23 - 8/24/24 : Field of Fire

"I will break the Broken Blade for good... and then reforge it."
- Ragna Íssbur

As the dwarves took the fight to the cunning and cruel Úlfur, Thokgrim and Ivory struggled to hold their own against the indomitable King Siegmar. The barbarian forces seemed to be waning, but the King still had plenty of fight left in him. The final minutes of the battle would decide the fates of all gathered there; but would the Lonesome Few save them from the potential of a dragon attack spelling a final doom for the defenders?
As the battle carried on, the barbarian leaders soon realized that their aid from the skies, the Chardalyn Dragon, was not coming. Fannar, one of Ragna's siblings, called out to his father Siegmar to warn him of this dire turn of fates, but Siegmar, far too engrossed in the battle he was sharing with Thokgrim and Ivory, did not listen.
More barbarian reinforcements arrived from the south as the situation on the walls grew more chaotic. As he was barred from reaching Dahlia by the dwarven reinforcements, Úlfur turned his spear Lævateinn against Lord Bellen Blackhammer. The old dwarf fought back valiantly, but was unable to withstand the vicious assault, and was struck down by the vile weapon.
Driven by the fall of their lord, the Blackhammer dwarves fell upon Úlfur like an angry mob, assailing him with their axes and hammers faster than he could keep up. Úlfur looked for an escape from the walls, but was then paralyzed by a hold person spell from Doluma Sunblight, and then found only death at the ends of two arrows fired by Dahlia - bringing the schemer's reign of terror to an end.
At the fore of the battle, Fannar broke from the fight with Sheriff Southwell, leaving Hulda to fend for herself as he tried to forcefully teleport Siegmar away from the battle. However, his magics could not overcome Siegmar's incredible strength, and the barbarian king kept fighting. Hulda was slain soon after, ran through by Sheriff Southwell's blade.
Siegmar soon realized as well that the dragon would not come, but still he refused to yield in battle, even as cracks began to show in his indomitability. He cursed King Xardorok for his betrayal or failure, and kept swinging his blade with all of his might. However, lost in the blood-haze of battle as the great warrior was, he was pushed over the edge of fury by the scolding of Fannar, who loudly and boldly commanded the king to retreat.
With uncontained wrath at his son's impudence, Siegmar broke through the battle lines and attacked Fannar, viciously removing his son's right hand at the elbow. However, Fannar was able to use the last of his strength to force one last teleportation on his father, this one succeeding. With the king out of the losing battle, Fannar collapsed in the snow, succumbing to blood loss soon after.
The Broken Blade soon realized the futility of the battle and began breaking off their assault, retreating to rejoin the king and make for their camp. The defenders of Whiteridge were successful in their desperate fight, in large part thanks to the aid brokered by the Lonesome Few; however, the victory came at the steep price of many lives, as well as the city of Whiteridge itself. The town had suffered much damage from boulders and unchecked flames, and was now naught but a decimated shell of its former self.
Meanwhile, the Lonesome Few rushed their steeds through the heavy snow for the long trek from Sunblight Fortress back to Lystheim. They first spotted the charred ruins of Honeybrook, of which only one building stood remaining; the Mead Hall, standing unmarred amongst the wreckage, as if to speak truth of old tales that it was blessed by the old gods of the land. After signaling to Olivessa, the party continued trudging onwards as fast as their chocobos could carry them.
The party spied smoke rising from Caer Sella and Vrath Keep, signaling their situation as well. Worst of all, however, was the sight of Lystheim ablaze in the distance.

