Cannibal hillbilly dwarves!

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

My Midwood players have, at long last, pentrated the dungeon that's literally loomed over the setting since the campaign started in 2006: the fallen dwarf fortress of Glangirn, inside Green Mountain.

Although there are signs of the previous green dragon occupant, right now, they're faced with a more immediate threat: dwarven bandit squatters who have been changed during their occupation of the fortress. Among the degradations (or perhaps, evolutions ...) that they're undergoing is that they're severely malnourished and have developed a taste for the flesh of other sentient beings.

They're not going to tangle with the player characters extensively at this time (probably -- player characters are unpredictable), but I'd like to scare the bejeezus out of them as quickly as possible, though, just to reinforce that the dungeon is dark, scary and strange.

So, hit me with your best The Hills Have Eyes shot: What should I do with this concept to scare the crap out of my players?

 

[Theo R Cwithin]

From a tunnel ahead, the distant, sad sound of a lone banjo.

From a tunnel behind, another sad banjo answers.

The first banjo answers the second, who answers back.
Back and forth the banjos play, tentatively at first, then more and more frenetic, more and more jubilant, closer and closer, louder and rowdier-- with the PCs caught in the middle, nowhere to run, nowhere to hide....

There is only one option:

Squeal like a pig!

 

[Sammael]

They find a bunch of skeletons (the normal, dead kind), all shattered at the kneecaps and appear to have been gnawed on.

One of the dwarves appears and invites them to the dinner. Definitely describe the hungry look in his eyes.

The dwarves drug them (tiki torches laced with drugs are my personal favorite) and show them to a guestroom where they find an unusual number of personal belongings that are most definitely not dwarven in origin.

All the dwarves of the clan stop by the room to say hello, but this apparent friendliness is actually driven by the dwarves trying to decide which party member is the tastiest morsel.

While waiting for "the dinner" the dwarves serve them some light food (mushrooms and such) which is heavily seasoned.

They can overhear the dwarves arguing over how to cut up the meat and see them carrying some huge knives.

Eventually, they will go out to explore while the dwarves aren't looking and stumble across the dwarves' larder, with smoked humanoid meat hanging from hooks.

 

[Wild Gazebo]

None of the dwarves wear clothes that fit them properly. They have trinkets, jewelry, and tools from many cultures.

They look emaciated, have bright eyes and will occasionally shake as if they have a palsy that is mostly under control.

The entrance to they're lair looks inviting and warm with signs in many languages proclaiming the respite in a harsh place.

They say they have fresh water and a room for each member of the party so they can enjoy privacy before they forge farther into the harsh environment.

The inside of each door shows sign of battering and scrapping.

There are large iron spikes beside each doorway.

There is a pungent odor of pork.

There is a large pit in a main chamber with pole-arms hanging from the walls.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

I was thinking you could add a dash of Motel Hell or Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2: a more respectable offshoot of the family has been selling some of the most desirable sausages in the region for some time, now...

(They get most of their meat supply from their hidden cousins.)

 

[Matt James]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tktuGaxLTL8]Nerdier than we thought... - YouTube[/ame]

 

[TarionzCousin]

For inspiration, perhaps you should seek out a copy of Bloodsucking Redneck Vampires.

Or the early Rise of the Runelords module(s). Lots of creepy hillbilly mutant giants in there.

 

[Aeolius]

So, hit me with your best The Hills Have Eyes shot: What should I do with this concept to scare the crap out of my players?

Let's see... Perhaps the dwarves drink exclusively from a spring high in colloidal silver, rendering their skin a sickening shade of blue. Perhaps they dress only in skins of their enemies, bleached white in an sacred ceremony.

Scared yet?

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

*boom*
*boom*
*boom*
*BOOOOOM*
Fee! *boom*
Fi! *boom*
Fo! *boom*
Fum! *BOOOOOM*
We smell *boom*
the blood *boom*
Of a Suface-man*BOOOOOM*
Be he alive *boom*
Be he dead *boom*
We'll grind his bones to make our bread! *BOOOOOM*

 

[Rechan]

Perhaps a few dwarves have teethmarks on their own limbs where they've been eating themselves.

Their beards are falling out in places due to malnourishment. They definitely look scraggly and pasty, instead of typical dwarf grooming.

The PCs could pass a room that has traps being repaired or constructed. Not tunnel traps, but very Obvious out door traps. Like a bear trap. Some bits of cloth are caught in the tines of the trap.

I think it would also be disturbing if the dwarves have forgone other dwarven customs (or common dwarven behavior) to designate how "hillbilly" they are.