Slorbin 1771 Rep Farm Share Posted March 18, 2021 The Musin (CA Race Grouping A) Physical Descriptions Musin are small, fluffy creatures, characterized by their resemblance to mice. The majority of their body is covered in a thin layer of fur, ranging in colors from tan, brown, black, white, or even mottled. The insides of the ears, hands, feet, and tail are barren. They are much smaller than their Ratiki ancestors, only ranging from 1'8 to 2'6 at the tallest. Their eyes are usually pitch-black, but crimson colorations occur in about 1 in every 10 Musin. Their faces and bodies are softer and cleaner than a rat's. Musin have two large incisors, far larger than the rest of their teeth, at the front of their maxilla. Anatomy Musin have lost the dreaded fangs common in the Ratiki, although their incisors still hold a significant edge. Most micefolk gnaw on hardwoods throughout their life to blunt and file down their teeth. A Musin’s tail is shorter and thinner than a Ratiki’s relative to their own weight, although it is still tactile. A Musin’s senses are more balanced for living above-ground, although they are still sub-par to the other sentient races. Musin have no need to wear goggles above ground, and can see with mediocre distance in the day. Their ears are less powerful than a Ratiki’s, but they do hear higher and lower frequencies much farther than a human’s. They are able to locate the sources of sounds with ease. A Musin’s diet is completely omnivorous, yet their stomachs are more sensitive than a rat’s. As such, they tend to get sick if they continue to eat undercooked meat. They tend to enjoy the taste of something sweet or crunchy more than a nice, juicy steak. A thick, hard graham cracker smothered in peanut butter will invariably charm even the toughest of Musin, while a filet mignon only warrants a passing glance. Appearance Musin closely resemble upright mice of the mus musculus variety, with several human-like features. Their heads and bodies are covered in fur, with significantly less hair appearing around the hands, feet, and tails. Musin heads resemble the head of a mouse. Unlike their cousins the Ratiki, their noses are pointed and less blunt, their tails are thin, their bodies are more slender and their ears are far larger, proportionally. The height of a Musin ranges from 1’8” (or 50 cm) to 2’6 (or 77 cm). Their tails are as long as they are tall, give or take 3 inches. Healthy Musin weigh anywhere from 20 to 30 pounds. Their eyes can be three colors: Red, pink, or black. The whites of their eyes are visible. Their fur color can be any fur color expressed by mus musculus, or the common house mouse. This includes the fancy mouse variety. This is any combination of two of the following colors: White, grey, orange, brown, black, and tan. For information on exact color limits, visit https://www.afrma.org/fancymice.htm Musin are far cleaner than their rattish brethren. As a result of wishing to fit in with the modern world, they have taken up bathing and grooming themselves. No longer are they puss-ridden rodents wallowing in their own filth! Musin groom their fur to a silky-smooth state at least twice a day, whether it be with a brush or their own fingers. Musin men and women are hard to tell apart. Musin women do not have mammaries, or any significant features that separate them from men. They will try to style themselves with makeup or fur trimmings to make them look more feminine or masculine, combined with differing clothing for the race. Females have a different sounding voice than males. Musin clothing is usually either ill-fitting or shoddy in quality. Given their extreme size difference from all other races, Musin either have to steal children's clothing, or craft their own out of patches and quarters. Rarely is a Musin seen clad in fine cloth! Despite these shortcomings, Musin try to look their best. They are quite fond of bright colors, and will gleefully scavenge any colorful scraps. They will attempt to patchwork their collections into a mosaic of fabric, although it often results in a jumbled, vibrant mess. Life Cycle As a result of their cleanliness and gift, Musin live far longer than their Ratiki brethren. Musin live up to 70 years old in good health, with the longest recorded individual living to 78. They look relatively young through the majority of their lives to outsiders, although Musin are able to tell the minute differences between a young adult and an older fellow. A Musin’s life begins as a young mouse pup, barely larger than an apple. It is blind and weak, yet grows fast. Within a few months the Musin is considered a toddler, and acts like such. Their growth begins to stunt somewhat from here, deviating from the usual path of the short-lived Ratiki. They reach physical maturity at around age 12, and