Triday, trine, tricycles.

[Spriggan Bride]

The problem if you just say “days” trying to plan something people get confused and can’t tell if you’re talking about RL or IG days. It does help for coordinating to have a term besides “day” IG that reflects one RL 24 hour period.

Tenday used to be perfect, it sounded good and was setting appropriate, but obviously that doesn’t work any more and now we’re fumbling to replace it. I agree none sound quite right but we could use something.

Also while I have no problem with “bags” it does make me think of cartoon bags of money with dollar signs on them every time.

[Cthuletta]

"When are we doing X?"

If it's less than three hours RL, it's 'today'
More than three hours RL, it's 'tomorrow'
If it's tomorrow, in 'a trine'
In several days, 'A tenday'
If it's at the further end of a week, or just over, in 'a fortnight'

I use these pretty consistently, and guess which is the only one that doesn't net me a tell asking when? Using 'trine' came around because of OOC measurements of game time, yes. But, it can just as easily be argued that it was adopted IC as slang over time to represent a shorter unit of measurement on an island of adventurers to use instead of 'less than half of a tenday' or 'a few days'. Both things can be true. Isn't clear and concise communication without the need for green-text or Discord messages a good thing, no matter it's origin?
When this change first came around, I'll admit, I laughed at the idea of 'triday' and 'tricycle', if only because I pronounced it as a tricycle (the bike) and it made no sense to me, therefore I didn't use it. Eventually, the word 'trine' evolved from that, and I found it more like a fantasy-setting word and easier to use than 'a few days' where I had to answer a question as to if I meant later today, tomorrow, or the day after. I find using trine to be more immersive as it avoids the OOC question of 'When?'.
Just because something is easier to communicate and takes less time to get across in an IC format, doesn't necessarily mean the player is being lazy. Work smarter, not harder!

As for 'bags', I used bags for a bit and I know what it means, but I often got that question of 'How much is a bag?' or 'A bag of what?', so it failed that test of being easier to communicate and my character reverted back to 'Five thousand coins' as it was instantly understood. I've also seen it called 'spiders' or 'lions' or 'gold'. It doesn't bother me in the slightest if someone uses that terminology, I just found it to be a coin-toss on if my character was understood so stopped using it personally. And that's okay!
Same with trine in reverse. I very rarely, if ever, get an OOC question of how long a trine is. If you don't want to use it, that's absolutely fine. If you do want to use it, that's also absolutely fine, as it's a widely understood term. Let people play without judging every little thing they do.

[riffraff]

I started using triday because most people I've encountered use it. It's also really convenient to know that someone means a thing happened IRL yesterday/is happening IRL in 4 days instead of trying to work out/remember/know exactly which in game calendar day it was and then use the Portal calendar or maths to figure out which day that was IRL. It makes it a lot easier to avoid confusion. If you say "6 days" and you mean 2 IRL days... is It exactly 6 days IC? Is the thing happening on the 28th? Or the 27th? Or the 26th? At least if you say "two tridays" it covers all three days. I'm not sure how weirdly stating everything in multiples of three is less jarring ICly than abbreviating that to "triday".

It's very easy to accept it ICly as Arelithian terminology because it is. It's commonly used. It's not hard for my character to think of this as a local quirk and that if she returns to the mainland she wouldn't use it. Is it an OOC contrivance? Yes. Does that have to ruin your immersion? No. Maybe taxes used to be taken in three day intervals. Maybe calls to prayer at the temple were. Maybe dragons demanded sacrifices arbitrarily every three days. There's a plethora of reasons that a culture/community might decide group their days into threes. We're all (mostly) ICly immigrants of Arelith, there's no reason not to accept it's a quirk of the island. We don't ICly need to know why any more than most people would know why the modern day IRL week is divided into 7 days. Or why leap years exist.

Especially as Ellisaria pointed out, Arelith doesn't even follow the FR calendar because of the engine limitations! We can accept that 2 days a month don't exist on Arelith, but a localised concept of counting 3 days for convenience is just too wild.

