Fantasy Daylight Savings Time

Resurrected Fantasy Calendars for the Changing Seasons

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)

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.

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Reflect on Life and the Enchanted World fantasy book series with Rediscovered Realms:

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So why 1996, you ask?

Because just around the corner is the new year of 2024 - the very year where 1996 calendars can be put up on your wall and used again!

You could resurrect any 1996 calendar with kittens or flowers . . . or Green Day, but I’m going with this Tolkien beauty:

It’s HUGE (over 13” x 15”) and the artwork by Ted Nasmith . . . well, I’ll let you decide:

Want to find out which calendars can be (re-)used in which years? Check out this site: https://whencanireusethiscalendar.com/

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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!

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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.

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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:

Ever wanted a pet Beholder?

I wouldn’t sit there if I were you . . .

What’s in the box, you ask? A Roper is definitely a possibility . . .

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.

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3 Different Ways to Win Your 2024 Alan Lee “Fall of Númenor” Tolkien Calendar or the 2024 Dungeons & Dragons 50th Anniversary Calendar*

1. Like this post — or —

2. Comment on this post — or —

3. Share this post
   
   * Must be subscribed to Rediscovered Realms

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.

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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!
  

• 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!
  

  

  

• How’s this for a coffee/beer mug? Viking Barrel Mug from SinoMugs.

  

  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.

  

• Lastly, to really get you in the mood for the coming winter snows, here’s a badass music video by the Harp Twins teaming up with the Vølfgang Twins performing the haunting melody of “Ice Troll (Dark Viking Fantasy)”. Don’t worry, no Ice Trolls were harmed during the making of this film.
  

  
  

Have a Great Week, Quest-seekers!

”We are lucky that our fantasy is for the picking. We can go back in time, stand still, or go forward.” - Lida van Bers, artist

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Do you love heroic fantasy gamebooks like me? Consider signing up to be informed when I launch my very 1st one!

(Featuring artwork from Clyde Caldwell & Luke Eidenschink!)

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1. 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!)

2. Yes, I know we are technically “gaining” an extra hour of sleep, but my internal clock always refuses to adapt to the shift. Alarm clocks be damned.