BooK Three: Downwood Tales

Lost Chapter Three:

Portents of Importance
Choose a player to read the following aloud:

r. Redfern held his floppy field hat out

of respect for the strange mouse that
had saved the life of his family not half
an hour earlier. He wrung his hat in his paws as
he watched the mouse named Zure tend to the
wounded blue jay. The poor bird gave out an
anguished sound as his rider cared for the torn
wing.
“Aerijin mise ajule,” Zure whispered to the
jay. Mr. Redfern shamefully knew that were
the situation different, he would probably have
mistrusted Zure on sight. There was something
peculiar about the mouse – the way he held
himself, the way he cocked his head at you when you up. The stranger chuckled at this. “Even as a mouse his
spoke to him, or maybe it was the way his eyes never blood is what it is. Very good, my gentle friend. I must see
blinked. But when rat thugs had sprung upon the this King Collin at once.”
Redferns just as the family was returning home, it was Mr. Redfern’s whiskers drooped, and he said, “He’s
Zure and his brilliant jay that had swept down from the clear over in Oakhaven! Dangerous journey at best.
sky in a bright blue flash to save them. We’d have to send the Oakguard, but we’d be leavin’ our
“Ahem,” Mr. Redfern coughed. “M-mister Zure, sir? defenses short on mice.”
The missus sent me with one of her poultices. She says it “Entrust the defenses to me, Mr. Redfern,” Zure
will help with that nasty wound. She’s always cookin’ up replied. “Dispatch your fastest Oakguard scurriers to
sumthin’, she is. Calls this one her bird balm.” Mr. Redfern Oakhaven at once. Danger draws near, borne aloft by a
produced a small bowl made of hazelnut shell from his dark wind.”
hat, and offered it to Zure. Zure considered the scruffy, “Oh, mercy to us all!” Mr. Redfern cried, and he
wheezy country mouse before him, and with a sigh, took scurried away, soon reaching the front door of his tree
the bowl. He squinted at it suspiciously, but his whiskers stump home. He ran right into the cozy den that sat in
stiffened at the heady menthol aroma that rose up to the rear of the house, and there in a neglected corner sat
assault his nostrils. a dusty old chest with an elaborate latch. The shaggy
“Yes, this should help relieve the pain. Please give moth camped on top of the chest was loath to move,
this... ‘missus’?... my gratitude.” Zure immediately set to but Mr. Redfern waved it away. “Flit off, Gerold, this
applying the balm to the blue jay’s wing. is Oakguard business!” He threw open the lid, and his
“Is there anything else we can do for ye, Mr. Zure? eyes fell on the contents that had been hidden away for
Seeing as how we lot owe you our lives and all.” many years. Pushing aside his old memoirs of his time
“I am seeking a former human named Collin,” said as an Oakguard, the volunteer militia sworn to protect
Zure. “He would be a mouse now. Like you. And I.” the forest, Mr. Redfern pulled out his aging uniform.
Mr. Redfern only shook his head. “Sorry guv, but the The color had faded a bit with time, but he smiled at the
only Collin in this neighborhood is King Collin.” ornate clasp engraved with the oak shield sigil attached
“King, you say?” asked Zure, and his ears pricked to the green ranging cloak.
“Hello, old friend,” he whispered.

1
Chapter Objectives Room Tile Setup
13: Spiritsburrow
Place the following
Travel to Meanderfield and report to Zure. tiles: Puddleby, Thistle
Ridge, Brokenwood and
Victory Condition Spiritsburrow.
The mice are victorious if they can rescue the
Place the 3 mice being used
endangered Oakguard messengers, reach the
in this lost chapter on the
nest where Aerijin is resting and clear the tree of
indicated space. Place a
infiltrating minions.
3
single Oakguard figure
Brokenwood

with them.
Defeat Condition
If the hourglass marker reaches the chapter end
marker on the chapter track before the mice have
completed their victory condition, or if all the mice are
captured at the same time, the mice lose this chapter.

Chapter Setup 7: Thistle Ridge

3

Chapter End
Place the chapter end marker on page 6 of the chapter
track.

Party Setup
Select 3 mice to be in the party for this chapter. Collin
must be 1 of the mice chosen. The party must also 3

include 1 Oakguard ally that can be controlled by

3: Puddleby

any of the players. Alternately, a single player can be

assigned to control this ally and any Oakguard that
are rescued this chapter.

