Neverwinter
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Neverwinter is a large cultured city of trees, gardens, winding streets, and beautiful buildings. This friendly city of craftsmen quietly bustles with business; it avoids controversy and warfare, keeping within its walls and dealing with the outside world largely through merchants in Waterdeep.
Neverwinter is laid out roughly in the shape of an eye. The long axis runs roughly east and west along the Neverwinter River that cascades over small falls and is spanned by many arched, ornate bridges as it runs through the city. The waters are so warm that the harbor never freezes. One end of the city is the harbor, and the other end is the Upland Rise, a wooded hill left as a natural park. To the east is Neverwinter Wood.
The City of Skilled Hands is a beautiful, relaxed place. It's a walled city of 17,000 humans and half-elves. Craftsmen love the beauty of Neverwinter and enjoy living among other craftsmen. They constantly try to outdo each other in striving for ever-increasing efficiency and beauty of design.
All in all, Neverwinter is perhaps the most cosmopolitan city in Faerûn, escaping Waterdeep's slums and grasping competitiveness, as well as Silverymoon's harsher climate and heavier need for defense against orcs and other evils. Cities in Amn and Calimshan commonly claim to be more civilized, but merchants who trade there all say Neverwinter truly is civilized, unlike some showier rivals who, as the sage Mellomir once put it, ithave achieved decadence without the need for passing through civilization first.
This city is a delight for the eyes. Everywhere are buildings that would be noteworthy anywhere else for the grace or ingenuity of their design. The meandering streets make fast travel across the city impossible and leave visitors in grave risk of becoming lost whenever they venture out of their lodgings, especially at night. On warm summer nights, street parties are common; otherwise the lanes are thankfully uncrowded. Street vendors are unheard of in Neverwinter, but many professionals make house calls or may be summoned by ever-present street runners.
Neverwintans tend to be quiet, mannered, literate, efficient, hard-working folk. Deadlines and precision are important in all they do. They respect not only the property of others, but whatever interests another person holds important for happiness. iaFollowing one's weirdlo is a Neverwintan saying for odd or reckless behavior. Everyone native to this city understands this need.
Neverwinter features temples of Helm, Tyr, and Oghma. Helm's Hold is presided over by its founder, Dumal Erard (LN hm P12). The Hall of Justice, the temple of Tyr, is controlled by Reverend Judge Oleff Uskar (LN gm P10) who aids Lord Nasher in civil cases. The Halls of Inspiration venerate Oghma, and their chief priest is Sandrew the Wise (LN hm P11).
To the southeast lies Helm's Hold, whose faithful priests and paladins patrol a small section of the Neverwinter Woods' interior and some of the perimeter. Farther along the eastern edge of the woods rises the Tower of Twilight, home of the noted Northern mage, Malchor Harpell.
Neverwinter controls much mining trade from dwarves and gnomes who come up from the Underdark by hidden ways to surface in several warehouses in the city. The city has a large fishing economy, both from the banks and offshore. The warm waters make it fertile ground for shellfish and finned fish alike. Neverwinter does good trade in logging from the Neverwinter Wood. The key to Neverwinter's survival, though, is its importance as a center of craftwork, learning, and magical innovation. Amid all the weird-following tolerance and variety in the city, there is a respect for peace, law, and order. This seems to be a necessary security for the artists and craftsmen to concentrate on their designs.
Equally acclaimed are the gardeners of Neverwinter, whose skills fill the city with fruit-bearing trees and hanging plants in summer and fill the city filled with blooming flowers throughout winter. Many claim this is how the city was named, while others contend that it's due to the Neverwinter River flowing through the city from the woods to the east. Its waters are so warm that Neverwinter's harbor never freezes.
