I’m looking for some ideas on how to challenge my solo player’s belief and instinct.
B: I am superior to all other mice in the territories. (copied from the example sheet for Sloan)
I: Never back down!
I have some ideas for the Instinct. For the next session, I was planning on taking my player to a settlement where the Guard’s authority is extremely limited. There, I would present a situation that she probably shouldn’t interfere in, matters outside of her jurisdiction. Something like a town guard abusing his power or bullying others, or a government official living in luxury while poorer mice suffer. A situation where she’ll feel really bad if she does back down, but where she’ll cause tensions to escalate between the settlement and Lockhaven if she acts out her instinct and tries to put someone in their place. In the future, I have some ideas about bringing her rival into the mix and provoking her to fight or compete when she should be focusing her attention on her mission instead.
I feel less certain about the Belief. Most of the ideas I have for challenging it are too similar to the previous Instinct ideas. Best I could think of was to have her in the company of a conceited, higher ranking mouse who will provoke her into trying to prove she’s better than them, but that feels too much like what I’m doing with the Instinct.
Do you all have any thoughts on how else I can challenge the Belief? Or should I maybe ask her to revise it to be less tied into her Instinct?
Hope you don’t mind if I hijack your thread for a related topic…
OK, so I’ve got 4 regular players in my MG game (and a 5th that’s only occasional), and I’m having trouble figuring out how to effectively and dramatically challenge their beliefs and instincts.
Chappy, the Tenderpaw
Belief: It’s not what you fight, it’s what you fight for.
Instinct: Always stay busy.
So I guess that the belief is meant to indicate that the odds don’t matter as long as the cause is just. So, to challenge that, I offer her a just cause with long odds of success? The instinct… I’m not certain how to challenge it in an interesting way. Is there any way to encourage inaction without basically taking her character out of the picture?
Louise, the Patrol Guard
Belief: Learn something new everyday, be teachable. (I’m not certain this is a good belief.)
Instinct: Plan first, then act.
The instinct here is easy; set up a situation where hesitation is tempting, but dangerous. The belief… I dunno. It seems more like a cross between an instinct and a goal to me. Should I try to work with it, or have her change it?
Laurellynn, the Guardmouse
Belief: Scout ahead, don’t be dead!
Instinct: Always grab for my quiver when I’m threatened.
I can definitely see challenging the instinct with a tense situation that could be easily exacerbated if one side perceives the other as hostile. However, the belief seems to me to be impenetrable. I can’t think of any way to challenge a policy of reconnaissance and awareness of one’s surroundings.
The fourth regular player lost his mouse in the last session, so he is creating a new mouse for the next one.
B: It’s not what you fight, it’s what you fight for.
Kenzie’s belief. I just love this as a gm. Give the player fights where he isn’t on the side of the just. Make him fight the underdogs. Set him up to oppose the righteous. And watch the player squirm, or step up and face some tough meaningful choices.
I: Always stay busy
I know some people like that. And if you are more of a lazybody they can be a pain to be around, especially at work. They give you a bad conscience, make you feel that you should be doing something useful too.
Maybe that’s something to give you ideas?
B: Learn something new everyday, be teachable.
I’m reading this as an openness to new things. She’s not stuck in her ways.
Challenging this can be quite easy, just make ‘the new thing’ that someone wants to teach her be something (seemingly) outrageous and crazy. Something that goes contrary to established custom.
B: Scout ahead, don’t be dead!
Scouting ahead might be fine, but what comes up from behind? Always thinking ahead can leave you blind from threats that’s right next to you. Since this is a belief, and not an instinct, I might be inclined to interpret it as the character is often thinking of what comes next, always planing ahead (not just scouting). And sometimes it is more important to be present in the now, not thinking of what comes next.
It seems that all thees mice might be prone to become rather stressed out. Always thinking ahead, always staying busy, constantly open to new things. Never at rest or content. That might be a common thing for the Guard, an occupational hazard. And something you can play with?
Damn, it goes right down to the Nature of mice contra the duties of the Guard. Your players have managed to distill the core of the game. :eek: