#appendices

[likesdoodling]

>:)

[midstpodcast]

Season 3, Episode XV Appendices 🔎 | A Central Vault Schematic

[mochatroping]

This moment from The Hobbit's Appendices 11 hits differently after Rings of Power, tbh

[warrioreowynofrohan]

Favourite Chapter of The Lord of the Rings - Poll 7 of 8

The winners of previous rounds are:

The Fellowship of the Ring: “Strider” and “The Council of Elrond”

The Two Towers: “Treebeard” and “The Window on the West”

The Return of the King: “The Battle of the Pelennor Fields” and “The Steward and the King”

Now, a round for the appendices and other supplementary material!

[whats-in-a-sentence]

The Line of the Dwarves of Erebor as it was set out by Gimli Glóin's son for King Elessar.

"The Lord of the Rings: Appendices - Appendix A" - J.R.R. Tolkien

[thefirstempress]

Appendix B: the Tollesian Pantheon

As an additional aid for readers of The First Empress, I typed up a short who's who of the deities mentioned in the story. None of the gods actually show up in the story, and I basically leave it up to readers whether or not said gods actually even exist. Thematically, I want the Tollesian gods to have a similar feel to the Greek Pantheon, without directly copying them straight across.

The Tollesian Pantheon: A Brief Who’s Who Among the First-Generation Tollesian Gods —By Zahnia, the Chronicler

The Tollesian Pantheon (known as the Vestic gods among many non-Tollesian theologians) refers to all of the gods worshiped by the Tollesian-speaking peoples. Like many pantheons, the hierarchy of the Tollesian gods consists of one or more Elder Gods or Titans who created the first generation of offspring gods, who in turn reproduced to create minor gods, demigods, and mortal heroes of divine parentage.

Like many creation stories, Tollesian folklore personifies the Sun as the ever-watchful father of his children here on Mother Earth. The first generation gods, or Titans, are children of the Sun and Earth, who are responsible for the caretaking of the planet and the wellbeing of her inhabitants. And though this volume focuses primarily on Arr and his better-known descendants, modern theologians and classicists estimate as many as five-hundred and seventy deities were worshiped over the course of the Classical-era, with dozens of gods and goddesses falling into and out of obscurity during that seven-hundred-year period. Tollesian legends also mention at least thirty Titans aside from Arr, as well as countless demigods and goddesses. Not to mention giants, monsters, muses, nymphs, wraiths, angels, demons, and even spirits of personified concepts, any of which may or may not also be demi-deities.

Arr God of fate, time, destiny, Tollesianism, judgment, heaven, loyalty, fidelity Patron cities: Aneth, Arr Patuna Symbols: clouds, sundials, scales, dogs, full circles

Arr is the father of the first generation of Tollesian gods and one of few remaining Titans not imprisoned in the Underworld. Having been betrayed by his fellow Titans and forced to imprison many of them during what Tollesian theologians call the Great Division, Arr is inherently mistrustful of deities outside his family and is even more mistrustful of foreigners who follow non-Tollesian gods. Arr is most popular among the more isolationist city-states upon the Vestic Sea. Non-Tollesian theologians often suggest that Arr’s judgmental attitude toward xenoi was the religious and thereby cultural cause of many Classical-Era Tollesians’ mistrust of foreigners and foreign gods.

Thanusa Goddess of death, rebirth, fertility, mortality, the cycle of life and death Patron Cities: Pultus, Tiphilia Symbols: rabbits, flowers, beehives, eggs, vulvas, skulls, the Phoenix

Thanusa is Arr’s wife, fellow Titan and mother of the first generation of Tollesian gods. It’s not ucommon for modern historians and worshippers to misunderstand Thanusa’s role as goddess of death in Classical Tollesian theology. Earlier portrayals depicted her as a guide or guardian ensuring that souls of those who’ve died find their way to the afterlife. Around the 320s AE the first tragedies and satires came out featuring Thanusa as a callow, unfeeling villainess who cut off lifelines of those whose time had come[1]. The worst offender was whichever playwright invented that trope where the hero or heroine saves their dying loved one by interrupting Thanusa before she can cut their lifeline. Discerning whether someone knows this is a popular method among modern classicists of sorting out the semi-educated.

