After googling some Mouse Guard art, one of the folks playing in my game starting this week asked if he could take the skill and have a pet bee. I said, sure.
Now the question is, other than using it to enhance story and dialog, any suggestions (both from the comics and not) on what it could actually do for him or trouble it might cause him? I hadn’t initially considered making beekeeping a huge aspect of the game, and I don’t necessarily think he wants to continue spending tons of time on the trade.
Perhaps scouting? Checking for danger?
What about social situations - would it be seen as a positive cool thing, or as a social weird thing?
Looking at Bee Nature on page 206 (Buzzing Around, Pollen Hunter, Swarm), I don’t see a whole lot of usefulness the bee could provide in average game situations. That being said, if the bee had some rudimentary training, he could serve as gear or help for tasks related to the bee’s nature, or perhaps even stretch it into pathfinder and scout tests, if there was a way to connect the task to bees’ innate sense of direction.
Also, I’d have to think this would be a “social weird thing” among other mice. To a certain extent, cultivating bees already is something that’s pretty far outside what mice are inclined toward naturally. Having a pet bee buzzing alongside would be even more unusual.
By the way, a player in my current game wanted the exact same thing when our campaign started. In the end, we didn’t go in that direction, but now they have a pet whistle pig, so who was I to stand in their way?
Ah, good find. I haven’t been through the book enough to have thought to look there.
I think in the end he’ll have it, but unless he makes a convincing explanation that Bee nature will come in handy, that’s about it. Maybe make for some odd conversations… his concept I think is about being an oldfur, so I think the odd thing might fit the character as an eccentric mouse about to retire but just can’t bring himself to give up the adventures…
What I like about the Trait idea is that it’s easy to implement. Have the guardmouse take the Trait “Beekeeper” (or whatever he or she wants to call it) and it’s clear how it will be used in play.
The subdued whistle pig was acquired as the result of a conflict compromise. I told them that, with a successful loremouse check in the players’ turn, they will be able to use the whistle pig as gear for tests involving tunneling, digging, burrowing, and foraging (i.e. tasks connected to the woodchuck’s nature). Further loremouse tests will allow them to do more influence over it.
I don’t think this is in line with Mouse Guard’s tone, but I’ll go along with something the players are excited about.
