Time & Calendar in Faerûn
The Harptos Calendar
The calendar used throughout Faerûn is known as the Calendar of Harptos, named after the long-dead wizard who invented it. Nearly all civilized nations and peoples use this system to track the passage of time.
The Tenday
Instead of weeks, Faerûnians organize their days into tendays - periods of 10 days. There are three tendays in each month, making 30 days per month.
When people refer to meeting “next tenday” or planning something “two tendays hence,” they’re talking about these 10-day periods. Most merchants, farmers, and workers structure their routines around the tenday.
The Twelve Months
The year consists of 12 months, each containing exactly 30 days (3 tendays):
- Hammer (Deepwinter)
- Alturiak (The Claw of Winter)
- Ches (The Claw of the Sunsets)
- Tarsakh (The Claw of the Storms)
- Mirtul (The Melting)
- Kythorn (The Time of Flowers)
- Flamerule (Summertide)
- Eleasis (Highsun)
- Eleint (The Fading)
- Marpenoth (Leaffall)
- Uktar (The Rotting)
- Nightal (The Drawing Down)
The names in parentheses are common folk names for each month, often used by farmers and those who work the land.
The Five Annual Festivals
Between certain months are special festival days that stand outside the normal calendar. These are not part of any tenday or month:
- Midwinter - Between Hammer and Alturiak. A day of remembrance and planning for the year ahead.
- Greengrass - Between Tarsakh and Mirtul. Celebrates the spring and new growth.
- Midsummer - Between Flamerule and Eleasis. The height of summer, a night of love and music.
- Highharvestide - Between Eleint and Marpenoth. Celebrates the autumn harvest.
- The Feast of the Moon - Between Uktar and Nightal. A somber day to honor the dead and ancestors.
These festival days are celebrated throughout Faerûn, though customs vary by region. In most places, they’re holidays where no work is done and communities gather for feasting, remembrance, or celebration.
Shieldmeet
Every four years, an additional festival day called Shieldmeet occurs immediately after Midsummer. This is a day of open council, great tournaments, trade agreements, and political accords. It’s considered the most auspicious day for signing contracts and making oaths.
The next Shieldmeet will occur in 1492 DR.
The Complete Year
A full year contains:
- 360 days (12 months × 30 days)
- 5 annual festival days
- 365 days total (366 in Shieldmeet years)
Dale Reckoning (DR)
Years are numbered according to Dale Reckoning, which counts forward from the year the Standing Stone was raised in the Dalelands. The current year is 1491 DR.
Some older texts or elven records might use other dating systems, but Dale Reckoning is the standard throughout the Sword Coast and most of Faerûn.
Time of Day
Faerûnians divide the day much as you might expect:
- Dawn/sunrise
- Morning
- Highsun (noon)
- Afternoon
- Dusk/sunset
- Evening
- Midnight
- Night
Most folk don’t have precise timepieces, so time is often approximated by the sun’s position or bells rung in larger settlements. Temple bells often mark sunrise, highsun, sunset, and midnight in cities like Neverwinter and Waterdeep.
Seasons
The seasons align roughly with:
- Winter: Hammer, Alturiak, Ches
- Spring: Tarsakh, Mirtul, Kythorn
- Summer: Flamerule, Eleasis, Eleint
- Autumn: Marpenoth, Uktar, Nightal
The Sword Coast experiences relatively mild winters compared to lands further north or inland, though winter storms can still be fierce along the coast.
Note: When someone says “see you in a tenday,” they mean 10 days. When they say “a month hence,” they mean 30 days exactly. This makes planning quite convenient once you’re used to it!