Week 1: Draconian Parenting

In this first week, Trackers are recruited to help fend off a poaching ring. Called the Apex Predators, these poachers have begun capturing magical creatures, which could have dire consequences for all of Cascadia! As the Guide, you are a local villager, belonging to a Guild of your choosing. Your were assigned by the Village to lead the Trackers in finding and driving the poachers out of the area.

Advance Prep

• This storyline deals with the Dragon Cycle and Land of the Mems. You may want to bookmark these resources for quick reference.
• You will need to design a bird call to serve as the cry of a phoenix. You can use your voice or a whistle, but it should not sound overly similar to the call of a native bird.
• There are three props recommended for this week’s events:

1. Dragon Egg - a football or other game ball
2. Dragonling - a stuffed animal or game ball
3. Phoenix - a stuffed animal or game ball, ideally smaller than the dragonling

NPCs

This is a list of NPCs present in this week's story, ordered from most to least time in the narrative:

1. Cinna
2. Indigo
3. Orrin
4. Ral
5. Isha

Walkthrough

Formatting and edits in progress.

Day One Morning

The first Team Game of the day divides the group randomly into their teams for the week. Choose any game with the tag Pairing Mechanic.

When you reach the Team Camp site, introduce yourself a local villager and Guide:

“Welcome to the Village! It’s the biggest community of humans in the area, especially with all of you here. The Village elders called you from your homes. A notorious poaching ring called the Apex Predators have made the woods around here their headquarters. Bad enough when they prey on normal creatures, but lately, they’ve been hunting magical creatures, which threatens the very balance between the human world and the Land of the Mems.”

Engage with the Trackers and answer any immediate questions about the Village or Land of Mems.

Next, direct them to the area for their Team and Secret Camps.

(Add in lore about the village, tell Trackers why they’re here, directive to get this area cleaned up and turned into your camp for the week.)

Game of Choice

Now is the setup of Team Camps and Secret Camps. Teams must map out their campsites and scout the surrounding nature for danger. Give them one additional mission: anyone without a Trackers Stick needs to find one.

Check page __ and go over the guidelines for stick selection. Guide the Trackers through the Team Camp and Hearthstone activities, then instruct them to decorate or whittle their Tracker Sticks.

An NPC approaches! Introduce the Trackers to Indigo.

Hi there, newcomers! (Introduction of Indigo and Scree the hawk.) I’m gonna tell you about the poachers and your mission while you work on your sticks. We need someone to run them out of Cascadia and make sure they’re not ruining the things around here.

Trackers may engage Indigo in conversation as everyone finishes decorating. Then, Tracker Sticks in hand, we set out for our first mission.

Tracking Game of Choice - plant hints of poachers and the dragon egg to be discovered.

The egg should be “played” by a ball with some bounce, like a football or soccer ball. Allow the Trackers to inspect the area and ask questions to determine that the egg belongs to a dragon!

Day One Afternoon

Trackers reassemble with the dragon egg. Before they can decide what to do with it, the dragon in the egg begins to move!

The egg moves suddenly, jerking out of your hands and bouncing down the path. You’d better catch it!

Pure Play Game of Choice

Once the egg is back in hand, teams are approached by a new NPC, Cinna.

Well met, adventurers. I’m Cinna and I’m eloquent but shady. I want to make sure you’re tough enough to take on these poachers. Let’s see your fighting form.

Combat Game of Choice

Cinna is impressed! He’s sure the village will be safe with such stalwart defenders. He escorts you back to The Village. While you travel, Cinna advises you to move stealthily to hide your movements from poachers. This is helpful to develop a habit of moving carefully through natural settings.

Cinna will be social and friendly, asking Trackers about their origin stories. If anyone mentions the dragon egg, Cinna will show great interest in it, and may ask the following questions:

Where did you pick up such a thing?

Why do you think the poachers left it? Surely such an artifact is too valuable to misplace.

What do you know of dragons in Cascadia? (If a Tracker knows the lore, allow them to volunteer information. Otherwise, the Guide may step in.)

What do you plan to do with the egg?

In the Village, Trackers have the opportunity to roleplay. Encourage them to ask around about the dragon egg. There are three available characters to interrogate:

Indigo

Ask about the egg: Wow, a dragon’s egg! Is it real? Let me see… I didn’t think they existed outside the Land of Mems. The real expert on Mems and dragons around here is Orrin.

