A gentle breeze whispered through tall, green grass. Small butterflies fluttered over the vast meadow while small birds chirped and sang overhead. Beams of radiant light cascaded around the tall mountains surrounding the vast, green field, hardly any obstructions to be found across its flat expanse. The floor of the valley was one large meadow with trees only just beginning to grow near the slope, a picture of serenity amidst the cold and forlorn mountains all around it.

                Situated within the heart of the Faladorian Mountains, this valley was something of an enigma. It stretched on for miles and was nestled between some of the largest mountains in the world. A vast river flowed through its heart, carrying minerals and nutrients to support the resplendent wildflowers covering the vast and verdant field. While this valley was a truly remarkable oasis, its history made it far more incredible. Several hundred years ago, this peaceful place had been at the epicenter of the Crisis, and now it was simply remembered as the birthplace of the First Archon!

                Grass blew gently as several butterflies alighted across the fronds. Suddenly, a sandaled foot stepped in the way, sending the butterflies scattering. Tearna let out a small, happy laugh as she watched the small bugs scatter, a true smile shining on her face. Breathing deep, she closed her eyes and basked in the scents and sounds, feeling the warmth of the valley flowing through her fur. Although it was still relatively cold, after being in the mountains for so long now, it felt like she had arrived in the Karasi itself!

                Exhaling slowly, she looked across the vast meadow, “After spending so many days in the mountains, arriving in the Valley of the Colossi was a true breath of fresh air!” Grass crunched beneath her sandals as she walked, slowly taking off her heavier cloak, “Compared to the mountains, the valley was incredibly warm. We felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from our shoulders, and I’m sure a few of us actually thought we had passed into the afterlife.” Pausing, she snickered and grinned, “Though it certainly can feel that way, this place is actually real!”

                Heavy stomps shook the ground as the expedition’s ghollon plodded along, the entire convoy moving at a more normal pace now that their spirits had been lifted by the lush environment. Laughter once again danced on the air, and everyone was back to feeling normal! “The Valley of the Colossi was one of many locations we needed to explore on our journey,” Tearna wrote, walking at a leisurely place. “Not only does this place hold great, cultural significance, but it is also a treasure trove of life! Some of the creatures here cannot be found anywhere else, and it felt like every step we took unearthed something new!”

                Large, vibrant wings slowly lifted and fell atop a blade of grass. Crimson eyes illuminated as the small butterfly ran its hands over its feelers, ignoring the large, orange creature studying it as Tearna wrote, “The effervescent shimmerfly is just one such example. Shimmerflies can be found everywhere, but the effervescent variety can only be found here!” Violet colors glinted across its wings in a collage of swirls, “These shimmerflies are about the size of one’s palm, have six legs, small feelers, and large, compound eyes. What sets them apart, however, are the patterns on their wings! These patterns glint with an almost metallic radiance, and they have been a constant inspiration for both art and poetry.”

                Writing a few more lines, Tearna smiled at the small insect as it fluttered into the air to join all the others, “In all my life, I have never seen so many shimmerflies. The air was practically filled with them!” Smiling, she laughed as several of the small bugs alighted across her shoulders, “I see now how our people were so easily transfixed by them! Watching a swarm is like watching a painting in motion, and I will never forget the serene aura that seemed to follow them!”

                Breathing a soft sigh, Tearna snapped her journal shut as she hurried after the caravan. Hours passed as the caravan made its way into the valley. Most of the expedition members had taken off their heavier clothes and were far more relaxed as they admired the mountains, light continuing to shine around their peaks. “We were given two responsibilities when we were ordered to visit the valley,” Tearna wrote, squinting at her journal. “The first was to record anything we were able to find, but the second was to make a stop by the village where the First Archon herself was born!”

                Lifting her gaze, Tearna squinted into the distance, her eyes trailing over the end of the valley. Smiling more happily, she continued to write, “Thanks to my research before our departure, I knew my only chance to find creatures would be on the first half of our journey, so I made sure to make the most of it! Fortunately, another early encounter proved to be something edible!”

                “So… what exactly am I looking at?” Kai asked uncertainly, watching along with several others as Tearna dug around a small plant.

