Eclipses of Orb#
Eclipses on Orb are predictable, documented, and taken seriously by sailors, scholars, and temples alike. The Circle of Seven Moons publishes eclipse predictions through its scholarly network — Bridgeport’s harbor authority keeps Circle almanacs for navigational purposes, and the Adventurer’s Guild maintains a copy.
An eclipse is not merely an astronomical curiosity on Orb. It is an event the world responds to.
How Eclipses Work#
All seven moons have orbital inclinations relative to Orb’s orbital plane around Krotar, the star at the center of the solar system. These inclinations prevent eclipses from occurring every orbit — instead, eclipses only happen when a moon crosses the orbital plane at exactly the right moment, during what astronomers call eclipse seasons.
Eclipse seasons occur approximately twice per year, roughly 177 days apart. Each season lasts several weeks. Within a season, an eclipse occurs if the appropriate phase falls within the window — new moon for solar eclipses, full moon for lunar eclipses.
Lustre has the smallest orbital inclination of the seven moons and produces the most frequent eclipses — including the rare total solar eclipse when the geometry aligns perfectly. Krotar and Lustre have approximately the same apparent size in Orb’s sky, which means a perfect Lustre transit can cover Krotar almost completely, leaving only its corona visible at the edges.
The other six moons produce partial or annular solar eclipses at best. A Myonis eclipse of Krotar produces a distinctive copper-tinged partial darkening that spellcasters consider particularly significant.
Types of Solar Eclipse#
Total solar eclipse — Lustre fully covers Krotar. Totality lasts 2–4 minutes. Krotar’s corona becomes visible — a ghostly crown of silver-white light around Lustre’s shadow. The sky darkens to deep twilight. Stars become visible at midday. The temperature drops noticeably. Animals go silent. The horizon in all directions glows with the colors of dawn and dusk simultaneously. Genuinely rare — roughly once per decade for any given location on Orb.
Annular solar eclipse — Lustre appears slightly smaller than Krotar due to orbital variation. A ring of Krotar’s light remains visible — called the ring of fire by those who have seen it. The sky dims significantly but does not reach totality. Visually spectacular.
Deep partial solar eclipse — Lustre covers more than half of Krotar. Noticeable darkening at midday. Shadows become strange. Attentive observers notice immediately. Casual observers may find the midday light unsettling without knowing why.
Shallow partial solar eclipse — Lustre covers a small fraction of Krotar. Slight dimming only. Scholars note it. Most people do not notice unless they are watching the sky.
Types of Lunar Eclipse#
Total lunar eclipse — Orb’s full shadow falls on Lustre. The famous silver Lustre-light vanishes. In its place Lustre may appear deep red or dark orange — Orb’s atmosphere refracts Krotar’s light around the planet’s edge, coloring the shadow. The silver coastlines go dark. This effect is called the Umbral Witness by the Temple of Noctis. It lasts 30–60 minutes.
Partial lunar eclipse — Orb’s shadow covers part of Lustre. One side dims while the other remains bright — a moon that appears to have a dark bite taken from it. Coastal peoples consider this an ill omen.
Penumbral lunar eclipse — Lustre passes through Orb’s outer shadow only. Subtle dimming of Lustre’s light. Attentive observers notice. Most do not.
Known Upcoming Eclipses#
The following eclipse events are known to scholars and recorded in Circle almanacs. They are public knowledge — any harbor authority, Guild chapter, or well-stocked library will have access to these dates.
Duskgrain Day 28, 700AG — Shallow partial solar eclipse. Krotar slightly dimmed at midday. Most civilians will not notice. Scholars and attentive observers will.
Ironthaw Day 14, 701AG — Partial lunar eclipse. Lustre partially shadowed at full. The silver coastlines will dim on one side — the bite-from-the-moon effect that coastal peoples consider an ill omen.
Ironthaw Day 28, 701AG — Deep partial solar eclipse. Midday noticeably darker. Strange shadows. Animals uneasy. Falls during the heart of winter.
Harrowfall Day 28, 701AG — Total solar eclipse. Krotar’s corona visible. Totality. Daytime darkness for 2–4 minutes. This is the most significant astronomical event in the near-term calendar — known to every harbor authority and Circle scholar in Algar. Fishing vessels will not leave port. Temples will observe it. The Blind Hour comes to Bridgeport.
How Institutions Respond#
The Circle of Seven Moons tracks all eclipse events precisely and publishes almanac predictions. The Circle does not assign meaning to eclipses — it tracks geometry. Meaning is left to the temples.
Temple of Noctis — Lunar eclipses are considered communications from the Umbral layer, moments when the boundary between planes thins to its most visible expression. Total lunar eclipses require ritual observance. The blood-red moon is called the Umbral Witness.
Temple of Aard — Solar eclipses are documented as historical events and cross-referenced with significant civic occurrences. The temple maintains the most complete pre-Algari eclipse record in the known world, though much of the oldest notation is in formats that no longer have living interpreters.
Temple of Kelleth — Oaths sworn during totality are considered binding under exceptional divine witness. A small number of contracts in Bridgeport’s civic record are noted as eclipse-sworn. Their unusual enforceability is attributed to divine attention rather than anything structural.
Coastal communities — Solar eclipses are called the Closing Eye. A total solar eclipse is the Blind Hour. Fishing vessels do not leave port on confirmed eclipse days. This superstition has weakened in larger cities like Bridgeport, but it persists on the docks.
Recent Events#
Duskgrain Day 14, 700AG — Nine days before the party arrived in Bridgeport, a total lunar eclipse turned Lustre blood red. The silver coastlines vanished. Bridgeport’s fisher-folk are still talking about the red moon. Temple of Noctis priests called it the Umbral Witness and held observance. The Circle logged it as the leading edge of the Duskgrain eclipse season.
Eclipse records are maintained by the Circle of Seven Moons and available through Bridgeport’s harbor authority and the Adventurer’s Guild. This page will be updated as events occur.