In much of the world, the passing of days is marked with a common calendar. Under this system, each year is divided up into twelve months of twenty eight days each, corresponding to a full lunar cycle. Each month begins with a new moon. The twelve months have names that vary slightly by region, but generally are associated with particular animals and constellations. Some cultures have different names for certain months depending on how they see the cosmos, but the system is broadly consistent.
Years are counted using the ancient era clocks, with each new tick on the outer discs representing 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.
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 the more broadly used calendar as well, and the traditional system is mostly relegated to ceremonial and religious purposes.
Calendar
| Month | Common calendar | Khapeshan calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bear | Peret |
| 2 | Dragon | |
| 3 | Songbird | |
| 4 | Lion | |
| 5 | Camel | Shemu |
| 6 | Falcon | |
| 7 | Wasp | |
| 8 | Snake | |
| 9 | Basilisk | Akhet |
| 10 | Elephant | |
| 11 | Wolf | |
| 12 | Phoenix |