The City has changed! check the City Map page for details.

You are cordially invited to the latest Riette Convention to be held at the newly opened Sir Henry's Emporium of Grooming for Gentlemen, located on the corner of Enlightenment Avenue and Silk Way. Sir Henry Arthur Octavian Clarence Margaret Slerbal bids you welcome to a world of elegance, oppulance and high fashion. All of Sir Henry's grooming products will be on display with samples on offer and staff on hand to show you the lastest in fashion and grooming for the well-to-do gentleman (or lady). We of the Emporium are very much looking forward to your visit and hope that you will find it most pleasing.

OOC: The next session will be held at one of the establishements owned by Sir Henry Slerbal located on the border of the Glittering Quarter and the City Quarter.

An Article from Completely Arcane

“Those among our readers involved in the summoning arts cannot have failed to notice that, in the last few days, such magics have begun to go awry in unpredictable and often catastrophic fashion. All available evidence points responsibility for this squarely at a new magical network created by the Circle and the god Architect, ostensibly designed to ensure that new arrivals to our city appear in a welcoming area, ensuring that violent individuals can be vetted out. However, the side effects on summoning are having disastrous effects on the livelihoods of many of our readers, and we are forced to question whether a small group of individuals should be permitted to carry out unilateral actions with such far reaching consequences. While we understand that some (this magazine makes no ethical judgement) are opposed to summoning sentient beings into this world, this affects those involved in such innocent pursuits as retrieving a cherished pet left behind in a dying world just as much as it does (allegedly) less salubrious individuals such as Samovar Thett.

This magazine is willing to give the Circle the benefit of the doubt for now, as their stated intentions with the project are certainly for the good. We hope that these obviously unintended side effects on summoning are resolved before a groundswell of anger among the magical community leads to unfortunate consequences for the Circle.”

From Teahouse Weekly, one of the most-read periodicals in the City: Following the destruction of his teahouse in a yachting accident two weeks ago, Lord Lo has been calling in a lot of favours among the Floating Market. Business partners, community leaders, and loyal customers all chipped in to buy him brand-new water boilers, fine china and quality furnishings. The Lord himself did the rest of the work, pulling the debris out of the river and reforming it into the rough shape of the teahouse boat. Builders finished off the reconstruction and ensured it was structurally stable, and by the time of this article's writing Lo is almost ready to reopen his teahouse in a grand opening worthy of even Pyramid Tea!

From flyers posted around the City:

Learn the secrets of deeper magic!
Find your place in the Purpose!
Free entry to any mage who wishes to learn!

Gaius' movement of the Purpose has began running free lectures on how mages can combine their magic for greater effect.

A temporary cease fire has today been declaired between Union forces and the Pantheon of Discord. This follows several weeks of fighting over the new territory created by Elluvia two months ago, which came to a head yesterday when members of the Pantheon led an assault upon the Union Tower. It seems that the Union were well prepared however and the attack did not take them by surprise. Reports of other assults around the disptued territory have also been reported with a vicious hailstone assult upon Union buildings and a group of Pantheon worshippers found dead after a prolongued assault presumed to have been at Union troop hands.

The ceasefire came after the Union Tower errupted into chains half way through the Pantheon assault. Calls from both sides to call a halt to hostilities made themselves heard in the shocked silence fllowing the chain assault. Both sides deny repsonsibility for the incident and believe the other to be responsible. It is thought that during the conflicts over the past week severl hundred people have died with countless more wounded. Many of the wounded from both sides have been treated by the union based medic network working under the banner of the Red Cross, who have used the ceasefire to their advantage scouring the ruins for survivors. The tower is thougth to still be accessible but parts of it are hanging at very odd angles held in place only by the weight of chains surrouding it.

In what some are calling a linked attack, it has been reported that troops moving in from the City Quarter have attacked the Divine Quarter. Some speculate that the Glorious Equation is showing its hand in favour of the Union however Equation leaders strenuously deny any knowledge or invovlement in the attacks and have called foul play. Currently details about this new front of the war are unclear but we'll be bringing you details as and when we hear of them.

From Crescent Gazette

The centre of the city was rocked this morning by an earthquake that caused significant property damage across the five main districts of the city with several buidlings collapsing. It is thought that the death toll rises into the doezens as due to its timing (around mid morning) the districts were very busy and the many shops and businesses around the area were full. Rapid repairs to the infrastructure of the area are already underway with the aid of both Gods and Mages and it is thought that most places will be open for business again within a few days. Experts from the University of the Glorious Equation claim that this is the first example of geological activity ever observed within the City. They estimate that its epicentre was close but not exactly over the centre of the City within the Quarter of Iron Bells. The area most effected was the central region but mild shockwaves were felt across the city…

From the pages of the Green Street Times

From Canvas and Stage, a Renaissant magazine of the Arts:

The Floating Duck theatre's performance of Beyond the Veil has been gathering rave critical reviews, overcoming the understandable rockiness of the opening night. A shame, then, that one of the members of the audience in the opening night has decided to engage in a senseless slaughter of almost the entire cast and crew. The play's sixth night was disrupted during the now-infamous summoning scene by the arrival of a 'hero' with very real weapons and armour, backed up by Firstborn of the Pantheon. The two of them managed to cut through the male lead, the female lead, and the director; only the special effects technician, John Dissum, was able to hold back their assault, and even he was wounded rather severely. With the play closed down and several people dead, we ask our readers: Are we prepared to let these uncultured savages take away everything dear we have made in the City?

