Mice
The Mice (Mouse-Bear: 幼鼠) are one of the Twelve Species and are native to the Auspicious Mouse Kingdom. They are one of the largest populations that inhabit the Eastern Hemisphere. The Mice have historically lived alongside the Bears and have inhabited villages and towns that follow the Red River. The Mice are primarily divided into seven different ethnic groups of Mice: Beihe, Nanjiang, Lijiang, Heshan, Qianglong, Caihong, and Yunjiu.
Historically the Mice during the Era of the Tribe, the Mice were unified with the Bears in a tribal confederation named Xiongshu, or literally Bear Mouse. Historically much of the culture that the Mice share is intertwined with Bear culture. Most notably their language is shared and intertwined between the Bears and Mice. However, it is noted that Heishan Mice tend to speak Tigran. During the Era of the Celestial War, Xiongshu was invaded an over ten different ethnic mice tribes were rendered extinct during the war and subsequent Dragon Law.
After the Era of the Celestial War, the Mice began its own cultural independence from the Bears. The Mouse are considered to be one of the four Heralders of the Yellow, meaning the Mice are one of the four species that channel Yellow Spiritual Energy. The Mouse hold true to their beliefs of the Heavenly Mandate, a tradition that was espoused and propagated during the Era of the Celestial Empire that the Auspicious Mouse Revolution. Alongside this, Mice cuisine has since branched out from the more meat-heavy Xiongshu cuisine to a more plant & grain based cuisine. The colonization of Molihua Island and Yinghua Island paved the way for diversification of different cultures on those islands, including the foundation of Molihua & Yinghua Cuisine.
In the modern era, the Mice are primarily centered around the Auspicious Mouse Kingdom, one of the largest countries to date . The Mouse-Bear language has propagated as the primary language when concerning texts revolving around the Zodiac and Baizhu & Heizhu. During the Era of the Arctic Conquest, the Mice population began to shrink coinciding with the invasion of the kingdom by the Arctic Bear Kingdom.
Ethnic Divisions
Beihe
Beihe Mice (北河; North River Mice) are Mice whose lineage transcends from the Beihe Tribe. Beihe mice primarily live in in the Henei and Hongcheng privinces, but are spread throughout the entire Auspicious Mouse Kingdom. The Beihe Mice are the most populous of the seven mouse tribes.
Nanjing
Nanjing Mice (南京; Southern City Mice) are Mice whose lineage descends from the Nanchuan Tribe.
Lijiang
Lijiang Mice (漓江; Li River Mice) are Mice whose lineage descends from the Li Tribe.
Heshan
Heshan Mice (河山; Mountain River Mice) are Mice whose lineage descends from the Baishan Tribe.
Qiangshu
Qiangshu Mice (强鼠; Strong Mouse Mice) are Mice whose lineage descends from the Qiang Tribe.
Hejiao
Hejiao Mice (黑腳; Blackfoot Mice) are Mice whose lineage descends from the Hei Tribe.
Hejiao Cuisine
Yunguan
Yunguan Mice (雲冠; Cloud Crown Mice) are Mice whose lineage descends from the Yun Tribe.