The Oracle
Third Passage of the Cricket Moon
The "Last of the True Nobles" Resurfaces
Shortly after Queen Lillian established her reign via the War of Aranor, a group of formal nobles, led by some of Goddard’s descendants, took the city of Kern in a bloody coup, and announced their occupation of the city and their mission to return the Old World to its rightful heirs – the former nobility under the late King Goddard.
The uprising was quickly destroyed, and the surviving ‘True Nobles’ fled, once again, this time into the forests. And now they have returned.
"We hold to the same ideals that our former leaders did," says Eridon Shadelle, one of the True Nobles’ leaders. "But our methods are different."
He explained the righteous anger of the group.
"We nobles earned our titles over centuries of adhering to ideals that the common class could never hold to. There are thousands of nobles scattered throughout the Old World, all of whom have been stripped of land and title – and why? Because the false "Queen" Lillian didn’t believe that our possession of lands contributed to her concept of a good society. Do I have a right, then, to march into a person’s home and demand that they leave, simply because I don’t like the manner in which they’ve been living? The difference between Lillian and the True Nobles is that we hold to ideals of honor, justice, and the correct placing of people in the social hierarchy according to ancestral merit. Most of the ‘nobles’ today are just merchants making a mockery of the title. Our society is being destroyed with Lillian’s promotion of loose morals and general dishonor. It’s a disgrace."
The True Nobles explain that if Queen Lillian actually is promoting freedom of expression, as she says, then she won’t act militarily against them. They insist that they act through the spread of information, and not through violence. In public and private speeches, they are doing all they can to encourage the former nobility of the Old World to assert their rights to land and title. And they speak out against numerous aspects of Queen Lillian’s reign, such as the establishment of baronies ("she’s just giving land and title to her friends now"), her association with Cowan Faol ("a cult figure who is spreading loose morality and the irresponsible use of magic"), and Illumination, the newly established group who has committed themselves to the education of the common class ("Lillian’s little propaganda spreader").
As of yet, Queen Lillian has made no move to acknowledge their presence.
Tania
Slave Uprising in Lantrielle
In an unprecedented occurrence, one of Lantrielle’s small islands, used exclusively for breeding slaves, experienced an uprising.
"On rare occasions we import slaves from outside sources to enhance one bloodline or another," we were told by Lord Aradalae, Lantrielle’s emissary to Aranor. "A few of these new slaves organized a revolt which quickly spread throughout the ranks of both captured and bred slaves on the isle. Although guardsmen reacted quickly, over a hundred slaves managed to escape on Lantrielle scouting craft."
These craft are well-secured, and Aradalae insists that the slaves must have secured the services of inside sources by means of bribery or seduction.
"Eight craft were taken, and unfortunately no other ships of sufficient speed were available for pursuit."
Where the slaves went remains a mystery.
"These people are highly skilled, extremely talented individuals," Aradalae said. "I suspect that they made it to wherever they were going. We had assumed the Old World or the New, but as of yet, we have no evidence of their arrival. They seem to be cloaking themselves magically from divinatory protection, so we’re lost as to where they have gone."
Some suggest that they might have chosen a wilderness destination, and may be waiting for some time before they slip back into civilization. Whatever the case, Lantrielle agents are quickly spreading throughout all the known lands, carefully watching for signs of the escaped slaves.
"These people are the property of various personages in Lantrielle," said Aradalae. "Their value, collectively, exceeds the sum of twelve million of your silver coins. And that is saying nothing of their value to Lantrielle culture."
In Aranor last An Maad, a small group celebrated the escape with bonfires, saying that is was a triumph for freedom and the new Renaissance.
Tirian
Gwynned Re-Emerges as an Independent Province
After two years of being haunted by what reports called "strange, eldritch beasts", the isle of Gwynned has been cleansed and is ready for inhabitants to once again take residence upon her lands.
Storm, regent of Aranor, told us of how it all came about.
"We sent the Archmage Cowan Faol to rid the island of the beasts, but he found that the isle’s natural inhabitants had, over time, killed the majority of them, which were unsuited to Gwynned’s environment. He had more trouble dealing with the presence of fae and certain human elements that had settled into the abandoned castles and cities upon the isle. While the human elements were driven out, Lord Faol, in his allegiance to the fae, refused to remove them from the island. Negotiations have caused them to move deeper into the forests, but the new settlers on Gwynned can expect to spend ample time dealing with the presence of faerie influence."
Gwynned is being established as an independent province, not under Queen Lillian’s rule.
"We are helping Gwynned get on its feet," Storm said. "It is being divided into six small provinces, each of which will have its own, independent rule. In effect, it’s being turned into six baronies, except that the Queen is relinquishing power over them. Still, we look forward to good relations with the various provinces of the isle, and think it will add much to the prosperity of our region of Carador."
Lord Kieran
