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

Land of Black Ice

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
princeofcincinnati
Jun 30, 2005 11:31:15 How and why is the Land of Black Ice Black? Are there any offical story or clue?
#2
ripvanwormer
Jun 30, 2005 12:20:00
How and why is the Land of Black Ice Black? Are there any offical story or clue?

Not that I'm aware of. It's supposed to be a mystery.

My theory is that there's a vortex there to the Negative Plane.
#3
Mortepierre
Jun 30, 2005 16:10:45 My guess is that it's tied to the existence of Rigodruok (from the 2E GH Adventures hardcover). Some kind of artifact must be hidden on one of its floating islands that sustains the climate in the vale AND creates the black ice at the same time (whether as a protective barrier or, perhaps, as the result of the heat transfer?)
#4
zombiegleemax
Jun 30, 2005 23:16:29 According to a fairly recent Dungeon adventure (last fall sometime) there are legends that beyond the black ice is the remnants of a civilization that once flourished and knew arcane secrets without reproach (Ur-Flan???). At any rate, the civilization is either defunct or otherwise not making contact and part of their legacy appears to be the black ice, though no one knows exactly what causes it.

The adventure also posits that in the midst of the black ice is a land where the grass is lush and thesun never sets. I imagine this is a demiplane where possibly relics of the civilization are preserved. But even this adventure leaves a lot to your imagination. I think it has been intentionally left a big mystery. There has been no official source that specifically says "The Land of Black Ice is black because..." in case that's what you are looking for.
#5
ivid
Jul 01, 2005 1:15:39 It might be interesting to mention that in the original Wilderlands/Blackmoor setting, similar area existed, called *The Great Glacier*, which was supposed to be inhabited by Valonian (aka A-valonian) Ice Wizards and was supposed to extend until the north pole. Mr Gygax may have used this as an inspiration.
Maybe researching the old WL/FFC sources may bring us an explanation...

Not that I would especially favour a crossover, because WoG is WoG and WL is WL, but since the BM/Greyhawk setting wasn't especially detailed, this may be a clue how it was supposed to go.

#6
ripvanwormer
Jul 01, 2005 1:22:08 Could have something to do with the Plane of Shadow, too.
#7
Mortepierre
Jul 01, 2005 1:34:48
According to a fairly recent Dungeon adventure (last fall sometime) there are legends that beyond the black ice is the remnants of a civilization that once flourished and knew arcane secrets without reproach (Ur-Flan???).

That's Rigodruok. At least it seems to be given the description of the vale.
#8
zombiegleemax
Jul 01, 2005 4:47:50 I thought that was the City of the Gods?
#9
Aeolius
Jul 01, 2005 7:44:23 In my "Into the Land of Black Ice" campaign, the region was explained as magical "fallout" for the summoning of the Rain of Colorless Fire.
#10
zombiegleemax
Jul 02, 2005 0:18:49 In the game I play, the Land of Black Ice is where a aspect of Tharizdun is trapped, the black ice grew from his prison and has continued to grow. Our group has also found out that there is an area on the plane of ice that is made of Black Ice there are portals connecting the two.
#11
extempus
Feb 08, 2006 4:16:25 The Land of Black Ice was created by an ancient Flan magical/techno disaster of some kind, and that's all my players know from the records they found there...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 princeofcincinnati Jun 30, 2005 11:31:15	How and why is the Land of Black Ice Black? Are there any offical story or clue?
#2 ripvanwormer Jun 30, 2005 12:20:00	How and why is the Land of Black Ice Black? Are there any offical story or clue? Not that I'm aware of. It's supposed to be a mystery. My theory is that there's a vortex there to the Negative Plane.
#3 Mortepierre Jun 30, 2005 16:10:45	My guess is that it's tied to the existence of Rigodruok (from the 2E GH Adventures hardcover). Some kind of artifact must be hidden on one of its floating islands that sustains the climate in the vale AND creates the black ice at the same time (whether as a protective barrier or, perhaps, as the result of the heat transfer?)
#4 zombiegleemax Jun 30, 2005 23:16:29	According to a fairly recent Dungeon adventure (last fall sometime) there are legends that beyond the black ice is the remnants of a civilization that once flourished and knew arcane secrets without reproach (Ur-Flan???). At any rate, the civilization is either defunct or otherwise not making contact and part of their legacy appears to be the black ice, though no one knows exactly what causes it. The adventure also posits that in the midst of the black ice is a land where the grass is lush and thesun never sets. I imagine this is a demiplane where possibly relics of the civilization are preserved. But even this adventure leaves a lot to your imagination. I think it has been intentionally left a big mystery. There has been no official source that specifically says "The Land of Black Ice is black because..." in case that's what you are looking for.
#5 ivid Jul 01, 2005 1:15:39	It might be interesting to mention that in the original Wilderlands/Blackmoor setting, similar area existed, called The Great Glacier, which was supposed to be inhabited by Valonian (aka A-valonian) Ice Wizards and was supposed to extend until the north pole. Mr Gygax may have used this as an inspiration. Maybe researching the old WL/FFC sources may bring us an explanation... Not that I would especially favour a crossover, because WoG is WoG and WL is WL, but since the BM/Greyhawk setting wasn't especially detailed, this may be a clue how it was supposed to go.
#6 ripvanwormer Jul 01, 2005 1:22:08	Could have something to do with the Plane of Shadow, too.
#7 Mortepierre Jul 01, 2005 1:34:48	According to a fairly recent Dungeon adventure (last fall sometime) there are legends that beyond the black ice is the remnants of a civilization that once flourished and knew arcane secrets without reproach (Ur-Flan???). That's Rigodruok. At least it seems to be given the description of the vale.
#8 zombiegleemax Jul 01, 2005 4:47:50	I thought that was the City of the Gods?
#9 Aeolius Jul 01, 2005 7:44:23	In my "Into the Land of Black Ice" campaign, the region was explained as magical "fallout" for the summoning of the Rain of Colorless Fire.
#10 zombiegleemax Jul 02, 2005 0:18:49	In the game I play, the Land of Black Ice is where a aspect of Tharizdun is trapped, the black ice grew from his prison and has continued to grow. Our group has also found out that there is an area on the plane of ice that is made of Black Ice there are portals connecting the two.
#11 extempus Feb 08, 2006 4:16:25	The Land of Black Ice was created by an ancient Flan magical/techno disaster of some kind, and that's all my players know from the records they found there...