The Parent-Kid Game (updated 3/20/2004)

Introduction

Following the signing of the treaty in Tenh, the 14th squad of the 100th regiment was discharged. Its members having seen little combat returned home happy that the war, at least for them, had been short. Magus returned to his monastery to reconnect with the balance in universe. However, his peace not to last.
“Brother Magus, a page is awaiting your presence in the courtyard.”

Brother Magus rose from the cross-legged position, and followed the messenger to the monastery courtyard. It was Spartan setting, a few trees, a bench, and some sunlight. On the bench sat a page bearing the silver and yellow symbol of Pelor on his tabard. Magus knew the symbol well. His brother had taken a different path and risen to high place among the Brotherhood of the Sun, a devout group of warriors. The shock troops of Pelor's army, currently fighting Iutz in the North. Magus had heard that the Brotherhood had some disagreement with Pelor’s high priest, and had been officially disbanded.
“I apologize for the inconvenience, sir. Your brother sent me to deliver this letter.” The page said holding out the paper.
Magus took the paper. It was indeed sealed with the crest of the Brotherhood. Breaking the seal, he read the paper:
May Dear Brother,
It is with the deepest anxiety that I must call upon thee to render service to my order. As out intelligence indicated The Beloved of Pelor intended to imprison all members of our order, seize our property, and confiscate our treasure., I commissioned two of our most fiscally sound priors to carry our treasury to safely in two disparate directions, One prior has successfully established a sanctum for our order in Greyhawk with the funds which he was entrusted. The other, in most despicable shame, has disappeared with our gold. With heavy heart, I must ask you trace the whereabouts of one Austin Calmet, A provisional Prior of our order, who was dispatched to Apple Island near Muffin’s Honor to found a pace of refuge for our brothers. Find him, I beseech you. Seek him out and compel him to repent and return the treasury of our brotherhood. Failing that objective, condemn him to the one we worship and dispatch his soul to that dimension of eternal agony he deserves.
His Grace
Theobald of Aquitaine
Master General/Soldiers of the Sun.

Looking up from his letter, Magus said, “It seems your order has a problem.”

“Your Brother, the General, has commissioned passage aboard a small vessel for you and any assistants you may have in four days. You should board the Midnight Sun in Greyhawk. It will drop you at a secret location, where I will be waiting to guide you.”

Nothing like waiting from my reply, Magus thought. “I’ll be ready.” He dismissed the page and returned to his closet. Sitting at the small desk, he drafted letter to his former comrades from the 14th squad: Sir Jebidiah, the cavalry officer; Olivia, the sorcerer; and Megena, a druid.

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OOC. The cast is as follows:

Sir Jebidiah, Ftr 1, played by 11 year old boy (my kid)

Olivia, Wiz 1, played by 10 year old girl

Magus, Monk 1, played by 13 year old boy

Megena: Druid 1, played by a mom (33), and her hawk animal companion, played by a 9 year old girl.

If this seems familiar, this adventure was printed in Dungeon (the number escapes me now), called Provincial Prior Cause, written by J. Wilson.

Session One

They all appeared ready on the appointed day. The Midnight Sun traveled for several days downstream and entered Wooly Bay. The bays waters were calm were calm as the passed the massive statues marking Hardby’s entrance. But they sailed on to an unknown location. A few days latter, the Midnight Sun sailed to a small rocky cove, where the vessel stopped. The party collected its gear and were lowered into a dinghy and rowed to shore. Megena loosed her hawk to scout the shoreline.

The shore was clear of debris. A hundred feet back, the foliage grew heavy as it approached a cliff face. A path had been chiseled to the cliff permitting access to the beach from above. No page awaited the group on the beach. They disembarked the dingy and waded ashore, four abreast, some twenty feet apart by the time they reached the shore.

Megena was the first to spot the body. A mangled mess that was once a man wearing a silver and yellow tabard. She called out to the squad, and bent down to investigate the body. Sir Jebidiah and Olivia heard the call, Magus was too far down shore. He continued to search through the underbrush on the southern end of the cove. As she began to sift through the remains, a boar rushed out of the underbrush and would have impaled her had she not jumped aside. Sir Jebidiah rushed in to engage. He attacked the animals attention with a quick jab that did not seem to cut through the animal’s thick hide. The man and beast fought in a cloud of ivory and metal for a moment. The dance was interrupted by the Jebidiah’s howl when the bore trust it tusk into his leg. Megena implored her nature goddess to sooth the beast, but it refused to be calmed.
Olivia, the newest member of the team and a sickly girl since her childhood, ran for the safety of higher ground. The distance between Jebidiah, Megena and the beast was tight, but she knew if she ran quickly, she’d be safe. Wiping her nose, she ran for the path. The bore saw the opening. As she approached it, the boar rushed her. She quickly danced out the way and headed up the path. Half way up, she landed tripped over a wire. A spear shot out of the underbrush. It skewered both her legs. She was dead before her body landed on the ground.

