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[RECRUITING CLOSED] [Mouse Guard PbP] The Long Road to Copperwood - OOC
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My goal is to look at your character and say, "Oh, so this is what you believe, huh? What if I do this? Do you still believe it now? What if I do this?
One of the guys in the "real life" group I'm running, right? His character's Belief is to "Do what needs to be done, for the good of the Territories." So pushing against his Belief is easy: maybe his Patrol's on-hand when a prominent Archivist's office catches fire? It quickly spreads, dancing from rooftop to rooftop, and begins to engulf a tavern, full of mice. On the one hand, those mice need help immediately. On the other hand, that Archivist's office is full of grand trade agreements, peace treaties, first-hand historical accounts of Wars-gone-by, etc -- stuff that's ridiculously important to the Territories, and likely irreplaceable.
There isn't time to think. There isn't time to save both.
Which do you choose?
So again, that's pretty easy for me. I can see that his Belief says he's willing to "do what needs to be done, for the good of the Territories", but will he still believe that when there are people in immediate, mortal danger? Well, I don't know: that's what makes the story interesting.
So try to keep all of that in mind, when you're designing your Beliefs.
In regard to Instincts? Try to come up with stuff that's (again), easy for me to work with. But also, try to make it something that we'll actually get to see. Pretty often, if possible. Look at Saxon's Instinct, in the game manual. It's something to the effect of, "Whenever there's trouble, I draw my sword."
That's awesome. Not only is it cinematic, but there's also a lot of room for conflict. It's totally bad ass for Saxon to unsheath his blade as soon as he senses he's about to walk into an ambush along the road, but it's probably not a good idea for him to brandish it during a tense negotiation, when tempers begin to flare. Imagine the group's trying to defuse a nasty situation, right? The guy you're talking to is being rude, maybe even a little threatening. What does Saxon do? You can imagine everyone at the table looking at Saxon, and thinking, "Dear God, please don't draw your sword on this guy!"
But that's his instinct! His gut-reaction to trouble, or danger, is to pull that sword out. Also, his belief is something like, "Answers can be found at the tip of my sword". So it's especially appropriate for that character to draw that weapon and threaten somebody in a situation like that. It may not be what's best for the mission, but it's certainly what's best for the character.
Again, this is what makes Mouse Guard so much fun.
Name: Roric
Age: 50
Rank: Patrol Leader
Belief: We're only mice, nothing more.
Though it sounds defeatist at first blush, Roric's belief is more about knowing and accepting your limits than giving up without trying. "As a mouse, and nothing more, what are my chances of succeeding here?" is always a question worth considering before committing to a course action.
Instinct: Never miss a chance to rest and resupply.
A rested, well-fed, focused mouse is a successful mouse. A tired, hungry, exhausted mouse is little better than no mouse at all. If you can spare the time to eat, drink, sleep, and prepare, do it.
I think these two make Roric a very pragmatic, patient, cautious character, perfect for offsetting fiery tempers and rash actions that could lead to dire consequences if left unchecked. I'm thinking he'll strive to keep the patrol from getting into situations over their head, and make sure they take care of themselves and keep fighting fit.
On the other hand, naturally, his attitude is going to be problematic when the patrol needs to accomplish something that might be excessively risky or close to (or beyond) their expected limits. If sudden haste is needed, Roric could also be slow to react with appropriate speed, wagering that it's better to show up late and in good health than on time and weary. It'll be up to the other mice to convince Roric their mission is worth rushing into or that the reward is worth the risk when danger rears its head.
I just have to come up with a situation in which your character might question whether or not he's more than just a mouse. I think I can do that by putting Roric in positions where he might be tempted to go against his Nature. Mice are timid, fearful creatures by default. And the higher the Nature score, the more "mouse-like" our characters are. With Roric, I think I can pretty easily come up with some situations in which he might be asked to be brave and resolute - to break through the barrier of his own mouse-like nature and make him realize that he may be more than "just a mouse".
Does that sound appropriate? Does it sound like a good "challenge" to your belief?
Belief: All for one, and one for all.
