Elven Calendars

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The Elves have a number of different calendars, primarily based on lunar and seasonal cycles. Some of the major Calendars are listed below, along with their formative reasons, when known.

See the Lunar and Stellar Calendars for definitions of various months and years.

To automatically convert between different Calendars, use the Date Conversion page.


The Old Calendar

The Old Elven Calendar has 13 Long Months to a Long Year. Each Long Month has 18 Lunar Moons. The Long Months are named after the Zodiac Signs that the Moon is in for the first day of the Month. The Lunar Moons within each Long Month are named after the traditional influences on that Month, and sometimes the Zodiac as well - this variant is known as the Double Star Calendar. A Long Month has 504 days over five or six seasons. The Old Calendar is thus of most use where the seasonal variation is slight, such as near the equator, or in magically enchanted realms with complete control of weather and climate.

The Moon is at its smallest - that is, when it is furthest away and on a New Moon - 18 times in 11 different seasonal years over a Long Year, but only once on a High Holiday (being Samhain), and this marks the start of the Long Year. The next Long New Year occurs on Samhain 812WK. The start of a Lunar Month is the New Moon. At the start of the first Lunar Month of each Long Year, the Moon is in the Archer. The Auge is also in the Archer on that day, and on no other Samhain in the Long Year.

The Seasonal Calendar

The Elvish Seasonal Calendar is used in many places where distinct seasonal patterns occur, being far enough away from the equator, and not magically blessed with permanent idyllic weather. This Calendar has 18 Seasonal Years to a Long Year. Each Seasonal Year has 13 Lunar Moons. The Seasonal Years are named after the different aspects of creation each year represents. The Lunar Months within each Seasonal Year are named after the zodiacal influence on that Month.

The Reformed Elven Calendar

The Reformed Elven Calendar is a variant of the Seasonal Calendar with only 12 months, three to each season, and so breaks with the natural Lunar cycle to instead capture the aspects of the seasons. This is probably the most familiar calendar, as it is used by most Elves within the Baronies, and aligns with the Baronial Calendar. The Seasonal years are numbered from well-known events, and are not part of a Long Year.

Other New Years

In addition to the New Year's Day of Samhain, the Elves observe the passing of several types of Year, as the excuse for a party, if nothing else. Some Elven families or clans will use one of these Years in preference to the Seasonal or Asynchronistic Years, presumably for political or personal reasons lost in the mists of time.

Harmonic New Year
The Auge returns to the Archer seven times in a Long Year, once every 936 days or Harmonic Year. Some Elvish clans celebrate the Harmonic New Year when the Auge returns to their clan Star Sign, such as the Penitent Worshipers of the Mighty Oak in northern Alfheim.
Resonant New Year and Leap Year
The Auge crosses the rising Ecliptic ten times in a Long Year, once every 655 days or Resonant Year, and this occurs on the Full Moon of Beltane in the third and twelth Seasonal Years of the Long Year, which are considered leap days.
False New Year
On the twelth Beltane of each Long Year, as well as the Auge crossing the rising Ecliptic, the Auge is opposed to the Moon which is crossing the declining ecliptic, meaning that the Full Moon is both at its greatest size and centred in the Heavens. This occurs 18 times in 11 different seasonal years over a Long Year, but only once on a High Holiday (being Beltane), which is considered by a vocal minority to be the True New Year, as the time when the Goddess is brightest and watching most closely. This last occurred on Beltane 806WK.

Names of Months and Years

Each Calendar has a list of names for months and sometimes even years. Many of them are based on the same ancient list of months.

Old Elven Months

These eighteen months may have once corresponded to seasonal variations in a longer year, perhaps during the First Age. At this time, the Asynchronistic Year of 504 days seems to have been a seasonal cycle, albeit with five distinct seasons rather than the currently accepted four.

