Moons of Eberron
The sky of Eberron is full of wonders. The Ring of Siberys stretches over the equator, its glittering stones standing out even in the light of day. Sages trace images of celestial dragon patterns of the stars. And twelve moons circle the planet, filling the night sky with color and light.
This multitude of moons affects Eberron in many ways. While Zarantyr has the greatest influence over the tides of Eberron, each moon has its own impact on wind and water, and lunar conjunctions can have dramatic effects that can spawn adventures. A confluence of moons can pull back the waters, revealing ancient ruins along the shores of Xen'drik. Sailors speak of maelstroms that arise when Zarantyr eclipses Aryth -- vast whirlpools that can draw a ship into the elemental oceans of Lamannia or the endless frozen sea of Risia. The sage Galeoin, who lived among the Serens, claimed that the moons influenced the tides of magic as well as water and that his barbaric hosts had learned to weave lunar power into their arcane rituals; however, the magi of the Arcane Congress have yet to find any solid evidence supporting Galeoin's claims.
Each moon has an "ascendant phase" -- a roughly 28-day period during which it is unusually bright. To date, scholars have found no natural explanation for this phenomenon, and it remains one of the mysteries of the skies. This cycle of radiance is the basis for the lunar calendar, and each month is named for the moon that is in its ascendant phase. Some stargazers claim that the ascendant moon has a profound impact on the skills and spirit of children born beneath it; a child born in the month of Zarantyr will be wild and mercurial, while a child of Therendor will be gentle and kind. Druids and rangers also believe that the ascendant moon can be a source of strength -- that a child of Dravago has a special gift for calming animals when this moon is full in the sky.
When the dragonmarks appeared, sages were quick to note the similarities between the powers of the marks and the mythic qualities of the moons. According to popular legend, each dragonmark first manifested during the month of its associated moon. One common belief is that a child born in the month of his mark has a greater chance of developing a powerful dragonmark, and superstitious dragonmarked couples often time pregnancies to end in the appropriate month. As there were once thirteen dragonmarks, some sages believe that there is a thirteenth moon that has either vanished or simply cannot be seen with the naked eye, and the existence of such a moon has been hinted at by dragons and carvings found in ruined Xen'drik. If this moon was once visible in the sky, it vanished long before the rise of human civilization, and the common races do not know its name or place in the heavens.
Associated Dragonmark: Storm
Cycle: 13 days Zarantyr is one of Ebberon's largest moons, and it has the greatest effect on the planet's tides. Superstition holds that there is a far greater chance of being struck by lightning when Zarantyr is full, and that bolts can fall from a clear sky. According to the druids, those born in the month of Zarantyr have a wild and tempestuous nature. Sometimes this translates to aggression, but it can also manifest as pure, unbridled energy; barbarians, fighters, sorcerers, and evokers may all feel a bond with the Storm Moon.
Associated Dragonmark: Sentinel
Cycle: 27 hours Eberron's smallest but closest moon, it orbits the planet so fast that during a night you can see it move through the cycles. It matches pace almost with Eberron's rotation and so seems to lazily drift across the sky, generally spending five days visible and five days set. To the naked eye, the orange disk of Olarune seems to have a slight fringe that vaguely resembles the rim of a shield. The druids say that those born when Olarune is ascendant have a strong bond to community and to order, and a natural desire to protect others; superstition holds that more paladins are born in this month than any other. Scattered lycanthropes, especially weretigers, revere Olarune as a sort of demigoddess-protector.
Associated Dragonmark: Handling
Cycle: 35 days Large and lavender, Therendor is a striking image in the sky. Its orbit typically keeps it at a distance from other moons, and old legends say that it is herding the rest and keeping them in motion. Children of Therendor are said to be more comfortable with animals and plants than with people -- gifted herders, handlers, and farmers, but often awkward in social situations. Some say that stones from Therendor occasionally fall to Eberron, and alchemists have long claimed that this "purple dust of Therendor" holds remarkable magical properties.
However, while Therendor is full wild beasts are far more likely to go rampant.
Associated Dragonmark: Hospitality
Cycle: 8 days The golden disk of Eyre is most typically associated with royalty. Those born when Eyre is ascendant are said to be sociable and charismatic, gifted orators and con artists. The halflings of House Ghallanda frequently offer discounted rates at their hostelries on nights when "King Eyre" is in its full moon phase.
Associated Dragonmark: Healing
Cycle: 33 days The Serens and druids maintain that natural medicines concocted when Dravago is full and Aryth is new are more potent than normal. Those born in the month of Dravago are thought to be gentle and empathetic; priests, mediators, and healers often have Dravago as their ascendant moon.
Associated Dragonmark: Detection
Cycle: 42 days This moon features a long black chasm, and, when viewed from Eberron, the full disk of Nymm resembles a slitted eye. Many superstitions exist about the baleful influence of this moon, and strange occurrences and calamities seem to happen when the Eye of Lharvion is full in the sky. The druids believe that children of Lharvion possess unnatural insights, and gifted diviners and researchers are often born in this month.
