Canonfire! Forums-viewtopic-Black Ice

Sun Jun 06, 2004 3:22 pm Black Ice

If you went to the Land of Black Ice and carved out a chunk of it and examined it, what would make the ice black?

If you melted it, would it be black water?

I know that a reference to "black ice" in our own world refers to clear ice on an asphelt/bitumen road that the driver can't see.

So maybe the ice of the Land of Black Ice is clear but the *stuff* underneath it is black. I don't think so, though, because we're not talking about a thin coating of ice, we'd be talking about many feet of solid permafrost!

So what's in the ice that makes it blue-black? Is there a scientific or magical explanation for this?

Sun Jun 06, 2004 3:31 pm

I've always wondered the same thing myself. I don't think there has ever been a definative reasoning for the Black Ice.

My players just yesterday was in a dwarven ruin. In a secret passage, the players ran into a barrier on an ancient decending staircase. The barrier was made of the same "black-ice." I havn't really thought of a reason as to why the barriar is there yet (as it is just a bit of a red-herring in the adventure right now), but I have always liked the mysticism around the land of Black Ice, and thought that there might have been a way it was created... and thus in my dungeon complex.

....................................Omote
FPQ
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Prince Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Castles and Crusades Society

Sun Jun 06, 2004 9:34 pm

I have seen a couple instances of magic swords being forged with Black Ice as a substitute material. Whether it is opaque black or semi-transparent is beyond me, but there has to be something inherently magical if it can fashioned in this respect, it is not for flash or anything.

Mon Jun 07, 2004 5:02 am

> So what's in the ice that makes it blue-black? Is there a scientific or magical explanation for this?

Well,i have made a theory (albeit a high-powered one) here:

http://www.canonfire.com/cf/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=245&sid=70901382068130877b2dfc127876779e
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Kneel before Rahu!

Victor Caminha

Tue Jun 08, 2004 3:21 pm

Wed Jun 09, 2004 2:15 am

Good theory Wyk!

I often pondered what lay beneath the ice. No mention is made of how old the Black Ice is, does it predate the Ancient Suloise and Baklunish Empires? The Isles of Woe? Sulm?

As a natural glacial formation I would imagine there would be alot of earth moved during its 'creation'. The ice age in north america formed much of the plains and lakes that you find in the central parts of canada and the U.S. It could be surmised that if the Black Ice is currently in a recession that it was what formed the Barrens, Blackmoor and maybe even drove the Iuzian plains between rivers down to Whyestil Lake. If the Ice is at its greatest expansion currently then maybe someday much like FR's Anauroch Desert, the Black Ice will tear over the Burneal Forest and also engulf poor Blackmoor.