Mawun

The **Mawun** were a seafaring group sailing the cold seas of the north that settled by the western inlet of the island now called A'bel, a few thousand years ago. Their stories tell that they were fleeing the sinking of their homeland into the sea and founded Mawuna after years of being lost wanderers. They appear to have varying shades of dark grey or bluish skin, caused by a skin fungus that freckles to a pale white on the sun exposed parts of their faces. They have wide, triangular faces tapering to a pointed chin. They also have large, wide eyes that were set apart on either side of a flattish nose. They have pointed ears that look similar to that of a deer. Mawun are also quite short, only averaging at around three to four feet tall, closely resembling gelflings *(a race from the tv series, Dark Crystal Age of Resistance)* and will only ever refer to themselves as Mawun. The Mawun also have considerable lifespans ranging anywhere from 350 years to 400 years. According to myth, the Mawun bound their spirits to the spirits of the Mycelia to become kin and avoid war. Despite their outward appearances the Mawun were once considered full citizens in the Dauntier of Agaricus before it’s sudden collapse. The Mawun are concentrated in Mawuna, their only city state, but there are other nomadic groups of Mawun that live on the other isles of Icaricus, Emerie and Acadear.

### Culture

The Mawun prefer to give birth and die in the laps of giant mushrooms as they are considered to be sacred places of worship. To the Mawun, every giant mushroom is a temple and must therefore be tended to and respected. The native mooshroom cattle are also sacred to the Mawun as they are a reliant source of beef, mushroom stew, milk, and clothing. Mooshroom cattle are also used to pull large sleds. Mawun nobility wear robes stitched out of mycelium leather, which is much more delicate and difficult to make than the leather clothing made from mooshroom cattle. The Mawun also claim to have brought carrots, pumpkins and berries to the island of A'bel. There are ghost stories commonly told that there are cannibalistic giants that live north of the Mushroom Isles on a frozen sea and ghosts that haunt the ruins of Myconati. For the most part, the Mawun have only known peace and feel a strong connection to the sea. With the recent demise of the Mycelia, and the recent discoveries of the mainland, the Mawun are now in a position to slowly redefine their culture.

### Sun Markings

Mawun skin is covered in a sun-sensitive fungus that varies from darker shades of grey to shades of blue. Veils or bindings of leather are cut into intricate designs and wrapped around skin to create "sun markings." This process involves a day or even multiple days of sun bathing in order to achieve the desired effect. Sun markings are often used as a form of self expression or class distinction. Lower classes and nomads are often marked only by naturally occurring white freckles on the sun exposed parts of their faces since they are not afforded the same luxury to sun bathe as the higher classes living in Mawuna.

### Religion

The Mawun faith is called Awm. Anthropomorphism and personification lie at the heart of this animist faith. Followers endow animals, plants and even inanimate objects – typically natural objects, such as mountains, bodies of water and celestial bodies – with human qualities such as desire, consciousness and personality. Their faith focuses on the metaphysical universe, with specific focus on the concept of the immaterial soul. Personified objects are believed to have souls or spirits. In this belief system, these souls manifest in the form of deities or even ghosts, sprites or demons. Awm philosophies generally promote unity between the living and spirit worlds. In life, followers of Awm seek to appease the spirit world. In death, practitioners typically believe that a person's soul joins the spirit world. As is the case with many Sabrim religions, upstanding behavior and worship in the physical world is often thought to positively affect the spiritual afterlife. Although views on afterlife vary, followers of Awm usually believe in the possibility of contacting the spirits of the departed. As a sign of respect to the dead, many followers of Awm practice ancestor worship. Followers of Awm believe that they can commune with their ancestors by praying beneath a giant mushroom, since they also believe that their ancestors' spirits are contained within the orbs of the giant mushrooms.