Nepenthe River

The Nepenthe River was an underground body of water that flowed beneath a region of the Sword Coast, primarily the High Moor.

Geography
The source of the river was somewhere in the Misty Forest and was accessible by a cave therein. It flowed southeast, along a path underneath the southern border of the High Moor. The river culminated in a large, subterranean whirlpool that emptied into Kanaglym, within the Underdark.

Description
The waters of the Nepenthe were extremely cold, to the point of nearly freezing. The air was equally cold and noticeably humid.

Along the path of the river, the surrounding caves were quite striking. The walls sparkled with veins of valuable minerals and incandescent mushrooms shone in a wide variety of colors.

History
During the fall of Dragonspear Castle, in the, the mage Ithtaerus Casalia stole a clutch of eggs away from Halatathlaer's lair. He hid them away in a cavern on the banks of the Nepenthe.

In the, a group of adventurers rafted down the river in order to reach the labyrinth beneath Dragonspear Castle.

When the Shining Crusade took over Dragonspear Castle, around the, they established a supply depot on the banks of the Nepenthe and used it as a means of transporting soldiers and resources. Among them was the mage Strunk of Silverymoon, who was binding the river's water elementals to his will.

Sometime before the, a group of undead led by Born rose up from the Nepenthe and made their way into Dragonspear.

Notable Locations
The river passed directly under Dragonspear Castle. It was accessible through the castle's cellar, by means of the underground warrens.

Inhabitants
A number of creatures dwelled within the caves around the river, including sahuagin and ankhegs. The waters were home to a number of water elementals, a nereid, and even a particularly nasty morkoth called Sallissi.

During the mid–14 century, the alchemist Bellowgulp Bluefingers and his myconid companion known as the Concoctor regularly traveled along the banks of the Nepenthe, selling their concoctions.

Appearances

 * Novels
 * Waterdeep
 * Video Games
 * Baldur's Gate: Siege of Dragonspear