Background Music

Music for Locations

Music for Villages

I used a collection of about three to represent the villages and some of the less thematic areas (such as Lake Zarovich or the Wizard of the Wines). These are bleak, but nonintrusive pieces that really set the mood for what a normal day in Barovia is like. This one I used for the Village of Barovia, this one for Vallaki and [this one](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxvEbqKZy-0) for general traveling. YouTube is lousy for this kind of music.[1]

Music for Castle Ravenloft

Within Castle Ravenloft. The trick is to use the music within the castle sparingly or it can get old, fast. This piece shares a leitmotif with a bunch of other tunes here, and has just enough of a sinister overtone while not being overbearing that it can be used in areas like the Great Hall, when you want to give a sense of gothic, vampire awe. [2]

Vistani Camp. I actually came across this way after finishing Strahd, and wished I had it before. [3]

Music for Battling Strahd in Ravenloft

Music can get super tedious in battles that rage on, so it’s best to switch it up. My Strahd battle was broken into four phases, it turns out.[4]

[Versus Strahd](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tAkiP4WE-0). Uses the same leitmotif as Within Ravenloft, but with a sense of urgency and deadliness that makes it perfect for a fight. I love this one for the final battle.[5]

The Vampire Brides. The waltz just works for these three ladies. [6]

Reinforcements. If Strahd chooses to leave and heal while sending reinforcements, a break from the samey music made for a welcome break (only for it to come back in full force a short time later).[7]

[Strahd’s Return](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb7tQhUW0Ao). This is like Within Ravenloft and Versus Strahd, but with a bit more urgency. A good piece to play when the vampire lord is almost dead.[8]

The Defeat of Strahd. This piece uses leitmotifs from the Strahd Battle and from the Within Ravenloft piece, and really provides a sense of change, hope and closure.[9]

Amber Temple 1 – Two tunes here. The first is best played when the characters arrive at the temple for the first time and are still exploring it. Amber Temple 2 is better once the characters start speaking to the Vestiges and stirring up trouble with Liches. [10]

Old Bonegrinder. I … don’t have music for this. Weird, this seems like an oversight considering the walk to the bonegrinder can be extremely atmospheric if you use the hags’ lair regional effects. [11]

Ruins of Berez. There’s a murky, swampy quality to this piece that fits the fog-shrouded, flooded village. It never swells up loud, and keeps it all very quiet and creepy.[12]

Yester Hill. This piece uses a choir in a way that works if the players look into Strahd’s past in the aftermath of the druid business. [13]

The Madhouse – This tune & George Crumb’s music are exactly the sort of on-edge intense shit that works perfectly in Barovia. Sprinkle this and his other pieces throughout the campaign for maximum effect.[14]

Tsolenka Pass. This small trip up the mountains could easily be the calmest few hours the characters experience in a long time. This calming piece of music is excellent to put people at ease, before the terror of the Amber Temple. [15]

Music for Characters

Strahd needs a killer tune when he is first introduced. This piece from FFXIV is the perfect sinister piece that really lets everyone know that this guy is big, big trouble. After a couple of encounters, the players learned to fear the notes.[16]

Rahadin. This depends when you encounter Rahadin – frankly this can be used for a number of characters – but the piece was so well-composed in how it portrayed both the friendly and deadly side of Ardyn in FFXV that it perfectly matched the Rahadin in my game.[17]

Rictavio. I used this both when they encountered the man and first entered his tower. Frankly I don’t think the players noticed. I love this piece for him because it’s both goofy and sinister, and has a slight Vistani accordion tinge. [18]

Madame Eva. The vocals at the start of this tune are perfect for the card reading, and the cheerful music after sounds great when reality comes swimming back to the players. The trick is to time it well and hope the players don’t ask too many questions.[19]

Events and Battle

I had no real use for this piece except when I first revealed that the players had entered Barovia region, before finishing the session. But it makes a good general “theme tune” for the campaign. Play it before each session or during the recap.[20]

Battle Themes

St. Andral’s Feast The church bells here works great if the players fail to bring back the Bones of St. Andral, and the vampires descend upon the church. A really dark piece of music for a grim battle.

A Place in Ruins. This is a fantastic aftermath piece. Absolute bummer of a tune, really emphasises just how bad things have gotten.[21]

Death. Your PCs will probably get killed. This makes for a powerful funeral theme.[22]