The Oracle
First Passage of the Plowing Moon
Terick Sighted in Northern Forests
A Terick, one of the legendary breeds of creatures long thought to reside only in myth, was reportedly sighted far to the north of Kern.
Lord Saldar, along with a retinue of huntsmen and guards, was scouting areas where he could apply for a barony from Queen Lillian.
"We had gained a high mountain meadow, and were intending to overlook a sprawling area of valleys I had hoped to make my own. Then, on the far end of the meadow, among some rocks and trees, we saw the most enormous form. At first I could only think it was a huge bear or Great Forest Cat, but then it saw us, froze for a moment, and spread its wings, gliding down along a boulder field and disappearing into the lower woods. It was larger than a dragon!"
The Terick are, indeed, giant creatures, being as large as two or three horses. They are a profoundly mysterious creature, said to be benign and gentle, but terribly ferocious in appearance.
"They are best described as a gigantic cross between a dog, a human, and a bear," says Angelica, a sage at the library of Aranor. "A man would stand, if the Terick were upright, only to the creature’s belly. They are thought to be capable of making tools, building shelters, and even watercraft. We can only suppose they are quite intelligent."
Do they pose a threat to the safety of the Old World, we asked her?
"I would doubt it. But if it really was a Terick they saw, which I’m rather skeptical of, then it may foretell some interesting times ahead. In reality, all of our knowledge of these creatures comes from storybooks."
We will hope, then, that the stories of their peaceful ways are true!
Tania
Magic Battle Shakes Aranor
Emerald Street, famed for its fine restaurants in the River District, became the scene of a spectacular fight last An Maad as two young mages, both acclaimed students at the Lysandra School of Arts north of Aranor, settled a dispute in a manner that left no one guessing that they were displeased with each other.
"Most magic battles are rather quick and subtle," I was told by Eilya, the first guardswoman to report to the scene. "These two were peers, competing for rank up at the school. They were also Elemental practitioners, so their magic was much more flashy. It was just like you’d imagine a magic battle to be – lighting and fire streaking back and forth, the ground lifting up and taking form . . . it was pretty amazing."
Both mages were subdued by mundane means, specifically crossbows.
"They did a lot of damage to area businesses," Eilya said. "They’re both in the dungeons nursing wounds, and will be required to pay for the damages they inflicted upon the buildings, with the addition of gold for any loss of business the damaged restaurants claim. It could add up to a lot."
And nothing else?
"Because we don’t have them on any of our records for other crimes, they’ll get off easy this time. But they’ll probably be working for the city for a year or two before they can pay everything off. Since they’d rather be studying, this will doubtless be punishment enough."
Tirian
Tome of the Gods Written by Arjaad
A new and fabulously expensive book will soon be marketed, privately, to select personages of the Known Lands.
The Tome of the Gods is a seven hundred page manuscript which gives the most detailed information about the deities to be found anywhere.
"We’ve done fourteen years of research into the history, methods of worship, mortal involvement, and personalities of each of the deities. Those which were born of mortal blood and ‘ascended’ have sections devoted to their mortal lives. In this tome, you can learn what each deity likes to eat!"
I was talking to one of the thirteen anonymous members of the group that authors books under the false name of Arjaad.
"Each deity is also represented by a painting, the image of which was derived from the study of at least ten different statues in the case of each deity. You will feel the presence of the deities in their very gaze. I promise you."
Each book will sell for three hundred thousand silver. The Library of Aranor is scrambling to raise enough donations to purchase one of the books, which would be displayed behind a glass case, with one page turned each day. So far, two hundred and thirty thousand silver must still be gathered before the books are sold, which will be at the beginning of the Cricket Moon.
Lord Kieran
