A Song of Mice and Ire (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...

Instructor

I think he didn't discover, until after the incident, that he was a decent teacher. Maybe Gwendolyn's predecessor knew, maybe she was just putting him or fluff duty, but he found out that he had something of a knack for getting through to tenderpaws (however hard they tend to make it)

Fighter and pathfinder. Barton has wanted to be a guard mouse for as long as he can remember, and many days were spent getting lost and hitting people with sticks. It made his parents crazy, but it will serve him well.

"This is a story of the Guard." Kent opens. "It's a story of great heroism, and the triumph of mouse over nature- sure. All good Guard stories are, but not all stories begin at the end. Who here knows Seyth?" The orator pauses, watching a few young mice raise their hands. One surly youth crosses her arms and huffs.

Kent chuckles. "Alright, alright. A few of you have heard Seyth and his patrol's excursion into the wilds--I'm sure it's been passed around the fire on more than one night--but this story begins where that one almost ended, in a small armory once owned by Seyth's mother. Captain Teigh and Gwendolyn were discussing what would be the safest place for a mouse with Seyth's talents, and while they were busy, Teigh's Tenderpaw was playing with the armory tools, and making a fair mess of it as well."

When you've never done something before, you can always test Nature, but if you want to learn something new, you must rely on Beginner's Luck. In this sittuation, instructor, is a mental skill, so Seyth will roll his Will(5) +1 for having the right tools on-hand, divided in half. The obstacle for Instructor is the student's Nature. Fortunately, Teigh's Tenderpaw is an odd mouse whose Nature is not only low at 3, but is currently Taxed, making this an ob2 test.
Seyth roll 3d6.

what is this for, exactly?: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 1) = 9

Rolls of 1, 2, and 3 are cowards, while rolls of 4, 5, or 6 are successes. In this case, Seyth has rolled one success (2, 6, 1), which does not meet the obstacle of 2. This roll counts as a failure. Normally, you need to attempt a new skill a number of times equal to your maximum (or untapped) Nature. In this case, the only repercussions is that Teigh will remember this...

"You couldn't tell it then, but Gwendolyn saw something. She promoted him to Patrol Leader, and before long, he became one of the few mentors to guide two Tenderpaws at once..."

an' he was right sure he'd pissed Gwendolyn off when he found out, I can tell you

1) yes 2) no 3) yes talents: Healer and Harvester. He spent many long hours in the fields, working with the moss and grains of Elmoss and was a strong harvester, but always found himself intrigued by healing and trying to be a doctor since he was young. He had the mind for it after all.

Grabbing a loose ribbon, Kent turns to an illustration of Sprucetuck. “One of those Tenderpaws, a mouse by the name of Barton, is the son of a smith. Connor was well known, and often took special commissions from Lockhaven. One night, a ceremonial blade went missing from his workshop. Barton, being known for his aspirations and his penchant for amature swordplay, was the first mouse old Connor suspected...”

Feel free to backtrack on decisions. For example, if Seyth doesn’t want armorer for both his home skill and his parent skill, I can make corrections.

I didn't take that sword but I did forget to do my nightly chores, including locking the shop door. I was too busy antagonizing the gentle bullfrogs down by the river. I gave an impassioned speech to my father and the community that while I was negligent, another was guilty.

You've stated your mother was an armorer. Are either of your parents alive? Do you talk about them much? Would anyone know their names? You never let your mother’s tools go dull, but you’ve lost the touch for your father’s trade. What was it?

I think brewer. and I'd rather have that than armourer, honestly. more in line with who I picture him as. didn't think about the difference between Home-city and a parent's trade category, or I would have given the home city skill differently

As for alive... Seyth is 52, and his folks were in the guard, they aren't around anymore. he doesn't talk abut himself much, but he'll mention them from time to time, in passing. their names were Laurel and Sloan

When you did give Gwendolyn a dressing down, did you do it publicly (Orator) did you give a valid argument (Persuade) or was it mostly bluster for effect without much content(Deceive)?

I did WHAT now?! Sure as hell not publicly, that'd be disrespectful. (also, I think, as a patrol leader, he gets 2. Can I double up on persuade, or am I going persuade+Deceive?

