The vanguard of the Expeditionary Corps has been deployed in the region named "Storhvit" by the first scouts of the exploration forces. While the Rediscovery Endeavor benefited from mild Tumult currents in Caer Oorun, the same cannot be said for areas beyond the borders of the rehabilitated Province. Progress is grueling, slow, and painstaking. Fatigue is evident among the Exalts. However, the mutagenic effects of the Tumult seem to be mitigated by the persistence of a strong idea near the explored zone: the idea of cold, ice, and winter. This idea seems to emanate from a mountain peak that glows with a vivid blue light, day and night. Unfortunately, this apparent blessing is accompanied by harsh weather conditions: snow, frost, biting cold, and limited visibility. The Exalts face numerous challenges, and the constant obstacles are taking a toll on their morale. The goal is to reach the mountain, which we have named Cais Adarra, as quickly as possible. Though the cold there may be even harsher, the peak will provide a secure haven against the Tumult singularities that plague the lower regions.

The mountain we have named Cais Adarra towers majestically over the entire region. It is always visible, no matter where we are, as long as the skies are clear. Our meteorologists have observed that Tumult winds are repelled by the rocky peak, suggesting that the mountain is likely an Oasis or at least a pocket of stability. Its jagged, snow-covered buttresses reach skyward like thorns piercing the heavens. However, the mountain appears to be split from base to summit, as if a colossal axe had cleaved it in two. From this rift, an unceasing blue glow illuminates the surrounding landscape. According to the Prospectors' Guild, this glow might indicate the presence of the largest Kelon deposit discovered to date. Another clue pointing to an Oasis centered on the idea of cold is the circular glacier encircling the Cais Adarra. The surrounding zones are, of course, affected by the mountain's geographical proximity, but the sharp demarcation leaves little doubt.

The Exalts have identified six distinct environments within the snowy expanse. The Storhvit is perpetually locked in a harsh winter, and our experts suspect that the very idea of winter is deeply entrenched in this region. The weather is highly unpredictable, likely influenced by the Tumult that sweeps across the land, generating capricious winds. Conditions that seem favorable in the morning can deteriorate within hours. Despite the adversity, the vanguard endures. During their downtime, many listen to the teachings of Ordis scholars or the songs of Lyra skalds. They also consult texts brought from the capital. A recommendation has been made to diversify the range of Eidolons they can summon, alleviating the burden posed by the region's endemic cold. Jack Frost, the Snow Queen, Skadi... The goal is to explore or rediscover lesser-used Eidolons and adapt them to this environment, where their abilities will prove invaluable.

In coordination with the Expeditionary Corps' team leaders, a bold decision has been made. When Tumult currents are sufficiently calm, we will deploy contingents of explorers using the Ouroboros to assist the Exalts. The Exalts and select Alterers will shield these troops from the Tumult, while the explorers, in turn, will provide relief from the cold and direct support during the journey. Meanwhile, the Axiom has deployed probes to survey the terrain ahead.

Vast snow-covered plains stretch endlessly, interrupted by enormous coral-like formations that rise from the ground, forming numerous rocky promontories. Similar to the Makonis Heights, this area seems infused with patterns resembling marine environments, adapted for terrestrial conditions. It is plausible that the same wave of concepts influenced both this location and the plateaus of the Enosha peninsula. The terrain is vibrant, recalling a coral reef, with colorful streaks crisscrossing the ground and a sea of blue grasses resembling algae, blanketed by snow.

This boreal forest is an ethereal, iridescent dreamscape: towering conifers, birch groves with otherworldly hues, crystalline formations, and oaks and ash trees with quartz-like pink foliage. The very air seems tinged with a rosy hue, as if the forest were perpetually bathed in twilight. Mist often rises, coating the forest floor, and its iridescence resembles enamel. The wildlife is equally striking, with white-furred or feathered animals perfectly camouflaged in this luminous, snowy expanse.

The lake is a sprawling ice sheet, riddled with bubbles and fissures containing liquid water. This circular formation, centered on the Cais Adarra, constantly creaks and groans as its ice plates shift and collide beneath the surface. Elevated like a frozen plateau, the lake is often capped by crystal snow mounds. Movement here is perilous, as thinner ice patches require careful navigation. Beneath the ice, the ecosystem teems with bioluminescent life forms: small creatures like rays, seahorses, jellyfish, shrimp, and plankton, as well as larger ones like narwhals, seals, and orcas.

A narrow pass winds through the glacier, splitting the lake in two. Enveloped in darkness, the canyon echoes with the deep groans of shifting ice. The towering walls are so high that the sky appears as a mere crack above. While much of the canyon floor is stone and snow, certain sections are submerged, requiring sailboats or barges to traverse. Geysers of frozen water occasionally erupt from the walls, forming icy wings that block the path, forcing contingents to carve their way through. The most awe-inspiring sight is the silhouette of colossal aquatic beasts swimming behind the icy barriers, like an enormous natural aquarium.

Deep underground lies the most mesmerizing biome discovered so far. Beneath the glacier and the mountain base is a network of crystal caverns—a labyrinth of glowing stalactites and stalagmites radiating phosphorescent pastel hues. The karstic formations include columns, pillars, draperies, and pools, and on the first snapshots of the biome, it resembles a glowing, pastoral forest trapped in an endless night. This protean landscape, with its organic topography, has been shaped by centuries of erosion.

The final challenge before reaching the summit, the Spur is a steep, jagged slope of the Cais Adarra. Its sharp rock formations and sheer cliffs plunge into deep crevasses, making motorized vehicles difficult or nearly impossible to use. In some areas, strange ice bulges of blue topaz emerge from the rocky slopes, forming translucent, ruin-like landscapes. Strangely, the ice appears illuminated from within, as if capturing the essence of the northern lights.

Early explorers of the Storhvit reported a peculiar phenomenon: a disembodied voice reverberating through the icy steppes and twisting valleys. Sometimes it is a mere whisper, at other times, a roar so powerful it shakes the ground. Occasionally, it manifests as an almost tangible presence, capable of triggering avalanches or fracturing glacier surfaces. Its origin remains unknown, but many have taken to calling it the Snow Wraith or Spirit of the Snows. This entity—if it indeed possesses consciousness—does not seem hostile. On some occasions, it has aided adventurers, dislodging rocks to create paths or closing fissures in the ice. It is as though it wants to be found.