Mystara Calendars - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Mystara Calendars

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Cthulhudrew
Nov 28, 2007 11:15:06 Just doing a little bit of research/work on various Mystara calendars and had some random thoughts to share with everyone:

1) The "Thyatian" Calendar: Is it just me, or do the names of the months/days of the Thyatian calendar sound more Traladaran than Thyatian? At this point, I'm thinking that the Thyatians co-opted the Traladaran calendar after they emigrated to Brun, just making some minor changes
calculating the starting year, for one, by making it from the crowning of the 1st emperor- AC
changing the variable day/week system of the old Traladaran calendar (from B10: Night's Dark Terror) into a standard 28 day/12 month calendar

2) The starting year of the Ylari calendar. It is referred to as the Hijrah in Gaz2, but there doesn't seem to be anything that definitively corresponds to the RW Hijrah of the Islamic Calendar (the migration of Mohamed's followers to Medina). At the moment, I'm thinking of making it 169 AH (Anno Hegirae)/831 AC- the date that the followers of Al-Kalim- having successfully driven out the Alphatians/Thyatians- returned to Ylaruam and founded the Confederated Tribes of Ylaruam.

3) Elvish Calendar: I'm using the names from CM7's star map (Frostend, etc.), though I'm trying to come up with elvish translations for the words. Any thoughts on a starting year for it? Given the long history of elves, I'd assume their calendar probably begins at a far distant time, but I'm not sure when would be good.

4) Heldannic Calendar: For the moment, I'm assuming the Heldanners/Northern Reaches/Norwold people have their own calendar (based on the Norse calendar- names, etc.) but I'm not sure when a good starting year would be (if any). Presumably it's only used by Norwold/Ostland/Soderfjord now, with the Thyatian calendar having been adopted by the Vestlanders and (reluctantly) the Heldanners via the Hattians. Maybe the only ones with a starting year are the Ostlanders/Soderfjorders, with the reckoning beginning with Cnute's founding of Ostland? I'm also toying with using the actual Lunar Norse calendar, rather than the (presumably) solar calendar of the Thyatians.

5) Shires/Rockhome: I forgot to check their Gazes, but do they have different starting years for their calendars? I think they probably should, but I'm not sure when.
#2
agathokles
Nov 28, 2007 15:04:35
1) The "Thyatian" Calendar: Is it just me, or do the names of the months/days of the Thyatian calendar sound more Traladaran than Thyatian? At this point, I'm thinking that the Thyatians co-opted the Traladaran calendar after they emigrated to Brun, just making some minor changes

Names of days:
Lunadain
Gromdain
Tserdain
Moldain
Nytdain
Loshdain
Soladain

These names are somewhat based on Latin and English day names -- Lunadain and Soladain being the most obvious (compare Italian "Lunedì" and English "Sunday").

It is interesting that, except Nytdain, which might be related to the Immortal Hel (known in Eusdria as Nyt), or perhaps to Nyx, the other day names don't seem related to planet or Immortal names.

Some of them ring somewhat familiar -- "Grom" reminds "Gorm", the Cynidicean Immortal, while "Losh" reminds Loshad, the Chevall from B10 (whose name is just "horse" in Russian, apparently).

As for months, their names have a strong germanic (English) feel -- most have rather obvious parallels:
Nuwmont -> New-month
Vatermont -> Water-month
Thaumont -> Thaw-month
Flaurmont -> Flower-month
Yarthmont -> Earth-month
Klarmont -> Clear-month
Felmont -> Fell-month
Fyrmont -> Fire-month
Ambyrmont -> Amber-month
Sviftmont -> Swift-month
Eirmont -> Air-month
Kaldmont -> Cold-month

So, they don't seem to me especially Traladaran -- maybe these are Hattian in origin...
#3
rhialto
Nov 28, 2007 15:50:45 Instead of having starting years based on a single historic event, the Northern Reaches cultures would be more liekly to have calenders whose starting year began with the rulership of the present monarch. This is certainly in-keeping with Anglo-Saxon tradition (and, coincidentally, is still used in Japan). I can easily see it being used by Alfheim elves too, although whether they'd date based on their clan leader or the Alfheim king is open to debate. Rockhome Dwarves would probably date either from the king du jour, or from when Denwarf went a-wandering. Hin probably describe ancient dates in terms of the events that happened surrounding them, but adopt the dominant calendar (ie Thyatian) for pragmatic trade purposes.
#4
olddawg
Nov 28, 2007 17:15:36
Rockhome Dwarves would probably date either from the king du jour, or from when Denwarf went a-wandering.

Rockhome dwarves date their calendar from the Battle of Sardal Pass in 492?BC.