Quickly they press on east, and spy smoke rising from the firelight in Caer Sella to the north. Urging their avian steeds through the rough snow, the auroras pass over the Lonesome Few as they race against the inevitable. Even farther east, they note the same scene to the south in the direction of Vrath Keep. Once a proud tower of stout walls and roaring hearths, now nothing but a pile of slag and broken dreams.
Sighting Lystheim on the horizon is crushing. The town was always awash with firelight, as the many glass windows magnified the candles within homes and streetlights bathed the alabaster snow-streets in warm oranges. In contrast, the inferno overtaking Lystheim is harsh, altogether far too bright for the eyes. The smell of smoke, dust, and ash is heavy on the air, mixing with the all too familiar scent of freshly shed blood. The beacon of civilization in the Frostgale Taiga is now rubble and kindling, offered up as a sacrifice for the ambition of one man.
As the Lonesome Few proceeds through the streets, passing the corpses of militiamen and commoners alike, they spy the smoldering remains of the Northlook. Although the party met at the demise of Zerthimon's Arrow, it was at this tavern that they were first given direction and a goal; where they first became a party in name and deed. Flames now flicker in its place, reflecting off of a now-empty plaque labeled 'Ol' Bitey' that pokes out of the wreckage.
Before this tavern stands an abomination of chardalyn and blasphemous metal, both infernal and celestial in a blend that makes one sick by standing in its very presence. The chardalyn dragon whips its head about as the party approaches, but it is stopped from aggressing by the raised hand of the first and greatest of the kinglings; Ysmir Siegsson, He Who Dances With the Aurora, steps forward with greataxe held low, the myriad ribbons of polar light circling him as he locks eyes with Ragna.
"Little sibling. You and your companions were fast to get here, but not fast enough. I suppose nothing could be. The shamans have an appropriate saying; it is folly to challenge a dragon in a contest of wings."
The Chardalyn Dragon turns its head towards Ragna, its vents seething with radiant heat. "A disgusting contraption, don't you think? But it recognizes its own."

Ragna tried to insist to Ysmir that the Broken Blade's cause was lost from the start. Ysmir applauded their boldness in standing against him and the Chardalyn Dragon, but also was unsurprised - the child of ice and fire would be the one to stand against him, after all.

"You have, I'm sure, wondered why your blood boils as does water in a kettle. How this clashes with your mastery over ice. I have always questioned Siegmar's decision to not inform you of the truth over what beats beneath your breast. But I am here, and he is not, so I will say it plain."
"Long have our shamans seen visions of the coming omens. They have read the signs given by the land and the stars for as long as our ancestors have tread the grounds of the frozen north. When a shaman proclaims an omen, only a fool refuses to listen. Siegmar is no fool. When the shamans gave their word, they spoke of a warrior; a warrior clad in ice, who would bring about the destruction of the Broken Blade."
"For years did the King lay his eyes upon the tribe, ever wary of this warrior clad in ice. And the omen did come to pass; at the peak of the winter solstice, a babe was born, full of life yet cold as ice to the touch. The shamans saw this child and began to fear it. The warrior of ice had come to us, it seemed. The druid who had proclaimed the prophecy, your mother Alfrun, could scarcely stomach the irony."
"But Siegmar, in a rare show of mercy, did not slay the babe at the first opportunity. Having long been fascinated with the properties of chardalyn, Siegmar decided that your life would be spared should the ice within you be thawed with an unusual ritual. The shamans gathered and bestowed an orb of chardalyn the essence of flame, and replaced your beating heart with the orb. No longer were you an infant deathly cold to the touch; you grew hale and hearty. The prophecy had been averted, it seemed."
"Of course, your mother could not bear to see her child tossed about as the toy of an omen, robbed of what made them themselves. For protesting, she was banished; not before she could leave that token you wear around your neck, it seems. The shaman's fears were abated, and they were sworn to secrecy. After all, the child of ice was no more."
"But we both know what happened when the Eternal Winter arrived. Siegmar saw the death of his people at the onset of this unnatural weather, and the shamans spoke of the people's demise once again. But this time, the king had no more mercies to be given. If replacing your very heart could not avert the cold, then your death would have to suffice. Yet it seems you were more stubborn than even he. I see your brush with death has awakened that which was suppressed; both your fiery, chardalyn heart, and the ice that sits at the root of your soul."