Harsh Winter
  1. Silver Stars
  2. World's Edge
  3. Knife Wind
  4. Merciful Tears
Thaw and Rebirth
  1. Rivers Rising
  2. Waking World
  3. Entrancing Spirit
  4. Forest Heart
Spring Growth
  1. Radiant Blooms
  2. Vibrant Growth
  3. Falling Blossom
Summer Calm
  1. Waving Grass
  2. Still Waters
  3. Govannon's Forge
Foreboding Autumn
  1. Anu's Bounty
  2. Shadow's Edge
  3. Gathering Dark
  4. Dying Sun


Elven Seasonal Years

Each Seasonal Year within a Long Year has a different influence on the cycle. These are often captured through references to analogous aspects of creation.

  1. Dragon
  2. Wind
  3. Seed
  4. Night
  5. Serpent
  6. Music
  7. Fire
  8. Star
  9. Ocean
  10. Moon
  11. Eagle
  12. Magic
  13. Storm
  14. Death
  15. Earth
  16. Craft
  17. Mirror
  18. Sun


Elven Seasonal Months

Any mention of the Zodiac refers to the Elven Zodiac of thirteen signs, and not the later human zodiacal system of fourteen signs. In the Elven Seasonal Calendar, the thirteen lunar months of 28 days start on each New Moon, beginning with Samhain. The Star sign following each name is the constellation that the Moon will lie within for the first and last two days of that month. Those locales with more extreme seasonal effects sometimes use the reformed list of seasonal influences instead, usually adding Merciful Tears between Knife Wind and Waking World. 

I do not wish to create a finalised list of Elven Zodiac Signs without more time and consultation.
Ideas welcomed.
  1. Archer or Silver Stars
  2. Lion or World's Edge
  3. Unicorn or Knife Wind
  4. Dolphin or Merciful Tears
  5. Swan or Waking World
  6. Fox or Forest Heart
  7. Ship or Radiant Blooms
  8. Hydra or Falling Blossom
  9. Stag or Waving Grass
  10. Oak or Govannon's Forge
  11. Phoenix or Anu's Bounty
  12. Harp or Gathering Dark
  13. Magician or Dying Sun

Reformed Elven Months

These twelve months of 30 days lie in seasonal groups of three between the high holidays, beginning with Samhain.

Winter Months
  1. Silver Stars
  2. World's Edge
  3. Knife Wind
Spring Months
  1. Waking World
  2. Forest Heart
  3. Radiant Blooms
Summer Months
  1. Falling Blossom
  2. Waving Grass
  3. Govannon's Forge
Autumn Months
  1. Anu's Bounty
  2. Gathering Dark
  3. Dying Sun


Insel der Freiheit Months

The 18 Insel der Freiheit Months are almost identical in name to the 18 Old Elven Lunar Months, but have been shortened to 20 days each, and (with the 4 intercalary days) make up the Insel der Freiheit Seasonal Year of 364 days. This break with the natural Lunar cycle may be a sign of non-Elven influence, or merely an adaptation to a strong seasonal cycle without giving up the old traditions. The week of 14 days, or a half-Lunar month is presumably a remnant of the Lunar cycle, but other aspects of the Insel der Freiheit calendar, such as the 23 day cycle are purely local in origin. As with all calendars of Elven origin, the year starts on Samhain. There is a 805 year cycle before the day name, day of the week, month, and year name repeat. The dates given may vary from those used by natives, as I'm still getting my head around this Calendar.

Names of Months
  1. Quiet Sea
  2. Coming of Rains
  3. Rivers Rising
  4. Silver Stars
  5. World's Edge
  6. Knife Wind
  7. Waking World
  8. Entrancing Power
  9. Forest Heart
  10. Radiant Blooms
  11. Falling Blossom
  12. Sound of Petals
  13. Waving Grass
  14. Sihaide's Forge
  15. Thoughts of Darkness
  16. Halishande's Bounty
  17. Gathering Dark
  18. Everliving Sun

Days of Note

These dates were calculated using the Date Conversion page. This should give the same result as using the above lists, but there are no guarantees!

