Kelvin's Cairn

Rising out of the desolate tundra of Icewind Dale is a mountain of giant boulders, piled one atop the other until they narrow to a snow-capped peak. The solitary mountain stands among three lakes - Maer Dualdon, Lac Dinneshere, and Redwaters- that support Ten-Towns. Beasts hunt upon the craggy slopes, giants tread across the broken rills, and dwarves mine its hidden depths. This is Kelvin's Cairn, the highest point in Icewind Dale and also its heart: all else is fixed by its position relative to the mountain.

History[]

Legend is that the Cairn is the marking of the death of Kelvin, a great hero of the frost giants. Killed by Tempus, the god of battle, Tempus used his axe to dig up rocks and place it over his foes body as a reminder to others of his wrath

Monsters[]

Yeti
Verbeeg
Goblin
Orc
Troll
Wolves
Crag cat
Brigands
Giants
(and more tundra based monsters)

Locations[]

Most the Cairn are rough, uncharted terrain. No settlement has ever taken root there. There are locations of note

The Only Ways In[]

Icewind Pass and Bremen's Run are the two passes running along the mountain's eastern and western slopes, respectively.

Daledrop[]

Path to entrance of the Valley of the Dwarves . A natural switchback sits just below the mountain's southern face, descending from the tundra into the valley at the mountain's base. A natural chokepoint for the dwarves

Bruenor's Climb[]

Amid the jumble of boulders that forms Kelvin's Cairn is a protrusion, a sort of spire that offers a commanding view of the Valley, the towns and the tundra to all sides.

During the war against Akar Kessell it was destroyed but since the dwarves have painstakingly recreated it in honor of Bruenor Battlehammer

Bruenor's "Temple"[]

At the base of the mountain stands a small grotto, accessible by way of a narrow crevice from the northern end of the dwarven valley. Light shines down through natural holes in the cavern's ceiling, and the chamber thrums with the low whistle of the wind blowing across the mountain's face.

This is the forge that Bruenor used to make Aegis-fang, the master work Battlehammer. It's a sacred place.

Verbeeg Lair[]

Further up the south face, hidden from view is a cave running into the mountainside. It's a dwarven outpost that was abandoned by it's creators long ago but has never lain empty for long. Monsters often make this lair though home.

Named for the famous Verbeeg that were living there and were killed by the Companions of Icewind Dale.

No one knows who, or what, they will find in residence there now.