Oooh that’s a fun take! Instead of the items to cast find familiar it’s like the tattoos added. Blanking memory would open a lot of doors for plot devices later. I like it!
have you ever read the book small gods by Terry Pratchett? The premise is a god no longer has any followers (his religion has gone completely off the rails and no longer actually worships him) so he has become a tortoise. He finds himself in the presence of a true believer, a boy, and suddenly tortoise remembers who and what he is, but, with only 1 follower he has no real power, all he can do is talk to the boy inside his head.
Being Terry Pratchet hilarity ensues and in the end the boy leads a revolution against the tyrant running the religion, and the god gets belief again, rising up to the halls of the gods where he gives one a wedgie and another a squirly and then makes them make the land his people are in safe again.
So you could make the mouse a god or patron, and only she can hear and speak to it, she has to keep it safe and try and find a way of getting it back to its original form and power. You could make the Mouse effectively immortal to not worry about killing her god, but a great chance to roleplay a god who has mouse tendencies (scared of cats, a craving for cheese etc).
She's going to play a tiefling warlock with a brand on her forearm that can turn into her patron in the form of a mouse with a command word. The mouse will have two modes: one where she uses the command word to bring the mouse out of the brand and is, to her, just a mouse that can do basic mouse like things, as well as some basic communications using charades to pass info onto the player (imagine the mouse snuck under a door, witnessed something and using charades to tell her what the mouse saw). The other mode is when the patron is in charge, whispering little things to her telepathically or, the patron has the ability to bring itself out of the brand on her arm as the mouse and speak with others. When the patron is out of the brand by itself, the character will "freeze"and have a blank look on her face, and have no memory of the mouse/patron having been active.
One of the things that we will do as well is that if any of the party tries to tell her about this talking mouse, she will go into the frozen state and have no memories of the conversation. If effect, she doesn't know that the mouse is her patron, is unaware of where the brand/mouse came from and when others try to explain it to her, she goes blank and doesn't have any recollection of the conversation.
This should be a fun character to play and for me to DM!
Oh, that's interesting. I actually have a homebrew warlock subclass called The Relic for this kind of situation, where your patron is actually physically connected to you in some fashion
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
have you ever read the book small gods by Terry Pratchett? The premise is a god no longer has any followers (his religion has gone completely off the rails and no longer actually worships him) so he has become a tortoise. He finds himself in the presence of a true believer, a boy, and suddenly tortoise remembers who and what he is, but, with only 1 follower he has no real power, all he can do is talk to the boy inside his head.
Being Terry Pratchet hilarity ensues and in the end the boy leads a revolution against the tyrant running the religion, and the god gets belief again, rising up to the halls of the gods where he gives one a wedgie and another a squirly and then makes them make the land his people are in safe again.
So you could make the mouse a god or patron, and only she can hear and speak to it, she has to keep it safe and try and find a way of getting it back to its original form and power. You could make the Mouse effectively immortal to not worry about killing her god, but a great chance to roleplay a god who has mouse tendencies (scared of cats, a craving for cheese etc).
There is so much Pratchett that I haven't read...Small Gods is obviously one of them. I like the premise, and that is kind of what we are planning for her character, although maybe not so much to take over the kingdom...but we will see!
For now we'll start with the odd interaction, and then see where it goes.
She's going to play a tiefling warlock with a brand on her forearm that can turn into her patron in the form of a mouse with a command word. The mouse will have two modes: one where she uses the command word to bring the mouse out of the brand and is, to her, just a mouse that can do basic mouse like things, as well as some basic communications using charades to pass info onto the player (imagine the mouse snuck under a door, witnessed something and using charades to tell her what the mouse saw). The other mode is when the patron is in charge, whispering little things to her telepathically or, the patron has the ability to bring itself out of the brand on her arm as the mouse and speak with others. When the patron is out of the brand by itself, the character will "freeze"and have a blank look on her face, and have no memory of the mouse/patron having been active.
One of the things that we will do as well is that if any of the party tries to tell her about this talking mouse, she will go into the frozen state and have no memories of the conversation. If effect, she doesn't know that the mouse is her patron, is unaware of where the brand/mouse came from and when others try to explain it to her, she goes blank and doesn't have any recollection of the conversation.
This should be a fun character to play and for me to DM!
