Lost Words Hamlet

Words That Are Believed

Hamlet Game/Story Map in Process of being Edited for this solo adventure. Expected by 12/31/2023.

Violet McKeeny Age 8

Violet and Fergus want is to find her words, his childhood village, and their way home, wherever that may be. Violet loses her storytelling talent following the untimely death of her protective father. Wicked fairies steal her words. Violet’s mother, grandparents and her Uncle Fred North grieve with her over the death of her father. But they do not believe that fairies stole her words.

Violet can’t tell a story. Her eyes are swollen, her lips are dry and her heart beats so heavy her ears ring. She rarely speaks.

— Uncle Fred

Being Heard With My Words

Violet's Assignment by ROD w/Midjourney

Hook

Fergus O'Doulle Age 7

Fergus O'Doulle by ROD w/Midjourney

The friendship between 10-year-old Violet and her friend Fergus is strengthens as they learn what truly matters. Fergus shows his capability to find his own path drafting maps, while helping Violet reveal her ability to write stories after the heartbreak of losing her father. Pitfalls exist. They face a series of daunting trials - wobbly bridges, swirling dust storms, a foreboding forest, raging rivers, an inescapable island, and a horde of yellow flies led by a wicked Violet recognized.

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So Easy Mechanics and Outcome Suggestions

Lost Words Hamlet Basic Mechanics

Map includes Mechanics. The map is not yet Completed, but the plot can be used without it.

Example of Yes or No Roll w/one d6

Roll Dice d6 Yes or No	Results
1 - 3	NO - Not successful, Minus 1 point (harm)
4 - 6	YES - Successful, gain back the point for landing on the ornery fairy, and add 1 point to your rainy day fund.

Plot points/Scenes

10 Scene Plot Points

Violet and her family mourn the untimely death of her father.

Violet harbors doubts about her storytelling skills. Her words are taken by the fairies.

The barn is filled with horseflies, much to Uncle Fred's dismay.

Violet and her mother say goodbye to her grandparents. Violet gives in and agrees to make the journey.

Uncle Fred, her mother, her cat Socks and her horse, Lucy, start their journey to the farmer’s ’s market. They plan is to stay for a total of two weeks.
The wheel of the Vardo pulled by Lucy comes off. Lucy suffers an injury.
Uncle Fred faces a decision about how to care for Lucy. Under a bridge that's about to collapse, the family spends the night.
Uncle Fred decides not to put Lucy down. Instead, he leaves her with a veterinarian in the next village.

The caravan arrives in the O’Doulle’s Caravan Campground.
The campground is visited by Hamlet Village truancy officer Ms. Emerald Paige to be sure school-age children attend.
Violet follows her mother to the farmer’s Market.
Uncle Fred walks with Violet to school. Her teacher is Ms. Sapphire Page, who assigns a writing lesson.

At the noon recess, Violet and Fergus O'Doulle cross paths. She believes he desires to shame her.
Older boys mock Fergus because he doesn't read or write.
Fergus follows Violet and her Uncle Fred to the caravan campground, where he also resides.
Fergus shows her the children's campground park, Violet agrees to help him with his reading.

Fergus and Violet plan to visit the park at midnight when the moon is full.
Fergus and Violet open the Vardo wagon at midnight. Violet opens the cabinet drawer.
Violet's book of her father's handwritten stories is in the drawer, but the words are faded.
Violet tells Fergus about the fairies who stole her father’s words and her words, too. Fergus believes her story.

Violet and Fergus leave the Vardo with her father’s empty book, and the maps that Fergus drew, so they wouldn't get lost on the way to the back woods.
Violet and Fergus reach the park's point of no return. Fergus has ventured farther, so he has no maps for what's not been seen.
Player's choice to choose Character(s) or Setting(s) first. Roll d6.
Player's choice to cross the Threshold Bridge. Roll d6

Violet and Fergus reach a barn and lovely garden. Roll d6.
Yellow flies (fairies) descend on them in the bright sun. Ms. Paige II appears, tells them they will never be able to write their own story. She will defeat them.
Ms. Paige II curses them and swarms the deer flies to attack them. Roll d6.
Players make the decision about what terrifying location to visit: 1). Eerie Forest, 2). Raging River and Falls, 3). Deep Lake, 4). Spelunker Cave, and 5. Desert Island. Roll d6 for choice of 4 - 6 adventures.

Violet and Fergus land on a desert island. They can see a cottage in the distance.
Player chooses to fix their boat, build a hot-air balloon or swim (tools are available). Roll Dice.
Violet and Fergus reach the cottage, but they find the same swarm of deer flies.
Violet and Fergus decide to share the writing and the map making. They write a collaborative ending with a map that makes sense.

