A Song of Mice and Ire (Inactive)

Game Master BastianQuinn

Barton would lose his little mouse mind if that happened...

I'll take fighter, scout and pathfinder

I'm gonna put two each into pathfinder, hunt, fight, and survivalist, and put 1 into instructor

healer, healer, weather watcher of possible other wise healer, laborer, weather watcher

There's one more skill point before we tally up, and it's important. Important enough that I'd like to make sure both groups are on the same page. It's your Mouse's Specialty. Some mice will address you by Name or Rank, but some will identify you by your specialization. Barton should pick either Fighter or Pathfinder, and Seyth, I think, should pick Instructor, but could pick Hunter or Pathfinder as well. Bry might pick Healer, but keep in mind that that will max out Healer, so, while you'll have the most dice you could have, you won't be marking tests toward advancement (it would be important to me, but may not be important to others). Alternatively, Bry could move an experience point from Healer to Weather Watcher, and specialize in Healer. Finn is set up for Scout, but I haven't heard back from Niall about the experience skills.

Can you tell me a little more about what specialty does other than add an extra point to our skills? Baron thinks of himself as a fighter, but I want to know more about the repercussions of the choice.

Of the five PC mice you will be the Fighter. Some Guardmice will call you Fighter Barton. Other mice will hold opinions of you because you are a Fighter.

Critically, when planning a mission, I'll take the specialties of the mice involved into account. A Fighter/Healer/Instructor team would be sent to quell infighting and arbitrate disputes. They'll escort political VIPs who think they might be targeted by Mice. They'll deliver mail and supplies to the south end of the territories. A Hunter/Healer/Pathfinder team would be sent to get rid of large, disruptive animals or infestations of vermin of unusual size. They'll be sent to escort food that might attract wildlife, and they'll patrol the scent border in the north end of the territories. Basically, what kind of task do you want Gwendolyn to (intentionally) send you on, and how much do you want to argue with Bry?

Do you think that's something that Barton would choose for himself, is that something that naturally presents itself or that is assigned by his mentor? I know what Barton would choose for himself (fighter, of course) but I think that Barton's temperament would set him up for better success as a Pathfinder.

My ideal character arc for Barton is to have him learn restraint and care, which would lead him to be an excellent pathfinder, but if HE was choosing RIGHT NOW he'd certainly pick fighter.

what is the mouse-honorific for teacher, I wonder.

Seyth will, in fact, take instructor. After all, I'm caring for two whippersnappers.

is here gonna be a part where we detail our friends and enemies? or should I have already done that?

I think Barton would have been singled out, early on, for being a Capitol-T Talented Pathfinder. It would be why Nathaniel requested you as an apprentice, and Seyth has fostered that side of you. As a Tenderpaw, you're not quite part of the specialty group, so there is time for that to change. I can see there being an argument between Barton and Seyth, if you'd like the dice to sort it out for you. It would be a versus test, Seyth's Persuader(3) vs Barton's Will(2) (1 if you want a check toward learning Persuader) or Nature(4). +1D for each of you who role-plays their argument. A fail with Nature would Tax it in this case.

Niall favors Fighter as well, but would take Survivalist as a backup. Being the GM, I see a team of Scout/Fighter and that mission's going to have some weasels in it. Now, Scout/Survivalist, that team is avoiding a fight.

what is the mouse-honorific for teacher, I wonder.

Seyth will, in fact, take instructor. After all, I'm caring for two whippersnappers.

is here gonna be a part where we detail our friends and enemies? or should I have already done that?

Instructor Seyth. I'd wager that title is not common... among the living.

We'll get to friends and such. It's at the end with fur color and names. We haven't even sorted out Traits.

Oh man, scratch all that, Tenderpaws don't get a Specialization. They'll earn it when they earn their cloak.

Just saw your other posting. I think Barton THINKS he's getting fighter, but Seyth might have other ideas.

Alright, time for Wises. Wises are 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.

Shortcut-wise. Barton HATES taking the long way around.

tenderpaw-wise (been training them fer 2 an' a ha'f decades now, pickd up a thing or two), mouseguard wise (i'm curious, at 52, how lose is he to the oldest member of the guard?) predator wise, and... well, with our party at least taking basic discernible form, what sort of missions are we likely to be sent on?

Seyth was among Founder Arturus' many Tenderpaws. Loremouse Luigsech, the first Guard Captain, is the only older mouse still alive, just not presently a part of the Guard. You'd never make the mistake of trusting her to die before you. She killed Balor, the rat king, and secured the territories for all mice. For you, it was a brutal time of grey areas. If anyone knew Arturus like you did, the Guard would not be so popular.

As for your first mission: Pathfinding and Clearing. Just the kind of thing that will grate on Barton's itchy sword(?) hand. For early spring, it's all anybody in the guard is doing. Gotta open up those routes. Seyth will probably have another mission to take care of once you all reach your destination. Governer-wise is a safe bet.

It's been a while since the last bit of storytelling, but I promise you haven't seen the last of Kent.

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?

Moss-wise. Bry spent a lot of time around grain and herbs but harvested that moss like it was nobody's businesses. Also, I'm all for moving one point of healer to weather watcher.

For bry:

1) Well, of course, he is a healer mouse, if he doesn't help those injured in rare winter missions or even those who injure themselves while working who would.

2) Nope. Just a baker and a harvester.

3) Bry kinda left gift giving behind. he is still mostly new to the guard and hasn't made many friends yet.

4) Kind of. Bry is the type who if he needs something he would know in advance. He probably uses shopping lists, and when he can he will harvest what he needs.

1. Yeah! Barton loves helping the cartographer arrange and layout maps, setting up inks, hanging maps to dry. It's not terribly exciting work, but Barton doesn't mind it and he has never stopped to wonder why he's able to focus on this and not other things.

2. Sadly, not any more. Does Armorer fall under the Smith umbrella? It seems like it'd be similar for these purposes...

3. Yes! Barton has a great eye for buying things that he knows they'll love, himself included.

4. Oh gosh no. Barton has never met money he didn't promptly spend.

1.) Yeah, someone has to keep the guard armed and armoured. Well, a bunch of someones, really)

2.) Corpses, I'm afraid.

3.) What friends? I'm surrounded by whippersnappers and grumpy old people.

4.) not really. he isn't frivolous, but neither is he a skinflint.

There are two circles questions I missed:

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?

5. No, Barton is fast to spend, but he doesn't live beyond his means
6. No, Barton is known to start a journey before he knows the destination. This has lead to...unpleasant experiences.

A. Yes. Barton is friendly and well liked. It's obvious that he means well.
B. Barton's uncle was a guard mouse who served alongside Niall. Uncle Karn didn't survive Ferndale.
C. Barton's tenderpaw experience has been mercifully uneventful. Seyth has managed to curb Barton's most destructive impulses.
D. Not at all. Trubba hates Barton very much, but Trubba is not what anyone would consider "powerful"
E. Never, though it was close!
F. No, Barton likes the company of friends and loved ones.

5.) No, the old matriarchs forbade it, and habit dies hard
6.) yeah, one expirience of near starvation convinces you of the importance very quickly.

A.) Not as such. jaded and old as he is.
B.) Nope, he's first generation guard (also, apparently, in the first generation of the guard
C.) He was one of the group that secured the Sprucetuck territories allegiance, and he has served loyally under every matriarch to date.
D.) No person of political import considers Seyth an enemy (few consider him at all)
E.) No crimes, He knows full well that Arturus would rise from the grave to tan his hide personally.
F.) No, just grumpy and old. besides, it's hard to be a loner, and a teacher.

That must have been such a strange time, growing up in 1100. To have Lockhaven take all these other settlements under its wings. It took 8 years to unify the territories, and it's been hell keeping it that way.

5. Bry only spends money when he has to. Afterall he is able to just go do a days worth of farming, or simply find things. Plus he still doesn't understand money. There is a world that could be settled and farmed.