Oh, that's interesting. I actually have a homebrew warlock subclass called The Relic for this kind of situation, where your patron is actually physically connected to you in some fashion
Her original idea was to have the mouse connected by a gold circlet and a chain, but after talking to her about it and doing some reading in Tasha's, the tattoo/brand idea popped up. Other than the ability of calling forth the mouse, or having the patron appear, the tattoo/brand doesn't have any other powers. I have a lot of thinking to do now to figure out how to play this into the current campaign that we are in the middle of.
It will be fun, and I am looking forward to the role playing aspects of this!
A long time friend out of the blue asked to play D&D for the first time, which of course got me all excited! She has an interesting idea for a character, and of course I try to keep my players happy in their choices.
The issue is that she's never played and has an idea "to play a non-human character that was magically tied to an enchanted mouse" (her words). While I know that she is super creative and would probably play this well, I don't know what class I could set up for her where I can fulfill her wishes. I had the thought that the "mouse" could be a deity in disguise and is her patron to her being a sorcerer, but I am not sure if that is what she is going for.
Does anyone else have an idea that would help me fit her wishes into 5e rules? (I can be a bit loose on the rules for her)
Would her character even need to be a magic user, or could we find a mechanic that would work for her within the 5e rules?
I see her in two days to hash out her character, so any suggestions are welcome!
Be carefully playing D&D with friends as the DM. I suggest you get another game as a player and let someone else DM. Its a great way to lose friends when you are the DM.
A long time friend out of the blue asked to play D&D for the first time, which of course got me all excited! She has an interesting idea for a character, and of course I try to keep my players happy in their choices.
The issue is that she's never played and has an idea "to play a non-human character that was magically tied to an enchanted mouse" (her words). While I know that she is super creative and would probably play this well, I don't know what class I could set up for her where I can fulfill her wishes. I had the thought that the "mouse" could be a deity in disguise and is her patron to her being a sorcerer, but I am not sure if that is what she is going for.
Does anyone else have an idea that would help me fit her wishes into 5e rules? (I can be a bit loose on the rules for her)
Would her character even need to be a magic user, or could we find a mechanic that would work for her within the 5e rules?
I see her in two days to hash out her character, so any suggestions are welcome!
Be carefully playing D&D with friends as the DM. I suggest you get another game as a player and let someone else DM. Its a great way to lose friends when you are the DM.
I only ever play TTRPG's with friends and family and have done for 20+ years and 90% of the time I DM/GM, not sure what your experiance is but as a DM I have only ever found it strengthens not weakens friendships.
have you ever read the book small gods by Terry Pratchett? The premise is a god no longer has any followers (his religion has gone completely off the rails and no longer actually worships him) so he has become a tortoise. He finds himself in the presence of a true believer, a boy, and suddenly tortoise remembers who and what he is, but, with only 1 follower he has no real power, all he can do is talk to the boy inside his head.
Being Terry Pratchet hilarity ensues and in the end the boy leads a revolution against the tyrant running the religion, and the god gets belief again, rising up to the halls of the gods where he gives one a wedgie and another a squirly and then makes them make the land his people are in safe again.
So you could make the mouse a god or patron, and only she can hear and speak to it, she has to keep it safe and try and find a way of getting it back to its original form and power. You could make the Mouse effectively immortal to not worry about killing her god, but a great chance to roleplay a god who has mouse tendencies (scared of cats, a craving for cheese etc).
There is so much Pratchett that I haven't read...Small Gods is obviously one of them. I like the premise, and that is kind of what we are planning for her character, although maybe not so much to take over the kingdom...but we will see!
For now we'll start with the odd interaction, and then see where it goes.
*off to find more Pratchett to read...*
He doesn't so much as take over the nation, more saves it from a religious fanatic who is trying to lead it into a war that will result in its destruction.
A long time friend out of the blue asked to play D&D for the first time, which of course got me all excited! She has an interesting idea for a character, and of course I try to keep my players happy in their choices.
The issue is that she's never played and has an idea "to play a non-human character that was magically tied to an enchanted mouse" (her words). While I know that she is super creative and would probably play this well, I don't know what class I could set up for her where I can fulfill her wishes. I had the thought that the "mouse" could be a deity in disguise and is her patron to her being a sorcerer, but I am not sure if that is what she is going for.
