The more I read, the more I think you're not really trying to make this a horror game. I don't want to come across as disrespectful or something (as you mentioned you write a lot of modules and have been published), but have you ever played in or run a successful horror game? Rolling dice is bad. Powerful magic items (cursed or not) are bad. High level PCs (yes, that means level 7) are bad. All three of those things detract from the horror experience. Honestly, I think you've got enough "game" details already - too many, in fact. At this point, you need to spend more time brainstorming how you're going to evoke the atmosphere of horror and/or romance and actually make it work for more than half of a session. For instance, how much and what kind of music do you have at your disposal? What about the playing environment? Do you have access to a dimmer switch?
My main reaction to your initial post(s) (though I didn't want to say it at first) was, "Wow, none of these things matter to running a successful horror game."
Ah, sorry, the main emphasis of the OP was touching on the concept of romance within a 3x/PF game. I didn't focus on the horror aspect, as that's already understood to be included.
I currently publish
Kaidan: a Japanese Ghost Story adventures and supplements through Rite Publishing. All the things necessary to create horror in a PF game is already built into that setting, and I'd use altered elements of the same in any other horror setting I build.
While I can agree some of the best horror experiences are low level, low magic a greater unknown power just out of reach, but I don't agree that horror cannot be achieved at mid levels of play - this is actually my preferred level of play. It's powerful enough to include a heroic experience, while not overpowered - at least in my point of view.
Horror is about the unknown - not knowing who is your enemy, not knowing on what that hairy crawly thing coming at you is capable, it's about story pace, building up the tension, with periods of relative calm intermixed with intense action. It's about hints at greater horrors that your characters are interwove into and risk corrupting you or driving you insane. It's about psychology, disturbing situations.
What if the romance of a given female PC is engaging with that handsome brewers son, is hinting to be the Werewolf of the Moors - a cursed and rampaging murderer. Are you implicated? Have you been infected? Is the werewolf somebody else, and you're just jumping to conclusions?
I offer too many details for a reason. If an inquisitive player asks about a specific detail, I try to have something to offer. It creates greater depth, thus easier immersion. Immersion is necessary for both a romantic experience and a horror one.
While the witch hunting deacon is up front with his agenda and who he represents, the socalled witches and druids live in secret. Various NPCs being dealt with in normal or even romantic situations might turn out to be members of those factions with agendas to use your PC to gain advantage. Just who are the druids and who are the witches, what they are capable of doing are unknowns at the start of the adventure. This adds to the plot complexity, but also the horror element.
It is the presentation that accomplishes whether a game is horrific or not.
