Yondaran Calendar
The Yondaran calendar is a simple one. There are thirteen months, each month consists of 4 weeks, each week consists of 7 days. Every day consists of 24 hours, every hour has 60 minutes, every minute has 60 seconds, and time is measured the same, independent of location (i.e., no time zones). In Yondar, the time is kept in hours, much like standard military time (for example, 1:00 P.M. in Yondar would be "the thirteenth hour").
The Yondaran calendar was first developed and implemented by the Loremasters of Ezra, who later repurposed their existing calendar system as a tribute to King Aldus I Vermitharr's reign as king of Yondar. The Loremasters marked the submission of Ardis as the true start of King Aldus's reign (despite having been crowned in the Mire ten years prior) and thusly proclaimed that year (and each year thereafter) the first "Year of the Serpent Kingdom (YSK)." The years that preceded have been likewise labeled "Ante Serpent Kingdom (ASK)." For example, when King Aldus I Vermitharr arrived home to begin construction of Mirehold on Festivas day in 1 YSK, he had not been back home to his beloved swamp since he had been crowned there in 10 ASK.
Due to the wanton destruction of libraries at the hands of Grondar the Terrible, and the measured redaction of the previous year system at the hands of the Loremasters, it is nearly impossible for scholars to agree on how years were originally measured, but it is widely agreed that the structure of months and days has been consistent for at least 900 years.
Yondaran days of the week:
- Solon
- Duon
- Trion
- Tetron
- Penton
- Hexon
- Hepton
Below can be found a list of the months and the known holidays celebrated within each one.
Apothemensis
Yondaran New Year
The 1st day of Apothemensis every year marks the passing of a new year. In Yondar this is typically celebrated as a day of new beginnings; it is not uncommon for families and friends to reunite, weddings to be had, or for various rites of passage to be conducted. At any rate, the realm celebrates and welcomes in the new, while taking a moment to bid farewell to the past.
Day of Justice
The 13th day of Apothemensis is the Day of Justice. This day's roots are steeped deeply in the Exodus of the Children. This holy day is in remembrance of when Fangor, Voxos, and Nelroth were banished to Infandus for their transgressions against the peace. This holiday is celebrated by all the major good and neutral deities (although some devout of Auleos refuse to celebrate this holiday, as they refute that true justice would have been slaying the dark gods, as opposed to giving them a new home). In 73 YSK, when the fabled paladin Mason Raef rescued King Lyrus I Vermitharr from a devil who was holding him captive in a brothel, the king was so grateful, that he wished to rename the holiday the "Day of the Mason." Insisting that such an act was far too conceited, but still unable to refuse a gesture of gratitude from the king, Mason asked if the king might bestow a different honor upon him.
The king, humbled by this legendary paladin, thought deeply and noted that there was no tradition of celebration on this most holy of days. Some say it was then that the king then took notice of the paladin's impeccable physique, while others speculate that the king was likely very hungry after being starved (of food) in a brothel for a week and had food on the mind, but it is well agreed upon that the king then asked Mason what he typically ate for a meal to maintain such form. Mason famously replied, "fresh caught fish over an open fire, mixed greens from the fields of the humble farmer, a meal of oats for my steed and I -- for I would ask none to do what I myself would not, and an apple from the tree of life, to remind myself that life is sweet when kept free from rot." The king then called upon "all true Yondarans" to join him on that Day of Justice for a "feast of fresh fish, greens, oatmeal, and apples" to which the king added his own quip "for our diets must be as balanced as the scales of justice." Today, Yondarans still eat this meal on the Day of Justice, though most have largely forgotten (or never known) the origin of this tradition.
Fangorlûn
Festival of Lust
Every year, from the 8th through the 14th of Fangorlûn, the Festival of Lust is celebrated. Typically, this festival is observed privately by Yondarans west of the Ebonwood, however, east of the Ebonwood, this holiday tradition lives up to its name. In every city, in every tavern, inn, brothel, and in every temple of Fangor, people take on new lovers, for the sake of the act of coupling. Deemed perverse by many of the Eleven Eternal, this holiday was outlawed during the reign of King Rexford I Vermitharr and not made legal once more until the short reign of King Lyrus II Vermitharr (who's death was rumored to have been an assassination by one of the Garroters for his repeals around religious oppression). The Festival of Lust has a much darker and lesser-known repute, for this holiday is also kept by vampires.
Blood Harvest
On the 14th day of Fangorlûn, a sinister holiday takes place known as the Blood Harvest. The Blood Harvest is a dark end to the Festival of Lust. For the truly devout of Fangor and for vampires, the Festival of Lust is a week long search for the perfect host to mate with, and in the case of the former, the devout will slay their mate as a sacrifice to Fangor, or in the case of the latter, the mate will join the ranks of the undead, eager to take part in the festival the following year.
