Explosion in the Councilmans office!!

Published in the Gaslight Gazette
By: Alwin Elric Thorne

Chaos erupted in the heart of the city’s wealthiest district last night when an explosion shattered the office of the late Councilman Oswald Harrow, a former member of the Closed Council. The blast occurred in Harrow’s private study inside the building of the Ministry of Accounting and Recounting, sending shards of glass raining down on Reaper’s Lane and leaving a gaping wound in the stately building.
Councilman Harrow, a member of the powerful Closed Council, passed away two weeks prior under suspicious circumstances during a public speech. The explosion has only fueled speculation about the nature of his death, especially as early reports suggest the presence of a strange group at the office during the time of the explosion. Guards stationed nearby claimed that right after the explosion, many of the office workers came out of the building under the reasoning that there was a fire, a secretary of late Councilman Harrow claims she saw figures fleeing the scene. In contrast, others reported flashes of lightning and a crackling surge of energy moments before the detonation. 
The Closed Council has called for an emergency meeting, and authorities are urging citizens to avoid the area while the investigation continues. Meanwhile, questions linger: Was the explosion an accident, or the deliberate destruction of evidence? And who, exactly, was in Oswald Harrow’s office that evening?

Radium for the Masses: The Radium Arms Act Passes!

Gaslight Gazette – Political & Industrial Affairs

By Edmond Thorne, Senior Correspondent on Colonial & Domestic Policy

In a landmark decision, the Imperial Assembly has passed the Radium Arms Act, granting civilian access to radium-infused munitions. Once reserved for military and noble use, these cutting-edge bullets—infused with the radiant power of science—will now be made available to all licensed gun owners across the Empire.

This move, championed by East Donbar Emporio in collaboration with the Luminary Guild, is being hailed as a triumph of progress and self-defense rights. Advocates argue that in an age of rising crime, occult threats, and growing civil unrest, it is only natural that every Imperial citizen should have access to the best tools available to protect themselves and their families.

"A Safer Empire for All"

Representatives of East Donbar Emporio, the exclusive distributor of Radium Bullets, celebrated the act’s passing with a statement:

“For too long, only the privileged and the armed forces have had access to the miracle of radium munitions. But why should security be a luxury? With the passing of this act, the common man will no longer have to rely on rusted steel or outdated powder rounds. The future of self-defense is here, and it glows.”

Already, sales have skyrocketed, with gun shops in Pyre reporting record-breaking pre-orders of the luminous ammunition. Personal defense courses featuring Radium-based weaponry have also sprung up, with the Emporio sponsoring public demonstrations showcasing the bullets’ effectiveness against spirits, rogue sorcerers, and even outlaw Critch.

Gaslight Gazette #2

Gaslight Gazette

"Catastrophe in Pyre: Soulspire Explodes, Veil Shattered!"

PYRE, 1849—Chaos erupted yesterday as the Soulspire, the towering machine hailed as mankind's boldest leap into the unknown, violently exploded during its first full activation. Designed by the brightest alchemists and scholars to harness energies from the afterlife, the catastrophic failure has torn a glowing rift in the sky. Witnesses describe an ear-splitting roar followed by a blinding light that turned night into day. Moments later, strange, flickering shapes—some claim they resembled figures, others only formless shadows—soared out from the wreckage and dispersed across the city.

Above Pyre, a vast, radiant scar now stretches across the heavens, pulsing with eerie, shifting lights in colours that defy description. This "Soulscar," as onlookers have begun calling it, casts an otherworldly glow over the city at night, drawing both fear and awe from its inhabitants.

Authorities have yet to release an official statement, but whispers of sabotage and divine punishment are already spreading through the Blood Market and beyond. Crowds gather in frightened clusters to watch the sky, unsure of what to believe—or what to expect next.

What was unleashed last night remains a mystery, but Pyre's citizens are united in their fear that the city may never be the same again.

- Excerpt from the 1849 issue of "Pyre Chronicle".