Nimpeth

Nimpeth was a city-state located on the southern shore of the Vilhon Reach. It was one of the Free Cities of the Vilhon Reach,^[1]^[2]^[8] which were the largest and most powerful city-states in the region.^[9]

Description[]

Most of Nimpeth's city walls and buildings were constructed by slave labor, including the city's seat of power – the Citadel of Carifar. The most impressive achievement of slave labor laid to the city's north, in the Broken Hills. The rugged hills were turned into sprawling agricultural wonder – the Woren Vineyards.^[1]

Elupar and lachom — *A 14^th century DR map depicting Nimpeth.*

Trade[]

Nimpeth was renowned for its slave and mercenary trade. All cargo that moved along the Nagaflow stopped in the city Nimpeth before proceeding into the Sea of Fallen Stars. Another export good of note was wine. The lands around Nimpeth held numerous vineyards producing some of the best wine in Faerûn.^[2]

Another big contributor to Nimpeth's economy was its proximity to the Golden Road. Many travelers and adventures stop at Nimpeth before heading towards the Shining Plains, south along the Golden Road.^[10]

Nimpeth's slave trade was supported by many other cities of the Vilhon Reach. Numerous slave pens and slave auctions led to Nimpeth's early rapid growth. The slaves were sold in Nimpeth proper and transported north into the Sea of Fallen Stars and further away from the slaver city. Nimpeth's slaves were used to work its many vineyards.^[11]^[12] Despite Chondath's early history with Nimpeth, both cities retained close trade relationships through the centuries.^[13] Under the leadership of Lord Woren, Nimpeth strived to remain a friendly neighbor to all the cities of Vilhon Reach. The Lord knew that there was no profit for Nimpeth in war.^[1]

Culture[]

Its inhabitants were fiercely independent and defensive about their achievements and produce, and any visitors who questioned or doubted this were likely to be attacked.^[8]

Cuisine[]

Vilhon eels were marinated in wines, stuffed with herbed eggs and cheese, and fried to create a local delicacy. Circa 1372 DR, it was common to find eels that contained valuables, such as rings, gems, and jewelry, although it was not clear why the eels were swallowing these or where they were coming from.^[8]

Nimpeth was known for its delicious Vilhon Cider.^[6]

Defenses[]

Nimpeth, just like other city-states of the Vilhon Reach, existed in a constant state of conflict, diplomatic or military. Petty squabbles could arise from territory disputes, betrayal, or something as simple as trade. Nimpeth was prepared to open conflict that always loomed on the horizon.^[10]

In the 14^th century DR, Duke Folkwain was in control of Nimpeth's defenses. The city employed mercenary companies that served as its guard and militia. Furthermore, Folkwain's personal mercenary company, the Company of the Crushed Grapes, was reserved for special tasks and counted more than 250 footmen and 150 cavalry members. Nimpeth also commanded a small fleet of 20 ships that handled patrols and slave galleons escort. The Wine & Song and its Admiral Taramont were in charge of protecting trade vessels in the late 14^th century DR.^[1]

History[]

Nimpeth was founded as a slaver nation in the Year of Wasted Pride, 285 DR. Nimpeth quickly became a target for Chondath, withstanding a series of attacks and proving its power against invaders. The hostilities soon ended, and the Illistine family that ruled Chondath became content on using Nimpeth as a source for slaves. Fueled by the profitable slave trade, Nimpeth quickly blossomed into a rich, decadent, and powerful resort city-state of the Vilhon Reach.^[7] Arrabar adopted Nimpeth's slavery ways soon after as yet another center of power in the Reach.^[11]

The Citadel of Carifar, the stone-built governing palace, was built by the city's slaves circa the Year of the Child's Trinket, 970 DR.^[1]

Migrant workers from Nimpeth, among other places, went to join in the construction of the canal that Innarlith was building between the Lake of Steam and the Nagaflow in the mid-1360s DR. This project was widely seen as bringing much lucrative trade to the Lake of Steam region because it would have connected the Sea of Fallen Stars to the oceans of Toril through the Lake of Steam. When Innarlith's Ransar Salatis started to find excuses to cut funding for the project, Nimpeth paid for its own workers to continue their work on the site.^[14]

Circa the Year of the Shield, 1367 DR, Marsembian spice trade saw a significant decrease. The cities of Westgate and Nimpeth saw this as an opportunity and picked up slack, sending shipments of precious spice into Cormyr and the Sword Coast.^[5]

By the Year of the Tankard, 1370 DR, Nimpeth's slavers could be encountered deep in the land of Turmish, following slave shortages and damage done by a recent war.^[12] Around the same time, a strange never before seen disease started moving through the inhabitants of the Vilhon Reach. The affliction caused growths of green-white, lichen-like patches and the inability to concentrate nor memorize information. The disease cleared after 2-5 months. The cure was never discovered, however, alchemist Thoround of Nimpeth discovered that the blood and spittle of the disease's victims could be used as ink to scribe scrolls of the forget spell.^[15]

In the chaos of Spellplague, slavery collapsed in Nimpeth. By the late 15^th century and past the Second Sundering, it never recovered.^[16]

Notable Locations[]

Citadel of Carifar, the governing palace located at the center of Nimpeth.^[1]
Temple of Tempus, one of the major places of worship of the devotees of Tempus in the Vilhon Reach.^[3]
Woren Vineyards, agricultural wonder that laid beyon the north-eastern wall of Nimpeth, on the shores of the Vilhon Reach.^[1]
Apart from major places of worship, Nimpeth had several minor shrines, including a Shrine to Tyr.^[4]

Notable Inhabitants[]

Organizations[]

Company of the Crushed Grapes, Duke Folkwain's personal mercenary force.^[1]
Dragonplume, Nimpeth's representative among the Heralds of Faerûn in the late 14^th century DR.^[17]^[18]
Night Parade, a race of strange creatures descendants of a Netherese enclave that plunged into the Demiplane of Nightmares. As of the late 14^th century DR, 29 members of the Parade infested the city of Nimpeth.^[19]
Shattered Manacles Cloak, an ex-Ilmatari organization that kept an eye on the slave trade in the region and lamely in Nimpeth. The cloak strived to help those whose friends and loved ones were sold into slavery.^[20]

Individuals[]

Duke Folkwain, Lord Woren's second in command. The Duke oversaw militia and Nimpeth's mercenary companies.^[1]
Emanuel Foreister, an adventuring rogue who survived horrors of the vanished mansion of the Centaur Bridge and retired to Nimpeth.^[21]
Jhassala Lyrimmjakh, a ship builder and a slaver hunter active in the late 15^th century DR.^[16]
Thoround, the alchemist who discovered a magical use for blood and spittle of those afflicted by a strange forgetful disease that ravaged Vilhon Reach in the late 14^th century DR.^[15]
Vogalsang, a notorious slaver who held regular auctions in the late 14^th century DR.^[12]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

↑ The founding year was mistakingly listed as 258 DR in the Sea of Fallen Stars (sourcebook), the error later reprinted in The Grand History of the Realms.