All things mullish...

[The7DeadlyVenomz]

Recently, a few players had a discussion regarding muls in general. I was one of those players, and we agreed that the most beneficial way to continue the discussion would be to bring it here, where the IMMs and other players might have some input on the matter. Feel free to post your views, but if you've never played a mul, then it might be better to simply allow those who have to post, since they are more likely to understand what they are talking about. Nontheless, we are interesting in what you think. Below are my feelings.

Muls are emotional, and I believe to an extreme. They can read other folks like a book, because they are overly sensitive to emotion and feeling. They understand loss, to an extreme. They understand praise and the desire to succeed to an extreme. This is what makes them such great leaders, when mixed with their physical prowess.

They have sexual urges, and the irritation at it being completely pointless for them is yet another cog in the machinery of their discontent and internal rage. Their complete lack of natural uselessness is a thorn deep in their side, and this is only the beginning of their emotional problems. Add ed to this is the fact that many muls don't understand what they are feeling, they only understadn that they are feeling it. Many emotional concepts that humans hold dear are concepts that I don't think a mul would be able to name, but they would certianly feel them, and this itself would also add to their irritation and inner conflict.

Muls will never be able to completely control their emotions. No matter how brainwashed they are, or how long they have felt like they belong, etc, a mul will never escape the bonds of violent, depressing emotion. Emotion is to them like a focus to a dwarf...that is to say, it is always there, and it will always color their lives.

A mul raised in the pens and living there all his life will appear conditioned to be emotionless and unswayable, but I don't think that they ever are. I think that a mul only refrains from foolishness in many cases because they understand that to give themselves to it will cut them from that belonging they feel, or, because it will make them seem capable of being outsmarted and outwitted or outdone or instable. I think emotion itself is one of the main factors holding a mul to remain within the bonds of slavery.

I think image is very important to a mul. Without a good image, a mul will feel like they do not belong. I think the emotions a mul feels are one of the strongest reasons that they will not escape slavery. Slavery is order. It defines a mul and gives them a purpose that nature has not given them.

I also think that only the most emotional muls would ever even attempt to escape a good slavery. Abused muls would try to escape unceaselessly, or, they would try to become even more appealing to the master in hopes of being accepted. Escape from slavery for a mul is generally not something that would happen, and so it is important to note that free muls are the rarity. A master who abused his mul would be a fool, and this is as unlikely, though once more, certianly not impossible.

I think it is impossible for a mul to ever become a true zen master. Zen is an inner harmony, and I don't think it possible for a mul to become such. I think that they can look like it from the outside, but I think that no matter how good things are for a mul, they would never achieve true inner peace. Muls, I believe, will maintain face so that the world sees them for the powerhouses and craven, callous beings they are believed to be. This enables them to get past many situations without ever having to act, simply because they are preceived in such a manner. I think a mul would understand that and try very hard to appear emotionless, or to learn how to release their rage at prime moments, when the show of rage appears to be deadly, rather than simply instable.

I think a loner mul would be the most miserable being in the entire world. They don't belong, they have no purpose, they have nothing, they are hunted, the entire world is against them, etc. I think suicide would also not be an uncommon thing among muls. Of all the races, I think muls would be the most likely not to appreciate life.

[EvilRoeSlade]

It seems to me that you're leaning toward the belief that muls rarely desire to escape the bonds of slavery.  To which, I respectfully disagree.  Furthermore, much of what you state as a generalization can't really be applied to all muls, or even most of them.  The biggest challenge of racial RP in my opinion, is not adhering to the racial guidelines in the documentation, but figuring out what those guidelines mean to your specific character, and discovering where the standard racial steriotype ends and the personality of your character begins.

A mul raised in the pens and living there all his life will appear conditioned to be emotionless and unswayable, but I don't think that they ever are. I think that a mul only refrains from foolishness in many cases because they understand that to give themselves to it will cut them from that belonging they feel, or, because it will make them seem capable of being outsmarted and outwitted or outdone or instable. I think emotion itself is one of the main factors holding a mul to remain within the bonds of slavery.

