[Actual Play] Iron Kingdoms - Adamantine Will

Episode 2: Witchfire - The Longest Night - Part 7

Darcey drew her pistol and blew the brains out of the the creature. The women screamed in terror and fled as fast as they could. Darcey holstered her pistol and ran back to the cathedral.

Eckert directed the newly acquire warjack to watch the main bridge. It was a Nomad class church consecrated war machine, now named Solovin, and hefted a massive hammer. The snow lightly landed on the machine and evaporated away due to the heat from the furnace of the behemoth. Darcey ran over the bridge and nodded to Eckert before taking up a position on one of the tombs. Father Dumas spoke, saying their main aim was to protect the tomb of Lexaria, Alexia's mother. With the end of his staff he scrapped the moss away from a plaque to reveal that the centre tomb of those out side the cathedral was hers.

There was a sloshing of water, and Darcey turned to watch as a Swamp Shambler, a zombie, pulled itself out of the canal. The putrid creature lumbered towards her, as another pulled itself up, and belly flopped out of the nearby well. Aiming her rifle, Darcey fired, and sent the dead thing spinning back down into the well. There was a scrapping sound of metal, as another of the zombies emerged from the sewers, and Eckert commanded his warjack to kill it, while he called upon Morrow and send a holy bolt of energy at the other remaining zombie. Both creatures were obliterated. So far so good. But from across the bridge they could hear marching, and they saw the horde of undead storming over to them.

Solovin held the line at the bridge, smashing the undead thralls,  sending them flying left and right. Darcey reloaded her rifle and fire, and repeated this, her spent shells melting the snow where they landed. More thralls were now approaching from the smaller bridge, but Hurst finally arrived. He pulled out a grenade and lobbed it, incinerating two thralls as Eckert battled them.

More thralls were approaching form the bridge, and across the smaller one the knight, Gregore, came storming to the aid of the others. He crashed over the bridge, knocking the thralls into the water. As more of the undead stormed over the main bridge, Hurst advanced, firing bursts from his spray gun and tank. The liquid spread forth and ignited, burning numerous skeletons, and lighting up the cathedral grounds. But still more came.

Darcey looked up as she fired another shot, and spied something approaching over the bridge. Smoke belched from it, and it stomped forward. It was a laborjack, but different. From the furnace grates, rather than a fiery orange, a hellish green bale fire shone. The thralls ahead of it spread for it, and it barrel charged into Solovin, sending the warjack tumbling backwards. Eckert turned to face the metal monster, and struck it with a blast of holy light. The 'jack stagger, and Eckert watched as a strange mechanical like ghost emerged and escaped - a machine wraith.

More of the undead were invading the island, forcing them back. Some arrived on boats, others via the bridge, and more simple had walked from one side of the canal and through the water. Amongst their number Alexia strode forward, now clad in black armour. She pointed at Eckert, green runes appearing about her, and a beam of emerald energy darted at the priest, tearing at his soul.

Things were quickly spiralling out of control, and the party of witch hunters fell back as the hundreds of thralls surrounded them.

Alexia spoke above the roar of battle.

'If you want to leave here alive - just give me my mother's body'.

And here are some shots from the game in progress

Circle Orboros - Painting

So given that I won a copy of Hordes 2 Player Battle Box from www.beastsofwar.com , I have traded those two battle forces with my friends and in return got more Skorne (Swordsmen and Beasthandlers). But one of my friends, who took the Circle army, wanted me to paint them. Here are the results thus far.

[actual play] Iron Kingdoms - Adamantine Will

Episode 2 : Witchfire - The Longest Night - Part 6

Darcey and Hurst quietly closed the door and quickly made their way up the stairs, hoping the thralls would not follow them.

Out on the battlements of the gatehouse of Fort Rhyker, Gregore and Brother Eckert assessed the stone bridge before them that stretched out over the chasm. Somewhere below in the mist was the drawbridge. To Gregore's eyes the bridge in a bad state, but it may hold long enough. He threw his grapple hook to the other side of the bridge, hoping that if the worst happened he would have something to hold on to. He then began to edge out over the bridge.
Eckert held the other end of the rope and watch, but acknowledge the arrival of the other two, asking if they had found anything. The two shook their heads. Gregore was now half way across the bridge, and some masonry had fallen away in places as he had made his way across.

Darcey and Hurst looked back to the stairwell, and spotted the band of thralls emerge, their eyeless sockets spying them. With no time given for explanations, Hurst and Darcey made to run across the bridge, with Hurst first dropping a smoke grenade at the end of the bridge. Eckert was dumb struck, and seeing there was no point in protesting, he ran after them. Gregore to saw what was happening, and made to leap the remaining distance of the bridge.

