I used a hacked version of a one-shot from Lowell Francis @ Age of Ravens Blog, titled: Bright Flash, I found on the TftL google group. I was also able to break my set of Radical Kids paper figures from Okumarts!!
The players each chose a character archetype, their age, applied points to their Abilities & Skills. Chose their respective Problems, Drives, & Prides (which sounds complicated but isn't) and their character's favorite song!
In the end our group of 4 kids looked like this:
From left to right we have -
Katherine "Kat" Ross - Popular Kid, age: 13
Brock - Jock, age:11
Kerensa Parker - Trouble maker, age:11
Simon Trent - Bookworm, age:12
Our NPC's for the evening:
Mr. Semmelmyer - Science Teacher @ school
Weird Creepy Guy
Scene 1: The Park - Halloween night just as curfew goes into effect!
The kids were on their way home when a cool light show emanating from the park draws them in to see if they can get some last minute candy. What they find is a strange metal box, with multi-colored lights and making soft purring & clicking sounds! The kids determine this item was placed here by someone or something very recently as it had not been seen earlier in the evening. Simon remarks that he is uneasy because he is sure he has been shadowed all night by a "Creepy Guy". Kat wonders if Brock's brother Keith is around, while both Parker and Brock look to cause some physical mischief on the Box itself, while someone watches from the shadows!!
Investigating the metal box, now dubbed the "Disco Box" because of the flashing lights, the kids don't know what to make of it! Kat notices a "Creepy Guy" watching them and tells the others. Brock hits the Disco box with his bat and "POP!" there is a bright flash of intense white-light like a flash-bulb going off!
The kids wake up and realize they have been out for several hours! It's almost dawn and they need to get home before they are missed, it is a school day today!! As they scramble to go home it is noticed that the Disco-box is missing!! The kids start to leave the park when a black car zooms up the street narrowly missing everyone except Simon who gets clipped and thrown to the ground! Brock & Kat aren't sure but think the car was driving itself!?!?!
Scene 2: Sneaking in!
Each kid was spotlighted and described how they were able to sneak back into their houses before anyone noticed they were missing. Also each character discovered at the same moment that they couldn't see their own reflections in mirrors/windows etc. Each was bewildered and distressed, not sure if they were still dreaming or what! By the time they had to get ready for school and the sun was up each realized that other people were seeing them just fine and put this off as a "weird " occurrence.
Scene 2a: Simon freaks out!
Simon takes this hard and freaks out getting Scared and decides he needs to see his "Anchor" before school. He rides a few blocks away over to the house of a local author named Sutter Kane and speaks with him about what happened. Mr. Kane is able to calm Simon and tells him to use this dream-like episode as inspiration to write! Simon feels better and heads to school.
Scene 3: The Lunchroom
Parker and Brock are in line for lunch when they see Kat enter. She seems unsure of whether to approach them or go over to the "Popular" table. Simon however cuts in line directly behind Brock and starts inquiring about how the others felt when getting home this morning.
Lunch trays in hand Simon, Parker, and Brock sit down and begin talking about things. Kat comes over within earshot but is trying to make it look like she isn't "with" them. Upon hearing Simon relate the issue of being essentially "Invisible" she moves closer and reveals she had the same thing happen too! It must be something to do with the Disco-box!
Just then Kat see's that Jessica has seen her with the younger kids and is about to say something to Keith! She overreacts and tries to push Simon while making a big show of saying "Ugh, Nerd!" and pushing him before quickly walking away. Simon almost loses his tray but reacts quickly enough to save his lunch. He then turns to hurl a spoonful of pudding at Kat's back when Coach Jones looms up and says "Simon, what are you doing with that pudding?"
As Simon and Coach ones interact Parker seizes the moment to "bump" Simon's arm causing him to catapult the pudding across the Coach's face and into Kat's hair!!! Simon is ordered to the Office by Coach Jones and Kat runs to wash out her hair in the Girl's room.
Scene 4: After School
Brock and Kat are unlocking their bikes as Parker zooms up on her skateboard.Simon comes stomping up and gives Parker a stare! As they get into a little tussle over what happened at lunch, Simon tells Brock that any homework he does for Keith from now on will cost double! Brock declares this wasn't his fault, and Simon can tell Keith himself!
Keith & Steve walk up at just that moment overhearing the exchange. Kat "poses" for Keith who seems not to notice as he starts in on Brock! Simon backs away and realizes that the black car that almost ran him down is in the parking lot!!
Simon: "Mother-F*@ker! it's the car!"
This outburst stops everyone dead, as they watch a red-faced Simon stalk off across the lot. Kat realizes what is happening and attempts to dissuade Simon from approaching the car. Meanwhile Keith & Steve have lost interest and walk away.
Keith: "See you at home later dick!" to Brock.
Brock: gives his brother the finger...
The kids wrangle Simon trying to calm him down, when they see Mr. Semmelmyer the Science Teacher walk up to the black car and open the door to get in.
 |
| Confontation! |
The Teachers eyes go wide at the sight of the kids approaching him with determined looks on their faces!
