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| From Plusquotes.com |
'Tis the season of ghosts and ghouls and horror stories and adventures that ring in Halloween. Earlier today I was involved in a discussion about running a horror adventure for the upcoming Halloween weekend. The discussion was focused around the encounter. At first I was right in the discussion with everyone else working on what monster should be thrown against the party. Afterwards, when I started working on the possibility, I was flailing and failing horribly.
In working up a horror encounter, it is not so much of what you are running into, but how it is set up. Any monster can be used to create a horror encounter, especially when dealing with the possibilities presented in a fantasy setting like Dungeons and Dragons. My thoughts of creating the encounter for presentation changed. Instead, here are some thoughts from several authors who know something about horror.
Recently I reviewed the first volume of the Iron Dragon Series (The Golden Cord) by Paul Genesse. Along with being a dragon enthusiast, he is an established writer and editor of horror. Johnny Worthen has a number of published novels including a horror novel, Beatrysel. Along with being an author he is teaching a class this semester at the University of Utah on horror and film. Michaelbrent Collins is one of the top indie horror authors in the U.S. and screenwriter.
I want to be clear that I am talking about a horror setting, not a slasher setting. They do have some similar aspects, but I want to get into the psychological thrillers that get under your skin and not just make you jump.
When you think about a horror adventure the one thing most people go to first is the creature to be encountered, which my discussion group did. The encounter is just the fight, the combat with the boss that allows for the final showdown. You need a solid encounter to finish of the horror adventure, but it is not what makes the adventure a horror. Any creature can be used for the final encounter as long as it fits into the storyline.
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| Nosferatu |
How the story is set changes a story into a horror story. And, this same principle applies to horror role-playing games (RPGs).
Horror continually hints at the possibility of what could happen. It is a means of looking at the darker possibilities of the world around us, and what it may hide. Horror writers do this by creating a setting that is as much a character of the story as any other character. It could be the location, but a transformation takes place to turn it into something horrific.
The use of language is important in setting the story. In gaming there have always been descriptions giving the physical layout of the room. A horror setting needs to add a layer of description presenting the possibilities and a layering affecting the psyche of the players. The shadows are lurking, and even though the characters can chase them away, there develops the lingering question of what was there and how it felt.
A place can be constricting, claustrophobic, tightening in around the characters, limiting the actions and abilities. The language of the description of every place heightens the threat, even when no threat is present. The location becomes a larger part of the encounter as it plays into the how actions can be taken.
Horror gives characters a chance at gathering themselves. There is a rollercoaster ride of activity heightening the risk and then providing a place of peace. If your adventure runs from one high-octane encounter to the next you create a risk, but the tension of a true horror doesn't come about because the characters become "burned out" by going at the high level on a constant basis—the risk is lost. This doesn't mean you back off the language of the possibility of threats, but you develop a sense of hope for the characters between situations and then subtlety remove the hope.
In an interview I saw with Michaelbrent Collins and a later article from him, he talks about how horror gives hope and a sense of fairness, or justice. It is from this sense of hope and justice that I know a number of RPG players who don't like to play horror based games. There has to be the compensate hope versus fairness based on the actions of the characters. We see this all the time in the horror movies we watch. Players like to bash forward, knock down the door, and charge in. In many campaigns the heroes need to live to be around in the next session. In horror settings many of the characters don't come back for the sequel.
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| Night of the Living Dead |
Characters are punished for making bad decisions or doing stupid things. They are also rewarded for doing something right or intelligent. This is a core element of horror as to why they are enjoyed by so many people. Now, in the books and movies we the foolish acts must take place at some point or the story doesn't happen. "Look an old house with flickering spectral light." "Let's not go in there." End of story.
Don't let that be your adventure. Yes, you can force characters into going into the house because that is where thy must go to get the lost tome. However, setting up an adventure that builds on setting creates intrigue as well as fear. People can be drawn to the location.
The old house sitting at the base of the hill has flickering spectral lights flashing from the windows. The flashes seemed directed towards the party as they are passing on the road beyond the wall and fallen gate. The shadows of the evening penetrate into the building and appear to flow back out as the sun sinks to the western horizon. You can feel there is something wrong about the place. And yet, the flashes come again as though someone is reflecting a candle or small lantern to gain your attention.
Enjoy the season. May you have a wonderful adventure with your gaming group.
If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.
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