Does anyone else have an idea that would help me fit her wishes into 5e rules? (I can be a bit loose on the rules for her)
Would her character even need to be a magic user, or could we find a mechanic that would work for her within the 5e rules?
I see her in two days to hash out her character, so any suggestions are welcome!
Be carefully playing D&D with friends as the DM. I suggest you get another game as a player and let someone else DM. Its a great way to lose friends when you are the DM.
I only ever play TTRPG's with friends and family and have done for 20+ years and 90% of the time I DM/GM, not sure what your experiance is but as a DM I have only ever found it strengthens not weakens friendships.
Of course you should play with, and DM for, your friends. It's D&D, not Diplomacy
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
A long time friend out of the blue asked to play D&D for the first time, which of course got me all excited! She has an interesting idea for a character, and of course I try to keep my players happy in their choices.
The issue is that she's never played and has an idea "to play a non-human character that was magically tied to an enchanted mouse" (her words). While I know that she is super creative and would probably play this well, I don't know what class I could set up for her where I can fulfill her wishes. I had the thought that the "mouse" could be a deity in disguise and is her patron to her being a sorcerer, but I am not sure if that is what she is going for.
Does anyone else have an idea that would help me fit her wishes into 5e rules? (I can be a bit loose on the rules for her)
Would her character even need to be a magic user, or could we find a mechanic that would work for her within the 5e rules?
I see her in two days to hash out her character, so any suggestions are welcome!
Be carefully playing D&D with friends as the DM. I suggest you get another game as a player and let someone else DM. Its a great way to lose friends when you are the DM.
I'm sorry that you've had a bad experience with DMing for friends! Personally, I've never had this experience, as introducing friends and family to DND brought me a lot closer to them. The only way I've ever played DND, actually, is with friends and family.
A long time friend out of the blue asked to play D&D for the first time, which of course got me all excited! She has an interesting idea for a character, and of course I try to keep my players happy in their choices.
The issue is that she's never played and has an idea "to play a non-human character that was magically tied to an enchanted mouse" (her words). While I know that she is super creative and would probably play this well, I don't know what class I could set up for her where I can fulfill her wishes. I had the thought that the "mouse" could be a deity in disguise and is her patron to her being a sorcerer, but I am not sure if that is what she is going for.
Does anyone else have an idea that would help me fit her wishes into 5e rules? (I can be a bit loose on the rules for her)
Would her character even need to be a magic user, or could we find a mechanic that would work for her within the 5e rules?
I see her in two days to hash out her character, so any suggestions are welcome!
Be carefully playing D&D with friends as the DM. I suggest you get another game as a player and let someone else DM. Its a great way to lose friends when you are the DM.
I have been playing D&D since 1985...I have played with LOTS of friends, and currently play with a group of friends that have been playing together for a few years now. In fact, I have only ever played with friends.
Your experiences aren't mine, and sadly, I feel that your experiences have left you a bit jaded.
A long time friend out of the blue asked to play D&D for the first time, which of course got me all excited! She has an interesting idea for a character, and of course I try to keep my players happy in their choices.
The issue is that she's never played and has an idea "to play a non-human character that was magically tied to an enchanted mouse" (her words). While I know that she is super creative and would probably play this well, I don't know what class I could set up for her where I can fulfill her wishes. I had the thought that the "mouse" could be a deity in disguise and is her patron to her being a sorcerer, but I am not sure if that is what she is going for.
Does anyone else have an idea that would help me fit her wishes into 5e rules? (I can be a bit loose on the rules for her)
Would her character even need to be a magic user, or could we find a mechanic that would work for her within the 5e rules?
I see her in two days to hash out her character, so any suggestions are welcome!
Be carefully playing D&D with friends as the DM. I suggest you get another game as a player and let someone else DM. Its a great way to lose friends when you are the DM.
I have been playing D&D since 1985...I have played with LOTS of friends, and currently play with a group of friends that have been playing together for a few years now. In fact, I have only ever played with friends.
Your experiences aren't mine, and sadly, I feel that your experiences have left you a bit jaded.
Sorry that you've lost friends over a game.
I've been playing various RPGs with a group of friends since 1987 - there's been no fall-out out-of-game between us at all.
