Sword-and-whiskers

role-playing

Isaac Williams
Gear and prices Tools, human made Clothing Mousy names Carried bric-a-brac
All prices are in pips, standard Available in mouse settlements near Poor 10p d6 d8 Item
currency of the mouse kingdoms. human populations. Standard 50p
Birthname Matriname
1 - d8 pips
Fishing hook 20p Noble 1000p 1. Ada 51. Alder 1. Baiter 2 1 Dried five-leaf clover, carefully folded
Tools, mouse made 2. Agate 52. Ambrose 2. Black
Incense stick 20p Winter cloak 150p 3. Agnes 53. Anise 3. Buckthorne 2 Stone pendant of the Mother
Available in most mouse settlements.
Lens 200p Waterproof cloak 100p 4. Aloe 54. Annotto 4. Burley 3 Stub of a pencil
These items are mouse-sized. 5. April 55. August 5. Butterball
Necklace chain 40p 4 Dried herbs in waterproof bag
Bedroll 10p 6. Azalea 56. Avens 6. Catreizen
Needle 20p Lodging and food 7. Bay 57. Basil 7. Danger
5 Wire bent into the shape of a moth
Bellows 10p 6 Letter of writ from a noblemouse
Matches, packet 80p Bunkhouse bed (per night) 1p 8. Belladonna 58. Beryl 8. Deerider
Book, blank 300p 9. Blossom 59. Birch 9. Grant 7 Smooth piece of coloured glass
Padlock and key, large 100p Private room (per night) 5p
Book, reading 600p 10. Brie 60. Boldo 10. Halva 8 Half-eaten piece of cheese, wrapped in paper
Twine, roll 40p Hot bath 2p 11. Brynn 61. Bill 11. Maker 3 1 Smoke-blackened bat tooth
Bottle 1p 12. Cherry 62. Burdock 12. Pipp
Soap, small block 10p Travel rations 5p 2 Metal cup etched with hunting scenes
Bucket 5p 13. Claire 63. Butter 13. Seedfall
Thread, spool 20p Meal 2p 14. Crocus 64. Cassia 14. Snow 3 Oddly shimmering opal in silver wire setting
Caltrops, bag 10p 15. Dahlia 65. Chicory 15. Summerholme
Mouse trap 100p Grand meal 50p 4 Knife cut from a tin can
Chalk 1p 16. Daisy 66. Clive 16. Thorne 5 Clay jar of thick honey mead
Poison 100p Night out on the town 100p 17. Else 67. Colby 17. Tunneler
Chisel 5p 6 Bee stinger wired to wooden handle
18. Emerald 68. Dill 18. White
Cookpots 10p
Weapons and armour Transport hire 19. Erin 69. Eared 19. Winterholme 7 Piece of candied berry
Crowbar 10p 20. Grace 70. Edmund 20. Witter 8 Butterfly wings pressed between parchment
Improvised (twig, rock, etc.) 1p Prices are per mouse, per hex. 21. Gwendoline 71. Elmer
Drill 10p 4 1 Map showing treasure hidden in a settlement
Light (dagger, needle, etc.) 10p Rabbit wagon 5p 22. Hazel 72. Ernest
23. Heather 73. Fennel 2 Note from a cat lord regarding a player mouse
Glue 5p River raft 10p
Medium (sword, axe, etc.) 20p 24. Hette 74. Festus 3 Wooden idol of centipede eating its own tail
Grease 5p Pigeon flight 200p
Heavy (spear, hooklance, etc.) 40p 25. Holly 75. Francis 4 Tooth of a human child
Hammer 10p 26. Hyacinth 76. Gil 5 Pot of bright paint
Light ranged (sling, hand
Horn 10p 10p Hired help 27. Iris 77. Hawthorn
crossbow, etc.) 6 Angry ant queen in a glass jar
28. Juniper 78. Heath
Hourglass 300p Heavy ranged (bow, cross- Prices are per day, not including food, 29. Lavender 79. Horatio 7 Rolled tapestry depicting ancient battle
40p 30. Lily 80. Jack 8 Ball of wet clay that never dries out
Lockpicks 100p bow, etc.) supplies, shelter, etc.
31. Magnolia 81. Jasper 5 1 Lock of a faerie's hair
Metal file 5p Arrows, quiver 5p Torchbearer 1p 32. Marigold 82. Konrad
2 Vial of red ink
Mirror 200p Stones, pouch 1p Labourer 2p 33. Marjoram 83. Larkspur
34. Myrtle 84. Laurel 3 Straw basket with leather carrying straps
Musical instrument 200p Light armour 150p Tunnel digger 5p
35. Odette 85. Lorenz 4 Fragment of a spell tablet
Net 10p Heavy armour 500p Armourer/blacksmith 8p 36. Olive 86. Mace 5 Dried, poisonous mushroom
Padlock and key, small 20p Silvered weapons (always Local guide 10p 37. Opal 87. Oliver 6 Pink plastic furbrush
x10p 38. Pearl 88. Orin
Perfume 50p mark usage after fight) 7 Collection of dried leaves, bound with twine
Mouse-at-arms 10p 39. Pepper 89. Reepicheep
Pick 10p Repairs, per dot 10% 40. Poppy 90. Rowan 8 Pipe carved of shell
Scholar 20p
41. Rosemary 91. Simon 6 1 Scrap of sheepskin
Set of loaded dice 5p Knight 25p
Light sources 42. Rue 92. Sorrel 2 Quiver of silver-tipped arrows
Shovel 10p Interpreter 30p 43. Saffron 93. Stilton
Torches 10p 44. Sandy 94. Tarragon 3 Wreath of silver wire
Tent 80p
Lantern 50p 45. Sassafras 95. Warren 4 Very strong magnet
Waterskin 5p 46. Shale 96. Wattle 5 Bouncy rubber ball
Oil, for lantern 10p
Whistle 5p 47. Susan 97. Wattle 6 Fish leather satchel
Electric lantern (has six 48. Thistle 98. Whitacre
Wooden pole, 6" 1p 200p 7 Extremely spicy chilli pepper
usage dots) 49. Violet 99. Wormwood
Wooden spikes 1p 50. Willow 100. Yarrow 8 Fly preserved in tree sap
Batteries, for electric lantern 50p
 Table of Contents

Credits Acknowledgments Player Rules Game Master Resources

Writing, illustration and design These are games or blogs I have drawn inspiration or shamelessly Brave mice, dangerous world.......4 7. Running Mausritter................20
Isaac Williams stolen from to build Mausritter: What is Mausritter?..........................4 Best practices................................. 20
Editing and proofreading • Into the Odd for most of core rules What you need to play....................5 Asking for a Save........................... 20
Matthew Pook • Goblin Punch for the magic and 3X usage How to read this book.....................5 Luck rolls.......................................... 20
Development • Knave for characters defined by inventories 1. Make a mouse...........................6 Rulings.............................................. 20
Andre Novoa • Mothership for densely-packed layouts Backgrounds......................................7 Exploration and time......................21
• Moonhop for just going and making your game 2. Inventory................................8 Overland travel.................................21
Playtesters and champions • Last Gasp Grimoire for arts-and-crafts inventories Conditions...........................................8 Encounters.........................................21
Adelaide Orange, Nathanael Scott, Patrick • Coins and Scrolls for my re-introduction to the world of old- Usage....................................................8 8. Creatures..............................22
Hayes, Sam Rankin, Alby Logan, Richard school role-playing games Encumbrance.....................................8 Language...........................................22
Datson, Priscilla Samuel and the Train Dogs Banking................................................8 List of creatures..............................22
The following have all inspired Mausritter’s theme, setting and tone:
© Copyright 2020 Losing Games Weapons..............................................9 9. Hexcrawl toolbox...................25
• Brambly Hedge (book series) by Jill Barklem Armour.................................................9 Making a hexcrawl..........................25
• Church Mice (book series) by Graham Oakley Essential items..................................9 Running a hexcrawl........................25
• The Tales (book series) by Beatrix Potter 3. How to play........................... 10 Hex contents....................................26
• The Rescuers (book) by Margery Sharp Role-playing..................................... 10 Mouse settlements.........................28
• Arrietty (film) by Studio Ghibli Best practices.................................. 10 Factions............................................ 30
• A Distant Mirror (book) by Barbara Tuchman Saves.................................................. 10 Example: The Earldom of Ek........32
• Mouse Guard (comic book series) by David Peterson Combat............................................... 10 10. Adventure site toolbox.........34
• Mice and Mystics (boardgame) by Jerry Hawthorne Rest and healing.............................. 11 Adventure site theme....................35
Time..................................................... 11 Randomly stocking rooms...........36
Overland travel................................. 11 Treasure.............................................38
Advancement.................................... 11 Magic swords...................................39
4. Magic..................................... 12 Example: Stumpsville.................... 40
List of spells......................................13 11. Useful tables.........................42
5. Recruiting help...................... 14 Non-player mice..............................42
Hirelings............................................ 14 Adventure seeds.............................43
Warbands........................................... 15 Seasons............................................ 44
Constructions.................................. 15
6. Example of play..................... 16
Combat example..............................17
Magic example................................. 18
 Brave
mice in a
dangerous
world What is Mausritter?
Mausritter is a role-playing game. You and between two
and five friends play make-believe to create a shared
The mouse kingdoms survive on the edge of collapse.
A harsh winter or heartless cat could spell the end for world. The rules help keep the story you tell consistent,
all. The settled mice huddle together, hidden in their interesting and challenging. What you need to play How to read this book
settlements in trees and burrows and walls, scraping and One of you will take on the role of the Game Master (GM). • A character sheet for each player The first part of this book (pages 6-18) is directed at the
saving. A tenuous existence. They will invent and describe a consistent, believable • A session tracking sheet for the Game Master players, and here the ‘you’ is directed towards you, a
But you are not like those settled mice. world, complete with dangerous antagonists, wild lands, • A set of Item and Condition tokens player of a mouse in the game.
and friendly settlements. They will also act as a neutral • Polyhedral gaming dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12 and d20)
By choice or by necessity you are an adventurer. referee of the rules, applying them fairly to player mice, If you are playing a mouse in the game, you can just read
You live by your luck, your smarts, your bravery. • Pencils and erasers the rules for character creation, and skim the ‘How to
along with the non-player characters within the world. • Spare paper for taking notes and sketching maps
With your friends by your side, you will abandon the play’ section.
The other players take on the role of the mice. They each
warmth and safety of the mouse settlements and play the role of a small, brave and desperate adventurer, Dice notation The remainder of the book (pages 20-43) is directed
venture forth into the dark and dangerous places where delving into dangerous places and exploring the world Mausritter uses standard RPG dice notation throughout. toward the Game Master, and here the ‘you’ is directed
other mice do not dare to tread. that the GM describes. towards you, the GM of the game.
For example:
There is great wealth to be found by those that are will- If you are playing as a Game Master, you’ll need to read
ing to take it. The world is old. Great empires of mouse What is a role-playing game? • d20 means: Roll a single 20-sided die How to Play and Running Mausritter sections, and either
and beast have risen and fallen. Role-playing games are a process of shared, collabora- • 1d8 means: Roll a single 8-sided die prepare an adventure, or use a ready-made one, such as
tive storytelling and problem solving. • 3d6 means: Roll three 6-sided dice, add them together those included with this game.
It's a huge and dangerous world out there. It does not
look kindly on a small mouse. But if you are very brave Role-playing games exist mostly as a conversation. The For a d3 or d2, roll a 6-sided die and divide by two or three.
Making it your own
and very clever and just a bit lucky, you might be able to GM will describe a situation, and the players will describe
survive. And if you survive long enough, you might even how the mice they control react and interact with it. Downloadable resources Mausritter built on top of a long history of games.
become a hero amongst mice. For downloadable character, Item and Condition It is resilient to hacking. Many systems can be modified,
At certain points (such as when a mouse does something replaced or ignored entirely.
risky), the rules of the game interject. Dice may be rolled sheets, plus other resources, go to
to see what happens. Then the conversation resumes. mausritter.com Please use this game as a toolbox to create your own!
4 5
 1. Make a mouse Birthsign Backgrounds
d6 Sign Disposition HP Pips Background Item A Item B
The world is very big and very dangerous for a small
mouse adventurer. You will need to be very brave, and 1 Star Brave / Reckless 1 1 Test subject Spell: Magic missile Lead coat (Heavy armour)
always keep your wits about you. 2 Wheel Industrious / Unimaginative 1 2 Kitchen forager Shield & jerkin (Light armour) Cookpots
3 Acorn Inquisitive / Stubborn 1 3 Cage dweller Spell: Be understood Bottle of milk
1. Attributes 4 Storm Generous / Wrathful 1 4 Hedge witch Spell: Heal Incense stick
Your mouse has three attribute scores. These measure 5 Moon Wise / Mysterious 1 5 Leatherworker Shield & jerkin (Light armour) Shears
their basic strengths and weaknesses. 6 Mother Nurturing / Worrying 1 6 Street tough Dagger (Light, d6) Flask of coffee
• STR: physical strength and resilience. 2 1 Mendicant priest Spell: Restore Holy symbol
• DEX: speed and agility. Coat 2 2 Beetleherd Hireling: Loyal beetle Pole, 6"
• WIL: strength of will and charisma. d6 Color d6 Pattern 2 3 Ale brewer Hireling: Drunken torchbearer Small barrel of ale
For each of these attributes, in order, roll 3d6. 1 Chocolate 1 Solid 2 4 Fishermouse Net Needle (Light, d6)
Keep the two highest dice results for a value between 2—12. 2 Black 2 Brindle 2 5 Blacksmith Hammer (Medium, d6/d8) Metal file
You may then swap any two attributes. 3 White 3 Patchy 2 6 Wireworker Wire, spool Electric lantern
4 Tan 4 Banded
2. HP, pips and background 5 Grey 5 Marbled
3 1 Woodcutter Axe (Medium, d6/d8) Twine, roll
3 2 Bat cultist Spell: Darkness Bag of bat teeth
Roll d6 for your Hit Protection (HP). This is the damage 6 Blue 6 Flecked
your mouse can shrug off before taking serious harm. 3 3 Tin miner Pickaxe (Medium, d6/d8) Lantern
3 4 Trash collector Trashhook (Heavy, d10) Mirror
Roll d6 for your mouse’s starting pips. These are the Physical detail
basic currency of the mouse kingdom. 3 5 Wall rover Fishhook Thread, spool
d66 Details
3 6 Merchant Hireling: Pack rat 20p IOU from a noblemouse
Cross reference the value of your HP with your pips 11 Scarred body 41 Groomed fur
on the Background table. This is what your mouse was 4 1 Raft crew Hammer (Medium, d6/d8) Wooden spikes
12 Corpulent body 42 Dreadlocks
before becoming an adventurer. 4 2 Worm wrangler Pole, 6" Soap
13 Skeletal body 43 Dyed fur
4 3 Sparrow rider Fishhook Goggles
3. Starting equipment 14 Willowy body 44 Shaved fur
4 4 Sewer guide Metal file Thread, spool
15 Tiny body 45 Frizzy fur
Your mouse starts with: 4 5 Prison guard Chain, 6" Spear (Heavy, d10)
16 Massive body 46 Silky fur
• Torches 4 6 Fungus farmer Dried mushroom (as rations) Spore mask
21 War paint 51 Night black eyes
• Rations 5 1 Dam builder Shovel Wooden spikes
• Two items from their background 22 Foreign clothes 52 Eye patch
5 2 Cartographer Quill & ink Compass
• A weapon of your choice (see p. 9) 23 Elegant clothes 53 Blood red eyes
5 3 Trap thief Block of cheese Glue
If your mouse’s highest attribute is 9 or less, roll on the 24 Patched clothes 54 Wise eyes
5 4 Vagabond Tent Treasure map, dubious
Background table again and take either Item A or B. If 25 Fashionable clothes 55 Sharp eyes
5 5 Grain farmer Spear (Heavy, d10) Whistle
your highest is 7 or less, take both. 26 Unwashed clothes 56 Luminous eyes
5 6 Message runner Bedroll Documents, sealed
31 Missing ear 61 Cropped tail
4. Details 32 Lumpy face 62 Whip-like tail
6 1 Troubadour Musical instrument Disguise kit
Roll or choose birthsign, coat and a physical detail. 6 2 Gambler Set of loaded dice Mirror
33 Beautiful face 63 Tufted tail
6 3 Sap tapper Bucket Wooden spikes
Choose a name appropriate for a brave mouse. 34 Round face 64 Stubby tail
6 4 Bee keeper Jar of honey Net
35 Delicate face 65 Prehensile tail
Instant mouse generator 6 5 Librarian Scrap of obscure book Quill & ink
36 Elongated face 66 Curly tail
mausritter.com/mouse 6 6 Pauper noblemouse Felt hat Perfume
Tip: d66 means d6 x 10 + d6
6 7
 2. Inventory Weapons
Improvised Light Light ranged
Inventory slots
d6 damage d6 damage d6 damage
Your mouse carries items in their inventory slots. Most items take up one inventory slot. Some larger items, such
as two-handed weapons and armour take up two slots. Main paw/ Main paw/ Main paw
both paws off paw Cost: 10p
Main paw Body Torches Always mark usage after If attacking with two weapons, roll Stones, pouch
a fight. both dice and use the best result. Body slot
1 2 3 Cost: 10p Cost: 1p

Heavy Medium Heavy ranged

d10 damage d6/d8 damage d8 damage
OffArmour
Light paw Body Rations Dagger Exhausted Both paws Main paw/ Both paws

4 5 6
1 def Cost: 40p both paws Cost: 40p
d6
Does d6 damage Arrows,
Clear: in one paw, quiver
Light After long rest d8 wielded in both. Body slot
Cost: 20p Cost: 5p
Paw slots Body slots Pack slots
Items in these slots Worn items can be Items in these slots take time to retrieve when under pressure.
are carried. swapped with paw While in combat, your mouse must use an action (instead of Armour Essential items
slots as a free action. attacking) to find an item in their pack.
Reduces damage dealt to your
mouse by enemy attacks. Torches and Rations
lanterns
Conditions Usage Encumbrance Light armour
Food for the road

Conditions are negative effects Most items have three usage dots. If your mouse is carrying more items Provide light Eating a ration and
Prevents spending a Watch
suffered by your mouse. When all three dots are marked on or Conditions than available invento- 1 damage Light sources mark
an item it is depleted or destroyed. ry slots, they are encumbered. usage every 6 Turns. resting will heal all HP.
Each Condition must be placed in an Off paw
inventory slot. Mice may have mul- Usage dots can be cleared from While encumbered, your mouse Lanterns must be If your mouse doesn’t eat for a day,
weapons/armour for 10% of the and one they gain a Hungry Condition.
tiple copies of the same condition. cannot run, and makes all saves with body slot refilled by oil.
original cost per dot cleared. Disadvantage.
Some Conditions have additional Cost: 150p Electric lanterns
effects, which apply as long as the • Weapons/armour/ammunition: must be recharged
after a fight, roll d6 for each Banking Pip purse
Condition remains in your inventory. by batteries, but
item that was used during the In a mouse settlement, pips and provide 6 usage Holds 250 pips
Conditions can only be removed by fight. On 4-6, mark usage. Heavy
items can be stored in a bank or dots instead of 3. Carried pips
meeting their clear requirement — • Torches/lanterns: mark usage armour
usually a short, long or full rest. safebox. require one inventory slot per 250,
every 6 Turns. Prevents barring the first 250, which are
• Rations: mark usage after a Your mouse must pay a fee of 1% of
1 damage carried in your mouse’s pockets.
Hungry Injured meal. the value when retrieving the stored
Disadvantage on • Other gear: if used in a way that pips or items. Two body slots Mice in settlements mostly deal in
STR & DEX saves
could break or deplete it, the GM Cost: 500p barter and IOUs, and pips can be
may ask you to mark usage. stored at a bank.
Clear: Clear:
After meal After full rest
8 9
 3. How to play Combat Rest and healing Advancement
The GM describes a situation. You describe what your Combat is dangerous business for mice, even brave There are three ways your mouse can rest and recover. Your mouse earns Experience Points (XP) by bringing
mouse does. The GM will describe the outcome. The adventurers. But sometimes it cannot be avoided. • Short rest: takes 1 Turn. A swig of water and a few treasure and useful goods back from places of danger
conversation flows until the mechanics interject. If you attack unsuspecting foes, your mouse and any minutes of rest will restore d6+1 HP. to the safety of a mouse settlement.
allies aware of the plan go first. Otherwise, make a DEX • Long rest: takes 1 Watch. A meal and some sleep will For every pip-worth of treasure brought to safety (divid-
Role-playing save to act before your opponents. In following combat restore all HP. If HP was already full, restore d6 to an ed equally amongst the party), your mouse earns 1 XP.
You are in control of—and acting in the role of—your rounds, maintain this order. attribute score. Your mouse can earn additional XP by spending
mouse. You can talk in first, second or third person, or On your turn in a combat Round, your mouse can move • Full rest: takes a week back in safety. their pips selflessly on improvements for the whole
switch between them. You don’t have to do a silly voice, up to 12" and perform an action. Actions can anything This fully restores your mouse’s ability scores and community. For every 10 pips spent this way, your mouse
but it certainly can’t hurt. from negotiating, attacking, fleeing or performing a risky removes most long-term Conditions. A week of food earns 1 XP.
gambit (like tripping or disarming an opponent). and board in a settlement usually costs 20p.
Best practices Level
Attacks Mice start at Level 1.
If you’re stuck thinking of what to do when you’re play-
ing Mausritter, refer back to these guidelines. Attacks always hit. Roll your weapon’s die and do that The following table shows the total XP required to
much damage to an opponent, minus their armour. advance each Level.
• Ask lots of questions. Make notes. Draw maps.
• Work together. Devise schemes. Recruit allies. When an attack is impaired, such as when firing into
cover, or fighting while grappled, roll d4 for damage Level Hit Dice Grit Experience points
• Dice are dangerous. Clever plans don’t need to roll.
• Play to win. Delight in losing. regardless of weapon. When an attack is enhanced by a 1 1d6 0 0
• Fight dirty. Run. Die. Roll a new mouse. gambit or vulnerable opponent, roll d12. 2 2d6 1 1000
Hit Protection and damage 3 3d6 2 3000
Saves Time 4 4d6 2 6000
Damage is dealt first to a creature’s Hit Protection (HP).
When you describe your mouse doing something risky This represents the creature’s ability to avoid or shrug For convenience and ease of reference, game time is
where the outcome is uncertain and failure has con- 5+ 4d6 3 +5000
off real damage. divided up into three time scales of expanding duration.
sequences, the GM will ask you to make a save against When your mouse earns enough XP to advance to each
either STR, DEX or WIL. Once HP is depleted, damage is dealt to STR. • Round: the timescale used during combat. Each
Round is less than a minute. Level, use the following procedure.
To make a save, roll a d20. If the result is less than or After taking STR damage, the creature must make a STR
save. If they succeed, they are still able to fight. If they • Turn: the timescale used during adventure site • Roll for attribute increase: roll d20 once for each
equal to the relevant attribute, your mouse succeeds, exploration. Each Turn is around 10 minutes, and is of your mouse’s STR, DEX and WIL. If a result is higher
and suffers no consequences. If the result is over the fail, they take critical damage.
enough time to explore one room or perform an ac- than the attribute’s current value, increase it by one.
attribute, your mouse fails, and suffers the consequenc- When a creature takes critical damage, they take an tion or two. A fight will almost always last one Turn. • Roll Hit Dice: roll the dice listed for the new Level’s
es described by the GM. Injured Condition, and are incapacitated until tended to • Watch: the timescale used during wilderness travel. Hit Dice. If the value is higher than your mouse’s
by an ally and take a short rest. Each Watch is 36 Turns, about 6 hours. There are 4 current HP, replace your HP with the rolled value.
Opposed saves
If an incapacitated creature is left untended for watches in a day. You can usually travel 1 hex or mile Otherwise, increase your mouse’s HP by 1.
If your mouse and another character are competing, you 6 exploration Turns, they die. in a watch.
both make saves. The lowest successful roll wins. Grit
Attribute score loss and death Overland travel Starting at second Level, your mouse has Grit. This
Advantage and Disadvantage
If a creature has their STR reduced to zero, they are Your party of mice can travel one hex or mile per Watch. allows your mouse to ignore Conditions.
If you roll a save and are particularly well prepared or dead. If DEX is reduced to zero, they are unable to
equipped, the GM may allow you to roll with Advantage. Difficult terrain (streams, human roads, large rocks, For each point of Grit you have, you may place one
move. If WIL is reduced to zero, they are reduced to hills, etc.) require two Watches per mile traveled. Condition into the Grit space on your character sheet.
Roll 2d20 and take the lowest result. madness. Once placed into the Grit space, a Condition cannot be
The GM may ask you to roll with Disadvantage if you are When your mouse dies, roll up a new one. The GM should Foraging removed until cleared.
in bad position or poorly equipped for your current task. introduce them as soon as possible. Getting back into In the wild, your mouse can spend a Watch foraging.
Roll 2d20 and take the highest result. the game quickly is more important than realism. If they do, they will find d3 uses of rations.
10 11
 4. Magic Casting a spell List of spells
To cast a spell, your mouse must hold the tablet in a paw Roll on this table of spells as loot, or use these spells as examples for creating your own.
Spells and read it aloud.
2d8 Spell Effect Recharge
Spells are living spirits trapped by runes carved on When your mouse casts a spell, decide on the
obsidian tablets. Spells are usually found in deep and power to cast it with, up to the number of usage dots Shoot a fireball up to 24". Deal [SUM] + [DICE] Burn in the heart of a raging fire for three
2 Fireball
dangerous places. The creation of spells is an art lost to remaining on the spell. damage to all creatures within 6". days and nights.
all but the most learned wizards, and they guard their Roll a number of d6 equal to the power the spell is cast Heal [SUM] STR damage and remove the Cut self for d6 STR damage, sprinkle the
secrets closely. with. For each die which shows the value 4, 5 or 6, mark 3 Heal
Injured Condition from a creature. spell with the blood.
Knock one usage on the spell.
Light Deal [SUM] + [DICE] damage to a creature Drop from a height of at least 30ft.
The spell has an effect, which varies depending on the 4 Magic Missile
within sight. Touch the spell within one Turn.
number of [DICE] invested, and the [SUM] of the rolled
dice. Give the Frightened Condition to [DICE] Receive the Frightened Condition from a
5 Fear
creatures. hostile creature while carrying the spell.
Recharging a spell
Selling spells When a spell’s usage dots are filled, it is depleted and 6 Darkness
Create a [SUM] x 2" diameter sphere of Leave uncovered in a lightless place for
pure darkness for [DICE] Turns. three days.
If unwanted, a fully charged spell can usually be sold for cannot be cast. Each spell has a recharge requirement.
d6 x 100p in a settlement. A depleted spell’s value is Fulfilling this requirement will coax the spirit back to the Remove Exhausted or Frightened Condition Bury in a peaceful field or riverbank for
halved. spell and clear all of its usage dots. 7 Restore
from [DICE] + 1 creatures three days.

Miscasts 8 Be Understood
Make your meaning clear to [DICE] crea- Give away freely to a creature of another
tures of another species for [DICE] Turns. species.
Whenever one or more 6s are rolled when casting a
spell, the caster takes d6 damage to WIL for each Create an illusory beetle that can carry 6
6 rolled. Then make a WIL save. If failed, take the Mad 9 Ghost Beetle Bury in a beetle graveyard for three nights.
inventory slots for [DICE] x 6 Turns.
Condition.
Force [DICE] creatures to make a WIL save
Catch in the first light of a sunrise and the
10 Light or become stunned. Alternately, create
last light of sunset for three days.
light as bright as a torch for [SUM] turns.
Creates [DICE] x 6" ring of force. It is invisi- Build an iron ring the same size as last cast.
11 Invisible Ring
ble and immovable. Lasts [DICE] Turns. Pass the spell though it. Dissolves the ring.

Open a door or container, as if a Save were Put in a locked box, inside a locked box,
12 Knock
made with STR score of 10 + [DICE] x 4. inside a locked box. Leave for three days.
Cover [DICE] x 6" area in slippery, flam-
Rub all over in animal fat. Leave until it
13 Grease mable grease. Creatures in the area must
putrefies.
make a DEX save or fall prone.
Grow a creature to [DICE] + 1 times its Leave in the highest branches of a tall tree
14 Grow
original size for 1 Turn. for three days.

Make creature invisible for [DICE] Turns. Go a day without opening your eyes once,
15 Invisibility
Any movement reduces duration by 1 Turn. while holding the spell.

Turn object into an irresistible lure for cats.

16 Catnip Give a cat a gift it truly desires.
Lasts [DICE] Turns.

12 13
 5. Recruiting help Hireling morale Warbands Constructions
A pair of helping paws might give you the edge you’ll When a hireling or warband is placed in a stressful A mouse is very small, and many beasts cannot be de- The right to build on land cannot be bought. It can only
need to survive. Throughout the mouse kingdoms you’ll situation, made to go without pay or food, or asked to feated working alone. When mice work together, they can be given, or taken and defended.
come across other mice who are willing to explore the do something more dangerous than what they signed form a warband, and act on a scale capable of facing A team of three tunnel diggers can excavate one 6" cube
vast unknown world with you and your party. on for, they must make a WIL save or flee. other warbands or large beasts, like a cat or boar. of soil per day. Other materials take twice as long.
Especially well-paid or loyal hirelings may make this save Forming a warband Rooms can be of any size — the following is the cost of
Hirelings with Advantage. materials and fittings per 6" cube constructed. Labour-
A warband is formed by 20 or more fighting mice, plus
In a mouse settlement, you can spend a day asking around Hireling one follower (luggage porter, cook, armourer) for every ers and diggers must be paid separately.
for mice looking for work. The size of the settlement Look Disposition
fighter. Room Cost
determines what types of hireling are available. Smaller Main paw
STR Your mouse can form a warband under their command.
settlements may not have skilled mice looking for work.
DEX
1 2 In a town or city, spend a week recruiting. Make a WIL
Tunnel, per 6" 10p
Make a WIL save or pay 20p. If successful (or 20p is paid), save or pay 1000p. Poor room, per 6" cube 100p
WIL Off paw
roll the Number for the type of hireling you are interested Standard room, per 6" cube 500p
in employing to determine how many are looking for work. HP 3 4 Warbands start with:
Max Current
d6 hp, STR 10, DEX 10, WIL 10 Grand room, per 6" cube 2000p
Typical hirelings will have: Damage: d6 clubs and axes
d6 hp, STR 2d6, DEX 2d6, WIL 2d6 Hireling advancement All constructions require an upkeep of 1% of the total
Hirelings have 6 inventory slots: two paw, two body, two pack. Warbands require 1000p a week for upkeep and wages. cost per month.
Hirelings and warbands can improve in the same way Failure to pay may result in mutiny.
Hireling Number Wages/day that your player mice do.
Battles
Torchbearer d6 1p • Hirelings who receive a share of treasure gain 1 XP
per pip they are given above their daily wage. Battles between warbands and warband-scale creatures
Labourer d6 2p
• Warbands who receive share of treasure will gain 1 XP function the same as fights between small individuals.
Tunnel digger d4 5p Attacks deal damage to HP, then to STR.
per 10 pips they are given above their weekly wage.
Armourer/blacksmith d2 8p Attacks by a warband against a non-warband scale
Hirelings and warbands advance at the same rate as
Local guide d4 10p player mice, so once they get 1000 XP, they advance to creature are enhanced, any damage taken from
Mouse-at-arms d6 10p Level 2. non-warband scale creatures is ignored unless it is
particularly destructive or large scale.
Scholar d2 20p Not receiving a share of treasure may cause resentment
Knight d3 25p amongst hirelings. Casualties
Interpreter d2 30p When a warband takes critical damage, they are broken
and cannot act until rallied. At STR 0 the warband is
wiped out. At half STR, the warband must make a WIL
save or be routed.
Warbands recover HP and attribute score damage like
individuals do, with Short, Long and Full rests.

Equipping
Equipment improves a warband’s abilities the same way
as it does for individuals. Just multiply the purchase
price by 20.

