Those that fear the cold never find secrets beneath the ice.

The old proverb always rang true for Tamarys. It felt especially relevant today, as a blizzard whipped the snow into a stinging gale. Alpine winds tore at her hair and the fringe of her heavy cloak as she looked down on the steaming lake.

Months ago, she met a man on these shores. A man who was unafraid of the cold.

He had been sitting on the frozen, rock-strewn ground above the lake, shirtless and eyes closed. Curious—and more than a little amused—she had approached. When he failed to react, she had cleared her throat, and said,

“You seem ill-prepared for the weather, stranger.” Her breath hung heavy in the thin air.

The man opened his eyes, exhaling slowly as he glanced at Tamarys. “Inner fire will withstand any chill. At least that’s what the shamans up here taught me. I thought I had the technique down, ‘til I was interrupted.” The last part was said with a faint grin.

Tamarys bowed in mock apology, “Pardon me. I was worried that you would freeze solid.”

The man shook his head, his hair spilling from its loose knot. “Not yet, at least, and this is my fourth try.”

“Try?”

The man pointed down at the caldera. The howl of dragons mingled with the wail of the winter winds. “Down there, among the dragon eggs. There’s a… place that holds answers. For me. Like who I really am.” He stood, and nodded. “I’m Kaleb, by the way.”

“Tamarys.” The mage said, returning the acknowledgement. “That is a weighty question for a man so young.”

Kaleb laughed, his smile warm. “Heavy enough to sink to the bottom of the damn lake, that’s for sure.” He shrugged, the smile fading. “I was born into mysteries. I didn’t see my father often, and he played his cards close to his chest even when he was able to see me.” Kaleb started to stretch, and Tamarys heard joints pop as he changed the topic. “And what brings you to the top of the world?”

“Curiosity, more than anything.” Tamarys gestured at the pack on her back, “I travel, studying magic and history, though the two are often entwined. I wish to learn from the Jennev, currently. But I understand they are an isolated lot.”

“You can say that again,” Kaleb grunted, his eyes locked on the icy waters. “I scared some ornery wildlife away from their walls for them and it still took a week for them to let me in. The Jennev elders are an… unhurried lot. I learned much from them. Downslope that way, in a hidden valley.” Kaleb nodded to the northwest, then, without looking at Tamarys, said, “Now I only have a few hours of daylight, so you’ll have to excuse me,” and took off running. Tamarys watched as he leapt off the snowy bank, his body arching into a dive, and plunged into the steaming waters.

The mage blinked. “Well then.”

She waited on the bank for an hour. Kaleb never surfaced.

Months later, after following a friendly merchant to Argenport, Tamarys learned who the man was. Or had been.

The Kaleb she heard about in Argenport sounded different. Purposeful, driven, less friendly.

What had he found in that lake? The thought kept with her, through study with the paladins of the Crownwatch and attending lectures at the Combrei campus. What had Kaleb discovered beneath the ice?

The summer passed into autumn, and it became clear that the son of Caiphus would not be denied his shot at the Throne. Tamarys could no longer ignore her curiosity. She had to return to the frozen shores of the caldera.

The winds seemed hungrier now, the coming winter sharpening their appetite. Tamarys felt the mountains groan beneath her boots, their roots reaching down, deep into the warmth of the earth.

This place is old. She thought, feeling the weight of ages. But something in that lake … isn’t. She sensed something modern, a secret sunk in the ice, full of arcane alchemy and shiftstone-powered machinery.

You cannot learn from a past that is buried, she thought. Stripping off her gloves, she raised her hands towards the lake, and called on the old stones of the mountain to give up their secret. Glowing runes flared in her hands as the lake rumbled, waves rippling out from the center. Tamarys’ arms began to burn with the effort of maintaining the spell. Time to put theory into practice. She gritted her teeth as the spire of a building began to emerge. The waves crashed to shore, freezing into ramparts of ice and snow. Slowly, shattering ice as it rose, the tower emerged from the lake.

The large stone tower was empty, save for the broken remains of its mechanical caretakers. The rooms inside had been torn apart, the remnants of shattered crystal tanks littering long, cramped hallways. As Tamarys ventured further in, the destruction became worse, bullet holes and burns scarring the walls. What was the purpose of this place? Alchemy, magic, and technology, all combined to an unknown end, hidden in one of the most inhospitable places in the world. Why? More pressingly, who or what had fought down here?

The stone walls here speak of pain, Tamarys thought, her lantern casting thin light on the heavy, dripping ceiling. And of desperation. There had been a struggle, a fight between two foes that only one had walked away from. But Tamarys found no bodies, only rusted scrap.

Her eyes aching from the dim light, and her arm stiff from holding the lantern, Tamarys turned to leave. Just as she pulled up her hood to step back into the storm, the flickers of the guttering oil lamp caught the edge of a design. Tamarys gasped.

Carved above the door was a circle subdivided into sections, like a stylized wheel or a knot, with a gold circle at its center. 

Tamarys, the Geomancer Promo Quest

• The Tamarys, the Geomancer promo quest begins today and will run until next Wednesday, September 26.
• During the quest period, your first PvP win of the day will reward you with a copy of Tamarys.
• Once the promo period is over, you’ll be able to craft Tamarys using Shiftstone as normal.
• The Tamarys premium Avatar will be available in the store for 300 Gems for a limited time.

There is much to be discovered in the depths. Join Tamarys to uncover their secrets!

We’ll see you in the game!

– The Dire Wolf Digital Team

 

 

 

Read more Eternal lore here!