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build.sh
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#!/bin/bash
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!/bin/bash
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rm -f assembled.pdf
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# rm -f assembled.pdf
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convert media/cover.jpg cover.pdf
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pandoc --variable=geometry:a5paper wiktopher3.md --pdf-engine=xelatex --from markdown+simple_tables+line_blocks+multiline_tables+inline_notes --toc -V toc-title:"Table of Contents" --toc-depth=2 --include-in-header=titlesec-conf.tex -o draft.pdf
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pandoc --variable=geometry:a5paper wiktopher3.md --pdf-engine=tectonic --from markdown+simple_tables+line_blocks+multiline_tables+inline_notes --toc -V toc-title:"Table of Contents" --toc-depth=2 --include-in-header=titlesec-conf.tex -o draft.pdf
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pdfunite cover.pdf draft.pdf wiktopher.pdf
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# # build epub
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pandoc wiktopher3.md --from markdown+simple_tables+line_blocks --toc -V toc-title:"Table of Contents" --toc-depth=2 --epub-metadata=metadata.yaml --epub-cover-image=media/cover.jpg --css epub.css -w epub -o wiktopher.epub
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# # mobi
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ebook-convert "wiktopher.epub" "wiktopher.mobi"
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# # # build epub
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# pandoc wiktopher3.md --from markdown+simple_tables+line_blocks --toc -V toc-title:"Table of Contents" --toc-depth=2 --epub-metadata=metadata.yaml --epub-cover-image=media/cover.jpg --css epub.css -w epub -o wiktopher.epub
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# # # mobi
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# ebook-convert "wiktopher.epub" "wiktopher.mobi"
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{0pt}% left
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{1cm}% before
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{1.2em}% after
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\raggedbottom
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\usepackage{parskip}
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% \usepackage[bf,tiny,center]{titlesec}
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wiktopher3.md
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wiktopher3.md
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@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
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# rights: © 2023 Hundredrabbits, CC BY-NC
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title: Wiktopher
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subtitle: Desert tales
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author: Rekka Bellum
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author: Rek Bell
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publisher: Hundredrabbits
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table-of-contents: true
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documentclass: book
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@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ documentclass: book
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This story takes place in the Central Rim of the Soronan Desert, but the world is bigger than this region. The wind blows counter-clockwise around the planet. The top of the planet is referred to as Yoramawa, and it's bottom as Yoralo.
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Directions in Wiktopher are written in Finic:
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@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Yora'ta(yoramawa'atae) — away from the soul of the land
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# Bed Of Dust
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> *The giant walkers of the Soronan desert. There are three Ilk in existence: Oto, Bala and Vol. To communicate with each other, Ilk produce low-frequency vocalizations at high amplitudes.*
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@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ One morning Uno got up and began packing up the carpet, the herbs and the waters
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# Mountain With No Name
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> *Hyroos are large creatures with big rounded ears and strong hind legs. Their snouts are large, they can smell and hear things from far away. These beasts are known for being able to run and jump long distances with little effort, they grow in moist environments, although they are thought to be extinct.*
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@ -171,15 +171,15 @@ Both slid from Hush's back. Eka laughed at the state of the Verido's hair and br
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"Do you always call things you don't understand weird? If you want weird-weird look at this," Eka's ears wiggled about, independent of each other, waiting for a reaction.
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Lupen smirked, mirroring the ear movements exactly. Verido had 3 dozen muscles per ear, allowing them to rotate their ears 180 degrees. To finish, Lupen's flute-shaped ears unfolded and flared open, before twisting back into shape. Eka watched the trick and laughed aloud. "Here's a weird-weird move I bet you can't do." Lupen said. A whistle tunneled out from the Verido's rounded lips, a poem in Ilken^[**Ilken**. A whistled language spoken by Verido Voices, playable with an instrument. It is used to speak over long distances, and to converse with the Ilks.].
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> And, I met a flower
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<!--And, I met a flower
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> Upon a mountain so green
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> but forever, they slept.
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> And, here for ever, I wept.
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> re, dore dodo refasol farefado
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> mimiresi fadomido laremifa
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> soldo solla dofa dodo remisoldo
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> re, mila solla dore fasisol fasi.
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> but forever, they slept.
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> And, here for ever, I wept.
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Conlang Solresol -->
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> Re, dore dodo refasol farefado,
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> mimiresi fadomido laremifa,
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> soldo solla dofa dodo remisoldo.
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> Re, mila solla dore fasisol fasi.
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Eka's smile would broaden and narrow depending on what was being said in the poem. Was it possible that Eka knew Ilken? Only Verido Voices knew how to speak it. Lupen stopped, turning red again. "Did you... understand the lyrics of the song?"
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"Something about a beautiful Saffa flower on a green mountain," Eka said, smirking still, "I'm flattered."
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@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ Both slid from Hush's back. Eka laughed at the state of the Verido's hair and br
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# The Sandfin
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> *A Cactub is a nutritious, bulbous root vegetable. They spend most of their time underground, and only emerge at dark to gather moisture from the surrounding air. Cactubs are sensitive to loud noises and movements, and they temporarily seize when panicked.*
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@ -266,17 +266,17 @@ They arrived at the light, which turned out to be an avoka oil lamp attached to
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"Hello? Who's in there?" Lupen called out, knocking on the hull.
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A thin-eyed short thing came peering out of one of the openings. "Wai're korei?!" a shrill voice responded. "I ask who is *out there*!" The voice repeated, switching from Finic to the Common Tongue.
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The creature stuck its face in a porthole, the frame contoured it perfectly, making it look like the sandfin had a head growing out of its side. The creature was a Finiku. The Finiku's hair was light and wild, not a single strand seemed to point in the same direction, except for a matted chunk of hair covered in pinnytar^[**Pinnytar**. A thick, black substance used to protect ropes from the sun on a sandfin.] and coiled in a thick braid. The Finiku's hands were also stained with the black substance. Eka giggled, and watched as Lupen approached the porthole so the Finiku could see better. Even when standing close, the sandfinner's eyes looked everywhere but in the right place.
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"Akahu're! Noho'uta!^[Finic literal translation: *Ghost you are! Stay away!*]"
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"No! We're not ghosts!" Eka replied.
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<!-- Conlang Finic -->"Akahu're! Nohoku'ia di!^[Finic literal translation: *Ghost you are! Be very away!*]"
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"No! We're not apparitions!" Eka replied.
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"What? No. We're fleshy people. We're right in front of you! Can't you see us?" Lupen asked, perplexed.
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"Iane^[**Iane**. Finic word for *no*.]. Too dark!" The Finiku disappeared below. They could hear noises, as the owner of the vessel searched the cabin for something. Then, a beam of light flashed in Lupen's face. "Verido de yorala? Impossible. And who is with you, hm?" The glow of the light shifted toward Eka, as the Finiku searched for whoever this 'Verido with feet in the sand' was with.
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"Iane^[**Iane**. Finic word for *no*.]. Very Dark!" The Finiku disappeared below. They could hear noises, as the owner of the vessel searched the cabin for something. Then, a beam of light flashed in Lupen's face. "Verido de yorala? Impossible. And who be with you, hm?" The glow of the light shifted toward Eka, as the Finiku searched for whoever this 'Verido with feet in the sand' was with.
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"An Eka! Yora'nae^[**Yora'nae**. A Finiku greeting.]!" Eka said with a smirk.
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"Friendly, orae^[**Orae**. Finic word for *yes*.]?"
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Eka nodded. "Friendly and fleshy"
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"I'm a fleshy too. I'm a Verido with feet in the sand now..." Lupen felt uncomfortable and opted to change conversation, "I'm Lupen."
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The Finiku inched forward out of the porthole and smacked the Verido in the head. "Orae. I now believe you are real. I am Nono."
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The Finiku inched forward out of the porthole and smacked the Verido in the head. "Orae. I now believe you be real. I be Nono."
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"Ow!" Lupen whined, stepping away from Nono's finger.
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Nono explained to them what had happened. "Sandfin is fine, but it no more move!" Nono's eyes widened saying this. Lupen saw there was plenty of light in the cabin, yet the sandfinner claimed to see nothing.
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Nono explained to them what had happened. "Sandfin be fine, but it move no more!" Nono's eyes widened saying this. Lupen saw there was plenty of light in the cabin, yet the sandfinner claimed to see nothing.
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"Right. Well it's too dark to do anything about it now. Come daytime we'll help you fix it."
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The next morning Nono emerged from the cabin and stood on deck, wearing a shroo-leather cap with large ear flaps and a chin strap, dark hampa overalls, and a loose-knit notcott vest. The sandfinner's body swayed while standing, earned from a lifetime of living on a moving vessel.
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@ -286,24 +286,24 @@ The next morning Nono emerged from the cabin and stood on deck, wearing a shroo-
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With light from the two suns, it was easy to see the damage to the sandfin. The vessel lay over a rocky patch and the rudder was gone, ripped out, with bits scattered across the desert floor. Nono leapt off the side of the vessel, and went to stand with the others. "A light kink!" Nono said.
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"A kink? You serious?" Lupen said, outraged. "You've got no rudder!"
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Nono's eyes narrowed down to try and see the hole. "Ia'ia. There is no problem. Verido must be crazy from too much time on land."
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Nono's eyes narrowed down to try and see the hole. "Ia'ia. There be no problem. Verido must be crazy from too much time on land."
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Lupen coaxed the Finiku closer, in doing so also spotted the word Etyl painted on the stern. "Etyl has a missing rudder. See? Big gap in the hull where it used to be, right there!" Lupen said. The Finiku was unphased. It was only when Lupen put Nono's arm through the hole that the extent of the damage was revealed.
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"Iaaaa... iane, iane..." Nono's head shook from side to side, there was no stopping it.
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Eka went to stand closer to offer moral support, and even laid a hand over the Finiku's shoulder to try to steady that tottering head. "You have materials on board?"
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Nono nodded, the shaking of the head had ceased then too. "We sandfinner we are always ready! We make a rudder. No problem. I have material, all we need!"
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Nono nodded, the shaking of the head had ceased then too. "We sandfinner we be always ready! We make a rudder. No problem. I have material, all we need!"
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Once all three got to work, Lupen realized just how terrible Nono's vision was. "Who in their right mind would allow someone so blind to captain a sandfin?" Lupen asked. Eka only smirked, gathering materials from inside the cabin.
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Together, they devised a plan to build the sandfin a new rudder. They removed bits of the old one, took measurements. "You sure you want to use this? You don't need a table?" Lupen held a thick slab of banabo wood, but then Nono walked up and began to mark it. "Okay then!" Lupen said, releasing the table and reaching for a hacksaw stashed under a pile of ropes. "It says 'Maka' on the handle."
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"Renate steel," Nono said, "sosae'di de yorala!"
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<!-- Conlang Finic -->"Renate steel," Nono said, "sosae'di de yorala!"
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"Best in the land." Eka translated.
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Lupen cut the banabo board for the paddle, while Eka was carving an old oar with a blade to make the new rudder post, and Nono was busy retrieving bolts and nuts that would fit it. All the surfaces of the cabin had something laying over top, and every crack was filled with tiny stray bits of hardware.
