Glacivern

Glacivern

"Where winter does not belong, a Glacivern’s shadow may fall."

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General Information

Type: Elemental Beast
Classification: Rare Creature
Habitat: High-altitude glacial peaks, mid-sky frost currents, and deep icy caverns
Language: Understands Primordial (Auran + Aquan), does not speak
Associated Realms: Striror, Frostmaw Sea, Frozen Tundras of Caemothas

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Physical Description

The Glacivern is a majestic avian entity resembling a cross between a raptor and a crystalline phoenix. Its wings shimmer with layered ice-feathers that refract light into rainbow patterns during flight. Standing over 15 feet tall when perched, it emits no heat—only a deathly chill that clings to the air like a haunting memory.
Notable Features:

Feathers of pure, reflective ice

Eyes glowing with soft azure light

Breath that mists the air even in summer

Wingbeats that hush sound and summon frostwinds

Glacivern by Kenneth Foote

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Ecology and Behavior

Glaciverns are solitary and territorial. They make lairs in naturally sacred or magically charged cold regions. Some believe they are drawn to mana-rich leylines intersecting with frigid zones. These creatures do not build nests—instead, they perch upon ancient ice spires or magically sustained sky-islands.
They are known to interact with druids, elementalists, and frost-worshipping cults—though rarely with trust. When enraged, a Glacivern can summon localized blizzards that reshape the terrain around it into a glacier in hours.

“The day the Glacivern flew over the ridge, the summer melted from our hearts.” — Vaal Eskari, Frostwatch Scout

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Mythological Significance

According to Striroran myth, all Glaciverns descend from a single ancient being: Hrímveirr, the Silent Gale, one of the Three Prime Elemental Wyrds born during the Eclipse Epoch. While Hrímveirr is a mythic singularity, Glaciverns are lesser echoes of that first breath of winter given wing.
In cultures across Caemothas, Glaciverns symbolize:

Eternal vigilance

The balance between life and stillness

The sacred boundary of winter’s reach

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Glacivern (Stat Block)

Large Elemental, Neutral
Armor Class: 17 (ice armor)
Hit Points: 136 (16d10 + 48)
Speed: 30 ft., fly 80 ft. (hover)
STR 18 (+4) | DEX 16 (+3) | CON 17 (+3) | INT 8 (-1) | WIS 16 (+3) | CHA 14 (+2)
Saving Throws: Dex +6, Con +6, Wis +6
Damage Immunities: Cold
Damage Resistances: Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from nonmagical weapons
Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 13
Languages: Understands Auran and Aquan
Challenge: 9 (5,000 XP)

Innate Spellcasting.

The Glacivern's innate spellcasting ability is Charisma (spell save DC 14). It can innately cast the following spells:

At will: fog cloud, gust of wind

2/day: ice storm, wall of ice

Actions

Multiattack. The Glacivern makes two attacks: one with its beak and one with its talons.
Beak. +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 15 (2d10 + 4) cold damage.
Talons. +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.

Blizzard Wing (Recharge 5–6).

The Glacivern beats its wings, creating a flurry of icy wind in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 27 (6d8) cold damage and is blinded by frost for 1 minute. On a success, the creature takes half damage and is not blinded.

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Variants

Elder Glacivern: A CR 15 version with spellcasting, regional effects, and lair actions
Glacivern Matron: A rare female variant known to guard ancient sky-altars
Frostfire Glacivern: A hybrid variant capable of combining cold and radiant energy