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The Common Year calendar first appeared of the original World of Greyhawk Folio (1980), p.5, which established the equivalency of 1 CY to {{#invoke:Date|Convert|year=1|from=CY|to=SD}}, {{#invoke:Date|Convert|year=1|from=CY|to=OC}}, {{#invoke:Date|Convert|year=1|from=CY|to=BH}}, {{#invoke:Date|Convert|year=1|from=CY|to=FT}}, and {{#invoke:Date|Convert|year=1|from=CY|to=OR}}. The same chart appeared in the 1983 World of Greyhawk box set. Negative dates were not used.
The Common Year calendar first appeared of the original World of Greyhawk Folio (1980), p.5, which established the equivalency of 1 CY to {{#invoke:Date|Convert|year=1|from=CY|to=SD}}, {{#invoke:Date|Convert|year=1|from=CY|to=OC}}, {{#invoke:Date|Convert|year=1|from=CY|to=BH}}, {{#invoke:Date|Convert|year=1|from=CY|to=FT}}, and {{#invoke:Date|Convert|year=1|from=CY|to=OR}}. The same chart appeared in the 1983 World of Greyhawk box set. Negative dates were not used.


Negative dates CY appeared in [[From the Ashes]] (1992), which provided a set of conversion rules. While the lack of a year zero in the Common Year calendar is not explicitly stated, dates are given for major historical events which are correct assuming a lack of year zero. For example, the Invoked Devastation and Rain of Colorless Fire are dated to -422 CY, a correct conversion of the date 5094 SD given in the ''Folio''.
Negative dates CY appeared in ''[[From the Ashes]]'' (1992), which provided a set of conversion rules. While the lack of a "year zero" in the Common Year calendar is not explicitly stated in this source, dates are given for major historical events which are correct assuming a lack of year zero. For example, the [[Invoked Devastation]] and [[Rain of Colorless Fire]] are dated to -422 CY, a correct conversion of the date 5094 SD given in the ''Folio''.


The lack of a zero year in the Common Year calendar is explicitly stated in the [[Player's Guide]] (1998) p.13 and the [[Living Greyhawk Gazetteer]] (2000) p.13. However, incorrect date conversions are common even in official sourcebooks.
The lack of a zero year in the Common Year calendar is explicitly stated in the ''[[Player's Guide]]'' (1998) p.13{{refn |name=yearzeroPG |group=note |"It is important to note that the Common Year calendar does not have a 'year zero.'  Most historians of the Flanaess use other dating systems when talking about ancient history."{{csb|PG|13}} }}  and ''[[Living Greyhawk Gazetteer]]'' (2000) p.13.{{refn |name=yearzeroLGG |group=note |"When calculating [[Common Year]]s prior to the [[Declaration of Universal Peace]] in [[1 CY]], remember that Common Year reckoning has no “year zero.” Thus, the time elapsed between 5 CY and –5 CY is only nine years, not ten."{{csb|LGG|13}} }} However, incorrect date conversions are common even in official sourcebooks.


Negative dates are almost never given in calendars other than CY. This leaves it ambiguous whether the other calendars of the Flanaess have a year zero. This wiki assumes they do not.
Negative dates are almost never given in calendars other than CY. This leaves it ambiguous whether the other calendars of the Flanaess have a year zero. This wiki assumes they do not.


The Olman Lunar calendar is given in [[The Scarlet Brotherhood]] p.64 which defines that the "current " year (591 CY) = 1395 OL, which means that 1 OL = {{Date|1|OL|CY}}. It also states that the starting year is -805 CY, which is a date calculation error unless the OL calendar started at year zero.
The [[Olman Lunar]] calendar is given in ''[[The Scarlet Brotherhood]]'' p.64 which defines that the "current " year ([[591 CY]]) = 1395 OL, which means that 1 OL = {{Date|1|OL|CY}}. It also states that the starting year is [[-805 CY]], which is a date calculation error unless the OL calendar started at year zero.


The Touv Calendar is described on The Scarlet Brotherhood p.38, starting at year 1, equivalent to {{Date|1|TC|SD}}, or {{Date|1|TC|CY}}. A date conversion of 1 TC = -763 OR is given; this is either a date error or implies that the Oeridian calendar has a year zero. The abbreviation "TC" is assumed, although it does not appear in the book. The Touv and Olman calendars are not widely used outside of this sourcebook.
The [[Touv Calendar]] is described in ''[[The Scarlet Brotherhood]]'', p.38, starting at year 1, equivalent to {{Date|1|TC|SD}}, or {{Date|1|TC|CY}}. A date conversion of 1 TC = -763 OR is given; this is either a date error or implies that the Oeridian calendar has a year zero. The abbreviation "TC" is assumed, although it does not appear in the book. The Touv and Olman calendars are not widely used outside of this sourcebook.


== External links ==
== External links ==
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*[[World of Greyhawk Timeline]]
*[[World of Greyhawk Timeline]]


==References==
== References ==
===Citations===
=== Notes ===
<references group="note" />
=== Citations ===
<references />
<references />
===Bibliography===
=== Bibliography ===
*[[Anne Brown|Brown, Anne]]. ''[[Player's Guide]]''. Renton, WA: TSR, 1998.
*[[Anne Brown|Brown, Anne]]. ''[[Player's Guide]]''. Renton, WA: TSR, 1998.
**[[Gygax, Gary]]. ''[[The World of Greyhawk]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1980.
**[[Gygax, Gary]]. ''[[The World of Greyhawk]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1980.
Line 134: Line 136:
*[[Holian, Gary]], [[Erik Mona]], [[Sean K. Reynolds]], and [[Frederick Weining]]. ''[[Living Greyhawk Gazetteer]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
*[[Holian, Gary]], [[Erik Mona]], [[Sean K. Reynolds]], and [[Frederick Weining]]. ''[[Living Greyhawk Gazetteer]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
*[[Frank Mentzer|Mentzer, Frank]]. ''[[Doc's Island]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR Hobbies, 1983.  
*[[Frank Mentzer|Mentzer, Frank]]. ''[[Doc's Island]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR Hobbies, 1983.  
*[[Moore, Roger E]]. ''[[Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998. Page 39.
*[[Moore, Roger E]]. ''[[The Adventure Begins]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998. Page 39.
*[[Sean K. Reynolds|Reynolds, Sean K]]. ''[[The Scarlet Brotherhood]]''. Renton, WA: TSR, 1999.  
*[[Sean K. Reynolds|Reynolds, Sean K]]. ''[[The Scarlet Brotherhood]]''. Renton, WA: TSR, 1999.  
*[[Sargent, Carl]]. ''[[From the Ashes]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
*[[Sargent, Carl]]. ''[[From the Ashes]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
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[[Category:Chronology]]
[[Category:Chronology]]
[[Category:Calendar eras]]
[[Category:Calendars]]

Latest revision as of 13:16, 12 March 2025

Art by Larry Elmore in the World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983).

In the World of Greyhawk, the Common Year, or CY, is the basis of the common calendar. Years occurring before the Common Year are denoted with negative numbers, or are sometimes listed as "BCY" (Before Common Year).

There is no Common Year zero (0 CY), as the reckoning began with the first year, 1 CY, which must be accounted for when converting other systems of reckoning years prior to 1 CY, such as the Baklunish Hegira (BH), Flan Tracking (FT), Oeridian Record (OR, also known as the Oerid Reckoning), the Olman Lunar (OL), the Olven Calendar (OC), Suloise Dating (SD), or the Touv Calendar (TC).

Days, weeks, and months within the Common Year are reckoned using the Greyhawk calendar.

History

The names of the days of the week used in the Common Year calendar are adopted from the Flan calendar.[1][2]

The Common Year Reckoning is an Oeridian, specifically an Aerdi, creation, and replaced the Oeridian Record. The Common Year was established as the system of reckoning by Grand Prince Nasran I of the Great Kingdom of Aerdy in 645 OR (1 CY), when he declared universal peace throughout his the land, and took the title of Overking.

Conversions

Conversion table

To CY To OR To OL To TC To FT To BH To OC To SD
From CY — +644 +804 +1408 +2150 +2659 +4462 +5515
From OR -644 — +160 +764 +1506 +2015 +3818 +4871
From OL -804 -160 — +604 +1346 +1855 +3658 +4711
From TC -1408 -764 -604 — +742 +1251 +3054 +4107
From FT -2150 -1506 -1346 -742 — +509 +2312 +3365
From BH -2659 -2015 -1855 -1251 -509 — +1803 +2856
From OC -4462 -3818 -3658 -3054 -2312 -1803 — +1053
From SD -5515 -4871 -4711 -4107 -3365 -2856 -1053 —

Note: None of the calendars of Oerth use a year zero, which complicates date conversion involving negative years since standard mathematics assumes a zero. This occasionally confuses even formal historians. The solution is to add 1 when converting from a negative date to a positive, and to subtract 1 when converting a positive date to a negative. If both dates are negative, no adjustment is necessary.

Date template

The information presented above is compiled into the Template:Date for the purposes of this wiki. See that page for use of the Template to automatically calculate the conversion of any date entered on a page on this wiki.

Examples

1 CY

  • Baklunish Hegira: 2660 BH (Folio.5)
  • Flan Tracking: 2151 FT (Folio.5)
  • Olven Calendar: 4463 OC (Folio.5)
  • Olman Lunar: 805 OL (tSB.64)
  • Oeridian Record: 645 OR (Folio.5)
  • Suloise Dating: 5116 SD (Folio.5)
  • Touv Calendar: 1409 TC (tSB.64)

576 CY

  • Baklunish Hegira: 3235 BH (Folio.5)
  • Flan Tracking: 2726 FT (Folio.5)
  • Olven Calendar: 5038 OC (Folio.5)
  • Olman Lunar: 1380 OL
  • Oeridian Record: 1220 OR (Folio.5)
  • Suloise Dating: 6091 SD (Folio.5)
  • Touv Calendar: 1984 TC

591 CY

  • Baklunish Hegira: 3250 BH (LGG.13)
  • Flan Tracking: 2741 FT (LGG.13)
  • Olven Calendar: 5053 OC (LGG.13)
  • Olman Lunar: 1395 OL (tSB.64)
  • Oeridian Record: 1235 OR (LGG.13)
  • Suloise Dating: 6106 SD (LGG.13)
  • Touv Calendar: 1999 TC

Conversion to timelines of other worlds

Due to crossovers between the different worlds of the Material Plane (including Realmsapce and Krynnspace), equivalencies between the calendars of those worlds are sometimes drawn. It is often assumed that the canonical date for two products released in the same year have approximate equivalence in their calendars. While this is not a strictly defined rule, it is true in a number of occasions.

Additionally, during the third edition era, Wizards of the Coast and their licensee Paizo, inc had a policy of a one-to-one conversion for products published each year and there was an Earth-to-setting correlation for each setting, though this created confusion or difficulty when the timeline of the Forgotten Realms was advanced by a hundred years.

In several Paizo forum threads, editor Erik Mona asserted that the rule applies in general to all Greyhawk adventures:[3][4][5]

"The default assumption of all Greyhawk adventures in Dungeon ... is that the last digit of the year in which they were published corresponds to the last digit in the Common Year calendar... 59X CY (X= last digit of real world year). So adventures published in 2004, for example, take place in 594 CY."
—Erik Mona (Jul 2007)[5]

Oerth to Earth

"City Beyond the Gate", Dragon #100 (Aug 1985), takes player characters to "our" Earth on 1 June 1985.[6] However, those who travel through the titular gate experience a temporal distortion (or "time differential")[7] between Oerth and Earth (1 Earth day equals 1 Oerth month),[7] such that the years from 1932 to 1985 in Earthly time translates to over 640 years of Oerthly time. If we assume this takes place in 579 CY (as does 1985's T1-4 Temple of Elemental Evil) then by 591 CY (12 years later), the difference between the two sides of that gate would still only deliver travelers to October/November 1985 (144 months=144 days).

In "Magic in the Evening", Dragon #185 (Sep 1992), Mordenkainen travels to Earth, where Elminster makes use of a "microwave". The home use of a microwave oven, the colloquialism "microwave" rather than "microwave oven", and the fourth-wall breaking reference to Forgotten Realms box sets and adventures, is consistent with a date of 1980s onward; presumably no earlier than 1987 when the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting was written, and perhaps as late as 1992. The article is set no later than 581 CY, which would give an approximate conversion of between +1406 and +1411 years from Oerth's CY to Earth's CE.

Oerth to Forgotten Realms

There is no consistent dating conversion which would allow a one-to-one conversion from the Greyhawk CY system to the Forgotten Realms "Dale Reckoning" (DR) system.

In "Magic in the Evening", Dragon #185 (Sep 1992), Elminster relates the events of The Parched Sea, which according to "Novel Ideas", Dragon #196 (Aug 1993) takes place in 1360 DR, by the Faerûnian calendar. However, it pre-dates WGA4 Vecna Lives (581 CY according to LGG p.15) and Wars (582-584 CY), though no earlier than 574 CY when Tenser joined the Circle of Eight. This suggests 1360 DR is approximately 580 CY, giving a conversion of +780 years.

In "Legacies of the Suel Imperium", Dragon #241 (Nov 1997), p.47, Khelben Arunsun writes a letter to Mordenkainen dated Ches 12, 1369 DR (Spring). Johanna of Almor writes a reply to him on Wealsun 20, 585 CY. This suggests a conversion of (at most) +784 years.

The Forgotten Realms adventure For Duty & Deity takes place in late 1370 DR. It ties in with the Planescape adventure Tales From the Infinite Staircase, in which Sigil's factions have yet to be disbanded as detailed in Faction War, which is the situation in Die Vecna Die!. Die Vecna Die! is set in 591 CY, the only possible date of Vecna's escape. An approximate equivalence of 591 CY to 1371 DR is therefore drawn, assuming that For Duty and Deity occurs perhaps a year before Die Vecna Die!. Again, this is a conversion of +780 years.

The Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting (3e) released in 2001 is dated 1372 DR, while World of Greyhawk products released in 2000-2001 are dated 591 CY. This suggests a converstion of +781 years.

Mordenkainen appears in Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus (2019), dated around 1492 or 1494 DR. However, no equivalent Greyhawk date is given, and Ghosts of Saltmarsh (2019) set in Greyhawk and published the same year, avoids specifying a canonical date. This conversion would come to +901 years, though this was after the "Spellplague" and the advancement of the FR timeline by a 100-year jump.

It should be noted that the calendar of Faerûn is 365 days long: one day longer than Oerth's 364. The seasons are therefore likely out of sync between the two worlds, and the Faerûnian calendar will advance by one year relative to Oerth's every 364 days.

Publication history

The Common Year calendar first appeared of the original World of Greyhawk Folio (1980), p.5, which established the equivalency of 1 CY to 5516 SD, 4463 OC, 2660 BH, 2151 FT, and 645 OR. The same chart appeared in the 1983 World of Greyhawk box set. Negative dates were not used.

Negative dates CY appeared in From the Ashes (1992), which provided a set of conversion rules. While the lack of a "year zero" in the Common Year calendar is not explicitly stated in this source, dates are given for major historical events which are correct assuming a lack of year zero. For example, the Invoked Devastation and Rain of Colorless Fire are dated to -422 CY, a correct conversion of the date 5094 SD given in the Folio.

The lack of a zero year in the Common Year calendar is explicitly stated in the Player's Guide (1998) p.13[note 1] and Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000) p.13.[note 2] However, incorrect date conversions are common even in official sourcebooks.

Negative dates are almost never given in calendars other than CY. This leaves it ambiguous whether the other calendars of the Flanaess have a year zero. This wiki assumes they do not.

The Olman Lunar calendar is given in The Scarlet Brotherhood p.64 which defines that the "current " year (591 CY) = 1395 OL, which means that 1 OL = -804 CY. It also states that the starting year is -805 CY, which is a date calculation error unless the OL calendar started at year zero.

The Touv Calendar is described in The Scarlet Brotherhood, p.38, starting at year 1, equivalent to 4108 SD, or -1408 CY. A date conversion of 1 TC = -763 OR is given; this is either a date error or implies that the Oeridian calendar has a year zero. The abbreviation "TC" is assumed, although it does not appear in the book. The Touv and Olman calendars are not widely used outside of this sourcebook.

Disclaimer:Any lore presented through the following links does not necessarily adhere to established officially published content, and the views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the editors of this wiki.

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "It is important to note that the Common Year calendar does not have a 'year zero.' Most historians of the Flanaess use other dating systems when talking about ancient history."[8]
  2. ↑ "When calculating Common Years prior to the Declaration of Universal Peace in 1 CY, remember that Common Year reckoning has no “year zero.” Thus, the time elapsed between 5 CY and –5 CY is only nine years, not ten."[9]

Citations

  1. ↑ The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (1980), p.4.
  2. ↑ World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), p.5, Catalogue.
  3. ↑ Mona, Erik. Appropriate Year for Greyhawk SCAP (forum). Paizo Forums. Paizo, 22 November 2006. Retrieved on 7 January 2024.
  4. ↑ Mona, Erik. What happens before the Greyhawk Wars? (forum). Paizo Forums. Paizo, 2 February 2006. Retrieved on 7 January 2024.
  5. ↑ a b Mona, Erik. Campaign Dates for all three APs (forum). Paizo Forums. Paizo, 31 July 2007. Retrieved on 7 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "The City Beyond the Gate".  Dragon #100 (Aug 1985), p.51, 54.
  7. ↑ a b "The City Beyond the Gate".  Dragon #100 (Aug 1985), p.52.
  8. ↑ Player's Guide (1998), p.13.
  9. ↑ Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), p.13.

Bibliography

———. World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic Type Description Product Page/Card/Image
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