The Oracle

Fourth Passage of the Melting Moon

Tirian is on Holiday to Neraha for the next two passages, so the Oracle will only have two stories – one by Lord Kieran and one by Tania.

After more than sixty years of searching and toil, Garret Belane has made the discovery of a lifetime.

"I heard about the Ushai tombs when I was six," he recalls in one of his memoirs. "By the time I was fourteen I was on the search."

That search has led him to scour the jungled and largely isolated coastline between Naldan Sunir and Darbasa on the isle of Irutoka.

The Ushai tombs are significant because they might very well represent the first human civilization. Ancient Jeddan manuscripts speak of the ‘first people’ of Jedda – a people called the ‘Ushai’. Although almost nothing is known about them, two artifacts remained – both long bars of stone with glyph-like markings. Then, about two hundred years ago, an explorer reported finding ‘strange tombs’ along the coast, and recorded the markings found on the stone doors. It wasn’t until much later that someone noticed that the explorer’s drawings of the markings bore an uncanny resemblance to the Ushai artifacts.

The explorer never returned, and Garret has been searching, using the meager clues the explorer left in his journals.

Since Jeddan civilization dates back over ten thousand years of recorded history, and is thought by many to be the oldest civilization of the Known Lands, we can only guess how ancient the Ushai people are. Some sages suggest that they may have been direct descendants of the Great Wyrms.

The tombs are located in a highly volatile location, where they were buried by landslides. While Garret insists that the tombs will be opened as soon as possible, he is taking great care that no one is killed or injured in the process. We have arranged with him to deliver the first public description of the tombs’ contents once they are opened, and will devote an entire issue of the Oracle to the findings at that time.

Lord Kieran

Race Across the Old World

A group who calls themselves ‘Dash’ will hold its first annual ‘Race Across the Old World’ next An Tir.

"We’re about speed," says Merc, one of the group’s founders. "We’re runners, sailors, riders . . ."

And in a celebration of speed, over twenty participants will attempt to cross overland from Aranor to Selarum as quickly as possible.

"Everyone has put in a thousand silver," says Merc. "The winner gets the pot."

One of the highlights of the race will be the start – the Aranorian guard has allowed the race to start within the city walls – meaning that the beginning of the race will be a mad dash of about thirty paces to make it through the narrow gate.

"Anything goes," says Merc. "There might be unhorsings, fights – who knows?"

It sounds like a promise of excitement to me! The race will begin next An Tir at high noon just inside the Merchant District gates.

Tania

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