The Multiverse Inn

Discussions about constructed worlds, cultures and any topics related to constructed societies.
Firebird766
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

Post by Firebird766 »

((Sorry for the massive delay. Holiday stuff happened))
elemtilas wrote:"What is it to take a month away? I suppose if by 'redundancy' you mean if a councilor is unable to fulfill her duties someone will take her place, then yes. If a councilor should die or become incapacitated, then another will be chosen. Why would she not be able to fulfill her duties with a little one at her breast? That is no weakness of spirit or mind! I believe that a mother might, in most circumstances, be more ideal to offer counsel and govern wisely a whole queendom. After all, such a girl must also govern her own children and her own household!"
"The babe itself isn't the problem, as I expect she would hand the child off to a wet nurse, and then to a nursemaid to raise. That's very common among nobles, in fact," Risatri explains, matter-of-factly. Surprisingly, this isn't the first time she's had to explain this. Visiting Kyska tend to be quite surprised when they realize that nobles have strangers raise their children. "I'm not sure if it's the same for your folk as it is for mine, but birthing is very hard on the body. It is not a weakness of spirit or mind, but basic physical biology. The month would be to give her time to rest and recover her health."
elemtilas wrote:"Yes, we eat meat. We also like many kinds of vegetables and fruits, though. When I think on it, I believe we eat mostly meat, and then foods made from milk. If you mean do we rip our food from the bone, dripping in blood, the way a wolf or wildcat will before gorging ourselves, then no! We cook our food first, and if I may say so, we do a fine job of it! Even Men in far away cities appreciate our humble Westmarche cookery!"
"In Naqil, we eat mostly maize and-" Risatri verbally backtracks as something Enca said strikes an unusual chord in her brain. "You drink milk? After childhood? That seems very-" She hesitates, clearly struggling to find a diplomatic way to say what she's thinking. "I can't imagine your mother or nurse would tolerate it for so long. Dogs can be trained to allow a babe to suckle, if a wet nurse is unavailable and the mother injured or absent, but in the long-term?"
elemtilas wrote:Enca takes some time to think about that one, and Risatri can clearly see some fine motions in Enca's left wing as she sorts out what the healer is getting at. "Um, yes, I believe so! Our wing-hands can pivot the way our arm-hands and feet do, though perhaps not quite so freely as our arm-hands. See, curling the wing-hand forward a bit would make the big knob in my wing-wrist kind of like a knobby wooden club." She draws her wing back a bit, lowering the wing-wrist somewhat then gently thunks her head with it! "Wouldn't want to be whacked with that! Put a thick leather bracer with a bronze fang or two on there, and I've got a pretty formidable weapon that most folk can hardly train adequately to counter! Plus, I can always pivot my wing-hand back the other way and spread the fingers to form a screen that can block a foe from seeing me well!"
That's interesting! That's very interesting! Risatri not only tolerates the gentle thunk, but seems absolutely giddy about it. Such control! One wouldn't think that a structure as specialized as wings would have such fine control over something that has nothing to do with flying. Why, this is incredible! "How vulnerable are your wings themselves to blows?" she asks even as she unfolds a new page in the codex to sketch and take notes on (though she is careful enough to make sure the previous pages are dry enough that they don't smear, before she does). "They must be fairly strong, if you can use them for defense as well as attack. The bones aren't as hollow as those of birds, are they?"

Yeah, Risatri isn't about to run out of questions any time soon. Sorry Enca!
elemtilas wrote:Enca quietly moves her lips as she tries out some of those strange names... "I'm afraid I am as baffled now as ever before! Men devise such strange and wonderous gods for themselves! Ever seeking, rarely finding, always in possession of that which they seek! The story of how Men in your world turned their backs on the Three-Faced Sun does sound reminiscent of how they lost their wings in our world --- their first fathers, too, turned their backs on our Heavenly Father. An unwise choice when tested. It is a thing about Men we have only learned about recently, and do not well understand." She sighs very deeply, clearly moved by some long memory. "I fear our own mothers and fathers of old did the ancestors of Men little good service by our teachings! It might perhaps have been best to leave them be until they were truly ready to learn..."
"Your Heavenly Father, is he your country god? Naqil's country god is the Three-Faced Sun himself, of course, but all countries have their own gods as well. Even Muisa, with their Grand Storyteller." Naqil's primary religion took a very pragmatic approach to other religions in that it tended to add their gods to its own. It also tended to stick foreign gods in a subordinate role to its own which, yes, had led to some conflicts in the past, but this was almost probably less insulting than trying to claim that those foreign gods didn't exist at all.


((Note to avoid confusion: "Three-Faced Sun" and "Three-Faced God" are more or less interchangeable terms. There are theological connotations to each of them, but they're subtle enough that generally only the priests pay much attention to which is used at any particular time))
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

Post by elemtilas »

