D&D General Gore in D&D

[Ravenbrook]

The categorization of horror stories can get quite complicated. Lovecraft introduced the "cosmic horror" genre, although his narrative style is still very gothic in tone. By contrast, modern writers of Cthulhoid stories seem to prefer a more visceral horror style.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

The categorization of horror stories can get quite complicated. Lovecraft introduced the "cosmic horror" genre, although his narrative style is still very gothic in tone. By contrast, modern writers of Cthulhoid stories seem to prefer a more visceral horror style.

No he didnt. He was the first author who almost exclusively wrote cosmic horror. He was actually the second in that lineage, the masters of cosmic horror. The first was poe. Poe started multiple genres. Case in point hp considered poe a major idol. Poe was not just the father of the horror genre and the short story genre. He was also the father of several subgenre. One of the ones he was father of was definitely cosmic horror. As a matter of fact he also did it purer. Less relience on gore in the relevamt stories. More reliance on the otherworldly and incomprehensible.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

Hp even makes multiple homages to poe. He knew he was second in the line.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

Hp refined it, expanded it, matured it, blended it in to other modes.

Not the father of it.

 

[Son of the Serpent]

An example of how poe's cosmic horror is actually purer (usually). Cosmic horror is primarily metaphysical. When poe writes cosmic horror the horrific element is almost entirely metaphysical. Hp's is usually materialistic. Mysterious due to the variety of "physicality" being beyond human comprehension but none the less more often than not, merely physical. Exotic physical dimensions are still merely physical btw. Sometimes its strictly metaphysical. But not as often as with poe when poe is actually writing cosmic horror.

 

[S'mon]

The categorization of horror stories can get quite complicated. Lovecraft introduced the "cosmic horror" genre, although his narrative style is still very gothic in tone. By contrast, modern writers of Cthulhoid stories seem to prefer a more visceral horror style.

I'd say William Hope Hodgson definitely wrote Cosmic Horror - The House on the Borderland, The Night Land et al. William Hope Hodgson - Wikipedia
The Boats of the Glen Carrig is a great Survival Action Horror novel with some great monsters, notably the oozes.

 

[Yaarel]

I feel Lovecraft was innovative in articulating the failure of the rational to comprehend the power of irrational negative forces.

To some degree, this is a Post-World-War-1 crisis of the failure of the Enlightenment.

It is the rational that obsesses on the materialistic phenomena, while the irrational is utterly beyond it even when it affects the materia.

 

[Coroc]

What is your approach to gore in D&D, and in violent RPGs in general?

Are you someone delights in describing bloody scenes, and when might this cross the proverbial 'line'?

What is your method for describing gore in D&D, and do you recommend and forms of description, especially of violence.

If this varies by campaign, why is that, and how so?

Generally, what is your approach to gore and gory imagery in RPGs?

I wish I could do it as good as @Shemeska in his story hour but my skills on that are quite meager and I fear that for at least some of my players @Shemeska 's style is a bit above their threshold.

But I take pride I forced three of my group to eat the meal made from slaughtered halflings to not blow their cover when last session they infiltrated the orc town - with the help of a mighty illusion spell disguising them as orcs - on a mission for the greater good.
The groups paladin made mental notes of vengeance tasks to be performed on the orcs when opportunity is given.

 

[Ravenbrook]

No he didnt. He was the first author who almost exclusively wrote cosmic horror.

I never claimed otherwise. I wanted to emphasize Lovecraft's difference to modern writers and their frequent focus on visceral horror. But Lovecraft's tone and many of his tropes are definitely in line with gothic and "gothic revival" styles, e.g. his fixation on creepy old houses, degenerate families, witchcraft, etc. Poe, of course, added a deeply psychological element to horror stories, as did other writers such as Dickens with his A Confession Found in a Prison.

 

[Ravenbrook]

I'd say William Hope Hodgson definitely wrote Cosmic Horror - The House on the Borderland, The Night Land et al. William Hope Hodgson - Wikipedia
The Boats of the Glen Carrig is a great Survival Action Horror novel with some great monsters, notably the oozes.

The Boats of the Glen Carrig always reminded me of a 1970s monsters flick, such as those involving giant ants, killer bees or whatever.