A brewer and an armourer it is. The listed trades for being born in Lockhaven are Armourer and Weaver, but Lockhaven also has Apiarists and Potters.

You're right. Two verbal skills. I can't speak for all GMs, but feel free to pick something more than once if you're given the option on any of these lists.

Gwendolyn is considerably younger than you, and younger than any of the three leaders you knew before her. While it would, in fact, be disrespectful, no one would have thought twice about you calling her out. One tenderpaw per mentor is a tradition, and it wouldn't be the first one she's bent or broken. You've been doing this since before she was weaned, and low recruitment numbers or not, there's a way the Guard is run: Honorably.

Tammy was a baker, despite wanting to help out with harvesting she never was in the right health. Also Bry is 14

yeah, I think it was a few years ago (1149, if my shaky memory of source material counts for much), in the darkest days of the weasel war, when Gwen was moving to promote tenderpaws Seyth didn't think were ready to be promoted. It's not something he especially holds against her anymore, few of us are proud of who we were at the worst point in our lives, and it would not surprise Seyth if those days proved to be that for Gwendolyn.

doubling down on persuasion

Kent, remind me what I roll for Orator?

Barton starts with level 2 in Orator. (We'll add 1 to each chosen skill at the end, and this is the only list with Orator for a Tenderpaw.) Alternatively, Barton can roll Nature, but Oration does not fall under running, hiding, foraging, or climbing, so if you fail the roll, your Nature will be Taxed, or temporarily reduced. If your Nature is Taxed below 0, it will be permanently reduced by 1. Orator is always a Versus test against the Will of the opponent. Connor's Will is 3. That sounds impossible for an Orator of 2, but for social skills, roleplaying the dialogue is an automatic +1. If you had a Friend who is vouching for you, describe them, and they can help for an additional 1 die.

Not just a a friend...a witness! Roland, Barton's close friend (who had a much better reputation around town) saw Barton down by the river banks immediately after dinner and then saw him walking back into town AFTER the sword's theft was discovered, it couldn't have been him. To back things up, young Barton addressed the crowd.

Citizens of Sprucetuck, those of you who know me know I desire only one thing in life; to join the mouse guard. The mouse guard is brave, the mouse guard is wise and above all else, the mouse guard is honest. I could tell you I know not how the door was left unlocked, but that would be a lie: It was I who unlocked the door! I could tell you that I forgot to latch the door because I was off helping orphans or repairing a bridge, but that would be a lie as well. I was misbehaving, as I often do. Mr. Maxem, you've had to chase me from your yard more than once for trying to leap from the tree branches to the roof, and Ms. Silvan, you've had to chastise me for day dreaming during lessons. But not one of you has ever known me to be a cheat, or a liar or a thief. And that has not changed. My friend witnessed this, and his honor is beyond reproach.

But citizens...a sad truth befalls us. If I am innocent...and I am...then someone else is guilty. That's a hard pill to swallow, that someone else would steal from my father AND allow a young boy to take the blame of his crime. So sir or madam, if you were the thief, step forward and I assure you no more will be said on this!

oration[/dice: 3d6 + 1 ⇒ (3, 3, 6) + 1 = 13

How does the plus 1 work? Does that turn my dice into 4, 4, 6 or into two successes, one for the six, one for the +1

Sorry, +1D, you can roll one more die. As a versus test, Connor's Will is also rolled, and the difference is your margin of success.

Connor: 3d6 ⇒ (2, 1, 1) = 4

"A murmur passed through the crowd. Townsmice nodded along with the young mouse's words..."

That's already a success, but if you can roll a success on that last die, the thief will step forward.

I got robbed IRL last night, so my posting will be a bit sporadic while I batten down.

THIEF!: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Sorry to hear. Take all the time you need!

S#!& (wo)man, sorry to hear that.

"The mouse who stole the blade stepped forward: Trubba. Barton, Trubba, and Rolland grew up together, and all had aspirations to become great Guardmice. The blade was returned, and when it came time for the ceremony, Connor, Barton, and Trubba all came with their Patrol escort to Lockhaven," Kent pulls a wooden figure, stained red, from a small chest beside the book, "and Barton presented Captain Teigh with the sword to commemorate his years of leadership on the field. Trubba also stood before Tiegh, who held the sword he had stolen, and rather than pass judgement himself, Teigh turned to Barton. 'I saw the two of you come in, and I can tell you know each other quite well. I have also heard you were the initial suspect in the investigation, and you are Connor's son. You have seen all sides of this conflict, and you are personally invested in this mouse's future, for it very easily could have been yours. What are your thoughts, pray tell, on how I should judge your fellow mouse?'"

