SAM WILLIAMS |

SOUNDTRACK COMPOSITION

Lightly Exalted

An album written for a narrator of the Exalted 3.0 Tabletop RPG, with themes for the various types of Exalted that players are likely to encounter, and battles they will fight.

10 Tracks, 2018

01 - Exaltation

The heroic overture of the suite, showcasing the glory of the Solar Exalted, the player characters of a campaign. The piece takes a more sombre turn halfway through, reflecting the great curse that every Solar is inflicted with, but ends with a reprise of the initial theme.

02 - Thousand-Year Daiklave

A general battle theme with rock elements for a driving pace, and orchestral instruments accompanying. Varies in tone between hopeful and threatening throughout the piece.

03 - The Realm

Theme of the Realm, the imperious principal kingdom of the Exalted world. While not explicitly evil, the Realm opposes the Solar player characters. The piece has an Eastern inspiration, using Japanese instrumentation and a steady rhythm.

04 - Ten Thousand Dragons

Music for a battle against Dragon-Blooded or Terrestrial Exalted, the officials and agents of the Realm. The theme is heavily percussive and quite intense, using motifs and instrumentation from the previous track.

05 - Mnemon

Character theme for the sorceress Mnemon, the head of one of the houses vying for control of the Realm. Mnemon is powerful and cunning, but inwardly wonders if she's lost her identity in the midst of her political scheming, which is reflected in the middle section.

06 - Sorcery of Mnemon

The battle theme of Mnemon, who sweeps aside her foes with ancient sorceries, beginning with a brass fanfare declaring her might. The track quotes frequently from her character theme, with orchestra, choir, piano and drums creating a backdrop for an intense, climactic encounter.

07 - Omnes Pro Uno

The music of the sinister Abyssals, a mysterious type of Exalted that few are familiar with. The combination of slow piano, organ, and synthesizer form an unsettling piece.

08 - Chivalry of Death

Battle theme of the Abyssal Exalted, who can vary from sadistic torturers to macabre knights. Begins with an organ prelude before launching into the main section, then quotes the previous track. It ends with a disjointed contrast between a depraved pattern with screams in the background, and a serene violin solo.

09 - Yu-Shan

A piece for Sidereal Exalts and Heaven, where higher beings decide which direction fate will take in the wider world. The track uses choir and clean electronic pads to give a serene effect.

10 - Rushing River

Orchestral/Electronic battle theme of the Sidereal Exalted, whose esoteric fighting style involves twisting probability to their advantage in an elegant yet unpredictable dance. The music has a sad tinge to it, as the Sidereals are responsible for the previous extinction of the Solar player characters.