RP:A Crew for Isabelle

From HollowWiki

Part of the Yeti Tribe Arc


Part of the Snow Maiden Arc



OOC Note

The second installment to the Yeti Tribe arc. Still an on-going RP and will lead into further ones, including the Frostmaw Expedition.


Characters

  • Satoshi is here with a Goggled Frost-Bat named Wisps.
    • Vampiric feline, mage.
  • Trey is here with a albino ferret named Raxoth.
    • Human, pirate.
  • Cyllarus is here with a centaur mercenary named Waraleryn.
    • Centaur, merchant.

NPCs

  • Cliff Edge, adventurer extraordinaire.
  • Steelsnow, anti-outsiders yeti.
  • Snowhorn, Chief's son.

Episode 2: Search for a Crew



Calm Waters


Another secluded cove hides around the rocks just west of the Pirate Cove. The smooth sand and gentle waters don't stretch far, but they are perfect for the needs of their new resident. Not far from the water line, another cavern opening resides. Inside this opening, piles of lumber--sorted into planks and still whole trees--took up much of the space. Wooden crates in rows of two lined one of the walls. The crates were full of hardware, steel nails, hammers, axes, saws, and several other things of a similar nature. farther into the cave, a pile of neatly coiled ropes rested, and next to the pile, a net hammock resides, hanging from two hooks bored into the rockface itself. Several tunics and vests lay strewn around the sleeping area. A single baldric hung from the hammock, the straps empty of the falchion that's worn the leather through the years. A tricorn hat hangs on the wall, it's tough leather showing no use. A couple yards from the opening of the caverns, a large makeshift table, made out of barrels and wooden planks, holds aloft several seacharts with hand drawn lines and directions. A compass, a ruler, and a protractor lay in no particular pattern atop the parchment. Outside of the cave, in the smooth sand, an imprint from the cave to the current tide shows the effort of someone dragging something to the waters earlier that day, or else the tide would have reached the cave-line and washed all traces away. Resting atop of the calm ocean, two cylindrical stocks of wood lay exactly parallel to each other, each of their ends tied sturdily with several lines leading down towards the oceanfloor. The residant of this cove seemed to be up to something, unclear as that may be. The only exit is west, around the jutting crop of rock and back towards the pirate cove.




Trey wiped a bead of sweat from her face, smearing dirt across her cheek. The sun had been beating down upon her and her carpenter companion for hours how, but today was a good day for them both. The woman pulled a very newly made lifeboat onto the beach to prevent the soft waves from pulling it back to sea, then she stood back from the ship that sat docked in the cove, pulled up the orange shades that were covering her eyes, and looked at the Isabelle the way she was meant to be viewed. When the ship came to her, it was in a wreck, barely sailable, and the white haired carpenter that was still on board had to be skilled indeed to have salvaged as much as he did. Nevertheless, it seemed as if today would be the day they finished up repairs. Lines still needed to be laid, and sails to be hung, but the ship was a beautiful sight none the less. It had taken longer than expected to fix her up since the two workers found it necessary to replace the entirety of the upper decking with frost-resistant wood from Frostmaw. The place was not only on the mainland, but also clear across, all the way past the well known Kelay. The two had successfully cluttered the cove more than previously with barrels, boxes, stands for cutting wood, saws, axes, and all sorts of the like. Trey found that the closest barrel made for a good seat.

Satoshi, like the sneaky little beastie she is, has been watching the finishing repairs for a while now, perched as she is on an empty crate tucked in the cool shadows of the cove. "Not bad at all~," the mage whistles as Trey takes a seat, in hopes her sudden announcement of her presence will startle the pirate. But, whether she surprises Trey or not, Satoshi carries on without concern, her amber-specked eyes for the reconstructed ship only. "She's lovely~. You've outdone yourself, Cap'n. Just a few more finishing touches, and we'll have a new playtoy, hm?" Well, finishing touches, and a crew.

