Storyteller Guide: Inclusion Adventures

Introduction

Welcome to The Kingdom of Inclusion—a land of fairy tales, heroes, and all the conveniences of modern technology!

 

Want to take the bus to rescue Red Riding Hood from the Wolf? Amazing! Just keep in mind the bus might be delayed because a herd of unicorns is crossing the street. Need to make a phone call? Of course there are cell phones! Just know that magic and Wi-Fi don’t always mix, so you might not always have cell service.

 

Inclusion Adventures combines fantasy-inspired quests with real-world challenges to give players a chance to practice problem-solving, social skills, and navigating daily life.

Role of the Storyteller

Your job as the Storyteller is to guide your group through a series of decisions and tell a story together:

1. Read the story out loud, pausing at each "What Would You Do?" prompt for your group to discuss and decide on a solution.
2. Use the provided suggestions for skills and solutions at each check-in to help guide them.
3. When players make a decision, have them roll dice to resolve the outcome:
• Standard Roll (No Skill): Roll 1 die.
• Skill Roll (Using a Chosen Skill): Roll 2 dice.
• Helper Roll (Another player assists): Roll 3 dice (helper must explain how they are assisting).
4. Determine the Outcome:
   
   
• No dice above 3 (All 1, 2, or 3): The plan fails; try a new approach.
• Any die above 3 (At least one 4, 5, or 6): The plan works okay.
• All dice above 3 (Every die is 4, 5, or 6): The plan works perfectly.

 

Storyteller Tip: Inclusion Adventures is designed for flexibility. Feel free to get silly with character voices and immersive roleplay, or take a straightforward approach—whatever works best for your group!

 

Adventure Module: Work Worries

By Sarah Lineberry

Scene 1: The Flying Tomatoes

Storyteller:

You and your friends are walking along the street on a beautiful spring day. The sun is shining and a soft breeze keeps you comfortable. Suddenly, tomatoes fly through the air, hitting you right in the face!

 

Your face and hair are covered in sticky tomato goo! As you wipe it away, you see a gnome wearing an apron rushing toward you. She has dark brown hair in two braids, freckles on her cheeks, and a face as red as the tomatoes!

 

"I’m so sorry!" she says. "I was unloading the tomatoes and I tripped! I’m Nora."

 

What Would You Do?

• Storyteller Prompt: Encourage your group to introduce their characters to Nora.

Scene 2: Trouble at the Restaurant

Storyteller:

A grumpy man with dark brown hair and a beard comes out of a nearby restaurant wearing an apron and a chef’s hat.

 

"Dang it, Nora!" he yells. "We needed those tomatoes for the spaghetti sauce! Go buy more, or you’re fired!"

 

Nora turns to you in a panic. "Oh no! The farmers' market is all the way across town and I don’t have a car! Can you help me? I don’t want to lose my job."

 

What Would You Do?

• Storyteller Prompt: Encourage the group to help Nora buy more tomatoes.

Scene 3: Crossing Town

Storyteller:

"Thank you so much!" Nora says. "But how are we going to get there?"

 

What Would You Do?

• Storyteller Prompt: Help your group brainstorm ways to travel across town. These can be fantastical (riding a unicorn, teleporting, flying) or real-world (taking the bus, calling a rideshare).

 

• Challenge Setup: Whichever option they choose, present the group with a navigation challenge to resolve:
• Nora doesn’t have a bus pass.
• Finding the correct bus stop and reading the route map.
• The bus is running late.
• The rideshare service has surge pricing.

Example Challenges & Vignettes:

• Bus Stop Example: The bus stop is a major hub with many different buses (some even fly or go underground!). How do you figure out which bus goes to the farmer’s market?
• Rideshare Example: The driver calls to say they’ve arrived, but you don't see them. How do you find your driver?

(If players look around, describe landmark details: cross streets "Daisy" and "Marigold," a shoe store with a giant purple boot on the roof, or a bright yellow bakery. Players can describe these landmarks to guide the driver or dragon to their spot.)

 

Storyteller Tip: Adjust the level of detail based on your group. Act out boarding the bus or chatting with the driver for roleplay-heavy groups, or keep it to brief action descriptions for a direct approach.

 

Scene 4: The Crowded Farmers' Market

Storyteller:

You arrive at the farmers' market. Long rows of stalls sell all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Humans, dragons, fairies, and even a few giants are busy shopping. With so many customers talking, it is extremely loud and crowded. You have to squeeze your way through the crowd.

 

Nora crosses her arms, hunches her shoulders, and looks nervously from side to side as she walks.

