A Letter From Zapolyarny Palace is a short Snezhnaya quest that ends with the Traveler holding an official title under the Tsaritsa. It starts with a message from Vesna promising a prize at the palace, and the very first objective is where most players get stuck, because nothing happens when you walk toward the marker. The letter has to be opened by hand.
Quick answer: Track A Letter From Zapolyarny Palace in the Quest Menu, then press V on PC, click the left stick on controller, or tap the objective under the mini-map to open Vesna’s invitation.
Open Vesna’s invitation to clear the first objective
- PC and keyboard: press V.
- Controller: Depress the left analog stick—L3 on PlayStation or LS on Xbox.
- Mobile: tap the quest objective line shown beneath the mini-map.
Read the letter through and accept the invitation. You will know it worked because the objective changes and a new marker points you toward Zapolyarny Palace.
If the read prompt does not appear on PC
Reopen the Quest Menu and confirm that A Letter From Zapolyarny Palace is the quest currently being tracked, not a different one, then press V again. If the prompt still refuses to show up, restart the game and reselect the quest.
Requirements if the quest is missing from your Quest Menu
The quest only shows up once your account and your story progress both qualify. Both conditions are hard gates, so there is no way to trigger the letter early.
- Adventure Rank 18 or higher.
- Completion of the Snezhnaya Archon Quest chapter White Night, Like A Dream Upon Waking, which is Chapter 7, Act 3.
Travel to Zapolyarny Palace
After reading the invitation, bring up the map, choose the Tsaritsa’s icon, select Zapolyarny Palace, and press Teleport to arrive directly there. You can also walk to the palace; either way, entering through its main doors starts the next stage.
A Guard is posted outside the doors. Speak to him and he lets you in on the commander’s orders so you can collect the promised prize.
What happens inside the throne room
The icy throne hall holds Vesna, Danica, and the Cryo Archon Anastasya. The prize turns out to be bait. Vesna used it to get the Traveler in front of the Tsaritsa for an audience, and the real subject is a vacant position.
Vesna makes the case that the Traveler fits because of their skill, their experience across other nations, and the fact that they answer to none of Snezhnaya’s political factions. The Tsaritsa wants an unfiltered read on her country, separate from what her military and her ministries put in front of her.
Danica pushes back. Her concern is straightforward, since the Traveler is loyal to nobody and may not follow the Tsaritsa’s instructions without question.
The Traveler turns down any oath of fealty and offers to help as a friend instead. Anastasya accepts on the condition that the Traveler keeps moving through Snezhnaya freely, then has Chayka register them as Consultant to the Tsaritsa and hands over an Envoy’s Medal. Chayka, the Tsaritsa’s secretary, is told to receive the Traveler at future audiences and arrange whatever resources the role needs.
Rewards and what the quest unlocks
| Reward | Amount |
|---|---|
| Envoy’s Medal | 1 |
| Hero’s Wit | 3 |
| Teachings of Mercy | 3 |
| Sanctifying Unction | 3 |
Completion also opens the activities tied to the Traveler’s new standing with the Tsaritsa. The Secret Tsarist Assignment panel refreshes and shows progress at 1/6 under the Consultant to the Tsaritsa heading, which covers Parts I, II, and III and their listed rewards.
Talk to Chayka near the throne after the ceremony to review the edict details and see the updated assignment panel before you leave the palace.
That is the whole quest. The only genuinely fiddly part is the very first objective, and once the letter is open the rest is a teleport and a long conversation.
