I Getting Started As you look through the monsters and other First, they can seek the wealth, which is genuinely elements of this book, consider many such possible there as a lure And second, they might wish to save the uses, both obvious and subtle You can certainly use world from the Old Ones’ return (They may not know any adventure or situation you like, merely plugging about this aspect of the adventure until they get to the in the Lovecraftian entities But for a memorable pyramid, or perhaps only in retrospect.) and compelling game, spend some planning time But how else could Nyarlathotep affect the dungeon considering how the situation is now different because crawl? Well, I would propose that as he has a thousand the Cthulhu Mythos is involved forms, each separate dungeon level features its own Everyone’s familiar with the classic dungeon crawl, avatar of Nyarlathotep, starting out with comparatively commonly constructed by an insanely powerful lich weak forms, and working up to the most powerful I or a mad wizard Perhaps the dungeon is instead would also suggest that each time the adventurers being run by a Lovecraftian entity of enormous encounter Nyarlathotep he speak with them, mocking power I’ll randomly select a possibility (rolls dice) their efforts and making suggestions, foul offers, and Okay, I came up with Nyarlathotep Arbitrarily I’ve promises named this dungeon “The Twisted Pyramid.” (Seems This is a dungeon with a kick to it, and yet in Egyptian-ish.) Now obviously the Crawling Chaos many ways, it is a normal, expected experience The has the ability to create a vast maze full of treasure, Mythos has added that little extra touch to bring it traps, and monsters, but why would he? Let’s think beyond the mundane With this twist, you can turn about Nyarlathotep’s personality: he is the mind and Nyarlathotep into an ongoing foil for the players and voice of the Outer Gods, and what he primarily cares for your campaign, using a mere dungeon crawl as their about is serving them What if his goal in creating this introduction to him dungeon is to keep up to date on how dangerous the most powerful adventurers in the world are? He doesn’t necessarily want to kill them—he just wants to know How to Use Horror in a RPG Environment how they’re doing and how to challenge them And if Many of the creatures in the Mythos are so horrendously these top adventurers are weak enough, he can bring powerful that even a high-level group cannot kill them back the Old Ones to destroy the world with the flick Some of the entities described in this book are literally of a metaphorical wrist impossible to defeat Don’t force such a confrontation Of course, the best way to ensure that he gets a upon your players without giving them warning You good analysis of these adventurers is to tell them the don’t need much of a premonition—perhaps a shadow unvarnished truth Let everyone know that there is suddenly darkens the moon, or the city’s dogs suddenly wealth—as well as danger—in the Twisted Pyramid to and abruptly cease their howling draw the finest adventurers available Once the current The entities of the Mythos almost always corrupt crop of adventurers proves too craven and feckless to those who learn of them Adventurers who investigate brave the pyramid, Nyarlathotep will know the world the ancient lore of Yog-Sothoth or other Great Old is ready for the end times Thus, the players have two Ones should so through a sea of terrors and ethical reasons to brave the pyramid—one obvious, one subtle