Lithrydel’s Calendar Contest

Contest Details

Have you ever thought about what your character might call a month in Hollow’s year? Well, if you haven’t before you can start now. We’re going to host another writing contest and it’s going to be all about building Lithrydel’s calendar.

There are four seasonal categories, each broken down for what our IRL months would correspond to. For a little flavor and variety Lithrydel’s calendar year will only hold 10 months (Meaning we can have 10 winning entries + Holiday winners!).

We’re looking for a unique name for each month, with a little flavor for how it might have come to have that name. You might think about adding associations with Hollow’s gods (I’ve added a suggestion on each but you don’t have to use these) or even past famous Hollow in game rulers! There are several of our own months that hold holidays we celebrate, those will have a little bonus if you find inspiration as to how those holidays came to Lithrydel too!

We are allowing up to 3 submissions per player across all categories.

Winter Category

• December & January (Vakmathras - Holiday(s) to keep in mind are: Yule.)

• February (Sven, Hind, Lore - Holiday(s) to keep in mind are: Valentine’s Day. Bonus points if you create a Hollowfied version of this + lore for why!)

Spring Category

• March (The Spider Goddess)

• April (Cire - Holiday(s) to keep in mind are: Easter. Bonus points if you create a Hollowfied version of this + lore for why!)

• May (Zaytor)

Summer Category

• June (Loda)

• July & August (Arkhen - Holiday(s) to keep in mind are: The 4th of July Bonus points if you create a Hollowfied version of this + lore for why!)

Fall Category

• September (Delisha)

• October (Q'na - Holiday(s) to keep in mind are: Halloween/Samhain)

• November (Selene - Holiday(s) to keep in mind are: Thanksgiving Bonus points if you create a Hollowfied version of this + lore for why!)

Prizes

Everyone who enters will get 2.5K per submission. However winning submissions will get:

• Your submission added to Lithrydel’s calendar page, making it official lore to the game.
• A +0 custom themed after their winning submission.
• A gold prize of up to 10k per winning submission.

Deadline

October 20th, 2022

Hmail submissions to: Meri, Kasyr & Valrae

Submissions

Kanna

Zayvann - Zei-vohn - 4th Month (May)

The name ‘Zeyvann’ is derived from the Elder God of the Waters, Zaytor, and the Ancient Elven word for ‘tides,’ vann.

The Celebration of Zaytor is held during the first week of Zayvann, which commemorates the lowest point of Vaalane’s rotation and the corresponding lowest ocean tides of the year. When the ocean’s tides are at their lowest, the corresponding rainfall is said to be imbued with Zaytor’s magic to replenish areas that have been stricken with drought, so that the ensuing spring and summer harvests are plentiful. This is celebrated by constructing a large wooden pole and decorating it in flowers and ribbons so that Zaytor will be able to see where to send the rain from his residence in the Realm of the Gods. In some regions, such as the areas of Rynvale Island that predominantly worship the two Gods of the Waters and the Deep Seas, this month marks the start of the new year. For universal recordkeeping purposes, however, Zayvann is the fourth month of the year.

The association of Zaytor with Valaane’s lowest point can be traced back to the folklore of the Pantheon and the intertwined tale they share with Selene. At its lowest point, the ocean’s waters are eerily still. It is at this time that the constellation of the Broom is said to point straight to Selene’s Isle, and Zaytor parts the storm clouds protecting the island and sends them to the mainland so that he may gaze upon Selene’s beauty as she looks up at Valaane.

Selevann - Seh-leh-vohn - 9th Month (November)

The name ‘Selevann’ is derived from the Elder God of the Seas, Selene, and the Ancient Elven word for ‘tides’, vann.

Selene’s Harvest is held during the last week of the month, which begins at midday and extends well into night with no lamp light so that the full moon of Vaalane may light the celebration. Vaalane’s perigee pulls the tides into the highest tide of the year, which prevents most travel by ship and accordingly brings those who sail the seas home so that they may enjoy the land’s final harvest of the season. In some regions, such as the areas of Rynvale Island that predominantly worship the two Gods of the Waters and the Deep Seas, this holiday marks the start of the midyear. For universal recordkeeping purposes, however, Selevann is the ninth month of the year.

The association of Selene with Valaane’s perigee can be traced back to the folklore of the Pantheon and the intertwined tale they share with Zaytor. During Selene’s exile on the isle that shares her name, she twists and turns the seas into rampages so that those who confined her cannot sail close enough to witness her looking upon her homeland of Valaane. These storms are at their most dangerous when the pale moon is at its fullest point.

