Every year I try and do a special horror game in and around Halloween. It doesn't always come off and it's not always been Star Wars. But with the month of September rapidly wrapping up, I thought I'd start thinking about putting something together for this year.

In years past, I've done:

A deserted Star Destroyer full of zombies (well, infectious dead that were reanimated by ancient sith alchemy), sith ghosts, dark side mind games and an eldritch abomination in a volcanic underground lair. Letting the players wander the deserted, half lighted halls of a Star Destroyer was pretty fun since there was an air of "this is just wrong". Eventually the players stopped the Abomination From Beyond Hell by dropping the Star Destroyer on the planet. Kill it? Naw, but they did stop it. . . .for now.

The other notable Halloween game was a Episode one era game with a group of Jedi. I did an elseworlds/what if game where they all fell to the dark side. That one was more of a sandbox game, where I went "So - what would you do if you were all evil" and let them run roughshod over the galaxy without fear of repercussion. As I recall they eventually wound up being "troubleshooters" for Palpatine - because hey, who wouldn't want three resourceful, clever and really diabolical force users on his payroll.

This year, I'm thinking a Base Under Siege game - perhaps borrowing a couple of ideas from The Waters of Mars - a remote mining base on an airless asteroid recieving a delivery of parts and supplies, an infectious and highly intelligent microorganism, a scenario where anyone and everyone could potentially infected already, an enemy you cant really fight - just survive long enough to escape (and then only a few can escape, since there wont be enough room for all).

Now obviously I'd have to strip out all of the Time Lord stuff, but it sounds like it has potential.

Anyway, this is a long winded way to ask: has anyone else done Halloween and or horror games in Star Wars? What did you do? How did it turn out?

May I suggest something I haven't run?

Zombies are really overdone these days. Why not steal...ahem...I mean borrow from Babylon 5? There was an episode that dealt with a "Day of the Dead" where spirits of the deceased came back. With the force I could see that easily happening. Not all of them are malicious, in fact I don't think any really were. Have that be a very interesting side plot with consequences to the main plot.

That way you could continue your narrative and still have a unique Halloween experience.

I liked a module another GM ran whose main "villain" was Mnggal-Mnggal , very nice change of pace if you like zombies but also like the idea of there being something actually controlling them all.

That way you could continue your narrative and still have a unique Halloween experience.

While Day of the Dead was a great show, there is a problem with it: Everyone at the table is at least passingly familiar with B5. They would call me on stealing it in a hot second. (:

And I think having an intelligent hive mind driving the infected hosts instead of the mindless zombie hordes would be a distinct enough difference that nobody would pay it any attention. Especially if I give it a mouthpiece to work through in the form of a captive.

I liked a module another GM ran whose main "villain" was Mnggal-Mnggal , very nice change of pace if you like zombies but also like the idea of there being something actually controlling them all.

Hey! Precedence! Sweet - that creature/monster sounds exactly in line with what I had in mind. I'll have to read the entry in greater detail when I get home tonight, and go find my copy of that book!

While Day of the Dead was a great show, there is a problem with it: Everyone at the table is at least passingly familiar with B5. They would call me on stealing it in a hot second. (:

Call it an homage then.

A friend and I came up with a great horror scenario that still keeps that Star Wars feel. Instead of organic zombies, we used Battle Droids abandoned during the Clone Wars. Their advanced programming is gone because of the loss of their Droid Control Ship, and so they stumble around trying to scavenge for power as their own systems begin to fail from two decades of neglect.

In the beginning, a single B-1 series droid will start shadowing the PCs, trying to steal anything electronic. If he's detected, he's no match for the PC's, but if not, their items will begin to go missing (starting with extra reloads, fusion lanterns, datapads, etc.).

Whether or not they catch on right away, they'll eventually encounter a mortally damaged droid or two, who may try to warn them about "cannibals" and "scavengers". If nothing else, the mangled remains of a protocol or astromech next to a more or less untouched biological corpse (loaded with currency, spice, or other valuables; but missing all electronics) should get the point across.

As the situation escalates, more battle droids will appear, some still retaining enough power to fire their weapons. All will shamble forward with the classic shuffling gait, trailing shattered plasteel and sparking wires, while their eyes flicker with low power. If any PC is a droid, have the "zombie" droids focus on him/her in an attempt to scavenge new parts, but also play up the idea that any droid could suffer this fate.

For players with serious firepower or vehicle support, throw in some of the larger Separatist droid vehicles, my personal favorite was an idea for a Vulture Droid starfighter that had gone feral, scuttling around in walker mode and thinking it was some sort of predatory beast.

