Neverwinter
The first settlement in the Savage Frontier was an elven city known as Illefarn, a bustling nation after the time of the Crown Wars. Eventually, Illefarn was divided into three nations, of which Iliyanbruen was the most prominent. Iliyanbruen was weakened by orc invasions, which paved the way for Eigersstor, the first multi-racial settlement in the area, which would later be called Neverwinter.
Amid the wilderness and savagery of the cold North, Neverwinter once stood as a beacon of civility and warmth. Even after the Spellplague wracked the world, the Jewel of the North lost little of its luster. The city's destruction thus shocked many when it occurred, despite the portents that warned of coming peril. Vague prophecies and strange events seemed like shadows of the Spellplague, nothing more. Even the earth's tremors that began to disturb the area could not shake its citizens' belief in a bright future. As part of his bid to create a mercantile empire in Neverwinter, Dagult Neverember created the title of "Lord Protector of Neverwinter" for himself in 1467 DR. However, it was questioned whether Dagult was the rightful ruler, as many factions vied for Neverwinter and the citizens were divided in loyalties. As he had to fulfill his obligations being also Open Lord of Waterdeep, Lord Neverember left the day-to-day running of the city to General Sabine and Mayor Soman Galt.
Demographics
Humans, half-elves, tieflings, and a minority of dwarves, dragonborn, eladrin, orcs, and half-orcs.
Government
Lordship
Industry & Trade
Imports: Crafters, mercenaries
Exports: Crafts (especially waterclocks and exotic lamps), fish, horticulture, logging, magical innovations
Currency: 1 pp = Fairsail = 10 gold dragons = 20 electrum seashee = 100 silver bults = 1000 copper tharns
Districts
Protectors Enclave
The Lord Protector of Never winter rules the city from the Hall of Justice, the old temple of Tyr. Farthest from the source of the great earthquake that struck Mount Hotenow almost three decades ago, this area of Neverwinter suffered the least destruction. This good fortune also made the district a primary target for Lord Neverember. He moved an overwhelming force of mercenaries into the district, secured his base, and, ever since, has spent half his time here and half in Waterdeep. The Protector's Enclave stands mostly intact, and many former residents of the city have returned to live here alongside new immigrants. Although this district is the most stable part of Never winter, it chafes under the firm hand of Sabine, the general of Lord Neverember's forces. Spies watch every neighborhood and notable gathering place, and Mintarn enforcers march through the streets. When the townsfolk complain, Neverember shifts the blame to one or another of his subordinates and is subsequently hailed as a hero for making an example of the supposed scoundrel. He assures the citizens that he is doing his best in a bad situation. The Enclave boasts the best-stocked market in the city, thanks to trade from Waterdeep and other cities along the Sword Coast. The city taxes all transactions made here at a steep rate that the natives have grudgingly come to accept. The taxes pay for the Mintarn soldiers who watch every newcomer to the district with a sharp eye. In the enclave, suspicious or unfamiliar characters do not stay hidden for long.
Blacklake District
This region of Never winter stands largely intact in the wake of the cataclysm. Credit for the survival of the Blacklake District goes mostly to the nobles of Neverwinter who dwelt here and constructed their homes with extra support, both material and magical. Many of these nobles died in the fire that swept the area after the cataclysm, but their houses remain. The district holds a large number of overgrown estates, scores of stout, defensible holdfasts, and a large park that contains the lake for which the region is named. The water was polluted by a great deal of ash and rubbish in the quake, and today Blacklakelooks more like a midden pit of sludge than a lake. Some locals are making an effort to dredge it and restore the surrounding environs. After securing the Protector's Enclave, Lord Neverember's mercenaries have turned more of their attention to Blacklake as the next district for resettlement, but their efforts have not been fruitful. Numerous secret societies aggressively resist their efforts to pacify the neighborhood. Blacklake harbors a great deal of old blood and nationalism, which takes the form of opposition to the Lord Protector. Muggers and hot-tempered duelists plague the streets of Black lake, and political agitators hold small rallies or foment subtle conspiracies against the powers that be. The Sons of Alagondar set ambushes for Mintarn enforcers and wage pitched battles in the streets. Lord Neverember loathes the slow, frustrating process of trying to civilize this district so it can be resettled by Neverwinter refugees-it is a job that requires nearconstant attention, compared to the relative ease with which the Protector's Enclave was tamed.
