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Sounsyy · **12-13-2016, 05:50 PM**

Ala Mhigo, the Imperial Territory
"Born from Blood"

[Image: img_05.png?d03f983v1]

â€œOur home may be lost to us, but it takes more than stones and mortar to define who we are. No matter where we may be, Ala Mhigo lives on within us all. It is for you to decide what to make of this legacy.â€
-Gundobald

General Lore

Lodestone Wrote:The highlands of Gyr Abania in the eastern reaches of Aldenard were once under the control of a martial nation known as Ala Mhigo. It was, perhaps, the historically conflicted nature of the territory that forged the country into a significant military power. Even as this aggressive nation sent its forces to conquer in the west, it repelled repeated attempts at invasion from the east. In the Year 1557 of the Sixth Astral Era, however, it finally fell to the incursions of the Garlean Empire. From that time onwards, the country became merely another imperial territory under the governance of its usurpers. Though the people of Ala Mhigo once revered Rhalgr, the Destroyer, as their patron deity, any such religious observance has since been forbidden by the controlling authorities.

Flag:

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:The Ala Mhigan flag is a field of purple upon which stands a silver griffin with sword in talons. The winged creature is the sigil of the nation's royal house, and the blade signifies the force used to see all other clans bend the knee before them. Purple is the color of Rhalgr, the guardian deity of the nation, and is associated with His element of lightning. The hue's presence on the pennant also marks the bond betwixt the royalty and the religious order of the Fist of Rhalgr.

Government:

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Though Ala Mhigo has long been ruled by kings, the Garlean invasion two decades past brought an end to the monarchy. The city-state is now a provisional imperial territory, and its people, the Emperor's albeit unwilling subjects. Under the Garlean viceroy's iron reign, not all Ala Mhigans have earned citizenship and its privileges. Many live in squalid conditions, their lives little better than those of slaves.

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:All matters of governance fall to the viceroy - dispatched from Garlemald - and his staff.

Racial Distribution:
60% Highlander Hyur
10% Midlander Hyur
10% Hellsguard Roegadyn
10% Seeker of the Sun Miqo'te
10% Other Races

Industries:

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Mercenary Work: In the rocky terrain of Gyr Abania, few are the patches of arable soil. There were many disputes over the extant ones - jealously guarded by their owners, and fiercely coveted by all others. Indeed, even after Ala Mhigo unified the region, little industry could grow from the lands. The men and women of the nation began to sell the only thing they could: their skill at arms. They found many buyers, particularly during the times of conflict betwixt the Eorzean city-states. Indeed, each nation is said to have had its own company of Ala Mhigan sellswords. Even today, many of those who fled the city-state eke out a living as mercenaries.

Magitek Manufacturing: For many centuries, the mountain hamlets of Ala Mhigo were self-sufficient. Villagers coaxed crops to grow from small fields, and reared animals for their wool. However, the Garlean invasion brought an end to this way of life with magitek technology. Now, Ala Mhigans are forced to work for a pittance in great smoke-belching factories, while Garlemald reaps wealth and luxury from their labor.

Military:

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Ala Mhigo stands at the far-eastern tip of Abalathia's Spine. For centuries, it commanded the lands of Gyr Abania, and was known as the premier military power amongst the Eorzean city-states. In the face of the armies of Garlemald, however, this might proved less than sufficient in repelling the Empire's metal-clad warmachina, and thus has Ala Mhigo borne the yoke of imperial rule for the past twenty years.

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Though now under Garlean rule, the city-state of Ala Mhigo once boasted the greatest military might of all Eorzea. Among its standing armies were the monks - ascetic warriors as dreaded by foes on the field of battle as the city-state's great pikemen. The monks comprised an order known as the Fist of Rhalgr, and it was to this god - the Destroyer - that they devoted their lives of worship.

Griffin Wrote:Fantastical winged beasts native to the unscalable peaks of Abalathia's Spine, griffins actually have a long history of serving as mounts. Indeed, before the city-state's fall, the Ala Mhigan army maintained a regiment of griffin-back soldiers who would harry opposing forces.

Erik Wrote:Ala Mhigo dispatched its pikemen - known far and wide for their effectiveness against mounted units, such as the knights of Ishgard.

Religion: (A more in depth look at Ala Mhigo's religion in the post above.)

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:During the Sixth Umbral Calamity, people fleeing the floods spied a blazing comet in the night sky. As Rhalgr's symbol is the streaking meteor, they took it as a sign of the breaker of worlds, and followed it to a new home high in the mountains. Thus, worship of the Destroyer took root in the lands of Gyr Abania. In time, one sect known as the Fist of Rhalgr grew in power and influence, and came to flourish as the state religion. However, King Theodoric oppressed this faith with fire and sword, and the Garleans - finding no value in worship - have forbidden religion altogether.

Hihibaru Wrote:In case you're unfamiliar, Rhalgr is the guardian deity of Ala Mhigo, which is currently under Garlean rule. It's highly uncommon for folk of other nations to revere Him.

Holidays:

Waldomar Wrote:To say it plain, plants and animals rely on the turning of the seasons. The coming of the cold tells them to hoard their food, to shed their leaves against the chill. And in its passing, winter leaves behind melted snow to nourish the land. But winter hasn't come to the North Shroud. The conjurers believe an imbalance in the aether is to blame, but no one can say for certain. Anywise, when we saw how despearate they were - and we Ala Mhigans are no strangers to desperation - we thought it might help to tell them about Winter's Knell.

It's a festival for ushering in winter, where grown-ups and younglings alike cry "Winter is coming!" while hurling snowballs in a joint effort to build a giant of snow named Father Frost. What sets him apart from ordinary snowmen, you ask? Why, it's the gemstone he bears within his breast called the Heart of Winter, an age-old Ala Mhigan relic.

Relics:

Waldomar Wrote:A priceless Ala Mhigan relic called the Heart of Winter was embedded within the snow giant's breast, and now it's gone as well. The gemstone's been with us since time immemorial. Dynasties came and went, kings ascended the throne and turned to dust - but the Heart fo Winter was there through it all. When the Garleans seized control, it was smuggled to safety, at the cost of many livesâ€¦ And now it's gone - lost by a fool who dreamed of building a snow giant. â€¦But I refuse to wallow in self-pity any longer.

Ice Elemental Incarnate Wrote:In days long past, mine essence was entrapped within a stone by the art of wicked men. Of free will was I stripped, and borne away from my forest home, to be passed from one mortal hand to the next. There did I languish, waxing ever more weary, until at last I was taken by a deep sleep. So did I remain, dormant, till Fate saw fit to return me whence I came. And by snow's rejuvenating embrace, I knew the waking world again and the power that was lost to me. My strength restored, I broke my bonds that I might once more savor the sweet air of freedom. Yet all around I found chaos. Chaos where harmony should rightly reignâ€¦ And so did I set forth to bring order to the Twelveswood. Winter cometh, bearing with it the benison of ice and snow. Fare thee well, daughter of man.

