The Void of Course: Before going any further it must be mentioned about one of the most important, and perhaps disruptive times of the lunar month. It is a time when all spell magic goes wild and by tradition most all magic users try their best to avoid tapping into the fire. When Aradia gave the secrets of the fire of Lor to men, Lor cursed her to exist in a dual form, each one trying to usurp the other. For three days of the month, during the last waning of the moon and the first night of the new moon when the sky is at its darkest, Aradia exists as Aidara. Hate filled and chaotic, she deprives mortals of the ability to control the fire and so any spells cast result in unpredictable and often dangerous results. Many believe she also becomes mortal during this time, though this has never been proven. All magic users, no matter their race or class instinctively know when this period begins and ends. To the uninitiated the feeling might be described as a sense of impending danger when entering the void of course and a feeling of relief and lightness when coming out of  it. The void always takes 72 hours to run its course, and only direct spell magic is affected, magic items such as potions, rings and so forth act as normal. The result of this is that all magic users are fully versed in tracking the lunar cycle and always know how far away in days the next void is. During gameplay simply ask the DM to tell you what day the void starts, and perhaps the party might be saved a major headache.

Climate & Seasons

Most people that live on the continent of Pangaea, the largest known body of land on Aerth, follow the Lurian calendar, which is made up of 12 months of 30 days each. Roughly the same as the Gregorian calendar on Terra. Several months have special holidays, or “Feastdays” between them, which are not considered part of a particular month and so are not numbered. Every four years another Feastday is celebrated at the end of the twelfth month. The seasons are the familiar ones that we all know. Spring followed by summer, then autumn turning into winter before beginning all over again.

Calendar Months: [30 days of 7 day weeks]

Following is a list of the months, as they are known on Terra, then what they are called among the barbarian tribes and the Grey Elves of Darandor, then and their names under the Common tongue of the Western Kingdoms.

1. January (Red Moon) (Cold Sky)

2. February (White Thaw) (Ice Break)

3. March (Star Moon) (Sun Rise)

Feastday of Blood Burning: This is a day for marriages, flirtatious trysts between lovers and starting new endeavors and jobs.

4. April (Rain Moon) (Storm)

5. May (Green Moon) (Planting)

6. June (Wheel Turning) (Sun-Wheel)

Feastday of Stone Turning: The day that traditionally most people begin preparing for the coming harvest. Mills are cleaned up and repaired and new granaries are built.

7. July (Sun Tide) (High Sun)

8. August (Harvest Moon) (Reaping)

9. September (Hunting Moon) (Falling Leaves)

Feastday of Spirit Weaving: A day for honoring the dead both in a general sense and in ones own family. Also serves as a day of honoring the fallen among the military ranks.

10. October (Dying Sky) (Feasthall)

11. November (Dark Moon) (North Fire)

12. December (Cold Moon) (Sun Set)

Feastday of Hearth Yearning: Traditionally families use this day to bundle up, stoke up the fire and sit around telling each other tales and generally using the day to strengthen bonds among themselves. Shops are generally closed though many inns and taverns remain open for business.

So, by way of an example, saying that it is July twentieth on Terra is like saying it is the twentieth day of High Sun on Aerth. Every fourth year an extra Feastday is counted after Hearth-Yearning and before the first day of Cold Sky, this day is called the “Day of Renewing” and is used to make or alter long term contracts and to reforge old alliances or friendships that have moved out of memory.

Solar Calendar:

Everyone, from the most wise and educated to the simplest of farmers on the world of Aerth knows that Solen orbits around the world once every 24 hours. Moving from the eastern horizon in the morning to set in the west every evening, then to return back in the east the next day. Just as it has done since LOR set it in the sky as one of the two great lamps during the Nether Time before recorded history began. Solen revolves around the world roughly thirty times in a month and there are twelve months to a year. The twelve months are further divided into seven-day weeks, which are not named. Most scribes agreeing there is just no need to do so. It would only confuse the masses after all.

Lunar Calendar:

 Aerth’s one fixed moon orbits the planet once every 28 days, waxing and waning in a fixed cycle that every school age child is familiar with. The first three days of the New Moon are known as the “Void of Course” and it is the time when nights are at their darkest. By tradition in many circles no magic is practiced during this time, as it is widely believed any magic cast will backfire upon the caster. No real research has been undertaken in this regard however since very few people are anxious to experience the effect of a spell gone wild.

Spring Equinox: 20^th day of Sun Rise

Summer Solstice: 21^st day of Sun-Wheel

Autumn Equinox: 22^nd day of Falling Leaves

Winter Solstice: 21^st day of Sun Set