Residents of Empyreum are breathing a little easier tonight as self-proclaimed Ul’dahn medium Kurumi Kanade launches her own investigation into the enigmatic ‘blue elephant’ sightings. While the team over at EMET-SELCH have not yet given up, their newer scientific methods of tracking spirits have left some skeptical. One older elezen was overheard describing the team’s equipment as garish and unnecessary. “We don’t need outsiders lugging around heavy machinery to catch some paltry poltergeist! We want a trained spiritualist!”

Enter Kanade. While not the world’s most prolific exorcist, the young Au’ra is, no pun intended, spirited. After reading articles on the supernatural events, she decided it would be nothing if not interesting to also attempt to solve the mystery. “I’m just trying to do my part! I traveled all the way up here and don’t intend to leave empty handed!” She says she has spoken with several residents, all excited to have someone attempting a more traditional approach in their midst.

“That Kurumi girl, she’s got the ‘sight!’ I knew it when I looked into her eyes, it’s there and I see it!” says Tartie Pobleux, a regular at the local pub, The Forgotten Knight. “I’ve certainly spied many a thing in my time, and I saw that girl and knew that she had the sight for certain!”

While the comforts of familiarity wash over the increasingly anxious citizens, is this newcomer really able to match the technical prowess of EMET-SELCH? “I think the [EMET-SELCH] team have some strong foundations, and they definitely understand the basics. Spirits do like to take on certain forms over others, and I’m hoping to find out why this one does!”

Despite only being a few days into her inquiries, Kanade has already made some progress. “While meditating near some of the more frequent haunting spots, I have sensed that the spirit is likely lingering to fulfill its goals while still alive. I am not certain, but I believe whoever it was likely worked as an entertainer of some kind.”

We talked with some of the workers at a local theater, who seem to have confirmed Kanade’s suspicious, speaking under condition of anonymity. “About a year ago, there was a fire at the Firmament. Folks had hired us to perform for some crafters. I guess it was their 200,000th delivery. Anyway, a lantern or something got knocked over. One guy, Renneux Bordean, he got trapped and didn’t make it out. The boss covered it up, but I bet that ghost - that’s him, it’s gotta be!”

The theater group in question generally provides children’s entertainment, though does perform at a variety of events. The late Bordean’s show featured costumes and puppets, and while younger audiences were more receptive, his show was billed as one “for all ages.” The troupe manager denied our request for an interview concerning the alleged incident in the Firmament.

So is the case closed? “I wouldn’t put much stock in that story. Ghosts typically seek revenge when they die like that,” an EMET-SELCH representative rebuts. “Haunts like this, it’s usually caused by something a little less dramatic.”

Will we ever know the truth? The ever-intrepid medium is hopeful. “I think with more time I will be able to fully commune with the apparition. Contacting the dead isn’t like using a linkpearl. It takes a lot of time and patience.”

However this plays out, one thing is for certain: The pristine streets of Ishgard might not be as clean as we once thought.