Thistle

Kingdom

zine for
Unofficial
Mausritter
by Christopher Käck

Volume 2: Winter 2020

d6 Yule carols
1 See the chestnut on the fire
2 Fill your mead cup and be jolly
3 Roll the old cheese wheel around
4 Merry landsknechts please come
home
5 The nice fox on the ice
6 Green mice will get you in your sleep
d6 Yuletide treats
1 Roasted chestnuts
2 Stuffed herring baked with
cranberries
3 Warm vegetable broth with bread
4 Ale marinated sparrow roast
5 Lingonberry porridge
6 Hard-bread with great tit tallow and
chopped onion
d6 Healing edibles w/side
effects
1 Moon moss (full hp + d4 attribute
score). If eaten more than once a
day it causes temporary blindness
for d4 days
2 Silvercap, mushroom (full hp + d6
attributes). 1-in-6 will cause
hallucination (d6 turns)
3 Cat’s paw, herb (d8 + 1 hp). Bitter
taste
4 St John’s Wort, herb (remove Mad
condition)
5 Death grip, mold on cheese (full hp +
d8 attributes). 1-in-6 chance cause
swelling to the face (disadvantage to
all saves for d6 turns)
6 Oaken bravery, mushroom (remove
fear condition, heal d6 hp). 1-in-6 all
fur falls out
2 3
d20 Book in the Library of
the Green mice
1 101 ways to cook your sparrow
2 Grafting apple trees and other feats This second issue of Thistle Kingdom, an unofficial zine for
of engineering
3 Famous order brothers and their Mausritter, written during the late autumn and winter of 2020.
deeds
4 Grimoire of Felix the Crow In this issue I present you with a simple adventure involving
5 Telling the bees: how to inform bees young mice in the Nature Patrol. As well as a populated hex-
of losses in the immediate family crawl in the spirit of what is presented in the Mausritter
6 Midsummer sacrifices: when, how,
what rulebook.
7 Harvest: how to pay the Apple
Queen her due Some thanks for inspiration to: Paths Particular for getting me
8 Documented archeological findings thinking about heavy infantry and his beautiful art and maps, to
from the ancient barrows in
Grinning Oak Duchy Gavin Norman and the Dolmenwood setting for psionic snails
9 Ten deadly All Hallows Eve’s pranks and to Matthew Morris for cheering me on and setting an
10 What angers the Apple Queen A-Z example with his productivity.
11 How to build a bee sled: practical
guide for beginners Thistle Kingdom is an independent
12 Advanced mead making production by Christopher and is not
13 Theoretical approach for traveling affiliated with Losing Games. It is
to fairy through lucid dreaming
published under the Mausritter Third Party
14 History of the aphid wars
License.
15 Perpetual stews and how to hand
them over responsibly between
generations Christopher, December 12, 2020
16 How to imprison fairies
17 Art of digging wells with hand tools Content, layout & art by Christopher
18 Legends of Bernpyle Käck.
19 Ballad of Duke Oakbound the elder
Fonts used: Overpass & bruchshriftMK
20 Dissecting Mushroom Kin 101
http://tabletoproleplaying.blog
The Nature Patrol
goes hiking!
“Just like Saint George of old, the Boys Scouts
of today fight against everything evil and unclean”
This is a short adventure written with
younger players in mind. It’ s playable with
one to four players. If you are playing with
only one or two players add some Nature
Patrol leaders acting as Hirelings.
The adventure is set sometime during
autumn, and the idea is that you should be
able to incorporate it within your own hex
map. The premise is that the adventurers are
asked to lead a scouting trip for young mice,
on a short three day hike. It is up to the
players to pick a decent route on their own
hex-map.
The trip is eventful and eventually one
of the young mice gets lost within an crypt.
The crypt has been used by a wizard to store
his necromantic experiments. The
adventurers need to find and save the young
mouse quickly.
4 5
- Robert Baden-Powell
Adventure hooks
† The adventurers are heroes in town!
The city council approach them with
honorary Nature Patrol emblems, and
during the ceremony, they are asked to
follow on the yearly three-day-trek to
inspire the young boys.
† The leader of the local Nature Patrol
chapter breaks his leg the day before
the trek. The neighbors approach the
adventurers asking if they can stand in
in exchange for a small payment.
Events on the road
1. One of the kids ingests dangerous
plants, roll d6 for which plant:
1-3: Goat mane - yellow mushroom
that causes hallucinatory effects for
1d4 hours.
4-6: Cat’s dream - purple bitter
tasting moss. Gives boost of
confidence and strength (+2 strength)
for 1d4 hours followed by a period of
low energy for 1d6 days..
2. Encounter a stout caught in a
snare put up by rivaling fraction. Willing
to pay to get down
3. One of the boys drop a whole bag
with food supply in the river.
4. Attacked by bees!
Young mice (w/ contraband/
unusual item packed)
1 Francis - eager to help and follow the
Nature Patrol Law to the letter. Carries a
bottle of oil
2 Wednesday - goes into ecstatic frenzy
when in danger. Carves all his walking
sticks into spears. Carries forbidden
mushrooms
3 Tristan - happy and loves to sing and
get his comrades going with catchy
tunes and riddles. Pamphlets with
naughty song lyrics
4 Billy - expert camp builder and shelter
constructor. Carries torches for
nighttime exploring
5 White - scrawny but engaging with his
surroundings. Carries a magnifying glass
he uses to light things on fire
6 Gruwth - massive for his age (str +2 ). A
gentle giant. Picks flowers that he dries
in a book for his mother
7 Til - angry young mouse. Wears a patch
over one eye (because he likes pirates)
8 Harper - missing some fur (burn marks).
Brought homemade explosives (made
from matchstick heads if close to
human settlement, otherwise very
flammable oil tincture)
Plan the trip Making camp
Ask the players to chart the travel plans on Allow the players to draw the camp and how
THE CRYPT
your hex map. Ask them what they pack. Tell it is laid out. Describe if they construct any
them each child will bring: sleep pad, tarp, shelter, if they are keeping fire guards etc.
food for three days, a water bottle, change
of clothes, small knife. The dome
Inverted tower Domed room.
A tower leading Faded war scenes
downwards into the painted on ceiling
earth. Stairs broken.

