Mundaguk


    The Mundaguk people are natives of the mysterious Moreaux Island. Colloquially, they are called the Monsters of Moreaux Island, as popularized by the title of Andre Arquette's seminal work of the same name. The Mundaguk Language is poorly-documented due to the hostile nature of the island's inhabitants since the departure of the shipwrecked survivors that include Arquette.

    Discovery 🔗

    In 1269 AI, an expedition to document the various ethnic sub-groups in and around the islands of L'Illes Apgarie was launched, in a collaboration between researchers from the University of Mayonne and the Estregan Institute. This was due to reports of a subset of ethnically Estregan people who have thrived in even the smallest atolls in the island chain, and have endured by providing services to pirates, smugglers and privateers hunted by Seneran Military patrols.

    A confrontation between a Seneran Frigate and a vessel bearing the Bouillard family crest, had damaged the hull of their ship forcing them to find a nearby island. The uncharted island was surrounded by a mangrove forest and, to their surprise, was populated by a number of people who spoke a language similar to the Estregan Language.

    By general consensus by the survivors, they dedicated the island to the voyage's deceased captain, Marvin Moreaux when they publish their reports on it. The natives called themselves the Mundaguk, meaning "Men at the edge of the world". The Mundaguk practiced a form of gerontophagic ritual cannibalism.

    Ritual Cannibalism 🔗

    Contrary to popular belief, the Mundaguk people did not mindlessly prey on other humans. Such a practice would have been a detriment to the survival of their already small population. Instead, they perform a ritual sacrifice of older individuals in the community. After a certain age, or if one is proven to be mentally- infirm, a person undergoes a month-long ritual cleansing, by bathing in water boiled with a variety of medicinal herbs and flowers.

    Then, once the preparation of the body is complete, the island shamans prepare a certain mushroom, called the Moreaux mushroom in Arquette's book, to dilute its potent etfects. The brew is given to the sacrifice's family, which would stimulate their senses and hunger. The mushroom has the unusual effect of making human flesh, not just palatable when consumed, but makes it downright irresistable. The sacrifice's throat is then sliced. Before the person even succumbs to death, their relatives proceed to consume their flesh.

    Often the effect wears off after the meal, as the medicinal bath contains some of the antidote to the mushroom, but if the preparation of either the body. or the brew was incorrect, there could be a chance of something going horribly wrong.

    Seclusion 🔗

    Perhaps due to the fact that the survivors of the shipwreck took many of the Mundaguk people's cultural items, as well as stocks of the Moreaux mushroom, they have shown aggression towards any who may attempt to land upon their shores. However, there were some reports of Moreaux mushroom being sold in the Apgarian black market. Either a group of people have secretly established an exclusive deal with the people, or they may have been able to cultivate it elsewhere.