The Ma'runal Calendar

Bitter Frost Moon

The first month of the Ma'runal Calendar, Bitter Frost Moon is named for it's extremely cold temperatures and constant frosts. For 33 days, the people of Ma'rune hunger for warmth and lighter days, unable to do much outside of spending time with friends and family.

In the north eastern regions, temperatures can dip so low at night that it becomes dangerous to venture out of your own home. It remains a constant cold throughout the entire month, only beginning to warm on the last three days.

In the southern and western regions, the cold is not nearly as biting, but it can still be dangerous if one is not prepared. Hail sweeps across the land rather than snow, covering region in a thin layer of ice and frost come the morning sunrise. For these regions, it begins to warm again around two thirds of the way through the month.

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Frosts End Moon

A slow transition from the cold, frost bitten mornings to cooler, brighter days. Frosts End Moon signals the end of the winter weather. For 35 days, the people can prepare to sow the seeds of this years harvest and can take solace in the fact that warmer days lie ahead.

For most, the early days are still somewhat frosty, but as the month progresses the sun begins to rise earlier, as do the people. The temperature becomes a bearable cold rather than remain a dangerous one.

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Blooming Moon

Under the Blooming Moon, the flowers begin to grow, opening themselves to the warmth of the springtime sun. Over 32 days, the trees fill to the brim with bright, shimmering leaves, and the fields become awash with a sea of colour - from the red roses to the sunflowers and bluebells.

During this month you will see the markets open earlier and merchants packing up their wares later into the day. Farmers roam the field tending to their crops as the sun shines down overhead. When the rain comes, the showers last for hours before the sun peaks through the clouds once more.

For those to the south east, a darkened sky overhead often signals an oncoming storm, set to hammer down on the land for days at a time before the skies clear.

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Hunters Moon

As the days begin to lengthen and the temperatures continue to rise, the woodland creatures grow brave once more. For those skilled with a bow, their trade flourishes during this month - supplying delicate meats to chefs and cooks, bone and animal horns to various craftsman, and fur and hide to the textile workers.

Over the course of 36 days, the weather fluctuates from cloudy days to light showers and clear skies. It is difficult for one to predict what tomorrow's weather will bring, but the people can take comfort in the knowledge that no matter what, there will always be a creature to hunt.

For those who follow the ways of the Nightsinger, the Hunters Moon represents the Great Hunt that Valis and Sar would partake in year after year, all those millennia ago.

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Heart Fire Moon

Across all of Ma'rune, the Heart Fire Moon is undoubtedly the warmest month. For 37 days, the temperatures remain a constant, sometimes unbearable high, and the skies are almost always clear. As the beginning of the summer months - and the hottest of them - the people deemed this month 'the heart' of summer, and so eventually it became known to all as the Heart Fire Moon.

To those who make their home in the south, the air is thick and muggy. Day long, refreshing thunderstorms follow after four or five days of solid sunshine and heat, bringing about a cooler period before the temperatures rise once more.

On the opposite end of the scale, those in the north experience a dry heat. They often go for for weeks at a time before they are finally blessed with a rainy day, and their fields often experience long droughts.

Fire Fall Moon

Mid summer, where the heat is more manageable - cooler and without the dry air to the north, or lacking the humid air in the south. For many, the Fire Fall Moon is a time of relaxation, rest, and recuperation. Overcast skies and light showers are common during this month, and as the days begin to grow shorted once more, the people spend time mingling with each other and celebrating a variety of festivities.

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Waning Light Moon

As the days continue to shorten, the people get to work once more. Farmers tend to their crops in preparation for next months harvest. For many, days under the Waning Light Moon are spent tending to their livestock and the newborns that are finding their feet, from the lambs and calves, to the chicks foals.

In particular, for those who are followers of the Church of Van-Hael, the Waning Light Moon is a time of religious devotion and practice.

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Harvest Moon

The first month of the gleaning season, named for the harvests that occur across Ma'rune during this time. The days shorten and cool, and where once they were filled with sunshine, now they see constant showers and chilly breezes.

A shared festival across Ma'rune is a celebration of the harvest. Though it has many different names and is celebrated at different times throughout the month depending on where are, it is a time where people share the food the have gathered and their stories of consequence from the current year.

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Dusk Soar Moon

Under the Dusk Soar Moon, the rain showers continue - a telltale sign of the gleaining season. The winds are also harsher and faster, often bringing devastation in their wake for those living in the western regions. With most of the farming work done and out of the way, many of the common-folk spend their days tending to livestock or completing necessary tasks to help around their community. A lot of the time, this will include fishing, woodcutting, mining, or participating in the last few hunts of the year depending on where in the world they are situated.

It is also seen as a very communal month, before the harsh colds begin to settle in. Many communities will have hearth fires in the centre of their villages or towns at least once a week to encourage mingling between friends and strangers, and to keep spirits up before the winter hits.

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Snow Fall Moon

The first month of winter, and the final month of the year. Named for the snow that falls throughout the month - lighter in north western regions, barely ever reaching an inch before it melts, and heavier in the southern and eastern regions.

To celebrate the winter solstice and the passing of the year, families will present gifts to each other and their friends - most often practical gifts that will help them to face their burdens in the new year.