The mercy of Auril.

[The Ice Hag]

This thread is open for additions by other players within the community as well. If you would like to add to the story, or perhaps simply add a different perspective, then by all means feel free. It is my hope to develop the character through roleplay and interaction with others.


"You cannot do this...it is a child, my child!" The woman sobbed uncontrolably, clutching the baby close to her chest.

The bitter winds howled across the mountains, their icy touch as cold as the souls of the men gathered before the council this night.

Thurn slammed his fist down on the wooden table, causing the hard stares of the men to focus upon his grim countenance. "That thing is no child." "It is an abomination." Raising his hand he pointed at the woman. "Allow me to kill it now, better that than suffer its existance amongst the tribe."

His harsh words drew many solemn nods from the elders that sat at the table.
The woman screamed, her mournful wail drowning out the screeching winds. "I will not let you take the child." Drawing forth a small dagger tucked inside her fur belt she brandished it before the warrior.

One of the warriors reacted quickly, coming up behind the hysterical woman and locking her wrist in an iron grip. Wincing in pain the blade dropped from her hand falling on the dirt floor of the meeting hall.

Thurn stepped forward wrenching the disfigured child from her grasp. "The decision is not yours to make." "The elders have spoken." "It is their will which guides the tribe, and their wisdom that shall be followed."

He looked down at the creature, its skin a pale blue, its black hair matted with filth. Huge canine teeth jutted up from its bottom lip and sores covered its small body.

The warrior snarled and turned away, sickened at the sight of the monstosity.
"We shall let mighty Tempus decide the creatures fate then."
Opening the door a fearsome wind blew in bringing with it the blinding frost of a blizzard. He looked outside across the mountains and saw only darkness, the sky tainted black from the approaching storm.

As he closed the door the sobs of the woman could be heard behind him. This creature, tainted with the blood of Orcs had no place within the tribe.

He walked for many miles, the ferocity of the storm increasing with his every stride. The child did not stir nor make a sound, perhaps it was resigned to the fate it had been dealt and merely wished the end to come as quickly as possible.

He reach a large bluff, the snow climbing above his knees making every step a dangerous gamble. Looking about he laid the child to rest amidst the snows, the howling winds covering the creature beneath the fallen snows before he could fully turn away.

"May the icy embrace of Auril take you beast, for Tempus has no use for one such as you."

Turning he began his journey back to the tribe, his task completed.

[The Ice Hag]

The great boar rutted the ground with its massive snout, removing large drifts of snow with every swipe of its muzzle. The mighty blizzard had passed leaving destruction in its wake, but the lands would heal in time as they always did.
The beast continued on with great fervor, its pace increasing. Driven by a primal urge it didn't fully understand it had been drawn to this bluff, compelled to unearth that which laid covered under the sheets of ice.

Gradually the boar slowed its pace, sensing that it neared its goal. Gently moving aside the last of the debris the small figure beneath the snow became clear. Reaching down with its muzzle the beast lifted the child with its tusks, freeing it from the icy tomb. A sense of clarity washed over boar, its senses assaulted by a sudden chill that ran the length of its body.

The tiny creature in its maw moved slightly, a slight cry escaping its frostbitten lips. Nuzzling the child between the great folds of its fur it trudged forward seeking shelter and warmth from the bitter winds.

[The Ice Hag]

The child awoke, its belly rumbling from hunger.
The final light of day was receding behind the great mountains, soon darkness would engulf the lands. Mothers words came to the child, the reassuring voice whispering sweet phrases of contenment in her ears.
The words of her mother had always been with Braghuru, guiding her, keeping her safe, imparting wisdom and strength. She had grown strong in the years following her exile.
Cast out amidst the snows- shunned by her people- Braghuru should have died, but the merciful embrace of the mother had spared her life.

A large shadow covered the entrance of the cave, the sound of massive hoofs striking the hard stone echoed throughout the cavern.
The great boar Hyrrokkin had returned from the hunt carrying a fresh kill in its muzzle. It tossed the broken body of the mountain goat onto the floor of the cave and settled down near the entrance to stand watch as the child filled its belly. Braghuru ripped into the goats throat with her talons, spilling its warm blood and tearing free great chunks of flesh.

Braghuru smiled, humming a song as she continued her meal.

Mother was pleased with her child.

[The Ice Hag]

The hunters passed sliently through the mountains, their spears held at the ready patiently stalking their prey. The white boar had proven elusive despite its great size, evading pursuit and confounding the men with its remarkable intelligence.

Braghuru watched from above, her feral eyes following the warriors as they wound their way around the mountain trails. She had observed the movements of the tribes numerous times before, always watching, never intervening.