                “A kiiqwi plant!” Tearna said happily as she dug. Sitting in front of her was a strange, bulbous plant, predominantly green with orange markings and a spiral sprout rising from its top. Multiple tube-like roots were growing off its sides, keeping it firmly planted, but not for much longer. Gripping the bottom, she heaved with all her might. A loud pop echoed as it came loose, sending Tearna sprawling onto her back with a yelp. Groaning, she let out a gasp as the fruit smacked her in the chest and bounced into the grass, the others laughing at her expense as her ears heated, “Note to self, nothing bad happened when extracting the fruit…”

                Twisting her mouth in annoyance, she glanced over as a hand reached out. Kai smiled at her, “Let’s make a deal. I don’t hold this against you, and you give me a free out later when I do something embarrassing. Deal?”

                Staring at his hand thoughtfully, she finally grinned, “Deal!” Pulling herself upright, she smiled at him briefly before moving over to pick up the fallen fruit, “Kiiqwi plants are a rather strange vegetation. These plants grow in meadows and consist of a disc-like body with numerous roots, almost like a mangrove tree. Their fruits grow from their tops like a giant ball, supposedly to make it easier for herbivores to eat, and they are supposed to be quite tasty!” Manifesting a sharp rock, she smacked the fruit, making it hiss as it cracked open and revealed its orange interior. Smiling eagerly, Tearna quickly took a bite, “And I can definitely confirm that as a fact!”

                Warmth rolled around them as they walked, Tearna absently eating her fruit as she studied all the creatures she had catalogued. Feeling her ears twitch, she glanced up at the sky, smiling as she noticed several large sky rooks, their resplendent auras shining in her eyes. Sighing peacefully, another singing cry drew her gaze a bit lower. Blinking, she smiled as she stepped away from the caravan, “One of the last small creatures I encountered was a small mountain bird, a yannow!”

                A short distance away, a cluster of birds were sitting atop a shrub. They were snow white in color, like small cottonballs with wings, and had three long tailfeathers. Several of them had their yellow beaks open as they chirped, Tearna watching curiously as she began to take notes, “Yannows are a common bird in this valley, and this is the only place they can be found. It’s believed that, since they are so highly adapted to this climate, they can’t actually survive in the mountains, effectively meaning they are trapped, though I doubt they mind! These little winged cotton balls can often be seen singing atop plants and hunting for insects, and with so few predators, they have very little to worry about!”

                Water babbled as it flowed through the wide river cutting through the valley. Ghollon snorted where they lay as the expedition members unpacked supplies, the expedition taking a much-needed break as the medics treated the injured and many others worked closer to the river. Sparkling water glittering as several explorers refilled their water supplies, pouring water into larger jugs one after another. Stepping up beside them, Tearna knelt to study the river, “Bisecting the valley, the Majllellon river is quite literally the lifeblood of the valley.”

                Looking up its length, Tearna stood and shielded her eyes as she squinted, “The Majllelon river flows year-round, and, without it, the valley would simply not exist. Through its waters, nutrients and minerals constantly find their way throughout the valley, enriching the wildlife and leading to the abundance of such exotic growth.” Scratching her chin, Tearna pulled out her journal and continued, “However, the water here isn’t quite that simple.”

                Light glittered through a jar as Tearna swirled it, squinting at the water carefully, “For reasons we cannot fathom, the water here possesses qualities that haven’t been found anywhere else. How do we know these waters are different? It’s simple.” She lowered the jar and looked around, “The life around us. Because of their interaction with the water, life in this valley has evolved unique traits. Some of these traits are related to how large these creatures can grow while others relate to their beauty and strange metallic properties. While further research is needed, we can at least appreciate the beauty they allow to flourish within this oasis!”

                A bobber plopped into the river. Several explorers reclined on the shore with fishing rods, relaxing in the warmth as they waited for fish to bite. Nearby, Tearna watched the water curiously, studying the strange fish swimming just below the surface, “Given how unique the water is, it’s only natural for the fish to be just as unique. For instance, there is the armored snarltooth!” A strange fish pushed its way along, light glimmered across its rocky looking back side as a single tooth dangled down, “These fish are more rock than fish. They have developed sturdy carapaces and a sharp tooth to break through crustaceans and shells!”

                Another fish drew her eye as she continued “Another example is the lucid whiskerlout!” Pink and purple patterns flowed across the long, tendril-like appendages following the vibrant fish, “These creatures are known for their incredibly vibrant patterns, another result of these strange waters.” Taking quick notes, she blinked with a start and laughed, “And let’s not forget the rainbow-backed vicebite!” Crawling across the bottom of the river was a large turtle, a complicated rainbow pattern spiraling across its armored shell. Settling on the river bottom, it opened its mouth and waited patiently for something to cross its path, “Each of these creatures serves as a wonderful example of the pure vibrance of this valley, and it was a true joy to witness!”

                Snapping her journal shut, Tearna sighed softly as she stood and stretched her back. Looking up at the looming mountains, she meandered back to camp. “I still can’t fathom why we can’t stay here for a few days,” Bren muttered, frowning at the loaf of bread she was holding.

                “At least we get a small reprieve,” Kai sighed as he eyed the slice of fruit he was holding. Ears twitching, he turned his gaze as he heard Tearna approaching, “Ahh, Tearna! You’re just in time to hear Bren lamenting the cold for the eightieth time.”

                “I haven’t been that bad,” Bren muttered, rolling her eyes and taking a furious bite from her bread as Tearna laughed.

                “At least the cold isn’t dampening your spirits too much,” Tearna teased, sitting down on a crate next to them.

                “Did you finish studying those fish you mentioned?” Kai asked as she pulled out her journal, drawing Bren’s curious gaze.

                “I sure did,” Tearna said, flipping back through the pages. There were hundreds of notes, and this was actually her second journal. It was incredible just how much she had recorded over the past month, and how much more still needed to be found. She smiled happily as she began to reread, “There are dozens of unique species in this river! It’s hard to believe there are so many, but it’s all thanks to the weird properties here!”

                “And… no one knows why the river is so strange?” Kai asked, ear twitching as he glanced back at it. “I would think a scientist or two would have solved it by now.”

                “You would think,” Tearna said as she shrugged. She looked off towards the mountains, “All we know is that the river starts somewhere in the mountains. There are rumors that someone found where it starts, but those are just rumors.”

                “Ehh, I’m sure someone will figure it out eventually,” he said with a shake of his head. “Still, knowing what it does to this fish, I don’t want anything to do with that water!”

                “Aww, why not?” Tearna teased, Kai frowning at her flatly. For emphasis, she opened her canteen and took a quick sip before winking at him, “Scared you’re going to keel over and perish?”

                “Scared that I’m going to grow a third eye,” he countered. She rolled her eyes as he gestured towards the water, “How do we know it won’t affect us?!”

                “Kai, people have been living here for thousands of years,” Tearna said with a laugh as she shook her head. She grinned for emphasis, “If anything bad could happen because of this water, we would know about it already.” Taking another, longer drink, she holstered her water as Kai frowned at it, light sparkling through it with an incandescent radiance.

                “If you say so,” he finally muttered. Beginning to say something, he looked up with a start as the captain let out a shout, groans rising from around the camp, “Well, I guess the break’s over.”

                “We literally just got here,” Bren groaned, throwing her head back dramatically as the others began to pack up.

                “Don’t worry, Bren,” Tearna chuckled, the shasheek scowling at her as she stood up. “Just remember, by day’s end, we will all be sleeping in warm beds!”

                Frowning at her, Bren huffed and stood, “All you had to say was warm and I was in.”

                “I figured you would be accommodating,” Tearna snickered, watching the others as they began to load the ghollon. Squinting, she looked off towards the head of the valley, “Our goal for this excursion was to reach the village at the end of the valley before day’s end, and our current pace would put us there right as night fell. That being said… there wasn’t really a reason to rush! After all, this valley isn’t known for its predators, so we were all able to relax knowing there wasn’t any danger!”

                Water continued to babel alongside them as they followed the river, moving around its twists and turns while crossing the occasional bridge. “As we pushed deeper into the valley, we found some familiar sights and hints of civilization.” Tearna smiled into the distance as she watched a herd of twisthorns run, “There were many herbivores in this valley, most of which we were quite familiar with. The flatness of the landscape and the abundance of the grass makes this valley a key place for farming, so it’s common to encounter ranchers!”

                A friendly shout rang out as the convoy passed a large, picketed area. Tearna smiled and waved back, a sheek in rougher clothing waving at them from the field. Numerous ghollon were grazing around him, wind ruffling their shaggy coats as they eyed the strangers in their midst. Tearna smiled and pulled out her journal, “Many sections of the valley were dedicated to raising livestock, so we ended up seeing many creatures we had already met. There were ghollon, domesticated twisthorns, and a few others.” Pausing, Tearna raised her brow, “But there was one new species we hadn’t come across yet.”

                A loud bleating broke the peace. Shutting its mouth, the walking cotton ball took another bite of grass, several others grazing alongside it. Tearna leaned against the ranch’s fence as she took in the sight of all the fluffy animals, “Though not native to this area, the climate makes it perfect for one to raise preet!” One of the nearby preet loudly bleated before promptly stuffing its face back into the grass, “Preet are a herd animal we are quite dependent on. They are small, four-legged hooved animals with small horns and extraordinarily fluffy dispositions. Thanks to their thick coats, they can survive in extremely cold environments, but that same coat is what makes them so valuable!”

                Near the end of the ranch was a tall barn with thick timber sides and a shingled roof. With an agitated bleat, a preet stomped out, but it no longer looked like the others. Its wool coat was almost completely gone, leaving it looking as if someone had stripped it. “Preet wool is exceptionally vital to our industries,” Tearna continued, watching the now thin creature wander back onto the field. “This wool is used primarily for clothing, but it finds its way into other industries. Without wool, we wouldn’t have half of the technologies we enjoy, so raising preet is incredibly important even if it isn’t something we often think about.”

                Writing down her last thoughts, she watched as another naked preet came stomping out of the barn. Giggling with amusement, she followed the caravan further down the road, “We continued marching for most of the day. Many of us were dying to lie down in the meadow and lose ourselves in its serenity, but night was closing in, and we still had a destination to reach!” Tearna wrote a few more notes in her journal about the insect she had just seen as she hummed to herself. She suddenly grunted as she stepped into Kai’s back, making her scowl as she looked up at him, “Hey, why did you…”

                Trailing off, she let out a small gasp as she stepped around and gazed ahead of them, “After walking for several hours, we finally arrived at our destination, but even knowing that it was coming… we were still stunned.” High, high overhead, thick branches covered in needle-like leaves waved in the breeze. Creaking groans echoed around the towering trees looming over them, birds singing in the darkness shrouding their trunks. Tearna swallowed hard as she slowly looked back and forth, “Among all the forests on the planet, this is the only one that can support the aptly named world trees!”

                Branches rustled as a breeze blew through the canopies hundreds of feet overhead. “Compared to these mighty trees, we were like leaflits,” Tearna continued, staring up at the impressive trees with wide eyes. “Later on, I would find out that the oldest among them can grow to be almost seven hundred feet tall and nearly one hundred feet in diameter! On this planet, there is truly nothing, NOTHING, that can match these impressive trees, and I don’t think any of us will ever forget how miniscule they made us feel.”

                Swallowing hard, Tearna shook her head and followed the caravan as it made its way into the forest. Bird calls echoed as they followed the dirt trail, each of them looking around constantly at all the sights. Small, green lights danced in the darkness as glowbugs fluttered along, alighting on ferns and twisttails to illuminate the darkness. Further up, a few birds sailed while fish splashed in the river nearby. Tearna breathed softly as she looked all around. In all her life, she had never seen anything quite like this, and her mind was having a hard time accepting it.

                Blinking a few times, she furrowed her brow with sudden resolve. “Captain!” Coming to a halt, the captain looked back at her as she rushed up to his side, “I would like permission to leave the group for a while to explore this area.”

                “If it was anyone else, I would allow it, but you’re going to wind up lost,” the captain said as he frowned at her. Rubbing his chin, he looked back at Bren and Kai, “You two! Keep her from wandering into a den of nithsar, will ya?”

                “Oh, there are no nithsar here,” Tearna said with a bright smile, completely missing his meaning. “In fact, there aren’t hardly any predators. At most, all I would have to worry about would be-“

                “Yeah, we’ll take care of her.” Tearna’s mouth snapped shut as a lasso of wind snapped down. Blinking a few times, she pulled at it desperately, but finally gave up and scowled at Kai as he rested a hand on her shoulder and smiled, “Maybe between the two of us we can keep her wanderlust under control!”

                “I appreciate it,” the captain nodded. “When you guys make it to the village, we should be in an inn called ‘The Midnight Song.’”

                “Got it! We’ll catch up when she’s done wandering!” With that, the caravan plodded past them. Tearna and Kai watched as the others continued, a few of them bowing their heads and waving.

                Marching up beside them with a scowl, Tearna and Kai suddenly jumped as Bren practically screamed, “WHY ARE YOU KEEPING ME FROM THE WARMTH?!”

                Insects chirped in the relative darkness as light continued to glimmer in the sky somewhere overhead, but night was slowly settling in. Fronds swayed as small, furry creatures bounded along, collecting fallen nuts to bring back to their burrows. In the darkness, bark crunched as Tearna clambered up onto a fallen tree, brushing herself off before peering around, “Exploring the forest was certainly an adventure. I felt like one of those characters where they shrink down to the size of a leaflit. Everything felt big to me and there was something new to explore in every shadow!”

                “I’m still mad!” Bren called out for the eighteenth time, Tearna sighing as she looked back at her. The shasheek was clambering up the rocks that Tearna had already surmounted, anger in her eyes as she pointed accusingly, “You owe me for this! Do you hear me?!”

                “The whole world has heard you,” Kai called back as she let out a scream of frustration. Shaking his head, he looked up at Tearna, “But seriously, what are we looking for, or are you just wandering?”

                “I’m looking for any unique creatures!” Tearna huffed, crossing her arms for emphasis as Kai sighed. She smiled and looked out, “Just look at this place! For as long as we live, we may never have the chance to explore this again! I want to make the absolute most of it that I can!” Smiling back at them, she gestured over her shoulder, “Come on! Let’s keep searching.”

                “YOU OWE ME AT LEAST EIGHTY BOXES OF POLLEN PUFFS!” Bren exclaimed as she clambered over a fallen tree.

                “As we walked among the trees, I could practically feel the history,” Tearna wrote, the trio making its way through the undergrowth. She paused and knelt beside a heap of rocks as she peered underneath the bark fallen on them before looking over at a small stream, “So much history unfolded in this exact spot, and many of these trees still bear the scars of the Crisis.”

               A sad frown touched her face as she looked up at a tree. A massive scar occupied its side, showing worn and gnarled bark from where a cannon shell had landed, “When the Clockwork Armada attacked this valley, many of the trees were destroyed, and many more were wounded, serving as a lingering reminder to the people here of the horror they witnessed.” Frowning sadly, she shook her head and looked over at a more normal sized tree, “However, new growth has already taken root! It’ll take hundreds of years, but, eventually, the scars of the Crisis will disappear.” Smiling more happily, she suddenly laughed, “And new growth means new opportunities for cataloguing!”

               A haunting bird call danced through the branches as a rather squat bird rested in the saplings canopy, Tearna stopping beneath the tree to squint at it. “Obsidian brightwings are a whimsical creature not too different from other species found on our continent!” The creature opened its curved beak and let out another haunting call, the golden tips of its black wings shining, “Brightwings are a more nocturnal bird that often comes out only at night, but can sometimes be found during the day. These creatures are dark in color, have large eyes, and golden patterns that make them look like royalty!”

               With a flurry of motion, the brightwing took off, Tearna watching as its two, long tailfeathers streamed out behind it, “Although beautiful to behold, they are most known for their haunting cry, a melody that has often times tricked travelers into believing in ghosts!” She laughed as Bren and Kai stepped up beside her to watch the creature with uncertain expressions, “In fact, their melody is often referred to as the Midnight Song, which is quite ironic considering the name of our inn!”

               Branches cracked while ferns rustled. A small, dark, fuzzy shape bounded through the undergrowth, its thick, bushy tail sticking straight up as it sniffed the ground. Hearing a branch snap, it bolted as Tearna stepped through a bush, just barely missing it. Scowling, she pulled out her journal, “One of the tougher creatures to catch sight of were onireals.” A short distance away, one of the fuzzy creatures clambered onto the end of a rotting log, its tail flicking as it studied the undergrowth, “Onireals are a type of tree rodent that live almost exclusively in world trees, but they do bear some similarity to the equirrels.”

               Tearna knelt and squinted at the creature as she took notes, “Their fur is most often black, though they can be brown or grey as well, and have white patterns along their cheeks and legs. Most people will recognize them thanks to their bushy tails, but their almost pure, golden eyes certainly stand out.” Reaching into a fold on its tail, the small onireal pulled out a nut and began to chew, “Onireals feed primarily on nuts. Using their large teeth, they can crack almost any shell, and they’ll often haul around an entire hoard of seeds in large tails.”

               Nodding to herself, Tearna stealthily moved away. “As I mentioned, most things in this valley are either extremely colorful, or extremely large,” Tearna continued, carefully pushing through the undergrowth. Hearing a series of loud snaps, she knelt and beckoned for Bren and Kai. Kai knelt beside her while Bren knelt and continued to pout, still glaring at Tearna as the explorer peered ahead, “My next find happened to be the latter of the two.”

               Foliaged snapped and crunched beneath thick, brown legs. Pieces of bark swayed on the back of the rather odd creature, a set of four compound eyes staring out at the undergrowth. Kai’s jaw dropped as Bren’s eyes widened, but Tearna smiled eagerly as she began to take notes, “The colossal armored barkbeetle only exists within this forest. Similar to other armored beetles, these creatures are covered in a thick, brown carapace. They have six legs, and their front two legs have evolved into graspers, allowing it to collect pieces of fallen bark and earn its name!”

               Waddling up to a piece of bark, the beetle picked it up. Looking at it one way and then another, it broke off part of its sample, tossing one piece aside while it stuck the other onto its backside before moving on, “These beetles collect pieces of bark in order to armor themselves! They are frequently mistaken for moving logs, and often have ferns and moss growing across them! Though they may look fierce, they are actually passive, if a bit skittish.” Smiling, she patted Kai and Bren on the shoulders before stepping away, leaving them staring at the beetle with a mixture of horror and awe.

               “Though there was still plenty of forest left to explore, I couldn’t spend the rest of the day just wandering around.” Leaves crunched as she followed the trail, frowning up into the darkness of the canopy. Insects sang as the haunting call of brightwings danced around her, sending shivers down her spine as she searched for civilization, “The forest proved to be like a maze. It was deceptively easy to get turned around, but after finding the main road, it only took us an hour to stumble across the village we had heard so much about.” Stepping around a tall tree, Tearna blinked and looked up, her jaw dropping as Kai and Bren copied her expression.

               High overhead, torches burned at the edges of numerous platforms built onto the trees! Shadows moved as villagers went about their nightly routines, shops, homes, and many other structures built onto the tall trees while bridges swayed between the platforms. Various nets full of supplies dangled beneath the platforms, pulley systems dragging up crates as the warehouse managers handed goods to the lines of people waiting. Blinking a few times in shock, Tearna gasped with excitement as she hurriedly got out her journal, “After thinking about it for days on end, we finally arrived at the village of the First Archon, Frosthaven!”

               Branches crunched under her feet as she followed the path, turning every different direction as she beheld the village, “Even knowing it was coming didn’t prepare me for it. Frosthaven is a village almost entirely constructed on the towering world trees! There is no other village like it, and it has a rich history dating back over a thousand years!” Breathing a soft sigh, she shook herself off before pulling out her journal, “When we first arrived, we were greeted by the platforms composing the village’s western district, one of the largest districts in the village!”

               Torches glowed alongside her as she followed the trail towards the largest tree in the grove, the one with the largest platform built upon it, “Each of the trees supported a large, ringed platform. The platforms were connected via rope bridges, but they didn’t seem to be nearly as rickety as some of the others I’ve encountered. For the most part, it seemed like village life was contained on the platforms! Even their animals lived up high, and while I wondered briefly how they handled transportation, we quickly found our answer!”

               “Keep your arms and tails inside at all times,” an attendant command as a large gate swung down. Tearna looked around with a giddy smile as the attendant pulled a lever, gears instantly churning within the wooden walls around her. With a jolt, the platform began to rise as ropes moved, steadily dragging the large elevator up to the village high overhead.

               “There were several elevators that allowed for quick travel to and from the forest floor,” Tearna continued, stepping up to the railing to peer over. She was quickly yanked back by Kai, prompting her to smile sheepishly as one of the reinforcement planks passed where her neck had just been, “These elevators were marvelous to behold, and quite fun to ride. From so high up, we had an excellent view and were able to admire all the lights dancing in the undergrowth!” Smiling for a moment, Tearna tilted her head up as solid walls suddenly surrounded them, “After a short wait, we arrived in the village’s heart!”

               A thud shook the platform as it came to a halt. Tearna looked around with wide eyed excitement as the gate lifted, an attendant bowing his head as they stepped off. Faint melodies drifted around the canopies as Tearna’s footsteps echoed, her smile widening as she looked around the village, “Our first steps in the village were truly magical! As it happens, the villagers are adept at playing an instrument called a deorga, something we would encounter later, and it was heavenly to hear the melody wafting around us.”

               A little later, Tearna’s eyes practically shone as the trio walked, “Exploring the village was truly a stunning experience! There were shops and homes in every shape and size, all of them either carved into the trees themselves or simply built upon the platform!” Slowing, Tearna smiled happily up at a large shop, “The style of these buildings was a little different. They were made of wooden planks and had artistic arches in their entrances. Their windows were covered by shutters, and their rooftops were tiled in what looked like sanded bark! They reminded me of incomplete homes, but these were fully built and absolutely wonderful to explore!”

               Torches illuminated one of the entryways as Tearna stepped past it, peering inside before looking the structure over, “There were shops for everything! Truly, I wished nothing more than to explore each one, but we did have jobs.” Turning forward, Tearna followed Kai and Bren up a slight ramp to the platform’s second level, “Arriving at the second level of the main platform, we found what I can only call a town square… err, circle.”

               Their footsteps echoed as they moved through the vast open space, their gazes traveling around curiously, “This square was mostly open with a vast, resplendent rug across its center. Hugging the tree were several larger buildings, the middle one looking to be an official building. It was quite large and almost looked like it had been melded with the tree! It was incredibly interesting, but it wasn’t the inn we were searching for.”

               Kai nodded as he spoke with a guard, asking another question before bowing and stepping back over to the other two. Nodding at him, they followed him onto one of the bridges. “Walking across a rope bridge, no matter how well-built it is, will never make me feel safe.” Tearna grimaced as she peered over the side, her stomach flipping as the ground seemed to warp, “The bridge was perfectly sturdy, but something about having the ‘railing’ move when I put my hand on it… it just unnerved me.” Shaking herself off, she followed the others as they made their way to the next platform.

               “Thankfully, the inn we were searching for wasn’t too hard to find,” Tearna continued, stepping onto the next platform. “It was only a few platforms away, but that did give us some time to browse, and I ended up discovering a curious shop.” Following Bren and Kai, Tearna suddenly stopped as she squinted at the shop to her right. It looked like all the others, but it was the goods in the windows that had caught her eye. After a moment, she called to the others and quickly ventured into the shop without waiting for a reply, “This shop specialized in something I had never heard of. Tree bark!”

               Several starstone lanterns illuminated the shop. It was quant and cozy, numerous aisles created from a series of tables and shelves stacked with goods. Stepping slowly down one aisle, Tearna knelt to squint at some of the items, “As I came to learn, world tree bark is quite unique. Similar to the trees we saw in the Spiritmarsh, this bark is incredibly sturdy, but to a completely different level. Supposedly, the bark is as strong as iron, and many goods used in the village relied on it. We saw spoons, knives, armor, and even industrial goods made from bark!”

               Picking up a knife, Tearna briefly unsheathed it, her eyes widening as she admired the sharpness, “While I’m sure it was just merchant speak, they claimed these blades rarely need to be sharpened, and while I was skeptical, I was extremely interested in a souvenir.” Waving at the shopkeeper, Tearna clipped the knife’s sheath to her waist and turned to admire it. She frowned at Bren as the shasheek made a remark at her expense, earning an eyeroll before she followed them out of the shop, “I never imagined tree bark being used to make tools, but it did give me a newfound respect for the trees.”

               The bridge creaked as they moved towards the next platform, but Tearna’s eyes were on the trees off to their side. A small smile rested on her face as she paused, “The shopkeeper was kind enough to explain to me how the bark is collected in such great quantity. World trees are unique in the arboreal world in that they shed their bark periodically, which explains why we kept seeing so much fallen bark. The locals collect this fallen bark to make their goods, a prospect I find quite alluring!” Breathing a content sigh, she continued walking, “But apparently the real value in these trees are their cores!”

               The trio’s footsteps echoed as they moved onto the next platform. Buildings stared down at them from their right as they walked, searching carefully for the inn. “Lumber from the world trees is apparently sturdier than their bark,” Tearna continued, writing in her journal as she waited for Kai and Bren to find their inn. “This lumber is highly prized around the world for construction and will often be shipped as far as Orden. Since it takes so long for the trees to grow, however, the local lumbering crews have to be very careful, and the forest’s sustainability is monitored very closely.” Frowning in thought, she made a small note, “Though, if their cores are stronger than steel, it does make me wonder what one could make with them…”

               Tapping her pen against her mouth in thought, she looked up with a start as Kai called to her. Smiling, she hurried after him towards a larger building, a sign rocking over its door dubbing it as ‘The Midnight Song.’ Moments later, Tearna sighed as she laid back against her pillow. Light glimmered across her face from a small lamp beside her bed, peaceful melodies dancing just outside her window as she looked out with a faint smile, “It’s magical to me that a village plays music at all hours of the night like this. Before we leave, I am determined to find the source!” Smiling brightly, she flicked her lamp off.

               The next day, hints of morning light shone through the thick canopies. The ghollon snorted as fresh supplies were loaded onto their backs, the expedition readying to depart. “Unfortunately, our stay in Frosthaven was shorter than I would have liked,” Tearna wrote, walking with her journal out. “Our schedule was cut short from the delays in the mountains, and we needed to get going. While I was sad about not getting the chance to explore the village, I did at least find one of the sources of the music!”

               Below a window, the caravan plodded towards a bridge, but Tearna was noticeably absent. From the window, she smiled down at the caravan briefly before stepping back inside with wide eyes, “Much to my surprise, several of the trees have what they called ‘music rooms!’” The deorganist bowed her head respectfully as Tearna stepped up to the large deorga positioned against the wall, looking it over with excitement, “Each of these rooms has a deorga operated at certain points of the day by a paid professional. Deorgas are a complicated instrument, so they were never mass produced, but the First Archon’s fondness for it drove it to popularity!”

               Light glimmered across the many pipes extending from the top of the deorga, “For those unfamiliar, deorgas are similar to the organs one would find in Orden, but their melody is different. Their music is typically a lot deeper, but they can produce a quality of music far more serene than any other.” Tearna watched with a smile as the deorganist sat down and readied herself to play. Pressing a key, a melody began to ring just as it had the night before, Tearna looking around with bright eyes.

               Outside, the melody floated on the breeze, wrapping around the large trees and flowing across the platforms supporting the village. “Living in a village that constantly plays music sounds like a dream,” Tearna continued as other music rooms came to life. “Hearing such a melodic song as we departed filled us with a strange sense of energy, making us feel like the weight of the world was taken away!” Tearna sighed softly as she looked back at the village, a happy, yet sad frown resting on her face, “Truly, a part of me wanted to stay behind, but I was grateful to have at least experienced a small part of it!”

               Letting a smile touch her face, she turned and followed the caravan, “While we were leaving the trees behind, we weren’t quite done with the village. After all, it was called Frosthaven for a reason!” The bridge swayed gently as the expedition stepped off its far end and onto a rockier path. A colder breeze blew down the mountain and tugged at her cloak as Tearna shielded her eyes to look above, “Frosthaven is effectively a village with two faces! One part is focused on the trees, but the other part is built up the side of a sharp slope, thus earning its name!”

               Stretched high up the mountain was a maze of switchback paths. Patches of snow covered the ground, some of the villagers working to clear it as others guided preets along the pathways. Tearna’s footsteps echoed on the rock as she carefully studied the stone huts built into the rock face, “It almost gave me whiplash seeing the village change so suddenly. If you showed me two pictures of this village, I would think it was two separate villages!”

               A few villagers waved at the expedition as they continued to climb, passing numerous rounded stone structures. There were picket fences corralling preet, flags whipping atop poles at the end of the switchbacks, and larger huts with smoke wafting from their chimneys. Tearna smiled and bowed her head at a collection of older sheek sitting at a table, a large pot of soup sitting between them. Snowflakes briefly fell across her as they climbed, Tearna pausing every so often to admire one of the shops before continuing on towards the ridge looming over them.

               “As we reached the top of the village, I couldn’t help but look back on how far we’ve come,” Tearna continued, pausing as she looked down below. From so high up, the trees looked more like a grassy field. A warmer feeling filled her heart as she continued, “On this very slope, among these stone huts, the First Archon made her stand so long ago. This village was completely, and utterly, eradicated, but through the dauntless perseverance of our kin, we have managed to rebuild from the ashes!”

               Smiling contently, she looked over at one of the empty huts. Looking it over, she let out a small sigh before turning and moving up the path, “As much as the Crisis hurt, we have managed to make our world into something so much better than it has ever been! I am proud of what we have achieved, and even more proud of what we have done as a people united! What I have seen on my journey has proven to me that the Crisis won’t define us and that we will rise to become something far greater!”

               Pride touched her face as she followed the expedition towards the ridge, many of them coming to a halt as they reached flat ground. “Though the Crisis had loomed over so much of our journey like a shroud, we still had one last scar to face,” Tearna continued, breathing heavily as she climbed up the rest of the path. Stepping up beside the others, she gazed out at the horizon, “Though I had dreaded this next destination for most of the trip, I was no longer worried about facing it. Our people had shown me, clearly, that we weren’t going to let the Crisis beat us, and now it was up to me to recover the history that was taken from us by the darkness! With the Valley of the Colossi behind us, we found ourselves facing a familiar landscape, but, this time, we would be marching directly into the shadow of the Eclipse!”

               “AGAIN?!” Bren practically screamed, many of the others laughing at her frustration. Stretching off into the horizon was a sea of white clouds, mountains poking up amongst them as far as they could see, “WHAT THE ABSOLUTE !#@$ IS IT WITH THIS CONTINENT AND COLD?!”