Auril (AW-rill)

Auril, also known as The Cold Goddess, The Frostmaiden, Icedawn, the Goddess of Winter, and the Frost Sprite Queen, was a fickle, vain, and evil deity, who was primarily venerated out of fear. She was additionally seen as being synonymous with the Queen of Air and Darkness by some communities of fey, such as those of the Shiverpine Forest in the Deep Wilds. However, after the Sundering the Queen of Air and Darkness was seen to be only impersonating Auril in order to retain followers on Toril.

Personality

Auril was the embodiment of winter's wrath. She was arrogant, capricious and unpredictable. She took great pleasure in torturing her enemies and harassing her foes. Sacrifices and worship to her was often done out of fear. An evil goddess, her main goal is to cover the Realms under ice and snow.

Worshipers

In the North, Auril was a commonly worshiped, and feared, goddess and an integral part of northern cultures. Worship of the Frostmaiden was common in lands such as the Blue Spine Mountains, and Grey Peaks the reigon surrounding city of Phoria also known as Giants Country.
Northlanders considered Auril one of their primary deities and was a key part of their culture. She was feared and seen as the harbinger of winter upon the whole world. In the late autumn and over the winter, regular sacrifices were made to her. Sacrifices of food were place upon rafts which were then set adrift in the ocean. Human sacrifices, usually prisoners of war or slaves, were placed on these rafts. Human sacrifice was a rare occurrence and was only seen during dire times.
In the Shining Sea, followers of the Frostmaiden were shunned by society and were most commonly encountered in the Norse Isles and amoung the tribes of Grey Peaks. During the winter in Ousdur, followers of Auril openly recruited from the destitute, homeless and refugees. They were offered salvation, instead of the risk of freezing to death in an alley, if they joined the faith.
Worship and sacrifices to Auril were sparse in the Sea of Stars region, isolated to the northern shores. Northlanders invaders brought the worship of Auril to Faeshala.
Auril was a key part of the religion of taers and most taer clerics venerated the Frostmaiden.
Auril was one of the deities worshiped by air and water genasi, especially those who lived in cold regions. Air Genasi tended to be zealous in their worship, with a fanatical devotion to Auril. They enjoyed inflicting pain on other creatures using cold air.
Auril was one of the deities worshiped by members of the Arcane Brotherhood.
Auril used frost giants and winter wolves to deliver commands to her cults, while frostwind viragos and winter hags were the handmaidens of the Frostmaiden.

Divine Symbols & Sigils

Holidays

Charirkear 1st Aurimber

• Midwinter (Night), Aurimber Aurixkear 30 to  1. This was the most holy night of the year for the clergy, a festival of ice-dancing that lasted all night. Druids were also known to pay respect to the Frostmaiden on this date.
• The Coming Storm and the Last Storm, informal but enthusiastically celebrated rituals where the priests gathered and called howling ice storms down on a region to mark the onset and end of winter.
• Auril's Blesstide, or Auril's Day, was a holiday (of sorts) held annually in the city of Waterdeep on the first day of new frost in the year. It was not so much a holiday as a way to seek to appease the Frostmaiden in hopes of a mild winter.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

In the Year of Holy Thunder, 1450 DR, Auril intervened in Calimshan's Second Era of Skyfire, freezing over the Skyfire Wastes and sending her followers to battle both Calim's genies and Memnon's efreeti. In the Year of the Iron Dwarf's Vengeance, 1485 DR, Chosen of Auril, Hedrun Arnsfirth, began her war in Icewind Dale.
In the late 15th century DR, Auril encroached onto Umberlee's domain by freezing her chaotic tides. Though Umberlee was once allied with Auril, she cut off this alliance, and turned to the other Gods of Fury, Talos and Malar. The three allied deities sought to take down the Frostmaiden, and she was forced to retreat to the most frigid region of Toril: the Sea of Moving Ice. From an island known as Solstice, the Goddess of Winter caused the Everlasting Rime beginning in the Year of the Rune Lords Triumphant, 1487 DR. This seemingly eternal winter covered the area and extended over Icewind Dale for two years. This taxed the goddess, and as such, Auril became very weak, vulnerable, and self-isolated. In fact, she became so powerless that she could be slain by mortal creatures, which could force her to be banished until the next winter solstice.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Following the Spellplague, Auril gained significant power by siphoning the faiths of Ulutiu, Aerdrie Faenya, and Gruumsh/Talos into her own. In addition to her classic portfolio of cold and winter, the Frostmaiden claimed dominion over wind and storms, bringing her into direct conflict with the ancient primordial power Akadi. In earlier centuries, Auril was a member of the Deities of Fury, along with Malar, Umberlee, and Talos. Umberlee and Auril cooperated with some degree of confidence, while Malar and Auril despised each other.
Auril and Chauntea were mortal enemies, constantly battling each other. Kossuth and Auril were also mortal enemies, but their followers seldom came across each other. Sune opposed Auril, as she blamed her for the destruction of much that was beautiful. Uthgar hated Auril as she turned the Elk Tribe away from his worship. Rellavar Danuvien, a minor elven god of cold, sought to interfere in the plans of Auril whenever he could.
At one stage, Auril was in a relationship with Thrym, god of the frost giants. During that time she became the mother to the empyrean daughter Nalkara.

Divine Classification

Lesser deity

Religions
Archorian pantheon
Alignment
Neutral evil
Honorary & Occupational Titles
The Cold Goddess
The Frostmaiden
Icedawn
Lady Frostkiss
Frost Sprite Queen
Storm-bringer
Serves
Masklin
Domains
Nature
Tempest
Portfolio
Winter