Regarding Widjiwat Habitations

Widjiwats generally reside in two kinds of habitations. The first is the summer lodge. This is a very simple structure comprised of birch bark lashed to a wooden frame, and topped with a mussel shell roof.
The lodge typically measures 7-8 inches at its base, and stands approximately 5-6 inches talls. The size of the lodge is dictated by the size of the shell that can be found for its roof.
Summer lodges are not permanent structures, and must be abandoned at the end of each season. That is why sometimes you will find a mussel shell lying on the forest floor far removed from the lake. The lodges wooden supports have long since rotted out, and the shell has fallen to the ground.
A summer lodge is generally occupied by a single family, and quite often stands alone wherever its builder’s whimsy led him to build it. Sometimes however a small cluster of lodges will stand together. The lodge will serve as a Widjiwat’s base of operations during the warmer months.
When the air turns cold Widjiwats begin settling into their winter digs, which are called Ficks. Unlike their summer lodges, Ficks are more permanent, and many have existed for hundreds of years. They are also much larger and can accommodate hundreds of families. Being nearly six feet tall and two-hundred pounds I have never seen the inside of a Fick myself, but I am told that they are built on a grand and marvelous scale.
Entrance to a Fick is gained through hidden doorways. Once inside, shafts descend 5-6 feet down below the frost line where they connect to the Fick. The Fick itself consists of a warren-like series of subterranean passageways, chambers, and store roome.
Each successive generation of Widjiwats add and improve upon the Fick, and many are adorned with ornately carved doors and wall panels, floors of polished mussel shell, elaborate tapestries, etc… A Widjiwat takes great pride in his home Fick. As a matter of fact when two Widjiwats meet for the first time they typically introduce themselves by giving their name and the Fick that they hail from. For example “I’m Dobwin from Dundarfick.”
For a Widjiwat every winter is like a big family reunion. The long winter is passed swapping stories, feasting, and gaming. Weddings are usually held during the winter, and most Widjiwat holidays fall during the cold season as well.
There is always work to be done, and an industrious Widjiwat will make good use of the long winter underground. Tools, which were damaged during the preceding summer must be repaired, and everything from bird saddles to fishing nets must be manufactured.
In addition to the Fick and the summer lodge A Widjiwat may occasionally seek shelter in an abandoned bird’s nest, hollow log, or under a rock. These will do in a pinch, but to live in such a shelter for an extended amount of time is generally considered Griftish.