This is a short story with 🎲 dice, using the Plot Unfolding Machine without an RPG or any kind of game orientation. Everything is improvised as I write it. No corrections or editing. Just something to play around tonight.

Premise

Brody is playing guitar, at home. It’s almost midnight. His mother is (🎲 Yes, unless…) there, unless (🎲 dad? → Hard to say, possibly) they made truce with dad, and he invited over to dinner once again. Won’t bother to check. The TV, is on, but Brody is not paying attention.

But tonight, something completely out of the normal happens (🎲 What? → Sensitive Challenge), Brody will face a challenge, in which he has to be, really, really careful, or else (🎲 High Stakes – on fail → Captured) he will be kidnapped.

Scene 1

Setup: 🎲 how can he fight it? → Endure, withstand, stress, Time pressure. 🎲 Is that a toxin? → Yes.

A dart hits Brody on his left arm (🎲 Does he notice? → No.), he continues playing the guitar, but his left-hand fingers start failing him. He looks at them (🎲 Does he manage to endure? → Yes.), and he feels incredibly sleepy, eventually he feels an inch on his body. He stands up rapidly, with his red electric guitar hanging on his shoulder.

Brody, calls “Mom!?” (🎲 Does she answer? → No, but… 🎲 Someone else answers? → Hard to say.). Brody’s mother does not answer, but Brody can hear voices downstairs. He looks towards the window.

(🎲 is there someone? → Yes, but…) A shady face moves away just as Brody looks there. “Hello?”. And then stands there quite for a few seconds (🎲 Anything happens in this instant? → No, and…). But nothing happens and things are quiet.

Brody opens the door of his room a goes downstairs.

Scene 2

Setup: 🎲 Scene → Political disruption or global change. 🎲 Is there anyone down there? → No.

“Mom??” No one in the living-room (🎲 TV is on? → Yes.). TV is on, a news reporter is talking about (🎲 → Found Environment) a discovered (🎲 Is it a natural catastrophe? → Yes, possibly) apparent disaster in the city, people are panicking and there is unrest (🎲 Someone darted Brody, anyone shows up now? → No, obviously. Does Brody finally hold on the effects? → No, possibly.) Brody feels weakened, he falls to the ground.

Brody drags himself up to the phone (🎲 Does he make it? → No, but…), he gets the phone and manages to call 911 but fades out as the line is busy, or if not, completely wasted…

Scene 3

Setup: 🎲 Scene → An important job or mission is offered. 🎲 What will be needed? → Persuade, impose, lead, talk. Specific skills needed

Brody wakes up (🎲 How does the area look like? → Mostly Abandoned) in an abandoned workshop (🎲 Can he open his eyes? → Yes, but…). He opens his eyes, but it is really dark. (🎲 How many figures can he see? → Don’t know.), hard to see anyone, but he hears a voice.

“Hello Brody, welcome”
“What is going on… how are you?” (🎲 Do they respond? → Hard to say.)
“That is… difficult to say. These are difficult times, Brody”
“Let me go!”
“We could… but we need you to do something for us in return”
“What??? Where’s mom?”
“Your mother is fine, for now. We need you to talk to… (🎲 who?? → an unimportant Person) Lucas Miller, you don’t know him. But he will hear you”
“What? Why me?” (🎲 is it because Brody plays guitar? → Hard to say, at first.)
“Because… you are a very talented kid, Brody”
“What do you want me to tell him…?”
“Tell him that, (🎲 Intent → Fight Information. 🎲 about what? → Dangerous Environment 🎲 Reason → Prevent Resources or Wealth) we want to know the truth, or else… you are staying with us”

Scene 4

Setup: 🎲 Where does this happen? → Commonly Fortified. Brody will be released to an official force in a fortified position arranged between what seems to be a group of terrorists and officials. 🎲 Expectation check → As expected.

Brody comes out of a white wagon (🎲 alone? → No, at first.) with a hooded person, who reveals that Brody is indeed him, and then steps back into the car. Then steps back inside.

Terrorists: “See, we have the kid. Now put Lucas on the line. Privately.”
Officials: (🎲 do they adhere to conditions? → Yes, at first.) “We’ll give you one minute”

A line bridge is set up between Lucas Miller and the terrorists with Brody. They put Brody on the line

Lucas: Lucas Miller here, what the hell do you want
Brody: Hi… it is Brody here
Lucas: (🎲 Does he recognize? → No, unless… 🎲 Is Lucas related to Brody’s mother? → Yes, and…) Is that a kid? This must be a joke.
Brody: They want me to tell you that you must share LIVE the real truth behind the Disaster at Midnight, or else…
Lucas: Or else what?
Brody: I cannot go home…

Final words

I am no writer. And I am super lazy when having to come up with things. This was an experiment to see how much writing can I get done with a GM Emulator. Honestly, I have no idea how to continue from Scene 4. I would need a writer assistant or AI or literally come up with the story on my own.

Perhaps if this was a Role Playing Game, I’d make Brody a heroic character or a capable character of sorts, and focus on his actions instead, but otherwise I am not sure how to do this 🙂

This is just random babble, but it was kind of nice seeing my Plot unfolding machine system in action to answer those silly questions on the way there. Have fun too!

JV

JeansenVaars