Ice Wyrm - the source of the cold

The Ice Wyrm is much smaller than it's larger, semi-mythical cousin, the Frost Worm.  There are those explorers - rangers and others - who claim to have encountered Frost Worms in the far northern reaches of the Destriel Mountains.  That may or may not be, but in the Darkearth Plains, in areas as far south as King's Highway, the smaller - and very dangerous - Ice Wyrm has been encountered.  And where ever it is found it is a true ecological disaster.

The Ice Wyrm appears to be a large snake (approximately 8-12 feet in length, in adult form), blue in hue, and given to burrowing.  It appreciates softer, less rocky, soils - and especially near waterways.  Like it's larger cousin, the Frost Worm, the Ice Wyrm gives off a field of intense cold, however it is not so strong a field of cold as to cause damage.  It will, however, affect physical objects in contact with the Ice Wyrm (see below).

The Ice Wyrm, where it burrows, tends to give the ground some of the characteristics of a tundra region affected by permafrost.  This will cause the air layers above the ground to cool significantly, and when Ice Wyrms infest a region - say a valley, or dale - then it can even impact the local micro-weather patterns.  This results in more frequent snows, longer lasting snow accumulation, rain the becomes hail, and damage to livestock and crops.

If the Ice Wyrm comes in contact with water, however, the reason for it's name becomes apparent.  All but the swiftest moving bodies of water will instantly freeze, within a 100' radius of the Ice Wyrm.  The Wyrm itself can then burrow through the ice as quickly as a sea snake could swim through water.  This ice effect extends in all directions, including down.  Such an ice impact could take days to thaw out, and of course there are other Wyrms in the area chilling down the ground around the waterway, and even the air around the region - making it even more difficult that the ice will melt.  Converting a stream that is flowing out of some highlands into Ice at some point, will immediately serve as a dam, and the blackflow of water will wash over the ice, and out over the banks onto the surrounding land.  That will also, of course, freeze under the influence of the Wyrms, creating vast ice fields next to waterways.

The intense cold of the Wyrm's body makes contact with it for physical objects very dangerous.  Any non-magical weapon that strikes the Wyrm will shatter 50% of the time - roll 1d6, on a 4-6 the weapon shatters.  The weapon still does full damage against the Wyrm for that strike, but after that it is useless.

The withering icy gaze of the Ice Wyrm is one of the things that makes it dangerous to deal with.  It is a gaze that will petrify the victim (range 20'), if the victim fails a petrification saving throw.  The effect will last approximately 1 hour, and at that time the victim will be completely rattled from being frozen, that it will move at half speed, and no attacks or spells, for another hour.  During that second hour, the victim is blind.  The defense against the icy gaze is to not look at the Ice Wyrm.

---

Ice Wyrm
Num Appearing: 1d6
Alignment: neutral
Movement: 60'/round (120' through ice or snow)
Armor Class: 4 (frosty blue scales)
Hit Dice: 4hd
Attacks: Bite; Cold Gaze
Damage: 1d8 per bite
Save: F2
Morale: 9

---