Where do I go?

The Esplanade, Sailmaker Beach, Remo... romantic names and possibly destinations for passionate lovers. Or are they just sketches of an imaginary world by a famous novelist? No!! They're for real in Avente, on Alphanor. A place you must see!

The Grand Esplanade unfolds: people in fashionable clothes to the latest taste, cafe's and restaurants with trendy food and delicate wines, shops with the finest clothes money can buy, the Thaumaturge ocean, a faint but pleasant fragrance in the air and then as a final topping.... the skies in amazing colors painted by Rigel. The traveller stands there... amidst all of this and inhales with all his senses this awe inspiring mix.

And away from the Esplanade? Some of the things you might encounter on your city tour of Avente: magnificent buildings with gravity defying architecture, pavilions with shrubs and wild flowers competing in brightness and color, water works shedding cooling mists on warm days or maybe go for a more intense experience? Try a Sandusk food shop in Ard Street, but this is only for the really strong stomachs...

- Clip from a featured article in "Stunning", a monthly magazine for travelers within the Oikumene.

Exposed

Authorities of Harrison Fields, one of Avente's larger space ports, reported the arrest of a man traveling with a false identity. The exposure was not deliberate as the man was not on any "wanted" list, but the new biometric detection devices used on all Avente's space ports triggered an unknown - and undisclosed - discrepancy between the man's ID and his biometric profile.

Interesting aspect is that there's a persistent rumor that the arrested traveller is not human, but a specimen from Gnarumen - a Star King! It could well be that the new biometric devices are part of an Oikumene-wide effort to get a grip on the movement of Star Kings within the Oikumene. Although they are allowed to travel to and from the Oikumene, it's required that they disclose their identities upon arrival. This visitor had obviously not done that.

The new detection devices are developed and manufactured by Mishukone Technologies, a high tech company based on Krokinole. Mishukone was acquired five years ago by All World Investments, an extremely successful capital investment company. Shareholders are - without exception - highly ranked members of the Institute, although executives of the Board have always denied any ties with the Institute.

- Item posted in "The Concourse Herald"

The Truth...

"... is a goblet of which only few men drink. So help me God, I will speak my truth and fill my goblet with righteousness. My word will set me free of these ridiculous and false accusations..."

- The rather unlucky newly appointed ambassador of Alphanor on Brimble's Planet, a planet in Beyond, just before his head was chopped off by a druid because he was accused of "indecent and frivolous behavior with a female member of the tribe after shaking her hand and introducing himself".

The Hansen Islands

The Hansen Islands on Alphanor comprise a widely known collection of classy Resorts and Spa's for exclusive holidays. The islands are situated on the southern hemisphere of Alphanor. They enjoy an all year round pleasant climate, lush vegetation and wonderful beaches.

Originally the islands were inhabited by a strange tribe called the "Cow People", worshipers of a local animal resembling Earth's cows. This tribe became slowly extinct as their holy grounds were invaded by tourists, thus becoming useless to them. The elderly died and the younger choose to leave the tribe and live their lives elsewhere. Some got money by selling their land to Alpha Resorts, the company now exploiting the majority of resorts on Hansen Islands. Most just left.

Beach at Sanctuary Spa, Alpha Resorts
Hansen Islands
Alphanor

It is rumored that Alpha Resorts was secretly founded by one of the Tribe elders of the Cow People. His prominent position within the tribe gave him powers to buy plots from his fellow tribe men for ridiculous low prices. Todays major shareholders of Alpha Resorts are supposed to be his offspring.

- Finn Komatsen.