Centenarians

The Centenarians—also called the Hundreders—are a cohort within the mathic world associated with a centennial cycle of Apert. Within the Concent of Saunt Edhar, they maintain their own math across a meadow and wall from the Decenarian community and are accorded dedicated space in the Mynster.

First Appearance and Context

The Centenarians are referenced in discussion inside the New Library where Fraa Orolo, with Fraa Erasmas present, contrasts their centennial cadence with shorter‑cycle avout and notes that names for technologies tend to diverge between cohorts. He also explains that, before the Centenarians’ next opening, a Decenarian can expect to be summoned to the Upper Labyrinth to speak through a grated opening with a Hundreder who conducts preparatory questioning. Their scholars are said to keep long‑running compendia of judicial practices, drawn from their own experience and reports from other concents.

The community’s setting is visible around the Mynster: their Centenarian Math lies across a meadow from the neighboring Decenarian math, divided by a tall stone wall. The south nave of the Mynster is reserved for Centenarian use and is sized more generously than their numbers require.

Description and Role

• Names and usage: “Centenarians” is the formal designation; “Hundreders” is used informally in nearby speech.
• Concent setting: Their half of the shared meadow is used for raising livestock, and they can reach their reserved south nave directly by crossing their side of the meadow.
• Preparation and inquiry: Before their centennial opening, Hundreders interview avout through a grate in a dark room within the upper labyrinth, gathering material for thick compilations that record judicial practices across many centuries and concents.
• Practices and cadence: They are associated with a centennial opening, which, in contrast to shorter‑cycle avout, contributes to differences in terminology and tradition.

Relationships and Functions

• Neighbor relations: Their math stands adjacent to the Decenarian community across a walled meadow, marking them as nearby but sequestered neighbors.
• Within the mathic world: Mentioned alongside other cohorts such as the Millenarians; the contrast in opening cycles is used to illustrate how vocabulary can diverge across cohorts.
• Institutional standing: The reservation of the south nave acknowledges a formal place for the Centenarians within the concent’s shared rites and spaces.

Current Status

To date, the Centenarians have been referenced and situated by location and practice, but no individual members have been named. Contact is anticipated by way of grated interviews in the upper labyrinth as preparations for their next centennial opening proceed.