Trey nearly did fall from her makeshift seat, but the pirate--being suave people in general-- made it into a standing motion, and got to her feet. "Aye, well, finishing touches, and a crew." One more glace at her handiwork, then Trey slid the glasses back over her eyes and moved towards the feline. "I certainly don't have enough men on my roster to man this beast, including men that aren't currently sailing with me. We're going to have to throw our gaze somewhere else to fill this one." The sailor was frankly at a loss for where so many men could be found, yet she did not usually look for crew on the mainland. Perhaps at the Whale, they could find some men. "I'll send some men over to rig her up and fix the sails; Zachriel should be able to keep them in line. I think we should look for crew, perhaps set up postings. Any ideas?"

Satoshi continues to watch the ship, her expression thoughtful as vulpine ears flick to catch Trey's words. "With what I intend to add to her... she'll need more than just 'men' for a crew. We need folk that are... cold-accustomed. I've got a handful of frost giants interested already. And I've got a lead on a group of yeti, I just haven't had the chance or the willing companions to follow that lead." Grinning suddenly, the look both eager and mischievous, Satoshi adds, "What do you say, Cap'n? Care for a little trip to Frostmaw's outskirts?"

Trey 's eyes lit up. An orange shaded light, but a light still. The thought was an odd one, though, and the sailor had no qualms about expressing such out loud. "Giants and yeti? Who on earth would be man, er... sailor enough to captain a crew like that? Still, it would certainly take less crew to man her." A glance at the ship changed the look of excitement to one of worry. "Aye but the rigging won't hold them, we'll have to completely redo the masts... The deck should be strong enough but the booms.." It was not a prospect the pirate liked. Taking out the masts meant redoing most of the decks.

Satoshi's gaze leaves the Isabelle at a quiet squeak coming from her coat collar. Clinging there, nestled in with the fur and almost invisible against it, is the mage's newest creation, Wisps, a frosty version of a mouse-eared bat. The little creature, with equally small goggles, chitters to the feline a moment before she's rewarded with a light pat. "Hrm~. I do believe I've got just the solution for that. A few conjured, clever beasties here, a few of my familiar's imp kin there, and a smattering of snow pixies paid in mischief made upon enemy boats. Sound like a working recipe to you?" One more glance for Isabelle--!!--is made before the feline smirks again. "I'll figure out your captain problem, once we see what kind of crew we can gather."

Trey can't help but match Satoshi's smirk. "Well small creatures like that will certainly do, and as long as you can find a captain who can order around yeti and giants, and who can keep imps and pixies at bay, I'm with you. Let's find ourselves a crew!" The woman didn't think to tell Zach of their departure, for he'd notice eventually, and he knew what to do.

Satoshi nods all too eagerly as she tugs her goggles down into place--after all, Trey's got her shades on, and it's go time! "Crew hunting, here we come~! To the Xalious mountains!" And off the feline goes, not all that worried that the human will manage to keep up. That's what zombie raptors are for, after all.



Higher Among the Mountains


Having reached this area, your eyes scan the surroundings to view only leafless trees, and several snow piles frosted over with ice. Several small rabbits dart in and out of the frozen vegitation, and into holes burrowed within the snow. Seeming to be a dead end, this place looks like nothing more but a nice camping spot, or a place to be alone. However, a large boulder to your north seems rather loose, perhaps you could push the object to the side.




Trey , having reached this area, scans the surroundings to view only leafless trees, and several snow piles frosted over with ice. Several small rabbits dart in and out of the frozen vegitation, and into holes burrowed within the snow. Seeming to be a dead end, this place looks like nothing more but a nice camping spot, or a place to be alone. Trey knew otherwise, since she had traveled to the frozen north before, and though her travels would be easier upon her noble steed, Velocity, the captain had chosen to walk, since she wasn't positive it would be wise to bring a cold-blooded creature such as Velo to such a frozen place.

Satoshi impatiently gestures for the pirate to stop gawking at rabbits and camping spots and follow her down the slender path. "This way. Found a little yeti out here not so long ago, and I doubt a child's gonna wander too far from home. They can't be terribly difficult to find." So long as we don't meet another frost worm, the feline silently adds as she ambles her way along the path and toward the heavy treeline, with Wisps delightedly flying ahead as a scout and squeaking back information as she goes.

Trey shrugged and let the feline lead the pirate. After all, the cryomancer obviously knew more about the area than the water-bound traveler. Adjusting the strap to the leather satchel she had brought along, Trey headed down the path behind Satoshi, trying not to ask about the bat wearing goggles.

