The Icewind Dale Chapters
A Campaign Primer
An arctic desolate untamed and Savage land (hence the nickname The Savage Frontier) the North and the areas surrounding Icewind Dale have proven very resilient to humanoid encroachment or attempts at long term settlement. With sparse generally unwelcoming enviorns revealing the occasional settlement or fledgling town. Only the most stalwart inhabitants have out lasted the bitter cold unforgiving winters here and few save the Ulthgardt Barbarians and the ancient Reghed barbarian human tribes now waning, have ever flourished here. In the Elder days before Calanders of Dale reckoning, elven cities thrived and dwarven strongholds flourished in the Mountains and beneath the Tundra. But most have fallen to ruin. Save for the last bastions and mountain holds of the shield dwarves and rich mining faults around which mountain holdfasts like Mithral Hall, recently reclaimed by clan Battlehammer still remain. The Nethril once home to a human conclave of talented spellcasters suffered a similar fate, their magic all but forgotten with the once lavish city long buried beneath tonnes of ice and snow. Many are the ancient sites beneath the snowcapped Northlands, and within the Spine of the World mountains, and surrounding forests and valleys, an adventurer's delight if they are hearty enough to weather the unforgiving weather patterns and arctic cold. Halflings from the Strongheart clans have made their home near rivers and within the bowls of lush valleys, and elves have returned in places to protect their sacred relics from plunderers and orc brigands. Civilization clings to the North in places like Ten Towns, Mirabar and scattered frontier towns such as Bryn Shander, and through settlements hastily built and guarded by Local militias and hire swords united through trade. Truly one of the last undefeated frontiers in all of Faerûn caravans flow in and out of the north by way of the long road and at risk of bandits, highwaymen, monsters, and worse. Dragons perch in abandoned cities and throughout the crags carving out whole domains which they patrol in search of unwary or wayward adventurers of those brave enough to risk settling near about and giants roam freely about the tundra sometimes raiding further inland when game is scarce. A treasure seekers legendary hunting grounds to rival fallen Myth Drannor and equally as desolate and dangerous. Only the strong survive long in the Icewind Dale.
