Question: In a horror themed campaign with a Lovecraftian feeling, a big part of the game is a constant feeling of threat, but without any visual stimuli other than glimpses, or sounds vaguely heard of things seething in darkness, and with investigation a big part of the game, contrary to fighting.

Having read *Heroes of Horror*, I am searching for ideas on how to actually motivate players to assume the role of investigator rather than executioner, and how to instil the horror of the unknown, of something that threatens but is not substantial, that cannot be seen or heard, but is there, and has malevolent intent.

I am thinking of D&D 3.5 as a system, but I am interested in answers that cover any system (Call of Cthulhu is unfortunately out of the question), more as role-playing and storytelling techniques rather than mechanical ones.

Answer: 
The biggest ally in the bid to creep the players out is their own imagination. The biggest obstacle to that is your own. When running these types of campaigns, less is always more. It's just about finding out what 'less' should include.

1. Descriptions should hinge around one detail- the players' imaginations should do the rest. It's not about gore, nor about ultra-detailed descriptions, it's about triggering the players' mind to go overtime. Hint at the unknown rather than assaulting the player with it.
2. Engage all of the players' senses. In fact, engage other senses more than sight; reducing the applicability of sight to the description helps to engage the imagination, i.e the strange coppery smell, or the vision obscuring smoke that smells/tastes faintly of burning meat.
3. Building upon the details with small incremental revelations helps to lead the players' to where you want them to be. The realization that something is missing, or that something has been lost after an encounter with the unknown makes it that much more disturbing.
4. Repetition helps to inure the players to what you're doing- especially if that repetition is rhythmic or predictable. Even if not predictable, there is definitely a short shelf-life for when it will no longer be effective.
5. It is said that the best lies blend a kernel of the truth. It is also true that the best horror blends elements of the every day or of innocence. Take something that is safe and everyday/innocent and twist it for an effective factor of creepiness, i.e. the evil prophesy delivered in a child's singsong.

There are gimmicky techniques that can be blended with these to make them more effective, i.e. the soundtrack that comes on at an unexpected time, turning the lights down/off, sending notes to players in a way that others can see, but forbidding the player to talk about what's on the note... but these are just gimmicks and are not necessary to invoke that feeling of horror. Engaging the players' imagination is the key.
Horror often comes from feelings of **alienation**, **isolation** and **powerlessness**. 

**Alienation** has to do with lack of knowledge, understanding and empathy. There should be no logic, no way to reach an understanding or compromise. How do you fight something you do not understand? How to you oppose something those goals are unfathomable but includes eating your brains? The more you understand it, the more you use magic (say), the less like normal people you are. First animals run away from you, then people start moving away from you. You fail to see emotions, you are losing yourself. All your NPCs speak in a bland and toneless tone... They are not really doing it: the PC just cannot tell the difference between joy and sadness, calm and anger, pleasure and pain. You are alone.

Thus **isolation** which has to do with lonelessness and lovelessness. You are isolated form those around you. No one trust you, nor can you trust them -- after all, they are going to eat you given the right time. More so, the easiest way to deal with this one is physical isolation. Fear is greater if you are alone rather than if there are hundreds of armoured troops with ranks and guns around you. The lone cabin in the woods is a better setting than a New York flat. Or is it? There are noises at the locked and barricaded door, but you know it's closed. IT cannot get in. You bring some light towards the door. The clawing stops, followed just by dripping sounds of wet viscous liquid pooling. The door is still locked. The claw marks on the inside. IT's in here, with you.

Which bring me neatly to **powerlessness**. Weapons are ineffective, it's too big, too strong, too fast, too oozing, too many tentacles. Spells are useless, all they do is attract more servants to it or worst, just power it up. That "bind" spell was a lie, all the minions that were fighting for you are now IT's minions. Kiss your arse goodbye. Time to flee. No matter what you do, you have no hope. No hope for yourself, no hope for mankind, no hope at all. Not even a quick (or a long and painful) death will release you. 

As a final note, you as the referee, are the players interface to the world. You can mess with their perception of it as much as you like. Make the players not sure what they characters are seeing and you're going to combine a lot of powerlessness feeling due to isolation.

If you are truly evil, find out what the player (yes **player**) is afraid of and use that. Girl/boy friend, friends, siblings, may all help you there. However, be careful not to cross the line between fun scary and "Whoops, he just passed out better call 999".