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Sandfins were a common sight while traveling on the Ilk. The winged vessels looked tiny from up there, the color of their sails and the dust rising with their passing was all Lupen could make out.
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"What's that?" Lupen asked, pointing to a metallic barrel stored on deck, "it has a weird smell." The barrel had the name Beobug^[**Beobug**. A Montore company that owns cargo sandfins. The sandfins follow the Ilks to gather kapo to turn into fuel.] embossed in its front.
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"Kapo." Nono said.
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"Poop," Eka translated, "well, processed kapo." Seeing the look on Lupen's face, both laughed.
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Lupen had heard of this, but did not think it was true. Nono explained that while the sandfin had no need of fuel there was always a barrel stored on this vessel to give to others. "Montore people say it is miracle fuel, that it make life easy! Why use the hand when there is machine, they say. Beobug sell this dream to Finiku people, they give them machine, for free they say, so sandfin can move with no wind, but what happen when the fuel run out, or when the machine break? It is no free. Beobug create a dependency, dae'na? Before, Finiku people depend only on sawa te kira!"
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Lupen had heard of this, but did not think it was true. Nono explained that while the sandfin had no need of fuel there was always a barrel stored on this vessel to give to others. "Montore people say it be miracle fuel, that it make life easy! Why use hand when there be machine, they say. Beobug sell this dream to Finiku people, they give them machine, for free they say, so sandfin can move with no wind, but what happen when the fuel run out, or when the machine break? It be free no more. Beobug create a dependence problem, dae'na? Before, Finiku people depend only on sawa te kira!"<!-- Conlang Finic -->
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"Wind and sun." Lupen said, happy to know that this mind knew a few Finiku words. Everyone in the Soronan Desert used these two words. "I don't understand what Ilk kapo has to do with fuel." Lupen said, perplexed.
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"Beobug sandfin follow Ilk and take the kapo, they process it aboard. It is very profitable! My mapa tell me, 'If you go captain Beobug sandfin, or do machine mechanic, you make good coin'," Nono's head shook again, "My mapa say this to me, but I am like my grand-mapa Etyl, I care only to sandfin. I listen to the voice of sawa te kira. Coin mawani'ia oro." Nono said, putting a hand on the heart.
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"Beobug sandfin follow Ilk and take the kapo, they process it aboard. It is very profitable! My mapa tell me, 'If you go captain Beobug sandfin, or do machine mechanic, you make good coin'," Nono's head shook again, "My mapa say this to me, but I am like my grand-mapa Etyl, I care only to sandfin. I listen to the voice of sawa te kira. <!-- Conlang Finic -->Coin mawani'ia oro.^[**Mawani**. Finic word for *soul*. Literally **Coin no soul**.]" Nono said, putting a hand on the heart.
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"Coin has no soul," Eka said, "Etyl is your grandmapa?" That name is known all over! First one to travel the whole of the land by sandfin!"
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Nono nodded. "Orae! Did it alone, too!"
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Nono repaired the hole, and completed the construction of their makeshift rudder, fitting it to Etyl's stern, all the while, listening to Nono telling stories of the early days of sandfinning.
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@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ The house had a red roof and outer walls. Eka wondered if everything inside was
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Eka wandered over to the repair shop next door, which used to be green, Eka could tell, but like Orin's place most of the color had been ground off. There was still color left around the door and windows, and on the underside of the roof, but there too it had begun to flake off. Like the interior of Nono's sandfin the little workshop was full of tools. Instead of thread and clothes, the ceiling and walls were covered in bits of metal and wood. There was some order to the chaos, with objects organized by shape and material. All the long cylindrical objects shared space on a shelf, coiled lines of varying thickness, color and length populated another.
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The owner glanced at the tall stranger who stood there at the door. "Come back later. No time today." Bou was dark-haired, puffy-eyed, and enveloped in tattered coveralls, which were stained with grease and covered in holes. Those tears must be torture for Orin, Eka thought. How had these openings escaped the tailor's needle?
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"Orin is making some clothes for me, and I offered to help you here in your shop as payment," Eka said, knees on the ground and wearing a great big smile. "Yora'nae. Eka're^[**Re**. Finic word for *to be*.]."
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"Orin is making some clothes for me, and I offered to help you here in your shop as payment," Eka said, knees on the ground and wearing a great big smile. "Yora'nae. Eka're^[**Re**. Finic word for *to be*.]."<!-- Conlang Finic -->
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"Yora'. Bou're." Bou craned a large head forward to see the part of Eka obscured by the top of the door, "Eka know it is dirty, dirty work, orae?"
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"That's okay," Eka copied the head motion, "a favor for a favor!"
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"In Tiputa no one do work without promise of coin. You better like grime, grease and grossness. Today we have a pomparu problem, it is stuck inside a sandfin sand scupper. Then, we fix a broken water pump, the owner think it smart to press juice out of plumkin. This list, it go and it go. Still want to help?"
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@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ Eka wandered over to the repair shop next door, which used to be green, Eka coul
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"Hm. Orae. Seeing isilk, it is like finding the ghost of a friend at the door, a friend you think dead." Bou's fingers brushed over where the hole in the sweater had been. This repair was visible to experienced eyes. "Grandmapa Nok have a store in Edonor once. One day, they go on a trip and bring back a spindle of blue isilk. Suspicious, no? Illegal, I think. Later, Orin inherit the business, but the blue isilk? Well, it is all gone by then. Grandmapa Nok use it to make a isilk suit, then they go jump into the Rupture wearing it. Orin was sad to see this isilk thread so fine fade into nothing, never had a chance to make a big project with it, and never will because Verido no trade it now. I think you need to know this..." Bou didn't give Eka a chance to reply, and walked over to a closet, pulling out a large pair of brown overalls and a mostly clean undershirt. "Because it is dirty work, I no want to ruin that shirt."
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Eka changed into Bou's undershirt and overalls. The clothes fit, but there was a lot of room in there for another Eka or two, and the pants had turned into shorts. Seeing this, Bou gave Eka two heavy notcott knee-pads.
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The first task was to try and get a pomparu out of a sandfin sand scupper. The sandfin was moored in front of the shop, its owner was at the snack bar having a drink, Bou waved from across the street, shouting a word in Finic to say that the work would likely be done today. Both moved to the back of the sandfin, once there Eka caught a whiff of the pomparu and gasped, hands moved to cover up both the mouth and nose. It had been a long time since Eka had encountered one.
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"Nohi sosae'ia're dae'na?^[Finic literal meaning: *Nose bad be isn't it?*] Pomparu smell burn the nose! The first time I smell one, I no eat for many day. The smell is so bad it make all food taste like rot."
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<!-- Conlang Finic -->"Nohi sosae'ia're dae'na?^[Finic literal meaning: *Nose bad be isn't it?*] Pomparu smell burn the nose! The first time I smell one, I no eat for many day. The smell is so bad it make all food taste like rot."
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Bou grabbed a jar from a side pocket, dipped a finger in it and scooped out a thick glob of purple gel. Then, without warning, Bou smeared the purple gel under Eka's nose, near and around the nostrils. Now both had a thick purple mustache. "Better, orae?"
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"Lavendiri flowers! Good trick!"
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The fresh scent would help cover up the nasty pomparu fumes. Bou also had a thick scarf on to keep the smell out, and passed one to Eka. The scarf was just enough to block the stink entirely while keeping the lavendiri gel from drying out too quickly.
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@ -389,9 +389,9 @@ Eka wandered over to the repair shop next door, which used to be green, Eka coul
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"Pomparu like strong smell. The sandfinner owner like to ferment bobonion^[**Bobonion**. A spicy octagonal vegetable, enveloped in a thick black rind. The inside is soft, and can be scooped out with a tool.] aboard, this one try to follow the smell but get stuck on the way."
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It was common for people to make a pile of rotting food outside of town to get their attention, and to keep them there. Tiputa did have a pile like this, Eka had seen it, but this sandfin had acquired the pomparu while on transit.
|
||||
"Is it dead?" Eka asked, noticing its legs weren't moving.
|
||||
Bou laughed. "Iane. If pomparu dead, we no stand around to talk about it. The smell make lavendiri gel rot, and then we have to go bury face in the sand. But even like this, it no help, the smell stay." Bou paused, recalling something that happened. "My friend find a dead pomparu once, the smell was so *so* bad that they cut their nose clean off. Crazy'di'naa^[Finic literal meaning: *Crazy very right?*"]? Pomparu smell bad, but I blame this crazy idea on Kavava^[**Kavava**. An addictive root that when chewed numbs the mind and body, it can also cause minor hallucinations.]. Kavava make the brain loopy, and my friend chew it too much."
|
||||
Bou laughed. "Iane. If pomparu dead, we no stand around to talk about it. The smell make lavendiri gel rot, and then we have to go bury face in the sand. But even like this, it no help, the smell stay." Bou paused, recalling something that happened. "My friend find a dead pomparu once, the smell was so *so* bad that they cut their nose clean off. <!-- Conlang Finic -->Crazy'di'naa^[Finic literal meaning: *Crazy very right?*"]? Pomparu smell bad, but I blame this crazy idea on Kavava^[**Kavava**. An addictive root that when chewed numbs the mind and body, it can also cause minor hallucinations.]. Kavava make the brain loopy, and my friend chew it too much."
|
||||
Eka's eyes widened, imagining someone without a nose. "How horrible."
|
||||
"When it come to pomparu, some say no nose is better! Eka no worry, I carve a new nose for my friend out of banabo, I add color with ground lavendiri flower to make it pretty. My friend love it, more than the old nose, call it poronoso'di'no^[Finic word breakdown: *Poro*: purple, *No(hi)*: nose, *So(sae)*: best, *No*: possessive particle], to mean 'my special purple nose'. Tawari maha'ia'di^[Finic literal meaning: *Touch do not*]. No touch the pomparu! You can say goodbye to *all* friend if you do this. The smell, it *no* come off!"
|
||||
"When it come to pomparu, some say no nose is better! Eka no worry, I carve a new nose for my friend out of banabo, I add color with ground lavendiri flower to make it pretty. My friend love it, more than the old nose, call it <!-- Conlang Finic -->poronoso'di'no^[Finic word breakdown: *Poro*: purple, *No(hi)*: nose, *So(sae)*: best, *No*: possessive particle], to mean 'my special purple nose'. <!-- Conlang Finic -->Yara'ia maha di^[Finic literal meaning: *Touch no do!*]. No touch the pomparu! You can say goodbye to *all* friend if you do this. The smell, it *no* come off!"
|
||||
"So, um. Shall we do this thing then?" Eka's nose was eager to move on to some other task, it had no desire to be replaced with a poronoso'di.
|
||||
Bou covered the inside of the scupper opening with avoka oil, and reluctantly did the same for the area around the pomparu's body, all while wearing multiple thick pairs of pinnytarred hampa gloves. Then, Eka shoved the small end of a broom through the pomparu-free end of the opening while Bou held it down with both hands.
|
||||
"Ready?"
