Time and Measurements in the Fantasy World of Hexaptalon
Time
–Standard time-glass empty is the nominal measure of time
–There are 24 standard time-glass turns in a day. 360 days in a year.
–Short periods of time are either “spans” or “moments.”
–Time of day is referred to:
*Sunrise
*Quartersky-rising (sun is halfway rising from eastern horizon to full height)
*Midsky (sun is full height)
*Quartersky-setting (sun is halfway setting from full height to western horizon)
*Sunset
–4 seasons (indicating axis tilt similar to earth)
–2 moons in stable orbit, 1 larger and 1 much smaller and more distant
*Large moon orbit 45 days
*Small moon orbit 180 days
Dates
There are 8 lunar months (large moon) of 45 days each. Each month is named after the Constellation most prominent in the sky.
Season Month
Cold Cedar
Waterfall
Warming Warrior
Broom
Hot Dragon
Scorpion
Cooling Melon
Bear
–Specific dates are referred to the month followed by the day of the month (1 to 45), i.e. Mellon 37.
–The equinoxes occur on the first days of Warrior and Melon
–The solstices occur on the first days of Dragon and Cedar
Measurements
–This is a pre-industrial world, so lengths have yet to be standardized.
Length measurements
–An elbow-length is the measure from a person’s elbow to the tip of their middle finger (roughly 18 inches in American equivalent). This varies by individual. One wants a tall person’s elbow-length when buying, and a short person’s elbow-length when selling.
–Very short lengths are measured in barley grains (end to end)
–A day’s journey is roughly 20 miles. There are roughly 5,000 paces in a mile.
Weight measurements
–A stone weight is roughly 20 pounds. Small weights are measured in pebble weights. Pinch the thumb and finger together forming a circle. A standard pebble would fit in the circle made.
Stephen J. Forrest, Author 