Early Alarkien Astronomy
While referred to today as astronomy, early study of the skies by the Alarkiens was very primitive. The naming of the moons and the sun was one achievement that lasts to this day, with the moons still bearing the names Prikoe and Peirnae, and the sun the name of Inei. Many stars and constellations were also named and carried those names into the future.
The single greatest achievement of early Alarkien was the discovery of the equinoxes, the days on which day and night were of equal length. The equinoxes were believed to be the most holy of days to the Alarkiens, representing the times when the world was closest to Alark.
They were also, for lack of a better term, the days upon which the Alarkien new year celebrations were held. Where the majority of other cultures held that a year was an entire revolution of the planet around the sun, the Alarkiens held that the years themselves were in balance, with one representing death and the other life. Similarly, one contained one's birthday and the other did not, one contained harvest and the other did not, and many other signs indicative of what they believed to be greater balance throughout the world.
Continuing along this path, each Alarkien year was divided into three months: beginning, middle, and end. The more traditional year of other cultures was, therefore, divided into six portions: three months of life and three of death. The names, beginning at the beginning of life, are as follows: Tangei'oeron, Tangei'brinae, Tangei'oelinko, Parkae'oeron, Parkae'brinae, and Parkae'brinae. They translate literally to Life Begins, Life Matures, Life Ends, Death Begins, Death Matures, and Death Ends.
Each month was not divided any further, and the number of days varied greatly within earlier calendars. While the passage of the years was definite, the passing of months within each year was divined through astrological and environmental signs. For instance, the ending month of Tangei, or life, began when the harvest ended, and was often the shortest month of the year.
A System of Trade and of Rule
The Alark'boranae were more than simply the soldier elite of early Alarkien society. They were also the only group of individuals allowed to move between various communities. They were responsible for the creation of the few primitive maps found dating to this time, for the construction of roads, and for the movement of goods. In many ways, Alarkien society depended upon them for life in both war and peace.
A general movement of trade between unaligned communities within Alarkien society followed a strict method in which goods from one area flowed into other areas where they were scarce in return for goods that were scarce in that area. All of this occurred through a barter system mandated by the Alark'boranae, who gained considerable influence through this system.
In fact, the Alark'boranae were the ultimate rulers of any confederacy born from the various communities. While they were careful never to infringe upon the autocratic rule of the Alark'tangat within each village, they were the one cohesive force that allowed interaction between communities, the spreading of ideas, defense of the populace, and, when necessary, interaction with other societies. All of this led to a tribute system of sorts. The Alark'boranae were a part of every community but belonged to none. As such, they were treated well and gifted generously, as per the Hoka system, as payment for their service.
This system laid the groundwork for more advanced forms of government. Eventually, one or more Alark'tangat, the first and most famous being Iho'ranki, made their sole domain of power the Alark'boranae. Instead of Hoka, a true tribute system was created, in which the Alark'boranae were paid directly for their services. This system allowed complete autonomy to those communities that properly paid their tribute, which was generally small.
The fracturing of such military-based confederacies upon the deaths of their original leaders led to another level of government, a confederacy of confederacies. One of the shards of the previous confederacy would become ascendant and, generally, allow the other shards to continue their existence if they, in turn, paid a net tribute to them for their protection and toleration of their existence.
Theoretically, there were times during early Alarkien society where the every community was paying indirect tribute to a single Alark'tangat'inoe'boranae, the leader of a group of Alark'boranae; there are, however, no records of such a large scale confederacy and, even if such existed, it was undoubtedly short lived because of internal conflicts and a lack of societal impact.
EDIT: My apologies for all who read this before this edit. Solstices have been changed to equinoxes, as they should have been originally.
I guess I need to look more closely.
