Hugless

"While the Clebveth are all a strange bunch, there is a collection of them which are truly bizarre. They call themselves Hugless, and are well named as I've never met a creature I've wanted to hug less."

— Extract from Travelling To Victory: An Exploration of Victalis System
by Peacekeeper V'Kly

Descendants of Tree Huggers

The Hugless are Clebveth of Celebrate who are known in their own language as the Tree Huggers.
They are naturally anxious people, who are prone to spirituality and can become overwhelmed extremely quickly. This anxiety can lead to extreme physical reactions and even death in particularly severe cases.

Geography

The Hugless are a group of Clebveth who get their name in part from their separation from the rest of their species. They live in an isolated community on the continent of Ashov in the Rainforests of the South on the planet of Celebrate.

Demographics

While Hugless are considered an ethnicity by the Peacekeepers, most members of the Hugless don't share a common ancestry. This is because at any given time they consist of between 70% - 85% of people who have left other Clebveth communities in order to join them.

Sexuality & Beliefs

As shared blood does not necessarily hold them together, the Hugless are very much a people held together by their beliefs.

Asexuality

Sex is daunting for Clebveth, as is anything which raises their heart rate too far above the normal. Roughly 2% of Clebveth die during intercourse, and for female Clebveth, the chances of death during childbirth rise to approximately 59%.
Hugless are all asexual, whether through natural preference or fear of the consequences of having a sexual relationship.

Panromantic

Asexuality doesn't mean they don't have a desire for companionship, and often the reason Clebveth leave their lives behind to become hugless is in search of a community.
There are romantic pairs and groups within the Hugless, many of which evolve into something akin to family units. The make-up of these groups between gender and age is varied and is more about people coming together and sharing their love.

Misconceptions

It is a common misconception that Hugless don't like touching and never partake in hugs or other forms of physical contact. This is not the case. While it's true there are some who prefer no physical contact, others simply need open communication about any type of contact before it is made and most actually enjoy hugs and non-sexual physical contact. Due to this range in attitudes, Hugless are often more open in their communications than other groups of Clebveth might be.

Customs and Traditions

There are several traditions which are specific to the Clebveth. Most of these are about reproduction and social relationships. There are five or six Hugless settlements in the Rainforests of the South, and some of these customs vary slightly from one to another.

Choosing

Purpose

Choosing takes place once every season and is designed to ensure the future of Hugless. During this ceremony, a male and female are chosen to reproduce.

All adults who are of consenting age are gathered in the centre of the settlement. First, the leader of the settlement asks whether anyone will volunteer. If a person volunteers, then they are able to choose their partner of the opposite sex. Their chosen partner is able to refuse, but most don't, as they see it as their duty to their community. If multiple people volunteer, then they may either all choose partners, choose each other, or choose which of them will take part in The Sacrifice.
In the more likely event that no one volunteers, names of all available are written down, placed in either a male or a female bowl and then one name is drawn from each.

Rules

Frequency

Every Season

Participants

All adults

Variations

Some groups choose to get people to draw straws, rather than putting names in the two bowls.

The Sacrifice

Purpose

Allowing the chosen couple to have intercourse, so that the female can be impregnated.

After the Choosing, the chosen couple are given a few days to get their affairs in order. They say goodbye to their loved ones, ensure that provisions have been made for their belongings in the case that they don't make it, and so on. The chosen couple then choose a time and a place in which they believe they would feel comfortable. This may be in private or surrounded by other people, and there is often a medical and or religious expert present.
After the act is undertaken, assuming one or both of them survive, the male props the female up and keeps her comfortable for several days afterwards, in the hope of ensuring the success of the act. The couple's chosen families may also be involved in this final process.

Rules

Frequency

Every Season

Participants

The chosen couple

Variations

Some settlements insist on having a medical and religious person there to ensure the safety of the couple.

Birthing

Purpose

To welcome new lives into the world and ensure the safety of the mother, hopefully protecting her life.

The mother chooses where she feels most comfortable to give birth. When the time comes, the mother and her chosen family gather around her whether in her home, in the medical expert's building, a religious facility, or in a community space. The father has no requirement to be there, but it is traditional for everyone in the settlement to bear witness and be present, so they normally do.
Prayers are said over the mother during the birth, and everyone makes the best effort to keep the mother as calm as possible. When the babies (usually at least three, but sometimes as many as nine or ten) are born they are handed out to people who have already shown an interest in raising them. If the mother survives she is treated like a celebrity, is pampered and looked after, and acts as the leader of the settlement for the next Choosing ceremony.

Rules

Frequency

Every Season

Participants

Everyone

Variations

Some settlements restrict the mother's choice of venue to either a medical or religious centre.

Leaving

Purpose

To wish people well as they move on to the next chapter of their lives.

If a young person, who has grown up in a Hugless community, decides they wish to join the "mainstream" Clebveth society, they are able to do so. A Leaving ceremony is held to wish them well, to protect them from the terror of such a life and to let them know they are welcome back at any time.
Everyone from the settlement gathers and each gifts the young person with something to carry with them on their journey. This could be anything from some words of advice to their favourite food to Temporal Bindings or Blessed Nipple Ring. The journey is then completed by the leader of the young person's chosen family stating "So you now leave freely, may you return freely."

Rules

Frequency

Whenever necessary

Participants

Everyone

Variations

Some hold a feast as part of the send-off.

Religious Ideals

As with most of the Clebveth, the Hugless follow the Clebveth Pantheon and vary it as needed to fit within their core beliefs of Asexuality and Panromaticism. They also use all the traditional calming methods, such as the Temporal Bindings and Blessed Nipple Ring which are popular in more "mainstream" Clebveth societies.
In addition, they have also been known to partake in group tree walks. These long meandering treks through the jungle can last up to 5 days at a time. These walks are used to centre themselves, get back to nature and talk through their fears and concerns.

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Related Articles

Species	Clebveth
Organisations	Peacekeeper Alliance, Victalis Command
Locations	Peacekeeper Territories, The Victalis System, Celebrate

Related Species

Clebveth

Related Locations

• Celebrate
• Peacekeeper Territories
• The Victalis System