The Oracle
Fourth Passage of the Cricket Moon
Children’s Faire Next An Aran
Aranor will hold its first annual Children’s Faire next passage. Held in the heart of the Merchant’s District, it will feature performers, acrobats, an numerous ‘rides’ for little ones. Among these will be the Pirate’s Galleon, a mock ship built so as to allow a team of men to rock it back and forth. On board, the children can battle each other with wooden swords and search for treasure in any of a number of ‘puzzle chests’, designed to open when a certain series of pegs is pushed to proper depths.
There will also be booths featuring ‘children's foods’, including shish-ka-bobs, popcorn, and endless varieties of candies, including an ‘icky candy bug’ stand put on by the now-famous Elatia René’s Fabulous Confections.
Entrance to the faire will be free, but parents should bring a good supply of silver coins to keep their little ones happy!
Tania
Casara Opens for Grand Hunt
In what some are suggesting is a ‘desperate attempt’ by Casara to draw in gold from outside, the province is holding a Grand Hunt, open to nobles from all provinces.
The Hunt will actually be a host of festivities held for the length of the Dry Moon. While there will be the expected feasts and bards' tales, rumors suggest that the nobles will be treated to the ‘forbidden pleasures’ of gypsy dancers and exotic drugs as well.
Each day, after the morning festivities, the hunt will commence, with participants making their way to different parts of the province to hunt different animals. In the foothills of the mountains north of the Far Reach Peninsula, the area’s famous wild boars will be chased – huge animals rumored to weigh up to four hundred stone. Along the Turjaalg Mountains the hunt will be for the swift and agile wild sheep. And in the wildlands north of Vellun the hunters will seek out stag and bear.
In the evening the hunters will return to their camps for a great feast and more festivities.
Casara is experiencing troubles after the Sereg attacks of last year, and now that Masalla appears to be changing its ways, the province is left with only a single ally – Faol. Since choppy seas and immense cliffs cut off their eastern shore, Casara depends heavily on Faol for trade, and is doubtless hoping to open relations with powerful folks from other lands.
Lord Kieran
Ancient Ship Spotted in Gwynnen Waters
Gwynned is already making a reputation for itself as a land where strange things happen. Since humans once again settled the isle last year, they have been trying to establish a relationship with the numerous fae who inhabit the isle. Whether this latest occurrence is caused by the fae remains a subject of hot debate, but there have been numerous sightings of a strange ship in Gwynned’s bays.
At first the ship drew little interest, for it is in good repair, with fine paint and sails. Nor is it particularly large. Indeed, it would take someone with knowledge of ships to note that its design is quite outdated.
“This is actually an ancient ship,” said Malin, a shipwright setting up in the city of Gwynned, “the style of which hasn’t been seen on the seas in over three hundred years.”
No one has yet approached the ship, though that will certainly be soon to change. For the next person I spoke to, Mariana, a historian specializing in all things to do with seamanship, had this to say --
“This ship is not just of an ancient style. Its markings are unmistakable. This is a replica of the last ship owned by the famous pirate Kassim.”
Those words have spread rumors that Kassim himself is once again roaming the seas. Of course, that would be quite unlikely, since Kassim would be three hundred and sixty years old if such were the case!
We will doubtless hear more in the coming passages.
Tirian
To the Oracle Collection-- Third Year