Moons of Velestris

The three primary moons of Velestris are known in Sarpor and Anaya as Ilasa, Zderun, and Ashov, or variations on those names. They are all large enough to be roughly spherical, but Velestris has a number of smaller moons with an irregular shape; these appear as swiftly wandering stars to the unaided eye. The configuration of moons and their phases is a significant component in all astrological systems, although the alignments have different meanings in different cultures. For example, among dragon cultists a triple new moon is a time of rest and silence, whereas for Sarporis it foretells turmoil.

Geography

Ilasa is the smallest and cycles most quickly, going through all its phases in 11 days. Its barren surface is pale yellow and white and marked only by craters, the largest of which are just visible to the unaided eye. Zderun is nearly twice the size of Ilasa, although it does not appear significantly larger because of its greater distance from Velestris, and has the longest cycle at 39 days; the dark igneous floodplains on its surface are constantly shifting as a result of volcanic activity. Ashov, slightly smaller than Zderun but appearing much smaller because of its distance, has enough surface water to form oceans dotted with rocky brown and bluish-gray continents; it completes its phase cycle in 25 days.

Natural Resources

None of the moons have a breathable atmosphere. Mages have been attempting to teleport to their surfaces and establish a magical life-support apparatus for millennia, but all such attempts have ended in tragedy. If anyone does succeed in establishing a physical presence on the moons, their mineral wealth would be theirs for the taking, and seers have confirmed the presence of aether on Zderun and Ashov. Many empires have laid claim to the moons, but none have had occasion to enforce their possession thereof.

Type

Planetoid / Moon