Icewind Dale - 20 Questions

A wise blogger once wrote 'Campaign worlds, whether published or just notes scrawled in some DM's binder, contain a lot of material that most players honestly just don't give a crap about.  That's entirely okay.  Answer some of these questions or others like them and you'll have yourself a campaign regular players can relate to.'  I wrote a one page summary for the group but figured I would give Jeff's 20 questions a go.

1. What is the deal with my cleric's religion? If you're a barbarian you probably worship an animal spirit like the elk, bear or wolf. Either that or you worship Tempos. Most locals worship a mix of the Faerun deities though the god of battle Tempus and the god of trade Waukeen are favoured. The popular evil gods whom sane folk shun are the beast lord Malar, the Frost Maiden Auril and Myrkul the lord of bones.
2. Where can we go to buy standard equipment? A trading outpost operated by the trading costers has a chance of having what you need. Some towns have a blacksmith. Lonely Wood has an excellent Bowyer.
3. Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended? Targos or Bryn Shander would have skilled enough blacksmiths.
4. Who is the mightiest wizard in the land? The tundra tribes have a mighty seer who is said to live on the glacier to the north. The Speaker of Targos' wife is an elf and skilled in sorcery. Wizards are rare these parts. Locals are suspicious of them and the barbarians go out of there way to kill them.
5. Who is the greatest warrior in the land? Cassius the Speaker and head of the council based in Bryn Shander is a veteran of the barbarian wars. His counterpart the barbarian King Revjak’s skills have dulled with age though he is still formidable. Revjak rules from Caer Konig. The now deceased Barbarian king Heafstaag was said to be a warrior without peer.
6. Who is the richest person in the land? The merchant families of East Haven are said to hoard their wealth. Cassius as speaker for the central trading town has made himself rich through trade.
7. Where can we go to get some magical healing? A temple. There are a few temples to Waukeen around and plenty to Tempus. Barbarian tribes have their own shamans to heal their injured.
8. Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath? Temples. Powerful healing can be sought at Targos or Bryn Shander but even their priests may not have the power to raise the dead. The tribes in Caer Konig have powerful shamans said to be able to reincarnate the dead.
9. Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells? No guild exists sadly. The Host Tower of the Arcane is said to have representatives in Targos, though this band of mages from Luskan are thought of as very bad news.
10. Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC? Bryn Shander has a sage, well he's more of still living detached head, a relic if you will. The head is still very knowledgeable. The barbarians have a Seer.
11. Where can I hire mercenaries? Taverns. Targos has plenty though most are disreputable.
12. Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law? East Haven will give you a hard time, bunch of stuck up snobs.
13. Which way to the nearest tavern? Small towns have one. Larger towns have several. Your closest local is the Whistling Gallows Inn. Lonely Wood is a one inn town.
14. What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous? Dark skinned raiders: Drow and Dueregar. If you put a nest of them to the sword you’ll be famous. Otherwise a white dragon will do the same. Around Lonely Wood bagging a yeti would grant you bragging rights though there is plenty of fearsome beasts in the woods.
15. Are there any wars brewing I could go fight? Their is a growing faction amongst the barbarians called the Sons of Heafstaag that threaten to plunge the region back into war. To the south the Orcs are getting uppity.
16. How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes? Targos. There is a large mercenary population left over from the barbarian war. Pit fighting is a popular form of entertainment.
17. Are there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight? The Sons of Heafstaag seek to subvert the barbarian tribes while The Icemaidens of Auril seek to extinguish all fire condemning the dale to freeze. The Host Tower of the Arcane are surely up to no good in Targos.
18. What is there to eat around here? Your local is the Whistling Gallows inn. Local fishermen can sell you a knucklehead trout. Game is plentiful in Lonely Wood.
19. Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for? Marbag the Mad is said to have had a gem of enormous value. Joril's axe is a legendary weapon said to be in the possession of a Frost Giant, it requires great strength to wield. Presious venomous dagger was said to be lost in a war with the orcs to the south. Winters Mantle is said to be a powerful cloak hidden in the high temple of Auril.
20. Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure? There are several white dragons south in the Spine of the World Mountains as well as residing on the slopes of Kelvin’s Cairn.