The Oracle

First Passage of the Cricket Moon

Throwing swords? When I first saw the postings for it, I was a bit skeptical. After all, warriors will tell you that throwing a sword is a useless endeavor – not only is it incredibly difficult to do (well, difficult to hit anything with, at least), but it tends to deprive one of their blade and put it in danger of breaking when it does hit anything.

But the Guild of Bladethrowers promised to slice winter squash in half, pierce targets, and even kill a cow, upon which the audience could then feast.

I went to the demonstration and voiced my doubts to Araden, a sleek and handsome ‘bladethrower’.

"The reason no one masters this art," he told me, "is for precisely the reason you cited, my dear. It would be foolhardy, to say the least, for one to throw your sword in battle. This is purely an entertainment art. Impressive to be sure, but not feasible for any sort of self-defense."

He went on, along with his fellow bladethrowers, to amaze the audience with some impressive feats. They demonstrated two main throws – an overhead ‘piercer’, and the cross-thrown ‘slicer’. Then, with a single ‘peircer’, Araden slew a cow. Another of the bladethrowers set to butchering the meat into small cubes which they set on spits and roasted over the fire.

The demonstration was successful enough that they are going to perform again next moon, this time with the addition of other sword-based entertainment, including sword swallowers and sword dancers. They will charge an entrance fee of one gold piece.

Tania

Lady Eretria, the famous dog breeder from Selarum, is bringing a showcasing of her breeds to Aranor. She breeds all seven of the main Caradorian breeds, and will demonstrate the talents of each on An Aran during the Third Passage of the Cricket Moon.

"Most people are familiar with these breeds," she said, "but few have seen precisely what they are bred for. These dogs are pure of blood and exquisitely trained. I’d like people to see exactly what these dogs can do."

Rumors are afloat that Lady Eretria may be intending to sell her breeding pairs and retire to the life of a Renaissance woman. In any case, her show will be at the head of Palace Way, and will involve each of the breeds demonstrating their talents. The list below is not by any means comprehensive, but it will give a taste of what audiences can expect.

Alers, the black-and-tan dogs that are a favorite of ‘pet’ owners, will illustrate their intelligence and friendly disposition by taking treats from the mouths of children. Lanky Nobles will demonstrate speed, agility, and hunting prowess. Wolven, the domesticated wolf breed, will give rides to children and showcase their guardian abilities by ‘killing’ straw men. Foxes, both grey and red varieties, as well as the rarer silver fox, will do various tricks, including climbing trees and negotiating obstacle courses. Chaetyas, the small, cute dogs so often on the chains of noble women, will perform various jumping and ladder tricks, and Hounds will prove the power of their noses, as well as ‘tree’ Lady Eretria’s swiftest grey fox. Finally, Grey Herders will display an array of uncanny abilities, from cornering a horse to ‘rescuing’ a child.

Entrance to the show will be 10 silver, and dogs will be for sale, as well.

Tirian

In the last moon, three ships have disappeared between Moraithe and the Old World. Two were trading ships, while the third was a private vessel. At present, the losses are a total mystery, but several possibilities suggest themselves.

The first, and most likely, is the presence of pirates. Both trading ships were loaded with cargo, and the private vessel was riding heavy and low because of the presence of horses, new armament, and a selection of barrels of wine being brought back to the owner’s home from Masalla. Ships that ride low in the water are prime targets for ‘cargo’ pirates. The other major possibility is the presence of a predator that has moved its home into the way of shipping routes. A kraken, for instance, could be the cause. That accidents or misfortunes of some kind might account for the disappearances seems, at this point, unlikely.

The matter has been brought to the attention of Queen Lillian, who has promised ‘action’ if the trend continues. Meanwhile, sailors throughout the Known Lands are getting a little hesitant to sail the route past Teran’s Point.

Lord Kieran

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