After watching the animal charge her companions, Megena decided that immediate action had to be taken, and went at the animal with her staff. Megena and Sir Jebidiah barely injured the beast, when it turned to Jebidiah again. With his leg already hurt, he was not swift enough to avoid the beast. Its tusk found its mark, and Jebidiah crumpled to the beach. His blood turned the sand crimson.

Magus heard the sound of combat, a noise he had little familiarity with since the group was discharged. He quickly traveled the beach and entered the fray. Weaving in and out, he landed two well-placed pokes with his staff and killed the boar.
Megena turned her attention to Jebidiah. Taking a few herbs and some bark some her satchel, she mixed a poultice and applied it to his wounds. His wounds began to close and her began to stir.
Magus looked at the body of the page. A moment of sorrow filled him as he recognized the body as the man who delivered the letter to him at the monastery. He also noted an oddity regarding the boar, it only had one, blood-red eye.
Together, Megena and Magus helped Jebidiah to his feet and they headed toward the path. They discovered Olivia’s body shortly thereafter. A spear through both her legs. Megena bent down to lend Olivia first aid, but her body was cold. “There is nothing we can do for her, but this does not look good for us.” She said to Magus. They left the Jebidiah with Olivia’s corpse, and head cautiously up the path.
At the top of the path, the saw six horse and another body in a silver and yellow tabard. A crossbow bolt immediately brought their attention to present situation. It passed by them. They crouched into small targets. Magus saw two assailants. Pointing them out to Megena, each moved to engage one. A brisk fight ensured, but Magus’ skills at hand to hand combat, learned at the monastery, and ended the battle early.
Megena moved to the body. “He’s still alive.” Digging again in her satchel, she brought out an odorific herb. Waving it about his face, he awoke.
“That smells awful.” Looking about and settling his gaze on the monk. “your Magus, right?” not waiting for an answer. “I am Adian Pym. We’re here to guide you to Apple Island. Were is Amad Lopes?”
Megena answered, “If you mean the body on the beach, he’s dead. We also suffered a loss. Our Wizard didn’t make it either.”
The three of them brought up the bodies of Olivia and Amad, and secured them to horses. They also brought up Sir Jebidiah, who insisted that he did not need assistance, and could ride by himself. Considering their losses, the party head into Muffin’s Honor to recuperate.

Sounds like an interesting game. How did your 10 year old player react to having her character die so early in the game?

Micah said:

Sounds like an interesting game. How did your 10 year old player react to having her character die so early in the game?

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That is a great question. I had to change the story from the actual facts of the game. The character was impaled on that trap, but didn't die. Like my son's character, she was into negative HP when the session ended.

When we played she seemed to have a good time, and I'm told she raved about playing for a week or so later. When we picked the game back up in February (session two to come), she decided not to continue because "this is lame." So, I can't really answer that question. We invite her back every regularly and her - for simplicities’ sake - step brother, who played Magus, continues to play.

But If you think this is bad, wait till next installment when a new player joins the mix, and we host a near TPK.

Stockdale said:

But If you think this is bad, wait till next installment when a new player joins the mix, and we host a near TPK.

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Good God, man. I'm 24, been RPing for over 10 years, and the first TPK I witnessed was about a month ago.

Are you afraid you'll turn these kids off of it?

BTW: I think it's cool that you're running a game for them.

Session Two - Part A

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This session introduces Imija - Ranger 1, played by a 11 year old boy.
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After Sir Jebidiah recovered from his injuries in the encounter with the boar, the party set off for Apple Island. According to the Pelor page Adian Pym, Apple Island lay a short distance off the main road in the foothills Southeast of Hardby. Pym assured them that it would be no more than a days walk from Muffin’s Honor to Orchard Lake.
Magus and Pym walked together for most of the trip. By midday, their conversation had become heat. It seemed that Magus did not believe that Pym really knew the distance to Apple Island or even where it was. They stopped for lunch, where the disagreement became heated. Magus thought he knew where he was going. Magus petitioned Sir Jebidiah and Megena to leave Pym to his own devices and follow him to Apple Island. Megena and Jebidiah exchanged a quick look and Sir Jebidiah spoke.
“you go on ahead and scout the way for us. We’ll talk Pym into it while we finish with lunch.”

With that Magus picked up his staff and left his comrades to clean up lunch. He knew where they were going no matter what anyone else thought. As he disappeared into the woods, Sir Jebidiah spoke again to no one in particular. “Give him a few minutes. He’ll be back before we clean up from lunch.”

