STOATS

It is said by most People of the Land that after the bloodshed of the Knifewinter, unlike most other creatures that tried to cling to the trappings of what they call “Civilisation”, Stoats embraced their Wild nature and now live as fierce, cannibalistic tribes in the heart of the forest, devouring the flesh of anything they can hunt and kill. Whether these rumours are true or not, the Stoats will freely admit that the Wild Wood holds a strong and powerful sway over them, drawing them in, calling them deeper into her embrace, unlike lesser creatures that seem to be driven screaming like snivelling cowards in the face of her raw majesty.

Stoats live in close-knit family groups in villages and encampments out in the depths of the Wild Wood. Most Stoats in a tribe are related in some way, either by blood or marriage and it is not unusual for two different tribes to be interconnected by marriage as well. Elders are those Stoats who have earned the right to have others hunt for them, busy as they are with more important matters of decision-making about the welfare of the village. Stoat Elders are tolerated by the Burrow Council and (like all true Peoples of the Land) some have been accepted on to the Council, able to affect the vote that Stoats hold there.

It is often said that Stoats are a savage people (which is true) and that they will eat the flesh of anything they can get their hands on (which is almost true). However, beyond these base first impressions, they are actually a complex society with much to offer in the way of arts and trade. Most of the Fur and Meat that is traded at the Country Fayres originates from Stoat hunting grounds and they appear to behave well enough whilst at the Fayres where everybody is under the protection of the Burrow Council - a system of rule they at least respect.

Stoats are untroubled by Fash’n living as they do in the Wild Wood, they hardly ever come across the fine clothes and luxuries that Toads and Weasels unearth. Stoats tend to wear the Furs that they are famous for and dress for hunting – muted colours, strips of leather and what stray items they can trade for at the Country Fayres.

Who its Tribe is and where they are… A Stoat will always be able to name its tribe-members - the Hand of Friendship ritual has particular significance for them and has evolved into the ritual of Joining Hands - a rite that all Stoat tribe members are taught from birth, one that they will use frequently to reaffirm the relationships in their tribe or (on very rare occasions) to join two Stoat tribes together.

Where the best hunting is… Stoats are intimately connected to the Wild Wood they inhabit. A Stoat will be able to read the signs of the Wild Wood and know where the best hunting grounds are - of course they won't tell anyone else this. Stoats have a very careful system of Claims: markers carved on to the bark of trees, or strips of coloured cloth hung from branches.

How good something (or someone) is to eat… To eat well is to survive well. Stoats can easily tell how many meals a particular creature (sentient or otherwise) can provide and how tasty and nutritious it will be. Some meals will be better than others. It is rare for a Stoat Tribe to go hungry over the months between Country Fayres and even rarer for them to freeze during Winter.

“That Ronnie was a big lad, all told, and fast with it. Hunted with him a lot. Good mate. Useful. Nice to have around.Overconfident, though.We shared many a weasel between us. Them and their juicy rabbits. Tasty. Kept well. And after hunting, nicely spiced with fear. It makes 'em taste lemony. Sharp. It's nice. And that Ronnie, he'd happily share, knowing you would too. So, like I say, I liked him, I did. But I wouldn't take on a badger for him. You can hardly blame a feller for that, can you? …I think he might have, mind.” Stoat Tribal Tale

All People of the Land have a great Taboo against eating their own kind – no Badger or Weasel, no matter how desperate, will stoop to devouring their own. It is not so for Stoats - the rumours told about them speak of great tribal feasts where they will cook and eat the flesh of other Stoats – victims of inter-tribe skirmishes, or even those of their own tribe.

All in all, Stoats are seen as a necessary evil. Yes - they are terrifying savages who will eat the meat their own kind. Yes – they reject the Luxuries that other Peoples of the Land clamour after to keep their Feral nature at bay. But they are also one of the best sources for trading the Meat that others need to eat over the coming months and definitely the best source for the Furs that everyone will so desperately need when Winter comes.

Suggested Character Types: Hunter; Shaman; Tribal Leader; Witch Doctor; Herbalist; Musician, Saboteur; Furrier; Storyteller; Fletcher; Bowsmith; Luddite; Warrior; Archer; Explorer.

Stoat Minimum Phys-rep Requirement: Mustelid mask with “Stoat” markings.

Ferrets, Stoats, Weasels and Badgers have distinctive, different marks. You must NOT to use another race's distinctive marks. Please contact us if you have any questions about phys-repping.

• Stoats: Pale or white fur, with tribal markings.
• Ferrets: Rings of dark brown and grey or white markings.
• Weasels: Tan / red-brown fur and a white stripe down the neck and chin.
• Badgers: Black fur and a white central stripe.

• Your nature is “WILD WOOD” - you are affected by all calls involving “WILD WOOD”.
• You may stake claims in any Territory, but holding claims in the Wild Wood will be significantly easier.
• You may use any item that requires Wild Wood as a Nature. This includes Clockwork, but not Steam or Powder.
• You may not use any item which requires a different Nature.

