Calendar

There are twelve months in a year in the Sepheraden Standard Calendar, and three four-month seasons: Cold, Wet, and Dry.

The months of this calendar are named after the Pantheon of Twelve deities. It should be noted that a great deal of the content here is a modified version of standard Pathfinder RPG lore.

Visit the timeline for more historic events.

Current date: 14 Shelus, 500 AC

Abadius
Named after Abadar, "The Judge of the Gods". While this, the first month of the year, is often the coldest, this fact is countered by the clear skies and gradual increase in daylight. Snow can be usually be found at any location not on the coast, and in the case of the Plains of Plenty, it may often slow trade and travel to a standstill. 1 Abadius is a widely recognized Holy Day, as it is the beginning of the new year.
 * 1. New Year (Holy Day: all)
 * (Full Moon). Longnight - tradition in which revelers defy the long winter nights by staying up all night to greet the dawn

Calistril
Named after Calistria, "The Savoured Sting"; it is the last month of Cold Season. While temperatures usually begin to rise quite gradually throughout the month, there are many records of sudden cold spikes. Many are of the opinion that this is the vengeful deity's way of reminding all life that she will return to freeze the hearts of men once more in the next Cold Season.
 * 2. Merrymead - remaining alcohol from the previous year is distributed to commemorate and usher in Wet Season
 * 29: Leap Day - added to the calendar every 4 years to account for Sepheraden Standard Calendar approximation

Pharast
Named after Pharasma, "The Lady of Graves"; it is the first month of Wet Season. Children's stories commonly make the connection to Pharasma by explaining that the first rainfall of the year is caused by the souls of the departed, crying to soak and warm the earth to bring forth new life.
 * 1. Wet Season - begins
 * 5. Day of Bones (Holy Day: Pharasma) - Pharasmans parade the recent dead in a procession, then inter corpses for free
 * 31. Firstbloom (Holy Day: Gozreh) - celebration of the coming spring with fertility dances; Planting Week (Holy Days: Erastil) - holy week marked primarily by hard work in the fields

Gozran
Named after Gozreh, "The Wind and the Waves". At this time there are rarely any remnants from Cold Season in terms of snow or ice, and so seafaring folk in particular praise Gozreh for allowing them to return to the waters in comfort and travel freely on the rivers and lakes of Sepheraden.
 * 7. Currentseve (Holy Day: Gozreh) - solemn occasion on which families of sailors and rivermen pray for safe passage during the year
 * 15: Taxfest (Holy Day: Abadar) - clerics accompany tax collectors on their rounds, then host a public feast for all citizens

Desnus
Named after Desna, "The Great Dreamer". As the temperatures rise throughout the land, humidity is gradually substituted for rain. Cool breezes complement this usually balmy month throughout the continent, and many travelers - be they worshippers of Desna or not - find themselves compelled to hit the roads once more.
 * 9: Ritual of Stardust (Holy Day: Desna) - night of song and bonfires, in which faithful throw sand and powdered gems onto the embers to symbolize the stars while making proclamations of love and friendship; the Bell of Mercy in Cardian City is rung when this evening coincides with a full moon

Sarenith
Named after Sarenrae, "The Healing Flame"; it is the last month of Wet Season and as a result moisture tends to saturate the air instead of falling to the earth. There is rarely a day without bright sunlight. The longest day/shortest night of the year, 30 Sarenith, is one of the most respected and observed Holy Days in Sepheraden, for it is said that this is the day that Sarenrae imprisoned Rovagug within the earth (with the aid of the other ten deities).
 * 23. Council Gathering - annual day of political consultation in the Capital for the Council of Sepheraden; anniversary of the Declaration of Unity
 * 24-30. Sunwrought Festival (Holy Days: Sarenrae) - a week-long festival in which the faithful dance with flaming blades, host performances of various sorts, and reenact of Her battle with Rovagug
 * 30. Solstice of Light (Holy Day: all Good) - celebration of the year’s longest day with fireworks, kites, and gift giving

Erastus
Named after Erastil, "Old Deadye"; it is the first month of Dry Season. 1 Erastus tends to be noticeably drier than the preceding day, particularly if it has rained recently. There have even been years where leaves have begun to change their colours early, as if to remind everyone that Cold Season is looming ever nearer. The frequent and extravagant celebrations of Wet Season must end, and harvesting and hunting must begin soon.
 * 1. Dry Season - begins
 * 3. Archerfeast (Holy Day: Erastil) - archery competitions, livestock trading, and courtship of eligible women

Shelus
Named after Shelyn, "The Eternal Rose". As the daylight gradually lessens, artists of all stripes find themselves particularly inspired as they look back fondly on the events of the warmer months. This romantic retrospective is speculated to be the reason why so many humans celebrate birthdays in the month of Desnus.
 * 7. Swallowtail Festival (Holy Day: Desna) - day of feasting, storytelling, and public release of a wagonload of butterflies
 * 21. Crystalhue (Holy Day: Shelyn) - day of artistic creation; traditionally a time for courtship and romantic proposals

Rova
Named after Rovagug, "The Rough Beast". Those who are familiar with the history of the Pantheon of Twelve and the destruction caused by Rovagug are likely also familiar with the historical trend of misfortunes and tragedies that plague this month. Some believe that the numerous earthquakes that have ravaged settlements during this month are the result of the Rough Beast reacting particularly violently to his earthly prison. There are even some who believe it was during this month long ago that he descended to the Material Plane to wreak havoc. Crops are often harvested early in the month out of fearful anticipation of blights and fires should they be allowed to grow much longer.
 * 31. Harvest Feast - celebrates the harvest and the end of field work for the year

Norgorus
Named after Norgorber, "The Grey Master"; it is the last month of Dry Season. At this point in the year the nights are longer and colder and therefore lend themselves to increased crime as people are often too busy stocking up for winter to notice their hundredth sack of potatoes is missing.
 * 6. Day of Debauchery (Holy Day - Calistria) - misadventures of all sorts are encouraged by The Savoured Sting on this day; brothels and thieves' guilds alike celebrate with an intensity and volume that is often heard through the night and well into the next day
 * 27. Jestercap - day of pranks and practical jokes; particularly favored by gnomes

Tora
Named after Torag, "The Forge Father"; it is the first month of Cold Season. Early dwarf tribes routinely returned to their subterranean homes to avoid the sometimes sudden onset of bitter cold. While snow usually does not stay until the latter half of the month, the cold is always right on schedule.
 * 1. Cold Season - begins
 * 19. Hammersdown (Holy Day: Torag) - mandatory day of rest from the forge, celebration of the year's work with feasting and drinking
 * 23. Seven Veils - recently established celebration of brotherhood between all humanoids, marked by interracial masquerade ball held in the Capital

Asmith
Named after Asmodeus, "Prince of Darkness"; it is the last month of the year. The skies are frequently overcast for most of the month, resulting in a seemingly endless spell of dreariness. Not long after the founding of the Rusty Spoon Inn there was a year when it snowed fiercely every day of Asmith in the Plains of Plenty. The shortest day/longest night of the year falls on 31 Asmith, and despite it being a Holy Day (rather, an Unholy Day) for followers of Admodeus, it is often overlooked in favour of the following day: the start of the new year.
 * 31. Solstice of Darkness (Unholy Day: all Evil) - night of morbid revelry, as people wait indoors for the ghosts of last year’s dead to pass by their homes