A World of Ice! A newbie needs help [Archive] - Wizards Community

A World of Ice! A newbie needs help [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Von Rotendorf
06-06-05, 02:22 PM Hi Guys

I'm DM'ing for the first time, i always played so i'm quite the newbie Dm'er.
I've just made a new world, in an ice world, and i would ask you for some tips,
how i could make it more ...ice worldy! ;)

Thanks already
Greetz from
Alex von Rotendorf
aka Max
Board_Rider
06-06-05, 02:25 PM Buy the Frostburn supplement...that will help ya.
Thoronmir
06-06-05, 03:06 PM Buy the Frostburn supplement...that will help ya.What he said ... it covers everything you'll need.
SwitchUK
06-06-05, 04:57 PM Dunno about "Frostburn" but "Unearthed Arcana" has a section on adapting some of the races to different environments - aquatic, jungle, desert and arctic.

Could be something useful to you in there.
snowlynx
06-06-05, 05:10 PM Hrm.....
1) Offer good descriptions of your ice...world thing that prove the difference between it and a normal land. For example, on a sunny day in an ice world, the light might be near-blinding because the snow is so bright.
2) Check out the section in frostburn about cold weather and how PCs can deal with it. Enforce the Bad Things of cold weather in your game. Make nights cold enough that the character wither need magical protection or should take shelter.
3) Use only cold-weather animals when encountering animals. Sometimes, you can cheat and use the monster manual stats for some animal that you don't have the stats for (use the dog entry in the MM for an artic fox, for example.) Don't use monsters that wouldn't survive in cold weather or that seem inappropriate for cold weather.
4)For fun...if you put your PCs far enough north (or south) of the equator, you can make days and nights uneven. For example, at summer solstice there might be 20 hours of sunlight, and only 4 hours of night. During winter solstice, there would be 20 hours of night, and 4 hours day. To tie this into your game further, perhaps there are events that happen during such nights (rituals? mass? ceremonies? rites of passages for those coming of age?)
alecthemad
06-06-05, 05:16 PM Hrm.....
1) Offer good descriptions of your ice...world thing that prove the difference between it and a normal land. For example, on a sunny day in an ice world, the light might be near-blinding because the snow is so bright.
2) Check out the section in frostburn about cold weather and how PCs can deal with it. Enforce the Bad Things of cold weather in your game. Make nights cold enough that the character wither need magical protection or should take shelter.
3) Use only cold-weather animals when encountering animals. Sometimes, you can cheat and use the monster manual stats for some animal that you don't have the stats for (use the dog entry in the MM for an artic fox, for example.) Don't use monsters that wouldn't survive in cold weather or that seem inappropriate for cold weather.
4)For fun...if you put your PCs far enough north (or south) of the equator, you can make days and nights uneven. For example, at summer solstice there might be 20 hours of sunlight, and only 4 hours of night. During winter solstice, there would be 20 hours of night, and 4 hours day. To tie this into your game further, perhaps there are events that happen during such nights (rituals? mass? ceremonies? rites of passages for those coming of age?)

To play on that even more start out during the end of fall and have the days get shorter. Enforce the vision rules at night so that players can only see enemies as far as their vision and current light allows. This can be tough, but you need to pay attention in combat.

For example if the players have a fire the humans can only see 15 to 30 feet out, the elves only 30 to 60 and the dwarves can see 60 no matter what.

If you use miniatures then buy a large piece of white felt and cover your playing surface with it. This gives a feeling of snowy ground.
SwitchUK
06-06-05, 06:27 PM consider the temperament of arctic peoples in this context - the harsher the land, the more limited the resources, and the fiercer the competition for them. civilisation would be few and far between, mostly consisting of small nomadic tribes with a xenophobic streak, who go where the food is. they'll be slow to trust outsiders, but once their trust is earned, it's strong and firm.
krichaiushii
06-06-05, 06:30 PM Another supplement to watch for is Frost and Fur by Monkeygod Games.

I'd run a link, but the last time I checked, it was gone; unfortunately out of print.

I like the white felt idea. You could conceivably spice it up with light blue patches that represent ice; how thin or slippery is up to you.
Ariarig
06-06-05, 08:47 PM Other wise advisors already said so, but buy Frostburn and make it become your DM bible ! It is also a good idea to pick up the Arctic races variant from Unearthed Arcana, as SwitchUK suggested.

Outside these pure D&D references, think about watching TV documentaries concerning arctic tribes (inuit especially) and arctic wildlife. You can also read the books of real adventurers who made expeditions on both north and south poles. They are a lot of them... You'll understand better so, the personality of frost men, and the soul of frozen areas.
Yoho1.5
06-06-05, 10:21 PM What terrian are your planning to freeze? Tundra looks alot different than frozen mountains and that will have an impact on monsters ecologies and the importance of altitude and wind chill. Where I live now on the divide of the Canadian Rockies the temperature drops 5 C for every 3000 ft altitude gain. When I lived up north the wind chill would double the colds impact so a minus 15 would be minus 30 with the wind chill.
Ekranoplan
06-06-05, 10:26 PM I am a big fan of Frost Wyrms from the Monster Manuel.

If you include nomadic tribes, these tribes could deffinetly make use of these creatures for transportation.