Basil does believe in backing up his fellows. He learned early on to protect his friends regardless of the scrapes they got themselves into. If one of the crew had a crazy scheme, he went all in.
Instinct: Don't rat on your crew.
There were severe consequences for snitches. As a result, he will not inform on his crew to superiors, no matter the consequences.
I think these can be used for in positive and negative ways to create drama and tension for Basil.
MD, did you want to send the supplement to everyone?
Yeah, that's exactly the kind of challenges I was thinking of when I made that trait. Anything that forces Roric to confront his limits and spit in the eye of the odds or buckle under the pressure is going to be relevant to his Belief.
I figured when he follows it, it's going to be good for avoiding unnecessary conflicts and disappointment. When he defies it, however, shit's gonna be awesome.
I like your belief and instinct a lot, Jake. They strike me as really similar, though. That's my only concern. Your belief in "All for one, and one for all" shows that you have a strong sense of brotherhood with your patrol. You yourself said that "he learned early on to protect his friends, regardless of the scrapes they got themselves into". I would think, and correct me if I'm wrong here, that "don't rat on your crew" might be redundant in this situation, since you already believe that ratting on them is wrong. You know?
You can keep your Instinct exactly how it is, if you'd like, however. It definitely still works just fine. That's just my observation.
[edit] Oh! I don't have everyone's email address. Jake, if you want to message everyone the supplement, go right ahead. It was a really good read. Thanks again for that.
My initial thought was to tie the Belief into Basil's Bold trait. I may be trying to shoehorn him into something that I shouldn't just because I like the terminology. I will mull this over and likely have a change up later today. Perhaps a more cynical belief is in order for him due to his life circumstances.
Thanks for the feedback.
If the rest of you want to send me your email addresses, I can send you the supplement.
Belief: Trust the Guard, never a politician.
The situation in Flintrust is lagely one of political and trade corruption. At least, this is what Basil has been told growing up. Nothing he has seen since has changed his mind on that matter.
Instinct: Provide for those in need.
This is the instinct that drove Basil into a shortlived life of crime. His desire to provide for his family made him pursue desparate ploys. He can get distracted by this desire to help, although he would never admit to it. He has a rough persona to maintain after all.
I delved into the roots of what drove Basil to his criminal choices to get his base belief and instinct. He is a better character for it. he made poor choices and people were hurt, but for a good cause in his mind. Now he wants to redeem himself.
I hope these will be better from a GM standpoint as well.
Gareth, Tenderpaw, Aged 16
Fur color: Brown with grey shading throughout.
Parents: Myelise and Caleb
Senior Artisan: Anna Liddle, Cartographer.
Mentor: Lane Sounder of Port Sumac, Patrol Guard.
Friend: Lilah, 32, Healer of Ironwood. On his way to Lockhaven for the start of his Mouse Guard career, Gareth spent a few weeks of the summer season in Ironwood. Hot temperatures amid an unnaturally long drought sparked a fever that affected young and old. Though he himself knew little about the healing arts, Gareth was able to work with Lilah, finding and delivering large amounts of the rare herbs she needed to treat the town's sick. She attributed many saved lives to his tireless efforts and swore she would one day return the favor.
Enemy: Bryce Anthos of Sprucetuck, 18, Guardmouse. The Anthos family is a large mouse family from Sprucetuck. Bryce was supposed to be Anna Liddle's newest apprentice before Gareth's "incident", but lost his apprenticeship to make room for Gareth. For the next two years he was relegated to the Stonemasons and he blamed the dramatically increased physical nature of the work solely on Gareth.
Health 6
Nature 4
Will 2
Resources 3
Circles 1
Traits!
2 Brave
2 Natural Bearings
2 Wolf's Snout
Skills!
3 Pathfinder
3 Survivalist
2 Cartographer
2 Cook
2 Harvester
2 Hunter
2 Miller
2 Persuader
2 Scout
2 Weather Watcher
Wises!
2 Spices-wise
Questions and Answers
Yes. Living close to the frontier can sometimes mean scarcity of resources. It only takes one lean winter to be convinced of the virtues of avoiding a second.
