Videntomon

Videntomon are a species of mask wearing sentient insects.
== Society ==
The kingdom is a loose federation of bugs (and some other species) whose main cultural link to each other are their masks, which allows them to develop sentience and create their own societies.
While attempts at unity fell to anarchy and at best tribalism, a few joint projects were achieved, trade routes, a public transport system and mining industry. 
=== Foss ===
Foss is the Videntomon currency. The region the videntomon live in used to be a sea, and so is rich in various marine fossils which they mine and use as currency.
Mining for foss is practiced, but often the cause for concern because discovering a new seam of fossils inevitably brings inflation.
== History ==
=== The mask of the shaman ===
The story of the Videntomon begins with the chrysomallon, sentient sea snails that swam out of the ocean onto land. Using their shamanic powers, their hemolymph could create conscience masks that give sentience, and so gifted sentience to insects. Before long some of the insects learned to create masks using their own hemolymph, becoming the mask makers. The chrysomallon left at some point to return to the abyss and the sentient insects began to create their own society, inspired by the other races around them. The Chrysomallon would return several times to the surface to visit the Videntomon, but eventually stopped when they no longer enjoyed their company.
The videntomon proclaimed their country, namazem, and built a city near the coast, Narnault.
=== The anarchy ===
While the city of Narnault developed, a political movement towards unification began, in an attempt to legitimize the new country. The attempts failed due to lack of cohesion in the mentality of the insects, and war quickly broke out.  Soon the number of wild insects was far larger than the videntomon, and a de facto peace was brokered, due to benches keeping their numbers from decreasing.
The city has remained in a state of anarchy ever since, with no central government, kept only in check by certain taboos such as mask makers being spared and benches being off limits for religious reasons. Breaching these taboos will ensure the culprit is killed and carried outside the city limits to ensure it stays dead.
=== The rise of the federation ===
While a unified Videntomon society never came to fruition, individual bugs and tribes developed a unique culture and occupations, the most notable being the development of Lymphany, a unique type of blood magic. 
Business boomed, fueled by ever more videntomon being born in the city and masked at birth. After the discovery of organic crystals growing underneath the city, the influx of riches caused a mating craze to create workers for the mines. The city quickly grew so large that trams, elevators and transport systems were implemented. However the working conditions of the tram were so awful that it never became operational save for a few lines. 
With the development of Lymphany, charms, spells and appendages were developed, mostly as an arms race against lymph gangs and tribes that preyed even on masked insects.
Hemolymph and its acquisition became a gruesome necessity for the creatures in order to retain their conscience. The violent prey on those whose masks broke to steal their hemolymph in order to maintain their own conscience. The kingdom became a ruin of psychologically broken insects feeding on each other, the masked collecting hemolymph from the feral, who wander the ruins, acting like insects in a strange and unfamiliar world. 
=== Current history ===
The current state of the Videntomon civilization isn't because of a specific catastrophe, but because of laziness and excessive individualism of the Videntomon. 
The inability to enact policies to ensure the safety of the inhabitants of Narnault caused the citizens to arm themselves with needles against the perpetually returning insects in the city. The inability to create a safe way of disposing of defeated non sentient insects caused the city to become overrun by them before long, requiring citizens to be extremely violent in order to survive.
== Settlements ==
=== Namazem ===
Videntomon call their country Namazem, which is situated in northern Anhaendra. 
=== Narnault ===
Narnault is the capital of the Videntomon civilization. It is located on a dried riverbed that feeds into the sea. Most of the city is a cave system that goes deep underground. The city boasts many businesses, but has breathtaking levels of violence due to roaming insects and phagolymph gangs. 
== Culture ==
While conscious, Videntomon remain insects in their mindset, which translates in their needle weapons, reminiscent of mosquitoes, in their fashion for leaves, bright poisonous colors and camouflage. 
=== Needle weapons ===
Being insects originally, Videntomon adapted their weapons from their natural defenses. When their reliance on hemolymph became apparent, they created special needles that could extract hemolymph from each other and store it in vessels to later create masks. Most Videntomon fight using needles to collect hemolymph by stabbing. Needles are versatile melee weapons that can also be thrown and retrieved if connected by a thread. The weapons all feature the ability to connect to the user's vessel, in order to fill it with Hemolymph.
=== Fashion ===
=== Egglaying ===
Eggs and pupae shells litter the streets of Narnault, as the conscience masks do not impart morals to the wearer, as such videntomons mate freely and leave their young to their own devices once they are masked.
== Magic ==
=== Lymphany ===
Lymphany uses hemolymph, a Videntomons equivalent of blood, for magical purposes. Most of their civilization, including their ability to attain sentience is based on the masks they wear made from hemolymph.
