Calendars of Gero

Different strokes for... well, you know the rest.

The world of Gero has a 420-day year, and is dominated by a single large continent, Chiar. Large portions of both the continent and the seas beyond are unexplored.
Most inhabitants use one of two calendars for marking the years: Thilgian, a solar calendar comprised of 14 months of thirty days in length, further divided into three tendays; or Symetrian, a lunar calendar based on the 28-day cycle of Gero's only moon, Sym, and having 15 months. The competition between the two calendars is simply one aspect of the rivalry between the dieties Thilg and Symetyr.

___SYMETRIAN___

Arissansym
Firzhousym
Shaniir
Reestarsym
Draskapre
Zenishsym
Lirros
Hishyrsym
Frissizh
Sheresym
Horashpre
Reeschisym
Weresym
Feorshosym
Losshansym
___Translation___
(Palemoon)
(Azuremoon)
(Firstthaw)
(Inkmoon)
(Firstharvest)
(Amethystmoon)
(Thundertime)
(Bloodmoon)
(Midsummer)
(Orangemoon)
(Greatharvest)
(Topazmoon)
(Shiftermoon)
(Jademoon)
(Ebonmoon)

As implied by the translated names for Symetrian months, Sym changes colors on a cyclic basis throughout the year. Immediately after the new moon, as a sliver of light appears on the eastern side of the orb, the new color is in place. It lasts until the next new moon. During those months where no color is indicated, Sym casts a light somewhat between the one before and after.

___THILGIAN___

Brightmoon
Deepchill
Warming
Tradetime
Smallfeast
Windsrising
Windsfall
Awrstime
Highthil
Greatfeast
Goldtree
Storetime
Deepsnow
Longnight
____Dates____

15-Spring Equinox

30-Summer Solstice

15-Autumnal Equinox

30-Winter Solstice

The Geroan year contains five seasons, rather than four. The year starts in the middle of winter. Brightmoon 1 is the shortest day of the year. The following night is actually the second longest (the first being the preceding night), and is the first on which the white light of the Pale Moon can be glimpsed.
Approximately 60-65 days later, the first real thaw sets in. In a mere fortnight, the ground, thouroughly soaked and fertile, is ready for a planting. During this spring, farmers rush to get a small harvest completed within the next two to three months. This brief planting season is vital to replenishing the stores depleted by over four months of winter.
Traders, too, rush to be the first ones to visit isolated regions after the snows melt and the roads firm.
As spring draws to a close, it does not do so with increasing warmth. Instead, the temperature drops as the winds grow increasingly stronger. This is the last warning farmers and hunters receive before the full storm season kicks in. High precipitation and vicious winds are the rule, subject to the local terrain, of course.
Desert storm seasons often are opened with violent sandstorms before the rains finally come. Sub-arctic regions are often blanketed by late blizzards, accompanied by deadly windchills.
The dying of the winds, almost two months after they started picking up, is accompanied by a drastic increase in heat. Combined with the fresh rainfall and the fresh compost from the first planting, the rejuvenated soil is ideal for a second, longer planting season.
This is also the time when most wars are waged, hence the dual meaning of the name Bloodmoon for the middle month. Societies which revere Awr, diety of conflict, hold some of their most important rites at this time.
Highthil is both the month and the Summer solstice (note that solstices/equinoxes are not perfectly symetrical). Noon of Highthil day is considered a sacred time by the Priests of Thilg, and Divination Rituals tend to be very potent when timed to coincide with this point.
The second planting usually lasts for three months. As the weather starts to cool, most areas try to squeeze in a more limited third planting. This is used to build up stores to last through the prolonged winter, which generally begins about 60 days before the end of the year.

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	The world of Gero has a 420-day year, and is dominated by a single large continent, Chiar. Large portions of both the continent and the seas beyond are unexplored. Most inhabitants use one of two calendars for marking the years: Thilgian, a solar calendar comprised of 14 months of thirty days in length, further divided into three tendays; or Symetrian, a lunar calendar based on the 28-day cycle of Gero's only moon, Sym, and having 15 months. The competition between the two calendars is simply one aspect of the rivalry between the dieties Thilg and Symetyr.
	___SYMETRIAN___ Arissansym Firzhousym Shaniir Reestarsym Draskapre Zenishsym Lirros Hishyrsym Frissizh Sheresym Horashpre Reeschisym Weresym Feorshosym Losshansym	___Translation___ (Palemoon) (Azuremoon) (Firstthaw) (Inkmoon) (Firstharvest) (Amethystmoon) (Thundertime) (Bloodmoon) (Midsummer) (Orangemoon) (Greatharvest) (Topazmoon) (Shiftermoon) (Jademoon) (Ebonmoon)
	As implied by the translated names for Symetrian months, Sym changes colors on a cyclic basis throughout the year. Immediately after the new moon, as a sliver of light appears on the eastern side of the orb, the new color is in place. It lasts until the next new moon. During those months where no color is indicated, Sym casts a light somewhat between the one before and after.
	___THILGIAN___ Brightmoon Deepchill Warming Tradetime Smallfeast Windsrising Windsfall Awrstime Highthil Greatfeast Goldtree Storetime Deepsnow Longnight	____Dates____ 15-Spring Equinox 30-Summer Solstice 15-Autumnal Equinox 30-Winter Solstice
	The Geroan year contains five seasons, rather than four. The year starts in the middle of winter. Brightmoon 1 is the shortest day of the year. The following night is actually the second longest (the first being the preceding night), and is the first on which the white light of the Pale Moon can be glimpsed. Approximately 60-65 days later, the first real thaw sets in. In a mere fortnight, the ground, thouroughly soaked and fertile, is ready for a planting. During this spring, farmers rush to get a small harvest completed within the next two to three months. This brief planting season is vital to replenishing the stores depleted by over four months of winter. Traders, too, rush to be the first ones to visit isolated regions after the snows melt and the roads firm. As spring draws to a close, it does not do so with increasing warmth. Instead, the temperature drops as the winds grow increasingly stronger. This is the last warning farmers and hunters receive before the full storm season kicks in. High precipitation and vicious winds are the rule, subject to the local terrain, of course. Desert storm seasons often are opened with violent sandstorms before the rains finally come. Sub-arctic regions are often blanketed by late blizzards, accompanied by deadly windchills. The dying of the winds, almost two months after they started picking up, is accompanied by a drastic increase in heat. Combined with the fresh rainfall and the fresh compost from the first planting, the rejuvenated soil is ideal for a second, longer planting season. This is also the time when most wars are waged, hence the dual meaning of the name Bloodmoon for the middle month. Societies which revere Awr, diety of conflict, hold some of their most important rites at this time. Highthil is both the month and the Summer solstice (note that solstices/equinoxes are not perfectly symetrical). Noon of Highthil day is considered a sacred time by the Priests of Thilg, and Divination Rituals tend to be very potent when timed to coincide with this point. The second planting usually lasts for three months. As the weather starts to cool, most areas try to squeeze in a more limited third planting. This is used to build up stores to last through the prolonged winter, which generally begins about 60 days before the end of the year. Return to the Almanac. Return to the Overview.