Aranessa Royce Vibes
Critical Role DJ Masterpost
My Lady Aranessa Royce, a dark horse favorite so far as characters go! At first I was against the notion of making a playlist for her, would she disappear after the wake? Would she perish? Would she betray our party early on? None of which occurred and she only got more and more awesome with each passing episode of the campaign! No wilting violent or damsel is she!
Tuatha De Danann by Ella Roberts
The Hills They Are Hollow by Damh The Bard
Lothloren from The Lord of The Rings: The Musical
White Rose by Heather Dale
The Queen of Argyll by Silly Wizard
Cypress Queen by The Last Bison
Lark of My Heart by Eliza Rickman
As The World Falls Down from Labyrinth
That’s All I’ve Got To Say by Art Garfunkel
Storybook Love from The Princess Bride
Handfast Blessing by S.J. Tucker
Princess Mononoke Theme Song by Sasha Lazard
Black is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair by The Choral Scholars University of Dublin
Ailein Duinn by Tuatha Dea
All Our Angels by Eliza Rickman
The Willow Maid by Erutan
Miles to Go by Heather Dale
Siúil a Rún by The Choral Scholars University of Dublin
The Emerald Princess by Elane
Zombie by Tuatha Dea
I See Fire by Celtic Woman
Kingdom Come by The Civil Wars
The Last Unicorn by America
You’re Not Alone by Erutan
Hope by Eluvietie
DJ's Note: Playlist updates will be coming out more slowly now that I'm also posting my reasoning for each song choice but I'm still gunning for about 5 new songs per episode featured. I sincerely believe that it's going to result in not only BETTER playlists/music choices but also gives me an excuse to combine my two favorite things, character playlists AND character meta! I've already got Thjazi in the bag!
The full musical meta deep dive lives beneath this cut!
Tuatha De Danann by Ella Roberts “In my dreams I have seen the Tuatha De Danann, and even now forevermore I will believe.” The house of Royce is deeply tied to Tir Crúthu or the Land of Faerie. Faeries themselves, as they’re traditionally known in pop culture have roots in Celtic diaspora. The Tuatha De Dannan are the gods of ancient Ireland. In Aramán the Fae predate the Shapers, Aranessa’s house has strong ties to what we can only assume are the rulers of Faerie.
The Hills They Are Hollow by Damh The Bard “And the hills they are hollow and home to the Fey, who dance on Midsummer’s Eve.” Another song with which to pay homage to Aranessa’s Fae kindred, however distant. Though the Royce had no connection and paid no tithe to the Shapers save for being human (and presumably “shaped” by Tansul). It is all but certain they have their own rituals and pay homage to the entities which give them power, with all the ritual and lore that comes with it.
Lothloren from The Lord of The Rings: The Musical “Forest of Light, Lothlórien, garden of wonder, haven of sun, forest of light, child of my heart.” It is no secret that Brennan Lee Mulligan put a lot of Lord of The Rings influences and homages into Aramán. The more we learned about Faerie’s retreat from Aramán and of the Golden Orchard I noticed parallels between it and Lothlorien, so I only found it fitting to use one of my favorite songs from this musical to cement it as an aesthetic influence on Aranessa. For those of us who haven’t heard the LOTR musical I HIGHLY recommend checking it out as a sidenote.
White Rose by Heather Dale “Look around you Time should march on. I ask you to bow and make history the victor; the day of your legend is gone.” This song represents threefold elements, a pattern in the known history of House of Royce. It represents the Shapers’ War as Royce was among the royal houses who fought against the Gods. The second is the closing of the Gates of Faerie, forcing the Fae trapped outside of it to begin aging. Then finally the fall of House Royce at the hands of the House Tachonis, the old guard always falls, including when one becomes it.
The Queen of Argyll by Silly Wizard “The swan was in her movements, and the morning in her smile.” This song is emblematic of Aranessa’s presence and how she is regarded by the public. She is both coveted and untouchable, elegant, mysterious, and perhaps at one time, beyond reproach. This is an overture to her first appearance in our story, not chronologically, but heralding her approach into Thjazi’s life, and by extension, many others.
