The Fourth Apprentice

You, the Narrator, should stress to the players how difficult the Check will be before their cats decide whether or not to attempt it. They should know how difficult the task will be because failure has a severe penalty.

If a cat fails a Climb Check, he or she has slipped or the rock has crumbled—the cat is falling off the cliff. That cat must immediately make a Jump Check. If the total is equal to or higher than the difficulty of the current Climb Check, the cat is okay. For example, if it was the third Climb Check (which would need a total of 8 to succeed), then the Jump Check must also be 8 or higher in order to succeed. If the Jump Check is too low, the cat will sustain injuries. He or she loses a number of chips equal to the difference between the Jump Check total and the target number. For example, if the cat needed an 8 to succeed but the Check total was only 5, he or she loses 3 chips! (The player may choose which type of chip to lose.)

If a cat realizes that a Climb Check is too difficult and wants to go back down the cliff voluntarily, he or she may do so by making a Jump Check. If the total is 5 or higher, the cat gets down safely. If the total is 4 or lower, the cat is injured and loses 1 chip (player’s choice).

What Happens Next: If any of the cats are Knocked Out, continue with 12.

If the cats decide to take the route by the river instead, continue with 6.

If the cats decide to take the Twoleg path instead, continue with 8.

If all the cats manage to climb the cliff safely to the top, continue with 5.

4. A Strange Thunderpath

Read Aloud: “The thick forest of trees gives way to a large, open meadow. But this meadow is being patrolled by an angry group of Twoleg monsters!“

Narrator Tips: This is the meadow where the humans are riding their ATVs. They are driving as fast as possible then skidding to a stop, using small hills to cause their vehicles to jump into the air, going into the woods along narrow paths, and then returning to the meadow at full speed.

To the cats, this will be an almost inexplicably strange sight. Try to describe it in the weird and alien way it would seem to a cat—let the players make their own conclusions about what’s really going on.

There is no more path to follow, but it is easy to tell which way the cats have to head in order to reach the top of the hill. If any cats try to use their senses to find clues as to where to go next, they may uncover the following. Any of the following Checks must have a total of 5 or higher in order for the cat to perceive anything over the ruckus the monsters are making. A Listen Check can reveal the faint sound of splashing water just a little farther up the hill—a sign that the pools of water they’re seeking may be nearby. A See Check can reveal a small stream running through the meadow—another sign that pools of water may be nearby. A Smell Check can reveal the scent of fresh herbs wafting down from the woods beyond the meadow—perhaps even the distinct scent of feverfew.

Unfortunately, the only way to get to the woods is to cross this grassy meadow and, hopefully, avoid the monsters along the way. If the cats try to sneak around the outside of the meadow, they keep finding that monsters suddenly appear out of the woods and force them back the way they came. Their only real hope is to cut across the meadow or go back toward the dirt path. Of course, they can also head back down the hill and try a different route entirely.

If the cats decide to try to cross the meadow, it’s just a matter of timing and luck. Each cat in turn must do the following.

1. Make a Focus Check—This is to help them concentrate on this important task. If the total is 4 or higher, the cat gets a +1 bonus to the Checks in steps 2 and 3 below. If the total is 7 or higher, the bonus increases to +2.

2. Make a See or Listen Check—This is to recognize the pattern the monsters are following and time a safe sprint across the open field. If the total is 3 or less, the cat gets a –1 penalty on the Pounce Check below. If the total is 6 or higher, the cat gets a +1 bonus to the Pounce Check below.

3. Make a Pounce Check—This is to make the dash across the field. If the total is 7 or higher, the cat gets across safely. If the total is between 4 and 6, one of the monsters steps on the cat’s tail and the cat loses 2 chips (player’s choice) from the injury. If the total is 3 or less, one of the monsters swats the cat, doing damage that causes the cat to lose 4 chips (player’s choice) from the injury. As long as the cats aren’t Knocked Out by this damage, they make it safely to the far side of the meadow.

What Happens Next: If the cats all make it across the meadow, continue with 5.

If any of the cats are Knocked Out, continue with 12.

If the cats decide to go back to the Twoleg path, continue with 10.

If the cats decide to take the route by the river instead, continue with 6.