The Dragonlance Calendar

With so many cultures, nations, and languages, it can be difficult to know what day and month is referenced for a given holiday or event. Let’s take a closer look at the Dragonlance calendar. Buy the Dragonlance Campaign Setting sourcebook: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/28592/dragonlance-campaign-setting-3-5?affiliate_id=50797 

Time Stamps

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:51 Hours
• 1:13 Days
• 1:23 Months
• 1:36 Moons
• 3:17 January
• 3:59 February
• 4:42 March
• 6:13 April
• 6:52 May
• 7:35 June
• 8:49 July
• 9:47 August
• 10:20 September
• 11:30 October
• 11:58 November
• 12:27 December
• 13:51 Outro

Transcript

Cold Open

We have a lot to cover, so let’s dive into the Dragonlance Calendar!

Intro

Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today we are going to talk about the Dragonlance Calendar. I would like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga members, and invite you to consider becoming a member by visiting the link in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance gaming materials using my affiliate links. I am referencing the Dragonlance Campaign Setting, Holy Orders of the Stars, and The History of Dragonlance sourcebooks, in addition to Dwarves of Krynn and Time of the Dragon Boxed Sets, and Otherlands game accessory for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below!

Discussion

Time in Dragonlance is tracked much the same way as we track it. Each day contains twenty-four hours, named famously after the Palanthan system. Each hour references the watch the city guard dispatches. The minutes are counted up to the thirty minute mark and references as falling. The second half of the hour is called rising. Each week contains seven days, with four weeks to a month, and twelve month’s to a year. Understandably each major culture references the days of the week, and the months in their own vernacular. For simplicity, I will be referencing each as our western world references them, though I traditionally use Solamnic when introducing my shows or referencing dates on this channel.

I would be remiss not to mention the moons of Krynn. While this knowledge is germain to the Wizards of High Sorcery, as they are influenced by the moons, their gods of sorcery, other cultures reference them for the passing of time and highlighting of seasons in the year. Solinari, the silver moon, circles Krynn in thirty-six standard days, with nine days per quarter. Lunitari, the red moon, circles Krynn in twenty-eight days with seven days per quarter. And Nuitari, the black moon, circles Krynn in eight standard days, with two days per quarter. This means tracking the moons is an active requirement, and can be challenging. The moons pass counterclockwise across the sky with the full moon at High Sanction, the last Quarter at Waning, the New Moon at Low Sanction, and First Quarter at Waxing. I randomly generated the position of the three moons by rolling an eighteen on a twenty sided dice and referencing the Moon Tracking Chart found in the Dragonlance Campaign Setting sourcebook.

I have built out a single calendar year for referencing the various months in. Every major phase of the three moons are represented for simplicity, as are the holidays. I used the nineteen, eighty-four Common Era calendar to represent the year three-hundred and fifty-one Alt Cataclius, as that is the year the Dragonlance Intellectual Property, or IP was created, forty years ago, and the beginning of the War of the Lance. While some of these holidays may have begun after this year, we’re going to just roll with it. So let’s get into it shall we? I am only giving the briefest of explanations about each holiday, as there is a lot to go over. I have covered many of them in my Holidays of Krynn episode as well.

