Frostgate

Frostgate is the northernmost of the Free Cities and the entry to the wild, untamed lands of eternal winter. Barely a city for much of the year, Frostgate is more akin to a seasonal community, one whose fortunes rise and fall with coming of winter. Summers see the city almost emptied as its denizens leave to hunt and farm before the cold returns. As the summer comes to an end, however, Frostgate blooms, filling with those seeking to ride out the snow and ice in some semblance of comfort. The hunters and trappers, herders and farmers, tradespeople and their retinues, all return to the city to meet and conduct their necessary business. The natural riches of the Blind Muir Forest, the shipping lane of the River of Tears, and the abundant minerals of the nearby Shadow Peaks make Frostgate one of the only places in the region where raw materials can be easily procured and goods manufactured.

During the crowded winter months, fields of yurts press up against the very walls of Frostgate, while industry pushes on relentlessly into the night. In this season, Frostgate can rival Tamalir in size and scale, with temporary theater houses, courts, temples, and shops erected in a matter of days. So great is the constant revelry and cacophonous noise that one can hear the city long before ever seeing it. To ensure good harvests and successful hunts, the Northern Tribes perform a number of rituals at this time, the greatest of which are the Trials of Frostgate.

The trials use a variety of sacred elixirs and herbs to access ancestral spirits in a series of challenges. To prove themselves worthy, contestants enter spirit planes to face challenges of strength, cunning, and courage, often against aspects of mighty animals. Those who succeed gain the blessings of the spirits and are marked with tattoos proclaiming them Champions of Frostgate, a powerful reward in this Free City. Before venturing into the North, bands of travelers tend to assemble in Frostgate, as it is the sole community in the region outside of a small colony of Latari among the evergreens. To these groups of travelers, the tattoo can be a sign that its bearer possesses adequate prowess and is ready to face the dangers ahead.