It will take rescue crews weeks to completely clear the rubble from the arena. In the meantime, the race is on to rescue as many trapped and injured victims as possible. How many people are trapped in the debris is difficult to guess. The Count has requested that who purchased a ticket to the festival report to City Hall. It’s a crude and temporary method of counting the survivors. So far, only a few hundred have heeded the request. The number of tickets sold this year has not yet been verified but early estimates are over 40,000. With destruction on such a tremendous scale, many fear the number of victims is in the thousands.

Count Iseman has placed a call for all able-bodied individuals to volunteer their time in helping with the rescue effort. Provincial Representatives have issued a state of emergency and are sending rescue crews by the hour. Unfortunately, due to FreePort’s relative isolation from the rest of the country it might be several days before the crews arrive by ship. In the meantime, we here at the Beacon ask you to do anything and everything you can do to help will be greatly appreciated.

As for the Count, he and his private guards escaped unharmed a few moments before the disaster. Oddly, according to the Count’s press secretary, his schedule for the remainder of the day was empty. Why he left only moments before the disaster has led some to believe the unthinkable. When asked why he left, the Count’s secretary replied, “No comment”.

Though not at the front of the city’s mind, many people are deeply curious about what the creature in the arena was. The city officials we interviewed suggested it was actually a mechanical, Magi-Tech device built just for the arena. However, none of the Count’s advisors knew anything about the ‘surprise’ other than where he ordered it from. We will look into this puzzling matter further, but only after the arena disaster is behind us. For more information on volunteering please stop by City Hall or the rescue HQ stationed outside the arena.

News from the archipelago this week is sparse.

-12 Atlans were killed when an explosion set by a member the ‘B’ faction of Peretos terrorists destroyed a bridge the group was crossing.

-Elosh, a small island south of Peretos by 48 kilometers was re-captured by the Atla navy

-Current troops stationed overseas remains at a steady 500,000

As for the rest of Atla,

-The newest railcart nicknamed “the lightning serpent” will be unveiled the 1st of Peretosh.

-A Magi University has been proposed for FreePort. If it is accepted, its planned completion will coincide with the new railline

Look for ongoing weekly updates as they come.

—28th of Steyman

Developed by IWS, the Personal Marble Cannon version 147, or PMC-147 will revolutionize the way Marble Bombs are stored and used. Unlike all other storage devices for the bombs, the PMC-147 will keep each individual bomb separate from the others, while still offering immediate access. In fact, the rate in which the bombs can now be fired has increase by nearly 1000% over the competing personal weapons, and even tops some automatic, mounted Marble Cannons. By storing the Marble Bombs in a back mounted container, with each bomb sitting safely in its own chamber and ready to be deployed when necessary, a foot soldier can decimate an entire fort or encampment almost singlehandedly.

While the actual design and workings of the PMC-147 are highly classified, some of the weapon’s unique features have been made public. General Evan Patterson (Ret.), one of the lead engineers and researchers on the project spoke to the Observer about PMC-147.

PMC-147 works by compressing air within the unit to eject the Marble Bombs at a high rate of speed, but with ease needed to prevent them from detonating prematurely. Inside the back unit are thousands of individual chambers which all lead to a central and larger chamber. This chamber leads from the back unit to the hand unit by way of a small tube. Once the individual Marble Bomb reaches the hand unit it is fed into one of the four rotating barrels and ejected.”

After watching a brief demonstration of the PMC-147, General Patterson continued, “It’s not going to be easy to use, that’s for darn sure. This thing will wear you out. But considering the other options of hurling them individually or using some of the other contraptions, it’s more than worth it. Consider you could spend an entire day doing what would take mere minutes with the PMC-147 and you realize it’s well worth it.”

PMC-147 primarily takes its energy from muscles and nerves. While a user’s entire body will feel the effects, the unit was designed to transfer the magi those areas so as to keep the user’s mind sharp and ensure a speedy recovery.

There has not been enough time to see whether or not the promises of IWS and General Patterson will come true. Many weapons systems have come and gone throughout the past baring the same promises. But if General Patterson’s confident smile and determined nod in response to our question of, ‘will it work’ is any indicator, war on Velwythe will change forever.

