Having received The Royal Bounty, The Raven Shield prepares to fulfill a mission both unknown and dangerous. With Maloc recovering from his trip to the Elemental Plane of Fire, the trio of Nova Amaril, Silaqui and Lorenzo set out to prepare. Having acquired cold-weather gear and well-stocked backpacks, they rendezvous at the gates of the Warrior's Ward in Heaton.
There, they meet Korosk, leader of Korosk's Crushers, who informs them of the competitive element of the bounty. Whoever claims it, gets to keep the 10.000 gold.
Others present are the snobbish Hieronymos Davenbreed, quiet Venyra and jolly Siegfried. Finally, the party gets approached by Thalai Horncaver, a mountain of a man both in sheer mass as well as personality.
Setting out on rented horses, the party travels along with the main group past Shireston and past Heastead. It is around Fort Helmsmund that the Raven Shield and Thalai decide to split from the main group and ride ahead, in an attempt to seize the bounty for themselves. Riding the rest of the night, they arrive in Fradon and start their investigation.
Aided by Sara Kathil, the group sets out towards the Elenspine Peaks to investigate the eternal snow clouds surrounding one particular peak.
After an arduous climb, the party explores the inside of an enormous cave where, after some wandering around, they uncover the source of the snow, cold, and death plaguing the region: Glindryss, the Frigid Grasp of the Grave.
In a desperate struggle against the dragon, in which it repeatedly ambushed the party with its icy breath, almost the entire group ends up severely injured and unconscious. It is only thanks to Thalai Horncaver delivering a decisive blow against the exhausted beast that the party is able to survive.
They now find themselves beaten, bruised, alone on top of a mountain - but not yet broken.