There are ways to inject horror and unease in even the more hack-n-slash fantasy games. One way is through a setting with an indirect aura of evil and oblique mysteries. The small hamlet of Rimeshield provides the above with options for a sense of isolation and confinement.
Though many of the setting notes below take place in Pathfinder’s Golarion, Rimeshield can be adapted to any fantasy world with a frozen, mountainous area. Rimeshield might be a small town in the Spine of the World (part of Dungeon & Dragon’s Forgotten Realms setting).
Overview
A small town surrounded by deadly frost and hiding deadlier secrets.
Location The Crown of the World, north of the Lake of Mists and Veils
Horror Genres Psychological Horror, Slasher Horror
Horror Threats cults, cannibalism, devils, imprisonment, human sacrifice
Horror Locations abattoir, sinister manor, unholy church
Travel through the Crown of the World is both arduous and treacherous; most tradesmen and travelers are advised to use known routes through the widest valleys. There are travelers who dare take more hazardous paths, seeking to decrease their travel time. If heading north of the Lake of Mists and Veils they may come across the small hamlet of Rimeshield.
Rimeshield
Traders will sometimes use a small valley pass when traveling between northern Mendev and Iobaria cities, exchanging the hazards of the lake for the more manageable hazards of the road. On this path they might see the spire of an old temple rising between the mountain crests. This temple is the center of the hamlet of Rimeshield.
Founded 220 years ago by a religious sect wishing to avoid persecution for their unorthodox beliefs, Rimeshield has managed to grow in population and size, little by little, as the small village owes allegiance to no country. Today, the town has a population of about 1,200 residents made up of the decedents of the founders, followers of the same religion, traders who decided not to leave, and those who sought to escape their unsavory pasts.
As the hamlet is politically irrelevant and exists outside the domain of any country, there is little record of Rimeshield in any map or history. For many of the travelers who find it, it’s a temporary haven against the wind and snow. For the residents, it is a place to worship the demon lord Zura, She Who Savors Flesh, and feast upon those who disturb their peace. All of the inhabitants of Rimeshield are devout cannibals and those who are not become meals.
Not all who visit Rimeshield are victims; the town leadership is careful to select those who will not be missed or whose disappearance could be blamed on the hazards of the mountains. Allowing knowledge of a possible safe stop on a “short cut” also helps ensure a supply of goods and sacrifices. Visitors are greeted with smiles and pleasantries by the populace, though some may find the constant, almost plastered, smiles unnerving after a while. Keen observers may note that the smiles are more akin to a predator eyeing a hapless meal and are devoid of warmth or friendship.
Horrific Locations
The Temple
Sitting at the heart of the hamlet and simply called “The Temple,” the oldest standing, and largest, building in Rimeshield is a cathedral devoted to the worship of the demon lord Zura. Nothing about its exterior would inform visitors of whom the edifice serves. For most non-residents it is mistaken as a generic place of place worship, a singular structure for all gods. While all are welcome to visit the temple, any who praise the good deities will feel a minor discomfort and possibly get the sense that their god is not listening in the way they normally do.
While not allowed (through heavy discouragement of the High Priestess and the townspeople), if the temple is investigated it will reveal that the generic-looking altar at the head of the common room is attached to a pulley system, and can be raised, revealing a second alter fitted with a variety of bindings in which the stone of the altar is heavily scratched and stained with blood from centuries of human sacrifice.
The temple also serves as housing for the High Priestess and her deacons. Their rooms all contain trophies from some of their favorite victims. Trophies such as skulls, teeth, diaries, or jewelry.
DuBlanc Manor
Just west of the temple is a large dwelling built from stone slabs that stands three stories tall. DuBlanc Manor is a white, long, and narrow estate that serves as the generational homestead for the lord of the hamlet as well as a meeting place for the town leaders. Like the temple, it stands out from the rest of the buildings due to its size and stone architecture. Inside the manor are portraits and statues of the past rulers of the city, whose eyes appear to follow the observer. Also on the walls are gruesome looking paintings and tapestries with titles like “The Hunt” (a wounded human hunter surrounded by bloody wolves) and “Our Pain” (an alabaster goddess surrounded by worshipers, each of whom is bloody or missing a limb).
DuBlanc Manor is home to Cyrus DuBlanc IV; his wife, Valerie; his two boys, Cyrus V and Wyn; and his butler, Sebastian. While audience is rarely sought from traders, more interesting and exotic visitors will be invited for a meal. Cyrus will inquire more about the personal travels and tastings of the visitor than general news of the world and will show a particular interest in their diet.
Matadero De Le Carnicero
Rimeshield’s butchery sits at the northeastern edge of town and is stocked with local animal meat. Here, people can purchase the flesh of caribou, musk ox, woolly rhino, mammoth, and bear for their daily sustenance. As the building is at the edge of town, nestled into the mountains, the back room is able to make use of the constant freezing temperatures of the region, keeping the meat frozen. Few are allowed into the back room, however, as the massive space doubles as an abattoir not only for the animals brought in by the town hunters but also for the intended victims of the cannibalistic cultists. Bodies of human, elven, and halfling victims hang alongside beasts and are prepared for ritualistic consumption in the temple.
Notable Characters
Cyrus DuBlanc IV
Lord of Rimeshield, fourth of his name and seventh to hold the title of leader of the hamlet. Cyrus is in his mid 40’s and is tall and handsome with blond hair and pale skin. Though he doesn’t greet with every traveler who visits the small town, he will play host to any unusual stranger. Unlike most of the general townsfolk, his smile is more charming than wolfish and many find it easy to get lost in his pale blue eyes as he speaks.
Esther Rainere
As the High Priestess, Esther rarely leaves the temple. Like the DuBlancs, the Rainere family has been part of Rimeshield since it was founded, carrying political and often religious weight. None have risen in power as much as Esther, however, as she usurped her older brother and became the chosen of Zura in her teens. Now, in her late twenties, she holds the respect of the citizens and they treat her thoughts ideas with the reverence normally reserved for the wisdom elders. Under her guidance and work with the other leaders, Cyrus and Anton, the worshippers of Zura feel closer to their power than ever before. Esther has pale skin and long, black hair, with dark eyes, but most who attend her don’t focus on her looks as they do her voice, which is a smoky and sultry, drawing people to the edge of their seat.
Anton “Le Carnicero” Garza
The dark and squat Anton Garza hails from coastal Cheliax where he received his nickname: Le Carnicero. A devout worshiper of Zura even in his home town, he was told by the demon lord to go to Rimeshield and perform his butchery for the people there. He brought his family and the few worshipers he know and went to the Crown of the World. That was ten years ago. Since his arrival he has become a key part of the leadership of the hamlet and his skills as a butcher has allowed even the smaller sacrifices to their demon lord to be savored by the many.
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