Forgotten Realms Wiki
Advertisement
Forgotten Realms Wiki

Neverwinter Nights (NWN), produced by BioWare and published by Infogrames (now Atari), is a third-person perspective computer role-playing game that is based on third edition Dungeons & Dragons rules, set in the Sword Coast, centering around the City of Skilled Hands, Neverwinter.

An expansion pack, Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide, was released in June 2003, and a subsequent expansion pack, Neverwinter Nights: Hordes of the Underdark was released in December 2003. In October 2005, Neverwinter Nights: Kingmaker, an expansion pack that includes three new modules was released. On October 31st (US) / November 3rd (EU), 2006 a sequel, Neverwinter Nights 2, was released.

Description

Play centers on the development of a character that becomes the ultimate hero of the story. In the original NWN scenario supplied with the game engine, the player is single-handedly responsible for defeating a powerful cult; stopping an insatiable plague; thwarting an attack on the city of Neverwinter, and many other side quests.

The first and final chapters of the story in the official campaign deal with the city of Neverwinter itself, but the lengthy mid-story requires the player to venture into the countryside and then northward to the city of Luskan. Neverwinter is a city on the Sword Coast of Faerûn. It is part of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.

Plot

The story begins in 1372 DR with the player character being sent by Lady Aribeth to recover four monsters needed to make a cure for the Wailing Death, a plague that is sweeping the city of Neverwinter. With the help of Fenthick Moss, Aribeth’s love interest, and Desther, Fenthick’s friend, the player character is able to retrieve the monsters. As he is collecting these monsters, he is attacked by mysterious assassins from the cult that is behind the spreading of the plague. As the cure is being made, Castle Neverwinter is attacked by Desther’s minions. He takes the completed cure and escapes the castle, with the player character and Fenthick in pursuit. When they catch up to Desther, he surrenders after a short battle. Desther is sentenced to burn at the stake, and Fenthick, despite being unaware of Desther’s true intentions, is sentenced to hang.

The player character meets up with Aribeth and they begin searching for the cult responsible for the plague and the attack on Neverwinter. With the help of Aarin Gend, Neverwinter's spymaster, the player character retrieves diaries of dead cultists and letters from a person named Maugrim, which convince Aribeth that the cult's headquarters are in Luskan. Aribeth goes ahead to Luskan, and the player character follows after speaking once more to Gend. After arriving in Luskan, the player character hears rumors that Aribeth is joining with the cultists. These fears are confirmed when he finds her meeting with Maugrim and Morag, Queen of the Old Ones. They seek magical relics called Words of Power. The player character retrieves all of the Words of Power except for one, held by the cult. He discovers that the words open a portal to a pocket world inside the Source Stone, where Morag and the other Old Ones are. He confronts Aribeth, and depending on how he handles the meeting, she either surrenders to the player character or he is forced to kill her. He then confronts Maugrim for the final word. He uses the words to enter the Source Stone and battle with Morag. After Morag's death, he escapes the stone as the world inside it implodes.

Gameplay

The actual game is lengthy (original NWN has three CDs, while the expansions each add one CD). Following a small prelude, there are four "chapters" in the original game, with each chapter consisting of a general storyline (the first chapter, for example, deals with a mysterious plague in the city of Neverwinter), and within each chapter, there are many quests, subquests, and mini-storylines. The game's actual mechanics are based on the Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition rule set – most important actions (fighting, persuasion, etc.) are based on a die or dice roll.

Multiplayer

The robust multiplayer component separates Neverwinter Nights from previous Dungeons & Dragons games, as there are many servers for players to choose from. Each server, depending on hardware and bandwidth, can support up to 72 players or more in the same module. NWN game modules run as a variety of separate genres and themes, including persistent worlds (which are similar to MUDs), combat arenas (player versus player modules), and simple social gatherings similar to a chat room. The campaign included with the game can be played with friends, for example, or a team of builders can build a virtual world similar in scope and size to commercial MMORPGs. The big difference is that BioWare insists these persistent worlds be free of charge.

