Verglas

The Frost King's Emblem

"The strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the Wolf is the Strength of the Pack."

Those marked with Verglas are referred to as Harbingers. They are the heralds of the cold as it transitions into the world, causing stasis and dormancy in all walks of life until the warmth of Glade returns. Once, there existed an Age where several Harbingers walked the reaches of Ransera, however, all traces of their origin have been smeared from history for a long time. However, the recent return of the Lord of Frost has gradually restored those lost origins, leading the Emblem to finally touch the people of Ransera once more.

Attracting Divine Attention

The Lord of Frost is a mindful and patient individual, driven to only act within the heat of the moment, and only for the sole purpose of carrying out an act for the benefit those around Him. To become a Harbinger is to become a guardian of peers, a stalwart companion that seeks to preserve and protect the world around them. Bearing this in mind, Rickter is typically selective of those deemed worthy of His emblem. Qualities that make a Harbinger a natural or trained leader might sway favor, but ultimately, one must be willing to balance the needs of their close ones with the demands of the world at large.

For there is a balance that must always be kept, preserved even, and it falls on the shoulders of a Harbinger to share the burden of such balance.

The Age of Dreams

Originally the first iteration of the Lord of Frost came from a time where possibility knew no boundaries, when the seasons themselves were four distinct forces of change throughout the world. Yet all records of them became lost throughout the centuries, and though the cause remains uncertain, the Draegirs of the Seasons were gradually snuffed out one after the other. However, even without their presence the Domains persisted, waiting to welcome the next generation that would take on the mantle left behind by their forebearers.

The Age of Steel

After a millennium of strife and conflict throughout the Ages, a new Lord of Frost ascended late within the 123rd year. An important quest into the Warrens resulted in the revival of the fallen Draegir, as Rickter Maze became the late King of Winter once more. Currently, the implications of this have remained uncertain, but His presence within the world has slowly grown with the passage of time. Before too long, the secrets of the Legacy He has ascended into will eventually come to light.

Applying for Verglas

Any who are interested in bearing the mark of Verglas may apply in the Support Forum and receive permission from the Staff. The following should be kept in mind:

• This Emblem currently cannot be taken at the start of play.
• The Demigod of Frost is only in his first tier of divinity. As such, he is not yet capable of traversing across the veil, through the Land of Nod, and thus able to be anywhere in the world at a moment's notice. With that in mind, acquiring the mark of Verglas requires that interested parties actively seek him out. He possesses a limited divine awareness of things performed either in his name or invoked through the domain of Frost. This range is a 150km radius. Feats performed outside of this radius remain outside of his awareness unless invoked by an individual already in possession of his Emblem.
• Interested players can submit a Support Forum application requesting a moderated quest wherein they are granted the Emblem. Provided the act takes place within the above radius, the demigod will be able to come to them and bestow his mark.

The Tenant of Winter

The passage of time is always marked with the transition of seasons, and with Frost, the North Winds always blow in to blanket the world with a cold stasis. Life goes through a stage of dormancy for a period, resting as it awaits the renewing warmth of Glade to revitalize and change it once more. Harbingers must remember the importance of this stasis, and how it can bring reflection for the growth that is meant to come. Such is the nature of Rime, and it's capacity to influence the whims of Frost at the Harbinger's behest.

The Gift of Winter: Rime

The power of Rime serves as a pinnacle for Harbingers due to its ability to influence the world around them. The Gift of Winter will nullify the woes of frigid temperatures for the Harbinger, even with minimal protection, but also serve as a medium between the Harbinger and Divine. The cold bite of Frost is also at the Harbinger's disposal, providing them with the ability to manifest and even mold ice through sheer will. Elementalist's who already can make and shape ice will find that Rime is quite different, for the aetheric composition is much denser with Rime, and the created ice itself seems innately responsive to the whims of Frost.

The Tenant of Wolves

Locked. The Tenant of Wolves and its corresponding power of Resonance will be unlocked upon the demigod's ascension to Tier II.

The Tenant of Wrath

Locked. The Tenant of Hope and its corresponding power of Rampage will be unlocked upon the demigod's ascension to Tier III.

Faith of the Harbinger

Faith remains an integral part of Verglas, not just in regards to Rickter, but to those the Harbinger would deem their closest companions. To bear Verglas is to be charged with the care and consideration of those around you, both the immediate and the environment they dwell within. What's more, the power forged by bonds and kinship seemingly enhances Verglas, reinforcing communities with shared tenacity that only the cold itself can temper.

Acolyte | The Acolytes of Rickter are people who form close and intimate Bonds with their compatriots. They understand that the foundation of their beliefs is built upon unified strength, with temperance forged from patience and reflection within one another. They possess a drive to preserve the world they create for themselves and the people they care for, to protect those who simply cannot protect themselves, and to provide what is within their power to share with those in need. Acolytes have drawn the attention of the demigod, and they have been noticed for their potential as true or natural-born leaders. As such they have been granted the Mark of Verglas and are thus able to perform the following:

Rime. Acolytes of Rime will find that the Gift of Winter offers protection from Arctic biomes, passively granting them mild resistance to frigid temperatures but only enough to reduce exposure risks. The Acolyte possesses an affinity for ice in a similar fashion to an Elementalist gaining familiarity with it as a Para-Element, the distinction however, being that Rime embodies Ice as a core Element. This grants the Harbinger the ability to manifest and control ice to the degree of a Journeyman Elementalist, leaving it to the imagination of the Harbinger when it comes to creating and shaping ice with Rime.

Resonance. Locked until Rickter reclaims the domain of Wolves.

Rampage. Locked until Rickter reclaims the domain of Wrath.

Avowed | The Avowed of Rickter are those who have been twice marked by Him. They have grown in their relationship with the demigod to become guardians of their peers, upholding their beliefs with a balance between unyielding temperance and unwavering fury. Those within the community the Avowed is a part of will always report on their devotion to the people, and the innate drive to not only preserve but improve the lives of those around them. Harbingers of this caliber seek not to enforce change but to guide it, to promote the growth that is found in the world around them as naturally as possible. These faithful few are regarded as true stalwarts of their communities. They can perform the following when channeling the gift of Verglas:

Rime. Avowed will find their resistance to arctic regions bolstered with exceptional resistance, as the cold will no longer bother them and the hazards of freezing are diminished. Their control over Rime grants them a greater scope of influence, increasing their range of ice manipulation to 25 meters, and allowing them to influence the environment around them by dropping the temperature in that range. This allows the Avowed to innately alter the weather to create rain, sleet, or even snow on a sunny day, but only for up to an hour before the ability needs to be recharged.

Resonance. Locked until Rickter reclaims the domain of Wolves.

Rampage. Locked until Rickter reclaims the domain of Wrath.

Champion | Locked until Rickter reaches Tier II demigodhood.

Herald | Locked until Rickter reaches Tier III demigodhood.