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Hello everybody Jorphdan here the PH is silent, today I’m talking about a powerful magical
artifact that is actually found in 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons.
The Ring of Winter is a sentient artifact well known in magical circles of the realms,
and because of that it is greatly sought after.
Frost Giants, Red Wizards of Thay, the Zhentarim, and the Harpers all wish to obtain the ring
and use it for their own purposes.
Each feeling entitled to its ownership.
The Ring of Winter’s past isn’t clear.
We still don’t know who actually created this artifact, but it must have been a very
powerful creature based on the ring’s powers.
Some believe it was created by Azuth before he became a deity.
Others believe it was a mage of overwhelming power that created the ring before presenting
it to the Frostmaiden Auril who blessed it.
The ring’s origin remains a mystery but its existence is known and there are many
who wish to do great good or great evil with the artifact.
Historically the ring of winter first surfaced over a millennium ago in present-day Shadowdale.
The human Lord Dhalmass Rayburton found the ring and used it for several years.
Then, suddenly and hastily, he left the Forest Kingdom for Chult; and he never returned.
Apparently he tried to frighten a Cormyrean noble into allowing him to perform an archeological
dig on the nobleman's property.
Frightening him by using the Ring of Winter, the sentient Ring of Winter took this too
far and buried the entire village and the nobleman’s estate in ice, killing all who
resided there.
Devastated, Rayburton took the ring to Chult.
I spoke about this in my Jungles of Chult video a while back, (so check out that video
for more information) but Chult is home to Mezro a city founded by the primordial slash
deity Ubtao in -2637 DR.
Later on Ubtao left the city, but put some barae in charge.
These were seven Chosen of Ubtao who are undying and protect Mezro as priest kings and queens.
They are kind of like paladins.
One of these is Dhalmass Rayburton, who became a chosen of ubtao after spending much time
in Mezro.
Rayburton developed a profound respect for the people and their religion, the worship
of Ubtao.
His reward was to become a bara, protecting Mezro until his death.
The Ring of Winter stayed with him until Artus Cimber came into the picture.
Artus Cimber was the son of a Cormyrean highwayman who stole money from caravans.
After growing up he became a Harper for a brief period of time.
He disagreed with the Harper decision involving no involvement with an evil Zhentarim wizard,
so he left the organization.
Artus and his good friend Sir Hydel decided to undertake the quest of locating and retrieving
the Ring of Winter.
They searched for ten years and ultimately received a tip that the ring was located in
Chult.
So to Chult they went, and Artus Cimber found Mezro, but not before losing his friend Sir
Hydel in combat.
Artus found Dhalmass Rayburton in Mezro and with him the Ring of Winter.
Artus used the ring to repel a goblin invasion of the ancient city, and became a welcome
member there.
This occurred in 1363 DR.
Artus realizing the power and danger of the Ring of Winter vowed to keep it protected.
2nd edition material suggests he left Chult to live somewhere in Faerun, isolated with
his love Alisanda Rayburton, the daughter of Dhalmass.
But Tomb of Annihilation for 5th edition showed us that Artus and Alisanda are living in Chult,
protecting Mezro.
The Ring of Winter is a sentient magical artifact and has safely been in Artus’ possession
for over a century.
One of the ring’s powers is that it stops aging, so Artus has been the same age for
over 1200 years now.
Another power of the ring is that it defies attempts to magically locate it, to the point
that the wearer cannot be targeted by divination magic or perceived through scrying sensors.
This has prevented the Frost Giants who also want the ring from discovering Artus, but
they did find their way to Chult after rumors the ring was there.
The ring is a chaotic evil item, with an Intelligence of 14, Wisdom of 14, and Charisma of 17.
It communicates emotion to the creature carrying or wearing it and the ring can hear and see
to a range of 60 feet.
The nature of the ring craves destruction and when first wearing it the ring will try
to take control of the user and compel them to cause undue harm to everyone and everything.
You are immune to cold damage while attuned to the ring and don’t suffer ill effects
from extreme cold.
The ring also has 12 charges that regain all daily at dawn.
Using these charges you can lower the temperature around you to -30 degrees.
You can cast a variety of spells that all have an ice twist.
Bigby’s Hand for example is a hand made of ice, Spike Growth alters the terrain but
the spikes are ice, and the spell Flesh to Stone turns the target into..
You guessed it, ice.
The attuned can also expend charges to create an inanimate ice object, or an animated one.
This creates a construct in the form of a beast that will follow your commands.
Finally there are rumors that the ring has further unexplored powers that can only be
activated by an creature of evil alignment who’s will can’t be broken by the ring.
Frost Giants wish to discover the ring because they believe it will bring a great freeze
to the world.
A djinni in the service of a Calishite pasha once claimed the ring could summon and control
white dragons.
At its most powerful it is rumored the ring can summon Cryonax, the Prince of Evil Cold.
One of the princes of Elemental Evil, but lesser known as Cryonax is not part of the
main four.
Earth, Fire, Air, and Water.
I don’t believe Lawful Azuth would create the Ring of Winter, but if it was kissed by
Auril the evil goddess perhaps that process changed it.
In earlier editions the ring was tied to the goddess Auril, and Artus Cimber was considered
a Chosen of Auril.
Although Artus might be a chosen of Auril he doesn’t follow or preach about Auril.
He might not even know, and Auril made him a chosen out of some chaotic whim.
Or a fun theory is that there is a piece of Auril’s divinity in the Ring of Winter,
which would explain the sentience and the urge for chaos.
The Ring of Winter was published in 2nd edition D&D books, it is currently a 5e magical artifact
though.
Found in the adventure Tomb of Annihilation.
If you can get your hands on it you have a very powerful artifact.
There is a lot left up to the DM in the area of powers this ring can do.
From Volo’s Guide to All Things Magical the ring supposedly augments the power of
other magical items within a 20 foot radius of it.
If your items are exposed to the ring for more than 10 days those magical items become
more powerful.
The ring can shatter metal with it’s cold properties, and the user can create piercing
weapons out of ice that are as strong as steel.
It is said the Ring serves only the powers of good, which is in contrast to its “chaotic
evil” 5e description.
If used for evil the item will twist your intent to bring disaster to you and others.
This is apparently what happened to Dhalmass Rayburton all those years ago.
If you’re curious and want to know more there is a Ring of Winter Forgotten Realms
novel, I have not read it but Artus Cimber is the main protagonist!
Thanks for watching everyone.
Special thanks again to Easy Roller Dice for sponsoring this video.
Please check out their kickstarter for some really nice dice designs.
They have some lovely blue ones, perfect for an ice themed character who might be the next
wielder of the Ring of Winter.
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to those of you who already are!
Links down below to my sources for this video.
Thank you patrons so so much, and I’ll see you all in the next video.