Many persistent worlds are still actively run with updates and improvements. Servers can be linked together as well, allowing the creation of large multi-server worlds. Two early examples include A Land Far Away and Confederation of Planes and Planets.

Because Neverwinter Nights lacks a global chat function aside from the supported Gamespy, players typically join "pickup" games through the game's multiplayer interface, or schedule games in advance with friends. Matchmaking sites, such as Neverwinter Connections, facilitate scheduling of games, and the experience is much like traditional Pen-and-Paper roleplaying games. Persistent worlds do this work for them by inviting players to visit their website and continue to roleplay there.

Custom content

Neverwinter Nights ships with the Aurora toolset, which allows players to create custom modules for Neverwinter Nights. These modules may take the form of online multiplayer worlds, single player adventures, character trainers or technology demos. Additionally, several third party utilities have further expanded the community's ability to create custom content for the game. Custom content creators are known as builders in the Neverwinter Nights community.

The Aurora toolset allows builders to create map areas using a tile system; the appearance and surface textures of the area are defined by the area's selected tileset. Builders can overlay placeable objects onto areas, and use the built-in scripting language NWScript to run cut scenes, quests, mini-games and conversations. NWScript is based on C++.

Third party utilities allow builders to create custom content for most aspects of the game, ranging from new playable races and character classes to new tilesets, monsters and equipment. Custom content is added to the game in the form of hakpaks. Builders have used the Aurora toolset in combination with hakpaks to create playing experiences beyond the scope of the original campaign. Despite the game's age, the Neverwinter Nights custom content community remains active.

The Aurora toolset is not available for the Linux and Macintosh versions of Neverwinter Nights. The open source project never number of prestige classes the original game had. It also adds dozens of epic spells, and many normal spells that make better use of Bioware's Aurora engine. These include: Teleportation, Transposition, Mazes, Summoning Houses and more. As well, psionic powers have been included, which are essentially spells, but done with "power points", akin to the sorcerer class. This "expansion" can be found at nwn-prc.com, along with documentation. There are many excellent additions to the game, however, portions may have bugs, so beware.


Premium modules

In late 2004, BioWare launched its online store and started selling what it called premium modules as part of its digital distribution program. This initiative was spearheaded by BioWare's Live Team Lead Designer, Rob Bartel. Though technically not expansions, these smaller-scale adventures introduce new storylines and gameplay. They often include new music and art that BioWare claims will be integrated into future patches and updates to the core game. The most recent patch, 1.69, includes a great number of the art and music that you find in the premium modules.

According to BioWare, the revenue generated is used to support their fan community and provide ongoing updates and improvements to the popular game. Unfortunately the modules that are sold for download require internet access to play even though they are single player only. The modules in the Kingmaker expansion were stripped of this requirement but are only for Windows. The modules included with Neverwinter Nights Diamond Edition do not require Internet access to play.

  • Neverwinter Nights: Kingmaker — In November, 2004, BioWare announced their flagship premium module, which later received the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences 'PC RPG of the Year' award. The player is called upon to defeat the evil at the Keep of Cyan, and win the throne.
  • Neverwinter Nights: ShadowGuard — At the same time as Kingmaker's release, BioWare also offered a bundled pair of shorter premium modules. ShadowGuard, created by community member Ben McJunkin, in which you are drawn to the attention of a group of agents called the ShadowGuard after your sterling work at the Imperial academy of Ghaarak (in the homebrewed setting of the Shakhara empire)
  • Neverwinter Nights: Witch's Wake — In the same bundle a remastered version of Rob Bartel's popular story-oriented module by the same name. The remastered version added new subraces, music, and substantial voice-acting throughout. After a battle, you are privy to the last words of a dying prince, yet you cannot remember who you are or where to go to report this.
  • Neverwinter Nights: Pirates of the Sword Coast — In June, 2005, BioWare announced the upcoming release of a new premium module. The story begins in the city of Neverwinter, and leads to a lengthy ship-borne, swashbuckling-style adventure. Characters start at 5th level.
  • Neverwinter Nights: Infinite Dungeons — In May, 2006, BioWare released this premium module which takes place in Undermountain below Waterdeep. The main feature is randomly generated dungeons, which are suitable for all levels of adventurer. The module is designed for single and multiplayer gaming.
  • Neverwinter Nights: Wyvern Crown of Cormyr - Released later in 2006, this module highlights features introduced in the then-recently released V.2 of the Community Expansion Pack (CEP), including fully ride-able horses and horseback combat. Developed by community developer DLA, it is a single-player module, and (as of yet) the last Premium Module to be released by BioWare.