mental maturity around the age of 15, which is when they are considered a young adult. Musin usually have a litter of 2-3 children at once, although it is not uncommon for mouselings to die in infancy. Musin are only pregnant for 3 months, and are able to rear new children soon afterwards. However, most Musin try to limit themselves to a few children at a time, so as to prevent a dreaded horde. It is taboo to care for more than 5 children at once. Only a few key differences make an old Musin look different than a young Musin. Old Musin’s exposed skin, like their paws and tails, grow increasingly paler after the age of 65. By the age of 70, their pink paws and tails have lost most pigment. Strengths and Weaknesses Fighting a Musin has been described like stepping on a pigeon- It’s exceedingly hard to land a hit, but once you do, they’re dead. Musin are the weakest of all the sentient races in Almaris, infamously shorter than even the shortest halflings. Unlike the halflings, however, they lack stock or strength, their arms spindly and twiggy. Their only true strength lies in their dexterity. Quick and nimble, a Musin can dodge attacks with ease- running between attacker’s legs, scampering to their sides, jumping to their heads- with acrobatic feats that rival a Hou-zi. Unfortunately, if they miss a dodge.. They’re dead meat. A swing from a small dagger is enough to cause a fatal wound to a Musin, incapacitating them for the majority of the fight. Most Musin choose to flee when necessary, and those who stay and fight are rarely considered ‘brave’- moreso foolish. Origin Musin history is much shrouded in mystery, as they only learned how to write around 100 years ago. However, a general consensus is as follows… For as long as Ratiki have existed, there have been runts in litters. The ones who were smaller than the others, meeker than the others- not fierce, not fit for battle. Traditionally, they were left to die, abandoned to the harshness of the deep to fend for themselves. Many survived through resourcefulness and cunning, eking out a living by proving themselves to be a valuable enough portion of the horde. Most did not- starving and succumbing to diseases, as their weak stature and high metabolism could not be sustained. Rarely did a runt rise through the ranks, historically working as slaves in the mines or scavengers on the battlefield. Life for a runt was hard- usually living less than mental maturity. That is, until Musin came. The Runt Revolt During the time of the Great Plague, many runts in the Xetrialkian empire were sent to work in the mines for their entire lives. Life was brutal, lives were short, the cruelty exasperated by the pestilence. The Second Great Ratiki war only made life worse. Quotas were up, the caves always filled with the thick smog of coal, suffocating any unfortunate, chained ratmen stuck below. At the time, the Xetrialkian military was short on numbers and gearing up for war in any way possible- it was a time for promotion, a chance for new recruits to gain their bearings. Among the new recruits was a runt named Musin- A white-furred fellow half the size of the average officer, yet braver than all of them. A previous scout for the scavengers, Musin had acquired a small, shiny dagger from an old civilization- far higher quality of a weapon than anyone in the land. His resourcefulness, dexterity and bravery was enough to warrant giving him the role of Warchief. As warchief, Musin the Brave had far more freedoms than the rest of his brethren, and was able to see the injustices committed. Despite being a hardened soldier, he still had a heart. He was born in the mines, after all, he could not bear to see his people suffer. He elected several runts as his Foreman beneath him, and many former slaves as grunts. In the midst of the Battle of Red Vale, when most of the warchiefs were away, Musin fled with his group, and four-hundred runt slaves. They surfaced for the first time, the sun blistering in their eyes.. Or so they’d thought. At the mouth of the cave stood the mighty war-boss Stanqolk Highslayer and his army of two hundred, swords drawn and ready! Insubordination was not tolerated, and no slave had ever escaped the Xetrialkian Empire. Stanqolk was not about to ruin their reputation, and give any miners any new ideas. The mice and rats fought- their first battle, and hopefully their last, both sides thought. The mice knew they were outmatched, if not outnumbered. None of them had weapons except the soldiers and Musin, daggers at hand. Two foremen and the civilians were tasked with escaping, while Musin and his loyal lieutenants were to give the civilians a chance of escaping, just a sliver of an opening, so that a few may have a better life! Musin battling Stanqolk, by Rice Minster, Musin artist. The battle