Hello, I’m Branwyn Two-Moon of Clan Lightridge and these are the Ersatz Echoes of Eastfjord Harbor for the week of Spring Breaking, 2019.

With the months of Gnome and Dryad behind us and Undine and Aura ahead, the week of Spring Breaking is the first interstitial week of year.  Considered neither winter nor spring, it is the period between them – though I’m told if you travel far enough into the south half of our world, the seasons are reversed compared to what my listeners are familiar with.  I, for one, cannot imagine Gnome and Dryad being summer months.

I asked a few scholar types about this situation and they told me that the simplest answer to share with you, the listeners of this aethercast, is that long ago a bunch of scholars got together and had a discussion about giving universal names to the months and establish a universal calendar.  It was eventually determined about two-thirds of the people on the planet live in the northern hemisphere and so the months and interstitial weeks were were given common names relevant to the majority of the population. When it comes to scientific endeavors, apparently the weeks are counted and there are no months.

Let’s count some less headache-inducing things – like dracog puppies!

On the second day of Spring Breaking, Irzuka Sharesjoy’s dracogs Lucy and Amy gave birth to a combined twenty-seven pups, with Amy having the larger litter at fifteen. While dracog births are uncommon, these particular litters brought more unusual elements with them: only six of the pups were male, and one of those males is so dark in color he may bear the incredibly rare obsidian coloration as he grows.

More rare things going on include messengers from the Black and White Mountain clans openly and actively running between them.  This lasted for two days and was followed by the two chieftains meeting in person in Eastjford Harbor. As is to be expected, there are plenty of rumors as to what they met about, but no facts. The only fact we have related to either clan that would be considered newsworthy is that the White Mountain Clan’s virl hunters are still missing.

I’ve got no good transition from that to any other news this week.

Right then, on to the weather.

As we move from winter to spring, expect rain, mist, and fog on both ends of twilight. Rising temperatures will continue across the week, with the difference between night’s and day’s warmth, or lack thereof, diminishing very slowly.  Those on the east end of the valley by the keep should expect much less rain and more more fog.

Gnome, Undine, and Dryad casters are being sought to help mitigate potential landslides, avalanches, and flash floods in the foothills both north and south – visit your local town hall if interested.

While there’s been no official word, scholars and historians say that we will likely see significantly increased activity from the Shrine Watchers’ League  leading up to the third day of Undine Waxing, which is the date of the next full moon. When the Shrine of Magic has been absent in the past, research suggests its new location is best divined on full moons.

With magic being the element of change and one of Wisp’s oldest names being Luna, this is beginning to sound more like superstition than science. That said, no one has ever been able to separate the spirits and their realms of influence through repeatable science.  That in and of itself is the nature of magic.

The Ersatz Echoes of Eastfjord Harbor are brought to you by Red Wombat Tea Company, purveyors of fine and otherwordly tea.  Red Wombat: We Dig Tea.

Also brought to you by the East End Trekkers, who are thrilled to welcome four new members to their number for demonstrating skill and courage while dealing with the threat of the virl.

These have been Ersatz Echoes of Eastfjord Harbor for the week of Spring Breaking, 2019. Take care, stay warm, and stay dry.