Pikulik People

The Pikulik People, or simply Pikuliks are a distinct ethnic group of Humans scattered across Rathnir. They can be distinguished from other Humans by their short height (around 160-170 cm / 5 '2-5' 6), their hair colour varies from black to brown and their skin is of a somewhat tanned complexion, though younger Pikuliks tend to be more tanned.
Pikuliks have a life expectancy of up to 120 years, although they mature at roughly the same age as other Humans. Due to the harsh and demanding climate they developed in, Pikuliks only begin exiting their physical prime at about 40 years of age.
== Etymology ==
The Pikuliks did not have a shared name between them for most of their history, however they were tied by their appearance and strong religiousness, believing in an early form of Pikiism. Thus, their name most likely came from the Talawans referring to the followers of Pikiism as Pikuliks in an attempt to name these tribes.
Alternatively, they are commonly referred to as Pikulians due to the fact that for much of modern history they were only known to live in a single town - Pikulia. That name, however, is incorrect, as a great deal of Pikulia’s citizens not only weren’t Pikulik by history, but also did not follow the religion of Pikiism.
== History ==
Because of the fact that the Pikuliks have not developed a written language for most of their history, most sources come from various Talawan, Ardatian, Audalad and Huitcan scrolls as well as Pikulik oral tradition, which kept some of the past events in the shared memory.
=== Prehistory ===
Very little is known about the prehistory of the Pikuliks. The earliest records of their arrival in Ummarnu date back to around 1400’s BSS, when they exploited the weakness of the Talawans during a devastating civil conflict. They would almost exclusively settle in the northern areas of Teshub, where they had set up numerous chiefdoms. For another century, they saw very little conflict with the Talawans, as king Teke of Teshub attempted to hold out against the rest of Talawa, ultimately failing in 1497 BSS.
During their first contacts with the Talawans, it was only known that they came from the “Cold lands up north.” Most speculations point to the continent of Nieden, although no written records of Pikuliks were ever found.
=== The First Talawan Era ===
The First Talawan Era lasted from 1498 BSS to 1001 BSS. During this time, Pikulik identity as well as their religion and distinct traits have formed.
The Pikulik population would soon see their lack of organisation exploited by the Talawans. Starting in the middle 1300’s BSS, the Kingdom of Talawa would again find their footing in the region of Teshub, resuming one of their most well known practices - slavery. Initially, the tribes would fiercely resist any attempts at subjugation, however, the Talawan army was not only larger, but better trained and equipped on top of that. By the end of the 1300’s, all tribal leaders would be forced to pledge loyalty and submit to the Talawans, who would take yearly quotas of slaves, the amount of which depended on the population of the tribe.
The next 200 years would see a dramatic increase in rebellions and skirmishes all around the lands inhabited by the Pikuliks. Keeping those tribes under control was a difficult task, as they were separated by rivers, deserts, mountains and plateaus from any major Talawan outposts. On top of that, the Pikuliks began adapting some of the Talawan architecture and customs, which combined with their warrior culture resulted in powerful forts being created all around northern Teshub.
In the 1100’s BSS, the Talawans created a coastal settlement on the eastern shores of Teshub. Initially destined to become a town, it soon degraded to a small fort and monastery, still capable of beating back all raids thanks to its strong build. Although it wasn’t very impressive compared to other Talawan settlements, it was developed enough to allow for much faster reinforcements during times of rebellion, putting an end to the semi-self governance of the Pikulik tribes.
=== The Era of Turmoil ===
The Era of Turmoil lasted from 1001 BSS to 812 BSS. In these two centuries, the Talawans were yet again distracted by a war with Ardat until 954 BSS, and then took another century to recover their grip on Pikulik territories.
As Taran VI sent his legions towards the Western Mesa, a golden opportunity appeared for the Pikulik people. Not too long after the majority of their overlords’ forces left for battle, the Pikuliks finally overwhelmed what remained of the garrisons, abolishing the slave quotas and a majority of the Talawan influence built over the past 5 centuries.
