Auril,Goddess of winter (AW-rill)

Title(s)

• The Cold Goddess
• The Queen of Cold and Frost
• Queen of Frozen Tears
• The Frostmaiden
• Brittle Maiden
• Frost Sprite Queen
• Lady Frostkiss
• Lady Icekiss
• Storm-bringer
• Soverign of Summers Lost
• General of Winter's War
• Winter's Womb
• Icedawn

Adjective

• Aurilian or Aurilite[

Aspects/Aliases

• Aurilandür
• Alaphaer (archaic)
• Saukuruk (Great Glacier)

Pantheon

• Deities of Fury, Faerûnian pantheon

Serves

• Silvanus following the Stormstar Requiem
• formerly Talos

Worshipers

• Druids

Holy day(s)

• Midwinter Night

Power Level

• Lesser deity

Alignment

• Neutral evil

Symbol

• Six-pointed snowflake

Portfolio

• Winter

Domains

• Nature, Tempest

Introduction

The winds howled and the snow fell thick and heavy, as the icy grip of winter tightened around the land. And amidst this biting cold stood Auril, the goddess of winter and cold, with her heart of ice and lethal beauty, forever preserved beneath a sheet of rime. Known as Saukuruk by her few worshippers among the Iulutiuns of the Great Glacier, Auril was the embodiment of winter's cruelty and all its deadliest aspects. Her power over snow storms was once mighty, until it was eroded by Talos, leader of the Gods of Fury. But even in the face of this defeat, the Cold Goddess did not falter. Instead, she made her season even more frigid, reminding the people of the north who truly controlled the cold.
Some communities of fey, such as those of the Shiverpine Forest in the Deep Wilds, saw Auril as synonymous with the Queen of Air and Darkness. However, after the Sundering, it was revealed that the Queen of Air and Darkness was only impersonating Auril in order to retain followers on Toril.

"Cover all the lands with ice. Quench fire wherever it is found. Let in the winds and the cold; cut down windbreaks and chop holes in walls and roofs that my breath may come in. Work darknesses to hide the cursed sun so that the chill I bring may slay. Take the life of an arctic creature only in great need, but slay all others at will. Make all Faerûn fear me."
— Auril's charge to her clergy

Those who dared to worship Auril knew that they were aligning themselves with a goddess of darkness and death. For Lady Frostkiss was not a goddess to be trifled with, and her wrath was as cold and unforgiving as the winter winds themselves. Yet, there were those who still turned to her in times of need, beseeching her to unleash her fury upon their enemies.
In the end, Auril remained a mysterious and enigmatic figure, forever shrouded in the chill of winter. But for those who knew her true power, she was a force to be reckoned with, a goddess of darkness and death who ruled over the frigid wastes with an icy fist.

Description

In the lands of Faerûn, few deities were as enigmatic and complex as Auril, the neutral evil goddess of winter and cold. Her presence was felt in every gust of icy wind that swept through the north, and her worship was widespread, albeit thinly spread across the lands. As the embodiment of winter's cruelty and all its deadliest aspects, Lady Frostkiss was a force to be reckoned with, and her followers revered her with awe and fear in equal measure. Auril's forms were as numerous as they were varied. Her most common avatar was the Frostmaiden, a lithe and attractive human woman with blue skin and a body made from ice and snow. Clad in a fine, thickly furred gown and surrounded by swirling frost, the Frostmaiden was a furious figure of action, striking fear into the hearts of those who dared to challenge her. Her hair, long and white, flowed freely around her, giving her an ethereal and otherworldly appearance.
The Icedawn, on the other hand, was an entirely different entity. An impassive apparition of icy hauteur, the Icedawn silently glided through the air, her ornate crown and hooked, spurred armor of opaque and light blue ice marking her as a queen among her kind. Her movements were slow and measured, her demeanor one of cold detachment and regal bearing.
But Auril's powers were not limited to these two forms alone. In the late 15th century, she revealed three new avatars to her worshipers, each more fearsome than the last. The Cold Crone was a 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall, hunched bipedal creature with a snowy owl's head topped by a pair of curled ram's horns. Her cloven hooves and arms ending in sharp, black talons marked her as a predator, and her grayish-white wolf fur covered her from the neck down, giving her an almost feral appearance.
The Brittle Maiden, or Lady Icekiss, was a 10 feet (3 meters) tall figure of fearsome feminine aspect, her thin cloak of mist surrounding her like a shroud. Her eyes burned with a cold, blue light, and her body crackled as she moved, with icy blades growing from her form at odd angles and breaking off after growing too long. Her power was immense, and those who crossed her path risked being cut to ribbons by her deadly embrace.
And then there was Winter's Womb, Auril's most mysterious form. A 3 feet (0.91 meters) in diameter diamond of ice with facets and a sharp point at the bottom, Winter's Womb hovered in the air, containing Auril's divine spark and radiating intense cold in every direction. Her voice seemed to emanate from the heart of the diamond, and those who heard it were filled with a sense of awe and dread.
In the end, no one knew what secrets lay hidden behind Auril's many forms, or what dark designs she had in store for the world. But one thing was certain - as long as winter reigned supreme, and the cold winds howled across the north, Lady Frostkiss would remain a force to be reckoned with, a goddess of awe-inspiring power and fearsome beauty.

