High Ice

The High Ice was a desolate monster-infested glacier, found directly north of the Anauroch desert, that had been extended from its original size by the magic of the phaerimm.

History
The Netherese put considerable effort in constructing mythallars along strategic points in order to prevent the ever-expanding glacier from encroaching upon the Narrow Sea, the primary route through which their ships traveled. When their empire fell in -339 DR the mythallars stopped functioning, allowing the glacier to continue its advance and over hundreds of years freeze over it entirely by 1 DR. .

In -329 DR, members of Clan Shattered Shield traveled east through the High Ice, fleeing from the slaying slumber plague.

In 1372 DR the Shadovar began using shadow magic to melt large portions of the High Ice in an effort to make Anauroch fertile, causing widespread disruption of climate and weather systems throughout Faerûn. Eventually, their efforts were thwarted.

Bhaulaea
Buried within glacial ice in the western reaches of the glacier, this ruin was once a sarrukh city of the Isstosseffifil empire, but was abandoned in the midst of their war with the phaerimm. Only one section of the city remains well preserved, housing a portal to the ruins of Ss’yin’tia’saminass.

Choshein
The ruins of an ancient, subterranean Jhothûn city that was destroyed by the Netherese and later used by them briefly as a colony.

Smokeholes
An area of large, round vents where hot cloud-like plumes of steam spewed out from underground flows of lava known as the Caverns of Burning Ice. Many gnomes and dwarfs have been known to mount expeditions down into these treacherous caverns, braving its noxious gases and salamanders for the veins of rare ores fabled to lie within. Nearby were a number of grottos, warmed by smaller vents, that dragons in the region were known to frequent. Strangely, Red, brass, topaz, and blue dragons were known to be found here, while throughout the rest of the High Ice white dragons are predominantly found species.

Rift of Stars
Otherwise known as the "Road of Gems", was a massive narrow glacial rift that stretched on for miles and reached down into stony depths adorned with deposits of beljurils, amarathas, rubies, and other precious gems. The rift's name was derived from the dazzling spectacle of lights that the beljurils display at night. Many mining expeditions have been made to the rifts, inspiring a plethora of ballads and leading to the creation of many small caves that provide shelter.

Llashloch, The Lake of Ice
A large glacial rift, said to resemble a bent human arm, that has been hollowed out by hot springs. The steaming lake below was teeming with wind-sculpted ice floes, the hot springs unable to completely remove the ice. White-skinned octopuses and snow cloakers were known to lurk in these depths.

Untrivvin
A mountain peak largely inhabited by yeti and believed by many to be haunted. Its name was derived from an extinct language and roughly translates as "singing rock," based on the fact that it occasionally rang like a bell. The sound and the haunting myth that surrounded this mountain both originated from the mountain's subterranean inhabitants, the tomb tappers. The ringing was caused by the mountain's interior being a honeycombed structure, carved smoothly, with chambers and halls that are all curved.

Wise men have long claimed that there is rare ore and gems to be found within the depths of Untrivvin, but no one has ever returned from it with proof.

Rumors & Legends
Legends tell of the northernmost part of the High Ice in actuality being a huge white pudding, hundreds of feet in diameter that doesn't move, simply waiting for creatures to come along and be devoured by it.

According to Ibn Al'Arif, when he was traveling through this region a stranger claimed that the salamanders within the Smokeholes were allegedly guarding something the order of a powerful entity.

Ancient Netherese ruins were said to lay well-preserved within the ice, protected by restless spirits and various monsters who have come to inhabit them. Runlatha was one of these cities, but is buried so deep beneath the ice that no one has been able to access it.

Augaurath, an ancient white dragon that ruled over all other dragons in the region, was rumored to be worshipped as a god by other creatures that inhabited the High Ice. Such as the yeti, winter wolves, and even a few semi-intelligent remorhaz.

Snow elves, an arctic off-shoot of the elven race, was rumored to inhabit the High Ice.