Luluhawa Island

Aloha! The oldest of Luluhawan chants describes the Luluhawa Island, the spirits that inhabit them, the forces of nature that shaped them, and all the living things upon them as inextricably connected. This sense of connection is the foundation of Luluhawan culture: understanding that they all have a mandate to care, to care for their environment and for one another. The spirit is expressed through chant, music, hula, arts, cultural practices, and the warm, genuine greetings that are a hallmark of Luluhawan hospitality.

■ Honi Ihu: The honi ihu, or the touching of noses, is a traditional method of greeting one another, whether it's a man and woman, two men or two women. It allows both people to exchange breath, which is the supremely important life force in Luluhawan understanding, and also share scents and convey a closeness in relationship.

■ Lei: Made out of flowers, bird feathers, shells, seeds, hair, or ivory, the lei (garland or wreath) has become a symbol of Luluhawa. Worn on the top of the head or around the neck, lei are used ornamentally by Luluhawans, especially chiefs, to signify their rank. Giving a lei is a traditional practice, but not like the ceremonious welcome practice that has become the local custom today. The manner of presenting was also different: it was tied around the neck, rather than casting the lei over the head, respecting the sacredness of a person’s head and back.

■ Malama Aina: A coveted value, malama aina (take care of the land) upholds the strong connection Luluhawans have to the land. It provides food, nourishment, and sustainability, so it is a profound privilege and duty, or kuleana, to take care of it in return by being great stewards, so that everyone, including future generations, can thrive from the bounty of the islands’ natural resources.

■ Superstitions: Don't take rocks or sand from the beach or lava rocks from a volcano. Superstition says that people who take them will be cursed, which probably gets its roots from the high esteem Luluhawan culture has for rocks. In a lithic culture, stones are used for many things, such as tools, fences, and housing - they can even be forms of deities. Leaving rocks as you found them is the best practice.

Luluhawa Island is under the protection of the Blue Pegasus Guild.

■ Island Guardian: The user may always reply to topics that pose a threat to their island even without being present on the island. This automatically places the culprit in Orange danger mode while the user remains in Green mode. The user may remove up to two limbs per culprit to punish them. Island Guardian may not be used for guild raids that are only directed to the guild on an island. Guild raids must be handled in accordance with the raid system of the Guild Regulations.

■ Force Expulsion: The user may once per month select a single person on their island and forcefully expel them. The target may no longer reply to their ongoing topics nor may they create new topics on the island. Force Expulsion bans the target from reentering the island for 30 days after it has been used. Force Expulsion may not be used for guild raids that are only directed to the guild on an island. Guild raids must be handled in accordance with the raid system of the Guild Regulations.

■ Mahalo Beach: The most popular beach on the island, it stretches across most of its southern coast, drawing from one end of the island to the other across the front of the largest city. With shimmering blue seas on one side and lush, verdant wilderness on the other, this warm, sunny slice of paradise welcomes both locals and tourists alike. The fine, pure white sand is even said to have therapeutic properties.

■ Luluhawan Beach Houses: A more recent construction owing to influences from tourists and immigrants alike, the beach houses adorn the seaside at sparse locations along the coastline, to be rented by those interested. Most of the beach houses are relatively isolated, allowing the more reserved residents the kind of peace and quiet they might not experience in Halawai town.

■ Ahi Mountain: The still active volcano that first formed Luluhawa island millions of years ago, this hot spot attracts tourists and locals alike, with many brave men and women venturing right up to the edge of the volcano. Eruptions are rare, and violent ones nearly unheard of. When the lake of lava overflows, it runs freely along the slope of the mountain all the way down to the sea, creating new land in the process.

■ Halawai Town: Still evidencing the tribal, village centered roots of Luluhawan culture, the largest town on the island has been built on a tall plateau, just out of reach of the worst storms buffeting the island during the wet season. This stability allowed trade and culture to flourish, and still stands today as the island's main hub, where visitors can find warm, hospitable lodgings and delicious cuisine.

