Moonshae

Contents

The Moonshae supplement explores a chain of islands in the Sea of Moonshae, a setting inspired by Celtic myth and featured in Doug Niles’s novel Darkwalker on Moonshae and its sequels. It covers the region’s climate, terrain, and economy, including the Korinn Archipelago—a creation of Aaron Allston first seen in the module N4 Treasure Hunt. The book examines two main cultures and their territories: the native Ffolk and the invading Northmen. It also addresses character races, character classes, political structures, conflicts, geography, and economic systems across the Moonshaes.

The Ffolk are a druidic people devoted to the Earthmother, a neutral aspect of Chauntea, the neutral-good goddess of farming. They share the islands with the Northmen, a warlike race of raiders from lands north of Waterdeep. Tensions run high as the Northmen expand their settlements at the Ffolk’s expense. Both groups distrust magic-users. The Moonshaes also harbor dangerous creatures like firbolgs, orcs, goblins, trolls, and other monsters.

The book then describes major supernatural forces in the countryside and seas. Chief among them is the Earthmother, who sustains the land’s life and vitality. Her power appears in the Moonwells—magical pools that heal those who uphold the mystic balance. Druids tend these wells and can use them to charge or restore charges in magical items. The Earthmother is served by three immortal children: Leviathan, a colossal whale; Kamerynnm, a magnificent unicorn; and the Pack, a group of dire wolves that roam the isles. Their enemy is Kazgoroth the Beast, an evil entity that seeks to corrupt the balance and spread ruin, aided by its undead Blood Warriors, which obey its every command.

Finally, the supplement presents several specific locations in the Moonshaes, framed as a tour by Elminster of the people and places he has visited. The style matches that of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Set.

Publication history

Released by TSR in 1987, FR2 Moonshae was authored by Douglas Niles. The cover artwork was created by Tim Hildebrandt, with interior illustrations by George Barr. Mike Breault handled the editing, and Dave S. LaForce provided the cartography. According to Shannon Appelcline, the late 1980s saw TSR recognize and standardize the trend of supplementing role-playing games with extensive background material. This shift was not driven by the 1987 Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, but by a series of detailed setting books, starting with FR1: Waterdeep and the North and followed by FR2: Moonshae, both from 1987. In June 2018, Wizards of the Coast, in collaboration with Baldman Games, released Rising Shadows: Moonshae Isles Regional Guide. This guide was written by Shawn Merwin, Robert Alaniz, and Eric Menge, and included a foreword by Douglas Niles.

Reception

In a December 1988 review for Dragon magazine, Jim Bambra praised the physical production of the Moonshae supplement but noted that some space was wasted. The inside of the wrap-around cover, for instance, was left blank when it could have held village maps, town layouts, or sample monster lairs. He did appreciate how the included maps effectively illustrated the spread of Northmen settlements across the Moonshaes, as well as the islands' economies and trade routes.

Bambra credited author Doug Niles' familiarity with the setting, gained from writing novels set there, for making the source pack strong: it goes beyond simple background and people to present the Moonshaes as a living, working place. However, he criticized the wandering-monster tables, pointing out that while the book is meant for characters of any level, it includes creatures like beholders and dragon turtles that could easily wipe out low-level adventurers.

The most impressive section, in Bambra's view, was Elminster's Notes. He found the descriptions there absorbing and vibrant, following Elminster on his travels. This part not only offers insight into daily life in the Moonshaes but also reveals Elminster's personality, letting readers share in his discomforts and pleasures. Bambra concluded that Moonshae's presentation style was superior to other Forgotten Realms setting supplements of the time.

While it does not contain as much detailed information as FR1 Waterdeep and the North, it provides more evocative descriptions and a stronger sense of life in the Isles.