Survival Equipment

Crampons: Crampons consist of a set of metal spikes and hooks that lash on to boots and gauntlets to assist in climbing or walking across icy surfaces. While you wear crampons, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on any Acrobatics checks made to avoid slipping on an icy surface, and a +2 circumstance bonus on Climb checks.

Crampons impose a 10ft. penalty to speed when not walking on snow or ice.

Fur Clothing: Fur clothing consists of thick layers of animal furs designed to be worn over a regular set of clothing or armor. Wearing fur clothing grants a + 5 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saving throws against exposure to cold weather. Fur clothing can be worn over a cold weather outfit; in that case the circumstance bonuses granted by each item stack, granting a total+ 10 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saving throws against exposure to cold weather.

Fur clothing is cumbersome to wear. Although the furs do nor provide an appreciable armor bonus, they do increase your total armor check penalty for any armor worn by 2 points.

Hut, Portable: A portable hut consists of a wooden framework that can be quickly assembled into a hut-shaped frame that covers a 10-foot square. The frame’s base consists of several iron sp1kes that can be driven through holes in the frame to affix the hut frame to the ground; further stability is granred by several rope supports that extend out 15 feet from the hut’s edge. Once the frame is in place, you simply attach the leather and fur wrappings over the outside of the
wall and lash them directly to the frame to finish building the hut. A portable hut provides excellent shelter in the wilderness; assembling or disassembling a portable hut only takes 15 minutes of work. A portable hut serves as an improvised shelter.

Skates: Skates allow full movement across icy surfaces for anyone with at least 5 ranks of Acrobatics, but cannot be used at all on any other terrain.

Skis and Poles: Skis allow full movement across snow and icy surfaces but cannot be used at all on any other terrain. Downhill speed can be as a run (x4) on slight grades or as a run (x5) on severe grades. Ir takes a full-round action to don or to remove skis.

Snow Goggles: These wooden goggles have a thin horizontal slit in the middle. They grant a +2 circumstance bonus on saving throws to resist blinding effects, including snow blindness, extremely bright light, or spells that target vision indirectly (such as Sunburst but not Blindness). While wearing snow goggles, you incur a -4 circumstance penalty on Perception checks involving vision.

Snowshoes: These allow the wearer to move across snow and ice with increased speed. Snow of any depth is considered a minor impediment (see page 12). Snowshoes take 1 minute to don and a full-round action to remove.

Winter Fullcloth: This is a heavily quilted undergarment that is worn underneath regular clothing to protect the wearer against cold. Winter fullcloth is considered part of the cold weather outfit. If worn by itself, it grants a +1 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saving throws
against exposure to cold weather.

Alchemical Items

Armor Insulation: This thick red syrupy mixture is applied with a brush to the inner surface of a suit of armor. When the mixture comes in contact with body heat and sweat, it puffs up to trap body heat, insulating the wearer against the effects of cold. For 24 hours after application, the
wearer of a suit of armor treated with armor insulation gains a +5 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saving throws against exposure to cold weather.

Freeze Powder: Freeze powder looks like salt bur is much finer to touch. One vial of freeze powder sprinkled into any liquid IS enough to instantly freeze solid 1 cubic foot of liquid. If introduced into a larger body of water or liquid, the powder freezes into a 1-foot diameter ball of ice. Sprinkled on a wet floor, a vial of freeze powder can coat a 1O-foot-square area with
ice. Freeze powder is dangerous to eat; anyone foolish enough to swallow a vial of freeze powder takes 2d6 poinrs of cold damage as the powder freeze-burns his mouth and throat. A successful DC 15 Fortitude saving throw halves the damage.

Frostbite Salve: This pale yellow cream provides instant relief from frostbite damage. It does not cure frostburn damage, but temporarily suppresses up to 2 points of ability score damage caused by frostbite. The salve’s effectiveness lasts for just one hour, after which point the
ability score damage suppressed by the salve returns.

Ice Chalk: Ice chalk comes in a variety of colors. These waxy sticks can be used ro make temporary marks on any icy surface, similar to how chalk can be used to mark slate or stone.

Melt Powder: Utilizing some of the same principles as freeze powder, melt powder causes ice it is sprinkled upon to instantly melt. One vial of melt powder is enough to melt 1 cubic foot of ice. Sprinkled on an icy surface of up to 10 square feet, a vial of melt powder makes a l-inch-deep pool of water that quickly refreezes. Melt powder is bitter tasting, but only harmful to creatures with the cold subtype if it is eaten. Such creatures take 2d6 points of acid damage as the powder dessiccates and dissolves their tissues; a successful DC 15 Fortitude save halves the damage.

Polar Skin: This dull white cream provides limited protection against cold-based damage. Polar skin becomes ineffective once it has absorbed 5 points of cold damage. Regardless of whether 1t absorbs any damage, polar skin loses its effectiveness 1 hour after application. Polar skin
does not stack with mag1cal protection from cold. Magical effects such as resist energy supersede the protection provided by polar skin. Applying polar skin takes 1 minute.

Razor Ice Powder: This granular white powder can be sprinkled over any icy surface; one vial is enough to coat one 5-foot square. The area coated immediately grows hundreds of tiny razor sharp crystals of ice; these crystals function as if the area had been covered with razor ice. Razor ice is difficult to see; a successful DC 20 Survival check reveals the danger, otherwise, a victim won’t realize the true nature of the painful ice until she treads upon it. A creature with the cold subtype can use a standard action to sprinkle a vial of razor ice powder on any single natural weapon it possesses; it grains a +1 enhancement bonus on slashing damage for that natural
attack for one hour.

Whale Grease: Whale grease is a thick clear grease fashioned from a combination of melted whale blubber and various powdered minerals and waxy plants. This foul smelling sruff must be applied directly to the skin (taking 1 minute to do so) to be effective; once applied, the grease
insulates the user from hypothermia, providing complete protection from hypothermia effects for as long as it lasts. Whale grease loses its effectiveness 1 hour after application.

It is not water soluble, but can be quickly removed with alcohol. While worn, the pungent odor the grease gives off allows creatures with the scent ability to detect you at double normal range.

New Exotic Materials

Blue Ice: Found only in the depths of the most ancient glaciers, veins of blue ice are often sought our by glacier dwarves. It appears as dark blue, opaque ice that sparkles in light as if it were coated with a tiny film of gemstones; this is merely a thin layer of frost that forms over its surface when exposed to air. The material is cold and feels identical to regular ice upon casual observation, but blue ice only melts under intense and direct application of hear, similar to iron. As strong as iron but much lighter, blue ice can be forged into armor or weapons or anything typically made of iron.

Blue ice goblets and mugs are especially popular for export to warmer climates since they keep their contents chilled. A room lined with sheets of blue ice remains at a constant temperature of
about freezing, making for an effective way to create refrigerated chambers for food storage. Items made out of blue ice weigh half as much as normal.