Satoshi leads the way for a fair while, and without a single frost worm rearing its ugly head. Sure, a small pack of half-starved Winter wolves had ventured too close, but that was nothing a few rocks and bewitched snowballs couldn't fix. Which leaves the duo with little else to do but walk, up until the feline comes to a sudden halt, boots kicking a few pebbles over the edge of a fissure, the bottom obscured by a veil of mist. "Hellfire. Lovely drop, that is..." Glancing left, Satoshi blinks and grimaces before she gestures at a thin, crumbling 'bridge' of ice and stone connecting the sides of the canyon. "And that's even lovelier, eh?"

Trey crosses her arms. "We happen to be going in a path that does not cross that bridge, correct?" It was a false hope that the woman was clinging to. If she was going to die, the sailor was hoping that it would be on the ocean. Still, an adventure is an adventure. Luckily the ginger was smart enough to dress warm, and so the only worry she had when it came to ice, was that menacing looking bridge

Satoshi can't help a wicked smirk as she adjusts her goggles to sit more comfortably. "Keep dreaming~," the mage trills as she marches toward the bridge, Wisps already halfway out and chittering encouragement. With more confidence than her prior grimace might have suggested, Satoshi steps out onto the bridge, only an ear flicking as the ice groans faintly in protest. With the casual air of a cat, she begins an easy stroll along the dangerously thin structure, calling back to the pirate, "See? Not so bad~. I'll even put some of my magic into it, to keep it from collapsing when your lardy ass steps on it~." It's impossible to tell whether she's throwing insults in good humor or to mask worry.

Trey shakes a head, uncrosses her arms, and only crosses once the feline is safely on the other side; no point in having both of their weights upon it. "You're too kind, you know." The assurance of a magical benefit did ease the pirate's mind, and crossing the bridge was a quick task once confidence was installed. After all, the captain was no stranger to walking--and sometimes even running-- across very thin structures high above the nearest ground. Having no idea where they were headed, the woman keeps her opinions mostly to her self. Mostly. "Why yeti? Aren't they... well... unruly beasts?"

Satoshi glances back toward the pirate as the walking resumes, offering a shrug. "I'd heard most are, but I'd also heard there are... more civilized ones. That live in tribes of sorts. Y'know, like how the frost giants aren't drooling idiots like their cousins? It's this environment. Brings out the intelligence in creatures." Which of course has the feline putting a strut in her step, twin tails curling regally behind her. The fact that she's leading them relatively blindly, albeit in a westerly direction, does nothing to dampen her spirits.

Trey chuckles. Of course the frost feline was claiming that the frozen climate was making the creatures here fairly intelligent. Still, Trey couldn't argue--mostly because she didn't know if it was true or not. "Well then, I certainly hope this tribe we're looking for is the intelligent sort. You know how I am with battles." Not very good, by the way, was how the captain was with battles. Not bad when it came to blindly attacking enemy sailors who barely knew how to fight, and when you had a whole crew fighting with you. Completely different when it's just you and a cat against a whole tribe of angry, dumb yeti.

Satoshi quietly comments, "You and me both share that hope." After all, there's not much she -could- do against a band of angry, bloodthirsty beasts with an innate immunity to cold. Asorial might claim a few arms or heads, but not win the battle for them. Musing over such thoughts, the mage continues westward until--after a fair amount of time has passed--Wisps comes screeching back to them, fluttering frantically about their heads. "Uhm," the magus translates with a faltering smile, "we're close, apparently. Also... we're surrounded." A two second warning before the snow-coated trees around them give way to a group of yeti, bedecked in armor of bone and ice, and carrying rough spears and bows. "No sudden movements, eh?"

Trey resists the urge to draw her sword. If this -is- a band of yeti that were not usually hostile, drawing a sword would probably change that pretty quickly. Regardless, Raxoth found it to be a perfect time to no longer be around. She wasn't sure when he had left her shoulder, but Trey was suddenly very aware of the ferret's absence. Almost mumbling 'coward', the sailor caught herself, seeing it as probably a bad idea, since the yeti might take it to mean them. Then again, could Yeti even speak? "Interesting pet, you have there." Apparently yes, they could talk, for the voice came from behind two yeti, from a much smaller sized creature covered in white fur and armor much like the yeti. Its voice was rugged and tough, yet not what the captain would have expected from such a beast. He had to be addressing the ice mage, since Trey's useless pet had ditched them. "Where, pray tell, did you find such tiny goggles?" The creature asked.

