Ashmadai

The Ashmadai are a secretive devil worshiping cult based in Neverwinter dedicated to the god Asmodeus. The cult was well connected in Neverwinter prior to the cataclysm in 1451 DR and is even better connected now. In the years prior to Neverwinter's destruction, the Ashmadai worked as agents of Thay although since the cataclysm, the Ashmadai are no longer allied with Szass Tam.

The Ashmadai have the ability to summon devils. However, whenever they summon a fiend, they must bind its essence to the body of a mortal. Because of this the Asmadai kidnap residents of Neverwinter in order to make them vessels for summoned devils.

Under Thay
Years before the cataclysm of Neverwinter, cultists of Asmodeous allied themselves with Thay. The exact nature of the bargain between the cult and Szass Tam is unclear, what is known is that Thay's regent, Valindra Shadowmantle, possessed a staff that the Ashmadai considered precious. The Ashmadai served Thay loyally, though all they simply desired was the staff. When control would be given to Sylora Salm, the Ashmadai would continue to serve loyally. After destroying Neverwinter to create a Dread Ring, the Ashmadai would again attempt to wreak havoc with Salm by trying to use the primordial of Gauntlgrym to destroy New Neverwinter. But the interruptions of Jarlaxle would result in the death of Salm and the transferring of leadership to Valindra Shadowmantle, under whom the loyalty would waver. The cultists would stick with Valindra when she would show her possession of the staff, and though they had not seen it since, the assumed her to still have it. Though in reality, Szass Tam had reclaimed the staff.

Diverging Interests
The Ashmadai now runs in two groups, one slavishly loyal to Asmodeous, this faction is led by the dwarf Favria. This faction consists of older and less studied cultists who still serve Thay in belief of Valindra to be the staff's holder. This sect is little more than thugs and brutes loyal only to Asmodeous and Favria.

The other sect, led by Mordai Vell, is populated by cunning and manipulative who care more about the acquisition of power rather than paying homage to it. Vell has been credited for bringing about the rise of the Ashmadai into New Neverwinter's shady and secretive powerhouse. Although Vell's sect still pay's lip service to Thay, it advances plots of it's own. Vell, once he gains Valindra's phylactery or the staff, plans to move against Thay.

However, as Vell lacks the numbers and individual power to flout Neverember, he uses a pod system to shroud the Ashmadai from the eyes of others. The highest ranking members of the sect are unaware of each other and each report only to Vell. Each of those members have their own pod, and the members of that pod report to that individual and so on down through the ranks. Mordai readily encourages his followers to mark shellaacked buildings and corpses with the symbol of Asmodeous. This is to intimidate others into joining the ranks of the Ashmadai. The symbol is effective as it manages to scare the townsfolk into co-operating with the demands of the Ashmadai. Although Favria disagrees with the plan, she does not deny it's effectiveness.

Thay-Shadovar War
A huge part of the Thay-Shadovar War is the conflict between the Ashmadai and the Abolethic Sovereignty. Mordai is determined to make sure that the Aboleths make no advance in New Neverwinter. To do this, Mordai wants to undermine the Chasm in southeast Neverwinter, a place of interest for the Sovereignty. The cultists constantly hamper the Aboleths' attempts to make people mindless slaves, under the thought that all belong to the Ashmadai, and take special note in killing or driving out Abolethic agents. However, the Ashmadai have been relatively unsuccessful, thus the Aboleths do not take the Ashmadai as a threat and have not wiped them off the face of New Neverwinter.

The Ashmadai's other dealings in the war are relatively minor. It mainly consists of them planning to dispose of Thay and sporadically working with the Netherese against their former masters.

New Neverwinter
The Ashmadai try to corrupt New Neverwinter supporters at every opportunity. Cultists haven't been able to sway Mayor Soman Galt, so they've begun focusing on the Mintarn mercenaries instead. Mordai VeIl has his suspicions about Galt, but the sect leader wants more evidence before he marks the mayor for death. For now, Mordai is working on General Sabine, whom he regularly invites to his estate. Ultimately, the devil-worshipers aim to corrupt Lord Neverember and send him back to Waterdeep so the Ashmadai can actively run both cities. As for Neverember, he thoroughly enjoys Mordai's company, and the two spend time together often.

Thay
The Ashmadai cultists still pay some fealty to Valindra-at least enough to keep her from seeing the knife they hold poised behind her back. Once they recover the scepter or find her phylactery, they intend to move against the lich.

Shadovar
The devil-worshipers are in awe of the Netherese, whose representatives have approached Mordai on several occasions. The cultists cannot allow the Thayans to see them in bed with the Netherese, however, so such meetings are kept a close secret.

While the Shadovar Prince Clairburnus sees the Ashmadai as simple lapdogs of the Thayans, other Shadovar do not. The Netherese cleric Orthinos Eln has dispatched troops to learn if the Ashmadai are diverging from the Thayans.