The year 799 in the age of the New Dawn breaks mild and clear upon the city of Omrazir. No cloud threatens to dampen the Feast of Reunion and its many celebrations held by family, friends, and neighbors throughout the city's many quarters. From the grand gathering of the upper echelons of Azadi society in the courtyard of the Golden Mosque, to the wilder festivities of the White City, and even in the districts of heathens and pagans and Yehani, everyone comes together to greet the new year. But this being Omrazir, the city of storms, no one is without a backup plan for the festivities -- just in case.
Overall expectations for the year ahead are cautiously hopeful. It was certainly not the stormiest Solitary on record, but neither were rains and gales entirely absent. Both Nirzalites and orthodox Azadi of the city being unerring believers in this time-honored omen, local priestesses and imams have cautioned that perhaps the faithful might have observed Solitary more scrupulously and thereby earned greater favor from God or Goddess, and have suggested that perhaps the populace ought to endeavor to be more virtuous in the year ahead. But these are just the usual mild reprimands that the locals are long accustomed to hearing, and they are taken to heart, or not, just the same as usual.
What is less usual are the rumors that go floating around the streets of Omrazir in the breaking of the holy week's silence. Several people speak about a strange song that came to them, faintly heard from within the meditative silence of the Solitary days, or in the deep quiet of the nights. Not a song from any human throat, say those who claim to have heard, but something strange and unfathomable, ancient and uncanny.... yet undeniably and indescribably beautiful. With the city returned to its usual bustle and hubbub new reports of the phenomenon largely fade away, but none who heard it can forget it entirely.
Yet be that as it may, a new year has begun, just as it did the last year and will the next, and life in Omrazir goes on.