**Archfey | Lord of the Long Night** **Alignment**: Evil (Fourth Edition) **Titles**: The Prince of Frost, The Pale Prince, The Lord of the Long Night, formerly The Sun Prince **Classification**: Archfey **Home Plane**: [[Feywild]] **Domain**: The Vale of the Long Night **Residence**: The Fortress of Frozen Tears **Former Affiliation**: [[Summer Court]] **Current Affiliation**: [[Winter Fey]], [[Court of Stars]] **Mother**: [[Titania]], the Summer Queen **Former Betrothed**: [[Sharaea]], one of the Daughters of Delight **Known Enemies**: [[Raven Queen]], [[Hayne Kasar]] **Principal Servants**: [[Mournwind]] and [[Soulsorrow]], the Sisters of Lament **Notable Weapon**: Bitter Edge, a Longsword Forged from Frozen Tears **Holy Symbol**: None Established --- ### **Overview** The **Prince of Frost**, also known as the **Pale Prince** and **Lord of the Long Night**, is among the most formidable archfey of the [[Feywild]], a being whose extraordinary power over winter is matched by his bitterness toward the mortal world. Once a radiant lord of summer, he became the mightiest of the Winter Fey after the loss of his beloved transformed his heart and the land surrounding him into a realm of unending cold. His existence is defined by grief, jealousy, vengeance, and an obsessive desire to recover what he believes was unjustly taken from him. Unlike ordinary spirits of winter, whose supernatural nature may reflect the passing of the seasons, the Prince of Frost seeks to make his personal suffering eternal, spreading the cold of his own heart across lands that have never known his sorrow. Long ago, the prince was known as the **Sun Prince**, the eldest son of **[[Titania]]**, the Summer Queen. His domain was then a place of warmth and beauty, where the inhabitants lived beneath golden sunlight and celebrated the pleasures of the Summer Court. The prince participated in this life of music and celebration, sharing the company of other radiant fey and enjoying the love of a beautiful lady named Sharaea. Their relationship appeared destined to endure, for the two were betrothed and had once possessed genuine affection for one another. Yet the prince's possessive nature eventually transformed love into jealousy, setting in motion the events that would destroy the happiness of his court. The Sun Prince's transformation began when Sharaea departed the Feywild and fell in love with a mortal hero. Her refusal to return and fulfil their betrothal awakened a terrible fury within him, eventually driving her to seek supernatural assistance in escaping his reach. When she vanished beyond the ordinary passage of time, the prince's grief became so profound that his heart turned to ice. The warmth of his domain disappeared, its fertile landscapes freezing beneath an eternal night, while the prince himself abandoned the Summer Court and the name he had once possessed. The being who emerged from this transformation was majestic and terrifying. The Prince of Frost resembles a handsome, slender eladrin whose skin is an icy blue, whose long white hair sheds wisps of snow, and whose pale eyes possess a cold capable of unsettling even powerful creatures. Winter surrounds him like a cloak, chilling the air and leaving frozen footprints wherever he walks. His very presence can wither blooming plants and kill creatures unable to withstand the supernatural cold radiating from his body. Despite his appearance, his voice is resonant and commanding, and his considerable intelligence makes him a formidable opponent in conversation as well as combat. The Prince of Frost is ruthless, but not incapable of honour. He possesses a sharp wit and enjoys contests of intelligence, particularly when confronting mortals who demonstrate the courage to answer his threats with cleverness rather than submission. He may arrange unfair competitions, exploit weaknesses, and demand terrible prices from those who lose his games, but he is recognised as a fey who keeps his sworn word. His promises may be dangerous, and their terms may favour him considerably, yet an oath given freely by the Pale Prince is not something he ordinarily breaks. His hatred of mortals is particularly intense because he blames the mortal world for the loss of Sharaea. He despises heroes who risk their lives to defend the innocent, regarding their compassion as the very quality that drew his beloved away from him. Consequently, he takes satisfaction in destroying the relationships and achievements of such individuals, hoping to demonstrate that even the noblest heart can be broken through sufficient suffering. His cruelty is seldom purposeless; he wishes others to experience the emptiness that has consumed him, and every shattered friendship or ruined romance becomes another expression of his vengeance. --- ### **Domain and Influence** The Prince of Frost rules the **Vale of the Long Night**, a frozen domain within the Feywild where the sun never rises and the moon never sets. The landscape exists beneath perpetual moonlight, its forests, lakes, and abandoned settlements preserved in a state of supernatural winter. A mighty glacier rises along the northern boundaries of the vale, while the southern reaches contain an enormous lake whose dark waters lie hidden beneath a thick covering of ice. The trees remain perpetually coated in frost, and the surrounding wilderness is marked by the silence of a land from which warmth and ordinary life have largely departed. The vale was not always such a desolate place. Before the transformation of the Sun Prince, it possessed the warmth and beauty associated with the Summer Court, providing a home for fey who celebrated beneath golden skies. Its orchards and farms reflected the prosperity of that earlier age, while music and companionship filled the halls of its inhabitants. When the prince's heart froze, the land changed with him, transforming fertile ground into an expanse of snow and darkness. The surviving orchards became barren, fields disappeared beneath deep drifts, and the landscape itself came to embody the loss that had overtaken its ruler. The central stronghold of the Prince of Frost is the **Fortress of Frozen Tears**, a magnificent and terrible