Sindhi definitely maintain their own calendar year, as per CoM. It seems reasonable that the elves would too, but perhaps they have a more general/less specific decade or age of approach to tracking histories. Case in point: Bensarian the Sage from Wendar had to piece together the history of the (Wendarian)-Denagothian elves.

At this point, I'm thinking that the Thyatians co-opted the Traladaran calendar after they emigrated to Brun, just making some minor changes

Given that this was the dark ages during which the Traldar became the Traladarans, it seems unlikely that the three Thyatian tribes would have borrowed from them directly.

The Milenians, Alphatians, and even Nithians would have had a greater cultural impact, but I'm in general agreement with Agathokles' Latin/Germanic observations.

3) Elvish Calendar: I'm using the names from CM7's star map (Frostend, etc.), though I'm trying to come up with elvish translations for the words. Any thoughts on a starting year for it? Given the long history of elves, I'd assume their calendar probably begins at a far distant time, but I'm not sure when would be good.

If you're looking to harmonize the names, the elvish glossary in the back of the Western Alliance has some of the root parts, I think. The Wendar Update'll probably have a longer list. As for year, the following are all possible candidates:

1) creation by Ordana (6000 BC)
2) elves enter the world (5000 BC)
3) destruction of the old world (3000 BC)
4) Ilsundal's migration starts
5) Ilsundal's migration reaches the Sylvan Realm
6) Creation of the Tree of Life
7) Mealiden's migration to the Streel Plain/Canolbarth
8) Creation of the Canolbarth

Alfheim elves could use any of the above. Callarii and Vyalia could use all but the last. Same too with the Shiye of Alphatia. Sheyallia and Minrothad elves could use any of the first 4, while the Fealidel of Alfheim would use the Sylvan Realm standard (choices 1-6).

For my money, 3 and 4 seem the best choices and are applicable to every major surface elf group. For Geffronell/Genalleth elves 3-4 work under GazF, while 3 works as an independent, similar choice if G/G=Blackmoor elves.

-OldDawg
#5
agathokles
Dec 01, 2007 8:50:39
For my money, 3 and 4 seem the best choices and are applicable to every major surface elf group. For Geffronell/Genalleth elves 3-4 work under GazF, while 3 works as an independent, similar choice if G/G=Blackmoor elves.

I'd use the 4th option. It seems an important turning point, yet not so remote in time that modern elves would have lost track of events of that time -- 1 and 2 are likely mythic events even from an elven point of view.

