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Neverwinter#

Walled city. River going through the middle.

https://www.oort.nz/dnd/wiki/neverwinter%20map.html
Unusually warm city. Lava flows within the city. Mount Hotenow nearby.
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Mount_Hotenow

Connections#

Contains#

Developments#

  • Spoke to Graycloaks got Raffolk as redshirt on castle raid
  • Raffolk died, lost two party members in the shadowfell
  • Held funeral for Zed with Artemis, notified wife of Raffolk
  • Artemis left for BG to complete Empereror quest (2k gold left after travel, given)
  • Raffolk's wife Claudia went crazy and targetted mordai-vell
  • Saw mordai-vell turn her into an undead guard through Pugweaver mastiff
  • Saw dragon Chorom die at the peak of castle never through scrying (through legions of undead summoned by Mordai Vell - secret)
  • Saw Baphomet, Demogorgon, Yeenoghu, Lolth through scries
  • Skinned the dragon and persuaded the blacksmith to make armor of it
  • Confronted mordai-vell, he was in league with koth and possibly irae.
  • Slaid Goatweaver, forcecaged the rest. Wish used to escape and kill Vell.
  • Faey + Hans appear as emissaries from the Feywild
  • Graycloaks mass suggested to believe nothing really happened here
  • Party stole all the gold from Vell
  • Took armor, left orphaned raffolk jr (gilbert) with graycloaks.
  • Had strong opinions on how to cook butter rice blood soup, leading to much stomach trouble

Leadership#

Previous kings all dead. Locrian last (succeeding Dorian and Phrygian resp.).

Now a plutocracy;
- Noble + self proclaimed Lord Protector Dagult Neverember
- https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Dagult_Neverember
- Mordai Vell funds the Graycloaks

Graycloaks#

graycloaks stationed here.

Shops#

Hammer-on#

Thobak Hammeron Torleth is the armor maker.
Paid 4k first, then 4k later for the +1 plate.

Jade's Rocks#

Goblin sweeps the floor in there.

Items#

  • Diamonds
  • Rubies
  • Pearl
  • Saphire
  • Jade statuses form salt marshes (100GP each)

Constanze's Reliquary#

Items#

  • Flash bang arrow. 2d6 thunder damage + disorient (con save 15 or blind for one turn, 30ft radius) - 600GP
  • Weapon of Spite +1, +2 against something that damaged you last turn. (STRICTLY BETTER THAN +1)
  • Scimitar of Speed +2 (8000GP)
  • Ring of Resistance acid 4000GP
  • Ioun Stone of Intellect 5000GP
  • Necklace of prayer beads 4000GP

The Swamped Docks#

Below the more recent construction lie the remnants of the original docks: a splintering, rotting mass of ancient wood and stone that makes any number of natural lairs for aquatic creatures or hideouts for those on the run from the Mintarns

Taverns#

The Driftwood Tavern#

An inn and tavern that caters mainly to longtime locals, takes pride in having kept its doors open since before the Spellplague. When the cataclysm struck, innkeeper Madame Rosene, a serious woman now in her late fifties, sheltered refugees within her walls. The Driftwood offered people a makeshift city hall and gathering place during the troubled years.

Madame Rosene and her regulars have filled the inside of the tavern with bric-à-brac, curios, and relics of Neverwinter before its fall. The statue from a favorite fountain stands in a corner. A wineseller’s planter boxes, filled with flowers, brighten the walls. A knob and a knocker from a noble’s estate are attached to the privy door. Ornate doors pulled from the wreckage make fine tables, and unbroken panes of stained glass hang overhead as chandeliers, lit by hundreds of carefully placed candles. Though the decorations have been salvaged from all over the city, the tavern does not feel junky, and no one thinks Madame Rosene is taking advantage of Neverwinter’s fall. Quite the opposite—the Driftwood is considered a monument to old Neverwinter, like a dusty painting of a beautiful girl hanging above the deathbed of an aged noblewoman.

