The Winter kingdom

Version 2.0

As Brandon and his party press on through the unforgiving northern expanse, the landscape becomes littered with its remains. Abandoned villages constantly appeared, their structures coated in a thick layer of frost, window shutters shattered by the icy grip of winter.

No signs of wildlife grace their path, and the once-teeming forests, are now eerily quiet. The air grows colder, the surroundings become increasingly surreal. All fall before the crimpling cold grasp and none escape it not even the children of the forest.

A once vibrant and sacred grove is now frozen. Every tree stands frozen in a grotesque dance of ice, fully encased before they can move. Their branches, reached far and wide outwards reaching but never grasping before being encased in ice.

At the centre of the grove, the Heart Tree has been transformed into a monstrous block of ice. The face carved into its bark is eternally contorted in agony, and a haunting scream seems to emanate from the frozen depths. Its eyes begging for death.

"By the Gods." Brandon gasps.

"This is the power of The Others; we have to go against that?" Jocelyn asks.

"Looks like fun," Jon says nudging Edric.

"Nothing witty to say, Jon," Jocelyn asks.

"I'm all out of funny, honey."

"A battle?" Brandon says more to himself. "No point staying here it won't be able to tell us much else." He announces spotting tracks heading west, away from the battlefield.

The group continues westward, leaving the frozen grove behind. The air freezes with each step, and the haunted forest gives way to a desolate expanse of open snow plains. The trees become sparse, their skeletal forms stark against the wintry horizon.

The relentless wind carries with it an icy bite, and the snow beneath their boots crunches loudly in the eerie silence. Soon the terrain transitions from the flat plains to undulating snow hills, and eventually, they find themselves navigating through imposing mountains, their peaks shrouded in a perpetual cloak of white.

Finally, on the horizon, a solitary mountain emerges, towering over the snowy landscape. A lone mountain rises defiantly from the frozen landscape, akin to a fist thrusting upward through the snowy expanse.

The windswept heights of the mountain can be seen from miles away, a solitary silhouette against the wintry sky. Despite its solitary appearance, the hill is highly defensible, offering commanding views of the frigid surroundings. Its slopes are treacherously steep, particularly to the north and west, while the eastern approach is only marginally less perilous.

Crowning the summit is a ringfort, with an enduring stone ring wall standing defiantly against the biting winds. The grey stones, worn by the ages, bear patches of white lichen and green moss, lending an ancient and weathered beauty to the fortification.

At the foot of the hill, a brook meanders through the snowy terrain. The combination of commanding elevation, defensible terrain, and the enduring presence of the ancient ringfort make this lonely peak a striking and formidable sight in the frozen north.

As Brandon and his party approach the desolate hill crowned with an ancient ringfort, a harrowing scene unfolds before them as they observe from their hilltop. The snow-covered landscape bears witness to a clash between two forces – the Children of the Forest and ominous, cold figures.

The Others, standing tall and gaunt, exhibit flesh as pale as milk against the stark whiteness of the snow. Their cold blue eyes burn like ice, radiating an eerie glow akin to blue stars. Clad in delicate, reflective armour that shifts colours with each movement, the Others move with a grace that befits their inhuman, elegant, and dangerous nature.

Wielding thin crystal swords that emit a faint blue glow, the Others showcase superior swordsmanship. The pale swords, alive with moonlight, cut through the air with a high, thin sound, distinct from the conventional clash of metal on metal.

The Others' movements are swift and graceful, leaving no prints on the snow-covered ground. Extreme cold accompanies their presence, and white mist rises in their wake. Their language is like the cracking of ice on a winter lake.

As the Others engage in battle with the Children of the Forest, the frigid air seems to intensify. The children fight valiantly, employing their mystical abilities against the ice-crafted menace. The clash of elements, accompanied by the crackling of ice and the haunting laughter of the Others, creates a symphony amid the desolate winter landscape.

At the height of the intense battle, the Others unveil a breathtaking display of their supernatural prowess. Emerging from the midst of the Children of the Forest, two children of the forest step forward, engaging in an incantation that eludes Brandon's hearing but reveals itself through their cryptic gestures.

As the pair synchronously makes a decisive movement, the landscape undergoes a remarkable transformation. Behind the mountain, colossal trees manifest, defying the expectations of mere flora. These arboreal giants, animated by roots congealed into formidable legs, move with a grace unbecoming of their wooden nature, dashing over the mountains with ferocious intent.

In response to this, the Others, reveal their power, move in perfect unison. With a flick of their wrists, they command the very elements, stirring up the snow and wind and directing it towards the animated trees. The trees, resolute and determined, press forward despite losing parts that flake off as they freeze solid. Yet, just as victory seems within their grasp, an abrupt flash freeze blankets the entire area, encapsulating the once-lively trees in an icy sheath, creating a frozen army with a core of glass.

Seizing the advantage, the Others swiftly mobilize their legion of wights, ready to dispatch the Children of the Forest. The chilling efficiency of their movements, coupled with the relentless advance of the frozen army, paints a grim picture for the forest dwellers. As the Others close in, the battlefield becomes a chaotic dance of winter vs life, a clash between ancient forces vying for dominance in the desolate winter landscape.