Written history - ȝa̋raþa festɘsą̋ra
Calendar - áhluxta̋ga
- The Sefdaanian calendar system was devised by Ȝumɱa̋ku Ma̋nu, the mage of astronomy. Both the solar cycle and the lunar cycle are used in the ancient original calendar, without an 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 semimonthly lunar celebrations.
The Eons and the Eras (ȝı̋kask̬e þ̇űdask̬e)
- Sefdaanian history/mythology is divided into seven eons (ȝı̋ka) of 225,000,000 years each.
- The First Eon was that of Yumu (ȝumȝı̋ka), the Self-existent (miese̋ntu), the Ancient-One-Who-Is (sénese̋ntu) and, in reality, stretches back eternally. At the end of that eon, he created light.
- The Second Eon was that of light (f̣oþȝı̋ka). At the end of the Second Eon, he created the cosmos.
- The Third Eon was that of the cosmos (ṡafȝı̋ka). At the end of the Third Eon, he created the elements.
- The Fourth Eon was that of the elements (þę́xesȝı̋ka). At the end of the Fourth Eon, he created the sentient beings.
- The Fifth Eon was that of the sentient beings (úþmantëȝı̋ka). The Fifth Eon is divided into six eras of 26,000 years each. At the beginning of each era, he created one of the loquent beings.
- The Sixth Eon was that of the loquent beings (sáɱantɘȝı̋ka). The Sixth Eon is divided into six eras of 26,000 years each. At the beginning of each era, he created one of the loquent beings.
- The First Era was that of the Ethrans (íðṙonþ̇űda), the Children of Air, 200,000 BP.
- The Second Era was that of the Pyrans (ą́þ̇onþ̇űda), the Children of Fire, 174,000 BP.
- The Third Era was that of the Hydorans (huṙonþ̇űda), the Children of Water, 148,000 BP.
- The Fourth Era was that of the Humans (táḷonþ̇űda), the Children of Earth, 122,000 BP.
- The Fifth Era was that of the Xylans (mą́ṭonþ̇űda), the Children of Wood, 96,000 BP.
- The Sixth Era was that of the Lithans (táiṅonþ̇űda), the Children of Stone, 70,000 BP. It was during this Era that the Great Sundering (mezpűla) occurred, during which many fell out of harmony.
- After the Great Sundering the Seventh Eon began, the Final Eon (muᵹȝı̋ka), the one in which we live today. This Seventh Eon extends as far into the future as the First Eon extends back into the past.
The Solar Cycle – sųlmőda
- The solar year begins at the winter solstice (hemsűka) and must begin on ilma̋ha.
- Each of the twelve solar months (za̋lta, 'twelfth') consists of five six-day weeks. As this gives a total of only 360 days, an intercalary week (ɱǫ̋ga pena̋ha) of five days is added after the twelfth month. In a leap year (ite̋na) this intercalary week has six days (ɱǫ̋ga ruþa̋ha).
- The solar year is divided into six seasons (ȝę̋ra), each consisting of two periods of approximately 45 days. These ȝę̋ras begin every 30° on the ecliptic (sųlf̣ǫ̋lo).
The Seasons - ȝę̋ra
- There are six seasons in the Sefdaanian year.
- The underlined names are those used when only four seasons are recognized.
- he̋ma (winter) 11/23-1/20 – cold to freezing; heavy snow, sometimes sleet or rain; heavy cloud cover most of the time.
- kı̋ða (spring) 1/21-3/20 – rising temperature with melting of ice and snow; frequent and heavy rain with heavy cloud cover; plants begin to flower, trees to leaf.
- ke̋sa (early-summer) 3/21-5/21 – 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.
- lę̋ta (summer) 5/22-7/22 – hot and dry; rains infrequently with little cloud cover; grass turns brown.
- kų̋ra (autumn) 7/23-9/23 – cooler; clouds in morning and evening often with light rain; leaves begin to change color; crops ready to harvest.
- ı̨̋fa (early-winter) 9/24-11/22 – temperature continues to fall; leaves begin to fall; increasing rainfall; crisp nights with frost in the morning.
