Khrissalla's Journal

Khrissalla's Journal
Type	Research notes
Author	Khrissalla
Language	Elisian
World of Origin	Taldain
Universe	Cosmere

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Khrissalla's Journal is a series of pages written by the Realmatic Scholar Duchess Krissalla of Elis on the Darkside of Taldain. Khriss uses her journal to chronicle her trip to Dayside and record her observations of Dayside society and culture, as well as her experiments with the Sand mastery.

Entries

Dayside Terms

Glossary

Aisha!		An Exclamation. "Sand!" or "Sand Lord!"
A'Kar		High Priest and leader of the Ker'Reen faith.
a'keldar	pl. a'keldarin	Great sand wolf. Cousin to keldar, pl. keldarin
ashawen		Dark, pungent Kerztian spice.
DaiKeen		Family group Ker'reen members join and afterward wear its symbol on their foreheads.
DelRak Naisha	pl. DelRakin	Deep sandling that hides underneath the sand until prey steps on it.
deep sand		Dangerous areas of Dayside where sandlings can grow to massive sizes and dorim vines are too far below the sand to be used for water.
the Diem		Profession of sand masters; also the building complex they live in.
DoKall		Substance that can make a sandling carapace water resistant over time.
dorim vines		Water-filled vines found beneath Kerla sands.
KaDo and Kamo		Rare Kerztian herbs and spices.
KaRak	pl. KaRakin	Extremely large deep sandling hunted for sport.
Karshad		Language of the Ker'reen priests.
KelThrain		Main bridge that spans the distance between Kezare proper and the kelzin district.
Kelzi	pl. Kelzin	Member of Lossand's upper class.
Ker Kedasha		Tent city, capital of Kerzta.
the KerKor		Ker'reen holy document.
Kerla		Dayside expanse where life and water can be found thriving beneath the sand.
Ker'Naisha		Kerztian for "Sand Lord."
Ker'reen		State religion of Kerzta, focusing on a strict adherence to the Sand Lord and his laws.
Kerzta		Largest and most technologically advanced nation on Dayside.
Kerztian		Relating to the nation of Kerzta or those whose heritage originates from there.
Kezare		Capital city of Lossand.
Kli	pl. Klin	Title granted by the Ker'reen church and passed from parent to child.
lak		Stone coins used on Dayside.
Lonsha		Kerztian word for a person from Darkside.
Lonzare		District of Kezare built by Darksiders and Lossandins in partnership.
Lossand		Second largest Dayside nation.
Los'seen		Lenient Lossandin philosophy of honoring the Sand Lord.
Lraezare		Port City in the south of Lossand.
Napthani Flame		Expensive and hard-to-obtain explosive substance.
Nor'Tallon		Capital city of Tallon.
overmaster		When a sand masterdehydrates too much; leads to burning out their ability to master sand.
overburn		When a sand master feeds the last water and life in their bodyto the sand in exchange for one last powerful burst of sand mastery. Very dangerous.
qido	pl. qidoin	Curled, horn-like canteen.
Reven		King of Seevis.
Rim Kingdoms		Nations beyond Dayside's northwest[1] mountains.
Ry'Do Ali		Kerztian for "The Vein of Cursed Waters." River that runs through the middle of Lossand.
Ry'Kensha		"Cursed One." Kerztian word for sand master.
Senior Trackt		Like a head constable or police captain. Often addressed as "Senior."
shalrim		Plant whose fibers can be woven into soft cloth.
Taisha	pl. Taishin	A member of Lossand's governing body, the Taishin Council.
terha	pl. terhan	Sandling larger and faster than a tonk. Favored mount of warriors. Terhan shells are impossible to dissolve in water if doused monthly with DoKall.
terken	adjective	Impervious to sand mastery.
tonk	pl. tonks	Dayside beast of burden.
trackt		A constable of Lossand.
traid'ka		Kerztian word suggesting good fortune.
ZaiDon		Soft, flexible jerky made from sandlings and eaten with most Dayside meals.
zensha		Kerztian word for traitor.
zinkall	pl. zinkallin	Pneumatic dart guns used on Dayside.
Zo'Ken		Sand master game of target practice.

Taldain Astronomy

by Ben McSweeney

Top-down view of Taldain's Orbit.

Elisian Astronomers used the movement of the stars to create a model of our planetary system. Dayside scholars relied on little more than the movement of the moon (NizhDa), which left gaping holes in their knowledge.

Despite the benefit of the stars, we Elisians are still missing huge parts of the puzzle. From what I have observed, there are at least three evidences that show other unseen forces are at work.

by Ben McSweeney

Top-down view of Taldain's Orbit.

