Epic 1: The Time Vortex Arc 🌙⏰

Big Green Toad stuck in the past - must solve moon challenges to return to the future

Epic Overview

Status: ✅ COMPLETE!
Started: November 17, 2025
Completed: December 15, 2025
Goal: Reunite Big Green Toad with Little Blue Truck ACHIEVED! 🐸🚚💙

The Problem: Toad discovered a time vortex and got trapped in pioneer village past. Little Blue Truck hasn't been invented yet! Must find a way to control the vortex and return to the future. SOLVED!

Resolution: Through exponential thinking (the doubling ladder), bias awareness, and perseverance, Big Green Toad made it back to the moon, took the rocket port home, and reunited with Little Blue Truck. The friendliest sound you ever heard.

Story Timeline

Part 1: The Deleted Town

[[stories-from-the-kingdom-2025-11-17]] - November 17, 2025

What Happened:

• Mrs. Grilled accidentally hit undo button
• Deleted the entire town!
• Quest to moon's undo button
• Math puzzle: 6 people grouped to create enough pressure
• Town restored

Learning: Coding concepts (undo/redo), grouping math

Characters: Mrs. Grilled, Red Twin, Blue Twin

Why It Matters: Established moon undo button as key magical system

---

Part 2: The Time Vortex Discovery

[[stories-from-the-kingdom-2025-11-18]] - November 18, 2025

What Happened:

• Mysterious big tree near automotive museum
• Fog/cold/dark transition
• Pioneer village becomes real
• Big Green Toad discovered in tree (100th floor penthouse!)
• He's been trapped "a few days" (time flows differently)
• Misses Little Blue Truck (no automobiles in past!)

Learning: Spatial-temporal reasoning, cause and effect

Characters: Big Green Toad, Little Blue Truck (waiting)

Cliffhanger: Tomorrow we figure out how to get back

---

Part 3: The Moon Challenges (Current)

[[moon-time-vortex-challenges]] - In Progress

What Happened:

• Ben figured out: Little Blue Truck hasn't been invented yet!
• Moon's undo button can control time vortex
• But it's now LOCKED (security after Mrs. Grilled's accident)
• Must complete 5 challenges to unlock

The Challenges:

For Ben:

• 🌕 Moon Phase Patterns - Arrange phases correctly
• 🌑 Crater Counting - Subitizing flash challenges

For Priscilla: 3. 📖 Moon Message Reading - Emoji story comprehension 4. ✏️ Stick Letter Decoder - Shape-based letters (from car activity!)

Together: 5. 🎯 Time Vortex Code - Combined challenge using all skills

Learning: Pattern recognition, subitizing, emoji reading, shape letters

Status: Activities being built tonight

---

Part 4: The Return (Pending)

Status: Tomorrow's story - based on challenge completion

Possible Endings:

Success Path:

• All challenges completed
• Time vortex code entered
• Toad returns to future
• Reunites with Little Blue Truck! 🐸🚚
• Celebration and closure

Extended Path:

• Vortex opens but reveals something unexpected
• New friend discovered
• New problem emerges
• Arc continues

Discovery Path:

• Moon reveals more secrets
• Undo button has additional powers
• Mythology expands
• New capabilities unlocked

---

Characters in This Epic

Primary

• [[big-green-toad]] - Protagonist, trapped in past
• [[little-blue-truck]] - Motivation, waiting in future

Supporting

• [[mrs-grilled]] - Catalyst (her accident led to moon security)
• [[red-twin]] - Helper in moon mission
• [[blue-twin]] - Helper in moon mission

---

Locations in This Epic

• [[automotive-museum-kingsville]] - Time vortex entry point (big tree)
• Pioneer Village - Where/when Toad is trapped
• The Moon - Undo button location, challenge arena
• [[old-house-forest]] - Referenced (Toad's original home)

---

Learning Activities

Built/Existing

• Pattern Finder (ben.fawcett.family) - Pattern matching
• Subitizing (existing app) - Quick counting

Being Built Tonight

• Moon Phase Patterns - Time reversal, sequences
• Crater Flash Counting - Grouped patterns, speed
• Emoji Story Reader - Picture comprehension (Priscilla)
• Stick Letter Builder - Shape-based letters (Priscilla)

Challenge Integration

• Each completed activity = one lock opens
• Story snippet unlocked with each success
• Final challenge = collaborative
• Success = narrative payoff (Toad returns!)

---

Magical Systems Introduced

Time Vortexes

• Triggered by approaching certain locations (big trees)
• Sensory markers: fog, cold, darkness
• Sound cues when transition completes
• Time flows differently inside
• Can be controlled with moon's undo button

Moon Undo Button

• Universal restore system
• Can undo deletions (town)
• Can control time vortexes
• Now has security locks (5 challenges)
• Requires understanding of patterns and time

The 100th Floor Phenomenon

• Toad's homes always on 100th floor
• Consistent across relocations
• Has intercom system
• Appears in new locations when needed

---

Themes

• Friendship: Toad missing Truck, motivation to return
• Problem-Solving: Multiple challenges to overcome
• Collaboration: Kids working together on final challenge
• Consequences: Mrs. Grilled's mistake led to security
• Learning Through Story: Activities advance narrative
• Time & Patterns: Understanding how things change and repeat

---

Success Metrics

Story Engagement:

• Kids understand stakes (Ben knows truck not invented)
• Emotional investment (want to help Toad get home)
• Anticipation for resolution

Learning:

• Ben completes pattern challenges
• Ben practices subitizing
• Priscilla reads emoji stories
• Priscilla decodes stick letters
• Both collaborate on final challenge

Technical:

• All activities built and working
• Story progression tracked
• Challenge unlocks implemented
• Mobile-friendly

---

Detective Case

Case ID: task-39a5e539-4edd-49a9-a1c2-89ab6368efae
Status: Active - building challenges tonight
Timeline: Conclude tomorrow based on completion

---

Navigation

• Up: [[epics]] - All story epics
• Main: [[the-magic-kingdom]] - Hub
• Related Stories:
• [[stories-from-the-kingdom-2025-11-17]] - The Deleted Town
• [[stories-from-the-kingdom-2025-11-18]] - The Time Vortex
• Challenges: [[moon-time-vortex-challenges]]
• Characters: [[big-green-toad]], [[little-blue-truck]], [[mrs-grilled]]

---

Made with ❤️ by Dad who weaves learning into adventure and turns screen time into story time 🌙✨

Slots

North

slots:
- epics

South

slots:
- context:
  - Linking new story to the Time Vortex Epic
  slug: stories-from-the-kingdom-2025-12-15

East

slots:
- big-green-toad
- little-blue-truck
- mrs-grilled
- red-twin
- blue-twin
- context:
  - Previous epic - Time Vortex complete, now Scattered Snowman
  slug: epic-scattered-snowman

West

slots: []