Ring of Winter

The Ring of Winter was a powerful magical ring with numerous magical capabilities.

"I froze the jungle for miles around, made it snow for three days instead of the hour I had intended. Don't you see? I could control weather once - that was Ubtao's gift to me-and yet even I couldn't bend the ring to a good cause!"

- Ras T'fima

Description
The ring was a golden featureless band that was constantly covered in a layer of frost that never melted. It was extremely cold to the touch and could numb the hand of its wearer. It did not seem cold to someone who had been attuned to it, however.

Powers
The ring made it impossible for the wearer to be detected through divination magic, rendered its wearer immune to cold, and halted aging entirely. It also constantly attempted to take control of its wearer to compel them to cause unnecessary harm and destruction. Artus Cimber however, upon acquiring the ring, believed this to be a continuous test by the ring. Cimber believed the ring to ultimately have a purpose of good, and that the ring therefore wouldn't allow corruptible people to wear it.

The ring furthermore increased the efficacy of all other magical items that remained within of it for more than ten days. The longer the exposure, greater the augmentation.

The ring was capable of quickly and permanently lowering the temperature of a radius sphere to a minimum of, and could do this multiple times until the wearer decided to end the effect. It could create inanimate objects and animated creatures made of ice. It was also capable of casting the spells Bigby's hand, cone of cold, an icy variant of flesh to stone, ice storm, Otiluke's freezing sphere, sleet storm, spike growth, and wall of ice. The energy spent by the ring to do any of these effects was regained daily at dawn. Cimber used the ring's ability to create inanimate objects, manifesting rapiers of ice.

History
Little is known about the true origin of the ring. Gleaned from ancient history the ring was created during the time when the countries of the Realms were little more than scattered villages. It was forged by a powerful mage, that some say was Azuth before he became a god, and was kissed by Auril, the goddess of winter.

Before 1362 DR, the ring had been hidden within the Temple of Ubtao in the lost city of Mezro, hidden there by the bara, Dhalmass Rayburton of Cormyr, after he had used the ring and thereby accidentally murdered several people. The former Harper, Artus Cimber, after spending years of his life searching for the ring, learned of the location of the ring and retrieved it, thereafter using it to repel a goblin invasion of Mezro.

At some point after the War of the Silver Marches of 1485 DR, the ring was relentlessly sought after by the frost giant, Jarl Storvald, as he believed it to be a way to raise frost giants in the ordning. The Zhentarim were also looking for the ring around the same time, and Nilraun Dhaerlost informed Jarl Storvald that the ring was in the possession of Artus Cimber. The frost giants used a blod stone to locate Artus Cimber through his blood, but were instead drawn to his son Sirac in Bryn Shander. The leader of the raiding party, Drufi, then attacked the city with twelve frost giants following this incorrect lead, but their attack was thwarted by the city's inhabitants, with the help of adventurers.

After their failed attack on Bryn Shander, Drufi and her fellow giants journeyed to the jungles of Chult to search for Artus Cimber there, causing much confusion among the local rulers.

Around the same time, the half-elven sorceress Xandala journeyed to Port Nyanzaru in search of Cimber, seeking to wrest the ring from him. To this end, Xandala attempted to manipulate a party of adventurers by claiming to be Cimber's lost daughter.

Reputation
It was said that the ring had other powers that could only be accessed by an evil being who did not fall under control of the ring. It was rumored that the ring could be used to summon white dragons, or the primordial Cryonax, and freeze entire worlds.

It was said that the ring could only be destroyed if worn by the Summer Queen.

Notable Owners

 * Dhalmass Rayburton, found the ring within the Dalelands and eventually brought it to Chult.
 * T'fima, momentarily had ownership of the ring before he hid it within the Temple of Ubtao.
 * Artus Cimber, was in possession of the ring ever since he retrieved it from Mezro.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Tomb of Annihilation
 * Storm King's Thunder
 * Novels
 * The Ring of Winter
 * Shadowdale • Prince of Lies
 * Video Games
 * • Tales from Candlekeep: Tomb of Annihilation
 * Board Games
 * Tomb of Annihilation
 * Card Games
 * AD&D Trading Cards
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * When the Lights Went Out in Candlekeep
 * Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
 * When the Lights Went Out in Candlekeep