However, by the 980’s BSS, just two decades after the war broke out, the Pikulik tribes would begin to squabble between each other as there was no common enemy present anymore. Divides began to form between settlements isolated from each other, borders were agreed upon along rivers, hills and biomes. The tribal leaders had begun to worry about the conflicts turning brutal, but it was thwarted by another threat soon after.
By 954 BSS, Taran VI had declared victory in his war against Ardat, successfully capturing all of the Western Mesa and dealing huge casualties to the enemy. But, worryingly for the Pikuliks, Taran VI’s aggressive policy against all who threatened his control wasn’t satisfied even by this war.
The following decades would be lived through in a state of fear on the Pikulik side - the tribal leaders knew well that if war was to break out, they’d be swiftly defeated, and nobody knew just how far Taran VI would go with his demands. During this time, a large majority of the Pikulik tribes had surrounded their main settlements with walls or created forts nearby for shelter.
This, however, wouldn’t last for long. Some of the tribal leaders would still desire to raid the Talawans in search of loot and riches. This would be a very common practice within the desert dwellers, who would take advantage of the harsh terrain around them to deter any counterattacks. By this time, they would raid not only the Talawans, but also neighbouring tribes, where they’d seek food, water and basic materials. These were vital not only to their survival, but also the continuation of their raids, which effectively hindered any attempt by the Talawans to amass larger quantities of troops.
=== The Second Talawan Era ===
The Second Talawan Era lasted from 811 BSS to 194 BSS. It began with the “Taran Decree” followed by an invasion and the reconquest of the Pikulik tribes.
In the year 811 BSS, Taran VI had given Talawa enough time to recover both militarily and diplomatically, successfully abolishing or limiting the laws of various minorities, save for the rogue tribes of the Pikulik people. He had thus launched a campaign against the most prominent group, the Geshemi. By the 800’s BSS, most of the Geshemi population was either massacred or fled to Ardat, sparing the Talawans necessary resources and forces to bring order to the other parts of their empire. One of the first missions was the long feared invasion of the Pikulik tribes, who by that time had lost nearly all cohesion.
In the 790’s BSS, Talawan forces had made their way across the Sola river, crushing all resistance on their way until they reached the main holdouts of the tribes. These tribes had been given a simple deal by the operation’s leader: “Give up your barbaric ways of life and rejoin Talawa, or you shall be massacred until none are left.” All of them accepted in fear of total annihilation. During the next year, the Talawan forces would cross the Tatisa river and receive the same response from the tribes still remaining.
In order to halt any future revolts and tame the ambitions of the local tribe leaders, the Talawans would grant the Pikulik tribes a special status. Each tribe would be reformed into a “Klan”, and each of the Klans would retain their tribal leader, now renamed to “Vodz. They'd have to resume their yearly quotas of slaves, plead loyalty to the Talawan king and field an army of no more than two dozen men. This reform would be seen as very generous compared to the brutal treatment of the Geshemis, and so the Vodzs would cease rebellions in fear of worsening the deal.
The Talawans would thus gain a supply of slaves from the Pikulik tribes for the next 6 centuries. Most of them would be transported into the very southern tip of Old Teshub, which they would repopulate after the massacres of the Geshemis. These Pikuliks would not gain their own Klan, instead being under direct Talawan control as a working force for mining terracotta, gold and running local farms to provide food supply.
However, not all of the Pikulik slaves had simply allowed the Talawans to take them away from their homes and families. Escapes were rare, and a failure meant severe punishment, but those who did succeed would attempt to make their way north, back towards their homes. Their migration was quickly stopped at a savanna just south of the Sola river, where the local population known as Baltaccs had halted their advance. These people would then instead create a small settlement, taking in Pikulik escapees and regularly launching raids against the Baltaccs in hopes of breaking through and finally reaching their homes.
=== Pikulik Klans & Tribes ===
Pikulik Klans were formally established in 785 BSS, just a few years after the subjugation of the last Pikulik rouge tribes.