Waldomar Wrote:Why, this is the Heart of Winter! Butâ€¦what in creation's become of its shine!? It's as if the life has gone out of it! ...I can scarce believe my ears. We'd all been told that the gemstone harbored great power. To learn that it was in truth a prison for an elemental turns my world upside down.

Though it shames me to admit it, I am saddened to see the Heart of Winter bereft of its shineâ€¦but as a refugee, I know full well the pain of being parted from one's home. A homecoming after what must've felt like an eternity - that's a joy I'll gladly share in. It also give some great comfort to know that winter is coming. It may take years - decades, even - but someday my kinsmen and I will return to our homeland. Never will we give up hope.

Misc:

Encyclopedia Eorea Wrote:To better know the Destroyer, seek strength of body and mind - such are the teachings of the Fist of Rhalgr. Over the ages, this idea has shaped all who call the mountains home. Ala Mhigo is also geographically vulnerable to invasion from Ilsabard, and this ever-present threat has given birth to a culture that greatly values martial prowess.

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:With so few crops, the Ala Mhigan diet is a rather stark affair. However, as a stop on the trade routes, the city-state has adopted some fare from the near East and Ilsabard. The foreign influence is said to be particularly apparent in the usage of spices. For drinks, it is customary to brew medicinal teas, such as ones made by steeping the ground horns of beasts in boiling water.

Kukusi Wrote:The Frondale's Phrontistery's search for curative reagents to use in new medicines encompasses the whole of Eorzea - including those parts one might not think to look. Many from the lands of Ala Mhigo, for example, show great promiseâ€¦ which makes the Garleans' decision to occupy the region all the more regrettable.

Meffrid Wrote:In my homeland, long antelope horn is a traditional remedy with poison-purging properties. If you could bring me, say, four horns, I'd forever be in your debt.

-What's the Climate/Weather like in Gyr Abania?

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Founding and History

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:The Age of Restoration [Years 1-400]
Scars left by the Sixth Umbral Era ran deep, instilling much despair into the hearts of the realm's few survivors. Fearing that its continued use might further their woes, the art of magic was widely forbidden. Libraries housing ancient tomes were put to flame, while those who practiced - or were rumored to practice - the art of spellcraft were hunted down and tried as criminals. Many a learned man met the same demise, as the masses had become so incensed they could no longer distinguish the difference between science and sorcery. With the majority of their greatest minds lost, the few remaining nations of the Fifth Astral Era crumbled and vanished, their peoples scattering about the realm to lay claim to what little resources remained. Driven by the primal urge to survive, tribes and clans banded together into small communities and began a centuries-long journey to rebuild their broken lives.

Between the destruction wrought by the War of the Magi and that by the Calamity of Water, little remained of the Fifth Astral Era's city-states. Those who survived the chaos abandoned the shells of their once-magnificent nations, choosing instead to establish small hamlets.

Stormblood Lodestone Wrote:On the eastern edge of Abalathia's Spine lies the mountainous region of Gyr Abania. It is in these elevated lands that people took shelter, when a burning star guided them away from the Sixth Umbral Calamity's treacherous floodwaters. The survivors gathered from near and far, and amongst them were refugees of the sorcerous cities of Mhach and Amdapor. These sworn enemies buried their history for the sake of the future, and cast aside their vestments of black and white. Upon the remnants of their arts a new discipline was built, and the first red mages stepped forward with rapiers in hand to fight back against the rising tides of destruction.

Encyclopedia Eorzea - A Litany for Survival Wrote:As the Fifth Astral Era drew to its calamitous end, many and more fled their homes, forced into wandering with no clear destination in mind beyond higher ground to escape the ever-rising waters. It was then a burning comet in the night sky led a number of the errant souls unto Gyr Abania in the eastern reaches of Abalathia's Spine. There, they found salvation from the floods, though life among the high peaks proved unforgiving. The survivors were of different races and nations, and soon, they fractured into factions, fighting bitterly over what little resources there were to be had.

The feuds continued for many long years. On occasion, one clan would win a string of victories, and grow larger by absorbing their defeated foes into their ranks - only to be encircled by a coalition of the remaining tribes, and hammered back down. Following its victory, the loose alliance would then dissolve for lack of a common enemy. This pattern repeated time and again, and the fray showed no signs of abetting.

Encyclopedia Eorzea - Unification Wrote:Change was to come, however. After year 1100 of the Sixth Astral Era, Anshelm Cotter, a man of powerful lineage, set out to subjugate the other clans once and for all. Naturally, they united against him. Yet, Anshelm possessed an incomparable tactical genius, and his enemies were scattered before the march of his forces. For the first time in history, Gyr Abania's clans were unified.

As the sole passage between Aldenard and Ilsabard, however, Gyr Abania was ever vulnerable to attacks from the north. Anshelm feared that invaders making for Eorzea might sweep away his fledgeling nation, and thus laid the foundation for his capital upon the shores of a lake in the easternmost part of the region. He built the walls tall and thick, and named the glorious citadel Ala Mhigo. From within, his soldiers watched for foreign attack, ever ready to defend their borders.

This plan proved successful. Northern forces attacked time and again, yet never managed to break through the stalwart defenses into the city proper. The Ala Mhigans established established watchtowers along the roads so as to guarantee safe travel for merchants betwixt the Near East and Eorzea - and charged a heavy fee for passage through their territory. The city-state with so little natural resources thus secured a crucial source of coin.

Ala Mhigan Timeline:
-A Timeline Detailing Garlemald's Invasion and Eorzea's Actions Against Them

Encyclopedia Eorzea Wrote:Year ca.10: Survivors of the Sixth Umbral Calamity form small communities in Gyr Abania, descending into conflict over the areaâ€™s limited resources. Many flee Abalathia entirely as the floodwaters recede.

Year 1135: Anshelm Cotter unifies the military might of Gyr Abaniaâ€™s warring clans and builds a citadel on the shores of an eastern lake, marking the birth of the city-state of Ala Mhigo.

Year 1150: A system of tolls is enacted, to be collected from merchants travelling through Ala Mhigo and Gyr Abania in return for safe passage between Eorzea and the Near East.

Year 1154: Ala Mhigan pikemen drive out the invading Hyuran nomads from northern Othard, and tales of their courage and martial prowess resound across Eorzea.

Year 1179: Ul'dah enlists the services of Ala Mhigan mercenaries, and the soldiers of fortune swell their ranks as the kingdom besieges Sil'dih.

Year ca.1190: With the expansion of maritime trade, the number of Ul'dahn merchants taking the land-based eastern trade routes begins to decline, and Ala Mhigo struggles to sustain itself on the meager tolls.

Year 1313: Sharlayan enlists the service of Ala Mhigan mercenaries to subdue the beasts that roam the hinterlands and ensure the safety of their outpost.

Year 1353: Ala Mhigan mercenaries are contracted by Ul'dah in the sultanateâ€™s effort to purge the city of the undead droves.

Year 1355: With the aid of the Ala Mhigan mercenaries, the sultanate at long last is successful in ridding the city of the undead.

Year 1468: King Manfred abruptly asserts his sovereign right to the East Shroud, dispatching General Gylbarde and his men across the Velodyna River to seize Gridanian territory. This incursion marks the outbreak of the Autumn War.

General Gylbarde ambushes the Gridanian troops en route to Finesand, surrounding and spilling the blood of the Gridanian column with six thousand men.

General Gylbarde thrice deflects the desperate advances of Commander Osbern. In addition to capturing Osbern and scores of his officers, Gylbardeâ€™s army also seizes possession of Claustrum, the Seedseersâ€™ legendary staff. The First Battle of Tinolqa concludes with a decisive Ala Mhigan victory.

Year 1469: The nations of Ishgard, Ul'dah, and Limsa Lominsa send reinforcements to Gridania, and their combined forces deal a crippling blow to the Ala Mhigan army at East End. General Gylbarde is slain in combat, and King Manfred is wounded when he rushes to the frontlines to restore morale. The Second Battle of Tinolqa ends with a decisive victory for the Alliance.

Year 1476: Great merchant caravans employing chocobo carriages are organized, and set off for the east. Meanwhile, Ala Mhigo is forced to dramatically reduce their highroad tolls as part of their terms of surrender in the Autumn War. As a result, overland transport regains popularity as an alternative to the piracy-plagued sea routes.

Year 1539: The Darklight Raiders, a mercenary group under the command of Gerbald the Red, eradicate an enormous poisonous snake in the Aurum Vale, earning themselves fame and fortune.

Year 1544: The Darklight Raiders fail in an attempt to purge Cutterâ€™s Cry of the chimera that lurks in its depths. The mercenary group is effectively disbanded as most of its members are slain.

Year 1546: Theodoric the First ascends the throne as king of Ala Mhigo.

Year 1552: The conflict between King Theodoric and the Fist of Rhalgr intensifies. In the name of quelling the insurrection, the king leads a vast army to the site of the monkhoodâ€™s main temple, razing it to the ground and massacring its disciples.

At nineteen, Raubahn Aldynn is ordered to suppress an angry mob as an officer of the Ala Mhigan army. He earns wide renown when he succeeds in the task without spilling a drop of blood.

Year 1554: Raubahn is assigned to the border forces as the XIVth Legion closes in. He and his comrades undertake a series of diversionary maneuvers which succeed in keeping the imperial forces at bay.

Year 1555: Raubahn makes short work of an imperial magitek contingent in a border skirmish, toying with the enemy, and is promoted to a position of high command for his deeds. His impressive accomplishments on the field of battle earn him further trust and acclaim among his men.

Year 1556: Raubahn is struck by an imperial sniper, suffering grievous wounds. Withdrawing from the frontlines, he returns to his home village in the mountains of Gyr Abania to convalesce.

Year 1557: The people of Ala Mhigo revolt against the tyrannical King Theodoric. The kingsguard is complicit in the uprising, ignoring their liegeâ€™s orders and opening the gates of the palace to the revolutionaries.

Seizing the opportunity amidst confusion and political upheaval, the XIVth Legion subjugates and annexes Ala Mhigo with little resistance.

Still nursing his wounds, Raubahn leaves Gyr Abania at twenty and four to wander the realm.

Year 1559: Raubahn, now twenty and seven, arrives in the Sultanate only to be mistaken for an imperial spy. He is imprisoned by the Brass Blades and forced to fight in the gladiator pits.

Year 1571: The Archons of the Circle of Knowing infiltrate occupied Gyr Abania in an attempt to assist those Ala Mhigans who seek asylum abroad, but many lives are lost when the Garleans catch wind of the defection.

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The Autumn War (1468 - 1469)

[[Until I can eke out more space or until I can drop this in a separate post, I've truncated the Autumn War section of this compilation. For now, all lore on the Autumn War can be found here.]]

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The King of Ruin and the Fall of Ala Mhigo

Encyclopedia Eorzea - Theodoric's Reign Wrote:The power of the King waned, and unrest flared within the nation. From amidst the dissatisfied masses, the Fist of Rhalgr and its monkhood emerged upon the political stage, growing stronger in power by the day. Lest their regime fall to the faith, the royalty chose to embrace this change, and named the Fist of Rhalgr the state religion. They employed high-ranking monks as advisors to the throne, and thus sought to stabilize the nation. Though this was met with some success, the voice of the religious sect echoed loud within the halls of government from there forward.

In 1546, Theodoric the First ascended the throne. He was to be Ala Mhigo's last king, and his reign would wreak ruin upon his nation. Seeking to free himself from the influence of the Fist of Rhalgr, he proclaimed himself ordained by Nymeia Herself to lead the nation, and forbade worship of the Destroyer. Instead, he demanded the people prostrate themselves before him as the Spinner's emissary. Naturally, the Fist of Rhalgr protested - just as Theodoric had planned. In 1552, he led a vast army to the site of the monkhood's main temple and set it ablaze. All inside, be they priests or refugees, perished in the flames. Those few who managed to escape met a similar end upon the blades of soldiers awaiting without.

Encyclopedia Eorzea - The Price of Revolution Wrote:Though Theodoric had purged the Fist of Rhalgr, his brutality did not stop there. Convinced that his lands were full of traitors seeking to sit upon his throne, he began to execute the royalty. Once its ranks were thinned, the heads of their vassals rolled upon invented charges, the purge extended to even those smallfolk who had accrued even the slightest amount of wealth. No longer able to watch the slaughter, the queen herself conspired with a group of nobles to slay the king. The plot failed at the betrayal of a single nobleman, and all involved - including the noble betrayer - were executed. The palace was transformed into a scene out of the lowest of the seven hells: nigh-endless bloodshed watched by a despicable gathering of sycophants and backstabbers.

In 1557, the people finally revolted, and stormed the palace. The guard, charged with halting their advance, instead opened the gates wide and joined the protesters. So great was the throng that the Corpse Brigade, who had loyally slain nobles and rich men alike, fled fearing retribution. So did the King of Ruin's reign end - friendless and surrounded.

Ala Mhigo should have been free. Yet, the hard-won victory of the peasantry was to be snatched away by the Garlean Army. The imperial troops had been stationed just to the north, awaiting the king's demise, and came swarming down upon the city when his standard fell. Neither the Ala Mhigan army nor the lay fighters stood a chance against the flood of enemy soldiers. The proud nation thus became a Garlean territory, ruled by Gaius van Baelsar, the first viceroy of Ala Mhigo and legatus of the XIVth Legion.

Erik Wrote:As I likely explained if you have ever bothered to ask me about monks and the Fist of Rhalgr, the King of Ruin, Theodoric, was a ruthless despot and tyrant. It should come as no surprise, then, that he was the last king of Ala Mhigo. But the tale of his rise and fall is the stuff we historians live for!

Theodoric's lust for power was such that nothing less than absolute rule would appease him. To counter the political influence of the Fist of Rhalgr, he proclaimed his kingship to be the product of divine will - ordained by Nymeia Herself. What followed was a crusade which sought to exterminate the monks entirely. Yet it was the truly depraved acts of barbarism to come that would shake Ala Mhigan society to its very core. This ensuing era of terror was what earned Theodoric the title "King of Ruin."

After the massacre at the Fist's main temple, religious opposition to Theodoric nearly disappeared altogether. He then began purges of the Ala Mhigan royalty, seeing any and all potential pretenders to his throne dead and buried - regardless of house, loyalties, or standing. Beheadings were commonplace, carried out daily. Before long, it looked as though Theodoric would have no heads left to take. But he then turned his wrath upon any soul with a claim to the throne, no matter how remote. After that, it was to be the empowered nobles and wealthy merchants.

Fearing for their lives, they professed their innocence to the queen, pleading for her to stay her maniacal husband's hand. She attempted words to assuage his lust for power turned lust for blood, but he was deaf to her appeals. Finding no recourse, she conspired with a group of nobles to murder Theodoric. Yet before the regicide could take place, one among them betrayed their plot and for their treason, the king saw them all less a head.

This only served to compound Theodoric's paranoia and insanity. Distrustful of all, his purges now became little more than random executions, claiming lives of noble and beggar and all in between. It is not difficult to imagine what transpired next. The palace became a despicable gathering of sycophants and backstabbers, and the commonfolk scarce left their homes. Seeking heads on which to lay blame for worsening conditions, Theodoric turned the axe upon his most loyal followers. When the oppression became too much to ear, the people revolted and stormed the palace. The royal guard (Corpse Brigade) cast aside their vows and allowed the Ala Mhigans to pass.

A noble revolt? For the best, no? False! It was the absence of leadership and solidarity in the wake of this chaos that prompted Garlemald to attack! In the end, Theodoric was lucid enough to judge suicide preferable to death at the hands of an angry mob. He ended his own life, and with it, his reign of ruin and his own bloodline. Or so it was thought at the time! But Theodred, a nephew to the king, was hidden by his mother in a remote temple of the Fist of Rhalgr which had survived the purges, and thus he escaped his uncle's fury.

Gundobald Wrote:Two decades ago, that same anger drove me and my brothers to rise against the despot who ruled Ala Mhigo. Naught would do but to depose him and usher in a revolution. Well, we got our revolution all right... but it cost us our freedom. Blinded by our hate, we didn't realize that we had been dancing to the Empire's tune. By the time we did, it was too late. Ala Mhigo had fallen.

Lodestone Wrote:Legatus of the XIVth Legion, the imperial force currently occupying Ala Mhigo, van Baelsar is possessed of a natural flair for wartime command equaled perhaps only by his sensibilities as a governing administrator. Among his numerous accomplishments is the conquest of five enemy cities, the political conversion of which he also oversaw. In subjugating Ala Mhigo, van Baelsar employed subterfuge to stoke the fires of civil unrest, a masterstroke which led to the nationâ€™s capture without the need for a protracted siege.

Alvak's Spyglass: An Alliance Actually Wrote:When the Garlean Empire first reared its repugnant head in Eorzea, swiftly stripping Ala Mhigo of its sovereignty by way of subterfuge, the surviving city-states were compelled to come together in coalition. Named the Eorzean Alliance, the coalition had ambitious aspirations for the defense of its dominions. Alas, such schemes soon suffered a severe setbackâ€”the Holy See of Ishgard withdrew from the treaty, leaving the fledging fraternity to founder and fade into feebleness. Today, the common consensus of the citizenry is that the alliance exists only in name.

Tyon Wrote:We had heard that Ala Mhigo's armies were more than enough to fight off the Garleans. Tidings of her demise were... disheartening, to say the least. And now there is word that Garlemald has made a stronghold of the ruins. It is from there that they launch their winged monstrosities, such as the one which destroyed our own airship. Their juggernauts have been spotted in the skies over every part of the realm, and their silver-clad soldiers are becoming a regular sight in the borderlands. Aye, it would seem the Garleans mean to unleash their full wrath on Eorzea.

Minfilia Wrote:As you all know, and as some of you will personally recall, it was not five and ten summers ago that the Garlean Empire launched an offensive on the northern city-state of Ala Mhigo. You will have heard stories of how the men and women of their armies did their best to repel the enemy, only to find their iron blades and modest magicks no match for the Empireâ€™s machina. And you will have gleaned from such tales just how swiftly the entire region fell under Garlean control.

Charledore Wrote:Your pathetic realm worships Cid Garlond - the genius, the creator. Hah! <cough> <cough> But did you know he was once an engineer of Garlemald? An artisan in the employ of His Radiance? No, of course you bloody didnâ€™t. He is driven by a great passion - yet blinded by it as well. His research and experiments made our Empire what it is, spilling the blood of hundreds, thousands in the process. A small price to pay for his art. For years, he enjoyed His Radianceâ€™s favor, being given all he ever asked, until one day he tired of his duties, turned his cloak and forsook us for this doomed realm.

Cid Wrote:So you were thereâ€¦ You saw the atrocities? The devastation? Aye, I will not deny it. The magitek weapons we created laid waste to Ala Mhigo, and slaughtered its people. Would that I could undo it. But I cannot. And now those weapons are trained upon all of Eorzea. What the Empâ”€what we have done, can never be forgiven. Nor should it. A deed forgiven is too easily forgotten. We knew when we chose to walk amongst you that we would not escape your anger and your hatred.

Widargelt Wrote:Others do not understand. Ala Mhigo tried to protect them. We were the shield of the realm. We bled to fend off Garlemald. None here know our suffering! None here can imagine it. The lives we led after the fall. After the shield was sundered.

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The Corpse Brigade, Ala Mhigo's Kingsguard

Dead Men Lie Wrote:The Corpse Brigade was once the personal guard of the King of Ruin - Theodoric, last in the line of Ala Mhigan royalty before our city-state's fall to the Garlean Empire. Now, the men and women of the Brigade are naught more than petty criminals defiling the name of our proud nation. I would see all of them rot in the Seventh Hell before calling them brethren. I have little coin to my name, but ill gladly give it all to the man who slays each and every one of them.

The Corpse Bribe Wrote:Once an arm of the proud Ala Mhigan army, the Corpse Brigade has devolved into a band of bandits and petty thieves, albeit well-trained ones. Several of the former soldiers earn their keep by setting up illegal roadblocks and demanding coin for passage. Show the curs that the sultana will not allow such acts under her rule.

Hremfing Wrote:Perhaps you've heard of the Corpse Brigadeâ”€a nasty band of brigands that's been terrorizing these parts of late. Smuggling, thievery, cold-blooded murder of innocentsâ”€if you see any signs of foul play in these parts, like as not the Corpses are behind it. And to think these men and women were once my countrymen. Do they know no shame? Back in the heyday of Ala Mhigo, the Corpse Brigade served our nation with pride and honor. It saddens me to see what they have become, but I would slay them down to the last if it would ensure that they besmirch our homeland's name no more.