ALL Stoats have the following Merits and Flaws:

MASTER OF THE HUNT: Stoats are naturally good hunters. At Character Creation, you gain one free “Meat” card and one free “Fur” card.

POWER OF THE FOREST: Each DT you may MEDITATE on the nature of the Wild Wood. If you choose to do so, you will be given a single “Power of the Forest” card at the start of the next game. Meditating takes 1 week1 of DT.

LIMITED METHODS: At Character Creation, you are limited to the following Craft Skills: Craft Armour, Craft Stick; Mastercraft Stick; Craft Totem; Mastercraft Totem; Craft Bow; Mastercraft Bow; Craft Staff; Mastercraft Staff and Craft Shaman's Staff. You may not take any other “Craft” skills at start-up.

MOVE SWIFT, MOVE SILENT: Stoats find wearing large amounts of Metal Armour uncomfortable and restrictive. Stoats gain no benefit from wearing Full Metal Armour. They may still gain benefit from wearing Partial Fur; Full Fur; Partial Leather; Full Leather or Partial Metal Armour.

All creatures of the Wild Wood have the mystical protection of the deep and dark forests and the natural wildness. This is as much a state of mind and way of life as it is a religion.

At their first event, those with Nature: “Wild Wood” may collect “Power of the Forest” cards from the Ref Desk.

As a Stoat you will receive two of these cards.

• Cards do not carry over between events and subsequently you will need to perform the “Meditate” Downtime action to acquire these cards for your following event – it takes one Downtime week to gain one point of power.
• At an event, you may meditate once a day, to replace a single card that you have used on the previous day.
• You may not carry more than three cards.
• Meditating requires a brief period of appropriate role-play during which time your character is quiet, uninterrupted and free from distraction.

All Stoats begin play with the following skill:

• You must tear one “Power of the Forest” card to use this skill.
• You may call Fear against a single target within 5 meters. For 10 seconds they must either flee for their life or role-play freezing in terror. You may not take offensive action while you are suffering from Fear.

When making this call:

• You must use appropriate role-playing before the call.
• You must CLEARLY indicate a single target by pointing at them. In addition, you must name or describe the target if possible – for example: “Ratty – FEAR!” (Whilst pointing at Ratty) or “Rat in the Yellow Coat – FEAR!” or “(Player’s name) – FEAR!”
• You cannot use this call on multiple targets. For this, you require an ability that allows you to call “MASS FEAR”. You must clearly indicate a single target when using this call.

• At your first event you will have automatic access to “Fear of the Dark” - subsequently you will need to spend a downtime week on the action “Meditate – Fear of the Dark” in order to access it at the following event.|

All Stoats are able to develop their powers further. If you are playing a Stoat, then you have the option of learning the following advanced Wild Wood Powers during Downtime:

This power costs 2 experience points to learn. You must already know “Fear of the Dark” to learn this power.

You must tear two “Power of the Forest” cards to use this skill.

• You may call Mass Fear “Nature” (Naming one of the following – ‘Urban’, ‘Countryside’, ‘Wild Wood’, ‘Feral’ or ‘Rabbit’) against all characters of that Nature within 5 meters.
• For 10 seconds, characters of that nature must either flee for their life or role-play freezing in terror. You may not take offensive action while you are suffering from Fear.
• Characters who are not of that nature are unaffected.

When making this call:

• You must use appropriate role-playing before the call.
• You must specify a Nature.

• At your first event you will have automatic access to “Scourge of the Wild” - subsequently you will need to spend a downtime week on the action “Meditate – Scourge of the Wild” in order to access it at the following event.

This power costs 2 experience points to learn. You must already know “Scourge of the Wild” to learn this power.

You must tear three “Power of the Forest” cards to use this skill.

• You may call Mass Fear against all characters within 5 meters.
• For 10 seconds, characters within range must either flee for their life or role-play freezing in terror. You may not take offensive action while you are suffering from Fear.

When making this call:

• You must use appropriate role-playing before the call.
• At your first event you will have automatic access to “Terror of the Hunt” - subsequently you will need to spend a downtime week on the action “Meditate – Terror of the Hunt” in order to access it at the following event.

This power costs 2 experience points to learn. You must already know “Fear of the Dark” to learn this power.

You must tear one “Power of the Forest” card to use this skill.

• For 10 seconds you are immune to Fear.
• You must call Resist to every Fear call that you are resisting.
• The Resist call may only be made in response to an initial Fear call.

• You will need to spend a downtime week on the action “Meditate – Stout as Oaks” in order to access it at the following event.

This power costs 2 experience points to learn. You must already know “Stout as Oaks” to learn this power.

If you wish to use this skill, then you must give all of your “Power of the Forest” cards to a referee.

