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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Saterus" data-source="post: 2776538" data-attributes="member: 35760">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 <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f641.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":(" title="Frown    :("  data-smilie="3"data-shortname=":(" />). Here were a couple ideas I've thought up since I started writing this post:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> 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. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> 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). </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> 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. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> 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.</li> </ul>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. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f641.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":(" title="Frown    :("  data-smilie="3"data-shortname=":(" /></blockquote>

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