14 15
 6. Example of play Example of play — Combat
The player mice (Pepper, Konrad and Brie) are investigat- The mice explore a little further, and are approaching the Pepper: I let my arrow fly at the other one! Pepper: (Rolls d8 for her bow.) 5! That’s more like it!
ing the mouse village of Stumpsville, which has neglected entrance of the main hall within the Stumpsville courtyard.
to send its usual shipment of cheese to Oaksgrove. GM: Alright, I’ve got good news and bad news. The good GM: (The rat takes 4 STR damage — critical damage! Then
GM: You creep between the struts of the wall-mounted news is that you’ve definitely got the drop on them, so rolls STR save, failing.) The rat gives a yelp of pain as an
GM: You make your way between the roots and into the houses surrounding the deep pond. (The mice have spent no need to roll for initiative. The bad news is, Konrad arrow bites into his shoulder, then tumbles backwards
entry tunnel. It’s dark here, but your torches cast a shift- 3 Turns in the site, so secretly rolls for encounter and gets pushed the rat with the lantern into the pond and now into the pond with a loud splash.
ing light that is enough to make out a large stone door a 1: A random encounter!) As you reach the other side, two it’s very dark. Can you make an Impaired roll for damage?
blocking the way. A pair of guardian statues lie on either rats swagger out of the doorway nearby, one carrying a
side of the door: fierce looking beetles. Both are toppled lantern. There’s still sounds of a raucous party inside. Pepper: Oh yeah, didn’t think that one through. (Rolls a
over and one is smashed on the ground. d4 instead of d8 for her bow.) Urg, 2. Well that could have
Brie: Shoot, do they see us? I quickly douse my torch. gone better for a surprise attack.
Pepper: Is the door damaged? GM: They’re having a heated conversation. Looks like GM: (The rat has 1 HP left.) Your arrow zips past the rat’s
GM: The door itself looks fine. It’s a huge slab of dark they haven’t spotted you yet. head, shaving off a few of his whiskers. He’s in shock,
slate, big enough to fit a cart through. There’s a big cop- Brie: Alright, let’s keep hidden behind the house struts. trying to figure out what is going on. Brie, what’s your
per handle in the centre. Looking closer, you notice the plan of action?
hinges have been smashed out. There are rough wooden Konrad: I’ll creep a bit closer and see if I can make out
pegs behind the door, keeping it from opening inwards. what they’re saying. Brie: Well I don’t like the idea of fighting in the dark. I’ll
GM: Sounds good. Make a DEX save to see if you’re able light my torch again, then start running over to where
Konrad: I’ve got a bad feeling in my whiskers. Looks like Konrad is.
a trap to me. It’s gotta be a trap, right? to walk quietly on the gravel.
Konrad: (Rolls a DEX save.) Nice, got a 4! I creep real quiet. GM: Okay, that sounds like a full action to me. You can
Brie: Or maybe the villagers have all fallen ill and really make it most of the distance, and your torch is lit, cast-
don’t want visitors? GM: You do! You slip between the scaffolding and behind ing a dim glow on the surrounds.
Konrad: Hmf. I don’t think we’re that lucky. Any sound a carved stone plinth. The rats are just on the other side,
staring out over the water. You hear one of them say, (The players have all taken an action, so now it’s the rat
from the other side of the door? side’s turn.) (The GM makes a morale check for the second rat, after
“Balthazar’s gonna luv these little ones, they make great
GM: (Makes a secret Luck roll to see if the mice can hear cheese”. The other grunts an affirmative. The rat in the water is... (Rolls successful DEX save) seeing his ally fall, and rolls a failed WIL save.)
the rats several rooms deeper) Hmmm... no it’s pretty qui- clambering out of the pond, shaking off the water. The water-logged rat yells out, “They’re tuffer than
et. Just the sounds of crickets chirping in the distance. Brie: Balthazar! They’re kidnapping the villagers!
Konrad, the other rat sees you clearly now and snarls the others!” He starts making a break for the doorway,
Pepper: Alright, hopefully not an ambush waiting for us. Konrad: We’ve got to stop this. Maybe we can get the “Anuvver one. Must av escaped!” He pulls a net from his trailing water behind him. There’s still sounds of a loud
I’ll try the handle... jump on these two and ask them some questions. Can I belt (you know the ones that onions come in? Like that) party going on inside. Brie, what are you doing?
push the one with the lantern into the pond? and throws it over you. Make a DEX save?
Konrad: Wait! Didn’t I just say it’s a trap? Brie: We can’t let him alert the others! I don’t want to
GM: You can give it a try for sure! You’re close enough. Konrad: Come on dice, you haven’t failed me yet tonight. deal with a whole horde of rats. I guess I’ll run after him
Pepper: Gotta open it somehow. What do you suggest? Make an opposed STR save and let’s see what happens. (Rolls a DEX Save.) Urg, 20. No way I’m not stuck, I guess? and try to slash him with my dagger.
Brie: Oh, I’ve got a length of twine! I can tie it around the Pepper: Oh boy, here we go. As I see Konrad making a
handle and pull from a distance. GM: Yep. You’re definitely stuck. The rat pulls the net GM: Aright, you can get close enough. Roll your damage.
move, I notch an arrow in my bow. tight around you. You’re going to miss your next turn,
Pepper: Good idea! Aright, let’s back away from the door. Brie: (Rolls d6.) 5! That’s pretty good!
Brie: I’ll get ready to rush over there as soon as Konrad sorry. Pepper and Brie, what are you up to?
GM: Nice, so you loop the twine through the handle, back makes his move. GM: (The second rat takes 2 STR damage, then makes
Pepper: Ummm well, I could run over to try to free Kon- a STR Save, succeeding.) You slash at the rat, nipping
away then pull it downwards. You feel a pop of tension in Konrad: Alright, here we go. (Rolls STR save.) Oh, 11! I’ve rad... or I could just take care of this rat and then free you.
the twine then a sharp click and crack as the slab crash- through the scavenged coat he’s wearing.
got 11 STR, so it’s a success, but only just. Sorry Konrad, I’m taking the sensible option.
es forwards. Good thing you were out of the way! (It’s the rat’s turn now.) He’s too fast though. The rat
GM: (Rolls STR save for the rat.) Oof, 12 so close! You rolled Konrad: Fine. Just don’t forget about me! makes it to the lighted doorway and runs into the corri-
As the dust clears, you see a mousetrap rigged to the lower so you win this contest. You rush forward out of the
back of the door. A piece of wire was connected to the Pepper: I’ll string another arrow and fire it at the rat. This dor, yelling, “HEEELLLP! HEEELLP! Scary mice!” at the top
dark and slam your shoulder into the big rat. He topples time there’s enough light, right? Thanks Brie! of his lungs.
handle. You can pull the twine free, but mark a usage backwards into the pond, yelling a nasty curse.
please. (Brie marks a usage dot on her twine) GM: There is! Roll your damage. Brie: That’s not good. I guess asking questions is out.
16 17
 Example of play — Magic
Game Master
Resources
GM: There’s a loud clattering from inside, where the rat Konrad: I’ll use all three Power available, trying to scare
ran. The sounds of hoots and yelling come to an abrupt the three new ones off. I hope this doesn’t backfire!
stop. What are you all doing? Konrad, you’re still stuck (Everyone at the table grimaces in anticipation as Konrad
in the net. rolls 3d6.) Okay... I got a 2, a 3 and a 5. Nice! So, I give
Brie: Can I run over and cut him free? a Frightened Condition to the three rats and mark one
usage (Marks off a usage on the Fear spell).
GM: Yep, you can do that. You quickly snip the net open
with your dagger. GM: Nice one! As you read the strange runes on the spell
you see the three rats’ faces change from anger to terror.
Konrad: Phew, thanks!
Konrad: Okay, time to get out of here! I’ll start running
GM: You hear a couple of shouts from inside the doorway to the dark doorway.
and the patter of large paws on stone floor.
Brie: I’m following!
Brie: Oh dear. Let’s get out of here!
Pepper: I'm just behind Konrad's tail too!
Pepper: Is there anywhere else we can go from here?
GM: The waterlogged rat snarls at the others, “They’re
GM: There’s the little wall-mounted houses dotted gettin away! Don’t lettem run!” (Makes a WIL save for
around the courtyard, or there’s another doorway just each of the Frightened rats.) Two of the terrified rats
a bit further around from where rat just ran. This one is start turn and head the other direction, back into the
dark and quiet. well-lit hallway. The third one stumbles out in your
Pepper: Good enough for me! direction, but slows as he sees his friends flee.
Brie: Agreed! Pepper: Nice!
GM: As you’re deciding what to do, you see a number of GM: You all run headlong into the dark, open corridor.
large rats burst out of the doorway. There’s four of them The sound of the rat footsteps quickly peter out behind
now! The still-soaking-wet one is bringing up the rear. you. You barrel out of the corridor into a large natural
Konrad: That’s too many! Oh, I’ve got the Fear spell — cavern. Rows of vats line the walls. On your left you see a
hopefully that can buy us some time. Can I cast that? large shape moving, with a low, ominous hiss.

GM: Go for it! How much Power are you using? Konrad: Oh no. That’s a bad sound.

18 19
 7. Running Mausritter
Best practices Asking for a Save Exploration and time Encounters
The following are guidelines for playing the role of the Saves should only be asked for as the result of a player’s When exploring in a dungeon or adventure site, a party When the mice are exploring a dungeon or adventure
Game Master for Mausritter. action or choice. Mice can do anything that seems rea- of mice can perform one major action per Turn. Major site, roll for encounters every three Turns, or whenever
sonable and safe, but when they do something danger- actions are things like moving to a new room, examining they create noise or mayhem that could draw attention.
Make the world seem huge ous, ask for Save to avoid the possible consequences. a trap or engaging in a fight. When they are exploring the wilderness, roll for encoun-
Mice are small. Be on the lookout for opportunities to • STR Saves: avoid harm through physical power and To easily record Turns, use ters at the start of the Morning Watch and the start of
remind the players of the small-scale characters they endurance the Turn tracker on the the Evening watch. If an encounter occurs, roll d12 to
are playing. • DEX Saves: avoid harm through quick reaction, GM Session sheet. Each find what hour it occurs in.
Create situations, not plots speed and agility time the party performs a To roll a random encounter, roll d6. On a 1, an encounter
• WIL Saves: avoid harm through strength of will and major action, mark the occurs. On a 2, an omen occurs (signs or hints of an
Let the players find their own adventure. Don’t railroad force of personality Downloadable from mausritter.com next empty box.
them onto a particular path. Give the players the space encounter).
to choose the challenges they are interested in. Consequences of failure Overland travel Encounter tables
Present the world honestly The consequences of a failed Save should obvious and When traveling in the wilderness, the mice can travel a For each major area, prepare a table of d6 encounters
telegraphed. Remember that Saves should only occur single one-mile hex per Watch. Hexes containing difficult that express the theme of that area. Give each entry
As the GM, you are the eyes, ears and nose of the play- when a player wants to avoid a negative outcome. terrain (streams, human roads, large rocks, hills, etc.)
ers and their mice. Don’t unnecessarily hide things from something they are already doing as the players arrive.
Some options for consequences are: require two Watches to cross.
your players. Make sure they have all the information • Entries 1-3 should be variations of a common encounter.
they need to make meaningful choices. • Damage: ranging from d4 to d20. d4 is minor, d6 is Rest • Entries 4-5 should be variations of an uncommon
Make the world a consistent, understandable place. dangerous. d8 is enough to seriously injure a Level 1 If the mice do not spend at least one Watch per day encounter, something slightly unusual.
Don’t shy away from magic and weirdness, but maintain character. d20 damage is rare but deadly. resting, give them an Exhausted Condition. • Entry 6 should be a dangerous or weird encounter.
a logic behind it that can be decoded. • Condition: Exhausted or Frightened are good options.
• Lost time: Each action takes a Turn. Lost time can Weather Reactions
Be an impartial arbiter of the rules of the game and the burn torches and cause random encounter rolls. When the mice encounter a creature whose reaction to
world. Let the dice fall as they may. Follow the goals and Roll 2d6 for weather each day.
• Loss of random item: Roll d6 for inventory slot. the party is not obvious, you may roll on the following
actions of antagonists to their logical conclusion. • Mark usage on item: Mark 1-3 usage dots. Weather that is highlighted are poor conditions for table for their disposition.
travel. For each Watch spent traveling under these
Telegraph danger
Luck rolls conditions, a mouse must make a STR save or gain an 2d6 Reaction
Give the players ample warning of the dangers they Exhausted Condition. 2 Hostile. How have the mice angered them?
face. Make traps obvious, deadly puzzles. Give warning of Luck rolls are for events that have an unpredictable
outcome is outside the remit of a STR, DEX or WIL Save. 2d6 Spring Summer Autumn Winter 3-5 Unfriendly. How can they be appeased?
the dangerous beasts that hunt the mice.
Assign an ‘X-in-6’ chance to the outcome occurring (low 6-8 Unsure. What could win them over?
Don’t pull your punches. Rain Thunder Wild Snow
for unlikely, high for likely), then roll a d6. If the result is 2
storm storm winds storm 9-11 Talkative. What could they trade?
The only way for danger to be meaningful is if the equal to or less than the chance, it happens.
outcome of failure is meaningful. When the players face 12 Helpful. How can they help the mice?
off against dangerous foes, or fall into a deadly trap, do Rulings 3-5 Drizzle Very hot Heavy rain Sleet

not shy away from the consequences. Morale

The rules of Mausritter will not cover every situation you Bitter
6-8 Overcast Clear, hot Cool Whenever an antagonist is in a battle with the mice and
Reward bravery and the players come across, and some parts have been cold
kept intentionally vague. reaches one of the following conditions, it must make a
When the players have been smart and brave and Bright Pleasantly Patchy WIL save. On failure, the creature must flee or surrender.
When this happens, adapt one of your existing tools to 9-11 Overcast
followed good leads, give them the rewards they have and sunny sunny rain
the purpose, or create a new one. Make a note of the • Is obviously outmatched at the start of a battle
earned. Don’t be miserly when the players face down • Takes critical damage for the first time
ruling for future use. Clear and Beautifully Clear and Clear and
great dangers and succeed. 12
warm warm crisp crisp • Sees an ally flee or fall
20 21
 8. Creatures List of creatures Crow Frog
Use these creatures in your campaign, and as examples 12hp, STR 12, DEX 15, WIL 15, Armour 1 6hp, STR 12, DEX 15, WIL 8, Armour 1
Language for creating new antagonists for your players. Attacks: d8 peck Attacks: d10 spear or d6 tongue
As a general rule of thumb, the more closely related two When a creature lists critical damage in its stat block, Flys 3x normal speed, knows two songs Critical damage: Leap out of reach
creatures are, the more likely they are to understand this occurs instead of the standard critical damage Always goes first unless surprised, leaps 2x normal speed
each other. Magical or highly intelligent creatures may effect. Wants to protect the secret hallowed places from those
break these rules. that would do them harm Wants to gallantly complete their quest
Example: a spider attacks Burdock the mouse and does 4 damage.
• Other mice: Can easily communicate. The Burdock has 2 HP, so 2 of the damage is passed through to his Crow songs Frog knights-errant
DEX. Burdock must make a DEX Save, but fails, so the spider quickly
• Other rodents: Can speak and communicate, wraps the him up in its web and starts to escape. Hopefully Burdock’s
1. Dawn — Create a blindingly bright light 1. Gwal — Strong, kind of heart and simple of mind
with some difficulty and difference of custom. friends are quick in their pursuit! 2. Sorrow — All who hear: Make WIL save or take Frightened 2. Phillip — Cursed human, searching for a cure
• Other mammals: Make a WIL save to see if 3. Sight — Vaguely foretell a future event 3. Lurf — Unsound sense of honor, rash in anger
communication is possible. Cat 4. Wind — Powerful gust. Make STR save or knocked down. 4. Slup — Set on slaying a great beast, no matter the cost
• Otherwise: Can’t directly communicate. 5. Past — See past event concerning those present 5. Uuu — Desperate to prove their strength at jousting
Warband scale 6. Truth — All who hear: Cannot lie while the song lasts 6. Puc — Searching for the legendary Mug of Truth
15hp, STR 15, DEX 15, WIL 10, Armour 1
Attacks: d6 swipe, d8 bite. Faerie Ghost
Wants to be served. If mice pledge fealty and give bribes, 6hp, STR 10, DEX 15, WIL 15 9hp, STR 5, DEX 10, WIL 10
they may be allowed to live Attacks: d8 silver rapier Attacks: ghostly power, d8 chilling touch (damages WIL)
Cat lords Knows one spell Critical damage: Possess the creature
1. Balthazar — Loves to eat the finest delicacies Only harmed by silver or magic weapons
Wants to further the Faerie Queen’s strange agenda
2. Melchior — Loves gold, jewels and wealth Wants freedom from the pain that binds them to the
3. Solomon — Plays cruel games with captives Faerie agendas
1. Kidnapping baby mice, to raise as their own mortal realm
4. Hammurabi — Rules with harsh, unbending logic
5. Nefertiti — Loves art, poetry and beautiful things 2. Giving gifts that cause violent jealousy Ghostly powers
6. Zenobia — Forming an army of conquest, wants to rule 3. Playing music that bewitches mice into their service 1. Shimmer — Create d3 illusions of itself
4. Using a glamour to appear as a mouse in distress 2. Poltergeist — Throws a creature/object d6 x 6"
Centipede 5. Rotting the food in winter storehouses 3. Entrap — Pull a creature into the spirit realm for a Round
6. Tricking a settlement out of their legal standing 4. Doom — Give Frightened Condition to a creature
8hp, STR 10, DEX 12, WIL 8, Armour 1 5. Rot — Destroys all rations carried by a creature
Attacks: d6 venomous bite (damages DEX instead of STR) 6. Incorporeal — Float into wall/floor, reappear elsewhere
Critical damage: Venom takes effect, d12 damage to STR
Mouse
Wants to wander and devour
Chilling centipedes 3hp, STR 9, DEX 9, WIL 9
1. Giant — As big as a snake. 12hp, STR 15, Armour 2 Attacks: d6 sword or d6 bow
2. Swimming — Drags prey under water Wants to feel safe
3. Tiger — Yellow and black bands, d8 damage bite
4. Glutton — Always hungry, never stops growing Rival mouse adventurers
5. Racer — A delicacy, if you can catch them 1. Thistle — Disgraced knight, still haughty
6. Feathered — Can glide short distances 2. Belladonna — Off-kilter wizard, looking for spells
3. Hayseed — Trying to steal enough to buy back their farm
4. Mandrake — Con artist. Appears unthreatening
5. Marigold — Loves fire. Fears its absence
6. Leif — Massive mouse exiled from far away land

