D&D 5E When I don’t know what they know (Icewind Dale)

[Forester]

I DM Forgotten Realms, and I’d love to run the far north. But, in reality, I’ve only ever lived in or travelled in mid-Europe. I know Quite Warm (well, Very Hot to me), and I know Rather Colder, but I don’t know Icewind-Dale-Cold. Or the environment.

No problem, maybe: just use imagination and resources and describe it anyway?

But…

One of my players has lived above the Arctic Circle.

So whatever I say about truly cold places, I fear I’m going to get it far wrong.

I can’t say, ‘OK, you DM this.’ They wouldn’t want to, and after years of playing - well, I’m the unchanging DM, and that’s the way it is.

Any ideas? Or am I forever going to pretend that The Far North is totally out-of-bounds?

 

[Bitbrain]

Why not ask him to describe what it is like to be truly cold to you before the game?

Just a thought.

 

[Forester]

Actually, that's a very good idea. Doesn't even need to be before the game. Just say a little something in-game, and then say, 'So what's that like?'

It doesn't really matter who the imagery comes from.

Thank you.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

That sort of off-loading of the description of the world can really help to draw the players even deeper into the game. I'm a big fan of it.

Just say a little something in-game, and then say, 'So what's that like?'

It doesn't really matter who the imagery comes from.

Thank you.

 

[Xenonnonex]

Become Ice Harvester. Instead of Forester.
Watch nature documentaries. Where they travel to the Artic Circle. Ask that player.

 

[aco175]

There are some good shows like Planet Earth that have extreme climates mostly showing how the animals live, but give great visuals.

 

[Tyler Do'Urden]

I was going to echo what the last two said - watch movies set there. I'd also throw in some dramatic films set in the far north - Norway, Alaska, Northern Canada, Northern Russia... wherever, really. It will give you something to go on.

 

[Joseph Nardo]

When I was in the army stationed in Kansas there was a week where the temps were -14 without a windchill!. That's the coldest I've ever experienced. AND I didn't like it!

 

[J-H]

This was a fun 6-hour Russian TV show (subtitled) about life in and around a remote village in Siberia.

No TV, no internet, no phone service, freight comes on a boat a few times a year, plus the occasional delivery via aircraft.

My wife and I enjoyed watching together.

 

[Ancalagon]

I know what you mean (and btw, traveling is a great activity for a GM because it expands your imagination and experiences).

I agree with what the others have said - and in fact, it could be "rolled into" the northern's player character. They could be a ranger or druid, but in 5e it's really easy to make someone "rangery" a bit - either with the outlander background or having survival as a trained skilled, so really almost any character could act as a nature guide.

So you describe things a bit, give the player a look and they can chime in character "Yes, in this type of terrain we have to be careful for polar bear, this is good seal hunting ground for them" and then you just roll with it as at GM.

A GREAT film about a journey in Siberia (and a great film period) is Dersu Uzala