citadel situated within the Vale of the Long Night. Its walls appear to be fashioned from countless sparkling diamonds, but the glittering substance is neither ordinary ice nor precious stone. According to the traditions surrounding the fortress, its walls are constructed from sorrow made solid, formed through the tears shed by mortals who have suffered because of the prince's actions. Every act of cruelty committed by his servants therefore contributes to the terrible beauty of his residence, transforming the suffering of others into the substance of his domain. Within the fortress, the prince maintains a collection of captives preserved in supernatural ice. These prisoners include mortals of extraordinary beauty, talent, courage, or magical ability, together with individuals whom the prince once suspected of carrying the reincarnated souls of Sharaea or her mortal lover. Their bodies remain suspended within frozen prisons, protected from decay while deprived of the freedom that once defined their lives. The collection reflects the prince's obsessive desire to recover his lost betrothed, for he continues to seek her among the peoples of the mortal world, imprisoning those who resemble the woman he remembers. The Prince of Frost is the mightiest of the **Winter Fey**, but he is not their absolute sovereign. Unlike the Summer Fey, who acknowledge the authority of Titania through a more recognisable courtly structure, the Winter Fey remain a collection of powerful and independent beings whose interests frequently differ. Some recognise the Pale Prince as their foremost champion, while others pursue their own schemes without seeking his approval. Certain winter archfey even oppose his ambitions, making it inaccurate to describe every creature associated with cold as an unquestioning servant of his court. Nevertheless, when the Winter Fey gather at the **[[Court of Stars]]**, they frequently assemble beneath the Prince of Frost's banner. His strength and supernatural influence make him a natural leader during periods of common danger, and other lords of winter may answer his call when warfare threatens the Feywild. His authority is therefore formidable but conditional, founded upon recognition of his power rather than universal submission to his will. The prince's influence extends into the Material Plane through servants collectively known as the **Wintertouched**. These agents seek information concerning the return of Sharaea, undermine the lives of mortal heroes, and spread the suffering their master believes necessary to satisfy his wounded heart. Some act through violence, destroying families or settlements while leaving survivors to mourn. Others employ deception and political manipulation, seeking to ruin marriages, turn allies against one another, or destroy the reputations of individuals whose happiness offends their patron. The Prince of Frost has also contemplated extending his supernatural winter across the entire mortal world. Such an undertaking would represent the ultimate expression of his vengeance, transforming the lands that drew Sharaea away from him into a domain where no warmth or happiness could survive. Although his ability to create terrible winter weather is established, the permanent conquest of the entire mortal world remains an ambition rather than a completed event within his published history. --- ### **Symbols and Icons** The Prince of Frost possesses **no officially established holy symbol** comparable to those employed by recognised deities. His followers are not known to maintain a universal religious emblem, and the published accounts do not identify a particular snowflake, shattered crystal, or silver crown as a formal symbol of allegiance. Instead, the prince's identity is expressed through his extraordinary appearance, the supernatural objects associated with his former life, and the frozen landscapes transformed by his grief. His most important possession is **Bitter Edge**, a magical longsword forged from frozen tears. The weapon embodies the Prince of Frost's association with sorrow and destructive cold, serving as both a physical instrument of combat and a reflection of his supernatural nature. He carries the sword constantly and employs it with formidable skill, combining its freezing power with his extraordinary agility and command over winter magic. The weapon is also connected with a legend concerning his possible destruction, for some accounts suggest that his spirit might retreat into the blade if his physical form were slain. Another significant object is the **betrothal amulet** once given to Sharaea by the Sun Prince. This mithral locket contains portraits of the prince and his beloved, preserving an image of their relationship before jealousy and bitterness brought about its destruction. The amulet possesses powerful fey magic and is associated with protection against some of the Prince of Frost's supernatural abilities. Its whereabouts remain uncertain, and the possibility of recovering it has become an important element of the legends concerning the prince's weaknesses. The **Fortress of Frozen Tears** itself provides perhaps the clearest visual representation of his character. Its glittering walls reflect the beauty of ice and the terrible suffering through which that beauty has been created. The frozen captives preserved within its halls further reveal the relationship between the prince's desire for possession and his inability to accept the passage of time or the freedom of those he claims to love. No published source establishes a shattered ice crystal, frost-covered rose, or falling snowflake as the prince's personal heraldry. Such imagery may be appropriate to his general association with winter, but it should not be presented as established religious symbolism. Bitter Edge, the betrothal amulet, and the Fortress of Frozen Tears are the objects most clearly connected with his documented history. --- ### **Worship and Tributes** The Prince of Frost does not possess a conventional religion governed by temples, priests, and a universal collection of ceremonies. His followers are drawn primarily from the Winter Fey and from mortals who seek power