Thistle Nibblestone

Written By Startzman

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Thistle Nibblestone was the smallest of her warren, barely able to carry a basket of turnips without tipping over. She favored quiet days in the clover fields and sipping dandelion tea while sketching clouds in her little notebook.

One day, as Thistle chased a butterfly through a sunlit meadow, she fell into a hole and found herself in the cockpit of a moss-covered orb. Almost instantly, the orb animated, changing colors and developing expressive eyes and mouths, resembling a living emoji, reflecting Thistle Nibblestone's feelings. It turned red with an angry face when she felt mad, soft blue with dreamy eyes during her contemplative moments, and golden with stars when she experienced excitement. 😠😬😇😡 The orb introduced itself as a Moodball, or Magically Operated Orb of Defense. It floats, rolls, and even ricochets with cartoonish agility. And, its name is Orbison.

 

Age of Origin: Age of Ironroot

Goreth's ancient world of quiet glens and lush forests has been disturbed by encroaching strange machines, corrupted creations, and increasing mechanical decay. Most animalfolk act as guardians of the old traditions, preserving the pristine groves and hidden green paths.

Though most animals in this Age are similarly humble, a few predator Proteins have taken to the Ironroot invasions with enthusiasm, grafting metal to fur and worse.

  • Protein: Rabbitkin

  • Grit: 45

  • Armor: 10

  • Sting: +2

  • Float: +2

  • Movement: +4

Street Skills

  • Sketching: +2

  • Gardening: +2

Nutritional Information

Not a Swimmer: -2

Super Cool Finishing Move

Nibblestone doesn’t have an SCFM - but her Orbison does, Skeleton Yoink: Orbison’s soft glow suddenly flickers—then drains to a dull, unnatural gray. Its eyes vanish, replaced by glassy black alien ovals, and it ascends a few feet over the opponent, expression blank and unreadable.

A beam of pale white light streaks down from beneath the Moodball, locking onto the target in place. The target's body begins to tremble and hover, and then, in full vintage sci-fi horror, the skeleton is cleanly extracted through the body. The beam cuts. The bones vanish. And there’s only a steaming pair of boots.
Orbison blinks and returns to its usual emoji face.

Evolutionary Traits

Calorie Count: 325 (Rank 2)

⚠️ Pick any two, with the third one available at Calorie Count: 600

Flavor Profile

Rabbitkin, like most other animals in the Age of Ironroot, are small, gentle folk who live in close-knit burrow-villages nestled under tree roots, hedgerows, hillsides, and even some briar patches. Known for their twitchy curiosity and bottomless kindness, they live in harmony with the land, cultivating gardens, tending to moss-spirits, and celebrating the little joys of life—sun-dappled naps, warm root pies, and the squeaky symphonies of dusk crickets.

1. Whisker Sense

Your twitchy whiskers can detect vibrations others can’t even feel. Danger? Magic? Gossip? It's the frequency, Kenneth. Use any of the following cards to enact. Unless the detection is exceptionally tough, the effect should be instant. Otherwise, each card grants a bonus against its related Difficulty.

  • Heart: Detects creatures or emotions

  • Diamond: Detects arcane residue or illusions

  • Spade: Uncovers secrets, traps, or lies

  • Club: Tracks movement or vibrations in the terrain

2. Fear Sprint

When frightened, you move twice as fast—possibly even phasing out of reality for a moment. Use any Spade to enact using the card's value to MULTIPLY Movement for one turn.

3. Haretrigger Reflexes

Your instincts are faster than thought. When you twitch, you’re already gone.

  • Heart/Club combo: One free Attack

  • Heart/Spade combo: Interrupt another character (knock them out of the way, etc.)

  • Joker: Dodge an Attack

4. EarFlare

Tune your massive ears like arcane satellite dishes, picking up vibrations, language, even magic. Use the following card suits to enact their effect.

  • Heart: Hear someone’s thoughts

  • Diamond: Eavesdrop on magical conversations

  • Spade: Learn someone’s secret weakness

  • Club: Use during combat for a +2 to Sting and Float

Trade: SoulGear

Calorie Count: 354 (Novice)

⚠️ Pick any two. Third available at Calorie Count: 500

SoulGears can bond spiritually with machines, forming a symbiotic relationship between flesh and mechanism. Where a traditional Pilot might control a machine, a SoulGear merges with it—emotionally, energetically, and sometimes, metaphysically. Their vehicles are not tools but companions. Together, they fight, evolve, and adapt.

Startzman
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