Jankenjin Factbook [closed]

by **Jankenjin** » Mon May 24, 2010 7:24 pm

The Factbook of Jankenjin
(or, Everything You Wanted to Know About
Those Weird Aliens but Were Afraid to Ask)

INDEX

A Glossary of Jankenjin Terms

Jankenjin Biology & Psychology

Teiensekai - the Jankenjin Home World

Jankenjin Systems of Measurement and Currency

Jankenjin History - A Timeline

Jankenjin Society and Culture

The Triune Republic

by **Jankenjin** » Mon May 24, 2010 7:25 pm

A Glossary of Jankenjin Terms

by **Jankenjin** » Mon May 24, 2010 7:26 pm

Jankenjin Biology

Appearance and Anatomy

Jankenjin are not human nor anything like creatures from Earth. In external appearance, they resemble (somewhat) human-sized kangaroos: bipedal, with long, strong hind legs and a balancing tail, and a hopping gait. They have a more simian looking face than a kangaroo's, with a blunt muzzle and good stereo vision. Their ears are smaller, and on their heads is a large, reptilian or bird-like crest. Their bodies are covered in a fine layer of structures resembling a cross between thick fur and downy feathers, called "furfeathers". In the adults, the crest is lined with larger, stiffer furfeathers, and line of thicker furfeathers also runs down the adult Jankenjin's back and ends in a large tail-tuft.

Being an alien species, Jankenjin are neither mammal, reptile, nor bird, but have anatomical features similar to ones found in all three classes:

Circulatory and Respiratory System: Almost identical to mammals, with lungs, four-chambered hearts and a separate pulmonary arterial network. Jankenjin are warm-blooded.
Digestive System: Jankenjin are omnivorous, with mouths contain cutting teeth (incisors) and tearing teeth (canines), but no chewing teeth (molars). Instead, at the back of their mouth is a crop, a small pouch or sack, resembling the ones found in some species of birds. Jankenjin keep a small collection of stones (originally natural stones, nowadays synthetic, ceramic ones) in their crop, and when eating, slide unchewed food back into it to be mashed up by the stones, the pulp being exuded back into their mouths for swallowing. Their stomach and other digestive organs are similiar to mammals.
Skeletal-Muscular System: Also similar to mammals; the most noteable features being their head-crests and tails. The head-crest, like similar structures on reptiles, is semi-rigid and flexible, with a cartilage-like structure and attached muscles that permit it to be erected for display, or flattened against the back of their heads. Jankenjin tails are large and strong, and slightly prehensile; though not enough to be used as a third hand, they can be used as a third leg, and trained Jankenjin athletes can actually hang by them.
Skin: Somewhat between a mammal's and a bird's, smooth with a fine coating of furfeathers, with thicker furfeathers along their eye-ridges and covering their scalp. Young Jankenjin do not develop the thick lining of furfeathers on their crest and down their back and tail-tuft until they reach puberty.
Senses: Similar to human's. Jankenjin eyes are tuned slightly lower in the spectrum than human ones, enabling them to see slightly in the infrared while deep violets appear black to them. Their sense of hearing is not quite as acute as human's, but their sense of smell is keener.
Reproduction: This is the greatest difference between Jankenjin and humans or other Earth animals, and deserves its own explanation below. The important factor is that Jankenjin are ambisexual. Depending on the circumstances, they can be either male or female. They are not hermaphrodites; instead, they have "one set of equipment that works both ways."

Genetics

The Jankenjin home planet Teiensekai developed unicellular and multicellular life very similar to Earth, at least in the beginning. However, when plants and animals on Teiensekai started evolving sexual reproduction, the planet's evolutionary history took a sharp left turn into unique territory. Instead of evolving two sexes--male and female--living organisms on Teiensekai, including Jankenjin, evolved three.

To understand how this works, one has to look at it on the genetic level. Organisms on Teiensekai have chromosomes, similar to Earth organisms, including sex chromosomes. However, unlike the human set of X and Y chromosomes that result in either a female {XX} or a male {XY} or a non-viable form {YY}, Jankenjin have three chromosomes, dubbed J, K, and L. Each Jankenjin has two of the three chromosomes, resulting in three possible combinations: {JK}, {JL}, and {KL} (Matched pairs--{JJ}, {KK}, or {LL} are non-viable). These combinations dictate what sex a Jankenjin is:

A Jankenjin with a {JK} chromosome pair is called a guujin.
A Jankenjin with a {JL} chromosome pair is called a chokijin.
A Jankenjin with a {KL} chromosome pair is called a paajin.

Sexual reproduction among Jankenjin occurs when a cell from each partner divides, splitting its chromosome pairs in half. The two pairs of cells come togther and unite into two new cells, each containing half the chromosomes of each parent cell. For example, a cell from a guujin {JK} and a cell from a chokijin {JL} will split and re-fuse, becoming two new cells, one with a {KL} pair and one with an {JJ} pair. Since the {JJ} pair is non-viable, that cell fails to develop and is usually broken down and absorbed by the other. The cell with the {KL} pair then starts dividing, forming an embryo that eventually develops into a baby paajin.