When confronted, do you stand your ground and fight?
Yes. Strong, proud and stubborn, Gareth learned at an early age to maintain a stout front. Though this occasionally gets him into trouble, he prefers it to the appearance of cowardice.
Do you fear owls, weasels and wolves?
No. Gareth has always felt a strong sense of curiosity about the Wild Country and views larger predators as problems to be solved rather than disasters to be avoided.
Birthplace and Life Experiences:
Wolfpointe. Gareth spent his childhood growing up on the edge of the Territories. The rough surroundings and proximity to the Wild Country taught him some harsh, yet vital lessons. (Trait: Wolf's Snout. Skill: Survivalist.)
Pick an area in which you're naturally talented.
As a child, Gareth spent a lot of time with his parents, learning their trades. From his mother, he learned how to navigate wild terrain and the important things to look for. His father enjoyed taking the simple products of his mill and turning them into delicious meals, an enthusiasm that Gareth quickly adopted. (Cook and Pathfinder)
What are your parents' trades?
Gareth's mother, Myelise, is a talented Harvestmouse who brings in herbs and rare plants to supplement the family trade. Caleb, his father, operates a mill in Wolfpointe that enjoys a steady patronage. Growing up, Gareth actively assisted both of his parents in their daily responsibilities. (Harvester, Miller)
How do you convince people that you're right or to do what you need?
As he grew older, Gareth spent more and more of his free time foraging outside of town. As he began to trade the valuable things he'd find he learned how to successfully argue and haggle in his favor. (Persuader)
With whom did you apprentice for the Guard? What was that mouse's trade?
An early "incident" that occured shortly after Gareth's arrival to Lockhaven prompted his assignment to the Cartographer's guild. (Cartographer)
What did your Mentor stress in training?
Pathfinder, Survivalist.
What kind of experience do you have in the Guard?
When not fulfilling his duties as a tenderpaw, Gareth chose to focus his free time studying previously unpracticed subjects related to outdoorsmanship and exploration. (Scout, Hunter, Weather Watcher)
Resources:
Yes. In return for the gift of knowledge gained, Gareth is happy to Harvest, Mill and even Cook for the Guard.
Are your parents smiths, politicians, merchants or apiarists?
No. Most of the mice in wolfpointe have lesser aspirations.
Do you like to buy gifts for yourself and your friends?
No. While not exactly miserly, Gareth would rather assist a friend in difficulty than spend money on them.
Are you thrifty?
No. Gareth is not usually concerned with finding the very best deals.
Have you ever been in debt? Or are you generally bad with money?
No. Gareth knows the value of his money and usually lives within his means.
Do you always pack carefully for a journey, ensuring you have everything you need?
Yes. Gareth's fascination with exploration and charting the unknown is best served by being well prepared.
Circles:
Not especially. Gareth is not the most outgoing of mice. He doesn't actively turn people away but he is generally absorbed in his studies. He seems to be driven by some inner desire, though in spite of this he does have a few friends outside of wolfpointe.
Do you have strong ties to the Guard?
No. Gareth is the first of his family to join the Guard and the first from wolfpointe to do so in quite a long time.
Has your character accomplished some great task in the Guard? Does he already have a reputation?
Yes. Gareth has not yet had much time for great tasks but he is already known in some circles as a mouse driven to explore. Within his first few days at Lockhaven he somehow found the time to make a personal map of the city, including marking down the locations of a few secluded storage rooms and trap doors. This map caused some stir when it was first discovered and was the prime factor in determining which trade he would be apprenticed to. It also ultimately earned him the emnity of Bryce Anthos.
Does your character have powerful enemies in the Territories?
No. Gareth, and by extension his family, have no contacts or enemies of note in the main Territories.
Has your character ever been convicted of a crime?
No. Gareth generally is not swayed by the prospect of easy yet illegitimate profit and usually has no trouble controlling his emotions.
Is your character a loner, tough and cool?
Yes. Gareth doesn't consider himself to be especially tough or cool but his personality reads as aloof to others.
