Monster County

**Monster County** is where the storylines **Monster City** and **Monster Farm** take place.
*See also List of characters in Monster County*.

Nobody knows quite when "monsters" were created, but it's widely believed there was once a period of time when they coexisted with humans. They were known as their gods, spirits, demons, messengers, etc. This era is known as the **Coexistence Era** or, more sentimentally, the Golden Age. However, humans not only grew more hostile towards them as technology advanced, but they lost their faith in them completely. Eventually, monsters were forced to flee and hide in communities hidden by magic, separate from humanity, marking the beginning of a new age known as the **Disexistence Era**.

Many today believe this change to be for the better. However, monsters will always have their roots in mankind, and humans will never truly forget them either.

Monster County describes this aforementioned pocket in the human world where monsters live amongst themselves. The force that hides them from humans is known simply as **the West Wall**---however, anybody can pass into one or the other zones as long as they are pointed in the right direction. Nobody knows why exactly why the barrier is denoted to belong to the West. *(NOTE: The passage between the two regions is strictly illegal, and those who attempt it will be met with governmental resistance.)*

In Monster County there are two main sectors, known unofficially as: **Monster City** and **Monster Farm**. However, there exist settlements in-between.

## History

### The Coexistence Era

The Coexistence Era describes a time when monsters and humans lived together in harmony. Although many versions of history paint the monsters to exercise authority over humans, these sources would be false. In fact, monsters were considered companions---and in that time, monsters served humans just as often as they served other monsters. More powerful monsters, known occasionally as gods or deities, were some that did control mankind. However, although impressionable, they were few in number. The large number of cryptids continued to live in a symbiotic-esque relationship. For example, some, such as fairies and gargoyles, were valuable helpers.

The Coexistence Era is considered by some as the Golden Age for a number of reasons. Mainly, it's marked as a time of great ingenuity. Nations, technology, and cultures were nurtured through the direct intervention of this other species. Some cryptids had magic, and they utilized their natural tools in order to improve living conditions and perform many great, technological feats. This same technology enabled mankind to take into their own hands what they could not before, and while first created for efficiency, eventually became a source of distrust. As both monsters and humans began to close off due to a lack of necessity for contact, existing extremist groups from both parties grew to prominence. These groups were discriminatory in nature, and commonly called for expelling the other. This tension would eventually lead to what was known as **the Great Schism** and bring the end of a long and prosperous age.

Nobody knows when the Coexistence Era began, nor ended. This information is deprived on purpose and part of the Joshua Conspiracy.

### The Disexistence Era

The Disexistence Era spans from the end of the Coexistence Era to modern day, and describes an age where humans and monsters have ceased all official relations. However, unofficial relations continue to prosper. For example, the **TBN!!!!!!**, a group of human monster hunters who works asynchronously with the MC Government to prevent as much cross-species contact as possible.

For the most part, all of monsterkind is aware of the existence of humanity---but the same can not be said vice versa. Humans regard cryptids to be mythological in nature and simply storybook legends, whereas monsters are warned from a young age to steer clear of mankind. For this reason, an average monster/human will never encounter the opposite species for their entire life. However, despite these efforts monsters continue to be greatly influenced by the existence of humanity as a whole. Various pop culture trends such as music, fashion, and even slang are a few common examples.

In this era, the MC Government doesn't strive to stop *all* contact from humans, but rather to control it. This is a large reason why a gang such as The Alleycats is allowed to grow through their business of illegal trafficking of human goods. However, the passage between the human world and the monster world is still considered strictly illegal.

Alternative titles to describe the Disexistence Era (most commonly used by critics) include the Silent Years, Years of Silence, or the Silent Era.