Fading Echoes

The Transport Van: This is the other “sleeping monster” the cats saw in scene 7. It is a minivan that is set up to carry cats. The back of the van has been outfitted with a series of electronically locked cages, each large enough to hold a single cat. The Twolegs’ plan is to bring back as many healthy, adoptable cats as they can, thinking that they are saving these cats from a life of hardship. The Twolegs don’t open this van as frequently as they do the other one, but when they do, the unmistakable scent of live, healthy cats comes out. If the players’ cats want to try to tell how many cats are inside the van, they have to make a Smell Check. If the total is 5 or higher, they know that there are at least eight cats in the van. If the total is 8 or higher, they know that there are exactly ten cats in the van. For every 2 points higher than that, they can pick out the scent of individual cats (so if the total is 10 they can smell one specific cat, if the total is 12 they can smell two, and so on). This may be important because any of the players’ cats that got captured—either in the cages or by clever Twolegs—will be among those inside this van.

What Happens Next: The next step in the adventure depends entirely on where the cats choose to explore.

If the cats decide to explore the Medical Tent, continue with 15.

If the cats decide to explore the Supply Van, continue with 16.

If the cats decide to explore the Transport Van, continue with 17.

If the Narrator thinks the cats are too bold and make it easy for the Twolegs to notice them, continue with 12.

12. Spotted!

Read Aloud: “With a start, you realize that one of the Twolegs has seen you! It’s heading this way!”

Narrator Tips: There are several ways the players’ cats may end up in this scene and it may come up several times over the course of the adventure. Your job as Narrator is to improvise ways to make each one fit the current context.

Remember that while the cats see the Twolegs as threats, the Twolegs really just care about the health and well-being of all cats. They will try to be as friendly and calming as they can. They’ll offer food and try to scratch the cats behind the ears and speak in a soothing tone. But the players’ cats will misinterpret these friendly gestures as being aggressive moves.

There isn’t really any more complication to this scene than figuring out if any of the cats get captured by the Twolegs. Any cat that lets the Twolegs get close enough to touch him or her is in danger of being captured. After petting the cat for a few moments, the Twoleg will try to grab him or her. At that point, the cat may make a Jump Check. If the total is 12 or higher, the cat escapes the attempted grab and can act freely. If the total is lower, though, the cat has been captured.

Any cat who eats the offered food immediately loses 5 chips because it has been drugged with sedatives. He or she must make a Spirit Check. If the total of this Check is 9 or lower, the sedatives cause the cat to fall asleep. If the total is 10 or higher, the cat remains awake but is going to be drowsy and will be unable to do much other than talk for at least the next ten minutes.

Like in previous scenes, any captured cat has the possibility of returning later on in the adventure if the remaining cats can figure out how to free him or her. Beyond that, the only question is where the remaining cats go next.

If the cats stay away from the Twolegs and dash off into the woods or to another part of the camp, the Twolegs will not give chase. They have too much to do and too many cats to treat.

What Happens Next: Not all of these options will be available in each case. The details will depend on where the cats are spotted and what escape routes are possible.

If the cats decide they want to try to fight the Twoleg that is trying to grab them, continue with 18.

If any of the cats are captured, continue with 14.

If the cats escape into the outer camp area, continue with 11, but do not refresh the chips again (that only happens the first time the cats go through scene 11).

If the cats escape to the Medical Tent, continue with 15.

If the cats escape to the area near the Supply Van, continue with 16.

If the cats escape to the area near the Transport Van, continue with 17.

13. Difficult Choices

Read Aloud: “The strange den entrance has collapsed! You’re trapped!”

Narrator Tips: One of the cats is trapped in a Twoleg cage. While the rest of the cats are nearby and can talk to the cat inside, this scene is about what that trapped cat does next.

To be honest, there are very few choices, and none of them are particularly appealing. But sometimes that’s what happens when a cat pokes his or her nose into a dangerous place.

One choice is for the cat to eat the strange-smelling food that has been placed in the cage.