
                          Aladro's Island Almanac
                    (transcribed from memory by Locke)
                           
This is a work of fiction, and is for use with Tyselorrd and The Isles,
specifically.  It is geared to familiarize the player with the world of
Tyselorrd.   Please note, all ascii representations were created in
the squinched 50-line mode, where characters are contained in square boxes
rather than in rectangular regions.  For proper aspect when viewing, use
50 line mode.

Copyright (c) 1995, Herb Gilliland.  All rights reserved.

-----------------------[    Table of Contents    ]-------------------------

 - Introduction                        - A Linguistic Look at the Realms
 - Unitary Systems                         Zengalli
       Monetary Units                      Haanstaed
       Weight, Length and Volume           Olani
       Time                                Mudaki
       A Note on Calendars                 Zalufini
 - Weather on the Isles                    Haesni
 - Trader's Almanac                        
       Index of Goods and Services         
       

--------------------------[    Introduction     ]--------------------------
        
        From the Author

        This text is written solely for the purpose of outline and explaining
    the different aspects of the Tyselorrd game, specifically the parts of
    the world which are important to playing on The Isles MUD.  The ideas
    contained herein are solely owned by the author, Herb Gilliland.  He
    reserves the right to modify, omit or remove any of this at any time.
        Aladro's Island Almanac is written in the first person to make it
    entertaining as well as informative.  Aladro's persona is defined in
    the 'From Aladro' section of this introduction.

        From Aladro
        
        This would be my first written log of events and information
    ever published by my own hand.  For years I've studied the oldest
    tomes in the lycaeum here in Kess, but I've never taken to writing
    well, and this has taken me much effort to produce.
        I grew up in the city, in the service of my lord Coranos Rygor,
    and his father Ikthius Rygor.  I am an old man, having lived for the
    length of two kings, and I know a bit of lore has passed before mine
    eyes plenty of times.
        This compilation contains my notes to the newcomer.  I have read
    of many lands far and wide across our great oceans, and this text is
    offered unto the traveler; use it well, for it shall familiarize you
    with the parts of these islands that, for natives, are like second
    nature to us.
    


------------------------[    Unitary Systems    ]--------------------------

 - [Monetary Units] 
 
        Each kingdom, it seems, has had its own currency.  The Rygor
        line has standardized the money system throughout these islands,
        much to the appreciation of the merchant class.  I have ranked
        the coins according to the currency value (c's).
        
 10000c Bezain are coins made from precious metal alloys, usually platinum
        and gold, though sometimes gold and silver (commonly known as
        electrum).  Each bezain is one-half halfspan across and as thick
        as a thumbnail. A bezain is worth one ten thousand units of currency.
        
  1000c Platinum coins are hand-pressed coins with a diameter equal to a
        dwarf's smallest finger, or about one third handspan (see below).
        Each platinum piece is worth one thousand units of currency.
        
   100c Gold pieces, rich man's tokens, are smaller than platinum coins,
        but thicker, to even out their weight with platinum pieces.  They
        are stamped with the visage of the current king, in this case,
        Coranos Rygor.  A gold piece is worth one hundred units of currency.
        
    10c Silver coins rank as ten currency units.  They are the same size and
        thickness as gold coins.
        
     1c Copper pieces, the most common coins, are standard sized coins that
        rank the same size and thickness as gold and silver coins.  Each
        copper is equal to one currency unit.
        
 - [Weight, Length and Volume]
 
        The standard units of measurement across the Isles and on the
        mainland of Tyselorrd are as follows.
 
        Weight:       (english equivalent)
        
          halfstone             1/2 pound
          stone                 1 pound
          dustone               2 pounds
          
        Metals:
        
          halfbar               1/2 bar
          bar                   1 handspan by 1 halfspan by 2 qetspans
          durbar                2 bars worth
          
        Lengths:
        
          qetspan               1 inch
          halfspan              3 inches
          handspan              6 inches
          duspan               12 inches
          
        Volume (solid):
        
          halfskal              3 cubic inches
          handskal              6 cubic inches
          duskal               12 cubic inches
          
          halfbral            1/2 brals   (50 duskals)
          bral                100 duskals
          dubral                2 brals   (200 duskals)

        Volume (liquid):
        
          halfswil              1 cup
          handswil              1 pint
          duswil                1 quart
          
          halfcask              1/2 cask (2 duswils)
          undcask               4 duswils
          ducask                2 casks  (8 duswils)
          
 - [Time]
 
        Time on the isles is seperated into years, months, weeks, days,
        hours and, for those with clockwork timepieces, minutes and seconds.

             The days are as follows: Great Hawk (Lexo), Falcon (Franto), 
             Owl (Halag), Black Crow (Ruz), Phoenix (Kalamak), 
             Golden Eagle (Aedo), Grey Gull (Franwag).
             
             The months are as follows:
             Season of the Ice Cougar    (Iak)
             Season of the White Fox     (Vod)
             Season of the Robin         (Lin)
             Season of the Crystalfish   (Nemi)
             Crop Wind                   (Grez)
             Season of the Squirrel      (Po)
             Dry Winds                   (Rani)
             Dragon's Breath             (Falak)
             Harvest Moon                (Kae)
             Season of the Changing Oak  (Ret)
             New Frost                   (Jal)
             Ice Weaver                  (Yun)
             
        According to the Rygor calendar, the year is 452 (as of the
        date of this writing) from the day of the foundation of our
        lord's realm, the year 1.
        
