nwn2


WARNING: This page contains the plot for the official campaign. STOP READING NOW IF YOU DO NOT WANT SPOILERS

Official press release

Bards sing tales of heroes from ages past, but never have the Forgotten Realms so desperately needed a champion. Years have passed since the war between Luskan and Neverwinter, almost enough time for the wounds of war to heal. But the brief peace the Realms have known may be at an end. Tension growing between the mighty city-states means the Sword Coast again teeters on the edge of open war. Unnoticed, a greater danger stalks the City of Skilled Hands. Unbeknownst to the denizens of the North, deep in the Mere of Dead Men, dark forces from across the Realms have been rallied under the banner of a legendary evil. If left unchallenged, all of the North is doomed to fall under its power.
Even in this darkest hour, hope remains. A mysterious relic is borne to Neverwinter in the hands of a lone hero so that its secrets may be unlocked - secrets that carry the fate of all the North. So begins an epic tale of shattered alliances, noble acts and dark deeds to be told across the Realms for generations to come.

Pre-release notes

Warning: these are still subject to change during production stage.

General information

Player character

Companions

Notable NPCs

Encounters

Locations

Pre-release plot details

Warning: pre-release plot details are subject to change during production stage.



OC starts with the tutorial with PC participating in Annual Harvest Festival, where he/she can try his/her hands in combat, spellcasting and pickpocketing (source: IGN NWN2 video coverage)
PC is possibly an orphan, raised in the village of West Harbor by his elven stepfather/mentor (source: Gamestar.de gameplay footage)
Soon after PC was born, a great (possibly interplanar) war culminated near West Harbor. Current information about conflicting parties is ambiguous, but possible enemies are: Githyanki and certain Sorceror (source: Feargus Urquhart interview to Eurogamer), the King of Shadows and certain Sorceror (source: Atari product page) or any combination of the above.
During the final battle of the war the powerful Githyanki artifact (the Sword of Gith) exploded across the Planes, and one of its pieces got stuck in PC. Now Githyanki want this piece back. In attempt to recover it from PC's body they attack the village of West Harbor, but villagers manage to drive them off. This sets initial conflict of NWN2 Official Campaign.

Official Campaign Rough Timeline



The game basically works on the premise of an entirely linear turn of events. For the most part, the PC will be forced to make these events happen, even if it is out of their alignment.

This is partial list of events and explains basically the entire plot.

Before Act 1

These events happen before the start of the game:

Act 1

Act 1: Thieves

Act 1: Watch

Act 1 Continued

Act 2

Act 3

Campaign Ending

There are a few possible outcomes from the final battle with the King of Shadows, and from previous actions the PC did.

Accepting Servitude

The PC accepts servitude, and as above fights and kills his companions, who are raised to serve with him (dialogue not listed for this). The shadow army marches north, destroying all in their wake, but stop at the edges of the Illfarn empire - where Crossroad Keep is.

Before the Knight Captain had traveled to the Vale of Merdelain, it seemed the King of Shadows' progress had been slowed, perhaps even stopped.
It was a vain hope. For barely a day after his journey into the Vale, the forces of the King of Shadows suddenly rolled across the land like a tide.
There was no sign of Garius, no sign of the Reavers at the front of the dark armies - just a shadowy general that led the dead through town, city, and finally, to Crossroad Keep itself.
Without the Knight Captain to bolster the keep's forces, Crossroad Keep quickly fell, and the soldiers were driven to Waterdeep and the surrounding lands.
But there, at the unmarked ancient borders of the Illefarn Empire, the shadows stopped their advance, and remained still.
To this day, the line of shadow is one none will dare cross, and the people of Neverwinter live with the knowledge that there are stretches of the Sword Coast where dawn's light will never fall again.
No one truly knows what came of the Knight Captain and the other heroes when they traveled to the King of Shadows' fortress, but all agree, that the shadowy general that emerged must have slain the Knight Captain.
For the general wore the Knight Captain's cloak, and bore a silver sword that had once belonged to the lord of Crossroad Keep.

The King of Shadows is defeated (Canonical ending)

If the PC defeats the King of Shadows, the chamber crumbles and collapses, likely burying the PC and their remaining companions (for continunity, only the companions that always fight the king of shadows, such as Ammon Jerro, Grobnar, Khelgar, Casavir and Zhjaeve are shown in the picture). The King of Shadows army is defeated fully, and the crossroad keep is held.

Note: For the expansion this is considered what ending was achieved by the player.

And as the final blow was struck, the King of Shadows, the ancient Guardian of Illefarn, at last, was laid to rest.
But in his death throes, the power of Illefarn was released, sending echoing blasts through the fortress of shadows.
The walls were torn asunder, the stones crashing down upon the valiant heroes and their Knight Captain.
They fled through the twisting corridors of darkness, but to no avail - the stones themselves crashed down around them, sealing them... within the fortress.
Leagues away, far from the Vale of Merdelain, the soldiers of Crossroad Keep, still fresh from their battle against the King of Shadows, watched the shadows over the Mere drain away into the skies.
The victory was theirs... but as for their Knight Captain, there was no trace, except for the cloak that marked the Captain as a Knight of Neverwinter.
Of the Knight Captain and the fortress of the enemy, there was nothing else left to mark their passing.
And to this day, where they have gone is unknown.