The only thing I bemoan is that people just don't use the in setting "tenday" regularly because of tridays. I haven't had anyone act confused when I've used it, at least, but it'd be nice to hear others use it on occasion.

[Inordinate]

I've trusted anyone I've spoken with IC to understand saying something 'yesterday' or 'tomorrow' means either one of those terms OOC in real world time. If I were to say "a week from now" or what I've seen often "gnomish week" people know what I mean.

On the other hand I've never balked at the use of trine, triday, (though tricycle does makes me laugh) and have interchanged it depending on context, as have others.

In other words no one seems to actually care.

[Amateur Hour]

IIt's very easy to accept it ICly as Arelithian terminology because it is. It's commonly used. It's not hard for my character to think of this as a local quirk and that if she returns to the mainland she wouldn't use it. Is it an OOC contrivance? Yes. Does that have to ruin your immersion? No. Maybe taxes used to be taken in three day intervals. Maybe calls to prayer at the temple were. Maybe dragons demanded sacrifices arbitrarily every three days. There's a plethora of reasons that a culture/community might decide group their days into threes. We're all (mostly) ICly immigrants of Arelith, there's no reason not to accept it's a quirk of the island. We don't ICly need to know why any more than most people would know why the modern day IRL week is divided into 7 days. Or why leap years exist.

Easy thing to point to here: writ agents will give you work roughly once every three days. The writ agency recognizes the three-day unit as significant, and the writ agency is everywhere.

[chris a gogo]

Honestly it's all silly.

Tenday = one RL week
Tomorrow is one RL day.

If I ask someone "hey when is this raid/party etc.. starting", I don't want someone saying "oh in an hour" and meaning 6 mins( or whatever the current length is).
Certainly not when they could of said "in a few minutes" or "very shortly".
If you play on any other server this slang is total crap no one uses game time, so your forced to ask ooc and break character because something artificial has been invented to make the game more annoying.

[riffraff]

Easy thing to point to here: writ agents will give you work roughly once every three days. The writ agency recognizes the three-day unit as significant, and the writ agency is everywhere.

That's a great point! Especially when the vast majority of characters on the isle have done writ work to level.

[AskRyze]

Easy thing to point to here: writ agents will give you work roughly once every three days. The writ agency recognizes the three-day unit as significant, and the writ agency is everywhere.

That's a great point! Especially when the vast majority of characters on the isle have done writ work to level.

Congratulations. We have our IC justification for doing what we were all already doing. Quite a brilliant one too.

Alright people, pack up your lawnchairs and popcorn, thread's over, we can all go home.

[HappyHippie]

I can't help but find it a little entertaining that this entire post is over "trine" and tridays when we have TONS of people that say things ic like "my bad" ... The most cringeworthy thing I saw someone type ic was "pots" referring to potions... my character was incredibly confused. But hey! I really only think I saw this happen once or twice, and once upon a time at this point. Maybe the person learned!

The problem is born of two things that are both a blessing and a curse of this server. We as players have an amount of creative freedom and can impact the server just as much as the server impacts us by just doing our own thing. There is also no set standard, and we have an extraordinary amount of diversity. And this is what people are getting upset over? Yes, people HAVE made it a big deal in this post and are blatantly judging others for using those words. So here is a suggestion ... you don't like when it's used, don't use it. Lead by example and push the sort of language you'd like to see being used. To be the cornball I am - Be the change you want to see Newer players will adapt when they see what you do. One of the beauties of this being such a big and diverse server is that we get to have an effect on other people's RP and RP styles just by doing our own thing. When you start judging, others will be less likely to see the points you've made as constructive and productive.

