THE EHECALLI

(eh-hey-CAL-li)

The Wind Homes of the Chichimeca

The Huitznahua brought the Chichimeca to space, taught them quickly, then cast them adrift in space to protect Tamoachan while the Azteca learned at a more leisurely pace. The savage Chichimeca adapted well to the challenges and there and made the small spaces in their ships and mecha into homes. They ventured into the asteroids of the Tamoachan system, eventually colonizing the system's Lagrange points, which they called Ehecalli, or "Wind Homes." Unlike the Azteca they were not divided into groups with a patron deity among the Huitznaha. They continue to worship all the the Huitznaha in the same manner as they did on earth - that is to say, very little. The Dog People have always relied more on their own ferocity than the assistance of any "gods" and this emphasis on self reliance continues to this day.

The ways of a warrior people are hard. There are no castes within the Chichimeca. Everyone works as hard as they can at any task that is required, and all are trained as warriors. The only exception to this is the warrior elite, known as the Teotleco (tay-oh-TLAY-koh) or "Returning Gods". The Teotleco get the best of everything within Chichimeca society - the freshest food, the best mecha, the first selection of mate, etc. However, the Teotleco do not abuse these privileges. They have been trained since birth that these boons are for the betterment of their culture and that they must work as hard or harder than everyone else in order to achieve that goal. The Dog People lead a harsh and exacting life, and even the Teotleco have been known to meet with fatal "accidents" after repeatedly abusing their position. As a culture, they are quite team-oriented in battle, and care for the welfare of their own (be they Chichimeca or simply members of their team) before any other.

The Chichimeca live in the five Lagrange points in the asteroid belts between the gravity wells of Tonatiu and Ixlanticuhtli. This asteroid belt is called Ollintilco (oh-lin-TIL-co) or "Place of Motion". The culture has created many asteroid bases throughout the belt, and typically moves between them at random times to prevent detection by their enemies.

The Dog People typically view their Azteca allies as weak and overly dependent upon the assistance of the Huitznaha Their attitude towards the current War of Flowers is a mercenary one - they will ally with any side for the right price. They have a reputation as being unreliable allies, more than willing to leave an "ally" in a bad position if it furthers their own goals and purposes, but they are also known to be fierce fighters, very skilled, and produce excellent mechs and powersuits.

Mecha and powersuits are always wildly individual and distinctive. They are typically covered with designs and fetishes showing the bravery and ferocity of the crewmen within. They are often painted in loud colors that clash in barbaric, but splendid fashion. Undiluted colors are common, with bright yellows, greens, oranges, blues, and reds being most common. The warriors of the Dog People paint their bodies the same way, and are seldom seen in public without body paint and numerous piercings.