Quick game for kids?

[SycoSurfer]

I am trying to run a game for 2 kids 7 & 9. I have introduced them both to a game separately. They both are the easiest class for kids: fighters. So the parents said they had the idea of making them brothers and playing some support classes: bard, cleric, etc... I plan on trying to run it this weekend. Since there will be 5 characters I thought of a one shot pathfinder society game or one of the smaller games. However I would like to have it kind of combat heavy since they both got semi-bored with the RP. I have to work all week so I won't have tons of time to adjust it, but I can just add monsters or HP etc to make it semi risky and fun for even the parents. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any tips!

[GM Arkwright]

We Be Goblins? It has quite a bit of combat and skill rolling and they might find rping a goblin fun.

[Mathius]

The only problem with that one is that half the fun is that is breaks conventions. You miss that if you do not know the conventions.

[Mathius]

Master of the fallen fortress is a full(short) adventure that is intended as a introduction to game and has a straight forward plot.

The introduction could be made even more old school by then it already is.

"You find yourself staring a the "Fallen Fortress". When the old coot at the tavern claimed that one of the ruins had been opened by the earthquake last week it seamed like he was crazy. The tower had been sealed for centuries, why would it be open now you though but his coin was good and he promised even more if you brought him and artifacts of historical significance. A day later you are here and turns out that he was right.

The ruined siege castle now being called the Fallen Fortress
rises out of the churned earth of the Cairnlands. No doors or
windows mar the otherwise smooth expanse of the tower’s
walls. The tower is quatrefoil in plan; its eastern wing has
largely collapsed, exposing the interior floors to the open
air. Only the topmost level seems whole, though its eastern
portion hangs precariously over the mountain of rubble left
by the collapse. At ground level, the rubble frames a gaping
hole in the side of the building that provides access to the
tower’s darkened interior."

[LazarX]

7 and 9? Are they both at the age where they are willing to sit down at a table for four hours or more?

Quite frankly at that age, I'd rather have them outside and being physical and saving this sort of activity for a rainy day.

With that in mind, I'd suggest Beginner Box.

[oldcatnhat]

My 12, & 13 year old boys are eating this up! mom RP's well, if I promise she wont permanently die ROFL so attached to a 15 min character bio

[Lincoln Hills]

"Arena Races." Map out a large hippodrome - the biggest you have space for. Stat up whatever odd beasts you think would make amusing (and hard-to-control) mounts. Come up with a random table of problems and obstacles to boost the enjoyment of the onlooking crowd (my tables had everything from "strapped-on helmets with no eyeholes" to "trenches of fire!" You can have players roll once or twice on the table before they begin, then announce the 'ground rules' for that round after consulting the tables.

Here are a couple recommended 'arena rules', some for fairness and some for fun:

One, you have to pass outside all the goalposts twice and then cross the finish line. (This becomes somewhat more challenging when 'Flail-swinging Rotating Goalposts' is rolled on the table.)

Two, you have to cross the finish line on a mount... not necessarily the one you started the race on.

Three, area-of-effect or multiple-target spells are illegal, but single-target ones are not.

Four, spells cannot be used to accelerate mounts or give them unusual movement powers (such as flight or walking on water).

You may want to add one or two rules, or more complications - I had rather aggressive and untrained war-birds as mounts, with a tendency to run off in random directions as soon as their riders were dismounted... and sometimes attack random targets. Since it allows a certain level of PVP, but you can include NPC racers at once, things get chaotic (but rarely boring.) Get used to anybody who's gone around twice running into a lot of ambushes from the people who've been lapped!