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Finding a teacher—a proper one at that—to be your didactician for a week. It is a bit short to learn a new alphabet and language, so you should look for an exceptionally capable teacher. Preferably a native Mithradian who speaks your own language.
Fortunately for you, such a man exists
You met him while going while riding through the Castanan quarter. An older looking Mithradian man was in an argument with a Castanan merchant, haggling about something or whatever, not really all that notable, until the Mithradian uttered an explicative: Arschloch. Asshole in Tauten, which came at you in an unexpected wave of surprise. You decided to approach this man.
His long nose, together with the folds of flesh around his chin, neck, and face, accentuated his form. He was balding, clean shaven, and tanned from long hours in the sun, but his lower hair remained mouse-grey. His eyes were tiny. His eyefolds almost concealed his pupils, but his vivid blue irises with a silver glint were clearly visible.
You knew this was your man, so you approached him and said something to him in Tauten. A poem, something to see how far he was immersed in the tongue and its culture.
<span class="mu-i"> Uns hat der Winter viel Schaden gebracht: </span>
<span class="mu-i"> hat Heide und Wald ihrer Farbe beraubt, </span>
<span class="mu-i"> wo mancherlei Stimme so lieblich erklang. – </span>
<span class="mu-i"> Säh' ich die Mädchen am Wege den Ball </span>
<span class="mu-i"> werfen, dann käme zurück auch der Vögel Gesang. </span>
To your surprise, he answered in kind.
<span class="mu-i"> Könnt' ich den Winter nur verschlafen! </span>
<span class="mu-i"> Solange ich wach bin, hasse ich ihn, </span>
<span class="mu-i"> denn seine Macht ist so groß und so weit. – </span>
<span class="mu-i"> Doch weiß Gott, eines Tages hat der Mai gesiegt: </span>
<span class="mu-i"> dann pflück ich Blumen, wo der Schnee jetzt liegt. </span>
He then looked up at you, for he was a head smaller than you, and spoke. <span class="mu-i"> ''A short little poem, I cannot say that it compares to the poet of yore, but I always found the rhythm and metre pleasing,'' </span> He tells you with a smile.
<span class="mu-i"> ''And who are you then that are so well versed in the poetry of Tautenland? Is all foreign culture not barbaric?'' </span> you asked of him.
<span class="mu-i"> ''I am Eleftherios of Destekias. I am a teacher at the Athenaeum, and was a roamer in my youth. I have always found the disdain of my kin to be arrogance.'' </span>
<span class="mu-i"> ''How so?'' </span>
<span class="mu-i"> ''Would you rather have one enemy and no friends? Or two enemies with friends? We do not consider most outsiders to be worthy of our attention and prefer to sit here since we were driven of both continents. Our culture has stagnated, and our government has crystallised itself into the ground. We have become isolated and stagnant, unwilling to adapt or learn from others. Our arrogance has left us with enemies on both continents and very few allies to rely on.'' </span>
<span class="mu-i"> ''Are we crusaders not your friends and allies?'' </span> you asked in return.
