What is the best way to classify the tone of a campaign?
Sometimes campaigns are metal. They look like this:
And sound like this.
Sometimes campaigns are classical. They look like this:
And sound like this.
And sometimes campaigns are jazz. They look like this:
And sound like this.
From these basic types, there can be derived subtler subtypes.
Hence, metal-classical campaigns, which look like this:
And sound like this.
And hence metal-jazz campaigns, which look like this:
And sound like this.
And hence jazz-classical campaigns, which look like this:
And sound like this.
One could if one wished get more technical and start experimenting with the inclusion of pop, hip-hop or even house music. I suppose one could even, if one really desired it, start mixing in D&D alignments of the classical type, to create metal-jazz-good campaigns (as opposed to metal-jazz evil ones), or classical-metal-chaotic, and so on.
My own taste leans lately towards the classical-jazz end of the spectrum, tilting to classical-jazz-evil. This is how I would describe Yoon-Suin. I would also put Dark Sun in this category.
Spelljammer is classical-jazz-good. The Forgotten Realms are probably straight classical-metal, whereas Dragonlance is classical-metal-good.
Greyhawk: classical-metal-chaotic.
Veins of the Earth: classical-metal-evil.
Bastionland: metal-jazz-evil.
But then of course it might be possible to spin existing campaign setttings in new and interesting ways through changing their musical alignments. What would Dark Sun look like if reinterpreted to be straight jazz-good? Or if Veins of the Earth was played more classical-good? How indeed would Yoon-Suin changed if given a stronger metal-evil dynamic? These are Great Matters requiring careful study of devoted scholars.
Blimey, have you been assimilated by The Machines?
ReplyDeleteBut back to topic, a Jazz-Good Dark Sun might look like Barsoom?
Anzon
The machines! None of the art in this post is AI art if that is what you mean...
DeleteI can sort of see this. To me, Jazz+Classical=Yes, and Spelljammer basically looks like a Yes album cover (specifically, Fragile. Also, Jon Anderson's solo album Olias of Sunhillow). Yes, and other prog rock, has definitely been an influence on my gaming.
ReplyDeleteProg rock may be best described as jazz-classical-metal-good.
DeleteFor another alignment maybe Punk for more gritty Fantasy Fucking Vietnam, so something like Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay would be Metal-Punk. Classical Punk would be more Monty Pythonized ("lovely filth here") Arthuriana. Jazz Punk would be Steampunk or something?
ReplyDeleteYes. Folk is another missing genre.
DeleteFolk would be more going full folklore instead of the grander LotR-style classical.
DeleteYou could also add in Country for more Western-inspired stuff. Westerns aren't much of a genre anymore but there's a good bit of them in the DNA of D&D (tiny villages and farms in the middle of nowhere without any lord or visible feudalism in a lot of D&D adventures, etc.).
Hey! I'm not sure a comment below this post is the best place, but I couldn't find a more appropriate one. In one of your older posts, you discussed the idea of an "antediluvian" old testament fantasy set during the time of the Nephilim—this guy is doing something similar as a setting for a graphic novel, so maybe you'll be interested.
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/vP7ETbjN9yE
Oh, nice! Thanks for that.
Deletegimme a fucking 20th-century-classical campaign, fuck, I want the Schoenberg of D&D campaigns. gimme microtonal choral music in D&D form.
ReplyDeleteIsn't Classical-Good Veins of the Earth the last third of The Silver Chair, with some Journey to the Centre of the Earth for added peril?
ReplyDelete