Hindsight is often much clearer than forsight, and the beauty of thought and emotion is that emotion is almost always stronger.  In a being unnaturally sensitive to emotion, I doubt rational thought will be much more than a wooden shield threatened to be torn to pieces by the emotional storm underlying the mul.  To be sure, a mul could be afraid of being seen as uncontrollable or stupid.  Embarassment is a powerful emotion.  However, to state that as the reason why all muls keep themselves under control doesn't do justice to the fact that muls are unique individuals with differing reasons for what they do.  Maybe a mul fears for her bondmate, and doesn't wish for her to be punished because of the mul's outburst.  Maybe a mul fears her own reprisal in much the same way.  Or maybe a mul manages to keep their internal conflicts at bay with desperate rationalizations, managing this for years until one day they realize there is nothing left to lose, and rage.  I'm trying to make two points.  The first is that your statement is too specific to be applied to a generalization for all muls.  And the second is that a muls emotion is just as likely to cause her to be incompatible with slavery as it is to trap her under slavery's claw.

I think image is very important to a mul. Without a good image, a mul will feel like they do not belong. I think the emotions a mul feels are one of the strongest reasons that they will not escape slavery. Slavery is order. It defines a mul and gives them a purpose that nature has not given them.

You make two points here.  Image is important to a mul, and so is a purpose.  I don't think image is necessarily important to a mul.  Or rather, I don't think it is important to all muls.  Especially not in the sense that you describe it as.  A mul's image to others is that of an emotionless, powerful beast.  That's not likely to be an image that they would appreciate!  A mul is likely to be acutely aware that they are seen as emotionless, and acutely resentful of this inaccurate generalization.

I also think that only the most emotional muls would ever even attempt to escape a good slavery. Abused muls would try to escape unceaselessly, or, they would try to become even more appealing to the master in hopes of being accepted. Escape from slavery for a mul is generally not something that would happen, and so it is important to note that free muls are the rarity. A master who abused his mul would be a fool, and this is as unlikely, though once more, certianly not impossible.

Treating a mul well is a good way to minimize their security risk.  Unfortunately, no master is ever likely to give a mul the treatment she truly warrants, and that is because such treatment would entail understanding as well as respect.  No master would truly respect a mul beyond respect for the damage that they could cause.  Nor would any master give a mul any understanding, because no master truly understands a mul.  The image that society has wrongly bestowed on the mul is that they are emotionless, and a muls owner will believe this.

Of all muls bred, over 95% of them end up as gladiators in the Arena. The remaining 5% either 'drop out' as gladiators (and end up as hard laborers, and usually die attempting to escape) or else are bought by organizations for special purposes.

Most muls are gladiators, and most muls are probably content as gladiators due to their high prestige.  However, physical might alone doesn't make a good gladiator, thus there is a small but significant rate of attrition amongst muls in training.  If a mul doesn't desire to fight and die for the amusement of others, then they are evenly less likely to enjoy being worked to death as unskilled laborers.  You mention that a mul in a good slavery would not be likely to escape, and I agree.  However, good slaveries are far from the norm.  No matter how good you treat a mul, they are still gladiators/labor slaves, and not in a good position.

I think a loner mul would be the most miserable being in the entire world. They don't belong, they have no purpose, they have nothing, they are hunted, the entire world is against them, etc. I think suicide would also not be an uncommon thing among muls. Of all the races, I think muls would be the most likely not to appreciate life.

Maybe, maybe.  But what if a mul LOVES being a loner, with nobody to give them orders, make them feel inadequate, or remind them of what they are?  Don't get me wrong, I've played a mul similar to what you describe.  Though my character's time on Zalanthas was short, I did get a chance to explore it's dread of turning into a mindless predator, and desire to escape a life which could only lead to inevitable recapture.  But muls are individuals, probably prize their individualism, and the mul itself is the largest factor in determining how they will react to a given situation or environment.

[crymerci]

I have never played a mul, but I have played around them on a few occasions.  My comments are directed more towards slaves in general than toward muls, but I think they're still applicable to mulish slaves.

I think that a mul only refrains from foolishness in many cases because they understand that to give themselves to it will cut them from that belonging they feel, or, because it will make them seem capable of being outsmarted and outwitted or outdone or instable. I think emotion itself is one of the main factors holding a mul to remain within the bonds of slavery.

