I'll met you at the gate in an hour?

[alsih2o]

How nebulous a concept is time in your fantasy game?

Do your players constantly turn over an hourglass (while making those fabulous on-the-go maps) or use a water clock that is highly mobile? Are they just that good with the sun, even when underground?

How do they decide when to "meet later?" Is time standardized in your world?

Just in general- how do you deal with time in a world without big old clocks?

 

[Piratecat]

We really handwave this. I know we shouldn't, but it's so much easier.

 

[Bendris Noulg]

Depends on both in-game events (what is happening now) and location. Over-all, when the PCs split up (which happens a lot in my games), I tend to keep track of time just so the different events are executed in some degree of rational order. Not so exacting as to be up-to-the-round precise, but well enough that hours-long blocks of time don't suddenly vanish into whisps of smoke.

 

[hong]

We really handwave this. I know we shouldn't, but it's so much easier.

If you like it, and everyone else likes it, and noone complains, then why shouldn't you do it?

 

[sellars]

We prefer to refer to the sun when playing over ground, but not very precisely (as in: "I'll meet you at the gate when the sun is highest").

If we are underground however, we tend to ignore this problem, and just say: I'll meet you in an hour

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

I'm in the handwaving club as well.

A couple of years ago, I read a great book called 'Time' by James Gleick (sic?) which got me thinking about this - I considered introducing something... but accurate timekeeping is so ingrained into life today that I think it'd be really hard for us to figure out and it probably wouldn't add much to the game.

I put all that effort into getting them to visualise Dragons, Demons and Magic, but a world without precise time is a suspension of disbelief too far.

I've also been guilty of using the 'normal' Gregorian calendar - right down to keeping the seasons in the same place as my home... It's lazy but easier to relate to...

 

[Enkhidu]

We really handwave this. I know we shouldn't, but it's so much easier.

We do too. As hong said, if everyone's happy with it, why not do it.

 

[diaglo]

handled IC.

but basically what the PCs believe to be the correct time. everyone, NPC classes on up, lives by the same rules of living. everyone poos.

so as soon as they become aware of time in life.... older than tweener... they can judge it for themselves. heck even young kids know when they are hunger WAAAaaaWWWaaaa. tired. thirsty. etc...

most spellcasters have a better idea based on durations of their spells too.

 

[Gnimish88]

How nebulous a concept is time in your fantasy game?

Do your players constantly turn over an hourglass (while making those fabulous on-the-go maps) or use a water clock that is highly mobile? Are they just that good with the sun, even when underground?

How do they decide when to "meet later?" Is time standardized in your world?

Just in general- how do you deal with time in a world without big old clocks?

PC1: Hey! Where have you been? We were supposed to meet before.
PC2: No. We said we would meet after. It's barely now.

 

[Nifft]

Cantrips, Orisons and Rangers with high Survival checks can know the exact time, so scheduling is possible.

Sending and teleport and gate allow instant transportation of information and people, so scheduling is important.

City "clocks" exist -- some powered by water, some by the glowing crystal of the Sun God, some by the ordered daily bloomings of specific flowers holy to the Goddess of Seasons, some powered by mechanisms not fully understood. (Gears? Not so much.)

IMC, there's a mix between modern time comprehension and ancient lack thereof. It depends on the job of the person you're talking to. (Anyone military has a modern concept of time, because timing is important in magical battle.)

-- N