Thirty Buffy Episodes Based On Thirty Elvis #1s

THE CHALLENGE:

During his lifetime, Elvis recorded thirty songs which hit the number one position on the American pop charts. These are collected on the album "ELVIS 1" (RCA). To go some way to prove how easy it is to come up with adventure ideas for the Buffy RPG, I set myself a challenge: one episode for each hit, based purely on the title of the song. All in one day, too, with no time to think about it, and no pre-written material. Did I succeed? Yes. Did I create some great episodes? I'll leave that up to you to decide.

THE LIST:
Heartbreak Hotel
Don't Be Cruel
Hound Dog
Love Me Tender
Too Much
All Shook Up
Teddy Bear
Jailhouse Rock
Don't
Hard Headed Woman
One Night
A Fool Such As I
A Big Hunk O'Love
Stuck On You
It's Now Or Never
Are You Lonesome Tonight
Wooden Heart
Surrender
His Latest Flame
Can't Help Falling In Love
Good Luck Charm
She's Not You
Return to Sender
Devil in Disguise
Crying in the Chapel
In the Ghetto
Suspicious Minds
The Wonder of You
Burning Love
Way Down

THE FRAMEWORK:

Every episode has the following framework:

Hook: the problem, weird occurrence or opening situation which causes the Cast Members to get involved with events.
Problem: the full nature of what's going on - what caused the hook to happen, and what forces are alligned against the Cast.
Complications: Elements which are either part of the problem or external events which will make solving the problem not quite so straightforward as hitting the books and slaying the beast.
Sub-Plots: These are a few lines on the character drama that could be wrung out of the events described, so that each episode is more than just a monster hunt.
Resolution: How to solve the mystery, kill the beast and finish the story. Usually some options are included to suit your players or allow for their creativity.
Fun Stuff: This is just a list of some of the fun scenes or ideas the episode will let you play around with, to inspire your imagination.
Theme: Buffy is always full of metaphor. This last section contains ideas on how the plot could be used as a reflection or life lesson for the Cast Members involved.

Finally, note that for convenience and greatest applicability, every episode assumes a teenaged Slayer, a Watcher and some Scoobies. However, most of them are easy to convert to a variety of show concepts.

THE EPISODES:

Heartbreak Hotel

Hook: The Cast take a break from the Slaying and/or school and spend a holiday in a sea-side hotel, resting and enjoying each other's company.
Problem: The hotel is possessed by a spirit that causes couples to be unfaithful, become jealous and split up, and the Cast do just this.
Complications: Blame might initially fall on the grifters who try to seduce the Cast, but they're just petty thieves.
Sub-Plots: Relationship angst out the wazoo. Some couples may forgive when the spell is lifted, but some may be broken forever.
Resolution: The spirit - a maid whose heart was broken by her man - can be summoned and convinced that not all relationships are bad. Alternatively, she gains strength from the saltiness of the tears she causes - flooding the hotel basement with sea water will overdose her and dispel her.
Fun Stuff: Sudden changes of affection (ala Midsummer Night's Dream), haunted house clich?s, jokes about crappy sea-side motels, Psycho references.
Theme: You can't fix your problems just by changing environments.

Don't Be Cruel

Hook: The new extremely cute guy or girl asks out one of the scooby gang, then deliberately stands them up. Turns out, this person does this all the time, and soon has a host of admirers they deliberately keep on tenderhooks.
Problem: The cute girl/guy is actually a Siren - a nymph that feeds on emotion. She makes herself look like the most desirable example of her gender, then feeds off the desire she produces. The more expectation, the more power she gets.
Complications: English class is doing Taming of the Shrew, and the new girl gets the lead solely because of her looks.
Sub-Plots: A new hottie can put stress on any relationships in the show. Discussions of sexual politics might fuel some arguments.
Resolution: The nymph will be destroyed if she ever lets anyone kiss her. This could be a romantic moment if she finds herself falling for the scoobie, or a wacky chase as the whole gang try to grab her and force her to pucker up.
Fun Stuff: Rampant, uncontrolled horniness, dumping angst, rivalry bitchiness from whoever used to be queen of the hotties, witticisms on sexual politics and ideals of beauty.
Theme: Expectation is far more potent than the event - are the players dreading some occult happening, instead of just letting it happen when it happens?

