12 Zodiac signs
The calendar in world of Daventry apparently mirrors that of the Earth. In the official material references to Daventry's calendar are rarely mentioned. But references that exist that implies that it shares the same 12 month calendar of Earth (November and May for example) and has roughly the same length of year (broken into four seasons; Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter). Further references suggest that weeks varies between five and seven days (ex. Sunday, and in the reimagined King's Quest Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Saturdays).
Background[]
Both May and November are referenced on tombstones in King's Quest IV. However, since the graveyards are said to have been brought over from the Other World, they are not indicative of a calendar in the world of Daventry. However, Kingdom of Sorrow also makes reference comparing the skin of a troll as being as gray as November rain[1], and there is a reference to Mayapples. In KQC it is specifically said that KQ4 takes place during the summer, which would follow information established in KQ3.[2]it was said to have been playing a Maytime dance, which would imply that KQ4 may have taken place in May (however may would set the story in spring in some systems or straddling spring and summer in others), and it is specifically said to take place during summer, that summer scents hung heavily in the air[3]. However these references would seem to confirm that they are both months in Daventry's calendar.
A few details that can be gleaned include the length of days. According to King's Quest IV a day in the world of Daventry is 24 hours much like on Earth (time in the game is a few seconds for every minute, and few minutes for every hour). Weeks are more unclear, only a few references mention the use of days during a week, though not length of week. For example it is said in the King's Quest Companion that the Village of the Crown's Bazaar is open three days a week (which implies that a week is longer than three days). Weeks are mentioned in the King's Quest novels and known details support a five to seven day week. The book Housebreaking Dragons in Seven Days would seem to support a seven day week. The Compleat Works of William Shakespeare mention "Sunday", but this isn't necessarily indicative of the names of the week in the world of Daventry (as the book originates from the other world).
In King's Quest Chapter I: A Knight to Remember there is a reference to Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday indicating that in the reimagined series they follow modern week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday).
There are fewer details surrounding months. In the Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles, Derek speaks of leaving from Llewdor, and being on the ocean for a month and two weeks before he ended up in the Green Isles (this would imply that he was at sea for a month and a half). According to KQ6, Alexander traveled for three months before reaching the Green Islands. In KQ Companion it is explained that Alexander made a stop in Llewdor, the day after he left Daventry, to speak to Derek while his ship was being readied. It's implied in the KQ3 chapter and stated in the KQ6 chapter, that travel between Llewdor and Daventry takes only day in good weather. Once returning to Daventry, it took him three months to reach the Green Isles (however he was searching, and didn't find it directly). Surprisingly it only took a little over a week (or under a week) for Alexander's crew to return back to Daventry, and report his loss to his family (they would later return to tell the crew that he actually survived, following Alexander's wedding).
In the King's Quest Companion within the King's Quest 3 chapter Alexander speaks of Manannan having had a special clock (a reference to the in-game clock) which Manannan follows for his routine (traveling to other nations, eating, sleeping, etc). Thus it is implied Manannan used a different timescale than what was usually normal for the World of Daventry. The time it kept was different from the time normally recognized in Daventry. It apparently runs differently in that universe, slower than it flows in the Other World. In KQ4, Rosella can read a grandfather clock in Whateley Manor (originally from the Other World), which the game calls "Tamir Time". She reads the time breaking it up into A.M. and P.M. (the game takes place from 6:00 AM to 6:00 AM the following day)
If Daventry occured on earth however then its likely that their time units would likely be roughly the same as those used on earth, or at least similar to one of the other cultural calendars used on earth (most earth calendar types use a 12 month calender with approximatley 30 day months). In that case it would mean that the time system that Manannan uses is based on some other timescale other than the ones used on earth.
The world of Daventry (at least in the areas largely visited) follows the traditional four seasons, of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The dates of when the seasons normally begin is unclear. It is known for at least spring that Culatha brings the spring weather to Daventry (without her help winter weather would be perpetual). Queen Icebella is called the Queen of Winter, but it is unclear if that has an meaning other than the fact that she lives in a kingdom of perpetual ice that stretches across Great Mountains. The druids of the Isle of the Mists keep the Green Isles in an eternal spring, and a tropical climate. It is also said that Alexander played a springtime dance suggesting that the game takes place during the spring. This is not indicative of the seasons in other regions however. Throughout the novels there are occasional references to the weather patterns by season. For example it is suggested that during winter, in November there are grey rains in Daventry (so snow comes a little later).[4]
Additionally there are locations within Daventry such as the Old Wood where time doesn't necessarily follow regular patterns due to influence of Faery magic (or at least it seems as if time moves at a different rate). For example time in the Old Woods seems to move quicker than outside the woods. So someone who is in the woods could be there for minutes but, hours, days, years could have passed outside of the woods, so trying to lock time in those locations down onto a regular calender would be nearly impossible. But this seems to mainly affect the feelings of those in the woods, rather than actual affect of time (mortals lose track of time while under the effect of the magic), the fairies are capable of suppressing that magic if need be, to prevent people from losing track of time (for example when Valanice travelled into the Old Wood, during the endless winter, the fairies told them they made sure that they would be leaving the woods it wouldn't be much longer than they entered).
The teleport pads in KQ8 are divided into twelve sections each marked with the traditional zodiac signs which correspond with apparent path of the sun over the course of a year (they do not directly tie to the twelve months but does divide the year into twelve sign periods).
Behind the scenes[]
Note, only a handful of earth months or days are specifically mentioned in any 'official' context. These include, May, November, and Sunday.
The seasons are connected to the Calendar. But there are several systems used for seasons in the world. In some places May be considered summer (United Kingdom for example as such a 'maytime dance' in the summer would not be out of the ordinary). In others May be considered part of the spring. In others it maybe part of the start of 'summer vacation' though technically the end of spring. Likewise November may be considered end of Autumn or mid-winter.
A couple more are mentioned in context of Earth and Peter Spear's discoveries about King's Quest and Derek Karlavaegen's messages. These include December and January.
Though not mentioned in any King's Quest context, other days of the week on Earth include Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
The other months include, February, March, April, June, July, August, September, and October.
The list of the Zodiacs includes: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. Tuesday is mentioned on the sign for the Knight Auditions in Chapter I: A Knight to Remember. It is crossed out and replaced with "Today".
See Calendar (unofficial) for the calendar appearing in unofficial games.