Mysterious Depths
Added 2020-09-22 15:48:23 +0000 UTCI quite like running weird dungeons. Crypts, crumbling fortresses, and spider-filled caves are all well and good, but I like to spice things up with at least one or two bizarre details. In one of my campaigns "Nakkas Khath" was the name of a long-abandoned underground city, now functioning as a hourglass-shaped astronomical focus, a black dragon lair, and the home to scores of bioluminescent jellyfish stonemasons. My players knew that there was danger, but the very nature and significance of that danger was always in question.
Keeping your players guessing can be extremely satisfying. Some dungeons may contain unexpectedly friendly NPCs, cryptic puzzles in lieu of deadly combat, or lore details fleshing out a long-forgotten sidequest. For truly unpredictable dungeons, I prefer a more "ambiguous" sonic soundscape: and that's where my track Nakkas Khath comes in.
While this track certainly includes those spacious and spooky ambiences that I like using in dungeon music, it also features distant hunting horns, melodious flutes and vocals, and enigmatic piano harmonies. This could just as well be the theme song for a city of flying frog wizards as a miasmatic subterranean aquifer. I think the mysterious and inscrutable tone of this track makes it a great fit for a wide variety of dungeons, so try scoring your dangerous adventuring moments with it.
If you just want the spooky ambiences (particularly useful for unsettling your players without "giving the game away"), you can grab that in the Artist Tier+ post.