through supernatural agreements. Their devotion may arise from admiration, fear, a desire for revenge, or the opportunities provided by association with one of the mightiest archfey of the Feywild. Although he is capable of granting considerable power, the prince expects obedience to the obligations established through his patronage and has little patience for those whose compassion interferes with his ambitions. His mortal servants are collectively known as the **Wintertouched**, a term encompassing a variety of individuals whose supernatural abilities have been altered through their allegiance to winter. Among them are warlocks who enter into direct pacts with the prince, together with druids, wardens, arcanists, and warriors attracted to his destructive interpretation of the cold season. Their abilities vary considerably, and the published accounts do not establish a single religious institution governing every Wintertouched servant. The prince's followers may be tasked with spreading suffering among mortals, particularly those whose happiness or compassion reminds him of Sharaea's departure. Such activities can involve the destruction of relationships, the manipulation of rulers, or direct attacks against settlements and individuals. The resulting grief is especially valuable to the Prince of Frost because it reinforces his conviction that happiness is temporary and that those who believe otherwise must eventually confront the pain of loss. His most devoted warlocks may pursue one of several forms of supernatural obligation. Some are empowered to seek vengeance against enemies, adopting a creed that demands relentless pursuit and discourages mercy. Others may be directed toward finding the reincarnated soul of Sharaea, gathering information concerning her possible return and preparing the way for the prince's attempt to reclaim her. These arrangements are described through the pact traditions of the Winter Court, but their precise conditions can vary considerably according to the patron and the purpose of the agreement. An unusual aspect of the prince's character is his respect for carefully worded promises. Although he may manipulate circumstances to secure advantageous terms, he is regarded as a fey of honour once he has sworn an oath. Those seeking his assistance may therefore attempt to bargain with him, particularly when they possess information concerning Sharaea or an opportunity to advance his vengeance. Such negotiations remain dangerous, for an agreement that appears reasonable may require sacrifices whose consequences are not immediately apparent. No published ceremonies named the Icebound Vigil, Freezing of Love, or Snowbound Oath have been established as universal rituals of his followers. The prince's religion, insofar as one exists, is better understood through the supernatural pacts, acts of vengeance, and service expected of the Wintertouched than through an invented system of compulsory winter observances. --- ### **Clergy and Temples** The Prince of Frost maintains a formidable collection of supernatural servants, but they do not constitute an organised priesthood comparable to that of a recognised deity. His authority is exercised through the Winter Fey, the inhabitants of his fortress, and mortal agents who have accepted magical power in exchange for service. The most important members of his household are not conventional priests or knights, but the two tragic beings known as the **Sisters of Lament**, whose existence is directly connected with the events that transformed the Sun Prince into the ruler of the Long Night. The Sisters of Lament were originally **Velayn** and **Loralae**, two beautiful and powerful fey who belonged to the **Daughters of Delight**. Together with their sister Sharaea, they had been among the brightest members of the Summer Court, celebrated for their beauty and companionship. When Sharaea vanished into the future through her bargain with the Raven Queen, the surviving sisters were overcome by grief. The Prince of Frost drew them into his realm and held them close, magnifying their sorrow until their former natures were consumed by the same bitterness that had transformed him. Velayn became **Mournwind**, while Loralae became **Soulsorrow**. Their physical forms withered beneath the supernatural winter surrounding the prince, eventually transforming them into wraithlike spirits whose cries echo through the winds of the Vale of the Long Night. Their grief became inseparable from their magical abilities, allowing them to inflict despair and supernatural cold upon those who encounter them. Although they remain devoted to the Prince of Frost, their loyalty arises partly from the belief that he will eventually recover Sharaea and restore the happiness they once possessed. The sisters serve as the prince's **exarchs**, acting as his most trusted companions and powerful representatives. They may undertake missions separately or cooperate when circumstances demand it, although their supernatural abilities become particularly dangerous when combined. Their cries of sorrow and longing can overwhelm opponents with despair, while their connection with the prince allows them to manifest extraordinary resilience. They remain among the most important inhabitants of the Fortress of Frozen Tears, and the prince's attachment to them is one of the few surviving relationships that resembles genuine affection. Beyond the sisters, the prince receives service from dark fey, winter spirits, white dragons, and frost giants attracted to his terrible power. Their presence demonstrates the extraordinary influence he exercises within the frozen regions of the Feywild, although not every creature associated with winter acknowledges his authority. His fortress contains both willing servants and prisoners, creating a court in which allegiance, fear, and supernatural coercion exist alongside one another. Among his mortal servants is **[[Azara Iceborn]]**, a powerful winter witch whose tragic history made her particularly receptive to the prince's influence. Her mother died from exposure shortly after giving birth, while her father later perished in a blizzard that destroyed their