Violet and Fergus turn in their collaborative story to Ms. Paige I, who tells her sister Ms. Paig II to leave the school.
Ms. Page I asks Violet and Fergus to read their own adventure story aloud and display their maps. She proclaims them authors and cartographers.
Violet says goodbye to Fergus and the campground. Her mother and Uncle Fred surprises her with Lucy’s appearance.
Twenty years pass, Fergus and Violet teach their own children the value of reading and writing.

Lost Words Hamlet Cast

Hamlet Cast by ROD w/Midjourney

Themes

This a mystery story for children ages 8 - 12, and adults who like happy endings. It is also a solo adventure, a multi-player game and a learning story. A positive ending after surviving ordeals leads to accomplishment. Solving problems without self doubt.

Structure

Exposition

GM The family waits four months for Violet McKeeny to heal. She takes care of her horse, Lilac, and her cat Socks, but she doesn’t play with her friends. She rarely speaks. When Violet talks, she tells her mother, grandparents, and Uncle Fred the same story over and over. "The fairies stole my words." So her Mother and Uncle Fred take her to a doctor. The doctor tells them that Violet needs a few more weeks of time to climb up out of her sorrow.
A few more weeks come and go. Market Day, an annual event that Violet’s family attends, is coming up. Uncle Fred volunteers to drive the cart. Violet’s mother asks Violet to go with them. Violet does not want to go, but she doesn’t want to disappoint her grieving mother. She packs up her clothes, her cat, and brushes her horse. Uncle Fred agrees to let Lilac pull her own Vårdö cart. The cart is filled with her father’s handwritten stories.

There is no point in speaking out a story if it's not believed. Even a made up story needs to be heard. It's all about the words, and the fairy's stole my words. I've no way for me to weep.

— Violet McKeeny, 8 years old.

Wordsmith Legacy

These Believed Words by ROD w/Midjourney

Conflict

GM While Violet and her mother pack, Uncle Fred heads towards the barn. The place is teeming with flying insects. He admits Violet is right about the horses being bitten. Fairies aren’t involved. Yellow flies are a common sight during this season, but Uncle Fred North Fred is alarmed by their increasing numbers. Farm animals are getting bitten by big yellow flies. He evacuates the horses, reaches out to the veterinarian, and sprays. The flies persist in annoying the horses, even after two hours. While his family is away, the vet suggests finding new homes for the horses not used to pulling caravans. The veternarian requests Fred to listen carefully when Violet warns him about Lilac. She is especially worried that the McKeeny insect infestation will spread to nearby farms.
Upon reaching the front door, Fred notices Violet and her mother bidding a sorrowful farewell to her grandparents while swatting flies. It is a celebration like going to the farmer’s market usually was. In the past year, Violet’s mother crafts multiple charms and jewelry pieces, but her passion for art waned this year. With tears in her eyes, Violet’s grandmother volunteers to wrap her handcrafted jewelry and charms.
Finding the yellow fairy who instructed hundreds of deer flies to attack her horse is the sole battle Violet is concerned about. She is inwardly sure the fairies stole her words. Otherwise, her tale about them would be accepted by her family. Her father would never doubt her.

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Rising Action

GM One day into the journey, the vardo wagon pulled by Lucy loses it's wheel. The mishap causes harm to Lucy. Violet's Uncle Fred's thinks it best to relieve the pony's suffering. But after telling Violet about the options, he can't bring himself to putting the horse down. Violet just lost her father, so losing her beloved pet horse will only make matters worse. He decides to cart Lilac to the next village, where he boards the horse with a veternarian. The veternarain tells him he will set the pony's leg and wait for it to heal. Lilac may never be able to pull a wagon again, but she can get around.
When the family reaches the caravan campground, they meet with Ms. Emerald Ms. Paige II Two. She is not a pleasant woman. She tells the family that all village children attend school while their parent's are at the market selling their useless wares. The village does not appreciate loose children loitering around permanent shopowners' places of business. Her remarks do not set well with Violet or Uncle Fred, but he agrees to walk Violet to and from school every day. She won't be returning to the market.
During the day, Violet meets Fergus O'Doulle O’Doulle, who teases her about the odd way she acts and her clothing. Embarrassed, Violet eats alone during lunchtime. Her mother packs her bucket with delicious food, but this day she doesn’t taste any of it. She only eats to keep her stomach from making a humiliating grumbling noise. Following lunch, Ms. Sapphire Paige I passes out a writing assignment. The lesson Violet most fears.

