Music of the Spheres

Dreaming Door is currently experiencing its first crunch-time in preparation for the release of the demo version of Golden Treasure. It's an exciting phase, to be sure! Still, there's always a little extra time to share some news with our community.

Though we've shared a thing or two about the visual art of Golden Treasure, we have been silent regarding its musical soundtrack. We feel that the sounds of nature should be the stars of the show, and the game features many such sounds. From wolf howls to magpie chatter to the sound of wind in the trees, we strive to create an aural tapestry which can help he player feel as though they are in a European forest.

Certain moments and encounters, though, simply cry out for more, and for this, we have found our musician: the one and only James Gabriel, a successful pianist and composer whose work has found success on iTunes and radio play.

You can check out his work at http://www.jim-gabriel.com/music/. The first track on that page, "From the Rising of the Sun", is the music you will hear at the end of your first day of life as a dragon, as you look up to the starry night sky for the first time. We wanted something introspective and deep, and Jim's work is perfect at conveying that sense of mystery and beauty that we have been working to achieve with the writing and the visual art.

We thought we might also take this opportunity to explore the elemental spheres. As both your basic statistics and living pillars of the world, the Great Four (Air, Water, Fire and Earth) will play a central role in your life as a dragon. Let's take a look at each and how they work:

The element of Air, symbolized by the color white and the shape of a spiral, is the element of the Mind, eloquence, freedom and swiftness. Your Air statistic will determine whether you are quick enough to strike at a bird on the wing, clever enough to come up with a complex solution to a problem, and eloquent enough to express yourself to an alien being. Those who master the secrets of Air may master swift strikes in battle and even learn the secrets of psionics.

The element of Water, symbolized by the color blue and the shape of a circle, is the element of the Spirit, empathy, flexibility and change. Your Water statistic will determine whether you are flexible enough to squeeze through a tight space, stealthy enough to creep up on your prey without being noticed, empathetic enough to understand the spirits, and fluid enough to adapt to any situation with ease. Those who master the secrets of Water can find themselves able to camouflage themselves like a chameleon, hunt for prey underwater, change their scent and use their enemies' strength against them in combat.

The element of Fire, symbolized by the color red and the shape of a triangle, is the element of strength, passion, ambition and power. Your Fire statistic will determine how hard you hit in combat, how powerful your fiery breath is, and whether you are strong enough to move a mighty boulder or fierce enough to drive off an angry predator with a mere look of your eye. Those who master the secrets of Fire will find themselves the victor of many battles, able to melt metal with their breath and terrify others into submission.

The element of Earth, symbolized by the color green and the shape of a square, is the element of fortitude, patience, and healing. Your Earth statistic will determine whether you are calm enough not to be provoked by an insulting magpie, enduring enough to not be crippled by the swipe of a wildcat's claws, hearty enough to fend off poisons and diseases, and skilled enough with the healing arts to save the life of a wounded bat. Those who master the secrets of Earth will live long lives, stand like mountains in combat, and ultimately heal even the deadliest of wounds.

Though you will also be influenced by other factors and statistics, your relationship with the Great Four will directly or indirectly determine the outcome of most of the hundreds of challenges and choices you will take on in the world of Golden Treasure. Some may focus on developing one or two to the point of complete mastery, while others may prefer a balanced approach. Your affinities will grow each day in accordance with how you live and spend your time, and what you learn from your conversations and experiences.

Until next time!