 

What Would You Do?

 

• Storyteller Prompt: Check in on Nora. When asked, Nora admits she gets overwhelmed in large crowds:

"It’s just really noisy. Sometimes when there are lots of people, I get nervous. I don’t like feeling stuck in the crowd."

• Possible Solutions:
  
  
• Let Nora borrow a sensory tool, like noise-canceling headphones (roll dice to see if a player has one).
• Walk around the outer perimeter of the market to avoid the thickest crowd.
• Ask a market helper for directions directly to the tomato stall.

Example Helpers & Market Descriptions:

• Asking for Directions: You spot a large bear wearing a bright pink vest that says "Volunteer."

"Hello!" the bear says. "My name is Brenda. What are you looking for?"

Brenda hands the group a map showing the fastest route to the tomato stand.

• Atmospheric Details to Describe:
  
  
• Bright pink dragon fruit with fluttering wing-like leaves.
• Giant pumpkins big enough to sit inside.
• Chickens and geese laying rainbow and gold eggs.
• Tiny potted bean seedlings with tags reading "Grows up to 200 feet tall!"
• A band of pixies playing instruments the size of your pinky finger.

Scene 5: Line Troubles & The Tomato Stall

Storyteller:

Finally, you find the tomato stall! A tiny fairy with gray hair hovers above massive piles of ripe tomatoes. The stand is packed, and a huge line has formed. As you get in line, a unicorn bumps hard into Nora.

 

"Hey!" Nora yells. "Watch where you’re going! I’m next."

 

What Would You Do?

• Storyteller Prompt: Help the group practice patience and navigate interacting with grumpy customers.
• Possible Solutions:
• Apologize to the unicorn (named Una) and step into line behind her.
• Ask Una what’s wrong and see if you can help her.
• Seek out a market volunteer to help manage the crowd.

Example Encounters:

• Talking with Una the Unicorn: If approached kindly, Una sighs:

 

"I’m sorry. I’ve been waiting in this line forever and I’m starving. I always get grouchy when I haven’t eaten."

(If the players share a snack with Una, she happily helps them get into line!)

• Asking a Volunteer for Help: A tall giant in a bright green volunteer vest helps organize the chaotic crowd into a neat, fair line.

Scene 6: The Heavy Order

Storyteller:

 

You finally reach the front of the line.

 

"How many tomatoes do you need?" the fairy shopkeeper asks.

 

Nora pauses to check the chef's note. "Um... one-thousand pounds!"

 

Holy cow! That is a massive load of tomatoes!

 

What Would You Do?

 

• Storyteller Prompt: Help the group brainstorm ways to transport 1,000 pounds of tomatoes back to the restaurant.
• Possible Solutions:
  
  
• A character with the Strength skill helps carry the load.
• The group divides the tomatoes into smaller batches.
• Use Pizzazz to charm the fairy shopkeeper into providing a magic bag that makes the tomatoes lightweight.

 

Storyteller Tip: Have fun with this challenge! Make it as silly or creative as your group enjoys. If your group prefers realism, feel free to lower the weight to a realistic amount.

 

Scene 7: Nora’s Career Thoughts

Storyteller:

With the tomatoes packed up, you head out. On your way, Nora stops to admire a flower stall. A dragon shopkeeper with glittering green scales is carefully arranging vibrant floral bouquets.

 

Nora sighs softly. "I wish I could do something like that. The restaurant is always so stressful. I have to work so fast, and I’m scared I’m not doing a good job."

 

What Would You Do?

• Storyteller Prompt: Help Nora explore her career options and what she wants out of a job.
• Possible Approaches:
  
  
• Speak to the dragon florist (Debby).
• Ask Nora what kind of work environment she would enjoy.

Example Outcomes:

• Speaking with Debby the Florist:

"Oh my goodness, what luck!" says Debby. "My old assistant just opened their own shop, and I need an apprentice to learn how to grow and arrange flowers! Here's my business card—call or email me whenever you're ready to talk!"

• Talking with Nora About Her Preferences:

"I like making people happy, but I want to take my time and do quality work. I prefer quieter environments, and I hate taking out the smelly trash! I want a job that smells nice."

Adventure Wrap-Up

Storyteller:

Tired but happy, your party returns to the restaurant and delivers the tomatoes.

 

"Thank you so much for all your help," Nora says with a smile. "I’m going to talk to the chef after my shift. I think I want to try a new job, and I feel much better now. I learned a lot about asking for help and dealing with tricky situations. Maybe I’ll see you all at the flower stall!"