22 23
 Owl Snake
9. Hexcrawl toolbox
15hp, STR 15, DEX 15, WIL 15, Armour 1 12hp, STR 12, DEX 10, WIL 10, Armour 2
Attacks: d10 bite Attacks: d8 bite Making a hexcrawl
Flys 3x normal speed. Knows two spells Critical damage: Swallow whole, d4 STR
damage per Round until rescued or escape 1. Fill hexes
Wants to collect rare knowledge and spells
Wants to sleep undisturbed Start with a 5x5 map of one-mile hexes.
Owl sorcerers Place a friendly settlement (p. 28) in the centre.
1. Bezalel — Builds mechanical servants Strange snakes
2. Morgana — In league with a faerie kingdom 1. Wood — Carved stick of wood, ensorcelled into life Fill the remaining hexes. Roll on the hex contents
3. Prospero — Creates chimeric servants 2. Shadow — Slithers always just out of sight tables (p. 26) or use them as inspiration. Write a one-line
4. Sparrowhawk — Can shape-shift into any other bird 3. Bone — Snake skeleton, raised from the dead description for each hex. Running a hexcrawl
5. Crowley — Binds ghosts into spells 4. Eel — Lives underwater. Raises stolen snake eggs 2. Create factions (Optional) First session
6. Lechuza — Human witch trapped in owl form 5. Scroll — Born with a spell etched into its scales
6. Drake — Has wings, breathes small gouts of fame Factions (p. 30) are the major powers within your hex In the first session, pick one of the adventure sites
Rat crawl. They help set the stakes of the players choices, you’ve detailed and start the players at the entrance.
Spider and create the feeling of a living world going on outside Give the players a reason why they should care about
3hp, STR 12, DEX 8, WIL 8 of the game sessions.
Attacks: d6 cleaver 6hp, STR 8, DEX 15, WIL 10, Armour 1 the adventure site. Use the backgrounds of their mice
Attacks: d6 poison bite (damages DEX instead of STR) 3. Detail adventure sites and theme of the adventure site as hooks, or use the
Wants easy wealth, to take from the weak Critical damage: Carry away in web table below if you’re stuck for ideas.
Adventure sites (pp. 34-41) are the dangerous places
Rat gangs where brave adventurers find the wealth they seek. d6 Starting adventure site hook
1. Dedratz — Construct elaborate scavenged traps Wants to feed its babies
Where settled mice, more careful and less desperate, do 1 Searching for a lost family member
2. Water Rats — Expert riverboat navigators Spider species not dare to scurry.
3. Lab Rats — Bizarre looks, innate magical abilities 1. Widow — Bright red markings, d10 damage bite 2 Investigating on orders of a noblemouse
4. Trashknights — 1 armour tin breastplates and helms 2. Wolf — Furry, hunts in packs of d6 spiders Pick 2-4 of the of the landmarks and detail them as 3 Mouse wizard requires a certain spell component
5. Gentlerats — Top hats and rumpled suits 3. Longlegs — Mostly peaceful, can walk on water adventure sites. Spread them out, to give the players
4 Site is lair of a creature harassing a settlement
6. The Kings — Tails locked together in gordian knot 4. Architect — Weave confusing tunnels of webs good reasons to criss-cross the map.
5 Following an inherited treasure map
5. Blink — As an action, can teleport d6 x 10" Decide the theme for each, then fully detail one of
6. Ghost — Can only be harmed by silver or magic weapons them. You can detail the others now, or wait until the 6 Seeking shelter from a terrible storm
players are closer to encountering them.
Exploring the map
4. Seed rumours Once the players are done exploring the adventure site,
Create a table of d6 rumours. As the players explore or need to retreat back to a friendly place for supplies,
adventure sites or rest in settlements, use this table show them a blank version of your map.
to give hints of other locations and of the activities of Mark the friendly settlement and the adventure site,
factions within the hexcrawl. plus a couple of other well-known places.
• Entries 1-3 should be true Allow the players to find their own way through the
• Entries 4-5 should partially true map. As the party of mice move through each hex, they
• Entry 6 should be false should automatically encounter the major landmarks
5. Create encounter table you’ve created, as long as they are fairly obvious.

Based on the factions you’ve chosen and other inhab- Expanding the map
itants of the area, create a table of d6 encounters, As the players uncover new leads and the world changes
following the structure outlined on p. 21. around them, create some more adventure sites and
start expanding the map.
24 25
 Hex contents Hex type Landmark details
For each hex on your map, roll, choose or invent: d6 Type d6 d8 Detail
• Hex type 1-2 Countryside 1 - Mouse settlement... (Details on p. 28)
• Landmark (depending on hex type) 3-4 Forest 2 1 Small mouse farm (What threatens their crops?)
• An interesting detail for that landmark 5 River 2 Noblemouse’s castle (What does it defend against?)
Write a one-line description for each hex. 6 Human town 3 Friendly mouse roadhouse (What is in the basement?)
4 Mouse hunting lodge (What is their quarry?)
Landmarks 5 Mining outpost (What have they uncovered?)
6 Mouse hermit’s hut (Why do they shun society?)
d20 Countryside Forest River Human town 7 Natural caves (What is living here?)
1 Anthill Abandoned shack Canal lock Abandoned car 8 Hedge-knight’s tower (What is their quest?)
2 Beech, lightning split Bright clearing Converging tributaries Apartment balcony 3 1 Songbird’s nest (What sad tales do they sing of?)
3 Bone-white tree Cascading waterfalls Draping willow Blackberry hedge 2 Tribe of huge, peaceful beasts (What do they fear?)
4 Cow skeleton Cliff face Eroded riverbank Busy road 3 Rat bandit hideout (Who do they prey on?)
4 Crow coven’s spire (What spells do they caw?)
5 Field of flowers Cold, fresh spring Fallen tree crossing Drainpipe outlet
5 Hive of insects (What do they hunger for?)
6 Field of wheat Dense underbrush High waterfall Dumped furniture 6 Den of a great predator (What treasure do they guard?)
7 Hedge row Face in ancient oak Huge boulder Greenhouse 7 Frog fortress (What lies hidden in the dungeon?)
8 Hollow tree stump Fox hole Huge concrete dam Mouse ruins 8 Mouse wizard’s tower (What is spell almost finished?)
9 Huge flat rock Grove of ferns Isolated island Newly built house 4 1 Dangerous natural feature (How can it be avoided?)
10 Lily-lined pond Hollow tree stump Muddy flats Overgrown garden bed 2 Lonely shrine (Who maintains it? What do they worship?)
11 Massive fallen tree Huge pine tree Rocky rapids Pigeon nest 3 Noblemouse’s manor (Why was it abandoned?)
4 Abandoned settlement (What clues did they leave?)
12 Old craggy oak Human walking track Row of dead trees Pile of trash
5 Ruined watchtower (What did it guard from?)
13 Old farmhouse Human-made clearing Silty dam Rocky riverbed
6 Natural feature, peaceful and safe (Who gathers here?)
14 Quiet dirt road Meandering brook Stepping-stones Shopping trolley 7 Natural feature, out of place (How did it form?)
15 Rabbit warren Overgrown ruins Stone bridge Stagnant pond 8 Rickety bridge (What does it cross over?)
16 Sparrow nest Ring of stones Stony shallows Steel bridge 5 1 Ancient bat cult temple (What was summoned?)
17 Stand of pine trees Rocky outcropping Submerged trash Trash-filled skip 2 Faerie ring (What business do the faeries have here?)
18 Steep hill Sunken hollow Sunken barge Tree-lined footpath 3 Beetle graveyard (What do the ghosts want?)
4 Mouse witch’s hut (What does she brew?)
19 Stone wall Tangle of roots Twisted roots Underground car park
5 Small, deep pond (What is at the bottom?)
20 Tangle of fig roots Termite-riddled tree Wooden bridge Woodshed
6 Out-of-season plantlife (Why are they growing here?)
7 Owl sorcerer’s nest (What are they searching for?)
8 Strange magical anomaly (Why is it spreading?)
6 1 Crashed Lilliputian airship (How can it be repaired?)
2 Humming stone (What happens when touched?)
3 Completely lifeless (What disaster has occurred?)
4 Regularly used by humans (What do they do here?)
5 Damaged by humans (What have they done?)
6 Ancient ruins of a past civilisation (Who built this?)
7 Cat lord’s hunting ground (What trophies remain?)
8 Repurposed human construction (How is it used?)
26 27
 Mouse settlements
Settlement details
What habits and customs do the mice have? What feature sets this settlement apart? Cities have two. What trade do the mice work? Towns and cities have two. What is happening as the player mice arrive?

