Blue Ice

I had fallen. Fallen far further than ever before. A crevasse had opened in the glacier in front of me. I should have died but instead, there I lay at the bottom, paralyzed from the waist down and near buried from the waist up, slowly freezing. It was then that I saw it - the heart of the glacier.

Tales of Origins by Fatespinner

In some cultures though to be the physical rendition of the heart of a glacier, blue ice is one of the sharpest materials on the planet, even rivalling obsidian in the edge it can create.

Location

The largest blue ice hearts have been found at the southern tip of Tangearin, in the ice wastes, and within the Storm Dam Mountains but it can be found in the center of nearly every glacier across Tangearin. Though to form from the intense cold and pressure near the base of these landforms they become a major part of the cultures surrounding them.

Properties

There are two properties inherent to blue ice that isolates it from normal ice. First, blue ice will maintain it's chilly temperature in nearly every environment. Unless it is near on immersed in lava, it will remain cold. This makes it ideal for chill boxes and other storage devices. Handheld implements require a handle to be affixed to the ice so that it does not burn the skin.

by Arimel using Midjourney

The other main property is it's sharpness. An experienced knapper can create a blade nearly on par with obsidian and far sharper than any that can be made with magic. As such, it is a favored material for weapons and knives.

These come with a downside for how brittle blue ice is. Along it's cutting trajectory it may be stronger then steel but when blue ice implements are hit from the side they are vulnerable, often shattering into a hail of deadly sherds.

Uses

Blue ice is often used in the making of blades and similar implements as it's sharpness is almost unrivalled. However, it is also useful for making chilling devices and material components for ice based spells.

Additionally, several cultures (including the goliaths of Isputar) have developed means of shaping the ice to have the cold radiate in a single direction, something that allows them to use the rare resource for jewelry. Necklaces and rings have specifically been seen to be crafted in this fashion but other objects are undoubtedly possible.


Player Knowledge

Items made of Blue Ice give a +1 to damage, being sharper than steel. They are, however, easier to shatter with half the normal number of hit points.

Type

Elemental / Molecular

Value

2,000gp per lbs

Rarity

Commoner in cold regions

Color

Partially translucent dark blue

Common State

Solid

Related Items

• Ice Cleaver