PDA

View Full Version : Intelligent Silent Hill Monster: How Would You Do It?



Leliel
2009-04-12, 06:37 PM
Well, an idea of mine is bringing that most creepy of mist-shrouded villages, Silent Hill into a nWoD game, with supernaturals (OK, I got the idea from a different forum, but meh). Given that the PCs are going to be, shall we say, rather more powerful than the average SH protagonist, I've decided to up the ante and make the Pyramid Head-like nigh-invicible monster a thinking monster, ie, he plans on how to harry/help the protagoist.

Basically, he-who I like to call the Rasping Surgeon-was originally the Silent Hill-manufactured creature representing an abortion clinc bomber's guilt over killing one of the doctors. When the Surgeon sucessfully killed him, the consciousness of the town decided to keep him on as an all-purpose guilt manifestation-this one for punishing acts the current victim(s) is fully aware of and know was wrong (unlike James, who went into denial), but are still trying to consciously rationalize. Unlike many SH monsters, he posesses a fernetic and cunning intellect, although he still can't communicate vocally-as the description "Rasping" suggests, he's missing most of his larynx.

The trouble is, I'm not quite sure how to show a monster who obviously can't speak anything other that "<Hhhhhrrrsszzz *wheeze*>" as an intelligent, cunning creature who has the ability to plan ahead.

So how would you make a Silent Hill-esque monster with a brain?

Shpadoinkle
2009-04-12, 06:46 PM
He sets traps. Good ones.

Salt_Crow
2009-04-12, 07:01 PM
Instead of engaging protagonists directly, it would stay afar and observe. Let PCs/protagonists realise that some*thing* is watching them and that it's not taking any direct actions.

As the game progress, PCs will find certain 'signs' like fresh pictures painted on the wall/street sign that guides them toward something. Signs are mostly medical abbreviations or of medical significance. It may warn of potential ambush, lead them out of a maze etc, something that'll convince PCs of their (the signs') importance and even significance (that something's trying to lead the protagonists into... somewhere).

Eventually PCs will doubt the ulterior motive of the signmaker/s, and by 'chance' they run into (or simply see from far away) the Rasping Surgeon hard at work- covering an entire wall with signs and erratic words of plea and guilt. Something akin to a diary, even.

IF the PCs try to interact with the RS they'll quickly realise that it can't speak- which explains why it had to draw signs everywhere and all.

From then on it'd be the storyteller's choice on what's the Rasping Surgeon's actual motives would be.