This demonstrates the two fundamental features of Jankenjin reproduction: Successful mating can only happen between two different sexes, and the offspring of that union will always be of the third sex.

Sexual Differentiation

Many organisms on Teiensekai, including Jankenjin, evolved a form of sexual trimorphism (different physical characteristics based on sex), to differentiate the sexes and prevent non-viable mating. Thus, the three sexes of Jankenjin are considered three separate genders as well, with noticeably different physical and mental qualities:

Guujin, the "Physical Gender". Physically, guujin are more heavyset than the other two genders, and have reddish skin and furfeathers. They are the physically strongest gender, though their dexterity and physical endurance is not as great. Mentally, they tend to be more direct and less intuitive than the other genders, preferring the concrete to the abstract, and are often accused by the other two genders of being hopelessly literal-minded.

Chokijin, the "Mental Gender". Physically, chokijin are about a head taller than guujin and more slender than the other two genders, and have bluish-black skin and furfeathers. Their strength is midway between guujin and paajin, though their dexterity is greater. Mentally, they are very sharp, able to focus easily on abstract problems and work out their solutions much faster than either guujin or paajin; however they tend to be very reserved emotionally compared to the other two genders.

Paajin, the "Emotional/Spiritual Gender". Physically, paajin are the smallest of the three genders, being about a head shorter than guujin and of average build. They have fair skin and blond furfeathers. They are the weakest and least dexterous of the three genders, but have the most physical endurance. Mentally, they are noted for their sensitivity to and expression of emotions, a trait which has caused guujin and chokijin to attribute to them greater spirituality than themselves.

Jankenjin Psychology

The Ogawa/Megawa Dynamic

Because of their particular form of reproduction, Jankenjin evolved a much different set of psychological norms than human beings. For starters, they do not consider themselves either male or female. Because Jankenjin are ambisexual, they are capable of assuming either the male role or the female role in reproduction. However, they cannot assume both at the same time; instead, they are capable of two different and opposite forms of sexuality, called ogawa and megawa. Strictly biologically speaking, ogawa is equivalent to "male", the seed planter, while megawa is equivalent to "female", the seed recipient and child-bearer. However, the psychological aspects are much different.

Jankenjin assign ogawa and megawa roles to the different genders according to an age-old pattern, one that dominates and practically defines their culture:

For a guujin/chokijin pair, the guujin is the ogawa partner and the chokijin is the megawa one.
For a chokijin/paajin pair, the chokijin is the ogawa partner and the paajin is the megawa one.
For a paajin/guujin pair, the paajin is the ogawa partner and the guujin is the megawa one.

Note that this means guujin mothers always bear chokijin offspring, chokijin mothers always bear paajin offspring, and paajin mothers always bear guujin offspring. It is for this reason that ogawa/megawa cannot be defined simply as male/female. Ogawa/megawa encompasses not only the "husband/wife" relationship, but also the "mother/child" one. The psychology is therefore much different.

Jankenjin define ogawa/megawa not as "equal-opposites", but rather as "superior-inferior". The ogawa side of the relationship is considered dominant, protective, and nurturing, while the megawa side is considered submissive, vulnerable, and yearning. This extends not only to relationships between individual Jankenjin, but between the genders as a whole. All guujin are considered ogawa to all chokijin, all chokijin are considered ogawa to all paajin, and all paajin are considered ogawa to all guujin. For Jankenjin, equality exists only within one's gender, not between them.

The Sansukumi Principle

Despite the apparent inequality between the genders, in fact Jankenjin culture is remarkably egalitarian when it comes to gender. The reason for this is a principle called sansukumi, which can roughly be translated as "three-way standoff." Any two Jankenjin of different genders will have an unequal relationship, one being ogawa and the other megawa. However, the addition of a Jankenjin of the third gender cancels this out: If gender A is ogawa to gender B and B is megawa to A, then C will be ogawa to A and megawa to B. Each Jankenjin becomes ogawa to one of the other two and megawa to the other one. Thus, no single Jankenjin of the three is dominant; all are equal.

Jankenjin incorporate the sansukumi principle in all facets of their society. For example, Jankenjin marriages are not between couples, but rather between trios, one guujin, one chokijin, and one paajin. This ensures no one partner in the marriage is superior to the others. Similiarly, Jankenjin government and social structures are all based on the principle of equal representation for each gender, ensuring that no single gender dominates the political or social landscape.

"Growing Up Jankenjin" -- Physical and Psychological Development

Like humans, the Jankenjin personality is formed alongside their physical development. An understanding of that development is crucial to understanding the Jankenjin mind.

