The Frostfell
Frostfell areas range from mountaintops in otherwise temperate climates to entire frozen planes, or even magical areas in otherwise temperate dungeon. Each different zone has its own unique combination of hazards, from floors of slippery ice to the threat of avalanches to areas of magic-draining negation snow.
The environments below are described in order from the most naturally occurring, and therefore most often encountered, to the most extreme, magical, and fantastic. Many of these area types can exist simultaneously in the same location. For example, a party may find itself adventuring across a polar ice cap at high altitude. The combinations are limited only by your imagination.
Frostfell Environments
Dangers that may exist in frostfell environments are detailed in the sections entitled Frostfell Hazards and Supernatural Perils of the Frostfell. Information on the various types of terrain mentioned within the entries can be found in the Frostfell Wilderness Terrain. Finally, two fully fleshed-out sample frostfell locales - an icy dungeon and an iceberg city - can be found in Frostburn - Adventure Sites.
High Altitude
Temperatures drop off rapidly as you climb high into the air. The snowline is the elevation at which snow cover begins. Depending on its latitude and the prevailing weather patterns, a mountain's snowline might vary from ground level (winter in cold regions blankets the whole area with snow regardless of elevation) to 20,000 feet or snore (a very high mountain in an otherwise warm, dry region). In a typical temperate climate, the snowline varies from roughly 2,000 feet in wintertime to 8,000 feet in summertime.
Mountains and high plateaus often form permanent glaciers above their highest summertime snowline. For example, a 10,000-foot mountain with an 8,000-foot snowline in summer has a permanent, year-round snowcap that generally covers the uppermost 2,000 feet or so of the summit.
Crossing the snowline does not always mean you're entering a frostfell. Snow-covered mountain slopes may be quite warm in the summertime. However, sufficient elevation can lead to extremely cold conditions regardless of the season. As a rule of thumb, each 1,000 feet of elevation generally reduces temperature about 3-1/2° F as compared to the temperature at ground level. A mountaintop 15,000 feet in the air will be 18° F if the sea level temperature is 70° F. Regardless of snow cover, any time the temperature is below freezing, you're in frostfell conditions.
In addition to the increasing cold of high elevations, areas of high altitude - whether atop the peaks of colossal mountain ranges or simply high in the air - pose grave danger to travelers not acclimated to thin air. The oxygen grows thinner the higher you ascend, and the bodies of living creatures must work harder to catch enough wind to fuel their life-giving functions. Fatigue, disability, and even death await the unprotected, the unwary, and the foolish.
For details on the specific hazards, effects, and game mechanics of high-altitude zones, see Altitude.
Winter
Winter, the season that typically begins with the winter solstice and ends with the vernal equinox, brings cold and perhaps slush, sleet, hail, snow, and ice, depending upon the prevailing climate of the particular region. While tropical zones rarely dip below 80°F, and therefore experience no natural cold precipitation (sleet, hail, or snow), temperate, subarctic, and polar lands can become intensely cold, devastated by blizzards, covered under feet of snow, and isolated by frozen rivers, lakes, and seas that normally serve as routes of trade, news, and passenger travel.
The length of the winter season ranges from perhaps a few days to six months or more, depending on the climatological, supernatural, and magical conditions of the area. A temperate zone endures winter for an average of three months, while a subarctic or arctic zone may remain locked in wintry conditions for up to nine months. A subtropical or tropical region may escape the cold season altogether.
Winter has become associated with decay and death, as many plants and animals enter a state of low or even suspended life functions. Not until the onset of spring do these flora and fauna return to active life and the entire biosphere seems to come alive.
Characters living in or traveling through a land under the dominion of winter are subject to hazards such as freezing temperatures, snowstorms and blizzards, fields of deep snow that impede movement, and other more dangerous hazards not easily spotted by the untrained eye.
Polar Regions
Most often found in the far north or far south (or elsewhere, depending upon the orientation or magical properties of a particular campaign world), polar regions exist within a boundary that wavers depending upon the season, expanding in winter and contracting in summer. On average, the arctic zone extends outward in all directions from the pole, ending about one-quarter of the distance from the pole to the equator.
The terrain consists of a vast area of permanently frozen glacial ice floating in the middle of an ocean and surrounded by continental land masses and islands. However, the polar landscape also includes high mountains, tundra, exposed bedrock, and frozen everfrost.
In polar seas, the long, cold winters create a layer of drifting ice 10 to 15 feet thick. During the short summer season, the ice coverage shrinks considerably. But even in winter, gaps of open water can be found in the ice, and these often become areas of animal, monstrous, and humanoid concentration.
The ice cap marks the coldest area of an arctic region, where the ice and snow never melt. The rest of the polar area enjoys a single month each year during which the cold loses its grip and temperatures rise slightly above freezing. Meadows of vegetation spring to life throughout the tundra for this short span, making it much easier for explorers and travelers to forage for food. In addition, a few hardy plants can survive the year-round harsh conditions of the arctic.
Animals commonly encountered in polar regions include walruses, seals, caribou, and polar bears.
In summer, arctic zones remain in 24-hour sunlight, called Everlasting Day, while in deep winter they fall into continual darkness, often referred to as Eternal Twilight. The polar circle is an imaginary line that marks the point above which the sun does not set on the summer solstice and does not rise on the winter solstice.
Dire Winter
Powerful spellcasters can summon intense cold to large areas with the epic-level spell dire winter, which conjures a blizzard and severe cold conditions within a 1,000-foot radius, lasting for 20 hours.
In addition to the normal hazards of natural winter mentioned above, the emanated cold of a dire winter spell deals 2d6 points of cold damage per round against unprotected creatures (a target is susceptible if not magically protected or otherwise resistant to cold). Heavy snowfall blankets the area, and heavy winds produce a blizzard effect (see Weather).
Ice Age
An extreme drop in global temperatures marks an ice age. This new, frigid environment results in the formation of great sheets of glacial ice that grind their way from the polar regions toward the equator, destroying everything in their path. The land in northerly or mountainous areas becomes dominated by cold, ice, and blizzards of sleet, hail, and snow.
Vegetation, wildlife, and intelligent civilizations (both monstrous and humanoid) suffer from the unending wintry conditions, sustaining injuries directly related to the freezing temperatures or starving to death due to a lack of sustenance because the food chain is broken.
Only those creatures most suited to life in extreme cold or those possessing great adaptability and ingenuity have a chance of surviving through an ice age, which may last anywhere from a few years to a several thousand years, depending upon the specific climatological and magical factors impacting a particular world.
In addition to the natural occurrence of an ice age, the epic-level spell ice age creates a massive, permanent glacier in previously temperate or even tropical zones.
Lands Of Eternal Ice
Some lands or seas remain permanently frozen because of some unknown or unremembered calamity or a powerful, now-lost magic. These areas typically differ from polar and ice age regions in some fantastic way: blizzards of crimson blood snow, fields of giant ice pillars carved into the shapes of various creatures (perhaps beings forever frozen in magical ice), endless canyons of blue ice, massive rivers of coldfire, or any other supernatural effect or condition.
Magical and supernatural conditions are detailed in Supernatural Perils of the Frostfell, including acid sleet and slush, death hail, ebony ice, faerie frost, lightning pillars, negation snow, razor ice, rustsnow, and snow geysers.
Dungeons And Cavern Complexes
Adventurers often explore subterranean frostfell regions. These areas fall into three general categories: natural ice or snow caverns, worked ice or snow complexes, and altered dungeons.
Natural Ice Or Snow Caverns
Naturally occurring complexes most often form due to flowing water that sculpts tunnels, caves, and caverns out of packed snow or ice. As a result, these frozen labyrinths can prove confusing, since their construction was not based on any intelligent design. Characters entering such places find themselves easily lost, because most areas look alike: stalactites and stalagmites of ice, frost-covered exposed stone, frozen bodies of water, and everywhere, layers of white snow.
While these locations may not have doors, traps, or other functioning mechanical constructs, these icy passages and chambers abound with equally perilous hazards: deadfalls of snow, ice collapses, slippery slopes, and other conditions created by the interaction of frostfell elements.
Wandering monsters include natural predators as well as magical beasts of cold. Primitive tribes, whether humanoid or monstrous, may take up residence in such places, seeking protection from the freezing environment.
Some natural ice or snow caverns are linked to worked ice or snow complexes or even to dungeons of stone, which may or may not possess frostfell conditions or elements.
Unfortunately for the adventurer, natural frostfell caverns lack one important lure: treasure. Since these sorts of complexes were not created for any specific purpose, the chance of encountering great troves of magic and gold remains minimal at best.
Worked Ice Or Snow Complexes
Some civilizations spend great resources to carve vast complexes out of packed snow hundreds or even thousands of feet deep, or from miles of glacial ice in polar areas. The rough-hewn passages, chambers, caves, and caverns of these compounds pose many dangers, including those found in natural caverns plus purposeful traps of mechanical or magical nature, the increased frequency of wandering monsters, and the presence of organized societies.
The locations are more likely to include amassed treasures, since they serve as the homes, towns, or even entire cities of their denizens. In addition, worked ice or snow cavern complexes are more often connected to frostfell dungeons, as well as other types of dungeons.
Altered Dungeons
Certain individuals, such as wizards of frostfell magic, clerics of ice deities, or powerful monsters with cold powers, take over ancient dungeons, labyrinths, or temples, altering them into subterranean environments of frostfell, whether they exist beneath arctic, temperate, or even tropical lands. Within these frigid complexes, creatures of cold can find comfort in perhaps otherwise inhospitable conditions. From these locales, forces of the frostfell can launch raids upon surface civilizations, plot the overthrow of a nearby theocracy ruled by priests of a fire deity, or perhaps conspire to cause a magically accelerated ice age to engulf the world.
Wandering monsters include organized patrols, messengers, and beasts that serve the dungeon's occupants. The frequency of traps remains high, though most are constructed so as to be avoidable by the inhabitants of the dungeon, whether bypassing specific mechanical trigger locations, speaking passwords that prevent the activation of magic traps, or simply possessing the cold subtype. Cold creatures pass unharmed and unimpeded through areas rigged with spells or devices that detect heat or deal cold damage to intruders.
A few rare converted frostfell dungeons lie abandoned or partially ruined, the original creators long gone. These complexes can be the most challenging, since they more often contain the most destructive traps and the greatest number of wandering monsters. But they also possess great reward: ancient vaults of treasure waiting to be plundered by hardy adventurers.
Frostfell Planes
Planes of existence dominated by ice and cold come in a wide variety and are by far the most fantastical of all the frostfell environments. The most well-known frostfell planes include Thanatos and the Ice Wastes in the Abyss, Stygia and Cania in the Nine Hells, and certain remote regions of the Elemental Planes of Air and Water.
These planes are dominated by extreme frostfell conditions as well as magical frostfell effects such as those mentioned above in lands of Eternal Ice and detailed in Frostfell Hazards (see below).
The Abyss
The 113th layer of the Abyss, Thanatos is a dreary, cold place of ice and thin air, filled as much with the undead as with the tanar'ri due to its minor negative-dominant trait. Its main city, Nararyr, is carved into the surface of a massive frozen sea.
The Ice Wastes, the 23rd layer of the Abyss, is a bitterly cold plane of miles-deep ice, inhabited primarily by frost giants under the dominion of their demon prince Kostchechie. The Glacier Citadel, a fortress carved into the ice between two towering peaks, is home to the prince and his cadre of frost giant mages.
The Nine Hells
The fifth layer of Hell, Stygia, is a sea of crushing ice floes and icebergs. The River Styx is the only open water, and icebergs and fiendish sharks make navigation a tricky business at best. Lightning rips across the sky, endangering all flying creatures.
Tantlin, the City of Ice, is the layer's largest city and is built on an ice floe. Stygia's ruler, Levistus, remains frozen deep within an iceberg that floats in the middle of Tantlin's harbor.
Cania, the eighth layer of Hell, is a frigidly cold place where glaciers move as fast as a running man, grinding and colliding against each other, causing massive avalanches of snow and ice. Its central citadel, Mephistar, perches upon a colossal glacier, which moves under the command of the layer's ruler, Mephistopheles.
Elemental Planes Of Air and Water
The elemental planes are not uniform in composition. Portions of the Elemental Planes of Air and Water form extensive icy pockets, creating frozen waterscapes and winter skyscapes dominated by constant storms of snow and ice, including rustsnow, death hail, and razor ice. Great rivers of coldfire run through the water in various directions, massive icebergs float through the freezing waters, and gargantuan skybergs tumble endlessly through regions of frigid air. A few of the largest skybergs have been carved into abodes for individual cold and ice creatures or even into cities. Glacia, the Skycity of Ever-Ice, is ruled by the ruthless Umbalavos, lord of the Chilblain.
All creatures not immune to cold take 1d6 points of cold damage each round they remain within a frostfell on these planes. Magic that protects living beings against cold (protection from energy, resist energy, and so forth) is essential for those who wish to survive a journey through the elemental frostfell.
The frostfell regions of the Elemental Planes harbor all elemental creatures of their type, as well as any being with the cold subtype. In addition to the normal characteristics of the surrounding plane (see Adventuring on Other Planes) frostfell regions on the Inner Planes possess the following traits:
- Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that have the cold descriptor benefit from being maximized (as the Maximize Spell feat, except the spell doesn't use a higher slot). In addition, spells that use water (including those of the Water domain) are extended (as the Extend Spell feat, except the spell doesn't use a higher slot). Spells that are already maximized or extended are unaffected.
- Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities with the fire descriptor are impeded. This includes spells of the Fire domain. These spells and spell-like abilities can still be used, but a successful Spellcraft check (DC 15 + level of the spell) must be made to do so.
Frostfell Hazards
Characters venturing across fields of everfrost, climbing icebergs, or delving into complexes of frostfell can face a variety of dangers, from freezing temperatures to deadly traps to blizzards of negation snow or worse. This section builds on the information provided in Chapter 3 (weather and traps) and Chapter 8 (the environment) of the Dungeon Master's Guide, detailing hazards the characters may face from the physical world around them. Some of the dangers listed below can occur only within frostfell areas (cold temperatures), while others can be encountered in any setting (an ice storm trap).
