Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

Adherents to the Frost Maiden embarked in a quest to slay the enemies of the Icedawn. Their quest began with a mission to Durlag’s Tower to slay the “Phoenix Guard” infamously known as “Kevin” and free the Artic Bear affectionally known as “Doug”. The adherents were able to successfully fell “Kevin” and impale a banner of their holy sigil in his chest but sadly fell far short of rescuing “Doug” from his imprisonment owing to a failed petrification spell which only had the effect of making Doug even more grumpy than he already was from his incarceration. The adherents vowed to return another day to free Dougless. Upon completing the first phase of their quest the faithful made a path to Souber to collect provisions before embarking on the second half of their quest to Grey Peak Mountain.

On their way from Souber to Grey Peaks one of the faithful spied a mysterious tower that had been erected near Boaraskyr Bridge: the site of the Gods-Battle during the “Time of Troubles”. Their curiosity led them to enter the unmarked tower where they found themselves in a Temple of Cyric, Prince of Lies and other terrible, horrible, despicable stuff.



Feeling uneasy the adherents to the Icedawn thought it best to just leave the Temple and continue their journey to Greypeaks where they had found the company of a gnome or halfling or something who agreed to join them on their quest to cull the fire-lickers that dwell on Grey Peaks.

Triumphant in their mission to Grey Peaks having slain the Fire Giant General and Balor that reside at the top of the fiery mountain, they gathered what valuable spoils they collected and offered it to Our Lady and Savior the Icedawn at the site of their former temple.



There was much praise and rejoicing until it was ruined by an Everwatch patrol that happened upon their holy ceremony. Unpleasant words were exchanged however no blood was spilled. In the end both parties went their separate ways.

As the Ides of Marpenoth approach the days continue to grow colder. What remnants of summer weather remains slowly seems to be withering with Autumn. Soon any feeling of warmth would be forsaken and give way for the chill of winter.

As the cold and darkness slowly creep in the offerings and sacrifices to the Ice Goddess Auril within the Cloudpeaks have lately been increasing. Adventurers, followers of the faith be they zealots or adherents, and those that simply fear Auril who pass through the mountain range may notice more gemstones, trinkets, or more gruesome offerings being placed in and around the ruins of the old Aurilite temple once known as the IceDawn's House. It is also said sometimes the cold rites uttered by Auril's clergy can be heard throughout the peaks, as if whispered through and carried by the freezing mountain winds.



What will this coming winter have in store for Amn and the Swordcoast? Time will only tell.

As the days of Marpenoth waned and came to an end the offerings to Auril in the Cloudpeak mountains continued to increase. Outside the cold and snowy ruins of Icedawn's House a priestess clad in white could sometimes be seen standing vigil over the holy grounds offering up prayers and blessings, performing rituals, and inspiring the dread of Winter. Meanwhile, other members of the faith as well of those who simply feared the icy grip of Auril encouraged as well as intimidated passerby to leave behind gold, trinkets, or gemstones as offerings to Auril. Anyone who came by were told they could offer up gifts by simply placing them in the snow and by doing so could continue on safely without incurring the deadly, frozen wrath that Auril commands.

Winter will be here soon! Will more come to appease the Frost Maiden as Uktar rolls in and the temperature continues to drop?

As Uktar of the year 1360 rolled in those that feared and respected Auril continued to make their way to the ruins of the temple in the Cloud Peaks and risked being attacked the hideous and hairy creatures known as Yeti or killed by the freezing cold itself. The lone priestess dressed in white and blue and bearing the markings of Auril could still be found making her way over to perform her rituals and ceremonies within the ruins just outside the old shrine where the offerings continued to be placed by regular visitors as well as newcomers.





Again some visitors would leave minor offerings. Some left nothing. Others would leave a treasure trove. One particularly odd donator known by many throughout the Sword Coast for his catchphrase "Meow, meow" approached the shrine insisting that he leave an offering for Auril and also to leave wishes to honor the birthdate of a fallen Aurilite comrade that he claimed laid buried dead in the ruins.



At first the priestess present was clearly irate at the strange man that approached the shrine she watched over. The man had foolishly approached while brandishing a weapon. Her ire was further displayed when she angrily refuted the man's claims and declared no such fallen Aurilite friend of the strange man ever existed. However, the man persisted in his desire to honor his dead friend and flashed out Sapphires and other expensive gemstones and offered a large tribute to Auril. The priestess, despite still being doubtful about said fallen Aurilite, ultimately decided to agree to the man's strange request. Topaz, Sapphires, other gems and even a sprig of Lavender (which one of Auril's faithful found to be a very strange thing to offer up) was placed in the snow as offerings.





With the offerings to Auril placed in front of the shrine and the weird meowing man's wishes for his supposed fallen comrade being heard, the priestess performed a ceremony and blessed all that were present with Auril's cold embrace.



