North/South Pass

The gateway into Icewind Dale is the North/South Pass, where Ten Trail straddles the Spine of the World. There—in good weather—caravans labor for about three days to cross over the mountain range. The pass is known for dangerous storms, which can dump enough snow in a matter of hours to bury a horse up to its withers, and for vicious winds, which tear the cloaks from travelers’ necks and sting their flesh. Reports of undead in the mountain pass usually turn out to be sightings of ill-fated travelers who died of exposure, their corpses desiccated by the bone-dry winds. Travelers who attempt the passage without the aid of a guide are advised to obtain a map showing the locations of the way stations that dot the pass—sturdy lean-tos, stocked with warm blankets and dry wood, where people can wait out a storm. But those seeking refuge should take care: Yetis sometimes lurk near the stations, checking them every few days the way a crab fisher checking his pots.