History of Mawuna

=== Preface ===
To the members of the Telleyari Scholarly Order, I address with my highest regards for the coin necessary for my safe travels to the treacherous ruins of Myconati where I unearthed many codices once thought lost to time. I further express my sincere gratitude towards the Academy of Qardas which provided me with the resources to decipher what has been lost to us. From my eight years spent in the Academy, I have translated the tongues of old and sifted truths from two reliable codices on the histories of the isles which have never before seen the light of day. A codex titled, Tales of Agaricus, written by the mycelia Soothsayer Arvensis and the codex, Myths of Yari, written by an unnamed mawun member of the Saha rebellion. I have also written of the missing events from the demise of the Dauntier of Agaricus to the formations of the Telleyari Republic.
=== Beginnings ===
Before the arrival of the mycelia, Telleyari was inhabited by our ancestors, the mawun. An ancient group of seafarers who navigated these icy seas and settled the four mushroom isles of Icaricus, Acadear, A’bel and Emerie. Our ancestors worshiped the spirits of Awm, but led fleeting lives as nomadic herdsmen and fishermen. It would be many millennia before the first sedentary villages would form on the larger isles of Icaricus and A’bel. Hovels would be built from a large species of red mushroom and society stratified by the abundance of fish from the riverways, furs from creatures of the deep sea and meat from the spore bison. Not much is known about this era for much of the stories of our people were passed down through oral tradition, burned by mycelia Aramties or lost to the ravages of time. 
According to the accounts of Arvensis, the mawun were primitive, which is why they were easily conquered. In the Myths of Yari, however, it is said that the mycelia stole knowledge from the mawun after betraying their trust which supports that the mawun were culturally more sophisticated than previously imagined and from other expeditions of unearthings at other ruin sites there are artifacts which further support that mawun villages did exist long before the arrival of the mycelia.
There are many theories about where our people came from, but most support that our people likely migrated from the continent of Sabrim, and that we are kin to humans, elves and dwarf-folk. It wasn’t until our interaction with the mycelia that our skin would change and our lifespan grow tremendously as is mentioned in both Tales of Agaricus and Myths of Yari. But we are not man, we are not elf and we are not dwarf for our souls are in communion with Awm. Regarding the slander that we are goblinkin, because we are small in stature, our noses are seen as flat, our faces taper to a point, with wide set large eyes and we have large ears, all making us comparable to the appearance of goblinkin, I can only further assert that it is merely a derisive remark by humans. Goblins are a filthy breed of fae, that we share no blood with and no relationship between us is ever mentioned in any source of literature. Goblinkin are like the molemen of Lemqin, short lives spent roving with their heads in the mud while others look up to the stars. By the time the mycelia arrived in the first year of the First Era, all four isles are believed to have been populated by several villages and groups of nomadic tribesmen. What knowledge remains of the cultural differences between these groups and their interactions is left mostly to speculation. The only insight we have come from the biased accounts of the mycelia during their first conquests.
=== Arrival ===
“Tis then when a sound, harsh as fire, tore the sky asunder. Upon a mount of stone, the wind parted and the belly of the spirit Buzbulut split open. The beasts of telle descended upon the valley of Gol lead by the Aramties of legend.”--Myths of Yari
There are many stories of where the mycelia emerged from, in the Myths of Yari, it is said they emerged from a gateway that parted open two worlds, but is understood on the terms of a spiritual event. Whereas, in Tales of Agaricus, the mycelia describe themselves as immemorial, as an ancient race awakened from a mythic slumber, turned by the scent of blood. Whatever the case may be, this arrival marked the turn of the first era. These primogen of mycelia were divided into two races with the dominant race described as lumbersome dull brutes in comparison to the smaller, more capable race. These mycelia were also organized into hordes lead by warlords or Aramties, as they were called in the native hyphapela.
We know from our analysis of mycelia corpses preserved in permafrost that this race was mushroom-like in appearance, with heads which looked like mushrooms and fungus growths on their bodies. This fungus also came in variations of the colors red, blue and brown. Even more shockingly, this race appears to have had no sex organs and after testing the properties of their physical bodies it has become apparent the extent of the abilities they may have possessed. Some of these abilities include being able to decompose living organisms the body comes into contact with and when processed correctly mycelia body parts can be used in a hallucinogenic wine.