Sirage - Sire-age - 2nd Month (February)

Named for the Elder God of Chaos, Cire, this month coincides with a calamity that unknowingly befalls Hollow every four years.

On the first day of Cirage every four years, Fybltych’zyx returns from the far reaches of the world at Cire’s behest to terrorize a different continent of Hollow. Sometimes, the eclipse covers an area that is sparsely populated, or covers the ocean with little damage, but the fear that it will cover the densely populated areas within Lithrydel or Rynvale is always present. Populated areas that are entirely eclipsed by the Eye of Madness rarely live to tell the tale of it, and even more rarely remember the events of the Day of Calamity.

This fear that one's homeland will be chosen by Cire is the true origin of what has universally become known as the Festival of Love; all would gather yearly to show affection and appreciation to their fellow mortals who survived the tragedy and express their unspoken love to those who perished during the catastrophe so horrific no one can remember it. Over the millennia of successive misses from the Eye of Madness, the association with this calamity along with the knowledge of Fybltych’zyx itself has faded from the minds of the masses. The Festival of Love is now thought to be a celebration wholly unrelated to any god or event, or a celebration of different gods, depending on the region where it is celebrated.

Elhaym

July, August: Brighthome

In celebration of the brightness of Arkhen's just heart, and the warmth he brings upon the mortal realm beneath the haze of late summer's sun. While it is often pronounced as 'Bright-home', which has developed over time to signify the grandfatherly role of Arkhen as a giver of house and hearth, its roots are in 'Bright + tome', in service to the first of Arkhen's two most well-known forms - that of a wise old man. Holiday: Fourthwatch. It is said by the priests that Arkhen, ever watchful, looks upon his children thrice daily, each time doling judgment as needed. Yet but once a year, on the Fourth of Brighthome, his watch is unending from dusk through dawn and even into the darkest, earliest hours. Thus, we receive the boon of his constant blessing, and to reflect how his light shines even in the night sky - but we cannot see it ourselves! - we bring fireworks and the like. It's a bit of cheeky cheating, perhaps, to bring our own light to the sky, but we make do.

June: Mithrise

In honor of the first dwarves to ascend to the surface world, in mythological times, and especially the ones who chose to remain there, opening shops and bringing riches back to Craughmoyle and any other dwarven settlements. The 'Mithri' part, unsurprisingly, pertains to mithril; not just for the smiths and their favored metal, but for the long beard of Loda herself, said to be a great beard woven of mithril.

Lhyrin

Month 1 (December/January) - Name: Mourningfrost

Pronounced: mor - ning - frawst

Etymology: The word ‘Mourningfrost’ is taken from an old Vhysian phrase “Cu îmbrățișarea lui jalnică, vine primul ger” which means in Common “With his mournful embrace, comes the first frost”, which comes from a Vhysian eulogy that says “With his mournful embrace comes the first frost. But so too with the seasons, the iciness of death will bring blossoms anew.”

Associated Festivals/Holidays:

Yule: The first day of Yule also marks the Winter Solstice. Typically celebrated with balls or feasts during the second to last week of the year, there is also gift-giving (usually warm clothing to help with the coming harshness of winter, but other gifts are given as well, especially in hotter climates or in Frostmaw where that type of weather is all year round), tree-lighting (where magical fairy lights and small trinkets on hooks are used to light the way home through the snow), and leaving offerings for the God of Death. While most will leave offerings in the form of food or gold, the more unsavory types will offer up fresh souls instead, holding mass ritual sacrifices throughout the entire week of Yule in hopes of gaining the God of Death’s attention and being bestowed with his power.

New Year’s Eve/Day: These two days are used to celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another by giving thanks to the gods for their continued guidance and to pray for good things to come in the new year. Beyond the usual offerings and whatnot, it’s also usually celebrated with parties, drinking, and fireworks.

History/Lore: As the god of death, Vakmatharas is also attributed with the death of nature that comes after the harvest, eventually allowing for it all to be reborn again in the coming year. Though most know of Vakmatharas’ skeletal form, it was also believed by ancient elves that he takes the form of a massive snowy owl during the beginning of the winter months and occasionally throughout them, using this unusual form (for a death god anyway) to help spread his divine necrotic magic to bring about Nature’s temporary death, allowing for Zaytor to sweep through in his wake to cover the lands with ice and snow.

Month 3 (March) - Name: Fellsol

Pronounced: Fehl-soul

Etymology: A fell, in weaving, is the line that designates the point between cloth and yarn, the usage of the word a nod to spiders being considered weavers and spinners. Sol is the high elvish word for earth or soil, as the third month of the new year is usually when the soil thaws in temperate climates and allows for the planting season to begin.

