Manithan Vaanam

In-Game Time	20th Day—29th Day of the 5th Dharan Cycle
Played On	20th of June, 2025

After their encounter with shadows in the snow, Nila's body suspends listlessly in the air, the winds ruffling through her saree, and her anklets chime as the tiny bells rattle against each other. The party watches in horror as their friend hovers, and Haavani ceases her divinity, resulting in Nila crashing to the ground. Shwari fortunately catches her, softening her fall. The group then discuss multiple options to possibly help, which led to the decision to take her to Malai Hill, where someone else may know what to do. While this decision is being made, Aadhi telepathically communicates with the shadowy figure twice; it reveals that Nila's family had ravaged the lands they were standing on, and that he was an avenger of that act. He also reveals that he did kill Ashitham, Nila's paati. Aadhi attempts to convince the entity to leave Nila, which he refuses due to Aadhi's lack of dharma. He prompts Aadhi to find another way to solve the problem, which Aadhi promises to. After the telepathic conversation ends, Haavani rigs Daisy to Beedam and Aadhi holds Nila atop Kittu. Daisy, at the sight of Nila prone, sobs, and the party start their journey once more. A few minutes after, Aadhi talks to Shwari about the hold of Bodhi, and how she needs to stop using manthiram. Aadhi asks Shwari to train her with weaponry, to which Shwari happily agrees. The travel for the rest of the day consists of Aadhi insulting Bodhi, since she has successfully used the Ring of Mind Shielding for the first time, hindering Bodhi's presence.

A little over a week passes, and through the week, Shwari trains Aadh to wield a dagger, Bhavannan practices with his new spear he was gifted, and Haavani tends to Nila whenever she can. Through the nights as well, Aadhi practices her new wielding technique, but with her newly gifted drumsticks instead, dancing Bharatanatyam gracefully. Haavani prays to Veyyon as well, beseeching help for Nila. As the days turn into a week, they at last reach the outskirts of Malai Hill, where they spot two groups of earth genasis magically raising and sinking two great platforms of ice. They notice that these platforms are an elevation system to the city, Malai, that rests on the cliffside of Malai Hill. Haavani goes towards a group of earth genasis and asks if yaans are able to go up; they respond "yes", but also display shock as yaans do not do well in the icy climate. Haavani also inquires about stables for yaans, to which is suggested a sledding bard that could potentially hold them. Haavani rejoins the party and they travel together, hopping on the platform, which earth genasis raise hundreds of feet high. Finally, they slow down to a stop and step onto the cliffside, a massive gate of glistening ice staring down at them.

As they stand in front of the gates for Malai, the thought that they were criminals dawned on them immediately, and they make a makeshift plan to split the group up. As they join the line for the gates, Aadhi and Haavani, carrying Nila, go first, and they encounter a dwarven guard who asks for their ID cards. Aadhi (crying crocodile tears) and Haavani lie, saying that their cards were burned in Keya. The guard explains that he unfortunately cannot let them in yet due to no ID cards, so he leads them to a back room built within the gate. Afterwards, Bhavannan walks towards the gate, where he hands the dwarven guard his own card. The guard skeptically questions Bhavannan about his Soodamese origin, explaining that two Soodamese were involved in the murder of Alagan.[5] Bhavannan lies, saying that he never set foot in Kaverinaadu, yet the guard does not fully believe him, taking him to the same room that Aadhi, Haavani, and Nila were placed. And lastly, Shwari goes up and explains her pilgrimage, but says that she has no ID card on her. The guard does the exact same, leading her to the room; the party is joined once more. As they wait in this dusty room, an hour passes before a sleeping gas fills the room, knocking them out within the gates of ice.