I love spooky games for spooky season. Maybe someday I’ll run one. Until then, stick around for a big dumb action movie for your Monster of the Week hunters.
Intro
Gifford Pinchot National Forest is home to Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, more than 1.3 million acres of primordial wilderness with poor cell reception, and more than its fair share of Bigfoot sightings.
The Hook
An apparent meteor strike sparks a wildfire, drawing firefighters and bystanders into the forest including three youtubers from “Squatch Watch”. They’re livestreaming when a panicking Bigfoot runs into them and rips them apart not far from the barely-contained blaze.
Between the potential “meteor” omen and simply seeing the hook online, it should be easy to get your hunters into the area. The footage is hard to make out, but there’s a supernaturally large shadowy humanoid figure.
Countdown
- Day: Firefighters heading up to contain the fire run afoul of Bigfoot. It’s a scene out of an R-rated Jack Links commercial.
- Shadows: Still fleeing, Bigfoot and the Predator tangle at firewatch tower #3. The tower’s destroyed in the battle, leaving a wounded (the severity is up to you) Ranger Jess Charnas behind along with evidence of glowing green blood and plasma blast marks.
- Dusk: Eli and Gabe Brazos, longtime sasquatch trackers, are skinned and hung in the trees near their camp. Their game cameras capture another skirmish between Bigfoot and the Predator.
- Sunset: Agent Cole Barrett arrives on site and uses commandeered firefighting vehicles to scout for the Predator.
- Nightfall: The Predator shoots down Barrett’s OV-10 firewatch Bronco.
- Midnight: Bigfoot and the Predator have their final conflict. Whoever wins, we lose. Either 1) Bigfoot is triumphant and the Predator detonates its self destruct, killing Bigfoot and devastating the area with wildfires or 2) Predator takes its trophy and leaves. Its ship devastates the area with wildfires as it blasts off.
Threats
My group figured everything out after a botched sasquatch call drew the Predator to them instead. That’s okay! None of the monsters in this are supposed to be mysterious, it’s just the combination of two monsters and the threat of wildfires can keep your hunters on their toes. The Predator may decide that the hunters are more worthy prey than Bigfoot, especially if you have a Monstrous or other heavy hitter in your group.
Sasquatch, aka Bigfoot
Monster: Beast. Bigfoot’s den is burned and he’s fleeing an invisible killer. He might seem like a victim here but he’s a force of nature, willing to kill anyone in his path to safety.
Powers: Strength, stealth, leaping, climbing.
Weaknesses: Fire. Like most animals, Bigfoot fears fire and he’s real hairy so he’ll light up real good. It’s a straightforward weakness but in a two-monster scenario, it’s good to keep it simple where you can.
Attacks: Rock throwing (3-harm close messy), rend and tear (3-harm hand messy, +1-harm if he’s got a tree club)
Armor: 0 Harm Capacity: 14
The Predator
Monster: Collector. The Predator is here for sport, and will prioritize worthy adversaries like Bigfoot or the PCs, then anyone who’s armed, and generally will ignore those who don’t pose a threat.
Powers: Strength, invisiblity, leaping, climbing. It can see thermal signatures and mimic sounds. It’s basically an invisible Bigfoot with a bunch of tech.
Weaknesses: The Predator famously cannot see muddy people or who can otherwise block their thermal signature (until it figures out they’re tricking it). Its cloaking device glitches out if it gets wet. It’s weak against its own technology, or can be killed with mundane weapons once its mask is off.
Attacks: Arm blades (4-harm hand ap messy), spear (3-harm close ap), net gun (1-harm close entangle, then 1-harm ap over time until the victim is freed or cubed), shoulder cannon (3-harm far ap in open combat, otherwise special)
Armor: 1 Harm Capacity: 12
When you are unaware you’re being targeted by the Predator’s shoulder cannon, roll +Sharp.
On a 10+ you spot the three dots in time. On a 7-9, choose one:
- You take 2-harm from a near miss
- You take 4-harm from a nearer miss, but can pinpoint the Predator’s location. Take +1 forward or given +1 forward to another hunter.
On a miss, someone dies. You say who. (You can spend Luck to skip this of course)
This move is brutal but this was meant for a one-shot. For an ongoing campaign tweak harm as needed. Additionally, most times once this move triggers everyone knows they’re being targeted, so fall back to using the cannon stats under “Attacks” once the shit hits the fan.
Ranger Jess Charnas
Minion: Guardian. Ranger Charnas encountered Bigfoot years ago and spends her shifts quietly guiding campers, hikers, and hunters away from his territory. Bigfoot won’t attack her but her steady hand with a .308 rifle will make her a target of opportunity for the Predator or even an erstwhile ally for the hunters.
Eli and Gabe Brazos, Squatch Hunters
Bystanders: Helper (Eli) and victim (Gabe). These two backwoods brothers know Gifford Pinchot as well as any park ranger. They’ve got a campsite with a trailer, game cameras, tranquilizer rifles, video equipment, and first aid gear.
Agent Cole Barrett, Bureau of Land Management
Bystander: Busybody. Barrett is onsite to hunt the Predator, and he has the vaguely overarching authority to commandeer almost anything he needs, at least for the short term. He has his own Department of the Interior people and doesn’t need any yahoos (the PCs) getting in his way.
The Forest
Location: Maze. Primordial conifers, clearings of wildflowers, rocky slopes and breathtaking views above the treeline, all punctuated by remote firewatch towers and ranger stations.
Eli and Gabe’s Trailer
Location: Hub. A beat-up but reliable camping trailer well-stocked with supplies and close to fresh running water.
Tower #3
Location: Crossroads. A firewatch tower on a crag just above the treeline. It’s Charnas’ usual post, and has medical supplies, radios, a rifle and ammunition, and other basic survival needs. Bigfoot does not fear it.
The Wildfire
Location: Prison. Wildfires from either the initial Predator ship’s touchdown or secondary blazes caused by shoulder cannon plasma or irresponsible use of magic can separate hunters and cut them off from aid as well as provide a desperate escape route. Roiling smoke can obscure vision and force hunters from an otherwise safe haven. Plus, a final showdown in a forest fire is badass.
Don't Roll a One 