First of, Ahem;
I run a game for my group, using the Mouse Guard rules in a D&D-esque setting (with some Hacks on Nature and Magic). We only recently switched into MG because after a while, we realized that the tactical gaming aspect of D&D was all fun and good, but we really were more interested in the story and characters. MG allowed us to progress through key scenes that ‘matters’ much quicker, and rewarded good storytelling instead of good strategies - even the most tactical-minded of my group was convinced that MG was the way for us to go. So here we are!
To sum it up, the story arc was coming to a close after the campaign’s “Original Three Members” came together again (We rotate the team rosters around, because we have quite a large group and hectic time table). I saw this opportunity as golden, and their mission was to hunt down an Illithid - a monstrous humanoid with strange powers and octopus-like head whom they have crossed paths with multiple times, all of which the Illithid would do all kinds of nasty things to them. This was their moment to dish it all back.
After some Pathfinding and Scouting around, the GM’s turn comes to a climax with a Fight! Conflict with the Illithid to subdue and capture it, alive. Tensions were high.
The players’ had Fighter 3 to 5, some of them were both Injured and Sick, while the Illithid was running around, throwing psychic brain crush with it’s Nature 9. The overwhelming odds made everything better as players depleted their resources, traits, persona and fate to squeeze out ever dice they could get. Outnumbered, and strokes of bad luck brought the Illithid to disposition 0, having brought the first players’ team to 0, and the other one to a 1.
Everyone cheered when I announced they had won the conflict, but then quite shocked (they’re new) that I could ask for Major Compromises. I decided that first, the Illithid would die right off. They loose any information they may have been able to gain from it - which was critical enough. I almost stopped there, but I went further. I reasoned that this guy was your nemesis, the big boss. I wanted the Illithid to make a mark on the players, even after death.
So the final verdict was, the party’s Wizard/Fighter lost his ability to cast spells, and the sharp-eyed ranger went blind. During the conflict, they both had been brain crushed - as in, bled through their ears and eyes and writhed in agony for a while.
The compromises were very harsh, I thought, but the players seem very satisfied with the results. They now have scars that remind them of a terrible enemy they bested - apparently, to them, it also felt like a trophy.
Was the magic lost and blindness too harsh? Was the death of the Illithid, instead of it’s capture, enough to work for a Major Compromise? Or was this all just golden, and all the more reasons we should continue playing with Mouse Guard rules.
I don’t think we will turn back on the results, but I just wanted to hear some thoughts on my call for how Compromises work. Cheers.
