Iron Horse Mine

General Information
Area Name: Iron Horse Mine Region: Shiverpeak Mountains

Description
The Iron Horse Mine is a huge strip mining facility north of Borlis Pass. There are large amounts of Stone Summit occupying the area, but for an extensive strip mining excavation, the xenocidal dwarves have not fortified the area as greatly as some of their other holdings. This leads many to believe that once the area is void of all its metals, the Stone Summit will vacate the area.

Most of the metal is transported far to the south for other fortifications and to create a new weapon for the dwarven civil war. The Deldrimor dwarves have been able to do little but watch the Iron Horse Mine industry, and little has been done to hamper the Stone Summit's progress save for a few hungry Frostfire Dryders.

Location Description: The Iron Horse Mine is an explorable area northwest of Yak's Bend that contains a large Stone Summit mining facility in the center of it. The eastern and central area of the mine is swarming with Stone Summit and a few Snow Ettins, while the western end is infested with Frostfire Dryders.

Exits / Neighbour Areas

 * West: Anvil Rock
 * South-East: Traveler's Vale

Monsters

 * Dolyak Rider
 * Frostfire Dryder
 * Snow Ettin
 * Stone Summit
 * Minotaur
 * Ice Golem

Hint
This is fairly obvious strategy, but is worth noting because it makes getting through the area and its associated quests much easier - kill the healer! Whenever you face one of the many groups of multiple Stone Summits with a Dolyak Rider, call an attack on the Dolyak Rider and have your party kill it first. This turns what can be somewhat prolonged battles into easy wins for your party. The fact that the healer's only healing spell is Heal Other, meaning it can't target itself, makes this strategy all the more effective.

Bosses

 * Fendar Stonestance (level 13 Summit Axe Wielder boss)
 * Ore Darkwhip (Level 12)
 * Thorgrim Beastlasher
 * Garris Nightwatch
 * Shalis Ironmantle
 * Frostfire Dryder
 * Frostfire Dryder
 * Frostfire Dryder

NPCs
Collectors
 * Minaar Stonesledge
 * Aidan
 * Cynn
 * Mhenlo
 * Norin Stonegrimm

Skill Capture

 * Bull's Strike from Thorgrim Beastlasher (not available before A Belated Betrothal quest in Seeker's Passage).
 * "Shields Up!" from Thorgrim Beastlasher (not available before The Misplaced Sword quest at Heroes' Audience).