Raiders of Black Ice - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Raiders of Black Ice

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Sep 15, 2004 8:13:51 Does anyone have Dungeon 115? I'm interested in running a campaign in Blackmoor and am thinking about buying this issue for the "Raiders of Black Ice". Before I do that I'd like to know if it is any good. Can anyone give me a brief synopsis? A mini-review? Thanks!
#2
zombiegleemax
Sep 15, 2004 8:18:31 I've only skimmed it, but it looks alright. Regionally specific with a few plot-hooks to expand upon. Might wanna pick up Frostburn as a supplement, too, though it's not all that necessary.

#115 also has the last shackled city adventure, not that you asked, but that one's good, too.
#3
zombiegleemax
Sep 15, 2004 8:21:56 How about Frostburn? That's also on my wish list. Is it any good? Does it have any info on the Land of Black Ice?
#4
zombiegleemax
Sep 15, 2004 10:45:44 My one disappoint with "Raiders" was the frost folk. Not sure where they came from. Quaggoths would have made more sense for the raiders in my opinion. Tonnsburg and the Zeai were a nice touch and having a local map of the area is always a good thing if you don't like to make your own.

I haven't looked at Frostburn but I am pretty sure it doesn't contain any specific campaign info but generic rules dealing with cold elements and races who live there. Now that I think about it the frost folk probably came from that supplement.
#5
zombiegleemax
Sep 15, 2004 11:11:33 Frost Folk are Frostburn - I think they may be from an older edition though. Strangely enough, I too am starting a campaign in Blackmoor, using some of the source material in Dragon (I haven't finished reading the adventure yet though ...). For more good Blackmoor info, I reccomend:

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~monax002/Council/OJ5/blackmoor.html

Also, mail me (or post here) if you want a version of the Blackmoor map from Dungeon with the adventure specific stuff photoshoped off (so PC safe, as it were).

M
#6
Halberkill
Sep 15, 2004 14:11:22 Frost Folk are from the 1st edition Fiend Folio, and there were originally called Frost Men, but like lizardmen were turned into lizardfolk, so was the Frost Man.

Halber
#7
zombiegleemax
Sep 16, 2004 5:22:17 Incidentily, having now read through Raiders of the Black Ice, I'm kind of coming to the conclusion that the adventure itself isn't up to much. The setting information is great, and I'll still be setting my campaign in Blackmoor, but I'll doubt I'll run Raiders' as is - it's too aimless, the dungeon crawl part is just a straight fight, and there's basically no real roleplaying oportunities even for talkative players. I'll use the maps, but not much else. Besides, Frost Folk are dull.

M
#8
zombiegleemax
Sep 16, 2004 9:10:36 Thanks for all the input. I think I'll pick up Frostburn later today (payday).

Sad Genius,
I'd love to get a that map you mentioned. In terms of your Blackmoor campaign, what are doing about the Egg of Coot? How are you explaining Black Ice?
#9
Halberkill
Sep 16, 2004 10:20:55
How are you explaining Black Ice?

If I may interrupt...

Black Ice is a natural occurence in the real world when water is frozen very suddenly such as from a cold snap. It doesn't happen very often though, because the water also has to be very still for this to happen. So rivers or oceans can't form into black ice, but lakes and ponds can.

As for an entire glacier made of black ice, obviously something magical caused a very large and widespread severe temperature drop at some time, or may still be doing so at it's source.

Halber
#10
scoti_garbidis
Sep 17, 2004 7:58:30 sounds like elemental evil my friends.......... :OMG!
#11
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2004 11:40:52 I always got the impression the the ice was actually black, like translucent jet.

Black ice in the real world, from my experience, tends to be transparent, but can appear black from certain angles.

My call on this is that they're different things.

P.
#12
Halberkill
Sep 17, 2004 12:56:13
I always got the impression the the ice was actually black, like translucent jet.

Black ice in the real world, from my experience, tends to be transparent, but can appear black from certain angles.
QUOTE]

No, real world black ice is actually black, like translucent jet. The best way to describe it is if you imagine a blueberry snow cone. It is throroughly colored blue, but when you shave parts of it off, it has a white frosty consistency. You may have never experienced it. The only way I have experienced it is through a national geographic special in the 80's. I also think it was on Ripley's Beleive It or Not...if that doesn't date me...

Maybe you are confusing it with icy roads that you can't tell are actually icy.

Halber
#13
Aeolius
Sep 17, 2004 15:42:46
How are you explaining Black Ice?

