Ten Towns

The Ten-Towns are a loose confederation of frontier settlements located in the frigid wilderness of Icewind Dale, within the western reaches of the Frozenfar. These hardy communities attract a mix of pioneers, exiles, and outcasts—those seeking a fresh start, as well as those eager to escape past mistakes. Survival is harsh, demanding hard work, resilience, and cooperation, yet fierce competition exists between the towns, each vying for resources, trade, and influence in the unforgiving tundra.

Ten-Towns is scattered around the three frozen lakes of Icewind Dale:

• Redwaters – The smallest of the lakes, located in the southeastern part of Icewind Dale.
• Lac Dinneshere – A cold, wind-lashed lake in the east, infamous for its violent storms and unpredictable currents.
• Maer Dualdon – The largest and deepest lake, stretching far into the west, known for its abundant knucklehead trout and lucrative fishing trade.

The settlements are spread across these lakes and their surroundings:

• Redwaters Region (Southeast) – Dougan’s Hole (smallest and most isolated town) and Good Mead (renowned for its honey wine).
• Lac Dinneshere Region (East) – Easthaven (largest town on the lake, known for its dark history), Caer-Dineval (home to an ancient keep), and Caer-Konig (nestled at the base of Kelvin’s Cairn).
• Maer Dualdon Region (West) – Lonelywood (a remote logging village), Bremen (a quiet fishing town), Termalaine (a mining town built near rich gemstone deposits), and Targos (a heavily fortified town with ambitions of dominance).

Rising like a jagged fang between Lac Dinneshere and Maer Dualdon is Kelvin’s Cairn, the highest peak in Icewind Dale. At its southern base lies the Dwarven Valley, home to stubborn, industrious dwarf clans who mine the depths for iron, mithral, and precious gems. The valley serves as a lifeline of craftsmanship and metallurgy for the Ten-Towns, with dwarves trading weapons, armor, and tools to the settlements in exchange for food and other essentials.

Perched atop a windswept hill southwest of the lakes is Bryn Shander, the largest, most fortified, and most influential settlement in Icewind Dale. Known as the gateway to the south, Bryn Shander is the main trading hub and political center of Ten-Towns, serving as the first stop for caravans arriving from Mirabar, Luskan, and beyond. With its stout wooden walls and rugged militia, the town stands as the first line of defense against the horrors of the tundra.

Living in Ten-Towns means enduring freezing temperatures, isolation, and scarce resources. Yet, those who survive here find strength in hardship. The people are tough, pragmatic, and fiercely independent, but when disaster strikes, rivalries are set aside, and the unyielding bonds of frontier survival take precedence.

Despite its remote location, Ten-Towns has drawn the attention of mercenaries, smugglers, and cultists, with whispers of dark forces stirring in the snow-covered wastes. To the south, in the vast Reghed Glacier, the nomadic Reghedmen tribes roam, their fate intertwined with that of the settlements.