Sequel

A sequel to Neverwinter Nights, Neverwinter Nights 2, was developed by Obsidian Entertainment, a company which had long been working with BioWare. According to BioWare, the change of developer is due to BioWare's business with other titles, such as Mass Effect and Dragon Age. The game was released in late 2006, and is set around the city of Neverwinter and the Mere of Dead Men.

Index

Characters

Protagonist
Hero of Neverwinter
Companions
Boddyknock GlinckleDaelan Red TigerGrimgnawLinu La'neralSharwynTomi Undergallows
Antagonists
Aribeth de TylmarandeDesther IndelayneKlauthMaugrim KorothirMorag
Cameos
Elaith Craulnober
Other
AawillAgarAgnes MastersonAlaefinAlayaAlekosAlhelorAnderAndrodAnselArklem GreethArteno GethArto WebberAruph ThunderfistArwylAverikAvistaBaramBaraxBarun SilverbladeBelaBelarianBelialBernaBertrandBethanyBilliamBimBlaskar LauthlonBorlanBranBreeBreganBrileyBrunoBurkeBurtCabbageCaliandrosCallahanCallikCendranChandraChaohinonCharonChristovClancyClaudusColmarrConstance O'DeelDalciaDamasDanford Q. MobleyDara'neiDariusDarktongue BreakboneDeelinDelilahDeltagar ZhelhundDelvar VanatharDendyDergiabDhanisDrakeDreginDukeDulcimaeDumal ErardDurgaDyddDylanEckelEdegarEldanElgarEltoora SarptylElynwydElynwyd DireleanEmernikEndar HeartfoodEravianErb JansenErdanErgusErikErjackErrolEvaineFashiFenthick MossFerdinandFestiliardFlargFonlimFormosa LaitannenGalroneGamGanonGeldarGerrolGethGilbertGildaGillesGlaviusGonmirGorgothGorkanGraxxGregor ArmisteGromminGuardian of HelmGulgashGulnanGurak EntrailspillerGuzudHaedralineHalionHaljal ThrondorHarben AshensmithHarrisHectorHemmel MastersonHennaHerbanHewwetHoddHoffHruskHubertHusher ClayIbarumIglandIngoIslundIssabonJaceJaerJaheetJalekJanisJankenJaredJarooJaxJemanieJerolJeromeJevonJinkiesJohnnyJohnsJonesKarathis IronheartKarlat JharegKasmaKeenerKellisaiKendrackKettaKikiKippKrestalKurdan FenktKurthKyleLaranaLeahLentonLerkLillian CambridgeLodarLonda WhitesnowLoxarLuceLydiaMa'fel'no'sei'kedeh'naarMaegelManoMarcus PenholdMarrokMary O'DeelMatillyMaureenMeironMeldanenMillyMissus EisenfeldtMister EisenfeldtMontgomery WeathersonMordenMullandMungMutaminNaiadNasher AlagondarNaxNeiborNeurikNevaNuglatNyatarNyphithysOleff UskarOlgerdOphala CheldarstornOrethOrlaneOrreanPallaPavelPeter O'DeelPhoebePrichevPunkinQuint JharegRelmarRevatRezronRhaineRimardo DomineRolganRolkidRuzon VondSallySamuelSaulterSedos SebileSergolSetaraShadeShaldrissa DothwintylSilkSilverbackSirilSolomonSorenSpirit of the WoodStirgeSynsilliusarianTamoraTanglebrookTanithTelmaTerariThoms RumbottomThurinTolan LosenTorasTorinUlfnogUncasUrthVaathValindra ShadowmantleVandaVengaul BloodsailVoleronWaltersWanevWelcarWinthorpWittianWyvernYariYeanashaYesgarYusamYvetteZamithraZarnZedZedirZemeriaZor

