This is something I’ve always loved to do. I don’t know how widespread it is in the larger community, but I love picking out theme songs for my PCs, important NPCs, and even whole campaigns.

Laurel and I did this for the first time in Exalted. I was running that game, and the NPC that turned out to be the strongest party ally was a deathknight named Vespers. Dude wound up getting in hock to a certain BBEG who’d set up shop in Thorns, a massive necropolis teeming with undead. Imagine my surprise when a Christian metal band turned out to have the perfect song.

Since that game was set in Chiaroscuro — a vaguely Arabian Nights themed part of Creation — I wound up choosing an instrumental version of a classic for the campaign theme.

But as much as I liked my selections, it was just as much fun watching my buddies choose their own theme songs. We had one crocodile-totem Lunar Exalt who wound up acquiring a tyrant lizard form. It’s been years since we ended the game and compiled our final album. I still crack up when his song comes up in the queue.

Of course, all of these selections were made after we’d been playing for a while. Just recently I got around to doing it the other way. I’ve made a character who is actually based off a song. Her name is John Justice-Mountain. It’s a weird west game, and she’s a gunslinger / inquisitor. After her husband was murdered, she took the slain paladin’s long gun and name, pledging to deal out justice and lead in his place.

Given all of the above, I’m sure you can guess where today’s discussion is going. I want to hear YOUR theme song! Pick a favorite PC, NPC, or campaign. Tell us a little bit about your selection, then link us to their song! And if you’re a REALLY cool kid, get the rest of your table to do the same. Because let me tell you: It is AWESOME having a mix tape worth of memories years after a campaign has ended.

 

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