Content Warning: Death, Freezing
"It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen; I should say: this is not a merry tale with which to share with children...
"One moment, all of Safira was savouring the warmth of early summer. The next, a great frost fell upon the land. This unexpected winter solidified the waters in the blink of an eye, with such ferocity that not even the Deep Seas were safe from the frozen grasp.
"I could feel the frost reach into my very essence, despite the fires surrounding me. It coiled and clawed into my limbs of both mortal bone and spiritual weave. I managed to fight against it, but not all Safirans are aligned with the Inferno like I. Those bound to another element, should they have been lucky, found their warmth stolen and toes frozen. Those with less fortune...
"I watched as many Deep Sea 'loxes raced to the surface, no longer caring for the risk of Paffturies and molten stone, as they launched onto the beaches of Aysu's Heart. Upon reaching the shores, they turned to see the water -- where their friends and family still had yet to leave -- frozen more solid than the rock they rested upon. Those locked beneath found their very spirit petrified as the world strangled them in an icy prison. The beast of winter cared not for their species, their heritage, or their beliefs.
"May their rest be sweet and eternal."
- Accolade
The Great Freeze was a tragic event of a mortifying scale, which struck nearly a decade ago. Many Safirans were lost, most being the aquatic-dwelling aqualoxes and their companions. Countless deaths were caused by a near-instantaneous freezing of the water, but many followed shortly after from the unanticipated winter weather.
Shortly after the event, a new type of poco appeared. These sleet poco are believed to be the spirits of the companions lost to the Freeze. Many of those, heart still broken from the tragedy, gather around flocks of sleet poco, searching for the pieces of their shattered past. They pray to find even a single fragment of their old friends and loved ones. With a heavy heart, it's not uncommon for their search to return empty.
The cause of the Great Freeze remains only speculation, although many believe they angered one of the fire gods, who abandoned the island to the torrent of Nothing. As to which fire god, many debate. Some claim it was a minor god, such as Siege or Ethes, while others claim it was the creator of the islands, Aysu, herself who let tragedy befall the land.