Horror in Shackled City?

[Saterus]

After my first session running Shackled City, I was quite depressed. The players didn't seem into it at all, and everything went agonizingly slow. We started off with Life's Bazaar, but only made it through Event 1 (took forever), and they pushed their way through Event 2 with Jenya Urikas quickly as if uninterested. They ended up capturing 2 of the thugs, while the 3rd got away. They never caught a good glimse of Jil, only heard her run away from the scene over the rooftops. Rufas later told them there was 3 men and a woman, so they pieced it together, but have no ideas how to use that information. (Though its a deadend anyway..) They escorted Rufas back to the Church of St. Cuthbert and then met with Jenya Urikas. If I had let them, they would have blown her off. I ended up working in the Star of Justice's Divination, but even with the handouts, they didnt seem particularly interested.

Not seeming particurally interested summed up the whole night. Sure, they would go along with it, but only 1 player actually talked with Jenya, the others talked among themselves. I can't help but feel its my fault. I would describe things and they would either let their eyes wander, or I would only briefly describe something in hopes they would ask more about it, but not once did anyone ask more about their surroundings.

This was quite different than the pre-Shackled City encounters I ran with them. I was just trying to get everyone on the same page as far as rules go, so I randomly made up some situations for them to practice the combat rules using some mini's I had lying around. They loved it. I was so excited because after reading the whole Shackled City Hardcover book, I knew that it would be so much deeper than what I had just run. I'm wondering how much of this is my skill as a GM, especially since this is my first game. I was thouroughly unhappy with what happened on Wednesday.

Because of all of this, I was thinking to add a bit of horror. During the most exciting practice encounter, I had them scared shitless. Someone rang the doorbell at the house and everyone jumped out of their seats. It was great. I liked it a lot more than whatever happened on Wednesday. Has anyone tried to use Shackled City slightly more horror based? It seems to have potential for it. And I've got plenty of time to change things as far as how I'm running the game since we got so little done in the first session (4 hours, it was terrible ). Here were a couple ideas I've thought up since I started writing this post:

• Have the skulks and dark creepers they encounter throughout Jzadirune seem like they are the same ones. If they kill some, have them come back 3 encounters later with those injuries but fully capable to fight. There would be some diminishing returns here, especially if they catch on early and start...making sure they are dead...the hard way.
  
• One of the players has Nimbus of Light from the BoED (long story, all he ever wanted to do was be ultra good) and this actually allows for a great setup for horror. All the artificial lighting goes out and he's the only thing lighting up the scene. Or they walk into an anti-magic area and it winks off (can't remember what kind of ability it is, but my players wouldn't be able to call me out on it). Or it starts to act funny: flickering, moving to one part of his body, getting very dim, or very bright. Not to mention the monsters will be trying to drop the only guy with a lightsource (and who happens to be a wizard).
  
• The Cagewrights, being a demonic cult, could have some more visible effects that come from being a demonic cult. Even from the beginning, I can start leaving bloody scenes of sacrifice in random places. It would work well, since later they will learn all about the Cagewrights. Just becuase they have a main goal doesn't mean they have to stop sacrificing random people in horribly bloody rituals that happen to leave stains and taint the air.
  
• Ghosts or figments could haunt Jzadirune due to the Vanishing. While never attacking the PCs, they could easily frighten them. Especially if one of them contracts the Vanishing. Hearing the erie howls of the ghosts could really disturb the poor PC. I would have to make them distinguishable from the permenant illusions that also haunt the corridors, but it could add another sense of creepy. I think I would want them to hear them most of the time, only occasionally catching a fleeting glance at one of the ghosts.

Does anybody have any thoughts on this? Shackled City seems to lend itself to being fairly easy to add elements of horror, but I'm not sure how good I can be at creeping them out of I try. During the practice session, it was an accident, I was just trying to make it interesting. I'm not sure how well it will go over if I actively try to play it as a semi-horror game. I've got until next Friday to come up with some sort of solution, but I definately don't want to sit through another session of what we did on Wednesday.

 

[zoroaster100]

The way I tried to make Life's Bazaar more scary was to play up the mystery of Jzadirune and the Vanishing. I wove the story of the Vanishing into a couple of character's backgrounds.

Also, through Keygan Ghelve, I explained that the gnomes had fled Jzadirune in terror of the magical plague 75 years ago when the gnome clerics decreed the city was cursed by the gods because of the heretical mass production of magic counter to gnome religious teachings. However, Keygan told the party that some gnomes that stayed behind, instead of vanishing, were twisted into evil dark beings (the Dark Creepers) who now haunt gnome legends and faery tales told to frighten children. In those legends, the "dark ones" are evil creatures that lurk in darkness and prey on the wicked. I played up the (exaggerated) stories about the "dark ones" being creatures made of darkness that could not be harmed except by light and which cannot be seen until they sneak up on you to take your soul. I also kept the skulks mysterious as long as possible. It helped that at first none of the players recognized either the skulks or dark creepers and so didn't know what their game statistics were or what their proper Monster Manual names were.

However, Jzadirune is at the same time scary and funny and whimsical. It combines the interesting light hearted jokester nature of the gnomes with the theater and magic tricks left in place, with the darker nature of gnomes with all the traps and more dangerous illusions. So far my players have been having a very good time in Jzadirune.

 

[Saterus]

More Ideas...

The way I tried to make Life's Bazaar more scary was to play up the mystery of Jzadirune and the Vanishing. I wove the story of the Vanishing into a couple of character's backgrounds.

Also, through Keygan Ghelve, I explained that the gnomes had fled Jzadirune in terror of the magical plague 75 years ago when the gnome clerics decreed the city was cursed by the gods because of the heretical mass production of magic counter to gnome religious teachings. However, Keygan told the party that some gnomes that stayed behind, instead of vanishing, were twisted into evil dark beings (the Dark Creepers) who now haunt gnome legends and faery tales told to frighten children. In those legends, the "dark ones" are evil creatures that lurk in darkness and prey on the wicked. I played up the (exaggerated) stories about the "dark ones" being creatures made of darkness that could not be harmed except by light and which cannot be seen until they sneak up on you to take your soul. I also kept the skulks mysterious as long as possible. It helped that at first none of the players recognized either the skulks or dark creepers and so didn't know what their game statistics were or what their proper Monster Manual names were.

However, Jzadirune is at the same time scary and funny and whimsical. It combines the interesting light hearted jokester nature of the gnomes with the theater and magic tricks left in place, with the darker nature of gnomes with all the traps and more dangerous illusions. So far my players have been having a very good time in Jzadirune.

Thanks, that gave me several more ideas. I'll probably use the story of Jzadirune as a legend just like you. I also have the advantage of having players who haven't spent hours scouring the monster manuals, so if they actually figure out the name for the monsters, I'll be suprised.

Here are some more ideas I had since yesterday:

• the accustics of Jzadirune aren't what they should be. Noises die quickly and there are no echoes. The stone seems to absorb the sounds, making it hard to even hear regular speaking voices across a room. Makes the erie ghost sounds and permenant illusions even creepier.
  
• the PCs trip an unavoidable trap as they enter Jzadirune, blocking their exit to Cauldron. they are forced to make camp inside the ruins, hoping to avoid the creatures living within. After they decend into the Malachite Fortress and free the slaves (children and dwarven prisoners alike), they are shown the way through the Underdark to reach the surface, halfway down the slope of the mountain.
  
• the illusions left by the gnomes have been twisted slightly by [the dark things that have grown to live in the ruins of Jzadirune]. instead of being whimsical or funny, they have become darkly humorous. think the Joker from Batman. there's probably a better excuse than the line in the brackets, but it works for the purposes of brainstorming.
  
• the entire city is more of a rotting wound on the area than the book describes. It's the place where the dark things come out. I'm going to downplay the suprise of the kidnappings, and replace it with more of a what is it this time, and how do we stop it?. The Church of St. Cuthbert will be described much more run down, dirtier, and Jenya will put off a frustrated vibe. The whole city will have a seen better days sort of feel.

I've also gotten ahold of a copy of the Sword and Sorcery 3rd Edition Ravenloft Player's Handbook. I've been leafing through it for ideas. Someone with experience, how do the Fear, Horror, and Madness checks work out in your game? I'll probably use the book more as inspiration than an actual setting or even a supplement. I've already got a good idea of the dark, evil, things-that-go-bump-in-the-night-EAT-YOU feel, and I'm going to try to add a little bit of that to the game.

Again, these are just ideas. And I'm still looking for more. If anyone would like to message me on aim or msn, please do. I've got stuff to be doing on the computer and would love to discuss this stuff with someone. Most of my friends who play D&D are either in my game, or too busy to talk with me about D&D anymore.

 

[Saterus]

Does anyone have any more ideas, comments, or encouragement? I was really hoping for a bit more response.

Any tips for simply adding horror to a game, in general?