Satoshi's ear stand up at the voice addressing her, eyes wary as she shifts to face the smaller creature. The rest of them didn't seem -particularly- hostile. In fact, most shifted their weapons into a casual hold after the shorter one spoke, obviously put at ease by his tone. Satoshi's not put at ease, however, and it's only with a feigned casual demeanor that she answers the question. "I made them of ice. And the bat too, actually." A quiet murmur from the ring of yeti follows the remark, although it's difficult to tell if they're impressed or alarmed by one who can bring ice to life. "Oi," Satoshi whispers to Trey then, avoiding looking toward the pirate. "You're good at this diplomacy, right? I sure hope so..." So says the former Foreign Affairs minister.

Trey tried really hard to reply in such a way that Satoshi would like, but also without lying. She managed some sort of unhappy medium. "I killed a diplomat once... does that count?" Following the feline's lead, Trey also did not look to her companion, but instead kept a watchful eye on the circle around them. Again, the short yeti-furred creature spoke. "Out of ice, you say? The bat too?" As he spoke, he pulled in front of the yeti, revealing that the fur the two could see on him was not actually his own, but a cloak and hood made from yeti-fur, most likely from an enemy tribe or a fallen companion. Pulling down the hood, he revealed himself. A tall man, but a man none the less. Human. Something about him drew Trey's attention. He had long black hair, but it was pulled back into a tight braid to keep it from his eyes, which were like looking into the ocean and seeing the infinite joy of a pirate's life. At that moment in time, the sailor knew that she would one day sail with this man. "You must be some powerful mage."

Satoshi straightens just a bit from her cautious stance when the speaker reveals himself to be human, and even more so with his compliment of her powers as a mage. "Why yes, actually. I am. I'm the Snowfall Magus, and conjuring a bat is a simple matter for myself." Ah, the damage feline arrogance can do to sensible wariness. The warriors surrounding them are all but forgotten. "My name es Satoshi Azakhaer. And while I'm a formidable mage, my companion here is an equally mastered captain and owner of a mighty fleet~." Insert additional boasting here. "We're in search of a crew with the strength and skill to endure the winds of the high seas, and the immense cold of a unique ship. That search has led us here. Who... am I speaking to, exactly? I did not expect to find a human out here, in all honesty."

Trey lets Satoshi do the talking, since apparently compliments make the feline quite the diplomat herself. The man smiled just as a cloud moved from the sun, allowing a ray of light to flare off of his shining white teeth. "Well, Satoshi Asakhaer," the man did get distracted for a second as he turned his attention to the aforementioned bat, giving it a friendly smile and a trill of his fingers, "Hello." After that, his attention snapped right back to the mancer. "My name is Cliff. Cliff Edge, to be precise." The man waited, anticipating the two travelers to awe over meeting the famous Cliff, but after a moment of no such reaction, his smile faded and he continued to speak to the feline after a short, grumbled 'I'm not just -any- human, you know'. "I do believe that Frostmaw is the place for that, though you'll have to have a large ship for a crew from these parts." His eyes slipped towards Trey, "Think you can handle that?" The woman merely shrugged, glanced about the yeti, and stated. "I've had bigger." Ships, of course. Or rather, she'd seen bigger ships. She'd never really had one bigger than The Dusk up until Isabelle was ready.

Satoshi watches the exchange with obvious amusement, the bat voicing her own squeaks of laughter in response. "Right. Like she says, the boat's big. Really big. We've already got a few frost giants hired on as crew, actually. But, we wanted some folk a bit more quick. And clever. " Cue a knowing nod and wink for a few of the yeti, in an attempt to win them over. It does the trick, and the warriors all but lower their weapons as they nod and grunt amongst themselves. All but one, who snarls as he pushes forward with a spear jabbed at the feline's chest. "Not our kind." A narrow-eyed glance to Cliff suggests this particular yeti isn't happy about his presence either. "They go!" Satoshi blinks at the spear, anxiously adding, "Easy there. We're not enemies..." Another sharp jab silences her, aside from a squeak. Obviously, her Diplomacy check failed.