Ask about Orrin: Orrin is an Elder in the Artisan’s Guild, but you won’t find him there this time of year. Have you met his apprentice, Ral? If anyone can help you find Orrin, it’ll be Ral.

Isha

Introduction: “Nice to see some new blood around the Village. I’m Isha.”

If asked about herself: “I’ve lived in this Village longer than the lot o’ you’ve been alive. I’m the best healer in Cascadia. Make all kinds of potions and poultices. If you need some wild magic and can get the ingredients, I’m the one to bring ‘em to.” (see page __ for Isha’s potion recipes)

Ask about the egg: “Pah! I won’t believe it less you show me.” When shown, Isha looks shaken. “...By the sun and stars, where did you get such a thing!? It shouldn't be here, among us mortals. Take it along to Orrin quick now, he can help you.”

Ask about Orrin: “He’ll be wandering somewhere around (insert name of area around the camp). Ask the birds. They always know where to find him.”

Ral

Introduction: Ral fumbles a piece of pottery as you enter. “Ahhh, tech! Not again. H-hello, you must be the newcomers to the Village. My name is Ral, I’m an Artisan. An, err, struggling Artisan.”

Ask about the egg: “Truly? That’s incredible! I don’t know anyone alive who’s seen a dragon’s egg. M-may I see? How beautiful… look at the flecks of color in the eggshell. Perhaps the dragonling will be that color when it hatches.”

Ask about Orrin: “Of course, you must be looking for him. He left two days ago, heading north and following (a common local bird) friend of his. If you ask the birds, they can help you track him down.”

Let the Trackers pursue dialogues until the Closing Ceremony.

Congratulate yourself for completing the first day!

Day Two Morning

Following the Opening Ceremony, assemble Trackers in the Team Camp area. Briefly refresh the previous day’s conversations, including the hint to “ask the birds” about Orrin. Prompt the teams to discuss how they think this can be achieved.

Consider this an improvised scene. Listen to the Trackers’ ideas for communicating with birds and, if possible, use them. As a Guide, try to limit your feedback and let Trackers guide the discussion. Here are some events in which you’ll want to step in:

Situation

Action

Trackers are struggling with ideas

Steer them towards the Tracker journal activities. If they’ve completed recording and observing, suggest or initiate a tracking game.

Trackers’ ideas are getting too complicated or unfeasible

Remind them birds like to act earlier in the day, so plans must come together quickly. Consider taking part of an unrealistic idea and working it into a practical exercise or improv game.

Trackers’ ideas are similar to an exercise you’ve planned

Voice your support for their idea to validate it among the group. If the group is indecisive, use an idea like this to launch directly into a planned activity.

Here are some activities that may be involved:

Trackers spend their Team and Secret Camp time observing and recording details about birds.

Begin a hike into nature, utilizing an animal walk while traveling to avoid bird alarms.

As a Guide or by utilizing other Elders, teach Trackers to identify the most common local species.

Track a specific bird, or a type of bird that appears most communicative.

Plan to have birding activities draw to a close about an hour before lunchtime. At this point, announce that the Trackers have come across an enemy. Define the boundaries of the enemy camp.

The poacher’s encampment looms ahead, right where (your tracked bird) was headed. It’s possible they were trying to warn us! There are guards around the perimeters, and at least two dozen inside the camp. There are too many to fight, but we have the advantage of time. Let’s put on some camouflage before sneaking by.

Stealth Game of Choice

Halfway through this game, make a bird call to represent a phoenix. As the Guide, you can give the Trackers the following information:

The bird call is probably a rare species caught by the poachers

It sounds near, so it’s likely on the edge of the camp

It would be very dangerous to try and rescue

The Trackers are allowed a choice: save the bird or don’t save the bird. Their choice will play out after lunch!

Day Two Afternoon

SAVE THE BIRD: misdirection, thievery, projectiles on escape

At the end of this game, the poachers run away, shouting about how they’ll tell the boss about you. The phoenix was saved, but appears to be in bad shape. Have the Trackers attempt first aid on the magical creature. Walk them through several steps, based on factual avian emergency care:

Gently and quietly restrain the bird

Wrap it in a cloth

Examine the bird to determine where it may be injured

Keep the bird warm and dry

If bleeding, place a clean cloth over the wound and apply firm pressure for about five minutes

Make and apply a natural disinfectant: a paste of wood ash and water, garlic leaves, honey

You may also mix in fantastical steps, but be clear that these measures are specific to the phoenix and would not be helpful to regular birds.