Upon receiving the blessings the man who donated much that day boldly declared he had never seen such devotion by anyone else to any of the other gods of Faerun and further brazenly stated that the Church of Auril even outdid all the temples and faiths from the Cloud Peaks to Baldur's Gate.

The priestess then dismissed everyone present and each went on their own way. The strange man went over to the other side of the ruins and, for his deceased companion, threw even more blue Sapphires into the snow and wreckage.

Lady of Winter! Your humble servants bring you more gifts. Grant us your strength and wisdom! We'll face every demon, barbarian, and flame in your name!

Banish Outsiders! Freeze Infidels! Extinguish Flame!

In your name! Praise Auril!

In response one of the faithful cried out:

All praise and glory to the Ice Dawn!
Shall winter reign eternal!



With the prayers finished, the priestess would bless the area by summoning a small, yet mighty blizzard upon the ruins. So cold were the freezing winds and snow from the sudden squall the makeshift altar the priestess had set up cracked and shattered into many pieces and the banner of Auril placed in the nearby snow was ripped off its pole by the mighty winds and flew off into the mountains, likely to be lost forever.

Perhaps inspired by this awesome blessing and display of power, one of the Aurilites suggested they go off and hunt fire giants in Auril's name. With that, the group of the Ice Dawn's faithful made their way to the Greypeaks where they slew fire giants, elementals, beholders, and anything else that stood in their way. Any trophies or worthy gemstones recovered would eventually find its way back to the temple ruins and be added to the ever growing wealth being accumulated by the faithful of Auril.

Two adventurers travel through the mountains, seemingly being two of the few mortals able to handle the extreme winter cold. A man from the far north and a local Amnian woman casually converse as the cold, icy air lashes out all around them.

The Frost Maiden sends us a cold one this year.

Auril be praised, 'bout time.

That's exactly what I want to hear... Are you an adherent to the faith, or one that respects winter?

Respect for winter. Have to if you live up north. I think. Either that or Freeze.

. . . respect shown where it is proper. Come. Let us leave a tokens of admiration to the Ice Dawn.

Hmm, not a bad idea.

I always appreciate those who respect Auril.

It'd be dumb not to.

The adventurers reach the ruins of Ice Dawn's House. The Amnian woman points towards the shattered temple.

Some do not show respect, as you can clearly see.

No kidding. Wow.

Hm... Amn, Helmites, and other's work.

That's pretty stupid. Are they suicidal?

I believe they are. Winter is rather harsh this year and I think will be for many years to come.

Maybe It'll toughen up the southerners some.

And beneath the snow lies a graveyard. Here lie the soldiers that stood against the temple. They're down there. I hope they are restless.

Idiots.

The woman and man reach what remains of the shrine of Auril, her visage still visible as it had been maintained by local Aurilites. Snow tiger pelts and a single Blue diamond are left in the snow as offerings to the Frost Maiden.

Blue for Ice, I guess.

Someone once tried to leave a Fire Agate. . . I nearly crushed in their skull.

That's... Wow. Just when you thought people are as dumb as they can get, they find a new way to surprise you.

With winter seeming like it would hit hard and early this year some of the local Cloudpeak Aurilites start to believe that perhaps the increased piety seen by the Ice Dawn's own faithful as well as many newcomers showing fear and respect to the Frost Maiden has bolstered her attention and power to the region. Indeed, many regulars and some newcomers who wished to get their offerings in to Auril before the Winter Solstice came trudging through the snows, heading their ways to the old temple grounds. They would leave behind anything they could at the face of Auril. Anything ranging from expensive and rare Blue Diamonds to lesser rings cast of silver or even simple slabs of meat. Many trinkets were left behind along with their prayers and pleads of mercy for their own safety during the harsh, cold months coming. The lowliest of adventurers to even the directors of merchant leagues could be found up there at times, offering tribute and reverence to the Queen of Ice, Snow, and Winter's darkness.









One priestess was even concerned that the offerings were so many that Auril would need to send much more snow just to bury all the objects being left about. Clearly no war nor destruction of the temple had stopped Auril's influence and fear over the hearts of many in the region.



Sometimes the more angry and zealous worshippers of Auril could be heard screaming out promises and prayers, begging for the power to destroy the enemies of Auril.


Cold Goddess! Queen of Ice and Snow. Ice Dawn! I, your humble and devout servant who brings daily offerings, beg you hear my prayer! Change is coming... I can feel it in my cold soul. A new age of fear and terror shall soon reign over the Sword Coast! Take me, your willing vessel, and forge me into an instrument of fury, doom, and destruction. Grant me your icy ire and wrath so that I may punish the infidels of Amn and cast them into an eternal winter where they shall suffer! Let my weapons and arms be craft into the very ice and snow itself so I may pelt it down upon them and inflict slow and painful deaths upon all your enemies! May only the strong survive winter's embrace. May your children cull every form of warmth, snuff out all light, and spread the cold and darkness to all corners of Faerun. We will shatter their doors and smash down their walls and windows. The chilly air, your breath, shall slay the weak! I again, beg you, Ice Dawn! Cast my dark soul into the fray and I will move to every corner of this plane. I will spread the fear of your name so all will tremble at the thought of the Frost Maiden and her winters!

