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Story Synopsis The Wyvern Crown of Cormyr This game was the last premium module for Neverwinter Nights. The game started out with a very Robin Hood-esque narrative structure in that the player was a young noble returning home from fighting in the Last War of Azoun IVth. After spending many years away adventuring, the player returned to their homeland to find things awry. Demons had been attacking the heartland of Cormyr, and a vile blight had started taking over the forests. The player's family had moved to a new farm to try to eke out a new existence, but soon after the homecoming the player's family was attacked by hob-goblins, killing everyone but the player, their brother, and a childhood friend. Together, the three set out to exact some revenge on the hobgoblins -- and to track down whoever ordered them to attack the farm. Along the way the player gains favor with the local lord, starting as a mere squire but eventually earning the prestigious title of Knight. They participate in jousts and other tournament games, and discover that an artifact called the Wyvern Crown might be responsible, in one way or another, for all of the troubles in the area. The plot was set up very well through characters with genuine motivations, both good and bad, and was chock-full of political intrigue displayed in well-written dialogue during cleverly designed narrative set-pieces. It had a very serious, dreary tone that represented the state of the union in Cormyr perfectly. The meek struggled to make ends meet while the ambitious relentlessly schemed and enacted power-plays for the benefit of only themselves. All of the major characters were either from existing Forgotten Realms fiction or were relatives of familiar characters within the setting which added to its credibility as a premium module and helped to immerse the player into a familiar universe. The dedication to the IP of the Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, and Cormyr in particular, by the developers shone through fantastically from start to finish. The game was filled to the brim with existing lore and then expanded upon it to allow for fresh-feeling interaction with the setting. (1) Gamebanshee Review, http://www.gamebanshee.com/reviews/software/wyverncrown.php (2) Lead Writer Interview, http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=Interviews.Detail&id=260 |
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