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The Zykla see themselves as the ‘people of the Sun and Moon’ and their divine purpose was to supply the Sun and Moon with nourishment by offerings of blood, hearts, flesh, and souls because without that, they believed, the Sun and Moon would disappear and the entire universe as they knew it, would come to an end.
Depending on the Zykla, a sacrifice may be devoted to either the Sun or Moon. It is rare but not uncommon however to switch up the routine and devote a sacrifice to the opposite every now and again while still paying homage to the primary God of choice. For example; should a Zykla devote most of his/her sacrifices to the Moon; the Soul-keeper, he/she might, in turn, devote one or two sacrifices to the Sun; the Soul-eater. Primarily in hopes of not making the other God jealous and in turn wreak havoc upon the Earth. This is an extremely rare case for a Zykla to make an offering to both Sun and Moon. This is based on a personal level with little to no records showing a full Zykla tribe being willing to sacrifice to both. However, the Zykla that offers a sacrifice to the opposite deity will experience some drawbacks. Fuel for their bloodforce will not be provided in addition to experiencing extremely lethargic and sickly for the next 24 hours.
The Sun and Moon derived their nicknames primarily due to the stars. Zykla see the stars as the souls of their ancestors and the Moon as their keeper, thus Soul-Keeper. While during the day, the souls are hidden away as the Sun is known to eat the souls that pass beneath him, thus Soul-Eater. Zykla will do their best to prolong a death so that they might pass under the protection of the Moon's blanket than be devoured by the Sun's bright gaze during the day. Such is similar to sacrifices.
Depending on which God the Zykla devotes themselves to is often when their personal sacrifice is made. Feeding the Sun the sacrificial soul, or condemning the soul to the protection of the Moon.
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Zykla spend a portion of their lives in the tree canopy or stone complexes on the ground. These protect them from the elements, and from predators. These complexes can be quite elaborate and well-organized, with separate chambers for food storage, nurseries, water reservoirs, sleeping chambers, and other uses. They learn other languages easily, and can pronounce many common sounds to varying degrees, but have no formal language of their own. They communicate via calls, body language, scents, and touch.
Zykla typically do not wear a lot of clothing. The warm, humid environment of the rainforest does not require this of them. They have no stigma of modesty regarding nudity. However, each Zykla den has a chamber near the entrance that stores protective robes and cloaks for traveling over open land. Both the harsh sun and the blinding sandstorms outside of the forest's limits make complete body coverage an absolute necessity when on the ground.
To prevent inbreeding, Zykla pups are exiled from their home dens as soon as they are weaned. Littermates are usually exiled simultaneously and often stay together for several months after the exile before finally parting ways.
Zykla are also prideful, confident creatures that believe they deserve respect and honor, especially when dealing with non-Zykla.
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Zykla are primarily omnivores, though they have been known to be opportunistic scavengers. While most prefer to have a more meat-heavy diet, roots and wood resin incorporated in their diet helps the viscosity of their tar producing glands.
Cooking
Zykla specialize in cooking with fire and fermentation for their preparations. Dehydrating is probable but a very primitive method and is typically reserved for just for meats.
Gathering
Depending on the Zykla's location will determine how they collect their food. If they're in a larger village/city, they typically have hunting / gathering parties that they'll cook and prep once they're back home. While Zykla who live in more remote places and smaller clans will typically hunt and eat their findings on the spot.
Cannibalism
Everyone is fair game - meat is meat. Without much of a second thought, Zykla will happily turn another sentient being into a meal. However, Zykla will very rarely eat other Zykla without a good cause. Such as during times of drought, they will cannibalize their own kind. However, bastard Zykla are never consumed as they are considered tainted. Eating a bastardized Zykla has placed rumors of causing low/limited Bloodforce to those whom typically have a high value of Bloodforce.
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Educational classes are required up to the age of 10. Lessons ranged from reading calendars, writing, worship, and how to fit in with society. After the age of 10 this allows the Zykla to branch off to a profession of their choosing and continue their education in this specific class.
The Zykla have no iron or bronze with their tools and weapons. Therefore, the Zykla have developed means for creating effective tools and weapons without the benefit of these metals. For this reason, many Zykla tools are crafted from obsidian, chert, copper or stone. Axe blades, for example, were often crafted with either stone or copper.
Zykla often domesticate animals for pets (Macaws, King fishers, snakes, small felines, canines, rats, ferrets, etc.), for hunting (Tigers, leopards, King Vultures, Hyenas, etc) , and for transportation; such as mules, horses, bison, and larger breeds of cows. Crafting wagons and buggies for these animals to pull or crafting saddles for riding. They also travel by canoes when waterways were a swifter means of transporting themselves and their goods throughout the many canals and lakes found within their homeland. (Domesticated animals vary upon Zykla locations)
The Zykla were also advanced in the development of medicine. In fact, Zykla medicine was found in many forms, such as ointments, drinks, and salves.
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On the off chance that a striped Zykla has survived, there are some negatives and positives to their survival.
Striped Zykla tend to be more technologically inclined. For example, should they become exposed to clockwork/steampunk technology, they would be able to pick up the mechanics and general workings quicker than that of a purebred Zykla. However, that doesn't mean a purebred Zykla wouldn't be able to learn this technology, Striped Zykla are simply more adept at grasping it a little faster. So much so, there have been stories of clan-found tribes, villages, and cities with more clockwork technology because they chose to house their striped Zykla residents.
This is in the same tune that Striped Zykla easily adapt to their surroundings and seem to be more open-minded; easily taking things from other cultures and implementing them and improving them to accommodate a more Zyklian view and adaptation. This also includes being able to learn elemental artistry a little more easily.
Whispers have been heard arguing that Striped Zykla are more devout, as they tend to find that they need to work harder to win the approval of their deity. This is on top of the proven fact that striped Zykla heal much slower than purebred Zykla because they do not house the microscopic organism that feeds on their tar glands within their bloodstream to assist with the regeneration process.
Interestingly enough, conceiving is significantly harder for striped Zykla. If one of the parents is a striped zykla and the other is Purebred, the chance of conceiving is roughly 45%. Whereas, if both parents are striped zykla, the chances are significantly lower, roughly 10%-15%. Additionally, if they managed all odds and they birth twins, 99% of the time one of the twins will be a striped Zykla.
