Castle Never Secure in an estate close to the Hall of Justice, Lord Nevermember holds court. Previously seen as a potential despot hiding behind appointed stooges, those close to Nevermember have noticed a change in recent years. His ouster as the open lord of Waterdeep seems to have had a profound effect on the man, softening his edges and causing him to focus on the best solutions for the people rather than the most politically expedient. These changes, coupled with the popular efforts to improve the city has led to a surge in his popularity and support, consequently cutting the legs out of those in his opposition, namely the Sons of Alagondar. An audience with the Lord Protector The home of Nevermember is well known, and any who ask the location will be able to find it easily. When they enter, a secretary will take their names as well as the reason for their visit and will add them to the list. If they are deemed less important they will be given a day to return, while others may be told to see officials that might be better to see to their needs. If the party seeks to meet with Nevermember, they will be given an audience, but his overall demeanor and how long they will have to wait will depend on why they are there. If they have come from the village of Phandalin with the recommendation of Sildar, they will be welcomed warmly. The head of the Lords Alliance, Horva , will be notified and they will be asked to go to his office. After asking about the events in Phandalin (and expressing sorrow if Sildar was killed), Horva will take the party directly to Lord Nevermember. There, they will be taken, to a degree, into Nevermember's confidence and will be offered ways that they could help.

If they come from Phandalin and do not have a recommendation from Sildar, or some other town official, the same events will happen, but everyone will be far less warm, and rather than rushed into an audience with Nevermember they will be asked to return the next day where they will be offered a few jobs they could help with.

If they are perceived to simply be a group of mercenaries looking for work, they will be asked to return in two days. Having only recently shaken the harm that his excessive use of mercenaries had caused, Nevermember is hesitant to be seen eagerly embracing a new set. The First Task Castle Never has been an issue since the Spellplague, but a rather minor one. Long known to be haunted, structurally unstable, and infested with were-creatures. Despite that the castle was a low priority since the ghosts kept to themselves, the unstable ground didn't seem to spread outside of the grounds, and the creatures helped keep the extra vermin under control. Eight days ago, things changed. Lights were seen in the castle for the first time in a hundred years, followed by a small earthquake centered on the castle. Undead were seen walking, and explosions and screams were head from the walls. What Nevermember Knows Castle Never was abandoned after the eruption of Mount Hotenow a hundred years ago. The ash swept through the halls, killing most of the residents, and no member of the royal family was ever seen.

Over the past 50 years, multiple parties have tried entering the castle and those who returned were broken individuals, speaking of the ghosts, demons, and other horrors that they claimed roamed the halls. While ghosts and undead were not uncommon during the years of the Spellplague, since the Sundering the city seems largely cleared of such events and it is assumed that the castle is clear as well.

The earthquake eight days ago was centered on the castle. People in the vicinity have reported sinkholes forming, and other signs of instability. The castle is an important symbol to the people, and its destruction could seriously hamper their efforts to rebuild. He needs people to clear it of any dangers before he can send in people to stabilize the structure and rebuild.

There have been reports of werewolves, wererats, and the like outside of the castle in the past, but since the beginning of the month those sightings have all but disappeared.

If asked about the Crown of Neverwinter, Nevermember becomes guarded. He cannot claim to want it, as that would show his claim to be satisfied as Lord Protector to be a lie. However, another finding it could be a disaster. If the party agrees to enter the castle and clear it out, Lord Nevermember promises them 10,000 gp as well as a letter that will proclaim their services to the city, possibly helping them in any interaction with the merchants of Neverwinter.

Lord Nevermember Lord Nevermember's motivations are up to the DM. If you want to play him as a future evil tyrant playing the humble lord working for the people; that could lead to an interesting route instead of a goblin invasion. Rather, once granted a keep, the party could find out his real intentions and lead a revolt. In my game, Nevermember was once power hungry and ruthless, but his removal as open lord of Waterdeep tamed those qualities. Now, left only with a tenuous grasp on a broken city. Nevermember is determined to turn it into the jewel of the north, overshadowing the rest of the Lord's Alliance, in particular, Waterdeep. This rather passive-aggressive sort of revenge has worked out in the favor of the people of Neverwinter seeing as a despotic ruler is rarely seen as a benefit to a city. Nevermember intends to take up the crown when it is found, but is trying to not seem too eager in the meantime. The real events of Castle Never Note: None of this information is intended for the players, but rather to provide context to the DM. Two tendays ago, Nadrar Dalesz, a Drow, entered Castle Never through a tunnel that exited to the basement prison. Tasked by his queen to open and secure this entrance, Nadrar began gathering the bones of the fallen, as well as a few that he brought with, and used his necromantic skills to raise them. Assuming that these creatures would not arouse suspicion, after all reports of the undead always came from Neverwinter, he set them to guarding the lower levels trying to dissuade any investigations. Clearing out the lower levels Nadar found the remains of an incursion of the Thay, a portal to the Shadowfell and the twisted reflection of the city Evernight. From here, the Thay had operated planning their own invasion, plans which groaned to a halt when the end of the Spellplague lead to issues at home for the Thay. Unwilling to share, Nadrar struck at the Thay forces remaining, hoping drive them out, in part because he didn't want to risk competition, and in part because a discovery of one invasion route would leave people more diligent for a second. The battle was fierce, and the release of magic in the already unstable grounds triggered a partial collapse. After spending several days recovering, Nadrar tried closing the portal, only to find a trap. He could close it, but slowly, and preventing reinforcements from using it makes it even slower still. In the meantime, the minions he brought with are searching for food, their supplies cut off when the earthquake collapsed part of the basement cutting off access to the tunnel they traveled through, as well as the piles of supplies they left in case they needed to leave quickly. Nadrar no longer hopes to hold the castle, he just wants to close the portal, and withdraw, leaving his entrance hidden.

General Features As the former seat of government, even the areas meant for servants and guards are open and relatively nicely furnished. Ceilings All ceilings 20 feet high. The only exceptions being the basement with has 10-foot ceilings, and the Great Hall which is open on the second level, giving it 40-foot ceilings. Doors All doors are made of wood with iron handles, hinges, and built-in locks. They are unlocked unless the text states otherwise. A locked door can be picked with thieves' tools and a successful DC 15 Dexterity check. A door can also be broken down with a successful DC 25 Strength check. Light While each room has oil lamps in wall sconces, they have long since dried out. Unless otherwise noted light comes in only through arrow slits. All other areas will require dark vision or sources of light. If the characters enter at night, there are no sources of light. Ash A thin coating of ash covers the walls and floors, with piles scattered randomly in the corners. All checks to follow tracks have advantage. General Dangers The castle has suffered decades of abuse and neglect, along with several changes to the local geology, and as a result is unstable. Outside the castle, anyone who remains in one place for too long (up to the DMs decision) runs the risk of opening a sinkhole in a 5x5 square underneath the character. When this happens, characters must make a Dexterity save (DC 10), or fall 20 feet taking 2d6 bludgeoning damage. Inside the castle is slightly more stable, however any spells or attacks that have concussive area of effects such as Fireball, Thunderwave, or Erupting Earth, will cause a room to collapse (excluding the basement). When this happens, ceiling gives way causing the room above the area of effect to immediately fall below. All creatures in the room (in the area of effect or not) AND in the area that is falling must make a Dexterity saving throw. Creatures in the room take 4d6 damage from falling rubble, and the creatures falling take 2d6. A successful dexterity save (DC 15) halves the damage. After one room has collapsed, each collapse has a chance to cause the castle to completely collapse. The second room to collapse has a 20% chance, and every room after that has a 75% chance. If the castle collapses, it takes 3 rounds to fall, after which any creature in the castle takes 20d6 bludgeoning damage (Dex save DC 15 half), and Lord Nevermember will be most displeased. Care should be taken to warn players of this before they enter. Using descriptions such as "the walls and ceiling seem unstable", visuals of dust drifting from the ceiling, or occasional rumbles as they explore could drive home this point. If your group is the type that tends to be oblivious, be outright that big bursts would be a bad idea. Taking the castle down is an effective way to clear the castle, and an even quicker way to turn the resources of the city against them. Outside the Walls Castle Approaches To the south, three bridges cross the river from the Protector's Enclave. All three bridges are damaged still from the explosion of Mt. Harrow. While material is piled on the south side of each bridge for repairs, Lord Nevermember is waiting for the castle to be cleared. The center span is the least damaged, and the safest to cross. To the north, the castle is bordered by the remains of the Blacklake district, with the areas immediately around the castle uninhabited and crumbling. The outer walls of the castle are in disrepair, with the northwest wall totally collapsed. Characters could climb these walls, which would require climbing gear and a DC 10 Strength (Athletics) check. If a climb is attempted, the DM should roll a D20 for each character, and on a 10 or higher the part of the wall that is being climbed collapses, causing the character to fall and take 2d6 fall damage. (Half on a Dexterity save, DC 15) To the south, the main gate still stands, damaged but sound. The gate however has fallen and with some difficulty characters can navigate the tangled metal and debris and make their way past the outer walls. Inside the Walls Multiple buildings exists between the outer walls and the Castle proper. Stables, barracks, armory, and the granary are in various states of decay. None contain anything particularly useful. The whole area however is unstable and prone to sinkholes. See the General Dangers section for details about sinkholes. Inside Castle Never - Ground Floor 1. The Gatehouse Approaching the castle, you first encounter a large gatehouse. Towering 60 feet above, with two towers at the rear and numerous arrow slits, this building would have been fearsome to charge.... once. Now, the plaster between the stones is crumbling and loose, the stone stained and covered in moss, and the fearsome guard posts stand empty. The drawbridge is down, covering a pit 80 feet deep, and far sturdier than you might expect. Walking across, you pass under a portcullis, now askew in its slot and rusted in place as you pass into the courtyard. The Gatehouse stands empty, if the characters pass through and enter from the courtyard side they will find chewed and moldy bed rolls around barrels of ancient arrows, places for guards on duty to rest and resupply if needed. The arrow slits at the ground level are weak, and with enough effort could be opened enough to pass a medium sized creature through, but it wouldn't be quiet.

2. Foyer Pulling open doors on rusty hinges you see a receiving hall, with benches flanking the doors and two suits of armor serving as silent guards for a large set of doors ahead. The armor is rusty, and missing various pieces. Not much of interest is in this room, empty as it is, and the armor is too damaged to be of any use. Exposed to the weather, the doors leading from the outside will squeal unless characters try to open it quietly and pass a DC 10 Dexterity check. 3. General Offices You enter an L-shaped room, filled with old desks and bookcases. To the north, a cold fireplace sits at the long end of the room. The desks, each with a single chair, stand empty or have the occasional scrap of parchment. To the south, a short wall ends in a door. This room used to hold the general administrative offices for Neverwinter. The stairway in the south leads upstairs to area 12. Three Ghosts (MM p. 147) have been bound to this room by Nadrar. Characters may pass through this room, but if they stop to search anything they will be attacked. One ghost enters through the stairway wall, while the other two drifts through the fireplace. If there are four or fewer characters, reduce the number of ghosts to 2. Treasure Working through the various desks, a total of 213sp, 10ep, and 191 gp can be found along with various decorative items worth 845 gp. In addition, the bookshelves contain administrative records such as birth, death, wedding, will and property registers from before The Spellplague. At first glance they hold no value, however the property registration could be quite valuable if any characters think of it. Given the rebuilding going on, much of the administration's time is spent sorting through individuals claiming that a piece of land formerly inaccessible in the chasm, has really been passed down in their family for generations. If given to Lord Nevermember, he would readily reward characters with 600 gp, as it will free up resources for more important tasks. If given to more nefarious groups, such as the Zhentarim or Ashfall, they could pay double or more for the ledger, as well as the finders silence. 4. Guard Station Two large benches dominate the room, the bench on the west has groves for shackles to latch the occupant. Along the east wall, barrels of ancient arrows and weaponry sit undisturbed, and in the center of the room is a large table strewn with gold and silver the remains of a card game interrupted when Mt. Harrow blew. In the chairs are the remainders of the players of that game, 4 skeletons dressed in guards’ armor. Only one skeleton will seek to attack, the former captain of the guard. This skeleton is in the southernmost chair, and will attack only if attacked first, or if creatures try to leave back towards room 2. The skeleton is a Skeleton Warrior (FEF p. 210). Treasure The table contains 512 sp, 310 gp and 3 rubies worth 100 gp each. The former guard captain has a set of Adamantine plate armor, making it immune to critical hits. 5. Storeroom Crates and barrels of food, long since spoiled and petrified fill this room. The various crates and bags contain food and various table settings, all long spoiled or tarnished. The stairway to the south leads the area B1, the entrance to the basement. 6. Kitchen A large banquet kitchen lies before you, the whole west wall taken up by three large roasting pits. Bones of large animals long since butchered lay discarded under the butcher's table, their blood staining the floor. Three rounds after entering the three Minotaur Skeleton (MM p. 273) animate from the bones under the butcher's table and attack. Other than the equipment on the skeletons, the rest of the room just holds old and rust spotted kitchen equipment. 7. Great Hall The Great Hall feels far larger than it is, the ceiling sprawling 40 feet above, with a narrow balcony on the south wall and two large chandeliers. Four large tables come out of the south wall, the remnants of a meal still present. To the north, a dais holds a throne, with two smaller chairs flanking it. There are three doors, a large set of double doors lead between the banquet tables to the south, a smaller ornate door leads to the north, and a door that blends into the wall goes to the east. The hall looks like it was abandoned mid-banquet and covered in dust. The throne of Neverwinter is protected by magic. If any character sits on the throne and is not wearing the Crown of Neverwinter, a piercing ghostly scream is emitted by the throne. If the creature does not get off within 2 rounds, or sits on the throne again, four Spectral Guardians (ToB p. 358) appear and attack. They focus only on the character that sat on the throne, and will attack at the exclusion of all else. Once the creature has been knocked below 0 hp, they disappear. The door to the north exits to a covered stairway that leads to the Ramparts (K#)

Treasure The place settings and decoration would bring a total of 175 gp if characters go to the effort to collect it all. The back of the throne contains a riddle. Wrapped around a circle of soft material that looks solid, but feels like sand is the following. I begin eternity, And end space, At the end of time, And in every place, Last in life, Second to death, Never alone, Found in your breath, Contained by earth, Water or flame, My grandeur so awesome, Wind dare not tame, Not in your mind, Am in your dreams, Vacant to Kings, Present to Queens. If the letter "E" is written in the soft stone, a rumbling is heard and the throne slides to the side, revealing a compartment underneath. Centuries ago, this riddle was used as a test. The crown prince would be given the riddle to solve to show he was mature enough for the responsibilities, and the compartment would hold the circlet that represented the position. As time went on, this practice fell into disuse, and the compartment became the royal equivalent of a loose change jar. Currently contained within is: 2,321 cp, 922 sp, 926 gp

10 small gems worth 450 gp each

Small stuffed bear, holding a rose with a note around it's neck. "Happy Birthday Mirabelle Love, Mother and Father"

2 minor magic items 8. Guard Barracks You enter through a thick wooden door at the bottom of stairs from the ramparts. Ahead is a wide but short room that looks like a barracks, beds and storage trunks dominating the room along with a few other living accommodations. Both sides of the room open to circular rooms filled with arrow slits, barrels of arrows standing by. Each of these rooms has a stairway leading up. Upon your approach, a four-legged boney creature skitters its way out of each tower with a loud shriek. When the characters enter two Risen Reavers (ToB p. 328) attack. Placed here by Nadrar, they are supposed to attack in the narrow confines of the stairways leading up, but their battle rage overrides those orders. If the party is sneaking, compare a Stealth roll for the party against the passive perception (11). If they succeed, the reavers will be in the stairways. When one is attacked, the other should also be in the initiative order, but the party should have a few rounds before the other gets into range. Castle Never - Second Floor 9. Ramparts The ramparts stand 20 feet above the ground, and are at the same level as the second floor. There are three ways to access the ramparts. First, there are doors on either side of the second floor of the gatehouse. Second, a set of stairs leads from the courtyard to the southern end of the northern wall. Third, a covered stair way leads out of the Great Hall (Room 7) and up, with another stairway down into the Guard Barracks (Room 9). The stairways adjacent to rooms 14 and 18 also open onto the ramparts. In general, the ramparts are steady, but the edges are beginning to crumble. If a character moves along the end for any reason, they must make a DC 10 Dexterity save or fall off the wall, taking 2D6 fall damage. 10. Gatehouse - Second Level The second level of the gatehouse comes complete with more arrow slits and arrows, the pulleys to raise the drawbridge placed on opposite sides to make it harder for one person to raise, and murder holes next to a stove where oil can be heated. It seems long abandoned. 11. Chancellor's Office Walking up the stairs you find an elegant office, obviously of some high governmental official. A fine desk sits outlined by two banners behind it, one of the city of Neverwinter, and the other the family crest of Alagondar. The dust is particularly thick here, with no sign of tracks at all. The room was once the office of Anatol Assing, the chancellor for King Sadon. While coated with dust, the furnishings still look particularly fine. Treasure If the characters search the room, they can find a secret compartment hidden under the banners (DC 18 Investigation). In this compartment, there is 100 SP, 309 GP, a very fine dagger (+1) engraved with the image of a winged snake curling around the blade. If you are adding the political hook, a stack of papers written in a cipher are here as well. They can be decoded by a DC 15 Intelligence check, and outline a plot between the Chancellor and the Zhentarim to falsify the royal family tree, casting doubt on some of the more distant members in an attempt to seize their holdings (which would include Lord Nevermember).

12. Upper Storeroom More storage fills the area above, a hodgepodge of linens and food. A sickly-sweet smell fills the air, one of the barrels of molasses having broken open. Based on the smell and color, it seems recent. A door opens to the north, while in the corner a set of stairs curves upward. A DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check will reveal a skittering sound coming from above. If characters investigate the supplies stored here, they will find an interesting mix of new and old. The new supplies tend to be basic foodstuffs, while the older seem to be far richer. 13. Great Hall Balcony This area is a small balcony that overlooks the great hall. Originally it was used as a guard post, but now stands empty. 14. Noble Rooms The room is finely furnished, clearly meant for a member of the royal family, or perhaps a visiting noble. While in much better shape than the rest of the castle, the room is currently a mess, with furnishings items strewn about. The reason for this soon becomes clear as a furry, hulking beast comes out of the adjoining room! These rooms served as children's or guest rooms depending on the size of the royal family at the time. In the first of these rooms that the characters enter, a Quaggoth Thonot (MM p. 256) is currently looking through the room for any food that they could have missed in the previous few weeks. If characters a sneaking through, they can surprise the Quaggoth and it is discovered searching the bed with its back turned to the door. Otherwise, it will enter the room from the bathroom at the same time as the characters. Its first action will be to bellow, calling for its companions in areas 15, 16, and 17. Treasure In the bathroom of one of the rooms, there is a Decanter of Endless Water. 15. Dining Room This dining room was once intended for the royal family to have small meals with friends and family. It has since turned into a grotesque horror. The bones of guards who died during the calamity, at least those have who have not been turned to undead, lay broken and gnawed. Various wererats and a werebear are strewn about the floor and side table in various states of butchering. The floor is soaked in the blood that defines the Quaggoths dining hall. Five Quaggoths (MM p. 256) sit chewing on bones that have long since given up any useful meat. If alerted by the yell from Area 14, they will go to investigate. 16. Sitting Room A large cold fireplace stands as the centerpiece of this room, a carved relief of a Warhammer resting on a set of scales dominating the top. The rest of the room looks ransacked, chairs flipped, bites taken out of the bearskin rug, a shelf toppled sideways. This room is avoided by the Quaggoths because they are afraid. A ghost of a small girl in a nightgown carrying a small bear, currently haunts this room. This is the ghost of Mirabelle Alagondar, the daughter of the former king. Helping to put this ghost to rest will give the party more information as to the location of the Crown of Neverwinter. She will appear at midnight and begin by playfully looking for her father, darting through the walls in Areas 14,15,16, and 17. After an hour, she will stay in the sitting room until dawn, becoming more and more frantic, and as dawn approaches, the crying will turn into screams as the air seems to be thick with dust and ash, finally disappearing with the first rays of sunrise. The ghost will ignore all characters, unless they are carrying her bear (Found in the secret compartment in Area 7). If characters do not have her bear then at some point while searching for her father in the first hour after midnight she will say "Are you trying to hide from me with that stuffy throne again?". If characters do have her bear and try to show it to her, she will become engaged. Characters can try to calm her down with a DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check. If characters fail, or they act hostile in away, Mirabelle becomes increasingly angry, becoming a Banshee (MM p. 23) with 90 hit points. Eventually, either through persuasion, or once brought to 0 hp, Mirabelle will eventually realize that her world is gone. She will tell characters that the Crown of Neverwinter would have been taken to the Halls of the Nine in Neverneath for safety. The crown was to be protected by a series of tests, but she never learned more about them. She knows of a secret compartment in the entry hall of the Hall of Justice that holds a map of the tomb. If later searching for the Crown after this adventure, Lord Nevermember will pass along the tale of this ghost. 17. Study Compared to the rest of the castle, this room looks to be in fine shape. Two plush chairs stand against the wall, with bookshelves filling the rest of this narrow space. Above the chairs, dry lanterns sit in sconces on the wall. A book on complex arcane theory sits open on a small ledge on the wall. One Quaggoth Thonot sits in this room. Although only marginally more intelligent than its peers, this Quaggoth likes to think it is a scholar, even though it has the reading level of a small child. As a result, it has cared for this room, and spends its free time paging through the books, admiring the way the words look on the page if nothing else. If alerted by the Quaggoth in Area 14, it is annoyed by the interruption, and takes a round to cast Mirror Image before stepping into the hall.

