How about MobyTrek: In this World ?

[Calcoran]

All right, I have to admit it, I just love the video which goes with Moby's "In this World" song (if you don't know the video, try to find it on p2p, it's really worth watching). So ... it was late at night, just when the happy neurones go wandering and you sometimes get flashes of inspiration. I was idly watching TV, and suddenly stumbled upon said video. And then I though: "Damn, wouldn't it be great if I could get my PCs in that situation!".

Why Trek? Well, the video's story is all about first contact, isn't it? It may be a failed first contact, but one in the "there's still hope" kind of way. Very Trekish.
The thing is: it shouldn't be too obvious. If the PCs are humans, they will probably be oblivious to the whole story, and if they don't they'll immediately realize what's wrong and they'll easily find a way to see the little peoples (as in "one little ship")... And if they are little humans trying to contact big aliens, well this just doesn't seem to fit. This had me hinking for a while, until I recalled a novel by Isaac Asimov about a nice first contact story ... WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD !!! ... let's say it has to do with aliens with coloured tentacles, if this doesn't ring a bell, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! and you need to read some more Asimov, and if it does, well, that may be the exact solution to the problem. For once, the PCs will be the aliens initiating first contact, and their usual characters will be the big aliens they're trying to establish first contact with. I'll let them try and try and wonder how stupid these big dumb aliens are. Only to realize at the end that the big dumb aliens <I>are</I> the humans, and that they are just some strange tiny aliens lost in a Big Ship Full of Dangerous Things for Small Aliens (maybe? ... I don't know, the first time I saw the "In this World" video, I kept cringing from fear the little guys would get walked on by humans, swallowed by dogs, flattened on the road like your everyday armadillo, and so on).

So ... what do you think? It seems there's a lot to do with this idea, and I can't decide where it should lead ... how should it end? What should be the focus? Depending on the way you see it, this can be a very funny episode, but there is a rather poetic feeling to it too ... Oh well, I don't know, maybe it's just my brain overheating as usual .

[Trinity Zeldis]

Um.... If I may....

I haven't seen the video, but by your references, I would also recommend a book called Gulliver's Travels. Especially the chapters on the Liliputians. Of course, the Houhynyhmnhym (sp?) are also interesting.

Edit: Also check out the old TV series, Land of the Giants.

[Yuber Okami]

And don't forget the Yahoo's island in the Gulliver's book xD. Maybe you could use that idea too!

[Robbert Raets]

I like this idea, Mr. Coran! And I think you could fit something like this into any campaign or setting;

- the Robotic Alien Cockroaches from the X-Files;
- the Nac Mac Feegle from Discworld;
- Smurfs ( );
- Faeries;
- Honey, I shrunk the Kids

?