C. L. Norman

Mouse. A gnome rogue character from my first D&D game. Of course then it was known as AD&D.

I created her when I was in college just after the invitation to join a game that was run in the student union between classes. I was intimidated by all the language; D20, THAC0, AC, etc. I glanced through the book and reasoned out that a fighter had to know too much of the combat rules, a wizard or a cleric had to know the magic system, but a rogue, a rogue is a free spirt and not constrained by the roles the others were crowded into.

Then it became time to choose a race and I saw the line in the gnome’s description that stated they were curious, their noses led them into trouble more often than not. I was attracted to this idea. This meant my character could poke around as much as I want to and it would be “in character.”

Next lets throw a little personality into this character. Yes, I am one of those gamers. One of those who state things like “My character wouldn’t do that.” I decided that in addition to being curious she was cowardly when it came to physical confrontations. She also loved the shiny stones and disdained those flat dull metal coins. Now I had a hook into how she would react in any situation she could possibly get herself into.

And she got herself into a lot of “situations.”

Mouse was named for one of my most favorite rogues, Phillippe the Mouse from Ladyhawke. And like a mouse she poked her nose in anything that crossed her path: doors with “Do Not Enter” signs posted on them, unexplored caves, and most importantly unemptied pockets.

Those pockets were never left empty for long though. Once emptied of the shiny rocks, those dull coins her adventuring companions kept sharing with her were distributed in those convenient spaces.

If a fight resulted from her explorations then she didn’t stick around to trade blows with the foe. That task fell to her bigger and bulkier companions. She ran and sometimes hid but more often than not found more trouble to bring back to her friends.

She remains my most favorite character in my entire career of gaming. What is your favorite character?