The House Mice - One-Time Box Purchase

In January 2026, subscribers encountered the House Mice.

In almost every house in Birdmoss there is a second, hidden household.  Within the liminal spaces of the walls and cupboards themselves, another family — a family of House Mice — wiles away the winter hours with its own traditions, celebrations, and heirlooms.

The House Mice benefit from the fires which warm the rooms, the crumbs which fall from tables, and the wards which shield the doorways.  But their use of such things can’t be considered theft, because the humans are still warm, fed, and safe. The boisterous sounds of their booming voices filter through the walls, creating a dull backdrop like a rainstorm, or like the ocean at night.

The House Mice indulge in small pleasures to brighten the slow evenings:  amusements and confectionary and spiced drinks. Is there a better place to weather the long nights, than in a jewel-box of a home within a home?

The House Mice includes an abundance of beautiful objects; hints and additions to expand the story; a mysterious document; and a lore card.  

Some items are available for individual purchase.

• Mysterious Document
• An instructional document is augmented with marginalia which will help you interpret clues. It is available only in the House Mice Box.

• Lore Card
• The House Mice is introduced in a full-color collectible 4x6 inch lore card. The artwork for this month's lore card was created by Joanna Rzepecka, a Warsaw, Poland-based illustrator. She says, "My work is inspired by biodiversity, mainly animals. Through my work, I'm trying to capture moments where nature is untouched by humans. Peaceful scenery, colors, and rough textures are some things that I enjoy the most."

• A Glimpse of the House Mice
• As an accomplished Dreamer, you are able to make yourself small. Tiptoeing along the floorboards, you are attracted by the sound of bells and find a hole in the wainscoting. The mouse hole is illuminated by a flicker of lamplight.

• Tinkling Welcome
• The House Mice have festooned the parlor with paper garlands and strands of little chiming bells. Pulling you inside the room and showing you around, the Mice explain that the cascading sound of bells helps to keep the Current moving and fresh, even deep within the walls of a house closed up against the cold.

• Mouse Mule Kit
• You are handed a thimble filled with sparkling punch. Inspired by the slower days of winter, the House Mice have embarked upon all kinds of projects. They have infused a strong spirit with ginger, lime, and rosemary, and urge you to try it.

• Sugar Stars
• A few Mice have dropped a lumpy rock of sugar into their thimbles. These colorful little sugar stars can be enjoyed with tea, used to garnish a drink, or scattered across a cake. When the adults are distracted, the smallest Mice uncork the jar and scamper away with candy to nibble.

• Games of Chance
• On some evenings, the House Mice bring out sets of dice for various games. Even these miniature dice are a bit heavy for the Mice. Watching a Mouse using a two-handed toss to roll a die across the floor, you consider that their game looks like a combination of Hazard and bowling.

• Mouse Library
• Reading also brings pleasure during the long winter nights. You find the tiniest of books, with the most miniscule type, lined up on a shelf. You pull out two and flip through them: one tells of the Far Shore and its wrack line; the other of Pont Lacuna and its Black Cat.

• Family Heirloom
• At this time of year, there’s extra magic in finding and enjoying beauty. This is a time to bring out family heirlooms: a favorite tea service, a pretty tablecloth, a gleaming candelabra. The matriarch of the family shows you her pride and joy: an ornate antique button, collected from beneath a credenza by an ancestor and passed down through the generations. Sometimes she displays it on the wall; or uses it as a centerpiece. Add yours to your collection of small curiosities or to add a layer of intent to a money bowl. It has been quickened with rosemary for memory.

Photo props are not included.