Old Man Winter

You see a powerfully built old man, with a generous white mane and beard; he dresses in red leather and hides, and carries a large hand axe. His eyes are cold and hard as ice and his breath has the chill of a blizzard.

Monster Encyclopaedia II: The Dark Bestiary
Author J. C. Alvarez
Series Monster Encyclopaedia
Publisher Mongoose Publishing
Publish date 2005

‘Old man winter’ is the colloquial term used in reference to a mysterious, powerful fey spirit inhabiting cold forests during the snow season. It is a terrible and vengeful spirit, bringing down the cold forces of nature on anyone crossing its path. Old man winter appears as a human grandfather, with long silvery hair and beard. It carries a large axe and wears hide clothes and armour. Both its weapon and its attire are tinted red with the blood of its victims.

Old man winter speaks Aquan, Auran, Common, Sylvan and Terran.

Old Man Winter
Medium fey (cold)
Hit Dice	13d6+55 (100 hp)
Initiative	+1
Speed	30 ft. (6 squares)
AC	22 (+1 Dexterity, +5 deflection, +3 natural, +3 hide armour), touch 16, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple	+6/+10
Attack	Grim Greataxe +13 melee (1d12+8/x3)
Full Attack	Grim Greataxe +13/+8 melee (1d12+8/x3)
Space/Reach	5 ft. /5 ft.
Special Attacks	Frost wind, grim Greataxe, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities	Damage reduction 15/magic, Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold, Low-Light Vision, Spell Resistance 24, vulnerability to fire
Saves	Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +10
Abilities	Strength 19, Dexterity 13, Constitution 18, Intelligence 13, Wisdom 15, Charisma 20
Skills	Intimidate +21, Knowledge (Geography) +17, Knowledge (nature) +19, Listen +18, Search +17, Spot +18, Survival +18 (+20 to avoid getting lost, avoid natural hazards, follow tracks and in aboveground natural environments)
Feats	Diehard, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Weapon Focus (Greataxe), Toughness
Environment	Any cold
Organisation	Solitary
Challenge Rating	10
Treasure	None
Alignment	Always neutral evil
Advancement	14-19 HD (Medium), 20-39 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment	–

Combat

Old man winter attacks by chopping opponents to pieces with its axe; it has a number of offensive magical abilities, though it far prefers to spill the blood of mortals personally.

Frost Wind (Su): At will, as a full-round action, old man winter may cause a frost wind to blow in a one-mile radius, increasing the wind force within the area to Strong and imposing a -2 penalty on ranged attacks and causing Tiny or smaller creatures to succeed at a Fort save (DC 10) or fall prone (or be thrown back 1d6x10 feet if they are flying). In addition, the climate in the area becomes bitter cold, causing creatures in the area to succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 15) each hour or suffer 1d6 points of nonlethal damage and become fatigued. The fatigued state lasts until the nonlethal damage is healed.

Grim Greataxe: Old man winter’s weapon is a +2 Greataxe with the ability to freeze creatures to death. Any creature successfully damaged by old man winter’s grim Greataxe must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 16, Charisma based) or suffer an additional 1d6 points of Constitution damage, as its body becomes numb and dead from the weapon’s murderous cold.

Spell-Like Abilities:

• At will – Gust of wind (DC 18), sleet storm;
• 3/day – cone of cold (20), ice storm;
• 1/day – control weather, freezing sphere (21). Caster level 13th. Save DCs are Charisma based.