25 - 9/30/24 : Ship in a Bottle

"You wish to know how you may best serve me? Walk outside into the cold, lay down in the snow, and wait for my icy embrace to claim you. Nothing short of your death will suffice."  

La Saia, the Frostmaiden

The party first conferred on what exactly to ask La Saia via the Ring of Winter. After much deliberation, they decided it was best to try and figure out how much La Saia could track their movements and actions, and also decided to see if she could be reasoned with into a possible alliance against Levistus.   The Frostmaiden made her presence known by summoning and speaking through an icy effigy of herself. As expected, she was an unchanging, unfeeling goddess; her goal was naught but the cessation of all life in the Taiga to preserve her love Minerva within the lost city of Ythryn, and from this course she could not be swayed.   Ragna tried to enquire if La Saia still held dominion over the souls of their siblings Gunnar and Ysmir, as well as Sephek Kaltro; the goddess confirmed this. Ragna also questioned the nature of the Midwinter Blessing that she had received at birth; La Saia responded cryptically, only saying that such a thing was preordained by the strange twists of fate. La Saia remained confident that Ragna would serve her goals eventually, regardless of it the barbarian intended to or not.   La Saia seemed very convinced of her inevitable victory, considering the Lonesome Few to be a manageable threat. The party took solace in this, as it would possibly allow them to move without the risk of active enmity towards them. La Saia informed them that no action short of the party giving up and dying to give their souls unto her collection would please her.   As a parting warning, La Saia spoke to Melfina, encouraging her to use the Ring of Winter liberally, imploring the wizard to think of her every time she used its wintry magic. She then departed, encouraging the party to deliver themselves into her icy grasp once and for all.   Shaken by the tense conversation, the party decided to rest after acquiring valuable information on La Saia's state of mind. Still with no way to reach the Sapphire Isle, they agreed to speak with the druid Gleha in the morning.   While resting, Alith managed to unlock the seventh and penultimate Circle of Zerthimon.  

Know that the Rising of the People against the illithid was a thing built upon many turnings. Many were the People who lived and died under time's blade while the Rising was shaped.   The Rising was shaped upon a slow foundation. Steel was gathered so that it might mark illithid flesh. A means of knowing the movements of the illithids was established, at first weak and confused, then stronger, like a child finding its voice. When the movements were known, then the illithids were observed. In observing them, their ways of the mind were known.   When the ways of the illithid were known, many of the People were gathered and taught in secret the means to shield their minds, and the way to harness their will as weapons. They were taught the scripture of steel, and most importantly, they were given the knowing of freedom.   These things were not learned quickly. The knowing of much of the ways was slow, and in all these things, time's weight fell upon all. From the knowing of one's reflection in a steel blade, to the knowing of submerging the will, to the knowing of seeing itself. All of these things and more the People built upon. In time, they came to know the whole.

  Gleha remained at Camp Daybreak on the edge of the Hartwick Thicket, where she was tending to some of the orcish warriors of Storm's Call alongside Thokgrim the Stormlord. Thokgrim greeted the party warmly and asked to speak to Alith after their business with Gleha was concluded.   When asked if she had a way to the Sapphire Isle, Gleha admitted she had none. However, she encouraged the party to seek the one figure in the Taiga who had a closer tie to the land than even herself; the legendary wanderer, the goliath werebear Oyaminartok. Ragna recognized the name, as it belonged to the figure that had rescued him from near-death after being sacrificed by Siegmar two years ago. To find Oyaminartok, Gleha suggested that the party visit the goliaths of the Dragon's Teeth Mountains to the west.   Thokgrim met with the party afterwards, and asked what Alith's plans were after the end of the Eternal Winter. Alith intended to keep traveling after their business was concluded, but now felt after all their hardships that the Taiga was her home that she would always return to. Thokgrim thus offered her a home at Storm's Call as the Forgemaster for the Anvil of Storms, as he greatly respected both Alith's talent as a warrior and skill as a craftswoman.   Alith appreciated the tempting offer, and told Thokgrim that she would consider doing so for a time, though she did intend on leaving and traveling eventually. Thokgrim accepted this happily, and bade the party farewell.   The journey west to the Dragon's Teeth Mountains proceeded smoothly, and soon the party found themselves in the company of the Thuunlakalaga goliath clan of Wyrmdoom Crag. They were warmly welcomed amongst the goliaths, who had not forgotten how the party freed their Chieftess Ogolai from the clutches of Xardorok Sunblight. The goliaths treated the party to a hearty meal and a warm fire, and allowed them to partake in their favored sport, goatball - though Veszaltyrr pointedly did not wish to join in himself.   Ogolai herself smiled fondly when asked about Oyaminartok, and was happy to share what she could. She advised that the party travel to a small, secluded shore of the Valrua Sea and make ready for the journey to the Sapphire Isle. At this shore stood an old bell, known as Angajuk's Bell. Ogolai suggested the party demonstrate their survival abilities at the bell to attract the attention of Oyaminartok, who was known to wander the area and looked upon talented survivalists favorably.   The party passed south through the White Wolf Timberland, a strangely serene woodland, on their way to Angajuk's Bell. They found an old abandoned cabin near the bell and set up camp, passing the time by tending a fire and ice fishing. True to Ogolai's word, Oyaminartok soon appeared in hybrid werebear form, greeting the party politely and asking to enter their temporary abode.   Oyaminartok revealed that she had a friend that could get the party across the sea, but wished to know the party's resolve to end the Eternal Winter. Each member of the Lonesome Few affirmed their resolve to see the journey to its end, which pleased the old goliath. She bade them to follow her out to the ice, where she rang the old brass bell in a peculiar rhythm.   From a hole in the ice rose a massive old sperm whale, with the hull of a ship strapped to his back and encased in a glimmering bubble. The awakened whale, the Angajuk after whom the bell was named, greeted Oyaminartok as an old friend and agreed to take the party to the dreaded Sapphire Isle atop his back.   Oyaminartok gave the Lonesome Few one wish of success and survival, and reminded them to take heart, for La Saia was not the only deity that existed in the Taiga. Just as swiftly as the mysterious goliath appeared, she vanished on the wind as the party boarded Angajuk's back.   The great Angajuk dove into the freezing waters, but the party was protected by the magic bubble encasing the ship upon his back. A long voyage through the shimmering depths of the Valrua sea followed, with the party reaching their destination over the course of seven days. Angajuk assured them that another bell existed on the Isle, and would allow them to summon him when they were ready to leave.   The party emerged on a dock attached to the freezing Sapphire Isle, the coldest place in all of Lloegyr, and above the obscuring blizzards they finally laid their eyes upon their destination; the great fortress Grimskalle, within which the Codicil of White awaited the party…