A Brief History of The Sword Coast

Long before human cities took root, the North was ruled by the Elves, a vast and ancient kingdom. Their spires gleamed beneath the boughs of the High Forest, and their ships sailed the cold waters of the coast. On the borders, Dwarven and Gnome cities developed in the mountains. Together, the Elves, Dwarves and early Humans lived in peace, and there was a blossoming of the arts, crafts and trade among the cities. At its center, The City of Neverwinter became a beacon of culture and stability, named for its eternally warm waters. 

Nearby, clans of dwarves and gnomes made an agreement known as the Phandelver's Pact, by which they would share a rich mine in a wondrous cavern known as Wave Echo Cave. In addition to its mineral wealth, the mine contained great magical power. Human and Elven spellcasters allied themselves with the Dwarves and Gnomes to channel and bind that energy into a great forge, where magic items could be crafted. Times were good, and the nearby human town of Phandalin prospered, as did the nearby Elven settlement known as The Hand of Sehanine and the Dwarven town of Axeholm.

But time, internal squabbles and conflict wore them down, and as orc hordes surged and human settlers expanded, the elves withdrew to the hidden island of Evermeet, leaving their ruins and secrets behind. The Dwarven and Gnomish cities remain, but far weaker than before. Smaller settlements like Leilon, Phandalin, and Triboar struggle to survive amid constant threats.

Disaster struck when Chromatic Dragons swept through the North and laid waste to all in their path, seeking to wrest control of the region from the peoples of the North. However, Lord Nasher Alagondar, united the cities of the North under The Lord’s Alliance, and the dragons were defeated.

Peace reigned for a time, but the Lord’s Alliance has many enemies. Today, the City of Neverwinter is still recovering from a plague known as The Wailing Death. A magical plague sent by the Wizards of Luskan. While overcoming the plague, finding a cure and defeating Luskan, today Neverwinter is looking inward, and the support the Lord’s Alliance may provide to frontier towns such as Phandalin is limited. 

With a recent increase of monster sightings, bandits and even rumors of dragons returning - can heroes be found to protect those who cannot protect themselves? Perhaps a new power will rise to take the ancient power for itself?

  The Known Gods of the World

The Prime Deities

Gods which are worshipped more openly, as they are seen as overall beneficial, good or at least neutral:

Avandra, the Changebringer: Goddess of freedom, trade, travel, adventure, and luck

Bahamut, the Platinum Dragon: First of the metallic dragons and god of justice, honor, and good-aligned dragons

Corellon, the Arch Heart: Deity of art, beauty, the fey, and spring

Erathis, the Lawbearer: Goddess of civilization, laws, and peace

Ioun, the Knowing Mentor: Goddess of learning, prophecy, knowledge, and skill

Kord, the Stormlord: God of battle, competition, and storms

Melora, the Wildmother: Goddess of wild nature and the sea

Moradin, the All-Hammer: God of craft, creation, family, and legacy

Pelor, the Dawnfather: God of the sun, agriculture, and summer

The Raven Queen, Matron of Death, also called the Matron of Ravens: Ascended goddess of fate, death, twilight, and winter

Sarenrae, the Everlight, also called Raei: Goddess of redemption, compassion, healing, temperance, and the dawn

Sehanine, the Moonweaver:  Goddess of misdirection, love, moonlight, and autumn.

The Betrayer Gods

Gods which are not worshipped that openly, and are seen as destructive or harmful by parts of the public. However, even they have their place in the balance of the world….

Asmodeus, the Lord of the Nine Hells: Devil god of domination, and ruler of the Nine Hells

Bane, the Strife Emperor: God of war and conquest

Gruumsh, the Ruiner: God of slaughter

Lolth, the Spider Queen: Goddess of deceit, shadows, and spiders

Tharizdun, the Chained Oblivion: Elder Evil and mad deity of destruction

Tiamat, the Scaled Tyrant: Queen of the chromatic dragons and goddess of greed, envy, hoarded wealth, and evil-aligned dragons

Torog, the Crawling King: God of torture and slavement

Vecna, the Whispered One: Ascended god of secrets and necromancy

Zehir, the Cloaked Serpent: God of poisons, assassins, and darkness