Time Reckoning in Glorantha (2012)

Submitted by GianniVacca on Mon, 09/07/2012 – 15:35

OK, we know about seasons, weeks, and days names. What about the hours of the day? Do Gloranthan peoples reckon the time of the day using numbers (à la one o’clock, two o’clock)? using names (à la hour of the rat, hour of the ox)?

Submitted by Joerg Baumgartner on Mon, 06/08/2012 – 10:13.

On cloudless nights, Glorantha is a finely tuned time piece all in itself. Yelmic hours vary according to season (and by extension, so does Lightfore), but with Uleria/Mastakos you get a superbly tuned clockwork in the night sky, without any weird variations other than immediatly reappearing on the opposite side of the sky.

You can easily determine whether it is first or second rise (or fall) of Uleria/Mastakos by comparing the position of Lightfore, so you get natural four hour intervals you cannot get wrong. Uleria/Mastakos setting/rising makes three well defined moments in a day, and at least one of these will be visible in any clear night. Jump Time will probably be a magical moment, too, basically an “in between” moment useful to overcome the border between the mundane and the magical.

Submitted by metcalph on Mon, 09/07/2012 – 22:35.

It’s been covered before in Genertela: Crucible of the Hero Wars, Book 1 p32.

Orlanthi: Priestsing (about 6 am) – also Hour 12 (the Orlanthi number their hours from sunset).  Breakfast (about 8 am) – Hour 14.  Midday (12 pm) – Hour 18.  Midday-two (2 pm) – Hour 20.  Warytime (5 pm) – Hour 23.

Pelorians have a hundred hours over four days.  Probably one for every one of the hundred gods and goddess, ie Yelm is the first hour while Jokbazi is the last.

Submitted by soltakss on Sat, 14/07/2012 – 17:34.

But, who really bothers about such things?

I would find it interesting for about 10 minutes, then find it extremely annoying.

Simon Phipp.

Submitted by David on Sat, 14/07/2012 – 19:32.

Who bothers? – Those who like a different level of colour in their games than you (I hope you are not in Gianni’s gaming group).

That’s the wonder of Glorantha there’s a lot of detail that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Use what you like, let others use what they like.

—–

David Scott

why I bother

Submitted by GianniVacca on Sun, 15/07/2012 – 07:44.

I was thinking of devising a Zistorite village based on Edgar Allan Poe’s short story The Devil In The Belfry, so I needed to know how Gloranthans reckoned the passing of time. Zistorites being Westerners, a 32-hour day will do.

Submitted by Jeff on Sun, 15/07/2012 – 01:00.

How people tell time can add a lot of color to a setting – it helps to show how they structure the universe, when they tend to do things, and so on. Is it immediately useable in a game? Rarely. Is the setting richer for having it? Definitely!

Editor-in-Chief, Moon Design Publications

Submitted by Jeff on Tue, 10/07/2012 – 05:56.

This is also in the Guide to Glorantha.

Editor-in-Chief, Moon Design Publications

hours of the day

Submitted by GianniVacca on Thu, 12/07/2012 – 13:02.

Ok so I reckon (ha ha) that this means that “let’s meet at 3 o’clock” is NOT a Gloranthan phrase.

Submitted by metcalph on Sun, 15/07/2012 – 03:43.

Actually it is.

It’s a western phrase based on their water clocks (which have a 32 hour day).

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