had begun. Musin led the charge, clashing swords with Stanqolk. While Musin had fought larger and nastier foes than the Highslayer, Musin knew he would die here. Stanqolk was his warboss, and Musin had made the folly of giving him a fine, shimmering shortsword he found during his time as a scavenger. They clashed swords for what seemed like hours on end- and probably was. The rest of the rats fought the mouseman’s 40 or so soldiers, fending off the two-hundred from touching their wives and children. Despite their best efforts, the soldiers quickly succumbed. They were less armed, weaker, and outnumbered by the Ratiki. Some civilians were slaughtered, but most escaped. The defense was a success, and the mousefolk fled into the sunny wilderness. The rats were about to give chase- they were larger and faster after all, until Musin dealt the final blow. Musin the Brave had slain his opponent in battle, stabbing his blade upwards into Stanqolk’s heart. The rat clutched at his chest, sliding onto the sword in a hunched posture, and reached his dagger around Musin’s shoulder. One quick stab to the spine rendered Musin immobile, and dead. The soldiers looked over at the commotion, the warchiefs and foremen speaking amongst themselves, hushed tones slowly rising in volume. Soon after, a frenzy amongst the Ratiki troops broke out, each side vying to be the new warboss, forgetting about the escaped slaves. The mice were now free. Escape from Rat Island Just as the rats would see when they stepped foot on the surface, the island of Ratiki was barren. The vale was covered in scars- sinkholes from failed tunnels, mounds of rocks and stone from excavated caves, an earth salted after years of pestilence and war. Nevertheless, they ran straight forward. Not even knowing their destination, blinded by the sun, the runts headed east, unsure of their numbers. When they stopped to take a break inside an abandoned cavern, the mice counted. Around a hundred were missing, mostly men, including their brave leader. The mice continued to trek in search of fertile lands for weeks, their metabolism quickly running through their already-thin rations. Two hundred more had died before the mice found a forest. The forest was small, yet could provide for a few weeks. More importantly, it was near something odd. A large body of liquid, unknown to the creatures of the deep, that stretched on farther than the eye could see. One of the foremen spoke up, informing the runaways of what he knew. Apparently, something called the ‘ocean’ surrounded their world, and beyond that was fertile land. He showed a scrap of paper he stole from the Qhrol to his fellow inmates- blueprints for a device known as a ‘boat’! For a year, the mice labored, chopping trees with what little they had, gathering rations, and building the fabled ‘boat’. During this time, the foreman became their leader, and was dubbed Crumlin the Sailor. They began to form their first civilization, known as the “Clan of Musin”, with their first culture based around peace and protection for the meek. They adopted a staunch non-aggression policy, instructing to flee and only flee. The Musin, as they now called themselves, finished their boat exactly a year after they arrived at the forest. It was a crude vessel, little more than an oblong box caulked together with whatever the Musin could find. Barrels filled with apples for sustenance lined every inch of the boat, with a hundred mice packed together like sardines. The finishing piece of cargo was an odd, black pentagonal box, about half the size of a mousefolk, fastened to the bow of the boat. Musin instructed Crumlin to apply it to the boat at the end, to ‘guide them to new lands’. The ark drifted out to sea as the tattered, colorful sail took the boat wherever the wind pleased. After days of travelling, a terrible storm hit the boat. Winds pushed the mousemen’s floating coffin through and under the waves, rattling them about and pushing the box forward at enormous speeds. Eventually the box hit exponentially high speeds, and vanished into an orb of purple light. No one was quite sure what happened at the time, but the black artifact crumbled into bits soon after. New Beginnings The Musin crashed into eastern Almaris a few years before the Ratiki arrived in Atlas, ready to explore this new and bountiful world. This new continent was covered in trees and fields, more than they had ever seen, full of life and steady ground. The Musin hoisted their ship onto the land, flipped it around, cut a hole in it, and called it their new home. For a few months, nothing happened. A tall figure lumbered over their shoddy cabins, packed with huddled mice. He was twice as tall as any rat they’d ever seen- around 6’2, with a scruffy, dark grey beard and a furrowed brow. He was clad in leather