Conception, Pregnancy and Birth

It starts, of course, with conception and pregnancy. All Jankenjin can become pregnant and bear children. Pregnancy, of course, dramatically impacts the Jankenjin's ambisexual nature:

When a Jankenjin conceives, her reproductive apparatus "shuts down" and her hormones go into a sort of "standby mode", making her unable to become either ogawa or megawa. This is how a Jankenjin mother usually discovers that she has become pregnant. The expectant mother remains in this state for about a month while the embryo undergoes its primary development. This first stage of pregnancy is often physically uncomfortable for the mother, akin to the "morning sickness" that sometimes afflicts human females that have recently become pregnant.
Once primary development is reached, the embryo transfers itself into an internal marsupium, or pouch, where it continues its development away from the main reproductive system. At this point the expectant Jankenjin mother can resume her ogawa or megawa nature, although she will be unable to conceive again or get another Jankenjin pregnant until she's given birth. Biological scientists have debated why such non-productive sexuality evolved, and have generally concluded it's a social thing, like the way primates on Earth engage in sexual behavior even during times the female is unable to conceive.
In rare situations, usually less than 3% of the time, the embryo will fail to transfer following primary development. The result is the equivalent of a miscarriage. Because of this, Jankenjin have two competing views on the "beginning of life". The older view is that "life begins at implantation", when the embryo is vital enough to transfer itself into the marsupium. The development of modern biology gave rise to the "life begins at conception" view. Jankenjin ethicists, primarily in their different religious communities, argue over which view is morally correct, and this argument is the basis for the political and legal debates Jankenjin have on contraception and abortion.
In even rarer situations, a Jankenjin mother may not realize her embryo has miscarried, and may mistake it for implantation. The result is a "false pregnancy", where the Jankenjin mother will act and sometimes even physically appear to be pregnant until it becomes obvious she is not carrying a developing fetus. It is not unheard-of for unscrupulous Jankenjin to deliberately fake pregnancies to deceive their partners; the "fake pregnancy ploy" is a common plot device in Jankenjin drama.
The second stage of the Jankenjin pregnancy lasts about 8 months, and if successful results in a live birth. A Jankenjin is capable of reproducing again within a few weeks of her baby's birth.

Jankenjin babies are born either hairless or with a light downy covering of blond furfeathers. Within a year, guujin babies turn reddish and chokijin babies turn dark, while paajin babies retain their blond coloration. This, and the fact that paajin retain more of their juvenile features as they grow than chokijin or guujin do, is why paajin are often called "the cute ones".

"Snogging"

Jankenjin babies have undeveloped crops and cannot "chew" solid food until they are around 2-3 years old. Instead, their mothers nurse them through a process known as "snogging": A Jankenjin mother will take food and mash it in her crop, then transfer the pulp, known as "snog", into her baby's mouth, a process similar to the way some female birds on Earth feed their young.

Snogging plays an important part of a young Jankenjin child's psychological development, as it is one of the strongest bonding mechanisms between mother and child. While Jankenjin mothers almost always stop snogging their babies after they've grown up enough to receive their first set of crop-stones, the act of kissing (an imitation of snogging) is considered a display of motherly affection, so it's common to see Jankenjin mothers kissing their children, even fully grown ones.

Although physically, any Jankenjin adult can snog a baby regardless of gender, and in emergencies will do so, it is considered psychologically unhealthy for a baby to be snogged by an adult not of her mother's gender. Most Jankenjin fathers or fosters will do so only with extreme reluctance. To get around this difficulty, some more economically developed Jankenjin areas produce pre-made "snog" as baby formula, although the argument between "bottle-feeding" and "snogging" one's children is a common topic for debate between Jankenjin mothers.

An interesting behavior byproduct of snogging is that among adult Jankenjin who are ogawa/megawa partners, the act of kissing is considered an affectionate imitation of the mother/child relationship. Reportedly, some adult ogawa/megawa partners will take it a step further and perform the actual act of snogging, although that's generally considered "kinky" behavior and not a proper subject for dinner-table discussion.

Jankenjin Parent/Child Relationships

Every Jankenjin child has three parents: their biological mother, who is of the gender ogawa to them, their biological father, who is of the gender megawa to them, and their "foster", the third parent in the marriage triad, who happens to be of that child's gender. Each parent has a different emotional relationship with the child, helping the child grow psychologically:

The mother is the example of ogawa behavior to the child, the nurturer and the one whom the young Jankenjin first looks up to. This sort of role is echoed when the Jankenjin child becomes an adult and seeks out an ogawa partner--a Jankenjin's role-model for a "husband" is their mother. In a sense, then, motherhood is a "masculine" behavior among Jankenjin.
The father is the example of megawa behavior to the child. Jankenjin fathers tend to be involved more in their child's life as that child approaches puberty and starts trying to understand her own ogawa/megawa nature. Fatherhood, in a sense, is a "feminine" behavior among Jankenjin, as Jankenjin's role-model for a "wife" is their father.
The foster is the role-model for the Jankenjin's own gender. Jankenjin have a strong sense of gender-identity; the three separate genders consider themselves almost different species. The foster helps the young Jankenjin understand themselves, and in many ways is closer emotionally than either the young Jankenjin's mother or father. This becomes true especially after the Jankenjin reaches puberty and their ogawa/megawa emotions start to develop.

