Icewind Dale

Beyond the Iron Crags, beneath the watchful gaze of the Gods Peaks, tucked away in the northwestern most corner of Ardenfall is Icewind Dale; a vast region of windswept tundra, treacherous bogs, and rocky hills.

The land is inhabited by hardy folk who work against the constant icy wind and frequent plainstorms to make a living from the hostile environment. Life may not be easy in the Dale, but the people are proud of their homeland, and the bloody history that has made it what it is today. It is a unique place, and despite outward appearances has become a center for science and learning. The influence of the Stormlord is everpresent however, through the watchful gaze of The Stormkeepers.

The High Thane presides above all from Blackspyre Keep in the city of Bryn Shander, a stalwart shield on the otherwise empty plains. From his high throne he extends his reach all the way to the Shifting Strait in the west, and to the Shield Hills in the east.

Geography

Icewind Dale is a vast tundra hemmed in by three distinct mountain ranges. It is a bitterly cold environment for most of the year, the freezing temperatures exacerbated by the almost constant wind that blows over the land from the west. With these winds come the plainstorms; maelstroms of terrifying intensity that originate in the far northern lands of the Eversnow before sweeping across the Dale and breaking against the steep cliffs of the Iron Crags.

These plainstorms are a unique natural phenomenon to this part of the world. They follow a natural cycle and can be predicted with relative accuracy weeks before they occur. As a result, they have become a central part of Icewindian culture.

Divisions

Icewind Dale is separated into two distinct regions:

The Steplands

The Steplands refer to the semi-mountainous region that borders the Gods Peaks and the Iron Crags. They extend from north of the Grey Wash to the Shield Hills beyond East Haven.
The Steplands are characterised by steep sided gorges carved out by the powerful plainstorms, rugged valleys of scree and boulders, rushing glacial rivers, and stunted alpine forests. Plant life exists only on the sheltered sides of valleys, protected from the devastating winds. Settlements of note in the Steplands include, East Haven, Caer Konig, Caer Dineval, Dougans Hole and Bremen.

The Lowlands

The Lowlands represent the majority of Icewind Dale's territory, and cover vast swathes of land. Due to the hostile weather environment they are largely uninhabited except in the more sheltered south. They reach all the way from the Shifting Strait to the Gods Peaks in the north, to the Westerwood and Cape of Rodon in the south.
The western reaches of the Lowlands are characterised by sweeping plains of tussock grass and heath interspersed with shallow rolling hills. Where the mile wide Grey Wash cuts through the landscape a trackless bog has formed, treacherous to any who are not familiar with its many dangers. In the south are the barrowlands, the northern edge of the Westerwood, and the more sheltered fields of the lower Dale.
Settlements of note in the Lowlands include Bryn Shander, Good Mead, Targos, and Termallaine.

Settlements

There are several settlements of note within Icewind Dale:

• Bryn Shander

• Bremen

• East Haven

• Good Mead

• Targos

• Dougans Hole

• Caer Konig

• Caer Dineval

• Lonelywood

• Termallaine

Although these locations represent a large part of the total population, many inhabitants of the Dale live on small farming communities consisting of only two or three families. Most of these farms are in the relatively sheltered south plains, but a number of small communities can also be found clinging to the steep valleys of the Steplands.

Factions

The Shields
The protectors of the Dale and the enforcers of law, The Shields are both the military and the police in Icewind Dale. The majority of the force are garrisoned at East Haven, but it is not uncommon to see mounted patrols on the roads and plains around Bryn Shander and Bremen.

The North Steel Company
The North Steel Company are a long established adventuring company based in Bryn Shander. They take on contracts to hunt dangerous beasts, or as guards for treasure hunters. The company are renowned throughout the north.

The Stormkeepers
The Stormkeepers are the acolytes of The Stormlord. They serve as priests, tending to the affairs of worship at the Crucible, scholars, studying the plainstorms and predicting when they will strike, and adventurers, searching the lowlands for valuable stormshards, a material they consider sacred.

Icewindian Dwarves
The Icewindian Dwarves are distinct cousins of the faraway dwarves of Dhun Malar. They migrated to Icewind Dale in the distant past and made a home in Caer Konig. They have frequently been at odds with the other inhabitants of the Dale, but in present day have accepted the High Thane as ruler.

The Varied Trades
The Varied Trades is guild of sorts; loosely organised and with no clear leader. They operate in all major cities in Ardenfall, and are a safehaven for those who find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

History

The Long Night

It is unclear where the line between myth and legend lies this far back in time, but the oldest of stories tell of the long night. The stories tell of a cold and silent army that arrived from the eversnow on the backs of icy mounts, laying waste to the first kingdoms of Icewind Dale. It is said that this is when Kord took on his mantle as The Stormlord and led a united force of men and giants to victory and salvation, driving back the frigid doom.

