Keeping CoC as creepy as possible (What's your secret?)

[midwinter]

So, I'm pretty new at being a Keeper (but not new to rpgs) and I wonder how you guys go about trying to make your own scenarios or official ones as creepy as possible (as the thread title states)? If it isn't your goal as a Keeper, then it's another matter. But for those of you who really want to up the creep factor, what are some of your techniques?

1) How do you up the creep factor during play? The horror immersion? I use alot of period era pictures, ambient sounds and very subtle. dronelike music. But there are others out there that might do other stuff too. What, if that's the case?

 

2) How do you up the creep factor in scenarios that you write yourself? Do you have any advice to give?

Edited July 31, 2019 by midwinter

[Cloud64]

Who better to advise you than the game's creator

 

 

 

[your friend nate]

My overall goal is to incorporate content the players create, with backstory, conversations, quirks or traits they give themselves, into the horror in surprising and creepy ways. I also try to create increasing doom in the session. I'll use common horror tropes as cheats to tell a lot of story without having to create a lot of story. And setting the physical mood is key - it's hard to for me to generate any creepiness in a brightly lit room with birds singing through the open windows. Ambient music, dimmed lights, table setup all are critical.

[mvincent]

I like to use Foreshadowing. That is: slowly build anticipation by giving minor clues that something bad is going to happen (a burnt spot, a smell, a noise outside, a knock at the door but no one is there, etc.) but is not immediately explained. Players tend to either over react (and nothing bad happens... yet), or they ignore it (and kick themselves when something eventually happens).

For immersion, I have used things like:

1. Turning off lights (and bringing out candles and period flashlights)
2. Ouija board
3. "Fed" a disguised magnet to black ferrous goo
4. Used Gallium as magical metal (melts via body heat)
5. Provided actual liquid when the party (inevitably) drinks with the villain (or uses space mead or Dream potion)

Edited July 31, 2019 by mvincent