I do not mean the athas.org release Trade Lords, but the original release that discussed the moon phases.
http://members.cox.net/dragons_sanctum/MC10.zip
The documentation for this program has the following notes about the moons (no idea how correct they are - just sharing
):"Ral and Guthay's orbital periods are not mentioned in any Dark Sun product that I know of, but given that they only meet in the heavens as full moons once every 11 years, I determined that the most likely periods were either 55 days for Ral and 75 days for Guthay or 33 days for Ral and 125 days for Guthay. However, I quickly found that the former periods repeated too soon, with Ral and Guthay meeting as full moons every 3 2/3 years. That left Ral at 33 and Guthay at 125, moving like clockwork to only meet full once every 11 years. (They also meet as new moons midway through the Endlean Cycle.)
Pseudo-fact: Ral rises 43.64 min later each day. Guthay rises 11.52 min later each day. This assumes that the moons orbit in the same direction as Athas spins, which is most likely."
Mmm, I think that was the revised version of the 2nd Edition AD&D Dark Sun campaign boxed set.
Really, I have not found it in there. Other than the mention Kamelion posted about the full moons meeting in the heavens only once every 11 years, when it was discussing the calendar.
Drawing a blank on this, sorry. I always use the very cool Merchant's Calendar program for this kind of thing,
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Thanks Kamelion. I have the program too and use it for this type of stuff as well. I was trying to test how accurate I could consider the moon phases though.
I guess I should just ask my real question. The Red Moon Hunt. I am trying to figure out how often it occurs. Most mentions of the Red Moon Hunt say it occurs when Ral is alone in the night sky. Others say it is held once a year.
This first thing is that I have to assume that the "when Ral is alone in the night sky" is really when Ral is full and alone in the night sky, otherwise there would be many days in a row each year when Ral was the only moon in the night sky.
Using the Merchant Calendar program, for Free Year 1, it appears there is one night when Ral is full and Guthay does not appear, the night of Fortuary 3-4. There are four other nights when Ral is full and Guthay only makes a very late or very early appearance in the night sky. Hexameron 8 and Anabasis 14 Guthay appears only very late in the night almost at dawn. Morrow 11 and Hoard 18 Guthay is there just after sunset before it disappears over the horizon.
In Free year 2, there are two dates that fit the Ral is full and no Guthay description. Herameron 28 and Hoard 5.
Also two dates where Guthay only appears for a little while. Sedulous 21 and Fortuary 24.
I would probably through out the dates were Guthay still appears for a little time, just to limit the number of dates.
That is as far as I went before wondering how accurate the program is. But it leaves me with the conclusion that the Red Moon Hunt can happen once or twice each year.
The Red Moon Hunt, according to "The City-State of Gulg" in the Ivory Triangle Boxed Set..."This ritual is traditionally held the one night of the year when the moon Urgati (Ral) is alone in the sky".
That pretty much sums it up to explain when and how often the Red Moon Hunt is actually held...Once per year when Ral is alone! I would agree that Ral should be full so it is brightest for them to see during the Red Moon Hunt.
Yes, the cardboard with the phases, IIRC, is found in The Ivory Triangle.
I always assumed I had a complete version of IT. My version has 6 cards and none have the moon phases. One does show the merchant calendar months and some star constillations but no moons. Am I missing a card?
Any thoughts?
Conclusively, IMHO, I understand that both Ral & Guthay are mostly "seen" together in the athasian firmament, but I wonder if they could eclipse every thousand years or so.
Any thoughts?
Well the calendar is based that they are suppose to have a major eclipse with both moons every 11 years.
Well the calendar is based that they are suppose to have a major eclipse with both moons every 11 years.
Duly noted. I thougt they just were more close to the planet or very shiny every eleven years...
but sure one of the moons has bene shown as green?
thanks!
FYI: that is based on my personal preferences, nothing canon. Given the quality of your work, however, you might be able to get away with lavender or lime green :D and people would still be ecstatic.
*bows with a theatrical flourish*