Day 2 of travel Very deep

The crypt
Ossuaries carved

Day 1 of travel Just as camp is getting packed up and it’s The gallery
out of walls.
Mostly empty
time to leave, two young mice come running, Skeletons. Child
hides here.
It’s early autumn, leaves are turning yellow. panting and clearly scared.
Roll for weather!
- Billy! You’ve got to help Billy! … he fell in a Flooded rooms
The boys are in great spirit, singing marching hole in the ground. We could hear him talking to The hole in the roof Flooded area.
tunes as they walk. something down there and then screaming. Smell of confined Treasure hidden
tomb. Very dark. 10’ here
Come quickly! drop
Roll for random event on the table above.
The boys will lead anyone who follows a few
The group notices signs and traces of an owl minutes run into the wood, in a clearing you
hunting in the area. Dropping and claw marks can see a 5x5’ hole (‘ = mouse feet) has
on branches are found. opened up in the ground. Descending about
9’ down into total darkness.

Room of pillars
Large stone door
with strange
inscriptions. There
is only a stone wall
behind it

6 7
The hole in the roof
Forrest floor caved in, revealing a
tunnel. 10’ drop. Dark corridor.
† Carved stone floor, clearly mouse
made.
† Smell: enclosed tomb
The crypt
Six mostly empty ossuaries. Dust
and cobweb have been disturbed in
multiple places.
† Perl necklace in one of the ossuaries
(250p)
† A mouse femur bone lies on the floor
(1d4 damage)
The room of pillars
Dusty. Cobwebs. Untouched for
decades. Four large pillars. Stair to
huge stone door covered in runic
inscriptions.
† Stone door: Very hard to open and
lead to nowhere, behind it is only
stone slabs like the rest of the walls.
8 9
† If open flame is carried in room: 2 in 6
chance some old cobwebs catch on
fire. This will for a very short period
light up the complete room exposing
runic carvings on the roof and walls.
† The runes were used by the
necromancer who used this crypt for
his experiments. They are esoteric
and incomprehensible.
The dome
High domed ceiling covered in
faded depictions of mice knights at
war with mysterious robed mice.
† A red scarf lies on the floor. Billy has
dropped this as he fled from the
walking dead. Close to the westward
exit.
† Slight breeze coming from the stairs
(leading down) in the north of the
room.
† Musty smell and sound of dripping
water coming from the passage
leading east.
† An ancient silver mirror stand by the
stairs (500p). Very heavy.
The flooded rooms
After turning corner a small stone
stairs lead downwards and end in a
flooded corridor. The water is dark
and is seeping in through the
stones in the wall.
† Smell: Damp, moist, and some mold.
† The dampness of the room makes
torches go out easier. Roll a d6
every turn on a 6 mark an extra
usage dot.
† The water is tainted with the dead
and is poisonous to drink.
† In the second alcove there is a huge
stone chest. Within it rests a knight of
the order that built this Mausoleum.
He is still resting in peace and is
buried with a silver crown (1500p)
and a ruby crested ring (350p) and a
fine but old sword (40p, not useful in
battle anymore).
† In the furthest room the water sip
out between the stone walls, down
into whatever depth lies below. In the
