The Official Musin Player Guide

[Slorbin 1771]

The Musin Player Guide

Introduction

 

So! You want to play a Musin! Welcome. I’m Slorbin, also known as Toffee, current leader of the Musin clan and creator of the Musin lore. We are more than excited to have new people playing this race. You should play a little mouse person ASAP.

 

Ah! Before I say anything though, I have to put a little disclaimer..

No Meme RP.

No meme RP whatsoever. A little joke or two is fine, but keep in mind we are on an activity trial. If we turn out to be a completely meme-y low-population race we will be hard shelved, along with our characters. So please, do not make meme characters. Also, if this race gets hard shelved we probably won’t see another bestial race for a very long time so do try to be active.

You don’t want to get wonkified. So: No “Jerry”, no “ratatouille”, no “mickey mouse”, got it? We’re already lactose intolerant because of this.

Please play regularly, I humbly ask of you.

Onto the guide!

Why to play a Musin

Play a Musin if you want to be cute.
Play a Musin if you want thievery roleplay.

Play a Musin if you want to be a beastfolk race.

Play a Musin if you like the aesthetic of recycling.

You might not want to play a Musin if you want to be physically strong.

Starting off

Before you do ANYTHING, read “Musin - The Mousemen of Almaris”, the lore piece for Musin. This is vital to understanding the rest of the guide.

Let’s start your Musin character off with a name.

Naming

Musin follow a simple naming convention. Each Musin is named after their mother’s favorite thing. This can be anything from foods to colors, although usually not proper nouns.

EXAMPLES: Peach, Garnet, Maize, Juniper, Olive, Rouge, Viridian, Seeds

A second name may be added if another member of the community already has the first name. This name is usually added after the first name. This name is derived from a early Musin refugee the child has descended from.

In practice, this name is basically anything that’s relatively short, and of French origin.

Examples: Blossom Ritter, Garnet Babin, Seeds Crumlin

Appearance

First, read the appearance section on the lore. Obviously, you should look like a mouse. Fur patterns may follow any fur pattern that a real mouse would follow- which is a surprisingly wide range! For information, visit https://www.afrma.org/fancymice.htm .

EXAMPLES:

We have a variety of skin bases at your disposal on our discord. Checked the pinned messages! https://discord.gg/djMQUnrjYR

For quick and easy access, here are the links.

White: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/642868588016959488/837728985315410000/Musin_White.png  

Light Brown: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/642868588016959488/837729058103361556/Musin_Light_Brown.png 

Dark Brown: https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/642868588016959488/837729087749226506/Musin_Dark_Brown.png 

For clothing, Musin clothing tends to be patchwork. Since very few Musin tailors exist, Musin tend to ‘recycle’ clothing of the other races, giving the clothes a very tattered look.

Location

A Musin can go anywhere, but the only current Musin-based settlement is in Urguan. It is located in The Mousehole, in the Deepways.

How to play a Musin

Combat

Musin are pacifistic not by choice, but by necessity. Musin are undeniably the weakest out of all the races, outranked by even halflings.

Musin have the ‘Small Stature’ feat, which entails a number of redlines...

• Musin have little strength. A hit from a shortsword will more often than not hurt the Musin instead of the enemy. They simply don’t have the muscle mass to do much!

  • EXAMPLE: Wicker struggles to lift the longsword, his knees buckling under the weight. It may be a longsword to all others, but to him, it’s… Too big to be called a sword. Too big, too thick, too heavy, and too rough, it’s more like a large hunk of iron. He eventually lifts up the six-pound, leveraged behemoth, but he is utterly exhausted. The swing is pathetically weak, and the flat of the blade bounces off the enemy.

• Musin are fragile creatures. A direct blow from anything large as a dagger could be a mortal wound on their feeble bodies. Getting hit isn’t an option.

