Land of Ice (The Adventure, Part 1)

[as stated in the Player Character section, these rules update the B/X for the specifics of the LAND OF ICE campaign setting; if information from Chapter 4 of the B/X rule books is not specifically addressed/modified herein, players should use the standard B/X rules]


Organizing a Party

Parties should use the standard instructions when organizing an adventuring party; a good mix of character classes is generally desirable. Remember that the presence of a skald will increase the amount of experience points earned by party members, though only if the skald survives the adventure. Remember also that a party may not contain more than one skald.

Movement and Encumbrance

The optional encumbrance rules are not used in LAND OF ICE. Characters are considered to possess the standard movement rate (120’) unless heavily burdened. A character can carry the following gear without being heavily burdened:

1 suit of armor (including shield and helm)
Up to 4 weapons*
A dagger
Reasonable adventuring equipment
One-half their treasure allowance (see below)

*any weapon marked as “two-handed” in Chapter 2 counts as two weapon choices. Daggers count as one-half a weapon choice.

A character’s maximum “treasure allowance” is dependent on a character’s Strength score:

3-7 = 50# of treasure
9-13 = 100# of treasure
14-18 = 150# of treasure

Remember that in LAND OF ICE, 25 coins weigh 1 pound.

Characters that carry more than the listed amount are considered heavily burdened and have their movement reduced to 60’.

If a player character is carrying the body of a comrade, he may do so by dispensing with ALL his treasure or half his treasure AND all his normal adventuring gear (if the comrade is carried by two characters instead of one, each must drop one-half their treasure OR their “reasonable adventuring equipment”). Carrying a fallen comrade always counts as being heavily burdened, unless a strong (STR 14+) character dispenses with all equipment, treasure, and extra weapons.

SNOW TRAVEL

Except along the southern coast, terrain in LAND OF ICE is often cold and snow-covered due to the long (6 month) winters and the high latitude of the planet’s main continent; and sudden snow-storms and treacherous ice packs are not uncommon, especially as one gets closer to the northern mountain ranges.

Travel over snow is at one-half normal rate. Sleds have the same movement as for carts and wagons (60’ or 12 miles per day), but are only useful in snow (wagons and carts cannot be used in snow conditions at all). Characters on-foot and equipped with snow shoes can increase their over-land speed to two-thirds normal. Horses and animals cannot wear snow-shoes.

In blizzard conditions, movement drops to one-quarter normal, and even sleds are unable to operate. Characters will suffer D4 points of damage per hour of exposure unless suitable measures are taken to protect against the cold. A snow storm increases the chance of being lost, even with a guide (see Chapter 8 for more information).

HIRELINGS AND SPECIALISTS

All specialists listed in the B/X books are may be hired in LAND OF ICE, though availability of some specialists may be scarce (especially alchemists, engineers, and sages). To determine the monthly cost in gold marks (gm), divide the standard B/X cost by five. For example, a sage (if available) would cost 400gm per month to hire.

The exception to this is seamen; while the cost of captains and navigators is unchanged, the only ship found in the LAND OF ICE is the Viking longship, which is crewed by warriors who also act as sailors and rowers. When hiring a crew, you must pay the purchase price of either light or heavy footmen (see below).

Mercenaries in the LAND OF ICE are more limited. Except for alfar, non-human mercenaries are NOT available for hire, and alfar may only be hired by alfar (they will not fight for northmen). The type and cost of available mercenaries are as follows:

Thrall/peasant (AC 8) = 6ss/month
Light footman (AC 6) = 18ss/month
Heavy footman (AC 3) = 30ss/month
Archer (AC 7) = 21ss/month
Crossbowman (AC 7) = 15ss/month
Light horseman (AC 6) = 2gm, 5ss/month
Heavy horseman (AC 4) = 3gm, 8ss/month

Alfar mercenaries cost twice the listed amount, though crossbowmen are not available.

[to be continued]