Rivanna — Sound Design

In the past, Rivanna was a blacksmith who loved watching birds. In the present, she is the slayer of a terrible dragon, who has adopted its madness and thirst for murder. Once, after falling into a pit while birdwatching, she could no longer escape the captivity of an ancient dragon living in an underground city. Many years later, Rivanna killed the creature, but instead of the freedom she craved, she received a curse.

The sound concept is built around a dark ambient soundscape that «lives» like the character—it breathes, bleeds, and goes insane throughout the game, just like the protagonist. Combined with some techno and a «weeping» choir, the sound constantly shifts from something beautiful (the character’s past) to something grotesque (the present).

The trailer tells the story of Rivanne, exploring her memories of nature and confinement. Harps and flutes were used to convey the contrasts—as a leitmotif of the past—while litavre and muffled female voices were used to build tension, serving as the sounds of the past.

Prompt: Cinematic dark fantasy sound design, foley, ambient, orchestral: [0:00-0:10] Quiet water splashes, misty wind, drips; soft bird chirps, rustling branches/grass/hydrangeas. [0:11-0:24] Heavy smooth steps on grass, quiet armor clinks; plucked stem, claw scratch, soft sigh. [0:25-0:36] Magical fire whoosh, crackling petals, sparks; wind carries ash, lonely flute/harp note. [0:37-0:44] Mountain wind, distant lake, embers; rising low drone before flashback. [0:45-0:57] Bass boom, dark dungeon ambience, torch echo; sharp swing, armor clang, body thud; heavy echo, dripping blood, low drone, breathing. [0:58-1:03] Grinding bloody claws, rising strings, distorted stinger, abrupt silence. [1:04-1:18] Waking breath, wind, wing flutter; joyful bird chirp on horned flower, bright chord, fade out.