Associated Dragonmark: Making
Cycle: 24 days When Lharvion is full, a keen-eyed observer can pick out on its surface a shadowy shape that vaguely resembles an anvil. According to druidic belief, those born under Lharvion inherit a solid, practical nature and a gift for nature crafts. Some smiths will wait until Lharvion is full to work on especially difficult projects, and House Cannith enclaves often hold celebrations when the Anvil is full in the sky.
Associated Dragonmark: Finding
Cycle: Varries, generally around 10 days Barrakas is the brightest of Eberron's moons, and hunters value its light when stalking prey at night. However, she has a wild a chaotic streak; being by far the hardest moon to track. Some months she will skip over being full, or halfway through a cycle change it and go back. Barrakas is "sister moon" of Therendor shares a similar (if wider) orbit and occasionally seems to hide behind her closer brother. On nights when Therendor eclipses Barrakas -- "when Barrakas is shy" -- sailors worry about getting lost at sea. Those born when Barrakas is ascendant are thought to be gifted hunters, but are also said to have a wild streak and are ever to be tied to one place.
The son of Nymm sees what others cannot see, while the daughter of Barrakas sheds light on that which is already in the open.
Associated Dragonmark: Scribing
Cycle: 28 days, exactly The smallest of Eberron's moons, Rhaan looks more like a bright star. When viewed with a spyglass, one may see a series of ridges that vaguely resemble scribblings on a page. The druids say that Rhaan empowers creative thought, and they believe that dancers, musicians, poets, and artists of all stripes draw inspiration from the Book.
Associated Dragonmark: Shadow
Cycle: 51 days Sypheros is a dim moon, and people often find it difficult to spot in the night sky. Perversely when Sypheros is full the night appears to get darker. It is hailed as a friend among thieves and others who prefer to do their work unseen. Many believe that children born in the month of Sypheros inherit a shifty, untrustworthy nature, and parents often seek to time pregnancies to avoid this month. However, the druids say that the children of Sypheros are not evil; rather, they are comfortable with the shadows and can face them without fear.
Associated Dragonmark: Passage
Cycle: 17 days The black dragon Vvarrak told the first druids that Aryth has a similar effect on manifest zones as Zarantyr has on tides, and that particularly weak manifest zones appear only when Aryth is in its full moon phase. Some say that those born under this moon are restless folk, driven to travel and explore; Lhazaar, who led the first great migration from Sarlona to Khorvaire, is said to have been a child of Aryth.
Associated Dragonmark: Warding
Cycle: 66 days Vult is the farthest moon from Eberron, and some legends say that it holds back forces that lurk out within the stars. The druids say that children of Vult are practical, careful folk who generally plan ahead and prepare for the worst; when disaster strikes, the children of Vult hold civilization together. In his study of the Serens, the sage Galeoin reported that the barbarians believe that Vult "devours" the spirits of deceased great wyrms that fail to attain godhood.
Moon Phases Calendar
The Moons
Zarantyr, the Storm Moon
Colour: Pearly whiteAssociated Dragonmark: Storm
Cycle: 13 days Zarantyr is one of Ebberon's largest moons, and it has the greatest effect on the planet's tides. Superstition holds that there is a far greater chance of being struck by lightning when Zarantyr is full, and that bolts can fall from a clear sky. According to the druids, those born in the month of Zarantyr have a wild and tempestuous nature. Sometimes this translates to aggression, but it can also manifest as pure, unbridled energy; barbarians, fighters, sorcerers, and evokers may all feel a bond with the Storm Moon.
Olarune, The Sentinel
Colour: Pale orangeAssociated Dragonmark: Sentinel
Cycle: 27 hours Eberron's smallest but closest moon, it orbits the planet so fast that during a night you can see it move through the cycles. It matches pace almost with Eberron's rotation and so seems to lazily drift across the sky, generally spending five days visible and five days set. To the naked eye, the orange disk of Olarune seems to have a slight fringe that vaguely resembles the rim of a shield. The druids say that those born when Olarune is ascendant have a strong bond to community and to order, and a natural desire to protect others; superstition holds that more paladins are born in this month than any other. Scattered lycanthropes, especially weretigers, revere Olarune as a sort of demigoddess-protector.
Therendor, the Herder's Moon
Colour: Pale lavenderAssociated Dragonmark: Handling
Cycle: 35 days Large and lavender, Therendor is a striking image in the sky. Its orbit typically keeps it at a distance from other moons, and old legends say that it is herding the rest and keeping them in motion. Children of Therendor are said to be more comfortable with animals and plants than with people -- gifted herders, handlers, and farmers, but often awkward in social situations. Some say that stones from Therendor occasionally fall to Eberron, and alchemists have long claimed that this "purple dust of Therendor" holds remarkable magical properties.
However, while Therendor is full wild beasts are far more likely to go rampant.
