Portraits
LA SAIA, THE FROSTMAIDEN
Queen of the Ice and Snow and Mistress of Cold and Stillness, La Saia is a minor deity whose domain grants her a great deal of power over the freezing climes of the Frostgale Taiga. To unknown ends, she takes to the sky every night atop a roc and traces the auroras in the skies above, blocking out the warming rays of the sun and giving rise to the blight known as the Everlasting Rime.
The Lonesome Few has made an enemy of La Saia and the cult that worships her, for to oppose the Eternal Winter is to oppose the Frostmaiden. Little is known of her cryptic motives, but one thing is certain; La Saia will not loosen her glacial grip on the Taiga without a fight.
THE LONESOME FEW
Ragna Íssbur - A brusque, uncompromising human barbarian who is quick to anger and who is always eager to put an axe in the face of any problems. Ragna's heart was replaced with an orb of fire-infused chardalyn shortly afterr birth, which has resulted in Ragna's ability to control his own blood as a boiling weapon. Capable of transforming parts of their body to ice, Ragna is unaffected by the excruciating cold that holds all of Frostgale Taiga in its grasp, and is thus the perfect warrior to stand against the horrors that thrive in the ice and snow.
Ragna was once of the Broken Blade tribe, but became estranged from their people after their father, King Siegmar, tried to sacrfiice Ragna to La Saia to avert a prophecy. Still, Ragna has sworn to rebuild the Broken Blade from the ashes of King Siegmar's failures, and to honor the memory of her fallen siblings.
Melfina Eres - A mysterious drow wizard who draws magic from the air like paint across a canvas. Melfina has been stranded in Frostgale Taiga ever since the Everlasting Rime has begun, as she was left behind by her mentor who disappeared soon before it began. Inquisitive and well-read, her arcane knowledge may be key in ending the winter. Wielding the powerful artifact known as the
Ring of Winter, Melfina is perhaps closer to La Saia the Frostmaiden than any mortal in the Taiga.
After years of searching, Melfina was finally reunited with her master, Veszaltyrr Oussndar, and her confidence has soared as a result. She is fully committed to plundering the depths of the lost city of Hollowfaust, whose secrets may be the key to ending the Eternal Winter.
Alithkav - A githyanki artificer and 'daughter' of the githyanki god-queen, the lich Vlaakiith. Alith was an engineer aboard the pirate spelljammer,
Zerthimon's Arrow, before it crashed after being trapped in La Saia's domain. Stranded in the Snowdrift Flatlands in what might be the worst time to be so in Lloegyr's history, Alith now must put her might and mind to surviving the winter; all while looking over her shoulder for enemies seeking her demise.
Having slain her ceremorphosized captain, she is now truly the last survivor of
Zerthimon's Arrow. After a brief time away from the party tracking the arrival of a githyanki spelljammer, she has rejoined the Lonesome Few, and intends to fight for her freedom from both her people and from La Saia's frozen gaze.
Veszaltyrr Oussndar - A dark elven sorcerer who wields powerful magics from the lawful plane of Mechanus. Veszaltyrr is a wandering philosopher and scholar who seeks powerful magical artifacts and lost spells in pursuit of his ultimate goal; the complete and utter destruction of the drow goddess
Lolth. Having long been Melfina's mentor and master in the arcane arts, Veszaltyrr led Melfina to the Frostgale Taiga shortly before the onset of the Eternal Winter.
Two years ago, Veszaltyrr attempted to breach the defenses of the lost city of Hollowfaust, resulting in his trauamatic and sudden death, and it took the same amount of time for him to find and rejoin Melfina in his weakened cloned body. Having reunited with his student, Veszaltyrr has joined the party to seek Hollowfaust's secrets and the Winter's end.
Peanut & Blamo - Discovered in the downed nautiloid the
Id Ascendant, Peanut is a miniature giant space hamster who has taken a liking to Alith and her inventions; in particular the mobile cannon Blamo. Despite all common knowledge leading most to believe that hamsters cannot handle complicated machinery, Peanut has settled into her role as the 'pilot' of Blamo, operating the powerful mini-cannon from a sealed cockpit within. Blamo, already a deadly armament when guided by Alith, is now more precise and mobile with Peanut at the helm.
NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS
Tali von Corthala - A half-elven researcher from the southern city of
Revelmoore, who traveled to Frostgale Taiga to investigate the local fauna just before the onset of the Eternal Winter. They are a half-Shadar-Kai, and their innate connection to the darkness of the Shadowfell puts them at odds with the forces of nature, much to their frustration. They have established a firm bond with Melfina, finding her to be a fellow intellectual.
Sherriff Markham Southwell - The leader of Lystheim's militia, this dedicated lifelong military man is the highest ranking commander in the Ten Towns, and leads the defense of Whiteridge against the invading Broken Blade barbarians. With his years of experience, he advised Speaker Duvessa on many matters. Despite his middle age, he went toe-to-toe with some of the frost giants marching with the Broken Blade, and managed to survive the great battle at Whiteridge.
Brynjar Siegsson - One of Ragna's siblings, this eloquent half-elf is an herbalist by trade and does not relish fighting like many of his fellows. He was expelled from the Broken Blade tribe for refusing to go along with their invasion of the Taiga, and is now a student of the firbolg druid, Gleha.
