by Morrodict
This legend from Lokken Island was collected by the Altmer ethnologist Aeon. Of all the inhabitants of the island who know this legend, only three elderly residents claim to have actually encountered the Frost Sprites: herbalist Granny Torunn, Sigrid – wife of the deceased chieftain, and shaman Snorri. The following legend is a compilation of their descriptions.
In the coldest parts of Lokken Island, where the snow never melts, there live the Frost Sprites, tiny ice elves who dwell deep within the frozen forests and snowy mountains.
The Frost Sprites are rarely seen by human eyes. They are very small, the size of a child's hand, with skin white as snow and eyes that sparkle like ice crystals. Their hair resembles the branches covered with snow, and their laughter is heard only by those with pure hearts.
Naturally, these sprites are not malevolent by nature; they protect their island and the purity upon it. They hate those that destroy and corrupt their frigid land with malice. It is said that the Frost Sprites have a unique way of dealing with those they deem evil.
Only on the coldest and cloudless nights, the Frost Sprites emerge from their hidden homes. They enter silently to the houses of those who have done evil things. With a wave of their tiny hands, they extinguish the fires in the hearths, sending the houses deep into a bone-chilling cold.
And they do not stop here. They sprinkle their magic frost on the woodpiles and make the logs damp so that it is impossible to light a fire. The victims wake to find their homes freezing, their fires dead, with no way to warm up against the biting cold.
This is a tale told to children in Lokken, so they live their life in kindness and not take from the land more than what they need. Otherwise, the Frost Sprites decide to exact vengeance upon them. For those who heed the warning, the Frost Sprites are said to bring good fortune, ensuring that their fires burn bright and their homes stay warm even in the harshest winters.