Regardless of the attempts, the phoenix will unfortunately die. No need to make this too sad or traumatic, however-- it will be reborn moments later!

Some flowery dialogue about the creature rising from its ashes.

Skip the alternate scenario to finish out the day.

DON’T SAVE THE BIRD: The stealth challenge continues, but gets gradually more difficult. Alerting a guard will trigger a round of You’re Only Safe If…

Do your best, as the Guide, to continuously challenge the Trackers. While they cannot be fully discovered in this scenario, they should feel like it’s a serious threat. This may act as validation for their decision to keep moving; they definitely wouldn’t have gotten out of this camp if they’d broke in!

Just as the action is winding down, announce that something odd is happening with the egg again...

You all hear a sharp cracking as a tiny, reptilian claw punches it’s way through the eggshell. The dragonling is hatching!

Day Three Morning

Trackers assemble at the Village after checking in. The dragon egg hatches!

DRAGON DECIDING GAME- An improv game or pure play game which determines the dragonling’s characteristics: color, size, spikiness, etc. After the dragonling has a “character” established, prompt Trackers to give it a name.

With the newly named dragon, remind the Trackers of the mission to find Orrin. The birds are more receptive to helping you now.

However, the dragonling will begin to act out frequently as the teams travel, proving just as difficult to handle out of the egg. Teams must decide how to address its needs and split up to find the necessary resources to keep it alive.

Multiple Survival Games of Choice - Get the dragonling food, water, a transportable shelter, and some cord for a harness.

The Trackers’ efforts are working, but the baby is still difficult. If there’s time before lunch, discuss how best to find Orrin.

Day Three Afternoon

TRACKING GAME IN TEAMS- race to find Orrin while the Guide, carrying the dragonling, will randomly imposes little dragonling-based tasks on any team they can find

The first team to find Orrin should call the others to group them up. When they first happen upon Orrin, he may be portrayed by a guide, Elder, animal, or simply an object to mark his position until the main Guide can take up the role. You may speak with him and ask him questions, but will be interrupted shortly after introductions.

It’s a group of poachers! They warn the Trackers to back off their rackets, and demand the phoenix back if you have it.

COMBAT GAME - stick or foam swords, projectiles

After the poachers have been repelled, Orrin will invite you to sit and learn from him. He will freely answer any questions about dragon lore. If the Trackers are struggling to find the right questions, you can also have him offer information.

In addition to the Dragon Cycle and the Land of Mems lore, here are some points of knowledge Orrin can provide:

Dragon eggs are not meant to be hatched in this world

You must return the dragonling to the Land of Mems, or it will become too destructive for the human world

Dragonlings often run away from or harm mortal keepers-- the Trackers must treat it well for it to stick around at all

Orrin can also tell you how to travel to and from the Land of Mems. It requires a powerful connection to your homeland, or else you can get stuck there forever! He would go himself, but he’s too physically weak to handle the dragonling or the crossing.

Instead, he will outline his knowledge of four methods:

Tunneling/following animals (recommended)

Sailing through the Gap between the sea and the sky

Find Worm People, harvest their silk and use it to slice into the Land of Mems

Meditation on connection with mems

Trackers must choose a method to use, which will be enacted the following day. They may also spend the rest of the day planning or beginning preparations for their chosen method.

CARETAKING & STRATEGY GAME

As the day wraps up, remind Trackers that success or failure rests on their bonds with their home. They may want to think or journal about this over the evening to improve chances the following day!

Day Four Morning

Have Trackers proceed directly to their Team camps for some journaling and meditation. Remind them of the connection they must have to successfully get back! If you skipped the caretaking and strategy game on Day Three, work in a shorter version of it after Trackers return from their Secret Camps.

Rally everyone together to pursue your teams’ choice for entering the Land of Mems. Each path includes two different games. These storylines meet on page __.

Tracking & Tunneling

This method involves finding an animal to track with which the Trackers are familiar. Ideally this is an animal they’ve come to know, but a familiar species will work as well. Instruct them to focus on envisioning what it would look and feel like to be that animal.

Tracking Game of Choice

Improv Game - Tunnel through ancient tree roots.

Sailing Through the Gap

This method requires gathering materials and having each team build a “ship.” These will in fact be shelters, though the type will vary depending on available materials.