Rhalgr's Bile Wrote:A terrible poison made famous when it was used to assassinate an Ala Mhigan King.

Wymond Wrote:'Tis a vile poison - rare an' expensive, too. Only the Corpse Brigade knows how to make it, I hear. Gods only know why they'd give it to Aldis. Could go to their headquarters at the Sepulchre in southern Thanalan an' ask 'em direct, I reckon.

Hremfing Wrote:A ways northeast of here you'll find the Sepulchre - a frightfully named place, no? Fitting, though, seeing as how it's best known as home to the villainous Corpse Brigade. To think that the erstwhile Kingsguard of Ala Mhigo could end up a band of murderers and thieves. Mind you, they had a less-than-pristine reputation in the old days as well.

Bump and Grind Wrote:The Brass Blades seek volunteers to aid them in the capture or slaying of Corpse Brigade captain Gisfrid the Grinder.

Adventures in Throat Slitting Wrote:The leader of the ill-famed Corpse Brigade, Milleuda the Slitter, has finally emerged from hiding to lead her men on a raid into the nearby hills. Use the opportunity to slay the killer and bring an end to her bloody reign.

Hremfing Wrote:It's all well and good that the Resistance is gaining new recruits, but we could do without the help of the Corpses. I've not forgotten the crimes they committed in the name of the King of Ruin. Nor have any of the older generation. But these young ones, they're all too happy to let bygones be bygones...

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Garlean Occupation and Ala Mhigan Refugees Across Eorzea

Imperial Ala Mhigo:

Aâ€™aba Tia Wrote:Everyone knows what happens when a city is sacked, even if the bards choose to omit that part. But Arenvald shouldnâ€™t be pitied. Boys like him have a clean slate, an opportunity to write their own story, free of the ties that bind the common man.

Encyclopedia Eorzea - Arenvald Lentinus Wrote:Born in occupied Ala Mhigo, Arenvald is the son of a Garlean man and an Ala Mhigan woman. His mother could not bear the shame of a half-breed son, and cast him out. Arenvald lived as little better than a bandit, attacking people for any food they might carry, until he left his homeland and became an adventurer. Now nineteen, he serves the Scions after an unexplainable dream called him to their doorstep.

Glaumunt Wrote:When Ala Mhigo fell, they put my family in a camp. Beinâ€™ a lad, I was made to do hard labor, while my mother anâ€™ sister were made to do far worseâ€¦ They hid their sufferinâ€™ from me as best they could, but I knew, anâ€™ the thought of it drove me mad. We had to escape. Anâ€™ so I hatched a plan to get us out oâ€™ the city. We were pickinâ€™ our way around a gorge not far outside the walls when they caught up with usâ€¦ Anâ€™ rather than allow â€˜emselves to be taken again, my mother anâ€™ sister leaped over the edge before my very eyes. Heartbroken as I was, I didnâ€™t put up a fight when the imperials clapped me in chains anâ€™ dragged me back.

Brutish Resistance Member Wrote:The Empire is using Ala Mhigo as a breeding ground for new soldiers. Once children reach a certain age, they are taken from their parents and sent into the north for trainingâ€¦ never to be seen or heard from again.

??? Wrote:Rumor has it that after taking Ala Mhigo, the Empire constructed a massive wall to prevent the people of the fallen city-state from escaping back into Eorzea; yet no one has been able to draw close enough to learn if this is true or not. No one, that is, except the Ala Mhigan Resistance. Perhaps if the chance presents itself, you should make an inquiry.

Ala Mhigan Resistance Captain (Highlander) Wrote:For every man and woman you see here standing before you, there are a thousand more who remain trapped in Ala Mhigo, suffering under the weight of the Empire's rule. Since the day the Wall was built, there has been only one way out of the cityâ€”a single road which stretches north into the Garlemald wastes. Unless something is done, a whole generation of children will grow up never knowing Eorzea. Never knowing freedom.

Fruhybolg Wrote:Smallfolk tell of how many young daughters were left behind in Ala Mhigo to fight. Turns out most of them Highlander girls swing as word as well as any adult. I'd dearly love to see for myself. The Miqo'te known as the Hellfire Phoenix was a sight to behold, that's for sure, but they say all them Highlanders are possessed of the same fury.

Cid Wrote:Arthur is awake, and suffered me long enough to answer my questions. He is a good man, and a brave soul. He spoke of rapid fortifications being made in Ala Mhigo, and of Ala Mhigans being driven by lash and brand to make them. He painted a godless picture, and I fear the reality of it even worse. A spy must needs smother his own feelingsâ”€to deny all that defines him. He had to stand by and watch Ala Mhigans beaten and worked and starved to death. It is enough to drive any man mad...

...We must talk of other matters. This fortification of Ala Mhigo, it seems to be the initiative of a legatus newly come to the Eorzean front. Heavily armored units, new magitek weaponry, extensive drilling of the troopsâ”€the Empire is in full motion. Unfortunately, Arthur knew nothing of this destructive force the elementals claim was sent into the skies. Something big is happening, and not knowing what makes it feel all the more dire.

Hagilo's Letter Wrote:"Latest reports indicate Imperial Legatus Nael van Darnus has left eastern theatre. Joining forces on the western front.
"Changes made to invasion plans by high command. Fighting grows more fierce, imperial soldiers seemâ€¦ changed. More savage, violent.
"New magitek devices deployed to strongholds on western front. Have been assigned to installation laborâ€¦"
"Radulfâ€¦ They force us to kill daily* - something, anything. If only to keep us in the habit. They seek to make it a reflex in us. My grip on things is slowly slipping - on my faithâ€¦and my mind. I don't know who or what I am anymore. Darkness descends from all sidesâ€¦ Yet there at the centerâ€¦there, brilliant, unwavering, and wholeâ€¦ my beacon, my lodestarâ€¦ Ala Mhigo."

*Hagilo's letter takes place during Nael van Darnus's reign over Ala Mhigo during 1572. Baelsar wasn't quite as savage, but Zenos yae Galvus sounds like he might be near Darnus's level. This also means that Darnus ruled in Othard previously, likely meaning some Far Eastern nation suffered similarly under her rule there.

Ala Mhigans in Limsa Lominsa:

Sundhimal Wrote:Though now that there is proof they are from Garlemald, there is no reason not to hunt them down and wipe them out before they can cause the same type of chaos Ala Mhigo fell victim to in years past. Memories of the atrocities committed by the Empire still haunt many in this city-state, for a large number of refugees fled to Limsa Lominsa after their nation fell.

Ala Mhigans in Gridania:

Zezekuta Wrote:Brother E-Sumi has assured us that the mask in question was old, worn with age and use, its powers faded. And besides, one does not become a wildling without doing something to wake the greenwrath. Khrimmâ€™s parents, Sigurdh and Oona, and Fyeâ€™s brother, Dunstanâ€”they were among Gridaniaâ€™s finest warriors. They all fought nobly against the Garleans occupying Ala Mhigo. A necessary evil, I suppose. Yet all that violence doubtless served to compound their woodsin.