Cypress Queen by The Last Bison “Day arrives in solitude I will stray to find the root from the vine that saved my life. A beam from the light that gave me sight, a glimpse of what I call home.” This song is yet another with multiple meanings. On the one hand it satisfies the power, might and aesthetics of House Royce. However, something in the intimately worshipful yet wild facets of the lyrics makes me picture that this song is specifically from Thjazi’s perspective as he’s falling in love with Aranessa.
As The World Falls Down from Labyrinth “There’s such fooled heart beating so fast. In search of new dreams, a love that will last.” This dreamlike song born of one of the most novel and iconic set-pieces of fantasy cinema was PERFECT for the notion of Aranessa being swept off her feet by Thjazi. Our warped and inaccurate understanding of her lover lending himself to the complicated ambiguity and girlish fantasy of the Goblin King from Labyrinth. In a sort of depressing way, the Falconer’s Rebellion, Thjazi’s death, and the fall of House Royce are a similarly rude awakening to Sarah’s in the story. However, all that matters is now.
Lark of My Heart by Eliza Rickman “I can see it in your eyes, I can smell it in your lies, you know I want you.” This courtly dance-like number felt like a natural evolution of the waking up from the dream As The World Falls Down represents. Aranessa is very clearly a smart woman and Thjazi is a bit of a bastard. I’m almost certain she clocked that this man had layers, and perhaps fell for him even more so because of it.
That’s All I’ve Got To Say by Art Garfunkel “I feel as though my tongue were made of clay, anyway I love you, that’s all I have to tell you, that’s all I got to say.” If one thing is obvious despite the chaos and warfare and drama. It’s that at one point and time Aranessa and Thjazi were fully in-love with each other without any caveats. Thjazi was a man of jokes and masks and swagger, it’d take one hell of a woman to cut through all of that and get to the heart of him. If anyone could’ve render him down to pure honesty, it is Aranessa Royce.
Storybook Love from The Princess Bride “My love is like a storybook story, but it’s as real as the feelings I feel” I’ve seen a lot of fans very correctly making associations between Peter Pan and Wendy, I also see a fair amount between Buttercup and Wesley as well, the princess and her scoundrel. Coming full circle from the whirlwind we can only imagine was their meeting. This is the happiness that was once the present and could have still been had the Falcon’s cry never been uttered.
Handfast Blessing by S.J. Tucker “Joy on thy fair handfasting day” This is the climax of the narrative I’ve decided to weave through this playlist. It’s fairly obvious that both the Fangs and the Royces have Irish-coding to their cultural and magical aesthetics. The marital practice of handfasting is a huge cornerstone to Celtic & Norse weddings, and though it’s never explicitly stated I know in my heart the fantasy equivalent of this ritual was part of Thjazi & Aranessa’s vows to one another.
Princess Mononoke Theme Song by Sasha Lazard “When the sun has gone I see you, beautiful and haunting but cold. Like the blade of a knife so sharp, so sweet, nobody knows your heart.” This song inaugurates the end of the honeymoon period for Thjazi and Aranessa. I do think it would not have taken very long for Thjazi to start questioning and feeling trapped by the social constraints of his new status in tandem with the plight of the common man. Aranessa, knowing that Thjazi wears many faces, maybe began having a seed of sadness and doubt born from that contention.
Black is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair by The Choral Scholars University of Dublin “I write her a letter, just a few short lines, and suffer death a thousand times.” I imagine at some point, in order to even set the Rebellion into motion Thjazi would be taking long absences from the Royce estate and the Golden Orchard. Long absences from Aranessa resulting despite their obvious affections. This paired with inner turmoil from both parties would coalesce into the despairing sense of yearning captured by this song.
Ailein Duinn by Tuatha Dea “I would drink, regardless of the opinion of others, of your heart’s blood after your drowning” (translated from Scots Gaelic to English) Aranessa became a woman of deep inner turmoil I’m sure as the inevitability of the Falconer’s Rebellion became apparent. From what we now know of her she did not agree with her Grandfather’s call to side against the Rebellion and ally themselves with the likes of the Tachonises and Halovars. I do think part of her believed in Thjazi’s objections to the Sundered Houses and with the way the world has turned. She has come to regret not standing up time and time again with each passing tragedy befalling her.
All Our Angels by Eliza Rickman “Cut to the marrow, don’t say, don’t say, all of my angels have left me, and all of your angels have left you.” While I do believe Aranessa understood the Thjazi’s reasons, that does NOT mean it didn’t hurt when he left. Whether he told her or whether he disappeared one day. There was I imagine some bitterness and sorrow and even depression born from this parting of lovers, Aranessa probably berating herself internally and perhaps Thjazi as well. Love was not enough to keep them together.
