Seasons - Four standard seasons similar to our own--spring, summer, autumn, and winter--known in Abia as the season of rebirth, the warm season, harvest season, and the cold season respectively. Seasons follow a 61/58 rule: with winter lasting for 61 days, spring for 58, summer for 61, and autumn for 58.

Dating - There is no familiar dating system easily translatable to our own Gregorian calendar. Abian historians, both Arcanaanite and Zoroastrian, continuously count forward until the end of a year, inscribing records with the numerical day followed by the year and era. Similar to our pre-Julian regnal systems, an era is named after the currently reigning emperor of the nation with which the record is associated.


Likewise, as with a lack of definable months, there are no definable days or weeks outside of the regnal date.Where we have a seven day week, Astrians (primarily Abians) lack any specific day systems. Our ISO week date system divides the Gregorian calendar into "work days" and "rest days", but Abians have no need for such division as there are no officially recognized "rest days". If one were to ask the question "What day is it?", they would mostly like receive the numerical date as a response (ex. "It's the ninety-seventh day" or "Day ninety-seven"). On the plus side, there are no Mondays.

When more narrow ranges of dates or specific dates are required (usually by those in scholarly fields), the four seasons may be integrated into the system.


Divisions of Time - We would remind Odysseus members that our planet has a 24 hour day length, but Astria rotates three hours slower on its axis, giving it a 27 hour day length. Using our standard measurements of time is certainly possible, but we recommend learning the Abian time system and using it as applicable, which relies easily enough on the prime factor of 3 for dividing their day.

The three major divisions of an Abian day roughly translate to "newday", "midday", and "lateday" (each lasting exactly 9 metric hours). Each of the major divisions are broken down by an additional 3 units, which last 3 metric hours. These lesser divisions are referred to as (after translation) "first of", "middle of", and "last of". Progression through the day can be determined by sundials with appropriately carved marks for each minor and major unit. A written measurement of time would be as follows:


The concept of "hours", "minutes", and "seconds" are unknown to Abians as their society has little need for complex divisions of time. Thus, attempting to explain our modern metric time system might prove difficult, and more often than not be met with confusion.

Compiled by Malcolm J. Everette, Prof., 1st Odysseus Geography Team, Toponymist/Etiologist

Arcanaan - The largest of the two Abian empires, Arcanaan dominates the western half of the continent. The climate is mostly temperate, well-suited to agriculture; and several regions possess dense, evergreen forests. Fair springs and warm summers provide for comfortable temperatures throughout most of the year. Far northern regions are either covered in an icy tundra, or are vast, white barrens of inhospitable temperatures.

The furthest northeast territory, once known as Sage, is one of the ice-covered regions unsuitable for human settlement, although that was not always the case. Abian historical records claim that "the Creator shed a fiery tear, filled with His anger and contempt, and destroyed the bountiful paradise of Sage, dooming the lands around it to a cold depravity for the remainder of days". An unusually high concentration of iridium at the bottom of the Sea of Sorrow (from aerial drone readings) suggest that the enclosed sea is actually a meteor crater. It is highly probable that an extraterrestrial impact was responsible for Sage's destruction, and it would poetically harmonize the "Creator's tear" account.

Vermilion glowlite can be mined from various deposits in the western-most territories of the empire. Glowlite is a rare, phosphoric crystal that emits noticeable light in dark environments, sans the name.

Zoroastria - The phonological parallel between Astria's Zoroastria and Earth's ancient Zoroastrianism is uncanny, to say the least. However, similarity stops at the name. There are no logical trans-verse connection possibilities between the Astria nation and Earth's ancient religion or it's attributed founder (Zoroaster).

On the name, according to pre-imperial Isepox language decryption, the word for garden is "zor", and of is "o". To say that one thing is "of another", the "o" is used to combine the object and subject. Millennia ago, Zoroastria was literally considered to be the "garden of Astria" (mythological equivalent to Abrahamic lore's "Eden"). Over time, this titular phrase became the official name of the existing sovereign empire.

This empire is actually the first of the two. The establishment of Arcanaan was the result of a massive civil unrest caused by political-religious division within the greater Zoroastrian macro-culture (for more details on this period of Abian history, refer to Prof. Crannum's Historical Analysis). As a result of the separation and preceding wars, Zoroastria's borders have significantly receded from their original reach. Most of the nation now consists of high-temperature climates with a massive rocky desert making up roughly the entire sub-continent in the southeast.

Crimson glowlite is a valuable resource in the central parts of the desert, and is in more abundance than the known vermilion glowlite deposits of western Arcanaan. Zoroastria is also the only known region on Astria where the metal astrinium can be mined (southern headlands of the sub-continent).

