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====== Erden ======
===== Calenders =====
Erden uses one calender, agreed upon by the worldwide Collegia some fifteen hundred years ago, strongly endorsed by the priesthood of Crom, and implemented fourteen hundred and seventy-two years ago, starting with year one. The length of the month corresponds to the orbit of Ion (thirty days), the week to that of Tainn (ten days). The year begins on the first cross-quarter day following the autumnal equinox in the northern hemisphere (in some places called Samhain), the vernal equinox in the southern hemisphere. That much is fixed, as is the convention for writing a date numerically (day-month-year). However, there are as many names for the same thirteen months as there are languages. 

In dwarven the names are very straightforward: Erstmond, Zweitmond, Drittemond, Viertmond, Fünftmond, Sechstmond, Siebtmond, Achtmond, Neuntmond, Zehntmond, Elftmond, Zwölftmond, and Jahrmond. 

The elvish tongue, while more poetic, is rather a hodgepodge of meanings, with many names referring back to the systems of reckoning used before the standardised calendar was adopted. They are known as: Narvinyë, Nénimë, Súlimë, Víressë, Lótessë, Nárië, Cermië, Úrimë, Yavannië, Narquelië , Hísimë, Ringarë, and Narbeleth.

In Littorna the months are: Mesdieus, Artesania, Fred, Pluja, Ventós, Part, Sembra, Mesbella, Fenc, Mescalent, Cull, Guardar, and Tardor.

In Caldorne and Nordvald they are: Allfather, Huldarmåne, Tinne, Wintermåne, Eregoss, Embolc, Thoaresturm, Bellemåne, Schoeneswetter, Sommermåne, Sifeblessing, Jägermåne, and Berchtamåne.

Four holidays--holy days--are celebrated worldwide: the solstices and equinoxes. Since astronomically they fall precisely 97.5 days apart, there is some rounding up or down, but the days that have been agreed upon by long custom are, for the solstices, the 29th day of 2nd month and the 14th day of 9th month, with the equinoxes on the 6th day of 6th month and the 21st day of 12th month. In equatorial Galendor they are strictly religious observances; the concept of variation in season and day length is understood only intellectually. At the higher latitudes, the holidays signalise the major changes in seasonal weather, and take on far more than symbolic importance.

===== Metal Scarcity and Value =====
These are not coinage values, but the comparative worth of equal weights of the metals themselves after being smelted and cast into ingots. However, as with any commodity, market conditions will vary.

^  Metal     ^  Iron    ^  Copper  ^   Tin    ^  Silver  ^  Electrum  ^  Mithral  ^  Gold   ^  Platinum  ^
^  Iron      |  1       |  1/2     |   1/15    |  1/20    |  1/100     |  1/150    |  1/200  |   1/1500   |
^  Copper    |  2       |  1       |   2/15   |  1/10    |  1/50      |  1/75     |  1/100  |   1/750    |
^  Tin       |  15      |  15/2   |   1       |  3/4        |  3/20          |   1/10        |  3/40        |  1/100          |  
^  Silver    |  20      |  10      |   4/3        |  1       |  1/5       |  2/15    |  1/10   |   1/75     |
^  Electrum  |  100     |  50      |   20/3        |  5       |  1         |  2/3    |  1/2    |	 1/15    |
^  Mithral   |  150     |  75      |   10       |  15/2     |  3/2       |  1        |  3/4    |   1/10     |
^  Gold      |  200     |  100     |   40/3        |  10      |  2         |  4/3     |  1      |   2/15    |
^  Platinum  |  1500    |  750     |   100        |  75      |  15        |  10       |  15/2    |   1        |  

Adamantium is a rare alloy that costs roughly as much as platinum. However the difficulty in casting such a hard and temperamental metal can increase the price of an item made from it by two or more times the cost of a similar item made of platinum.

===== Warfare =====
Metal armour is not known on Erden. It has never been invented; therefore a character can not learn to make it on planet, or from resources available on planet.

There are several reasons for this, including the influence of the gods, the nature of the terrain and environment, the scale of combat, and the weapons employed by several of the historical enemies of the One Flesh, but just as important is the nature of warfare itself. Whilst warfare is perforce a continuum, **Attrition**, or force-on-force, warfare (one end of the spectrum) is uncommon. In attrition warfare, massed forces attack in an attempt to destroy enemy forces, success is measured in ground captured and enemy destroyed, and the sheer quantity of men and the superiority of their arms and armour are usually the key. That mentality is a major component that drove armour development on Earth.

However there are other ways to wage war, and on Erden **Manoeuvre** warfare (the other end of the spectrum) is the primary (although certainly not the only) method employed. In manoeuvre warfare there are no battle lines, there are objectives. To quote William S. Frisbee Jr., "In Attrition War a commander gives very detailed orders to his subordinates telling them exactly what he wants them to do and they do it. If ordered to do so, a unit will throw itself at the enemy repeatedly, suffering horrible casualties because they were ordered to do so. In Manoeuvre War a commander will tell his subordinates what he wants accomplished and why, not how. He leaves it up to his leaders to get the job done."

Once in enemy territory an Erden soldier attacks the enemy support structures, targeting whatever he can reach, disrupting supply and communication lines, aiming for the leaders, not the common soldiers. He knows he's surrounded by the enemy, and the enemy soon realises that attacks can come from any direction. This is a post from early in the game that might provide more insight:

"Five years ago the verbeeg swept down," Stone recounted, his tone grim. "The largest invasion since the Barony was established. We knew they were massing--here in our mountains accurate intelligence is a more valuable tool than the best sword or bow--and as they advanced we destroyed every crop, whether in field or granary, we herded the flocks out of their path, and those that moved too slow were also slain and poisoned. They had no food to sustain them, and whene'er they rested we'd set fire to their shelters, or even the grass they laid upon. We gave them no respite. Our goal was to strike and be gone before they even realized we'd been there. We never deployed a force larger than a platoon--far smaller for our scouting bands--and never presented a target like a pack train. And when they retreated--and retreat they did--their numbers were halved and dropping, with winter coming on and they already weakened. That's the face of war as we fight it here."

Those differences are why on Erden the best armour is the most silent, least cumbersome armour that will still turn a blade; heavy, jangling chain and clanking plate are--literally--unthinkable, i.e. they have never been thought of, and there is no basis for inspiration at this time. (This is not to say that chain can not be silenced or plate fitted so well it allows full movement, but those are refinements in the armourer's art, not the start point.) The closest they come are the armours of Caldorne and Nordvald that, a little like motorcycle leathers, include pockets where thin, light, metal splints and small plates are incorporated for added protection, although never at the expense of full range of motion or so much weight that speed is reduced. 

An armoury on Erden needs craftsmen with Armourer plus (any one or more) Blacksmithing (specialised fasteners and internal components), Carpentry (shields, forms), Leatherworking, and Tailoring NWPs working together.