A Spymaster's Duty[ | ]
(Available to Trickster Rogues only)
Many wars are fought and won before a single blade is drawn. That is the job of the spymaster.
Collecting privileged information from confidential sources is only the first step in a spymaster's duty. Whether by leveraging secrets to turn enemies upon each other or by dispatching agents to assassinate or undermine potential threats, the spymaster ideally resolves a situation before taking it to their lord.
The recruitment and handling of potential agents is one of the areas that distinguish a truly great spymaster. To recognize strength, intelligence, and courage in an individual is hard enough. A spymaster must also accurately measure loyalty and discretion in an agent. Failure to do so can be disastrous.
Alchemy Primer[ | ]
Alchemical Research and Experimentation
Every Alchemist must experiment to find his own recipe for making potions. While the base ingredients are the same for everyone, some very minor changes in temperature, order of adding ingredients or even the number of whisks with a utensil are necessary for each individual Alchemist.
Every successful experiment will grant the Alchemist a new insight into the basics of Alchemy as well as his particular recipe for making a potion or transmutation. Putting these insights together with research enables the Alchemist to advance into higher ranks.
An Overview of the Gods of Faerûn[ | ]
The gods of Fearûn are numerous and represent many aspects of daily life in the Realms. A full listing of all the gods that have ever been worshipped in Fearûn is impractical, but those who are commonly (though not always openly) worshiped today include: Amauntor, the Keeper of the Yellow Sun; Asmodeus, Supreme Master of the Nine Hells; Bane, the Black Lord; Chauntea, the Great Mother; Corellon, First of the Seldarine; Cyric, Prince of Lies; Ghaunadaur, That Which Lurks; Gruumsh, the One-Eyed God; Kelemvor, Lord of the Dead; Lolth, Queen of the Demonweb Pits; Moradin, the Soul Forger; Oghma, the Binder of What is Known; Selûne, the Moonmaiden; Shar, Mistress of the Night; Silvanus, the Forest Father; Sune, the Lady of Love; Tempus, the Foehammer; and Torm, the Loyal Fury.
Announcing the Masquerade of Liars[ | ]
Citizens of Neverwinter were surprised to discover that Lord Neverember himself has decreed that the traditional holiday of Liars' Night will be extended into a new festival, called the Masquerade of Liars. Festivities are planned to last for 6 full days, centered around the traditional date of Liars' Night.
The Masquerade of Liars is a festival of frivolity and misrule. It celebrates costumes, treats, and the freedom of appearing to be someone or something you're not. Illusionists wander the streets and entertain the crowds with phantasmal transformations, appearing as monsters and notables to the delight of all.
Heroic Adventurers can participate further by gathering Liar's Charms in their adventures to exchange for Masquerade Tokens, which can be used to purchase special items from the Masquerade's store.
The Masquerade master promises that this new yearly festival will grow every time it's held, and appears to have Lord Neverember's full support.
Baalzebul, the Fallen One[ | ]
(Available to Tieflings only)
Baalzebul, known by many names such as Lord of the Flies and the Fallen One, is an archdevil who rules Maladomini, the seventh layer of the Nine Hells. His form is that of a massive slug with tiny, malformed arms and a grotesque, twisted face perched atop a bloated, glistening, filth-covered body. It is a form that Asmodeus has cursed Baalzebul with in punishment for plotting against him, a fact which Baalzebul loathes to this day.
Once, Baalzebul was a celestial archon named Triel with a commanding angelic form. For reasons that have been lost to time, he was cast down into the Nine Hells, where his ambition and perfectionism earned him the favor of Asmodeus himself. Eventually he ascended to the status of Lord of the Seventh, not just deposing the former Lord but expunging all knowledge of that entity from existence.
Baalzebul's ambition, however, became his downfall. No matter how much power he obtained, he was not satisfied, and he began to plot against Asmodeus. The cunning Prince of Evil discovered the plot, however, and punished Baalzebul by cursing him with the horrible, slug-like form he has today. Now Baalzebul focuses his attention both on wriggling his way back into Asmodeus' good graces, while also secretly pursuing revenge against him.
