Mood Music for A Ruined Town

[Palanan]

My players are about to enter a settlement that’s been depopulated and left standing empty, and I could use suggestions for music to set the mood.

Creepy, desolate, blood on the ice. Looking for something more subtle than overt, something disturbing that slowly builds in the background. Any suggestions?

[Oracle71]

The Emperor's theme from Return of the Jedi could work, but you may want to edit out the "Star Wars themes at the very beginning.

[Zaq]

Any of the “before” themes from the four adventure zones in Majora’s Mask should work.

Ooh, “Garden of Dreams” from Grandia II (Deus) sounds perfect, too.

[Hellpyre]

Honestly, I've gotten a lot of use out of the background music from Plate Mail Games.

[DeadMech]

"The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask- Final Hour (remix by Theophany)"
https://youtu.be/6cPkxDrcczo

[Psyren]

https://tabletopaudio.com/

[Zaq]

If we're playing the YouTube game, here's Garden of Dreams (stick it out to the end—it changes midway through):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDzaYv1TYYk
Hands down my favorite dungeon/boss in that game (in no small part because the boss is actually kind of hard and can't easily just be action economy'd into the ground with no effort). There are songs from the soundtrack that I like more in an absolute sense, but they're not appropriate for the topic at hand. Though to be fair, that game has one of my favorite soundtracks ever when taken as a whole. I put this in a spoiler because my opinions aren't the primary thing we're talking about right now.

Here's a good example of what I meant by a "before" song from MM. I chose Snowhead because you said "ice," so I'm assuming that there's ice around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1a3cwskjgQ

The "Wrecked Ship" section of Super Metroid is creepy in game, but the song is a bit less so when removed from the original context. Still, I looked it up, so I may as well post it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9dtZ40larg

It's not much of a "town" theme, but "Deepnest" from Hollow Knight is hella creepy, and the music is no small part of that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V9Uep3k1lo
This game nails every piece of atmosphere it aims at, and Deepnest is a prime example.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by Zaq
It's not much of a "town" theme, but "Deepnest" from Hollow Knight is hella creepy, and the music is no small part of that:

You're not kidding. That nails it and then some.

[SoraWolf7]

I always thought Elegy from the Dragon Quest 4 DS soundtrack was great for ruined towns. It even plays in a mining town that's dying from fumes from the mine.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3QFiTAkrg0

[hamishspence]

The "Tristram" theme in the first Diablo game.

[KillingAScarab]

Any of the “before” themes from the four adventure zones in Majora’s Mask should work.I'm partial to Marsh Land/Southern Swamp (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r015Bdx363E&index=38&list=PLZzKhgUfPukB9iaEDNy4YAO_KtkDwSFeA) for the dissonance.


The "Wrecked Ship" section of Super Metroid is creepy in game, but the song is a bit less so when removed from the original context. Still, I looked it up, so I may as well post it.You want Children of the Monkey Machine (http://ocremix.org/artist/4283/children-of-the-monkey-machine)'s take on it: Metal Fatigue (http://ocremix.org/album/3/super-metroid-relics-of-the-chozo). Also check out Drowned in Exile (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00850). From Chrono Trigger, try Ruined World (Eternal Derelict) (http://ocremix.org/remix/OCR00601).

[VariSami]

Some things that popped to mind:

FF IX - The Kingdom of Burmecia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbWvorOS7U0)

Rick & Morty - Evil Morty's Theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk3lknaWI9Q)

Berserk - Cold Snow (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMOE_O1t_yY)

Darkest Dungeon - The Hamlet (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKlRJRNHc3o)

These are fairly different and what others have suggested are also good songs. Hopefully something matches the atmosphere you want to convey.

[wookietek]

I find that I can evoke most any mood/theme using the music from Morrowind.

[Jormengand]

It's not designed for it, but I like Scars Etched by Flame (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3taJl-QG6Y). Certainly, it brings the mood down, but makes it feel as though something is still going on, just that you can't necessarily see...

[AnimeTheCat]

"People without hope" from chrono trigger sounds like it could fit.

[ATHATH]

Have some Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness/Time/Sky music: https://youtu.be/J6O3MnMPGIk

This one has a ticking clock in it: https://youtu.be/kMEh8pf9w5E

This one is probably more appropriate for The Reveal, but it still kind of fits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04e_I-Cs5DU