First Passage of the Plowing Moon

Well, we’ve returned after a very eventful journey, and have much to share with our readers. We must warn you, however, that what we write here may shock you.

The journey to and from the tropical isle was uneventful, but our time there most certainly was not. And, as you well know, it took us much longer than anticipated.

Upon our arrival we were greeted by officials from Moraithe, who promptly explained the situation. Six strange ships, supposedly of Eldritch design, were hidden in a bay on the north of the isle. Observations from scout ships suggested that the Eldritch ships were mostly empty, guarded only by a few while the bulk of the ships’ crews had moved inland into the jungles.

After much deliberation, Duke Amasay had decided to send a military expedition to attempt to learn more about the situation.

While the true objective of the expedition was simply to gather information, it would move under the guise of a military showing, in the hope that the Eldritch (for it was assumed that those were the people we were dealing with) would see that Moraithe was not defenseless.

The plan was thus laid. A main force would approach conspicuously and attempt communication with the people, while a small, elite force of fighters and magicians under the command of the General of Elite Defense, Lord Kaeris, would use the distraction to creep closer and ascertain what was really going on.

We, the Oracle team, were to accompany the elite force deeper into the jungle.

We left two days later, sailing in a small, swift vessel as two warships made their way just behind us. We landed south of the bay and proceeded on foot, chopping our way through jungle that was so thick as to be nearly impenetrable.

Our movement was carefully calculated, and we emerged onto a high, rocky ridge in time to watch, with scopes, the approach of the main military force coming into the valley below us.

We could see that they were met at the entrance to the enormous ravine by a force of Eldritch men and women, all in dark armor and leading strange beasts. Using the distraction, we lowered ourselves over the edge and rappelled down into the ravine.

What we saw there was beyond description.

On the bottom of the ravine, freshly unearthed from beneath brush, soil, and boulders, was the body of a huge dragon, a dragon beyond all dragons.

While the greatest of mountain dragons can have a head as long as a man, this one’s head would easily occupy a modest room. While a mountain dragon might swoop down and take a horse from the ground, this beast would swoop down and take a mountain dragon from the ground. Its scales (each one the size of a warrior’s shield) were grey, scratched, and dirtied, and its teeth (visible where some of the people had propped up the edge of its maw) were yellowed and unclean.

The thing was clearly a creature of legend – a Great Wyrm. And furthermore, it was clearly alive, for we saw it breathe with an impossibly long, slow breath.

And the people moving over and about it met every description of the Eldritch people, from their ebony white skin to their impossibly black hair and dark eyes. All about the Wyrm they had set up an enormous apparatus: a collection of black steel, glass, and grayish tubes. It seemed, to our eyes, that they were collecting the inner juices of the beast, or injecting something into its blood. Long metal sword-like spikes were being carefully inserted under its scales, and from these the tubes fed into round, glass balls.

Then the first beast appeared, a spindly, catlike thing with watery eyes and glistening clear teeth. It hissed at us in our hiding place, and leapt forward with claws outstretched.

It was only by a well-executed magical attack followed by intervention by blades that the beast fell, but not before it let out a tortured scream.

We fled back toward our ropes, but soon were attacked by more creatures, some horribly man-like, others creatures that one would only see in a nightmare. Our protectors valiantly fought, but by the time we had reached the ropes, two of our magicians had fallen.

As we climbed the ropes, fighters held the ground against more attacks – now the Eldritch themselves were here, and although they were an ancient and forgotten people, they used weapons that seemed superior to our own, and by the time we were fleeing into the forest, we had lost three more men.

Our escape seemed assured when we finally saw our ship in the small bay where we had left it. But when we came to it, it was already swarming with the Eldritch and their beasts.

Surrender was our only chance.

Our capture and ordeal was harrowing at best. We and our protectors were bound, blindfolded, and carried away to cells. We never knew exactly where we were, but we divined, from the lack of waves rocking the ground, that we were held on dry land, probably in a cave or old mine.

Without the sun to mark night and day, we could only guess at the time we spent there, but upon our return we learned that it was many passages that we were kept. Our time among the Eldritch? Usually we did not see our captors, but when we did, we were taken, one at a time, and questioned by them. The things they asked were odd – questions about Maelmuire, and our opinions on various matters of social norms. They did other things, too, taking pieces of our hair and letting blood from our legs which they collected in vials. They fed us decent food – fruits and roasted meats from the jungles. And they kept our cells clean. But we were always well guarded by odd and terrible beasts that watched us with glittering eyes.

Then, one day, we were bound, blindfolded, and carried through the jungle on a long trek. When we were released, we found ourselves within shouting distance of Staladin.

We were taken in and cared for in the city, given plenty of time to recover from our ordeals. We all found ourselves sick and oddly tired, and it took us more than a moon to start feeling like ourselves again. During that time we learned much – that upon the very day we had looked down with our scopes from the jungle and first witnessed the Eldritch and the Great Wyrm, Duke Amasay's main force had been turned away by the Eldritch forces. The dark-haired intruders had offered no explanation for their presence, but only insisted that the Moraithians leave, holding  their bizarre beasts on chains in an unspoken threat.

Our group did not return and was presumed dead.

Moraithe then sent another military force a passage later, this one bolstered by as many magicians as they could send along, but when this force came upon the site, they found it empty –  the space remained where the great dragon had lain, and the signs of activity were still there – turned stones and tracks – but otherwise, both the Eldritch and the Great Wyrm were gone.

What this foretells we cannot say – we are awaiting reports about similar events in Masalla, where the Eldritch have also been sighted. All we can say for sure is that it appears that the the mysterious ships truly are crewed by the Eldritch, and that their objective in Moraithe seemed to involve what can only be a genuine Great Wyrm.

Duke Amasay’s next move is still undecided. It simply is not known what the Eldritch were doing with the Great Wyrm. Many are suggesting that they were waking it up.

There is little doubt that Duke Amasay will appeal to the council and aid of other provinces.

We are now back in Aranor, and ready to resume our commitment to bringing you the latest news from all the lands. While we were gone, other events have come to pass that need reporting, but we will cover them in the next Oracle. Until then, rest well.

Tania, Tirian, and Lord Kieran

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