Question of the day: What music inspires you to create characters or games, if at all?
I’m not much of a music person, so I don’t really listen to much.
I am much of a music person, but I don't really relate it to D&D. My characters are usually inspired by story media like novels or movies -- songs rarely even attempt such a format, and I usually don't like the ones that do, lol.
Question of the day: What music inspires you to create characters or games, if at all?
I’m not much of a music person, so I don’t really listen to much.
I am much of a music person, but I don't really relate it to D&D. My characters are usually inspired by story media like novels or movies -- songs rarely even attempt such a format, and I usually don't like the ones that do, lol.
Funnily, Billy Joel is a master of telling stories through song and he’s my favorite musician.
Question of the day: What music inspires you to create characters or games, if at all?
For me, it's the other way around. A character or situation in-game will remind me of songs or inspire me to make my own. I've actually made character theme tracks for everyone I play with, as well as some NPCs and locations.
I will say that Iron Maiden is a great band for finding songs that apply to characters, especially tracks like Flash of the Blade and Stranger in a Strange Land.
Question of the day: What music inspires you to create characters or games, if at all?
For me a single lyric from a song can inspire a character or game, like the song “Heaven Nor Hell” by Volbeat, which is where I got the idea for my current game. Irish tunes get my imagination going sometimes as well. Most of all I get ideas from very dramatic songs, usually sadder sounding ones, like the “Edge of the Sun,” which was the inspiration for a short story, a character, and an entire world.
Bougie lil me has a Process whenever I do something mega big and all that.
I scour the internet for images that resonate within me to the idea. I will collect at least a hundred. I do this not only with this kind of creative work, but other stuff (like when I lecture or have to do a speech or some such). Those all go into a folder. THen I start going through my music catalog. It is not as fancy as that makes it sound, lol.
I used t use Pandora to help, these days I have Apple Music and Spotify, so I try to create a playlist that speaks to something. I shazam the hell out of stuff when watching movies and tv shows, even tiktoks.
I went through a dozen playlists for Wyrlde's Setting. The final was a lark -- I created a mini story with it, and so the playlist tells the story of a girl who becomes lost in time after a betrayal, and ends up touching on all the major events n the Wyrlde History because she becomes the anima mundi.
But the real secret sauce is when those two things are combined -- the playlist and the images, moving by. They commingle in new ways, changing the way it all works separately in my head, and bang: i get a really potent fix on what i am doing. Very effective deterrent for the nabobs.
The nabobs you ask? They are a Bard's greatest enemy. they natter on, droning and chittering and chattering in those multi-toned, sussurrant voices of theirs, always negative and slowly you can find yourself drawn in by the depths of their utter surrender.
Nattering Nabobs of Negativity are some of the most dangerous kinds of Spirits -- some say they are a form of wraith, others will say they are a kind of brain eating planar whatsit -- and it takes powerful Bardic magic to break the spell that they cast.
And why the hell haven't I written those up as a monster yet? I created purple people eaters, fer cryin out loud!
Anyway, yeah, I make it a part of my core effort. Then I have stuff playing very quietly in the background, including the use of an app that was meant to be used for podcasting I guess, where I have different bits and pieces of songs queued up for different moments and at the touch of a button they play.
and of course the "journey to Wyrlde" introduction prosem draws from a ton of songs, lol.
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Only a DM since 1980 (3000 Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman
I wouldn't say any music directly inspires me as a player or DM, but I did recently realize that New Order's True Faith might as well be the theme song for one of my characters:
I used to think that the day would never come I'd see the light in the shade of the morning Sun My morning sun is the drug that brings me near To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear I used to think that the day would never come That my life would depend on the morning Sun
This is a character who was taken as a child by a Betrayal God cult (it's an Exandria campaign), then rescued and raised by a paladin of the Dawnfather
If I'd picked the song first and then based the backstory on it, I'm not sure I could have come up with a better fit
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Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I wouldn't say any music directly inspires me as a player or DM, but I did recently realize that New Order's True Faith might as well be the theme song for one of my characters:
I used to think that the day would never come I'd see the light in the shade of the morning Sun My morning sun is the drug that brings me near To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear I used to think that the day would never come That my life would depend on the morning Sun
This is a character who was taken as a child by a Betrayal God cult (it's an Exandria campaign), then rescued and raised by a paladin of the Dawnfather
If I'd picked the song first and then based the backstory on it, I'm not sure I could have come up with a better fit
I am a big believer in theme songs, lol.