dark water a fallen silver candelabra
(350p) lies hidden.
† Two aggressive leeches hide in the
water.
The Gallery
Movement can heard from up
ahead. Walking mouse skeletons
are trying to get past a barricade
hastily constructed by Billy by the
entrance to the furthest room.
† 2d4 walking skeletons
† Wall are covered with old images of
mouse knights and ladies, feating,
fighting & justing.
† A faint light up ahead from Billy’s
torch.
† Overturned old rotten table is pushed
against the entry to the furthers
alcove, behind it Billy is fighting to
keep the skeletons out.
† As soon as light fall on the skeletons
they turn to attack the newcomers.
† Billy is brave and in a good fighting
spirit. Will join any fight or effort to
save him.
Creatures
Nature Patrol kid
2hp, STR 5, DEX 9, WILL 8
Attacks: d4 knife
Wants: adventure
Leeches
8hp, STR 9, DEX 7, WILL 8
Attacks: d4 bite
Scoring 4 damage in one bite:
attaches to target, remains
stuck even if killed, doing d4
damage each round until pried
of with successful opposed STR
save.
Wants: to suck blood
Skeletons
6hp, STR 10, DEX 8, WILL
Armor: 0/3* Attacks: d6 spear
or d8 throw opponent
*3 against damage from piercing
and slicing weapons
Wants: return to eternal rest.
Who awoke the dead?
A mouse necromancer, that has long since
passed away, used the tomb for his
experiments. The undead he summoned
outlived him and have been waiting
patiently ever since.
The inverted tower leads down to further
catacombs and the wizards old laboratory
and home. To be explored some other time,
perhaps without the kids.
The trip back home
The trip back home is uneventful and most
are eager to get back. Some boys can be
heard retelling exaggerated stories about
the player characters deeds.
Roll for weather.
Dming suggestions
Playing with more experienced players
feel free to increase the number of
skeletons and potentially expand the cave
further down the inverted tower.
Aftermath
† After returning from the trip the boys quickly spread
the heroic tales of what has happened. Billy’s parents
are ever grateful and let the heroes know they are
ever welcome at their table.
† Local wiseman and herb-master PeregrinWinterholme
seeks out the heroes after hearing of the rumors. He
is worried something more foul will escape from the
tomb now that it is open. He asks them to help him
get there and seal it up for good.
† Players hear a rumors that the word of the tomb has
spread and that an expedition of tomb robbers are
setting out from the settlement in a few days to clear
it from valuables. Will the player mice get there first
and reap the riches themselves?

Put time pressure on players to find the

lost boy. Maybe they here weird sounds or
movement coming from the bottom of the
inverted tower. Let them feel like they did
not have time to explore too much of the
cave, make them want to return.

10 11
 Duchy of the 1. Large moss clad rocks.
Slowly elevates
thorny branches of
these bushes
for sacrifice

Grinning Oak
15. Acorn creek - mouse
towards the mountains 9. The Poppy fields - large settlement - 350 mice
in the north meadow where the - capitol of the duchy.
2. Ruminant pasture poppy grows abundant Mirthful trading hub
3. A psionic snail lives during the late near the river

