NESME
1. Posting – A proclamation posted here announces a 100 gold piece reward to adventurers for every troll slain in the ruins outside the city.
2. Town Hall of Nesme – (Journal Entry #14) This is where the reward for slaying trolls is paid. Longtresses Alaraun, Nesme’s new leader, tells the party about what’s been happening in the town, blaming the temple of Waukeen for everything.
3. The Temple of Waukeen – Healing services are available here.
4. The Tavern of the Riders – You can fight in the taverns to gain experience and treasure.
5. The Evermoor Inn – The party can rest here and recover hit points and spells.
6. Palisade Weaponry Shop – You can purchase weapons and armor at this shop.
7. Banite Temple – The sign here says “We Banish Pests!” This is actually the hidden Banite temple. The party has to pick the lock or break down the door to get in. A secret door is located inside in the north wall-pick its lock or break it down to enter the temple complex behind it.
8. Basanicas Boat Rentals – This is where the party arrives from Yartar if you travel by boat.
9. Rider’s of Nesme Headquarters – (Journal Entry #27) Their Captain tells the party his view of what’s been happening in town.
10. Stables of the Riders of Nesme – The stable boy tells how their horses are being stolen.
11. The Harbormaster’s Office – (Journal Entry #18) The Harbormaster informs the party of the Giant Frogs and Lizard Men that are plaguing the warehouses.
12. An empty warehouse – Random Encounters with either Giant Frogs or Lizard Men.
13. Stock Pens – Lizard Men have been attacking the livestock here and ambush the party if they look around the pens.
14. City Guard stations – The exits leading to the ruins outside the palisade lie at the end of the street just past the guard stations.
15. Banite Library – This is the library of the Banite temple.
16. Murals of Bane – Beautiful murals decorate the ceiling here.
17. Banites – A group of ores and Banite clerics are in this room of the hidden temple.
18. Banite Guards – Lizard men and ores guard this entrance to the Banite temple.
19. Banite Cleric – (Journal Entry #31) This is the chamber of the Banite cleric whom the party seeks to destroy. Here they fight the first big battle of the game. The cleric is guarded by a large group of ores and lizard men, as well as by fellow clerics from this hidden shrine. Make sure that the party is fully healed and has memorized spells before entering the room. A Bless spell cast in camp can help the whole party. Make sure the magicusers have memorized Sleep and Charm Person spells.
Once he is defeated the Banite cleric uses his last ounce of strength to set fire to some papers. Only one page escapes the flames, but it describes a Zhentarim plot to conquer the entire Savage Frontier! Normally allied in the pursuit of evil with the Zhentarim, these Banites are afraid that such a conquest would unbalance the historical relationship between the Temples of Bane and the forces of Zhentil Keep.
They have resolved to stop the plot before the Savage Frontier is conquered. The letter says that the cleric whom the party has just killed was one of three people who knew how to stop the Zhentarim plan. The two others are a fellow Banite who lives in Silverymoon and a magic-user from the south. This man was to go to Silverymoon to meet his fellow conspirator during the upcoming Festival of Mielikki. The party has accidentally removed the one roadblock to the Zhentarim’s plans-just as the Krakens had planned when they sent them on this quest. They must now take on a new mission: to find the Banite cleric in Silverymoon and save the Savage Frontier!
20. Banite Jail – Three Zhentarim agents are imprisoned here. When released they are surprised and pleased that the Banite cleric has been killed, for they were sent to Nesme to eliminate him as well.
21. Priestess of Waukeen – (Journal Entry #4) The party surprises the Priestess of Waukeen in her personal chamber here. She initially believes they’ve been sent to kill her, but then realizes they discovered the secret door after defeating the Krakens . She relates her version of what’s happening in Nesme, blaming Longtresses for everything.
22. Bridge – A stone bridge across the River Surbrin.
23. Secret Area – Bandits and a Kraken spy are hiding here behind the secret door in the palisade. They have been stealing horses from the Riders of Nesme (and trying to put the blame on the barbarians) to encourage civil war in the town.
24. Warehouses – In each of these warehouses by the river there is a chance that one of three groups of giant frogs attacks the party near the wet walls that lie above the riverbank .
25. Encounter – Barbarians attack the party here.
26. Kraken Hideout – The local Kraken spies have their hideout here. They are planning to kidnap the Priestess of Waukeen, using the secret door at the rear of the temple . The Krakens have been fanning the rivalry between her and Longtresses in order to divert attention from their true plans. After defeating the Kraken spies, if the party is in search mode, they find the secret door in the north wall of the room.
