Neverwinter (CITY)
Neverwinter, also known as the City of Skilled Hands and the Jewel of the North, was a multi-racial city-state sitting on the northwestern Sword Coast of Faerûn. Neverwinter was regarded by Volo as the most cosmopolitan and the most civilized city in all of Faerûn. The city was a member in good standing of the Lords' Alliance.
Etymology
The city was originally named "Eigersstor", which was an Illuskan word. The name "Neverwinter" was the Chondathan translation.[3][note 1] A number of legends purported to explain where the city's name came from, but they contradicted each other. Some believed that the city was founded by a sun elf named Halueth Never, who led the elves of Iliyanbruen against an Illuskan invasion in -10 DR. Surrounded by his enemies, he chose the site where the river met the sea to make his last stand, naming the place "Never's Winter," believing he would die in the ensuing battle. However, human allies arrived just in time to come to his aid, and together they defeated the Illuskans. Never founded the city, keeping the name. Over the years the name was shortened to "Neverwinter".[18] Others, such as Volo and Elminster, considered that the name came from its gardens. This was also the source of the city's moniker, "the City of Skilled Hands," for Neverwinter's gardeners were acclaimed throughout the Realms for their ability to keep their gardens growing even through winter.[19] Locals, however, believed that the name came from the city's unusually warm climate, and how its docks were always ice-free in all but the coldest of winters. It was believed this was because of the Neverwinter River that flowed through the city, as it was heated by fire elementals living under the nearby Mount Hotenow in the Neverwinter Wood.[2] The heat given off from the river created a permanent warm climate in the immediate area.[4]Government
As of 1370 DR, the city was ruled fairly and justly by Lord Nasher Alagondar, an aging, veteran adventurer and devout worshiper of Tyr.[26][4] As such, the Neverwintans followed a Tyrran faith that promoted justice and fairness, with greed being frowned upon. Lord Nasher ensured that the city was well defended before his death, both physically and magically, against attacks or infiltration from Luskan, Neverwinter's warlike rival. Maps of the city were not allowed to be made as part of an effort to thwart Luskan spies.[14]
While Lord Nasher was the nominal leader of Neverwinter, the real power in the city was held by the Many-Starred Cloak, an order of good-aligned wizards that supported the rule of Lord Nasher.[26]
Lord Nasher rejected the position of King of Neverwinter for much of his life, accepting the title only in old age, by public acclamation.[4] After his death, he was succeeded by his son Bann Alagondar,[6] who founded the Alagondar royal family. The Alagondar line of kings and queens ruled justly and kept Neverwinter stable and prosperous even in the dark period that followed the Spellplague, until the destruction of Neverwinter after the eruption of Mount Hotenow, when all members of the royal family died in the disaster.[4]
New NeverwinterEdit
Main article: New Neverwinter
As part of his bid to create a mercantile empire in Neverwinter, Dagult Neverember created the title of "Lord Protector of Neverwinter", held by Neverember 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.[4] As he had to fulfill his obligations as Open Lord of Waterdeep, Lord Neverember left the day-to-day running of the city to General Sabine and Mayor Soman Galt.[7]
In 1489 DR, Lord Neverember was exiled from Waterdeep and replaced as Open Lord by Laeral Silverhand.[27] After being ousted of his city and former position, Neverember then focused all of his efforts to his role of Lord Protector of Neverwinter. Due to this commitment and his past accomplishments helping Neverwinter and its citizens, the Neverwintans finally accepted Lord Neverember as their rightful leader.[25] Bitter over being exiled from Waterdeep, however, Neverember became more despotic than ever and enforced heavy-handed laws. He levied heavy taxes to noble families living in Neverwinter, preventing them from gaining significant power, while enacting harsh laws that prohibited the formation of new guilds and limited the power of existing ones.[2
Industry & Trade
Shipping
Lumber
Guilds and Factions
New Neverwinter
Daanaath Syndicate
Vell Family
Dead Rats
Cult of the Dragon
Harpers
Sons of Alagondar
History
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This article is about the city. For other uses, see Neverwinter (disambiguation).
The emblem of Neverwinter.
