Describe an important celestial body or constellation in your world.— Location
Moon-Chariot of Selene
The residents of Mythoversal Hellas imagine the moon to be a luminous silver object carried across the sky in a
chariot driven by the moon titaness, Selene.
This vehicle provides a measure of time and extra lighting at night.
Phases of the Moon
Because the moon often takes a crescent shape, some believed the Moon-Chariot to be drawn by oxen or bulls with glowing crescent-shaped horns. Other believed the shape represented the shape of Selene's face as she adjusted her veil from one day to the next.
Those ideas are very silly.
In fact, the shape of the moon is determined by the moonstone worn by Selene in her crown.
Track of the Moon
In many ways, the Moon-Chariot is a harder-riding vehicle than the
Sun-Chariot of Helios. It veers to the left and right of the Meridian, often operates by night, and each month catches up with and passes its brighter companion.
But while the Sun-Chariot shines with its own light, the Moon-Chariot uses borrowed light that must be renewed monthly.
Renewal of the Moon
Each time the Moon-Chariot overtakes the Sun-Chariot, Selene charges her old moonstone, turning it new again. The new moonstone starts as a thin crescent of light, grows over the next two weeks to its fullest size and roundest shape, and then decreases to a sliver again.
This cycle repeats monthly, about 12 or 13 times over the course of each year, and is vital to mortals in calculating festivals and holidays.
Substitute Riders
At times, Selene gives up the reins to the Moon-Chariot, most often to Artemis, who loves to enable her hunters to have the light they need to track by night.
The Moon and Witchcraft
The moonstone is a potential power source for the followers of Hecate, and their interference with the chariot's journey is the cause of most lunar eclipses. During these times, and at other times when the Moon-Chariot flies close to the horizon, the moonstone may appear blood red or fiery orange as the Hecatite Witches draw and store its luminous light.
Collisions in the Sky
Sometimes when the Moon-Chariot and Sun-Chariot come together in the sky, as the titan siblings race each other, a piece of the Sun-Chariot may become temporarily dislodged. For as long as the damage goes unrepaired, the bite-shaped void will spread until it consumes the entire disk of the sun.
At these times, it's important for mortals to make as much noise as possible to draw the attention of the Horai to effect repairs. Shouting, stomping, playing musical instruments, and banging on metal implements are techniques that have been known to work best.
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