6. Bry will always pack carefully. Afterall, he always wants to be ready to do his job. This often includes a small backpack with some maps, weather charts, and even a trowel to join his sickle.

A. Bry hasn't tried to make friends, they just kind of appear if they want to. Bry is currently just focused on his healing and making sure he can heal whenever he needs to. It doesn't help that he tends to mumble to himself.

B. His family tradition comes from his father's side. This is not having a connection to the guard at all. His family before him were almost always harvesters.

C. If Bry did he really wouldn't know. He is super focused on his current goal, being a guard and possibly opening a nice shop to help heal mice across the territories. He doesn't care that it is an impossible goal, after all, shops don't come on wheels...

D. Bry's only enemy is a rejected Tenderpaw named Tyr. He isn't that powerful as far as Bry knows, but it's not like he is paying attention.

E. Bry is a quiet mouse whose only strange action was leaving the comfort of a harvester to join the Guard. He has never had the opportunity nor would he want to commit a crime.

F. Bry is definitely not tough or cool, more like an annoying nerd. Despite this, he is not a loner. Just can annoy people with his muttering, and believe that the only way to solve a problem is to get to work.

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.

Born this way: Compassionate

Like Mama Do: Quick Witted

On the Road Again: Compassionate

Born nimble, Barton dodges trouble as quickly as he comes into it.

Barton learned cleverness by his mom's side. She's a brilliant cartographer and Barton learned her sharp wit from her.

This cleverness is something Barton developed on the road. He's trying to think his way through trouble rather than head in full on.

Seyth was born tough. they dont make em' like they used to.

Seyth learned to be tough from his parents, who grew up in a time before the territories, where you had to be the right mix of tough, clever, lucky, and cautious. Only one of those especially stuck.

Seyth's experiences have left him Jaded, grumpy and cynical.

also, taking governor wise as his final wise

As long as you have your Name, Fur Color, Parents, Senior Artisan, Cloak Color, and Mentors, All that is left is Friend and Enemy. Your friend is someone anywhere in the territories whom your mouse can depend on. Name them, give them a home, and a profession. Your Enemy or Rival is someone who does not have your best interest at hand. The Weasel Warlord Rampaul is a blight on all the territories, but he's really Guard Captain Teigh's Enemy. The two of them know each other personally, and the outcome of an encounter between them could go either way.

We will have the mission briefing before we determine Goals, Beliefs, and Instincts. Then, we will begin the mission.

Moira is an old friend, She was in Seyth's patrol, back when he was just a guardmouse. She left, when she met someone and decided to settle down. She's an apiarist in flintrust now, raising her grandkids while her children serve in the guard.

Daye is one of Seyth's ex-tenderpaws, who, after the war, turned bandit, and started harassing travelers. Seyth doesn't know why, but they have made a habit of targeting their ex-patrolmates and Seyth knows they will come for him soon. on that day, he plans to seize their cloak, and drag them back to Lockhaven in chains.

Lyla is a good friend of Bry who told him tales of the guard. She was a fellow harvester and often worked alongside Bry and his brothers.

Tyr was a fellow possible tenderpaw who trained under the same senior artisan. However Tyr was caught stealing supplies by Bry, and Bry turned him in. Tyr vowed Revenge but Bry has been too busy to notice.

It's going to be so sad when Bry visits the other table.

o.o what? why

Now that we know the mission, it's time to set our Belief, Goal, Instinct, and decide on gear. It looks like you all have Beliefs and Instincts, and Barton's Goal fits. Seyth's Goal will have to do with how he wants to deal with the Governor of Sprucetuck.

For gear, you will want a weapon of choice. Common choices are: shield, knife, sword, staff, spear, hook and line, halberd, sling and bow. It is also acceptable to look at your other skills and find a tool which would also serve as a weapon, such as Bry's sickle. Keep in mind that having the right tool for a job is +1D. In addition to your favored weapon, you can start with one additional tool, one supply for one of your skills, and one product of one of your skills.

