| “ | What is this place? Many things. Today it is a duelling pit. Tomorrow it will be a graveyard. Yesterday it was... What? I cannot say. If it is natural it is an abomination. If it is divine, it is utterly cruel. | ” |
— Dezkiel | ||
The Ice Island is an area where Gorion's Ward and party will be teleported to by the mage Shandalar from Ulgoth's Beard. He wants the party to bring him back his cloak — either by agreeing to help him voluntarily with this quest or by forcing them to succeed it.
The location and exact nature of the island are unknown, although some people theorize that it is a type of teleportation prison.
| “ | It is an odd place to be sure, Teleportations are affected most drastically, in effect trapping the occasional passing mage. | ” |
| “ | Here is the island. It has no other name than this and is too small to appear on any maps. By the stars I would place us deep in the Trackless Sea, perhaps even farther afield than far-southern Chult, though I cannot really say. | ” |
— Andris | ||
The log, however states another direction: "You have been teleported by Shandalar, far up to the north, on an island lost within the ice floes of the northern ocean."
The island has two levels: the surface and an underground dungeon. On the surface a Polar Bear is strolling around, while the dungeon has another one, Winter Wolves, seven mages and even Ankhegs. One of the mages, who are trapped in the labyrinth, will be in possession of the cloak.
Walkthrough[]
When entering the maze in the southeast of the map, two Winter Wolves will attack the party, the second one waiting behind the corner.
In the first bigger hall, a group of mages awaits (around coordinates 1849.1185): the "island greeter" Andris, together with Beyn and Marcellus. No matter how Gorion's Ward negotiates – a fight ensues. The from normal missiles protected Andris most likely will first use a Dimension Door, while the shielded – and thus immune against spells from level 1 to 3 – Beyn steps aside for a moment. For more information about their known specific spells, see their individual character pages.
From here, three pathways lead off deeper into the maze. Either follow the long and complete path, or jump to the one that directly leads to the person and the item you came here looking for.
When following the left of the two northeastern paths, after disabling a Flame Strike trap (65) at its entrance, in the next big hall another Winter Wolf is encountered first – with the mage Cuchol in sight (1312.677), who will initiate dialogue before combat as well. He's an opponent very similar to the initially met Beyn, including the spell immunity.
The path to the southeast, out of this hall, is trapped (60) again, this time with Magic Missiles.
In the long hall directly west to the first one with the three pathways, Garan (1057.1112) questions the party. After losing his patience, he will summon his pets, four Ankhegs, before leaving the battlefield for a short time through a Shadow Door.
Leaving that hall to the west leads through a narrow and contorted path, guarded by a Polar Bear at a southwestern expansion – with a Lightning Bolt trap (50) behind and a dead end alley –, and two further Winter Wolves in the recess near the entrance hall.
Tellan (around 898.595) is the only one here with whom a fight can be avoided – by an offer to take him with you, while asking for his assistance. The latter, however, won't be given – he just follows your way, or gets in it, and in the end you only can leave him down here. He, again, is protected from normal missiles.
Around the corner behind him, the path leads into a more open area, with three Winter Wolves to the left and – just out of sight (713.257) – to the right the last actor in this play; the one who's left; the one who has to be the bearer of the cloak you're looking for – who, if not he? Dezkiel also seems the most talkative of the mages here, the one with the most insights and philosophical thoughts. But all that won't keep him from attacking you in the end. Beware his immunity to spells of level 1 to 3.
After taking Shandalar's Cloak from Dezkiel's body, together with some sort of journal, the door behind him leads back to the island's entry point – more weird and twisted magic in this place. It won't take long, and Shandalar's callback spell becomes automatically effective, now that wardstone and cloak are reunited in the open – the party gets teleported back to Ulgoth's Beard.
Notes[]
- In the dialogues with the mages it doesn't matter if Gorion's Ward has come here voluntarily or was forced – both options are always available.
Trivia[]
- The Ice Island dungeon map is derivative of the Firewine Ruins map. The two are nearly identical, though Ice Island has had some walls and cramped corridors removed.