First, the astronomer Djodjen observed moons orbiting Ridos's Eye and learned of stable and unstable orbits.The Eye is in a stable orbit around the Dayside sun (AisDa), but Taldain is not. It's stuck in an unstable orbit Djodjen refers to as Wombear's Saddle - if you place a marble in a saddle, it will roll one way or the other. Taldain, however, is pulled along by the Eye instead of rolling off into a stable orbit. For Taldain to stay locked this way requires an outside force we don't understand yet.

Second, both Dayside and Darkside base the measurement of one "day" upon the orbital period of the moon. The particulate cloud that envelops the Eye on Darkside pulses once every seven days, to the second. Is it a coincidence that the time between pulses and seven of the moon's orbital periods match up exactly? It's almost as if it was engineered this way.

Third, Djodjen's observations of the moons orbiting the Eye demonstrate the peculiarity of the orbit of Taldain's moon. As Taldain orbits the sun, the moon's orbit should gradually change, and yet it does not. Like clockwork, the moon is in the same place in the sky at First Hour in Kezare, for example, no matter the day, month or year.

Taldain's astronomical arrangement seems completely normal to one who has lived with it their whole life. Yet, I cannot discount what these anomalies imply. More observation is needed.

Dayside Timekeeping

Even though Dayside and Darkside both call the same duration of time a "day," their accounting of minutes and hours differ.

Dayside divides one day cycle into fifteen 90-minute hours. A Darkside day is twenty-four 60-minute hours. In other words, a 90-minute Dayside hour equals 96 Darkside minutes.

Dayside Hour	Taishin Standard Time	Darkside Time	by Ben McSweeney Moon hand tells the hour. Other hand tells the minute.
1st	Past bedtime	Midnight
2nd		1:36 AM
3rd		3:12
4th		4:48
5th	Ker'reen morning prayers	6:24
6th	Standard work day begins	8:00
7th		9:36
8th		11:12
9th	Midday meal	12:48 PM
10th		2:24
11th		4:00
12th	Standard work day ends	5:36
13th		7:12
14th	Ker'reen evening prayers	8:48
15th	Standard sleep time begins	10:24

It's important to note that these hours shift depending on several things, including which nation or even neighborhood on lives in, sometimes depending upon one's Profession, or even upon local moonrise and moonset. But in general, Taishin Standard Time is becoming more common, even within the nation of Kerzta, which is often reticent to adopt anything of Lossandin origin.

Dayside Coinage

Dayside coinage systems are not based upon precious metals, like in Elis and the Dynasty, where Crowns and Dynars are used respectively, but upon rare and valuable semi-precious gemstones which are sliced into round "coins" called lak.

Lak are used in all Dayside nations, to a varying degree. The Rim Kingdoms' economies rely almost exclusively on them, while the closer to Kerzta one gets, the more bartering for goods is accepted, even if lak is preferred.

I've had to get used to the Daysider habit of referring to lak by their color. If a color is not stated, then the speaker means blue lak.

1/2 lak		1 gray lak - granite
1 lak		1 blue lak - blue and white marble
5 lak		1 green lak - jade
10 lak		1 red lak - tiger's eye, or red jasper and black hematite
20 lak		1 white lak - white marble
50 lak		1 gold lak - amber (or sometimes other gold-colored stones)
100 lak		1 silver lak - hematite, a rare Dayside stone

The salary of a well-paid mid- to upper-class craftsperson is about 250 lak a day, which equates to 50 green lak, or 25 red lak. Metal and stone are valuable in the Kerla, where the ground lies buried under a hundred feet of sand. Both materials are much less rare now, mostly because of trading between Kerztians and Lossandins, but a small sack of steel can still turn a healthy profit.

Sand Masters

The nation of Lossand has eight main professions, which act something like guilds, one of which is the Profession of the sand masters, also called the Diem. "The Diem" not only refers to the sand master Profession and to the body of sand masters as a whole but also to the complex of buildings that stands as the Profession's headquarters.

The Diem is located on the Ry'Do Ali's west bank, outside of the main districts of Kezare, primarily found on the main island around which the river splits.

Once a year, the Diem gathers at a secluded location at the base of Mount KraeDa to award ranks and participate in contests to show off skill and power in sand mastery.

Sand Master Robes

Made from shalrim, a plant that grows underneath the sand. One of the main things Lossandins trade for with the Kerztians.

Qido

A curled horn-like canteen. Water fuels their art, so sand masters have water on them at all times.

by Ben McSweeney

Diem ranks, as noted by Duchess Khrissalla.

Sand Bag

For carrying freshly-charged sand.

Sash

Color of sand master's sash indicates their rank within the Diem.

Two sash colors are outside the sand master ranks. Recruits seeking acceptance into the Diem wear brown robes and sashes. Acolents were the white robes of a sand master, but their sashes are also white, indicating that they have not accepted a rank yet in the Diem.

