Elanthian time
The world of Elanthia has its own system of time. There are days and seasons, just as in the real world. However, time flows faster in Elanthia than it does on Earth, and the weeks and months are not divided the same way.
Unless otherwise noted, this article refers to the Kermorian calendar, which is used throughout the known lands. The Gorbesh calendar is described below.
Telling Time
As a new adventurer, you can estimate the time. The accuracy of this estimate improves with perception skill. Rangers and Moon Mages can tell time more accurately.
Many Elanthians do not have access to timepieces, and so they usually rely on their observations of the sun and moons. Other methods include: sundials, orlogs (windable timepieces), bells, and anlas candles.
Because dates are reckoned as years and days since the victory of Lanival, the first day and year are 0, not 1. This causes some confusion, since the days of the month are numbered from 1-40. So the first day of the year is expressed as 1 Akroeg or as "0 days since the Victory of Lanival the Redeemer."
Conversion Charts
| Elanthia | Earth |
|---|---|
| 1 roisan | 1 minute |
| 1 hour | 15 minutes |
| 1 anlas (2 hours) | 30 minutes |
| 1 day (12 anlaen) | 6 hours |
| 1 andu (4 days) | 24 hours |
| 1 month (10 andaen) | 10 days |
| 1 year (10 months) | 100 days |
| Second | Roisan | Hour | Anlas | Day | Andu | Month | Year | |
| Second | 1 | |||||||
| Roisan | 60 | 1 | ||||||
| Hour | 900 | 15 | 1 | |||||
| Anlas | 1,800 | 30 | 2 | |||||
| Day | 21,600 | 360 | 24 | 12 | 1 | |||
| Andu | 86,400 | 1,440 | 96 | 48 | 4 | 1 | ||
| Month | 864,000 | 14,400 | 960 | 480 | 40 | 10 | 1 | |
| Year | 8,640,000 | 144,000 | 9,600 | 4,800 | 400 | 100 | 10 | 1 |
Units of Time
The Elanthian day consists of 12 anlasaen, beginning and ending at midnight. There are no time zones. (Perhaps the known lands are so small that time zones are not needed.)
Roisaen
An Elanthian minute is called a "roisan." The plural is "roisaen."
Anlasaen
People often refer to "anlasaen" (abbreviated as "anlaen") as "hours," but this is technically incorrect. An anlas actually contains two Elanthian hours. Some old systems (such as repair shops) use Earth time (minutes and hours), but this is out of character.
There are 12 anlasaen in a day:
- Anduwen (midnight)
- Starwatch (2:00 AM)
- Asketi's Hunt (4:00 AM): summer sunrise
- Berengaria's Touch (6:00 AM)
- Hodierna's Blessing (8:00 AM): winter sunrise
- Peri'el's Watch (10:00 AM)
- Dergati's Bane (noon)
- Firulf's Flame (2:00 PM)
- Tamsine's Toil (4:00 PM): winter sunset
- Meraud's Cloak (6:00 PM)
- Phelim's Vigil (8:00 PM): summer sunset
- Revelfae (10:00 PM)
Days
Each day was divided by the soldiers of the Empire into 15 sections or watches, nine for the day and six for the night. This usage survives into present times.
The nine day watches are: Dawn, Early Morning, Mid Morning, Late Morning, Noon, Early Afternoon, Mid Afternoon, Late Afternoon, and Dusk.
The six night watches are: Early Evening, Mid Evening, Late Evening, Midnight, Night and, Almost Dawn.
Andaen or Weeks
The word "andu" (pl. andaen) literally means "day" in High Gamgweth, which is a source of confusion among adventurers. However, since each andu is actually four days long, the more accurate translation is "week."
Source: The Elanthian Calendar
Each of the months is divided into 10 andaen of four days each. These "weeks" are named after the Immortals.
- Kertandu
- Hodandu
- Evandu
- Truffandu
- Havrandu
- Elandu
- Chandu
- Glythandu
- Faenandu
- Tamsandu
Months
There are ten months in a year; each is 40 days long. The months are divided into ten andaen of four days each and are named after Lanival's companions and their possessions.
- Akroeg the Ram
- Ka'len the Sea Drake
- Lirisa the Archer
- Shorka the Cobra
- Uthmor the Giant
- Arhat the Fire Lion
- Moliko the Balance
- Skullcleaver the Dwarven Axe
- Dolefaren the Brigantine
- Nissa the Maiden
Years
The years run in a cycle of seven names and are numbered according to a watershed event of Elanthian history, the Victory of Lanival. You can read more about him in the local libraries.
- 0. Year of the Silver Unicorn (Victory of Lanival)
- 1. Year of the Bronze Wyvern
- 2. Year of the Golden Panther
- 3. Year of the Amber Phoenix
- 4. Year of the Iron Toad
- 5. Year of the Emerald Dolphin
- 6. Year of the Crystal Snow Hare
Elanthian Holidays
Gorbesh/Alaudian Calendar
Source: The Gorbesh Calendar
The Gorbesh Calendar is sometimes called the Alaudian Calendar after the Founder of the Empire. The calendar reflects the importance of religion, astrology, and prophecy in Gorbesh society.
Days
There are 400 days in the Gorbesh year.
Weeks and Months
No mention of week or month divisions. Presumably, they are of the same number and duration as the Kermorian calendar.
Years
The Gorbesh have different names for the planets of our solar system.
| Inner | Outer | ||
| Kermorian | Albarian | Kermorian | Albarian |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verena | Xosedas | Szeldia | Osec |
| Estrilda | Avieben | Merewalda | Alauven |
| Dergaulda | Tliij | Ismenia | Aneus |
| Yoakena | Eimarqe | Morleena | Maeben |
| Penhetia | Sidasas | Imlothi | Misueshi |
| Dawgolesh | Ilierek | ||
| Er'qutra | Kneisa | ||
These names form the basis of the 35-year cycle. Names are paired in the form of one god to one goddess, ie, Xosedas - Osec.
- Xosedas - Osec
- Avieben - Alauven
- Tliij - Aneus
- Eimarqe - Maeben
- Sidasas - Misueshi
- Xosedas - Ileirek
- Avieben - Kneisa
- Tliij - Osec
- Eimarqe - Alauven
- Sidasas - Aneus
- Xosedas - Maeben
- Avieben - Misueshi
- Tliij - Ileirek
- Eimarqe - Kneisa
- Sidasas - Osec
- Xosedas - Alauven
- Avieben - Aneus
- Tliij - Maeben
- Eimarqe - Misueshi
- Sidasas - Ileirek
- Xosedas - Kneisa
- Avieben - Osec
- Tliij - Alauven
- Eimarqe - Aneus
- Sidasas - Maeben
- Xosedas - Misueshi
- Avieben - Ileirek
- Tliij - Kneisa
- Eimarqe - Osec
- Sidasas - Alauven
- Xosedas - Aneus
- Avieben - Maeben
- Tliij - Misueshi
- Eimarqe - Ileirek
- Sidasas - Kneisa
Prime Years
The first year of the cycle, Xosedas - Osec, is always a time of great importance and consequence. Expensive, year-long festivals are hosted, the greatest war campaigns are begun, new buildings or cities are started, and new monuments are raised. Also, the people are most devout at this time.
Death Years
The last year of the cycle, Sidasas - Kneisa, is a time of reflection and remembrance of everything that's happened in the past cycle as we salute the new age. The Skalds write epic scrolls recording the events and people, immortalizing them for all time.
External Links
- Current DR Time A DR to GMT and back again time converter.
See also
- Time (script) Genie script that converts DR time to real time and vice versa
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