The moon holds an important place in the collective dreams of man, just as it has throughout history. It brings light to the depths of night and represents the cycle of life — from birth, through maturity, old age and death, on to eventual rebirth. Affecting the tides and peoples’ emotions, its movement and constant change are viewed by many cultures as the defining force behind both madness and prophecy.
Harnessing the varied and unique aspects of the moon brings flavour and a greater depth of detail to campaigns where the moon is a significant force. The moon and what it means to people enlivens a campaign in a way few other things can. To this end, the moon and its influence must be described in both historical and mythological terms. All of the game information presented here is predicated on a number of the moon’s traditional symbolic aspects.
Femininity: The moon is a decidedly feminine celestial body in history and myth, represented by Selene in classical Greek mythology and Cheng O in ancient China, among others. Its 28-day cycle from new moon to full moon and back to new moon is analogous to the female menstrual cycle. It is a nurturing force that offers protection and guidance.
Transformation: The moon is an ever-changing entity, one representative of inconstancy — a decidedly negative trait — but also of transformation for the better. It represents adaptation to the environment.It is tied to lycanthropes, the tides and intelligence gleaned through instruction.
Emotions: As part of its feminine nature, the moon is a source of great emotion. It stirs lust and vengeance, calms beasts and is regarded as the defining force behind passion and madness (hence the term “lunacy”) by many cultures.
Senses and Divination: In many cultures, the moon is strongly linked to fortune telling and pFophecy. Its shining face speaks to a few chosen seers, guiding their thoughts and influencing their actions. In extreme circumstances, common men misunderstand this second sight, linking it to madness and passion. In addition, the moon is tied to the mundane senses, particularly sight. The unwavering, unblinking eye of the moon sees all, even in the depths of night.
Magic: The moon is seen as a source of magic by many cultures. Its effect on the tides, bringing light to darkness, influence on emotion and motivation of prophecy is often seen as magical in nature. Its effect is strongest among divination, enchantment, illusion and transmutation magics.
Developing a lunar calendar is a relatively simple process. First, determine the length of the moon’s cycle in days. It is easiest to use a multiple of four days for the moons cycle, but this is not required. Break this cycle into four quarters of an equal number of days. The phases of the moon fall over this cycle, as described below.
At the beginning of the cycle, the moon is new and often not visible for at least part of that time. From this point forward, until the full moon phase, the moon is “waxing”, gaining form and visibility. It is first a waxing crescent moon. At the one-quarter point of its cycle, it is a waxing half moon. After this, it is a waxing gibbous moon, until the full moon phase.
Halfway through its cycle, the moon is full. From this point forward, until the new moon phase, the moon is “waning”, losing form and visibility. It is first a waning gibbous moon. At the three-quarters point of its cycle, it is a waning half moon. After this, it is a waning crescent moon, until the next new moon phase.
Note that the new, half and full moon phases are generally considered to be three-day occurrences, including the day of the new, half or full moon, as well as the day before and the day after. Moon cycles longer than 40 days require that four or even five days be considered part of the new, half and full moon phases in order to keep these phases significant in terms of the full cycle of the moon.
In the real world, the typical month is slightly longer than the cycle of the moon itself. This disparity allows for the same phase of the moon to occur twice in one month. The informatton presented here assumes that a month does not correspond perfectly with one lunar cycle.
In campaign worlds where one month is equal to one moon cycle, the blue moon (described later) does not occur. In addition, each phase of the moon occurs at the same time each month.
The phases of the moon represent different aspects of its nature and, in campaigns where the moon is tied to magic, affect the casting of spells and spell-like abilities. Listed here are the five phases of the moon, the aspects of the moon they represent, and the effect the moon has on spellcasting. Spells affected by a phase of the moon and that are cast under the unobscured light of that phase are cast at +1 caster level.
The New Moon (the invisible moon)
Aspects: Hidden things, invisibility, birth and death.
School Affected: Illusion.
The Crescent Moon (the seer moon)
Aspects: Prophecy, divination, mystery, the senses, youth (waxing crescent) and extreme old age (waning crescent).
School Affected: Divination.
The Half Moon (the balanced moon)
Aspects: Balance, moderation, adaptation to the environment, transformation, coming of age (waxing half moon) and retirement from work (waning half moon).
