Mausritter Solo Actual Play Mousey Wizard Ep2

Episode 2

When we last left Anise, she was in the hamlet of Stumpsville, having just received a stone tablet for the Grand Library to study.   A gang of eight Dedratz came into the village, and they attempted to capture Anise.  She tried to flee and was forced to fight. Luckily for her, the mayor, blacksmith, and blacksmith’s apprentice came to her aid.  Though they all got wounds, they were successful in chasing off the rats.

Bold text: mechanics
Italics text: Roleplaying
Plain text: Out of character explanation

Materials: Mausritter Core Book, OPSE, Bernpyle #3,  Oak Mill Institute by MatthewSteakHam, Knave 2e

Set the Scene

Following the battle, the 3 village mice were taken to the healer to recover. Since her wounds were superficial, the village offered to let her rest in the small inn located in the village, The Crooked Wedge [6,3 Taverns/inns]. They provided her with their specialty meal, fresh buttered bread [9 specialty meal].  She rests throughout the remainder of the afternoon watch, and decides to go visit the wounded mice  who had helped her during the battle. Scene Complication [d6=1 Hostile forces oppose you.  Dang it]

The sun was just beginning to set in the evening when Anise decided it was nigh time to go and pay the heroic villagers who helped her a visit. She made her way through the dusty roads carved into the stump, to a small hut inset into the wall of the wood.  She knocked softly, in case they were resting.  She heard a deep voice say, “Come in.”

She entered the hut and saw three cots aligned against the wall, each occupied by one of her saviors. The healer was not present at the moment.  “Well, look who it is…”

What’s the mayor’s attitude toward Anise?  Does he blame her for what happened? Oracle Unlikely: d6=6,6 Yes and. Wow, what a jerk.  Let’s give this jerk a name:
Emerald Witter.  Pauper noblemouse, mayor of Stumpsville.  Black, banded coat.  Sharp eyes

“Look at what you have caused.  If you had just answered the rats’ questions, they would have left you alone and I could have talked some sense into them.  Instead…” and he waved his hand toward himself and the two other mice in the other cots.

Do the blacksmiths share this opinion?  I think not because one of the treasures was that the blacksmith apprentice was going to join us for a while.  But let’s check the elder smith.   Oracle Unlikely: d6: 1,4 No

Before Anise could open her mouth to defend herself, the elder blacksmith pipes up in a deep rumbly voice.  “Now, Emerald, you know that is utter nonsense.  Those Dedratz have been harassing us for weeks now.  They’ve only left us alone so far because you have bent the knee every time and given them copious amounts of our cheese!”  Emerald looks aghast at the smith and gives a loud harumph, then rolls over in his cot and pulls the blanket over himself.  

Let’s give the 2 smiths an identity:

Stilton Halva, blacksmith.  Master smith of Stumpsville.  Grey, solid coat.  Massive body
Aloe Summerholme, blacksmith apprentice to Stilton.  Marbled black coat.  Night black eyes.

Anise and the two smiths have a conversation about everything that had happened and where she was headed next.  She asked if they knew anything about the stone tablet that was given to her.  The mayor grumpily chimed in that it had been left there many years ago by a wizard in the nearby Tower of Magnolia [14, Earldom of Elk].

Anise’s leader, Iris, had mentioned that Emerald Witter was wanting to start a local chapter of the Grand Library here in Stumpsville.  Perhaps we can turn his attitude around in the future.  [Emerald’s Wants d20=Knowledge.  Relationship=d20 Guild Brothers. I interpret this as he wants to be involved with the Grand Library]

Anise indicates that tomorrow she will travel to the Tower of Magnolia and speak to this wizard about the tablet.  When she mentions this, the smith’s apprentice, Aloe, perks up.

The smith’s apprentice, around the same age as Anise, was looking at himself in his little hand mirror while the others spoke.  When he hears that Anise is leaving the next day, he chimes in, “I would like to accompany you, if you’ll have me?  I think it might be dangerous right now for mice to travel alone, with the rats and all.”  Anise gives him a shy smile, and says she would love to have the company.

