Shadow World Community Project: Finding the best songs for a SW-album...

[Micael]

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**Layana's Songfire: The Rise of the Grand Music Contest**

In the waning decade of the 61st Century, as the skies over Sel-kai gleamed with the lights of skybarges and the noble salons of Haalkitaine pulsed with age-old harmonies, a storm of sound and style was brewing—one that would fracture traditions and enthrall the masses.

The spark? A bard. A scandal. A crystal.

Lady Layana Ixbridge, a high-born bard of noble Rhakhaanese blood and student of the legendary Minstrels of Noron, became the unintentional herald of a musical revolution. Two years prior, during an expedition with her companions to lost ruins in northern U-Lyshak, Layana uncovered a cache of piezocrystal memory spheres—relics long thought dormant and mundane.

To their astonishment, the spheres bore not only the thoughts of a Second Era savant—a fanatical chronicler of sound—but recordings: echo-memories of music not of this age. Among the audible visions were the whispered chants of the K'ta'viiri, the soaring, synthetic orchestrations of the Jinteni, and even unsettling harmonic structures attributed to the Taranian survivors of the Interregnum.

Each participating city submits its chosen performance in crystal form—aurally, visually, and magically preserved. Judged not just on melody, but on originality, spell-weaving, instrumentation, and emotional resonance, the winner earns the title of Harmonic Crown-Bearer until the next year's cycle.

This musical renaissance, born of alien echoes and bardic defiance, now reshapes the arts of Kulthea. New schools of composition emerge, mages take up song, and bards once relegated to taverns now command armies of listeners in magical amphitheaters.

And still, rumors persist: that deeper within Layana's hoard of memory crystals lies one recording... not from Kulthea at all.
At first, her performances—employing reconstructed alien instruments through raw spellcraft—were derided. Selkai's nobility sneered at the rhythmic pulses and atonal shifts. In Haalkitaine's Marik Theatre, her debut was called a "sorcerous cacophony fit for street dogs and drunk apprentices." Yet outside the marble-walled estates, her songs caught fire. Literally, in some cases, as summoned flame-horns and essence-woven aether-drums danced above raucous amphitheaters.

Soon, the House of Kieron in Selkai consecrated wine with Layana's songs. Mage-artisans from Lys began crafting arcane instruments that mimicked the quindara but sang in alien scales. The city's palaces and pleasure halls filled with what many called "Soundfire"—music impossible to perform without magic.

Thus was born the Grand Music Contest of Kulthea, now known widely as Layana's Songfire. Initially held in Sel-kai's Great Circle, the first arena-born gatherings drew thousands, with memory crystals capturing every tune, shimmer, and tear of joy. The tradition spread quickly—first to Haalkitaine's Imperial Amphitheater, then into the forests of northern Jaiman, even into the great Elven forest near Norek.

Yet, politics followed fast behind the melodies. An infamous dispute broke out between Merchant Prince Rylec Qaterris of Eidolon and Emperor Jerryk Faslurin of Rhakhaan. Each claimed their domain harbored the greatest music and artistry of Kulthea. To resolve the growing rivalry (and avoid another royal duel on the Bay of Izar), Layana proposed a compromise: send the recorded memory crystals to Nomikos, the legendary city of lore, where a jury of musicians—ancient, modern, and possibly non-human—would judge the year's performances.

This Jury, now known as the **Council of Harmonic Truth, includes:**

1. Zenfelir the Bard of Selkai, a Linær Elf whose mastery of the quindara is unmatched.

2. Prince Toren Faslurin, heir and accomplished medir soloist.

3. Liryndi Nomir, a Myri high-voice known for interpreting the tonal syntax of the ancient Shay tongue.

4. Chor Talyn, a Priest of Kieron who plays symphonies with wine-glasses and fire.

Let this be known for all people on Kulthea that the competition starts now.

Have Fun!
Micael

[Micael]

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  New Shadow World Community Project
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"Haunting Songs of Kulthea" – A Musical Journey Across Eras and Echoes
Coming Soon to Spotify

The worlds of Kulthea are rich with melody, myth, and magic—and now, we invite you, the global Shadow World community, to join us in shaping its sound.

