Demystifying the Calendar of Skyrim: A Closer Look at the 12 Months & History

Curious about the world of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and how time passes in a land filled with mead, magic and dragon shouts? You‘ve come to the right place, my friend. As a long-time fan, allow me to orient you on Tamriel‘s unique calendar system and the meaning behind Skyrim‘s 12 months. Read on for some fiery analysis!

What Are the 12 Months in Skyrim?

The calendar of Skyrim has a similar structure to our Gregorian calendar, with 12 months that make up a single year:

1. Morning Star – Corresponds to January and marked as the first month of the new year. But with Skyrim buried under snow during Morning Star, it may be seen as the last month of winter rather than the start of spring.
2. Sun‘s Dawn – February. No speculation needed here, as the name indicates the sun breaking through dawn‘s early light more frequently this month.
3. First Seed – March welcomes the planting of first crops, similar to Spring in real world cultures.
4. Rain‘s Hand – April brings the rains and storms of Skyrim‘s version of Spring.
5. Second Seed – May sees further planting amidst the rains to kick off summer.
6. Mid Year – June is the midpoint or Summer Solstice of the calendar.
7. Sun‘s Height – July represents the sun reaching its peak during the summer season.
8. Last Seed – August sees the last harvest before autumn begins.
9. Hearthfire – September makes sense as a harvest month, with its name meaning a home hearth‘s fire.
10. Frostfall – October welcomes the cold frost, perhaps the Fantasy equivalent of Fall.
11. Sun‘s Dusk – November sees the sun set earlier as winter approaches.
12. Evening Star – And December concludes the year just as Evening‘s starry sky emerges sooner with longer nights.

Now those names certainly sound more epic than just numbered months! Based on real-world legends and history, fantasy games often choose names that poetically reflect seasonal cycles. And I love seeing hints of Skyrim‘s environment and culture reflected in these months.

For example, Morning Star and Evening Star could be seen as subtle references to Tamriel‘s two moons, Masser and Secunda, which some legends say are the severed corpse of the god Lorkhan. And harvest-themed Hearthfire represents the hearth fires where Nords would gather to tell stories and sing songs celebrating seasons changing.

Little realistic details like that is why fantasy worlds feel fully lived in!

How Does the Flow of Time in Skyrim Compare to Earth?

Beyond just naming, Skyrim handles the concept of years and time differently than our world:

• Eras – Thousands of years of history are segmented into major periods called Eras. Skyrim takes place in the Fourth Era, the most modern age.
• 200+ Years After Past Games – Skyrim is set in the specific year 4E 201, over 200 years after Oblivion and the previous titles!
• Days – Each 24-hour day in Skyrim is equivalent to about 72 real-world minutes. This means a full in-game year passes faster than an Earth year.
• Year Length – Earlier Elder Scrolls games had only 30 days per month. But Skyrim matches Earth‘s annual seasons and 365 day year.

Here‘s a comparison table to summarize key differences:

So while the existence of Eras and rapid flow of days sets it apart, I appreciate that Skyrim still grounds itself with familiar annual cycles. As both a gamer and lore nerd, I really admire this blend of realism with fantasy!

What is the Timeline and History of The Elder Scrolls?

Part of grasping Skyrim‘s calendar also means understanding the broader context of history across the Elder Scrolls franchise spanning millennia:

Mythic Dawn Era

• Creation of Mundus, the mortal plane
• Aedra and Daedra emerge as godlike beings
• Development of early mortal lifeforms like Giants

Merethic Era (~5000 BC – ~500 AD)

• Elves migrate to Tamriel and thrive with advanced magic
• Dragon Cult rules as draconic overlords
• Humans arrive and spread, leading to conflict

First Era (~500 AD – 2958 AD)

• Camoran Dynasty unites Valenwood and founds first Tamriel empire
• Alessian Slave Rebellion ends elvish rule
• Tiber Septim conquers all provinces to form 3rd Cyrodilic Empire

Second Era (2958 AD – 854 AD)

• Peace and prosperity under the Septim bloodline
• Numerous wars ravage the land
• Uriel V tries and fails to add Akavir to the Empire

Third Era (854 AD – 433 AD)

• Emperor‘s assassination sparks slow decline
• Imperial Simulacrum crisis leads to Imperial Battlemage Jagar Tharn temporarily assuming Emperor‘s identity
• Warp in the West sees over 40 warring factions fight with reality distorted

Fourth Era (433 AD – ?)

• Oblivion Crisis erupts as Daedra invade Tamriel
• Red Mountain‘s eruption destroys Vvardenfell
• Skyrim‘s civil war divides Empire loyalists and rebels
• Dragon attacks increase as prophesied Dragonborn arises…

And that covers the many millenia up to Skyrim‘s current events! Study up, loremasters…

Now back such an extensive history and mythology, it‘s clear why Elder Scrolls utilizes this Eras timeline. Segmenting all these world-shaking events lets players appreciate both the vast lore and themes that carry over between titles separated by in-game centuries.

Pretty epic stuff! This is the rich backdrop that drew me into franchises like The Elder Scrolls…

What is the Max Level in Skyrim & Can You Play Forever?

With such a lengthy calendar timeline, what stops the Last Dragonborn‘s adventures in Skyrim from potentially going on indefinitely?

• Level Cap – By maxing all skills, you can reach level 252, unlocking all character perks. So you could argue this number constitutes a soft level cap.
• Radiant Quests – However, Skyrim contains endlessly generating radiant story and side quests. So playtime is technically unlimited!
• Most Players – That said, average players seem content completing storylines and side missions in 100-300 hours played.
• My Playtime – Personally, I‘ve sunk 500+ glorious hours across several characters raiding ruins, fighting wars, and collecting cheese wheels!

And beyond the actual gameplay, the vibrant modding community has also extended Skyrim‘s lifespan for me through awesome fan-made expansions over this past decade.

So if you haven‘t gotten your fill of mead or sweet rolls just yet, the land of Skyrim shall welcome you as long as your heart desires! Assuming, of course, you grab some enchanted gear to keep you warm through those long Frostfall nights…

Overall as both a gamer and fantasy fan, I simply adore Skyrim‘s approach to representing time through a calendar framed by legendary realms and eras. It provides a sense of mythic scope to your adventures! Learning all I can about these details and nuances totally immerses me deeper into beloved fictional universes.

So I hope breaking down Skyrim‘s 12 months here helped reveal some new insights even for veteran players. By tracing links between Skyrim‘s seasons, environment and culture through names like Hearthfire or Second Planting, we uncover richer connections. And comparing time flows reminds us what makes this realm unique as we heroes fight onward 200 years after past Elder Scrolls heroes…

Let me know what other aspects of Skyrim lore or gameplay you‘d like me to cover next! And as always, stay fiery and epic, my friends!!