Moonshae (sourcebook)

Moonshae is a 1st-edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons accessory that was set in the Forgotten Realms. "Amid the storm-tossed vastness of the Trackless Sea west of the mainland, a group of rocky islands lies exposed to the full brunt of winter gales. These isles&mdash;the Moonshaes&mdash;are home to some of the hardiest folk of the Forgotten Realms.

Now the Moonshaes&mdash;the setting of the first FORGOTTEN REALMS novel, Darkwalker on Moonshae&mdash;are detailed for your role-playing campaign. The cultures, deities, and locales of the isles are described in AD&D&reg; game terms. This source book includes full-color maps displaying the Moonshaes and surrounding islands, many close-up maps depicting particular regions of the Moonshaes, and all the information you need to establish a campaign on these misty lands with Celtic roots."

Description
Moonshae is a 64-page booklet comes wrapped in a removable cover. Included is a fold-out color poster map of the Moonshae Isles. This large color insert has maps of the Moonshae Isles printed on both sides. One side is at a scale of 20 miles per inch, while the reverse is scaled at 30 miles per inch. Both maps contain the same amount of detail, the major difference being that there is less open sea surrounding the 20-miles-per-inch map. One of the maps lines up with the edges of the maps in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Set. Two appendixes explain using the Moonshaes in a campaign and the magical items of the Moonshaes.

Moonshae describes the climate, topography, and economy of the region, including the Korinn Archipelago, which was created by Aaron Allston and first detailed in the module Treasure Hunt. It also details two regional cultures and their lands: the indigenous people known as the Ffolk, and the invading Northmen.

Moonshae discusses the character races, character classes, politics, conflicts, geography, and economics within the Moonshaes. It also describes the major supernatural entities which exist in the countryside and seas. Several specific locales of the Moonshaes are also described, from the perspective of Elminster as a tour of the people and places he has visited. The style of presentation is similar to that used in the Forgotten Realms Campaign Set.

Contents

 * Introduction
 * Moonshae Overview
 * Deities of the Moonshaes
 * Specific Locales of the Moonshaes
 * Appendices
 * 64-page booklet with a full-page political map, a full-page economic map; descriptions of the Earthmother's Children, Kazgoroth, and Blood Warriors; magic items unique to the Moonshaes
 * 21" x 33" double-sided map of the entire Moonshae island chain out to Gull Rocks and Wave Rocks in the Trackless Sea, and a close-up of the major islands including Nerth and Sunset

Characters

 * Cymrych Hugh

Creatures

 * blood warrior • firbolg • unicorn

Locations

 * Bodies of Water: Sea of Moonshae • Trackless Sea
 * Buildings and Sites: • Moonwell
 * Islands: Alaron • Gwynneth • Korinn Archipelago • Moonshae Isles • Moray • Norheim • Norland • Oman • Snowdown
 * Settlements: Arfinnsheim • Arndtbergom • Caer Callidyrr • Follebu • Sunderstaad
 * Tunnels: Tunnels of Dwarvenhome

Magic

 * Items: avenging hammer • black sickle • cauldron of doom • druid staff • druid's cudgel • figurehead of blessing • folding coracle • golden sickle • helm of seabreathing • mug of plenty • runestick • Sword of Cymrych Hugh • torque of the Goddess • yoke of boar harnessing • yoke of flight • yoke of underwater action

Miscellaneous

 * Professions:
 * Vessels: • coracle • longship

Peoples

 * Ffolk • Llewyrr • Northmen

Religion

 * Aspects: Earthmother • Kamerynn • Kazgoroth • Leviathan • The Pack

Credits

 * Design: Douglas Niles
 * Editing: Mike Breault
 * Cover Art: Tim Hildebrandt
 * Interior Art: George Barr
 * Cartography: Dave S. LaForce
 * Typography: Kim Janke
 * Keylining: Stephanie Tabat

Background
The colored maps of the Moonshae Isles in this product misspell the island of Alaron as "Alaorn," though the location is spelled correctly in the text itself.