[Map]
Land of Ice... Although that place seemed almost within reach, visible from Leuphan's northern cliffs on clear, windless days, reaching it was another matter entirely.
From her vantage point, Sarika Klover gazed toward the distant silhouette that teased the horizon. It seemed close enough to touch as if a few hours' sail could bring her to its rocky shores.
"So close, yet so hard to reach."
The journey across the Northern Sea was a perilous feat. Ice sheets floated freely, covering vast portions of the water's surface like fractured glass.
Some were the size of small houses, thick enough to tear apart the hulls of ships, or trap them in a death grip that lasted until the vessel was crushed.
Even in summer, the temperatures barely rose above freezing, and the sea winds could numb the flesh within minutes.
Most who attempted the crossing turned back long before reaching land. Those who pressed on often never returned.