-One grand prize winner will receive an all expenses paid tour of a flight-research base. This includes travel and lodging to one of the three leading organizations’ headquarters across Atla*. The grand prize winner is expected to make a presentation of their project in front of national media and the flight project members. 10,000 mig and a full scholarship to any university will also be awarded

-Ten winners will be picked as finalists with no limit to the number selected from a given location. Finalists will each be awarded 1,000 mig and a trophy

-Winners will be picked by two editors/managers/writers from each provincial news organization as well as five anonymous members of the flight programs and one Grand Councilor

-Submissions are free; however additional costs may be required for travel and lodging if you are picked as a finalist. Participants will not be reimbursed for any expenses incurred during their project

-The winning designs will be the ones that are not only the most creative and well done, but represent the most viable solution to getting humans in the air by powered flight

Submissions may be as creative and speculative as possible. But please note this is a competition to find the best plausible solution to sustained flight. Fantasy concepts not grounded in reality will have a harder time being picked as a winner because of the difficulty or non-realistic solution portrayed

-One submission per person per month

-Any medium may be used. However, for unique pieces and concepts too large to ship please send detailed captures of every part of the piece

-No hazardous materials may be used or submitted with any design

-While you are encouraged to create even your own flying machine, if your piece does have moving parts please ensure everything you ship is securely fastened and no dangerous materials are included

-Works containing any vulgar, explicit, illegal or inappropriate content will be destroyed. Any works containing information or images of criminal activity or behavior will be given to the appropriate law enforcement authorities

-Captures should be clear and easy to view. You may send as many captures as you like and are encouraged to send enough that your work might be fully visible

Good Luck! And we hope to see you in the sky soon!

The exact location of the grand prize will be determined by contest authorities after the submission deadline and will be announced along with the winners of each category

Bernard Williams was camping along the FreePort coastline one night when he was awoken by something in the bushes near his tent. After discovering it was only a raccoon he returned to the tent. But on his way back Williams noticed a strange light coming from a cove just north of his camping spot. After making the short trek through the bush and trees he noticed the strange lights floating in the cove.

Williams was unfamiliar with the Deep Blue project before taking capture and did not submit it to the Beacon as a first glimpse of Deep Blue, rather he immediately turned the image over to the FreePort law enforcement fearing the strange vessel to be something from the radicals in the archipelago.

By the next morning news had spreading quickly that there was an unknown object in the water near FreePort. Patrol boats were sent to investigate just before morning light but even then the waters were empty. Luckily, after viewing the capture, local authorities stated definitively that it was not an enemy ship. What they couldn’t answer however, was what exactly had been there.

If indeed the image is of Deep Blue it is clear that the vessel will be quite large and shaped unlike any other sea going craft known on Velwythe. But the strongest evidence suggests that what was captured was not Deep Blue. For something so secretive and important to be casually trolling the waters north of one of the busiest shipping areas in the world is absurd. Heaton Willstrom with the Deep Blue project was contacted regarding the capture and has yet to reply. Any further developments will be brought to you first from us here at the Beacon. And for those unfamiliar with Deep Blue or any of the other exploration vessels in the Destination Horizon project more information is available at the FreePort Magi University.

These mountains are wild and dangerous to a degree. They are full of wild animals, full of them. But there have always been animals in those peaks and valleys and they have never posed any significant threat to anyone but the ignorant and idiotic. But how these people could make so much of just a few animals is beyond me, is quite hard to understand.

Nevertheless this problem is not new, and was never resolved before. We found that approximately 500 years ago the people of this kingdom and all surrounding areas were complaining of an unknown threat. Don’t these people know animals when they see them, don’t they know what a bear looks like? How could they be so naive? Despite the fact that the problem seemed to vanish on its own 500 years ago, it is not so easy to keep the people quiet now as it was then, not easy at all. The idiotic press and news organizations will spread word of anything wrong, or even that I have not investigated a potential problem quicker than I can even write in my journal. This is the last thing that I want or need to take care of, something so minor and insignificant. But not doing anything, it is certainly more trouble to deal with the idiotic, irate people of my kingdom, certainly more trouble.

I have no idea what they want me to uncover, discover. I will send a team of my knights to explore the southern canyons of the Morrid range nevertheless. Hopefully when they return with news of only wild animals, the people will at last be able to stop their moaning, their whining. Why they have decided to begin complaining about bears now is also beyond my comprehension. My fathers have said that people were complaining of being driven out of their homes by humanoid creatures. Again I must question whether even the people of my fathers’ time were so ignorant as to forget that bears are capable of standing upright. But all is well. I am taking the easiest route out of this and can’t lament solving a problem simply. My only concern is in figuring how long my knights must tarry in the frightening woods before considering their fruitless search sufficient, adequate.

While the arena is home to the CAF(Caged Arts Fighting) series, it occasionally provides a venue for blood matches where the combatants fight to the death, a tradition nearly 1000 years old. The Solstice festival has, for the past fifty or more years, offered those who are brave enough to watch, a spectacle unlike any other. Scheduled for the after-hours of the opening day, the blood matches will not be open to anyone under the age of 18.