■ Aina Forest: The lush, verdant jungles running across the vast majority of the island. With the sea to one side and the mountainous interior to the other, the forest harbours most of the life in the land, including a variety of villages at various locations. Devoid of man eating predators and teeming with life, the forest holds as much reverence in the Luluhawans' mind as the sea, with its strong wood capable of supporting the hardiest of fishing vessels.

■ Kahu Rock: A remote little islet a few kilometers offshore, untamed and uninhabited. Able bodied youngsters challenge themselves as they attempt to swim there, while others less so simply wait for the right time of day, at a specific time of the month where the tide gets low enough for a land bridge to reveal itself. Revered as the home of the island's guardian, while the locals freely visit to prove themselves or pay their respects, they are not allowed to settle there.

■ Chief Kahuna Wailani: Upbeat and laid back, Chief Kahuna is the jovial sort who many might not realize is actually the leader of the town and the whole island in general. Traditional in nature but not lost in his dogma, he respects and welcomes outsiders and is a subtly spiritual man, who believes that the grand designs of the gods are beyond mortal comprehension, and therefore embraces a mantra to seize the day rather than worry about the big stuff.

■ Kohana Wailani: A mite feistier than her father, Kohana is the adult daughter of the Island's Chief, who some consider a little too tomboyish and rather the energetic foil to her father. Adventurous and active, she has trained with tribesmen and often joins in hunts and other more physically demanding activities her patriarch is getting a little too old for, and seems to be the principal component of the resistance against outside invaders.

■ Shaman Iolana Mahoe: The young spiritual leader of the island community, Iolana has succeeded her predecessor despite her relatively young age, only having been recognized as an adult a little more than a year ago. Insightful and mature beyond her years, she had the best interest on the island and its people in mind and has a strong connection to the supernatural here, even if some might question her due to her youth.

■ Keanu Mahoe: The younger brother of Iolana, in many ways the two seem to be opposites in that he is energetic and rowdy compared to the smooth subtlety of his sister, yet he puts these qualities to good use as a young member of the islands tribal warriors. Not quite old enough to be considered an adult and more of a trainee, he has strength and talent aplenty but is somewhat hot-headed, and seen as someone who would make a good leader if and when he gets his impulses and temper under control.

■ Doctor Peleke: One of the more moderate people when it comes to outsiders and the influx of visitors to the island, Doctor Peleke has travelled beyond his island to study medicine and returned with the intention of both saving and improving the lives of his fellows, and is more understanding of outside influence because of this. Laid back but serious when he needs to be, he is a skilled physician who has talent enough to combine outside disciplines with island know how, and proves a skilled master of healing potions, salves and tinctures because of this.

■ Kealoha Wailani: The calm natured cousin of Chief Kahuna, Kealoha is a friendly and welcoming soul who runs the local inn, catering to visitors with her down to earth nature and friendly demeanour. Perhaps no one knowing better what people are up to on the island due to this and her family connections, she often hands out odd jobs to those willing to work, or points those in the right direction to help them become a greater asset to the community, prompting some to remark that she's almost as much of a pillar in the community as the chief himself!

■ Mona Moreno: A visitor to the land who has largely been accepted by the local tribe, Stellan scholar Mona Moreno is an honorary member who has completed the necessary rituals in order to establish kinship, and comes to study the local marine wildlife! Knowledgeable but more adventurous than your average scholar, she regularly dives in the seas and rivers of the land to study and log the unique animals and ecology found here, and tries to remain respectful of the culture and customs of the inhabitants at all times.

■ Herman Schwarz: The leader of a small band of settlers on the island, Herman hails from Bosco and is a man of innovation, industry and imperialism, with a definite agenda for being here. Hiring a personal cadre of mercenary sailors and soldiers to do his bidding, his true intent is to reap the rewards hidden in island, and since negotiations to do so peacefully seem to have stalled has begun less scrupulous endeavors to achieve his aims.