Environmental hazards specific to a type of terrain are listed in Frostfell Wilderness Terrain.
Altitude Sickness And Avalanches
For information on the effects of altitude sickness and avalanches, see Altitude. Characters caught in the bury zone of snow and ice avalanches are subject to hypothermia as if they had been immersed in cold water.
Cold Dangers
For game purposes, air temperature falls into one of the following nine temperature bands. These ranges describe the conditions whether or not creatures are subject to cold dangers or heat dangers, replacing the ranges described on page 302 of the Dungeon Master's Guide.
| Temperature Bands | |
|---|---|
| Temperature Band | Range |
| Extreme heat | 140°F or more |
| Severe heat | 110°F to 140°F |
| Hot | 90°F to 110°F |
| Warm | 60°F to 90°F |
| Moderate | 40°F to 60°F |
| Cold | 40°F to 0°F |
| Severe cold | -20°F to 0°F |
| Extreme cold | -50°F to -20°F |
| Unearthly cold | -50°F or less |
Temperatures in the cold band or lower can be hazardous to unprepared characters. A character who has the Survival skill may receive a bonus on his saving throws against cold and exposure damage, and may be able to apply this bonus to other characters as well. See Survival skill.
The levels of protection described here refer to a character's protective measures against cold (see Protection Against Cold, below).
Cold: Unprotected characters must make a Fortitude save each hour (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage.
Characters whose protection against cold is at least level 1 or higher (cold weather outfit, Cold Endurance feat) are safe at this temperature range.
Severe Cold: Unprotected characters must make a Fortitude save every 10 minutes (DC 15, +1 per previous check), taking 1d6 points of nonlethal damage on each failed save. A partially protected character need only check once per hour.
For complete protection against severe cold, a character must have a level of protection of 2 or higher (for example, wearing a cold weather outfit and fur clothing). A character whose level of protection is only 1 is considered partially protected.
Extreme Cold: Unprotected characters take 1d6 points of cold damage per 10 minutes (no save). In addition, an unprotected character must make a Fortitude save (DC 15, +1 per previous check) or take 1d4 points of nonlethal damage. Those wearing metal armor or coming into contact with very cold metal are affected as if by a chill metal spell. A partially protected character takes damage and makes saving throws once per hour instead of once per 10 minutes.
A character must have a level of protection of 3 or higher to be protected against extreme cold. level 2 is considered partial protection; level 1 is considered unprotected.
Unearthly Cold: Unprotected characters take 1d6 points of cold damage and 1d4 points of nonlethal damage per minute (no save). Partially protected characters take damage once per 10 minutes instead of once per minute.
For complete protection against the effects of unearthly cold, a character must have a level of protection of 4 or higher. Level 2 or 3 is considered partial protection, and level 1 is no protection at all.
Temperature Variations
Temperatures vary significantly with an increase in elevation or the onset of night. A character might require no special precautions during day or at low elevations, but with nightfall or high altitude otherwise tolerable conditions may become dangerously cold.
Altitude: Temperatures drop by one band in low peak or high pass elevations (5,000 feet to 15,000 feet) and two bands in high peak elevations (15,000 feet or more). For example, a day that is otherwise moderate temperature at low elevation is cold at medium elevation and severe cold at high elevation.
Nightfall: In many areas, temperatures usually drop one band after the sun goes down. In exceptionally arid areas, the drop may be even more pronounced, reducing the temperature by two steps.
Wind Chill: A strong wind does not actually lower the air temperature, but it increases the rate at which characters lose heat, and therefore appears to decrease the temperature. Winds that are strong or greater in strength (see Wind Effects) reduce the effective temperature band by one step.
Protection Against Cold
Few people venture into the frostfell without some form of protection against cold. By far the most common means of protection is dressing appropriately in cold weather clothing or heavy furs. Characters with access to magical protection often rely on spells or magic items to further improve their ability to survive cold climates.
A character's protection against cold dangers is described by his level of protection, which ranges from 0 to 5 or more. levels of protection are described below. To determine your protective level, begin with your base protective level, and then add any of the equipment modifiers that apply.
Protection against cold does not confer any resistance to cold - a character dressed in cold weather clothing with an endure elements spell still takes damage normally from a cone of cold spell or a white dragon's breath. However, equipment that provides a bonus on saving throws against cold dangers contributes its bonus whether it is complete, partial, or ineffective protection. For example, even though a cold weather outfit is not sufficient to offer even partial protection against extreme cold, a character in a cold weather outfit still adds the item's +5 circumstance bonus on his saves against the nonlethal damage of the extreme cold environment.
| Base Level of Protection | |
|---|---|
| 0 | Character or creature with no cold adaptations |
| 1 | Cold Endurance feat Nonarctic animal with fur Monsters native to cold terrain |
| 2 | Cold-tolerant character (glacier dwarf or neanderthal) Arctic animal with fur Monsters native to frostfell terrain |
| 3 | Endure elements spell or effect Resistance to cold 5 or more |
Cold Endurance Feat: Creatures or characters with the Cold Endurance feat.
Nonarctic Animal with Fur: Animals native to temperate or cold climates that have heavy fur coats (badgers, bears, wolves, and other such creatures).
Monsters Native to Cold Terrain: Creatures whose Environment entry includes a cold terrain.
Arctic Animal with Fur: Animals with special adaptation to cold environments (polar bears, seals, arctic foxes, and other such animals).
Monsters Native to Frostfell Terrain: Monsters that are normally found in regions of extreme cold belong in this group. Sample List:
- Bear, Brown
- Bear, Polar
- Bison
- Caribou
- Dog
- Dog, Riding
- Fox, Arctic
- Octopus, Giant
- Otter, Sea
- Owl
- Penguin
- Porpoise
- Rat
- Raven
- Seal
- Shark
- Squid
- Squid, Giant
- Tiger
- Walrus
- Weasel
- Wolf
- Wolverine
Endure Elements: Characters currently protected by an endure elements spell or similar effect.
Resistance to Cold: A character with a spell or effect granting cold resistance applies his resistance to both lethal and nonlethal damage from cold temperatures. For example, a creature with resistance to cold 5 subtracts 5 points from the 1d6 points of cold damage dealt per 10 minutes by extreme cold (and therefore might take 1 point of cold damage, if a 6 is rolled) and 5 points from the 1d4 points of nonlethal damage dealt. Since the character never takes any nonlethal damage from the cold, he will not suffer hypothermia or frostbite (see below).
| Equipment Modifier | |
|---|---|
| 0 | No special clothing |
| +1 | Armor insulation Cold weather outfit Fur clothing |
| +2 | Cold weather outfit + fur clothing Armor insulation + fur clothing |
| +3 | Improvised shelter |
Armor Insulation: This special alchemical item is described Alchemical Items.
Cold Weather Outfit: A cold weather outfit includes a wool coat, linen shirt, wool cap, heavy cloak, thick pants or skirt, and boots. This outfit grants a +5 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saving throws against exposure to cold weather.
Fur Clothing: Heavy furs are very good at protection against cold (see Frostfell Gear). Fur clothing can be worn over a cold weather outfit or armor insulation in order to provide protection against even more severe weather.
Improvised Shelter: Characters or creatures that are not attempting to travel, but instead stop and seek shelter in a snow cave, den, or similar shelter, can gain a bonus to their level of protection.
Example: A neanderthal hunter wearing fur clothing has a protective level of 3 (2 for his race, +1 for his equipment). He can survive conditions of extreme cold indefinitely without harm.
Frostbite
Frostbitten extremities become numb and pale as the supply of blood decreases due to cold temperatures. As stated in Environment, a character who takes any nonlethal damage from cold or exposure is beset by frostbite and suffers a -2 penalty to his Dexterity score.
Touching metal with bare skin can cause the moisture on your skin to freeze to the metal. When you pull away, you may leave a layer of skin behind.
Treating Frostbite
A successful DC 15 Heal check can cure frostbite, eliminating the fatigue. The DC is modified by the conditions listed in the table below.
| Condition | Heal DC Modifier |
|---|---|
| Cold environment | +3 |
| Immersion in warm water | -5 |
| Dry heat from flame | -2* |
| *Healing frostbite using dry heat causes the victim to take 1d4 points of fire damage. | |
Hypothermia
In any situation in which freezing temperatures are present, hypothermia is a potentially lethal risk. Hypothermia is a condition that results from the lowering of the body's core temperature (whether caused quickly by immersion in freezing waters or over a long period of time by exposure to cold temperatures) and is marked by pale skin, rigid muscles, and loss of consciousness. The three stages of hypothermia are mild, moderate, and severe.
As stated in Environment, a character who takes any nonlethal damage from cold or exposure is beset by mild hypothermia and therefore treated as fatigued. Immersion in chilled waters calls for an immediate check to resist the effects of cold or exposure and increases the DC of all Fortitude saves to avoid taking damage from cold or resisting cold-based spells and effects by 10 until the character and his clothes become dry.
Once a character succumbs to mild hypothermia, he becomes susceptible to moderate and severe levels of hypothermia. Any character with mild hypothermia who fails a Fortitude save to avoid the effects of cold or exposure is beset by moderate hypothermia and is treated as exhausted. Any character with moderate hypothermia who fails a Fortitude save to avoid the effects of cold or exposure is beset by severe hypothermia and is treated as disabled.
Treating Hypothermia
A successful DC 15 Heal check can lower the level of hypothermia of the victim by one level (severe to moderate, moderate to mild, mild to none). The DC is modified by the conditions listed in the table below.
| Condition | Heal DC Modifier |
|---|---|
| Wet clothing | +2 |
| Cold environment | +3 |
| Heat from fire | -5 |
| Body contact | -1 |
Freezing and Thawing
Cold temperatures can freeze water, whether in pools, lakes, and oceans, or within living beings. In any case, the effects of freezing or thawing can prove dangerous or even disastrous.
Bodies of Water
Natural or magical cold can instantly freeze water. Likewise, natural flames and magical fire from spells and magic items can instantly thaw ice, potentially resulting in a flash flood.
Frozen lakes and Rivers: A few inches of ice can turn a lake or river into a highway in cold weather, but ice that is too thin for a traveler's weight is very dangerous.
| Breaking Through Ice | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Thickness | Small | Medium | Large | Huge |
| Up to 1 inch | At risk | Break | Break | Break |
| 2-3 inches | Safe | At risk | Break | Break |
| 4-6 inches | Safe | Safe | At risk | Break |
| 7-23 inches | Safe | Safe | Safe | At risk |
| 24+ inches | Safe | Safe | Safe | Safe |
The size categories refer to creature size, or objects of an appropriate weight (60 pounds or less for Small, 500 pounds or less for Medium, 4,000 pounds or less for large, and 16 tons or less for Huge).
Safe: The creature is not at risk of breaking through the ice.
At Risk: Creatures who charge, run, jump, or fall on the ice may cause a break (50% chance per round of such activity).
Break: The ice cannot bear the creature's weight, and breaks beneath it.
If a creature causes a break in ice, the ice collapses in a circle whose radius is 5 feet larger than the space taken up by the creature causing the break.
Thawing Ice: One cubic foot of ice can be converted to water for every 10 points of fire damage dealt to it. For example, a fireball cast by a 10th-level wizard deals 35 points of fire damage to an area of ice. As a result of this sudden explosion of fire and heat, 3-1/2 cubic feet of ice instantly turns into frigid water.
A flash-flood can suddenly raise the water level of an area. Water washes through squares, traveling at a speed of 40 feet unless impeded by slopes or solid barriers. Ice melted in confined areas can result in a water level of several feet or more. Depending on the amount of water, characters maybe forced to make Swim checks to tread water or move. For information on the effects of water, large floods, and underwater combat, see Aquatic Terrain.
Creatures
Characters who become frozen because of a spell (flesh to ice) or monster ability (the frozen stare of a chilblain) are kept in a state of suspended animation, but are otherwise unharmed. However, any damage done to the new ice form is applied to the character's body when he or she is returned to normal condition. Shattering a frozen creature instantly slays it, requiring a resurrection spell to bring the victim back to life. Natural or magical fire does not thaw out frozen characters. Only an ice to flesh spell can return a frozen creature to its normal state.
Getting Lost
Adventurers may become lost when traversing various sorts of terrain. Snowstorms, whiteout conditions, and barren ice tundra can easily disorient characters. Refer to Wilderness for more information regarding chances and effects of becoming lost as well as regaining your bearings.
| Survival Check To Avoid Getting Lost | |
|---|---|
| Terrain/Condition | Survival DC |
| Mountains | 12 |
| Everfrost | 13 |
| Frostfell marsh | 13 |
| Ice field | 15 |
| Iceberg | 15 |
| Snow and ice cavern complex | 15 |
| Snowfield | 15 |
| Taiga forest | 15 |
| Tundra | 16 |
| Frozen sea | 17 |
| Glacier | 20 |
| Map | -6 |
| Precipitation (snow) | +2 |
| Snowstorm | +4 |
| Blizzard | +6 |
| White-out conditions | +10 |
Light
While most regions of frostfell adhere to the normal laws of daily illumination, polar regions and other rare areas, including certain planes of existence, can lie under a blanket of night or day for months at a time.
Eternal Twilight: During the polar winter, the sun never appears above the horizon. This period of continual darkness can last from three to six months. Ar all times, characters without darkvision require a light source to see by.
Everlasting Day: During the polar summer the sun never sinks below the horizon, providing natural light for the entire 24-hour period. This period of continual sunlight can last from three to six months.
Aurora Polaris: This mesmerizing, dynamic display of light appears on cold, clear nights (or any time during periods of Eternal Twilight). An aurora lasts for 1d6 hours and can appear in many different forms: streaks, haloes, pale curtains, pillars, or wisps of vibrating color that continually sway and undulate. Auroral displays most commonly are pink and pale green, but also feature shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet. An aurora polaris provides an amount of illumination equivalent to moonlight, but does not significantly increase the amount of light if more than one-quarter of the moon is visible.