Hound Dog

Hook: A strange dog turns up, barks to get the Cast's attention, then leads them to a nest of vampires - then vanishes.
Problem: The dog is the canine version of the Slayer. It can track vampires unfailingly, which is important as some local vamps have found a way to turn themselves invisible (using mirrors).
Complications: As the dog keeps leading them to vampires, the Cast may assume it is evil for a while. Secondly, its owners want it back.
Sub-Plots: Said doggie reminds an animal-loving Cast Member of the pooch they had when they were younger, and they may become over-protective of it.
Resolution: The gang buy the dog, kill the invisible vampires and the dog leaves to find others who need its help.
Fun Stuff: Endless Benji references, bitch puns, the wacky fun of Slayo the Slayer Dog.
Theme: Help (and strength) comes in unlikely forms.

Love Me Tender

Hook: While on patrol, the Slayer takes a simple punch that leaves her screaming in pain. Her face swells up like a balloon, and she can barely see. This is not good.
Problem: An evil alchemist has put a curse on everyone in town, making them hypersensitive to pain and injuries - a simple pinprick can cause the loss of a finger, and a kiss causes huge bruises. The Slayer has the most trouble with it as she takes the most blows.
Complications: A big or little bad is doing this to distract people from his real plan; alternatively a snake-oil salesman also happens to be in town, selling people his miracle cures for pain and bruising.
Sub-Plots: Young teenage lust + unable to touch each other = lots of frustration.
Resolution: They catch the alchemist just before he can poison the whole state's water supply. They kick his ass, and the spell wears off in a few days.
Fun Stuff: Everything hurts! Don't touch me! Quit it!
Theme: There are no miracle cures, or intimacy is often painful.

Too Much

Hook: The Slayer is going hard-core with her training lately, and has really packed on the muscle. She becomes so strong that she punches a vampires head clean off.
Problem: Reading the Watcher Chronicles reveals a syndrome where the Slayer becomes addicted to her own strength and speed and needs more and more of it, and begins to somehow draw on inner reserves to fuel this. While this seems like a great thing, the human body can only withstand so much strength and speed before it falls apart.
Complications: A heavy-hitter comes to town and thus it is actually quite useful for the Slayer to be able to throw a bus around.
Sub-Plots: Scoobies may fear the Slayer, and also find it difficult to tell her that throwing a bus around is not a good thing.
Resolution: The Slayer knocks a bad guy through a wall and almost kills her friends when the building collapses. The First Slayer tells her she can have all the power she wants, if she is prepared to make the sacrifice of her humanity. The Slayer decides the standard package is enough.
Fun Stuff: Super-Slayer. Throwing busses. Endless comic-book references.
Theme: Unlimited force is not the solution to everything.

All Shook Up

Hook: It's just another day until an earthquake tears up the entire town - an earthquake that, it is revealed, contradicts all known seismology.
Problem: Always with the lava men! Lava men are rising towards the surface, angry that recent mining processes (or burying of toxic waste) is polluting their home. And how do you fight a guy made of lava?
Complications: The earthquake is devastating. While some descend into the earth to fight the lava men, others may be battling to save loved ones from the rubble. And if the lava men aren't stopped, there will be another quake.
Sub-Plots: Collapsing buildings tend to trap people in tight spaces and make them think they're going to die. This is a great time to confess those dark secrets!
Resolution: It turns out that the lava men are quite nice, and if appeased about the mining thing, will leave the surface alone again. They may come back to attack or aid the Cast in later episodes.
Fun Stuff: Lava men. Duh.
Theme: Don't mess with Mother Nature, for she has lava men.

Teddy Bear

Hook: One minute, a Cast Member's dad buys an old bear-skin rug at a flea-market, the next, there's werewolf killings going on in town. Coincidence?
Problem: The skin is from a loup-garou: a shape-changer that needs to wear a skin to turn into its animal form. Anyone lying on the skin for more than an hour, at night, will turn into a gigantic grizzly bear - and one that is hungry, angry and confused. What's more, they'll be driven to do it again the next night.
Complications: Friendly werewolves will of course get the blame - but they'll be able to smell the were-bear, and that will freak out their wolfy senses: were-bears and were-wolves are ancient enemies.
Sub-Plots: Perhaps the new were-bear has anger issues to work out, and only after the transformation can he see the truly destructive nature of his rage. Or the wolf Cast Member might be overjoyed to have someone to talk to.
Resolution: The Cast figure out the rug is causing it, but it can't be burned. They go back to the flea market, where its owner gratefully takes it off their hands - it was never supposed to be for sale. Perhaps he'll be back...
Fun Stuff: Bears vs wolves, were-creature bonding, Cast Members getting to smash things up in bear form, jokes about Gentle Ben.
Theme: Anger is bad, mmm-kay? You have to forgive and move on.

