The Oracle
Second Passage of the Storm Moon
Shavay Performers at the Arena
A troupe calling themselves Ardar will be appearing on An Aran this passage at the Arena. They display a vast array of Shavay culture, and will be selling food, Shavay wares, and even, it is said, passage to that distant land for the especially adventurous. They will also be performing dance, dramas, and a traditional Shavay performance known as the 'kotoor'.
"The kotoor," said Shedar, one of the performers, "is a traditional Shavay artform which is something between dancing, singing, and storytelling. We paint our bodies, dress in wild costumes, and tell a story with movements, rhythm, and non-word sounds. It is used especially to teach children about the ways of the jungle and savannah, and can be quite funny at times."
They will also be exhibiting tamed Shavay animals, some of which have never set foot (or hoof) upon the Old World before.
Their performance begins at sunrise and goes until after midnight.
Tania
Queen Lillian Scheduled to Speak
The Queen of the Old World is scheduled to make a speech next passage, on An Tiné. Her speech will be held in each District Square, and people are asked to attend only once . Criers will announce the time. She plans on talking about the Old World's position in the Carador, the growth of the Renaissance, and to clarify some new policies recently implemented by her, including the founding of a navy and the establishment of baronies. A number of questions will be fielded from those gathered. This is her first speech since winter, when she gave a public address concerning the threat of the bandits organized under the bandit leader Hajara. Her policy is to give addresses at various times when public opinion begins growing too confused about Old World issues.
The crowds at such events are typically immense, so come early if you wish to hear her up close.
Lord Kieran
Ghost Haunting High Bridge
The High Bridge in the River District is the typical haunt of lovers, fishermen, and children who enjoy the sandy shallows just below its southern span. But now it has become the haunt for something else entirely.
"I was walking right across there," said a woman, pointing toward a section of the bridge, "when my hat just flew right off my head, as if a wind had taken it! The trouble was, there was no wind!"
And hers isn't the only phenomenon. People have reported bodices coming undone, knots being untied, and strange pullings on their fishing lines. On a more sinister note, children have stopped swimming there after one emerged crying, saying she had been 'dunked'.
I spoke to Baron, a ghost-explorer who has been hired by the city to get rid of the thing.
"This is a tough one," he said. "They've already had some mages down here trying to urge it away, but it's a pretty powerful little ghost, and doesn't want to go. Magic's not doing much good. Ghosts are sometimes substantial and sometimes not, you see -- in general, the more substantial they are, the easier they are to get rid of. But if they're insubstantial, well, they can't really affect the world much, you see, and people don't even know they're there. Well, this one's insubstantial, but it's found some way to still mess with the physical world. Very odd, this. So far, none of my incantations have had any affect. And the situation is complicated by the fact that some people have developed an odd fondness for the ghost. There's a little crowd here that watches people come across, and make crossings themselves just for fun. About every third person who crosses is 'touched'."
So far, the ghost hasn't done any actual harm, but many people are scared anyway. The city's official position is that the ghost will be removed as soon as possible, for the simple reason that the High Bridge is a major roadway, and traffic has been quite disrupted. Until it can be removed, however, expect to see more crowds coming to witness the city's first official ghost.
Tirian