As the witch hunters sped across the bridge more stone and masonry fell away, revealing large gaps in the bridge. Darcey, finding her feet less sure on the ground leapt forward and clattered on the stones at the other end of the bridge. But Hurst tripped. He reached out and grabbed the rope, and Gregore braced to hold his weight. Hurst barely held on for his life, almost falling to his doom in the chasm. Eckert seeing this, sped forward and jumped, landing at the other end of the bridge as the entire structure fell away. Both Eckert and Gregore held tight onto the rope and Hurst fell and swung, hitting the side of the fortress wall. He looked up, glad to see who was holding the rope. He looked back to the other side of the chasm and the gatehouse, and watched with glee as the thrall warriors charged through the smoke, and to their doom as they tumbled into the chasm.

On the battlements of the fortress proper, the group did a circuit to ensure that they were safe. The only way down led into the court yard. There below them they counted some 500 thralls. And amongst them were the freshly dead zombies, Swamp Shamblers. A thrall captain used a spear to keep the rowdy monsters at bay.

"Juicy and dangerous", Darcey quipped.

At the north end of the battlements the troupe were able to look into the main hall, peering through the cracked and broken stain-glass window. The in the hall some 20 thralls protected another dozen who were arranging the bones of skeletons, as from body to body Alexia, aided by the 4 animated witches of the coven, went to animated the thralls. Red sigils on the ground formed a circle, and as Alexia spoke the arcane words of Necromancy. In turn Telgesh runes appeared about her, circling in spirals, and then the runes on the bodies, etched into the bones, flared into life. The eyes of the thrall blazed into life and the skeleton stood up and went to gather its weapons and join the rest of the army.

The troupe considered their options, wondering how they might escape. Facing Alexia head on was now not an option. There were more pressing matter. Gregore looked about the outside of the battlements, trying to find the shortest drop. From here the rope was lowered, and soon the entire group was down outside the fort, though they had taken some injuries in their landings on the rocky scrub.

Looking around Hurst figured that with the chasm between them and where they had left their horses they h The ash cloud dissipated and Gregore charged into the thralls, hacking at them with his great sword. In seconds the thralls had a 3 hour hike to get back. As they set off he noticed some fresh bodies on the ground, well fresh parts. They had been gnawed upon by something with large teeth. Looking back up to the fort they saw a trail of shreds of clothing and other body parts. In amongst the parts they found the badges of the two missing city watchmen. And in the side of the fort they could see a tunnel had been carved into the wall. From within the fortress they heard the sounding of horns and more horns replied. The army was moving. Almost in response a creature bellowed from within the tunnel. The troupe thought it prudent to get going quickly. Turning back Hurst spotted the large, shaggy haired biped that loomed out of the tunnel - a Gorax.

The troupe were exhausted when they arrived back in Corvis, the trek and the flat out gallop of the horses had sapped their energy, more so given the bighting cold of winter. In the sky above all the moons of Caen glowed, illuminating the street festival of the Longest Night. They quickly made their way to the inn of the Falling Star, sat on the river bank, and to find Captain Helstrom.

The grizzled captain sat near the fire, nursing a beer and smoking a pipe. He seemed lost in thought, but his eyes grew wide when the troupe arrived. He quickly asked about what they saw, and of the fate of his men. He then went on to explain, that he had tried to muster what watchmen he could to apprehend Alexia, but his efforts were falling on deaf ears in the council. Eckert was not surprise, and Hurst explained the trouble of Magistrate Borloch. Helstrom nodded and said he would gather what men he could and that their goal was to stop Alexia's scheme - trying to stop the army now was near impossible. He would also send some men out into the woods to watch for the army, so that they would have some sort of warning.

Gregore acquire a alchemical lamp, and told the others he would go act as lookout at the top of the Order of Wizardry tower. The top of the tower was where the observatory was, and so he should have a clear view of the city.

Hurst headed to the guild house of the Golden Crucible. The squat building sat on an island on its own. It was made entirely of stone and squat. Better that then have a tall building set ablaze in an accident. Within the house he met an official who was still attending for the evening, and showing his marks of authority, both with Corvis University, the Golden Crucible and the Order of Illumination, the official sat up straight, and tried to better listen - he was somewhat drunk. Hurst suggested that the Crucible guard should try to keep some order in the quarter, and that rather than raise the alarm for invasion, then they could use the alarm for for a fire, something even the council would have to take note of.

