The white elf woman didn't even bother looking up toward Chartrose while speaking, [color=f6989d][b]"My payment is the completion of my Purpose and finally being free from it. I'll have no need for the physical once it is completed. Take what you please from my home. We'll be busy until it is done."[/b][/color] 

Now looking at Alya, the young half-breed could hear her voice in her head, [color=f6989d][i]"Alya Songweaver, I've waited for many years for you to come here, as my Purpose told me you would eventually. I am able to communicate with you like this because of your magic, our magic. You'll be able to communicate with any other mages in this fashion now that I've initiated you. My Purpose is to aid you in finding your own. Think as if you were talking, and I will hear you." [/i][/color]

She let Alya have a moment to orient herself to this sensation before continuing, [color=f6989d][i]"All mages can communicate like this, but it requires you to have either been initiated or more practiced in your magic. But we are here for your Purpose. It is no coincidence you are mute Alya Songweaver. It happens quite rarely in White Elves, once every few generations or so. It is a sign of a greater Purpose, one that affects the whole of our race. You will remain mute until this Purpose is completed, and should you fail, our people will be devastated. How? I do not know. In the Feywild, those who received such a Purpose became Priests among our people. Each time they failed or died before completing it, our people suffered greatly. 

My Purpose brought me to this specific place, to aid you in discovering your own. In the Feywild, Priests would meditate for years, decades to discover theirs. But this place is special. The water, the air, the light, even the location, all aid in helping one meditate more clearly. You need to find a relaxed state and begin there. I prefer my pose, legs crossed, hands resting gently in my lap. As a Songweaver, I pick a song, and sing it to myself. I then take away a single sense at a time, closing my eyes, tuning out the feeling of the warm air, until there's nothing left but the song. Then I take away my voice, but keep the song going within. Then I reduce the song, piece by piece until only a single, resonating note is left. That note is what you need to focus on, it will guide you to your Purpose."[/i][/color] With that, the woman fell silent, having said her piece, she closed her eyes and stayed in her meditative pose. She didn't know how long it would take Alya, but she knew her Purpose would eventually reveal itself, she could feel it. 

After however long it took for Alya to reach the note that brought her serenity, she'd feel a vision force itself into her mind, forcing a gasp from the young woman. The White Elf smiled, [color=f6989d][b]"She's done it."[/b][/color] The vision that Alya saw was of a wonderful, fantastical world. It was full of plants and animals she'd never seen before, with fairies, and elves of so many types, and so many races that one recognized as those from the Feywild. Her view shifted, and there was a portal, much like the one she'd seen at the Tournament last season. Through that, she could see an island, a singular mountain, with many winged races atop it. She could see a familiar constellation in the night sky, and she knew she was looking at her world. Then there was a bright flash, and the portal was sealed. 

Alya could feel the cries of anguish, the pain, of those trapped in the Feywild, cut off from their brethren. She found herself somehow knowing that the Feywild only connected to this plane and no others. Then a shadow came through where the portal had been, a black and crimson shadow. It moved along the ground, many of the denizens watching in fear, unsure what to think of it. It sank into the ground and disappeared, much to the relief of the others.

Alya's vision changed, and she knew that it was the current time. She was looking at the same area, she could feel it. But it was dark and twisted, corrupted and toxic. The streams were full of sludge, the bright plants, that had been the colors of the rainbow, were now replaced with dark things, full of thorns and danger. Her vision moved across this desolate forest, showing the devastation was everywhere until eventually it settled on a single settlement. It was full of the Fey, protected behind a massive Shield. They were able to keep out the corruption, but she could feel their energy fading.

And with that, the vision left her, leaving a single word on her mind. Jaspaiya. 

When Alya's eyes opened, she'd see the woman who'd aided her glowing and smiling, [color=f6989d][b]"Thank you... there's a tunnel beneath my home that will lead you to your friends... You must do this Alya Songweaver. Follow your Purpose, find your voice."[/b][/color] And in a flash of light, the woman completely disappeared, and Alya could feel that she'd ascended to another plane. 

The homunculus had heard the woman's words, and pulled back the rug on the floor revealing the trapdoor. He opened it and peered in, finding a tunnel lit by more glowstones. It was large enough for everyone, including Tricia and the rams to walk through. It was a quick jaunt to a dead end, that when touched, would open up into the large cavern where the rest of the group was camped out. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The group experienced very few other complications as they left the Underdark the next day. They traveled through the snowy mountains, the chill increasing and increasing, to the point that Rilana could feel its chill. On the morning of the 53rd, two days after 
Rilana and Svarak [url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/89075-ebonfort-the-longest-night/ic#post-3250296]spoke[/url]. They were moving through a valley between two mountains, when the heavy snow that had been falling became a complete whiteout. The cold went straight to the bone, even for Rilana, and she knew they'd need shelter soon or they'd all die.

The rams were able to press forward, when the group suddenly stepped into clear air. Looking around, they could see the blizzard acting like a hurricane. And they were in the eye of it. When any tried to leave the center, even to test the snow, they'd find the edge of the blizzard flowing so fast and hard that it would rip them away. They were trapped. Any attempt to view the blizzard from above would see that it had grown much larger, and was encompassing everything in eyesight. The valley continued onward, until it turned around a ridge, revealing a large stone tower. 

There was a single door at the base of it, and investigation would reveal it was unlocked. Inside was a large, singular room, adorned with many decorations Rilana would recognize as from Frigmount. There was a large set of stairs winding along the wall, climbing upward to further floors, as well as downward into what was presumed to be the basement.