Hawakani Island Background
Hawakani people are invented and they are not based upon any actual indigenous people. Their beliefs and customs are not based on any actual beliefs and customs. Hawakani Island does not exist in reality and lies somewhere in the North Pacific.
Only a few years ago, it was inhabited only by the indigenous people - the Hawakani, which means "Bone Bats".
But then a dispute broke out between various parties: Spain, France and the British Crown in particular fought over the island. Not only because of the island's riches, but also because of its strategic location. Whoever owned this bay, controlled trade in the North Pacific.
But while Spaniards, French and British were fighting, Helvetic and Prussian “Flunker” (a religious community, also Fantasy) settled on the sacred ground. Wisely they negotiated a treaty with the British crown and were able to claim their settlement: Friedheim.
In the meantime, not only pious Flunkers live there, but also Jewish Russians, Protestant Prussians, Catholic Irish and many who fled from the British Crown. Also native inhabitants live here (mostly Hawakani) - peacefully with the foreign settlers. Friedheim is probably the safest place in the world: Firstly, the treaty with the Crown forbids attack. Secondly, Friedheim was built directly on sacred ground.
This displeases the "Mad Faces," forest dwellers who were mistakenly lumped together with the Hawakani by the settlers. The new settlers say, "Sure they're people - they bleed and fall down when you shoot at them." To the Hawakai, the Mad Faces are not people, but "demons" or forest spirits: "They never sleep. If you look at him their faces, you will sleep forever!"
Anyway, the Mad Faces avoid Friedheim and so the settlement seems sacred to all parties. If you want to sleep safe and sound, immigrate here!
Just a stone's throw away is James Town - the British settlement. Well, at present the settlement is British - first it was Spanish and long after French. James Town is stinking rich and full of opportunities. Therefore suffers from constant attacks by the French Huntsmen and also the Mad Faces. Officially, Governor McTum is in charge. However, some rumors say that some nobles and especially the East India Trading Company are the real decision makers of the colony.
The Huntsmen were French hunters and trappers. They were driven out and now live in the northern forests of the island. They send their hatred to the new settlers who robbed their livelihood.
South of the two settlements lies a third place: Taboo Moor. The Flunker gave this collection of tents their name because you should not go there. Governor McTum even forbade the visit of Taboo Moor. Only lepers and outcasts await you here: witches, shamans, sinister cults... In fact, in secret, sometimes even the nobles visit the place when they are looking for healing. You can call the rituals sinister or brutal - but they work: whether you need healing for your body or your soul, you will find salvation here. Even if you've been shot in your lungs! Or the Mad Faces have broken your spirit....
And somewhere between the three places, the Mad Faces are at home. They lurk in the thickets… waiting for you. Most of the time they wait for the night. Then they appear out of nowhere and grab you. Drag you into their camp. Mutilate you. With the Huntsmen, you might be able to buy your way out. But this will not work with the Mad Faces. If you survive the ordeal, the blood may be wiped away - the scars will remain forever.
If you use the ghost path, they won't touch you. But they try to seduce you - to look at their terrible faces. Which is supposed to be worse than physical torture. That's why settlers only look to the ground and shield their eyes when they take the ghost path.
If a Friedheimer or James Towner wants to go to Taboo Moor, he has the agony of choice: Either one uses the paths, which are however guarded by attacking Huntsmen or also Mad Faces. Without escort, these paths are very bloody. Or you can take the shortcut: the ghost path. Here you can safely do without weapons - as long as you don't look up...
Relations of the groups shortly before Time in...
Personalities and places in James Town