Firebird766 wrote:((Sorry for the massive delay. Holiday stuff happened))
((No worries!))
Firebird766 wrote:
elemtilas wrote:"What is it to take a month away? I suppose if by 'redundancy' you mean if a councilor is unable to fulfill her duties someone will take her place, then yes. If a councilor should die or become incapacitated, then another will be chosen. Why would she not be able to fulfill her duties with a little one at her breast? That is no weakness of spirit or mind! I believe that a mother might, in most circumstances, be more ideal to offer counsel and govern wisely a whole queendom. After all, such a girl must also govern her own children and her own household!"
"The babe itself isn't the problem, as I expect she would hand the child off to a wet nurse, and then to a nursemaid to raise. That's very common among nobles, in fact," Risatri explains, matter-of-factly. Surprisingly, this isn't the first time she's had to explain this. Visiting Kyska tend to be quite surprised when they realize that nobles have strangers raise their children. "I'm not sure if it's the same for your folk as it is for mine, but birthing is very hard on the body. It is not a weakness of spirit or mind, but basic physical biology. The month would be to give her time to rest and recover her health."
"Oh sure! Giving birth is no easy thing, for mother and babe! I don't believe it takes a Daine girl a month to recover, though...wait!" Enca shakes her head quickly: "Your folk don't raise your own children!?" Enca is clearly surprised as well as baffled by this. "While it's no unusual thing for a sister-mother to take a hand in caring for a baby, to give one's baby away to another girl is most unheard of! Unless the mother is dead! Not even a queen will send her children away."
elemtilas wrote:"Yes, we eat meat. We also like many kinds of vegetables and fruits, though. When I think on it, I believe we eat mostly meat, and then foods made from milk. If you mean do we rip our food from the bone, dripping in blood, the way a wolf or wildcat will before gorging ourselves, then no! We cook our food first, and if I may say so, we do a fine job of it! Even Men in far away cities appreciate our humble Westmarche cookery!"
"In Naqil, we eat mostly maize and-" Risatri verbally backtracks as something Enca said strikes an unusual chord in her brain. "You drink milk? After childhood? That seems very-" She hesitates, clearly struggling to find a diplomatic way to say what she's thinking. "I can't imagine your mother or nurse would tolerate it for so long. Dogs can be trained to allow a babe to suckle, if a wet nurse is unavailable and the mother injured or absent, but in the long-term?"
"Oh sure! Most every queenhold has its flock of milch kine --- they give the best milk. Though goats do as well. And of course from their milks we also make cheeses, and a kind of thickened milk (kefir) too. Oh! And cream and butter too!" Enca smiles & sighs...mmm smoothe butter and good sharp cheese! . . . Suddenly her eyes widen and her face & chest turn red:

"Oh!" She covers her face with her hands, embarrassed: "You meant do Nico and me still suckle!? Hihi! Umm. No! Little kids are generally weaned by about three or four years. Some maybe a little sooner. I'd say it's unusual for an older child to continue suckling --- they'd probably be swatted away and told to go play with the other younglings!"

"We have stories of lost children who've been suckled by dogs or wolves --- very powerful hunters and trackers they often become. If a mother can't attend her own baby, then usually a close relative will take her place. Giving over to a stranger...?" Enca shudders: "I don't think any Daine could do that willingly!"
elemtilas wrote:Enca takes some time to think about that one, and Risatri can clearly see some fine motions in Enca's left wing as she sorts out what the healer is getting at. "Um, yes, I believe so! Our wing-hands can pivot the way our arm-hands and feet do, though perhaps not quite so freely as our arm-hands. See, curling the wing-hand forward a bit would make the big knob in my wing-wrist kind of like a knobby wooden club." She draws her wing back a bit, lowering the wing-wrist somewhat then gently thunks her head with it! "Wouldn't want to be whacked with that! Put a thick leather bracer with a bronze fang or two on there, and I've got a pretty formidable weapon that most folk can hardly train adequately to counter! Plus, I can always pivot my wing-hand back the other way and spread the fingers to form a screen that can block a foe from seeing me well!"
That's interesting! That's very interesting! Risatri not only tolerates the gentle thunk, but seems absolutely giddy about it. Such control! One wouldn't think that a structure as specialized as wings would have such fine control over something that has nothing to do with flying. Why, this is incredible! "How vulnerable are your wings themselves to blows?" she asks even as she unfolds a new page in the codex to sketch and take notes on (though she is careful enough to make sure the previous pages are dry enough that they don't smear, before she does). "They must be fairly strong, if you can use them for defense as well as attack. The bones aren't as hollow as those of birds, are they?"
"Actually, here I have the advantage over Nico!" Enca tips out her left wing a bit so she can point: "A girl's wings are shorter than a boy's as you can see. His wings might be powerful, but the longer bones are also easier to break!" She points to her wing-radius/ulna, then his. Hers is probably a good 30 or 40cm shorter; her wing-hand is also shorter, perhaps as much as 40cm shorter than Nico's. "Our bones aren't hollow like a bird's. They're full of red matter. It's sort of like marrow, but not all thick and yellow and fatty. It's more like a thin red jelly. It would take a strong warrior to break even a boy's wing with a mace. He might leave a serious bruise, though." She wrinkles her nose, continues more quietly: "Breaking our wings, or spiking us to the side of a building by our wings was ever a favorite pastime of Men back in the old days. We're not old enough to remember, but we've certainly heard the stories!"
Yeah, Risatri isn't about to run out of questions any time soon. Sorry Enca!
((Keep em coming!))
elemtilas wrote:Enca quietly moves her lips as she tries out some of those strange names... "I'm afraid I am as baffled now as ever before! Men devise such strange and wonderous gods for themselves! Ever seeking, rarely finding, always in possession of that which they seek! The story of how Men in your world turned their backs on the Three-Faced Sun does sound reminiscent of how they lost their wings in our world --- their first fathers, too, turned their backs on our Heavenly Father. An unwise choice when tested. It is a thing about Men we have only learned about recently, and do not well understand." She sighs very deeply, clearly moved by some long memory. "I fear our own mothers and fathers of old did the ancestors of Men little good service by our teachings! It might perhaps have been best to leave them be until they were truly ready to learn..."
"Your Heavenly Father, is he your country god? Naqil's country god is the Three-Faced Sun himself, of course, but all countries have their own gods as well. Even Muisa, with their Grand Storyteller." Naqil's primary religion took a very pragmatic approach to other religions in that it tended to add their gods to its own. It also tended to stick foreign gods in a subordinate role to its own which, yes, had led to some conflicts in the past, but this was almost probably less insulting than trying to claim that those foreign gods didn't exist at all.
"Mmm --- I am not certain. We Daine have no gods of our own, nor do our countries. We don't need them, since we learned the lore of the Heavenly Father from the Teyor. Men make gods, though, and I am sure many kindreds of Men have made a god of him. We tried to teach the lore to them, but they have long forgotten. Heh! Heavenly Father came to them himself, and they still forgot what he taught them!"