I don’t have a picture yet, but here is Aloe’s stats.

Since his highest Save is a 9, he gets an extra item from the background table.  I rolled up the mirror, so in my mind, Aloe is a little vain about his appearance.  A pretty-boy-mouse.

Anise and Aloe agree to meet in the courtyard the following morning, and head southeast to the Tower of Magnolia.   Let’s find out what we know about the wizard that lives there:

Gwendoline White.  Disposition: nurturing/worrying.  Tan coat, brindle.  Night black eyes.  The information about that location also mentions she is working on a powerful spell, that might come into play as a hook.

Do the Dedratz attack the village during the night watch? Oracle Likely (due to my scene complication): d6= 4,1 Yes, but.  Interesting.  I’ll limit the number of attackers, if the Oracle will allow it.

Are the remaining 4+1 from the attack yesterday coming to rescue their 4 captured fellows?  Oracle Likely: d6=6,2 Yes.  That makes sense.

I’m going to assume that the village has extra guards out watching for this exact reason, expecting further trouble from the rats. 

Do the guards see the rats as they try to sneak into the entrance? Oracle Likely: d6= 4,4 Yes

Anise is sleeping comfortably in her bed in the Crooked Wedge, when she hears a shout of alarm!  The Dedratz must be back!  She grabs her belongings and readies a stone in her sling, then hurries out to see how she can help.

Rat stats, all of their HP is restored, but their STR damage from the previous day remains +d6 restored:
3hp, STR See below, DEX 8, WIL 8 Attacks: d6 melee/ranged weapons

R2 STR 12,  R4 STR 12, R5 STR 12, R7 STR 5, R8 STR 12

I’ll roll one DEX save for the rats. DEX = 12 vs 8 Fail
I’ll roll one DEX save for the village guards d20=10 guards.  DEX=14 vs 9 Fail
mouse stats: 3HP, STR, DEX, WIL 9 Attacks: d6 melee/ranged
Anise DEX = 12 vs 6 Fail
Aloe DEX= 3 vs 6 Save

So the order of battle will be Aloe, Anise, rats, mice

Alternate Combat rolls:


I don’t think I want to do a massive amount of rolling for this battle, but it appears as though the odds are against the rats.   So, I’ll do a small sub-combat with Anise, Aloe and a rat or two.  The rest of the combat will play out via oracle rolls.

Anise and Aloe both emerge from their respective quarters into the courtyard simultaneously.  The elder blacksmith, Stilton, looks the worst for wear, but is also there.  The mayor decides to remain indoors and give his moral support.

Anise trots over to meet with the two blacksmiths as they rush toward the gate.  As they approach, the 5 rats burst through the gate.  3 of them continue to fight the guards, and the other 2 hustle toward the Grand Hall, where their comrades are held captive.

How do the rats know where the others are held?  I think they have been to this village many times in the past pressing the villagers here for “donations.”  I think they believe that is the most logical place to hold prisoners.  And they are correct. 

Unfortunately for them, Anise and the smiths are between them and their goal. 

They are at Long Range currently.  Stilton only rolled a 1 on his STR recovery roll, so he is incredibly weak at 2 STR. 

Anise can see that Stilton is still gravely wounded, and she begs him to stay and “protect her” as he and Aloe try to rush forward.  He looks grim, but nods in agreement.  Aloe hesitates, then he too decides to stay with Anise.  She nods back and begins to spin her sling, then looses a stone…

Anise 2d6= 3 Weak Hit.  Disadvantaged Damage d6= 5,3  3 damage to R2.  He’s at 0HP

One of the rats carrying a cleaver takes the stone to the chest.  He staggers for a moment, but then continues forward along with his fellow.  The other 3 rats and the guards at the gate continue to trade blows, their shadows dancing eerily in the torchlight.   

