5 AM Jitters: The Wintermis Front — Day Eight

Saturday, December 20, 2025 — 5:00 AM

I’ve been up since 4 AM today to clean. The Shreveport Cabin is scrubbed, the floorboards are gleaming, and the brass is polished until it reflects the impossible blue light coming from the backyard. The inspection is hours away, but a mundane inspector is the least of my concerns. 

At 5 AM, the moon is still high, the Hedge Gate Portal is wide open, and the "thinning" of Wintermis has turned my property into a beachhead.

Through the rift, I can see The Tygerian Isles of Zimrala. The air smells like ozone and ancient jungle. But the warmth of the Isles is being choked out by a creeping chill from the north. The Shadowfrost has turned his gaze toward us.

I. The Enemy: The Trinity of Thrivaldi

Sitting in his dark fortress on Thrivaldi, the Shadowfrost is playing a long game. He isn't just a ghost; he is a triple-threat master of the dark arts. He rarely shows himself, but his fingerprints are all over the frost on my windows.

Aspect of Power	Type	Tactical Danger
Ice Demon	Elemental	Command over absolute zero; can freeze blood in an instant.
Shadow Demon	Dimensional	Moves through shadows; physical walls are no barrier to him.
Full Necromancer	Undead Lord	Every Snow Wraith is a puppet tied to his direct will.

II. The Siege: The Frozen Lost

The Snow Wraiths are swarming the perimeter. They are the "Frozen Lost"—men who died in the cold and were risen by the Shadowfrost to serve him. They crave the warmth of my coffee and the heat of the Iron Steed’s 428 Cobra Jet.

Entity	Monster Rating	Combat Dice	UDR	Special Trait
Snow Wraith	80	9D6 + 40	NN (2/10)	Icy Touch: Drains 2 CON per successful hit.

III. The Wall: Guardians of the Threshold

We aren't defenseless. Standing at both ends of the Hedge Gate are the anchors of the Vegetable Kingdom and the Apex of the Tygerian Isles.

Guardian	Location	Combat Adds	Role
The Sight Unseen Spirit	Cabin Roof	+130	Intercepting Wraiths with Tygerian steel.
The Rooted King	Fenwood Forest	+750	100ft Sentinel born from the Zimralan Moon.
The Ancestors	Zimralan Side	???	Ancient Giants holding the other side of the Rift.

The 5 AM Vigil

I’m standing by the heavy oak door, looking at the Wintermis Wreath I scavenged from barbed wire, moss, and .50 cal brass. Because of the portal, it’s pulsing with a protective blue hum. Every time a Snow Wraith touches the porch, the wreath flares, and the Sight Unseen Spirit (Kuro-Khan) drops like a silver lightning bolt to finish the job.

The Shadowfrost is watching through the eyes of his thralls. He sees a clean cabin. He sees a polished Ranger. He sees a Hedge Gate that won't budge because the Ancestors are anchoring the roots.

The sun will be up soon, and the portal will dim, but the war for the Tygerian Isles just found its way to Shreveport. I’ve got my Tiger Force Knife in my belt and my hand on the door. Let the inspectors come—they won't see the demons, but they'll see a man who is ready for anything.

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Product Identity & Legal

The following items are designated Product Identity of Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. / The Adventures of Captain Hedges: The Tygerian Isles on Zimrala, the Hedge Gate Portal, the Tree Giant Sentinel and his Ancestors, the Fortress of Thrivaldi, the Shadowfrost, and the Sight Unseen Spirit. The specific "Hedge Wizard" persona and the Iron Steed. Monsters! Monsters! is a trademark of its respective owner. The statistics and lore provided herein are designated as unofficial playtest material for the Tygerian Isles campaign setting. © 2025 Arthur Earl C. Hedges Jr. All rights reserved.