- Eight celebrations are held in conjunction with the solar year:
↘ = number of days until the next celebration.
| winter solstice
|
hemsűka
|
12/22
|
0°
|
43 days ↘
|
| spring festival
|
kiðsa̋rno
|
2/2
|
45°
|
45 days ↘
|
| vernal equinox
|
kiðpa̋ra
|
3/21
|
90°
|
45 days ↘
|
| early-summer festival
|
kesa̋rno
|
5/5
|
135°
|
47 days ↘
|
| summer solstice
|
lęþsűka
|
6/21
|
180°
|
45 days ↘
|
| autumn festival
|
kųrsa̋rno
|
8/6
|
225°
|
46 days ↘
|
| early-winter equinox
|
ifpa̋ra
|
9/23
|
270°
|
43 days ↘
|
| early-winter festival
|
ifsa̋rno
|
11/5
|
315°
|
46 days ↗
|
- The dates of these cross-quarter days do not coincide with those of the contemporary festivals.
The Solar Months - za̋lta
The twelve months of the year
| # of month
|
Name of month
|
Translation
|
Dates
|
Season
|
| 1
|
puvza̋lta
|
frostbite month
|
12/22-1/20
|
|
| 2
|
fomza̋lta
|
struggling-through-snow month
|
1/20-2/18
|
kiða
|
| 3
|
pįþza̋lta
|
sap-tapping month
|
2/19-3/20
|
|
| 4
|
tivza̋lta
|
grass-sprouting month
|
3/21-4/19
|
ke̋sa
|
| 5
|
nanza̋lta
|
flower-blooming month
|
4/20-5/20
|
|
| 6
|
ovza̋lta
|
sun-heating month
|
5/21-6/20
|
lę̋ta
|
| 7
|
cąrza̋lta
|
antler-growing month
|
6/21-7/22
|
|
| 8
|
nimza̋lta
|
velvet-shedding month
|
7/23-8/23
|
kų̋ra
|
| 9
|
tęrza̋lta
|
coloring month
|
8/24-9/22
|
|
| 10
|
caðza̋lta
|
rutting month
|
9/23-10/22
|
ı̨̋fa
|
| 11
|
gusza̋lta
|
leaf-falling month
|
10/23-11/20
|
|
| 12
|
lumza̋lta
|
snow-falling month
|
11/22-12/16
|
he̋ma
|
|
|
ɱǫ̋ga pena̋ha
|
intercalary week
|
12/17-12/21
|
|
System of Dating – ahluka̋m pą̋so
- The days of the months are numbered using the cardinal number with the name of the month in the stative case. Thus, lumza̋lta 25th would be lumzalta̋s ẋűr pen.
- 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 42,000 B.C. Thus the present year dated from 22 December 2014 is N.T. (N.Þ.) 44,014. N.T. (N.Þ.) stands for nı̋ka þ̇űda̋s, ‘of the present era’.
The Zodiac – þasmőda
- The zodiac is the annual cycle of the sun around the ecliptic. The Ethrans saw in the star arrangements fanciful pictures of the animals that were native to Sefdaania, arranged in a more or less equal distribution around the ecliptic. They divided the ecliptic into twelve domains (ą̋ra) of 30° each.
- 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.
| degree
|
domain
|
date
|
| 0°
|
tur/kı̋te
|
12/22
|
| 30°
|
bear/ve̋re
|
1/20
|
| 60°
|
eagle/őre
|
2/19
|
| 90°
|
horse/mőre
|
3/21
|
| 120°
|
hare/cą̋se
|
4/20
|
| 150°
|
turtle/kűe
|
5/21
|
| 180°
|
aurochs/ta̋ure
|
6/21
|
| 210°
|
lion/sı̋nᵹe
|
7/23
|
| 240°
|
dragon/pą̋me
|
8/24
|
| 270°
|
boar/epe̋re
|
9/23
|
| 300°
|
squirrel/ oɱe̋re
|
10/23
|
| 330°
|
fish/ḍa̋ge
|
11/22
|
The Sexagenary Cycle – tı̨̋r ẋurᵹe̋va mőda
- By combining the twelve zodiac signs (þásmoðne̋uo) with the names of the five precious jewels (a̋ro ṅe̋mo): amethyst (łı̋fo), emerald (mı̋lo), ruby (ẋų̋ro), topaz (pų̋co) and sapphire (d̬ı̋no), a sexagenary cycle was created which is also used extensively in dating events, so that events are recorded as taking place in the year of the amethyst lion, the sapphire dragon, etc.
The Week - ruþa̋ha
- 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.
