The Difficulty of Gothic Horror in Gaming

by David Gordon
July 15, 2014 | Posted in Up On A Soapbox
stockvault-candle131445

Ambiance
Lit only by the three candles you carry, the shadows in the hallway draw long.
Outside your tiny circle of light, there is movement. You cannot tell if it’s the wind
playing with a curtain, your candles’ flame playing with the shadow, or something
else all entirely. The hallway was at one point richly appointed, but a creepy
decay has sunken into the very bones of the building around you. The carpet was
red once, but its shade has leeched out of it and the edges are fraying as if
chewed upon by invisible rats.

Every step sends a muffled creak beneath you, and yet the sound refuses to
echo. Only your breath, short and shallow, seems to carry off into the night. Step
by step, you creep towards the edge of your light, pushing it out in front. Fear
grips your heart in an icy vise, and even your blood seems sluggish in your veins.
Yet you push forward. No, not pushed. Pulled. You are pulled forward, down the
hallway, to that ancient, blackened doorway. You reach out your hand to grasp
the handle, feeling somehow dirtied by just touching it, but it strikes you how very
clear of dust it is. The door swings open too easily for you, where yawning
darkness waits…

If this overwrought paragraph of prose strikes you as oddly familiar, then you
have read or watched something in the genre of gothic fiction. It developed in the
18th century as a combination of fiction, horror, and Romanticism that swept into
a lurid style of storytelling. The Mysteries of Udopho in 1794 provided the
inspiration for an entire school of writing which rapidly took off, to the point of
pastiche and parody.

Out of the Castles and Into the Night

bram-stoker-dracula-1
The book…not the movie.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein predated the rise of true
horror fiction and science fiction by a century, and it is impossible to deny their
impact on literature as a whole. It was only in the 20th century that horror as a
genre moved out of the dusky, damp castle and out on its own again, but gothic
horror remained strong in its heritage.

As film and other media grew, so too did gothic horror. It adapted itself to the
German expressionism of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and exploded into
gruesome color with the many monster films of Hammer Studios. Today gothic
horror retains a strong tradition, with its own lexicon of images and themes that
are universal throughout its many forms.

Which brings us to the difficult problem of gothic horror tabletop gaming.

While there exists many games that have delved into gothic horror, the choice to
run a gothic horror roleplaying game is daunting. As someone who genuinely
enjoys the genre, even I find it difficult to run a good session of gothic horror. As
such, I wish to discuss the matter of gothic horror RPGs, from the origins of
gothic horror in the tabletop RPG format, through its odd successes over the
years, to the current games on the market which feature gothic horror
prominently. Finally, I will impart my own tricks of the trade that I have learned in
running a good gothic horror game in the hopes that my success can be
replicated.

Ravenloft_I6
…the beginning
One cannot discuss gothic horror in tabletop roleplaying games without first
addressing the original gothic horror module. I6: Ravenloft, written by Tracy and
Laura Hickman, pitted a party of heroes in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons,
circa 1983, against the dread vampire lord, Strahd von Zarovich. Brooding in his
titular castle, Strahd pursues who he believes to be the reincarnation of his lost
love, luring the PCs into Barovia to further his plot.

Ravenloft served as the launching point for the incorporation of horror elements
into D&D and played to many of the themes and devices of gothic horror. The
PCs were isolated, unable to leave the valley of Barovia until Strahd is defeated.
Their resources are limited, and their own minds and bodies could be turned
against them. As a vampire, Strahd was already an iconic monster of gothic
horror, and his motivation of an unrequited love who killed herself rather than be
with him was necessarily melodramatic.

fortune_teller_001
Add in elements of a fortune reading to discern Strahd’s weaknesses and
motivations, and top it off with a sprawling dungeon crawl through a decaying
castle filled with danger at every turn, and you have a recipe for one of the best
D&D modules ever written. Ravenloft was so successful it was followed by a
sequel module, has been re-released twice, and inspired an entire setting for 2nd
Edition D&D. It was also remade for D&D 3.5 Edition as Expedition to Castle
Ravenloft in 2006.

