progressus imprimis

Of the Reckoning of the Calendar

The calendar commonly observed in the realms is based on a system of three uneven seasons. The first season, Propertentua, of 199 days, comprises fourteen months. These months vary in length between three and 38 days. Planting season nominally commences with Mostmotheringrath, and Molmeet, a celebration invoking fetility, is traditionally held in the last weekend of Grath in almost all cultures. In most years, however, actual planting doesn't begin until nearer the middle of the month.

The second season is called Properpostua and comprises the same months as Propertentua with the omission of Slake, while Grath is reduced in length to only a single day. The other months of this season last from four to 24 days. In total there are 138 days in the second season.

Disperpentua, the third season, rounds out the year, and is usually considered lost time, or holiday time. It consists of three segments totalling alternately 26 and 33 days. Years are identified alternately by a number, or a number suffixed by the letter "a", for example 1219, 1219a, 1220, 1220a, etc. The years bearing the "a" suffix are the long ("plusperpentual") years with a 33 day Disperpentua. Years then, are 363 days in length, or 370 during plusperpentual years.

Months of the year

The following tables list the names of the months, their most common abbreviations, and their lengths.

Propertentua / Properpostua

Month Abbrev Length
Hayfarthing Hayf. 10/7
Midmotheringhay Mmh. 15/5
Profarthing Prof. 10/10
Midmester Mms. 8/15
Prodmester Prdm. 9/12
Pentuber Pnt. 18/4
Postertuber Ptt. 3/5
Slake Sla. 16
Grath Gra. 19/1
Mostmotheringrath Mmg. 20/24
Hipsember Hip. 11/18
Dipnorther Dip. 4/18
Extember Xtm. 18/7
Extorber Xtb. 38/12
Total 199/138

Disperpentua

Segment Length
I 10
II 10
III(IIIa) 6(13)
Total 26(33)

New years

New normal (363-day) years begin on the night of winter solstice, that is, at midnight of longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere. A typical plusperpentual Disperpentua IIIa is 13 days as recorded above, but it is periodically (every 9th year or so) shortened by one day to account for forward drift due to disagreement between the length of the calendar and solar years.

Days of the week

Mercifully, the week comprises seven days in a repeating sequence, except on rare occasions when the sequence is reset for overwhelming astrological or religious reasons. Hunsdig is the traditional start of the week, and an auspicious day for shearing, sowing or beginning new things. Pansdig and Puppersdig follow, traditional days for not feeling like doing much of anything. Next come Altersdig and Blandersdig, and finally the traditional errand-day Pandersgate, and cleaning- and bathing-day, Macallary.

It should be noted that some months of the year are shorter than a full week, and since birthday celebration timing traditionally takes the day of the week into account, people must often improvise, temporarily adopting a different month, or doubling-up some years. This phenomenon also leads to such idioms as "the third Blandersdig in Postertuber", i.e., "never".

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