1491 D.R.

fallenneverwinter

With Tiamat ascendant, the Dragon Queen kept her bargain with Asmodeus and traveled east of Faerun to the region known as Kara-Tur. There she raised a massive structure from the earth itself as her dreadful temple. In the Far East, the age of mortals ends and the age of dragons begins. Nations and kingdoms shatter, civilization collapses into a bloody war, and chaos reigns supreme. Kara-Tur, the jewel of the East, a place of learning, culture, and government, with a proud history, that chronicled nearly three thousand years, would grind beneath the claws of Tiamat.

None of the Dragon Queen’s mortal agents received the rewards they expected. The Red Wizards who freed her were devoured or driven away, hunted by the forces of Szass Tam. The cultists who orchestrated Tiamat’s return fare little better, with the Dragon Queen not caring which mortals her draconic subjects hunt, consume, and enslave. Many of them including Severin were consumed by dragon’s fire as Tiamat emerged into the Well of Dragons from the Nine Hells. The Wearers of Purple, leaders of the Cult of Dragons, are hunted down and killed by the Factions over time.

In Faerun, the loss of such a crucial battle was crushing for the forces of good. Lord Neverember and the Council counted on the Neverwinter Nine to distract Tiamat from the main battle going on outside of the Well of Dragons. Without the Nine doing their part as they promised the other groups of heroes had to try to adjust their tactics, however, the Dragon Queen joining in with the main force of the Cult of the Dragon was devastating.

Lord Dagult Neverember died on the battlefield, along with many heroes of the Council. His body was returned to Neverwinter along with the other thousands of fallen warriors. There is a massive graveyard dedicated to them near the center of Neverwinter.

With the throne empty, a young man named Thorn Alagonda arose to power. He was able to prove that his heritage traced back to Nasher Alagonda. Along with this, Thorn was able to produce the lost Crown of Neverwinter. When he placed the crown upon his brow, he was not slain. By heritage and legend, he was deemed worthy of the throne.

Unknown to most of Neverwinter, Thorn is actually Asmodeus. The archdevil assumed the alias with the support of both the Sons of Alagondar and the Ashmadai. With the Crown of Neverwinter given to him by the fallen monk Fo in the Well of Dragons, Asmodeus easily assumed the guide of Thorn Alagonda. It had also been a legendary prophecy that the True Heir would arrive one day bearing the Lost Crown and the King of Hell always liked to fulfill prophecies.

Since the time of Asmodeus’s reign began in Neverwinter, the city surged with life and prosperity. Helm’s Hold was restored as a great and powerful monastery, and the Plaugestorm Chasm that rent the city’s center has been sealed by powerful magic. The High Road has been cleared and rebuilt, and trade resumed with Waterdeep and realms to the South. What was the blasted, wounded city of Neverwinter just a decade ago was now an exciting, humming place, where folk seemed eager to throw off the hardships from which they have emerged and start over again.

Although Neverember would likely hate to admit it, the power of Asmodeus has done what he could not with his coin and charisma … to heal Neverwinter.

The Neverwinter Nine remained in Neverwinter, serving as dignitaries for the new king. They were stripped of all titles bestowed upon them by the Factions, including that of GreybHand in Waterdeep. Although most citizens of Neverwinter do not know what happened in the Well of Dragons, they do know that many bards tell tales and sing songs about how The Nine abandoned the forces of good at a crucial moment. Needless to say, the Nine are looked upon with mistrust and disdain.

Few outside of the Nine know that the reason they stayed to serve under the new king is because Dagult Neverember was being held in stasis in the Nine Hells by Asmodeus. Although they all know the new king’s true identity, they have struck a deal with Asmodeus to return Neverember to life and rulership of Neverwinter.

The deal was this: They would complete three tasks for Asmodeus without question. These three tasks completed, Asmodeus would return Neverember to life, and crown him king of Neverwinter.

During the events that have become known as the Storm King’s Thunder, the last task was completed. Asmodeus faked the death of Thorn Alagonda and as promised, dramatically returned Neverember to life. The citizens of Neverwinter rejoiced mightily when he placed the Crown of Neverwinter upon his head and returned to rulership.

King Dagult Neverember publically praised the Neverwinter Nine, pardoning them of any “crimes against the state” and redeeming them vastly in the eyes of Neverwinter’s people. Many of them remain loyal to Neverember, remaining officials within the city.