Lunaal is the largest and brightest of the three moons in the skies above Adnati. It is also the closest, as evidenced when the moons’ paths cross and Lunaal eclipses the other moons. When full, Lunaal appears to the naked eye to be about the size of a coin. It is the color of mottled chalky grays. It is sometimes called the “Gray Moon” or the “White Moon.”
Lunaal takes 29 days to cycle from a new moon through the full moon and back to a new moon. The twelve months of the Adnati Common Calendar roughly corresponds to Lunaal’s cycle. Sages understand that Lunaal must be the closest to Adnati of the three moons based on how it eclipses the others when their paths cross. It is the most dominant celestial body in the heavens, other than the Sun, and when people simply say “the moon” in the Common Tongue, it is Lunaal that they are referring to.
A typical year will have 12 full moons, but roughly every other year there will be a thirteenth full moon. Some cultures have festivals and celebrations for the second full moon in a calendar month.
Coastal tides appear to be strongly influenced by Lunaal. In addition, most lycanthropes are influenced primarily by Lunaal and not Adnati’s other moons. Because of it’s dominance, people will often refer to Lunaal as simply “the moon.”
It is uncommon for more than one Adnati moon to be full at the same time, but it happens at measurable and predictable intervals.
Lunaal and Raudraal are both simultaneously full every 1,160 days, which works out to roughly once every three years or so. (Specifically, once every 3.2 years.) When this happens, tides tend to be a little higher, storms tend to be a little fiercer, and lycanthropes who have learned to control whether they turn at the full Lunaal moon tend to have a harder time resisting turning. Similarly, Lunaal and Raudraal both have simultaneous new moons once every 1,160 days, but in different years than the full moons.
Lunaal and Caerudraal are both simultaneously full every 2,230 days, which works out to about once every six years. (Specifically, every 6.17 years.) Tides may be slightly higher and storms slightly stronger, but not nearly to the same degree as when Lunaal and Raudraal are both full.
Many people, save for long-lived elves if they live a full lifespan, can go their entire lives without Lunaal, Raudraal, and Caerudraal all being full at the same time. Humans can go many generations without it happening, as it only occurs once every 89,320 days, or about 247 years. (Specifically, every 246.74 years.)
When this occurs, tides can get very high and epic storms are virtually inevitable somewhere on Adnati. Lycanthropes invariably turn, even if they generally have full control over their shapeshifting. It is said that women who conceive during one of these storms, or deliver a baby during one, will inevitably give birth to a child who can be a sorcerer or at least can pass down that ability in their blood to some of their descendants.