Timekeeping

Divisions

Spans of time are broken down into smaller units for easier tracking of the passage of time.

Year

Annual pattern of a singular solar orbit (vernal equinox, summer solstice, autumnal equinox, and winter solstice). On Entorais, there are seven hundred and twenty (720) days in a year.

Sols

Years are sub-divided into two sols, of one half year each, covering the span between one equinox and the the next.

Months

The actual number of lunar months per year varies due to existence of two lunar bodies with different orbital periods. Most calendars follow the silver moon, Saynoh, and are thirty (30) days in length. There is also a super-cyclic pattern measured from when the moons are in conjunction.

Ten-Days and Five-Days

Analogous to weeks, being a sequence of ten or five days respectively.

Days

One rotation of Enotrais relative to its star, Ketir. Measured by the position of Ketir in sky, twenty-four (24) hours in length, broken into six watches. Individual days are not named but rather numbered.

Watches

Broken into four one-hour periods.

Hours

Hours are subdivided into sixty (60) minutes.

Devices

Instruments and tools to keep track of the time of day or to measure the passing of hours.

Astrolabe

Mechanical device used to determine the angle of the sun compared to the horizon. Some math is required to calculate the time since sunrise, or remaining until sunset.

These devices can be adjusted to factor seasonal changes in day length. They are also usable at night by individuals well versed in the positions and movements of stars.

Bells, Chimes, and Gongs

Many settlements will have temple or church which ring bells, chimes, or gongs, to mark each hour during daytime. the specific count of chimes will give the hour to those within earshot.

Candles

Candles of fixed size and reasonably stable burn-times are used by some to track the passing of the hours, but difficult to tell exact time to any fractions smaller than 1/12th (5 minutes).

Clocks

Mechanical, water-clocks, weighted pendulums and the like are rare, outside of a few cases.

Sand Glasses

Sand glasses of various duration are employed where available, but due to variance in manufacture they are not well standardized.

Sun Dials

Also called shadow clocks, these devices can denote the time of day, but are limited to well lit conditions, and do not work after sundown.

They are not generally used in more northern latitudes where notable variance of day length between the seasons, affects their accuracy.

Sun Staffs

Vertical and portal the staff is planted on the ground, and the distance of the sun above the horizon is measured against demarcations upon the shaft to determine time since sunrise, or remaining until sunset.

Some of these devices have moving parts to adjust for seasonal variances.

Calendars

Most calendars follow the phases of silver moon, Saynoh, and are composed of twelve months of thirty days. A few calendars follow the red moon, Kodah, but because it is not matched to the solar year, are used for special purposes, such as religious or arcane cycles.

Regional differences in climate and seasons make for variance in calendar seasons and month names. The names typically reflect the conditions or events expected during that month.

List of Calendars

• Saynoh
• Traztinaen
• Traztiraen

Sun Signs

There is also a sun-sign system noted by the daily progression of the sunrise relative to a series of constellations.