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Neverwinter
Geography[2][3][4][5]
Aliases
Eigersstor
City of Skilled Hands
Jewel of the North
Type
Settlement
Region
Sword Coast North, Northwest Faerûn
Size
City (1491 DR)
Formerly: Metropolis (before 1451 DR)
Formerly: Large City (as of 1372 DR)
Society[2][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]
Demonym
Neveren or Neverwintian[1]
Races
Half-elves, humans, and a minority of dwarves (as of 1372 DR)
Plus a minority of dragonborn, eladrin, tieflings, orcs and half-orcs (as of 1479 DR)
Religions
Asmodeus, Bahamut, Helm, Kelemvor, Oghma, Selûne, Torm, Tyr
Commerce[2][6][14][10][15][16]
Imports
Crafters, mercenaries
Exports
Crafts (specially clockworks and exotic lamps), fish, horticulture, logging, magical innovations
Currency
1pp = 1 fairsail
= 10 gold dragons
= 20 electrum sea-shee
= 100 silver bults
= 1000 copper tharns
Politics[2][6][4]
Gov't type
Lordship
Formerly: Royalty
Formerly: Lordship
History[2][6][4]
Population
23,192 in 1372 DR
17,000 in 1366 DR
Ruler
Lord Protector Dagult Neverember in 1491 DR
King Bann Alagondar in 1400 DR
King Nasher Alagondar in 1385 DR
Inhabitants of Neverwinter
Locations in Neverwinter
Organizations in Neverwinter
“ Neverwinter is a friendly city of craftsmen, who trade extensively via the great merchants of Waterdeep; their water-clocks and multi-hued lamps can be found throughout the Realms. Neverwinter gained its name from the skill of its gardeners, who contrived to keep flowers blooming throughout the months of snow -- a practice they continue with pride. ”
— Elminster Aumar[13]
Neverwinter, also known as the City of Skilled Hands and the Jewel of the North, was a multi-racial city-state sitting on the northwestern Sword Coast of Faerûn.[17] Neverwinter was regarded by Volo as the most cosmopolitan and the most civilized city in all of Faerûn. The city was a member in good standing of the Lords' Alliance.[14]
Contents[show]
EtymologyEdit
The city was originally named "Eigersstor", which was an Illuskan word. The name "Neverwinter" was the Chondathan translation.[3][note 1]
A number of legends purported to explain where the city's name came from, but they contradicted each other. Some believed that the city was founded by a sun elf named Halueth Never, who led the elves of Iliyanbruen against an Illuskan invasion in -10 DR. Surrounded by his enemies, he chose the site where the river met the sea to make his last stand, naming the place "Never's Winter," believing he would die in the ensuing battle. However, human allies arrived just in time to come to his aid, and together they defeated the Illuskans. Never founded the city, keeping the name. Over the years the name was shortened to "Neverwinter".[18]
Others, such as Volo and Elminster, considered that the name came from its gardens. This was also the source of the city's moniker, "the City of Skilled Hands," for Neverwinter's gardeners were acclaimed throughout the Realms for their ability to keep their gardens growing even through winter.[19]
Locals, however, believed that the name came from the city's unusually warm climate, and how its docks were always ice-free in all but the coldest of winters. It was believed this was because of the Neverwinter River that flowed through the city, as it was heated by fire elementals living under the nearby Mount Hotenow in the Neverwinter Wood.[2] The heat given off from the river created a permanent warm climate in the immediate area.[4]
HistoryEdit
Main article: History of Neverwinter
Brief HistoryEdit
The first settlement in the Savage Frontier was an elven city known as Illefarn. Illefarn became a bustling nation after the time of the Crown Wars. Eventually, Illefarn was divided into three nations, of which Iliyanbruen was the most prominent.[20] 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.[21]
Neverwinter became a center of civilization, peace and culture and was widely viewed as a marvel by visitors. This trend lasted, seemingly unbroken since its founding[22] until 1372 DR when a disease known as the Wailing Death laid low most of the city's inhabitants.[23] Then, in 1385 DR, the Spellplague struck.[24]
The century that followed saw the rise in power of Netheril. Netherese loyalists infiltrated the power structure of the weakened Neverwinter,[22] but their efforts were sidetracked by the eruption of Mount Hotenow in 1451 DR, so powerful that laid the city to waste and killed the ruling royal family.[4]
In 1467 DR,[13] Lord Dagult Neverember, seeing an opportunity to add to his financial empire, hired workers to help rebuild the city and Mintarn mercenaries to protect it from monsters and bandits; claiming himself to be a descendant of Neverwinter's former rulers and thus the rightful "Lord Protector" of the city, started the New Neverwinter movement. Lord Neverember invested a great deal of his own personal fortune to rebuild the city's infrastructure, buy the interest of merchants to send their caravans again to Neverwinter, and even ensuring Neverwintan refugees had enough food and gold in hand.[7] By 1491 DR, Neverember's efforts to rebuild the city proved successful, and Neverwinter had slowly being restored as a center of civilization in the Sword Coast North.[25]
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Neverwinter, also known as the City of Skilled Hands and the Jewel of the North, is a multi-racial city-state sitting on the northwestern Sword Coast of Faerûn. Neverwinter is regarded by Volo as the most cosmopolitan and the most civilized city in all of Faerûn. The city is a member in good standing of the Lords' Alliance.
Alternative Name(s)
Eigersstor, City of Skilled Hands, Jewel of the North
Type
City
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