The Oracle
Third Passage of the Rain Moon
Eagles Congregate in Shaky Crossing
Why are travellers rushing to Shaky Crossing, a little-known backwoods village on the off-route to Jalpa?
“I counted over a thousand,” said Jonathon, who was sitting on the bank of the Three Falls River. “Then I gave up.”
The eagles gather each year at this special place – both the Crested King Eagles and the more common Black Eagle. The two varieties compete for certain areas – no one knows why, as they don’t nest nearby – and the result is often spectacular aerial battles.
Every year Shaky Crossing receives tens of visitors, most of which end up camping outside the village since the only inn has but three rooms. Visitors are tolerated more than welcomed.
“We light fires and throw rocks each year, trying to scare those cursed birds away,” said Kirdric, a grizzled huntsman. “But they just keep coming back. And with them – the city folks.”
The youth of the city seem more excited – eager to hear of Queen Lillian and the 'outside world'. They often sneak away to talk to the visitors, myself included.
On the last day of my visit I found myself trying to explain iced cream to a three-year old boy!
Tania
Faol Garnets Rise in Price
“It’s just a ploy,” said Sius, a gemcutter in Aranor. “Next year they’ll find a huge cache. Unfortunately, the ploy is working.”
He is referring to rumors, fueled by official word from Faol, that the supply of Faol garnets is running out.
“We’ve simply mined all there is to mine,” said Lord Girard, who owns three mining camps in Faol. “All the miners are finding the same thing – garnets only grow in certain places, and we’ve exhausted all those places. This is the end.”
The announcement has driven the prices on Faol garnets into the extreme. Many people believe that the remainder of the world's supply of Faol garnets could be gone within the year.
“Collectors are going crazy,” said Sius. “At the moment it’s good for us. To convince someone that a Faol garnet is actually the real thing, I have to raise its price five-fold. And, of course, have perfect documentation. People are even beginning to purchase horribly flawed Faol garnets that don’t have any fire or depth of color. Faol is sending us the dregs, and the dregs are selling like mad because people think that this is the last chance ever to purchase Faol garnets. Well, that’s fine – after all, I’ll be wealthy by the end of the year, right? But the problem is that when Faol announces, next year, that they’ve found new places to mine -- which I’m sure they will since this is all nothing but a scheme – I’m going to have a lot of angry people at my doorstep. And that’s not worth any amount of gold.”
Rel Morde and Casara, Faol’s major competitors, have remained officially silent during the affair, though sources from Casara assure me that there is absolutely no shortage of garnets in the mountains surrounding Faol.
Lord Kieran
‘Gypsy Wanders’ Sells Charm and Adventure
Have you ever wanted to be a gypsy? Gypsy Wanders gives you that chance!
A unique new business that opened last moon, Gypsy Wanders takes people, in genuine gypsy wagons, on extended adventures along the gypsy trails through the Old World.
“The gypsy trails move across some of the most beautiful scenery on the island,” said Aaron, one of the founders of the business. “When the gypsies made their routes, they didn’t just want to get from one place to another – they wanted to do it in the most meandering way possible. We take you on an adventure – for a passage, a moon, or a full year – and you get to eat meals cooked over a fire, meet real gypsies, learn to dance, drum, and create handicrafts – this is a real immersion experience.”
Some of the travels even visit cities, so that the adventurers can see ‘civilization from the outside in’.
“We’re almost booked up for this summer,” said Aaron, “but there are still a few spots left, and next year is still pretty open.”
They book their trips out of the store ‘Gypsy Dreams’ in the Merchant District.
Tirian
To the Oracle Collection-- Fifth Year