Market Calendar

Originally based off the Alenthylian calendar, the Market Calendar was created and put into use by many of the nations throughout Aevonhold to unify the calendars to make trade much easier. It's widely used, though many cultures still use their traditional calendars alongside it.

## Seasons

### **The Deep Cold**

*61 days* - Known by all as the time when the nights are longest, the skies are grayest, and the fields the most barren. Chilling winds blow and snow falls. Many fear that the supernatural and dark creatures are most active during the extended, moonless nights. Despite all of this, the Deep Cold is also known for its warmth and togetherness, families gathering around a hearth to keep warm.

#### **1st,** *The New Year* -

Within the dark and the cold of the Deep Cold, people celebrate the coming of a new year. The custom of celebrating the new year goes back as far as anyone can remember, though the exact customs vary from culture to culture.

In Elterlein, it’s typical for the man of the house to break out his best bottle of fine alcohol and drink heavily with his friends and family. It’s seen as a sign of status and celebration.

In Alenthyl, the coming of a new year is seen as a time to renew one’s standing with the Light and sow the seeds of a good year. While many still do drink, it’s not as traditional as it is in Elterlein. In the Capital Lands, a common custom is to prepare gifts ahead of time and give them to the first person to cross a threshold. In Antonelle, late night grape harvests are held to begin preparing wine for Haven Warmth. In addition, the Antonellan elders usually tell long stories to the children to prepare them for the year ahead.

In Granthel, a typical tradition to Elterlein is held - however, instead of any fine alcohol, only wine is gifted and drank, since wine is much more expensive in Granthel.

In Nobugo, large, festive celebrations are held with fireworks and Lung Tien costumes being common. The traditional new year is much later than the Market Calendar new year, though most Nobugohito people have taken to the Market Calendar. In the Shanliang province, however, the traditional new year is still celebrated.

#### **20th,** *The Grey Solstice* -

Known throughout Aevonhold as the longest night of the year, the Grey Solstice is typically treated with solemnity, regardless of culture.

The Alenthylians believe that on this day the dark is the most powerful and the Light is furthest from Aevonhold. Though there’s no standardized tradition, many Alenthylians try and sleep early to get through the night quickly. Some stay up late, staying near family members for safety.

Granthelians living outside the walls dread this day above all else, as the creatures of the night are most active on it. Mercenaries are hired by smaller, less fortified villages to protect from the werewolves and undead that will be more active in this time.

Deurlen believe that the longest night of the year is sacred to Saol, the Divine of the moon. Worshippers use this day to give her gifts and offerings to gain her favor.

The Nobugohito, however, treat the darkness as an excuse to gather together and honor ancestors and family. Families gather in their homes and have lavish feasts, always leaving a portion to deceased family members. The feasts go long into the night.

#### **32nd,** *Nobugohito New Year* -

The date of the new year according to the traditional Nobugohito calendar. Most Nobugohito only celebrate it in passing, though in the Shanliang province it’s celebrated much more so than the Market Calendar new year. The celebrations don’t include fireworks, but do include traditional costumes and the drinking of sake made by monasteries.

#### **34th,** *Haven Warmth* -

Originally celebrated by Arminian people in the early Second Era, Haven Warmth is the celebration of safety, family, friendship, and the warmth of home.

The legend tells that in the second era, when the Elten kingdoms still fought amongst eachother, a small group of Arminian soldiers, war-weary and tired, ran across a small group of traders. The traders graciously gave food, clothes, and shelter to the soldiers and saved their lives. This is said to have been the first Haven Warmth, in which the soldiers and traders gathered around the hearth and celebrated eachother’s company. It wasn’t until the morning after the Arminian soldiers realized that the traders were from a rivalling kingdom.

The holiday became widespread throughout Arminia and the kingdoms that would later become Elterlein, and when settlers colonized Alenthyl the holiday was still in practice. As such, it’s a very popular holiday in Elterlein, Alenthyl, and Granthel.

Celebrating this holiday involves the keeper of the home setting up festive, brightly colored decorations of gold, red, and green in the weeks leading up to the holiday. On the day of Haven Warmth itself, the whole of the household gathers around the fire. Gifts are exchanged, and typically lavish meals are cooked to celebrate.

### **The Bright Dawn**

*58 days* - Named for the fact that this is the season when the sun emerges from behind the dark clouds of the Deep Cold, the Bright Dawn is beloved by all, when plants begin to re-emerge and the icy snowfalls turn back into pleasant rain showers. Those who worship the Light believe the Bright Dawn to be the holiest of seasons.

#### **1st,** *Call of the Sun* -

While celebrated throughout Aevonhold universally, albeit under different names between cultures, Call of the Sun is primarily an Alenthylian holiday. Call of the Sun is the first day of the Bright Dawn, the first time the sun shines and breaks through the gloom of the Deep Cold.

