The Continent of Olebor

Olebor is a fantasy RPG campaign setting inspired primarily by a map. That map was the very first homebrew campaign setting used by our gaming group when I first started playing D&D. I have used that original map as inspiration to draw a new map, and from it, bring forth a new campaign setting. And so I present The Continent of Olebor.

Click on the map to open a bigger version.

Olebor is a continent in the northern hemisphere of the planet Korvall. Korvall is the second planet in its solar system, which resides in its own distinct galaxy.¹

Olebor posesses two moons that both orbit Korvall in the same direction, but each has its own distinct orbital path, altitude, and speed.

Footnotes:
1. I do not subscribe to the D&D cosmology as described in the Spelljammer D&D campaign setting. I despise the crystal spheres and phlogiston cosmology in that setting; I see no compelling reasons to formulate such a cosmological model when our own real world cosmology is perfectly adequate.

The most widely adopted calendar in the four realms of Olebor is the Lindrakkian calendar. Long ago, sages from the council of the Thirteen Tribes determined the following about time based on the astronomical features studied from within Lindrake.

One solar year lasts 416 days. Four times per year, both moons are visible in the sky above Olebor for eight days. The span of time between the end of one lunar concordance and the beginning of the next is always 96 days.

Being situated in the northern hemisphere of the planet, most of Olebor experiences four distinct seasons; though southern parts of Olebor's seasons manifest a little differently than they do elsewhere on the continent.

As a result of these features, they were able to develop a simple and consistent calendar. The calendar consists of twelve 32 day months grouped into seasonal blocks of three months. The eight-day lunar concordances bridge the seasons. Lindrakkians have long treated the lunar concordances as holidays, each holiday period dedicated a different deity. The holiday tradition eventually expanded into Gentry and Lendor; but it observed by very few in Darkholme.

Each month is divided into four eight day weeks. Although the names for the months initially only existed in the Lindrakkian language; new names for the months, in Trader(common) language, were devised soon after the Calender was adopted by the realm of Gentry.

Below is a graphical representation of the Oleborian calendar. The year begins with the holiday period of Tengwhidis, and proceeds counterclockwise from there. In the graphic, the months' names are shown in Lindrakkian first, and in Trader(common) in parentheses.

Tengwhidis is the holiday of spring welcoming, birth, and renewal. It is marked by festivals dedicated to Tengwe, patron of nature.

Heliothis is the holiday of the summer heat. It is marked by festivals dedicated to Vulca, patron deity of the sun, fire, and forges. Festivals typically include rituals and traditions that highlight or celebrate the energy of creation and growth provided by the sun.

Malehia is the autumn holiday. It includes festivals dedicated to Anariel, celebrating the beauty of the land as it transforms into a rainbow of colors prior to the coming of winter. It is also the time of year when many creatures enter their cycles of fertility and begin mating (particularly larger creatures with long gestation periods); as a result, this is also the time of year that many of the various small, but devout cults of Lascivia appear to celebrate Lascivia with a week long series of public orgies.

Cathardus is the holiday signalling the winter stillness. It is typically marked by solemn and subdued festivals dedicated to Catharse, the angel of death. Festivals typically include rituals and traditions that highlight or celebrate the death of the old, in preparation for the birth of the young and new.

There are many religions in the realms of Olebor, each seemingly worshiping many multitudes of deities; but in fact, there are but twelve principal deities exerting influence on the realms of Olebor. Those religions that do not directly worship one of the principal deities instead worship aspects of those principal twelve.

The continent of Olebor is divided into four political realms: Gentry, Darkholme, Lindrake, and Lendor. Each realm has a distinct flavor culturally, and socio-politically. A fifth, special Realm, Seddalyne exists at the juntion of the borders of Darkholme, Gentry, and Lindrake.

Seddalyne is a special Realm of Olebor. Seddalyne is a politically neutral City Realm at the border junction of the Realms of Darkholme, Gentry, and Lindrake.

Refer to Seddalyne's own page for more details.

As a neutral border city, Seddalyne is the location of choice for inter-Realm parlays, negotiations, and diplomatic gatherings between the three major Realms.

Citizens of all Realms are welcome in Seddalyne, despite the cultural and moral diversity of the Oleborian Realms. There is a significant legal framework and police force in place to maintain the peace in the city. Notwithstanding the city's large police force, chaos and adventure abounds in the city, especially during nighttime hours.

Cauldron is a city built within an ancient caldera in the southern reach of Gentry.

Refer to Cauldron's own page for more details.