The Winter Court

Naming itself in opposition to Summer and the Argetlam dynasty, the Winter Court is a shadowy elvish secret society dedicated to preserving the race itself. They are mindful of long-term threats such as dragons, the return of the Siorai, and any one civilization gaining too much power - even the elves themselves! Generally they favor subtle, even harmless solutions to these problems, manipulating events over immense timescales to fit their ends. But all too often they're forced to resort to violence; assassinations, proxy wars, even genocide are all acceptable so long as they are the final solution, a last resort in the face of absolute doom. Ultimately their struggle is one of survival against entropy and stagnation; such has always been the elves' doom. Their perspective is also colored by a near religious fascination with their own mortality, death being a somewhat alien concept to most elves. Winter is unique in that they not only accept death but embrace it gladly, so they could be called an elvish "death cult".

Far less numerous even by elvish standards there are perhaps only a few dozen Courtiers dwelling in Vaalbara's polar regions in self-imposed isolation. Its unclear if there is any hierarchy among them.

Design Notes

Mummify their death with extreme cold, are numb to pain, blueish-pale skin, disturbingly colorless eyes, bleached white hair, crystalline jewelry, "Siberian Hellraiser" bear armor with furs, somehow don't leave tracks in snow. statuesque, voice like cracking ice, prefer ice axes as tools/weapons