Making a truly horrific mission- Help required

[atemu1234]

I'm making an utterly horrifying mission, just because I think it'd be fun. Problem being, I'm fresh out of ideas. Any tips?

[Segev]

In what sense do you mean "utterly horrifying?" Are we talking scandalous, overpoweringly unbeatable, horror-genre, offensive to the players...?

[Phelix-Mu]

First, some more details really would help. Anticipated character level, specific setting, classes involved in the party. A basic sketch of the general campaign arcs would also help.

But, lemme see if I can't pull something random out of my hat.

Alright. A new curse or disease of some kind has infested a small town or a single neighborhood of a large city. The effect is subtle, at first; victims begin to experience increased levels of hunger, and find normal food and portions increasingly unsatisfying. Though they may gorge themselves, they gain no weight, and the only other symptom that is apparent is a particularly advanced gingivitis, which becomes noticeable after a couple of weeks. Basically, their gums recede horrendously, and may bleed incessantly in very advanced cases. Those suffering this condition don't notice at all, but also find that they don't much care either (though they may take small efforts to hide their teeth).

Eventually, these people seek more...exotic forms of sustenance. Cannibalism is an obvious direction to go in, but also the eating of living creatures, insectivore behaviors, and then there are even darker, more obscene things that would only be appropriate in a very mature group (and thus I won't bother getting into outside of pms). Cannibalism and necrophagism (the eating of the dead) are probably the most genre-appropriate for a horror atmosphere.

Finally, they begin to suffer more extreme mutations. Their bodies become gaunt, and no amount of eating stops this from happening. Skin hangs like curtains from their bony frames, and despite visible atrophy, wiry muscles still grant these poor sods Gollum-like strength and tenacity. Teeth rot and begin to fall out, and distension of the jaw muscles allow them to cram insanely huge amounts of food down their throat, almost snakelike.

At the end, they begin to discharge a blackish ooze from their abdomen. Finally, they die, usually in a horrific series of spasms in which they hysterically claw at their stomach, tearing open their tortured flesh as they foam a black froth at the mouth. Moments after they die, a black pudding emerges from their corpse, and seeks the nearest crevice or drain, disappearing to destinations unknown.

Alright, to mitigate magic solving all the problems, I'd treat this as a combination of possession and a curse/disease. To cure it, they must target the afflicted person with dispel evil, followed immediately by a remove curse/remove disease. If this isn't enough (like if there are multiple Tier 1s in the group or if WBL is substantially out the window), require that people be targeted with another dispel evil for the next three days, or suffer a relapse.

If you need a reason, I'd go with Jubilex doing something big and bad on the Prime. Add demon cult flavor as appropriate. The black puddings produced are sentient, having the memories of their "parent", but profoundly insane. Not bad enough? If the deceased had class levels, the black pudding retains them, mystically able to use all class abilities through the reality-warping insanity of Jubilex.

Now, for contagion effects, I'd go for something elaborate. As the afflicted person devolves, they seek new cuisines and dishes to consume, and instinctively brew demonic concoctions. Those that share meals with the afflicted find these cuisines extremely delicious, and must make saving throws or also become afflicted themselves. Needless to say, the lives of the afflicted begin to revolve around eating, and in the early stages they are eager to share their feasting with family and friends.

Alright. That was a pretty good result for some random ideas.

[Threadnaught]

My favourite way to creep out players is to send them into a research facility.


Have containment units for living (and otherwise) subjects.
Have escaped/released subjects.
Have special architecture and defences.

Litter the place with research notes, just so the PCs know what's there. Stuff like "Subject can do such and such, appears to behave erratically when we mess around with fire."

Mix up the research notes, in a floor/room with Ironthorns? The notes are all about an Aboleth trapped in it's tank below, just waiting to knock you into the water from the walkway above. Just been brutally attacked by an Ooze? Well the notes in the Wight containment area all mention the Ooze, what it's vulnerable to and how to kill it. Nothing on the Wight, they tore their own notes up and are waiting in those dark corners for you to turn your back.

Have something there, just something that is completely wrong. I've had a wall of meat which bled and rebuilt the stone wall it was hidden behind (along with a map with a heartbeat) and Warforged with fully working breeding apparatus. They had the desired effect. :smallamused:
Both times my players got really creeped out and asked "What the **** is wrong with you?"