The World of Vala: Epochs and Calendar
Vala, the original God of Creation, utilizes a standard calendar that goes back thousands of years. These years are broken up by sections of time called Epochs. Vala, in its authority, has created Epochs to not only track the years but also the major events that shape its realm. This control over its calendar system is a testament to Vala’s influence.
Epochs:
-
The Endless was Time, existing in one moment, stretched for eons as wonderful, joyful, and vibrant as nothing since. It was an ever-expanding magical paradise where everything lived in harmony with each other. With no mortal life born into the world, spirits lived in harmony in this forever singular moment. It was during this epoch that mortals were introduced into the world. This occurrence led to most of the ills that are still impacting the World of Vala now. While the world is aware of many pivotal events during this epoch, many mysteries remain.
-
The Astral Epoch introduced the concept of time to the world. No longer was the world limitless; restraints began to appear as more concrete rules were established by the Astral Gods. At the same time, Humans began to spread out and dominate the world of Vala, as the other races were hidden away by their Gods, leaving Human growth unchecked.
-
Displeased with the uncontrolled growth of humans and the devastation they brought upon the world, Vala, the God of Creation, initiated a war against them, with the support of their enemy, Vano, the God of Destruction. The tide of the war turned when a being known as The Prophet was bestowed with the power to manipulate mana by the Astral Gods. The Prophet, aided by the Vessels of the Astral Gods, bravely fought back against the two powerful Gods. The Prophet’s actions led to the sealing of Vala and the destruction of Vano’s physical form, but also brought about the rise of Vaconics, the seeds of the larger God of Destruction.
-
The Scarlet Epoch began with the spilling of blood. Ready to usher in an era of piece the Prophet was murdered by his son. This murderer took on the title of “The Scarlett King” and subjugated the world of Vala. Humans and spirits fell underneath the Scarlet King’s power. It wasn’t until a legendary healer by the name of the Phoenix built an alliance of Humans and Spirits as the two groups worked together that they were able to take down the Scarlett King. After the victory, Phoenix established the druidic order to ensure the balance between mortals and spirits.
-
The Scarlet Epoch began with the spilling of blood. Ready to usher in an era of piece the Prophet was murdered by his son. This murderer took on the title of “The Scarlett King” and subjugated the world of Vala. Humans and spirits fell underneath the Scarlet King’s power. It wasn’t until a legendary healer by the name of the Phoenix built an alliance of Humans and Spirits as the two groups worked together that they were able to take down the Scarlett King. After the victory, Phoenix established the druidic order to ensure the balance between mortals and spirits.
-
The Supernova Epoch was a time of human heroes the likes the world has never seen. These four heroes were knights from various diffrent elemental nations united in one common cause: End Centuries of Conflict. This Epoch is dominated by the dismantling of some of the structures of war and ushered in a new age of tense cooperation between the elemental nations. A Earth, sending its people into squalor.
-
While ultimately a short period, The ramifications of the Barberi Epoch were felt throughout time. This started when Angelo Barberi encountered a young academic, Adesina Talon, who flipped her life upside down. Due to the interference of Angelo Barberi, the world nearly came to an end, but it also brought about the return of Divinity within the World of Vala as well as the reuniting of all mortal races underneath one peaceful treaty, establishing new nations in the world.
-
The Peace Epoch is characterized by almost a century of growth across the nations of Vala. Without any large conflicts, the nations stabilized underneath their power as the world became used to just how weird it could get. During this time, the nation of Alexandria rose to prominence as a nation dedicated to Academia, as many students flocked to the nation to study and become druids.
-
The Wrath Epoch began when the God of Wrath, Ivan Folgore, ascended to Divinity. As he attempted to solidify his power, he helped bring back the Dragons, the original children of Vala. Their return ushered in a new period of chaos for the World of Vala. We find ourselves in this epoch as player characters working together to bring order to a world that is reeling from turmoil.
Calendar:
Impacted by the types of magic now available across the realm, the World of Vala utilizes a new 12-month calendar; each month has 28 days, 7 days a week, making a year 324 days long. The name of the months in order are Bitterwind, Spiritwalk, Frostwane, Rainfall, Palesun, Warcry, Knightfall, Firemoot, Firewane, Longnight, Snowmoot, Yearsend.
-
Month Description: Bitterwind is named aptly, it is when winter is at its fiercest. Possessing little of the picturesque snow that accompanies Yearsend, it instead is full of frost, ice, and powerfully strong, chilly winds. Though it marks the beginning of the year, it is rarely met with enthusiasm as it often still has long nights, is cold, and crops rarely grow at this time of the year.
Notable Dates:
4th - First Day of Spring Semester.
21st - The Trouble: A fair about getting into and out of trouble: teams devise cunning traps that the other team must escape from, then they switch. This stems from when the community’s forefathers organized an incredible jailbreak to run from an authoritarian leader and set up their own independent state.
-
Month Description: The month when the veil between the different realms was at its thinnest, in ancient times, the month of Spiritwalk was so named because Spirits of the dead “walked the streets.” Spiritwalk has always been associated with death and change, honoring the dead and ancestors, and celebrating the lives of past loved ones.
Notable Dates:
14th - The Wardens Gauntlet: In ancient times a volcanic eruption uncovered ancient masks. Once putting on the masks, people discovered that they were granted a limited form of fire manipulation after sundown. During this celebration, people make their own masks and attempt to control the fire.
-
Month Description: This is the month where the icy frosts slowly start to melt, and heat begins to gradually make its way back into the days.
Notable Dates:
18th - Grey Snow Day: In ancient times a volcanic eruption uncovered ancient masks. Once putting on the masks, people discovered that they were granted a limited form of fire manipulation after sundown. During this celebration, people make their own masks and attempt to control the fire.
-
Month Description: Traditionally the month when intense storms are most likely, the change of temperature from freezing cold to temperate brings with it much in the way of rain and, usually, storms.
Notable Dates:
28th - Battle of the Rock: On this day every year, the nation splits into two teams. Using the whole nation as a playing field, they attempt to push a boulder towards the opposite side of the nation. The winning team must push the ball into the outskirts of the opposing side. Those who cheat or intentionally hurt others are looked down upon by their peers.
-
Month Description: Containing the consistently hottest days of the year, the month of Warcry is when the sun shines its brightest (though not necessarily longest). Production is at its highest during this month as well, and it is considered a month of hard work and hard play.
Notable Dates:
15th - Ale Day: A holiday that simply commemorates the invention of everyone’s favorite drink.
23rd - Run of the Sashes: To celebrate merry revolution and the purge of royal lineages. Groups and families prepare mannequins adorned with colorful sashes, each trying to make theirs the most elaborate and festive. The mannequins are then hoisted on poles and carried through the city. The group race from royal areas to the city gates. People line the streets and try to grab and tear handfuls of the sashes and ornamentation off as the mannequins pass. The atmosphere is very festive with public drunkenness and groups of young people chasing after the mannequins.
26th - Final Day of Spring Semester.
-
Month Description: Containing the longest days of the month (or rather the most extended amount of sunshine and the least amount of darkness), Knightfall is a month where merriment and leisure become more critical; it is the month after all the most demanding work is done and before crops need to start to be brought in and when the common folk has more time to pursue non-work interests.
Notable Dates:
18th - The Betrothment Battle Ale Day: Hand-to-hand fighters from across the realm come to Luloba to prove their mettle, and rings are prepared for non-tournament participants to settle small arguments that have built up over the year. Named for a famous fight at the wedding of a Mayor’s son and one of the prominent merchant’s daughters that saw the merchant, the mayor, and most of their families tear apart the public house, the tavern, and a stable in an hour-long fight.
-
Month Description: Firemoot is so named because it is when harvest begins as the sun’s fire begins to ebb and flow when the first crops are ready to be sowed. A busy time for farmers and other individuals who live off the land or rely on it for their way of life, it is a less active time for urban communities who use the time (and the often good weather) to concentrate on politics, diplomacy and other matters of state.
Notable Dates:
4th - First Day of Fall Semester
18th - Festival of Letters: A grand book and scroll fair where attendees get together and have contests of words. It is an homage to the Renaissance of prose across the land, where it is legend that all of the world’s greatest writers were suddenly struck with inspiration.
-
Month Description: The weather begins to turn colder in Firewane, and it marks the beginning of Autumn. It is so named because it is the time when the fire of the sun starts to go out.
Notable Dates:
28th - International Festival of the Arts: For months before this day, beings all across the material plane prepare songs, plays, paintings, and many other forms of art to celebrate art in its purest form.
-
Month Description: Longnight is the time of year when the Void is closest to the material world. The sun doesn’t come out in Longnight; it is just one endless night.
Notable Dates:
Entire Month - The Twilight Tournament: For the entire month of Longnight the entire city of Alexandria transforms into Battle City as combatants from all around the world take part in the Twilight Tournament, for various prizes.
-
Month Description: During Snowmoot snow begins to fall within the World of Vala. It is the time of year that is marked by preparation for the coming cold season.
Notable Dates:
28th - Wishmore Night: This festival is held at the docks. All walks of life are included and encouraged to mingle with each other. Everyone, either individually or in groups, creates floating wreaths in whatever way they want to present them. At midnight when the water is still, the city leader will wade out into the water and release their wreath first as an offering to Vala. Everyone, in turn, will release theirs following the leadership before returning to the festivities, which will often go long into the next night.
-
Month Description: Yearsend is a cold, often snowy month when temperatures drop to uncomfortable levels, crops cannot grow, and life is often hard. The beginning part of the month is a busy time when people prepare for the winter ahead, stockpiling what they need to see them through until Frostwane. The latter part of the month is when families generally get together to celebrate the passing of the year and look back upon it, with Yearsend Celebrations that lead through into the new year, where they are replaced with Bitterwind festivities. In effect, they have four weeks of celebration when there is little to do but huddle around fires and tell stories.
Notable Dates:
26th - Final Day of Fall Semester
28th - Winter’s Witch Festival: They say that the Winter Witch (who is the spirit of winter) is dull and dreary but can be driven away with humor and merriment. Citizens celebrate by erecting bonfires, and once the sun touches the horizon, they are set alight. They drink mulled wine, play games in the snow, and sing crude songs to drive the Winter Witch away.