Compiled by Jeffery James Hampstead, Ph.D., 2nd Odysseus Ethnic Anthropology Team, Team Lead [And smartass]

Etymology - Putting this first, as there is likely to be grammatical confusion at some point among Odysseus members (Victor): the capitalization of "Vigilant" and treatment of the word as a proper noun is not an oversight or typo. As a matter of fact, the term is a proper noun, as there is no known comprehensible term for the species aside from Zoology's assigned Linnaeus classification (homo felis sapiens). According to the translations of ancient Isepox mythological texts, the equivalent words for "vigilant" and "caretaker" are interchangeable titles for the species. So, while we don't capitalize human, we do capitalize Vigilant. (It also just helps to clarify what we're talking about, contextually.)

Biology - Quite simply: they are "cat-like" humans that possess two sets of ears (one set human, other set felidae), a tail, and sharp canines that resemble noticeable fangs. Beyond those physical traits, they are almost entirely human-like upon visual inspection.

Prevalence of body hair is based entirely on hereditary traits, contrary to a common belief of the humans that rarely interact with Vigilants (they are often thought of as entirely covered in fur and/or more beastly in appearance). Whether on Earth or on Astria, the least connected have a tendency to be the most bigoted…

However, it should be advised that even the most seasoned zoologist or trained anthropologist may be stricken with an intense curiosity that borders on rudeness when they come into contact with a Vigilant for the first time. Understandably, their physical appearance can spark something of an "uncanny valley" feeling, which might explain the high rates of intolerance for their kind among many human societies across Astria.

As might be initially expected, both sets of ears function and actually serve to enhance a Vigilant's range of auditory sensory perception. Their felidae ears can pick up high-frequency sounds, while their human ears function like and perceive as ours can. The behavioral twitching and folding of the felidae ears (as well as the waiving, flicking, or curling of the tail) can betray a Vigilant's emotional state, as is the case with all known wild and domesticated felis species (of course, I'm not a zoologist… I'm just writing their portion of this report… Victor).

Vigilant lifespans can far surpass our own; however, due to the poor conditions they are forced to live in, they are burdened with a high mortality rate. Normally, a physically and mentally healthy Vigilant can expect to live up to three hundred years (Sol), more than triple our average lifespan. They also appear to age at a slower rate; meaning that a sixty year-old Vigilant can look twenty, by human comparison.

Society - To call them "nomads" is hardly justifiable, but I must admit that I fail to see a more suitable classification for them. They are without a nation-state of their own and wander between sovereign states without recognized citizenship. Thus, by definition, they are nomadic, no matter how sprawled-out their numbers or where they choose to cluster in small communities.

There is no longer a home for them anywhere across all of Astria. They were once the rulers and majority species of the fallen Isepox Realms, an alliance of nations that--according to known history texts--spanned the globe. While improbable, it is still certainly possible; as they are, evolutionarily speaking, the oldest existing humanoid race on Astria. If it weren't for the fact that the Realms no longer exist, they would still be ethnically called Isepox.

In even the most developed nations, Vigilants are at the bottom of the social pyramid; a complete one-eighty from their days as the ruling race. Throughout the Arcanaan Empire, almost all of them are enslaved. Those that are free are only so because they are lucky to elude imperial authorities and slavers. In the Zoroastrian Empire, they are only slightly better off. While Zoroastrians detest slavery, they are all for indentured servitude, which many young Vigilants sell themselves into in order to make a living. They remarkably find ways to survive in a nation that does not afford them citizenship.

While I do not normally let anything else other than my sarcasm color my reports, I will say that I am disheartened by the quality of life that Vigilants are burdened with. We would use the term "inhuman" to describe their treatment. Unfortunately, this is exactly how Astrian humans would describe it, as well, only they would be far more satisfied and quite content with the observation; as if that is how it should be.

Common Occupations - Of Abian concern, specifically Zoroastria (I will exclude Arcanaan, as their slave system does not inherently afford Vigilants any legitimate occupational roles), Vigilants that indentured themselves to serve a human master for a respectable period of time (at least three years or more) may endeavor to be high-ranking domestic workers or helpers. This is more common for those that serve affluent masters; but, since contracting an indentured servant can be as cheap as the master desires (they have all the power, after all), almost any Zoroastrian can have a Vigilant working directly for them as "the help". Of course, the wealthier the master, the better off the accommodations and compensation--or so it is generally believed (lack of verifiable data).

Outside of the indentured servitude route, Vigilants may be blacksmiths, carpenters, herbalists, and peddlers. However, it is difficult to make a sustainable living when humans too often turn their noses up to your products and your fellow Vigilants are too poor to afford what you're selling.

There is one other common occupation; but it, sadly, also requires entering into servitude: a cavalier's pawn. Where the knights of Arcanaan have squires, the cavaliers of Zoroastria have pawns; but where a squire is trained and meant to become a knight, a pawn is simply expected to give his life on the battlefield for the glory of their cavalier. If a pawn returns from battle alive, they are either praised for their skill and prowess, or executed for their failure and cowardice (obviously, the judgement is dependent entirely on the performance… or the cavalier's temperament).

