Futuristic Gothic Horror

[Jester of the FoS]

I think that getting away from the past and having a future horror is taking away from the Gothic Ravenloft Medieval Theme. It presents a challenge to PC's to unfamilar territory. While We have to worry about space suits and laser guns, it takes the fun away from swords, arm to arm combat and even the plots that were laid before us. Death, Undead
Monster, evil war factions usurping a domain and the history make Ravenloft a unique experience.

Yes, because there were so many swords and arm-to-arm combat in Dracula and Frankenstein.

Yes, a Star Trek sci-fi world would NOT work, you cannot have some giant floating Holiday Inns in space with everyone speaking English and ready laser guns and expect things to be Gothic and horrific.
However, lower tech settings or games with the heroes not piloting military flagships would be much more workable.

Think Firefly or Blake's 7. Maybe some Blade Runner or Matrix tossed in. For a real "domain" feel watch Dark City. A nice dark post-apocalypse might be the easiest way to go, perhaps something Rift-ish where a huge supernatural event occurs and magic runs rampant. Vampires and werewolves either become real or at least more common.

[Kel-nage]

Now this sounds interesting. As I said on an earlier thread, I have the Serenity RPG setting and will be running a campaign based in the Firefly universe. I confess, I never thought of it as a horror setting... Hmmm...

[Bryan1108]

Somebody mentioned using d20 Future's "From the Dark Heart of Space" with a Firefly setting. I thought that could work.
I started this thread thinking about a post apocalyptic setting using elements of "Vampire Hunter D" and "Final Fantasy VII".
Expanding that setting away from Earth and into the rest of the Solar System could be done using the elements from Firefly/Serenity.

[ScS of the Fraternity]

I once read an interesting article about Vampires in the StarDrive setting. It was pretty standard, except for one really keen idea:

When the vampires began extending their influence beyond earth, they discovered that StarDrive technology is deadly to them. Vampires who traveled aboard a vessle would be found dead (actually dead, not undead) in their cabins - their faces contorted into a silenced scream.
Only fledgling vampires were able to survive a stardrive voyage - thus allowing these leeches to create their own independant kingdoms amongst the stars.

I think that the use of supernatural creatures might warant a similar idea with regards to technology.
For example, there's that example of a lycanthrope on board a spelljammer vessle as it approached a moon. How would a lycanthrope's lunar cycle be affected when their native moon is millions of miles away?

Or, what happens when a ghost haunts a derlict vessel? Could such a spirit keep the vessle from being destroyed by the ravages of comets and gravity so as to keep its ship floating in the void?

Could an ancient society of spacefarers mummify their revered dead in the vacume of space? What ungodly powers could these ageless creatures weild?

[Jester of the FoS]

Depends on the situation. Space might be scary with vampires. Endless black void with no daylight, only pale electric lights.
Werewolfs might change at any full moon, so be afraid when visiting Jupiter and it's dozens of moons. Once changed they might stay changed for a full ten hours or so, or perhaps until they manage to will themselves to change back.

[ScS of the Fraternity]

Here's an even better question:

How do different stars affect vampires?
For example, if a vampire comes from a planet with a red sun and goes to a planet with a yellow sun, does it get super powers?
And if so, would it be a dick?

[Corrupted_Loremaster]

I'd think it more likely it'd be a pile of semi-sterile ashes...but since it's your game, it's your call.

[BigBadQDaddy]

Here's an even better question:

How do different stars affect vampires?
For example, if a vampire comes from a planet with a red sun and goes to a planet with a yellow sun, does it get super powers?
And if so, would it be a dick?

LOL, I think regardless of whatever sun the vampire was under the influence of it would definatly be a dick.