==== Pikulijo Klan ====
The Pikulijo Klan inhabited all of the Eastern Savanna, a very hilly region split by the Tatisa river in the middle.
Due to the hard terrain, the Pikulijo were, for most of their history, seen as a backwater and weak Klan. While certainly not completely wrong, it wasn’t completely true either. Against all odds, they held off attacks from the Wiyrchnizomsk in the north and Golyjatsky in the south. They’ve weathered any cataclysms that had destroyed other nations.
The Pikulijo were the only Klan to fully resist the Huitcan settlers, instead incorporating them into their own culture and religion, later on saving the stories of many other Klans.
==== Slydersky Klan ====
The Slydersky Klan was the last to be subjugated by the Talawans. It had stretched along the Domeri sea, spanning from a slither of savanna on its eastern coast to the Western Desert located north of the Tatisa.
The Slydersky had developed a settlement on whatever grasslands they controlled, living off of small farms and fishing. Later on, they had also set up another village on their western coast along patches of grass, functioning in a very similar way to their main outpost, although much smaller in size. During the Era of Turmoil, they built a circular fort in between their settlements, which also had a moat dug around it, guaranteeing safety considering the state of warfare at the time.
Their north-eastern peninsula was considered a Holy Site by the Pikuliks, who built a place of worship there. It was made out of a small port and a thin yet tall tower structure, the meaning of which was never discovered nor mentioned.
After the end of the Second Talawan Era, pirates and bandits established an outpost on their north-western peninsula along with a small port. The Vodz’s of Slydersky initially used them as mercenaries to battle neighbouring tribes, however these rouge men soon turned against them and began raiding their two villages, which had very weak defences. The Slydersky would stop the invaders, but at the cost of heavy casualties and material losses. Whatever population remained fled to the savannas to the east, seeking protection from any further raids.
==== Gorolsky Klan ====
The Gorolsky Klan covered all of the Western Savanna, placed in between the Tatisa river and the Domeri Sea. It was known for its numerous lakes and a large, lone plateau next to the Tatisa.
The Gorolsky were among the wealthiest and most influential Klans of Pikulik. They primarily lived in a town on the western part of the savanna, which was known for its plentiful and advanced farms and pastures. Their diet was probably the most diverse, featuring fish, berries, vegetables, animals and even some fruits. This settlement had a large building in the middle where the Vodz lived in, and the entire populace was protected with a modest stone wall. Aside from this town, several small villages would pop up throughout the savanna, those being made up of tents and populated by shepherds.
Their plateau was considered the main Holy Site by the Pikuliks. Pilgrimages from every tribe were required to visit it at least once during their journey. On top of it was a large totem, described as having 3 pairs of arms and many colours, all of which represented a deity in the Pikulik society. Any sacrifices and valuable offerings were thrown into the “Sacred Stream” which exited through the side of the plateau and flew into the Tatisa as a small waterfall.
This Klan would later take in various refugees from other tribes, but due to the large mixture of new people, a catastrophic disease broke out in the 10’s BSS, terrorising the populace until the 20’s TE. The remainder of the Gorolsky were the shepherds who rarely came into contact with the townsfolk. They would later migrate to the Eastern Savanna as part of Pikulov’s consolidation.
==== Wiyrchnizomsk Klan ====
The Wiyrchnizomsk Klan covered much of the Northern Desert spanning across the Domeri Sea. Due to it only having two oases and no grasslands near the coast, it wasn’t very populated.
Their only outpost was a fairly well built fort on their northern part, perhaps captured from the Talawans. It existed next to an oasis from where its population gained water, while minor supplies of fish were hunted at the coasts using spears. The fort itself was built from various types of sandstone and terracotta, featuring two towers on its sides. While the warriors and the Vodz lived inside of it, the rest of the Pikuliks resided in tents just outside, and were only let inside during threats or celebrations.
The Wiyrchnizomsk specialised in raiding and pillaging their eastern and southern neighbours living on the savannas, from where they took food and important materials unavailable in the desert. Due to this lifestyle, the population of warriors was often times bigger than that of the regular members, thus breaking the limit of two dozen men enforced by the Talawans.
