Dagult Neverember
Lord Protector Dagult Neverember
Dagult Neverember is the Lord Protector of Neverwinter and former Open Lord of Waterdeep. One of the most powerful political figures in the North, Neverember is both renowned and feared in equal measure for his political manoeuvring and leadership.
A Neverwintan by birth, Neverember moved to Waterdeep at a young age to foster his ambitions, narrowly avoiding the eruption of Mount Hotenow in 1451 DR which all but destroyed his birth city. Years later, after amassing a sizeable fortune, Neverember began working to rebuild Neverwinter, establishing himself as the city's Lord Protector and rightful ruler.
Neverember was also the Open Lord of Waterdeep for a time, before his replacement by Laeral Silverhand. Before his dismissal, Neverember is rumoured to have embezzled up to half a million gold dragons from the city, though none seem to know where the money is hidden, if the rumours are even true.
Neverember is also a prominent member of the Lords' Alliance, representing Neverwinter and formerly Waterdeep in the organization's leadership.
Mental characteristics
Personal history
Dagult Neverember grew up in Neverwinter, where he began to dream about creating a mercantile empire. In his youth he moved to Waterdeep and married Valia Brandarth, daughter of a prominent Waterdhavian businesswoman, adding her broad property holdings and wealth to his own. Valia bore him a son, Renaer, before dying when Renaer was still in his youth. She left everything to Renaer rather than to Dagult, which contributed to Dagult's rocky relationship with his son.
Years after the destruction of Neverwinter, in 1469 DR Neverember started the New Neverwinter movement to rebuild the city, claiming himself to be a descendant of Neverwinter's former rulers and thus the rightful "Lord Protector" of Neverwinter. Lending credence to his claims, Neverember invested a great deal of his own personal fortune to rebuild the city's infrastructure, buy the interest of merchants, and even ensure that Neverwintan refugees had enough food and gold in hand.
Neverember's open intentions were to increase the prosperity of the city in order to transform Neverwinter into the centre of a powerful mercantile empire. The Sons of Alagondar, an underground movement associated with the Harpers, resisted Neverember's reign in Neverwinter at first, fearing that his aims were imperialistic and would not aid the people of the city in the long run.
In 1479 DR, Neverember became the Open Lord of Waterdeep. Thanks to his political acumen and resources, Waterdeep began to thrive after years of neglect, and he sold many noble titles to potential allies he could rely in the future while profiting in the process. As he was busy with his new duties in Waterdeep, he left the day-to-day running of Neverwinter to his underlings. While in Neverwinter, Dagult operated out of the Hall of Justice.
After rumours began spreading of Neverember's embezzlement of half a million dragons from the city's treasury, Neverember was deposed by the Masked Lords of Waterdeep and replaced by Laeral Silverhand as Open Lord. After this, Neverember focused all of his efforts in his role of Lord Protector of Neverwinter, which had slowly begun being restored as a centre of civilization in the Sword Coast. However, bitter over this event, Neverember became even more despotic and began to enforce more heavy-handed laws in Neverwinter. It's even rumoured that he had anyone who claimed to be a descendant of the Alagondar family killed.
Despite this, due to his commitment and past accomplishments helping Neverwinter and its citizens, the people of Neverwinter finally accepted Neverember as the rightful leader of their city, despite the fact that people from other lands saw him as a tyrant. Even his staunch opposition, the Sons of Alagondar, eventually began to serve under his command in the late 1480s. When followers of Tyr came to Neverwinter in 1490 DR to restore the temple of their god, Dagult gave them the Hall of Justice for that purpose and moved into a private villa. This action made him even more worthy of a leader in the eyes of the Neverwintans.
Accomplishments & Achievements
Neverember's ambition has helped him a great deal over the course of his life. Born a moderately well-off noble, Neverember's strategic skill and political acumen enabled him to rise through the ranks of Waterdhavian nobility quickly, with his appointment as Open Lord a well-earned achievement. Similarly, his attempts to rebuild Neverwinter and win over its inhabitants have met with great success, with even his former opponents coming to accept him as a leader.
Morality & Philosophy
Neverember is a particularly pragmatic man, with few qualms about doing what is necessary for the survival and increased prosperity of both himself and those under his rule.
Personality Characteristics
Motivation
Dagult Neverember is an ambitious and manipulative man, desiring ultimately to become the ruler of his own powerful mercantile empire. He is, however, concerned with the welfare of his people as a protected and content populace is required to keep him in power, which is why he takes care to foster a public image as a man of the people in Neverwinter.
Neverember is also a pragmatic man. He is readily willing to work with others in the Lords' Alliance for the collective safety of the civilised world, and is quick to recognise threats to the stability of his allies and subjects.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Neverember claims to be the descendant of Vers Never. Vers Never was supposedly the bastard son of Nasher Alagondar and brother to Bann Alagondar, who served as Neverwinter's king earlier in its history. In order to cement his relations to the royal line, Neverember paid scribes to find (or create, as some rumours hold) books that gave legitimacy to this claim; any books that cast doubts on it are often burned.
Neverember has good relations with the other members of the Lords' Alliance, who despite his ambition and manipulative behaviour respect his efforts to rebuilt Neverwinter and his talent for pragmatism. This mutual respect is not universal however - Neverember openly resents Laeral Silverhand for taking his position as the Open Lord of Waterdeep, and prefers to hire adventurers and mercenaries to help to protect Neverwinter and train the local troops rather than accept the help of the armies of the Lords of Waterdeep, who Neverember feels betrayed him. However, he avoids letting his feelings cloud his judgment whenever he has to fulfil his duties as a member of the Alliance, and this sentiment is not shared by Laeral, who admires Neverember's work to restore Waterdeep to prosperity during his time in office.
Family Ties
Neverember's only family were his wife, Valia, and his son, Renaer. Valia died shortly after Renaer's birth which, combined with Renaer's inheritance of his mother's property and fortune, led to a strained relationship between Dagult and his son. This doesn't outwardly bother Dagult all that much, however.
Social Aptitude
Dagult is a particularly forceful personality. His confidence and charisma are often overpowering to less savvy onlookers, and he is well used to dealing with the upper echelons of society. His manipulative tendencies are often of full display in such situations, as he expertly arranges events to suit his own desires.
Neverember also has a very large ego, fostered by his climb to power. He considers himself superior to most people he meets, with the notable exception of his biggest political rivals, and this sens of self-importance, while certainly warranted, have been proven to make Neverember overconfident in his own abilities.
Since his deposition as Open Lord, Neverember has become more ruthless than before, maintaining his image as a likeable man of the people in Neverwinter, but gaining a reputation for heavy-handed practicality and a hint of paranoia.
Since his deposition as Open Lord, Neverember has become more ruthless than before, maintaining his image as a likeable man of the people in Neverwinter, but gaining a reputation for heavy-handed practicality and a hint of paranoia.
Alignment
Lawful Neutral
Current Location
Honorary & Occupational Titles
Current
- Lord Protector of Neverwinter
- Open Lord of Waterdeep
Currently Held Titles
Previously Held Ranks & Titles
Year of Birth
1429 DR
61 Years old
Birthplace
Neverwinter
Children
Current Residence
Neverember Estate, Neverwinter
Aligned Organization
Other Affiliations
Comments