Paraelemental Plane of Ice, Derived From the 3.0 Rules of Planar Construction

It is a solid mass of ice harder than stone.
It is as unforgiving as a bitter heart.
It is the freezing grip of deepest winter a thousandfold.
It is the offspring of Air and Water.

The Paraelemental Plane of Ice is a solid plane, consisting of a core of solid ice with few natural pockets and crevices. Liquids freeze, ice freezes, breath freezes, even thoughts freeze. The frigid temperatures of the plane pull on the skin, slowly encroaching on what little warmth a body possesses as the limbs freeze.
The Paraelemental Plane of Ice is one of the most unforgiving and hostile planes in existence. It is the home of beings carved from the hard walls of the plane. Nothing found on the Material Plane can survive here without being an Ice Paraelemental itself or magically protected from the harsh environment. Ice paraelementals have the only advantage on this plane, as nothing else here is truly native beyond these beings.
Natural vortices connect the Paraelemental Plane of Ice and the Material Plane, usually in glaciers or deep within the polar regions of the planet, though they can sometimes appear in violent winter weather.

Paraelemental Plane of Ice Traits
The Paraelemental Plane of Ice has the following traits.

Heavy Gravity
Normal Time
Infinite Size
Alterable Morphic
Ice-Dominant
Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create ice or cold (including those from the Cold domain) are both empowered and enlarged (as if the Empower Spell and Enlarge Spell hand been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities already empowered or enlarged are unaffected by this benefit.
Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use or create earth or fire (including the summoning of earth or fire elementals or outsiders with either subtype) are impeded. This includes spells of the Earth & Fire domains. These spells and spell-like abilities can still be used, but a successful Spellcraft check (DC 10 + level of the spell) must be made to do so.

Ice Inhabitants

The Paraplane of Ice is akin to the Elemental Plane of Earth in many ways. What little life there is here is vir-tually unknown to anyone, regardless of the plane they hail from. Those brave enough to enter this plane stick to the caverns – natural or otherwise. Thus, what creatures that live in the core of the plane can only be imagined.
For Ice paraelementals, no effort is required to move through the solid mass of ices that stratify the plane. Ice Paraelementals are a part of the plane itself, which accounts for their ability to move freely through it. Some inhabi-tants are analogous of Material Plane creatures, but some are manifestations of the plane itself. Mephits are one of the few known sentient inhabitants of the plane.
Ice paraelementals behave in many ways as Earth elementals. They seek to keep their plane as solid as possible within the core region. However, the Ice paraelementals are comfortable with open spaces. Those Ice paraelementals opposed to Cryonax, the Prince of Evil Ice paraelementals find refuge in the caves and caverns of the core of the plane and make their homes on the border region known as the Precipice. Outsiders who make their homes here scour the core of the plane for specially frozen ice crystals that contain words, thoughts, or items that are useless while frozen.
The Paraelemental Plane of Ice does have a few deep artic creatures that thrive in the cold environment such as polar bears that reside on the Precipice and a few penguins that call the Sea of Frozen Lives home. Such creatures have the half-elemental template for the Paraelemental Plane of Ice at minimum for their survival in the region. While these creatures may not have been native to the plane, they have been bred and adapted to survive in the harsh environment of the border regions.
The native tongue of the Paraelemental Plane of Ice is Glaciare, a stingingly sharp language with a crystalline quality that gives the listener the chills and sets the nerves on edge. The few natives who deal with visitors may speak additional languages, but they aren’t compelled nor feel the need to do so.

Movement and Combat

Unfortunately for travelers in this plane, movement is roughly the same as that found on the Elemental Plane of Earth. However, these restrictions are reserved only for the Core Ice region of the plane. When in the Core Ice region, treat the ice as having the consistency of soft rock for purposes of digging through the plane. Refer to the sidebar on page 72 of the Manual of the Planes, “Digging Your Way Out” for details in this manner. The only other option left to a traveler is to use the tunnels and caverns that lace the plane. Unfortunately, for the traveler, the passages may collapse as the plane tries to solidify against open spaces as much as possible. Cave-ins are extremely dangerous and can leave a character trapped or crushed to death.
Astrally projected travelers whose form manifests on this plain gains the ability to move through the ice in the same fashion as an ice paraelemental. This ability only applies on this plane.