Jailhouse Rock

Hook: What do you do when you local juvenile hall is plagued by a demon? Why, you send the Slayer in undercover, of course...
Problem: One vampire in a prison quickly becomes a whole gang of vampires in a prison. But you can't just dust registered inmates - and pointed sticks will be confiscated.
Complications: Someone the Slayer knows is inside too - if she tells her visitors, what if her mom finds out?
Sub-Plots: A few weeks away from friends and boyfriends could make the Slayer realise what really matters.
Resolution: A minor riot starts between the vampire gang and another gang; in the chaos the Slayer is able to kill the leaders before they turn the riot into an escape plan. The Watchers run clean-up, and the Slayer is released.
Fun Stuff: Women's prison jokes, plus plenty of references to dropping the soap.
Theme: Just because they're criminals, that don't make them bad people, mmm-kay?

Don't

Hook: Through a friend, relative or a desperate need for cash, one of the scoobies ends up babysitting a terrible two year old. Problem is, he seems to be come with his very own poltergeist.
Problem: Little Andy was one of a set of twins, but his brother died during birth. Unfortunately, Daniel's ghost accompanies Andy everywhere. And a two year old ghost who likes breaking things is a sure recipe for trouble.
Complications: Andy's very sappy parents let their boy get away with murder and will freak if the Cast do anything untoward to him (like scold him).
Sub-Plots: Looking after a baby plays havoc with the social life. It may also give couples a sudden sense of Happy Families which could be very scary.
Resolution: Daniel remains because his parents never let him go - only when his room is cleaned out, his bed sold and his toys given away can the mourning begin and the spirit depart.
Fun Stuff: Baby spew and nappy jokes are always good measure. Poltergeist and Exorcist references. The characters can't use any violence to solve the problem.
Theme: Sometimes you can cling too hard.

Hard Headed Woman

Hook: A pale princess from eastern Europe comes to school on an exchange. Used to getting her own way she orders a scooby male to date her. And at the same time, vampire deaths sky-rocket. Coincidence?
Problem: The princess is actually a decoy; she's been sent to America to distract her mistress' enemies while the real princess completes an ancient ritual. But as she's part of an ancient Slavian family of super-strong vampire hunters that the vampire clans would love to see wiped out, she's brought a lot of trouble with her.
Complications: The European vampires are a bit different - they can tunnel through the earth, popping up to swallow people under, then disappearing.
Sub-Plots: The decoy is still royalty (second cousin) and used to being doted on. Anyone she dates will not be allowed to also make time with a Slayer, or any other single females. Tension will result.
Resolution: In investigating, the Cast accidentally blow the decoys cover. They must work together to kill all the vampires before they can get word back home.
Fun Stuff: Wacky European vampires with cool accents, Madame Super-Bitch, love crossing the boundaries of class.
Theme: You can't always get what you want by ordering people about. Compromise is good, mmmkay?

One Night

Hook: The Scoobies get permission to have one night in the nearby big city, and decide to make the most of it by staying up till dawn. After twelve hours though, there's still no sign of the sun.
Problem: No sun means vampires can snack forever without worrying about getting a tan. Ethan Rayne or any other local trickster has paid back a favour by giving the local vamps a city of endless night. It's going to be like a theme park.
Complications: The gang are exhausted before the adventure even starts. What's more they're in a strange city and they can't call home without being complete wusses.
Sub-Plots: Bright lights, big city - free from their parental and social restraints, Cast Members may do things they might not normally do.
Resolution: An incan artefact can re-awaken the sun but the players have to go through countless increasingly more wacky adventures to procure it, including one of the male scoobies posing as a stripper, hijacking a taxi full of snakes, breaking into a museum and repairing a dinosaur.
Fun Stuff: Cut off from their usual methods, every little thing is instantly an adventure. Plus sleep deprivation is hilarious.
Theme: Change is good.

A Fool Such As I

Hook: When a humourless zeppo tries to impress someone with a joke and fails miserably, they decide that funny people have it the best. Add magic, and trouble brews.
Problem: The Cast Member in question uses a Tarot card spell to make themselves the Fool. From them on, everyone thinks they're hilarious, no matter what they do. But soon other people start embodying Tarot cards as well, and nobody wants to get to #12 (Death).
Complications: Only the zeppo knows about the Tarot card spell, and every time he tries to tell someone, they just laugh. What's worse is that when the Slayer is around the zeppo, she tends to fall over the zeppo's banana skins or get hit with the zeppo's custard pies. Sub-Plot: Nobody takes the zeppo seriously, and the zeppo is horrified at the constant stream of acerbic remarks she makes at her friends (possibly involving secrets she promised never to reveal). They learn that being funny isn't so much fun, and gain new respect for the class clown scooby.
Resolution: Somehow, the zeppo convinces the heroes that beating up Tarot cards is hilarious slapstick, and researching counterspells is a wacky running gag.
Fun Stuff: Knock knock. Who's there? Willow. Willow who? Willow you hurry up and fight these Tarot cards?
Theme: Being funny ain't all pratfalls and cream pies.

A Big Hunk O' Love

Hook: Someone a scooby is dating or approaching dating suddenly starts giving them a huge amount of gifts, including incredibly expensive ones. When asked how they obtained them, he is evasive, and it looks like he might be using magic.
Problem: Actually, our student isn't using magic at all - he's a professional cat burglar, trained by his father in this ancient profession. So technically this is outside the Slayer's purview - until our cat burglar steals a gem the big bad desperately wants.
Complications: The rich girl has something of hers taken, and suddenly cops are everywhere. The gang will need to protect their burglar from the cops so they can protect him from the demons.
Sub-Plots: The object of affection probably enjoys receiving such finery, and showing it off, particularly in front of the rich bitch, despite them being ill-gotten gains. Likewise, the gang might decide a cat burglar is a great resource - if they can tame his kleptomania.
Resolution: The cat burglar puts everything back... but steals something else important from the big bad while he's doing so (like files revealing his over-arching plan). He may also steal the scooby's heart.
Fun Stuff: Ripping off your favourite cat burglar film, decking out a scooby in diamonds and pearls.
Theme: Money can't buy me love.

Stuck On You

Hook: Two Cast Members who hate each other are called on stage by a lame hypnotist who has come to entertain the school. Only his hypnosis works all too well...
Problem: The two Cast Members are hypnotised to believe they can't let go of each other's hands. They're inseparable. Which puts a crimp on patrolling, not to mention going to the bathroom.
Complications: No doubt one or both of them has a big important life or school issue they're due to attend, and will have to find some way to justify or hide their new attachment.
Sub-Plots: A perfect opportunity for the two enemies to work out their issues - or their aggression. They might like each other by the end - or not.
Resolution: Shady hypnotist guy is traced, chased down and made to release them. He may have been paid off by the big bad, or he might be a recurring trouble-maker like Ethan Rayne.
Fun Stuff: You need two hands to do so many things...
Theme: Maybe we're not so different after all.

It's Now or Never

Hook: A dimensional rift opens in time and space and though it comes a pan-temporal being who bears a terrifying resemblance to Regis Philbin. And suddenly, there's two - no, three - versions of the Slayer in town.
Problem: The temporal being (who calls himself "Bridge") is there to offer the Slayer a one-time only, 24-hour deal. A chance to see herself five years in the past and five years in the future. And a chance to exchange information, thus allowing them to live the next five years with the benefit of hind-sight - and thus change their future.
Complications: The three Slayers initially don't get along, and the distraction makes it easy for the big bad to put his big plan into action.
Sub-Plots: What do you tell your past self? What do you ask your future self? And will taking the deal create a better world than the current one?
Resolution: The three Slayers team up to stop the big bad, and learn a little from each other. But after dropping some hints about the future, they decide to return and be themselves.
Fun Stuff: Oh my god I can't believe I wore that. Give my love to the princesses!
Theme: Seeing the future doesn't really help.

Are You Lonesome Tonight?

Hook: In a bad remake of the Omega Man, the Slayer wakes up in a world where everyone except her is dead. And hordes of vampires stalk this post-apocalyptic city.
Problem: A little bad discovered Bridge's time rift from the last episode, and jumped in. Going back five years, he had the Slayer put in an asylum before she met her Watcher, won millions on the lottery and then led the way to a new vampire order. Caught in the time-wash, the Slayer is the only person who can set time right again.
Complications: Everything is different, and none of the old techniques for solving mysteries are available. The Slayer will have to learn the history of this world to figure out how to set it right.
Sub-Plots: No doubt the Slayer has at times said she doesn't need her allies and friends to fight evil. Oh how wrong she was.
Resolution: When the Slayer figures out who went back in time and when, she can locate Bridge and go back to her five year past and stake him the moment he comes through. Remaking Back to the Future 2 would be a good way to make this a two-parter.
Fun Stuff: Learning five years of new history - the first vampire president, when your school burned down, what year McDonalds first started serving blood shakes. Plus, of course, Back to the Future and Omega Man references.
Theme: Being alone is the suck.

