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| =Written history=
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| *The Loquent Peoples have no written accounts of historical facts. There is, however, a detailed mythology of their creation which will be related in Chapter 7, Faith.
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| =Calendar (''ą̀mṙënemsémos'')=
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| *The Sefdaanian calendar was devised by Arkanus, the archimage of astronomy. Both the solar cycle and the lunar cycle are used in the ancient original calendar, but there is no attempt to reconcile the two. The solar cycle is used to number the months and mark the solar festivals and to establish dates, whereas the lunar cycle is used exclusively for marking the full moon celebrations.
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| ==1. The Solar Cycle (''sųlmódas'')==
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| *The solar year begins at the winter solstice and must begin on <font color=blue>ilmáámṙas</font>. Each of the twelve months (<font color=blue>záltas</font>, ‘twelfth’) consists of five six-day weeks. As this gives a total of only 360 days, an intercalary week of five days is added after the twelfth month. In a leap year this intercalary week has six days.
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| *The solar year is divided into six seasons (<font color=blue>ȝééṙas</font>), each consisting of two periods of approximately 45 days. These <font color=blue>ȝeeṙáes</font> begin every 30° on the ecliptic.
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| *Eight celebrations are held in conjunction with the solar year, four quarter days and four cross-quarter days:
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|
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| {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
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| |-
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| | '''Celebration'''
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| | '''Senjecas'''
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| | '''Date'''
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| | '''Degree'''
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| | '''Days'''
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| |-
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| | Winter solstice
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| | ''ȝ̇emsúĸas''
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| | 12/22
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| | 0°
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| | 43↓
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| |-
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| | Spring festival
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| | ''ṁesṙətúȝnos''
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| | 2/2
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| | 45°
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| | 45↓
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| |-
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| | Vernal equinox
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| | ''ṁèsṙəpáṙas''
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| | 3/20
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| | 90°
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| | 45↓
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| |-
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| | Early summer festival
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| | ''nèngətúȝnos''
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| | 5/5
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| | 135°
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| | 47↓
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| |-
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| | Summer solstice
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| | ''leeþsúĸas''
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| | 6/21
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| | 180°
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| | 45↓
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| |-
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| | Autumn festival
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| | ''òsnətúȝnos''
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| | 8/6
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| | 225°
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| | 46↓
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| |-
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| | Winter equinox
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| | ''tèlməpáṙas''
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| | 9/23
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| | 270°
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| | 43↓
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| |-
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| | Early winter festival
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| | ''tèlṁətúȝnos''
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| | 11/5
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| | 315°
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| | 46↓
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| |}
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|
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| *The dates of these cross-quarter days do not coincide with those of the contemporary festivals.
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| *The early-winter festival is a day of thanksgiving (tengáámṙas) to God for the harvest and the increase of the flocks and herds.
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|
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| ==2. The Seasons (''ȝęṙáes'')==
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| *There are six seasons in the Sefdaanian year. Their names with a general description follow. The names in parentheses are those used when only four seasons are recognized.
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| {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
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| |-
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| | '''Season'''
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| | '''Senjecas'''
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| | '''Dates'''
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| | '''Description'''
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| |-
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| | (winter)
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| | ''ȝ̇émas''
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| | 11/22-1/19
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| | cold to freezing; heavy snow, sometimes sleet or rain; heavy cloud cover most of the time.
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| |-
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| | (spring)
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| | ''ṁésnas''
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| | 1/20-3/20
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| |rising temperature with melting of ice and snow; frequent and heavy rain with heavy cloud cover; plants begin to flower, trees to leaf.
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| |-
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| | ''néngas''
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| | 3/21-5/20
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| | temperature continues to rise; ground begins to dry out; plants are in full bloom and leaf; increased sun and wind; warm days and cool nights.
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| |-
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| | (summer)
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| | ''lę́tas''
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| | 5/21-7/22
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| | hot and dry; rains infrequently with little cloud cover; grass turns brown.
