Hall of the Frostmaiden - Wizards of the Coast

R e a l m slor e

Hall of the
Frostmaiden

by Brian R. James
illustrations by Ron Lemen

Self reliance is your only ally. Society, community,
family—these fallacies stif le the pursuit of one’s own
happiness. Warmth and companionship are weaknesses
of the f lesh, leading to sloth and gluttony. Harden your
body yet remain swift on your feet. Embrace your cold-
hearted nature and demand respect of your inferiors.
These are the tenets of the Storm-bringer, carried aloft
by chill winds. Heed these principles and you could come
to know the Frostmaiden’s caress.

—Excerpt from the Icedawn Syllabus, penned by Demetrios Whitefire of Sossal,
High Chillbringer of Auril, Year of the Elves’ Weeping (1462 DR)

TM & © 2008 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Deep Wilds of the Depths commands the undersea denizens R e a l m slor e
of her ocean realm. Above the rolling seas, gale-
Beyond the ken of most mortals exists an other- force winds and torrential rain threaten to drown Lornnure, the Icewail Shallows
worldly dominion of fantastic terrain dominated air-breathers foolish enough to cross the bur-
by untamed wilderness and populated by all gundy expanse. Massive bergs of scarlet ice wander silently through-
manner of feral beasts and faerie folk. The Deep As a traveler moves north through the Deep out the chill northeastern waters of the Blood Sea,
Wilds epitomizes the raw unfettered force of Wilds, the land grows colder and colder until all which the Queen of the Depths ceded to Auril’s
nature—a savage expanse that liberates the spirit terrain dissolves into an ever-present covering of control. Aside from dealing with predatory sea life,
and brings out the beast in all who spend too ice and snow. Known to many as the Frostfell, and surface travelers also must be wary of blood snow
much time there. named Tír fo Leth by the fey, the Land Under Eter- blizzards. These poisonous winter storms form up fre-
Every type of natural environment that exists nal Ice is bitterly cold and mirrors perfectly the quently in the region.
on Toril is exemplified here. Desert, savannah, harsh nature of the realm’s unfeeling monarch. Sionnan Lagoon: Divers surviving the frigid
meadow, steppe, jungle, forest, marsh, frozen arctic temperatures and dangerous aquatic preda-
tundra—all these and more exist in the Deep Wilds. The Land Under tors of Sionnan Lagoon report seeing the ruins of
Even the weather is as wild as the plane’s inhab- Eternal Ice a crystalline city in its darkest depths. The sunken
itants. Weather patterns change and f luctuate walls and towers are covered with glyphs etched in
without warning, so a beautiful clear day can turn From the outside it might seem that the Land ruathlek—a lost script not seen in the Realms since
to a raging snowstorm in minutes. Under Eternal Ice is similar to any polar region of before the Time of Troubles.
Along the southern and eastern reaches of the the mortal world. Some observe that it appears to
Deep Wilds stretches vast woodlands. The canopy mirror the terrain and species found in Pelvuria or Lairgmore, the
of leaves overhead grows so densely that it seems all Sossal—the wintry lands of Auril’s Teeth in north- Hallowfrost Plains
light must surely be blotted out. In the Deep Forest, ern Faerûn. Though similarities exist superficially,
where the vegetation grows thick and the wildlife is travelers to Tír fo Leth quickly discover a harsh Sandwiched between the Beastlord’s Forest of
Gnashing Teeth and Nightfall Glacier, Lairgmore
Though similarities exist superficially, travelers to is an austere steppe-tundra of frozen lakes and
Tír fo Leth quickly discover a harsh truth: No colder sparse vegetation. Here snow falls in abundance,
place exists among the astral dominions. blanketing the ground most of the year. The wind-
swept plains are populated by great mammoths,
abundant, the greatest of all trees flourishes. Here, truth: No colder place exists among the astral alpine megaloceros, and saber-toothed smilodon.
at the heart of the great wood in a glen called Sum- dominions. Even the sky of the Frostfell is strange Shiverfang Gulch: An intricate pattern of ser-
meroak, almighty Silvanus makes his home. and beautiful since it appears to be caught forever pentine trails among the snow drifts marks this sharp
West, across the Singing Water and below in the throes of a spectacular sunset, swathing the depression at the center of the Hallowfrost Plains
the great escarpment, lies the Land of the Hunt, land in perpetual twilight. as the favored hunting territory of the frost worms.
demesne of the Render. The River of Blood winds for Auril’s dusky realm is an enigma floating in the A dim blue light shines from the gulch, though the
uncounted miles across the untamed savannah to Astral Sea. It’s a land where raw, intangible belief subtle light is visible only at night.
the shore of the Blood Sea. meets raw, immutable reality. Read on for a brief Lawgoch’s Labyrinth: Rumors state that the
From her court hundreds of leagues beneath examination of the more prominent landmarks in entrance to this chaotic subterranean maze is buried
the crimson waters of the Blood Sea, the Queen the Land Under Eternal Ice. somewhere beneath Shiverfang Gulch. Legends say
that a titan or primordial of incredible size and feroc-
ity was chained here by Auril in a past age.