Wooden Heart

Hook: An ancient tree near the school is going to be cut down to make way for a new road project. Around the same time, a scooby suddenly becomes an eco-terrorist.
Problem: Dryad trouble. The tree embraced the scooby, and the dryad came out and took their form. Now the real scooby is stuck inside a tree and the fake scooby will do anything it can to stop the bulldozers - including murder.
Complications: Greenies and school protesters will get in the way, and fighting the red tape of city hall will be all sorts of torture.
Sub-Plots: No doubt some of the scoobies played in the tree as kids (especially the one who was embraced). Regardless, some of them might be strongly pro-tree, while others will not see the big deal.
Resolution: They discover the switcheroo. The Slayer fights the super-strong, super-tough wooden dryad, and the scoobies arrive just in time to stop the bulldozers killing the real scooby. Whether the tree stays on afterwards is up to them.
Fun Stuff: Ten tell-tale signs that your friend is actually a tree. Environmental arguments. Making fun of hippies. And afterwards, the trapped scooby gets tree-fear.
Theme: Progress or conservation?

Surrender

Hook: A group of local vampires raise the white flag and ask for amnesty and protection. That's not something covered in the Slayer Handbook.
Problem: These guys are for real - they've decided it's better to be the Slayer's bitch than to be dusted. They want a guarantee of safety, and a regular supply of animal blood, and in exchange, they won't kill anyone. Promise. Cross my heart and hope to be staked.
Complications: Once word gets out, these vamps are labelled as traitors, and every other vampire around will do everything they can to wipe out their cowardly brethren. Killing vampires is much easier than guarding a dozen of them all day and night.
Sub-Plots: Does a hero offer amnesty to a sworn enemy? How far do you go to protect a monster from another monster? Wouldn't it just be easier to let them die? Bleeding-heart doves will have to fight the pragmatic hawks.
Resolution: Some vampires change their mind and go back to their old ways. Some are true to their promise. There's a massive fight, then the rest leave town to go into hiding. They promise to stay clean, and the Slayer promises to help them if they need it.
Fun Stuff: Old hatreds die hard. Scoobies can taunt and hurt these vampires without (much) fear of reprisal. Vampires fighting vampires will amuse the scoobies too.
Theme: Being noble sucks, but it's required to be a hero.

His Latest Flame

Hook: Several girls have been found with severe burns on their flesh and skin. They describe their attacker as being like a living flame. But they also say he seemed to be "rather sweet".
Problem: More lava men! The Prince of the Lava Men has a thing for mortal girls and has come to earth to seek a bride. Problem is, he doesn't really understand human courtship rules, let alone the fact that he sets people on fire.
Complications: Xenophobic agents of the Lava God-King disapprove of this disgusting action, and have come here to bring the Prince home in chains, and burn any mortals who might have the temerity to return his affections.
Sub-Plots: Watching love bloom across class barriers might engender other love affairs. And maybe a scooby falls for the Prince's charms?
Resolution: The Slayer and the Prince fight off the bad lava men and the Prince apologises for the injuries. Then he tells them of a very special girl who works for the fire brigade. The gang may even end up playing Cyrano to the love-struck Prince!
Fun Stuff: Lava men in love! Love that crosses all boundaries of class, species and elemental composition!
Theme: Amor vincit omnia.

Can't Help Falling In Love

Hook: Spring is here! Love is in the air! And we mean literally. Everyone in the scooby gang - and the whole school - seem to be screwing like rabbits. And speaking of rabbits, is that a giant one over there?
Problem: A local farmer down on his luck has summoned the Easter Bunny - a giant-bunny-shaped earth-spirit that inspires plants and animals to do what comes naturally in spring - copulate and breed. Anyone in the presence of the bunny is hit with an uncontrollable desire to get it on with an appropriate partner.
Complications: It's impossible to stop the bunny when every time you get close to it, you want to make out with your fellow scoobies.
Sub-Plots: It works on any pair who have the slightest affection for each other - so there will be a lot of explaining to do!
Resolution: After identifying the beast, it's pretty easy to find a farmer whose marrows are huge and who has had quadruple the livestock yield of anyone else. If they can tear him off his wife, he can reverse the spell.
Fun Stuff: Giant bunnies are wacky fun. Rabbit season/Duck season jokes. And lots of thumping hormones.
Theme: Don't confuse lust with love!

