Magitek Lore & The Garlond Ironworks
Magitek is a form of reverse engineered Allagan technology created/discovered by Garlemald's engineers roughly 50 years ago. Created and perfected by Midas nan Garlond, Cid's father, and popularized in warfare with its neighboring nations by House Darnus and House Galvus, Garlemald saw a flourishing technological age of prosperity that galvanized its continent and later multi-continent empire that we know today.

After the fall of Ala Mhigo some 20 years ago, Garlemald found evidence of Allagan technology in the Gyr Abanian region that led to the discovery that the lesser moon Dalamud could be controlled by Allagan technologies. In their initial attempts at communicating with these ancient devices, a terrible accident occurred which wiped out a city known as the Bozja Citadel. Afterwards, Cid and a majority of his Garlean engineers defected to fled to Eorzea, bringing magitek to Eorzea. There Cid and his engineers formed the Garlond Ironworks to aide the Eorzeans in their fight against the Empire and help steal and re-manufacture Garlean machina for the Alliance. Their motto being "freedom through technology" as they do not study and manufacture any thing that can be used for tyranny's gain.

Encyclopedia Eorzea - Garlond Ironworks Wrote:Under the banner "Freedom through Technology," this gathering of talented engineers labors to advance the realm by providing technical counsel to the Eorzean city-states. To offset the monetary strain put on the organization by such selfless acts, the Ironworks also creates masterpieces of magitek technology for sale to those with the proper wherewithal.

Cid Garlond established the Ironworks in 1562, so that magitek technology might spread throughout Eorzea, lessening the Garlean Empire's dangerous monopoly on the science. With a combination of both Garlean defectors and young Eorzean engineers in its employ, the manufacturers create everything from airships to ceruleum-driven trains. There are even
scaled models for the younglings of well-to-do houses. The company is second to none when it comes to airships, and it was but a twelvemoon after Cid's defection from the Empire that he designed a civilian model completely craftable with Eorzean resources. Since forging their partnership with Highwind Skyways, the Ironworks has produced countless airships, and is largely responsible for the current era's convenience in sky travel.

While Cid remains the president of the company in name, during his five-year absence following the Calamity, it was a woman named Jessie who saw to the everyday management of the Ironworks. It is said that she remains at the company's helm even now, as Cid's duties often lead him far afield. Jessie works mightily to support the Ironworks through her particular specialty-equipment created with the aid of magitek, and sold through an exclusive contract with Rowena's House of Splendors.

Zanthael Wrote:After his safe arrival in the city, the engineer you rescued could not stop raving about your “selfless act of bravery in the face of extreme peril.” He has since been reunited with the remainder of the Garlond Ironworks delegation which arrived yesterday via a different route. What is the Garlond Ironworks, you ask? I am surprised you have yet to hear of them. The Garlond Ironworks comprises one of the largest collectives of scholars and engineers in the whole realm. It is they who work to uncover the secrets of the Empire's machina, and it is their findings that will help us to destroy them.

Flame Lieutenant Aubrey Wrote:Surely you have heard by now of the Garlond Ironworks. It is a collective formed of the realm's most talented engineers and smiths, overseen by the incomparable Cid Garlond─a man of rare talent. Such devices as the airships are just the beginning of the wonders born of their forges and workshops. We have them to thank for the vast majority of the magitek at our disposal. They spearhead the technological progress of the realm, and for that, we owe their genius a great debt. But like all genius, theirs is not without a crippling flaw─they have no mind for business. The fools will not pledge themselves to a single nation, but share their knowledge and secrets freely with all. They refuse every offer we make, always citing some thrice-damned philosophy. Bloody idealists!

E'bolaff Wrote:A contract with the Flames? Exchanging information for gil? Such treachery breaks nearly every vow we speak when we join the Ironworks.

Model Magitek Bit Wrote:This miracle of modern mechanics is actually a miracle of ancient Allagan mechanics reverse-engineered and then modified with advanced Garlean magitek technology.

Ebrelnaux Wrote:The Allagans were remarkably skilled in the manufacture and manipulation of complex machina similar to what is seen in Garlemald today, though it is believed that their knowledge was at a level far in advance of the Garleans.

Jijina Wrote:We call them tomestones - relics from the Third Astral Era. It is believed they were once used to store the knowledge of the empire that ruled during that age, but time has rendered them useless - no more than novelties to collectors. You may be interested to hear that Nael van Darnus, Legatus of the VIIth Legion, hails from a family of just such antiquarians... Moreover, van Darnus's father - a decorated hero of the Empire - famously used Allagan technology to give Garlemald the upper hand in the war which ultimately earned the Empire its independence.

Merewina Wrote:The Garleans are an enigmatic race of people from a massive empire situated to the north and east of Eorzea, and despite coming from a realm so large, remarkably little is known about them. As few have ever seen them without their armor, rumors about their physical makeup are many, some of the more "coloful" claims being that they implant machina in their bodies to improve agility and strength, and that they possess a third eye allowing them to see in all directions at once. Though, I would assume there is little truth to these sailor's tales.