Would the prayers of the faithful be answered this winter? Would the Aurilites themselves be the ones to deal out winter's dark dominance or would Auril herself cast the world before her into endless snowstorms and flurries? However the Frost Maiden chose to deal with this year's winter the faithful of Auril knew that it would be bitter and horrible for many and this thought would surely please their frigid hearts.

Since the rumors of a new permanent resident coming to stay at the Water Queen's House have hit the streets of Baldur's Gate a representative of the Church of Auril has been occasionally visiting the Umberlant temple to enhance relations between the two faiths. It would seem that this Aurilite has been well received by the new Wave Servant and these two female adherents to the Goddesses of Fury have been getting along splendidly.



It is said that the Aurilite recovered a minor relic of the sea that was discovered within the Cloudpeak Mountains. In a gesture of goodwill towards the Church of Umberlee this faithful of Auril has returned the magical trinket to the Bitch Queen's clergy. Perhaps soon the two faiths will be working more closely together in hopes to build a mutually beneficial relationship.

Yet again the faithful of Auril meet in the area that was once Ice Dawn's House. Here they discussed their recent outreach to the church of Umberlee, events surrounding some new Dark Lord Regent of the Darkhold, as well as other matters that were important to the faith.



After their brief meeting it was thought the clergy there would perform some prayers or ceremonies but the resident priestess declared that the time of prayer and gathering gemstones and tribute was over. Now only blood would serve to appease the wrath of the Frost Maiden and even Auril's own faithful may suffer her wrath should her appetite for icy destruction be left unquenched. So instead of praying the three faithful departed and went down into the depths of the earth to destroy and slaughter sinister and wicked fire worshipping creatures in the name of the Ice Dawn.







Down they went into the dreaded Searing Tunnels and Netherese Ruins facing flames and burning death. There they destroyed legions of Salamanders, Golems, Elementals, and whatever other despised fire licking denizen of the depths came across their path. Legions of fiery enemies were destroyed and there was no mercy given. The three even dared enter the shadowy realm of Shar and left the influence of the Ice Dawn on a few of the creatures there.








It was noted during the trip that many Sharrans lay dead, bloody, and ruined in their own realm prior to the three's arrival. Were these Sharrans abandoned by Shar herself of perhaps some other entity came through and committed some sort of war crimes against them? The Aurilites were not sure. They were, however, wise enough to know not to stay in the court of the Lady of Loss too long to find out. With their trophies and blood claimed they eventually left the darkness of the ruins and tunnels and Mirror Walked their way back to the Cloudpeak Mountains where they hoped that their crusade against the fire kissers below Durlag's Tower had been enough to sate Auril's fury should it ever come against them that winter.

The twentieth of Nightal marks the Winter Solstice. It is a day for storm calling and celebration within the Aurilite faith. It is known as the The Coming Storm. On this day in Northern Amn Aurilites flocked to their sacred holy grounds in the Cloudpeaks mountains where all sorts of joyous festivities were held.

First came tribute in the form of gemstones and gold and the sharing of rumors about a certain White Mask Theatre performance that had surely pleased and honored The Ice Dawn. During this happy exchange between Auril's faithful a strange and large man meowing like a cat appeared and it too started to offer up much to Auril. However, this thing's excessive meowing greatly annoyed everyone's favorite Auntie and the Aurilites present began to pelt this preposterous cat imitator with incantations from scrolls of Ice Storm.







Eventually the Aurilites either froze the meowing man to death or it ran off. Nobody was able to tell what happened to it due to all the snow and wind flying about and nobody bothered to check for a body after.

Later that day in the dead of night a priestess of Auril with an assistant approached a lone and remote village that lay somewhere in a valley in the Cloudpeaks. The only sign of life here was that of the soft glow from the odd fireplace or the light of a candle escaping the windows of some of the homes. Here the priestess honored the Coming Storm with a prayer.



" Hear me Ice Dawn, Lady of dreadful and beautiful Winter! We gather to celebrate the Coming Storm! Bring a taste of Eternal Winter upon this village! Let them feel piercing cold and the fear of your freezing kiss! Let them feel your and our Wrath! We conjure this storm in your name! For the Ice Dawn! "




With the prayer spoken the priestess and her helping hand began pummeling the village with endless amounts of divine and arcane conjured snow and flurries. For seemingly hours a barrage of wind, snow and ice fell upon the town in an attempt to freeze and trap every single living person within their dwellings. The dark night air went white with snow, wind, and frost.