December 31-Jan 1 is Year Day or Mark Day. The people of many nations stop their toils and share gifts to celebrate the blessings of the past year and make promises for the new. Jan 3 is Dark Day. Takhisis’ clergy spend this day contemplating wicked old plots and consider their role in the church’s hierarchy. January 15 is Sea Queen’s Share. This repeats every nine months when Solinari is at High Sanction. On this day the Zeboite’s, sacrifice most of their wealth to the Sea Queen. Jan 18 is Night of the Mantis. Majere’s clerics spend the time chanting, meditating and reconnecting with Majere. February 9-13 is Harnkeggerfest. This holiday reflects the dwarves’ love of hard work followed by equally hard play. February 20th is the Night of the Eye. This is when a genuine conjunction of all three moons occurs when they are at high sanction. This is a magically hightented event that is celebrated by the Orders of High Sorcery. Feb 22 is the Oathbreaking. This is a day of remembrance that marks the day when the good dragons came to realize that their eggs were being perverted into fell draconians by the deceitful followers of the Queen of Darkness. Feb 23 is Honor’s Dawn. This day marks the death of Sturm Brightblade, Hero of the Lance. March 3 is Siegeday. This day marks when the city of Palanthas was razed in a final strike by the late Highlord Kitiara uth Matar. March 14th is Kith-Kanandras. Wherever they are on Krynn, all Qualinesti elves stop to observe the most sacred holiday in their calendar. Kith-Kanandras honors the life and accomplishments of the grandson of Silvanos. March 15th is Silvanosdras. This date in the year 4351 PC as the birth date of the heroic elf who united, then led the first elven tribes to their homeland of Silvanesti four millennia before the Cataclysm. March 21 is both Spring Dawning and Campaign Season. Spring Dawning signals the reawakening of the earth, the vernal equinox is celebrated by all nations in a variety of ways. And Sanction sees Campaign Season as a period of celebration when the roads arou nd the city were opened up once more, and troops were able to freely go on the march during spring. March 22 is The Day of Solidarity. The day after each season change, the clergy of Kiri-Jolith come together, even in the times of war and renew the bonds of friendship, rededicate themselves to the continual war on evil and reflect on courage and honor. March 25 is the Day of Reflection. During this time, Zivilyn cleric mediates and contemplates the River of Time. The emphasis is on mindfulness and one’s place in the universe. April 1 begins the month of the book. This does not occur on any given date. Instead, an individual priest chooses the date. The month is devoted to a single piece of work, library or a place of learning. April 4 is Harrowing. This oldest of holidays marks the start of planting time. April 19 is Forgeday. This is the time that all smiths of all races throw open their doors and invite their brother clerics into their forges. April 24 is Brankal Enkoranth. This holy day is a celebration of Krynn’s life and the grand display of its beauty. It doesn’t have an official date, so I placed it here.

May 13 is Feast of the Sea. Known as Habakkuk’s Bounty inland. On the coast and waterways, it is a day of blessing new fishing boats and dedicating them to the Fisher King. On land it is a time to ask Habakkuk for a favorable growing season. May 14 is Bookclosing. It is observed by one man only: Astinus of Palanthas. On this day, each year since the Battle of Palanthas, the great historian ceases writing. May 27 is Vinasfest. This day is accepted in Solamnia variously as Vinas Solamnus’s Day or  Life-Gift, the anniversary of his rebellion against the Emperor of Ergoth, and the anniversary of the foundation of the Knighthood. June 1 is Kith-Kananaith. This day celebrates the founding of the beautiful Qualinesti nation. June 3 is Day of Storms. In the northern climes, especially around Nordmaar and the Blood Sea of Istar, it is marked by violent thunderstorms and even the occasional cyclone. June 17-30 is Ancestor’s Ceremony. In this time, all the clans of the merkitsa elves gather near the oasis, whilst the shamans of the clans perform funeral rites for all those who have passed over the course of the year. June 20 is Jacualsprima. Also known as Huma’s Time, the Jolithan clergy spend this time reflecting on past deeds of heroism and celebrating the defeat of the Dark Queen by Huma Dragonbane. June 21 is Midyear Day. The longest day of the year, Midsummer’s Eve is a celebration of light for all nations. June 23 is Night of White Roses. This holiday commemorated Huma Dragonbane’s battle during the Third Dragon War and his martyrdom. June 24 is Midsummer Night. The Jijin Uigan priestesses prepare great bonfires at sacred sites and gather the colts and foals to be named. July 1 is Dakatos Hapterak. Also known as the Day of Broken Shackles, it’s a Sargonite holy day celebrating the Minotaur’s ability to flourish and grow after periods of servitude, starting with their enslavement to dwarfs. July 8-14 is the Highmoon Festival. It takes place in the first month of summer during the week of Solinari’s High Sanction. July 15 is the Festival of Candles. The solemn event exemplifies the dwarves’ reverence for their dead ancestors, evidenced by the perpetually empty eighth throne on the Council of Thanes, the Kingdom of the Dead. July 18 is Graystone Eve. This is a day of great superstition and fear among many dwarf clans, as it

