Timeflow of Krea

Celestial Mechanics and Geography

Krea is a world slightly smaller than Earth, orbiting around a mass of dark matter (Called Cahdan by the People of Old) rather than a star. Despite this unusual arrangement, Krea receives light from Mor, a blue dwarf star distant enough to provide minimal gravitational influence but close enough to illuminate the world. Two moons, Lyyr and Suuh, orbit on opposite sides of Krea. The planet has a significant axial tilt, which combined with its geography creates dramatically different day-night experiences across its various continents.
Krealings in the current era possess little scientific understanding of astronomy or what exists beyond their sky. Various cultures have developed their own explanations for the Celestial Bodies and patterns they observe, leading to diverse religious and cultural interpretations across regions.

Time Measurement

Unlike Earth, Krea experiences shorter days, with a complete day-night cycle lasting only 20 hours. Krealings use a clock system that counts from 1 to 20 rather than using AM/PM or a 12-hour cycle repeated twice. When writing time, they use formats similar to Earth (like 1:00, 9:30, 14:23), though they rarely note minutes in increments smaller than 5.
The Kreainese week consists of 6 days, with the sixth day considered the weekend. Each month contains exactly 5 weeks, resulting in 30 days per month. The year includes 12 months which correlate conceptually with Earth's months, though the Kreainese year totals 360 days (7,200 hours) compared to Earth's 365 days (8,760 hours).
Krealings tend to be very literal when referring to days and times. Rather than using vague expressions like "come by in a few hours" or naming days of the week as we do with "Wednesday," they prefer specific references such as "come by in three days at 10." They do not have named days of the week, instead referring to each day by its literal or semi-literal date.
While terms like "morning," "afternoon," and "evening" exist, they're primarily used in Terramis and Wahvess. More common across all regions are expressions like "next waking cycle," "midday," "midnight," "first hours," and "last hours."

Regional Time Customs

Terramis

Located in the equatorial region of Krea, Terramis experiences the most regular day-night cycles due to its geographical position. People here maintain strict schedules governed by the sun's movement. They rise at dawn and begin working immediately, generally returning home as the sun sets. During nighttime, activity diminishes significantly, with only inns and brothels typically remaining open. This regimented approach to time reflects the cultural emphasis on productivity—rising early means more working hours and potentially more income.

Dessiara

Positioned near the northern of Krea's poles, Dessiara experiences extended periods of daylight and rarely sees darkness. This constant illumination makes it difficult for residents to maintain regular schedules based on sunlight. Instead, they rely primarily on the moons and clocks for timekeeping. Without the natural cues of darkness, people set their own schedules and may be active during any hour.
While competent Dessiarans with appointments or plans maintain careful track of time using clocks or lunar positions, those who don't actively monitor these tools can easily lose track of days due to the persistent daylight. Businesses typically operate whenever their owners are awake, making business hours unpredictable for visitors from other regions.

Opirium

Located near the opposite pole from Dessiara, Opirium experiences predominantly dark conditions with rare periods of light. Residents have adapted by using the moon rather than the sun as their primary natural timekeeper, supplemented by clocks on occasion for finer more precise times. Like Dessiara, schedules vary widely among individuals, though unlike Dessiara's constant activity, Opirium's darkness creates a different rhythm to daily life. Businesses generally remain open whenever proprietors are awake.

Wahvess

This underwater city has developed a unique approach to timekeeping in the absence of visual celestial bodies. The city maintains an artificial sun that illuminates to signal the start of the day and dims to indicate its end. This system creates an approximate rather than precise time structure, as the lighting and dimming occur at roughly consistent times rather than exact moments. Unlike other regions, Wahvess tracks days but pays less attention to specific hours.
The artificial day-night cycle strongly influences activity patterns. During "daylight" hours, the city bustles with activity, while "night" brings near-complete silence and darkness as residents retire to their homes.

Travel and Cross-Regional Coordination

Despite the varied experiences of time across regions, Krea maintains a standardized worldwide time system based on lunar positions. Travelers carry pocket clocks or learn to read the moons to maintain consistent timekeeping while adapting to different regional customs. These tools, calibrated to lunar movements, allow for relatively seamless coordination across Krea's diverse regions.
The varying attitudes toward time precision create subtle cultural differences when people from different regions interact, sometimes leading to stereotypes or misunderstandings about punctuality and scheduling practices.