Campaign Guide

Calendars

Most nations recognize and use the Nessenese calendar, though the fiercely independent people of Noordia and Ursair also keep their traditional cultural calendars and use those dates for internal business.

The Nessenese calendar is based on a twelve-month lunar cycle with each month beginning on the first night of a full moon and ending 28 days later with the passing of the dark moon. The months are Dierdos, Eidos, Fierdos, Lochstan, Mostan, Norstan, Praedus, Rhonus, Shyrdus, Tolden, Varden, and Wylden. Years start with the first full moon of summer and are numbered from the foundation of the calendar, which places the year at 1119 when the campaign started.

The warrior clans of Noordia have less need for precise dating. The Noordian calendar is based on the moon cycle and season, numbering years from the end of the Fell Winter, a historical event marking the uniting of the clans under a single flag and ruler. Days are referred to by moon, season and day count (“Second moon of summer, 20th day”) and the year starts with the spring. The Noordian calendar doesn’t number years in total; instead they start over with year 1 each time a new king ascends to the throne. In Noordian terms it is currently Year 8 of Hendrick III.

The totem tribes of Ursair use a similar dating system to the Noordians, but the Ursarian year begins at the onset of winter and they count years in a sequence based on the cycle of totems: Ape, Bear, Boar, Dragon, Eagle, Horse, Jaguar, Lion, Serpent, and Wolf. By Ursarian reckoning this is the 35th year of the Boar, next year will be the 35th year of the Dragon; two years ago was the 35th year of the Ape and eight years hence will be the 36th year of the Ape.

Because of the difficulty in establishing relative sequence without a thorough knowledge of the Noordian royal succession or the ability to calculate in decimal cycles, the Nessenese calendar has become the standard used for international commerce and recording.