The Plaintive Howls is a short official scenario for the Warriors Adventure Game. This scenario takes place three moons following the previous adventure, Fever Dreams and providing the players' characters completed the last adventure it is stated that they are three moons older than whichever adventure that had been played previously.
Requirements
The game is played by at least two players, guided by a Narrator. The recommended number of players is three to six, though two players is possible, as well as a group over six. Players need one character sheet each, and the Narrator needs the printed version of the scenario description.
Each player assumes the role of a cat character, newly made young warriors, having a set of attributes created according to the rules and guidelines of the game. The cats may be either from the same Clan, or different Clans.
Location
The adventure takes place in the Lake Territories.
Progress
Yowls in the Night
There have been strange sounds around camp and every cat is unnerved. The Clan Leader has called a meeting to discuss it. The leader has chosen these cats to investigate the sounds and find out what is happening. The cats leave on their journey and they all perform a Focus Check, the group total of which determines what happens next.
Chasing the Wind
The cats attempt to follow the mournful howls, but the wind plays with their hearing and they can't tell which direction it is coming from. Soon, there is only one howl, which makes it easier to follow. The lead cat should perform a Listen Check at this point.
The Culprit
The group of cats find a rogue named Burr stuck in a cage, though they don't realize it is a cage. He tries to help as much as he can, but he is scared and doesn't understand much of what is going on.
The cats smell some form of food on the air and also hear some sort of Twoleg activity. They can decide whether to investigate the food smell or the Twoleg activity.
The Fading Voice
If the cats could not find the source of the yowling, they stop to shelter for the night. The next morning, they smell a bitter tang of food and hear Twoleg activity. They can decide on either of these two options or continue looking for the source of the yowling.
Lost in the Woods
The cats lose the source of the yowling and wander so far off the trail that they are lost. They have to return to camp and report to their leader that they did not find the source. The leader tells them the yowling has stopped, but the night guard is doubled in any case. The adventure is over, and the group failed.
A Strange Den
The cats find an odd pile of leaves surrounding something with an odd smell of fresh-kill inside it. It's a camouflaged cage, but the cats don't realize this. They can explore around and farther away from the odd nest if they so choose, and they may find other similar nests.
They can either decide on one of them entering the cage, investigating the other food scents, or investigating the sounds of Twoleg activity.
The Twoleg Camp
If the cats investigate the sounds of Twoleg activity, they find a sizable Twoleg camp below a ridge. Unbeknownst to the cats, the Twolegs are from an animal shelter and have tents set up to treat cats and hold supplies, and also two large vans; one is to transport cats for possible adoption and the other is to hold supplies. The cats mostly don't realize what they are seeing, and just see a Twoleg threat.
The cats can decide to sneak into the camp to take a closer look, or if they linger too long on the ridge, a few of the Twolegs may happen to notice them.
It's a Trap!
While investigating the cages, one of the cats may choose to enter one. If this happens, the entrance will collapse and try to trap the cat inside. The player's cat can attempt a Jump Check to try and escape before the collapse. If the cat is caught, then the cat can either decide to eat the food inside the den or search for other ways to escape.
More Dens
The cats explore around the other dens they have found in the area. This is a time where another player's cat can be tempted by food scent or curiosity and attempt to enter the peculiar den. The cats can decide whether to investigate the Twoleg activity or one cat can decide to enter a cage.
A Snack for Strength
If the cat trapped in the cage eats the food inside, they will become drugged. A Spirit Check can be used to determine whether the cat falls asleep due to the drugs or is able to stay awake, albeit drowsy. This cat is now out of the game, if the cat stays awake it can provide advice to other players and there is a chance it may be rescued eventually.
The remaining cats can either explore more of the cages, return to talk to Burr, or investigate the Twoleg activity.
Sneaking Into the Camp
The cats choose to sneak into the Twoleg camp and attempt to explore. Many Smell Checks are made during this venture, and the narrator must improvise on what the players' cats choose to do. The Smell Check can determine what sort of things are in different areas of the camp.
The cats can decide whether to explore the different areas of the camp; the Medical Tent, the Supply Van, and the Transport Van, though they do not by any means know the proper names for these things. A Twoleg can also spot them if they are being too bold in their exploration.
Spotted!
One or more of the Twolegs spot the cats and come towards them. The cats do not know this, but the Twolegs have the cats' best interests in mind and will not attempt to hurt them, but try to coax them into coming to them. If a cat is close enough to be touched by a Twoleg, the cat can attempt a Jump Check to try and get away from the Twoleg when it grabs at it. Any cat who eats preferred food will become drugged and captured; the cat can perform a Spirit Check to try and stay awake, but will become drowsy.
The cats can completely evade the Twolegs and retreat to the woods or another part of camp; the Twolegs will not give chase. There are many courses of action next; the cats can retreat to the Medical Tent, the Supply Van, the Transport Van, or the woods. Some of the cats may be captured and some cats may choose to fight the Twoleg trying to grab them.
