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rix_scaeduAlso, the new calendar is based on the idea of the Mesoamerican one. I wanted something that was different again to the two I am already using and also different to them in a way that is different to the way they are different to each other. (I didn't realise that I could use the word 'different' that many times in a sentence.)
This piece runs to 2,070 words and I hope that you enjoy it.
Brogaiday, 15 Naisen, 1893 C.E.
Sulese, 2 Sajibn, 2157 T.M.L.
8 Oztotl, 18 Kiauitl, 6.11.2.1.8.2.10
Dear Journal,
We entered the Confederation in the night and the Chief Purser has started posting the date in the Cuoahtimollon calendar. Today is the 8th day of Cave week (the Cave week?) and the 18th day of the Rain month, and 6.11.2.1.8.2.10 days (counting in base 20(!)) since our race became human. My primer explained that they based that calculation on the internal evidence of the oldest surviving hymn to one of their star or celestial deities. There is so much philosophy, science, and mathematics in that statement that I am in no way qualified to comment on that I will just leave it as "that is what they say they are counting from." I think that historians and scientist might like it because it gives you a nice, smooth timeline for long ago dates - one of the problems I had with studying history with my governess was keeping all the different calendars straight in my head.
A notice at breakfast reminded us that Cuoahtimollon officials would be boarding the ship in Htlocoahtco today to inspect the papers of everyone who was not disembarking there. It said that inspection would not commence until all disembarking passengers had left the ship, and that embarkation of new passengers would not commence until the inspection was complete. It sounds to me as if there have been problems in the past.
I sat with the dh'Savghaims and Mr Ghoydhaign at breakfast. They are disembarking today, spending a day or two making necessary calls in Htlocoahtco, then travelling to a town near the base of Xalipatl. Doctor dh'Savghaim remarked, fairly offhandedly I thought, that the current rumblings in two of the other volcanoes in the same cluster-chain as Xalipatl were nothing to worry about, and perfectly normal for those two volcanoes. He added, confidently, that Xalipatl was unlikely to erupt for at least another century and that its worst effects had never reached the town they were heading for. Mr Ghoydhaign pointed out that the people whose houses had collapsed under the weight of volcanic ash might disagree, and Doctor dh'Savghaim countered with something about hot ash flow distances. Mrs dh'Savghaim and I had more tea.
I said my farewells to them when they rose to go back to their cabins to get ready to disembark. After that, I went for a walk around the promenade deck where I came upon FirstbornSixPin and ThreeFlowerOnlyDaughter sitting on a bench seat wrapped in colourfully woven cloaks and drinking a hot drink from beaker cups. I stopped and wished them a good morning in my learner's Coac-htl. They returned the greeting and then ThreeFlowerOnlyDaughter said something to me in the same language that was too fast and long for me to understand. I used the very useful sentence from my primer, "I am sorry, my Coac-htl is very poor and I did not understand you." Both ladies laughed and ThreeFlowerOnlyDaughter explained in Imperial that she'd asked how much Coac-htl I knew and how long I'd been learning it. My answers, in Imperial, were, "Not very much, and for thirty days." They laughed again and said that I seemed to be doing reasonably well. I thanked them for their kind words and excused myself to continue my walk. They were no longer on the bench when I went around the deck for the second time.
Most of the morning's chapter in my language primer was on the difference in the future tenses of Imperial and Coac-htl. Obviously they are formed/constructed differently but what the future tenses mean or are talking about also differs between the two. [One of my thoughts on reading this explanation was to wonder why the old southwestern provinces hadn't seceded earlier.] The...disjoint is large and awkward.
It was almost a relief to put everything away and take myself to the first class lounge with my documents for inspection. Confederation citizens got two officials and two desks. The rest of us, mind you that was only Prince Osbalzir, Baron Fulcvin, and I, got one dour looking official at one desk. I let the Prince and the Baron go first because of their social rank and because they were there before me. Each of them spoke to the official, showed their papers, answered a few questions, and then were handed a coloured card that the official had written on. Prince Osbalzir's card was cream, while Baron Fulcvin's was cream with a silver edging.
When the official beckoned me over, I went to the chair and curtsied, then gave a greeting that my primer assured its readers was suitable for addressing one's superiors. He raised an eyebrow at me and bade me to sit, in Imperial. Then he asked me for my documents, so I handed him my identity card and the envelope I'd been given for just this moment. On the outside of the envelope was written "For when you undergo inspection when the ship enters the Confederation," in Imperial and in Coac-htl, "Initial entry control official." [Yes, I can read enough Coac-htl to understand that!] The official opened the envelope, read the letter inside it (twice I think) and then made a gesture that brought the fourth official who'd been hovering around the other two desks over to him. This official read the letter, looked at me, read the letter again, and then conferred with his colleague. I sat very still with my best posture and tried to look like a polite and desirable guest. The standing official asked me how much Coac-htl I spoke, and I replied that I'd only recently started learning it, so not much. He asked why I started learning it, and I told him that it was because I was coming to the Confederation and knew that Imperial wasn't going to be the day-to-day language on the streets. He asked why I thought that, and I told him that there had been a war about that, among other things, and that the non-Imperial side had won - so I expected that Imperial would not be the first choice of language for anyone in the Confederation. They both smiled at me as if I was a slow student who'd picked up a difficult concept, then the senior official produced a pink card from a box at his waist. The pink card was filled in with my details by the seated official in Coac-htl, and he explained that it was my Confederation identity card for the length of my stay. If asked for identity documents, I should produce it with my Imperial identity card. He also explained that when I reached Tlemutsiko officials there would consult their date conversion tables and enter my birth date in the Cuoahtimollon calendar. There were other blank fields, but he assured me that I would receive instructions on completing those in Tlemutsiko. I was handed both cards, wished a happy and fruitful visit to the Confederation, and told that I could go. I thanked them for their time, stood, curtsied, and left the lounge.
There was some time left before lunch, so I went back to my cabin and practised writing the Cuaohtimollon version of my name.
At lunch I sat with Prince Osbalzir and Baron Fulcvin. Mr Tototl sat with Baron Fulcvin and they talked diplomatic gossip about the Empire in several languages. I suspected that they would both be going back to their cabins later to write reports to their superiors. Miss Flame sat next to Prince Ozbalzir and opposite Baron Fulcvin. As I understand it, she travels on behalf of a wealthy relative who has charitable interests involving expatriate Cuoahtimollons in the Empire. When the Prince and the Baron spoke to me, they used Imperial, but the rest of the conversation was in Coac-htl. I smiled, ate my meal, and listened to practice my Coac-htl comprehension.
After lunch I walked twice around the promenade deck, swerving around the chattering, cloak-clad groups of men on the deck, and then took my embroidery to the balcony parlor. There were several groups of Cuoahtlimollon ladies, half of them in local dress, and half in Imperial or modified-Imperial clothing. I wasn't the only person doing embroidery, there were several drop spindles, more featherwork, and one lady read quietly to the rest of her group while their hands were busy. There was no tea tray today but we were served a little later than it would have arrived with beakers of a hot drink and little sweet cakes. The drink was dark and bitter but not unpleasantly so, although I could only sip at it. Two and a bit napkins finished today. I do think they are going rather well.
At dinner I was seated at the Captain's table (!) between Prince Osbalzir and Baron Fulcvin. It turns out that the Cuoahtimollon system for allocating seats in a formal dinner setting is different to the Imperial one and involves only sitting people who know each other together - and is apparently quite complicated when it comes to groups of people who haven't previously met. It is easier for the Chief Purser and the stewards to treat us as a group and seat us based on the Prince's precedence. Both my dinner companions speak much better Coac-htl than I do, and I found out that they are both disembarking in Zapohtitan tomorrow. [Which makes sense if the Baron is following the Prince to keep an eye on his activities.] They both explained that there is a relatively large Ostravian community in Zapohtitan. The Prince commented rather drily that his father didn't understand that most Ostravians who were this far from home were trying to avoid Ostravian politics.
The ladies withdrew to the balcony parlor after dinner, and we were all served kasoolht. It is very strong, much stronger than fortified wine, but not unpleasant. I thought it best not to finish my glass.
It sems that FirstbornSixPin and her party disembarked today but Miss Flame is still aboard and was kind enough to sit with me. Tonight she was wearing a tunic-style dress, belted at her natural waist, that finished at her ankles and was woven in oranges and reds. When I commented on her change in clothing style, she told me that she finds it best to dress like the locals wherever she is. She also told me that the other ladies, or some of them at least, would likely be friendlier tomorrow as Cuoahtlimollons like to observe strangers before making approaches.
Miss Flame travels as a representative of her cousin/foster father (she did not explain his status or business and I did not presume to ask) and when the gentlemen joined us she excused herself to discuss business with several of her cousin's associates among the other passengers. Prince Osbalzir and Baron Fulcvin brought a third gentleman with them and persuaded me to join them in another game of FiveCount. Mr Aguilayeitlalli gave me some tips on shuffling round cards and I got better at recognising the different suites - fortunately in FiveCount it's the number of the card that matters. At some point it came up that Mr Aguilayeitlalli's name is a hybrid of languages, yeitlalli is Coac-htl but aguila is not. It comes from a regional language in one of the central areas of the Confederation. From there we moved into a discussion of obscure languages of our homelands.
I was about to excuse myself to bed when a steward came in and announced that there was a fine view from the promenade deck of the volcanoes. I braved the night air, with a blanket provided by the stewards, and saw the gleam and glow of the lava oozing from the closest three in the chain that had cracked the Circle Mountains and given the Confederation road access to the Circle Sea. I thought I could see a gleam under the water and someone, I am not sure who, confirmed that there is another volcano down there growing its way to the surface. Fortunately, these volcanoes tend to ooze lava and rarely erupt violently, Xalipatl is considered the exception.
It was fascinating and beautiful, but I did get too cold eventually and had to bring myself back inside. I will have to see if they are still visible when I go for my walk in the morning.
Anadrasata Nearabhigan
no subject
Date: 2024-03-17 07:37 pm (UTC)The 260 day calendar is *weird*. There wouldn't be a "Cave" week because the way those dates go is that *each* of the dates increments each day. Essentially a 13 day and a 20 cycle running independently of each other.
Using 1-13 and A-T
1 A
2 B
3 C
4 D
5 E
6 F
7 G
8 H
9 I
10 J
11 K
12 L
13 M
1 N
2 O
3 P
4 Q
5 R
6 S
7 T
8 A
9 B
10 C
11 D
12 E
13 F
1 G
and so on until the 260 day cycle ends with
13 T, and then begins again with 1 A.
The 260 day cycle is thought to be based on the way Venus is seen from Earth.
The other "normal"calendar has 18 20 day months. As I recall, without leap days of any sort.
Oh yeah, the Long Count isn't *strictly* base 20. The second from the last digit only goes from 0 to 17. That makes for a 360 day cycle for that part of things.
The
no subject
Date: 2024-03-17 09:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-03-18 03:31 am (UTC)Sort of like having two different "weeks", one 13 days long and one 20 days long.
A good representation I've seen has them as interlocking gear teeth one gear with 13 teeth and the other with 20.
no subject
Date: 2024-03-18 04:06 am (UTC)