I think image is very important to a mul. Without a good image, a mul will feel like they do not belong. I think the emotions a mul feels are one of the strongest reasons that they will not escape slavery. Slavery is order. It defines a mul and gives them a purpose that nature has not given them.

I would agree with the two points you made here as they apply to slaves in particular.  A slave remains loyal when they have a purpose and feel needed.  Likewise, it is very important to a slave that this is recognized and appreciated, and that their skills or attributes are acknowledged as useful and desirable. The higher-end slaves, in some ways, have a higher status than your typical commoner: for example, a mulish gladiator who can thrill the masses and be cheered by crowds, and attain something closer to fame than most Zalanthans could dream of.

[Carnage]

I always thought that every PC mul should fly off the handle at least once in its life or at least start screaming.

On the flip side, I think players should understand the dangers of having a mul and see that their PC mul is going to fly off the handle and maybe even kill them and an entire legion of guards before being subdued.

[amish overlord]

I think how does the mul harness or use is rage can determine if he goes off in a bad way. Like real life some people have anger issues and they learn to deal with it various ways. BEating up soft inanimate objects(or a mul large rocks). Prehaps he channels his anger into work, imagine a mul a working machine now angry and he focuses even more so on the task at hand. Also when, what if the mul is a bouncer or a soldier in a village, he could when needed prehaps beat someone senseless when some crim or someone causes trouble, unleashing all his anger on them. I agree I think a mul no matter what will have some anger, but how do they use it, do they use it as a tool or simply just flip. I can see some learning to use it as a tool. Danger mulboy gith are attacking the village! Mulboy turns green and looks even bigger mulboy kill gith! Charges out of the village slaufhtering the gith in his path.

Amish overlord

[Armaddict]

I liked your points, Venomz.  And agree.

We know that doesn't happen -too- often.

One thing I'd like to note...I'm not sure if this is common practice on Zalanthas, but on -Dark Sun- (I know, I know, they're not the same), they kept Muls from wanting to run away by having their bondmate...their partner...in slavery with them.  If they ran away...they'd have to find a way to include their bondmate.  To risk their life.  It kept a lot of them from actually -attempting- escape, even if they wanted to.

Would this happen on Zalanthas?

[EvilRoeSlade]

Would this happen on Zalanthas?

Yes, yes it would.

[naatok]

Having played a number of mul PCs over the years, I have to put in my comments.

To an extent, I agree with alot the original post had to say.  I see muls as VERY emotional creatures.  I see them as driven by conflict and feeling.

Feeling loved and a sense of belonging are probably the two most important feelings for a mul (as they might be for most people).  By 'love' I don't mean only the soft, cuddly feelings from momma or lover.  I mean the feeling that your presence in other people's lives is positive and welcome, and that others would feel a loss if the mul were not present in their lives.  It is a simple, basic sort of love that all of us need, and in Zalanthas, muls more than any other.

For a mul slave, the feelings of love are equated with rewards and praise.
It is my opinion that most muls would find the concept of 'freedom' a very difficult one to get used to.  Especially those who are heavily conditioned...such as Borsail conditioning.  It wouldn't be impossible for such a mul to wish for and attempt to escape, but I think it would be rare...and ICly, I believe escaped muls are rare as it is.

Muls, more than any other race have problems identifying -why- they feel certain things (as was mentioned in the original post).  When they do understand the why of a feeling, it may be something they find shame in and reject it...or become angry at themselves and the world.  Muls are VERY angry creatures.  
Their gestalt is one of underdeveloped ego.  Depression and anger are typical moods for muls, and they may experience very seemingly wild mood swings over a VERY brief period of time....perhaps seconds.  They may go from passive calm to nearly uncontrollable rage and back to calm during a brief conversation.  Muls would have extreme difficulty with provocative experiences.  People goading a mul or taunting one to anger, for instance (ICly, a really, REALLY BAD idea, IMHO!).  Extremely provocative displays of sex or sexuality might drive a confused mul into a frenzy of lust.  Experiences of close, personal loss may drive a mul into deep depression, perhaps even suicide.  Muls may find new experiences extremely confusing and frightening, perhaps overwhelming if the sense of strangeness is great enough.

Most of all, the inner mul is a struggle for control and understanding.  They often don't understand who and what they are.  Those few who are able to overcome this go on to become the most empathic and effective leaders in the Known World.