Additional Endings

In addition, the actions of the PC regarding the thieves and watch in Neverwinter is resolved in two different ways, as well as notes about NPC's that are affected and suchlike.

Watch Helped

If the PC helped the watch to gain access to Blacklake, the watch manages to recover and provides protection to a large area.

In the year following the war against the King of Shadows, Neverwinter quickly recovered, its City Watch, Greycloaks, and even the Many-Starred Cloaks gaining numerous new recruits. Emboldened by the actions of the Shard-Bearer, the ranks of the soldiers of Neverwinter swelled, becoming one of the strongest military units in the Sword Coast.

If the PC had a good standing with Cormick, this is shown:

Neverwinter itself became one of the safest cities on the Sword Coast - its City Watch, bolstered by the resolve of its citizens, took pride in their city and the surrounding lands, and many outlying settlements and villagers that previously had only occasional supervision gained small garrisons of their own to watch and protect them.

Else, this is shown about Brelaina:

This ended up being a boon for the City Watch Captain Brelaina, who used her ties to the Shard-Bearer and Lord of Crossroad Keep to petition for a seat on the Council of Neverwinter. From there, she passed many successful political resolutions that improved diplomatic ties with Waterdeep and the Lord's Alliance.

Thieves Helped

If the PC helped the Thieves, they gain the upper hand against the watch, and take over the city.

In the year following the War against the King of Shadows, an eerie quiet fell over the city of Neverwinter. Emboldened by the actions of the Shard-Bearer, the thieves of Neverwinter took back the Docks, the Merchant Quarter, and the rest of the city was claimed by their silent, dark law.

If Axel is alive, this is shown:

More surprisingly, the Council of Neverwinter seemed to turn a blind eye to the crime controlling the city, and many rumored that it was only the strong hand of Axle Devrie and his ties to the former Lord of Crossroad Keep that kept the city safe.

Else it will default to this:

The Docks themselves became dangerous, and any criminal or outlaw not sanctioned by the Shadow Thieves was put to a quick, brutal death.

If Moire is alive, it will then show this:

This fearful silence was signature of Moire, one of the former crimelords in the City of Neverwinter. Eventually, the Council of Neverwinter could ignore their criminal activities no more and marshaled the Watch to clean out the Docks, resulting in another riot that burned down many of the shops and ships docked there.

Torio and Luskan

If the PC is put in the servitude of the King of Shadows, and Torio is dead, then Luskan gains an upper hand against Neverwinter:

Luskan viewed the events to the south in Neverwinter with a quiet wariness, never certain if the shadows that had claimed their southern neighbor would one day come for them. After the deaths of Sydney Natale and Torio Claven, however, no Hosttower mage or scout was willing to venture south to share their fate.

If the PC destroyed the King of Shadows, and Torio was kept alive at the PC's keep, then Neverwinter gains a new spy:

Luskan viewed the events to the south in Neverwinter with some disappointment, hoping that the war against the King of Shadows would weaken their southern neighbor long enough to force their intervention and control of Neverwinter and Crossroad Keep. When Neverwinter triumphed, their only victory was the return of their ambassador Torio Claven who after several years of service, revealed that she was an agent of Neverwinter and her role had allowed her to arrest over a score of Luskan spies who had infiltrated her new home city.

Bevil

Independent of the King of Shadows defeat, if the PC is nice to Bevil in his interactions with him (in the Keep when he becomes a Sergeant) this is shown;

Bevil, led by the example of the Shard-Bearer, became a commander of the Greycloaks in time, finally finding the ability to lead and command. In the aftermath of the second War of Shadow, he sought tirelessly for his fallen commander, convinced that the Lord of Crossroad Keep had survived.

Else this is shown:

Bevil, crushed by the events at West Harbor and the second War of Shadow, soon deserted the forces of Neverwinter when they were sent on a resupply mission to Old Owl Well. He is said to have made a solitary home there, still tortured by the memories of what happened to him during the War.

Daeghun

If the PC is in the servitude of the King of Shadows:

Shortly after the war, Daeghun attempted to return to West Harbor, believing that the Shadow General that led the King of Shadows armies could be found there. His path was the correct one, but not as he intended... he was intercepted by beasts along the road south of Highcliff, and brought in pieces to the Shadow General, who watched Daeghun be consumed by his minions, then raised him from the dead to die again and again for his amusement. It is said that Daeghun's corpse is embedded in a pillar of the dead in the Vale of Merdelain, his mouth left hanging open so the wind might whistle through it in a mockery of the song portals of Illefarn.

If the King of Shadows is defeated:

Shortly after the war, Daeghun vanished. There were rumors of an elven ranger sighted throughout the lands of Faerûn, still searching for the shard-bearer he had lost in battle against the King of Shadows.

