The STARLLIGHT

"The greatest weakness you can give yourself is to not know what it is you fear. If you understand it, often you find it is nothing worth fearing. Even if it is fearsome, you will know how to keep yourself safe.
I will not stand by and let people walk out into those woods without giving them the best chance I can. If that means I must go out there and stand in danger's way to get the information they need, then so be it."

— R.F Banks

The STARLLIGHT magazine is the brainchild of one R.F. Banks, created by her to be an easily accessible source of accurate information on all of the extraordinary things that have happened or been found in Argyle, laid out in an easily readable way, but still as accurate and detailed as it can possibly be.

She came up with the idea not long after moving here, on the premise that even if people wanted to pretend none of this was happening, it was simply unsafe to live in a place like this with giant dangerous creatures as there were without even bothering to try and educate people about them.

It took her a great many months to research and collect enough information to start this venture, but when it came out it became a huge success. She took great care to make sure it didn't look too academic and serious; the front cover was colourful and bright, the last few pages had information on local events like farmers markets and such, and the writing had a personal, informal tint to it. It wasn't a heavy tome all about the gruesome ways the things here could kill, it was a small, free magazine packed with pictures, information and here and there some humourous opinions on the local wildlife, written more like a birdwatcher's book than a survival lesson.

The first few issues focused more on the commoner (and more dangerous) monsters, so that she could get that information out there, and then as more people offered to help it became more diverse, with tidbits and profiles of anything and everything Argyle. Occasionally an issue would go back and revise an older one, when new information on a creature was found, or it might contain accounts of first hand sights of extraordinary things, or theories on where the monsters had come from, or whether ghosts existed.

When the magicians of Argyle decided that they might as well make their presence known, it was because of this magazine that they did, and it was through this magazine that they broadcasted their existence to Argyle. Then, it became full of magical talk too. Notes on meetings, notes on spells, interviews with the mages...

The magazine had to gain a few pages to accommodate this, and it has as time passed started to become a pretty hefty magazine, but it is just as popular, just as colourful, just as free, and most importantly, just as useful to the people of Argyle as it has ever been. And that is all that it needs to be.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

It is a simple glossy-cover magazine, though a particularly thick one.
The latest editions have braille underneath each line of text. Though R.F. Banks doesn't know if anyone in town reads braille, she felt it was important to make it as accessible as possible.

Significance

Major, Regional, though most people don't realise that.

First issue front cover, featuring the distinctive star design gleaned from the stained-glass window on the top floor of the Moth and candle.

First issue back cover, featuring an identical colour scheme and a quote of unknown origin.

Item type

Book / Document

Manufacturer

Argyle Cryptozoologist's Association

Owning Organization

Argyle Cryptozoologist's Association

Rarity

Incredibly commonplace in Argyle, unheard of anywhere else.

Dimensions

A4.

Base Price

Freely distributed at the Moth and Candle, but you can also buy them at the local newspaper store for about three dollars.