A Meal for Crows (Inactive)

Game Master BastianQuinn

Before a small crowd of would-be Tenderpaws, Orator Kent coaxes a large beetle into the center of Lockhaven's archive, carrying a book too large for any mouse. When the beetle has moved to the center of the room, Kent scampers up and over the back, grabbing a long ribbon, and pulling the book upright. The pages open in a flutter of color, and Kent fumbles for a moment with a series of ribbons and stones until he has the great tome open to a pleasant illustration of Lockhaven. Taking a moment to smooth his fur, Kent begins his story...

Here, we will continue character creation...

Both of you: Pick one natural talent from the list below. How did you find out you were talented?

Not sure which skill this is, probably scout or pathfinder.

Finn has always had a natural affinity for sneaking up, hiding, and noticing the minute details of his surroundings. Frankly he didn't think it was anything special until his mentor pointed it out to him.

The flaxen haired mouse still smiles when remembers the praise Tuck heaped upon him. It was right after Finn managed to sneak into the bandits camp unnoticed and retrieve the stolen mail without raising the alarm. Even more rewarding to Finn was that soon after this incident Tuck awarded him his burnt orange cloak.

Sorry, GM. Lemme get on that. Niall would probably be scarred from the things he saw and did at Ferndale, and he's almost certainly a militarist rather than a laborer, just because it's what he'd know. Probably blackish-grey fur, but is there anywhere where they discuss the significance of the cloak colors? I'd like to know a little more about that before making a decision. As for my pick-a-skill that's not related to the others, I'd go with survivalist, because his situation after Ferndale left him isolated away from his patrol and what was left of the town and he had to make it on his own. Ever since, he's been trying to get better at that.

1. Niall used to spend as he got, but he's turned into an obsessive saver. He often goes with less food than he should just so he's sure to have some tomorrow.

2. Niall fights. The mice who didn't died just as well as those who did.

3. Niall fears weasels and wolves. He claims to be a lot more fatalistic about owls, but in truth, he's just never seen one.

“The war was terrible." A young mouse in the front of the audience gasps with anticipation. She twists around on her belly and gives Kent her full attention. "Everyone knows this, but very few of us know the truth of it. This is a tale of two mice, drawn together from disparate backgrounds. One of those mice is Niall of Ferndale, found outside Barkstone. Ferndale was never meant to be on the front lines, but outposts fall, and lines move. Before the fall of Ferndale, Niall hadn’t had a use for Survivalist training, but he did have a talent for it. When the Guard found him...”

When the situation is dire, a Mouse can use Persona (earned from completing Goals) to Tap their Nature. Starting with the Survivalist skill, at its lowest level of 2, and adding Niall’s Nature of 4, Niall temporarily had 6 dice to tackle the task of building a fire in the cold, damp winter, a task with an Obstacle of 3.

Niall, describe how you survived the end of winter after your home fell, and roll 6d6, 7d6 if you chose stopping for gear over saving one of your parents. If you beat the obstacle without gear by 2 or more, your parent survives with you. Name them, and choose their trade skill from the list below.

I see both of Finn's parents being bakers. (I know boring).

6d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 3, 1, 4, 1) = 16 Hope I'm doing this right.

Niall shivered as he pushed his way through another pile of snow. There had to be some dry grass, or a leaf, under one of them, and if he could find one, maybe he could get a fire going. That had been easy back in Ferndale, but in the little cave his mother and he had scratched out of dry creekbank, it wasn't. None of the twigs were dry enough, and there wasn't enough tinder to go around.

Not that their hole in the creekbank was their first stop after Ferndale. When the fighting went sourest, Niall left his place and went to his mother's house. He'd bundled the old mouse in whatever they could and set off into the woods. Their first hiding place was a hollow below a tree, which turned out to be a dozen other families' first place as well. Food ran low, and Niall and Becca left. Then there'd been a series of lean-to camps. They'd followed other refugees, staying where they'd stayed a night or two before.

But back to the task at hand. He pulled on a tuft of grass that was only damp, not soaked, and hustled back to his hole in the creekbank. His mother's cough was worse, but all he could do until thaw was keep her warm, and even that was proving to be a struggle. He looked out the cave's entrance, sighed, and started banging two rocks together. If all went well, he'd have a fire for the first time in three nights.

