Feb 2022 chooseyourownadventure orchestral score story fantasy
Just in case you don't know, I'm creating a "Choose Your Own Adventure" FAWM.
For this FAWM, I've decided to make a score to a film/story that hasn't been written. This is because YOU will decide where the story will go and how it will eventually end. After each song, I will give you options for your "Choose Your Own Adventure" story. Write your option in the comment section. I will wait about 8 hours or so, calculate the numbers, then create the next song that fits this option. After each song is posted, I start the process all over again until FAWM and the story is over.
The majority of those who voted picked B) Lie about your past.
I just wanted to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for following me and this story so far. I've had a marvelous time reading your answers and your reasoning and, I'm sorry, I'm so busy with work and new house stuff that I can't reply to each of you individually. I've definitely been making this story up as I go and, though I've planned a backstory for Kaleb, I've not planned the outcome nor the choices. Thank you for sticking with it and bearing with me, even though I've been doing everything in a rush.
**************
You choose to lie about your past. There’s no use in telling them what they clearly don’t need to know. You’re a bad liar, though, and you know it, which is why you usually avoid talking about yourself in the first place. How are you going to lie without it showing? Simple. You’ll tell half-truths.
You clear your throat. Get ready, here comes the bullshit.
“I know that soldier because we were from the same town.”
(You were from the same town because you trained where all the Janga-oni soldiers trained together. It was kind of its own little town in a way.)
“His name is Mathias. We haven’t seen each other for decades. I didn’t know he’d be here with the regiment.”
(All true. You really had no idea he would be here. You figured he made such a shitty soldier that he would have gotten himself killed already. How he managed to live this long, you don’t know. Luck, perhaps. Maybe cunning. He does think quickly on his feet, you’ll give him that. Too bad he's so hideous.)
“He let us go because he recognized me. He risked his position and possibly his life to make sure we could leave that house.”
(All true…again. Maybe you ARE a good liar after all…as long as you keep it vague.)
“Why does Mathias want to meet with you later?” asks Raana. Now you really regret letting her live. Damn, she’s nosey.
“Probably to catch up and give some information about what happened. I don’t know why we were attacked.”
(Sort of true, though, you’re pretty sure some of it has to do with you living here. You’re a defector. Everyone knows you betrayed your vows of fealty. The Kingdom of Janga-on is relentless when they think you have betrayed them. You’re fortunate that you were able to stay hidden in this village for so long. How did they find out, though? And why didn’t they just send a couple of assassins. This is overkill, even for you.)
Mayor Adaline steps forward. “I think I may be able to answer that for you. Normally, I wouldn’t divulge this information, but we’ve all been through so much and suffered so much loss that I think you have the right to know. It's all my fault."
She sighs, then says, “For the last few years, the king has been demanding more from us living in Tinmijn. Normally, every year, after the harvest and the ore separation from the mines, we pay thirty percent of all we earn as a village as tax. Six years ago, by royal proclamation, we had to start paying forty percent.”
The mayor turns to Silas and asks, “Do you remember that? I lost my temper with you that day, I was so frustrated. Sorry about that. You were just starting out as my assistant and I didn’t want that to be your first impression.”
Silas pats Mayor Adaline on her shoulder and leaves his hand there. “It’s okay. No need to apologize.”
Mayor Adaline continues. “We could just about manage that. Forty percent. Things were tight, we couldn’t spend more money on the upkeep of Tinmijn. We had to start growing more crops to feed everyone, which is difficult with our mountain soil. Three years ago, we came upon a huge vein in the mines and we were able to get back on our feet.” She looks right at you.
You remember this. You were the one who struck a lead and found it. That was a good day.
“The king heard about our luck and demanded fifty percent. And I refused. I wrote back, saying we couldn’t do that now, but that we could maintain the forty percent tax and possibly give another five percent every other year. If we had given half of everything, we wouldn’t have enough money to buy supplies, fish, grain, or seed for the next rotation. I couldn’t watch our village starve to death.” She looks down, distressed.
“Guess you don’t have to worry about that anymore,” you hear yourself mutter. Everyone looks at you in shock. That should have been your inside voice, you idiot.
Mayor Adaline resumes her story. “Eight months ago, the king wrote one more time, claiming that we were harboring fugitives, which is ridiculous, and demanding seventy percent as recompense.”
Great. You are partly responsible for this mess, Kaleb. Congratulations, you piece of shit.
She finishes her story. “I refused to substantiate those rumors and said that seventy percent was impossible, but that maybe we could work out some kind of deal. He didn’t reply after that. Then this happened. They killed so many of us, I don't know who escaped.”
Silas looks directly at you, his brow wrinkled. “You’ve got blood on your hands, Kaleb.”
For a moment, you think he suspects that you are the fugitive. You didn’t think he was THAT clever. You then look down at your hands, which are still bloody from the fight with Wout.
“Ah, so I do,” you reply, while wiping your hands on your trousers. Whew!
You tell them about the rendezvous with Mathias in a few hours, something you wouldn’t even have mentioned, but that damned girl, Raana, heard everything.
There's a pause and everyone looks at you, expecting you to do something. You don't know what they want.
“Well, I’m going home. Uh, good luck, everyone. Try not to get killed,” you say casually, then turn around and start walking in the direction of your hopefully-intact house at the edge of the village. You hear some conversation, then their footsteps come up behind you. You roll your eyes.
No no no no no no NO GODDAMMIT! No! No babies, no young folks, no women! Son of a bitch, you idiot! You shouldn’t have looked for survivors! These people are weak and useless and now they’re fucking trailing you like goldfish shit. (This is your inside voice, by the way.)
Do you:
A) Let them come with you?
Or
B) Ditch them?
@headfirstonly Mar 2022
The arrangement just nails the dystopian, post-apocalyptic vibe. The minimalist ostinatos remind me of Philip Glass, although this has an emotional heft that minimalism tries to avoid. Those high woodwinds hint of other forces in play, to me. Hmmm. I'm really getting drawn into the story, even if it's too late to help shape it!
@tamsnumber4 Feb 2022
I really enjoyed the music, very fitting. He could try to ditch them, but where would they go, they are survivors, they will all end up together anyway. He might not want it, but they will come with him, they are stragglers in need of a leader. If everyone voted with me on him going home in the first place, he wouldn't be in this predicament LOL!!! A. they're coming with you whether you like it or not.
@dragondreams Feb 2022
Damn! Damn! Damn!
The score is awesome. The decision is so difficult.
I'm trying to think like "me" and I want to let them come with me.
I'm also trying to put myself in character... and I reckon I'd ditch them. My justification (even though I am a piece of shit) is that if they come with me, they'd stand a good chance of getting killed - or getting me killed. On my own (as Kaleb) I might survive...
Ditch them!