The Kingdom of Arden

Approximately two thousand years before The Divergence the Kingdom of Arden rose from obscurity to become one of the largest and most advanced civilizations in history. It extended across all of Icewind Dale, through The Wilderlands, and even into the northern reaches of what is now The Highmark. Although much of what was once known about these people has been lost to time, the stories speak of chivalrous knights and brave heroes fighting back dragons and other evil creatures.
The kingdom lasted for approximately seven hundred years before falling after The Last King of Arden disappeared.

The Sindarin Dynasty

In 54BD the Sindarin Dynasty brought an army into Icewind Dale from the south, quickly sweeping aside the scattered lordships that had taken root in the centuries following the fall of the Kingdom of Arden. The Sindarin forces were led by a noble known as The Blackened Prince; a man so named both for the colour of his dragon and the colour of his soul. The Blackened Prince oversaw the construction of Blackspire Keep in Bryn Shander and ruled over the Dale with an iron fist for another six decades.

When the Sindarin Dynasty collapsed the Blackened Prince attempted to dig in his roots and maintain his rule. But a rebellion led by Ronan oc Krynin eventually saw the liberation from the delay after a long and bloody war. The Blackened Prince was slain on the Fields of Gorthad (now known as the Barrowlands) by Ronan himself, however the rebel hero gave his life in the process.

The Northern Domains

The power vacuum left by the fall of Ronan oc Krynin and The Blackened Prince resulted in a decades long war that further devastated the already war torn Dale. It was at this time that the Thanes were established, although initially the title was taken by any man strong enough to claim it. Eventually, only three primary factions vied for power; the Horse Lords of the plains, the Lord of the Valleys, and the dwarves of Caer Konig. They fought to a stalemate, and remained at war until The Scourge arrived from the east, at which time the first High Thane was chosen and the three factions finally united.

The Scourge

The Scourge was an enormous horde of orcs that originated in The Wilderlands and swept across the north. Due to the weakened state of Icewind Dale after decades of fighting, the orcish forces easily took the wall at East Haven before coming as far south as Bryn Shander where the people of the Dale were saved only by the fortuitous timing of a particularly powerful plainstorm that devastated much of the invading army.

Fauna & Flora

Beasts

The Dale is home to several notable species of megafauna that have adapted to the unique environment:
Aurochs These enormous bovines roam the plains of the lowlands in large herds, migrating south during the colder months. Their razor sharp hooves are excellent tools for breaking open icy hardened soil, and fending off predators. The beasts can stand higher than 7 foot tall when fully grown, and weigh a few thousand pounds. Their size is further exageratted by their thick matted fur that shields them from the violent plainstorms. When hunkering down, they look like large, greyish brown boulders.
Aurochs are wild animals, and not easily tamed. They are known to be aggressive, and will attack if they feel threatened.

Mammoths Mammoths are nearly extinct, but a few small herds still traverse the far reaches of the lowland plains.

Dire Wolves These large wolves endemic to the Dale roam in packs near the edges of the plains. They are hesitant to delve too far in as they are not inherently adapted to weather a plainstorm.

Snow Leopards The Snow Leopards of the Dale are found primarily in the Steplands, stalking the hard to reach cliffs and valleys of the rugged landscape. They are excellent hunters, and the locals regard them with much fear and respect. Hunting and killing one was once a mark of reaching manhood, although the tradition is only observed in the most rural regions now.

Painted Rams Named for the varied markings on their thick hides, painted rams are a common site in the Steplands. The large goat like creatures are sturdy beasts, well adapted to climbing even in windy weather. Their large horns can be very dangerous, but in general the creatures are docile and can be used as beasts of burden or as mounts.

Monsters

Icewind Dale also has many dangers lurking in the hidden places. The Steplands in particular can be a dangerous place to travel due to ogres, trolls, hill giants, goblins, and other nasty creatures. Wyverns are frequently seen circling hill tops and making off with precious livestock.

The Lowlands have fewer such monsters, although one must always be wary near the bogs, as many unknown dangers lurk beneath their murky waters.

Natural Resources

Icewind Dale produces significant amounts of iron and coal from the plentiful foothills of the Iron Crags. Additionally, peat is extracted from the low lying bogs and used as a cheap fuel source in many places.
The unique fauna of the region provides a valuable export opportunity, as auroch horns, ivory, troll bile and bonefish can fetch high prices in the southern kingdoms. However, the most noticeable natural resource of the Dale are Stormshards.

Stormshards form where lightning from a plainstorm strikes the earth. The exact composition of the material is still a mystery, as is the true science behind how it forms. They are incredibly volatile, and if not handled with care are prone to explode violently. However, some scholars are beginning to find uses from them as a power source.

Alternative Name(s)

The Dale

Type

Region

Location under

The Wild North

Included Locations

• Bryn Shander
• Good Mead
• Lonelywood
• The Lowlands

Owner/Ruler

The High Thane

Characters in Location

• Wyhelm Twicestruck

Related Materials

• Stormshards