This got dark quick. Two successes does not meet the obstacle of three. Niall marks a failed test toward advancing Survivalist, but that doesn't mean he fails to survive. In this case, it affects the specifics of how he is scarred.

"The two mice were found buried in the back of a cave. The Patrol only found them
by following a thin trail of black smoke. The fire had melted the snow above the cave and caused an avalanche. Many a mouse met their end in the Winter War, and some of the most valiant didn't wear cloaks. So when you see "mole hug" Niall, keep in mind whose fur was cut away to make those scars."

I got robbed last night, and my posting might be sporadic while I smooth things over.

Niall: What trade skill do you maintain in memory of your mother? (Listed above)

Sorry to hear about the robbery. No worries on this end take whatever time you need.

"There is another side to the War, and every mouse here must acknowledge it. War was hard on everyone. Finn of Ivydale experienced the Winter War in Guard reports about towns falling to the baby-eating weasels, but in practical terms, what he saw were insurmountable quotas. The Guard would come in, patrol after patrol, and escorts became requests -then demands for grain. In a good year, excess is traded willingly, but when no one is eating every day, it's hard to watch a cart filled with sacks of grain leave the town. Some young mice, weak and full of resentment, hatched a plan to steal back the grain, and feed their starving families..."

Finn, were you a part of the merry mice of Ivydale? Were you Finn Hood? -or were you a key voice in the dark in the efforts to keep mouse from turning on mouse? How did you turn things in your favor? By working a crowd? (Orator) By putting a compelling argument in the right ears? (Persuader) -or by cunning and guile? (Deceiver)

Each of you chooses one of the three social skills. Also, when you first petition to join the guard, you work with a Senior Artisan to contribute to the upkeep of Lockhaven for two seasons. Pick that trade from the list below, and describe your Senior Artisans. They can be the same mouse. Sharing a skill with another mouse means you always have help. Some products have synergy, as grain from Harvesters can be stored in pots from Potters or sacks from Weavers. An apiarist can gather honey, kept in pots, that Healer can use as gear. Distributed Specialization is also advantageous. Finn and Bry can already feed a starving outpost in one or two rolls, or we could have an extended feeding conflict, producing and transporting food in a famine.

Let me give it some thought, I don't think he was Finn Hood :).

@ Niall what are your thoughts on sharing an Artisan?

I'd be down to share an artisan. Niall should probably go with Cartographer in honor of his mother, since it was one of the two I rolled and the food thing seems covered.

I'm getting a good idea of what your first mission might be... Who's up for a cartography/pathfinder conflict?

While we consider the grain cart scenario... Each of you also had a Mentor: your first Patrol Leaders as Tenderpaws. Seyth has been Mentoring for a while, and he focuses on Pathfinder during training. If you want to pick your own skill for this option, the list is blow: name your Mentor, and the focus of their training, and your thoughts on their personality. Niall, this is a good time to consider your cloak color, and what sentiments your Mentor intended when they granted it to you. If Seyth was your mentor, he will choose the color and detail the reasoning.

Teigh (Patrol Leader at the time) may have mentored Niall, as a talented militarist. He would have trained Niall with a focus in Scout, and given him a midnight blue cloak, stressing the importance of intelligence on the field. While Finn was a Tenderpaw, Tiegh was training Quinn.

"There is another side to the War, and every mouse here must acknowledge it. War was hard on everyone. Finn of Ivydale experienced the Winter War in Guard reports about towns falling to the baby-eating weasels, but in practical terms, what he saw were insurmountable quotas. The Guard would come in, patrol after patrol, and escorts became requests -then demands for grain. In a good year, excess is traded willingly, but when no one is eating every day, it's hard to watch a cart filled with sacks of grain leave the town. Some young mice, weak and full of resentment, hatched a plan to steal back the grain, and feed their starving families..."

Finn, were you a part of the merry mice of Ivydale? Were you Finn Hood? -or were you a key voice in the dark in the efforts to keep mouse from turning on mouse? How did you turn things in your favor? By working a crowd? (Orator) By putting a compelling argument in the right ears? (Persuader) -or by cunning and guile? (Deceiver)

Cunning and Guile = Deceiver

Like peeling back the layers of an onion, Finn thought, as he hid in the shadow of the mill, watching the disgruntled mice leave their secret meeting. He thought back on all the lies, threats, and false rumors he started just to witness this meeting. He smiled inwardly, his plan worked to perfection, the rebellious mice were at each other’s throats and couldn’t trust each other enough to work together.

