Post/Author/DateTime	Post
bobotheguy 02-21-08, 05:31 PM	Hello there, I am an experienced DM, and I would like to create an entire campaign filled with horror, to do this I am doing two new things at alter from my normal DM tendencies. First, I am going to make the entire campaign first. and then second, I am going to be REALLY descriptive with my environments, and my NPCs The reason I am posting here is to look for feedback, and opinions on some of the plot and descriptions I have already developed. First, the history/plot. Kingdom X, which recently defeated Kingdom Y in the "War of Thorns" has been sending groups to govern the recently captured cities. The Pcs, are one such group sent to the city of Newport. About a days travel, they rest at the Whisperwind Inn, where they recieve an invitation to a challenge from Tobias Helmstriker (defeated captain in the war of Thorns, fought for Kingdom Y, although PCs are unaware of this) he invites them to his castle, Castle Avigne, which over looks Newport. Secretly, Tobias is attracting people to use them to remake his batallion that was utterly destroyed in the war (again, PCs dont know) From there, this can go anywhere, and also, this plot is open for opinions that may add to the horror. Although this plot itself isnt horror-esque, It comes down to the individual encounters and the descritpions the make it horror. here is an example of a description "Its Midday, or at least it should be. Not even the rays of the sun can pierce the gloom above you. All around you the woods are alive, but they are not as they should be. Twisted, gnarled trees seem to lash out at you as you traverse the narrow path up the mountain. Luckily for you, the fog has lifted, no longer hampering your vision. But even as you take in the disturbed forrest, you wish it were back. Ahead the trail opens into a clearing. Old broken stone pillars mark out a pathetic form of a circle. ancient runes marr these pillars, but also does the smears of blood and the marks of a ravaged beast. Vines also creep up the sides of the pillars to ensure of the pillars final resting place. Amid the pillars is a circular dias with four flights of stairs leading to it. Standing atop the dias is a humanoid figure, holding a gnarled staff and wearing a torn tattered cloak also smeared with blood of a dark ichor. As you appraoch, however, he is suddenly overcome with a series of seizures and his body is lifted into the air. He turns, middair to reveal a grizzled white beard that masks his crazed red eyes. At the apex of his flight, he lets loose a blood-curdling scream as his body is slammed into the dias, showering the areas with blood and gore. Before you, summons four creatures reething of corruption and upon the dias now stands a sick perversion of a jester, clad entirely in gray. he turns upon you and purrs "Oh Goody, new play things!" And with a wicked grin and an evil cackle, he whips around his scepter and bellows "Get them! Hahahahahah!!!" Horror? Please, any input would be helpful Bobo
Kontagion 02-21-08, 08:00 PM	I love horror games :D. Anyways, I wouldn't worry about the plot - as long as the details of your game evoke a feeling of dread in your players, I'd say it's horror. But if you really wanted to make the plot itself an object of horror, you could add a twist to the main antagonist. Maybe he was horribly disfigured in a battle, and now seeks revenge on everyone involved in the war. Or maybe he has sold his soul to a demon for a second chance at victory. You could even make him a sympathetic villain - perhaps he sold his soul not out of personal ambition, but for his people. Anyways, just my 2 cents. :coolcthul:
Zootsuit 02-22-08, 06:25 PM	I've always wanted to run a horror game! Please keep us informed with how it turns out. Anyway, the unifying thing about all horror (movies, games, whatever) genres is that they get the viewers (or players) on the edge of their seats just before a revelation for maximum fear-induction. Knowing that, I'd suggest that you set the playing scene before the game begins: turn out all the light, play by the light of a few candles, put on some creepy music. You'd be really surprised by the amount of tension you can generate just with creepy music! Your descriptions are really graphic (and good!) and will only benefit from the music. Isolation can also be scary. You might work in a point where all the PCs get separated (locked in separate jail cells, or in pairs maybe) and physically separate them in different rooms until they can work their way back together. I hope it turns out as good as it sounds!
bobotheguy 02-22-08, 06:32 PM	I thought a bit more about the plot, and I came to this conclusion. Tobias, was slain in the War of Thorns, however he made a pact with Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead, where he HAS to remake his slaughtered batallion. When the PCs slay Tobias, Orcus sends him back one last time, demanding DOUBLE the bodies. Tobias then heads to Newport and slowly begins to corrupt and taint its populace I think however, trying to "set the mood" with the candles and whatnot, might be discarded, see the poeple I would be playing with enjoy D&D very much, but not quite to that extent (plus it might end up being online...) Thanks for your input, ill keep you updated and whatnot when I finally finish and begin this campaign. Bobo
adgramaine 02-22-08, 07:18 PM	First off, you already said it yourself... your main foci need to be the settings/environs and the NPCs/creatures. Description is going to make or break the game. My best advice: get your friends/players together for a "movie night", and watch a good mix of horror/thriller movies. But you don't need to be watching the movies; you need to be watching your friends. See, I don't scare easy... at all. So I watch how people react to things that are supposed to be scary, and respond accordingly. If I know Bob gets the heebie-geebies over blood and gore with no discernible source, you know I am going to drop something like that in the session. If Laura can't stand it when animals get hurt, then I'm going to have zombie wolves... Point is - never rely on what YOU think fits as horror. The genre is too personal, and to truly be effective you need to be able to connect with your audience. Then hit them where it hurts! :evillaugh
bobotheguy 02-22-08, 07:33 PM	Adgramaine, that is actually a really good Idea. Thanks very much. Bobo
adgramaine 02-22-08, 10:33 PM	Glad I could help! Be sure to let us know how the game goes!!!