tribe. Azara survived and eventually joined another people, but the suffering of her early life hardened her disposition and prepared her for the cruel philosophy of the Pale Prince. After receiving supernatural power through his patronage, she rose to authority among her adopted tribe, killing those who opposed her and eventually becoming its dominant figure. Azara subsequently devoted herself to spreading the prince's vengeance against mortal civilisation. She attacked temples and other institutions, regarding heroes and protectors with particular hatred because her own life had taught her to associate the world with suffering. Her abilities included supernatural cold attacks, freezing winds, and magical movement, reflecting the power available to those who surrender themselves to the Winter Court. The prince's stronghold remains the **Fortress of Frozen Tears**, not a separately established palace of the Pale Court. No official religious institutions known as Winter Knights, Frozen Glades, or a Court of Endless Sorrow have been described as universal organisations belonging to his service. --- ### **Powers and Abilities** The Prince of Frost possesses extraordinary supernatural authority over cold, winter weather, freezing winds, and the transformation of living creatures into ice. His powers are formidable even by the standards of the archfey, and his Fourth Edition statistics portray him as an exceptionally dangerous opponent capable of confronting entire groups of powerful adventurers. Yet his abilities are not limited to destructive spells, for he combines supernatural cold with extraordinary swordsmanship, magical movement, the ability to influence minds, and a sophisticated understanding of ritual magic. **The Presence of Winter** The Prince of Frost continually radiates an aura of unnatural cold, causing the surrounding environment to respond to his presence. Frost forms beneath his footsteps, vegetation may wither as he approaches, and creatures unable to withstand supernatural freezing conditions risk death. This influence is not merely atmospheric, for his documented abilities include an aura known as **Chill the Heart**, which increases the vulnerability of nearby enemies to cold. The effect becomes even more dangerous when the prince is wounded, making prolonged combat with him especially hazardous. **Bitter Edge** The prince's personal weapon is **Bitter Edge**, a magical longsword forged from frozen tears. He employs the weapon with exceptional skill, combining ordinary physical injury with supernatural cold that weakens opponents and makes them more vulnerable to subsequent attacks. The blade is sufficiently important to his identity that it may become a refuge for his spirit if his physical form is destroyed. This possibility is presented within the legends surrounding the prince, although the precise consequences depend upon the circumstances of the encounter. **Blood to Ice** Among the most terrible abilities attributed to the Prince of Frost is **Blood to Ice**, a supernatural attack that gradually transforms a living enemy into frozen matter. The victim initially suffers intense cold and loses the ability to act freely, with the effects becoming increasingly severe as the magic takes hold. If the target cannot resist the enchantment, their flesh and blood eventually freeze, leaving them petrified as a statue of ice. This power provides a direct explanation for the prisoners preserved within the Fortress of Frozen Tears and demonstrates that the prince can deprive living creatures of their freedom without immediately killing them. **Grip of Winter** The Prince of Frost can employ **Grip of Winter** against creatures already suffering from his cold magic, temporarily dominating their actions through supernatural enchantment. This ability combines the destructive power of frost with a more subtle form of control, allowing the prince to turn an injured opponent into an unwilling instrument of his will. The effect is particularly dangerous because it can follow attacks that leave enemies suffering continued cold damage, making the initial injury the means through which the prince establishes magical dominance. **Harrowing Winds** The prince commands supernatural winds capable of carrying intense cold across considerable distances. His **Harrowing Winds** attack can inflict severe freezing injuries while restraining the movement of its victims, allowing him to isolate enemies or prevent them from approaching. The winds reflect his authority over the weather of his realm, where ordinary storms become instruments of deliberate supernatural violence. Unlike conventional winter weather, these effects can be directed with the precision of a powerful spellcaster. **Blizzard Step** The Prince of Frost possesses the ability to move through supernatural winter by teleporting short distances, leaving freezing energy behind as he departs. This power, known as **Blizzard Step**, allows him to reposition himself during battle while injuring and hindering enemies attempting to surround him. His extraordinary mobility makes him difficult to contain, particularly when combined with his ability to strike multiple opponents and command the surrounding battlefield through freezing winds. **The Curse of Flames** Although the prince possesses considerable resistance to cold and other supernatural forces, he is notably vulnerable to fire. His reaction to such attacks is exceptionally dangerous, for he possesses a power known as **Curse the Flames**, allowing him to teleport toward an enemy employing fire magic and immediately retaliate. The ability reflects both his supernatural opposition to warmth and his willingness to punish those who attempt to exploit his vulnerabilities. Fire remains an effective weakness, but provoking his wrath through its use may place an opponent in immediate danger. **The Command of Winter Weather** Beyond his personal combat abilities, the prince possesses extraordinary mastery of ritual magic. He can employ the **Control Weather** ritual to create and direct winter conditions regardless of the season, summoning snow, freezing winds, and other destructive weather without the ordinary