The Farstrider (Moon)

The Farstrider is the name of one of the three moons that orbit the planet Erziyye. Of its sisters, it is the furthest from the planet which gives it the appearance of being the smallest. However, astronomers estimate that it is in fact larger even than the Mediator, the larger moon whom the planet's tides primarily follow. In addition to being the furthest moon, it is also the moon with the slowest orbit, measuring at twice the duration of the Mediator and four times that of the Swiftstepper, the smallest and nearest of the moons.
By the naked eye, the Farstrider appears almost to be a very large star on account of its brilliant white coloration. Observations with telescopes have revealed that its surface is not as pristine as it looks, but rather full of striations in shifting shades of gray, white and blue.

Cultural Significance

Like its sisters, the Farstrider holds a great deal of cultural significance to many of the peoples across Erziyye, though the exact nature of the associations naturally vary from culture to culture.
For example, in Meldan The Farstrider, known as The Lady, is considered to be an embodiment of The Lady of the Roads, their primary deity. On account of this, the timings of offerings on private altars as well as that of public religious festivals often follow the phases of the Farstrider. Additionally, children born when the moon is full are considered to be blessed by the attention of the Lady of the Roads and are considered to be lucky.
Conversely, in the monarchy of Erdjerin, the Farstepper is considered an ill omen and meaningful events such as weddings and the sealing of important business deals are avoided when it is full.
The moon has many names across many different cultures. Some of these include the Pearl, the Ice Moon, the Nearstar and simply the White. Most languages name it in a way that references its coloration.