Spola Commune
"We have no interest in your shiny coins and don't need your weapons. We would only store them away. But how about your new tools made out of iron? I know that some of our villages want to expand their fields and it would help them to have good tools for that." A trader from the Spola Commune trading with another nation.
by Stable Diffusion
Structure
The Spola Commune has no social classes and no government. All who are part of the psionic network, given by the Spola Infection, are sharing the power in a form of emotional democracy. Strong emotions spread far in this network and influence other members of it till a decision is formed and executed by all in a unity impossible for most other nations. If someone hungers, the feeling and scream of help pulses through the network till food is found for the hungry one. If many are worried about the supplies of certain resources, then those without work will feel the urge to help out and find solutions. Some voices in this network have a higher influence, due to their experience in certain fields. That means that, if for example a famous water engineer, calls for the need to construct a new dam, then his expertise is valued high by others and his proposal is easily accepted by the network.
Culture
People in the Spola Commune are deeply connected with each other due to the Spola Infection and have a culture that is based on sharing, cooperation, equality, and living in union with nature. The people of Spola Commune live in small villages that are built around the base of the Spo Mushrooms. The villages are connected by roads and bridges that are made of wood, stone, and mushroom fibers. The architecture of the villages is influenced by the medieval style, with houses, community buildings, markets, and workshops that are built mimic to the giant mushrooms around them. Most buildings are round and have mushroom caps-like roofs. The people also use the Spo Mushrooms as living spaces, letting the mushrooms grow out of rooms and halls inside the stems and caps.
The people of Spola Commune do not have any social classes and very little private property. They share everything they have, from food and clothes to tools and knowledge. They work together for the common good, helping each other with farming, building, teaching, healing, and other tasks. They also share their emotions and thoughts through the telepathic network of the Spola Infection. The people of Spola Commune have a strong connection to nature, especially to the Spo Mushrooms. They respect and care for the Spo Mushroom.
The people of Spola Commune are peaceful and happy. They do not have any wars or conflicts with other nations or within themselves. They value harmony, kindness, creativity, and joy. They enjoy various forms of art, music, literature, and games. Outsiders are welcomed in their community, no matter the species or their origin.
Near no Mages
Due to their history and the near immunity of Pink Mist Infused people to the Spola infection, there are very few mages inside the borders of the nations. The inhabitants have a slight mistrust against all people who are able to use magic based on Pink Mist and not their own natural abilities. Pinkerid is only allowed in rare cases, which means that Magitech is near non-existent in the nation as well. The few mages who live in the nation earned the trust of the Spo with their actions or are only living for short-term periods there.Public Agenda
The people themselves are the main focus of the nation. All efforts and resources are used to improve the lives of all inhabitants and to ensure that their natural resources are never exhausted. They plan for long periods of time, often many decades ahead. This is required, as the main resource of the nation, the Spo Mushroom, grows extremely slowly. New villages and buildings are often planned around freshly growing main mushrooms, which will reach heights of around 100 meters in centuries.
Besides the people themselves, which you can meet on the streets and the fields, there is a second live form that is openly visible, but not as easily seen as a part of their community: The Spo Mushroom itself. Its gigantic mycelium network connects all of its mushrooms in the whole nation and through it, connects all people. The health of the mushroom network and its grow of it are a high priority for the people. Anything that may destroy the harmony of people and mushrooms is seen as a hostile force.
Assets
There are four assets that make the Commune rich and resources plenty. The first one is the source of life: Water. With the big Lake Spo in the nation's center, the water resources are safe and plenty. Near the city of Sinta, the people have built a dam that saves water even in times of drought. Hundreds of channels transport the water from the lake through the whole nation, making most of the land fertile and full of life. 5 out of the 7 big towns of the nation are built around the lake or the river that flows through it. The water also allows the nation to transport goods easily from town to town.
The second important asset of the nation is its forests. There are two big forest areas, the Sarala Forest in the north and the Spaln Forest in the south of the nation. Both are natural borders and are preserved by the people. Inside the forests, important parts of the mycelium network of the Spo Mushroom are growing and connecting all plants inside. The people harvest wood, medical herbs, and berries from the forests in quantities, that allow nature to regenerate them easily.
