Re: CCC cultures - By Fri 2/28
Posted: Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:08 am
Ccuxu, the Wall-Builders
I have exaggerated the appearance of the major walls so that they are more visible.
Climate and geography
The Ccuxu live in the tundra of a peninsula that projects south of the ice sheets of the polar continent. Their home is within the polar isotherm, meaning the mean temperature never rises above 10ºC. The Ccuxu, however, are unaffected by this frigid environment.
The biosphere of the land of the Ccuxu is mostly isolated and quite simple. The land supports various types of lychens and moss, and a single species of flowering plant, called ddin by the Ccuxu. There is also a type of grass that grows in summer.
The key element of the biosphere is the bloom, a large collection of phytoplankton in the surrounding sea which provides food for fish, upon which larger fish prey, which in turn become food for the various birds and seals that occupy the top of the food chain. For the most part, these animals do not bother the Ccuxu, and the Ccuxu in turn do not disrupt the ecosystem.
Origin
In the years 91, seismic activity in the polar continent produced a rupture in the land, revealing an ancient catacomb occupied by a number of dormant golems. Though the ultimate cause is unknown, it is likely that either the sunlight, the air, the earthquake itself, or some other, unknown force roused these golems, who emerged from their ancient catacombs into the new world. They named the location of their emergence Iddene, and with some effort, built a structure, known as a gaca, or gacō, from the frozen rock, that could house them.
Their culture was mostly unstructured, and the golems wandered the peninsula, exploring their environment. The formative event in the culture of the Ccuxu involved the discovery of the so-called land Mucuṅ. From the eastern shores of the Ccuxuan peninsula, some golems spotted a mighy city floating on the water, which they named Mucuṅ. In fact, this city was nothing more than the peninsula to the east of the Ccuxuan peninsula, its appearance distorted due to the Fata Morgana effect.
(I imagine a latent, subconscious memory of the previous world allowed these archaic golems to identify it as a city)
Nevertheless, the golems were amazed by the city and felt certain that anyone capable of building such a great city should surely be powerful indeed. The golems who had witnessed this returned to Iddene and informed those who remained there. Though there were doubts among the golems of the existence of such a city, Mucuṅ was once again sighted, appearing seemingly out of thin air. It was soon determined that the Ccuxu should construct a city to rival Mucuṅ, and thus began the never-ending task of the Ccuxu: wall-building. The Ccuxu built intricate patterns of stone of walls, approximately 2 m high and 2 m wide, all over their territory. These walls are sometimes incised from solid rock, and other times simply made of piles of rocks found on the ground.
No golem is known to have ever attempted to actually walk all the way to Mucuṅ because they think it floats on the sea.
Subsistence
The Ccuxuan peninsula is composed of granite, limstone, some kind of metamorphic rock like marble or whatever. I guess. Let’s be honest here, I’m no geologist and I have no idea what I’m talking about. Anyway there is a whole lot of rock for them to eat.
There are also a lot of base metal deposits. The Ccuxu mine copper to create building tools and small statues.
Social Structure
Like the Mecongai, the Ccuxu live and work in units of ten to twenty golems, known as kujja. Typically, each portion of the wall is worked on by a single kujja. It is also not unusual for two or more kujja to cooperate in order to create a more complex wall design.
The wall is considered a possession of all Ccuxu, but the speed and artistry with which wall portions are designed and executed are remembered by local kujja, and respected is given to particularly skilled kujja. Speed is a particularly noteworthy feat, as cutting through the frozen rock requires great effort.
Reproduction
When the golems reproduce, it is usually to replace a dying member of a kujja. Originally, all new golems were created in the gacō at Iddene, but eventually, as the walls grew, the distance required to return to Iddene became too great. Eventually, gacō mělu, i.e. secondary gacōs, were constructed in various places as needed.
Conflict
The Ccuxu are competitive and attempt to outdo the other kujja with skilled wall designs. However, they rarely resort to open conflict, as they all recognize their common goal of outdoing the great city of Mucuṅ. Any conflicts that do break out are resolved by the kujja involved in any way they see fit.
Some Ccuxu have begun to doubt whether the stories of Mucuṅ are true, particularly those who have never seen it. Most Ccuxu are too busy constructing intricate and amazing walls to care. Nevertheless, some discontent exists. It may be that in the future some Ccuxu will attempt to seek out Mucuṅ.
