The Oracle
Fourth Passage of the Storm Moon
Pirates Decimated
A huge band of pirates, consisting of twelve ships and six pirate captains, apparently hoped to take advantage of the new sea traffic between Rilhaven and Maelmuire. They set themselves up in a remote bay on the northern coast of the New World, and using six pirate ships, made an attack on a lone Maelmuirian trading vessel.
“Their thought was to take one of the first ships to make the route,” said Captain Havon, who will also be plying the route. “These first ships were loaded with many necessities for rebuilding Rilhaven, including ironwork, weaponry, oils, foodstuffs, cloth, and a few luxuries, such as wine. Some of the goods were rumored to be from a land called Ajaea – a land unknown to the rest of the Known Lands.”
Although the pirates vastly outnumbered the Maelmuirians, they had not accounted for the legendary sea prowess of the Maelmuirians.
“Even one of their trading ships is far superior to, say, a Masallan warship. They are swift, steady, maneuverable – and armed with weaponry that has twice the range and accuracy of anything the pirates had.”
In short, the pirates were retreating before they were even within range of attack, and all six ships sustained heavy damage. The Maelmuirian ship then returned to Maelmuire and a contingent of three Maelmuirian warships went on a sea-hunt.
“It wasn’t pretty, from what I heard,’ said Captain Havon. “They cornered the pirates in the bay and sunk all twelve of them. Any pirates alive will be stuck in the northern wilderness – not known for its hospitality.”
A bad day for the pirates, it seems.
Tirian
Erusha Decision Challenged
Six business owners came before Queen Lillian last An Meja to challenge the Aranorian Guards’ decision to ban the sale of Erusha.
Each of the six, all owners of high-class spas in the Merchant and River Districts, admitted to selling Erusha extracts – in carefully moderated doses – to make use of its beauty-enhancing properties.
“We’ve been successfully and responsibly using Erusha extracts for over half a year now,” said Mayana, a spa owner, in address before the Queen. “We warn our clients about the addictive potential of Erusha, and urge them to purchase it only from us. We take care to sell only a pure extract, untainted with the traces of toko which some people have been adding to Erusha to make it more addictive and more potent.”
This was the first time that the tainting of Erusha was brought to the attention of city officials. Tests by alchemists confirmed Mayana’s assertions, leading some to wonder if Erusha, alone, isn’t addictive at all.
Mayana and her companions were awarded the right to continue to sell Erusha extract for cosmetic purposes, but the decision of the Aranorian guard to outlaw its sale by unlicensed persons will remain in effect until further notice.
Tania
New Emperor Found
After an interminable search, Irutokan authorities have at last claimed to have found the new Irutokan Emperor – a seventeen year old man whose name will now be lost to history. Henceforth, he will be known only as ‘The Emperor’.
The Emperor is chosen according to numerous criteria, ranging from family lineage to religious omens. He will be replacing the stand-in Emperor, who will resume his normal post among Jeddan high society. Unlike chosen emperors, he will not be executed after the change of power.
Most feel that the stand-in Emperor did an outstanding job at rulership. Among his accomplishments was the establishment of a new-found peace with Mymé, which he helped to rebuild after the war. His efforts opened up a new era of trade and prosperity.
No one knows how the new Emperor will govern Irutoka. By tradition, emperors are considered chosen by the deities, and take on a divinity themselves. They are not chosen for their political standing or positions. Thus, no one knows the new Emperors’ positions on matters such as inter-provincial trade, Irutoka/Mymé relations, or visitors from other lands.
Hopefully his stance will become clear to us within the next few passages.
Lord Kieran
To the Oracle Collection-- Fifth Year