Calvin “The Vagrant” Mettle was captured near the logging city of Sayfend two weeks ago after a five year terror hold on the Valley. Mettle, during those years, often posed as a wanderer or homeless man and lured children and women to his hideout where he would at the very least, rob and beat them in the back alleys of FreePort city. Because FreePort is plagued by many homeless thieves, identifying the one responsible for the crimes was nearly impossible. While the exact number of people that fell victim to Mettle’s crimes is unknown, dozens of children and women have come forward since his arrest, all claiming to have been a victim of his during the past years. In fact, since he has been locked up at least 25 people have stepped forward to help ensure his death sentence. Other than the difficulty in finding Mettle, few people were willing to speak out about what had happened to them for fear of being hunted by the maniac. Everyone that has given a testimony of the events repeated the same frightening news, that Mettle swore he would take the lives of the victim’s family should they say anything about him.

The city of FreePort has collectively breathed a sigh of relief now that Mettle is locked away. And ticket sales for the after-hours blood match which includes other public enemies are expected to rise by at least 50% from the past three years. For information on reserving a seat or for show times please contact any of the arena administrators in their offices on the south boulevard or at the arena itself.

-20th of Desanna, 248EM

With only a few months until the Solstice Festival, preparations are already underway to make it the greatest event in FreePort’s history. Breaking his usual silence, Count Gerald Iseman’s press advisor gave this reply, speaking for the count, “I assure you all that this festival will be unlike any other in FreePort’s history. For such a special occasion, a special surprise is needed. The only thing more I can tell you is to make certain you are able to attend the opening ceremony.”

Though we here at the FreePort Daily Beacon bring you the news first, rumors had already spread through the city that something special is being planned, long before the Count’s announcement. Speculation as to what the ‘surprise’ could be ranges from the absurd to the mundane. Some believe that it is the announcement of the completion of the road to and around the arena. Others think it might have something to do with the railline at the base of the Cliffs of Gent.

What the count actually has waiting behind his back won’t be shown until closer to the festival. And you can be certain that the Beacon will be the first to bring you any developments and the latest updates as they happen.

-1st of Desanna, 248EM

Wrothforth was the winner of several awards during her time here at the Beacon ranging from managerial commendations to the Truth Through Ink Award for journalism excellence. Most readers will remember Wrothforth for the two stories that won her the award on two separate occasions. Those reports, the assassination attempt on Count Iseman 15 years ago, and the riots in the Vos section of the city will always be a standard for the rest of the staff. The latter story was an integral part in finally ridding the city of FreePort of any hints of segregation.

Taking over for Wrothforth is Michael Hefferson. Hefferson has been with theBeacon for several years now, and looks forward to the opportunity to run the organization. “It has been on the back of my mind since I joined the paper. I never thought it could happen, not until Sherry [Wrothforth] told me she was leaving and wanted me to take over. It’s just great.” Look for Hefferson’s critical and artistic touch in every aspect of the organization as well as his occasional work on the front page stories.

1st of Desanna, 248EM

As long as history can remember, the seas to the south and east of Atla (and south of Feron) have been impossible to cross. For years the excitement to explore the uncharted waters has been waning. But recently, due almost entirely to the Destination Horizon project, the search for another world (and for answers to the storms) has begun anew. The library of Ancients had its beginning thousands of years ago when the underground facility still used today was part of a temple. For over 1500 years the only people with access to the records were prophets and leaders of the ancient church that were in charge of keeping the people’s history. Then approximately 1500 years before the Magi-Tech revolution the site was abandoned, though not forgotten. Around 750PM when Tru Dahn experienced a surge in population, the infant government immediately put the former site of worship under close guard. Since that time the Library of Ancients has grown around the old underground hall of records and has since remained closed to all but a select few. Because the halls have gone truly unexplored for thousands of years the hope is strong among not only the researchers attempting to get in, but all Atlans, that it holds concrete answers. What the group hopes to find is unclear, but that is not to say they don’t have goals. Milton Sellers of the Tru Dahn University is confident they will discover something of worth. “Nobody has a clue about the depth of the history contained in the halls.

If the peculiar storms of the surrounding oceans have puzzled Atlans for the past 250 years, it certainly has been on the minds of people before that. We are confident that some information on, if not real answers to what is beyond the storms, the cause of the peculiar weather phenomena will be found. Even if it isn’t directly stated, we hope to find evidence of drastically changing weather patterns in the very relics and objects themselves.”

Regardless of what they uncover, the group plans to head further south to Lands End to continue the search for weather changes within the past 10,000 years. As for the purpose of this research Sellers stated, “If we can’t actually discover the cause of the weather, we hope to at least discover something that will assist those participating in Destination Horizon.” The biggest hurdle in discovering the truth of the impassable ocean might not actually be the ocean itself. Access to the records for not only a group that large, but for an extended period of time has never happened before. The Grand Provincial Councilor is the only person capable of allowing the group access to the library, and that is only after Councilors from every province approve the plan. It will be at least a month before the group knows if their proposal is even accepted for consideration and possibly a year before they are given access—if they are approved. For more information on Destination Horizon please pick up Travelers Guide to Velwythe or check in your local libraries and universities.

25th of Steyman