Ultimately, their lifestyle would lead them to their demise. As the Second Talawan Era ended, the other tribes would have fully fortified their dwellings or developed tactics to counter the raiders, such as the use of shields and early pikes. The Wiyrchnizomsk would thus begin suffering from famines and supply shortages, deciding to abandon their fort and flee to the Ildarejo tribe.
==== Ildarejo Klan ====
The Ildarejo Klan would span the remainder of the Northern Desert, though it only bordered the Tri Sea from the east and the Tatisa from the south. Its coastline was much more developed than that of Wiyrchnizomsk, featuring some grasslands, peninsulas and islands.
The Ildarejo had, similarly to the Wiyrchnizomsk, only lived in one fort, though in this case it was the Talawan monastery on the coast which was seized sometime during the Era of Turmoil, most probably during the Wiyrchnizomsk raid of 938 BSS. Due to the desert having nearly no oases and its hilly terrain, the Ildarejo would learn to live off of the sea, eating not only fish but also crustaceans and turtles which inhabited the many islands near the coast. They would gain necessary materials by trade with merchants or the Wiyrchnizomsk, who never raided the Ildaresky as there was too little to gain and the Talawan fort was still feared.
From 42 TE to 44 TE, the Ildarejo after taking in many Pikulik refugees, began to see waves of Huitcan settlers. The Huitcans quickly assimilated the isolated Pikuliks, taking over the fort and naming it Ildarea, which was later on expanded.
==== Strzybnydrach Klan ====
The Strzybnydrach Klan covered the Eastern Desert, the boundaries of which were set on various unpassable drops and rises in the plateaus and hills. They had no grasslands, but were also surrounded by harsh terrain, causing their population to be at an all-times low.
The Strzybnydrach had built a large fort on one of the larger plateaus, inside of which the entire population lived. It was much larger than that of the Wiyrchnizomsk, featuring individual buildings within. Outside, the only other construction was a mining outpost by the mouth of the Tatisa, which mined various ores and stone from the canyon nearby.
The Strzybnydrach would exchange these minerals to other Pikulik tribes for food, which they were constantly low on. To obtain other supplies, the Strzybnydrach took a dangerous gamble of raiding outsiders, particularly those easiest to access - the Talawans and Alaaris to the east. One Talawan source describes a Pikulik raid reaching as far as The Eye of Ummarnu in 176 BSS.
However, with the fall of Talawa and the other Pikulik Klans entering a crisis after the Second Talawan Era, the Strzybnydrach suffered from famines and fled north, towards the monastery in Ildarejo Klan. Their fort was later on taken by Huitcan explorers, who named it “Silverdragon”.
==== Golyjatsky Klan ====
The Golyjatsky Klan was the largest Pikulik tribe known. It covered the entire Southern Desert, which was mostly flat unlike the other dry parts inhabited by the Pikuliks.
The Golyjatsky were likely the most developed of the desert tribes, being in ownership of 2 major settlements and several smaller ones, though the latter were populated by nomads who frequently changed the place of their abodes.
The first settlement, named Golyjot after a kind of desert snake that lives in the region, was located on a flat plain roughly in the centre of the Klan. It was a large fort compared to other Pikulik fortifications, featuring thick walls and four towers. The walls and interior builds were decorated similarly to those in the Wiyrchnizomsk Klan, with large amounts of terracotta as well as cravings of texts, statuettes and ornaments. To add onto that, the Klan members not a part of the warriors or the elite lived in buildings of many kinds outside of the fort. These were mostly made out of wood, sandstone and cobblestone, with little to no decor.
The second settlement’s name isn’t known, though it was certainly much older than Golyjot and was likely their first base of operations, perhaps taken from the Talawans during the First Talawan Era. It was made up of a small fortification, nearly identical to the one in Wiyrchnizomsk Klan, having a similar shape, size and build as its northern counterpart. This settlement was placed next to the Sola river, and the local population specialised in farming sugar cane as well as fishing in the Sola.
