What lies beneath

Troubles at home and abroad collide

What secrets does Ala Manha hide?The village on Wild Warden Island east of Rothlyt Sound and south of Ala Mhigo should have been abandoned by invading Garlean soldiers following the destruction of Ruby Weapon and Sapphire Weapon.Gyr Abanians say the locals of Ala Manha have always been a bit odd, but their temple to The Destroyer was a popular destination for pilgrims some years ago.Alliance forces were previously happy to leave the defensible village alone until larger threats were away. But they are now rethinking that strategy in light of new, terrifying Garlean activity on Eorzean soil. And recently, a Garlean machina bearing the insignia of one of the two cohort companies occupying Ala Manha attempted to assassinate an Ishgardian criminal.Making the matter all the more critical is the small port village of Linchpin. Monsters hunters use it as a base from which they hunt and harvest monsters that provide resources critical to Ala Mhigo's reconstruction.The island needs to be free of Garlean influence.Aetherscale Enterprises recently won a bidding war for a contract to provide logistics and intelligence support to The Irregulars charged with liberating the city. This may be the perfect opportunity for AE to impress Ul'dahn allies unsure of AE's motives. But will impressing monetarist interests risk the Ala Manha locals?Secret Star has recently been keen to the Garlean situation in Gyr Abania, and prior to that Saoirse Quincy helped AE deal with problems that lead back to Ala Manha. They may make the perfect subcontractor for this job.Tilda Oake and the Ardent Brave Colletive, whose mercenaries are on standby in Ala Mhigo, is poised to lend aid if needed.It's said Lucas Rajan is eager to bloody Garleans. Time will tell if that's a boon or a bane.In addition to helping The Irregulars deal with the Garleans, we may earn additional rewards or uncover artifacts by exploring the island's lost secrets. Nao Bruilliere has leaned on her contacts in Antiquities for leads. We can also earn rewards to strengthen ourselves by participating in hunts posted by the people of Linchpin.

History

What brought us here?

  • After having long toiled away with domestic issues, and the challenges of protecting families working for AE, and living in neighborhoods where AE does business, Lucas is eager to turn his attention back to Eorzea's enemy: Garlemald. Helping The Irregulars liberate Ala Manha is a way to refocus on the vow of liberty.

  • The challenges of protecting its people and assets in Ul'dah has placed AE in an odd position. It has helped protect Ala Mhigans rebuilding in Gyr Abania in past ventures. It has kept its families safe in Ul'dah. But doing so has left dead monetarist rivals in AE's wake. Now The Powers That Be can't help but question AE's political leanings. Could it be a Royalist group in disguise? Finding a way to cooperate with monetarist interests during this mission is important if AE wants a secure home front. Would that security be won with deception? Does AE's leadership have Royalist leanings?

  • At a recent trial in Ishgard, K'inja Shivaji was found innocent of six murders. Instead, attention was diverted to Lady Delevaux and Ser Ballator, who were discovered to be working with Garleans and providing subjects for experimentation. Following the trial, Lady Delevaux was assassinated, and Ser Ballator was rescued from an assassination attempt by Eija, O'rylah and Cassandra. The assassin has been linked back to the Garlean forces in Ala Manha. Just what is going on?

  • Secret Star, meanwhile had recently gotten out of their own troubles. Within Ul'dah, a monetarist named Wilmund Salter and his apothecary company tried to take out Secret Star through an orchestrated caravan war with a group called Rising Sun Shipping Co. While Wilmund's demise at the hand of Secret Star remains unkown to the public, others have doubts particularly after talking to Wilmund's lover, Noble heiress Agnes Farrer, who seems to believe that Secret Star has a connection to the Crimson Demon of Ul'dah and their crew The Falcons. Secret Star needs a way to show that they are not aligned with the infamous pirate captain and their radicial revolutionary beliefs. Is Secret Star truly able to find that security through joining Aetherscale in finding a way to cooperate with monetarist beliefs and restoring the company to a more neutral status? Does Secret Star really have radical leanings?

  • Not only that, as personal venture by Vellace to help the people of Gyr Abania, several within Secret Star have found themselves dealing with the mysterious disapperances and captures of civilians by Garleans within Gyr Abania. Eventually they infiltrated a Garlean airship with a nightmarish creature made out of the many bodies and souls of both the prisoners and the crew of the ship nicknamed "The Heart" by those that witnessed it. Perhaps some more information on the situation can be found in Ala Manha, but regardless, it makes those within Secret Star keen to help the people of Ala Manha from the Garlean threat.

  • Ala Mhigo's reconstruction requires a growing number of expensive machines. Oils and fats harvested by "whalers" who hunt sea beasts near Ala Manha need room to work safely, and a Garlean presence is not ideal.

  • Eorzea has recently come under attack by Garlean forces the likes of which have never been seen before. We need to clear our borders of all threats in order to prepare for whatever comes next!

Factions

You'll find bellow three groups of factions: allies, enemies and those whose standing is uncertain.Throughout this story, we’ll have the opportunity to increase our standing with these factions. We can do this by:

  • completing scheduled missions in a way that one faction or another may prefer,

  • completing bonus objectives,

  • by individuals taking it upon themselves to curry favor with factions through social, political or business means, or

  • by individuals taking the initiative to organize missions of their own to curry favor.

As we gain favor (regardless of who we gain it with) the story will continue to unfold. The story will change in big and small ways depending on who we’ve gained the favor of.

Allies

Linchpin

This rustic, makeshift village established by "whalers" has welcomed The Irregulars to their port. The people of
Linchpin are an adventurous bunch. While they're not here to help us, their knowledge of the area could be handy, and it's never bad to get along with people who hunt sea monsters for a living.

The Irregulars
(Sgt. Velolo Velo)

The Irregulars consist of:— Limsan conscripts whose tour ran out, but who volunteered to keep aiding The Alliance,
— Ul’dahn gladiators hoping to end their servitude early by earning glory on the battlefield, and
— Gridanian criminals seeking to pay for their disrespect of The Elementals.They don’t fit neatly into any command structure, and are the perfect group to assign to liberate or capture an odd place like Ala Manha.We’ll gain favor with The Irregulars with actions that show a deference for the down and out.

The Ardent Brave Collective

Depending on who you ask, Moth is either famous or infamous for her scorched earth policy regarding Garleans. An operation like this one will need mercenaries, and her Ardent Brave Collective are respected for their capabilities and connections in and around Gyr Abania.Moth is known to hate machina, defend Gyr Abanian heritage and revel in the defeat of Garleans. If we want favor with The Ardent Brave Collective, we’ll want to remember these facts.Moth joining in as a subcontractor has been timed with the news she and AE are building a joint venture aimed at promoting business ties between Ul'dah and Ala Mhigo.

The Basilisk
(P'churi Fusuh)

A sect of The Basilisk Tribe of The Seekers of the Sun most often known for settling in Southeast Thanalan where they can hunt sharks and forage for alchemical plants has asked to have warriors join in on the journey to Wild Warden island.A sect of the tribe that long ago established the village of Firewatch on the island has been silent for years, and many hope to establish contact with lost cousins.

Uncertain

Silver and Copper (Dunnere Harper)

Dunnere Harper thinks it’s high time Ul'dahn mining interests expanded.The established businessman tried to earn the very contract AE won to aid The Irregulars, but he hasn't taken his defeat to heart. Instead, he's prepared his private soldiers to travel to the island for a bit of war profiteering.There are even rumors the mysterious Donya Bozjer allows him to entertain her now and then. He longs to capture her attention fully for himself, along with that of other famous Ul’dahn socialites and celebrities.Dunnere Harper wants to help AE support The Irregulars and wrestle back resources from Garlemald. However, he doesn't care much to play nice with anyone he doesn't have to. Unfortunately, his approval might be critical for AE right now.

The Cloister of Destruction

Ala Manha’s temple to Rhalgr, The Cloister of Destruction, shares a name with the temple’s guardians and priests.The Cloister of Destruction was famous for promoting martial and magical prowess, but due to the nature of Gaius Van Baelsar’s invasion of neighboring Ala Mhigo, it never quite cut its teeth on fighting Garleans. In fact, reports indicate it cooperates with Garlean soldiers to take care of pirates and monsters in the region.If there are fighting men and women in Ala Manha, The Cloister of Destruction is that faction.

Enemies

Company IV
(Asta Rem Carima)

Company II and Company III once made up the bulk of one cohort supporting Gaius Van Baelsar’s XIV Legion, and later Zenos Yae Galvus.During their time in Ala Manha, the companies reformed into Company IV, and have thus stayed so named in their isolation. They are led by Asta Rem Carima, though Alliance intelligence is unsure if that promotion is entirely legitimate.Regardless, as a centurio, Carima was known as an effective battlefield commander. Soldiers who once served him who are now captured describe him as “an honorable man.” Civilians interviewed who lived in places he previously served describe him as “kind, but cautious” and “surprisingly tall.”

Dossier

Asta Rem Carima

An enigmatic Garlean commander known, surprisingly, for his kindness and fairness. He's said to be particularly tall, even for a Garlean. Ala Manha has been left intact under his watch. Those in the city resisting him say he has allowed cultural and religious observations to continue with gusto in order to maintain control, but the fact is everyone in the city must follow his command. The Alliance wants to know why someone in Ala Manha was working with House Delevaux in Ishgard to acquire human subjects for experimentation. Find him in the Factions section for more information.

The Raven Child

It's said this Garlean sniper has a particular code of honor. If he fails to kill a target in one shot, he will not try again for 24 hours, and will move on to another target. Is this true? Is it true he killed an entire Ala Mhigan resistance cell alone? They say he covers his body in strange feather tokens. This is the man who, apparently, tried to kill Ser Ballator in Ishgard to silence him regarding whatever was happening in Ala Manha. He may have killed Lady Delevaux as well.

Velolo Velo

The CO of The Irregulars. She was conscripted to serve by Limsa Lominsa, but stuck around past her dues when Ul'dahn debters and Gridanian rebels were added to her ranks. Her soldiers look up to her as a hero. "I'm just trying to get everyone home safe," seems to be her catch phrase. Find The irregulars in the Factions section.

Donya Bozjer

This mysterious Ul'dahn socialite is a woman of means and power from sources unknown. The Thavnairian is known as both a dancer and an alchemist, and clearly has a patron to whom she must be lover in Ul'dah. She's had many prior, but this time that patron is unknown. She previously took an interest in The Desert Dahlia, but it's unclear why. Now she's got Dunnere Harper all tied up in knots over her.

P'churi Fusuh

P'churi's mother has seen to the selection of generations of nunh with careful maneuvering, alliance making and diplomacy. P'churi never much cared for the business of running a tribe, and instead prefers action and adventure, but lately has found herself wishing she could fill her aging mother's shoes. When she heard an old friend of her hunter-sister was bound for Wild Warden Island, she saw it as her chance to forge a friendship with the tribe sect there, and repair a hole generations old. Learn more in the factions section.

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Father Barbaros

The high priest in The Cloister of Destruction. He's said to be a potent magus in his own right. It's said he stood alone against Company IV but was captured, or that he surrendered. There was, apparently, some fear he could take them all out. Stories about just what happened are a bit vague, but it's said he now cooperates with Company IV to deal with bandits and beasts, and to protect a fledgling mining operation. Find him in the Factions section for more information.

Fae Ann

This voidsent once inhabited the body of a bloated cat corpse and served rogue Nald'Thal thaumaturge Mamamano, one of the heads of the Yorn Consortium. It was revealed she had seduced him, and was using him to bring her power more fully from the void. AE stopped this madness. Every time her tricks and games made danger for AE, she seemed mostly amused by it all, and even professed willingness to work against Mamamano in exchange for a tempting enough deal. No one accepted. When not possessing corpses, she seems to like depicting the visage of rose lips and winged, feminine eyes with her aether.

Leesa Ferrier

Leesa is a grizzled but friendly caravaner in her 30s who raises dogs as a passion project. Some may recognize her from the F.R.I., the Highlands mill or various other AE projects. She tends to have her ear to the ground, and know what's being discussed on the road.

Dunnere Harper

Dunnere Harper, an eccentric, wants nothing more than to expand his wealth and power. He's willing to play ball and support other people when they draw better cards, but isn't known to put up with being taken advantage of, and doesn't put up with missed opportunities. Find him in the Factions section for more information.

Available RP and leads

A record of everyone's actions can be found here

Ala Manha

  • Ala Manha has a population of roughly 2,000

  • Garlemald has a garrison of roughly 300, including machina and conscripts from other lands

  • Ala Manha's roads are carved through the hill it is built into. The city center is atop the hill with the temple, The Cloister of Destruction.

  • The city is built on a hill at the base of a mountain range. (See pic above for aesthetic)

  • Northeast of Ala Ganha about a malm is a recently reopened mine

  • The Irregulars' base camp just outside Linchpin is about five malms from Ala Manha.

  • This was once a jungle island, but the western half has been destroyed by The Calamity.