| “ | Have you just been sitting here in the dark? Sometimes I worry about you Practical Frost, I really do. | ” |
— Glokta on Frost
| ||
Frost is one of Inquisitor Glokta's two Practicals, along with Severard.
Appearance and personality[]
Practical Frost is a massive albino with extremely pale skin, and red eyes. He is the personification of stoicism, rarely displays any kind of emotion at anything. His speech is badly impaired, through some chronic swollen tongue problem. Frost's speech impediment doesn't stop him from occasionally making snide remarks.
Surprisingly enough, Frost has beautiful handwriting, and takes great care when preparing confessions for the prisoners to sign.
History[]
The Blade Itself[]
Practicals Frost and Severard help Inquisitor Glokta in his investigation of the Guild of Mercers. However, their investigation leads only to a slew of dead bodies; the Mercers are ruthlessly cleaning house. An operation is concocted to use Salem Rews to trap the assassin. The assassin named Carpi leads Glokta to a high ranking Mercer called Hornlach, and finally the high treason of the Guild is laid bare. When they go to arrest the head of the Guild of Mercers, Frost just fails to stop Magister Kault from leaping to his death.
Arch Lector Sult then re-assigns them to investigate the Magus Bayaz, rather than the lucrative work of arresting rich merchants. However, Bayaz proves to be a wily character, in the end the skeptical Inquisitor begins to suspect the First of the Magi may actually be the real thing.
Before They Are Hanged[]
Practicals Frost and Severard accompany now Superior Glokta to Dagoska. They’re tasked with investigating the disappearance of Superior Davoust, to root out traitors in the city council, and at all cost defend the city from the Gurkish. Frost is especially unhappy about the heat in the south.
When an emissary from the Gurkish arrives to offer terms, Glokta has the man arrested. In a dank interrogation room below the palace, after a few pieces are sliced and diced, the man admits that Carlot dan Eider and Korsten dan Vurms are the Union's traitors. However, Glokta has a crisis of faith and allows Frost to usher Eider onto a ship for Westport and freedom.
With their traitors exposed, the Gurkish send their assassin, Shickel, to kill Glokta. As she moves to kill the Superior, Frost, Severard, and Vitari descend on her. After breaking bones that won’t stay broken, they wrap Shickel in layers of heavy chain. Frost and the other Practicals torture Shickel, but even under their most dedicated ministrations, Shickel doesn’t break. In the end, she chooses to tell her story anyway, and admits to being an Eater and to killing Davoust.
With their work is complete, the Arch Lector orders them back to Adua, leaving Dagoska and the war behind.
Back in Adua, Superior Glokta discovers that Ardee West has had all her property seized by an underhanded money lender called Fallow, who claims to hold debts of her dead father. Glokta orders Frost to find Fallow and explain to him who he has offended. Meanwhile, the Arch Lector tasks them with investigating the murder of Crown Prince Raynault. Superior Glokta is forced to make another Gurkish emissary confess to the crime, despite believing him innocent.
Last Argument of Kings[]
With the death of both heirs to the throne, Superior Glokta is charged with bribing and threatening the Arch Lector's way to victory in the upcoming elections for the King. He is constantly hampered by Harlen Morrow who is doing the same thing on behalf of High Justice Marovia. Eventually, Morrow lures Glokta to a slaughterhouse near the Four Corners, under the pretence of coming to an arrangement, but intending to kill the cripple. However, Frost, Severard and Vitari kill his assassins, and then stabs Morrow in the neck and feeds him to the pigs.
When the new King Jezal the First proves to be less malleable than expected, Arch Lector Sult orders Glokta to destroy Bayaz. However, Mauthis from Valint & Balk insist that he stop the investigation. Between a rock and a hard place, Superior Glokta begins to wonders how the Arch Lector and Valint & Balk know so much. Obviously, someone close to him must have told them.
With Adua under siege by the Gurkish in the Battle of Adua, Glokta heads to the dilapidated mansion, and has Frost take Severard down below. After torturing him, the former Practical tells all. Severard has been informing Valint & Balk of Glokta’s doings due to his debts. However, Glokta wants more, what did Severard tell the Arch Lector? He insists nothing, he has never even spoken to Sult. The thing is, Glokta believes him. Then who?
Catching Practical Frost’s eye, he realises it was him. Frost quickly breaks Severard’s neck, and turns on the torturer. Glokta just wants to know why Frost betrayed him before he dies, but Frost just shrugs. However, Ardee West hears the disturbance, and with her help and a blade hidden in his cane, they kill Frost.