Good Luck Charm

Hook: With a scary exam, performance or fight coming up, a Scooby makes a personalised lucky charm for herself or a friend. The problem is that it works too well.
Problem: The Cast Member wearing the charm is on a roll - anything that involves chance produces the best possible result. However, the charms sucks luck of every other human around, and the rest of the gang have the worst luck imaginable. If this includes the Slayer, things are very bad. (Note: You can simulate the charm by having the player who made it roll three dice and take the highest on every test, and anyone within 100 yards roll three dice and take the lowest.)
Complications: Vampires, demons or the big bad are up to something that requires everyone to help out, so the unlucky scoobies are a big problem. No taking the charm off either - they have to find a way to un-magic it. Or, if it is removable, big bads will be keen to steal it.
Sub-Plots: The scooby with the good luck might think things are finally going their way, and it is because her friends are jealous that they want to remove the spell.
Resolution: The gang need a million to one chance to stop the bad guys or cancel the spell, but that can be provided. Spell lifted, the Slayer fights normally, and all is well.
Fun Stuff: Hitting the casinos. Incredibly lucky and unlucky coincidences. Hugely contrived plans that nevertheless work perfectly.
Theme: Luck is a funny thing. But you just have to roll the dice and see what happens.

She's Not You

Hook: A girl turns up claiming to be The Slayer. Her Watcher presents clear evidence that this is so. Deeming her predecessor unsatisfactory, she takes over all her duties.
Problem: The Watcher's Council discover a line of Lost Slayers - a Slayer in the eighties also flat-lined and started a new line in the jungles of Belize. The current one in that line is everything our hero is not, and has been sent in to replace her and deal with the big bad. Thing is, she really is exceptionally good at her job, a much better Slayer all round. She's also prettier and funnier.
Complications: Free from responsibility, the Slayer can finally do all the things she previously couldn't - stay up late, drink heavily, date anything in trousers and countless other extra-curricular activities, all of which may cause their own problems.
Sub-Plots: How does the Slayer feel about being reduced to being a Scoobie? Does she gain new empathy for her friends? And is her desire to get her job back petty jealousy that could risk the safety of the world?
Resolution: Turns out that the Slayer is dallying romantically with her Watcher, one of the greatest taboos in the Council. In return for not ratting them out, the new girl will declare the old Slayer satisfactory again and bugger off back to Belize. The big bad might help with this, preferring the devil he knows.
Fun Stuff: The new Slayer brings her own Watcher and scoobies, allowing everyone in the gang to be upstaged by their replacement. They discuss fine art and politics instead of pop culture, they help out with local charities, they dress well, they never make mistakes... .the Cast Members should LOATHE them.
Theme: Being yourself is more important than being perfect.

Return To Sender

Hook: One of the Scoobies gets a letter from an old friend. It contains another letter that he said he was instructed to keep for five years, and then return it to the sender. In other words, the Scooby has gotten a letter from themselves. And all it says is that in two days time, a horrible tragedy will occur, and they're going to die.
Problem: During the time rift, the future Slayer gave the letter to the past Slayer to mail. She didn't want to change her past too much, nor reveal things before they got close to the event, but she had to give them some warning. But how do they act with so little information?
Complications: Meanwhile, an ancient demon is rising again. He was trapped in time by Christian monks, but swore he would return to rule the world. And the only way to stop him is for someone to give up their life.
Sub-Plots: How does the scooby feel about being marked for death? About the Slayer from the future not telling her sooner? Do they go down swinging, come what may, or do they hide under the bed with a baseball bat?
Resolution: Whatever the Cast Member in question chooses to do turns about to be exactly the right thing to do. Nobody dies, and the demon is banished again. A few days later, a second letter arrives which simply reminds the Slayer to make sure she sends these two letters in five years time. The time loop is complete.
Fun Stuff: Cryptic warnings from the past. Death fear. In the face of certain death, heroism tends to skyrocket.
Theme: Maybe death isn't that scary, after all. Your time comes when it comes.

