Veskaren Calendar

This is the primary method of timekeeping across Veskar. Invented by the Eshen Dray, some version of it has been adopted by all major civilizations on the continent, with only minor regional variations. Its design is lunar in nature, rooted in the sacred traditions of the old Yavinian faith, which held the moon as a divine presence.

Moons

Time is measured in moons, each marking a full lunar cycle. A single moon lasts either 29 or 30 days, alternating to match the average cycle of 29.5 days. Each new moon begins with the moon’s reappearance in the night sky.

There are 13 moons per year, totaling 383 days. However, a full Veskaren year lasts 401 days, leaving 18 surplus days that fall outside the moons. These days are not part of any moon, and do not disrupt the rhythm of the lunar cycle. The moons continue on, uninterrupted—like weeks do across our own months.

This is why moons are not named and are rarely numbered. They exist as a continuous cycle, separate from the years themselves. People do not speak of “the fifth moon of the year,” but of specific days and years.

Weeks

Each moon is divided into four weeks, each lasting 7 days. This accounts for 28 days, leaving 1 or 2 days at the end of each moon that are not part of any week. These are typically referred to as new-moon days. They are considered transitional periods, times of rest or ritual, where people get ready for the arrival of the next moon. The reappearance of the moon is often celebrated on a smaller scale, a remnant of a time when the moon was held as sacred, this is mostly a Yavinian thing, though.

Surplus Days

Besides thirteen full-length moons, there are 18 surplus days. These will nearly always be partially at the beginning, and partially at the end of the year, because moons keep going independent of the year cycle.

Year 0

The calendar begins with the founding of the Eshen Dray, which is designated as Year 0. The calendar itself was formalized twelve years later, but all years are still counted from that origin. This marks the beginning of recorded history for most Veskaren nations. They also designed it such that the first year started with a full lunar cycle.

Cycles and Clusters

Years are grouped into cycles, each consisting of 30 years. These cycles were originally a religious concept but have since taken on political and historical importance.

Cycle Naming

In Westingham and its tributary states, cycles are traditionally named after the monarch or dominant ruler during that period. If a monarch has already had a cycle named after them, a notable rival or foreign ruler may be chosen instead.

This naming tradition has caused tension over time. Non-Western nations, particularly the elves, have abandoned the use of cycle names, seeing them as biased and repetitive due to their longer lifespans and reduced representation.

Most nations now refer to the year number alone, without the cycle name.

Clusters

Thirty cycles form a cluster—a span of 900 years. Clusters were once spiritually significant under the old Yavinian faith but are now mostly obsolete. A few scholarly institutions still track them for historical classification. The only people who still celebrate the passing and coming of clusters are those who still adhere to the old faith. Especially in the Onifnechi lands.