"We don't have religions like those of Men either. I think the closest their religions come to what we call the Way or the Path is the Northmen. They talk funny and are hard to understand when they try to talk like other Men, but their religion is one of contemplation and practice of virtue. They even have in their shrines the sacred Fire of the West. They brought it with them when they came into these lands, and Daine of the East were impressed when they learned of it. For didn't our own ancestors bring the light of that same Fire out of the distant West countless years ago?"
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

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Evynova wrote:K'anena, I can't recall the last time I used a proper bathroom.

After quickly cleaning the dirt off of her face and hair, Náiri came back to Nico, Argenzu and Jácove.

"It's complicated." She took another deep breath and sighed loudly. "Where I come from, it is not permitted to leave. If you leave, don't ever dare come back, you will be killed.
And where I come from, Argenzu replies, spraying some pleasant-smelling deodorant in Náiri's direction to cover the smell of blood, you're not supposed to smell like coming from a slaughterhouse when you turn up in an inn.
We – the Verromani – do not eat meat. Dogs eat meat, yes, cats eat meat, and they may smell a bit after it, but we as vegetarian beings don't usually like the smell of that. I'm sorry if I sound fierce, it's just that the overly smell of blood makes me sick.

Jácove puts a piece of candy into his mouth he found in his backpack — Argenzu does the same — before asking: Uh, um, can you read?
... And write, Argenzu adds.
Languages of Rodentèrra: Buonavallese, Saselvan Argemontese; Wīlandisċ Taulkeisch; More on the road.
Conlang embryo of TELES: Proto-Avesto-Umbric ~> Proto-Umbric
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

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"Eh! I didn't ask to smell... or look like this. If I had a choice, I wouldn't crawl around in dirt and cover myself in blood that isn't mine. If that can reassure you, I don't eat meat all that much. Picking roots and berries is easier than hunting down a deer.
You remind me of those Elves. They refuse to kill anything. I've never seen them eat any animal, they'd rather starve to death. Where I was born, the land is not very fertile and it's extremely cold, plants don't grow well. We generally fish and hunt, or we set traps."


Náiri widens her eyes in surprise.

"Of course I can read and write! As I said, I was lucky to be able to get an education as a child. Many children my age were already tanning leather, or sculpting rocks. My dear parents allowed me to go to a school. Though.. I only learnt how to write in stone, I do not know if I could write on paper. Why this question, by the way?"
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

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Evynova wrote:You remind me of those Elves. They refuse to kill anything. I've never seen them eat any animal, they'd rather starve to death. Where I was born, the land is not very fertile and it's extremely cold, plants don't grow well. We generally fish and hunt, or we set traps."
We eat fish,Argenzu adds, but most of us do not eat "proper" meat. Some do for religious reasons, but meh.
Fish is healthier, anyway.
"Of course I can read and write! [...]
Though.. I only learnt how to write in stone, I do not know if I could write on paper. Why this question, by the way?"
Because Argenzu asked others here and they couldn't, Jácove says.
Argenzu rustles with his backpack and takes out a piece of paper (which is lying on a big note-book), a reed pen, a fountain pen, a pencil and an ink bottle. He then says:
I, on the other hand, know how to write with any of these, but I never held a chisel. Oh, and I'm left-handed.
He then slowly writes out the Roman alphabet, in three styles fitting each writing utensil. The reed pen is the most awkward to use for Argenzu, which he has to hold the other way around, as compared to his fountain pen (that is, the slit points towards his body, not away from it).

There. This is how I write on paper. Writing on a wax tablet is, I might think, in betwern chisel-writing and writing with a pen. It's hard, I tried it. But it's re-usable, while paper isn't.
Languages of Rodentèrra: Buonavallese, Saselvan Argemontese; Wīlandisċ Taulkeisch; More on the road.
Conlang embryo of TELES: Proto-Avesto-Umbric ~> Proto-Umbric
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

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Evynova wrote:"Eh! I didn't ask to smell... or look like this. If I had a choice, I wouldn't crawl around in dirt and cover myself in blood that isn't mine. If that can reassure you, I don't eat meat all that much. Picking roots and berries is easier than hunting down a deer.
You remind me of those Elves. They refuse to kill anything. I've never seen them eat any animal, they'd rather starve to death. Where I was born, the land is not very fertile and it's extremely cold, plants don't grow well. We generally fish and hunt, or we set traps."


Náiri widens her eyes in surprise.
Nico can't help but chuckle at the reactions of the Mousemen, but tenses noticeably at the mention of the dreaded "E-word"...Elves! "I think their noses must be very much more sensitive than mine! I hardly noticed at all."

"But these, mm, Elves you speak of;" Nico says, almost whispering the name and looking about the hall, as if anticipating hordes of ravenous Elf-warriors will burst through the floor and attack everyone in the inn! "Do they not, you know, ride out and hunt children and kill people? The only kind of, er, Elf we know of are truly nasty and miserable creatures! Very powerful are their enchantments, and no Daine can withstand them for long! It's said they're beautiful folk to look at, even moreso than us!, but inside, their chief delights are in misleading and torturing folk. Only Turghun are unafraid to face them --- they can't be snared at all!"
"Of course I can read and write! As I said, I was lucky to be able to get an education as a child. Many children my age were already tanning leather, or sculpting rocks. My dear parents allowed me to go to a school. Though.. I only learnt how to write in stone, I do not know if I could write on paper. Why this question, by the way?"
Egerius wrote:There. This is how I write on paper. Writing on a wax tablet is, I might think, in betwern chisel-writing and writing with a pen. It's hard, I tried it. But it's re-usable, while paper isn't.
Nico turns towards Argenzu, watching in fascination as he's carefully and gracefully writing out his runes. "I hope maybe this time you can tell me what all your runes mean...like, when you scrieve some words, how do the runes line up with the tongue? I ain't all that good at scrieving, but I can show you our runestaves, if you like..."
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

