There’s an old cliche stating “not everything is as it seems.”
Of all the genres in gaming, books, or movies, horror follows this the most. Good horror has a bait and switch or a surprise hook to take viewers or participants by surprise.
There are many monsters capable of this with the right delivery. What should follow is the generation of tension, and perhaps a little player paranoia, to add depth to the next few encounters. The right moment or delivery of this bait and switch can set the tone and give your players pause.
The following encounter is but one example. The threat presented here can be utilized with every single NPC and beast, and almost every living creature — so long as it has a brain. The methodology for this foe has been seen in the horror genre many times.
It can be anywhere. It can be anyone. It could be the person standing right next to you … or the duke’s loyal hunting dog at his feet. Anyone.
Encounter Type: Combat
Map: Trail encounter map
Lighting: None (flat battle map.)
System: 5E
Length: One shot
Installation Type: Addon
License: Roll20 End User License Agreement
(Personal Use Only, Do Not Distribute)