November 2011
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The Moons

By T.S. Luikart


One of the revelations of the Far West chat was that FAR WEST does not take place on our world, but rather an alternate world, massively huge and with two moons in the sky. Here’s a bit more about those moons, and the beliefs that surround them in the Far West.


Night falls swiftly in the Far West, electrical lights are a rarity beyond the Last Horizon, though a few places do have them, to the absolute wonder of travelers who see them for the first time. They are not always necessary, though. In addition to a sky filled with stars, two moons sail across the firmament. Imperial dogma states they are the Celestial Wolf and the Celestial Rabbit. The folk of the Far West usually call them Night Wolf and Rushing Rabbit. Both sides generally agree that Lord Sun is chasing one of them, though opinions (and the myths) differ on whether he is hunting the wolf, who is hunting the rabbit, or hunting the rabbit, assisted by, or in competition with, the wolf.

Night Wolf is a large dark orb that sails serenely over the horizon on a monthly cycle. Mostly visible only at night, the Celestial Wolf’s face slowly changes over the course of the month, but always remains somewhat dark; however, flashes of his blazing claws and fangs are occasionally visible on his surface. When Night Wolf rages, folk take it as an omen big changes (frequently war) are coming. Astrologers and other learned folk say that such displays are “volcanic activity at work” which isn’t nearly as good a story.

Rushing Rabbit is far brighter and smaller, a somewhat misshapen (and vaguely rabbitish) lump that shoots across the sky two and sometimes three times in a night, as well as once or twice during the day, though its far less noticeable then. The Rabbit lights up the landscape as it hurtles past at night, making night raids and other such activities require precise timing in order to pull off successfully. Most folk think of Night Wolf as a “he” and Rushing Rabbit as a “she” though some reverse the genders and the scientifically minded ignore them altogether.

2 Comments

  1. Doc Nova says:

    Excellent update! Love hearing (reading) about this alien world. I know there has been some controversy as to “real world” vs. “fantasy world”, but I have always loved delving into an author’s vision of “other wheres”. Looking forward to more!

  2. Mad Brew says:

    Makes me wonder how the two moons affect tides and how that could be used in an interesting coastal scenario.

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