Clothing in Moonstone

Moonstone, the imaginary city in which The Moonstone Covenant is set, has a mix of many ethnic identities, so the clothing styles are extremely varied. One can see everything from the simple black blouses, kilts, and trousers of the Librarians to the elaborate and brightly colored gowns of the court ladies at the Palace of Innumerable Pearls. Princes and princesses who rule over the city’s districts wear a soft velvet beret in blue or purple. Clergy have their own traditional garb–simple brown or black clothing for deacons and deaconesses of the Abbatine rite, and bright blue and silver robes for high-level clergy. Women’s coiffures range from simple short haircuts to bonnets and snoods to ornate braiding and hairpins. Scholars may wear a long coat, while civil servants on duty wear red clothing and tall red hats in the style of a long-ago empire. The Zhinj people are known for elaborate embroidery. The Sha’an people are notable for their long open vests made from silkmoss, a traditional plant-based fabric, and may also wear a variety of styles of other clothing (Istehar Sha’an favors long tunics, skirts, and shawls and is not overfond of shoes). Knitted sweaters are common for those who spend time on the water. And since the city is home not only to many diverse ethnic groups but to tourists from all over the world, almost no form of garb would be regarded as outlandish.

—Jill Hammer