Hurst also took the opportunity to rearm himself, grabbing more grenades, and also taking a rockbreaker spray gun. But he changed the liquid for Vitriolic fire, in essence he now had a flame thrower, if a rather fragile one. As he left the guild house he watched as a dozen guards gather in the courtyard, dressed in the yellow and red colours of the order, and armed with halberds and shield cannons.

Darcey and Eckert returned to the cathedral and found Dumas in the chapel. They explained what had happened and that the church must take action. Dumas lifted himself on his staff fom kneeling in prayer. He thanked Eckert and Darcey for what they had done so far and hope that together they may be able to stop Alexia. He explained that he was certain she would be coming to the cathedral, and that the invasion was a distraction. He asked them to follow him.

They first went to Dumas's vicarage and there he opened a very old trunk and asked that Eckert would help him with fitting him with his armour. The armour was that of a Cygnaran Chaplin, and still bore dents from war. Dumas though old, stretch and groaned as he made the armour more comfortable. He then led them to the cathedral armoury.

Within the basement of the cathedral a number of priests were already donning chain mail and taking weapons. Darcey looked about and found that there was some chain mail that would fit, and with the help of the nuns, she was dressed for battle, the picture of a warrior nun. She then began to strip her rifle and prep it for battle.

Eckert noted that deep in the armoury, covered in dust were a number of of warjacks. Dumas had said they were church consecrated, but had not been used in years. Eckert remembered a few things from his days on the battlefield, and so with what he knew already, and what he found in a manual, quickly made himself versed on 'jack marshalling. I hope I don't end up getting someone killed with this machine, Eckert thought.

Eckert and a number of priests attended to one of the 'jacks, a Nomad class that bore silver and blues, and the Star of Morrow. The machine towered over the priests who had filled it with water and coal and stoked the priming fire. As the pressure built, and arcane generators span into life, the optics and vents glowed. The cortex was running. Eckert spoke the commands to bring the 'jack under his control, and in turn gave it a new designation. Solovin. Solovin stood and hefted its warhammer and rested the head of it in the other hand. It seemed to nod as if it liked it's new name. "Soon Solovin, soon".

From the tower Gregore spied something, but not from the outside of the north gate. There in the dark of the river bobbed a boat of some form. It was garishly coloured and had two figure on-board. Once in focus Gregore felt repulsed. The boat was the bodies of carnival goers, their clothes all colours and illuminated by the lights of the city. This boat, lashed together with their bodies, was ridden by two skeletons, one which punted the boat down the river.

From the other side of the river Gregore could now make out even more chaos. One merchant ship was drifting out into the river, ablaze, and with the crew battling thralls, while another ship, a warship, was also free in the river. There was a flash of gun power as it fired its cannons into the city.
Gregore went to the window, set the alchemical lamp alight, and then started his long run back down the tower and to the cathedral.

Hurst was in the streets, pushing past the partying people. He heard a cry from behind and turned to see a carriage racing down the road, sending people aside. Hurst dove for cover, face first so not to crack the container of Vitriolic Fire - it would be very bad for that to happen. He looked up from the dirty snow on the ground to watch the carriage ride past, and the driver fall from the seat, dead. A skeletal face looked up and back over the carriage, seemingly laughing as it continued its rampage.

Scouting the island next to the cathedral, Darcey watched the warship firing its canons, but then she heard screaming nearby. She followed the cries to a alleyway, a dead end, and found a shambler menacing a group of finely dressed women. The beast turned to face her and growled.

Eckert and Solovin strode out into the courtyard of the cathedral. He could hear the cannon fire, and the bells from the Crucible guild house rang out a fire alarm. The battle had begun.

Picture from

Skorne and More

So I thought I would post some more stuff of what I have painted recently.

Next up some of the terraclips scenery in use to represent the under city of Corvis.

Finally a preview of a bit of a setup ready for the finale of the current story.

[actual play] Iron Kingdoms - Adamantine Will

Episode 2 : Witchfire - The Longest Night - Part 5




The ash cloud dissipated and Gregore charged into the thralls, hacking at them with his great sword. In seconds the thralls were a mass of broken bones and rotting flesh. Brother Eckert and Darcey moved to the makeshift table hoping to find some clue as to what Alexia intended to do. There were books there, books that were heretical and had obviously been taken from the Corvis Cathedral library. There were also notes and writing paper. She had been researching something. The scribbles were on various blades and magic swords. And then on one page at the bottom was a name. Witchfire. The notes read of its ability to absorb souls. Alexia had also left a further note, wondering if it could be reversed. On another piece of paper was a list of names, with ticks next to them. They were the names of the jurors. There were two other names on the list. Magistrate Borloch, and the ‘Executioner with the lighting through the eye’.

