Fermament

A gasp for air... a release of chilled breath... the crackling sounds of melting ice. You wake in a glacial cavern — perfused by blue. It's crowded with metal pipes and adorned with curious, clockwork gears. Echoing machinery resonates in your ears as a massive metal door opens before you... As you enter a dark chamber, warm lights flicker to life, revealing a frigid, yet intimate stone interior, supported by riveted iron beams. In the middle of this room is an ancient table - a tea cup on one end and a frozen body slumped over the other. The corpse’s hands hold an exquisite clockwork device — held out like an offering. You reach for the device, and suddenly… a small whir… a blue glow is birthed from its core as it comes to life and lifts from the outstretched palms of the rigid stranger. It hovers above you, watching. An apparition appears with a message from the woman that left this gift. She planned to mentor you... ...but something has gone terribly wrong.