Ragna took these revelations in stride, his anticipation for the coming battle only growing. It was fitting then, that the foretold warrior of ice would be the one to destroy the Broken Blade - but Ragna swore to reforge the tribe after Siegmar's terrible crimes, and usher in a new age where they needn't fall to such depths as the forging of the Chardalyn Dragon again.
Ysmir spoke that he once felt the same - that there would be salvation for the Broken Blade, and that he once ventured to the heart of all ice and snow to save the tribe from the prophecy concerning Ragna's birth, only to fall short.

"You see the irony, yes? That the tribe fears a warrior of ice, and yet nearly worships one wreathed in aurora? You see, while some were content to allow your… altering to be the end of the matter, I saw things differently. I did not believe that La Saia could be tricked. She had claimed you at birth, and no amount of meddling in the affairs of fate could avert this. To preserve the people, she had to be challenged."
"I sought the advice of the shamans and set sail across the Valrua, venturing to the very heart of ice itself. Upon the Sapphire Isle, within the fortress of Grimskalle, I proffered myself before the Frostmaiden and proclaimed thus; I am Ysmir, son of the Broken Blade, and I offer myself as proof of my people's worthiness to survive. Take the child of ice if you must, but look upon my strength and see how it may serve you better in life than in death. When I returned home, it was as a hero, my auroras a sign of some untold victory and a bond with the land around us, not of my failure and the loss of my soul to the Frostmaiden. No, that would be my secret."
"And now the people of the Broken Blade follow me into battle, thinking that the victory delivered to them by Siegmar and I will deliver them from the Frostmaiden's cold grasp. But they do not realize that the mortal Ysmir died that day, in the frozen spire of Grimskalle, his soul another bauble for La Saia's collection. They know not that when a warrior that has received my blessings kills another, the soul is claimed not by the valkyries on high, but by the Frostmaiden. Every death brought by my axe is a spirit sent to her vault. Every last barbarian blessed by my hand and then slain by yours and those of the Ten Towners has gone to my mistresses' icy crypts, to fuel her designs."
"If this is the price she begs for our people's survival, then so be it. If this is in vain and I am the foretold warrior of ice, then so be it. In the end, La Saia claims all that call the frozen north home."

With yet another sibling taken from her by La Saia, Ragna decided that the time for talk was over, and that it was time to destroy the Chardalyn abomination and her brother besides. Battle commenced, with Alithkav, Melfina, Tali, and Beren clashing against the Chardalyn Dragon while Ragna dueled Ysmir.
Ragna gained the upper hand quickly, but Ysmir responded with his own Íssmynd power, turning his body to ice just as Ragna could. As the two clashed, the Chardalyn Dragon unleashed its powerful radiant breath, wounding Alith and Beren with corrupted angelic might. Melfina conferred haste to Alith, who took up the vanguard and began striking the dragon with her powerful blade Ashenglow. The dragon buckled to the force but did not yield, instead taking to the skies and maneuvering around the party's attempts at flanking.
Alith attempted to leap onto a nearby roof with her psionic powers, and then leap onto the dragon's wing to sever it with her blade to prevent it from taking flight again. However, the dragon managed to shrug her off with the beating of its wings as it ascended once more, foiling her attempts to do so.
Another beam of radiant energy blasted Beren and brought him to death's door, but with unnatural fortitude and pure iron will did the dwarf rise once more to his feet. Mortally wounded and at a critical juncture, Beren was soon struck with a pang of evil in his mind; the call of his curse, the Curse of the Traitor Prince of Dol Gurhal, that bade him commit an act of betrayal at this moment. There was no question in Beren's mind, and the choice was clear - even if it meant his death, he would not betray the Lonesome Few.