Gregore had stalked off into the catacombs beyond, hoping to find Alexia. In the dark he noted a number of chambers, and with one found more thralls, and proceeded to destroy the abominations.

Darcey looked the the remains of the thralls in Alexia’s chamber, and noted how one looked much like the young grandson of one of the jurors. Eckert nodded and vowed that their bodies would be returned to their rightful resting places.

Together Darcey and Eckert went off to find Gregore. Upon finding him he explained how he had dealt with more thralls, who were obviously more of the jurors. There was then a shifting from behind one of the other doors. The sound of water sloshing about. Gregore moved towards the door, just as the wood of the door burst apart. With a deep grunt and snort a pale lizardman, 8 feet tall, ducked under the doorframe and into the passageway. It sniffed the air and looked at the group with black, hungry eyes. It bellowed and flicked its scaly tail. Gregore took the advantage and stormed forward, ducking under the beasts razor claws, and sliced and hacked at the creature’s belly. Blood and offal fell to the stone floor with a wet slap, but still the beast stood. Eckert ran to Gregore’s side, using his staff of Morrow to try and cripple the creature, but the beast was made of sturdier stuff. Darcey then saw her chance, “Someones been a bad lizard”, and she struck at the cold blooded monster, smashing the beasts snout with her mace. There was a wet crack as the beast let out a muffled gasp and collapsed.

The group looked about and headed away from where the beast had come, hoping that more of the vile creatures were following.

They rounded the corner of a tunnel and came into a domed chamber, and there in the centre on a dais sat a ornate tomb. Eckert looked at it and note the holy enchantments upon it, for it was the tomb of a former Prelate of the cathedral. Eckert made a blessing to Morrow and the group continued on its way. They then came to another passageway, and as they walked down it they could see that the sides of the walls were in fact shelves upon which many dead were gathered. The word printed on silver necklaces about their necks read ‘Plague’.

Eckert turned to as he heard squeeking, skreeking, and sound of tiny feet. Many feet. Dozens and dozens of Devil Rats swarmed about them and began to clamber upon them and bite into their bodies. Gregore swept his sword in great arcs, and used the flat of the blade to squish the vile critters. Darcey pounded the vermin into the stone with her mace, finding the weapon was covered in fur, crushed bones and meat. Eckert did not fare as well, finding the creature biting where his cloak and clothing did not protect him as well. The bites came up in burning welts. But he was able to pull the rats from his body, and smash them apart with his staff.

They ran from the tunnel, finding a spiral staircase leading upwards, and from there a ladder to loose paving stone.




Hurst was in the library of the Order of the Illumination, with piles of books and ledgers on the wooden table. He was trying to find anything about the trial, be it reports, diaries, anything. A passing member of the Order, Vigilant One Karsik Goldur, put a leather folder onto the table. “This may enlighten you. I could not help but note what you were researching.”

Hurst looked at the papers within. One was an account from Father Dumas, informing a nunnery that he would keep Alexia in his care, but that she suffered from nightmares about things that Dumas was certain she should not be aware of. Another paper was a journal entry by a foreman working for Borloch, and it told a lot more about the execution, the ritual that had been performed, the blade, and that an Inquisitor had been involved. The last piece was torn from a journal and written 2 years before the execution. It told of a sword called Witchfire, and how it had been taken by the pirate king Moorcraig, and that they will recover it.




Eckert, Darcy and Gregore clambered out of the catacombs into the snow dusted streets of Corvis. In the alleyway they found no sign of Alexia’s passing. In the alleyway a vagrant was drinking from a bottle of rum, dribbling it down his beard. Gregore approached the man. “Where did the girl go?”

“Well a Merry Winterfest to you and all!”

Gregore grabbed the man by the arms and shook him, ignoring Eckert’s protests. “Where is the woman in white! Tell me now by Morrow!”

The drunkard looked at him, and grimaced. “Damned son of a whore! I dunno nothin’ you speak of!”

Gregore felt a warmth on his boots, and looked down to see the drunk had urinated on him. He pushed the man away.

“May Morrow bring you good fortune!” And the drunk shambled off, all toothy smiles and laughing.

