I feel that attending the 7TV day at the weekend, I might have got my mojo back. Yeah baby!
The Story So Far...
The sleepy town of Pilgrim's Bluff is experiencing an extra-terrestrial event, and the government agents of Project Blacklight are intent on covering it up and taking possession of an alien that has crash landed.
However, not only did several witnesses to the crash escape with photographic evidence and pieces of the wreckage, but the psychic emanations of the alien have latched onto the the residents of Pilgrim's Bluff causing a series of strange and disturbing experiences, such as a series of cinematic horrors appearing at the local drive-in movie marathon.
As little Teddy Tucker arrives at his school clutching evidence of an alien landing, intent of showing it to his favourite science teachers, he is followed by a wave of psychic energy that is about to have a serious impact on the school's D&D club weekly game.
It's not exactly clear why the staff and students are at the school so late at night.
The action takes place in the Pilgrim's Bluff middle school which has undergone a fantastical transformation when the psychic wave made contact with the fertile, if derivative, imaginations of the school's roleplaying club, who have now become the characters that they play:
Alice Palmer, the GM - Star
Melvin the Magnificent (Melvin Anderson), Human Wizard - Co-Star
Sir Strannar (Teddy Tucker), Halfling Paladin - Extra
Tilde Nightblade (Andi Cross), Human Rogue - Extra
Miri Rubymace (Regina Davis), Human Fighter - Extra
Bor the Barbarian (Francis Billington III), Human Barbarian - Extra
Realising that her game had got out of control, as a GM, Alice Palmer knows that they must play by the rules of the game and complete a quest to retrieve the five Gems of Fate so that she can get the campaign back on track and put things right.
However, opposing them are the homebrew creations of Alice's imagination, King Grobnag Goblins, who want to continue to exist in the real world.
King Grobnag - Star
Molding the Shaman - Co-Star
3 Grobnag's Goblin Guards - Extras
2 Berserkers (Bugbears) - Extras
And...action!
King Grobnag and the berserkers headed for the Enchanted Library where two transformed cleaners fought off the flying books with bows.
Bamboozled by the battering books. grobnag was delayed on securing the Gem of Fate.
Meanwhile, against the GM's advice, the adventurers immediately decided to split the party.
Bor the Barbarian plunged into the Temple of Ancient Evil (the Principal's Office) and was immediately detained by the powers that lurked there.
No recess for you!
Melvin the Magnificent led Miri Rubymace and Tilde Nightblade to the Janitor's store cupboard which had morphed into a Ghoul's den.
Melvin easily evaded the creature and secured on of the Gems of Fate.
Whilst Moldug plunged into the stinking marsh that had once been the playing fields, a Goblin rushed at the adventurers, but was cut down quickly by Miri Rubymace.
Meanwhile, Alice the GM, sighing at her players' predicability, went on a mission of her own to retrieve a Gem of Fate from between two battling Minotaurs in the weeping grove.
She was accompanied by Teddy, who was somewhat confused about what this 'roleplaying' was, constantly asking where Mr Higgs was and why did everyone keep calling him 'Sir Strannar'.
Alice sighed, "Teddy, you are playing a Paladin, a holy warrior in a game where we use our imaginations to create stories. Despite what you might have heard at church, we don't summon demons," she shifted uncomfortably, taking in what was happening around her, "well, not usually."
A roar of triumph brought Alice back to the matter a hand. She knew that voice. It was hers when she lowered it to speak as King Grobnag. He must have succeeded in grabbing the Gem of Fate in the library. She had to stop him.
At the same time. Bor the Barbarian had finally forced his way through the the Principal's desk to retrieve a second Gem for the party.
He would now be able to bring his massive strength into the fight.
Over on the other side of the school, Moldug's retinue had realised the folly of trying to tangle with the adventurers and had retreated whilst the shaman finally secured the Gem hidden in the swamp.
Moldug now also saw retreat as his best option.
Alice knew she had to fudge the story to prevent the party from losing and rushed into the library to deal with Grobnag and recapture his Gem.
Sir Strannar and Bor came rushing to her aid
They were followed by a very confused Ms Garcia. She had been waiting for Mr Higgs in a stock cupboard to...erm...go over some marking when the school has been transformed.
However, despite Alice's success in cutting down one of the Berserkers, she was in turn knocked senseless by Grobnag's almighty breaking of wind.
"Why did I think it was funny to give him an area attack?" she thought as the fumes overpowered her.
Just as she was about to be struck down, the cavalry arrived and Sir Strannar interpised himself between Alive and her attackers whilst Bor sent Grobnag flying.
--- It appears that at this point, I forgot to take photos. Grobnag managed to narrowly avoid being slain through the cunning use of the script deck, and both casts ran hell for leather towards the centre of the school to make use of their Gems of Fate. ---
Moldug's magic sent Alice and Ms Harcia sprawling, whilst the newly arrived troll clubbed the mighty Bor into submission.
Sir Strannar had already run off to find his mum, Sherrif Tucker, to tell her everything.
Alice and Ms Garcia were once again rescued, this time by the arrival of Melvin's party, who slew the troll and a Berserker, and forced Moldug to retreat again.
However, this was not before King Grobnag was able to grab the Gem of Fate Bor had dropped. Cackling, he ran towards the Gymnasium.
Alice and her party could only look on as the Goblins used the Gems of Fate to rewrite the rules and allow the goblins to escape into the real world.
"I told you not to split the party," said Alice.
"I told you not to split the party," said Alice.
***
This was a hard fought game which came down to a single Gem of Fate being grabbed from the fallen Bor. This minor victory for the villains means Matt will have initiative in the fourth episode.
Unfortunately, the feature pack is unclear what happens to Alice and her friends now. I'd like to think that whilst King Grobnag is free to cause chaos across New England, the adventurers are trapped in a fantasy realm and each week they try and fail to find nd a way home.
Either that or quiet and bookish Francis has to explain to his parents how he is now a hulking barbarian with facial hair.
That's puberty for you.
The action will now move into town and after scenarios evoking the ET, 1950s Horror and the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon, we're about to enter the world of the slasher movie.
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