Not everything hangs on a roll. Sometimes, you just choose.

When you first petition to join the guard, you're paired with a Senior Artisan, with whom you work to facilitate the upkeep of lockhaven. Choose one skill from the list bellow. Barton and Bry can have worked under the same Artisan. Nobody's older than Seyth, but Finn and Niall might have worked under his Artisan. Specializing makes sense: if you came into the guard with a talent, they would want to put you where you would make the most difference. Also look at each other's skills and see where you might be able to help each other. A Harvester's grain can be milled into flour by a Miller, then baked by a Baker, stored in Pots from a Potter, or sacks from a Weaver. Laborer can help any skill. Bry and Finn can already feed a starving outpost without much trouble, but a Miller could help. Millers can also help a scientist make black powder... Which is basically the closest anyone will get to being a wizard.

Barton showed clemency towards Trubba. Rather than forming their friendship, Trubba resented "owing" Barton anything. In later years, Barton would deeply regret the kindness he showed that day.

Barton apprenticed with the cartographer. He had a talent (learned from his mother)

Was Seyth's mother in the Senior Artisan pool?

might have been, what's that?

As for Seyth's trade, I'm of two minds. One is to double down on brewer, have him be one of the guys that keeps the guard relaxed between missions, or Cook, and have him be, like, basically a tavern-keeper in winter/between missions. will either of those synergize with what you to want to do?

In case Niall might have known her. No one has cook yet, and Harvester/Cook make a serviceable gruel. Brewer uses course grain from a Miller or honey from an apiarist for supplies. I mean, berries work, but the good, stiff stuff comes from grain or honey. Plus, whether or not your senior artisan was your parent is and interesting question. It's like running away from home to work down the street at a competing Brewer.

Clarification: Smiths make tools and barricades. Armourers make weapons and armour. Fighter is for mice and weasels.
Hunter is for weasels and other animals. Loremouse identifies the nature's of animals, and speak to animals. Good for having a bird steed.

Harvester is likely What Bry would do, despite wanting to leave the profession.

Yeah, she probably was in the senior artisan pool.

While on the subject of armourers, I was looking at the skill (I'm kinda flip-floping, might drop he whole "brewer idea. Sorry. but theres a bunch of thins that say "start counting at (1 or 2)". What do those mean?

Clarification: Smiths make tools and barricades. Armourers make weapons and armour.

Should Barton's dad be an armorer instead to make the above story fit?

Seyth: In deciding the obstacle of a test, you count up to the complexity of the test. If it says start at 2, the first item on the list is ob2, then the next is ob3. You total up on each list that applies to the roll, like Baker, a meal for one using flour is ob2. For the armorer, light armor is ob3.

Barton: Honestly, I had forgotten. Would you prefer the Armorer skill?

Sure, that works for me. Thanks!

Meanwhile Bry is this uninteresting Harvester who likes to heal. I may need to update his belief now

An uninteresting country bumpkin who can single-handedly feed a town. Your Tenderpaw training will toughen you up. I see you taking Weatherwatcher, using harvester to keep a steady supply of poultices... You'll literally be a life-saver. A sickle or scythe as a favored weapon, something that's a tool for Harvester, but still a weapon...
It'll be cool. Just be aware, you can only take Harvester one more time before it's maxed out, and then you won't level it up by using it. (and tapping Nature for Harvester goes with Nature, so it won't Tax your nature if you get spider eyes on a test to feed a city in a drought during winter. Bump up hard-worker, to tier three, and you can re-roll ones on any test that applies. You'll end up a God of the Harvest by the end of this.)

I don't have enough BW/MG system amiliarity to know, so tell me, are either specializing or diversifying particularly rewarded or punished?

A god of harvest, medicine and weather watching XD. That was the build I was thinking, with some fighting capabilities if I ever need to but my plan was likely to start with no dice in fighting and hunter. Also Specialization is kinda rewarded. look at me. I can feed a town.