An aurora polaris toils with incredible electrical energy. It is quite high in the air, dancing 1d4+5 miles above the surface. Any character within an aurora polaris field takes 20d6 points of electricity damage per round (Fortitude DC 20 half).
Some cultures of the frostfell believe the aurora polaris is a field of energy that contains the souls of their unborn children and their long-departed ancestors. Other civilizations, such as the Asgardians, see the aurora polaris as the reflection of slain warriors still valiantly battling in the afterlife.
Snow Blindness
Snow blindness results from the sun's burning of eye tissues, making the eyes dry, swelled, irritated, and extremely sensitive to light. Snow blindness can occur when a traveler spends at least an hour on a snowfield, ice sheet, glacier, or similar bright terrain on a clear, sunny day without any eye protection (such as a veil, dark lenses, or similar eye covering). Characters traveling in such conditions must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10, +1 per previous attempt) once per hour or become snowblind.
Characters afflicted with snow blindness take a -2 penalty to AC, lose any Dexterity bonus to AC, move at half speed, and take a -4 penalty on most Dexterity-based skill checks, as well as Search, Spot, and any other checks that rely on vision. All opponents are considered to have concealment (20% miss chance) from the snow-blinded character.
Snow blindness lasts 1d4 hours or until 1 hour after the victim enters a shadowed or enclosed area, and it can be cured by a remove blindness spell.
Terrain Dangers
Even without the threats of cold damage, frostbite, or getting lost in trackless wilderness, frostfell terrain can be deadly.
Crevasse
Crevasses are chasms or cracks in a field of snow or ice, such as a mountain snow field or a glacier surface. They function much like pits or chasms in a dungeon setting. A typical crevasse is 2d4x10 feet deep, 4d12x10 feet long, and anywhere from 5 to 40 feet wide.
A deceptive crust of snow may completely hide the existence of a dangerous crevasse underneath (25% chance). This crust is too weak to support any creature larger than Tiny. Many explorers have lost their lives in undetected crevasses. A character approaching a hidden crevasse at a normal pace is entitled to a DC 10 Survival check to spot the danger before stepping in, but charging or running characters don't have a chance to detect the crevasse before falling in. A character falling into a crevasse may attempt a DC 20 Reflex save to catch himself on the edge, in which case he falls prone in a square at the edge of the crevasse.
Crevasses can be climbed (up or down) with a DC 18 Climb check.
Quick slush
A character approaching an area of quickslush at a normal pace is entitled to a DC 10 Survival check to spot the danger before stepping in, but charging or running characters don't have a chance to detect the quickslush before blundering in. A typical area of quickslush is 30 feet in diameter; the momentum of a charging or running character carries him or her 1d2x5 feet into the quickslush.
Effects of Quickslush: Characters in quickslush must make a DC 12 Swim check every round to simply tread water in place, or a DC 17 Swim check to move 5 feet in whatever direction is desired. If a trapped character fails this check by 5 or more, he sinks below the surface and begins to drown whenever he can no longer hold his breath (see the Swim skill description, and Drowning).
Characters swimming or submerged in quickslush are susceptible to the effects of hypothermia (see page 10). Characters below the surface of the quickslush may swim back to the surface with a successful Swim check (DC 17, +1 per consecutive round of being under the surface).
Rescue: Pulling our a character trapped in quickslush can be difficult. A rescuer needs to use a sturdy item that can reach the victim. Then he must make a DC 17 Strength check to successfully pull the victim, and the victim must make a DC 10 Strength check to hold onto the item. If the victim fails to hold on, he must make a DC 17 Swim check immediately to stay above the surface. If both checks succeed, the victim is pulled 5 feet closer to safety.
Snow Fields
Fields of deep snow can impede the movement of creatures who must be in contact with the ground to move. Most creatures do not automatically sink all the way through a deep snow cover. Sometimes a hard, icy crust prevents a creature's feet from sinking into the snow at all. In other cases, layers of old snow a few inches or feet below the loose surface on top may be icy enough to prevent travelers from breaking through.
The table below indicates the degree of impediment caused by various depths of loose, uncrusted snow. The "Small" category includes Small and smaller creatures, while the "Large" category includes large and larger creatures.
| Snow-impeded Movement | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| -Creature Size- | |||
| Snow Depth | Small | Medium | Large |
| Up to 6 inches | Minor | None | None |
| 7-12 inches | Minor | Minor | None |
| 13-24 inches | Major | Minor | Minor |
| 25-36 inches | Major | Major | Minor |
| 37-60 inches | Total | Major | Major |
| 61+ inches | Total | Total | Major |
None: The snow does not cause any significant impediment to the creature's movement.
Minor: The creature must pay 2 squares of movement to enter each square of the snowfield. The DC of Tumble checks increases by 2.
Major: The creature must pay 4 squares of movement to enter each square of the snowfield. The DC of Tumble checks increases by 8.
Total: The creature cannot move unless it succeeds on a DC 5 Strength or Balance check (creature's choice). Moving a creature's speed requires a full-round action. The creature must pay 4 squares of movement to enter each square of the snowfield. The DC of Tumble checks increases by 20, and the creature loses its Dexterity adjustment to Armor Class while totally impeded.
Weather
After dealing with cold temperatures, possibly the most frequent hazard characters will have to confront in frostfell environments is the weather.
For additional information, see Weather.
| Random Weather | |
|---|---|
| d% | Weather |
| 01-70 | Cold, calm |
| 71-80 | Heat wave (01-30) or cold snap (31-100) |
| 81-90 | Precipitation (snow and sleet) |
| 91-99 | Snowstorm |
| 100 | Blizzard |
Cold, Calm: Between 0° and 40° F during the day, dropping by one or two temperature bands at night (see Cold Dangers). Wind speeds are light (0 to 10 mph).
Cold Snap: lowers temperature by -10° F.
Heat Wave: Raises temperature by +10° F.
Precipitation: Snow and sleet occur when the temperature is 30° F or lower. If the temperature is above 30° F, roll d100 to determine whether the precipitation is fog (01-30), rain (31-90), or hail (91-100). Most precipitation lasts for 2d4 hours. By contrast, hail lasts for only 1d20 minutes but usually accompanies 1d4 hours of rain.
Snowstorm: Wind speeds are severe (30 to 50 mph), causing whiteout conditions (see below) in snow field terrain. Storms last for 2d4-1 hours and leave 1d6 inches of snow on the ground afterward.
Blizzard: Wind speeds are over 50 mph, causing whiteout conditions (see below). Blizzards are accompanied by heavy snow (1d4 feet per day), and last for 1d3 days.
Rain, Snow, Sleet, and Hail
Bad weather frequently slows or halts travel and makes it virtually impossible to navigate from one spot to another. Heavy storms obscure vision as effectively as a dense fog, making travel in the frostfell during a blizzard a task few, if any, are willing to undertake.
Rain: Rain reduces visibility ranges by half, resulting in a -4 penalty on Spot and Search checks. It has the same effect on flames, ranged weapon attacks, and listen checks as severe wind (see Wind Effects).
Snow: Falling snow has the same effects on visibility, ranged weapon attacks, and skill checks as rain. A day of snowfall leaves 1d6 inches of snow on the ground.
Heavy Snow: Heavy snow has the same effects as normal snowfall, but also obscures vision depending on the wind. In non-blizzard conditions, heavy snow obscures sight as fog does (see Fog, below). When accompanied by a strong or stronger wind force, whiteout conditions apply (see Whiteout, below). A day of heavy snow leaves 1d4 feet of snow on the ground. Heavy snow accompanied by strong or severe winds may result in snowdrifts 1d4x5 feet deep, especially in and around objects big enough to deflect the wind - a cabin or a large tent, for instance. There is a 10% chance that a heavy snowfall is accompanied by lightning (see Thunderstorm).
Snow has the same effect on flames as moderate wind.
Sleet: Essentially frozen rain, sleet has the same effect as rain while falling (except that its chance to extinguish protected flames is 75%), and it costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square covered in sleet.
Hail: Hail does not reduce visibility, but the sound of falling hail makes listen checks more difficult (-4 penalty). Sometimes (5% chance) hail can become large enough to deal 1 point of lethal damage (per storm) to anything in the open. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a hail-covered square.
Fog
Whether in the form of a low-lying cloud or a mist rising from the ground, fog obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment (attacks by or against them have a 20% miss chance).
Whiteout
Whiteout conditions occur in snowstorms or blizzards accompanied by a strong or stronger wind force. However, it doesn't have to be precipitating to create whiteout conditions. Snow fields buffeted by severe or stronger winds can also cause creatures to experience a whiteout.
Characters in whiteout conditions take a -2 penalty to AC, lose any Dexterity bonus to AC, move at half speed, and take a -4 penalty on Dexterity-based skill checks, as well as Search, Spot, and any other checks that rely on vision. The character also gains total concealment (50% miss chance). These effects end when the character leaves the area of whiteout. Whiteout conditions stack with wind and snowfall. Visibility is 5 feet.
Supernatural Perils Of The Frostfell
Many frostfell environs are created through sinister magic or the whims of evil deities. In these regions, magical curses and supernatural effects add to the formidable natural hazards found in any frostfell. Travelers venturing into such a wasteland must rely on protective magic and thorough preparation to survive the malice of the winter.
Dire Weather
The section on weather, above, provides information on storms of natural sleet, hail, snow, and ice (including blizzards). Given the magical and supernatural elements of frostfell regions, you may wish to substitute other forms of precipitation. These alternate forms of sleet, hail, snow, and ice have the same effects as their natural counterparts, along with the additional effects listed in the entry below.
Avoiding Dire Weather: In general, characters in an area about to be struck by dire weather are entitled to a DC 20 Survival check to detect the approaching danger 1 minute before it strikes. This may not be enough time to get out of the storm's path, but may provide an opportunity to seek shelter or make other preparations.
Acid Sleet
A squall of this corrosive sleet lasts for 1d6 rounds, and deals 1d6 points of acid damage per round of exposure. Acid sleetfalls usually leave patches of acid slush (see Magical Terrain).
Blood Snow Blizzard
Fortunately, a poisonous blood snow blizzard only manifests as a brief flurry during the course of otherwise normal snowfalls, lasting for 2d8 rounds before ending. A blood snow blizzard normally leaves a dusting of blood snow behind. Each round a creature is caught in a blood snow blizzard, it takes 1d2 points of Constitution damage if it fails a Fortitude save (DC 10+ 1 for each round of continuous exposure). Any creature failing its save is also nauseated for 1 hour.
Death Hail
This black hail is filled with negative energy. In short exposures it is not immediately dangerous, but if a character is exposed for at least 10 minutes, he must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or take 1d2 points of Strength and Constitution damage. For every additional 10 minutes the character is exposed to continuous death hail, he must make an additional save. A typical death hail storm lasts for 1d6x10 minutes.
Howl of the North
At certain times, a moaning wind can be heard sweeping across everfrost, the tundra, glaciers, or polar regions. Some believe this to be a collection of the agonized wails of all those who have died from cold exposure, avalanches, or other hazards of the frostfell. More scientific minds believe it to be the sound of the wind shearing off snow and ice. Whatever the cause, the Howl of the North can prove destructive and even deadly to those who encounter it.
In addition to the wind effects (see Wind Effects), the Howl of the North causes the additional effects listed in the table below. A typical occurrence of the Howl of the North lasts for 4d4 rounds.
The penalties on listen checks supersede those normally imposed by a particular level of wind force.
| Howl Of The North Effects | |
|---|---|
| Wind Force | Effect |
| Light | - |
| Moderate | -4 penalty on Listen checks |
| Strong | -8 penalty on Listen checks |
| Severe | -12 penalty on Listen checks; 1d6 sonic damage/round (Fort DC 10 half) |
| Windstorm | Listen checks are impossible; 2d6 sonic damage/round (Fort DC 14 half) |
| Hurricane | Listen checks are impossible; 3d6 sonic damage/round (Fort DC 18 half) |
| Tornado | Listen checks are impossible; 4d6 sonic damage/round (Fort DC 22 half) |
Negation Flurry
Silvery and beautiful, negation snow is the bane of adventurers in the frostfell. A flurry of negation snow typically occurs in the middle of an otherwise mundane snowfall. There is a 10% chance per minute that a character within a negation flurry will be subject to a targeted dispel magic spell (caster level 10th). A negation flurry normally lasts 1d10 minutes, and may leave behind deposits of negation snow.
Razor Sleet
This storm of supernaturally strong and sharp snowflakes tears the skin of creatures caught in it, dealing 1d4 points of slashing damage and 1d6 points of cold damage per round. Normally, razor sleet occurs as a short flurry or downpour in the course of an otherwise normal snowstorm or icestorm. A squall of razor sleet lasts for 1d8 rounds, and often deposits razor ice.
Rust Flurry
Resembling flurries of dirty, gray-black ash, rust flurries are dreaded by travelers. There is a 10% chance per minute of exposure to a rust flurry that all metal items worn or carried in a storm of rustsnow will be subject to its destructive effects. Nonmagical metal items are instantly dissolved, and magical items must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be instantly destroyed. A rust flurry normally lasts for 1d6 minutes, and leaves behind deposits of rustsnow.
Disease
When a character in a frostfell environment touches a corrupted object or a diseased creature or ingests contaminated food or drink, he may contract one of the following diseases. See Special Abilities for explanations of the infection, DC, incubation, and damage of other entries in the table below.
Disease Descriptions
The following diseases are known to occur in the frostfell.
Cabin Fever: Causes delusions and desperate need to spend time in open wilderness areas. Cabin fever is contracted by prolonged confinement in enclosed spaces surrounded by a frostfell environment. A character must make a Fortitude save each 24-hour period within such a location to resist the onset of cabin fever.
Coldfire Ruin: Caused by exposure to coldfire; any character coming within 10 feet of coldfire becomes susceptible to contracting coldfire ruin. Victim turns into pure coldfire from the inside out. Can cause permanent ability drain.
