A comprehensive list of societal terms and concepts
You poor readers have been flooded with strange terms and languages in my Akiniwazisaga freebies. Well, I’m going to give you a little more of a freebie and that’s the glossary and notes to help you understand the words, pronunciations and meanings of them. It’ll teach you to cuss like a Viking, too. This will be a compilation of the master list that will cover all 3 novels that are out. That means there will be terms and subjects you haven’t encountered yet, or are buried too deep in the novels for you.
Check it out from the start, here:
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Things
Currency
The primary currency is the Silver Penning, with commonly recognized coin variations in the forms of Ertogs, Oeres and Marks. Coins can also be found in other metals such as gold and copper which have a variable value based on the local market. On rare occasions bronze and platinum coins have been minted. Although it is valued against silver, there is no universal standard of conversion and often devolves into haggling on what the participants need. In this manner gold is worth far less than silver in some areas, while in others far more. Silver is used as the baseline for precious metals in the Akiniwazi Union and the spot price set by the Crown banks.
Conversion Chart
Trotes
Trade Notes
These are pieces of paper currency usually for large transactions backed by a specific commodity owned by the bank or company. The note itself is essentially a sophisticated I.O.U. that promises the issuer will keep on hand or provide in a timely manner the commodity backing the note. They help facilitate large scale trade between the lands and companies.
For example, a transaction may be purchased with for a specific sum backed by timber from a local lumber camp to meet payroll. This Trote can be taken by the purchaser and traded in for silver at any of the Crown or jarl banks. It may also be used to purchase other goods from a business or by anyone willing to redeem it for a large scale purchase at that amount. This cycle may continue till the Trote finds its way back to the original issuer, where they would pay the Trote in either silver or the backing commodity, or a combination of the two. If traded in to a bank, they are used between the banks in a similar fashion but never re-enter public use.
The most common trotes are found for timber, peat, grain, fish, cut stone, building materials, bulk products like sand, manufactured items like glass, leather or paper. It is not mandatory to accept a Trote as payment, but is considered good manners if access to a bank or other repository of legal currency is possible.
Many a feud has started over failure to honor a Trote.
Gems
Precious and semi-precious stones are a fluid market often subject to the tastes of the buyer as well as availability. Cut gems are always worth something, though their value is wildly inconsistent, often applying their aesthetic value to its price. Set jewelry is worth the most but is even more inconsistent in value. The Hird and Kyrkja are patrons of lapidaries to help increase their wealth when provided with raw stones.
Food and Drink
Aquavit – [AH-kah-veet]
A potent liquor of clear to golden color. Strongly flavored with fennel, licorice or anise. Occasionally served from bottles frozen in blocks of ice.
Brennevin – [BREH-neh-vin]
An unsweetened liquor similar to schnapps. Sometimes spiced with caraway .
Clapbread
Small loaves of bread made from oats or barley.
Kex – [KEKS]
Cookies. Often made with cinnamon, molasses, ginger, nuts & dried fruits.
Switchel
A refreshing drink made with apple cider vinegar and water, often with honey, salt and cinnamon added. Used to make water safe and work in the fields .
Wastel
An expensive good quality bread made with refined flour.
Keeping Time & Canonical Hours
Time is kept in Akiniwazi on land in three hour blocks. If time is specifically known, it will be referred to as either the 1st, 2nd or 3rd hour of the period. (e.g. 7am would be Second Primae) Time after that is broken down by quarter hours at the most precise after that. These quarter hour delineations are are called early, mid and late (e.g. Mid Third Nocturne would be 2:30am).
Nocturne Midnight-2am
Matins 3am-5am
Primae 6am-8am
Terce 9am-11am
Sexte Noon-2pm
Nonae 3pm to 5pm
Vesper 6pm-8pm
Compline 9pm-11pm
Ad Segregationem – [AHD SEH-greh-gaht-seeoh-nem]
After Separation
All dates are commonly referred back to the date in which Fimbulvetr closed the passage to the Gamleverden through the Kisiina Sea in 1267 AD, trapping the Forsamling, separating them from their ancestral Viking homelands.
Arts, Equipment & Other Items
Eldroeyr – [ELD-roy-ur]
Fire Pipe
A defensive siege weapon that uses steam pressure to spray targets similar to a fire hose. It commonly uses molten lead or boiling oil and tar. Range is typically less than 100 yards, depending on what is being sprayed and from the height it is sprayed. It is a difficult weapon to use due to its weight and maintenance.
Manu Dei Ducitur – [MAH-noo-DEH-ee-DOO-sih-tur]
God Manipulating Hand
A form of unarmed martial arts practiced exclusively by the Havarians. It is fiercely protected by the sect who refuses to share its secrets with any outsider. Those caught sharing its secrets are declared a fredlause (an outlaw) and killed on discovery. They believe that this was given for their custodial care in service to God.
The form is based around grappling and submission of an attacker combined with improvisational weaponry from common items that would be at hand. A spiritual warfare side is also present in quoting scripture to grant the user the ability to be effectual versus demonic forces, either in the physical realm or spiritual. Some stories have been circulating as tall tales of Havarians who were challenged to wrestle with angels much like Jacob for a blessing. In a few better known stories during the early days of Isolation, Havarians have fought demons, hand to hand and won.