Eckert shook his head in dismay, and the group when out into the street, only to be waved over by a bearded man in a hooded cloak. He asked if they were looking for the woman, Alexia. Surprised, Eckert said yes. The man revealed himself to be Julian Helstrom, captain of the city watch. He explained that he had men watching her since the other night, as one of them had spotted her coming back with the shambling dead, twice. Just the other day she had returned with 4 more. But given his lack of manpower during the festival, he had been reduced to keeping an eye on her. He had sent men to follow her during the day, as she had gone out of the city, and then returned. One man returned, the others left to watch. The man had found that Alexia had gone to the ancient, Fort Rhyker. Helstrom asked that they would go there, find his men, and stop Alexia, and he would do what he could in the city.




Gregore had gathered horses for them, and Darcey and Eckert had fetched Hurst, and they set off from the Cathedral. Father Dumas, who Eckert had spoken to, asked for them to try and bring her back alive, hoping that she was not beyond redemption.




On the horse ride out of the city, with the light failing, Hurst explain his findings, and what with what had been found in the catacombs, it was clear that Alexia had some plan to recover this mystical blade.

After a 4 hour ride they could see the dilapidated twin towers of Fort Rhyker. Using a spyglass to survey the area, Eckert could see that thralls were digging up the dead from the old battle field. The bones were piled high on carts and taken to the fort. The fort consisted of a gatehouse, a drawbridge and stone bridge, both of with stretch across a gorge to the fort proper. Seeking to not draw attention to themselves the troupe worked their way around the field, dodging patrols of obviously more aware and complex thralls. The dead working the fields seem to just ignore them.

Once within the gatehouse the troupe quickly made their way to the next floor, hoping to take the stone bridge rather than the drawbridge that was heavily patrolled.

On the next floor of the gatehouse they slowly made their way to the staircase and the top of the building. In the one room they found a armoury, but it was just a collection of rusting armour and weapons.



Eckert and Gregore moved on, not wanting to waste time and be spotted by a patrol. But Hurst and Darcey brought trouble to them. They opened another room, and within were a half dozen thralls. As one they turned to face the living intruders....

Keep it mundane to keep the horror

Horror is an interesting thing. It relies on our perception of the world. It relies on what we consider normal, what we consider sacred, and what we consider so mysterious and frightening.

If we consider a setting like the World of Darkness, set in modern times, we have an enormous assumptions as players, because the setting is our world. We know that in the game world the laws of physics work in expected ways, and that we can easily sympathize with characters, since they are humans, just like us. We can understand how our human character feel when they are hurt, feel love, feel pain, and witness horrific, though mundane tragedies. We can sympathize with the sense of loss, hate, and fear. And all of these things are rooted in our understanding of the world. And our world is mundane.

The Joker: It’s the schemers that put you where you are. You were a schemer, you had plans, and uh, look where that got you. I just did what I do best. I took your plan and I turned it on itself. Look what I did, to this city with a few drums of gas and a couple of bullets. Hm? You know what, you know what I noticed? Nobody panics when things go according to plan. Even if the plan is horrifying. If tomorrow I tell the press that like a gang banger, will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it’s all, part of the plan. But when I say that one, little old mayor will die, well then everyone loses their minds!

Horror of course does exist in our own mundane world. Terrible accidents occur, which shatter our sense of safety, be it within our own home, our country, the mode of transport we use. Of course, the events may not be directly effecting us, but if the events are so extreme, so unexpected, that we experience the horror of what has happened. Contrast that to expected events, such as soldiers dying in war, or criminals being shot by police, though tragic, we don't fee the horror, since such things are part of life - bad things happen in those sorts of situations.

Horror of course is different to terror. From wikipedia;

Terror is an emotion that a person gets when they are in an immediate fear. There is a feeling of revulsion that is absent in terror. Terror is provoked by danger and menace, as when someone suddenly find their self in a jungle in front of a tiger. Terror is the feeling that is experienced by people confronted with terrorists, robbers and murderers. Terror activates the sympathetic nervous system and prepares the body for a fight-or-flight response response.

On the other hand, horror evokes a feeling of disgust and is more disturbing and psychological in nature. With a feeling of horror, a person may have nausea or a revulsion, as one might feel when they see something bizarre and horrifying, such as worms inside wounds of an organism, facing a deadly animal and their phobia, and even the supernatural.

Definitively speaking, terror would bring panic, an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety to the person (bomb threats, death threat, being held hostage, and, enduring natural disasters and terrorism). Whilst horror gives a person an overwhelming and rather painful feeling caused by something frightfully shocking, terrifying, or revolting (corpses, zombies, grotesque images).

So of course we can experience terror from mundane sources and what can be normal events. But horror is more rooted in our world view being shattered and causes us to reject this revelation or situation.