In my "Into the Land of Black Ice" campaign (1995-1998), I explained the Land of Black Ice as magical "fallout" from the summoning of the Rain of Colorless Fire (Black Ice/Colorless Fire... Istus is the Colorless and All-Colored). If you look through the 1e MotP, there are many descriptions of dark or acidic snows, so I made the Land an amalgam of bits of The Abyss, Gehenna, The Nine Hells, Tarterus, and Hades.

I have been toying with the idea of having Black Icebergs float into the region of my undersea campaign.
#14
scoti_garbidis
Sep 17, 2004 16:19:48 Just curious, What rules do you use for your underwater campaign.... the basics out of the DMG or do you have more advanced and articulated rules?
#15
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2004 17:35:40
No, real world black ice is actually black, like translucent jet. The best way to describe it is if you imagine a blueberry snow cone. It is throroughly colored blue, but when you shave parts of it off, it has a white frosty consistency. You may have never experienced it. The only way I have experienced it is through a national geographic special in the 80's. I also think it was on Ripley's Beleive It or Not...if that doesn't date me...

Maybe you are confusing it with icy roads that you can't tell are actually icy.

Halber

Its been a while since my Optics class but if you want to go "real world" the only way ice is black is if it reflects more "blue-red" than "green" light. Talking specifically about wave-lengths of course. In which case you would really be talking about purple ice. The only way this would happen is from a foreign molecule contained inside the ice. If you know the reason the sky is blue its the same thing. Not saying that you didn't see this on Ripley's or National Graphic but they must have been looking at something other than pure H2O. Perhaps the properties of water in a specific area of the world..? Beats me. What makes it interesting is any tincture to ice would make it melt faster than regular ice and snow when exposed to sun light. So how is it that the Land of Black Ice hasn't simply melted away by now?
#16
zombiegleemax
Sep 17, 2004 20:33:39 As well as the ticture effect you mention, black ice would absorb more of the sun's heat than white ice (albedo). The original Greyhawk Advenfture's book makes this same point. So, I guess its gotta be magic and some seriously powerful magic at that.