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"The... Elves (she looks at Nico) eat neither meat nor fish for religious reasons. They are very religious. They are called Elves because of the way they live in nature and worship it every occasion they get. I've never seen a more pacific folk, they wouldn't even kill a mosquito. Well.. that was the case before this war started. You see, many snows ago, long before I or my parents were born, folks from another land invaded our country. The Elves got slaughtered, they didn't even know how wield a dagger, the poor ones. As for my people, we already lived up North in the mountains, we did not get involved and we did not get attacked. Come to think of it, I almost feel ashamed that my people acted in such cowardice, and refused to defend these helpless folks.
But anyway. They rebelled. They want revenge. I suppose even the most peaceful beliefs cannot hold back the bloodthirst of men. This is why I cannot join them as I intended to. They have a good memory, and they blame me, me! for not helping them when they needed it. I almost got killed and I had to run away. As for the Hafnjan, they do not want me anywhere near their citadel. After all, I am but a native here, all I deserve is submission to their infamous ruler. Horrible person, is he!
She clears her throat. That, is why I have to flee."

Náiri grabbed the sheet of paper and took an attentive look. She stared at the weird glyphs inscribed, trying to make sense of them, in vain.

"It looks like an alphabet, but I have no idea what these symbols mean. We also use an alphabet for our language. Could you lend me your pen? I will try to write my name.
Oh, and what is wax?"
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

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elemtilas wrote:Nico turns towards Argenzu, watching in fascination as he's carefully and gracefully writing out his runes. "I hope maybe this time you can tell me what all your runes mean...like, when you scrieve some words, how do the runes line up with the tongue? I ain't all that good at scrieving, but I can show you our runestaves, if you like..."
Well, the letters by themselves are thought to represent the sounds of the spoken language, and they don't mean anything by themselves.

What I have here, Argenzu continues, is the basic Roman alphabet, that represents most of the sounds occuring in Classical Latin. Other tongues use special signes combined with the letters, like Buonavallese uses accent marks, while others use special letters, like Wínlandisch: They use the thorn. And often, the exact sounds written with the letters or letter combinations differ from tongue to tongue.
Buonavallese <ce> is /tSe/, but for the Saselvans, the same combination is pronounced /se/!

And what about your writing?
Evynova wrote:They have a good memory, and they blame me, me! for not helping them when they needed it. I almost got killed and I had to run away. As for the Hafnjan, they do not want me anywhere near their citadel. After all, I am but a native here, all I deserve is submission to their infamous ruler. Horrible person, is he! She clears her throat. That, is why I have to flee."

Náiri grabbed the sheet of paper and took an attentive look. She stared at the weird glyphs inscribed, trying to make sense of them, in vain.

"It looks like an alphabet, but I have no idea what these symbols mean. We also use an alphabet for our language. Could you lend me your pen? I will try to write my name.
Oh, and what is wax?"
Well, then you need a cardboard stating your year of birth, Jácove says jokingly, after Argenzu stopped talking, in big, fat, contrasting letters... if you share a comon tongue, of course.

Jácove gets out a pencil and a piece of slightly damaged paper and hands both to Náiri.
You should listen to Argenzu when he's talking about language. His explanations are worth being listened to.

But for now, show me the writing of your people.
Languages of Rodentèrra: Buonavallese, Saselvan Argemontese; Wīlandisċ Taulkeisch; More on the road.
Conlang embryo of TELES: Proto-Avesto-Umbric ~> Proto-Umbric
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

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Egerius wrote:What I have here, Argenzu continues, is the basic Roman alphabet, that represents most of the sounds occuring in Classical Latin. Other tongues use special signes combined with the letters, like Buonavallese uses accent marks, while others use special letters, like Wínlandisch: They use the thorn. And often, the exact sounds written with the letters or letter combinations differ from tongue to tongue.
Buonavallese <ce> is /tSe/, but for the Saselvans, the same combination is pronounced /se/!
Náiri scratches her head. "Why would one use a single alphabet if the same glyps represent different sounds? It doesn't make any sense."
Egerius wrote:Well, then you need a cardboard stating your year of birth, Jácove says jokingly, after Argenzu stopped talking, in big, fat, contrasting letters... if you share a comon tongue, of course.
"Well that is the problem: we do not speak the same tongue. I think some of our schools teach their language but I did not study it. All I know is that our tongues have nothing in common.
Egerius wrote:Jácove gets out a pencil and a piece of slightly damaged paper and hands both to Náiri.
You should listen to Argenzu when he's talking about language. His explanations are worth being listened to.

But for now, show me the writing of your people.
"I would love to, if he doesn't mind explaining. Can you tell me more about your language?"

Náiri grabbed the piece of paper and pencil, and wrote each letter very slowly. She held the pen awkwardly, clearly not used to writing with such a tool.

"There, she said, handing the paper back to Jácove, here is my name.

Image

Well at least, this is how it would be written if it was etched in stone. When we write on paper, we use the cursive version of our alphabet, but I was never taught it. Nobody uses cursive anyway, paper is extremely expensive where we live, and it's not like we can afford to lose time writing anything mindless. Thus, only teachers, merchants, and our Esteemed Rulers' scribes use it."
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

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Evynova wrote:"Why would one use a single alphabet if the same glyps represent different sounds? It doesn't make any sense."
Argenzu just has to reply. No way this is left unexplained: Well, because, my dear, Saselvan, Buonavallese and Argemontese are all daughter languages of Latin, where the alphabet was first used.

When the Romance languages developed, new spelling conventions were created, but the familiarity is still there.
And, of course, other people took the Roman way of writing for their language because it was either more convenient than what they had before, it came with a new faith that gained popularity, or because people first started writing in Latin and continued so when writing their mother tongue.

But there are also other ways of writing: Cyrillic and Laconian-Greek, for example, where the number of users is small, but proud of their writing.
"Well that is the problem: we do not speak the same tongue. I think some of our schools teach their language but I did not study it. All I know is that our tongues have nothing in common.
Do you have access to learning material, Jácove asks. Then you could learn the phrases, write the corresponding phrases down on the cardboard and say you want to repent.

