Icewind Dale II Solution by Bartholomew

Ennelia, one of Ulbrec's scouts, will meet you as you enter the area. She has been badly injured and is very weak; she tells you that her partner, Braston, has been captured by the Goblins at the fortress and gives you a quest to rescue him if possible. Offer her a Potion of Healing or a Potion of Extra Healing for 525 xp. She will tell you that she suspects the Orcs and Goblins use drums to send up an alarm, so she recommends that you find and destroy the drums to make your infiltration of the fortress easier. Ennelia has found a locked gate to the east, past two guard towers, which may be another entrance to the fortress (it's actually in the south-east corner of the map). Be careful in speaking with Ennelia; if you insult her, she'll attack you. Ennelia is a very useful resource as she will guard you while you rest. It is almost impossible to rest on this map otherwise.

Party members with the Wilderness Lore skill note that there are so many footprints and other signs of activity that it is impossible to differentiate among the different creatures. Follow the tracks east and north across the frozen plain. Along the way you'll have to fight Goblin archers, Half-Goblins, Orc warriors, Goblin worg riders, Goblin Hordlings, and Half-Goblin Hordlings. For the moment, bypass the bridge and keep heading north-west where you will find a small encampment guarded by a winter wolf. Be sure to keep its pelt; you will be able to sell it for 500 gp when you get back to town. Loot the tents to find scrolls, healing potions, lamp oil, two random sets of masterwork or magical ammunition, and a random magical weapon. These will be very useful in the coming fights!

There are two bridges crossing to the east side of the map; one is in the north next to the encampment, the other is in the south near Ennelia. Both are trapped with poison arrows. As you approach either bridge, you'll be attacked by archers situated in the lookout towers on the opposite side. When you hear the drums beating, be prepared: pairs of Goblin Worg Riders will materialise out of thin air and attack you. You must kill both the Goblins and the worgs they ride. The Goblin Worg Riders will continue to appear periodically until you destroy the war drums.

Head to the south bridge; across it are the two guard towers Ennelia warned you about. Slay the archers atop them, and locate the war drum just north of the towers. Quickly destroy the drum, kill the Orc Shaman, and then follow the path around to the south-east. Keep moving along the trail until you reach a wooden gate guarded by two Goblin Hordlings. You will find that the gate is locked and you will need a key or a password to get through. An ogre named Gark tells you "Chief Guthma" doesn't want anyone coming in this way, and that you have to go to the big door. So now you know this is indeed a second entrance. Gark may also tell you that someone named Trugnuk has the key. Head off to the north now.

Directly east of the south bridge you'll encounter a Goblin overseer, a Goblin shaman and some other Goblin warriors. Don't forget the archers sitting atop the tower either. Kill them and keep heading east until you reach the edge of the canyon. You should see a war drum located on the other side of the canyon. Destroy the drum using range weapons. If you don't, when you head north the drum will be used to sound the alarm and summon more Worg Riders. Carefully move north until you find a bridge that connects the island with the north east area of this map. Like the other bridges, there are three traps laid across it.

As soon as you set foot on the bridge, you will be attacked by a Goblin worg rider captain, an Orc Witch Doctor, Orc Archers elite, Orc Archers, and an Orc Shaman. If you can, lure them across the bridge to fight you on the island. This will prevent you from triggering the traps, as well as preventing others in the Orc camp from making a tough fight even more difficult. A strategically placed Web or Entangle spell works well here, limiting the number of enemies you have to face at a time. When you're finished with this group, you can disarm the traps and safely cross the bridge.

Nearby to the east are a hardened ice Troll, an ogre, and Trugnuk, an Orc shaman; if they can see any of your party from their campsite, they will join the fight too. Eliminate them (600 xp each for Trugnuk and the Hardened Ice Troll) and loot their camp. Trugnuk carries the key to the wooden gate, a potion bag, a potion of extra healing, and the Shortbow of the Defender. In the camp you will find The Merry Shorthorn, a variety of potions and scrolls, a shortbow +1, and elven sewn gloves.

Over by the north-western tower you'll find another group of Goblins waiting for you, as well as another war drum. If you engage them, be sure to destroy the war drum first or you might find yourself in a bigger battle than you planned for. There's not much else to see on this northern island; you can go up to see the main fortress gates in the north centre of the map, but you'd need a siege engine to get through them. Head back south to the gate Ennelia pointed out to you. You can now get through the gate, but will have to fight Gark (up to 800 xp) and another ogre before you can enter the Goblin Warrens.

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