She harbored within her heart an innate hatred for the tribes, a primal desire to corrupt their ancient beliefs and traditions. The soothing words of the Ice Mother had revealed to her the contempt and horror of her birth.

The elders of the tribe had chosen to label her birth as a corruption, a blight against the tenets of Tempus. Her own father abandoning her to perish in the winter snows.

Lifting her clawed hands to the air she threw back her head and shattered the silence with a feral scream laced with hate and contempt.

The hunters waivered in their approach, unprepared for the sudden outburst. The mournful howl of the rejected child reverberated against the cavern walls filling the brave hunters with trepadation.
Steadying themselves they focused their gazes on the cliffs searching for signs of the wailing beast.

They spotted a small form crouched on all fours, its form obscured by the winter gales, but the glimpse was merely fleeting, perhaps even a figment of their heightened awareness

The warriors turned away, abandoning their hunt to return to the safety of the village.

[The Ice Hag]

The solitary creature stalked the high mountains, watching from afar as Foehammer's tribe settled into the region known as the cold climb. The words of the Ice Mother strengthened her resolve, granting her glorious visions of the divine retribution soon to come.
Braghuru sensed her time of isolation was coming to an end, her destiny at hand..
She had gleaned many insights from the teachings of her mother. She understood the ways of the civilized tribes of the south, understood their fears, their weakness.

She was a surivior of the unforgiving wilderness from which she spawned. Her powerful will manipulating the primal forces of nature to suit her needs. She had been abandoned, left for dead, but in the end her foul curse proved her most potent blessing.

The tribes of foehammer would soon learn the truth of their betrayal.

Assuming the form of an arctic wolf she padded swiftly down the rocky hills toward the steadings of man. The glint of hunger in her feral eyes.

The great boar Hyrrokkin followed in her shadows.

[The Ice Hag]

Braghuru screamed in rage as she neared the site of Aurils fury. The uneven ground was covered in deep snow and jutting rocks, any signs of the tribes former settlement buried beneath several tons of ice and snow. She surveyed the area, walking on all fours, her nose close to the ground searching for the scent of life.....she found nothing.

Auril's judgement had utterly destroyed the tribe of Foehammer, her cold embrace cleansing the land of their wretched taint. Braghuru was enraged at the thought of her vengence being denied.
How she had longed to rip the soft flesh of these people assunder, taking their lives with her own hands, but this was not the will of the mother.

Braghuru knelt amidst the snows, shedding her skins to lay naked atop the snow. The cold cleansing of the mother washed through her, awakening her senses. She called out to Auril for a sign, hoping the mother would grant her a vision of portent.

She laid thus for many hours, the cold embrace of Auril permeating her thoughts. The mother had guided Braghuru from the time of her birth. Long had she been faithful to the mothers demands, the will of Auril dominating her thoughts and desires.

Her eyes opened suddenly, her senses sharpened and alive. Several feet to the north she spotted a set of strange tracks. Rising to inspect the tracks she summoned the great boar Hyrrokkin to her side. She knelt close to the tracks, examining them in the atempt to discern their nature. She had spent her entire life amidst the mountains of the cold climb, but never before had she seen tracks such as these.

Three toed, with a loping gait. The tracks appeared to move northward. Following the tracks she noticed the strange nature of their origin. The tracks would move northward, then drag as if it were crawling away, then disappear, only to reappear again a short distance away.

She studied the tracks for many hours...their nature alien and strange. The scent of her quarry was unlike anything she had smelled before. It appeared as if the creature was wounded, and attempted to take flight, only to crash back down and continue its travels on foot.

Braghuru smiled, her yellow teeth protruding from her jaw. The creature was wounded, perhaps dying. Screaming into the night the Ice Hag continued her pursuit intent on destroying her quarry.

[The Ice Hag]

She followed the tracks relentlessly, her anger driving her steps across the devestated landscape. Navigating the broken ground proved difficult, but the Ice Hag was accustomed to such harsh conditions, eventually reaching the former encampment.

The sheer devestation caused by the avalanche caused the mishapen creature to falter. The very mountain had collapsed, completely engulfing the small village in its wake. The strange tracks contiunued ahead, their sign abruptly ending beneath the falling ice.
Pressing her breast against the ground she attempted to follow the scent, but the intermingling of so many bodies proved overwhelming. Unable to follow the scent any further she stepped away from collapsed mountain watching the skies above.

Her prey had eleuded her, perhaps it was dead, crushed beneath the suffocating snows.

Her desire to uncover the fate of the tribe was overpowering. For many years she had longed for the followers of foehammer's demise, but even faced with such certain destruction, her curiosity remained.