I'm getting a good idea of what your first mission might be... Who's up for a cartography/pathfinder conflict?

Me! Looks like we shared an Artisan

Mentor Focus = Pathfinder
As Finn came to the unexpected fork in the trail his mentor’s words came back to him, What good is a Mouse Guard if he can’t find his way. He sighs, He must of told me that a thousand times.

Cloak Color = Burnt Orange
Finn sat in thought remembering his mentor Tuck’s words as he presented his cloak to him at his induction ceremony, This cloak is a representation of your personality. I chose burnt orange for you Finn as I have always found you Bright and energizing like the morning sunrise.” In a lower voice he added so only Fin could hear, Plus, it will be easier for me to spot you if you try sneaking up on me again.

I'd be fine with Seyth as a mentor. I'm not sure about the cloaks, and for some reason, it seems really important that it be right, but I'm just not sure about it. I'm also good with whatever starting mission, just to see how the system works and stuff.

Next, we fill up those core skills...

Skills max out at 6, and you get one free, so you can't put more than 5 points into any one skill. The addition of Cook to the Patrol Mouse's skills is purely coincidental... 3 or 4 should be good in one skill for it to be reliable. If it's your main, you can count on having help, a tool, and a wise, and that's a pretty good pool of dice.

This is where I am going to need some help. Fighter 2, Hunter 2, Cook 1, Scout 2, pathfinder 1. Does this make sense? I feel like I'll really miss healer, survivalist, and weather watcher.

It's okay to be the everymouse, and it's okay to put all your eggs in one basket. All the skills are pretty fun to use. Lacking Survivalist isn't a crime, you're just used to shorter trips and warmer beds. I'm sure Niall can help you through the cold nights. This would put you in position to be the group's Scout specialist, which would be a defensive move in the trailblazing conflict. I don't see anything wrong with your choices.

Thanks for the reassurance :)

Especially with two, possibly three, life-changing storms, plus school, I don't want to pressure you folks to hurry up, but the next step is picking a Specialty, and I'd like to make sure there isn't any overlap between tables, so we can shuffle. The Specialty is important because it's a way mice will identify you beyond your name and rank. Finn is set up to take Scout, and the others are choosing their specialties now. Your specialty should be one of your highest skills.

Scout it is

Sorry. I've been dealing with some life s#@* that's made me unfocused, and Tuesdays are my roughest day anyways.

Fighter 3, Survivalist 1, Weather Watcher 1, Healer 1. Does that work?

For my specialty, probably Fighter, unless someone on the other side's already grabbed it, in which case, Survivalist would be best.

I'm trying to work out now if specialty is what WE want or what our CHARACTERS want. Barton wants Fighter, I want Pathfinder. I'll let you know what shakes up.

Oh, shoot! Tenderpaws don't get a Specialization! *flail*

WHOMP WHOMP.

Enjoy fighter, Niall. Barton will likely get trailblazer anyway.

Alright, time for Wises. A Wise is a topic you are particularly knowledgeable about. They are skills that, while they can be tested to gain information, are mostly used to get a circumstantial bonus to another test. For example: Pathfinding during the summer? Good thing you're Summer-Wise. Teaching Tenderpaws? Good thing you're Tenderpaw-Wise. They are only limited by the word in the skill and your interpretation of it. It's a good idea to take a look at your main skills, and think of a situation you might use all of them in. There is a list of Wises that fills two pages. I'm not trying to reproduce it here. I'll throw out some recommendations in case one of you doesn't have the book/pdf, but feel free to make something up.

Definitely Recipe-wise and Crime-wise. For the third one I will go with Rebellion wise.

How about Sword-wise and Snow-wise? Sticl with the "s" words!

Resources is kind of like a Guard Mouse's pay, but it's more generally a measure of how readily you can get what you need with what you have. We determine your Resources by asking these questions:

1. In winter, do you still practice a trade for the Guard?

2. Are your parents Smiths, politicians, merchants, or Apiarists?

3. Do you like to buy gifts for yourself and your friends?

4. Are you thrifty?

5: Have you ever been in debt, or otherwise generally bad with money?