marks the day the Graystone of Gargath was loosed upon the world. July 20 is the Day of Dragons. This fell day is revered by the dragons of evil and their followers. Celebrating the return of the first evil dragons to Krynn. Aug 1 is The Eternal Day. On this day, the Sirrion clergy renew the spells that keep the ever-burning fires in their homes and temples going. Aug 1-5 is Golden Week. It is when Shinare’s Scales are taken away from the public for the week, but brought back on the fifth day to a grand party at the Temple of Shinare in Solanthus. Aug 8 is Day of Hearing. It is a time for the Shinare clergy to listen to petitions, problems from locals and new projects or enterprises that might interest the church.

Sep 13 is when the Heroes Meet at the Inn of the Last Home. In addition to local celebrations, people travel from all over Ansalon to arrive in Solace on this day to visit the Inn where nine heroes who saved the world first met. Quivalen Soth’s poems are performed before hearths all over Ansalon, and spiced potatoes are served and effusive toasts made to peace. Sep 20-22 is the Crushing of Hope. It’s a time that the Ogres of Blöde and Kern set aside their rivalries for three days in the harvest season so that they can participate in the sacking of human and elven communities. Sep 22 is Orkusnacht and Harvest Come. On Orkusnacht, the Chemosh clergy perform blasphemous rites, begging for their life and renewing their profane union with Chemosh. Harvest Come marks the beginning of the harvest season. It is a time of festivals and feasts in praise of the gods for the bounty of the land. Sep 25 is Qualintsalaroth. It marks the day when, facing overwhelming odds against the Dragonarmies, the elves abandoned their homeland. Oct 8 is Sargonnas’ Gauntlet. It is a day that worshippers engage in personal tests of endurance. Oct 12 is the Festival of Knights. The highlight of this celebration in honor of the knights is a public contest called the Knights’ Jest. Oct 15 is Festival of the Eye. In ancient times, when all three moons filled the sky at one time and formed what looked like a huge silver eye with a red iris and black pupil, this festival was celebrated by mages. Nov 13 is UpdateAndVerifyTheDetailsOfYourName Day. On this day, all gnomes line up at the Genealogy Guild to file the corrections, addenda, and clarifications to their names that have inevitably arisen during the previous year. Nov 16 is Rifarsdag. Ice Folk for “Reaver’s Day” is the day which was the anniversary of the death of Feal-thas. Nov 30 is All Cows Day. It is a day that celebrates cows in the kender city of Kendermore. December 6 is Thanks A Lot Day. On this date, kender give thanks for all the things that have dropped into their pockets in the past year. Dec 9-15 is Ironheight. This is a major dwarven festival held the week before the winter solstice began. This festival was created to honor the patron god of a dwarven family. Dec 10 is Kharas’ Shame. In remembrance of Kharas and his protest against the Dwarfgate War by shaving his beard, dwarves all around Ansalon tuck their beards into their shirts, hiding their pride. Dec 22 is Yule Welcoming. This is the first festival of winter celebrated in Istar. It normally ended early so people could get sleep for the other Yule parties. Dec 25 is Brothersbane. On this day, over two centuries ago, the Dwarfgate War came to its dire and catastrophic end. Ever since, many hill and mountain dwarves set aside their tools and spend their time in silent contemplation of the doom that befell their forebears as the mage Fistandantilus destroyed the plains of Dergoth, wiping both armies from the face of Krynn.

And those are all the major and minor holidays with specific dates or references to times of the year that I could source. This makes the Dragonlance calendar one that is infinitely interesting, and helpful to all campaigns, and now you can use this video as a reference.

Outro

But that is all I have to say about the Dragonlance Calendar. What nation’s calendar names would you use? Do you have any favorite Dragonlance holidays? And finally, do you use the different nations’ languages in your campaign, or do you default to common? Leave a comment below. 

I would like to take a moment and remind you to subscribe to this YouTube channel, ring the bell to get notified about upcoming videos and click the like button. This all goes to help other Dragonlance fans learn about this channel and its content. Thank you for watching, this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga and until next time, remember: 

Lunitari’s idish, shirak, damen du! For god’s sake, light, damn you!

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