The dragon plants its black claws and beats its massive wings, causing a swell in the air around it. As you adjust your stance to resist the currents of force, you see a flash of realization across Beren's face. As the dragon's malevolent aura washes over you again, Beren clutches an armored hand at his temple and roars in defiance. "I… will not yield… to this curse! These warriors are the best and greatest hope for this land! They will see the sun rise once again!"
Beren drops his shield, looks at his companions, and gives a soft nod. "I will see to it that the dragon cannot take to the air. It will fall to you to finish what we have started. My friends, I wish we could have seen the road of adventure to greater distances, but I feel the call of betrayal in my blood. I will not live long for having denied its call. This… feels a good time and act of service as any."
Before you can lodge protests, the exhausted dwarf utters a yell and charges forward. The dragon whips its head around, and Beren responds with a solid hammer strike to the monster's jaw. Then, as an opening presents itself, the dwarven prince takes hold of a slab of metal and ascends to the beast's back.
"Barator, master of the forge and all that we create! As I was forged upon the anvil of trials and strife, I present myself for your renewing strike! Bring your hammer upon me! Let my spirit be the metal from which victory and rebirth are forged!"
The dwarf's calls shake the very snow. The dragon continues to pick up momentum with its wings, but this is suddenly interrupted by a flash in the sky. Rocketing from beyond the aurora above, a glimmering hammer of light of equal length as a killer whale swings down to the firmament, carrying the dwarf's holy fury with it. The hammer collides with the dragon in a conflagration of light and sparks, shearing metal and crumpling chardalyn like paper. When the light fades, Beren is gone, and the chardalyn dragon's wings are shredded beyond use.

The brutal struggle for survival carried on, with Ragna once again taking the upper hand against Ysmir despite his ferocious attacks with the deadly chardalyn axe, Skofnung. Repeatedly pushing Ysmir back and forcing him to his knees, Ragna's chance for victory loomed ever closer. Yet the dragon remained a threat, and it soon turned its head towards the most vulnerable being on the field - Melfina, trying her best to avoid the dragon's ire.

Melfina: You watch as the chardalyn dragon turns its attention to you. A mass of radiant energy begins to gather in its vents, and you begin to smell the stabbing aroma of ozone around you. Time seems to slow as the radiant energy billows forth from the dragon, eclipsing your sight with nothing but blinding light.
You brace yourself for the end, a million possibilities running through your mind over what you could have done differently. In your mind's eye flash images of your companions, the people you have helped along your journey, your enemies that you have slain and those you have yet to overcome, Tali's smiling face, and…
Then you begin to realize that the end has not come, and you open your eyes. The cascade of radiant energy has been split on a solid point, a shield of force raised before you by a figure obscured by the blinding halo of the dragon's breath. As the energy rushes past you and billows your hair back, your hood going with it, you suddenly feel the safest you have in two years. Familiarity is the first sensation to hit you once you are fully lucid from your near-death experience, as you realize just who has come to your rescue.
The light fades, and the magic barrier is lowered. The familiar figure of your mentor and master, Veszaltyrr Oussndar, looks over his shoulder back at you. "Forgive me for leaving you to deal with this creature on your own, Melfina." He says before turning back to the dragon and lifting his floating spell focus into the air. A glimmering wave of energy washes over you and your companions, dulling the pain from your injuries if only for a moment. "I promise you, I will not make the same mistake twice. I am with you."
Renewed with vigor, you steel yourself for the final push. One way or another, this wretched abomination, this crime against order, will be no more.

