Vrae’ree spent his time in Neverwinter researching the legal system and rights of Neverember for the upcoming trial in Waterdeep. He also passively investigated the Mayor and all other suspects who may be involved in trying to remove Neverember from power. He began by looking through accessible official documents that may be filed in the library and other city buildings to form a defense of conspiracy against Neverember.
His search for historical documents led him to the House of Knowledge, an ancient and somewhat abandoned library, located at Dolphin Bridge near The Wall, maintained by a middle-aged Human sage named Loremaster Atlavast. The Loremaster is a priest of Oghma and the only remaining in Neverwinter since the mysterious death of Brother Anthus, Atlavast’s mentor and friend. Atlavast still blames Rohini the Prophet for Anthus’s death. She was able to rise in power and convert many of the Oghma priests to the religion of Helm.
With the assistance of the Loremaster, Vrae’ree is able to discover a lot of the turmoil that is affecting Neverwinter. There are several factions at play, and nearly all of them oppose Neverember’s quest to rebuild and fortify Neverwinter since his arrival in the frontier city of Neverwinter.
The Shadovar-Thay War was in full conflict in the region of Neverwinter, having started in 1467, attracting the attention of the Waterdeep Lords. Dagult Neverember, open Lord of Waterdeep and heir to the throne of Neverwinter, arrived with an army of Mintarn mercenaries to reclaim his throne in 1478 DR. Dagult would then fortify Helm’s Hold for the exiles of the Spellplague, providing them a place to live without fear from the general public.
Waterdeep’s “Neverwinter Movement” is propaganda started by Neverember designed to stir nationalistic emotions within the city’s population. This tactic, combined with the physical improvements to the city, has drawn many residents over to Neverember’s camp. To avoid a rebellion against his rule, Neverember avoided bringing in Waterdeep mercenaries, but rather those from the distant land of Mintarn. The mercenaries, led by the sultry General Sabine, would immediately set out to patrol the Neverwinter River and would renovate the Herzgo Alegni Bridge for their base of operations.
Neverember’s main plan to annex Neverwinter and wrest it from the hands of Thay and Netheril is simple, make the people love him. However, he intends to ensure that the citizens have reasons to feel gratitude towards him through the supply of facilities, market opportunities, access to work and safety, then when the time comes for a king, Neverember envisions the people begging him to take the crown. Knowing his word to not be enough, Dagult has hired scribes to locate documentation that link him to the line of Nasher through Vans Ner, a bastard son of Nasher Alagondar. The link was found to be legit, and Neverember is considered the heir to the throne. However, he has not yet donned the Crown to claim his kingship.
Neverember’s main plan to take Neverwinter was in finding the forges of Gauntlgrym. He accomplished this goal with the help of Drizzt Do’Urden, Artemis Entreri, and Jarlaxle Baenre. He had planned on rebuilding Gauntlgrym in order to win over many citizens, namely Dwarves. However, a common enemy to all races had already found the forges, House Xorlarrin of the Drow. Instead of a means of support to his goals, Neverember discovered another enemy wishing his demise.
Due to being a delegator, Neverember cares little for the day to day happenings in the Shadovar-Thay War, but rather the key points. He leaves the regular activities relating to defense and security for General Sabine to take care of as this is her sworn duty. Politics are handled by a dwarf mayor, Soman Galt, who oversees tax collection, grants of property and city files.
As Neverember has continued to focus on rebuilding Neverwinter and helping its citizens, various factions plan to assassinate him, though none have acted on their plans … at least not openly.
The Neverwinter Factions
Thay, the dark and forbidding nightmare land of the undead, wish to sieze control of Neverwinter for many reasons. One of the many is that it would allow for a strategic base of operations in the North. The Red Wizards of Thay would love to take control of the city to delve into its rich arcane heritage. To this end, Thay aligned itself with the Cult of Ashmadai who are deeply rooted within Neverwinter. Recently, the Cult of the Dragon has aligned itself with Thay and the Ashmadai as well, adding even more threat to Neverember and his plans to rebuild Neverwinter.
The Ashmadai, a secretive devil worshiping cult based in Neverwinter dedicated to the god Asmodeus, would thrive if the Lord Protector were to lose a foothold in the city. The cult was well connected in Neverwinter prior to the cataclysm and have continued to thrive despite the efforts of Neverember’s peace keeping forces.