River District
The River District takes its name from the terrain feature that has saved it from being overrun namely, the Neverwinter River, which holds at bay the plaguechanged forces that emerge from the Chasm to the south. The bulk of Neverwinter's merchant class once dwelt here, and the architecture shows it. The houses were sturdily built, and although they are not ostentatious, most are large enough to have held a family of six or eight-plus servants. Guardhouses and security walls abound, offering cover for skirmishers looking to ambush unsuspecting visitors. Long flower gardens run through the center of each street, although over the years they have gone to weeds or decay. One might think the Mintarns could have pacified the River District by now, but safety proves elusive, mostly due to a band of orcs in the ancient Cloak Tower at the eastern edge of the area. New Neverwinter's forces occasionally venture into the district, but generally only as far as the Fallen Tower tavern. That establishment serves as neutral ground for negotiations between Lord Neverember and Vansi of the orcs, to whom the rest of the district belongs. Beasts from the surrounding wilderness occasionally stalk the streets here, hunting for food. Even if the orcs were not present, the other dangerous creatures would be reason enough for refugees to avoid this district, regardless of whether their houses remain standing.
The Chasm
The Chasm occupied what was once the districts known as the Beggar's Nest and the Arcanist Quarter, which were destroyed during the cataclysm that followed the eruption of Mount Hotenow. Because of that, the surrounding areas were in utter ruins, a maze of destroyed buildings and clotted streets. The Chasm proper was big, covering almost all of the central part that once was the Arcanist Quarter central area, and many earth motes floated amid and around the abyss, some drifting slowly and others bashing against the walls of the Chasm or against each other. The Chasm was also deep, reaching down to a lake located in the Underdark. The land within the Chasm proper was warped and twisted because of the plagueland located below Neverwinter. Storms of elemental energy and other strange phenomena could surge up from the depths without warning at any moment.
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. Time, the Spellplague, and the cataclysm all took their toll on the graveyard, thrusting some sections higher than others, collapsing buildings, and revealing graves. Coffins now jut from small cliffs, and tumbled bones litter the ground. The graveyard takes its name from a common blessing given over the dead. As long as the city remained in summer, it was said, the dead would never truly leave. Many think that winter is coming soon for the city's dead, however, brought by malevolent forces from Thay. Neverember's mercenaries fear the graveyard, preferring to burn the dead outside the walls of the burial ground. If they are not burned, corpses left lying nearby sometimes rise of their own accord.
Guilds and Factions
Maps
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Neverwinter - Districts
Neverwinter, also known as the City of Skilled Hands and the Jewel of the North, was a bustling, cultured, and cosmopolitan city-state in northwest Faerûn. Neverwinter was regarded by Volo as the most cosmopolitan and civilized city in all of Faerûn. The city was a member in good standing of the Lords' Alliance. Known for its craftsfolk and gardeners, the city's multi-colored-glass lamps, precision water clocks, exquisite jewelry, and magnificent gardens ensured the warm winters were colorful and the summers were rich with fresh fruit. This map showcases various districts of the city of Neverwinter. -
Neverwinter - Landmarks
Neverwinter, also known as the City of Skilled Hands and the Jewel of the North, was a bustling, cultured, and cosmopolitan city-state in northwest Faerûn. Neverwinter was regarded by Volo as the most cosmopolitan and civilized city in all of Faerûn. The city was a member in good standing of the Lords' Alliance. Known for its craftsfolk and gardeners, the city's multi-colored-glass lamps, precision water clocks, exquisite jewelry, and magnificent gardens ensured the warm winters were colorful and the summers were rich with fresh fruit. This map showcases various landmarks of the city of Neverwinter.
Key Statistics
Alternative Name(s)
Jewel of the North, City of Skilled Hands, Eigersstor
Type
City
Population
43,192
Inhabitant Demonym
Neveren or Neverwintian
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
Characters in Location
Comments