School Affected: Transmutation.
The Gibbous Moon (the emotional moon)
Aspects: Emotions, early middle-age (waxing gibbous) and late middle-age (waning gibbous).
School Affected: Enchantment.
The Full Moon (the empowered moon)
Aspects: Lycanthropes, madness, power, and middle age.
Schools Affected: Divination, Enchantment, Illusion and Transmutation spells.
These rules assume the campaign world has only one moon. However, many campaign worlds have two or more moons. If this is the case, two options are available for incorporating the phases of the moon into the campaign.
In this option, one moon is primary while the others hold a lesser position. The primary moon, often the largest or brightest of the moons, governs the various aspects. Use the phases of the primary moon when determining the schools of spells that are cast at an increased caster level. Secondary moons provide light at night and affect the tides to some extent, but they bow to the greater power of the primary moon in most regards.
In this option, two or more moons hold roughly equal power in the world. To represent this, split the aspects of the various phases over the moons present in the campaign world. One moon might govern prophecy, divination, emotion and the senses, and another might govern balance, moderation and transformation. When the appropriate moon is in the appropriate phase, the moon, in question provides the bonuses to caster level described above.
In campaigns where the moons are a particularly prominent force, all moons govern all aspects, causing the possibility of multiple types of spells to be enhanced, based on the phase of each individual moon. When multiple moons are in the same phase, the caster level adjustment increases to +2 or even higher (if there are enough moons to cause such a bonus).
Note that this option provides for a campaign where lycanthropes are likely a very prominent feature of the world. It’s even possible for different types of lycanthropes to be affected by different moons.
Aside from its typical cycle, various other lunar events might occur throughout the year. Although modern astronomers can forecast these events their infrequency makes them seem almost random, allowing them to be placed where appropriate on a fantasy calendar. While the effects listed here are simple to use, other great deeds might only be accomplished during one of these events, such as creating an artifact, raising a dead deity or opening a planar gateway.
A blood moon occurs when there is a lunar eclipse during the new moon phase, causing the moon to appear reddish in hue. While it is very beautiful, the blood moon is actually a decrease in the moon’s influence on the world. All enchantment, divination, illusion and transmutation spells are cast at caster level during the night of a blood moon regardless of whether or not the blood moon shines upon the caster.
This occurrence is often viewed by those who worship the moon as an opportunity to took inward and gain greater understanding of their own shortcomings when the moon does not shine benevolently upon them.
A blue moon is the second full moon in one month. While the moon does not typically appear blue during this event, it is a rare occurrence that brings the full (empowered) moon to the fore for a second time in one month. During a blue moon, lycanthropes gain a +4 bonus to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution when in hybrid form, but only under the unobscured light of the blue moon.
In addition, all enchantment, divination, illusion and transmutation spells are cast at +2 caster level while under the unobscured light of the blue moon.
Campaigns set on worlds with three or more moons have the possibility for rare lunar conjunctions, when two or more of the moons line up in the sky or even overlap. Such occurrences should be extremely rare, depending upon the number of moons in the sky. A larger number makes total conjunctions (where all the moons align or overlap) extraordinarily rare, however lesser conjunctions involving only some of the moons would be more common. Requiring the conjunctions to occur during specific moon phases makes them even less frequent. When such events do occur, they might only last for a few rounds or minutes at most, making nearly any effect possible. See below for some possibilities during a lunar conjunction.
During a lunar conjunction, magic runs rampant and any number of effects are possible. The following suggestions present just some of the possibilities.
Beings who venerate the moon as a deity, grace it with the name Linara. In religious teachings, Linara is depicted as a full-bodied human woman, middle-aged, with a matronly, caring face. She wears blue and silver robes and bears a dagger in one hand and a scroll in the other. On occasion, she is also represented as a silver or blue dragon, or as a will-o’-wisp. She shares a tempestuous relationship with her husband, Solqus, the physical embodiment of the sun.
Lesser Deity (Neutral)
Linara, also known as the Eye of Night, seeks to provide her followers with the ability to adapt to the world in the absence of the sun. She brings light to darkness, provides guidance in the form of prophecy, calms those who would be afraid and strengthens those who feel weak in the presence of power. She promotes learning, embracing emotion as a powerful force, and change for the betterment of all.