She's going to play a tiefling warlock with a brand on her forearm that can turn into her patron in the form of a mouse with a command word. The mouse will have two modes: one where she uses the command word to bring the mouse out of the brand and is, to her, just a mouse that can do basic mouse like things, as well as some basic communications using charades to pass info onto the player (imagine the mouse snuck under a door, witnessed something and using charades to tell her what the mouse saw). The other mode is when the patron is in charge, whispering little things to her telepathically or, the patron has the ability to bring itself out of the brand on her arm as the mouse and speak with others. When the patron is out of the brand by itself, the character will "freeze"and have a blank look on her face, and have no memory of the mouse/patron having been active.
One of the things that we will do as well is that if any of the party tries to tell her about this talking mouse, she will go into the frozen state and have no memories of the conversation. If effect, she doesn't know that the mouse is her patron, is unaware of where the brand/mouse came from and when others try to explain it to her, she goes blank and doesn't have any recollection of the conversation.
This should be a fun character to play and for me to DM!
Oh, that's interesting. I actually have a homebrew warlock subclass called The Relic for this kind of situation, where your patron is actually physically connected to you in some fashion
Her original idea was to have the mouse connected by a gold circlet and a chain, but after talking to her about it and doing some reading in Tasha's, the tattoo/brand idea popped up. Other than the ability of calling forth the mouse, or having the patron appear, the tattoo/brand doesn't have any other powers. I have a lot of thinking to do now to figure out how to play this into the current campaign that we are in the middle of.
It will be fun, and I am looking forward to the role playing aspects of this!
I'm curious -- are you going to make some powers/abilities only usable when the mouse is in control, or will she have access to everything "consciously" and the mouse only grabs the wheel for narrative purposes?
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
She's going to play a tiefling warlock with a brand on her forearm that can turn into her patron in the form of a mouse with a command word. The mouse will have two modes: one where she uses the command word to bring the mouse out of the brand and is, to her, just a mouse that can do basic mouse like things, as well as some basic communications using charades to pass info onto the player (imagine the mouse snuck under a door, witnessed something and using charades to tell her what the mouse saw). The other mode is when the patron is in charge, whispering little things to her telepathically or, the patron has the ability to bring itself out of the brand on her arm as the mouse and speak with others. When the patron is out of the brand by itself, the character will "freeze"and have a blank look on her face, and have no memory of the mouse/patron having been active.
One of the things that we will do as well is that if any of the party tries to tell her about this talking mouse, she will go into the frozen state and have no memories of the conversation. If effect, she doesn't know that the mouse is her patron, is unaware of where the brand/mouse came from and when others try to explain it to her, she goes blank and doesn't have any recollection of the conversation.
This should be a fun character to play and for me to DM!
Oh, that's interesting. I actually have a homebrew warlock subclass called The Relic for this kind of situation, where your patron is actually physically connected to you in some fashion
Her original idea was to have the mouse connected by a gold circlet and a chain, but after talking to her about it and doing some reading in Tasha's, the tattoo/brand idea popped up. Other than the ability of calling forth the mouse, or having the patron appear, the tattoo/brand doesn't have any other powers. I have a lot of thinking to do now to figure out how to play this into the current campaign that we are in the middle of.
It will be fun, and I am looking forward to the role playing aspects of this!
I'm curious -- are you going to make some powers/abilities only usable when the mouse is in control, or will she have access to everything "consciously" and the mouse only grabs the wheel for narrative purposes?
I don't think that the mouse will have any powers, per se. I am thinking that the mouse is her patron, but only a tiny bit of her patron breaking through into the material plane. It might have some controls over her, it will talk with her telepathically, and it might sub-consciously make her do things, but I haven't really decided yet. As we play, I will work on ideas.
A long time friend out of the blue asked to play D&D for the first time, which of course got me all excited! She has an interesting idea for a character, and of course I try to keep my players happy in their choices.
The issue is that she's never played and has an idea "to play a non-human character that was magically tied to an enchanted mouse" (her words). While I know that she is super creative and would probably play this well, I don't know what class I could set up for her where I can fulfill her wishes. I had the thought that the "mouse" could be a deity in disguise and is her patron to her being a sorcerer, but I am not sure if that is what she is going for.
Does anyone else have an idea that would help me fit her wishes into 5e rules? (I can be a bit loose on the rules for her)
Would her character even need to be a magic user, or could we find a mechanic that would work for her within the 5e rules?