Puberty, Physical and Psychological

Jankenjin reach puberty at around a dozen years of age, though there is some variation in it. All three genders develop at aboutthe same rate, although guujin are considered to develop slightly faster and paajin slightly slower. The physical onset of puberty, of course, is marked by the growth of furfeathers on the young Jankenjin's headcrest and down their back to their tail tuft. It's called "getting one's frill and tail", and it's about as awkward for young Jankenjin as puberty is among human ones.

Psychologically, puberty is the time when the Jankenjin first begins experiencing their ogawa and megawa emotions--their sexuality. Prepubescent Jankenjin children are aware of "ogawa" and "megawa" behavior, mostly through observing their mothers and fathers, but generally they don't grasp the fine points of it. As a result, young Jankenjin children often "play-pretend" ogawa and megawa behaviors, often getting them hilariously wrong. It should be noted that Jankenjin children most often play with others of their own gender. It's not uncommon to see young Jankenjin of the same gender "playing house", with one being the ogawa partner and the other being the megawa partner, and sometimes even switching roles in mid-game. Such "play-pretend" games become embarrassingly childish to the young Jankenjin once their real ogawa/megawa emotions "kick in", and it's one of the signs of puberty that a Jankenjin child will stop playing them, sometimes almost overnight.

Homosexual behavior, thus, is virtually unknown among adult Jankenjin, and Jankenjin generally find such behavior among humans to be eccentric, if not disturbed. To Jankenjin, homosexuality is considered a form of emotional retardation, a failure to develop psychologically past puberty.

"Retrograde" Jankenjin, the Controversial Sexuality

Throughout Jankenjin history, the ogawa/megawa relationships between guujin, chokijin, and paajin, have been considered a fundamental "fact of life" for their species, enshrined in law, custom, and religious ritual. However, approximately 170 years ago, the Jankenjin biological scientist Toruki Harumagariki discovered the existence of the Jankenjin sex chromosomes, and identified the mechanism by which two Jankenjin of different genders would always produce a child of the third gender. Toruki published a theory which remains controversial to this day: according to her observations, it was not only possible, for example, for a guujin father and a chokijin mother to produce a paajin child, but genetically speaking, it was equally possible for a chokijin father and a guujin mother to produce a paajin child.

"Retrograde" reproduction was not unknown among Jankenjin, but it is extremely rare, to the point where many Jankenjin refuse to believe it's possible. There is not much statistical information on it, but it is believed that no more than 3-5% of the Jankenjin population participates in "retrograde sex". Furthermore, retrograde pregnancies are apparently much less viable than regular ones--whereas a regular pregnancy may have about a 3% chance of miscarriage, retrograde ones may miscarry over 99% of the time. (Whether this is a natural effect of a Jankenjin mother carrying an embryo of the "wrong" gender, or a matter of hormone imbalances which potentially could be treated by medication, is not known.) Finally, the well-developed gender identities among Jankenjin make the whole concept of "retrograde" reproduction seem "unnatural" to them. As a result, the rare, "retrograde" births that would occur have long been thought to be "unnatural"--freaks of nature, condemned as abominations and violations of the natural order, and the Jankenjin parents who produced them were equally condemned as performing "unnatural acts". To this day, such behavior is considered taboo, and in most parts of the Triune Republic, is criminalized.

by **Jankenjin** » Mon May 24, 2010 7:27 pm

Teiensekai, the Jankenjin Home World

Jankenjin is a singular world-nation, having its own planet out in space. [OOC Note: How they communicate with the rest of NationStates while still being an MT nation is a bit of Applied Phlebotinum. Probably Stargates or some other handwave technology.] An observer approaching from space would see it this way:

Teiensekai's Solar System

Teiensekai's solar system is not as large as Earth's, mainly due to it being a binary star system. The main star is Teiensekai's sun, called Nichisei. It is the brighter of the pair, a type G3V star (yellow dwarf), almost identical to Earth's Sun. Its partner, called Hosekisei, is slightly smaller and dimmer, a a type K5V (orange dwarf). The two stars orbit each other in nearly circular paths around an epicenter with a separation of approximately 30 AU (roughly the distance from the Sun to Neptune), completing an orbit about once every 80 years.

There are few planets in the binary system; only the fact that the system is so regular (almost no eccentricity in the two stars' orbits) permitted any stable planetary formation at all. Nichisei has two planets. The inner one, called Jisei, orbits at about 0.6 AU and is a little larger than Mars. It is an rocky body with no water and nor atmosphere. The Jankenjin have sent probes to explore it, but have not done a manned mission to it.

