The Horror
Fourth of July is a group holiday. Unlike say, Christmas or Easter, which is often celebrated with family, it's not uncommon for large groups of Americans to gather together in public places on the Fourth. This creates tension between politicians and monster hunters. Nobody wants to start a panic and call of a major holiday event that can bring in serious income to local merchants. Given that Fourth of July celebrations usually involve alcohol, any monster cruising a hunting ground may find easy (if somewhat intoxicated) prey.
The other staple of Fourth of July, fireworks, are a boon and a bane to action heroes trying to put down the monster. On the one hand, explosions can conceal a monster's attacks so that screams are lost in the cacophony. It's the one time of the year where monster hunters might be able to use firearms – or if they're really desperate, fireworks – and not immediately attract the attention of the authorities.
We've already discussed the standard "killer monster" movie tropes in this column, so instead we'll take a look at sharks as antagonists. There are all kinds of sharks besides the Great White, and there's plenty of reasons to be afraid of them. You can create your own monster shark by combining any of the below characteristics.
Shark senses are optimized to detect certain prey, depending on the shark. Their ability to smell blood is legendary – the Great White can smell blood over a half-mile away. The hammerhead, which preys on stingrays, can detect electrical impulses. Imagine a giant shark attacking a power line because it can detect the charge running through it!
The shark's aggressive reputation stems from tiger sharks, which are prone to eating anything, and grey reef sharks, who hunt in packs. Everything from tin cans and license plates to lumps of coal and crocodile heads have been found in tiger sharks. The grey reef sharks are aggressive enough that the flash from a camera cause one to attack.
Sharks aren't confined to seawater. Bull sharks have been spotted up to 3,000 miles up the Amazon River and 1,7000 up the Mississippi, which places them in Illinois. Forget Long Island, the bull shark might be visiting Anytown, USA this Fourth of July! Your Turn: How have you used killer sharks in your game?
Looking for more gaming inspiration? Buy Mike's book about The Evolution of Fantasy Role-Playing Games, read his fantasy novel inspired by his role-playing campaign, or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
