Persons of Note:
Claudia Glass- Claudia is a strange character. Not much is known about her. She comes and goes as she pleases and for some reason no one really seems to mind. Perhaps because she is wraithtouched, and though she shows no physical symptoms she has so much lost her mind that trying to talk to her is like taking a winding journey with so many twists and turns and circles it's almost disorienting. She's difficult to track down. She leaves an obvious trail, but she's always gone when you finally arrive, you're always two steps behind her.

Amalthea Bathory – The assumed name of the ruler of Winter's Hallow, as it has been for several generations. No one knows who she actually is, for no one ever sees Lady Amalthea. With people in Winter's Hallow constantly dying in blizzards and accidents Lady Amalthea could be any one of Winter Hallow's latest casualties. There is no ceremony of fanfare when a new ruler is chosen, and when once becomes Amalthea their old life is forfeit. The identity of Amalthea is one of Winter's Hallow's best kept secrets.

Lady Alabastor – Queen of the realm. She stays within the country of Avalon, and thus no one in Winter's Hallow has actually seen her.

ABOUT WINTER'S HALLOW.
Winter's Hallow is actually the “port” of the Kingdom of Avalon. However, as Avalon would prefer to remain secret, those of Winter's Hallow are charged with making sure no outsiders find out about it. The honest to god truth is that not even the residents of Winter's Hallow know much about Avalon – not even they are allowed to enter any farther into the countries domain. They aren't allowed to speak with Amalthea, who would also have been told the secrets of their country before taking her post as the ruler of the Hallow. They are not allowed to know the secret they are guarding so that they cannot ever, in any way, fail to guard it. The people of Winter's Hallow do not as questions, this is the way that things are.

There are a few, outsiders and Hallow residents alike, that are allowed to enter Avalon from time to time. With an exception of Claudia Glass they do not return. Once you have entered Avalon you cannot leave because, it is believed, you cannot spill secrets if you cannot leave the secret. Only Claudia was allowed to leave because no one would believe her, being a Wraithtouched and addled as she is. If someone attempts to re-enter Winter's Hallow from Avalon, more often than not, they are shot on sight by a Hallow guard.

THE RELIGION OF THE HALLOW
The Valkyries, though they are respected and admired, are not given the deity-like status they hold in the kingdom. The Valkyries reside in the mountains of Avalon, although it was still rare to see them. Instead the religion of Avalon relies on Hati and Skoll. In Hallow lore, two wolves chase the sun and moon respectively to bring about the cycle of night and day. Which the Hallow being so far north as to have six months of night and six months of day, this is a pivotal and important part of day to day life. The residents of the Hallow revere nature, and respect the cycle of life and death. They believe in reincarnation.

The have five named Valkyries in their Book of Lore:

Freya:

The leader of the Valkyries. She will not issue challenges and will answer no questions. She is the strongest and most beautiful of all the valkyries, a power said to have been inherited by her from the Brising Necklace. She once resided in the Avalon mountains and would once be seen flying overhead between Avalon and Eastwood by the hallow residents. However, much like Brynhildr, Freya has not been seen in several centuries.

Brynhildr:

One of the fiercest battle valkyries known, Brynhilhr has not been seen for several centuries. She was once the most trusted by Freya and was never seen without her. It is said that Brynhildr upset her dear friend and was banished to Eastwood. So the story goes, Byrnhildr can only be saved from the tower in which she was locked by a fearless man; whom then she must marry. The idea of a Valkyrie being the wife of a mortal man is perhaps the worst punishment an immortal can endure.

Kara:

The patron of the clergy, the only valkyrie with the ability to revive someone from the dead. She is said to be the reincarnation of  the Valkyrie Sigrun. Sigrun fell in love with a human man, who, although she stayed happy with for the rest of his life, was a mortal man. When he died of old age, she willed herself to go with him, and became the only Valkyrie to ever die. Kara does not give favors easily. Many a time her challenge will be impossible to complete. Kara is, more or less, your infamous distributor of fetch quests.

Sybil:

Much closer to a Norn than a Valkyrie, Sybil is a prophetess, and a shape shifter. She hides in an underground labyrinth deep in the mountains of Avalon and will reward any who find her with the answers to two questions. She is said to have three companions, Skuld, Verdandi and Urd, although other tellings claim the three ladies are merely other manifestations of Sybil herself.

The Wish Maiden:

The Wish Maiden's challenge is simple. Best her in combat and she will reward you with one wish. There are no rules on this Valkyrie's wish, but it is often rather difficult to find her.