One-Off

First Appearance and Context

The term is used during an Apert morning when the gates open at sunrise. In the crowd that forms, members of the ten-year cohort mark themselves so they will not be confused with One-Offs as groups mingle inside the concent.

Roles/Actions and Affiliations

• One-Off refers to an avout associated with the Unarian Math.
• Most who begin there later join the Decenarians after spending at least a year under the Unarian Discipline.
• In rare cases, an exceptional One-Off may advance early by passing through a labyrinth that links the Unarian community to the Decenarian Math.
• During Apert, One-Offs are among those present in mixed gatherings; other cohorts may use visible markers to distinguish themselves when intermingled with One-Offs and visitors.
• As one of the cohorts within the concent, One-Offs are included in the rotation that grants sole access to the stairways and the starhenge during the hours of darkness; portcullises on the towers are raised or lowered to keep the maths separate at those times.

Relationships

• Entry point for many Avout who subsequently progress to the Decenarian cohort.
• Functionally tied to the Decenarians through the connecting labyrinth and by the ordinary flow of advancement at Apert.

Descriptions/Characteristics

• The name denotes placement within the mathic system rather than a distinctive costume or insignia described in the text.
• Usage is hyphenated ("One-Off" in singular; "One-Offs" in plural) and applied as a cohort/status label.

Current Status/Location

The designation remains in active use. Around the current Apert, One-Offs are referenced as part of the mingled assembly within the concent and are named alongside other cohorts when access to the starhenge is discussed.