After a time the two left the village to its fate, leaving the souls of those who had been sleeping within the village to the mercy of Auril.

At the end of the Aurilite holy day a blood sacrifice was offered up to the Ice Dawn. A single young nanny goat with the finest fur and wearing a beautiful lei of preserved summer flowers had been carefully selected and kept safe somewhere in the mountains. The animal had been well taken care of for a time. It was presented to the altar of the Ice Dawn where the Aurilite priestess offered it up to her Frozen Goddess.

" Lady of Winter! Claim this animal from your faithful! Spare us your wrath and turn it upon your enemies!"





The priestess viciously tore into the creature with a blade and left its throat and heart an utter bloody mess on the altar and on everyone's clothes. With that, the holy Coming Storm had ended. Only a few late comers offering tribute and words to Auril would show as the festivities came to a close.





"Walk in Winter" were the last words uttered before the last of those who had gathered departed.

Winter had finally officially come!

The Church of Auril in the Cloudpeaks along with a lifeless, cold, far northern ally went to battle against adherents of Tiamat at the end of 1360 DR to mark the year's closing and the start of winter with carnage and blood. Barbaric tribal soldiers that worshipped Tiamat the Dragon Queen soon found themselves suffering the frosty wrath of Auril and Her worshippers. To what reason these Tiamat followers attracted the ire and rage of Winter's fury was known only amongst Auril's faithful.


A small group of Cloudpeak Aurilites gathered together and found their way to a remote, hilly area within the Cloudpeak mountains where this tribe had been scouted out. There the faithful of Auril surveyed the area and made plans on how to deal with these forces of Tiamat. Before they could take any action or carry out an assault, however, the adherents to the Aurilite faith were interrupted by an older woman who came with greetings and hair maintenance tips were exchanged. This elderly lady known locally in the area as Grandma Betty invited the Aurilites into her mountain cabin and offered them delicious chocolate cake and perfect, divine slices of strawberry pie. A certain redhead in the group of Aurilites commented on how the pie crust crumbled with a sweet buttery texture, and the strawberries were rich and ripe. The perfect dessert.











Sadly Grandma Betty and her two precious little dogs would not survive the night.




Grandma did however make a brief comeback for the ensuing battle. Her arthritis got the best of her, though.



After Grandma Betty's sudden demise and the destruction of the fireplace within her cottage, the Aurilites took a moment to plan and finalize their plot in Grandma's house. A lure was chosen and an ambush was planned to draw away a number of the Barbarians into a trap during the night while many of them were sleeping. With the lure in place and the trap set, action soon began. As the barbarians approached the chosen ambush site a host of Drow raiders suddenly appeared. The battle turned into a three way conflict with Drow raiders, Aurilites, and Tiamat barbarians all fighting one another.






The Drow interlopers were the first to meet their doom and the battle raged on between the faithful of Auril and the faithful of Tiamat.







After much bloodshed and death both sides were exhausted and it seemed at first that maybe the Aurilites would not carry the day due to the lack of numbers. Suddenly, however, dark energy and giant shadows of undeath and darkness commanded by a force on the side of Auril loomed over the battlefield and the remaining Tiamat soldiers were utterly shattered and their hopes of winning were vanquished. The barbarians that had been sleeping and had not joined the initial battle were readily executed, their screams were heard flailing into the dark night across the moonlit snow. The forces of the Ice Dawn ended up winning a victory over the worshippers of Tiamat that day and the barbarians lay in the snow, bloodied and ruined.



A temple dedicated to Tiamat was discovered somewhere in the area soon after. The Aurilite forces destroyed it utterly, shattering it into thousands of frozen ice shards and raised a banner of Auril to mark their success. Any trace of the place was lost as it would soon be covered with fresh snowfall, lost forever. Only the looming nearby mountains and the survivors of the conflict being witness to the events there that happened that day. The strange hulking shadows of death, cold and darkness scooped up any dead bodies and walked off with them into the frosty night.







And so marks the end of 1360 DR for the Church of Auril with a battle for the ages, one which would be remembered amongst the local Cloudpeak adherents of the Aurilite faith for many years to come. Cold tales of the the death of the barbarians and drow by their hands would likely follow in their chilly gatherings along with the recollection of Grandma's perfect strawberry pie and the recalling of her amazing knitting skills.

Inhabitants of Cloud Peaks region witnessed unusual sight of deep blue lights iluminating the mountain range. It appeared in the evening, followed with intense snowfall, however not so dreadful to hurt someone or damage any buildings. Weather calmed at dawn which allowed to search mountains. Travelers who ventured forth would find fading lights in various places - at Speartop, by ruins of Icedawn Temple and by frozen river. Those lucky enough would also find animal bones covered with thick snow layer. What exactly happened the last night, still remains mystery.