• For the remainder of the event, you are able to Resist the Fear call.
• You must call Resist to every Fear call that you are resisting.
• The Resist call may only be made in response to an initial Fear call.

• You will need to spend a downtime week on the action “Meditate - Oaks Enduring Heart” in order to access it at the following event.

Stoats may also use their “Power of the Forest” to interfere with Tech.

All Stoats begin play with the following skill:

You must tear one “Power of the Forest” card to use this skill.

• You may call Resist to any one Tech effect being directed at you – including and especially Gunshot. The effect / shot has no effect - the gun has misfired or the gadget has failed to function. The gadget is not Broken and there is nothing to stop the Tech wielder reloading and trying again.
• The Resist call may only be made in response to an initial Tech effect.

• At your first event you will have automatic access to this ability, subsequently you will need to spend a downtime week on the action “Meditate – Misfire Tech” in order to access it at the following event.

All Stoats are able to develop their powers further. If you are playing a Stoat, then you have the option of learning the following advanced Wild Wood Powers during Downtime:

This power costs 2 experience points to learn. You must already know “Misfire Tech” to learn this power.

You must tear one “Power of the Forest” card to use this skill.

• For 10 seconds you are immune to Tech effects.
• You must call “Resist” to every Tech effect that you are resisting.
• The Resist call may only be made in response to an initial Tech effect.

• You will need to spend a downtime week on the action “Meditate – Resist Tech” in order to access it at the following event.

This power costs 2 experience points to learn. You must already know “Misfire Tech” to learn this power.

You must tear two “Power of the Forest” cards to use this skill.

• You may call Break Tech to any single Tech item within 5 metres.
• You must clearly target one item when making this call.
• The targeted item ceases to function and is Broken.
• The player should report to a Ref to get a Broken Item black ribbon tied on it. It cannot be used again until it has been repaired by a character who can Fash'n that form of Tech.

• You will need to spend a downtime week on the action “Meditate – Break Tech” in order to access it at the following event.

This power costs 2 Experience Points to learn. You must already know “Break Tech” to learn this power.

You must tear three “Power of the Forest” cards to use this skill.

• You may call Destroy Tech to any single Tech item within 5 metres.
• You must clearly target one item when making this call.
• The targeted item ceases to function and is Broken.
• The player should report to a Ref to receive a Broken Item black ribbon and a Destroyed Item card, which is tied to the item in addition to its normal item card.
• It cannot be used until it has been Repaired by a character who can Fash'n that form of Tech, with the addition of extra machine parts.

• You will need to spend a downtime week on the action “Meditate – Destroy Tech” in order to access it at the following event.

This power costs 2 Experience Points to learn. You must already know “Break Tech” to learn this power.

You must tear three “Power of the Forest” cards to use this skill.

• You may call Mass Break Tech - all Tech items within a 5 metre radius of you are Broken.
• Targeted items cease to function and are Broken.
• The affected players should report to a Ref to get a Broken Item black ribbon tied around their Tech – these items cannot be used again until they have been Repaired by a character who can Fash'n that form of Tech.

• You will need to spend a downtime week on the action “Meditate – Break Tech” in order to access it at the following event.

Skill: Tribal Hunting (1 Experience Point) During Downtime, if you perform a combined HUNT action with at least one other Stoat from your tribe, you will gain more SKINS and MEAT from the action.

Elder Lore: Empower Shaman's Staff (1 Experience Point) This allows an Elder Stoat to imbue a Shaman's Staff with great power. Details of how to perform this action are included in the Extended Cultural Brief.

Craft Shaman's Staff (1 Experience Point) Prerequisite: Mastercraft Staff. A Stoat with the “Mastercraft Staff” skill may also take the “Craft Shaman's Staff” skill at character generation, or with XP, for 1 character point.

Stoats - Passing Power As well as being a ritual of reaffirmation, the rite of Joining Hands is a method by which Stoats may pass the power of the Wild Wood between them. After five minutes of appropriate role-play, a Stoat may pass her “Power of the Forest” cards to another member of their Tribe. A player may never carry more than three of these cards at any one time. If a player attempts to pass power into a Stoat that is already carrying three cards, that power is wasted. A Stoat Shaman must be present to witness this Rite. Additionally, by using this Rite, any Stoat may store “Power of the Forest” cards within a Shaman’s Staff - the Staff should have an envelope accompanying it to contain these cards. A Shaman’s Staff may never hold more than three of these cards at any one time. If a player attempts to pass power in to a Staff that is full, that power is wasted.

The Rite of Joining Hands is one that all Stoats know, and you do not require any other skill or rite to perform it.

You have FIVE points to spend on characteristics

You may pick ANY characteristic from the following list

*Cultural Bonus: Stoat Elders are excellent hunters. If you take this Elder Lore, you will begin each game with 1 extra unit of Fur and 1 extra unit of Meat. In addition, you will gain extra Fur and Meat whilst performing the Hunt Downtime action.

**Stoats ONLY