Quick Links
When you first dive intoStray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, there’s a lot of scene-setting you’ll need to do first. After all, a Greek idol has just been murdered, and her power over song has transferred to you – that begets a little explanation in our books.
RELATED:Game Soundtracks That Prove Video Games Deserve A Spot At The Grammy’s
In this guide, we’ll help you hit all the major plot points of the first section of Stray Gods, covering your introduction to Calliope, Grace’s brand new power, and the panel of angry, terrified deities to whom she must explain herself. If you need help getting started with playing Stray Gods, read on ahead.
Setting The Stage: The Introduction
Band Auditions At The Community Center
To kick off Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical, you’re introduced to your character,Grace, and her bandmates as they’re auditioning new members.
This is your introduction to the game, allowing you a low-stakes chance toget a feel for the dialogueby talking with your bandmates - chiefly with your best friend and roommate,Freddie.
You’re introduced early on, but throughout the game, you’ll seea few different symbols next to dialogue optionswhen speaking to other characters:
Regardless of which options you choose or how thorough you decide to be in talking,speak with Freddie until she leaves.
Calliope’s Audition
Song: “Adrift”
Once Grace is alone, shebegins the first songof the game,“Adrift: Part One.” Thisstarts as a solo, but you’ll gain an audience shortly, withCalliope, a girl who drops by to “audition for the band.”
It’s in this part of the game that you’llchoose a nature for Grace. Check out our guide to Grace’s natures for more info on what this decision impacts, but in short, you’llchoose either Charming, Kickass, or Cleverto begin.
Throughout the scene, you’llsing a song with Calliope, and you’ll be able tochoose Grace’s general response in a songand watch her fill in with another song verse in that vein.
Each choice in a song leads to a different following verse, some of which will lead tolasting decisions with splintering paths, some of which bring you tomajor decisionsthroughout the game.
By default,you have a limited time to choose your responsefrom three options, and you’ll notice that thecolors behind each option match the colors of Grace’s natures.
These options are the ones thatmost align with Grace’s nature, but it’s important to note for storytelling purposes thatyou can choose any option presented to you regardless of the nature you chose.
That said, with every song choice leading Grace down a different path,there are dozens of ways these songs can all play outbased on different combinations of choices.
Thankfully, the first one is something of an exception, as it’s introducing you to the game, but you’llhear a different rendition of Grace and Calliope’s duet based on your choicesas the two ladies sing,“Adrift: Part Two"together.
This will continue to be true throughout the game, but singing with Calliope is an introduction to the mechanic ofsinging songs to make Grace’s decisions throughout the game.
Following the song, you’ll have abrief but tender conversation with Calliopebefore the scene ends.
RELATED:Games Where Your Choices Have Actual Consequences
Calliope’s Death And Meeting Hermes
After a short transition, you’ll be atGrace’s Apartmentafter the auditions when you hear abanging at the door. Upon Grace opening the door, amortally wounded Calliopefalls into the apartment,
You have a couple dialogue options here as Calliope lays in your arms, but none of them change fate:Calliope dies, and when she does,a yellow glowing orb comes out of her chest and floats into Grace’s.
With practically no time to adjust, another stranger appears:Hermes, who’s here to bring Grace before The Chorus.
You canask Hermes a few questions about what’s going on and where they need to take you, but regardless, after the conversation,tell Hermes you’re ready to goto end the scene.
Meeting The Chorus
Hermes leads Grace toAthena’s Office at Olympus, where she waits alone untilfour gods enter the roomand introduce themselves as The Chorus.The Chorusconsists ofthe leader, Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, but it also includesApollo, God of the Sun,Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, andPersephone, the Goddess of Death.
As they talk, Athena fills Grace in on what’s happening: theyellow glow wasCalliope’s “eidolon,“thething that made her a God, which was passed onto Grace when Calliope died. This has fused Grace’s spirit into Calliope, the Last Muse.Because of this,Grace is now the Goddess of Epic Poetry.
Not only is this confounding to Grace, but it comes with a snag:Grace now stands accused of murdering Calliope, and will soon be killed.
Song: “The Chorus In Accord”
Time tosing a plea to The Chorus, in a song called,“The Chorus in Accord.“Throughout the song, you’ll have several choices to plead your case, but nothing is decided untilApollo speaks up to disagree with your sentence.
After accusations and explanations, The Chorus begrudgingly agrees:Grace has one week to prove she didn’t murder Calliope.
If you canfigure out who actually killed her, you’ll be spared this fate andallowed to live, but if youcan’t figure it outand go to trial without an answer,Grace will be executedfor a murder she didn’t commit.
With thestakes of the game laid outclearly andGrace with Calliope’s powersnow, Grace heads back home to begin her investigation - somehow.
