Frozen Regions

Frozen Regions

ELEMENT │ REGION & BIOME

Frozen regions are large expanses covered in ice and snow. The Arctic and Antarctic polar regions of earth are examples of this. Fictional frozen landscapes are often depicted as either inhospitable expanses or as winter wonderlands. They often feature dangerous crevasses, frozen rivers with frozen waterwalls, ice caves, and ice-locked ports. Underneath the frozen ground may lay subglacial lakes. The surface may be prone to dangerous blizzards and sub-zero temperatures. Frozen regions are often used to explore themes of isolation and survival. They are home to artic explorers, yeti, and things hidden beneath the ice.

Synonyms: tundra, artic regions, antarctic regions
Example Mythonyms: the White Expanse, Northern Willibry, the Sea of Snow, the Icelands
QUICK ELEMENTS │ CLICK TO EXPLORE
Rivers
Lakes
Waterfalls
Ice Caves
Crevasses
Frozen Peaks
Auroras
Constellations
Floating Ice
Icicles
Towns
Hidden Routes

Designing Fictional Frozen Regions

Archetypes

Overview

Frozen regions are most commonly depicted as vast expanses of ice and snow punctuated only by ranges of ice covered mountains. For people to survive in frozen regions they need a way of staying warm. Parkas, furs, heating systems, and other features may be a staple of the fashion in these areas. Sunlight reflecting off of snow can cause blindness over time, and sunglasses or tinted goggles may also be necessary. The architecture of these areas may feature thick walls or employ strategies to keep warm air trapped within (such as lower entrance ways). Buildings may be made entirely of snow or ice.

The ice of these regions often acts like a time-capsule. There may be frozen corpses, dinosaurs, spacecraft, shipwrecks, or ancient civilizations hidden within the ice or underneath it.

Reference Image Gallery

Additional Elements