The second is the Jankenjin home world, called Teiensekai. At first glance it would appear to be a twin of Earth, being only slightly larger, orbiting at close to 1.0 AU, and even having a good size moon, called Kaiyosei. A closer examination would find two crucial differences, though--Kaiyosei is smaller than Earth's Moon, being only about 1/10th the planet's diameter versus 1/4, and it is much closer--orbiting only about 42,000 kilometers from Teiensekai (versus 380,000 for the Moon from Earth).

Kaiyosei, like Earth's moon, is a rocky, airless body. Because it orbits so close to Teiensekai, it has a profound effect on the planet's environment, explained below. The Jankenjin sent a manned mission to it a few years after developing space flight, and are currently establishing permanent bases there.

Beyond Teiensekai there are no other planets orbiting Nichisei; the gravitational pull from Hosekisei prevented gas-giant formation. There is a large belt of icey asteroids orbiting Nichisei at around 2.5 AU, the remnants of the primal solar system nebula that could not coalesce into a planet. The belt is fairly dense, like a faint ring.

Hosekisei has one planet, called Sonsei, about the size of Venus and orbiting Hosekisei at about 0.9 AU. The Jakenjin recently sent a robotic probe to orbit the planet, which has confirmed that the planet is potentially habitable and may in fact harbor primitive life. Manned missions to it have been proposed, but the current state of Jankenjin technology makes such a mission a distant goal at best.

At a great distance beyond Nichisei and Hosekisei there is a cloud of icy objects, similar to the Kuyper belt and Oort cloud surrounding Earth's sun. Occasionally one gets pulled into the binary stars' orbit, resulting in a spectacular comet.

The Sky Over Teiensekai

Teiensekai's complex solar system results in some rather interesting sights:

The orbits of Nichisei, Hosekisei, and the planets all fall roughly in the same ecliptic plane, so that from Teiensekai, they appear to move along the path marked out by the asteroid belt. The belt itself, called Seikido, is dense enough to be faintly visible on moonless nights as a dim light line along the ecliptic.

Hosekisei is a brilliant point of orange light in the sky, visible even in the daytime, and on moonless nights able to cast a shadow. (Its planet Sonsei is not visible to the naked eye, but can be seen with simple telescopes.) It appears to move along Seikido and is eclipsed by Nichisei about every 360 days. It creates an unusual atmospheric phenomenon--because it has a solar wind that collides with Nichisei's, during periods when it is in opposition to Nichisei in the sky, the solar wind from Nichisei past Teiensekai is slower and denser. More charged particles from the solar wind are trapped by Teiensekai's magnetic field during these periods, resulting in spectacular auroras that can be seen from the poles all the way down to the tropics.

Jisei is Teiensekai's "morning" and "evening" star, appearing to alternate between rising before Nichisei and setting after it. It is not as spectacular a sight as Venus, though, not having as great an elongation nor being as bright.

Kaiyosei, although smaller than Eath's moon, appears much larger, covering about 2 degrees of arc versus the Moon's half-degree, giving it an apparent size 16 times that of the Moon. It is tidal locked to Teiensekai, presenting the same face to the planet at all times. Teiensekai is nearly tidal-locked as well: its rotational period is about 23 hours, while Kaiyosei circles it in about 23 hours and 2 minutes. That two-minute difference means that to an observer on Teiensekai, Kaiyosei is nearly motionless in the sky (relative to the horizon) while Nichisei and the stars and planets drift past it. In the equatorial regions, it eclipses Nichisei every day, the eclipse lasting about 7-8 minutes. Kaiyosei itself appears to drift slowly (relative to the horizon) from east to west. For a fixed observer on the planet it rises from the eastern horizon and drifts westward over about 300 days until it sets under the western horizon. It disappears from view, and reappears in the east again about 300 days later.

Teiensekai's Climate

Teiensekai's climate, on average, is slightly warmer than Earth's, with snow being a rarity except in the high mountains and on the southern continent. The planet has almost no axial tilt, so the amount of sunlight its regions receive does not vary over the solar year. Instead, seasonal changes on Teiensekai are driven by its moon Kaiyosei. Kaiyosei's closeness to the planet gives it a gravitational pull almost 100 times that of the Earth's moon. This means Teiensekai's oceans have a tidal bulge that rises around 50 meters at the equator below Kaiyosei and at the opposite point on the planet. These tidal bulges follow Kaiyosai in its apparent 600 day revolution around the planet, meaning that over the course of 300 days, the oceans rise and fall by that amount. (There is a smaller, daily tide caused by the pull of Nichisei, rising and falling about 0.25 meters. The result is a sort of staggered rise and fall, with water advancing and retreating in predictable daily extents.)

This enormous, slow moving tide has a profound effect on Teiensekai's climate. Coastal lands in the tropic and temperate zones are regularly inundated and drained over the course of about 300 days. The flooding and drainage produces "wet" and "dry" seasons with monsoon-like rains and dry spells. Also, the exchange of water between the arctic Cold Sea and the tropical Warm Sea is periodically interrupted, causing dramatic shifts in temperature and precipitation in the northern polar regions. (The southern polar regions are not as affected, which is why Teiensekai has a southern polar ice cap and not a northern one.)

