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Ghost Stories (Desperately) Needed!

5 replies [Last post]
Sun, 09/11/2016 - 00:52
creatorbri
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Joined: 11/15/2011

I'm working on a game that involves ghost stories. Unfortunately, while I love the basic theme and concept of my game, I don't particularly enjoy actual ghost stories! I'm something of a wimp that way.

So, let me spell out what I'm looking for first, and then I'd appreciate any ideas on how to find it -- whether you have actual content/story ideas, or just know where I can find them without being too, you know, ahem disgusted or creeped out.

What I'm looking for:

Ghost LEGENDS. That is, sad/tragic, haunting/creepy, but MOST of all, MYSTERIOUS back-stories. SPECIFICALLY, about the Ghost CHARACTERS, their most poignant EXPERIENCES, and the CIRCUMSTANCES surrounding their death. They can be true, they can be made up, or something in between. Examples:

Quote:
Long ago in the town where I grew up rumors talked about a girl who was said to have committed suicide on the night of her senior prom, but they never found her body. The boy who was her date that night lives in this town to this day, but he's an old man now; he's a recluse and hasn't spoken to a soul since the day she disappeared. Many people in the town have reported seeing her on the bridge at night, staring out over the river as though deciding whether to jump.
Quote:
The house up the street was once an old bakery, until the baker went crazy and tried to light the place on fire. He was hauled off to a hospital where he died some years later. They say he was always mumbling about his family, even though as far as anyone knew he never had one. Now, no one goes to the upper floor of that old house; it's all boarded off, but in the mornings you can always smell bread baking.
Quote:
Check out the story of Sarah Winchester and the famous Winchester Mansion.

What I'm NOT looking for:

  • Ghost sightings or "Haunting" experiences, such as "Once when it was dark in my house, I swear I saw..." Sorry, that's really not helpful -- the back-story is what I need.

  • Not interested in serial killers and that sort of thing. Most of my ghosts are intense, and in some cases mischievous, but they are not necessarily evil, cruel, or even super scary apart from the "oh and btw I'm dead" thing.

  • No demons, monsters, vampires, werewolves, Lovecraftian Ancients, or any similar thing. Most of my ghosts are among the formerly-living and of the "ghosts are people too" variety.

  • Nothing too gory or grim, or which would be considered outright "horror" more than just Spooky or Creepy. The game I'm working on should be suitable for, say, 10+ years or so. Basically "PG" rated.

  • Again, spooky stories are great, but I'm not kidding when I say I'm super squeamish. I'd appreciate the basic facts of the story without too much embellishment. :)

Thanks so much!

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Sun, 09/11/2016 - 03:58
#1
Willem Verheij
Willem Verheij's picture
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Joined: 06/08/2016
I can advice you to give the

I can advice you to give the game "A touch of Evil" a try, its all about monsters and ghosts that the player must fight, and they are given backstory.

The most elaborate one is for the sunken seven, which they dedicated a page to in the rulebook of the coast expansion.

The town of tidewater seems cursed, having fallen on hard times for a long period. A dark stranger appears and says seven must be sacrificed, and the people become a mob who throw seven people into the ocean.

A mother and her child, a drifter, a dwarf, someone trying to stop the madness, the priest, and I believe a prostitute too.

Their sacrifice lifted the curse, but the sunken seven return years later for revenge.

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Sun, 09/11/2016 - 11:10
#2
Mike Atencio
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Joined: 07/04/2013
Thought you'd find this interesting

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/37046/ghost-stories

http://theshadowlands.net/places/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_reportedly_haunted_locations

The first is a game that is similar and doing well. The second provides you with 100's of haunted locations. Some have details and others not so much. I'm sure you'll find all you need there. If not, try the third one.

Hope this helps. I use these for my Para investigations

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Mon, 09/12/2016 - 14:52
#3
Soulfinger
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Joined: 01/06/2015
So, I'm curious what drew you

So, I'm curious what drew you to a subject that typically repulses you? Won't your squeamishness affect the game's viability. It reminds me of this sketch from Bruiser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5ugjtN4yTs

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Tue, 09/13/2016 - 10:40
#4
theryanstorm
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Joined: 09/08/2016
Lots of ideas

If you haven't yet check out the podcast Lore http://www.lorepodcast.com/ . it is just full of creepy stories, for the most part he stays youth friendly and I bet you could get more than you need from there, ideas to adapt at least.

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Tue, 09/13/2016 - 12:03
#5
mcobb83
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Joined: 06/07/2016
Listverse has what you are

Listverse has what you are looking for, I think-

http://listverse.com/2014/02/16/10-eerie-ghost-stories-from-new-england-...
http://listverse.com/2009/12/27/top-10-famous-real-ghosts/
http://listverse.com/2016/04/30/10-terrifying-ghost-stories-of-dead-pros...

And that is just the tip of the iceberg

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