Once a sand master is awarded a rank, it is impossible to move to a higher rank. Once a sand master in training - called an acolent - has stopped being able to add more ribbons under their control, it is thought that they have reached the extent of their powers and can apply for a rank. Here's the table of sand master ranks along with roughly how many ribbons are usually controlled by a sand master of that rank.

Dayside Kerla and Sandlings

By Darksider standards, the Kerla is a desert, as there appears to be little water and vegetation. The Kerla, however, is less like a desert and more like a lake of sand. The water, vegetation, and fauna reside beneath the surface in their own ecosystem.

by Ben McSweeney

Kerla Landscape, as sketched by Duchess Khrissalla.

A desert to a Daysider is a place where there are no dorim vines and little life beneath the surface of the sand. Lossand is considered such, with its shallow sand, lack of dorim vines and its outcroppings of rocks. The plants are stumpy and short, there is little livestock, and in order to live, humans are constrained to the land along the rivers. In this one area, whereas on the Kerla, if someone knows its rules, they may live where they wish.

Deep sand differs from the Kerla in that the water table is much farther down. If the Kerla is a lake of sand, then deep sand is the ocean. It is calm on the surface, but beneath it is teeming with life. The dorim vines are so deep that human life cannot find them, and the depth of the sand allows for the fauna to grow much larger.

by Ben McSweeney

Sandling size comparisons, as sketched by Duchess Khrissalla.

Sandlings Sandlings don't seem to need water. In fact, it's toxic to them, melting their carapaces. They've evolved a way to eat sand and bleed gas. Sometimes when this gas-blood reacts with air - which often carries a little moisture in it, even in the desert - the gas-blood can coalesce into something of a gooey liquid.

How the sand provides any kind of sustenance equivalent to the human need for water is anyone's guess. I must research this when I've more time to experiment

Riding a Tonk Tonks are beasts of burden that give off a faint sulfurous smell. To steer one use the riding mallet to tap the tonk's carapace just below the neck on the right or left to turn. The harder you tap, the sharper the turn. If you tap it farther up, near the head, it will speed up. Tap the carapace back near the saddle to slow it down. One hard tap in this location will signal the tonk to stop.

When a tonk is spooked, it will burrow into the sand until only the tips of its carapace are visible. Tap the unburied horns to signal to the tonk that it is safe to unbury itself.

Dayside Nations and Religions

by Ben McSweeney

Traditional representation of Kerzt and Lossa

Anciently, two siblings - Lossa and her brother Kerzt - both claimed to have been visited by the Sand Lord. The result of the visitations is up for debate.

Kerztians say Lossa had been cursed with sand mastery, and Kerzt , in his righteousness, tried to kill her to end this affront to the Sand Lord. Lossandins argue that Lossa had been blessed with the Sand Lord's own power, and Kerzt tried to kill her out of jealousy, so she fled into the desert, eventually founding the nation of Lossand.

Over the following centuries, the Kerztians, for the most part, remained ethnically pure, while the Lossandins mixed with the peoples of the Rim Kingdoms.

Ker'reen and Los'seen

by Ben McSweeney

Examples of DaiKeen symbols

It is generally assumed that all ethnic Kerztians also follow the Ker'reen religion, led by their High Priest, the A'kar. The Lossandin form of Sand Lord worship - Los'seen - is more a philosophy than a beleif system, and in fact many Lossandins are agnostic when it comes to religion. A lossandin who desires organized religion must, in most cases, convert to Ker'reen, where their heritage has traditionally cast them as second-class members.

Conversely, those of Kerztian heritage who live in Lossand are sometimes stereotyped as being less orthodox in the Ker'reen beliefs than those who live in Kerzta.

DaiKeen Every Ker'reen follower wears a symbol on their forehead - either as a tattoo, jewelry, or headband - to mark their DaiKeen, which is like a family clan that one can choose to be adopted into. Members of Ker'reen owe their loyalty to their DaiKeen, even above loyalty to their nation.

Despite the differences in Daysidebeleif systems - which all ultimately worship the sun, the sand, or their avatars - one thing is hard to deny: the sun is the source of all power on Dayside. I suspect there's a connection between it, the sandlings and their ability to subsist without water.

Lossand Professions

The Taishin are the rulers of Lossand, and the country is governed by their council, which consists of eight recognized Professions. Each Taisha represents a portion of the people of Lossand. Though each profession has a headquarters, they also have chapters in other major towns and cities throughout the country.