Upon their first contact with mawun, the mycelia used their overwhelming size and numbers to raid the nomadic tribes in the valley of Gol, on the island of A’bel, for food and supplies. News of this event spread quickly and Chieftain Burun of the village of Ortosir moved Westward, calling upon his fellow mawun in the village of Qardas for reinforcements. However, Burun was killed in this first battle as he underestimated the strength of the mycelia forces.
The mycelia then marched their forces to the village of Ortosir and occupied it, later renaming it Myconati. They then pillaged the village of Qardas, which would later become the city of Mawuna, and further pillaged several other villages on the island of A’bel. The village of Qardas was the last stronghold of mycelia resistance in A’bel, which, after it’s fall, lead to the native tribes of mawun to submit to their invaders or flee to the other isles.
The two mycelia Aramties, Porta’bel of Qardas and A’bel of Ortosir then carried a successful advance to the other islands of Emerie and Acadear. With time, the mycelia would unite the isles of Acadear, Emerie and A’bel under a kingdom, or Dauntier, as it is named in the hypaphela script. The first Dauntier, the Dauntier of Agaricus, was lead by Daunt Oyster, who was ordained by divine rule from the gods of the mycelia. However, the horde of the mycelia would suffer immense casualties when they attempted to sail towards Icaricus due to two violent storms that destroyed their ships and foiled two invasion attempts causing thousands to drown at sea in their hastily built vessels. Among these who drowned being Daunt Oyster, which caused strife in the burgeoning Dauntier. These storms would later be attributed to the mawun Chief Ona of Icaricus, who claimed to have caused the storms with a staff given to him from the storm spirit named Buzbulut.
Aims to conquer Icaricus were put to a halt after a great rebellion erupted in the isles of Emerie and Acadear by the native mawun inhabitants in the year thirty-three of the First Era. Aramtie A’bel, now an experienced leader, suppressed the rebellions and executed the Aramtie of Emerie for their incompetence. However during this time of war, Aramtie Crim'ino, of the isle of Acadear, took advantage of the chaos of this rebellion to raid the village of Qardas and burned much of the village to the ground in an event which saw the eradication of much of the larger race of mycelia, he would also conquer the capital of Myconati, which at the time was located elsewhere on the isle of A’bel, in which he would commit further atrocities towards the larger race of mycelia and proclaim himself as the new Daunt. 
He would also introduce an organized noble system wherein, Visards, which is hyphapela for a position akin to governors would rule the various cities of the isles and swear fealty to the Daunt. However, Daunt Crim’ino’s reign only lasted a few short years.
In the Myths of Yari, Visard Porta’bel, after being told by a mycelia priest that they were chosen by the two mycelia gods of Decomposa and Infierie to unite Telleyari, would lead a mercenary army of mawun from Qardas to confront Daunt Crim’ino in battle. There is a conflicting account of this event in the Tales of Agaricus, in which, Arvensis claims that a Titan was used by Aramtie Porta’bel to defeat the Daunt’s forces in this passage-- 
“Porta'bel went alone to the capital of the Dauntier of Agaricus and called upon his kin to witness his divine power. For under his watch stormed the Titan, a giant, larger than any sea beast, a force of great power undisturbed since time began. From the barren mycelium dirt of Crim'ino's army the Titan emerged with a tremendous fury.  A furious bellowing shook the land and stone buildings fell to ruin. Porta'bel commanded the Titan to kill Crim'ino and with one fell swoop, the Titan slammed its hand down upon the panicking mycelia and the Daunt…” -- Tales of Agaricus
Which account of this event is true remains left to speculation, for no physical evidence of such a weapon has been uncovered. In the end, Visard Porta’bel would defeat Daunt Crim’ino’s forces outside Ortosir in the famed battle of Gol. Afterwards Visard Porta’bel would claim their divine right to rule, demanding that the other Visards of Emerie and Acadear submit. Visard Porta'bel then became the next Daunt.
=== Reign of the Daunt Porta’bel ===
Daunt Porta’bel would rule from the year thirty-eight of the First Era until the year six hundred and seventy four of the First Era. The ascent of Daunt Porta’bel assured the survival of mycelia power in the Dauntier, though the Daunt was initially met by the jealousy of the other Visards governing the other cities as well as the restlessness of the recently conquered mawun people. Daunt Porta’bel would enforce writing in the Hyphapela script among mawun people. Unlike the visards before him he was able to successfully introduce elements of mycelia culture and religion to the mawun people. 