When Rhalgr Met Nophica Wrote:With the influx of refugees from Ala Mhigo, the meteor pays court to the spring leaf and the streets of Quarrymill ring with Highland voices. These martial migrants do the Wailers great honor by pledging themselves as freeswords, and they must be armed to the best of your arts.

Charline Wrote:Quarrymill is also a place of judgement. All outsiders who wish to dwell in the Twelveswood must present themselves here to have their worthiness weighed by the elementals. Those whose petition is denied cannot remain in the wood, nor can they receive of its bounty. Harsh though it may seem, this has been the way of it since time immemorial.

Albreda Wrote:I'm...I'm sorry, but there's naught I can do. I want to help, truly I doâ”€they're my countrymen, after allâ”€but that'd mean going against the elementals' will. I've been at Quarrymill long enough to know how right terrible the beings can be. I couldn't forgive myself if everyone gets banished because of me. If there's anyone who can help you, it'd be Charline, the hamlet's resident Hearer. If you take the matter to her, might be as she'll listen...though I wouldn't get my hopes up.

Charline Wrote:You wish to aid the Ala Mhigans? You are possessed of a kind heart, adventurer, but I'm afraid I have not the authority to grant you your wish. This authority belongs only to the elementals, eternal guardians of the Twelveswood. All outsiders, be they babes at the breast or men grown, are judged of a night whether they may have a place beneath the boughs. Alas, the Ala Mhigans' petition has been denied. Harsh though it may seem, they do not have leave to receive of the wood's bounty. Ever has it been since time immemorial, and ever shall it be.

Meffird Wrote:As you well know, the people of this accursed hamlet won't help us. So, I've no choice but to turn to you, adventurer.

Albreda Wrote:I'm one of the fortunate few Ala Mhigans the elementals've permitted to stay in their wood.* While I count my blessings, it breaks my heart to see my compatriots without a place to go.

*Why are so few Ala Mhigans allowed to stay in the Twelveswood? The answer discussed here, and it's not because of prejudice from the Autumn War.

Ala Mhigans in Coerthas:

The Goodwill Traders Wrote:During the fall of Ala Mhigo, hundreds of refugees were forced to flee their homes, taking only what they could carry and leaving the rest of their possessions behind. Many of those who survived the exodus found refuge in the hamlets of Coerthas and Thanalan, however, were soon faced with poverty, often lacking the coin to buy clothes enough to protect them from the elements. Black Rabbit Traders has heard their cries for help, and has devised a plan to help the Ala Mhigans while ridding the Twelveswood of troublesome poachers in the process. The outfit is hiring adventurers to seek out Humblehearth poachers and slay the criminals, then bring their jerkins back to the Black Rabbit so they can fix them up and sell them to the refugees at a price they can afford.

Ala Mhigans in Ul'dah:

Alphinaud Wrote:Ul'dah is a nation infamous for the great disparity between the wealthy and the poor. The majority of the populace accepts this state of affairs because they believe that every man bears the responsibility for his own lot in life. To an Ul'dahn, money is the foremost - and some would the only - measure of a man's worth. Small wonder that the wealthiest wield the greatest influence. What then of the Ala Mhigans? They have no wealth, no power, and no worth. To the Ul'dahn way of thinking, they may as well not exist. Choosing to ignore their existence, however, is patently not an option. General Raubahn and the sultana understand this, which is why they ordered the Immortal Flames to provide the refugees aid and succor. Yet none would dispute that the expenses incurred by this policy grow by the day, with no end in sight. This has prompted more and more Ul'dahns to question their obligation to aid these worthless wanderers...

Mythril Eye - Flames Burn for Talent Wrote:As you are no doubt already aware, it costs a sultanâ€™s ransom for foreigners to acquire Ul'dahn citizenship. Of the Ala Mhigans who have successfully amassed the funds to do so, the vast majority are career soldiers who risked life and limb to earn the privilege.

Orisic Wrote:I'm a proud citizen of Ala Mhigo, and there is naught but hatred in my heart for the imperial scum who laid ruin to my home. But I am nothing here. I have no rights and no voice. I fear I have no strength to lend you.

Bliaurette Wrote:I have seen the horrors this war wrought on my homeland of Ala Mhigo firsthand. I would not wish such a fate on Gridania, Ul'dah, or any other nation. But you waste your time seeking aid here. The Ul'dahns will greet you as a friend with one hand and stab you in the back with the other.

Heibert Wrote:Good many Ul'dahns ain't pleased none at all by this influx from Ala Mhigo. Best not to say as much 'round here, though - if ye value yer life. Mirage here is one o' the few places willing to give the poor bastards a bit o' work. Hells, my own parents were among some o' the first Mhigans to come here.

Thimm Wrote:I've seen naught but hardship since the fall of Ala Mhigo. Many are the times I've lapped filthy water from a chocobo stable's trough. And now the Warden demands my confession? I'm a sheep lost from the Twelve's flock, you say? <spit> Where was Azeyma when the walls of Ala Mhigo fell? Where was Rhalgr when our enemies closed in around us? Where were any of the bastards Twelve!? With the Garleans, perhaps!? Because they sure as hells weren't with us! I've had many moons to ponder the fate of my land. The only way I can make sense of it is to think we Ala Mhigans were punished for a lack of faith. And that drives me to find sleep in the bottle most nights, rather than a bed.

Berthar Wrote:I ain't no Ala Mhigan. You should say as much yourself, truth or no. Them Ala Mhigans been flockin' into the poor quarters, over there by the Quicksand. Turned the place into a bloody breedin' ground for maladies, they have.

Encyclopedia Eorzea - Pearl Lane Wrote:Pearl Lane is lined with the shuttered offices and storerooms of traders who do business in the Sapphire Avenue Exchange. Due to the many refugees who work as porters, the area is known as one of the more dangerous parts of the city - though this reputation itself may be suspect.

Gagaruna Wrote:To that end, I sent a monk of Ala Mhigo to see to his safety, but it turns out the bloody oaf has no work ethic about himâ”€just like an Ala Mhigan.

Otopa Pottopa Wrote:Ala Mhigo has fallen into the hands of the Garlean Empire, and the number of Ala Mhigan refugees here in Ul'dah grows daily. They work hard without complaint, and for mere scraps. I suppose we have the Garleans to thank for all this cheap labor. Hahaha!

D'arimbeh Wrote:Nowadays, The Silver Bazaar's nothing but a refuge for Ala Mhigans.
And so what if it is? All the better, I say. They work hard and complain little. Not like Ul'dahns.

Bernier Wrote:There is a small shrine near here, dedicated to one of these eastern gods - Thal, if I remember it right. Those that follow him come to pray often enough. I thought a shop here would do quite well, but they've no desire to buy from an Ala Mhigan.

