Calendar in the Core

[brass]

I've noticed that there is calendar in the Mausoleum on the site. I also notice it is the traditional Jan-Dec months and traditional days per month.

Is it ever mentioned anywhere in the fluff if the calendar in the core (or most used calendar in the core) is any different?

The core doesn't Mournvember hiding anywhere?

[hidajiremi]

If I recall correctly, the Gregorian calendar months are listed as being from the Barovian calendar, which is used throughout the Core as a standard timekeeping system to avoid confusion. I've always thought it was a little odd that it would be the case, but I realize that it's entirely for the ease of reference of the readers.

For my game, I use the Gregorian months for Barovia and any other country that primarily speaks Balok, while the Mordentish-speaking countries use the French names for the months, Vaasi-speaking countries use a lunar calendar, and Darkon uses the Julian calendar. Yes, it's complicated. I also bother keeping track of things like time zones (though the Core is so small it only has two or three, depending on which version of the scale you use). =3


Jeremy Puckett

[Joël of the FoS]

If I recall correctly, the Gregorian calendar months are listed as being from the Barovian calendar, which is used throughout the Core as a standard timekeeping system to avoid confusion. I've always thought it was a little odd that it would be the case, but I realize that it's entirely for the ease of reference of the readers.

That is exactly why I kept our world's months when doing the calendar, so that it's easy. Also the Mighy K did the same previously with their "a year in Ravenloft" contest.

I once DMed an adventure where all the months were changed to new names, and it was just a source of confusion. They kept saying things like "and what is our month's reference to this?". Complicated and not fun. So I removed it.

When doing the calendar, the only things I changed is to put 30 days in all the months (to ease moon phases ref), except October, which has a 31st

Joël

[ewancummins]

For my game, I use the Gregorian months for Barovia and any other country that primarily speaks Balok, while the Mordentish-speaking countries use the French names for the months, Vaasi-speaking countries use a lunar calendar, and Darkon uses the Julian calendar. Yes, it's complicated. I also bother keeping track of things like time zones (though the Core is so small it only has two or three, depending on which version of the scale you use). =3


Jeremy Puckett

French Revolutionary calendar?

Would the Core have time zones? It appears to be a flat world-fragment, not a round planet. I think you can easily leave out time zones. Even if you make the Core gigantic, light will shine from one end of a flat world to the other so quickly that sunrise in the far east will be seen nearly at the same time as in the far west.

Of course, the Dark Powers could always will that timezones exist. One might presume this is how seasons work in the Demiplane. Same with magnetic north (although I have several ideas about that one...).

[Nathan of the FoS]

Not content with leaving well enough alone, I invented a Nova Vaasan/Hazlani calendar with 13 months of 28 days, plus an extra day at the winter solstice and Leap Day at the summer solstice. Each day is identified by Month Week Day; the months are named for the Thirteen Precepts of the Lawgiver, the weeks for the Four Colors, and the days for the Seven Virtues. New Year's Day is the summer solstice

The Precepts are, in order,

Universality (June-July)
Submission (July-August)
Fallibility (August-September)
Autonomy (September-October)
Union (October-November)
Opposition (November-December)
Chaos (December-January)
Duality (January)
Justice (February)
Preservation (March)
Transmutation (March-April)
Forbearance (April-May)
Delegation (May-June)

As it happens, the 28 days of Justice line up perfect with the 28 days of February, which I thought was kinda neat.

The colors are Grey, White, Red, Black, and the virtues are Obedience, Zeal, Courage, Diligence, Honesty, Temperance, and Wisdom. So, you would say Opposition Red Zeal instead of "Tuesday November 23rd", or whatever.

It is probably more trouble than it's worth, unless your campaign is exclusively in Vaasi-speaking countries and you and your PCs are willing to suffer a bit for the sake of flavor, but I'm kinda proud of it.

[Strahdsbuddy]

Wow Nathan, that is worth being proud of! It all lines up so nicely and makes so much sense if you take the religion into consideration.

Joel is right, of course, that it can become a bookkeeping nightmare for a DM and a group of players who essentially need to learn the new calendar they way we learned our own. While admirable, I'm not sure that should really be the focus of a role-playing game. It can just as easily be explained away as a matter of convenience; the player says November, but his character says Mournesvember...

[hidajiremi]

French Revolutionary calendar?

After the French Revolution, the council that set itself up in charge of the new republic created a new calendar to try and wipe away the vestiges of the old monarchy. Since Dementlieu has a sort of "reign of terror" event in its past, I figured that the Council of Brilliance was basically the Republican Council if it hadn't been run into the ground.