I was very confused by bags when it came about. I don't really see it being used soo often, but then again, my characters aren't involved in as much trade as others are. I don't remember it being used so much in the past ... but hey, we adapt. I will use the words 'gold' and 'coins' mostly unless someone comes to me asking about 'bags'. Funnily, I think I said tenday more often than I say triday. Sometimes it feels weird to say "yesterday" in game because truly many people will take that for the previous ooc day when that may not necessarily be what you're trying to convey. And to add even more confusion, let's throw in all the different time zones people play in here. Yes, it probably did come about for ooc reasons, which in itself is a bit obnoxious, but thinking on it from an ic perspective, it is a very natural way to organize days. We say a month or a week when we're referring to 30 days or 7 days, right? A fortnight is a unit of time equal to 14 days (two weeks). The word derives from the Old English term fēowertīene niht, meaning "fourteen nights" (or "fourteen days", since the Anglo-Saxons counted by nights) ((Copied from Wiki)). If it's not easy for you, then don't say it. If there was an ic standard that 'yesterday' meant the previous ic day, and not the previous ooc day, I guarantee you this wouldn't be as much of an issue as it currently seems to be.

Personally, I'm the person that doesn't like the whole "let's run around everywhere" thing, my character even made a comment to someone once telling them not to trip! Yes, I'm that troll. But I'm not going to make a post telling everyone they should walk everywhere. (Although I'm pretty sure someone already has). Arelith is a HUGE server, with people of different ages coming from all different types of experience levels, backgrounds, and interests. Maybe this is the unpopular opinion but let them play how they want to and just do you. Like Morgy said, people will learn.

[Ork]

I won't quote directly, but there are comments as to people's ability/effort based on the use of these common words which is unfair. I'm not the only one to point it out and I just think as a community we can be better to each other.

You didn't want to invoke my attention haha, but yes I do think less of players that use OOC colloquialisms in game. I don't think I'm alone. I also don't think many people agree with me either. The good news is that players can improve, and I'll definitely encourage players to seek out setting-appropriate colloquialisms or terms that spread organically in a setting. My issue is that often the players that say "bags" or "triday" say that on all their characters.

[Old Lies Die Harder]

I should also note that I don't think anyone here is saying "let's ban the use of trine and bags and put the players who use it to the sword."

We have a number of players saying, hey, maybe there's a better way to be doing this that's a little less OOC and providing explanations as to WHY it's ooc and could be improved.

I can say personally, it's not like I avoid people who use 'trine' or 'bags', or cut them out of any kind of RP, shun them, or otherwise harass them. I'd be willing to bet that most of the people that don't like the use of these terms are much the same and are trying to lead by example by not using the terms themselves.

But for those of you that don't feel the same way, at least try to understand where folks are coming from rather than jumping to invoking elitism. Maybe in thinking about these concerns that your fellow players have, you might be able to improve everyone's experience just a little bit.

[In Sorrow We Trust]

this thread does make me wonder if people get annoyed with some methods of shortening phrases. I think it makes perfect sense to shorten things, but I'm also playing a character who shortens almost everything no matter what it is. I always wonder if people are looking at me strangely for doing that.

[Cthuletta]

I do think less of players that use OOC colloquialisms in game. I don't think I'm alone. I also don't think many people agree with me either. The good news is that players can improve, and I'll definitely encourage players to seek out setting-appropriate colloquialisms or terms that spread organically in a setting. My issue is that often the players that say "bags" or "triday" say that on all their characters.

May I ask why you changed your mind?

[Ork]

this thread does make me wonder if people get annoyed with some methods of shortening phrases. I think it makes perfect sense to shorten things, but I'm also playing a character who shortens almost everything no matter what it is. I always wonder if people are looking at me strangely for doing that.

nah. Arelithisms are constructs created by players on this server that have no basis in the setting, but are propped up because they're either popular or ignorant of setting-lore. None of that's criminal, but I don't that it provides an opportunity for players to strike out on their own and elevate their writing by replacing these phrases with more setting-appropriate terms.

Shortening phrases as a character's trait would probably come across as genuine and an indicator of some facet of your character's nature, upbringing, etc.

May I ask why you changed your mind?

