Second Passage of the Dry Moon

The city of Auralay has publicly announced the discovery of another ruined Eldritch settlement about a league north and east of Taber. The ancient settlement site was carefully hidden in an small valley only accessible by caves, and was apparently the site of mines and refining works used to make Eldritch steel. The site was found a moon ago, and is well guarded.

The exploration company who discovered the site has stated that ‘hundreds of Eldritch artifacts, all in prime condition, will soon be available to collectors on the open market. Enquiries should be made to Highridge Exploration Companions in Auralay."

Rumors have also been circulating that the explorers may be able to puzzle out the process by which Eldritch steel is made, and thus bring it to market. The matte black metal was considered exceptionally strong and flexible in the past, but today’s Rel Morde steels far exceed Eldritch for weapon-use. Eldritch steel is highly valued by jewelers, however, and Eldritch jewelry is a great rarity. If the process to create it could be discovered, items made of the metal would become much more common.

The find and exploitation of the Eldritch ruins is being criticized by numerous voices, however, among them the influential Lord Carreton, a former trader in Eldritch goods.

"These finds simply shouldn’t be sold on the open market," he says. "There is too much we stand to learn from them. We must also consider the rising threat of the Maelmuirians and the possibility that the Eldritch are walking again. It is foolhardy to exploit these ruins right now."

Voices will hardly stop the people of Highridge Exploration, who intend to market the first of the artifacts within the next moon.

Lord Kieran

No one knows precisely what went on upon The Merchant’s Daughter last An Meja, but witnesses report an angry exchange of shouting only a moment after the ship left port. Most are suggesting that the two merchants who head the operation, Lord Erik and Lord Tamid, both of Aranor, got into a disagreement of some sort that resulted in Lord Erik angrily beginning to throw wax-coated rounds of cheese overboard. It’s estimated that over a hundred rounds were thrown overboard, and the ship simply continued sailing away.

Fishermen in small torgs and skiffs wasted no time in picking rounds out of the water, and other people jumped in to get some of the lost cargo. Still other rounds found their way to shore.

The cheese is quite valuable, and made only at a creamery here in Aranor. It is called ‘creamdrop’, and is a smooth, creamy cheese described as having ‘a profound roundness on the tongue and a creamy, sweet flavour with hints of nutty sharpness.’ Rounds sell for ever sixty silver each. . . .which means that some of the common folk down by the docks are eating well this passage.

Tirian

The jungle natives have been using the sap of the Uta trees for hundreds of years, and for hundreds of purposes. One of those purposes made its way into civilized Jedda just last year, and last passage, it came to Aranor.

"The sap is thick and gummy, with a yellowish color and a slightly sweet flavour," I was told by Teralin, one of the importers of the sap. "The natives of Jedda mix it with herbs or decoctions, and then chew on it for hours, so that the desired medicines are released over time."

When a Jeddan explorer discovered the gummy sap a year ago, she brought it back to research its properties for the Empress. But when Teralin and his group discovered the stuff, they were struck with a different idea.

"We call it ‘gum’, and have found that we can suffuse it with honey or maple syrup, spices, oils, and fruit essences or other flavourings. The gum is then chewed for a long-lasting, pleasant taste."

Although sages will be researching possible medicinal uses for the gum, and alchemists will be exploring other applications, Teralin and his group have purchased six carts that will be wheeled about the city, selling small balls of the flavoured stuff.

"I hate to sound vain," Teralin said, "but we’re going to be rich."

I was given numerous samples to taste, and was pleasantly surprised. The flavours were very intense and the texture of the sap is fun to play with in your mouth. My only disappointment was that the flavour of the sap didn’t last as long as promised.

Tania

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