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« january 2026: ainomiad special group mini log »
A FROZEN CITY
This closed log is for the group who signed up to follow up the flower crystals from last month. All threads are worth 12 points.
Along with the four volunteers who signed up (Turo, Shadow, Sherlock, Emet-Selch), a large group of researchers will head through the gate into "Ainomiad's Tundra." In the past year, the staging area has become more developed and the passages through the cavern more well marked and secured. Buildings have been constructed, capable of withstanding the cold, and scholars have been hard at work studying what's within the caverns.
The group will make their way to the deepest part, known as the "heart of the caverns," and will be surprised to find the frozen island that had disappeared in the middle of the frozen lake. It takes the place of the small shrine-like structure that was originally there, and a different pedestal now stands where the tree once stood on the island. The spirit from before will also make a reappearance, and perhaps those who interacted with the joyful and sad spirits will find some resemblance in her. The spirit will guide the group to place the orchid onto the pedestal, and upon doing so the frozen surface will shimmer a dark, rosy pink.
Watching, the spirit will smile and quietly whisper, "She will awaken soon…" before disappearing.
However, before anyone can react further, the entire cavern trembles, a strange dragon-like shadow seemingly swimming over its surface before a large crack forms on the back wall and a large portion breaks off, creating a new opening. From it, a blast of cold air floods the room, carrying an unearthly sorrowful wail before it dies down into silence.
Time to explore this new cavern!
As if to guide them past, pink flowers will float in the air to light the way. Should they manage to get past the catacombs, the group will see in the distance a frozen city, a dome made of either ice or glass over it. The buildings within are somewhat preserved, but damage from attacks can be visible even from a distance. Once they reach the entrance, they will need to get through the massive gate that seals it off.
Along with the four volunteers who signed up (Turo, Shadow, Sherlock, Emet-Selch), a large group of researchers will head through the gate into "Ainomiad's Tundra." In the past year, the staging area has become more developed and the passages through the cavern more well marked and secured. Buildings have been constructed, capable of withstanding the cold, and scholars have been hard at work studying what's within the caverns.
The group will make their way to the deepest part, known as the "heart of the caverns," and will be surprised to find the frozen island that had disappeared in the middle of the frozen lake. It takes the place of the small shrine-like structure that was originally there, and a different pedestal now stands where the tree once stood on the island. The spirit from before will also make a reappearance, and perhaps those who interacted with the joyful and sad spirits will find some resemblance in her. The spirit will guide the group to place the orchid onto the pedestal, and upon doing so the frozen surface will shimmer a dark, rosy pink.
Watching, the spirit will smile and quietly whisper, "She will awaken soon…" before disappearing.
However, before anyone can react further, the entire cavern trembles, a strange dragon-like shadow seemingly swimming over its surface before a large crack forms on the back wall and a large portion breaks off, creating a new opening. From it, a blast of cold air floods the room, carrying an unearthly sorrowful wail before it dies down into silence.
Time to explore this new cavern!
The first area they pass through will be a long, dark tunnel that opens up into a huge cavern filled with tall, icy columns forming a catacomb of sorts filled with frozen remains scattered throughout. Because of the frigid temperatures, there is little to no sign of decay, and even the blood that had pooled beneath the bodies seem to have frozen in place, staining the frozen ground. The bodies are all riddled with wounds, the clothing of the fallen mostly or two different uniforms to clearly mark that the remains here are of soldiers or fighters. Who were the defenders and who were the invaders is unclear, especially as they are of different people and races, humans and beastfolk alike. But some bear an orchid insignia on their sleeve, similar to the flower seen in the temple.
The passage through will remain eerie and silent, however the deeper they go, some may hear the whispers of anguish and regret echo against the icy walls, the occasional sobs of those who mourned the fallen. They may even notice dried flowers and pennants, perhaps those who had come to leave tributes. Pictures of loved ones pressed into frozen hands. And eventually, pink candles float over the bodies, casting long shadows on the walls and the ceiling—shadows that seem to come to life and reenact the battles that must have occurred. It's then they may get a clue that this "cavern" may not have always been a cavern—that the icy columns they passed are not ice, but frozen trees.
