Moonlit Forest

What is the Moonlit Forest

The Moonlit Forest is the primary exploration, combat, and mining area in Starsand Island. It's accessed through a portal behind a Damaged Door near the player's home. The forest serves as both the game's dungeon system and its source of crafting materials. Resources found inside regenerate daily, making it a repeatable activity. Progression through the forest is tied to the Explorer profession and requires defeating bosses to unlock deeper areas.

Areas

The Moonlit Forest is divided into several named areas, each with distinct environments, enemies, and resources:

Evernight Forest

The entry area of the Moonlit Forest. Features mushrooms, rocks, and basic crafting materials. This is where new Explorers learn combat basics and gather their first resources. Enemies here are the weakest, including Luminfrogs.

Dreamfall Garden

Accessed via a bubble-jumping mechanic. Contains a camp that can be activated with 5 Fluorite, providing a rest point inside the forest. More challenging enemies and better resources than Evernight Forest.

Gate of Life

A barrier that requires finding 3 Gravemites (Gravecrystals) to unlock. The Gate of Life is a significant progression checkpoint. Once unlocked, it opens access to the mid-level areas of the forest where both the challenge and rewards increase substantially.

Mural Valley

A mid-level area beyond the Gate of Life. This is where the second major boss, Glintortle, is found. Contains ancient murals that contribute to the game's background lore about an extinct civilization.

Azure Bay

A sub-area with water features and unique resources. Accessible after progressing through Mural Valley.

Grain Haven

An upper area reached via a water wheel mechanism. Contains specific crafting materials not found elsewhere in the forest.

Darkwater Shore

A lower area with a camp and a fishing spot. One of the few places inside the Moonlit Forest where you can fish, offering exclusive species not found in the island's lakes, rivers, or ocean.

Combat

Combat in the Moonlit Forest uses ranged weapons: slingshots and bows with various ammo types. Dodge-rolling is the primary defensive action. Special ammo types serve both combat and exploration purposes:

Enemies and taming

The forest contains various corrupted creatures including Luminfrogs (early enemies) and Runebirds (elite enemies). Defeated corrupted creatures can be tamed and domesticated, turning former threats into useful companions or mounts. The Luna Deer, one of the game's most sought-after mounts, is obtained by progressing deep into the forest.

Mining and resources

The Moonlit Forest is the primary source of ores and rare crafting materials. Nodes regenerate daily, so mining runs through the forest are a repeatable daily activity. Higher-tier materials are found deeper in the forest, past boss checkpoints. This creates a natural progression: defeat bosses to access better mining areas, use better materials to craft stronger equipment, then push deeper.

Death

Dying in the Moonlit Forest ends the current day immediately. You wake up the next morning at home. This makes preparation important. Bringing buff food, sufficient ammo, and knowing the enemy patterns in each area reduces the risk of losing a day's progress.