The final encounter can go two ways, if the players try to escape, a last-ditch defense of their starship or some other technological feature they need to repair is in order, with its actiavtion drawing swarms of power-hungry droids. If they take the fight to the enemy, the "leader" of these malfunctioning droids could be one of the B-1 droid commanders, or even a MagnaGuard. Either way, a retinue of B-2 series SBDs or a fully functional Droideka will definitely give players a run for their money.

Having the players ditch electronics as a diversion is fine, but don't let them get away easily unless they're willing to sacrifice something important, which opens up some cool role-playing possibilities within the group, especially if you have an "I call her Vera" player.

I had originally planned this campaign to take place in the swamps of Naboo, after the PCs fled the Imperial occupation force, but since they decided to go legit and get "real jobs" on a shipping company (which lasted only as long as the hyperspace jump to Malastare, I might add), I realized I could have it set on any number of old Clone Wars battlefields; in an abandoned droid factory on Geonosis or Hypori; aboard the drifting hulk of a Separatist warship, or in an icy cavern on Rhen Var.

If the group is exploration-oriented, this could tie-in to some lost treasure they're searching for (Beyond the Rim), but even if they aren't, it's a cool twist on the classic zombie apocalypse scenario.

Not zombies per se, but like Reavers from Firefly/Serenity.

One of my goals is to put together a game themed around Cthulu. The general idea is this, create some type of ancient alien race hellbent on taking over the universe. Some type of cultists aliens who are bizarre and insane want to aid in their return. I think you could use strain in a way to show how your PCs are slowly going insane as they learn more. I think you could really make it work the way this system is designed.

Have you read the Star wars book "Death Troopers" ? An awesome example of horror/suspense in the SW universe.

I also run Halloween themed game every year. Mine usually aren't Star Wars, as my Halloween games tend to be incorporated with whatever system I am running and this is the first time that my Star Wars campaign has collided with Halloween.

Here's what I am thinking...

A Hutt that the PC's know hires them to do a job. The Hutt owns a somewhat profittable mining operation on a barren mining planet or asteroid. Recently, mining on the planet has stopped. The Hutt wants to know why and hired the PC's to find out why and then "convince" the miners to resume exporting his product.

When they arrive they find that no one is willing to work in the mines. The miners all claim that the mines are haunted and the ghosts are killing people. While investigating the PC's find out that a few months ago a lone miner had gone missing. A few weeks passed and another miner and then another. A total of 10 miners have came up missing and/or killed over the last few months. Of the miner's whose bodies have been found they have been brutally murdered. A few miners claim that you can hear the voices of dead miners and other horrible creatures calling them to their deaths in the depths of the mines. OF course they are all scared and refuse to go and once he PC's clear out the ghosts the miner's will go back to work.

The PC's eventually learn that it all started when a lone miner found a hidden cave. This cave was not like the rest. Instead of naturally formed, this one was ornately carved with polished rock. Upon finding what was in the cave, the miner lost his sanity. The the mad miner soon crept back to the nearest mining camp to take a sleeping victim. But instead of the mad miner sacrificing the new offering to his unseen master, the second miner was also recruited. Soon the two (or however many I need) miner's were abducting and sacrificing miner's to this unseen presence buried deep below the surface.

About the time the PC's find the coven of insane miner's they are performing their last sacrifice to waken the unseen master. The PC's rush stop the ritual and keep the sleeping master at bay. If the ritual is completed (which will most likely happen) the PC's will have to face an ancient evil Sith who's been in a trance for thousands of years. This Sith has been sending mind altering telepathic messages to his disciples coercing them into bringing him offerings. It's goal is to siphon enough "life energy" (or something) from them to awaken.

I don't really know if this fits into what a Sith can do and I"ll probably have to make up what the Sith does combat wise. But I this it will be good creepy Halloween fun for my group

Hope my gamer's don't read this.

I don't really know if this fits into what a Sith can do and I"ll probably have to make up what the Sith does combat wise. But I this it will be good creepy Halloween fun for my group

Oooh, I like that. At first glance, I might suggest figuring out some way to isolate the characters from the rest of the universe. Something like they had to land their ship a considerable distance away (lets say a main colony on the other side of the asteroid) and once there, the miners disable any escape pods or transport vessels and destroy the radio system.

Oh, wait - even better. Leave the complexes one transport shuttle intact - but sabotaged. When they get the bright idea to leave (if they do) have an NPC prep the ship . . .which then blows up. The sith needs, in addition to the donated life force, some good ol' fashioned fear to get his batteries charged. That should top him right off!