Creeping Frost: The skin turns into frost, causing shivering and rigidity.
Winter Rot: Muscles shrink and atrophy. It takes three, not two, successful saves to recover from winter rot.
| Frostfell Diseases | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disease | Infection | DC | Incubation | Damage |
| Cabin fever | Confinement* | 12 | 1 day | 1d4 Wis |
| Coldfire ruin | Exposure* | 20 | 1 day | 1d8 Con |
| Creeping frost | Injury | 16 | 1 day | 1d4 Dex |
| Winter rot | Contact | 14 | 1d3 days | 1d6 Str |
| *See individual entry for more information. | ||||
Magical Terrain
A manifestation of the powerful supernatural forces contained with some of the more dangerous areas of frostfell, magical terrain represents a place where the very earth is infused with the deadly power of the frost. Some magical terrain is noticeably different at a glance - even the most inexperienced traveler can't help but notice the crimson hue of blood snow, or the ominous dark gleam of ebony ice. Other forms of magical terrain resemble natural terrain and can only be spotted by someone who knows exactly what to watch out for.
Avoiding Magical Terrain: In general, a character approaching an area of magical terrain at a normal pace is entitled to a Survival check to notice the danger before entering the area. The DC of this check varies with the particular terrain; blood snow and ebony ice are easy to spot, others are more subtle.
Charging or running characters, or characters whose rate of movement exceeds the current visibility, don't have a chance to detect the threat before blundering in. Usually a character who enters dangerous terrain without noticing the terrain completes his intended movement before becoming aware of the peril.
Acid Slush
Found most often in cursed frostfell bogs and marshes, acid slush is most dangerous in cold or moderate temperatures - if the temperature is severe cold or colder, it freezes solid and loses its potency until the weather warms again. Acid slush has a faint green hue, making it difficult to notice except in good light.
Spotting an acid slush bog before entering it requires a DC 20 Survival check. If the moving creature succeeds on a DC 10 Survival check but not a DC 20 check, he notices that the square is filled with slush but does not identify it as acid slush.
Acid slush deals 1d6 points of acid damage per round of exposure, or 6d6 points of acid damage with total immersion. Most acid slush is about 1 foot in depth. It costs 2 squares of movement to move into a square with acid slush, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks in such a square increase by 2. Acid slush imposes a -4 penalty on Move Silently checks. In addition to its acidic properties, acid slush is freezing cold, and characters entering an acid slush bog are susceptible to hypothermia.
Blood Snow
Thankfully rare, blood snow is found atop glaciers created with evil magic or on open snow fields scoured by cursed winds. It is deadly poisonous; any creature coming into contact with blood snow (usually by moving into a square containing blood snow) must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10+ 1 for each round of continuous contact) each round or take 1d2 points of Constitution damage and be nauseated for 1 hour. Blood snow impedes movement as does normal snow (see Snow-Impeded Movement).
Blood snow consists of a streaky dusting of brilliant crimson crystals mixed in normal snow. Creatures who can distinguish color (any sighted creature in daylight, and creatures with low-light vision in darkness) need not make any check to notice blood snow. Otherwise, spotting blood snow requires a DC 20 Survival check.
Blood snow retains its potency for only 1d4 days after it falls, and cannot be preserved.
Ebony Ice
Unhallowed glaciers and unholy places in the great ice fields of the north sometimes include expanses of ebony ice, jet- black sheets that gleam with dark energy. like any other ice sheet, ebony ice is difficult to move on. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square covered by ebony ice, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5. A DC 10 Balance check is required to run or charge across ebony ice.
In addition, ebony ice is suffused with negative energy. Undead creatures in an area of ebony ice gain a +2 profane bonus on attack rolls and saves and a +4 profane bonus to turn resistance.
Any sighted creature notices ebony ice automatically, provided they can see in the current conditions. Spotting ebony ice requires a DC 15 Survival check.
Faerie Frost
Perhaps the most perilous of the frostfell's magical dangers, faerie frost resembles an ice sheet with a faint rosy hue. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square covered by faerie frost, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5. A DC 10 Balance check is required to run or charge across faerie frost.
Creatures who remain in a region of faerie frost for 1 minute or more become subject to its deadly hallucinatory curse, and must succeed on a DC 18 Will save or become dazed. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. Creatures that succeed on this save are immune to the effect of that parch of faerie frost for 24 hours.
Dazed creatures remain so indefinitely, but are entitled to a new Will save once per hour to break free of the faerie frost's effects. While under the curse's effect, ensnared characters experience euphoric delusions of warm temperatures and inviting flowery meadows. These characters often sit or lie down on the ice. They remain subject to the normal effects of cold or other existing conditions, remaining completely oblivious as they slowly freeze to death.
Characters who remain in a patch of faerie frost for 24 hours must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or turn to ice (as the spell flesh to ice). If a character succeeds on this save, he must make a new Fortitude save once per additional hour (DC 18, + 1 per previous attempt).
Spotting faerie frost requires a DC 20 Survival check.
Lightning Pillars
Spectacular and deadly, a lightning pillar is a towering column of brilliant blue-green ice (2d4x10 feet high and 4d4 feet thick) found in an otherwise normal ice sheet.
These pillars are composed of magical ice. When a living creature of Small or larger size comes within 40 feet of a lightning pillar, a bolt of lightning explodes from top of the ice column, targeting a random character in range. This effect functions as a lightning bolt spell cast by an 8th-level sorcerer (Reflex DC 14 half). After unleashing a lightning bolt, a pillar must then recharge for 24 hours before it generates enough electrical charge to unleash another bolt.
Spotting a lightning pillar is easy. However, recognizing that the pillar poses a threat requires a DC 25 Survival check. Of course, once a character has witnessed a lightning pillar's effects, he is quite familiar with its danger.
Negation Snow
Negation snow appears much as normal snow, but it has a noticeable silvery or metallic sheen. It impedes movement as does normal snow (see Snow-Impeded Movement). There is a 10% chance that a character entering a square of negation snow will be subject to a targeted dispel magic effect (caster level 10th). Entering multiple squares requires a character to make multiple checks.
Spotting negation snow requires a DC 20 Survival check.
Razor Ice
Although it resembles normal snow, razor ice is composed of supernaturally strong and sharp snowflakes that shred the skin of those who pass through it, dealing 1d4 points of slashing damage and 1d6 points of cold damage for each square entered. Razor ice also impedes movement (see Snow-Impeded Movement).
Sporting razor snow requires a DC 20 Survival check.
Rustsnow
Infused with an elemental power to destroy metal objects, rustsnow is a dark grayish-black powder that sometimes falls alongside normal snowfall in frostfell areas. Rustsnow impedes movement as normal snow (see Snow- Impeded Movement). In addition, each metal item carried or worn into a square of rustsnow has a 10% chance of being subject to a magical rust effect. Nonmagical metal items are automatically affected; magical metal items are entitled to a DC 12 Fortitude save to resist the effect.
Spotting rustsnow requires a DC 5 Survival check.
Snow Geyser
More often found on extraplanar frostfell areas than on the Material Plane, snow geysers are hidden vortices of cold energy that can spontaneously erupt, damaging anyone nearby. A snow geyser eruption deals 4d6 points of bludgeoning damage plus 2d6 points of cold damage to any character within 10 feet (Reflex DC 15 half). There is a 10% chance per round that a geyser erupts.
Spotting a snow geyser requires a DC 15 Survival check.
Poison
The poisons described below can be found in the frostfell or in any other region, although they originate in frostfell areas or creatures. For more information on poison, see Poison.
| Poisons | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poison | Type | Initial Damage | Secondary Damage | Price | Trap CR Modifier |
| Ice toad bile | Contact DC 12 | 1d4 Str | Unconscious for 1d4 hours | 250 gp | +4 |
| Snow spider blood | Contact DC 13 | Paralysis | 0 | 750 gp | +1 |
| Snowflake lichen powder | Inhaled DC 11 | 1 Str | 1 Dex | 75 gp | +2 |
| White pudding essence | Inhaled DC 13 | 1d2 Wis | 1d2 Wis + 1d2 Int | 500 gp | +4 |
| Icegaunt dust | Inhaled DC 14 | 1d6 Con | 2d4 Con + 2d4 Dex | 1,500 gp | +6 |
| Chilblain brain juice | Injury DC 12 | 1 Dex | 1d4 Dex | 110 gp | +2 |
| Woolly mammoth eye juice | Injury DC 14 | 1d2 Str + 1d2 Dex | 1d4 Str | 140 gp | +4 |
| Yeti oil | Injury DC 15 | 1d4 Dex | 1d4 Dex | 100 gp | +2 |
Snowflake Lichen (CR 3)
Snowflake lichen is a magical plant that resembles snow and is commonly found on rocky surfaces. Its slow-acting drain of heat numbs the fingers and feet of those passing over irs terrain, causing climbers to slip and fall, and sometimes causing mounts or wanderers to freeze and die in large areas of snowflake lichen, creating "snowflake graveyards" where dozens or hundreds of sets of bones attract scavengers. In midwinter, these can resemble a medusa's garden of frozen statues, complete with frozen crows and frozen wolves.
Snowflake lichen resembles a snowy cap of white or gray-white powder in the areas where it grows. This makes it easy to spot in arctic summers, when it is sometimes surrounded by a "dead zone" of brown and frozen plants, then a ring of green and growing tundra plants and grasses. It is much more difficult to spot in midwinter, when it is covered in snow or appears like the usual icy terrain.
Snowflake lichen leeches heat from creatures nearby. Any creatures within 10 feet of the plant take 1d6 points of cold damage per round.
Walking on or climbing over snowflake lichen (rather than just walking near it) is more deadly. In addition to the cold damage already described, touching snowflake lichen causes Dexterity damage as feet and fingers freeze, then limbs, and finally the whole body (creating rich fertilizer in the spring). Each round a creature remains in a square with snowflake lichen, he or she must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or take 1 point of Dexterity damage. Creatures with booted feet or gloved hands are entitled to a +2 circumstance bonus on the save.
Supernatural Manifestations
In the realms of eternal ice, simple cold can take on many highly magical properties such as coldfire, frostburn, or rimefire. Many spells and special abilities of frostfell classes and monsters deal with these supernatural manifestations of elemental cold infusing the frostfell.
Coldfire
Coldfire is a swirling, viscous fluid of pure cold energy, a half-gas, half-liquid mixture that flows like a river, but can travel in any direction, regardless of gravity. It is a luminescent blue-green in color.
Coldfire originates in the most frigid reaches of the Elemental Planes of Air and Water, but on rare occasions may be encountered in other areas of the frostfell. It is most often sought out by characters for its use in certain frostfell spells.
Coldfire deals 2d6 points of frostburn damage per round of exposure, except in the case of total immersion (such as when a character falls into a river of coldfire), which deals 20d6 points of damage per round.
Damage from coldfire continues for 1d2 rounds after exposure ceases, but this additional damage is only half of that dealt during actual contact (this is, 1d6 or 10d6 points of frostburn damage per round).
An immunity or resistance to cold serves as an immunity or resistance to coldfire. However, a creature immune to cold might still drown if completely immersed in coldfire (see Drowning).
Creatures vulnerable to cold take +50% damage from coldfire.
In addition, characters damaged by coldfire are at risk of contracting coldfire ruin.
Frostburn
In addition to coldfire, certain weapons and spells of ice and cold can deal frostburn damage, burning the tissues with extreme cold. like normal damage, frostburn damage results in the loss of hit points or ability score points. Unlike normal damage, however, frostburn damage does not heal naturally and may only be healed magically with a successful DC 25 caster level check as long as the victim remains in cold or colder temperatures. If the victim reaches an area of moderate or warmer temperature, his frostburn damage becomes normal damage that can then be healed naturally or magically in the usual manner. Spells such as control temperature become invaluable when encountering creatures that can deal frostburn damage.
A creature's resistance or immunity to cold also applies to frostburn damage. This includes characters protected by spells such as resist energy [cold] and protection from energy [cold]. Endure elements spells and effects confer no protection against frostburn damage.
Creatures vulnerable to cold take +50% damage from frostburn.
Rimefire
Few indeed know the secret of the weird polar radiance known as rimefire. Wielded by the mysterious rimefire eidolons and their mortal servants, the rimefire witches, rimefire is a strange and perilous form of energy. It resembles a normal fire - a leaping, guttering, intangible flame - but it is brilliant white in color, and sheds a cold, pale light. Rimefire is not usually found in any sort of natural or supernatural occurrence other than as a spell or special attack. It is considered an energy form, like acid, cold, or electricity. However, rimefire deals half its damage as cold damage and half its damage as fire damage. For example, if a rimefire witch hurled her rimefire bolt at a foe and dealt 21 points of damage, 11 points are cold damage and 10 points are fire damage.
Creatures resistant or immune to part of the rimefire damage apply their resistance or immunity only to that component of the damage. Creatures vulnerable to part of the damage multiply the damage only for that component. For example, a frost giant would ignore the 11 points of cold damage in the example above, but would take 15 points of fire damage from the rimefire bolt.
Zones of Frigidity
Small, confined areas of intense magical or supernatural cold can deal cold damage to those characters exposed to it. The frost salamander, for example, deals 1d6 points of cold damage to any creature within 20 feet. Characters warded by the spell greater aura of cold deal 2d6 points of damage to creatures within 10 feet. Magic items can produce similar effects.
These zones of frigidity, though magically or supernaturally summoned, afford victims no saving throw and, in some cases, no spell resistance. Creatures immune to cold, however, do not take damage from a zone of frigidity.
Frostfell Traps
Frostfell traps include deadfalls of snow, falling icicles, patches of quicksnow, pits filled with thick ice spikes, slippery ramps, and deadly frostfell spells. Any of these traps, along with those detailed in Traps, can be found in frostfell wilderness areas or dungeons.
Frostfell Trap Features
Common traps in frostfell areas include the following devices and snares.
Avalanche: A cascade of snow and ice can cause injury and can bury its victims alive. See Environment.
Deadfall: A huge pile of snow falls from above. The snow used in these traps can be natural, blood snow, negation snow, or rustsnow.
