Bitol

Artisans who build large structures with materials infused with cu'ucuch'ik. Stones, plaster, and trowels with this gebvelic energy in it are commonly used.

Towering

The first step to wielding cu'ucuch'ik is to draw it forth from a structure. To do this, one must build a facsimile of the structure one wishes to build, often using materials replete with the energy, but always with materials that do not contain energies of one of the three aligned powers. Once the structure is built (a process called towering, because this was original done with towers), the bitol positions the structure before the place they will build the full structure.

Shapes

The shape of the structure is a critical part of generating the cu'ucuch'ik. Fundamental shapes - rectangle, triangle, circle, any polygon up to octagon - generate the most power. Though the structures can be complex, the use of these fundamental shapes in specific parts of the structure - especially towers - generate the energy.

Formation and Calling

The bitol then must position themself exactly, precisely 14' from the structure, bury their feet in the ground (or cover them in natural materials nearby, if the ground cannot be opened). Then they must raise their tools up (even if it is merely their bare hands) and call to the structure. The number of times they call depends on the size of what they intend to build, but it will be no more than 49 and no less than seven. Once they hit the right number, always a multiple of seven, the fascimile will glow.

Building

When the bitol begins building after this, the glow will follow them through the whole process, fading as they go. Once they finish, the glow will be gone, and the structure will have bonuses to every facet of solidity, of strength, of fortification. It will make it more dependable and lasting.

Materials

The most vital part of the process is the materials. The most powerful are those materials that naturally have cu'ucuch'ik in them, materials that resonate when used to build something.

Stones

There are 10 stones known for their building resonance:

• Saqpek: an alabaster that reacts to the materials around it.
• Seb': the most malleable, reactive form of clay.
• Sascab: limestone that strengthens the stone around it.
• Chayayih: a form of marble, usually pinkish red, that stays warm and cuts easily.
• Tzuulpek: a travertine that smooths out with ease.
• Samahi'pek: sandstone that hardens or softens as the bitol wills.
• Sakjachinak'pek: slate that is either smooth or rough depending on the need of the builder.
• Pekp'ax: quartzite that crumbles easily for building purposes but stays hard when needed.
• Kawpek: a form of granite that is so potent that it adds +6 to any building done with it.
• Pekxam: basalt that responds to the touch of the bitol.

Most of these stones are found commonly in central Palhur. Cho'otonel pek is a unique stone found on the top of a tower in central Palhur that is a major source of cu'ucuch'ik, currently making the tallest tower in the region invulnerable.

Woods

The forms of wood best for a bitol:

• Aahuatla: an oak tree common in central Palhur that is the most malleable yet firm wood in the world when it comes to building, but useless for anything else.
• Ukhama: maple wood from eastern Palhur commonly used for strong walls, but that keeps growing after used, thus making walls taller than when they were built.
• Xocotetic: a plum wood from central Palhur that forms round shapes quickly and easily.

Metal

There is one metal, made by expert metallurgists in central Palhur, called yichu, that is preferred by bitols for its energies.

Glass

The primary glass used by bitols is called teitztli, a form of laminated glass that resonates with cu'ucuch'ik.

Plasters

The plaster used by bitols is always fhurnik, a mixture of unaligned sand and water with ground up stone (one of the above listed).

Tools

The most important tools for a bitol are their trowel and apron:

• Apron: the apron is adorned with the symbol of the bitol caste, an agouti.
• Trowel: the trowel is made from yichu and shaped with a perfect triangle head.

Variations

In central Palhur, there are a few variations of the bitol:

• Ilu'uy: a bitol who are called in when a building collapses so they can figure out why it happened.
• Mahuiltiliztli: in central Palhur, bitols sometimes focus on creating structures that are massive playhouses for children.

Some other culture's variations include

• Aanupanyarshin: in northeastern Dabusen, bitols create massive statues instead of buildings.
• Chalybion: in western Palhur, bitols have learned to use mud dauber nests as their facsimiles, fashioning structures that mimic them.
• Ferfalsking: in Jesenya, some use the powers bitols use but for forging fake buildings and structures as part of complex scams.
• Great Windslow: in various parts of Ansulym and Starfall, sideshowmen employ bitols to build their carnivals.
• Jahajakara: in subcontinental Dabusen, instead of bitols shaping buildings, the jahajakara build massive ships through the same process.
• Mea kalailai: in the southern Island Bridge, many architects have learned to use some of the bitol's skills in their work.
• Structural engineer: in Merukis and some parts of Starfall, engineers have learned to use some of the bitol's skills in their work.
• Set master: in the theatre, some set-builders have figured out the process bitols use as well.

Skills

Some common skills include

• Architecture
• Mixing
• Building
• Carpentry
• Masonry
• Metallurgy
• Smithing
• Design
• Materials science

Stats

Modifiers from base of nation/species:

PRO /
ATH -1
STR +3
AWA +2
WIL /
STH /
PRS -1