I think it would also be cool to have a rather large city in a geologically active area, taking heat and energy from geothermal vents and hot springs. This city would be isolated from the rest of the world beyond the ice. I would imagine most of it being under ground, but thats just me.
Herald@Large
06-07-05, 03:59 PM Don't forget some of the "practical" aspects:
1. Snowshoes;
2. Crampons;
3. Hobnailed boots;
4. Warm clothing (wool, fur), plus magic items that can produce fire or warmth. Maybe invent a magic mug or plate that will heat the contents on command, and have it be readily available.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Von Rotendorf 06-06-05, 02:22 PM	Hi Guys I'm DM'ing for the first time, i always played so i'm quite the newbie Dm'er. I've just made a new world, in an ice world, and i would ask you for some tips, how i could make it more ...ice worldy! ;) Thanks already Greetz from Alex von Rotendorf aka Max
Board_Rider 06-06-05, 02:25 PM	Buy the Frostburn supplement...that will help ya.
Thoronmir 06-06-05, 03:06 PM	Buy the Frostburn supplement...that will help ya.What he said ... it covers everything you'll need.
SwitchUK 06-06-05, 04:57 PM	Dunno about "Frostburn" but "Unearthed Arcana" has a section on adapting some of the races to different environments - aquatic, jungle, desert and arctic. Could be something useful to you in there.
snowlynx 06-06-05, 05:10 PM	Hrm..... 1) Offer good descriptions of your ice...world thing that prove the difference between it and a normal land. For example, on a sunny day in an ice world, the light might be near-blinding because the snow is so bright. 2) Check out the section in frostburn about cold weather and how PCs can deal with it. Enforce the Bad Things of cold weather in your game. Make nights cold enough that the character wither need magical protection or should take shelter. 3) Use only cold-weather animals when encountering animals. Sometimes, you can cheat and use the monster manual stats for some animal that you don't have the stats for (use the dog entry in the MM for an artic fox, for example.) Don't use monsters that wouldn't survive in cold weather or that seem inappropriate for cold weather. 4)For fun...if you put your PCs far enough north (or south) of the equator, you can make days and nights uneven. For example, at summer solstice there might be 20 hours of sunlight, and only 4 hours of night. During winter solstice, there would be 20 hours of night, and 4 hours day. To tie this into your game further, perhaps there are events that happen during such nights (rituals? mass? ceremonies? rites of passages for those coming of age?)
alecthemad 06-06-05, 05:16 PM	Hrm..... 1) Offer good descriptions of your ice...world thing that prove the difference between it and a normal land. For example, on a sunny day in an ice world, the light might be near-blinding because the snow is so bright. 2) Check out the section in frostburn about cold weather and how PCs can deal with it. Enforce the Bad Things of cold weather in your game. Make nights cold enough that the character wither need magical protection or should take shelter. 3) Use only cold-weather animals when encountering animals. Sometimes, you can cheat and use the monster manual stats for some animal that you don't have the stats for (use the dog entry in the MM for an artic fox, for example.) Don't use monsters that wouldn't survive in cold weather or that seem inappropriate for cold weather. 4)For fun...if you put your PCs far enough north (or south) of the equator, you can make days and nights uneven. For example, at summer solstice there might be 20 hours of sunlight, and only 4 hours of night. During winter solstice, there would be 20 hours of night, and 4 hours day. To tie this into your game further, perhaps there are events that happen during such nights (rituals? mass? ceremonies? rites of passages for those coming of age?) To play on that even more start out during the end of fall and have the days get shorter. Enforce the vision rules at night so that players can only see enemies as far as their vision and current light allows. This can be tough, but you need to pay attention in combat. For example if the players have a fire the humans can only see 15 to 30 feet out, the elves only 30 to 60 and the dwarves can see 60 no matter what. If you use miniatures then buy a large piece of white felt and cover your playing surface with it. This gives a feeling of snowy ground.
SwitchUK 06-06-05, 06:27 PM	consider the temperament of arctic peoples in this context - the harsher the land, the more limited the resources, and the fiercer the competition for them. civilisation would be few and far between, mostly consisting of small nomadic tribes with a xenophobic streak, who go where the food is. they'll be slow to trust outsiders, but once their trust is earned, it's strong and firm.
krichaiushii 06-06-05, 06:30 PM	Another supplement to watch for is Frost and Fur by Monkeygod Games. I'd run a link, but the last time I checked, it was gone; unfortunately out of print. I like the white felt idea. You could conceivably spice it up with light blue patches that represent ice; how thin or slippery is up to you.
Ariarig 06-06-05, 08:47 PM	Other wise advisors already said so, but buy Frostburn and make it become your DM bible ! It is also a good idea to pick up the Arctic races variant from Unearthed Arcana, as SwitchUK suggested. Outside these pure D&D references, think about watching TV documentaries concerning arctic tribes (inuit especially) and arctic wildlife. You can also read the books of real adventurers who made expeditions on both north and south poles. They are a lot of them... You'll understand better so, the personality of frost men, and the soul of frozen areas.
Yoho1.5 06-06-05, 10:21 PM	What terrian are your planning to freeze? Tundra looks alot different than frozen mountains and that will have an impact on monsters ecologies and the importance of altitude and wind chill. Where I live now on the divide of the Canadian Rockies the temperature drops 5 C for every 3000 ft altitude gain. When I lived up north the wind chill would double the colds impact so a minus 15 would be minus 30 with the wind chill.
Ekranoplan 06-06-05, 10:26 PM	I am a big fan of Frost Wyrms from the Monster Manuel. If you include nomadic tribes, these tribes could deffinetly make use of these creatures for transportation. I think it would also be cool to have a rather large city in a geologically active area, taking heat and energy from geothermal vents and hot springs. This city would be isolated from the rest of the world beyond the ice. I would imagine most of it being under ground, but thats just me.
Herald@Large 06-07-05, 03:59 PM	Don't forget some of the "practical" aspects: 1. Snowshoes; 2. Crampons; 3. Hobnailed boots; 4. Warm clothing (wool, fur), plus magic items that can produce fire or warmth. Maybe invent a magic mug or plate that will heat the contents on command, and have it be readily available.