Hexcrawl here. Sensitive

individuals might
notice strange dreams
and a force vibrating
the air culminating in 10.
hallucinations
4. Home for a colony of
toads. Small huts made
from clay with straw
roofs. There is a water
lily covered pond 11.
where they lay their
eggs (shrine to a
forgotten God at
bottom)
5. Windswept grassland
6. Ancient apple tree.
Order of green mice
have a monastery (see
Thistle Kingdom #1). 12.
They keep bees here.
Further east lies the
great old forest 13.
7. Open grassland - Home
to a stout herbalist.
Well versed in the
healing crafts and
cruse-lifting
8. Blackberry thorns - 14.
Many mice homestead
under the protective
summers. Seed
collectors and herbalist
venture far to collect
16. The ship setting -
ancient stones stood
up in the shape of a
the valuable flower ship at the edge of the
The Grinning Oak - a river. Voices whisper
holy oak tree. here at night
Ceremonial place. 17. The falls - mice gifts the
Things, weddings and water treasure in
crownings are held return for change of
here luck
The bumblebee road 18. Hillgrave - mouse
connect the Green settlements - 150 mice
Order with the river - sleepy village but
crossing. Road has house much treasure
grown more dangerous retrieved from the
to travel lately and barrows. A few retired
there is rumors of owls adventurers live here.
picking off mice at 19. The ancient barrows.
night Builders unknown.
Mushroom forest Massive networks of
(inedible). A guild of old tunnels under these
alchemist operate here hills.
Tower of Daybreak -
Duke’s stone tower.
Guards route between
Acorn creek and river
crossing. Taxes are
stored here
Blind rat oracle lives in
cave here. Will share
foresight in exchange

Duke Oakbound (mouse) Free assembly of Toads The Merchant Guild

Encounters
1. d6 Mice knights on patrol
2. 2d4 Wayward bees
3. d8 Toads on expedition
4. 2d6 Carousing landsknechts
5. Psionic snail hallucinations
6. The owl Ichabod
Rumors
1. Mice knights are looking for
smuggler and might pay a hefty
reward for their capture
2. Mice have gone missing at
night on the bumblebee road,
locals fear it’s the owls
3. There is treasures beyond
imagining under the ancient
barrows in the south
4. The stout herbalist schemes
with the toads to get materials
for necromantic experiments
5. Faeries enter this realm at
the ship setting
6. Sacrifice something of
personal value at the falls and
the water nymphs will cure bad
luck, in-grown nails and poverty
Resources
• Mice knights
• Birth-given right to rule
• Tower of Daybreak
Goals
○ ○ Repay debt to banker
○ ○ ○ Pass on Duchy to son
○ ○ ○ ○ Rein in the guild
Resources
• Pact with the owl Ichabod
• Fearless troops
• Skillful shaman
Goals
○ ○ Retrieve ancestral spells
○ ○ ○ ○ Establish new village
○ ○ ○ ○ Chase off psionic snail
Resources
• Lots of pips
• Hired landsknechts
• Spies in every town
Goals
○ ○ Establish in Hillgrave
○ ○ ○ Dominate river trade
○ ○ ○ ○ Weaken the Duke

12 13
 Landsknechts
Heavy armored infantry

The landsknechts are a group of mercenary Landsknecht

mice, constituting primarily of heavy 6hp, STR 10, DEX 10, WILL 9
armored infantry. They are hired as full Armor 1
companies of about a hundred mice. This
includes soldiers, cooks, engineers and
Attacks: d10 pike/halberds
everything else needed for a sustained
Wants: honor, spoils & adventure
campaign. They fight armored, wielding pike
weapons or halberds. The landsknechts are
well known throughout the land and are said
to always get the job done. They are not Playing a landsknecht
cheap. If you roll 6 HP you have the option to choose a background
in the landsknechts. You do this by substituting your normal
They take all types of jobs ranging from tax background roll for a roll on the table below. Your Item B will
collection, sieges, expansionary warfare, always be heavy armor.
counter-revolutionary activities to forming
city guards. If you are actively serving in a company you are also
expected to pick a pike or halberd as your weapon.
Only the toughest mice are accepted as
recruits and the training is hard. Pips Background Item A
1 Cook Pots & pans
Fighting in formation the most fearsome 2 Blacksmith Hammer (1d6)
fighters fight in the front rank, the so called 3 Soldier Flask of brandy
Doppelsöldner. They get twice the pay of a 4 Doppelsöldner (front-line soldier) Big flask of brandy
normal soldier to offset their increased risk. 5 Captain Fancy uniform
6 Field surgeon Bone saw

14 15
Thistle Kingdom is an unofficial fanzine for the
game Mausritter. A table top roleplaying game
where players play as mice!

This winter issue contains:

• An adventure: take the young mice in the

Nature Patrol on a camping trip! What could go
wrong?

• A ready to go hex-crawl map.

• The heavy armored infantry landsknechts.

In this issue content, layout, & art is created by

Christopher Käck.