Full Moon
The full moon is used to track seasons and believed to have powers over certain spiritual and magical aspects of the world. In tradition and folklore, the first full moon in each month bears a particular name. They are as follows:
January is the Wolf Moon. The Moriganian holy week of Súleisadhë falls on the Wolf Moon, as well as its waxing and waning gibbous phases. The wolf moon is often mentioned in urban legends and copper novels as an atmospheric element.
February is the Snow Moon. When the snow moon is late enough for the Hitë-ata Hunt to take place beneath it, the Druids of the Western Woods are said to be able to strengthen and focus the moonlight onto the hunters' prey.
March is the Worm Moon, so named because worms and beetle larvae begin to emerge again after the long winter. In tropical regions, March's full moon is called the Clear Moon for the clear, storm-free skies it often brings. The Worm Moon holds the first Kháivara Conclave of each year in Tua'ngara.
April is the Blush Moon or the Lovers Moon. According to various traditions, a number of famously happily partnered gods—Fricka and Gnotan, Danu and Dagda, Gilgamesh and Enkidu—met or married beneath the blush moon. In an Alaquetta, the full moon represents springtime, and is most often implied to be this moon in particular.
May is the Flower Moon. The Maginus Convention, a wizard symposium held at the August Spire by the Convocation of Wands, begins on the night of the flower moon and lasts for two weeks afterwards.
June is the Strawberry Moon. In places with high concentrations of Fey influence, offerings of berries and sweets are often left at the doorstep of local witches during this moon; angering witches this time of year brings the threat that they will swap your chicken's eggs for a basilisk's... or worse. Amid the small churches of the Order of the Two Daughters, it is instead called the Sorrow Moon and used as a solemn commemoration of the separation of Niàngi and Niùe
July is the Buck Moon. It is said to be a particular favorite of Poseidon, a god already often associated with the moon via the tides. The Brightwater Faire takes place beneath this moon, and old warships from the Liberty Coast Naval Base are repurposed with games and waterslides for young families. The largest (and often most contentious) Kháivara Conclave takes place beneath the buck moon; a common joke among nuél-orokhim is that the moon is named for its tendency to make people butt heads, just as bucks fight with their antlers.
August is the Tomato Moon, so named because it heralds late-summer fruits. Harvest festivals that focus on vegetables rather than grain, such as Jarmas and the Tomato Wars, often coincide with the tomato moon. In places where the culture is more influenced by the arcane than the agricultural, August's moon is the Conjurer's Moon, which is said to aid in the opening of portals to other worlds (particularly the Lower Planes).
September is the Harvest Moon, a common motif in troubadour ballads. Offerings of plum wine are often made to the archfey Selúne beneath this moon, asking for fair weather and a successful harvest.
October is the Hunter's Moon. This is a holy time for worshippers of gods and goddesses of the hut, such as Artemis and Arawn. It is said to be the best time to hunt many prized game animals, such as boar and deer, as these gods guide the hunter's bow. However, mortal hunters may find themselves hunted beneath this moon instead—the Dullahan of the Wild Hunt, led by the Vadderung and the Void, are able to slip into the Material Plane from their home in the Autumn Court beneath the hunter's moon and seek out mortal prey.
November is the Beast Moon. A second Maginus Convention takes place beneath this moon, though it is much less well-attended due to Ettelane's harsh, wintry weather. This moon also sees the last Kháivara Conclave before Habernuë.
December is the Dragon Moon. Most draconologists believe that this full moon is the only time a dragon can lay an egg. This appears to be corroborated by the accounts of trustworthy metallic dragons, though it is not known if the same is true for chromatic dragons. The Dragon Moon was a major feast day in Bjália, overshadowing both New Year's Dawn and Snowfall's Eve.
A second blue moon falling in any month is called a Blue Moon. Ley lines are said to fluctuate during a blue moon. Some spells increase their range and potency in a blue moon. In contrast, some magical technologies—most notably teleportation circles and wellsprings —malfunction or cause wild magic surges when used during a blue moon. Virtually all magic academies and wizarding colleges cancel and reschedule classes and exams set to fall on a blue moon because of this unpredictability.
February is the Snow Moon. When the snow moon is late enough for the Hitë-ata Hunt to take place beneath it, the Druids of the Western Woods are said to be able to strengthen and focus the moonlight onto the hunters' prey.
March is the Worm Moon, so named because worms and beetle larvae begin to emerge again after the long winter. In tropical regions, March's full moon is called the Clear Moon for the clear, storm-free skies it often brings. The Worm Moon holds the first Kháivara Conclave of each year in Tua'ngara.
