Am I too squeamish for Call of Cthulhu?

[Russacky]

SeaOfTrouble is now forever deemed as a handsome, nice guy! Thanks for the compliment ;D

[flashbackjuice]

This may sound like an ingenuous question, but am I too squeamish for Call of Cthulhu? .... Am I just being over-sensitive?

No. I was almost not going to post anything because everyone in this thread has hit the ball right out of the park, but I'd like to add a few cents, whatever they may be worth.

As monkey prime mentioned: imagination can fill in the blanks, if you feed the players the right words. Language is a powerful thing. One can describe a single event in many ways. Merely stating what happens is boring, but it allows the players to take that image has far as they want to. For example: "She slit his throat". It's a violent image, but a lack of description merely keeps that image as a statement or fact. It communicates the situation, and the players' imagination fills in the rest. However: "As the knife pressed against his throat, she gripped the knife hard, and in one hard stroke she pulled the knife across his throat, the blood spilling out instantly. He grabbed his throat, gurgling and desperately tried to keep the blood in, but it only stained his hand red". It doesn't allow much room for imagination, and it creates a more tangible feeling that might be too much for squeamish players to process and control. If you absolutely must have an over the top violent image or something particularly squeamish, think about how to describe it so that is seemingly neutral at first. If the players feel a little brave and want to know more (maybe the keeper can suggest that it can be looked at more closely with a Spot Hidden) you can take that as a sign to up the tangiblity of the image gradually.

Same with squeamish subjects. It can be hinted at, but if you do it needs to have a purpose, just as Dr. Gerard said. Merely mentioning child victimisation can serve as a great hook for that child sacrificing witch scenario, but only as a hook. You can even have someone be an indirect victim of it to have some weight to allow the players to feel its urgency (the child of a trusted NPC has gone missing), and then move on to the investigation once they process it. Showing the actual victimisation is unnecessary: throwing bread crumbs allows the player's imagination to take that subject as far as they want. We are often told to show in our writing, but telling can work sometimes too.

Keepers aren't always aware of what is going on in players' heads, and how we describe events or topics can make all the difference. It might take away the surprise, but asking players what they want in their horror is a good call too. My wife hates spiders, so I know what (and just how much) to throw in to creep her out.

I'm glad you came out and said what was on your mind Scriven, because I think this thread serves as a great touchstone for both players and keepers in how to handle horror in Call of Cthulhu.