Monika
Monika is a collection of small communities existing across an isolated region in the mid-east of Guuran known as the Ragged Valley. The vast majority of the populace there are united by a deep empathic link called Union that allows them to sense everyone else's direction, distance, and general emotional state. The leaders of the town hold a greater link, and can sense the thoughts of their members and communicate with other settlements.
The Union phenomenon is caused by towering ivory antennas that are peppered throughout the Ragged Valley. On rare occasions, these antennas send out powerful pulses (called Attunements) that allow others to become "Attuned" into Union. Some see this as a religion, though to the Monikans it is simply a way of being. Having others join the community through Attunement is the primary way that Monika maintains its population, as due to a side effect of Union fertility is reduced in both sexes.
Monikans face many dangers in the Ragged Valley, creatures of alabaster stone-like flesh seem to sense those linked to Union, and attack them unrelentingly. Some of these creatures are colossal in size and have roving bands of nomadic tribes worship and follow them who are likewise hostile to the Monikans. Whether facing the enemy tribes, the alabaster stone beasts, or outside forces seeking to conquer or recapture those who've taken refuge, Monikans fight extremely well together, their telepathic link allowing them incredible cohesion both tactically and strategically.
Structure
Monikan law and organization is both egalitarian and anarchic. Everyone in the community cares for one another and sees to one another's needs. Crime is handled rehabilitatively, though the empathic link between each person means most issues that lead to crime are handled before such crimes can manifest.
Outsiders are usually welcomed into Monikan communities unless there is obvious reasons not to, and they are allowed to stay whether they decide to become attuned or not. These outsiders are known colloquially as "expatriates", and among their number can be found travelers who've found themselves lost, castoffs and refugees facing dangerous travel on rumors of the open acceptance of Monikan society, and even outlaws who come seeking a place to hide from bounty hunters. Sometimes these expatriates, unable to adapt to the communal openness of the Monikan people. Some live out there lives there, content with the peculiar customs they find themselves in, appreciative of the amiable accommodations given them by their hosts. Some eventually find the strange ways of the Monikans preferable to their own and choose to undertake attunement during one of the two times it occurs in the year.
Twice a year a particularly powerful pulse of Attunement occurs empowering the empathic link between the Monikans for several days. During this time, all Monikans can sense, hear, and feel each others' thoughts in a kind of pseudo-hive mind. During this time Monikans achieve a form of understanding and peace with one another, as well as see to any pressing personal, social, or organization issues that arise during the intervening months. Expatriates (ones who've not chosen to become attuned during this time, anyway) tend to find this period unsettling--friends, colleagues, and even lovers they may have within the Attuned populace for that period seeming to exist and manifest through one another--but it is an event almost every Monikan looks forward to for the way in which is strengthens each and every bond they share with one another.
During Attunement is when small groups within the community that are chosen to be "Recievers", individuals who maintain the ability to read the thoughts of other Attuned. These individuals are able to learn news from other communities, organize endeavors to fulfill needs between the settlement, and warn one another of danger.
Culture
Monikans practice a form of free love and polyamory with each other. Being able to keenly feel one another's emotions (and periodically even one another's thoughts), jealousy, shame, and shyness do not occur at the same scale and intensity that it normally would. This is not relegated only to relationships between those within Union; Monikans keep this mentality with relationships with those not attuned as well. Such relationships are seen as interesting, even thrilling, for the mystery involved in them.
Family units are warm and excepting but also fluid. This is particularly the case in the days following an Attunement. It is not uncommon during such a time for a household of five romantically joined individuals to add or lose members or even reshape into entirely new forms as individuals realize more suitable couplings for them to join. This tends to be more solidified when children are involved, though, because it is rarely known, nor truly cared about, who an individual child's father might be.
Public Agenda
The aims of Monikan leaders--Recievers, mainly--go little beyond securing the safety of their settlements and ensuring the wellbeing of their populace. Their most pressing concerns come from hostility from the valley's nomadic tribes or Naldonian slave catchers.
Assets
Monika holds little wealth within its borders, they have little need for money and exchanges usually occur via barter when they do. They keep supplies of goods and currencies on hand, however, to deal with the occasional traders that come to the valley. Likewise, there are certain dyes and alchemical compounds found in the valley that exist nowhere else on Aramanth, and the Monikans trade these for supplemental food for their communities.
History
To the Monikans, history is less about dates and timelines as it is the rich mosaic that is the lives of its peoples. During attunement Monikans dwell not just in the memories of each other, but those who have long ago died as well. As such, the history they can relate is notably personal and less interested in political or military details.
It is known the first Attunement occurred to a group of explorers led by a Magister from The Maginatrix Confederation. She and a group of went others found their minds suddenly unified together, shattering the barriers between them. They existed in a state that shifted from confusion to delight and ultimately contentedness. When the first Monikan Attunement faded several days later, they found that a deep and abiding empathic link still remained.
And so Monika was founded, named after the Magister from the original party more for convenience than anything else. That first group formed a small community in the valley, and it was not long until the Magisters Academny sent another expidition to find them. It was here that in the held memories of Union it was known a crime was committed by them, for it was in their fear of being found out and taken for study by the Academy that first group captured this second and forced them into attunement. It was meant to show them how worthwhile it was, the joys and wellbeing of it, but instead they learned the fear and violation of being forced into such a link without the desire to do so. This forcing culminated in the deaths of that second group at their own hands, but their thoughts and feelings would remain in the collective Union forevermore. Coming to grips with this crime they had committed was the first challenge for the Monikans, and one that almost destroyed them.
From that point onward, no one would ever be forced into Union, and while the link did not seem capable of being severed once it was made, no one who does not wish to share thoughts or feelings is made to. All who join Union can recall and understand what it is like to be forced into the connection without consent, and all instinctively recoil from the thought. Therever after Monikans as a whole take considerable effort to accept openly any who came to them in good faith and help those they can, especially those fleeing bondage. When possible they try and offer aid and even escape to their enemies when it can be done safely, for within their collective memories exist the lives of many who have fallen and eventually become redeemed.
They are not fools, however. They are quick to spot deception and are just as quick to expel or even execute those who hold truly malign intent upon those they care about.
Religion
Though Monikans do not worship the idea of Unity, the idea of a unified people transcending thought and emotions is one shared through the link between Monikans, and has an almost spiritual quality to it. Their link provides the succor and reprieve, and they speak openly about its benefits and ideals to those willing to listen.
Founding Date
221 FE
Type
Geopolitical, Tribe
Demonym
Monikan
Government System
Anarchy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Gift economy
Currency
Mostly none, but Krisos for foreign trade.
Location
Neighboring Nations
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