Encounter Deck Setup The white mouse

To build the encounter deck, grab 3 difficult encounter
head icon represents
cards from the Sorrow and Remembrance base set, 3

the start space.

shuffle them and place them face down onto the
encounter area on the story control board. Then grab
3 standard encounter cards from Downwood Tales,
shuffle them together, and place them face down on
Special Chapter Rules
top of the others. Oakguard Allies
This lost chapter features the use of up to 3 Oakguard
figures from the Tail Feathers game. When using
these allies, follow all the rules for allies included in
the Downwood Tales story book, with the following
exceptions: Any Oakguard allies in play are not
removed from play when a player explores; instead,
they stay with the party. Any defeated Oakguard
allies can be rescued just like heroes. If all available
Oakguard are ever captured at the same time,
advance the hourglass 1 page space on the chapter
track, so protect them to make sure you always have
at least 1 Oakguard in play.

2
 Puddleby
3: Puddleby Whole
tile:
2
1

Exploring With
More Than Figures
When exploring to a new tile while having more than
4 figures in your party (due to the additional Oakguard
allies), place any additional figures on any space
adjacent to the exploring figures on the new tile.
3
New Cards 3

This lost chapter includes 2 Oakguard

new cards to add to your Mice Story Moment: Choose a player to read the
and Mystics collection. The
2 1
Stalwart: When an
1 following story moment:
Oakguard Allies initiative
Oakguard ally rolls an

“Please stand, my friend,” said Collin, placing

attack, cheese counts as
a bow result; and when

card is used on the initiative rolling a defense, cheese

counts as a shield result.
3 a paw on the shoulder of the Oakguard youth
track just like any other ally. knelt before him. The terrified mouse stood up, her
chest still heaving as she found her breath. The
Oak Leaf Sigil This chapter also includes a new green hunting cloak around her shoulders spoke of
ACCESSORY
search card: the Oak Leaf Sigil. violence, covered as it was with rips and tears and
clumps of mud. Her shaggy cheek was scratched as
This card should only be added to well, but her gaze was fierce.
Discard this Sigil, and immediately
your search deck when Oakguard are
place 3 Oakguard figures adjacent to
this figure. Add the Oakguard Allies
card to the initiative track. You control not in play at the start of a chapter. “Your majesty, the northern border is under
the Oakguard allies while in play.

Requires
attack! My party was sent to beg your help.”
3 ANY

“Your party?” The king asked. “All Oakguard

like yourself?”
The Oakguard Alternative The youngster nodded and said, “We were
As an option, players can play Oakguard ambushed along the way. I think we were all cut
in any other Mice and Mystics chapter off from each other, though I can’t be sure. Please
that allows players to choose their sire, I’m afraid for my companions. I’m sure I was
party composition. The player the only one to break through, and still I’ve been
can replace a mouse hero with hunted the entire way!”
3 Oakguard Allies instead. Any “It sounds like a trap, my king,” said Ansel,
Oakguard allies in play are not tucking his thumbs in his belt and puffing out his
removed from play when a player chest. “But never fear! I, Ansel, shall go in your stead.”
explores; instead they stay with the
party. Any defeated Oakguard allies can be rescued “At ease, Sir Ansel,” said Collin gently. “Trap
just like heroes. or no, I will gather a party and investigate for
myself. I did not earn this throne by letting others
toil in my name.”
Moon
“Then I will go as your guard,” insisted Ansel.
Throughout this chapter, if it becomes
nightfall while the mice are on an “Nay Ansel, I need you here. The folk of
outdoor tile, Olga the owl shows up Oakhaven trust you and look to you for leadership.
to hunt the mice. Follow all the rules You must act as steward in my absence, and I will
for Olga found in the Downwood Tales be leaving at once!”
story book. Now reveal an encounter card to begin this chapter.

3
 Special Rule: Flip Space: The flip space on this The Lair
2 tile cannot be used this chapter.
Dinner Fork Whole
PARTY ITEM
tile:
3 Special Search: Dinner Fork.
Upon drawing
this
dinner fork token card, add the
See page XX of
to the party stash
.
1
the rulebook for
on how to use details
the dinner fork.

No
Requirements 3
Thistle Ridge
4
7: Thistle Ridge Whole
tile:
5
1
2 6
8: The Lair

Story Moment: When the mice explore into the

1 Lair, choose a player to read the following aloud:
“Alright lads, load ‘em up!” barked Malodor.
2 Collin and his companions peered down at the
stubby rat thug and the lackeys who were loading
up oaken barrels on their backs.
3