Prices for room and board at the tavern are high. The atmosphere is one of quiet reflection, rather than boisterous merriment. The Mintarn mercenaries stay away, preferring to eat and drink at the Moonstone Mask or some other cheaper place. Visitors to the city stop at the Driftwood to marvel at the museum of objects, or to learn about old Neverwinter from Madame Rosene for the (expensive) price of a drink and a meal.

The Beached Leviathan#

caters to sailors, smugglers, pirates, slavers, merchants, and others arriving by sea. Its innkeeper, a sallow former pirate captain named Harrag, lost a leg in a battle with sahuagin long ago. The name of the tavern honors his ship, Leviathan, which ran aground during a storm before the docks had been rebuilt. The tavern is built in and around the refurbished wreckage of the ship. (Patrons also joke that the name refers to Harrag and his expanding waistline.)

Harrag portrays himself as a scurvy, independent scoundrel, but in reality, Neverember owns him. Those who patronize can expect—or will soon discover—that anything they say in Harrag’s presence will be shared with the Lord Protector

Vellgard Manor#

At least one noble villa in the Blacklake District houses its actual owner, but that fact is far from good news for the people of Neverwinter. The dashing mordai-vell leader of the local Ashmadai cult, holds sway over a small, well-guarded compound known as Vellgard Manor.

The product of an affair between a devil and an member of a human family from the south, Mordai was a scandalous embarrassment hushed up by his human relatives. When they perished in the cataclysm, he inherited the family estate. Mordai and his Ashmadai allies moved back into the city before Neverember arrived. While he occupied the manor house, his Ashmadai cohorts hid in the cellars beneath the place. With the arrival of the Lord Protector, Mordai took a more visible role in the district. Charismatic, handsome, and wealthy, he has become a popular figure—a civic leader who, some whisper, might aspire to hold the throne of Neverwinter. The estate is an armed compound flanked by metal gates and hidden guards. An inner wall creates a killing field that could stop a small army. The Ashmadai covertly make use of arcane wards and summoned devils within the walls. They try hard to keep their power base in the district both secret and safe.

Neverdeath Graveyard#

A cracked stone wall, patched in places with thick wood, surrounds the graveyard called Neverdeath. Consisting of two wide, roughly square areas of the city, Neverdeath is filled with rows of headstones interspersed with mausoleums and crumbling statues, often overgrown with withered grasses.

Path to shadowfell?

Waterclock crypts#

Beneath a large, unassuming mausoleum lie the catacombs of the Waterclock Guild, an organization of artisans famous for building beautiful and intricate timepieces.

Path through Chult?
Guarding monsters:
Cadaver Collector boss MTOF122 CR 14
Tons of reasonable monsters near there..

Valindra Shadowmantle involved here..

Network of Fortune Tellers#

AKA Catherine Montvoisin.

Provided poison, aphrodisiacs, abortion, purported magical services, and arranging of black masses with clients among the aristocrats and became the central figure. Her purported organization of commissioned black magic and poisoned murder was suspected to have killed anywhere between 1000 and 2500 people.

Chasm Gorge Baphomet#

They fight baphomet in the gorge.

Aberration station down there so brought up a beholder.
Also near graveyard so undead interplay. Actually different than what it appears due to Baphomet's mirage arcane.

EBA: Death#

If they die, here, do a Skyrim wake up towards Evernight

EBA: Abolethic Chasm#

Place of Mindgorger koth. They'd have to battle their way down there. To do so will have them set off a chase down the underdark. It's deep, and it will be a crawl.
Guards holding all entrances around it. Sealing it off at night.
Izs will want to go down there... Aboleth voice in his head.
"You bear the mark. I could teach you much."

Lore:
- It was sealed long ago.
- Clerics will know more.
- Beneath the chasm in NW resides an aboleth. Ultimately in cahoots with Xial.
- Mind flayers being slowly extracted from the suburbs?