Difficult Choices
If a player's cat is caught in a cage, they can attempt to force their way out through the gaps in the cage. The cat can perform a Strength Check to determine if it escapes; it will either be able to do nothing, suffer a wound and still be trapped, suffer wounds and get out, or suffer minor wounds and get out. A different option is to sit and wait in the cage and encourage the others in their mission. They may also decide to eat the food inside with them.
The free cats can explore the remaining cages, investigate the Twoleg activity, or talk to Burr if he is still around.
Captured!
When the cats are spotted by the Twolegs, a player's cat can be grabbed by a Twoleg and captured. The Twoleg, wanting to help the cat, will either take the cat to the Medical Tent or the Transport Van. The captured cat will later have a chance to be rescued.
The remaining free cats can either escape to the Medical Tent, explore the Supply Van, or explore the Transport Van. There is also a possibility that all the cats were captured.
The Clean Den
The cats have decided to investigate the Medical Tent. Many Skill and Attribute Checks can be used to investigate the situation. It is the busiest place in the camp, which means this is the most likely place the cats will be spotted. The tent is set up like a small veterinarian's office, and the doctors are treating a cat; possibly a captured player's cat or Burr. The cat who is being treated will either by asleep or yowling angrily at the Twoleg.
The group of cats can either attack the Twoleg so they can free their friend, leave and investigate the Supply Van or Transport Van, or they may be spotted by the Twolegs in the tent.
A Sleeping Monster
The cats are investigating the Supply Van. It is not moving, so they are bolder around it than they would normally be. The Twolegs come over occasionally to get supplies from it, but the cats are able to hide in this area since it is not very busy and they are unlikely to be noticed.
The cats can continue to investigate the Supply Van, return to the outer camp area, go to explore the Transport Van, or explore the Medical Tent.
A Wall of Dens
The cats have decided to investigate the Transport Van. The Twolegs rarely come over here, but when they do, they are carrying a sedated cat in a cage to be transported. The van is completely motionless, which allows the players' cats to boldly examine everything that happens. They can see inside the van and make out the cages, some of which have any of the captured players' cats and Burr. Smell and Ponder Checks can be used here.
The cats can continue to investigate the van, return to the outer camp area, explore the Medical Tent, or explore the Supply Van.
A Desperate Fight
The cats have decided to fight the Twolegs. Jump and Wrestling Checks are used here. The cats can inflict painful scratches on the Twolegs, but if a cat is picked up, the fight is over.
The cats can all be captured here, or one cat can be captured and the others will run away. They can escape to the outer camp area, the Medical Tent, the Transport Van, or the Supply Van.
The Monster's Secret
When examining the Transport Van, the cats will notice there is a certain ritual involved in waking up the van when the Twolegs come to it. They will have different opinions on this, and they can perform a Ponder Check together to come up with the right answer. The correct ritual is to hit the van in a certain place so that the side door will open.
The cats can either try this ritual on the Transport Van or the Supply Van.
Inside the Monster
The cats can attempt to use the ritual to wake up the Supply Van. They have to use Ponder Checks to determine where to hit the side of the van. Strength and Pounce Checks are used when actually hitting the van.
When the van is open, they can explore inside it. They find many supplies such as food, bandages, blankets, and drugs, though the cats don't full understand what these items are. If the cats stay too long, the Twolegs may spot them, or they can try the same ritual on the Transport Van.
The Hungry Monster
The cats decide to try the ritual on the Transport Van where there are other cats trapped. The Strength and Pounce Checks will be used to determine if the cat correctly hits the place and the van opens.
The cats trapped in cages will help the free group of cats figure out what to do to open the cages. There is a combination of a lever and buttons that the cats can use to electronically open the cages, though they don't understand it. The trapped cats help with the descriptions, and all the players' cats make Ponder Checks. The cats may successfully open the cages, or the Twolegs may notice them. If this is the third time the cats have attempted to open the cages, the Twolegs lock the van.
Released from the Monster
All of the cages are opened and all the cats are freed and escape into the woods. The Twolegs are unhappy, but can do nothing about it. Most of the trapped cats were rogues, and express deep thanks to the group of cats.
The players' cats return to their Clan leader and explain the exciting tale. The adventure is over, and the group completed the mission.
In the Belly of the Beast
Some or all of the players' cats have been captured and are inside the Transport Van. They are being prepared to be driven off to a local animal shelter. There is a possible chance a cat can escape and be able to rejoin its Clan. The adventure is over, and the group failed.
Flowchart
Ending
- If the group fails in their mission (gets captured), they will not receive any experience points. A player may have to develop a new cat if the old one is captured, or develop a story in which their former character escapes the Twolegs. If they manage to free the other cats and themselves, each character gets experience points.
- The adventure can be replayed any number of times, but a character may get points only once. There are also rewards one can get; the age of a cat increases by one moon, a certain Skill can be raised one level, and for surviving so close to Twolegs, it will also receive one level of Twoleg Lore Knack.
See Also
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