Latest revision as of 15:39, 29 October 2007

Xanthalian time

Time in Xanthal is told as a number series, preceded by the first (largest) temporal unit being used in the dictation. The series then subordinates. The measurement of cycle time varies by planet. All times below are in Xanthalian Standard Time unless otherwise noted. The national standard time of Xanthal is measured from Earth Standard Time 01/01/1960 00:00 as follows:

• 1 Earth Second = 1 second
• 100 seconds = 1 minute
• 100 minutes = 1 hour
• 10 hours = 1 day
• 10 days = 1 week
• 10 weeks = 1 month
• 10 months = 1 year

For very long periods of time, decades and centuries can be used, but these are not standard calendar units.

Years before EST 1960 are numbered backward from 0. These years are written preceded with a "-" sign, when spoken they are appended with "BX (Before Xanthal)" in English, and "şoąl" in Mirfakan.

Note: In Mirfakan, statements of actual time of day begin with with "mor." "ensą" indicates time from moment said.

Conversions:

• Xanthalian to Earth:
  • 1 second = 1 second
  • 1 minute = 1 minute, 40 seconds
  • 1 hour = 2 hours, 46 minutes, 40 seconds
  • 1 day = 1 day, 3 hours, 46 minutes, 40 seconds
  • 1 week = 11 days, 13 hours, 46 minutes, 40 seconds
  • 1 month = 115 days, 17 hours, 46 minutes, 40 seconds
  • 1 year = 3 years, 62 days, 9 hours, 46 minutes, 40 seconds
• Earth to Xanthalian:
  • 1 second = 1 second
  • 1 minute = 60 seconds
  • 1 hour = 36 minutes
  • 1 day = 8 hours, 64 minutes
  • 1 week = 6 days, 48 minutes
  • 1 solar year ≈ 3 months, 16 days

Planetary time

Most Xanthalian planets have their own calendars to track the passage of time by the cycles unique to them. A summary of these planetary calendars follows.

Freeland

Freeland’s original pirate colonists came from Earth, and they took their timekeeping system with them. Seconds, minutes, and hours are all identical to their Earth counterparts, with only days and years changed to fit the planet’s rotation and revolution. The fact that a Freeland Day does not evenly divide into Earth Hours was compensated for by eighteen minutes of free time, which has since collapsed into the word "Freetime." This is not a formal unit, referring solely to these extra eighteen minutes, which are acknowledged at the end of every day. Traditionally, Freetime was observed as a time for the colonists to release their inhibitions and engage in sex, theft, and violence as well as other, generally raucous behavior. When the rule of law finally reached Trasnia such practices were outlawed, but Freetime remains a favorite period for making risky, informal confessions and proposals; as tradition dictates that nothing a person says during Freetime may be held against them later. Months of various durations divide up the year. In the past they determined the scheduling of work and vacation time for the pirate groups, they persist today as a matter of tradition rather than function. The names of these months and their meanings are listed below, along with their traditional designation as working or vacation months.

• Days 1-17: Redemption encourages new beginnings, a time for transition and change. Working.
• Days 18-58: Liberty is a celebration of self-sufficiency and independence. Vacation.
• Days 59-62: Void is observed in respect of the vastness of space. Working.
• Day 63: Founder commemorates Carl Wilson, the first leader of Trasnia. Vacation.
• Days 64-90: Trasnia honors the nation and its people, preserved by their collective strength. Working.
• Days 91-106: Silmeria is a Valkyrie from Norse mythology, considered for many years to be the patron deity of Trasnia. Vacation.
• Days 107-254: Fortune refers both to the wealth that a brave and cunning buccaneer may obtain and the luck required to find it. Working.
• Day 255: Regret is a day of mourning for those one has killed. Working.
• Days 256-283: Revelry is a time for crews to enjoy the wealth they have obtained. Vacation.
• Days 284-317: Skipper honors the captains of ships and, more recently, of state. Working.
• Days 318-379: Boatswain honors the loyal crews whose work provides for those at home. Working.
• 380-457: Freeland acknowledges the importance of the homeland and those who remain behind to work on land while their spouses or children are voyaging. Vacation.

60 seconds = 1 minute
60 minutes = 1 hour
19 hours + Freetime = 1 day
457 days = 1 year

• Freetime = 18 minutes EST
• 1 day = 19 hours, 18 minutes EST
• 1 year = 367 days, 12 hours, 6 minutes EST

Megukuga

Megukuga’s planetary timekeeping system attends solely to readily apparent environmental distinctions and does not track recurring cycles. The much more precise Xanthalian system is relied upon for historical documentation. There are no units of time in Megukuga’s system, only descriptors of specific conditions. The original and most important distinction is seasonal, around which the than on this traditionally rural planet scheduled their agricultural activities. It should be remembered that this system has its origins in a time when the than were controlled by a collective hive mind, and individual concept of time was unnecessary, thus its rudimentary and primitive nature. The titles have been translated for easy reading.

• Dark/Light: Typically corresponds to night and day, but literally the definitions are based upon the level of natural ambient light visible at a location, so the term "dark," for example, can apply during eclipses and heavy storms as well. This is the newest term, and is used to specify certain days in relation to the present.
• Green/White: This distinction is seasonal and varies by region, green/white being typical in areas distinguished by foliage in the summer and snow in the winter. Another example of this distinction is dry/wet, typical of deserts.
• Full/Empty: Referring to the phases of the planet’s large outer moon, this label is used to track the progression of the seasons, due to the fortunate fact that it completes a cycle almost exactly every half solar year.

Renku

Renku uses a timekeeping system based on Xanthalian Standard, but the unit duration has been changed to fit the planet’s unique phases. Seconds and minutes equivalent to Earth seconds and minutes subdivide a long hour unit, which tracks planetary rotations (days). Due to Mirfak’s extremely long orbital period, calendar years (years) are subdivisions of solar years, which are referred to as rozrne (orbits).

60 səkənde = 1 menut
139 menute = 1 ąwr
12 ąwre = 1 da
303 dae = 1 yr
229 yre = 1 rozrn

• 1 səkənd = 1 second EST
• 1 menut = 1 minute EST
• 1 ąwr = 2 hours, 19 minutes EST
• 1 da = 27 hours, 48 minutes EST
• 1 yr = 350 days, 23 hours, 24 minutes EST
• 1 rozrn = 220 years, 18 days, 6 hours, 18 minutes EST

Shinra

The passage of time on Shinra is measured by an updated version of the traditional timekeeping system used by its original Kendarian settlers. Its short orbit is measured in cycles, with eleven spins, planetary rotations, taking place for every cycle. Every rotation is divided into 360 degrees, which can be further divided for greater precision.

360 degrees = 1 spin
11 spins = 1 cycle

• 1 degree = 3 minutes, 59 seconds EST
• 1 spin = 23 hours, 54 minutes EST
• 1 cycle = 10 days, 22 hours, 48 minutes EST

Wakimaishu

Time on Wakimaishu is tracked almost exclusively by the Xanthalian calendar. The planet’s solar calendar simply crams Xanthalian time into the appropriate unit lengths for rotations and revolutions.

9 hours = 1 rotation
205 rotations = 1 revolution

• 1 hour = 2 hours, 46 minutes, 40 seconds EST
• 1 rotation = 1 day, 1 hour EST
• 1 revolution = 213 days, 4 hours, 33 minutes, 36 seconds EST

Holidays

Called day devąle [special days] in Mirfakan, Xanthalian holidays can be either official or unofficial, Federal or State, but are generally regarded by the population at large, or a particular segment of it, as having special significance. Some of the most popular such Federal holidays are described below.

Xanthalian holidays