Northwest Faerun

A region of Faerun full of untamed wilderness, wracked with difficult winter weather, and home of many hardy folks and fearsome beasts. In spite of this reputation, the North is home to three of the greatest cities in all of Faerun: Neverwinter, Jewel of the North, Waterdeep, the City of Splendors, and Silverymoon, the Gem of the North.

The North, savage as it is, is difficult to truly delimit, especially when its boundaries so often shift depending on the person studying them. Most, however, would agree that its northern end follows the Spine of the World and the frozen wastes past it, while reaching as far south as Daggerford, its southern border drawn east from there to the Sea of Swords and west, through the Mines of Dekanter, to the great Anauroch desert.

Regions of Northwest Faereun:

The Frozenfar

A cold and desolate region lying north of the Spine of the World, the Frozenfar includes:

• The Cold Run coastal lands
• The frigid tundra of Icewind Dale and its Ten-Towns
• The island of Ice Peak
• The shifting Sea of Moving Ice

Though sparsely populated, this land is home to hardy frontiersmen, desperate runaways, and the fierce Reghed barbarian tribes.

The High Forest

Lying west of the Anauroch desert, this vast woodland is a remnant of Faerun’s ancient past, untouched by civilization. It is home to towering trees, abundant wildlife, fey creatures, elves, and centaurs.

Deep within the forest rise the Star Mounts, and from its heart flows the enchanted Unicorn Run, a river steeped in mystery.

The Savage Frontier

This expansive, untamed land is a beacon for pioneers and adventurers. It includes:

• The Fallen Lands in the east
• Delimbiyr Vale, along the High Forest’s eastern and southern edges
• Dessarin Valley, west of the forest

At its heart flows the great River Dessarin, around which numerous frontier settlements have sprung up.

The Silver Marches 

A once-powerful confederation of humans, elves, and dwarves, the Silver Marches was formed as a defensive alliance. Its most notable settlements include:

• Silverymoon, a center of learning and magic
• The fortified cities of Sundabar and Everlund
• The dwarven strongholds of Mithral Hall and Citadel Adbar

Beneath this land lie the shadowed halls of the Underdark, where the infamous drow city of Menzoberranzan and the dwarven ruins of Fardrimm remain hidden.

Sword Coast North

Stretching along the wild coastline north of Waterdeep, this region includes:

• Neverwinter, the so-called Jewel of the North
• Luskan, the treacherous City of Sails
• The Mere of Dead Men, a cursed swamp
• The Sword Mountains and the Neverwinter Woods

The High Road, a vital trade route, connects Luskan to Waterdeep and beyond. The region’s safety is maintained through the Lords’ Alliance, a coalition of powerful cities and towns.

The Spine of the World

These towering, snow-capped mountains dominate the northern horizon, forming the boundary between the Frozenfar and the lands to the south. While a significant part of the Frozenfar, the range extends far eastward to the Ice Spires in the Silver Marches.

The Utter North

A vast, frozen expanse stretching beyond northwest Faerun, this region is barely explored. It encompasses:

• The western reaches of the Endless Ice Sea
• The unexplored Reghed Glacier
• The enigmatic Valley of Khedrun

Few venture into these icy wastes, where the land is ruled by the elements and only the hardiest can survive.