Ice Combat

Except as noted for the elemental traits of the plane, combat is normal on the Paraelemental Plane of Earth.

Features of the Paraelemental Plane of Ice

For travelers to the Paraelemental Plane of Ice, there are two dangers of equal importance: freezing to death and being trapped and suffocated within the ice. So long as the ice doesn’t cave in on a “clear area” of the plane, travelers who manifest in such places are safe from that danger. However, randomly manifesting on the plane means a traveler runs the risk of doing so.
Even creatures that do not need to breathe run the risk of being trapped in the ice. In this way, the traveler must find a way to extract himself from the ice. Should this prove to be impossible, the traveler will require outside assis-tance to be removed from the ice. However, this is a problem since things that don’t keep moving in Ice can become frozen. Anyone here unprotected takes d6 points of subdual damage per round while in the border region of Precipice (the core of ice is below 0°F, all other regions’ temperatures are described below. Not only that, but being trapped in ice means that only spells with verbal components may be cast, allowing the caster can speak while so trapped.
The DM is free to allow those trapped in relatively loosely packed areas of Ice to dig a chamber (10 minutes required to make a 5 foot cube). After this point, the traveler must decide which way to start digging and hope for an opening in that direction.
Besides freezing to death, travelers trapped in Ice must worry about starvation and dehydration. The ice of the plane is too cold to be of any use to the traveler for purposes of keeping hydrated. There’s also the issue of darkness. Without a light source, the traveler is blinded without an artificial light source. Thus, the traveler must have sufficient supplies to sustain himself or wind up becoming frozen to death.
In the core of the plane, a traveler must be cautious of the moving fissures and cracks that lace the plane. On the surface, there are many precarious cliffs of frozen ice. Most of these can be found in the border region called Precipice. Nearly anything can send the loose granules of ice and snow tumbling down the sides of these features. For the fissures and cracks, this is dangerous and the equivalent to a cave-in as detailed on page 66 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide. Additionally, if on the surface, the rules for an avalanche apply (page 90 of the Dungeon Master’s Guide).
In some regions, the ice can actually melt into a slush, which is covered by a thin layer of ice. These sinkholes of ice are extremely slippery and difficult to escape from. Should the traveler be caught in one, they have a DC of 25 to climb out of the sinkhole. Those in heavy winter clothing will likely drown. Treat such characters as if wearing heavy plate for determining the DC for Swimming checks. Should the traveler choose to shed clothing to stay afloat, the character must make a Fortitude check (DC 30) or begin to freeze to death.
The greatest danger to travelers is the regions of true cold. The true cold areas are places where energy, sub-stances, words, and even thoughts and concepts can freeze. As such, those areas in Ice are so cold that all damage rolls from the cold are tripled and all Difficulty Checks have a +10 modifier. Thus, it is possible for spells, speech, and other actions to become frozen into ice crystals of extreme hardness. These crystals radiate a lingering aura that allows them to be identified as “treasures” rather than pure ice.

Border Regions of the Paraelemental Plane of Ice

Fog of Unyielding Frost

It is the icy tendrils that send chills down your spine.
It is an eternally frozen fog.
It is the cold mists of vapor.

The border region of the Paraplane of Ice known as the Fog of Unyielding Frost is a land of vapors cold enough to freeze the lungs in one breath. The vapors are breathable, but are so cold it is a wonder they aren’t frozen bits of ice. The dangers lurking in the Fog are numerous.
The Fog is always in motion, forever churning in the bitter cold. The volatile nature of Steam struggling against the chilly grip of Ice plays out the slow dance of the vapors. Visibility is poor here, making travel hazardous.