Because of this, hemolymph is a valuable commodity that the videntomon will gladly stab each other to obtain.
=== Masks ===
The masks they wear grant them sentience and a sense of self. The masks are made of crystallized hemolymph originally made by the mysterious chrysomallon, abyssal sea snails.
They are always at risk of losing their sentience and becoming feral should their masks break, but can make more using hemolymph, which they collect in vessels.
Masks are personal, hence why no one can help the husks, even if they wanted to. 
=== Charms, Appendages and Spells ===
==== Charms ====
Charms are magical items with a wide array of practical effects. Most focus on easing hemolymph collection, defense, and upgrading attacks.
==== Appendages ====
Using their magics, videntomon can graft appendages from various insects to themselves, mostly to aid in traversal. Gripping claws, powered wings and jumping cloaks are popular choices for the inhabitants of the undergrowth.
==== Spells ====
Videntomon society is violent and its members constantly under threat of having their hemolymph stolen. To counter these threats, the Videntomon developed spells that use hemolymph as a source; most of their spells concentrate on keeping enemies at bay. Wind blasts and area of effect shockwaves are popular choices.
Videntomon have other spells, the most ubiquitous being the ability to focus hemolymph into masks.
== Religion ==
=== Mask makers ===
The original mask makers are Chrysomallon whelks whose coagulated hemolymph grants the user the necessary intelligence to understand them when it covers the face. The whelks originate from the deep sea but adapted to life on land, often at the center of civilizations composed of usually non sentient insects and other arthropods.
Their ability to grant sentience was accidental, but quickly feigned godhood as payment for this newfound conscience. 
The whelks do not eat, their gut bacteria takes care of their nutritional needs, but they must return to the abyssal depths for years on end to replenish them. This way they can live for many long years.
=== Benches ===
Benches are important mystical devices for the videntomon. They serve various functions such as filling empty maps, granting new masks, changing charms, and restoring hemolymph; at the cost of restoring life to the recently killed.
Benches are sanctified objects by the Chrysomallon, but the Videntomon lack any means to recreate them.
Benches reanimate everyone, including knights.
They reanimate the dead insects, but there are more and more every day, so killing them requires evacuating the bodies, which no one does. So whenever knights use them or are revived at one, the cycle continues.
Originally an item of worship, the ancient videntomon would sit in benches facing the sea, waiting for the Chrysomallon to return to them.
=== Totems ===
Collect hemolymph through unknown means, once spent, they disappear and reappear elsewhere once full. 
== Biology ==
=== Hemolymph ===
Originally a substitute for blood in insects, videntomon hemolymph is created by the creatures who wear conscience masks. The liquid is seemingly modified when the first mask is placed upon a hatchling.
=== Phasmids ===
Videntomon can produce ghosts called phasmids when killed. A ghostless Videntomon will reincarnate at a bench with its sanity intact, but unable to use hemolymph. The phasmid is always violent towards its host, but if defeated by the host, it will reintegrate into the host, restoring hemolymph usage. Phasmids can be summoned by a special summoner called an Admissioner.
== Occupations ==
=== Mask maker ===
Make the first mask made for a newborn, but cannot make new ones if it breaks. 
=== Charm monger ===
Create charms and associated belt slots to carry more.
=== Charm repairs ===
Repair broken charms for a fee.
=== Charm enforcer ===
Makes charms harder to break.
=== Admissioner ===
Can summon one's phasmid to reintegrate it into a videntomon. the ritual involves a specific rotten egg. 
=== Mapmaker ===
Sells maps, compasses, pins, and other mapping tools.
=== Banker ===
Videntomon with large empty shells that can safely store currency.
=== Needlesmith ===
Smiths that create and hone the unique videntomon weapons designed to extract hemolymph from a target.
=== Relic dilettante ===
Art and archeology merchant
=== Rancid eggpicker ===
Rancid eggs are potent magical items, and are collected from strange creatures that produce them. 
=== Bellbugs ===
Transport service for goods and people staffed with carrier bugs that can be called by bell.
=== Crystal harvesting ===
A type of piezoelectric crystal that can be used as a low quality energy source for lights and machines. They grow quickly on biological matter, hence some entrepreneurs harvesting it from the shells of large insects, while others mine it.
Despite its usefulness, it cannot be used to replace hemolymph.
=== Shaman ===
The creators of spells. Do not require masks as a result, but wear elaborate snail shell hats.
=== Distant Benchmarkers ===
Build the mysterious benches that reincarnate nearby dead Videntomon. The creation process destroys the creator's body and phasmid, leaving behind only its clothes and mask. 
=== Swarm maker ===
Raise swarms of flies that serve many purposes such as light emission for mining, collecting dropped change, 
Category:Other Races
Category:Videntomon
Category:Anhaendra
Category:Unfinished articles
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