Thundertree

Thundertree was a small village in the plains east of Neverwinter on the edge of the Neverwinter Wood. It was destroyed by 1451 DR.

History
Thundertree was once a community that prospered on the edges of the Neverwinter Woods.

During the founding of the village, Thundertree was defended from monsters by the hero Palien of Neverwinter, who would be honored with a statue in the town square.

At some point, the village came under attack by an orc raiding party, killing most of the inhabitants at the time.

When traveling across the North in the mid-to-late 14 century DR, Volothamp Geddarm did not get a chance to properly visit the village and so only briefly discussed it in his guidebook, Volo's Guide to the North.

However, when Mount Hotenow erupted in the Year of Knowledge Unearthed, 1451 DR, it devastated the small town. In the wake of the disaster, ash zombies drove off any who survived the eruption. During this time, Thundertree lay in overgrown ruins, with many of its stone houses lacking roofs and lying open to the elements, though some remained mostly intact. It was disturbingly quiet.

In the, the Ashmadai leader Favria set up camp in the ruins of Thundertree, living within a ruined inn's underground wine cellar. From there, she tracked activity in both Neverwinter and everywhere the Thayans employed their cult.

By 1491 DR, the zombies had crumbled to dust, but strange magic had turned the local flora into twig blights.

Economy
This small village supported itself by harvesting timber and shipping it downriver to Neverwinter and beyond.

In the 1360s DR, a ranger by the name of Ansal Bloodshoulder served as unofficial leader of the settlement, cooperated with the woodcutters to ensure that felled trees were carefully chosen and that when one tree was cut, another would be planted in its place. Vines and diseased trees were removed and burned. This logging method was approved of, albeit begrudgingly, by the elves that lived in Neverwinter Wood. However, they would later focus on harvesting only naturally fallen trees. Either way, Thundertree was considered to be the source of some of the best timber in Neverwinter.

Notable Locations

 * The Hammer and Shield Inn, an established frequented by loggers and barge captains in the late 14 century DR.

Inhabitants
During the 14 century DR:
 * Aribeth de Tylmarande
 * Ansal Bloodshoulder

By 1491 DR, no one inhabited the ruins of Thundertree, but for two exceptions:
 * Reidoth was a gaunt, white-bearded human druid who visited the ruins of Thundertree from time to time, keeping any from wandering into the dangers that lurked within the ruins.
 * Venomfang was a young green dragon who had taken the ruins of Thundertree as his own lair as of approximately 1490 DR. The Cult of the Dragon had followed the dragon and hoped to gain its alliance.

Appearances

 * Video Games
 * Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir