Post your characters here! More to come soon.
Hi! I might need a few days to get my character up, but he is coming!
Wow, I love the avatar - suitably spooky!
Still thinking on possible character concepts but will put something together asap.
No worries, it's still a busy time of year. We'll wait till everybody is ready before we begin.
I'll have some more information about game mechanics here soon. In the meantime, we have to decide what sort of tone we want from the game. Will we play it like a straight horror game, a humorous satire, or a combination thereof?
We also need to determine exactly the Great Mouse is! Each player should choose one tag from the following list:
Angel
Angry
Animated/Drawn
Asleep
Beast
Benevolent
Comical
Corrupt
Crazy
Cute
Dead
Demon
Destructive
Elder God
Evil
Fraudulent
Gargantuan
Greasy
Helpful
Haunting
Hungry
In Someone’s Mind
Jealous
Manipulative
Merciful
Monstrous
Mysterious
Myth/Legend (not real)
Not a Mouse
Person
Sad
Thing
Undead
Underground
Unresponsive
Vengeful
Winged
Taking harm or shock is a severe thing—and giving it to others is equally serious. If it gets to the point where you are going to break some femurs, you are in a situation that will most certainly cause harm to yourself and the character you are fighting with. This is not an “attack move” as much as it is your ability to participate in a full-on fight. There are ways to give harm as established without fighting (such as firing a pistol at a distance), but if you throw the gloves off and jump into it, expect to get hurt yourself.
Mental damage is a little harder to define. It is damage taken to your mental well-being by witnessing horror or undergoing stress. It can eventually lead to trauma and requires treatment and therapy to recover. If you witness enough, your demise may be in your head.
A character can only take 3 harm before dying, and 3 shock before going insane. What’s worse, if the character does not recuperate in time, the damage will become permanent in the form of an injury for harm and trauma for shock. Once injured or traumatized, the character can no longer recover.
Mouse Park has first aid units in various parts of the park. Characters can recover -1harm or -1shock by spending an hour there for treatment.
Additionally, characters can help each other recuperate harm or shock as follows:
• A varying amount of harm with a medical kit and the you help them, yes you do move
• A varying amount of shock with the bid your cares goodbye move
• -1harm or -1shock with a medical kit and the be bold and daring move but with a -1forward
• The accumulation of +1twinkle with the wish upon a star move
A total of +1harm or +1shock means the character is in a serious physical or mental condition. The damage must be recovered within a day or the condition will be permanent (+1injury for harm or +1trauma for shock).
A total of +2harm or +2shock means the character is in a severe physical or mental condition and must be recovered within an hour before sustaining +1injury or +1trauma.
A total of +3harm or +3shock means the character is in a critical physical or mental condition and must recover within a minute before sustaining +1injury or +1trauma.
If the character sustains an injury or trauma, choose from a list of injury and trauma tags (as appropriate). The harm or shock is now permanent. +1injury/+1trauma means a character can only ever take 2 more harm/shock, and +2injury/+2trauma means the character can only ever take 1 harm/shock. Injury and trauma tags are also a permanent part of the character.
If a character dies or goes insane, the player may choose one of the following:
• Snap back to life through the strength of your will and you are stable, but in a severe physical condition. All stats are reduced to -3 until you are healed, and you will have +1injury and +1trauma.
• Call upon the dark powers of Mouse Park to revive your spirit. You come back with no physical or mental conditions and no stat reductions, but you must choose a new personality and personality move, and you can no longer wish upon a star.
• Die and retire the character.
Player characters in Mouse Park advance as they play throughout the session and over multiple sessions. To advance, characters earn experience points either through certain stipulated moves or by failing a move’s roll. Some moves award characters with experience points for rolling well, but most of them do not. Characters will always get the option for an experience point whenever they roll a 6 or less on any move, however some moves will allow you to forfeit that experience in order to prevent some sort of drawback (such as harm or shock).
Once a character has accumulated 5 experience points, he or she can pick another move from any of their move categories.
Alternatively, the character can bank those 5 experience, and when he or she accumulates 10 total, he or she can pick any move.
A character can advance up to five times before the player must make a choice:
• Expel the character from Mouse Park in safety
• Succumb to Mouse Park and join the Great Mouse in the Abyss
• Go into Management
• Go into Retirement
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In the meantime, we have to decide what sort of tone we want from the game. Will we play it like a straight horror game, a humorous satire, or a combination thereof?
We also need to determine exactly the Great Mouse is! Each player should choose one tag from the following list:
I like Lovecraftian/Gothick horror as much as the next person, but I think that a game set in a theme park is potentially missing out if it plays it absolutely straight. I think some element of humour/satire/genre-savviness plus a helping of snark would work well.
And the Great Mouse is - among other things - Vengeful.
EDIT: The references to smartphones and so on suggest a present-day setting. Is it based in the US? Not that it really matters, but I like to do some sort of background for my characters to ground them in my head if nothing else.
Let me know if you'd like any other character background specific stuff in our profiles.
Yes, it's a modern-day setting based in the US. I actually live in Orlando, so I have a lot of first-hand experiences with the real Disney World to draw from. :)
As for your character background, you can provide as much or as little info as you'd like. You can pick from the following list of descriptors and tags, but you need not limit yourself to them.
• Life-stage (choose 1 as appropriate): kid, single, couple, family, empty nest
• Environment (choose 1): rural, small town, suburban, urban
• Gender (choose 1): male, female, transgender, do not identify, would rather not say
• Ethnicity (choose 1): Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Native American, Pacific Islander, White, Would Rather Not Say
• Income (choose 1): wealthy, upper scale, middle scale, lower middle scale, low income, poverty
• Family Mix (choose 1): no kids, only child, small family, large family
• Style (choose 1): alluring, artsy, bohemian, casual, corporate, cosplay, elegant, exotic, formal, freak, gothic, pajamas, preppy, punk, retro, rocker, rural, simple, sloppy, sporty, trendy, unusual, vibrant, youthful
• Size (choose 1): kids, XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL
Once everybody has their character made, we will determine relationships based on some questions. That will also determine your staring pal with each other.
My Great Mouse tag choice: Animated/Drawn
The great mouse is- Manipulative
More about Mouse Park:
World-famous Mouse Park was conceived and built by media mogul and visionary Elias Roy, a Midwestern man who found fame and fortune in Hollywood with his beloved cartoon Mr. Mouse and Pals. The cartoon became a global success in the 1930s and 1940s, making Roy a millionaire. He wanted to make his characters real and so set on a journey to build a revolutionary amusement park in Southern California.
Upon the groundbreaking on the autumnal equinox in 1955, the park was received with widespread praise. Roy did not lose momentum and built some of the park’s most visited attractions within the first 10 years. Sadly, Roy took his life in 1965 by throwing himself off the Princess Castle in front of thousands of guests.
Over the decades Mouse Park has been accused of many crimes, and hundreds of lawsuits have been raised over matters of guest safety and dubious “cultish” practices. There is a large group of activists that believe the park is under the influence of evil forces. Still, Mouse Park thrives as a beacon of innocence and hope in the world and is a tourist destination attracting millions every year.
Alright, here is Mortimer Isney! A slimey sleaze bag lawyer who is here to "inspect" the park and close it for good! He always hated the park after a traumatic experience that involved getting lost in the storage of the haunted house at a young age. This guy is a snake and he knows it!
Looking good, Mortimer! Now we'll see what character Wastrel will make, and if the others who expressed interest in the recruitment thread will join us here.
OK, here is Jenzhu ('Jen' or 'Jenny' to her roundeye friends) Liang, a college girl on an athletics scholarship. She's on holiday at Mouse Park, paid for by her best friend and 'crush' (Jen hasn't quite worked up the courage to make the next move) Lizzie, an all-American Valley Girl. Lizzie has just disappeared (there's no record of her leaving the Park) and Jen has been stonewalled by the Mousineer staff for long enough: it's time to do some digging of her own...
Brave +2
Stout +2
Sweet +0
Wicked -1
Wise +0
Sanguine
HOLD YOUR BANNER HIGH
Unemployed
*Works Out
*Childhood ball cap (worn, innocuous, +1 ward)
MAKE WHAT IS INSIDE OF YOU COUNT
Guest
*Mouse Park branded clothing
*Backpack
*Smartphone
CONTROL YOUR DESTINY
Age: youth
Life-stage: single
Environment: suburban
Gender:female
Ethnicity: Asian
Income: low income
Family Mix: small family
Style: sporty
Size: S
I think that is all I need (chargen for this is MUCH easier than for Pathfinder!) but if anything is missing let me know.
Also looking good, Jen! I've sent PMs to the other players who expressed interest in playing. I'll give them until tomorrow morning to respond, then we'll determine starting pal and start the game!
Hello,
Sorry lost track holidays with 2 under 2.
What is the Great Mouse? Corrupt
Age (choose 1): midlife
Life-stage (choose 1 as appropriate): empty nest
Environment (choose 1): urban
Gender (choose 1): male
Ethnicity (choose 1): Pacific Islander
Income (choose 1): middle scale
Family Mix (choose 1): large family
Style (choose 1): unusual
Size (choose 1): XXL
PAL:
Twinkle:
Phlegmatic: TELL THE TALE AS OLD AS TIME
Blue Collar: USE THIS METAL . . . LOOKING . . . THING
-- Work boots (worn, +1stout no higher than 3)
-- Worker’s jumpsuit (worn, +1armor)
-- Spouse Benjamin will come to Mouse Park within an hour if called and will follow along with you. +1sweet bonus when they are with you.
Guest: SAY A WONDERFUL PHRASE
'Leti met Ben at the Mouse Park, back in the day. It was a magical land and they took their kids when they where young, but the kids are gone and Ben is busy with his work. After retiring Leti has been hearing disturbing things about the Mouse park he has chosen to investigate, something has gone wrong The Mouse has been Corrupted.
Phlegmatic
Blue Collar
Guest
Stats:
Brave +0
Stout +3
Sweet +1
Wicked -1
Wise +0
Age: midlife
Life-stage: empty nest
Environment: urban
Gender: male
Ethnicity: Pacific Islander
Income: middle scale
Family Mix: large family
Style: unusual
Size: XXL
PAL:
Twinkle:
Phlegmatic
Blue Collar
Guest
Moves:
When you face danger with unblinking courage and push forward against the odds, roll +brave; get away, finish something before someone catches you, jump between cars on a moving roller coaster, swim through a vat of snakes, sneak up behind someone, or smash a large spider.
When you need to do something while the stakes are high, roll +brave.
• On a 10+ you keep calm and do what you need to do.
• On 7-9 your courage falters, so while you manage to do what you need to do, something else goes wrong.
• On a 6 or less, prepare for the worst.
When you want to help a player character who is in trouble or you want to make things difficult on a player character that is succeeding, roll the Pal stat you have with that character.
• On a 10+ they take +2 (get a friend unstuck) or -2 (stick it to a friend) to their roll (or to the roll that just prompted this move).
• On a 7-9, they take +1 (get a friend unstuck) or -1 (stick it to a friend) to their roll (or to the roll that just prompted this move).
• On a 6 or less you make a mess of things.
When you want to search to find something you didn’t see before, roll +wise. On a 10+ hold 2, and on a 7-9 hold 1. 1 hold can be spent to ask the Narrator one of the following questions.
• What happened here?
• What here is useful?
• How much time has passed?
• Which enemy is the biggest threat?
• Is there something secret or hidden about this?
• What or who should I be on the lookout for?
If you act on the answers, you take +1ongoing as you act using the relevant information. On 6 or less, the Narrator gives you a choice between a missed opportunity, a horrible distraction or delay, or a difficult obstacle.
When you want to physically attack someone, roll +wicked.
• On a 7+, you inflict harm according to the rating of your weapon (or if not applicable, the established dangers in the game), and your enemy inflicts their attack’s harm rating on you.
• On a 10+ choose an extra effect:
• You gain the advantage: take +1forward, or give +1forward to another player character.
• You inflict terrible harm (+1harm).
• You suffer less harm (-1harm).
• You physically force them where you want them.
• You impress, dismay, or frighten them and they get +1shock.
• On a 6 the Narrator will determine if you will suffer terrible harm (+1harm), suffer shock (+1shock), or suffer a terrible setback (-2forward).
When you want to pick up on someone’s “tell” to see if they are lying, bluffing, hiding something, really a demon mouse in disguise, is a faerie posing as a person, a four-year-old who is hiding cotton candy he stole, or any person you want to read further and check out.
When you ask something and closely observe responding behavior, roll +wise for an NPC, or +pal for a player character.
• On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. When you are talking or engaging with the person, spend your hold to ask the Narrator or the Player questions, 1 for 1.
• Are you telling the truth?
• What are you really feeling?
• What do you intend to do?
• What do you wish I’d do?
• What do you not want me to know?
• How could I get you to _______?
• On 6 or less prepare for a terrible reaction, and if missed against a player, he or she gets +1experience for not answering.
When you want to charm, persuade, manipulate, or seduce someone, tell him or her what you want to do and then roll +sweet with NPCs or roll +pal with player characters.
• On a 10+, an NPC will comply if you promise them to do something they want, a PC gets +1experience and +1pal with you if he or she complies.
• On a 7-9, an NPC will do it but only if you do something they want for them right then and there to show that you mean it; a PC will get +1pal with you if they do what you asked.
• On 6 or less, an NPC is offended or enraged at your audacity and will react accordingly; a PC gets +1experience if they decide not to do what you ask.
When you want to influence someone through intimidation, tell them how you present yourself and then roll +wicked. Roll +pal when moving against another player character.
• On a 7+ an NPC will do what you want, within reason and a PC must be bold and daring or suffer -1forward on the next move
involving you if he or she refuses
• On a 10+ choose an extra effect:
• You make the character ridiculously frightened (+1shock)
• You stun the character with your threat (-1forward for a PC, or a hesitation from the NPC)
• You make an NPC hide or run away, or you gain +1 experience if a PC agrees to do what was wanted
• On a 6 or less you fail to intimidate the NPC, and for a PC you can choose to take +1experience and suffer a -1pal with the PC, and they can do the same.
When you want to accomplish a physical feat or an act of strength or endurance, roll +stout.
• On 10+ succeed in the physical feat and take no harm yourself.
• On 7-9 you succeed in the physical feat, but must choose one of the following:
• You take +1harm
• If someone is near you, he or she takes +1harm
• You avoid harm but stumble, taking -2forward
• On 6 or less, prepare for the worst.
When you make a wish in Mouse Park to better your situation, you may choose to negate all harm, negate all shock, or reroll a die roll you just made. Every time you do this you earn +1twinkle—a debt to the powers of Mouse Park. When you get to 3 twinkles, you’ve exhausted the park’s generosity and a horrible doom befalls you causing either +1trauma or +1injury. Once you’ve suffered the trauma or injury, your debt is paid and all twinkles are then erased.
When you try to increase Pal with someone by telling a story about how successful you are, which highlights you as the most amazing person in some capacity, roll +sweet. You can do this any number of times up to +3pal, but if it is the same person you must use a different story.
• On 7+ you get a +1pal with that person.
• On 10+ they also get +1experience if they increase their Pal with you by one as well.
• On a 6 or lower the story does not work; they see through you and can take +1experience for taking -1pal with you.
Whenever you say a wonderful phrase to a Mousineer in costume, you'll get an autograph and roll +sweet. On a 10+ hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. On 6 or less, gain +1experience but you do not get an autograph. Spend your hold for an effect.
• Negate harm (1 hold for -1harm)
• Negate shock (1 hold for -1shock)
• Add a ward (1 hold for +1ward)
• Negate Twinkle (1 hold for -1twinkle)
-- Work boots (worn, +1stout no higher than 3)
-- Worker’s jumpsuit (worn, +1armor)
-- Spouse Benjamin will come to Mouse Park within an hour if called and will follow along with you. +1sweet bonus when they are with you.
-- Mouse Park branded clothing Lanyard filled with trade-able pins (worn)
-- Backpack
-- Smartphone (valuable)
I'll get the A Little Bit About Yourself part done in a day or two, ok?
