Shared Cultural Elements
The Calendar - 12 Months, 3 Moons, 4 months per moon, 7 days per week, 385 Days per year, 4 Seasons
(The moons are listed in order)
Ertal Moon
- 1st Ertal Moon = 32 Days
- 2nd Ertal Moon = 31 Days
- 3rd Ertal Moon = 32 Dyas
- 4th Ertal Moon = 33 Days
Laetal Moon
- 1st Laetal Moon = 32 Days
- 2nd Laetal Moon = 31 Days
- 3rd Laetal Moon = 32 Dyas
- 4th Laetal Moon = 33 Days
Sohtal Moon
- 1st Sohtal Moon = 33 Days
- 2nd Sohtal Moon = 31 Days
- 3rd Sohtal Moon = 32 Dyas
- 4th Sohtal Moon = 33 Days
The Days
Reilas (Sunday)
Mundas (Monday)
Coldas (Tuesday)
Thunlas (Wednesday)
Xedras (Thursday)
Olas (Friday)
Ledras (Saturday)
All days in the calendar year have 25 hours. The sun rises at approximately 8am and sets at around 6pm. This means that there are around 10 hours of daylight per day, and 15 hours of night time per day.
This is good news for those who live in the underworld of society... Ahem! I mean, wut?
As for the 4 seasons, they each take up exactly 3 months of the calendar (because I'm lazy that way, lol).
1st Ertal Moon - 3rd Ertal Moon = Spring
4th Ertal Moon - 2nd Laetal Moon = Summer
3rd Ertal Moon - 1st Sohtal Moon = Fall
2nd Sohtal Moon - 4th Sohtal Moon = Winter
Lingual Quirks
The modern tongue (English) is common to all five nations. However, there are some lingering relics of the old tongue that we need to go over.
Vowel Pronunciation
Vowels are pronounced universally with the Latin pronunciations of A (Ah), I (Ee), U (Oo), E (Eh), and O (Oh).
The Apostrophe
The apostrophe comes in one of four (technically five) places within a word and changes (or doesn't effect) the way the word is spoken.
First. When the apostrophe sits exactly between two distinct halves of a word, as it does in Cre' Est, it demands a short and sudden stop to the breath between the two halves of said word.
Spoken = Cre... Est.
The audible gap between 'Cre' and 'Est' varies in length from individual to individual. Sometimes it's incredibly short and almost inaudible. Other times it's long enough to make the two halves sound like two different words separated by an awkward silence. Most commonly it's somewhere in the middle. A brief pause which is just long enough to make clear that this gap exists, but short enough as well to not break the general flow of one's speech.
Second. When the apostrophe exists in the middle of a word and sits between two vowels which are not the same, as in the example of Che'itum, the first vowel is slightly elongated during speech as well as having a slight accent or emphasis compared to the second. This can sometimes be done so strongly that the second vowel is basically inaudible.
Spoken: ChEHH-ee-toom
(Technically Third) When the vowels are the same, the emphasis is dropped in favor of the elongation of the overall sound such as in the case of Li'itua.
Spoken: Leee-too-ah
Third (Technically Fourth). If the apostrophe exists in the middle of a word and between a vowel and consonant, or two consonants, as in Peur'tia, the word is simply spoken straight. In the case of "Peur'tia," however, it is notable that the "U" vowel is essentially silenced. More on this in the Cre' Est section.
Spoken = Peh-r-tee-ah
Fourth (Technically Fifth). When the apostrophe exists between two vowels within one half of a multi-part word like Te'i Sai, the apostrophe indicates an emphasis on the vowel which precedes it and makes the following vowel all but inaudible.
Spoken = Teh-Sai
Travel
Traveling is mostly done via horseback or on foot if you can't afford one. If you can't afford a horse, there are relatively cheap horse drawn carriages (with a designated rider) who will take you to your destination.
Currency
Gold is the currency of all nations save Shaharan as they operate purely on a material trade system of equal value.
Copper is the base unit of currency, and is basically the equivalent of $1.
1 Silver Coin = 10 Copper
1 Gold Coin = 50 Silver (500 Copper)
Name Suffixes
In the case of names like Egruus To' Veilbrand, you may be wondering what that "To'" is meant to be. Is it a middle name? Is it some kind of status marker? Technically, it's both.
These types of short words like "To'" are identifiers for certain aspects relating to the circumstances of one's birth. They are shared between all nations except Shaharan which doesn't really give a damn about the "circumstances" of your birth so much as the fact that you were born in the first place.
These suffixes are always followed by an apostrophe to separate them from the family name, and they are as follows:
Order of Birth
* Xa/Xe - male and female form for "first born" (pronounced "za" and "sheh" respectively)
* Va/Ve - male and female form for "second born"
* Ja/Je - male and female form for "third born"
Positive Circumstance
* Csa/Cse - male and female form for "copy of father/mother"
(basically a mini me, and pronounced with a hard "K" vocalization as if you're starting to say the name "Kevin" then followed by the "sa" and "se," so K-sa and K-se)
* Tya/Tye - male and female form for "born at noon/midnight"
(This is huge for many because it is a shared cultural belief across all nations (again, save for Shaharan) that the sun and moon are believed to be the right and left eyes of the primary God/Goddess of the nation from which you're born. The hours of noon and midnight are when those eyes are considered to be their most open and observant)
* To/Ta - male and female form for "Chosen Family Heir"
(This can be a big deal for some, particularly in Noble Families, because it's not always agreed upon which of many children born to a set of parents will inherit the family fortune, lands, etc. There can be in-fighting from time to time about which child takes over when the parents step down. So for a unanimous consent to be given to a specific child is often cause for celebration and adoration from other members of the family)
Negative Circumstance
* Jua/Jie - male and female form for "born with a bodily defect" (like a gimpy hand or missing a toe (or a few))
* Lua/Lie - male and female form for "mother died in childbirth" (it's an "ill omen" for a child to be born at the expense of the mother's life and often leads to the child being orphaned by a resentful father or other guardian)
* Dja/Dje - male and female from for "born dumb" (what we know as "down syndrome")
** (Note: I do not condone or tolerate the bullying of mentally handicapped people in real life. But in this RP world people born with down syndrome or other similar mental disabilities are labeled "dumb" by the rest of society due to their limited capacity to function "normally." Hence the "Dja/Dje" indicator that some cruel parents forever mark their children with.)
Identification
Depending on where your character comes from, they'll be "identified" using this vernacular:
Cre' Est - Cre' Itian(s)
Shaharan - Shaharanian(s)
Triveila - Triveilan(s)
Veilbrand - Veilbrandian(s)
Gweynura - Gweynuran(s)