"I would love to, if he doesn't mind explaining. Can you tell me more about your language?"

Náiri grabbed the piece of paper and pencil, and wrote each letter very slowly. She held the pen awkwardly, clearly not used to writing with such a tool.

"There, she said, handing the paper back to Jácove, here is my name.


Well at least, this is how it would be written if it was etched in stone. When we write on paper, we use the cursive version of our alphabet, but I was never taught it. Nobody uses cursive anyway, paper is extremely expensive where we live, and it's not like we can afford to lose time writing anything mindless. Thus, only teachers, merchants, and our Esteemed Rulers' scribes use it."
Then what you need is a reusable wax tablet. Our ancestors who spoke Latin had these with them all the time. I have one, too, but this one is reserved for special uses.
First, you need a frame, like the ones for pictures. Wood also needs to be on the back of the tablet to hold the beeswax in place.
Actually, you need two frames with the wax sides facing each other. Then, you need to fill the inner parts with coloured beeswax. I'd suggest some dark pigment or soot.
At last, you bind the two tablets together as if they were a book. Something like my laptop, or my notebook.
Argenzu opens his laptop to illustrate his point, but also to load a picture of a wax tablet to show the item described.
To write on them, you need a stylus. Wooden or metal, doesn't matter.
The best part is: Heat the wax slightly, and the writing vanishes. It's reusable. Just note that you have to re-fill the mold with wax from time to time. Then you can learn your cursive on the tablet.

Jácove gives the piece of paper to Argenzu, who immediately annotates it with Náiri's name, the date, hour and the circumstances leading to this artifact. Then he rushes off to the TARDIS with his laptop, makes a scan of it and returns as if nothing happened.

Is your paper made out of wood or out of rags, Jácove asks while Argenzu is away.
Which language do you want to hear more about, Argenzu asks Náiri while re-claiming his seat, Buonavallese, Wínlandish or Gnezdanian?
Languages of Rodentèrra: Buonavallese, Saselvan Argemontese; Wīlandisċ Taulkeisch; More on the road.
Conlang embryo of TELES: Proto-Avesto-Umbric ~> Proto-Umbric
New blog: http://argentiusbonavalensis.tumblr.com
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

Post by Evynova »

Egerius wrote:Argenzu just has to reply. No way this is left unexplained: Well, because, my dear, Saselvan, Buonavallese and Argemontese are all daughter languages of Latin, where the alphabet was first used.

When the Romance languages developed, new spelling conventions were created, but the familiarity is still there.
And, of course, other people took the Roman way of writing for their language because it was either more convenient than what they had before, it came with a new faith that gained popularity, or because people first started writing in Latin and continued so when writing their mother tongue.

But there are also other ways of writing: Cyrillic and Laconian-Greek, for example, where the number of users is small, but proud of their writing.
"Oh I see. That is interesting. Do you know how to write these other ways?"
Do you have access to learning material, Jácove asks. Then you could learn the phrases, write the corresponding phrases down on the cardboard and say you want to repent.
"I guess I would, if I hadn't left and got banished from my people." She sighed. "But I have nothing to repent for. I was not born when the invasions occured and besides, we protected ourselves. What they should have done instead of expecting the world to come to their rescue. And what do they do now? Raid villages, massacre innocent people, abduct children? They know what it feels like to be inflicted such injustice, and they contribute to perpetrate it even further." Her tone became more bitter.
Then what you need is a reusable wax tablet. Our ancestors who spoke Latin had these with them all the time. I have one, too, but this one is reserved for special uses.
First, you need a frame, like the ones for pictures. Wood also needs to be on the back of the tablet to hold the beeswax in place.
Actually, you need two frames with the wax sides facing each other. Then, you need to fill the inner parts with coloured beeswax. I'd suggest some dark pigment or soot.
At last, you bind the two tablets together as if they were a book. Something like my laptop, or my notebook.
Argenzu opens his laptop to illustrate his point, but also to load a picture of a wax tablet to show the item described.
To write on them, you need a stylus. Wooden or metal, doesn't matter.
The best part is: Heat the wax slightly, and the writing vanishes. It's reusable. Just note that you have to re-fill the mold with wax from time to time. Then you can learn your cursive on the tablet.
"You are using words I cannot understand. What is a picture? And what is this?! She looked at the laptop in fascination. Is it.. magic? No, it can't be..". After a few minutes of admiration, unable to draw her eyes away from the machine, she finally replies. "We do not have those where I was born. It is too cold, bees don't survive. But now I'm away from home, I suppose I could try to make some wax. Is that what it's called?"
Jácove gives the piece of paper to Argenzu, who immediately annotates it with Náiri's name, the date, hour and the circumstances leading to this artifact. Then he rushes off to the TARDIS with his laptop, makes a scan of it and returns as if nothing happened.
"I'm sorry, what did he just do?" She looked at the laptop again, perplexed as ever.
Is your paper made out of wood or out of rags, Jácove asks while Argenzu is away.
Which language do you want to hear more about, Argenzu asks Náiri while re-claiming his seat, Buonavallese, Wínlandish or Gnezdanian?
"Wood is a rare and precious resource. We burn it for heat, otherwise we would freeze to death during winter, or a blizzard. We don't even use it to build: our houses are carved in stone. But we do use parchments we make with sheep or goat skin. As for the ink.. we usually use blood. That is why it is so expensive to write on paper. It's much easier, and cheaper to find rocks to carve into.