6: Do you always pack carefully for a journey, making sure you have everything you need.

Circles is a similar test, but it locates mice rather than gear. It's a measure of how well- known or likeable you are. These questions determine Circles:

A: Are you gregarious? Do they have lots of friends or could make them easily?

B: Do you have strong ties to the Guard, like a family tradition or allies withing the Guard?

C: Have you accomplished something memorable or have an established reputation as a Guard?

D: Do you have powerful enemies in the territories?

E: Have you been convicted of a crime?

F: Are you generally a loner: tough and cool?

1. Yes, he is a hardworking mouse of Ivydale. What else would you expect?

2. Nope, they earn an honest living as bakers.

3. Nope, Finn is more likely to make cookies for his friends.

4. Thrifty yes, miserly no.

5: Nope.

6: Yep, anything to avoid the discomforts of the road.

A: Yes, Finn is more of a loner although he could make friends if he wanted to he just doesn't want to.

B: Nope, Finn has no special ties to the guard other then his mentor.

C: Yes, Finn is held in high regard for some of his past exploits. Particularly for his handling of the rebellious mice of Ivydale during the war.

D: Yes, Finn has some powerful enemies from his past missions.

E: No Accused never convicted.

F: Yes, Finn would be considered a loner

1. In winter, do you still practice a trade for the Guard?

No. He's had enough of trying and failing to do things in winter.

2. Are your parents Smiths, politicians, merchants, or Apiarists?

Mother was a cartographer, which I guess could be a merchant if she sold her maps.

3. Do you like to buy gifts for yourself and your friends?

No. Niall is too focused on the practical aspects of buying to buy gifts.

4. Are you thrifty?

Niall is thrifty now, but wasn't before Ferndale.

5: Have you ever been in debt, or otherwise generally bad with money?

When Ferndale was relatively prosperous, Niall liked to gamble.

6: Do you always pack carefully for a journey, making sure you have everything you need.

Yes. Niall is too used to not having what he needs to want that again.

A: Are you gregarious? Do they have lots of friends or could make them easily?

No. Niall doesn't relate as well to others as he might like.

B: Do you have strong ties to the Guard, like a family tradition or allies within the Guard?

Niall's only ties to the Guard are his training and the fact that they found him after Ferndale.

C: Have you accomplished something memorable or have an established reputation as a Guard?

Niall doesn't have a reputation one way or another within the Guard.

D: Do you have powerful enemies in the territories?

Not that Niall is aware of, but they could be out there.

E: Have you been convicted of a crime?

Committed? Yes. Convicted? No. While Ferndale was falling, Niall was taking what he thought he'd need from wherever he could get it.

F: Are you generally a loner: tough and cool?

Niall is generally a loner, though the stereotype of tough and cool isn't quite right. He just doesn't 'get' other mice.

Traits are qualities which augment your rolls in different ways, and allow you to earn a currency called Checks. How to earn or spend Checks is listed below your character sheet. Mostly, think of a trait as something that is sometimes an advantage, but sometimes a disadvantage. A Tall mouse can reach high places, but might not be able to fit a small hole. It's always up to you to use a Trait. A level 1 Trait grants +1D to a roll once per mission if you invoke it in the narrative. At level two, it applies to all rolls that you invoke it with. At level 3 you can re-roll 1s once per mission. Each of you inherited a trait from your home towns. You can use these next choices to increase the level of your trait, or gain another trait.

Due to your previous choices, some of you are barred from certain traits.

One trait you were born with. It is unique to you. Choose 1 from the list below, and describe a sittuation where it has made a difference in your life, or the lives of others. (Feel free to ask clarifying questions.)

One trait you inherited from your parents. Pick one from below:

One trait you have picked up from your life on the road. Pick one, and describe how you've developed that trait.

One trait you were born with. It is unique to you. Choose 1 from the list below, and describe a sittuation where it has made a difference in your life, or the lives of others. (Feel free to ask clarifying questions.)