Valindra Shadowmantle resides in the Neverwinter Woods within the Ashenglade. She is the North Overwizard of the Arcane Brotherhood and is responsible for the Brotherhood’s operations in Northern Faerûn. Using a powerful rich-red ruby scepter of Asmodeus that was given to her by the Red Wizards and with the prayers of the cultists, she called forth a pit fiend called Beealtimatuche whom in the end was responsible for the death of King Bruenor Battlehammer. Later, she became an important player in the politics to rebuilt Neverwinter as she constantly seeks to oppose Waterdeep’s efforts to rebuild and fortify the city. Shadowmantle has aligned herslef with the Cult of the Dragon, and has added the Arcane Brotherhood to their expanding power in the Sword Coast. Shadowmantle used her power to raise a mighty dracolich and a legion of undead to participate in the recent Siege of Neverwinter.
Mordai Vell is a Tiefling and powerful merchant within Neverwinter who owns 1/4 of the fleet that moves goods from Neverwinter throughout the Sword Coast. It is well known that he shares a bed with General Sabine, and is a fast friend with Mayor Soman Galt. Many believe that Vell is closely affiliated with the Ashmadai Cult, but despite Neverember’s best efforts he has never been able to prove it. Vell would like to see Neverember removed from power in the city so that he could slide right in and assume the throne, although he has no claim to the Crown. He seeks to rule without fulfilling the legend of the True King.
Elden Vargas is a Cormyrean expatriate who has based his highly successful trade buisness into the city. He rivals Mordai Vell in the import/export buisness, owning a huge number of ships that harbor in Neverwinter. He is a former battle wizards for the Purple Dragons, and has come to Neverwinter due to the failing health of his beloved wife, Karis. Karis is one of the many patients in Helm’s Hold, and suffers from the ill effects of the Spellplauge. Some say that Elden is a keen buisnessman with exceeding charm and astounding luck. Others believe that he is a seer, able to read the minds of others and see the future. Either way, Elden tends to speak out against Neverember during council sessions, claiming that the Lord Protector is too restrictive and asks for too many taxes from the city’s wealthy.
Soman Galt is the elected Mayor of Neverwinter. He is the highest ranking city official under the Lord Protector, and would assume leadership Neverwinter. The Mayor devotes much of his time to civic, ceremonial, and representational functions, and to preside over meetings for the advancement of the public welfare. Even though Lord Neverember assumes Galt is somehwat of a stooge, the mayor is actually in a position that would allow him to eliminate the Lord Protector and take control of the city.
General Sabine an extremely beautiful, yet hard woman in her early forties. He is the leader of the coalition of soldiers in Neverwinter known as The Protector’s Enclave. She is also the mercenary Captain of the Mintarn soldiers contracted to maintain order in Neverwinter. She is known to share her bed with Mordai Vell. Neverember and Sabine have been at odds many times because of her chosen methods to enforce the laws of the city. She is a woman who believes in “might makes right” and often goes too far (in Neverember’s opinion) with her law enforcement. Although the Lord Protector and the General share a troubled relationship, they manage to work together to secure Neverwinter from its enemies.
Herzgo Alegni was the self-proclaimed King of Neverwinter when Lord Neverember arrived with the backing of Waterdeep to retake the throne. Herzgo is a high ranking officer in the Shadow Enclave. His goals are simple: retake the city from Waterdeep, Thay, and the Ashmadai. For the time being, Neverember has negotiated a tense partnership between Neverwinter and the Shadow Enclave. Lord Neverember employed them for discreet assassinations against the Ashmadai within the city. As such, Herzo and his assassins are content to take Neverember’s coin in exchange for slaying his enemies, all the while watching for the opportunity to turn their blades on the Lord Protector.
Madame Rosene and the SONS OF ALAGONDAR: Almost all of the Sons of Alagondar were descendants of those who served Lord Nasher Alagondar. They refused to leave Neverwinter even as Mount Hotenow erupted and actively opposed the city’s new self-imposed leader, Lord Protector Dagult Neverember, wishing to return Neverwinter to the way it was before the cataclysm rather than creating the ‘New Neverwinter’ that Neverember endorses. . They put pressure on Lord Neverember to give Neverwintan citizens more political power, using subterfuge to advance their aims rather than force. Their leader, Madame Rosene Greycloak, is the proprietor of the Driftwood Tavern.
In the end, Neverwinter is full of conspiracy. If Neverember were to end his efforts in Neverwinter, many possible factions would war among themselves, seeking to control the city. In the end, the city might prosper but the Sword Coast would suffer while the battle raged.
Children of the Ampersand 
Wow, that doesn’t leave many good options. I’m amazed that Lord Nevember handles things as well as he does.
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I suppose “well” is a sudjective word … 🙂
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So, basically, everybody is against Neverember!
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Basically. What does Vrae’ree think about what he has discovered?
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