Cryos, the Winter

Cryos, known as The Winter, The Silent King, and Keeper of the Last Breath, is the god of death, rest, and stillness. Brother to Ariana (The Mother), Cryos governs the quiet balance that follows life — the cold inevitability that all things must end.

Though feared by mortals, Cryos is not a god of cruelty, but of necessity. Where Ariana creates, Cryos preserves through silence. He ensures the cycle of death and rebirth remains unbroken, guarding the threshold between the living world and the eternal.

Domain

God of Death and Rest
Guardian of Winter and Stillness
Keeper of Memory and Silence
Patron of Endings, Reflection, and Patience

Symbol

A silver circle enclosing a six-pointed snowflake pierced by a black sword — representing the stillness of winter guarded by finality.

Appearance

Cryos appears as a tall, gaunt figure wrapped in flowing robes of pale silver and frost-gray. His skin bears the pallor of moonlight, and his eyes glow faintly blue — calm, cold, and endless. His hair, long and white as snow, drifts as though moved by an unseen wind.

When Cryos walks, frost follows. Plants wilt into crystalline beauty, and the air stills in reverence. In older myths, he is described as wearing a crown of frozen thorns and carrying a staff of ice shaped from the first winter.

Personality

Cryos is solemn and deliberate, speaking rarely and acting only when balance demands it. To him, death is not punishment, but peace — the return to stillness after the noise of life. He is patient, wise, and unyielding, understanding that time itself bows before inevitability.

Yet, he is not without compassion. He mourns the living even as he welcomes them into rest. His silence is one of empathy, not disdain. To those who meet him without fear, Cryos is gentle — a guide through the long night.

Origins

Born alongside Ariana (The Mother) from Chronos (The Father), Cryos inherited the quiet, reflective nature of time’s endless flow. Where Ariana brought motion and life, Cryos embraced stillness and death. Together, they formed the perfect balance of the cosmos.

When Ariana created Faeloria, Cryos shaped the lands of eternal frost — the cold northern reaches where souls pass into eternity. From his citadel, the Hollow Spire, he watches the mortal realm through veils of snow and dream.

Relationships with Other Deities

Ariana – His sister and eternal counterpart. Though their philosophies differ, Cryos and Ariana respect one another deeply. Her creation cannot exist without his silence, and his peace would mean nothing without her life.
Eriana – His niece, the goddess of nature. Cryos brings the winter that allows her spring to return. Their relationship is one of solemn cooperation — she ends where he begins.
Lucien – His nephew, the god of luck, whose laughter irritates him. Yet even Cryos admits that chance has its place, and though their temperaments clash, he has spared Lucien’s life more than once “for the sake of the game.”
Alcor – The fallen guardian once served both Ariana and Cryos. His corruption pains Cryos deeply; he considers Alcor’s fall a personal failure of vigilance.

Followers and Worship

Cryos is worshipped in hushed tones, more through ritual and remembrance than celebration. His faithful include mourners, undertakers, and philosophers who seek meaning in the stillness between moments.

Shrines to Cryos are found in cold mountain passes, frozen lakes, and quiet cemeteries. His clergy wear silver and white, speaking few words and observing long periods of silence in devotion. They are known as the Keepers of the Veil.

Teachings

Cryos teaches acceptance and introspection. To him, death is not the end but the necessary stillness before renewal.

All things must rest, that they may rise again.
To deny death is to deny life.
Patience reveals truth.
Peace is found not in noise, but in stillness.

Festivals and Rituals

The Long Night – Observed on the winter solstice, when the world lies still beneath snow. Followers extinguish all lights for one hour in silence, honoring those who have passed and thanking Cryos for preserving their memories.
The Frostwake – A mourning ritual held after a loved one’s passing. Family members carve an effigy of ice and let it melt under the morning sun, symbolizing the release of the soul.
The Whispered Rest – A meditative practice performed by Cryos’s monks, who sit in total silence for days, seeking to hear “the sound beneath the world.”

Myths and Legends

The Pact of Silence – When Ariana first sang creation into being, her brother stood in awe. To preserve her song forever, Cryos vowed never to speak above a whisper, that his silence would guard her melody through eternity.
The Frozen Tear – It is said that Cryos once wept for a mortal hero who defied death to protect his family. His tear fell upon the man’s grave and froze into a crystal of eternal light — a relic now lost to time.
The Hollow Spire – His citadel stands at the edge of the world, where the veil between life and death thins. Souls passing through are judged not by worth, but by readiness. Those at peace enter eternal slumber; those burdened wander as snow spirits until they let go.

Influence in the Mortal World

Though many fear Cryos, his influence is vital. Farmers honor him before winter, warriors pray for his mercy on the battlefield, and the dying whisper his name to pass peacefully. Even the Fae pay him homage — for not even immortality escapes the quiet of Cryos.

In the northlands of Dalr, entire festivals mark his presence; the Frostlight Vigil blends both mourning and beauty, where thousands of candles flicker on frozen lakes in his honor.

Quotes and Sayings

“In stillness, all truths are revealed.”
“The end is not darkness, but the quiet beyond the flame.”
“Even the sun must sleep.”