Durin's Day

Sunset at Durin's Day.

Overview

The 19th of October marks the date of Durin's Day.
In 2018, SSG added an event to mark Durin's Day and the events of The Hobbit.

• Dwarf-carved Stone - The memorial stone and its translation

Dates

Scheduled dates
2024: October 17 - October 22
Previous Dates 2023: 14:00 UTC, October 17 - 07:00 UTC, October 23 2022: 14:00 UTC, October 15 - 07:00 UTC, October 21 2021: 14:00 UTC, October 15 - 07:00 UTC, October 21 2020: 14:00 UTC, October 15 - 07:00 UTC, October 21 2019: 14:00 UTC, October 18 - 07:00 UTC, October 22 2018: Around October 19

Quests

The following quest is auto-bestowed upon arrival at the memorial stone. The path to the stone can be found beginning at ^{[29.4N, 28.5W]}.

• [...] Durin's Day Upon Erebor - repeatable

Deeds

• Observer of Durin's Day - first year
• Repeat Observer of Durin's Day - second year
• Dedicated Observer of Durin's Day - third year

Titles

• Observer of Durin's Day - first year
• Witness to the Sun and Moon - second year
• Who Has Heard the Thrush's Knock - third year

Lore

Durin's Day is a rare event as observed by the Longbeards; the clan founded by Durin - the first day of the Dwarves New Year, when both the Sun and Moon may be seen in the sky together

The Moon-letters written on the map that Gandalf had received from Thráin II, as read by Elrond, instructed, 'Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key-hole.' (Thus revealing the secret door into the Lonely Mountain).

The new year of their calendar was the last cycle of the Moon to begin in Autumn, or in Thorin's words 'the first day of the last moon of Autumn on the threshold of Winter. We still call it Durin's Day when the last moon of Autumn and the sun are in the sky together.'

'Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks," read Elrond, "and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key-hole." "Durin, Durin!" said Thorin. "He was the father of the fathers of the eldest race of Dwarves, the Longbeards, and my first ancestor: I am his heir." "Then what is Durin's Day?" asked Elrond. "The first day of the dwarves' New Year," said Thorin, "is as all should know the first, day of the last moon of Autumn on the threshold of Winter. We still call it Durin's Day when the last moon of Autumn and the sun are in the sky together. But this will not help us much, I fear, for it passes our skill in these days to guess when such a time will come again."

Unlike The Lord of the Rings Tolkien left no precise timetable for the events of The Hobbit. However, in The History of The Hobbit, Tolkien set 19 October as the date of that year's Durin's Day.