paizo.com Recent Posts in What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?paizo.com Recent Posts in What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?2019-11-25T05:02:55Z2019-11-25T05:02:55ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Quixotehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#342019-12-18T19:42:39Z2019-12-18T19:42:39Z<p>The God Machine Chronicles. It's set in a modern-day world, but definitely worth looking at.
<br />
Essentially, you just take all the common elements of Lovecraft—alien, unknowable, that sense of scope and size and complexity, madness, secret cults—but you replace all of the deep-sea motifs with technological ones. Swap the tentacles for gears, basically.</p>
<p>It's wonderfully written, with plots and concepts that are legitimately dizzying in their intricacy.</p>The God Machine Chronicles. It's set in a modern-day world, but definitely worth looking at.
Essentially, you just take all the common elements of Lovecraft--alien, unknowable, that sense of scope and size and complexity, madness, secret cults--but you replace all of the deep-sea motifs with technological ones. Swap the tentacles for gears, basically.
It's wonderfully written, with plots and concepts that are legitimately dizzying in their intricacy.Quixote2019-12-18T19:42:39ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Douglas Muir 406https://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#332019-12-18T16:04:15Z2019-12-18T16:03:50Z<p>Hm. I imagined her as an ongoing character, with the villain reveal coming gradually. — Also, I have about half of a campaign written with her as a major character — one of six evil witches or hags who are the secret masters of a city. If that sounds interesting, you can find a sketch of it <a href="https://paizo.com/threads/rzs42vh1?Getting-away-from-the-Seven-Deadly-Sins#5" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">over here</a>.</p>
<p>Doug M.</p>Hm. I imagined her as an ongoing character, with the villain reveal coming gradually. -- Also, I have about half of a campaign written with her as a major character -- one of six evil witches or hags who are the secret masters of a city. If that sounds interesting, you can find a sketch of it over here.
Doug M.Douglas Muir 4062019-12-18T16:03:50ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Artofregicidehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#322019-12-16T20:03:42Z2019-12-16T20:03:42Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Douglas Muir 406 wrote:</div><blockquote> <div class="messageboard-quotee">elvnsword wrote:</div><blockquote><p> Mid-Campaign reveal. </p>
<p>The little old lady who has been helpgin them, selling them potions, and in general acting as both patron and aid, turns out to be the main enemy, using the PCs to thin her Lts out, cull the weak from the chafe, and she then offers to recruit them to her cause but they must join her in her attack on the otherwise innocent townsfolk for something their ancestors did to her in the long past. (Think lil ol Granny in the forest shack, Good Witch vibes) </blockquote><p>Coming in a bit late, but <a href="https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2tmho?Does-Anyone-have-a-Witch-BBEG-that-I-could#3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">this character here</a> would be pretty much a perfect fit. She's sweet, kindly, and would totally help a group whose interests aligned with hers! And she makes all sorts of potions!
<p>Of course, she's actually a Souldrinker and a neutral evil serial killer. But she's /nice/.</p>
<p>Doug M. </blockquote><p>Curse you Doug!
<p>•shakes fist•</p>
<p>Now I <b>have</b> to use her... any ideas on how to turn this into a one-shot?</p>Douglas Muir 406 wrote:elvnsword wrote:Mid-Campaign reveal.
The little old lady who has been helpgin them, selling them potions, and in general acting as both patron and aid, turns out to be the main enemy, using the PCs to thin her Lts out, cull the weak from the chafe, and she then offers to recruit them to her cause but they must join her in her attack on the otherwise innocent townsfolk for something their ancestors did to her in the long past. (Think lil ol Granny in the forest shack,...Artofregicide2019-12-16T20:03:42ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Douglas Muir 406https://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#312019-12-16T23:40:30Z2019-12-15T09:09:26Z<p>Hey, don't forget demon grafts and various Corruptions.</p>
<p>Doug M.</p>Hey, don't forget demon grafts and various Corruptions.