Alrighty, now we need to figure out your starting pal with other characters. Figuring out your Pal stat with others is an opportunity during character creation to establish relationships with the other characters. This is especially important for the game on two levels. For cooperative storytelling, things are always more interesting when characters know each other and have some sort of past baggage or chemistry. On another level, many of the moves are affected by how well you know someone and to what capacity. When you make a move against or with another character you roll +pal and, in some cases, you use Pal instead of another stat
You may ask as many questions as you like to determine Pal scores with others. You may also choose to not ask any, but the more you ask, the better you can build relationships and the deeper the story can go.
Ask any number of these questions at the table, or none at all. A player can answer more than once, but no one can have more than +3pal or -3pal with anyone.
Which one of you would help me move if I called and paid with pizza and beer? (+2pal with that character and they can choose to either have +2pal or +0pal with you)
Which one of you did my significant other leave me for? (-3pal with that character and they can choose to have +0pal or -3pal with you)
Which one of you is my best friend at work? (+3pal with that character and they can choose to have +3pal, +0pal, or -1pal with you)
Which one of you have I done favors for to make your job easier? (+2pal with that character and they can choose to have +2pal or +0pal with you)
Which one of you turned me in to the boss for doing something wrong? (-3pal with that character and they can choose to have -3pal or +0pal with you)
Which one of you do I go to for nancial advice? (+2pal with that character and they can choose to have +2pal, +0pal, or -2pal with you)
Which one of you have I loaned a large amount of money to? (+2pal with that character and they can choose to have +3pal or +0pal with you)
Which one of you ripped me off and refuses to pay me back? (-3pal with that character and they can choose to have +0pal or -3pal with you)
will be done soon, but Henry is essentially a Jamitor (for those unfamiliar, they're musicians who appear to be janitors until they "break it down"... and then they're just awesome)
Woo, another Mousineer! That makes this a little easier:
Which one of you is my best friend at work? (+3pal with that character and they can choose to have +3pal, +0pal, or -1pal with you)
Hmm, tricky - I didn't design Jen with these sorts of questions in mind. On the other hand, films and TV rely on the most ridiculous contrivances to establish character relationships so let's go with:
Which one of you have I done favours for to make your job easier? (+2pal with that character and they can choose to have +2pal or +0pal with you)
Which one of you do I go to for financial advice? (+2pal with that character and they can choose to have +2pal, +0pal, or -2pal with you)
Which one of you would help me move if I called and paid with pizza and beer? (+2pal with that character and they can choose to either have +2pal or +0pal with you)
Oh GM!
Did you mean financial advice for that one pal question?
Nevermind, got a yes form Jen!
Yeah, financial. It got cut off due to a copy/paste error.
Heh, that was my assumption :)
The negative pal stuff... Is that for when you're trying to do stuff against another player? Like if I had -2 with a player, would that assist me if I tried to trick them in some way and/or steal something?
Negative pal makes it harder to both assist and interfere with another player. You take the penalty to your roll no matter which version of the move you are attempting.
Got it, thanks!
There was one more player who expressed interest in the recruitment thread. They may create their character and join when ready, but in the meantime while you're figuring out pal relationships, I'll go ahead and start working on the first post. The initial scenes will largely be a sandbox until you decide which attractions/investigations in the park you want to check out further.
Also, Henry, don't forget to choose a tag for the Great Mouse! So far he is Animated, Corrupt, Manipulative, and Vengeful!
@Jenzhu Liang -- 'Leti would help you move for Pizza, (not beer, you are young)
Which one of you have I loaned a large amount of money to?
Which one of you ripped me off and refuses to pay me back?
Oh yeah, I keep forgetting the US drinking age is 21 :)
EDIT: so, that gives me +2 Pal with 'Leti, yes?
Leti, when you make your first post, you can describe how you bump into Jen and Lizzie. Let's start bringing some people together. :)
Jen: Helen could be a source of financial advice for you (maybe you've talked to her on a cryptocurrency message board or something).
She'll take +2 pal with you.
