Comments on: How to start a horror campaign http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/how-to-start-a-horror-campaign The D&D Blog Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:54:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Captin Koro http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/how-to-start-a-horror-campaign#comment-11917 Captin Koro Tue, 03 Aug 2010 03:46:53 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/how-to-start-a-horror-campaign#comment-11917 While I have added elements of horror in my campaigns before, I have never really succeeded in keeping my players from quoting or making jokes that killed the mood. However, one of my friends who has taken up the mantle of DM recently has almost mastered the craft of making horror. One thing he does is put us in places where there is not escape (rocks fall and NPC's die, dungeon entrance mysteriously is a wall, ect. ect.), and if we somehow do escape (via fighter's adamantine sword or nystrul's magic pigments) he plays the, "you can run but you can't run far enough" and have the campaign change because we ran away. Also, another thing he is a fan of is using the taint mechanic found in oriental adventures or heroes of horror. It is terrifying to a character when they find themselves in an area that is tainted and they don't know it, and suddenly start having skin sough off or green, oily boils bursting across your body, and worse when they start going insane. While I have added elements of horror in my campaigns before, I have never really succeeded in keeping my players from quoting or making jokes that killed the mood. However, one of my friends who has taken up the mantle of DM recently has almost mastered the craft of making horror. One thing he does is put us in places where there is not escape (rocks fall and NPC’s die, dungeon entrance mysteriously is a wall, ect. ect.), and if we somehow do escape (via fighter’s adamantine sword or nystrul’s magic pigments) he plays the, “you can run but you can’t run far enough” and have the campaign change because we ran away. Also, another thing he is a fan of is using the taint mechanic found in oriental adventures or heroes of horror. It is terrifying to a character when they find themselves in an area that is tainted and they don’t know it, and suddenly start having skin sough off or green, oily boils bursting across your body, and worse when they start going insane.

]]> By: Takaiteishu http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/how-to-start-a-horror-campaign#comment-9939 Takaiteishu Tue, 12 Jan 2010 03:56:41 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/how-to-start-a-horror-campaign#comment-9939 I've never DMed a horror campaign, but one of my original DMs was incredibly fond of that kind of campaign, and was good at it too. One of my favorite memories of that campaign involved a special kind of golem, one made from oozes. The magical immunity of golems combined with the multiplying ability of oozes, and we had only one bludgeoning weapon in the entire group. Later in that same campaign my half-orc character was sneak attacked by a half-elf rogue with a special dagger. It turns out that half-elf was actually a werewolf and coated that dagger with the saliva of her hybrid form, none of us realized it until my character changed for the first time three weeks later. I’ve never DMed a horror campaign, but one of my original DMs was incredibly fond of that kind of campaign, and was good at it too. One of my favorite memories of that campaign involved a special kind of golem, one made from oozes. The magical immunity of golems combined with the multiplying ability of oozes, and we had only one bludgeoning weapon in the entire group. Later in that same campaign my half-orc character was sneak attacked by a half-elf rogue with a special dagger.

It turns out that half-elf was actually a werewolf and coated that dagger with the saliva of her hybrid form, none of us realized it until my character changed for the first time three weeks later.

]]> By: MisterHavoc http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/how-to-start-a-horror-campaign#comment-7904 MisterHavoc Mon, 04 May 2009 23:59:44 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/how-to-start-a-horror-campaign#comment-7904 The first campaign I ran, I aimed for a horror campaign. I wanted to add elements that avoided a straightforward dungeon-crawl or "roll-play" game. I wanted characters with character for ROLEplaying. It started off well enough. A couple of festivals to make things interesting and get the PCs used to combat, and then slowly introducing the master plot line. Horror can also come up when something leaves the PCs shocked and stunned, especially when they're the ones at fault (Leaving themselves open because they never would've expected danger from that source). I'm personally a fan of betrayal as a theme for that as well... To make a long story short, the sweet, innocent halfling the paladin PC married... Turned out to be a Lich, ultimately using the party to further her own goals (A modified version of Dahlia Thistledown for those who have the Libris Mortis). The first campaign I ran, I aimed for a horror campaign. I wanted to add elements that avoided a straightforward dungeon-crawl or “roll-play” game. I wanted characters with character for ROLEplaying. It started off well enough. A couple of festivals to make things interesting and get the PCs used to combat, and then slowly introducing the master plot line.

Horror can also come up when something leaves the PCs shocked and stunned, especially when they’re the ones at fault (Leaving themselves open because they never would’ve expected danger from that source). I’m personally a fan of betrayal as a theme for that as well…

To make a long story short, the sweet, innocent halfling the paladin PC married… Turned out to be a Lich, ultimately using the party to further her own goals (A modified version of Dahlia Thistledown for those who have the Libris Mortis).

]]> By: blake http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/how-to-start-a-horror-campaign#comment-6827 blake Mon, 16 Feb 2009 02:33:18 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/how-to-start-a-horror-campaign#comment-6827 "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." - H.P. Lovecraft I just started a horror campaign yesterday (my first campaign ever) and alot of it is based on the mythos. the way to get to them is mentally, not phisicaly. mess with their minds, create an ambiance. let the slow feeing of dread creep over them as the chips begin to stack and they realize the worst is yet to come. Remember, in the dugeon no one can hear you scream ;P “The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.”
– H.P. Lovecraft
I just started a horror campaign yesterday (my first campaign ever) and alot of it is based on the mythos. the way to get to them is mentally, not phisicaly. mess with their minds, create an ambiance. let the slow feeing of dread creep over them as the chips begin to stack and they realize the worst is yet to come. Remember, in the dugeon no one can hear you scream ;P

]]> By: Onimaru http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/how-to-start-a-horror-campaign#comment-5911 Onimaru Sat, 01 Nov 2008 07:24:45 +0000 http://www.dungeonmastering.com/campaigns-adventures/how-to-start-a-horror-campaign#comment-5911 Horror is nifty. The best this to do to get someone to love their character. Give their character something to love. If you can, make the object of love something they can relate to. Horror is nifty. The best this to do to get someone to love their character. Give their character something to love. If you can, make the object of love something they can relate to.

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