GM: Sean Nittner
Players: Walter, Dig Vargas, Karen Twelves, and Colby
System: The Warren
World: abingdon meadow
We had a civil uprising in the warren, mating, birthing (not related), rabbits being trapped, rabbits getting lost, discovery of a weasel invasion, a terrifying old tree where winged death perched, a lost kit, an exodus into the forest, two moves innovated (“When you run into the wild” and “When you try to move a litter”), a few scars, a competition which lead to two rabbits maxing out on panic, and lots of angry dogs yelling “Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!”.
What rocked
Again, such and easy game to play. All we had to do was follow from the moves and watch our rabbits get in trouble. It started with the hunters, but escalated when Bounder got lost, Honey got trapped under hard earth she couldn’t dig through, and together they stumbled weasels trying to dig under the warren.
There was also delicious political divisions. Wintergreen being reviled by most of the player character rabbits (especially Blackberry who envied his amorous relationship with Moonbeam), made it easy for Cottontail to weaken his hold on the warren and cause mass panic at the announcement of weasels.
The old legends of Windtrapper, the rabbit who led rabbits on an exodus across the river and into the forest, never to be seen again, which then we re-incorporated when Blackberry tried to convinced the rabbits to do the same.
Bounder’s fear of the winged death that perched on a tree from across the hedge. Everyone’s fear and curiosity about what was on the other side of the hedge. The missing clan of dark fur and finding out what happened to them!
New Move:
When you run into the wild roll+Shrewd. On a 10+ you find a hiding place in a new area and can find your way back. On a 7-9 you have found a place but choose one.
- It’s temporary at best.
- It’s occupied
- You’re lost
When you move a litter, roll+Strong. On a 10+ they are moved safely. On a 7-9, choose one:
- The trip is slow and you are exposed to danger.
- One of the kit is lost or must be given up.
So much good stuff.
What could have improved
I think I belabored the escape from the hunters too much. It took a lot of moves to get free. Eventually it felt like everyone had done plenty to so I elided time till that evening when the hunters had gone home, and taken the dogs with them. I think I could have shortened that significantly by broadening the scope of the moves and being a bit less moment to moment.
I didn’t have the book with me. I was able to do everything off the GM reference sheet except figure out what happens when you hit max panic. I went with pick fight, flight or freeze and then panic resets to zero and you gain a scar. It worked but wasn’t quite right.
