World Basics

Welcome to Northern Esseas!

Northern Esseas works much in the same way as our own world. Expect metaphysics to work int he same way (yes even those pesky tides will work similarly), there are 24 hours in a day, and the world is punctuated by distinct seasons, be that four in the North, or a Wet/Dry cycle in the south. The Region of Kirkwall, within the Ondari Dominion where the campaign is set to start should be considered on a similar biome/latitude to the our own. Much of the Northern regions can be thought of very strongly like the Canadian Shield of Northern Ontario and the Rocky Mountains out west. by the time you reach the Southern Free Marches of Kargenras the terrain is more akin to areas like the Canadian Territories. As you proceed further north still you arrive at the tundra that mirrors the tundra/taiga of Northern Canada and Alaska along the coast of the Arctic ocean.

Of Time and Calendars

Although a number of means exist for marking the days and the passage of time during a year, nearly all folk in Esseas have adopted the Calendar of Harptaros. Even the cultures and races that don’t favor this method of marking time are aware of it, with the result that it is recognized across nearly all races, languages, and cultures.
A year on Othlorias consists of 365 days. In the Calendar of Harptaros, the year is divided into twelve months of thirty days (360), loosely following the synodic cycle of Selune, the larger of two moons of Othlorias. A month is made up of three tendays, also known as rides. Five annual holidays, falling between the months, complete the 365-day calendar. Once every four years, the Calendar of Harptaros includes Shieldmeet as a “leap day” following Midsummer. Individual days of a tenday have no special names (there's no "monday" or "tuesday"). Instead, they are denoted by counting from the beginning of the period (“first day,” “second day,” and so on). Days of the month are designated by a number and the month name. For example, sages would record an event as occurring on “1 Mirtul” or “27 Uktar.” People might also refer to a given day by its relationship to the current date (“two tendays from today”) or the nearest holiday (“three days past Greengrass”). Every nation, faith, and culture across Othlorias has its own special festivals and holidays, the observances of which are governed by the cycles of the sun, the moon, the stars, or some other event. In addition, the Calendar of Harptos specifies five annual festivals keyed to the changing of the seasons and one quadrennial festival that are observed in almost every land, with particular celebrations varying based on local traditions and popular faiths.
Midwinter. The first festival day of the year is known generally as Midwinter, though some people name it differently. Nobles and monarchs of the Heartlands look to the High Festival of Winter as a day to commemorate or renew alliances. Commoners in the North, the Moonsea, and other, colder climes celebrate Deadwinter Day as a marking of the midpoint of the cold season, with hard times still ahead, but some of the worst days now past.
Greengrass. The traditional beginning of spring, Greengrass is celebrated by the display of freshly cut flowers (grown in special hothouses wherever the climate doesn’t permit flowers so early) that are given as gifts to the gods or spread among the fields in hopes of a bountiful and speedy growing season. Greengrass festivals are particularly lively in areas where farming communities are common, such around the Sea of Ulmo, the Kingdom of Tiriande, and the Halfling home of The Moot. Most pay homage to Ghyran - Goddess of Life, Beasts, Forests and Spring on the day of Greengrass.
Midsummer. The midpoint of summer is a day of feasting, carousing, betrothals, and basking in the pleasant weather. Storms on Midsummer night are seen as bad omens and signs of ill fortune, and sometimes interpreted as divine disapproval of the romances or marriages sparked by the day’s events.
Shieldmeet. The great holiday of the Calendar of Harptaros, Shieldmeet occurs once every four years immediately after Midsummer. It is a day for plain speaking and open council between rulers and their subjects, for the renewal of pacts and contracts, and for treaty making between peoples. Many tournaments and contests of skill are held on Shieldmeet, and most faiths mark the holiday by emphasizing one of their key tenets. The next Shieldmeet will be observed in 2958 5E.
High Harvestide. A day of feasting and thanks, Highharvestide marks the fall harvest. Most humans give thanks to Pelor on this day for a plentiful bounty before winter approaches. Many who make their living by traveling road or sea set out immediately following the holiday, before winter comes on in full force and blocks mountain passes and harbors.
The Feast of the Moon. As nights lengthen and winter winds begin to approach, the Feast of the Moon is the time when people celebrate their ancestors and their honored dead. During festivals on this day, people gather to share stories and legends, offer prayers for the fallen, and prepare for the coming cold. Within human lands, today is one of the few days that the Goddess of Souls and the Dead Mythrax receives widespread patronage, along with Shar - Twin Goddess of Night, Secrets, and Loss, Selûne - Twin Goddess of Illusion, Moonlight, Night, and Cegorach - God of Shadows, Trickery, and Deceit. It is also regarded as night of mischief and evils.

