quote:

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Originally posted by Jeremy Grenemyer

Added an entry to Kythorn, 1481 DR. This one inspired by the "Outcast House" article, from the Forging the Realms series by Ed Grenwood.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Sightless

I know Fay get's involved somehow, but I think Never Winter gets damaged or destroyed, when the massive fire spirit, more powerful than any normal fire elemental in Gauntlgrym’s forge get's free.

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• The River District has been isolated over fears of plague. No active guard prevents entry or exit to the district, but those few who've left it say a rotting disease that starts at the hands and feat and works its way up the body is spreading among the orc population.[1]

• A charismatic orc priest of Yutrus has arrived in Neverwinter, claiming the eye of Yutrus has fallen upon the orcs of Neverwinter and found weakness and wasting disease is a blessing from his god meant to cull the weak. He provides no healing or comfort for the afflicted, instead encouraging those not yet sickened to bet on the fates of the infected* and donate a hefty portion of their winnings, that they should remain healthy and find favor with Yutrus.

• A richly dressed high priestess of Waukeen has arrived by boat from Amn, with an entourage of lay servants and underpriests. The Priestess of Coins has taken up residence in a burnt out hold just off Blacklake. Rumors are circulating that the priestess intends to scour the lake of ash and debris with her magic as a show of power and as a gift to the people of Neverwinter.

• The Council of Sparkling Stones in Mirabar has announced the diversion of ore shipments meant for Waterdeep to Neverwinter, by way of Longsaddle. The Council claims that monstrous activity out of the Kryptgarden Forest has made the Long Road between Triboar and Waterdeep too perilous. Merchants traveling the Long Road report Mirabaran ore is stacking up on the outskirts of Longsaddle faster than warehouses can be erected to house it all. Uncertainty reigns over these events, as no road exists between Longsaddle and Neverwinter.

• Dwarven and dwarf-blooded members of mixed race families, all representatives from small communities of “thaelwi”[2] living up and down the Sword Coast and further inland, have gathered in Neverwinter to discuss matters of trade, to form alliances and to announce the creation of new clans and proclaim their holdings. The tension between those newly arrived and the many tradition-minded dwarves who live and trade in Neverwinter is rising fast. Most believe it is not a matter of if a bloody fight will break out, but when and for how long.

• The leaders of Neverwinter and their counterparts in Longsaddle have announced a trade alliance. The agreement is contingent on the successful maintenance of a not entirely safe path through the Upperdark-one found by dwarves and that links the two cities. Goods have already been exchanged, but monster attacks are frequent and the dwarves of Barefoot’s Deliveries (offices in Neverwinter) are hiring adventurers, no experience required, to accompany shipments of goods, with the promise of gold and silver paid for every monster slain, and the rights to sell carcasses for twice their value to any interested mage of Longsaddle.

• Lord Neverember has publicly remarked that the Tarnsmoke Proclamation[3] ought to be formally recognized by the leadership of Neverwinter, as it has already been adopted in “most civilized and forward thinking cities the length of the Sword Coast.” Not surprisingly, Mayor Galt has issued a proclamation declaring it both right and lawful to hire professional bounty hunters for the purpose of confronting, capturing, and slaying outlaws who wrong the upstanding citizens of Neverwinter, sully their persons, take property and steal their holdings by force of arms or magic.

• One of the more well to do rental property owners in Neverwinter has passed away. Known to many as “Old Leatherface”, the death of Sard, a long retired adventurer and one of three surviving members of the Band of Bold Reavers, has left the status of his many properties in limbo. At least three wills have been produced, and the bearer of each has declared him or herself the sole beneficiary and therefore master of all of Sard’s holdings in and out of Neverwinter. Agents of the beneficiaries have already crossed swords while simultaneously attempting to collect rents from tenants.

