Ice

Magic Profile: Ice
Ice type Dragon Warriors are known for their reclusive and hardy lifestyle. Living in the cold and harsh tundra and mountain reaches of Elementra, they are born with a resistance to the cold climate and created small settlements across the tundra regions. Ice types are often quiet and calm individuals who are hard to anger or offend.

Phrozet & Ice type Architecture

The main capital of these hardy people is known as Phrozet (Fro-zet), a large city built from ice in a style that oddly mirror’s Earth’s Arabian culture with predominantly rectangular houses and a scattering of domed towers. The city is ruled by Queen Cassey, an Ice type Dragon Warrior, who shares strong family ties with the Venom kingdom and is married to the King of Steel.

Ice type towns are typically made from either solid or cut ice, packed snow, or wood, depending on how deep into the tundra region they are situated – and if it is magically reinforced or not. Towns near forests tend to be a cluster of log cabins with protected areas for kerkan herds, while further into the region blocky ice houses can be found. While the flat roof with its low wall seems odd to outsiders, it is deliberately used to catch snowfall to use in building up the house further, or for repairs – a suggestion made to prevent citizens digging up material from the street and causing trip hazards for pedestrians.

Wildlife of the Tundra

Because of where they are situated, Ice types encounter several animals native only to their region, such as Hairces (a kind of arctic hare), Silver-eyes (a fairly large bird similar to a Ptarnigan), Snow Foxins (Elementra’s equivalent of an Arctic Fox), Bitternfros (humans say it looks like an evil ice-spike encrusted bear, and they call them ‘Ice Devils’), Arctic Finoxins (something like a cross between a dolphin and a seal), and arguably the most important animal to the Ice type way of life: the Kerkan.

Kerkan trade

Kerkans are extremely wooly yak-like creatures, and Ice types are known for their keeping of massive herds of kerkans (Cur-carns): the DW equivalent of yaks. These Kerkan herds live in the lusher areas, and traders travel by kerkan-drawn sleds all across the tundra from settlement to settlement. The kerkans supply the Ice types with food, oil for cooking and lighting, bone for decoration and construction, and kerka-wool, a soft and fine wool used in making their clothing, patterned rugs and decorative wall hangings. The kerka-wool comes in the natural colours of white, brown, gray and black, with white and gray being the most common. The wool can be dyed in a variety of colours, but it has to be imported. The kerka-wool and meat are a unique resource within the Ice type regions, and the wool in particular is of high quality and used in trade with other DW types – particularly for metal goods, albeit in a circuitous manner as Fire types are the biggest metal traders but have no need for flammable wool garments or furnishings. That said, most Ice type trade is locally focused, with those near the lusher areas supplying wool, lumber, oil and kerkan meat to the less fertile areas, who in return supply fish, or other meats and furs from hunting in the tundra.

Beliefs

The ice types believe in the deity known as Aqurakota (Ah-kwar-ra-kaw-tah). Aqurakota is the divine being of Dreams, prophecies and omens, who is one of the few deities believed to come into more regular contact with mortals. They enter the dreams of said mortal (an event which is called a dream ‘capture’), appearing in the form of a white caribou, with a dreamcatcher fused between the antlers. Although some suspect that this is not Aqurakota’s true form, this is the only one that has ever been seen. Through this dream animal projection, they contact the mortal via telepathy, often giving the person news of future events, both good and bad.

The Ice types have a temple or shrine dedicated to Aqurakota in nearly every settlement or town. The temples are large square buildings made from cut ice and packed snow, reinforced with ice magic, with a central, domed tower. The entrance is marked with overlapping carved wooden antlers hanging directly above, the dark brown of the wood contrasting with the pristine white ice. The outer walls have neat uniform carvings of pillars and fancy awnings for windows, but while pretty, do not compare to the interior carvings. Inside, the walls are carved with abstract ‘dream-like’ scenes, following only the whims of the artist rather than any particular set pattern – although common themes are images of Aqurakota’s caribou form, feathers, criss-crossing web-like markings akin to a dream-catcher, and optical illusions. The space is divided into a main worship area and several smaller side rooms for private prayer. The worship space is simply furnished with pews cut from ice and draped with kerka-wool rugs or furs for comfort. These furnishing are arranged in a semi-circle facing towards a plain flat altar of ice set before a large statue of Aqurakota. The figure is positioned underneath the central tower so that their antlers extend up into the inside of the tower itself, casting interesting shadows on the floor below as the position of the sun changes.

The shrines to Aqurakota are much smaller and simpler: consisting of a small igloo (the sizes vary but they rarely go above knee-height) framed on either side by two taller wooden stakes (often made to vaguely resemble antlers) with a dreamcatcher slung between them. Dangling from the base of the dreamcatcher, strands of beads and feathers are left to twist in the wind above the miniature igloo. Most of the shrines contain a collection of small doll-like statues carved from either wood, ice, or bone, placed inside the igloo as an offering to Aqurakota. The figurines are meant to resemble the person who you wish good fortune for, or to request a dream ‘capture’ from the deity.

