Winter Ward (Patreon)

Wondrous item, very rare (requires attunement)

This warm ushanka bears the symbol of a clan of winter wolves, made as a gift to a hunter who aided them against an invasion of giants. While wearing the hat, you gain resistance to cold damage. In addition, you have advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell and on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain. You can speak and understand Winter Wolf, and you have advantage on Charisma checks made to interact with winter wolves.

Summon Winter Wolf. This hat is bound to a celestial spirit loyal to the winter wolf clan. While wearing the hat, you can cast the find steed spell with the following changes:

• The spirit assumes the form of a winter wolf and its creature type is always celestial.
• The spirit acts independently of you, but it always obeys your commands. In combat, it takes its turn immediately after yours. When summoned in this way, the spirit's Cold Breath recharges after it finishes a short or long rest.
• When you dismiss the spirit as an action, it can't be summoned again until the next dawn.
• If the spirit drops to 0 hit points, it bursts into a flurry of snow and can't be summoned again until 7 days have passed.

Myrwen stood, blood-slickened fingers just strong enough to nock her bow. She'd heard these winter wolves were unusually canny and cruel, but the raw resolve she saw made it clear her quarry had something to protect.

Dirusvulf Rimeclaw knew, were the huntress to prevail, his clan would be hunted and driven out; it happened before, after all. Despite this, he was impressed by the elf's will to live. Nevertheless, one would fall; it was the way of things.

But when both tensed to spring, the snow erupted as a colossal bolt blasted a crater between them. At the clearing's edge, unheeded in their struggle, stood a frost giant; his relaxed sneer showed only contempt for the battered fighters.

Myrwen and Dirusvulf's eyes locked. One would still die, yet for the moment, it would be neither of them…

The pups of the Rimeclaw Clan sat entranced by the elder wolf's story, a legend of their grandmothers' grandfathers' grandmothers' time. And the elder loved to tell it, seeing in the incongruous blue accessories arrayed before her the echoes of the two who had made the clan… itself.

Beyond the treeline stood an elf, hair silvered with graceful age beneath a warm, blue hat. With a smile, the tribe's legend padded away through the forest, a radiant, snow-furred figure sharing her stride.