Sulashasca

Large Town: Population 4,472 (46% human, 25% ettinor, 13% letheni, 8% lynoxi, 8% other)

History

Early in the Restoration period, following a push by the Rathmora Colin in Myr to take advantage of Art Hunahunari's weakened state due to the chaos of the previous era's many Wellspring eruptions, a group of settlers from Artus crossed the ocean searching for a new home. Originally seeking the Yzerid il Gamor of southern Arak, their navigator brought them wildly off-course, and they had to land on the unexplored island of Geldoth, as they were running out of provisions. The settlers were underequipped for the harsh cold of Geldoth, and half of their number died in the early days from a mixture of exposure and starvation. However, with the help of some of the more magically-inclined Letheni among them, they were able to construct lodging from the local wood.

It would be many years before the colony of Sulashasca would re-establish contact with the outside world; and by that point, they considered the island home. Merchants traveling between the Yzerid il Gamor and southern Myr now regularly stop in Sulashasca's limited port, bringing them much-needed goods. However, something about the locals has always put off visitors, unnerving them; the way they seem to speak in unison, finishing each other's sentences or even mirroring each other's speech in perfect synchrony. Some merchants have even claimed that townsfolk on the other side of town continued conversations that they were having with someone completely different across town, with the locals all seeming to have knowledge of what is happening around town at all times. On a handful of occasions, representatives of Mendonar'as Fendeth have come to Sulashasca searching for an explanation, suspecting some sort of anomaly; but more than one of them has gone missing.

However, the townsfolk's strange behavior is not the result of any anomaly, but that of a large crystal found within the mountains east of Sulashasca. This crystal was discovered in the tail-end of the Restoration period deep in caves within the Buli Pelest, or "moving mountains". The crystal gives off a soft glow which pulses in a rhythmic pattern, and can almost be felt in the air like vibrations. The discovery of this crystal changed the trajectory of the town forever due to its odd effect. The crystal emits a pulse when struck that travels through static Flow. Upon contact with a living creature, this pulse links that creature to any other creatures who have come into contact with the crystal's pulse. The crystal appears to be unique, with only one massive crystal having been found in the mountains to date, with smaller pieces being cut off over time. When a mining crew attempted to remove the crystal, it was struck, immediately linking every member of the mining crew. This initial group would then bring others to the cave to show them what they had found, and then strike the crystal to assimilate them. Eventually, they would begin to break off small chunks of the crystal, walking around town and slowly assimilating every last resident.

Those who have been linked by this pulse share memories, thoughts, and even their physical health. A person sitting next to a fire can "share" their warmth with other creatures they are linked to, and even heal their injuries. The pulse emitted by this crystal, known as Helanoden, does not travel far. The townsfolk have extracted smaller crystals from the one found in the mountains in order to forcibly assimilate visitors, hoping to spread their collective. One astounding fact about this connection that forms between members of the Chorus is that the Humans that were part of the group were made immune to the Grave Rot Plague due to its non-Human members.

Government

Sulashasca has no governing body, as all residents of the town are part of a group called the Tethanor, or "Chorus"; a connection which binds the thoughts and memories of this group, functionally making them one entity with many bodies. The Chorus is an amalgam of the beliefs and desires of its members. As each member of the Chorus is functionally the same consciousness, they have no need for laws for themselves; though they enforce a loose code of conduct for outsiders. They do not designate any one person as their "leader", with any member of the Chorus able to speak for the whole.

Economy

A convenient stop lying on trade routes between southern Arak and Myr, Sulashasca does not have traditionally valuable resources available to export; but they do have the combined knowledge of many different cultures and people that have allowed them to create things others would not think of. The Chorus has invented some unique tools, including mining and cutting tools that are more precise than what is available anywhere else, even in Reshyk; which they created to allow them to refine and cut Helanoden to precise shapes. They also have survival and mountaineering equipment better than what is available anywhere else, making it highly desirable to visiting merchants. They offer training in cold weather survival, and have a variety of types of warm cloth that are popular in Reshyk and northern Arak.

Notable Locations

• Buli Pelest - The "moving mountains" located to the east of town, the name is not simply an exaggeration or metaphor; the mountains literally shift and change position periodically. At least once a month, several mountains will shift position by as much as half a mile. This creates massive tremors that shake the entire island, which can cause issues for the residents living in Sulashasca. It was once noted by a member of Mendonar'as Fendeth that from far above, the mountain range vaguely resembles a humanoid body.
• Peros il Abithor - The grand temple of the Tethanor, or "Chorus", this "temple of the one" is a massive building that serves as the home and communal workspace of each member of the Chorus. All members of the Chorus sleep within the main chamber, huddled closely together in a way that would be cramped and uncomfortable for most. There are areas designated for preparation of food, and for worship, as despite the fact that the Chorus are all linked, they still have faith; the exception being that their beliefs are a combination of the faith of all the cultures they have assimilated. The buildings directly surrounding the temple are each tailored towards specific professions; blacksmiths, tailors, woodworkers, and more. The temple lacks any decoration, with the one object that could be considered as such being a font on their altar of worship that combines the symbols of each of the Seven Sisters in a circle around a central sphere, representing unity.
• Pescor Vaspenest - Located right off the docks of the town's port, this plaza is surrounded by nearly identical buildings, each with basic signs depicting various goods to indicate their purpose. The architecture is bland, like a blend of various cultures' building styles. It has a very functional feel, with stalls set up outside to serve food to visitors, and plenty of tables to sit at. The town does not have many valuable exports, but they make some unique goods that are of interest to visiting merchants. Outsiders have been unnerved by how after speaking to just one shop owner in the plaza, everyone else seems to immediately know their names, continuing conversations they had with someone else in another building. There are a handful of inns lining the docks, but many merchants don't stay long.