        Each day is divided into twenty-four hours.  There are seven days
        in a week, thirty days per month.  There is a total of twelve
        months in a year, from winter to winter.
        
    ---- A Note on Calendars
    
        This text is from Dremmen's History of Calendars.
        
            "Calendars, throughout the chronology of Tyselorrd, have been
             sited as based on the kingdom you are in.  As one year varies
             from the next, a standard calendar was adopted long ago from
             the Vlattensintri calendar, which marks all days and months
             the same, regardless of what year the particular king declares
             it to be.
             
             The days of the Vlattensintri calendar are as follows:
             Lexo, Franto, Halag, Ruz, Kalamak, Aedo, Franwag.
             
             The months of the Vlattensintri calendar are as follows:
             Iak, Vod, Lin, Nemi, Grez, Po, Rani, Falak, Kae, Ret, 
             Jal and Yun."
             


             
----------------------[    Weather on the Isles    ]------------------------

     
            Scientifically, the Southern Isles of Jharl lie to the south
        of the mainland, and are generally displaced from the tropical and
        temperate climes that one sees on the mainland.  This southern
        region is relatively colder, though not harshly so, and sports an
        extended winter season.  Due to the ocean proximity, the isles
        are often buffeted by powerful blizzards that come suddenly.
        During the milder months, heavy thunderstorms are a common sight.
            On the other hand, there are occasional dry seasons during
        the winter, summer and autumn.  Droughts can occur, forcing the
        rationing of water and other supplies.
            Twice in recent history great gails have erupted from the
        deep ocean to descend upon the isles, particularly the smaller,
        more vulnerable ones.  These hurricanes are devastating to local
        populations.
        

--------------------------[   Trader's Almanac   ]--------------------------

        I have slowly compiled this section from merchant reports over the
        last few years.  I have kept merchant ledgers from various
        establishments whom let me have access to their records.
        

        Caravan Group
           
            Services
              Trade escorts
              Exotic, common imports
              Exporting of local goods
              
        Consortium, The
        
            Services
              Exotic imports
              Exporting of local goods
              
        Dwarven Merchants Guild
        
            Services
              Mining trade
              Exporting of refined and raw metals
              Importing of gems
              
        Zozzo
        
            Services
              Importing of exotic goods
              Exporting of art and local crafts
              Importing of rare items
              Usually buy stock and supplies
              
        Zylots, The
        
            Services
              Import artwork and luxury items, rare weapons and jewels
              Deal in some contraband
              Export local luxuries, rare items, gems
              

        Goods
          
          Cape Red (The Port of)
          
            Goods
              Exotic imports are high.
              Local exports include fish, rare spices and herbs.
              Fine luxury items abound within the city walls.
              Largest agricultural importer.

          Blood Lake Mines
          
            Goods
              Refined metals.
              Raw ore.
              Some mushrooms and fungus.
              Exports are primarily oil, metal and gems.
              
          Kess
          
            Goods
              Fine weapons, foods and preserved items.
              Main imports include preservatives and spices.
              Exports include herbs, rare components.
              Imports gems.
              
          Keveg
          
            Goods
              Exports mainly wheat, corn, rye, barley and other foods.
              Main luxury imports are Keveg wines.
              
          Vesper
          
            Goods
              Largest agricultural exporter.
              Imports fish, some meats, luxury items (some), weapons,
              ores, metals, wines and exotic ales.
              
              

-------------------[  A Linguistic Look at the Realms  ]--------------------

 - [Zengalli]
 
    The Zengalli, historically, was the most prevailent humanic tribe that
    conquered much of northern Tyselorrd during the tribal succession
    wars of the earlier millenia.  It is a common spoken language among
    all humans now, as well as a similar form of tradespeak and localspeak
    that is associated with each region.

 - [Haanstaed]

    Haanstaed is the language of those dwarves involved with the fortress
    at Kreighaad, on Soedar.  Haanstaed is a gutteral speak, befitting of
    the dwarven race.  All other forms of dwarven languages are derived
    from an ancient version of Haanstaed that was localized on Tyselorrd,
    and not on Soedar itself. 

 - [Olani]
 
    The language Olani is that of the thilonenne of the southlands on
    Rygor Isle.  It is a newer language, passed down between the forest
    dwelling villages of thilonenne.

 - [Mudaki]
 
    Mudaki is the main thilonenne language of the thilonenne.  Its name,
    bearing great similitude to the isle Mudak, is derived from a common
    word of old, dead languages used once by thilonenne.

 - [Zalufini]
 
    The Zalufini is the language of trioskenne.  Its speech is light
    and delicate.  A graceful language, Zalufini continues to be considered
    a lyrical language.  Its roots are based lightly on Mudaki, though
    much of the accent and pronunciations are drastically changed.

 - [Haesni]
 
    The enigmatic grunting language of the drev.  No roots, this is the
    first onset of the primitive language of this race.