Normal Gravity, or Subjective Directional Gravity: Depending on how close the traveler is to the core of the plane, the fog becomes thick enough to swim in or allow characters to “fall” towards the direction they wish to tra-vel as if they were on the Elemental Plane of Air. The surface of Core Ice that marks the terminus between it and the region has Normal Gravity.
Normal Time
Infinite Size
Alterable Morphic
Major Ice-Dominant, Minor Steam-Dominant
Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create ice or cold (including those from the Cold domain) are both empowered and enlarged (as if the Empower Spell and Enlarge Spell had been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities already empowered or enlarged are un-affected by this benefit. Steam spells are empowered, but not enlarged in this region.
Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use or create earth, fire, or vacuum (including the summoning of earth, fire, or vacuum elementals or outsiders with either subtype) are impeded. This includes spells of the Earth & Fire domains. These spells and spell-like abilities can still be used, but a successful Spellcraft check (DC 10 + level of the spell, DC of 15 for Vacuum-related spells) must be made to do so.

Sea of Frozen Lives

It is the deep abyss of polar oceans.
It is the resting place of icebergs.
It is the region of Water’s ultimate darkness.

The Sea of Frozen Lives is the slush formed from the mixture of Ice and Water. The closer one moves towards the core of Ice, the more maze-like the plane becomes as the water channels become little more than veins of insuf-ferably frigid water. In addition, the Sea becomes thicker towards the core of the plane adding a DC between +5 to +10 to Swimming checks. As one nears the edge of Water, the ice becomes less of an obstacle. However, the tem-perature remains as cold as the core. There is no respite from the frigid temperatures.
Some believe that Ice sits atop of Water in the cosmology since ice floats. This is hard to refute given that on the opposite side of the plane sits the Precipice, the border region between Ice and Air. Regardless, the fact remains that few pockets of air can be found in this region.

Normal Gravity, or Subjective Directional Gravity: Depending on how close the traveler is to the core of the plane, the sea allows characters to determine which way gravity lays. This allows the traveler to “fall” towards the direction they wish to travel as if they were on the Elemental Plane of Water. The “surface” of Core Ice that marks the terminus between it and the region has Normal Gravity.
Normal Time
Infinite Size
Alterable Morphic
Major Ice-Dominant, Minor Water-Dominant
Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create ice or cold (including those from the Cold domain) are both empowered and enlarged (as if the Empower Spell and Enlarge Spell had been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities already empowered or enlarged are un-affected by this benefit. Water spells are empowered, but not enlarged in this region.
Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use or create earth, fire, or air (including the summoning of earth, fire, or air elementals or outsiders with either subtype) are impeded. This includes spells of the Earth & Fire domains. These spells and spell-like abilities can still be used, but a successful Spellcraft check (DC 10 + level of the spell, DC of 15 for Air-related spells) must be made to do so.

Stinging Storm

It is a caustic tempest.
It is winter’s fury, hell-bent.
It is a region as cold as it is thirsty.

The salty ice yearns for the taste of warm flesh and warm liquids. The region is an unbearable hailstorm desir-ing life’s precious gifts: water and warmth. Nothing lives here. Nothing could survive.
The region makes Porpathys look pleasant. It is the most unpleasant neutral region known in the Multiverse. Unless there’s a reason to go there, no one ventures into the storm.

Normal Gravity
Normal Time
Infinite Size
Alterable Morphic
Major Ice-Dominant, Minor Salt-Dominant
Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create ice or cold (including those from the Cold domain) are both empowered and enlarged (as if the Empower Spell and Enlarge Spell had been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities already empowered or enlarged are un-affected by this benefit. Salt spells are empowered, but not enlarged in this region.
Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use or create earth, fire, or lightening (including the summoning of earth, fire, or lightening elementals or outsiders with either subtype) are impeded. This includes spells of the Earth & Fire domains. These spells and spell-like abilities can still be used, but a successful Spellcraft check (DC 10 + level of the spell, DC of 15 for Lightening-related spells) must be made to do so.

Frigid Void

It is the region of absolute cold.
It is emptiness.
It is the depths of space.

The Frigid Void is the greatest hardship of the plane. There is on ice, no snow, and no air. It is a region of utter darkness devoid of all forms of sustenance. The void is a hell in itself. The plane of Vacuum is more comforting.
The region appears to be similar to Precipice in all areas, save the absence of snow and wind. That is, so long as you stay near the core of the plane. Anything thrown into the void is practically lost.