Referenced only

AjanAlagandaAldoAllochAlusair ObarskyrAmlaruil MoonflowerAndrod GoldenAnsal BloodshoulderAzariah CraulnoberAzoun Obarskyr IVBalduranBelmarBigbottomBinnyBirchBlack LichBrightmaneBruenor BattlehammerBucktoothCastter De'wessChasiannaCiressa Gin'draCraghandCyril LyricusDannenDrokasDruxus RhymElminster AumarEnderminEnkiduFarthingdonFedard JansenGalevaarGareth DragonsbaneGisnerviGollothGriffHalueth NeverHannableHodgeHoisureHorkIoulaumJagen MarskJasswinJeraboam CanterJerred StormlordJim SeedyJordius Caini Getafix IIIKendKerikKhelben ArunsunKlaphen FortierLagosraLayenne CherouxLiadonMaynardMekhariMenronMenthan CalcolerMiaslaznia FairbladeMidnightMiklos SelkirkNatnea CheshNebachnaNjalObouldOjyOrbakhPintoPolt HenriksonPookyProphyroRandallReegarReginald Rumbottom IIIResinoRonger DelphosSabbalan ViheyedSaidaSamirSamuel BumbleheartSelarnaSerregSilvermaneSkarlinSynth La'neralSythillisTamlen WhitesnowTeki JinTelennTythitValmaxianVangerdahast AeiulvanaWaltersZoe

Creatures

Playable races
dwarfelfgnomehalf-elfhalf-orchalflinghuman
Other
allipanimated armorbadger (dire) • battle devourerbattle horrorbear (black, brown, dire, grizzly, polar) • beetle (bombardier, fire, stag, stink) • boar (dire) • bodakbugbearchickencockatricecougarcowcrag catcurstdeerdogdragon (green, brass, blue, gold, red, white) • dryadelemental (air, fire, water) • erinyesettercapgargoyleghastghoulgiant (hill, fire, mountain) • goblingolem (adamantine, bone, flesh, iron, stone) • gray rendergrighell houndhelmed horrorhook horrorimpintellect devourerinvisible stalkerlantern archonlichlionlizardfolkmedusamephit (air, dust, earth, fire, ice, magma, ooze, salt, steam, water) • minogonminotaurmohrgmummynymphogreogre mageOld Oneorcoxpantherpixiequasitrevenantshadowshadow fiendshield guardianskeletal devourerskeletonslaad (death, gray, green, red) • specterspider (dire, giant, sword) • succubustiger (dire) • trollumber hulkvampirevrockwerecatwereratwerewolfwightwill-o'-wispwolf (dire, winter) • worgwraithyuan-tizombie (tyrantfog)

Referenced only

baelnornbasiliskcatdeep gnomedrowduergarfire drakeformianfoxhagkoboldmedusapigpigeonponyrabbitsnailtreant

