The Muppets At RECESS - This is Halloween, Halloween!

Aside from the fact that I have been exhausted lately, I am really not sure what is taking me so long to finish this recap. Worse yet, I can't seem to move on. That is, until the recap is finished I don't feel right...or motivated...or something...to write about anything else. And I have stuff to write about to be sure. Very strange. I am feeling a bit out of sorts with my self.

This is the final entry on the subject of my RECESS Muppet Show game and maybe any Muppet RPG stuff until the new Muppets film comes out on November 23rd. I still love, love, love the Muppets but I need to switch gears if only to clear my head and recharge for the next time I run it.

Thanks for hanging with me.

OK, so to sum things up...

Bunsen detonates the GhostBuster device he invented before it can run out of power (as the latter would release the ghosts). The resulting explosion messes the place up a bit, destroys most of the ghosts and transforms one of them (that last big one) into a fire-shrouded, flame ghost of doom! The fire ghost winds up torching a few things as he passes through floors and ceilings until he ends up in a 'Green Room' type area with Johnny Fiama, Sal Manilla and Sam the Eagle. Sal convinces the flaming spirit (through an incredibly well role played series of pun-laced compliments) that he should go into show biz. "You're hot kid! You've got fire. I can see you burning up the stage and screen!" Threat averted. Sal becomes the fire ghost's agent.
 before it can run out of power (as the latter would release the ghosts). The resulting explosion
Meanwhile, Jack Skellington has been walking around the castle watching all the performances, checking out the costumes and tagging along with Fozzie Bear. Unfamiliar with the concept of 'comedy', Jack is under the impression that Fozzie is hilarious. What he's seen inspires Jack's idea for the show's closing number. Jack tells his idea to Fozzie, who goes pale and trembles. Fozzie stammers out that the number has to be cleared with Kermit. Jack thinks that's a splendid notion and the two seek out Kermit right away.

As Count Von Count keeps the lead ghost busy with Go Fish!, Scooter, Rizzo, Pepe, Rowlf, Bobo the Bear and Big Mean Carl use the information from Uncle Deadly to find the secret item that will defeat the evil ghosts and drive them away for good. In a mock-'Indiana Jones' type sequence, the characters enter an ancient tomb deep below the castle, figure out which coffin is the right one (Rowlf's sense of smell assists), travel through the hidden passage inside/underneath the correct coffin and seize a mysterious black disk!

Jack and Fozzie find Kermit, tired and worn out from his ordeal, trying desperately to regain control of things. Jack tells Kermit his closing number idea but does so it a way that is far less scary then the way he described it to Fozzie (actually he was direct with Fozzie but is embellishing here and there and using flowery words that make it sound like absolutely grand then horrifically scary). Kermit agrees to it as Fozzie violently shakes his head no and tries to silently signal Kermit that it's a bad idea. Piggy rushes in and fawns over Kermit and tries to make sure he is alright after the possession. Jack says he absolutely needs Miss Piggy to star as his 'Queen' in the final act. Piggy does a 180, forgetting about Kermit and focusing on her starring role.

For the closing number, Jack sings and the Muppets re-enact the 'This is Halloween'/Pumpkin King song from A Nightmare Before Christmas. Jack has placed Piggy (dressed in a ragdoll meets 'Bride of Frankenstein' type get-up) in a coffin on stage that he somehow buried beneath the 'ground' (remember, the stage of a Muppet Show production is akin to the Holodeck). She is pounding and pounding but can't get out. As Jack sings, the evil ghosts actually start getting more powerful and creepy things start to happen. The vortex from earlier in the adventure (original stuffed up by the Swedish Chef) reappears and spews out the dough. The vortex continues to get bigger as the song continues. The lead ghost seems to suddenly be beating the Count at Go Fish!!!

It's at that point that Scooter and the gang (yes, I know how that sounds. We do elude to the Mystery Machine kids a few times during this part of the game), present a very terrified Kermit, Fozzie and the rest with the black disc they found. Kermit knows exactly what to do!

As Uncle Deadly prepares to join Jack on stage, Kermit intercepts him and convinces him to go along with, er, um, the surprise twist that will make this really knock'em dead in the audience. Those that aren't already I suppose. Deadly agrees.

The black disc turns out to be a vinyl record. Once started, it plays, 'Manna Manna'. Soon, Uncle Deadly is dramatically (over-dramatically actually) singing this song, causing Jack to stop his song and listen in utter fascination. So intrigued is he by this strange and wondrous music that he decides to join in. Before long the song drives off the evil ghosts (except the Flame Ghost who sings it too), shoves all of them through the vortex and slams the vortex shut behind them. The last to go in before it shuts is the ghost leader who draws out a shout asking if the Count has any Aces. "Go Fish!", says the Count just as the lead ghost is sucked into the vortex.

I have no idea why this was so hard for me to finish. October has very simply kicked my ass. Between running this at RECESS, New York Comic Con, some personal stuff and work I have been feeling really burnt out lately. I want to blog and game but time just hasn't been on my side.

I left out a lot of stuff and it pains my to do so since all the players were absolutely amazing. The performances by the players of Uncle Deadly, Johnny Fiama and Waldorf, Bunsen and Bobo the Bear, the Swedish Chef and Scooter, Miss Piggy, Pepe and Big Mean Carl and Sal, the Newsman and many others were just brilliant.

Thank you so much guys for making it such a success and thank you readers for putting up with me this month. I intend to run Sesame Street (finally!) at the next RECESS and will be blogging a lot more in November (especially about my new Skype game I hope).

Happy Halloween everybody!

AD
Baring Alien