Doug M.Douglas Muir 4062019-12-15T09:09:26ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Chromantic Durgon <3https://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#302019-12-14T22:13:33Z2019-12-14T22:13:33Z<p>For horror and for turning yourself into a monster? Without lovecraft </p>
<p>Kytons and Zon Kuthon are surely the only answer?</p>For horror and for turning yourself into a monster? Without lovecraft
Kytons and Zon Kuthon are surely the only answer?Chromantic Durgon <32019-12-14T22:13:33ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Douglas Muir 406https://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#292019-12-14T21:55:07Z2019-12-14T21:55:07Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">elvnsword wrote:</div><blockquote><p> Mid-Campaign reveal. </p>
<p>The little old lady who has been helpgin them, selling them potions, and in general acting as both patron and aid, turns out to be the main enemy, using the PCs to thin her Lts out, cull the weak from the chafe, and she then offers to recruit them to her cause but they must join her in her attack on the otherwise innocent townsfolk for something their ancestors did to her in the long past. (Think lil ol Granny in the forest shack, Good Witch vibes) </blockquote><p>Coming in a bit late, but <a href="https://paizo.com/threads/rzs2tmho?Does-Anyone-have-a-Witch-BBEG-that-I-could#3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">this character here</a> would be pretty much a perfect fit. She's sweet, kindly, and would totally help a group whose interests aligned with hers! And she makes all sorts of potions!
<p>Of course, she's actually a Souldrinker and a neutral evil serial killer. But she's /nice/.</p>
<p>Doug M.</p>elvnsword wrote:Mid-Campaign reveal.
The little old lady who has been helpgin them, selling them potions, and in general acting as both patron and aid, turns out to be the main enemy, using the PCs to thin her Lts out, cull the weak from the chafe, and she then offers to recruit them to her cause but they must join her in her attack on the otherwise innocent townsfolk for something their ancestors did to her in the long past. (Think lil ol Granny in the forest shack, Good Witch vibes)
...Douglas Muir 4062019-12-14T21:55:07ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Rockwell555https://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#282019-12-03T14:16:45Z2019-12-03T14:16:45Z<p>Well, one of my favorite monsters from the old D20 Modern system was the 'Star Doppleganger', which was pretty much John Carpenter's version of "The Thing (from another world)" ^_^
<br />
http://www.d20resources.com/menaces.d20/menaces/star.doppleganger.php</p>
<p>It has a Lovecraftian feel, without truly being a Mythos entity (frankly, one of the things I didn't like about the 'Strange Aeons' adventure path was its very close association with the Cthulhu Mythos).</p>
<p>Of course it will take some work to convert it to Pathfinder stats, but not too much.</p>
<p>The hard part will be how to emulate it taking someone else's place, without the other player's knowing (easy to do for NPCs).</p>
<p>There was a Ravenloft adventure about Dopplegangers ("Hour of the Knife") dealt with PCs being replaced harshly: If a PC was ever in a situation where they were alone with a Doppleganger, they were automatically assumed to be killed and replaced (but this was originally a tournament adventure, so nobody was losing long standing characters themselves).</p>Well, one of my favorite monsters from the old D20 Modern system was the 'Star Doppleganger', which was pretty much John Carpenter's version of "The Thing (from another world)" ^_^
http://www.d20resources.com/menaces.d20/menaces/star.doppleganger.php
It has a Lovecraftian feel, without truly being a Mythos entity (frankly, one of the things I didn't like about the 'Strange Aeons' adventure path was its very close association with the Cthulhu Mythos).
Of course it will take some work to...Rockwell5552019-12-03T14:16:45ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Quixotehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#272019-12-02T21:40:54Z2019-12-02T21:40:54Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">VoodistMonk wrote:</div><blockquote>How about the huge, 9-headed Jotund Troll?</blockquote><p>That sounds awesome. Some kind of ritual that awakens the beast?VoodistMonk wrote:How about the huge, 9-headed Jotund Troll?
That sounds awesome. Some kind of ritual that awakens the beast?Quixote2019-12-02T21:40:54ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?VoodistMonkhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#262019-12-02T21:33:06Z2019-12-02T21:33:06Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Quixote wrote:</div><blockquote><p> How about some big, hulking brute. Like an impossibly rotund, ogre-like thing with a distended maw that alternates between attempts to swallow characters whole and vomiting up swarms of wriggling maggots?</p>
<p>Or maybe a shriveled old witch of some sort, with some sort of flesh warping ability to corrode the party's sense of self and to make their minions even more gruesome and deadly? </blockquote><p>How about the huge, 9-headed Jotund Troll (CR15) with its Fast Swallow/Swallow Whole ability? Just scooping people up and eating them in the most grotesquely satisfying manner possible...Quixote wrote:How about some big, hulking brute. Like an impossibly rotund, ogre-like thing with a distended maw that alternates between attempts to swallow characters whole and vomiting up swarms of wriggling maggots?