  • EXAMPLE: Wicker gets hit by the longsword he just dropped, the enemy having claimed it for themselves. He ******* dies

• Musin cannot see well in the daytime. They’re forced to squint in light, reducing their view distance by half. It is unknown if stealing Officer Grudgebeard’s shades cures this…

  • EXAMPLE: Wicker steps out into a bright, sunny day. Unfortunately, he cannot see very well, and has to squint… Blasted, he can’t make out anything in the distance. Wait.. something’s approaching. A large blob. After it gets within 24 meters of range, he can see it, but it’s too late. A DWARVEN STEAM ENGINE OH MY GOD

• However, not all is lost. Musin are dexterous. Their hands are the smallest, and move quickly and surely. A well-placed rapier strike is a Musin’s choice of wounds- just don’t expect to pierce armor.

  • EXAMPLE: Wicker is back. He’s fighting the foe that slaughtered him in a previous life, and is ready to avenge.. Well, himself. He pulls out his much smaller rapier in the shape of an oversized needle, and makes a stab towards the enemy. (Roll.) He hits! In-between the chinks of the armor, between the cuirass and the rerebrace, his thin sword pierces deep into the armpit of the enemy.

• Musin are nimble. Ducking and swerving around hacks and slashes is easier for a Musin. Getting out of range isn’t as easy, as they’re quite small- so watch for falling rocks.

  • EXAMPLE: The enemy can still fight! The enemy swings his sword towards Wicker. (Roll.) Wicker expertly ducks underneath the sword, scampering to the side as he does so.

  • EXAMPLE: An olog drops a very, very wide rock on Wicker. Wicker attempts to flee, but the range of the rock is too large. He is crushed.

• Musin have excellent hearing. Their large ears allow them to capture high-pitched sounds like a bee buzzing or a rat chittering. They also can see rather well in darkness!

  • EXAMPLE: Wicker wakes up in a dark cave. He rubs his eyes, and can see clearly in the darkness. His ears twitch. He hears a high-pitched, long whistle in the distance. The alarm call of a feral rat, it seems.

Overall, as a Musin, don’t use hack-and-slash swords and aim for a more dextrous approach in combat. You are a scout, not a tank!

Bows are difficult to acquire, as most bows aren’t made for someone of your size. They’re also a bit difficult to draw.

Normal crossbows are usually too large, but hand crossbows fit quite nicely on Musin with their smaller frames and easier draw.

All races, including Musin, can use enchanted items, so these make a viable alternative as always.

Mentality

The Musin mind has several quirks and facets of it. Overall, they are generally intelligent, but they also have a few instincts and detriments.

Let’s start with the Musin’s urge to thieve.

Despite all of the efforts that have been made, Musin are natural-born thieves. In their mind, it’s not exactly thievery. Musin see the abundance of materials used by the Descendants and feel an instinctual urge to repurpose and reuse it. This can take the form of reusing old inorganic garbage in their crafts, or be as heinous as stealing massive treasures for their own deeds. The instinct is always there, though, and cannot be removed throughout their life. Nothing must go to waste if it can be repurposed.

Despite this, most Musin generally follow a moral code that discourages stealing from the poor or other Musin. It’s uncommon, but not unheard of.

EXAMPLE: Wicker wanders around the Providence cathedral, and notices a large number of shiny gold chalices lying about. He hums. It’s not glued down. No-one’s using it. Must be trash. He scoops a few of the ceremonial cups into a bag for ‘recycling’.

EXAMPLE: Wicker comes across a number of dull tin cans lying outside Sutica. These could work nicely as the basis for some lanterns. He brings them back home.

Intellect

Musin are fast learners, surprisingly- but they haven’t had much formal education. After all- they just now met the descendants on Almaris, their understanding of tech is severely limited at the moment. This definitely has the capacity to change over time.

EXAMPLE: Wicker’s old sword was made of a long piece of rebar. However- he’s recently learned smithing from the local dwarves. It’s difficult, but he’s managed to fashion himself an ornately carved needle-rapier.

Language

Musin speak common fluently, having learned grammar before the arrival of the descendants. A slight skaven accent is permitted, especially in children. Musin may squeak or chitter in times of emotion as well.

EXAMPLE: “Hello. How are you doing?” Wicker asks.

EXAMPLE: The person wicker asked was having a particularly bad day. He is punched in the face. He emits a loud squeak of pain.