This vast Ravenloft expansion allowed gothic horror to come into its own for
D&D. Throughout the 90’s and into the early 2000’s, supplements were released
for Ravenloft which contained nearly every theme and trope gothic horror had
ever produced. There were dozens of tragic monsters, running the gambit of
vampires, werewolves, demented alternate personalities, created humans, and
everything in between. The monsters of Ravenloft were each compelling figures,
weaving dark deeds with terrible results time and again.

Ravenloft itself was the ultimate setting of isolation and powerlessness, where
the heroes could struggle eternally against the night, only to never truly be able
to save the world. The world of Ravenloft itself was evil, and it fostered further
evil in many horrible ways, punishing the wicked even as it rewarded them.

I came to Ravenloft in the 1990’s, following the villain Lord Soth from
Dragonlance to its misty shores, and it is not an overstatement that Ravenloft is
what made me a lifelong gamer. I would not be a gaming journalist today if it was
not for the influences of Ravenloft.

However, Ravenloft’s success was not a commercial one. It had no shortage of

diehard fans, though, with the Kargatane group of writers being the greatest
example. They managed to keep Ravenloft alive after Wizards of the Coast
shuttered the many gaming lines of TSR’s D&D, and stayed active when the
brand went to White Wolf in 2001. Yet even with all their hard work, it eventually
stopped production and has remained that way ever since. While there has
always been a strong community supporting it, currently located at the Fraternity
of Shadows website, Ravenloft as a game line ended in 2004 when the license
reverted back to WotC. Elements of it were incorporated into D&D’s 4th Edition,
but the game was ultimately dead in the water. Despite its critical acclaim and
obvious creative interest, it is undeniable that Ravenloft proved a commercial
failure across three companies, two and a half editions, and 15 years of print.

Ravenloft’s Influence
Vampire - The Masquerade 2nd EditionRavenloft was not the only gothic horror
game on the market in the 1990’s, however. Vampire: the Masquerade was very
much a gothic horror game, as well as a game of the time. It featured monsters
fighting a slow mental decline into madness, surrounded by ancient, unbeatable
monsters which probably already were insane. Wraith: the Oblivion was also
strongly gothic in its themes, and Vampire: Dark Ages drove the point home by
setting it in the height of Gothic Europe.

Kult was another horror game that emerged in the 1990’s, though it was far
darker in many aspects than Ravenloft or Vampire and developed a very sinister
reputation for its extremely mature themes. Call of Cthulhu also gained popularity
in the 90’s, but like Lovecraft’s horror, it was more a deconstruction and rejection
of the gothic setting than the embrace of it. Lovecraft’s horror was not one of
ignorance and isolation, but knowledge and access. Of these three, only the Call
of Cthulhu made it out of the early 2000’s still in print.

Luckily, there have been several games that have recently come to the market
which gives hope to us fans of gothic horror. The French game Shadows of
Esteren has been translated into English and is releasing its third supplement
after several highly successful Kickstarting campaigns. Openly inspired by
Ravenloft and Call of Cthulhu, Shadows of Esteren places the heroes in a world
filled with nebulous, shadowy ancient threats of a natural origin, during a cultural
conflict between three great powers.

Another excellent gothic horror game is Annalise, a wonderfully written

independent game that allows for several players to work together to tell a story
of gothic horror. Extremely aware of the themes and motifs of gothic horror,
Annalise is the easiest game I have found to introduce players to gothic horror,
and it is certainly a game you should be playing.

nosferatu
Finally, the Blood and Smoke update for Vampire: the Requiem has brought back
the monstrous vampire who is inextricably linked to gothic horror, casting all
kindred as supernatural, psychic nocturnal predators who are struggling against
not only their own internal monster, but the incessant need to be a part of the
mortal world to stave off maddening boredom.

I even have a great deal of hope for the chances of Ravenloft returning as a part
of the next iteration of Dungeons and Dragons. While there have been no
announcements yet as to that effect, the playtest material of the open beta
features a game where the rules are streamlined, and the power curve is not
nearly as drastic as the previous two editions. D&D Next plays like a perfected
version of D&D’s 2nd Edition to me – and that makes it perfect for Ravenloft.
When you add in WotC’s announced plans for modular releases as well it raises
the possibility that Ravenloft may finally be returning to us.
Running a Horror Campaign
The root of Ravenloft and other comercial failures of gothic horror games lies
with horror – especially gothic horror – being a challenging genre to run. Much of
gothic horror’s appeal comes from a pleasing sense of fear and dread, enacted
through the safe distance of fiction. It strips its protagonists of knowledge, power,
and agency, holding them in the dark and threatening them with vague dangers.
And yet, through this fear, the protagonists are drawn forward into a confrontation
with the root of the horror, and are forever changed by it.