Garret Velryn - A human scout for Mirlake who serves as a wilderness guide. He adores the wilderness and spends much of his time there when not at home with his husband, Keegan. He was was saved by the party's timely intervention on Famrial Mountain. He has agreed to act as the party's guide to the northern expanse at a later date, and is currently keeping an eye on Ragna's younger sister, Sóley.
Keegan Velryn - A human man in his thirties, Keegan is a fisherman in Mirlake who lives with his husband, Garret Velryn, who works as a wilderness guide. A native of Mirlake, Keegan knows the Mirrored Reservoir like the back of his hand. With his husband returned to him, Keegan now enjoys what time he has with the barbarian invasion looming overhead.
Sóley Siegsdóttir - Youngest of Ragna's siblings, Sóley was Ragna's shadow growing up, and idolized the fiery barbarian. She recently completed her rite of passage and helped to take down an ogre with a party of her own, earning her the epithet 'The Steel Flurry'. She has conflicted feelings on the invasion, but the truth of Siegmar's betrayal of their people assured her loyalty to Ragna.
Thokgrim the Stormlord - Thokgrim is a towering orc who wields a large, black-iron maul carved in the image of his god:
Gromm the Thunderer, he who commands the bolts from on high. Thokgrim is unusually friendly and diplomatic for his kind, and leads his fellow Stormcaller orcs in championing a philosophy known as
The Code of Our Fathers.
After defeating Hortog, Fist of the Orc-Father, in honorable ritual combat at
Votar Venak Aghmat, Thokgrim became the chieftain of the newly renamed Storm's Call. He has proven his might and power by emerging victorious against King Siegmar in brutal combat.
Dahlia Kaltro - A huntress from the town of Whiteridge. She has taken it upon herself to solve a series of murders that have targeted people who have fled the fate of being sacrificed to La Saia, the Frostmaiden. She is a follower of
Silvanath the Oak Father, and is an expert tracker and survivalist.
Having traveled with the party previously, she has now returned to her hometown to help lead its defenses against the barbarians. Her marksmanship was critical in the survival of many Ten Towners at the battle of Whiteridge, and also led to the death of Úlfur Siegsson. It was also discovered that she is Ragna's maternal half-sister.
Barador Blackhammer - The younger of Lord Bellen Blackhammer's two sons. This dwarf sports black hair, a beard adorned with medals, and a black eyepatch emblazoned with the sigil of the dwarven god
Barator, Master of the Forge. With his father and brother's deaths, Barador has become the Lord of Duhngrave, Heir to the Great Clan Duhnbeyl, and the bearer of the Curse of the Traitor Prince of Dol Gurhal.
Doluma Sunblight - Doluma Sunblight is the high priestess of
Brúni-Bári, the dwarven twin-god of carousing & drink, in the dwarven hall of Duhngrave. She scorns moderation and treats visitors to brews from her collection, encouraging them to try adventurous spirits (all of which may not be entirely safe for consuption). Doluma is in fact the estranged daughter of the late King Xardorok of the Sunblight Clan, and takes comfort and delight in his demise. She accompanied her liege, Lord Blackhammer, in the fight at Whiteridge, and helped to avenge his death at the hands of Úlfur Siegsson.
Captain Ardyn Cinderswift - A human pirate stranded in Frostgale Taiga, he helped give the party their start at the beginning of their adventure. He seeks to capitalize on the Eternal Winter and come out on top, regardless of what happens. He was revealed to be the brother of the queen of
Castorhage, having run away to seek a life of his own. He struck a bargain with the devil Mendrion, hoping that the party would agree to Archduke Levistus' offer - and when they refused, he became the Lonesome Few's enemy.
Mendrion - A cruel and calculating erinyes who serves Levistus, the frozen archdevil known as the Prince of Betrayal. He manipulated Xardorok Sunblight by posing as a devout priest of Don Duergedyn, compelling the tyrant to do his bidding. He took some amusement in the news of his brother Seraphiel's demise, and served as Levistus' herald to the party at the Black Cabin.
Levistus, Archduke of Stygia - Perhaps the most hated of all the devils in all the Nine Hells of Baator, Levistus has spent untold centuries seething in unmitigated fury from his imprisonment upon his Frozen Throne at the hands of Lord Asmodeus. He had an agreement with the mages of Hollowfaust that leveraged souls to aid in his escape, but the interference of La Saia in this plot has led to him opposing the Frostmaiden.
He offered the party a deal, asking them to secure the
Mythallar of Ythryn to provide souls for his escape, in exchange for a ship with which they could cross the dangerous Valrua Sea. However, they refused, earning the ire of the archdevil forever more.
Valdís Siegsdóttir - One of Ragna's elder siblings and one of the best hunters of the Broken Blade tribe. She is an expert marksman despite missing an eye. Valdis is one of Ragna's more reasonable, even-tempered siblings; she is known for her sense of mercy compared to her brethren. She marched with her people on Whiteridge, but was subdued and carried away by Captain Cinderswift as part of his agreement with Ragna.
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