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Everfrost Peaks
| Everfrost Peaks is a permanently frozen area of frequent snowfalls and constant snow cover. It is the northernmost zone, and is adjacent to the home of the barbarians, Halas. It is also adjacent to the gnoll home of Blackburrow, where all must pass if they want to enter the lands surrounding Qeynos, and Permafrost, a higher level dungeon to the east. Everfrost can be safely divided into two subzones, the canyons and the plains.
The canyons represent the newbie area for Halas. They are a twisting area of high ridges and very few open areas through which the lower level monsters move. This is also where the entrance to both Halas and Blackburrow lies. The plains are a much vaster and more dangerous area. They lie to the east of the canyons and stretch for quite a ways further east before ending in the mountains. The only place further east is Permafrost. A frozen river divides this area into eastern and western halves, and ruins of an ancient civilization are scattered throughout the region. |  |
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Map
 Everfrost
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 Bear Caves
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Dangers
This is arguably the most dangerous newbie zone in the game. The only passive creature is the wooly spider, and it is venomous so even it should be avoided at first. Many of the roaming mobs in the first area are level 2 and will attack on sight, making it harder for a level 1 to isolate level 1 mobs without being bothered by adds. In addition you have three named skeletons around level 10 roaming the area that will attack and kill new characters in 2-3 hits. When engaging a skeleton, take care it is a decaying skeleton and not a vengeful musician. Gnolls, Whelps and decaying skeletons make good targets for a level 1.
The dangers can be divided into the two separate areas. The canyons can be dangerous for low level adventurers (less than 4th) as the 1st level monsters (the whelps and pups) are aggressive to you and you can wind up being swarmed by these creatures. Also, every monster in this area will join its comrades if they are in battle, so be careful of swarming.
The plains are an entirely different matter. The biggest problem here is that some of the most powerful creatures in the zone are also the most aggressive, namely the Orc Shaman and the Icebone Skeleton. The Orc Shaman can cast all manner of spells and can take on groups of level 11-13 characters, even though it is only about level 14-16. The Icebone Skeleton is difficult to see until it is upon you, and then does massive damage and stun attacks, as well as cast spells, and is about 15-16th level and immune to non-magic weapon attacks.
The other main creatures on the plains that are dangerous when provoked are the woolly mammoths. You will often find rangers and druids hunting them solo, but other classes capable of solo hunting (such as necros) can also solo these mobs. The calves are around level 14-16 and the fully grown mammoths are ~ level 25.
In the southeast corner of the zone there is a band of icy orcs that have taken up residence in a temple between the river and the ice giant statue. These creatures are approximately lvl 25, and have as their leader a Shadow Knight named Redwind, who is closer to 28th level or so. There is also a small network of caves off of the end of the northeast branch of the river. It is quite a swim from the nearest ice hole to the opening, with nowhere to breathe in between, so you need some method by which to breathe water. Within the caves can be found a aggressive deadly necromancer, several Icebone Skeletons, and a glacier bear.
Benefits
The canyons of Everfrost are probably one of the most wealthy hunting grounds I've ever found. I consistently would return from hunting there with 2-3 platinum, even at low levels (like 3rd). By then you're killing all the creatures that walk by, sometimes in hoards, and raking in the money and experience. The bears have pelts, the skeletons have weapons, and the pups and whelps quite often carry sacks.
The plains are good for wealth if you are of significantly high level such that you can hunt in a group and take out mammoths. Their tusks are worth quite a bit, and it is quite safe to hunt them the way they do, in a very controlled environment and with guards nearby. Also, a midlevel (5th or 6th) soloist could make quite a living taking out Ice Goblins along the edge, including their little camps. The other benefit to hunting in the deep plains is that there are not a lot of people around, so the monster you spot is more than likely yours. There are also some unique quest items floating around.
The large number of level 2 mobs in the area mentioned earlier also makes it a lot easier to get to level 5 than the newbie areas that are level 1 mob heavy. The Polar Bear Skin is also excellent loot as you can trade them in for random pieces of tattered armor in Halas, so while you leave most newbie zones wearing cloth armor, you leave Everfrost wearing tattered.
Travelling To and From
To the southeast of the canyons lies the entrance to Blackburrow from Everfrost. It can be difficult to find, but is generally safe. Be careful, however, because the Everfrost section of the tunnels has both gnolls and darkness.
To the East lies the entrance to Permafrost, guarded by ice giants.
Succor/Egress take you to (3139, 677) entrance to Halas.
A Frost Port will take you to 115, 919 in the maze between Halas and Blackburrow.