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| |-
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| | (autumn)
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| | ''ósnas''
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| | 7/23-9/22
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| | cooler; clouds in morning and evening often with light rain; leaves begin to change color; crops ready to harvest.
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| |-
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| | ''télṁas''
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| | 9/23-11/21
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| | temperature continues to fall; leaves begin to fall; increasing rainfall; crisp nights with frost in the morning.
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| |}
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| ==3. The Months (''zaltáes'')==
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| Twelve months of the year
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| {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
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| |-
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| | '''Number'''
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| | '''Name'''
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| | '''Meaning'''
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| | '''Dates'''
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| | '''?'''
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| |-
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| | 1
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| | ''póm̌antas''
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| | struggling through snow
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| | 12/22-1/19
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| | ''ȝ̇emĸę́ṙĸ̌as''
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| |-
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| | 2
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| | ''sísmantas''
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| | snow melting
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| | 1/20-2/18
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| | ''ṁesnéqṙas''
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| |-
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| | 3
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| | ''pį́tantas''
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| | sap tapping
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| | 2/19-3/20
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| | ''ṁesnëĸę́ṙĸ̌as''
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| |-
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| | 4
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| | ''cį́nantas''
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| | grass sprouting
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| | 3/21-4/19
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| | ''nengéqṙas''
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| |-
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| | 5
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| | ''ánðantas''
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| | flower blooming
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| | 4/20-5/20
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| | nengëĸę́ṙĸ̌as
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| |-
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| | 6
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| | ''endéqṙantas''
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| | heat beginning
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| | 5/21-6/20
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| | ''lętéqṙas''
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| |-
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| | 7
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| | ''cą́ṙantas''
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| | antler growing
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| | 6/21-7/22
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| | ''lęþĸę́ṙĸ̌as''
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| |-
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| | 8
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| | ''ðénantas''
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| | fruit producing
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| | 7/23-8/22
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| | ''osnéqṙas''
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| |-
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| | 9
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| | ''smą́gantas''
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| | feather molting
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| | 8/23-9/22
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| | ''osnëĸę́ṙĸ̌as''
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| |-
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| | 10
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| | ''ǫ́gantas''
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| | berry picking
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| | 9/23-10/22
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| | ''telṁéqṙas''
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| |-
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| | 11
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| | ''ǧázdantas''
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| | leaf falling
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| | 10/23-11/21
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| | ''telṁëĸę́ṙĸ̌as''
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| |-
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| | 12
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| | ''úqṙantas''
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| | becoming cold
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| | 11/22-12/21
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| | ''ȝ̇eméqṙas''
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| |}
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| ==4. System of Dating (''?'')==
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| *The days of the months are numbered using the cardinal number with the name of the month in the locative case. Thus, <font color=blue>úqṙantas</font> 25th would be <font color=blue>uqṙantás lu tam</font>.
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| *The years are numbered according to their order in the era or eon. The current era is called the present era and dates from the winter solstice of 10,598 B.C. Thus the present year dated from 22 December 2011 is N.M. 12,610. N.M. stands for <font color=blue>nų́na mezdįtás</font>, 'of the present era.'
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|
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| ==5. The Zodiac (''tasmódos'')==
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| *The zodiac is the annual cycle of the sun around the ecliptic. The Ethrans saw in the star arrangements fanciful pictures of the animals (mammals) that were native to Sefdaania, arranged in a more or less equal distribution around the ecliptic. They divided the ecliptic into twelve domains (''ṙéƶos'') of 30° each.