• The recent discovery of a copy of Storm, Tide and Quake: To Harness the Fury of Nature, by a group of adventurers in the ruins beyond The Wall has ignited a fierce debate over Neverwinter’s future. Six different versions of the tome exist and sages warn that to follow the advice of any of these books is to unleash the wrath of an invisible, hanging doom that lurks within each book—one that could easily complete the destruction of the city via tenday-long ice storms, gargantuan sea waves or earthquakes. Druids of Silvanus and lay followers of Chauntea claim the opposite is true, insisting that the means to heal the broken down sections of the city and close the Chasm once and for all can be derived from a careful reading of the differing passages in each of the six tomes and following the instructions therein, but first the remaining five tomes must be found.

• Calls in Waterdeep for Lord Neverember’s return to oversee the matter of the missing noble houses and restore order to the city before war breaks out between noble houses has forced him to reluctantly decamp from Neverwinter. The presence of so many armed mercenaries in Waterdeep has forced Lord Neverember to bring a sizeable number of Mintaran mercenaries with him, leaving Neverwinter short of guardians and protectors.


• The still-burning, seemingly crewless Glory of Orlarrakh, months ago departed for its home port, crashed into the Neverwinter docks overnight. Mayor Galt has forbidden anyone to search the remains of the ship and ordered harbormaster Len-Jes to assemble a reliable force to board the ship and investigate. Dock workers claim several green glowing, wraith-like beings materialized out of the ship's hull that flew swiftly into Neverwinter.

• Several former noble families of Waterdeep, including some thought recently to have gone missing or been destroyed, along with their sizable retinue of servants, guards and assistants, have arrived in Neverwinter at the invitation of a trio of prominent Neverwintan families. How they came to be in Neverwinter remains a mystery as none were seen arriving by land or ship before their appearance. Lord Neverember, still in Waterdeep, is said to be highly displeased with the former nobles presence in the city.


• On orders from Mayor Galt, Mintaran mercenaries have been dispatched to arrest—and in some cases forcibly eject from Neverwinter—several of the recently arrived ex-nobles of Waterdeep. The Mayor has not publicly explained his motives, though many see the hand of Lord Neverember behind the arrests. Others say the nobles met secretly with agents of the Sons of Alagondar, who revealed to the nobles their strong blood ties to the Alagondar ruling family, forcing Neverember to act before the combined forces of nobles moved to take over the city in Neverember’s absence.

• Lord Neverember has returned from Waterdeep along with representatives of several merchant houses and guilds to establish trade contacts and make investments in Neverwintan business and commerce.


• Lady Ranya Durinbold, Matriarch of the former noble house of Durinbold at Waterdeep, has disappeared from the Hall of Justice in Neverwinter where she was being held under house arrest by Mayor Galt. Some say she was set free by the Sons of Alagondar and is loose somewhere in the city; others claim she was last seen boarding the Abeirian caravel Steelsky, recently departed for Lylorn in Returned Abeir. A considerable reward has been offered for her safe return. The mayor of Neverwinter has issued an open writ of authority for all loyal Neverwintan ship captains to chase down the Steelsky and search, but not plunder, it for the missing noblewoman.

• Luskan is seeing a spike in shipbuilding. An unknown agency has comissioned and organized the construction of twenty one new ships of various sizes. Seven ships have already been keeled, with seven more set to be laid down by Midsummer. The purpose of the vessels is unknown, though nervous word is spreading in Neverwinter that Luskan plans to take control of the seas as far south as possible.


• Buckets have become increasingly short in supply throughout Neverwinter. Several trade agents have been buying up every last bucket, handkeg and smallkeg carried by traders looking to sell their wares in Neverwinter, as well every sort of hand-held carrying device to be found in the city. For reasons unknown these items are burned in great bonfires in the Blacklake district once every tenday, but not before hire-wizards carefully scrutinized every last bucket.

• Word has arrived in Neverwinter that Never's Hold has been found somewhere in the Sword Mountains, south of Neverwinter. The Company of the Gold Dragon, comprised of priests of Oghma and Deneir, as well as noble scions of Waterdeep, was said to be searching for the hold in hopes of discovering the fate of Vers Never and clues to the royal line of Alagondar. The Company was unable to make their way into the hold due to the presence of several tribes of goblins and orcs occupying the hills around the hold. The Company has returned to Waterdeep to gather a larger force to beat back the humanoids so the Hold can be accessed. In Neverwinter, several expeditions are being assembled to find Never’s Hold before the Company of the Gold Dragon departs from Waterdeep.