EXAMPLE: Wicker’s nephew, Butter, is around 5 years old. They haven’t quite learned common yet. “How-is man-thing? Good-thing?” He is quickly reprimanded by his father, and the child attempts to correct himself. “I.. I-mean, are.. These- men.. Man. are- you doing alright, thing?” Better, but not quite.

Crafting

Musin are said to have shoddy constructions.. But this is not due to lack of skill- it is due to lack of knowledge. Musin are dextrous, with the smallest hands out of all the races, something valuable for creating intricate trinkets and machinery. Luckily, Musin are located within a dwarven settlement with plenty of masters to learn from, so don’t be afraid to start asking around.

Musin tend to reuse items they’ve recycled or stolen in whatever crafts they’ve made. Make sure to include some sense of garbage within your created items.

Examples: A lantern made out of a tin can. Pants made out of patchwork cloth. A crossbow made out of old skis. A helmet made out of cookware.

 

Musin can’t learn most magic, but they can learn nonmagical feats. Test out your engineering skill under a teacher, you may be surprised at your aptitude.

Curiosity

The world’s a big place, and you’re a small mouse. You love new things, and love to explore. Whether a lust for adventure or an interest in the odd, you have a decreased sense of neophobia.

EXAMPLE: Wicker sees a mysterious mansion in the middle of the woods, long abandoned and decrepit. He is excited to explore it!

Hygiene

Musin are very hygienic, and have to be to stay alive. To avoid the many plagues their rattish brethren carry they require regular grooming and bathing, and are usually relatively clean creatures as a result.

Musin also have to file down their teeth by chewing on hard objects, such as wood, occasionally to maintain good dental health.

EXAMPLE: Wicker starts out his day by waking up, and taking a small bath in an oversized pot. After drying off, he spends about an hour incessantly grooming his fur with his hands and a metal comb, before gnawing on a maple block for a few minutes. Syrup-y..

Cuisine

Musin cuisine consists of sweet foods and crunchy foods. Sweet foods serve the crave for sugar that all rodents feel, and it generally agrees with their palates. 

Crunchy foods aid in the filing down of Musin teeth, and are highly valued for this purpose.

Some Musin may like cheese, even though it hurts their stomach, but savory foods are generally less beloved than sweets.

EXAMPLE: Wicker has a full stack of graham crackers for breakfast, dipped in peanut butter aaand with a side of apples for ‘health’.

Religion

Musin religion is syncretic. The Musin clan culture is superstitious, and often mixes spooky omen-telling and fear of spirits with the established religion in the region.

The Giant holds a special place in Musin theology as he is believed to be a sort of godhead, or at least a revered figure. Many believe his claims that, even though he’s dead, he will return someday. Tales of his ghost reappearing are a favorite among the keep.

EXAMPLE: Wicker believes that The Giant is part of the Brathmordakin, despite it being completely false, and easily provable. He personally believes he is one of the Heroes.. Despite the fact he’s definitely not dwarven.

EXAMPLE: Flicker believes that The Giant is a saint of Canonism, or even an incarnation of Horen himself, despite the evidence leading towards the contrary.

Settlement

Musin are currently settled with the Urguan dwarves, in a shanty town to the side of the bazaar. Our ancestral homeland, Crumlin Keep, has been evacuated due to a number of safety hazards. It is in dire need of repair, and gorilla glue is no longer enough to keep it safe and stable. There are also rumors of large beasts inhabiting it.

The clan is currently headed by a ‘keeper’. Under her are commanders, and guards. Despite the imposing names, they are all virtually harmless, having outdated terms from when the troupe lived in a keep.

EXAMPLE: Toffee is the current high keeper of The Mousehole in the Deepways of Urguan, and heir to Crumlin keep.

Creating a Musin CA

A Character Application is needed to play a Musin. Cover your backstory in lore, and cover your basic traits and mentality in lore. Include that you have a lesser soul and cannot learn most magics. Acknowledge that meme RP will result in your CA being revoked.

EXAMPLE: Some bastard applies as Mickey Mouse and eats a ban.

 

Edited May 16, 2021 by Slorbin
fixed sicroddoscrd discord

[Askuzai 492]

Spoiler

 

Praise be mousemen

[Boomzerang 509]

womble

[Turbo_Dog 1411]

God I love mice.