Or maybe a shriveled old witch of some sort, with some sort of flesh warping ability to corrode the party's sense of self and to make their minions even more gruesome and deadly?
How about the huge, 9-headed Jotund Troll (CR15) with its Fast Swallow/Swallow Whole ability?...VoodistMonk2019-12-02T21:33:06ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Sir Belmont the Valianthttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#252019-12-02T21:27:51Z2019-12-02T21:27:51Z<p>As the party knocks down the deranged wizard behind all the trouble, they find out what's behind him... a <a href="http://legacy.aonprd.com/bestiary3/devil.html#devil,-contract" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Contract Devil</a>!</p>
<p>The really ugly thing about him is that he refuses to fight the PCs (projected image or some such). He just wants to talk and maybe offer a bargain or two... He will certainly offer to swap the wizard's soul for that of the Paladin. :p</p>As the party knocks down the deranged wizard behind all the trouble, they find out what's behind him... a Contract Devil!
The really ugly thing about him is that he refuses to fight the PCs (projected image or some such). He just wants to talk and maybe offer a bargain or two... He will certainly offer to swap the wizard's soul for that of the Paladin. :pSir Belmont the Valiant2019-12-02T21:27:51ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Quixotehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#242019-12-01T01:07:43Z2019-12-01T01:07:43Z<p>How about some big, hulking brute. Like an impossibly rotund, ogre-like thing with a distended maw that alternates between attempts to swallow characters whole and vomiting up swarms of wriggling maggots?</p>
<p>Or maybe a shriveled old witch of some sort, with some sort of flesh warping ability to corrode the party's sense of self and to make their minions even more gruesome and deadly?</p>How about some big, hulking brute. Like an impossibly rotund, ogre-like thing with a distended maw that alternates between attempts to swallow characters whole and vomiting up swarms of wriggling maggots?
Or maybe a shriveled old witch of some sort, with some sort of flesh warping ability to corrode the party's sense of self and to make their minions even more gruesome and deadly?Quixote2019-12-01T01:07:43ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?EldonGuyrehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#232019-11-30T17:03:58Z2019-11-30T17:03:58Z<p>Kytons are pretty much the ultimate for body horror...a devourer could be used well...of course cults compliment demons and kytons exceptionally.</p>Kytons are pretty much the ultimate for body horror...a devourer could be used well...of course cults compliment demons and kytons exceptionally.EldonGuyre2019-11-30T17:03:58ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?NihilsticBananahttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#222019-11-30T07:15:03Z2019-11-30T07:15:03Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">EldonGuyre wrote:</div><blockquote><p> What style of horror is it? If it's gothic,a vampire or ghost is perfect, if cliched. Something like a devourer is a bit more unusual, though I'd beef it up a bit for that many players.</p>
<p>Demons are a classic, and give you an excuse for some horrific ritual.</p>
<p>A lot of what makes for a good suggestion really depends on what sort of horror you're looking for. </blockquote><p>Good point, so far I've gotten some ideas that I really like, But I guess the overall tone of my campaign is a dark fantasy with moments of extreme body horror, I'd only call a few key locations "Gothic" just due to there maybe being a castle on a lonely little island, Though I'd rather lean closer to the cult stuff with the final dungeon so that would be closer to body horror end boss or scary monster end boss or a mix of both.EldonGuyre wrote:What style of horror is it? If it's gothic,a vampire or ghost is perfect, if cliched. Something like a devourer is a bit more unusual, though I'd beef it up a bit for that many players.
Demons are a classic, and give you an excuse for some horrific ritual.
A lot of what makes for a good suggestion really depends on what sort of horror you're looking for.