West Harbor

If the PC is in the servitude of the King of Shadows:

Following the rise of the King of Shadows and his General, the Mere of Dead Men became an increasingly desolate place. The ruins of West Harbor, in particular, became a dark gathering ground for the shadows and dead of the Mere... and the tiny farming village became a twisted shadow of the once-proud dwelling of Harbormen.

If the King of Shadows is defeated:

After the war, a few scattered survivors of West Harbor returned to their home, and with the persistence common to Harbormen, slowly rebuilt their destroyed village. They still make their living at the edge of the Mere, a testament to their strength and character.

Shandra Jerro's Farm

Even though she is dead by the end, Shandra Jerro's farm gets a mention, depending on your influence with her. If you have an influence level of 9 or more, you get this:

The farm of Shandra Jerro was left abandoned for some time, yet it never fell into disrepair. During the Harvest Season, the people of Highcliff came to pay their respects to Shandra Jerro, who was rumored to have fallen in battle against the King of Shadows.

(Note: Even if the the PC follows the King of Shadows, this can be shown, despite Highcliff being south of Crossroad Keep!) Otherwise, if it is less, this is shown:

The farm of Shandra Jerro was soon claimed by the wilds surrounding Highcliff. Shandra Jerro followed the path of her ancestor, her efforts forgotten and unknown as those of Ammon Jerro during his time.

Elanee

If Elanee left the PC (see Elanee's page for details) before facing the King of Shadows, and is still alive, this is shown:

In the years after the war, a strange tranquility settled over portions of the Mere, in contrast to the horrors that had taken place there. There were sightings of a mysterious elven female, cloaked in mist, who would lead lost travelers to sanctuary within the Mere. The identity of the woman was was never known, but glimpses of her over the years seemed to indicate that she was a troubled, sad figure, and looked as if she had lost someone she cared deeply about.

If she was killed due to low standing with the PC, this is shown:

In the years after the war, the Mere became a place of horrors - but worst of all was the tales of a ghost of a mysterious elven female, who was said to have been slain by her own companions. Her dying spirit twisted by the Claimed Lands, she is said to lure travelers to their deaths, and then watch in satisfaction as they slowly drown in the depths of the swamp.

Of course, if she went to Merdelain, then neither is shown.

Crossroad Keep

Crossroad Keep has a score variable which is altered due to decisions made during the PC's ownership of it, and work done to rebuild it, and if the King of Shadows is destroyed. There are 3 possible outcomes:

PC kills the King of Shadows

With a keep score of 650 or more, this is shown (the best ending for the keep):

Crossroad Keep achieved a new prominence in the coming years after the second War of Shadow. Bolstered by the example of the Shard-Bearer, the lieutenant Kana took over the operations of the Keep, and with Veedle in tow, helped restore peace to the region and turn it into a major trade route.

Otherwise, this is shown:

Crossroad Keep's prominence waned after the War of Shadow. Without the Shard-Bearer to lead them, the operations of the Keep soon fell into disrepair, and the few recruits that remained turned much of the surrounding area into farmland.
PC is in servitude

If the PC is under the thrall of the King of Shadows, obviously this occurs. This is the female version, the male version replaces she with he, her with him etc.

The Lord of Crossroad Keep returned when the King of Shadows came to reclaim the ancient citadel. The servant of shadow slayed all the inhabitants she had gathered, and she used their bodies to form a new wall around her home. It is said that this beast resides there still with the shadows, where the heads of her former companions form a silent gallery around her, frozen in dark screams.

Githyanki and end passage

There is a standard ending saying what happened to the Githyanki too; added on just before the final words.

Of the githyanki and their Lich Queen, no more was heard. Driven from the Sword Coast by the Shard-Bearer, it seemed as if the hunters had retreated to their citadels on the Astral Plane.
Even the wisest sages of Faerûn know that whoever holds such a blade shall have a long journey ahead of them... both in the Realms - and beyond.
But that is a tale for another time.

Unknown ending events

These people and events are not detailed in the ending:

Also any other minor or moderate quests which would result in some further action after the events of the campaign are not stated.

Scrapped Dialogue

Some people might be interested to know of the two other sections of script which were cut (before dialogue and cutscenes were done) detailing other endings/events;

NPC Dialogue after defeating the King of Shadows

This probably would have occurred just after the King of Shadows was defeated. It is a very early draft of work.

This was probably cut due to it being not ambiguous. Who knows if a further campaign could follow from the original official one, since the voice over makes no mention of anyone dying. Also, this ending cannot take into account servitude of the King of Shadows.

"Last sequence" after King of Shadows was defeated

Likely this was intended to come after the above cut section and is an early draft of work.

Apart from assuming that Crossroad Keep is right next to Merdelane and is visible, it also is only for when the King of Shadows was defeated. However, this might explain why these characters, apart from Bevil, were not mentioned in any part of the official ending. Obviously the plot was altered a bit more dramatically for this to make sense too.

See also