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item or celestial threat

Tri-moon Shard

Summary

The Tri-moon shard is a smaller fragment separate from the moon, much closer to the world, apparently falling or approaching in a way that threatens the Grand Towers, dome, and Barrier system.

Known Details

  • It is halfway between the planet and moon and locked in sync.
  • It appears aimed exactly between pylons.
  • Increased flow through pylons or attacks on the Barrier may speed its approach.
  • Stopping it may require a device to repel it and may require the Barrier to go down.
  • The countdown reaches 12 days to the Tri-moon by day 22.
  • Cardenald and Geldrin calculated that the shard would probably still hit Grand Towers if nothing changed.
  • If the party stopped another shard, it would not be on course for ship 2.
  • The moon shard later went into the sea; Invar retrieved it and tried to take it back to the ground towers, while Xinquss was tasked to retrieve it.
  • On Day 32, the Tri-moon was visible during the day, which is unusual, and appeared 16 hours ahead of schedule; daylight showed it as a crystal, the small chunk was visible, and the Barrier looked normal.
  • Jin-Loo found similar events in records beginning 1,000 years earlier, noting 104 AD, 339 AD, 629 AD, and 1012 AD despite saying it had happened three times.

Timeline

  • day-06: Observatory measurements identify the shard and its trajectory.
  • day-15: Brutor’s lore ties it to the first crack and containment device questions.
  • day-17: Council discussions make it an urgent priority.
  • day-22: The date is Tuesday, 6th Jan 1012, 12 days to the Tri-moon.
  • day-27: Cardenald and Geldrin confirm Grand Towers remains threatened by the shard trajectory.
  • day-30: The shard goes into the sea and is retrieved by Invar while Xinquss is assigned to recover it.
  • day-32: The Tri-moon appears in daylight 16 hours ahead of schedule.

Open Questions

  • Who or what broke the shard free?
  • Can it be repelled without catastrophic Barrier failure?
  • Who tasked Xinquss with retrieving it, and where did Invar take it afterward?
  • What happened on the prior recorded daytime Tri-moon dates, especially 629 AD?