Moonglow
Moonglow is located on the southern tip of Verity Isle, called like this because of the huge portion of intellectual inhabitants, which is also known as Dagger Island due to its very unique form. Moonglow is the city of honesty, with the principle truth, and Moonglow is also home and workplace for many mages, powerful and inexperienced ones at the same time, who build the main portion of the population.
The general layout of Moonglow is function over form. The streets are narrow but well connected and clean, and the houses are simple and only scarcely ornated and often built of sandstone or wood. Moonglow in many ways is like a large campus, with the lycaeum, which can be found a bit outside of the actual town but reached quickly when using one of the many teleporters, in its center. |
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The population of Moonglow generally is very educated, and certainly the inhabitants of Moonglow are leading the whole realm with their studies about the arcane arts. Therefore Moonglow itself produces very little but magical goods and knowledge, and, if this is a good, upcoming mages, and although a few farms can be found around the town the city is mostly dependant on imported goods. Luckily, Moonglow originally had been set up as a research town for studies about both, natural and supernatural, and therefore the costs for the imports are covered by Lord British’s taxes. If something is cultivated in Moonglow then it is needed for the studies – the inhabitants of the town do not have the time or the wish to cultivate their lands.
There are only very few mages in Britannia that are powerful and did not spend some time within the walls of the Lycaeum. Moonglow is a centre of knowledge, and the population eagerly shares their new achievements and research-results with the rest of the world. Young mages are always welcome, and the doors of the Lycaeum are open for everyone who is willing to learn.
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The understanding of technology in Moonglow is quite strong, and so the inhabitants quickly dissect and analyze new gadgets and tools. Soon enough they have taken care that they have every convenience possible, and driven by the thirst for knowledge scarcely a day passes by when no new invention is proudly presented. Especially strong, of course, is the understanding of magic and magically enchanted items, and in fact the mages of Moonglow are well known for those achievements all over the vast lands of Britannia.
In Moonglow wealth and social status is not important, and therefore money actually has very little value. It is used to equal trades, but most of the time items are exchange, like one offers parchment in the value of 5 goldcoins in exchange for ink and pen in the value of 5 goldcoins.
Moonglow has many mage-shops, of course. In the centre of the town a little teleporter-maze can be found, which allows the mages reach almost every relevant location on the island without the loss of time.
The fact that Moonglow does not care a lot for arts or architecture does not mean that the town itself is not beautiful. In fact many bards praise the majesty of the city of mages, and if one has ever visited Moonglow he must admit that the town has its own charms.
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Moonglow is proud to be the only town who researches the stars, moons and planets. Astronomy is a science that is unique to the city of honesty, and for the plain reason of studies the huge telescope has been built. The telescope certainly is a sight to see, and there is even more. Moonglow maintains a zoo with common and exotic animals, which can be found near to the graveyard. Of course, the animals are there for studies, but many inhabitants of the town like to take a romantic stroll with their beloved ones there.
The Best Education Ever, by Elilin Ruwenor, Apprentice Magus
When I first heard that I should be sent to Moonglow to study the arcane arts, astronomy and whatever else they would be willing to teach me I was not very happy. I did not want to leave my hometown, I did not want to leave my parents and my friends.
The first time I have seen Moonglow, though, I was impressed and suddenly I knew that I would love this town more than I ever thought was possible. Magic lights flickering in the streets, mages hasting into the direction of the lycaeum with their robes rustling, the beautiful sight of the statues near the entrance of the town – Moonglow is no town one can ignore. Moonglow is a town one must love.
I have been here for many months now, and in the meantime I am proud that I may study here. Although my mentor Arge’in is a grumpy old wizard who likes to make my life miserable somewhere I am receiving the best education ever.
“Elilin, back to work!” I hear his voice. Once again my thoughts had been distracted, and so I blush and stare at the bubbles in the vial again. The liquid is green and looks poisonous, and in fact I am sure that it is, as we used a good amount of nightshade to create it.
| I notice that I am not concentrated at all, and when I want to add the next reagent I accidentally touch the vial and it falls to the floor. I stumble an apology, ready to hear the angry voice of my mentor. “Girl, you are young – I understand that you cannot sit still the whole day!” he says instead. I look out of the window and notice that the moonlight is already reflected by the sandstone buildings of the town. “Do me a favour and bring this to Erion, you will find him at the telescope!” Arge’in says and hands me a piece of parchment. |
Happily I smile and with the letter in my hands I make my way to the telescope. Maybe, and I hope so, Erion will teach me something about the stars again.
