Sometimes I enjoy the slow process of sourcing music for tabletop RPGs. It involves hunting around in Spotify or Last.fm to look for the right sort of ambience. Sometimes I know background music will be really important for the game or key scence.
Of course, this also means I’m subject to the awkward combination of knowing that I really need some music for the scene but I’m in no mood to hunt for it.
It’s good to know that DriveThruRPG sells music as well as PDF game downloads.
The latest album from Dronolan’s Tower is Journeys in Darkness. You can buy each track for $1.00.
For the purposes of this review I’ve listened to Tomb of the Cursed and City of the Ancients. These are tracks 2 and 3 – with the first track, The Hand of Fate, being considered the Prelude.
Now music is hard for this oaf to talk about. The technical aspects are easier so let’s start there. Technically, Dronolan’s Tower is spot on – DriveThru RPG delivers .mp3 files which open easily in iTunes. They’re correctly labled with the artist being Dronolan’s Tower and the Album being Journeys in Darkness. Each track also has its track number. Downloading this music does not mess up my iTunes library.
I know what I want from music to roleplay too. I want music that works in the background – for me that means music without (much) vocals. Other voices are a distraction in the game and should only be used sparingly. Dronolan’s Tower seem to get this.
I also want music that can command interest the first time round – but then make sense when I leave it on repeat. That’s the challenge and it’s an almost impossible challenge. Whereas Dronolan’s Tower doesn’t beat the impossible they do make progress. Both Tomb of the Cursed and City of the Ancients sound as if you can put them on repeat and let them play on loop while you focus on running the game. However, if players haven’t heard them before – then the sudden up takes and ‘surprises’ in the music should also grab the players interest.
The title of the album does not suggest happy fun time music. It should come as little surprise that Journeys in Darkness seems to be a collection that suits a grim fantasy game. Players could be exploring ruins, or dealing with a dire political situation or struggling to defend civilisation.
At only $1.00 a track the singles in this collection are an ideal tuck in on your next DriveThru RPG purchase. It feels like money well spent to me.
Disclaimer: This review was made possible by the DriveThru RPG support program and coupons.
