Dragonfrost Storms
"Look, I do not travel north of Aurora's Gate after midyear has passed. I prefer to keep my fingers and toes, thank you. Also, it takes a week to travel a distance I would normally cover in two days."Durrsk is a land of harsh weather, but the worst of it occurs during the latter half of the year when autumn and winter come. Erisdaire is no stranger to snow, but the north receives storms which can destroy small villages as easily as a dragon. Hence the name given to such events by those who have lived through it: dragonfrost. When such a storm hits, even being within a house might not be enough to ensure safety. Travelers abroad who cannot find a cave are doomed, and even those who do find one are not guaranteed safety. Those who are not Durrskan often give the region a wide berth until the start of the next year, when the weather becomes milder.
Dragonfrost storms are often spotted as a thick leading edge of clouds which moves relatively slow for the amount of wind being kicked up. When it arrives, wind and snow make vision nearly impossible with how thick the snowfall is. Even if one could pick out shapes and outlines, the temperature drops rapidly until exposed flesh is at risk of freezing. Frostbite is inevitable within a handful of hours, starting with skin exposed to the air or the extremities. Prepared people might be able to survive the cold long enough to find shelter, however the rate of snow accumulation can rapidly make it hard to discern nearby landmarks. The storms mercifully only last a few hours, and often the snow left behind is only lightly packed and simple to remove.
Surviving a dragonfrost storm's chilling cold and thick snowfall is only the first problem, as snowdrifts as tall as people have been reportedly left behind. With the snow being lightly packed on top, it is possible to remove the drifts from exits within the same amount of time the storm deposited it. Should these drifts be left up for long enough, the sun will start melting the powdery snow and make it much harder to move. Rarely, such storms will occurr just after a sunny day and leave a layer of ice underneath the snow and tree limbs encased in ice as though a forest was encased in glass. The accumulation might also hide streams or rivers, which is a very different hazard for unaware travelers or hunters.
Residents of Durrsk have made broad-bladed shovels specifically to dig through such drifts and move snow away, and cities have teams of able-bodied adults (or older children) whose task is specifically to clear paths in the wake of a dragonfrost storm. At least one team is also trained in ways to rescue residents in serious danger from the cold, and equipped for the task. These teams collectively are why Durrskan cities are mostly back to operating normally hours after a dragonfrost storm leaves. Imperial citizens consider it an exaggeration how these storms can destroy small towns and villages, but it is the lack of preparation and skilled people which puts them at risk. The weight of the snow is not as much as it appears, but it can still be dangerous to wooden structures. Insufficient protection from the cold, lack of preparation against being buried for a short period of time, and shelter which is not secure enough are all contributing factors to settlements failing within their first winter.
Comments