Second Passage of the Snow Moon

Many might consider it one of the greatest ills ever to befall Aranor. Indeed, one wonders where our great protectors are when such a tragedy afflicts us. Yes. The price of chocolate is going up.

Due to bad harvests in Moraithe, where we derive most of our raw cocoa, the winter will see a sharp rise in the price of all things chocolately. While Aranor’s most famous chocolatier, Lolita, promises that her prices will hold steady, most other sellers can’t afford to absorb the rising costs. One merchant I spoke to estimated that the price will rise four-fold, which, he estimates, will double the price of most chocolate products.

Our only consolation is that the prices will remain high only for a few moons, until the next wave of harvests comes to fruition. The weather is cooperating now in Moraithe, and we can expect things to return to normal before too long. Until then, don’t be surprised when you go to the chocolate shoppe.

Tania

Three teenage boys broke into Delta, one of Aranor’s two public stables, intent on mischief. They subdued the guard, tying him in one of the stalls, and let Asher, a horse belonging to one Lord Joshua Gerran, out into the large indoor riding arena. Miana, one of the other guards at the stable, tells us the rest of the tale.

"I heard noises and ran into the arena. The three boys had backed Asher into a corner and were whipping him with lashes. Then the stallion attacked."

Though Miana ran to try to save the boys, she arrived too late – the trained war-horse had struck them down with his hooves and begun to trample them. She took up one of the whips herself and drove the horse off, but the three were mortally injured. Only one was alive when they were finally brought to the healers, and he died soon after arrival.

"I had a run-in with the three the day before," Lord Gerran reported. "They insulted me and I gave them back some well-chosen words. I suppose they thought they’d get their revenge."

Lord Gerran is moving his horse from the Delta to an undisclosed location, fearing that others might attempt to harm the steed.

"Asher’s reaction was brutal, I admit," said Lord Gerran, "but he was trained to do battle – he’s a retired Borderguard steed from Rilhaven. The actions of those children got them what they deserved."

The parents of the children are outraged, and intend to seek actions through the city authorities.

More Myméan Ships Missing

Two more trading ships from Mymé have gone missing, verifying the rumors that the losses are not coincidental. Scouting ships from Jedda, Moraithe, and the Old World are plying the route, attempting to determine the cause. Rumors abound, but the truth is that there have been no witnesses to the losses. The ships left port in Mymé and were not heard of again.

The result is that the prices for Jeddan goods are rising – an event that Queen Lillian promised wouldn’t happen as a result of her sanctions against Irutoka. With the fear of losses, many traders have ceased to make the journey, and only six traders, each accompanied by a guard-ship from Aranor, are still doing merchanting between the provinces. This is down from over forty ships which comprise the usual traffic.

The authorities of Aranor are promising swift action in resolving the mystery, but until then we’ll be suffering a shortage of Jeddan goods.

Lord Kieran

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