|
||||
|
|
@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ Eka wandered over to the repair shop next door, which used to be green, Eka coul
|
|||
# Beobug
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> *Messenger woths are stout creatures, they fit in the palm of your hand. They have an excellent internal compass, and can travel long distances. Many use them as a means of sending messages to other cities. They can carry items many times their own weight.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ Eka wandered over to the repair shop next door, which used to be green, Eka coul
|
|||
|
||||
Lupen was enjoying a mug of bonan wine at Javis, the local snack bar, at the edge of town, where Eka and Nono had agreed to meet later that day. The snack bar faced the road, and the 4 seats meant that it could only ever accommodate 4 customers at a time.
|
||||
Bonan wine was an alcoholic drink traditionally brewed in Finiku villages, each had its own recipe. Some added herbs, or used other fruit as a base. It wasn't uncommon to give some of yours to a friend, the restaurant owner explained.
|
||||
"Sosae'di de yorala!" Noticing Lupen's vacant expression, and understanding that the Verido didn't know Finic, Javi said it again in the Common Tongue. "Best in the land!"
|
||||
<!-- Conlang Finic -->"Sosae'di de yorala!" Noticing Lupen's vacant expression, and understanding that the Verido didn't know Finic, Javi said it again in the Common Tongue. "Best in the land!"
|
||||
"Sosae'di de yorala, sosae'di de yorala..." Lupen repeated, determined to remember this time. "Think others in the land say this too about their wine?"
|
||||
"Orae," the restaurant owner said, "but they are wrong!"
|
||||
Lupen laughed. "I've had bonan before. It was cut thin and dried as chips, never had it as a drink. How do you make it?"
|
||||
|
|
@ -451,11 +451,11 @@ Lupen was enjoying a mug of bonan wine at Javis, the local snack bar, at the edg
|
|||
"Yea, a ki'annum sounds about right," Lupen said, deep in thought, "over 320 twin sunrises."
|
||||
"Up there, it keep you from the worst of the desert. You always safe on an Ilk, you no understand true misery." The captain smacked the top of the Verido's thigh then, causing the sand embedded in the isilk clothes to rise. When the dust settled again Gree laughed. "Well, you are learning this now, orae? You are here in the dust with us."
|
||||
"The Ilk is a friend. We co-exist." Lupen retorted.
|
||||
"This is what Beobug do too," Gree turned to the restaurant owner, raising two empty mug. "Mou ipaya Javi!"
|
||||
"This is what Beobug do too," Gree turned to the restaurant owner, raising two empty mug. <!-- Conlang Finic -->"Mou sakoi pai Javi!^[**Mou**. Finic word for *more*. **Sakoi pai**, *strong drink*.]"
|
||||
Javi nodded, pouring a generous serving of wine to both, a bit of the liquid overflowing outside their mugs.
|
||||
Lupen noticed a patch on Gree's arm then, "what's that?"
|
||||
The captain lifted up a green sleeve to show the full patch, pressed onto the skin. "Lunch! Much better than the real thing, oro^[**Oro**. Finic word, asserts a fact that the listener may not know.]!"
|
||||
"Yoroi'di!^[**Yoroi**. Finic word for *cool*, when paired with *di* it means *very cool*.]" Javi said, inspecting the patch. "Babam cake! It is a good one."
|
||||
<!-- Conlang Finic -->"Yoroi'di!^[**Yoroi**. Finic word for *cool*, when paired with *di* it means *very cool*.]" Javi said, inspecting the patch. "Babam cake! It is a good one."
|
||||
Lupen was unphased, "aah I see, I see... another Montore industry. Another way to amass coin, another path to titles." An empty mug sat in Lupen's hand, "did I drink all of this just now?" Gree's mug was also empty, but Javi was there to fill them right back up again.
|
||||
"Industry mean progress." Gree said, leaning into the Verido.
|
||||
"Progress means coin..." Lupen replied, bored with the conversation.
|
||||
|
|
@ -468,9 +468,9 @@ Lupen was enjoying a mug of bonan wine at Javis, the local snack bar, at the edg
|
|||
|
||||
Having finished all deliveries, Nono felt it necessary to treat the fleshies to a drink. All three gathered at Javi's snack bar, savoring their plumkin^[**Plumkin**. A large scaly purple root vegetable. The scales can be peeled off, revealing the bright and soft red flesh underneath.] ale, although Lupen had opted for tea this time.
|
||||
Eka, still wearing the overalls, told them about Orin, Bou, the incident with the pomparu, the fixing of the waterstone pump and all the other items on the list they'd been tasked with. Lupen spoke of the encounter with Gree, and told Nono about the favor.
|
||||
"This komororo^[**Komororo**. Finic word for *idiot*.] ask Lupen to ask me to captain a Beobug sandfin? Ia'! Ianae!" The Finiku's head began to shake and the shaking did not stop for some time. Eka wondered if their friend was stuck in a loop and needed help, but Nono recovered moments after that. "Ia' is what I say and always say to Gree!"
|
||||
"This <!-- Conlang Finic -->komomo'ia^[**Komomo'ia**. Finic word for *idiot, no brain*] ask Lupen to ask me to captain a Beobug sandfin? Ia'! Ianae!" The Finiku's head began to shake and the shaking did not stop for some time. Eka wondered if their friend was stuck in a loop and needed help, but Nono recovered moments after that. "Ia' is what I say and always say to Gree!"
|
||||
"Being on a sandfin like that must be impressive. Why not do it?" Eka asked, remembering the large green sandfin at the edge of town.
|
||||
"Yorala'no mai aini're de mutau'wi, coin ianae." Nono said with pride.
|
||||
"<!-- Conlang Finic -->Mai no yorala aini're wiri no mutau, coin ianae." Nono said with pride.
|
||||
"The way of the land is perpetuated in righteousness, not coin." Eka translated.
|
||||
Both Eka and Lupen laughed at this. Nono went on to say that they were both grown on the same plot of land, "because of this Gree think that we are close. When I was young, I travel on sandfin, but Gree stay in Tiu'va, talk a lot, and make my mapa think that I am useless! Gree say I waste time, and that the only good job is a Beobug job. Komororo..." Nono said, cursing at the air, "Beobug do scam. All profit, no work. Not many know this, but Beobug sandfin need no captain, only worker to do the scamming." After saying this, Nono leaned in to whisper to them. "I follow the Beobug sandfin always. Ponopo follow Beobug II, another woth follow Beobug III. I go to village after Beobug sandfin leave, and I correct their misdeed!"
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -483,7 +483,7 @@ As the evening went on Nono began to tell sandfin stories, like the one about th
|
|||
Eka did as Nono instructed and put a finger on the egg, stroking it.
|
||||
"Less stroke mean good woth!" Nono continued. The blue egg cracked open after only a single stroke. "Impossible."
|
||||
Lupen and Eka watched as a new woth emerged from the egg. It had a blue body, covered in light blue hairs, it had long antennae, and even longer wings.
|
||||
"Sakoi'di! It is a strong woth!" Nono said, shaking their head in disbelief.
|
||||
"<!-- Conlang Finic -->Sakoi'di! It is a strong woth!" Nono said, shaking their head in disbelief.
|
||||
Eka knew many things, but knew little about woths, although this one did appear larger than Ponopo. Nono grabbed a measuring stick and jotted down every detail, the color of its hairs, the length of the wings and of the antennae, the diameter of the eyes too. Everything. "I visit the hatchery soon, I then ask question to my friend. My friend know a lot about woth." Nono put the stick away, and continued to marvel at the quality of Eka's woth.
|
||||
"What should we name it?" Lupen asked Eka.
|
||||
"Ianae! You no choose the name! Woth choose," Nono said, waving a finger at them, "it is no easy to guess the name!"
|
||||
|
|
@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ The following morning, even before Eka had time to slip on some day clothes, Ori
|
|||
|
||||
# Skyrock
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> *Seshell krabs are pearly white creatures that bear a shell with a face. It is thought that if you do them harm, they will remember your face and chase you down.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ It sat idly for many annums. It saw the suns and moons pass many times. It wasn'
|
|||
# An Oasis
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> *A round floating creature that changes color depending on its mood. It is orange when normal, red when angry, and yellow when confused. If threatened, the creature will throw itself upon an enemy, its skin is like goo and sticks to its victims. The skin can become as hot as hot coals, prolonged exposure can kill.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -650,7 +650,7 @@ Both walked out of the tent and into the desert. The wind was down, and the suns
|
|||
"Yea," Eka nodded, "fell off an Ilk."
|
||||
"Well, that explains a lot. No Verido in their right mind would choose to leave an Ilk. And before that?"
|
||||
"I wasn't there before that, but now that I think of it, my friend *is* very accident prone."
|
||||
The Terin took a deep breath. "You can stay until your friend's condition improves, but you can't wander around my grounds without me saying so, and you can't touch *anything* unless given to you. Is that clear?"
|
||||
The Terin took a deep breath. "You can stay until your friend's condition improves, but you can't wander around my grounds without me saying so, and you can't touch *anything* unless given to you."
|
||||
Eka nodded in thanks. Lupen breathed out a weak, but heartfelt thank you. The Verido was sweating profusely, eyelids heavy, drawn down by many tiny invisible hands.
|
||||
"I need some medililly herbs to treat my friend's wounds."
|
||||
The Terin promised to bring some fresh sprigs over later, returning to the house atop the hill.
|
||||
|
|
@ -660,7 +660,7 @@ Both walked out of the tent and into the desert. The wind was down, and the suns
|
|||
|
||||
Later that day, the voice of the Terin sounded outside of the tent.
|
||||
"Hello Zukka!" Eka wandered out, "you can call me Eka, and that trumpet-eared invalid in there is Lupen."
|
||||
"How... do you know my name?"
|
||||
"How do you know my name?"
|
||||
"Oh, your leafhound Waldek told Hush, and Hush told me because I don't speak leafhound, not *well* anyway. I always mix up the subtleties in the yaps. Don't get me started on the yips! It's a very tonal language, not easy to master, and there are *so* many dialects!"
|
||||
"I don't like lies, or jokes. I'm going to apply your friend's medicine. I don't want to hear any more nonsense." Zukka prepared two medililly poultices. The soft, moist mass was applied to Lupen and Hush's wounds, and wrapped carefully with a clean strip of notcott cloth. "What is the name of the mountain you spoke about, where the hyroos grow? It's within the Central Rim isn't it?" Zukka asked, eyes locked on the hyroo. The large-eared creature was resting now, coiled into a tight ball with its head hidden. Its body expanded and contracted with every breath. Zukka put a hand to the hyroo's side, inspecting its fur.
|
||||
"It hasn't got one, places without names remain strangely unseen."
|
||||
|
|
@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ Later that day, the voice of the Terin sounded outside of the tent.
|
|||
"Two haty'annums? Maybe? It really depends."
|
||||
"And how old is Hush?"
|
||||
"Less than an annum old, Hush is very green," saying this, Eka turned to caress the back of the sleeping hyroo.
|
||||
"They grow that big in just one annum? Zíaast elli^[Terat word for **amazing**.]..."
|
||||
"They grow that big in just one annum? <!-- Conlang Terat -->Ziaast elli^[Terat word for **amazing**.]..."
|
||||
"That makes three questions!"
|
||||
"No, no. That first one doesn't count. I didn't get an answer."
