Kalinawbundok (ka.liˈnaw.bun.dok)

"They call it peaceful, because they do not understand it. Could I but stand there long enough to draw breath, they would learn their mistake."

— Mapaghinga, a shaman among the Tawung

Kalinawbundok is the highest point on the island of Duhan. While its Pananalita name means "Peaceful Mountain", this is derived from a mishearing of the original Binatawung name, Kalinaubundug. This name translates as "Breathless Mountain", and refers to the gods who sleep within the mountain, for without a mortal to inhabit they are "without breath".

When the Tagápulo drove the Tawung into hiding in the Gubatung Kawayanan, they fought hardest to retain control of Kalinawbundok. The Tawung Saringan who had traditionally protected the sacred mountain chose not to retreat, and instead fought to the last in an attempt to repulse the invaders. The other Saringani call it the "Last Stand of the Gods", for ever since they lost Kalinawbundok, they cannot awaken their gods from their habitual slumber.

Notable Spirits

Kalinawbundok is the gathering place of the Tawung gods, known collectively as the Halubaan. While they are anchored all over the island, each has a shrine hidden upon the mountainside, accessible only to those who know the way. They are located within pockets of the Dream, and the paths to them are defined as much by thoughts and intentions as they are by geography. To walk the paths of the gods, one must know when and where to invoke certain ideas, which shift the ground underfoot and lead the wanderer down paths not found in the purely material world.

Once reaching a shrine, the visitor can attempt to wake the Halubaan by temporarily merging with them. The Halubaan are unusual gods - the Tawung believe that without the participation of a priest, they are incomplete - they are the potential for gods as much as gods themselves. When a priest opens themself to one of the Halubaan, they join together into a unique entity with the memories and powers of both. The priests call this "Taking Breath" and train for years to know how to summon the Halubaan into themselves safely.

When Kalinawbundok was taken from the Tawung, much was lost. Few know the way to more than a few shrines, and even those are untested. The Tagápulo know that the gods of Tawung are present there, and guard the mountain against any who would seek divine communion. They have also begun to tell their own stories about the gods of the island, wrapping them in tales steeped in Tagápulo culture and values. These tales are generating significant Egregoric Pressure on the Halubaan, blurring their identity and blending them with the Anito the Tagápulo worship. Until one has been awakened, it is unclear who exactly will be riding the priest - a traditional Halubaan, or a something that has hybridized with the Anito.