Tags
1960s, 1970s, Americana fantasy, ghost story, Gothic America, Groovy Era, Haunted America, haunting, magic realism, Midwest Horror, modern fantasy, paranormal, Prairie Horror, Road Crawl, Road Trip, Roadcrawl, Roadtrip, Seventies, Sixties, Small Town Horror, Southern Gothic, spirits, Urban Fantasy, Urban Legend, Weird America
Calling the Uncanny Highway merely haunted is like referring to World War II as a series of skirmishes. Besides the many Vanishing Hitchhikers, the road itself is haunted by cars with no apparent drivers. Every house, motel, or church may host a ghost or two. And if you go into the surrounding countryside, the spirits of the dead are likely also with you.
Table 1 generates spectral vehicles and riders to encounter on the Highway, or at night in town. Use multi-part Table 2 (based on the tables in Appendix O of “A Ghastly Companion to Castles, Mansions & Estates”) when a house (or place of business) is haunted. Table 3 is for encounters in parks, cemeteries, or the countryside (including the Lovers’ Lanes and Unsafe Teenage Hangouts of small towns).
Table 1: Ghostly Vehicles and Riders
|
d20 |
You see a spectral and translucent… |
|
1 |
black hearse. |
|
2 |
covered wagon with horses and a driver, or horse and buggy with an Amish driver (in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana). |
|
3 |
antique car, the driver of which you cannot see. d6: Car is from… 1 = the 19-aughts, 2 = the 19-teens, 3 = the 1920s, the 4 = 1930s, 5 = the 1940s, 6 = the 1950s. |
|
4 |
convertible from the 1950s. d6: The ghostly driver appears to be a… 1 = “greaser”, 2 = varsity Letterman, 3 = cheerleader, 4 = soldier on leave, 5 = middle-aged businessman, 6 = housewife. |
|
5 |
horse with no rider. |
|
6 |
headless horse with no rider. |
|
7 |
horse with a headless rider. |
|
8 |
Native American warrior on a horse. |
|
9 |
Civil War soldier on a horse (in Northeast, South, and Midwest), or a Cowboy on a horse (outside of Northeast, South, or Midwest). |
|
10 |
semi truck, the driver of which you cannot see. |
|
11 |
tractor-trailer rig, the driver of which you cannot see. |
|
12 |
muscle car, the driver of which you cannot see. |
|
13 |
sports car, the driver of which you cannot see. |
|
14 |
yellow school bus, with cadaverous faces pressed against the glass. |
|
15 |
passenger bus, with cadaverous faces pressed against the glass. |
|
16 |
motorcycle with a rider in black. |
|
17 |
teenage girl on a bicycle or roller-skates. |
|
18 |
cop car, the driver of which you cannot see. |
|
19 |
construction crew and their vehicles, apparently making repairs to the Highway (or street). |
|
20 |
19th century locomotive, apparently traveling on invisible tracks parallel to the Highway (or street). |
Table 2: Ghosts of Haunted Houses and Businesses
|
d12 |
The… |
|
1 |
skeletal… |
|
2 |
bloody… |
|
3 |
decayed… |
|
4 |
stark white… |
|
5 |
insubstantial… |
|
6 |
luminous… |
|
7 |
weeping… |
|
8 |
twitching… |
|
9 |
lumbering… |
|
10 |
floating… |
|
11 |
livid… |
|
12 |
shadowy… |
|
d10 |
…figure(s) of…. |
|
1 |
an old man… |
|
2 |
a young man… |
|
3 |
an old woman… |
|
4 |
a young woman… |
|
5 |
an androgynous person… |
|
6 |
a boy… |
|
7 |
a girl… |
|
8 |
twin children… |
|
9 |
a deformed man… |
|
10 |
a deformed woman… |
|
d10 |
…wearing… |
|
1 |
rags,… |
|
2 |
all white,… |
|
3 |
a work uniform, or school uniform(s) (if children),… |
|
4 |
formal wear,… |
|
5 |
all black,… |
|
6 |
native American clothing,… |
|
7 |
nothing,… |
|
8 |
chains,… |
|
9 |
only underwear,… |
|
10 |
19th century clothing,… |
|
d20 |
…and carrying… |
|
1 |
their own severed head(s),… |
|
2 |
an old cavalry sword, or lance (if dressed in Native American clothing),… |
|
3 |
a lantern,… |
|
4 |
a transistor radio,… |
|
5 |
a gun,… |
|
6 |
a candle,… |
|
7 |
a bottle,… |
|
8 |
a jar,… |
|
9 |
a Bible,… |
|
10 |
nothing,… |
|
11 |
a lamp,… |
|
12 |
a knife,… |
|
13 |
a skull,… |
|
14 |
an infant,… |
|
15 |
a whistle,… |
|
16 |
a noose,… |
|
17 |
a baseball bat,… |
|
18 |
a bucket,… |
|
19 |
an American flag,… |
|
20 |
flowers,… |
|
d6 |