Sharp-Eyed

Finn stood by waiting for his Mentor Tuck to say something when nothing was forthcoming he thought, Maybe this is a test. This was the eighth warehouse they searched looking for the stolen grain and it looked empty just like all the others. Tuck was gathering the other patrol members and commented, ”Looks like another dead end lets go Finn.”

He doesn’t see it, Finn thought smugly. ”Not yet, the grain is here,” he said nonchalantly as he walked over to the trap door in the floor and opened it. ”Just as I thought here it is.” He continued, ”I noticed the spacing of the floor boards here were wider the rest of the warehouse.”

Tuck remarked proudly, ”Finn just don’t just see, he observes.”

------------------------------------------------------------------

One trait you inherited from your parents. Pick one from below:

Clever

Finn was always a clever little mouse just like his mum. Finn stood out among his peers growing up he always picked things up quickly or had ingenious solutions to the problems he faced.

----------------------------------------------------------------

One trait you have picked up from your life on the road. Pick one, and describe how you've developed that trait.

Cunning

Finn has had many opportunities to develop his cunning as mouse guard. He has lied, cheated, or exaggerated in many different situations across the territories. Whether it was convincing bandits they were outnumbered, playing poker with his friends, or trying to get out of a well-deserved punishment his aptitude for guile served him well.

I was told I would be sad when I visit this table....

No tears at this table only dreams. :)

We hear the mission briefing before we set up Goals, Beliefs, Instincts, and gear. Feel free to start in the Roleplay thread.

I'd like to know more about Bigpaw, Longtail, and Skinny. They sound right, but is there more to them or anything? I'll have a RP post up later.

Longtail: Occasionally, a mouse is born with an abnormally long tail. With a little practice, he can train himself to do all manner of tricks with it. Of course, it’s forever getting caught in doors, wrapped in wheels, trodden upon and yanked.

Bigpaw: Mice with this trait have big paws. They’re good at physical tasks requiring sturdy, broad paws like Stonemason or Carpenter or Laborer. They’re a bit clumsy with tasks requiring fine or delicate work.

Skinny: It’s always good to keep a slim build, but it’s important for mice to stay healthy, too.

Part of the magic of traits is that they're up for interpretation whenever you're trying to call on them. They don't strictly mean anything beyond what they're called, but they can mean anything as long as it follows from that key word.

Never trust a long tailed mouse.

Something I should mention is that in the last couple of months, there's been two deaths in my family (Grandpa in July, brother in August). Starting now, I'll be unlikely to post until Monday, most likely. Also, let's go with those traits listed up above.

Sorry for your losses, make sure to take care of yourself.

Yes, do take care. Sorry for your losses. Thank you for giving us the heads-up.

Now that we've revealed the first mission, we decide on our Beliefs, Goals, and Instincts, as well as choosing our Gear.

Your Goal should be related to the mission. It's something you want to get done before you return to Lockhaven.

Your Instinct is written in an "if-then I" or "I always ____" and it's used by you to say, for example, that you always draw your sword at the first sign of danger.

Your Belief informs how I shape the story to give you opportunities to act on or against your own beliefs.

These three are ways to generate Fate, which are used to reroll 6s, and Persona, which are used to add 1D or tap Nature to add it to a dice pool.

Gear are almost exclusively used for +1D as tools for a test, or +1D as consumable supplies for a test. (They also may confer benefits to certain moves in conflicts.) Everyone must choose a favored weapon. This can be an object that's also a tool for another skill, like Bry's sickle. Weapons have the most special rules in conflicts. Common weapons include: daggers, slings, swords, halberds, axes, spears, bows, staves, shields, a hook and line... but I'll figure out stats for whatever you pick. Someday, Bry will learn his sickle is Deadly (+1s on a successful attack), and Short and Quick (disarm on successful maneuver move).

You may choose a favored weapon, another tool for one of your skills, a product of one of your skills, and a supply for one of your skills.

Goal Recover Nathaniel's notes
Instinct
Belief

Equipment Bow, Pot (for cooking not smoking), Muffins, flour?

I'll think about Instinct and belief

Beliefs: Everyone deserves to eat. Raw food is hardly edible. Food brings mice together. Everything is prey to something. Loss is always avoidable.

Instincts: I always keep my distance from danger. I'm always watching the sky. My food always has something special. I'm always sketching what I see.

Nice, I like: Food brings mice together and I never delay when on a mission.