Descriptions from 4th ed neverwinter:

The Upper Reach

For many creatures, climbing down into the Chasm resembles what they have heard of tales about venturing into the Abyss. The first hundred or so feet are fairly normal, except for occasional swells of superheated air. Past that point, conditions grow more hostile. The pocket of Spellplague at the bottom of the lake warps the surroundings in strange and deadly ways. Elemental energy surges up from the depths in sudden storms. Earthmotes float in the pit, some drifting slowly and others bashing against the walls as though driven by demons. Handholds are scarce on the treacherous walls, which can explode with flame or lightning at any moment. Rocky outcroppings come and go, collapsing or molding themselves as onlookers watch. All manner of plaguechanged creatures dwell in pockets and on precipices in the upper Chasm. Some climb the walls, and others (particularly those meant to attack the surface world) ride bolts of chaotic energy that flare from the bottom of the pit. These creatures rise like birds filling their wings with wind.

Twisted Fane

The upper reach bottoms out in a pitted wasteland of shattered rock that resembles broken glass of myriad colors. Energy flares up from this area at random intervals. The rock hums with energy, pulsing as though alive. Here, characters are literally standing on the plaguechanged warrens. At the center of the area stands a fortress of black rock seemingly molded like clay around a pulsing azure crystal. This edifice—the so-called Twisted Fane—seems to be the source of the chaotic energy swirling up from the Chasm. The crude, gargantuan gemstone swirls with power but otherwise has no discernible purpose. A colony of foulspawn (Monster Manual) dwells here, paying homage to the crystal as though it were a deity. The foulspawn protect the crystal at all costs, viciously attacking intruders without making an attempt to talk. If the characters search outside the fortress, a DC 26 Perception check reveals obscured tunnels that lead deeper into the earth, toward the true masters of the Chasm

False Bottom

A clever defense, the Twisted Fane is a red herring perpetuated by the aboleths. By all appearances, the fortress stands at the nadir of the Chasm and gives the impression that it is the source of the Spellplague energy that rises toward the surface. Upon closer inspection, a character who makes a DC 19 Arcana check finds that the azure crystal has no such power. The foulspawn dwell here to lend credence to the deception. They operate under the domination of the aboleths and wait as sword fodder for an attack. The aboleths’ hope is that any enemies powerful enough to reach the bottom of the Chasm will slay the foulspawn, destroy the worthless crystal, and leave, thinking their task accomplished. Meanwhile, the aboleths can regroup and ready an attack on the foes who have now revealed themselves.

EBA: Stronghold#

True cost of Castle Never; 100k Wizard Tower (maxed wizard tower), with 30k Keep (3rd level)
Build time of a year with full financing.
Tower extremely strong. Not breachable, but also main point is scrying.
Fixup requiring 10k. 20days.
Can upgrade fortifications for an extra 15k on keep.
Maybe taken for 50k at the lowest steal. 100k lump sum more appropriate.

Hook for needing one? Making enemies.

Houses#

1200 gold medium sized comfortable house with a guest room. 500gp extra for living just outside the city wall. 600 gold for furnishing, silverware, rug, lamps, hearth. => 2k gold.

Old Cathedral in Undead Area. Normally 20k Gold. Now a 10k offer would work.

Estate Agent Help#

Raymond 'Renegade' Rowley of "Power Word: Estate" (rebranded pirate)
DESC: black leather boots, elegant, slim fitted long black waistcoat, red sash around his waist, and a smaller red sash around his head, and a wide brimmed leather hat on top of that
USE: can do appraisals (badly)

Other companies, Shadowfell Estates, Mordenkainen's Affordable Fortresses
Nina Blade (former boatswain on The Homocidal Pearl)
Zula 'Weird'o' Zulu (former captain on The Corrupted Delivery)

Justification help#

"Sneak attack first, take something they value, and have them bring the fight to you. (Suicidal Pearl)"
"you seem like a financially savvy group of adventurers..."

"the amount of gold people like you have generated in the past two years have been a great boom to the economy in certain places like Waterdeep, and Baldur's Gate... but it has lead to prices going up for common folks as resources are taken up by the wealthy. We used to be able to buy Potions of Speed for some of our best crewmen when boarding ships, but now that's not feasible, and our jobs is a lot more risky these days because of it."
"meanwhile, there's only so many houses you can cram within the city walls. if you value something, you should have something physical to show for it. not an IOU from some bookeeper."