The other settlements were groups of tents inhabited by nomads, sometimes having defences in the form of clumps of dead bushes and sandstone boulders. These changed places frequently, however a majority of those were located by the Domeri Sea as well as the Tatisa and Sola.
This Klan would achieve its strength thanks to a varied income of food and goods. While neighbouring factions were raided, including the Baltaccs, Merchants and Talawans (during times of conflict), the Golyjatsky did not rely on them for food, water or other resources, which they were usually able to obtain themselves.
This changed in the 10’s and 20’s TE, when the population of Golyjatsky began to mysteriously drop at a fast pace. This was most likely the fault of much more frequent bandit raids as well as the Baltaccs counter attacking the Golyjatsky. Although they did hold out for some time, around 34 TE a large number of Huitcans had migrated to their fort. They would quickly assimilate the Pikuliks and greatly expand upon it, renaming it to “Othinia”.
==== Kalursky Klan ====
The Kalrusky Klan had control over the islands and peninsulas on the Sola river delta, located between the Domeri Sea and the Southern Desert. As opposed to the other Pikulik Klans, the Kalursky put most of their focus on fishing and maritime trade, thus being able to sustain themselves with seafood. Other materials were imported via trade by the Sola river, which ran from the Eye of Ummarnu. The Kalursky also took in merchants from the Domeri Sea coming from Kharak and beyond.
These people lived primarily in two settlements around the westernmost exit of the Sola, which then went into a small bay and only then connected to the sea.
This first of those was a fairly large merchant town, named Kalur. It was surrounded by walls, the buildings partly carved into the steep hills on the river banks. Due to how rich and well connected it was, the amount of detail and innovativeness would rival that of the desert tribes. It was a hub for not only commerce but also outside connections for a majority of the Pikulik tribes.
The second settlement was on a point south of the Sola river, the only part of Pikulik territory to stretch south from it. Thanks to its close proximity to the first settlement, Kalur, it remained well protected regardless. On the north layed a beautiful fort, similar to those in Wiyrchnizomsk and Golyjatsky Klans, decorated with terracotta and small towers. To the south around it were located all of the regular homes, made in a cubic plan out of sandstone.
Around 0 TE, Kalursky would begin to face massive raids from the Golyjatsky from the east, Baltaccs from the south as well as frequent bandit raids from all directions. Due to the sheer amount of enemies, the walled city of Kalur couldn’t hold on and was sacked by the raiders. A Huitcan expedition created a settlement just north of the area in 112 TE, named Port Kaloore.
As for the southern settlement, once Kalur fell, it was left defenceless from the north and out of supplies. It would quickly crumble and surrender to the Baltaccs. It was resettled by the Huitcans in a period from the 90’s to 110’s TE, being renamed to Charleston.
==== Karlstonsky Tribe ====
The Karlstonsky Tribe was a tributary of Kalursky before its incorporation during the reform of 785 BSS. Previously, it served as a buffer zone between Kalur and the Baltaccs as well as bandits in the south. It’s also believed that they were the original builders of the settlement which later was known as Charlestown by Huitcans.
==== Adynsky Tribe ====
The Adynsky Tribe was formed sometime during the Second Talawan Era. It was based around a small settlement just south of the savanna inhabited by Baltaccs. The settlement is believed to have been of mixed populace, as it was founded long before the 80’s TE, indicating a shared populace with the Baltaccs or other peoples.
The Pikulik population arrived as runaway slaves destined for harsh works near the Western Mesa. They developed one of the most protected towns known to ever be made by the Pikuliks, featuring sizable stone walls as well as trenches.
Unlike the other tribes, the Adynsky most likely slowly assimilated into a flow of Huitcan settlers, a relatively peaceful end compared to the other tribes. The town under Huitca was known as Adaen, thus being used as the tribe’s name due to a lack of any other sources referencing it.
==== Zoloryjsky Tribe ====
The Zoloryjsky Tribe was the most isolated of all. Unlike the Adynsky, which were separated by a savanna and a river, the Zoloryjsky had no real chance of even returning home. Deported to the southern deserts on the tip of Teshub, separated by 3 rivers and countless hills as well as other obstacles, they were stuck.
