Chelovayyan Dating System

The **Chelovayyan Dating System** (Stanislavan: *Chelovskaya Sistema Znakomstv*; Oratio Ecclesiastica: *Calendarium Humanum*) is the dating system of the Chelovayyan Empire. The Dating System utilizes an Epochal System centered around highly-significant events, marking huge changes in Chelovayya's history. As such, History, which is Human-centric, is divided into several different epochs, each marking different periods of time in Human History.

The Chelovayyan Dating System is not to be confused with the usage of different calendars within the Chelovayyan Empire, such as the Stanislavan Calendar, Aurelien's Calendar, and in the past, the Gregorian Calendar, and the Exordium Calendar.

The Calendars often deal with different months, different days, and different years. The Chelovayyan Dating System mostly deals with time periods, ages, and epochs, as to make facile the identification of the time period of certain dates. As of the Third Epoch, the most commonly used calendar within the Chelovayyan Dating System is the Stanislavan Calendar, which first introduced the idea of an epochal system being utilized for the Empire's Dating System. This is followed by Aurelien's Calendar, created by the Francian High King Aurelien Larousse, to signify Erevosian independence from Stanislava.

## Chronography

### **Date Writing**

A date in the Chelovayyan Dating System is typically written in several parts, each with different meanings. An example of this is the following:

* **S.E. 3K518, Dolyan 31, A**
* **S.E. / 3K / 518 / Dolyan / 31 / A**
* **Epoch, Millennia, Hundredth Year, Month, Day, Classification**

### **Epoch**

The Epoch refers to the time period which the date takes place in. In addition, the Epochs can be used to represent the different stages of Human History. All other parts of the Chelovayyan Dating System are dependent on this one feature alone, as it is perhaps the most significant point of reference in all of date writing. As of the present day, the Epochal System is currently divided into six different Epochs:

* **Anno Ante Revelationem (A.R.)** - The Age Before Revelation. This is the age before the Emperor of the Universe revealed Himself to Humanity. This is also the age which encompasses most of the Universe's History. This is the only age where years are counted backwards.
* **Anno Apocrypha (A.P.)** - The Age of Apocrypha. This is the age that began when the Emperor of the Universe revealed His Divine Word to Humanity. This is also the age when the Divine Word was incarnated in Humanity, defeating Death itself.
* **Anno Anathematis (A.N.)** - The Age of Anathema. This is the age that began when the Great Anathema was sent by the Great Deceiver, to deceive the world, enslaving it for a thousand years, and nearly eradicating the faith.
* **First Epoch (F.E.)** - The First Epoch of the Chelovayyan Empire. This is the age that began when the Emperor of the Universe destroyed the Great Anathema, and restored the world, by granting leadership to the Veliky-Emissaries.
* **Second Epoch (S.E.)** - The Second Epoch of the Chelovayyan Empire. This is the age that began when the last Veliky-Emissary departed from the world. This is also the age when the Beacons of Eukharistia were destroyed by Matriarch Nihline.
* **Third Epoch (T.E.)** - The Third Epoch of the Chelovayyan Empire. This is the current age of the Chelovayyan Empire, which began when the Archangel's Sword was lost, along with other factors culminating with the inevitable decline of the Chelovayyans.

Each Epoch has a final year known as an endpoint. Every endpoint is centered around historical circumstances which mark the end of each age, such as the end of the reign of Anathema after the 1,000th Year of the Age of Anathema. The endpoints of each Epoch, with the exception of the Age Before Revelation, which has its years counted backwards, are the following:

* **A.P. 1 - A.P. 7,550** - 7550 Years.
* **A.N. 1 - A.N. 1,000** - 1000 Years.
* **F.E. 1 - F.E. 3,180** - 3180 Years.
* **S.E. 1 - S.E. 5,500** - 5500 Years.
* **T.E. 1 - T.E. 10,000>** - 10000 Years>.