Behind the Masquerade[ | ]
Transforming the single evenings festival of Liars' Night into the Masquerade of Liars required a great deal of effort and no small amount of coin. Both were provided by Lord Neverember's generosity.
The mysterious Masquerade Master and his staff from the backbone of the Masquerade's organization. They are the ones who have commissioned the Liar's Charms, paid alchemists for potions, and carved pumpkins by the cartload. Those who've seen the Masquerade Master in action say he must have run a large organization before, adding fuel to the rumor he's one of Waterdeep's Masked Lords.
The Illusionists school of Neverwinter's recently re-opened College of Magic have provided all of the spells phantasms for the festival. It's rumored they were spurred to helping based on stories about what the college's school of Evocation and the school of Transmutation are planning for the upcoming Midwinter festivities.
One question no one has been able to answer is how exactly the Masquerade Master managed to hide Liar's Charms all across the sword coast. Some say it would take an army of skilled thieves to do so, but such ludicrous notions are considered mere fancy.
Cyric, Lord of Three Crowns[ | ]
(Available to Devoted Clerics only)
As a mortal, Cyric was a petty, greedy rogue from the streets of Zhentil Keep. In his wanderings, young Cyric allied with both the mortal Kelemvor and the wizard Midnight, who later became Mystra.
Cyric, the Prince of Lies, ascended to godhood during the Time of Troubles by killing Bane, Bhaal, Myrkul, and Leira. This gave him dominion over Tyranny, Murder, Lies, and Death. Kelemvor seized dominion of Death from him, and Bane's resurrection snatched Tyranny from Cyric's grip, but Cyric remains a greater deity.
Hated and feared across Faerûn, worshipper of Cyric must practice their religion in secret. They pledge to spread strife and work murder wherever they may, but do so in secret for both religious and practical reasons.
Diabolic Pacts[ | ]
(Available to Tieflings only)
Many mortals wish for power. Some work for it, some steal it, some study to learn it, and some take it by force. Some, however, are willing to buy it from the denizens of the Nine Hells. Such a transaction typically comes at high price if the mortal wishes to be granted great power, but many devils delight in bargaining and will gladly haggle what they can out of mortals for a lesser boon as well.
There are no rules when it comes to bargaining with devils, except those that are agreed upon. Any who wish to take such a risk would do well to remember that devils are irredeemably evil creatures that consume mortal souls to fuel their grand infernal designs. No matter what the devil may say or do, no matter how much it claims to value fairness and openness in tits dealings, its ultimate goal will be to take from you your mortal soul.
Drain Levers[ | ]
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Kelemvor, Lord of the Dead[ | ]
Kelemvor, Lord of the Dead, oversees everyone's passage from life into death and determines what their deed in life have earned them in the afterlife.
Hi is firm, but fair, and his followers are counseled to always offer succor to the bereaved left behind.
Unlike many other death gods, Kelemvor espouses a view of death being a natural part of life and he and followers actively oppose those who would corrupt that view, such as necromancers and the undead.
Kelemvor's symbol is a skeletal hand holding a balanced scale.
Last of the Alagondars[ | ]
The Cataclysm tore apart the earth, but is could not put a dent in the arrogance of the last Alagondar. He sent away his guards, declaring the he didn't heed them, that he could survive anything. He died alone.
Legends of the Neverwinter Nine[ | ]
The text of the book describes What the Neverwinter Nine stood for and also contains a discussion on the how and when of their return.
Liars' Night and the roots of the Masquerade[ | ]
Neverwinter's Masquerade of Liars is based on the long-held festival of Liars' Night, traditionally held on the evening of the 30th day of the month of Marpenoth. Liars' Night originally paid tribute to Leira, the goddess of illusions, and Mask, the god of trickery and thieves. Though both of these gods were slain over a century ago, Liars' Night lives on as a celebration of misrule, disguise, and trickery.