Daunt Porta’bel also performed several rituals to bind the spirits of the mycelia to the spirits of the mawun. Legends say that this ceremony extended the lifespan of the mawun since the mycelia were reportedly immortal themselves. This ceremony is mentioned in Tales of Agaricus to have caused the blue and gray skin fungus that now rests upon our skin. But in Myths of Yari, it is claimed that this fungus spread naturally from the environment, unrelated to this event and that the extended lifespan of the mawun was due to communion with the spirits of Telleyari. Initially supported by their mercenary army, Porta’bel was able to deal with the many rivalries of the mycelia aristocracy. Daunt Porta’bel would introduce reforms of the state, establish a judiciary system and divide the isles into four provinces. They also oversaw the construction of the city of Myconati in the style of mycelia architecture, which is how it received the nickname, blackstone, due to the predominant use of blackened stoneworks in Mycelia architecture.
In the year forty six of the First Era, the Dauntier thwarted an invasion by the Icaricus tribe and executed chieftain Ona. For years before this, Icaricus pirates raided the coasts of the other three isles relentlessly until the mawun were forced by the mycelia invaders to build boats for them to alleviate this threat. After the untimely death of Ona, mawun would begin worshiping him in secret as a hero, claiming that he had become a spirit of rebellion. His mythic staff became a holy artifact guarded by the Awm shamans of Icaricus. With Ona’s death came the conquest of Icaricus, after which, Daunt Porta’bel proclaimed that they had fulfilled their prophecy by uniting all four of the Mushroom Isles.
=== Early Years ===
The beginnings of the First Era was marked by chaos which lasted until the early second century. It was a period of time where mawun would struggle under the yolk of their mycelia lords. A period where Daunt Porta’bel would slowly begin to establish themselves as the one Daunt. In Icaricus the rocky peace with the mycelia had ended as mawun pirates began raiding the Icaricus city of Craterellus early in the first century. The Icaricus Visard Chanterelle dealt with these raids for roughly a decade until his untimely assassination which lead to a succession crisis and a rebellion that was brutally repressed, resulting in the decimation of many of the Icaricus mawun population. Forcing Craterellus to employ mawun soldiers from the other cities and increase taxation to support them. In the end, the lake village was a shell of its former self. Meanwhile other villages thrived into emerging cities, maintaining the mawun architectural style of mushroom hovels, but with mycelia castles of blackstone overseeing them.
The village of Qardas was rebuilt, and renamed Hydnum. While the new capital of Myconati produced Hyphapela literature and other advancements of mycelia life. Our mawun ancestors were forced to speak Hyphapela or be excluded from business and were forced to convert their language to the Hyphapela script which caused an initial restlessness among mawun communities. Mawun who still followed the ways of the spirits of Awm would stage small rebellions but largely to no avail, as many mawun eventually converted to the mycelia religion of Lunuqua. This would inevitably lead to another rebellion which lasted from the year eighty two of the First Era, until the year one hundred twenty five of the First Era. A religious rebellion lead by the shaman Saha, was able to fester due to the weakened status of the Visards of the islands of Emerie and Acadear. This rebellion even spread to the mostly mycelia city of Myconati. This desire to start a Dauntier under the banner of the spirits of Awm, resounded with the oppressed mawun and Saha would even attempt to take over the Acadear city of Leccinum but was deposed by Daunt Porta’bel in the year one hundred and twenty five.
=== The Golden Times ===
This period’s beginning is marked by the end of the Saha rebellion. At this point the city of Myconati had become the most cultured, richest and most heavily populated city of the Dauntier of Agaricus. It acted as a bustling hub for traders, architects, artists, and scholars from across the Dauntier. It was during this time that the Dauntier of Agaricus began to form a robust navy and discovered the island of Ashax to its far south. Although their boats were mostly driven by large teams of oar-driven canoes that had a difficult time crossing the tumultuous waters of the Warped Sea. This gave the Dauntier access to domesticated animals found on the island of Ashax as well as a new source of wood from its dense forest. 
This time period would last from the second century until the late fifth century and is largely marked by a long period of peace. It is also a period marked by increased trade to other lands, which resulted in an influx of foreign goods to the remote isles. This Golden Age came to an end when explorers from the city state of Duernhelm reached The Dauntier of Agaricus. These Duern traders would ship a flow of new ideas and goods that would cause the Dauntier of Agaricus’s population and technology to boom for a short while. Insights into this period are also written after the accounts of Myths of Yari, since the codex was written by a mawun member of the Saha rebellion before this period began. So, information concerning this time is largely from the perspective of the mycelia conquerors.