Associated Festivals/Holidays: The Culling. Local to Vhys, this four day festival during the first weekend of the month marks the first settlement of forsaken elves in Vhys, long before Ryeanna’s reign, when the elves were forced to eradicate arachnids from their new homeland. The task took three days, over the whole of what is now considered Elimdor and it is usually celebrated with a massive feast on the fourth day, after three full days of spider-related pranks, wherein the food is shaped like spiders and the elves make it a point to rip them apart limb from limb. This is meant as an affront to the Spider Goddess, who the Forsaken Elves deemed had had far too many children without an ounce of control over them.

History/Lore: Ages ago before the High Elves that would become the Drow were banished to the Underdark, it was believed that the Spider Goddess helped to prepare the land for farming. At the beginning of every Fellsol, she bore thousands of eggs wherever Vakmatharas’ wintry embrace had touched during the previous season. When they had hatched, half of her babies (the ones inclined to jumping and hunting) were then instructed to help till the soil by stomping around in it with their eight massive legs to allow for easy planting. Afterward, those that could spin webs wove a thin layer of webbing, to collect pollen and seeds, to help replenish the earth with grass and flowers and other plants.

Month 9 (October) - Name: Veilora

Pronounced: vayl - oohr - ah

Etymology: The ‘veil’ part of the name refers to the space-time separation between the Mortal Plane and the Shadow Plane, while ‘ora’ is the Vhysian word for time.

Associated Festivals/Holidays: Halloween/Samhain - a holiday at the very end of the month of Veilora that celebrates the near-removal of the space-time separation of the Mortal and Shadow planes. This is usually celebrated via fancy balls or mass rituals by all walks of life, but especially including witches and followers of Q’na, as well as tangentially Vakmatharas.

History/Lore: Every Veilora, Q’na allows his power to wane somewhat over the space-time separation between the Mortal Plane and the Shadow Plane, allowing for the over-abundance of spirits phased between the two of them to become more tangible. During this time, people seek guidance from the spirits, while others seek to help them and set them free from the invisible chains that bind them between the Mortal and Shadow Planes, with the most ideal time being that of Halloween where the space in between is at its weakest point, just before Q’na returns things to normal for another year. In the week before Halloween, children dress up as all manner of spirits, going door to door for “offerings”, and carving jack-o-lanterns to create spirit lamps, to light the way for the lost dead, keeping the tradition of helping souls alive until they can finally partake in an actual ritual themselves when they’re older.

Quintessa

Yannage (yan-age) - 4th month (April)

Deriving its name from the mythical planet Yanno, the Light of Cire, it is rumored that during this month Yanno is visible, skirting the horizon as it avoids getting tangled in the Spider’s Web. Though the existence of the mysterious planet is still debated, this month is named after Cire’s so-called domain in appeasement to their power. Falling in the middle of spring, when the Web of Arachne passes from the domain of the Spider Goddess and into the domain of Cire. This month is notable for its increase of natural chaos; Hurricanes, tornadoes, violent storms, cold snaps and heat waves- these things happen across Hollow with increased frequency, yet everyone considers this normal. It is a time of changes, of atmospheric shifts and environmental growth. Dangerous beasts that have recently given birth are territorial and a constant threat to those that stumble upon them, yet during this time of chaos is a period of beauty and wonder. Rare flowers and trees bloom in this month, and sights few ever get to see are visible for a short amount of time. In celebration of this new growth, following the full moons after the spring solstice, is the Egg Festival, a curious holiday where eggs are broken, symbolizing the breaking of storms that wreck their communities. If Cire is appeased, folklore tells, they will bless the Spider in the Web and endow her with a sac of magical eggs. Arachne then climbs down from her web in the sky and hides the eggs on Hollow, each a gift intended for the one clever enough to find it. The true origin of these eggs remain unknown, but none can deny that every year around the same time these strange eggs reappear once more. In honor of the legend it is tradition in some cultures to hide their own ‘magical’ eggs, painted and decorated in the bright colors of the spring flowers.

Kazarkh - (kaz-arc) The 6th Month (July/August)

In recognition that this month coincides with when Lithrydel and Rynvale are exposed to the maximum amount of sunlight, it is only fitting that it is named after Arkhen and his domain of Kafzhash.

The summer solstice occurs during the first week of the month, which is the day that the sun shines throughout nearly the entire day. To the befuddlement of those who only believe in the empirical, there is not a single summer solstice in recorded history that has been plagued by rain or clouds. According to the mythology of the Pantheon, it is believed this is because Arkhen uses his power to banish the clouds from the sky for his beloved Selene. In the lands of the opposite hemisphere, this is not the summer solstice, but the winter solstice, said to be the day that Arkhen awakens from rest to begin showering the lands with sunlight from Kafzhash should he be pleased with the solstice festivities.