The city is famous for its waterclocks, which set the standard for precision. The waterclocks are accurate to five minutes a year, provided that sufficient water is available. The clocks can be carried by a single person (using both hands) and are fashionable in cities and townhomes of more civilized regions. Hence, the phrase ihby the clocks of Neverwinterl• is used to swear at petty perfectionism or to solemnly swear one's honesty. The city is famous for multicolored lamps of blended glass that change hue across their surface. Such lamps often have tinted, sliding glass shutters of several shades. In some cases, the shutters are enchanted to change position by themselves, altering the light's color. Neverwinter also gave its name to the Neverwinter Knife, a tiny, jeweled dagger made to be concealed in a hair comb, belt buckle, or bracelet.
Craftsmen in Neverwinter have three landmarks they're particularly proud of. These are the three main bridges in Neverwinter: the Dolphin, the Winged Wyvern, and the Sleeping Dragon Bridges. Each is intricately and passionately carved in the likeness of its namesake. The Wyvern is readily recognizable for spread wings serving as a perch to seagulls and other birds in warmer months, and as a place to dive into the river for bold youths. All three bridges are assets to the City of Skilled Hands.
Neverwinter is ruled justly and efficiently by Lord Nasher Alagondar, an amiable, balding, former adventurer who keeps his city firmly in the Lords' Alliance. Lord Nasher has laid many intrigues and magic preparations against attacks from Neverwinter's warlike rival, Luskan. Nasher doesn't allow maps of the city to be made, to keep Luskan's spies busy and to add a minor measure of difficulty to any Luskanite invasion. Lord Nasher is accompanied by bodyguards, the Neverwinter Nine (all LG hm F5). They have magic items Nasher accumulated over a successful decade of adventuring.
Many Harpers dwell in Neverwinter, as do skilled dwarven craftspeople. Many good-aligned mages make Neverwinter home, including the Many-Starred Cloak, a band of wizards who are the real power in the city. They support Lord Nasher's rule with their spells and make blastglobes for the militia.
On the rare occasions when armed men (usually from Luskan) or orcs show up outside the walls, explosive missiles lobbed among them "in such numbers that it seemed a hailstorm" one observer once remarked, sends them away again in reduced numbers. (The explosive missiles are devised by city craftsmen and wizards and inflict 2d8 hp damage. The manufacture is a guarded secret, not shared even with members of the Lords' Alliance. They're not for sale, though it's no secret that many groups covet them.)
The city has more conventional forces in its standing army of 400 archers and spearmen; they guard the city walls and harbor, and they patrol the High Road from Port Llast to Leilon. In peacetime, 60 of these soldiers are retrained, 60 are on leave for rest and relaxation, and 60 act as the city's watch (police). Like everyone else in Neverwinter, the army soldiers are efficient, quiet, and take care that their work is done properly.
They're armed with spears, long swords, longbows, boot daggers, and hand crossbows. The militia has fortress garrisons at the northeastern and southeastern gates.
Whether Waterdeep declares war on Luskan and the Captains' Confederation or not, mercenary bands from around the North and the Sword Coast seek employment with either side in the conflict, and Neverwinter seems to be one of the places to gain contacts for either side.
The royal badge of the city is a white swirl - a sideways "M" pointing to the right. It connects three white snowflakes; each flake is different, but all are encircled by silver and blue haloes.
Places of Interest
The Board Laid Bare: This restaurant just inside the city's northeast gate offers dining with no frills for a low price. It serves no beer, wine, or spirits.
Cloaktower: At the spot where the Neverwinter River flows into the city stands the Cloaktower. This is the meeting place and citadel of the Many-Starred Cloak. Among the treasures known to reside within this warded and trapped seat of power is a wondrous magical device found in a Netherese ruin: Halavar's Universal Pantograph. It reputedly can make two coins from one, or two swords where there was only one before.
Dannar's Mechanical Marvels Specialty Shop: This shop sells gnomish, Lantanna, and dwarven clockwork wonders. These include self-striking, wind-up, push-button flint boxes and electrum jewelry boxes inlaid with pearl, sporting animated adornments such as tiny clockwork dragons that chase their tails around a central, pop-up vanity mirror. The things on sale here awe most visitors, as do the prices.