### **Millennia**

The Millennia refers to the thousandth year which the date takes place in. The Millennia is often used alongside the Epoch in dates where the specific year, month, and day are unclear. The Millennia, aside from the Epoch, is the most commonly verified time-frame classification in most of Imperial scholarship. The Millennia is each composed of a thousand years, with the years being known as 1-999, with the 1,000th year moving towards the next number. Only the Third Epoch has reached double-digit millennia, with the current age of the Chelovayyan Dating System being 10K. The Millennia is often used in several different ways, such as follows:

* **Narrative** - From the/Of the (1st Millennium) of the 3rd Epoch.
* **Standardized** - As of/During the F.E. (1K)714, Velyes 12, B.
* **Retrospective** - Around the 37th Millennium-Ago.

### **Hundredth Year**

The Hundredth Year refers to the specific year which the date takes place in. The Hundredth Year proceeds after the Millennia, and in most cases, is written directly after the Millennia, without any space in-between. The Year used to be the most common denominator, as is evident in most Apocryphal Calendars such as the Gregorian Calendar, until it was superseded by the Millennia System, itself superseded by the Epochal System. The Hundredth Year is often used in several different ways, such as follows:

* **Narrative** - From the/Of the 375th Year of the 3rd Millennium of the 2nd Epoch.
* **Standardized** - As of/During the T.E. 7K(256), Devyan 25, C.
* **Retrospective** - Around 418 Years-Ago.

### **Months**

See also: *Stanislavan Calendar and Aurelien's Calendar*

The Month refers to the ancient unit of time, used within Apocryphal Calendars, which was approximately as long as the natural orbital period of Cynthia, the Earth's only natural satellite. The concept of months arose with the Cynthian Phases, and the Cynthian Months. As with many things, some parts of the Empire differ on this, and base their months on the cycles of their respective natural satellites. The Months are often used in several different ways, such as follows:

* **Narrative** - As of the (Mensis Peryes), of the 25th Year of the 2nd Millennium of the 1st Epoch.
* **Standardized** - As of/During the A.N. 0K030, (Peryes) 3, A.
* **Retrospective** - Around 214 Months-Ago.

The Chelovayyan Dating System most often uses the Stanislavan Calendar for its monthly-classification system. The Months are named after the Gods and Goddesses of Slavanene Mythology, in similar fashion to the Julian Calendar. The number of days within each of these Months are also numbered exactly the same way as the Gregorian Calendar. As such, there are 12 Months spread across a single year. The following Months are that which are used in the Stanislavan Calendar:

* **Beluary** - Named after the God Belav, God of Good Fate. In Slavanene Mythology, the year starts when Belav opens the Gate of Good Fate, introducing virtues and goodness to the world. Belav is soon followed by Chernav.
* **Chernuary** - Named after the God Chernav, God of Bad Fate. In Slavanene Mythology, after Belav opens the Gate of Good Fate, Chernav opens the Gate of Bad Fate, introducing wickedness and vice to the world.
* **Svetov** - Named after the God Svyetovid, God of War. After the Clash of Belava and Chernava opens the world to Good and Evil, Svyetovid rises to prominence and attempts to protect the World Tree from all dangers.
* **Peryes** - Named after the God Peryun, High God of Lightning. With the rise of evil, Peryun goes into battle, becoming the Leader of the Earthly Hosts, engulfing the world in storms of shock and thunder.
* **Dolyan** - Named after the Goddess Dodolya, Goddess of Rain, Wife of Peryun. During this time, Dodolya gives birth to the Chelovayyans, the new race of humans, who would be led by Peryun into battle. The Chelovayyans would then be assisted by three different Gods.
* **Striven** - Named after the God Stribog, God of Wind. The God Stribog gives the Chelovayyans the Gift of Fortune, rapidly accelerating their ascendancy in the world.
* **Svaren** - Named after the God Svarog, God of Fire. The God Svarog gives the Chelovayyans the Gift of Smithing, allowing them to forge the greatest weapons, and technological inventions.
* **Roden** - Named after the God Rod, God of Order. The God Rod gives the Chelovayyans the Gift of Tradition, giving the Chelovayyans a spiritual continuity, and a bountiful long line of families.
* **Velyen** - Named after the God Velyes, God of Earth. Following the Destruction of the World Tree, Velyes emerges as a rival of Peryun, and lays claim to the Lowlands of the Earth. Velyes, however, also believes that humans need to have a greater spiritual connection to the worlds they live in.
* **Devyan** - Named after the Goddess Devyana, Goddess of Nature, Wife of Velyes. Soon afterwards, Velyes gives birth to the Leyudanne, those who would tend to, and be guardians of nature.
* **Zvedha** - Named after the Goddess Zvezda, Goddess of Dawn. Eons afterwards, the Chelovayyans, weakened and fractured, bear against the Final Agony of the World, as the darkness fully engulfs the land, yet still, glimmers of light appear in the gloomy sky.
* **Rozha** - Named after the Goddess Rozhanboga, Goddess of Destiny. Finally, Rozhanboga awakes from her slumber, and re-plants the seed of the World Tree, closing the Gates of Good Fate and Bad Fate, and restoring the world to its natural order.