Please tell me about Wínlandish. I like the sound of it."
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

Post by elemtilas »

Evynova wrote:"The... Elves (she looks at Nico) eat neither meat nor fish for religious reasons. They are very religious. They are called Elves because of the way they live in nature and worship it every occasion they get. I've never seen a more pacific folk, they wouldn't even kill a mosquito. Well.. that was the case before this war started. You see, many snows ago, long before I or my parents were born, folks from another land invaded our country. The Elves got slaughtered, they didn't even know how wield a dagger, the poor ones. As for my people, we already lived up North in the mountains, we did not get involved and we did not get attacked. Come to think of it, I almost feel ashamed that my people acted in such cowardice, and refused to defend these helpless folks."
"Yes, it is cowardly to leave good folk defenseless when threatened by war. Mm. They don't sound anything like the Elves we know near our lands. We'd happily leave them alone if someone attacked them! It'd be dangerous to join in, but some of would surely ally with their enemies."
"But anyway. They rebelled. They want revenge. I suppose even the most peaceful beliefs cannot hold back the bloodthirst of men. This is why I cannot join them as I intended to. They have a good memory, and they blame me, me! for not helping them when they needed it. I almost got killed and I had to run away. As for the Hafnjan, they do not want me anywhere near their citadel. After all, I am but a native here, all I deserve is submission to their infamous ruler. Horrible person, is he! She clears her throat. That, is why I have to flee."
"I'm sorry they blamed you, but I can understand their anger. We felt much the much the same during our years of captivity. Not one country of Men stood to help us; so for long while after we freed ourselves, we've remembered that abuse."
Náiri grabbed the sheet of paper and took an attentive look. She stared at the weird glyphs inscribed, trying to make sense of them, in vain.
Nico shrugs. "Looks like some kinds of runes, but they're all weird looking!"
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

Post by Egerius »

Evynova wrote:"Oh I see. That is interesting. Do you know how to write these other ways?"
Yes, I do. But that's something for another day.
"I guess I would, if I hadn't left and got banished from my people."
Argenzu and Jácove both sigh. Apart from feeling pity, the only chance for Náiri to have thinks cleared up, they think, is an elf of her home having a sip here.
There is no way they'd get into trouble of this sort with their TARDIS... The risk of dying would be too high.

"You are using words I cannot understand. What is a picture? And what is this?! She looked at the laptop in fascination. Is it.. magic? No, it can't be..". After a few minutes of admiration, unable to draw her eyes away from the machine, she finally replies. "We do not have those where I was born. It is too cold, bees don't survive. But now I'm away from home, I suppose I could try to make some wax. Is that what it's called?"
Oh, right... Well, but still, you'd need wood. Not a lot.
And that, that's my laptop, Argenzu says.
It is a machine that displays pictures, text and it plays sounds. As if you put a brain into a plastic enclosure, except that this brain doesn't entirely think for itself.

(I use italics to communicate actions and background information.)
I just made a copy of your writing inside my TARDIS... That big, beige box outside, Argenzu says.
Please tell me about Wínlandish. I like the sound of it."
Wínlandisch [ˈwæɪ̯nlandɪʃ] is a Gothic language. And it's the one I'm speaking right now, it's just being translated by my TARDIS for you.

Anyway, Wínlandish had a very turbulent history: Kingdom threatened by the Alanic seafarers, then conquered by a Saselvan idiot-duke, then the rightful descendants returned, then the Kingdom became an Empire and exported their tounge to Magellania, a different continent, where it developed in its own ways there and in the Kingdom of Wínland.
It's not my native language, but I'm really good at it... I even know some of the older language, spoken by Lefric the Brave!

While Argenzu tells his story, Jácove sits there and fiddles around with his Henry-Portman-cloak, which seems to have falken under the chair Jácove is sitting on. He carefully places the cloak back onto the chair, with the small crest visible.
Languages of Rodentèrra: Buonavallese, Saselvan Argemontese; Wīlandisċ Taulkeisch; More on the road.
Conlang embryo of TELES: Proto-Avesto-Umbric ~> Proto-Umbric
New blog: http://argentiusbonavalensis.tumblr.com
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

Post by elemtilas »

Evynova wrote:Náiri looked at Nico's peculiar appearance.

"You.. you remind me of Hafnjan's stories about bird people descending from.. what do they call them again? Gods? I've gotta say, I've never seen folks like you! You're so weird! Oh.. I'm sorry. I did not mean to offend you. I'm not used to being around people anymore. Anyway, pleased to meet you all."
Nico presses his hands together before his heart: "I take no offense! Men have thought much worse of us Daine --- but even they have fallen on their faces and worshipped us as gods in times past."

"Who are these bird people you speak of? We're not anything like birds; are these folk really like birds, or are they like Daine, winged people?"
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

Post by Firebird766 »

Evynova wrote:"You remind me of those Elves. They refuse to kill anything. I've never seen them eat any animal, they'd rather starve to death."
Evynova wrote:"The Elves got slaughtered, they didn't even know how wield a dagger, the poor ones. As for my people, we already lived up North in the mountains, we did not get involved and we did not get attacked. Come to think of it, I almost feel ashamed that my people acted in such cowardice, and refused to defend these helpless folks."
"You're not serious," Netza interrupts, uncaring of Risatri's warning glare, or even of the rest of the conversation. To him, that one line alone is absolute madness, and is therefore the only thing worth commenting on. "Elves are vicious monsters that'll eat anything they come across, and they don't even need a weapon to do it. They'll get right up in battlefields and just start killing everyone they reach."

He catches the doctor's eye. Or more precisely, she catches his and holds eye contact long enough for Netza to start looking sheepish. "I'm sure my rudeness can be forgiven since she apparently needs to be told to avoid them," he mutters. "The warning might even save her life down the line."
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

Post by elemtilas »

Egerius wrote:
elemtilas wrote:Nico turns towards Argenzu, watching in fascination as he's carefully and gracefully writing out his runes. "I hope maybe this time you can tell me what all your runes mean...like, when you scrieve some words, how do the runes line up with the tongue? I ain't all that good at scrieving, but I can show you our runestaves, if you like..."
Well, the letters by themselves are thought to represent the sounds of the spoken language, and they don't mean anything by themselves.

