Seven years ago, Cul was a realm of independent villages and steads governed by a moot. Then a charismatic Frostborn named Frostweaver arrived.

Guided away from cruel treatment by his family and those in the southern lands by visions, he found Cul to be the place that he saw in his dreams. He gathered native Frostborn to his cause, but the other men and women of Cul sensed trouble had had him beaten and dumped in the Whitedrake mountains.

While there, he had a vision of an icy blue figure covered in cold-fire runes who called himself Hrimheorte and claimed to be the god of the frostborn. The god gave Frostweaver three choices: Go back to Cul and take what he wanted, drift forever through the Winterlands as an outcast, or accept death on the icy mountain and let Scaetha decide his fate.

Frostweaver made his decision. For three years he gathered an army of Frostborn from throughout the winterlands. When he was ready, he turned back to Cul, arriving as a conqueror.