P.
#17
Mortepierre
Sep 18, 2004 3:22:29 .. probably the unnamed artifact which accounts for the existence of Rigodruok.
#18
zombiegleemax
Sep 18, 2004 9:38:53 Upon finally reading this one, I have to say that it seems a better map than adventure. I may still run it, though.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Sep 15, 2004 8:13:51	Does anyone have Dungeon 115? I'm interested in running a campaign in Blackmoor and am thinking about buying this issue for the "Raiders of Black Ice". Before I do that I'd like to know if it is any good. Can anyone give me a brief synopsis? A mini-review? Thanks!
#2 zombiegleemax Sep 15, 2004 8:18:31	I've only skimmed it, but it looks alright. Regionally specific with a few plot-hooks to expand upon. Might wanna pick up Frostburn as a supplement, too, though it's not all that necessary. #115 also has the last shackled city adventure, not that you asked, but that one's good, too.
#3 zombiegleemax Sep 15, 2004 8:21:56	How about Frostburn? That's also on my wish list. Is it any good? Does it have any info on the Land of Black Ice?
#4 zombiegleemax Sep 15, 2004 10:45:44	My one disappoint with "Raiders" was the frost folk. Not sure where they came from. Quaggoths would have made more sense for the raiders in my opinion. Tonnsburg and the Zeai were a nice touch and having a local map of the area is always a good thing if you don't like to make your own. I haven't looked at Frostburn but I am pretty sure it doesn't contain any specific campaign info but generic rules dealing with cold elements and races who live there. Now that I think about it the frost folk probably came from that supplement.
#5 zombiegleemax Sep 15, 2004 11:11:33	Frost Folk are Frostburn - I think they may be from an older edition though. Strangely enough, I too am starting a campaign in Blackmoor, using some of the source material in Dragon (I haven't finished reading the adventure yet though ...). For more good Blackmoor info, I reccomend: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~monax002/Council/OJ5/blackmoor.html Also, mail me (or post here) if you want a version of the Blackmoor map from Dungeon with the adventure specific stuff photoshoped off (so PC safe, as it were). M
#6 Halberkill Sep 15, 2004 14:11:22	Frost Folk are from the 1st edition Fiend Folio, and there were originally called Frost Men, but like lizardmen were turned into lizardfolk, so was the Frost Man. Halber
#7 zombiegleemax Sep 16, 2004 5:22:17	Incidentily, having now read through Raiders of the Black Ice, I'm kind of coming to the conclusion that the adventure itself isn't up to much. The setting information is great, and I'll still be setting my campaign in Blackmoor, but I'll doubt I'll run Raiders' as is - it's too aimless, the dungeon crawl part is just a straight fight, and there's basically no real roleplaying oportunities even for talkative players. I'll use the maps, but not much else. Besides, Frost Folk are dull. M
#8 zombiegleemax Sep 16, 2004 9:10:36	Thanks for all the input. I think I'll pick up Frostburn later today (payday). Sad Genius, I'd love to get a that map you mentioned. In terms of your Blackmoor campaign, what are doing about the Egg of Coot? How are you explaining Black Ice?
#9 Halberkill Sep 16, 2004 10:20:55	How are you explaining Black Ice? If I may interrupt... Black Ice is a natural occurence in the real world when water is frozen very suddenly such as from a cold snap. It doesn't happen very often though, because the water also has to be very still for this to happen. So rivers or oceans can't form into black ice, but lakes and ponds can. As for an entire glacier made of black ice, obviously something magical caused a very large and widespread severe temperature drop at some time, or may still be doing so at it's source. Halber
#10 scoti_garbidis Sep 17, 2004 7:58:30	sounds like elemental evil my friends.......... :OMG!
#11 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2004 11:40:52	I always got the impression the the ice was actually black, like translucent jet. Black ice in the real world, from my experience, tends to be transparent, but can appear black from certain angles. My call on this is that they're different things. P.
#12 Halberkill Sep 17, 2004 12:56:13	I always got the impression the the ice was actually black, like translucent jet. Black ice in the real world, from my experience, tends to be transparent, but can appear black from certain angles. QUOTE] No, real world black ice is actually black, like translucent jet. The best way to describe it is if you imagine a blueberry snow cone. It is throroughly colored blue, but when you shave parts of it off, it has a white frosty consistency. You may have never experienced it. The only way I have experienced it is through a national geographic special in the 80's. I also think it was on Ripley's Beleive It or Not...if that doesn't date me... Maybe you are confusing it with icy roads that you can't tell are actually icy. Halber
#13 Aeolius Sep 17, 2004 15:42:46	How are you explaining Black Ice? In my "Into the Land of Black Ice" campaign (1995-1998), I explained the Land of Black Ice as magical "fallout" from the summoning of the Rain of Colorless Fire (Black Ice/Colorless Fire... Istus is the Colorless and All-Colored). If you look through the 1e MotP, there are many descriptions of dark or acidic snows, so I made the Land an amalgam of bits of The Abyss, Gehenna, The Nine Hells, Tarterus, and Hades. I have been toying with the idea of having Black Icebergs float into the region of my undersea campaign.
#14 scoti_garbidis Sep 17, 2004 16:19:48	Just curious, What rules do you use for your underwater campaign.... the basics out of the DMG or do you have more advanced and articulated rules?
#15 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2004 17:35:40	No, real world black ice is actually black, like translucent jet. The best way to describe it is if you imagine a blueberry snow cone. It is throroughly colored blue, but when you shave parts of it off, it has a white frosty consistency. You may have never experienced it. The only way I have experienced it is through a national geographic special in the 80's. I also think it was on Ripley's Beleive It or Not...if that doesn't date me... Maybe you are confusing it with icy roads that you can't tell are actually icy. Halber Its been a while since my Optics class but if you want to go "real world" the only way ice is black is if it reflects more "blue-red" than "green" light. Talking specifically about wave-lengths of course. In which case you would really be talking about purple ice. The only way this would happen is from a foreign molecule contained inside the ice. If you know the reason the sky is blue its the same thing. Not saying that you didn't see this on Ripley's or National Graphic but they must have been looking at something other than pure H2O. Perhaps the properties of water in a specific area of the world..? Beats me. What makes it interesting is any tincture to ice would make it melt faster than regular ice and snow when exposed to sun light. So how is it that the Land of Black Ice hasn't simply melted away by now?
#16 zombiegleemax Sep 17, 2004 20:33:39	As well as the ticture effect you mention, black ice would absorb more of the sun's heat than white ice (albedo). The original Greyhawk Advenfture's book makes this same point. So, I guess its gotta be magic and some seriously powerful magic at that. P.
#17 Mortepierre Sep 18, 2004 3:22:29	.. probably the unnamed artifact which accounts for the existence of Rigodruok.
#18 zombiegleemax Sep 18, 2004 9:38:53	Upon finally reading this one, I have to say that it seems a better map than adventure. I may still run it, though.