MUSIC
Everlasting Rime
The land of Icewind Dale is a cold and bitter stretch of land at the northernmost regions of the Sword Coast on the continent of Faerûn. Constant snow and biting winds sweep across the tundra, leaving a near-permanent blanket of white on the land. Herds of reindeer cross paths with numerous dangerous creatures, such as hungry wolves, territorial yetis, and occasionally, massive white dragons.
Despite the harsh environment, the people of Icewind Dale thrive as best as they can, living in close-knit communities called the Ten-Towns. The Ten-Towners are a hardy, stoic people, living off of the land. They are hunters, fishers, miners, and lumberjacks by trade, and are often the best at what they do.
Each piece in the album represents a key aspect of Icewind Dale, be it the people who call it home, the wildlife, or the dangerous beings that lurk within its lesser-explored regions. Key artwork that each piece is inspired by, as well as a brief description of each piece, is provided below.
Artwork is property of Wizards of the Coast. This work is not affiliated with or used by Wizards of the Coast.
Through Hardship, We Persist
This first piece introduces a number of different themes that can be found across Everlasting Rime's music. The piece opens with a theme meant to embody the land of Icewind Dale itself. It is somber and stoic, much like its people. A transitional phrase leads us to our second main theme, which stands as a sort of Hero's Theme. The theme uses leaping intervals to invoke a heroic and bombastic sort of presence, before settling down into the Icewind Dale theme once again.
Grazing Herds
This piece serves as an atmospheric look at the land of Icewind Dale. Between the harsh blizzards and freezing nights, there are moments of calm, where the large herds of wildlife are able to graze on the tall grasses that peek through the blanketed snow. Echoes of the Hero's Theme can be found dotted throughout the latter half of the piece.
Angajuk
This piece embodies the creature known as Angajuk, a two-hundred year old sperm whale that has been awakened by powerful druidic magic. It has a boat on its back, around which a magical bubble of air allows people to ride on its back without fear of drowning. Angajuk is friendly to those who do not wish to do it or the other creatures of the sea harm, but often requires trust to be built before it assists adventurers in their endeavors. This theme embodies the wonder both in the creature's magic, as well as the prospect of exploring the deep frozen seas around Icewind Dale.
Quaggoth Hunt
Deep beneath the frozen sheets of ice and tundra lies an area know as the Underdark. The Underdark is a deep connection of underground caves and faults, and is home to a vast number of organisms. One of the more dangerous species native to the Underdark are the quaggoths, savage and bestial hunters. They skulk about the cave systems, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting prey. Many caves of the Underdark reach up into the Icewind Dale, expanding the quaggoths' hunting grounds. This piece represents the adventurers of Icewind Dale coming into contact with a hunting party of quaggoths.
The Twin Dragons
Of all the creatures in Icewind Dale, none are more feared than the white dragons that find their lair in the region. They are fearsome predators that find great joy in freezing their prey solid before feasting on them. In some cases, they take their frozen prey back to their lairs as trophies of a great hunt. This piece represents a duo of adolescent white dragons. The piece starts with a brief introduction as the wyrms stalk and toy with their prey, a group of adventurers foolish enough to enter their lair. The piece then erupts into a wild and chaotic flurry as the dragons attack in erratic ways. The tone of the piece shifts as the adventurers manage to find the upper hand against the dragons, providing a bombastic statement of the Icewind Dale theme, interspersed with calls of the Heroes' Theme.
Fortress in the Mountains
This piece details the adventurers making a harrowing discovery: a fortress unknown to the peoples of the Ten-Towns, hidden away deep in the mountains. In the Forgotten Realms, the setting in which Icewind Dale is located, hidden keeps such as this one often speak trouble for the good people of the lands. The adventurers know that whatever, or whomever, can be found inside is certain to be a danger to the Ten-Towns, or even the lands beyond Icewind Dale.
This piece represents the dangerous climb through the mountains, as well as the mysterious nature of the fortress. A variation of the Icewind Dale theme makes up the melody for this fortress, played in the upper registers of the bassoon to drive home the mysterious nature of the keep. The piece makes use of many unique noises, such as low piano clusters and swirling celeste and harp lines to keep the listeners from expecting what comes next. The piece builds to an intense climax before a suddenly quiet, deep drone fills the listener's ears. This represents the adventurers making their way through the entrance, into the dark halls of the fortress.
Sunblight
Deep inside the keep, the adventurers find the warlock Xardorok Sunblight. Sunblight is a duergar, a race of dwarves that come from the Underdark. Xardorok has set up shop in this fortress with the intent of laying waste to the Ten-Towns in the name of his evil patron who gives him his magic powers. It is up the the adventurers to put a stop to him.
This theme represents the climactic fight between the duergar warlock and the adventurers. Driving rhythmic stabs and swirling strings lay the ground work for a heavy and intense melody played by the brass, joined later by the upper woodwinds, exclusively fluttering all of their notes for added tension. The battle seems to grow more and more dire as a second phase to the music begins, building in tension over a stabbing string ostinato before an abrupt ending.
The Sun Will Rise Again
It is in this piece that we find who the victor of the climactic final battle is. The piece begins with a somber reprieve of the Icewind Dale theme backed by chords in a distant piano. The piece builds into a joyous statement of the Heroes' Theme, representing the adventurers' success in their battle against Sunblight. The piece serves as a closing remark on the themes introduced throughout the album, as well as a triumphant finish to our adventurers' story.