d20 Inhabitants d20 Notable feature d20 Industry d20 Event

1 Shave elaborate patterns in their fur 1 Maze of defensive, trap-filled tunnels 1 Farmers, tending to towering crops 1 Disaster, everyone packing to leave
2 Intoxicated by strange plants 2 Exceedingly comfortable, well-appointed inn 2 Woodcutters, with saws and harnesses 2 Wedding, streets decked in flowers
3 Wary of doing business with outsiders 3 Shrine carved of black wood 3 Rough and scarred fishermice, with nets and rafts 3 Preparing for grand seasonal feast
4 Curious for news from afar 4 Meditative mushroom garden 4 Dark and musty mushroom farm 4 An illness has struck
5 Believe grooming their fur is bad luck 5 Cow skull, repurposed as a guildhouse 5 Grains drying on every flat surface 5 Storehouse has been plundered by insects
6 Wear finely embroidered clothes 6 Mess of closely packed shanties 6 Pungent cheese, cured for years 6 Market day, farmers flock to the settlement
7 Brew honey-mead, flavoured with pungent herbs 7 Neat rows of hanging wooden houses 7 Gardens of rare herbs. Drying racks are guarded 7 Mice are at each other’s throats
8 Cover their faces with long hoods 8 Ornate gate, guarded by statues 8 Hive of bees and their veiled keepers 8 Warband forming to defeat a beast
9 Impoverished by a cat lord’s tithes 9 Secret bat cult temple 9 Merchants and traders, often in need of guards 9 Several children have gone missing
10 Ceremonially crop their tails 10 Beetle racing rink 10 Stonemasons, working a nearby quarry 10 Noblemouse makes a frivolous demand
11 Brave hunters of large beasts 11 Storehouse, stocked with preserves 11 Flour mill, driven by a large water-wheel 11 Traveling theatre troupe arrives
12 All descended from single matriarch 12 Hidden riverboat dock 12 Deep mine for iron, silver or tin 12 Funeral, streets thick with smoke
13 Bake delicious berry pies 13 Crumbling marble palace, built by ancient mice 13 Keep silkworms and weave fine cloth 13 Conman whips up an irrational scheme
14 Lab escapees, naive about the world 14 Scavenged human machine, working 14 Expert explorers of caves and tunnels 14 Pet beetle gone mad, attacking mice
15 Spend their days lazing by a stream 15 Wooden bridge connects the settlement 15 Kiln-fired pottery, glazed in cheerful colours 15 Faerie emissary with an impossible request
16 Long-standing blood feud with another settlement 16 Unnervingly tall, twisting tower 16 Wool mill, draped in bright cloth 16 Strangely quick-growing plant nearby
17 Dig grand tunnels, overseen by the guild 17 Beautiful flower garden 17 Excellent school, rowdy pupils 17 Valuable heirloom has a been stolen
18 Wear large, wide-brimmed hats 18 Pigeon rider’s roost 18 Bustling, well-stocked market 18 Cat lord demands a heavy tithe
19 Have laws and customs confusing to outsiders 19 Overgrown statue of an ancient hero 19 Smelly scavenged trash pile, carefully picked over 19 Coming of age ceremony for the young mice
20 On friendly terms with a predator 20 Spiral stairwell, leading deep underground 20 Beautiful furniture of carved and polished wood 20 Wizard tower arrives on tortoise-back

Settlement size Governance Settlement name seeds Taverns and inns

Most mouse settlements are no more than a handful of Most settlements pay taxes to (and are protected by) the Roll d12 twice. Hamlets and larger settlements will furnish a friendly
families in an oak hollow or in an old farmhouse wall. local noblemouse. Free settlements keep their own guard. Choose a start and an end. Massage until it sounds nice. tavern or inn for locals and traveling mice.
Roll 2d6 and use the lowest value. Roll d6 + Settlement size (1 for Farm, 6 for City) Start A Start B End A End B Name A Name B Specialty meal
1. Oaks 1. Swamp 1. thorpe 1. stand 1. White 1. Beetle 1. Spiced baked carrot
d6 Size d6+ Size 2. Berry 2. Owl 2. ville 2. hill 2. Green 2. Fox 2. Boiled worm broth
1 Farm/manor (1-3 families) 2-3 Guided by village elders 3. Willow 3. Fox 3. mill 3. tower 3. Black 3. Wedge 3. Blackberry pie
4. Stump 4. Acorn 4. dale 4. farm 4. Red 4. Kernel 4. Pungent aged cheese
2 Crossroads (3-5 families) 4-5 Administered by a knight or lower-caste lord 5. Pine 5. Copper 5. grove 5. bridge 5. Silver 5. Rat 5. Barley porridge
3 Hamlet (50-150 mice) 6-7 Organised by a guild committee 6. Moon 6. Robber 6. town 6. gate 6. Crooked 6. Cheese 6. Thick river-fish steak
7. Green 7. Colby 7. vale 7. creek 7. Friendly 7. Eagle 7. Baked apple
4 Village (150-300 mice) 8-9 Free settlement, governed by council of burghermice 8. Black 8. Drain 8. seed 8. pond 8. Hidden 8. Worm 8. Fried, crumbed insect legs
5 Town (300-1000 mice) 10-11 House of an upper caste noblemouse 9. Stone 9. Rose 9. ashe 9. nest 9. Wiley 9. Bee 9. Fresh buttered bread
10. Hill 10. Copper 10. bush 10. ford 10. Glass 10. Lantern 10. Scavenged candy
6 City (1000+ mice) 12 Seat of baronial power 11. Fig 11. Friend 11. stitch 11. grave 11. Thorny 11. Rose 11. Honey-roasted seeds
12. Apple 12. Trunk 12. shine 12. burn 12. Broken 12. Knight 12. Mushroom stew
28 29
 Factions
Factions are large forces outside the Goal progression Player interference 1. Cat lord 2. Noblemouse 3. Tunnellers guild
control of the player mice. They help Between sessions, each faction will As the players interact with factions, Resources Resources Resources
create a feeling of a living world. work towards their current goal. show signs of the current goals • Terrifying presence • Ambitious knights • Rough-pawed work gangs
Pick or create 3-4 factions to be the Roll d6, then adjust the value: they are working towards. • Hired mercenaries and bandits • Tricky legal advocates • Solidarity with working mice
major powers within your hexcrawl. Players should have opportunities to • Exorbitant wealth • Stocked storehouses Goals
For each relevant resource the
Using factions faction has, add 1 to the result. interact with the factions, to thwart Goals Goals Intimidate tax collector
or help them compete their goals. Raise bribes from settlement Raise tax revenue Destroy noblemouse’s manor
Factions have goals they are trying If a rival faction is targeted by the goal, Kidnap mouse servants Acquire new land rights Establish free settlement
to complete and resources they subtract 1 from the result for each of Factions may attempt to recruit the
help of players and players may Subjugate a settlement Establish new settlement
can utilise towards the goal’s that faction’s relevant resources.
completion. Goals should interact interfere with the faction’s progress.
• On final result of 4-5, mark
with other factions or complete for 1 progress toward the goal. If the players successfully help or 4. Rat bandits 5. Faerie queen 6. Owl sorcerer
similar resources. • On a 6+, mark 2 progress. interfere in completion of a goal, Resources Resources Resources
Resources reflect the power and mark or erase 1-3 progress marks, • Ruthless gang • Hidden roads and portals • Powerful magic
When a faction completes a goal, depending on the scale of the player
influence of the faction within the add a new resource to represent • Secret hideout • Shapeshifting agents • Speed and fury
world. interference. • Endless illusory silver • Magical servants
their increased power and influence. Goals
Each goal requires 2-5 progress If players directly attack a faction Dominate a trade route Goals Goals
If the goal reduces another faction’s and significantly affect their power,
marks (eg.         ) to be completed, power and influence, remove or Establish protection racket Kidnap mice Take scrying tower from crows
depending on its complexity. this may require you to remove or Capture a fortress Trick mice out of legal standing Locate leyline vortex
change one of its resources. re-write a faction’s resource. Lead settlement into Fae lands Harness the vortex’s power
Factions with at least three resources As factions work towards and com-
are capable of fielding a warband. plete their goals, update your map
to show waxing and waning power, 7. Clutch of snakes 8. Cultists
and add hints of current goals to Resources Resources
your rumour table. • Silent slithering serial killers • Poorly-understood eldritch power
• Chilling calling cards • Clandestine insiders
Goals Goals
Assassinate a settlement elder Recruit vulnerable mice
Assassinate a noblemouse Steal powerful artifact
Assassinate the queen Summon ancient god

9. Frog prince 10. Coven of crows

Resources Resources
• Chivalric knights • Cunning corvid crones
• Hidden fortress • Cawing song magic
Goals • Soaring scrying tower
Hold joust to choose a champion Goals
Kidnap mouse historian Kidnap a mouse farmer
Find the Mug of Truth Capture a weather spirit
Create weather machine
30 31
 Example hexcrawl
1: Oaksgrove 8: Balthazar ’s Gate 14: Tower of Magnolia
The Earldom of Ek Town of 350 mice. Built between
three old oaks linked with bridges.
Gate to the Barony of Balthazar.
Mice who venture past this point are
Mouse wizard’s tower, built in light-
ning-struck beech. She has almost
8 Inhabitants wear fine embroidered rarely seen again. finished the creation of a powerful
clothing and have a pigeon rider’s spell, needs a cat’s claw to finish it.
roost. 9: Woodshed
19 9 Used as a hideout by the Dedrat 15: Stumpsville
2: Ant kingdoms gang, who have kidnapped mice Hamlet of 50 mice. Known for their
Three ant kingdoms, constantly at from Stumpsville. They are planning excellent cheese, which is guarded
18 10 war. Will pay well for mercenaries to deliver the mice as offering to by a large snake. Mice have all been
and assassins. Balthazar who wants the mice as kidnapped by Deadrat gang of rats.
personal cheesemakers. The players start here.
3: Logging fields
2 Fields of sawdust and felled trees. 10: Abandoned hut 16: Menhir Mot
7 Sounds of screaming machines Cursed sunflower draws both bees Ancient castle, built into a large
can be heard during the day from and cultists to the abandoned hut. boulder on a windswept field.
3 neighboring hexes. See Honey in the Rafters. Controlled by Larkspur, lord of this
17 11 county within the Earldom.
4: Cave of Gormenghast 11: Waterfall cave
1 4 An ancient, foul-natured wolf. Secret entrance to the Faerie lands, 17: Mushroom grotto
6 Avoided by wise mice. hidden behind a waterfall. Humid caves overgrown by
5: Ghost beech 12: Blackrock Stand mushrooms. Rival adventurers are
exploring the cave, searching for the
Bone-white tree, translucent leaves. Abandoned settlement. Former grave of an ancient queen.
Beetle graveyard amongst the roots. mouse inhabitants are mutated into
5 insect hybrids. The black monolith 18: Huge road
16 12 6: Poppyseed house that changed the mice is still here. Leads to the Big City.
Mouse roadhouse. River Rat smugglers 2-in-6 chance of human presence.
have secret hideout in the basement. 13: River ’s Rest
15 13 Hamlet of 75 mice built in log over 19: Bridge hideout
7: Fishing spot the river. Keep a mushroom farm. Smuggling hideout used by the
3-in-6 chance of humans being here. Hidden riverboat dock below the log. River Rats. Will transport anyone or
14 Stones useful for crossing river. anything along the river... for a price.

