Second Passage of the Frost Moon

"We were going along the cliffs a day or so north of the city," reports Taven, a veteran huntsman. "We thought we’d peek in at the old ruins and see if there was any sign of the troll that was there a year back. We were going through thick woods, and saw a place ahead where the trees were broken and bent. When we got up close, we saw a dragon’s body caught in the trees."

The dragon had apparently fallen from a great height, crushing trees upon impact. It wasn’t large enough, however, to make it all the way to the ground.

Although Taven returned to Aranor with detailed reports of the creature’s appearance, no one had yet given a final answer to what type of dragon it might be. The corpse was at least a moon old, with ‘bones poking through in some places’.

Dead or alive, a dragon is a remarkable sight, and numerous outfitters within the city are planning on escorting parties to the site to see the dead beast.

Tania

The Kirjaan, a legendary creature described as part wolf and part bear, has yet again been encountered in the Old World. The monster attacked a caravan of gypsies who were three leagues out of Aranor. Miraculously, all the gypsies survived, thanks to the brave actions of a few men and women. But their wagons, and thus their livelihoods, were utterly ravaged by the beast.

"We’ve heard of the legend oft enough," said Jirai, one of the gypsy elders. "But to see such a thing in the flesh? It was as tall as a horse and twice as broad, and tossed our wagons over like they were crafted of parchment. It was an angry thing, that’s to be sure of."

Lorcan, a sage who works in the Library of Aranor, said that "we can’t be sure that this was the Kirjaan of legend – no one’s ever had such a clear glimpse of it, so it could just as easily be another sort of beast. But what we call it matters little to the gypsies. This creature is quite dangerous, and is now posing a threat to the city."

Numerous hunting parties have gone to the forests in search of the thing, hoping to become heroes by slaying the mad beast. But if this is, indeed, the Kirjaan of legend, they might find themselves in unpleasant straights if they do happen to find it.

Until more can be learned, the authorities of Aranor have urged people to limit overland travel to the purely necessary.

Tirian

The Jeddan district in Aranor came alive with angry mobs today as word quickly spread – the first official battle between the Emperor and the Empress has been fought. Until now, there have only been skirmishes, but four passages ago, on An Aran, two hundred warships – eighty belonging to the Empress and a hundred and twenty to the Emperor, met on the seas along the eastern coast of Irutoka. The battle was a bloody one, with a reported forty-six ships being sent to the bottom of the sea and hundreds of men killed.

The battle was said to be spectacular, with magic being used by both sides in addition to conventional weaponry. In the end the Empress’ forces fled back to Mymé, having lost eight of their ships to sinking and twenty-seven to capture. The remainder were heavily damaged.

"This was a blow to the Empress," said Mijia, a woman who has family in Jedda and keeps abreast of the politics on the twin isles. "This battle effectively decided which island would host ground forces. The Emperor has now established himself as dominant on the sea, and will use his superior navy to bring the battle to Mymé. This, of course, will likely prove even more devastating as villages and fields are burned. This could well prove the beginning of the end for the Empress."

Jeddan wars, of course, are famous for not having a victor, and for being influenced heavily by court intrigue and assassinations. So the war is hardly over. But war is always costly, and many people are deeply grieved at the loss of life that has only begun.

Lord Kieran

To the Oracle Main Page

To the Oracle Collection-- Year Two