Trey refused to reach for her sword. No, she wouldn't do it, she wouldn't risk losing the chance for such a great addition to the crew just because she got irked into fighting. Cliff, on the other hand, apparently had no qualms with getting argumentative. "Hey now, they aren't causing any-" The yeti shoved Cliff to the ground, cutting him off mid sentence. Some of the furry beasts who had lowered their weapons not moments before began raising them, though in agreeance with the angry one or against him, it was hard to tell for sure.

Satoshi really doesn't like having the business-end of a spear aimed at her and it shows in the bristling of her fur and the dangerous gleam in her eyes. The further drop in already frigid temperature might just be her temper's doing as well. But whatever the feline might have done from there is never seen through, as all is interrupted by a high-pitched bellow. A small, furry shape jostles its way through the warriors, revealing itself to be a child yeti. With another cry, this one indignant, the yetling shoves the spear pointed at Satoshi aside, planting himself between feline and instigator. "Friends. Cat saved me from snow worm! Friend of chief's son friend of tribe!" Satoshi blinks in wonder at the little one she and Taeme had rescued from a frost worm, never expecting to see it again or fathoming it to be a person of importance. "Well, hellfire... Hi there. Again.." The mage's greeting to the child goes ignored, however, as he's busy glaring at the retreating warriors, the last one the original instigator--grumbling to himself about "too many outsiders. First big human. Then horse-man. And now cat and little human." And then they're gone, leaving the original duo plus one yetling and adventurer.

Trey blinks. Twice. Cliff managed to push himself back to his feet and watch the yeti leave. After the moment of confusion passes, the sailor manages to inquire, "You aren't going with them?" The adventurer merely laughed and tightened his cloak. "It's time I moved on anyways. I've been with the yeti long enough." Trey would have replied if the coward that dares to call itself the pirate's companion returned and perched on her shoulder. Instead, the woman made a snide comment to the ferret and turned to the feline. "Well, I suppose that could have gone better." The strange adventurer added quite gleefully, "It could have gone worse!"

Cyllarus staggers up onto the top path, his hooves slipping somewhat on the edge of the cliff. Breating somewhat heavily from the difficult climb, he looks curiously at the other beings standing there and at the retreating yeti. "Am I .. *huff* .. interrupting anything?" A light coating of frost cast hilights in his dark mane and tail, giving him an oddly silvered look.

Satoshi isn't sure who to look at first: the tiny yeti that potentially just repaid a life debt, or the centaur that's suddenly appeared, huffing and puffing. She opts for the yeti first, leaning down to address him. "Erm. Thanks for that..." "Snowhorn," he reluctantly adds on as way of introduction, obviously not fond of his childhood name and puffing out his chest to make himself seem more 'manly' for it. "Mean one was Steelsnow. Ignore him. Mate has prickles for fur and snow for lips." Satoshi chuckles at the explanation before looking toward Cyllarus with a raised brow. "You're... that one merchant fellow, non? We've met, I think. What... brings you way out here?" A questioning look goes to Trey and Cliff, as if she expects one of them to hold the answer.

Trey eyes Cyllarus, unsure of who he was, but completely sure that he was quite large. The human hadn't met many centaurs in her life, and so every time she met one, the sailor was taken aback for a moment before composing herself. "Perfect timing you've got," she addressed to the man, er, half-man. Cliff, still dressed in his Yeti-fur cloak and yeti-styled armor, was laughing at what Snowhorn had said about Steelsnow's mate. It was especially funny because he knew it to be true. After his amusement passed, he gave feline and human a wave and an explanation, "I'd better get going, I'm sure I've got something I'm late for." Passing the centaur, Cliff nodded a greeting and farewell all at once, then disappeared into the trees.

Cyllarus takes a deep breath and expels it roughly. He nods his head to the feline. "Indeed, I am Cyllarus, a merchant." He smiles at them, his teeth bright white against his dark skin. He shakes his head, flipping his mane around. "Of course the first time I come up here in months, I walk right into the middle of something. Figures."