• Southeast of Neverwinter, high in the sky over Helm's Hold, a pair of great dragons are slowly circling each other, each eyeing the other while they keep their distance. Rain and wind blanket Helm's Hold this time of year, but the presence of the dragons seems to have caused inclement weather to avoid the region entirely. The crazed denizens of the Hold are said to have calmed as well. All watch and wait to see what the dragons will do.

• Rumors circulating in Luskan and Neverwinter claim a new Beast Lord has arisen in the Kryptgarden Forest. The Beast Lord is said to be able to control and even shape Plaguechanged creatures, and is creating horrible beasts not seen in the North since before the Spellplague. Word carried by merchants from Waterdeep to Neverwinter claims an entire patrol of mounted gaurdsmen from Waterdeep were decimated by owlbears and flying perytons that errupted out of the nearby woods. The creatures had strange azure marks on their bodies and moved with frightening speed.


• Word has spread through the River District of a most unlikely visitor to the Fallen Tower Tavern: an old, tired-looking dwarf known only as Jaerloon. The taciturn dwarf keeps to himself, whittling away at bits of wood and ivory. When approached, Jaerloon mutters an oath, “By the Black Tortoise!” before going back to whittling. If questioned, he will say, “Me friend said he’d meet me here and I aint leaving until he shows up!” Further questions will illicit the following, “Are ye daft? I said I aint leaving! Find me me friend Ilmairen if ye want so bad to see less of me!” After that the dwarf will speak no more. Jaerloon refuses to leave the tavern, sorely testing the patience of the orcs who run the place.

• Merchants on the road between Neverwinter and Waterdeep report being attacked by a combined hoard of orcs and goblins. Adventurers seeking Never's Hold in the Sword Mountains claim the humanoids are boiling up out of the earth from tunnels and caves all along the northwest face of the range. None know what is driving them out of their warrens, but all say the hoard is headed straight for Neverwinter.


• House bards and minstrels hired by establishments that favor Neverwintan natives over outsiders have crafted satirical ballads mocking Lord Neverember. The ballads are sometimes accompanied by impromptu performances: Neverwintan nobles and commoners alike jumping up on stage to act out any of several unbecoming follies ascribed to Lord Neverember. More than one person rumored to be a Son of Alagondar has been seen at these performances. Calls for the ousting of Lord Neverember and his hirelings ring loud and clear after each performance.

• Guards posted on Neverwinter's outer wall have reported sighting goblins and orcs massing south of the city. Overland merchant traffic has all but haulted between Waterdeep and Neverwinter and calls for Lord Neverember to crush the goblins and orcs with the combined forces of both cities ring loud and clear.


• A great flight of plaguechanged creatures has exploded out of the Kryptgarden forest and made straight for Waterdeep. Perytons, arrowhawks, chimeras, harpies, griffons and other winged beasts have swarmed over the north wall of the city and rampaged through the North and Sea Wards. Waterdeep's aerial defenders were overwhelmed by the onslaught, but managed to drive the attackers out of Sea Ward. North Ward is awash in beasts and members of the City Watch and Guard have joined the residents of North Ward to rid the city of plaguechanged creatures.

• Narvos Heg (or Narvos the Bookkeeper, as he is known locally), a collector and sometimes dealer in rare tomes, scrolls and parchments, is selling his prized book collection. Rumored to exist among its contents are the personal letters and diaries belonging to members of several important Neverwintan families. Already one attempt has been made to steal Narvos’ collection; the thief was carried out of Narvos’s open upper floor window by a man-sized, semi translucent hand. The magical hand crushed the thief in midair before dropping his body to the hard pavement below, then flew back in through the window.