Iliud Wrote:Death begets death, especially in those places where privation is the sovereign. A corpse left unburied is as a rich field to vilekin, where they may sow pestilence and water it with their miasma. Nowhere is the rule of privation so apparent as in Lost Hope. A man may die upon the roadside there and go unclaimed, for no ties bind these unhappy folk together except a common misfortune: their homelands are no more.

Zazawaka Wrote:I confess, though, I wonder if we are saved from a plague only to perish in war. We have little love for Garlemald here, and news of them who burned our homes travels fast. What chance does Lost Hope have against a force that plucked Ala Mhigo like a ripe peach? Fight or flee, we must make plans. Yet few have ears to listen to me. They have too much to fear already, too many demons to slay every hour.

Yoyobina Wrote:The Coliseum is my responsibility. And yet I was not able to guarantee the safety of its combatants. I failed to protect J'moldva, and for that I have nothing but regret. I came to make what reparations I can. I am waiving fees for all Ala Mhigans at the Coliseum. You are free to take part in the games whenever you wish. Think it whatever you will. Just know that it is a victory for you and your people - born of J'moldva's loss.

Gunnulf Wrote:There's a game over at the Platinum Mirage what only caters to the richest o' the rich. Seems the gamblin' tables don't hold no thrill for their like no more. No, it's bloodshed they want, and they'll stop at naught to have it. Hells, some time ago they took to pittin' their debtors against each other. Raubahn the Bull put an end to those games when he took his seat on the Syndicate. Some two years past, that was. But he set out on his journey a short time after, and without him 'round to enforce his word, the fights were on again afore long.

When he came home to Ul'dah to see the Flames remade, we thought the games would end again on their own. But the bastards runnin' 'em grew bold while he was away, and the games've only gotten more savage... Mayhap you know of Little Ala Mhigo? Scores of our Ala Mhigan brothers and sisters took refuge there after the fall. These rich devils mean to let a beast loose on the place under the guise of an accident, and wager on the outcome. And if what we hear is true, they mean to do it soon. The beast's a ferocious thingâ”€one captured for use on the bloodsands. The Ala Mhigans... So many innocents...

Raubahn Wrote:...It shames me to think of it. That I was so blind to his hatred... Lolorito tells me that it was not always soâ”€that Ilberd admitted to him he once believed that I would return to Ala Mhigo at the head of an army. But years passed, and I did nothing. For all my accomplishmentsâ”€for all my wealth, power, and influenceâ”€I did naught to better the plight of my people.

...Not for lack of trying. But Ilberd didn't know. He thought the Bull of Ala Mhigo had grown fat and complacentâ”€that my story set a bad example for our countrymen. "Forget your homeland and chase the Ul'dahn dream!â€œ A fine, impossible dream which gave men the strength to endure their hardships and try to make new lives for themselves here... So the dream had to die.

Little Ala Mhigo:

Gisilbehrt Wrote:This settlement was founded by Ala Mhigan refugees. When their nation fell to the Garleans, they fled in droves, hoping to find a safe haven in either Gridania or Ul'dah. Sad to say, most made it to neither. For all intents and purposes, Gridania is ruled by the elementals, who turn away outsiders on a whim. As for Ul'dah... well, Ul'dah is ruled by coin. And so, having nowhere else to go, the refugees ended up here.

You'll find them to be a bitter lot, but that's to be expected, considering all they've been through. Don't be surprised if you're kept at a distance. That said, given time and genuine concern, they'll eventually open up.

Hihira Wrote:Friend, hear my plea. As you have no doubt observed, many poor souls in this camp suffer from afflictions most grievous. Indeed, it is to deliver them succor that I have made the journey here from Ul'dah. And yet, I fear that my efforts thus far have been for naught. The residents are most distrustful of outsidersâ”€particularly those hailing from Ul'dah. They look upon my medicine as if it were poison.

Amelot Wrote:What little we have in this world was bought with our blood. Humble as this place may be, it's ours, and I've grown to treasure it. And so, much as I'd like to take the fight to the Garleans, a greater part of me wants to stay here and keep these people safe.

Sifrid Wrote:The Ala Mhigans who ended up here are the ones who couldn't - or wouldn't - adapt to a new lifestyle. In a sense, we're Ala Mhigans through and through.

Adalind Wrote:I went to Ul'dah hoping to find honest work, but there wasn't a single job to be had. At least nothing that didn't require me to give up my dignity.

Arcavius Wrote:I had a dream of when I was a child. Of when I was whole... when we were whole. It's... it's not too late, is it?

Adalind Wrote:No one's done us any favors. But it's just as well - I'm tired of asking.

Amelot Wrote:The folk you meet here may seem boorishly provincial, but do try to show them some mercy. Had you been driven from your home and forced to wallow in disease and poverty, I doubt you'd fare much better.

Waldhar Wrote:We're soldiers o' the Resistance, godsdammit! Every wakin' moment oughta be spent tryin' to liberate our people! But everywhere I look, I see nothin' but layabouts!

Annabel Wrote:The Immortal Flames oversee the protection of Little Ala Mhigo, but from the looks the locals give us, you'd think our two nations were still at war.

Gundobald Wrote:Oh, come now, has it really been so long you don't remember me? It's Gundobald! I fought beside your father in the revolution! Do not think less of her, friends! It's been twenty years since the occupation sent us our separate ways. But the Resistance were always welcome in Little Ala Mhigo. They gave us hope - and young Yda most of all! Yda here was always full of fire, ever the first to volunteer for a mission. Until the day she up and vanished, that is! There were rumors, and we feared the worst, but here you are, alive and well, looking nary a day older!

_______________________________________

The Ala Mhigan Resistance

Ruminating Elezen Wrote:We need the bloody coin! Without it, we cannot fund the war to reclaim our lands from those Garlean bastards.

Talebot Wrote:I may be a son of Ala Mhigo, sworn to the Resistance like so many others, willin' to fight if it comes to it... but you can only do so much when you've been livin' off scraps your whole life.

Path Companion Wrote:Sounsyy, I did not mention this when we were in the Black Shroud, but I know a few people who belong to the Resistance. And their coming this far south of Ala Mhigo has me thinking they might be planning something big. I would not be surprised if Lady Minfilia called on us very soon.

Widargelt Wrote:I meant to hasten here. But I was delayed. There was a gathering of the monkhood. I was summoned to Little Ala Mhigo. I tell this to you. You and you alone. I am of the Ala Mhigan Resistance. I fight for freedom from Garlemald. I escaped the occupation. I have come here to fight. To gather allies and weapons. But these lands sadden me. The people have forgotten. Ala Mhigo is a distant memory. The Resistance here is small. They aid where they can. But it is not enough. This war demands great power. That power lies in the chakra. The battlefields. They can turn the tide. The chakra of many must be opened. An end to oppression. An end to starvation. Ala Mhigo will be made free. I will see it done!