“So this is what he’s been up to since

your coronation,” whispered Tilda. “Smuggling
Story Moment: Choose a player to read the perhaps?” The party hid behind a thick stone
1 following story moment: formation that split the underground burrow
Nez wiped his snout on the back of a hand into two levels. The barrels the rats carried looked
and growled, “How in blazes are we ta find a heavy, and the lackeys staggered under the weight
mouse in this brambley nightmare? Might as well of their burdens.
be searching for a grain o’ sand.” “Let’s just let them pass,” said Collin.
“We need to get out of these weeds and “No look!” hissed Filch, pointing down at
nettles,” agreed Collin. “Let’s try climbing that ridge a barrel being carried by a sweating rat. A bit of
over there.” green cloth stuck out from the lid. “I’d wager there’s
“Now that you’re king,” offered Filch. “Can’t an Oakguard messenger hiding in that one!”
you command the ridge to come to you?”
Special Setup: Instead of revealing an encounter
Now reveal an encounter card as usual. 2 card as usual, place an elite rat warrior on the
barrel without a candle (use a Snag’s Commando
2
Hooked Dagge
Special Search: Hooked Dagger. r +1

figure from Tail Feathers to represent this). Place 3

SHARP

regular rat warriors, 1 on each other barrel.

A mouse can add

Story Moment: If the mice defeat the elite rat

an additional
when attacking +2 battle
with
discard this weap this weapon, then

3
on.

3 No
Requirements
warrior, read the following aloud:
The burly rat staggered back from the blow
he’d received, losing control of his mouse-filled
barrel. The rat hit the ground and with a last
sigh, lost consciousness. The barrel thunked to the
ground and immediately began rolling toward the
exit to the north!
“Stop that barrel!” cried Lily.
 Special Rule: Barrel Roll: When you remove squeaking, most certainly that of a lost Oakguard,
4 the defeated elite rat, leave its initiative card on was coming from below, in the deep dark depths
the initiative track. Place a cheese in the space no sun loving creature would care to venture...
he occupied and point the cheese toward the Now reveal an encounter card as usual. After
northern exit. The cheese represents the barrel clearing this tile of minions, if the mice have
and its trajectory. Each time that initiative not rescued the Oakguard in the barrel, they
card has its turn, roll a die and move the barrel must explore down the flip space if possible, or
that many spaces toward the north exit. If it backtrack if necessary to get to Deeper Dark.
rolls through a space with figures, each figure
receives 1 automatic hit and must defend
separately. After the barrel rolls off the edge Deeper Dark
(through the exit), place it on the next available Whole
matching exit space of the adjacent Deeper Dark tile:
tile, maintaining its trajectory.
1
Special Rule: Stopping The Barrel: Mice can stop
5 the barrel by smashing it open using an attack.
The barrel has a defense of 3 and 1 life point. 3
Successfully smashing open the barrel rescues
an Oakguard. Immediately add the figure to the
space the barrel was in. He becomes an allied 2 4
member of your party. Saving the Oakguard is
a Story Achievement. Advance the chapter end 5
marker one page space on the chapter track.

6 Special Surge: Malodor

6: Deeper Dark

Brokenwood
Story Moment: When the mice first enter Deeper
Brokenwood Whole
tile:
1 Dark, if they have not rescued the Oakguard in
the barrel, choose a player to read the following
1 story moment:
“Oh mercy!” gasped Tilda. Remnants of a
smashed barrel lay scattered around a large rock
that squatted by a rushing underground stream.
And at the edge of the stream was a terrified
mouse, his legs caught in the frothing water, his
claws gripping the stony ledge in desperation, lest
he be pulled away into the inky blackness of the
freezing water.

Special Setup: Before revealing an encounter card:

2 If the mice have not rescued the Oakguard in the
3
barrel, place an Oakguard figure in the indicated
water space, and turn the figure on its side to
show its predicament. Then reveal an encounter
Story Moment: When the mice first enter this card as usual.
1 tile, if they have not explored Deeper Dark yet,
choose a player to read the following aloud: If the mice have already rescued the Oakguard
in a barrel, proceed normally.
The mice followed the faint squeaking
sound to the edge of the great Broken Wood, an Special Rule: Saving The Oakguard: The mice
enormous fracture in the earth that stretched 3 need to get the Oakguard out of the water, but
like a scar across this neck of the woods. A feeling it won’t be easy. The mice need to pull him out.
of dread swept over them as they realized the
 A mouse on an adjacent land space can use its Special Rule: Story Achievement: If the mice find
action and attempt to pull him out by rolling 3 the missing Oakguard, advance the chapter end
a die. Add an additional die for each friendly marker 1 page space on the chapter track.
mouse in the same space. 2 results are
required to successfully pull him out (Remember 4 Special Surge: Pheasia
to keep space limitations in mind. If your space is
full with 4 figures, you cannot pull the Oakguard
out for lack of room). Spiritsburrow
Special Rule: Story Achievement: If you
13: Spiritsburrow Whole
4 successfully pull the Oakguard out of the 1
tile:
water, stand the figure up. He becomes an allied
member of your party. Advance the chapter end
marker 1 page space on the chapter track.

