The Stygian Gambit - Suggestions *Spoilers*

Hey fellow adventurers,

I’m gearing up to run the Stygian Gambit one-shot from the Keys in the Golden Vault book, and I wanted to make sure the auditory experience for my players is top-notch. I’m excited to use Syrinscape for the first time to help me create more immersive roleplaying sessions, so I’m reaching out to you all for some sound set suggestions.

For those of you familiar with this adventure, which sound sets would you recommend me checking out to best capture the atmosphere and essence of the Stygian Gambit?

Creatures: Spy, Commoner, Thug, Noble, Baboons, Lion, Spined Devils, Minotaur Skeleton

Locations: Docking Area, Poker Tables, Copper Slot Machines, Rat Racing Track, Bar, Spa & Bath, Laundry, Circus, Waterfall Overlook, Restaurant, Staging Area and Animal Cages, Employee Lounge, Owner’s Office, Clerk’s Office, Security Office, Holding Cell, Back Hallway, Vault

Thanks in advance for your input, and happy adventuring!

Shadow Scorpio

I’m not familiar with the adventure, but I am very familiar with Syrinscape, so let me see if I can help.

Locations:

Poker tables, copper slot machines - try the Casino set (board game player or sci-fi player) with the “running game machine” element off.

Docking Area - the River Journey or Shipyard sets are good for those.

Rat Racing Track - try the Wild Beyond the Witchlight Carnival 2, the snail racing mood, as that has a cheering crowd and an MC announcing the races. You can use some rat elements from Giant Rat Fight or Abandoned Lunatic Asylum instead of the snail slime sounds or a swarm of rat element if things get out of hand.

Bar - Friendly Tavern is a good go-to, but if it’s a fancy place, I’d use the Casino set, the Quiet Piano Bar mood, with some additional elements: “pouring a drink” and “mead glasses clinking” (Friendly Tavern, Coffee House 2015)

For Spa & Bath - Dungeon of the Dead Three I (from Descent into Avernus) has an Outside the Bathhouse, Bathhouse, and Massage Room moods. House of Assignation also has a bathhouse mood.

Laundry - while there’s no laundry soundset precisely, there are some elements that work well. There’s an element called “washing pool” (Catacombs of Wrath has one of them) and another called “steam releases” (Clockwork Entities or House of Assignation, for a couple). Maybe combine those two with some of the drips and conversation from the bathhouse and that should sound like someone washing something in a tub whilst someone else irons things.

Circus - Wild Beyond the Witchlight Carnival 1 & 2 should be what you want.

Waterfall Overlook and Restaurant - use the Romance set, the Mountain Overlook and Restaurant moods.

Staging Area and Animal Cages - Wizard’s Tower has a Menagerie mood which would work for that.

Employee Lounge - Arena Performance or Theater (from Dragon Heist) both have a Backstage mood. Or you could use Burgomeister’s Office from the Curse of Strahd sets.

Owner’s Office - Vendri’s Office mood from The City of Kalaman (from Shadows of the Dragon Queen)

Clerk’s Office - Try the Researching Records mood from the set the Missing Student. You can add some coin sounds from Friendly Tavern if they’re counting money.

Security Office - Try A Death Among The Pale Roses (from Tales From The Shadows), it has a Barracks mood and a Training Hall mood (if folks are sparring).

Holding Cell - Paths of Peril: Investigating Crimes has a Jail Interrogation mood that would suit well, just turn off the goblin sounds.

Back Hallway - Wizard’s Tower has a Hallways mood

Vault - The Vault of Dragons set is your best bet.

Most regular people you interact with will likely need just mood music instead of full-on sets, but for people that take swords to the party, the Bandit Encounter mood in Candlekeep (Descent into Avernus) should suit. The Temple of Asmodeus set has a mood called Battle Barzillai Alone, who is an arrogant, dismissive noble sort of person.

Baboons - in the Ataaz Muhahah set there are multiple “mad monkeys” moods that can give you angry monkey sounds.

Lion - Tiger Battle

Spined Devils - there’s a Spined Devils fight in Under the Villa set (Descent into Avernus)

Minotaur Skeleton - Minotaur Maze is what you’ll want, but add in some skeletal sounds from Undead Battle

I hope that helps!

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Amazing as always @HECook! Thank you :grin:

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The verb “help” is no longer sufficient for what you have provided. I would rather use the cleric term “divine intervention”. Thank you so much! You are truly amazing!

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You are very welcome!

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