Dagnor's Cauldron is a barren zone, grey stone covered with small amounts of red and green moss, and very broken. The aggressive aqua goblins roam all over this zone, as do the undertow skeletons, and are often difficult to see due to the terrain. As such, travelling through the zone is an exercise in keeping ones eyes peeled for approaching or lurking danger.

The other danger in the Cauldron is from the terrain itself. Since many people travel through here at enhanced speeds, shall we say, they have to take into consideration that falling off of some of these rock formations can be painful. My record so far is 151 hit points from one fall, while running sideways along a cliff and not sped up. I shudder to think if I had the Spirit of the Wolf in me and had been going straight over the top. The safest way from north to south is along the edge of the water on the west side.

Given this, the best way to hunt here is by using the Levitate spell, as that will make the drops not nearly as painful. Also, following monsters as they run away is very difficult, and having some way to either snare or root them is very helpful.

Dagnor's Cauldron doesn't have many advantages over other zones on Faydwer. I suppose you could adventure there and kill snakes at lower levels, and pick off aqua goblins as you get to higher levels, but it's probably more work than it's worth. Just move into Unrest. The zone is basically a difficult place to travel through on the way to Unrest.

There are two unique bonuses to this zone. First of all, this zone's version of "guards" is the NPC camp at the northwest end of the lake. They provide grudging protection if you need it, and will also heal you if you ask. Their camp could be a good place to rest - but keep in mind they can (and will) get overwhelmed by the local fauna occasionally. The other individual is found on the island in the center of the lake, Corium Darkblade. He can make poison for you if you want him to, for a small fee.

From the north the entrance to Dagnor's Cauldron is easily missed, a crevasse in the rock wall on the southern edge of Butcherblock Mountains. There is a small copse of trees right near this entrance, however, the only trees in the zone. The path to the south of the crossroads leads the traveler there. The only exit from the south of the Cauldron is into the The Estate of Unrest. The entrance to Kedge Keep lies underwater in the southern edge of the lake.

Note: Kedge Keep entrance is at LOC (-1040, -1027)

Note: The trail to the Butcherblock Mountains starts at LOC (1406, -151).

According to the histories of the Ogre-Dwarven War, this region was so named by the dwarves after the Battle of the Shattered Spear when the Ogre King Dagnor the Butcher, 5th Rakthokian Warlord, was slain here by the dwarven king Grimmly Fireforge in the last battle of the Ogre-Dwarven War.

A story tells that Grimmly and Dagnor met each other face to face on the shores of a lake to the south of lesser faydark during one of these fights, and that Grimmly stabbed Dagnor with a spear with such intensity and ferociousness that the weapon shattered into thousands of pieces even as it cut straight through the ogre lord's chest. The story goes on to say that the warlord fell to his death immediately in that same lake and that the evil in his blood made the water boil and turn red. Thus the dwarves mockingly renamed the lake Dagnor's Cauldron and thus the final battle of the ogre-dwarven war was called "the battle of the shattered spear."

According to other tales, this region was named after the great dwarven hero, Dagnor Butcherblock.

Dwarves are fearful to enter the lake because there is rumored to be a great monster who pulls all who venture too close to its shores to their watery deaths. It is also said that this is what finally befell Dagnor Butcherblock and that the Hammer of Butcherblock now rests in its depths.

Those that have dared to enter the waters tell tales of magnificent pillars marking the entrance to an underwater city known as Kedge Keep. Inside the Keep, the last of the Kedge resides.