27. Ancient Ruins – Trolls inhabit these areas of ancient ruins outside the wooden palisade. They are immune to Sleep spells; if a magic-user is at least 3rd level use Stinking Cloud to force them to attack the party through a cloud of noxious gas. Try to arrange the party so the best fighters line up vertically in a doorway on the combat screen with the rest of the party behind them. Since the trolls are 2 squares high, only one can attack the front row at a time, while the back row peppers them with spells and ranged weapons . After a troll goes down, have a character stand over where it fell to keep it from regenerating and coming back to life.
Synopsis: Nesme is a walled, well-defended city on the edge of the Trollmoors in the north-central part of the map. The leaders there are frightened by the stories oftroll armies gathering near their gates, and have offered a reward for any adventurers who slay trolls in the nearby areas.
The party is looking for a hidden Banite temple where the evil cleric resides. Stay in Search mode to make it easier to find the temple.
In addition to the scare about the trolls, a recent power struggle here saw Longtresses Alaraun overthrow the ruling clerics of Waukeen with the support of local barbarians. The Krakens have been fanning the jealousy between these two rival forces secretly, in order to divert attention from the real plans for the conquest of the region.
Resting: The party can rest safely in the Inn or in any non-street location inside the city walls.
Wandering Monsters: In the ruins outside the palisade in the northeast and southeast, a small number of trolls appear. In the streets, up to five groups of barbarians may attack the party.
Objective: Find the Banite Cleric.
Spells: There are several wandering monster encounters in Nesme including Giant Frogs, Lizard Men and Trolls. It your Magic Users are level 3, they can use Stinking Cloud to help deal with the Trolls. Sleep works well with the Lizard Men.
Wandering Monsters: Unlike Yartar, you will be attacked randomly in the streets by gangs of Barbarians hired by Longtresses to help (not so much) with the Zhentarim Invasion.
Experience: Nesme is a good city to build up experience. Make sure your party is healed and all spells memorized and then enter Area 27 to take out some Trolls, which are tough but high in experience. Each encounter usually involves only one Troll but sometimes two, which makes defeating them easier at lower levels and are worth significant XP and Platinum. There are only four Troll encounters in total. Longtresses will also reward the party 100GP for each Troll that is killed. Trolls do not respawn when leaving and returning to the city.
There are also lots of Barbarians, Giant Frogs and Lizard Men in the city. Maxing out your level and experience here will make things easier going forward. Unfortunately, there is no Training Hall in Nesme, but there is one in your next recommended location of Silverymoon.
Quests: After finding and defeating the Banite Cleric, you can make your way to Silverymoon to meet with Broadhand at his shop during the Festival of Mielikki for the next part of this quest. There are no side quests yet, just the main quest.
Government
The city was ruled by a First Speaker and dominated by its merchants.
In 1357 DR, the First Speaker was Jygil Zelnartha, who was also the local High Priestess of Waukeen. Under Jygil, Nesmé was a theocracy and it’s ruling council was mostly made up of Waukeenar clergy.
The following year, during the Godswar, Waukeen was apparently dead and Nesmé’s temple dissolved. Tessarin Alaurun, a staunch opponent of the theocracy, called for and then organized an election wherein the large population of adventurers living in the town at the time led the voting. They elected a council that was more focused on the town’s defense than it’s wealth and Tessarin became First Speaker.
With money saved by the previous council and the accumulated wealth of the adventuring electorate, a wall was built and the Riders of Nesmé received more funding. Jygil was still on the council but in a much more minor role, frequently having to add her political clout to her old rival’s in the face of adversity, which eventually led to a respectful political partnership and Tessarin taking on Jygil as her wizard apprentice.
In 1372 DR, the First Speaker was still Tessarin Alaurun. With Waukeen’s return in 1370 DR, Jygil Zelnartha was again High Priestess of the local church of Waukeen. Though both the merchants and the church focused heavily on Nesmé’s welfare and both focused on wealth, they often stood in opposition. However, their disputes were kept to a minimum when Nesmé suffered from external threats.
Circa 1372 DR, Eregund Walen commanded the Riders of Nesmé. Galen Firth, leader of the Riders, was in charge of day-to-day affairs, taking on the role of Mayor, presumably while First Speaker Tessarin Alaurun took care of the more important issues.
