market to a grinding halt three years ago, leaving the pawnshop and the bookstore the only thriving businesses on the island. "Even so, my business was slow at best, and I may have been forced to close my shop if things hadn't turned around, said Hakim, owner of the pawnshop.

But now the citizens of the Isle of the Crown can again venture across the street from those storefronts to the Fountain Plaza and find merchants selling all manner of wares, from candy to maps to clothing. A local blacksmith has set up a small forge in the plaza, and the Crown Pint hotel has been re-opened now that there are visitors once again. One can even stop in at the newly remodeled Four Winds offices to pick up a paper or read our bulletin board of articles.

"Seeing the businesses hold their Grand Opening of the marketplace brought tears of joy to my eyes," said Princess Cassima. "I remember going there with my parents as a child, getting candy, asking for a new dress, and playing in the fountain! The Green Isles have been through so much, and it's wonderful to see the people progressing out from the dark days and into a bright future."

The Gnomes Take a Vacation

Since the unrest reached its fullest fervor, the Isle of Wonder has enlisted the quintuplet "sense gnomes" as guardians of its shore.

Each born with one overdeveloped sense, they served well to identify trespassers and rid the Isle of them when need be. Our own King Alexander had to deftly get around them when he first came to the kingdom.

However, with trust restored, the gnomes' services are no longer needed, and the five brothers are planning to head out into the world on an overdue vacation.

"I can't wait to taste Serenia's pies, even if they're blurry in my eyes!" said Grump-Frump, whose strong suit is his sense of taste.

"In Tamir, they've so much music to hear, I cannot wait to lend them my ear!" claimed Grovernor, who hears just about everything.

The brothers are packed and ready to go on forth and experience the smells, sights, sounds, tastes, and touches of the world. The Isle of Wonder monarchs, the Red and White Queens, are confident that their shores will be safe from trespassers who may mean their island harm, with King Alexander and Queen Cassima in charge. They both gave an emphatic "no comment!" when asked if there was a plan for a second go at the Grand Opening of Chessboard Land (see page 1 of this issue), however.

The Cliffs of Logic Come Down

For centuries, the Isle of the Sacred Mountain’s upper reaches have been barred to visitors by the fact that they are utterly unreachable except through magic. The Winged Ones’ have always only sent emissaries down to the human world to conduct official business, and staunchly refused to take down the Cliffs of Logic that barred those without magic or the power of flight from visiting their city.

This refusal stemmed from the Cliffs' involvement in an ancient prophecy, a representative of the Isle told the Four Winds. Once

King Alexander proved to be the subject of said prophecy by conquering them, their purpose was served and they were no longer necessary. When asked if the removal had anything to do with the Crown's requests, the representative claimed that this was a matter of coincidence only.

In place of the potentially fatal questions, a grand and gorgeous staircase is being built into the cliff side. Winged One architects are personally overseeing and working on the construction. "We wouldn't trust the design and building of such a magnificent and important staircase to any one not from our island," said the

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