Topic: Cruise into Terror (long but will love some ideas)

[RandalThor]

OK, so I want to run a horror adventure for October, lasting around 3 sessions hopefully. My basic idea is in three parts:

Part I: Strange things Afoot

1. The PCs are all enjoying a long cruise vacation (I believe it is best if it is a cruise that doesn't have a lot of stops, so I am thinking about a transatlantic cruise originating in Florida, but heading north from there, eventually stopping in Copenhagen - I am basic it off an actual cruise route), and know each other because they are dinner companions and thrown together in other shipboard activities.

2. A few days in, 2 of their dinner companions (a couple) who are all about doing everything on ship and liked to be around the PCs (maybe a little too much to where the PCs are, at first, happen to be rid of them) stop showing up for things; first dinner, then a couple of activities the PCs know the two were looking forward to.

3. The initial investigation will be largely brushed off by anyone on the ship (for the usual reason), but they will get a purser to assist them, this will eventually lead them to a dark secret, but before they can do anything about it they wake up on bed with little memory of the last 24-hours. (Unbeknownst to them, they are now dead because they were successful in finding The Beast and it killed them; thus starts the second part of the adventure.)

Part II: The Restless Spirits

Note: As spirits (who don't know they are dead), they see what they "want" to see. This means that when they talk to a living person (who doesn't actually see or hear them) they believe they are interacting with that person, this is because they cannot believe/know they are dead yet, and things that will alert them to the fact will not be noticed. (At least at first, but small clues might add up enough.)

1. They will try to continue the investigation and uncover what happened "yesterday". (I am thinking about instilling in them a sense of urgency because maybe at dawn each day, they return to their cabins with no memory of what has done on. This means that they could have failed a few times prior to now. Dunno, still spit-balling.) During this time, they will be able to see The Beast as it prowls the ship, right alongside everyone else, though no one else seems to see it - its powers prevent them from doing so.

2. Strangely, many people brush them off - including some of their loved ones (not everyone connected to the PCs went off on their "Scooby-Doo" adventure), but their friendly purser is still able and willing to help. (Yes, he is dead too, but more importantly, he is a cultist that worships The Beast, so he set them up to die and still works for his master in death.) Also, they will encounter other passengers and crew that will talk with them, but not help them, including the couple they were out looking for in the first place. (Yes, these are all dead too, and don't know it, and don't want to know it. So, they will be of no help.)

3. At the end of this part I want them to find the lair (which will be deep in the ship and have all the bodies of all the people The Beast has killed so far (easily a hundred or more), including the bodies of the PCs. Each PC will be able to clearly see the corpses of their companions, but their own corpse will not be recognizable to them, only that there are bodies that "seem familiar", (again, their mind/spirit is blocking things that tell them they are dead). It will take an act of willpower to break through that, I think.

4. The PCs will also discover that the cultist plan on ensuring that the entire ship is sacrificed to The Beast. To that end they have compromised in some way the communications, steering and the power of the ship.

Part III: End Game

1. Finally coming to terms with the fact that they are ghosts, the PCs now have the task of saving the ship and everyone still alive on board. I think I will have them learn that they can possess people to affect the physical world. Hopefully this will allow them to have some fun as they do a little "body-hopping." This will be probably the most problematic part of the adventure with me needing to have a whole bunch of stock NPC stats for them, ranging from children to old people - perhaps some animals too.

2. Using their new abilities (as well as they can), they will need to figure out a way to stop what is happening by either killing The Beast (and likely a bunch of the cultist), getting the ship back on course so they can hopefully get to a port and get the people off the ship. Perhaps get communications back up and running and call for help, though I would hope they would be smart enough to not say their is a monster on board, but terrorists. This way they may bet some special forces bodies to posses, that could be fun. This is another area I will need to have a lot of work done on, so I can cover any path they choose.

3. Ultimately, defeating The Beast and the cultists will allow their spirits to leave, to go on to the next... whatever, game over.

Now, what I would like from you guys (and gals) is ideas. Lots and lots of ideas about any aspect of the adventure. Ideas on how to keep the PCs from figuring out they are ghosts, while still dropping clues. Ideas on encounters, pre-death and post-death - and not really combat ones, but eerie, creepy and unsettling ones. (Though a couple of combat ones wouldn't hurt.) So, anything you can think of I would love to hear, or read as is the case here.

Also, the PCs will be pre-generated, largely normal folk, but a bit on the stereotypical side - keeping in line with horror movie tropes - such as the stripper with the heart of gold (and the abusive boyfriend she just can't quit), the jerk attorney/publicity agent/etc... and the drunk wife looking for anything else, the middle-American couple who are just as wholesome as can be, etc... Any other stereotypes you can think of will be appreciated.

