There are 10 months, each named for one of the 10 gods on Nyonia. The inclusion of all gods was agreed to ages ago when multi-racial trade and the use of the common trade language were in their infancy. With each god’s name in a month no intelligent race is excluded. Each month carries with it a holiday to celebrate the god it was named for and is celebrated in such a way to appeal to the god being celebrated.
Every month consists of exactly 25 days with a total of 250 days in a year. This was modeled after finding that there are 5 distinct seasons in Nyonia, each lasting about 50 days. There is an old tradition, possibly once given by the Elder Gods, that every 10th year there is an extra day. This day is noted on the Calendar as day 0 in the month of Peonus. This day is known as The Day of Healing. Most folk celebrate this day by making amends to past transgressions between friends, neighbors and tradesmen. The reason for this day is unknown but there is said to be lost legends that explain the existence of this extra day.
The average day in Nyonia is 25 hours consisting of 14 daytime hours and 11 nighttime hours, though this does vary slightly from season to season. An Hour consists of 50 minutes, and a minute consists of 100 seconds. Time is often spoken in 1/5th of an hour in larger cities but in smaller towns where time is keeping is less crucial time is generally referred only by terms like mid or early-day, mid-morning, and so on. (The concepts of Noon, Midnight, and Evening are not known in Nyonia.)
Season of Life, similar to summer, is in the first two months of the year. Season of Harvest, similar to fall, is the second two months of the year. Season of Wonders, dissimilar to any season, is the third set of two months in the year, Season of Rain, similar to winter/monsoon season, is the fourth set of months in the year. Season of Growth, similar to spring, is the fifth set of two months in the year.
Months of the year and their Holidays.
Peonus
- This is the 1st month of the year. Names for the God Peoni - Lady of Industrious Labors and Ripe Harvest, god of healing and agriculture.
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The 1st month is a month of giving and kindness.
- The 23rd of this month holds the holiday known as, The Giving day.
- On the Giving day it is tradition to give food and clothing to the poor.
This month is most likened to Mid-Summer July.
Nurrus
- This is the 2nd month of the year, Named after a bad pronunciation of the god Save-K'nor - Lost Guide
- The 2nd month is the month of knowledge
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The 17th day of this month is Learning Day
- On Learning day it is tradition for someone to teach another person something new, or to go out and learn something new from one who is offering teachings.
- This month is likened to Late Summer
Halus
- This is the 3rd month of the year, named after Halea - Unchaste Mistress of Golden Bargains, god of wealth and pleasure
- The 3rd month is the month of reaping/harvest.
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The 20th day of this month is the holiday known as The Great Feast
- As harvest time sets in it is common for people in a town to get together to share the spoils of the years new harvest. There is often much mead and wine shared during this night.
- In larger cities it has become difficult to have it become a town-based affair so instead it has turned into a family feast that often costs a month’s worth of income.
- This month is likened to early fall.
Navus
- This is the 4th month of the year, names after the god Naveh - Lord of Pitch Shadows.
- The 4th month is the month is the month of nightmares.
- Most believe their increased nightmares this month to be punishment for the over-indulgent feasts in Halus
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The 25th day of this month is the Day of Sorrow
- On the Day of Sorrow no business is conducted and few leave their homes unless there is no choice. This is said to be the most evil of nights and no one wishes to bring ill-luck on themselves or their family by conducting business. The god of Thieves will have rob you of your luck if you take part in any business venture.
- This month likened to late fall.
Siem
- This is the 5th month of the year named after the god Siem - Never-Changing Lord of the Azure Bowl, it is the only month to have the exact name of the god that the months was named for.
- The 5th month is the month of Illusion.
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The 13th of this month (13 being a lucky number) is The Day of Wonder
- The Day of Wonder is celebrated with magic shows, pranks being played, and the reading of dreams. The reading of dreams is a traditional type of storytelling done by bards the world over. These stories are wrought with wondrous fantasies too strange to be reality.
- This is the first month in the Season of Wonder. Temperatures often fluctuate wildly and seemingly without cause. Winds will whip through the lands at near gale force without warning and can be followed by days without so much as a breeze. Strange portents in the skies can occur during this month. This is a hellish time for most in Nyonia.
Ilvius
- This is the 6th month of the year named after the god Ilvir - Master of Araka-Kalai
- The 6th month is the month of creation.
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The 11th day of this month is The Day of Creatures.
- The day of Creatures is celebrated as a day of making and selling odd crafts. Each person tries to use their craft to create a model of one of the Ivashu. This model is then sold to be displayed in a person’s home until the next day of Creation.
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The 22nd day of this month is known as The Swarm
- This is the day when Ilvir unleashed Gargun into Nyonia (960 Dark Ages; 5058 CE)
- Ilvir has been known to release a newly created ‘child’ in Nyonia.
- This is the second month in the Season of Wonder. Weather is much like the first month in the Season of Wonder but not as severe.
Morgus
- The 7th month of the year, names after the god Morgath - Tormentor of the Unlamented Dead
- The 7th month is the Month of Despair
- This month is hardly spoken of throughout most of Nyonia. The worship of Morgath is punishable by death in many places and in other places it is suppressed.
- The 2nd day of the month is when worshippers of Morgath will sacrifice a living being. The more powerful the being the more influence Morgath will shine of the worshipper.
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The 8th day of the month is known as the Day of Madness
- For reasons only understood by Morgath some normally docile and sentient beings throughout Nyonia will go on a murdering rampage or commit an act of suicide.
- This month is likened to early monsoon season.
- During this month it rains every day, all day.
Agrius
- The 8th month of the year , named after the god Agrik - Warlord of Balgashang
- The 8th month is the month of Bloodlust
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The 23rd day of this month is The Day of Bloodlust
- In The Scipion Empire (Skip-i-on), Realm of the Blessed Ursus, and Land of the Twin Bighorns formal blood games are held. These can take the form of ‘gladiatorial style combat’, jousting, fencing competitions, or much rougher versions of ‘rugby/lacrosse’. Serious injury to participants is very common, permanent disabilities are common, and death is always a possibility. All the races of Nyonia travel the world to participate in these events.
- Over time most other realms in the world have started to have smaller and less violent sporting competitions where weapons are often blunted and injury is punished. These less bloody events were started so that townships could celebrate The Day of Bloodlust even when its people could not afford the travel to The Scipion Empire (Skip-i-on).
- This month is likened to late monsoon season
- During this month, most parts of the world are covered in heavy rain and downpours.
Laranus
- The 9th month of the year, named after the goddess Larani - Lady of Paladins
- The 9th month is the month of Courage, named for the people that have survived the season of Wonder and Rain.
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The 1st day of the month is The Day of Honor.
- The Day of Honor is celebrated by festivals where the most honorable heroes of a town or city guard get treated like kings and the fallen guard are honored in prayer for their sacrifices.
- This month is likened to early spring.
Saraus
- This is the 10th month of the year, named after the god Sarajin - Lord of the Icy Wind.
- The 10th month is the month Ice and Wind.
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The 19th day of the month is Ice Day Realm of Frost
- Ice Day is celebrated with sculptures of ice and snow, flavored hot coffee drinks and a hearty meal with family.
- This is also a day when sporting events and martial contests happen in the Realm of Frost
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The 19th day of the month is Sportsmanship Day
- The 19th day of the month is celebrated with sporting events and martial contests
- This month is likened to late spring