A shy platinum moon creeps across the sky
and slides into place beside the golden spire of a temple.
Its cold light ripples across a sill, testing its welcome, then it slips
quietly
in through the open portal to examine the room. Sensing a change in the night
air, the priest looks up from his work. His ancient hand,
still holding the quill, trembles above the parchment
and his icy eyes begin to dim.
As if time itself has slowed to a crawl,
a drop of midnight blue shimmers momentarily in the moonlight,
then falls languidly from the nib of the quill, down and down toward the the
map
below until, at last, it spreads, seeping outward to stain the lands upon
the parchment. The light at the window deepens to indigo as the
platinum moon is eclipsed by shadow.
In a universe of rapidly spinning galaxies,
the world of New Moon is a planet frozen in time. Isolated from
the high-tech ways of other worlds, blessed by an atmosphere woven of magic
and imagination, New Moon is a place where almost anything can happen.
The people, places and things of New Moon may at first seem familiar,
but they remain unique unto themselves. The gods of New Moon,
both benevolent and malignant, are unfamiliar and mysterious.
On the western edge of the Sea of Amethyst,
the continent of Heliopa is patterned by emerald forests, icy mountains,
sweeping plains, and treacherous swamps. On its east coast lies the walled
city
of Heliopolis, a tapestry of cultural types and lifestyles. As a bustling market
center, thriving
coastal port, and staging area for most journeys, Heliopolis boasts a large
population
of human, elven, dwarven, gnomish, and other assorted races. Each of the
four major guilds (Warriors, Mages, Thieves, and Priests) are represented
within the city walls, as are the religions of
Damara, Cymoc, and Kalak.
Typical of a medieval city,
Heliopolis is far from sanitary, yet it is well-defended,
relatively well-ordered, and can not only provide the adventurer with
necessary
supplies and equipment for almost any undertaking, but is
in and of itself an environment steeped in intrigue,
romance, humour and danger.
Across the Sea of Amethyst
lies the great continent of Tsan. Like Heliopa,
Tsan too boasts a widely varied topography. Although not all
of this continent has yet been charted, much of its western territories
can be readily explored. Arriving at the sprawling city of Tsan, on the west
coast,
the traveller will immediately be entranced by the exotic speech, dress, and
customs of
the refined inhabitants and may find it necessary to spend quite some time
within
the city in order to become familiar with a more oriental influence. The
Dragonlands
represent both spiritual and physical powers; they can either
open up to the adventurer like a flower, or be as
deadly as a black-clad assassin.
While much of the planet
of New Moon is still uncharted, brave explorers
continue to push the borders further outward from the two
major continents, Heliopa and Tsan. Legends tell of other mysterious
lands, particularly a great desert land to the
south; all unexplored save by those daring enough to cross the
Sea Amethyst or the Sea of Despair. But these tales are
surely verified by the diversity of lifeforms that
populate the known lands.
The world of New Moon
is home to almost as many cultures and creatures
as the imagnation can comprehend. Enterprising quests, both
small and epic, are constantly coming into being, and opportunities
abound for those who possess the magic, might, faith,
and cunning to make their own legends and
reap the rewards of the daring.
So, come step into
the world of New Moon. Live your fantasy.
Don the fine robes of the Academy of Magi, or strap
on the sturdy armour of the League of Warriors. Devote your life
to one of New Moon's many gods, or join the shadowy ranks of the
Hall of Acquisition. In time you may even find there are other destinies
within the world of New Moon. Perhaps a life in the woodlands and
wildernesses with the Circle of Rangers, perhaps wreaking havoc
and spreading disruption as a Chaos Knight. Or maybe distilling
your magic still further and following the ways of the
College of Twilight or the mysterious Dark Sect.
The choice is yours alone.
Come cast your shadow in the light of a New Moon