[A to Z April] I is for Ice Quartz Caverns (map)

The Ice Quartz Caverns

The Ice Quartz Caverns are a fascinating oddity. The cavern complex itself is not too extensive or convoluted, yet they are not easily explored. Once an adventurer passes through the cavern entrance, down a narrow corridor, the ice quartz reveals itself. Every surface is composed of this unique crystal formation. There are no smooth surfaces upon which to walk, only areas where the crystal is "somewhat worn." Ice quartz is quite sharp; any creature that should trip and fall while walking will suffer lacerations. A fall of any substantial height is sure to be more dangerous, even fatal.

In addition, the crystals themselves have a dampening effect on magic and magic items. The deeper one goes in the caves, the stronger the effect. In the deepest portions, in fact, the caverns become an anti-magic zone.

Points of Interest:
Point A--The area marked as point "A" on the map is a sinkhole, which drops 300' straight down. The sides of the hole are covered in the same ice quartz that is found elsewhere in the cave.
Point B--Between the bottom of the sinkhole at Point A and the area marked as point "B" the elevation of the corridor drops a total of 100 feet. The corridor between those two points drops at an average 27º slope.
Point C--The cliff at point "C" is a 200' drop-off. As with everything else in the caverns, the edge and face of the cliff is composed of the razor-sharp ice quartz crystals.

Rumor has it that somewhere deep in the caverns lives a race of giant spiders whose exoskeletons are composed of crystals similar to the ice quartz. Pieces of these exoskeletons could reasonably be fashioned into pieces of armor which would not only have offensive capabilities due to the razor-sharp nature of the crystals, but would also share the magic-dampening effects of the crystals.

Get the JPEG of the map here.
Get the PDF of the map here.

Feel free to use my maps in your home games. You can rename it, modify it, stock it, or abuse it in any manner legal in your particular jurisdiction. If you do use it, all I ask is that you let me know and tell me about it afterwards.

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Previous "I"s:
2012: I is for Iron Hide Zombie
2011: I is for Innkeeper
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