Personality

Auril, the Frostmaiden, was a goddess of winter and cold who embodied the cruelest aspects of the season. Her heart of ice matched her lethally cold beauty, and she was known for freezing all forms of beauty in magical ice and preserving them for her own pleasure. From natural wonders to art objects and artists themselves, Auril hoarded them all away for her viewing pleasure alone. Despite her love for beauty, Auril was incapable of true feelings of love, honor, or other noble emotions. She was arrogant and vain, adoring her ice and seeking to cover the Realms and all other lands beneath it. Her ultimate goal was to bring all under her icy domain, to rule over them and bend them to her will.
Auril was also known for her capricious, fickle, and unpredictable nature, making her enemies and allies alike never sure of her next move. She was supremely cold, unfeeling, and apathetic, incapable of mercy or compassion. She was a sadist that took great pleasure in torturing her enemies and harassing her foes, trapping offenders in blizzards and driving them insane with visions of warmth and the comforts of home, ultimately seeking to kill them with the sheer, bitter cold.
Auril had several distinct forms, including the Frostmaiden, the Icedawn, the Cold Crone, the Brittle Maiden, and Winter's Womb, each embodying a different aspect of her frigid nature. Her worshippers among the Iulutiuns of the Great Glacier called her Saukuruk, and some communities of fey saw her as synonymous with the Queen of Air and Darkness, though the latter was only impersonating Auril to retain followers on Toril after the Sundering.
Despite her cold and cruel nature, Auril was still worshipped by some, particularly those who sought to master the harsh elements of winter and gain power over the cold. Her followers included those who sought to use the winter to their advantage, such as hunters, trappers, and raiders, as well as those who sought to withstand its fury, such as the people of the north who had learned to live in the most unforgiving of climates.

Divine realm

Auril, the cruel and powerful goddess of winter and cold, held dominion over a divine realm known as Winter's Hall, located in the treacherous top layer of Pandemonium, Pandesmos. Here, the goddess was able to exert her control over the freezing winds and snows that battered the planes, causing untold suffering to those who dared to cross her. But Auril's realm was not the only place of power within the planes. The infamous trickster god Loki also made his home within Winter's Hall, using it as a sanctuary whenever he fell out of favor with the other Aesir. It was said that the two deities shared a twisted bond, born of their mutual love of chaos and destruction.
As the Spellplague ravaged the multiverse, Auril's realm was cast adrift from its former position in the cosmos. It came to rest within the Astral Dominion of the Deep Wilds, a place of untold mystery and danger. Here, beneath the eternal ice and snow, the goddess continued to plot and scheme, her cold heart set on the destruction of all who opposed her.
But despite her great power and influence, Auril remained a capricious and unpredictable deity, prone to fits of rage and cruelty. Her worshipers knew that they must appease her with offerings and sacrifices, lest they fall prey to her wrath.
In the end, Auril's true motivations remained a mystery, known only to the goddess herself. But one thing was certain - those who dared to cross her path did so at their own peril, for the Frostmaiden was a fearsome foe, capable of unleashing untold horrors upon those who dared to defy her will.

