Garlean Outpost Attacked With Forbidden Magic

[Ha'uruh Nunh]

GARLEAN OUTPOST ATTACKED WITH FORBIDDEN MAGIC

 

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Perpetrators Unknown, Over 100 Believed Dead

 

GRIDANIA. - Residents of Gridania, the Hawthorne Hut, and as far as Hyrstmill were dumbfounded late yesterday by a pillar of flame that could be seen for malms, evidence of an attack on an imperial outpost by unknown individuals believed to have killed over a hundred Garlean soldiers.

 

An officer in the Order of the Twin Adder, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing investigation, stated that the attacker or attackers "almost certainly used forbidden so-called 'black magic' to perpetrate the assault."  The officer said initial scout reports indicated the outpost's outer, metal barrier had been melted sheer through, creating a large opening to an inner courtyard.  There, the attackers ripped the facade off of the main barracks and command building through what was likely a large explosion.

 

Perulo Peru, an expert on Garlean tactics at the Arcanist's Guild in Limsa Lominsa, speculated that the damage may have been caused by the unknown mage or mages targeting the outpost's ceruleum depot. "It is not unusual for these outposts to have a few suits of magitek armor and well-protected ceruleum stores on hand for emergencies," she explained.  "Such reserves are usually protected with thick layers of metal and stone to prevent explosions.  If the attackers were able to breach both the outer wall and the ceruleum depot with magic, it would take a tremendous amount of aether and offensive capability."  She opined that likely more than one mage would have been required.

 

Gridanian authorities warn local residents that the Garlean outpost remains active and that the remaining imperial presence is currently on high alert.

 

Representatives from Stillglade Fane are pleading for additional conjurers and Hearers to deploy to the area in the Eastern Shroud to assist in pacifying the local elementals, which are said to be greatly agitated by the gross use of overt black magic.  The Conjurer's Guild is offering a 1,000 gil bonus to each mage that answers the call for additional assistance.

 

"At this time, there is no danger of greenswrath near the affected area," Hearer Honoraine informed the press.  "This is merely a precautionary measure to deescalate the situation before it gets out of hand."

 

Gridanian residents, as well as those of the Hawthorne Hut, flocked to watchtowers and the city walls to stare mesmerized at the display for its duration, said to be nearly a quarter bell.  Some sensitive to aether were said to feel ill at the massive disturbance, and an apprentice Hearer detailed to Little Solace fainted.

 

"You could feel the forest shrieking in protest at the violation," said one Miqo'te conjurer, who declined to give her name.  "The use of such arts has been forbidden for centuries for a reason!  It is plain to all who witnessed the phenomenon the destructive power of such magic - and the cost it takes to the land to use it."

 

But not all observers were against the action.  A visiting Ul'dahn merchant, Burning Boulder, applauded the attack.  "Get all the Garlean scum out of here!  Whatever it takes to make Eorzea free," he said.

 

When contacted, the Ossuary in Ul'dah declined to comment.

 

The Twin Adders have offered a reward of 100,000 gil for information leading to the capture of the unknown person or persons involved in the attack.

[Gegenji]

NEWS UPDATE

 

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HAWTHORNE HUT, EAST SHROUD - New information arises regarding the horrific pillar of flame seen in the Eastern Shroud from a most unique source - the Sylph encampment of Little Solace. This beast tribe is known for their closeness with nature, and their agitation at the use of such terrible magicks was evident. No small wonder, then, that they would be forthcoming regarding the apprehension of the "vile walking ones" responsible for the catastrophic events.

 

A Sylph, who introduced itself as Wrexio, met both the Adder retinue and its embedded journalist on the outskirts of Hawthorne Hut. From there, they were led to Little Solace proper to be directed to a "walking one" that had been apprehended leaving the Sylphlands shortly after the event. This individual had surrendered without a fight and had been held custody under armed guard within one of the huts used by the Gridanians who also live in Sylph encampment. It was in the mottled gloom of this crudely constructed building that the Adders learned of the events that had transpired.

 

The captive - a Dunesfolk male named Tmesis Oan, most notably known for his recent engagement to Ul'dahn socialite Annunu Nunu - spoke freely of the events despite his compromised position. According to Oan, he had been hired to assist in the extraction of a Hellsguard woman apparently taken hostage by the Garlean outpost after an attack on her caravan. While he admitted that Garlean deaths "were to be expected," he firmly stated that he had no idea of the power his clients would be bringing to the table.

