The Ruining (Eruption of Mount Hotenow)

In late 1451 DR, a catastrophe known simply as "The Ruining" nearly obliterated the city of Neverwinter, the Jewel of the North. Triggered by an adventuring party inadvertently awakening the fire primordial Maegera deep within Gauntlgrym, Mount Hotenow exploded with a force that sundered the northern peaks. A pyroclastic flow of ash and lava poured directly into Neverwinter, incinerating half the population in an instant and boiling the Neverwinter River into steam.

The seismic shockwaves were so intense they were felt throughout the Spine of the World, opening a massive "Chasm" in the southeastern quarter of the city that reached down to the Underdark. The royal House Alagondar was wiped out, leaving the city in a state of leaderless ruin for decades. This event is the reason Neverwinter remains a city of jagged cliffs and deep scars today, and it paved the way for the eventual "Lord Protector" Dagult Neverember to seize control in the following years.

Aftermath: The volcanic destruction led directly to the Arrival of Dagult Neverember, who would use the tragedy to seize control of the city.

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