• Lamp boys are often used to light the way at night for certain nobles and merchants rich and foolish enough to walk the streets of Neverwinter alone or with minimal escorts. Witnesses claim seeing one pair of lamp boys attack and strike senseless their charge—a Neverwintan noble of some repute—before the boys changed shape; the first into a gryphon and the second into a large python that coiled around the noble and hoisted itself and its captive onto the gryphon, which took to the air and disappeared into the night sky.

• A cabal of nobles styling themselves the Black Hunt are hiring adventurers to clear monsters, beasts and traps from Neverneath (the catacombs below Castle Never) in preparation for a contest pitting nobles of Waterdeep against nobles from Neverwinter. Wild Lords[1] traveling the length of the Sword Coast are also being sought by the Black Hunt. The Hunt's messengers claim any Wild Lord exiled from Waterdeep can earn a pardon from Lord Neverember himself, provided they enter the competition to explore Neverneath and are the first to find the legendary black bucket.

• A woman of exceptional beauty and her personal attendant were seen to join a group of surely cutthroats, all packed in tight around a small table at the rear of the Beached Leviathan. In the midst of relaying whispered instructions the woman stood up in alarm, turned to her attendant and said, “No, no! I need more time! Oh gods, Dragnoard, I need more…” before she let out a shriek and shriveled up into a dry husk that fell over the table, spilling its contents (several pouches of gold and jewels, as well as maps). The cutthroats jumped back in alarm, crashing into tavern patrons, then scrambled to recover the valuables. Over the din of the brawl that followed at least one cutthroat was heard to say, “I’ll not be traveling to Cormyr for that one. Not even for a house full of gold!” The attendant disappeared in the melee, as did the pouches and maps, but the remains of the woman were left untouched. The innkeeper Harrag swiftly recovered her body, though none know what he did with it.[2]

• A fierce night battle erupted in the rotting buildings of the Pirate's Skyhold. Someone or something set fire to many of the buildings and humanoid figures wreathed in flame could be seen falling from the Skyhold earthmote to their doom in the ocean below. Servants in the Hall of Justice report seeing several men on fire within the Hall that same night.


• The Company of Twelve Swords, comprised of veteran guards of The Wall, mercenaries from the Moonshae Isles and adventurers from Waterdeep has formed in Neverwinter. The adventurers left for Castle Never to brave its dangers and make their fortune from the treasures rumored to lay beneath the castle. Rumors are circulating that the leader of the Twelve owns regalia and other former possessions of Neverwintan nobility and plans to use these items to placate the ghosts of the castle.

• The mysterious, semi-secret organization known as the Sons of Alagondar was dealt a serious blow with the death of several members of its leadership. Rumors claim infighting over who was in charge led to drawn swords and bloodletting. Others say hired mercenaries ambushed a meeting of the group. Lord Neverember hailed the news as a victory for law and order in the city and promised to pursue the remnants of the insurgency.


• A caravan led by dwarves has arrived in Neverwinter, carrying goods from the Underdark. The dwarves will not sell to just anyone, but instead are taking bids for the right to be the first to view and purchase from their offerings. Word is spreading that amongst their wares are War Stones (rocks that, when exposed to sunlight, instantly expand in width and volume to the size of small boulders), Tell Tale Stones (rocks that absorb sound energy and sing back whatever noises were in their vicinity) and Rock Gourds (hollow rocks that naturally conjure about one gallon of water per hour after its current stock of water is pored out).

• The self-styled Elemental Master, long of Waterdeep, has arrived by boat in Neverwinter, accompanied by his cadre of exotic female genasi mages from the fabled land of Akanûl beyond the Sea of Fallen Stars. He is hiring adventurers and mercenaries to guard an expedition into the heart of Mount Hotenow, promising “riches to rival the personal fortunes of a King” to each man or woman brave enough to accompany him.


