Fenian Time and Calendar References

Fenian Time References

Time is counted differently within the Fenian Galaxy.  All planets use the same units and I haven't gone into the scientific aspects such as planetary size, orbit, tilt, rotations, etc.  In order to keep it simple, I work on the principle that all the planets have the same amount of daylight and night hours.  Sci-fi purists will cringe at this but since such matters are never relevant to the novels, I rely on readers to suspend their disbelief over the lack of hard science.

These are the basic units for measuring time:

100 minutes = 1 hour
10 hours = half a day 

(The day is split into two sections – ten hours of the daytime and ten hours of the night, sometimes referred to as morning and evening hours.  Afternoon may also be mentioned, but usually only for the second through to fifth hours of the second half of the day)

10 weeks = 1 month

10 months = 1 year

 

Fenian Calendar References

There are two methods of expressing calendar dates.  The most widely-used is the simple numeric method - The first day of the second week of the ninth month - or 01:02:09.

In bygone times, the days and months were given names.  Days were named after vocational paths and months were named after animals.  This usage is largely obsolete, although it is still in use in some areas of Viria and also in certain religious communities.  

First Day = Day of the Prophet

Second Day = Day of the Sorcerer

Third Day = Day of the Warrior

Fourth Day = Day of the Heretic

Fifth Day = Day of the Priest

Sixth Day = Day of the Judge

Seventh Day = Day of the Medic

Eighth Day = Day of the Artist

Ninth Day = Day of the Fravashi (spirit guide)

Tenth Day = Day of the God or Goddess (depending on personal preference)

First Month = Ferdon (Horse)

Second Month = Skyhunter (Eagle, or any bird of prey)

Third Month = Scorpion

Fourth Month = Finghaal (Dolphin)

Fifth Month = Lizard

Sixth Month = Wolf

Seventh Month = Brahvaal (Bear)

Eighth Month = Senghaal (Monkey)

Ninth Month = Maarvrage (Dragon)

Tenth Month = Sucovaar (Bat)

So to describe a specific date using this system you might say The Day of the Warrior in the second week under the Sign (or Month) of the Finghaal.

It's obvious why this system has fallen into disuse, since it is such a long-winded way of describing a date.  

I have never needed to make reference to specific years in any of the novels, so I leave that to the readers' imaginations.