Frost-Melded Icescapes (patches of dragon breath; Rhyl)

Steel Realms Logo
Frost-Melded Icescapes are a remnant of when the Dragon of Rhyl controlled the area with utter contempt; These patches are sometimes a dozen acres in size! The frost melded spots mark places where it ended the lives and efforts of those who tried to take land or would stand against it. There are several places in the forests, on the table land, on the open lands, especially the shore City of blank, that still show this effect. Most of these are recent, the ones from the time before the Blood of Saemon have long since faded (though a few remain).

Its breath was so powerful as to pull all of the moisture out of every living thing and freeze it in the surface that it touched and freeze it so that the surface materials melded together and appeared seamless. Everything is preserved, though nothing lives. It radiates cold, and the ice never melts, fog constantly rolls off it. It does get opaque in the heat, releasing warmer mist/fog, but restores itself at night and in colder times.

  • These are technically protected through the acts of Historical Designation and Exploration in the Steel Realms; This is so that those seeking to somehow tap into their power can be dealt with by local authorities.
  • No living things venture into its confines
  • No insects or birst can be heard making noise within 50m of it.
  • Clouds of fog roll over the land and low clouds form above it

Rhyl Culture | Territories & Fiefs | Features | North Gate Garrison | Map

Defining Ideal: The Grand Duchy of Rhyl has been "The Shield of the North" in the wars of The Noble East vs. The Broken Lands for thousands of years as well as stradling the crossroads of many powers and maintaining a tense peace. The Chronicle of Rhyl shows it first as many fiefdoms of 'The Lands of Rhylan' (CY 5500's), then a united kingdom (CY 5980), then as a duchy of the High Kings' kingdom of Gladnor (CY 6514). Citizenship in The Grand Duchy of Rhyl requires both pledges of Rylan the Living + Oath of the Day Watch.

Culture: Rhylian ( 'rill', 'rillian') locales have locally flavored experiences, but unless noted, follow general Territories and Fiefdoms properties and all have shared culture - languages used, Character Experience, institutions, Law, etc; Most Settlements includes the basic experience of Characters of the Steel Realms.

No one claims any jurisdiction over the areas they cover. They seem to be draining of power on their own and no one has ever triggered an effect that seeped into the area around them – explore at your own peril!

Removing

Tools used to try and break it become covered in the effect themselves after a few points of contact, as do fingers and hands working or directing them. Magical fire works to destroy it, but the toxic fumes it produces from any organic matter exposed through flames creates problems of its own. The ones in Hopewillow Forest have persisted despite attempts to reclaim them, nor have they diminished.

Lifecycle

Despite the thought that it is permanent, it would be present in a lot more places. It is believed by occult and dive scholars to last longer, the older the Dragon. Some in the Great Forest of Rhyl have been observed to melt in the last few thousand years.

Known Frost-Melded Locations in Rhyl

i20™ Effect Details

i20 Text

iCore iCore™ Effect Details

Pages on the web site lean towards i20™ text flavor, discrepancies will be noted in the iCore™ tab.

Chronicle/Facts of the Locale

Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability & Meticulous Record Keeping may improve usability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these. Specific Lores may increase the chance of knowing specific elements.

Trivial Outcome / Very Easy Difficulty & Pervasive Knowledge

Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore

For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.

Rumors About the Effect
  1. Tears of the Dragon can be found at these sites.
  2. These places are cursed.
  3. These places are haunted by the spirits of those that died there.
  4. There are still bodies frozen in the ice at these locations.
Rhyl Formative Events

See the Herald's Quarterly for world updates.

Rhyl Formative Events

CY 7007 The area of North Gate Garrison freed & The Red March created; Money, supplies, armaments, and manpower flow into the north to fight the Lich Lords.

CY 6514 The Grand Duchy of Rhyl is created by the High King. In exchange for the resources and organization that can be brought to bear against the now organized undead armies, the lands become part of the High King's domain.

CY 6909 The Fall of the Grand Barony of Altair from a curse by the Lich Lords. The main passage of troops and supplies from the hinterlands and nfar north to the The Grand Duchy of Rhyl is sacked by an undead army led by a ghoul king.

CY 5980 The Kingdoms of old Rhylan united settled as a single Kingdom of Rhyl to fight the Lich Lords drive south. After centuries of warfare between territories and races, the common cause of the threat to the north secures a lasting peace.
> For 3000 years, the Kingdoms of old Rhylan was the primary form of Rulership in the territory of the current Grand Duchy.

CY 5580 Fall of Dundaria in the North - Frostfang spreads, the Lich Lord power rises. Hordes of the undead, fortunately disorganized (at first), sweep south and west from the heart of old Dundaria.

CY 2330's Fall of East / Rise of the Dark Lands (Orrishai Abandoned); Refugees flee - some cross the Tolkisson Mountain Range into the 'Lands of Rhylan' that would become the Kingdoms of old Rhylan and finally.

CY 1000 (Approximately) The Dragon of Rhyl is killed and its influence ends in the area around the Great Forest of Rhyl and the surrounding territories.

Simple Outcome / Easy Difficulty & Common Knowledge

For those native to or long-dwelling in the region, ALL Common Knowledge may be Pervasive.

Faerie Ring structures are known to grow near these.

Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty

Though it is not well known and mostly forgotten, the Mushrooms of Rhyl in the Great Forest of Rhyl have a higher tendency to grow in the areas once Frost Melded; The Wylden of Rhyl somehow influences the areas of the Dragon of Rhyl’s breath was used – sites for hunting or fighting.

Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty

Some weapons and armor trapped in the Frost-Melded Icescapes of the grand Duchy of Rhyl in the north heartlands have been found to have the Glassteel ‘Glazed’ effect upon them. Scholars and treasure seekers watch and wait for these items to be cleared of frost as the icescape melts.

Warning
Obscure/Hidden Knowledge is not generally available in known references; It is not necessarily Forbidden.
DO NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT unless a character has the capability to gain such knowledge [through association, organization, or relation] if they do not possess it themselves or the reader intends to participate in scenarios using this material as a PLAYER! GM Narration will typically provide relevant information by check or story.

Realm's Aptitude Powers: Divine, Occult, and Psychic