That sounds like a perfect excuse to play the first episode of the 7TV feature pack Night Terrors, a 1980s TV horror show blending sources like Stranger Things, IT and classic 1950s B-movie horrors.
The story opens with the Pilgrim's Bluff Amateur Astronomers Club along with the local High School Science Club gathering at Herschel Gomer's (a Vietnam War veteran) campsite to watch a meteor shower.
Several meteors hit the ground in the campsite leaving strage extra-terrestrial objects in smoking craters.
As the would-be ufologists begin to carefully explore these finds, they realize that they are not alone. Not only have agents from a secret government organisation arrived to secure the scene, but strange stapes, straight out of movie induced nightmares are moving through the woods.
Professor Silver declares that the truth is out there, and must not be hidden from the public. The astronomers and high school kids must grab the evidence and escape into town.
The home-town heroes are:
Herschel 'Bigfoot' Gomer (star) - Vietnam veteran and campsite owner.
Professor Gabriel the (co-stars) - high school science teacher.
Teddy Tucker (extra) - new kid in school and some of the local sheriff (that's a BB gun he's holding).
Pilgrim's Bluff Amateur Astronomers Club (extras) - four stargazing local ufologists.
The High School Science Club (extras) - three teens out for extra credit.
The villains of the piece are the agents of Operation Blacklight:
Special Agent Vera Ward (star) - a by-the-book government agent.
Dr Silas Everett (co-stars) - a fragile genius and xenobiology expert.
Blacklight Field Agents (extras) - three men who aren't required to wear black.
Xenobiologists (extras) - two scientists of dubious morality.
Sniffer Dog Team (extras) - a dog handler and his two mystery solving hounds.
Finally, lurking in the woods are the Night Terrors summoned by the alien tech from the psyche of those nearby: a killer robot, an alien invader and a zombie.
The action takes place in Herschel's camping ground. The Amateur Astronomers gathered here as it provides accessible high ground away from the lights of Pilgrim's Bluff. An excellent spot to observe a meteor shower from. The heroic cast begins near the hill.
Operation Blacklight had tracked the meteor shower an turn up in 4x4s shortly after the impacts. The villainous cast stars by the road and Herschel's cabin.
The five small craters contain alien artefacts pulsing with strange energies.
Annnnnd.... ACTION!
A series of meteors strike the ground throughout the campsite. As the smoke clears, we see headlights of vehicles pulling up by the side of the roads, disgorging ominous looking agents.
Up on the hill, the Amateur Astronomers look down upon the smoking craters that dot the area.
Professor Silver says, "we must gather some evidence, the truth is finally out there."
Herschel is more concerned about the intruders he can see pulling up to his cabin.
The dog team are the first to locate an alien artefacts, but without warning, a robo appears out of nowhere and sends the handler sprawling whilst his digs yap and yammer.
Curiously, the robot's design is eerily similar to to an Operation Blacklight project that the handler saw sketches of earlier that day.
The Astronomers decide to split up to search the campsite. One of the high schoolers, Nick, finds something first, but is also shocked to be set upon by a bloated zombie.
This is ironic as Nick had silent the night before indulging in a zombie movie marathon.
Teddy also stumbles up on an artefact, but is shocked to come face to face with a sinister looking group of agents.
The leader, Special Agent Ward, demands that he back away from the artefact, "it's dangerous, kid."
Teddy, who knows his mom needs to know about this, ignores her and darts off with the fragment.
"Ach! I need zat for ze research!" Dr Everett shouts after him.
Having somehow evaded the zombie, Nick makes it to the road and safety.
(It's a bit unclear what happened here, and the actor playing Nick later claimed that he'd filmed some exciting action sequences with the zombie which script editors brutally cut out of the show).
Meanwhile, one of the Blacklight scientists who the story hadn't focused on, suddenly finds herself set up on by the zombie and killed.
Aware that they are in danger on multiple fronts, the Amateur Astronomers start rushing towards the road.
Although they don't try to shoot the civilians, the Operation Blacklight agents don't seem to have a problem with setting dogs on them or tasering children.
Meanwhile, a furious Herschel tussels with the Blacklight agents.
"Get off my property!"
After briefly setting them on fire and being targeted with tranquilising drugs, he eventually clubs one of the unconscious and makes a break for it, using his experience from 'Nam to slip unseen into the undergrowth.
The robot joins the fray, baffling Dr Everett as he is confronted by his own invention, which is only in the design stage.
Professor Silver has a lightbulb moment and upholds his duty of care to distract the Blacklight team, allowing several of the kids to slip away.
None of this was on the risk assessment for the trip.
In a crucial high point of tension, Teddy finds himself cornered, and certain to be captured and carted off to a secret facility.
However, Teddy proves particularly adept at evading his would be captors, wearing some of the thickest plot armour imaginable.
Meanwhile, Blacklight agents close in on Sarah, treasurer of the Pilgrim's Bluff Amateur Astronomers Club, until a distorted being which resembles an invasive alien fungus they had discovered on a downed satellite only a month ago.
Mind you, that fungus was tiny...and didn't have eyes!
In the chaos, Sarah manages to slip away unscathed.
As the rest of the Astronomers near the road, Dr Everett unleashes an unstable device he's been working on, sending them sprawling.
However, this isn't enough and the kids make it to the highway and Doctor Everett doesn't risk being witnessed chasing children in the dark by passing traffic, not with the levels of gun ownership in the area.
Herschel and Professor Silver ate the last to leave, despite the agents closing in.
Herschel always knew the government were out to get him and their arrival at his campsite alongside all manner of horrors only confirms his paranoia.
Professor Silver is more concerned about what fell from the sky and what had caused the weird creatures to appear. Would he ever get answers?
As the Amateur Astronomers make their escape, Operation Blacklight locates what seems to be the cause of the strange occurrences: a live and very frightened extra-terrestrial.
Special Agent Ward oversees the securing of the specimen, whilst Dr Everett looks on with anticipation at the opportunities for experimentation that are now open to him and his team.
The creatures terror grows and it's psychic waves of fear pulse out into the night, causing who knows what terrors to emerge.
Roll credits.
***
That was loads of fun. I've not played the latest edition of 7TV until now (mainly due to working through feature packs focused on the old edition) and I really like some of the small changes that have been made to the rules (cameos, prop stores, etc.).
In addition, the some if rules for the feature pack and this scenario also added to the fun, particularly the fact that the agents couldn't shoot the civilians, meaning that this became a much more balanced game than it first appeared, encouraging up to use more special effects than we would usually. Also, the cameo monsters were enough to be annoying, without overpowering the game.
Technically this was a 7-3 victory to the heroes. It was actually 8-2, but wededucted a point from the heroes and gave it to the villains. I'd been cheating with one of the kids who kept being knocked overwhukst carrying an objective. He should only make one move action, but I'd been standing him up and moving meaning he wouldn't have escaped.
The villains were really unlucky with their strike rolls as the heroes were rolling very high to defend and Professor Silver's ability to mess with the script deck proved crucial.
I'm looking forward to the next episode, but I will need to sort out some giant flies and maggots because...reasons...
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