Frosthold

## Introduction

Frosthold is the first Hold, the Avvar "capital" in the Frostbacks and the smallest of the Holds. There are only seven tribes attached to Frosthold and the passage to it is known only to those tribes. Anyone not led there by a member of these tribes or a shaman will never find it. It is located on the southern tip of the Frostbacks and many believe the highest mountain of the range is here and it is in the roots of this mountain that one may find the entrance to Ancient Frosthold. It is a pilgrimage many Avvar attempt to make and fail at, for this was where Korth first became known to the Avvar.

Click here for a map of the Frostbacks and the Holds location

## Frosthold Winter Song

The majority of Avvarians believe that Korth has always been; that he is as aged as the foundations of his mountains. Only in the ancient Frosthold do they sing otherwise. Their Winter Song, sung only during Wintersend (which is the Chantry month of Haring, the "heart of winter" and harshest month in the southern Frostbacks), may be the oldest known to any Avvar. The song is about the Avvar returning to the safety of the mountain during Winter, of their first journey when they were led by Korth and establish Frosthold. This is a journey that they make every year and it is during "Wintersend" that they tells stories of Korth, how he was a man, a great hunter, and led them to Frosthold to escape the trials of Winter and protected them with the mountain.

Soon shall I see them;

*Beidh Go gairid mé iad a fheiceáil;*
Oh see them

*Oh iad a fheiceáil.*
Oh see them.

*Oh d fheceá*
Soon shall I see them

*Beidh Go gairid mé iad a fheiceáil*
The mist covered mountains of home.

*An ceòthaich clúdaithe sléibhte bhaile.*

To the mountain of Korth,

*Chun an sliabh na Korth,*
To this home I come

*Chun an bhaile seo mé ag teacht*
To where the hunter without peer

*Chun áit an sealgair gan piaraí*
led us when the world was young

*thug dúinn nuair a bhí an domhan óg*

There shall I visit

*Beidh mé cuairt a thabhairt ar*
the place of my birth

*an áit bhreithe mo*
And they'll give me a welcome

*Agus beidh siad a thabhairt dom fáilte a chur roimh*
the warmest on earth

*is teo ar domhan*

All so loving and kind

*Gach grámhara sin agus cineál*
full of music and mirth,

*iomlán de cheol agus suairceas,*
In the sweet sounding

*Sa gaoirreach milis*
language of home.

*teanga sa bhaile.*

There shall I gaze

*Beidh mé ag S*
on the mountains again,

*ar na sléibhte arís,*
On the fields and the woods

*Ar na réimsí agus na coillte*
and the burns and the glens

*agus an dó agus na gleannta*

Away from the Mountain Father,

*Céin ón Athair òrd,*
Korth - beyond human ken!

*Korth - thar an duine fhios!*
I dwell in the haunts of the deer

*Dwell mé i char na fianna*
Where I will roam 'til Wintersend

*Nuair a bheidh mé fánaíochta 'Wintersend chon*

Hail to the mountain

*Sé do bheatha, chuig an sliabh*
with summits of blue,

*le cruinnithe mullaigh de gorm,*
To the glens with their

*Chun na ngleannta lena n-*
meadows of sunshine and dew.

*móinéir de solas na gréine agus drúcht.*

To the women and men ever

*Chun na mban agus na bhfear riamh*
constant and true,

*leanúnach agus fíor,*
Ever ready to welcome one home.

*Riamh réidh chun fáilte a chur roimh aon bhaile.*
Ever ready to embrace anew.

*Riamh réidh chun glacadh an nua.*

To the mountain of Korth,

*Chun an sliabh na Korth,*
To this home I come

*Chun an bhaile seo mé ag teacht*
To where the hunter without peer

*Chun áit an Hunter gan piaraí*
led us when the world was young

*thug dúinn nuair a bhí an domhan óg*

Soon shall I see them;

*Beidh Go gairid mé iad a fheiceáil;*
Oh see them

*Oh iad a fheiceáil.*
Oh see them.

*Oh iad a fheiceáil*
Soon shall I see them

*Beidh Go gairid mé iad a fheiceáil*
The mist covered mountains of home.

*An ceòthaich clúdaithe sléibhte bhaile.*

## Entering Frosthold

To reach the entrance of Frosthold one must travel deep into the mountain range along paths hidden and closed by magic, treacherous to those who do not know the correct path. There is only one entrance to this Hold. One way in and one way out... well... one way out to the surface. Inside of the Hold are entrance to the Deep Roads, sealed by the magic of the shaman. No Darkspawn has ever breached the Hold and the Avvar none ever will. Korth's mountain cannot be tainted.

Once inside the Hold it is obvious to see it is only supposed to house the seven tribes. It is far smaller than the likes of Rifthold and it is underground so there is no natural light. Those who live there throughout the year are very pale but they do not always stay within the Hold, they need to hunt and store food for the winter. The Stone Guardians of Frosthold are fierce warriors who act as huge game hunters and defenders of the Hold. They escort the shaman who travel up the mountain to the shrine of Korth, a pilgrimage that happens upon each equinox. During Wintersend all the shaman go together and all the Guardians protect them. It is a treacherous journey but in order to be protected for the Winter they must pay homage to the Mountain Father.

The Hold itself is a small city carved from stone, not unlike the Dwarves but very obviously human. There is stonework that is similar to Kinloch Hold and the tombs beneath Vigils Keep, which suggests the Hold is a combination of shaman magic and ancient stonemasons. The secrets of their masonry does not leave the Hold and their stonemasons are almost as revered as the shaman. They are called "dh'éignich na Korth" or "The Children of Korth". They maintain the structures within the Hold and the doors to the entrance.

Frosthold comprises of a vast cavern in the heart of the mountain, with pillars of stalagmites and stalactites carved into arches that bear the runes of their gods. Statues devoted to their pantheon are in alcoves around the edges of the main cavern, but the ceiling is a wonder to behold. Carved into the roof of Frosthold Cavern is the face of the Mountain Father.

Tunnels and caves, smaller caverns and stores are where the Avvar live, the main cavern holding structures of commerce, the temple, the abodes of the Elders and Thanes, the smithy's and markets and masons homes. Only the most important Avvar have a place to sleep in the Cavern of the Gods. The dominating central building is the temple, though it is a simple structure, for the people of Frosthold are simple. They have many things to battle throughout the year; the weather, the lowlanders, the beasts of the mountain - but when they come to Frosthold they come "home". It is punishable by death to draw blood in anger in Frosthold and those who break this law are taken to the shrine atop the mountain and pushed off the cliff.

## Frosthold's Sacred Beast

The sacred beast of Frosthold is Airndeal - the Monarch (Giant Stag).

The Frosthold Avvar believe that Airndeal found Korth lost in the mountains, freezing and dying of exposure. The stag lifted Korth onto its back (using it giant antlers) and carried the Mountain Father to the entrance of what became Frosthold. Korth raised the stag to the status of sacred animal of the Hold and named it the most important animal spirit. It goes without saying, but anyone who kills a Monarch is sentenced to death - and a horrific one at that.