Borealis

Borealis, once a crystalline figure symbolizing the gentle beauty of winter, has since become a dark and twisted reflection of his former self. His form now exudes an unearthly cold, with a body composed of jagged ice, frost-rimed armor, and a flowing cloak of frozen wind. His eyes burn with a pale blue fire, betraying the madness and bitterness that have consumed him. Ice crystals constantly form and fall from his form, creating a chilling mist wherever he walks. He is often depicted carrying a spear made of pure frost, representing the sharp, piercing cold of his eternal winter.

Origin

Borealis was once a benevolent deity of the north, embodying the beauty and necessity of winter. In the days of old, he was revered by northern tribes as a protector of the natural balance, bringing the cold needed to preserve life and guide the cycles of the seasons. His influence ensured that winter, while harsh, was a time of rest and preparation for the renewal of spring.

However, his destiny was forever changed during his fateful battle with the Ice Elementari, Skald, a primordial titan of ice and cold. Borealis sought to tame Skald’s immense power, but in the process, he was corrupted by the ancient elemental force during The Aeonic Struggle. Though he managed to imprison Skald within a great glacier, the victory came at a dire cost. The lingering presence of the titan’s bifrost corrupted Borealis's divine essence, causing him to slowly descend into despair as the northern lands of Norska froze over, a permanent winter that drove both the god and his followers to madness.

Existence

After his fall, Borealis was no longer the gentle god of winter but a wrathful force of Khaos, his essence transformed into that of an unforgiving deity of eternal frost. The despair of failing to defeat Skald, combined with the sight of Norska's unending winter, shattered his spirit. As his followers began to turn to dark rituals and sacrificial magic to survive the ever-growing cold, Borealis himself gave in to the forces of chaos, assuming his mantle upon the Unknown as he embraced the despair and desperation born from winter.

Once a proud deity of the Unknown, Borealis had now become a twisted reflection of his former self, fueling the brutal winters and despair of the northern lands. His followers, known as the Wards of Winter, grew in number, turning into savage warbands who worshipped him with blood rituals and sacrifices, hoping to gain his favor through horrific mutations, which they believed to be gifts of strength from their now corrupted god.

Powers and Abilities

Borealis commands the full destructive power of winter. He can summon blizzards, cause lands to freeze over in moments, and even draw forth the primal essence of cold to create ice that is impervious to fire and steel. His very presence brings about a suffocating chill, and wherever he walks, life withers under the weight of ice and snow.

Even in his corrupted form, Borealis is still a master of ice magic and cold manipulation. His power extends beyond simply freezing the land; he can control the emotions of despair and fear in mortals, turning their dread into physical manifestations of winter's wrath. His spear of frost can pierce through both the body and soul, freezing victims from within.

Connections and Significance

Borealis’ fall into Khaos began with his battle against the Elementari titan, Skald. Though he successfully imprisoned Skald within a massive glacier that spread its freezing influence across Norska, the titan’s lingering presence corrupted Borealis and the land around him. The great glacier continues to expand, slowly freezing the northernmost lands, and it is said that Skald’s essence remains within it, awaiting the day it will be freed.

The influence of Borealis is still felt across the Prime Plane, particularly in the northern regions of Osira and Tolria, where his lingering power has twisted the land and its people. Despite being banished to the Realm of Khaos by Mystera and Unknown, the bitter cold of Borealis remains in the remote Arctic regions of the world. Those who give in to despair during the long winters often find solace in his worship, becoming his twisted servants in exchange for the power to survive the endless cold.

It is also believed that Frost Giants were born from the battle between Borealis and Skald. When Skald's body shattered, it gave form to the first Frost Giants, who now roam the frozen wastelands. Many Frost Giants revere Borealis, believing him to be their creator, though in truth, he has deceived them, claiming the power of winter as his own.

