Salt Pale

The Salt Pale (塩(しお)の杭(くい)) is an unidentified object that appeared in and laid waste to the Principality of North Ambria in S.1178. The disaster itself is commonly referred to as the North Ambrian Disaster (ノーザンブリア異変(いへん)). While the cause of the disaster is still unknown, the Salt Pale originated from the Outside.

Background

Appearance

The object appeared on Saturday, July 1, S.1178 at 05:45.^{[Note 1]} Bishop Alexei of the Haliask Cathedral contacted the High Seat of the Septian Church in Arteria reporting an enormous, cloud-scraping pillar in one of the suburbs of Haliask. The High Seat immediately dispatched two Gralsritter, Dominion No. 8 Barkhorn and his squire, from a neighbouring nation. The object borrowed its name from witness accounts, which described as a pillar because of its height, hundred of arge tall as if "capable scraping the clouds".^[1] The pillar was surrounded by a hurricane of salt. The hurricane expanded at a steady rate and salifinified everything within reach, humans and buildings alike.^[1]

Impact

After the second day, an enormous evergreen forest was crystallised and destroyed by the salinification process. Bridges collapsed and the foremost highways were no longer usable. Its ruler sought refugee in a neighbouring nation whereas citizens were forced to flee south beyond the Graeve River, out of the hurricane's salinification winds.^[1]

Although neighbouring countries were not directly affected by the salinification winds, North Ambria suffered major losses. Three out of five governmental districts, the City of Haliask included, were destroyed. One third of the North Ambrian population and many tourists fell victim of the salinification winds.^[1]

Investigation

The salifinication process continued for three days in total. When the hurricane stopped, the Gralsritter in charge of the Pillar immediately started their investigation. They found the 2,5 arge tall remains of the original pillar, inscribed with peculiar encravings.^[1]

Since the object still contained its original power to salinify, the Gralsritter carefully removed the object using the Gleipnir from a distance. They transferred the object to Arteria where it was stored in the innermost room of the cathedral.^[1] An unknown organisation working with the Imperial Army's Intelligence Division questions whether what remains of the Salt Pale is actually still in Arteria.^[2]

Relief

In the meantime, the Septian Church immediately offered relief to the North Ambrian people and set about rebuilding the damaged chapels and healing both the physical and mental wounds of the population. Children who lost their parents during the disaster, such as Georg Weissmann, were taken into custody by the church and cared for in gospel facilities until adulthood.^[1]

The northern part of the affected area was be put under the control by the Septian Church and be designated a restricted area for unspecified reasons.^[1]

Trails of Cold Steel IV

Five Salt Pales emerged near Ordis, Saint-Arkh, Nord Highlands, Eisengard Range and Lake Ebel alongside the mobile fortress Tuatha De Danann prior to the World War in Trails of Cold Steel IV. These structure appear to have been made from the residue left in the ground. These Salt Pales did not salifinify their surroundings but were spiritually linked to Tuatha De Danann, bolstering its defence with barriers.^[3]

In order for united Class VII to infiltrate the mobile fortress, their partners split up in five teams to investigate the Salt Pales. At the end of each, they found guardians created by the Salt Pales based on memories of places in Erebonia.^[3]

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