Festivities and Traditions

The Ice types have the tradition of performing a sacred dance during the longest night of the year, dedicated to Aqurakota as a thank-offering. The event is held in a special ice cavern, the Sacred Reflective Hall, where the walls have been treated and polished to create a smooth frozen mirror in a wide circle, while the space is lit from above by a roof of naturally occurring luminescent ice – emitting a cold but steady blue glow. The only break in the mirror’s surface is the entrance, and the musician’s alcove – carefully positioned to utilise the natural acoustics to maximise the quality and volume of the sound in the space.

The dance itself is a slow, flowing dance, telling a story about a ‘blessed’ person who is sent on a journey by Aqurakota. The story and dance are different every year, as one person will be sent a vision in a dream by Aqurakota, bestowing upon them inspiration to lead the yearly dance. No one but the leader knows what dance will be performed, instead it becomes a game of ‘follow the leader’. The leader will perform a dance movement then gently hold that position, the other dancers then copy the movement, and await the next step. Meanwhile, a musician carefully watches the dancers and improvises as best they can to suit what is being shown, the music however will always be unhurried and typically soothing and meditative. Ice magic is also a common feature in the dance, adding some extra glamour to the movements.

To be considered worthy of presenting the dance to Aqurakota is a great honour among the Ice types. Due to the dance’s sacred nature, it is an exclusive event, allowing entry only to the dancers and the musician. Three weeks prior to the sacred dance, priests and priestesses go through the city and visit the villages to accept auditions for the dance, the chosen will then be brought to the Capital to prepare for the event. The musician is selected beforehand, with a backup in reserve.

After the dance is finished, the dancers emerge from the hall to cheers from the waiting crowds outside. A huge feast is then held and the citizens of Phrozet and visitors from neighbouring villages gather to eat, drink, swap tales, and occasionally do some trading on the side.

A similar event is held during the longest day in the year: the Gathering of Skill. Instead of a dance, a magical performance is held in Phrozet, giving the most proficient a chance to compete and show off their magical prowess.

A multitude of other competitions are held as well, but the riskiest and most popular is more of a trial than a friendly competition: the Aqura trial. This test of endurance and skill is a race to the top of Mt. Shenar: the highest and most treacherous mountain in the tundra regions. The challengers begin the race at Phrozet, travel to the base of the mountain, then compete to see who can be first to climb all the way to the Aqura shrine (stationed near the mountain’s peak), and take one of the three small statues, known as ‘Kotana’, all the way back to Phrozet. There is a maximum of 3 winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd), 1 for each available statue, but not all 3 positions are necessarily obtained each year. This trial is extremely harsh and not many make it through the whole trial unscathed. The victors are awarded with material prizes of course, but for many, the greatest victory is claiming a place on the wall of fame – to have their success carved into history forever.

Colours

The colours Ice types are known for are soft or cool, like pastels, icy blues, and shades of white.

The royalty sign is a heart symbol seated within a three-pointed crown. The left, right and base of the crown have an icicle coming off of it. At the centre of the heart is the image of a snowflake. Another two icicles extend from the top of the heart, one at each uppermost point of the heart’s curve.

 

Skills and abilities.

Unlike what many think, the magic of ice is not a matter of controlling frozen water, but temperature. Ice magic users can manage the temperature around them, lowering it to freezing point and or stealing heat away. That water happens to freeze easily makes it a useful tool for their magic, but is not the only one at their disposal. Because of this, the abilities of an Ice type are tied closely to the environment they are in – hot dry areas are much harder to use their abilities in, while areas with high humidity may make it harder for them to control their attack power.

Beginner
 * Ice Needles:  The user is able to flash freeze the air around themselves, but unless working with actual water this technique is not strong enough to make a defensive wall of ice. Instead, its main use is offense, making sharp frozen projectiles combined with a hand or arm motion to send the ice shards flying. At beginner level they can do little more than make sharp pointed ice splinters or ‘needles’, up to about 5 at once with a thrown range of 3m. While small, they are razor sharp and can prick bare skin or cause minor cuts.
 * Weak ice breath:  The user can breathe cold air at their target, however their breath isn’t strong enough to actually freeze anything. The breath is strong enough to cool down some heated objects though. They can maintain the breath for roughly 5 minutes with a range of up to half a meter in length.Weak temperature manipulation: The user can keep their body temperature at a comfortable level (Neither too hot nor too cold), but only under mild conditions. They can also leech heat from their surroundings to lower the overall temperature, creating a patch of pleasantly cool air around themselves. This power takes very little magical energy to maintain, and often is in effect without the user realising they are doing it.

