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The Gorean Calendar
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The Gorean calendar is divided into twelve twenty-five day months. Each
month consists of five weeks or hands, each of which is five days long.
Each month is separated from the month which follows it by a five day "Passage
Hand" which twenty-five day months.
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Following the normal Passage Hand which marks the end of the twelfth Gorean
month is a five day period known as "The Waiting Hand" during
which most Goreans mourn the passing of the old year.
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The Waiting Hand concludes on the eve of the Vernal equinox, and the following
day is the Gorean New Year. The first Hand of the month of En'Kara begins
on the next day after. Every fourth year {leap year} the Gorean New Year
is celebrated on a separate day between the Waiting Hand of the previous
year and the first day of the first Hand of En`Kara.
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The Gorean Year
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Month of En`Kara { The First Turning }
March 21-March 25: First Hand
March 26-March 30: Second Hand
March 31-April 4: Third Hand
April 5-April 9: Fourth Hand
April 10-April 14: Fifth Hand
April 15-April 19: First Passage Hand
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Month of Hesius { Ar }
April 20-April 24: First Hand
April 25-April 29: Second Hand
April 30-May 4: Third Hand
May 5-May 9: Fourth Hand
May 10-May 14: Fifth Hand
May 15-May 19: Second Passage Hand
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Month of Camerius { Ar } or Selnar { Ko-ro-ba }
May 20-May 24: First Hand
May 25-May 29: Second Hand
May 30-June 3: Third Hand
June 4-June 8: Fourth Hand
June 9-June 13: Fifth Hand
June 14-June 18: Third Passage Hand
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Month of En`Var { The First Resting }
June 19-June 23: First Hand
June 24-June 28: Second Hand
June 29-July 3: Third Hand
July 4-July 8: Fourth Hand
July 9-July 13: Fifth Hand
July 14-July 18: Fourth Passage Hand
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Fifth Month
July 19-July 23: First Hand
July 24-July 28: Second Hand
July 29-August 2: Third Hand
August 3-August 7: Fourth Hand
August 8-August 12: Fifth Hand
August 13-August 17: Fifth Passage Hand
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Sixth Month
August 18-August 22: First Hand
August 23-August 27: Second Hand
August 28-September 1: Third Hand
September 2-September 6: Fourth Hand
September 7-September 11: Fifth Hand
September 12-September 16: Sixth Passage Hand
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Month of Se`Kara { The Second Turning }
September 17-September 21: First Hand
September 22-September 26: Second Hand
September 27-October 1: Third Hand
October 2-October 6: Fourth Hand
October 7-October 11: Fifth Hand
October 12-October 16: Seventh Passage Hand
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Eighth Month
October 17-October 21: First Hand
October 22-October 26: Second Hand
October 27-October 31: Third Hand
November 1-November 5: Fourth Hand
November 6-November 10: Fifth Hand
November 11-November 15: Eighth Passage Hand
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Ninth Month
November 16-November 20: First Hand
November 21-November 25: Second Hand
November 26- November 30: Third Hand
December 1-December 5: Fourth Hand
December 6-December 10: Fifth Hand
December 11-December 15: Ninth Passage Hand
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Month of Se`Var { The Second Resting }
December 16-December 20: First Hand
December 21-December 25: Second Hand
December 26-December 30: Third Hand
December 31-January 4: Fourth Hand
January 5-Jaunuary 9: Fifth Hand
January 10-January 14: Tenth Passage Hand
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Eleventh Month
January 15-January 19: First Hand
January 20-January 24: Second Hand
January 25-January 29: Third Hand
January 30-February 3: Fourth Hand
February 4-February 8: Fifth Hand
February 9-February 13: Eleventh Passage Hand
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Twelfth Month
February 14-February 18: First Hand
February 19-February 23: Second Hand
February 24-February 28: Third Hand
March 1-March 5: Fourth Hand
March 6-March 10: Fifth Hand
March 11-March 15: Twelfth Passage Hand
March 16-March 20: The Waiting Hand
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Gorean Holidays and Festivals
Below is a listing of various Gorean holidays and festivals; most are mentioned
in the books themselves.They are listed along with their equivalent Earth
dates.
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Gorean New Year
On the day of the Vernal equinox {March 21}, many northern Gorean cities,
including Ar, celebrate the Gorean New Year. Typically upon this day a celebration
takes place, doors are painted green, and a city-wide festival is held,
lasting for two full Gorean hands { ten days}. Every fourth year the `
New Year is celebrated on the extra day which occurs between the Waiting
Hand and the day of the equinox.
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Sardar Fairs
The Gorean equivalent of the World's Fair on Earth, these are four huge
trade fairs which are held quarterly in the shadow of the Sardar Mountain
Range. Each young person of Gor is expected to make a pilgrimage to the
foot of the Sardar Mountains before he or she reaches their 25th birthday.
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They typically last ten full days {plus at least that long for set up and
break down} and are scheduled to coincide with the solstices and equinoxes.