• The merchant Guthkort Arnhast was found injured and bleeding on the street in front of his three story stone mansion in the Protector's Enclave. Guthkort claims his dwelling is cursed; whenever he opens any door, he finds himself looking upon wild places far from Neverwinter. Sometimes beasts are waiting on the other side, eager to pounce. Friends and neighbors say Guthkort threw himself out of an open, second story window to escape and that strange, inhuman noises emanate from his former home.

• The Holy Host of Kelemvor, comprised of clerics, sellswords and devout followers of the god of the dead and led by the Doomguide Tathanter Ebonhand, has arrived in Neverwinter by boat from Baldur's Gate. The host claims foul treachery and negligence on the part of Lord Neverember has allowed the Neverdeath graveyard to become corrupted and fallen under the sway of foul influence and left the city awash in spirits seeking their final rest. Tathanter and his followers intend to scour Neverdeath of its corruption, with or without Lord Neverember’s permission.

• Merchants braving the roads north of Neverwinter report drow have been raiding their caravans. The drow do not slay the merchants, nor their guards, but thoroughly search each caravan and claim any items of magic they find. The merchant Chelios Khor claims the drow "flow out of the shadows and melt back into them after robbing us of everything of value!". Khor, having twice lost magical cargo to the drow, is offering gold and treasure in payment to anyone bold enough to ride the road and slay drow. Pairs of drow ears may be brought to Khor's merchant warehouse located at Neverwinter Docks and presented to his factor for payment.

• In the last tenday a lone traveler walked into the House of a Thousand Faces tavern and removed one of the many mirrors adorning its walls. The traveler spoke a word of magic, then stretched the mirror as though it were made of dough, widening and elongating it. Surprised and wary onlookers watched as the traveler stood the now much larger mirror in front of an old mannequin standing in one corner of the tavern and beckoned it to come forward. The mannequin, animated by unseen magic, stepped into the mirror and vanished, only to be replaced by a tall, black haired elf in battered armor. The traveler bowed deeply before the elf, then was heard to say, "Majesty, we must return to Silverymoon before the next full moon or the Gentle Ghost will give the task of finding your kinsman to another," before pocketing the now shrunken mirror and hustling the bewildered elf out the door and into the night.[1]

• Five tall-masted caravels have arrived in Neverwinter in the last tenday, each ship loaded with exotic goods and food and claiming their home port as one of the five cities that make up the Dusk Ports along the Dragon Sea in Returned Abeir. (Unbeknownst to the people of Neverwinter, each ship captain has been tasked with sailing to Neverwinter as fast as possible and personally stealing the most valuable items to be found in the city. The ship captain/agent in possession of the most valuable item upon their return to Lylorn will join Zasheena as co-leader of the Shadowkiss and replace Nandrel Gostur, who’s illicit dealings brought undue attention to the secretive group and landed himself in the great dragon Orlarrakh’s maw as a result.)


• Packs of silver colored, spectral cats have been spotted just the other side of The Wall, wandering at night amongst the choked ruins of homes and gardens that surround the Chasm. The cats are said to walk through the remnants of stone walls and wooden doors like ghosts, but climb trees and other natural obstacles as a normal cat would. When not moving about, the cats—like the guards along The Wall—keep watch over the Chasm, their tails twitching back and forth.

• A night fire engulfed the docks at Neverwinter, which quickly spread to the nearby Tarmalune Trade House. The fire was put out by agents from the House, but not before thieves made off with several valuable trade items from the Tarmalune warehouses. Three ships were seen to leave the docks in the midst of the fire, and were said to have sailed north towards Luskan.


• Merchants report raids by drow on the road north of Neverwinter have been curtailed by the presence of silver-eyed Eladrin warriors wearing ornate chain armor. The Eladrin wait for the drow to attack before setting upon them en masse and destroying them in dazzling displays of sword and spellwork. The Eladrin are said to search every wagon, bag, satchel and cart before allowing any survivors to tend their wounded and move on, but do not say what they are searching for and refuse to answer any enquiries.