With her master returned, Melfina's wizardly vigor returned, and she led a daring push against the dragon. As Veszaltyrr launched bolts of lightning against the monster and Tali peppered it with deadly magic arrows, Melfina pushed her spellcraft to the limit to manipulate time and space in a small area around the dragon, forcing both Tali and Veszaltyrr's attacks to compound themselves and critically damage the dragon. Finally, the great metal beast screeched and fell, no longer a threat to the Ten Towns.
Ragna stood over her brother in victory, and prepared to strike the final blow. It was then that Ysmir seemed to come to lucidity, much like Gunnar had in the chardalyn cave. Ysmir regretted his failure at the fortress of Grimskalle, and bade Ragna to succeed where he could not. He asked his younger sibling to seek a way to the Sapphire Isle, and uncover whatever they could to stop the Frostmaiden's plans. He then relinquished Skofnung to Ragna, who used it to swiftly and honorably end the warrior's life. Ysmir's body soon crumbled to snowflakes much as Sephek Kaltro's once did - proof of La Saia's ownership of his mortal soul.
Veszaltyrr greeted the party and thanked them for taking care of his apprentice Melfina during his two years of absence. He explained that he had sought an entrance to the sealed city of Hollowfaust in the north alone, so as to shield his apprentice from the dangers. However, in his recklessness, he attempted to brute-force his way in via teleportation, and angered something within that slew him.
Anticipating his own death, Veszaltyrr fell back on a tactic that he had employed several times in the past - his soul took refuge in a clone body stored in a safe place, but the body's awakening and rehabilitation cost him two years' time and much of his power as a sorcerer. It was only now that he was finally able to return to Melfina's side - though with most of his memories of his previous demise erased, as a consequence of the sudden and violent nature of his destruction.
Since he still sought the magic wonders of Hollowfaust for his own goals, Veszaltyrr swore to accompany the party on their quest to slay the Frostmaiden and end the Eternal Winter, since he believed magic powerful enough to do so could only be found in the lost city of necromancers. The party accepted this gladly - especially Melfina, who warmly and tightly embraced her master once again.
The party took stock of where they were and what they had left to do. Ragna noted that Ysmir's words revealed what he had already suspected; that Dahlia was Ragna's maternal half-sibling. In the immediate, they decided that they would need to recuperate and then head north to Whiteridge, hoping that the defenders were able to hold without the Chardalyn Dragon bearing down upon them. They pushed with the last of their strength to Hartwick, where they soon encountered a refugee camp that had sprouted up just beyond the Hartwick Thicket. To their surprise, the first face they recognized was that of Ragna's sibling Brynjar.
Brynjar gave news of the situation. The refugee camp was composed of all the living souls that had escaped the destruction of Honeybrook, Caer Sella, Vrath Keep, Hole-in-the-Ice, and Lystheim - a far smaller number than the total population of these towns. They had gathered under the guidance of Brynjar's new mentor, the firbolg Gleha, who used her druidic powers to help sustain the beleaguered peoples of the Ten Towns.
Gleha spoke to the party of her plan to move forward - she knew of a nascent sapling to the east that was strongly tied to the spirits of the land, that she was certain would one day sprout to a mighty tree. She intended to lead the weary Ten-Towners who had lost their homes to this sapling and help them build their new home there. However, the sapling was far beyond the ice walls that kept the people of Frostgale Taiga trapped within their lands, and only the end of the Eternal Winter would see them to this promised site of renewal and lives begun anew.
Brynjar also broke the news of the Battle of Whiteridge's conclusion, and of the three of he and Ragna's siblings that had perished in the fighting - as well as the news of Siegmar's survival, despite everything.
The party decided to rest among the refugees, since Whiteridge was no longer in immediate danger - the first rest in quite some time. As they drifted to sleep, the last dying embers of Lystheim finally burned away…

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS

Beren Blackhammer - Prince of the dwarven hall of Duhngrave and the Heir of the Traitor Prince of Dol Gurhal's curse. A devout forge domain cleric of Barator, Master of the Forge, Beren wields a tempered warhammer and is clad in heavy plate armor. He was a member of Dzaan's expedition into the nature of the Eternal Winter, bringing him to the Lost Spire where he was frozen in time by the tower's strange stasis magic.
During the battle against Ysmir and the Chardalyn Dragon, Beren was mortally wounded and tempted by the Traitor Prince's curse to betray his companions; a temptation he refused, thus spelling his own doom. Choosing to call upon his god for divine intervention, Beren gave his life in an explosion of righteous fury which sheared the dragon's wings beyond repair.

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, and also led to the death of Úlfur Siegsson. It was also discovered that she is Ragna's maternal half-sister.

