The Glare of Winterlight

To the south I ventured. Below the wastelands of desert and old broken roads, looking out upon the Sea of Sorrows and across a small straight toward a island covered in white, I finally arrived at the place called Winterlight Island. Had it always this name, I do not know, but the totality of ice covered everything glinting the sun's light into a white frozen glare assured me the name was certainly a fitting one.

The path to town was empty, and snow covered shacks lines the way. I arrived at what looked to be, or used to be, a town square. Nearby I heard the familiar sound of an axe, and found a man laboring at chipping frozen logs into what scraps of firewood he could manage. Raemek was one of the only left in town. He told me of his wife and daughters in a house nearby. He desperately fought with his axe, and I put it in mind to find him a better implement if I could. The cold setting into my bones, I decided to pay his family a visit and learn what I could from these impossibly rugged individuals before setting out to explore on my own.

In Raemek's home I found his wife Phaeba. She was a lovely woman, an industrious seamstress whose home was filled with skillfully crafted garments and crafts. My fingers couldn't help rub the threadbare clothing I had one, and wondering if this woman could craft me something more appropriate for the harsh island's clime. She shared a sullen story of her daughter. The intrepid Olara had ventured out into the nearby forest seeking the firewood these people's lives critically depend on. Nearly a month ago.... She was gone. Raemek's brother had gone out to seek her, and him too - Gone. I rushed back to Raemek, aghast at his misfortuned and blurted out Olara, much to his dismay. He blamed himself for allowing her to search for wood outside the village proper. It was there that I intended to search first and foremost!

Before setting out, and with the confidence that these remaining islanders were friendly and perhaps actually in need of whatever help I could give, I decided to check a few more doors. I met a man named Javen DeKandro who was friendly to visitors and filled me in on all the woes of this troublesome time for the island.

The island was in fact not always in this condition. Only over the last he claimed had the winter blast left them snowbound. Perhaps this place was not always called Winterlight Island after all! Worse yet, the weather was not seemingly natural, in fact he blamed a sorceress! Inquiring more, he spoke of a palace appearing on the island, and a missing brother. His father had been Mayor, and set out with 2 hunters to break into that icy temple, yet only one returned. Alas, his father and another townswoman Syrena remain missing!

Clearly an evil hung over this tiny village on this remote island. Javen told me more of the two hunters Loben and Syrena and their wise departure from the island. I noted that Syrena's daughter Tanca' still lived here, and put her on my list of peoples to gather more info from. Most others had gone, Tosok and Lilin I remember what Raemek and Phaeba had told me I mentioned Olara and he told me of Raemek's brother Marrin, and found that Javen shared their woes, and also that he had been holding the key to Marrin's smithy which he gave me gladly. I thanked him and headed outside.

Just outside across the town square I found Marrin's smithy, and the key clicked open the door. Inside I found an old forge that looked if fair enough condition, albeit long unused. Marrin's bedroom offered no hints on his whereabouts, though all his belongings sat in perfect order, his bedroom perfectly arranged, his belongings safely inside their wardrobes and locked chests. The man clearly did not pack up and leave in the night, I feared for him as his family did. I must assist these weary but steadfast people!

Back outside I knocked up and down the streets, and eventually found the home of Vozeb & Tanca, the daughter of the hunter Syrena that Javen had told me about. She confirmed Syrena had vanished after surviving whatever had taken place during the expedition into the ice palace that left so many families missing loved ones. Gone it seems without even telling her child her whereabouts, a sad state of affairs. A glimmer of hope remained however, as I was glad to hear of Tanca' and Vozeb's love in this dire place warming at least their own hearts, if nothing else. Vozeb mentioned his intentions to marry Tanca, and I could see why. But a ring was needed, a ring of his mothers had gone missing, and I noted it down in my memory as I set back about exploring the frigid village.

The other homes were desolate, and I found only small bits and bobs of long forgotten families and long frozen homes. In one particular I managed to pry up a floorboard, and must have gotten carried away with my search' of what I assumed was some long gone soul's hidden spot for precious items as was nearly dark and I had cluttered the room other miscellaneous items when my finger finally struck something, something small, and round, and silver!

Running back to speak with Vozeb, he was ecstatic, and it warmed my soul just a bit against this frozen landscape to bring him such joy. It ended up warming my feet too, as he rewarded me for my thorough search with a pair of snug winter boots, just perfect for my upcoming trek into the snow drifts beyond the village borders.