What I have here, Argenzu continues, is the basic Roman alphabet, that represents most of the sounds occuring in Classical Latin. Other tongues use special signes combined with the letters, like Buonavallese uses accent marks, while others use special letters, like Wínlandisch: They use the thorn. And often, the exact sounds written with the letters or letter combinations differ from tongue to tongue.
Buonavallese <ce> is /tSe/, but for the Saselvans, the same combination is pronounced /se/!

And what about your writing?
Nico takes up one of the strange scrievewands in his left hand and writes his name, then trying a different wand writes out Argenzu's and Náiri's and then Jacove's using the crayon-like wand. Lastly, he tries his hand at Argenzu's own mystifying runes. "Sorry, friend, but I'm rather afraid I've made a terrible mess of your runes!"

Lastly, he points to each of the treerunes he's written and indicates what sound they make and how they can by modified by little leafrunes below or to the side of the main rune, like this:

Image
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

Post by elemtilas »

Firebird766 wrote:"You're not serious," Netza interrupts, uncaring of Risatri's warning glare, or even of the rest of the conversation. To him, that one line alone is absolute madness, and is therefore the only thing worth commenting on. "Elves are vicious monsters that'll eat anything they come across, and they don't even need a weapon to do it. They'll get right up in battlefields and just start killing everyone they reach."

He catches the doctor's eye. Or more precisely, she catches his and holds eye contact long enough for Netza to start looking sheepish. "I'm sure my rudeness can be forgiven since she apparently needs to be told to avoid them," he mutters. "The warning might even save her life down the line."
Are all Men so suicidal! Nico is clearly upset at so many mentions of the name of the vicious monsters who ought never be named: how can they so calmly and matter-of-factly invoke the very name?

"Huy! Mister! Aren't you at all worried they'll burst into even this place and murther us all! You are so right about their nature, or leastways these brutes live near your country and mine! They'll smile kindly and speak mellifluously and bind you in their spells, and then merrily split your chest open and smush your heart til it stops beating! I don't want them to come here and try that on us! I won't be able to defend myself against their power, let alone anyone else!"

((Fortunately for Nico, I don't think the Inn would ever allow an Elf of The World into its confines --- they're definitely not the type you invite in for a bit of chat over a cold cyder and tell me all about your language and people! But he worries all the same.))
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

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((Fun fact: because the people of Naqil don't use dairy and never have, every single one of them is lactose intolerant.))
elemtilas wrote:"Oh sure! Most every queenhold has its flock of milch kine --- they give the best milk. Though goats do as well. And of course from their milks we also make cheeses, and a kind of thickened milk (kefir) too. Oh! And cream and butter too!" Enca smiles & sighs...mmm smoothe butter and good sharp cheese! . . . Suddenly her eyes widen and her face & chest turn red:

"Oh!" She covers her face with her hands, embarrassed: "You meant do Nico and me still suckle!? Hihi! Umm. No! Little kids are generally weaned by about three or four years. Some maybe a little sooner. I'd say it's unusual for an older child to continue suckling --- they'd probably be swatted away and told to go play with the other younglings!"

"We have stories of lost children who've been suckled by dogs or wolves --- very powerful hunters and trackers they often become. If a mother can't attend her own baby, then usually a close relative will take her place. Giving over to a stranger...?" Enca shudders: "I don't think any Daine could do that willingly!"
Well, Risatri had certainly assumed things wrongly. Well, it happened. She didn't know everything in the world, and there was no point in pretending she did, so there was no shaming in guessing wrong every once in a while. She didn't know what a milch kine or a goat was, or even for that matter what cream, butter, or cheese was either. She was going to assume they were some sort of dish made with... okay it was just weird thinking about cooking with milk. Even if it was, somehow, milk from say, dogs, instead of mothers. Gah, foreigners. "My people do not take milk from animals for normal food, and neither do any of the people I know of, other than you yourselves," she says, shrugging. "Please excuse my confusion."

"Now, as for your other concern," she explains, leaping on the topic she could discuss without crinkling her nose with distaste. "Nobles are very busy people, so it makes sense for them to leave nursing and rearing to trusted servants or slaves. They are all part of the House, so it isn't like they're just handing the babes off to strangers on the streets. The slaves are often trained specifically for the task, and as they have no other duties in the House, they cannot become distracted and have their attention wander from their charge."
elemtilas wrote:"Actually, here I have the advantage over Nico!" Enca tips out her left wing a bit so she can point: "A girl's wings are shorter than a boy's as you can see. His wings might be powerful, but the longer bones are also easier to break!" She points to her wing-radius/ulna, then his. Hers is probably a good 30 or 40cm shorter; her wing-hand is also shorter, perhaps as much as 40cm shorter than Nico's. "Our bones aren't hollow like a bird's. They're full of red matter. It's sort of like marrow, but not all thick and yellow and fatty. It's more like a thin red jelly. It would take a strong warrior to break even a boy's wing with a mace. He might leave a serious bruise, though." She wrinkles her nose, continues more quietly: "Breaking our wings, or spiking us to the side of a building by our wings was ever a favorite pastime of Men back in the old days. We're not old enough to remember, but we've certainly heard the stories!"
"I have many a story about the horrible things people do to each other, but I doubt you want to hear them," Risatri says, quite firmly on the latter part of that sentence. Naqil didn't exactly have patient confidentiality agreements, but it was still considered distasteful for doctors to start gossiping about their clients. She looks closer at Enca's wing, then glances over at Nico's. "I can't see very well under the feathers. Are the bones thicker on yours than on his? Is the length the primary difference?"
elemtilas wrote:"Mmm --- I am not certain. We Daine have no gods of our own, nor do our countries. We don't need them, since we learned the lore of the Heavenly Father from the Teyor. Men make gods, though, and I am sure many kindreds of Men have made a god of him. We tried to teach the lore to them, but they have long forgotten. Heh! Heavenly Father came to them himself, and they still forgot what he taught them!"
"Is the Heavenly Father not a god, then? Perhaps a distant ancestor instead, like those that the Kyska pay respect to?" That's the only explanation Risatri has for why the Daine claim allegiance to this Heavenly Father, but don't call him a god. He clearly has to be something after all.
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

