[very OT] RP Gamers with vivid imagination needed for strange present...

[sunbeam60]

Hi all

This is my first every OT post, but boy is it OT.

I decided to write to this newsgroup because I generally don't know anyone more talented than RP gamers when it comes to writing quirky storylines or fun little adventures to unravel.

I basically need your help designing a real world adventure for someone that's very close to me: My significant other.

Her birthday is coming up October 30 (turning 22). Normally finding something fun to give or do is not a problem, but the situation is kinda special here.

You see, I live in the UK right now and she lives in Canada

I need to find something for her and flowers or chocolate shipped just won't do. Yeah I'm in love, what more can I say ...


I was thinking that I could plan some kind of adventure for her to do or unravel.

She lives in Toronto, so it's not like there's not enough options

Here's my plan/idea:

• Wake her up with a clue of some sort, like "Go to ... talk to the guy at ... for the next clue...
• Log into this website and find the next clue...
• Tape this show at this channel. When the Captain talks to the street cops at the first murder scene, note the brand name of the van in the background.
• Go to ... for your birthday present.

Of course, there are two hundred thousand variations (+- 1000) of the list above.

The problems is that it all has to be set up from the UK, meaning by phone. We have mutual friends in Toronto, so I guess I could "use" them as "clue-people".

Of course, should anyone in Toronto want to give me a hand, I would love to hear from them .

If you guys have any ideas for the "plot" of her little adventure, encounters or NPCs (the people she meet) then I would love to hear them.

I know this is completely OT, but I thought input from you guys could make the whole thing a lot easier. Maybe someone with live roleplaying experience?

Cheers
Toft

 

[jasper]

if she works in a big office building, you could contact some of her office workers.
ex. Mary the big boss wants to see you.
Boss has stern look and letter send her to janitor.
Janitor has 1 flower and note sending her to x.

 

[Florin]

I would send her on a treasure hunt, like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where she has to unravel a clue to find the next clue, etc. You could also give her someone to call if she gets stuck, since it would really suck if she never made it to the "treasure."

 

[Lars Frehse]

My wife and me got this adventure as a wedding present:

We were handed a key to a locker in the main central station. There, in the locker was a puzzle, which turned out to be a photo of a fast food place. There was also a code word on it.

With that codeword, we went there and we were given a "wedding dish" (Currywurst and chicken). Anyway, with the meal came a menu. On the menu, there was a phone number.

We called the phone number and a voice told us about a lost camera that could be found at a certain office. We went there and had the film developed.

On the film, there were pictures of a butcher and a shopping list. On the shopping list, it said bull's testicles.

The butcher gave us a sausage when we told him we wanted bull's testicles and a piece of paper that enabled us to pick up a shovel at a loan shop. (Don't know the english word.).

On the shovel, there was an internet adress. The URL showed a picture of a patch of land in my dad's garden and there was the music "dig it".

So, we went there und dug out the treasure: A chest full of 10,20 and 50 Cent pieces (which are golden in Europe) and glass pearls.


That was our adventure and it was a lot of fun.

 

[Tewligan]

I would send her on a treasure hunt, like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where she has to unravel a clue to find the next clue, etc. You could also give her someone to call if she gets stuck, since it would really suck if she never made it to the "treasure."

If you do this, however, don't try to involve Nazis in your plan. Those guys are big jerks who invariably ruin a birthday.

 

[Conaill]

Make sure to build a little redundancy into your treasure hunt, especially if you're setting it up remotely. Considering you won't actually be there to make sure all the pieces fit together!

For example, if someone forgot to place clue #10, make sure she doesn't just get stuck.

 

[nyrfherdr]

Small boutiques love this kind of romantic stuff. They'll love to help.
If you buy something at the store, they'll wrap it and hold it for her. When she comes in with the code word, they can give it to her. (You could have her show ID too.)
Stores to consider:
Small jewelry store... Always a win.
A beauty shop... Maybe her gift is a 'day of beauty' at the shop.
Gift shop: Something that would remind her of something you did together.

I love the idea of having her pick up a roll of film at one place and develop it at a 1 hour photo somewhere else. Maybe some old photos of the two of you, or some of you in England that she could put into an album she picks up at a gift shop. (Already purchased and wrapped by the staff of course)

Great idea Sunbeam. She'll love it and remember it forever, no matter what the treasure is.

Good luck

 

[Kyramus]

Just a thought but.....
Why don't you try to catch as many canadians on these boards in her area and solicite for their help?

At least you kinda know us (the people on the boards) as opposed to just calling someone.

ie:
Go to this address, ask John what his favorite restaurant is. then go there.

Have breakfast and go to the corner of A st and B ave and walk into the store. The cashier's name is Mark. ask him for (place name here)'s suprise. Mark comes back with a box and charges her some small amount for it, like a candy bar.

The candy bar is in the box followed by the next clue, etc.

--------
Figure a time limit on these adventure. You wouldn't want her to run all over the place just to end up getting really disappointed.

A time limit would be interesting since she has to go from one place to the other.

Now if we can just get a private dectective to follow her around and take pictures of what she is doing and in the end he/she shows up to present the last part of the gift at a certain place. maybe a place that is memorable for you both.

 

[sunbeam60]

jasper said

[snip] if she works in a big office building [snip]

Unfortunately she's a student like me, but involving one of her bosses at her part time job might not be a bad idea at all.

Lars Frehse said...

[snip] We went there and had the film developed.
[snip] That was our adventure and it was a lot of fun. [snip]

Wow, the film idea is great. Kinda Amelié'ish, if you've seen it? Only thing is, I need to ship a undeveloped roll of film across the Atlantic, which considering the notorious postal service in Canada could easily take a month.

It sure sounds wellplanned though.

Tewligan said...

[snip] If you do this, however, don't try to involve Nazis in your plan [snip]

Conaill said...

[snip] make sure you plan a little redundancy into your treasure hunt [snip]

Yeah, you're right. I guess I am going to enlist some of our mutual friends for that. Like an emergency "I'M STUCK" phone number.

nyrfherdr said...

[snip]
Small boutiques love this kind of romantic stuff. They'll love to help.
If you buy something at the store, they'll wrap it and hold it for her. When she comes in with the code word, they can give it to her. (You could have her show ID too.)
Stores to consider:
Small jewelry store... Always a win.
A beauty shop... Maybe her gift is a 'day of beauty' at the shop.
Gift shop: Something that would remind her of something you did together.
[snip]

The store suggestions are all excellent. I'd definately go for the small jewelry store, but it's just a shame I can't really pick it myself. Kinda invalidates the whole idea. Hmmm... What to do... ?

nyrfherdr also said...

[snip]
no matter what the treasure is
[snip]

Yeah, it's definately more for the sake of the hunt than the sake of the treassure. I often find "personal" gifts a lot more interesting. Would prefer a big, personalized, home baked cake rather than a CD gift certificate

Kyramus said...

[snip]
Why don't you try to catch as many canadians on these boards in her area and solicite for their help?
[snip]

It's an excellent idea. I'll set up another very off topic post asking for Torontians' help.


Thanks for all the input guys and girls. Really appreciate your ideas. This is not really the idea you want to discuss with mutual friends as something is bound to leak.

Would be easier if I could just give a MM2, but she has unfortunately never played D&D, and it definately wouldn't be as fun.

I'll set up the other post and hope for the best.
Regards
Toft