Good point, so far I've gotten some ideas that I really like, But I guess the overall tone of my campaign is a dark...NihilsticBanana2019-11-30T07:15:03ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?EldonGuyrehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#212019-11-29T21:58:24Z2019-11-29T21:58:24Z<p>What style of horror is it? If it's gothic,a vampire or ghost is perfect, if cliched. Something like a devourer is a bit more unusual, though I'd beef it up a bit for that many players.</p>
<p>Demons are a classic, and give you an excuse for some horrific ritual.</p>
<p>A lot of what makes for a good suggestion really depends on what sort of horror you're looking for.</p>What style of horror is it? If it's gothic,a vampire or ghost is perfect, if cliched. Something like a devourer is a bit more unusual, though I'd beef it up a bit for that many players.
Demons are a classic, and give you an excuse for some horrific ritual.
A lot of what makes for a good suggestion really depends on what sort of horror you're looking for.EldonGuyre2019-11-29T21:58:24ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Scrapperhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#202019-11-29T17:41:56Z2019-11-29T17:41:56Z<p>An Ogre Magi that shape changes down to an elderly man the party may or may not know, the final fight is the big reveal, except once defeated, the ogre magi's head cracks open to reveal an Intellect Devourer! And now the final fight begins!</p>An Ogre Magi that shape changes down to an elderly man the party may or may not know, the final fight is the big reveal, except once defeated, the ogre magi's head cracks open to reveal an Intellect Devourer! And now the final fight begins!Scrapper2019-11-29T17:41:56ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Slim Jimhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#192019-11-28T10:19:50Z2019-11-28T10:19:50Z<p>It doesn't have complicated, if <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIuKrouOXVs" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">sheer numbers</a> will do the trick. (Bonus points if the GM actually has a thousand minis of the same creature.)</p>It doesn't have complicated, if sheer numbers will do the trick. (Bonus points if the GM actually has a thousand minis of the same creature.)Slim Jim2019-11-28T10:19:50ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Meirrilhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#182019-11-27T22:43:22Z2019-11-27T22:43:22Z<p>Could go with a 'traditional' Pathfinder villain set up. A cult of Lamashtu worshipers. Have the final reveal lead to a Gnoll Lair where the top levels are filled with human cultists and gnoll warriors, with a few Fleshwarped abominations. Then throw in a Lamia leading a group of 'elite' gnoll warriors with fleshcrafts attached to them. </p>
<p>As the party gets deeper into the caves, have waves of weak monsters assault them. Lamashtu's will has been done and the Gnolls and cultists have been very fruitful. </p>
<p>In a large chamber deep within the earth is our BBG. A Lamaia Matriarch attended by a lesser Lamaia assistant (with alchemist levels), and a pair of human assistants. One of the assistants is a Druid that controls vermin used in the experiments. On the first round several swarms of burrowing beetles emerge from the walls and ceiling (the swarms fly). The chamber itself has several natural pools that have been converted into alchemical vats for fleshwarping experiments. The room should have a large amount of throbbing puddy-encased experiments that act like obstacles and cover. If an experiment is subjected to a substantial attack have a half-hp fleshwarped creature emerge and join the fight.</p>
<p>At the back end of the cave should be some humongous cocoons that promise fleshwarped creatures of mind boggling size if they ever emerge. I'd intend those more as a plot point with no intention to use said creatures. But you do what you want with the idea.</p>Could go with a 'traditional' Pathfinder villain set up. A cult of Lamashtu worshipers. Have the final reveal lead to a Gnoll Lair where the top levels are filled with human cultists and gnoll warriors, with a few Fleshwarped abominations. Then throw in a Lamia leading a group of 'elite' gnoll warriors with fleshcrafts attached to them.
As the party gets deeper into the caves, have waves of weak monsters assault them. Lamashtu's will has been done and the Gnolls and cultists have been very...Meirril2019-11-27T22:43:22ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?elvnswordhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#172019-11-27T21:38:06Z2019-11-27T21:38:06Z<p>Mid-Campaign reveal. </p>
<p>The little old lady who has been helpgin them, selling them potions, and in general acting as both patron and aid, turns out to be the main enemy, using the PCs to thin her Lts out, cull the weak from the chafe, and she then offers to recruit them to her cause but they must join her in her attack on the otherwise innocent townsfolk for something their ancestors did to her in the long past. (Think lil ol Granny in the forest shack, Good Witch vibes) </p>
<p>Joining her is a quick path to power, but your tied to this woman who's really a demon/witch, fighting her means fighting her minions etc. This lets the party bust the trope and join her if they please, or know the enemy they are going to have to fight in the end, as they have met her. </p>
<p>End of Campaign if they choose the good path is fighting her in her full Hag form, upgraded to match the CR. If you want to add unusual tropes look up Baba Yaga's house from the Reign of Winter expansion and let that be part of the fight.</p>Mid-Campaign reveal.