Aurel
Varanis
The 1st day of Aurel is Varanis (the Dawn of the Mother). This special day is an observance of all mothers, a reminder that we all must come from somewhere, and that the miracle of life is bestowed upon us from mother to mother throughout history. This major holiday is commonly celebrated all throughout the realm, but it is considered the highest holy day for the Matriarchs of Aurelia. Children born on this day are said to be born with the mark of the mother, and common superstition holds that those with the mark of the mother are said to be incredibly fertile and kindhearted.
Day of Mercy
The 26th day of Aurel is the Day of Mercy, perhaps the second highest holy day for the Matriarchs of Aurelia. This day marks a celebration of Aurelia's act of mercy - banishing the Children to the material plane instead of executing them, as she was implored to do by all of her peers. It is because of this act of mercy that life as we know it came to be, and therefore, Yondarans everywhere give thanks on this day. It is common, for those who can afford it, to have venison, elk, or goose as part of a feast on this day. Elsewhere, the common folk gather in common halls and plazas everywhere to share what they have with their neighbors.
Voxolûn
Festival of Knights
From the 1st through the 7th day of Voxolûn, citizens of the realm gather from all corners of the world to partake in Xarnath's Festival of Knights. Though this proud tradition has been part of Xarnathian culture for centuries, a keen observer of history would note that the Festival of Knights stem back to the reign of Grondar the Terrible, the Orcish war-chief that conquered most of Yondar in 167 ASK. When he took Xarnath as his seat of power, many of the brave Knights of Xarnath died fighting his warriors, so to compensate (and at the advice of one of the remaining Xarnathian council members), the Festival of Knights was born to help bring in the deadliest, most fearsome warriors to the aid of the Orc warlord. Today, the competition exists so that any challenger who is worthy of the honor can become a Knight of Xarnath. It is important to note that because of its origins, it is still perfectly legal to slay a challenger during the Festival. For this reason, only the bravest dare to compete.
Syb/Cyblis
As most of the names of the months take their names after the Eleven Eternal, so too has the name of this month taken its inspiration from the god of nature. Cybil/Sybil are the names given to both the masculine and feminine aspects of the god/goddess of nature. Much as nature changes frequently, so too does this deity, eager to experience all that there is to experience. In honor of this ardent spirit, Yondarans have elected to mark this month as Cyblis on odd years, and Syb on even numbered years.
Day of the Tree
On the 1st day of Cyblis and/or Syb, the Day of the Tree is observed. On this day, rangers, Moonchildren, farmers, Elves, and all worshipers of Cybil/Sybil take part in the Eredfalma, or the wave of seeds, by planting the seeds of trees native to the area. It is said that one will receive a special blessing from Cybil if they can plant the seed of an Opalwood on this day. For farmers, this is when a great deal of the produce intended for the autumn and winter is planted. A variation on this holiday does exist, known as the Day of the River Moon. This variation of the holiday is observed only by the Elves of the Hammersong Mountains; the Selaeruíl will guide the Moonchildren out of the mountains and into the Sapphire River below and begin planting only Opalwood seeds, making the valley along the Sapphire one of the largest sanctuaries of Opalwood trees in all of Arnessia. Additionally on this day, when the Moonchildren have come of age, they are each instructed to fast and embark on a spiritual journey alone along the banks of the Sapphire. They are to stay there for as long as it takes, sometimes weeks, until one of the Opalwood speaks to them. Once it does, they must earn the tree's blessing to cut it down and make an item of their choosing (such as staves, armor, bows, etc.).
Festival of Fire
Once every four years on the 15th of Syb, the Festival of Fire takes place. For farmers and keepers of the wooded areas of the realm, this is typically celebrated by a feast after the completion of stubble burning. Over the years, with the spread of wizardry, this holiday has been adopted by pyromancers who use the day as an excuse to show off their craft. This has resulted in widely attended fire shows, where pyromancers, bards, and all sorts of folk weave flames into wondrous displays. Some evil pyromancers, however, conflate the two meanings of the holiday and burn people for entertainment.
Lû-Nelroth
Merendagros
Merendagros, the Festival of Slaughter, lasts from the 7th through the 13th of Lû-Nelroth, following the rise of the Blood Moon (the given name of the full moon that rises on the eve of the Festival). This holiday lives up to its name; while the good-aligned citizens of the realm use this as an excuse to merely do an excess of grilling and smoking meats, sadists, murderers, and the heavily religious Orcs west of the Ebonwood (though this practice has phased out some since the construction of the Warrior Road in 256 YSK) honor Nelroth, the god of slaughter by culling the herd. Put plainly, they murder in as great of numbers as they can muster, some people acting in groups, others caring out their own sinister plots. To help quell this horrible practice, the paladins of Apotheos, as well as many of the Kulrak of Ursus band together in record numbers and patrol the towns. Still, every year, the God of Slaughter receives sacrifices from His votaries.