Legacy and Legends

Borealis is remembered both as a cautionary tale of the dangers of pride and ambition and as a symbol of winter’s unforgiving nature. His transformation into a Khaos god serves as a warning to mortals and gods alike of the consequences of yielding to despair and corruption. The people of Norska, whose lands are still frozen by Borealis’s influence, remember him not with reverence, but with fear. His cult, however, has spread, and his followers wage brutal wars against other northern tribes, spreading his dark influence in hopes of bringing about the Everwinter.

The tale of Borealis’s battle with Skald is passed down in both song and story, as a moment where a god of great power fell to his own hubris. His corrupted influence continues to shape the icy realms, turning once peaceful lands into frozen wastelands, and ensuring that the name Borealis is forever associated with the darkest aspects of winter.

Death and Banishment

Though he was once part of the Pantheon of Primus, Borealis was banished to the Plane of Khaos after his corruption became too great to ignore. Helios and Mystera, upon witnessing the devastation he had wrought upon the land, combined their powers to exile him, though his essence still lingers in the coldest regions of the world. Even in Khaos, Borealis remains a potent force, and his influence continues to twist the minds of those who dare to call upon him in their darkest hours.

The forsaken spirits of the Faewyld, those who died in despair and loneliness, are among Borealis’ most fervent followers. These malevolent entities, cursed to wander the frozen reaches of the Faewyld, find solace in his cold embrace, believing their suffering gives purpose to the wastelands they inhabit. Through their worship, Borealis grows stronger, his dominion expanding into vast arctic regions known as the Everwinter Expanse.

These spirits venerate him through whispered prayers and chilling hymns carried on the icy winds. They offer their essence to fuel his power, and in return, Borealis grants them a twisted form of existence as wraiths, frost revenants, and other malevolent entities that guard his frozen domain.

The Everwinter Expanse

The Everwinter Expanse is a treacherous, unending tundra in the far north of the Faewyld. It is a realm of eternal night, where the auroras that dance in the sky are said to be the remnants of spirits lost to Borealis’ influence.

Features of the Everwinter Expanse:

Glaciers of the Forgotten: Towering ice formations that hold the trapped spirits of those who perished in despair. Their faces can sometimes be seen within the ice, twisted in eternal anguish.
Stormveil Peaks: Jagged mountains cloaked in perpetual blizzards, where Borealis’ power is said to be strongest.
Frozen Wells: Deep, icy chasms believed to lead directly to Borealis’ core domain. Worshippers often throw offerings—or themselves—into these wells as acts of devotion.

Those who wander into the Everwinter Expanse are often lured by whispers carried on the wind, drawing them deeper into the icy wasteland until they succumb to its deadly chill.

Death of The Soul

Borealis’ arctic wastelands are more than just physical manifestations of his power—they are traps for the spirits of the dead. Those who perish in his icy realm find their essence drawn into the glaciers and tundra, their despair fueling the growth of his dominion. These spirits, frozen in anguish, become part of the landscape, their whispers echoing across the frozen expanse.

Even in death, there is no escape from Borealis’ grasp. The spirits of mortals and Faewyld inhabitants alike are bound to his will, their torment eternal as they wander his wastelands as frostwraiths or remain imprisoned in the ice.

The Court of Wither

Recognized for his destructive nature, Borealis was offered a seat on the Court of Wither by none other than Morrígna. In this position, he serves a number of roles that work toward the undoing of the delicate balance maintained throughout the Faewyld.

Borealis serves as the harbinger of despair, using his icy dominion to weaken the resolve of the Court of Verdance and the inhabitants of the Faewyld.
He provides sanctuary to the malevolent spirits and outcasts of the Faewyld, transforming them into loyal servants bound by their anguish.
His frozen landscapes act as a natural barrier, isolating the Court of Wither’s strongholds and making them nearly impenetrable.

Despite his alignment with the Court of Wither, Borealis’ influence extends far beyond their machinations. His worshippers spread his bitter influence into the Prime Plane, turning mortal lands into frozen wastelands in his name. The auroras that light the skies in the far north are said to be his mark, a sign that his power endures and his reach is ever-growing.

The name Borealis is whispered with reverence and fear, a symbol of winter’s eternal hold and the darkness that lingers in the heart of the coldest nights.