Survival Games

Improv Game - Sailing through storm-tossed seas.

Worm People Silk

Tracking Game of Choice

This method requires hunting down clues to find the Worm People. There should be at least as many clues as there are Tracker teams, forcing them to first hunt down the clues, then group up to put the clues (and their wits) together.

Clue Hunting Game

Improv Game - Meet the Worm People and trade for silk

Improv Game - Cut through the planes of reality

You’ve made it to the Land of Mems! The dragonling immediately, unceremoniously departs.

Day Four Afternoon

Set an otherworldly scene for Trackers as they re-enter a strange new world.

Earth motes

Have them sit in a circle and close their eyes, then walk them through the following:

“Close your eyes and steady your breathing. As you step up from the roots / ship / through the tear, you see the Land of Mems. Flavor text!

Improv Game of Choice

If you saved the phoenix earlier in the week, it flies over and greets you, then flies back into the mist.

Exploration Game of Choice - Plant three dragon pieces for them to potentially find: a tooth, a scale, and “finger” bone (wing).

Have the last round of the game halt prematurely, as Cinna bursts into the Land of Mems! He effectively explodes the entrance he used.

“If it isn’t my favorite group of unwitting pawns! If you want to get out of here, you’d better have that phoenix, or at least the dragonling. All known crossings around here have been destroyed, except for the one I’ll be using, so don’t think you can get away.”

Allow Trackers to interact with Cinna for the remaining time. They can ask Cinna questions and Cinna can do a villain monologue:

Why are you doing this? “I thought you might’ve figured it out… I’m the leader of the (name for poaching ring here)! You really surprised me by handling that dragon egg, not to mention stealing the phoenix right from under our nose.”

What did you do to the exits? “Well, technically, I didn’t do anything at all! But I did convince my new friend, Mercure, that it would be fun to keep some hapless adventurers here. Would you like to meet them?”

We won’t let you have the phoenix! “

We don’t have the dragon/phoenix. “Oh dear. If you’re not lying, this really won’t end well for you. If I can’t get any profit out of this trip.”

End on a menacing but ambiguous threat. Tomorrow is the big finale!

Day Five Morning

As soon as morning activities have wrapped, we can return to the showdown with Cinna.

Combat Game of Choice

Tip the odds in Cinna’s favor near the end of the game. However, at the last moment, the dragonling returns to help! Cinna, battered from your attacks, is on the edge of the earth mote when the dragonling slams into him, knocking him back into the mists.

Mercure warns everyone that Cinna won’t be killed from the fall, and that he’ll likely make it back to the human world eventually. They suggest you find a way back if you want to stop him! And no… Mercure will not be helping.

There are two ways the Trackers can finish the morning. They may choose to find the single available exit or meditate.

If they choose to search for the exit:

Pure Play Game of Choice

If they choose to meditate:

Run the Trackers through a checklist to get into a meditative state before focusing in on their connection with nature.

“Close your eyes and slow the pace of your breathing. Take deep breaths, hold them for a count of four, and then breathe out all the air in your lungs. Put as much space between your ears and collar bones as possible. Run your focus over your body, taking stock of how you feel. Notice how your feet feel in your socks. Notice how the fabric of your clothes feels on your skin. Notice how the ground feels beneath you. Notice how your hair feels on your head. Open your mind to your memories…”

Instruct them to choose and focus on their favorite aspects of life in the human world. Their connection with an animal they met and named over the week, their Hearthstone, their family or friends, etc. The stronger the memory and sentiment behind it, the better their chances of success!

When lunch time draws near, announce the teams’ arrival back in the human world! Only one problem… they’re surrounded by enemies.

Day Five Afternoon

Return from lunch to be surrounded by the poachers. They’re surprised Cinna isn’t with you, and threaten to set their animals (dangerous beasts they hunted and caged) on you if you don’t return the dragon and phoenix.

However, the beasts won’t attack! The dragonling and phoenix marked you as friends, and they won’t behave for the poachers any longer.

Game of Choice: The objective is to free the beasts and run the poachers out of the area for good!

Return to the Village with much fanfare. You completed the mission and gained human and animal friendships along the way.

Final Secret Camp Time

After Trackers have returned their Hearthstones to their Secret Camps, it’s time to celebrate! Get all the teams together to share stories, visit the Troll Market, play Trackers Trivia, have snacks, and sign each others’ journals.