WELCOME TO MOUSEREND, the domain of the rat king

Many tails, traveler!  It seems you have found your way to the Great Kingdoms of Mouserend, a collection of nations of smallfolk brought together by the Rat King and his council.  My name is Olifur Brushtail and I will be your wayward guide.  Please consult the map that I have provided so you may find your way.

INTRODUCTION TO MOUSEREND by Olifur Brushtail

Are you a bit confused, traveler?  No fear!  All of this before you is Mouserend, a haven for the smallest of our world.  By smallest, I of course mean the mice, rats, rabbits, and weasels that are perhaps marginalized elsewhere.  Other nations may be led by lions and wolves, predators who more often than not see us as snacks, but Mouserend is ruled by great kings who appreciate their littlest warriors.  That is not to say that our larger neighbors may not be seen among our ranks, but our citizens do not promise to make any concessions for those bigger than our houses, so to speak.  Currently, four great houses rule our land:

The Brushtails, a great weasel clan that inhabits the Sable Spires. 
The Scalebanes, warrior-mice that lord over the Serpents' Moor. 
The Bearages, an old family of badgers that rule the Western Plateau.
The Leapurns, a fairly new lineage of rabbits that have taken control of Halvar's Forest.

You may pledge allegiance to any of these great houses once you have been accepted into Mouserend, but that is another road for another quest.  The night grows ever-present, traveler.  For now, I must leave you.  Keep your wits about you, eh?  Can't have you lost before morning.

A HISTORY OF MOUSEREND, written by Thirmuln Bearage

You make your way to a roadside inn.  It seems a bit petite, but nothing as small as Olifur implied.  The workers are a mixture of cats, badgers, and other moderately sized creatures.  You decide to settle down at the bar and you pick up a nearby book while you wait for service:
a History of Mouserend.

Long ago, ages before the First King was born, Mouserend was a splintered mess of competing factions and families.  Squirrels, badgers, rabbits, mice, rats, and weasels alike fought and died for scraps of land between the encroaching predators and themselves.  Each of these factions had a leader, much like we see today, but these leaders did not meet as our current council does.  These leaders were fierce warriors who all led their people into battle for the chance of a better life, a life safe from the looming threat of larger predators.  Warrior-kings like Ulthen Greatmaw and Gernish Seedhelm were ruthless and were well-respected within their factions for their courage and leadership.

However. the warring factions eventually drew the attention of Greatscale Sissek, a snake-lord who had just fathered a clutch of a hundred serpents.  He found the small battling creatures to be an easy feast for his brood and he quickly unleashed his offspring into the homes of the unsuspecting warriors.  Hundreds of smallkin were killed by Sissek's children, enough to make the warrior-kings call for peace in order to defeat their common enemy.

Ulthen Greatmaw and his people provided weapons to the weasels of the Spires and the mice of the Moor.  Gernish Seedhelm and his sky-people taught the badgers of the Plateau and the rabbits of the Forest how to climb trees faster than any snake could slither up them.  It did not take long for the warrior-kings to band together under a council of kings to take down Sissek's army.  Many bloody battles were fought and tales are still sung of the lives that were lost.

It was Mikhail Mouserend that landed the killing blow on Greatscale Sissek.  For his heroism, he was crowned king of kings, and the united nations rallied under the name of Mouserend.  Mikhail is now hailed as the first Rat King and his title of Mouserend became the name of the realm.  Mikhail's descendants now carry the surname Scalebane, a reminder of their forefather's claim to the throne.

Since the crowning of Rat King Mikhail Mouserend, houses have risen and fallen from grace, and many different nations have had the pleasure of housing the crown of Mouserend.  A few notable examples include:

Rat King Yhster, a hedgehog from the Greatmaw clan who promised his own pelt to the next king of the realm.  The next Rat King politely declined to wear the pelt of his predecessor. 

Rat King Olifur the First, a weasel from the Sablemask clan.  Olifur sired a hundred children (all by different women), half of which were named Olifur.  Because of this, there has never been an established lineage of the Sablemask royal family and most unnamed weasels will take on the Sablemask name out of convenience.

LAW AND ORDER by Bassin Blakely

In the back of "A History of Mouserend," there is a hastily scribbled list:

i. All of Mouserend bows to the Rat King, do not defy the Rat King's orders
ii. Do not kill another creature protected under the Houses of Mouserend
iii. Do not seek unnecessary war or strife within Mouserend or its allies
iv. Sexual violence is not condoned in Mouserend
v. Do not tell the Rat King that they are not a rat or a king

LAW AND ORDER by Bassin Blakely

In the back of "A History of Mouserend," there is a hastily scribbled list:

Neutral groups include everybody.
Hostile groups include nobody.
Allied groups include nobody.

LAW AND ORDER by Bassin Blakely

In the back of "A History of Mouserend," there is a hastily scribbled list:

THE RAT KING - The Rat King is the supreme ruler of Mouserend, the king upon the throne.  They have final say in all matters of the realm and can out-rule the council if they so wish. (HP)
Uthyre Threetail, played by Lokisaurus

THE COUNCIL - The Council is a collection of the leaders of the most prominent houses within Mouserend.  They serve to both lead their people and advise the king.  Council members will earn the title of Lord or Lady once they are given a spot amongst the council, elevating their house to a more prominent status. (HP)
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THE KNIGHTS - The knights of Mouserend are the realm's bravest and most beloved protectors.  They hold a special place in the hierarchy and tend to be the ones leading the ranks if or when war and battle are required.  All knights will be given the title of Ser. (HP)
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THE WARDS - Wards are specifically picked out from the crowd as individuals with promise.  This is a stepping stone towards the ranks of knight and council. (sHP)
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THE SMALLFOLK - The smallfolk make up the rest of the realm.

A Geography of Mouserend, an excerpt from "A History of Mouserend"

Within the pages of the tomb, you have discovered a map and several sections dedicated to the houses and the provinces over which they govern.  It seems incomplete, however, and you resolve to finish the empty pages before you leave Mouserend.