The little old lady who has been helpgin them, selling them potions, and in general acting as both patron and aid, turns out to be the main enemy, using the PCs to thin her Lts out, cull the weak from the chafe, and she then offers to recruit them to her cause but they must join her in her attack on the otherwise innocent townsfolk for something their ancestors did to her in the long past. (Think lil ol Granny in the forest shack, Good Witch vibes)
Joining her is a...elvnsword2019-11-27T21:38:06ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Ryze Kujahttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#162019-11-27T16:25:31Z2019-11-27T16:25:31Z<p>It's a party of 6 level 13 gestalts. I didn't feel bad at all :) I did have to beef up his stats to a CR15 to make him a viable challenge to the group, but I kept the saves for the spells/abilities the same. I totally forgot to use Dream Slave on the guy who died though... don't worry, he's coming back for a rematch in 1d4+1 days :D</p>It's a party of 6 level 13 gestalts. I didn't feel bad at all :) I did have to beef up his stats to a CR15 to make him a viable challenge to the group, but I kept the saves for the spells/abilities the same. I totally forgot to use Dream Slave on the guy who died though... don't worry, he's coming back for a rematch in 1d4+1 days :DRyze Kuja2019-11-27T16:25:31ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?VoodistMonkhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#152019-11-27T16:23:26Z2019-11-27T16:23:26Z<div class="messageboard-quotee">Ryze Kuja wrote:</div><blockquote><p> @voodistmonk</p>
<p>I totally used that Nightmare Lord two sessions ago. He is a beast. He got one kill on the group in the first round with Quickened Phantasmal Killer, and then had the group shaking in their boots for the rest of the encounter. Luckily they resisted the other two Quickened PK's, but the fear of death was present ;) </blockquote><p>That's awesome. What level was the party?
<p>I'm probably going to reintroduce him to the party after Thanksgiving. </p>
<p>I would almost feel bad unleashing 3 quickened DC28 Phantasmal Killers. Almost. </p>
<p>The party still thinks that I cheap-shotted them when a Forest Giant used Baleful Polymorph to turn one of them into a mindless raven.</p>Ryze Kuja wrote:@voodistmonk
I totally used that Nightmare Lord two sessions ago. He is a beast. He got one kill on the group in the first round with Quickened Phantasmal Killer, and then had the group shaking in their boots for the rest of the encounter. Luckily they resisted the other two Quickened PK's, but the fear of death was present ;)
That's awesome. What level was the party? I'm probably going to reintroduce him to the party after Thanksgiving.
I would almost feel bad unleashing 3...VoodistMonk2019-11-27T16:23:26ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Ryze Kujahttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#142019-11-27T15:35:26Z2019-11-27T15:35:26Z<p>@voodistmonk</p>
<p>I totally used that Nightmare Lord two sessions ago. He is a beast. He got one kill on the group in the first round with Quickened Phantasmal Killer, and then had the group shaking in their boots for the rest of the encounter. Luckily they resisted the other two Quickened PK's, but the fear of death was present ;)</p>@voodistmonk
I totally used that Nightmare Lord two sessions ago. He is a beast. He got one kill on the group in the first round with Quickened Phantasmal Killer, and then had the group shaking in their boots for the rest of the encounter. Luckily they resisted the other two Quickened PK's, but the fear of death was present ;)Ryze Kuja2019-11-27T15:35:26ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Secret Wizardhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#132019-11-25T23:13:39Z2019-11-25T23:13:39Z<p>To add on @Entymal.</p>
<p>I think a masterpiece in horror is Bloodborne.</p>
<p>Bloodborne has a very strong theme: reproduction. From that stem a lot of subthemes – blood, longing, loneliness, sterility, flesh, corruption, decay, the moon, cycles, etc.</p>
<p>Each great foe represents an aspect of this theme, and the final bosses have a strong connection with it.</p>To add on @Entymal.
I think a masterpiece in horror is Bloodborne.