Ivory Farrowbane - A rogue Blood Hunter of the Via Venatori who was separated from her chapter when she and three other fellow hunters went on the trail for a ferocious remhoraz in Frostgale Taiga. Now the sole survivor, stuck with a dull blade and a disturbing lack of monsters to kill, Ivory's blood aches for violence - and she has found it in abundance working as a mercenary against the Broken Blade.
This scarred human mercenary hails from the kingdoms to the south, and she is eager to recruit 'new blood' into her fellowship in order to found her own chapter of the Via Venatori. Although she emerged alive after a brutal fight against King Siegmar, her first recruit Huarwar was slain in the battle of Whtieridge.

King Siegmar the Broken Blade - The king of the Broken Blade barbarian tribe. He carries the spear Gungnir that was made from the broken blade of a once-mighty sword, giving the tribe its name, in addition to a menacing black greatsword, Balmung. Siegmar is a mighty warrior, a subjugator of many tribes, and father of many children, including Ragna.
He laid siege to Whiteridge, making good on his ultimatum of service or death. However, the Ten Towners put up a much more fearsome fight than he expected, and Siegmar's plan with the Chardalyn Dragon did not come to pass, leading to his defeat at the battle of Whiteridge. Siegmar yet lives, having been forced to flee by his son Fannar, but the wound on his pride will never heal.

The Chardalyn Dragon - This massive machine of death and destruction was built by Xardorok Sunblight out of chardalyn, stolen celestial essence, and raw hatred for the Ten Towns. Conceived by the alliance between the Sunblight Duergar and the Broken Blade Barbarians, the dragon served as the ace-in-the-hole against the defenses of the Ten Towns, and was been instructed to burn half of them to the ground while the barbarians assaulted Whiteridge.
The dragon succeeded in destroying the five towns of Honeybrook, Caer Sella, Vrath Keep, Hole-in-the-Ice, and Lystheim. However, it was destroyed by the Lonesome Few in the burning ruins of Lystheim, ending its threat to the Frostgale Taiga permanently.

Ysmir Siegsson - "He who Dances with the Aurora", Ysmir was the eldest child of and heir apparent to King Siegmar. Ysmir was a brutally efficient warrior who wielded the magic greataxe Skofnung, which was passed to Ragna after his demise. He was the rider of the Chardalyn Dragon, and took it south from Sunblight Fortress to destroy the defenseless Ten Towns.
Ragna dueled Ysmir to the death in the ruins of Lystheim, and before his demise he revealed much to his little sibling. As he died, it was made apparent that Ysmir was bound to La Saia's will much like Sephek Kaltro had been, and he expressed regret at his failures before crumbling into snowflakes in the wind.

Úlfur Siegsson - One of Ragna's elder siblings. Úlfur was a wolf in sheep's clothing, a brutal and cunning warrior whose litheness and thin frame masked a disturbing proficiency at killing and maiming. Úlfur was outwardly confident and mocking of his enemies, but fell silent when fury and rage began to overtake him.
He clambored over the walls of Whiteridge and launched a sneak attack against the defenders atop it, aiming for Dahlia Kaltro to get revenge for his previous defeat. He managed to slay the dwarf lord Bellen Blackhammer, but was in turn slain himself by Dahlia.

Fannar Siegsson - One of Ragna's elder siblings. Fannar had a keen mind for tactics and a lack of sympathy for those he commanded. He preferred to let others do the dirty work for him and wasn't concerned with sacrificing pawns to achieve his goals. Although Ragna tried to convince him of the futility of the Broken Blade's invasion, Fannar marched to Whiteridge with his people.
The first to realize the Chardalyn Dragon's failure to appear on the battlefield, Fannar tried to command King Siegmar to retreat; an impudent move that cost Fannar his life. As his last act before dying from wounds inflicted by his own father, Fannar forcefully teleported Siegmar away from the battlefield, ensuring the king's retreat and survival.

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.