Locations

Buildings & Sites
Castle NeverCloaktowerFort IlkardHall of JusticeHelm's HoldHost Tower of the ArcaneLayenne's TombNeverwinter AcademyNeverwinter PrisonNeverwinter ZooPort Llast MineTemple of Tyr (Luskan)Temple of Tyr (Port Llast)Warrens of the Damned
Inns & Taverns
Alliance Arms InnBoard Laid BareCutlassGolden AppleGreen Griffon InnMoonstone MaskShining SerpentSiril's BakeryThe Seedy TavernTrade of BladesWink and Tickle
Shops
Battlehammer SmithyColmarr's Fantabulous Contraptions and Magical ErrataCracked AnvilLuskan Mercantile and Fine GoodsMizzenmast MercantileShining Knight Arms and ArmorThomas Wheelwright Wagon RepairTwenty in a Quiver
Districts
Beggar's NestBlacklake DistrictDocks DistrictPensinsula District
Roads
High Road
Ruins
Castle JharegCharwoodGur-AtolIllusk
Settlements
Beorunna's WellCharwoodLuskanNeverwinterPort Llast
Wilderness
Cold WoodMoonwoodNeverwinter WoodSpine of the World
Regions
Sword Coast North

Referenced only

AbyssAmnAnaurochAthkatlaBaldur's GateBeregostCalimportCalimshanChultCity of BrassCulverCorellon's GroveDalelandsDarksteel TowerElemental Plane of AirElemental Plane of FireEvereskaEvermeetGoldenGulthmere ForestHigh MoorImaskarKai ChenKara-TurLantanLeuthilsparLimboLlorkhMazticaMirabarMithral HallMoonshae IslesMulhorandMurannMyth DrannorNetherilNine HellsOld EmpiresPhalormSpine of the WorldSundabarSilverymoonTemple of the Full MoonThunder MountainThundertreeTurmishUnderdarkUntherVaasaWaterdeep

Magic

Magic items
amulet of healthamulet of natural armorAmulet of the Agesarcher's beltArmor of ComfortArmor of Horus-ReArmor of LoyaltyArmor of the StarsArmor of the WolfAxe of the Coming Stormbag of holdingbelt of agilitybelt of guiding lightbelt of inertial barrierBlack Raven AxeBlade of the GladiatorBone Phoenixboots of hardinessboots of reflexesboots of speedboots of stridingBoots of the Sun Soulbracers of armorbracers of dexteritycloak of elvenkindcloak of fortificationcloak of movementcloak of protectioncloak of protection versus evilcloak of protection versus goodCloak of the High Forestdagger of chaosDarksteel Tower shieldEaglebowElven Court bowEnkidu's ArmorEnserric the SwordFire AxeFist of the LegionGargoyle Bootsgauntlets of ogre powergloves of animal handlingGloves of the Yellow Rosegolden circletGruumsh HandHammer of JusticeKaga-ToKrotan's Skullcrushermagic bagMany Talonsmask of persuasionMercykiller Blademirror shieldMirrored Armornymph cloakPeasant Dynastyperiapt of wisdomring of clear thoughtring of crimsonring of cyanring of elemental resistancering of fortitudering of holinessring of insightring of jadering of protectionring of resistancering of scholarsRing of the Wood ElvesRobes of the Old OrderRobes of the Shining Handrod of resurrectionsash of shimmeringscarab of protectionshield of the holySilvermane's axeSquire's Defensestaff of commandstaff of powerStaff of Valmaxianstar of Ojy-doStorm ArmorSunlight SlingThe Great OakThunderbeast AxeVermin's Banewondrous gloves
Potions
oil of speedpotion of healing
Spells
aidanimate deadaura versus alignmentbestow curseblade barrierblessblindness or deafnessbull's strengthburning handscat's gracecharm monstercharm personcircle of doomclaritycolor spraycone of coldconfusioncontagioncreate greater undeadcreate undeadcure critical woundscure light woundscure minor woundscure moderate woundscure serious woundsdarknessdazedismissaldeath warddestructiondispel magicdivine powerdominate persondoomeagle's splendorenduranceendure elementsenergy bufferenergy drainethereal visagefearfind trapsfireballfire stormflame strikefox's cunninggateghostly visageghoul touchgreasegreater dispellinggreater restorationhammer of the godsharmhastehealhealing circlehold monsterhold personice stormidentifyimplosionimproved invisibilityinvisibilityinvisibility purgeinvisibility sphereknocklegend lorelesser dispellesser restorationlightlightning boltmage armormagic circle against alignmentmagic missilemass hastemass healMelf's acid arrowmind fogminor globe of invulnerabilitynegative energy protectionnegative energy rayneutralize poisonowl's wisdompoisonprayerprotection from alignmentprotection from elementsraise deadray of enfeeblementray of frostregenerateremove blindness or deafnessremove curseremove diseaseremove fearremove paralysisresistanceresist elementsrestorationresurrectionsanctuaryscaresearing lightsee invisibilitysilenceslay livingsleepslowsound burstspell resistancestorm of vengeancesummon creature Isummon creature IIsummon creature IIIsummon creature IVsummon creature Vsummon creature VIsummon creature VIIsummon creature VIIIsummon creature IXsunbeamTenser's transformationtrue seeingultravisionvirtuewall of firewar crywebword of faith
Wands
wand of missileswand of negative energywand of the heavens
Other
Word of Power