Mundane horror can of course be due to people, who we expect to be able to sympathize with, performing bizarre and gruesome acts. A perfect example of this are bizarre serial killers, who take to mutilating their victims in strange ways, cannibalism, and other foul acts.

So of course the supernatural is related to horror, and is perhaps even more powerful through the horror it induces. Finding a person dead, perhaps near some train tracks, is shocking. But in the normal world we may well reason that it was the result of a terrible accident. Or at worst a mortal killer left the body. However, if there is some sign of the inhuman, the impossible, such as organs having been removed without any sign of entry or exit from the body, the body being impossibly drained of blood, then we have a sense of horror. All the normal expectations of reality have been broken. What should be impossible has invaded our world, and  desecrated it. We are faced with inhuman entities and powers, some which are foul mockeries of ourselves, and some which are so strange and alien, that they cannot be reasoned with and so we are repulsed by and wish to be as far away from. Vampires are a mockery of humans, and also represent some of our worst crimes, such as blood drinking and the violation of our bodies and self control. Werewolves are a violation of the barrier between nature and ourselves and perhaps our own sanity. The list continues.

But in the case of World of Darkness games we are often playing characters that are supernatural in nature. This means we, as Storytellers, should ensure that we reinforce what is considered mundane for the characters, and how what they do in horrific for the mortal world. As a vampire, over time, feeding becomes a normal event. The horror of drinking blood is replaced with a degree of acceptance. We understand that there others just like us, and that they too feed on blood. We begin to accept that there are many strange powers at our disposal, and we come to accept the weird things vampires can be capable of. But there is still horror. We can maintain a sense of horror in the vampiric condition by comparing our player characters to other vampires. Some vampires have learnt some truly vile powers that cause foul afflictions and monstrous transformations. If we are playing mages, then some mages can be shown to be so full of hubris that they are willing do violate the laws of reality, and desecrate souls and humans, to get what they want. Some changelings are so unhinged, and disconnected from reality, we can reveal through their dreams, that when they are chewing the fat from a babies leg, they think they are eating a sumptuous leg of lamb.

This sense of horror then relies on establishing what is normal, what is not normal for your character but may still be normal for the rest of their society, and then what is possible for one of their kind but which is rare and extreme and unknown.

Horror for supernatural player characters can also be portrayed in another manner that shows how even though are no longer human, they still retain a semblance of their humanity, or a sense of morality, or what is acceptable for their world. A vampire, who feeds on humans, but tries not to kill, keeps to the masquerade, and tends to use rather normal powers (normal meaning that he is not transmogrifying people, or turning into liquid shadow, or summoning the dead, or creating balefire) may find the acts committed by mortals to be horrific. A vampire may have specific habits, killing only certain people, reasoning when doing so is acceptable, but also knowing that it should not get out of hand. All the while this same vampire may watch from a far, and keep safe, his mortal family, be they direct members, or just the current generation of the family. So when presented by the seemingly random, bizarre and vile murders of a serial killer, the vampire player has a sense of horror - this horror being that even humans are capable of worse acts than even his vampire character, a character that is considered a monster. The horror of ones own existence, even when it has become the norm, can be reinforce once more by having the horror of it being revealed by a sympathetic mortal character - the player character is finally reminded of a portion of his humanity and in turn how far he has fallen from it.

Horror for supernatural player characters can also come from other supernatural sources. The trick here is to ensure that the players divorce themselves about what they know about the setting. You may or may not be running a World of Darkness setting where all other supernatural creatures are exactly portrayed as they are within their own game. Your vampire game may have magic using mortals. But are there the Traditions and the Technocracy? Are Werewolves creatures innately tied to the Umbra. Players knowledgeable about the setting my make use of this out of character knowledge and so assume certain things. This can mean that what should be a horrific event, instead becomes something mundane as the player says 'Oh it's the work of changelings'. If this happens, the horror of the scene can be shattered. This is where it is important for the Storyteller to 'own their game'. Make it your own. Don't follow the metaplot. Change up what things are considered myth, rumour, fact. It will help you retain your sense of mystery and what is considered strange and unusual, things that are essential to create an atmosphere of horror. If this means stopping players reading books, do it. If they need to know stuff from a book, copy paste or write some bridge notes. In a setting like CWoD this is perhaps more of an issue as players may have bought into the setting, and so read a lot about it as they have followed the metaplot story. But even CWoD, just like NWoD, with a bit of work, can be remixed to re-establish the mystery and otherworldliness of entities and events, and the horror of these things.