Under the forests, especially near the mountains in the west and north, are huge reserves of many different metals. The biggest quantities can be found of iron, copper, zinc, and silver. The nation itself mines these metals in very low quantities, only taking what they require for themselves. Most veins are untouched. There are many forces outside of the nation that would love to claim these metal resources for themselves or trade with the nation for them. Yet, the commune has little interest in selling their resources that won't regenerate naturally.
The last and most likely most important resource for the nation is the gigantic mycelium network of the Spo. All mushrooms in the nation are connected with it, forming a single lifeform. The Spo is used as a shelter, building material, food, and network for communication by the people.
History
All began with a small village Spola. In its center, the first Spo Mushroom grew and began infecting the villagers with the Spola Infection around the year 1000. Instead of disposing of the mushroom, the villagers helped the Spo after they were connected with the primitive mind of the mushroom. Over the coming centuries, the mycelium network slowly grew and more and more villages joined the loose confederation. While the majority of the population joined the psionic network, all who were gifted with a strong Pink Mist Infusion were unable to. The strong magic in their bodies prevented the Spo from infecting them. Over time, two classes of citizens formed, those who cooperated and the mages who formed small circles. The mages were not in support of the Spo and tried to keep their own areas free of the mycelium, which attracted grudge from the infected population.
In the year 1389, the conflict eventually escalated after a mage circle burned down one of the giant Spo mushrooms in the center of a village near Spola. The Spo, which has evolved to a fully sentinal being with self-awareness, could no longer ignore the disharmony in its territory. With a single pulse through the psionic network, the people if the villages grabbed their tools and began to encircle every mage and their buildings. The deal that was offered to the mages was simple. Either they leave the nation's borders or are killed. Most mages left in the coming weeks, while others began fighting back. The mages who resisted the Spo formed together and were able to conquer the northern areas of the territory that the Spo had claimed. Even with their impressive magic and tools from ancient times, the mages were clearly outnumbered. The psionic connection of the people allowed them to communicate instantly and to share information during fights and campaigns with each other. Year after year, the mages lost more territory till they finally were either killed or fled to other nations. The main reason why the fighting took till 1404 was, that the Spo was careful with its friends and tried to prevent losing people. The infected ones mourned every single death and were as careful as the Spo with their campaigns. Often, they first sent delegations and tried to form deals with the mages or agreements to avoid fights.
After all mages were banished from the borders of the nation, the villages formed the Spola Commune and declared that Spola would be their capital. Over the coming centuries, more and more villages joined the new nation. The peaceful nature of the nation and the plentiful agriculture sector soon attracted the attention of other nations and roaming raiders. Due to the experience that the Spo and the people as a unit had collected, each little border fight and raid from bandits was quickly thrown back. In 1507, an unknown group of weavers were able to weave silk and wool together into a thin mask, which was fine enough to protect people who wore it from breathing in the Spo spores. By giving out these masks to guests, trade networks could be established with other nations.
Demography and Population
The lands of the Spola Commune are populated by mostly Humans and Nekos. Humans make up around 70% of the population, while Nekos are around 25%. The remaining population is a wild mix of many species, under these are Lamias of different subspecies, Fae species as well as Dryads and Alraunes. Near everyone is connected with the Spola Infection, which naturally lets them feel like a big community.
The nation has a sprawling birth rate and population growth, supported by its strong agricultural sector. Today, the population count is around 3 million individuals. Most of them live in villages spread through the whole land, while the big 7 towns take around 25% of the population. Most people live close to the Lake Spo. The two big forests are the least populated and most natural.
Territories
The realm of the nation is one close to nature with many defining landmarks, which you can find here. One is the massive Lake Spo in the center of the nation with its 40-kilometer length and width. It is the main freshwater source and was artificially created by a dam that was built centuries ago near Sinta. From the lake, many channels and smaller rivers connect most of the nation by waterways. In the whole territory, you can find giant Spo Mushrooms as well as big fields full of them. In the north and the west, the nation is bordered by big mountain ranges, while the land is open to the east. In the south, the big Spaln Forest is a natural border to other nations.
The whole nation spans around 200 kilometers from west to east and around 170 kilometers from north to south. It has an ocean connection in the northwest, which is not developed and is covered by the Sarala Forest.