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Therefore, the four annual Fairs are:
The Fair of En'Kara March 21st-March 30th
The Fair of En`Var June 19th-June 28th
The Fair of Se`Kara September 22nd-October 1st
The Fair of Se`Var December 21st-December 30th
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The Planting Feast of Sa-Tarna
A complex feast celebrated by most Gorean cities early during the growing
season, and believed by many to ensure a plentiful harvest for the year
ahead. Numerous rituals are performed during the three days of the feast
{April 16th-18th} by members of the caste of Initiates, and members of `
each of the five high castes perform their own part of the ceremony during
that three-day period. Most of these rituals consist of sacrifices or prayers
to the Priest Kings conducted in the presence of the city Home Stone. On
the final eve of the feast, the Home Stone is placed beneath the sky, typically
atop the tallest cylinder in the city, and sprinkled with sa-tarna grain
and `
ka-la-na wine by a dignitary of the city, often the Administrator, Ubar,
or a member of the ruling family.
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The Return to Turia
The last day of the Second Hand of En'Kara {March 30th} is traditionally
the day which marks the beginning of The Season of Little Grass for the
Wagon Peoples, and shortly thereafter they begin the long trek from their
winter pastures back to Turia.
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Games of the Love War
The Wagon Peoples compete against the Warriors of Turia on the Plain of
Stakes during the Second Passage Hand {May 15th-19th} in mid-spring, participating
in various challenges and ceremonial-combats in order to exchange freewoman
for slaves.
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Taking of the Omens
Every tenth year, dating from 10,119 CA {1969 AD}, is considered by the
Wagon Peoples to be an "Omen Year." Therefore, in 10,129 CA {1979
AD} and in 10,139 CA {1989 AD}, the Wagon Peoples halted their annual trek
past Turia and various Omens were divined by their haruspexes regarding
the `
future of the tribes and the safety of the bosk. This ceremony typically
occurs in late spring, sometime during the month of Camerius. The next such
Omen Year will be 10,149 CA {1999 AD}.
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Turian New Year
The peoples of Turia and certain other southern regions officially celebrate
their own new year on the day of the Summer Solstice {June 21st}. A ten
day period of revelry follows, similar to the New Year celebrations in northern
cities.
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Kajuralia
"The Festival of Slaves", it is held in most Gorean cities {except
Port Kar, where it is not celebrated at all} on the last day of the Twelfth
Passage Hand {March 15th}. In Ar, it is celebrated on the last day of the
fifth month {August 12th}, the day which precedes the Love Feast.Upon this
day, `
slaves may take liberties which are otherwise not permitted them during
the year.Including the drinking of wine and liquor, the freedom to roam
at will {provided of course they do not attempt to escape from their owners
permanently}, the freedom to choose their own sexual partners and to couch
with slaves of the opposite sex whom they find attractive,temporary `
suspension of all work and duties,
and even the opportunity to play minor tricks and practical jokes upon freepersons.
After the twentieth ahn, however, they are expected to be back in their
respective kennels and slave quarters to resume the services required by
their imbonded status; slaves who "go renegade"
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Love Feast
Five day celebration within Ar, held during the Fifth Passage Hand {August
13th-17th}. It is a time wherein many slaves are sold; the fourth day of
the Love Feast {August 16th} is typically considered the climax of the festival
in regard to the sale of slaves. The fifth day {August 17th} is normally
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reserved for great contests and spectacles in the Stadium of Blades, grand
races in the Stadium of Tarns, great Kaissa championships and general celebratory
feasting.
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The Passing of Turia
The herds of the Wagon peoples traditionally pass closest to the city of
Turia on or around the Second Hand of Se`Kara {September 22nd-26th}.
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Festival of the 25th of Se`Kara
An annual Festival held in Port Kar to celebrate their great naval victory
over the combined fleets of Cos and Tyros {October 11th}.
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The Thing
An annual celebration held in Torvaldsland, during which all of the shieldmen
of the various Great Jarls travel to the Hall of their particular leader,
submit their weaponry for inspection, and formally repledge their oaths
of loyalty. The Thing usually occupies a span of from three to five days,
and `
occurs sometime during the middle of the ninth Gorean month {mid-November},
varying according to such factors as
weather and the current political situation.
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The Wintering
The nomadic herds of the Wagon peoples typically occupy their winter pastures
during the period from the middle of the ninth Gorean month {late November}
through the Second Hand of En'Kara {late March}.
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New Year { Wagon Peoples }
The day of the Winter Solstice {December 21st} is celebrated by the Wagon
Peoples as the first day of the new year, and marks the beginning of The
Season of Snows. In addition, the women of the Wagon Peoples keep a `
calendar of their own, based upon the phases of the largest of the three
Gorean moons. It consists of fifteen separate divisions, each named after
one of the fifteen diiferent kinds of bosk,for instance: "The Moon
of the Brown Bosk", "The Moon of the Spotted Bosk", etc.
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Paga Day
Anniversary of the founding of the Silk&Steel Tavern {February 21st}.
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Carnival
Held in many southern cities, notably Port Kar, during the five days of
the Twelfth Passage Hand {March 11th-15th}. During this celebration it is
often customary to garb oneself in outlandish costumes or masks and attend
various masquerade fetes and feasts.
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The Waiting Hand
This is a five day period {March 16th-20th} during which doors are painted
white, little food is eaten, little is drunk and there is no singing or
public rejoicing in the city. Walls and doors are adorned with sprigs and
branches `
from the brak bush to ward off ill-luck in the coming year. On the day of
the Vernal equinox, the Ubar or Administrator of the city performs a ritual
"greeting of the sun," after which doors are repainted and the
brak foliage is removed, beginning a ten day period of general revelry.
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