Treasure Among the books are a few trinkets, a statue of Tyr inlaid with gold (150 GP), a prayer bell from Chult (300 GP) and a very fine jewel inlaid box. Underneath the lid is a mirror, and if the proper word is said (Dance in Sylvan) song is heard along with an illusion of a pixie dancing along. In addition, it is suggested to add a few books that relate to the characters backstories. These could add flavor to the world, provide information to satisfy curiosity, or could add plot hooks to get players to explore their characters background. 18. Servants Quarters The smell of death has been missing from the castle considering the number that were supposed to have died. Walking up the stairs however it is almost overpowering, previously masked by the smells below. As you enter this large circular chamber you are greeted by a ghastly sight. What was once the servant’s quarters, indicated by the numerous small and modest beds, is now a tomb. Bones are piled on top of the beds and litter the floor where those piles collapsed under their own weight. A small altar sits on the floor to the north, 1 black candle still burning. Two abominations, spiders that seem to be made of human bone walk around the room... and up its walls. They turn toward you as more bones pull themselves together. Eight Bone Spiders (See appendix A) eventually form and attack. Two will attack immediately and the other six take 1 round to form. Characters can tell the altar is used in necromantic practices with a DC 14 Intelligence (Arcana) check. This seems to be where all the undead that the party had been fighting were formed. Treasure Under one of the beds is a box containing 3 sets of bands that when laid out seem to form the shape of a medium humanoid. Two clearly look broken, but one is a functioning Brace of Manual Labor (Appendix B) Castle Never - Third Floor 19. Ruined Room Trying to climb the stairs to the next level, you are met by piles and piles of rubble, the path is completely blocked. This room is included on the map only for use after the restoration of the castle. The room itself was totally collapsed during the cataclysm, the tower broken. 20. Royal Bedchamber This room has had the arrow slits sealed by rock and is completely dark. The follow description assumes that the characters have darkvision. While most of the castle has had at least some light filtering through, this room is pitch black, with one exception. A portal in the northwest corner gives off a faint golden glow, enough to see it, but not enough to illuminate anything. The room is truly fit for a king, a large bed with a thick mattress is held in vigil by the heads of two large dragons mounted on the walls. In front of the portal a Drow stands tall, facing away from the door. As you step in he says "Well, someone had to come around I suppose, could you have made less noise?" This is Nadrar Dalesz (Appendix B). He is currently concentrating on the portal, finishing the process of closing it. Knowing that if the process is interrupted it could end badly for everyone, he is far more likely to talk than to fight. If given the opportunity by the characters to finish the ritual, he will wait 8 rounds and then drop concentration. Characters who are observing what he is doing can notice that he stopped the ritual early with a DC 15 Intelligence (Arcana) check. Right before the explosion, Nadrar will blink into the stairwell. The explosion with cause 4d6 Psychic damage and knocks everyone within 30 feet prone (DC 15 Constitution save). If the ritual is interrupted and has 10 rounds to charge, all creatures within 100ft take 15d6 Force damage, and the whole northern wing of the castle will collapse. Roleplaying Nadrar Nadrar, like most Drow is ambitious, and extremely arrogant, however he is not stupid. Nadrar was sent to try and secure an entrance to Neverwinter from the Underdark. In the process he discovered the Thay using the castle as their own access, and tried to stop them. Nadrar never intended to occupy the castle, and instead intended to try and had his access. Finding the Thay however changed things. Nadrar is smooth and urban, treating the characters as if they are beneath him, but kindly, like a parent explaining things to a favored child. If attacked, drop concentration on the portal and will defend himself, taking the opportunity to escape if presented. Treasure On Nadar are the items mentioned in his stat block, as well as a Handy Haversack with his belongings. Inside the bag is 3,200 sp, 3,000 gp, and 10 pp, as well as several sets of traveler’s clothes and a journal written in some sort of code. The journal is intended to outline his task of finding routes to the surface and securing them, but it can lead to any plot hook you like. It could be deciphered with an intelligence check, or you could require a visit to Candlekeep and the difficulties that entails.

