Icelake

There's only one completely water-filled district in the City of Glass, a fact that mystifies many visitors to the Elemental Plane of Water. Called "Icelake" by the locals, it's unnaturally cold, nestled in the berg. It was originally a source of drinking water for dwellers under the dome but was settled by a tribe of nixies hundreds of years ago.

The sprites chose the lake because, although they can breathe air, they prefer water and they can tolerate its frigid depths. Nixies normally dwell in more temperate waters, but were able to adapt, partly through their innate magical nature, partly through insulating material for clothing, and partly through trade with the other races of the city.

Nixies were early visitors to the City of Glass. They came out of curiosity but never stayed long. But as the city became known to planewalkers and developed into a jumping-off point for exploring the Plane of Water, a few clever nixies realized they could offer a valuable service to travelers with their ability to bestow water breathing. They'd traditionally exploited this power to keep human slaves alive, but its commercial potential was undeniable; Nixies made ideal guides for air breathers.

Their initial success led to an entire tribe of nixies settling in the city. The Acquar, or "water mother," the tribe's hereditary leader, approached the cify council, who recognized the nixies' value and offered them Icelake. The tribe now numbers some 650 members. The Acquar hasn't needed to break up the tribe yet because the lake is fairly large, and at least half the population are away on jobs at any given time.

Icelake is filled with fish that the nixies raise for different purposes. They keep several giant pike as guards, which can obey simple commands. They love to ornament their living spaces with small, bright fish as pets. Since only a few species can survive in the chill Icelake, the nixies supplement these with aquatic plants and colorful invertebrates such as nudibranchs, importing sand, crushed coral, and even ooze to provide a suitable bottom. They also herd schools of trout, bass, and catfish for food. Most of the nixie dwellings are woven from living seaweed and difficult to detect (5% chance, only within 20 feet).

In addition to acting as guides, the nixies also produce high-quality silk from giant water spiders they raise in burrows near the Coral District lakeshore. This spidersilk is a rare and desirable item that fetches top prices, especially from the sea elves, with whom the nixies are on good terms. It's also excellent insulation and prized for making warm clothing.

Icelake Watch

This nixie tribe is very wealthy. They charge high prices for their services and distribute the take equally. More than one thief has been tempted by this wealth, diving into Icelake at night in the hopes of pludering a nixie home. The Icelake watch has learned to be ready.

The captain of the Watch is also the S'oquar, who in traditional nixie society is in charge of hunting and defense. Since the urbanized nixies in Icelake purchase most of their food, hunting is of minor importance - little more than a sport. Instead the S'oquar focuses on community defense. The current S'oquar is Wind-Ruffles-Water, who has held the position for many years.

Only one watch patrol is on duty at any given time, but a reserve body equivalent to two patrols stands by with the S'oquar in case the warders can't handle the emergency. A patrol numbers ten nixies armed with daggers, javelins and single large fishing net to snare hostiles. They prefer to take care of intruders with their charm ability, resorting to combat only as a last resort. Anyone caught in an attempted theft is charmed and forced to spend one year as a slave at hard labor, maintaining the district. Those who kill a nixie and are caught by the watch spend the rest of their lives in slavery, assuming they survive. The lake's many predators assist the patrol in defending their territory.

What To Buy

Bioluminescent Decor

Purchase living, light-emitting plants and creatures for home or personal adornment, perfect for underwater environments.

Spidersilk Garments

Exquisite clothing made from the silk of giant water spiders, offering unparalleled warmth and durability.

Nixie-Curated Coral Art

Unique sculptures and decorative items crafted from coral, maintained by nixie magic to stay vibrant and alive even outside water.

Guided Underwater Expeditions

Hire nixie experts for guided tours of the Plane of Water's hidden wonders, including safe paths through dangerous territories.

Ice Sculpture Commissions

Request bespoke sculptures from eternal ice, carved by nixie artists and magically preserved to last in warmer environments.

Aquatic Pet Adoption

Adopt colorful fish, tiny water elementals, or other small, bright aquatic pets raised by nixies.

Cold-Resistant Flora

Purchase rare plants adapted to cold underwater environments, ideal for aquariums or underwater gardens.

Points of interest

The Waterways - Guides for Hire

The nixies maintain one building outside the lake, humansized to make customers comfortable, on the Central district shoreline. At the Waterways, prospective travelers on the Elemental Plane of Water can hire nixie guides. The standard fee is 15 gp per day, prefering pearls or similar material, but barter is also acceptable. The guides are at least roughly familiar with much of the Plane of Water. They know the locations of many gates and safe havens, as well as the disposition of local inhibitants. The nixies have a well-earned reputation for trustworthiness; most city dwellers will recommend them to travellers.

Acquar's Palace

The Acquar holds court in an immense dome on the lake's bottom, carved from the eternal ice by charmed slaves. This structure bulges from the nixies' woven-weed dwellings and also houses the tribe's treasury. The nixies divide their earning equally among all members but keep items precious to the community under guard here. They've coaxed a water naga to make her lair within the treasury to ensure the safety of its contents, a nasty suprise for many an intruder. She's a devoted and cunning guardian whose defenses include both traps and spells. Her name is Ilshan.

Spidersilk Farm

This area has been built up by the nixies to provide burrows for the giant water spiders whose silk they harvest. The 8-foot-long spiders live in air-filled burrows lined with silk, where they drag their prey. They can't breathe water but carry an air supply in a bubble trapped between their hind legs. Water spiders hunt fish and other small creatures in the seaweed tangle floating in front of their burrows, and incidentally help procted Icelake from intruders.

Inhabitants: Nixies 
Business: Tourism, aquaculture 
Major House: House Acquar 
Councilor: The Acquar 
Watch Captain: The S'oquar 
Gang: None

Type

District

Location under

City of Glass