Those who oppose her are treated not as enemies, but instead as beings that have not yet seen the light of her wisdom. Indeed, the ideas of “acceptance of all” and “working for the betterment of all” are guiding ideals in the church of Linara.
Portfolio: Femininity, emotions, the senses, divination, transformation, the cycle of life, magic.
Domains: Emotion, Knowledge, Magic, Trickery.
Cleric Training: Those chosen few who follow Linara seek to bring enlightenment to the world in subtle and varied ways. Theirs is a sect of limited secrecy, guarding their knowledge but also embracing those who willingly enter their fold. Primary among their beliefs is a lofty ideal that people, while generally lost and in need of guidance, are also capable of great feats. All these lost souls need is the light of Linara to guide them to their goals. It is from these ranks that her clerics select new members to join their order, typically druids, neutral lycanthropes, rangers, rogues and some nocturnal monsters.
The hierarchy of the church of Linara is very simple and free flowing. Inducted members are not viewed in terms of a “rank” within the church. Rather, younger clergy defer to older, more experienced clerics. Rituals or tests do not define this reverence; it is granted individually to those who have earned the respect of their fellows.
Quests: Unara’s clerics work tirelessly to enlighten people by encouraging them to realize both sides of the world: “the light” (those things which live and flourish in light) and “the dark” (those things which live and flourish in darkness). While they recognize the light as a powerful force, they embrace the dark so that they might facilitate balance in the world. The dark is not viewed by the faithful as something to be feared. Instead, it is regarded as a side of the world that must be understood so that the whole of the world can exist in harmony. Quests for Linara often involve seeking out extremists and showing them the balance of their view points, bringing passion to those trapped in a mundane existence, and causing change to an environment that has stagnated.
Prayers: Passion plays an important role in Linara’s faithful, prompting them to great heights during prayer and services, but occasionally marking them as lunatics and zealots. While the intention of the church of Linara is benign, common people often misunderstand the overwhelming passion of the faithful, particularly their embrace of the dark.
Clerics of Linara pray for their spells at night, when the moon is highest in the sky. Individual clerics often view a particular phase of the moon as their own personal guiding force, as appropriate to their particular predilections.
Temples: Linaran temples are small, unadorned buildings that feature an opening in the ceiling of the worship space so that moonlight might enter the chamber and imbue the faithful with strength. Altars are round stone plinths decorated in simple yet beautiful silver tracery. Ancillary spaces always include meditation chambers where followers of the Eye of Night might focus themselves to strengthen their souls and prepare for future challenges.
Rites: Many clerics of Linara serve as advisors to people in positions of power, particularly those who seek change, providing them with divine insight and inspiring them to pursue change for the betterment of all. Clerics of Linara often oversee changes in life, including birth, rites of adulthood, marriage and funerals.
Herald and Allies: The herald of Linara is Silverfur, an 18th-level druid werebear, who appears as a beautiful woman with long silver hair when not in bear form. Limra’s allies are dire animals, lycanthropes, fey, neutral shapeshifters and will-o’-wisps.
Favoured Weapon: Dagger.
A substitution level is a level of a given class that you take instead of the level described for the standard class. Selecting a substitution level is not the same as multiclassing — you remain with the class for which the substitution level is taken The class features of the substitution level simply replace those of the standard level.
For each class with substitution levels, you can select each substitution level only at a specific class level. When you take a substitution level for your class at a given level, you give up the class features gained at that level for the standard class, and you get the substitution level features instead. You can’t go back and gain the class features for the level you swapped out — when you take your next level in the standard class, you gain the next higher level as if you had gained the previous level normally.
In campaigns where the moon is a significant force in the world, some classes might function a bit differently, drawing strength from the moon and its cycles. Two examples are presented here as substitution levels, the moon-warded ranger and the lunar rogue.
Moon-warded rangers call upon the essence of the moon to defend themselves. By forgoing attack capabilities normally afforded by the ranger class, the moon-warded ranger gains access to special defensive bonuses. This variant ranger gains all Lhe class features of the standard ranger, except as noted.
Class: Ranger.
Hit Die: d8.
To take a moon-warded ranger substitution level, a character must worship the moon and be about to take her 2nd, 6th or 11th level of ranger.