and cloth of far higher quality than the Musin had ever seen. He had no tail, no paws, no fur, only hair. He awaited for days until the mice finally came out, upon whence he showed that he meant no harm. Surprisingly, they shared a language, and many wary mice began to listen to his stories. His name has long been forgotten, perhaps never told, but he has since been known to Musin as The Giant. It is unknown what The Giant truly was for the longest time. Whenever asked, he would simply grin and give a joke of an answer with a wave of his hand, giving cryptic and unclear answers. Soon after meeting the Musin, he listened to their tale, seemingly curious as to how they arrived in such a land. Before they could finish their sentences, he cut them off- telling them that he was disappointed in their lack of manners. He instructed them to clean themselves up before he would talk any further, and left. The next day, The Giant returned. A meeting had been held the previous night, and the general consensus between the Musin were to clean up and let him return. While they could flee again, they desperately needed this wise-man’s help to survive in this new land. The mice cleaned and groomed themselves for the first time in their species, and waited. The Giant was pleased to see them in a slicker form, and took a seat on a log in the middle of the village. He began to speak, lecturing the creatures about the importance of health and hygiene. He let the mice tell a bit more of their story, before cutting them off again. He explained that their dialect was uncouth- hard to understand, simplistic, unlike his. He told the mice he’d teach them the way of his people, how to survive in this land, how to thrive, and how to live better than ever before. And so, each day, the man came back, teaching generation after generation of Musin how to talk properly, how to dress properly, how to farm, how to read, how to write. Generally, he taught them the culture of the humans, and their history- albeit, in an overly-romanticized fashion. He made it seem as if being like him, being a ‘tall one’, was the greatest thing in the world- no wars, no famine, no mines- only jovial times with instruments and festivals abound. He introduced to them a mish-mash of different ideas over the 50 years he stayed in the village, until they began to act in an ‘acceptable’ manner. The only trait he was unable to remove was their thievery- too kind to punish them for stealing an odd trinket or two, or 'recycling' anything not nailed down. Finally, he sat down, and listened to their story, although he had already known it at this point. The mice had grown quite fond of him, and all saw him as a sort of father-figure, the protector and savior of the village, second only to Musin himself. He furrowed his brow upon hearing their predicament, humming loudly to himself. He told them he’d help them recover their runtish brethren in the Ratikkan mines, if they promised to take down the Ratiki with them. The man coughed and wheezed, leaning over on the stump from which he taught. He was greyer, much older than when he first arrived. He explained to the Musin that he did not have much time left, and expressed guilt that he had never told them his story. He let them sit down for his final teaching, one about his own life. The Giant The Giant’s tale has been passed down through generations, yet wasn’t written down when it was first spoken. Some details are vague, omitted- yet it generally is recited as such. A long time ago, far longer than the arrival of the Musin, the Ratikans had explored their ruined island to the fullest, and were digging through their wretched caves. The empire that used to live here had long fallen, already in disarray before the rats were set upon their home island by whatever hell-spawn created them. The only thing left was the kill the last few stragglers and claim the decrepit island as their prize. The Krothian empire had dug up into the mountainside atop their lairs, seeking out ore and treasure inside the caverns long after the descendants had seemingly fallen. As they approached the mountaintop, however- they hit stone, hard stone. Atop the highest mountain on the Ratikan Island, where no rat had gone before, a wizard’s tower and his haven shot into the sky- the last bastion of hope for the descendants on the Ratikan island. The Ratiki burst their way in with a flood of men, quickly overwhelming the small community inside. They barricaded the doors, activated all failsafes, and entered their vaults in an attempt to escape. Only three men remained, retrieving their prized artifacts that might aid in their getaway attempt, before the Ratikan war machines busted down the door. Two of the men were shot down instantly by rudimentary thrown spears, and the youngest