• The murder of Doomguide Tathanter Ebonhand has left the Holy Host of Kelemvor leaderless and in shock. Rumor claims Tathanter met his end in his own bedchambers, after being skewered by several longsword-wielding, floating suits of empty plate armor that lacked any legs. The floating suits of armor left through the shattered upper-floor window by which they came, then departed in several directions: one suit flew over The Wall and descended somewhere in the ruined structures near The Chasm; another flew over the walls of Neverdeath graveyard before descending into the Pauper's Section; the third suit was said to fly straight for the Pirate's Skyhold; the fourth flew into the House of Knowledge and vanished; the last suit of armor made its way to the docks before disappearing amongst the moored ships from the Dusk Ports in Returned Abeir.



• The Abeirian caravel Glory of Orlarrakh has departed Neverwinter, loaded with trade wares from Neverwinter and the surrounding lands. Rumors circulating in Neverwinter state the ship has taken on passengers of some importance, including agents of various Faerûnian trade concerns and at least two full adventuring parties, the Company of Twelve Swords among them. The ship is bound for Lylorn in Returned Abeir.

• Embittered fanatics of Kelemvor are scouring Neverwinter for the magical suits of armor that slew their leader. The Kelemvorites have run afoul of the squatters and Mintaran mercenaries that frequent the House of Knowledge and been driven away from the docks by the combined crews of Abeiran ships moored there. Several others have made their way past the Wall and are searching the ruins around the Chasm. Still others are looking for a means to access the Pirate's Skyhold.


• The Moonstone Thief, thought to be a woman, a slender man or a half-elf, who wears a black half-mask lined with moonstones and seems perfectly able to walk about in utter darkness, has struck again. The Moonstone Thief steals from anyone and has become more bold with the passage of time—Lord Neverember being his/her latest victim. The many contentious factions in Neverwinter all agree on one thing: the Moonstone Thief will have to be tracked and either captured or put down, or no building in Neverwinter can be considered safe from intrusion.

• The Abeirian caravel Fimbrul’s Fury, readying itself for a morning departure to Returned Abeir, unexpectedly lifted off from its moorings in Neverwinter and floated straight up into the sky. The ship listed from side to side and began flying erratically in the skies over Nevewrinter before turning sideways and crashing into the remnants of the tower known as The Shard of Night that hovers over the River District. A golden radiance erupted from the center of the ship during impact, which was seen to fuse with the floating tower, while the fore and aft sections fell into pieces all over the city, along with much of the ship's crew. The floating tower appeared undamaged by the impact, but was quickly shrouded in an unnatural, smoke-like cloud of charcoal colored mist that seemed to erupt from the walls of the tower itself. After, white hot bolts of lightning began shooting from the cloud, striking random points in the city, as well as intrepid individuals capable of flying. The cloud is currently moving erratically in the skies over Neverwinter.

• Several minor Waterdhavian noble families have disappeared from Waterdeep. Rumors circulating wildly up and down the Sword Coast claim a Deepwinter purge of nobility by the Masked Lords of Waterdeep. Others say a magical plague is sweeping away the noble houses. Some whisper that grim war between nobles has returned to Waterdeep, with the lesser houses having already been quietly decimated in the internecine fighting. Few mercenary companies winter in Waterdeep, leaving merchants, nobles and guild houses to compete with each other over the hiring of adequate protection against the battles to come. Adventurers and mercenaries alike are hastening to the city.


• The Brotherhood of the Bloody Axe have returned to Neverwinter from a years-long expedition into the wilds of the savage north. Bards and eager listeners alike are repeating the stories told by these adventurers, among them: the tower of Sharra of the Invisible Dragon, archmage and once friend to Neverwinter, can be found where the Far Forest meets the eastern edge of the Nether Mountains. The Brotherhood claim to have breached the tower and made off with treasures from the lower levels before being forced out by the ghosts of angry dragons and apprentices. The leader of the Bloody Axe proved his claim by placing a platinum ring with a miniature dragon's head on his finger, pointing his fist to the sky and shouting a command word. An inferno of roaring fire shot up into the sky from the ring, easily the equal of any great dragon's breath weapon.