Traits:
Bravery. One could never say Gareth is not up to a challenge, no matter what it is. Whether something as simple as standing up to the neighborhood bully or as vast as exploring the great unknown, Gareth never backs down from opportunity.
Choose something you learned or inherited from your parents.
Natural Bearings. As she took him into the outskirts of Wolfpointe and beyond whilst gathering herbs and supplies, Gareth's mother passed on her knowledge of the best ways to keep one's sense of direction.
Instincts and Beliefs will be written up after dinner tonight!
Edit: On the topic of possible connections to the other Patrol members. I wanted to firm up the relationship between Gareth and Lane so I decided that (since we both apprenticed in Cartography) Gareth studied under the daughter of the Artisan that apprenticed Lane. I was going to make it the same mouse but then I realized there's a 40 year age gap between Gareth and Lane and that would be one Methuselah-like mouse =)
Hopefully you don't mind me making these connections, @The Everyman.
Edit: Resources and Circles get bumped up by 1?
I think everyone here is familiar with how Mouse Guard games run, but I'll go ahead and give you a refresher:
MG games have two phases: a GM's Turn, which consists of approximately 2 Conflicts, and then a Player's Turn, which ends when the players have used up all of their Checks. Everyone gets 1 Check automatically (along with 1 Fate and Persona Point -- go ahead and read up on those in the books, if you're not familiar), and you earn additional Checks by playing against your Traits. There are 3 ways in which you can do this:
1. You can Impede yourself to earn 1 Check. You may invoke a trait to impede yourself and subtract 1 die from your current roll. You may use this for Independent and Versus tests.
2. You can hurt yourself, in order to give your opponent a +2 die bonus to his current roll. You may only Hurt yourself in Versus tests. This earns you 2 Checks.
3. Finally, you can break a tie in your opponent's favor by invoking a trait. This means he passes, and you fail. You may only Break Ties on Versus tests. This gains you 2 checks.
Now, why would you want to do that to yourself? Because in Mouse Guard, you can "fail" a Conflict and not die. You can "fail" a test and still actually "win", but with a twist or status effect tacked on. For example, maybe your Mouse has the Extrovert trait. He's generally likeable, makes friends easily, and talks a lot. Sometimes maybe too much? I know that, in my life, I've met some people who were Extroverts who really irritated me because they always have to be the center of attention and they never seem to shut the fuck up. So maybe play off of that. If you're in a Negotiation, let's say, and the mouse you're talking to seems quiet, jaded, etc, then you might say, "Hey, being an Extrovert might actually play against me here. I'll use my trait to Impede my next action!"
You do this because it makes the story more interesting, the characters more three-dimensional, and because checks are awesome. You use Checks to fuel your actions during the Player's turn. During the Player's Turn, the GM has basically no control over the action: the PLAYER'S are telling ME where they want to go, who they want to talk to, etc. The catch is that each thing they do basically costs them a Check. So the more checks you have, the more control you have over the story in a broad sense.
During the GM's turn, though, he basically has complete control. It's not like D&D, where it's very much a collaborative effort the whole way through: on the GM's turn, he essentially narrates what you're doing, where you're going, what your mission is, etc. He'll put you up against a Conflict, a test, etc, and then you're in control. It's very much "on rails" during the GM's turn, but that gets flipped completely around during the Player's Turn, so it all evens out.
Any questions about that?
Oh! And, you know what? I think I've mentioned this before, but I don't care about using online dice rollers. I just don't. Mouse Guard is a game where you can fail and still win. If people feel like they need to cheat in an environment like that, then whatever. Just tell me what you roll, and I'll believe you. I trust you guys, but please don't abuse that, lol.
Also, I suggest everyone get really familiar with the Conflict section of the book. Especially in regard to choosing actions like Attack, Maneuver, Defend, and Feint. I'm a little unsure of how we're going to do that in an online game. When we're all around a table, I just write my actions on a piece of paper, the patrol writes down their actions, and then we reveal them at the same time. How do you guys think we should handle that in a play-by-post?
As players, we should first determine the type and order of the combat actions. Then we will need to describe our mouse's combat action.
With the combat order and actions of both sides determined, MD, or someone else could concoct a unified combat narrative.
Name: Lane Sounder
Age: 54
Home: Port Sumac
Fur Color: Black, greying at the chin, chest, and paws
Rank: Patrol Guard
Cloak Color: Maroon
Belief: When it's do or die, you can only rely on yourself.
Lane is a loner and a nomad, spending more time alone wandering the Territories each season than he spends in town a whole year. This has made the oldfur self-reliant to a fault; if there's something important to be done, you can be sure Lane will want to take care of it himself.
Instinct: Protect the weak and young at any cost.
In all his years with the Guard, Lane has seen more than a few guardmice lose their lives in duty. The first and last tenderpaw he mentored was slain on an autumn mission gone bad, a memory not easily carried by the greying patrol guard. Lane sees it as his duty to see the next generation of the guard safely on.
Parents: Guard Captain Ambrose {Deceased} & his wife Captain Lynda Sounder, Cartographer
Lane's father Ambrose served in the Mouse Guard for his entire life, becoming one of the master trailblazers and mapmakers in Lockhaven. He met his wife Lynda Sounder on a mission to Port Sumac. She captained a sailing ship named the Sumac Crab, and the pair were responsible for mapping most of the northern coast. The two would marry and have a son and three daughters. Ambrose would retire as a Guard Captain and passed away many years ago. Lynda serves on the captains' council in Port Sumac, where she and Lane's three sisters and their families reside.
Senior Artisan: Joan Liddle {Deceased}, Cartographer
Joan was a dusty, timid mouse that preferred the shelter of Lockhaven's walls to the open trail. While Lane was an eager Tenderpaw itching to explore the Territories, Joan helped teach him the more mundane and important aspects of mapmaking done inside at a desk rather than out in the underbrush. Joan's daughter Anna continues her work today.
Mentor: Patrol Leader Rowan Copperpaw {Deceased}, Fighting
A lifelong friend of his father's, Rowan was a fierce, no-nonsense mouse who had been the veteran of dozens of battles. “You can't help no one if you're dead, so don't be afraid to shed some blood if it means getting back here alive,” she often told Lane. Rowan gave Lane a maroon cloak, the dark deep color of rhus juice from Port Sumac berries. She knew Lane had his father's wanderlust, but no matter how far he ranged Rowan wanted him to be reminded of home, and what he was fighting for.
Friend: Guardmouse Brandt Sesame, Archivist at Lockhaven
Brandt was one of the last tenderpaws mentored by Lane's father. The two guardmice became friends, and grew close after Ambrose's passing. Brandt is a bookish sort, and became a Junior Archivist in Lockhaven. The pair also have a close professional relationship, Lane supplying updated maps for Brandt's project in the Archives, and Brandt helping Lane's research on unmapped regions.
Enemy: Huck Morrow, Armorer from Copperwood
Cole was the elder brother to Huck Morrow, and was the first mouse Lane would mentor. During the course of a bad mission turned dangerous, Cole lost his life. After the incident, Lane left Lockhaven in the winter and vanished into the fringes of the Territories for nine whole seasons before reporting back to the Guard. Huck has forever blamed Lane for his sibling's death and sees Lane's disappearance as an admission of guilt. While the Morrow family has accepted Lane's apologies, Huck still holds a black, ugly grudge.