Falling Icicle: Icicles can fall from the roofs of frostfell caves, caverns, or chambers because of natural forces or mechanical triggers. Icicles can be coated with poison.
Heat Trigger: This mechanical trigger can be set to detect different levels of heat: minimal (body hear), medium (torches, flaming spheres), or great (fireball).
Ice Blade: This scything blade of ice can be poisoned.
Ice Collapse: Chunks of ice fall from above, dealing bludgeoning and cold damage.
Ice Slab: A massive slab of ice falls from above or collapses from a wall, dealing bludgeoning damage.
Ice Spikes: Found at the bottom of pits, ice spikes deal piercing damage. They deal 1d4 points of piercing damage plus 1d6 points of cold damage; the depth of the pit does not modify this damage. Like icicles, ice spikes can be coated with poison.
Quicksnow: These areas of seemingly natural snow function like quickslush, as described in Frostfell Hazards.
Sample Traps
The following traps are suitable for protecting all types of locations, from ice caverns and frostfell dungeons to arctic citadels. The costs listed for mechanical traps are market prices; those for magic traps are raw material costs. Caster level and class for the spells used to produce the trap effects are provided in the entries for magic device traps and spell traps. For all other spells used (in triggers, for example), the caster level is assumed to be the minimum required.
CR 1 Traps
Door Smeared with Contact Poison: CR1; mechanical; touch trigger (attached), manual reset; poison (snow spider blood, DC 13 Fortitude save resists, paralysis/0); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 1,750 gp.
Falling Icicle Trap: CR 2; mechanical; proximity trigger; manual reset; Ark +10 ranged (2d6/x3, icicle); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 4,000 gp.
Wall Ice-Blade Trap: CR 1; mechanical; touch trigger; automatic reset; hidden switch bypass (Search DC 25); Atk +10 melee (2d4/x4, ice scythe); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 22. Market Price: 2,500 gp.
CR 2 Traps
Avalanche: CR 2; mechanical; touch trigger; manual reset; Ark +12 melee (2d6, avalanche); multiple targets (all targets in two adjacent 5-ft. squares); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 2,800 gp.
Box of Snowflake lichen Powder: CR 2; mechanical; touch trigger (opening the box); automatic reset; poison (snowflake lichen powder, DC 11 Fortitude save resists, 1 Str/1 Dex); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 16. Market Price: 3,075 gp.
Deadfall of Snow Trap: CR2; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +16 melee (2d6, snow); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 18. Market Price: 4,000 gp.
Falling Ice Block Trap: CR2; mechanical; touch trigger; manual reset; Atk +5 melee (4d6, ice block); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 1,000 gp.
Hail of Icicles: CR 2; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Ark +10 ranged (2d4/x3, dart); multiple targets (fires 1d4 darts at each target in two adjacent 5-ft. squares); Search DC 14; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 800 gp.
Lesser Frostburn Trap: CR 2; magic device; touch trigger; automatic reset; spell effect (lesser frostburn, 1st-level cleric, 1d8+1 frostburn, DC 11 Fortitude save half damage); Search DC 26; Disable Device DC 26. Cost: 500 gp, 40 XP.
Poison Falling Icicle Trap: CR 2; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +8 ranged (1d4/x3 plus poison, dart); poison (chilblain brain juice, DC 12 Fortitude save resists, 1 Dex/1d4 Dex); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 18. Market Price: 1,310 gp.
Rolling Ice Boulder Trap: CR 2; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +10 melee (3d6, ice boulder); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 22. Market Price: 2,800 gp
Scything Ice Blade Trap: CR 2; mechanical; location trigger; automatic reset; Atk +10 melee (3d6/x4, ice scythe); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 3,000 gp.
CR 3 Traps
Deadfall of Rustsnow: CR 3; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +10 melee (3d6 plus rustsnow); Search DC 25; Disable Device DC 25. Market Price: 6,000 gp.
Hail of Icicles: CR 3; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +20 ranged (2d6/x3, icicles); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 22. Market Price: 11,400 gp.
Heat leech Trap: CR 3; magic device; touch trigger; automatic reset; spell effect (heat leech, 3rd-level wizard, DC 13 Fortitude save negates); Search DC 27; Disable Device DC 27. Cost: 3,000 gp, 240 XP.
Poisoned Ice Needle Trap: CR 3; mechanical; touch trigger; manual reset; lock bypass (Search DC 25, Open Lock DC 30); Ark +12 ranged (1d8 plus poison, ice needle); poison (woolly mammoth eye juice, DC 14 Fortitude save resists, 1d2 Str + 1d2 Dex/1d4 Srr); Search DC 15; Disable Device DC 15. Market Price: 2,240 gp.
CR 4 Traps
Arctic Haze Trap: CR 4; spell; spell trigger; no reset; spell effect (arctic haze, 5th-level wizard); Search DC 28; Disable Device DC 28. Cost: 150 gp to hire NPC spellcaster.
Deadfall of Snow: CR 4; mechanical; touch trigger (attached); no reset; Ark +15 melee (6d6, snow); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 24. Market Price: 8,800 gp.
Poisoned Icicle Trap: CR4; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Ark +14 ranged (2d6/x3 plus poison, icicle); multiple targets (1 icicle per target in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area); poison (Yeti oil, DC 15 Fortitude save resists, 1d4 Dex/1d4 Dex); Search DC 21; Disable Device DC 22. Market Price: 9,700 gp.
Slush-Filled Room Trap: CR 4; mechanical; location trigger; automatic reset; multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (5 rounds); slush (see Deep Slush Bog); Search DC 17; Disable Device DC 23. Market Price: 11,200 gp.
Wall Ice-Blade Trap: CR4; mechanical; location trigger; automatic reset; Ark +20 melee (4d6/x4, ice scythe); Search DC 21; Disable Device DC 18. Market Price: 14,000 gp.
CR 5 Traps
Deep Ice-Spike Pit Trap: CR 5; mechanical; location trigger; automatic reset; DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 70 ft. deep (7d6, fall); pit ice-spikes (Atk +10 melee, 1d4 ice spikes per target for 1d4+1d6 cold each); Search DC 18; Disable Device DC 15. Market Price: 16,000 gp.
Doorknob Smeared with Contact Poison: CR 5; mechanical; touch trigger (attached); manual reset; poison (ice toad bile, DC 12 Fortitude save resists, unconscious/unconscious for 1d4 hours); Search DC 25; Disable Device DC 19. Market Price: 9,250 gp.
Falling Ice Block Trap: CR 5; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +15 melee (5d6, ice block); multiple targets (can strike all characters in two adjacent specified squares); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 25. Market Price: 15,000 gp.
Hail of Icicles: CR 5; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Ark +18 ranged (2d6/x3, icicle); multiple targets (1d4 darts per target in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area); Search DC 19; Disable Device DC 25. Market Price: 17,500 gp.
Ice-Spike Pit Trap: CR 5; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex save avoids; soft. deep (5d6, fall); pit ice spikes (Ark +10 melee, 1d4 ice spikes per target for 1d4 plus 1d6 cold each); Search DC 21; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 4,125 gp.
Ice Web Trap: CR 5; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); automatic reset; spell effect (ice web, 7th-level wizard); Search DC 29; Disable Device DC 29. Cost: 14,000 gp, 1120 XP.
Mindfrost Trap: CR 5; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm covering the entire room); automatic reset; spell effect (mindfrost, 7th-level wizard, 1d4 Int damage, DC 16 Will save negates); Search DC 29; Disable Device DC 29. Cost: 14,000 gp, 1,120 XP.
Poisoned Wall Ice Spikes: CR 5; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Ark +16 melee (1d8 plus poison, ice spike); multiple targets (closest target in each of two adjacent 5-ft. squares); poison (chilblain brain juice, DC 14 Fortitude save resists, 1 Dex/1d4 Dex); Search DC 17; Disable Device DC 21. Market Price: 10,610 gp.
Slush-Flooding Room Trap: CR5; mechanical; proximity trigger; automatic reset; multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (4 rounds); slush (see Deep Slush Bog); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 25. Market Price: 22,500 gp.
Wide-Mouth Ice-Spike Pit Trap: CR 5; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 10 ft. deep (1d6, fall); multiple targets (first target in each of two adjacent 5-ft. squares); pit ice spikes (Ark +10 melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 1d4 plus 1d6 cold each); Search DC 18; Disable Device DC 25. Market Price: 9,000 gp.
CR 6 Traps
Ice-Spike Pit Trap: CR 6; mechanical; location trigger; automatic reset; DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 60 ft. deep (6d6, fall); pit ice spikes (Atk +10 melee, 1d4 spikes for 1d4 plus 1d6 cold each); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 9,000 gp.
Poison Icicle Trap: CR 6; mechanical; touch trigger; no reset; Atk +17 melee (2d6/x3 plus poison, icicle); poison (ice toad bile, DC 12 Fortitude save resists, unconscious/unconscious for 1d4 hours); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 17. Market Price: 12,250 gp.
Whirling Poisoned Ice Blades: CR 6; mechanical; timed trigger; automatic reset; hidden lock bypass (Search DC 25, Open lock DC 30); Ark +20 melee (1d4+1d6 cold/19-20 plus poison, narrow ice blade); poison (Yeti oil, DC 15 Fortitude save resists, 1d4 Dex/1d4 Dex); multiple targets (one target in each of three preselected 5 ft. squares); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 25,900 gp.
CR 7 Traps
Built-to-Collapse Ice Wall: CR 7; mechanical; proximity trigger; no reset; Ark +20 melee (10d6, ice blocks); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area); Search DC 14; Disable Device DC 16. Market Price: 17,500 gp.
Conjure Ice Beast VI Trap: CR7; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); no reset; spell effect (conjure ice beast VI, 11th-level cleric), Search DC 31; Disable Device DC 31. Cost: 3,300 gp, 264 XP.
Heartfreeze Trap: CR7; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); no reset; spell effect (heartfreeze, 11th-level wizard, die, DC 19 Fortitude save for partial); Search DC 29; Disable Device DC 29. Cost: 33,000 gp, 2,640 XP.
Icegaunt Dust Trap: CR 7; mechanical; location trigger; repair reset; gas; multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (3 rounds); poison (icegaunt dust, DC 14 Fortitude save resists, 1d6 Con/2d4 Con + 2d4 Dex); Search DC 21; Disable Device DC 21. Market Price: 16,900 gp.
Ice Rift Trap: CR 7; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); automatic reset; spell effect (ice rift, 11th-level cleric, must be in frostfell area); Search DC 31; Disable Device DC 31. Cost: 33,000 gp, 2,640 XP.
Ice-Spike Pit Trap (80 Ft. Deep): CR 7; mechanical; location trigger, manual reset; DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 80 ft. deep (8d6, fall), pit ice spikes (Ark +10 melee, 1d4 ice spikes for 1d4+1d6 cold each); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 7,000 gp.
Ice Toad Bile Wall Ice-Blade: CR 7; mechanical; touch trigger; manual reset; Ark +16 melee (4d6/4 plus poison, ice scythe); poison (ice toad bile, DC 12 Fortitude save resists, unconscious/unconscious for 1d4 hours); Search DC 24; Disable Device DC 19. Market Price: 20,550 gp.
Slush-Filled Room: CR 7; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (3 rounds); slush (see Deep Slush Bog); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 25. Market Price: 21,000 gp.
Spiked Ice Blocks from Ceiling: CR 7; mechanical; location trigger; repair reset; Ark +20 melee (8d6, ice spikes); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area); Search DC 24; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 25,200 gp.
Waves of Cold Trap: CR 7; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); automatic reset; spell effect (waves of cold, 11th-level wizard, fire creatures shaken, no save); Search DC 31; Disable Device DC 31. Cost: 33,000 gp, 2,640 XP.
CR 8 Traps
Conjure Ice Beast VII Trap: CR 8; magic device; touch trigger (alarm); automatic reset; spell effect (conjure ice beast VII, 13th-level cleric); Search DC 32; Disable Device DC 32. Cost: 45,500 gp, 3,640 XP.
Greater Aura of Cold Trap: CR8; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); automatic reset; spell effect (greater aura of cold, 13th-level cleric, 2d6 cold damage to all within 10 ft., no save); Search DC 32; Disable Device DC 32. Cost: 45,500 gp, 3,640 XP.
Hail of Poisoned Icicles: CR 8; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; Atk +10 ranged (2d6/x3 plus poison, icicle); poison (ice toad bile, DC 12 Fortitude save resists, unconscious/unconscious for 1d4 hours); multiple targets (1 icicle per target in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 8,250 gp.
Well-Camouflaged Ice-Spike Pit Trap: CR 8; mechanical; location trigger; repair reset; DC 25 Reflex save avoids; 50 ft. deep (8d6, fall), +10 melee (1d4 ice spikes for 1d4 plus 1d6 cold); Search DC 27; Disable Device DC 18. Market Price: 28,000 gp.
White Pudding Essence Vapor Trap: CR 8; mechanical; location trigger; repair reset; gas; never miss; onset delay (1 round); poison (white pudding essence, DC 13 Fortitude save resists, 1d2 Wis/1d2 Wis + 1d2 Int); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); Search DC 25; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 22,900 gp.
CR 9 Traps
Crushing Ice Room: CR9; mechanical; location trigger; automatic reset; walls move together (16d6, crush); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (3 rounds); Search DC 22; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 26,100 gp.
Frostfell Trap: CR 9; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); automatic reset; spell effect (frostfell, 15th-level druid); Search DC 33; Disable Device DC 33. Cost: 60,000 gp, 4,800 XP.
CR 10 Traps
Dropping Ice Ceiling: CR 10; mechanical; location trigger; repair reset; ceiling moves down (7d6, crush); multiple targets (all targets in a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. room); never miss; onset delay (1 round); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 16. Market Price: 14,000 gp.