- When a seventh day is needed for the contemporary calendar, it is named ílmɘȝı̋ta, Ilmus’ eve. The week is then sefa̋ha.
| ilma̋ha
|
Ilmus’ day
|
Ethrans
|
Sunday
|
| pų́sana̋ha
|
Puusenus’ day
|
Pyrans
|
Monday
|
| nęra̋ha
|
Neerus’ day
|
Hydorans
|
Tuesday
|
| tárona̋ha
|
Taronus’ day
|
Humans
|
Wednesday
|
| pérkuna̋ha
|
Perkunus’ day
|
Xylans
|
Thursday
|
| kábeira̋ha
|
Kabeirus’ day
|
Lithans
|
Friday
|
| ílmɘȝı̋ta
|
Ilmus’ eve
|
|
Saturday
|
The Day - a̋ha
- All time and calendar references are based on a duodecimal system. The day is divided into 24 sections known as te̋nas. The day begins at sunrise (nę̋da). In modern times this is considered to be 6:00 a.m. Each of the hours is named for an animal, as follows:
| 1st hour (6:00 a.m.)
|
hoopoe
|
ópofte̋na
|
| 2nd hour
|
quail
|
rę́kinte̋na
|
| 3rd hour
|
grebe
|
kuite̋na
|
| 4th hour
|
stork
|
hoste̋na
|
| 5th hour
|
swan
|
kųᵹte̋na
|
| 6th hour
|
honey bee
|
vįte̋na
|
| 7th hour (noon)
|
eagle
|
orte̋na
|
| 8th hour
|
swift
|
ᵹelte̋na
|
| 9th hour
|
loon
|
axte̋na
|
| 10th hour
|
heron
|
rǫðte̋na
|
| 11th hour
|
goose
|
gąrte̋na
|
| 12th hour
|
butterfly
|
pą́pilte̋na
|
| 13th hour (6:00 p.m.)
|
woodpecker
|
pįxte̋na
|
| 14th hour
|
snipe
|
tilte̋na
|
| 15th hour
|
gull
|
meɱte̋na
|
| 16th hour
|
osprey
|
gaste̋na
|
| 17th hour
|
grasshopper
|
fefte̋na
|
| 18th hour
|
nightingale
|
áɱęðte̋na
|
| 19th hour (midnight)
|
owl
|
simte̋na
|
| 20th hour
|
gyrfalcon
|
árgifte̋na
|
| 21st hour
|
jay
|
ceihte̋na
|
| 22nd hour
|
dove
|
álunte̋na
|
| 23rd hour
|
mallard
|
naþte̋na
|
| 24th hour
|
kingfisher
|
cę́rolte̋na
|
- The daylight hours are comprised of eight unequal sections:
| 1
|
daybreak
|
ahtőda
|
|
| 2
|
dawn
|
va̋iᵹa
|
daybreak to sunrise
|
| 3
|
sunrise
|
nę̋da
|
|
| 4
|
morning
|
ą̋ȝa
|
sunrise to noon
|
| 5
|
noon
|
lőuna
|
|
| 6
|
afternoon
|
poslőuna
|
noon to sunset
|
| 7
|
sunset
|
dų̋a
|
|
| 8
|
evening
|
ȝı̋ta
|
sunset to nightfall
|
|
|
nightfall
|
ląþtőda
|
|
|
|
midnight
|
meðlą̋ta
|
|
- Telling time is always done by addition, never by subtraction; thus, 2:45, not 15 minutes (a quarter) to 3. The hour (te̋na) is told by the ordinal number. Thus 2:00 is d̬őta te̋na, the second hour. The minutes (te̋nka) are told by the cardinal numbers. Thus 2:45 is d̬őta te̋na d̬o ẋűr pen, the second hour forty-five. If there are seconds (sa̋mpa), they are added to the minutes using the co-ordinating conjunction. Thus, 2:45:16 is d̬őta te̋na d̬o ẋűr penk̬e kűsk̬e.
- Keeping time is the task of one of the adepts in each citadel. He is known as the tenpǫ̋þlu, the time guardian. He is also known as the ȝą̋xlu, the chandler. It is solely his task to make candles from the bees’ wax, both for lighting and for keeping time.
The Lunar Cycle – zęrmőda
- The lunar cycle contains twelve or thirteen months (e̋ida). The first month begins at midnight of the day on which the first crescent of the first new moon after hemsűka is sighted. The other months begin at midnight on the day of the successive new moons. These months are merely numbered.