limitations placed upon mortal ritual casters. More elaborate applications of his power allow him to produce storms over considerably larger regions, supporting his reputation as an archfey capable of transforming the climate of lands beyond his personal domain. **The Frozen Heart** The prince's supernatural nature is directly connected with the transformation of his heart during the loss of Sharaea. His bitterness is not merely an emotional state but a force capable of influencing the environment, as demonstrated by the creation of the Vale of the Long Night. This connection also provides the foundation for his unusual weaknesses, for certain objects and memories associated with his former love may interfere with his powers. His lost name, Sharaea's song, and the betrothal amulet are all associated with legends through which his apparently overwhelming strength might be diminished. The prince's powers are therefore more extensive and clearly documented than the generic winter curses attributed to him in some accounts. His established abilities include supernatural cold, petrification, domination, magical movement, and the command of winter weather, together with the exceptional martial skill that makes him dangerous even when his spells are opposed. --- ### **Treatment of the Chosen and Faithful** The Prince of Frost grants genuine supernatural power to mortals who enter his service, particularly those willing to embrace the ruthless ambitions of the Winter Court. His followers may receive resistance to cold, improved control over freezing magic, and abilities that allow them to manipulate supernatural winds or teleport through winter conditions. Such gifts are especially valuable to warlocks, whose relationship with an archfey patron permits the acquisition of powers beyond those available through ordinary magical study. The most extensively documented tradition associated with his patronage is the **Long Night Scion**, a specialised path for warlocks who have entered into a fey pact with the Winter Court. Those following this path become increasingly attuned to the supernatural power of winter, gaining resistance to cold and abilities that allow their magical attacks to bypass the protection of creatures ordinarily resistant to freezing damage. Their magic may also become more effective when they teleport, leaving supernatural cold behind them and hindering nearby enemies. A Long Night Scion is expected to recognise the customs and political expectations of the Winter Fey. Other archfey may regard such an individual as a servant of considerable status, granting them respect unavailable to ordinary mortals. Yet this recognition brings obligations, for the conduct of a warlock reflects upon the patron whose power they possess. Actions considered dishonourable or inappropriate within the Court of Stars may therefore have consequences extending beyond the individual who committed them. The prince may also grant power to mortals motivated by vengeance. Such servants are encouraged to pursue those who have wronged them, refusing mercy and seeking punishment severe enough to satisfy their patron's desire for suffering. Their supernatural gifts reinforce the cold determination expected of them, although the specific conditions of their agreements may vary according to the circumstances that brought them into the Winter Court's service. Other followers may be tasked with discovering the reincarnated soul of Sharaea. Their duty is not merely to gather information, but to advance the prince's hope of recovering his lost betrothed. Some may be instructed to protect individuals suspected of carrying her soul, while others could be required to manipulate their lives until they become willing to return to the prince. These possibilities reflect the supernatural pact traditions presented in _Dragon_ #374, rather than evidence of a single compulsory oath taken by every member of the Wintertouched. The prince's treatment of his servants is severe, but not entirely arbitrary. He respects courage, intelligence, and the keeping of sworn promises, and an individual who impresses him during a contest of wit may escape punishment that would otherwise have been inevitable. Nevertheless, he rarely shows mercy to those who provoke his anger, and his hatred of mortal heroes makes him particularly dangerous to servants whose compassion interferes with their assigned duties. No universal blessings named Winter's Gift, Frostborn Pact, or Snowbound Blessing have been established as mandatory stages of his patronage. Likewise, the supposed ability to erase a servant from every memory or condemn them to eternal existence as an unremembered spectre is not documented as one of his established powers. --- ### **Myths and Legends** **The Sun Prince and the Daughters of Delight** Long before the Vale of the Long Night became a frozen wasteland, the realm was a place of warmth and beauty governed by the eldest son of Titania. The young archfey was known as the **Sun Prince**, and his domain reflected the radiance of the Summer Court. Its inhabitants celebrated beneath golden sunlight, spending their days in music, companionship, and the pleasures of a world seemingly untouched by sorrow. Among the brightest members of the court were three sisters known as the **Daughters of Delight**, beautiful fey who had come from another eladrin domain associated with summer. The youngest and most beautiful of the sisters was **[[Sharaea]]**, whose extraordinary grace attracted the affection of the Sun Prince. The two became betrothed, and for a time their relationship was founded upon genuine love. Their future appeared secure, for the prince possessed extraordinary power and Sharaea enjoyed a place of honour within his court. Yet she gradually became disillusioned with the endless celebrations surrounding her, longing for a life in which her abilities could accomplish something more meaningful than entertaining immortal nobles. Sharaea began travelling into the mortal world, where she encountered suffering, injustice, and dangers unknown within the sheltered pleasures of the Summer Court. Rather than retreat from these experiences, she chose to