The R2 and R4 will both advance during their turn.  Normal movement would take them to short range, let’s see if they can pass a DEX save and get to adjacent.
DEX d20= 8, 7 Both pass and advance to adjacent. They will be able to attack next turn.

The rats are very quick for their bulk, and they close the distance quickly to the 3 mice standing in the courtyard.  Aloe steps in front of Anise and Stilton and swings his smaller hammer with both hands (the other hammer he was using earlier is not “his”).

Aloe 2d6= 11 Strong Hit.  Advantaged Damage d6= 3,5.  5 damage to R2.  STR 12-5=7 STR.   Now he has to make a STR save or take critical damage. D20 STR save=1 vs 7 Save 

Anise 2d6= 4 Weak Hit. Disadvantaged Damage d6= 5,3. 3 damage to R2. STR 7-3 =4 STR.  D20 STR save = 6 vs4 Fail.   R2 falls unconscious.

R4 sees his fellow fall and has to make a Morale save d20 WIL = 16 vs 8 Fail.  He turns and begins to run away.

The hammer connects with the rat with a sickening crunch as it plows into the rat’s knee.  He staggers, but growls his defiance.  Before he can make a move though, Anise looses another stone and it slams into his forehead, knocking him out.  The other rat sees his gang member take such a hit, and decides it’s not worth it.  He scampers away through the gate out into the darkness.  Anise looks toward the ongoing battle at the gates.

The Oracle will decide how the tide of battle is going for the other mice.  10 vs 3, I think the odds are likely that the mice are winning.  Oracle Likely: d6=4,5 Yes
Do the remaining rats run away?  Oracle Likely: d6= 1,2 No

Despite the overwhelming odds, the rats at the gates are surrounded and cannot flee from the fight.  The mice call out for their surrender, but apparently the rats don’t want to be imprisoned, so the fight continues.

Why are the rats so determined?  Is there someone else sneaking to free the current prisoners? 

Oracle Even odds: d6= 4,4 Yes

Anise has a bad feeling about the rats trying to distract everyone at the gates, and she shouts, “Follow me!” running toward the Grand Hall.  She bursts throught the large doors
of the hall and sees the three captured rats tied up therein.  Standing there with them is…

Is it a traitor mouse from the village?  Oracle Unlikely: d6= 3,3 No.  Good deal. 

Another Dedratz gang member stands over them, his short sword ready to break their bonds.  He seems surprised to see Anise and Aloe.  Stilton could not handle the run and is still hobbling his way over in the courtyard.  “Oi, looks like we’ve got a bit ov a problem ‘ere, innit?” he snarls.

Since we surprised him, Anise will go first.  2d6 sling= 10 Strong hit.  Advantage Damage d6 = 4,5.  5 damage to the rat.  3 depletes his HP and the remaining -2 to his STR.  12-2 = 10. D20 STR Save= 13 vs 10 Fail.  

Anise doesn’t respond except for a throw from her sling.  The stone strikes true and the rat falls in the laps of his tied up compatriots.  Shortly, Stilton enters the Grand Hall and tells the youths that the battle has ended with a rout outside, the remaining rats having fled.

Ok, looks like we have defeated the dirty rats.  I think this means we have interrupted their goal of getting protection money from Stumpsville.  I don’t think they will be back until they have licked their wounds a little.  I’m going to reduce their progress back to one tick in their goal.  Now at 1 out of 3.

Let’s roll for usage of our weapons. 
Anise sling d6=5.  1 Usage
Anise stones d6= 1 No usage
Aloe hammer d6= 2 No usage

That puts 2 marks on Anise’s sling…I might see if I can get it repaired before we leave.  10% of the original cost per dot cleared, slings are 10p, so that would be 2 pips to repair it.

Will the village repair her sling for free Oracle Likely d6: 5,1 Yes, but.   So, the repair mouse wants something in return.  Let’s ask the Oracle.  6 Diamonds – Technical (mental/operation) Future Plans.   The mouse wants Anise to find some way to build a trap at the gates to protect them from further Dedratz attacks.   I could just pay the mouse instead of doing this side quest, and proceed on to the wizard.  But I think we’ll stick around and help these mice first.

