Editing Frost Folk

'''Frost Folk''' are a magical [[human]] offshoot/subspecies from the arctic regions of the worlds of [[Dungeons & Dragons]]. They are characterized by their magical affinity for ice and snow, which manifests in both defensive traits - they are impervious to the cold and can see unimpeded through snow - and in offensive abilities; frost folk can project a conical freeze ray from their left eyes, and so they ritually cover these eyes until they need their powers. These powers originate from oaths sworn to dark patrons, although the precise master has never been canonically identified. Frost folk resemble humans with piercing deep blue eyes, pale blonde hair, and snowy white skin, surrounded by a palpable chill; they are sometimes nicknamed "ice fiends" by other races who live nearby.

Novels set in the arctic regions of Faerun have confirmed that the Frost Folk do exist on the [[Forgotten Realms]].

==3e Fluff==
''Tall and pale, this burly tribesman seems human enough, but his eyes are a startling pale shade of blue, and a noticeable chill seems to hang in the air around him. He wears studded leather armor and carries a battleaxe.''

Frost folk are an isolated and xenophobic race descended from humans who struck a bargain with the gods of winter. In exchange for power over snow and ice, they sold their souls to a cruel deity—or, as some claim, an archdevil.

Frost folk are almost always encountered alone, a single frost man sometimes accompanied by a hunting [[winter wolf]]. They are of the height and weight of a typical human male, with bright blue eyes, and pale snowy skin. They favor finely stitched furs, often arctic fox, ermine, or bearskin. Some wear helmets made from bear, wolf, or wolverine skulls. A noticeable chill surrounds them.

Frost folk villages are extremely remote, found only in very cold terrain. These villages are often cliff dwellings in mountains, deep glacial caverns, or underground caverns deep under everfrost or boreal forests. Frost folk are excellent hunters and herdsmen, keeping flocks of caribou, musk oxen, and mountain sheep. A few villages are able to grow crops around hot springs, in sheltered valleys, and in some warm forested valleys. Frost folk speak Common.

COMBAT
Frost folk are disciplined fighters with a keen sense of tactics. They enjoy bloody slaughter and often set ambushes in deep snow, where axe fighters hide beneath the powder and archers can fire their bows at opponents whose movement is hindered.

==PC Stats==
Frost folk are feared, and the chill that surrounds them is more than physical. Human tribesfolk don’t trust them and call them “ice demons.” Snow goblins, urskans, and others have a superstitious fear of their ice blast. Frost folk have few friends in the frostfell.

Many frost folk are [[barbarian]]s, befitting their savage nature. [[Rogue]]s, [[fighter]]s, [[cleric]]s, and [[druid]]s are also common. Very few frost folk are [[Sorcerer (Dungeons & Dragons)|sorcerers]] or [[wizard]]s.

Frost folk characters possess the following racial traits:
::+4 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, –2 Charisma.
::Size Medium.
::A frost folk’s base land speed is 30 feet.
::Darkvision out to 60 feet.
::Racial Hit Dice: A frost folk begins with four levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 4d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +4, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +4, and Will +4.
::Racial Skills: A frost folk’s monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 7 × (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Climb, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Spot, and Survival. Frost folk have a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks in snow or ice.
::Racial Feats: A frost folk’s monstrous humanoid levels give it two feats.
::Weapon and Armor Profi ciency: Frost folk are proficient with the battleaxe and composite longbow, as well as all simple weapons. They are proficient with light armor and shields.
::+2 natural armor bonus.
::Ice Blast (Su): Frost folk can produce a 20-foot cone of icy mist from their left eye. This deals 2d6 points of cold damage to all creatures within the area (Reflex save DC 13 half). The save DC is Constitution-based. Once a frost folk uses his ice blast, he must wait 1d4 rounds before he can use this ability again.
::Snowsight (Ex): All frost folk have innate snowsight, as the spell. No snowstorm can obscure their vision.
::Cold subtype (see page 113).
::Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Auran, Draconic, Dwarven, Giant, Goblin, Orc.
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Barbarian]].
::[[Level adjustment]] +1.

==Publication History==
Frost Folk first debuted in the [[Fiend Folio]] for [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] 1st edition, here being called '''Frost Men''' (with the entry itself being the singular "Frost Man"). After this, they went into obscurity, until revived by the [[Environment Book Series]] for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition]], making their debut in ''Frostburn'', the [[splatbook]] on arctic environments.

==The Frostblood Cult==
Whilst not explicitly a translation of the Frost Folk, the article "[[Lords of Chaos]]: [[Cryonax]]" in [[Dragon Magazine]] #421 for [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition]] does feature a malevolent arctic-dwelling tribe of blue-skinned humans who have gained eerie magical powers over ice and cold due to their patronage under Cryonax. As Cryonax is a logical patron for the Frost Folk of 3e, these could be their [[World Axis]] counterparts, and thus their lore is reposted here, for comparison.

===Frostblood Fluff===
In the uncharted reaches of northern mountains, a cult of blue-skinned humans known as the Frostbloods pay homage, with blood and sacrifice, to their chained lord [[Cryonax]]. Few civilized people know of this cult. Only the wild folk who live on the borders of civilization and the wild north know of the existence of the Frostblood cult. Even among the wild barbarians and uncivilized tribes of the north, the Frostbloods are shunned and condemned as cannibals and monsters.

No one knows how many Frostblood cultists exist. Their organization is broken up into separate tribes that roam the frozen wastes. Their tribes are mostly nomadic, traveling in groups of eighteen to thirty.

'''The Blood of Frost:''' Born human, Frostbloods must undergo three rituals at different points in their lives to become Frostbloods. Each of these rituals proves fatal to half of those who undergo it, thus keeping the total number of adult Frostbloods low. During the first ritual, a drop of Cryonax’s blood, diluted through its transfer between the [[Elemental Chaos]] and the mortal world, is fed to a child of four years. If the child survives, it ingests another larger amount of the blood at age twelve. Finally, at age seventeen, the young adult is given the final largest dose of the black liquid. This infuses the new Frostblood with terrible visions of the chained lord, Cryonax, atop his plateau in the swirling storms of chaos. It also gives the Frostblood a touch of his power and turns the young adult’s skin blue. The newcomer’s blood grows as cold as ice, and his or her body is brought to the edge of death. A candidate who survives this final transformation awakens as a member of the Frostblood cult.

'''Feeders of Flesh:''' The northern tribes are right to fear and shun the Frostbloods. Any humanoids captured by the Frostbloods are designated either as sacrifices to Cryonax or as food. The Frostbloods consider themselves beyond mortality and ingest the fresh warm blood and flesh of their mortal victims. Horrid tales spread among the northern tribes tell of large herds of captured slaves held by multiple Frostblood warbands as a surplus of food for the tribes.

'''Beings of Ritual:''' The Frostbloods revere Cryonax. They believe the ingestion of the blood of Cryonax is necessary, and they slaughter any who dare speak against the ritual.

'''The Trials:''' Disagreements between members of the Frostblood often leads to the tribes’ only form of justice: the Trial. When two members of the tribe or two tribal leaders feud over a topic, they are both placed in a ring infused with the glyphs of winter to battle one another. The victor in this battle opens up the chest of the fallen and devours the defeated opponent’s heart. Frostblood [[witch]]es often reanimate the victim as a [[zombie]] shambler to serve the victor until the victor’s own death.

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[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons Monsters]]