How'd the monster manage to do THAT?

[seneschal]

OK, you've all seen it. The monster -- whatever it is -- lumbers, shambles along at a pace that could barely be called a saunter. Even Grandma Walton could outrun Mister Leisurely. In addition to being as slow as molasses in January, he's usually fairly clumsy to boot. Yet he consistently chases down, corners, and slays victims thoughout the book, comic, or movie. How does he manage to do that?

Another chestnut at least as old as the pulps: Mr. Rich Guy, knowing he's in danger, locks himself in his interminable, shadowy mansion, zealously guarded by his servants and perhaps the police. They make the rounds regularly, ensuring that all the doors and windows stay sealed. They search the house repeatedly, finding no strangers and no sign of entry, forced or otherwise. Yet at the Hour of Doom, Rich Guy looks up from his massive mahogany desk to see the killer standing in his study mere paces away. It can't be supernatural, because even Batman villains can do it. How'd the monster manage to do that?

If you have answers, or a beef with a favorite suspense/horror trope, feel free to jump in.

[Saedor]

If I were using the original 1st Edition rules, I'd say the monsters were using the Evil Way Disciplines Teleport and/or Time Stop. Either would work.

The 1st Edition of the rules had alot more paranormal powers (called Evil Way Disciplines when used by the baddies) than Cryptworld, but fortunately the two editions are compatible... so you could use them.

[Keps]

How about the Rasputin/9-lives angle? Why don't they die when they're dead? Playing opossum or feign death...possibly?

[DavetheLost]

The one that bugs me is the way people in horror movies seem to live in a world where they have never seen a horror movie. Further they lose all sense when the lights go down.

"Let's when do I want to investigate the creepy old mortuary? High noon? No, too well lit. I think I'll wait till midnight. Now, there have been a series of unsolved murders, I should probably take something with me to defend myself. Let's see, axe? No. Gun? No. I know! I'll take my unreliable flashlight with the fading batteries. Who should I tell I am going there? No one, but maybe I'll leave a note."


"I don't know who that is, but I've seen enough horror movies to know that a weirdo in a hockey mask is *never* friendly."

"You know that part in a horror movie when the main character is about to do something stupid and everybody in the audience is screening "No! no! don't do it"? Well, this is that part."

[Goblinoid Games]

If I were using the original 1st Edition rules, I'd say the monsters were using the Evil Way Disciplines Teleport and/or Time Stop. Either would work.

The 1st Edition of the rules had alot more paranormal powers (called Evil Way Disciplines when used by the baddies) than Cryptworld, but fortunately the two editions are compatible... so you could use them.

CRYPTWORLD has unsettling powers instead. I never liked the way CHILL handled powers, where they were sort of like spell lists and creatures didn't have their own unique powers. So in CW creatures have their own powers (which of course can be tweaked or changed to mix things up) and then flavor/mood type powers can be added via unsettling powers. These powers are for exactly what seneschal is writing about, weird effects. There are several example ones presented with the intention that you would add more for your game as needed. In this case some form of minor teleportation would be good, or you could even borrow a power from another creature like the ability to become mist, or incorporeal.

[DavetheLost]

In my own rules light style of GMing the monster would do THAT because it's not Meat Loaf (sorry) and because I need a monster that does that.

This system seems to lend itself well to monsters that have the ability to pop out of dark corners or whatever.

One unsettling power I am working on is he ability to walk through shadows. Such that the creature could step or reach into one shadow and appear out of a different shadow.

[Bisikoff]

If I were using the original 1st Edition rules, I'd say the monsters were using the Evil Way Disciplines Teleport and/or Time Stop. Either would work.

The 1st Edition of the rules had alot more paranormal powers (called Evil Way Disciplines when used by the baddies) than Cryptworld, but fortunately the two editions are compatible... so you could use them.

CRYPTWORLD has unsettling powers instead. I never liked the way CHILL handled powers, where they were sort of like spell lists and creatures didn't have their own unique powers. So in CW creatures have their own powers (which of course can be tweaked or changed to mix things up) and then flavor/mood type powers can be added via unsettling powers. These powers are for exactly what seneschal is writing about, weird effects. There are several example ones presented with the intention that you would add more for your game as needed. In this case some form of minor teleportation would be good, or you could even borrow a power from another creature like the ability to become mist, or incorporeal.

I was reading through the CW things section and noting just that for the Things (vs the original Chill listings) - thanks for the insight on your approach to reworking the things. I was about to ask until I found this response.

I noticed some of the stats and such (ghoul stuck out for me) were really reworked - out of interest only, was there an particular approach, or where you just working them to personal preference and making CW your own?

[Goblinoid Games]

Well, first and foremost CRYPTWORLD isn' a "clone" of CHILL, it's really its own thing. I know you didn't use that word but I saw it somewhere else and thought I'd mention that. To me a clone emulates another system, which I have no need to do since I actually own the real system. In fact some of the text in CRYPTWORLD is word for word identical to CHILL becasue CW is rooted in TIMEMASTER, which shared a lot of the same language, as all the Pacesetter line did. Sorry, kind of a side tangent. So CW is the "reborn" official Pacesetter horror game, and there are going to be differences. Certainly CHILL (Pacesetter edition) served as an inspiration. Some monsters that have CHILL counterparts are pretty different, not so much purposely to create a distinction but mainly just because it isn't the same game. Not sure if that makes sense or not. I didn't necessarily consult the CHILL version when I wrote some of the monsters. Many of them are unique to CW and don't have CHILL counterparts.

[Bisikoff]

Well, first and foremost CRYPTWORLD isn' a "clone" of CHILL, it's really its own thing. I know you didn't use that word but I saw it somewhere else and thought I'd mention that. To me a clone emulates another system, which I have no need to do since I actually own the real system. In fact some of the text in CRYPTWORLD is word for word identical to CHILL becasue CW is rooted in TIMEMASTER, which shared a lot of the same language, as all the Pacesetter line did. Sorry, kind of a side tangent. So CW is the "reborn" official Pacesetter horror game, and there are going to be differences. Certainly CHILL (Pacesetter edition) served as an inspiration.

I don't mind the tangent - I think that's interesting and useful stuff. I lacked an early edition, so wasn't able to really assess the amount of cloning - or not

Some monsters that have CHILL counterparts are pretty different, not so much purposely to create a distinction but mainly just because it isn't the same game. Not sure if that makes sense or not. I didn't necessarily consult the CHILL version when I wrote some of the monsters. Many of them are unique to CW and don't have CHILL counterparts.

Cool. I had no ulterior motive there, by the way. I just love designer notes and insights.

I appreciate that Cryptworld is its own thing, and try to post accordingly.