Castle Never
S
ecure 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.
 Nadrar no longer hopes to hold the castle, he just wants to
Lord Nevermember close the portal, and withdraw, leaving his entrance hidden.

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.
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.
 If the party completely cleared the castle, they would
What Nadrar Knows receive 40,750 XP. They should receive an extra 1,000 XP if
He was sent by the queen of the Drow to they solved the riddle in the throne room, and an additional
secure an access point from the Underdark to 5,000 XP when they report back to Nevermember. This
Neverwinter. He knows other Drown were sent should take them to level 6.
to similar locations across the Sword Coast, but
not where. The Future
The Drow are currently under attack by an
organized group of hobgoblins that have been Two other adventures will follow. Lord Nevermember will ask
organized by some leader. He knows their the party to escort a trade mission to Gauntlgrym which aims
armor has the likeness of a bloody hand. to restart the arms trade. The Dwarves will be receptive, but
The Thay still have a presence in the city, but unable to produce enough as a local mine and forge
they have been locked out of the castle. responsible for most of their weapons is still crawling with
His charm on the were creatures under the orcs. I am currently modifying The Forge of Fury for this to
gatehouse must be renewed every tenday and match my parties level.
he last renewed it four days ago. 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
Castle Never - Basement am using a modified White Plume Mountain for this branch.
I am sort of out of ideas for descriptions so here is a bare After their help, Nevermember will offer them a keep in the
bones idea for the basement. area of a possible goblin invasion. I am currently modifying
Red Hand of Doom for this.
B1 - The stairs down Once I have a list of all of my modifications I will include
B2 - Two ideas here, it is a food storage pit, otherwise it them.
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.
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.
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.
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
Hit Points 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

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 Innate Spellcasting. Nadar can innately cast the
following spells, requiring no material components:
Medium Humanoid, Lawful Evil
At will: dancing lights
Armor Class 14 (with mage armor) 1/day each: darkness, faerie fire (save DC 13) spells
Hit Points 110(17d8 + 34)
Speed 30ft. Legendary Resistance. (2/Day). If Nadar fails a saving
throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA Spellcasting. Nadar is an 10th-level wizard. Its
spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 17, to
10 (+0) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 18 (+4) 12 (1) 5 (+3) hit with spell attacks +9)
Damage Vulnerabilities bludgeoning Cantrips (at will): Ray of Frost, Mage Hand, Chill
Damage Immunities poison Touch, Minor Illusion, Friends
Condition Immunities exhaustion, poisoned 1st level (3 slots): Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Charm
Senses darkvision 60ft., passive Perception 9 Person, Mage Armor, Ray of Sickness
Languages None 2nd level (2 slots): Darkness, Cloud of Daggers,
Challenge 17 (18,000 XP) Crown of Madness, Invisibility
3rd level (2 slots): Animate Dead, Fireball, Blink,
Vampiric Touch, Bestow Curse
Fey Ancestry. You have advantage on saving throws 4th level (2 slots): Evard's Black Tentacles, Blight,
against being charmed, and magic can’t put you to Banishment, Dimension Door,
sleep. 5th level (1 slots): Bigby's Hand, Dominate Person
Sunlight Sensitivity. Disadvantage on attack rolls and
wisdom perception (sight) when your target is on
direct sunlight

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.
Use an Item (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.
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.
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.
Credits
Ross McConnell - Map pack used in the Castle Never
/u/Shamus_Aran - Some of the magic items, more of
which can be found in their wonderful list
/u/Shamus Aran - Gave me the idea for sinkholes and the
wererats.
Donjon - Pretty much all my NPCs