Convincing the kids he is "Really Sorry" about what happened and that he can "explain" everything just "Not here!" they agree to meet him in hour at an address that he gives the kids.They agree only after Semmelmyer promises to fix Simon's bike that got damaged in the near miss this morning.
Scene 4: The Warehouse
The kids arrive at the location which turns out to be at a warehouse behind the K-Mart. They head towards Unit 5 and see the teacher's car parked out front. A side door is propped open with an old paint bucket. As they are about to enter they hear two male voices talking inside, and stop to listen and peek in. They see Mr. Semmelmyer and the "Creepy Guy" standing over the Disco-box. The room is filled with all manner technical gizmos & such.
Creepy Guy: "I'll take this one for now until you can create a better one."
Semmelmyer: "I'm not sure how well this one will work, or for how long!"
The kids frantically begin discussing a plan to get the Disco-box away from here before the Creepy Guy can leave with it. Brock thinks there might be something they can use in the teachers car and checks it. Turns out it is unlocked and Brock looks inside. Finding nothing of note in the car he pops the trunk. Lifting the trunk-lid Brock catches sight of something "alive" in the trunk moving! He reacts quickly and cracks it with his bat!!
"Ouch! good heavens!!" cries a loosely bound Mr. Semmelmyer, with a lightly bleeding bump on his forehead.
the kids:"Mr. Semmelmyer!?!? But you're in the warehouse!"
Semmelmyer: "Oh no, they want my device. I need your help! I will distract them while you get the Box. I will meet you back at the park."
Simon: "But who, what are they?"
Semmelmyer: "Aliens my boy, from another dimension!"
Brock: "bullshit!"
Simon: "Of course!!"
Semmelmyer then jumps in his car and Brock leaps into the backseat. The other kids watch as the Teacher crashes through the warehouse garage door into the secret lab catching the "aliens" by surprise!! Brock leaps out f the car and kneecaps the Aliens allowing Simon to grab the Disco-Box. The kids race out of the warehouse and race away!
Scene 5: The Chase
 |
| Creepy Guy gives chase! |
Kat catches sight of Semmelmyer's car but can't be sure who is driving so she cuts back between houses to avoid detection and runs into Parker. Unfortunately the girls find themselves in a mexican stand-off with Creepy Guy in an alley between Houses. Parker makes a stand giving Kat time to get away with the Box. Using a length of bike chain Brock gave her, Parker pulls a David Vs, Goliath and smashes the windshield of the oncoming truck causing it to crash into a backyard!
Finally the kids all meet up at the Park and devise a plan to hide the box in one of the large garbage cans. They substitute a T.V. box that Brock found along the way by draping a coat over it as a decoy just in case!
The kids are taken by surprise as the Creepy Guy drops from the sky landing in the street just outside the park! He begins stalking towards the kids with a mean look in his eyes.
Brock rushes to meet Creepy Guy and grand slams him in the chest causing him to stumble back into the middle of the street! The kids watch in horror as his crumpled ribs seem to crack back into place and the man stands to face them!!
Creepy Guy: "Give me that Bo..." Screech!! WHAM!
A black car smashes into the creepy man sending him rolling across the pavement in a crumpled heap!
Semmelmyer: "Quick get in! Where's the box?"
Simon: "It's over here in the .. wait a minute!"
Parker: "Which Semmelmyer is it?"
Brock: "Look at his forehead!"
Kat: "He has the bump where you clocked him, Brock!"
The Science teacher takes the kids to wooded field where he sets up the machine. He explains that while tinkering in his lab he had accidentally created a device that could reveal the presence of extra-dimensional beings. A side-effect was that anyone under influence of the device would become invisible at night! Which is what happened to the kids! He was now going to reverse the process and get the kids back to normal!
A bit of an argument ensues as the kids think maybe being invisible at night could be really COOL! Brock lashes out at the Box with his bat and sets it off! POP!
Scene 6: Closure
The kids wake up back in the park, sitting at a picnic table. Their bikes and skateboard nearby. The Science teacher and disco-box nowhere to be seen.
Brock: " Did we just dream all that?'
Simon: " Look my bike tire fixed!"
Parker: "We need to find Mr. Semmelmyer!"
Kat: "I hope the aliens are gone!"
The kids race back to the school hoping to find a clue as to where the Science teacher lives. When they get there they see men loading the contents of the science class onto a truck. The men wear uniforms of workers from the Loop Facility.
Kat makes a distraction in the front office, and Simon is able to look at a rolodex and get Mr. Semmelmyer's address.
The kids arrive at the teachers home time to see another Loop facility truck pulling away. The teacher however is in his front yard talking with two men in blue military looking uniforms. He sees the kids and walks over to greet them. He lets the kids know that everything is fine and that men from the Government have taken care of the "aliens". He is sad to let them know however that he won't be teaching at school anymore as his work will now be officially moved to the Loop Facility.
The kids say goodbye to Mr. Semmelmyer and return to the normalcy of life.
THE END
Pick up a copy of Radical kids for use in your own adventure!!
http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/230118/Radical-Kids-Set-One
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