The Calendar of Harptos

Month	Name	Common Name
1	Jarron	Longnights
2	Faetren	Frostworn
Annual Holiday		Deep Winter
3	Morwen	Claw of Sunsets
4	Altruak	The Melting
Annual Holiday		Summers Dawn
5	Mirtul	Song of Storms
6	Kythorn	Time of Flowers
7	Flamerule	Summertide
Annual Holiday		Midsummer
Quadrennial Holiday		Shieldmeet
8	Argal	Highsun
9	Shetah	The Fading
Annual Holiday		Harvesttide
10	Marenoth	The Turning
11	Uktar	The Grey
12	Nightal	Creeping Frost
Annual Holiday		Feast of the Moon

Keeping Time from Day to Day

Most people don’t keep track of the time of day beyond notions such as “mid-morning” or “nigh sunset.” If people plan to meet at a particular time, they tend to base their arrangements around such expressions. The concept of hours and minutes exists mainly where wealthy people use clocks, but mechanical clocks are often unreliable, and rarely are two set to the same time. If a local temple or civic structure has a clock that tolls out the passing of the hours, people refer to hours as “bells,” as in “I’ll meet you at seven bells.”

Keeping History

The known history of the Esseas spans many thousands of years, extending back into the misty epochs of the creator races and the ages of the first nations beyond that even of the Elves and Dwarves. Comparatively recent history of the Fifth Epoch is the story of the rise and deeds of humans and other younger races. Wars and time have taken their toll on the institutional knowledge of the world and it's history. Few individuals know more than a couple decades worth of history outside of sages, scholars, and other particularly learned individuals, some of whom have been alive for the last few centuries of history. Few institutions still standing today contain information and history for long than the past thousand years; with much of what came before being long burned or lost to war.
Most common folk across the continent have little knowledge of, and little use for, events that have transpired far away in time and space; only knowing what has likely been taught to them of creation and myth through the local holy priests, and what larger news does travel through the local criers. Most towns will keep a limited record of their history in some fashion or another, but very few keep large collections of history. For such large repositories most have to visit the remaining ancient areas of the world, centers of learning, or delve deep in the ruins of the past.

Magic in the world

Magic permeates the world, but is imperceptible to most life forms. In many respects, it remains mysterious, because the majority of individuals can't see, touch or wield magic, and there remains a strong distrust of it in the more remote communities. Scholars refer to magic in the world by a number of different terms such as the Aetheric Tides, the Winds of Magic, or The Weave. But all have similar meaning, there is an invisible force in the world, that some beings are able to tap into which allows them to produce magic. They believe that just like ocean currents, they can vary in intensity from one region to another and change as time passes.
Explore Magic More
Mundane magical items like lanterns and potions are fairly common in large cities, as are magic shops; some of which can even make items for you. As one moves out from the big cities, magical items and shops become much less frequent and more esoteric. You are often more likely to find magic items for sale as a heirloom in a general store, or in the local adventurers guild hall, where a rival party may have fenced goods found on a recent job, than a dedicated magic shop.

Moons of Othlorias

Othlorias has two known moons that orbit the planet. Selûne, the larger and closer of the moons, is the herald of night travel and shines a bright blue-white when visible in the sky. Selûne is considered to be intrinsically tied to a God of it's namesake Selûne, the Moon Weaver, and is regarded by some as a creation of the Moon Weaver to watch over the just and hide those who require obfuscation. And Shar, the second moon of Othlorias, is much smaller and distant. With a slower rotation around the world and dark-purple coloration, Shar is often difficult to see among the stars of the night sky and nearly impossible to spot during the day. Little is known of Shar, it is tied to the Nightsister of Selûne, Shar , the Goddess of Night, Secrets, and Loss. Older cultures and texts speak of Shar as an omen of ill tidings, and that it has ties to the dead and underworld.

Currency and Trade

The nations of Othlorias all mint their own coins, and though some slight regional differences exist between currencies, all regions readily accept gold, silver, and copper coins. Spending money minted in Principality of Danothmire in the Kingdom of Tiriande might turn heads, but a gold coin is still a gold coin.
For the most part, coin is the established unit of trade. Bartering still exists on a good for goods type basis still exists in the more remote regions, and can be done in the large cities, but is far less common than the exchange of simple coins. few places are willing to deal on credit without being on a particularly good relationship with the customer, or the volume is closer to that of bank or large business. Platinum and electrum coins are rarely minted by modern nations, and most are valuable relics of eons gone past, but they are still considered legal tender if presented.

Technology

The level of technology in Othlorias is generally consistent with the technologies found in the Player’s Handbook. However, some Artificiers and tinkerers in esoteric corners of the world have made incredible advances in black powder technology, this is particularly true in the Grand Duchies of Aranoc. Cannons, mobile war engines, and even handheld pistols and muskets have begun to be used as weapons of war. But black powder weapons are very much not common, nor are they available to the general public. Only military engineers, special, and inventors have access to these powerful weapons. Statistics for weapons such as black powder barrels, pistols, and rifles are provided in chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. All items listed as “Renaissance Items” on the Firearms and Explosives tables exist in some form in Othlorias. Since these items can’t be purchased in a normal store, characters can only obtain them through theft, military service, or a suitable quest.
In addition, other technological examples include Airships run by mechano-tinkerers of the Gnomish Engineering Guilds. These airships are more common on the western continent of Tyrean, but are still considered rare and very valuable methods of travel. A ride on an airship is very expensive, and only the richest of the world own such means. In Esseas only a few airships have so far made the journey and remain to run routes around the continent.
The a magical ability to teleport is also a rare and esoteric power that few mages in today's world know. Research efforts continue day and night to develop better teleportation spells. Some places have a teleportation circle, but these take a great deal of time a resources to cast.