After the fall of Talawa in 193 BSS, the Talawans evacuated the area and left the locals to fend for themselves. The Zoloryjsky fared well, although having a small population, often mixed with seasonal squatters, they persisted. This tribe remained unspoken of until Pikulia was on the brink of collapse, when Pikulovsky had found and took them with him, the only other surviving Pikuliks.
After all these centuries in isolation and cooperation with other peoples, the Zoloryjsky began deviating from how the other Pikulik tribes functioned. This went to the point where the two could hardly be seen as one group, although thanks to historical similarities, both were aware of their origins and chose to cooperate.
=== The Fall of Talawa ===
The Fall of Talawa was an era lasting in the years 193 BSS - 0 BSS. It covered the timeframe from the moment when the Audalad armies chased the Talawans out of Teshub to the arrival of first Players in Rathnir.
The war officially began around 200 BSS, however, it didn’t reach the mainland until 194 BSS, and it reached the Pikulik territories just a year later. With the destruction of Taranusha - the Talawan capital up north, it became apparent that the old order which lasted for millenia would finally collapse. Soon after, the entirety of Teshub and the Western Mesa were abandoned and evacuated to Lukka, leaving the Pikuliks and countless other tribes to their own devices.
By 131 BSS, the Talawans and Ardatians officially surrendered. Although holding out for another 60 years, now was the true end to Talawan rule over Northern Ummarnu. Of course, none of the tribes there wasted the opportunity to begin wars, raids and so on. However, with this also came a new risk and enemy - bandits and pirates.
In the past held back by the empires, now they had practically free reign over the wilderness that Teshub became. Some Pikuliks would ally with them, some would fight against these outlaws, but most simply took the opportunity when it presented itself. With this started the slow downfall of the Pikulik people. Though not clear then, many populations stagnated, especially those in the desert raiding tribes. Because of the development of new defences and the usage of those created during the Talawan Eras, the desert raiders would begin dying out, opening the door for outside peoples to raid the Pikuliks instead.
=== Early Modern Era & 1st Pikulian War ===
The Early Modern Era lasted from 1 TE to 221 TE. During this time, the first player-led nations were established on Rathnir, while the Pikulik lands were left up for grabs for a long time until the incorporation into the Huitcan Federation.
After the Fall of Talawa, the Pikuliks squabbled for some more time, and by the time the Huitcans officially claimed their lands in 34 TE, most of the tribes were well onto their decline, some already dying out. Over the next century, the Huitcan colonisation programme successfully integrated a majority of the tribes, leaving only the Pikulijo and Zorolali remaining.
However, this downturn stopped in the spring of 74 TE. A traveller originating from Nieden named Pikulow, after hearing tales about the wild, rich and peaceful lands, decided to settle in the Pikulijo tribe, which was by that time also seeing a decline in population.
Unlike the other settlers, Pikulow wasn’t an official Huitcan colonialist yet, and so he assimilated into the local culture as the population was very isolated. He then went on a quest to catalogue all of the other tribes to preserve their tales - an important part of Pikulik society.
And so, the town of Pikulia was founded, which for most of the Early Era was believed to be the only Pikulik holdout. During the next 147 years, Pikulia would see slow growth, slowly recovering the Pikulik population, although its culture and religion would remain turbulent due to strong outside influences.
Finally, in 207 TE, disaster struck. Due to the ignorance and incompetence of the Pikulian mayor at the time, a miserably failed coup was launched against the local government. This resulted in a long war lasting all the way to 221 TE, resulting in the total destruction of Pikulia. All known citizens have either fled the town or been killed attempting to defend it, only leaving individual stragglers behind.
=== Pikulik Diaspora & 2nd Pikulian War ===
This is the darkest era in Pikulik history, starting from 222 TE right after the loss of the war. The Pikulik people would find themselves scattered around the globe. Some would flee to Hiarlliia, a province of Askaru. Others would seek refuge in Aurora, others as far as Sirradra.
