Need some BIG therapy

Mouse Guard It's What We Fight For
21

Silas sounds like he can be challenged when action is NOT the right move. Where caution, talk or a steady reserve is called for. Something diplomatic or delicate where trash talk will lead to complications. If I interpret correctly, his INSTINCT is trash talk, which means it’s almost always his first impression to others. Challenging trait for a patrol leader.

Laurel is tricky but it sounds like you have some traction already. You could have something where her scent tells her something which disagrees with what the others clearly see as the right path. Do they trust her or go the way their EYES tell them? Nothing says she needs to be wrong of course!

Abram sounds like one who is interested in both looking out for his fellow mice and perhaps getting praised for it. (I don’t know the player/character so can’t really say) He is setting himself up to protect others and to always be prepared to do so. Challenge this with someone who distinctly DOES NOT want or need his help, or who resents being protected (openly at least)

Brand as wanderer said will likely cause trouble with a tendency to separate. He may also fail to be present when needed or distance may make him misinterpret a situation. The belief is interesting because on its face it sounds like he’s being bold, but it is a mouse’s nature to run and hide, so THAT is what cannot be tamed. Give him a situation where fleeing or hiding may jeopardize his patrol or the mission.

22

So thank you to everyone who gave me advice and suggestions. After a two week hiatus, we’ll be mousing it up this coming Monday. I hope the GM’s Turn I have planned will challenge their BIGs in an interesting way.

I’ve been pestering the group via email to reevaluate their characters. There has been a little discussion.

So far, only the Abram player has submitted a reevaluation, and they really didn’t change much:

Belief: I believe in providing for my other mice.
Instinct: I always keep an eye out for danger.

I think I have a good idea on how to challenge the Belief, but what about the Instinct? Would this be akin to NPCs reacting nervously/badly to Abram’s constant diligence, perhaps by seeing this as suspicious behavior? Is this something like an Instinct appropriate to the wild, but trouble in civilization? Or am I over-thinking it again?

23

I could see people in civilized areas being suspicious of the mouse who is always looking over his shoulder, never sits with his back to the door, etc. What is he up to? Why is he so cautious? Is he paranoid or is their really something to be afraid of? I can see t his last being very much mouse nature to ask.

He probably doesn’t come off as a raving paranoid loon, but we’ve all known people who were just a little bit too jumpy and worried about bad outcomes.

24

Also, put him in situations where providing for the others involves being in a vulnerable position.

25

Had a session last night. After much talking, these are the remaining BIGs (minus the Gs):

Laurel, the scientist
Belief: I only need science to solve problems.
Instinct: When I smell something, I will always investigate.

Silas, patrol leader
Belief: Immediate action is always the best course of action.
Instinct: Always trash talk an opponent.

Brand, the sniper
Belief: I believe it’s better to be the hunter than the hunted.
Instinct: If there’s danger, then find cover to protect my friends.

Last night’s session was the first time I tried to actively challenge their BIGs. The on-going scenario has been the patrol conflicting with Barkstone’s militia who had annexed Pebblebrook, been politically challenging the Guard’s authority, and may or may not have nefarious dealings with weasels.

At the moment, the patrol had tried and failed to rescue three harvesters who had been unjustly imprisoned by Barkstone’s militia.

They had one last change to free them, as the militia moving the three harvesters from house arrest to Barkstone’s jail. The militia escort was also being lead to an on-going enemy of Silas, the patrol leader.

To challenge them, a grain silo caught fire right at the moment the patrol was going to attack the militia escort.

The intent was to challenge the patrol leader’s tendency to act now and think later as well as to derail their several-session-long goal to free the three harvesters.

Also, I wanted to challenge Abram’s desire to assist those in need versus his personal relationship with the three harvesters. (Unfortunately, Abram’s player was out sick, so I never got a chance to see what he would choose.)

Third, Laurel’s player has that scent instinct, so I described the fire in scent terms.

Lastly, I also wanted the Brand player to choose between coming out into the open to assist those stuck in the fire or to stick to his plan to provide cover fire against the militia escort.

I personally had mixed feelings about the session for reasons I don’t quite understand (yet).

The end result was that Laurel went off on her own to deal with the fire and rescue the fire victims, while Brand and Silas continued with their assault against the militia escort. Both Brand and Silas were captured (although Brand managed to escape during the Player’s Turn) and Laurel ended up Injured while helping stop the fire.