Abilities
Nature 5
Will 4
Health 4
Resources 5
Circles 4
Save for winter? Yes (+1)
Stand and fight or run and hide? Fight (+0)
Fear owls, weasels, wolves? Yes (+1)
Resources
Patrol Guard (3)
In Winter, do you still practice a trade like weaving, smithing, or pottery for the Guard? No (+0)
Are your parents smiths, politicians, merchants, or apiarists? No (+0)
Do you like to buy gifts for yourself and your friends? No (+0)
Are you thrifty? Yes (+1)
Have you ever been in debt? Or are you generally bad with money? No (+0)
Do you always pack carefully for a journey, ensuring you have everything you need? Yes (+1)
Circles
Patrol Guard (3)
Is your mouse gregarious? Does he have lots of friends? Does he make friends easily? No (+0)
Do you have strong ties to the Guard? Perhaps a family tradition, or allies within the Guard? Yes (+1)
Has your character accomplished some great task in the Guard? Does he already have a reputation? Yes (+1)
Does your character have powerful enemies in the Territories? No (+0)
Has your character ever been convicted of a crime? No (+0)
Is your character a loner, tough and cool? Yes (-1)
Skills
Fighter 4
Healer 3
Pathfinder 4
Survivalist 4
Weather Watcher 2
Persuader 2
Cartographer 3
Herb-wise 2
Trail-wise 2
Night-wise 2
Port Sumac (Weather Watcher / Tough)
Pick an area in which you are naturally talented.
Survivalist
What was your parents' trade?
Cartographer
How do you convince people that you're right, or to do what you need?
Persuader
With whom did you apprentice for the Guard? What was that mouse's trade?
Joan the Cartographer
What did your Mentor stress in training?
Mentor Rowan stressed Fighting
What kind of experience do you have in the Guard? (Patrol Guard: 8pts)
Fighter x2
Pathfinder x2
Healer x2
Survivalist x2
What's your Specialty?
Pathfinder
Traits
Tough 1
Oldfur 1
Gear
Hook and line, shield, light armor, pipe, territory maps, papers and ink
And that's a ballin' character write-up, Everyman. Dang.
I agree with Jake and don't see a problem just posting our actions and comparing them to whatever MD decided.
Shouldn't the player making the roll decide the actions, after consulting with those on his team?
[edit] Also! Let me know, either in this thread or the IC thread, when your character is ready to leave Lockhaven. I'd like to let everyone post a little during this phase, but I know we're all eager to get out on the road. When everyone's told me they're good to go, we'll head out.
About actions; I'm comfortable with describing my/our actions and then having MD come in with his. No need to get overly technical trying to work out a different solution to that.
About my lack of posting; I am a terrible human being. Getting caught up with the IC thread now and I'll have a posting up this morning for sure.
Belief: "There is nothing so difficult that it cannot be overcome."
Instinct: "Never back down from a challenge."
They're pretty directly related to each other and I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
During the winter lull, the funereal feeling that pervaded Lockhaven was suffocating. While he did not have many friends that perished, his mentor did. So many ceremonies and dirges and speeches begin to cloud over a mouse's gregarious disposition. The good friends that Basil had made during his short career made the dull months endurable. Basil was not the only mouse in the territories give the choice of jail or the Guard. Gambling with these same friends, however, has taken it's toll on Basil's wealth. He is back to his pauper status, but he is sure the next big score is around the corner. Now he has to get out on patrol to scavenge up a little scratch for the table.
Basil is curious who he will be teamed up with for the spring season. His former patrol was disbanded to replace fallen mice in other patrols. He is sure Gwendolyn has her reasons. Whatever.
@the_jake_1973 , did you mean to post that in the IC thread?
Sound good?
Since Roric's only other option is Defending, it'd be nice to team up with someone who can dish out some Attack damage and take advantage of any successful maneuvers Roric manages to eke out.
For our goal, I think we could try and kill it, but if it gets a compromise it's probably going to take one of us down with it, or our bard (and then who will tell tales of our bravery?)
Simply driving it off will be sufficient for Roric, if that means we can keep our group safer. Best case scenario it learns that mice ain't nothin' to fuck wit' and steers clear of them until it migrates north for the summer. Almost as good with less chance of dying horribly.
Basil would support Roric and the bard as a way of defending those in need and a way to prove himself to the Leader.
"Whitley!" Basil calls out to the frightened bard, "stay with Roric or you'll be singing from the shrike's gullet."
"Sorry for not seeing it sooner, boss. I think we can use the spiky branches to drive it off, though." Basil suggests as he is uncoiling the rope and scanning the dark sky for their feathered adversary.