The Scribe/20070425

		April 25, 2007 The World Celebrates its Birth The season of the Zephyr has always been associated with renewed life and birth. But recently, members of the Order of the Sky, working at the Astralarium in Northern Istan, claim to have pinpointed the exact date of the birth of our world. According to Emissary Dajmir, a visiting scholar from the Kournan province, the world's birthday will occur during this coming weekend. The release of this information has prompted an impromptu celebration with a particularly sweet reward, although this intrepid inscriber of international information cannot help thinking that the merchants in Cantha may have latched onto this spurious astrological information for their own monetary gain. In any event, an exciting celebration has been planned, which should entice tourists to descend upon Shing Jea Monastery this weekend. Once there, celebrants will not be disappointed, as the ever-popular Shing Jea Boardwalk will reopen, along with Rollerbeetle Racing and the Dragon Arena. In addition to boosting the local economy, the Boardwalk games will once again reward Festival Tickets that participants can trade for prizes. Twenty-five tickets will net you a prize, which could contain bottles of rice wine, red bean cakes, 5 Victory Tokens, or 1,000 gold. You can also win Victory Tokens in the Dragon Arena, Dragon Nest, or at the Rollerbeetle Races. Those lucky enough to win a few Victory Tokens can trade five of them for Sugary Blue Drinks, Champagne Poppers, Bottle Rockets, or Sparklers. And, if you feel like spending tokens like there's no tomorrow, ten Victory Tokens are enough to acquire Crème Brulee, Flasks of Firewater, or one of three types of magical scrolls. If you prefer something really special, you can spend your tokens on a birthday cupcake. Now, let me assure you, these aren't your ordinary cupcakes. These celebratory cupcakes have been baked by Imperial Chef Tian, the creator of Canthan Truffle Delight, the dessert created for the Celestial Pig during the Canthan New Year festival. Tian promises a special surprise for any who ingest one of these royal confections. So good are these treats that they keep disappearing in mysterious numbers, and there have been scattered reports that various creatures have been spotted with frosting on fin, fur, and scale. This leads one to ponder whether the monsters have absconded with their own supply of the treats. So, whether this weekend is the true birth date of the world or not, it should be a merry time for all who participate...and even merrier for the good merchants near my home, Shing Jea Monastery. Mahk Delivers The Istani toymaker, Mahk, has had a busy year. As you may recall, some months ago he was awarded a quite profitable contract from Vabbian investors. That bit of good fortune seems to have inspired him to new levels of creativity. With the recent announcement of a worldwide birthday celebration, Mahk has deemed this the proper time to release his latest line of toys. Now, Mahk is remaining silent about the details of his latest line of miniatures. Every attempt on my part to pry answers from him got the simple response, "You'll just have to wait and see." I suppose all we can do is wait for some benevolent soul to hand out these new creations, perhaps as birthday presents. It does seem to be all the rage at the moment. Keep your ears open for any mention of Mahk's new miniatures. In fact, if you're lucky enough to be among the first to receive one, be sure to display it proudly in town or share illuminations of it via your own scrolls and letters. Random Acts of Kindness On the eve of the approaching celebration, I once again spent much of my week on the road. And, as per my normal routine, I took note of the many kind acts I witnessed. As I finished a transaction with a local merchant, Shara Naa answered questions about new items appearing in for trade in the major cities. She provided detailed information, including estimated market value, of the new “Elite Tomes.” Had she not been free with her advice, the confused citizen might have seriously undervalued her precious find. Sanarl Stormreaper also answered a variety of questions and offered assistance to others. Within the ruins of Ascalon, Asher Cerberus and Lanore Faythorn offered aid to any party in need. While visiting the capital of this devastated kingdom, I saw Orim Eldersdragon and Talon Exavier share their knowledge and advice to those newly recruited in the fight against the Charr. Perhaps with the strength and leadership of heroes such as these, Ascalon can one day return to its former glory. Neralis Filtch and Zanta Sanduff were also quite helpful some days ago, sharing advice in different outposts and offering assistance to those who needed it most. Thanks to all those who lent a hand to fellow adventurers these past few weeks. You make our world a better place.