Although the people remained scattered for some time, one man would stop this. Hanys "Dimitry" Pikulowsky, a direct descendant of Pikulow, had reunited most of the remaining population and managed to mostly lift the exile of many Pikuliks in Berkan, including him and his son.
Several Pikuliks and people tied to them would go on to assume positions of power in the nations that they settled in. Notably, some of the Cihuacoatls in Azeraan were Pikuliks, whilst Pikulowsky went on to obtain leadership over Breakwaters Reach, a town created on the remains of the Caligula settlement.
However, the Pikuliks were not content with a life in exile. In the spring of 314 TE, Pikulovsky announced the town of Breakwaters Reach, formerly Caligula, as the capital of the Adaeni Liberation Front. A declaration of war against Berkan followed soon after with minor skirmishes taking place, a final resolution of the conflict was never achieved due to the arrival of Iristor and the end of Rathnir.
=== Arrival in Abexillas ===
With the beginning of Abexillas, the remaining Pikulik population decided to repeat the journey of Pikulow and head towards a savanna in the western parts of the world. They arrived on the continent of Iristoya, setting up a settlement called Tōćiszo during the autumn of 326 TE. Soon, they decided to resettle and become a province within Azeraan, however some went on to live in the nations of Epitchia and Uttara.
Due to a conflict between Epitchia and Azeraan, the entire Pikulian region underwent a plebiscite, the citizens voting to become a condominium shared by the 2 powers. The population has since began to build up their capital, with efforts to grow the population underway.
== Society & Culture ==
The Pikulik Culture and Society is closely connected to its heritage of nearly 2 millenia. It was added upon by the Talawans, Huitcans and the nations visited during the Pikulik exile.
=== Symbols ===
The primary symbol for the Pikuliks is the flag once used by Pikulia, now representing the people as a whole.
The white stripe on top represents the purity of the Pikuliks. These people have always admired their predecessors and culture, making its preservation and purity a priority for many.
The black stripe in the middle represents the rich history of the Pikuliks, full of conflict and darker times. It also represents the strong central power wielded by the Pikulik leader.
The cyan stripe on the bottom represents the Pikiist faith as an integral part of Pikulik identity. It serves as a uniting point for all of the various tribes and peoples.
The Chihuahua head in the middle is a representation of the God of Pikiism - Piki. It’s a holy and highly respected symbol in Pikulik society.
The stocks of wheat represent fertility and strong ties to the lands that the Pikuliks call home.
=== Language ===
Pikulik language can be split into two types. It is used frequently by nearly all Pikuliks across the globe. Regional dialects exist which sometimes differ heavily from each other, this stemming from the isolation of Pikulik populations after the 221 TE expulsion.
==== Old Pikulik ====
The Old Pikulik language was, for a long time, not written in any way or form, and was frequently looked down upon as foreign empires ruled over the Pikuliks. It took varying amounts of influence from Talawan, Huitcan and the Travelers tongue, adjusting its writing form to the one generally used among Huitcans.
Old Pikulik would, however, not remain true to how it was truly pronounced and written by the Pikuliks. Furthermore, it did not accomplish its purpose of being easier to read, thus making many users upset.
==== Modern Pikulik ====
Modern Pikulik is a language that serves as a substitute for Old Pikulik. Some variations use letters not used in the Travelers Tongue, however, the official does not contain such. On top of that, letters like v, x and q, which were used in Old Pikulik to facilitate pronunciation are not used.
=== Warfare ===
From as far as history can reach, the Pikuliks have been focused on two things - warfare and survival. To achieve these, the tribes resorted to various means, becoming much more radical while they had to defend against the giant Talawan empire.
The warring tribes usually had a set system - the men would fight in close quarter combat, while all women who could be drafted supported the armies as archers. This was a result of desperation - Pikulik tribes were very small and thus had little population, so anyone who could fight was almost guaranteed to serve in at least a few battles.