During Liars' Night, folk of all walks of life don mundane or illusionary costumes to disguise themselves and play at being other than what they are. People also carve faces onto hollowed-out pumpkins to represent the person donning a mask, them place a lighted candle inside to represent the truth of their soul. By tradition, lies told and embarrassing things done while the candle is lit don't count against a person, and misfortune is supposed to come to anyone who intentionally blows out someone's candle of smashes their pumpkin.
Before the Spellplague, spells of illusion were very common during Liars' Night, and often the street would be filled with illusionists performing for crowds of revelers. This tradition is slowly returning as the horrors of the Spellplague fade from memory. However, many towns are still caution about allowing mages of any sort to perform publically, so wealth folk have begun to schedule private illusion shows for their distinguished guests.
Tricks and pranks of all sorts are common on this night, and folk expect lies and foolishness. By custom no deals are made nor contracts signed during the day of Liars' Night, as no one trusts the both parties will abide by them. Pickpocketing used to be common during Liars' Nights, so few folk carry much money with them. Instead, people fill their pockets and belt pouches with candies and treats. Traditionally, pick pockets are supposed to take the candy and leave a toke in return, but this has translated over the years into people exchanging candies.
Mazoga, Favored of Gruumsh[ | ]
(Available to Half-Orcs only)
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Neverwinter, Jewel of the North[ | ]
Left a desolate ruin after a terrible cataclysm, the city of Neverwinter is struggling to rise fro the ashes and recover its former glory. Yet even as tis citizens return and rebuild, a myriad of dire threats have arisen - any one of which could once again tear the city apart.
The Lord Protector of Neverwinter has put forth the call for heroes to come to the aid of the beleaguered city. You have answered that call to adventure, but even as your ship reaches its destination you find the city under attack by the undead armies of Valindra Shadowmantle.
It will take all your skill and luck to keep your first day In Neverwinter from becoming your last!
Of Rule and Misrule in the Masquerade of Liars[ | ]
Liars' Night is traditionally a time of misrule, when authority is upended, and all people can speak their mind from behind the safety of a mask. While Lord Neverember claims his purpose for supporting and extending the festival of Liar's Night into the Masquerade of Liars is simply to entertain the city, not all believe his reasons are so simple.
One poplula rtheory is that Neverember is suing the Masquerade of Liars as a way to relieve some of the tensions the city of Neverwinter has faced in the last few years. Between attacks from orc and the undead, many of the city's citizens need a chance to laugh at their fears. Seeing illusionary duplicates of the city's foes and notables acting like fools helps to relieve some of these built up anxieties.
Those with a lower opinion of Lord Neverember see the Masquerade as a grand distraction, meant to diver attention from the real threats facing the city. Some even charge the real purpose of it is to help prop up Lord Neverember's claim and hide the mistakes made during his rule.
Other theories run the gamut, from the Masquerade being a Thayan conspiracy to it being a cover allowing the Masked Lords of Waterdeep to judge Neverember's progress while remaining incognito. Many of these theories focus on groundless rumors about the Masquerade Master, and the claim he exerts all sorts of extraordinary influence.
Of the greatest Mask of all[ | ]
One of the two deities Liars' Night originally venerated, Mask was the ancient god of thieves and tricksters. Venerated for centuries by rogues, cutpurses, confidence men, and conspirators, Mask was known for numerous tangled intrigues and betrayals. Though dead for over a century, Mask's presence casts a long shadow to this day.
Mask required his worshippers to seal and deceive, preferably both at once, and allowed them to keep all they gained save for a tithe to his church as Mask's tenants were that wealth was for those who could take it. The only proscriptions Mask had for this followers was to avoid politics, insisting instead they have deceive and swindle on a more personal level.
The Clergy of Mask were known Darkfingers or “Darks”, and the brotherhood of Mask's followers were called the Circle of the Gray Ribbon. Mask's clergy often exhorted his worshippers to bigger and bolder acts of thievery and deceit, eschewing cut-purse work for stealing fine jewels, loaded coaches, or even entire merchant ships. Mask looked with special favor on those who managed both to steal and deceive at the same time, such as forgers and mountebanks of all kinds.