Rearing back her head she howled into the night. She must be certain none had escaped. She plunged her clawed fingers into the snow and began to dig, the great boar at her side tossing aside chunks of ice with every swing of its massive head.

Her fingers bled, the dark liquid freezing moments after touching the ground, staining the snows with her vengence.

Yet still, she continued to dig.

[The Ice Hag]

Braghuru thrashed at the ice with wild abandon, her rage overtaking her sensibilities, leaving only primal fury in its absense. Her keen senses served to guide her ever closer to her prey, her consuming anger infusing her limbs with even greater strength.

Far below, beyond the consuming light of the sun, beyond the reach of its warm embrace, beyond the means of lesser creatures, laid a solitary figure. If it still lived, still clinged to some semblance of life, she could not discern, but her precious quarry was within reach, it's destiny within her grasp.

The great boar stood by her side, its vigorous efforts aiding the hag in her task.

Close....so very close.

The massive boar reared its head, turning quickly to stare down the broken path they had traveled, its hooved feet gashing deep ruts in the snow.

The hag continued her assault on the icy tomb, oblivious to the scents and sounds of the approaching party. Hyrrokkin bellowed, its roar freeing the hag from her state of stupor. She peered down the path, through the blinding snows.
In the distance a figure moved, perhaps more than one....she could not be certain. The howling winds masked their scents, preventing her from recognizing the danger that swiftly approached.

Howling in anger she glanced back to the figure, so close to her grasp.

Braghuru shifted, her body changing into that of a wolf. Looking back a final time she could see the figures as they neared the site of the fallen tribe. She had survived alone among the wilds for many years, her instincts serving to prolong her life in these treacherous lands.

She would not betray those instincts this day. Growling in anger, she padded off into the snow, remaining out of sight, but watching as the men approached the buried figure.

[The Ice Hag]

Braghuru's rage contiunued to increase as her weary steps took her further from the site of the avalanche. She had almost unearthed the figure buried beneath the ice, but the sudden arrival of outlanders had interrupted her fervant search.

She knew well the fear and repulsion the sight of her countenance brought to others. Her presence invited hatred and contempt, her taint prohibiting her from walking unmolested amidst the fairer races. The mother had seen fit to ensure her survival, but that survival had come at great cost.

She paused briefly to glance at the frozen ground before her feet. The land stretching out before her had once been a bountiful lake, but the cleansing touch of Auril had replaced the flowing waters with a plateau of solid ice.

Gently crapping away the top layers of fallen snow, she peered into the horrible reflection that confronted her. Her visage was grey and withered, the skin stretched tight around the shattered bones of her face. The permanent scars of frostbite had blackened her once soft skin, replacing it with dark pits and open soars.
Her mane had long since fallen out, leaving behind only small tufts of rough, unkept hair scattered about her head. Her jaw was prominent, yellowed teeth jutting out preventing her the pleasure of even a smile.

Yet, the mother had embraced her, bestowed upon her great wisdom, and loved her corrupted child in spite of these afflictions.

Braghuru looked up from the ice, abruptly turning her head to the north. In the distance stood an arctic wolf, larger than any she had seen before. The wolf stood motionless, making no effort to engage the hag. Braghuru stepped closer to the wolf, staring into its ice blue eyes, showing no fear of the creature.

She felt a strange compulsion overcome her, a sense that she was to follow this noble creature, that it meant her no harm.

The wolf turned, and Braghuru followed. Her steps leading her ever northward across the ice covered slopes.

[The Ice Hag]

The wolf led Braghuru higher into the mountains, the chill wind biting at her flesh. The snows were much deeper now, requiring the hag to pull herself along the sides of the cliff as she ascended. The wolf had stopped several paces ahead, its eyes seemimg to peer into her very soul.

Braghuru had prayed for a sign from the mother, a portent that would explain the destruction of the hated Remorhaz tribe, perhaps this creature was her instrument of enlightenment. Pushing her way up the remaining few feet of the climb, she stooped low to stare into the eyes of the wolf.
The noble creature remained vigilant, its ice blue eyes unwavering, its gaze peering through the hag's very soul.

Hyrrokkin remained behind it's master poised to strike if needed, but the great boar itself was soon lost in the penetrating gaze of the wolf, its will melting away.
The great boar ambled slowly down the mountain path, oblivious to the danger present, content to find a meal to fill its rumbling belly.

"You were sent by the mother? Braghuru growled.

The wolf continued to remain motionless, judging the woman.