I see her in two days to hash out her character, so any suggestions are welcome!
Be carefully playing D&D with friends as the DM. I suggest you get another game as a player and let someone else DM. Its a great way to lose friends when you are the DM.
I'm sorry if you had a bad experience DMing for friends.
I've DMed for friends and played with friends for decades. The most common way you might lose friends over playing a game like D&D is usually either the player or the DM doing something intentionally nasty that impacts the DM or the other players.
As long as the players understand that the DM is being a fair and impartial adjudicator of the character interactions with the world around them and that the world contains real risks to the characters that will directly depend on the chosen character actions then everything should be fine.
I've seen or heard of issues when
- the DM plays favorites (sometimes happens when real life romantic relationships affect the DM or player judgement)
- the player or DM acts out a "revenge" type scenario due to real life hurt feelings
- the DM "railroads" the campaign to such an extent that the players don't have any choices to make - they are sitting in a novel the DM is writing rather than cooperatively participating in the story. The DM can't tell the players what to do. Some players will take this badly.
All issues like these need to be calmly discussed out of game either because they have nothing to do with the game or because there is a fundamental mismatch between what the player want to play and what the DM is running.
We played once session with my friend and her warlock, and so far the patron hasn't shown itself, however I plan on bring it out in the next session. We have also changed a few things up as we have worked through the character for her (she is super excited to play the character now). While her patron is still a Great Old One, she doesn't realize that she has a patron, and just assumes that how she is is just normal, and that others without powers are different. The mouse/patron idea is still going strong: mouse comes out of the brand on her arm and does mouse like stuff. However, the mouse that she knows is a cute little grey mouse with a pink nose and does cute mouse things. The patron version comes out completely black, with blood red eyes that flicker with ancient flames.
I have also decided that when the patron is active, the character will freeze solid like a stature, her eyes will go completely black, and there will be a black mist that creeps out of her clothing to surround and caress her face. Meanwhile, the other party members will need to do a religion check, and if they fail, they will "hear" the Great Old One which will induce abject terror, causing them to recoil in horror, turn ghastly white and cower on the ground in fear while the black mouse if present. Those that pass the check, won't hear the voice and will have no idea what is going on.
I am going to have so much fun DM'ing this!!!
The best part, so far. with having my friend join is that it has sparked a bit more role playing with players who wouldn't normal role play and I am looking forward to seeing what else she can bring to the party.
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Oooh that’s a fun take! Instead of the items to cast find familiar it’s like the tattoos added. Blanking memory would open a lot of doors for plot devices later. I like it!
have you ever read the book small gods by Terry Pratchett?
The premise is a god no longer has any followers (his religion has gone completely off the rails and no longer actually worships him) so he has become a tortoise.
He finds himself in the presence of a true believer, a boy, and suddenly tortoise remembers who and what he is, but, with only 1 follower he has no real power, all he can do is talk to the boy inside his head.
Being Terry Pratchet hilarity ensues and in the end the boy leads a revolution against the tyrant running the religion, and the god gets belief again, rising up to the halls of the gods where he gives one a wedgie and another a squirly and then makes them make the land his people are in safe again.
So you could make the mouse a god or patron, and only she can hear and speak to it, she has to keep it safe and try and find a way of getting it back to its original form and power. You could make the Mouse effectively immortal to not worry about killing her god, but a great chance to roleplay a god who has mouse tendencies (scared of cats, a craving for cheese etc).
Or of course the mouse could really be a wizard, who killed her best friends parents, and has been hiding in mouse form for years. ;)
Oh, that's interesting. I actually have a homebrew warlock subclass called The Relic for this kind of situation, where your patron is actually physically connected to you in some fashion
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
There is so much Pratchett that I haven't read...Small Gods is obviously one of them. I like the premise, and that is kind of what we are planning for her character, although maybe not so much to take over the kingdom...but we will see!
For now we'll start with the odd interaction, and then see where it goes.
*off to find more Pratchett to read...*
Her original idea was to have the mouse connected by a gold circlet and a chain, but after talking to her about it and doing some reading in Tasha's, the tattoo/brand idea popped up. Other than the ability of calling forth the mouse, or having the patron appear, the tattoo/brand doesn't have any other powers. I have a lot of thinking to do now to figure out how to play this into the current campaign that we are in the middle of.
