It may surprise you, or perhaps horrify you, that I am a massive fan of musical theater. I grew up listening to musicals with my uncle Chechin (his real name is José Agustín, but Chechin is his nickname). I still remember watching A Chorus Line at the Centro de Bellas Artes de Puerto Rico in the early 80s, and Nine was probably the first musical I knew all the lyrics to by heart.
While I love many different shows, none has inspired me more than Les Misérables.
I know it is long and melodramatic, but it is also undeniably a powerful, grand spectacle that speaks directly to humanity’s struggles. The Les Misérables: Complete Symphonic Recording has easily been the soundtrack I’ve listened to the most while writing about TTRPGs. In fact, I am listening to it right now as I write this post!
I will admit I have NEVER actually read Victor Hugo’s original novel. Every few years, I tell myself I will, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. So, what fascinates me so much about the musical? It’s the struggle of the oppressed, the sweeping narrative, and the intense ideological conflict between the protagonist, Jean Valjean, and his antagonist, Javert.
Whenever I think about alignment in D&D, I almost always frame it in terms of these characters. If you search online, you’ll see I’m not the only one doing this! While I don’t agree with every single classification in the usual alignment memes floating around out there, it’s clear this is a shared touchstone for many gamers.
For instance, I don’t think Valjean is Lawful Good; I’ve always viewed him as more Neutral Good. As a teen, I thought Javert was the ultimate example of the unyielding, intransigent Paladin, but looking back, he obviously isn’t Lawful Good. I wouldn’t quite say he is Lawful Evil, either. To me, he is the absolute embodiment of Lawful Neutral.
I have even incorporated the musical’s lyrics directly into my games. In one campaign, I used a modified version of the lyrics to the song Stars to serve as a Paladin’s Oath.
I have also pulled bits and pieces from Red and Black and Empty Chairs at Empty Tables—I even played the latter in the background during a particularly poignant session.
Those last two clips are from the 2012 movie. I still prefer the Complete Symphonic Recording I mentioned above, but if you are curious to see it, I highly recommend the film!
See? Not all TTRPG inspiration must come from novels or movies! What non-traditional sources inspire your games?
Bonus Inspiration! As a final treat, here is something perfect for your Ravenloft games: Total Eclipse of the Heart from Dance of the Vampires.
In German:
In English:
