With trembling hands, Efrén unseals the envelope, speckled with dried mud and old water stains. He recognized the sender instantly, of course. At first glance. Heart swelling, he opens the letter—weather-worn and battered—just as the Talaria courier swings back onto his mount and spurs it on without delay. Breath short, and with the sound of hoofbeats fading into the distance, he begins to decipher the handwriting he knows so well—though here and there, a few scattered words have fallen victim to the rain and the rough journey…

Dear Dad,

I'm writing to you as the Tumult rages around our Oasis. But don't worry—we're safe and sound, high up on a snowy mountain. We're taking advantage of the turbulent currents outside to get some rest. And we definitely need it, after all the trouble we've been through over the past few weeks. We've more than earned a short break before heading back into the unknown. So, I'm using the time to work on some new Automaton designs and also to study the region as a whole.

Extensive soil analysis has shown that the Cais Adarra—and by extension, the entire Storhvit—enjoyed a much milder climate barely a century ago, one similar to the current weather in the Tilted Steppes of Caer Oorun. That means it only took a few decades for this once-lush land to become polar. A deeper study of the sediments and geological formations suggests the shift was sudden. It's possible Alteration was even used to shape these arctic landscapes.

Our excavations around the Nilam tree have revealed signs of human settlement from before the glaciation. Rusted tools, troglodyte dwellings, remnants of fabric and pottery... all the evidence points to the existence of a human society once established here, in the shadow of the world-tree. Early estimates date this presence back at least two hundred years, which means it postdates the Confluence. That’s proof that other human communities survived within the Tumult well after the founding of Asgartha.

And yet, everything suggests that this colony—estimated to have housed several hundred people—was abandoned before the onset of the glacial era. The most astonishing part of all this, though, is the technological advancement of that community. Long before the Axiom Industrial Revolution, these people had already developed incredible technical marvels. We’re talking about a technological head start of hundreds of years. Just a look at the machine we found encased in the ice is proof of that. The science used to build it far surpasses, to my great fascination, anything we currently have access to.

Once we pulled it from the ice, we were able to analyze its composition. The alloy used in its construction is incredibly resilient and doesn’t match any material we’re familiar with in Asgartha. What’s more, its entire surface is covered in grooves etched directly into the metal: an interconnected network of channels that give it an appearance both ancient and organic. Yet what we’re looking at is clearly a finely crafted mechanical device—fully functional and impressively versatile. There’s still a lot we don’t understand about it, especially some of the internal cavities whose purpose remains a mystery.

Beyond the engineering feats packed into this machine, the strangest thing about its design is the complete absence of a power source. It’s clear it didn’t run on Kelon, or any of the alternative energy sources we use like coal, oil, or electricity. After making a few modifications of our own, we managed to activate some of its systems, but the machine is extremely power-hungry in this setup, and we’ll need to keep studying it to improve its efficiency. Its engine alone could greatly extend the autonomy of our Automatons: its pistons, valves, heads, crankshafts... Everything about it seems designed to manage some kind of fluid—like a heart. But there’s no ignition or combustion system.

So who were these people? Were they descendants of the Lost Tribe, or other Tumult Nomads? How could they have vanished despite all that technological advantage? At first glance, it seems they were forced to migrate. Maybe they still wander the world like our ancestors once did. With a bit of luck, we might be able to meet them on our journey. I can't wait to get to know them and exchange ideas. But I’m rambling on with all this technical talk—I just wanted to share how excited I am about all these discoveries. They remind me how little we truly know about the world, and how much there’s still left to uncover.

I hope everything's going well with the caravan. Sending you a big hug and looking forward to your next letter!

P.S. Give Faarsan and Argiris a hug for me! Tell them I’m counting on them to keep helping you out (and that they’re going to hear from me if they skip out on chores again)!

A tear rolls down Efrén’s cheek. He misses her. He misses her so much. All at once, the vast distance between them hits him—leagues upon leagues that would only grow with each passing day, week, month, and year. He closes his eyes and tries to picture her far away, out there, in those wild and troubled lands. His heart aches. It feels like an ocean lies between them...