Astronomy & Time in Ostelliach

Chronology

Ostelliach arranged their weeks, months, and years in easily calculable formats for a consistent formula that even uneducated people could grasp, stretching back since well before The Breaking:

• 1 minute = 60 seconds

• 1 hour = 60 minutes

• 1 day = 24 hours

• 1 week = 5 days (120 hours)

• 1 month = 4 weeks (20 days, 480 hours)

• 1 year = 10 months (40 weeks, 200 days)

In this, the number of days in a year are easy for people to calculate.
Related note: years are measured in relation to The Breaking, with PB being Pre-Breaking and AB being After-Breaking.

Seasons

The 4 seasons are divided up into 10 week spaces, though of course those are merely formalities on a calendar; some places face longer winters, others shorter, the same as our Earth.

Days of the week

Alwin (All-win)

Nya (Nigh-uh)

Yven (Ee-ven)

Drovik (Dr-oh-vic)

Obix (Ah-bix)

The middle of the week, Yven, is seen as the most cherished day of the week. For those who can, it's their day off work, but in general most places consider it a time to have a family dinner, a date night, a party or celebration, or take time for introspection. Children use the mnemonic device ANY DO to memorize the days of the week.

Months of the year

Coal (C.)

Hear(H.)

Ink (I.)

Ring (R.)

Ply (P.)

Sing (S.)

Baff (B-aaa-ff, B.)

Unda (Un-dah, U.)

Chill (Ch.)

Knock (K.)

The mnemonic device children use to remember these is CHIRPS BUCK and the names are inspired by old traditions held during said months. (Said traditions are mostly lost, but many places strive to recreate facsimiles of them or new ones based on the general idea, usually focusing on whichever months are most momentous to that area, such as Coal for arctic places like Warded Hook.)

Dates in Ostelliach are written Day/Month/Year, with AB presumed unless otherwise stated. Ex: the 12th day of Ring, 682(the day our campaign starts) would be 12/4/682.
Writing the day of the week (Nya in this case), this would look like: Nya, 12 Ring, 682.

Astronomy

Ostelliach has one sun very similar to standard Earth's in all ways that matter, as well as 3 moons.

Days and the sun

One day on Ostelliach is 24 hours long, with approximately 14 hours of sunlight, daytime slightly longer during the summer and shorter in winter. (Given the similarity to Earth's sun, expect the days to be approximately the same.)

Moons

Given that Ostelliach months are not lunar-based, the tracking of moon phases for each of the moons is more of a hobby than a way to tell reliable passage of time.

Kitan

Kitan (Kih-tan) nearest to the planet with a 17 day orbit cycle. Kitan appears a warm golden amber, largest, and first to rise and set each night. Kitan is sometimes visible during the day, appearing almost as a small second sun due to its yellowish color.
Kitan's full and new moons generally last about 2 days, and it is very common for there to be 2 full or 2 new moons in one month.

Metune

Metune (Meh-toon), the middle in distance and size, has a faint pink hue and a 39 day orbital cycle.
Metune's lunar cycle is longer than Kitan's, but it too experiences new and full moons lasting about 2 days.

Emmiris

Emmiris (Em-murr-rih-s) is the furthest moon from Ostelliach with a light blue sheen and a 72 day cycle. Given how long its orbital cycle is as well as how far away it is, people who are born when Emmiris experiences a special event can be seen as a blessing (in the case of a full moon) or a horrible curse (in the case of an eclipse).
Emmiris has such a long lunar cycle that new and full moons last for nearly 2 weeks (9 days each).

Note: The way three moons impact the tides of the planet Ostelliach is located on is different than it would be on Earth (given the planet's density, the distance the moons are away etc.) Tl;dr there's magic and it's a different planet, don't expect apocalyptic tides because there are 3 moons.

The Moons as Concepts

In lore and certain druidic or bardic circles, people tend to personify the moons to differentiate them. They are usually represented as siblings with a largely cooperative/collaborative nature, although some folktales explain historical natural disasters by storying quarrels between them.

• Kitan: The "oldest sibling" archetype, parental and often personified with feminine traits. Ever present, often overbearingly so, with a tendency to be rigid in their expectations. That said, is often the "hero" of tales, rescuing the other two or seeing reason where capriciousness or unreliability cause trouble. Revered most by caretakers, decision makers, authority figures, and those looking for structure.

• Metune: The "middle sibling" archetype that often is shown with androgynous traits and is known for being easy to persuade or sway, having something of an "identity crisis" and following whichever sibling the story suits. Friendly, accommodating, but flexible to the point of unreliability. The mediator when Kitan and Emmeris' personalities clash, finding balance between impulse and rigidity. Appreciated by empaths, facilitators, "people pleasers," and those finding who they are. (Often used in symbology around Sammen and in LGBTQ+ circles.)

• Emmeris: The flighty, unpredictable, offbeat "youngest sibling" archetype, with gender traits shifting story to story. Coming and going freely, often the one to solve unexpected or unprecedented issues in stories due to their outside-the-box thinking. Seen as unreliable, often showing up exactly when needed but not a second earlier. Beloved by free spirits, dreamers, creatives, nomads, and rebels.

Conjunctions, Eclipses, and other lunar phenomena

As with any natural phenomena, those that are rarer tend to stand out more in people's minds. Some of the most notable occurences, during which festivals or events are often held include:

• Conjunctions, when two or more of the moons form a perfect, equidistant line in the sky at a certain time, are seen as a great sign and often mark the launching of ships or beginning of journeys.

• Consumptions, not to be confused with conjunctions, are when one moon obscures another as it passes perfectly in front (usually Kitan as the closest/largest in the sky). These happen relatively often and are the equivalent of Friday the 13th-level superstition depending on who you ask, with consumptions involving Emmiris being far more onorous given its slower orbit.

• Eclipses, when the planet's shadow shades one of the moons (lunar) or one of the moons passes in front of the sun during the day (solar). Eclipses caused by Emmiris are the most rare and are seen as terrible omens.

• Evermoons, referring to when two or more moons are full at the same time, are seen as times of great luck; triple evermoons are even rarer, occuring only every few hundred years and are viewed as times of extraordinary occurence, when the best of luck or the most horribly ill luck can occur, leading only the bold to leave their homes during them.

• Nullmoons, refer to when two or more of the moons are new/not visible at the same time. They are, as expected, the opposite type of omen from Evermoons and generally are times to stay home, quiet, safe, and still. (This is what the superstitions say, at least.)

Type

Natural