April is the Blush Moon or the Lovers Moon. According to various traditions, a number of famously happily partnered gods—Fricka and Gnotan, Danu and Dagda, Gilgamesh and Enkidu—met or married beneath the blush moon. In an Alaquetta, the full moon represents springtime, and is most often implied to be this moon in particular.
May is the Flower Moon. The Maginus Convention, a wizard symposium held at the August Spire by the Convocation of Wands, begins on the night of the flower moon and lasts for two weeks afterwards.
June is the Strawberry Moon. In places with high concentrations of Fey influence, offerings of berries and sweets are often left at the doorstep of local witches during this moon; angering witches this time of year brings the threat that they will swap your chicken's eggs for a basilisk's... or worse. Amid the small churches of the Order of the Two Daughters, it is instead called the Sorrow Moon and used as a solemn commemoration of the separation of Niàngi and Niùe
July is the Buck Moon. It is said to be a particular favorite of Poseidon, a god already often associated with the moon via the tides. The Brightwater Faire takes place beneath this moon, and old warships from the Liberty Coast Naval Base are repurposed with games and waterslides for young families. The largest (and often most contentious) Kháivara Conclave takes place beneath the buck moon; a common joke among nuél-orokhim is that the moon is named for its tendency to make people butt heads, just as bucks fight with their antlers.
August is the Tomato Moon, so named because it heralds late-summer fruits. Harvest festivals that focus on vegetables rather than grain, such as Jarmas and the Tomato Wars, often coincide with the tomato moon. In places where the culture is more influenced by the arcane than the agricultural, August's moon is the Conjurer's Moon, which is said to aid in the opening of portals to other worlds (particularly the Lower Planes).
September is the Harvest Moon, a common motif in troubadour ballads. Offerings of plum wine are often made to the archfey Selúne beneath this moon, asking for fair weather and a successful harvest.
October is the Hunter's Moon. This is a holy time for worshippers of gods and goddesses of the hut, such as Artemis and Arawn. It is said to be the best time to hunt many prized game animals, such as boar and deer, as these gods guide the hunter's bow. However, mortal hunters may find themselves hunted beneath this moon instead—the Dullahan of the Wild Hunt, led by the Vadderung and the Void, are able to slip into the Material Plane from their home in the Autumn Court beneath the hunter's moon and seek out mortal prey.
November is the Beast Moon. A second Maginus Convention takes place beneath this moon, though it is much less well-attended due to Ettelane's harsh, wintry weather. This moon also sees the last Kháivara Conclave before Habernuë.
December is the Dragon Moon. Most draconologists believe that this full moon is the only time a dragon can lay an egg. This appears to be corroborated by the accounts of trustworthy metallic dragons, though it is not known if the same is true for chromatic dragons. The Dragon Moon was a major feast day in Bjália, overshadowing both New Year's Dawn and Snowfall's Eve.
A second blue moon falling in any month is called a Blue Moon. Ley lines are said to fluctuate during a blue moon. Some spells increase their range and potency in a blue moon. In contrast, some magical technologies—most notably teleportation circles and wellsprings —malfunction or cause wild magic surges when used during a blue moon. Virtually all magic academies and wizarding colleges cancel and reschedule classes and exams set to fall on a blue moon because of this unpredictability.
Spread
Festivals, ceremonies, and events worldwide rely on the full moon for a number of reasons. Practically speaking, the predictable phases of the moon track time consistently, and the full moon's light aids nighttime navigation (particularly for those humanoids with partial nighttime vision, such as elves and dwarves). The constancy of lunar cycles allows travelers to pace their journeys to keep up with events; for instance, a Rangatira from a far-flung region of the Western Woods might know to leave for the Kháivara Conclave when the moon reaches the waxing first quarter before the next full moon.
In a more metaphysical sense, certain gods, immortals, and magical traditions claim to hold more power during certain full moons.
Alternately, the Blood Moon's Nexus in Dancamort always avoids the full moons, taking place on each new moon instead. The Company of Hades believes that Poseidon is at his fullest power on the full moons, and wish to both avoid his wrath and take advantage of his tendency to bring good sailors into the port.
Hello mezzopatricia. I really enjoyed reading your post and utilizing the moon. Weirdly, I adore doing interesting things with my moon(s) in my worldbuilding. I am wondering if your world has any sayings, curses, or idioms related to the moons (like our 'once in a blue moon'). As the moons seem to be so important culturally, it would be interesting to see how that comes out in their language usage.