Designing Haunted Locations: Ghosts, Ruins, and Cursed Waters

Behind the die by Charlie Stayton

When players hear whispers in the dark, see rotting timbers under the moonlight, or wade through fog-drenched waters, their imaginations ignite. Haunted locations are some of the most evocative settings in tabletop role-playing games—they create atmosphere, tension, and an irresistible pull toward the unknown. But designing them well requires more than just tossing in a few skeletons or creepy sounds. A haunted site must feel alive with memory, dread, and mystery.

Ghosts: Anchors of Emotion

At the heart of many haunted locations lies a restless spirit. Ghosts are not just monsters; they are stories. Who were they in life? What binds them to this place? What unfinished business drives their haunting?

• Design Tip: Give your ghost a personal detail that ties them to the environment—an heirloom still in the ruins, a drowned body in the lake, or a nursery with toys that creak at night. This personal anchor transforms them from a generic encounter into a character with history.

• Play Opportunity: Let the players discover how to put the ghost to rest. Sometimes the “combat” isn’t with weapons, but with empathy, puzzle-solving, or uncovering hidden truths.

Ruins: Echoes of What Was

A haunted ruin should feel like it once lived. Crumbled halls, overgrown courtyards, and shattered statues speak of what the place used to be. The more vividly you hint at its past, the stronger the impact of its current decay.

• Design Tip: Sprinkle environmental storytelling throughout the site. Scorched doors hint at a fire, rusted blades suggest a desperate last stand, and toppled pews might reveal an attack during prayer. Each detail lets players imagine the moment the ruin became haunted.

• Play Opportunity: Introduce “living history.” Perhaps the ruin pulls players into echoes of the past—visions of the tragedy that birthed the haunting—or traps them in a replay of its final night.

Cursed Waters: Depths of Dread

Lakes, rivers, and seas can be just as terrifying as castles and catacombs. Water hides what lies beneath, and the unknown depths stir primal fear. Haunted waters often hold drowned sailors, sunken temples, or whispers carried on the tide.

• Design Tip: Play with sensory description. The taste of salt, the sound of unseen waves, or weeds brushing against ankles can unsettle more than overt threats.

• Play Opportunity: Water introduces physical danger—currents, drowning, hidden reefs—as well as supernatural threats. A curse might cause sailors to relive their deaths each night, or drag explorers down into the ruins below.

Bringing It All Together

The most effective haunted locations weave together ghosts, ruins, and cursed waters into layered experiences. Perhaps a ruined manor overlooks a drowned village, and the ghost within can’t rest until the truth of the flood is revealed. By linking personal stories to environmental decay and natural danger, you create a place that feels haunted in every sense—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Final Thoughts

When designing haunted locations, remember: fear is rarely about the monster itself. It’s about the tension between what the players know and what they fear may be true. Give them shadows, whispers, and mysteries, and let their imagination do the rest.