The Fallen Tower: This is the most popular tavern in town. It's an attraction visitors are inevitably urged to visit. It's an average drinking place, dimly lit with the low-beamed ceiling all taverns seem to share. The furniture is roughly hewed from logs, the tavernmaster is jovial, and the serving wenches are buxom. In short, it's like a hundred other roadside tankard tilts. Its claim to fame comes from the magical images created by the incident that gives the place its name.
This fieldstone tavern looks like the broken base of a circular tower, which is exactly what it is. The fallen upper section was rebuilt into a single story addition to the tower. The wine cellars and staff rooms are located in the circular section, and the taproom is in the newer part, with the jakes at the far end.
The tower was the home of noted wizard, Llomnauvel "Firehand" Oloadhin. He was killed by the Arcane Brotherhood, who resolved to take his magic items and spells for its own. Late every night, at the precise time of the explosion that destroyed the tower, the soundless phantoms of two terrified Brotherhood mages, limbs blazing, fall like rag dolls. The tavern takes advantage of this by railing off the area where they appear through the ceiling and plunge on to vanish through the floor. These first two are followed by the astonished, struggling figure of the Overwizard, whose limbs turn to eels that rend the rest of him and bore into his silently shrieking mouth just as he vanishes through the floor. A moment later, the figure of Llomnauvel follows. He descends upright, his lower limbs skeletal as flesh and robes alike vanish in a spiral of lightning that burn up and around his body. All that's left as he vanishes through the floor is his terrible, triumphant smile.
The show of silent images is greeted each night by a respectful hush. The tavernmaster usually strikes a bell over the bar to warn of the manifestation, which has repeated, despite dispel magic attempts, for 35 years.
Not withstanding gossip, none of Llomnauvel's magic remains. Cellars lie under the tower but no one knows just how deep. They predate the tower, and may be part of the Underdark or an old dwarven stronghold. The staff lets people enter the cellars for a price. Some never return.
Reports in the taproom say Llomnauvel was breeding monsters and storing them in his cellar. He may have had a whole army of guardians. They're said to include mimics, bulettes, a gibbering mouther, bonebats, and others. Supposedly, the creature-storage facilities are failing due to age or disturbance, freeing the beasts to roam. No one who has returned mentioned seeing any treasure down there.
Some 12 winters ago, a wizard suspected of being a Zhent mageling came to the tavern to try to find some of Llomnauvel's magic. The wizard made the mistake of using a killing spell that created a flying knife against a tavern patron, who revealed himself to be a visiting archmage. The more experienced wizard turned the attacking blade into two dozen blades, and hurled them at his attacker, shredding the man. The suspected Zhent brought two small trunks with him, and they teleported away upon his death. No one knows where they went or what was in them. Local rumor indicates they relocated nearby, perhaps in a hidden chamber beneath the tower, into the known cellars, or into the cesspit beneath the jakes. Patrons are welcome a look if they pay 4 gp.
Hall of Justice: The Sleeping Dragon Bridge leads from Castle Never to the Hall of Justice, a powerful temple of Tyr. Reverend Judge Oleff Uskar presides over Lord Nasher's civil court here. Oleff is assisted by Prior Hlam who takes charge of training the devout in justice and how to mete it out or defend it, including disciplined weapons training.
Helm's Hold: Less than a day's ride southeast of the city is Helm's Hold, a fortified monastery dedicated to the God of Guardians. Founded 20 years ago by Dumal Erard, a retired member of the Company of Crazed Venturers of Waterdeep, it's grown to a watchful community of 700 faithful. The people grow crops, herd cattle, dig deep wells for water, and patrol the area with vigilance. They give shelter to any travelers beset or weakened by brigands or monsters.
House of Knowledge: One of the most impressive buildings in Neverwinter is located at one end of the Dolphin Bridge. It's the arch-roofed House of Knowledge, the tall, many-windowed temple to Oghma. Here, Chief Priest Watger Brighthair and Elder Reader Salyndra Shaern lead worship to Oghma in the form of free teaching sessions.