Forcecage and Conjure Ice Beast VII Trap: CR 10; magic device; proximity trigger (alarm); automatic reset; multiple traps (one forcecage trap and one conjure ice beast VII trap); spell effect (forcecage, 13th-level wizard), spell effect (conjure ice beast VII, 13th-level cleric); Search DC 32; Disable Device DC 32. Cost: 241,000 gp, 7,280 XP.
Note: This trap is really one CR 8 trap that creates a forcecage and a second CR8 trap that conjures an ice beast in the same area. If both succeed, the ice beast appears inside the forcecage. These effects are independent of each other.
Poisoned Ice-Spike Pit Trap: CR 10; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; hidden lock bypass (Search DC 25, Open lock DC 30); DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 40 ft. deep (4d6, fall); pit ice spikes (Atk +5 melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 1d4 plus 1d6 cold plus poison each); poison (dragon bile, DC 26 Fortitude save resists, 3d6 Str); Search DC 16; Disable Device DC 15. Market Price: 2,500 gp.
Wide-Mouth Pit with Poisoned Ice-Spikes: CR 10; mechanical; location trigger; manual reset; hidden lock bypass (Search DC 25, Open lock DC 30); DC 20 Reflex save avoids; 40 ft. deep (4d6, fall); multiple targets (all targets within a 10-ft.-by-10-ft. area); pit ice spikes (Atk +10 melee, 1d4 spikes per target for 1d4 plus 1d6 cold plus poison each); poison (chilblain brain juice, DC 14 Fortitude save resists, 1 Dex/1d4 Dex); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20. Market Price: 13,110 gp.
Frostfell Wilderness Terrain
The terrain of the frostfell varies greatly, from slow-moving glaciers to individual chambers of frigid cold in the middle of otherwise non-frostfell dungeons. This section includes terrain that adventurers may encounter in wilderness settings, though any of these terrain types can also be found within natural or worked snow and ice caves or cavern complexes. A select few - cold gates and ice and snow fields - can exist within traditional dungeon locations, placed there by magic or supernatural forces.
The terrain types below are presented using the format found in Wilderness.
Cold Gate
The intense forces leaking from the Elemental Planes through gates to a frostfell region alter the terrain surrounding these magical portals.
When you design a region that includes a cold gate, include the items in the list below within five squares of the gate when drawing those areas. The terrain elements of cold gates are not mutually exclusive with the elements of other terrain types, although you may have to use your best judgment in certain cases. For example, a square near a gate to the Elemental Plane of Water in marshy terrain may include a deep bog (from the Marsh Terrain Features table) and freezing temperatures (from the Cold Gate Terrain Features table).
Cold gate terrain can be divided into two categories: the Plane of Air and the Plane of Water.
| Cold Gate Terrain Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| -Frostfell Gate Category- | ||
| Plane of Air | Plane of Water | |
| Severe cold | 95% | 95% |
| Light rubble | 5% | 25% |
| Ice sheet | 5% | 20% |
| Natural snow field | 30% | 10% |
| Razor ice | 15% | 25% |
Severe Cold: The temperature here is below 0° F. Creatures within the area are susceptible to the dangers of severe cold (cold damage, hypothermia, and frostbite, as detailed in Frostfell Hazards).
Light Rubble: Chunks of ice are strewn across the ground, making nimble movement more difficult, light rubble increases the DC of Balance and Tumble checks by 2.
Ice Sheet: The ground is covered with slippery ice. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square covered by an ice sheer, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks there increases by 5. A DC 10 Balance check is required to run or charge across an ice sheet.
Natural Snow Field: The area is covered in 1d6 feet of snow. Movement is impeded or impossible, depending upon the size of the creature and the depth of the snow (see Snow-Impeded Movement).
Razor Ice: The area is covered in razor ice 1d4 feet deep, an accumulation of supernaturally strong and sharp snowflakes (see razor ice). Razor ice impedes movement as snow of equal depth (see Snow-Impeded Movement), and deals damage for each square a creature enters.
Everfrost Terrain
Everfrost consists of barren, desolate plains of lichen-covered rock and rubble. Unlike tundra, everfrost is not boggy or wet in warm months, not does it ever bloom; it is simply a frozen desert, completely inhospitable to all but the simplest plant life and most resourceful of animals.
Desolate mountain plateaus in high-elevation frostfell areas are commonly everfrost terrain, as are high-latitude deserts, arid regions of the poles, and portions of the outer planes.
Snow covers most everfrost regions for at least part of the year. Refer to the Snow Field Terrain entry below for information on snow-covered everfrost.
The two types of everfrost terrain are patchy and solid. The table below describes in general terms how likely it is that a given square has a terrain element in it. You shouldn't roll for each square. Instead, use the percentages in the table below to guide the maps you create.
| Everfrost Terrain Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| -Everfrost Category- | ||
| Patchy | Solid | |
| Crevasse | 10% | 20% |
| Gradual slope | 15% | 25% |
| Light rubble | 20% | 10% |
| Light undergrowth | 10% | 5% |
| Scree | - | 10% |
Crevasse: Crevasses function like pits in a dungeon setting. A typical crevasse is 2d4x10 feet deep, at least 30 feet long, and anywhere from 5 to 40 feet wide. Crusts of snow sometimes hide crevasses.
Gradual Slope: This incline isn't steep enough to affect movement, but characters gain a +1 bonus on melee attacks against foes downhill from them.
Light Rubble: Small frost-covered rocks and chunks of frozen soil are strewn across the ground, making nimble movement more difficult. The DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 2.
Light Undergrowth: Frozen stumps of hardy plants that grow only during the few scant weeks of the summer season cover the ground. A space covered with light undergrowth provides concealment, costs 2 squares of movement to move into, and increases the DC of Tumble checks by 2. Creatures take a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks in light undergrowth.
Scree: A field of shifting frozen soil pellets, scree doesn't affect speed, but it can be treacherous on a slope. The DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 2 and creatures take a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks if there's scree on a gradual slope.
Frostfell Marsh Terrain
Frostfell marsh terrain can vary greatly, from relatively dry moors to slushy swamps. Both are often bordered by lakes in subarctic regions or hot springs in colder locales.
The table below describes terrain elements found in each of the two frostfell marsh categories. The percentages are intended to guide your map-drawing; don't roll for each square.
| Frostfell Marsh Terrain Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| -Frostfell Marsh Category- | ||
| Moor | Swamp | |
| Light undergrowth | 20% | 30% |
| Snow dusting | 10% | 20% |
| Quickslush | 5% | 10% |
| Deep slush bog | 10% | 25% |
| Shallow slush bog | 25% | 45% |
Light Undergrowth: The evergreen bushes and other tall grasses in frostfell swamps obstruct movement. A space covered with light undergrowth provides concealment, costs 2 squares of movement to move into, and increases the DC of Tumble checks by 2. Creatures take a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks in light undergrowth.
Snow Dusting: The ground is covered by 1d4 inches of snow that has yet to melt into slush, making the area slippery and covering any bogs or undergrowth that exist in the same square. The DC of Balance and Tumble checks in the area are increased by 2 due to the slipperiness.
Quickslush: Patches of quickslush present the appearance of a shallow slush bog that may trap careless characters (see below).
Slush Bogs: If a square is part of a shallow slush bog, it has slush about 1 foot in depth. It costs 2 squares of movement to move into a square with a shallow slush bog, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks in such a square increases by 2.
A square that is part of a deep slush bog has roughly 4 feet of slush. It costs Medium or larger creatures 4 squares of movement to move into a square with a deep slush bog, or characters can swim if they wish, taking a -4 penalty on the Swim check for the slush's soupy consistency. Small or smaller creatures must swim to move through a deep bog. Tumbling is impossible in a deep slush bog.
The slush in a deep slush bog provides cover for Medium or larger creatures. Smaller creatures gain improved cover (+8 bonus to AC, +4 bonus on Reflex saves). Medium or larger creatures can crouch as a move action to gain this improved cover. Creatures with this improved cover take a -10 penalty on attacks against creatures that aren't in the slush.
Characters entering the slush of a bog are susceptible to hypothermia.
Deep slush bog squares are usually clustered together and surrounded by an irregular ring of shallow slush bog squares.
Both shallow and deep slush bogs impose a -4 penalty on Move Silently checks.
Frostfell Mountain Terrain
Areas of frostfell mountains are colder, more extreme versions of normal peaks. Use the table below instead of the Mountain Terrain Features table when creating a map of a mountainous frostfell area.
| Frostfell Mountain Terrain Features | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| -Frostfell Mountain Category- | |||
| Alpine Meadow | Rugged | Forbidding | |
| Cliff | 15% | 25% | 30% |
| Crevasse | 5% | 15% | 25% |
| Dense rubble | 5% | 25% | 35% |
| Gradual slope | 40% | 15% | 5% |
| Ice sheet | 25% | 35% | 45% |
| Light undergrowth | 10% | - | - |
| Natural snow field | 20% | 30% | 40% |
| Steep slope | 50% | 60% | 65% |
Cliff: A cliff typically requires a DC 15 Climb check to scale and is 1d4x10 feet tall, although the needs of your map may mandate a taller cliff. A cliff isn't perfectly vertical, taking up 5-foot squares if it's less than 30 feet tall and 10-foot squares if it's 30 feet or taller. Since the rocks in these regions are typically covered in frost, the DC of Climb checks is increased by 2 when climbing cliffs in frostfell areas.
Crevasse: Crevasses function like pits in a dungeon setting. A typical crevasse is 2d4x10 feet deep, at least 30 feet long, and anywhere from 5 to 40 feet wide. Some crevasses are hidden by crusts of snow.
Dense Rubble: The ground is covered in rocks and chunks of ice of all sizes. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square with dense rubble. The DC of Balance and Tumble checks on dense rubble increases by 5, and Move Silently checks have a -2 penalty.
Gradual Slope: This incline isn't steep enough to affect movement, but characters gain a +1 bonus on melee attacks against foes downhill from them.
Ice Sheet: The ground is covered with slippery ice. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square covered by an ice sheer, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5. A DC 10 Balance check is required to run or charge across an ice sheet.
Ice sheets in areas with a gradual slope cost 3 squares of movement to enter and increase the DC of Balance and Tumble checks by 10. A DC 12 Balance check is required to run or charge.
Ice sheets in areas with a steep slope cost 4 squares of movement to enter and increase the DC of Tumble checks by 10 and Balance checks by 12. All other effects of steep slope also apply, and all other DCs (such as Ride checks) are increased by an additional 2; however, the Tumble penalty of the ice sheer supersedes the Tumble penalty of the steep slope.
Light Undergrowth: A space covered with light undergrowth provides concealment, costs 2 squares of movement to move into, and increases the DC of Tumble checks by 2. Creatures take a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks in light undergrowth.
Natural Snow Field: The area is covered by snow 1d4x10 feet in depth, although a firm layer is only 1d6 feet below the surface.
Steep Slope: Characters moving uphill (to an adjacent square of higher elevation) must spend 2 squares of movement to enter each square of steep slope. Characters running or charging downhill (moving to an adjacent square of lower elevation) must succeed on a DC 10 Balance check upon entering the first steep slope square. Mounted characters make a DC 10 Ride check instead. Characters who fail this check stumble and must end their movement 1d2x5 feet later. Characters who fail by 5 or more fall prone in the square where they end their movement.
A steep slope increases the DC of Tumble checks by 2.
Frozen Sea Terrain
The icy oceans of frostfell regions have crusts of saltwater ice 10 to 20 feet thick. This pack ice is composed of pieces of ice of various sizes, shapes, and ages that are free to drift under the influence of winds and sea currents. Frozen seas are either arctic or subarctic.
Characters who enter the waters of frozen seas are subject to the effects of hypothermia and may become trapped beneath the surface as natural gaps or man-made holes in the pack ice close or the ice shifts. See Aquatic Terrain for information on the effects and game mechanics of swimming in water.
| Frozen Sea Terrain Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| -Frozen Sea Category- | ||
| Subarctic | Arctic | |
| Crevasse | 30% | 10% |
| Large iceberg | 5% | 5% |
| Narrow ice floe | 25% | 15% |
| Pack ice | 50% | 70% |
| Wide ice floe | 15% | 5% |
Crevasse: These irregular openings in the pack ice are caused by ocean currents and shifting wind-flow patterns. A typical crevasse is 1d4x10 feet deep (deep enough to reach the water below), at least 30 feet long, and anywhere from 5 to 40 feet wide. Some crevasses are hidden by crusts of snow.
Characters falling into crevasses in frozen seas are subject to the effects of hypothermia and must make a DC 15 Swim check to tread water or move.
Large Iceberg: These areas, and many surrounding squares, are filled by a large iceberg roughly 2d6x10 feet in diameter. Treat these areas as separate regions for mapping purposes (see Iceberg Terrain, below).
Narrow Ice Floe: These areas of flowing water are filled with chunks of floating ice. They are 1d4 squares across. A creature in the water with an ice floe is immersed in freezing water, immediately subjected to hypothermia, and must succeed on a DC 15 Swim check to tread water or move (see the Swim skill). Each round, there is 50% chance the character is struck by a piece of moving ice in the floe. Treat this as a +5 slam melee attack that deals 1d2 points of damage.
Pack Ice: Ice in these areas is 1d10+10 feet thick. The ground consists of slippery ice. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square covered by an ice sheer, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5. A DC 10 Balance check is required to run or charge across pack ice.
Wide Ice Floe: These areas function like narrow ice floes, except that they are 1d6 miles wide and contain larger chunks of ice. Each round there is a 50% chance that a character in the water is struck by a piece of moving ice (+10 slam melee attack, 2d6 points of damage).
Underwater Combat: See Underwater Combat for detailed information on this topic. Characters in the waters of frozen seas are immediately susceptible to hypothermia unless somehow protected.
Glacier Terrain
Glaciers are moving masses of ice formed in high mountains and polar regions by the compacting of snow and ice. They are thrust into motion by their sheer, colossal weight. Glaciers come in three categories: tongue, valley, and continental.
Tongue glaciers are narrow sheets of ice formed by frozen streams or rivers that flow down into valleys.
Valley glaciers are larger sheets of ice that crawl slowly, skirting mountains by following valleys.