=== Death to the Mycelia ===
The decline of the mycelia and the Dauntier of Agaricus would occur from the early sixth century until the early seventh century. This decline is marked by the sudden death of mycelia Visard Amanata of Hydnum in the early sixth century when their younger brother Olearius who inherited the position, lost control of the Duern mercenary generals their brother had hired and caused the mycelia aristocracy to go against them after Olearius attempted to proclaim themselves as Daunt Portabel’s successor. Olearius foolishly attempted a revolution but was unable to control the Duern mercenaries that sacked the city of Myconati and began to demand that they be given land in the Dauntier.
After this event, harsh long winters would lead to widespread famines that greatly destabilized what was left of the Dauntier. The noble families of Myconati declared a republic and The Dauntier of Agaricus fractured into city states that began to be attacked by the newly formed Dauntier of Icaricus. The city states began to be conquered by the newly formed, Dauntier of Icaricus only for it to fall as well, when a deadly disease caused by blue spores called Ai’rea began spreading from city to city. It is rumored that the disease was accidentally spread by Daunt Porta’bel due to experimentations with weapons of war gone awry for a planned invasion of the mainland as is stated in Tales of Agaricus. Arvensis is thought to have died at some point during this time, most likely due to either war, famine or plague which had devastated the isles.
It is therefore only rumored in myths that Daunt Porta’bel lead most of the surviving mycelia to the Infernium shrine in Myconati and according to legend sent thousands of mycelia back from whence they came, claiming that he would return someday in the future. The mycelia who refused to go back, either fled on boats or were killed by Icaricus mawun, intent on revenge. As the spores spread, fires ran rampant to cleanse the areas of spores and entire cities smoldered to ash. The only city spared from the great fires was Hydnum, relying on trade from Ataelia and the city state of Duernhelm. Thousands of mawun would leave to Hydnum as the last bastion of civilization. With the mycelia gone, the city of Hydnum would be renamed Mawuna, which translates to many mawun and it is with these series of events that would mark the inevitable dusk of the First Era.
=== Dawn of the Second Era ===
In the first two centuries after the fall of the Dauntier, the mushroom isles were in a state of recovery from the events which had ended the First Era. The political powers of the land had been reduced to the city state of Mawuna, the isles severely depopulated of most mawun and the entire race of mycelia wiped clean. Mycelia religion and cultural practices were largely abandoned due to hostility from close to seven centuries of oppressive rule. But the noble systems and hyphapela script remained in function, with the first rulers of Mawuna holding the title of Visard. During this time, Mawuna would begin to slowly gain back control of the remaining tribes across the isles through trade and diplomacy. 
By the year two hundred and forty of the Second Era, several villages had been reestablished on the other isles bearing the banner of the city state of Mawuna. This year also marks the beginning of the first formations of Telleyari Republic, after prominent nobility began to hold elections for the lifelong appointments of Visard and the first Bahilik, who would rule all the isles was chosen, Bahilik Nunam. It was also at this time that the first steamships were finally able to grace the open sea, though not without the occasional explosion. With all four isles under her watch and the blessings of the fastest ships in all of Sabrim under her stead, the Bahilik began to explore waters to the west and south. Thus, in the years that followed a series of trade alliances were established across the northern seas and new far off lands were discovered. This would allow the less populated isles of the tumultuous northern seas to cooperate by developing trade routes, and funding exploration
=== The Edict of Duernhelm ===
The first great challenge Telleyari Republic faced in its history was whether it had the capability to ensure the order of the Northern seas. A long conflict had been brewing between the reclusive inhabitants of Nil-Pijarli and the mysterious city state of Sheol, over Sheol’s development of land considered to be apart of Nil-Pijarli’s territory. Telleyari Republic, emboldened by our trade alliances, looked to demonstrate our power and possibly win over another trade ally. In the year two hundred and fifty six of the Second Era, the alliance decided to help Nil-Pijarli in the conflict. Knights sailed from Duernhelm and Mawuna to the islands of Nil-Pijarli and prepared for their first battle. They would split their forces in two, with one group attacking the Sheol settlement in the disputed territory and the other entering the realm of the spirits to attack the Sheol city state directly. The group sent to pillage the settlement in Nil-Pijarli territory were met with little resistance, for they had overwhelming numbers to counter any defense. In the realm of spirits, knights traversed the uneven terrain of lava pits and cliffs. Sheol’s defenses proved to be unfit to match the might of the combined forces and Sheol surrendered, leaving the cold soil of the North for good.