[intothatdarkness]

In my settings, ghosts have always functioned as if they thought they were still alive (they have to make a check every few rounds or if the PCs do something unusual or unexpected...in other words, something that 'reminds' the ghosts that they are dead). Usually the triggers are language or behavior-based (speaking in a long-dead tongue, reaching for a goblet that isn't there, and so on), so those kind of things can make for decent clues. I'm also a fan of "hearing voices", so the PCs might hear echos of things that have already happened (dinner conversations from two days before) or catch a glimpse of people who they either know are dead or suspect may be dead (that way they might think they're seeing ghosts instead of interacting with their fellow ghosts).

This sounds interesting...let us know how it turns out.

[RandalThor]

Oooo... I like the hearing voices idea, I just might be able to work that in somewhere. Thanks, and keep them coming.

[markc]

Some of the things another game system uses for ghosts and interaction are;
1) Important/significant objects that allow for more interaction with people or ability to travel farther from your spot of death. (As you said before you are limiting movement based on the distance from the purser and specific objects may allow people to move farther then others)
 ie
 a) deck of cards allows you to go to the gaming room or ships casino
 b) cultist book allows you to go into cultist rooms, computer records or special cultist areas
 c) Significant objects "unlock" past events on ship that "you" dream about or you dream about the purser's past or the cults past.
2) Important/significant places on the ship might hold a stronger attraction to you after you pass or in other words you can get to some places on the ship but not others (you continual get lost on the way to a place you cannot reach, you might start to feel very sick, the ship might seem to roll (for you only) or some such thing). Some people with stronger ties might be able to pull you along to a location you might not be able to achieve on your own.
3) People you have not interacted with do not seem to notice you or ignore you.
4) When you talk to people you hear their thoughts instead of what they are saying. This can mean someone is smiling as nasty stuff comes out of their mouth and some such stuff as that. You they might say some stuff out loud and then you also here their thoughts in a very quite voice.
5) Maybe a book or computer suddenly becomes a font a information about specific people and or events as it updates itself (computer) or seems to have pages of text appear all of a sudden.


MDC

[markc]

Another idea is to have the Noro Virus pop up so sick people are confined to their cabins, that way people who go missing do not seem to go missing. You could also change the beast to a demon of disease for the Noro Virus.
MDC 

[intothatdarkness]

My ghosts also tend to act as if the environment they lived in still exists. So, for example, they'll walk "up" a set of stairs that collapsed years before, or "open" or "close" a door that no longer exists. If the party reacts to those events, it triggers a reality check for the ghost. Ghosts in my settings won't actually attack (aside from any innate attacks like health leach that they can't actually control) UNLESS they realize they're dead (it's the rage that drives the attack).

If the ship's suffered damage, the PCs might for example open and walk through a door, only to find it shattered when they turn to close it. The door was, of course, shattered beforehand, but in their ghost status they didn't 'see' it that way. The echo idea might also hold for something like them seeing someone fall overboard (even though it happened two years before - maybe they would have read about it before they sailed)...they're seeing the 'birth' of a ghost in a sense.

[tulgurth]

Stereotypes for horror movies?  There are 2 obvious ones, at least to me anyways, you need the jock/fitness fanatic and of course the nerdy person who knows all about horror movies and how they flow.  Another could be someone who is deeply into the occult.  Be it ghost hunters, a medium/psychic (will be a great way to drop those clues you are talking about), or just someone who grew up believing they were haunted as a child and after several very long years of therapy have been convinced it's all in their head.  Now that last one could be a lot of fun for you as the gm.

[markc]

Or maybe the cruise caters to visiting occult sites, supernatural sites of haunted locations and most of the people on the cruise have that interest.
  Then there are the other people who get a discount because the cruse line cannot fill the cruise and know nothing of the cruises theme.
MDC

[jdale]

and of course the nerdy person who knows all about horror movies and how they flow.

You could feed this person a constant stream of notes "this reminds you of ___" that are mostly red herrings and totally wrong, but once the PCs are dead, give them notes that make them think the living people are the ghosts...

[RandalThor]

You could feed this person a constant stream of notes "this reminds you of ___" that are mostly red herrings and totally wrong, but once the PCs are dead, give them notes that make them think the living people are the ghosts...

OK, I can work with that, I just need to choose the right player for that character.

or just someone who grew up believing they were haunted as a child and after several very long years of therapy have been convinced it's all in their head.  Now that last one could be a lot of fun for you as the gm.

Yes, that would be fun.

My ghosts also tend to act as if the environment they lived in still exists. So, for example, they'll walk "up" a set of stairs that collapsed years before, or "open" or "close" a door that no longer exists. If the party reacts to those events, it triggers a reality check for the ghost. Ghosts in my settings won't actually attack (aside from any innate attacks like health leach that they can't actually control) UNLESS they realize they're dead (it's the rage that drives the attack).

If the ship's suffered damage, the PCs might for example open and walk through a door, only to find it shattered when they turn to close it. The door was, of course, shattered beforehand, but in their ghost status they didn't 'see' it that way. The echo idea might also hold for something like them seeing someone fall overboard (even though it happened two years before - maybe they would have read about it before they sailed)...they're seeing the 'birth' of a ghost in a sense.