Eyre, the Crown or King Eyre
Colour: Pale yellow, but with a green shadowAssociated Dragonmark: Hospitality
Cycle: 8 days The golden disk of Eyre is most typically associated with royalty. Those born when Eyre is ascendant are said to be sociable and charismatic, gifted orators and con artists. The halflings of House Ghallanda frequently offer discounted rates at their hostelries on nights when "King Eyre" is in its full moon phase.
Dravago, The Healer's Moon
Colour: Brilliant whiteAssociated Dragonmark: Healing
Cycle: 33 days The Serens and druids maintain that natural medicines concocted when Dravago is full and Aryth is new are more potent than normal. Those born in the month of Dravago are thought to be gentle and empathetic; priests, mediators, and healers often have Dravago as their ascendant moon.
Nymm, the Eye
Colour: Dull white with black slitAssociated Dragonmark: Detection
Cycle: 42 days This moon features a long black chasm, and, when viewed from Eberron, the full disk of Nymm resembles a slitted eye. Many superstitions exist about the baleful influence of this moon, and strange occurrences and calamities seem to happen when the Eye of Lharvion is full in the sky. The druids believe that children of Lharvion possess unnatural insights, and gifted diviners and researchers are often born in this month.
Lharvion, the Anvil
Colour: Silver-grey, with firey cratersAssociated Dragonmark: Making
Cycle: 24 days When Lharvion is full, a keen-eyed observer can pick out on its surface a shadowy shape that vaguely resembles an anvil. According to druidic belief, those born under Lharvion inherit a solid, practical nature and a gift for nature crafts. Some smiths will wait until Lharvion is full to work on especially difficult projects, and House Cannith enclaves often hold celebrations when the Anvil is full in the sky.
Barrakas, the Lantern
Colour: Ever shifting pale coloursAssociated Dragonmark: Finding
Cycle: Varries, generally around 10 days Barrakas is the brightest of Eberron's moons, and hunters value its light when stalking prey at night. However, she has a wild a chaotic streak; being by far the hardest moon to track. Some months she will skip over being full, or halfway through a cycle change it and go back. Barrakas is "sister moon" of Therendor shares a similar (if wider) orbit and occasionally seems to hide behind her closer brother. On nights when Therendor eclipses Barrakas -- "when Barrakas is shy" -- sailors worry about getting lost at sea. Those born when Barrakas is ascendant are thought to be gifted hunters, but are also said to have a wild streak and are ever to be tied to one place.
The son of Nymm sees what others cannot see, while the daughter of Barrakas sheds light on that which is already in the open.
Rhaan, the Book
Colour: Pale blueAssociated Dragonmark: Scribing
Cycle: 28 days, exactly The smallest of Eberron's moons, Rhaan looks more like a bright star. When viewed with a spyglass, one may see a series of ridges that vaguely resemble scribblings on a page. The druids say that Rhaan empowers creative thought, and they believe that dancers, musicians, poets, and artists of all stripes draw inspiration from the Book.
Sypheros, the Shadow
Colour: Smoky greyAssociated Dragonmark: Shadow
Cycle: 51 days Sypheros is a dim moon, and people often find it difficult to spot in the night sky. Perversely when Sypheros is full the night appears to get darker. It is hailed as a friend among thieves and others who prefer to do their work unseen. Many believe that children born in the month of Sypheros inherit a shifty, untrustworthy nature, and parents often seek to time pregnancies to avoid this month. However, the druids say that the children of Sypheros are not evil; rather, they are comfortable with the shadows and can face them without fear.
Aryth, the Gateway
Colour: Dull orangeAssociated Dragonmark: Passage
Cycle: 17 days The black dragon Vvarrak told the first druids that Aryth has a similar effect on manifest zones as Zarantyr has on tides, and that particularly weak manifest zones appear only when Aryth is in its full moon phase. Some say that those born under this moon are restless folk, driven to travel and explore; Lhazaar, who led the first great migration from Sarlona to Khorvaire, is said to have been a child of Aryth.
Vult, the Warding Moon
Colour: Icey blueAssociated Dragonmark: Warding
Cycle: 66 days Vult is the farthest moon from Eberron, and some legends say that it holds back forces that lurk out within the stars. The druids say that children of Vult are practical, careful folk who generally plan ahead and prepare for the worst; when disaster strikes, the children of Vult hold civilization together. In his study of the Serens, the sage Galeoin reported that the barbarians believe that Vult "devours" the spirits of deceased great wyrms that fail to attain godhood.
Lycanthropes and the Moons of Eberron
The full moon has a powerful effect on lycanthropes -- and on Eberron, a shapeshifter may have to contend with the influence of multiple moons on a single night. Generally a creature afflicted with lycanthropy changes involuntarily into animal form whenever one of the twelve moons is full. An afflicted creature can resist the involuntary transformation with some difficulty; however, for each additional full moon it becomes increasingly more difficult to do so. This means that an afflicted lycanthrope has to contend with the effects of the curse an average of at least a dozen nights of the month. Thus, rarely does an afflicted lycanthrope last a week before the curse takes hold and permanently alters them.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
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