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The Elanthian Moons
See also: Constellations
At this point in the history of Elanthia, there are four moons:
Lornon, Liabo, Tilaok
and Makiri.
Lornon:
Common names: The Dark Moon, The Shadow, The
Faceless.
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Above: Lornon.
OOC Note. Lornon, represented in the image here, is a
dark moon which once a year becomes washed in a sickly blood-red
hue. Thousands of years from now the moon will be permanently
stained crimson, while Liabo will take its place as the dark
ruler of the heavens. |
Lornon, despite its size, remains quite a mystery to most scholars,
mostly due to its distance from our home. It appears to be quite
a distance away compared to Liabo, and it takes around a full month
for it to achieve full orbit. The most intricate telescopes of elven
and gnomish make available to us convey that Lornon is a very dead
world, as cold and ruthless as the Arkati which once inhabited it.
Not much can truly be determined from observation through telescopes,
as Lornon seems to literally shift and swirl, leading most scholars
to conclude that its true landscape is hidden underneath a collection
of grey gasses. Tales passed down from the Time of Rebuilding say
that underneath the dark surface of this moon are icy caverns where
the Dark Arkati once dwelt, filled with strange forms of magic.
This cannot be proven or unproven, as all we have are fragments
of a past, and very historically cluttered era.
Verifiable facts about Lornon, however, is that it appears to influence
our world in strange ways, the most noticeable of these beginning
on the 20 - 30th of Eorgaen, culminating in what can only be described
as a cataclysmic event, Eorgaen the 31st - Lornon's Eve. Over the
course of these days, Lornon's surface begins to swirl with streaks
of crimson until the entire moon is washed with the bloody hue,
then glows brightly with the sickly color as the night of the 31st
begins. All cultures throughout Elanthia find this a terrible time
to endure, for many disastrous workings become apparent once this
process begins. Scholars have agreed that it can be no mere coincidence
that this event coincides with the increased activity of the Dark
Arkati and numerous risings of undead throughout the continent.
There is proof that this lunar event does have a tangible effect
on our world beyond this, but theories abound as to how it occurs
- the mana foci around the world become more chaotic and unpredictable
as Lornon swirls and comes ever closer to its bloody zenith. Whether
the minions of the Dark Arkati become strengthened by this, no one
can truly say. For this reason, every civilized culture associates
Lornon with dark times and ill portent, and rightfully so.
Legends speak of numerous undead uprisings and dark magical powers
waxing as Lornon's Eve passes, so it is not a surprise that most
minions of the Dark Arkati await this night to do their most nefarious
deeds. Myths abound of invasions of towns, even whole cities destroyed
on this most terrible of evenings. It is truly a time to fear. Tales
have also spoken of Lornon being seen in reflections of water before
a particularly disastrous event, yet these stories are set from
the dead of night to the brightest of noons, and neither have anything
truly in common save for the impending doom. These legends seem
to be a common occurance across all cultures, and there are many
theories as to its significance to Lornon's power. It remains a
mystery even to this day.
An interesting fact about Lornon's name is that it has always been
the same throughout every major civilization upon Elanith. Vague
records from the elven people at the Time of Rebuilding point in
this same direction, which brings most scholars to a fascinating
conclusion - Lornon is one of the only words that we know of that
is a true word in the language of the Arkati. Whether this could
conceivably affect its power in any fashion is indeterminable, but
it is a historical curiosity worthy of noting.
Liabo:
Common names: The Great Moon, The Second
Sun, The Ivory.
Most commonly recognized by even those not versed in the lore of
the night skies, Liabo is the largest of all the moons and also
the lunar body which has the strongest influence upon Elanthia's
tides. Thus, most sailors often are more than familiar with Liabo
and keep track of its position in the sky regularly. Liabo is very
close to our world, and it takes about a week for it to fully achieve
orbit. In color, Liabo's surface is a brilliant silvery white, its
shining surface a beacon of light in the night sky. Unhidden by
any veils of gas, Liabo's face is dotted with many craters and deep
valleys. Seemingly made from the purest ivory, Liabo is beautiful
to behold against the darkness of night. Even more transfixing is
the moon's visage when one is fortunate enough to catch a glimpse
of it in the day - for it is ensconced in a pale golden glow, like
a sister to the sun within the sky. It is a regal and elegant sight,
and surely anyone can see why the Arkati chose it as their domain.
As with Lornon, Liabo's name has been universally recognized through
all cultures, thus it is thought that Liabo is one of the true words
in the Arkati's language.
Like Lornon, Liabo seems to have an affect on the world around
us, though exactly how still remains a mystery. As it influences
the tides of the ocean, Liabo also appears to influence the mana
foci on our world. When Liabo waxes, powers involving healing are
also purported to become mildly stronger. Folklore and legends portray
a far different picture of Liabo, crediting it with numerous good
deeds over the centuries. The tales range from the tapping of intense
magical power apparently emanating from Liabo to children's stories,
but neither are verifiable by any means a respectable scholar would
employ.
Still, Liabo is generally considered a good omen to most every
culture. Charms and other trinkets bearing the likeness of the moon
are often sold among most races as signs of good fortune and other
positive aspects. If nothing else, the Liabo moon is a symbol of
hope and an inspiration to all the races dwelling upon Elanith.
Tilaok:
Common names: The Red, The Flamedancer,
The Spark
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Above: Liabo and Tilaok.
OOC Note. Liabo, as represented in the image here, is
as it will be viewed thousands of years into the future by adventurers
on a continent far away. Its surface has since been burned and
scarred by the terrible cataclysm leading to the fall of Makiri. |
Most often associated with fire due to its reddish-orange surface,
Tilaok spins in a frenzied dance around Liabo, earning the common
name "The Flamedancer" among many in Elanith. Though quite
small and thus harder to study through telescopes and magic, we
can determine that there is a layer of gas hiding Tilaok's true
surface, and this is what imparts the fiery color. Tilaok does not
directly orbit our world, rather, it circles around Liabo in a frenzied
dance.
First named by stargazing sylvans years ago, Tilaok has a small
influence on Elanthia's tides but not nearly strong as Liabo or
Lornon, more working in conjunction with the other two. Often gazed
upon by artists and other seekers of beauty, Tilaok is regarded
as one of the most beautiful sights in the night sky, never staying
in one place but always breathtaking to behold.
Makiri:
Common names: None.
Barely known to those not fixated upon night sky, Makiri is the
tiniest of all the moons we know of. Like Tilaok, this celestial
body also orbits Liabo. Shaped irregularly from what the most sensitive
of telescopes are able to tell, the surface is dark and featureless,
and strangely smooth. Another curiosity is that Makiri was once
cited to be much smaller centuries back by astrologers at the time,
perhaps this is due to Makiri's orbit shifting slightly over the
millennia so that it is closer than it was before. Tales among the
more superstitious of mages that it is somehow growing are easily
dismissed by this plausible theory.
While it also orbits Liabo, it is too small to have any effect
on the tides of Elanthia. Little is known about this moon as it
is quite hard to study due to its small size.
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