…will…. |
|
1 |
suddenly appear,… |
|
2 |
drop from the ceiling / sky,… |
|
3 |
form from a mist,… |
|
4 |
rise up from the floor / ground,… |
|
5 |
fly through the air,… |
|
6 |
walk out of a wall or door,… |
|
d12 |
…in / on… |
|
1 |
the front doorway,… |
|
2 |
the front parlor / the front counter area,… |
|
3 |
the kitchen / back room,… |
|
4 – 5 |
a bedroom / the main business area,… |
|
6 |
the laundry or utility room,… |
|
7 |
a closet,… |
|
8 |
a large wardrobe / display case,… |
|
9 |
the back yard,… |
|
10 |
the roof,… |
|
11 |
the attic,… Roll again if not present. |
|
12 |
the basement / cellar / crawlspace. Roll again if not present. |
|
d12 |
…when… |
|
1 |
the sun goes down,… |
|
2 |
it is midnight,… |
|
3 |
it is after midnight,… d4: 1 = 1 AM, 2 = 2 AM, 3 = 3 AM, 4 = 4 AM. |
|
4 |
it is just before dawn,… |
|
5 |
it is night around Halloween time,… |
|
6 |
it is night around Christmastime,… |
|
7 |
a priest or minister enters / comes near,… |
|
8 |
a man enters / comes near,… |
|
9 |
a woman enters / comes near,… |
|
10 |
someone who has never encountered the ghost enters / comes near,… |
|
11 – 12 |
anyone enters / comes near,… |
|
d20 |
…and then… |
|
1 |
beckon. |
|
2 |
move across the room. |
|
3 |
ask if someone knows their name. |
|
4 |
enact their own death. |
|
5 |
howl. |
|
6 |
point somewhere and scream. |
|
7 |
silently stare. |
|
8 |
try to hand something to a character. |
|
9 |
laugh. |
|
10 |
cry. |
|
11 |
plead for someone to help them. |
|
12 |
suddenly disappear. |
|
13 |
attempt to kiss the onlooker. |
|
14 |
remove their eyes. |
|
15 |
remove their heart. |
|
16 |
vomit a large quantity of blood. |
|
17 |
rot away. |
|
18 |
sing. |
|
19 |
pound on the walls and/or floor. |
|
20 |
dance. |
|
d100 |
Even when they do not otherwise appear, the ghost(s) make(s) themselves known by… |
|
1 – 2 |
phone calls, which can come even from unplugged devices. |
|
3 – 4 |
radios, television sets, and other electronic devices that start randomly turning on and off. |
|
5 – 6 |
a voice on the radio, even if it is unplugged. |
|
7 – 8 |
an image on the television, even if it is unplugged. |
|
9 – 10 |
certain songs playing on the radio, even if it is unplugged. |
|
11 – 12 |
blood oozing from the walls. |
|
13 – 14 |
slime oozing from the walls. |
|
15 – 16 |
the smell of decay. |
|
17 – 18 |
the smell of blood. |
|
19 – 20 |
the sound of weeping. |
|
21 – 22 |
the sound of laughter. |
|
23 – 24 |
the sound of indistinct chatter. |
|
25 – 26 |
the sound of singing. |
|
27 – 28 |
a banging sound. |
|
29 – 30 |
a tapping sound. |
|
31 – 32 |
the sound of old-fashioned music, coming from nowhere. |
|
33 – 34 |
a buzzing sound. |
|
35 – 36 |
a low hum. |
|
37 – 38 |
the soft touch of invisible fingers. |
|
39 – 40 |
the feel of a sudden slap across the face. |
|
41 – 42 |
the touch of an icy cold, but invisible hand. |
|
43 – 44 |
the touch of a burning hot, but invisible hand. |
|
45 – 46 |
the feel of an icy kiss from invisible lips. |
|
47 – 48 |
a tingling sensation. |
|
49 – 50 |
a sensation like being poked with needles. |
|
51 – 52 |
the sudden pain of being cut by a knife. |
|
53 – 54 |
the sudden chill in the air. |
|
55 – 56 |
the deepening gloom of the room. |
|
57 – 58 |
a strange luminescence in the air. |
|
59 – 60 |
a ball of light that moves slowly through the room. |
|
61 – 62 |
a disturbance in the air, like someone walking past. |
|
63 – 64 |
the persistent feeling of being watched. |
|
65 – 66 |
a choking dryness in the air. |
|
67 – 68 |
static electric shocks, like before a thunderstorm. |
|
69 – 70 |
puddles of water that mysteriously appear and disappear. |
|
71 – 72 |
puddles of blood that mysteriously appear and disappear. |
|
73 – 74 |
puddles of slime that mysteriously appear and disappear. |
|
75 – 76 |
the appearance of bloodstains on furniture and curtains. |
|
77 – 78 |
the appearance of bloody footprints. |
|
79 – 80 |
the appearance of muddy footprints. |
|
81 – 82 |
a shiver up your spine. |
|
83 – 84 |
a sudden ache in the bones. |
|
85 – 86 |
a sudden shortness of breath |