The ancient wolf pounced suddenly, its massive body crashing into the hag, catching her unaware. She stumbled across the snow, unable to regain her footing, her head slamming into the jutting rocks below.

The sound of the wolves howl faded into darkness as the world turned black for Braghuru.

[The Ice Hag]

The great wolf tore at Braghuru with its vicious teeth, tearing away her clothing, exposing her naked form to the numbing cold. She lay motionless, her back pressed against the snowy ground as the fury of the winter storm covered her in its icy embrace.

She awoke, unsure of her surroundings standing atop the highest cliffs of the moutain range. She looked down across the valley, her gaze encompassing the entirety of the land.
The winds howled around her, creating tendrils of snow that danced about her naked form.

A semblance of strength surrounded her, enveloping her in its presense, its power greater than any she had experienced before. She could not discern its nature, but felt its embrace, understood the origin of its of its creation.

The force emenated supernatural beauty and relentless fury, coalescing into a shimmering light of winter's wrath.

"I am Auril the Frostmaiden, this frozen land is my dominion ." "Present yourself before my righteous fury and be judged." A voice spoke, shaking the very ground under Braghuru's feet.

The hag laid herself prone against the ground, her flesh sinking into the snow, prostrate before the mother.

"I am Braghuru, faithful servant of the Mother, outcast of the hated Remorhaz, and abomination in the eyes of Tempus." She spoke, her voice filled with contempt and rage.

"Outcast you are, abomination you are, but you are also much more."

The winds increased in fury, the skies darkened. Great sheets of ice and snow pounded the ground without abate.

Braghuru slowly raised her head to look into the eyes of her mother.
She was greeted with an explosion of pain unlike anything she had endured before. A large shard of ice pierced her breast, exploding through her chest and emerging from her back. The hag screamed in undeniable agony, the barb puncturing her heart, bursting it assunder.

But just as quickly, the pain subsided. The shard melted, shrinking into her breast, her wound closing as it passed. The freezing chill of the ice settled within her chest, permeating her body.

"Rise Braghuru, no longer an outcast, no longer an abomination." "Rise now, an Icefury of your queen bitch." The voice shook the very heavens with it's words, its laughter echoing through the mountains.

The wolf extended its sharp fangs, puncturing its stomach with its maw. The steaming innards of its belly covered Braghuru in their warmth. The wolf settled itself upon her naked form, protecting her from the bitter cold.

Braghuru laid amidst the snows, her thoughts filled with the glory of Auril.

[The Ice Hag]

Braghuru rose from the frozen ground, tossing aside the body of the great wolf, violently slamming it's corpse into the side of the mountain. The numbing winds of the cold climb no longer touched her body, it's chill merely a pleasant sensation beneath her notice.

Her hand rested upon her breast, the greivous wound the shard had inflicted no longer remained. Kneeling down she began resecuring her armor, placing the hides about her naked form.

The sudden crack of thunder caused her gaze to shift, she peered down the mountain as the piercing sound reverberated in her ears. A brilliant white light flashed, temporarily blinding her with its luminescence.
The explosion had come from somehwere near the Remorhaz village. Great fountains of snow drifted into the air, obscuring her vision.

Something, she could not be certain what, appeared to take flight, it's body surrounded with sparkling lights that illuminated the darkened sky.

The great boar settled down at her side, watching the scene as it unfolded.

The hag screamed in fury, her steps quickly carrying her down the slopes towards the ruined village.

[The Ice Hag]

The land had been torn assunder, great chunks of ice and rock laid strewn about the plateau. A deep trench had been opened in the earth, its gaping maw exposed to the sun.
Whatever had lain entombed beneath the frozen ice had been unearthed, freed from its imprisonment.

Braghuru knelt down beside the chasm, her yellow eyes examining the remains. Tufts of fur and hide lay exposed, imbedded into the ice. Several large ruts were dug into the sides, the remnants of powerful talons scraping aginst the ice in the vain attempt to gain freedom.

Her gaze traveled upwards to the heavens, the residual light of the figure fading behind the southward ridge. Trudging forward through the snow, she continued her way southward towards the trailing light.

[The Ice Hag]

The Orcish druid called Night Owl stood watch over the battered body of the prone man, his spear raised high in a defensive posture, a large gray bear resting near his side.
The dark skinned woman, with hair as white as the winter snows, approached cautiously. She carried herself gracefully, her weapons strapped safely to her sides.

The Orc made no effort to impede her passage, merely lowering his barbed spear in her direction as she sauntered closer, his face expressionless and stoic. A lone figure dressed in rags remained behind the druid, crouching over the fallen man, tending his many wounds.