Average
 * Ice shard:  A stronger and more improved version of the Ice needle, at Average level the user can control the way the ice forms to make it smoother and more concentrated in structure and appearance. The shards resemble 30cm long icicles with a 3cm diameter at the base, tapering to a jagged point. The user can throw these like the Ice needles (up to 10) and still cause some piercing damage, but the greatest strength of this ability is drawn out when it is used it in conjunction with other forces, like gravity, and the weight of the opponent. For example, instead of simply throwing the ice shard, calling up a line of them across the ground at varying heights to make the terrain treacherous to manoeuvre – and deadly if you trip. Or, using a vantage point like a cliff or tree to form and drop the ice shards from a height.
 * Advanced Ice breath:  The user’s ice breath is much stronger, able to lightly freeze objects or people. While it isn’t strong enough to fully immobilise a target by itself, multiple breaths in the same place can. They can maintain the breath from 10 to 15 minutes and the length has increased to 2 meters.
 * Temperature manipulation:  Body temperature can be regulated even in relatively hot or cold climates. The heat leeching effect can also extend further from themselves to a maximum range of 5m, at maximum power the outer limit would be slightly cool, and the area closest to the user’s body being near freezing temperatures. At this stage they can keep up that level of intensity for 30 minutes.
 * Frost climb:  Using the same principal as the flash freeze power involved with Ice shards. The user concentrates their magic purely around the area of their hand or foot while in contact with a surface to lightly freeze that part of them in place. This is used to attach themselves to surfaces, and while useful to prevent them falling off things, it also can be used to climb practically any solid surface. For example, the user could climb a cliff by first freezing one hand in place and using that as a handhold to move themselves up higher before freezing their reaching hand and foot in place, defrosting the first pair and reaching up higher again before freezing it once more. Although a very versatile ability, it requires patience, concentration and a careful application of power. Early users of the ability often use far more magic than is needed to attach themselves and waste more energy detaching themselves – risking running out of magical energy in the middle of a climb. When used wisely, however, it can be combined with Ice shard to get the user up to a height where the falling icicles can do the most damage.
 * Frost touch:  Like Frost Climb, Frost Touch involves freezing the surface of something the user is touching. When used in combat this is referred to as Frost Touch, freezing a small area around a part of their body that is in physical contact with the target, usually the user’s hand. The affected area is then covered in a film of ice, reducing mobility and causing rapid discomfort and eventually pain from the cold if the icy crust is not removed.

Master:
 * Master Ice shards:  20 shards or icicles can be made, and even larger: up to 60cm long and 10-20cm in diameter at the base – depending on how much moisture is in the air. The larger the ice shard, the harder it is to throw, but the better it is for dropping from above.
 * Advanced Ice breath:  The Ice breath is considerably colder, often being able to cover the target in ice completely, immobilising them. The breath can now be maintained for 30 to 35 minutes (with pause for breath) and reaches up to 6 meters in length.
 * Cold Crafting:  The user is able to freeze their own limbs (usually choosing their arms) for both protection and offensive purposes. They can shape the ice any way they wish but tend to choose a sleek design focused on cutting or piercing damage, such as an ice blade or icy claws. While a covering of ice can act as moderate defence for the main body, shields are not advisable due to the brittleness of the ice not taking sharp physical blows very well without shattering. Crafted items can last 20 minutes before losing the enchanted ‘cold’ state that protects them from melting away, within frigid conditions though these crafted items will obviously last longer. Because of the user’s control of their own temperature they are not at all affected by what should be damagingly cold ice so close to their body.
 * Advanced temperature manipulation:  The user can now lower the surrounding area temperature within 15m for as long as 50 minutes. The cold is so intense that simply fighting an Ice type within this field of attack can lead to hypothermia and eventually death. This is one of the greatest strengths of an Ice type in that the longer you fight one, the more sluggish your movements become as you succumb to the cold.  Regulation of their own body heat is near perfect, and they are not at all impacted by cold, but can still suffer if under extreme heat conditions like the area around an active volcano, where they would only be able to last about 10 minutes.
 * Advanced Frost Climb:  Superior control of Frost Climb, using the bare minimum amount of magical energy to secure themselves to a surface for easy defrosting and experts can move very swiftly. Unless they use up their magical reserves with attacks, this power can be used almost indefinitely.
 * Advanced Frost Touch:  The strength of the freezing ability is rapidly increased and now causes internal as well as external freezing effects, dealing catastrophic damage to fleshy areas albeit only within the small immediate spot where the user touched the target.
 * Snowstorm:  One of the most difficult and time-consuming Ice type powers, the user cleverly takes advantage of their temperature control power to manipulate wind and weather to gradually build up pressure for a snow storm. This technique is easier to perform at a higher altitude, and requires a great deal of concentration as well as understanding of the way clouds and storms form. Once set in motion, the storm cannot exactly be ‘controlled’, but it can be used as a large scale attack on a large group to force them to take shelter, or the user can take advantage of the excellent cover to set an ambush or simply sneak away undetected. The duration and ferocity of the storm varies wildly based on location, the amount of power put into the storm, and the technical skill of the user.