Satoshi watches Cliff leave with a curious expression before her attention is called away by Snowhorn tugging at her sleeve. "Snow-fox," Satoshi can only assume he's dubbed her as such based off her fox-esque traits, "Chief isn't back from hunting party. Return later when he is. He likes outsiders. Trading and finding 'cruuu' can be done then." With that simple statement, the yetling nods and hurries off after Cliff, leaving Satoshi blinking in confusion. "Well... that was an odd affair. But, I guess we come back later." Looking to Trey and Cyllarus, the feline grins, "Unless either of you fancy another 'chat' with Steelsnow? I rather like -not- being a kitty-kabob."

Trey said, "I'm afraid I agree with that statement." The large yeti wasn't exactly someone the feeble and unskilled human wanted to tangle with again. Still, it seemed as if their meeting with the yeti ended well, for they would get a chance to speak with the chief, and perhaps convince him of a better life style. "I wouldn't mind changing climates."

Cyllarus snorts in amusement. "Most folks don't come up here for the climate." He looks down at them, then at the ground and kicks a snow clump with one of his front hooves. There was some snow and ice crusted up on the feather around his hoof. "Most of you bipeds are distressingly vulnerable to the cold."

Satoshi scoffs at the very idea! "-Most- es an important word in that statement, master merchant. This land is paradise to myself~. But," nodding toward Trey, she continues, "not so much so for the sailor there. So, off we go. Mayhaps we'll cross paths again~." Tossing Cyllarus a salute, Satoshi turns eastward and begins the long trek back home.

Trey nods to Cyllarus and mumbles a hurried, "Nice to meet you," before shuffling after the feline. It'd be nice to get home, to more... tropical climates.

Cyllarus smiles and waves. "I'll see you later, then. Good luck." The massive centaur turns and heads north, deeping into the frozen land.

The Rebirth of a Legend

Segment 2 of the Frostmaw Arc


~From the journal of Cliff Edge, adventurer extraordinaire and adopted bloodbrother of the yeti tribe, Howling Winds~

Be it a thriving metropolis or a backwater village, rumors seem to have the seem contagious effect everywhere. Frostmaw is no different. The inhabitants are a-buzz with stories of sighting a creature spoken of long ago in their tribal legends. If something can be gleaned from these rumors, it would seem the Snow Maiden herself has stepped right out of the ancient myths and back into the Frost Giant's realms.

Who is this Snow Maiden? I had to find out, so I tracked down a trusted source of mine among the Howling Winds tribe, a loremaster learned in the legends of the nothern tribes of giants and yeti, by the name of Tomefrost. What I learned, for even a well-traveled and brilliant man like myself is eternally learning, was the following:

The legend of the Snow Maiden is one of the Frost Giant's oldest and nearly forgotten by the newer generations. The old ones tell of a spirit of ice and snow appearing in many of their tribal tales, always their protector. Often she travels the frozen tundra as little more than a gust of frost-laden wind, or stray flakes of snowfall, but when she chooses to take a visible shape she favors that of an arctic fox or a small human-like maiden with hair as white as snow and eyes as blue as a glacier's shadow--sometimes seen with the tails and/or ears of the fox. She is frail in appearance, but said to be mighty with the strength of blizzard's at her beck and call. And at her side she is said to have the rare and powerful snow griffin as a guardian. To be in her presence is to feel the kiss of Winter, and to hear her voice is to hear the alluring call of cold all us adventurers have heard, a sound gentle and welcoming as it coaxes the unwary into a permanent sleep.

It is believed the Snow Maiden is the original creator of the Frost Giants (although many of the younger ones carry a stronger belief in Aramoth's hand molding their powerful kind). The original story of the Snow Maiden tells of a young giant, Erenan, unlike his bloodthirsty and dimwitted brethren, and his warrior brother, Cillasihn. Erenan was intelligent and gentle, and had a love for the cold that the others did not share--for why should they? There is little worth hunting in the frozen lands. Cillasihn was strong and power-hungry, a prime example of his kind and destined to be the warlord of the giants, while his brother would be the laughing stock.