Healers create poultices for each of the conditions. The scale of difficulty for creating poultices is: Tired, Sick, Injured, Hungry, Angry. These count as supplies for recovery tests.

A good tool for a Cartographer/Pathfinder would be a compass... but it would be tough to get one's paw on such an advanced tool. Barton is from Sprucetuck, though.

Oh, I guess I got carried away a bit. I assumed they'd give me the gear I'd need.

• Weapon: Sword
• Tool: Compass (it's the compass his mother built when she first started map making. She's made better ones since, but Barton treasures the compass more than anything else in the world)
• Supply: Map making papers
• Product: Whetstone

Mouseguard keeps inventory management to a minimum.

Bry's belief and Instinct are already up. The goal is probably to avoid the family. As for Gear

Weapon: Sickle
Tool: Old Map (last Fall)
Supply: cloth for splits
Products: Moss

Goal: make the governor see reason

belief: "life isn't fair" doesn't really... you can't do much with it, I don't think. is "there's no justice, but what you make just" seem better?

weapon: spear & Shield
tool: Trade agreements and other financial documents
Supply: (do arrows count as a supply for hunt? if not, rations for survivalist?)
Product: bow, if arrows count. if not, a map of the old path, from the last time he cleared this route (a few years past)

Shield
Protection: +2D to Defend. Heavy: -1D Health to recover from fatigue if the shield was used in a fight during the last Turn. Shields are generally used on their own—as defense and
a weapon.

Spear
Spear: Your Attack action counts as a versus action against Attack and is independent against Maneuver. This only applies against spears and normal weapons. The spear also gets a+1D to Maneuver actions against normal weapons.

Bow
Missile: Against short-ranged weapons, your Attack action counts as a versus action (rather than independent) against Attack and is independent against Maneuver. Long Range:+2D to Maneuver against normal, spear or thrown weapons. Hard to Defend: Add +1D to your Attack versus Defend.

Most mouse archers gather pine needles, etc as they go, so having 'real' arrows works both as an armorer's product, and a supply... However...

Guardmice have to pack light. Not only are they tiny mice, but they are still mice, and their best defense is squeezing through tiny holes. Someone will have to tell Bry to put down the backpack, and Seyth knows better than to bring his whole armory with him on every mission. Useful shields are too heavy to pair with another weapon. Seyth might carry a buckler, but it's not mechanically significant.

Also, bear in mind that Hunters aren't out there killing grasshoppers for food. Think of a Hunter as a Dragoon or Monster Hunter. They're who kills snakes.

Okay, no going full space marine on this one

spear
trade agreements
simple bivouac equipment (a hammock and string, for survivalist)
old maps (pathfinder products)

You do each start with one Persona and one Fate.

Bry is such an innocent mouse.

^^ That's what I like the most about Bry.

These mice make for a pretty varied palette to pick from. I could put Barton with Finn to test his independence, and push Bry into enforcement with Niall... Or Teigh can get impatient and pull Bry for a rescue in the Darkheather.

"Jasmine of Ivydale is so Jaded that she hardly bats an eye at hard calls like this. A difficult counter to our Bry's indefatigable altruism. She is too busy preventing a total economic collapse to want to give everyone what they need, much less how they want it, and a house of invalids and mole children on the edge of town isn't something she can spare resources for. Indentured service is what she would consider killing two bugs with one stone." Kent mimes pushing a millstone endlessly.

The girl in front crosses her arms. "Sounds like slavery to me, ain't that illegal?"

Kent nods to Maeve. "There's not a lot of laws, so to speak, that the Guard upholds, but we do insist that the mice of the territories be free. Bry didn't know it then, but he'd see Miss Brisbey again, after her two months..."

Looks like I never asked Bry to choose between Orator, Deceiver, or Persuader. It'll become pretty important in a bit...

Orator (fixed the sheet)

Is it just me, or have we made a seamless transition from "heated negotiations" to "possibly executed on the spot"

It's ok, Bry has anin with the scholars. Also we may need to stay to ensure everything gets done properly. Also, thank God for harvester and healer.