Encounters Rumours
Balthazar (Cat lord) Dedratz (Rat gang) Lord Larkspur (Noblemouse)
d6 Encounter d6 Rumour
Resources Resources Resources
1 d6 Dedratz, scouting out a mark 1 Balthazar is kidnapping mice to make him food • Terrifying presence • Ruthless gang • Indolent knights
2 d6 Dedratz, dragging a sack of stolen goods 2 Many trees north of Oaksgrove have been felled • Hired mercenaries and bandits • Secret woodshed hideout • Menhir Mot
3 2d6 Dedratz, leading d6 mice, strung together 3 The Earl of Ek has fallen ill, and has no heir • Exorbitant wealth Goals Goals
4 Roll on Adventure seeds table 4 A wolf ate all the mice in Blackrock Stand Goals Appease a cat lord Raise tax revenue
Raise bribes from settlement Establish protection racket Acquire new land rights
5 d6 Sugar Cultists, on clandestine mission 5 Faeries have a castle in the forest east of Oaksgrove
Kidnap mouse servants Capture a fortress Supersede the Earl of Ek
6 Cat Lord Balthazar, hunting 6 The Cult of Sugar know the secret of everlasting life Subjugate a settlement
32 33
 10. Adventure site toolbox Adventure site theme
History
Adventure sites are those dangerous places that only 3. Draw a map d20 Construction
the bravest of mouse adventurers dare to scurry. They
Draw or find a map of the location, then divide it into 1 Ancient bat cult temple
form the core of most Mausritter adventures.
‘rooms’ — these can be actual rooms, or just sensible 2 Long-abandoned watchtower
Designing a good adventure site is more art than dividing lines within a larger space.
science, but these steps will help as a basic guide. 3 Noblemouse’s country manor
The map doesn’t have to be pretty, detailed or to scale. 4 Hidden winter storehouse
1. Create a theme You can just draw the rooms with boxes, and connect Denizens
5 Burial site of ancient mice
them with lines. d10 Inhabitants...
The theme of the adventure site is the overall idea that
6 Warren dug by rabbits or foxes
guides its creation. Think of it like the title card and Keep these principles in mind when creating a map: 1 Mice, driven mad or desperate
one-sentence description that will guide the rest of 7 Human house or other building
• Multiple paths give the players decision points 2 Mice, magically altered
your choices. 8 Sewer or drainage pipes
while navigating the space. Create loops and links to 3 Rat bandits
other paths. 9 Claustrophobic ant-dug tunnels
2. Choose factions and goals 4 Creatures from a distant land
• Varied paths create distinct areas within the site. 10 Massive tree, carved out by mice
A good adventure site will be populated with at least 5 Original residents, strangely twisted
Stairs, ramps and cliffs break up the flow of a level 11 Wizard’s tower
two factions of creatures. These are not necessarily the and create more variety when navigating the space. 6 Ghostly spirits
factions working at your hexcrawl level, though these 12 Settlement’s grain mill
Secrets paths reward players who are paying close 7 Faerie advance guard
should inform your choices. The factions should have attention. 13 Rat King’s nest
8 Foul-tempered snake
competing goals they are trying to achieve within the • Multiple entrances, (even hidden ones) create oppor- 14 Skeleton of a great beast
adventure site. Not all of the creatures within the adven- 9 Infestation of insects
tunities to approach problems from a different angle. 15 Witch’s academy
ture site will be part of these factions. • History and ruination have dramatic impacts on a 10 Cat lord and their servants
16 Gatehouse to faerie realm
One of the factions in the site may already be clear from space. Hint at changes left by previous inhabitants. d8 ...searching for/protecting
rolling the Denizens in the adventure site overview. The 17 Deep mine
other faction could be protecting the site from that 4. Stock rooms 18 Bandit’s hideout
1 A safe place to live or hide
faction, or competing for a similar goal. For each room within the adventure site, roll or choose 2 Cache of fine food
19 Natural cave
the type and contents (p. 36). A good adventure site will 3 Lost family or friend
20 Mouse settlement
provide a diverse set of challenges through a variety
4 Ancient, valuable artworks
of room types. Some rooms will be obvious, so just go d12 Ruination
with what seems right. Others may need some random 5 The last scraps in a picked-over ruin
1 Flooding
prodding. 6 Rare alchemical mushrooms
2 Magical mishap
7 Strange and powerful spell
5. Create an encounter table 3 Age and rot
8 Vast horde of pips
Based on the factions you’ve chosen, and the rooms 4 Human destruction
stocked, create a table of d6 encounters for the adven- Secret
5 Overrun by mold
ture site.
6 Shifted between realms d6 Secret
Encounters can be dangerous, but are not necessarily
7 Attacked by great beast 1 Monolith humming with arcane energy
hostile to the player mice. Give each entry something it
is already doing as the players arrive. 8 Disastrous storm 2 Preserved precursor beast

• Entries 1-3 should be variations of a common encounter. 9 Haunting spirits 3 Signs of human experimentation
• Entries 4-5 should be variations of an uncommon 10 Mysterious abandonment 4 Forgotten grave of an ancient queen
encounter, something slightly unusual. 11 Internal warfare 5 Path into the veins of the earth
• Entry 6 should be a strange or dangerous encounter.
12 Disease 6 Portal to faerie realm
34 35
 Randomly stocking rooms Room types
To randomly stock a room in an adventure site, roll d6 three times; the first result shows the room type, the second Roll or pick from these tables for the contents of a room, or invent your own.
shows if a creature is present, and the third shows if treasure can be found here.
d8 Obstacle
Room type d6 Creature d6 Treasure 1 Locked door. Key can be found in another room. Knocking the door down takes time and makes noise.
d6 Type 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 2 Steep climb. Without special equipment, mice risk exhaustion or falling.
1-2 Empty X X X X 3 Room with an exit in the centre of the roof, 6" away from any wall.
3 Obstacle X X X 4 Device that creates an high-pitched scream. Each Turn spent here or in adjacent rooms gives Frightened Condition.
4 Trap X X X 5 Caved-in section of tunnel, leaving a gap too small to crawl through.
5 Puzzle X X X X X X 6 Tunnel completely filled with water.
6 Lair X X X X X X X X X 7 Wide, deep puddle of mud blocking the way. Gives an Exhausted Condition per 6" traveled.
8 Long, smooth, upwards sloping metal or plastic tube.
Creatures d20 Empty room feature
The creatures used in your adventure site should be d8 Trap
1 Abandoned insect nest
populated from the factions you’ve already chosen, but
1 Large stone door, chiseled loose from frame. Device behind the door tips it forward when handle is turned.
don’t be afraid to include some other creatures too. 2 Cluster of mushrooms
Creatures not in a lair should have a reason for being the 2 Long hallway flooded with water, electrified by large battery in an alcove.
3 Collapsed wall or ceiling
room where they are found. 3 Dark room filled with noxious, explosive gas. Distinct smell of rotten eggs. d20 damage if ignited.
4 Dried bug shells on the walls
Treasure 4 Thin thread stretched across deadly fall. Safe if traveling slowly, one at a time.
5 Furniture made of repurposed trash
Valuable treasure is rarely left lying around. It may be 5 Pit blocking the way. A snake is asleep at the bottom.
6 Huge drawing of bat face on wall
defended, hidden or lost. Keep in mind where it came
6 Door with three handles in the shape of mushrooms, one safe, the others poison. Poison handles deal d12 magical damage.
from and what left it there (and may miss it if taken). 7 Mess of tables and chairs
See p. 38 for treasure horde creation tables. 7 Circle of enchanted mushrooms, with a young mouse inside. Those within try desperately to get others to enter.
8 Newspaper clipping wallpaper
8 Floor is covered in sticky glue. Requires a STR save to break a foot loose.
Empty rooms 9 Overgrown with moss
Empty rooms provide mice with a chance to catch their 10 Painted mural, now faded d6 Puzzle
breath and prepare for the next challenge.
11 Platforms hanging over rapidly flowing water 1 Room with a floor made of an electrified copper plate. A piece of valuable treasure sits in the centre.
Obstacles 12 Roots bursting out of walls/floor/ceiling
Obstacles are a barrier that must be bypassed by players 2 Three feeding bottles with different-colored liquid inside. Each is inert individually but powerful/dangerous when mixed.
13 Rotting pile of acorns 3 A crystal, a magic sword embedded inside. The crystal is very hard, but will dissolve in stomach acid.
to continue. Use up the players resources, highlight
special equipment or push them to explore further. 14 Scattering of animal teeth 4 Treasure is at the bottom of deep well.
Traps 15 Shiny candy-wrapper banners 5 Large smooth steel bowl, upside down. Treasure taped to the inside ceiling of the bowl.
Traps should be obvious and deadly. A good trap has 16 Snake skull doorway 6 Baited mousetrap. The lever is wired to a stone in the wall and will collapse the corridor if triggered
a clear danger and multiple, non-obvious solutions. 17 Steady drip of water from ceiling
Consider the purpose the trap was built for, and how it d6 Lair
18 Stern statue of an ancient mouse
is navigated by other creatures in the site. If the players
19 Uneven and deeply cracked floor 1 Temporary encampment
use a risky method to bypass the trap, call for a Save or
Luck roll. 20 White quartz altar 2 Recently taken from another creature

Puzzles 3 Built by mice to hold the creature

Puzzles reward clever thinking. Give the players some- 4 Protecting young
thing to explore and experiment with. This could be a 5 Permanent home, newly settled
dangerous device, but one the players are able to exploit
6 Permanent home, comfortably appointed
for their own purposes.
36 37
 Treasure Magic swords
When placing a treasure horde, roll to see what it holds. • In a former mouse settlement, castle or dungeon? Magic swords only mark usage when a 6 is rolled. d6 Weapon class
Roll d20 twice on the Treasure table, plus an additional • In a highly magical area? They can be repaired by a highly skilled blacksmith, 1-4 Medium (d6 one paw/d8 both paws)
d20 for each of the following questions that are true: • Defended by a great beast or devious trap? or by an unusually practically minded wizard, a service
5 Light (d6 one paw, can be duel-wielded)
• The mice overcame great adversity to find it? that will require payment greater than simply pips.
6 Heavy (d10 both paws)

Treasure tables
1. Wrought iron 6. Water-worn glass
d20 Treasure d6 Valuable treasure
While wielded: While wielded:
1 Magic sword 1 Wheel of fine aged cheese (100p) You roll critical damage 2. Intricate Fae design You can hold breath
2 Random spell 2 Silver chain (2 slots, 500p) Saves with Advantage While wielded: You may underwater for 1 Turn
disguise yourself as any 7. Wolf tooth
3 Roll for Trinket 3 Jeweled pendant (400p)
mouse-sized creature
4 Roll for Valuable treasure 4 Gold ring (500p) Critical damage:
Your next attack is Enhanced
5 Roll for Unusual treasure 5 Polished diamond (1000p)
6-8 Roll for Large treasure 6 String of pearls (2 slots, 1500p)
3. Rusty nail 8. Silver sewing needle
9-10 Roll for Useful treasure
d6 Large treasure Critical damage: Critical damage: Clear all usage dots
11 Box containing d6 x 100 pips Give a Frightened Condition from a non-spell item in your inventory
1 Oversized silver spoon (2 slots, 300p)
12-14 Bag containing d6 x 50 pips
2 Ivory comb (4 slots, 400p) 9. Thorny rose stem
15-17 Purse containing d6 x 10 pips
3 Huge bottle of fine brandy (4 slots, 500p) Critical damage:
18-20 Loose scattering of d6 x 5 pips 4. Snake fang Remove a Condition
4 Ancient mouse statue (4 slots, 500p)
Critical damage: Deal d6 additional damage to DEX
d6 Trinkets 5 Ancient mouse throne (6 slots, 1000p) 10. Congealed shadow
1 Ghost lantern (casts a light that banishes ghosts) 6 Giant golden wristwatch (4 slots, 1000p) While wielded: You are invisible
2 Speaking shells (one speaks what the other hears) when standing perfectly still
d6 Unusual treasure 5. Toy soldier ’s sabre
3 Breathing straw (tube that always contains air)
1 Bundle of pungent herbs (200p to an apothecary) While wielded: If you lead a warband, they have +1 Armour
4 Bat cultist’s dagger (grants passage into sanctum)
2 Odd-coloured dried mushrooms (200p to a witch)
5 Magic beans (grow fully in d6 Turns)
6 Working human device (make up something fun)
3 Eerily glowing stone (300p to a wizard) Cursed swords
4 Heirloom of sentimental value to a noblemouse Magic swords have a 1-in-6 chance of being cursed.
Tip: all of the sub-tables (except the Spells & Magic swords) use a d6, 5 Legal documents granting land rights to the holder
so roll one d6 for each d20 rolled as a big handful of dice to quickly Cursed swords bind to the mouse who first holds them, While the curse remains, the sword has no beneficial
generate a treasure horde. 6 Treasure map and cannot be removed from the mouse’s inventory. power. Once lifted, the sword regains its power.

d6 Useful treasure d6 Curse Lifted by...

