Mysrra

Mysrrae are fur-covered, bipedal feline carnivores, displaying many colors and patterns of fur.  As a race, they are slightly below average in size and in strength, but are quick and highly agile.  Mysrrae tend towards egotism, and usually maintain a fierce sense of personal independence.  Most mysrrae consider fervent dedication to an idealized way of living to be one of the highest virtues, though some cannot cope with the intensity of such a life.  They are usually very religious, and often believe with great fervor in the moral superiority of their race; this wins them few friends among neighboring cultures, though mysrrae can prove excellent allies for those that can tolerate their ideals.  They possess a slightly above average aptitude for magic.

How to roleplay a mysrra

Roleplaying a convincing mysrra character successfully is difficult but rewarding.

Mysrrae were magically created by the rowans to serve as fast, effective shock troops, rowan bodyguards, and enforcers - fanatically loyal soldiers with high mobility, effective training, and unmatched discipline.  The mysrra ethos revolves around their religion, or Way: an all-encompassing, racially-centered philosophy.  Parts of it were developed by the manipulative rowans, who found these philosophies perfectly suited for producing dependable and useful bondsmen (an irony which seems to be lost on today's mysrrae, who treasure their autonomy).

During the third of the great Wars, with the rowans in disarray due to the kiisic's introduction of the (gargoyles), a contingent of mysrrae turned against their rowan masters, hastening the end of the war and setting a precedent for the future.

Covert proselytizing by free mysrrae among the still-enslaved mysrra ranks that were spread out across the breadth of the continent fomented further revolts, effectively hampering rowan war efforts and rendering their motley ranks of rag-tag goblin conscripts and human mercenaries virtually useless.  After the chaos of the Breaking, the formerly-overarching rowan empire was effectively finished.

Although enslaved mysrrae still fervently serve rowans in isolated places around Terrinor (in locations few, if any, players have ever managed to reach), a mysrra character should be played as a freeman from the Windsong Plains that encircle Dalara.

Care should be taken to use IC resources, especially those in Dalara proper, to learn about mysrra habits and philosophy/religion.  Mysrrae should be proud, completely convinced of their superiority, and not particularly afraid to show their contempt for all things not mysrra.  Mysrra -- as an intellectual construct rather than simply the name of a race -- is all things pure, true, good, wholesome, and worthy of respect.  All else is khashi.  A faithful mysrra character will have an absolute hatred of slavery and all things associated with it; slavery, that is, of fellow adherents to the Way - mysrra concern for other races is not particularly keen.  Mysrra pride is the outward manifestation of their commitment to freedom and their determination to rely only on themselves and other faithful mysrrae.  All four paths of the Way of the Faithful lead to self-reliance.

If you are unwilling to roleplay a faithful adherent to the Way of the Faithful, you should roleplay a khashi - a disgraced mysrra that is barred entry to Dalara itself and ostracized by all faithful mysrrae.

Mysrrae are not scared of magic, but in their view of the world it is not an essential element of mysrra self-actualization.  It is possible for certain rare mysrra characters to justify the use of magic, but it would have to be in service to a higher purpose: warfare, for instance.

Mysrrae are NOT cats; they are a magically-created meld of humans and an unspecified felinoid.  Although they display some feline characteristics, any player who decides to roleplay a mysrra in order to get a kick out of purring, emoting the motions of the tail, acting like a typical housecat, et cetera, is doing a disservice to the AL community.

See also: races