Due to the nature of the martial art preferring to remain discrete it is an excellent form to protect people and have allowed Havarians exulted positions guarding some of the most notable members of the Hird in Akiniwazi.
Quadrivium
The four years the follow are broken into two paths: The General Quadrivium and Tailored Instruction.
Every year in the spring, a Scholastic Council is convened to select the students that showed exceptional skill or fit for the Sects. The representatives on the Council debate about each student. If multiple sects desire a child in their number, they must present their case to why they would be the best fit. These children are put into special programs where each sect teaches the child the specific skills and lessons that reflect their ministry. If no sect chooses a child, they are taught in the General Quadrivium which does not deal in special studies dedicated to a sect, but more general knowledge in either the arts, sciences, trades or other more advanced skills. Those students who go into the General Quadrivium are then selected by the sects either to become ordained or laity servers who handle more mundane jobs.
Ribbonroads
Railroads made with iron straps on top of wooden ‘rails’ and ties. Very unreliable and prone to “snake heads”. These are curls of iron straps that break due to by wear, poor maintenance or bad construction. These can maim or kill if they cut into a carriage.
Rutter
A traditional pilot’s log that is used to keep notes of features on the water, headings and other tricks of the trade. Ships pilots often share information about changing routes and harbors with each other, but often keep back some secrets for their personal advantage.
Skoggang – [SKOH-gahng]
Exile or shunning
A sentence for criminal activity. Literally meant “to go into the forest” as an aspect of being shunned. It is a partial outlawing of an individual, or decree of shunning from society. Those who have been been given the punishment of skoggang might be restricted to a certain area, where they may be protected by the law, or a restriction on who may talk, help or associate with him. This sentence may only be passed after conviction at a Thing.
Small Beer
A type of beer with very low alcohol content. A common beverage given to all ages as a safe alternative to water.
Thing – [TING] or [THING]
An official gathering or trial, often presided over by an elder or sogumathr or domari.
Trivium
The first three years are called the Trivium and are focused on teaching the child the basics of life in the Kyrkja. This teaches the children how to read, and write both in Norroent and Latin. They also learn basic mathematics. During this time they are also tested and examined to see what gifts they have been given by the Holy Spirit as well as taught to memorize Scripture.
Ships
Karvi – [KAR-vee]
A small sailboat mostly used for fishing or shallow water. Rarely over 50 feet long.
Knarr – [NAR]
Similar to a viking longship, a knarr’s draft is deeper, but is a far wider ship. It is a standard non-military vessel in Akiniwazi. They range from 100 – 400 foot long.
Skoggang – [SKOH-gahng]
A sentence for criminal activity. Literally meant “to go into the forest”. It is a partial exile and shunning from society. Those who have been been given the punishment of skoggang are restricted to a certain area where they remain protected by the law, or a restriction on who may associate with him.
Steamknarr – [STEEM-nar]
A specific style of knarr unique to Akiniwazi that utilizes a steam engine and paddlewheels to sail. This class of vessel looks like a combination between a cog, caravel and sidewheel steamboat. Key features include multiple decks, often enclosed with a raised fore and aftcastle.
Sport & Games
Knattleikr – [NAT-ly-kurh]
The most organized sport of the Akiniwazi Union. It is a modified version of the ancient game into a more organized competition. It is a combination of baseball and rugby. It can have unequal sized teams where players can come and go as they please. Games can last all day, ending because of dark, a set point score is reached or one team surrenders the pitch.
Stafurleikr – [STAH-foor-LY-kurh]
The Stick game (lacrosse) played by Skaerslinger. Sometimes used as an alternative to war. Death while playing is not uncommon and considered honorable.
Supernatural Beings
Azhikwe Ozheginguay – [AHZ-hee-kway ohz-HEE-gin-gway]
The Spirit of the Screaming Faces
Azhikwe for short. A demonic scourge of the Skaerslinger that preys on powerful men. It corrupts their spirits and through them their followers, thereby destroying whole groups of people.
Draugr – [DRAO-gur]
The animated dead of Scandinavian antiquity. Corpses of animals or humans that are controlled by manitou.
Manitou – [MAN-ih-too]
A generic Skaerslinger term for spirit, demon, devil or ghost. Always evil spirit, devil or demon from a Forsamling context.
Nibiagijioose – [NEE-bee-ah-gee-JOO-say]
Water Walkers
Manitou who look like people made of mist and associated with those who drowned. Most active on calm foggy mornings. Known to cause mischief to sailors and ships.
Ogimaak Mikwam – [oh-GEH-mawk MIK-wahm]
The Ice Queen
Second most powerful demon in Akiniwazi. Has a shrine on the largest island in Akiniwazi located in Lake Ogimaque.
Ogimaa Nichiiwad – [oh-GEH-mawk NEE-chee-wahd]
The Storm King
The most powerful demon in Akiniwazi. It is said to rule from a mythical fortress somewhere in the northeastern Ondeandkorgfjell.
Wendigo – [WEN-dih-goh]
A demon of winter, starvation, cannibalism and madness.
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