Relationships

In the early years of Auril's godhood, she was a member of the infamous Deities of Fury, a group of gods who reveled in destruction and chaos. Her allies in the pantheon included Malar, Umberlee, and Talos, and their combined destructive powers inspired fear and reverence among mortals and deities alike. Despite being in the same group, Auril and Malar shared a deep hatred for each other, and their enmity was well-known throughout the cosmos. Auril's relationship with Talos was once close and cordial, but when the Lord of Storms attempted to usurp her following, she realized she couldn't rely on him. Talos was notorious for taking all the glory for himself, and Auril refused to be overshadowed. Her only ally in the Deities of Fury was Umberlee, the goddess of the sea, with whom she had a tenuous partnership. However, even that fragile alliance eventually crumbled when Umberlee grew tired of Auril's endless cold and the motionless sheets of ice that replaced her roiling seas.
In the aftermath of the Spellplague, Auril's power grew exponentially. She siphoned the faiths of Ulutiu, Aerdrie Faenya, and Gruumsh/Talos into her own, greatly expanding her portfolio of dominion. Along with her classic powers of cold and winter, Auril claimed dominion over wind and storms, bringing her into direct conflict with the ancient primordial power Akadi.
Among the other deities, Auril had many enemies. Chauntea, the goddess of agriculture, was a mortal enemy, constantly battling the Frostmaiden to protect her fields and crops from endless winter. Sune, the goddess of love and beauty, opposed Auril, blaming her for the destruction of much that was beautiful in the world. Uthgar, the god of the barbarian tribes, despised Auril because the Elk tribe abandoned him for her faith. Even minor deities like Rellavar Danuvien, the elven god of cold, sought to interfere in Auril's plans whenever they could.
But perhaps the most intriguing relationship in Auril's life was with Thrym, the god of the frost giants. The two were once lovers, and during their time together, Auril gave birth to an empyrean daughter named Nalkara. Despite their past, their relationship eventually soured, and they became bitter enemies.
As the centuries passed, Auril remained as capricious and unpredictable as ever. Mortals who dared to cross her path risked being trapped in blizzards and driven insane with visions of warmth and home, only to ultimately succumb to the deadly embrace of bitter cold. Yet for all her arrogance and vanity, the Frostmaiden remained one of the most powerful and feared deities in the cosmos, her icy domain extending across countless worlds and dimensions.

Worshippers

The Frostmaiden, Auril, was a goddess to be feared and venerated in the North. Her influence could be felt in lands such as the Great Glacier, the Icerim Mountains, Sossal, and Vaasa. Northlanders regarded Auril as one of their primary deities and an essential aspect of their culture. They believed that she was the harbinger of winter, and regular sacrifices were made to her in late autumn and over the winter. Sacrifices of food were placed on rafts, which were then set adrift in the ocean. Human sacrifices, typically prisoners of war or slaves, were placed on these rafts, but this was a rare occurrence and only happened in dire times. Despite the fear that Auril instilled, her worship was sparse in the Sea of Fallen Stars region, isolated only to the northern shores.
Auril's followers in the Moonsea region were shunned by society and were most commonly encountered in Mulmaster and Zhentil Keep. During the winter in Zhentil Keep, Auril's followers openly recruited from the destitute, homeless, and refugees. They were offered salvation instead of risking death by freezing in an alley if they joined the faith.
The worship of the Frostmaiden was also prevalent in the religion of taers, and most taer clerics venerated Auril. Air and water genasi, especially those who lived in cold regions, also worshiped the goddess. Air genasi tended to be zealous in their worship and were fanatically devoted to Auril. They enjoyed inflicting pain on other creatures using cold air.
Auril was also among the deities worshiped by members of the Arcane Brotherhood, and her handmaidens included frostwind viragos and winter hags. The Frostmaiden used frost giants and winter wolves to deliver commands to her cults.
While Auril's relationship with Talos was close and cordial, it did not stop him from attempting to usurp her following. Auril preferred not to rely on him due to his habit of responding but then directing all glory to himself. Auril and Malar mutually hated each other, and Umberlee, the wrathful sea goddess, came to despise her enduring cold and the motionless sheets of ice her roiling seas turned into, forming an alliance with the other Gods of Fury against the Frostmaiden.
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.
Despite her more violent tendencies, Druids considered Auril to be among the First Circle of nature deities and deserving of veneration. With her power and influence only growing, it remains to be seen what new terrors the Frostmaiden will bring to the North and beyond.

Holy days

Holy days dedicated to the Frostmaiden were few and far between, reflecting her unforgiving and capricious nature.
Yet, her most important day of the year was the Midwinter Night, celebrated on Hammer 30 to Alturiak 1. It was a time for the clergy to hold a festival of ice-dancing, honoring the goddess and her frigid domain that covered the land with a blanket of snow and ice. Druids, who respected the power of nature and its forces, also paid homage to the Frostmaiden on Midwinter Night. They recognized her as a member of the First Circle of nature deities and believed that every aspect of nature deserved reverence and respect.
In addition to Midwinter Night, there were informal but enthusiastically celebrated rituals that marked the onset and end of winter. These rituals were known as the Coming Storm and the Last Storm, where the priests would gather and call down howling ice storms on a region. These rituals were seen as a way to pay tribute to Auril's power and the awe-inspiring forces of nature.
Auril's Bless tide,also known as Auril's Day, was another holiday of sorts held annually in the city of Waterdeep. It took place on the first day of new frost in the year and was seen as a way to seek to appease the Frostmaiden in hopes of a mild winter. During Auril's Blesstide, the people of Waterdeep would offer prayers, sacrifices, and gifts to the Frostmaiden in the hopes of gaining her favor and protection from her wrath.
Despite these holy days, the worship of the Frostmaiden was not a gentle one. Her followers knew that their goddess was not to be trifled with, and her wrath could be terrible to behold. They believed that only through fear and sacrifice could they hope to survive the long, cold winters that the Frostmaiden brought upon the land. Yet, they also recognized that Auril was a necessary part of the natural order, and that her power was essential for the balance of nature. For this reason, they revered her as a powerful deity and offered her their worship and devotion.

