While we wait for Josi to get better and come back to E, I’m going to present the final step in character creation, and that is Instinct and Belief. This is often the hardest step because it requires you really getting into the head of your character, and this can be kinda difficult when you’ve never played them. We’ll go ahead and do this part of character creation while I’m away on vacation. Josi can catch up with the previous step and this one while I’m gone, and then hopefully we’ll be more-or-less ready to start when I come back home, May 5.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Instinct</span><br/>An Instinct in this game is a habit or reaction. It’s something that the character always does. If someone were describing your character, they’d probably mention this about him. If you play your character’s Instinct—if you act out the trigger and condition written there—then you are rewarded.<br/><br/>Your character’s Instinct represents a gut reaction or ingrained training. It’s something that he does naturally, without even really thinking about it. In play, your Instinct acts as a juicy piece of characterization. You write it on your sheet, “Always draw my sword at the first sign of trouble,” and if you bring that into play—if you, the player, have your character perform that action at an appropriate (or inappropriate) time in the game—you’re rewarded for it. Instincts provide a way for you to define what is important for your character, but they also provide a direct guide to your performance of your character’s role. They are quick actions designed to entertain and inform the other players and the GM.<br/><br/>Consider a trademark action, statement or reaction that your character does. If we were reading about your character in a comic book, we’d expect him to do this thing when he got into trouble. Once you’ve thought of an action, turn it into a statement that includes<em>always, if/then</em>or<em>never</em>. An Instinct must be a thought, action or process the character can accomplish rather quickly. Instincts are a bit deceptive. Sure, in the game fiction, they represent things your character does without a thought, but in play, it’s up to you to use them. If you use your Instinct in an entertaining and relevant manner, you will be rewarded. There’s no penalty for not playing your Instinct, but it’s boring and the other players might boo you! Always try to play your Instinct. You get rewarded for it.<br/><br/><span class="bbc_u">Belief</span><br/>A Belief is an ethical or moral statement that encompasses how the character views his world. It is also a way for the player to explore part of the Mouse Guard world. In the very first issue of the comic, Kenzie tells Lieam his Belief, taken from one of the Guard’s mottoes: “It matters not<em>what</em>you fight, but what you fight<em>for</em>.” This statement informs all of Kenzie’s decisions. He is fighting for a higher purpose—not glory or personal success—but for the honor of the Guard and the safety of the Territories.<br/><br/>You write a Belief for your character. Beliefs should speak to some higher purpose. They shouldn’t be goals you can accomplish; they’re ideals you live up to. Playing your character’s Belief is one way to get rewarded in the game. If you’re not playing your character’s Belief, and subsequently not getting rewarded, you should change it. Beliefs can be changed at the beginning or end of a session.<br/><br/>A Belief is a code or ethical stance. It’s a snapshot view of how your character thinks. Sometimes you’ll act in accordance with your Belief, sometimes you’ll act against it. You get to decide what your character believes. You get to tell everyone at the table what you’re interested in and what you want to explore in the game. Beliefs can be about the Guard, your parents, your friend, your enemy, the Winter War, peace or a particular moral code. “I believe the Guard is good” is not a strong enough Belief. A better Belief says, “The mice of the Territories must know that the Guard is good and must be supported.” It has a little more oomph to it. Think about what drives your character. What is his higher purpose? Try to distill that higher purpose into a slogan or statement of belief.<br/><br/>Your Belief is a powerful tool. It tells everyone at the table what your character is about. And it acts as a helpful reminder for you, too. It’s a short, simple guide for the direction of your character. If you’re lost in play, if you don’t know what to do in a situation, read over your Belief. Think about what the character would do in this situation with his Belief. Your actions will create an interesting story and they’ll get you rewarded.<br/><br/>Sometimes, you reach a point with your character and his Belief where you feel it’s not important anymore. It doesn’t mean quite so much. Or the character has just, well, changed. He’s moved on. He believes different things now. This is a very nebulous point. It’s dependent on all sorts of vague, hand-wavey things that happen in the course of the game. So it’s hard to describe, but once you experience it, you’ll know the moment precisely: “Hey, I don’t believe that anymore!” If this happens, it’s a good sign! You’re playing the game. You can change your Belief and watch your character develop and grow.<br/><br/>You may change a Belief at the beginning or end of a session, not during it. Think of how your character has changed. Contemplate his new world view for a moment. Write a Belief to reflect that new outlook. You can base it on your old one or develop a completely new one. Tell everyone that you’ve changed your Belief.<br/><br/>Go ahead and come up with an Instinct and Belief for your character. We can discuss them together as a group in this thread.