1 d6 packs of rations, well preserved 1 Roll critical damage saves with Disadvantage Making a selfless sacrifice in a life or death situation
2 d6 bundles of torches 2 When you gain an Exhausted Condition, gain another Trading places with a poor farmer for a season
3 Mundane weapon 3 Make a WIL save to not attack when threatened Making lasting peace with a mortal enemy
4 Mundane armour 4 Reaction rolls are made with -1 modifier Giving away everything you own, no cheating
5 Mundane utility item 5 If you see an ally take damage, take a Frightened Condition Fulfilling a mouse’s dying wish
6 Lost mouse, willing to help 6 Spells cast in your presence always mark usage Destroying an owl sorcerer’s source of power
38 39
 Example adventure site

Stumpsville 1: Entry tunnel

Underneath two elegantly intertwined roots.
6: Infested house
Dark. Cobwebs festoon windows and doorway.
• Cart tracks and footmarks on the muddy ground. • Roquefort and Paneer, villagers trapped in webs.
• Mousetrap just inside the entrance, marked with They hid in here after tipping the statue into the pond
rat skull. Lever of trap is wired to a large boulder in to prevent it from being stolen by Dedratz.
the wall (d12 damage if triggered). Trap baited with • Two spiders, protecting their nest
wheel of cheese (100p)
• Tunnel: to Main gate 7: Grand hall
Grand underground chamber, lit by candlelight.
2: Main gate
• 2d6 Dedratz, drinking stolen mead, eating cheese and
Wide tunnel. Half dirt, half wood. Stone gate blocks the way. playing horrible sounds with the Snake Flute
• Twin guardian statues by the gate, defaced. • Snake Flute (while played with skill, places a snake
5
• Gate is massive slab of slate, iron handle in centre. into a trance)
6 • Hinges of gate have been chiseled away and wood- • Roll 3 times for looted treasure (p. 38)
4 en pegs knocked in behind it. Mousetrap on other • Locked doorway: behind barrels, to Cheese factory
side, rigged to tip the door forward if handle turned
(d20 damage if triggered, DEX Save for half). 8: Cheese factory
8 10
• Doorway: once opened, leads to Courtyard Sour smell of off milk, dark vats of half-curdled cheese.
3 9
2 3: Courtyard • Elevator driven by wheel on ground floor
• Mixing paddles (as 6" pole), and cheesecloths (as net)
1 Large, open courtyard. Still, cool air over the dark pond. • Jack, terrified cheesemaker, hiding behind a vat
• Six little wall-mounted houses, mostly empty. • Iron gate: opens to Snake cage
7 Struts and ladders from ground and platforms. • Elevator: to Courtyard
• Off-key horn toots and cackles coming from the • Locked doorway: to Grand hall
tunnel to the Grand hall. • Barred delivery hatch: in roof, leads outdoors
• Empty plinth, scattered with dust and rubble.
• Deep, dark pond. Gold-leaf statue of mouse hero 9: Snake cage
(4 slots, 600p) and bag of pips (140p) at bottom. Locked cage between factory and cheese cave.
What’s going on here? Encounters • Open tunnel: leads to stairs to Grand hall • Village guard snake, very hungry
• Doorway: to Cheese factory • Iron gate: to Cheese aging cave
The mice of Oaksgrove are worried about their friends and d6 Encounter • Ladders: to Ransacked, Abandoned and Infested houses
cousins in Stumpsville after the village’s usually reliable 10: Cheese aging cave
1 d3 Dedratz, searching for loot
delivery of cheese failed to arrive on market day. 4: Ransacked house
2 d6 Dedratz, carrying mouse Cool, dark and quiet. Rows of cheese aging of shelves.
Unbeknownst to the players, the mice of Stumpsville have been Trashed. Bed turned over and kitchen implements scattered.
3 d6 Dedratz, busy partying • 8 wheels of fine cheese (100p each)
kidnapped by the Dedratz as a gift for the cat lord Balthazar. • d6 copper pots and pans on floor: (10p each)
The rats are holding the villagers in their secret hideout to the 4 Spider, hunting for prey • Roll 2 times for treasure in chest at end of the cave
• “Dedratz Live” graffiti scrawled on the wall • Ernie, a Dedrat, sleeping off a food coma
north until the trade can be made. 5 d3 spiders, spinning their webs
Will the players solve the mystery and find where the villagers 6 Guard snake, escaped from its cage 5: Abandoned house
have been taken? Can they rescue the mice in time? Empty. Furniture turned up against the wall.
Let’s play to find out. • Painting depicting Stumpsville summer festival,
bunting festooning houses. Statue is still present.

40 41
 11. Useful tables Adventure seeds
Spark inspiration for adventure. Roll once and read across, or roll individually for each column and combine.
d66 Creature Problem Complication
11 Fishermouse Have been accused of a crime A player’s hireling is responsible
12 Unruly family Looking for a new home Need to cross a river
13 Wizard Is being followed Antagonist is their own shadow
14 Roach wrangler Discovered a strange artifact They have amnesia
Non-player mice 15 Farmer Experienced an unsettling omen The antagonist is in disguise
d6 Social position Payment for service d6 Birthsign Disposition 16 Burghermaster Want to assassinate a rival Player mouse’s home is involved
1 Poor d6p 1 Star Brave / Reckless 21 Forager Want to retrieve lost treasure It is protected by strange beasts
2 Common d6 x 10p 2 Wheel Industrious / Unimaginative 22 Shopkeeper Home has been destroyed Antagonist is their closest friend
3 Common d6 x 10p 3 Acorn Inquisitive / Stubborn 23 Traveling merchant Most valued possession was stolen They are the true antagonist
4 Burghermouse d6 x 50p 4 Storm Generous / Wrathful 24 Pigeon rider Has been kidnapped Player mouse’s friend is involved
5 Guildmouse d4 x 100p 5 Moon Wise / Mysterious 25 Ale brewer Has been exiled from settlement They've been framed
6 Noblemouse d4 x 1000p 6 Mother Nurturing / Worrying 26 Herbalist Searching for a rare cure It's very urgent
31 Message runner Have lost their way They have vital information
d20 Appearance Quirk Wants Relationship 32 Vagrant Have had all their food stolen The antagonist had a good reason

1 Soulful eyes Constantly grooming Freedom Parent 33 Test subject Are on the run from humans They’re being tracked by a chip
34 Tin miner Have been waylaid by bandits The antagonist is very drunk
2 Bright, patched clothes Obsessed with weather Safety Sibling
35 Baker Have eaten a poisonous berry Antagonist is a family member
3 Wreath of daisies Very high energy Escape Cousin
36 Hedge knight Family member is missing They’re dying
4 Grubby clothes Traveled, knowledgeable Excitement Second cousin
41 Tax collector Have lost of a lot of pips They’re very drunk
5 Large floppy hat Cursed by a wizard Power Grandparent
42 Matriarch Has been accused of murder Antagonist is a shape-shifter
6 Pockets full of seed Scares easily Meaning Related, but don’t know it 43 Prospector Pack tortoise is stuck They’re much richer than they look
7 Bent twig walking stick Ashamed of past crimes Health Married 44 Tunnellers Guild boss Has been murdered Player mouse's rival is involved
8 Carries rusted pinsword Very competitive Wealth Former lovers 45 Noblemouse Their home is under attack Antagonist wants retribution
9 Long, wild fur Flamboyant drunkard Protection In love, unrequited 46 Rat bandit Want to steal from a rival A ghost is haunting the location
10 Very, very old Extremely polite Love Drinking buddies 51 Queen bee Traveling to a new home Their followers disagree
11 Bandaged tail Unreservedly honest To protect Debt owed 52 Ant army officer Is hunted by enemies They are badly injured
12 Tail tied with a bow Slow, careful speech Food Long and tumultuous 53 Owl sorcerer Want to retrieve a rare spell It is deep in a cave
54 Cat lord Want to be entertained They've trapped the player mice
13 Missing an ear Quick, erratic speech Friendship Sworn enemies
55 Duckling Has lost their mother Need to get to an island
14 Long whiskers Secret servant of a cat Rest Guild brothers
56 Giant millipede Want somewhere warm to sleep Need item carried by a player mouse
15 Twinkling eyes Raised by rats Knowledge Childhood friends
61 Lilliputian ambassador Want to reach the mouse queen They don’t understand local customs
16 Huge, heavy black cloak Outcast from home Savagery One stole from the other
62 Trapped ghost Want to find their true love They can’t leave their current location
17 Old battle scars Many pet insects Beauty Worked together 63 Faerie envoy Want to kidnap a mouse A player mouse is their target
18 Very young Hates being outdoors Revenge Grew up together 64 Swarm of midges Want to steal from a player mouse Antagonist is unusually skilled
19 Shaved fur Local hero To serve Serve the same lord 65 Grandmother spider Has lost an ancient treasure They’ve eaten it
20 Braided fur Very twitchy whiskers Fun Never met before 66 Baby bird Cannot get home Need to climb a tree

42 43
Seasons Rules reference
Poor weather: While traveling in highlighted weather, make STR save or gain an Exhausted Condition.

Spring
Best practices
2d6 Weather
Summer • Ask lots of questions. Make notes. Draw maps.
2 Rain storm
2d6 Weather • Work together. Devise schemes. Recruit allies.
3-5 Drizzle
6-8 Overcast 2 Thunder storm • Dice are dangerous. Clever plans don’t need to roll.
9-11 Bright and sunny 3-5 Very hot • Play to win. Delight in losing.
12 Clear and warm 6-8 Clear, hot • Fight dirty. Run. Die. Roll a new mouse.
9-11 Pleasantly sunny
d6 Seasonal event
12 Beautifully warm
1 Flooding washes away an important landmark
2 Mother bird, very protective of her eggs d6 Seasonal event

3 Merchant’s cart sunken in a pool of mud 1 Heat wave makes travel exhausting for next week
4 Migrating butterflies, hungry for nectar 2 Baby bird, fallen from nest Saves Combat
5 Mice weaving wreathes of flowers to prepare for... 3 Pleasant and refreshing sun shower Roll d20 equal or under an attribute: On your turn, move and take an action.
6 Wedding festival, a joyous procession 4 Swarm of locusts destroy a settlement’s crops • STR: tests of physical strength and resilience. Surprise: If enemy is surprised, you go before them.
5 Mice building elaborate costumes to prepare for... • DEX: tests of speed and agility. If enemy is not surprised, make a DEX Save to act first.
• WIL: tests of strength of will and charisma. Attacks: Roll your weapon’s die and deal that much
6 Midsummer festival, a wild dance
Opposed saves: Both Save, lowest successful value wins. damage to an enemy, minus any armour.
Autumn
Advantage: When making a Save from a strong position, When an attack is impaired, roll d4 for damage.
2d6 Weather When an attack is enhanced, roll d12 for damage.
Winter roll 2d20 and take the lowest result.
2 Wild winds
Disadvantage: When making a Save from a weakened Damage: Dealt to HP first.
3-5 Heavy rain 2d6 Weather Once HP is depleted, take damage to STR.
position, roll 2d20 and take the highest result.
2 Snow storm After taking STR damage, make a STR Save. On failure,
6-8 Cool Attribute damage: When an attribute is reduced by
take an Injured Condition and become incapacitated.
9-11 Patchy rain 3-5 Sleet damage, roll d20 equal or under the reduced value.
Death: If STR is reduced to zero, or you are incapaci-
12 Clear and crisp 6-8 Bitter cold
tated for 6 Turns, you die.
9-11 Overcast
d6 Seasonal event
12 Clear and crisp
Magic Usage: After combat, roll d6 for each weapon, ammu-
Invest 1-3 Power (up to number of unused dots) nition and armour used. On 4-6, mark usage.
1 An important tree is felled by wild winds
2 Mother bird, distraught from children leaving home d6 Seasonal event Roll d6 for each Power invested.
3 A large patch of mushrooms emerges overnight 1 Snow prevents above-ground movement for a week Mark usage for each die of value 4-6. Rest
4 Rumors that truffles are growing nearby 2 Bird with a broken wing, old and grey The spell effect happens, using [SUM] and [DICE] Short: Takes a Turn. Restore d6+1 HP.
5 Mice carrying bundles of grain and baking pies for... 3 Lost migrating duck, separated by the flock Mishaps: For every 6 rolled, take d6 WIL damage. Long: Takes a Watch. Restore all HP. If HP is full,
4 Travellers disappear in a fast moving storm Make a WIL save, gain Mad Condition if failed. restore d6 to an attribute score.
6 Harvest festival, a grand feast
5 Mice building an effigy of old Winter to prepare for... Full: Takes a week. Fully restore HP and attribute scores.
6 Midwinter festival, a magnificent bonfire
Take up the sword and don the whiskers of
a brave mouse adventurer in Mausritter,
the sword-and-whiskers fantasy adventure
role-playing game.
It’s a huge and dangerous world out there, and
it does not look kindly on a small mouse. But if
you are very brave and very clever and just a
bit lucky, you might be able to survive.
And if you survive long enough, you might even
become a hero amongst mice.

@ Copyright 2020 Losing Games