"Cannot carry around wealth indefinitely, and are you going to trust a bank in this climate? The only sensible investment is a physical castle.

EBA: Restoration#

Victorian problems:
- Shit everywhere in the streets from horses
- Sewage failing (simple pipes out in river)
- Economic decline, basic living. All luxuries goto WD. Young people moving there.
- Lost most profitable diamond trade company
- Taxes to save for bad times lost
- Fishing, transporting fish, Graycloaks basically police and watchers of graveyard.
- Basic rundown feel. In need of gentrification.

Nicest house?

EBA: Aberration Restoration#

Flumph clogging the drains.

EBA: Haunted Goliath House on a Hill#

House on a hill that belonged to family of reclusive goliath wizards.
No rest in the place unless they solve the issue of the curse.
Curse: Goliaths inhabit various contraptions of the room making rest impossible.
Examples: Falling chandeliers. Cloaker. Bookshelf/secret door. Animated armor grabbing players to separate them.

Grabbed players sees ghosts of their victims; Akkhan (GW), Cael Aloro (KIA with young Mordai), Hans (Faey).

Piano boss in a hidden hall. He's ethereal. His playing summons chairs towards players in hall.
Stage 2: ghosts ballerinas spinning through the area.
Stage 3: Pianist vulnerable, but hides in invulnerable piano now. Piano turns into a possessed hovering instrument. Stomping down on players. Firing out keys. Slam piano top. Pulse wave AOE. He will peak out outside to send magic missle.
Stage 4: Piano on its side. Ghost recovering inside, but piano now vulnerable.

EBA: Travel Complications#

Large chasm along major pathway north to Mirabar. Direct path: down to Zuggtmoy (wedding happened). Other path: chasm down to Slime / Ooblex dungeon. Corrupted driders.

Giants: terrorizing the northern areas. Void corrupted leaders. Fracto Nimbuli is in the castle in the sky that.

Neverwinter Wood

Leagues beyond Neverwinter, a thick press of trees shrouds a foreign world in shadows and fear. In places, the land’s brush grows into dense walls, and trespassers must hew through it branch by branch to gain access to the land’s private places. Where the thickets are lighter and natural pathways allow for easier travel, the land’s aura is no less menacing. Overhead, the canopy’s branches and leaves intertwine into wooden fists, blotting out the sun and transforming the idea of “day” into a memory of brighter, safer domains. Travelers who risk entering this looming forest feel baleful eyes tracking their movements. Despite the warm temperature, a coldness creeps inside their clothing, sending shivers down their spines.
This is Neverwinter Wood. Dark and brutal outsiders journey here to steal power, magic, and lives. Monstrous denizens of this world and others dwell here in shadows, glaring in hatred at ignorant mortals who think to tame the wilds. Here, the bones of ancient civilizations that believed their magic a match for the woods reside as testaments of their folly. And here, the ghosts of such mistakes haunt the edges of this foreign reality, never escaping the winter of their lives.
The crags
Lacing through Neverwinter Wood, like a stitch holding together the earth’s skin, are the Crags. This series of hills and steppes grows into a small mountain range, terminating in the awesome Mount Hotenow.
But Mount Hotenow isn’t the Crags’ only claim to fame. Myths claim that the range’s many caves, chasms, and canyons hide paths to the lost dwarven city of Gauntlgrym. Whether the paths exist or not, the mountains do house the ruins of several of that ancient dwarven city’s outposts—as well as their treasures—and the monsters that overran those sites.

Can find path from Hotenow into Gauntlgrym's Mithral doors perhaps.
Put a Frost Salamander MTOF223 on the crags.

Tower of Twilight

For ages, this enchanted tower perched atop an island in the middle of a small lake, but none could see it during the day. As twilight’s shadows grew, the tower would appear, its invisibility faltering. Then, during the Spellplague, the Tower of Twilight vanished. The invisible bridge that formerly spanned the lake could no longer be felt, and the tower did not reappear as darkness fell. Where it went during its time away is unknown, but since the cataclysm it reappears sporadically. No sign of the wizard who last resided inside the tower has been detected, and no one knows whether anyone or anything lives there now.