While the others of his tribe would spend their time hunting game and fighting amongst themselves, Erenan would explore the higher ranges of the mountain, learning as he discovered the wonders his kin ignored. Cillasihn disapproved of such things, seeing them as useless as they granted Erenan no power and brought in no food. It was during one of these explorations that Cillasihn decided to follow his brother and stop his games once and for all. But the warrior had not the training for tracking and quickly lost his brother's trail, becoming lost in the massive forests of the nothern mountains. It was as he stumbled blindly through the forest that he came across a clearing, and an arctic fox with her paw trapped between two rocks. Although the small animal was nothing more than a snack, Cillasihn was hungry after all his wandering and saw the fox as easy prey. As he raised his fist high to crush the animal, she suddenly looked up, locking his eyes in a gaze of the purest blue, sapphires set against a frost-white background. And with that look, snow begin to fall heavily and the wind began to howl a warning, urging the giant to stop before he struck. And yet, Cillasihn paid no heed to it all and readied to strike again. But when his arm descended, he found himself instead striking Erenan between the eyes, the younger giant having thrown himself between his brother and the helpless animal after following Cillasihn's trail to the clearing. With a cry, Erenan fell upon the newfallen snow, dead. The warrior sneered at his sibling's foolishness, showing no remorse as he turned once more to the fox. But the animal was gone and in her place stood a frail-looking, human-like woman with hair of white and eyes of blue, clad in furs of arctic animals as the wind made snow dance in flurries around her. The woman paid no heed to Cillasihn as she knelt beside the fallen Erenan, a tiny hand stroking his crumpled forehead where he'd been struck.

"For so long I've watched you among the mountains, never harming my creations or my animals. And now you've willingly sacrificed yourself to save one. You are not like your kin. You are a kind all your own. And such a kind should not be destroyed by brainless brute strength." The woman spoke in a voice that was part of the wind around her, everywhere and nowhere all at once. She then bent forward to plant a kiss upon Erenan's brow and with it his brown skin began to lighten, as his dark hair became a white-gold. Slowly, the striken giant stirred and as he did the woman stood and faced his once-slayer.

Cillasihn had watched this all with dumbstruck awe, and when the woman-who-had-been-a-fox turned those frosty eyes upon him, he suddenly felt very small and for once... he felt a desire to flee in fear. "You," the fox woman said with a voice of ice, "are not like your brother. Your only desire is to kill, be it prey or kin, it makes no difference. But today, you obtain only half a kill. For you've slain one of yours, but with his fall a new kind is born. They will be like your brother was, intelligent and curious, ruled by more than bloodlust and power. But they will not be weak. For in their wisdom rests strength you could never obtain, strength gained through work and strategy. They will rule these lands, and your kind shall be forbidden from here hence forth. Any who step foot upon the ice shall be damned to death in the fashion you've done to your brother. Do not fear the frost giants, for they will not exterminate you as your kind would them, but you'd do well to learn respect for them. Respect them, lest they deem you unworthy to grace the lands any longer, for then I will send them among you. Now, begone, killer." As the woman turned away all Cillasihn could think of was to run, to escape the demon of ice before she changed her mind about sparing him.

It is said that after Cillasihn fled back to his tribe, where he never spoke a word of what happened again, the Snow Maiden knelt at Erenan's side once more. And as he recovered from his return to life, she crafted a crown of jagged black ice for him and placed it upon his head where it sat against the place where wound and kiss had been given. And she gave Erenan a single warning: Should his new kind become like his former kind, she would return again and take his crown and power. Thus is the story of the first Jarl of Frostmaw, and how the Snow Maiden created the Giants of Frost.

Is it just a story, or does the Snow Maiden truly walk again? As an adventurer, I've found that many legends have a root in truth. Only time will tell if this is again the case. But there is one fact that comes of the rumors of the Snow Maiden. It has riled the Frost Giants up. Old, half-forgotten traditions are doing battle with new legends and ways of life, as the elders conflict with the young warriors. What will become of this, will Aramoth or the Snow Maiden prove victorious? And what does the current Jarl and follower of Aramoth, Ezezil, believe? No matter the outcome, I smell adventure in this rebirth of a legend and I shall be present to watch a possible birth of a new legend.

Until then...

Adventure is out there!

-Cliff Edge