	The Diem of the Sand Masters
	Leader: Lord Mastrell
	Headquarters: The Diem
	Sand Mastery

	The Hall of Judges, Trackts, and Scribes
	Leader: High Judge
	Headquarters: The Hall of Judgement
	Writing, Law, Keeping the Peace

	The Guild of Merchants
	Leader: Lord Merchant
	Headquarters: The Golden Market
	Moneychangers, Lenders, and Merchants

	The Tower of Soldiers
	Leader: Lord General
	Headquarters: The Tower Garrison
	Lossand's Military

	The Company of Masons
	Leader: Lady Mason
	Headquarters: The Mason Headquarters
	Stone Masons, Builders, Miners; Some overlap with the Artisans

	The Field of Farmers
	Leader: Lord Farmer
	Headquarters: The Farmers Congress
	Those who own the land (Kelzin) and those who work it

	The Draft of Artisans
	Leader: The Lord Artisan
	Headquarters: The Artisan Central Studio
	Artisans and Craftpersons

	The Helm of Shipowners
	Leader: The Lord Admiral
	Headquarters: Helm's Rest
	Despite the use of "Admiral," not military, but mercantile in purpose Closely related to Merchants, with whom they often feud Governed by the Shipowners' Circle

Some of these have sub-professions, especially within the Draft of Artisans, which encompasses everything from carpentry and cobblery to medicine and painting.

The leader of the Taishin Council is often referred to by their title, preceded by the honorific "High." Currently, the High Judge leads the council, but if the leader was a Merchant, then they would be the High Merchant, and so forth.

There is an unofficial ninth Taisha, the Lord Beggar, whose power is only recognized because of the amount of influence he has among the working class and poor of Lossand's people. Since he is technically not a Taisha, he gets no vote on the Council.

In Lossand, there is an upper class called Kelzin (singular, Kelzi). This group comprises influencial Profession members, public officials, wealthy land and ship owners, and some merchants and soldiers. Among the Kerztians, ther eare the Klin (singular Kli), a title granted by the theocracy of the Ker'reen church and passed from parent to child, much like noble titles among Darkside nations.

Kerztian Assassins

Interstingly, in Kerzta, using assassins is allowed, as directed by the A'kar, for certain instances under Ker'reen law. There are even DaiKeen markings that publicly designate assassins, an announcement that would get one incarcerated or worse on Darkside, where assassination is done in the shadows and is certainly not socially acceptable, though for some reason dueling still is.

On Dayside, sending assassins is more of a personal declaration of war by an individual, family, or DaiKeen against another. The Sand Lord's will is apparently made known when either the target or the leader of the assassins is killed, ending the vendetta for at least one year.

Zinkallin

by Ben McSweeney

Zinkall loading and firing procedure

Most assassins, warriors, soldiers, and trackts I've seen on Dayside carry zinkallin, which seem to be the preferred method of duels, battles, and self-defense, unless one is a sand master, in which case they just form knifelike ribbons or projectiles out of sand and command them toward their enemies at breakneck speed. (We must find a way to bring sand mastery to Elis.)

Zinkallin, while innovative, still lack the power of guns, or even of a standard crossbow. What they lose in power, however, they make up for in convenience to carry and ease of use.

Though they shoot arrows, zinkallin aren't used in exactly the same way as bows are. Zinkallin are generally for short range combat, to wound an opponent before engaging them with a sword. The best Kerztian warriors, however, are good enough shots to incapacitate or kill with a single arrow.

Arrows are loaded in front, and then the mechanism is pumped, making it ready to fire. With a flick of the wrist, air pressure is released, along with an arrow, which is somewhere in size between a dart and a full Darkside bolt.

by Ben McSweeney

Sketch of a zinkall, as worn

Sand Mastery on Darkside?

If we can help Kenton save the Diem, he has promised the help of the sand masters in our fight against the Dynasty. But several questions remain.

Can Sand Mastery be used on Darkside? It could be as inaccessible on Darkside as our starmarks are on Dayside.

But if sand mastery can be used, then there are even more questions. Can Elisian soldiers be taught to use it, or will it be limited only to the sand masters Kenton sends? How effective will it be against Skathan's armies? Can a knifelike ribbon of sand cut through the protection of one of his warded elites in a way that bullets cannot?

I want to observe and study sand mastery more closely, but Kenton puts off my admittedly-prying questions about his art, citing that some secrets are only for members of the Diem to know.

I'm not sure Kenton - or anyone on Dayside - realizes how powerful the Dynasty is. If Elis falls, Skathan will turn his sights on Dayside, which has nowhere near the naval prowess or military technology of the Dynasty, even considering that a Starcarved army can't use their powers without access to the Eye of Ridos.

Sand Experimentation

My options for observation and experimenation right now are limited, but so far I've determined that white sand turns black when liquid touches it or after it's used in sand mastery. I wonder if it can be recharged, similar to how starmarks rely on Darkside's weekly pulse. The obvious analog on Dayside is the sun. I've placed four piles of sand on ceramic plates, leaving two in sunlight and two in darkness.

After four hours, the black sand left in the sun turns white. The white sand left in the darkness turns black after twenty-four hours. There is no discernable change in the control groups. Do the results differ if I use oil instead of water?