Northern High Pass

Northern High Pass
Region:	Misty Mountains
Interior(s):	Thorgest's Haven
Landmark(s):	Akûltot The Black Crack Cirith Daur Dómstoll Ghâshru The Mountain's Throat Northern High Pass Camp Starkhath
Settlement(s):	Hrimbarg Vindurhal
Connecting Area(s):	Bruinen Source East Southern High Pass Goblin-town
Levels:	Mainly 43 - 45
Resource tier:	Master

Northern High Pass is an area within the Misty Mountains, in the north-eastern region.

One could consider this area a simple travelling route, mountain passes connecting the western realms with Rhovanion. But that couldn't be further from the truth, as it is the most renowned area of the Misty Mountains. Long ago a curious throng travelled through the area engaged upon the Quest of Erebor and was unexpectedly dragged into a kingdom of goblins. That tale started the events we experience now, involving a certain ... something that must be destroyed.

This area in the north-east of the Misty Mountains connects to Southern High Pass and Bruinen Source East. The area is characterized by boulders covered with snow, blistering snow storms and blizzards dropping visibility to zero. But despite its arctic climate the area is densely inhabited, by Enemies as well as wildlife. Many leagues of goblins have spread out from the infamous Goblin-town. Packs of wargs are found amidst Starkhath and Dómstoll, but there are also plenty of reindeer and mammoths grazing about.

Adventurers most likely enter this area via a winding trail that runs through Cirith Daur from the eastern slopes of Bruinen Source East. ^{[31.7S, 2.3E]}
Services and travelling means are found at Vindurhal, Hrimbarg, and at a small camp set up by Glóin, just outside Goblin-town.

Locations

Hrimbarg

Vindurhal

Akûltot

Ghâshru

Starkhath

Settlements

• Hrimbarg
• Vindurhal

Landmarks

• Northern High Pass Camp - Glóin & Co.
• Akûltot
• The Black Crack
• Cirith Daur
• Dómstoll
• Ghâshru
• The Mountain's Throat
• Starkhath

NPCs

See "list of NPCs" within the area

Quests

See "starting quests" and the landmarks for more quests
Starting:

• [44] Business Before Vengeance

Involving:

• [43] Against the Pack
• [43] Goblin Hunt
• [43] Goblin-fire
• [43] Glorwen's Fate

Creatures

The following creatures are found within the area:

• The Antlered King
• Longhorn
• Mammoth
• Mammoth Bull
• Overland Bomber
• Overland Guard
• Overland Stabber
• Sulmog
• Tempest Stalker
• Tempest Warg
• Reindeer
• Winter Fox
• Winter Squirrel

Lore

"Bilbo knew that something unexpected might happen, and he hardly dared to hope that they would pass without fearful adventure over those great tall mountains with lonely peaks and valleys where no king ruled. They did not. All was well, until one day they met a thunderstorm - more than a thunderstorm, a thunder-battle. You know how terrific a really big thunderstorm can be down in the land and in a river-valley; especially at times when two great thunderstorms meet and clash. More terrible still are thunder and lightning in the mountains at night, when storms come up from East and West and make war. The lightning splinters on the peaks, and rocks shiver, and great crashes split the air and go rolling and tumbling into every cave and hollow; and the darkness is filled with overwhelming noise and sudden light.

"Bilbo had never seen or imagined anything of the kind. (...)" — The Hobbit, by Tolkien

Maps

Gallery

• 

  The warg infested Giant ruins of Starkhath

• 

  Goblin camps along a ravine in the northeast

• 

  A herd of mammoths in Northern High Pass

• 

  The ravine below Akûltot

• 

  View of the ravine from above

• 

  Ridge to the Black Crack in the north

• 

  Southern plateau with Hrimbarg at distance