Shadovar

The Shadovar were the inhabitants of Thultanthar, the Shade enclave. During the course of the people's 1700 year exile from Toril, they battled the Malaugrym and other shadowy horrors of the realm, becoming more attuned to the Plane of Shadow with each generation and later Shadowfell for a short time, and were thus known as Shadovar.

Return
Returned from their imprisonment from Shadowfell, the darkness-touched Shadovar took over the great desert Anauroch. They then turned their attention to the city of Neverwinter. They sent in their tiefling agent Herzgo Alegni who, along with Barrabus the Gray, renamed Neverwinter bridge in the name of Herzgo. However, the Ashmadai under the rule of Thay quickly destroyed Neverwinter through the use of Gauntlgrym. Thus the Herzgo Alegni Bridge's name was reverted to its original title.

New Neverwinter
Ten years following the 'death' of Neverwinter, Herzgo Alegni began to aid the citizens of New Neverwinter against attacks from Thay, prompting a war between the two factions. In one such event, Herzgo gained the favor of the people of Neverwinter and Neverwinter Bridge was renamed the Walk of Barrabus in honor of Artemis Entreri. After Herzgo Alegni returned to new Neverwinter the name was changed back to Herzgo Alegni Bridge.

Herzgo Alegni would then, by threat of violence, declare himself the leader of New Neverwinter. However, after the death of Alegni at the hands of Dahlia Sin'felle, his master, Draygo Quick, would pass leadership on to Alegni's son, Effron. However, the actions of the Netherese would attract the attentions of Waterdeep, who would force the Netherese to take a more of a background role in New Neverwinter.

Lord Neverember, the Lord Protector of New Neverwinter and the Open Lord of Waterdeep is aware of the Netherese though is ignorant of them. He has, however, employed them for discreet assassinations and thus has not acted on the orders to expel the Netherese from New Neverwinter. As such, the bulk of New Neverwinter's populace in favor of Neverember is ignorant of Netheril's activity in Neverwinter Wood.

The Return of Xinlenal
Clairburnus Tanthul, one of the 12 Princes of Shade, would decide to take over the Netherese operations in an effort to restore the First Enclave, a city known as Xinlenal. Success would plunge Neverwinter into shadow forever. During this time, the Shadovar have rebuilt their other enclaves, all but Xinlenal.

The return of Xinlenal would prove greate in the Nethereses path to world domination. Hundreds of shades, shadar-kai, humans and undead work relentlessly inside Neverwinter Wood unearthing Xinlenal and repairing its structures. Orthinos Eln, a cleric of Shar, has been placed in charge of the project to uncover Xinlenal.

The heart of Xinlenal is its mythallar, which is broken. By 'feeding it' large quarries of residuum, Netherese spell-casters are slowly rebuilding the mythallar of Xinlenal. Clariburnus seeks the Sword Coast North relentlessly for magical items that are needed by the Netherese to accomplish their task.

War with Thay
The Shadovar then absorbed the Gray Wolf into their ranks and used them in many of their campaigns. Despite this, a war against Thay constantly delays their efforts, as well as those Ashmadai that still serve Valindra Shadowmantle.