The Three Moons of Aesondar

The three moons of Aesondar, Nine, Alwe, and Canto are steeped in myth and have often mystified scholars for centuries. Each of the three have their own proposed power and purpose. Some of the information has been lost to the march of time. Still the moons often are attached to events and powers that exist in the world, and as such, require a moment of reflection and identification.

NIINE

Niine (pronounced “Nee-Neh”) is the largest and most identifiable object in the night sky. Taking about twice the amount of space in the sky as a standard Earth moon, Niine is Silvery white in coloration and dotted with a few darkened spots. Niine is often the most referenced and has the most notedly effectual influence on Aesondar. It is responsible for most tidal forces and commands a great deal of magical influence. Notably, this moon is the one most associated with the Goddess Sehanine (her name and the moon itself sharing some common etymology). Niine does go through a full to crescent phase sequence and Sehanine has on occasion changed the phase of Niine to serve a greater purpose, such as providing much needed light to wayward travelers. Sehanine was also the one who helped the Lycanthropes and made their curse attached to the phases of Niine instead of constantly being bound to a beastial form. Despite its many phases, Niine never goes into a full shadow (or new moon) phase, it will stay a crescent until the cycle begins once more. Every 70 years or so during Autumn, Nine will shine with a slight bluish hue, worshipers of Sehanine attribute this to the time where the dreamscape is the easiest to traverse into. It is during that time that dreams are the most vivid. Niine is often seen as a protector and guardian of the night. Many consider Niine to be heavily influential on romantic moods, the full moon in particular being a volatile time for lovers. Either way Niine is often only seen as a bane to those who wish to stay hidden in shadow.

ALWE

Alwe (pronounced al-weh) is the second largest moon in the sky and is the possibly the most vexing of the three. This dark teal sphere in the sky is said to have a sort of constant cloud cover that gives Alwe its iconic hue. While Alwe has been recorded to have minor effects on tidal forces, the historical record has correlated Alwe’s consistent presence in the sky with bountiful harvests, heavy rainy seasons, and weird weather. Most often associated in myth and legend is Alwe’s effect on fertility. Multiple historians note that when Alwe is in the sky for uninterrupted months and not hidden behind Nine or dipping in and out of the horizon, births increase, livestock become more bountiful, and even fisheries and hunting grounds become more populous. Research by scholars have yielded very little, as even arcane inventions cannot seem to pierce the clouds covering Alwe. So for now, the mystery may just have to be left as that.

CANTO

Canto (Kahn-toh) is most certainly the most foreboding of the three. The smallest in the sky pitch black in its hue, it is very difficult to spot in the sky when it is not hidden behind Nine or Alwe or below the horizon. Canto does make its presence known from time to time when it glows with an opalescent shine, lending to its nickname of the “Black Pearl of the Sky.” It is often said that when Canto shines, great heroes die. Others say that time is when heroes are born. Historians are unsure of the validity of either of these claims. Still, Canto is often mythologized with an association with the power of fate. This association is only magnified with the fact that many depictions of the Matron of Ravens include imagery of Canto, and the pearl glow of Canto is seen most clearly and brightly from the Shadowfell.

Type

Planetoid / Moon