Equimensis
Celebration of the Sun
From the 9th through the 15th of Equimensis the Celebration of the Sun takes place. One of the most joyous times of the year, all of Yondar gives thanks for the sun and for all the things to which it gives life. Most celebrate this by taking in nature and leaving the cares of the world behind for some time. A merchant is considered unscrupulous and often made a mockery of by bards if they don't provide a paid week of leave for their employees to enjoy the Celebration of the Sun with their loved ones. This holiday's origins are unknown, but its observance predates all written history preserved. It is widely believed that this is another celebration attributed to Aurelia, though the Matriarchs of Aurelia have never taken credit for the origins of this holy week.
Ezraë
The Chronicling
On the 12th of Ezraë, the Loremasters set out into the farthest reaches of civilization to honor the Eloquent by recording the stories of the people. They go to town halls, they sit in public areas, and in some cities, they even are given high places of honor where people wait in a queue for days on end to make sure their deeds are recorded in history. The Chronicling was not always so widely celebrated throughout the lands, but after so much of history was lost to the burning of the libraries at the hands of Grondar, the Terrible, all of Yondar began to see that this holiday was of extreme importance.
Alrazanna
Day of Serenity
Every year on the 20th day of Alrazanna, those that dare to divine give thanks for the wisdom of the Sage, and the peace that it brings. Old feuds are put to an end, business negotiations oft come to a close, and many take time to find solitude and reflect upon their lives. For the devout of Zanna, this is when a new Pandit will begin their year of meditation, relieving another Pandit from their year of meditation. This is a ritual kept by the Pandits of Zanna for over a thousand years.
Auleon
Day of Obstinance
The 19th of Auleon is sometimes more commonly known as "Challenge Day". Auleos, the obstinate, ever living up to his reputation as the God of War demands that real warriors inflict their will upon the world. Unlike the Day of Serentiy, Challenge Day is frequently where old grudges and blood feuds only further darken, and fights break out through all ranks of society. In Uller, the Grey Pit is filled with all the citizens of the city, and the night before, people are rounded up to be forced to duel those who would challenge them. More than once, this has resulted in drastic economic shifts, volatile political scenarios, and in many cases, unnecessary cruelty and gore.
Famously, on the Day of Obstinance in the year 48 YSK, King Aldus II Vermitharr was challenged by his jealous uncle Jarus I and slain in the throne room of Castle Mirehold. A year later, his reign was challenged by his nephew Lyrus I - whom the realm had thought dead for years. After Lyrus I took the throne, his first decree was that - for the stability of the realm - it was henceforth illegal to challenge the king.
Day of the Serpent
On the 27th day of Auleon, the Kingdom of Yondar celebrates the Day of the Serpent, which marked the end of the Wars of Unification, where King Aldus I Vermitharr unified the lands between the Marrow Desert and the Ebonwood into the Kingdom of Yondar. On this day in 1 YSK, King Aldus and his Grand Scion Manzarek met with the 14 families of Ardis and brought the city-state into his new kingdom. Every year, Yondarans celebrate their kingdom with food, drink, dancing, and dazzling displays of magic and fireworks.
It should be noted, however, that east of the Ebonwood in Gron's Pass there isn't much celebration of the Day of the Serpent. There is a formal celebration as a gesture of good faith to their sovereign, however, the War Chieftains of Gron's Pass decreed that every 6th of Lû-Nelroth shall be celebrated as the "Day of Iron".
It was on this day in 253 YSK that Nysaeruíl Aliah Tharsae, the legendary wizard Kaenith Silverharp, St. Rofik Dorrim - Helrak and mightiest cleric of Ursus, and the soon-to-be king Sir J'aramé Iron, the fearsome pink knight of Xarnath met with a tribunal of War Chieftains in Gron's Pass. These four brokered the deal that brought Gron's Pass into the Serpent Kingdom and secured the construction of the Warrior Road.
The celebration of the Day of Iron is said to be one of the liveliest celebrations in the whole world of Arnessia.
Menursus
Day of Forging
The loudest day of the year, the 11th of Menursus celebrates the most blessed act of smithing. One of the most beloved holidays in the Halls of Ebrek, the sweet singing of steel can be heard ringing off of anvils all throughout Yondar. It is common practice for blacksmithing guilds to create some annual work of smithing for the good of their respective communities. Devout of Ursus frequently forge hammers and other smithing tools to be donated to the temple on this day, which are also to be used in the act of building for the communities.
The day of forging is beloved by those who follow the god of strength, for it acknowledges the most beauitful precept of strength: while iron is hard and brittle, carbon is versatile and fluid, and together they forge steel, more versatile and durable than either of its parts.