What Nadrar Knows He was sent by the queen of the Drow to secure an access point from the Underdark to Neverwinter. He knows other Drown were sent to similar locations across the Sword Coast, but not where.

The Drow are currently under attack by an organized group of hobgoblins that have been organized by some leader. He knows their armor has the likeness of a bloody hand.

The Thay still have a presence in the city, but they have been locked out of the castle.

His charm on the were creatures under the gatehouse must be renewed every tenday and he last renewed it four days ago. Castle Never - Basement I am sort of out of ideas for descriptions so here is a bare bones idea for the basement. B1 - The stairs down

B2 - Two ideas here, it is a food storage pit, otherwise it could be entrances to an underground complex depending on what I need for the Crown of Neverwinter arc.

B3 - Prison for holding until the guards could move people to a proper city prison.

B4 - Sewer Access. Pretty much where chamber pots and the like were dumped.

B5 - Well

B6 - Storage

B7 - Drow tunnel. Hidden underneath a bed in a cell, this tunnel is collapsed at least 1000 feet back. I figured I might have a couple of Uber Hulks digging out the area. Maybe the sewer access could provide a way into the were den. Basilisks are fun too. Mostly I figured there would not be many encounters down here, the rest of the castle is packed already. Conclusion If the castle is cleared and remains intact, Nevermember will be impressed, giving the reward promised to the party, as well as offering the jobs outlined below. Depending on the factions that the characters below to, they might offer the following rewards or tasks. Zhentarim - They will pay 8,000 gp for the delivery of the property records found in the offices. Additionally, any information that is provided about the Crown of Neverwinter may lead to a request that the character find it before Nevermember does. A town with a Zhentarim puppet on the throne would be valuable indeed.

- They will pay 8,000 gp for the delivery of the property records found in the offices. Additionally, any information that is provided about the Crown of Neverwinter may lead to a request that the character find it before Nevermember does. A town with a Zhentarim puppet on the throne would be valuable indeed. Harpers - They are also interested in securing the Crown, but prefer it go to Nevermember. He isn't perfect, but there are many worse options. They would also begin to investigate the Drow. Ricsa will note the similarities between this event, Wave Echo Cave, and other events around the region.

- They are also interested in securing the Crown, but prefer it go to Nevermember. He isn't perfect, but there are many worse options. They would also begin to investigate the Drow. Ricsa will note the similarities between this event, Wave Echo Cave, and other events around the region. Lords Alliance - Horva will be in the meeting with Nevermember and will immediately throw the resources of the Lord's Alliance into finding information about the Tomb of the Nine. If the party completely cleared the castle, they would receive 40,750 XP. They should receive an extra 1,000 XP if they solved the riddle in the throne room, and an additional 5,000 XP when they report back to Nevermember. This should take them to level 6. The Future Two other adventures will follow. Lord Nevermember will ask the party to escort a trade mission to Gauntlgrym which aims to restart the arms trade. The Dwarves will be receptive, but unable to produce enough as a local mine and forge responsible for most of their weapons is still crawling with orcs. I am currently modifying The Forge of Fury for this to match my parties level. After, they will be asked to help find the Crown of Neverwinter. The Tomb of the Nine will be a fight to prove their worth, but the crown will not be in the tomb. Instead they will be teleported to the dungeon that holds the crown. I am using a modified White Plume Mountain for this branch. After their help, Nevermember will offer them a keep in the area of a possible goblin invasion. I am currently modifying Red Hand of Doom for this. Once I have a list of all of my modifications I will include them.

Appendix A - Monster Stats Alternatives to 3rd Party Creatures The following suggestions will provide a creature from the Monster Manual and suggestions on how to reskin it to fit the theme. Room 4- Replace the Skeleton Warrior with a Mummy Lord (MM p. 229). Change the description of the bones to have a staff by its side, and change Whirlwind of Sand to have bones spinning instead of sand.

