Jonathan here again, to report on progress.
Work continuesalong, not always as fast as I would like, but bit by bit the book is coming together. As Steve posted last, the rough draft of chapter two was sent off for its first edit. It ended up being about 30% longer than I was originally planning. As I work, thoughts come to me about different ways to arrange the material, and there is a good possibility that when it is done, the actual division of the book will be slightly different than originally conceived in my working outline, but that's all part of the creative process. I didn't for instance plan on a chapter for secret or special societies or organizations (having thought to just put it in another chapter) but that's likely something that will be worked up at this point as its own chapter. I am especially focused right now on getting geographic material started. This should be the longest chapter in the book and will likely, even after it is done, continue to be tweaked as other material gets created and new ideas present themselves.
One of the things I did most recently was put together a draft for a Calender for Kaidan. The weekdays are standard Japanese days with no real alteration. The months are also heavily based on classical Japanese months, but the order has been slightly rearranged and a thirteenth month has been added and an extra festival week. Here's a bit of that...
The Kaidan Calender is divided into a thirteen month division based on a seven day week and the lunar calendar. Before the rise of the Undying Emperor and the ascension of the Shogun to power, the calender year was more complicated, being based on the Zaoist calender, which added extra days to months and extra months to the calender every few years, as necessary, according to the calculations and needs of the priests. Under the Shogun, the calender was standardized with the addition of the month of Nekketsusuki. Under the Shogunate calender, an extra week is added every six years just prior to Nagatsuki. This week is known as Shukan'no'taiteifushi, the week of the eternal emperor, and is a national celebration. The Kaidan Year begins on the first day of the month of Kisaragitsuki, which roughly corresponds to the English month of February, and ends in the month of Shiwasusuki.
The Kaidanese reckon years according to the reign of each emperor so that, as the Undying Emperor has been on the throne for 724 years, it is currently the 724th Year of the Reign of Anotku, or, more officially, the 724th Year of the Eternal Throne. (Note: Though it has been only 719 years since the beginning of the Curse, Anotku officially took the throne five years before the onset of the Curse, and thus his reign is counted from that earlier date, and not the latter date.)
The Days of the Week:
Nichiyo Sun Day (Sunday)
Getsuyo Moon Day (Monday)
Kayo Fire Day (Tuesday)
Suiiyo Water Day (Wednesday)
Mokuyo Wood Day (Thursday)
Kin'yo Gold Day (Friday)
Doyo Earth Day (Saturday)
The Thirteen Months of the Year
Kisaragisuki The month of changing clothes (Winter)
Yayoisuki The month of new life (Spring)
Unohansuki The month of blooming flowers (Spring)
Sanaetsuki The month of early rice planting (Spring)
Minatsuki The month of water (Spring/ Summer)
Fumisuki The month of books (Summer)
Nekketsusuki The month of hot blood (Summer)
Nagatsuki The long month (Summer)
Kamiarisuki The month of the kami (Fall)
Haochisuki The month of falling leaves (Fall)
Shimotsuki The month of frost (Fall)
Mutsuki The month of affection (Winter)
Shiwasusuki The month of running priests (Winter)
As always, comments are welcome.
Jonathan Mcanulty
Kaidan Lead Designer
No comments:
Post a Comment