|
||||
Eka thought about this for a moment, then shrugged, "okay, you get a redo."
|
||||
|
|
@ -721,7 +721,7 @@ Under the midday suns, Lupen and Eka sat in front of their tent, playing the gam
|
|||
Eka smirked, picking up another jar to smell. "Popmeg."
|
||||
Lupen took the jar in turn, and frowned. "Popmeg? Yea *right*! It's dilly."
|
||||
"You know, it's okay to make the same guess as me." Eka said, grabbing the last jar to smell it, "dilly."
|
||||
Lupen was going to start complaining about how unfair the game was because Eka knew everything about everything always, but then they heard Zukka yelling outside. "Betnaseke gorat!^[Terat literal translation: *Please do go!*]" They peered out through the opening of their tent, spotting the Terin chasing pale winged insects out of a plumkin field.
|
||||
Lupen was going to start complaining about how unfair the game was because Eka knew everything about everything always, but then they heard Zukka yelling outside. <!-- Conlang Terat -->"Betnaseke gorat!^[Terat literal translation: *Please do go!*]" They peered out through the opening of their tent, spotting the Terin chasing pale winged insects out of a plumkin field.
|
||||
"What's going on?" Eka said.
|
||||
"Mosslings. I can't get rid of them. They hate lemilim grass so I planted some to keep them away, but I'm beginning to think they've developed a taste for it. Curse these things, they make everything rot!" Zukka said, breathing hard, tired from chasing after them.
|
||||
Lupen had stayed near the tent, sipping tea, content despite the ever-present chest pains. The oasis had a voice, speaking through the rustling of the various plants. A concerto of greenery. There were not many around to listen, a handful of hounds, the caretaker, and Eka. Zukka and the hounds were producing all of this food for themselves, with no one else around to feed, that is unless there was a village of tiny people over there in that walled garden by the house. Lupen brought up the topic later that day, when tasked with peeling babams for their meal.
|
||||
|
|
@ -763,7 +763,7 @@ The next day, Lupen got up before the first sun. Zukka was awake already, standi
|
|||
"Because Eka is kind."
|
||||
"What about you? Are you *kind*, Lupen?"
|
||||
"I like to think I am, yes."
|
||||
Zukka's face was warped with rage. "Stnectotke^[Terat word for *ridiculous*]! You were in my nursery today. Don't deny it! I know you were there! What did you see? You stole from me didn't you?"
|
||||
Zukka's face was warped with rage. "<!-- Conlang Terat -->Stnectotke^[Terat word for *ridiculous*]! You were in my nursery today. Don't deny it! I know you were there! What did you see? You stole from me didn't you?"
|
||||
Lupen knew it was dumb to think that their host wouldn't find out, only a blind person could have missed that large hole in the hedge. "I'm sorry. I *did* go, but I took nothing."
|
||||
"I'm sick of this! Of people like you coming in here, feigning kindness to steal from me!"
|
||||
Lupen was afraid of what Zukka would do in this heightened state, then Eka landed back in the oasis with Hush and the injured traveler. "Why did you bring that filth back in here!?" Zukka's voice was becoming shrill with fury.
|
||||
|
|
@ -834,7 +834,7 @@ their time begging for food. They should try gardening, or learning to forage, i
|
|||
"I do," Zukka replied, irritated, "I'll give them food and they'll ask to stay, then they'll ask to see the nursery. The nursery makes everyone lose their minds. Many feel that this world has too many unfed mouths. Mouths. What about minds, I wonder? No one wants to learn. Hardly anyone can name all of the plants that grow where they live. Yes, I could teach the younger ones how to sow and care for food. I could do that, but I can't teach adults." Zukka's voice was gentle, even if the words were harsh, the farmer knew better than to be angry in a nursery. The children slept in the ground, their leaves swaying from side to side as they dreamed good dreams. "Nowadays most prefer the comforts and conveniences of a town, rather than finding their own food in the desert. There's plenty out there, but it takes time, it is difficult, and you can't be picky. The absolute guarantee of comfort and safety is all anyone ever cares about now."
|
||||
The Soronan Desert had plenty of nomads, but every annum, more and more settled into towns, lured by the promise of stability. Lupen spied a sign on the back of the house.
|
||||
|
||||
> *Var gorat, zi elli afram.*
|
||||
> *Var gorat, zi elli afram.*<!-- Conlang Terat -->
|
||||
|
||||
Zukka noticed the Verido's wandering eyes. "*Wherever you tread, greenery will follow*, is what it says. My people used to find all they needed out there. We'd walk from garden to garden, sowing as we went. Many don't like what I do because it is so laborious, but as I said, their lives matter more than mine, I'll do it even if it means I don't have time for anything else."
|
||||
Eat one, toss one, Lupen thought. "But if you had help?"
|
||||
|
|
@ -890,7 +890,7 @@ The next day, with Zukka's permission, Eka and Lupen filled their bags with fres
|
|||
# Montore
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> *Durdles are shy creatures that like to retreat within their shells, they move very slowly and sleep for most of the day.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -910,7 +910,7 @@ The next day, with Zukka's permission, Eka and Lupen filled their bags with fres
|
|||
The city of Montore sat on a hilltop enclosed entirely within a single, continuous wall, made from rammed earth and decorated with geometric motifs. The tops of large hampa sails were visible from the ground, raised high on a ledge atop the wall so that nothing could disturb the wind. The sails lay over a rotating circular track, following the whole top of the city wall. The orientation of each sail changed depending on the wind, their motion was slow, but constant, powering the city.
|
||||
On one end of the city, a wall extension was in progress. Wooden scaffolding lay in place, with workers standing on the top of the wall with long ramming poles, pressing and packing the soil down into the mold.
|
||||
Lupen approached a young Terin standing in line, "hey, how long have you been waiting here?"
|
||||
"We've both been in line for five days." Lupen followed the voice and turned around, meeting with the forehead of another Terin. "Oteyo^[A Terat greeting]! I'm Kuzi." Kuzi wore a notcott bandana, a long, loose-knit banabo fiber shirt, and a colorful scarf. Kuzi's line neighbor was indeed unresponsive, standing, but just barely.
|
||||
"We've both been in line for five days." Lupen followed the voice and turned around, meeting with the forehead of another Terin. "<!-- Conlang Terat -->Oteyo^[A Terat greeting]! I'm Kuzi." Kuzi wore a notcott bandana, a long, loose-knit banabo fiber shirt, and a colorful scarf. Kuzi's line neighbor was indeed unresponsive, standing, but just barely.
|
||||
"Lupen," Lupen said, "that long? For an ahy- dee?"
|
||||
"Yeesh, you're saying that real weird."
|
||||
"Saying what weird?"
|
||||
|
|
@ -1016,7 +1016,7 @@ Every house, or business in this city had thick yellow walls. They were construc
|
|||
Eka and Lupen spent time exploring the city, determined to see every shop that the great cog was powering, like a woodshop, where the cog turned a metal wheel to cut giant logs.
|
||||
Eka wandered into Alkarawin, the oldest library in the Soronan desert, its emerald-tiled roof visible from anywhere in Montore. The complex was home to hundreds of ancient texts written by renowned scholars and thinkers over the years. The library had two giant irinwood trees guarding the main entrance. The branches of the tree were heavy with small wooden discs, hanging from thin ropes, each disc had words carved onto its faces. Visitors who came from far to visit Alkarawin would come here to offer knowledge to the library, inscribing a short story, or fact to the wood of a disc. At the end of every annum, these were removed from the trees, tallied, and gathered to form new texts. A small basin lay near the door where visitors could wash their hands and feet, a symbolic act of cleaning the mind and body prior to entering.
|
||||
Clean and centered, Eka entered Alkarawin, and stepped into a square room, with books lining the walls from floor to ceiling. Books stored near the ceiling were accessible via a small elevated walkway, built around the room and accessible with a ladder, this room branched out into several smaller alcoves, each featuring a unique ornately-painted yukwood ceiling.
|
||||
Eka wandered onto the higher walkway, fingers tracing along names embossed on the bindings. Eka spotted a blind librarian browsing through books on a nearby shelf, helping a customer find a specific tome, fingers reading the text quickly before moving into another section. The librarian pulled out a book and then handed it over to the visitor in silence. The visitor breathed a low 'thank you', and made for one of the many reading alcoves. The librarian turned to Eka then, waiting for a book name. "Habitants of the Night please," Eka said, in a quiet voice. The librarian's hands returned to the shelves, hunting for the book Eka requested, they skipped down many rows of books, fingers touching the wood between each row to identify the right section, and after finding the correct shelf, the hands stopped, having identified the book. Just as the worker handed the book to Eka, a horn sounded outside. Eka thanked the Librarian, and hurried down the stairs, following the sound.
|
||||
Eka wandered onto the higher walkway, fingers tracing along names embossed on the bindings. Eka spotted a blind librarian browsing through books on a nearby shelf, helping a customer find a specific tome, fingers reading the text quickly before moving into another section. The librarian pulled out a book and then handed it over to the visitor in silence. The visitor breathed a low 'thank you', and made for one of the many reading alcoves. The librarian turned to Eka then, waiting for a book name. "Habitants of the Night, please," Eka said, in a quiet voice. The librarian's hands returned to the shelves, hunting for the book Eka requested, they skipped down many rows of books, fingers touching the wood between each row to identify the right section, and after finding the correct shelf, the hands stopped, having identified the book. Just as the worker handed the book to Eka, a horn sounded outside. Eka thanked the Librarian, and hurried down the stairs, following the sound.
|
||||
|
||||
Outside, the main city square was filled with people, who had gathered around the central beam of the cog. Two Montore guards held a ladder near the rotating beam. A Finiku walked out of the crowd, climbed the ladder, and after reaching the top, made a short elegant hop from the last step to the top of the beam.
|
||||
"Dot! Dot! Dot!"
|
||||
|
|
@ -1046,7 +1046,7 @@ Outside, the main city square was filled with people, who had gathered around th
|
|||
Rosmus nodded, waving as Lupen left the stall.
|
||||
|
||||
Lupen rushed over to Kuzi. "You forgot to meet us!" The Verido stopped talking, noticing that like the other Terins in the line outside of town yesterday, Kuzi too was high on kavava.
|
||||
"Oh, hey kottzi^[**Kottzi**. Terat word to mean friends (but more than this), to come from the same tree, the same community]!" Kuzi said, smiling stupidly.
|
||||
"Oh, hey <!-- Conlang Terat -->kottzi^[**Kottzi**. Terat word to mean friends (but more than this), to come from the same tree, the same community]!" Kuzi said, smiling stupidly.
|
||||
"Kuzi, you didn't..."
|
||||
Kuzi looked at the Verido with red eyes, and groaned. "I didn't even taste the noranke. Not one bite. I'm *so* weak."
|
||||
Lupen sat down, shoulder to shoulder with Kuzi. Both said nothing, sitting together with Dot's voice in the background. Just then the woth returned, carrying a small bit of noranke peel around. Lupen grabbed the peel, and handed it over to Kuzi, "you can taste it now." The Terin pushed it away.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1076,7 +1076,7 @@ Lupen gulped as the large carved banabo door opened, revealing a thick curtain,
|
|||
"What? I'm no thief!" Lupen retorted.