Military
The nation has no standing army and no defined military. In cases of emergencies, like bandit raids or war, the people of the nation muster quickly in the nearest town and equip themselves with basic weapons. The biggest protection of the nation is the spores of the Spo Mushroom in the air, which causes the Spola Infection. That natural protection makes invasions into the nation extremely hard. The military of the nation itself is nearly non-existent for that reason and only a peasant army at best.
Technological Level
The Spola community has a technology level of the late ancient level on Earth in most areas. They built streets and infrastructure similar to how the ancient Greeks or Romans did, yet they did it in union with nature. Most of their scientific research is about plants and the land in which they live. They do not research the ancient Magitech and most of the ruins of the old Theocracy of Atlantis are buried and forgotten within their borders. Heavy industry is non-existent and the knowledge about it as well. Most of the inhabitants are farmers who live in unity with nature and the Spo Mushroom and the technology level of the nation resembles this.
Religion
Agriculture & Industry
Spola Commune is a nation that prides itself on its agriculture industry, which is the strongest and most vital sector of its economy. The majority of its citizens are farmers who cultivate a variety of crops and livestock, contributing to the nation’s food security and export earnings.
One of the main products of Spola Commune’s agriculture industry is wheat and other grains, which are grown in large quantities and exported to many nearby countries.
Another important product of Spola Commune’s agriculture industry is the Spo Mushroom. The majority of the population is fed by it and it is the most loved food with a big variety of different dishes that is made out of the mushroom. Depending on the size of it and when it is harvested, the taste can be different. The mushrooms are not exported, due to the risk of Spola Infections.
Spola Commune’s agriculture industry also benefits from its advanced irrigation system, which consists of artificial channels that transport water to every region that has no natural access. This system ensures that the crops and livestock have enough water to grow and thrive, regardless of the climate and terrain. The irrigation system also helps to prevent droughts and floods, which could otherwise damage the agriculture industry and affect the nation’s food security.
Trade & Transport
Most trade inside the nation, as well as most exports and imports, are done by water. The river Sporiva, which connects Lake Spo inside the nation with the Nutrasu Lake in the south, outside the nation, is the most used route for any transport. Artificial channels connect many villages and towns to the Lake Spo and are used for transporting goods as well.
The rest of transport is done over land by simple carts, often pulled by docile animals or big Lamia who live within the nation. The majority of goods that are transported in the nation are food, wood, and manufactured goods for daily life. The villages near the two big forests harvest the required wood for the nation, which is then transported to the villages to be used for furniture, building, or as a source of warmth in winter. Food is mostly transported to the bigger towns from the villages, but most regions are self-sustaining and only export food to other nations.
Education
The general education level of the population is surprisingly high for their profession. Due to the psionic network, they have access to the knowledge of all Spola Infected in an area, which means that they can quickly gain required information as long as it is known by someone within the network. Most knowledge is about farming, nature, or building techniques, as these are the things the people require in their daily lives. Knowledge about the past, history, or the countries around Spola is often very limited, especially deeper inside the territory. Children go to public schools till they are 16, where they learn to read and write, as well as basics about their future jobs and the culture of the nation.
Infrastructure
The nation has a healthy road network, which can be used by carts outside rainy seasons. Most transport is done by the many artificial channels that were built throughout the whole nation to connect it to the big Lake Spo in the center. One of the greatest architectural wonders is the big dam near Sinta, which dams the river Sporiva and creates Lake Spo. It is a mix of giant stones, wood and mycelium fibers, and Spo mushrooms which gives the dam its stability.
Connections to the outside world are nearly non-existent and mostly only done by the river Sporiva.
United in Mind
Founding Date
1404
Type
Geopolitical, State
Capital
Alternative Names
Land of Spola
Demonym
Spolan
Government System
Democracy, Direct
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Command/Planned economy
Gazetteer
- Spola
Currency
There is no currency used in the nation. Trade with outside nations is done in their currencies.
Major Exports
- Food, mostly wheat and dried fruits
- Wood, often as building material
- Pinkerid
Major Imports
- Metal products like Nails, tools or cutlery
- Exotic cloth materials like linen
Legislative Body
The nation has very few laws and no defined legislative body. All laws are done by direct vote in the psionic network of the Spo.
Judicial Body
All Spola Infected
Executive Body
All Spola Infected
Location
Official Languages
Related Species
Comments