Frost Bees

"A frost flecked forest, icy winds on an open snow filled plain, or a snow capped mountain slope. In any of these locations, should you hear a humming buzz upon the breeze, hunker down and make a fire if you can. If you can keep warm and don’t provoke a sting, dear traveller, you just might survive the chill."

- Notes to a Winters Traveller, by Leopold Der Vitner.

Anatomy Overview

At a distance a swarm of Frost Bees look like little more than a thick flurry in a snowstorm, only the telltale humming giving away their presence as they seek out any source of warmth. Up close they appear as white and pale blue striped fluff balls, with six small legs, delicate wings, and large dark blue eyes. They are mostly spherical and around 1 inch in diameter. The lace patterning of the wings mimic that of snowflakes and the dark blue of their compound eyes shimmers with silver. By all accounts they are considered quite cute! The Frost Bee has an exceptional ability to sense and seek out sources of warmth in the wilderness. From even as far as a mile away they can spot a glimmer of a heat signature which a swarm will then set out to investigate. 

Habitat and Dietary Needs

Frost Bees are commonly found in the northern and mountainous regions of Tordronnen and Purtani, and all of Calenrin and Sushoya. Living in large colonies, Frost Bees move as a collection of swarms when roving for sustenance and warmth across their territory. They have static colonies which are built into any suitably hollow structure, typically somewhere with enough shelter to protect them from the worst of the high winds. From there collections of bees will go out in swarms, never straying alone for the risk of dying in isolation.

Frost Bees have a combined diet which varies depending on the season. During the warmer weather of spring and summer they will survive as other bees and insects do, managing on the pollen of the summer flowering plants. In the wintertime they supplement their stored supplies by going out in swarms to gather warmth from what other living beings they can find.

Behaviour and Psychology

By and large Frost Bees are very passive creatures and will not become aggressive unless provoked. The winter is the main season in which a person is likely to encounter Frost Bees showing them any particular interest. Once a source of heat has been found the Frost Bees will gather in proximity to it harvesting the warmth. Whilst they are not hostile, a Frost Bee landing on exposed skin causes cold damage triggering an immediate frostbite damage to the localised area of their landing. This effect can cause even amicable encounters with a swarm of Frost Bees to be potentially lethal, albeit unintentionally on their part.

Should a Frost Bee be attacked or their hive threatened they will attempt to defend themselves by stinging the threat. Their stingers are sharp, barbed and enclosed with an icy venom. This venom is potent enough to incapacitate medium sized Snow Bear and kill an average humanoid. The venom induces a shutdown of the vascular system, causing a shutdown to the peripheral extremities, mimicking a swift onset of hypothermia. In high enough doses this shutdown extends to the internal organs resulting in swift failure of the kidneys, liver and other vital functions.

Uses and Byproducts

The venom from the stings of Frost Bee can be used in potion making due to its potent hypothermic effects on the body. However the real prized resource from the Frost Bees is their honey. Quite opposed to their ice-adjacent nature, the honey of the Frosty Bees can be used, even raw, to produce a warming effect when consumed. It can be used in a myriad of alchemical processes in creating warming effects, even to the point of being able to melt metal.