When the Hyperboreans came south out of Boros to invade the lands of Akados and Libynos, they brought with them a calendar that to this day remains the basis for the calendars of most cultures around the world.
In the
Hyperborean calendar, a week consists of seven days. A fortnight is a period of two weeks with a festival day in between, and so consists of 15 days. Two consecutive fortnights make a month of 30 days. There are 12 months in each year, which also includes a High Holy Day on each solstice and each equinox. As a result, a year consists of 364 days, which is very close to the length of an actual solar year. Approximately every 250 years, the churches join in a conclave at which they agree to add a number of additional days to the year — usually as additional holy days at the solstices — to ensure that the seasons continue to occur at the correct times each year.
Unlike the civil and religious calendar, astrologers follow a 13-month calendar that is lunar and reflects the passage of the moons through the zodiacal constellations.
In 2768 I.R., Overking Magnusson of Foere imposed the common calendar that is now in use throughout most of Akados in honor of his completion of the imperial capital of
Courghais. It shows evidence not just of its origin in
Hyperborean astrology, but also reflects the impact of other peoples on the
Foerdewaith, including the years of
Heldring occupation following the departure of the Hyperboreans. The latter influence is particularly notable in the names for the months (many of which end in “mond,” a derivative of the
Heldring word for month) and in the names of the days of the week (all of which end in “dag,” a derivative of the
Heldring word for day).
The High Holy Days of each year are the two solstices and the two equinoxes. In southern Akados, the exact dates of the solstices and equinoxes are determined by the Order of Corollaries at the
Reliquary of Jamboor in the
Rampart Mountains. Such dates are not considered part of the month in which they fall.
Not all peoples of the Lost Lands use this calendar.
Castorhage adopted a slightly modified version of it. On Akados, the
Xha’en Hegemony,
Gtsang Prefecture, and
Anaros Island have separate and unique calendars. Most of the major cultures on Libynos also have their own calendars, though many in large cities are aware of the Foere system, particularly merchants and sailors who have need of a way to coordinate oceanic shipments.
In the calendar of Foere, dates are still tracked by the
Hyperborean Imperial Record (I.R.), for which year 1 is the year in which the Battle of Hummaemidon occurred. Those outside the historical dominion of the Hyperboreans and
Foerdewaith, or where the depth of their influence was limited, usually use a different, local calendar. Such others include the Erylle Cycle among the elves, the Reckoning of Kings in
Khemit, the
Xha’en Calendar, the Blessed Year calendar in the
Ammuyad Caliphate, and the
Huun Chronicle. In some regions, multiple calendars may in fact be in use; in
Khemit, for example, many dates are given by the applicable year of a given dynasty.
Overview
Peoples
Akados
Libynos
Adventure
