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So far we haven't seen much about the Waste east of the Withered Heath. It's on the periphery of the area covered by the maps and there is a general lack of information concerning what one might find there. Bolg and others fleeing the Battle of the Five Armies make their way there and thence to Mt Gundabad. HotW mentions that goblins travel underground from Mt Gundabad to the Withered Heath so one suspects that there is some reason for their interest apart from the possibility of finding something crawling down from the frigid north like a cold drake.

What does the collective think could be behind the goblins interest and apart from a cold drake and snow trolls and maybe White Wolves what could be lurking in the Waste?

I can't imagine very much in the vicinity of the Withered Heath, other than perhaps the ruins of some outpost of Angmar. Such a place might be seen as a potential strongpoint in an assault on northern Rhovanion or a base from which to launch a series of raids.

Interest? In the Withered Heath? None, expect space for their expanding population and underground protection from the sun. They're forced to stay close to mountains or forest.

I thought that I'd seen something. The old forums had a thread by 'Radagast' concerning Forodwaith and the Withered Heath. In that thread Tolwen suggests OH issue 24.

A quick check of that issue shows me that it's an article more about the physics of operating in an arctic or sub-arctic environment rather than anything more relevant to a trip towards the Iron Hills.

For those lovers of special snowflake optional rules it suggest those of smaller size/body mass lose heat more quickly making it especially hazardous to dwarves and hobbits, although not elves dancing on snow.

Adventure idea: Radagast disappeared because he is held prisoner somewhere up there. Heroes have to rescue him.

High level for sure. Might need some Dunedain and Noldor.

Hey...what a coincidence!

Wow. Body Mass Index and BTU calculations in a Middle-earth RPG.

Someone has missed the point.

Another adventure in the frozen North could include some corrupted Forodwaith (bear with me). This note in Appendix A summarizes them:

‘These [the Lossoth] are a strange, unfriendly people, remnant of the Forodwaith, Men of far-off days, accustomed to the bitter colds of the realm of Morgoth...'

The Lossoth are obviously numbered among the Free-peoples, but what about a handful of Forodwaith that somehow do not assimilate with the Snowmen & survive in the frigid waste, all but forgotten, & are at peril because the servants of the Enemy visit & corrupt some of them? You can write a story as to why your heroes venture northward: such as a search for one -- or both -- of the lost palantíri ; or the Lossoth request aid against the Enemy & remind the Dúnedain of Arvedui's pledge & how they returned the Ring of Barahir...

Very clever, Mim!