|
||||
A Terin with graying hair and a thin young face rose from behind the table, head reaching just over a mound of moss. "Where did you get that noranke?" The Terin asked, nonchalantly, speaking low and slow while bending down again to check over the leaves of a nearby plant.
|
||||
"If I said, I'd betray a friend and endanger lives," Lupen replied, bending down to look under the table to see what the Terin was doing. "I'm sure I don't have to tell you who it's from though..."
|
||||
"Orr'ti^[Terat literal translation: *True to be*]. I am happy to learn that Zukka was able to save some noranke seeds," the Terin said, moving from one plant to another, "norcorn patties just aren't the same without noranke sauce."
|
||||
"<!-- Conlang Terat -->Orr'ti^[Terat literal translation: *True to be*]. I am happy to learn that Zukka was able to save some noranke seeds," the Terin said, moving from one plant to another, "norcorn patties just aren't the same without noranke sauce."
|
||||
Lupen observed that the Terin wore a simple pair of tan hampa pants, scuffed at the knees. "So um, are you Monty?"
|
||||
Monty stood up again, slowly, to look at Lupen only to find that Lupen's head wasn't there. "Not what you were expecting?"
|
||||
Lupen mimicked Monty's movements, and stood up again. "No, not at all... you've got all these plants, yet you're feeding others false food, then there's the Beobug goons and their sandfins. Hard to believe it all comes from you."
|
||||
|
|
@ -1104,7 +1104,7 @@ Lupen gulped as the large carved banabo door opened, revealing a thick curtain,
|
|||
"Why did you ask me in here?" Lupen asked.
|
||||
"Curiosity. A Verido with a noranke, a hyroo and a round-eared companion together, *very* unusual." Saying this, Monty glanced at Lupen once again, the pair of yellow eyes appeared focused, quietly dissecting the visitor.
|
||||
"I'll add that story to the pile, in exchange for you to tell your people the truth." Lupen teased.
|
||||
"Zíaast fara^[Terat expression to mean *goodbye* or literally *good leaving*], Specter." Monty pointed at the entrance, motioning for Lupen to go.
|
||||
"<!-- Conlang Terat -->Ziaast fara^[Terat expression to mean *goodbye* or literally *good leaving*], Specter." Monty pointed at the entrance, motioning for Lupen to go.
|
||||
Lupen let out a deep sigh, there was nothing to do then but leave. The Verido glanced at Monty's second hand. "What now? What happens to the ones who don't exist in the eyes of Montore? Do I get ground up into food?"
|
||||
The green-clad Terin laughed, "the things people think we do. Sometimes I wonder why we bother making laws at all, stories like this keep people in line better than our laws ever could." With this, Lupen was escorted out of the building. "You need to leave the city right this instant." Monty's second hand watched as Lupen stepped into the main square, and headed towards the city gate. The guard kept close, to make sure the Verido didn't decide to take a detour on the way out.
|
||||
As Lupen was escorted out of Montore, Kuzi stood by, watching. Eka stood near too, chewing loudly, eating chunks of freshly baked babam cake. "D'you know where I can get some mepperpint tea around here?"
|
||||
|
|
@ -1164,7 +1164,7 @@ Later that same day, Kuzi had sold the last of the kavava in exchange for coin t
|
|||
|
||||
# Little Light
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> *A type of fungus that emits strong phosphorescent light, it grows in caves underground where there is no light. It is an object of desire for the Iridi, who have fought wars in its name.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1282,7 +1282,7 @@ Number 10 went back to having a lackluster persona, muted, without worry or fear
|
|||
|
||||
# Tent Village Of Renate
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> *Papilions travel with the wind and in the hairs of passing habitants of the Soronan desert. It is said that when they find suitable soil, they burrow and later grow into Hespers. 'Having papilions in your throat', means being kept from speaking due to anxiety.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1338,13 +1338,13 @@ It took them half a day's time to get to the village, with Eka and Lupen taking
|
|||
Historically, Renate was an open bazaar, a place of exchange with no permanent residents. Nowadays, many artisans made Renate their home, but still kept to the tradition of temporary housing. Most tents were kept up by flexible banabo poles and had walls of fabric, offering less resistance to wind while providing a cool shelter. Each tent was unique, with walls of varying colors and patterns, some were weaved from banabo fiber, others from lesser-known materials like sassum^[Sassum yields a very stiff fiber, often used to make ropes on sandfins.], or linim^[long, rough bast fiber that people in Renate spin into coarse threads.]. There was no visible organization for the placement of the tents, in fact this village had few rules, and no official leader. The people here liked it that way, Eka said.
|
||||
When they arrived, they approached a group of children playing in an open area between tents, they'd heard of these prism-headed prisoners, but didn't have time to answer questions because all of their attention quickly turned to Hush. The children combed the hyroo's fur with their fingers, along with repeated 'oohs' and 'aahs'. This caught the attention of an older villager, who'd been busy sifting sand and rock from a batch of freshly dug lanivanil beans. The villager left the basket and beans on the ground and hurried over, urging the kids to move away.
|
||||
"Hush is not dangerous." Lupen said.
|
||||
After successfully shooing the kids away, the villager shook their head, "nan nan. Nan ti..." and then pointed a finger toward Ten, "zou *ti*! Voluk, vi seklo. Hayat!"
|
||||
After successfully shooing the kids away, the villager shook their head, <!-- Conlang Aodan -->"nan nan. Nan ti..." and then pointed a finger toward Ten, "zou *ti*! Voluk, vi seklo. Hayat!"
|
||||
"Follow me, quickly," Eka translated at the end of the conversation. They could sense the fear in the villager's eyes. They were led to a large tent on the outskirts of town. They could hear the sound of someone beating into a piece of metal inside.
|
||||
"Nio citi atada^[Aodan for *Wait here*. Literal meaning: *this place wait*]." The villager said, slipping into the tent.
|
||||
"<!-- Conlang Aodan -->Nio citi atada^[Aodan for *Wait here*. Literal meaning: *this place wait*]." The villager said, slipping into the tent.
|
||||
"Are we in trouble?" Lupen asked Eka, "also, what language is that?"
|
||||
"Aodan, and no no, we're fine." Eka replied.
|
||||
The clanging stopped. A tall and brawny character stepped out, eyeing the one with the prism for a head. "I'll take care of it, Lussa."
|
||||
"Danki, danki^[**Danki**. An Aodan expression of gratitude or politeness, in response to something done or given] Maka," Lussa said, bowing to the two strangers before scurrying away, disappearing behind a row of tents.
|
||||
<!-- Conlang Aodan -->"Danki, danki^[**Danki**. An Aodan expression of gratitude or politeness, in response to something done or given] Maka," Lussa said, bowing to the two strangers before scurrying away, disappearing behind a row of tents.
|
||||
The group was hushed inside, as if they had a secret that needed to stay hidden. They learned that the tent owner's name was Maka, a metalworker, thick with muscle. The metalworker's body appeared to be made of rock. Maka had short white hair, crowning the head and face. Maka showed great interest in Ten. "No one's ever found one alive. I've tinkered with one other of those head prisons. I found it on the desert floor. Couldn't keep it for long though, it had to be returned because those Irideri guards come and look for them."
|
||||
"Really? Why would they do that?" Lupen asked.
|
||||
"Maybe they can't make more..." Eka mused.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1457,7 +1457,7 @@ They spent the next few days putting convincing Iridi wardrobes together. If the
|
|||
|
||||
# Kingdom Of Irideri
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> *Conks are hard, woody, cave-dwelling shroos. They are found in mountainous areas, and used to make a variety of objects. Conks can also be eaten, but the texture makes it difficult to chew.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1523,8 +1523,8 @@ When a sliver of the first sun peered over the horizon, Renzo showed them the se
|
|||
"No. I'll meet you back at the tunnel in 80 pulsas." With little explanation Renzo disappeared, pushing deeper into the city.
|
||||
"Pulsas?" Lupen said, confused.
|
||||
"Yea, pulsas," Eka pointed over to a shroo-covered crystal erected in the center of the city. The crystal pulsed from dim to bright. "That's how the Iridi count time."
|
||||
"How does that convert to horos^[**Horo**. A unit of kaala(time) conventionally reckoned as 1⁄16 of a day. The rhythm of the world is based on the heart beat of an Ilk, which beats at 80 beats per quarter horo. There are 320 beats per horo, and 16 horos in a day. Days are typically divided by 4: First sunrise, second sunrise, first sunset and second sunset.]?!" Lupen said panicked. In Volare, the rhythm of Vol's heartbeat was used to count time, to rock children to sleep, and to measure their advancement towards their next stop.
|
||||
"Let's see. There are 40 pulsas per solit, so 80 pulsas is about two horos. No wait, that's not right. I think Bao the Bright changed the unit from solits to chloros, and chloros don't *exactly* equate—"
|
||||
"<!-- Number Iridi -->How does that convert to horos^[**Horo**. A unit of kaala(time) conventionally reckoned as 1⁄16 of a day. The rhythm of the world is based on the heart beat of an Ilk, which beats at 80 beats per quarter horo. There are 320 beats per horo, and 16 horos in a day. Days are typically divided by 4: First sunrise, second sunrise, first sunset and second sunset.]?!" Lupen said panicked. In Volare, the rhythm of Vol's heartbeat was used to count time, to rock children to sleep, and to measure their advancement towards their next stop.
|
||||
<!-- Number Iridi -->"Let's see. There are 40 pulsas per solit, so 80 pulsas is about two horos. No wait, that's not right. I think Bao the Bright changed the unit from solits to chloros, and chloros don't *exactly* equate—"
|
||||
"What are we gonna do? We're *never* gonna pass for Iridi!" Lupen interrupted, panicked at the thought of being discovered. "They'll put prisms on our heads! Renzo did this on purpose! This is revenge for earlier, for what I said!"
|
||||
Eka grabbed Lupen's shoulders. "Renzo couldn't have come with us. People don't forget the face of defectors."
|
||||
"This won't work. Your eyes are ruby red and my face is blue Eka!"
|
||||
|
|
@ -1674,7 +1674,7 @@ Enji caught up with Renzo who was leaning on a balcony railing, staring at the c
|
|||
|
||||
### Hako
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> Hako is a capture game popular with Iridi soldiers.
|
||||
> Each player carries a **Sonozai**, a set of four stone dice stringed on braided hampa.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1682,7 +1682,7 @@ Enji caught up with Renzo who was leaning on a balcony railing, staring at the c
|
|||
|
||||
\newpage
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
- **Soli**. Day, light. Smooth side
|
||||
- **Nocta**. Dark. Textured side
|
||||
|
|
@ -1762,7 +1762,7 @@ After the festivities were over, Eka, Lupen and Renzo announced their departure,
|
|||
|
||||
# The Ilk town of Balandri
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> *Snakadil are shy reptavians, the hide in the sand. They have a habit of latching onto those who pass too close to them, and it is difficult to persuade them to let go.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1827,7 +1827,7 @@ Lupen was busy trying to find directions to the next city on their list. They al
|
|||
Lupen noticed that the Voice of the Balandri Ilk was walking through town. They'd never met, but Voices were easy to recognize. They all wore the same robe. Lupen wanted to hide.
