Gorbesh Calendar (book)

The Gorbesh Calendar

BY Albinas Dinelt, Iyqaromos Gnome

The Gorbesh Calendar, sometimes called the Alaudian Calendar after the Founder of the Empire, is based upon the worship of the Gorbesh Gods. Because astrology and prophecy are such important concepts within the religious views of this people, the calendar is also closely tied to that.

We have no real concrete historical point at which the calendar was first established. However, almost every Gnomic scholar who has studied the Empire intensively believes that "Alaudian Calendar" is a misnomer. It is believed, and the evidence would seem to support this, that the calendar far, far predates the arrival of Xin'Alaudas, his unification of the Gorbesh, and ascension as a god. The primary reason we believe this? Through vigorous research, many scholars have almost been able to pinpoint the dates (or, at least, general timeframes) of several major Gorbesh war campaigns while they were still a tribal people. These time frames align with the "35th Year" significance of the calendar, with research showing that the battles may in fact have taken place during what are now called Prime Years. And not just within a singular tribe! Rather, the importance seems to have been understood by all the fractured Gorbesh tribes, indicating to, at least some Gnomes, that there was a great unifying force within the race prior to Xin'Alaudas's coming, and that it was during that time that the calendar was devised, and that later, the people became sundered again later. But aside from the dating evidence, we cannot prove that -- we know not what might have brought the people together or torn them apart; we know not when such a time would have occurred, nor what would have taken place during it.

But! On to the calendar itself. While "Alaudian Calendar" is a popular term, reverent to the most beloved god, we Gnomic researchers prefer the simpler "Gorbesh Calendar."

Within this calendar, a year contains four hundred days. Thirty-five years constitute what is known as a Cycle, a period of history within the Gorbesh Empire. Every year has a name (which I'll explain in a moment), and the first year and last year of the cycle have two names -- the Prime Year and the Death Year. Again, more on that a bit later.

The names of the planets, and what establishes the Cycles, are formed by combining two planets to form a pairing. There are twelve planets in the sky, exluding, of course, our own. Five of these planets are interior, while seven are outer. The five interior planets only get so far away from the sun, never achieving full opposition with it (opposition, of course, being one hundred and eighty degrees). The outer planets can achieve full opposition. While these facts do not have a huge impact on the calendar and on dating, they are significant for astrological purposes, so it is worth mentioning all the same.

The sun represents a sort of beginning. Creation. Perfection. It is the birthplace of dragons, and its flames are the givers of life. Because of this, proximity to the sun is seen as representing power.

Thus, the five inner planets are seen as symbols of the male gods, while the five outer planets represent the goddesses. The most powerful of all is Xosedas, or as our Kermorian brothers call it, Verena.

Ah! This is a good segue, isn't it? We here in Albaria have different names for the planets than you folk in Kermoria. Let me list them.

                                                       
             Inner Planets                             
     ----------------------------                      
     Verena               Xosedas                      
     Estrilda             Avieben                      
     Durgaulda            Tliij                        
     Yoakena              Eimarqe                      
     Penhetia             Sidasas                      

             Outer Planets                             
     ----------------------------                      
     Szeldia              Osec                         
     Merewalda            Alauven                      
     Ismenia              Aneus                        
     Morleena             Maeben                       
     Amlothi              Misueshi                     
     Dawgolesh            Ileirek                      
     Er'Qutra             Kneisa                       

Each year in the Gorbesh Calendar is, as mentioned above, named by the forming of one of the inner planets with one of the outer planets; a pairing of one god to one goddess. They progress like so:

                                                       
     Xosedas -  Osec                                   
     Avieben -  Alauven                                
     Tliij   -  Aneus                                  
     Eimarqe -  Maeben                                 
     Sidasas -  Misueshi                               
     Xosedas -  Ileirek                                
     Avieben -  Kneisa                                 
     Tliij   -  Osec                                   
     Eimarqe -  Alauven                                
     Sidasas -  Aneus                                  
     Xosedas -  Maeben                                 
     Avieben -  Misueshi                               
     Tliij   -  Ileirek                                
     Eimarqe -  Kneisa                                 
     Sidasas -  Osec                                   
     Xosedas -  Alauven                                

And so on, creating a 35-year cycle. In terms of dating anything according to the Gorbesh Calendar, it is of critical importance to include the name of each year.

In Kermorian terms and naming, the cycles would progress as:

     Verena    -  Szeldia                              
     Estrilda  -  Merewalda                            
     Durgaulda -  Ismenia                              
     Yoakena   -  Morleena                             
     Penhetia  -  Amlothi                              
     Verena    -  Dawgolesh                            
     Estrilda  -  Er'Qutra                             
     Durgaulda -  Szeldia                              
     Yoakena   -  Merewalda                            
     Penhetia  -  Ismenia                              
     Verena    -  Morleena                             
     Estrilda  -  Amlothi                              
     Durgaulda -  Dawgolesh                            
     Yoakena   -  Er'Qutra                             
     Penhetia  -  Szeldia                              
     Verena    -  Merewala                             

THE PRIME YEAR

---

The Prime Year is the first year, Xosedas-Osec, of every Cycle. These years are times of great significance and consequence. The Empire frequently holds expansive yearlong festivals during Prime Years, or great war campaigns. New buildings or cities are begun during Prime Years, as are the raising of new monuments to generals, emperors, priests, or gods. The gods themselves are always honored most highly during the Prime Years.

THE DEATH YEAR

---

The Death Year, Sidasas-Kneisa, is the final year of every cycle. The Death Year represents the end of an age, and the coming start of a new period of history. This year is when all those lost during the previous cycle are honored. The Skalds of the Empire, during the Death Year, compose great epic scrolls containing the record of events for what has happened during that cycle, immortalizing the people, the events, the victories for all time. The Death Year, Year of Sraxaec and Aliesa together, represents both death and new life.