GP

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Cthulhudrew Nov 28, 2007 11:15:06	Just doing a little bit of research/work on various Mystara calendars and had some random thoughts to share with everyone: 1) The "Thyatian" Calendar: Is it just me, or do the names of the months/days of the Thyatian calendar sound more Traladaran than Thyatian? At this point, I'm thinking that the Thyatians co-opted the Traladaran calendar after they emigrated to Brun, just making some minor changes calculating the starting year, for one, by making it from the crowning of the 1st emperor- AC changing the variable day/week system of the old Traladaran calendar (from B10: Night's Dark Terror) into a standard 28 day/12 month calendar 2) The starting year of the Ylari calendar. It is referred to as the Hijrah in Gaz2, but there doesn't seem to be anything that definitively corresponds to the RW Hijrah of the Islamic Calendar (the migration of Mohamed's followers to Medina). At the moment, I'm thinking of making it 169 AH (Anno Hegirae)/831 AC- the date that the followers of Al-Kalim- having successfully driven out the Alphatians/Thyatians- returned to Ylaruam and founded the Confederated Tribes of Ylaruam. 3) Elvish Calendar: I'm using the names from CM7's star map (Frostend, etc.), though I'm trying to come up with elvish translations for the words. Any thoughts on a starting year for it? Given the long history of elves, I'd assume their calendar probably begins at a far distant time, but I'm not sure when would be good. 4) Heldannic Calendar: For the moment, I'm assuming the Heldanners/Northern Reaches/Norwold people have their own calendar (based on the Norse calendar- names, etc.) but I'm not sure when a good starting year would be (if any). Presumably it's only used by Norwold/Ostland/Soderfjord now, with the Thyatian calendar having been adopted by the Vestlanders and (reluctantly) the Heldanners via the Hattians. Maybe the only ones with a starting year are the Ostlanders/Soderfjorders, with the reckoning beginning with Cnute's founding of Ostland? I'm also toying with using the actual Lunar Norse calendar, rather than the (presumably) solar calendar of the Thyatians. 5) Shires/Rockhome: I forgot to check their Gazes, but do they have different starting years for their calendars? I think they probably should, but I'm not sure when.
#2 agathokles Nov 28, 2007 15:04:35	1) The "Thyatian" Calendar: Is it just me, or do the names of the months/days of the Thyatian calendar sound more Traladaran than Thyatian? At this point, I'm thinking that the Thyatians co-opted the Traladaran calendar after they emigrated to Brun, just making some minor changes Names of days: Lunadain Gromdain Tserdain Moldain Nytdain Loshdain Soladain These names are somewhat based on Latin and English day names -- Lunadain and Soladain being the most obvious (compare Italian "Lunedì" and English "Sunday"). It is interesting that, except Nytdain, which might be related to the Immortal Hel (known in Eusdria as Nyt), or perhaps to Nyx, the other day names don't seem related to planet or Immortal names. Some of them ring somewhat familiar -- "Grom" reminds "Gorm", the Cynidicean Immortal, while "Losh" reminds Loshad, the Chevall from B10 (whose name is just "horse" in Russian, apparently). As for months, their names have a strong germanic (English) feel -- most have rather obvious parallels: Nuwmont -> New-month Vatermont -> Water-month Thaumont -> Thaw-month Flaurmont -> Flower-month Yarthmont -> Earth-month Klarmont -> Clear-month Felmont -> Fell-month Fyrmont -> Fire-month Ambyrmont -> Amber-month Sviftmont -> Swift-month Eirmont -> Air-month Kaldmont -> Cold-month So, they don't seem to me especially Traladaran -- maybe these are Hattian in origin...
#3 rhialto Nov 28, 2007 15:50:45	Instead of having starting years based on a single historic event, the Northern Reaches cultures would be more liekly to have calenders whose starting year began with the rulership of the present monarch. This is certainly in-keeping with Anglo-Saxon tradition (and, coincidentally, is still used in Japan). I can easily see it being used by Alfheim elves too, although whether they'd date based on their clan leader or the Alfheim king is open to debate. Rockhome Dwarves would probably date either from the king du jour, or from when Denwarf went a-wandering. Hin probably describe ancient dates in terms of the events that happened surrounding them, but adopt the dominant calendar (ie Thyatian) for pragmatic trade purposes.
#4 olddawg Nov 28, 2007 17:15:36	Rockhome Dwarves would probably date either from the king du jour, or from when Denwarf went a-wandering. Rockhome dwarves date their calendar from the Battle of Sardal Pass in 492?BC. Sindhi definitely maintain their own calendar year, as per CoM. It seems reasonable that the elves would too, but perhaps they have a more general/less specific decade or age of approach to tracking histories. Case in point: Bensarian the Sage from Wendar had to piece together the history of the (Wendarian)-Denagothian elves. At this point, I'm thinking that the Thyatians co-opted the Traladaran calendar after they emigrated to Brun, just making some minor changes Given that this was the dark ages during which the Traldar became the Traladarans, it seems unlikely that the three Thyatian tribes would have borrowed from them directly. The Milenians, Alphatians, and even Nithians would have had a greater cultural impact, but I'm in general agreement with Agathokles' Latin/Germanic observations. 3) Elvish Calendar: I'm using the names from CM7's star map (Frostend, etc.), though I'm trying to come up with elvish translations for the words. Any thoughts on a starting year for it? Given the long history of elves, I'd assume their calendar probably begins at a far distant time, but I'm not sure when would be good. If you're looking to harmonize the names, the elvish glossary in the back of the Western Alliance has some of the root parts, I think. The Wendar Update'll probably have a longer list. As for year, the following are all possible candidates: 1) creation by Ordana (6000 BC) 2) elves enter the world (5000 BC) 3) destruction of the old world (3000 BC) 4) Ilsundal's migration starts 5) Ilsundal's migration reaches the Sylvan Realm 6) Creation of the Tree of Life 7) Mealiden's migration to the Streel Plain/Canolbarth 8) Creation of the Canolbarth Alfheim elves could use any of the above. Callarii and Vyalia could use all but the last. Same too with the Shiye of Alphatia. Sheyallia and Minrothad elves could use any of the first 4, while the Fealidel of Alfheim would use the Sylvan Realm standard (choices 1-6). For my money, 3 and 4 seem the best choices and are applicable to every major surface elf group. For Geffronell/Genalleth elves 3-4 work under GazF, while 3 works as an independent, similar choice if G/G=Blackmoor elves. -OldDawg
#5 agathokles Dec 01, 2007 8:50:39	For my money, 3 and 4 seem the best choices and are applicable to every major surface elf group. For Geffronell/Genalleth elves 3-4 work under GazF, while 3 works as an independent, similar choice if G/G=Blackmoor elves. I'd use the 4th option. It seems an important turning point, yet not so remote in time that modern elves would have lost track of events of that time -- 1 and 2 are likely mythic events even from an elven point of view. GP