Also a believer that any song can be a theme song.
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Only a DM since 1980 (3000 Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman
Funnily enough, I listened to a song by Aviators recently and was so taken by the imagery that I adapted my campaign to mirror it. Aviators has his own extensive fantasy world lore that he weaves across his albums (one of the reasons I love his music), so mine is more inspiration than 1:1 adaptation. I've never done this before.
What I definitely have done, however, is find songs that capture my PCs' personalities and significant moments. I have an entire playlist that tells the story of all the characters I've played, in order. I also have theme music for the campaigns I run.
Question of the day: What music inspires you to create characters or games, if at all?
For me a single lyric from a song can inspire a character or game, like the song “Heaven Nor Hell” by Volbeat, which is where I got the idea for my current game. Irish tunes get my imagination going sometimes as well. Most of all I get ideas from very dramatic songs, usually sadder sounding ones, like the “Edge of the Sun,” which was the inspiration for a short story, a character, and an entire world.
Though I enjoy listening to music, I personally cannot tap into my imagination when things like TVs, conversation, or even music is present in the background.
I have a small shack, in the back yard, where I write and create stuff, and where there are no distractions.
Question of the day: What music inspires you to create characters or games, if at all?
Typically soundtracks of movies (depending on what I am doing). Like I am scribbling notes for tonight's session and I have all the Indiana Jones soundtracks shuffling because it has that upbeat adventure and excitement sound to it. But when it's not that - it's the Lord of the Rings, Dragonheart or Gladiator soundtrack that are usually what I listen to to prepare for a game or even a character.
Question of the day: What music inspires you to create characters or games, if at all?
I would not say I am inspired by music to create aspects of the game, but I do tend to pepper my game with little musical references. Many a time has my D&D party met a caravan company known as something like the Rorik’s Elemental Offerings Speedwagon, met an adventurer from the north who “comes from the land of the ice and snow”, or had an NPC who sat through thirty minutes of increasingly convoluted planning ask “why’d you have to go and make things so complicated?” Just the other day, the party encounters a cult dedicated to mankind’s independence from the gods, led by a Geddy Weinrib, and whose doctrine contained lyrics from Rush’s Freewill.
Frequently, when I need to make up a name on the spot, I’ll just use something like Edward Von Holland, or some other similarly fantasy-sounding take on a musician’s name. Then I can use other musicians from the same band as connected NPCs, helping keep straight which improvised NPCs were involved with others. Literary characters also work well for this.
Sometimes my players pick up on the references; sometimes they don’t (depending on their musical preferences), but they’re often good for a bemused groan or two.
I like this. Way better than my extra random tables for name generation (which I hate using). Also, on a side note, has anyone backed the new Shadowdark kickstarter?
Question of the day: What music inspires you to create characters or games, if at all?
Great question. Music has inspired my characters and games since I started playing way back....well, way back. :P
Tons of orchestral and instrumental music - traditional classical and film and game scores. Mostly as "background" music when I'm working on a campaign or notes for the upcoming session.
But songs with vocals can really inspire, too. This song inspired me to create a cult dedicated to wiping out all magic use for my campaign, an ongoing hindrance to the players. This song functions as a sort of anthem for a warlock character of mine.
And since I'm old school, tons of Dio-era Sabbatth and Rainbow as well, just to get me in the mood. But this song, which is very reminiscent of Dio-era Sabbath, is also one I often listen to on the way to a gaming session.
Used to college radio a bit. I often have music going when game planning. There are some songs I use to set my mind into certain ideas and characters. My main game's party's patron does reside in a demiplane consisting of a white room, with black curtains, near some sort of transit hub. When characterizing her I often draw from Amanda Palmer's "Have to Drive" (the video where she talks about what the song is actually about is helpful for that tone too). Another frequent NPC ally/foil to the party is set with Muse's "Starlight" and the Clash's "The Card Cheat." A nemesis, a sorta Inquisitor for Bahamut, I broke out of a sorta stiff portrayal by leaning into Johnny Cash's version of "God's Gonna Cut You Down." For general help getting my head into the game space, I rely on ELP's "Karn Evil 9 1st Impression Part 2", King Crimson's "Epitaph" and "The Crimson King" (natch), and Espers' cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "Flaming Telepaths." ELP's version of "Pictures and an Exhibition" has a lot of great parts. I don't know if the game will ever get there, but I do envision a sorta finale set at something I've vaguely noted as The Well of Souls inspired by the "Gates of Kiev" part, the instrumentals where the synths basically collapse into feedback hums really call to mind the mechanisms holding a multiverse together with restraint falling asunder, and maybe one of the heroes will get to sing the outro of the song and reveal time as a flat circle.