Bloodborne has a very strong theme: reproduction. From that stem a lot of subthemes – blood, longing, loneliness, sterility, flesh, corruption, decay, the moon, cycles, etc.
Each great foe represents an aspect of this theme, and the final bosses have a strong connection with it.Secret Wizard2019-11-25T23:13:39ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?BENSLAYERhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#122019-11-25T23:08:15Z2019-11-25T23:06:26Z<p>Personally I like the idea of utilizing <a href="https://aonprd.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Hollow%20One" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Hollow Ones</a>. Perhaps the 'crazy folk' are the 5% of unstable versions, or the B.B.E.G. was one that took Class Levels to emulate its creator, taking over their twisted legacy by making more Hollow Ones. You can sprinkle clues during confusing incidents in the campaign that increasingly indicate various horrors but no concrete evidence. In fact, this gives you an "out" if there is a T.P.K. before the "big reveal", whereby the Party instead later awaken naked, divested of equipment and strangely sore. Only at the end do they realize why they were spared - the B.B.E.G. used them as "materials" for new Hollow Ones, then discarded the assumed to be dying Party, (it turns out P.C.s can benefit from plot armour too!). The horror comes in the Party learning what happened to them, having to kill subservient, distorted versions of themselves/each other, then spending the rest of their lives (if they survive the final Encounter) wondering who in their lives is "real" and who is "Hollow" ...</p>Personally I like the idea of utilizing Hollow Ones. Perhaps the 'crazy folk' are the 5% of unstable versions, or the B.B.E.G. was one that took Class Levels to emulate its creator, taking over their twisted legacy by making more Hollow Ones. You can sprinkle clues during confusing incidents in the campaign that increasingly indicate various horrors but no concrete evidence. In fact, this gives you an "out" if there is a T.P.K. before the "big reveal", whereby the Party instead later awaken...BENSLAYER2019-11-25T23:06:26ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Entymalhttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#112019-11-25T22:47:59Z2019-11-25T22:47:59Z<p>As above, the theme is truly important in horror. It also helps if there's a sense of betrayal and despair. For intrigue, a villain might not be entirely wrong. </p>
<p>Perhaps when they find the villain it's revealed that all their adventures were planned to keep them busy. Now, at the final conflict, they learn that the plan to (achieve X) was completed half an hour ago and is irreversible. </p>
<p>3.5 had this ghost story... the ghost was trying to kill a pregnant woman and attacking any who stood against him. The whole town huddled in the church for protection. The ghost was the women's dead husband, trying to kill the devil possessing his unborn child before it grew to full power and slaughtered / dominated everyone. </p>
<p>There's no perfect ending in a story like that. That's horror.</p>As above, the theme is truly important in horror. It also helps if there's a sense of betrayal and despair. For intrigue, a villain might not be entirely wrong.
Perhaps when they find the villain it's revealed that all their adventures were planned to keep them busy. Now, at the final conflict, they learn that the plan to (achieve X) was completed half an hour ago and is irreversible.
3.5 had this ghost story... the ghost was trying to kill a pregnant woman and attacking any who stood...Entymal2019-11-25T22:47:59ZRe: Forums: Advice: What's a Good end boss for a horror campaign that isn't lovecraftian?Ryan Freirehttps://paizo.com/threads/rzs42uvj?Whats-a-Good-end-boss-for-a-horror-campaign#102019-11-25T23:09:07Z2019-11-25T21:29:01Z<p>Ghost. Its a BBEG the party cant just kersmite to death, they have to figure out how to resolve whats keeping it around, on top of which the original person could potentially not even be a bad person, they maybe just died in an ugly way. ghosts can possess, so they can end up being problematic at all levels by simply possessing people to f$$@ with the party. It digs into needing investigation chops as you have to figure out how to put the lost soul to rest. </p>
<p>Ghosts>most everything else for BBEG in horror games</p>Ghost. Its a BBEG the party cant just kersmite to death, they have to figure out how to resolve whats keeping it around, on top of which the original person could potentially not even be a bad person, they maybe just died in an ugly way. ghosts can possess, so they can end up being problematic at all levels by simply possessing people to f#$@ with the party. It digs into needing investigation chops as you have to figure out how to put the lost soul to rest.
Ghosts>most everything else for...Ryan Freire2019-11-25T21:29:01Z