Glossary
Shared language for investigative horror
Working definitions so your table argues about choices, not vocabulary.
Consent and pacing belong in session zero—same seriousness as the occupation skills.
- SAN / Sanity
- A paced resource for horror exposure; spend it deliberately so revelations land.
- Occupation
- A skill package that tells you how an investigator approaches problems.
- Clue web
- A network of leads so missing one door does not end the scenario.
- Mythos tomes
- Dangerous texts that trade knowledge for stability—handle as scene tools, not loot piles.
- Pulp vs purist
- Tone dials from two-fisted survival to fragile dread.
- Keeper
- The facilitator who frames scenes, reveals information, and protects player agency.
- Period research
- Newspapers, maps, and directories that ground 1920s–modern scenarios.
- Cult cell
- Human antagonists who often drive plots more than entities do.
When you outline a session, write outcomes players can push toward, not a single railroad beat. For investigative horror, that usually means player-facing goals, one complication, and a calm exit.
Readable handouts, clear remote audio, content notes before bleak scenes—craft, not extras.
Cite Keepers, freelancers, and artists when you pass tools around. Name the makers.
Related desks in this neighborhood
Horror-adjacent desks nearby cover epic Mythos campaigns, grim OSR cousins, and other crate themes when your investigators need a change of era.