For a full map of the land of NUM, click here. All hail the lands under the watchful eye of the Number God.

I was born on the eastern side of the Descendants of Three Nation in a small town at the base of the mountains. I spent most of my childhood there. We weren’t a big town, and didn’t have much diversity, but it was a nice life. My father was born here, and his family was here, but he was a worldly man. He traveled all across the realm, and ended up meeting my mother up in the northwest Nation known as the Tenplars. They traveled the world together, until one day they had me and knew they had to settle down. That’s how I came about, #1140; a Descendant of 3 and a Tenplar all wrapped into one.

Everybody who lived in my dad’s hometown was in the 100 domain, with the exception of my mother, who is a 300. It took some time for the 100s in the town to become accepting of her, but most grew to like her over time if they made the effort to get to know her. Even years later, however, there were still a few in the town who looked cross-ways at her from time to time, often whispering to each other as she passed by.

One time, a group of a few 200s came through our city, simply passing through on their journey towards The Hive in The Consciousness. They tried purchasing wares from the town’s shops, but were often turned away, sneered at, or treated with disdain. My family ran a shop on the eastern side of the city, so they eventually passed by us on the way through the city towards the mountains that separated our city from The Consciousness. As they passed by, my mother could tell they seemed a bit discouraged; she knew what they had likely been through in our city. She greeted them with a smile and my father gave them a kindly wave.

It was truly something to see their faces light up at a friendly face in a town so fraught with discrimination against other Domains. They spoke to my parents for a while of their travels and their excitement to reach their destination.

“How long have y’all been travelin’?” my father asked.

“Quite a long time. We’re from up north in The Primes,” one of the 200s started.

“But we aren’t any of them Prime Prides, I promise!” another 200 quickly blurted. The first 200 shot him a glance.

“Hm, I guess not,” my father said. “Being one of them Prime Prides would make travelin’ down this way a bit troublesome for y’all, I suppose.”

The 200s laughed nervously for a moment.

“I bet you are hungry,” my mother said, breaking the tension. “Could we offer you something to eat?”

They modestly accepted, and sat down on our patio. My mother went in to make them some food. Me and my father sat down with them at the patio table to keep them company.

“You know,” my father said, “I spent some time in my younger days travelin’ up in The Primes. It’s nice up there. Got some beautiful coastline views up there.”

“Yeah, it’s nice and all,” one of the 200s said, “but we wanted to do more with our lives than just stay up in The Primes all our lives.”

“That’s why we’re heading over to The Hive,” another 200 said, “y’know, to see if the legends are true.”

“I reckon they ain’t,” my father said, “but I never went over to The Consciousness in my travels, and I’m guessin’ nobody you met on your travels down here ever been either, so there’s only one way for you to know.”

Everyone was silent for a little while. I was young, so I felt a need to fill up the silence.

“It’s nice meeting some new people. We don’t see new people in our town very much. Do you like our town?” I asked.

One of the 200s scoffed a little, and another gave him a harsh look.

“It’s a nice little town,” said one of the 200s.

“Some of your people aren’t, though,” another 200 said quietly.

“Would you mind your damn manners?” The first 200 said to him.

“Now, now, guys,” my father said, “nobody around here is blind to the fact that most of these numbers have never taken half a step out of this little town.

“Half these numbers are so dim-witted, they tell you tales about 200s killin’ you for your money, and 400s stealin’ babies, but ain’t none of them ever seen a damn number in their life besides the other 100s walkin’ ‘round this town.”

“You ever seen a 200, kid?” One of them asked me.

“Well, no,” I said, “but my mom is a 300. She’s the only 300 in this town.”

My mom came out with the food, we gave praise to The Number God for the meal, and ate with the 200s. They told us stories of the lands they had traveled so far, and made jokes about funny numbers they’d met along the way. When they were done eating, they thanked us for the hospitality, and carried on with their quest to reach The Hive.