This is my entry for T.W. Wombat’s Winter Is Coming Festival. Check out both his Winter Is Coming Festival page and his blog Wombat’s Gaming Den Of Iniquity.
Charyssil was a powerful tiefling warlock who lived during the height of the Empire of Bael Turath. Unlike her brethren, who promised their very souls to devils in exchange for their power, Charyssil made a pact with a powerful archfey – The Winter King, who had dominion over the entire season in the Feywild, including all its snows, frozen fields, ice-covered forests, and other beautiful, serene landscapes.
Charyssil joined with a band of adventurers, and over time, her power grew. Not coincidentally, she was drawn to locations and creatures of the cold northern lands, and the tall, frigid peaks. She learned the secrets of elemental cold magic, and became a master crafter of enchanted items.
Seeking to earn a place in her patron’s court, Charyssil planned to create a tribute to the Winter King. She was encouraged and assisted by her eladrin friend, the archmage Fervail. He reasoned that imitation was the sincerest form of flattery; the Winter King, like all fey, would be more receptive if presented with a gift demonstrative of his power. Charyssil agreed. She forged a crown of ice from the heart of the Elemental Chaos, and imbued it with the power of the Winter King.
But the Winter King, like all fey, is a fickle being. Rather than being flattered, the Winter King was offended that his essense was used to create a mockery and pale imitation of his own power. Enraged, the Winter King slew Charyssil. During the battle, Charyssil was betrayed by Fervail, who absconded with the Crown and fled back to Bael Turath. In the centuries since, the Crown Of The Winter King has appeared and disappeared many times. It is said that the Winter King hunts for it still, so that he may finally reclaim his shard of power.
| Crown Of The Winter King | Level 27 |
| This translucent blue-crystal circlet feels cold to the touch. When you don it, those around you get a chill, and your skin feels cold and clammy. | |
| Item Slot: Head 1,625,000 gp Property: Gain Resist 10 Cold Property: Gain a +6 item bonus to Endurance checks to endure extreme cold weather Property: Any enemy that hits you with a melee attack takes 1d10 cold damage |
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Elf Steaks & Halfling Bacon 
Ensign Expendable
Thursday, 29 September 2011 at 11:37 PM
Nicely done. I particularly like items which offer great power but imply that they might make your character a target of the original owner. And I like items with a good backstory.
I’ve been led to believe that the new Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Emporium book by WotC adds a lot of back story to items, but I haven’t picked the book up yet. Do you know if they are as good as your item here?
BeefGriller
Friday, 30 September 2011 at 9:52 AM
First, thank you for the compliments. To be honest, I think magic items in 4E are kind of boring, in the sense that they don’t do anything other than offer a bonus to rolls or provide an encounter/daily power. This is not peculiar to 4E, either. I’ve always liked backstory for my magic items, even a “lowly” Dagger +1; backstory makes it interesting, and could even supply a plot hook or two. In this case, the owner would have to watch out for the Winter King and his agents. I really, REALLY liked the previous editions’ intelligent magic items – they’re essentially NPCs with their own personalities and goals.
As for Mordenkainen’s, I can’t say – I don’t have it yet, although I may pick it up at some point. If anyone else can fill us in, I’d greatly appreciate it.