Because Teiensekai's seasons are tied to its moon rather than its sun, Jankenjin reckon their year by the position of Kaiyosei, with alternating "moon" and "moonless" years of about 300 days. Since Kaiyosei's appearance on the eastern horizon occurs at a different day of the year depending on what longitude the observer is at, a standard calendar based on a Prime Meridian running through the capital city of Jankenshuto is currently in use.

Map of Teiensekai

Teiensekai has five continents. Four are in the northern hemisphere and ring the Cold Sea around the Norther Pole. One is in the south, attached to the ice cap over the South Pole, which effectively isolates it from the other four. On this map, the prime meridian is the central vertical line. The continent it passes through is called Churiku. The one to the west is called Seiriku, and the one to the east is called Sariku. The large continent that straddles the opposite meridian is called Teiriku. The Southern contininent also is known as Nanriku.

Colors: Blue = water, light green = temperate land, dark green = tropical jungle, grey = mountains, tan = desert, white = permanent ice.

The red 5-pointed star is Jankenshuto, the capital. The 4-pointed star is Kamuri, an ancient capital. The red squares are other major cities.

by **Jankenjin** » Mon May 24, 2010 7:27 pm

Jankenjin Systems of Measurement and Currency

Dozenal Numbers: Jankenjin Base-Twelve Mathematics

Jankenjin use a different numbering system than most human cultures, deriving their mathematics from a dozenal, aka duodecimal or base-twelve, numbering system. Jankenjin numbers (in their printed form) resemble a series of horizontal and vertical hashmarks, shown below along with their Arabic equivalents:

0   1  2  3  4  5   6  7  8  9  A  B   (A = 10, B = 11)

For simplicity, base-twelve numbers here will be noted as <number>_dz for "dozenal number":
10_dz, called "one dozen" = 12_ten
100_dz, called "one grossu" = 12² = 144_ten
1,000_dz, called "one massu" = 12³ = 1,728_ten
10,000_dz, called "one dozenmassu" = 12⁴ = 20,736_ten
100,000_dz, called "one grossemassu" = 12⁵ = 248,832_ten
1,000,000_dz, called "one massemassu" = 12⁶ = 2,985,984_ten
10,000,000_dz, called "one dozenmassemassu" = 12⁷ = 35,831,808_ten
100,000,000_dz, called "one grossemassemassu"= 12⁸ = 429,981,696_ten
1,000,000,000_dz, called "one massemassemassu"= 12⁹ = 5,159,780,352_ten
and so on.

Time, part 1 - The Jankenjin Clock

Jankenjin use a clock that at first glance resembles a common Earth clock--a circle of twelve major divisions (10_dz) for the hours. The hour hand on a Jankenjin clock turns three times a day vice two, for a total of 30_dz, or 36 Jankenjin hours per day.

The clock dial is divided into subdivisions for minutes and seconds, but there are only 48 (40_dz) minutes per hour and 48 (40_dz) seconds per minute. Thus, the Jankenjin day is 30_dzx40_dzx40_dz = 40,000_dz, or 82,944 Jankenjin seconds long (vice the Earth day of 86,400 seconds). Since the Jankenjin day is about 23 terrestrial hours long, the Jankenjin second is almost exactly equal to Earth's.

The Jankenjin day starts at zero hour (midnight). Times are recorded similar to terrestrial clocks, hours:minutes (and sometimes :seconds), where the hours range from 0_dz to B_dz and the minutes from 00_dz to 3B_dz. Since dial clocks repeat themselves three times, the hours are marked M (morning), D (day), E (evening) A "9 to 5" job with lunch at noon would thus start at 9_dz:20_dzM. Lunch would be at 6_dz:00_dzD, and quitting time would be 1_dz:20_dzE.

Time, part 2 - The Jankenjin Calendar

Because the seasons on Teiensekai are driven by the motion of its moon Kaiyosei, the Jankenjin year is lunar, rather than solar. To an observer on Teiensekai, Kaiyosei appears to revolve once approximately every 603.834 (423.A_dz) Jankenjin days. The "tidal year", the period between successive high tides, is one-half that, or D211.B_dz days.

The Jankenjin calendar year is 212_dz days long. It is divided into 10_dz months, or 4_dz seasons of 3_dz months:

Rising Water	High Water	Falling Water	Low Water
Haji Seisui	Haji Kosui	Haji Gesui	Haji Teisui
Naka Seisui	Naka Kosui	Naka Gesui	Naka Teisui
Owari Seisui	Owari Kosui	Owari Gesui	Owari Teisui

Each month has 21_dz days, except for Naka Kosui and Naka Teisui, which have 22_dz. Every 10_dz years is a leap year where Naka Teisui only has 21_dz days.

