Qwghlm

Qwghlm is a fictional country, featured in the books Cryptonomicon and the Baroque Cycle: by Neal Stephenson.

Context

Qwghlm is made up of a pair of islands, Inner Qwghlm and Outer Qwghlm, off the north-west coast of Great Britain. The islands are geographically similar to the Hebrides.

Geography

Inner Qwghlm is an island only in a certain sense, for it is linked to Great Britain by a ridge of sand, which sinks with the tide. During World War II, this cordon was raised to allow the passage of trucks and railways. Outer Qwghlm is 20 miles from the coast.

Language

Qwghlm has its own language, Qwghlmian, which has its own runic alphabet and is apparently not related to any other language (such as the Basque language). The two main dialects of Qwghlmian are those corresponding to Inner and Outer Qwghlm. Qwghlmian is almost vowelless and very difficult to understand, even for its own speakers. In World War II an attempt was made to use it to send encrypted messages (like the Navajo language), but the operators altered the messages by not capturing them correctly. Qwghlmiando written in Latin letters is similar to the Welsh language.

History

Qwghlm was apparently invaded by the Romans, but they were repelled. During the time of the Baroque Cycle, Qwghlm is a duchy of the United Kingdom. By the time of World War II, it was considered a crown dependency of Great Britain, like the Isle of Man.

Climate

Qwghlm's climate is nearly polar; Its main production is gray wool, of considerable density and great thermal insulation.

Illustrious sons

Eliza, one of the main characters in the Baroque Cycle, is a native of Qwghlm.