Whether the solstice is celebrated in the north or the south, the method of celebration is universal; dwarven blasting powder is mixed with various effects, magical and traditional, to create brilliant firework displays so that Arkhen may see the lights from his chariot. Legend tells that once a year when the Chariot constellation aligns over Kazfash, it allows Arkhen to gather the nurturing light needed to sustain Hollow for another year. When this happens people across the world celebrate long into the night, setting off fireworks so that they might aid in showing Arkhen the way back home.

Lanara

Octoego - (October)

This is the tale behind the naming of the month, Octoego, and the birth of Halloween.

Selene, the Goddess of the Sea, hadn’t been herself in weeks. She felt unmotivated and each new day seemed to be a repeat of the last. If only she could find a muse! Someone or something to fill her with inspiration so she’d find purpose again. She could create great things and busy herself with making history! Sure, she had already done so much for all things aquatic and she was greatly respected by the other deities… But, she also held a competitive streak that few knew about or commented upon. If she didn’t do something grand soon, she feared that she’d be surpassed by the deeds of the other Gods.

And so, Selene found herself meeting with sharks, squids, turtles, and a plethora of fish friends. She was hopeful that one would tickle her creative side or perhaps pull her from this depressed state of boredom. None had given her much hope for something ‘new’ for the future. As she was getting ready to leave the spanse of the sea between Cenril and Rynvale she heard someone crying. Selene swam deeper into the sea until the water was almost black and she rested her eyes on the pitiful form of a giant octopus that was leaking blue blood all over the ocean floor.

“What happened?” She soothingly cooed, as a hand reached out to gently grasp one of the eight tentacles to give it a reassuring squeeze. Selene’s eyes grew misty as the massive cephalopod told its sorrowful tale.

“They came and ate all my eggs! Scavengers!” The octopus glanced down where the eggs had been laid, the only eggs she’d ever lay in her lifetime as her breed only has one chance at success. “I tried to fight them off but I bumped into the rocky reef and it cut me deeply!” She continued to sob and with each tremble of her body, the inky blood continued to trickle from her wound. “I wish I lived up there! I don’t want to be -me- anymore!” A few of her tentacles lifted to point upwards as she dreamt of a life outside of the sea.

Selene pressed her palms against the side of the octopus and used her powers to seal the wound. She thought about the words the mollusk had said and she wondered if perhaps this was the omen she had been looking for, an answer to her days of repetition. “What is your name?”

The octopus paused in her grief and mumbled, “Cephaline.”

Selene smiled, “Cephaline, you should always be careful what you wish for, because it may not be what you truly desire. I will ask you this one time, before granting your wish. Do you want to be able to survive, long term, out of water? I can make it so you can live on land and start a new life.”

Cephaline glided closer to the Goddess and excitedly replied, “Yes. More than anything!”

And so, the Goddess of the Sea worked her magic and made it so a creature of the deep could now parade about on land!

Cephaline was delighted to experience all the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of a new place and so she traveled through the lands without hesitation. However, the excitement dwindled fast when she began to be mistreated by the villagers in the areas that she frequented. Some would throw things, others would point and stare, and one drunkard tried to harpoon her in front of a saloon!

Selene had been watching all of these interactions as she had been tailing Cephaline ever since granting her wish. She didn’t want to see the octopus suffer any future heartaches. Even though octopuses have three hearts, she felt that Cephaline barely had anything left to even make one of those hearts beat! And so, she pulled the octopus aside for a pep talk, “Things aren’t going as smoothly as you hoped, huh?”

Cephaline cried, “No! I could camouflage in the ocean but everyone can spot me on land! I feel as though no one likes me! A few people have been kind, but most seem to despise my very existence. Can I go back to the sea?”

Selene isn’t one to go back on her word so quickly and she had given Cephaline this gift from the goodness of her heart, so she sternly replied, “No. This is what you wanted and I warned you that it may not be what you had hoped. It’s only been two weeks. Give it some time. Why don’t you try disguising your appearance? You could also try pleasing the people by giving them a gift of some sort.”

Cephaline never considered altering her look or bribing people into liking her, and so she eagerly nodded and agreed with Selene. She swiftly left the Goddess in pursuit of some nifty disguises and candy. Everyone seemed to have a sweet tooth in the places she visited and it seemed a safe bet!

The next two weeks flew by in a blur and Cephaline still wasn’t sold on a life outside of the sea. She had tried several disguises that charmed most children and a few adults into coming close enough to accept a lollipop or a piece of chocolate. However, there were a few instances where her disguises utterly failed her and she wound up injured, angered, or with her feelings torn to shreds.

