A message from the Traders Renaisse
We would like to warn all traders and travellers that pirate activity seems to be on the rise; encouraged by some unknown factor, some groups within the Sky Pirates seem to have greatly stepped up their actions across the world. For the time being traders are advised to hire guards, keep their travel distances short, or purchase our excellent Pirate Insurance - guarantee your cargo against theft!
Throughout the season the rumour mill has been working overtime about what exactly happened at Stormwatch tower. Some things do seem to be consistent; apparently the CSF Humanity and the Leviathan fired on each other, the Union and the Confederacy almost declared war, and the raiders paid dearly to get their treasure. It does, however, seem unlikely that Valk turned into a mile-high figure made of diamond, or that Bergholt vaporized the entire Union fleet with his Storm magic.
The reopening of the the Happy Horse was reported to have been disturbed by a man falling from the sky. The Union bar had been operating in a large marquee which was due to be taken down but reports are that a large creature with two heads nine limbs and wings fell from the sky, landing on the tent and collapsing it. Onlookers say that a man walked out, followed by a strange warped creature, both looking slightly dazed and crackling with storm energy. The only comment from the staff on hand was “He's barred. Again. So's his pet.”.
Fortunately the marquee was not in use at the time and nobody was reported injured.
The situation around the fragment laden with Storm ore in the void threatened to grow tense this season, but thankfully they seem to have been defused by diplomatic action.
At the start of the season, the Union seemed to have grasped control of the fragment - the fleet was out in force, surrounding it. Later on, however, the Confederacy forces appeared; one of the giant fish barges of the GPR, laden with mining equipment and troops, and the CSF Humanity, accompanied by four Sky Bastions.
For a short time, both sides are fearful that it might come to a battle. Before the tensions can rise any higher, however, the Union forces retreat peacefully, and without incident. The Confederacy has spent the rest of the season mining the Storm ore veins within the fragment.
The Antso Superior College of Engineering is well under way to being established. With the permission of Cecil the Elder, much of the construction work has been completed on the temple fragment.
Once a teaching staff has been located, this centre of Education will allow students from all over the colonies to come and train in construction methods as well as the other studies.