Oak and Laurel Cycle

The Oak and Laurel Cycle is an astronomical cycle of 18 years between eclipses.

The first nine years are referred to as an "Oak Year" and the second "Laurel Year" this is used to also determine personality traits and superstitions. It is notable because souls take flight during solar eclipses, and essentially unless action is taken by humans or creatures, beings only truly die during these eclipses. Many, many species have evolved to go dormant to extend their lifespans. Every 375 years there is a phenomenon called "Indifferent Sun" where a lot of upheavals happen, and the two main laws of nature known as the Bone Queen Law and the Blood King Law cause ecological events.

The Celestial Bodies Involved:

• The Sun: Known as Mir or Heul in mythology
• The Moon: Known as Maud or Loer in mythology

How local or globalized are the effects?

• Global, though the “Indifferent Sun”, where the total eclipse is visible from where the Island of Woad, happens much less frequently 

How does it look or manifest?

• On the Island of Woad, souls (the breath of life or animus) are cycled every eighteen years, which means they remain trapped in the organism to which they are tied to until the next eclipse
• This means, on the surface, that most species only “die” in eighteen year intervals, though through Chloromancy, the soul can sometimes be expelled or consumed.
• When someone is killed, their body has to be burned to ash, specifically with petroleum or fossil fuel, in order for the soul to take flight
• If someone has a terminal illness or degenerative illness due to aging, the body will hang on until the next cycle begins before dying, which means hospice and palliative care is very important to many cultures

How does it affect the animals and plants of the world?

• Many species have learnt to lengthen their lifespan by going into hibernation during reproductive/mating seasons, particularly the Cynipina and Locii who take 9-year hibernations that seem to prolong their days and keep them from aging
• There are certain forests that are exempt from this, such as the Eskern Forest, where for every one year outside the forest, nine pass inside the forest, causing rapid aging when those who live in the forest leave

How does it affect the people of this world?

• Many peoples have found ways around the aging process in places like Eskern, particularly using chloromancy or lithomancy, but also descendants of Locii and other creatures who are native to the forest automatically have extended lifespans
• A lot of research, astrology, religion, and esoteric practices revolve around the mysteries of the Oak and Laurel cycle, but little of it is cohesive, and a lot of the ways to “get around it” don’t work. 
• There’s also the problem of when murders or hunts are attempted, because the person will remain alive in theory, and other parasites or organisms may decide to use their body parts as a host.