Continental glaciers are massive ice sheets that can extend for tens or even hundreds of miles. These grind across the earth, engulfing entire land masses in ice.
| Glacier Terrain Features | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| -Glacier Category- | |||
| Tongue | Valley | Continental | |
| Dense rubble | 20% | 30% | 35% |
| Freezing river | 20% | 10% | 5% |
| Gradual slope | 10% | 30% | 40% |
| Ice sheet | 95% | 95% | 95% |
| Light rubble | 35% | 25% | 15% |
| Natural snow field | 20% | 20% | 20% |
| Steep slope | 5% | 20% | 35% |
Crevasse: Glacial crevasses are covered 50% of the time by a layer of snow. A typical glacier crevasse is 4d4x10 feet deep, at least 30 feet long, and anywhere from 5 to 40 feet wide.
Dense Rubble: The ground is covered in rocks and chunks of ice of all sizes. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square with dense rubble. The DC of Balance and Tumble checks on dense rubble increases by 5, and Move Silently checks have a -2 penalty.
Freezing River: A stream, tributary, or river flows through the area, moving just fast enough to avoid freezing. The water is 2d4 squares wide.
Ice Sheet: The ground consists of slippery ice. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square covered by an ice sheet, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5. A DC 10 Balance check is required to run or charge across an ice sheet.
Light Rubble: Small frost-covered rocks and chunks of frozen soil are strewn across the ground, making nimble movement more difficult. The DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 2.
Natural Snow Field: The area is covered by snow 1d4x10 feet in depth, although a firm layer is only 1d6 feet below the surface.
Steep Slope: Characters moving uphill (to an adjacent square of higher elevation) must spend 2 squares of movement to enter each square of steep slope. Characters running or charging downhill (moving to an adjacent square of lower elevation) must succeed on a DC 10 Balance check upon entering the first steep slope square. Mounted characters make a DC 10 Ride check instead. Characters who fail this check stumble and must end their movement 1d2x5 feet later. Characters who fail by 5 or more fall prone in the square where they end their movement.
A steep slope increases the DC of Tumble checks by 2.
Ice Field Terrain
The two types of ice field terrain are natural and supernatural. When ice is encountered in any other type of terrain, you may choose to consult this table for additional choices of ice elements. The elements in this list are not mutually exclusive, except that natural ice sheet cannot exist in the same square as any other type of ice. For more information on supernatural features, see Supernatural Perils of the Frostfell.
| Ice Field Terrain Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| -Ice Field Category- | ||
| Natural | Supernatural | |
| Ebony ice | 2% | 10% |
| Faerie frost | 2% | 10% |
| Lightning ice pillar | - | 5% |
| Natural ice sheet | 99% | - |
| Razor ice | 1% | 5% |
Ice Sheet: The ground consists of slippery ice. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square covered by an ice sheer, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5. A DC 10 Balance check is required to run or charge across an ice sheet.
Ebony Ice: This functions exactly like ice sheet terrain, except that the ice is jet-black and negative energy fills the area.
Faerie Frost: This functions exactly like ice sheet terrain, except that the area has a hallucinatory effect on creatures.
Lightning Ice Pillars: This functions exactly like ice sheet terrain, except that the square includes a towering pillar of transparent blue ice (2d4x10 feet high and 1d3 squares in diameter).
Razor Ice: The area is covered in razor ice 1d4 feet deep, an accumulation of supernaturally strong and sharp snowflakes. Razor ice impedes movement as snow of equal depth (see Snow-Impeded Movement), and deals damage for each square a creature enters.
Iceberg Terrain
As snow is squeezed under its own weight on the upper reaches of the glaciers, it starts to flow downhill, eventually reaching the ocean in large "tongues" of packed ice. Eventually, the battering of waves and wind weaken the protruding tongue of the glacier until it breaks off in a huge mass and floats out into open water.
Usually, about one-fifth to one-eighth of an iceberg juts above the water's surface. The core, well below the water line, is composed of ancient, rock-hard ice.
Icebergs come in three categories: small, medium, and large. Small icebergs are 1d2x10 feet high and 1d2x50 feet in diameter. Medium icebergs are 3d4x10 feet high and 3d4x50 feet in diameter. Large icebergs are 1d4x200 feet high and 1d4x500 feet in diameter. All iceberg squares are ice sheets.
Though most icebergs are white in color, a rare few have hues of orange, red, blue, green, or black.
| Iceberg Terrain Features | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| -Iceberg Category- | |||
| Small | Medium | Large | |
| Cliff | 25% | 30% | 35% |
| Crevasse | 5% | 10% | 15% |
| Gradual slope | 10% | 20% | 30% |
| Ice sheet | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Steep slope | 40% | 50% | 60% |
Cliff: A cliff typically requires a DC 15 Climb check to scale and is 1d4x10 feet tall, although the needs of your map may mandate a taller cliff. A cliff isn't perfectly vertical, taking up 5-foot squares if it's less than 30 feet tall and 10-foot squares if it's 30 feet or taller. Since the cliffs on an iceberg are usually covered in frost, the DC of Climb checks is increased by 2.
Crevasse: Crevasses function like pits in a dungeon setting. A typical crevasse is 2d4x10 feet deep, at least 30 feet long, and anywhere from 5 to 40 feet wide. Some crevasses are hidden by crusts of snow.
Gradual Slope: Due to their icy nature, gradual slopes on icebergs cost 3 squares of movement to enter and increase the DC of Balance and Tumble checks by 10. A DC 12 Balance check is required to run or charge. Characters gain a +1 bonus on melee attacks against foes downhill from them.
Ice Sheet: The ground is covered with slippery ice. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square covered by an ice sheer, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5. A DC 10 Balance check is required to run or charge across an ice sheet.
Steep Slope: Due to their icy nature, steep slopes on icebergs cost characters 4 squares of movement to enter and increase the DC of Tumble checks by 10 and Balance checks by 12. Characters running or charging downhill (moving to an adjacent square of lower elevation) must succeed on a DC 12 Balance check upon entering the first steep slope square. Mounted characters make a DC 12 Ride check instead. Characters who fail this check stumble and must end their movement 1d2x5 feet later. Characters who fail by 5 or more fall prone in the square where they end their movement.
Abodes and Strongholds: Icebergs, especially those of the medium and large varieties, are sometimes used by non-intelligent or intelligent beings as homes or floating fortresses. They can also serve as temples, dungeons, or even whole cities.
Skyberg Terrain
Skybergs, or flying icebergs, are most often encountered in the Elemental Plane of Air or certain regions of the outer planes, although some may appear in the material plane, held aloft by powerful magics. like icebergs, they come in three categories: small, medium, and large.
Use the Iceberg Terrain Features table above to create a map of a skyberg.
Abodes and Strongholds: Skybergs of any size make excellent "vehicles" or strongholds for creatures of cold or ice. They can also serve as temples, dungeons, or even whole cities.
Snow Field Terrain
Like ice field terrain, snow field terrain can either be natural or supernatural.
When snow is encountered in any other type of terrain, you may choose to consult this table for additional choices of snow field types. The elements in this list are not mutually exclusive. For more information about magical and supernatural features, see Supernatural Perils of the Frostfell. For information on movement in snow, see Snow-Impeded Movement.
| Snow Field Terrain Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| -Snow Field Category- | ||
| Natural | Supernatural | |
| Shallow slush bog | 20% | 5% |
| Acid slush | 1% | 5% |
| Blood snow | 1% | 10% |
| Natural snow | 99% | 50% |
| Negation snow | - | 10% |
| Quickslush | 10% | 10% |
| Rustsnow | 2% | 5% |
| Snow geyser | 5% | 5% |
Shallow Slush Bogs: The square has slush about 1 foot in depth. It costs 2 squares of movement to move into a square with a shallow slush bog, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks in such a square increases by 2. The slush bog imposes a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks.
Acid Slush: This functions as a slush bog as described above, except that acidic slush deals 1d6 points of acid damage per round of exposure.
Natural Snow: The area is covered in 1d6 feet of snow. Movement is impeded or impossible, depending upon the size of the creature and the depth of the snow.
Blood Snow: The square is covered in blood snow 1d6 feet deep. Blood snow impedes movement as normal snow and also poisons creatures touching it.
Negation Snow: The square is covered in negation snow 1d6 feet deep. Negation snow impedes movement as normal snow, and may absorb magic.
Quickslush: Patches of quickslush present the appearance of shallow slush (appearing as a shallow slush bog) that may trap careless characters.
Rustsnow: The square is covered in rustsnow 1d6 feet deep. Rustsnow impedes movement as normal snow, and may rust metal items.
Snow Geyser: This square includes a geyser that explodes in a gush of cold, snow, and ice that deals 4d6 points of bludgeoning damage plus 2d6 points of cold damage to any character within 10 feet (Reflex DC 15 half). There is a 10% chance per round that a geyser will erupt.
Taiga Forest Terrain
A taiga forest stands along the warmer border of a treeless tundra, and has long, severe winters lasting up to seven months, with night frosts even in the short summer season.
Taiga forest terrain can be divided into three categories: sparse, medium, and dense.
The table below describes in general terms how likely it is that a given square has a terrain element in it. You shouldn't roll for each square. Instead, use the percentages in the table below to guide the maps you create.
| Taiga Forest Terrain Features | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| -Taiga Forest Category- | |||
| Sparse | Medium | Dense | |
| Deep bog | 10% | 5% | - |
| Heavy undergrowth | - | 15% | 40% |
| Light undergrowth | 20% | 40% | 20% |
| Massive trees | - | 5% | 10% |
| Shallow bog | 15% | 10% | 5% |
| Typical trees | 40% | 55% | 70% |
Bogs: If a square is part of a shallow bog, it has water about 1 foot in depth. It costs 2 squares of movement to move into a square with a shallow bog, and the DC of Tumble checks in such a square increases by 2.
A square that is part of a deep bog has roughly 4 feet of standing water. It costs Medium or larger creatures 4 squares of movement to move into a square with a deep bog, or characters can swim if they wish. Tumbling is impossible in a deep bog.
The water in a deep bog provides cover for Medium or larger creatures. Smaller creatures gain improved cover (+8 bonus to AC, +4 bonus on Reflex saves). Medium or larger creatures can crouch as a move action to gain this improved cover. Creatures with this improved cover take a -10 penalty on attacks against creatures that aren't underwater.
Deep bog squares are usually clustered together and surrounded by an irregular ring of shallow slush bog squares.
Both shallow and deep bogs impose a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks.
Trees: Taiga forests are dominated by pines and evergreens, including cedar, spruce, and larch. For information on typical and massive trees, see Forest Terrain.
Undergrowth: A space covered with light undergrowth provides concealment, costs 2 squares of movement to move into, and increases the DC of Tumble checks by 2. Creatures take a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks in light undergrowth.
Heavy undergrowth costs 4 squares of movement to move into, and it provides concealment with a 30% miss chance (instead of the usual 20%). It increases the DC of Tumble checks by 5 and creatures take a -5 penalty on Move Silently checks. Heavy undergrowth is also easy to hide in, granting a +5 circumstance bonus on Hide checks. Running and charging are impossible.
Tundra Terrain
The tundra is a barren, lifeless desert of cold, ice, and snow, with a foundation of everfrost beneath.
The two tundra terrain categories are alpine and arctic. As characters venture toward polar regions, they're likely to first face alpine tundra as they leave the bordering taiga forest and then encounter the harsher arctic tundra as they close on the pole.
Both types of tundra are dominated by extreme cold, simple forms of vegetation, limited means of drainage (causing sections of tundra to turn into frostfell marshes during natural or magical bouts of warmth), a short growing season of a few weeks per year, and tremendous oscillations in population.
To draw a map of tundra, consult the table below, using the listed percentages as a guide; don't roll for each square. Though information on tundra appears in Desert Terrain, this entry breaks tundra down into its two types.
| Tundra Terrain Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| -Tundra Category- | ||
| Alpine | Arctic | |
| Light undergrowth | 20% | 10% |
| Icesheet | 15% | 25% |
| Light rubble | 5% | 5% |
Light Undergrowth: Consisting of scrubby, hardy bushes and brush, a square of light undergrowth provides concealment, costs 2 squares of movement to move into, and increases the DC of Tumble checks by 2. Creatures take a -2 penalty on Move Silently checks in light undergrowth.
Ice Sheet: The ground is covered with slippery ice. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square covered by an ice sheer, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5. A DC 10 Balance check is required to run or charge across an ice sheet.
Light Rubble: Small rocks or chunks of ice are strewn across the ground, making nimble movement more difficult than normal. The DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 2 ft.
Frostfell Dungeon Terrain
As mentioned above, ice and cold dungeons come in three main types: natural, worked, and altered. Natural dungeons include ice canyons and cavern complexes formed through natural forces. Worked dungeons can be carved-out interiors of icebergs (floating in water or air), rough-hewn mountain fortresses, and other compounds made from ice and snow. Altered dungeons can be mazes formed of conjured ice, ancient labyrinths magically altered by cold-based creatures or spellcasters, or simply an area or even a few chambers of an otherwise normal dungeon (created by a random effect, magic gone awry, as an obstacle or trap, or even to house a particular guardian of a cold or ice nature).
Walls, Doors, And Detect Spells
Natural ice, hewn ice, and magically treated snow and ice walls are usually thick enough to block most detect spells, such as detect magic and detect thoughts. All walls and doors, including those made of packed snow, are cold enough to block detect fire spells and spell-like abilities.
Walls
In frostfell regions, whether naturally occurring or artificially constructed, walls separate the dungeon complex into tunnels, halls, chambers, and caverns. These walls may be made of snow, ice, or stone (for information on masonry, hewn stone, and unworked stone walls, see Dungeon Terrain). Snow walls rarely form by natural means, and are most often built by hand or by magic. Ice walls can be natural or hewn, and both snow and ice walls can be magically reinforced.
