Vydhrar, the Slumbering Winter

Long ago, during the Age of Ordering, Kyria was ravaged by the forces of Vydhrar, a warlock of terrible power, who unleashed a century of winter upon the northern continent as he strove to break Minathren from her bonds and release her madness upon the world. Drawing upon the shadowy power of the Dark Weave and accompanied by hordes of undead, Vydhrar was only defeated by Kasthyrha, queen of Ardulidyl, when she ascended to godhood to become the Kasthyarhi and drive Vydhrar back into shadow.

Following his defeat, Vydhrar was cast from the highest tower of Am Alaknyr into the underground sea known as the Vichnameran. There, in the dark depths, Vydhrar has waited ever since, gathering his power and awaiting the day when he may strike again against the surface world.

Birth and Childhood
The chronicles tell little of Vydhrar's childhood or whence he came. Legend says that he was born under a dark star, which fell from the sky and landed beside the very hut in which his mother brought him into the world.

As far as historians can tell, the young Vydhrar grew amongst a scattered nomadic folk high in the Frostgrave, where he was a renowned hunter and a practitioner of the arcane arts.

The Call of Minathren
In -1593 EM, whilst he was wandering upon a mountainside in search of new pastures for his clan's herds, Vydhrar had a great vision. Lights appeared in the sky above, more beautiful and terrible than the lights of the north were before, and in his mind he heard a thousand maddened voices calling out to him.

Upon that mountainside, Vydhrar was promised power the likes of which he had never known, if he could but do one little thing: slay the Warden and free Minathren from her acient tomb.

There and then, Vydhrar made his pact with the dark power of the Mad Goddess, and from that day he accumulated power and followers, awaiting the day when he would strike to free his goddess from her chains.

The Century of Frost
In -1600 EM, Vydhrar, by dark magic, raised about him an army of undead horrors, many abominations the likes of which no mortal eye had seen, which had been dreamed by the madness of Minathren and given form by Vydhrar's hand. With this army Vydhrar marched south from the Frostgrave, destroying all in has wake as his army ravished Kyria.

As the power of Vydhrar grew, so did his fell magic, till the whole continent of Kyria was subsumed by a bitter winter which never faded. This winter would last for 100 years, as Vydhrar warred with the Kyrian nations to the south, seeking ever to grow in power till he could one day free his mistress from her bondage.

Defeat and Imprisonment
In the year -1700 EM, the Kasthyarhi, then queen of Ardulidyl, ascended to godhood in a desperate bid to protect her empire from falling to Vydhar's undead armies. With the power of a goddess on their side, the armies of Ardulidyl drove back Vydhrar's undead hordes, and Vydhrar himself was cast from the highest tower of Am Alaknyr into the freezing depths of the Vichnameran sea below.

Working with her patron Nex'il in Ravina's ancient forge, the Kasthyarhi forged unbreakable chains of mithral, binding Vydhrar in the depths of the sea so long as her power should last in the realm of the gods.

The Slumbering Winter
Although chained at the bottom of an underground sea, even there Vydhrar is not helpless, and his dark powers continue to reach out from the depths, twisting minds and bending wills towards his own influence.

The most direct means by which Vydhrar influences the world is through his scions, Vydhrar's Faithful, once powerful warriors and mages now bound to Vydhrar's will, searching the world for a means to restore him to power. Beyond such direct control, Vydhrar has numerous minions and cultists who see him as a kind of ascended god, including the faceless, terrible shapeshifting creatures of shadow created by Vydhrar long ago.

Yet even where he has no minions, Vydhrar's grasp may still reach, as his very presence slowly pollutes the waters of the Vichnameran, twisting the minds of T'initawi merfolk and Locharni drow and humans alike. It is this subtle influence of Vydhrar, as much as anything, which drives the church of the Kasthyarhi away from true faith, and as it does, the Kasthyarhi is weakened, and the bonds holding Vydhrar weaken with her.

Cults of the Slumbering Winter
The first signs of Vydhrar's growing power and influence comes through increasing activities from his cultists. Cultists of Vydhrar worship the warlock as an ascended deity, believing he is the only mortal to achieve godhood, not from the will of the Primordial Gods, but by his own power and might.

Tenets and Beliefs
The Cult of Vydhrar worships Vydhrar as a dark but powerful god. They believe he has promised his followers that should they free him, he will grant them the gift of godhood themselves, raising up a pantheon of dark deities to stand against the Ascended Gods themselves.

To this end, cultists of Vydhrar do all in their power to spread the influence of Vydhrar in the world. This primarily includes attempting to undermine the influence of the Kasthyarhi in the world, as it is by her will that Vydhrar is kept chained.

Blessings of Vydhrar
Although chained, Vydhrar is still able to extend his power to aid and bless those who serve him in the world. The following blessings may be found on NPCs and monsters acting in service of Vydhrar, to represent his influence over them and increase their power.

The Faceless
For full article, see Faceless (Vydhrarite)

The Faceless are terrifying creatures of shadow, created by Vydhrar when he marched upon the world and now tasked with securing his freedom. The Faceless were once humans who marched with Vydhrar's armies, but they had their bodies ripped from their souls and their personality drained away to create minions for the Slumbering Winter, shadowy creatures able to adopt almost any form or identity even as they themselves have had their form and identity stolen from them.

Vydhrar's Faithful
For full article, see Vydhrar's Faithful

Most feared and terrible amongst all Vydhrar's creations are the unholy abominations known as Vydhrar's Faithful. Once sixty-six of Vydhrar's most trusted commanders, warriors and warlocks, the Faithful were put through an unholy ritual, where each soul was splintered apart and then merged together with others, until eventually, only thirteen remained. These thirteen lich-like creatures of shadow, ice, and undeath stalk the world in search of the means to finally bring about the freedom of the Slumbering Winter.

Signs of Awakening
Vydhrar's agents in the world seek to free him from the ancient chains that bind him and unleash him upon the world again. Should this ever come to pass, a number of signs are said to preceed his awakening.

Fleeing Fish
The first sign that Vydhrar is awakening is in the Vichnameran, where the fish begin disappearing, followed closely by the T'initawi merfolk. Over time, ships leaving or heading for the Alaknyr harbour never make sure, disappearing in the vast, trackless dark.

Harsher, Longer Winters
Over the next few years, the winters become increasingly harsh, with widespread famine, especially in Kyria. Until one year, when spring comes, the winter does not abate, but pushes on throughout the year.

Endless Winter and Sunless Days
As Vydhrar finally breaks his chains, the world is plunged into an ice age. The sun ceases to rise each day, as his shadow reaches across Kyria. He is awakened.