The Willow Maid by Erutan “For you cannot take from the forest what was never meant to leave.” While I do not feel Thjazi was so cruel as the woodsman in this fairytale song. However, I do think it represents Aranessa’s anxiety and fear over the idea of abandoning her family, privilege and station for Thjazi when he offered to take her with him for an unstable but exciting life of adventure. This can also serve partly as foreshadowing for the closing of the gate to Faerie and all the misfortune for her house and the fae beyond it.
Miles to Go by Heather Dale “I’ve reconciled my mind, to living out my life within these walls. It’s not what you hoped to hear I know.” If ever there was a song I felt captured how Aranessa actually speaks it is this one. I can picture Aranessa saying these tragic parting words to Thjazi almost verbatim. Though Guinevere sings of both Lancelot & Arthur in this song, Thjazi for both his parting and his martyr’s death both men can be rolled into one for this sorrowful metaphor.
Siúil a Rún by The Choral Scholars University of Dublin “His hair was black, his eye was blue, his arm was strong and his word was true. I wish in my heart that I was with you.” This is the air of mourning that Aranessa was introduces to us with. Unable to make herself present at her husband’s execution, her despairing words of lost love in the carriage, and her final weeping kiss to him. All wrapped up in this forlorn folk song.
The Emerald Princess by Elane “To lift the veil the spell's been torn, the secret's known and she's forlorn. And Princess Weeping Willow's hand had written down the saga's end.” Once again drawing parallels for Aranessa to a weeping willow tree like The Willow Maid. I feel this (and the remaining songs) follow Aranessa to the demise of her House. The lyrics feel almost like a prophecy of the Tachonises well-hidden betrayal as shadows overtake a once eternal land, leading to the downfall of her Royce and its vassals.
Zombie by Tuatha Dea “Another head hangs lowly, child is slowly taken. And the violence causes silence, who are we mistaken?” Nothing encapsulates the despair of brutal and senseless violence the way Zombie by the Cranberries does, however I did want a more chaotic and grungy interpretation of it to really hammer home the horror of it happening in the moment and not as a warning. Not to mention that Royce fell to the house of undeath itself and Aranessa watched a young man be torn apart right in front of her.
I See Fire by Celtic Woman “I see fire, burning the trees, I see fire hollowing souls, and I see fire, blood in the breeze.” That’s right I’m folding Lord of The Rings (kinda, technically the Hobbit) back into Aranessa’s tale. I of course, had to use the Celtic Woman version, this is Aranessa not Thorin! It, much like the fall of Erebor, mirrors the fall of her house. Speaking to the pain of being driven, perhaps forever, from your home.
Kingdom Come by The Civil Wars “Run, run, run away, buy yourself another day. A cold wind’s whispering secrets in your ear, so low only you can hear.” I physically can’t not envision the fanart of a barefooted blood smeared Aranessa with Thaisha carrying Occtis’s body at her heels when I hear this song now. Herself and the Seekers are the only people who survived and were present for the slaughter of House Davinos, and must keep that secret to themselves until the time is right.
The Last Unicorn by America “There you see her, how she shimmers, it’s the last unicorn.” Aranessa has been resilient to say the absolute least in the face of tragedy after tragedy after tragedy. She has a well established timeless quality to her, she is alive despite the Tachonises’ efforts. She is soon to be on a quest not entirely unlike Lady Amalthea’s to see if any other Royce house members survived.
You’re Not Alone by Erutan “When the storm draws nigh, dreams will shatter before your eyes, know that you’re not alone. When the battle starts, I will comfort your restless heart.” This song calls to mind the stirring determination and call to move forward that Aranessa gave the party at the end of “Stone-Faced”. Perhaps a spark that could be traced back to her fondness for Thjazi back in the days of The War of Axe & Vine. Giving her companions a rousing speech in the face of the most horrific night perhaps all their lives.
Hope by Eluvietie If anyone embodies hope, largely without agenda compared to the other Seekers, it is Aranessa. It’s all they have, and if things go well for our Seekers, this song could even become a motif for that party beyond the Lady Royce has given them a sense of direction and a way to pursue it.