|
||||
Eka gave a loud whistle then, a song that held no secrets to Verido ears...
|
||||
|
||||
> *fadomisi faremi sisolfasol*
|
||||
> <!-- Conlang Ilken -->*fadomisi faremi sisolfasol*
|
||||
|
||||
The sound caught the ear of Klev, the Voice of the Balandri Ilk, who turned toward them. Lupen's dumb body was frozen in place, but it was too late now because Ilken was a dead giveaway. Klev pushed through the vendors, and arrived at their little camp. By then, Eka had wandered off, to leave them alone together.
|
||||
"The desert is loud, huh?" Klev said, smiling. "You are far from home Volarian." The Balandrian could not read Lupen's name, as the tattoos were partially hidden under a scarf, but the blue ink was a clear indicator of which city this Verido belonged to. Klev noticed the Thinking Cup, but like Eka, thought it might be better not to ask about it.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1850,7 +1850,7 @@ you must have seen much of the desert!"
|
|||
Lupen parted with Klev and went to see the cartographer once more. "I need whatever update you have for Dorake's pass, the Ash Plains and all the way to The Rupture. I swear to you, I'm not going there to die." Lupen said.
|
||||
"You'd better, I do not want to be the one marking the road to it." Leonin said, busy adding the desired modifications.
|
||||
|
||||
Map in hand, Lupen returned to their encampment. "Change of plans, we're going yosaa'ta^[**Yosaa'ta**. One of 3 intercardinal points, lying between yora'ta(away from the soul of the land) and saa'ta(with the wind).] to intercept Vol."
|
||||
Map in hand, Lupen returned to their encampment. <!-- Conlang Finic -->"Change of plans, we're going yosaa'ta^[**Yosaa'ta**. One of 3 intercardinal points, lying between yora'ta(away from the soul of the land) and saa'ta(with the wind).] to intercept Vol."
|
||||
Eka was lying over Hush, arms hanging down its sides, caressing the large furry beast. "Okay Lu, yosaa'ta we go!"
|
||||
The Verido eyed Eka carefully. "You don't want to know why? Or is it one of those situations where you already know why and that I'm an idiot for asking."
|
||||
Eka was ready to go, standing upright. "Less thinking, more doing!"
|
||||
|
|
@ -1865,10 +1865,10 @@ Eka led Lupen to the area of town where transients moored their sandfins. Hush a
|
|||
Lupen could see someone was in Etyl, a lamp was lit.
|
||||
"Nono's home." The Verido said, relieved.
|
||||
"Kiao'ri Nono!" Eka shouted.
|
||||
They heard lots of noise inside, and then Nono's head pushed out a porthole, like the first time they met. Nono looked healthy, and quickly found them in the dark. "Kiao' aikana'wati di!^[Aikana — love (aikana'wati: loved ones)| Di — appended to word, for emphasis]" Nono shouted, smiling. "Come in! Come in!"
|
||||
They heard lots of noise inside, and then Nono's head pushed out a porthole, like the first time they met. Nono looked healthy, and quickly found them in the dark. <!-- Conlang Finic -->"Kiao' aikana'wati!^[**Kiao**, casual greeting; **Aikana'wati**, *loved ones* in Finic.]" Nono shouted, smiling. "Come in! Come in!"
|
||||
They all went inside Etyl, sitting around the small table in the main saloon. A small avoka oil lamp hung from the ceiling. Etyl was in better shape, the tools were organized in drawers or secured in boxes with lanyards, even the floor was free of debris. Nono had recently waxed the floors, Lupen could smell a mix of lemilim, cactub fat and salts. Nono served oversized mugs of bonan wine from a bottle that was as tall as themself to each one of Etyl's guests.
|
||||
Lupen eyed the mug, wondering if bonan wine could induce a headache by proximity. Eka threw an arm around the Verido's shoulders then. "We have time for this okay? Don't worry."
|
||||
Nono eyed Hush whose head was halfway inside. "Ipaya?" Nono said, offering the hyroo a mug. Hush gave it a lick, but did not enjoy the taste. Nono laughed, and served the hyroo a bowl of mashed babams. "Sosae mawani te dodon oro!"
|
||||
Nono eyed Hush whose head was halfway inside. <!-- Conlang Finic -->"Sakoi'ia pai?^[**Sakoi'ia pai**, Finic word for something to drink that is not strong, not fermented.]" Nono said, offering the hyroo a mug. Hush gave it a lick, but did not enjoy the taste. Nono laughed, and served the hyroo a bowl of mashed babams. "Sosae mawani te dodon oro!"
|
||||
"Good for the soul and the stomach!" Eka translated. "Looks delicious!"
|
||||
"What brings you here?" Lupen asked Nono.
|
||||
"I deliver teaweet from Montore for the Balandri Ilk."
|
||||
|
|
@ -1904,7 +1904,7 @@ After many days of hard work, it came time to test Toronka.
|
|||
On the eve of their departure, they made a fire, and laid out a fabric tarp on the ground to sit on. That evening, Klev played traditional Verido music, Maka cooked for everyone, and Renzo told Iridi legends.
|
||||
Klev presented Lupen and Eka with a bottle of kabacho^[**Kabacho**. A fermented drink made from the fruit of the Kaba plant.], which they later shared and savored with others, and then improvised a tune using a donmol, an instrument with a flat back, triangular-shaped sound holes, four double strings, a long neck, and a raised fingerboard. Lupen smiled at the lyrics.
|
||||
|
||||
All birds are hid and gone,
|
||||
<!-- Conlang Solresol All birds are hid and gone,
|
||||
As clouds blacken the sky,
|
||||
Like a mountain I wait,
|
||||
For sawa's breath.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1912,11 +1912,11 @@ For sawa's breath.
|
|||
All sand is still,
|
||||
As a lonely cloud floats by,
|
||||
Like a bird I wait,
|
||||
For sawa's breath.
|
||||
For sawa's breath. -->
|
||||
|
||||
Eka was translating the meaning of the song to the other guests through exaggerated gestures. Nono and Renzo watched, each interpreting the pantomime in their own way.
|
||||
"A durdle! Orae! It is hungry! And it no can swim." Nono said.
|
||||
"Nan nan, it's about the journey of a great warrior!" Renzo corrected.
|
||||
<!-- Conlang Aodan -->"Nan nan, it's about the journey of a great warrior!" Renzo corrected.
|
||||
|
||||
After the song, Nono recited a poem about a loose bit of thread on Renzo's pant leg.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -1932,8 +1932,8 @@ All in the group were merry, all but Nono and Eka, to whom it had little effect.
|
|||
"Eka, I want to say to you," Nono said, moving close, "I stop by Edonor to talk to my friend who know a lot about woth."
|
||||
The Finiku filled up Eka's mug again. "To see the bottom, it is bad luck." Nono once said.
|
||||
"We haven't found the name of our woth friend yet." Eka said.
|
||||
"You will find soon," Nono replied, "I tell my friend about the detail of wingspan, antenna and color of your woth. They say it is *super* woth!" Saying this, Nono's arms spread wide, spilling half the contents of a mug into the sand. Then, Nono's body relaxed. "Long, long ago, there is more big thing in the desert, and now, not so. But, when I young, I see a rare creature..." Saying this, Nono's eyes glassed over. "Wati teki kira te sawa no mawani..."
|
||||
Maka overheard the last bit of their conversation, and eyed Nono in disbelief. "You saw the soul of the suns and the wind?"
|
||||
"You will find soon," Nono replied, "I tell my friend about the detail of wingspan, antenna and color of your woth. They say it is *super* woth!" Saying this, Nono's arms spread wide, spilling half the contents of a mug into the sand. Then, Nono's body relaxed. "Long, long ago, there is more big thing in the desert, and now, not so. But, when I young, I see a rare creature..." Saying this, Nono's eyes glassed over. <!-- Conlang Finic -->"Wati teki kira te sawa no mawani..."
|
||||
Maka overheard the last bit of their conversation, and eyed Nono in disbelief. "You saw the heart of the suns and the wind?"
|
||||
Nono drifted to another place, recalling something that had happened annums ago. Nono began to tell the story, switching to Finic, speaking in a low voice so Eka could translate for everyone.
|
||||
|
||||
> When I was young, I went to the Rupture with my grandmapa Etyl, who was sick, and decided that it was time to take the Leap.
|
||||
|
|
@ -1970,7 +1970,7 @@ The next morning, Lupen woke to the sound of arguing. Nono was awake, standing a
|
|||
"I no hide!" Gree shouted back, exiting the sandfin in a huff, ready to smack whoever had said this. "Ah! Voice of Volare! What an honor!"
|
||||
"Stop right there," Lupen said, putting a hand forward "did you wreck Etyl on purpose?"
|
||||
"Oh no no no..." Gree said, in a Nono kind of way.
|
||||
Nono was furious, and jumped onto Gree's back, who was now running in circles, pulling the Finiku's ears and screaming into them. "Komororo'ia!^[Finic for "You idiot!""]" Both switched to Finic then. Lupen understood nothing, but could guess what they were saying, because their fight was an old one. Nono was tugging at the Finiku's ears, like one would pull on carriage reins. When the captain of Beobug II continued to deny the damage, Nono grabbed onto Gree's nose, a finger pulling at each nostril.
|
||||
Nono was furious, and jumped onto Gree's back, who was now running in circles, pulling the Finiku's ears and screaming into them. <!-- Conlang Finic -->"Komororo'ia!^[Finic for "You idiot!""]" Both switched to Finic then. Lupen understood nothing, but could guess what they were saying, because their fight was an old one. Nono was tugging at the Finiku's ears, like one would pull on carriage reins. When the captain of Beobug II continued to deny the damage, Nono grabbed onto Gree's nose, a finger pulling at each nostril.
|
||||
"Iaaaa! Nono iana!"
|
||||
Lupen thought about separating them, but also thought that Gree deserved it.
|
||||
"I admit it!" Gree shouted. "It was no mistake. I bump into Etyl on purpose..."
|
||||
|
|
@ -1993,7 +1993,7 @@ The next morning, Lupen woke to the sound of arguing. Nono was awake, standing a
|
|||
"This is no fair!"
|
||||
"Maybe it's time to revisit the feelings you have for Gree. It sounds like you never really gave Gree a chance. You are family, and family... it's, it's everything..." Suddenly Lupen's eyes started to water. Lupen sat on the ground, shaking, overcome with grief. Inconsolable.
|
||||
Both Finiku stared, uncomprehending, thinking themselves responsible. They gathered around the Verido.
|
||||
"Iane, harioki'ia're^[Finic for *No, don't be sad*. Literal meaning: *No, sad to be*.]..." Nono said, in a gentle voice, hand over Lupen's shoulder. Gree did the same. They looked at each other then, sighing. "Ok." Nono said, "We will travel together. I will be patient. I promise." Gree was about to put on the Beobug cap but Nono slapped it away. Both Finiku continued to bicker, but more quietly this time.
