I know it is not really the horror season for most people, but for me it is always the time for horror. Aside from that, my games always have an undercurrent of Lovecraftian horror. It is fun, even in the high fantasy, heroic games where madness and death aren't quite as imminent. The inherent fear of indescribable things, amalgamations of things that should not be, is a great addition when it comes up. For those paying attention, I am in the process of creating an actual play podcast. It is going to be a multiversal fight against the unspeakable horrors from beyond time and space. Insanity is as much a risk as death, but it won't be too gritty as I do like prolonged campaigns. Because of all this I have been seeking all the horror inspiration I can get, hoping to let this game thrive off variety.
Today I present you with three bits of inspiration known around the internet as creepypastas. For those who don't know what a creepypasta is, head over to wikipedia for a primer and check out one of these sites for days of examples. Essentially, they are legends or tales told on the internet. True modern horror stories, many also center around a mysterious digital image or video and others are based on "real" forum conversations. Before I give you examples I want you to know I will do my best not to include to heavy of spoilers, so descriptions will be short, and attribute them to the proper authors. If I get the author wrong I am very sorry, I do know there has been a few people out there wrongly claiming creation. The authors I provide will come from the creepypasta wiki.
Abandoned By Disney by Slimebeast: This is one of my favorite creepypastas for a couple reasons. First off, the original (which is linked) is a story about someone who is investigating an abandoned Disney park known as Treasure Island. Based on a real abandoned Disney project, the investigator discovers some of the reasons why it was abandoned and why no one has returned. Strange and horrible things seem to have happened there and the whole journey gets the character involved in something much deeper. Using such a well known thing as Disney and everything that entails as the basis for secret horrors, is amazing. The other reason this is such a great creepypasta is that it encompasses four stories: the original, a prequel, and two sequels. I suggest hitting the link and reading the first. At the bottom is linked the prequel and sequel, and I would suggest hitting the prequel first then moving on from there.
Russian Sleep Experiment by unknown author: This is the very first creepypasta that I ever read, and my absolute favorite. About a 1940s experiment on sleep deprivation in Russia, this creepypasta's author is unknown. Over the course of the experiment stranger and stranger things happen, the kind of stuff that can shake you to the core. Part of the terror of this story comes from the simple fact that it is presented as an actual occurrence and, let's be honest, there is pretty much no reason not to believe it. The only reason not to believe it would be a total lack of belief in the possibility of such strange things every happening, but keep your minds open people! The lack of author only adds the the mystery that it may be a story told over the decades. If you want a disturbing story with just the right touch of supernatural and Lovecraft, this is the creepypasta for you.
The Strangest Security Tape I've Ever Seen by powerhawkmash: This is another great creepypasta that was one of the pasta of the months over at the wiki. While not very scary, it is a bit creepy and definitely gets you thinking. Revolving around a gas station attendant who is asked to review some security tapes, this creepypasta begins to reveal that things are not what they seem. Sometimes you may not even notice things are different until afterward, and then even if you do understand, it may not be obvious. I really like this as a story, even if it is low on the fear factor, because it was so memorable. Aside from this, I chose to include it because it has a hint of the SCP around it. If you don't know what SCP is, I can tell you this: it is a form of creepypasta and I will feature three of these as more horror inspiration next Thursday!
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