Adventure Ideas from Songs

[DungeonmasterCal]

So are Witch Wolf and The Grove of Eglantine (A real place in my Greyhawk hybrid)

Born For Adventure on Equinox plays like a Bard's tale as well...

Gotta' love my band, Styx Forever

I'm doing my best not to turn this into a Stygian Love-fest...but I once had a "Grove of Eglantine" in one of my games.

Some other great 70's and 80's bands from which one can gain ideas are The Alan Parsons Project (the I, Robot and Pyramid LP's in particular)...gads...I can't NOT say "LP"...I'm so old... some more songs include

"The Wizard's Birthday"--Uriah Heep
"Firefly"--Uriah Heep

"Stormbringer"--Deep Purple

"The Black Sword"--Blue Oyster Cult

"Hypnotized"--Fleetwood Mac
"Rhiannon"--Fleetwood Mac

"The Ripper"--Judas Priest
"Defenders of the Faith"--Judas Priest

I'll think of more, to be sure. As far as contemporary artists go, every Blackmore's Night cd (there...I said cd finally) has something one can use, even some songs that could be played as background music, such as when the PC's are in a tavern.

 

[Thotas]

DungeonmasterCal, never say the abbreviations, they're all albums. Makes it much easier for old guys like you and me.

 

[Elrik_DarkFury]

Well..I listen to metal a lot(A LOT!!!) and there are countless songs that can give a hell of ideas for characters,stories,campaigns etc...
Ok.
Bathory-(mostly about Vikings and stuff)
Manowar-They created epic metal(no need to say anything else )
(great songs about battle-slay-beeing chaotic and brave-revenge..)
(some songs:defender,guyanna,warriors prayer+blood of thekings+ battle hymns+everything )
Blind Guardian: (greatly affected by tolkien.Greatly lyrical power-eppic metal)

Hammerfall,Rhapsody,steel attack,dragonforce,edguy,magesty,manilla road,kamelot,stratovarius are some of a great number of epic-metal bands.

And if you want darker themes for characters,stories,campaigns etc. look for Death metal!
Emperor,entombed,opeth,dimmu borgir,cradle of filth and many other..

HEAVY METAL RULES


________________________
The Wizard

---
Misty morning, clouds in the sky
Without warning, the wizard walks by
Casting his shadow, weaving his spell
Funny clothes, tinkling bell
Never talking
Just keeps walking
Spreading his magic
Evil power disappears
Demons worry when the wizard is near
He turns tears into joy
Everyone's happy when the wizard walks by
Never talking
Just keeps walking
Spreading his magic
Sun is shining, clouds have gone by
All the people give a happy sigh
He has passed by, giving his sign
Left all the people feeling so fine
Never talking
Just keeps walking
Spreading his magic..

"The wizard"- BLACK SABBATH

 

[Evilhalfling]

Just to be different - a little country in all this metal -
I was listening to The Dixe Chicks "Landside" when writting and adventure to retrieve a magic mirror from a town called Dokle -
actually based on a the town of Dingle, Ireland (18 bars in a town of 2,000)
three singers calling themselves Dokle Chicks were crucial to the adventure, and I had the CD playing in the background during when ever they were performing.

 

[Ao the Overkitty]

For our current game, the campaign setting was based out of the songs "House of the Rising Sun" and "One Tin Soldier".

Rising Sun is a noble clan that has tainted blood and runs a gambling parlor within the newer part of the city of Arleans (New Arleans).

For One Tin Soldier, the Tin Soldier was a Paladin (known as the Tin Paladin) who lost his Paladinhood after he lead a crusade against the mountain folk (our clan) and slaughtered those that couldn't flee. The valley people was the clan of Caledon Vale, which has a feud with our clan. They insighted/tricked a clan of Paladins into thinking our clan were demon worshippers and must be wiped out.

 

[Abraxas]

I based an entire adventure arc on inspiration from the Jethro Tull album Stormwatch.

Primarily the songs Something's on the Move, Old Ghosts, Dun Ringill and Flying Dutchman.

 

[Krieg]

I once ran an entire modern campaign (in BRP) based around Queensryche's rock opera Operation Mindcrime.

 

[Caspiar]

I'll think of more, to be sure. As far as contemporary artists go, every Blackmore's Night cd (there...I said cd finally) has something one can use, even some songs that could be played as background music, such as when the PC's are in a tavern.

WOW.... Blackmore's Night (we truly are on the same page)
I've also used the Bedlam Boys (A Boston Duo) and Emerald Rose (If you've been to Dragon Con, you know who they are) as Tavern music as well

I can also throw in some Iron Maiden as Well ("Seventh Son of A Seventh Son")

and one more Styx gem " Castle Walls" off of Grand Illusion (the Instrumental bridge in the middle is a great fantasy " chase" theme)

 

[D+1]

Richard Thompson, "Sam Jones", just sprang to mind though I've never used it. It's about a bone collector - travelling the countryside collecting bones of kings and commoners from battlefields to turn them into glue and fertilizer.

 

[Prince of Happiness]

Some songs that have created wonderful imagery in my head that I've used include:

Magazine, "Into Thin Air," and "Permafrost" Hell, the whole "Secondhand Daylight" album. It crystallized a trip through the Olympic Peninsula, where pine covered mountains fell straight into Cresent Lake, whisps of low clouds caught in between the peaks.

Roxy Music, "Triptych," "Out of the Blue," "Avalon"

Lots of Brian Eno, Neu!, and David Bowie, especially Eno for his ambient work when I need something atmospheric to hear but not intrusive.

The Human League, "The Circus of Death," "Almost Medieval." Early Human League, before the two girls was very dark, hard electronic music. A bit of gamers themselves, they got their name "The Human League" from SPI's "Star Force" boardgame!

Bauhaus, "Hollow Hills" Angry things living under hills? Good enough!

Yellow Magic Orchestra, "Behind the Mask" for good sci-fi inspiration

Pretty much anything that Dead Can Dance and the Changelings have done.

Ultravox!, "Quiet Men," "Dislocation," and "Fear In the Western World" for modern games.

John Foxx, "Cathedal Oceans I & II," "Translucence/Drift Music" w/ Harold Budd. Ambient albums. Mr. Foxx says "Music for a half submerged ruined cathedral."

Early Gary Numan and John Foxx for creepy sci-fi/android/urban alienation themes.

Ryuichi Sakamoto/David Byrne, "The Last Emperor" soundtrack.

Aaaand yes, even though I'm 25, I have almost all of these on vinyl!