Icewind Dale

Synopsis

  Icewind Dale is an arctic tundra located in the Frozenfar region of the North, known for being the northernmost explored region in all of Faerun. It earned its name from the harsh winds and icy storms that destroyed buildings and scoured the landscape.   The dale is a harsh, near-inhospitable land that regularly plunged below freezing temperatures, and receives little sunlight, particularly during the severe winter months. It is home to only the most hardened of frontiersmen, pioneers and barbarians. Beyond the sporadic dots of civilization dwells terrifying beasts and deadly monsters of the North.

Climate

Icewind Dale experiences freezaing temperatures for most of the year. While kinder summer moths ranged from 11 degrees F to 70, the temperature of the unforgiving winters dipped as low as -40F. While snowfall is relentless, much of it blew east to the nearby Reghed Glacier.

Government

The capital of Icewind Dale, Bryn Shander, was also its largest settlement.

Settlements

Icewind Dale's only permanent settlements are known as the Ten Towns, a confederation of minor settlements that cooperated with each other. It attracted all manner of determined and desperate folks from all across the Realms. The Ten Towns comprised the hamlets nestled on Rewaters lake, Good Mead, and Dougan's Hole; the three settlements located on the shores of Lac Dinneshere, Easthaven, Caer-Konig, aand Caer-Dineval; the four that encircled Maer Dualdon, Lonelywood, Bremen, Termalaine, and the walled town of Targos, and the "Tenth Town" of Bryn Shander, the mercantile hub that held them all together.   Away from Ten Towns, all the way on the northern reaches of the Spine of the World, laid the settlement of Kuldahar. The village was a small group of vuildings clustered around the great oak tree, protected from the elements by the Heartstone Gem. Kuldahar had regular trade caravans braving the harsh wilderness to and from Ten Towns.   Ten Towns

• Bremen
• Bryn Shander
• Caer-Dineval
• Caer-Konig
• Dougan's Hole
• Easthaven
• Good Mead
• Lonelywood
• Targos
• Termalaine
• Landmarks
• Damien's Tower
• Dorn's Deep

Roads & Trails

• Eastway: The only paved road in ICewind Dale links the hub of Bryn Shander with the communities of Lac Dinneshere
• Ten Trail: This wagon trail leads north from the settlement of Hundelstone, through the NorthSouth Pass, allowing merchants and travelers to make their way to Bryn Shander.

Inhabitants The region is mainly populated by fishermen, craftsmen, rangers, dwarves that mine the depths for minerals and precious stones, Reghedmen barbarians, and merchants that tolerated the hostile climates in the hope of trading in ivory and gems. While most of them livein the Ten Towns, the dwarves mine in isolated caves and caverns while the barbarian tribes roam after their migratory prey.   Beyond the civilized folk, the dale is home to beasts like reindeer, elk, crag cats, polar bears, and yeti. Beyond the wild animals are monstrosities like remorhazes, warring bands of frost giants, and perhaps most terrifying, a number of white dragons.   At the times of famine due to extremely harsh winters, in the regions where rothe herds roam, the folk of Icewind Dale join together to start rothe stampedes, forcing them off cliffs. The dead and wounded animals provided the northers with fresh, life-saving meat. The animals were harvested, roasted, or smoked on the spot. The hide and meats were sledded back to the towns and stored in stone cairns for keeping. When the food supply was even more scarce, the folks were forced to slaughter and consume their mounts, draft beasts, and even sled dogs.