 

"The original plan," Oan stated, "was merely sneak in and recover the girl with as little violence as possible." However, after capturing and questioning one of the Garlean officers on patrol, the rescue mission went off the rails. Upon learning of the fate of the captive, one of the clients "unleashed their unbridled fury" upon the outpost. The other client apparently attempted to restrain the ceruleum depot explosion with his own abilities, but it still caused the catastrophic pillar seen in the Shroud skies. When Oan himself attempted to confront them, he was put to sleep and both were gone when he awoke.

 

"I'm surprised she didn't just kill me too, since I was a witness to the whole thing," Oan admitted. "I am merely a tactician, so it would've been easy enough. Perhaps she figured either the Garleans would find me and think me the culprit... or that their display would frighten me into silence."

 

The quote may make him sound indifferent, but Oan refused to divulge the names and descriptions of his clients in fear of his own safety until he was guaranteed protection by the Twin Adders. Possibly in line with this request, the Gridanian authorities have refused to comment on his current whereabouts beyond that he was "being kept under armed guard." What they have provided, however is two names - Restless Wind and Jubini Carabini - along with the following composite sketches made based on both Oan's testimony and that of the denizens of Little Solace:

 

[What follows are two rough graphite mugshots of a Hellsguard female with two white marks on the side of her face and a Plainsfolk male with long hair. To those familiar with Restless Wind and Jubini Carabini, the likenesses are unmistakable. Both seem to be wearing floppy pointed hats often seen worn by many Thaumaturges.]

 

Restless Wind, the creator of the pillar of flame, is considered to be armed and highly dangerous. Citizens who encounter her are advised to not confront or engage her regarding the events of the Twelveswood. Adventurers are similarly advised to maintain their distance, and the Tonberry's Lantern is not to be held responsible for any loss of life resulting to any actions taken to the contrary.

 

Jubini Carabini - the one identified as the second caster who sought to restrain Wind's attack - is currently only being sought after for his possible connections and information regarding the whereabouts of Restless Wind. However, he is assumed to be a skilled Thaumaturge in his own right and should not be approached carelessly. The Twin Adders have instead requested that anyone who comes in contact with him to politely direct him to their offices in Gridania.

 

In order to see this horrible bender of magicks apprehended, the Twin Adders continue to maintain their 100,000 gil reward for any information regarding her and again urge the populace at large to "report, not restrain."

[Gegenji]

IMPORTANT UPDATE

 

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ARRZANETH OSSUARY, UL'DAH - Many of the denizens of the Shroud remember the great pillar of fire that lit up the night sky moons ago. First-hand accounts by the tactician Tmesis Oan placed the cause to be that of a single individual - one Restless Wind. However, recent information seems to overturn the man's wild claims.

 

"Everyone has heard tales of the sickening power of Black Magic," states Ajojo Mojojo, alchemist and thaumaturge at Arrzaneth Ossuary. "So it is only natural that a man so interested in ancient warfare as this Tmesis fellow would immediately claim the event as the use of 'forbidden magic.'"

 

"The actual cause is far less... fanciful," he continued, making a show of how much stock he put into the witness' supposed flight of fancy. He proceeded to explain that - while most ceruleum caches are kept in secured, well-fortified locations - the outpost nestled in the Twelveswood was rife with lax safety practices and in poor repair. Soil samples gathered by the Wood Wailers and brought to the Alchemist's Guild in Ul'dah revealed what Ajojo called a "cornucopia of volatile compounds" that leads him to believe that several other dangerous materials were also kept in the ceruleum depot.

 

"In such a hazardous location, the smallest spark would've caused it to go up in a pillar of flame," Ajojo explained. "Or, in this case, a well-placed blast of normal, Thaumaturgic fire or lightning-aspected aether."

 

"This Restless Wind woman may be a skilled Thaumaturge, but she is just that. There was nothing 'forbidden' at play beyond forbidden storage procedures." He would go on to say that to charge the woman for magicks she did not possess would be akin to a blind witch hunt, and bade the Twin Adders withdraw their bounty on her head. Response is pending from Gridania, but sources state that they will be issuing a retraction on the reward and the bounty by the end of the sun.

 

When asked about the matter, Tmesis admitted that he may have been hasty in claiming what had occurred as Black Magic. "It would explain why they reacted as they did when I confronted them," he explained. "Afraid of being marked as users of Black Magic, they simply sought to escape." He then extended his deepest condolences to both the misconstrued thaumaturge and her lalafellan companion for aiding in the spreading of misinformation.