* * * *

Rumor has had it that bands of elves inhabit the forests south of Greyhawk. It is believed that the so-called wild elves had a disagreement with the majority of their race in the before-time and disappeared into the woods. Rumors of wild elf sightings circulate periodically, but many people believe, if you can really believe such things, that anyone seeing a wild elf would be dead before the sight registered with the brain.
In the wild, saplings grow into trees given enough years and sufficient nurturing. Nonetheless, saplings are always threatened by harsh weather before they grow into trees. Harsh weather is what called now.
“Imija! Come in here, my sapling” The elder said. He was a crumpled old elf. His bark face beaten with the sun and wind of more seasons than Imija’s mother could remember. Imija stood a little straighter as he appeared by D’Jime. He knew what this was. Today was his day. Today he would be tested.
“Today you become a tree.” Imija couldn’t help but smile.
The old elf continued, “Balance in our forest is no longer right. The owlbear population is threatened. There is a sick beast amongst the herd. You will cull the beast and protect the forest from further spread of the sickness.”
“Cull the Owlbear herd. Was the old man out of his mind!” thought Imija. “Yes, D’Jime. I will return with evidence of the deed or not return at all.” His voice did not quiver as he spoke the traditional response. With that the Elder dismissed Imija.
Upon returning to his bower, Imija gathered his things. He put on the green and brown studded leather, strapped on the dagger, and grabbed his bow and quiver. This was all he would need. He always traveled light, the best woodsmen did. Beside he really wasn’t all that strong – the other saplings even went so far as to call him weak. Today, they would see who was weak. Today he was tree.
He left the village without looking back. He was confident he would return successful. It did not take him long to pick up the beast’s track. Sick owlbears molted.

* * * *

Magus moved quickly in through the forest. It was not long before he was out of sight of the others. He saw the thing rise up out the underbrush. It was like nothing he’d ever been privy to before. As big as a bear, but covered with splotchy feathers. Its one red eye tasted him. Magus, still hyped after his almost single-handed victory over the boar, assumed the pack-of-hungry-dogs stance, and attacked. His attacks were not true. He was out of balance with himself.
The first clawed paw struck him hard. He dropped the staff. His arm throbbed. “It might be broken.” That thought was replaced when the second clawed paw tore into him, and he screamed. As the beast brought the screaming human to its maw, Magus saw the first arrow sink into the owlbear’s shoulder. There wasn’t time to see the second arrow land before his faced was pecked away.

* * * *

“Did you hear that?” Megena asked. “I heard a man scream. It came from that direction.” She pointed in the direction that Magus had gone. “Oh no!” She stood up, grabbed her staff and headed in that direction. Sir Jebidiah and Pym followed.

* * * *

Imija saw tracked the owlbear for several days. He hadn’t seen it until today, and the way it molted, he knew it was sick. Moreover, he thought loosing several more arrows, they don’t generally eat humans.
The owlbear turned toward Imija after two arrows struck it, forgetting its fresh kill. He gasped. It had one red eye in its bloody face. He calculated the distance between it and him. He figured two, maybe three shots before it gets here. It was only two shots, but both struck home.
Imija could feel its hot rotting breath as he loosed the third arrow. He was toe-to-toe with something three times his size. Weak, he thought.
The owlbear lunged toward him, but Imija was fast. What he lacked in strength, he made up for in speed. He drew the bow and readied a shot. He knew the animal would take the opening. Its claw tore into his leg, but did not break his concentration. He loosed the arrow. It struck the beast squarely in its one eye. The arrow pierced its brain, and the owlbear slumped to the ground.
“I AM A TREE.” He shouted as tossed aside the bow, and set upon the owlbear. He skinned the beast cleanly. He was putting on its gory hide, a mantle to his strength, when three strangers appeared – two human men and an elven woman. “What kind of elf would keep company with them.” He thought.

dogchild said:

Are you afraid you'll turn these kids off of it?.

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Dogchild, I am not really concerned with that. Kids are resiliant (sp?). I let the dice fall where they may (Yep, I'm into open rolling and don't use a DM screen), and if the child's PC dies that's the way the game is played. Beside, half the fun of this game is character creation. When Magus died in Session 2, the young man who ran him simply picked up the NPC Adian Pym.

Quoting the ozark Mountain Daredevils, "What's a game if you never lose."

dogchild said:

BTW: I think it's cool that you're running a game for them.

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I think so too. This is really some of the best fun I have.

I feel this could be me in a few years. Do you have any thoughts on what age you can begin successfully gaming with your children?

Manzanita said:

I feel this could be me in a few years. Do you have any thoughts on what age you can begin successfully gaming with your children?

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I sure do. I think that eight is really a minimum. Any younger and you have too many tears while playing this game. Even at eight years old, I think that parents and kids should play one character. I currently have one father-son combo playing a Sor2 and one mother-daughter playing a Druid and her animal companion. Modeling on my experience with my oldest (now 11), kids can grasp the totallity of the game on their own by nine (ten in some cases). I assume that each case is different, and that you'll know when your own kids are ready to handle a PC of their own.

P.S.

Love your avatar. The Cowboy Junkies are one of my Favorites. They are great in concert. Seen them four or five times.

My kids are 4,2 & 0, so I've got awhile. My wife doesn't play, but I think at least my oldest will eventually want to.

I don't listen to the junkies much anymore(or any music for that matter), but they were there for me when I needed them & I still consider them my favorite band. You're the only one who's ever commented on it; I would think they'd have more fans here.