The Oracle
Fourth Passage of the Dry Moon
MorDuraans in the Old World?
That was the suggestion of one sage who has worked in conjunction with the Aranorian city guards as they have been tracking down the strange ritualistic sites found near the city.
“The sites have been found near all the major cities of the Old World,” said Kirin, the sage in question. “It was not until we found a very recent site near Aranor that the guards were able to begin tracking down the culprits.” In the city of Bardé, two Aranorian Knights captured a man who was in possession of many of the artifacts used at the ritual sites. He has been brought back to Aranor, but thus far has refused to speak. Apparently he is starving himself, and will only partake of water.
Several of the artifacts discovered at the ritual sites and in the possession of the man are directly linked to artifacts created during the MorDuraan times in Masalla. Most were designed to direct magical energies in order to invoke ‘apparitions’, or creatures created out of various characteristics channeled by the artifacts. In one famous tale, a dead woman’s body was infused with the venom of a serpent, and the resulting monster was used to seduce one of Masalla’s greatest generals. After the seduction, the general died of poisoning.
The man in custody is clearly not working alone. Three other sites have been found since his arrest last An Tir, and two of them were set up after his arrest. Authorities throughout the lands will continue to attempt to track down whoever is behind the strange sites.
Tirian
Moraithian Slaves Escape into Jungle
As over five hundred men marched upon the estate of Lord Aranin, the more than seventy slaves estimated to have taken over his lands fled into the jungles. Lord Aranin himself was not found, and letters discovered in his home explain that he was killed and his body burnt after he was tried and found guilty for crimes including rape, torture, and killings. If such is true, even the possibility of resurrection is lost.
Although there has been an outcry by certain of the nobility, Duke Amasay finally has laid the affair to rest.
“The jungle will claim them,” he said.
Only time will tell if that’s the last we hear of the slaves who were involved in the largest slave revolt in Moraithian history.
Lord Kieran
Thieves Befuddle Masalla
An ancient sword, once belonging to King MorDuraan, gone from one of Masalla’s largest museums. Numerous nobles throughout the city reporting the loss of fine jewels and Rel Morde blades. Indeed, Queen Anabelle herself has been the victim of three robberies, each of which has seen the loss of exquisite pieces of jewelry.
And clues as to who is doing it? None. Divinations have turned up nothing, mercenaries have turned up nothing, and the guards have turned up nothing.
The string of robberies is being reported as the ‘greatest series of thefts committed in over a hundred years'. Sixteen separate losses have been attributed to the thief or thieves in the last moon.
In modern times, it is relatively simple to circumvent divination magics, but that doesn’t prevent a thief from being susceptible to more mundane methods of detection. Even invisibility magic leaves a thief vulnerable to the nose of a dog, and the mystery thieves have managed to flawlessly secure treasures guarded by locks, dogs, large cats, human protectors, and traps.
When they are finally caught, at least they’ll be famous!
Tania
To the Oracle Collection-- Third Year