The Frozen Reaches (aka Ice World) is a land that lies at the top of an ancient volcano in the Frosty Mountains to the north of Daventry, it lies above and a little to the west of the Barren Region.
Background[]
The Frozen Reaches lies at the top of the volcano. In the center of the cone is a lake of icy water. This land is inhabited by Snow Nymphs (a female race), Gryphs (an avian race), and ice orcs (a terrible race). Being one of the highest known locations in the world, it has become known as the place where the earth meets the sun.
Years ago there was regular trade with the people from the Ice World who live at the top of the volcano with the people of the Barren Region. For explorers who find the last stop a bit too warm, they can cool off in this land that the evil scourge had left out in the cold. A perpetual snowstorm covered this once pristine land, and it became home to frost demons and life-draining frigid lakes. Here one can meet the queen of the Snow Nymphs and even take a ride on a crystal dragon.[1] At the time of the cataclysm the world most of the world had vanished leaving only a small disk of land centered around portions of continent of Daventry. Streams and lava flowed of the edge of the world. The Frozen Reaches were the end of the world, there was naught beyond. The only way down is the passage back down into the Barren Regions.
Other creatures that live in the land is a Crystal Dragon, frost demons and the Snow Mane.
It is most likely part of the Great Mountains range that divides the the continent into 3 main parts. It is not known if it is connected to the Snowy Mountains range which make up part of the Great Mountains or separate.
Landmarks[]
- Snow Palace
- Great Icy Lake
- Drake Tower
- East Watchtower
- Narrow Pass
- Frigid Lake
- Guard House
- Gryph Cave
- West Watchtower
- Northwest Pillar
- Ice Lord's Stronghold
- Northeast Pillar
- Impervious Ice
Behind the scenes[]
The reference to the Frozen Reaches being the edge of the world, relates to the overworld map showing the continent of Daventry to be a flat earth centered on the continent of Daventry. Much of the world is missing, and water and lava flows off the edge of the world into the Dimension of Death below.
A line in KQ5 describes the mountains above Serenia as 'frozen reaches', "Shivering with the cold, Cedric looks more than ready to leave these frozen reaches behind."[2] But as mentioned its not clear if there is any direct connection between the Snowy Mountain/Snowy Mountains and Frozen Reaches in KQ8. Though it does lie roughly near similar area with regards to mountains as seen in KQ3 and maps in the Companion.
This location is sometimes referred to as the Frosty Mountains by developers, and concept materials.[3]
Mark Seibert's website[]
Mark referred to the regions here as[4];
1 Elevator to Barren Region 2 Teleporter 3 Ice Queen 4 Crystal Dragon Cave 5 Crystal Dragon Landing location 6 Invisible Beast 7 Flame Sword/Frozen Pond 8 Icelord Stronghold 9 Gryph Cave/Blue Adament 10 Two headed Dragon 11 Cave to Snow Exit 12 Monoliths with amulet translated text 13 Towers with goodies!