The other important thing to remember is that familiarity breeds normality. So if your players are constantly fighting antagonists that are using a plethora of strange powers, and this is every story and every session, the impact of the weirdness of these powers and of vampires is dulled. Instead use horrific powers sparingly, try to build the tension until the full shock of these things can have the most impact, perhaps by luring the group into a false sense of security.

When it comes to running horror games in non-modern settings, we have to be consider once more what is mundane in our setting. In World of Darkness we have many of these options, such as either historical settings, such as Dark Ages, or Noir, or Victorian. But in World of Darkness: Mirrors we are also shown ways that the World of Darkness can be used applied to more fantastical, near future, or space opera settings. When considering any of these settings it changes what is considered normal, possible and supernatural. In scifi settings technology often means that certain events can be explained, or mimic supernatural powers. But I think often the biggest challenge is running settings that fall into 'fantasy'.

Fantasy settings are varied and diverse, ranging from high to low, gritty and dark, or all gleaming towers. There could be elves, orcs, magic, gods, demons and more. And this can make it difficult to portray horror. If magic is commonplace, the horror of such things as the undead, is reduced, because while the undead are still fearsome enemies, it is easy for characters to reason that the creatures they are facing are the result of magic, and so can easily be thwarted with magic. And so there is a need for establishing what is mundane magic, and what is not. If magic is a rare thing, and all the strange creatures have been banished to the darkest parts of the forests, then characters will have grown up with certain assumptions. Talk of gods, dragons and other beasts will be considered myth and folklore. The result is that while magic is a part of the world, it makes its presence and actions either miraculous, or in the case of horror, unnatural and otherworldly. Again, familiarity breeds normality, and in turn it means that all manner of terrifying, and rightly horrific creatures, are treated with a degree of contempt, as they can easily be dealt with by the party 'priest/wizard'.

One of the best things we can do in such fantasy setting then to reinforce the horror, is to reinforce the similarities between our world and the setting, so that when the horror occurs, we can envision ourselves in the scenario. The other important thing to also focus on, is that no matter the reason for the horror, be it magic or science or the supernatural, we should never forget that these creatures and magics and items represent a perversion of something more fundamental than even the basics of the setting - the soul. If we are reminded of this, and how many powers, magics, and creatures, represent the way that the soul has been damaged, twisted, coerced and destroyed. And this is what horror is ultimately about - how external threats present a danger to our very sense of being. 