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
This is not the off topic forum. If people want to engage in non D&D discussion, you can do so in the off topic forum. This thread has run its course and will now be locked
I am much of a music person, but I don't really relate it to D&D. My characters are usually inspired by story media like novels or movies -- songs rarely even attempt such a format, and I usually don't like the ones that do, lol.
Funnily, Billy Joel is a master of telling stories through song and he’s my favorite musician.
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For me, it's the other way around. A character or situation in-game will remind me of songs or inspire me to make my own. I've actually made character theme tracks for everyone I play with, as well as some NPCs and locations.
I will say that Iron Maiden is a great band for finding songs that apply to characters, especially tracks like Flash of the Blade and Stranger in a Strange Land.
Bougie lil me has a Process whenever I do something mega big and all that.
I scour the internet for images that resonate within me to the idea. I will collect at least a hundred. I do this not only with this kind of creative work, but other stuff (like when I lecture or have to do a speech or some such). Those all go into a folder. THen I start going through my music catalog. It is not as fancy as that makes it sound, lol.
I used t use Pandora to help, these days I have Apple Music and Spotify, so I try to create a playlist that speaks to something. I shazam the hell out of stuff when watching movies and tv shows, even tiktoks.
I went through a dozen playlists for Wyrlde's Setting. The final was a lark -- I created a mini story with it, and so the playlist tells the story of a girl who becomes lost in time after a betrayal, and ends up touching on all the major events n the Wyrlde History because she becomes the anima mundi.
Journey to Wyrlde is a fairly short playlist as these things go, lol. Musicaria Wyrldica is the current playlist. They change over time.
But the real secret sauce is when those two things are combined -- the playlist and the images, moving by. They commingle in new ways, changing the way it all works separately in my head, and bang: i get a really potent fix on what i am doing. Very effective deterrent for the nabobs.
The nabobs you ask? They are a Bard's greatest enemy. they natter on, droning and chittering and chattering in those multi-toned, sussurrant voices of theirs, always negative and slowly you can find yourself drawn in by the depths of their utter surrender.
Nattering Nabobs of Negativity are some of the most dangerous kinds of Spirits -- some say they are a form of wraith, others will say they are a kind of brain eating planar whatsit -- and it takes powerful Bardic magic to break the spell that they cast.
And why the hell haven't I written those up as a monster yet? I created purple people eaters, fer cryin out loud!
Anyway, yeah, I make it a part of my core effort. Then I have stuff playing very quietly in the background, including the use of an app that was meant to be used for podcasting I guess, where I have different bits and pieces of songs queued up for different moments and at the touch of a button they play.
and of course the "journey to Wyrlde" introduction prosem draws from a ton of songs, lol.
Only a DM since 1980 (3000 Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman
Wyrlde.com
.-=] Lore Book | Ruleset | PC Book [=-.
Not Talking About It / Dubbed The Oracle in the Cult of Mythology Nerds
I wouldn't say any music directly inspires me as a player or DM, but I did recently realize that New Order's True Faith might as well be the theme song for one of my characters:
This is a character who was taken as a child by a Betrayal God cult (it's an Exandria campaign), then rescued and raised by a paladin of the Dawnfather
If I'd picked the song first and then based the backstory on it, I'm not sure I could have come up with a better fit
Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I am a big believer in theme songs, lol.
Also a believer that any song can be a theme song.
Only a DM since 1980 (3000 Sessions) / PhD, MS, MA / Mixed, Bi, Trans, Woman
Wyrlde.com
.-=] Lore Book | Ruleset | PC Book [=-.
Not Talking About It / Dubbed The Oracle in the Cult of Mythology Nerds
Funnily enough, I listened to a song by Aviators recently and was so taken by the imagery that I adapted my campaign to mirror it. Aviators has his own extensive fantasy world lore that he weaves across his albums (one of the reasons I love his music), so mine is more inspiration than 1:1 adaptation. I've never done this before.