assist those struggling against darkness, eventually discovering that the courage and compassion of mortal heroes offered a purpose she had not found among the celebrations of her former home. Her departure became increasingly difficult for the Sun Prince to accept, for he regarded her absence as a rejection of the love and happiness they had once shared. **The Love of Sharaea and Hayne Kasar** During her journeys through the mortal world, Sharaea encountered **[[Hayne Kasar]]**, a courageous warrior devoted to defending the innocent. The two fought together against dangerous enemies, sharing adventures that gradually brought them into a relationship founded upon affection and mutual respect. Their deeds inspired songs among those who witnessed their courage, preserving the memory of a love that had developed through shared sacrifice rather than the expectations of a royal betrothal. The Sun Prince became increasingly jealous as Sharaea spent more time with her mortal companion. His efforts to persuade her to return to the Summer Court only drove her farther away, for she had come to recognise that the prince's affection was becoming possessive and coercive. Eventually, he demanded that she honour their former agreement and marry him, refusing to accept that her feelings had changed. When Sharaea rejected his demand, he declared that he would claim her even if doing so required holding her prisoner within his realm. Sharaea understood that she could not resist the full power of the Sun Prince, and she feared that Hayne would be destroyed if they attempted to confront him directly. Her situation therefore became desperate, for remaining in the mortal world placed both lovers in danger while returning to the Feywild would mean surrendering the freedom she had fought to preserve. **The Bargain with the Raven Queen** Unable to escape the Sun Prince through ordinary means, Sharaea and Hayne travelled to **[[Letherna]]**, the realm of the **[[Raven Queen]]**, where they sought the goddess's assistance. Their request was extraordinary, for they did not simply seek protection from the prince but wished to escape the time in which his power could reach them. The Raven Queen agreed to assist them in exchange for a future obligation, drawing their souls from their bodies and sending them forward through the ages. The bargain removed Sharaea and Hayne from the immediate reach of the Sun Prince, ensuring that they would eventually be reborn into mortal bodies at some distant point in the future. Sharaea hoped that the passage of centuries would allow her former betrothed to overcome his jealousy, recover from their separation, and abandon the desire to claim her against her will. She did not seek to destroy the prince or condemn him to suffering, but rather to escape his power while leaving open the possibility that time might eventually restore his former nature. Her hope proved tragically mistaken. When the Sun Prince learned that Sharaea had vanished beyond his reach, the knowledge intensified his possessiveness and grief rather than diminishing them. His heart turned to ice, and the supernatural consequences of his anguish began to transform the world surrounding him. **The Birth of the Prince of Frost** The loss of Sharaea transformed the Sun Prince more completely than any ordinary curse. His sorrow became a supernatural force, spreading cold throughout the domain that had once reflected the warmth of the Summer Court. The fields and orchards froze, the sunlight disappeared, and the inhabitants who had celebrated beneath golden skies found themselves living in an endless winter night. The realm became known as the **Vale of the Long Night**, a place whose beauty survived only through the terrible stillness of frost and ice. The prince abandoned the Summer Court and the name he had once possessed. That name disappeared from mortal stories and songs, becoming a secret lost beyond the reach of ordinary magic. In its place emerged the title **Prince of Frost**, a designation reflecting both his extraordinary power over winter and the transformation of his heart into something incapable of accepting the happiness he had lost. His grief attracted dark fey and other creatures whose natures were suited to the cold and bitterness of his realm. He became the foremost power among the Winter Fey, although their independence prevented him from claiming universal dominion over every inhabitant of winter. His new court gathered around the Fortress of Frozen Tears, where the suffering of mortals became both a source of cruel satisfaction and the substance through which his citadel acquired its extraordinary form. The prince blamed mortal heroes for taking Sharaea from him, especially those whose courage and compassion resembled the qualities she had admired in Hayne Kasar. His vengeance became a defining ambition, driving him to destroy the happiness of others while waiting for the day when the souls of Sharaea and Hayne would return to the mortal world. **The Sisters of Lament** The disappearance of Sharaea devastated her surviving sisters, **Velayn** and **Loralae**, whose happiness had once been inseparable from the companionship of the Daughters of Delight. The Prince of Frost drew the two remaining sisters into his frozen realm, capturing them in place of the beloved he could no longer reach. Their sorrow was magnified by his supernatural influence, gradually transforming their bodies and spirits until the beautiful fey they had once been disappeared beneath the power of winter. Velayn became **Mournwind**, while Loralae became **Soulsorrow**, two terrible spirits whose voices carried the supernatural force of grief and despair. Their bodies wasted away until they resembled wraithlike beings of freezing wind, and their former joy was replaced by an obsessive longing for the sister they believed might one day return. They became the prince's most trusted companions, serving as his exarchs and assisting in the schemes through which he sought vengeance upon the mortal world. The sisters remain convinced that the Prince of Frost will eventually recover Sharaea and restore their former happiness. Their belief gives purpose to