The
Great Neveren Trade Fleet was a massive trade fleet that was intended to champion the greatness of the newly formed
Neveren Alliance. Though it was
nearly destroyed in late Nightal of 1496, the trade fleet completed its mission of traveling the
Sea of Swords, earning wealth and acclaim for the
Neveren Alliance.
History
Following the proclamation of the
Neveren Alliance in mid-1496, the new allied powers began pooling their combined resources into a trade fleet, the size and scale of which would be unrivaled in recent memory. The construction of the fleet, and the retrofitting of many ships, took multiple months. It was not until early Nightal of 1496 that the fleet was declared finished. Though the winter season was often rough on the
Sea of Swords, Lord Protector
Dagult Neverember declared that the fleet would sail regardless, showing all how the strength of the new alliance would not bend or buckle under any condition.
However, among the sailors, merchants, and guards selected and hired to serve on the fleet's ships were members of
S'gothgah's Cult of Bane, individuals afflicted with
Banesmarks, magical symbols on their skin that forced those bearing them to submit to the will of the
aboleth S'gothgah. A few of these afflicted individuals were, in fact, members of the
Twilight Monastery, and S'gothgah's minions also placed Banesmarks on a few of the ship captains. The aboleth's ultimate goal was to destroy the fleet with his
kraken servant, gaining the last vestiges of fear and despair needed to finalize the kraken's artificial growth from the
Feast of Corruption, and then summon a
Sliver of Bane to posses the kraken, creating an
Avatar of
Bane.
Once the trade fleet departed Neverwinter it first sailed north, stopping in
Luskan, before sailing south towards
Waterdeep. However, S'gothgah and his kraken struck as the fleet passed by
the Styes, south of Neverwinter. At S'gothgah's mental command, hidden agents from across the fleet began attacking their fellow merchants, creating chaos, as the kraken sunk and damaged multiple ships, summoning a thundersnow.
However, the
Heroes of Saltmarsh pursued the aboleth and kraken from the Styes, confronting the kraken onboard their ship, the
Big Nauti, killing it. The summoned Sliver of Bane was subsequently defeated by the Heroes and trapped inside
a uniquely powerful soul trap, ending the attack and forcing the aboleth to flee, relinquishing its mental control over its Banesmarked minions.
The Grand Trade Fleet returned to Neverwinter following the attack, where members of the
Hand of Mana under the court wizard
Brisk, removed the Banesmarks from the surviving attackers and altered the memories of most of the crew to ensure they were unaware of the presence of the Sliver of the Bane.
After a few weeks of repair, the Grand Trade Fleet departed once again for Waterdeep, before sailing further south to
Baldur's Gate and the countries beyond. Despite it's near destruction, the recovered fleet ultimately achieved Neverember's goal of showing the prosperity of his new alliance.
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