Lead singer Alea of Saltatio Mortis is now a playable character in The Dark Eye.
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Saltatio! … Mortis!
OK, it doesn't sound written down. But you all just shouted the name in my head. Saltatio Mortis is a German metal bandwhich fans of medieval rock in particular will surely have on their playlists. But even if you are a fan of the German pen and paper band Das Schwarze Auge, the name might ring a bell.
In combination with Das Schwarze Auge, the band is currently making a name for itself: a few weeks ago, their latest album Finsterwacht was released and landed directly at number 1 in the album charts in the week of release.
But there is more to the album's success than that. In truth, it is an impressive, cross-media work.
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This is the Darkwatch
The Finsterwacht was created from a cooperation between the DSA editorial team, the band Saltatio Mortis and the bestselling author Bernhard Hennen (The Elves, The Phileasson Saga). The result is a multimedia all-round experience that consists of several contents:
- A solo adventure for DSA5: “The Swan's Last Victory” is a solo adventure for The Dark Eye, in which you experience an adventure either as a knight or as Saltatio front singer Alea the Modest.
- A scenario for DSA5: Following the extensive solo adventure, there is a short scenario for a group game.
- Music album by Saltatio Mortis: A full album by the rock band with a total of 11 thematically matching songs.
- A DSA novel: Bernhard Hennen, together with Torsten Weitze, contributes a 400-page novel called “The Fires of the Darkwatch.”
- Miniatures by Saltatio Mortis: All seven band members are now available to buy as miniatures in their DSA version.
All of these elements are linked by the story of the Dark Watch: a series of watchtowers that are supposed to warn the human land of possible hurricane attacks. In addition, both the band members and the protagonists of the novel meet in the adventures. The band provides musical accompaniment to the game sessions or the novel.
If you want the biggest package, including dice and autograph cards from the band, you can buy the complete Finsterwacht box from Ulisses. The package costs a total of 70 euros. Only the miniatures are not included.
This is how the Darkwatch was created
A cooperation between the band and the DSA editorial team has been on the table since 2021At that time, editor-in-chief Nikolai Hoch met the band in a hotel in Stuttgart and got into conversation with band members Falk Irmenfried von Hasen-Mümmelstein (real name Gunter Kopf) and Jean Méchant (Jan S. Mischon).
Two years later, the final decision was made. A collaboration between Das Schwarze Auge and the band was planned – originally, it was supposed to result in a handful of songs, but ultimately everything became much bigger. In an interview with OrkenspalterTV The band talks in more detail about the cooperation.
Parallel to the current Band's castle tour also found in the novel and the pen & paper adventure a tour of a band of minstrels through the Finsterwacht Everyone involved was enthusiastic about these ideas and put a lot of effort into implementing the cooperation.
Both Bernhard Hennen and Falk Irmenfried von Hasen-Mümmelstein were authors for The Dark Eye at a young age. The latter even contributed a lot to the new solo adventure.
The band's tour runs until September 6, 2024But the band also continues to perform with Finsterwacht outside of this. For example, at the Elbenwald Festival in Cottbus from August 2nd to 4th and at the SPIEL in Essen from October 3rd to 6th.
So, now it's time for the minstrel's oath: and everyone! Oooh-oh-ho-ho-hooooo-ho …