Culture

Given that the town is populated by people connected by the effects of Helanoden, there is a uniformity in the behavior of its people. The Chorus assigns roles to its members, utilizing their numbers to share resources beyond the material. Within the Chorus, there are a handful of people designated as the Hearthkeepers; responsible for tending and maintaining a fire within the Chorus' temple and staying by the fire to share the warmth of the fire with those that are connected to them. This allows even people without warm clothing to survive in the harsh cold outside. In times of strain when more heat is required, more members of the Chorus may join the Hearthkeepers to keep the Chorus warm. As the Chorus shares memories and experiences, professions are chosen by those whose bodies are most suited to that job, as the entire Chorus shares the knowledge of the skills required. The Chorus has no "leader", as each member of the Chorus is considered part of the whole.

The town has far fewer buildings than is expected of one its size. Though there are a number of buildings that resemble homes in the town, they have long-since been converted into storage spaces, with the townsfolk mostly living in shared spaces within the Chorus' temple. Buildings near the port are tailored to specific professions for the benefit of visitors, with each building surrounding a plaza positioned right off of the docks. Visitors that venture beyond the Pescor Vaspenest, or "welcoming plaza", are far more likely to fall victim to assimilation. Most of the town's infrastructure is built in and around the Chorus' temple. The Chorus seem to have no desire for decoration or luxury, sleeping on large padded cots huddled together in one large room. Their buildings are bland and devoid of art, though there is some variation in color due to the materials used.

If the Chorus was to just assimilate everyone who came into port, it would attract too much attention. Though they would gain the memories of the new member, the collective thoughts and memories of the other members of the Chorus have a habit of manifesting in odd behaviors that those who know a person will notice right away. Instead, the Chorus focuses on assimilating people with useful skills that they can add to their collective knowledge. In particular, there is an intense desire to locate those with magical knowledge or skill with At Matica, as well as members of each race; the Chorus has no Dwarven members, and should one arrive, the Chorus would ensure they do not leave before being assimilated. However, Gelgiren are an exception, and are not permitted to enter port, as they appear to be immune to the effects of Helanoden due to their unique existence. Gelgiren are not the only ones immune to the effects; those with magical talents involving the manipulation of animate Flow, such as Filamentory magic or Ruxor, are able to resist the effects of Helanoden. Also, any magical equipment which prevents intrusion of the mind can prevent the mental connection; though those using it will still become linked physically to the Chorus. There are potentially other methods to protect oneself from assimilation, but these are the methods known to the Chorus.

Each person that is assimilated adds more knowledge and perspective to the Chorus, and allows them to make discoveries and make connections that individuals could not. As Geldoth is so isolated, they have not yet assimilated enough knowledge to make any significant breakthroughs in areas such as magic or At Matica; but it is only a matter of time, as members of the Chorus have begun taking small chunks of Helanoden out into the world on merchant vessels with the intention to assimilate others far away to add to their collective knowledge. The knowledge that an individual adds to the Chorus is not lost upon their death; thus the Chorus' knowledge will only continue to grow.

Defenses

Sulashasca does not have traditional defenses. Though the island is inhabited by other creatures, wild animals seem to avoid the town and when the town is attacked by something, every single resident is ready to defend it. The bond shared by the Chorus allows for the most coordinated defense force in the world, each member having the same level of skill in combat and tactics. The residents in town use weapons only to defend against external threats, as they have no need to enforce law in the town as they are all connected. One unique form of defense employed by the town is surveillance; with everyone being connected, if a crime does occur, everybody in town will immediately know about it. If an outsider were to attack a member of the Chorus, all other members of the Chorus would immediately know. Though the town's defenders carry weapons, their most dangerous weapon is chunks of Helanoden, which they carry in order to assimilate problematic visitors.

Crime

Possibly the only town in the entire world with a zero percent crime rate due to the interconnectedness of its residents. There can be no theft in a place where all assets are shared by the entire town. No member of the Chorus will attack other members. However, there are still the visitors to the town; when an outsider steals from the town or harms one of their own, they are considered "defective" by the Chorus, and are executed swiftly without trial, rather than assimilating them.