Mask's powers waned in the years preceding the Spellplague. It was said he lost some of his powers to Cyric, and that he betrayed and slew his ally Leira, goddess of illusion and deceit. After several more defeats and injuries, in 1374 DR Mask relinquished his divinity, life, and powers to goddess Shar who claimed he was but her herald. Some elements of his power were also claimed by the Arch-Devil Mephistopheles and one of the princes of the Shadovar.
Despite this, rumor abound that Mask may return one day. After all, what greater trick could the god of thieves play than convince everyone of his death?
Oghma, the Binder of What is Known[ | ]
Oghma, known as the Binder of What is Known, is the god of knowledge, thought, and information of all kinds. Worshipers include sages, wizards, scribes, and other seekers of knowledge.
Oghma is interested in both the spoken and written word as well as preserving old information and encouraging new ideas. Oghma's symbol is that of an unfurled, blank scroll.
Scroll of the Living Flame[ | ]
When one flame goes out it affects the others... it is harder to douse them all, but it should keep the restless from rising again.
The Crown is the Key[ | ]
This is a treatise on the essential nature of the Crown of Neverwinter. The gist of the text is that the crow is a magical key ... One that only true heir can wear.
The Crown of Neverwinter[ | ]
Forged of Mithral, set with blue gems, and said to kill any pretender who wears it, the Crown of Neverwinter is a potent symbol of the people of the city.
Though it has been rumored for some time that Lord Neverember possesses the Crown, he has never publicly worn it. Those upset with Neverember's rule claim he knows the crown's magic would kill him as a usurper. Others say Neverember is wise not to press his claim to the city until Neverwinter is fully rebuilt and unified.
Whatever the reason, the Crown is said to be kept in the vaults beneath the Hall of Justice where it is guarded by Neverember's soldiers, and some say, by the city's honored dead.
The Song of the Seven Sisters, Vol 1[ | ]
Discussion of the seven Chosen of Mystra, each book is dedicated to one sister.
The Taxonomy of the Grue[ | ]
According to the text, “Some who wander, but are not lost.... run the greatest risk of being eaten by a Grue...”
The Vaults[ | ]
Beneath the Hall of Justice lies a series of vaults, crypts, and storage chambers where many of Neverwinter's nobles, heroes, and treasures are kept. The Vaults date back hundreds of years, to when the building was the city's main temple to Tyr, the now-dead god of justice.
When Lord Neverember decided to make the former temple of Tyr the seat of his rule, he sued the vaults as a safe place to store many of the historical treasures uncovered in the city's reconstruction.
The vaults are rumored to be haunted, and popular myth says that the city's honored dead will rise to slay any who disturb their rest.
The Waterclocks of Neverwinter[ | ]
A book discussing the famed waterclocks and their perfect precision. Discusses the rarity of work by certain clock markers
Theft of the Crown: Karzov's Orders[ | ]
“The undead attack is a better distraction than the riot we were planning, so we're moving up our operations. Your orders are to get into the vault beneath the Temple while the guards are too busy fighting the undead.
Once you're in, grab the Quartermaster and make him tell you where the Crown of Neverwinter is kept. Then leave the rest to Gothwan and Honor. Remember: We're only after Crown. Touch nothing else! We can loot the rest once we rule the city, and we can't risk angering the dead.”
- Karzov
Wilfred's Memorial[ | ]
A shrine to the memory of Private Wilfred whose bold, ultimately foolish, actions have been smoothed and even glorified by the passage of time. While you may remember him as the brash fellow that needlessly attacked the vastly more powerful Valindra, the defenders of Neverwinter have elevated him to a position of adoration that borders on sainthood.
Xorr[ | ]
(Available to Control Wizards only)
The origins of the Abolethic Sovereignty are unknown, but they clearly possess a powerful and unique command of magic. The Abolethic city of Xorr floats high above the world, carefully shrouded from prying eyes. From what little has been observed, unspeakable experiments and unfathomable councils are conducted there.
The aboleths themselves are gigantic, but some of Xorr's exterior alcoves appear to be molded to accommodate smaller experiments and thralls. If there is any hope of uncovering the Sovereignty's secrets and escaping alive, one of the alcoves is the most likely the target for enterprising individuals.