Obiscy

"If the moon of Obis has a gravitation force that is strong enough to move
the very oceans of Oryth, then it stands to reason that we, being 70% water,
can be affected by this force as well."

— Huzzle Bickman, Scholar of Oryth

Obiscy or the Obis Effect is an unproven correlation between the Obis cycle and the physiological changes and behavior of living beings on Oryth, including its sentient humanoid species. This subject has long been debated among the Scholars of Oryth as they are profound followers of the "Correlation is not Causation" mantra. There is much in support of this condition, however, and has deemed further study on the matter.

Fertility

It is widely agreed upon that Obis affects fertility due to the humanoid menstrual cycle, which averages 28 days. Even deities of fertility, such as Ehlonna or Myhriss have a frequent correlation with the moon's cycles in their rituals and practices. Many couples wanting to have a child will seek out a cleric of one of these patrons and will be encouraged to copulate under the light of the full moon. This is sometimes overseen by a priest of one of these orders who will perform a prayer to help sanctify the procreation of the two lovers.

Birth Rate

Some believe that the birth rate is accelerated during the full moon, however, the Scholars of Oryth have not found enough evidence to support these claims. There are some species, such as elves, that have shown an accelerated birth rate, but many of the other humanoid races such as humans, goblins, and orcs have no actual support through the numbers of births throughout the year.

It also could be that the elven number of births could be correlated to the infrequency of their procreation due to their elongated life-spans, with some elves living even as long as two millennia.

Art By: Erica Wexler

Type

Neurological

Origin

Natural

Cycle

Short-term

Rarity

Uncommon

Sobriquets
Lunacy (Elven), Moonstruck, Obis Effect

Art By: Mehdi Mostefaï

Blood Loss

Most likely the largest supporter of the theory of obiscy is the lessening of the clotting effect in the species of Oryth. Many surgeons and mundane healers will opt to wait until the full moon has subsided before operating if at all possible.

Notorious nobles and high-ranking officials will often add extra security and hire mercenaries due to fear of assassination which is common under the full moon due to this theory. There is even supposedly a secret sect of assassins that operate only under the full moon, no one from this organization has even been caught, but the calling card of their organization is always carved into the forehead of their target after a successful assassination. These wounds always leave a considerable amount of blood.

Humanoid Behavior

Mental Illness

Certain forms of mental illness such as those that suffer from auditory or visual hallucinations are reported to spike during the full moon. Depression and anxiety are commonplace during this time period as well as a rise in manic episodes. People not afflicted with pre-existing mental conditions don't tend to be affected like people who are which reports an astounding increase of roughly 5% in their mania.

Epilepsy

Those with epilepsy tend to be more affected by the full moon as well, experiencing heightened and more severe seizures in its stead. It is unsure if this a biological reaction to the full-moon of it is only because of the heightened light of the moon, but it significant enough for the Scholars to surely take notice.

Law

Perhaps one of the most alarming side-effects of the full moon is the surge in illicit activities throughout the lands. Murder rates are reported to be increased by 3% during full-moon and thievery or assault surge by nearly 7%. These numbers are reported from otherwise peaceful civilizations from the various orders of Paladins and Clerics of esteemed reputation.

Sleep Quality

The effects on sleep by the full-moon is a heavy one. Prophecies, dreams, and nightmares often become more clear during this phase of Obis. Many restless nights and ceiling-gazed eyes frequent the hours of Obis in its full glory, causing people to stay awake and sometimes seek trouble. It's no wonder why some people are aggravated and ill-tempered during this time of the month as exhaustion can have infuriating effects on one's demeanor.

Animal Behavior

Animals seem to instinctively know when the Obis is full and prey tend to hide the nights away where predators begin fighting other predators for territory and dominion over potential mates. Wolves in particular become more aggressive and there are reports of them changing in physical characteristics as well. Wolves born on the full-moon have a higher percentage of having dire characteristics. Mothers birthing dire creatures often do not survive child-birth due to the spiny appendages protruding from the natural armor of the dire beasts.

Most familiars belonging to spellcasters seem mostly unaffected by the full-moon due to the magical bond with their masters, but there have been occasions where a familiar has lashed out at the master when Obis shines brightly in the night sky.

Plant Behavior

Certain pollination habits from rare plants seem to synchronize with the phases of the moon. There is actually a rare flower known as the Rybis Flower that specifically reacts to moonlight. This mysterious flower sprouts around fallen pieces of the Rybis Rings and it said that the light from the moon is the two siblings reuniting as the Rybis emits a faint glow with a quiet hum as it blooms in the night sky. Where there are Rybis Flowers, Rybinite (Also known as Adamantine) is believed to be close by.

Lycanthropy

Art By: Toby Fox Art

Those inflicted with Lycanthropy have an obvious correlation with the full-moon light of Obis, their transformation becoming much more difficult to control and often causing a frenzy-like state of mind. Many economically well-off cities across Oryth have begun to equip their most elite guards with silvered weapons in case of attack from lycanthropes. Silver has become quite the commodity for adventurers as well, with many monsters having natural resistances that can be bypassed by silver.