Temples

In the frigid lands of the North, Auril was widely worshipped and had numerous shrines dedicated to her. These shrines were often simple, makeshift structures made from ice and snow, but they were treated with great reverence by her followers. It was believed that these shrines acted as conduits for the power of the Frostmaiden, and that offerings made at these shrines would be more likely to appease her wrath.
Shrines dedicated to Auril could be found in Bezantur, a bustling port city on the shores of the Lake of Steam. In the city of Calaunt, located in the Moonsea region, the Shrine of the Icy Maiden was a place of pilgrimage for those who sought the blessings of Auril. In Iriaebor, a city in the Western Heartlands, the Frostmaiden's Shrine was a somber and forbidding place, shrouded in ice and snow even in the heat of summer.
In Nashkel, a small mining town in the Sword Coast, the Shrine of the Eternal Frost was a place of great importance to the local population. The shrine was said to be the site of a great battle between the followers of Auril and the followers of Lathander, the god of dawn, and it was said that the bones of the fallen could still be seen among the ice and snow.
The city of Phlan, located in the Moonsea region, was home to the Frostmaiden's Palace, a grand temple dedicated to Auril. The temple was built entirely from ice and snow, and its towering spires could be seen from miles away. The priests of Auril who tended the temple were feared and respected throughout the region, and it was said that they had the power to summon ice storms at will.
In Tasseldale, a small region in the Western Heartlands, the Shrine of the Icy Wind was a place of great importance to the local druidic communities. The shrine was said to be the site of a great battle between the followers of Auril and the followers of Silvanus, the god of wild nature, and it was said that the spirits of the fallen could still be heard in the howling winds.
In the city of Zhentil Keep, a fortress located in the Moonsea region, the Temple of Winter was a grand and imposing structure dedicated to Auril. The temple was built entirely from ice and snow, and it was said that the power of the Frostmaiden could be felt in every inch of the frozen edifice.
Notable temples to Auril included the House of Auril's Breath in Glister, a small town in the Western Heartlands. The temple was known for its intricate ice sculptures, which depicted scenes from the history of the North. In the town of Nashkel, the Frostmaiden was worshipped at Icedawn's House, a small shrine located south of the town. The shrine was said to be the site of a great battle between the followers of Auril and the followers of Chauntea, the goddess of agriculture, and it was said that the blood of the fallen still stained the snow.
In the desert city of Calimport, located on the southern coast of the Sea of Fallen Stars, the Towers of Fury were a grand temple dedicated to Auril. The temple was built entirely from ice and snow, and it was said that the power of the Frostmaiden could be felt in the biting winds that swept through the towers. And in the northern city of Luskan, the Winter Palace was a sprawling temple complex dedicated to Auril. The temple was said to be the seat of the Frostmaiden's power in the region, and it was said that the priests who tended the temple had the power to summon elementals to do their bidding.

Notable Worshipers

The worship of Auril was not limited to ordinary folk, but also included notable individuals who dedicated their lives to the Frostmaiden. Among them was

