Timekeeping

Methods of timekeeping vary across the world.

Years

In most parts of the world, years are counted using the ancient clocks built into the anchor sites. Each new tick on the outer discs of the clocks represents the passing of another year. As such, the current year is denoted by the estimated number of elapsed ticks. Despite the ubiquity of this method, many common people are unaware of the origin of the number used for the year, but use it out of convention. By convention, years counted using this method are written in the format "Y1234".

In some places, it is more typical to start the year count at some historical event of significance. In the Sangiran Empire before the death of the Eternal Suzerain, years followed the pattern "123 of the fourth reign", where the latter number is the incarnation of the Suzerain and the former is the number of years since their birth.

Calendars

Most systems divide the year into twelve months of twenty eight days each, corresponding to a full lunar cycle. Each month begins with a new moon. Despite this general consistency, the names used for the months vary widely. Some regions and cultures use their own names, while others prefer a zodiac calendar that is widely known across the world.

The winter solstice falls on the first day of the first month, and the summer solstice on the first day of the seventh month.

Regional calendars

Some regions use other, more local methods of tracking the passage of time. In Khapesh, for example, instead of twelve months the year is divided into three seasons, called Akhet (inundation), Peret (growth), and Shemu (harvest). These are marked by the state of the Aur River. Years in Khapesh are traditionally denoted by the number of years of rule of a given dynasty. Y9975^*, for example, would be known as the year 341 of the Menes dynasty. However, nearly everyone in Khapesh is familiar with more broadly used calendars as well, and the traditional system is mostly relegated to ceremonial and religious purposes.

The Marcher calendar is primarily used in Brightmarch, Hinthial, Kharakun, and the western Laqto Rainforest. An evolution of an old elven method of timekeeping, it revolves around the region's wet and dry seasons.

Months by calendar

Month	Zodiac calendar	Marcher calendar	Khapeshan calendar
1	Bear	Moonrise	Peret
2	Dragon	Wind's Blessing
3	Songbird	Starwatch
4	Lion	Fire's Grasp
5	Camel	Rain's Call	Shemu
6	Falcon	Revival
7	Wasp	Soaring Sun
8	Snake	Greenbloom
9	Basilisk	Rain's Retreat	Akhet
10	Elephant	Bounty
11	Wolf	Water's Wane
12	Phoenix	Year's Rest