It should be noted that the seasons (and thus the names of the months) are specific to whatever meridian one is located on in Teiensekai. For example, if the day is 15_dzth of Naka Kosui in Jankenshuto on the Prime Meridian, for a town 90 degrees east longitude, it would be the 15_dzth of Naka Teisui. For this reason the Triune Republic government maintains a "business calendar" of 212_dz days with no reference to months or seasons.

Distance

Jankenjn have a version of the metric system. The Jankenjin "hop" is defined as 1/10,000,000_dz the circumference of Teiensekai at its equator. Since Teiensekai's circumference is approximate 41,000,000 meters (compaired to about 40,000,000 for Earth), the "hop" is approximately 114 centimeters long. For the kangaroo-shaped Jankenjin, it's considered the standard distance their feet cover when hopping at what they consider a "walking pace".

For angular measurements, the Jankenjin divide the circle into 100_dz "arcs", meaning 1 arc = 2.5 degrees. The 90 degree east longitude mentioned above, therefore, would be written as 30_dz arcs.

Mass

The smallest Jankenjin unit of weight is the koku, or "grain", originally equal to an average kernal of Jankenjin grain, about 0.06 grams. 100_dz grains, or about 8.6 grams, was called a ryo. 100_dz ryo, or about 1.24 kg, is called a seki, or "stone".

Wealth - Jankenjin Coinage and Currency

The word ryo means a unit of currency as well as a unit of weight. The original monetary ryo was one ryo's weight of fine gold, used as a standard medium of exchange between kingdoms in Jankenjin's early past. With unification and the proclamation of the Triune Republic, the currency was named the "Janken-ryo".

Jankenjin use a series of coins and paper bills for currency.
Coins:

The mon is a small copper-plated zinc coin, about the size of a US penny.
The 4_dz-mon is a larger copper-plated coin, about the size of a US quarter.
The shu is a small silver-plated zinc coin, and worth 10_dz mon.
The 4_dz-shu is a larger silver-plated coin.
The ryo is a small gold-plated zinc coin, and worth 10_dz shu or 100_dz mon.

Paper money:

The 4_dz-ryo is predominantly red colored.
The oban is predominantly yellow colored, and worth 10_dz ryo.
The 4_dz-oban is predominantly blue colored.
The 10_dz-oban is predominantly orange colored.
The 40_dz-oban is predominantly green colored.
The 100_dz-oban is predominantly violet colored.

by **Jankenjin** » Mon May 24, 2010 7:30 pm

Jankenjin History - Timeline

c. 6000-3000_dz (10,0000 - 5,000) BZ -- Last interglacial age, beginnings of Jankenjin civilization on north and south continents

c. 3000_dz (5,000) BZ -- South polar icecap forms, southern continent isolated from northern ones.

c. 2000_dz (3,000) BZ -- Civilization spreads from river valleys and along coastal plains of northern continents, likewise in southern continent.

c. 1000_dz (1700) BZ -- Northern "Cold Sea" explored, First empires rise in northern & southern continents, writing invented, "history" begins.

323_dz (459) BZ -- Hiraruki Koazeki, sailing from the northern continent of Seiriku, "discovers" the Southern Continent Nanriku.

2BB_dz (431) BZ -- Birth of Susumugu Namiminagu, "Susumugu the Conqueror". In her lifetime, she would lead the armies of the Southern Continent on a war of conquest, overthrowing the northern empires and uniting all of Teienseki under a single government.

283_dz (387) BZ -- Establishment of the Kamuri Empire, named after Kamuri, the Southern city that was Susumugu Namiminagu's capital.

c. 280_dz - 80_dz (350-90) BZ -- First Unification of the Jankenjin. Birth of the Jankengo language, a pidgin formed from the language of the various conquered Northern peoples and the language of their Southern rulers. Trade between the North and South causes their cultures to begin fusing into a common identity, centered more on the "new" North than the "old" South.

104_dz (148) BZ -- Economic decline in the Southern Continent causes the capital of the Kamuri Empire to be moved to Chushuto on the northern continent of Churiku.

60_dz (72) BZ -- Birth of the Great Prophet Zaakuwan at the height of the Kamuri Empire.

30_dz (36) BZ -- Zaakuwan begins preaching, making converts.

0 BZ/AZ -- "The Apotheosis of Zaakuwan", founding of Zaakuwando by his disciples

0 - 200_dz (0 - 288) AZ -- Zaakuwando spreads throughout the Kamuri Empire. Two centers of religious scholarship are founded: one in Kamuri and one in Chushuto.

200_dz -289_dz (288 - 393) AZ -- A series of doctrinal disputes between the Kamuri and Chushuto centers of Zaakuwando ultimately lead to schism and the establishment of the Northern and Southern Orthodox churches. Attempts at reconciliation continue for years afterward.

240_dz (336) AZ -- First of a series of civil wars in the northern continents marks the beginning of the decline of the Kamuri Empire.

302_dz (434) AZ -- Collapse of Imperial authority in the northern continents and the breakup of the Kamuri Empire into numerous small states, beginning of the "dark ages". Classical Jankengo falls out of use in favor of regional dialectical versions that form modern Jankenjin. Classical Jankengo still used as liturgical language in Northern and Southern Orthodox churches.

