New Moon Pact

The New Moon Pact was a militant holy order of lycanthropes that were devoted to Selûne.

"What time has consumed, not even gods can recall, but know this—these words were spoken by those who first made pact with the Moonmaiden, just as they were spoken by the last. This is the sacred rite of the New Moon. Selûne, Moonmaiden, Silver Lady of the Night, hear me!"

- opening of the rite of the New Moon, recorded by Asha the Silent.

Activities
The Pact was active in northern, western, and inner Faerûn and fought against the enemies of Selûne's faith, especially the forces of Shar. They operated independently of any temple's support or approval and sometimes clashed with them as they pursued their goals.

Abilities
A lycanthrope who completed the initiation rite and joined the Pact was blessed by Selûne with increased strength and vigor, and could also speak normally while in a hybrid form.

History
The Pact claimed to be formed by the first worshippers of Selûne, and was at least as old as Netheril.

In 757 DR, High Moonmistress Brima Chintamn of Bright Lady's Tower in Chancelgaunt gathered support from other high priests of Selûne and declared that the New Moon Pact had begun worshipping Shar and fallen to the heresy of believing that Shar was an aspect of Selûne.

Brima gathered the support of:
 * Rian Liurandel of the House of the Moon in Waterdeep.
 * Zarran Tonnos of Moonmaiden's Hall in Murann.
 * Bero Falabara of the Crescent Shrine in Alaghôn.
 * Jolara Nightnever of Moonshadow Hall in Yhaunn.
 * Six other high priests.

The members of the Pact were then hunted down, either fighting to the death or being captured and executed, and their property confiscated by the nearest temples. The true history of the Pact was also intentionally destroyed, with only scattered fragments surviving and the final declaration of the New Moon Heresy as the historical record.

Only the wolf companion Halftail survived with the aid of Selûne, who transformed her into a human. Becoming known as Asha the Silent, she joined the clergy of Moonshadow Hall and recorded a secret history of the Pact and its rituals, eventually becoming Moonmistress of the temple.

Shortly after the destruction of the Pact, the Bright Lady's Tower was abandoned and then demolished, with no temple of Selûne ever built to replace it in Selgaunt.

Around 1194 DR, the House of the Moon in Thentia performed an inquest into three priestesses who had been accused of being participants in the New Moon Heresy. The sisters Fela Thesk, Iwna Thesk, and Mirela Thesk all died in 1080 DR while tending to the shrine of Selûne in Glister. The investigation by the House of the Moon found that they had committed no heresy and were innocent of all wrongdoing.

In Kythorn of 1373 DR, High Moonmistress Dhauna Myritar of Moonshadow Hall received dreams from Selûne, prompting her to investigate the history of the Pact and uncover its history from scattered records.

In Eleasis of the same year, the werewolf priestess Feena Archwood recovered the tome that Asha had written and performed the initiation rite. In the process, she was assisted by the spirits of the fallen Pact members and reformed the Pact, becoming its newest member.

Members
The members of the original pact included:
 * Asha the Silent
 * Brant Hallower of Candlekeep
 * Enshu Venerun of Chondath
 * Marrigan
 * Niree Swifthands of Elmwood
 * Qualise Domo of Turmish
 * Rade of the Farsea Marshes
 * Tyver Thorndrove of Berdusk

Rumors & Legends
After performing an investigation into the history of the Pact, High Moonmistress Dhauna Myritar determined that the charges of heresy were entirely false. Instead, it was a cynical attempt to seize wealth and eliminate an independent branch of the faith.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Mistress of the Night