Normal Gravity, or Subjective Directional Gravity: Depending on how close the traveler is to the core of the plane, the void allows characters to determine which way gravity lays. This allows the traveler to “fall” towards the direction they wish to travel as if they were on the Elemental Plane of Vacuum. The “surface” of Core Ice that marks the terminus between it and the region has Normal Gravity.
Normal Time
Infinite Size
Alterable Morphic
Major Ice-Dominant, Minor Vacuum-Dominant
Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create ice or cold (including those from the Cold domain) are both empowered and enlarged (as if the Empower Spell and Enlarge Spell had been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities already empowered or enlarged are un-affected by this benefit. Vacuum spells are empowered, but not enlarged in this region.
Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use or create earth, fire, or steam (including the summoning of earth, fire, or steam elementals or outsiders with either subtype) are impeded. This includes spells of the Earth & Fire domains. These spells and spell-like abilities can still be used, but a successful Spellcraft check (DC 10 + level of the spell, DC of 15 for Steam-related spells) must be made to do so.

Precipice

It is the region of blizzards.
It is snow and wind carved.
It is the top of the iceberg.

Precipice is the border region separating Air from the core of Ice. Here, mountains of ice lunge into the sky while wind drives snow. Everything is covered in snow, no mater the fierceness of the wind. The snow is so deep it’s packed into rock-hard layers the closer one travels towards the plane’s core.
Avalanches and snowstorms driven to hurricane speeds make this airy region dangerous to the uninitiated. The mountains here beckon climbers to dare the impossible. If any region of Ice is safe, this is it. Weather in this region is always harsh and wracked by violent storms.

Normal Gravity, or Subjective Directional Gravity: Depending on how close the traveler is to the core of the plane, the air allows characters to determine which way gravity lays. This allows the traveler to “fall” towards the direction they wish to travel as if they were on the Elemental Plane of Air. The “surface” of Core Ice that marks the terminus between it and the region has Normal Gravity (everything below the highest peaks of Ice).
Normal Time
Infinite Size
Alterable Morphic
Major Ice-Dominant, Minor Air-Dominant
Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create ice or cold (including those from the Cold domain) are both empowered and enlarged (as if the Empower Spell and Enlarge Spell had been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities already empowered or enlarged are un-affected by this benefit. Air spells are empowered, but not enlarged in this region.
Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use or create earth, fire, or water (including the summoning of earth, fire, or water elementals or outsiders with either subtype) are impeded. This includes spells of the Earth & Fire domains. These spells and spell-like abilities can still be used, but a successful Spellcraft check (DC 10 + level of the spell, DC of 15 for Water-related spells) must be made to do so.

Shimmering Drifts

It is a region of gentle powder.
It is a region of power.
It is a region of mind-numbing doom.

The gently falling snows and powdery drifts are beguiling. They serve to hide the true dangers of this border region. The flakes glow with a light of their own. It is the electric energy of lightening. Each turn spent in the region requires a Will save (DC of 20) or e dumbfounded as if attacked by a confusion spell.
Physically, the Shimmering Drifts appear to consist of gently rolling plains buried in winter’s blanket. The glow of power infused in each flake provides a softly lit dusk/dawn typical of an overcast midwinter day.

Normal Gravity, or Subjective Directional Gravity: Depending on how close the traveler is to the core of the plane, the air allows characters to determine which way gravity lays. This allows the traveler to “fall” towards the direction they wish to travel as if they were on the Elemental Plane of Lightening. The “surface” of Core Ice that marks the terminus between it and the region has Normal Gravity.
Normal Time
Infinite Size
Alterable Morphic
Major Ice-Dominant, Minor Lightening-Dominant
Enhanced Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use, manipulate, or create ice or cold (including those from the Cold domain) are both empowered and enlarged (as if the Empower Spell and Enlarge Spell had been used on them, but the spells don’t require higher-level slots). Spells and spell-like abilities already empowered or enlarged are un-affected by this benefit. Lightening spells are empowered, but not enlarged in this region.
Impeded Magic: Spells and spell-like abilities that use or create earth, fire, or salt (including the summoning of earth, fire, or salt elementals or outsiders with either subtype) are impeded. This includes spells of the Earth & Fire domains. These spells and spell-like abilities can still be used, but a successful Spellcraft check (DC 10 + level of the spell, DC of 15 for Salt-related spells) must be made to do so.