A'vethyr

Upon the mountains of Eramere, many beautiful sights can be seen. A soft white stream of snow falling gently from the sky, a crystal frozen stream that looks so delicate a whisper might crack it, or a trail that can barely be seen under the dusting of new fallen snow. Some of these awe inspiring sights can also seem eerie, despite their beauty when they are touched by mist, or when seen in the dark of night. The unsettling haunted feeling that accompanies a moment like this is the exact feeling described by the few settlers who have come across A'vethyr.

Though the frost giants are likely the most knowledgeable about A'vethyr, no settler has attempted to ask their opinion, and should they, they would likely be attacked as the frost giants are quite territorial. The dwarves passing along the Frostbeard Mountains on the trade routes seem to have a lot to say about the apparition though. When asked, Haerkglar on the trade route will say this of A'vethyr. "Hide yer shinies away from th'ghost, 'cause them's what she desires. She ain' known t'take no fer an answer." Some say she is bound to the Frost Giants, while others say she is free to roam as she wills, but something about the mountain seems to attract her to it. The Haerkglar seem certain she seeks gems and ore, though most visitors to the area dismiss the idea, because what could a ghost want with gems? The Haerkglar population in this area will claim that A'vethyr has tried everything from batting her eyelashes to 'scarin' th'b'jeebers' out of them to lay claim to gems silver and mithral, and on occasion she has succeeded, although the Haerkglar that she has managed to manipulate will not admit it was so.

A story once reached Atalan about a bard and his young apprentice who were traveling through the mountains. It is said that the bard wore a cloak embroidered with gold and silver, an heirloom that had been passed down to him from his own father. As the men made their way along Frostbeard Mountains a woman appeared seemingly out of nowhere. She was barely clothed, and appeared to be shivering. The travel weary bard took the paleness of her skin to mean she was near frozen. Without thought the gallant man removed his cloak and wrapped the woman in it. As soon as it closed around her, she slowly raised her black eyed gaze to meet his. As a slow menacing smile creased her face, she ran a finger over his cheek and whispered, "I see beauty in all things, clothing, people, gems, food and wine. Handsome generous traveler, my beloved pet, both you and your cloak are now mine." She trailed her finger down his cheek, and the two are said to have simply disappeared. People are uncertain of whether there is any truth to this, and if there is, how much is exaggerated, but if it is, there is a young bardic apprentice somewhere in Eramere who will likely never travel the mountains again.

A'vethyr has provoked many other stories about hauntings within the mountains. She appears as a cotton-white woman cloaked in greys and white. A'vethyr's voice is said to be a soft feminine whisper, and she will often sing songs of love and sadness to lure and attract the mortals she seeks to her. Also, she is said to always be preceded by a soft rose-like scent. Standing just over five feet tall, although she hovers an inch or two off of the ground, her form is unsubstantial, like a thick mist or fog, and smoke-like wisps of hair flow down her back. With unnerving beauty, youth and grace, A'vethyr's gaze is chilling due to the fact that her eyes are pitch black even where the whites of her eyes should normally be. Her smile is said to be slow and deliberate, however there is little that A'vethyr is said to do without great thought and deliberation.