@Leti
I think Mortimer ripped you off but in a completely legal way. Perhaps you or Ben were injured at work and you went to Mortimer a few years back but he tricked you with fancy lawyer talk and fine print?
Whatever the reason, you know his tricks and he knows yours, so I'll take -3 pal with Leti.
@Jen
I'll take +2 pal for you helping Mortimer with work. Perhaps you retrieved some documents from the college records for him or maybe you house sit for him from time to time?
@everyone
Unless Helen or Henry got injured and were also scamed by Mortimer, I don't think he would know them. Or maybe they agreed to meet with him to give a record on working conditions? If not, I'll just take +0 pal with them.
Also I won't be asking any pal questions except for maybe the would help move if paid in pizza and beer. Maybe as in if the other ideas don't work out or for a loose connection with Helen or Henry. We would have pal but still be strangers with it!
If you guys don't like my proposed connections, tell me so we can work on it!
@Mortimer - Sounds good! Jen probably needs a part time job to supplement her scholarship so maybe he has her on payroll? It's basic stuff, but she's chatty and friendly and extrovert: perhaps a key case hinged on getting a witness to agree to testify, and Jen managed to talk them into doing it?
She gets +2 Pal with Mortimer: Jen hasn't yet seen Mortimer's more... ruthless side, she thinks he's a reasonable boss who's polite, pays her on time and hasn't tried to get into her pants. She was happy to do him a favour; she never asked what the case was, and maybe she should have (I'll leave the details to you ^_^). I can totally believe he'd rip 'Leti off (no offence).
@Helen - works for me! Jen wants to get through college with a minimum of debt and she probably has a significant online life (extrovert). It makes sense that they've 'met' online, if not in real life.
I'll go with the Mouse Tag: Mysterious.
@Helen: totally go with best friend at work, +3pal
Henry's also the kind of guy who would help people move for pizza and beer
I apologize, I won't be able to fill everything out til Saturday (limited access tonight and tomorrow), but I'm going as quick as I can
Who are we waiting on?
Me, at the moment. I'll get a post up in a few minutes here. Mortimer and Henry are together, and I'll set up Jen and Helen. Leti can post his introduction when he's able.
Would I be able to rest for an hour to get rid of my shock? Like useing the Medical Kit rules but not actually useing a Med Kit? I say this because as far as Mortimer knows he just had a very tasty treat and wouldn't go get medical help, but I, as a player, don't want that one point of shock.
I hope that makes sense because that was the only way I could think of describing it...
Yes, you can relax to recover from the shock. Alternately, Henry has a move that might help remove it if he chooses to use it.
Failing that, you could wait in line for a ride while you are resting. Say, Pirates Landing? ;)
Now, I didn't know if I would use my wicked or sweet score for the Charm a Heart move because one of my moves says to do that, but only under kinda vague circumstances... Anyway it wouldn't matter cause I should have my Pal score which is +0 with Henry... So my real roll is a 9. I think...
Yes, the final result is 9. As part of the move, you should tell the other person what it is you want them to do. In this case, I believe you want Henry to tell you more about himself and his troupe. If Henry does so, he gains +1pal with Mortimer.
Updates for Jen and Helen later today, maybe tomorrow. Not sure how busy I will be today.
I originally planned to get you altogether before starting an incident, but it looks like there will be two separate groups dealing with concurrent initial incidents. Jen and Helen being one, Henry and Mortimer being the second.
I would like to give Leti a chance to post before I continue on. He may choose to be in the vicinity of one of the groups or on his own.
Works for me! Looking forward to seeing who dies first how it goes down :-)
Yeah, I'm trying to get Henry talking about himself while I lead him to a place to sit and chat. I'm planning to have Mortimer lead him to were every one else is.
Okay, cool. Once Henry posts, I'll move you to the line for Pirates' Landing.
Alright, I'm moving things along. When Leti is ready to post, he can be in the same boat as everybody else (literally).
So, I just read the site and it says this is still in beta?
Or did I find a old site?
But does this mean we are kinda sorta play-testing this?
Because that is awesome!
I'm pretty sure this is the final version.
To tell the truth, I'm waiting for someone else to post so I can work off of that...