Packed Snow Walls: These brilliant white walls are most often created by first carving or packing snow into massive blocks and then arranging the blocks into a vertical plane usually 2 feet thick. Often these walls feature cracks, crevices, and extremely narrow ledges where the snow blocks fail to perfectly match up. It takes a DC 18 Climb check to climb a packed snow wall; climbers can use climbing tools to dig into the snow.
Natural Ice Walls: Walls of ice formed by natural forces are typically rough-surfaced, with cracks, crevices, ledges, and alcoves. They range in appearance from opaque to transparent and can have a hue of any color, owing to embedded minerals or magical properties. When this type of wall has an "other side," it is usually 5 feet thick.
It takes a DC 30 Climb check to climb a natural ice wall due to its slippery surface.
Hewn Ice Walls: These walls usually result when a chamber or passageway is tunneled our of solid ice. When such a wall has an "other side," it is typically 3 feet thick; anything thinner risks collapsing from the weight of all the ice overhead. It rakes a DC 35 Climb check to climb a hewn ice wall due to its relatively smooth, slippery surface.
Magically Treated Snow or Ice Walls: Frost mages, glacial druids, or frostfell deities may reinforce snow and ice walls with magic siphoned directly from the Elemental Planes, making them stronger, harder, sturdier, and more difficult to break and climb. This magic can usually double the hardness and hit points and can add up to 30 to the break DC and up to 20 to the Climb DC. A magically treated wall also gains a saving throw bonus against spells equaling 2 + 1/2 the caster level of the magic reinforcing the wall, as well as immunity to cold and fire. Creating a magic wall requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat and the expenditure of 2,000 gp for each 10-foot-by-10-foot wall section.
| Walls | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall Type | Typical Thickness | Break DC | Hardness | Hit Points* | Climb DC |
| Packed snow | 2 ft. | 22 | 4 | 45 hp | 18 |
| Natural ice | 5 ft. | 60 | 8 | 80 hp | 30 |
| Hewn ice | 3 ft. | 40 | 8 | 60 hp | 35 |
| Magically treated² | - | +30 | x2 | x23 | +20 |
| * Per 10-foot-by-10-foot section. ¹ These modifiers can be applied to any of the other wall types. ² Or an additional 50 hit points, whichever is greater. | |||||
Floors
Like walls, floors in frostfell complexes come in a variety of types. All the floor types detailed in Dungeon Terrain may also be found in these complexes.
Loose Snow Floors: These floors act just like natural snowfields as described in Snow Field Terrain, above. The snow in these areas can be natural or supernatural (blood snow, negation snow, quicksnow, or rustsnow) and may include areas of natural or acid slush bogs, which function as described under Frostfell Marsh Terrain, above.
Packed Snow Floors: Packed snow occurs from constant traffic or purposeful pounding. The slipperiness of the snow increases the DC of Balance and Tumble checks by 2. This is the most common type of floor found in natural complexes. The packed snow in these areas can be natural or supernatural (blood snow, rustsnow, or negation snow).
Snow Block Floors: These floors consist of large blocks of packed snow, making them horizontal versions of packed snow walls. These floors can have cracks where the snow blocks have deteriorated and where they were originally poorly placed against other blocks. On this surface, the DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5. The snow blocks in these areas can be natural or supernatural (blood snow, rustsnow, or negation snow).
Natural Ice Floors: The floor of a natural ice cave is rough and uneven, rarely having a level surface and pitted with cracks and crevices. Adjacent floor surfaces might vary in elevation by a foot, so that moving from one to the other is no more difficult than negotiating a stair step, but in other places the floor might suddenly drop off or rise up several feet or more, requiring Climb checks to get from one surface to the other. Unless path has been worn and well marked in the floor of a natural ice cave, it takes 2 squares of movement to enter a square with natural ice floor, and the DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 10. Running and charging are impossible, except along paths. The ice in these areas can be natural or supernatural (ebony ice, faerie frost, or razor ice).
Hewn Ice Floors: These floors are typically rough, uneven, slippery, and littered with tiny chunks of ice. A DC 15 Balance check is required to run or charge across such a floor. Failure means the character can still act, but can't run or charge this round.
Smooth Ice Floors: Floors of glasslike ice can form as a result of a subterranean frozen pond or lake or intelligent design. These floors have extremely slick surface, increasing the DC of Balance and Tumble checks by 10. In addition, it costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square with a smooth ice floor. The reduced friction makes running or charging impossible.
Light Icy Rubble: Small chunks of ice cover the ground. Light rubble adds 5 to the DC of Balance and Tumble checks.
Dense Icy Rubble: The ground is littered with icy debris of all sizes: from small chunks to stalagmites of ice. It costs 2 squares of movement to enter a square with dense icy rubble.
The shaky footing adds 10 to DC of Balance and Tumble checks, and Move Silently checks have a -3 penalty.
Portals
Portals in frostfell dungeons come in a variety of types and may be trapped with mechanical or magical triggers. All the door types detailed in Dungeon Terrain may also be found in these complexes. Characters in frostfell areas may also encounter the following additional portal types, which may be plain or carved with imagery, inscriptions, or other visual depictions.
Snow Boulder: These huge spheres of packed snow, usually 10 feet in diameter, can be rolled into archways to block egress. They cannot be locked, but may become stuck to the snowy, icy, or stone walls. Rolling a snow boulder out of the way requires a successful DC 15 Strength check, though they can be easily destroyed with a few solid attacks.
Natural Ice Boulder: Boulders of natural ice resemble snow boulders in their shape and size. They are most often opaque with a whitish or bluish-white coloring, as most intelligent denizens use doors for privacy as well as security. However, ice boulders can be transparent. Rolling an ice boulder our of the way requires a successful DC 20 Strength check.
Hewn Ice Slab: Carved from massive slabs of ice, these heavy, unwieldy doors are usually built so that they can swing on ice or stone hinges. These are the strongest and sturdiest of the natural frostfell doors, and are therefore most often used to protect important dungeon sections, vaults, sacred or profane chambers, or other valued locations or items.
Magically Treated Snow or Ice Doors: Frostfell spellcasters may reinforce snow boulders, ice boulders, and hewn ice slabs with magic siphoned directly from the Elemental Planes, making them stronger, harder, sturdier and more difficult to break. This magic usually doubles the hardness and hit points and can add up to 10 to the break DC. A magically treated portal also gains a saving throw bonus against spells equaling 2 + 1/2 the caster level of the magic reinforcing the portal, as well as immunity to cold and fire. Creating a magic portal requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat and the expenditure of 2,000 gp for each 10-foot-by-10-foot door section.
| Portals | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Door Type | Typical Thickness | Hardness | Hit Points | Break DC Stuck | Locked |
| Snowboulder | 10 ft. | 2 | 30 hp | 17 | - |
| Natural ice boulder | 10 ft. | 4 | 60 hp | 30 | - |
| Hewn ice slab | 1-1/2 ft. | 4 | 40 hp | 25 | 28 |
| Magical treated | - | x2 | x2 | +10 | +20 |
Corridors
Passageways in frostfell compounds resemble those in any other dungeon setting, except perhaps for their composition, which may include snow and ice. Traps - natural, mechanical, and magical - can include deadfalls of snow, falling icicles, or explosions of frostfell magic. See Dungeon Terrain for more information on dungeon corridors, and Frostfell Traps for details on new frostfell traps.
Rooms
Rooms in frostfell dungeons come in a variety of types. All the room types detailed in Dungeon Terrain may be found in these complexes, along with the new area listed below. In addition, their walls, floors, and portals may be of a frostfell variety.
Frostfell Summoning Chamber: Frostfell spellcasters often construct special chambers for summoning extraplanar creatures of cold (as a summon monster spell) or conjuring beasts made of ice (as a conjure ice beast spell).
The main characteristic of these rooms is their temperature: the colder, the better.
Within these locations, the caster may summon or conjure an additional numbers of creatures for a given spell as indicated on the table below. All creatures summoned or conjured by the casting of a single spell, including the bonus creatures, must be of the same kind.
Creating a frostfell summoning chamber requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat and the expenditure of 15,000 gp.
| Frostfell Summoning Bonuses | |
|---|---|
| Temperature | Number of Bonus Creatures |
| Very cold | +1 |
| Severe cold | +2 |
| Extreme cold | +4 |
Miscellaneous Features
All the miscellaneous features listed in Dungeon Terrain may also be found in these complexes of frostfell. Miscellaneous features specific to frostfell areas include the following:
Ice Stairs: Stairs of ice function like those normally encountered in dungeons, except that their icy nature increases the DC of Balance and Tumble checks by 10. Running or charging down ice stairs is impossible.
Snow and Ice Bridges: These bridges are slippery and therefore dangerous. The DC of Balance and Tumble checks increases by 5.
Characters running or charging up across one of these bridges must succeed on a DC 12 (for snow) or DC 15 (for ice) Balance check each round. Mounted characters make a DC 12 (for snow) or DC 15 (for ice) Ride check instead. Characters who fail this check stumble and must end their movement 1d2x10 feet later, continuing along the trajectory they established at the outset of their movement, which can cause characters to plummet of bridges without railings. Characters who fail by 5 or more fall prone in the square where they end their movement.
Icicles: These spikelike protrusions of ice hang from the ceiling and in some cases jut up from the floor. Icicles function like slender pillars, except that a typical icicle has AC 4, hardness 2, and 50 hit points.
Icicles can be deadly when they fall on creatures below. Icicles normally do not fall unless they grow too large, are subjected to warm temperatures, or are knocked lose by sudden shocks. Falling icicles have the following characteristics:
| Icicles | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | Weight | Attack | Damage |
| Small | 20 lb. or less | +4 | 1d6/3 |
| Medium | 21-100 lb. | +8 | 2d6/3 |
| Large | 100 lb. or more | +12 | 4d6/3 |
Snow and Ice Statues: Sculptures of snow and ice mark the passage of ancient cultures or the presence of current denizens. These frostfell statues can come in any form, from humanoid figures to monsters, deities, holy symbols, royal emblems, magic sigils, or even entire scenes of historical or mythical significance. Snow sculptures are typically white (except for those made out of crimson blood snow), while ice sculptures may be opaque or transparent, and may range in hue from clear to black.
Treat snow and ice statues like wide pillars, except that snow statues have AC 3, hardness 2, and 100 hit points and ice statues have AC 3, hardness 6, and 250 hit points.
Frozen Pools and Lakes: These areas were once above the freezing point, but have since dipped into lower temperatures. The thickness of the top layer of ice depends on many factors (current temperature, overall climate, composition of the ice, and so forth), but a method for random determination is included in the entries.
Frozen Shallow Pool: If a square contains a frozen shallow pool, it has roughly 1 foot of water, the top 2-inch layer of which is ice. It otherwise functions as a natural ice sheet as described in Ice Field Terrain, except that the ice can break if the amount of weight in a square exceeds the weight limit listed in breaking through ice for that depth of ice, plunging the source of the weight into the freezing water. However, because of the shallow depth of the pool, creatures breaking through the ice are not considered immersed in water.
Frozen Deep Pool: If a square contains a frozen deep pool, it has at least 4 feet of water, the top 1d6-inch layer of which is ice. It otherwise functions as a natural ice sheet as described in Ice Field Terrain, except that the ice can break if the amount of weight in a square exceeds the weight limit listed in breaking through ice for that depth of ice, plunging the source of the weight into the freezing water. See breaking through ice, and Water Dangers for information on characters immersed in a deep pool.
Frozen Lake: If a square contains a frozen lake, it has at least 30 feet of water, the top 4d6-inch layer of which is ice. It otherwise functions as a natural ice sheet as described in Ice Field Terrain, except that the ice can break if the amount of weight in a square exceeds the weight limit listed in breaking through ice for that depth of ice, plunging the source of the weight into the freezing water. See breaking through ice, and Water Dangers for information on characters immersed in a deep pool.
Effects Of Cold On Equipment
Although constant exposure to cold weather can damage many types of equipment, for the most part you should assume that player-characters take at least some precautions to maintain and protect their gear from cold weather as they see fit. Nevertheless, certain items and pieces of equipment can be impacted by extreme cold, as detailed below.
Metal: Extreme cold can make metal objects fragile. If an unattended metal object is exposed to cold in excess of -20° F for more than 1 hour, the break DC of the object takes a -2 penalty until the object is warmed. Creatures who touch metal that is chilled to this extent take 1 point of cold damage per round of normal contact, or 1d4 points of damage per round of full bodily contact (such as in the case of wearing a suit of metal armor). The temperature drops below -60° F, this break DC penalty increases to -5; creatures who touch metal chilled to this extent take 2 points of cold damage per round of normal contact, or points of damage per round of full bodily contact. If chilled metal is suddenly exposed to direct flame or another source powerful heat, the object must immediately make a DC 15 Fortitude save or shatter.
Undead Flesh: Corporeal undead creatures that are immune to cold can function with ease in environments that normally cause lethal damage (-20° F or lower). An undead creature exposed to such conditions for at least a day becomes frozen; this reduces the creature's land speed by 10 feet and imposes a -4 penalty to its Dexterity, but increases its natural armor bonus by +5 (for a net increase to its actual Armor Class of +3). Undead with the cold subtype are considered to be frozen already and do not gain this benefit.
Liquids: Any liquid exposed to freezing temperatures freezes after 1 hour of continued exposure. Frozen liquid must be thawed before it can be used; one serving of frozen liquid can be thawed by a single torch's flame in 10 minutes. The thaw spell can do the same in the matter of an instant. Water freezes at 32° F, but most potions are made of hardier stuff and freeze at temperatures of 20° F or lower. Oils are even more difficult to freeze, and only do so at temperatures of -20° F or lower. A frozen potion's or oil's magical qualities are unharmed by freezing, although the liquid must be thawed before it can be used.
Scrolls: A scroll (or any parchment, for that matter) allowed to remain in freezing temperatures unattended becomes brittle after a day of exposure. Reading or using a frozen scroll without taking the time to thaw it (typically requiring 10 minutes) requires the user to make a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid ruining the scroll. It is possible to use the skins of creatures with the cold subtype to create scrolls; these scrolls do not become brittle when exposed to cold.