Because it doesn't make sense and I was wrong. It is better writting to say "in a few days" or "in three days".

[Morgy]

But for those of you that don't feel the same way, at least try to understand where folks are coming from rather than jumping to invoking elitism.

There's literally a post above you saying they think less of people for using these kind of terms.

Trine is a colloquialism of Arelith. 'Fifty bags' has become one too. You don't have to use them. If you want to type 'fifty-thousand gold coins' instead, go nuts! It's baffling that people find these irritating enough to look down on others over it.

[TavernRoleplayer]

This is a big deal? I didn't know that.

Trine.

Bags.

[MissEvelyn]

Easy thing to point to here: writ agents will give you work roughly once every three days. The writ agency recognizes the three-day unit as significant, and the writ agency is everywhere.

That's a great point! Especially when the vast majority of characters on the isle have done writ work to level.

Congratulations. We have our IC justification for doing what we were all already doing. Quite a brilliant one too.

Alright people, pack up your lawnchairs and popcorn, thread's over, we can all go home.

I hate to be the person to point this out; this is wrong. The writ-givers will not let you take a new writ until 19 RL hours have passed. 19, not 24.

In-game that is 2 days and 9 hours.

[Wrips]

I always forget how time is computed on Arelith so I always use "(in) a few days (ago)", "tommorow (yesterday)" and, of course, "Soon!™"

[Eyeliner]

It is better writting to say "in a few days" or "in three days".

It would be much better writing in a book. But this isn't writing in a book, it's real-time improvisation and when two characters are trying to communicate a time IG without resorting to OOC communication it gets confusing to have game days and real days. People use IG and RL days interchangeably, partly because we can't all do the calendar math in our head when on the spot. Even veterans will send a tell after you say (for example) "I'll have your order ready in three days" to clarify if you mean tomorrow or in three actual days.

I honestly don't give a darn what it is and would live with anything, even if it sounds mildly annoying, but it is very useful to have a different word to use than "day". It's refreshing to plan in the underdark because cycles are very clearly not RL days.

[Old Lies Die Harder]

There's literally a post above you saying they think less of people for using these kind of terms.

I am aware of and read the post. 'Elitism' was invoked before this post.

And yet, the sequence of these posts doesn't really matter because the point still stands: Try to understand why some people find these terms to be an issue and consider what improvements could made be made in one's writing and one's inter-player interactions by being cognizant of other people's perspectives and experiences.

[Deep Fried Thinking Emoji]

Try to understand why some people find these terms to be an issue and consider what improvements could made be made in one's writing and one's inter-player interactions by being cognizant of other people's perspectives and experiences.

The terms are not really an issue and to stop using them doesn't incur in any kind of "improvement".

[Old Lies Die Harder]

There is a difference between saying "the terms are an issue" and "some people find these terms to be an issue." The point is to understand why this might be the case for players who have this perspective and recognize how more people's experience besides your own can be enriched by being cognizant of these differing perspectives.

[Amateur Hour]

Honestly, what I find most odd are the people who find referencing real-life time to be non-immersion-breaking but not terms like "triday". If someone tells my character something happened "yesterday" IC, I will assume they mean the IC day prior, because what's "yesterday" for one player could be "this morning" for me. The only consistent time reference we have is the in-game day.

[Sundial]

Semantics are not your friend when doing improvised storytelling with strangers over the internet. Let the clerical details be snappy and easy to understand so we can get to the good stuff. The enforcement of "setting" happens in the moment.

[PowerWord Rage]

I'm amazed that this topic get extended to three pages worth.

Everyone has really nothing to do to make a fuss over terms that in a better sense provides player with 'QOL'.
Right...I'm also having nothing better to do than posting this.

A gentle reminder to everyone that no matter IC or OOC, this is ultimately, a game.
No matter how much that we strives to make Arelith to be as close to -Reality- as possible and as -Immersive- as possible, we must -never- forget that this is and should be in constant reminder in fact,
i'll stress again, a -Game-.