beast	Shadows and Nightmares Album	Two Steps From Hell
Landing of The French	Robin Hood	Marc Streitenfeld

For the betrayal per se:

Spoiler

Show

Music Name	Source	Composer
A Fine Mess	Gears of War 3	Steve Jablonsky
Akatsuki	Naruto Shippuden	Toshiro Masuda
It Is A Trap	The Man In The Iron Mask	Hans Zimmer
Web of Lies	Dynasty Album	Two Steps From Hell
Moving Mountains	Nemesis Album	Two Steps From Hell
Betrayed	Shadows and Nightmares Album	Two Steps From Hell
Epic Music Of Epic Proportions	-	Denny Schneidemesser

If you don't like these or need some more, I can get them when I get home and make a proper list. Let me know if you want.

[Segev]

Spoiler

Show

Your group may be okay with this sort of thing, but I want to warn you to be very careful with it if you're not absolutely certain they are. Having literally everything they've worked towards (except their level) destroyed, ruined, and taken away can feel like a huge betrayal OOC as much as IC. "The DM doesn't want to let us actually achieve anything" is a mentality that could set in.

The key to doing this kind of thing and "getting away with it" is hope. Give them reason to believe not merely that they can get revenge or recover, personally, but that there might be something left to save. That they might be merely separated from something they could reclaim. That they could recover that which is important to them, not merely build anew.

Building anew is something good, but in the context of a game, little can feel more disempowering than to have it pointed out that the DM giveth and the DM taketh away and there's nothing the PCs can do about it.

[Thrawn4]

Always like to suggest "Icarus" from Deus Ex.

[lynxd80]

Spoiler

Show

Your group may be okay with this sort of thing, but I want to warn you to be very careful with it if you're not absolutely certain they are. Having literally everything they've worked towards (except their level) destroyed, ruined, and taken away can feel like a huge betrayal OOC as much as IC. "The DM doesn't want to let us actually achieve anything" is a mentality that could set in.

The key to doing this kind of thing and "getting away with it" is hope. Give them reason to believe not merely that they can get revenge or recover, personally, but that there might be something left to save. That they might be merely separated from something they could reclaim. That they could recover that which is important to them, not merely build anew.

Building anew is something good, but in the context of a game, little can feel more disempowering than to have it pointed out that the DM giveth and the DM taketh away and there's nothing the PCs can do about it.

Spoiler

Show

No worries! The basic rundown will be that the group will drive off their foe, but the damage will be done. The betrayer will pretend to sacrfice his life in order to allow them to teleport away to supposed safety. They'll arrive, but find they've been lied to and be completely surrounded. The BBEG's will immediately capture them and reveal that their base and leaders have all been defeated and that the remainder whom did escape are being hunted. The betrayer will appear and the plot revealed. The NPC companion will go "Mysticly charged Werewolf Lord" and the party will be able to fight back till another allied npc sacrifices herself to scatter everyone before they can be recaptured. Before her death, she will have them all plan to meet back together once the heat dies down and will set a place for them to reassemble so that they can rebuild and go on to save the world! It's the ol' "They beat us, but we'll grow and come back to win the war" arc twist!

I hardly ever "taketh away" with this group. I try to be a good DM and offer them prizes and little gifts; here and there. But, I understand what you're saying and agree.

~Lynx D.

[TurboGhast]

Spoiler: Because spoilered OP

Show

The song Confrontation with the enemy from Xenoblade Chronicles is very good for dramatic moments

[lynxd80]

I'd like to thank everyone for the great suggestions! I found a number of gems that I may use not only for this particular setting, but forward into the future! I really appreciate you all for posting your thoughts! Take care and have an awesome one!

~Lynx D.

[ShaneMRoth]

Spoiler

Show

Mad World as covered by Gary Jules

https://youtu.be/4N3N1MlvVc4

[mig el pig]

Age of Wonder OST - Battle Macabre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o-7rPnZhXo

Planescape Torment OST - Vhailor Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXF9I6OykBc

[Lurkmoar]

lynxd80, when this happens, would you please update this thread and let us know how it played out? If it wouldn't put you out. I'm a nosy sort of person.

[Jonagel]

May not fit, but it is a classic that can be used for any foreboding/evil/powerful event. Especially if you can play it off with the growing intensity, volume, and speed of the 6 minute song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLJllk-0o6c

[Steampunkette]

I'll make a completely different suggestion.

