YSELM BLOODFANG.

A former Reghed nomad, Yselm now works as a hunter, trapper, and wilderness guide. Primarily
based in Bremen, but she can be found wandering the tundra almost anywhere in Icewind Dale. Her
White Dire wolf companion, Glacier, always accompanies her. Only Yselm knows that Glacier her
companion is in fact a Winter wolf, quite capable of speech whose howl can freeze its enemies....
He keeps silent when they are not alone.

Yselm acts as a ranger and guide but is actually a druid serving the Frost Maiden Auril the godess
who has casts the everlasting Rime each night trapping the dale in eternal winter. Originally a
member of the Tribe of the Tiger she parted company with them three years ago and set up in
Icewindale in the town of Bremen, she has a good reputation as a trustworthy Ranger.

She is careful to disguise her identity, her trips in the wilderness giving ample opportunity to meet
with other druids unnoticed.

Among those opposed to Auril a group called the Bane of Winter have been a particular thorn, as
well as murdering her servant Sephek Kaltro an undead assassin spreading fear they also murderd
Ravisinn, a fellow druid who dwelt in Lonelywood forest. The Druids have been scrying her since
Most recently they activated a magical item in the woods above Goodmead punching a 5 mile wide
hole in the Rime itself which lasted for nearly an hour before the Maiden herself intervened sending
her own avatar to drain its power while her summons assailed the party

Yselm has hatched a plot to destroy them and gain favour with Auril.
The Bane of Winter

Conan Darkheart – A human male Bard of some renown, weak of body.

Della Riverweed – A very capable Halfling female Arctic Ranger and Archer – hailing from
Lonleywood

Divu Smarthunter Akanathi – A Goliath Tribeswoman – a Dangerous fighter clad in Plate mail she
should be avoided in direct combat.

Rok – A Male Half-orc cleric of some God of life and luck – barely 16 years old

Corbil Quickstick – A gnome from Caer Konig, some kind of magic user, attempts to scry him
always fail. Whatever magic he wields was capable of hurting the frostmaidens avatar.
Background notes:

Should the party ask about the Rheged nomads.

The Reghedmen, also known as the Reghed barbarians or nomads,were the barbarian tribes of
Icewind Dale. They eked out a harsh and bitter life between the Reghed Glacier and the Sea of
Moving Ice.
Each entirety of the Reghedmen people lived within one of several tribes, each of which was ruled
by a King or Queen.

Tribe of the Elk you know has recently lost large numbers to an Ancient White Dragon apparently
enraged by a theft.

The Tribe of the Wolf you are were aware was on the brink of starvation and have not been heard of
for some time, they headed to the spine of the world to seek better hunting,
The Tribe of the Bear you know has turned outright to the worship of Auril Under Queen Bjornhild
Solvigsdottir

Tribe of the Tiger is your original tribe. They would not turn to the maiden which is the real reason
you left. You will tell the party that you felt the need to come to the towns to try and eke out a better
living than the hand to mouth existence of the nomads.

Tribe of the Seal are a small tribe that fishes the sea of ice

Tribe of the Caribou are private and avoid the ten towns, as far as you are aware they still travel the
tundra.

YSELMS COVER STORY.

Yselm has written the following to the party following the feast of the moon in Bryn Shander.

To The Bane of Winter, Feast of the Moon 1492,

Forgive this message, I thought to make contact with you after the arena fight
today but the crowds were too great and I have to return to Bremen with
perishable goods.

My name is Yselm Bloodfang, I work as wilderness guide out of Bremen, you

can ask Sheriff Markham or Garret of me if you require proof of my identity or
references. I have discovered something ancient in the west I believe may be
of great import in attempting to bring about your aim, or what I presume is
your aim from the name of your group.

I require the assistance of skilled warriors to investigate further. The

phenomena persists for seven days after each full moon. If you would like to
discuss this you may find in Bremen for the next five day. I apologise for the
lack of detail but such matters are best not placed in words.
Yours,

Yselm Bloodfang
If they come... You will tell the that some months ago you discovered an ancient tomb a day or so to
the West of Bremen, you stumbled across it by accident tracking caribou whilst hunting. The tracks
led into what appeared to be an impassable cliff face... but on close examination it was an illusion
and when you could discern the trickery you passed through.

An hour or so past this point rose a large hill a circle of Huge carved Stone Seats sat on top of this
around a central broken stone covered with runes you did not recognise.

You camped outside the circle the the night of the full moon with your Wolf Glacier, intending to
follow the Elk herd the next day. As evening fell your wolf warned you of something approaching
and you felt the ground shake. Hiding, you saw a Frost Giant approaching the site from the north
and, given their reputation for only respecting brute strength and violence, you remained hidden to
observe.

The giant stopped outside the circle and waited. As night fell and the full moon rose you saw the
giant enter the circle and great apparitions of other giants appear in the seats... words you did not
hear passed between them and the a skeletal giant arose in the circle and gave battle. The frost giant
did not prevail and the undead thing smote him a final blow knocking him from the circle and the
apparitions and undead giant vanished.

Eventually as morning came you summoned the courage to approach the body and you found the
giant critically wounded. You administered what little healing you could muster and the giant in its
weakened state said little in the broken common tongue it could muster.... but to briefly thank you,
bemoan its shame for failing the challenge and warn you never to come near this place in whilst the
moon is full and that it is not meant for the small folk.... that in other circumstances it should slay
you for setting foot here but that as it owed you its life on this occasion it would forego this
punishment.

You returned and scouted the area several times, on the seven nights following each full moon
ghostly figures arose and sat waiting in the circle. You never went in when they were present.
During the day you found little in the cicle bar the huge seats and the central stone, that stone had
some runes you did not recognise on it also and some script that was in dwarven letters but did not
appear to be dwarvish which you speak and you presume it is the tongue of giants.

You will tell the party she believes this may be a temple of Thrym, god of the Ice Giants. Rheged
tribe legends speak of a place holy to him and a great weapon that was guarded so that only the
most worthy could wield it. You believe that if true such a weapon made by a god could surely be
used against Auril.

You are willing to guide the party to the location in return for their help in defeating the guardians,
which you cannot accomplish alone. You cannot offer pay but you are more than happy to split
whatever treasure may be found there with the party on a 1/6 basis since there will be six of you. If
there is anything there that may be turned against the frost maiden their group seems the most
capable of using it and they are welcome to it.

If the party sense you are not being entirely truthful Yselm's cover is to reveal that she also knows
that the area is actually on the edge of the domain the Ancient White Dragon has claimed as her
own. You withheld the information as you feared the party may not have been as willing to help.
You will need to be vigilant as a result.

WHAT YOU ACTUALLY SAW.

There is no illusion guarding the approach, Yselm has said this in order to provide a reason for the
party to take her with them. She intends to scout ahead and use her Hallucinatory Terrain spell to
create an illusion for them to overcome.

The giant actually defeated the undead giant, at which point one of the giant apparitions pointed
again and the frost giant was seemingly assailed by some invisible spirit, it was eventually torn to
pieces; borne aloft and its bones scattered wide across the hill top.

You have no real idea if the spirits are guarding something or just a place where frost giants seek to
prove themselves. There is no Rheged Legend. Certainly whatever it was should be capable of
destroying this group calling themselves the Bane of Winter. At the least it can weaken them enough
for you to deliver the final blow.