Devil in Disguise

Hook: The gang meet Lucifer, Satan, the devil himself. But he's incognito, and he figured that the one place none of his demon fans would find him is with the Slayer.
Problem: Lucifer is your classic cult of celebrity victim. Yes, he kind of told The Powers That Be where to stick it, but the story got all blown out of proportion, and now, every demon thinks he's the coolest guy on Earth and wants his autograph. And he just wants to get away from it all, so he's come to the Slayer with a request - he wants her to help him fake his death.
Complications: Word leaks out about Lucifer (word always leaks out) and every demon in the area flocks in to town to try and find their hero. The Cast Members end up being the Lightbringer's security team, protecting him from his own fans.
Sub-Plots: No doubt a scooby has some love for her own favourite celebrity who is coming to town (she may even be trying to co-ordinate Lucifer-watching with stalking her hero), and may learn that, in both cases, celebrities rarely live up to their legend.
Resolution: The gang find a way to fake Lucifer's death in front of all his fans AND not get lynched for it. Lucifer changes his name to Neville and joins the road crew of the other celebrity.
Fun Stuff: Lucifer as a unwilling celebrity, staying in the same hotel as some Robbie-Williams analogue. Perhaps the two of them end up sharing their experiences about crazed fans who don't see the real person behind the image.
Theme: Love the art, not the artist.

Crying in the Chapel

Hook: A statue of an angel in the local chapel starts weeping real tears. The gang suspect occult influences, while everyone else is praising the miracle.
Problem: The angel is actually a manifestation of the archangel Michael, and he's crying because Lucifer is dead. Michael is full of remorse for chucking Lucifer out of heaven, and never got to apologise. The gang need to find a way to manifest the angel and give him Neville's mobile number.
Complications: Everyone from the Pope down will be interested in the crying angel. Manoeuvring through that the crowds of faithful and trying to cast a spell on the holy relic will be a fun little exercise, to put it mildly.
Sub-Plots: Any faithful or religious types in the gang will be profoundly affected by these events, and that will have a lot of effect on how they think they should approach the "mystery". Other Cast Members may have guilt issues they need resolving also.
Resolution: Michael gets the message and leaves, but the faithful remain, worshipping their relic. How will this effect the town? What should the Cast Members do about it?
Fun Stuff: Scary Vatican secret police. Meeting the pope (it's not a good campaign until the PCs meet the pope is my philosophy). Shroud of Turin jokes.
Theme: The Christian faith can be as scary - and hollow - as fandom, but also beautiful and powerful, particularly in its teachings about forgiveness.

In the Ghetto

Hook: Travelling to the big city again, the gang get lost on the wrong side of town. Next thing they know, a snake-scaled demon runs up to them, pushes a love letter in their hands and begs them to get it to his sweetheart.
Problem: The Cast Members have wandered onto the set of a bad remake of West Side Story. Young Ptomakhamum (Ptomy for short) the half-breed Setite demon is in love with Myriad, a member of a fanatical demon purity gang called The Darkness (a more street-level splinter group of The Scourge). Naturally, the love will be prevented by parents and friends on both sides, should it become public knowledge. Currently, Myriad believes Ptomy has died in a rumble between the Sets and the Darks, and he fears she make take her own life.
Complications: Neither the Sets nor the Darks like humans and they hate Slayers. It's going to take fantastic diplomacy to pull this off. Also, Myriad's ex-lover Belial is stalking Ptomy, intent on revenge for the death of Myriad's cousin.
Sub-Plots: Frustrated love should inspire some sympathy from any scooby who knows what it is to be unrequited or dumped. Meanwhile, helping demons will run against the grain for a Slayer.
Resolution: Myriad gets her message. She and Ptomy meet secretly. The Slayer puts the fear of God in Belial so he backs off. The gang violence subsides, and maybe one day, the two will get along. This may or may not be a good thing.
Fun Stuff: When you're a Set, you're a Set all the way, from your first drink of blood to your last dying day.
Theme: If a Set and a Dark can fall in love, maybe other scoobies can get past their prejudice or anger.

Suspicious Minds

Hook: The Council is still not happy with how the Slayer is handling the Big Bad situation, nor are they happy with civilians knowing her identity. Cue a Watcher audit... accompanied by a mind reader, to make sure no scoobies are a security risk.
Problem: First, there's the scariness of the mind probes. Then one of the probes goes wrong and one of the Cast Members wakes up out of his mind. In fact, he's got the telepath's mind, and the telepath has his.
Complications: The telepath's body is already on a flight back to England. Both the gang and the telepath would prefer to switch back without the council knowing what's going on. Which means some excellent acting is going to be required. Sub-Plot: Can the Slayer really trust her Watcher when this is what the Council resorts too? And will the probes reveal things which friends have kept hidden, like secret infatuations?
Resolution: The gang track down the flight in New York and the minds switch back. During it all, the Slayer saves the telepath-in-scooby from vampires, so he comes away with a lasting respect for how well she does her job. Meanwhile the scooby-in-telepath discovers the reason why the Council are so nervous - they think there's a traitor in their own ranks!
Fun Stuff: An English stuffed-shirt pretending to be an American teenager, and vice versa. Mind-melding jokes.
Theme: Seeing the world from someone else's point of view is always useful.

