Third Passage of the Cricket Moon

A party of five adventurers ventured into the caverns beneath Aranor, and only two have returned alive.

"There was this thing – sharp and chitinous . . . huge." The speaker was named Aven, and he could say little more. His physical wounds were healed after he crawled out, bleeding, onto an Aranorian street, but his mental wound will likely never heal.

"The two survivors don’t know what it was that attacked them," said Travis, a guardsman who has dealt with two other cases of people entering the caverns, "but the message is clear. Yes, there are caverns beneath the city. Vast caverns. And yes, they may lead down into the ‘World Caves’ as some suggest. But I can tell you one other thing for sure – the subterranean world is mostly unexplored, and we know only about the most shallow levels – where dwell the goblins. Trust me, they’re dangerous enough. To go into those caves is death."

Many people know of the shallow caves found throughout the city, but a few entrances lead to deeper caverns. The city guard has asked citizens and adventurers to stay clear.

Tirian

"It’s like a dream that you read about in storybooks!" gushed Emily. She and her new husband, Mikael, were walking along the shore north of Aranor when they found, mostly buried in the sand, a small chest. Upon having it opened at a locksmith, they found that it was brimming with gemstones.

"All of a sudden we are wealthy," Mikael said with a smile. "You never imagine these things can happen to you!"

The fortune is valued in the hundreds of thousands of silver, and the happy couple will be purchasing their first house and a horse for Emily, fulfilling a long-time dream.

Small treasures are often found along beaches, but a chest of this nature suggests a ship sunken off shore, or perhaps a pirate’s treasure buried on land. Whatever the case, the couple is keeping the location a secret.

Tania

He calls his province ‘New Jedda’, and has officially informed the rulers of the Known Lands that he intends to make himself a political force.

Pursued by various authorities over the last moons, the former Emperor of Irutoka simply disappeared after a showdown on Teran’s Point. Now he has occupied an old, ruined faerie fortress on the eastern-most tip of the island north of Teran’s Point.

Jeddan authorities have promised to bring him back to Jedda Felsuin, but with his fortified position and his entourage of powerful Jeddan magicians and Kaelen warriors, he won’t be easily taken.

Here is a distillation of the letter he sent to the rulers of the various provinces –

Through much travail we have secured ourselves a place here in this savage land, fighting off many terrible beasts. By right of Masallan law we claim ourselves these lands and announce ourselves as a new province. Those who wish to do trade may come peacefully to our port, and be assured that we possess many wondrous goods taken from these lands. But those who wish to contest our right to settle shall find themselves engaged in war.

Many new provinces have been created throughout history, but most fail due to the harsh nature of the lands the settlers choose. Sages insist that the provinces we know as the Known Lands were successful because of the relatively tame nature of the creatures who inhabit them. Most of these lands also had native human populations, proving that human habitation was possible. Most other islands surrounding the Known Lands are lacking humans, and filled with strange beasts which quickly frighten settlers away. The Emperor and his people will have many great challenges ahead if they wish to make ‘New Jedda’ a real province.

Lord Kieran