• Artus Cimber, who became the Chosen of Auril following the Spellplague. He was a legendary explorer and adventurer who sought to find the Ring of Winter, an ancient artifact with immense power. His quest led him to the frozen wastelands of the north, where he encountered many dangers, including the followers of Auril.
• Bjornhild Solvigsdottir, the queen of the Reghedmen Tribe of the Tiger during the late 15th century DR. She was known for her fierce loyalty to Auril and was said to have been blessed by the Frostmaiden with exceptional cold resistance and strength.
• Cierre was a wandering drow surface spy who was also a devoted follower of Auril. She used her icy powers to aid her in her espionage work and to protect herself from her enemies. Her faith in Auril was so strong that she willingly accepted death rather than renounce her devotion to the Frostmaiden.
• Gerti Orelsdottr was another notable worshipper of Auril. She was the effective leader of the Shining White frost giants and was known for her cunning and brutality. Her loyalty to Auril was unwavering, and she would go to any lengths to please the Frostmaiden and earn her favor.
• Hedrun Arnsfirth was the Chosen of Auril during the Second Sundering. She was a skilled warrior and priestess who dedicated her life to serving the Frostmaiden. Her faith in Auril was so strong that she willingly sacrificed herself to stop a demonic invasion from the Abyss.
• Ihanora the Merciful was the Chosen of Auril circa 1099 DR and the creator of the Snow Maiden's Reaver, a powerful magical weapon. She was known for her compassion and kindness, which was unusual among the followers of Auril. Despite her gentle nature, she was a formidable warrior and was able to defend herself and her allies with ease.
• Iyraclea was a self-styled queen of the Great Glacier and a devoted worshipper of Auril. She was a powerful sorceress who wielded the icy powers of the Frostmaiden with deadly effect. Her ultimate goal was to spread the influence of Auril across the world and usher in a new Ice Age.
• Lysan was a priestess of Auril who lived in Icewind Dale. She was known for her fierce devotion to the Frostmaiden and her willingness to do whatever it took to serve her goddess. Her icy powers were feared by her enemies, and her followers saw her as a living embodiment of Auril's wrath.

History

In the annals of Toril's history, there have been many instances of divine intervention, but few have been as dramatic as Auril's actions during Calimshan's Second Era of Skyfire. In the Year of Holy Thunder, 1450 DR, the Goddess of Winter descended upon the Skyfire Wastes, freezing them over and sending her followers to do battle with both Calim's genies and Memnon's efreeti. The ferocity of the conflict was such that the skies themselves were rent with lightning and thunder, earning the year its name. But Auril was not content to confine her influence to distant lands. In the Year of the Iron Dwarf's Vengeance, 1485 DR, her chosen warrior, Hedrun Arnsfirth, began a war in Icewind Dale that would shake the very foundations of the region. The battles were brutal and unrelenting, as the followers of the Frostmaiden clashed with those who worshipped other deities. The cold and unforgiving landscape only served to amplify the intensity of the conflict, as each side fought tooth and nail for supremacy.

We bow to she who wears the crown; Let the world shiver with dread. Clad in winter's whitest gown, her snow enshrouds the dead. Her fury sheds but frozen tears as gray clouds issue forth. Her wind across the wasteland shears, bringing blizzards from the north. Ice-kissed flowers caught mid-bloom, beauty kept in all its grace. Summer's gone to its silent tomb, stilling in her cold embrace. All the world in winter's white, sheathed in sleet and ice. Set upon never-ending night, she conjures paradise. Behold her everlasting rime, see how it covers all; Weep not for those she traps in time behind her glacial wall. Soverign of Summers Lost, General of Winter's War; Long live the Queen of Cold and Frost. May she reign forevermore. ” — The Rime of the Frostmaiden.

However, Auril's ambition was not without its consequences. In the late 15th century DR, she encroached upon Umberlee's domain by freezing the chaotic tides of the ocean. This move proved to be a grave mistake, as Umberlee saw it as a direct challenge to her authority. Ending their alliance, Umberlee turned to the other Gods of Fury, Talos and Malar, and with their help, forced Auril to retreat to the most frigid region of Toril: the Sea of Moving Ice.
It was from an island known as Solstice that Auril enacted her most ambitious plan yet: the Everlasting Rime. Beginning in the Year of the Rune Lords Triumphant, 1487 DR, this seemingly eternal winter covered the land and extended over Icewind Dale for two years. The cold was so intense that it taxed even the Frostmaiden's divine power, leaving her weak, vulnerable, and self-isolated. In fact, she became so powerless that mortal creatures could slay her, a fact that forced her to be banished until the next winter solstice. This turn of events would have far-reaching consequences for the balance of power among the deities of Toril, and it remains a cautionary tale of the dangers of divine hubris.

Trivia

Among the icy, windswept northern islands of the Trackless Sea, including Gundarlun, the Purple Rocks, Ruathym, and Tuern, the frigid, unrelenting winds that whipped through the snowy tundras were known as "Auril's Breath". For generations, sailors and fishermen braved these treacherous waters, always mindful of the winter goddess's icy grip on the region. To them, Auril was a fickle and capricious deity, alternately cruel and kind, punishing the unworthy with her howling winds and bitter frost, while offering her blessings to those who honored her with appropriate sacrifices and offerings.