Haribehrt Wrote:You wish to win the trust of the people of Little Ala Mhigo! That is a daunting task, my friend, even for our own countrymen. I used to be a member of the Ala Mhigan Resistance, you see, but I left in favor of joining the Scions. Though my allegiance may have shifted, my purpose remains ever the sameâ”€the liberation of Ala Mhigo. Yet whatever my reasons were, I abandoned my comrades, and they'll have nothing to do with me.

Hardened Rebel Warrior (Highlander) Wrote:I was born in Ala Mhigo after the fall, so until now, I knew naught but the scarred city's walls. This is the Eorzea that my mother and father walked when they were young; this is the boundless sky they gazed up at, faces aglow with the warm light of freedom. I will see to it that they walk here again...even if it means giving my life.

*This quote is from 1.0, in the Year 1572, just 15 years since Ala Mhigo's fall. Meaning this Resistance fighter is at most 14-15 years old.

Strapping Resistance Member (Hellsguard) Wrote:The road leading south from Ala Mhigo is the road to freedom, barred to us by the Empire. We dream of one day reopening that road to all, and we will gladly pay any price to make that dream a reality.

Careworn Rebel Warrior (Midlander) Wrote:We have many men and women stationed in city-states and hamlets across Eorzea collecting vital information on the Empire's movements. The scout whom you and your companion saved was to be stationed in Gridania before her injuries... Now, we can only pray to the Twelve that she recovers enough to take up her charge.

Dispassionate Resistance Member (Dunesfolk) Wrote:Many lives were lost ensuring that those of us you see here could make it beyond the Wall. My brother was killed, as was someone dear to your Path companion. And while my heart wells with sorrow, so too does it well with pride, knowing that they died for a greater good. Which is what makes the success of this mission so important. Since our escape, the Empire has increased the number of guards who patrol the city-state, and were we to fail, this might very well be the last party ever to make the journey south from Ala Mhigo.

Ala Mhigan Resistance Captain Wrote:The operation will be our largest ever, and its size makes it that much more dangerous. Many who leave with us will not return. While I appreciate your enthusiasm, your companion's decision must be his own.

We are but simple folk, some of us farmers, some of us smiths, some of us husbands, some of us wives. Some of us have children, some of us have none but ourselves. Yet there is something that unites us all. We are all from Ala Mhigo, and we have all made a solemn vow to fight the Garlean Empire until we have regained control of the home that was torn from our graspâ€”the home we lost fifteen summers gone.

Each day has been an uphill battle and the Empire a veritable mountain. The might of their mechina is beyond imagining...and we have lost countless men to the metal jaws and fiery breath of those terrible creatures. However, for not one moment have we let their size or numbers crush our wills, and the sacrifice of every man and woman has seen us edge ever closer, ilm by agonizing ilm, to the realization of our ultimate plan.

We are going to steal one of their airships and use it to drive the Empire from our city.
A great many brave men and women gave their lives to infiltrate the imperial outposts and obtain documents on the flying contraptionsâ€”from schematics to control manuals. All we need now is a ship. But as you would imagine, Ala Mhigo is heavily fortified with imperial troopsâ€”a whole legion of soldiers stationed in or near the city-state. Which is why we have decided instead to focus on the ships stationed near the comparatively lightly guarded Silvertear Falls.

??? Wrote:Your Path companion's wounds are... grievous. Yet I do not believe they will prove fatal. He will live to fight another day... unlike those brave men and women from the Resistance. May the Twelve watch over their souls.

??? Wrote:Even the discipline and determination of the Resistance was not enough to withstand the sheer power of the Empire's mechina... From what I hear, the legatus alone slew half of their force... and suffered nary a scratch to his stygian armor.

??? Wrote:No matter how many imperial soldiers the Resistance slay in battle, there will always be another airship from Garlemald to bring replacements. It would take the citizens of every city-state and hamlet in Eorzea standing together as one to make the Empire so much as pause for thought...and even then, their mechina would probably annihilate us anyway.

Minfilia Wrote:I also heard what happened to the Resistance... and how they will not be sending parties south any longer. There is even talk of disbanding.

Do you see, Sounsyy? Even those who claimed to understand that which they faced were unable to withstand the sheer power of the Empire. And until we can find someone or something that will allow us to match the Empire's strength, we are but flies buzzing about a chocoboâ€”a nuisance, but far from a threat. If only the city-states and beast tribes would set aside their differences and unite as one... Then perhaps we would have a chance.

The Griffin and the Masks Faction:

Sifrid Wrote:You're not the first to answer the Griffin's call! While he's lit a fire in every Ala Mhigan's heart, he's also inspired more than a few Ul'dahns to pledge themselves to the cause. And little wonder - the Garleans won't stop until we're all under the yoke!

Alphinaud Wrote:Yes, this Griffin character seems to be the leader of a newly formed revolutionary faction within the Resistance. The Masks. Yet despite their growing popularity, no one seems to know much about them - only that they are the most aggressively militant group to join the movement in recent memory. Indeed, many claim their commitment to the cause of Ala Mhigan liberation is unrivaled.

Otelin Wrote:Even if he can deliver on his promises, I doubt I'll live to see it. But... by Rhalgr, what I wouldn't give to fight alongside them - to look into the eyes of an imperial as the light fades from his eyes... one last time...

Alphinaud Wrote:The Resistance has long - and some would say wisely - avoided open engagements with the Garleans, but you and yours seem confident against the world in arms.

The Griffin Wrote:Brothers and sisters... Twenty years ago, Ala Mhigo, our home, was claimed by the Garlean Empire. In our haste to overthrow the King of Ruin, we turned a blind eye to our foes in the north. With our glorious revolution, we but laid a path for a new tyrant to succeed the old... and when confronted with our failure, we fled. Not a day goes by that I do not think of those we left behind - think of them, and feel ashamed. And I know each and every one of you feels the same.

We abandoned them, our own flesh and blood, to labor till their backs gave in and their breath gave out, building the twisted steel ramparts which now mar our once majestic mountains. We abandoned them, the brave and true, to fight and die for their country - or worse, to be conscripted and sent off to rob another poor bastard of his home. We abandoned them, the meek and powerless, to bow and scrape when the Garleans pass - to sully themselves that they might live to see another day of misery.

The Black Wolf may be dead, but a new imperial viceroy reigns in Ala Mhigo now. A beast not a fraction as merciful. You all know the Eorzean Alliance will do naught to oppose him. For all their promises and platitudes, they will not act if there's no profit in it. Only we can free our brothers and sisters from the Empire's tyranny, my friends! Only we have the courage to stand and fight! They have imprisoned us, they have enslaved us, and they have murdered us - but no more! Blood demands blood, and the Garleans shall pay for every drop they have spilt upon our lands!

This I promise you, for we have a power within us, my friends - a power befitting our pride, our righteousness! Only join us, and we shall grant you the means to unleash it, and together we shall see the Ala Mhigan standard raised over the mountains of Gyr Abania once more!

[Discussion] Sounsyy's Lore Compilations Index

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