Spoiler: Spoilers

Show

The Body.

In the TV show, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, music was a constant companion. It announced thrilling scenes. It shaped the emotional impact of dramatic scenes. They even had a musical episode. But in the episode: The Body, there is no music. Anywhere. The starkness of the -lack- of music became it's own unnerving pall hanging over the proceedings. Where life and joy and violence and even rest had been filled with music and sound, nothing remained.

Nothing but the body.

So play the combat music. Play the victory theme as the tide turns. Play up the glorious power of music.

And then, when she dies, leave them in silence. With nothing but the Body to think about.

[DCraw]

Rather than suggest one song, I'm going to suggest you listen to the soundtrack from Total Annihilation and pick out a few that suit. They are very good ambient background music, and they mostly vamp (repeat) quite well.

In particular, I'd look at 'Death and Decay,' 'Futile Attempt,' 'Desolation,' and 'Charred Dreams.' You can find the links by clicking show more beneath the video.

Jeremy Soule was a genius.

[lynxd80]

lynxd80, when this happens, would you please update this thread and let us know how it played out? If it wouldn't put you out. I'm a nosy sort of person.

Certainly! The finale should be tonight or the following session. I'll let you all know how it goes ^_~. Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

~Lynx D.

[Sith_Happens]

Certainly! The finale should be tonight or the following session. I'll let you all know how it goes ^_~. Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

~Lynx D.

Huh, usually I notice these threads too late for my suggestions to actually be usable.

Spoiler

Show

Dead Can Dance- The Host of the Seraphim works pretty well.

Spoiler

Show

...HOLY CRAP, this is the single greatest piece of "Looking back at the burning city as your ship slowly sails away" music I have EVER heard.

On the hand...

Spoiler

Show

No worries! The basic rundown will be that the group will drive off their foe, but the damage will be done. The betrayer will pretend to sacrfice his life in order to allow them to teleport away to supposed safety. They'll arrive, but find they've been lied to and be completely surrounded. The BBEG's will immediately capture them and reveal that their base and leaders have all been defeated and that the remainder whom did escape are being hunted. The betrayer will appear and the plot revealed. The NPC companion will go "Mysticly charged Werewolf Lord" and the party will be able to fight back till another allied npc sacrifices herself to scatter everyone before they can be recaptured. Before her death, she will have them all plan to meet back together once the heat dies down and will set a place for them to reassemble so that they can rebuild and go on to save the world! It's the ol' "They beat us, but we'll grow and come back to win the war" arc twist!

I hardly ever "taketh away" with this group. I try to be a good DM and offer them prizes and little gifts; here and there. But, I understand what you're saying and agree.

~Lynx D.

Spoiler: Go go gadget last minute suggestion!

Show

...This particular scenario demands to be narrated over Sis Puella Magica (on loop). No exceptions.

[Reltzik]

It's probably much too strong to serve as background music, but Whisper by Evanescence might be a good for the themes of loss, despair, pain.

[lynxd80]

Additional songs do not come to late! I ran them through the game, but I had some apartment problems occur that caused me to host the game elsewhere. I tried to have some of the partymembers with Laptops assist, but it was to much trouble. Ultimately, I didn't get o set the mood off right and tired players forced me to rush them through all of my detailed planning XD. However, I ended up stopping just about 30-60 minutes before I could complete the ending, which is where I'm going to focus song choices onto now!

Btw, I want to say that I truely and sincerely appreciate all of the ideas and suggestions given! You all have had some great song choices! I'm half tempted just to download all of these songs and use them throughout the rest of the campaign! Seriously: great choices everyone! Anyways, I'll let you all know about how this next session goes. Hopefully better ^_^;;. Btw, please feel free to add anything else that you think might work appropriately for the campaign! The pc's/npc's exist in a Fantasy-Steampunk world with plenty more twists, turns, goods, bads, and all points in between! Music for Locales would be most welcome (The world has all climates, dungeons, a floating city, Eastern/Tribal based islands, and more)! Elements of comedy, action, suspense, Horror, and romance are common in-game and mostly common with the party, itself XD.

Again, thanks everyone!

[Shadowsend]

Spoiler

Show

Kefka destroys the world in FF6