Evernight
(Formerly known as Neverwinter).
Evernight always existed, here in this spot—not in the Material Plane but in the dark realm of Shadowfell, like Neverwinter’s evil sister city. At the city’s lowest, Neverwinter was still suffering from the 1451 volcanic eruption of Mount Hotenow combined with the heavy-handed laws of Lord Neverember. The harder the city chased its former glory, the closer to Shadowfell it became, until the Jewel of the North vanished overnight. Neverwinter was replaced by what’s colloquially known as the Tomb of the North, a festering pit of ghouls and other undead. Evernight sits in a perpetual state of shifting shadow, and its image becomes warped when viewed from a distance, thanks to its link to the Plane of Shadow. Those shadows provide the perfect cover for ghouls and ghasts alike to prowl, awaiting their next unsuspecting meal.
Despite bearing some resemblance to Neverwinter, every corner of Evernight festers in a state of intentional disrepair. Roads of grave dirt and bone dust meander between the city’s rotting wooden and derelict stone buildings that cast jagged shadows. When Evernight imposed itself over Neverwinter, the transition was far from smooth. The river of lava that once carved Evernight in half forked into three, surrounding the city in a moat of molten rock. Where streams of lava meet the Sea of Swords, a mist is born, flowing from there to perpetually roam the city.
The unbeating heart of Evernight lies within the Black Mound, a district that holds the manors of powerful undead. It is here that the Tribunal gathers in the House of Screams—named in part for its heated arguments, but more notably, for the cries from its basement arena, where countless undead fight to their final death. Suffice to say, those who live in a willing state of undeath find much to enjoy within Evernight. For the living, however, the city holds only horror—everything goes bump in Evernight.
Citizenry
Evernight is a haven for two kinds of citizens: those of evil alignments and those who savor the taste of warm blood and flesh. The dead rule the streets, settling disputes among themselves through words or teeth as necessary. Naturally, factions have formed among the elder ghouls, vampires, and necromancers, ensuring their members a certain level of control over fresh meals and leeway when addressing the Tribunal.
In everyday life (or unlife), the common populace of brainless flesh-eating monstrosities has little need for traditional entertainment. The more intellectual undead find enjoyment in watching macabre corpsepuppet shows, playing hide and seek with mortals as prey, and watching the lesser undead fight over scraps of meat—occasionally served while it’s still living, for added drama.
Religion
When the city resided within the despair-filled plane of the Shadowfell, it was filled with followers of Bhaal (the deity of murder), Myrkul (the deity of the dead), and most notably, Orcus (the demon lord of the undead). The latter had the Temple of Filth built in his honor—a horrific structure formed of bone and ever-changing corpses, which are swiftly replaced when the decaying bodies begin to crumble.
When Evernight was thrust out of the Shadowfell into the godless land of the Material Plane, this understandably complicated matters. Rumors carried on the wind told how Vecna had personally bested Orcus, unseating him as the lord of the undead. Collectively, Evernight has yet to renounce their faith in the demon lord, but activity around the temple has dwindled. Many former religious zealots, knowing that agents of the Whispered One could lurk behind any corner of the shade-warped city, have wisely fallen silent until their place in the Doomed Sword Coast is cemented.
Noteworthy Information
What sections of Evernight aren’t covered by derelict buildings are dedicated to a single makeshift graveyard that sprawls the length of the city. Non-undead can’t expect much hospitality in the city, but those who dare enter may encounter the following.
Pool of Daylight
Held within the deepest bowels of the Temple of Filth, the Pool of Daylight glows with unparalleled radiance. This doomsday artifact paralyzes lesser undead who merely draw near its waters, and it outright destroys undead who touch it. In the depths of the pool lies an artifact that, when activated, releases the devastating power of Toril’s sun. Despite the danger it presents to Evernight, the artifact is held as a last resort, a menace that makes even Vecna hesitate to assault the city.
Veil of Shadowfell
There are numerous consequences of forcibly relocating an entire city from the Shadowfell, such as the gradually shifting demeanor of its undead residents and the magical dimming of all lights, thanks to the shadowy veil that enshrouds the city. Perhaps most notably, the city now boasts the Material Plane’s largest portal to the Shadowfell, which lies at the bottom of the seemingly bottomless Demon Pit.
Government
Compared to any other cities now populated with undead, Evernight might be considered “civilized”— at least in a judicial sense. The common populace of flesh-eating undead could certainly benefit from learning some table manners. The city has few written laws, and the citizenry solves most disputes on their own.
Matters that can’t be solved amicably are presented to Evernight’s tribunal, a collection of the city’s most wise, powerful, and ancient undead. After both sides have said their piece, the Tribunal declares who was in the right… and who should be eaten alive. Understandably, tribunals are few and far between, reserved for those who feel they have no other choice.
Living beings can seek diplomatic immunity from the Tribunal—an essential step for those who’d like to avoid being eaten by the often-famished population. The city even has a few living people in positions of moderate power (usually necromancers and wizards on the verge of lichdom).
Defences
Only the bravest—and most foolish—would lay siege to this city, full of countless flesh-hungry undead. As most of its population needs no sleep, Evernight is ever-vigilant against attackers of all (bite-sized) shapes. Should all else fail, they possess a doomsday artifact capable of eradicating the entire city within an instant.
Industry & Trade
Evernight prioritizes nothing more than live meat, in whatever shape or form it might be. In the past, the connection between Evernight and Neverwinter provided the perfect avenue for abducting mortals to eat, but that link has long since been severed. As a result, the city is entering an era of austerity as food grows increasingly scarce.
Thankfully, most residents don’t need to eat, but they still take sadistic enjoyment in doing so. The tribunal is too aware of the encroaching strife and has begun mobilizing packs of hunting ghouls and enacting trade deals (often using undead warriors as currency) to ensure a steady supply of meals. If this precarious balance is lost, infighting would likely overwhelm the city. A warm meal beats an undead one, but no matter how rotten the flesh, it’s preferable to an empty stomach.
Guilds and Factions
A collective of Evernight’s most powerful undead govern the city, and they call themselves the Tribunal. A contingent of Red Wizards of Thay moves through Evernight frequently, seemingly protected by a diplomatic agreement, though none are sure if the wizard’s stay of their own volition or as spies working for Vecna’s Alliance.
History
The true origin of Evernight is enshrouded in such a mystery that not even Vecna knows the full extent of the tale. Within the Plane of Shadow, better known as the Shadowfell, cities or structures from the Material Plane exist as twisted echoes.
While Neverwinter was once on a path to glory, Evernight—its dismal reflection—existed in a constant state of disrepair. Within the Shadowfell, Evernight established itself as the city of undead. It served as a crossroads between planes, which greatly bolstered the city’s commerce. Evernight and Neverwinter lived in an unhappy balance…until everything changed. It’s said that on Neverwinter’s darkest day, when endless assaults from undead and dragons failed to relent, the differences between Neverwinter and Evernight became insignificant—and so, Neverwinter simply ceased to exist.
There is some truth in that, but the shadarkai’s careful sabotage had already weakened the connection between the realms. Rumors say that the shadar-kai were working on the Raven Queen’s behest, aspiring to lure Vecna from the Material Plane and settle their feud once and for all. Regardless of why it happened, the city of Evernight merged with the Material Plane and consumed what was once Neverwinter. Though Evernight has left the Shadowfell, the world it now inhabits is dark indeed—its residents will fit in just fine.
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