their continued service, although the very power sustaining them has become inseparable from the sorrow that destroyed their original identities. Their condition is not necessarily beyond redemption, for the traditions surrounding them suggest that their connection with Sharaea and the sincere love they once shared may provide a means of breaking the influence of the prince's frozen heart. **The Lost Song of Sharaea** Before her departure from the Summer Court, Sharaea composed a song for the Sun Prince, preserving within its melody the affection they had once shared. The song possesses extraordinary significance because it recalls the prince's former nature, awakening memories of a time when his heart had not yet been consumed by jealousy and vengeance. Although he has attempted to abandon every trace of his earlier identity, the surviving tradition suggests that the melody can weaken his supernatural powers by restoring something of the warmth he once possessed. A tale tells of **Helgar**, a master bard who confronted the Prince of Frost and succeeded in weakening him through the performance of Sharaea's song. The prince allowed the bard to live, but only after demanding the surrender of his memories of the melody. Consequently, the words and music were believed lost to the mortal world, although the possibility remains that they survive within the memories of ancient fey who knew the Sun Prince before his transformation. The tale is particularly significant because it suggests that the prince's weaknesses arise not solely from opposing forms of magic, but from the emotions and memories he has attempted to suppress. The possibility that music might temporarily diminish his power reveals the enduring importance of Sharaea within his existence, even after centuries of hatred have transformed his former love into obsession. **The Forgotten Name** When the Sun Prince departed the Summer Court, his original name vanished from mortal language and memory. The supernatural power responsible for its disappearance was so complete that no ordinary mortal magic could recover it, leaving the prince known only through the titles acquired after his transformation. His true name remains a secret whose recovery would require extraordinary knowledge, perhaps obtained from ancient powers such as **[[Baba Yaga]]** or the **[[Witch of Fates]]**. The legends surrounding the prince suggest that knowledge of this name could weaken him, allowing those who confront him to pierce some of the supernatural defences that ordinarily protect him. Yet even possessing the name would not guarantee the ability to speak it, for the same magic that removed it from the world makes its pronunciation extraordinarily difficult. The secret therefore represents both a possible weakness and a reminder of the immense supernatural force involved in the transformation of the Sun Prince into the Lord of the Long Night. **The Betrothal Amulet** Among the surviving objects associated with the prince's former life is a mithral locket containing portraits of Sharaea and her betrothed. The amulet was originally a token of affection, given during the happier years of their relationship before the prince's jealousy brought about their separation. Its connection with that earlier love grants it extraordinary significance within the legends describing his supernatural weaknesses. The locket is associated with protection against the prince's freezing aura and some of his most dangerous enchantments. Its recovery could therefore provide an advantage to those forced to confront him, particularly individuals seeking to protect a prisoner or recover someone from the Fortress of Frozen Tears. The present location of the amulet is unknown, and the possibility that it remains hidden somewhere within the Feywild has made it an object of particular interest to those studying the prince's history. **The Winter's Curse Upon Cerunnos** The Prince of Frost also played a role in the tragic history of **[[Cerunnos]]**, the Horned Lord, who would eventually become master of the Wild Hunt. Following his exile from the Green Court by his adopted father Oran, Cerunnos sought knowledge concerning the mysterious Silver Hind whose pursuit had brought about his disgrace. Believing that the creature might be associated with winter, he approached the Prince of Frost and requested assistance in uncovering its true identity. The Pale Prince agreed to reveal the secret of the Silver Hind and offered Cerunnos a place among the Winter Fey, but demanded a terrible service in return. Cerunnos was required to hunt down the daughters of Oran and deliver them into captivity within the Fortress of Frozen Tears. Driven by resentment toward the sisters who had mocked him during his youth, Cerunnos initially accepted the task and departed with a company of winter hunters. When Cerunnos finally confronted his adopted sisters, however, he recognised the fear and vulnerability in their faces and understood that delivering them to the Prince of Frost would condemn them to a fate worse than death. He turned against the hunters accompanying him, killing several and driving away the survivors. His refusal enraged the Pale Prince, who banished him from the Winter Court and cursed him so that whatever he pursued would remain forever beyond his grasp. This punishment became the second of the great curses that eventually transformed Cerunnos into the Horned Lord. The event demonstrates both the cruelty of the Prince of Frost and the limitations of his honour, for he had offered Cerunnos a bargain whose terrible price was designed to exploit the hunter's resentment. When Cerunnos rejected that price, the prince responded with supernatural vengeance rather than recognising the compassion underlying his refusal. --- ### **Encounters with the Prince's Influence** The influence of the Prince of Frost may be encountered through unnatural winter weather, the appearance of Wintertouched servants, or the discovery of individuals whose relationships have been deliberately destroyed through his agents. His followers are particularly dangerous when their actions are directed against mortal heroes, for the prince takes