|
||||
"<!-- Conlang Finic -->Iane, mawani'yara sosae'ia're^[Finic for *No, don't be sad*. Literal meaning: *No, feel sad do not be*.]..." Nono said, in a gentle voice, hand over Lupen's shoulder. Gree did the same. They looked at each other then, sighing. "Ok." Nono said, "We will travel together. I will be patient. I promise." Gree was about to put on the Beobug cap but Nono slapped it away. Both Finiku continued to bicker, but more quietly this time.
|
||||
|
||||
Lupen was on the ground still, unable to calm down. Klev, who was nearby, approached Lupen. "You okay?"
|
||||
"I have to go home." Lupen managed to say.
|
||||
|
|
@ -2011,7 +2011,7 @@ Lupen was on the ground still, unable to calm down. Klev, who was nearby, approa
|
|||
|
||||
# Toronka
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> *Licky root is typically grown for its roots, which may have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. This plant is very hardy, it grows in high-altitude, like mountains, but also thrives on the back of the Ilk. Verido people like to use the roots to make tea.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -2047,7 +2047,7 @@ All were awake now, and gathered around the bucket to dip their hands in it. The
|
|||
Eka arrived outside to pour tea into the mugs of their companions. All had slept around Toronka, except Nono who preferred sleeping on Etyl. Lupen passed some bonan leaf plates around, each one had slices of toasted muckweet bread with a generous serving of spiced bam purée. Klev and Renzo declined a plate, having not yet recovered from yesterday's drinking.
|
||||
|
||||
After breakfast, Nono boarded Toronka to inspect the deck, outer hull and rigging again. The Finiku's big wet eyes scanned every part, followed every rope from working to bitter end, the hands inspected every knot, and even the feet got to prove their worth by stomping down to sound the deck for abnormalities. After a thorough inspection, Nono climbed up to half mast to make an announcement.
|
||||
"Good work aikana'wati! Toronka ready to fly!"
|
||||
<!-- Conlang Finic -->"Good work aikana'wati! Toronka ready to fly!"
|
||||
|
||||
There was no breeze to sail with yet, but there were signs of its coming. Once in a while, the Finiku would climb up the mast to look at the horizon. "Sawa come. Sawa come soon!"
|
||||
Eka was spending time with Hush, caressing the beast's large parabolic ears. "I'm sorry you can't come with us on Toronka." The hyroo had grown too large for a sandfin, even Eka could not stand upright in the cabin. Eka caressed the hyroo's soft cheeks and grabbed the sides of the beast's snout. "We'll come back for you soon. I promise."
|
||||
|
|
@ -2055,7 +2055,7 @@ There was no breeze to sail with yet, but there were signs of its coming. Once i
|
|||
"How's it going so far?" Lupen had asked, with Gree out of earshot.
|
||||
"It is... how to you say in Common Tongue? Full of mind and body pain," Nono replied.
|
||||
"Painful," Lupen corrected.
|
||||
"Orae. Very, very pain-full, but I try." Nono glanced at Gree on Etyl, who was adjusting the standing rigging, and began to yell. "Ianae! Ara maha?! Tawari'ia!^[Finic literal translation: *No! What doing?! Touch do not!*]"
|
||||
"Orae. Very, very pain-full, but I try." Nono glanced at Gree on Etyl, who was adjusting the standing rigging, and began to yell. <!-- Conlang Finic -->"Ianae! Ara maha?! Yara'ia!^[Finic literal translation: *No! What doing?! Touch no!*]"
|
||||
Gree gave Nono a dirty look and continued to adjust the lines. "This way is better!"
|
||||
Nono stormed back on deck and both continued to bicker in Finic.
|
||||
"In short, too many captains." Renzo explained, having witnessed the argument.
|
||||
|
|
@ -2067,7 +2067,7 @@ There was no breeze to sail with yet, but there were signs of its coming. Once i
|
|||
"No," Renzo made a face, "well, not anymore."
|
||||
"You sure it's okay to leave Hush with you?" Eka asked Renzo, joining them near Toronka. Hush, who was sitting near the bow of the sandfin in the shade, had a crowd of appreciators around at all times. Children were gathering around the hyroo now, stroking its fur. A mess of tiny hands ran through its mane, separating the soft hairs like teeth on a comb. The large beast seemed to enjoy the attention.
|
||||
"Yes, it's fine." Renzo offered Hush a sip of plumkin juice, and gripped the cup tightly so the beast wouldn't lick it up by accident. The children laughed as the beast drank, spilling plumkin juice everywhere. Renzo smiled.
|
||||
Eka caught the smile, and was determined to catch many more before they left for their trip. "Ana tribu vi, Renzo."
|
||||
Eka caught the smile, and was determined to catch many more before they left for their trip. <!-- Conlang Aodan -->"Ana tribu vi, Renzo."
|
||||
Renzo froze, and by these words was transported to another time and place. Its rhythm was comforting, better than music, like re-discovering a long-forgotten, and favorite childhood meal. Ren had learned Aodan while first employed in the Court of Light, Enji grew up speaking it, and taught Renzo over games of Hako...
|
||||
|
||||
> "Nocta," a hand flashed in front of Renzo's eyes, showing the fully-engraved topside of a six-faced stone die, which Enji turned, showing a smooth face, "soli." A side with two connected textured triangles, "son." A side with two disconnected triangles, "nos. And the remaining sides are nulalun and grandalun," Enji explained, "I play soli. Soli *always* starts." Renzo could hear Enji's voice through the thickness of a time now long gone...
|
||||
|
|
@ -2088,7 +2088,7 @@ There was no breeze to sail with yet, but there were signs of its coming. Once i
|
|||
They had played this game once already at a party, at that time Eka had not eaten a spiked dumpling, and neither had Lupen, although Eka was very good at pretending and had won the game. Now, it was almost certain that one of them would have to suffer its effects.
|
||||
|
||||
Nono was next in line, Eka knelt down to match the Finiku's short height. "By the way, our woth friend is named Wiktopher."
|
||||
Nono's eyes widened in surprise, "sosae'di!^[Very good!]" Nono said, ecstatic, pulling Eka in close, the Finiku's short arms barely able to encircle The Wonder. "I am happy to hear this!"
|
||||
Nono's eyes widened in surprise, <!-- Conlang Finic -->"sosae'di!^[Very good!]" Nono said, ecstatic, pulling Eka in close, the Finiku's short arms barely able to encircle The Wonder. "I am happy to hear this!"
|
||||
Lupen also said goodbye, but spent the most time with Klev, chatting away in Ilken. Both Verido were using the short form, whistling away while the villagers stared, perplexed by the absence of talking. Klev had finished the isilk bracelet, and gave it to Lupen as a parting gift. "Now you carry Bala with you."
|
||||
"Thanks, it's lovely." Lupen said, stroking the braid, its red hue evident under the two suns. Then, the Verido removed the skyrock necklace and handed it to Klev. "It's a piece of skyrock. A reminder that the world is bigger than the Ilk, bigger than the Soronan Desert even. It's an amazing place, and there is much to see."
|
||||
Klev took the necklace, eyes locked onto its shiny, smooth surface. "Wow. They're as small down here as they appear up there! Incredible."
|
||||
|
|
@ -2165,7 +2165,7 @@ The previous day, Nono had helped them plan their route to the Rupture on a map,
|
|||
|
||||
# Lupen's logbook
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> *Passari Tremblers are small, sand-dwelling avians. They've got long, thin bills, which they use to pick food through sand. They have a big, colorful head crest. They are rather skittish creatures. They prefer quiet areas, staying away from cities and most creatures.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -2296,7 +2296,7 @@ Hello precious logbook, this is Eka. I thought I would write because Lu is too b
|
|||
|
||||
# The Big Dark
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
> *Sooty agocets are small agocets that live in the sand, their fins pushing them through grains with ease. They like to leap out of the sand and to glide to evade sand-dwelling predators, although while in flight, they are weak to avians and reptavians. Because their bodies match the sand, it is difficult for predators to see them from overhead.*
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -2360,13 +2360,18 @@ Uno's tired gaze was fixed on the inscrutable chasm.
|
|||
The silver-eyed giant breathed again, and slowly turned to look behind. Lupen did the same, and then caught sight of a large dark shape in the horizon growing, and growing. Vol was coming. The wind blew the sand up around them, as if an invisible figure with a giant broom was clearing the dust off a path leading to the chasm.
|
||||
Lupen thought of Volare, its plants, its people, and wanted nothing more than to walk through the town square again, to go pick shroos at Vol's Nape. The sound of Lupen's heartbeat grew louder as Vol approached.
|
||||
|
||||
Step. Ba-dum, Ba-dum, Ba-dum.
|
||||
Step. Kaa-la, kaa-la, ka-laa.
|
||||
|
||||
Step. Ba-dum, Ba-dum, Ba-dum.
|
||||
Step. Kaa-la, kaa-la, ka-laa.
|
||||
|
||||
Step.
|
||||
|
||||
The Ilk's pace quickened as it neared them. Everyone got up. Uno began to whistle, as loud, and as natural as any Voice would. Eka joined in the singing. Lupen too wanted to contribute, but couldn't, swallowing hard, nearly choking, determined to give Vol a proper farewell.
|
||||
|
||||
>
|
||||
>
|
||||
>
|
||||
|
||||
Lupen's voice rose, and rose, subduing all other noise in the area. Its volume was so great, that all in the area stopped to listen.
|
||||
Vol followed the sound, one of its hoofs landed near them, plunging deep into the sand. Uno caressed its ankle. "You'll find the Balandrians in Renate, and the Otorans in Montore," Uno said.
|
||||
"Wait. You're not coming with us?" Lupen stammered, but Eka gripped the Verido's arm.
|
||||
|
|
@ -2384,7 +2389,7 @@ The Ilk's pace quickened as it neared them. Everyone got up. Uno began to whistl
|
|||
Lupen continued to whistle, more loudly, and more clearly than ever. The song was about the end of an era, of the splendor of a world inhabited by giants. Eka listened.
|
||||
The two looked down, having quiet thoughts. They stayed like this a while, hand in hand, eyes fixed on the dark expanse.
|
||||
"Tiputa..." Lupen said aloud then, "we're going to Tiputa."
|
||||
Eka nodded. "Plot a course! Captain oh captain!"
|
||||
Eka nodded. "Plot a course! Captain, oh captain!"
|
||||
"We need supplies." Lupen said, voice clearing as the weight of the day began to lift like morning fog.
|
||||
"Actually, we'll stop by Renate first. Then, we're going to Tiputa," Lupen said, lips curling into a slight grin, not yet able to form a full smile, eager to see all their friends again.
|
||||
"Aye aye!" Eka shouted, shooting upright, hands in the air.
|
||||
|
|
@ -2393,7 +2398,10 @@ The Ilk's pace quickened as it neared them. Everyone got up. Uno began to whistl
|
|||
Wiktopher landed on Toronka's mast, beating its wings wildly, watching as the rest of the crew climbed aboard.
|
||||
Lupen took hold of the tiller. "Let's go sandfinning."
