Daily Life & Survival

Most fels live in tune with the natural rhythms of Ephron, rising with the sun and sleeping in two distinct intervals. Most wake at dawn, share a modest meal, and begin the day’s cycle of work, study, and community life. At dusk, they eat again and enter a biphasic sleep pattern: sleeping for a few hours, rising around midnight for watch, then returning to rest before dawn.

Midnight watch is a sacred and practical time. Some fels stand literal watch over the colony’s borders, while others tend to private tasks: preserving herbs, stoking firepits, divining, or reflecting in solitude. This quiet time is seen as liminal, and often used for magic, art, or connection with the self or spirits. During waking hours, daily life depends entirely on one’s role and the needs of the colony. Many Combatants report to their superiors for the day’s assignments - typically patrols or hunts - while Keepers focus on maintaining, repairing, or providing for the colony. Tutors guide Cadets and Pupils through one-on-one training or bring them along during their duties to learn by example.

Most homes are built from cob - a sturdy, breathable mixture of clay, sand, straw, and water with a bamboo or wooden frame underneath - shaped by hand and designed to be one with the land. These structures are often rounded or sloped, blending into the terrain. Rooftops are typically covered with thatch, moss, or cultivated garden beds, which help insulate the home and return growth to the space it occupies. Construction is a communal act; While Architects guide the process, homes are raised with the input and labor of the homeowner, neighbors, and community members. It is said that a home remembers its makers, and many fels personalize their shelters with carvings, markings, or built-in shrines. Some even embed heirlooms or objects of meaning into the walls during construction, believing it protects the home from intruders.

Creature companionship among the Arkafelari in the early days was rare and often regarded with caution. While most viewed taming creatures as unnatural and almost dangerous, a quiet exception was made for Nightsongs - clever, watchful mimics raised from fledglings. These birds, considered messengers or soul-bound mirrors, are not treated as pets but as extensions of the self. Other attempts at domestication were frowned upon or feared, especially when involving predators or wild beasts, which are seen as volatile and disruptive. Among larger colonies, however, efforts to tame small fowl emerged as a means of feeding their swelling numbers.