satisfaction in demonstrating that courage and compassion cannot protect an individual from suffering. A settlement may be devastated by supernatural cold, while another community might experience growing distrust as agents of the Winter Court encourage betrayal among its inhabitants. The prince's search for Sharaea provides another important source of conflict. His servants investigate rumours of extraordinary women, magical reincarnations, and individuals whose appearance or abilities resemble those of the lost Daughter of Delight. Those suspected of carrying her soul may become targets of kidnapping or supernatural manipulation, particularly when the prince believes that their recovery would finally end his long separation from his beloved. The possibility that Hayne Kasar might also return provides an additional danger, for the prince has sworn to punish the mortal hero whose compassion first attracted Sharaea. Adventurers entering the Vale of the Long Night confront an environment whose supernatural cold extends beyond the dangers of ordinary winter. The landscape contains frozen lakes, abandoned farms, and barren orchards whose existence reflects the transformation of the prince's once-radiant domain. His fortress rises among the frozen wilderness, its walls glittering with the tears of those who have suffered through his schemes. Within its halls, prisoners preserved in ice may possess knowledge or abilities of extraordinary importance, making their rescue a dangerous undertaking capable of provoking the full wrath of the Pale Prince. The Sisters of Lament represent another formidable danger within the prince's domain. Their supernatural cries can overwhelm enemies with despair, while their association with the freezing winds makes them particularly dangerous in the open wilderness of the vale. Yet their history also provides a possible means of redemption, for the restoration of their former memories and the discovery of Sharaea may weaken the influence of the prince's sorrow. Any attempt to free the sisters from his control would almost certainly provoke his anger, but their liberation could deprive him of his most trusted companions. A personal encounter with the Prince of Frost need not begin with violence. He enjoys contests of wit and is capable of appreciating an opponent whose intelligence challenges his assumptions about mortal inferiority. His promises possess genuine significance, making carefully negotiated agreements possible even when the terms are unequal. Nevertheless, he rarely grants mercy to those who offend him, and any bargain involving the lives or freedom of loved ones should be approached with particular caution. Those seeking to oppose the prince may attempt to recover knowledge of his earlier existence. The forgotten song of Sharaea, the betrothal amulet, and the secret of his true name are all associated with potential weaknesses that could help diminish his overwhelming power. These traditions suggest that the greatest threat to the Prince of Frost may arise from the memories of the Sun Prince he once was, rather than from the ordinary weapons wielded against him. --- ### **Conclusion** The **Prince of Frost**, also known as the **Pale Prince** and **Lord of the Long Night**, is one of the mightiest archfey of the Feywild and the foremost power among the Winter Fey. Once the radiant Sun Prince, eldest son of Titania, he became a creature of bitterness and destructive cold following the loss of his beloved Sharaea. His transformation reshaped the beautiful realm he once governed, creating the Vale of the Long Night and the Fortress of Frozen Tears, where the suffering of mortals became the substance of his terrible domain. His power extends over freezing weather, supernatural winds, magical domination, and the transformation of living creatures into ice. He is also a formidable warrior who wields Bitter Edge, a sword forged from frozen tears, and possesses extraordinary skill in ritual magic. His strength makes him dangerous even among the archfey, while his capacity for honouring carefully sworn promises distinguishes him from creatures whose cruelty is accompanied by complete disregard for obligation. The prince's servants include the Wintertouched, powerful warlocks, dark fey, white dragons, frost giants, and the Sisters of Lament. These followers advance his ambitions through supernatural violence, deception, and the deliberate destruction of mortal happiness. Yet his influence does not extend to every inhabitant of winter, for the Winter Fey retain considerable independence despite recognising his extraordinary power. His hatred of mortals is founded upon the belief that the mortal world stole Sharaea from him. Rather than accept her decision to leave, he has devoted centuries to pursuing her reincarnated soul, preserving possible candidates within his fortress and seeking vengeance against the descendants or reincarnations of those who aided her escape. His grief has therefore become an instrument through which he imposes suffering upon others, transforming a lost relationship into a threat capable of endangering entire kingdoms. The legends surrounding his former life reveal that his power may not be entirely beyond challenge. The lost song of Sharaea, the betrothal amulet, and the forgotten name of the Sun Prince are associated with supernatural weaknesses through which his enemies might diminish his authority. These traditions preserve the possibility that something of his former nature remains beneath the bitterness and ice, although no established account confirms that he has abandoned his vengeance or returned to the warmth of summer. The Prince of Frost remains a tragic but profoundly dangerous figure, an archfey whose inability to accept the freedom of another has transformed personal loss into centuries of cruelty. His existence demonstrates how the passions of the Feywild can reshape not only the hearts of its inhabitants but the very landscapes through which their power is expressed. He is a lord whose winter endures because his grief has never ended, and whose greatest ambition remains the recovery of a love he attempted to possess rather than preserve.