Hulda Siegsdóttir - An apprentice shaman of the Broken Blade tribe and another of Ragna's siblings. Hulda was another of the more moderate personalities among Siegmar's children, and acted as a mediator between tribal conflicts and as a spiritual advisor to King Siegmar. Marching on Whiteridge alongside her father, Hulda brought healing magics to sustain the warriors of the Broken Blade.
Standing with Fannar at the rear of the invasion force, Hulda was attacked by Whiteridge's defenders as the battle lines collapsed, and was slain by Sheriff Southwell.

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 advises 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.

Speaker Oarus Masthew - Speaker Oarus Masthew is the sharp and charismatic town speaker of Whiteridge. The son of half-orc adventurers, he was adopted by Shaelen Masthew, previous town speaker, as a young child. Although he is honest and hard-working, he does not have the full support of the town, and has more political enemies than he'd like. Despite this, he has proven his loyalty by standing against the barbarian invasion, bow in hand, and lived to tell the tale.

Speaker Trovus - The speaker of Caer Sella, this silver dragonborn is a retired adventurer and sellsword who once served in the Overking's armies far to the south. He won over his fellow townsfolk with his good sense of humor and his brawn in the face of threats to the town. Although he had fallen to heavy drinking in light of the Eternal Winter, he has sobered up to join Whiteridge's defense, not knowing the tragedy that befell his town in his absence.

Captain Indra Arlaggath - Indra, a half-elven woman with raven hair and sharp eyes, commands the militia of Three Streams and leads the town's law enforcement elements. With the sentient sacrifices in Three Streams halted thanks to the work of the Lonesome Few, she now dedicates herself wholly to the preservation of her townspeople; to this end, she stood with the defenders of Whiteridge, and survived.

Scramzax - A black dragonborn who is a retired adventurer and the proprietor of the now-destroyed Northlook, the busiest inn & tavern in Lystheim. He is friendly, if a bit gruff. Putting his experience to the test, Scramzax manned the ballista on Whiteridge's defensive wall, bringing artillery against the invasion.

Gorex the Huntmaster - Gorex is the leader of the Giant Paw clan, and as befitting the leader of such a primal people, he is an orc closely tied to the land around him. The winter ails the land, and so does it ail Gorex, who longs for the great beasts of the Taiga to recover so that they may targeted in glorious hunts. With Thokgrim now leading the tribes of Storm's Call, Gorex joined his chieftain in the defense of Whiteridge, and lived to tell the tales of glorious battle.

Vicar Ambriel Zamphros - The Vicar of Solanus in Lystheim, this fallen aasimar is one of the highest religious authorities in the far north. In accordance with the teachings of Solanus, this bitter but fatherly cleric endeavored to keep the barbarians back with his powerful divine magic.

Khesen Verdusk - A male human ranger who has hunted the forests of the Snowdrift Flatlands since he was a boy. Few know the land like old man Verdusk, and few understand the damage the Eternal Winter is doing to the land and its people quite like he. As a veteran hunter, Khesen lent his unerring archery skills to the defenders of Whiteridge.

Lord Bellen Blackhammer - Bellen Blackhammer is the white-bearded, venerable lord of the dwarven mountainhome of Duhngrave. Bellen is a widower with two sons; Beren and Barador, both of whom he cherishes beyond all worldly goods. True to his promise to the Lonesome Few, Bellen rode to the defense of Whiteridge, arriving at a critical junction in the battle. He engaged the deadly Úlfur Siegsson in battle with his mighty hammer, and though he fought valiantly, he was slain.

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 had not spoken to her father for over a century after she left the clan. She accompanied her liege, Lord Blackhammer, in the fight at Whiteridge, and helped to avenge his death at the hands of Úlfur Siegsson.

Olivessa Untapoor - A half-elven logger with deep roots in Honeybrook, who has been elected as the town's speaker. Her mostly half-elven family has lived in the town since its founding. She's quite reserved and doesn't have any family of her own. She was the target of Melfina's sending spell, which helped her get her people to safety in the town's Mead Hall while the rest of Honeybrook was obliterated.