|
||||
|
||||
--- **Owari, the end** ---
|
||||
--- **Pana, ** ---
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
# Lexicon
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -2581,6 +2589,8 @@ A Terin and caretaker of a hidden oasis in the desert. Known by many, Zukka has
|
|||
### Aodal
|
||||
There are many Aodals in the Soronan desert. They are tall, brown-skinned, with small pointed ears. They live primarily in cities like Montore and Edonor, but are also found in Renate.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
### Crested-hirudines
|
||||
Crested-hirudines are reptavians with a wide range, spanning the entire Soronan Desert. Their head crest is bright red and their body scales are blue, shifting to bright green at the throat. They are recognizable by their quick jerky flight. They are sociable reptavians, a dozen to many hundred pairs will nest close together. The nests are in tunnels in the sand. Crested-hirudines are very common, they eat almost anything, but they enjoy looberry fruits the most.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -2644,6 +2654,8 @@ They like to leap out of the sand and to glide through the air to evade sand-dwe
|
|||
### Terin
|
||||
Terins are growers and carers, they have green thumbs and can make any garden and population healthy. Their numbers are fewer these days, given the Iridi raids. They have dark skin, and very bright eyes. They have thick foreams, fingers and legs, and have two-toed feet.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
### Vennec
|
||||
Vennecs are large, humpbacked, furry beasts with thin snouts, large pointy ears and a long slender neck. Their ears are big to better dissipate heat. They are often used to pull heavy carts, because they are very strong and can walk a long time without being hungry or thirsty. Vennec carry water in their humps and store grains in their cheeks.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -2681,6 +2693,8 @@ Chilabi was a popular ingredient in Aodal cuisine. A hot, pungent condiment that
|
|||
### Chloromyce shroo
|
||||
A type of fungus that emits a strong phosphorescent light, it thrives in low-light environments. It is an object of desire for the Iridi, who have fought wars in its name.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
### Conk shroo
|
||||
Conks are hard, woody, cave-dwelling shroos. They are found in mountainous areas, and used to make a variety of objects. Conks can also be eaten, but the texture makes it difficult to chew.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -2735,6 +2749,8 @@ A plant cultivated for its grain-like seeds. These seeds are rich in complex car
|
|||
### Noranke
|
||||
A sweet, and bitter fruit with a thick rind. It has a fragant smell, and can calm the mind. The rinds are often dried, ground up into a powder, and sprinkled onto meals. Terins like to add noranke powder, or dried rind slices into their tea.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
### Norcorn
|
||||
The leafy stalk of the norcorn plant produces inflorescences called nibs that yield bright yellow seeds. This plant is heat tolerant, its root system is deep and reaches deep underground. There are 5-6 seeds per nib, these can be ground up and made into flour to make Soronan Desert favorites like norcorn patties. The entire nibs and their seeds (which are held together by a stalk) can be grilled as is. With enough heat, the seeds explode into bright orange puffs which are eaten as a snack during special events. There have been events when the environing heat was too hot that an entire norcorn field exploded into puffs.
|
||||
|
||||
|
|
@ -2765,6 +2781,8 @@ A staple grain for all inhabitants of the Soronan Desert. It is easy to grow, re
|
|||
### Trumpet flower
|
||||
A plant that grows on the Ilk's back. The bowl of the flower contains a syrupy fluid, often consumed as a very strong and delibilitating drug. It is diluted, and served as a drink during celebrations.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
### Waternilly
|
||||
Waternillies are small plants with long, and complex root systems that dig deep into the sand to reach far-away sources of moisture. Habitants of the Soronan desert use them to locate waterstone wells, they typically grow overtop of such sites in great numbers. They protect themselves from predators by folding in their petals. The outside of the petals secrete an irritant. If ingested, the poison will attack the nervous system and cause generalized paralysis. For a thirsty, dehydrated traveler, laying out in the suns can result in death.
|
||||
Large avians are well-adapted at hunting them. They beat their wings and cover it in sand to soak up the poison, then break it off its stem with their talons.
|
||||
|
|
@ -2957,7 +2975,7 @@ Numbers from one to 10: Ana Tula Frel Kont Sen Seki Ren Octo Neul Ton
|
|||
Terat is spoken by the Terin people.
|
||||
|
||||
> Orr — True, yes
|
||||
> Ian — No, used after the verb if answering a question, e.g., *mukunlat pol?(are you finished eating?* answer: *mukunlat ian*
|
||||
> Ian — No, used after the verb if answering a question, e.g., *mukunlat pol?(finished eating?* answer: *mukunlat ian*
|
||||
> Muk — mouth
|
||||
> Unlat — inside, to put in, e.g. *mukunlat* means *to eat*
|
||||
> Pol — finished, past, end
|
||||
|
|
@ -2971,7 +2989,7 @@ Terat is spoken by the Terin people.
|
|||
> Oteyo — hello.
|
||||
> Stnectotke — stupid, or ridiculous.
|
||||
> Je orr — Aren't I right?
|
||||
> Koπzí — friends (but more than this), to come from the same tree, the same community.
|
||||
> Kottzi — friends (but more than this), to come from the same tree, the same community.
|
||||
> Recttat — alone
|
||||
> Betna — wish/pray
|
||||
> Seke- to do
|
||||
|
|
@ -2995,61 +3013,68 @@ The Common Tongue is the language of trade in the Soronan Desert, spoken by all.
|
|||
### Finic
|
||||
Finic is spoken by the Finiku people.
|
||||
|
||||
> Akahu — Apparition
|
||||
> Akahu — apparition
|
||||
> Aini — to perpetuate, prolong
|
||||
> Aikana — love (aikana'ia: hate, aikana'wati: loved ones)
|
||||
> Ara — what
|
||||
> Atae — with something, appended to words
|
||||
> Atuhue — Beautiful (atehue'ia: ugly)
|
||||
> Atuhue — beautiful (atehue'ia: ugly)
|
||||
> Dae'na? — isn't it?
|
||||
> De — in
|
||||
> Di — appended to word, for emphasis
|
||||
> Dodon — stomach, used to mean hunger when paired with 'sui' e.g., dodon'sui.
|
||||
> Harioki — happy (harioki'ia: sad)
|
||||
> Ianae — no (ia, casual). To negate a word, append 'ia (e.g., Yara'ia, bad kind of thinking)
|
||||
> Ipayae — a drink
|
||||
> Dodon — stomach, (e.g., dodon sui, *hunger*)
|
||||
<!-- > Harioki — happy (e.g., harioki'ia, *not happy, sad*) -->
|
||||
> Ianae — no/not, nothing. To negate a word, append *'ia* (e.g., komo'yara'ia, *not thinking*)
|
||||
> Kauga — heart, middle
|
||||
> Kiao'ri — (kiao', casual) Hello
|
||||
> Kira — sun
|
||||
> Komokomo — smart (komokomo'ia: dumb)
|
||||
> Komo — brain
|
||||
> Komomo — smart (e.g., komomo'ia, *no brain, to mean idiot*)
|
||||
> Komo'yara — to feel with the brain
|
||||
> Kora — that, this
|
||||
> Korei — there
|
||||
> Mai — life (mai'ia, dead, without life)
|
||||
> Maka — way of doing (yara'maka: way of thinking)
|
||||
> Mai — life (e.g., mai'ia, *dead, no life*)
|
||||
> Wati — I, people
|
||||
> Maha — perform (an action)
|
||||
> Mawani — soul (mawani'ia: without soul)
|
||||
> Maha — to do, perform (an action)
|
||||
> Mawani — heart (e.g., mawani'ia, *no heart, heartless*)
|
||||
> Mawani'yara — to think with the heart (e.g., wati mawani'yara sosae, *I feel good*)
|
||||
> Meko — without
|
||||
> Mou — more, again
|
||||
> Mutau— right (mutau'ia, to be wrong)
|
||||
> Mutau— right, justice
|
||||
> Naa — appended to word, for agreement or confirmation
|
||||
> No — possessive particle
|
||||
> Nohi — smell, nose
|
||||
> Noho'uta — warning, stay away
|
||||
> Okini — adj. big, heavy, large, long, tall; important; adult.
|
||||
> No — subjective possessive particle, must be acquired by one's own action (ex: mutau'no'wiri, way of right, rightenousness)
|
||||
> Nohi — nose (e.g., nohi de maha, *to smell*)
|
||||
> Nohoku — to be close (nohoku'ia: to be not close)
|
||||
> Okili — big, heavy, large, long, tall, important, adult.
|
||||
> On — objective possessive particle, fixed to someone, unchangeable (e.g., roro'on, *my brain*).
|
||||
> Orae — yes
|
||||
> Orae, dae'sa! — yes, that right!
|
||||
> Oro — asserts a fact that the listener may not know
|
||||
> Pai — a drink (e.g., sakoi pai, *a strong drink, alcohol*)
|
||||
> Panai — past, end, finished
|
||||
> Poro — purple, color
|
||||
> Re — to be, apprended to other words (eg. Yaga're, to be wrong)
|
||||
> Roro — brain (komororo: bad brain to mean idiot)
|
||||
> Sakoi — strong (sakoi'ia: weak)
|
||||
> Re — to be, apprended to other words (e.g., mutau'ia're, to not be right)
|
||||
> Sakoi — strong (e.g., sakoi'ia, *weak, not strong*)
|
||||
> Sawa — wind
|
||||
> Saa'mu — Short form of sawa'muko, to mean against the wind
|
||||
> Saa'ta — Short short of sawa'atae, to mean with the wind
|
||||
> Sosae — good (sosae'ia: bad, unhealthy, negative. sosae'di: very good, the best)
|
||||
> Sui — empty
|
||||
> Tawari — verb. To touch (tawari'a: don't touch)
|
||||
> Sosae — good (e.g., sosae'ia, *bad, unhealthy, negative*; sosae'di, *very good, the best*)
|
||||
> Sui — empty (e.g., dodon sui, *to be hungry*; mawani'yara sui, *to feel empty)
|
||||
> Te — and
|
||||
> Teki — perceive with the eyes; discern visually.
|
||||
> Teki — to perceive with the eyes, to discern visually.
|
||||
> Wai — who
|
||||
> Wi — manner, state, condition
|
||||
> Wawa — mouth, e.g., wawa'de, to put in mouth, to eat
|
||||
> Yara — think
|
||||
> Yorala — sand, desert, land
|
||||
> Wiri — way, manner
|
||||
> Wawa — mouth, (e.g., wawa'de, *to put in mouth, to eat*)
|
||||
> Yorala — sand, desert, land, outdoor area
|
||||
> Yora'nae — (yora', casual) greeting, to talk
|
||||
> Yora'mu — Short short of yoramawa'muko, to mean towards the soul of the land
|
||||
> Yora'ta — Short short of yoramawa'atae, to mean away from the soul of the land
|
||||
> Yoroi — cool
|
||||
> Yoroi — cool, great
|
||||
|
||||
Yorala'no'mai aini're mutau'no'wiri, coin ianae.
|
||||
Mai no yorala aini're wiri no mutau, coin ianae.
|
||||
Coin mawani'ia oro
|
||||
Mawani'yara sosae
|
||||
|
||||
### Ilken
|
||||
Ilken is a whistled language, used by Verido Voices to communicate with the Ilk. The language is based on Solresol.
|
||||
|
|
|
|||
Loading…
Reference in a new issue