Stromfar, the Frosthorn Peaks

Rising up sharply from the Hallowfrost Plains stands
the imposing Frosthorn Peaks. After navigating the

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treacherous Pass of Magog, travelers find themselves Silverlight Aerie: Nestled within a sheltered duce hypnotic music that some have compared to a
on the broken highland plain known as Semion-Tor, dale among the southeastern peaks of the Glas symphony of tuneless harps.
or the Icespire Crags. Nure exists a community of al karak elam, known Fog of Unyielding Ice: Moving northwest along
Pass of Magog: The towering cliffs along this pre- to mortals as the avariel or winged elves. The the glacial shelf brings explorers to an uneven plain
carious trail through the Stromfar are riddled with mist-laden nest-town was settled amid a soar- of churning, super-cold vapors. These mists are
countless crags, rookeries, and aeries where various ing canopy of ethereal yew trees, and it stretches breathable, but they can freeze a traveler’s lungs solid
avian and winged petitioners nest—including the nearly half a mile vertically while remaining an if he or she doesn’t have some manner of protection
enigmatic Aearee-Quor. equal distance above the ground at its lowest from the cold. Vortices to the Boundless Blue in the
Icespire Crags: Here the permafrost tundra juts point. The avariel here profess a deep devotion to Elemental Chaos are common in the skies above the
up from the bedrock at severe angles, which makes Auril, having adopted the faith of the Frostmaiden Fog of Unyielding Ice.
navigation arduous at best. Treacherous deep ice cre- following her victory over Aerdrie Faenya. Highly
vasses lie concealed underfoot between icy tors. The reclusive beings, the al karak elam seldom initiate Deargpool, the Everfrost Bay
crags are the dominion of Gale Monarch Leucetios. contact with others.
Path of Votigern: In the darkest depths beneath In contrast to the violent waters of the Blood Sea,
Shiverpine Forest the mountains, hidden from the twilight above, the clear blue waters of Everfrost Bay are calm and
winds a shadowy path—an ancient road. The road’s almost inviting. Vast walls of sheer ice border much
The lush, verdant, snow-capped woodlands of the egress lies along the northern side of the range, of the western coastline. Travelers must be wary of
Shiverpine Forest exhibit the essence of a winter where it opens at the foot of Galebreaker Trench. ravenous winter wolves stalking the periphery of the
wonderland. Here Auril’s fury is less severe, which Some speculate that a hidden chamber nestled Shiverpine Forest.
permits all manner of woodland creatures to inhabit deep within the Icewall Mountains along the Path Sepulcher of the Sleeping One: Here in his
this primeval pine forest. of Votigern shelters a gate to Fimbulwinter in the icy tomb beneath Deargpool, the corpse of Sea
Creirwy Glade: Fey of the Shiverpine Forest Elemental Chaos, which is the domain of the titan King Ulutiu rests for all eternity. A cadre of frost
revere Auril as the Queen of Air and Darkness, a lord Thrym. titans guards the sepulcher against tomb robbers
malevolent faerie goddess banished from the Fey- and vandals.
wild at the dawn of time after a failed coup Nitharay, the Nightfall Glacier
against the Seelie Court. A dark moonwell Winter Hall
centered in Creirwy Glade is rumored to be a Commonly perceived as an uninhabitable ice field,
ley crossroad to the Feywild. The gate is guarded the Nightfall Glacier is indeed an inhospitable waste- Like a severe winter storm, Auril’s Winter Hall moves
fiercely by spriggans in service to the Goblin King. land of ice and snow. In addition to the bone-chilling slowly across the Deep Wilds, bringing strong winds
Most outsiders that stumble upon Creirwy Glade temperatures, travelers on the glacier must also be and heavy blowing snow wherever it passes.
are never seen again. vigilant against Nitharay’s many hazards. Numerous Built of wind and ice, the structure seems as if it
cracks, fissures, and chasms abound here, because were carved from a massive iceberg, flipped on its end,
Glas Nure, the Icewall the glacier constantly shifts, buckles, and reforms. In and thrust hundreds of leagues into the sky. The palace
Mountains addition, numerous supernatural storms and hazards is nearly 5,000 feet in diameter at its base and an
spring up in the area from time to time, posing even equal number of feet high at its summit, with a laby-
The northern highlands of the Shiverpine Forest greater threats to the unwary. rinthine maze of corridors, halls, and passages inside
eventually give way to the majestic Icewall Galebreaker Trench: This vast crevasse, nearly it. With nearly twenty thousand damned spirits and
Mountains, which has peaks climbing above 100 miles at its widest point, cuts deep into the gla- immortal servitors dwelling within it at any given time,
25,000 feet. Well above the timberline, this cier from north to south, and it ends at the Icewall Winter Hall is easily the size of a small city.
bleak range marks the frontier between the more Mountains. Howling winds racing down the trench Immense crystalline beams protrude from the
temperate regions of the south and Nightfall Gla- strum and pluck at myriad hanging icicles to pro- shell of the Hall in several locations. Massive in size,
cier beyond. these crystal spires give the otherwise drab fortress