I don't plan on limiting the movement of the PCs once they become ghosts, as far as they are concerned they will still believe they are alive. It is during that time where I will be dropping hints as to their non-living nature, but I want the hints really subtle so it will take them a little while to figure it out. So, any help there would be greatly appreciated as I am not the most subtle tool in the shed. They will be able to move about the ship as they did before, though I do like your idea, intothatdarkness, about previous stuff being noticed - though I am not sure if I just want their ghostly nature to be tied to the fact that they got killed by a supernatural creature or not. I will have to think about that.

Please keep the ideas coming and thanks to you who have already piped up.

On RPG.net, one guy said he thought that this was a "bait & switch", does it seem that way to you? I guess by not saying up front that the PCs will be playing ghosts? I don't see it myself, it is not like I said, "Hey guys! I have this totally cool fantasy campaign I want to run" then turned around and ran GURPS Space. This is just a quick horror adventure, and I have not said anything other than:

"A vacation cruise becomes a nightmare when an evil boards the ship and begins to prey upon the crew and passengers. Can you stop it before everyone succumbs to the depredations of THE BEAST?

Come, find out............ if you dare."

So, what do you think? Is a this "bait & switch?"

[jdale]

Maybe a little bit? But so what? It's good to keep the players on their toes.

It would be riskier in my opinion if you presented it as one genre and it was another. But you've got it pitched firmly in horror.

[tulgurth]

 I do not see it as bait and switch.  You definitely pitch horror and the warning is there that the evil is preying on crew and passengers.  If for some reason the players do not think they should be either crew or passenger, then what?  They have been warned.

[tulgurth]

For telltale signs that might lead the players to think they are ghost, I can think of 2 off the top of my head.

1.)  Their reflections seem hazy as they pass in front of a mirror or glass, or any reflective surface, such as the buffet set up and its polished aluminum/chrome.  However, if they stop and stare they will see what they want, their reflections without the haziness. 

2.)  As they pass in front of windows or any type of glass it will frost up or condensate if they pass to close.   Especially the glass that is exposed to ocean air.

3.). Thought of something else...never been on a cruise but I am sure the hallways are not exactly spacious and you would come within close proximity of others you pass in the hallways.  When coming in contact with the living they simply pass through instead of bumping.  The living, receiving that chill effect might react as if bumped, but also will rub the area affected as it became chilled.  When bumping into another ghost, it will be an actual bump.  Not sure how subtle that would be, but it can be pulled off.

[RandalThor]

For telltale signs that might lead the players to think they are ghost, I can think of 2 off the top of my head.

1.)  Their reflections seem hazy as they pass in front of a mirror or glass, or any reflective surface, such as the buffet set up and its polished aluminum/chrome.  However, if they stop and stare they will see what they want, their reflections without the haziness. 

2.)  As they pass in front of windows or any type of glass it will frost up or condensate if they pass to close.   Especially the glass that is exposed to ocean air.

3.). Thought of something else...never been on a cruise but I am sure the hallways are not exactly spacious and you would come within close proximity of others you pass in the hallways.  When coming in contact with the living they simply pass through instead of bumping.  The living, receiving that chill effect might react as if bumped, but also will rub the area affected as it became chilled.  When bumping into another ghost, it will be an actual bump.  Not sure how subtle that would be, but it can be pulled off.

All good ones that I think I can use, excellent, thanks. Oh, and I have been on cruises (both civilian and military) and those hallways are not wide - except in a few areas where cargo might be moved through - so the close quarters was something I was going to be utilizing, and that brush with the living is a great way to do that.

Maybe a little bit? But so what? It's good to keep the players on their toes.

It would be riskier in my opinion if you presented it as one genre and it was another. But you've got it pitched firmly in horror.

That is what I think. I consider bait and switch to be a major difference (genre, tone, etc...), not something like, "I was expecting orcs but you have us fighting gnolls!" I guess some people have had it happen to them and they are more sensitive than others about it; I can understand that.

[jdale]

That is what I think. I consider bait and switch to be a major difference (genre, tone, etc...), not something like, "I was expecting orcs but you have us fighting gnolls!" I guess some people have had it happen to them and they are more sensitive than others about it; I can understand that.

I put a page on the website for the RM game I play, which says:

Things that don't exist:
Magic
Orcs
Undead
Dragons

This summarizes the timeline of how the things we were told about the world were gradually disproved. I think we all know how it will go with item #4 at this point.

[Peter R]

I was going to suggest the whole glass and mirrors thing but that is already out there.

How about using temperature. The players slowly start to feel colder, they may just put on a jumper but a while later you tell them again that it is getting cold but they may notice that other people are not bundling up quite as much as they are. They may notice that their breath doesn't mist despite the cold. Given your cruise route it probably would be cold I guess. Eventually the party will go from being cold to simply not being able to get warm and the only others with the same problem will be the other dead people. This could be a sympton they notice in people who died sooner than them but they then start to suffer from it.

[RandalThor]

Good idea Peter, thanks.