Hidden Moon Frenzy

The new moon in the sky has led to a rise in mass hysteria and unexplained phenomenon. I can assure all of you that the researchers at Wizard's Peak University and the officials of the Concordance are doing everything they can to keep us safe.
I tell ya, new moons in the sky don't bode well! You've all heard the stories. You know the prophecies! The lycans are shifting, but with magitech bits! Now we have this clockwork moon up there warping the tides and messing up me fishing!
— Sgt. Kill Flayer

With the rise of Xeno, the Hidden Moon lycanthropes, druids, sailors, and others who rely on the moon for their life or livelihood have been thrown into confusion. The Hidden Moon usually matches the orbit of Thaya, the Shattered Moon, amplifying Thaya's effect on the tides and her pull on Erathia.

However, Xeno occasionally breaks away from its hiding spot behind Thaya and its influence can be more widely felt. It appears in the sky as a black and gold clockwork sphere of turning gears and arcane energy. The new moon has been in the sky for only a few months and it doesn't seem to follow any orbital rules of the natural world or any arcane and divine laws.

Mechanical Transformations

When Xeno is in the sky, lycanthropes undergo strange magitech changes. Their transformations can include mechanical parts, some may have a clockwork eye or limb made of metal. Others transform into a fully manufactured form.

The machinery of the modern world: trains, skyships, the great mechanical engines of the Kirinal Pit thrum with extra energy and odd awareness.

The Soulforged and other constructs can also behave in unpredictable ways. The usually stoic soulforged are overcome with raw emotions that replace the muted feelings they normally have.

The tides move strangely and wildlife has not yet adapted to the new changes in the sky. The Seven-Moon Snapdragons now include blooms of gold and black with clockwork patterns on them.

Howl 2/14/2023 by Chris L

For centuries I alone have been in control of my transformations. After the death of Sister Moon, the goddess Thaya, we lycan had to learn control or die. Now, this unnatural moon, this manufactured thing pollutes the sky and our hard fought control is gone. I swear this to you, the packs will tear that thing from our skies.

Jazera, Heirophant of the Jungle Packs


Cover image: by Chris L

Comments

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Jul 10, 2021 10:10

Alien, magi-tech werewolves and of course that most devious moon - AWESOME :D   Are there any organized efforts to meet what's going on? :)


Creator of Araea, Megacorpolis, and many others.
Jul 10, 2021 11:44

Oh very cool idea to have a clockwork moon! Why does everybody make the moon something strange though this summer camp :p   Neat idea to have lycanthropes get magitech parts xp

Feel free to check my new world Terra Occidentalis if you want to see what I am up to!
Jul 10, 2021 13:34 by Amélie I. S. Debruyne

I love the science fantasy rewriting of the myth :D

To see what I am up to: my Summer Camp 2024.
Aug 5, 2021 20:47 by Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull

I love the idea of a creepy, magical, clockwork moon. It's interesting how it has a much different effect on the world than the normal moon.

Emy x
Explore Etrea
Aug 9, 2021 14:07 by AS Lindsey (Pan)

Such a fantastic idea! Did someone mortal somehow make this moon, or has it always been there, hidden behind the more natural one?   Really love the idea of it causing clockwork mutations in werewolves. That must be horrifying to experience.

Aug 9, 2021 14:15 by Chris L

There's a whole mythology (with articles!) in my world about there being 7 moons when the world began. All but 1 were eaten by a giant serpent. This is the first moon to come back, but due to in campaign actions by my players, it was corrupted by an evil god who had possessed one of the characters, a soulforged (warforged) PC. Thus it came back evil and clockwork!


Take a look at my Institutions of Learning challenge article.

Learn about the World of Wizard's Peak and check out my award winning article about the Ghost Boy of Kirinal!

Aug 9, 2021 14:28 by AS Lindsey (Pan)

Oh amazing, that sounds really cool. I look forward to seeing what forms the others have taken as they start to come back too.

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