It’s that time of year again - recalibrate the sand in your hourglass clocks and save some for your eyes, for Father DST (Daylight Sand Time) must now slumber, ironically while our own sleep becomes disturbed.
Barely over a month into Fall, and we’re “Falling” back yet again.
What? You thought we were done with this Autumnal Absurdity?
So did I, Dear Adventurer, but alas, no, - The Great Councils of our realm have not yet deemed it worthy enough or codified it with their waxen signet seals.
“The Sunshine Protection Act” of the year of our lord, 2022 has yet to shine its splendorous rays upon our late afternoon darkened commutes.
For over a hundred solar cycles, generations have bewailed, bemoaned, and be-pissed-off.1
But we are going to ignore the ignobility of yet another compulsory chronological shift and have some fun by exploring cool artwork in a few really special time-tracking pieces - retro Fantasy Calendars.
Oh, and did I mention - I’m giving away a free 2024 Tolkien Fall of Númenor — or — D&D 50th Anniversary calendar to 1 lucky reader? (details later in article)
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First up, 1996.
But before we do, with October just behind us and Fall in full swing, I find myself trying to slow down and reflect on the passing of another season of time.
The natural rhythms of life would have us begin to ease up and settle in for the incoming Winter, though modern life keeps us mostly distracted at a frenetic pace.
Tempus Fugit for sure.
Reflect on Life and the Enchanted World fantasy book series with Rediscovered Realms:
You know, there’s something surreal & magical about the changing of seasons. The threshold between 2 vastly different environments, where the past meets the present and makes a deal with the future - a liminal state, to my mind not too unlike a crossroads.
By the way: Typically, you get a lot more choices and re-use out of old calendars, but 2024 happens to be one of those fandangled leap years which means it and its long-cycled brethren won’t be viable again until 2052!
It’s when I started Rediscovered Realms earlier this year that I discovered I could revitalize an old 1995 Dragonlance calendar that remained in storage for decades. This discovery became one of my first newsletters (and a love-letter to Dragonlance).
Since then, it has been gracing my wall with its monthly magnificence.
Somehow it feels reassuring to connect the far-reaching past with the present . . . all through the lens of fantasy.
Recognizing that there is only 1 more month left on this Dragonlance calendar, I can’t help but feel a little wistful.
It saddens me that this relic must be un-exhumed once more, but it does make room on my wall for that old Tolkien calendar
. . . or perhaps . . .
This 1996 Boris beauty!
On second thought, keeping the peace in the household is the best plan of action, so back to the Tolkien calendar instead!
But then again . . .
there is a new crop of fantasy calendars for 2024, hot off the presses.
Here’s the Dungeons & Dragons 50th Anniversary calendar, commemorating classic D&D monsters with artwork old and new:
Beholders are those beloved rancorous balls of ocular ire that everyone wishes they had for a pet (if you live in a rough neighborhood . . . and don’t mind your other pets going missing). These 6’ diameter, floating orb-shaped beings have ten eyestalks and one central eye, each containing devastating magic. Powerful, intelligent, & hateful, Beholders wer…
Like a timeshare bait and switch, The Mimic is the classic D&D monster that poses as something spectacularly wonderful, but leads to many payments, er … pains. It’s an original D&D Monster Manual creature without apparent direct roots from mythology (shapeshifters aside) and is considered an old school icon of role-playing games.
This week I figured we’d have some fun and unbox a D&D Monster mini that’s been sitting on my desk for a while, then talk a bit about the little beastie that emerges. Ooh, I wonder what it will be? These toys put out by Kidrobot, came out August of last year (2022) and feature the most famous-est of monsters from early Dungeons & Dragons.
And finally, here’s some excerpts from the beautiful 2024 Tolkien calendar by Alan Lee, with each month tied to the chronological timeline of the Fall of Númenor:
In case you’re wondering, 2025 (I know it’s quite a bit ahead) has A LOT more options than 2024.
In 2025, any calendars from 1975, 1986, 1997, 2003, 2014 will work: Frazetta, Bell, Vallejo, Tolkien, Dragonlance . . . so many fantasy choices.
A couple Tolkien options for 2025!
How about you?
Any fantasy calendars you’re buying, still have (or will try to “have” again for the coming years?
Well, now it’s time to put these old & new calendars away for just a few more weeks. I feel a pang of jealousy for ol’ Father DST sleeping so well and oblivious to the diurnal disruption his rest has wrought.2
Let’s just say that I’m gonna miss that guy.
But I’m not worried - he will reawake & return, at least once more, on March 10, 2024. Until then I will enjoy my newly relevant fantasy calendars and keep in expectation of the fulfillment of the Once-And-(Permanently)-Future Fantasy Daylight Savings Time prophecy.
3 Different Ways to Win Your 2024 Alan Lee “Fall of Númenor” Tolkien Calendar or the 2024 Dungeons & Dragons 50th Anniversary Calendar*
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Entries accepted through November 30, 2023. Maximum 1 entry per reader. Drawing on December 1st, 2023. Winner chooses desired calendar. Yes, I will also pay the shipping for our domestic & international Adventurers. May Fortune shine upon you & if you miss out, don’t worry, we’ll plan on doing another drawing for these very calendars when they can next be used, in 2052.
Other News from The Realms
Sauron’s Dark Tower Lego-like Lord of the Rings set is 50% off. I love that its base is a book (and The Eye lights up!)
Speaking of Dark Towers . . . Did you miss the 1st of Rediscovered Realms’ 3-part Dark Tower series? “Part 2: The Two Dark Towers” to drop next week!
Yes, it has finally arrived - and yes, you and I are going to unbox it right now. Dark Tower - the most amazing fantasy electronic boardgame from the early 80s has been re-made, risen and now casts its dreadful shadow upon all who enter within the perimeter of its brigand-riddled circular game board.
Ok. How cool is this? Fantasy furniture, including dragon tables, bookends, statues, and thrones, by Design Toscano. They have so many themes to explore (Dragons, Gothic, Medieval, Celtic, Egyptian . . . even Zombies) This is just a sampling but will inspire my vision boards for years to come!
Brings to mind this Viking prayer for the dead (and also Antonio Banderas): “Lo, There do I see my Father, and Lo, there do I see my Mother, and Lo, There do I see my Brothers and my Sisters and Lo, There do I see my people back to the begining, and Lo they do call to me, and Bid me take my place among them in the halls of Valhalla, Where the brave will live forever.” One of the most inspirational movie scenes ever ⤵
What better way to pledge your love (of RPGs) than with a matching pair of d20 rings from Doldols? Sundry geeky RPG gifts abound.
DST was formalized in 1918 and is the practice of moving clocks forward by one hour during summer months so daylight lasts longer into the evening. Most of North America and Europe follows the custom, although less than 40% of countries worldwide still observe it.
As of this writing, The Sunshine Protection Act of 2022 is not yet signed into law and hasn’t passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
If you don’t want to live with it and still be part of the U.S., you can move to Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, or Northern Marianas. None of them observe DST. (My heroes!)
I need to get back into having a calendar on the wall. It's nice to have new art to look at every month.
What goes around comes around! Sharing this on Twitter. Fun post.