activated his device, vanishing into thin air. The two devices left over were wayfinding devices- solid black stones in a pentagonal shape, pulsing with strange inscriptions and incantations. The Khrolians collected these items, which passed down to their successor states over the many wars. The last device was activated by forcing an intense flow of mana into it by the young man, who was now stuck on the other side of the disc. Stranded and alone, with everyone he’s ever known murdered by the Ratiki, the young man wandered around Almaris for many decades. The wayfinding device was a one-use artifact, and he could never return without another. He spent many decades eking out a living as a hermit, practicing his magic, biding his time and hoping that one day he could return to his homeland and eradicate the Ratiki. After nearly half a century, the man encountered what seemed to be Ratiki- but shorter, weaker, more frightened of him. He believed the armies may have invaded his shore, and prepared to annihilate them- but cut short after seeing their terrible condition. He could not bring himself to kill them- they seemed far more timid than those he encountered before, without weapons or fangs to harm.Only a small amount of them were here, seemingly separated from their hyper-aggressive brethren. He figured it may have only been them here, and he might be able to turn this isolated group against his brethren. And so, he began to interact with the Musin, fashioning himself as the Giant, quickly gathering information about their circumstance and how he can abuse it. The Departure The Giant apologized deeply to his friends for his initial misunderstanding and hatred of them, and expressed thanks to their companionship. He informs the Musin that he harbors no ill will, and is now thankful he didn’t slaughter a group of innocents, and is pleased he can spend his final moments with them. He offers to use his last bit of strength to guide them on their mutual quest to rid the world of pestilence and plague. He warns that the Ratiki still have the last wayfinding artifact, and may invade this half of the world soon. A type of soft light formed around the man, as he gave the mousefolk the last of his strength. He took their existing anatomy and altered it slightly, giving them less children yet longer lives, solidifying their presence as a new race, different from the Ratiki. He told the Musin he would return one day, and to never lose hope- to defeat the evil Ratiki at all costs and remember their promise. And so, looking far older than the day he arrived, The Giant perished, soon buried beneath the crypts of Crumlin Keep. The mice were sad, confused, but mostly grateful for what they had been given. They aimed to recreate the pristine worlds he had so vividly described before, and create a society out of ‘descendent’ culture. Over the few hundred years the Musin have lived on Almaris, many forts and villages have risen and fallen. Trying to recreate what they’ve heard in miniature- old medieval keeps out of loose-fitting rock, manors out of old cracked hardwoods, carnival tents out of leftover clothing, all to various degrees of success. When the descendents finally arrived in Almaris, the Musin were overjoyed to meet them- unaware of the havoc their brethren caused in Atlas. It is now up to the mercy of the descendents to deal with this vulnerable race, whether to raze this vermin to the ground or to accept them for who they are. Mental Descriptions Mentality Musin have a unique mentality, with many of their characteristics coming from their ancestors- both the Ratiki and regular mice. The first and most notable thing that occurs in a Musin’s head is an intense and unignorable urge to scavenge that which is around them. Scavenging is the reusing of materials excessively, never letting anything go to waste, even if it isn’t particularly theirs. This instinct can appear in Musin in a wide variety of ways. At the bad end of the spectrum a Musin may become a kleptomaniac for many things- not just a hoarder of gold, but a collector of cloth, food, and much more. They see it as a form of reclamation- no one was using it at the moment, so they might as well. It would be a shame to see it go to waste. At the best end of the spectrum a Musin may simply have an urge to recycle anything they’ve been given, not stealing, but never letting something go to waste if they can help it. One trait added to the Musin that defines them as a distinct species is their cleanliness. Musin are compulsive cleaners, Combing and brushing themselves comes naturally to them, and is regarded as an enjoyable, soothing activity. It is also of great importance to their health, as dirty mice will quickly wrack up fleas and catch a myriad of diseases, leading to death. Their same sense of