Referenced only

Hangard's AxemythallarOtiluke's resilient sphereShield of Mirrors

Organizations

Arcane BrotherhoodBlack KnivesBlack Lion tribeBloodsailorsBloody HandsCalantian OrderChurch of HelmChurch of TyrElk TribeHigh Captains of LuskanLords' AllianceNeverwinter MilitiaOrder of the Many-Starred CloakPeople of the EyeRed Tiger TribeRed Wizards of ThayShip BaramShip KurthSilver Sails Trading CompanySword Coast BoysUthgardt

Referenced only

Adaron AcesAzakiBedineChurch of MaskChurch of SelûneCompany of Crazed VenturersDark MoonDisciples of St. Sollars the Twice-MartyredFinihan's RaidersHarpersKnights of the ShieldMirialis ClanNethereseNight MasksNorthern FourOld OrderOrder of the Long DeathPurple DragonsSentiegansShaaranShadow ThievesShining HandSilver RavensSword Coast LegionThunderkind CorpsZhentarim

Religions

AurilCyricHelmLathanderMaskSehanine MoonbowSilvanusTalonaTyr

Referenced only

AoBaneBhaalBrandobarisCallarduran SmoothhandsCorellonGarl GlittergoldGruumshHorus-ReIlmaterKelemvorMerrshaulkMielikkiSavrasSelûneShaundakulSuneTalosTargusTempusVhaeraun

Miscellaneous

Beverages
aleCatoblepas Death Cheese WineDark Elven T'KeelaDockside Dunn'sDwarven Red EyeNeverwintan Sailor SpiritOrc Blood BrewScurrdThayvian Fire Juicewine
Books
Treatise on the Spirit of the Woods
Diseases
bonerotWailing Death
Food
leaven bread
Gemstones
alexandriteamethystaventurinefire agatefire opalfluorspargarnetgreenstonemalachitephenaloperubysapphireStar of Calimshanstar sapphiretopaz
Languages
Netherese
Metals & Alloys
adamantinecoppergoldmithralsilver
Minerals
quartz
Plants
belladonnafenberryprism blossom

Referenced only

Blood WarNether Scrollsrot weedShieldmeetTime of Troublesturnip

Trivia

  • Several of the in-game portraits were modified in patches due to parts of them being copied from copyrighted sources.
  • The Red Cross symbol was removed from the Healer's Kit due to copyright complaints from Canadian Red Cross
  • The Bioware and Baldur's Gate logos are visible on certain books in some bookshelves.
  • On the belts of hill giants the word "Texas" can be read.
  • Neverwinter Nights was first to be called by interplay "Neverwinter Nights 2"[1]

Appendix

Smallwikipedialogo This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Neverwinter Nights. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Forgotten Realms Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License. Additional terms may apply. See Wikia licensing policy and Wikimedia projects Terms of Use for further details.

Further Reading

External links

Reference

Connections









Advertisement