Frostveil is a +1 Warhammer wielded by Margriete Bruin - Sword Wraith Warrior.
Once per long rest, it has Frozen Field ability.
Frozen Field. As an action, you slam the warhammer onto the ground, causing every object within a 30-foot radius of you to be covered in ice for 1 hour. This radius spreads around corners, and any water within this area is frozen solid. If a creature moves more than half their movement speed within this area on their turn or is moved unwillingly, they must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 cold damage and fall prone. Creatures unaffected by difficult terrain have advantage on this saving throw.
Frostveil is a +1 warhammer with an ancient legacy, its origins tied to the frozen lands of Aranthia. Crafted long ago by the Skaldholmian people, it holds the power of ice and winter within its enchanted metal, symbolizing the harsh, unyielding nature of the land from which it came. The warhammer’s ability, Frozen Field, is a manifestation of the relentless cold that defines life in Aranthia, where survival depends on the mastery of the elements.
Origins in Aranthia
Aranthia is a frozen land of tundra, snow-covered plains, and towering evergreen forests, home to the Skaldholmian tribes—nomadic reindeer herders and fierce warriors known for their connection to the land and their mastery of survival in one of the most inhospitable environments in the world. The Skaldholmian people ride giant elk, their constant companions on the long migrations across the tundra. They have developed a strong, enduring culture centered around oral traditions, where the histories of their people, their battles, and their ancestors are passed down through song and story.
In Skaldholmian tradition, the hammer is seen as a weapon not just for battle, but for survival—both in hunting and in protecting the tribe from the brutal conditions of their homeland. Frostveil was one such hammer, forged by the shamans of the Vættir, the powerful nature spirits revered by the Skaldholmian people. Frostveil was blessed by the Vættir to harness the cold itself, granting the wielder dominion over ice and frost.
The Legend of Frostveil
In Skaldholmian legend, Frostveil was first wielded by Jarl Nyr Frostmane, a legendary warrior-king who united several warring tribes under his banner and led them on great hunts and raids across Aranthia. His strength, they said, came from the warhammer’s ability to summon the biting cold of winter to his side. With a single strike of Frostveil, Nyr could freeze the ground beneath his enemies’ feet, stopping them in their tracks and giving his warriors the advantage. It was said that the cold fields of Aranthia itself bowed to his will.
After Nyr's death, Frostveil became a prized heirloom passed through the ruling lines of the Skaldholmian tribes, though its exact fate was lost in the centuries of raids, alliances, and shifting power among the tribes. The hammer was believed to have been lost in battle, when a Skaldholmian warband clashed with the southern realms in a raid gone wrong. For generations, it was thought to have been lost forever, until whispers surfaced of its presence far from Aranthia, in the Tower of Viondor.
Frostveil’s Journey to the Tower of Viondor
The warhammer resurfaced in a most unusual place—the Tower of Viondor, a structure located on Aranthia’s icy coast. The tower, once belonging to the powerful wizard Viondor, housed a treasure trove of magical artifacts and forbidden knowledge. For years, Viondor had been an enigmatic figure, collecting rare and powerful objects from across the world, including Frostveil.
It was strange for a warhammer of Skaldholmian origin to be found in a wizard’s tower so far from its homeland. The hammer’s presence in Viondor’s collection hinted at a mystery: had Viondor plundered the hammer from a fallen raider, or was there something deeper behind its relocation?