Call of the Sun is arguably the biggest and most important holiday in Alenthylian culture. It’s believed to be the day the Light is strongest and most influential, when it finally beats back the darkness of the Deep Cold. It’s said that Saint Alen perished on this day, as it was the day the Light finally called his eternal soul to rest. Typically, Alenthylians spend this day in prayer, thanking the Light for all it has done for them. It’s common to wear one’s best attire on this day and to go to the local church for ceremonies. Afterwards, in the evening when the sun sets, large feasts and festivities are held. It’s on this day that churches go all out, spending heavily to hold these festivities in celebration of the Light.

In Nobugohito, the end of the cold season is marked by the first thawing of the snows. Typically, the four Great Families announce the end publicly to the entire nation and the week following is reserved for the holiday. Families spend these days thoroughly cleaning their homes, visiting other close families and friends, and leaving offerings at ancestral graves. In addition, once the chores are completed, in the last day or so of the festival families travel to scenic places that are finally beginning to bloom again. This is known as the Xiàcheng Festival, or the Summer’s Rebirth Festival.

#### **46th,** *Heart's Rejoice* -

Originally an Elten holiday celebrated as the day war weary soldiers returned to their wives, the holiday has since transformed into a universal holiday celebrating lovers. Traditionally, on this day a man gives the woman he desires a lavish gift to represent his love. On occasion, women do the same, though it’s much more common for a man to do this for a woman.

In Elterlein, the holiday is seen as much more mature, a tradition between a married couple.  They treat the holiday more seriously, with it being commonplace for long married couples to give gifts to eachother and reaffirm their vows and their affection. It’s common for nobility to use this day to do lavish, extravagant things for their wives. Newer or unmarried couples aren’t expected to do anything on this day, though many still do.

However, both in Alenthyl and Granthel, this day is seen more of as a novelty, with not many really practicing it aside from a select few devoted lovers.

### **The Full Bloom**

*61 days* - The hottest season, known for the fact that the flowers and like that were planted and watered during the Bright Dawn have now since bloomed brightly. Crops are growing strong under the bright sun. The Full Bloom, along with the Bright Dawn, are seen favorably by all. The brightest of the seasons, when the dark is furthest away.

#### **12th-20th,** *The Bright Solstice Festival* -

A strictly Alenthylian holiday, the Bright Solstice is celebrated as a day of Light and longevity. Since it’s the longest day of sunlight of the year, Light believers see it as the day the Light shines strongest. It’s believed that if one does good deeds during the festival, the Light will smile upon them and grant them long life and health. For the eight days of the festival, small celebrations are held, with large amounts of drinking, eating, and dancing. These celebrations are held among communities, with all of the food and alcohol being homemade and provided by members of the community and attendees of the celebration.

#### **22nd,** *La Tomantina* -

La Tomatina is a Perateca festival where people gather, take their boats out on  to the water, and throw tomatoes at each other in a mock war. Traditionally, the festival takes place on Río Tlacoatl, but people living  on or near the coast will do it at sea. No side is ever declared as the  victor; the war is a game where everyone both wins and loses. People  have no qualms about tomatoes falling into the river because it is  believed that the tomatoes sink to the bottom where Tlacoatl sleeps and nourish him.

### **The Harvest Call**

*60 days* - The last season of the year, the Harvest Call is known to be the season of change as the world begins to decay in favor of the Deep Cold. Leaves change color and fall from the trees and crops finish their growth cycle. The Harvest Call is beloved by farmers, and it’s usually filled with harvest festivals and other sorts of gatherings to celebrate the bountiful crop.

#### **4th,** *Grim Moon* -

Originally celebrated by the Deurlen people as the day when the moon turns red and the mortal world and the Looking Glass Realm begin to grow close together, the line between them blurring. Deurlen believe that on this day, it’s easier to contact the Divines, but it is also easier for Fae and things from beyond to cross over. A typical celebration of this day involves leaving candles outside one’s home along with baskets of fruits as offerings to any Fae that might visit. Lavish gifts are left at shrines to appease the Divines.

When Alenthylian explorers discovered Deurlyth, the explorers noticed the Deurlen practicing this celebration. They believed that the supernatural entities the Deurlen were trying to appease were dark entities, and brought the custom back home to Alenthyl, claiming that on this night the dark would be stronger and more active. However, most believed this to be rather silly, though the holiday was still practiced by some. It began to spread, though most saw it as a novelty. The practice of wearing masks in the likeness of dark creatures became common, and those that did would take the fruit left out as ‘offerings’. Eventually, as time went on, Grim Moon became a childish holiday. Only children would dress up, and it became more common to leave out pastries and sweets in addition to fruits.

Over time, the holiday spread and is now practiced in Elterlein and Granthel as well as Alenthyl.