Roll for treasure!  We felled 2 rats, did any other rats fall in battle? D6 (must be > 2)= 1.  I will only accept an answer of greater than 2, since that’s how many we did ourselves.   A 1 counts as a No in this case.

D6 Mundane treasure roll:
5: Mundane utility item d44=22 a net.  10p
1: d6 packs of rations d6= 4x5p= 20p

So that’s 15 XP and 15p each for Anise and Aloe

The mice will retire for the rest of the night watch, then begin construction on this trap at the gate.   In the rules, there is a section where you can pay X amount of pips and have some construction done, but it isn’t player facing.  Just abstracted pay money to get stuff done.  I’d like to roll for our progress and do a “construction montage scene.”

Set the Scene

Scene Complication d6=3  Wouldn’t it suck if…

So, I think in this case, let’s do a weather check with disadvantage.   Perhaps this construction will take longer than we orginally intended.  Anise is eager to get to that wizard tower!

Weather 2d6 disadvantage = 4,7.  4 Sleet. 
Ok, thinking this out.  We will have Anise and Aloe both make a WIL save first for the plans.  Then see the outcome.  
WIL Anise d20= 4 vs10 Save
WIL Aloe d20= 20 vs 6 Fail

Well, we can see who the intelligent one is in the group!  Aloe is just a pretty face apparently.

Anise and Aloe begin discussing a plan with the other village mice about what they can do to trap the entrance.  Finally Anise comes up with a plan for a boulder to be rolled up to just outside the gate.  A small ripcord will be attached to a holding pin that keeps a chock in front of the boulder.  When an enemy approaches the gates, someone from behind the gate can pull the pin, and allow the boulder to roll out and smash into the enemies. [1 and 2]

Now, they just have to go retreive a boulder large enough.  They decide to go explore the surrounding area around Stumpsville and try to find something.  Unfortunately, as soon as they leave the hamlet, a steady freezing sleet begins to fall.

Since it is inclement weather, the mice will need to take a STR save every watch or they will gain the exhaused condition.  It takes 1 watch normally to travel across a hex.  So they will spend the entire morning watch searching for a boulder in the sleet.

Anise STR save: d20= 16 vs 6 Fail.  Exhausted
Aloe STR save: d20=  2 vs 9 Save.

The Exhausted condition in and of itself isn’t terrible, it just fills up one of our inventory slots.

Do they find an appropriate boulder in this hex? Oracle Even odds: d6= 6,5 Yes
It took the entire morning watch to find it.  Now it will take the afternoon watch (or more depending on saves) to move it back to Stumpsville.

After searching all morning, Anise and Aloe finally come across a boulder resting in the icy mud of the surrounding grasslands.  The falling sleet has really begun to take it’s toll on both mice.  But now that it is noon, they must begin pushing this large stone back to Stumpsville.

Let’s roll the STR saves for the sleet in the afternoon.

Anise STR save: d20= 20 vs 6 Fail.  Exhausted
Aloe STR save: d20=  15 vs 9 Fail.  Exhausted

Anise is getting worn out

On top of that, let’s roll another STR save to see if they can move the boulder during this watch, or if it will stretch into the Evening.

Anise STR save: d20= 5 vs 6 Save. 
Aloe STR save: d20=  20 vs 9 Fail. Exhausted

Now Aloe is in the same condition as Anise. But since one of them saved, we will get that boulder back to Stumpsville as the afternoon sun begins to set.  However, since they both didn’t save, I’m going to roll on the OPSE encounter table, gulp. 

D6 = 4 Hostile Enemies, well I almost expected that.  Let’s roll now on the Earldom of Ek encounter table. D6= 5.  D6=3 Sugar Cultists on a clandestine mission.  We’ll have to add the Sugar Cult to our faction list.