Tabletop games by contrast are generally games of empowerment and

escapism, not powerlessness and examination. Horror games suffer as a result
of this, and the challenges carry through to the tabletop itself. Horror is a unique
challenge to run as a Game Master, but one that can be very rewarding.

To run a good horror game, the first step is having players who are interested in
playing horror. That may seem a bit of a given, but it is still a very key point.
Horror is not about overcoming monsters and saving the day despite being
scared. Horror is about watching the destruction of something inextricably human
and associating yourself with the destroyed. Gothic horror in particular is about a
lack of power, watching a dwindling pool of options slowly peter out until you are
left with only one terrible course of action.

This forest looks familiar…I’ve seen this movie – the teenagers die.
*spoiler alert*
Many of the trappings of gothic horror, such as the decaying castle, the fog-
drenched moor, and the once-human monster, exist to bring attention to the
destruction, and eliminate escape. Therefore, players must be not only willing to
lose in a horror game, but they must be willing to accept that victory might have
been impossible. Even when you win, you will still lose something precious. It’s
imperative that players know this going into it.

Once you have the group of willing players, the next step is having a compelling
story. It is important in gothic horror for your antagonist to be powerful,
dangerous, and compelling. The players, if not the PCs, must be able to
empathize with the villain. That said, the villain must also have some trait which
makes them almost impossible to defeat and a motivation that is seemingly
unforgivable.

Indeed, while redemption must appear to have been possible for the villain at one
point, that point needs to be past.

Finally, you need a story that not only brings your PCs into conflict with the villain,
but allows them to explore the world of the villain. Make it necessary that they
learn about the villain in order to defeat them. Ignorance is the weakness in
gothic horror, and it is only through knowledge that they can become powerful.

Moreover, when running as a gothic horror GM, be merciless. That is, don’t kill
PCs arbitrarily, but do not pull punches. PCs must never truly feel safe, and let
the players inform you how to do this. Find out what the PCs care about, and
threaten that. Hurt the heroes in ways that do not heal, and put the pressure on
them.

However, also let the heroes heal. Let them develop new relationships on the
ruins of the old ones. Let them build themselves back up, so you can knock them
back down again. Never award them a cheap victory, and they will grow to love
victory for all the effort they had to put in. Most importantly, learn what the players
themselves cannot handle in a game, and avoid it. This may be just a game, but
trigger warnings exist. However, if something is not a trigger to the group, it is fair
game. Be. Merciless.

Willy Wonka Tunnel ride

Think creepy…like that Tunnel Ride we can’t scrub out of our collective psyche.

With players on board for horror, a compelling villain, and merciless game
mastering, you will have the root of a good gothic horror game. Fill out that
framework with the trappings of gothic literature. Creepy castles, suspicious
villagers, soothsaying ghosts, and mysterious destinies are all good.

While you’re at it, turn off the heat or AC. Open a window. Turn off the lights, and
play by candlelight. (It helps.) Find ways to keep your players slightly ill at ease,
as having your players uncomfortable helps immensely in setting the
atmosphere.

Additionally, don’t forget to hit every sense that you can while describing things,
and don’t be afraid to push certain lines. Always bring up details which are
unnecessary but the sort people would fixate on.

Every little brick of information helps build the world of gothic horror, and you will
need every last one to make the story a memorable one.

Gothic horror remains firmly entrenched in the world of fiction, and the interactive
fiction of gaming is no different. Whether you approach it on the fog-drenched
moor, or in the confines of a haunted office building, the themes of gothic horror’s
isolation and powerlessness can strike anywhere. While running horror is never
easy, it can be amazingly rewarding if done properly. Gothic horror is where
modern horror sprang from, and it remains compelling even today. With a little bit
of work, and a little bit of luck, you can overcome the difficulties of bringing those
gothic horror tales to life off the page and on to the tabletop.