The Moon Over Head

The moon has a strong pull on the Everwood. In the entirety of the known world the moon is a very important conversation piece and source of study. You see, as much as the sciences and magics are quite advanced along the Gold Coast, the known world is still very strange and highly variable. There are patterns that are followed by things which can be measured, like tides and such, but these patterns seem to be on an even larger scale pattern which has yet to be determined. History is still quite new, so give them time to catch up.

In your world, the moon is roughly 384,000 km away from the Earth, sometimes being closer and sometimes being further away. Well, in the Everwood, the moon's position is much more variable and seems to move closer and further away as it pleases. The closest recorded position of the moon was 400 km away from the planet and the furthest was when it disappeared from the sky for an entire month.

The strange thing about that was that the tides did not seem to care. The ocean actually relished in this new freedom, coming and going in a very calm way, and only pulling in and out a few feet each day. It was a great time for the Gold Coast.

So what difference does the moon really make, whether its up close or far away? Well, scientist aren't quite sure. They think that the mechanics and patterns that the moon typically has over things like weather, water, and werewolves, are only mechanics that are followed when the moon is present, or rather, when it is close by. A few studies stand to reconcile this and may actually, with further elaboration, bring more understanding to the strange ball in the sky.

One such study was an intense look at Lycanthropy in relation with the moon was conducted by the Monster Hunters, in conjuction with Castle and his wealth. They found that during a time when the moon was reserved, pulled back, close to "normal" position of anywhere between 350,000 and 400,000 km, the amount of Lycanthrope outbreaks decreased. So say, for instance, that a werewolves turns every full moon for 4 hours a night (this is not the case, but for the sake of argument let it stand). This study showed that at first this idea was followed. But slowly, as the moon stayed further away, the duration of the lycanthrope outbreak decreased from 4 hours to 3 hours, so on and so on. It even went so far as to skip full moons, changing every other full moon.

But! When the moon came close (which scientists saw was rather sudden. Some even went as far as to say it was as if the moon had saw that the werewolves were slacking. Though no one ever published that) the exact opposite was true. The disease was strict and followed things down to the letter: a breakout every full moon, never before, never later, lasting the same amount of hours each time, killing the same amount of innocent people each time.

This study was published by Castle under the idea that the moon held a certain dominion over things, but that it was not necessary for those things to exist without the moon. Lycanthropy could break out without the moon. Tides can change as well. The moon is merely a supervisor, or a higher form of order to the natural order of these forces.

The clergy, more so, the Tower and all its paladins and clerics located in Mercury, both agree and disagree with the findings of Castle and the Monster Hunters. They agree that the moon is a form of a higher hierarchy over things that typically have patterns themselves. But they see it not as just patterns intercepting other patterns, they see it as the Moon as a being, as its spirit, being a watchful eye. In fact, many scholars and scientists alike believe that "moon" is an ancient Elven word, which means "One who watches". Which is why the rangers in the Eyrewood wear crescent moon pendants.

The clergy, both monotheists and animists, believe that the Moon speaks to these other forces through their own shared language. The Moon acts as a supervisor, trying to keep things on its schedule. And things tend to slack off (for lack of better words) when they do not have a supervisor to wrangle them on schedule. So when they thing the moon is not looking, the Tides will stay out a little longer.

Then there are those that believe the Moon is a creature, not a planetary body. These are mainly stories, wives tales, druidic myths and legends, that come from the unknown deep woods. Woods that have no name. The earliest of these legends was discovered in the Bryrewood. A strange bard who had to be a druid, but spoke common and dressed in commoner's clothes, sung song of the Moon's face. The lyrics were never recorded proper, and many botched attempts at recreating it have been as unsuccessful as the attempts to find this strange bard again.

The gist of the song was that the Moon not only waned and waxed, pushed and pulled, it could turn. Now, scientists and theologists alike have always been perplexed by the sight of always seeing the same side of the moon. Why does it not spin so that we can gaze upon the dark side? Of course the smartest of them know that it does spin, but just at a rate that keeps it always facing us. But still, the song purposed that there would come a time, as it had many times before, when the Moon would turn to show its backside, and there, peering down at all the planet, would be a face.

The song's ending has been twisted since that first telling. Some say the moon will judge those it deems worthy. Those who follow its pattern and who have worshiped diligently. Others swear they heard that it would just sit and stare at everyone, eyes shifting to a new person every minute until it has looked at everyone, then it would turn around.

The most desperate of them believe the Moon will open its mouth and swallow whole the planet. I'm akin to believe them. Sometimes, late a night, way out in the Everwood, when even the squirrels and racoons and druids sleep, and the wind takes its midnight break, if you listen closely and really strain your ears, you can hear the Moon rumble...as if it's hungry and is getting ready to feed.