Be careful—the shadows may move and enter the corpses to make them move and attack. The shadows may also try to lure them closer to the walls, pretending to be reflections of loved ones or a stranger trapped in the ice to drag them in instead.
The passage through will remain eerie and silent, however the deeper they go, some may hear the whispers of anguish and regret echo against the icy walls, the occasional sobs of those who mourned the fallen. They may even notice dried flowers and pennants, perhaps those who had come to leave tributes. Pictures of loved ones pressed into frozen hands. And eventually, pink candles float over the bodies, casting long shadows on the walls and the ceiling—shadows that seem to come to life and reenact the battles that must have occurred. It's then they may get a clue that this "cavern" may not have always been a cavern—that the icy columns they passed are not ice, but frozen trees.
Be careful—the shadows may move and enter the corpses to make them move and attack. The shadows may also try to lure them closer to the walls, pretending to be reflections of loved ones or a stranger trapped in the ice to drag them in instead.
As if to guide them past, pink flowers will float in the air to light the way. Should they manage to get past the catacombs, the group will see in the distance a frozen city, a dome made of either ice or glass over it. The buildings within are somewhat preserved, but damage from attacks can be visible even from a distance. Once they reach the entrance, they will need to get through the massive gate that seals it off.
Once inside the city, the group will find that it is frigid and it will be clear that lingering too long without proper gear or warmth would be dangerous. Fortunately there is some tech and supplies available back at base camp, so returning to resupply may be the wiser course of action if they do not have anything or can make something on hand. Since the group is small, the main objective is reconnaissance and to get a feel for what may be found in the city. Everyone needs to pair off and is given a flare to use in case of trouble. Here is what they may find and need to be careful of.
🌸 Flower crystals. Floating around here and there are flower crystals not too dissimilar to the ones that appeared during Winterstide. They tend to center around homes or places where people once gathered. Once touched, they will play a vision of a memory of what occurred in the place, usually a warm memory that depicts a fragment of the city's past.
🧟 Frozen enemies. The shadows from before will be lurking around here, and frozen remains will shamble along not to attack, but to try and grab onto people as if to keep them and drag them into the ice. They will even sing sorrowful songs, as if to trap their victim in mourning a dark moment in their life. There are other monsters such as ice golems that will attack, so watch out for those, too.
🐺 Snow wolves. Fortunately, there will be some assistance in the form of snow wolves. Their coats are so pure in white they could easily be mistaken as ghosts…and it's still not clear if these wolves are spirits or not. Regardless, they will help guide and protect those who may need it.
🔔 Belltower. In the distance at the highest point of the city, something can be seen shining high atop a belltower. Reach it to discover another secret of this city.
🌸 Flower crystals. Floating around here and there are flower crystals not too dissimilar to the ones that appeared during Winterstide. They tend to center around homes or places where people once gathered. Once touched, they will play a vision of a memory of what occurred in the place, usually a warm memory that depicts a fragment of the city's past.
🧟 Frozen enemies. The shadows from before will be lurking around here, and frozen remains will shamble along not to attack, but to try and grab onto people as if to keep them and drag them into the ice. They will even sing sorrowful songs, as if to trap their victim in mourning a dark moment in their life. There are other monsters such as ice golems that will attack, so watch out for those, too.
🐺 Snow wolves. Fortunately, there will be some assistance in the form of snow wolves. Their coats are so pure in white they could easily be mistaken as ghosts…and it's still not clear if these wolves are spirits or not. Regardless, they will help guide and protect those who may need it.
🔔 Belltower. In the distance at the highest point of the city, something can be seen shining high atop a belltower. Reach it to discover another secret of this city.
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- Bubble Charm, The Trustfaller, Amulet of Buoyancy, Ring of Returning, Favour of the Rat King, Sacred Galewind Shoes, Cid's speedster protection bracelet
- Casebook and related supplies, magnifying glass, 19th century sports pistol from SHCO, lock picking set, looking glass, peregrine falcon tracker pin
- 2 Doppelplushes with sleep and hugging enchantments along with a spell to shrink them, magic pocket
- Anti-Skeleton Key, Skeleton Key, Opalescent Butterfly Utensil Set
- Winterwarding Blanket, Camouflage Cloak lvl. 3
- ‘Encyclopedia Necronomica’
- Spirit Lantern, Lantern of the Frost Watchers (assuming reward is okay'd)
He's wrapped up in his cloak with the Winterwarding Blanket underneath it to keep him warm. His deerstalker hat has the earflaps down and tied under his chin. He examines some of the fallen and frozen bodies, taking many pictures and sketches. He's even sketched the spirit, noting the similarities to the spirits and flowers from earlier. Sherlock writes everything down, even the whispers they manage to catch. ]no subject
[It was spoken up, just after a moment, as Turo had taken in the icy columns and how they were spread; the number of them. A clear enough path cut through towards something in the distance they were headed towards. Even with the frozen bodies scattered about, the stains of blood.
He was looking at one of the 'columns' as he said it, a faint flicker in his eyes that could have been a trick of what light they carried.]
Or even something park-like.
[Hey Sherry, that was both awe that was equal parts wonder and horror in Turo's voice as he said it.]
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[ Walking further in and pulling his cloak tighter around his body, Sherlock observes the bodies as Turo looks upwards at the icy columns. ]
We have two forces, though I am not sure if the orchid wearing ones are protecting this place or trying to seize it. At least here, they are too mixed. What I don't understand is why the bodies are still here like this...
[ He kneels down to examine some of the trinkets left behind. ]
The living have been here, but the dead have not been put to rest in any way. They've been left in a grotesque state.
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[Not with this type of tree, how tall some of them seemed to go. What else lurked within and beneath the ice here? Other than the bodies so very visible, had him walking carefully to avoid stepping on... anything.
The blood, how they were frozen over and—]
I don't believe there was time to bury them, and what we do see with the candles floating- [A small gesture to a few pink floating candles he could make out.] -was an attempt to do what could be in what was likely a rush to escape this area alive. Trinkets, candles...
The trinkets were left before this place froze over as we see it now.
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That doesn't make any logical sense. Had people needed to escape so quickly, they wouldn't have time to return here with trinkets to leave. If they had the time to do that, then they would have the time to at least arrange their bodies into something respectable even if they could not be buried.
[ He looks a charm pressed into frozen hands. ]
Even when we assume the bodies froze near instantaneously into these positions, then the danger would still be present if the people left the trinkets before the rest of the land froze over. They would still need to focus on escaping.
[ He rubs his temples. He is onto something. He knows he is... right? ]
Something influenced them back here beyond sentimentality and offerings for the dead. I could understand maybe one or two braving the dangers to leave something for a loved one, but this scale and personalization doesn't suggest the actions of a few individuals.
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Of nominal interest is a book of tales he has also picked up, describing what seems to be the origins of the leviathans.
While Sherlock takes note of all the things he sees, Emet-Selch is quietly taking in everything the average man can't. Sometimes he seems to be staring at nothing, other times he's unusually focused - mainly the flowers which hold memories and the spirits they pass along the way. ]
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[Something that felt like humming to his own core, a vibration that most would miss with just how subtle it was. Alive in a way some could find the beating of a drum; that without the sound.
It had looked as if something was attempting to break through the bell tower's door, and with the few frozen bodies there they hadn't succeeded. Yet the door had been damaged enough that Turo hadn't had any issue forcing it open, eyes having flicked to that glowing teal on black as if keeping read on something.]
The snow wolves that followed seemed agreeable to waiting outside as we make this climb.
[There seemed to be a broken down elevator in the belltower, but they would have to take the stairs to the side due to it being nonfunctional.]
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As Turo looks over the entrance to the tower, Shadow glances in the direction of the wolves lingering nearby. They haven't been acting hostile so far, but he can't help but be weary by their presence. His ear wiggles, looking at the tower once more.
...
Maybe it was nothing. Or maybe it's the strange feeling Turo was recieving from the tower that he sensed. He will take up the rear then, ensuring nothing decides to jump them as they enter the tower. The frozen bodies are given a quick glance as he passes them. Were they trying to take shelter, or raid the tower?
Once inside, he takes in the interior, checking for any possible danger. The stairway goes high above, anything could happen between now and the top. Flying up there did cross his mind, but that may be too reckless, especially while he's with another.]