I don't really know if this fits into what a Sith can do and I"ll probably have to make up what the Sith does combat wise. But I this it will be good creepy Halloween fun for my group

Oooh, I like that. At first glance, I might suggest figuring out some way to isolate the characters from the rest of the universe. Something like they had to land their ship a considerable distance away (lets say a main colony on the other side of the asteroid) and once there, the miners disable any escape pods or transport vessels and destroy the radio system.

Oh, wait - even better. Leave the complexes one transport shuttle intact - but sabotaged. When they get the bright idea to leave (if they do) have an NPC prep the ship . . .which then blows up. The sith needs, in addition to the donated life force, some good ol' fashioned fear to get his batteries charged. That should top him right off!

My players will most definitely be isolated. I usually start my games en media res, so most likely the opening scene will have the shuttle expode or damaged or something. I'm still working on particulars but I have about 3 weeks before I am running this one.

I liked a module another GM ran whose main "villain" was Mnggal-Mnggal , very nice change of pace if you like zombies but also like the idea of there being something actually controlling them all.

Okay, I read the entry for the Mnggal-Mnggal from the Unknown Regions Sourcebook - that sounds perfect for what I had in mind. Now I get to build some NPCs and design an appropriately claustrophobic setting. This should work out fine!

Snakes on a Star Destroyer?

Kraytnado?

Something like Deliverance where space rednecks stalk and terrorise a squad of Stormtroopers?

I've run the Death Troopers like scenario for Halloween. Also did a Call of Cthulhu like one.

The PCs were sent to a ocean world to investigate the disappearance of a freighter crew, who had been delivering supplies to the company that run some of underwater drilling platforms.

They discovered some of the locals who lived on one of the larger islands, that acted as the spaceport, knew about the native species, who were Deep Ones. The Deep Ones were angry their world was being mined and worried it would wake up a creature that was sleeping. They had captured people in the past to give as sacrifices. The locals had tried to stop they, discovered why it was happening and made a deal. Now a temple on the main island periodically captured odd people who were passing through and gave them to the Deep Ones.

This time as they sacrificed one of the freighter crew members a second crew member was murdered as part of a drug deal gone wrong on one of the drilling platforms, leaving the last crew member stranded. He had gone into hiding fearing for his life.

Ran 2 adventures based on the Dr Who episode State of Decay with Tom Baker.

An astrogation mishap dropped the PC's ship in orbit around a primitive world. They naturally investigated. The discovered the locals had medieval level tech and lived in fear of the Dark Lords and Lady of the tower. As the party contained 2 Jedi wanna-bes they set off full of indignation at this.

They discovered the tower was built on top of an ancient sleeper colony ship and the locals were the descendants of the passengers. The dark lords and lady were original crew members who had become immortal after being infected by vampirism. They were keeping the locals restricted to primitive tech to make them easy to control and harvesting. The vampires also seemed to be acting as the priesthood to the local religion. The party naturally slaughtered the vampires they found in the tower and went looking for the last one, who they were told stayed away from the tower and wasn't as bad.

They found him with a party of very loyal men, he tried to talk with them and they just killed him. They went back told the villagers they were free, introduced them to the idea of democracy and left feeling very good with themselves. When they got home they suggested their boss send supplies to help the folk on the planet.

Several adventures later (and many months) they are sent back to the world by their boss, a crew has gone missing.

The PCs arrived back at the village expecting to be treated like heroes and get help from their admiring friends. They find the village fortified and deserted, showing signs of an attack. They travel to another village, introduce themselves and were surprised to find they are known and blamed for the civil war that broke out.

Turns out the vampires kept law and order between the local clans, also their role as priesthood wasn't the superstition and form of social control the players had dismissed previously. The vampires were keeping dormant the really ancient vampiric spirit that had got on the sleeper ship originally and caused the crash on this world. There was an awesome "Oh s**t, We caused this!" Moment.

Being the good guys they were, they promised to sort it out. After investigating they discovered the spirit had woken and created new vampires, one of whom was one of the missing crew, who had accepted the spirits offer of immortality and rule.

The second crew member was dead, he had refused to accept the offer. The third member had escaped and was organising locals as a rebel army against the vampires.

The PCs stormed the tower again. Killed a couple of the vampires and ran into their old workmate now vampire. This time they stopped and parlayed. He told them the back story he had worked out and his plans to force the spirit back into dormancy, which it turned out was based on the ideas of the original vampire who wanted to talk. The PCs helped him set this up, which included them fighting the spirit's minions while the friendly crewman vampire and his followers carried out the ritual.

After that the made the crewman vampire agree to a charter of fair rule and civil rights for the locals and left as heroes.