Games like Santa's Trainee Elf

Background Your name is Susan. You are 14 years old and you have ambitions of becoming a witch. You have just completed two years of study at the Spooksville Academy of Witchcraft. You reckon you know all the theory and now it's time to put that theory into practice. As with all trades, you must start out as an apprentice. You've been allocated to Broomhilda, the old witch that lives in the spooky…

Background You are Rowan of Bunglewood Downs, would-be thief and seeker of magic. There's known to be a Cave of Magic deep in the forest of Bunglewood. The cave is not hard to find, but no one goes there for fear of being eaten by a troll. As no one's been there, no one knows for sure what's in the cave. It's rumoured to contain treasure, but if it contains treasure, why isn't it called The Cave o…

Introduction Of all the forms of alchemy practised throughout the ages, the best known is the quest to turn base metals into gold. Of course, everyone knows this is impossible. Even so, there's a rumour that an alchemist in the forest has figured out how to do the impossible and has been building up quite a stash of the shiny yellow metal. After picking up a lead in the local tavern, you think y…

Introduction The weather is getting hotter and bushfire season is approaching. The animals have to stock up on food and prepare their bushfire survival plans. Every year, the animals appoint a bushfire warden. The bushfire warden has an important job to do, for he or she has to check on all the other animals and make sure that they have their bushfire survival plans in place. This year, it's Kenny…

Introduction You wake up feeling groggy. Your head hurts. "Blimey. What happened?" You run your fingers through your hair and feel a nasty bump on the back of your head. The last thing you remember was sweeping the floor in the pub before the early morning patrons started arriving. You look around. "What the hell am I doing in the broom closet?" Goal Your first goal is to find out what you're doin…

Introduction Deep in the Carpathian Mountains, the Romanian villagers tell tales of the strigoi. The strigoi are said to be troubled spirits that have risen from the grave. They are attributed with the abilities to transform into an animal, become invisible and to gain vitality from the blood of their victims. There have been recent reports of peasant children dying mysteriously in the local villa…

Introduction Every year, the king holds an extravagant ball where he invites all the local dignitaries and they lavish him with gifts. The king sells some of these gifts after the ball and uses the money to fund the ball the following year. More importantly, he also gifts some of the money to enterprising craftsmen, tradesmen and other small businesses to help them establish or improve their busin…

Introduction On 24 January 1848, James Marshall discovered gold at Sutter's Mill, Coloma. When news spread, thousands flocked to the area and the great Californian gold rush began. Mining camps popped up all over the place and some of these developed into townships. When the gold rush died down, some of these towns were abandoned just as quickly as they had appeared. You're a grizzled old prospect…

Introduction You were driving home from the Second National Conference on Acid Rain when you started getting tired. As it was late at night and you were in the middle of nowhere, you pulled over to the side of the road for a bit of shut-eye. When you wake up, you find that it's dark and dismal outside and raining heavily. You'd better get a move on and get the car under cover. Despite all the …

Introduction The stories about the Ark of the Covenant are well known, but its current location is a mystery. According to French author Louis Charpentier, the Ark was taken to the Chartres Cathedral by the Knights Templar, but no one outside the cathedral has ever seen it. There may be a good reason for this. You were raised in a small village about 100 km from Chartres Cathedral. According to lo…