The Vale of Everwinter is a vast and perpetually frozen expanse to the far north of The Earth Realm, shrouded in unrelenting snowstorms and blanketed by an eternal frost. What was once a land of seasonal arctic beauty—rich with wildlife and shaped by the balanced hand of Borealis, the Warden of Winter—has, over the ages, become an unforgiving wasteland of howling blizzards, jagged ice formations, and frost-ravaged wilderness.
This unceasing winter is not a natural occurrence, but rather the result of Borealis’ growing corruption, a consequence of his unending war against Skald, the Elementari of Ice, in the far northeast of Norska. This cosmic struggle has fractured the delicate balance of nature, and with each passing age, the Vale of Everwinter grows colder, its storms more merciless, and its land more inhospitable.
Despite the deadly conditions, the Vale is not uninhabited—frost-cloaked tribes, druidic guardians, and monstrous giants roam its frozen expanse, each playing a part in the unfolding tale of a world on the brink of Everwinter, the fabled apocalyptic bi-frost that would freeze the world in eternal ice.
The Curse of Borealis
Long ago, during The Aeonic Struggle, Borealis was not the harbinger of frozen ruin he is now feared to be. Instead, he was a benevolent force, a guardian of the seasons, whose wintry hand ensured the world did not swelter in endless summer.
For millennia, the Vale of Everwinter was a balanced land, where the icy chill of winter met the fleeting warmth of summer’s embrace. It was home to migratory herds, thriving ecosystems, and northern civilizations that respected the land’s cycles. However, when the Elementari of Ice, Skald, sought to claim dominion over all frost, Borealis opposed him, and their war sent shockwaves through reality.
Over countless ages, Borealis’ once-tempered will began to fray, his heart darkened by endless conflict, his soul hardened like the very ice he wielded. No longer was he a guardian of the cycle—instead, he became an unyielding force of frozen wrath, embracing the cold as an absolute, refusing to let the land thaw again.
Now, with each passing century, the Vale of Everwinter grows colder, the winds howl louder, and the blizzards spread farther south. If Borealis is not stopped, then Everwinter—the great and final frost—will descend upon the world, encasing it in ice eternal.
Geography & Climate
The Vale of Everwinter is an unforgiving tundra where few dare to tread. Rugged, mountainous terrain, frozen fjords, and endless glacial wastelands stretch across the land, punctuated by jagged ice spires and the bleached skeletons of long-dead creatures.
- Frozen Fjords & Icebound Rivers – The once-thriving waterways of the Vale now stand frozen solid, their currents stilled in time. Some tribes claim that the spirits of past hunters still roam these frozen waters, forever trapped beneath the ice.
- Howling Storms & Perpetual Snowfall – The Vale is never still—blizzards rage unpredictably, and even in moments of relative calm, a steady drizzle of snow covers the land. The air itself is sharp as knives, capable of freezing flesh within minutes.
- The Everfrost Glaciers – Immense shifting glaciers, pushed by the wrath of Borealis, carve through the land like frozen leviathans, devouring forests and crushing mountains beneath their slow but unstoppable advance.
- The Crown of Frost – A colossal, floating landmass of ice and storm that hovers above the northernmost peak of the Vale. It is said to be Borealis’ throne, though few mortals have ever glimpsed it and lived.
Inhabitants of the Vale
Frost Giant Clans of Valskrag
The Frost Giant of Unknown are the most zealous worshippers of Borealis, believing that his will must be done and that Everwinter is the world’s destined fate. They hold grand rites atop their glacial strongholds, offering captured sacrifices to the god of winter in the hopes of bringing the final frost.
The Skraelingmen
Unlike the Khaos-touched Unknown tribes, the Skraelingmen are a collection of survivalist clans that have adapted to the harsh cold through tradition, faith, and sheer resilience. They mark themselves with the visages of the animals they hunt or tame, adopting aspects of their chosen beasts:
- Tribe of the Wolf – Fierce and loyal warriors, adept at tracking and pack-hunting in the icy wilderness.
- Tribe of The Caribou – Nomadic herders who follow the dwindling herds, mastering the ways of endurance and survival.
- Tribe of the Sabretooth – Fearsome raiders who strike from the shadows, wearing the fangs of their prey as sacred relics.
- Tribe of the Seal – Masters of coastal ice fishing, known for their reverence for the frozen sea and its mysterious spirits. They are now extinct due to frequent Frost Giant raids.
The Druids of Frostfall
Deep within the Forests of Frostfall, a sacred woodland that somehow resists the worst of the encroaching frost, the druids of Frostfall maintain their eternal vigil. They conduct grand rituals, calling upon the old magics of the earth to keep the Everwinter at bay—though their task grows harder with each passing year.
Myths & Folklore
- The Prophecy of Everwinter - Ancient seers have foretold that Everwinter is inevitable unless Borealis’ fury is quelled. Some believe only an Avatar of Balance can restore the cycle of the seasons, while others claim that the corruption of Skald must first be undone.
- The Frozen Sentinels - There are tales of great warriors, beasts, and even deities frozen in ice, waiting to awaken when the world needs them most. Some Skraelingmen claim to have seen figures moving within glaciers, but such sightings remain unconfirmed.
- The Last Hearth - According to legend, there is one last place in the Vale where warmth still lingers, hidden deep beneath the ice. Some believe it is a forgotten temple to the old Borealis, a place where his true nature still lingers, untouched by wrath.
A Realm on the Brink
The Vale of Everwinter is more than just a frozen wasteland—it is a battlefield between fate and survival, a land where the gods’ war rages on, and a testament to the unrelenting power of winter.
With each passing year, the cold creeps farther south, and if nothing is done, the Everwinter will come—and with it, the world as we know it will shatter beneath the ice. In recent years, The Sunsations thwarted a plan by Harkon Chillbringer to bring about Everwinter during the Cold-Front Confrontation.