Braghuru crept closer to the scene her muzzle close to the ground inspecting the various scents of those gathered in the clearing. The form of the wolf had many uses other than concealing her true nature.

The scents of the people gathered were familiar, she knew of the dark skinned exile, as well as the two remaining members of the Remorhaz tribe. Their scents inflamed her nostrils, their soft throats exposed for the killing blow. But the other, the figure that labored over the fallen tribesman, it's scent was different, somehow alien in nature.

The figure rose and addressed the stoic druid, its voice deep and resonating.

"He shall live though his wounds are terrible and many." "Watch over him Night Owl." "You shall be his watchful guardian in this time of healing."

The man shimmered, his skin became transluecent and filled with a growing light. Large feathered wings exploded from his back as his appearance shifted and grew. A radiant aura of purity emenated from the being, its silver skin reflecting the light of the sun.

Looking back at the fallen man, the being turned and flew into the sky, propelled by its magnificent wings. The light that surrounded the figure soon faded from sight, lost amid the backdrop of darkness.

Braghuru crept closer, bearing her fangs as she approached.

[The Ice Hag]

Braguru shed the form of the wolf as she approached, its guise no longer required. She crouched on all fours, baring her fangs at the Oricish druid, drops of spittle falling to the ground.

Night Owl instictively stepped back, driving his spear forward to ward off the hag, a glint of recognition filled his eyes as his gaze settled upon the disfigured creature.
The dark skin woman merely smiled, easing herself slowly around the perimeter of the camp, avoiding the mounting confrontation by displacing herself off to the side.

"Your lives are forfeit cub." "Release you spear, and perhaps I shall make your death quick." the hag spoke, her voice filled with venom.

Night Owl simply stared, his gaze locked upon the crouching figure. "You live...."
Braghuru screamed in rage. "You know nothing of me cub!" her cries echoing across the hillside.

"You walk these lands, your treachery hidden from those who welcome you into their fold." "They know not the truth of your people, the treachery, the betrayal, the sins of your tribe."
"But, I remember....I shall never forget."
"You cannot hide your shame from me cub, confess your sins so that all may know your true nature!" Her face flushed with anger, her claws dug into the hardened ground.

The druid stood motionless, his gaze ever watchful. "What is it you want from us?"

Braghuru screamed, launching herself from the ground, slamming the full weight of her body into the tribesman. Night Owl was caught unaware by the ferocity of her attack, he stumbled unable to regain his footing. The hag landed on top of him, slamming his back to the ground with bone shattering force.

He lay there dazed, exposed, his vision blurry, but he could smell the stench of her breath in his face, feel the droplets of saliva as they splashed against his chest.

She screamed into his face, her rage building with every passing moment. "Tempus, the betrayer....he wished me dead, cast aside." "A blight upon the tribe of Foehammer, but the mercy of Auril saved me cub...the mother embraced her child."

Her hand grasped his face jerking it upwards, her talons digging into his soft flesh. "Your tribe is no more, the last of you remain here to stand judgement by my hands." Her laughter haunted his soul.

He struggled calling upon his inner rage in the attempt to break free of her iron grip, but he was not strong enough. Braghuru slammed his head into the rocky ground, his blood splattering against her chest.

"Resist me again cub and I shall tear your throat out!"

"Enough! Release the guardian of the grove, his time has not yet come."

The melodic voice filled the air, its words bringing a sence of serenity and calm. Braghuru glanced at the ethereal figure of the woman as she approached.
Her steps seemed to float above the ground, waves of calm emenating from her ghostly form.

The hag's rage subsided, her thoughts became clouded, her senses dulled. Slowly she released her grip from Night Owl's face and backed away from the woman.

The visage knelt beside the injured body of Snow Hawk, laying her hand gently against his breast. His wounds began to close, and color returned to his face. His breathing steadied as life returned to his dying form.

"I have come for you my love, fear not."

The womans form began to fade, along with the bodies of Night Owl and Snow Hawk. The ethereal light grew within each as they faded from sight, leaving the hag alone with her rage.

Braghuru fell to her knees, letting forth a mournful howl as blankets of snow carressed the ground at her feet. Agentle hand rested upon her shoulder.

"There, there my dear." "Your vengence has been denied this day, but I share in your pain" The dark skin woman glanced around the clearing, her eyes falling upon the broken form of the hag.

"We must leave this place". she said soothingly. "The lights would have attracted many, and we must be far gone from this place when they arrive."

Braghuru looked up at the woman, and simply nodded. Rising, she assumed the form of a panther and fell in beside the dark skinned woman.

Walking side by side, the two women made their way down the mountain slopes towards the village of Aquor.