A Glimpse into Glacidia: Crafting a Frozen Realm

Hey there, Wayfarers!

Welcome back to the Tavern of Realms—or at least, the digital version of it! I’m so excited to share another peek behind the curtain of The Keykeeper Saga with you. Last time, I talked about how the saga came to be, from my daughter Tereza’s “what if” questions to sketching the magical Key that started Alice’s journey. Today, I want to dive into one of my favorite realms in the series: Glacidia, the frozen wonderland that plays a big role in The Collector’s Hunt. If you’re a fan of epic fantasy with a mix of beauty, danger, and a touch of whimsy, stick around—this one’s for you!

In The Keykeeper’s Awakening, we explored realms like Astraelion’s starry skies and Veynthar’s harsh deserts as Alice stepped into her role as the Keykeeper, battling the Riftmaker to save the multiverse. Fast forward three years to The Collector’s Hunt, and Alice is a seasoned guardian, with her son Leo—now nearly 11—tinkering with spider-bots that have way too much personality. That’s where Glacidia comes in: a realm of icy spires and singing glaciers, where the air hums with eerie melodies and the Frost Shard holds the climate in a delicate balance. But when sabotage unleashes unnatural blizzards, Alice and her crew—including Ivor with his trusty ladle and Nerissa with her rune-lit staff—race to save Glacidia from a cosmic freeze.

Glacidia Concept Map

Crafting Glacidia was a labor of love. I wanted a realm that felt both breathtaking and perilous, a place where beauty hides danger in every icy crevice. The idea of singing glaciers came from a random thought—what if the ice itself could whisper secrets? I imagined Alice stepping onto Glacidia’s frozen plains, her breath fogging in the twilight glow, hearing the glaciers’ haunting songs while Leo marvels at the sparkling frost. But it’s not all serene wonder—shadowy agents, tied to the Collector, lurk in the storms, and the Frost Shard’s instability threatens to bury entire villages. It’s the kind of high-stakes challenge Alice thrives on, balancing her mom-heart with her Keykeeper duties.

One of my favorite moments in The Collector’s Hunt is when Leo tries to “help” by sending his spider-bots to scout the icy terrain—only for them to slip on the ice and beep indignantly, like they’re blaming him for the cold! Tereza laughed so hard when I told her that scene; she’s the reason those spider-bots have so much sass. Glacidia also brought out Ivor’s softer side—he insists on packing extra stew for the crew, claiming “no one fights blizzards on an empty stomach.” That mix of heart, humor, and cosmic peril is what I love most about this saga, and Glacidia captures it all.

You can explore more about Glacidia on the World page, where I’ve shared lore about its icy spires, the Frost Shard, and other realms like Aqualithe’s coral ruins or the Tavern’s lantern-lit halls.

Check out the About page for overviews of The Keykeeper’s Awakening and The Collector’s Hunt, and grab the books if you haven’t yet—they’re available on Amazon.

I’d love to hear your thoughts—what do you think of Glacidia’s frozen magic? Would you brave its storms with Alice, or are you more at home in the Tavern’s cozy chaos? Drop a comment below, and let’s chat! You can also find me on BookTwitter with #KeykeeperSaga, where I’m sharing more about the multiverse.

Until the next rift opens, stay warm, Wayfarers!

Yours in cosmic adventure,

Author