Trius#

  • Eladrin princess of the Winter Court, eldest daughter of Lady Alora
  • Oath of the Ancients Paladin and wielder of a legendary Moonblade — the Winter Knight
  • Fought alongside the party against Serenity and dealt more damage than anyone in that encounter
  • Delivered the killing blow against the Weaver at the ancient battlefield — a pillar of silver moonlight (Moonbeam) that passed through him like a blade through smoke, ending the ritual and keeping Nidhogg sealed
  • Her grandmother Maria was one of the original elven mages who created the interplanar barrier imprisoning Nidhogg
  • Rides a majestic unicorn mount and projects a supernatural battle hymn into the minds of nearby allies when she draws her blade
  • Listed among the Cult of the Eclipse’s known enemies and opposition

The Winter Court#

  • Trius embodies the Winter Court’s militant strength — she is the court’s front-line warrior and heir
  • Her mother Alora rules the court and sends Trius on diplomatic missions, though Trius would rather be fighting
  • Her younger sister Olivia was poisoned by a Bandersnatch that terrorized the court’s lands; Olivia was healed by Skreek
  • The court’s Arch Magus Levi serves alongside the royal family, but Trius’s grandmother Maria’s gift for barriers has not been inherited by anyone in the current generation

Legacy of the Barrier#

  • Trius’s grandmother Maria was the previous Elven Matriarch who helped create the barrier sealing Nidhogg in the Shadowfell centuries ago
  • The Winter Court has carried the burden of maintaining that barrier ever since — it is woven into the family’s legacy
  • The Winter Leyline Temple, one of four anchoring the barrier, sits within the court’s domain
  • Trius presented her Moonblade as proof of worthiness to enter the temple, and the temple accepted it — recognizing the weapon’s connection to the court’s lineage

Meeting the Party#

  • Trius first appeared during the party’s audience with Alora after they killed the Bandersnatch plaguing the court
  • She entered to deliver a report to her mother, and the party immediately noticed her Moonblade and tried to recruit her
  • She initially declined, citing “other pressing matters” — a diplomatic mission — though she was visibly tempted
  • The next morning the party ran into her again and promised more excitement than diplomacy; she agreed to accompany them to the Winter Leyline Temple
  • She guided the party east, riding her unicorn, and led them through the temple’s three trial chambers

The Battle Against Serenity#

  • On the road back from the leyline temple, the forest drained to grayscale and Serenity — a night hag agent of the Cult of the Eclipse — ambushed the party
  • Trius was “only too eager to help rid her realm of this evil entity” and leapt into the fight without hesitation
  • When she drew her Moonblade, the entire party heard an up-tempo, epic battle hymn in their minds — inspiring and supernatural
  • Shadicar poured buff spells onto Trius to maximize her effectiveness, and she did by far the most damage of anyone in the encounter
  • She is described as a “force of nature — deadly, inspiring, and unrelenting” during the battle
  • After Serenity’s defeat, the party returned to the Winter Court to report to Alora, with Trius having earned the heroes’ deep respect

Shadicar#

  • Shadicar was immediately struck by Trius when she first appeared — described as “beautiful and powerful”
  • A subtle rivalry and possible infatuation exists between them, though neither has said anything outright
  • In combat, Shadicar devoted his support magic to boosting Trius, doing everything he could to protect her and amplify her damage
  • The tension between the Winter Knight and the half-elf bard has been a recurring undercurrent whenever Trius is mentioned

Impersonated by Manus#

  • When the party exited the breached Summer Leyline Temple on Day 23, they encountered someone who appeared to be Trius — but something felt off, “annoyingly smug and unkind”
  • The figure waved a hand and dropped the disguise, revealing himself to be Manus, a CR 17 shapechanger working with the Cult of the Eclipse
  • That Manus chose Trius’s form suggests he had studied her closely enough to replicate her appearance — making her a target of the cult’s intelligence
  • The moment established Manus’s shapeshifting abilities and created a direct narrative link between the two characters

The Final Battle#

  • Thundered onto the ancient battlefield on her unicorn Moonblade, arriving mid-fight as the Weaver was advancing the ritual and the party was under intense pressure
  • Upon drawing her blade, she spread a silent battle hymn through the minds of every ally — the same supernatural inspiration she projects whenever she enters the fray
  • Represented the Winter Court and her family’s centuries-old stake in keeping the barrier intact — her grandmother Maria helped create the prison the Weaver was trying to unravel
  • As the Weaver made his final desperate act — slamming his fist into the earth to release a shockwave of pure force — Trius was too far away to close with her blade
  • Raised her sword skyward and called down a pillar of silver moonlight from the heavens — Moonbeam — that struck the Weaver with devastating precision, passing through him like a blade through smoke; his body crumpled to the earth, cold and still
  • Trius dealt the killing blow. The ritual died with him. Nidhogg remains sealed.
  • Her stat block and combat reference are maintained separately in Trius Quick Reference

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