Frigian, Born of Ice and Cold
The Rimelan is one of the most well-known concerning residual effects of the Darkest War. Created by the death knell of the aspect of the Vandiel Zenshir, the Rimelan is an enormous frozen stretch of cold and ice. This vast expanse of frosty wasteland has slowly expanded outwards, creeping toward both Aurezia and Cypress, defying all logic of geographical limitations for such a biome to exist within. The raging blizzards and harsh terrain of the region are also home to all manner of strange and twisted creatures. At the epicenter of the Rimelan is the city of Rime itself, and somewhere in the city of Rime exists the Arkhos Tear that has begun spawning the frigian.
Unlike most of the other Arkhos Spawn, the frigian awoke in an area of Vathis that did not look all that different from how it did before the Darkest War. Rather than being leveled or destroyed at the death of Zenshir’s aspect, the city of Rime was flash frozen as cold energies surged from the Arkhos Tear created by the event. While most life was extinguished, the buildings and infrastructure remained, frozen in time under the icy clutch of the Rimelan. It was only natural for the frigian to use this infrastructure and the pre-existing society around them to build their own. The early frigian had access to brittle but preserved pages of books, structurally sound and safely constructed buildings and homes they could easily occupy, and even cultural amenities like lavish frozen fashion districts or theaters that they have been able to restore. While many Arkhos Spawn are focused on survival, the frigian found themselves in a position to flourish as a civilized society.
The original frigian formed around the souls of those killed in the city of Rime and the surrounding area by Zenshir’s death knell. Sadly, the dead were not only military personnel but civilians as well. For this reason, the frigian spawned at many different ages, all with the same innate understanding of the world around them. This understanding has grown immensely with the general penchant for knowledge the frigian seem to have, and the ready access to the ruins of Rime they have at their disposal. Frigian vary from most Arkhos Spawn as they generally aren’t looking to relocate. They have begun to make Rime their own, and they seek to expand this hold.
Physical Description:
The frigian possess standard humanoid builds similar to that of average humans. They are entirely composed of snow, ice, and cold energy. What one might consider their skin tends to be a pale light blue with what appear to be flecks of snow or ice glistening all over. Their eyes are a solid white or blue hue, lacking pupils. Their hair is composed of nearly translucent strands of ice that appear white. They sometimes have small crystallizations of ice on their shoulders as well. A frigian is cold to the touch, but not freezing, due to the energies that give them their humanoid form.
Frigian share many features with normal humans. Their facial structure, build, ear shape, and general appearances are that of humans, with the obvious differences of the icy appearance of their skin. Frigian also carry themselves in a similar way to humans, which is to say in an incredibly widespread number of ways. They express their personality and general role in society with how they dress, how they act, and how they maintain their physical health.
Society:
Frigian society, while new in the grand scheme of things, has become incredibly nuanced. The frigian who reside in the city of Rime have landed on a simple council to govern their people. However, this structure has begun to show signs of fracture and need of reform, as a social elite of frigian have begun emerging within those on the council, viewing themselves as a higher caste than those not on the council. This divide has led many frigian to seek a world beyond Rime, hoping to influence the quickly declining city for the better by introducing foreign influence that could provide some assistance in reforming the city for the betterment of all frigian.
The frigian council has done their best to satisfy the “lower classes”, but the dissonance is definitely still growing between the two factions. Regardless of this social divide, the necessity for unity to survive in the Rimelan remains at the forefront of frigian society. Frigian mages have started constructing vast ice walls around the populated areas of frigian districts of the city to ensure their protection. Their ice structures have also supplemented the damaged or ruined buildings within Rime, creating an odd blend of frigian and Cyprean architecture in various parts of the city.
Relations:
While frigian do not harbor any hostility or ill will against outsiders, they maintain an inwardly focused view of the world at large. Most frigian are more concerned about their day-to-day life within the Rimelan than they are with the outside world. The one exception to this is the frigian who seek to change the status quo within the city of Rime by bringing in outside influence. This cause is the primary reason many frigian leave the Rimelan, though they often find themselves enamored by the complexities of the outside world and latch on to more meaningful causes.
Frigian that undertake the merging are encased in solid blocks of ice and snow for several days. During this time the surrounding area sees a drastic drop in temperature, creating frost and snow from the very moisture in the air. While this process is drastic, it is far less noticeable in the Rimelan itself, giving the frigian a strong reason to stay in their homeland or return there when having children.
Alignment and Religion:
The majority of the frigian are devout worshippers of Irylinshaee. Her obvious ties to cold and ice cause many frigian to view her as their creator goddess. Frigian who worship other deities are often ostracized and sometimes socially exiled from the primary frigian communities. Within the city of Rime the frigian have constructed a grand temple to Irylinshaee, converting what was once a major headquarters of CORE to do so.
Frigian believe in law above all else. The rules put in place by their ruling council govern the lives of all frigian who dwell within the city of Rime, sometimes to a degree that is alarming to outsiders. Though more chaotic and free-spirited frigian can exist, they are often the ones to leave Rime or cause dissent within the city itself.
Adventurers:
Frigian are generally well-suited to the arcane arts. Many frigian adventurers find themselves studying spell books and taking the path of a wizard. In addition to their intellectual pursuits, frigian are naturally hearty, giving them an edge in martial pursuits and endurance. Most frigian seek adventure to better the lives of others within Rime, the city they have made their own. Their naivety is often ended when they reach the outside world and are inundated with the complexities of the other races and nations of Vathis.
Names:
Frigian names are often drawn from the names of the texts left over in the city of Rime. For this reason, they are varied greatly but have a large amount of Cyprean influence.
Male: Mernon, Varnes, Zagreon, Pelonisus
Female: Maegera, Diana, Talin, Eurallyce
