Well, it can create a sense of dread through the destruction of familiar things. When the story starts to break down the normal world we know, like cities crumbling or nature going haywire because of the cosmic horror, it makes us feel uneasy. Then there's the psychological aspect. If the characters start to lose their minds in the face of the horror, it makes us fear for our own sanity. And the idea that the horror is eternal, that it has always been there and will always be there, lurking in the background, really amps up the sense of dread.
Well, in TVTropes cosmic horrors story, the theme of the unknowable is big. The horrors are often so alien that our normal ways of thinking and understanding just don't work. For example, there could be a strange geometry that defies our Euclidean concepts. And then there's the theme of powerlessness. Humans find that their technology, their science, their religions, all are useless against these cosmic terrors. They can't fight back effectively. It makes for a very tense and dark atmosphere.
The Sandman can be described in a really creepy way. For example, if he has long, spindly fingers that he uses to sprinkle sand into people's eyes to make them sleep. The idea of losing control while sleeping is also scary. And if the story has a lot of foreshadowing about the Sandman's arrival, like strange noises or omens before he shows up, it creates dread.
He uses dark and gloomy settings. For instance, a desolate alley or a decaying old building. These settings immediately set a mood of unease.
A Candy Pose Horror Story can create a sense of dread through the use of atmosphere. For instance, if the story is set in a dimly - lit, foggy environment where the figure in the candy pose is barely visible. The uncertainty of what the pose actually means and what might happen next builds dread.
Use dark and foreboding language. For instance, 'The night was thick and suffocating, as if it were a living entity slowly squeezing the life out of the world.'
By using lighting. Dim lights or sudden flashes can be scary. For example, in a haunted house level, a single flickering bulb in a long corridor makes you feel on edge.
One way is through isolation. In many science fiction horror stories like 'Alien', the characters are in a spaceship or a far - off place. They are cut off from help. This isolation amplifies the fear. Another factor is the idea of things that are out of our control. If a scientific experiment creates a monster or a virus that spreads uncontrollably as in 'I Am Legend', it makes us feel helpless and thus creates dread.
Dread game stories often use a sense of isolation. For example, in 'Alien: Isolation', the main character is alone on a spaceship with a deadly alien. The loneliness makes every noise and movement more terrifying.
Historical horror fiction often uses the unfamiliarity of the past. The settings, which are different from our modern world, can be very spooky. For example, old castles or abandoned asylums in historical periods. It also uses the beliefs and superstitions of the past. If a story is set in a time when people believed in witches, it can play on those fears. The limited knowledge of the past, like in medicine or science, can also create dread. People couldn't explain certain things, and that mystery is used to build horror.
Atmospheric horror novels create a sense of fear mainly through setting. For example, in 'The Haunting of Hill House', the old, creaking house with its dark corners and strange noises immediately sets an uneasy mood. The use of descriptive language is also key. Writers will describe things like the cold wind that seems to carry an unspoken threat. Another way is through the build - up of mystery. In 'Dracula', the slow revelation of the vampire's powers and intentions keeps the reader on edge.