Harmonic New Years

This is the list of Harmonic New Years in the next Long Year (Samhain 812 WK to Samhain 830 WK)

Western Calendar Old Calendar Seasonal Calendar
Insel der Freiheit Reformed Calendar
Samhain 812 1st day of Silver Stars in the Month of the Archer Samhain; 1st day of Silver Stars Underground
Day of Darkness in the Year 35 Azure Horizon. Samhain 2012
26 Meadow 815 13th day in the Hydra's Shadow in the Month of the Lion 13th day of Falling Blossoms in the Mirror
3 Hummingbird, 5th day of Falling Blossom in the Year 35 Midnight Rising 26th day of Falling Blossoms, 2014
22 Snow 817 25th day among Still Waters in the Month of the Dolphin 25th day at the World's Edge in the Wind
3 Parrot, 9th day of Rivers Rising in the Year 36 Azure Horizon 22nd day at the World's Edge, 2017
18 Breeze 820 9th day of Falling Blossoms in the Month of the Fox 9th day in Govannon's Forge at Night
7 Monkey, 17th day of Waving Grass in the Year 36 Midnight Rising 18th day in Govannon's Forge, 2019
13 Thaw 822 21st day in the Forest Heart in the Month of the Hydra 21st day of Merciful Tears on Fire
7 Berry, 1st day of Knife Wind in the Year 37 Azure Horizon 13th day in the Waking World, 2022
9 Harvest 825 5th day as the Harp Awakes in the Month of the Oak 5th day of Gathering Dark at Sea
11 Fire, 9th day of Halishande's Bounty in the Year 37 Midnight Rising 9th day of Gathering Dark, 2024
5 Blossom 827 17th day of the Knife Wind in the Month of the Harp 17th day in the Forest Heart by Magic
11 Elephant, 13th day of Entrancing Power in the Year 38 Azure Horizon 5th day of Radiant Blooms, 2027

Resonant New Years

This is the list of Resonant New Years in the next Long Year (Samhain 812 WK to Samhain 830 WK)

Western Calendar Old Calendar Seasonal Calendar
Insel der Freiheit Reformed Calendar
12 Breeze 813 3rd day of Oak's Growth in the Month of the Archer 3rd day in Govannon's Forge Underground
1 Berry, 11th day of Waving Grass in the Year 35 Azure Horizon 12th day in Govannon's Forge, 2012
Beltane 815 15th day of Anu's Bounty in the Month of the Lion Beltane; 15th day of Radiant Blooms in the Mirror
5 Air, 19th day of Forest Heart in the Year 35 Midnight Rising Beltane 2014
18 Thaw 816 26th day at the World's Edge in the Month of the Dolphin 26th day of Merciful Tears of the Dragon
8 Hummingbird, 6th day of Knife Wind in the Year 36 Green Tempest 18th day in the Waking World, 2016
6 Snow 818 9th day in Lion's Forest in the Month of the Swan 9th day at the World's Edge in Seed
11 Termite, 13th day of Coming of Rains in the Year 36 Crimson Sunrise 6th day at the World's Edge, 2018
24 Harvest 820 20th day among Still Waters in the Month of the Fox 20th day of Gathering Dark at Night
4 Tree, 4th day of Gathering Dark in the Year 36 Midnight Rising 24th day of Gathering Dark, 2019
12 Breeze 822 3rd day of Silver Stars in the Month of the Hydra 3rd day in Govannon's Forge with Music
7 Millipede, 11th day of Waving Grass in the Year 37 Green Tempest 12th day in Govannon's Forge, 2021
Beltane 824 * 15th day as the Ship Awakes in the Month of the Stag Beltane; 15th day of Radiant Blooms among the Stars
11 Light, 19th day of Forest Heart in the Year 37 Crimson Sunrise Beltane 2023
18 Thaw 825 26th day of Falling Blossoms in the Month of the Oak 26th day of Merciful Tears by Moonlight
14 Air, 6th day of Knife Wind in the Year 37 Coins Falling 18th day in the Waking World, 2025
6 Snow 827 9th day of Gathering Dark in the Month of the Phoenix 9th day at the World's Edge by Magic
3 Hummingbird, 13th day of Coming of Rains in the Year 38 Azure Horizon 6th day at the World's Edge, 2027
24 Harvest 829 20th day of Harp's Tears in the Month of the Magician 20th day of Gathering Dark during the Storm
10 Life, 4th day of Gathering Dark in the Year 38 Crimson Sunrise 24th day of Gathering Dark, 2028

* False New Years Day

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