Defenses
The Riders of Nesmé were an effective military force that defended Nesmé against its enemies. With peace rare, the Riders swiftly became experienced veterans. But after years of attacks by trolls and giants, by 1374 DR, the Riders had been reduced greatly in strength and numbers.
Nesmé’s leaders encouraged adventurers to come and stay in their city and fight off the trolls and giants, provided they behaved themselves. Those who were not were escorted out by the Riders. As a result, Nesmé was a great base for adventurers looking for action.
In 1368 DR, Nesmé had the finest stone wall between Silverymoon and Mirabar. Arrow slits allowed it to be defended at any location and several catapults were kept ready behind it.
When Luruar began to face the burgeoning threat of Many-Arrows, Nesmé had to fend for itself against the giant raids that had not subsided since its fall. Tessarin Alaurun spent much of her treasury in 1372 DR to retain the services of Sky Pony Uthgardt mercenaries and the Khoroshen tribe of lizardfolk in order to supplement the Riders of Nesmé.
By 1484 DR, the wall had grown to be about the size of two ogres stacked on top of each other. It was 15 feet from the battlement to the ground.
1 – Temple of Waukeen
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2 – City Guard
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3 – Longtresses Alaraun
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4 – The Harbormaster
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5 – Stable Boy
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6 – Riders of Nesme
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7 – Banite Cleric
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8 – Barbarians
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9 – Lizard Men
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10 – Kraken Spies
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11 – Giant Frog
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12 – Orcs
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JOURNAL ENTRY 8
The Story of the Priestess of Wavkeen:
“I never knew that a secret door led into the back of the temple like this! I’m only glad that you are friends instead of enemiesI
“I’m sure the people who attacked you in the outer room were going to use the secret door to enter the temple and kill us all! As sure as the market hawkers gather in the morning, they were sent here bythe barbarians, and Longtresses herself. All she wants is control of the city, and she doesn’t care with whom she allies herself to get it!”
JOURNAL ENTRY 14
Longtresses Alaravn’s Story:
“Please, let me welcome you to Nesme. We have just completed a very unhappy task. I had to seize the city by force of arms to save it from the corrupt priests of Waukeen.
“By necessity, I enlisted the aid of some of the local. .. well, barbarians. And I do admit that now some of them are out of control. Take care as you travel through our streets, for my comrades are dancrerous and love to fight.”
JOURNAL ENTRY 18
The Nesme Harbormaster’s Story:
“It’s not my fault! The story’s the same in many towns on the river; not just here in Nesme! They can’t blame me for this, no, no, they can’t!
‘The warehouses on the eastern side of the river have been beset by a plague of giant frogs, and lizard men have been feasting on the herds in the stock pens to the west shore. Now the shipping companies won’t stop here because of the danger!”
JOURNAL ENTRY 27
The Captain of the Rider’s of Nesme’s Story:
“Yes, we too have heard the stories of the trolls gathering in a great army to the east in the Trollmoors, and now small groups of them have been seen in the ruins to the east of the city.
“We should be going out to drive them back!We should be scouting the moors to see what’s going on! But are we? No! We’re confined to barracks because Longtresses Alaraun has taken over. If we go near the cily now, the crazy barbarians will start a full-scale war!”
JOURNAL ENTRY 31
The Banite Cleric’s Letter Fragment:
“, . . that you found the explanation for the gatherings of trolls and orcish annies in the north. I had suspected it was the work of the Zhentarim, and if we had not discovered it in time they might have conquered this entire region.
“The fools believe that it is their cunning and their might that brings them such awesome power. Have they forgotten so quickly about the Temples of Bane, and the power that even our own leaders cannot abdicate! That we, the clerics who carry out Bane’s will, are the ones who have made the name of the Zhentarim feared throughout the Realms!
“I agree with your letter, and although we have never met I feel closely bound to you. By destroying this plan before it starts we shall ensure that never again will the Banite clerics be taken for granted in Zhentil Keep!
“I will meet you during the Festival of Mielikki in the hidden temple behind your shop in Silverymoon. We shall find the magic-user from the south who can turn the power of the Zhentarim against itself. Then we shall see how brilliant the Zhentarim prove to be!
“We must not think that because we know about their plans to cross the desert it will be simple to stop them. I am confi dent we will be successful within days only because… ”
The remainder of the letter was destroyed, and the ashes crumble to nothingness in my hands.