I like Role Playing Games (RPGs). Dungeons and Dragons. GURPS. Space Adventures, Zombie Attacks, Historical Fiction or what have you. I've loved the idea ever since the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles RPG I played when I was twelve and I still cordon off one evening a week for "Game Night." My daughter makes wax dragons and other minis for me to take with me and has always been intrigued by the idea that I go out once a week to what is basically a live storytelling session.
So when I was recently introduced to a really swell role playing system designed for kids -well, it didn't take much to sell me. The game book is called Faery's Tale, and in addition to being very nicely illustrated by Patricia Ann Lewis Macdougall, it is a great, simple first RPG. Players choose from four basic faery types, pixie, brownie, sprite or pookah. Each type has two special gifts, a concrete gift (such as flight or invisibility) and a more broad gift ("household magic" or "pixie dust"). The stats are simply Mind Body and Spirit and you can make battle (or "challenges" if battle is too stressful) as simple as you want based on the age of the players. Pretty simple for us.
And of course, kids are naturally exciting role players. Why just tonight Mousy Longtail, the Pixie Dewdrop and Ember the Brownie saved a young sprite from the clutches of the Rat King and his filthy minions.
Aaaaannnnnnd here's St. Christopher all gussied up with color:
