Burmecian Months and Year

A year in the Burmecia consists of 360 days: 12 months of exactly 30 days each. Three ten-day weeks are in each month, but herein we refer to days as they relate to the month (that is, one through 30, of a specific month)

Name	Burmecian Description	Earth Month
Hammier	Deep winter	January
Alturiak	The Claw of Winter or the Claws of the Cold	February
Ches	Of the Sunsets	March
Tarsakh	Of the Storms	April
Mirtul	The Melting	May
Kythorn	The Time of Flowers	June
Flamerule	Summer Tide	July
Eleasias	High Sun	August
Eleint	The Fading	September
Marpenoth	Leaf Fall	October
Uktar	The Rotting	November
Nightal	The Drawing Down	December

The following is a description of how the months affect Burmecia.

Deep Winter:
During deep winter the rains in Burmecia drop in temperature to bitterly cold at times, nearly freezing rain that seems almost dense enough to shroud the streets in a perpetual icy fog. During this time most gather inside or at the festival hall near the town center. This is also the time of remembrance when tales of great heroes and the history of our culture is retold at the festival hall and taverns throughout the city, for the most part tourism is virtually non existent and our culture as a whole remains cloistered within the city walls.

Outside the city the frigid rain drive most animals towards any available shelter and some either migrate or hibernate until warmer rains during The Melting awakens them

The Claws of Cold:
Beginning sometime during the 1st week of Alturiak the frigid rain is coupled with a driving, almost gale force wind that chills the rain to ice, which collects in nearly every surface, coating the plains in a sheen of ice that is nothing short of breath taking during the sunsets and sun rises of that month it is at this time that the population is most indoors and the flow of ale and song is highest as we Burmecians continue to partake in The Time of Remembrance and add new tales to the old and tell of the adventures Dragoons and other heroes have partook in over the past year. Beyond Burmecia’s walls the landscape seems nearly barren of life and the howl of the wind through the frozen grasslands is a mournful music that accompanies many wall guards watch.

Time of Sunsets:
At the end of the claws of cold the winds move higher in the atmosphere and freeze the rain into ice crystals making the sunsets during this time of year to be beyond belief as the setting sun is reflected off the frozen ice crystals in the upper atmosphere as well as the frozen plains making it a double display of color. Combined with the gentle winds now almost singing among the frozen grasslands can make the land itself come to life with poetry to rival that of the most skilled bards. It is on the second week of Ches that The Time of Remembrance draws to a close and many gather on the walls during the morning and evening hours to witness nature’s majesty in creation. Some of the most valued works of art in Burmecia are of the sunsets during this time, rendered with such breath taking care that one can almost feel the cool wind among their fur.

Time Of Storms:
Starting early on in this month warmer winds blowing up from the south clash violently with the still frigid north winds creating violent and spectacular storms unequaled in any other part of the world. These storms are perhaps so fierce due to the permanent enchantment of rain that lies where Burmecia was constructed, the enchantment itself having been left over from the war of the magi almost 25,000 years ago. In full fury these storm lash the frozen grasslands with semi solid hail chunks, earth shattering lightning bolts and wind strong enough to uproot small trees. Fortunately Burmecia is constructed largely of stone and is able to easily with stand these sky-rending displays of fury with little difficulty. Though these storms can last for up to two days at a time, most only endure for a little over an hour, although they occur 4-6x daily. Throughout Tarsakh many of the farming and hunting families prepare equipment for planting crops and hunting which begins during The Time of Melting. It is also during the time of the birth of these violent storms that the largest number of children are also born.

The Melting:
With the approach of summer drawing closer the rains increase in warmth, becoming cool and melting off the accumulation of ice from the long winter. With the warming of the rains Airships then resume their trade with Burmecia from Alexandria and other communities, restocking the merchants and bring with them a fresh flood of tourists eager to sample the cheeses and ales that have been aging though the winter. As the ground softens guard patrols resume their routes among the croplands and farmers being tilling the earth with Chobocos and magic so as to plant their crops as soon as possible.

The Time of Flowers:
As the rain continues to warm and bring life back to earth, monsters awoken during The Melting reclaim their previous territories and other creatures migrate back to Burmecia’s lands. The warm rain and resurgence of life is also celebrated by the blooming of flowers upon the plains, turning them into carpets of color stretching to the horizon. Burmecia’s Flower Festival is held during the second week of this month and includes a large Bazaar where craftsmen sell the products they have produced during the winter months and tourists eagerly await the auctions of some of the more valuable pieces of artwork and craftsmanship produced. The products to be featured at the auction are either donated by craftsmen or purchased off craftsmen by the king and then donated by him to be sold there. Proceeds from these auctions go towards assisting families that have fallen on hardship during the winter or by tragedy, as well as serving to maintain and expand the city as is necessary.

Summer Tide:
Summer tide is one of the most enjoyable months to Burmecian residents as the rain is at its warmest and the days lengthen, where most can find time to participate in their favorite outdoor leisure activities and travel to other kingdoms to visit relatives or friends. This holds especially true in regards with Cleyra, this time is when intermingling between the two cultures is highest. Tourism however is about average and the monster population has evened out to a more predictable pattern. Many of the young are taught skills involving wilderness and combat during these times as the soldiers conduct their own training drills, passing their skills to a newer generation.

High Sun:
This time of year is the time of the longest days, and the moon brightly lights even the nights. It is during this time of year the rainfall is the least and slows to a light drizzle at times, allowing newborn Burmecian children a glance at the true sky for the first time. For the most part trappers and farmers begin preparing for the harvesting season and craftsmen sell great amounts of carpentry supplies as families with recently born children enlarge their homes and others perform any necessary maintenance, taking advantage of the lesser rainfall to make construction easier.

The Fading:
The changing of the leaves in Burmecia’s forests heralds the beginning of Eleint as well as the cooler nights and increased rain that hearken shorter days ahead. Many hunters use the fall foliage as camouflage to hunt elusive or dangerous creatures that abound during this time, attempting to fatten themselves up for the long winter. Farmers begin harvesting early crops and tend to the groves as apples and other fruits ripen. Tourism falls off during this time as the increased monster presence makes travel both difficult and dangerous, although air transport continues unabated.

Leaf Fall:
The brightly colored leaves begin to fade to a darker shade and the wind takes on a slightly cooler feel as Marpenoth falls across Burmecia. The beginning of Leaf Fall is one of the busiest times in Burmecia as farmers strive to harvest plentiful crops and process necessary grains like wheat before the months end. The end of Marpenoth heralds two special times for Burmecia, one is the naming ceremony; where all children born during the previous year announce their chosen names to the king and all of Burmecia. Their families then teach those still uninitiated in the ways of pleasure. The other significant occurrence is The Harvest Festival. A time of great joy and celebrating, as a huge week long feast and orgy is held in the town center. During this time outsiders are banned from the city and the entire population partakes in the festival. The only outsiders allowed are those with express permission from the king or other high-ranking official. Pregnancy though out Burmecia is also highest around this time.

The Rotting:
As the rain grows ever colder Burmecian people begin to stockpile their goods in preparation for the winter and guard patrols increase as monsters begin to brave the outskirts of Burmecia in search of easy food Also during this month is the annual visit of the acting group Tantalus, a traveling troupe of actors that arrive via airship and perform numerous plays for the benefit of Burmecia.

The Drawing Down:
This month in a flurry of activity as merchants everywhere scramble to get the last of their needed supplies imported by airship and families make any last repairs on their homes. Tourists are encouraged to leave before Deep Winter strands them with in Burmecia for the duration of winter, as travel during the winter months is often dangerous and fool hardy. By the end of Hammier as the rain turns bone chilling cold and the nights long and bitter the last of the Air ships have visited Burmecia and none are again expected until Mirtul, The Melting.