The floating market was left in shock this morning as a large explosion occured above the decks of the Waxing Path. Visitors and Residents alike were reported to have to run for cover as metals shards rained down upon the many boats, after a large bang was heard from several hundred feet above the market. Eye witnesses say they saw a dark object flying into the sky from somewhere onboard the market just moments before it apparently exploded, raining down shrapnel upon the market beneath. Initial reports suggest that no one was killed during the incident although several people had to be treated for injuries sustained either from the falling debris or from their efforts to avoid it. Three people also had to be rescued from the river after jumping in to avoid the falling metal…

From the pages of the Crescent Times

Today top inventor of curiosities, Miranda Hawkins, revealed her latest creation! After the success of her airships in bottles, river race ships in bottles and exquisite fire-bird designs seen at the highly acclaimed Riette Conventions come her latest party piece. The mechanical butterflies she has created are exquisite. As part of the 'Butterfly Cascade Party Popper' they pour fourth from the initial device flapping their wings in a most realistic fashion before slowly gliding down to land gently on the floor. Each butterfly is a masterful work in its own right and it is the opinion of this magazine that any party without one of these is not worth going to.

An excerpt from Ember, a magasine popular amongst the Renaissant

An Article in Factor

”…and once again showing the devotion towards public betterment that is so common among Equation members, Baron Otto has been touring our district repairing the thoughtless damage done during the frivolous and violent Boat Race. The new housing and public buildings put up by the Baron are shining examples of modern building techniques, and some are saying that the district is even better than new!

A press release widely distributed in the Canopy and the Glittering District

Sylvios Brandt is delighted to announce the successful opening of the First Bank of the City. Combining impossible to forge notes of credit with a high security vault for the storage of the backing valuables, the First Bank of the City provides a safe, secure and reliable currency to facilitate your business. Visit the First Bank of the City today to ensure that you are not left behind!

Notes bearing the seal of the bank, and an exceptionally complex, and obviously magical, identifying glyph have begun to be used as payment among the wealthier of the city. Many are extremely taken with the concept.

Article from a paper handed out in the circle district.

Those mages have done it again, the grey twilight no-longer plagues us, but neither are we confined to unending sunlight. They have managed to create some sort of cycle, for half the day it is light and for the other half it’s dark and very regular too. The clouds part for a while and then this parting circles the city heading out into the plains when it gets darker, and as it leaves thicker clouds form over head.
Though it appears that in arrears of the city that are not the circle district the cycle is not half a day light and the other half bright, some people have complained of only getting a few hours of light while others say they only get a few hours of dark and everything in between.

Mad's Men have done it again with the establishment of a novel writing competition that has taken off across the city. Along with the launch of a number of workshops and a new collaborative story telling game (Il y Avait Une Fois - available for sale from Mad's Men) the writing bug has really taken a hold of the city. The results of the effort have yet to be seen, and with two weeks still to go before the winner is announced it's not too late to enter!

From an article in Ember, a publication popular amongst the Renaissant.

Editorial in the Font of Illumination

While, of course, this journal is above idle and futile speculation, we would be failing in our journalistic duty if we did not report the hubub of the same surrounding notable entertainer Samovar Thett. Sources we have considered reliable suggest that Thett is calling in favours across the Glittering District in preparation for some sort of premium spectacle. Aforementioned speculation is, of course, largely concerned with the nature of this spectacle, with some suggesting that, given the recent troubles plaguing summoners across the city, Thett may be planning on moving into a new entertainment market. We, of course, will wait until, as is only polite, the man himself is ready to announce his intentions, and will remain your premier source of accurate and reliable theatrical journalism.

An article in Aviation review

“Speculation is still rife over whether any of the city's airship foundries intend to take credit for the startling test flight run over the city this week. The strange airship, with either a moth or butterfly motif (witness statements differ), made several circuits around the city, lightning crackling from its wings, creating severe turbulence for other airships, and creating odd visual distortions around it. Some believe that this is some new weapon being developed by either the Union or the Pantheon, but others postulate that it might be an unusually competent Escapologist enterprise.”

Extract from a journal published by Dr Jim Williamson

The lake has been proved mast definitely as acid based, studies show that on the addition of strong alkaline the reactivity decreases showing that the acidity decreases. It has also been shown that the fumes are also acidic, almost entirely consuming litmus paper very quickly after it went red. Further studies show that a vast amount of alkaline would be needed to neutralise the lake, given the amount needed to neutralise a small sample in the lab…

• Have you noticed? Wherever the Red Cross goes, the war is never far behind?
• “Puzzles of our Society” - Title of a popular political pamphlet found around the city.
• “Has anyone seen my daughter?”
• Appearing on posters around the city: 'What is true Justice?','Will Justice be done if you leave it to others?', 'Act according to your own laws or other people will make you act according to theirs.'
• SLUM TEA: because water is for toilets!
• What's so good about archnids anyway?
• The Night Walker stalks the Darkness!
• “Unsolvable by Normal Means” - Title of a popular puzzle book found around the city.
• We shall rise off and throw off the shackles of our oppressors. They will be first against the wall when the revolution comes.
• Seen on banners trailing behind some of the small airships seen across the city: Your Advert Here - Reach a whole new audience!
• Caught beneath the wood. Struggling so long I wait. I long to be free.
• The chain monsters are attacking - they will kill us all.
• Anyone got any cabbage? I'm out.
• Ask the rats… they know you know!
• It's raining spiders.
• All bugs have a Purpose.

Plaque placed next to last week's graffiti on Firstborn's temple
My orbit is defined solely by my own will. If you find that predictable, then it merely shows that my will is constant.

For now. - Firstborn the Lightbearer