Glossary

Chapter 3 is a glossary providing definitions and explanations of the world's time-tracking system, which is based on the aurora ribbons that orbit the world rather than a traditional calendar or clock.

The glossary explains the temporal framework of the world. Time is tracked in two eras: Before Stone (BS) and After Stone (AS), marking before and after the Aether Stone was gifted to the Neváns. The aurora ribbons are luminous bands tethered to both poles that orbit the world on a north-south axis, serving as the primary timekeeping mechanism. An aurora cycle—the time it takes for the ribbons to complete one full orbit—equals one day. Within each cycle, there are four distinct periods: Aurora Rise (dawn on the eastern horizon), Dae (when the aurora tracks overhead and folk are typically awake), Aurora Fall (sunset on the western horizon), and Slumber (when no aurora ribbons are visible and folk sleep). Larger time units are defined hierarchically: a Phase comprises 1,000 aurora cycles (roughly equivalent to a year), marked by the ribbons growing thicker before thinning again on the thousandth cycle. An Eon consists of 100 phases, or 100,000 aurora cycles. Human lifespan is measured in phases, with one phase of life equaling 1,000 aurora cycles; thus, 24 phases of life equals 24,000 aurora cycles.