History of the Hill
I. The Kingdom: House Mus Muridae
Far in the past, the Hill was a wild land ruled by warlords and bandit chieftans. Generations of mice lived under a series of brutal petty tyrants, each in turn deposed by another with better luck or a larger army.
By and by, one family rose in power until they were able to consolidate all of the competing factions under one banner: House Mus Muridae, founded by the warrior king, Stiffbristle Mus Muridae.
For many generations the knights and ladies of Mus Muridae ruled the Hill. They established agriculture and animal husbandry on the Central Hill, building wealth and centralizing power in a few mouse families.
I.I The Noble Families
The Mus Muridae allowed several other families to rise in wealth and prominence, each controlling some resource or area of the Central Hill.
House Whiskerton
The mice of House Whiskerton were the elite guard for the Mus Muridae. Soldiers, knights, and most importantly the Royal Lizard Cavalry were the domain of House Whiskerton. The bannermen of House Whiskerton fought alongside Mus Muridae almost from as far back as their history goes, and they were always trusted allies.
House Silvertail
Fearsome warriors and duellists, the Silvertails were Sparrow Riders. They bred, raised, trained, and rode the Royal Sparrows to victory in the Mus Muridae cause.
House Furrowbrook
Furrowbrook mice were healers and expert practitioners of Hedge Magic. They were loved as a benevolent and generous family - mice would often petition the lords and ladies of House Furrowbrook to advocate for them when in some kind of peril.
House Grayclaw
House Grayclaw hoarded knowledge of Elemental magic, and were widely regarded as being haughty and arrogant. Some rumors still persist that Grayclaw fancied themselves the true masters of the Hill, and only tolerated Mus Muridae for their organizational and bureaucratic skills.
House Stonefur
The lords and ladies of House Stonefur were the stewards of ancient knowledge and history of the Hill. They were often sent on diplomatic missions to other lands and kingdoms, and were known to be on good terms with various squirrel, rat, bird, and lizard settlements and factions.
House Thornpaw
House Thornpaw were known and feared as the masters of High Magic and Binding. Thornpaw kept their own citadel on the border between the Central Hill and the Eastern Ridge, a place modest mousefolk feared to visit.
House Wildhaven
Wildhaven were far-ranging scouts, explorers, and travelers. Wildhaven lords and ladies were often seen as protectors of the land, keeping watch across the bordering regions of the Hill.