The Wonder of You

Hook: The big bad starts his plan to bring about the apocalypse, in a terribly biblical fashion. Michael (now called Adrian) and Neville turn up and decide to help out without blowing their covers - by turning the Slayer into a minor God.
Problem: On the one hand, the Slayer can take command of the Vatican forces and deliver an almighty smackdown on the seven-headed beast. But meanwhile, no human can gaze upon the Slayer without being struck down with awe. Churches are being built to her name. Some faithful deny her, and the seeds of holy war are laid. It isn't so much the fight that is hard this time, but dealing with the consequences.
Complications: The Pope would really like to talk to any and all newly manifested Gods in this realm, ideally before they fight the seven-headed beast.
Sub-Plots: How do the scoobies be friends with a god? How do you go to the mall when you're surrounded by a fifty-foot white light?
Resolution: The Cast Members find a way to stop religious Armageddon without creating yet another splinter group of Judaism. Meanwhile, the programmers at Fox have heart-attacks, and Pat Robertson explodes.
Fun Stuff: Return of the Vatican secret police, and the Pope. Adrian and Neville as the ultimate mismatched gay couple.
Theme: Being a God is a heavy responsibility, and best left to the professionals.

Burning Love

Hook: Well, all the loose ends are tied up. So why are there lava men everywhere again? And why is the world shaking?
Problem: Prince Magma is back on the surface, searching for his bride, who vanished on the eve of their wedding. His advisors believe she has run away and rejected her life, and frankly, would prefer the Prince to forget the whole thing. Meanwhile, more shadowy agents hunt the girl - including the sinister and deadly Diamond Men.
Complications: The Prince is insane with grief and out of control, and may burn down a lot of stuff to find his bride. He may even hurt people he feels are trying to stop him. The Cast Members need to calm him down before they can help him.
Sub-Plots: If any Cast Members are getting married too, this is the time to do it.
Resolution: The girl is hiding out in an ice rink (naturally) but is not afraid of marriage at all - she fled for her life after an assassin almost killed her. It seems someone is going a long way to prevent this marriage...
Fun Stuff: Lava men! LAVA MEN!!!
Theme: As Prince Magma's trust in his wife proves correct, we learn that real power of true love.

Way Down

Hook: Determined to uncover all the conspiracies, Prince Magma brings the Cast Members down to his empire at the centre of the earth. But it is soon revealed that the enemies of the princess are not of this world, but of the surface...
Problem: The Big Bad of the whole series (possibly a rogue Watcher or group thereof, or splinter Vatican types) has been trying to bring about religious Armageddon due to his/their twisted religious fervour. One plan involved the seven-headed beast, another the rise of Lucifer, and still another involved drowning the world in a lake of fire. And what better way then to convince Prince Magma that humans were responsible for killing his bride?
Complications: The bad was of course helped by duped lava men agents who don't want their Prince marrying a human, and have nothing to lose in destroying the surface world. Unravelling their actions to find the real culprit will be tricky.
Sub-Plots: It's the end of the world - go crazy. Everything happens.
Resolution: The human culprits revealed by the scoobies, Prince Magma almost declares war anyway. But his fianc? calms him down and he instead sends his best men with the Cast Members to acquire justice. Since the lava men lack subtlety, it'll be up to the Cast to move surreptitiously through the upper echelons of the Council or the Vatican and chase out the traitor. Who, appropriately enough, spends the rest of his life in hell - or at least, the fiery city of the lava men. And the Cast return as heroes, and sit at the head table at the great wedding feast. Huzzah!
Fun Stuff: Palace espionage at the centre of the world. Smacking around high-ranking Watchers/Cardinals in the corridors of power. And, of course, LAVA MEN!
Theme: Those who want to bring about religious judgement on their fellows are building a hell on earth with their actions - literally in this case, figuratively in the real world. Damn, that's deep. Pass the tacos. Roll the credits.


Grr! ARG!