AndivaGoddess of justice, order, law, civilization, expansion, spread of Tollesian culture Patron cities: Andivel, Vislow, Chyllar Symbols: scales, columns, owls

Andiva is the first-born of Arr and champion of the expansion of Tollesian culture into other lands. As such, she is most popular among major cities which border on barbaroi lands. Like her father, Arr, Andiva is mistrusting of foreign gods, but unlike him encourages nonbelievers to convert to Tollesian religion, thought, and culture.

Zupor God of strife, war, destruction, warriors, physical strength, martial prowess Patron cities: Pellastor, Ryllar, Partha Symbols: spear and shield, hoplite helm, fire

Zupor is known across the Vestic Sea as the god of war and strife, and is the second of Arr’s children. Poleis which follow Zupor most closely tend to have a strong warrior caste—or at least place a special emphasis on having a well-trained force of hoplite elite.

Nyrus God of the sea, sailors, overseas trade, storms, tides, male bisexuality Patron cities: Illarra, Fildor, Tutna Symbols: orcas, waves, tempest, sailing ships

As god of the sea, Nyrus is among the more popular patron gods among costal and island poleis. Third of Arr’s children, Nyrus is also father or grandfather of the Nereids, sea nymphs equally famous for saving or drowning Tollesian sailors.

Cibades God of agriculture, farmers, planting, harvest, wine, brewing, vineyards, fertility Patron cities: Clenia, Mertal, Vindel Symbols: plow, wheat, goblet, grapes, scythe, sickle

God of wine and wheat, Cibades is fourth of Arr’s children, and patron god of polies famous for their wine or beer production and to a lesser degree of breadbasket poleis.

Kralor God of knowledge, learning, wisdom, teachers, students, critical thinking, literacy, writing, science, art, philosophy, music Patron cities: Ovec, Thornic Symbols: scroll, book, abacus, lyre, drum, quill

Though not always most cunning of the gods, Kralor is by far the most learned. Father of the Muses. In the Tollesian tradition of wholeness of body and mind, Kralor is frequently depicted as a warrior-philosopher or scholarly wrestler.

Ido and Iva God and goddess of love, romance, sexuality, fertility, marriage Patron cities: none Symbols: the heart, the lovers, roses, rabbits

Ido and Iva are twin god and goddess of love and romance. While Ido and Iva have no patron cities as such, their clerics and priests are frequently called upon during marriages and rites of fertility in towns and cities across the Vestic Sea.

Ferra Goddess of medicine, healing, physicians, health, sanitation, fertility, wholeness of body and mind, female bisexuality, same-sex marriage Patron cities: Kel Fimmaril, Noro, Ferra Arte Symbols: the serpent, burning incense, mortar and pestle, leaves and herbs, midwives

Ferra is the goddess of health and medicine and was particularly popular among smaller city-states such as Noro and Kel Fimmaril. As a goddess of fertility, theatre frequently portrays Ferra as somewhat overly prolific—sluttish, really—giving birth to nearly half of the second generation of gods, goddesses, and demigods. According to legend, however, Ferra would later marry and forsake all other lovers for her younger sister Avilee.

Suvie Deity of the wilderness, mountains, forests, jungle, hunting and trapping, natural selection, gender queerness, gender nonconformity Patron cities: Gillespar, Hastia Symbols: mountains, trees, bows and arrows

Hermaphrodite deity of the forests, variously portrayed as either a beautiful, bow-toting goddess of the hunt or as a virile, spear-wielding warden of the forests. Additionally, Suvie is the parent and guardian of such forest spirits as wisps, fey, Dryads, Naiads, and fauns.

Avilee Winged goddess of protection, defense, common soldiers, fallen soldiers, bereft mothers and widows, war orphans, battlefield medicine Patron cites: Voris, Ortenia, Aula Symbols: spear, javelin, guard dogs, shepherd’s crook, hoplite armor

Wife of Ferra and youngest of Arr’s children, Avilee is also humblest, most caring, and most protective among the Tollesian pantheon. As such, she is also most beloved among her siblings, often acting as a mediator between her more quarrelsome kindred. Early in life, upon seeing the grief and destruction caused by her brother Zupor’s war and strife, Avilee took it upon herself to protect the common soldiers and care for the victims of war, be they fallen soldiers or bereft families. She is generally depicted with great, hawk-like wings and full hoplite panoply, wielding a spear and shield or bow and arrows.

Second-Generation Tollesian Gods

Vepu God of the afterlife and the Underworld Patron Cities: Tanythe, Zunia Symbols: skulls, bones, ashes, urns

Vepu was a mortal king who so impressed Thanusa with his management skills that she elevated him to godhood to rule and organize the Underworld and its afterlife.

Arrolus God of naval warfare, warships, marines Patron Cities: Descal, Tarsa Symbols: war galley

Arrolus is the son of the war-god Zupor and a Nereid huntress named Gale.

Orova Goddess of night, shadows, trickery Patron Cites: None Symbols: bats, wraiths, shadows, blackness, the moons

Orova is the best-known Tollesian trickster goddess, a daughter of Ferra and an unknown Titan. Her favored ally is a wraith named Anache. Not necessarily evil, Orova is the most chaotic and capricious of the Tollesian gods.

Pharesthus God of smithing, mining, iron and bronze Patron Cites: Velia Cestini Symbols: hammers, ingots, anvils, forges

Pharesthus is the son of Ferra and an ancient giant named Sherto.

Clanti Goddess of merchants and trade Patron Cities: Vislow, Ortenia, Lecne Symbols: coins, purses, scales, trading galleys

Clanti is the oldest daughter of Ferra and Nyrus as well as twin sister of the god Curé. Satirically speaking, she was considered the second-most-important god of the Illaran Confederation.

Curé God of bandits, pirates, burglars, and thieves Patron Cities: Illarra, Adis Symbols: daggers, slings, raiding galleys, purse-cutters

Curé is the son of Ferra and Nyrus and twin brother to Clanti. Both satirically and literally, he was regarded as the most important god of the Illaran Confederation.

Axu God of gender assignment and gender presentation Patron Cities: none Symbols: none

Daughter of Suvie and Ferra, Axu’s primary duty is assigning humans their gender at either at birth or conception, depending on the particular theologian.

[1] Truly, the quickest way for an author or playwright to kill my interest in their work is to portray Thanusa as a villainess. This was a character who felt deeply for those who’d died—especially those who died unjustly—and whose ancient stage-masks nearly always portrayed her weeping. Portraying her as a murderess remains one of the worst character-assassinations in the history of Tollesian literature and theatre.

[the-moss-project]

Just wanted to let you know…YOUR FANFICS ARE AMAZING!!! And is lowkey a comedy? Of course not the abuse and the serious issues that happen in the story but like random things 😭 like the part where Deidara and Obito are in love and then Obito finds out that Deidara is in the hospital and jail and is just like…welp….

OBITO AINT SHIT 😭💀💀💀 his ass belongs to the streets

LMAO omg i've never written DeiObi/ObiDei before and it was honestly a lot of fun. That part of the appendices was honestly one of my faves so I'm glad you liked it too hahahah

[wolf97]

"Yet there may be a light beyond the darkness; and if so, I would have you see it and be glad"

J. R. R. Tolkien - The Lord of the Rings

[tenth-sentence]

September 21. Frodo and Samwise set out from Hobbiton.

"The Lord of the Rings: Appendices - Appendix B" - J.R.R. Tolkien

[oh-dear-so-queer]

These I have usually left unaltered, for if queer now, they were queer in their own day.

"The Lord of the Rings: Appendices – Appendix F" - J.R.R. Tolkien

[sirswooshnoodles]

My thoughts exactly

“Why did God create the appendix? So that surgeons don’t go hungry.”

— A surgeon

[midstpodcast]

Season 3, Episode XVIII Appendices 🔎 | The Journal Of Phineas Thatch #MidstSpoilers

[lyfebanana]

10 Common Signs of Appendicitis

Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix, a blind-ended tube connected to the caecum. The caecum is a pouchlike structure of the colon that is considered to be the beginning of the large intestine. The appendix is located at the lower right side of the abdomen and doesn't seem to have a specific purpose.

Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes blocked by a calcified stone made of feces.

If left untreated, an inflamed appendix will eventually burst, releasing bacteria into the abdominal cavity. This can lead to a serious inflammation of the abdominal cavity's lining that can be fatal.

Here are 10 common signs of appendicitis.

1. Pain Around The Belly Button In most people, the appendicitis pain begins around the belly button and then moves to the lower right side of the abdomen.

It will then intensify quickly within a few hours and requires immediate medical attention.

2. Painful Coughing As time progresses, the pain will get worse when you cough or sneeze. People often compare this pain to the kind they experience at the time of a rib injury.

3. Abdominal Swelling You might experience some swelling in the infected and surrounding areas due to the appendix becomes inflamed. It could be extremely sensitive to the touch and causes pain across the entire abdomen.

4. Nausea And Vomiting Inflammation of the appendix can impact the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system that can lead to nausea and vomiting. You may experience nausea and vomiting soon after you start to experience abdominal pain.

5. Fever You may get a fever with appendicitis. Appendicitis usually causes a fever between 99°F and 100.5°F. If your fever is worsening and you also have stomach pain, then it is time to visit a doctor.

6. Loss Of Appetite One frequent symptom of appendicitis is loss of appetite because appendicitis can also obstruct the gastrointestinal tract.

7. Constipation Or Diarrhea Constipation or diarrhea may also occur, and if either of these symptoms is present with other symptoms, then it is time to visit a doctor as soon as possible.

8. Rebound Tenderness Along with abdominal pain, most people with appendicitis often experience a symptom known as rebound tenderness, a sharp pain that occurs after you push on the lower right part of your abdomen and quickly released.

9. Pain When Moving The pain could become very severe and it may hinder your ability to move. You may notice a sharp pain when you walk. This pain is usually around the lower right of the abdomen and it could spread down to your legs.

10. Inability To Pass Gas Many people experiencing appendicitis will be unable to pass gas because appendicitis usually comes from an intestinal blockage. A complete intestinal blockage can result in an inability to pass gas or stool.

Final Thoughts Appendicitis is a common condition that leads to surgery. Around 1 in every 12 people develop appendicitis at some point in their life and it is most often occurs between the ages of 10 and 30.

Even though you can’t prevent appendicitis, you can reduce your risk of appendicitis by having a diet that is rich in fiber.

Increasing fiber intake in your diet can prevent constipation and subsequent stool buildup. Stool buildup is the most common cause of appendicitis.

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Brandybuck of Buckland

"The Lord of the Rings: Appendices – Appendix C" - J.R.R. Tolkien

[msilverstar]

The LOTR Appendices were spectacular, showing the artistry of the whole enterprise, and as a side-effect, created the LOTR RPF fandom.

You know the biggest loss of the decline of physical media and the rise of streaming? DVD special features.

[thefirstempress]

Appendix C: the Tollesian Calendar

So the final appendix for The First Empress: Book I discusses the calendar that the Tollesian peoples use. Technically, the Imperial calendar doesn't exist yet in the story, as it begins in 6 BE, just three days before the New Year, and 205 years before the calendar was created. Appendix B and Appendix C both started as notes to help me organize my thoughts and help keep track of both chronology and world-building. Eventually, I thought these might be helpful for readers, as well, and decided to clean them up and edit them for publication.

Appendix: the Tollesian Calendar, discussion and analysis by Zahnia, the Chronicler

As most know, the Tollesian year is divided into three-hundred and sixty-two days, the year beginning and ending with the Spring Equinox. Ferra’s Month and Arr’s Month, the first and last months of the year, have thirty-one days. The remaining ten months contain thirty days. Though the system of years changed in 200 AE, to the best of our knowledge the names of the months have stayed constant since before recorded history.

Imperial Calendar Years

The Imperial System of calendar years was established in 200 AE (After Empire) by Emperor Valashna II to commemorate the bicentennial anniversary of the unification of the Tollesian Empire under Empress Viarraluca I in what is now regarded as 0 AE. All years leading to unification are labeled BE (Before Empire) and count backward from year 0.

Though self-congratulatory as the move was, it was highly endorsed by scholars and historians across the empire at the time—and not just the ones the emperor’s cronies paid off to endorse it. The move quickly became popular among the citizenry across the Vestic and surrounding lands because it offered them something concrete to latch onto and identify with. The previous Tollesian calendar, now referred to as the Founders’ System, counted up from a mythical date allegedly seventeen-hundred and fifty-eight years prior to the establishment of Viarraluca’s Empire.

According to legend, the Tollesian peoples descended from refugees from a collapsing empire. Historians tentatively identify the dying empire as the Bronze-Age kingdom of Manarce, to the northwest, along the western shores of the Tornis Sea. These refugees settled three major cities: Aneth, Thornic, and Venetesh—the latter of which fell into ruin around 600 BE and was located near the modern city of Arr Patuna. The Founders’ System allegedly dated from the landing of these settlers and the construction of these cities.

While surviving literary evidence from these time periods sort of corroborates the Founders legends, archeological evidence does not. The earliest known major settlement at Aneth dates to around 1100 BE, while Thornic and Venetesh couldn’t have been settled before 900. Moreover, artifacts and human remains from these archaeological sites don’t match those of the Manarcean Empire or any other contemporary Bronze-Age empire of the time. And even by Viarraluca’s time, many scholars and skeptics had come to doubt the validity of these tales.

Naturally, plenty of traditionalists from Aneth, Thronic, and the surrounding regions balked at the idea of instituting a new set of calendar years that undermined the importance of the founding of their cities. Yet most citizens of the Tollesian Empire and its client nations were quite content to accept the new system. It gave them a more tangible and exciting chronology to tie themselves to, culturally, and it was relatable to peoples outside of the traditional core Tollesian poleis. The Imperial System exists to this day throughout the Empire and many of the nations it maintains relations with.

Seasonal effects

Unlike more northern climates, the Vestic and Istartus Seas have relatively mild summers and winters. Their summers are hot and frequently humid and winters rainy and cold, with moderate rainy seasons in between. As well as effective growing seasons, the fairly minimal snowfall allows for the limited growth of winter-crops, in particular winter-wheat and winter-barley. More pertinent to Classical Tollesian culture was how the four cardinal seasons affect agriculture, travel, and warfare.

Agriculture

During Queen Viarraluca’s time, only spring and autumn were thought of as agricultural seasons in Tollesian and other cultures on the Vestic and Istartus Seas. Landowners and their douloi and hired hands tended to plant and work ground during the early- to mid-spring and harvest during the late-summer and early fall. Once the campaign season began in late spring, the geomoroi and aristoi farmers traded spades for spears and left the day-to-day tending of the farm to their douloi and hirelings. The regular rainfall around the Vestic Sea helped facilitate dryland farming, though a few areas, particularly along the northwestern rim, imported Kossôn gravity-irrigation techniques in 108 BE to supplement less dependable rainfall.

Even today, the relatively mild winters with their steady rains and infrequent snows allow farmers on certain parts of the Vestic to plant winter-grains. The discovery of winter-crops by farmers in Messya in the 600s BE allowed poleis to better supply armies during the early campaign season or stock cities besieged by invaders.

Travel and trade

Only the northern and more mountainous regions around the Vestic Sea receive an annual snowfall, but travel is still severely limited in the wintertime due to frequent rains on land and violent storms at sea.

Though ancient cities and townships managed to offset this somewhat with cobbled roads, rural roadways were nearly untraversable during the rainy season. Occasional efforts were made to cobble some of the major trade roads, but winter rains tended to cover up their efforts within a few years. While travelers on foot or on horseback could generally traverse the roadways with moderate-to-considerable difficulty, the mud rendered wagons completely unusable, reducing overland trade to almost zero.

The regular winter storms and squalls rendered the seas similarly unusable. In addition to the heavy rain and treacherous waves, the overcast skies significantly compounded navigation. Warships, merchantmen, and courier ships, no matter how sturdy, were forced to cling to shorelines for safety, and even then are risked a great deal by setting out. Island city-states, meanwhile, received virtually no travelers or trade during the winter months.

Warfare

The reliable rainfall and prevalence of douloi and workmen allowed geomoroi farmers and wealthy landowners plenty of free time over the summer months to wage war. Leaving their children, workers, and douloi to tend the farms after planting, geomoroi and wealthy hoplites donned their armor and shields either to plunder their neighbors’ land or defend their own. Farmlands’ vulnerability to raids from rival city-states influenced many farmers to thus take up defensive arms, while the promise of gold, luxuries, slaves, and other spoils encouraged others to invade their rivals.

Though skirmishes and raids could continue until well after the harvest season, this was when the bulk of hoplites put up their spears for the winter. Campaigns and sieges had to take harvest into account, in terms of travel times and food supplies. Many a besieged city spent its summer counting the days until the attacking hoplites were forced to return home for the harvest season.

This was the norm for Tollesian city-states for over seven hundred years, but the increased presence of Gannic, Verleki, and other non-agricultural invaders necessitated a paradigm shift in military organization. Unhindered by planting and harvest seasons, more and more encroaching barbaroi increased their raids during spring and autumn. And being from northerly climates, the Gan in particular lacked the Tollesian reluctance to fight during the cold, rainy winters. These non-seasonal attacks forced many city-states, particularly along the northern coastlines, to keep standing armies year round, paying eleutheroi, apeleutheroi, and disenfranchised geomoroi to patrol the trade roads and protect the borders during even the coldest, wettest winter months.

This in turn led to a class of semiprofessional soldier in some poleis, with down-on-their-luck geomoroi selling or renting out their farms to buy hoplite panoply and restless nobles using their savings to buy top-line weapons and armor. While many of these fought for the defense of their polis, many others took up as sell-spears, fighting for whoever offered coin. Even by Viarra’s time, more than a few military experts argued that with agricultural seasons and farming schedules no longer dictating troop availability, farther-reaching conquests lay in the future for the Tollesian city-states.

Months

The Tollesian calendar year is divided into twelve months. Most months have thirty days, except Cibades and Arr’s months, which have thirty-one. Ferra’s Month is also unique in that every seven years a Leap Day is tacked onto the end. The day is generally celebrated with feasting and libations, and children born on Leap Day are often considered good luck for their polis, town, or village.

Ferra’s Month

Named for the goddess of rebirth, medicine, and fertility, the first month of the calendar year begins on the Spring Equinox. Around the Vestic Sea, Ferra’s month is mostly rainy, but the first two weeks also see the final tapering off of the winter storms that make sea travel on the Vestic potentially suicidal for nearly four months of the year. Early crops are typically planted by the Feast of Ferra on the 20th, and planting season is usually in full swing by the end of the month.

Suvie’s Month

Suvie’s Month is the second month in the calendar year and is named for the hermaphrodite deity of the forest and wilderness. The last of the summer crops are typically planted by the end of the first week. The Tollesian campaign season generally begins by the third week, the geomoroi hoplites having finished their planting and the seas generally safe enough to transport soldiers. The second week is considered the beginning of the ‘Dry Season’ on the Vestic’s northwestern islands and rim, typically only getting a few inches of rain until autumn. Most of the rest of the islands and surrounding mainland continue to get sporadic showers throughout the summer, however. Feast day is on the 16th.

Zupor’s Month

Named for the Tolleisan god of warfare and slaughter, the Tolleisan campaign season is typically in full swing by Zupor’s Month. As such, the month tends to see more battle and bloodshed than any other month of the year. Additionally, the previous year’s winter crops are close to ready to harvest, often providing a plentiful food source for besieged cities or for raiding and besieging armies. Zupor’s month ends on the Summer Solstice. Zupor’s feast day is on the 8th.

Nyrus’s Month

Named for the patron god of the Vestic, Istartus, and Tornis Seas, the Month of Nyrus begins upon the Summer Solstice, which is also the Feast of Nyrus. Many island city-states maintain a tradition of blessing ships built during the springtime during the first week of the month. Summer raids, skirmishes, and sieges are still ongoing. Most winter crops not stolen or destroyed are harvested by the second and third week of the month.

Avilee’s Month

Named for the goddess of protection, fallen soldiers, and bereft families, Avilee’s month marks the winding-down of the campaign season and the start of the harvest season. Most armies are withdrawn from enemy territory and disbanded to allow the farmers in the army time to return home for the harvest. Avilee’s Feast Day on the 28th is a feast of mourning, commemorating the soldiers and civilians killed or missing during the campaign season.

Cibades’s Month

Dedicated to the god of agriculture, farmers, and the harvest, Cibades’s Month is when the bulk of the harvest is conducted. By this time most raiding and skirmishing and all but the most belligerent of sieges have been called off to allow the geomoroi farmers who make up the bulk of hoplites to return to their fields. The Feast of Cibades is technically on eve of the Autumn Equinox on the 30th, but many city-states put it off until the last of the harvest is hauled in over the next few weeks.

Andiva’s Month

The month of the goddess of order and justice begins on the Autumn Equinox and marks the end of the harvest and transition to winter. Though post-harvest raids and skirmishes between belligerent city-states aren’t uncommon, there isn’t a dedicated season, and most blockades are kept short and sieges are almost nonexistent. Regions able to support winter crops tend to plant them around this time. Andiva’s Feast Day is the 16th.

Kralor’s Month

God of knowledge, science, and art, as well as father of the Muses, Kralor’s month marks the beginning of the winter season. The regular rainstorms on land and sea compound both aquatic and overland travel. Though rural villages and townships continue to send out hunters to supplement their winter supplies, most city-states rely primarily on their harvest food-stores to get through the winter. Trade tapers to almost nothing, and few battles or skirmishes occur. The Feast of Kralor is on the 18th.

Orova’s Month

As goddess of darkness and shadows, it’s fitting that Orova’s month is the darkest of the year. All of the Vestic Sea remains mostly overcast and rainy while frequent storms wrack the waves and coastlines. The mountains around the Vestic and islands with high enough elevations receive most of their snow during this time. Orova’s Feast is on the 30th, during the Winter Solstice when the Tollesian world is darkest.

Vepu’s Month

God of the afterlife and the Underworld, Vepu’s month begins following the Winter Solstice. As with Orova’s month, the Vestic Sea remains mostly overcast with frequent rains and storms. Higher elevations continue to receive more snow. The Feast of Vepu is on the 24th.

Thanusa’s Month

Mother of the gods and patron of death and rebirth, Thanusa’s month is marked by a gradual warming in the Vestic’s climate. Storms become noticeably less violent, and the higher elevations may experience cold rains that lead to early melt-offs. Thanusa’s feast is on the 10th. 

Arr’s Month

Father of the gods and patron of fate and destiny, Arr’s month is the last in the Tollesian calendar. Marked by warmer rains and less-frequent storms, Arr’s month ushers in the coming year and rebirth of spring. His feast on the 31st is a celebration of the Spring Equinox and well as the possibilities of the coming year.