I have exaggerated the appearance of the major walls so that they are more visible.
Climate and geography
The Ccuxu live in the tundra of a peninsula that projects south of the ice sheets of the polar continent. Their home is within the polar isotherm, meaning the mean temperature never rises above 10ºC. The Ccuxu, however, are unaffected by this frigid environment.
The biosphere of the land of the Ccuxu is mostly isolated and quite simple. The land supports various types of lychens and moss, and a single species of flowering plant, called ddin by the Ccuxu. There is also a type of grass that grows in summer.
The key element of the biosphere is the bloom, a large collection of phytoplankton in the surrounding sea which provides food for fish, upon which larger fish prey, which in turn become food for the various birds and seals that occupy the top of the food chain. For the most part, these animals do not bother the Ccuxu, and the Ccuxu in turn do not disrupt the ecosystem.
Origin
In the years 91, seismic activity in the polar continent produced a rupture in the land, revealing an ancient catacomb occupied by a number of dormant golems. Though the ultimate cause is unknown, it is likely that either the sunlight, the air, the earthquake itself, or some other, unknown force roused these golems, who emerged from their ancient catacombs into the new world. They named the location of their emergence Iddene, and with some effort, built a structure, known as a gaca, or gacō, from the frozen rock, that could house them.
Their culture was mostly unstructured, and the golems wandered the peninsula, exploring their environment. The formative event in the culture of the Ccuxu involved the discovery of the so-called land Mucuṅ. From the eastern shores of the Ccuxuan peninsula, some golems spotted a mighy city floating on the water, which they named Mucuṅ. In fact, this city was nothing more than the peninsula to the east of the Ccuxuan peninsula, its appearance distorted due to the Fata Morgana effect.
(I imagine a latent, subconscious memory of the previous world allowed these archaic golems to identify it as a city)
Nevertheless, the golems were amazed by the city and felt certain that anyone capable of building such a great city should surely be powerful indeed. The golems who had witnessed this returned to Iddene and informed those who remained there. Though there were doubts among the golems of the existence of such a city, Mucuṅ was once again sighted, appearing seemingly out of thin air. It was soon determined that the Ccuxu should construct a city to rival Mucuṅ, and thus began the never-ending task of the Ccuxu: wall-building. The Ccuxu built intricate patterns of stone of walls, approximately 2 m high and 2 m wide, all over their territory. These walls are sometimes incised from solid rock, and other times simply made of piles of rocks found on the ground.
No golem is known to have ever attempted to actually walk all the way to Mucuṅ because they think it floats on the sea.
Subsistence
The Ccuxuan peninsula is composed of granite, limstone, some kind of metamorphic rock like marble or whatever. I guess. Let’s be honest here, I’m no geologist and I have no idea what I’m talking about. Anyway there is a whole lot of rock for them to eat.
There are also a lot of base metal deposits. The Ccuxu mine copper to create building tools and small statues.
Social Structure
Like the Mecongai, the Ccuxu live and work in units of ten to twenty golems, known as kujja. Typically, each portion of the wall is worked on by a single kujja. It is also not unusual for two or more kujja to cooperate in order to create a more complex wall design.
The wall is considered a possession of all Ccuxu, but the speed and artistry with which wall portions are designed and executed are remembered by local kujja, and respected is given to particularly skilled kujja. Speed is a particularly noteworthy feat, as cutting through the frozen rock requires great effort.
Reproduction
When the golems reproduce, it is usually to replace a dying member of a kujja. Originally, all new golems were created in the gacō at Iddene, but eventually, as the walls grew, the distance required to return to Iddene became too great. Eventually, gacō mělu, i.e. secondary gacōs, were constructed in various places as needed.
Conflict
The Ccuxu are competitive and attempt to outdo the other kujja with skilled wall designs. However, they rarely resort to open conflict, as they all recognize their common goal of outdoing the great city of Mucuṅ. Any conflicts that do break out are resolved by the kujja involved in any way they see fit.
Some Ccuxu have begun to doubt whether the stories of Mucuṅ are true, particularly those who have never seen it. Most Ccuxu are too busy constructing intricate and amazing walls to care. Nevertheless, some discontent exists. It may be that in the future some Ccuxu will attempt to seek out Mucuṅ.