- The lunar months are divided into halves. The waxing moon (ɱǫge̋ida) extends from the date of the new moon to the date of the full moon. The waning moon (lųde̋ida) extends from the date of the full moon to the date of the new moon.
The Lunar Calendar 2014 (Gregorian dates)
| month
|
Date & Time of NM
|
ɱǫge̋ida
|
Date & Time of FM
|
lųde̋ida
|
| semte̋ida
|
01/01 0615
|
01/02
|
01/15 2353
|
01/16
|
| d̬ite̋ida
|
01/30 1640
|
01/31
|
02/14 1854
|
02/15
|
| tirte̋ida
|
03/01 0302
|
03/02
|
03/16 1310
|
03/17
|
| nąlte̋ida
|
03/30 1448
|
03/31
|
04/15 0345
|
04/16
|
| pente̋ida
|
04/29 0217
|
04/30
|
05/14 1518
|
05/15
|
| ruþte̋ida
|
05/28 1443
|
05/29
|
06/13 0013
|
06/14
|
| sefte̋ida
|
06/27 0410
|
06/28
|
07/12 0726
|
07/13
|
| bunte̋ida
|
07/26 1842
|
07/27
|
08/10 1410
|
08/11
|
| numte̋ida'
|
08/25 1013
|
08/26
|
09/08 2138
|
09/09
|
| fǫte̋ida
|
09/24 0213
|
09/25
|
10/08 0650
|
10/09
|
| þute̋ida
|
10/23 1756
|
10/24
|
11/06 1722
|
11/07
|
| zalte̋ida
|
11/22 0732
|
11/23
|
12/06 0727
|
12/07
|
| šimte̋ida
|
12/21 2036
|
12/22
|
Calendar summary - ahlúxtaga̋s ı̋sra
- s° = Sefdaanian degree; c° = contemporary degree.
| ahlűka date
|
me̋a degree s°/c°
|
þasmődo zodiac
|
element
|
flower
|
|
ȝe̋ra season
|
sa̋rno festival
|
za̋lta month
|
| 12/22
|
0°/270°
|
őre eagle
|
air
|
honeysuckle
|
Capricorn
|
|
winter solstice
|
puv
|
| 1/20
|
30°/300°
|
pą̋me dragon
|
fire
|
poppy
|
Aquarius
|
late winter
|
|
fom
|
| 2/2
|
45°/315°
|
|
|
|
|
|
late winter festival
|
pı̨̋t
|
| 2/19
|
60°/330°
|
kaȝa̋me crayfish
|
water
|
lavender
|
Pisces
|
|
|
|
| 3/21
|
90°/0°
|
mőre horse
|
earth
|
rose
|
Aries
|
spring
|
vernal equinox
|
tiv
|
| 4/20
|
120°/30°
|
ve̋re bear
|
wood
|
clematis
|
Taurus
|
|
|
nan
|
| 5/5
|
135°/45°
|
|
|
|
|
|
spring festival
|
|
| 5/21
|
150°/60°
|
kı̋te tur
|
stone
|
hollyhock
|
Gemini
|
summer
|
|
ov
|
| 6/21
|
180°/90°
|
butterfly pąpı̋le
|
air
|
violet
|
Cancer
|
|
summer solstice
|
cąr
|
| 7/23
|
210°/120°
|
sı̋nᵹe lion
|
fire
|
primrose
|
Leo
|
late summer
|
|
nim
|
| 8/6
|
225°/135°
|
|
|
|
|
|
late summer festival
|
|
| 8/24
|
240°/150°
|
la̋ce salmon
|
water
|
water lily
|
Virgo
|
|
|
tęr
|
| 9/23
|
270°/180°
|
ta̋ure aurochs
|
earth
|
lady slipper
|
Libra
|
autumn
|
autumn equinox
|
cad
|
| 10/23
|
300°/210°
|
epe̋re boar
|
wood
|
dogwood
|
Scorpius
|
|
|
gus
|
| 11/5
|
315°/225°
|
|
|
|
|
|
autumn festival
|
|
| 11/22
|
330°/240°
|
kűe turtle
|
stone
|
crocus
|
Sagittarius
|
winter
|
|
lum
|
| 12/17
|
|
|
|
|
|
intercalary
|
|
|
