I finally got to run my one shot adventure this past weekend via Fantasy Grounds and Skype. It was, by all accounts, a rousing success (though the same could not be said of their mission) and plans are currently underway for an actual campaign.
The Patrol mice for this adventure were:
- Lukis, a patrol leader who saw his family murdered during the war.
- Treacle, a scholar-turned-hunter who left his studies in Sprucetuck to join the guard when the war broke out.
- Carlien, an able sailor from Port Sumac.
I set the adventure in the Winter of 1149 following the conclusion of the Weasel War. Though the war had just ended, snow came early to the Territories and many settlements were in dire need of food and supplies. A nervous, young mouse named Finn braved the long journey from Pebblebrook to Lockhaven in the hopes of procuring such aid for his settlement. The Patrol's mission was, of course, to escort Finn and a caravan of food and building material back to Pebblebrook.
The caravan got off to a rough start on account of the weather. The deep snow made travel slow and difficult. A failed Pathfinder test by Carlien (who apparently was more accustomed to navigating his way across open water) found the caravan off track, travelling along a seldom used trail that ended at the edge of a deep ravine overlooking a frozen river. An old rope bridge lay cut and dangling useless on the far side of the ravine. After a brief discussion, the guardmice decided their best option was to shoot an arrow tied with a rope into one of the planks of the bridge at the far side (Fighter Ob 2 test) in order to haul the length of the bridge up to their side (Health Ob 3 test) and repair it (Carpenter Ob 3 test).
So Treacle set to work, firing the arrow (and rolling all successes) and easily securing the rope to the end of the bridge. The group hauled the bridge up to the near side whereupon Treacle began repairs, aided by Lukis. A brief argument arose regarding which knot was be best to use, with Treacle wanting to use a knot of his own devising (using his Inquisitive trait against himself to earn a check) while Lukis argued for a more traditional knot. In the end the knot held, though the bridge creaked ominously as the caravan passed over it. (Treacle failed the Carpentry test (tee hee!) but I ruled that the test succeeded, though the effort of repairing the bridge made him Tired. Since Lukis helped in the test, he was made Angry.)
Soon after the mice looked up to see dark clouds threatening the sky, and before long they found themselves caught in the middle of a severe snowstorm. Though they had the option of seeking shelter, the thought of the suffering inhabitants of Pebblebrook steeled their nerves, and they decided to press on. Unfortunately, Lukis and Carlien paid the price for this decision, both getting Sick from the long trek through the cold, wet snow.
At long last the storm subsided and they neared the gates of the settlement. As the caravan rounded a bend in the trail, they were suddenly greeted by ominous laughter coming from the inside of a nearby hollow log. Several cloaked and hooded mice hopped out of the log, including one ash-colored mouse armed with a large axe and shield. Lukis recognized him immediately as Gerard, the very mouse who let Lukis' family die in the war! It seems Gerard had turned bandit and was leading a group of neer-do-wells camped out nearby. The bandits were very interested in the food and supplies intended for Pebblebrook.
In another strange turn of events, Finn, the nervous mouse who had initially requested the aid, was in cahoots with the bandits. He quickly switched sides, swiftly drawing a sword carefully hidden in his cart.
Thus a fight broke out between the bandits and the Mouse Guard. The other mice in the caravan scattered as blades were drawn and the two sides faced one another. Alas, the travails of the journey weighed heavily against the Guard, and though they fought valiantly they were soon overcome by the bandits. Lukis lay dead, bleeding on the snow. Treacle and Carlien were wounded badly and left for dead, unconscious.
(I contribute the result of this fight to a surprisingly good disposition roll for the bandits followed by a surprising poor disposition roll for the patrol. The fact that they were already Tired, Sick and Angry didn't help. In addition, the players were all new to the game and as this was their first conflict they were still feeling out the rules. They did well all things considered, and managed to whittle the bandit's disposition down to about half before losing the conflict, netting them a compromise and saving two of them from death.)
Treacle and Carlien woke up soon after to find the caravan carts all missing and their patrol leader dead. Figuring I'd done enough damage I mercifully ended the GM's Turn there. Carlien, sick and injured, spent his checks in the Players' Turn to travel to Pebblebrook and seek out its leader to inform them of the bandits. He walked into a town full of miserable, half-starved mice. It seems that Finn was truthful about the condition of the town. Carlien learned that the tavern, apothecary, grain stores, even the front gates had all been demolished from repeated raids by the bandits.
Treacle, injured and tired, spent his checks attempting to track down the bandit's lair alone by following the tracks of the supply carts, though his efforts were thwarted by another storm which covered the tracks in fresh snow.
Lukis spent his checks pushing up daisies.
And so the adventure ended with very sad and discouraged mice, but with very happy players. A good time was had by all and I'm looking forward to starting up the campaign. Though we could easily continue on from this point in the story (perhaps by having the next mission be rebuilding and fortifying the town's defenses followed by a mission to track down and destroy the bandit lair) we've decided to fast forward a few years to the "present" year of 1152.
I heart Mouse Guard.
-tRR
