Winter Shroud

Full Item Description
It is a large cloth, more than enough to cover a man. It is thick and heavy, with fine embroidery, of a strange texture and a weak herbal smell. There is no warmth to be found beneath it.

History
Odolan was an Elven healer of some repute. When his people left their brethren, he followed, through woods and hills, far away from their native lands. They settled in a deep valley, where the weather seemed warm enough, and the few humans not hostile. There should be their new home.

He remembers the first winter, when the snow came soon. Then came the frost, and ever colder nights and days. Never again have so many Elves died in such a short period. They learned, and adapted. It is rare to mention the First Winter now.

But Odolan hasn't forgotten. When the settlement was built, and he had less work, he traveled the valley, and learned from the beasts and plants, how they survived, and how they resisted the deep winters. One of his first creations was the Winter Shroud.

Magic/Cursed Properties
The Shroud needs the cold of winter. Exposed to freezing temperatures, the liquid inside starts to harden. Placing the Shroud on a person or creature will slow down his metabolism until a genuine winter sleep is achieved. The process takes up to a few hours, to some discontent of its creator. He hoped to save lives of those, who are seriously ill, or wounded. But even at this rate it is useful:

A sleeper can last through the winter with nary a sign of life, as long as the Shroud is on him. The hard, cold body seems dead, but is very receptive for surgery and other other normally invasive techniques.

Once the sleeper awakes from a long sleep, it is imperative to assist him with regaining consciousness, and control. Spring is also an ideal time for the more standard ways of Elven healing. Thus one can many survive wounds and illnesses a winter usually makes terminal.

The Shroud itself is made of finest linen, impregnated with the resin of several trees, and with water of a winter's first icicles. Herbs are employed as well, and what its creator is ashamed to mention, the bodily fat of a large animal able to hibernate.

It can preserve a large man through all winter, maybe even longer, if it is cold. More sleep or too much warmth could lead to waking up, expiring in sleep, or even freezing to death. Fire will damage or completely destroy it.

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Plot hooks

The friendly hand - a local hunter, a human, helped the newcomers, when they badly needed it. They don't forget. Now that he is old and sickly, they let him 'spend the winter' with them - sleeping under the Shroud. He wouldn't survive a winter here, but now is he the oldest in the cruel valley, his life prolonged beyond mortal norms. You search for something, you may want to speak him first.

The snatcher - in the right conditions, the Shroud can be an effective kidnapping tool. There are surely better ways, but someone's got his hands on one, and has to try it.

The wrong care - even worse, the secret of the Shroud has gotten out, and is advertised as the best way to prolong youth, and dial back old age. First there will be adventurous sorts trying to get their hands on one, then will someone important try it out... what if the wife of the neighboring king dies from this 'guaranteed elven cure'?