After helping Nil-Pijarli with their war, the trade alliance approached them with hopes that they would join, only for Nil-Pijarli to refuse so that they might maintain their quieter way of life. After these events Telleyari Republic would eventually travel east, to the isle of Shorakia to meet with the King Jevta and soon the Kingdom of Shorakia joined the trade alliance as well. For many years our trade alliances would continue to work on developing trade routes and good relations between the three lands of Shorakia, Duernhelm and Mawuna.
With time, the isles of Ashax, Nil-Pijarli and the city state of Valida also joined the trade alliance. With each new trade alliance, Bahilik Nunam could see the main purpose of uniting the north sea as one, growing closer and closer. However these islands had small culturally isolated populations and traveling across the vast sea to communicate and operate efficiently made the Telleyari Republic’s influence over these northern seas weak.
=== Mawuna Concordant ===
The Kingdom of Shorakia would begin to colonize the mainland to their south, in order to gain access to the warmer weather more suitable to growing the crops it needed to sustain its growing population. This would lead to the formation of the bread basket known as Fingerland, which would be joined by another colony of the peculiar Fengdao molemen, called Lemqin. The Lemqin governor, Pitāng Qin would approach Bahilik Nunam asking for the republic’s help in defending their new colony from the looming threat of the lords to their south. Recognizing the need for allies to help protect their interests in Fingerland, having an affinity for the molemen’s spiritual ways and feeling sympathy for them, Bahilik Nunam would agree to the terms of the Mawuna Concordant.
=== Fingerland Crisis ===
For a time, the alliances of the northern seas would continue to struggle with the severe depopulation, due to the Great Plague and the chokehold the stress of the disease had had on its attempts to establish trade routes. As these alliances grew even weaker, the colony of Lemqin would see itself expand both in the newly gained territory of Cinelli and in the explosion in moleman population. The tensions between Shorakia and Predastad would grow over the years until the fateful day when Duke Jugo would aggravate the leader Stadghatskreil Baarehyd Kaaljokreogh of Predastad to the point that Predastad plans to conquer Fingerland had been leaked to the lands of Shorakia. Sending the entirety of the northwest region into a crisis. 
Meanwhile, Lemqin had made the Trinity alliance in secret with Predastad, agreeing that Lemqin would get Cinelli and Predastad would get Fingerland. With the news of the threat of war, opposing sides in Lemqin began to slip dangerously close towards the beginning of a civil war. All the while, the leader of Fingerland, who was actually a puppet of Duke Gishiki, began to threaten that he would leave the trade alliance. Duke Jugo was sent to trial for treason for instigating the situation and executed. Duke Gishiki, Bahilik Nunam and Governor Pit Ang Qin would meet in Lemqin to discuss the situation. A plan was proposed by Duke Gishiki to make Fingerland independent and to replace its old leader in order to make the region neutral ground. Before this plan could begin to come into effect, King Jevta would make Governor Pitāng Qin the heir to the lands of Shorakia after succumbing to madness. Lemqin would give back the main isle of Shorakia to the new heir, Duke Gishiki, but decide to keep some of Shorakia’s former smaller islands. Duke Gishiki would crown themselves as the new king of New Shorealis and attempt to purge the corruption within the dying remnants of the former duchies of Shorakia. 
With the new independence of Fingerland, the leader was able to take advantage of the situation after narrowly avoiding being sent to trial for his own previous attempts to leave Shorakia. The leader of Fingerland would sell the land to Lemqin and claim that a spirit had told him that King Gishiki should be killed. Lemqin agreed to this of course and together with the leader of Fingerland, lured King Gishiki into the vaults of the Lemqin bank and murdered him. Lemqin’s gain of Fingerland went against the terms of the Trininty Alliance and it was soon after, officially broken, deeply angering Predastad. With the death of Gishiki, the leader of Fingerland was pressured by outside forces to invade New Shorealis and take the throne for himself. 
However, the spirit of Gishiki would come to possess the body of Fion Ferdinand, who would threaten to defend his title as king from the leader of Fingerland. The leader of Fingerland surrendered and fled south of Predastad into the wilds. Fion Ferdinand was crowned a second time and instead of holding malice towards Lemqin for murdering him and taking former lands belonging to New Shorealis, decided to keep the alliance with Lemqin. The lands of the Northwest had narrowly avoided war.
In the years since this crisis, much of the trade alliances have withered away and since the great storms, the reach of our once burgeoning republic has gone. But the republic still stands and our great ships still patrol the open sea in spite of the fall of the lands around us to ruin.
Category:Mawun Culture
Category:History of Telleyari