Frostguard

The Frostguard are an ancient northern Vigil sworn to defend the farthest reaches of Khazural from threats beyond the known world. Neither army, priesthood, nor noble order, they are a martial brotherhood of sentinels stationed at Baraz-Darak-Sul, the last surviving of the legendary Lonely Towers.

Formed during the late Second Age, the Frostguard were established to guard the northwestern shores of Khazural against the monstrous hordes and unknown horrors said to emerge from the frozen wastes beyond Grimhold and the far northern sea. Though their purpose later expanded to monitor the threat of Ostagarian naval incursion, the Frostguard’s original Vigil long predates contact with the western empires.

Today, most within Khazural believe the old northern horrors to be myth or forgotten superstition. The Frostguard do not.

Their creed remains unchanged:

“The Tower Must Never Fall.”

History

The Frostguard were founded during the late Second Age under royal decree as part of a broader northern defensive initiative known as the Lonely Towers, a chain of remote watch-fortresses built across Khazural’s northern and western extremities. Of these towers, only Baraz-Darak-Sul remains operational.

Following the collapse of Ostagar and the disappearance of organized northern invasion threats, the strategic importance of the Lonely Towers diminished in the eyes of the crown and most Forgehouses. Funding declined, outposts were abandoned, and the northern watch became increasingly regarded as ceremonial.

Baraz-Darak-Sul endured and the Frostguard remained.

Purpose

The Frostguard exist for one purpose alone: To ensure that no horror from the frozen north or forgotten west breaches the northern frontier of Khazural. Though many dismiss their warnings as paranoia or relics of a bygone age, the Frostguard maintain that ancient things still move in the wastes beyond civilized lands and that the threats once faced by the early Khazal were never truly destroyed.

Whether this belief is truth, tradition, or madness remains debated.

Status and Authority

The Frostguard are not part of the formal Khazural military. They answer directly to the Ember Throne under an ancient decree signed between the Gilded Halls and the Lonely Towers, which obligates the High King to send fresh prospects annually to reinforce the order.

Though the decree remains honored, the number of recruits has dwindled significantly over the centuries.

Recruitment and Membership

The Frostguard are chosen, not enlisted. Each year, selected prospects are sent north by royal decree to Baraz-Darak-Sul. Many are exiles, debt-bound warriors, disgraced nobles, failed heirs, broken veterans, or those seeking purpose through hardship.

New arrivals are known as the Wordless. They wear plain black steel and remain silent until surviving their first full year of service, after which they carve their first sacred Word into their armor, a private and deeply personal reflection of that year’s burden.

Traditions and Beliefs

The Frostguard do not pray, sing, or conduct formal worship. Their order is built upon endurance, vigilance, and defiance in the face of inevitable darkness.

Each year, every Frostguard carves a single new Word into their armor, chosen after reflection upon the trials of the past year. When one dies, their armor is interred directly into the outer walls of Baraz-Darak-Sul, physically reinforcing the fortress they died defending.

To the Frostguard, the wall is not merely stone. It is the final proof that someone still stands against the dark.

Strength and Logistics

Baraz-Darak-Sul typically houses between two and three hundred Frostguard at any given time. The fortress is supplied from Baraz-Kronn via treacherous mountain routes through the Elderspine, supplemented by trade with nearby Durazhul colonies beneath the mountain. In exchange, the Frostguard maintain security over the Deeproot entrance beneath the fortress.

Though isolated, Baraz-Darak-Sul remains self-sustaining enough to endure prolonged siege or seasonal cutoff.

Current Leadership

The Frostguard are led by Dravik Makaar, known as The Still Flame.

As de facto commander of the order, Dravik speaks rarely and commands absolute respect within the fortress. His armor bears but a single visible Word:

“Endure.”

He is regarded by many as less man than monument.

Reputation

Among the people of Khazural, the Frostguard occupy a place somewhere between soldiers and myth. They hold no political power, command no armies, and seek no recognition.

Yet when one appears beyond the Lonely Tower, halls fall silent.

Even those who doubt their purpose understand one truth: If the Frostguard ever abandon their post, something has gone terribly wrong.