Pathfinder 1E Instilling horror

[Einherjar101]

So im running the Carrion Crown adventure path and this has gotten me onto the conundrum of how to actually put real fear into my players. And so after some research I have come across many tips and tricks of how to do this in a system where each character can quite easily defend themselves against the things that go bump in the night.

But I have been unable to find many actual examples of people talking about in game experiences that chilled the players to the bone and brought a smile to the dm's face.

So this is a question to all players and dm's, can you recall an actual instance in a game you were in which not just the party but the players where actually scared and give a description of what happened?
Obviously it doesn't have to be pathfinder but it would be nice if we could keep it to D&D related games as they're similar enough for this question.

 

[Libramarian]

Sure, I was running L1 The Secret of Bone Hill with 1e. There's a section of the dungeon where you go deeper and deeper into these caves as the air gets colder and colder. Eventually there's this little pinch-point you have to squeeze through--you can't quite see what's one the other side but I described an eldritch blue glow and how this whole place is giving you this feeling of sadness and loss, like that feeling of a lump in your throat as you think about some opportunity you missed or some person that you miss and know you'll never see again...but it's vague and you can't put your finger on what's missing or lost.

What's adding to this is the players are really freaked out about undead on a game mechanical level, because level drain. So both my description and the fear of serious mechanical consequences combined to make it a pretty scary moment when they saw the wraith in the next room (I think it's a wight in the module but I used a wraith instead).

Reading that over it doesn't sound that great but it was a really enjoyable encounter.

 

[Einherjar101]

It sounds good actually and has given me the idea of adding in a tight crawl skill challenge through rubble into Harrowstone as I know some of my players are a bit uncomfortable with tight spaces (but not enough that it'll break the game for them). Just need to think of some horror element to add to it now as they're not too phased by level drain, maybe fire or smoke or spiders.

Also really like the subtle description of the feeling of loss to indicate level loss.

 

[Libramarian]

Heh I didn't actually think of the connection to level loss, I was just trying to describe what I find sad and emotionally affecting about the idea of a ghost.

I think any dangerous situation where the PCs are relying on senses other than sight for information is naturally going to be scary on a basic level because human beings are very visual, diurnal animals. So describing something with sound/scent/touch information rather than visual is like tool #1 for creating a scary scene.

I was reading this pdf the other day and there's a monster in there that steals your eyes that I found pretty creepy.

 

[Triskaideka]

Libramarian has a good point, because players are often detached from the actual events, the only way to get them invested is through serious detriments. Otherwise they'll fight hordes of zombies and nameless horrors from the abyss without so much as blinking. Level drain is one way. If they're inured to death due to access to reincarnation or resurrection, throw monsters that destroy souls at them (Mmmmm, demi-liches!). Otherwise, remember the adage that no-one is as good at scaring you as yourself. Be vague, let the players fill in their imagination with the worst possibilities.

 

[GMMichael]

Actual example? I'm instilled some actual fear in players by stomping a giant up to their puny characters, trembling ground and thunder first, then with the too-close-for-comfort melee range of giant-fists.

Which is point #1 of scary encounters: defenselessness. Fear sets in when you feel helpless or powerless. This can come from an overwhelmingly powerful enemy, or one that breaks the rules you're used to, like needing to follow the laws of physics.

Another good point above: threaten to take something dear to the PCs, like levels.

Besides that, I'd like to throw in the importance of game setting: using candlelight (instead of fluorescent or conventional) can go a long way toward mood-changing. The players might laugh at first, but if you keep a straight face, they'll feel the difference.

 

[Samloyal23]

Meh. Do not underestimate the difference between fear of physical threats and the horror of psychological threats. These are two distinct states. Also, make them care about something besides themselves for a change...

 

[gamerprinter]

While not Carrion Crown, Rite Publishing has a setting, supplement and adventures called Kaidan (Japanese horror) for PFRPG. The primary product released thus far, The Curse of the Golden Spear trilogy of modules (5th - 8th level) has whole chapters dedicated to running games of horror. You could also checkout Frozen Wind, which is a free PDF one-shot module with many survival horror elements built in. You could use it as reference for doing so in CC. Much of Kaidan is subtle horror which tends to be more psychological fear than fear of physical threats.

The full GM's Guide and Players Guide for Kaidan is scheduled for print release in October 2013, after a successful Kickstarter last summer.

 

[Celebrim]

I almost don't want to reveal my tricks, but as a general summary the rules are

1) "Put the player in a situation that cannot be fixed.": Real world horror is derived from the fact that once an injustice is perpetrated, it can never be wholly undone. A murdered person leaves a hole in the universe. A person once tortured is stained by the pain. The wound can be healed, but the scars will remain. An innocent can recieve unwittingly and innocently the dividends of injustice, so that when it comes time to make restitution you must deprive an innocent of what they are now lawfully entitled to. Forgiveness and even repentance don't necessarily undo what has happened, and costs must still be paid. Innocents must suffer for the deeds of the guilty. Responcibility has to fall on the people least deserving of bearing such a burden sometimes because they are the least deserving. Life isn't filled with easy answers.
2) "Force the player to choose between two unthinkable outcomes.": Speaking of, there are going to be times when a person believes unquestionably in two things - say the rights of the individual and the value of life - which sometimes can contrast with each other. Thing about how the players and characters frame their world view. Beliefs like, "The innocent must always be protected.", can cause serious problems if two innocents mutually threaten each other. "Justice must be served", can cause serious problems if the victims right to justice perpetrates injustice on someone else.
3) "Hit the players at a primal gut level." - This depends a lot on the MPAA rating of your table, but there are somethings that alway provoke viseral reactions in players. Figure out where to push the player's buttons. Real life phobias are good fodder if you have a measure of player consent.
4) "Hold up the mirror." - In most games I've ran, at least one and sometimes all the PC's are monstrous individuals who have done monstrous things in the name of 'doing right'. Have the villains do the same things. Have the villains call out the players. Try to get the players to stare in to the abyss. Probably the most horrifying thing to me as a DM is how little horrified the average players are by the actions that they narrate their characters as doing - torture, theft, murder sometimes in cold blood, racism, sexism, sexual assault, betrayal of friends and colleages, treachery, colatteral damage to the innocent, standing idly by and ignoring the sufferings and danger others to protect their own hides. The number of PC's I've DMed for that I actually would like to know IRL is pitifully small.

Keep in mind though that not every player really wants to be scared. You make your game too horrifying and you'll probably start seeing opting out behavior. Also, try to avoid substituting gross for horrifying. There are probably things that don't need to be dwelt on and aren't healthy to narrate.

 

[Rune]

Also, very important:

Whatever they're up against, don't let them get a good look at it.

And if they think they understand what they're up against (or what's going on), unravel that understanding.