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some color, which ranges from deep royal blue to sea The Dome DC 30: Auril’s palace is a trophy hall of sorts that
green. Much of the colossal ice mote is shrouded in displays for all to see her victories over countless
a perpetual miasma of thick fog and freezing rain. If Capping the Promenade is a majestic, clear dome of enemies over the ages. The Lyceum, for example, was
Auril is particularly angry, fierce cerulean thunder- the purest elemental ice. At will, Auril can banish crafted from the beating heart of the primordial Dur-
clouds form over the Hall, bringing merciless blizzard the howling winds and thunderstorms enveloping baagal, whom she defeated at the dawn of time.
conditions upon the lands below. the palace, which then exposes to viewers within the
Winter Hall as a physical structure is an amalga- dome a breathtaking view of the polar lights dancing Religion
mation of varied styles that has undergone continual across the twilight sky.
expansion over the millennia. The most recent addi- DC 15: Auril is one of the Three Furies, along with
tion was the assimilation of the Winged Mother’s The Abattoir Malar and Umberlee. The Furies owe their allegiance
f loating palace in the Year of the Wrathful Eye to Silvanus following the events of the Stormstar
(1391 DR). At the foot of Araamroth stands the Abattoir, a twin Requiem—where Talos was revealed as the orc god
oscillating structure crafted of chaotic elemental Gruumsh and banished from Fury’s Heart.
The Nest forces. In a time not too distant, high priests and fell DC 20: Since the coming of the Spellplague, Auril
warlocks would perform bloody sacrifices and vile rit- has gained significant power by siphoning the faiths
A yawning portico open to the sky below marks the uals within this temple with the hopes of blanketing of Ulutiu, Aerdie Faenya, and Gruumsh into her own.
underbelly of Auril’s floating palace. Within this all Toril in darkness and ice. Today the abattoir stands In addition to her classic portfolio of cold and winter,
cavity, and shielded by a wall of wind, are sprawling unused, a fading yet grim reminder of the corrupting the Frostmaiden now claims dominion over wind
docks and shipyards, which might appear as both influence of the Black Diamond. and storms—bringing her into direct conflict with the
impressive and bizarre to first-time visitors. Among ancient primordial power Akadi.
the spiderwork wharfs are moored all manner of Lyceum of Frozen Shadow DC 25: Chosen invested with a portion of the
derelict airships including flying chariots and astral- Frostmaiden’s divinity, Auril’s exarchs include The
jammers. Loyal stormwardens patrolling the skies Secreted away in the bowels of Winter Hall is Ice Queen, Iyraclea and Artus Cimber. Iyraclea is
over Tír fo Leth have commandeered these vessels. Auril’s grand throne room, Amon Thyryr—the charged with ferreting out Akadi’s spies within Auril’s
Why the Frostmaiden keeps these captured vessels Lyceum of Frozen Shadow. The lyceum is a grand realm, while Artus spends most of his time in human
instead of destroying them is unknown. and intimidating place, which is by design. When guise among the mortals of Toril.
she manifests in the Hall, Auril broods or holds
The Promenade court from her throne of blue fire. She appears as a Winter Hag
haughty winged faerie of terrible, cold beauty, with
Araamroth, also known as the Promenade, is an bone-white skin and angular features; her mane of Unimaginably depraved and conniving, the winter
immense cavity a mile across that sits at the core of f lowing black hair is adorned with an ornate crown hags are the handmaidens of Auril, goddess of wind
Auril’s Winter Hall. This space is filled with a chaotic of platinum and diamonds. and ice. These chaotic creatures are feared through-
latticework of crystalline pathways that dance and out the Realms for their abundant array of deadly
flicker with prismatic radiance. Support columns Legend and Lore powers, but occassionally sought out for their wise
permit access from one level to the next. Countless council and skilled prognostication.
petitioners utilize these walkways to go about their A character knows the following information with a
daily tasks. Pathways are kept lit by lamps made successful History or Religion check. Winter Hag Tactics
from will-o-wisps (or other luminous creatures such
as tiny glowing sprites) frozen in globes of ice. Many History A winter hag typically opens combat with rimefire
of Auril’s petitioners, gifted with wings or another blast to evaluate an opponents’ vulnerability to cold.
method of flight, fly from one platform to the next. DC 15: No mortal realm is beyond Auril’s influ- Enemies who appear resistant to cold are subjected to
ence. Even the scorching desert of the Skyfire Wastes
was frozen over for months in the Year of Holy Thun-
der (1450 DR), while the Frostmaiden sent her vassals
to battle the genies and efreet of Calimshan.

