Citlalli

Citlalli
All civilizations have turned to the stars. Whether for curiosity of their meaning, the practicality of the starlight under a new moon or merely to guide oneself, differing north from south, the stars have always played a role in history.

The Citlalli are a minor tribe from the Gehennan mainland, with about five thousand members of their own. While they are Tocathian just as most of the tribes, years apart from the major tribes and Gehenna's own chaotic environment have created minor regional and cultural differences. As a small tribe amidst the war, the Citlalli have turned to the stars for guidance, mapping them, developing a star calendar and believing them to be a sight of the spirits. Among their ranks, it's not uncommon for those attuned to magic to become Cosmic Magi.

Despite their small numbers, with the recent events in Agartha - a nation of demons, the extinction of the Atl - the Citlalli felt like they could no longer ignore it. With the aid of Ezmara, they sent a few of their Magi along with about a thousand tribesmen, including warriors and farmers alike; while it doesn't seem like much, it's a big drain on the tribe's manpower, enough to make it clear that they were taking this seriously.

Once a Citlalli takes a formal role, they cast away their former name. Whoever they used to be is now irrelevant; all that matters is who they are. Many change their appearance upon doing so; through wearing ritualistic masks, doing facial tattoos, or, for extreme members, some method of mutilation. Rarely a Citlalli remains the same after taking on a formal role within the tribe. The Chieftain is known as the Starlight, the Warchief is known as the Starburst, the Crafter is known as the Starforge and the Shaman is known as the Stargazer. It's considered an insult to call one of them by their previous name, much like flat out saying they do not deserve the role.

From the Starlight, it's expected that they guide their people with strength of arms and strength of spirit alike. It's expected that the Starlight is strong enough to lead their people to war, and wise enough to know when war is warranted. Within the Citlalli, the Starlight's word is the absolute law.

From the Starburst, it's expected that they take the spearpoint in leading their people to war, advising the Starlight on war tactics and having a direct command of the Citlalli's army, handling day to day operations.

From the Starforge, it's expected that they continuously innovate the way of the Citlalli, be it through newly found knowledge of the stars, to come up with better weapons designs, improve their fortifications, and generally guide the tribe to a better path through their knowledge.

From the Stargazer, it's expected the foresight and wisdom to counsel the rest of the tribe, from the youngest child to the Starlight itself. The Stargazer is usually gifted with clairvoyance and should rely on its wisdom to interpret its visions. While not all Stargazers have been clairvoyants, most are known to be.

Beliefs and Culture

 * An exceptional warrior that dies in combat will become one of the many constellations in the night sky. That is a great honour granted by the spirits.


 * Sacrifices are a great honour, both for the tribe and for the sacrificed. As such, they will be joyful occasion, the ritual accompained with music, food, drinks and dancing. This is known as the Ritual of Blood.


 * Once a Starlight takes on its role, it will serve until their death or retirement. There is no way to remove a Starlight from rank, and it's considered a matter of honour for an inept Starlight to realize their faults and step down, making way for their Starburst to rise.


 * The world is a harsh place to live in. Children are not to be coddled, and they have responsibility over their own decisions. Everyone within the tribe has a job, whether they are farmers, artisans, warriors or something else; to live a life of loitering is disgraceful.


 * The use of occultism and the arts of chaos is frowned upon by the Citlalli, who wish to keep the land and the stars pure, although not strictly forbidden. Considered a cultural taboo, one that dwells in the occult will be treated as a lesser by their fellow tribesmen, considered polluted and, in some cases, it may result in expulsion; some of the most extreme tribesmen will go as far as hunting down those 'sunk in depravity', though this behaviour is rarely acceptable.

The Star Calendar
This calendar was developed in the early years of the Citlalli through observation and mapping of the stars. It's composed of five different 'star cycles' that make for an year, based on when a particular constellation is burning the brightest; there are attached beliefs to each star cycle, as they think that its brightness is a sign of the spirits.
 * Tlacateccatl Cycle: Making for a proud warrior with its arm raised, holding a spear, the first star cycle of the year is believed to be a favourable sign towards war, battles, soldiers and to bold attitudes in general.


 * Yolteotl Cycle: Making for a big anvil with a hammer on top of it, this cycle represents all things of labor and creativity alike; the belief surrounding the Yolteotl is that it favors smithing, music, dancing, all things of labor and the arts alike.


 * Tonalli Cycle: Making for a big sickle, they believe that when the Tonalli is brightest is the right moment to harvest one's crops, as the spirits will surely bless the given yields.


 * Coyonia Cycle: Making for a man holding a bow with a locked arrow, this cycle represents the blessing of the use of cunning and the wilderness in activities such as tracking, scouting, hunting and skirmishing.


 * Tlamatini Cycle: Making for a constellation of stars that shape a big five-pointed star, the last cycle of the year marks when the barrier between this and the spirit world are at its weakest moment according to Citlalli beliefs. The Tlamatini will favor religious practices, rituais, communicating with the spirits and meditation.

Ritual of Blood
This ritual is a celebration of a sacrifice. It's handled with music from drums and chanting alike in a semi-circle facing where the sacrifice will be taking place; in the middle of this semi circle, members are invited to join in and dance, without any specific order, with anyone they wish. The dancing and the music will be taking place while the Stargazer prepares the target of the sacrifice; traditionally, it will be either the Stargazer or the Starlight to perform the kill. After it's done, the fact is celebrated with food and drinks, typically boar meat with local fruits and ale at will. Playful brawls are known to happen during the feast.

Ritual of the Stars
The actual ritual happens twenty four hours before the celebration, when the Starlight and the Stargazer meet in private. Whatever happens and is said stays strictly between them both, and any who breaks this confidence will be cursed with eternal shame, its spirit doomed to suffer eternally. Some speculate the Stargazer tells the to-be Starlight how they will die; others think they will read their fate. Rumors regarding the beginning of the Ritual of the Stars are wild and inevitable

Once the Stargazer clears the Starlight - or not - the preparations for the celebration begin. Two rows of drummers are formed from outwards of the temple, playing in unison a song that is akin to marking an army's pacing, making a clear path for the Starlight to walk through, where it will meet the Stargazer beside its seat. It's strictly forbidden for the to-be Starlight to take a seat on its throne before the Stargazer and complete its blessings; once the blessings are made and the to-be Starlight takes its seat, they are officially considered the Citlalli's leader.

Ritual of Heroes
The death of a tribesman is never easy to take in. To overcome grief, the Citlalli have developed their own mourning ritual; a circle is made around the body of the fallen warrior with a funeral march being played by drums, with a lute taking lead on the melody. As the Stargazer commends their soul to pass on to their next life, the body is moved by those close to the deceased towards the pyre at the center; the pyre will be lit with cosmic energy once the Stargazer declares that from stardust they came, and to the stars they return.

The Citlalli believe that a body who hasn't been burned by the cosmic energies will suffer until that is rectified, trapped in Eternia to wander and suffer. It is considered a great taboo.

After the ritual, there is a feast with bovine meat and wine, as the tribesmen tell stories of the fallen warriors, for the passing to be remembered with the joyful moments they shared, rather than the sorrow of their departure.