Like all planets built using the rocky world template, Zelen has a moon, albeit a pale and inhospitable moon, circling in a fixed orbit around its green and living planet.

Since Zelen is a small planet, it received a small moon. The creator gods didn’t do anything fancy with that moon, like giving it canyons or volcanoes or electric storms, or rings or even exotic life forms. No, they just kept to the basics: a plain white moon with the only decoration being whatever random patterns were created from asteroids hitting its dusty surface over the eons.

After all, the only two stated purposes of this moon were to have a handy place for researchers to spy on inhabitants of Zelen, and to help stabilize tides and seasons. But as always happens, the humanoid inhabitants are fascinated by their moon. They spend parts of their evenings gazing at the white orb floating in the night sky. They make up myths about it, imagining inhabitants on its dusty surface, or even writing songs about the allure of romantic moonlight.

I think the waxing and waning of a moon is part of its attraction. Deep down we are never completely sure that the moon is coming back as it narrows down to a waning crescent. There is a small sense of relief when that sliver broadens into a new moon, right on schedule. We always hold something dearer when we have even the slightest doubts about it returning.

Zelenites are no exception to feeling the fascination of the moon. Indeed, they still revere the ancient myths associated with their moon. They don’t often refer to “the moon,” they call their moon the Great Watcher. The Great Watcher has always been home to the Snowy Owl, who was also created by the gods.

Throughout Zelen’s history, the Snowy Owl and the Great Watcher have had many mystery cults associated with them. Prehistoric cave drawings of the Owl and the Watcher have been uncovered. Remains of ancient temples venerating them have been excavated.

Ancient texts state that every night the Snowy Owl leaves its home on the Great Watcher to fly over Zelen. The Owl sees everything and knows everything. Given proper rituals and offerings, the Snowy Owl will pass along its wisdom to the humanoids on Zelen. It will advise through omens, dreams and meditations. Snowy owl feathers are greatly prized, since they may have been dropped by the Snowy Owl itself, during one of its nightly flights around Zelen.

It's fascinating that the cult of the Snowy Owl and the Great Watcher lasted thousands of years across Zelen’s civilizations with little variation, well into the development of scientific knowledge.

For good or bad, Zelenites have never lost their fascination with the moon. However, the planet’s residents have come up with modern ideas and uses for the Great Watcher.

Even before Zelen was officially designated a Garden Planet and tourism increased, the Great Watcher or moon was already a popular tourist destination. Visitors can merely dock their spaceships on its outskirts and take a small runabout into an underground cavern. An elevator deposits sightseers at the museum, and when finished, they head back through the gift shop.

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Of course, there are no actual Snowy Owl or Great Watcher artifacts. Humanoids couldn’t reach Zelen’s moon to check what was up there until fairly recently. Although by that time people didn’t really believe in the myth, they were still disappointed there was no evidence of an owl living on their moon. The cults celebrating the Snowy Owl and Great Watcher might have been wrong.

Zelen’s historical cults are actually very interesting. The priests and priestesses didn’t just worship a mythical owl and their moon. They developed the first judiciary system, logged the first history archives, and wrote the first literature. Replicas of these documents have been placed in the lunar museum. Copies of ancient artwork and musical instruments, along with new anthropological books, are for sale in the museum store.

Museum visitors are respectful of the myth of the Snowy Owl and Great Watcher. However, most visitors find the newer activities on the moon to be much more interesting.

For instance, the battered remains of the first spy station have been moved to the deepest caverns of the moon. The creator gods themselves visited the spy station a few times, to make sure progress on Zelen and its moon was still on track. Crumbling blueprints with the gods’ inspection notes and signatures are housed in a special climate-controlled glass case.

A bit closer to the surface of the moon, large caverns are filled with wrecked spaceships, charred equipment and worn-out early defense systems. There are cracked and blackened walls from some of the early battles that took place on the moon.

There was a time when the galaxy was not as settled as it is now, and there were fights for possession of planets that seemed easy to conquer. Zelen has never had a large population, so empires from around the universe were keen to add such a beautiful, unspoiled planet to their holdings. Fortunately, the creator gods knew how special the little planet was, and how it had too few residents to defend itself. They finally stepped in to shield the planet with strengthened defenses and even some magical spells.

It was at this time that the fairies agreed to stand as watchers and defenders of Zelen. They still spend quite a bit of time on the fortified moonbase, patrolling and occasionally fighting armed intruders. Even now there are marauding thieves who must be driven off.

The historic area inside of the moon also has a memorial dedicated to the beings who gave their lives defending Zelen. It is a somber room in a secluded area of the tour, dedicated to quiet thoughts and somber reflections. Some say that the Snowy Owl spends most of its time there now, offering solace and wisdom to grieving visitors.

Stepping away from those caverns and moving closer to the surface of the moon, there is a large viewing area with telescopes. No trip to outer space would be complete without the fun of learning to manipulate telescopes. People of all ages take home amazing holographic images of the galaxy’s constellations.

Tourists are not allowed on the surface of the moon due to the sharp dust particles that filter through even the most heavyweight spacesuits. Instead, an enclosed viewing platform gives an incredible view of Zelen. It is quite a beautiful way to end the tour.

There are still many hidden caverns that are not open to visitors because they are part of active defense systems. These moon craters are full of secret, lethal weapons. The fairies still act as Zelen’s security team and are in charge of these weapons.

Once upon a time, Zelen’s moon was almost a fairytale, far away and wound with myths of delightful magic. Even now it seems magical, but it’s filled with a deadly sort of enchantment. Still, the humanoids are grateful for their protective moon. They celebrate it and walk in its silvery light. The Snowy Owl still dispenses quiet wisdom to those who will listen. And the luminous moon, the serene Great Watcher, still floats above Zelen.