Using D&D for fantasy horror

The_Warlock

Explorer

• Jun 11, 2009

• #21

Having recently read some original Conan stories, if they are in a large urban city state, I'm reminded of "The Scarlet Citadel", wherein there is a horribly ancient dungeon under an equally ancient palace on a hill that isn't used by the local king.

Twould be an excellent tie in to the horrors beyond the walls. Where you throw things you can capture but can't kill, or unbeknownst to the current populace, the whole city is just a big cork on something full of horrors often worse than the ones in the wilderness.

 

Last edited: Jun 11, 2009

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UngeheuerLich

Legend

• Jun 11, 2009

• #22

low level D&D is fantastic for such an adventure. Level 2 or 3 seems reasonable. Limit skills at the beginning to 2 or 3 skills which may be higher than rank 4.

if you use experts as the deafult class, it could work out really well.
and if you like more fantasy, allow all classes.

Horror games live from the atmosphere you create.. and low level D&D is deadly. (As long as a crit from a great axe wielding orc can oneshot you)

 

Desdichado

Hero

• Jun 12, 2009

• #23

I kind of like the idea of the city being a "cork" on some great evil. But I'm not into dungeoncrawls. In fact, I don't believe in them at all. Obviously, my faith in their non-existence isn't quite strong enough to cause them to actually cease to exist, but I'm getting there.

 

The_Warlock

Explorer

• Jun 12, 2009

• #24

Hobo said:

I kind of like the idea of the city being a "cork" on some great evil. But I'm not into dungeoncrawls. In fact, I don't believe in them at all. Obviously, my faith in their non-existence isn't quite strong enough to cause them to actually cease to exist, but I'm getting there.

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Who said use it as a dungeoncrawl, though. It's just there. And if the characters actually figure out it's there...that's just one more stress...what exactly are they protecting? Who's in charge of it? Is that were political prisoners disappear? What's the secret of the abandoned palace (excellent ghost/haunting opportunities).

And then the vizier/king's sorcerer/outland horror unplugs it in a terrible ritual. Murderous terror in the streets ensues.

Will it simply be the loss of another bastion of humanity and normalcy, or will the lesser beings be enslaved by their new slimy masters...

Or put B4 The Lost City under the city, and roll out Zargon as a campaign ender...

 

LostSoul

Adventurer

• Jun 12, 2009

• #25

You have Grim Tales, right? Have you ever used the fear rules at the back? They always seemed cool though I've never used them.

Here's an idea: Take the "degrading sanity" idea from CoC and translate it into something else. Instead of your mind going kaput, maybe your body starts turning into a freakish undead creature.

eg. You're fighting ghouls and when you are bitten, you start slowly turning into a onel. A bunch of things speed up the process (setting-defined stuff), some things might slow it down, but basically you're screwed.

It would be cool to see your PC slowly transforming into something else, and if you can get what you need to get done before you finally succumb to it.


Have a look at Trail of Cthulhu, you might get some ideas from that. It's a cool take on CoC.

 

Doug McCrae

Legend

• Jun 12, 2009

• #26

Hobo said:

The PCs are agents of the king; a kind of fantasy Fox and Mulder, if you will. Or maybe official witch-hunters.

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Sounds good. The game will be investigative then, like Call of Cthulhu? Or rather Delta Green if they're government agents.

Witch hunters suggests a Hammer horror/WFRP vibe. I'm a fan of the old Hammer horrors though they're rather kitsch and not scary by today's standards.

Your idea to use more bizarro monsters from books like Libris Mortis and 3rd party products is a good one. Vampires, mummies, werewolves etc just aren't that scary as they are too much a known quantity, which is also part of the reason Hammer horrors aren't scary any more.

 

Last edited: Jun 12, 2009

Desdichado

Hero

• Jun 12, 2009

• #27

I imagine there will be a fair amount of investigation, yeah. But due to my personality, I'm sure it'll turn into action frequently. I can dig the Hammer/WFRP vibe, which I think I'd like to also emulate to a certain extent.

Except not as kitschy.

 

Doug McCrae

Legend

• Jun 12, 2009

• #28

Hobo said:

I imagine there will be a fair amount of investigation, yeah. But due to my personality, I'm sure it'll turn into action frequently. I can dig the Hammer/WFRP vibe, which I think I'd like to also emulate to a certain extent.

Except not as kitschy.

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How about the PCs are the equivalent of FBI agents and the Peter Cushing witch hunter role is taken by NPC(s)? He's the Templar who takes things too far. Or would that be too much of a cliche?