Room 7 - Replace the Spectral Guardians with four Mages (MM p. 347) and add the Incorporeal Movement trait from Wraiths. Characters are not meant to beat this encounter, just have the character who sits in the throne knocked out.

Room 8 - Replace the two Risen Reavers with Shield Guardians (MM p. 271). I would not reskin these. Bone Spider Large undead, lawful evil Armor Class 13

13 Hit Points 22(3d10 + 6)

22(3d10 + 6) Speed 30ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 15 (+2) 2 (-4) 8 (-1) 5 (-3) Senses darkvision 120ft., passive Perception 11

darkvision 120ft., passive Perception 11 Challenge 1 (200 XP) Actions Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 8 (1d8 + 4) Miasma (Recharge 5-6) Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit The spider attempts to shoot a web as it did in life, instead it shoots forth of tendon, blood, other parts that the bones once carried in life. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, or be paralyzed due to horror for 1 turn. Once a character has succeeded on a saving throw from this effect they are immune for 24 hours.

Nadar Dalesz Medium Humanoid, Lawful Evil Armor Class 14 (with mage armor)

14 (with mage armor) Hit Points 110(17d8 + 34)

110(17d8 + 34) Speed 30ft. STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 10 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 12 (1) 5 (+3) Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning

bludgeoning Damage Immunities poison

poison Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned

exhaustion, poisoned Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 9

darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 9 Languages None

None Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to sleep. Sunlight Sensitivity. Disadvantage on attack rolls and wisdom perception (sight) when your target is on direct sunlight Innate Spellcasting. Nadar can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components: At will: dancing lights

1/day each: darkness, faerie fire (save DC 13) spells Legendary Resistance. (2/Day). If Nadar fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead. Spellcasting. Nadar is an 10th-level wizard. Its spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, to hit with spell attacks +9) Cantrips (at will): Ray of Frost, Mage Hand, Chill Touch, Minor Illusion, Friends

1st level (3 slots): Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Charm Person, Mage Armor, Ray of Sickness

2nd level (2 slots): Darkness, Cloud of Daggers, Crown of Madness, Invisibility

3rd level (2 slots): Animate Dead, Fireball, Blink, Vampiric Touch, Bestow Curse

4th level (2 slots): Evard's Black Tentacles, Blight, Banishment, Dimension Door,

5th level (1 slots): Bigby's Hand, Dominate Person Actions Misty Dagger Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit 3 (1d4 + 1) Legendary Actions Nadar can take 3 Legendary Actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time, and only at the end of another creature's turn. Spent legendary actions are regained at the start of each turn. Attack (Costs 1 action) Nadar makes a single attack with his Misty Dagger.

(Costs 1 action) Nadar makes a single attack with his Misty Dagger. Use an Item (Costs 2 actions) Nadar can use one of the items listed below, using any consumables as normal.

(Costs 2 actions) Nadar can use one of the items listed below, using any consumables as normal. Cast a Spell (Costs 3 Actions): Nadar casts a spell from its list of prepared Spells, using a spell slot as normal. Special Items Healing Potions. (3 potions) Nadar has three standard healing potions that heal for 2d4+2.

(3 potions) Nadar has three standard healing potions that heal for 2d4+2. Ring of free action. While you wear this ring, difficult terrain doesn't cost you extra Movement. In addition, magic can neither reduce your speed nor cause you to be Paralyzed or Restrained.

While you wear this ring, difficult terrain doesn't cost you extra Movement. In addition, magic can neither reduce your speed nor cause you to be Paralyzed or Restrained. Blink Cloak. Once per day you can cast blink as per the spell at will.

Appendix B - Magic Items Brace of Manual Labor Wondrous item, uncommon This metal Skeleton fits over a medium-sized humanoid’s body and manipulates leverage and force to greatly enhance the wearer's lifting power. It takes one minute to don, can be worn comfortably underneath any armor, and does not impede your movement. While wearing the brace, you have advantage on Strength checks made to push, drag, and lift objects. Misty Dagger Weapon (dagger), uncommon (requires attunement) While this dagger's hilt and handle are not very noteworthy, its blade appears spectral and transparent. When thrown or swung, the blade trails wisps of vapor that rapidly dissipate. While attuned to this weapon, you can use a bonus action to make it vanish in a burst of mist, after which there is no trace of it and it is impossible to find. You may cause it to rematerialize in your grip or on your person with another bonus action.