The most visible memory sprung to mind and she sighed as she gnawed on a piece of candy. She had traveled through a field of pumpkins in order to visit with some farmers, dressed as a scarecrow, and she came upon a little girl. The child was making a corn husk doll and Cephaline watched in awe! Imagine her surprise when the child handed over the completed doll and gave it to her as a gift! Cephaline was so excited that she reached out to hug the girl with her tentacles and a few of her suctions managed to stick. The little girl began to cry in fear and out came her father with a pitchfork in his hand! He continuously stabbed Cephaline until her inky blood began to ooze and loosened her hold on the child. In her attempt to flee, the massive squid damaged several of the prized pumpkins that the farmer relied upon to make a living. He got a group of men together and they vowed to hunt down the scarecrow squid.

Later that night, a group of ten men were wandering through the fields when they came upon Cephaline. She was now dressed as a ghost and still pretty upset that she had been horribly mistreated. She had never resorted to anger until this moment and she used all of her body to instill fear in her victims. Fountains of water spurted from the wells in her body and soaked the men where they stood! Next, she spun wildly in circles with her tentacles extended so they were all knocked down like bowling pins! At the end of her attack, she hovered over them and wanted so badly to enact her fatal wrath. They -deserved- to die. Instead, she remembered the loss of so many of her children that never survived as the eggs were all eaten and broken. The ache she felt in her heart still lingered, even a month later, and she knew that she couldn’t leave that little girl with the corn husk dolls without a father.

Cephaline fled the area but she returned the following night to see if the men were going to arrange another hunting party. She was shocked to see that they found a use for the damaged pumpkins. All of them were now being used as lanterns and it added some flair to the old farmhouse. The air was brisk and the leaves seemed to have changed color overnight, as the town was bathed in shades of crimson, apricot, and gold. Despite the fact that the area looked so picturesque, Cephaline still felt that she didn’t belong.

After having donned various costumes; a pirate, a cheerleader, and a doctor over the next course of days, Cephaline returned to Selene to tell her about her travels and that she wished to return to the sea. “I want to go back home. There’s no other place like it! Even though I have three hearts, I feel so hollow inside. Please, help me, Goddess Selene.”

The Goddess had watched the journey of Cephaline unfold with a combination of laughter, anger, and sympathy. She found that this octopus was her muse and her creative juices flowed more in this month than they had in years. She smiled at Cephaline and granted her that last wish, vowing to preserve her memory of her time above the sea. The octopus happily returned to her home in the dark depths of the ocean and never dared to consider a life outside of that which she designed to exist.

Selene wisely put all of her information to good use and she gave the autumn month a most suitable name. Octoego. It’s appropriate because Cephaline was an octopus and ‘ego’ is a sense of one’s self. Cephaline realized that she didn't want to be anyone else in the end, and that there’s no place like home.

In addition to the making of a month, Selene created a holiday! The last day of the month, on the thirty-first, the lands would celebrate Hollow-Eve. Since Cephaline felt ‘hollow’ in her heart, it inspired Selene to name a special day after her experience, though those that celebrate would do so willingly and with joy. A day where children could dress up in a disguise and go door to door for either a trick or a treat. Most homes and businesses gave candy, but a few would slam the door in a kid's face or give them a rock. It was encouraged that pumpkins would be carved in a unique design with a candle placed inside that would burn the whole night through, in memory of Cephaline.

Of course, as years went by and the tale passed down, it was no wonder that the holiday Hollow-Eve took on various monikers. The most common name is now Halloween. People created their own traditions or altered the ones that already stood, but it’s still celebrated to this very day. The Witches refer to the holiday as Samhain, and celebrate the end of the harvest season. Those that are spiritual refer to it as the Day of the Dead, where they create a meal and honor those that have passed. Some that practice dark magic refer to it as All Hallows Eve, since it’s the only night of the year where the veil between the land of the living and the deceased is the thinnest, so they attempt to communicate. Costume parties are held throughout the lands and although the holiday stems from an unhappy learning experience it’s definitely a ‘happy’ holiday!

Mathollak

Rosales (February)

Associated Festivities: Big party time. Also Lovey Roses Day

February aka Rosales

A long time ago Hind gives delisha a white rose because all roses were white back then

And Delisha is like “nah this thing sucks it's so not me”

And then hind is like "yeah b how bout now" and makes it grow thorns suddenly and it pricks delishas finger and it bleeds on the rose And that's why all roses are red now

And delisha was like "yeah way better thank"

And then they became roommates

And that’s why roses on Lovey Roses day