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| {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
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| |-
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| | '''Degree'''
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| | '''Domain'''<br>''ṙéƶos''
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| | '''Date'''
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| |-
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| | 0°
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| | otter/''úðṙes''
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| | 12/22
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| |-
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| | 30°
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| | red deer/''lą́nes''
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| | 1/20
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| |-
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| | 60°
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| | bear/''ɔ́þces''
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| | 2/19
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| |-
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| | 90°
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| | bison/''ṁisóntes''
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| | 3/21
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| |-
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| | 120°
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| | lynx/''lúnges''
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| | 4/20
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| |-
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| | 150°
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| | badger/''váṙĸes''
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| | 5/21
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| |-
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| | 180°
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| | camel/''sų́bes''
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| | 6/21
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| |-
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| | 210°
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| | beaver/''vévṙes''
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| | 7/23
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| |-
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| | 240°
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| | lion/''sínqes''
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| | 8/29
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| |-
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| | 270°
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| | ibex/''qaídes''
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| | 9/23
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| |-
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| | 300°
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| | seal/''sélĸes''
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| | 10/23
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| |-
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| | 330°
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| | rabbit/''b̧éṁnes''
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| | 11/22
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| |}
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| *By the Sefdaanian reckoning, the starting point of the ecliptic is at the winter solstice which is marked 0°, although the vernal equinox is at 0° by contemporary reckoning.
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|
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| ==6. The Sexagenary Cycle (''?'')==
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| *By combining the signs of the zodiac with the names of the five visible planets, a sexagenary cycle was created which is also used extensively in dating events.
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|
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| ==7. The Week (''sefą́mṙas'')==
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| *After the creation of all six of the Loquent Peoples, the days of the week (which were formerly simply numbered) were given the names of the six avatars of God worshipped by each people, in the order of the creation of each people.
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| *When a seventh day is needed for the contemporary calendar, it is named ''ȝùmṁespéṙas'' , Jumus’ Eve.
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|
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| {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
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| |-
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| | '''Name'''
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| | '''Meaning'''
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| | '''People'''
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| | '''Contemporary'''
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| |-
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| | ''ilmą́mṙas''
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| | Pwaasenus’ day
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| | Pyrans
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| | Sunday
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| |-
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| | ''p̌ą̀seną́mṙas''
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| | Ilmus’ day
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| | Ethrans
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| | Monday
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| |-
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| | ''nęṙą́mṙas''
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| | Neerus’ day
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| | Hydorans
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| | Tuesday
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| |-
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| | ''tàṙoną́mṙas''
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| | Taronus’ day
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| | Humans
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| | Wednesday
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| |-
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| | ''pèṙĸuną́mṙas''
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| | Perkunus’ day
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| | Xylans
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| | Thursday
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| |-
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| | ''ȝ̇àlsǫsą́mṙas''
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| | Halsoosus’ day
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| | Lithans
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| | Friday
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| |-
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| | ''ȝùmṁespéṙas''
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| | Jumus' Eve
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| | Saturday
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| |}
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| ==8. The Day (''ą́mṙas'')==
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| *All time and calendar references are based on a duodecimal system. The day is divided into 24 sections known as ''tenáes''. The day begins at sunrise ''sųlm̧ácas''). In modern times this is considered to be 6:00 a.m. Each of the hours is named for an animal, as follows:
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|
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| {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
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| | '''Section'''
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| | '''Animal'''
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| | '''Name'''
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| |-
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| | 1st hour (0600)
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| | hoopoe
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| | òpofténas
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| |-
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| | 2nd hour
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| | moose
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| | ''òlcëténas''
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| |-
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| | 3rd hour
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| | aurochs
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| | ''tàuṙténas''
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| |-
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| | 4th hour
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| | stork
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| | ''gèṙïténas''
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| |-
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| | 5th hour
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| | swan
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| | ''ȝ̇òlvïténas''
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| |-
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| | 6th hour
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| | honey bee
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| | ''veȝténas''
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| |-
