I'm running a Pathfinder adventure path called Hell's Rebels. There is a particular song that is a big deal for them to aquire the sheet music for and there's a big moment when they get to perform it. I didn't expect the book to give huge details, but there were no provided lyrics (not even fragments even though an npc mutters them cause they've gone insane) or even a handout with a few notes of sheet music. This seemed to me like too big a void for such an important narrative moment. I took to forums to try to find something I could use to help this feel more weighty. I found a set of lyrics that I didn't love but that seemed like a good start as they contained some good references to the campaign setting and related deities. I found a piece of epic instrumental music on YouTube and heavily modified the lyrics to work with it. I then recorded and edited a full song version to play for my players when they reached the epic conclusion of this story arc and enlisted my Dad to make a basic set of sheet music for the melody to use as a handout. It made what would have been a quickly described narrative moment and a casual dice roll feel like the huge victory checkpoint it was meant to be. Here is my set of lyrics:
Never say you have reached the end,
Though grey skies a dark future portends.
Soon the silver hour arrives.
Our marching steps thunder "We Survive."
From forest and peaks white with snow
We will march, whip in hand, for Kintargo!
Everywhere they spill our blood,
Watch it soak into the earth,
They will draw our courage out and see our spirit blooming forth.
Soon the morning sun will rise
Setting our new day aglow.
Quickly evil yesterdays will vanish soundly with our foe.
But if time is long till dawn,
Long before the sun appears,
Then let this song carry forth, like a signal through the years.
This song was written with our blood,
Chronicled in lines of red,
Its not just a cause or a raven overhead.
It is the people on the silver riverbanks
Singing this song of ours in files and in ranks.
Never day you've reached the end,
Though grey skies a dark future portends.
Soon the silver hour arrives.
Our marching steps thunder "We Survive!"
Soon the silver hour arrives.
Our marching steps thunder "We survive."
It was set to John Dreamer True Strength.
This ended up being a pivotal moment when it could have just been glossed over and it was such a fun session.
Submitted: 11/26/2023
Submission Type: Segment
Campaign Name: Hell's Rebels
System: Pathfinder
Files: Poetry/Music/PC Interactions/Victories/Milestones
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Thank you!
