REPUTATIONAL CRISIS AVERTED
Missing Candles Found Amongst Self-Help Books
Day 328 of the 4th Age
Trouble has been brewing in the Realm. Whispers spread that rival merchants, jealous of the Guild’s rising favour, sought to tarnish the Viridian name. The unrest erupted when word leaked that a prominent bookseller had begun stocking Viridian candles.
According to witnesses, an intruder infiltrated the bookshop at night and tore apart every Guild-sealed package, leaving the candles stripped of their signature protective wrappings.
By dawn, the bookseller discovered shredded parchment across the floors - and the candles missing entirely. An immediate investigation, joined by helpful townsfolk, uncovered the stolen candles tucked behind a shelf of self-help books.
The finding triggered a surge of speculation that Viridian wickcraft had been associated with “practical non-fiction” and motivational literature: a humiliation far worse than the theft itself.
When questioned by the Realm's investigators, Vaelan, Viridian’s Chief Archivist, declared the rumour “a grievous insult to the Guild’s legacy”, assuring patrons that only fantasy literature, lore and magic inspire Viridian creations.
The Chief Archivist added that true patrons of the Realm would set the record straight. Order has since been restored, but speculation continues as to which rival sought to sabotage the Viridian Guild’s ascent.
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