Opening with a tale of horrific bloodshed and hostility between different peoples, Chapter 1: The Frozen Sea looks at the fascination and fear generated by lands of eternal ice and snow. Although inhospitable at first glance, they boast hardy lifeforms adapted to the conditions on the surface, and teeming multitudes of creatures thriving in the waters below. With limited resources, conflict and hostility towards outsiders are key to survival. The stated intention of this work is to go beyond merely providing an arctic expansion to the Cerulean Seas campaign setting but to go beyond that to present a sourcebook for adventuring in fridgid climes, above or below water, for anyone playing with the Pathfinder ruleset. It's a mix of ancient and modern, fantastic technology swirled in with history and peoples old when the world was young.
Following this introductory material, the chapter goes on to look at the arctic environment and the perils that it poses for anyone wishing to travel or live there. It's not just the cold... there are high winds, uncertain footing from slush to crevasses in ice, deep snowfields and thin ice to contend with.
Next, Chapter 2: Aquatic Polar Races looks at sentient - and playable - races of the arctic regions, both the low-temperature variants of races already provided in the Cerulean Seas product line and wholly-new ones created specifically for this environment. Races not adapted to the environment are rarely found here, certainly not making their homes in arctic regions as the conditions are just too harsh for them. The adapted races are the seafolk, the karkanaks, the selkies, the pisceans, the sea elves and the nommo. The history of how come they have reached the frigid areas of the oceans is covered for each race along with specific anatomical and physiological modifications they have gone through over the ages since their migration. New races include two new species of merfolk, some feykith, ice elves (who appear to be made of ice, they are so transparent) and two quite unique races - the squawk, who are ferocious warlike sentient penguins, and the thanor, chivalric sentient walruses who combine a strict code of honour with a decidedly bloodthirsty streak. Each race is given a full write-up in sufficient detail for creating player-characters or NPCs.
Chapter 3: Aquatic Polar Classes - introduced with a particularly noteworthy picture of a noble squawk warrior - discusses the range of character classes found in arctic regions. Virtually all those that exist in the Cerulean Seas setting are found here as well, although due to the savage nature of many inhabitants the martial classes are predominent. There is also a new class, the angakkuq. This specialises in harnessing spirits - from the world around them and from the one beyond - both to gain information and to power constructs created from inanimate materials found around them, which become familiars. Some prestige classes are also presented here.
Then Chapter 4: Frostcraft looks at life in arctic regions through the resources and equipment available. Aglooliks, a native feykith race introduced earlier, are resourceful tinkerers, producing a range of items often known as aglootech based on their rigorous study of everything from magic to alchemy, engineering and materials science. Naturally a range of weapons have been developed by the arctic races, including - if you use them in your campaign - some firearms (agloolik-made, of course) called fizzlepops. Bizarre indeed, and full details are given on how they function should you wish to allow them. This chapter also contains new feats and spells for the icy seas, as well as details of a new substance called ancient crystal and a selection of magic items.
Next, Chapter 5: Indigo Ice Setting gets specific with the arctic regions for the Cerulean Sea setting itself. Expanded racial histories, notable NPCs and notes on other races which are presented in the following chapter are included here, ready to help you develop the colder parts of your undersea campaign world. Languages and religions are also discussed as well as the nations and political alliances to be found here. Whilst ideas here as well as those throughout the whole book can be used in any frigid underwater realm, this chapter in particular is linked to the Cerulean Sea setting and works best if that's what you are using.
Finally, Chapter 6: Polar Sea Bestiary introduces a wide range of creatures that may be encountered, ranging from savage monsters which will eat you as soon as look at you to minor races which, truth be told, probably are little more friendly. Even looking at the pictures is quite scary!
This is a fascinating presentation of an alien environment, hostile enough in its own right even before you meet the inhabitants who appear unwelcoming to strangers and violent amongst themselves. Yet for the true explorer this could make for some memorable adventures... and the illustrations are wonderful, encapsulating the whole feel of frigid seas!
Return to Cerulean Seas: Indigo Ice page.
Reviewed: 27 May 2013