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| | 7th hour (1200)
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| | eagle
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| | ''mùȝṙëténas''
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| |-
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| | 8th hour
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| | boar
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| | ''èpeṙténas''
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| |-
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| | 9th hour
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| | horse
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| | ''ècüténas''
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| |-
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| | 10th hour
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| | wild cat
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| | ''malténas''
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| |-
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| | 11th hour
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| | goose
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| | ȝ̇ànsëténas
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| |-
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| | 12th hour
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| | butterfly
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| | ''fą̀flëténas''
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| |-
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| | 13th hour (1800)
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| | woodpecker
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| | ''pèixténas''
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| |-
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| | 14th hour
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| | wolf
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| | ''lufténas''
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| |-
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| | 15th hour
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| | hare
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| | ''casténas''
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| |-
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| | 16th hour
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| | osprey
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| | ''gasténas''
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| |-
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| | 17th hour
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| | heron
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| | ''àṙǫðténas''
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| |-
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| | 18th hour
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| | salmon
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| | ''àṁęðténas''
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| |-
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| | 19th hour (2400)
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| | owl
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| | ''simténas''
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| |-
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| | 20th hour
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| | leopard
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| | ''ȝàṙgëténas''
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| |-
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| | 21st hour
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| | jackal
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| | ''tuṙténas
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| |-
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| | 22nd hour
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| | weasel
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| | ''ĸesténas''
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| |-
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| | 23rd hour
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| | mallard
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| | ''nąþténas''
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| |-
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| | 24th hour
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| | kingfisher
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| | ''cę̀ṙolténas''
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| |}
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|
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| *The daylight hours are comprised of eight unequal sections;
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|
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| {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
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| |-
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| | #
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| | '''Section'''
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| | '''Name'''
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| | '''Time'''
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| |-
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| | 1
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| | Daybreak
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| | ''ąmṙéqṙas''
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| |-
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| | 2
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| | Dawn
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| | ''ą̀uspéṙas''
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| | daybreak to sunrise
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| |-
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| | 3
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| | Sunrise
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| | ''sųlm̧ácas''
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| |
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| |-
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| | 4
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| | Morning
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| | ''ą́ȝṙas''
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| | sunrise to noon
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| |-
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| | 5
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| | Noon
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| | ''lóṁnas''
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| |
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| |-
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| | 6
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| | Afternoon
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| | ''poslóṁnas''
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| | noon to sunset
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| |-
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| | 7
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| | Sunset
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| | ''dų́as''
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| |-
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| | 8
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| | Evening
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| | ''ṁespéṙas''
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| | sunset to nightfall
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| |-
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| | Nightfall
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| | ''noḷéqṙas''
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| |
| |
| |-
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| | Midnight
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| | ''mèðïnóḷtas''
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| |
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| |}
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|
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| *Telling time is always done by addition, never by subtraction; thus, 2:45, not 15 minutes (a quarter) to 3. The hour (<font color=blue>ténas</font?> is told by the ordinal number. Thus 2:00 is <font color=blue>d̬óta ténas</font>, the second hour. The minutes (<font color=blue>ténlas</font>) are told by the cardinal numbers. Thus 2:45 is <font color=blue>d̬óta ténas d̬o κ̧úṙ pis</font>, the second hour forty-five. If there are seconds (<font color=blue>ténlëĸas</font>), they are added to the minutes using the co-ordinating conjunction. Thus, 2:45:16 is <font color=blue>d̬óta ténas d̬ò κ̧uṙ pènĸ̌e κų́zĸ̌e</font>.
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| *Keeping time is the task of one of the ? in each citadel. He is known as the <font color=blue>tenpǫ́tus</font>, the timekeeper. He is also known as the <font color=blue>ȝą́ĸus</font>, the chandler. It is his sole task to make candles from the bees’ wax, both for lighting and for keeping time.
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|
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| ==9. The Lunar Cycle (''?'')==
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| *The lunar cycle contains thirteen moons (<font color=blue>mę́nsas</font>). The first month begins at midnight on the day when the first crescent of the first new moon after <font color=blue>ȝ̇emsúĸas</font> is sighted. The other months begin at midnight on the day of the successive new moons. These months are merely numbered.
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