Pawns typically do not last long, but the same can be said of any soldier in a pre-industrialized world, acting only in accordance to the whims of their tyrannical betters… But I digress. Nevertheless, pawns are often meant to be cannon fodder and serve in the vanguard of most assaults. Pawns that have distinguished themselves in battle, however, may slowly find themselves progressing further back in the formations. Eventually, they may be recognized as formal retainers of the cavalier, and will remain by their side as trusted followers and attendants, occasionally acting as a color guard during large-scale conflicts. The rank awarded to them upon reaching such a position can be translated as "ensign"--the only actual rank they will ever receive as Vigilants, if they are even deemed worthy of it.

Additional Notes -

• Some of the distrust geared toward Vigilants may be due to the personified or naturally inherent traits often associated with felid species: cunning or crafty, stealthy, nocturnal, deceptive… These have become stereotypes attributed to the very cat-like Vigilants. My team seeks to educate human communities on the harm of racism and classism in the greater scheme of things (not just in relation to Vigilants), but it will prove difficult, considering we ourselves are not yet fully trusted.
• Before anyone asks: yes, it is absolutely possible for Vigilants to procreate with humans. As I painstakingly described as simplistically as I could above, there is little biological difference between the two of us. As far as what such a union would produce… I will refer you to the Exobiology Team.
• No, Victor, they are not "nekojin".
• Since a lot of information pertaining to the Isepox Realms and their respective cultures is buried under ruins and lost to the pages of warped history, I have a vested interest in the Vigilants and their origins.

Compiled by Alaric A. Goodwin, Ph.D., 1st Odysseus Physics Team, Team Lead

The Facts - According to the Law of Conservation of Mass [Antoine Lavoisier, 1785], matter in its most compact form can neither be created nor destroyed. From what we know (or at least have understood for more than a century) is that mass remains constant, even if its states change or energy is transferred. On that note, energy itself also cannot be created or destroyed. Earth's scientific community is keenly aware, however, that the Breit-Wheeler process proposes pure light can be transformed into matter, but even this process follows Lavoisier's finding.

Our understanding of this basic principle regarding matter and energy is astonishingly called into question with the Sagens' ability to create a genuine sword from seemingly nothing. Close observation through multiple spectrums has revealed that matter is indeed being created without disrupting existing space-time. To put simply, where an object is "projected" into existence using the resonance factor, the pre-existing matter or energy is simultaneously being replaced, not converted. There is no Breit-Wheeler pair production, only a phenomenon that defies the very laws of physics.

My team and I are very much aware that the Polyphemus gate has brought Odysseus into an alternate universe, hardly "parallel" to our own. Thus, I am willing, if only hesitantly, to concede that Clarke's Third Law (any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic) does not apply in the case of the resonance factor.

Observations - From what we understand based off of our own observations and the explanations of reliable indigenous, Sagens (as well as certain species of fauna) are able to materialize physical mass or produce energy by thought alone. Animals capable of resonance typically use it according to primitive survival instinct, such as for defense against predatory species or when hunting prey themselves. Only a handful of sentient creatures are known to have resonance capability and their projections are often weak against humans. Legends and folklore, however, may sing a different tune, but Zoology has yet to confirm the existence of such lifeforms.

The true miracles of the resonance factor are done by the Sagens. This ethnic group of humans can cast projections of energy and mass that can have adverse or devastating effects on the physical world around them. Imagine one Sagen generating a storm of arrows without even a single bow, or engulfing a battlefield in a fiery inferno. These scenarios are not just "what ifs", they are recorded historical events during the military conflicts between Arcanaan and Zoroastria.

Resonance is capable of altering reality itself in small amounts; sometimes permanently, sometimes temporarily. We do know that projections can have physical drawbacks on the user, whether Sagen or animal. It seems that a mental and physical toll must be paid in return for the power to play god.

Additional Notes -

• "Projections" are the created energy phenomena or physical matter by way of the resonance factor.
• Resonance can be used both offensively as well as defensively. In a defensive capacity, a projected energy barrier can conform to a body in order to negate incoming kinetic forces. It is unknown how long a resonance barrier can withstand modern weaponry, but there is no known record of a Sagen falling in any of the Arcanaan-Zoroastria conflicts. Of course, we also don't know if an enemy even came close to a Sagen before they were utterly decimated by the power of resonance.
• Transference of resonance factor control is believed to be strictly genetic; therefore, a Synthetic Genesis application may be a valid approach for artificial reproduction. I have submitted a request for the collection and analysis of Sagen DNA to the EFC.
  
  [Response Logged: "You're a theoretical physicist, Dr. Goodwin, not a xenobiologist. Furthermore, SynGen is way outside your pay grade. Request denied. - JAT"]