### **Day**

The Day refers to the ancient unit of time, used within Apocryphal Calendars, which was approximately as long as the natural orbital period of a full revolution of the Earth with respect to its star Solaris. As with many things, some parts of the Empire differ on this, and base their months on the rotation cycles of their planets in relation to their respective stars. The Days are often used in several different ways, such as follows:

* **Narrative** - As of the (13th Day) of Mensis Striven, of Anno 374, of the 4th Millennium, of the 2nd Epoch.
* **Standardized** - As of/During the A.A. 0K030, Peryes (3), A.
* **Retrospective** - Around 58 Days-Ago.

The Chelovayyan Dating System most often uses the Stanislavan Calendar for its monthly-classification system. The number of days within each of these Months are also numbered exactly the same way as the Gregorian Calendar. Every four years, a day is added to Chernuary, to remain internally consistent with the leap-year system of old. These days are the following:

* **Beluary** - 31 Days.
* **Chernuary** - 28 Days/29 Days.
* **Svetov** - 31 Days.
* **Peryes** - 30 Days.
* **Dolyan** - 31 Days.
* **Striven** - 30 Days.
* **Svaren** - 30 Days.
* **Rodhan** - 31 Days.
* **Velyen** - 30 Days.
* **Devyan** - 31 Days.
* **Zvedha** - 30 Days.
* **Rozha** - 31 Days.

### **Classification**

The Classification refers to the accuracy of any given date, which is necessary due to the difficulties of keeping track of time across an interstellar civilization. According to Imperial Chroniclers, classifications are listed using the following alphabetical classes:

* **Class: A** - Absolute Certainty. Referring to an event which is recorded, corroborated, and verified, with exact precision. This is achieved through the direct verification and involvement of the Imperial Chroniclers.
* **Class: B** - Near Certainty. Referring to an event which is recorded, corroborated, and verified, with medium precision. This occurs when the Imperial Chroniclers are unanimously certain of an event's dating, but were not directly involved in its verification.
* **Class: C** - Partial Certainty. Referring to an event which is recorded, corroborated, and verified, with low precision. This occurs when the Imperial Chroniclers are somewhat, but not unanimously, certain of an event's dating, and were not at all involved in its verification.
* **Class: D** - Corroborated. Referring to an event which is recorded and corroborated by reliable extraneous sources. This occurs when the Imperial Chroniclers are unsure of an event's dating, and rely on the evidence given by several other sources instead.
* **Class: E** - Dependable. Referring to an event which is recorded by a reliable extraneous source. This occurs when the Imperial Chroniclers are unsure of an event's dating, and rely on the evidence given by a singular reliable source.
* **Class: F** - Recorded. Referring to an event which is recorded, but not by reliable sources.
* **Class: G** - Extrapolated. Referring to an event which is not recorded, but extrapolated based on other data.
* **Class: H** - Unknown. Referring to an event, of which details regarding its occurrence are completely unknown.