Mogstock Spotlights Venue Partners for 5 Anniversary

Faerie's Lantern:
Introducing the Courier

Lehil Laruzedah, Editor-in-Chief

A little over a year ago, Lysarae Velanya started the Crystal Chronicle. It was, actually, the second newspaper of that name, following in the footsteps of one founded by Talman and Deidra Rose years prior. But Velanya's paper wasn't around all that long, before she closed her doors.

I happened to inherit the company, if with limited resources. I'm Lehil Laruzedah. It's very fair to ask exactly who the hells I am. Totally fair. I worked for the second Crystal Chronicle, mentored by my family's friend, acclaimed journalist Maxe Sahashin. Aunt Maxe was a prolific writer for the original Crystal Chronicle, as well as having bylines in the Garnet Gazette, The Crucible, and some others.

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Lehil Laruzedah, Editor-in-Chief

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Scientists Shoot for the Moon in New Research

Lara Eutrepe, Contributor

For years, the highlight of an Eorzean summer has been Mogstock, a musical festival that is so much more than music. Bringing together the Star's top musicians alongside some of the best food, comfort, and summer activities for a weekend of celebration and community.

Attendees regularly have a good time. Some have such a good time they come back with their businesses or musical talent and help the event further grow. Even expanding their schedule to five bells in celebration of the fifth anniversary of the festival, there were more applications to perform than spots on the schedule. The Star's biggest acts like Melodi and the Muses, Chaon Vision, The Drama Club, The Fens, and Mai Secret Valentine. But, nothing's perfect.

Braely Fiala, a senior organizer at Mogstock, knows all too well that over the years, the performers have been the spotlight of the massive celebration. That makes sense, but for this year, she wanted to find a way to bring more attention to the many venues and organizations who dedicate their time and energy to the festival every year.

"Last turn was a bit of a wake-up call. Things that had worked before seemed to get a bit hazy, right?" Fiala explained. "How do we get festival goers to visit venues? How do we make sure venues feel important and special, just as much as the musicians ... we've come up with some ideas we genuinely hope not only delight the Mogstock festival goers, but really make the venues that give of their time the same magical feelings about participation that it created in the early turns of the festival."

Venues, photographers, artists, and other pop-up events will be scattered through the festival grounds that weekend. One of those will be a pair of fashion contests asking participants to hit the themes Cottagecore and Rockstar. Fiala encouraged attendees to really make Mogstock a whole-day experience, including staying at the inn rooms available on site. She called Mogstock a "sampler platter" of the arts and culture of Etheirys; food, music, nightlife, art, photography, and so much more.

"I think it just reminded the music and bard end of things to remember that the thing that made Mogstock special was its universal appeal," Fiala said. "So I made sure to speak up and to really put serious thought into things we could do better, as I promised I would last year."

With everything done to rise above the issues of last year and reach new heights. Mogstock is poised to be a can't-miss event.

Things get Spicier in the Extended Edition

Editor's Note: The Black Chocobo Courier is a Sponsor of Mogstock.

When Dalamud fell on Eorzea, it couldn't have been further from imagination that Eorzean would set foot on the remaining moon.

That's the reality today. Scientists from around the Star have clamored to get prestigious postings to the Cosmic Exploration expeditionary force that has mustered on the surface of the moon. Working with engineers, artisans, and the indigenous Lopporits, the team of researchers has been able to study all sorts of wonders not seen on the face of the planet. From unusual fungal formations to geomagnetic storms and beyond, these astronauts have been leading the cutting edge of research into what may exist beyond our fragile world.

Living in cramped quarters at a colony called Moongate in the region known as Sinus Ardorum, scientists are making breakthroughs about the surface of alien worlds. According to Ishgardian astrologians, we've known that other points of light in the night had life for generations, accounted to the extraterrestrial nature of dragonkind, but the work being done at Moongate is far more tangible than some notion of the origins of dragons.