Moon-warded ranger substitution levels have the class skills of the standard ranger class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier (or lour times that number as a beginning character).
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special | Spellcasting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd | +2 | +3 | +3 | +0 | Armour of the Senses | — |
| 6th | +6/+1 | +5 | +5 | +2 | Skin of the Moon | Same as Ranger |
| 11th | +11/+6/+1 | +7 | +7 | +3 | Indomitable Mind | Same as Ranger |
All of the following are features of the moon-warded ranger’s substitution levels.
Armour of the Senses (Su): At 2nd level a moon-warded ranger adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC, This bonus only applies when the ranger wears light armour or no armour. This bonus to AC applies even against touch attacks and when the ranger is flat-footed. She loses this bonus when she is immobilized or helpless, when she wears any armour greater than light, or when she carries a medium or heavy load.
This ability replaces the standard ranger’s combat style ability.
Skin of the Moon (Su): At 6th level, a moon-warded ranger gains damage reduction 2/— at night, regardless of whether or not the moon is visible. This damage reduction increases to 3/— under the unobscured light of the moon. This ability stacks with damage reduction of the same type from other sources (such as a barbarian’s DR).
This ability replaces the standard rangers improved combat style ability.
Indomitable Mind (Su): At 11th level, a moon-warded ranger gains immunity to mind-affecting spells and abilities, with the exception of harmless mind-affecting spells and abilities (such as bless and heroism).
This ability replaces the standard ranger’s combat style mastery ability.
Lunar rogues call upon the essence of the moon to empower themselves, gaining the ability to rage and use a few moon-oriented spell-like abilities not normally available to rogues. This variant rogue gains all the class features of the standard rogue, except as noted.
Class: Rogue.
Hit Die: d6.
To take a lunar rogue substitution level, a character must worship the moon and be about to take her 4th, Sth or 10th level of rogue.
Lunar rogue substitution levels have the class skills of the standard rogue class.
Skill Points at Each Level: 8 + Int modifier (or four times that number as a beginning character).
| Level | Base Attack Bonus | Fort Save | Ref Save | Will Save | Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4th | +3 | +1 | +4 | +1 | Raging Rogue |
| 8th | +6/+1 | +2 | +6 | +2 | Changing Rogue |
| 10th | +7/+2 | +3 | +7 | +3 | Empowered Rogue |
All of the following are features of the lunar rogue’s substitution levels.
Raging Rogue (Ex): At 4th level, a lunar rogue gains the ability to draw the moon’s emotion into her, driving her into a rage, as a barbarian, once per day. This ability does not grant the rogue access to the greater rage, tireless rage or mighty rage barbarian abilities, unless she also has the appropriate level in the barbarian class.
This ability replaces the standard rogue’s uncanny dodge ability.
Changing Rogue (Su): At 8th level, a lunar rogue learns one of the moon’s secrets, gaining the ability to use either greater invisibility or polymorph as a spell-like ability once per day (choose one — you cannot later change your selection). This ability may only target the lunar rogue. The caster level for this spell-like ability is equal to her rogue class level.
This ability replaces the standard rogue’s improved uncanny dodge ability.
Empowered Rogue (Su): At 10th level, a lunar rogue discovers the moon’s true power and gains the ability to use either dominate person or true seeing as a spell-like ability once per day (choose one — you cannot later change your selection). The true seeing ability may only target the lunar rogue. The caster level for this spell-like ability equals her rogue class level. A saving throw against the dominate person has a DC of 10 + ½ the rogue’s class level + her Charisma modifier.
This ability replaces the standard rogue’s special ability at 10th level. Additional special abilities gained by a rogue after 10th level are treated as normal.
In some extraordinary cases, the phase of the moon under which a character was born influences that character’s abilities and imbues the character with a touch of magical power. Such a character gains a small bonus on two skill checks as well as a spell-like ability associated with the phase of the moon under which she was born, as described below.
See Born Under the Crescent Moon.
See Born Under the Gibbous Moon.
The following spells are appropriate to campaigns where the moon plays an important role, but can also be incorporated into other settings.
See Moon’s Change.
See Silvered Weapon.
Note: Updated by the version from Book of Exalted Deeds.
Source: Dragon Magazine #340 (Page 51)