What I definitely have done, however, is find songs that capture my PCs' personalities and significant moments. I have an entire playlist that tells the story of all the characters I've played, in order. I also have theme music for the campaigns I run.
Though I enjoy listening to music, I personally cannot tap into my imagination when things like TVs, conversation, or even music is present in the background.
I have a small shack, in the back yard, where I write and create stuff, and where there are no distractions.
Typically soundtracks of movies (depending on what I am doing). Like I am scribbling notes for tonight's session and I have all the Indiana Jones soundtracks shuffling because it has that upbeat adventure and excitement sound to it. But when it's not that - it's the Lord of the Rings, Dragonheart or Gladiator soundtrack that are usually what I listen to to prepare for a game or even a character.
Check out my publication on DMs Guild: https://www.dmsguild.com/browse.php?author=Tawmis%20Logue
Check out my comedy web series - Neverending Nights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wr4-u9-zw0&list=PLbRG7dzFI-u3EJd0usasgDrrFO3mZ1lOZ
Need a character story/background written up? I do it for free (but also take donations!) - https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?591882-Need-a-character-background-written-up
I would not say I am inspired by music to create aspects of the game, but I do tend to pepper my game with little musical references. Many a time has my D&D party met a caravan company known as something like the Rorik’s Elemental Offerings Speedwagon, met an adventurer from the north who “comes from the land of the ice and snow”, or had an NPC who sat through thirty minutes of increasingly convoluted planning ask “why’d you have to go and make things so complicated?” Just the other day, the party encounters a cult dedicated to mankind’s independence from the gods, led by a Geddy Weinrib, and whose doctrine contained lyrics from Rush’s Freewill.
Frequently, when I need to make up a name on the spot, I’ll just use something like Edward Von Holland, or some other similarly fantasy-sounding take on a musician’s name. Then I can use other musicians from the same band as connected NPCs, helping keep straight which improvised NPCs were involved with others. Literary characters also work well for this.
Sometimes my players pick up on the references; sometimes they don’t (depending on their musical preferences), but they’re often good for a bemused groan or two.
I like this. Way better than my extra random tables for name generation (which I hate using). Also, on a side note, has anyone backed the new Shadowdark kickstarter?
Great question. Music has inspired my characters and games since I started playing way back....well, way back. :P
Tons of orchestral and instrumental music - traditional classical and film and game scores. Mostly as "background" music when I'm working on a campaign or notes for the upcoming session.
But songs with vocals can really inspire, too. This song inspired me to create a cult dedicated to wiping out all magic use for my campaign, an ongoing hindrance to the players. This song functions as a sort of anthem for a warlock character of mine.
And since I'm old school, tons of Dio-era Sabbatth and Rainbow as well, just to get me in the mood. But this song, which is very reminiscent of Dio-era Sabbath, is also one I often listen to on the way to a gaming session.
SO much love for Les Friction! That whole album is a work of art.
Used to college radio a bit. I often have music going when game planning. There are some songs I use to set my mind into certain ideas and characters. My main game's party's patron does reside in a demiplane consisting of a white room, with black curtains, near some sort of transit hub. When characterizing her I often draw from Amanda Palmer's "Have to Drive" (the video where she talks about what the song is actually about is helpful for that tone too). Another frequent NPC ally/foil to the party is set with Muse's "Starlight" and the Clash's "The Card Cheat." A nemesis, a sorta Inquisitor for Bahamut, I broke out of a sorta stiff portrayal by leaning into Johnny Cash's version of "God's Gonna Cut You Down." For general help getting my head into the game space, I rely on ELP's "Karn Evil 9 1st Impression Part 2", King Crimson's "Epitaph" and "The Crimson King" (natch), and Espers' cover of Blue Oyster Cult's "Flaming Telepaths." ELP's version of "Pictures and an Exhibition" has a lot of great parts. I don't know if the game will ever get there, but I do envision a sorta finale set at something I've vaguely noted as The Well of Souls inspired by the "Gates of Kiev" part, the instrumentals where the synths basically collapse into feedback hums really call to mind the mechanisms holding a multiverse together with restraint falling asunder, and maybe one of the heroes will get to sing the outro of the song and reveal time as a flat circle.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
This is not the off topic forum. If people want to engage in non D&D discussion, you can do so in the off topic forum. This thread has run its course and will now be locked
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