Hamlet's 3 Room School

Hamlet School by ROD w/Midjourney

GM There isn’t a single word she can remember to say about what she will write. Despite knowing it is a lie, she assures her teacher that she will take her assignment home. She awaits Uncle Fred to pick her up and take her back to the caravan campground. She doesn’t realize Fergus is the owner’s son. Fergus follows Uncle Fred and Violet home. Violet is annoyed and wonders why Fergus follows them.

Paths to Story by ROD w/Midjourney

GM When Fergus approaches her, she is not surprised to learn he needs help with reading and writing. She tells him she reads fine, but her writing skills vanished. She lost them to the fairies, who stole them right in front of her. He makes a deal with her to show her the campground park he built at the edge of the lot in exchange for helping him with his reading. She agrees and looks forward to seeing the park under the full moon. That night they meet at the Vardo wagon. Fergus brings his maps with him, so he doesn’t get lost on the way to the park. He is proud of his drafts, but his teacher says he was is his time doodling. "Nothing will ever come of his doodling."

Words Vanished

Words Vanished by ROD w/Midjourney

Violet finds her father’s book in the cabinet, she notices the words he wrote are illegibly faded. Without hesitation, she takes the blank pages.

— Uncle Fred

Narrative Solo or Collaborative Write by Ruby O'Degee w/Midjourney

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This narrative introduction introduces solo or character players to opening scenes and potential read alouds. Multiple character players take the roles of author, writer, script writer, director, producer and stage manager to write Violet's scenario collaboratively. The group can decide to write any combination, all adventures together or in "meanwhile" groups.

Characters

Introduction

During The Character Choosing Phase, the writers spend time discussing how Non-Player Characters inform Player Characters. This is an opportune time to discuss talk about the in-context background, likes, dislikes and earn "free" answers/tips to off stage questions.

Characters by ROD w/Midjourney

Locations

Introduction

Players to choose their first adventure setting, so they can earn skills.

Location by ROD w/Midjourney

Threshold

Crossing Over

Thresholds are common in adventure scenarios. Sometimes there is a guardian at the gate. In this case the guardian is wearing a yellow fly disguise and she bites. The choice to play is not always easy. The bridge is often broken or an ornery monster will not budge. d6 Roll Optional Roll d6.

Threshold by ROD w/Midjourney

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Violet is nervous about proceeding. She is facing a blank page. Fergus confesses he made maps from the caravan circle road to the park only. After a discussion about whether to finish what they started. d6 Roll.
On one path they find friends first and later a miserable fairy, who warns them not to go further. The bridge is not safe. They have no idea about how to fix it. Violet thinks she recognized the fairy, but she can’t remember where. The only woman she met so far acted the same way and dressed in yellow. She was the truancy officer, Ms. Paige II.
Fergus chooses the setting after following a path that leads back to the path start. The only way forward is across a shaky bridge. After approaching it twice with no chance of crossing over the swaying boards, they find the dangerous boards are repaired. The experience they gain from learning about friends, foes and setting causes repairs to the bridge.

Location - Settings - Situations

Player characters (solo or multiplayer) decide what adventure will equip them with enough experience and/or imagination points to write and map a story. The script player characters decide to "write" can be their own. Or they can choose to use the following hints assistance. Elaborate at will. Add details. The only character sheet rule is that 4 experiences/adventures must be completed to reach the cottage and finish their assignment.

Climax

Caution: Player character agency is an important decision by players. Clues, Locations, Backgrounds and Actions are layered. Using differentiation is a tip process that is solo/player character/GM option.

— See Lost Words Hamlet Basic Mechanics for Tips Or Not

Hamlet Farm & Garden

Fred's Assistance

GM To their delight, they see the sun coming up. It is the weekend. No school, so they gleefully walk into a barnyard and flower garden. All of a sudden, a horde of insects fly into the garden. Only the deer flies bother them until the dreadful fairy bites Violet on the wrist. Within a few seconds, the flies bite Fergus, too. They chase Violet and Fergus into the woods. The cool shade confuses the flies, and they leave along with the flute playing yellow fairy. Fergus witnesses a swirling cloud approaching them in an otherwise clear sky. In just a few minutes, it reaches them and off they are flung into the forest.