Inspired by the in-world lore of Layana Ixbridge, the rebellious noble bard who uncovered ancient memory crystals containing the strange music of the First and Second Eras—including rumored tones of the K'ta'viiri, the Jinteni, and other alien peoples—we are launching an ambitious community-driven project:

"Haunting Songs of Kulthea"

A curated, fan-voted Shadow World music album—to be recorded and released on Spotify and other streaming platforms.

  Your Role in the Project

Whether you're a bard, composer, Loremaster, or passionate listener, we need your creativity to bring this vision to life:

:musical_score: SUBMIT your original compositions where you own all rights exclusively using lyrics from Kulthean history inspired by Shadow World's diverse cultures—be they Linæri harp ballads, haunting Raekin trios, Taranian synthetics, pop music from reality which is fitting or street chants from Sel-kai.

  VOTE on your favorite tracks—entries will be recorded into our "memory crystal archives," and the top-voted pieces will form the final album.

SHARE your musical inspiration—Did you imagine an Erlin bard at the hearth or a chorus echoing from the Tower of Mount Jarak?

:classical_building: Curated by the Council of Harmonic Truth

All fans on discord or the forum will get the nominated songs and can vote them into the album.

This album is not just a celebration of Shadow World's sonic depth—it's a collaborative time capsule, capturing what music means in-universe and out-of-character.

** Project Timeline**

Submission Period Opens: October 17st, 2025

Community Voting: every 2 weeks for deciding one song out of two
Release Date (Tentative): Spring 2026

Platform: Spotify, ICE Forum, Discord and others

   Join the Conversation!
Share your ideas and demos on the ICE Forums, Discord, or tag your work with #SongsOfKulthea on social media.

Let's echo the legacy of Layana Ixbridge and bring the Haunting Songs of Kulthea to life—across cultures, across eras, and across worlds.

Have fun!
Micael

[Micael]

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Starting this community project with the story around the beloved great female Emperor Vania of Emer. The lyrics of both versions are the same, but the musical interpretation is different. Just decide in the following vote, which of these two song versions would be  called more positive attention to Shadow World and of course which version you like most.

1.  Vanias Fall
link to community server google drive song

2. The scepter of Emer
link to community server google drive song

link to poll/voting on ICE discord server:
link to voting on ICE discord server

If you need an invitaton to the ICE discord server because you never used it before, click here:

invitation to ICE discord server

Have fun!
Micael

[Micael]

Shadow World Community Call — Your Feedback Needed!
link to ICE discord server discussion
Now that the Haunting Songs of Kulthea project has had a few days to settle in, it's time to truly make it a community creation—and that means your voice matters!

Join the discussion here

We'd love your thoughts on a few key aspects:

1. The Story Behind the Project

Do you enjoy the lore-based concept with Layana Ixbridge and the memory crystals from ancient eras?

Any ideas to expand or adjust the setting?

Would you like to see it tied even more deeply into specific regions or NPCs?

2. Rules & Participation

Are the submission and voting rules clear and fair?

Would you suggest changes to encourage broader participation?

Anything you'd like simplified or added?

3. The First Songs

Some initial pieces are already taking shape—both lyrics and melodies.

What do you think of the lyrics? (Do they feel lore-rich, poetic, or immersive?)

How do you feel about the melodies and vocalists?

Any favorites or suggestions?

This is our chance to build something beautiful together—a cultural artifact of Kulthea that lives in both the real world and the world of Shadow. Your feedback will help tune the harmony.

Looking forward to hearing your voices—on and off the stage.

[Micael]

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The Songfire Part 2:
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An anonymous source further revealed: "For the next performance, the Redcapes are expected to question the jury quite thoroughly about the curious criteria behind their choices..."

The same source claimed that Lady Layana Ixbridge herself was quietly pressured into returning to Sel-kai, where she is now performing as lead vocalist for the Emer presentation—supposedly to help secure its success.

Meanwhile, Emperor Jerin of Jaiman was said to be quite amused by the turn of events, noting that Layana already performed a verse in the Jaiman version of the song into a memory crystal. "Now," he reportedly quipped, "her voice will grace both sides—no matter who wins, she sings."

1. The Lord of Ulor (Emer Version)  link to song 1

2.  The Demise of the Phoenix Crown (Jaiman Version)  link to song 2

The poll for your votings is up here: link to voting on Discord ICE server

Have fun!
Micael