cleanliness may or may not apply to their living situations, and Musin homes can either be neat or messy. Musin all undeniably hate Ratiki. It is nigh-instinctive that the plague-ridden, larger, stockier ratmen are treated with contempt. They do not share this instinctive hatred with any other race or species, however. To a degree, most Musin are slightly fearful of the larger races due to their smaller stature and weaker frame, but this behavior has been shown to be grown out of with enough time and effort. Musin are curious at heart, always willing to inspect new things and environments. For some Musin, this has developed into a love for adventure. For others, this has developed into a willingness to interact with new and unusual things, a lack of neophobia. Like most races, Musin are social creatures. They can grow depressed when not around other sentient races, extremely so. Hermit Musin are very far and few between, and do not usually survive for long. Culture Musin culture is the antithesis of everything the Ratiki hold dear. It is pacifistic, non-confrontational, and idolizing of the descendants. Never were the Musin taught the horrors of the countless Orenian wars, or even the existence of the Orcs. They try to base their culture out of the old fantasy tales of yore they heard from The Giant. Musin clothing attempts to mimic descendent clothing to a fantastical and outdated degree. Musin attempt to cobble cloaks and hoods that belong more in a shoddy carnival than an actual peasant house. Their clothes are always made out of recycled material. Examples include scale mail out of painted seashells, gugels out of potato sacks, and capes out of worn blankets. Musin err towards a peaceful life without physical conflict, due to their small stature and nature. They are prone to fleeing at the slightest sign of danger, scuttling off like a squirrel. Those who are more ill-natured than others still usually never get into a physical altercation, at least not one that requires any degree of strength. While mousefolk are pacifistic, the tales of old The Giant informed them of has instilled the will for adventure into their hearts. They are curious creatures, seeking out ruins and adventure. They idolize the epics they heard about in their youth and frequently wander from the nest, hoping to one day make a title for themselves. In the days before the descendants landed on Almaris, life was much safer, with only boars or bears to worry about. Musin crafted their own tales of glory. Now that real adventure has arrived with the races of man, many adventuring mice are eager to live out the fairy-tales of yore. Sadly, being 2' tall doesn't usually result in an happily ever after, something most Musin still don't understand. The architecture of the rodent race is very small. It is built to accommodate men their size, and as a result, even halflings have a difficult time squeezing in. Not that a halfling would wish to, anyway- rodent architecture is abhorrently unsafe. With the low amount of knowledge they had received from the Giant, structures built to last are nigh-impossible to construct. Musin attempt to create something much grander than they’re able to practically achieve, to no results. Buildings consist of nailed and glued together wood and stone, painted and dyed to try and look like something one would see in a capital village, in their idealistic minds. However, the end result is often nothing more than a wooden shack with faux waddle and daub crudely slathered on the sides. Due to the thievery built into their blood by whatever daemon created the Ratiki, Musin have a desire to use things that aren't quite theirs. At the very best, Musin may recycle trash laying around in a dump for their own devices- but at the worst, a gang of Musin will pull off a large, pilfering heist. Musin tend to not steal from other mousefolk nowadays, far more interested in descendant relics- higher-quality goods then their own. And, why not? They have so much stuff! Overall, the rodent race tends to act polite and subservient to those they see as civilized, willing to do most anything to portray themselves as part of their modern world. Most micefolk are in denial of the true nature of war, simply praying that it will never reach their doorstep again. They speak common with remarkable fluency, almost greater than many descendents, and try to stifle any chittering and squeaking- though they are prone to slip in times of emotion. They try to distinguish themselves from the Ratiki even to this day, staying clean, civilized, and keeping their instincts to a minimum. Settlements Due to the lack of engineering skills and knowledge within the Musin clan, buildings tend to not last very long. In fact, Musin could almost be considered a nomadic sorts of people with how