Dagult Neverember

"You can buy paper crowns on the street in Waterdeep that children like to wear. They try to snatch them from each other and the last one left crowned becomes king or queen for a day. Then it starts all over again. In Neverwinter, the game of crowns is played by older, but not wiser, heads." 
— Dagult Neverember

Neverember rose to the Open Lordship of Waterdeep during the city’s chaotic post-plague years. Charismatic and ruthlessly efficient, he won the support of the nobility and guilds by promising infrastructure renewal and a strong hand against crime. For a time, he delivered.

But his reign was defined by:

• Heavy-handed governance, including suppression of dissent and consolidation of guild oversight
• Increasing reliance on mercenaries and private enforcers rather than the City Watch
• Deepening ties to Neverwinter, which many saw as a conflict of interest

His position was eventually challenged by Laeral Silverhand, a Chosen of Mystra, who returned to Waterdeep with the backing of the Harpers and The Lords' Alliance hardliners. When evidence of misappropriated funds and diverted war aid surfaced during the Council of Waterdeep, infuriatingly discovered by his own son Renaer Neverember (see: Tyranny of Dragons), he was publicly disgraced and removed.

Neverember returned to Neverwinter bitter, stripped of legitimacy—but not of power.

Though Dagult contributed soldiers, ships, and supplies to the factions opposing the Cult of the Dragon, his efforts were always tinged with political opportunism. It is widely believed that:

• He aimed to reassert his authority over Waterdeep through wartime heroics
• He diverted council funds intended for field operations into his own projects
• He personally lobbied to delay the vote for full alliance coordination, fearing it would weaken his individual influence

Ultimately, his ambition and inflexibility made him a liability at the Council. The "Five Guys" and their allies refused to endorse him, and when his financial duplicity became evident, he was forced to resign under threat of arrest.

What became of the missing funds was unknown for years—until The Grand Game began.

"As you know, I have taken the beleaguered city of Neverwinter under my wing and sunk a great deal of time, coin, blood, and sweat into its reconstruction..." 
— Dagult Neverember

Five years after his expulsion from Waterdeep, rumors began circulating about a hidden vault containing 500,000 stolen dragons—gold pieces embezzled by Neverember during the war, and hidden beneath the city by magical means.

The vault’s existence, originally preserved by the Stone of Golorr, became the fulcrum for the Grand Game, a multi-factional scramble between:

• The Zhentarim (both loyal to Enna Baenre and the returned Manshoon)
  
• The Xanathar's Guild
• The Cassalanters, who once supported Neverember’s rule
  
• Bregan D'aerthe
• The Hype Squad, who accidentally ignited and now navigate the chaos

Whether Dagult ever intended the vault to be found—or merely forgot its location—remains uncertain. What is clear is this: his greed, secrecy, and political scheming destabilized two cities and directly led to Waterdeep’s martial law.

"The commoners need strong leaders to protect them—and to do what must be done even when it is distasteful." 
— Dagult Neverember

In Neverwinter, Neverember retains his position as Lord Protector, sustained by:

• Control over mercenary forces loyal to him, not the city
• An effective bureaucracy and fear of destabilization
• Popular support from older nobles and guild leaders enriched by his rule

But his grip is tenuous. The Sons of Alagondar, a royalist rebel faction, continue to resist his rule. The Order of the Gauntlet has grown wary of his growing militarism. And the Harpers, though not openly opposed, monitor his movements with increasing concern.

He rarely leaves Neverwinter now, paranoid of assassination or extradition. Rumors persist that he’s seeking new magical protections, or perhaps making dangerous bargains of his own.

Neverember sees himself as a king among coins, a ruler forged from what others squander. But a throne of gold is still hollow. And even a city rebuilt by his hand may one day bury him beneath its weight.