The Adventurer

Born under the treetops at the dawn of the world and destined to create the greatest works of craftmanship of this age or any other, Red Squirrels are an ardent and strange people. On one hand, they possess an innate ability for crafting – their skills take on a magical nature when compared to other mortals. On the other hand, Squirrel culture is a war between rigid tradition and fierce acquisitiveness.

by Simon Edge

Nature

If you’re an adventurer, write Nature: Adventurer on your character sheet. Your descriptors are Delving, Crafting and Avenging a Grudge
All characters have a base Nature of 3. Answer the following three questions appropriate to your stock to determine your final starting Nature score, and possibly some traits.

Adventurer Nature Questions

If your kin are slain and their halls plundered, would you spend your life plotting and exacting revenge, or would you tally your losses and move on to greater challenges?
If you would take revenge at any cost, increase Nature by one. If you would forgive these grudges, you may replace or increase your home trait with Honourable or Jaded.
Would you plunge ever deeper into the bones of the earth looking for treasures untold, or do you fear what you would uncover should you dig too deep?
If you would dig ever deeper, increase Nature by one and decrease Fighter skill by one. If you fear what lies beneath, do not increase Nature or decrease your skill.
Do you yearn to spend your days crafting wondrous objects from silver and gold or does the life of adventure call?
If you were born to craft wondrous objects, increase your Nature by one. If the life of adventure calls, you may replace or increase your home trait with Fearless or Foolhardy.

Career

Career Progression

Level 1

Adventurer: Squirrels can wield any weapon except two-handed swords and lances. They can also wear any armour, use a shield and wear a helmet.

Level 2

Wily: You’re always last out of a fight. If your hit points are depleted to zero, instead reduce them to 1 and deduct the remainder of the damage from another player (or players) of your choice. If there is another character with this benefit, the higher-level character goes out last. If you are the same level, the higher Fighter skill goes last. If you have the same level and skill, the highest Nature goes last. If you’re exactly the same in all respects, work it out yourselves.
Shrewd: Squirrels are shrewd hagglers. You may make a Haggler test during the town phase without raising your lifestyle obstacle.

Level 3

Skirmisher: Improved leather armour. When you’re wearing leather armour, roll 2D to deflect a blow. If either die comes up a 4-6, you reduce the incoming thrust by -1s.
Climber: When above ground, this squirrel gains a bonus to detect traps and hazards. In addition, this squirrel can expound on the nature, depth and characteristics trees and woodland. Reduce factors for all tests to detect and expound by one.

Level 4

Greed: If angry and possessing knowledge of something he covets, the squirrel may invoke Greed. Greed gives a free turn (or check) to the squirrel to purchase, take, steal, bargain or murder for the item in question. He cannot be helped unless your companions have an appropriate Instinct. If Greed is invoked and your squirrel acquires what he lusts after, next time you hit camp or town, immediately test to recover angry. No check is required.
Hardy Stock: This squirrel comes from hardy stock. Add +1D to recover from the sick condition or any tests to resist poison.

Level 5

Child of the Forest: Your extended experience in the forest and woodlands empower you with the ability to track and read the signs of your favoured habitat. Re-roll any 1s in Scout, Hunter and Survivalist obstacles when under the cover of trees.
Tinker: This squirrel has retained some of the craft of his people. Add +2D to your ability or skill when repairing or creating small items and armour.

Level 6

Great Endurance: Ignore the exhausted condition once per adventure.
Secret Destiny: In your next haul of loot you find an artefact of rare beauty and strength that was destined for your hands. Choose: an incomparable weapon (grants +1D to Fighter), an unbreakable hauberk (chainmail that only breaks on a roll of a 1 and causes no fatigue penalty for exhaustion) or a priceless jewel (grants +1s to Haggle, +1s to disposition for convince conflicts about treasure and is worth 15D of cash if traded at the market). The gem is pack 1.

Level 7

Weasel Slayer: Increase your order of might by one when you’re alone or in a group of only adventurers, warriors and burglars. Combine this bonus with other bonuses from spells and magic weapons.
War Captain: You always count as the “hero” weapon in a battle, regardless of whether you’re at the front or not. If leading from the front, you triple your hero bonus to +3s for Attacks.

Level 8

Make Light of Heavy Burdens: Increase your rank cap for Health from 6 to 7. You may advance from rank 6 to rank 7 with seven successful and six failed tests.
Strength: Use level instead of Will or Health as base disposition for kill, capture and drive off conflicts.

Level 9

Heroic Ability: Choose Fighter, Health, Orator or Armorer. The chosen skill becomes “heroic.” When rolling this skill, 3-6 indicates a success (rather than the standard 4-6). This ability does not interface with Health as base of fight conflicts.
Transformed: Change one Nature descriptor. You may choose: hoarding, boasting or ruling.

Level 10

Made of Sterner Stuff: Increase Might by one (from 3 to 4).
The Madness Within: When using Greed (L4 benefit), all tests count as if they were part of your Nature.

Starting Stats

Class	Adventurer
Raw Abilities	Will 3, Health 5
Skills	Fighter 4, Technician 3, Armorer 2 Labourer 2, Orator 2, Scout 2
Trait	Born of Earth and Wood
Weapons	Any except two-handed sword, bow and lance
Armour	Any
Languages	Common‌; Rodentia

Home

Redwood Forests
Skills: Armourer, Labourer, Stonemason
Traits: Cunning, Fiery

Wise

Choose one of the following: Redwood Chronicles-wiseor Shrewd Appraisal-wise; take a second wise of your choice following the guidelines in this section. Either take one of our examples or invent one of your own.

Traits

Born of Earth and WoodSquirrels were shaped by their maker from the bones of the forest, and they share many qualities with earth and wood. Squirrels are steadfast and sturdy in all things, with a special feel for metal and wood, but they can also be stubborn and unyielding.

Used By

• The Mouse Guard