Every civilized species has used stars as a map to guide them
across the seas and as a way of telling stories about their
past. The stars are the gateway to a new world that serve as a
outlet for one's imagination. Taranche has many that study
astrology and the star's direction of fate. Stars are used for
both science and folklore.
Listed below are a sampling of some of the stars, constellations, and
other heavenly bodies that make up the crowded night sky of Taranchen.
Somewhat complicating matters is the fact that each race, and often
individual societies and groupings within those races, has their own
names and myths associated with any given constellation. The most common
names are given below, in alphabetical order.
The Archer: This
constellation is seen as the companion to the Swordsman, whom he faces
across the nighttime sky.
The Arrows of the Gods: This
constellation is made up of three converging lines of stars, each with a
cluster of stars at its outward end. Where the three lines come
together is due east.
The Brow Star: The brightest star
in the Crown of the Lawgiver. It marks due south.
The Chalice: This minor constellation is
so named for its vague resemblance to a wide-brimmed cup. Ancient
astrology texts indicate that this constellation once played a much more
important role in the heavens.
The Crown of the Lawgiver: This awesome
circle of five bright stars with utter darkness between them is,
perhaps, the most prominent constellation in the southern sky. The
Holy Citadel of Ausonius is believed to float in the center of this ring
of stars by followers of that god. This formation of stars is also
called the Crown of the North by the Ostrali, the Eye of Evil by the
Chayk, and the Dragon's Throat by the Rostok. Due south is marked
by the brightest star in the ring, known as the "brow star".
The Eyes: Located in the western sky,
this constellation is two fuzzy clusters of blue-white stars in the
rough shape of a pair of crescents. Halfway between these two arcs
is due west. The saying "heading straight between the eyes",
meaning "going west", comes from this constellation.
The King's Coin: A brightly-shining
yellow star which forms the pommel of the sword in the Swordsman
constellation. This star can supposedly fortell the lives of
Taranche's rulers, and many takes are known of the Coin flaring brightly
right before the birth of some person destined for greatness.
Among the Jaris, the star has a much darker purpose. They know the
star as the Kingslayer, and keep a careful watch on its movements around
the heavens. Jaris sages have come to believe that the Kingslayer
is instrumental in triggering the lemming-like urges among the goblin
races that cause the Great Horde phenomenon.
The Dog: This animal-shaped
constellation is known by a different name to almost every culture of
Taranche. Among the Jaris, it is known as al Siq, the Great Lion.
Among the Rostok, it is the Wolf. To the Chayk, it is the Bear.
In the Heartlands, it is the Dog. In the Desert Kingdoms, it is
the Jackal.
The Hearth: This constellation appears
in the western sky, close to the horizon. On the autumnal equinox,
the sun seems to set in just the perfect position to prove a "fire" for
the Hearth.
The Lute: This constellation is made up
of seven stars: three stars forming a straight line leading to
four star resembling a lute when drawn together.
Metilius's Treasue Chest: This
complex grouping of stars precisely forms a triangle within a circle
within a square. Its visible in the eastern sky.
The Phoenix: This cross-shaped
constellation is said to have been a young maiden who was accused of
witchery and burned at the stake. Before she died a god (the
stories never agree which one) reached out and transformed her into a
Phoenix, whereupon she flew into the sky to join her rescuer for all
time.
The Ring of Doom: This perfect circle of
thirteen stars is seen in the southwestern sky over Taranche.
Every 100 years, the moon hangs perfectly in the center of the ring,
marking the start of a four-day period of horrendous natural disasters.
The Serpent: The name of this
constellation is so ancient that almost no one knows its origins or
meaning. Most simply call it the Serpent.
The Swordsman: Also known as the Warrior
and the Sentinel, this constellation shares the same traits in cultures
across Taranche: loyalty, guardianship, battle, freedom. Many
legends and myths have been attributed to the swordsman over the years.
Tathilde's Belt: This constellation is a
curved string of five stars is named for a legendary woman who attracted
the love of Dissenius, who pursued her endlessly despite her constant
refusals. Among Nerulk, this constellation is called the Smoking
Pipe.
The Traveller's Star: The brightest star
in the heavens. The star's name comes from the navigational aid it
has given to travelers over the ages. Fixed in the northern sky,
as the nigh progresses the Traveler's Star neither rises nor sets, but
is always at its same location: due north. No matter where you
are, by finding the Traveler's Star you can always figure out in which
direction you are going. The star is held as sacred to the church
of Durona.
