Lore:Ice Wraith

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An Ice Wraith (Skyrim)
Concept art

The Ice Wraith is a magical, lucid serpentine nature spirit purely made out of ice.[1][2][3] They are typically found across Skyrim's snow-blown landscape and mountain ranges but can also be found in High Rock and Cyrodiil's reclusive mountain country, as well as the Sea of Ghosts.[4] They blend in the snow and become nigh invisible to the naked eye. They will then lunge at unsuspecting prey with their entire body and bite them to death. Prey can sometimes get infected with Witbane, a disease that dulls a person's intelligence.[1] Ice Wraiths are among many creatures that are immune to paralysis.[5]

An account from the Nordic hunter, Grundvik Cold-Fist, describes them as "a snaking skeleton of blue flame", "a collection of ice bones bound together by nature magic, a sharp-ridged spine finishing at a malcontented jaw of bone and sharp teeth". These creatures can pass through their prey's bodies and afflict them with an infection.[3] They can also burrow into the ground and burst back up.[4] When an Ice Wraith is killed, its body will combust into large spikes of ice that can cut the skin.[3]

Culture and Uses[edit]

Concept art
Ice Wraith teeth

As per Nordic custom, young men are sent into the wilderness to hunt ice wraiths as a rite of passage for citizenship.[6] A known place of interest is Serpentstone Isle northeast of Winterhold, where ice wraiths gathered around the Serpent, one of Skyrim's legendary standing stones. When the Stormcloaks were formed in the Fourth Era, they used this old Nordic tradition as a test for new recruits.[7]

An Ice Wraith can be harvested for quality alchemy ingredients. Their teeth are a prized ingredient[1] for a weakness to frost or fire poison, but can also grant invisibility when mixed with something like Nirnroot or wings of a Luna Moth.[8] The teeth can also be used to create fishing hooks.[9]

White Ice is another ingredient that can be harvested from Ice Wraiths or any magical species related to the cold. Its texture is flaked and should fluff without melting. Among its effects, white ice can keep diseases at bay and boost the consumer's agility.[10]

Gallery[edit]

  • Ice Wraith (Online)

  • The Serpent Stone

Notes[edit]

  • The shouts of dragons can summon elemental wyrms that are similar to Ice Wraiths in appearance and movement.[11][12]
  • When developing ice wraiths, the Skyrim developers didn't really know what an ice wraith looked like and didn't want to do a typical ghost-like specter. They worked with one of the concept artists who envisioned a serpentine crystal-and-ice creature.[13]

See Also[edit]

Books[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Herbane's Bestiary: Ice Wraiths — Herbane
  2. ^ The Wispmother — Mathias Etienne
  3. ^ a b c Kyne's Challenge: A Hunter's Companion — David S. J. Hodgson
  4. ^ a b Ice Wraiths in ESO
  5. ^ Catalogue of Weapon Enchantments — Yvonne Bienne, Synod researcher
  6. ^ Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition: Skyrim — Imperial Geographical Society, 2E 864
  7. ^ Galmar Stone-Fist's dialogue in Skyrim
  8. ^ Ice Wraith Teeth in Skyrim
  9. ^ Ice Wraith Tooth Fishhook's description in ESO
  10. ^ Agents and Reagents: The Bounty of Mundus — David S. J. Hodgson
  11. ^ Flame Wyrm in ESO: Elsweyr
  12. ^ Storm Wyrm in ESO: Elsweyr
  13. ^ Behind the Wall: The Making of Skyrim
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