Neverwinter: Underdark

Neverwinter: Strongholds is the 7 campaign expansion module for the Neverwinter massive-multiplayer role-playing game. Released in August 2015, the expansion added the feature of stronghold guild halls to guilds, added a new event, a new form of PvP gameplay, and introduced a form of premium membership.

"Demons have invaded Neverwinter! It’s up to you to vanquish them back to the realms from which they came. Journey into the Underdark where darkness conceals the many dangers that lurk within.

Adventurers will begin their descent by starting the questline written by acclaimed author R.A. Salvatore where they’ll team up with characters such as Bruenor Battlehammer and Drizzt Do’Urden! After completion, head into the hub town of Mantol-Derith to begin the fight against the demons. R.A. Salvatore’s characters may also make appearances in the new Demonic Heroic Encounters!"

Features

 * Underdark Campaign
 * Prophecy of Madness Skirmish
 * Throne of the Dwarven Gods Skirmish
 * Demogorgon and Epic Demogorgon Raids
 * Demonic Heroic Encounters
 * Dwarven King Quest Arc
 * Mantol-Derith Adventure Zone
 * Masterwork Professions
 * Strongholds: Underdark Spore Tower

Plot
The Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge were approached by Captain Belgold of the Neverwinter Guard to investigate nearby raids purpotrated drow and vampire. During their foray to a local farmstead they encountered Thibbledorf Pwent, and together the group made short work of a band of Ashmadai cultists. When Pwent parted from the group to return to Gauntlgrym, Belgold expressed his suspicion of the dwarf and asked the heroes to investigate. After reuniting in the ruined dwarven city, Pwent's mind was dominated by Candelaria, a Red Wizard of Thay, and eventually made to reveal he had been turned into a vampire many years before, and was himself turning the drow to defend the ruins of Gauntlgrym. Together they tracked down Candelaria to the depths of Mount Hotenow, defeated her in battle and returned to the dwarven realm the helm of King Bruenor Battlehammer.

Shortly thereafter, the heroes were asked to uncover the whereabouts of Bonnego Battleaxe, a missing member of the Neverwinter Guard. They tracked the errant guardsman to the foothills of Vellosk and returned him safely to Captain Belgold. Together the heroes and Bonnego recovered his missing map, helped defend the town of Shallow Waters at the edge of Neverwinter Wood, and after hearing of the dwarf's retirement from the Guard, agreed to accompany him on a personal quest of great importance: following the map to the Throne of the Dwarven Gods in Gauntlgrym. Having journeyed there themselves not long before, the heroes accompanied Bonnego, braving the depths of the dwarven ruins once again. While within its depths, the dwarf guardsmen was identified by a ghost as the king of the realm.

Bonnego as his king. He confessed that they had failed to defend Gauntlgrym, and were driven mad by something lurking within the Underdark. When they reached the throne room, Bonnego sat upon the throne but was hurled off by some unknown force. Bonnego had little time to question why Moradin had rejected him, as they were suddenly beset by hordes of vampiric drow. They continued fighting them under Thibbledorf Pwent arrived, having mistaken them for graverobbers. Upon seeing Bonnego, however, he claimed that he had failed his king, and that he could not serve as a vampiric dwarf. Pwent then ran off over Bonnego's objections. Bonnego admitted to the heroes that he was in truth Bruenor Battlehammer, and that he had hoped to reclaim his throne. He didn't know why it rejected him, but he wanted to find out. Asking the heroes to keep his true identity a secret, they reported back to Captain Belgold that Bonnego was simply trying to clear the evil within Gauntlgrym and honor the name of Bruenor Battlehammer. Belgold understood his reasons, and hoped that perhaps their actions would be the key to finally reclaiming the city.

Bruenor eventually came to the conclusion that the throne rejected him because Pwent, his only loyal follower, was lost. In order to claim the throne, he would first need to save the battlerager. Together with the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge, Bruenor descended deeper into Gauntlgrym, fighting past a number of drow that had taken over the lower halls. When they found Pwent, he was surrounded by drow, their priestess ordering him thrown into a pit. Bruenor and the heroes leaped to his aid, but with her dying breath the priestess summoned a Nalfeshnee that knocked the two dwarves to the ground before going after the heroes. Though they quickly dispatched it, Pwent had disappeared. Vowing to save Pwent someday, Bruenor returned to the throne room. Though he had not saved Pwent, Moradin knew he truly desired to, and Bruenor was at last able to take the throne.

Before the heroes departed Gauntlgrym, Bruenor asked them to find Regis at the Driftwood Tavern in Neverwinter and tell him of Bruenor's return. The heroes found not just Regis, but Drizzt Do'Urden as well. Drizzt told them of an immense demonic invasion of the Underdark; though he didn't know the details yet, he did know that Demogorgon, the Prince of Demons himself, was part of the invasion. Drizzt intended to gather a force in Mantol-Derith to kill Demogorgon, and had already sent a message asking Bruenor to meet them there. Once they established themselves in Mantol-Derith, Bruenor told the heroes of a powerful tablet in Gauntlgrym that the demons were seeking. He had a Harper friend trying to secure it, but needed the heroes to help protect it from the demons. The heroes fought off a veritable horde of demons emerging from abyssal tears, until the Harper was able to decipher the tablet and learn that it contained the location of a powerful artifact that the demon lord Fraz-Urb'luu sought. Bruenor decided that the first thing he would do upon returning to Gauntlgrym would be to destroy it.

There were more immediate problems to deal with, though. Not only were demons invading the surface world all across the Sword Coast, but Gauntlgyrm itself was under renewed attack by demons - this time accompanied by undead mind flayers targeting the Throne of the Dwarven Gods. While the heroes fought off the mind flayers, Regis discovered that they were thralls of yet another demon lord: Orcus. More importantly, though, Drizzt had settled on a plan to defeat Demogorgon. Luring him into a cavern near Mantol-Derith, the Heroes of Sleeping Dragon Bridge fought Demogorgon alongside Drizzt, Bruenor, and Regis - aided by a mind flayer named Grazilaxx who also wished Demogorgon defeated. Together, they were able to push the Prince of Demons back into the Abyss.

Characters

 * Belgold • Thibbledorf Pwent

Magic

 * Artifacts

Organizations

 * Red Wizards •