4BA_dz (718) AZ -- Kamuri Emperor Kamuriki Okihirakuki (Kamuriki the 17th) bans Northern Orthodox practices in northern provinces which had been retaken by the Empire in the previous decades. A final attempt at reconciliation between the two churches ends in disaster: a personal dispute between Northern Orthodox Primate Naripa Shirohidepa and the Emperor results in the Primate preaching "holy war" against the Empire to Northern rulers.

500_dz - 600_dz (720 - 864) AZ -- The "Holy Wars": Northern rulers, inspired by Primate Naripa's preaching, launch a series of attacks on the Southern Continent, destroying much of the city of Kamuri including the Southern Orthodox Temple. The wars, though ultimately unsuccessful, eventually sweep away the last vestiges of the Kamuri Empire, replacing it with a collection of petty states like those in the North. The bloodshed and destruction also cement the schism between the Northern and Southern Orthodox churches.

c. A00_dz (1440) AZ -- "Dark Ages" recede as scholarship and the scientific method are developed.

A12_dz (1454) AZ -- The "Great Disputation" by the Northern Orthodox priest Hirakupa Akihayashipa begins the Reform movement.

A12_dz - B00_dz (1454 - 1584) AZ -- Reform Churches are established in nations throughout the northern continents, shattering Northern Orthodox unity. The Southern Orthodox church institutes various internal reforms and remains intact.

B52_dz - BA0_dz (1646 - 1704) AZ -- The Second Unification of the Jankenjin begins with the growth of the Jankenjin Empire. A series of capable rulers in the former city-state of Chushuto decree religious tolerance and form a dynastic union with the rulers of Kamuri. Renaming Chushuto "Jankenshuto", the new government goes on to conquer/annex the entire planet.

BA0_dz - 1030_dz (1704 - 1764) AZ -- The Jankenjin Empire proves to be short-lived, as growing corruption among the ruling class provokes revolts and civil war, and the declaration of the Jankenjin Free States. Beginnings of the Republican movement

1002_dz (1730) AZ -- The great scientist Akiraki Tsuyoshiokiki discovers electricity, sets Jankenjin on the road to modern industrial civilization.

1035_dz - 1040_dz (1769 - 1776) AZ -- The Jankenjin Empire is overthrown by a combination of revolting provinces and Free States, and its territory broken up into numerous autonomous provinces.

1039_dz (1775) AZ -- A group of Republican political reformers seize control of Jankenshuto and proclaim the Triune Republic.

1040_dz - 1049_dz (1776 - 1785) AZ -- The new Triune Republic, through series of military conquests and political deal-making, retakes nearly all of the territory of the Jankenjin Empire. The Republic promises democracy and autonomy to hold-out provinces and signs peace treaties with the remaining Free States. The result is a political order that lasts to the present day: a world dominated by a central Republic, with porous and shifting borders as autonomous provinces and Free States periodically elect for either union with the Republic or independence from it.

1060_dz - 1160_dz (1800 - 1944) -- The Industrialization Era. The invention of the first practical portable electric motor heralds the invention of the railroad and modern transportation. Electrification begins, first in major cities in the Triune Republic, and gradually into the "upland" autonomous provinces and Free States.

1113_dz (1887) -- Biologist Toruki Harumagariki discovers the Jankenjin sex chromosomes. She publishes a thesis, arguing that the Jankenjin ogawa/megawa relationships are a product of evolution and that "retrograde" relationships can be just as viable. It is roundly condemned and she is charged with indecency, but is exonerated at trial. To the present day her theories are considered controversial.

1142_dz (1922) AZ -- "The Tragedy of Kaku-dai". Scientists researching radioactivity accidentally level a small town when the fissionable isotopes they were working with go critical. Nearly 10,000_dz (20,700) lives were lost. The Triune Republic goes on to develop nuclear weapons as a deterrent against Free State expansionism, but outlaws civilian development of nuclear power.

1160_dz - 1231_dz (1944 - 2153) AZ -- The Present Era. Invention of radio, TV, rocketry.

1201_dz (2017) AZ -- Kuroki Masaruayaki becomes the first Jankenjin to set foot on Teiensekai's moon.

1231_dz (2053) AZ -- Present day.

by **Jankenjin** » Sun Sep 12, 2010 1:55 pm

[placeholder]

by **Jankenjin** » Sun Sep 12, 2010 1:57 pm

The Triune Republic of Jankenjin Government

[need description of Triune Republic Consitution and government]

The Current Government (as of 1230 AZ)

1230 AZ marked the election of the 98_dzth (116th) seating of the Grand Assembly.

[need to include political makeup of GA here]

Current Executive Triumvirate

Shigeki Mototakaki (elected 1226)
Katashipa Susumumichipa (elected 1228)
Origu Suesakaegu (elected 1230)