Escape the Preset Path. The chittering, crackling, cackling sounds of the night, a loud gust of wind. A dark city, drawn in shadows, with purple flames and falling leaves. All inside the eyes of a furry, gray spider (“Sleep Sound,” 0:00-0:05). No words have been spoken yet, but it’s already uncomfortable and tense. Traditionally, D&D leans towards heroic fantasy, and this is more of a horror introduction. Yet, Drizzt Do’Urden is still a hero. Through this animated poem about dragon hero Drizzt Do’Urden’s origin, “Sleep Sound” shows us how D&D and fantasy adventurers don’t need to be Middle-earth heroes. Instead, it shows that heroes can come from any background, that regardless of where you come from, you can help the world and have companions. …show more content…
While the drow are depicted in cool tones (white hair that is more blue than yellow, purple/blue skin, dark clothes), the non-drow characters are introduced in warm tones and are typically given light from some sort of amber source, a much more stereotypically heroic look (“Sleep Sound,” 1:54-2:00, 2:04-2:09, 2:16). During this time, Drizzt also starts to be shown in warm lighting, even if it does contrast a bit with the cooler tones of his body. This change in lighting creates a change in Drizzt’s purpose in the story, moving him from villain to hero. Despite the change in how Drizzt is treated through lighting, the narration firmly rests as a cautionary and threatening tale. Listening to Cumberbatch’s narration, he speaks slowly with a grave tone and a very even pace that seems designed to echo (“Sleep Sound”). This makes for a quietly threatening tone, that while not aggressive, it is dangerous. It’s a warning, but instead of aggressive and in your face, it is soft and sounds like a favor. The sound effects add to this, starting off with whistles, then adding chimes, then what sounds like growling and buzzing (“Sleep Sound,” 0:00-1:00). Together, it feels like a