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Firebird766 wrote:
elemtilas wrote:"Oh!" She covers her face with her hands, embarrassed: "You meant do Nico and me still suckle!? Hihi! Umm. No! Little kids are generally weaned by about three or four years. Some maybe a little sooner. I'd say it's unusual for an older child to continue suckling --- they'd probably be swatted away and told to go play with the other younglings!"
Well, Risatri had certainly assumed things wrongly. Well, it happened. She didn't know everything in the world, and there was no point in pretending she did, so there was no shaming in guessing wrong every once in a while. She didn't know what a milch kine or a goat was, or even for that matter what cream, butter, or cheese was either. She was going to assume they were some sort of dish made with... okay it was just weird thinking about cooking with milk. Even if it was, somehow, milk from say, dogs, instead of mothers. Gah, foreigners. "My people do not take milk from animals for normal food, and neither do any of the people I know of, other than you yourselves," she says, shrugging. "Please excuse my confusion."
Enca giggles, her eyes narrowing mirthfully: "Don't apologise! How could you know? Anyway, it's not like it never happens --- sometimes lovers will do that. But your folk drink no milk at all?" She pauses, as if the thought itself were incomprehensible in its cosmic ramifications: "You don't even have butter or...or cheese‽‽" Foreigners! How very strange they can be, for all we might share in common. Enca's brows furrow slightly at the thought of how deprived Risatri's poor folk must be.
"Now, as for your other concern," she explains, leaping on the topic she could discuss without crinkling her nose with distaste. "Nobles are very busy people, so it makes sense for them to leave nursing and rearing to trusted servants or slaves. They are all part of the House, so it isn't like they're just handing the babes off to strangers on the streets. The slaves are often trained specifically for the task, and as they have no other duties in the House, they cannot become distracted and have their attention wander from their charge."
Enca's finger tip wanders up behind her fang: "Slaves ... ngng. But if they are truly folk of one's House, then that I can understand. It is so among us as well: the sisters and brothers of a child's mother or sister-mother áre her mothers & fathers, and also their children are her sisters & brothers. It is no strange thing to see a child in their company!"
Firebird766 wrote:"I have many a story about the horrible things people do to each other, but I doubt you want to hear them," Risatri says, quite firmly on the latter part of that sentence. Naqil didn't exactly have patient confidentiality agreements, but it was still considered distasteful for doctors to start gossiping about their clients. She looks closer at Enca's wing, then glances over at Nico's. "I can't see very well under the feathers. Are the bones thicker on yours than on his? Is the length the primary difference?"
"No indeed! Tales of wickedness weigh too heavily in the heart. They are not properly told in such a wonderous place as this, or among such company!"

"Oh, our bones are about the same size. We're the same height and the same build --- I know Men are quite different in this regard. Their boys are, um, huskier? A little more robust of build than their girls. Among Daine, girls and boys are much more alike." Suddenly Enca smiles, almost wickedly: "Or have you forgotten dear Risatri, you thought I was a boy when we first spoke! The main difference between us is my wing bones are shorter."
Firebird766 wrote:
elemtilas wrote:"Mmm --- I am not certain. We Daine have no gods of our own, nor do our countries. We don't need them, since we learned the lore of the Heavenly Father from the Teyor. Men make gods, though, and I am sure many kindreds of Men have made a god of him. We tried to teach the lore to them, but they have long forgotten. Heh! Heavenly Father came to them himself, and they still forgot what he taught them!"
"Is the Heavenly Father not a god, then? Perhaps a distant ancestor instead, like those that the Kyska pay respect to?" That's the only explanation Risatri has for why the Daine claim allegiance to this Heavenly Father, but don't call him a god. He clearly has to be something after all.
"An ancestor? Mmm... Well, the monks teach that the whole world is of his making and all the peoples of the world are his children, in their different kindreds. Even the wickedest of Hotai and the most sublime of Teyor. We all have in our hearts a shimmer of his Light. Is that kind of what you mean?"
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Re: The Multiverse Inn

Post by Egerius »

Firebird766 wrote:Clement holds up a hand with all of the fingers outstretched. He considers the question some more, and tucks in his thumb.

"Only four cars? Really?"

The shorter man shrugs, then takes his other hand and holds up one finger.
Argenzu grabs has camera and makes a photo.
Jácove looks at Argenzu: Did you just... That's going to the archive, right?
Of course it does, Jácove. Everything goes to the archive in Buonavalle, Argenzu answers.
That comment was clearly not meant for either of the duo, but they see fit to answer anyway. Clement rolls his eyes and chortles, while Vince says, "Sure, in fairy tales and con artist's stories. There's always someone out there claiming they have some piece of flash which magic powers that Uil came down from the heavens to give him. It's all garbage."
The last one sounds like the typical “Neo-Prophet” from the Magellanen confederation. Jácove sighs.
Is there something particular you'd like to know from us?
elemtilas wrote:Nico takes up one of the strange scrievewands in his left hand and writes his name, then trying a different wand writes out Argenzu's and Náiri's and then Jacove's using the crayon-like wand. Lastly, he tries his hand at Argenzu's own mystifying runes. "Sorry, friend, but I'm rather afraid I've made a terrible mess of your runes!"

Lastly, he points to each of the treerunes he's written and indicates what sound they make and how they can by modified by little leafrunes below or to the side of the main rune, like this:
Spoiler:
Image
Doesn't... matter... Argenzu mumbles, captivated by the tree-runes.
That looks wonderful.
Languages of Rodentèrra: Buonavallese, Saselvan Argemontese; Wīlandisċ Taulkeisch; More on the road.
Conlang embryo of TELES: Proto-Avesto-Umbric ~> Proto-Umbric
New blog: http://argentiusbonavalensis.tumblr.com
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