Jaesor's Fineware Porcelain Works: Next to Dannar's is the shop where Jaesor Ryndyl and his family craft and sell finely painted plates. Many local families and personalities like to have their family arms or personal likenesses painted on their dinnerware.
The Keep of Lord Never: The Neverwinter River bends sharply south and then north again in a smooth curve just before it empties into the Sea of Swords in the Bay of Mists, Neverwinter's harbor. In this bend sits the proud keep of Lord Never, the home and court of the city's ruling lord. From the circular walk around Castle Never, the three bridges radiate out across the river, reaching toward buildings on the south bank. Somewhere in its depths is said to be the tomb of Lord Halueth Never, an elven warrior who battled Illusk in older days.
Lord Never is supposedly laid to rest on a huge stone slab encircled by a ring of naked swords laid with points radiating outward. These nonrusting magical blades animate to attack intruders if the instructions graven in cryptic verses on the flagstones are not followed.
Manycoins Moneylending: This trade store boasts as large a variety of currency as any shop in Waterdeep, and it changes money from coinage to coinage for small fees. It's watched over by helmed horrors, as well as the professional thieves who own and run the shop.
Maskado's Maps & Legends Bookshop: An entire street of bookshops, scribes, and bookbinders winds southeast from the House of Knowledge. Of these dusty, fascinating places, adventurers and travelers are most likely to be interested in Maskado's, a shop specializing in maps, records, hints, and tales of the North concerned with exploration, treasure, trails, and hidden ways.
The Moonstone Mask: Famous along the Sword Coast, this friendly establishment is named for the glowing, moonstone-trimmed masks worn by its staff of beautiful females wearing sheer black gowns. A quiet, comfortable inn, it has an uppermost festhall floor and a ground floor entirely taken up by kitchens and a large dining room. The curving stairs to the upper floors rise through the dining room, where many citizens of Neverwinter, as well as inn guests, often come to dine.
The dining room is lit by a huge hearth and by lanterns hanging from the sides of the grand staircase. The three floors above are luxurious, soundproofed with spells and furnished with fur rugs. The floors are topped by a festhall of luxurious suites beneath an attic. There's also a rooftop landing platform for winged steeds rumored to be used by skyships from Halruaa from time to time.
The women of the Mask are famed as good friends, worthy gaming opponents, and wise conversationalists. Many important personages of Amn, Baldur's Gate, Waterdeep, and the North come to Neverwinter regularly to discuss their plans and business with their favorite lady in a mask. The ladies all use house names when on duty, and they never remove their moonstone-adorned half-masks.
The Mute Lute: This octagonal, cedar-shingled building is the home of the half-elven lute maker Rebeth Laereeryn. The house is built around an old oak tree and Rebeth lives with the tree's dryad, crafting prized lutes. His shop takes its name from a spell Rebeth can invoke to silence all sound within its walls.
The Shining Serpent Inn: This is the largest and most popular guesthouse in Neverwinter. Its sculpted silver serpent signpost makes it stand out, so visitors can easily find it. This mud-brick building rises four stories with several flights of wooden stairs running down the back.
Inside, the visitor finds a pricy, pleasant, and clean inn. Service is politely distant and seldom seen. The inn does provide warm, fluffy robes for guests to wander about in. The robes are embroidered with the silver serpent to discourage theft, though these robes have been seen in salons in Amn and by nobles at parties in Waterdeep. The dining room is rather bare and unspectacular. Suites are pleasant but bare, and they boast seagreen carpets. A silver snake embroidered on a hallway carpet indicates the nearest door is a jakes.
The Serpent seems to be a clean, safe place to stay, despite persistent rumors that it's the place where most of the smuggling into and out of Neverwinter is arranged. One room is said to be haunted by a hoarse, whispering voice that talks of spells and wizardly deeds of long ago.