The Muscuy · 5:03pm Nov 1st, 2022
Several years ago, Aragon and horizon came up with a neat anthology concept. A bestiary of Equestrian creatures. It would've been nice to see it come to fruition, but sadly the project never materialised. Upon checking old files, I realised I still had my entry and decided I should try sharing it in a blogpost rather than letting it die.
In his Comentarios Reales de las Alpacas, the half-breed chronicler Garcilaso de Vicuña describes a curious creature which became a fixture of the oniric visions of the inhabitants of the highlands of Perhoof:
“While the advent of the Alpaca Empire represented the end of many ancient rites and traditions, one which remained prevalent through the coming decades of alpaca ruling was the search for meaning in dreams. This custom is asserted by the existence of the Muscuy.
For many a century, the condition of the Muscuy was relegated to fortuity. The alpaca society was primarily an agricultural one, and their dominion over the lands of Perhoof led to the domestication of a surfeit of species. Therefore, no second thought was spared to the prevalence of a small animal which seemed to appear only within the dreams of the alpacas and other sapient creatures of the highlands.
However, as society blossomed, so did the sightings of these creatures, which in turn elevated their status to that of a folklore legend. The first known use of the name Muscuy dates back to Llama tribes of southern territories, as a distortion of the native word for dreams, Musquy. As the Llamas were assimilated into the Alpaca Empire, so was the use of this name.
Its playful nature, as well as the plenary innocence to be found in its gaze, bestows upon the dreamer a sense of utmost serenity. Oral tradition speaks of the Muscuy as a guardian of dreams, as a representation of all which is good and in whose presence nightmares dare not tread.”
While most of his contemporaries dismissed the accuracy of Vicuña’s Comentarios due to the underlying bias of his work towards the Alpaca ruling class, as well as his occasional veer into colorful narrative at the expense of scientific rigour, his description of the Muscuy would be corroborated centuries later by Humbolt’s expedition into the southern continents.
“When I first heard of the Muscuy, I thought of it as another of the minor deities the alpacas held in high regard. Perhaps a mainstay of the dreams of farmers addled by coca leaf consumption. It wasn’t until a month into my stay in the Alpaca capital where, amidst a night of restless sleep, I had what must have been the most lucid dream of my life.
Amidst a lush meadow not unlike those of the alpaca lands, I saw a group of small rodents playfully pacing. The largest of them was no bigger than the head of a newborn foal, and the youngest specimen could’ve comfortably fit in the frog of my hoof.
My scientific curiosity compelled me to further analyse these creatures, but the longer I spent in their company, a sense of calmness started to radiate from the innermost part of my being. It wasn’t long before I found myself lying alongside the Muscuy herd until I woke up the following morning.”
Humbolt’s experience shows that the Muscuy makes no distinction as to whom it manifests, be it camelid or equine, with the sole condition being the location of the dreamer, since they won’t appear in the dreams of anyone beyond their apparent habitat of the highlands of Perhoof.
Oh-ho