For more information, check out the wikipedia entry.

Would the Core have time zones? It appears to be a flat world-fragment, not a round planet. I think you can easily leave out time zones. Even if you make the Core gigantic, light will shine from one end of a flat world to the other so quickly that sunrise in the far east will be seen nearly at the same time as in the far west.

Of course, the Dark Powers could always will that timezones exist. One might presume this is how seasons work in the Demiplane. Same with magnetic north (although I have several ideas about that one...).

Well, the Sea of Sorrows has a curvature, so the world isn't completely flat. And the time zones are mainly a result of the Balinoks cutting the continent in half and giving the western half of the Core shade. XD


Jeremy Puckett

[ewancummins]

French Revolutionary calendar?

After the French Revolution, the council that set itself up in charge of the new republic created a new calendar to try and wipe away the vestiges of the old monarchy. Since Dementlieu has a sort of "reign of terror" event in its past, I figured that the Council of Brilliance was basically the Republican Council if it hadn't been run into the ground.

For more information, check out the wikipedia entry.

Would the Core have time zones? It appears to be a flat world-fragment, not a round planet. I think you can easily leave out time zones. Even if you make the Core gigantic, light will shine from one end of a flat world to the other so quickly that sunrise in the far east will be seen nearly at the same time as in the far west.

Of course, the Dark Powers could always will that timezones exist. One might presume this is how seasons work in the Demiplane. Same with magnetic north (although I have several ideas about that one...).

Well, the Sea of Sorrows has a curvature, so the world isn't completely flat. And the time zones are mainly a result of the Balinoks cutting the continent in half and giving the western half of the Core shade. XD


Jeremy Puckett

I've always thought of the Council of Brilliance as being a bit like the Directoire, only more stable. It might also have some things in common with the English Parliament after Charles 1 is beheaded but before Cromwell takes over.

Hmmmm....what about a Napoleon or a Cromwell arising in Dementlieu? Conquest/liberation of Falkovnia to follow?

BTW- Where are you getting the Sea of Sorrows with curvature? Is that homebrew or 'canon?' Please note that I'm not a canon purist. Just curious.

[herkles]

I view the Dementlieuse government to be something similar to how the Republic of Venice was set up, but being french inspired.

I am curious though if there are elections and ways for the people to get involved with the government in dementlieu at least on paper?

[ewancummins]

I view the Dementlieuse government to be something similar to how the Republic of Venice was set up, but being french inspired.

I am curious though if there are elections and ways for the people to get involved with the government in dementlieu at least on paper?

In Dementlieu, I assume that only those who own significant taxable landholdings ( or who can pay a larger annual tax in gold/silver)are able to vote or stand for office. This has the effect of concentrating political power in a relatively small class of landowners and well-to-do merchants and master artisans.

Of course, there is social mobility up and down the scale.

Noble titles exist as leftovers of the old, princely regime. These titles still carry real respect in some quarters.

[sPtJanly]

Hazlan might use the Faerun calendar of days, months, and the Dale Reckoning list of years unless Thay had its own specific titles.

[Bluebomber4evr]

Actually if I remember correctly, the Gregorian calender names for months and days originated in Mordent and then were adapted by the rest of the Core (which was really small at the time Mordent appeared). Prior to that the Barovian calender seemed to be some sort of lunar calender-- the first I, Strahd novel just lists "Tenth Moon" or something throughout the book.

[brass]

Great stuff. I'm considering using the French Revolutionary calendar for the flavour and month names and month lengths as the Gregorian to avoid complication.

[ewancummins]

Actually if I remember correctly, the Gregorian calender names for months and days originated in Mordent and then were adapted by the rest of the Core (which was really small at the time Mordent appeared). Prior to that the Barovian calender seemed to be some sort of lunar calender-- the first I, Strahd novel just lists "Tenth Moon" or something throughout the book.

I suppose you could translate Tenth Moon, First Moon, etc into Romanian/Balok for extra fun. Or not.

[Bluebomber4evr]

Actually if I remember correctly, the Gregorian calender names for months and days originated in Mordent and then were adapted by the rest of the Core (which was really small at the time Mordent appeared). Prior to that the Barovian calender seemed to be some sort of lunar calender-- the first I, Strahd novel just lists "Tenth Moon" or something throughout the book.

I suppose you could translate Tenth Moon, First Moon, etc into Romanian/Balok for extra fun. Or not.

Wouldn't really be necessary, as the Mordentish-Gregorian calendar became the norm shortly after Mordent joined the Core. The old Balok names would only be for the time period prior to that.