Plan to Revitalize Ala Mhigo's Third District Crystalizes

After the collapse of the Spinner's Spire, a derelict shrine abandoned in Ala Mhigo's third district, controversial politician Lucius Quaestor has moved at a breakneck pace to conceive, propose, and secure funding for a plan to replace the ruined lot with modern housing aimed at medium-income earners with the kind of educational skills and earning potential the third district lacks. Embedded in the proposal is a program calling for the establishment of a safety net for the district's poor to be funded by taxes on the two upper quartiles of earners. Job guarantees during reconstruction have also been attached as riders to the bill.Quaestor seems poised to score a big win for his district's impoverished, but there are those who are against the plan. Many that sit on the city council are casting aspersions at the speed at which he's acted, while others think that the public-private partnerships he's establishing are giving him too much power and authority in the city that effectively bypasses the Hext Administration and burgeoning legislative body's prerogatives.But most are simply breathing a sigh of relief that the problem of violent Garlean refugees who had settled into the ruined shrine and refused attempts to be resettled for months on end has resolved itself without creating more problems for Ala Mhigo.

Tremors Rattle Shaky Ala Mhigo

Sabrina Warden

A minor earthquake struck the city of Ala Mhigo overnight, rattling picture frames and teacups for most citizens. For those living near the epicenter in the city's third district, however, the shaking was a reminder of the precarious condition the city remains in after the Occupation. For veteran Ilse Boarsblood, the pace has been understandable, but also excruciating.
"We're tough as nails and a little shaking isn't going to change that, but we've still got limits," Boarsblood said. "Feels like the world's already moved on, some of our government officials included."Relief funds have been raised in recent years from nearby neighbors, including restitution from Ul'dah, and officials say they've been distributing the money according to need. One official said off the record, "Everyone is hurting, and when you hear the money's going to someone else's pain, you might hear that your pain doesn't matter. It does matter, but we're having to make hard decisions to make the greatest impact. I hope people can understand that."

The New Political Pugilist:
A sit-down with Ala Mhigo's rising star

GERARD ANTERS

G. Anters: Let's start simple. How would you describe your political ideology?Lucius Quaestor: Let me ask you a question in return... What's the point of having an ideology in a land like Ala Mhigo? We're hard-working people. The key word there is working. That's what I believe in. I do what works.G. Anters: But you have to have some core values, right? What matters to you?LQ: I already told you. [Author's note; he says this with some immediate, perceptible contempt towards me.] Hard-working people. These, hard-working people.They didn't elect me to care about what you or anyone else thinks. I'm their voice. I know you like to fool yourself into thinking that you are, but do you know how many of my voters read your rag or any other? Of course you do. Zero. You don't speak for them or to them. You're a mouthpiece of the merchant class. You spend all your days talking to middlemen and managers who don't even know how to hold a [expletive] pickaxe properly, much less how to swing a sword.LQ: I only value what those who have bled to put food on the table have to say.G. Anters: You're kidding, right? You spend more time talking to the elite than I do. A day doesn't go by that I don't get some anonymous tip about some scandal at a party you were at the night before. Why do you think anyone buys that you're a man of the people?

LQ: I should punch you in the face right now for repeating those disgusting lies.G. Anters: Excuse me, what?LQ: I don't know what kind of gilded brothel where they worship the written word that you were born in, but where I'm [expletive] from, when a man insults you to your face you return the [expletive] favor.G. Anters: It wasn't an insult, I'm trying to hold power to account here. That's our job: to ask tough questions.LQ: Ah, of course. Like--your lineage. Or how many [expletive] your mother [expletive] had to [expletive] to send you to that elite academy where you learned how to bring shame on your homeland so the Mythril Eye will give you awards.G. Anters: This didn't have to get personal. Can we stay on topic?LQ: We are on topic. Let me ask you a question--why did your paper print that story about those suffering ingrates in Little Ala Mhigo with their pan-Eorzean sympathies last week?G. Anters: Because it was interesting. Our readers want to know about the identity of those who have left home and no longer feel welcome here because of our failure to grow into the future like the rest of the continent.LQ: What about the past?G. Anters: I don't understand the question.

LQ: People like you; they're only concerned about the future. But what about the past? Our ties to this land, the Forefathers that carved our homes from stone, and wielded arms with such ferocity that the entire continent banded against us.G. Anters: That's not relevant today. Today, we're looking at an uneducated populace with the shortest lifespan in Eorzea, mired in so much misery that some would rather continue living in a rocky hole in the Sagoli Desert instead of returning home. Doesn't that bother you?LQ: Life isn't meant to be comfortable. But if you understood that, maybe you'd have a real job.I'm done here--don't send me another request for an interview again without a sheet full of the questions you're going to ask. Let me tell you what the people care about: Garleans who don't belong here, committing crimes and desecrating our temples. The shame the Hext administration feels about our past. The attempt at forcing the entire Pantheon of the Twelve down our throats when we know who ranks highest in our hearts here in Gyr Abania: Rhalgr the Destroyer.If you don't want to talk about any of that, I don't want to talk about you.-At this point, the interviewee left the room we were conducting the Q&A in.

Say It Straight

A. Roman

Gagging for advice about shit going on in your life? I will give you no-nonsense feedback and ideas on how to get over whatever the fuck it is that’s bothering you.Trust me, following my advice has proven to work MOST of the time!Submit your questions anonymously.

My boyfriend’s cheating! He doesn’t know I know, and he’s done it with my best friend. What’s the best way to get back at him?
- Vengeance in VylbrandSo, your boyfriend's cheating on you. That fucking sucks. But! You are in a uniquely awesome position of power here. There's SO MUCH you could do with this... And it really depends on the kind of revenge you want. It all depends on what will hurt him the most. Is he really into his personal image? His social reputation? If so, bash him in public. Embarrass him. Hell, you could fuck a family member or best friend of his, too. Make that
other person feel really special.You could go full torched earth on this
fucker. Or! You could simply ghost
him. If he's coming back to you for
support, if he relies on you AT ALL for financial support, or for your house -- whatever. Ghost him. Disappear. The key thing to remember here is that you are the one that's been wronged. Do something personal. You know him better than I do. Just figure out where to push that knife and give it a nasty twist.

My co-worker is a bitch. She treats me like she’s my captain, but she isn’t! She always talks down to me and actively tries to find ways to embarrass me. What do I do?
- The Fall GuyListen, I know better than most what you're going through on this... co-worker front. Shit's frustrating, it sucks ass, and it almost always feels like you're constantly less than.There's a couple of things you could
do here. The most obvious and most immediate? You could just quit. But that isn't satisfying, is it? So, what do you do? You either get that bitch back and force her to see the error of her ways, or you connect with her. I dunno. Maybe her boyfriend neglects the shit out of her so she's a slut for literally anyone's approval and would cut a bitch to get it. I don't know her situation, and you probably don't, either. But if you do a little investigative work and she's actually just a raging dickhead? Fine, bury her ass. Embarrass her, ruin her, smear her. If you find out she's not that bad, she's just suffering? Cool, maybe you score a new work-buddy. Play your cards right and you might have a new girlfriend.

Can I Eat This?
A Field Guide to Eorzean Monster Cuisine

S. HIbiki

Despite the very many dangers of an adventurer’s lifestyle, the number one cause of death amongst sellswords, mercenaries, and hunter-scholars has always been ill-preparedness. A reliance on healing magic, synthetic medicines, and convenient food sources can lull even the most seasoned adventurer into a false sense of security, leading to their eventual demise.So, how does one prevent one’s untimely doom? The first step is a balanced diet! An adventurer’s ability to fight, travel, utilize magic or even think critically is heavily informed by their personal nutrition. Dried and cured meats, oily fried fare, wine, liquor and baked goods are easily transported, enjoyable, and can be eaten on the go, filling the belly and providing bursts of energy. However, the convenience of such vittles is betrayed by their lack of vital nutrients. On the same hand, fresh, nutrient-rich vegetables are as costly as they are quick to perish; outposts with produce for trade are often few and far between while on adventures.Where would an enterprising adventurer source such coveted ingredients, then? Why, the wide world of Hydaelyn, of course! Civilized spoken-kind are not the only beings beholden to a balanced diet – much the opposite, nearly all flesh-and-blood beings rely on a balanced diet. One must simply look closely at the overbrimming grocery that is our world, and ask oneself: can I eat this?With proper care and preparation, the answer may surprise you. Most things can be prepared using basic tools: fire, a pot or pan, and a sharp knife are sometimes all you need.

Seedkin: One of the most bountiful sources of in-the-field nutrition, most seedkin can be easily dispatched with conventional weapons or fire. Slashing weapons are preferred, as bludgeons tend to bruise the edible fruiting bodies. Magi beware: aetherial ice, fire and levin can ruin the taste of your seedkin before you cook them, so exercise restraint when casting!

Herbs for the Home

Veil Noir

I have spent much of my life repairing bodies that should not have survived what they endured. Some wounds demand magic, others demand stitches and time. And some - more than people like to admit - respond best to simple, patient care.Herbal and aether-adjacent remedies are holistic by nature. They support the body in uniquely special ways that aether cannot reach and in clutch situations where aether or tools may be unavailable. However, if you are bleeding heavily or watching a wound worsen instead of mend, or home-remedies are not working - seek a skilled healer or chirurgeon immediately. Pride has killed more patients than poison ever has.That being said, not every home has access to magic. Not every soldier has a mage at their shoulder. And not every ache, bruise, or restless night warrants drawing from the star itself. These entries are meant for maintenance, prevention and support - things you can do with your own hands using plants that grow in our own lands.

Ingredient of the week: Lavender (Coerthan variety preferred)Lavender grows stubbornly even in poor soil and cold air, which already tells you something about its nature. It is not delicate, and its endurance translates well to the body. Its scent is a natural relaxant and perfect for essential oils and body lotions to calm the body and mind.Note: Lavender does not replace proper treatment. It supports it. Like all good remedies, it works best when paired with patience, clean hands, and the understanding that healing is rarely instant.

For the home:
Hang dried lavender bundles near sleeping areas or store them in cloth sachets tucked into bedding. It calms shallow, restless sleep and reduces stress-induced fatigue. It does not force rest, but it eases the mind into allowing it. Particularly useful for those who wake often or carry tension in the jaw, neck, or shoulders.For medics and soldiers in the field:
Lavender steeped into a strong tea and allowed to cool can be used to cleanse minor wounds. It helps reduce inflammation and discourages infection without stinging - important for maintaining morale when pain is already plentiful. When mixed with warmed oil or fat, it can be worked into bruised muscle to ease stiffness after prolonged marches or combat.For non-aetheric field medics:
Lavender smoke - burned lightly, never smothering - can help ground patients experiencing shock or panic. Keep it subtle. Too much overwhelms the senses and defeats the purpose.

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