|
87 – 88 |
the taste of spoiled food in your mouth. |
|
89 – 90 |
the taste of ashes in your mouth. |
|
91 – 92 |
the taste of dirt in your mouth. |
|
93 – 94 |
the taste of whiskey in your mouth. |
|
95 – 96 |
a bitter taste in your mouth. |
|
97 – 98 |
the smell of perfume or cologne. |
|
99 – 100 |
images impressed upon unexposed photographic film. |
|
d20 |
The spirit will be laid to rest if… |
|
1 |
their lost body is found and properly buried. |
|
2 |
the body of someone they loved is properly buried. |
|
3 |
their murder is solved, and the culprit exposed. |
|
4 |
the property or business has new owners. |
|
5 |
their forgotten name becomes known. |
|
6 |
the house or business is razed to the ground. |
|
7 |
the family line of the current owners ends. |
|
8 |
a family member obtains something the spirit was denied in life. |
|
9 |
the person they loved in life openly declares reciprocal feelings. |
|
10 |
some item removed from the house or business is restored to it. |
|
11 |
the person they harmed in life proclaims that the ghost is forgiven. |
|
12 |
a disinherited member of family that owns the property is restored to their birthright. |
|
13 |
a project they left unfinished in life is completed. |
|
14 |
the money they were cheated of in life is buried with their body. |
|
15 |
an object they hated in life is destroyed. |
|
16 |
an ornate monument is placed over their grave. |
|
17 |
an elaborate dinner party is held, with an empty seat left for the ghost. |
|
18 |
a Strange Animal or Creature that haunts the area is destroyed. |
|
19 |
an animal kept in captivity is let free. |
|
20 |
the room they once inhabited (or in which they worked) is blessed. |
Table 3: Ghosts of the Countryside, Lover’s Lanes, and Parks
|
d20 |
You see a spectral and translucent… |
|
1 |
Native American hunter, apparently in pursuit of an animal. |
|
2 |
Native American woman who seem to be looking for someone or something. |
|
3 |
Frontiersman from the 18th Century (in the Northeast and the South), or 19th century (outside of the Northeast and the South), apparently checking traps you cannot see. |
|
4 |
little girl in a white dress, with a mischievous look on her face. If she is followed for 10 minutes, she will lead her follower(s) into some hazardous area. |
|
5 |
hunter in modern gear, who pays you no attention. If he is followed for 10 minutes, he will go the place where his body lies. |
|
6 |
woman in a white dress, crying and forlorn. In the Southwest or Southern California, this is La Llorona. |
|
7 |
boy in play clothes, who looks lost. If he is followed for 10 minutes, he will go the place where his body lies. |
|
8 |
man dressed in black, carrying a bright lantern. |
|
9 |
teenage couple holding hands. If they are followed for 10 minutes, they will go the place where their bodies lie. |
|
10 |
group of 2d4 teenagers, their bodies covered with slashes and cuts. If they are followed for 10 minutes, they will go to the shallow graves where their killer buried their bodies. |
|
11 |
mountain lion. |
|
12 |
wolf. |
|
13 |
black dog. |
|
14 |
bear. |
|
15 |
stag. |
|
16 |
raven. |
|
17 |
black housecat, as big as a person. |
|
18 |
owl. |
|
19 |
raccoon. |
|
20 |
ball of light. |
The Engine of Oracles 
I’m really enjoying the Uncanny Highway posts! Captures this eerie rural Americana vibe very well. Are you planning a separate release, or is this going to be a part of Ghastly Affairs 2e, as a supplement for the Groovy subsetting?
Thank you! The plan right now is to release the collected Uncanny Highway as a system-neutral, stand-alone setting book that will also include its own RPG system as a supplement. The system we (me and my editor Wendy) are working out is a stripped-down riff on the Ghastly Affair system – but I want the Uncanny Highway to be usable with almost any rules-set that can handle a late 20th century setting. Ghastly Affair 2e is still happening – and in many ways, the Uncanny Highway is part of a road that leads to Groovy Ghastly Affair. I should be announcing something more formal soon.