This is the story of Simon Ter Avest, First and Last of his name, the Winter King of Ordance, a(n invented) region in Eldemore's arctic circle.
So, to start with, some information about Ordance.
Ordance is the name for both the landmass at the north pole, as well as the small kingdom that has formed around the most habitable ring around the south. The true north pole is just tundra and scrublands, thought to be inhabited only by blizzard and ice runes, with an occasional elkrin or feral direwolf that's wandered up there. In the middle region, between the pole and kingdom, are vast, ancient evergreen forests of ironwoods and conifers. This is where most of Ordance's wildlife can be found-- rune dragons of course (mostly blizzard, ice and banshees), but also feral direwolves and hybrids between the feral beasts and normal wolves, enormous birds white as snow with enormous talons like knives, titanic white bears, ice thresher elkrins who scavenge for plants and meat alike, serpents clear and hard as ice with poison that brings creeping paralysis... and those are only the creatures confirmed to exist.
Rumors abound of ghosts and wights mounted on half-dead frozen beasts, liches and monstrous mammoths all shaggy hair that can crush a man like a grape, worms burrowing beneath the ground that will swallow a garrison up in a single gulp, snowflies that look so sweet and soft from a distance, but can drive a traveler mad and forever lost if they swarm around her. Some even say Kalros still lives somewhere deep in the woods--
Oh? You haven't heard the story of Kalros? Well, that's just fine-- after all, it ties into the founding of the kingdom, which we were just about to get into.
The first inhabitants of Ordance were nomads, wandering from place to place to survive in the harsh environment. In those days, the snowstorms never stopped; not even during the summer. This was due to the presence of Kalros, the Ancient of blizzards-- some thought him to be the first blizzard rune to ever exist at all, while others simply say he was the first to ascend to being an ancient. Unlike the gentler Ancient of winter, Kalros' existence was dedicated to absolute destruction, to plunge his part of the world into endless ice and snow. Many had tried to slay the dragon, but none had succeeded; the only mark of their attempts were the spears and blades embedded in the Ancient's skin.
No one can fully remember the exact details of how the Ancient met his doom. What is known is that the slayer was a woman, and had bonded with a firey rune dragon. Some say her own dragon ascended to save her, while others say the presence of even such a small flame was enough to melt Kalros into nothingness. Whatever the details, it was the woman and her rune who finally freed Ordance from the endless storms, and allowed the nomads to finally settle down.
Now, that said, Ordance is far from an easy place. The spring and summer months see nearly every citizen hard at work in the fields, making sure the crops don't freeze or are assaulted by the creatures from the forest. This is somewhat aided by the fact that at the start of the new year (Ordance follows its own calender-- what is the spring equinox in the rest of Eldemore is their new year), the sun is above the horizon 24 hours a day, keeping the temperatures moderately warm.
Harvest time falls a week before the autumn equinox, and is marked by an enormous celebration. People have stored away all they can, and all donate the surplus for a grand feast held at the castle. Merchants travel from far and wide to sell their wares, ambassadors and rulers from foreign lands are also not an uncommon sight at this time. There are songs and great ice sculptures, mages showing off their new discoveries, colorful lights and bonfires that light up the start of six months of night.
Smaller celebrations are held throughout the rest of the night-- it gives people something to do since no crops can be grown at this time, as well as help to ward off depression inflicted by the lack of sunlight. The only ones who abstain from these events are usually the small section of Ordance's army the commonfolk have come to call the Night Watch-- an elite force of soldiers who patrol the border between the kingdom and the forest, ready to fight back the beasts and monsters that lurk in the darkness. In addition to being an excellent soldier, members of the Watch must be bonded to a rune dragon, elkrin, or have managed to tame one of the hybrid wolves of the forest to prove their worth (plus, the magic and extra protection doesn't hurt either). It is also not uncommon for the ruler of Ordance to be bonded with a blizzard rune-- indeed, it's often seen as a bad sign if they have not, a sign that the land itself rejects and refuses them.
So, that brings us to the start of our story. Queen Eleanor Ter Avest has passed, leaving only one child-- her fifteen year old son, Simon; born of an illicit tryst between the queen and the (former) commander of the Night Watch. Though he was disowned by the royal family and kept on as a servant, he is still technically first in line for the throne. There has not been much outcry against him, though-- after all, he is a mere boy, and the land knows the difference between a true heir and a mistake. If he is accepted by a blizzard rune, then all is well. If not... well. It will keep the beasts satisfied for at least one night...