[actual play] Iron Kingdoms - Adamantine Will

Episode 2 : Witchfire - The Longest Night - Part 4

Hurst looked at the wax, and Brother Eckert already could see that someone had been practicing necromancy here. The troupe left the dank cavern and the murky bone pit. There were only a few chambers left, which were of no consequence, and really further proved how foul the acts of the Orgoth were. But one chamber was important. The tomb. The seals upon the door had been broken, and from with there was no sound.
Gregore kicked open the door and his lantern illuminated the chamber, casting ghastly shadows over the hewn stone walls. Within were 4 stone coffins, and stood like statues were five mouldering thralls. The figures were clad in the old armour of the human kingdoms that predated the coming of the Orgoth. The bore rusting great weapons and the silently turned to face the intruders. A dry rasping sound escaping their mouths, an impossible thing, but of course so was their animation. Gregore, seeing the threat stormed forward and rained a series of blows upon the closest thrall, his great weapon cleaving bone and armour. Hurst moved, clearing a firing line for Darcey, and rolled a grenade into the the throng of undead, filling the room with the smell of sulphur as two skeletons were immolated, yet still they shambled forward. Darcey leveled her rifle and fired, the sound of the gun shot echoing through the chamber like thunder, and her shot shattered the skull of one of the burning dead. Eckert made the sign of Morrow, and unleashed from has holy staff a series of blinding bolts of blessed light, that pounded into the dead, and causing a further one of the flaming dead to collapse.
The remaining dead rushed forward and surrounded Gregore, swinging their great swords in carving arcs. Gregore ducked and rolled and corroded steel bit into the stone floor and his armour. Blood seeped out from under his armour and his arm felt numb. But he grit his teeth and brought his own blade down on one of the dead, but could not land a killing blow. Hurst had no safe way to shoot his pistol, let alone use another grenade, and so he paused, waiting for his chance. Both Eckert and Darcey charged into the fray, bringing their great staff and mace down upon the dead, splintering bone and reducing the dead to a heap of bones. Seeing his chance Hurst rushed forward, drawing his dagger, and with a swift cut served the skull from the body of the last thrall.
With the thralls no more, they looked about the chamber. Within each of the stone coffins were wooden coffins. Chains would ave bound them, but the coffins had been broken open, and the corpses were gone. At the base of each of the stone coffins were brass plaques, recording the date of their execution, their crime, and their names. Of course one corpse and coffin was missing. Lexaria Ciannor. About each coffin was a circle of red dust, sigils of some form, and numerous burnt candles lined the magic circles. Discarded there was a ball of thick black yarn and a thick needle. It was clear that whoever the woman in white was, she had come and stitched the heads of the dead back on and animated the dead.
With more questions than answers the troupe left the tomb, bidding the Gobber tribe goodbye, and assuring them that the undead had been dealt with. The Gobbers were only half interested, as they were part way through making a stew.
The party of witch hunters rode back to Corvis, and through the misty streets. Snow was gently falling, given the City of Ghost a certain fairytale look. Revellers paraded in masks and watch fire breathers and jugglers,as it was now just 2 nights until the Longest Night festival.
Returning to the cathedral the party went to speak with Father Dumas. In the warm of the vicarage they explained what they had found. Of most concern was that they believed that Lexaria herself had risen and was the one perpetrating these crimes. Father Dumas assured them that such a thing was impossible. He would not tell them where the tomb of his sister was, but that he knew she had not risen. Darcey asked it there was anything unusual about the events of the execution, for Darcey had already learnt much of the event from Alexia. She knew that when the final witch, Lexaria, was killed, the executioner was sent realing from the stage by some unknown force. Father Dumas explained that he never knew the identity of the man, but that the blade used was unusual, and that perhaps it was of Orgoth design, but again refused to tell them where it lay, fearing it was now cursed.
Given what they did and didn't know, Hurst headed to the library to perform some research, while also watching Father Dumas, wanting to learn where the body of Lexaria lay. They knew that Magistrate Borloch was not to be trusted, but that they had to be delicate in addressing is corruption. Darcey headed off to speak to Alexia once more. Knocking on the door she found the girl, who appeared distracted. She explained she was about to leave to watch another performance with friends, and that she had been making a mask for the festival. She again asked that Darcey not tell her uncle. Darcey looked at Alexia's fingers and saw the red wax under her finger nails and staining them. Darcey bid the girl goodbye, and sort somewhere nearby to hide and from where she could then watch and follow her.
Half an hour later Alexia left, wearing a large black cape, with the hood drawn to conceal her face. She also carried a large black satchel with her. Darcey followed the girl, and she was led through the city, down winding alleyways, until Darcey found a deadend, and Alexia gone. She looked around There were no doorways for her to have gone through, and no way she could have scale the walls. But there were footprint inthe snow, leading and apparently going through the wall.
Darcey fetched, and returned with Brother Eckert and Gregore, and together they were able to force a secret door open. Gregore raised his lantern and guided them down the slippery stone tunnel, and under foot water was running. The tunnel turned and led down and to a iron grate, and beyond was a larger tunnel. Water rushed down as a frantic pace, and they followed the narrow path along the waterway. They came to a rotting plank and found where the waterway led. Before them was a large sink, and the water spiralled downwards, more than able to sucking a man down to his death. Gregore edged along the plank, holding the end of Darcey's rope. Darcey, as she was the lightest, went next, holding the rope while Eckert held the other end. This allowed Darcey to put more of her weight into the rope and allow the plank to endure longer. She grimaced when Gregore suggested 'ladies first' as if it was for her own safety, rather than practicality. She pounded him on the arm once she reached the other side, knowing that in a fair fight she was more than able to taking the knight on. Eckert was the last to follow.
They continued along the waterway, and reached a door. From beyond it they heard no sound, the rushing water obscuring almost their own whispers. They edged the door open and moved in. They found the room was large and was obviously occupied. There were drapes on the walls, and in one of the far corners a crate that acted as a makeshift table. Upon it were books and about it cushions. In the nearest corner there was a magic circle, just like the one they had found in the Orgoth tomb. From the furthermost door on the left Alexia appeared. She was about to shut the door but stopped. Before Eckert or Darcey had the chance to talk and reason with the young woman, Gregore grinned. 'Catch!' He made to hurl his lantern at her, but Alexia was far quicker. She muttered something in Telgesh, and luminous purple runes spiralled about her left had as she pointed at them. A cloud of burning, choking ash erupted about them, and obscured their sight. 'Stop them!' Alexia shouted, and she ran.
Gregore ran forward and could not see where Alexia had gone, and where she was standing, now two thralls were instead, having come from the chamber.