Musical Inspiration Challenge: Part 11: The Third (Climactic) Encounter

Evolution of Circuitry by The Megas

The climactic encounter. This is the big one. Throwing down against the big bad, putting an end to this, freeing the village, and hopefully saving it at the same time.

Defeating the HK’s leader won’t stop the storm, but will save the village from her insanity, and will let them reclaim their identity. Remember, the Walrus and the storm are complications, not main plot. The main focus of the adventure is still getting the town back. We put both things in one place though to make this tighter and cleaner.

For our song, we have the Megas’. These guys made several albums based on the music from Megaman. This one is based on Elecman’s theme from Megaman 1. Hmm, and onto the lyrics..

///

We're at a level select
If I'm the one you elect
I have the ability
To electrify

Stand with me
And we'll begin a new
Society

Power up the revolution
It's time for an evolution
Of circuitry
Robots will lead

Take down their institutions
And put an end to human
Cruelty
We will be free!

I say they owe us a debt
Today it's time to collect
I have the ability
To rectify

Stand with me
And we'll begin a new
Society

Power up the revolution
It's time for an evolution
Of circuitry
Robots will lead

Take down their institutions
And put an end to human
Cruelty
We will be free!

Power up the revolution
It's time for an evolution
Of circuitry
Robots will lead

Take down their institutions
And put an end to robot
Slavery
We will be free!

Wily's sons
Lead this evolution
We keep our heads held high
And start the fire
Journey starts
It all ends tonight
I'll send the spark of war
Along the wire.

///

Nice. On two accounts I like this.

One, it’s the kind of song you can put on for the players to appreciate (even if it’s a villain song) they can still see themselves in it because of its sorta-hopeful tone. The idea of waging a revolution against the lawful HKs to free themselves. The robot bit less so. But hey.  

Two, it works for our bad guy, the female HK commander. She’s a visionary, full of dreams, and wants to restore her lost home.

On the basic ground level, this encounter is accomplished one of two ways, both relying on the schroedinger aspect from our complication.

Let’s say that the Walrus statue must be used from the highest point in the castle. If the HKs find it, they’re going to head there, if the PCs find it, they have to head there too. So either way, the confrontation can go down there.  

Also, keeping with Elec Man’s theme, what’s going to be on the roof of a castle during a hurricane? Wind and lightning. If we make the HK leader have weapons based on shock (like a lightning sword or if she’s a signifier who uses lightning bolts), it brings that thematic element in even the more. Like the storm she’s a destructive force, and needs to be stopped. 

Now, what about those rewards, and our final complication..

Musical Inspiration Challenge Part 2: Our Contestants

Well, let’s begin this poorly thought out challenge idea for an adventure.

I realize I should’ve thought of a way to determine level. Whoops.

Song 1: The Inspiration

A Sound of Thunder, by A Sound of Thunder, from the Album “Out of the Darkness”

This is going to be tricky.

Song 2: The Antagonist.

Never Be Mine by Kate Bush, from the album “Sensual World.”

..not making this easy, huh, iPod? Also yeah, I listen to Kate Bush. I’m old and she’s awesome.
 
Song 3: The aim of the conflict.

Computer Eyes, by Ayreon from the Actual Fantasy Album.

…oh boy. I probably shouldn’t have made this Pathfinder.

Song 4: Why should the players care?

Losing You, by Dream Evil from their Dragonslayer album.

This one should be easy. 


Song 5: The theme of the ‘dungeon.’

Pirate Song by Alestorm from the Black Sails at Midnight album.

Ok, I think I can work with this.. And getting an idea. Alestorm and Kate Bush, yeesh.

 
Song 6: The first complication.
Where is the Walrus? (Instrumental) by Alan Parson’s Project from Stereotomy.

An instrumental titled after walruses. Its ok, Spook, its ok. This is a dumb idea, but WE’LL POWER THROUGH! BWAHAHAHA!

Song 7: Encounter 1.  The first of our encounters.

With or Without You, by U2, from the Joshua Tree Album.

 Well, I’m certainly glad that in my iPod library, with all of the heavy metal I have, it chose the slow pop song by U2 for our encounter. Wouldn’t want to make this easy, would we?

Song 8: Encounter 2.

If I Could Change Your Mind by Alan Parson’s Project from The Definitive Collection. It’s certainly from a real album, but not on my iPod. Artwork on the video looks like its from the album Eve.

Ok, so two out of three of our encounters are now based on easy listening pop and progressive, and our antagonist is based on Kate Bush. I don’t think that this is going to be a barbarian overlord.

Song 9: The Climactic Encounter.

The final battle. THE CLIMAX. Of our opposition against our Kate Bush themed bad guy, and our other encounters involving U2 pop songs and soft 70s prog rock.. We get..

The Evolution of Circuitry by The Megas, from the Megatainment album.

And once again, hrm. Ideas!
Song 10: Reward.

Jonas Psalter by Styx, from Pieces of Eight.

That’s disturbing for its implications about rewards, but..

Song 11: Our Second Complication!

The First Man on Earth by Ayreon from The Universal Migrator.

Even weirder.

So, to summarize what I have to try to form a cohesive story and adventure from..

1.)    Inspiration: A Sound of Thunder by A Sound of Thunder.
2.)    Antagonist: Never Be Mine by Kate Bush
3.)    Conflict: Computer Eyes by Ayreon
4.)    Why should the players care?: Losing You by Dream Evil
5.)    Theme: Pirate Song by Alestorm
6.)    The First Complciation: Where is the Walrus by Alan Parson’s Project
7.)    Encounter 1: With or Without You, by U2
8.)    Encounter 2: If I could Change Your Mind by Alan Parson’s Project.
9.)    Climactic Encounter: The Evolution of Circuitry by The Megas
10.) Reward: Jonas Psalter by Styx
11.) The Second Complication:  The First Man on Earth by Ayreon

First impressions. Apple’s shuffle function is ass. Two Alan Parson’s Project songs and two Ayreon songs in a selection of 11 out of 2,704 musical tracks.

Second impressions. Pirates. Jonas Psalter and Pirate Song are both about piracy, pirates and privateering.

So at the moment, we’re looking at piracy as a potential thing. In our next post though, let’s start unpacking our candidates and see what we can do with them.