It's uncertain what practical applications the Cosmic Exploration team will being with them back planetside, but everything from new building techniques to new food and drinks are being tested on Moongate's population of researchers, to say nothing of the marvels of the universe they may uncover on any given day.

Across the Star

Etheirys' Latest and Greatest Independent Newspaper

Twentieth Sun of the Fourth Astral Moon, 7AE12

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Etheirys Celebrates Pride from Eorzea to Hingashi

Mikoso Yumitori, Deputy Editor

Dangerous New Drug Sweeps Through Ishgard's Brume

Lara Eutrepe, Contributor

There are specters of the past that cast long shadows over the places the beacons of light would rather look away from. One such specter is that of Blackened Rose, which has started to bloom again in the Brume.

Blackened Rose has been marketed to Brumers as a genuine medicine from Ul'dah's Frondale’s Phrontistery as a miracle cure. The Brume has been no stranger to snake-oil salesmen and confidence artists, but Blackened Rose is different. Allegedly, it does have genuine medicinal properties, but exploits the addictive properties of the narcotic somnus and the hallucinogen milkroot to ensure habitual use among those who consume the substance.

According to a spokesperson for the Temple Knights, Ishgardian alchemists have broken down the drug into it's components; principally somnus, pluto and milkroot. The addition of pluto to the concoction adds a series of alternate effects with special dangers. The skin of addicts is said to take on a stone-like quality and the increased aggression is further fueled by stimulants. Several assaults and violent outbursts in the Brume over the last several moons are suspected to be linked to Blackened Rose addiction.

Every known case of Blackened Rose addiction has been fatal.

Community leaders have cautioned against speculation about who made the drug and why, but the Brume carries generations of mistrust for the Halonic Church and city nobility. Old tensions have begun to flare, though Ishgard has insisted it is doing everything it can to prevent the spread of the drug.

"We have worked so hard to create an Ishgard where Lords and Commons work together," said MP Gerraldieux, who represents the Brume in Parliament. "We have to work together through this crisis as well. Ishgard is doing what it can to protect her people, and we of the Brume very much are her people. I urge patience, caution, and peace."

Earth-Aspected Snake Attacks Horizon Caravans

Maxe Sahashin, Contributor

The vast majority of work done by adventuring companies is routine. Protect Traveler A, Hunt Creature B, Recover Item C. Those missions are the bread and butter of the adventurer's lifestyle, and serve to keep them in enough gil to live fairly comfortable, particularly in Eorzea where adventurers seem to outnumber blades of grass sometimes.

One of these routine requests was taken up in the previous moon by one Ashra Aime, a young huntress from Abalathia's Spine. Aime was to retrieve the boots owned by a merchant whose caravan was attacked by a giant snake What her team of hunters found was far more dangerous than a request to find boots.

Linus Nattar, a witness to the snake, described it as a gargantuan creature studded with crystals aspected to Earth, roaming Nophica's Wells. Nattar insisted that he had also encountered 'harbingers of death', spirits that surrounded him as the creature was intent on eating him.

Aime's team was able to subdue the creature with a trap designed by one Ahki Roro and hidden by Lilith Saerun that proved to be instantly fatal to the serpent. Remains of crystals and a crystalized baby serpent were found in the creature's den. Saerun cautioned that more of this snake's kind may continue to exist in Thanalan.

"We can't rule out the possibility that either this one had eggs that successfully hatched or whatever process created it is creating others," said Saerun in a report to the Adventurer's Guild. "I have to urge extreme caution for those carrying highly aetheric items through the Nophica's Wells region."

In the enclave of Sui-no-Sato, we recognize that there are as many colors of love as there are fish in the sea or corals in a reef. It is certainly a pleasant feeling to see that the surface world is of the same belief - and that like much anything else, it makes for a solid excuse for a massive party that can apparently draw people together. It was my pleasure to attend more than one; and there were certainly a number of memorable events among them.

There were plenty of artists to be seen around, and while I did not take the time to sit for a picture, it was always good to see more and more things like that. My time was more spent window shopping, taking in the number of different vendors to be found. While I may have been too... unready... to purchase from some of the vendors, I was making plans to sample several of the delicious-looking cafe opportunities on offer. From sweet to savory to salty and everything in between, there truly was something for all tastes. Though I admit that perhaps a swimsuit with a refreshing drink might have made for a better outfit than my issued suikan... things were rather warm, so dress to breathe!

All in all, remember that love is love, yes?

Arts & Culture

Etheirys' Latest and Greatest Independent Newspaper

Twentirth Sun of the Fourth Astral Moon, 7AE12

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The Repair Bay: A Safe Haven for Synthetic Spoken

Lehil Laruzedah, Editor-in-Chief

Synthetics, the catch-all term for robots, dolls, androids, and perhaps even homunculi, live and work beside their natural-born comrades across the Star. Some were engineered to be a servitor class, or a weapon of war, or just a curiosity, but all have the capacity to be just as actualized and real as any Spoken. Nowhere on the Star illustrates this like a little bar tucked away in the Lavender Beds; the Repair Bay.

Owned by two sisters of Allagan design - the hospitality unit R3 and the intelligence unit R4 - the Repair Bay offers a place for synthetics to mix and mingle with their organic colleagues. More than that, though, the bar offers critical services for synthetics.

"Many do not even realize we exist, let alone how many of us there are," said R4, who goes by Maki when speaking with organics. "In that respect, it is vital to our continued functioning that there is a place both where one can get help with repairs, as well as know that they are not alone."

Maki admins that often there are only a few synthetics visiting on a given night. Most of her customers are organic. The drinks that she offers as bartender are calibrated to be pleasant to both organic and synthetic digestion. But the ways having a place to connect with other synthetics matter deeply cannot be understated. More than comradery, The Repair Bay has been a place where synthetics have met and fallen in love. That illustrates just how little actual difference exists between the lives of organics and synthetics, and that, too is part of what The Repair Bay offers.

Drinks on offer included things like Nier Beer, The Gender Fluid, and a smokey whiskey sour called The Wasteland. Maki made me a drink called the Circuit Tingle, a sweet little something that was supposed to make my circuits feel alive. Lacking circuits, I was skeptical, but it put a nice feeling through my nerves instead.

Even when not officially open, The Repair Bay felt so alive. Maki shared information on different kinds of synthetics that come through the Bay, explained the roles of her and her sister in Allagan society, and generally proved to the the excellent conversationalist anyone may want from a bartender. For a way to spend an Earthsday night.

As for a message to readers who may be apprehensive about meeting Synthetics, Maki showed that even an ancient Allagan construct can have a sense of humor: "Resistance is futile." Her genuine answer, though. "I would say, do not be afraid. Many of us who are fully sentient are not that different from organics aside from our components."

The Repair Bay is located in the Goblin neighborhood of the Lavender Beds, Ward 29 Plot 6.

A Look at the Venues Making Mogstock Magic

Lara Eutrepe, Contributor

Now entering it's fifth year, the promise of Mogstock means different things to different participants. With the music festival's renewed focus on its venue partnerships, the Black Chocobo Courier has spoken with those partners, both legacy participants and the newer additions to the Mogstock family.

Organizers at Mogstock have admitted that the fourth outing for the festival was underwhelming for many of those partnering venues, which led to this year's increased focus on those venues. One returner from last year, Dueling Otters and Twin Otters, is still relatively new to the Mogstock family, but is excited to return for the festival again.

"When we first opened Otters, we just wanted to offer a safe and exciting place for people to go. These festivals do the same. I have never been to a dull festival or left one without a huge smile on my face," said Otters' co-owner Ezzie Wungrave. "Mogstock is so full of life. Music and art surrounding you. There is no safer place to be."

One of the venues joining Mogstock for the first time this year is the bathhouse Afterglow. Plushie, Afterglow's manager, was excited to be part of Mogstock's pivot to be more embracing of adult entertainment venues for Mogstock '12. Afterglow began as an outlet for Plushie's creativity, letting her design space and theme for potential guests, before the venue took on a life of it's own.

"It's a thrill to work my way into a position where I get to be the person pouring gasoline on their fires of passion," Plushie said. "I get to sit here and say that I watched them improve and hone their craft. I feel like that about all of my creative teams. I don't care if it's cheesy, I want to invest into people, and I look for people who share that vision. That's why I'm here at Mogstock."

Even when not officially open, The Repair Bay felt so alive. Maki shared information on different kinds of synthetics that come through the Bay, explained the roles of her and her sister in Allagan society, and generally proved to the the excellent conversationalist anyone may want from a bartender. For a way to spend an Earthsday night.

A partner of many years, seen as a legacy, is also of the cheekier sort. The Bandee Pakshee has been a long supporter and partner in Mogstock, fueling the festivities with companionship and good food. Like their fellow adult venues, Pakshee's courtesans won't be 'on the chronometer' for this weekend's festival, but will be bringing their full charm to bear on the attendees.

Between Pakshee, Afterglow and Otters, several generations of Mogstock come together this year, pouring time and effort into making more than music at this year's festival; they make community.

Columns

Etheirys' Latest and Greatest Independent Newspaper

Twentieth Sun of the Fourth Astral Moon, 7AE12

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Faerie's Lantern: Introducing the Courier

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As the daughter of the owners of the Bandee Pakshee - yes that's their ad, and yes I'm ashamed of myself - I've worked hard to avoid the blessings of nepotism in my life. I was a Commander in the Lilium Fellowship Peacekeeper Corps during the Garlean Wars, before settling down with a daughter of my own, Ruby, and my wife Andy.

But that does not an Editor-in-Chief make. Aunt Maxe and my first boss Lysarae taught me far batter than that. No, The Black Chocobo Courier needs a purpose. I need to steer that purpose. The highest duty of a journalist is to seek the truth and report it. But whose truth?

The glib answer is we speak for you, our readers. The more complex answer is that we hope to speak for the people who fall between the cracks of the major publications. The everyday. The artists, the venue owners, the adventurers, the barflies, the downtrodden. The everyday extraordinary person in an world growing ever more weird and wild day over day.

Allow me, readers, one indulgence. This column, Faerie's Lantern, will be my little corner of the Courier. You can write me questions, I can tell you stories. As I explore the world as the intrepidest (I know it's not a word, allow me two indulgences) reporter I can be, I'll use this as my place to talk directly with you. Person to person. No pretense.

I hope these terms, and I, myself, am acceptable to you, dear reader, as we embark on a new venture in the who, what, why, and how of Etheirys.

Out of Water: Summertime Starlight Cools Thanalan's Heat

Ul'dah in the summer months tends to run very, very hot- so much that as a native of Sui-no-Sato, I tend to prefer my time in cooler climes- but the one thing that has always drawn me out, even in the heat of the summer is the way Eorzeans celebrate their holidays. From Heavensturn to All Saints to Springtide, there is nothing like a celebration to get people out into the streets. Such as it was with the recent “Summer Starlight” event I attended a few days ago.

Venturing out into the surprisingly moderate warmth, there was still plenty of chilly goodness to be had as there was snow everywhere and wonderful holiday food, fun and frozen delights to be had. I must draw attention to the skating rink - while I was not brave enough to put on a pair myself, those that were out on the ice indeed looked like they were having fun! There was also a maze and a jumping puzzle, for those revelers more athletically inclined than I happen to be at the moment.

I must admit that one superiority the surface world has over the undersea domain of the Ruby Princess, it is most definitely the sheer variety of the musical acts on offer. I'll admit to bobbing my head... and maybe a few dance steps...

If I have any regrets, it's that I didn't get to try the sleigh ride, or to get a snapshot taken with the Saint, or get to overdo it on delicious holiday sweets. But this being Eorzea, a celebration is only one or two days away, it seems.

Mikoso Yumitori, Deputy Editor