Narfell

Narfell is a country in the eastern part of the fictional continent of Faerûn, in the Forgotten Realms setting. It lies in the Cold Lands region but was once the heart of a vast empire that included the Great Dale, much of Thesk, part of the Plateau of Thay, and other lands.

History
In its height of power, Narfell was ruled by evil priests. They maintained their power through horrid blood-pacts with demon lords, quite possibly spawning half-demon children. This once great civilization fell over 1,500 years ago in a terrific battle with its ancient enemy, Raumathar.

The empire's few survivors fled to Narfell's current borders, vowing to rebuild their mighty realm. That dream, however, has long since faded. Now, Narfell is a frigid land of barbarian tribes who have little or no knowledge whatsoever of their grand and sinister past, preoccupied as they are with simply surviving the region's harsh and bitter winters. The area directly beneath Narfell in the Underdark is plagued by nightmarish horrors and wraiths, and even the drow dare not venture there.

The remnants of Narfell's magnificent empire still exist, the ruins littering the region's plains. These ruins are often avoided by the Nars, for they have learned that the ruins usually contain ancient and long-dormant magical traps, as well as ghosts and wraiths. Once in a while, a group of foreign adventurers decide to explore the ruins. The Nars do not discourage this, as they can always pick up the pieces after the foolhardy adventurers set off any traps, which are usually lethal.

Economy
Trade is minimal, but merchants who do not wish to traverse the empire of Thesk sometimes pass through Narfell instead by way of the Long Road. The Long Road starts in Damara and enters Narfell through the pass in the Giantspire Mountains before intersecting with the Cold Road at N'Jast. From that point, the road continues on to Nathoud, which stands in the shadows of the Icerim Mountains in northern Rashemen. The Giant Gap, as the road is commonly called, is virtually impassable in the winter and is plagued by hobgoblins.

Bildoobaris
Bildoobaris, the unofficial capital of Narfell, is little more than an open plain that rests in the towering shadow of Mount Nar. For one tenday every summer, this plain turns into a bustling city consisting of over 30,000 Nars. Also called Bildoobaris, this festival is the largest and most important holiday in all of Narfell; even the cruelest and most fierce Nar tribes come to drink, feast, and trade together.

Mount Nar
Mount Nar is a massive, snow-capped peak that lies in the lands of Narfell. It is even visible from the crossroads at N'Jast.

The ancient kingdom of Jastaath, one of the small Nar kingdoms that existed before the rise of the Empire of Narfell, was ruled by powerful priest-kings who kept a fortress high atop the western slopes of Mount Nar. The magic of the mighty priest-kings was able to control the weather around the fortress, keeping it pleasant and warm even in the dead of winter. The ruins of this ancient city now lie lost beneath the everlasting ice and snow.

No modern expedition to the peak has ever found the buried ruins of the ancient castle. These expeditions are no doubt hindered by Kryonar, a white dracolich wyrm that resides in an icy cavern in the mountain's northern face.

Neverwinter Nights Persistent World
Narfell is the setting for a persistent world in the computer game Neverwinter Nights. Created as a self enclosed campaign and later expanded to a PW, the world has evolved thanks to the work of a select number of developers and Dungeon Masters. It was originally conceived by Masume, then developed with Crucible and RaDSaM, both of which contributed greatly to the project along with many others.

The community has grown in quantity and quality, with various others volunteering their effort and time to the project. The setting took many liberties with the official setting, adding various townships and expanding on current lore for a more climactic setting that takes place in the near future of the region.

The current world of Narfell exists under different management and development teams and is a thriving community, while the original creator has plans to continue his work with Neverwinter Nights 2.

Official material

 * Unapproachable East
 * Lost Empires of Faerûn
 * Jesanta Beril, Nar Demonbinder
 * Nar Demonbinder prestige class (image)