Pastoral Escape by ROD w/Midjourney

Eerie Forest

Fred's Assistance

GM Landing on their bottoms wasn't a choice. The choice was sitting too long in the garden. The wind and the being blown away is an effect created by a cause. The good news is that Violet opened her father's book to find words that she wrote. She learned not to let a peaceful garden fool you into expecting you won't land in a scary woods.
While Fergus maps the flying experience, Violet notices how polite the ugly trees are. They wait in silence for Fergus to finish his map. Then the leaves fall like crumbs. As she walks over the leaves, more leaves fall. Fergus suggests they follow the leaves to another adventure. Violet writes on a page in the book, "A lesson learned today was unexpected." Jason draws a map of every turn they made. A drink of spring water refreshes them. They make a decision to leave the forest for now.

Eeerie Tree Provides a Path by ROD w/Midjourney

Deep Lake

Fred's Assistance

Deciding to row a boat across a lake was good decision. Violet and Fergus need to use their oars in a planned way. The lake is placid and clam, but waves begin to roll and a faraway storm sinks their boat.

Deep Lake by ROD w/Midjourney

Spelunker Cave

Fred's Assistance

GM The cave is dark and wet, but Fergus and Violet see only one monster and two skulls. They hide behind a large stone wall and throw pebbles against a wall. They wait for the monster to investigate the rock. Violet sneaks out of the cave first and Fergus follows her. Violet and Fergus trade tasks. She draws pathways and rivers into his map. He writes an entry into her book.

Spelunker Cave by ROD w/Midjourney

Raging River

Fred's Assistance

GM They are smart to wear the life jackets left in the boat. They hit a rock and roll the boat. But do not panic for more than a few seconds. Using their wits they balance themselves and wait out the boat to center itself. Violet doesn't to wait another minute to write out their experience in the book. She isn't only using magic, she is using the pen clipped to the binding. Fergus updates his map.

Raging River by ROD w/Midjourney

Desert Island

Fred's Assistance

GM The explorers slog or swim to a desert island shore in some vast sea that ebbs and flows depending on the time of day and the tide. There is nothing to eat or drink on the island. It is sand, but here are several ways to reach the cottage on the horizon.
They know how to use a boat. They patiently wait for rescue or the tide to come in, so that the island will connect to the land. They swim and dog paddle with empty coconuts tied to their wrists. Looking for a school of sharks is risky, but they need the excitement. Other ways to get to the cottage and a safe return to the cottage can be a hot-air balloon, a whale that offers them a ride, or a hanging bridge to dangle from. Once accomplished they will need to write and map their choices. With a big ending they are nearly through making their narrative lesson imaginatively believable.

Island Tides by ROD w/Midjourney

Falling Action

The cottage is where Fergus and Violet decide to finish their stories separately or together. Collaborative storytelling is difficult, but a story told with narrative direction is a satisfying method for ending a scenario. Whether they decide to write their lessons alone, share their best work or write the story and the map, they should be prepared, even when the angry Ms. Emerald Paige II arrives for the last time to dissuade them.

— Uncle Fred

GM Ms. Paige II does not dissuade them. The weather that brings the flies out ends when the tree leaves fall. If they waited Violet's fairy excuse would likely vanish, but she wouldn't have a story or a reason to speak. Either way Violet and Fergus are no longer annoyed by the flies. They met a larger goal. When Uncle Fred realizes they are committed to finish a task together, he escorts Lucy out of the cart he brought her home to Violet in. Violet is excited to see her pony again, limping a little, but just in time for Fergus to find her a basket of carrots.

Resolution

Two possible endings exist for the story, depending on the need for sentimentality. GM On Monday morning, both Violet and Fergus hand in their completed writing and map making assignment to Ms. Paige I. She informs both of them that there is no Ms. Paige II, or at least she is unaware of a sister.
Uncle Fred, Violet's mother, and Fergus's parents believe that Fergus and Violet were worried about getting punished for failing. They made her up.

A muse of a different sort. A disagreeable muse. A sad muse like me and you. In story the villian is a writer's friend. At least we know who to avoid or how to write her out. Yes, good idea and we did!

— Violet & Fergus

Or explained otherwise, the aspiring writer and cartographer misunderstood their teacher's strict demand to finish the assignment. Uncle Fred suspects they worked on their narrative together until daybreak. While they weren't yet the best writers, they both loved to read them.
GM Uncle Fred and Violet's mother sneak into the Vardo after Violet and Fergus go to bed. They see her husband's book filled with a story that replaced blank pages. Uncle Fred winks at the robin perched on the windowsill, the last of the season. She is on her way south along with the fairies.
In the final scene aspiration, Violet and Fergus are seen teaching their children to read and write in the cottage they discovered two decades later.