Do they see us, I’ll say likely due to the boulder and all.  Oracle Likely d6: 4,1 Yes,but.  So maybe they aren’t immediately hostile.  How hostile are they Oracle How d6: 4 About average.  I take that to mean that they are wary of us.  Plus, they too are covered in sleet and probably don’t want a fight.

All afternoon, the two mice heave and ho on the massive stone, trying to move it through the mud and ice.  Both of them are completely exhausted and are taking a short rest in the leeward side of the rock when they hear mice talking.  They are surprised when 3 oddly dressed mice come around the corner of the rock.  They are all wearing robes made from human candy wrappers, and are carrying large clubs made from lollipops.  They too are startled.  Anise remains sitting and raises her arm to indicate they don’t want any trouble.
“We’re just taking a quick rest in our journey, we mean no obstacle to you,” she assures them. 

Oracle Are they convinced Likely: d6= No, and.   Crap
“Have you two sworn oaths to the Sugar Lord?”  one of the 3 sneers, obviously looking for a fight.  
“I don’t know anything about the Sugar Lord, perhaps you could share a fire with us and you could tell us about them?”  Anise attempts to placate the cultists.

Anise WIL save d20= 12 vs 10 Fail.   Failure move d6=2 Put someone in a spot

“It is forbidden for us to entreat with heathens, scum” he growls.  The other two shift their weapons in their hands. 

We’ll give Aloe a chance to deter them.  WIL save d20= 17 vs 6  Fail. Well that went about as bad as I figured. Failure move d6=2 Put someone in a spot

“Just leave us alone and we can all go on with our lives,” Aloe says annoyed.  The sleet has apparently frozen his good sense.
“Do you have any sweets, hand them over and we’ll be on our way.”  The cultist sneers again, knowing the answer.  Aloe and Anise both raise their hands indicating they don’t.

I REALLY don’t want this fight, last chance.  Do the cultists decide to move on? Oracle Even odds:  4,1 yes, but.  

“Fine, we’ll leave, but we’ll take whatever rations you have on you.  We’ve a long journey up ahead.”  Anise and Aloe reluctantly hand over their rations, but better that than engaging in a fight they couldn’t win.  The cultists accept it with disgusted looks on their faces then turn and walk away, fading into the falling sleet.

Ok, well I really twisted the oracle’s arm to give me what I wanted there, but I think that would have been REALLY bad had a fight started. 

The two mice get up, and continue the push of the boulder the short remainder of the way to Stumpsville.  They leave it ouside of the gates, and determine to finish the installtion the following day.   Aloe invites Anise to rest, share a meal,  and warm herself at his and Stiltons modest home.  She gladly accepts.

A long rest is considered an entire watch, so they will have both the Evening watch and the Night watch to recover and remove their Exhausted conditions.   Aloe will roll another d6 to see how much STR he recovers.
d6 STR= 6.  So that puts him back to full STR of 9

That will bring an end to this session!   Aloe and Anise are beginning to grow a bond together, slowly.  In the next session we’ll get that trap finished and HOPEFULLY start toward our next goal of the Tower of Magnolia.

Before we go, let’s flesh out the Sugar Cult. 
What are their resources?  A secret hideout of course.  Let’s ask the Oracle for something else.  If they get a 5 or 6 on the Object roll, we’ll add that: d6 = 6 Rare or special item.  I have an idea for this, but I’ll keep it in my pocket until later. We’ll just note it’s special.
Faction goals:
Knave Faction Missions: 18 Deceive NPC.  I think this means they want to recruit new members.
OPSE also has a Goal draw: 3 Clubs= Physical  (appearance, existence) Learn 
Oracle Topic Draw:   King Hearts= Social (personal, connection) A Faction
Sounds like to me that they want to learn about the other factions in this area, and plan against their strengths and weaknesses.
So I’ll put in two goals:   Recruit new members - 4 progress, and gather information about other factions - 2 progress.   I won’t fill any of them for now, we’ll save that for the next session.

That’s all folks, this was a long one, but I hope you enjoyed it!  I certainly did!  I hope to see you next time!