Hello again!
I was thinking of using Gwendolyn in one of the adventures, but have found nothing on her relationships in the main rulesbook. Could some brave soul fill me in (having not read the comics), please, on her marital status, if any, or does she have syblings, children, who her friends & allies are, etc.?
A BIG THANKS in advance!
G
Why not just make up what’s appropriate for your game?
Hi there
I was trying not to go against the canon. Didn’t wanna botch it by inventing something impossible.
Thanks
G
This is the part in which I turn into a giant game designer nudge: Page 14 has a nice little note about canon. The game’s yours, do what you like.
As far as what you’re asking, I’ve only seen her as single. She’s friends with Brand and Riobin.
Like I said, you should changer her in order to best challenge your players’ Beliefs!
I write here about making Gwendolyn yer own for each game:
http://www.burningwheel.org/forum/showthread.php?t=7036
I think figuring out if she is truly noble or if she is biding her time to set herself up as Queen of the Territories is a neat thing to figure out. I liked toying with her history as a guardsmouse, having her old fellow guardsmice pop up in the midst of adventures and have strong opinions about her if it suited the game.
Thanks again. Is there any mention of her age or how she’s been Matriarch? BTW, am I correct to assume that Matriarchy is the “last step” in the Guard Mouse Rank ladder? Hmmm. Think about all those frustrated high rankin’ oldfur male Guardmice, wanting to run the show…
G
As far as I know, the position is Matriarch. That means the position is only held by female Guardmice.
According to David Petersen (follow the URL and click on Gwendolyn), she’s been the Matriarch for a long time – she was very young when she was raised to the position.
Maybe I didn’t explain myself clearly:
…All those male mice coveting her power, wanting her to fail… envying her - itching to kill the status quo & install a new form of government in the Guard. That sort of thing. Hidden enemies. Machismo.
G
Sounds like some good grist for a game.
Sounds like Midnight (or anyone else like him) to me.
Or maybe not out-and-out plotting, but still frustrated and bitter. They might have really believed in how it worked in years gone by, but now you hear them grumbling things like, “What can she do that I can’t?” or, “She’s made a lot of bad decisions over the years, you know–mistakes I wouldn’t have made,” or, “Why does it always have to be a Matriarch, just because ‘it’s tradition’?” You could just push the tension and resentment without pushing it all the way to open rebellion.
You have crystallised my thoughts eloquently.
G
I take liberties with Gwendolyn but I keep her as true to the canon as possible. I like the fact that females are only in that position. And yes in the first comic series FALL 1152 (anyone who plays the RPG SHOULD have a copy of this collected series in hardcover.) Midnight attempted to rise up and take control.
So it is definitely not unheard of that other mice and even another Weasel War could be on the horizon. Also there are some Mouse towns and cities that are not always that obliging to the Guard. So there is lots of room to play with this.
As far as Gwendolyn’s family that is unknown and could be definitely made up. Unless we see more of her history when the next comic series by David Petersen is started. But for now she is not married and has no children. She is also hoping to find someone to be her heir at some point. As has already been said you can make it up however you wish.
Ultimately its your game and whatever helps to tell the story you and your players are wanting to be a part of then all is good.
Hey thanks for the input!
G
Gwendolyn:
In the last issue of Winter there is a hint about her relationship status…or where it may be heading.
I’m in full support of what Luke said in that, it’s your adventure, have fun and make it up as you go…just keep your players happy (happy to play, not happy because everything is going perfectly with their characters)
However if you want to follow the as-yet-unwritten Gwendolyn info, here’s what I can give you:
While I did say that she was young when she took the mantle of being the Matriarch, I did not say how long she has been so or how old she is in the current story. But you can bank on that she was Matriarch for the last several years.
As for ‘why’ it’s always a female: tradition. I may elaborate at some point if I think it makes for good story info, but at this point ‘tradition’ is all you really need.
Re: Males becoming bitter, sure it could happen, though with many traditions, when that is the only way you have ever known life to be, you never feel the need to question it…it just IS. So I’d say the majority of males seek to serve and become the best, most high ranking, Guard that can honorably serve the Matriarch as the height of ranks. Some may even want to be her mate.
and that is about all I can give. I have not nailed down her family or origin town etc yet, but I do have plans for a story showing her early days as Matriarch if not also her ‘swearing in’ as it were. I also have her future mapped out pretty well, but can’t share it yet.
So again, take what you want from this, but have fun and come up with whatever you need to in order to run the best adventure you can.
Heyas!
Straight from the author’s mouth, yay!!!
A DOUBLE SCOOP of thanks!!!
Gugudada