Gwendolyn won't send you on a mission you're not equipped for. The magic of the game lies in synergies. The high skills get help from the diverse mice, who shine in between big rolls. There are a few core skills the team will rely on, but the next few choices will keep those covered. For example:

Your mentor is not always your current Patrol Leader. It can take several seasons for a Tenderpaw to earn their cape, and while some spend the whole time under one Patrol Leader, many a Tenderpaw has come back alone. Bry and Barton, is Seyth your mentor? If so, he chooses the two skills stressed in your training, as well as picking which two his mentors stressed. Tell me, Seyth, what skills were valued in your day? If Seyth isn't your mentor, how do you feel about being passed off to a mouse who already has a Tenderpaw?

Seyth is my mentor, and I couldn't be happier. A real mouseguard hero!

I'm not a damned hero, kid. I just did my job.

back when Seyth joined up (pretty near the start of it all, second generation, if the books timeline is extrapolated, and we assume he started training pretty young), they were still trying to tame the territories. Birds, Snakes, Foxes and Coyotes all had to be dealt with, as they were more numerous back in the day, before the scent border was perfected, and the guard patrolled more. Hunter, I think

Sounds like a Hunter, Weather watcher and Pathfinder frontier. All this Fighting is a disgrace, right? So what do you try to pass down to these tenderpaws? You need two, and Barton will need two from you.

What about Bry? Is he just gonna sit there while Brandon gets all the training (weather watcher looks nice, as does healer... just sayin)
I assume Brandon is a fellow apprentice otherwise Seyth got really screwed.

Well, did Bry have another mentor before Seyth?

What are Bry and Barton's ages? Barton's marked as 17, which is old for a tenderpaw. Tenderpaws are between 14 and 17 years old.

Bry is a good 14. young, inexperienced, and just really really good with harvesting. Bry did not have another mentor, he only recently got done with his senior artisan most likely

Seyth can assign any combination of two skills from the list above to himself, Bry, and Barton. They can be the same two skills, or all different skills, but why?

How long does a mouse tenderpaw for? Maybe we could have Barton be midway through his training with Seyth when Bry is assigned? If tenderpaw is for a year regardless of age, then we can age Barton down, but I'd imagined him graduating (or failing to graduate) by the end of this year. 16 then?

I think I'll go with pathfinder and hunter

These days, Seyth would rather his tenderpaws didn't get into too many fights. ("Seyth pointed to the tenderpaw's skull This if fer thinkin' Then pointed to their weapon an' this is fer when ya didn't think enough.") Pathfinder for both, healer for Bry, survivalist for Barton.

The length of your time as a Tenderpaw is up to your mentor, and it sounds like Seyth is the conservative type. It may be his reluctance to graduate mice that has him working double duty. Petitions aren't accepted from mice younger that 13. 17 is do or don't year for a Tenderpaw. At the end of winter, if you're not ready, you'll be recommended for reassignment as an artisan.

[ooc]In that case, if the rest of the group is ok with it, how do people feel about Barton being 16? He's been training with Seyth for a while, and a mix of Barton's impulsive nature and Seyth's unusual care has kept him from graduating yet. The introduction of Bry will throw complications into the mix as Barton tries to juggle his own need to stand out against Bry's more careful nature.

Plus, it will be super awkward in a year when Seyth hands Bry his cloak and Barton "still needs training".

"Teigh acquiesced. Trubba was released, and when they came of age, the three of them petitioned. Now Barton, Seyth, and Bry are working together. Bry is a hard-working youngster from simple stock. Do we have him here today? No? He must be getting ready for a mission now. He'll be passing through to get to Gwendolyn's office any time now... Our friend Bry is from Elmoss-" Kent picks out a ribbon and turns the pages to an odd illustration. "Sorry, that's not right..." The pages shift again to an illustration of Elmoss. "During the Winter War, their exports turned rapidly from food to moss and poultices. Bry may not remember, but the science of medicine is rather new. It was one of the advancements that came out of the war. Arguably the best advancement..."

Time to fill out those skills...

Skills max out at 6, so a maximum of 5 points in a given skill. (You get one free.) 4 is a good number. Gives you space to grow, but also gives you a solid dice pool if you have help, a wise, and a tool.