The Pirate King's Retreat,[2] also referred to as the Lair of the Pirate King,[note 1] was an fortress-town built atop within the earthmote known as Pirates' Skyhold. It was the eternal domain of Bartholomew Blackdagger, the infamous pirate king that terrorized the Sea of Swords for over a decade in the early 15th century DR before being cursed to eternal undeath.[1]
Description[]
Within the depths of the Pirate King's hideaway.
Blackdagger's retreat comprised a small, rudimentary settlement atop a massive, labyrinthine fort built into the floating isle of Pirates' Skyhold. Its simple structures were built from stone and mortar, or more often wood and plaster, while some others were formed from the husks of repurposed wooden ships.[1]
The stone fortress was expansive in size and scope, encompassing gloomy underground chambers interconnected by trap-filled hallways and quartered off by iron portcullises. The dungeons beneath the fort led into the natural caverns that would their way throughout the earthmote's core. Isolated caves linked by rickety rope bridges and picturesque grottos hidden behind waterfall were found throughout the cave network.[1]
A series of lanterns emitting blue fire that resembled that of the Spellplague were found throughout the passageways around the pirates' flying island fortress.[1]
Geography[]
Flora & Fauna[]
Both the fort's dungeons and the surrounding caves were overrun with the root network of the dense foliage found atop the surface of Pirates' Skyhold.[1]
History[]
The undead Blackdagger languishing aboard the Black Scourge.
During the mid 15th century, Bartholomew Blackdagger and his crew were prevented from ever leaving the retreat after the notoriously greedy pirate king foolishly challenged the great black wyrm Garrundar the Vile. After a failed aerial assault, the dragon cursed Blackdagger with eternal undeath, preventing him from leaving his domain lest he be entirely disintegrated. Not one to let another dictate the terms of his life, or even his afterlife, Blackdagger willed the curse to spread to his men, forcing them to remain enthralled to him for all time, as he sought a final revenge against Garrundar.[1]
In the Year of the Ageless One, 1479 DR, the vile curse that afflicted the undead of Pirate King's Retreat was finally put to an end. A group of adventurers worked alongside the mercenaries of Company Yargo and a band of mutinous Blackdagger pirates – that were fortunately spared the curse that afflicted their former crewmates – to destroy Bartholomew Blackdagger and his lieutenants once and for all.[1]
Notable Locations[]
- Black Scourge, Blackdagger's personal skyship remained docked at the Pirate King's Retreat, unable to set to the skies so long as he remained under the vile curse.[1]
Inhabitants[]
The entirety of the fort was overrun with undead that served in life as members of Blackdaggers' pirate crew. Notable crewmen included the surgeon of the Black Scourge and its bosun, a massive orcish being known only as Thickgristle.[1]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ While the dungeon delve Lair of the Pirate King appeared in the original Neverwinter game, it was removed during the Neverwinter: Elemental Evil module. It was re-introduced as an epic dungeon delve called the Pirate King's Retreat in the Neverwinter: The Maze Engine module.
Appearances[]
- Video Games
- Neverwinter (The Maze Engine)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Cryptic Studios (June 2013). Neverwinter. Perfect World Entertainment.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cryptic Studios (March 2016). Neverwinter: The Maze Engine. Perfect World Entertainment.