often they rebuild- believing that if maybe they just built a few miles up that hill, or a little farther from that lake, that their buildings might weather the elements a few more years. Although most of their attempts fail, a few have met noticeable success, due to sheer luck. Crumlin Keep Crumlin Keep, named after Crumlin the Sailor, is a moderately-sized keep located in the heart of Almaris. Constructed of cobble and clay, it is notable for being the oldest-surviving Musin structure to date. Reportedly, it was constructed with the aid of The Giant himself, in an attempt to show Musin the beauty of modern architecture. Day by day, more rocks and pebbles leak out of the cornerstone as kudzu eats away at the foundation. If not for the lightness of the mousefolk, it surely would have collapsed underneath the weight of its inhabitants. While no human has ever set foot inside- quite literally unable to, given it's small stature- the Musin welcome visitors gleefully, proud to show off their only surviving relic. It is located atop a small hill, dubbed 'Grand Mount Musin' by its inhabitants, and is surrounded by a variety of other failed endeavors. Location: On a mountain in the plains. Should not be anything here, as of time of writing. Abilities Musin have a number of abilities that separate them from the other races. [All of these are subject to change or removal, if the ST sees fit. I attempted to use my previous knowledge to make them balanced.] Advanced Hearing Musin have greater hearing than most races, yet not as good as Ratiki. Loud and sudden noises will startle even the bravest of Musin, causing them to instinctively jump in the air or at least wince. They can allegedly hear things that humans can’t. • Musin can hear frequencies from 15 Hz to 20 kHz, and do not lose their ability to hear higher frequencies overtime like humans do. A high-pitched buzzing that may be inaudible to a human is audible to a mouse. Sensitive Eyesight Musin have weaker eyesight than most races, yet they have evolved the ability to see in the sunlight over time. Their vision is normal at night, but hampered during the day. • Musin can see at half clarity (24 blocks) during a sunny day, and at 100% clarity during cloudy days or nights (48 blocks) • (This is assuming that the default range of sight for humans on LOTC are 48 blocks. This is what I have been told by ST.) Small Stature Musin are the most nimble of the races, able to twist, dodge, and run away from attacks with ease. This ability comes from their miniature size, which comes with it’s own downsides. Musin cannot take a hit like a dwarf or human could without being seriously wounded. • A minor hit from a dagger turns into a severe or lethal blow on a little Musin. In general, react to being hit as if every wound is serious. If using the roll system, act as if every hit is one layer of severity higher. • A Musin takes to dodging quite well, although more in the sense of nimbleness. They can duck and swerve easily, but due to their small size it takes more time to move out of range • Musin have FAR less strength than any other race. They cannot kill by hacking and cutting with intense muscle power like most, and have to rely on their dexterity. The only weapon a Musin can really truly cause damage with are finesse-based dueling weapons like rapiers- everything else is nigh uneffective. General Redlines • Musin are not ratfolk. Musin do not speak like skaven, look like skaven, or act like skaven. They are much more proper. • Musin will get diseased like Ratfolk if they do not clean themselves, although they are less susceptible to it, similar to an actual human. • A Musin’s bite is the only thing that can cause any actual damage, although it is fairly weak, akin to being stabbed with a kitchen knife. It will begin to hurt if not filed down regularly. • Musin incisors can not be used to bite through blocks. • Due to their small size, Musin cannot wield most weapons or armor. Daggers are shortswords, and shortswords are zweihanders for them. • Musin cannot learn most magics, due to their lesser souls. They however can only learn the following: Housemagic, Bardmancy, Seer [Feat], Herald of Azdromoth [Feat], Kani, Sorvian Crafting, and Alchemy with all its Feats. Creatures they can only become Zevnka, Machine Spirits, and Klones (bodies must be musin to transfer into) • Musin cannot FTB. Ever. (OOC Purpose) This lore is meant to both fill the long-wanted ratfolk lore and provide a successor to the shelved Wonk lore. Now, I know this sounds bad, but hear me out. It attempts to overcome the shortcomings of previous submitted ratfolk and wonk lore. For Ratfolk, it diverges from the meme-tier RP of being a funny, giant rat who speaks in riddles and acts as a general, low-quality antagonist in exchange for a unique and more wholesome approach to the thieving fluffy fellows. It provides more motives and more options rather than ‘killing the man-things’ for players. It attempts to provide a successor to the Wonk lore by bringing back the concept of a cute, short playable race that is highly interested in the descendents. This time, with motives, goals, story and aspirations beyond being Pepe the Frog. I believe this could provide a successor to Hou-zi for those who want to play another native race. I believe we can afford another CA as the only group-A unique CA race left is Kha. Ologs are basically just Orcs and share their culture/playerbase so, while I love them, they’re not a unique race. We have room. I believe this provides a unique antithesis to the Ratiki that offers a unique experience to anyone wanting to play something cute yet adventurous. And, most importantly, they’re cute. OOC Notes, Clarifications, and FAQ I purposely left the information regarding “The Giant” vague, as I do not wish to diverge into the realm of creating new Aenguls or Daemons. He is simply an unnamed beingn, as it is stated there are many of them undocumented, who are subtly using the Musin to rid Ratiki, which is one of his goals. He's probably just a decently-powerful sorcerer. I know the world of LOTC is a giant disc but I’ve been informed by some ST that it’s possible to sail around the disc, and that is how we arrived here. Let me know if I need to change this to include portals instead. Musin clothing looks similar to what one would see at a cheap renaissance fair, in modern terms. The same with most of their culture- It is an inaccurate, romanticized version of the past. Bibliography https://wiki.lordofthecraft.net/index.php?title=Ratiki https://wiki.lordofthecraft.net/index.php?title=Ratmen_of_Atlas https://wiki.lordofthecraft.net/index.php?title=Daemon https://wiki.lordofthecraft.net/index.php?title=Aengul Art by the wonderful Jerome Jacinto. Special Thanks @MonkeNoticfor proofreading. @Clockyyyyyyyyy for proofreading. @Kaldwin_ for writing about Ratiki, and helping with concepts. Calzium for feedback Countless people in the community for showing interest! 104 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drfate786 1639 Share Posted March 18, 2021 I didn't write Ratiki. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slorbin 1771 Author Share Posted March 18, 2021 Just now, drfate786 said: I didn't write Ratiki. Huh, weird. Kaldwin_ said you helped. Sorry about that. I'll remove you from it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
drfate786 1639 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Just now, Slorbin said: Huh, weird. Kaldwin_ said you helped. Sorry about that. I'll remove you from it. I helped with some of the builds for events and came up with some of the ideas maybe, but I didn't write the actual lore. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
__Clocky 762 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Some nice lore! Would love for this to be implemented... +1! Definitely didn't proofread it... 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hearth 873 Share Posted March 18, 2021 +1 for potential rat-puns. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tadabug2000 3495 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Seems interesting and always down to try another race! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TakeMeT0TheFae 951 Share Posted March 18, 2021 +1, very cute 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotEvilAtAll 9926 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Mice are cool, +1 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latelle 719 Share Posted March 18, 2021 Looks neat, haven't read all of it yet but from my initial look I like it! +1. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yandeer 731 Share Posted March 18, 2021 ngl i like it more than i thought i would 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemomancy 2835 Share Posted March 19, 2021 i do enjoy mouse main characters +1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevastiel 285 Share Posted March 19, 2021 +1 immediately, Lotc needs more odd, small races and this would be wonderful to have around. Yes please! 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScreamingDingo 16799 Share Posted March 19, 2021 wonk syndrome 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slorbin 1771 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 (edited) 3 minutes ago, ScreamingDingo said: wonk syndrome What do you mean? I'm not quite familiar with this term, so if you have a comment or criticism, please let me know. Edited March 19, 2021 by Slorbin 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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