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winter curse. Winter hags prefer to ambush foes with Winter Hag Level 19 Lurker
their great maneuverability. They like to lure oppo- Medium fey humanoid XP 2,400
nents into inescapable deadfalls and snowdrifts or
trap them with icy bonds. A winter hag retreats from Initiative +16 Senses Perception +19; darkvision
a dangerous opponent with blizzard step rather than
fight to the death. Whiteout aura 4; severe snow and wind obscure sight and

Auril movement; all creatures that start their turns inside the

Frostmaiden, Storm-bringer, Icedawn, Lady Frostkiss hag’s aura gain total concealment and are slowed. The hag is

Chaotic Evil Goddess unaffected by whiteout conditions and can see enemies clearly.
Auril (awe-ril) is a vain and fickle creature whose cold HP 139; Bloodied 69
heart remains untouched by any hint of true love, noble AC 33; Fortitude 29, Reflex 32, Will 30
feeling, or honor. She is a somewhat aloof deity, and Immune cold
she embodies freedom and impulse. She toys with Speed 6, fly 8 (clumsy)
those who offend her by trapping them in snow storms m Graystaff (standard; at-will) ✦ Cold, Weapon
and then driving them insane by tantalizing them with
visions of warmth and the comforts of home before she +24 vs. AC; 1d10 + 7 cold damage, and the target is
freezes them to death. Her eternal beauty is cold and
deadly—the flower of womanhood preserved forever in a immobilized (save ends).
slab of arctic ice, but with sensibilities to match the ice. R Winter Curse (standard; recharge 5 6 ) ✦ Cold
Ranged 10; +24 vs. AC; 3d10 + 6 cold damage and ongoing
Winter Hag Lore
5 cold damage (save ends), and the target’s resistance to
A character knows the following information about
winter hags with a successful Religion check. cold is negated until the end of the encounter.
DC 20: The white hag is a hideous and wretched C Rimefire Blast (standard; at-will) ✦ Cold
old crone with a taste for human f lesh. Winter Close blast 5; +22 vs. Reflex; 2d6 + 7 cold damage.
hags are the most likely of Auril’s handmaidens to A Icy Bonds (standard; sustain minor; encounter) ✦ Cold, Zone
be encountered on Faerûn—notably in the land of Area burst 3 within 15; the area becomes a zone filled with
Rashemen. As the month of Tarsakh approaches,
seasoned hathran witches of that realm are dis- chains of permafrost that remain until the end of the hag’s
patched to battle a winter hag. If they fail, spring is
delayed and bitter winter conditions persist for sev- next turn. Any creature that enters or begins its turn in the
eral weeks longer.
area or adjacent to it is restrained and takes ongoing 10

cold damage (save ends both). As a move action, the hag can

slide a target shackled in icy bonds 2 squares. Winter’s Fury (Level 18, XP 11,200)
Blizzard Step (minor; recharge 4 5 6 ) ✦ Teleportation ✦ 1 winter hag (level 19 lurker)
The winter hag teleports 10 squares, reappearing in a hail ✦ 1 ice archon frostshaper (level 20 controller

of wind and frost; it gains invisibility until the end of its next [leader])
✦ 1 rimefire griffon (level 20 skirmisher)
turn. ✦ 1 ghaele of winter (level 21 artillery) D
Change Shape (minor; at-will) ✦ Polymorph
About the Author
A winter hag can alter its physical form to appear as an old
A software engineering manager by day and Forgotten
crone of any Medium or Large humanoid race (see Change Realms® loremaster by night, Brian R. James authored
the Grand History of the Realms and more recently Open
Shape, MM page 280). Grave: Secrets of the Undead. He also contributed to the For-
gotten Realms Campaign Guide and continues to serve up
Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Common new Realmslore through D&D Insider and Candlekeep Com-
pendium. Brian would like to thank Gray Richardson for his
Skills Stealth +11 invaluable assistance during the writing of this article.

Str 17 (+12) Dex 25 (+16) Wis 22 (+15)

Con 19 (+13) Int 20 (+14) Cha 18 (+13)

Encounter Groups

Winter hags are most often encountered in the
remote reaches of Rasheman or the Land Under
Eternal Ice in the Deep Wilds. It’s not uncommon for
winter hags to travel with mounted ice archon and
avariel escorts.

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