bobotheguy 02-27-08, 01:49 AM	Well, today I finished the layout and the jist of the Dungeon "Challenge". The actual place is called "The Dungeon of Dol'Arrath" Long ago, the vault beneath the dungeon housed a mighty Demon, his imprisonment was secured by the very evil of his being. In order to acces the vault, the PCs must gather four orbs, and arrange them in the correct order. The Orb of Pestilence, the Orb of Madness and Chaos, the Orb of Death and Evil, and finally the Orb of Pain and Destruction. However, Dol'Arraths prision was replaced to serve as the treasury of the residing Lord of the Castle. Tobias uses this as a lure for adventurers., however the intent of his Challenge is to harvest the bodies demanded by Orcus. See, once the Vault is opened, the PCs loot, and they comeback to the central hub (where the Orb puzzle is) to find a descending flight of stairs. These stairs lead to an Inactive gate to Hell that Tobias seeks to open (the souls will help open the gate, bodies to repay his debt and raise his batallion) When the Pcs Return to the Central Hub, they find Tobias as the Villan he is, and they must defeat him as they fight spills out into the castle interior. So, the Challenge itself. As mentioned, the object is to secure the four Orbs, and as such I divided the dungeon into four regions. 1. Pestilence- The PCs begin by stumbling into a trapped room that floods. two statue constructs and a caged monster attack, and only their defeat lowers the water level (sewage water). In the next room, bodies are amasses in huge piles, and creatures attack from the piles. 2. Madness/Chaos- So, this room contains 5 and 10ft platforms over a bottomless abyss, however oonly a few of the platforms are in fact real. and the "Altars" that seem to hold the Orb are in themselves illusions, the actual orb resides behind a secret trap door in one of the 10ft platforms 3. Death/Evil- 1st part, various undead are released from their huskglobes (Libris Mortis) in a grisly "museum" and in the next room, the floor is checkerboarded with a trap. Every other square deals Negative damage, and they must once again fight undead. 4. Pain Destruction- 1st part, swinging Axe blades, misleading door (another secret door!) 2nd part, spikes that erupt from the floor and the ceiling. and lastly, a room 25 x 40 ft and each turn, the floor begins to crumble away, revealing an dark chasm below Again, I havent put in mosters or described it yet, I just wanted to update you readers on my plans. As always, PEACH. Bobo
Dog_O_War 02-27-08, 11:58 AM	For encounters that should be horrifying but are often reduced to trivial (like fighting some zombies) insert an artificial fear effect. When I use a horror-type setting or adventure arc, I give an encounter with unnatural or otherwise should-be-scary things a will-save apon initiative. An example of this is a group of 4 zombies (encounter level 2). Normally no one is scared of this, but offer a fear effect at 5+CR (or EL for multiple monsters) and all of a sudden players are like, "what?! saving throw?" While it's only a will save DC: 7, they can fail and it offers a new element to the game. Another thing I do is remove a certain amount of control from the players (I do this anyways to prevent cheating and metagaming) is roll certain things for them. Being out of control is scary for some people, allowing imaginations to run wild, and a paranoia to set in. I roll their fortitude and will saving throws for them, only telling them that I have done so for things that would take effect immediately (like poison). Stuff such as a charm spell or taint effects won't be apparent until later. Often what foils a good plot or the versimilitude is metagame thoughts that are derived from being told to "make a save". A description of "Jim doesn't look so good." followed by "Jim, you lose 6 points of con" puts players into overdrive for fear effects.
Orchomenos 02-27-08, 01:52 PM	I suggest the campaign world be low-magic. You can have a dozen of zombies attacking the PCs, if the wizard simply says "I throw a fireball in the middle", or the cleric just decides to Turn Undead, then it breaks the mood. You can have spellcasters, but they are themselves view with suspicion in either Kingdom X or Y or in both. Take a look at these variant rules (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/variantCampaigns.htm), especially taint and sanity. Involve the players. Individually ask each of them to think about one or two dark secrets that you could develop into deals with demons or the like. The more they can hide their secret, the better it is because the other players won't suspect it. For example, it can be obvious the sorcerer has demonic or draconic blood to fuel his power, but who would suspect what the paladin did to save his sister?
adgramaine 03-02-08, 12:19 AM	...Take a look at these variant rules (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/variantCampaigns.htm), especially taint and sanity.... Agreed. My setting uses both to horrifying capacity. Plus, we don't use the Jade item rules. :schemes: Off the cuff, I must say I love the dungeon's name - very evocative~ Here's an evil twist you might consider... after looking over the taint and sanity rules, you might want to incorporate them. If this is indeed the way you go, consider having a fifth Orb... we'll call it the Orb of Oblivion. If a character possesses an Orb, but does not have the Orb of Oblivion, the character slowly looses Sanity and gains Taint... maybe eventually twisting the poor fool into something foul... say the Tainted Soul (I think that is what it is called... it's in Heroes of Horror) or Farspawn (Lords of Madness) Templates, whereupon gaining said templates the character is compelled to begin fighting other characters. You could even have the Orb of Oblivion only "protect" the wielder of the Orb itself. Once the players get savvy to this, they begin fighting over who gets to hold the Orb of Oblivion for the "protection" it offers from Taint and Sanity loss.... Granted, these tricks would anger all but the most serious/mature role-player. But if you dive into this warning them it is a Horror game and tell them that they should not grow too attached to their characters, it can be loads of fun!!! And if you REALLY want to get evil, only tell the characters about four Orbs, and have all five of them look identical. They best enter with a Bard, or they could be out of luck, up the creek, and without a single rank in the Swim skill.... But hey, take it for what it is and use what you like and ignore the rest~ :cool: