Partitio, the Merchant/Agnea, the Dancer

Track 1-7: Partitio, the Merchant

Partitio not only uses his innate good cheer and business acumen to bring a town back from the brink of collapse, he’s also kind enough to choose the path that leads to happiness for everyone. When he is betrayed by a mentor figure, he responds to this adversity by setting out on a journey to bring justice and happiness to the world. While composing his theme, expressing this positive, manly nature was foremost in my mind.

The main instrument in the theme is the alto sax. I used this instrument for Alfyn’s theme in OT1 as well, and I mentioned in my analysis of that theme that the alto sax was rarely used in RPGs, especially with fantasy settings. But in the end, it seemed the best choice for conveying how cool and manly Partitio is.

For Alfyn’s theme, I asked for a tone that was as kind and gentle as possible, but for Partitio I wanted to emphasize coolness, so I had the saxophonist play in a way that let the sax’s distinctive qualities shine.

That saxophonist was Ryoji Ihara (@iharaOREBRAND).

The electric guitar is also a central element of the theme’s sound, and another instrument not often used in fantasy games—with the exception of battle music and the like.

However, the world of OCTOPATH TRAVELER II is right on the cusp of an industrial revolution, with its civilization about to get a huge boost from the appearance of the steam engine. Considering the affinity between this aspect and Partitio’s story in particular, I decided to include the electric guitar part. That said, I did take great care not to overstep the line and undermine the worldbuilding.

Incidentally, my first version of Partitio’s theme was rejected for being a bit too aggressive in tone, but it was eventually revived in slightly modified form as “Gil on the Keys.”

Track 1-8: Agnea, the Dancer

Agnea sets out on her journey from a sleepy country village named Cropdale. She dreams of becoming a superstar who brings happiness to people around the world. Among the travelers, she is especially cheerful, and almost seems to sparkle, just as a dancer should. However, she is also straightforward and unpretentious due to her rural upbringing, and I tried to express that in her theme.

One element I adopted into the arrangement is the Celtic genre called the jig. Much of the music for Cropdale and the Leaflands, where Agnea starts her journey, also uses Celtic motifs.

Jigs were originally dance music played in taverns, so they have a very cheerful feel. That said, as jigs go, Agnea’s theme is a little slow.

Many Celtic songs also have a hint of melancholy to them, and this can be heard in the introduction to Agnea’s theme. However, as she strives to bring people happiness, I tried to make the refrain in the middle as bright and cheerful as her character.

In this song, the main melody is performed on a violin, but the sheet music actually says “fiddle.” I’m sure you’ve heard of a fiddle before—it’s often used in Celtic music. It’s actually the exact same instrument as a violin, but the name used depends on the genre of the music and how the instrument is played.

In other words, in an orchestral setting, it’s called a “violin,” but for Celtic music, it’s called a “fiddle.” Don’t you love the way music preserves its origins and cultural roots like this?

By the way, the choice of name is a big deal. The performer’s whole approach to the music depends on whether the score reads “violin” or “fiddle.” They may be the same instrument, but the way they’re played is completely different—so different that some classical violinists can’t play the “fiddle” at all.

This might be a weird analogy, but it might be kind of like how European and Indian curry are made using different spices, in completely different ways.

However, there are some musicians who can serve up European-style, Indian-style, or even Japanese-style curry, so to speak. Atsuki Yoshida (@ats_vl), who played all the violin solos for this project, is one of these all-rounders, and can switch skillfully between genres as needed.

Translation: Matt Treyvaud