Icerose Background

When the great hero, Graf Mackenzie, told the Clan about the death of her father, Llarendd the Hunter, Icerose's hear froze. As the tale went on, he used words of bravery and courage to describe how her father fought against the pack of polar bears in order to save Graf. Icerose was too stunned to grieve. Although a small part of her mind remained calm, it asked troubling questions.

Why were Graf's wounds so light?

Where was Graf's spear?

Why did he wait three long days after his return alone from the hunt to tell his story?

How did her father get trapped by a pack of polar bears? He was a renowned Hunter and too careful for something like that to happen.
Graf continued the story and at one point his eyes met Icerose's. In that instant she knew that something was not as it seemed. She saw fear in the older man's eyes before he quickly averted his gaze.

A fire ignited in Icerose's heart.

She tried to tell her mother, but she was too struck with grief. She tried to tell the Clan leaders, but they would hear nothing against Graf, the hero of The Battle of Kithicor Wood. She went to the Shamans, although they listened they didn't seem to hear. Since they didn't send her away she came back and asked more questions. Their response was to give her chores around their hall.

After weeks of asking questions and receiving no answers, Icerose pushed over Margyn McCann's cauldron in a fit of anger. Margyn gave her an amused smile and after overseeing the cleanup she bade Icerose to stare into the hearth fire. When Icerose replied that this would be a stupid thing to do, Margyn's visage was no longer amused. It seemed that Margyn grew a foot taller and her eyes burned with a terrible fire. "Obey Me" she commanded, and Icerose no longer doubted why she ruled the Shamans of Halas.

Icerose stared at the fire for what seemed like days. Eventually, a vision appeared in the flames. A huge polar bear of a regal bearing was stalking prey on the frozen tundra when suddenly a bold shaft of ice impaled the bear in the back and killed it. The ice shaft remained and seasons seemed to pass yet unaffecting the deadly shard. At one point the shaft seemed to grow smaller, soon it became apparent that it was melting. At the base a small bud of a plant pushed through the frozen ground. As the flower grew stronger, the ice shard melted even faster and soon the white, thorny flower replaced the ice shaft. It was the rare Everfrost Icerose. Her namesake.

Icerose blinked and saw Margyn smiling kindly at her.

"The Tribunal teaches us that justice is rarely swift, yet powerful all the while. Patience and perseverance will serve you well my young Flower of the North." Margyn then presented Icerose with the Shaman guild tunic.

Graf's influence in the clan became greater in the seasons that passed as he boasted how he and Lord Balar of High Hold had saved the east side of Antonica at Kithicor and High Hold. He announced that he would finally wed, to the young Princess Daneni Bayle of Qeynos. Dread filled Icerose's heart at the thought that this man would be even more powerful with a Halas-Qeynos alliance. But a week later hope arose as she overheard some merchants joke about how Graf's princess had fled.

"Ah! Someone else who sees what a Monster this so called hero is!" thought Icerose; " I will seek her out and make her my ally so we might take this beast down!"