days of the week

[Munin]

I've started up a one-on-one FR campaign, and as I looked through the 'day in the life' section of the campaign book, I noticed something odd.

The Faerun...er Faerunian? month is divided into three 10-day weeks. Ok, good so far, but the days of the week are given numerical names. Firstday, Seconday, Thirday, etc.

That struck me as kind of odd, to say the least. Our days of the week have a history all to their own, and Forgotten Realms should also, or so I would think.

So I guess my question is how are DMs running Forgotten Realms handling this? Is there a substitute list somewhere, perhaps in an older setting book, that has a little more flavor?

 

[Hand of Evil]

I've started up a one-on-one FR campaign, and as I looked through the 'day in the life' section of the campaign book, I noticed something odd.

The Faerun...er Faerunian? month is divided into three 10-day weeks. Ok, good so far, but the days of the week are given numerical names. Firstday, Seconday, Thirday, etc.

That struck me as kind of odd, to say the least. Our days of the week have a history all to their own, and Forgotten Realms should also, or so I would think.

So I guess my question is how are DMs running Forgotten Realms handling this? Is there a substitute list somewhere, perhaps in an older setting book, that has a little more flavor?

Due like JC pick the gods and name a day after them.

 

[SylverFlame]

Considering the number of religions and cultures present in Faerun, the names of the week make sense. How do you make a common naming system where one culture or religion is given presidence on a given day? Or, forbid it should happen, how would a group react to see their hated enemy given a day of the week that is sacred to their church?

By going with the non-commital "Firstday" and such, you avoid these problems, which make sense to me. However, if you dislike it, I would suggest you have various names for the days for various cultures. For instance, the Dalelands may name the first day of the week something different from what it is called in Sembia. Happy naming, and may I request you post some examples? I find this stuff interesting and would be more than happy to offer kudos for a job well done.

 

[the Jester]

Our months evolved in Roman times from a calendar with numbered names for months. October is a holdover from that; 'oct-' being eight. (It used to be the eighth month.)

 

[SylverFlame]

That is true that the romans originally based it on a number system, but it was also common for emperors to name months after themselves, reason for July (Julius) and August (Augustus).

 

[D+1]

So I guess my question is how are DMs running Forgotten Realms handling this? Is there a substitute list somewhere, perhaps in an older setting book, that has a little more flavor?

I have generally run it by ignoring it since my players ignore it. New names for the months, days of the week, etc. probably would add a little more atmosphere to the game if anyone paid attention or cared. So, basically I just use the regular real-world calendar or very minor variations (12 months have 30 days each, etc.) that the players just don't care about.

I figure a complex calendar with all new names for everything is a little like trying to keep accurate track of rations or encumbrance. You don't want to completely ignore it, but there are simply better things to spend gaming time on or attention to. It remains a little pointless side-project for each campaign I start to decide on the calendar details that the players will never see or care about.

 

[AeroDm]

I figure a complex calendar with all new names for everything is a little like trying to keep accurate track of rations or encumbrance. You don't want to completely ignore it, but there are simply better things to spend gaming time on or attention to. It remains a little pointless side-project for each campaign I start to decide on the calendar details that the players will never see or care about.

Ahh... so true. I usually make calendars but I take special care to make them simple enough that people will use them without trying. The FR calendar is actually really good in this regard. In fact, although I can't recall off the top of my head, the FR calendar actually ahs a bit of flavor ingrained into it. In the firstday, seconday section tehy talk about counting the days on fingers, and then how halfling count backwards which created some cultural saying. Not sure how much flavor you want to put into your days of the week, but FR would fulfill my needs were I to be using the setting.

 

[clark411]

If you care to think of it as such, the given FR calendar is sort of a "Common" calendar.

The wizard of Thay and knight of Cormyr can agree to meet on the Second Ninthday of the month. The Thayan can then think of it as (insert Thayan cultural name of day) and the Cormyr chap can think of it as (insert Cormyrian cultural name of day). Just have to make various calendars for each major culture and never touch them as the players nod at the flavor but, like your average Faerunian adventurer, clings to the utility and simplicity of a rather soulless, strictly numerical, calendar.

Unless FR has had one empire that has spanned most of it (I'm not really down with it) that isn't totally forgotten, unless one major culture spawned all the smaller ones, it's not likely that the cultures would share the same names for the calendar. If it did (whatiscalled, Nethersomething Empire), perhaps having really interesting dark old names, and a slew of more modern cultural names, would be of help and value to creating a tone to your game.

 

[tarchon]

That is true that the romans originally based it on a number system, but it was also common for emperors to name months after themselves, reason for July (Julius) and August (Augustus).

Well, I don't know about "common," since it only happened twice. Or I guess I should say it only took twice - I vaguely recall a a vain attempt to name September after someone, but it wasn't widely accepted.

 

[Tonguez]

Considering the number of religions and cultures present in Faerun, the names of the week make sense. How do you make a common naming system where one culture or religion is given presidence on a given day? Or, forbid it should happen, how would a group react to see their hated enemy given a day of the week that is sacred to their church?
.

But the common english day names are derived from Norse gods - so there is some cultural presidence occuring irl.
***********

I like the fact that FR put some effort into their calendar and even the blandness of the week names (which actually make sense in my mind
for instance if they were named: primo, segundo, tercer, cuarto etc would it be as much problem as firstday, secondday, thirdday and fourthday?)

Personally I use a 30 NIGHT per month calender starting with the new moon with each 'day' named for the phase of the moon (ie a Lunar Calendar) The 14 -16th days (Full Moon) are holy days.