It will be fun, and I am looking forward to the role playing aspects of this!
Be carefully playing D&D with friends as the DM. I suggest you get another game as a player and let someone else DM. Its a great way to lose friends when you are the DM.
I only ever play TTRPG's with friends and family and have done for 20+ years and 90% of the time I DM/GM, not sure what your experiance is but as a DM I have only ever found it strengthens not weakens friendships.
He doesn't so much as take over the nation, more saves it from a religious fanatic who is trying to lead it into a war that will result in its destruction.
Of course you should play with, and DM for, your friends. It's D&D, not Diplomacy
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I'm sorry that you've had a bad experience with DMing for friends! Personally, I've never had this experience, as introducing friends and family to DND brought me a lot closer to them. The only way I've ever played DND, actually, is with friends and family.
Only spilt the party if you see something shiny.
Ariendela Sneakerson, Half-elf Rogue (8); Harmony Wolfsbane, Tiefling Bard (10); Agnomally, Gnomish Sorcerer (3); Breeze, Tabaxi Monk (8); Grace, Dragonborn Barbarian (7); DM, Homebrew- The Sequestered Lands/Underwater Explorers; Candlekeep
I have been playing D&D since 1985...I have played with LOTS of friends, and currently play with a group of friends that have been playing together for a few years now. In fact, I have only ever played with friends.
Your experiences aren't mine, and sadly, I feel that your experiences have left you a bit jaded.
Sorry that you've lost friends over a game.
I've been playing various RPGs with a group of friends since 1987 - there's been no fall-out out-of-game between us at all.
I'm curious -- are you going to make some powers/abilities only usable when the mouse is in control, or will she have access to everything "consciously" and the mouse only grabs the wheel for narrative purposes?
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I don't think that the mouse will have any powers, per se. I am thinking that the mouse is her patron, but only a tiny bit of her patron breaking through into the material plane. It might have some controls over her, it will talk with her telepathically, and it might sub-consciously make her do things, but I haven't really decided yet. As we play, I will work on ideas.
I'm sorry if you had a bad experience DMing for friends.
I've DMed for friends and played with friends for decades. The most common way you might lose friends over playing a game like D&D is usually either the player or the DM doing something intentionally nasty that impacts the DM or the other players.
As long as the players understand that the DM is being a fair and impartial adjudicator of the character interactions with the world around them and that the world contains real risks to the characters that will directly depend on the chosen character actions then everything should be fine.
I've seen or heard of issues when
- the DM plays favorites (sometimes happens when real life romantic relationships affect the DM or player judgement)
- the player or DM acts out a "revenge" type scenario due to real life hurt feelings
- the DM "railroads" the campaign to such an extent that the players don't have any choices to make - they are sitting in a novel the DM is writing rather than cooperatively participating in the story. The DM can't tell the players what to do. Some players will take this badly.
All issues like these need to be calmly discussed out of game either because they have nothing to do with the game or because there is a fundamental mismatch between what the player want to play and what the DM is running.
A little update here.
We played once session with my friend and her warlock, and so far the patron hasn't shown itself, however I plan on bring it out in the next session. We have also changed a few things up as we have worked through the character for her (she is super excited to play the character now). While her patron is still a Great Old One, she doesn't realize that she has a patron, and just assumes that how she is is just normal, and that others without powers are different. The mouse/patron idea is still going strong: mouse comes out of the brand on her arm and does mouse like stuff. However, the mouse that she knows is a cute little grey mouse with a pink nose and does cute mouse things. The patron version comes out completely black, with blood red eyes that flicker with ancient flames.
I have also decided that when the patron is active, the character will freeze solid like a stature, her eyes will go completely black, and there will be a black mist that creeps out of her clothing to surround and caress her face. Meanwhile, the other party members will need to do a religion check, and if they fail, they will "hear" the Great Old One which will induce abject terror, causing them to recoil in horror, turn ghastly white and cower on the ground in fear while the black mouse if present. Those that pass the check, won't hear the voice and will have no idea what is going on.
I am going to have so much fun DM'ing this!!!
The best part, so far. with having my friend join is that it has sparked a bit more role playing with players who wouldn't normal role play and I am looking forward to seeing what else she can bring to the party.