September sees the release of Wizards of The Coast’s latest 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Dungeons & Dragons adventure and sourcebook, Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden. The land has enthralled the imaginations of players and Dungeon Masters the world over for more than 30 years, but what is it that makes Icewind Dale so popular? Join us now as we take a look into the campaign setting and learn everything you need to know about Icewind Dale.
Icewind Dale is the brainchild of renowned Forgotten Realms author R.A. Salvatore and was the setting for his debut novel The Crystal Shard back in 1988. It would remain the focal point for two more novels, Streams of Silver and The Halfling's Gem, in what would become the Icewind Dale trilogy. Apart from the captivating story, the novels introduced one of the Forgotten Realms' most beloved protagonists, the Drow (Dark Elf) Drizzt Do’Urden. The trilogy, along with Salvatore’s prequels and sequels, have all featured on the New York Times Bestseller list; introducing the captivating worlds of D&D to a wider audience than the game ever could. It is no wonder then that Icewind Dale and Drizzt have such a hold on the🍸 hearts of fans.
Beyond The Books
The setting's reach also extends past the written word, as it became the focus of the best selling video game series, Icewind Dale, in the early 2000s. The first game and expansion saw a revival in the form of an Enhanced Edition released in 2014, with all-new graphics and stability improvements. The RPG launched at the same time as Blizzard’s Diablo, both satisfying ꧃the growing thirst for computer-based RPG titles. The game follows a different story arc from the novels, giving rise to a unique experience for players already familiar with the frozen was🉐tes.
The popularity of the game was far beyond the tabletop RPG audience at the time. Video games were all the rage and more traditional gaming had struggled, this led to the rights to D&D being purchased by Wizards of the Coast in 1997 following 🌱the bankruptcy of original owner TSR.
Welcome To Icewind Dale
Icewind Dale is located to the North of Faerûn in The Frozenfar and is a difficult land to live in, with most of its barren frozen wastes uninhabitable by man. There are some notable exceptions, however. The bulk of the settlements form a loose coalition known as the Ten Towns. They surround the three lakes, located in the middle, with Bryn Shander the main trading hub. It is connected by a single paved road that leads to the coast and the cities of Fireshear and Luskan. The rest of 🥀the settlements are connected by tracks worn into the landscape by frequent travelers. To the north is the Spine of the World, a trea🐼cherous mountainous area inhabited by great beasts and tribes of barbarians that threaten the more civilized people of the Ten Towns.
The lands are home to all manner of creatures great and small. Straying from a path should only be undertaken by those prepared to fight, as along with the great prizes of reindeer and elk live crag cats and polar bears, waiting for an easy lunch. A little further into the barren landscapes and towards the mountains you can expect to find frost giants, yetis and remorhaz (giant worm-like centipedes). Those particularly (un)lucky might see powerful white dragons in the distance; just hope they stay there. Apart from the beasts of Icewind Dale, it is home to a wide cacophony of people. Dwarves have tamed much of the landscape in some form or other, with the city of Ironmaster on the🃏 coast to the West and The Spine of the World to the North and East.
Be careful of entering their lands without permission as they protect it without prejudice; you will be lucky to escape with just the shirt on your back should you be caught. The Tens Towns are alꦯso home to humans, half-elves, and halflings, with the occasional dwarf thrown in for good measure. Many have fled t♋heir former lives, escaping from persecution or the law with others sent to fend for themselves in the wasteland as punishment. Needless to say, the landscape has formed all concerned into the hardy characters they are.
Notable Residents
Icewind Dale has been home to many notable people over the years. When the drow ranger Drizzt Do’Urden first visited the lands, he was an outsider who roamed the frozen wastes alone and eliminated any threats to the Ten Towns. Following the befriending of Cattie-brie, the adopted daughter of dwarven king Bruener Battlehammer, and halfling Regis, he was able to warn the residents of the Ten Towns of an incoming raid from the barbarians to the north. He helped defend against the attack and was accepted. He would also defeat the wizard Akar Kessel, who had been abandoned and left to die on the frozen wasteland. However, by luck (perhaps not?) he found the magical artifact the Crenshinibon, which gave him great power. The crystal shard warped his mind and gave him the power to control a mighty army of orcs and goblins that posed a great threat to the inhabitants of Icewind Dale.
The frozen north is far from free of the reaches of the gods. Along The Spine of the World, hidden shrines and temples to the Frost Sprite Queen had believers enthralled, unleashing terror on the settlements forcing people to worship her through fear. She is known by many different names; Auril, Icedawn, and the Goddess of Winter but it is the chilling Frostmaiden that echoes around Icewind Dale instilling🍸 fear in all. Her whereabouts are unknown following the events of The Sundering that saw the region altered in arcane and catastrophic ways. One thing is known: should she return, vengeance will be served.
Source: Icewind Dale Trilogy by R.A. Salvatore, , Dungeons & 🐟Dragons sourcebooks