Special Surge: If a surge occurs on this tile,

5 in addition to any minions that are placed
according to the encounter card, if the imperiled
Oakguard has not yet been saved, the current
takes him over the edge. Remove the Oakguard
figure. You can rescue the figure normally when
all minions are cleared, but you do not gain the
achievement listed in special rule #4.

The Hive 3

Whole
tile: Special Setup: When entering this
1 tile, place the tree climb token in
1 the northwest corner space on this
tile. Then reveal an encounter card
Tree Climb
as usual.
2 3 Token

Tree Overlay on Spiritsburrow

2 2 4 13: Spiritsburrow Whole
tile:
2
1
2
3
The Hive

Special Setup: Instead of revealing an encounter

2 4
1 card, place 4 Fearies normally.

Special Search: Lost Oakguard: The first mouse

2 to successfully search one of the broken larva
pods finds a missing Oakguard, bound and
gagged. The mice quickly release the captive. 3

Place the Oakguard figure in the space where

the successful search happened.
Story Moment: When the mice first arrive on
1 the tree overlay, choose a player to read the
following story moment aloud:

6
 They ran along the gnarled, twisting branches, “Your majesty, I am Zure Dothrykt and this is my
leaping from bough to bough where needed. Below loyal mount Aerijin,” and Zure gestured toward the
them stretched an open expanse of breathtaking jay who nodded politely. “We are of Nextor, and were
size. Collin was struck by the beauty of the great dispatched to find you.”
wide field, and reflected how forest life had made “But how?” asked Collin.
such sights seem fantastical. And dangerous. Open
spaces were death traps for the diminutive creatures “Our seers,” answered Zure. “It was they who saw
of the world, and suddenly the field reminded Collin you as you are, and it was they who knew you carried
of the ocean: vast, and full of danger. the crown of your people. As for me, well, I volunteered
for... this.” And Zure looked down at his furry body.
The king and his friends scampered up a thick “Such a terrible cost,” he whispered sadly, and his blue
and rising branch, the Oakguard leading the way jay cried out in agreement.
up the rough bark. Ahead of them was a tightly
woven bird’s nest constructed from grass, twigs, and “But why?” asked Collin. “Why make such a
down. In the nest sat a brilliant blue bird, its crest sacrifice?”
high on its head, beak open. The bird had an injured “The future is built on sacrifice,” said Zure. “Safety
wing that had been medicated and wrapped. and peace are founded upon the bones of heroes. There
But danger was afoot! On the edge of the is a darkness, my king, and it reaches out for us even
nest stood an armor-clad mouse of considerable now. The first of its fingers has already clawed into this
grace and martial skill, for he was single-handedly region, and will reveal itself shortly.”
defending the nest from a motley group of grizzled Collin nodded his head gravely.
rat warriors who bore arms and an insignia
unknown to the Oakhaven party. You can now add the Oak
Leaf Sigil accessory card to Oak Leaf Sigil
“Defend that mouse!” cried Maginos.
your search deck. In times ACCESSORY
“For the Downwood!” cried the others. of need, you can use the
sigil to magically call the
Special Setup: Place the nest template as shown. grateful Oakguard allies to
2 Also place Aerijin and Zure on the nest. Instead your aid.
of revealing an encounter card as usual, place
Discard this Sigil, and immediately
3 regular rat warriors and 3 elite rat warriors place 3 Oakguard figures adjacent to
this figure. Add the Oakguard Allies
normally (use the Snag’s Commandos figures from card to the initiative track. You control

Tail Feathers to represent the elite rats). the Oakguard allies while in play.

Requires
3
ANY
Special Rule: Aerijin and Zure: Aerijin is injured
3 and cannot fight. Zure will not leave Aerijin’s side.
These figures will not participate in the battle.

4 Special Surge: Spider

If the mice successfully clear this tile of minions

before the hourglass reaches the end marker, they are
victorious! Choose a player to read the following story
moment aloud:
Zure clasped both of Collin’s paws in his own and
bowed his head.
“Grace to you, oh king of men,” said Zure. This
gesture puzzled the others, but Collin had been trained
in statesmanship by his father, and he recognized this as www.plaidhatgames.com
the traditional greeting of the elves from the neighboring © 2015 Plaid Hat Games. No part of this product may be reproduced
kingdom of Nextor, and so he bowed as well. without specific permission. Mice and Mystics, Tail Feathers, Plaid Hat,
Plaid Hat Games, Plaid Hat Games & Design are trademarks of F2Z
“Nexta piem iella,” he correctly replied. Zure released Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. F2Z Entertainment Inc., 31 rue
the king’s arms and went to one knee. de la Coopérative, Rigaud QC J0P 1P0, Canada. Retain this information
for your records. Made in China.

7
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