Essotori Expat Community

Arells: 400 - 1500

Since the foundation of Essotori in the 17th century, it has been illegal to leave the Cult. In spite of this ban, some chose to flee, due to a variety of factors, though primarily political exiles. They are generally known as 'Essotori Expats', by the international community, and Essotori itself also adopted this term, when demanding various individuals be returned.

The vast majority of Essotori Expats tend to gravitate towards Arells, Treka, and Entaria, where they may make a living for themselves, and the least cultural gap. Essotori frequently attempts to return such individuals through diplomacy, often puting up defectors as a cost for diplomatic plays. When this does not work, the Essotori Angels secret organisation maintains a vast network, aimed primarily at neutralising Essotori Expats, either via kidnapping, or execution.

Due to active efforts to return such individuals to Essotori, the vast majority of the community remains underground. There are no formally recognised communities, and the vast majority of support comes from the Society of Free Movement and Free Thought, that specialises in helping Essotori Expats.

## Terms

In Essotori, expats are officially known as Laogen's Cursed, or Laogenites, based on one of the Original fallen Prophets of the Nozerod, in legendary times. Laogen was the worst of the traitors, who of his own volition, led his fellows into revolting against the Nozerod and the faithful. Laogen, like the other fallen prophets, repented, but on his death bed, when blessed with the fullest light of the Nozerod's grace. To voluntarily leave Essotori, is considered among the worst of offenses, though this term is rarely used internationally, as non Cultists tend to not know of Laogen.

The casual, and most popular term is "Essotori Expat", which is also used by Essotori itself when discussing such individuals internationally. Locals also informally use the phrase 'Tribella Refugee'.

## Demographics

The total number of Essotori Expats is not public knowledge, due to the mass infiltration of Cultists, the number is generally in decline since the early 2000s. Arells is said to hold the most expats, due to the least distance, and the least wide cultural gap. Within Entaria, the number is known, due to leaks in 2019, a total of 289, though the number is declining steeply, with records in 2014 showing 424 Essotori expats.

## By Destination

### Arells

Arells maintains the largest Essotori Expat population, and the government is welcoming to the expats. Though the exact number of expats in Arells is not known, it is estimated to be between 400 and 1500.

## Psychological and Cultural Adjustment

Expats face significant challenges upon arrival in their host nation, provided that their status as Essotori Expats can be verified by local authorities, they are typically put in touch with a liason from the Society of Free Movement and Free Thought, who provides them with a generous aid package, a fake identity, and accomodation. Even when this is successful, the cultural seperation, constant propaganda, loss of purpose and fear makes assimiliation almost always impossible. PTSD is common in Essotori Expats, and due to their condition, it is deeply difficult to treat, and to forge bonds within the communities, as Essotori's extensive intelligence networks is greatly effective in hunting down those who flee. Rampant paranoia is a common byproduct of escaping, with regular counseling being neccersary in most cases. An especially common tendancy of Essotori Expats is to latch onto other religious beliefs with great zeal, though this provides little satisfaction, with an informal poll done anonymously suggesting that around 77% of Essotori Expats still worship the Tribella, or returned to it. Social norms within Essotori are widely different from those abroad, with many not understanding the 'hedonistic' cultures of the outside world. Essotori Expats are statistically more likely to be robbed, according to polling, with many of them leaving their doors unlocked, which is near universal in Essotori. Expat men tend not to have families, and those that do sometimes chose to keep their true origin a secret from their partner, fearing discrimination or judgement. The suicide rate is high. To help Expats cope, many dark web sites exist soley for Expats to talk with each other anonymously.

### Cultist Countermeasures and Returning to Essotori

The most direct way of dealing with Expats, is kidnapping/assasination. The Cult prefers to take Expats alive, though this is rarely possible. In addition, it is prefered that the Cult also takes any family members the Expat had back to Essotori. Essotori espionage against the Society of Free Movement and Free Thought is common, as well as Cultist infiltration of Expat Support sites on the dark web. One site, frequently cited as an example of such manipulation, is known as "LeavingRegrets", which encourages users to talk about their families, and that which they left behind in Essotori, with other users frequently mocking the original poster, or providing support. Many express, on sites like these, their continued faith in the Tribella, known as a CSMO (Crownslave Mask Off) post. The Angels actively uses such sites to lure expats back home. Many take this option willingly, due to a variety of factors, though being disappointed with their host nation is often cited. Those who return voluntarily, are invited to speak on Essotori television, usually in tears, professing their 'renewed faith in the Ascendancy, through their pilgrimage into despair'.