Episode 35: Horror – Maintaining Tone & Mood

Main Topic Joules is an expert in maintaining the mood and tone at a table through the non-game components – what do you at the table to keep the tone and mood in the game?...

Main Topic

Joules is an expert in maintaining the mood and tone at a table through the non-game components – what do you at the table to keep the tone and mood in the game?

 

Shift expectations – create a mismatch between the event and the perception

E.g. – Clowns (It) ; Trope of the quiet neebish guy is actually the diabolic killer;

 

Stat Blocks

Zendead- MIne to come once I am back from vacation.

 

Joules- The Well of Desperation

So many fairy stories tell of magical wells that grants wishes, hide incredible treasure, or reveal great secrets.  Ah, if the world only knew the truth. All of these stories stem from one well. The Well of Desperation. A devil’s bargain if there ever was one.

 

The well can indeed provide the seeker with amazing fortune, grant their heart’s desire, or reveal the secrets of the universe.  But things come at a price. You see, the well knows all. Knowledge cosmic and knowledge intimite. So if it must give up its secrets then you must as well.  And the choice isn’t up to you. Oh no. The Well knows that which you have tried to hide. It knows your blackest thoughts and craven actions. The beating heart in the floor boards.  Hands stained with blood. Back alley deals and secret affairs. It knows them all.

 

So if you demand that the well tells its secrets, the well will be sure that the world knows yours as well.  It’s a truly terrible price, Your hidden shame will be known to all. On the tip of the tongue and the front of the mind of all who you meet.  

 

The prudent path?  Don’t take the deal.  Keep your secrets. For they are worth more than any reward the universe can offer.  Silence is golden, is it not?

 

Guard-a-Manger-

Tommy Tommy

Tommy Tommy is a fixture at the bars and taverns.  You’ve seen him a dozen times easily just hanging out on his own or with a few friends.  He’s got a classic style and always seems to have perfect hair. His deep blue eyes seem to stand out even from across the room giving him a distinctive appearance. It’s kind of frustrating.

 

You don’t know what it is that he does during the day – he won’t talk about his job.  His focus is on you and your life with those blue eyes boring into your soul. It’s always good to see Tommy.  He keeps the jokes going, listens with a practiced ear, and buys a round probably a little more often than he has to.  He has his fingers of the pulse of the “scene” and can point you in the direction of the next big band, restaurant, or bar.

 

Except you don’t remember actually seeing Tommy ever eat a meal or actually take that shot he bought.  Tommy isn’t human. He doesn’t eat or drink like we do. He’s managed to blend into the fabric of the city without anyone ever digging into his past, or lack thereof.  As the night goes on, and you get tired, Tommy seems to keep perking up like a second, third, or even fourth wind comes his way. What does Tommy eat? Is he a vampire? Does he leech your psychic energy?  Or maybe just a regular old alien needing some odd foodstuffs … one way or another you are going to find out when unexplained fires and accidents begin to plague the city. What does Tommy know and why is he suddenly looking over his shoulder every night?

 

Lexicon

Condign  adjective  con·dign \ kən-ˈdīn , ˈkän-ˌdīn \

 

Definition of condign



:deserved, appropriate

 

Origin and Etymology of condign

Middle English condigne, from Anglo-French, from Latin condignus, from com- + dignus worthy

 

Closing remarks

Zendead- Inhumans  and The Gifted

 

Joules- The Guild of Dungeoneering  

 

Guard-a-Manger- Tales from the Crypt

 

Music is courtesy of The Enigma TNG you can find his music on YouTube or on Bandcamp

 

Find us

Show- Email, Twitter, Facebook

Zendead- Email, Twitter, Facebook

Joules- Email, Twitter, Facebook

Nulloperations-Email, Twitter, Facebook

Guard-a-manger- Email, Twitter

 

And Thanks to Merriam-Webster for our Lexicon segment

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