When the Huitcans arrived and the tribal divides had disappeared, the tradition began to change during the peaceful times. The role of warriors had diminished, but so has the culture of warfare overall. This did not, however, make the Pikuliks any less warmongering. They have always had aspirations to retake back all of their lands, and defend the ones they already held at all costs.
This attitude resulted in numerous conflicts with fellow towns, the province government and even the central government at times. All of that culminated in 221 TE, where, after the loss of Pikulia, warfare would yet again be seen as a vital part of Pikulik culture.
Under the reign of Dimitry and his successors, Pikulik warfare was given a new face. It now revolved on professional soldiers fighting in melee combat, with support from mercenary groups. In the fight against the enemy, total terror was to be invoked - none were to be spared. This policy was planned to be implemented during the 2nd Pikulian war but did not see any use due to lack of combat.
=== Commerce ===
Although most of the Pikulik fame came from their nearsighted warmongering, this is not to say that war is the only thing the Pikuliks seek. Several tribes have been centred around trade, usually those in the savannas. This tradition carried over to Pikulia, although it wasn’t very rich, it possessed many products and manufactures for selling. A part of this can be attributed to the Huitcan practices of commerce.
In more modern times, fishing and mining became the main sources of income, facilitated by different nations and guilds. Several Pikuliks have gotten fairly wealthy thanks to that, a thing which many others now strive for instead of simple war.
=== Literature ===
Pikulik literature can be split into 2 more categories - literature made to preserve history, and literature made in connection with Pikiism.
Historical literature was commonly found among the ruins of Pikulia, amounting to dozens of small books, each outlining detailed parts of the known world, centuries in the past.
Pikiist literature is known to be either very old, dating back to the Talawan Eras, or fairly recent, being written after the Pikulik exile. This is due to the fact that during the Early Modern Era, the town of Pikulia would go through mass secularisation. If any citizens remained religious, they’d commonly practise the religions of Goktengrism or Lux.
=== Architecture ===
Pikulik architecture is specifically suited to the only biomes that the Pikuliks inhabited, the savanna and the desert.
Although very little of the desert type is known, these constructions were usually large in size, made out of sandstone, decorated with various inscriptions and patches of terracotta mimicking sceneries and religious symbols. The general buildings resembled small huts for the inhabitants or larger forts for defence. The forts had numerous towers and walls for better protection.
Much more information was gained about the savanna style, as it was the main architectural type used in Pikulia.
The primary materials for all buildings were sandstone, oak, deepslate and cobble. Some of these, mainly the sandstone walls as well as the numerous decorations are attributed to the architecture of Tlahatl, which was visited by Pikulia’s mayors.
The oak is used for floors and pillars to support the outside structure. Windows are fairly tall and thin, having a window sill on the outside, which sometimes has a lighting source or a flower pot on it. Between the wooden pillars, a long gate-like structure is built just under the roof, which connects to small blocks of cobble on either side next to the pillars. The entrance to a house is elevated with a simple staircase in front of it, which usually has an extension of the roof above.
This type of housing takes on various forms, most commonly smaller huts, serving as homes, storage areas or underground entrances.
In more modern Pikulik architecture, the materials used have become more varied. Foundation is now built not only from deepslate, but also other polished stones. The walls are also made out of different varieties of wood as well as red sandstone. The roofs meanwhile are made out of many materials, usually rocks, their shape is also sometimes changed.
== Religion ==
The Pikuliks are known to be very spiritual and religious people. Their native religion is Pikiism, which follows the God - Piki and 8 Totem Spirits subordinate to him. Many core Pikulik beliefs stem from this faith, most notably:
* A strong importance of community, which is seen as the foundation of Humanity. Pikuliks tend to favour their region over a large empire, unless that empire is ruled by fellow Pikuliks.
* Ties to nature, which is seen as essential for the community and the individual. Pikuliks seek to make their cities as non-intrusive to the surroundings as possible.
A more detailed overview of Pikulik religiousness and traditions can be seen on the Pikiist religion page. It contains further details such as holidays, values, rituals and more.
Category:Traveler's Era
Category:Ashkavari